ROGUE SABRES
The evening bustle in the main road barely reached the back corner of the alley. Two older males, one human and the other with the distinctive shape of a Rodian head, could be heard causing enough snoring noise to wake the dead. The large figure walked down the alley, turning one way and then another, giving the impression of a choice to be made. Suddenly a red shaft of light emerged from the left arm. It impaled the human directly between its eyes, severing the connection from the brain to the rest of the body. The blade extended beyond the head into the duracrete building. The Rodian shifted slightly and blinked its eyes. The blood-red eyes turned onto the Rodian, startling it backwards into a second duracrete wall. The wall held him still as the red blade swiftly sliced the air and connected, leaving a second body opposite the first. The column of light retreated into a metallic cylinder. The figure turned, walked deeper into the alley and disappeared into the night.
The morning sun shown into the interior of the Jedi Temple with natural warmth and light. Traffic patterns could be seen filling up with cargo ships and skycabs as the morning light drifted through the blinds on Trevor's window. Gone was the skull cap, replaced with a very brightly colored blindfold. Trevor had been working on this new covering for some time, and felt that, as a Jedi, he would need to keep his face as unrecognizable as possible. Working with the instruments gathered from the Jedi storage rooms gave Trevor a few moments of peace each day. The recent week since returning from Tatooine had given him some time to work on smaller projects, while trying to commune with the Force. There was something within Trevor that felt nearly at home here, but there was also a feeling of change. He decided that working on a new covering would allow him time to meditate and let the Force communicate with him. It also gave him time to compose notes to people he had met over the last few months.
In the days since returning from Tatooine, he had sent messages to the people that he had already met, just keeping in touch to see how much their lives had changed since he had been a very large part of their life for an extremely short time. Hearing from the people he had met would be a rather interesting pastime, as well as a way to keep up contacts across the galaxy, even from informal sources.
The music from the cantina was certainly loud and the cacophony from inside could be heard through the quarter. The human male led his companion towards the refreshers. Keeping in time with the music the two danced their way toward the back. Unaware of directions, the two walked directly into the back alleyway. The pair laughed heartily at their mistake. Suddenly a red shaft of light could be seen directly behind them. The male was taken completely by surprise. He releases his blaster pistol and shot straight ahead, remarkable based on his intoxication levels. The shot however moved unhindered directly into the wall. The red shaft sliced quickly downward, cutting the man in two. The female turned quickly and fled the scene. She never left the alleyway.
The drunk was finishing up the third bottle when a noise startled him into near sobriety. The tall figure with red eyes stood in the middle of the alley, keeping him from getting past. The drunk said a few hazy words, but the figure did not respond immediately. A red shaft of light extended from its left arm, and proceeded menacingly, approaching him without regard for personal safety. The drunk, now thoroughly frightened, was even more terrified when laser fire interrupted the sequence yet again. The figure turned its attention towards the location of the shooter and even began to make a few steps forwards. This drunk human had had enough by this point. He bolted out of the alley as quickly as possible, trying to save his own neck. When stopped later, he would not be able to remember a thing about the shooter, except to say that 'it was trying to kill me!' Or something like that, the authorities mused.
Brea's reply was rather interesting. Brea is continuing her successful run as assistant curator of the Aldera Museum of Galactic History. She recently finished supervising the installation of a small expansion of the Sith Gallery, featuring a holographic model of a Dashade, as well as a small holovid about the recent break-in and attack thwarted by the Jedi Trevor Gul'dan ("Don't worry, it's suitably modest!"). Trevor read this and was suitable embarrassed. He really didn't need the attention, and he wasn't sure the Council was going to be real happy about it either.
Brea also wrote about Nilz Yomm, the curator of the museum. It seemed that he is doing his part to downplay the sensationalism of the Museum's recent events in an effort to maintain the level of austere respectability favored by the administrators. However, he has repeatedly made statements commending the efficiency and professionalism of the Jedi involved in the investigation. The public continues to remain unaware of the theft of the Sith artifact.
Princess Azulia had returned to her home world with the racer Zynonyx, where she was to perform in an informal celebratory pod race. Three days before the race, the Princess disappeared from the public eye. On the night before the race, a security leak revealed that the Princess' whereabouts were unknown even to the royal family. The King stoically insisted that the race continue, "as Azulia would have wished it to." After taking the trophy for the race, Zynonyx revealed her true identity as Princess Azulia. After several days of whispered gossip, the Princess unveiled her plans to head a new elite planetary-defense star fighter squadron, fully endorsed by the King. The pilots' training is to involve challenging pod racing runs as a reflex-enhancing exercise. Rampant rumors speculate that the King was aware of Azulia's pod racing identity and cooperated in her faked disappearance as a publicity stunt. The Princess has not directly confirmed or denied these rumors. Trevor smiled, knowing that the Princess was certain to have been involved with the 'charade'. It just had Azulia's nature written all over it.
Trevor continued to work the bindings of his new coverings, musing over the turn of events in the galaxy. He let his hands work to complete the weave of an intricate pattern to denote a Miraluka Jedi.
It had been nearly six weeks since returning from Tatooine. Trevor continued to work on his studies, but nothing really interested him. He continued to spar and train in the exercise rooms, and it made Trevor feel better that he seemed to be improving each day. He began to think that nothing exciting would happen. During his evening meditation, a knock was heard on his front door. Trevor stood up, and answered it. A Jedi Youngling was seen standing in front of his door.
"Yes? May I help you?"
"Sir, you have been summoned to the Jedi High Council Chambers immediately."
"Lead on"
The pair walked immediately towards the turbolift, however the Youngling only stood off to the side. Trevor nodded his thanks to the young lad, and moved into the lift. He departed the lift, and walked directly through the open door of the chambers. The entire twelve members of the Jedi Council were present, giving Trevor the feeling of very bad news indeed. The final lights of the sun gave an eerie tone to the chamber and council members.
"A mission we have for you," Master Yoda spoke, his voice serious.
"There have been a number of disturbing murders on the planet Ord Mantell. Fifteen in the last month," continued Mace Windu.
Master Eeth Koth nodded his horn-studded head. "Murder is not unusual in such rough communities," he said calmly, his eyes betraying first-hand knowledge of such places. "But these have been unusual enough for the Council to take note."
"As far as we know," Mace interjected, "there has been no connection between the victims. They were mostly low-profile types; civilians, two law-officers, several off-worlders, even a local bounty-hunter. What is troubling is the way in which they died..." The pregnant pause seemed to drop the temperature in the chambers.
Master Yoda leaned forward, his green eyes darkened with a troubled scowl. When he finally spoke, his voice was low and filled with danger. "Killed with a lightsaber the victims were."
The other masters exchanged concerned looks as Trevor stood silently, his mind reeling with the implications. Nearly a minute of silence went by before the next voice was raised.
"We want you to investigate the area of the Ord Mantell Spaceport," Master Windu said. "Nearly all the deaths occurred there, with the exception of a sport-hunter in the badlands three kilometers west of the city, and the deaths of two civilians at an automated scrap-smelting facility on the northern outskirts."
"Are there any other Jedi in the area that we know of?" Trevor asked. He was pleased that his voice managed to retain a calm tone.
Master Windu shook his head. "We don't believe that there are any Jedi currently in the system."
Ki-Adi-Mundi fixed Trevor with his intent gaze. "There have been numerous reports of rogue Jedi, but that is to be expected." Anytime a lightsaber had been mentioned in past history, Trevor recalled, people in the Outer Rim had always assumed a 'rogue Jedi' was to blame for something. Lightsabers were certainly common, but the secret to making them was very well hidden amongst those in the order.
"These are probably nothing more than rumors spread by frightened locals," Mace said dismissively. "The idea of a rogue Jedi going on a killing spree like this is hard to believe."
Trevor nodded, pondering this flood of disturbing information. "Are there any reliable ideas about who might be capable of these killings?" He asked.
"We know almost nothing about this killer," Master Depa Billaba said softly. "The local authorities haven't been able to turn up a single witness. The truth is that we don't know if it is a fallen Jedi, a murderer with a stolen lightsaber, or even a Sith." The skin on Trevor's arms grew a layer of cold like he'd not experienced in a long time. "This mission could become very dangerous. We don't want you to actively pursue the killer--just investigate. If at all possible, you are to avoid any meetings with this individual in the flesh."
"Of course, if it becomes necessary to protect innocent lives, you may be forced to take action," Windu added. "Follow your best judgment, but remain cautious."
"Of course, Master" Trevor nodded. "Is it possible that these murders are related to the transport ship that Master Shudo and I confiscated on Metallos?"
The assembled masters exchanged thoughtful glances. Master Yoda nodded slowly.
"Possible it is," he murmured. "Likely, I would say."
"That is the reason Master Shudo agreed that you should be given this assignment," added Master Windu. "He would be going with you, if it were not for other pressing matters."
Trevor wondered what business might keep Shudo away from such an important mission, but the serious gazes of the other Council members discouraged Trevor from asking about it for the moment.
"Who is the contact person leading the investigation on Ord Mantell?" he asked instead.
"We've received most of our information from the Spaceport's Chief of Security, a man named Tobras Boca." Master Windu said. "You are to contact him as soon as you arrive at the city."
"And how often should I report back to the Council, Master?" Trevor asked.
"Chief Boca will be providing us with regular updates," Master Windu said, "but we want you to contact us as soon as anything useful turns up."
Trevor nodded in acknowledgement.
"Now, you should make preparations for departure," Mace continued. "We do not want this situation to escalate any further. May the Force be with you."
Trevor bowed to the Council, turned on his heel and headed out. As the doors to the Council closed, Yoda and Windu turned to one another. "Is he ready for this?"
"Trust in him Shudo does. His council we should respect."
"I am sure that Shudo knows what he is doing, but there is something else going on here."
"Find it on his own we should allow him. Strong in the Force this one is. Not as strong as some. Certainly an asset for the order, hmm?"
Trevor had not been on a murder investigation before, at least not one that he could remember within recent memory. To get the most out of this mission, he decided to visit the head Jedi Investigators' office. The Jedi assigned to Investigations were some of the best investigators in the galaxy. Even the Republic Judicials called upon Jedi investigators from time to time to review extremely difficult cases. Trevor was able to contact Jedi Xondin, an older, grey-haired male humanoid who was a fountain of information. They talked for nearly an hour about the best way to gather information regarding those areas of investigations that Trevor would need most. Two pieces of information that seemed to resonate with him. One was not to be afraid to use underworld contacts, false identities or even Force-Suggestion. The second piece was to look for obvious clues, then keep looking until you find the details that others deemed unimportant. This will be the way to break the case, he divulged.
Trevor thanked the man, and then headed off towards a tailor. A change of outfit might make the clientele on Ord Mantell more willing to talk to him instead of having the traditional clothing he'd been wearing for the last few years. He talked with Janita, a human whose simple designs suited the Jedi's taste for simplicity. Nearly twenty minutes later, Trevor walked out of the salon wearing a nearly white shirt, and black pants with two holsters wrapped around his thighs. He walked out a new Jedi, and those that saw something in Trevor's face that was certainly different: grim determination.
E5 rolled into the hanger bay towards his normal assignment. In the six weeks since returning from Tatooine the Whitecloak had undergone a near complete overhall of the hyperdrive and the sublight engines just to make sure that they continued to work optimally. An incoming message from Trevor notified him that the Whitecloak needed to be ready to launch in fifteen minutes. A second message from the traffic control droids that they would be flying to Ord Mantell. E5 began the astrogation computations, and a subroutine within the astromech droid's brain realized that Trevor might need a map of the Ord Mantell spaceport. The squat, spunky droid also queried the Jedi Holycron wondering what Trevor might be up to. The Jedi Holicron was the largest collection of Jedi knowledge known in the galaxy. It was a self sufficient library unto itself, and requests were usually made in person. The Holicron was certainly intelligent enough to realize that E5 had been with the Order as an astromech for many years under Shudo Laan. The sub-routines that Shudo had downloaded allowed for a blanket download of the mission parameters and additional materials for Trevor to review. E5 knew that Trevor was still a bit green around the edges, and maybe this would finally shake the green from the young pup's neck. Trevor walked directly to the assigned spacecraft and patted E5 on the dome.
"Well, looks like we are off again. Let me know when you are ready, old friend."
E5 whistled an affirmative response, and went back to his work.
Trevor eased the fighter off the platform and veered directly to Hyperspace Jump Point 52. He entered the final coordinates into the navicomputer, where E5 and the nav-com double checked the calculations to verify that they were not going to be running into a supernova or, worse, a planet. With the confirmation from both E5 and the computer, Trevor slid the hyperdrive throttle forward. The stars outside the canopy streaked and the Whitecloak fighter disappeared from view. Once the hyperspace tunnel was open, Trevor took a moment to gather the data that E5 had downloaded. He was particularly interested in the official law-enforcement reports of all the incidents. Trevor reviewed the list for the next hour, trying to find a pattern that did not fit, or hoping that something would pop out to allow him a clue as to what was going on in the area surrounding the Ord Mantell Spaceport. He reviewed the logs of the homicides to get a better understanding of the unknown assailant. The datafile showed gave a timeline from the current date.
T-30 days:Male Human / Male Rodian indigents (Industrial Hallway)
T-29 days:Female Human escort / Male Twi'lek (Casino District alley)
T-24 days:Sullustan freighter pilot (Docking Bay Hall)
T-21 days:Male human law enforcement officer (Residential alley)
T-15 days:Two male human technicians (automated scrap-smelting facility)
T-13 days:Male human businessman (vacationer, entertainment district)
T-9 days:Male human droid merchant & 19 labor droids (Business district)
T-7 days:Male Klatooinian dockworker / Female human law enforcement officer (Docking Bay Facility)
T-3 days:Male human bounty hunter / Female Pacithhip weapon merchant (weapons shop)
T-1 day:Male Gran sport hunter (Western Badlands)
Trevor mulled over this information for nearly two hours, but nothing gave him any idea what was going on or even who would be behind these attacks. The victims were completely random. It did not make any organized thought behind these attacks. Trevor realized that this may be the clue. Killed with a lightsaber the victims were. Yoda's voice penetrated his thoughts, adding to the confusion already there. He gave E5 his normal traveling instructions and dropped off to a deep meditative trance. Maybe the Force would reveal something on the other side. Trevor remembered that Jedi Master Ida-Whentell Lumaviani had given him instruction on using the Force to foresee the future. He tried to give himself up to the Force to gather some hint as to who was behind all these murders, but after just a few minutes, nothing came to him. Trevor knew that he had not done well in those classes and it did not surprise him that the Force did not reveal itself to him. Trevor ate a quick meal and drifted off into his normal trace, giving E5 instructions to wake him upon arrival to the system.
The Jedi Whitecloak entered Ord Mantell Spaceport with very little difficulty. The port authority's stodgy docking bay was near the middle of the city. The traffic within the city proper was not as busy as one would first things. The morning sun painted the sky in a brilliant blaze of sienna and orange at just before dawn. Traffic was certainly light at this point in the morning. The cityscape crawled nearly on top of itself. Each separate district threatened to overlap its neighbor and fight for its own space. The buildings were a mishmash of newer flashing casinos and hotels with blocky warehouse buildings directly across the street. The landing area was much smaller than expected, but the city founders were certainly making a profit being a stopping point for smugglers and bounty hunters.
Trevor landed the ship without incident. E5 commented on the smooth landing, and Trevor shook his head, still wondering if Shudo had placed more in the subroutines than he intended. A flowing black cloak appeared across the landing area. The figure moved forward with the grace of a fighter and the nose to prove that he had been on the other end of a fist more often than he probably would care to admit. Trevor walked over, feeling a bit overwhelmed at the sheer bulk of the man. The insignia emblazoned on the shoulder identified him as Chief Boca. Trevor introduced himself as the man neared the ship.
"We are glad to have you here. Do you need rest or refreshment after your trip?"
"No, let's get started."
"Excellent. Follow me, please."
Chief Boca led the small group out of the landing area into a small alcove. The walls seemed to be cracking with age and looked like it would not hold an R2 unit up. However, the equipment inside certainly belied the exterior. The computer equipment looked to be completely up-to-date, with a smattering of older terminals. The layout gave Trevor the impression of a standard law enforcement receiving room, where the public could give statements and report law violations. Boca motioned to a couple of deputies, who responded with salutes and nods. A conference room was made available for them and the pair sat down opposite one another.
"Master Jedi, let me start by saying that this is a rather interesting series of events. I am not sure where to start."
Trevor leaned over placing his arms on the table. "Let's go over all the evidence that you've collected first. At the same time, I'd like to have my astromech work with your analysis droids to send their analysis to Coruscant. The Jedi Temple has some great analysis facilities and we can work together to get to the bottom of this."
"Yes, we would. It's not like we can't handle ourselves, mind you, however rumors are starting to reach me that the populace is starting to talk about a rogue Jedi." Boca stared the young Jedi down. Boca's shoulders seemed to grow broader as the conversation went on, almost starting to get confrontational.
"Chief, I'm here to augment your forces, not take it over. I only offer it to cover the bases. Can I see what you have?"
Boca's shoulders visibly relaxed. He brought in all of the data that was available. Trevor summoned E5 to the analysis room that was set up. Fifteen minutes later, E5 was plugged in and began to cross check data. Analysis droids started twittering and E5 responded back to them. Trevor smirked at the banter, as he could only assume it was. Boca looked at Trevor.
"Something wrong?"
"No, just haven't seen my astromech more at home than talking with other droids. Chief, would it be possible to get a map downloaded to my datapad of the locations of these murders? I'd like to take a walk." Boca walked over to the terminal, punched in the query, and overlaid the data on Trevor's map. Trevor instructed E5 to continue to analyze the data, but not to contact him. He left immediately for the first crime scene.
The alleyway where the human and Rodian were killed gave no immediately clues as to what was at work here, but Trevor felt that following the path of the killer would lead him in the right direction. The clues were weeks old, and did not make any sense. The alley had not been cleaned for many years, and the fact that more than one person was killed here gave Trevor the impression that someone was testing their new lightsaber. The precision of the human's kill was very good, nearly flawless. Trevor only spent about twenty minutes at the scene. Nothing new here. Considering it was the oldest site, Trevor expected nothing less.
The next crime scene gave Trevor a better picture of the cunning involved with the assailant. The assailant was extremely tall and very stealthy. The pair had not realized that their attacker was even there until the last possible moment. The male had been able to fire one shot, but the impact of the laser fire was such that Trevor was certain the shot missed. The poor man had been cut down before he'd been able to get off a second shot. The female had run away, but was unable to escape cleanly. Based on some internal calculations, Trevor realized that this assailant was much taller than he. The laser fire that had felled the woman was just over his head, but definitely less than Shudo's height. Not much else was gained at this location.
The smelting facility was the next crime scene that gave quite a bit of information. The guard on duty had given Trevor a list of what was going on at the plant that day. It seemed that there was a problem with a ventilation shaft near the roof. It took nearly six standard hours to shut down the entire facility. With the smelting process going on, no normal human would be able to get near the placed without gagging on the fumes and noxious gases in the building. Even though most of the gas was directed out through the tall exhaust chimneys, technicians needed special suits to go through. Stoppage in production had caused a second team to investigate the ventilation shaft and the disappearance of the first team. The bodies were found soon after fixing the ventilation.
The droid merchant's business had a temporary duracrete covering the hole created by the attacker. The hole was very large, bigger than Trevor would need in both width and height. Trevor scrunched his face in regards to the size of the hole and his estimate of how high the assailant would be. He showed a data card to the security droid there, and was allowed in. Trevor walked through the shop, but was unable to gather any information. More than likely, E5 would have a better list of things missing.
Trevor continued through the rest of the list, noting a few items here and there. The Klatooinan who was cut down in a landing bay nearly across the city was sliced nearly into. Trevor noticed that the slash was at a different angle than he was used to seeing. It suddenly dawned on him that the slash was opposite from what Trevor would normally perform. The attacker seemed to be left handed. For someone who normally practiced and fought right handed, this was very valuable information, as a left handed being would handle a sword or saber differently than a right handed being.
The weapons merchant's wall had been completely smashed in. The entire interior looked like a war zone and the exterior support structures relayed the fact that the building was certainly nearing demolition time due to the battle that waged inside. Both the bounty hunter and the weapons merchant had grabbed any weapon hanging around and the carnage showed. Trevor though that a security cam would be helpful, but realized that the type of business here would frown on such normal security devices. Trevor stood in the middle of the room. His attention wandered, until a specific pattern on the back wall drew him in. The back wall was littered with dual blaster holes equidistant apart. Quite a few of them were littered all over the back wall. Trevor squinted hard at the holes, wondering where he'd seen something like this before. He searched his memory, recalling all the people he had run into the last few months. Suddenly, the droids on Metallos showed in his memory. He recalled the armaments of those droids, and a double barreled blaster could be added very easily.
Trevor turned around and looked at the opening to the weapon merchant's wall. Bumps appeared on his arms as he suddenly envisioned one of those battle droids walking through the hole and blasting up the entire place with a double blaster firing away wildly. Trevor froze in the middle of the room, his spine tingling with anticipation and concern. A vision of a datapad floated into Trevor's mind as another piece of the puzzle clicked into place. The shipment on Metallos had a schematic of a custom droid arm, complete with a socket for what could have been a lightsaber handle. The implications of this discovery nearly dropped Trevor to his knees. If battle droids could be outfitted with lightsabers, it could spell the end of the Jedi Order. If any of the rumors going through the Temple were true, then rough times were ahead indeed.
He vacated the weapon merchant's shop and decided to forgo the rest of the list. The sun was nearly three-quarters across the sky and he felt that he needed to walk across the city to clear his head and organize this new information. He stopped at a small sandwich shop, purchased a simple meal, and pondered the possible advantages of having a droid wield a lightsaber. True, they could not call upon the Force to handle the weapon or any other of the trainings that he had been taught, but the fact that a droid could be programmed to hold it, and slash it was definitely intriguing and scary.
The sun was starting to set and the weather started to get a bit chilly as Trevor sauntered back to the security station. His senses were on edge due to the fact that he would not be able to pick up a droid wielding a lightsaber through the Force. Droids were not immune to the effects of the force; rather they did not give off any life energy with which to sense them within it. He was so intent on the dynamics of the droid that his senses were searching all around him for danger. He picked up flashes of emotions from certain seedy bars, but nothing that would alert him to danger or even the Dark Side. Suddenly his Jedi senses went into high gear, sensing a familiar presence in the Force. Trevor nearly whipped around in recognition, but applied his will power to continue walking. He reached back out, concentrating on the feeling but was unable to reach it a second time. He walked over to a small alcove, keeping out of the way of pedestrian traffic. He gently reached out with the Force, slowly searching each being for that familiar feeling. He was able to detect a Force sensitive who was definitely strong enough to have had some training with the Force. The figure did not seem to be using the Force to hide from Trevor, but that being was certainly guarded. This person was certainly working to keep hidden from the population. Trevor continued to search through the Force for a better handle on this person. His lock was strong enough that he did not need to concentrate any more on it. Trevor decided it was time to find this being out. He left his alcove and started walking towards the security office. The plan at this point was to keep his 'eye' on this mysterious person. He thought about hiding himself within the Force, similar to part of his Trials. However, Trevor dismissed this idea as any use of the Force would allow his presence to be felt as well, similar to trying to hide in the dark with a flash light on. So he continued walking down the street.
Trevor continued to walk towards the security station, constantly keeping his lock on this quarry. His senses started to drop away, showing Trevor he was over extending his senses. He retraced his steps back to the spot where his senses had begun to tingle. The feeling became stronger as he neared the original location.
Trevor continued to walk around the city, boarding the warehouse and entertainment district. There were a couple scruffy saloons nearby with placards on the main road displaying their menu of items. Fair numbers of beings were reading signs, stopping at the cantinas, and making small talk around him. No one bothered the young man with the blindfold, but they all gave him extra room when they stopped to notice that he had two holsters on. The smell of roasted bantha floated towards his nostrils as he passed an open air cantina bordering the warehouse district. The smell grabbed his attention and he stopped to look at the menu.
Walking in a dark cloud was common these days. Life had certainly turned since Tianna passed away. The fact that she was killed so quickly had caused a great deal of pain and loss. That feeling was not to appear ever again. The face scanned the crowd, like it always did. However, emotion boiled over, as a familiar figure could be seen in the street. He looked much different than before; hair a little longer, and he wasn't wearing brown. In fact, he looked much stronger than before. Something else was different about him…. Wait, what is he doing here at all?
As he half way through reading the second page of the menu, a sudden confused jumble of emotion invaded Trevor's mind, nearly forcing him to sever the link right away. The emotions flowing through the link caused Trevor discomfort. He decided that the connection was not worth it, so he gently released it from his subject. He shifted his vision, trying to find someone who might be watching him. No one seemed to be watching him so Trevor finished his reading. When he was done, he turned on his heel and headed towards the nearest corner. His vision continued to keep a view of the surrounding environment, knowing that someone was on the lookout for him. Not a single person was looking directly at him or even paying him the slightest bit of attention. He continued walking down the street, sweeping his vision around to be better prepared. He turned the next corner and walked out into the middle of the street.
He turned away, and walked away from the hidden position. Quickly, she slid into the back alleyway, trying to gauge where he would go, what he would do. What was he here for? There had to be an explanation. The figure, if anyone had see it, would have noticed that the manicured fingers reached down onto the belt, and pulled a metallic cylinder off the belt, and held it solidly, ready for any sudden moves by the young padawan in the middle of the street.
As he turned the next corner, Trevor noticed that a black figure had crept up on him. He decided to walk towards the center of the street for a better advantage should there be a fight. He didn't really expect one, but after searching through the crime scenes anything was possible. Searching through not just the crowds but also between the buildings, he noticed that someone exited the far doorway fairly quickly. The figure was also reaching for something at their waist. The area around was certainly wide enough for a battle, but too many people were around and they might get hurt. The figure continued to quickly walk up. Trevor walked towards the middle of the street, giving the mysterious stranger plenty of room. The disturbance that he had felt before was now very close. This figure was certainly giving off the feelings he'd felt before. It quickly turned the corner, stopped and spoke:
"Trevor. What are you doing here?"
Turning towards the voice, Trevor saw a tall female Zabrak with flowing brown hair leaning against the wall. Her facial tattoos, etched into her skin as was most of her race, accentuated rather than detracted from her complexion. The black jacket flowed down her back covering her dark sandy shirt and dark brown pants to just past her knees. She leaned against the wall, hiding a lightsaber against the wall. The face was extremely familiar, one that he should remember, but…
The sun streamed into the Jedi Temple. The Nexu Clan had been gathered in the younglings training room by Master Yoda. Most of the clan was there, R'We'Nok, Noa, and the others. Trevor kept looking around for Yendis, but sensed that she was not on the floor, nor even in the temple.
Master Yoda entered the room, limping along with his gimer stick.
"With heavy heart I bring you this news. No longer with you shall Yendis Arctell be. Chosen to leave the Order she has."
A conflagration of emotions tumbled through Trevor. 'Leaving? She can't leave. She just CAN'T!'
Master Yoda turned and walked directly to Trevor. He reached up, pulled down on Trevor's robes, and pulled the young man's face directly to his own.
"Sense your feelings I can, youngling. Know this path was hers to choose. Persuade her to stay you would not." In a low whisper, Yoda counseled, "Bury these feelings, concentrate on your studies. Many tests there are ahead of you. This she would want for you." Yoda released his robes, and bowed to the clan.
Trevor turned towards Master Yoda, but Master Shudo motioned for Trevor to join him.
"Trevor, we have been given an assignment."
The years had certainly been good to Yendis. Her figure had grown quite respectably in the years between her leaving and this reunion. Her face, however, did not show the joy it once did. Trevor kept his emotions in check due to the fact that she carried with her a lightsaber of her own design. Getting into a fight here would not have been beneficial and he wanted to give her a chance to explain herself.
"Yendis. I didn't expect to see you here."
"Didn't expect to see me?"
"No, I haven't heard from you in a very long time."
"What about me expecting to see you? You here for the murders?"
Trevor decided to play dumb. "What murders?"
"You know what I'm talking about. There's no way you didn't hear about that."
Trevor was sensing quite a bit of anger from her, but he couldn't tell if she was angry at him, or just at the galaxy in general. But he couldn't sense any blatant malice. Trevor closed the distance between the two. As they got closer, Trevor was able to see prongs on the end of her lightsaber. He knew that her lightsaber was taken from her when she left the Jedi Order. However, she was certainly smart enough to make her own. The question of the lightsaber was left alone for now. Trevor walked to within arm reach of her, and leaned against the wall in front of her.
"What if I am?"
A crooked smile appeared on her face. "What have you got?"
"We need to talk someplace other than here."
Yendis' smile disappeared faster than a hyperspace jump. She gave him a good once-over and noticed the two lightsabers in holsters on each leg. Her face showed the question that went through her face. She was certainly different. There was a certain smugness about her that gave her a different personality, which made her all that more interesting, Trevor thought.
She led him down a couple of alleys, and into a loud cantina where the music was blaring loudly enough to cover more
"Don't trust anybody, do you?"
"I don't have a lot of reason to. I've seen enough to know better. So, what have you got? Here on Temple business?
"I am. Quid pro quo, Yendis. You give me info, I give you info."
"Well, if you've got something good, I've got something… that you might find useful."
"There is someone on the black market that is looking for modified battle droids."
"More than one. Hmm."
"More than one buyer?"
"No, more than one droid. What are they trying to do, build an army."
Trevor's mind reeled at this revelation. "Possibly."
"If they are trying to build an army of what I saw, that's not going to be pretty. Some kind of battle droid, but, um, as you must know from the reports, most battle droids don't have lightsabers. This thing is bad news. Well-programmed, well-built, and, though it may not have the Force and it may not be able to do everything we can do, but it can do enough.
"It's definitely a droid? How many?"
"Just one."
"Do you know where is it based?"
"Operating out of a smelting facility at the northern end of town." Trevor nodded, recalling the facility and the designs of it from his reconnoiter. They discussed possible entry points that might be large enough to allow it access into the facility.
"Who's controlling it?"
"That I am not sure."
"Do you have an idea who is behind this?"
"I have an idea." Her voice belied the truth, but Trevor ignored it. He watched her face, and she stared back at him in a defiant way. Trevor then asked a delicate question.
"How balanced are you?"
Yendis huffed. "Enough. I'm willing to help if that's what you are wondering."
"Are you interested in coming back?"
Shaking her head, "It's a little late for that." After a moments pause, she continued. "Look, you don't want this thing running around, I don't want it running around either. Doesn't look good for either of us."
"Would you be willing to report this to the Council with me?"
"I'll supply you with the information to add to the report, but I have nothing more to say to the Council. And I'm not really interested in visiting any security stations around here either. I imagine that's where they sent you." Trevor did not respond to the question. "That's what I thought. Do you have a datapad? One with the crime scenes?"
Trevor handed it over to Yendis. She snatched it out of her hand and immediately began going to work on the plans for the smelting facility. She showed Trevor a few spots that were big enough for the droid that they could possibly check out at the smelting facility.
"By the way," Yendis over up at her former clan mate. "I saw it come and go out of there with no alarms. Nothing."
Trevor watch Yendis give him orders, something she used to do, just to tease him. But it never lasted long.
"Look, Yendis, you've got to give me something on who's behind this. I can sense that you know who it is. C'mon, give."
Yendis smirked, "When I saw it in an alley recently, someone else also saw it, and they were running from it. I was at a higher vantage point and took a couple of shots at it. It's got a double blaster concealed in a compartment on the right arm. It started firing back at me, and gave that person a chance to escape. They took off like a mynock out of a cave. I don't know what they would say to anyone. It had a lightsaber ignited, ready to strike, and it was red. Now I have been hearing some interesting things from friends of yours with regards to the Sith returning?"
Trevor leaned his head forward. "There have been some rumors of it."
"I've heard some pretty unpleasant stuff going down on Naboo about a year ago. If there is a destroyer droid running around with a red bladed lightsaber, I just don't like the way that sounds."
He leaned back in his seat, watching the Zabrak across the table. Her brown eyes teemed with excitement and shown like a binary star. The intensity flowing from her body washed over him like a giant tidal wave. It seemed that she wants to go after this thing. I can't blame her. I do too, Trevor thought However, I need to report what I have found to the Council. Maybe they can shed some light on this.
Trevor sighed and turned his face towards Yendis. "I need a couple of hours. You know what I need to do. Can we meet somewhere later?"
The satisfaction on her face gave Trevor the indication that his hunches were right. "I'd ask you not to mention me, but if you do, you do."
"I will do my best to leave you out of it, I promise." Trevor's lips sealed tight as he gave his bond. Yendis nodded, knowing that Trevor would work very hard at keeping his word. She probed Trevor's intent.
"What ere you going to do about this thing?"
"I honestly have no clue", shrugging his shoulders.
"Well, I'm thinking we should check out the smelting facility. If it has moved out of there, this will be the best opportunity we will have to investigate where it lives. See what we can find out."
Trevor nodded, feeling a bit like a youngling next to her. She had the good sense not to make too much out of his unease. "Meet at the Gal-tox Casino, 9:00 tonight. Bring a gas mask, if you've got one. We might need it. Don't waste any time. I've got to get a few things together before we get going." She stood up to leave the table. As she reached under her jacket, Trevor flashed a few credits onto the table, enough to cover the bill and a little more for the wait staff.
Yendis had barely gotten over the surprise of having her meal paid for, when she finally noticed something different about Trevor. There seemed to be some hair missing on the side of his head, and then there was the fact that his head, normally covered by an entire skull cap was now only covered by a thin stubble of hair. The question bypassed her lips before she could stop them.
"Letting your hair grow, huh?"
The lack of response from Trevor gave Yendis the uneasy feeling that Trevor had finally made it to the rank of Knight. His Master didn't seem to be nearby and the fact that the padawan braid was no longer so prominent on his head connected very easily with this path of logic. He rose smoothly from the table, and she noticed for the first time that both of his legs had quickdraw holsters strapped to them. The holsters contained two different ends of what could only be classified as lightsabers. Yendis stored this information away as she turned towards the door. No one in the bar seemed to be interested in the pair, so she turned inward, making her list of supplies that she would need. Trevor could handle himself, but she wasn't so sure that some of her new skills would be appreciated by the Jedi.
Trevor's mind worked out the details that he needed to divulge to the council, so he followed Yendis outside and before turning towards the security station, gently grasped her shoulder. "Yendis, it was good seeing you again."
She nodded twice, and turned away, her feelings not getting the best of her. Trevor also turned away, but he was thinking about some of their merry adventures and escapades when they were younger. These thoughts did not distract him from his task, rather they gave him something else to think about. Too bad she left the Order. She would have been a great Knight.
The security station lights were ablaze when Trevor arrived nearly thirty minutes later. He'd been wandering around, going over the plans, and also getting a bit lost on the way. When he arrived, a corporal led him into the analysis room where E5 had been working all day. Trevor queried the droid about what the data gave him, and E5's description of the perpetrator was nearly a mirror image of what Yendis described. It was definitely bipedal, wielded the lightsaber in the left hand, and it contained a double barreled blaster on the right side. All things Trevor knew, but having confirmation from a different source only tightened the noose around the perpetrator. Trevor attempted to contact Chief Boca, who happened to be resting in his office.
"Sorry to bother you, Chief."
"Not at all, Master Jedi. What can I do for you?"
"I want to give you all the information that I found out today, but I also don't want to repeat myself when I report to the council. Do you have a holonet room where we can talk to the Jedi Council together?"
"Yes, I do. C'mon, let me show you where it is."
They walked out from Boca's office, turned towards the back of the building and proceeded to enter a small square room, with a holopad located in the middle of the floor. Chief Boca set up the connection to the Jedi Temple, and Trevor gave the codes necessary to contact the Council. Mace Windu was in the Chambers and took the communications directly.
"Trevor, what have you to report?"
"Master Windu, I have discovered that the perpetrator that we are looking for is not humanoid. It is a droid, similar in make to the ones that Master Shudo and I stopped on Metallos. I have found an eyewitness who has requested to remain nameless. This droid was equipped with a red lightsaber." At the mention of Yendis, Chief Boca whipped his head around and stared at Trevor. As he continued, Trevor could see that Chief Boca was storing that little piece of information away for after the conversation. Master Windu also did not miss the piece of information. His face gave off a questioning look to it, but did not push Trevor any further than he needed. Windu continued with the interview.
"Do you have any other data corroborating this theory of yours?"
"Yes, Master. I have the data here and E5 is transmitting it now. You should have it momentarily."
"Yes, I see the data being downloaded now. Of this informant," at this, Trevor tensed slightly, "how certain are you of the quality of the information given to you?"
"I am confident that this eyewitness is reliable and would be willing to help us, if asked."
"Does this, eyewitness, know who is controlling this droid?"
"No, Master. The eyewitness is unable to figure out who is controlling it."
Windu pondered this for a moment. He quickly scanned the completed download, and turned back to Trevor. "There is no telling how close the owner might be. Proceed with your investigation, but be cautious. If this droid is nearby, it may feel threatened. Do not put any more innocents at risk. Continue with the investigation, but continue with caution."
Trevor bowed to the Jedi Weapon Master, and the communication was severed. Chief Boca nearly jumped out of his seat and accosted Trevor. Trevor, however, held up his hand.
"Chief, this eyewitness has requested anonymity, and I granted it to them. I will not go back on my word, so I ask that you not push me."
Boca's face nearly fell to the floor in disappointment, but quickly composed it. The information might have been beneficial, however, it was probably best not to go against this Jedi on this matter. Something told Boca he would be treading on thin ice. Trevor looked at his chronometer and realized that he had nearly an hour left before he was scheduled to meet with Yendis again. Trevor asked Chief Boca if there was a place where he could rest for a short while, to prepare for the evening activities. Boca showed him a neat room with a few cots in it. Trevor lay down, turned his vision inwards, and slept soundly for nearly a full hour.
The soft whirling of E5's motorized movement tracks woke Trevor from his quick nap. He quickly grabbed his cloak, hydrated himself with some water from the nearby sink, and strode quickly from the room. He searched out Chief Boca and asked for and received a breath mask and goggles. Trevor promised to return them to him shortly. Chief Boca barked quickly.
"Master Gul'dan. I have no doubt in your sincerity. Consider them part of your belongings."
"Thank you, Chief. I appreciated the thought. But I sense that there is more to this 'gift' than meets the eye."
Trevor's vision was trained on Boca and noticed that a small twitch on his lips confirmed his suspicions.
"Spill it," Trevor commanded, turning abruptly to Boca.
"Can I convince you to take along someone with you? You can't just think of going after this thing with someone informant you hardly know. I'd be happy to volunteer-"
Trevor shook his head. "Chief, I have known my contact for many years. It has been quite some time since I have seen them. They are trusting of anyone, even me. Right now, the best thing for you and your men to do is to continue with your normal activities. This is why you requested help from the Council. I can understand your wish to interview them for your investigations. At this time, I would rather have them working with me outside of this office." Trevor felt that if Boca knew it was a former Jedi on Ord Mantell he might arrest her just for her 'non-conformity' of the Jedi Order. Trevor nearly smiled at that thought, but quickly squashed it. This was no time for sentimentality.
"Chief, you have heard my report to the Council. This thing that I seek is a dangerous droid. Have you ever had the opportunity to go against a lightsaber-wielding ruffian?" The brownish-grey mane shook negatively. "Then I can tell you that, even though you maintain order here on Ord Mantell, this would be too much for you." It might even be too much for me and Yendis, Trevor thought to himself. Shake it off, Jedi. Those thoughts lead to the dark side. And she hasn't gone down that road completely yet."
Boca turned his face away from the tall Jedi. The young face with the blindfold was a bit disturbing to the experienced enforcement officer, but if someone is killing with a lightsaber, why not let him go on his own? He turned back towards the Jedi and nodded. "I have not gone against anyone with a lightsaber before, and if you are confident in your abilities, I shall bend to your wishes. However, when you find out what is going on, please let me know and I will keep my deputies aware that you may require assistance." Trevor nodded to this request and excused himself. He gathered up the remainder of his data pads and motioned for E5 to follow him out.
"E5, head back to the ship. Get it prepped for immediately launch. If I need you, I'll contact you."
E5's dome turned towards the Miraluka's head, and twittered what seemed like a question. Trevor turned his head down, and smiled at the droid.
"I don't know what it is about you, E5, but I can almost hear you wish me good luck"
E5 whistled affirmatively. Trevor shook his head, "Thanks, E5. I'll see you soon."
The small astromech turned on its axis and headed back towards the hanger bay. Trevor turned to the main avenue towards the entertainment district.
"I have a bad feeling about this."
The evening air hardly moved at all. The daytime heat seemed to flow out of the buildings, filling the night air with smells of daytime. Trevor moved through the crowd, not wanted to disturb the revealers from their happiness. His job was to protect these people and others who might not have liked to have those with an affinity to the Force to take their lives so needlessly. Trevor's thoughts drifted in and out of certain philosophy lessons when he came upon the proper street. Trevor reached out slightly with his feelings to see if he could get a glimpse of Yendis ahead. No soon that had Trevor tried to reach out, Yendis' Force-signature appeared directly ahead of him. He continued on down the street, avoiding peddlers and others who might want to separate him from his credits. He knew they were only doing their job to raise money for their family, or their owner as the case may be. He continued on, as did most of the patrons on the street. As he reached the entrance to the casino, Yendis separated herself from the shadows between the casino and the next building over. She motioned her head onward down the street, and Trevor adjusted his walk, as if to avoid something in the road. The pair met up after the casino's entrance and did not greet one another, portraying two strangers who walk in a crowd. The trip to the smelting facility went faster once they exited the entertainment district. The beacons of joy and frivolity gave way to static street lamps and industrial signage. The neon lights gave an eerie glow to the scene, giving Yendis some concern. Trevor's vision adjusted quickly to the changing environment and was able to navigate the roads easily. They arrived at the facility soon after.
The smelting process could not only be detected by smell, but also by sound. The echoes of screaming metal could be heard at most half a kilometer away. The pair traversed the plant to begin their ascent into the unknown plant. Trevor's datapad showed two back entrances, and Yendis pointed to the largest one in particular. Trevor zoomed in the view of the back entrance and agreed that any large droid would have a very easy time getting in and out of that kind of exit very easily.
The perimeter fence was electro-locked shut, but Yendis reached inside her jacket for a small slicer. Trevor's eyebrows shot up, now realizing that Yendis had a few new tricks up her sleeve. Yendis turned her head, seeing Trevor staring down at the lock, and turned her body so that she had effectively covered her work from his prying sight. Trevor respected Yendis' privacy, turning his face and vision to the inner courtyard. The back entrance bays were closed and locked, and a myriad of containers, pallets, and barrels stacked neatly around the perimeter. One might be able to get in, but the middle of the facility could be used a good ambush ground, if there were any guards around. However, the only guard Trevor knew of was at the front gate, more likely put there to keep the media at bay than anything else. A metallic snap notified Trevor that Yendis' work was done. The gate slowly opened allowing the pair to slip into the back entrance without any additional issues. Trevor searched high and low for any security cams around but was not able to find any. Skulking across the courtyard toward the facility, the pair moved stealthily among the barrel piles. They reached an access ladder that seemed to lead to the middle of the facility's main building. Yendis motioned to Trevor to place his mask on. She covered her entire face with her breathing apparatus while Trevor only placed the mouthpiece on. Yendis started to point, but realizing that Trevor would not be affected by the air within the facility. Trevor's eye sockets did not exist in his race. His face was covered only to blend in with human populations.
They reached another door and entered the facility in nearly the same manner as the technicians had done nearly three weeks ago. They were able to stand up fully in the access shaft. It nearly turned straight down on their left side, but it was a more gentle descent on the right. Trevor pointed right and Yendis nodded in agreement. The pair worked their way down to a solid floor for nearly fifteen minutes. The floor led to a catwalk extending into the middle of the facility. A set of intersecting conveyor belts were what took up the most room. The whole smelting process could be seen from this vantage point, and Trevor thought, What a great place to hide a droid! Yendis and Trevor both walked onto the catwalk searching high and low for any sign of the droid or the owner.
Five minutes later, Trevor was searching for just about anything that might have been out of place when he spotted an open access panel near a conveyor control board. He motioned to Yendis, and pointed it out to her. She nodded and the pair cautiously approached the panel. As they got closer, Trevor noticed that most of the interior parts were missing. In their place was some sort of communication device. Yendis turned for the first time and spoke to Trevor.
"I might be able to get this working. But I'll need a few minutes."
"Take your time. I am not sure why, but this seems very important. Do what you need to get this done."
"Got it."
Trevor turned away from Yendis while she worked on the device. Nearly ten minutes went by before she finally cried. Trevor whipped around, lightsaber in his hand ready for anything when he realized that she was shouting happily. She reached down for the control knob, adjusting the screen for better clarity. Trevor placed his hand on her shoulder. He squeezed gently and could not stop staring at the screen. Yendis nearly turned away when she stopped and stared as well. On the small display, a woman wearing all black clothing could be seen staring out from the inside of the monitor. The most striking feature about her was the black eyes and the scars across her face. It seemed as if her skin were cracking clay in the desert of Tatooine during the dry season. Her voice seemed angry at the world, as if everyone were below her. The instructions she were speaking was not in any language he knew, but Yendis placed a translater droid near the device, asking it to speak in rough Basic. The answer she got was most disturbing.
"It is time for you to move yourself. Keep your home base protected. Do not let anyone who enters your location live to tell the tale."
Yendis looked up at him and said, "Do you know what this means?"
Trevor turned his vision around, lightsaber at the ready. "I really don't know, but you might want to get that thing out of there. We're going to need that for evidentiary purposes."
Sounds seemed to reach their ears again. The noise was deafening and certainly was causing Trevor's head to start to hurt. With all this noise, it was a wonder that she could continue to work. Trevor continued to scout around with his vision. He moved it towards the end of the catwalk, where a set of conveyor belts delivered scrap metal to the smelters. Trevor moved his vision down to the end of the catwalk and watched the metal being brought higher than the catwalk to a fiery furnace which melted the metal to liquid ore. The ore was then used later to make different materials. Trevor watched the broken pieces of machinery being lifted past when a set of red eyes caught his attention. The coverings on a particular interesting scrap seemed to still be intact on one piece. Trevor watched it interestedly, wondering why it still had its eye pieces. The conveyor moved the scraps nearer to the catwalk as the two offset eyes grew bright and multiple appendages could be seen extended out, causing Trevor to shiver. That's the droid. Have I seen anything like this before? This is much bigger than the others. Just as Trevor finished that though, the droid reached up, swung itself onto the catwalk, and landed gracefully and quietly on the catwalk. But they never did THAT before! He reached down, patted Yendis on the shoulders, and had to shout to be heard over the noise.
"We've got company!"
Yendis turned around and could barely see down the corridor.
"What are you talking about?"
Trevor kept his vision on the droid, and could now make out the slot where the lightsaber was stored.
"That lightsaber work?", Trevor asked.
"What do you think? Of course it does."
"Good, you're going to need it."
The droid continued to walk towards the pair. All three of the combatants ignited their sabers at the same time. The red blade of the droid cut through the haze of the facility, adding to the red glare of the firepits below. Yendis' purple blade added to the surreal battle as well. Trevor's white blade broke over the red area, giving almost a sunlit glow to his spot on the catwalk. Yendis watched the blade in amazement for only a short time, then shook it off to concentrate on the confrontation.
Trevor watched the droid, and was again amazed at how mobile and smooth this droid was. Its torso was much more compact than any other droid he'd seen in the past. The arms containing the weaponry was fairly standard, but the middle clearly defined that this was no ordinary droid. A middle support strut and two outer struts gave the droid a powerful profile. Trevor now saw that between the center struts of the droid were devoid of machinery, which answered one question of how one could miss with a blaster at short range.
The droid seemed to be walking as stealthily as anything Trevor had heard before. This killing machine is now coming for me and Yendis. May the Force be with us. The pair walked down the hall, giving each other the necessary room to maneuver their blades. The droid, unsure of which one was the more dangerous, raised its blaster and fired directly at Yendis. She moved gracefully out of the way, and even deflected a round or two back. Trevor did not leave her side, though he wanted to rush the droid. Trevor opted for the ligthsaber side, knowing that he'd have better luck against it than Yendis. Trevor swung for the droid, but it adroitly blocked his lunge and parry. Yendis moved in quickly to try and distract it, but it also blocked her swing. Trevor performed a quick wrist snap, connecting with its legs. The red saber lunged downward, but Trevor had already moved for another blow but missing wildly.
The droid raised its right arm, and fired point blank at Yendis. She dove out of the way, getting the lower half of her coat singed by the laser bolt. She flipped herself back onto her feet, blocking two more shots that the droid fired at her. Trevor, sensing that Yendis was starting to get a bit winded, redoubled his attack on the droid. The machine blocked all of Trevor's blows, and nearly got one inside of Trevor's defenses. Pulling out all the stops, Trevor continued to battle back and forth with the droid for several seconds. Yendis returned to close combat and the droid stepped away from the pair. They continued their advantage, pushing the droid back to the end of the catwalk. The droid, being harassed by its two adversaries, nearly fell over the end of the catwalk. Trevor caught sight of a molten metal container being lifted up towards a molding station. The large barrel was going to be close enough in just a few seconds. The droid redoubled its efforts at Yendis, seeming to know that she was the weak link. Yendis stumbled, falling to the ground. The droid seeing it had the advantage raised its saber up for the final blow.
In a desperate effort, Trevor reached out with the Force, and pushed the droid backward over the edge of the platform. The barrel of molten metal caught the falling droid as it passed the catwalk. The lightsaber handle exploded, causing a crack in the container's brace. The left support cracked and broke off, causing the right side to bend and strain. Metal screeched in protest, and broke off, causing the container to continue the fall the droid started. Trevor watched this in horror, knowing that the only way to catch whoever was behind this was to research how this thing was put together.
Trevor gathered the Force around him and concentrated on the falling container. The whole container was certainly heavy and by the way it was pulling on Trevor's efforts, it was continuing its fall. Trevor pulled back, trying to stop gravity itself. His efforts were not unrewarded. The container slammed into the ground, embedding itself nearly five centimeters into the steel flooring. It tipped one way, and then nearly overbalanced going to the other way. Trevor maintained the balance to allow the container to remain standing. Once the container had no chance of falling over, Trevor released the pent up Force energy, allowing the essence to flow out of him like salt from a shaker. Yendis was slow in getting up so Trevor went over to lend a hand. She shrugged him off at first, but after seeing that he was just trying to help, allowed him to pull her to her feet.
"You've grown up quite a bit, haven't you?" Yendis tested.
"A little. It is amazing what one can learn in such a short period of time," he replied cryptically. "I think that we need to gather up whatever we've found here and get it back to the security station. I'm sure that they will be looking for us soon. Even though I told them to not follow me, I'm sure he continued to do what he wanted."
"I agree. I'd like to make sure that I am scarce when they arrive."
"Well, let us make sure that we meet them on their own terms, shall we?"
Yendis smirked slightly, and retrieved the communications gear. Trevor had to wait a while longer to gather what he could of the droid. Dropping it into the molten metal seemed like a good idea at the time, but now it was only a slab of metal and wire, merged together by the intense heat of the molten metal. Trevor spent nearly fifteen minutes trying to cut out what pieces he could from the solid metal drum that was left. He spied a repulsorsled nearby that looked to have been used for lifting heavy metal objects such as this. Trevor lifted the slab of metal onto the repulsorsled, and took a moment to learn the controls. Once he figured all that out, he maneuvered the sled out of the facility. Yendis placed the communication device on the sled next to the droid remains. The two did not speak for most of the trip back.
The hour was nearing midnight, but the streets continued to hold merrymakers of all types. It would seem that seeing a repulsorsled did not bother these people, especially with someone carrying two lightsabers on his legs. As they neared the street for the entertainment district, Yendis made her good-byes quick and concise.
"Trevor. This is where we part. Good luck."
He was a bit baffled by the short response, until he realized that she had not said word one about why she left the Order. He had never researched why she had left and he felt that asking would have been rude. He acknowledged her salutation with one of his own.
"Yendis, it's good to see you again. Next time, let's not wait nearly fourteen years before we see one another again." With a premonition that he would not ever see her again, he walked up to her, reached around and gave her the hug that he wanted to give her all those years ago. He could feel her stiffen up slightly at the emotional approach, but returned the embrace nonetheless. They released each other and stared at each other for what, Trevor felt, was the last time. She turned around and walked away. She turned back after just a few steps.
"Keep your guard up. Your left side is still a little weak."
Trevor's lopsided smile creased his lips. He nodded his head towards her in a subtle bow, turned and navigated the repulsorsled back towards the security office, knowing he had a lot of work to do.
The communicator on the desk twitched and the display changed color. She reached out with the Force, pulled it toward her and scowled. The cracked face that shown from under the hood wore a scowl and the cowl turned left and right, as if in slow motion.
"It would seem that it is time for me to move up my plans a little. We shall see if you can handle me, Jedi." The picture of a silver lightsaber could be seen on holopad receiver that showed the entire battle over and over again. "He said that losing this droid would be helpful. Now I have a name to go with the blade. Trevor Gul'dan, you are mine!" The evil voice bounced off of the cave walls, growing more eerie with each diminishing echo. She grabbed for her lightsaber and initiated a communications call to one of her associates. "The time is now," she said. And with that, she turned off the communicator and headed towards the hanger where she knew her Master kept a spare ship. There were enough for her to commandeer one and meet her associate. 'He was lucky to stop the first set of droids, but he won't stop this group', she thought.