[3 BBY]
[Baran Do Temple, City of Dor'shan, Dorin, Dorin Systen, Deadalis Sector, Expansion Region, Namadii Corridor, DorinRepublic, former Galactic Republic Territories]

Imperial Knight Caleb Dume was a moving like a man on a mission…

Well, because he was, of course, a man on a mission, but the recent buzz-comm message that had interrupted his meditation had meant that time was now of the essence. The Empire had been, as ever since he'd fled there with his Master, trying to build relationships with the various new states in the galactic north. Especially when they had active Force Sects as was the case here on Dorin with the Kel'dor, where there was much to learn, and previous efforts made over the decade. Yet...

Yet…

'All too little, too late' he thought, but controlling his emotions as he'd been taught by Depa, Master Bilaba, when was a padawan. Events might be in motion that were beyond his control, but there were things he could do perhaps as he walked calmly, respectful, up to the Kel'dor, a Baran Do Sage, named Koro Ziil. He had been the point of contact for Caleb and his fellows on Dorin with the Sages and had negotiated in good faith…if very slowly and cautiously. Now that strategy worked against them all sadly, and Caleb could only do damage control as it could be called; such seemed to the situation within the galaxy of late!

"Master Ziil"

"Knight Dume" the Kel'dor greeted back calmly "You have arrived before any planned meeting, much as I was heading towards you to discuss new matters"

Caleb nodded "You are aware then?"

The Kel'dor gave a nod, calm, giving no hint of the concern likely felt "Yes, a New Republic invasion fleet has entered the system and transmitted its demands. The government will resist them"

He paused, nodded "Victory is deemed unlikely I have been informed"

"Yes, that is what my friends at the spaceport have told myself as well" Caleb answered "Which, unfortunately, brings a premature end to our negotiations. For orders to evacuate are…"

The Baran Do Sage held up a hand, Caleb falling silent "That is understandable Knight Dume, and may the Force be with you in your future endeavours. But…in this we have prepared several items, copies of texts, for immediate, and convenient, transport. Texts we have discussed"

"You are…"

"We have not been blind to strategic realities as you may have believed" the Sage answered, hands moving to folded under the sleeves of his robe, pulling out a data-chip "Nor to the cruelties and evils of what has been born. To this end, please accept this gift. This data-chip contains the access-codes for each crate. They are already being delivered to the landing pad beyond"

"Thank you" was all Caleb could say at first, with true gratefulness as he accepted the chip, placing under his own robes, before asking another question that came to mind "Then what of…"

"Fear not, we will not trust in the mercy of the New Republic, nor in the lies of those who called themselves New Jedi. We do what must, save what be saved, and trust in the Force" the Kel'dor answered with stoic firmness "But…that is our mission, and for us to seek guidance upon. Yours, Knight of the Empire, is to see to your own. I would recommend urgency, for time is not likely to be long till space traffic management grows troublesome"

Caleb nodded "May the Force be with you Master Ziil"

"And may it be with you Knight Dume"

Then the Kel'dor simply turned, heading back into the Temple, to prepare to flee, or to aid in the defence of the planet Caleb couldn't know. It was also best not to ask as he turned on his heel, moving swiftly down the hallway he was allowed to utilise. Placing on a breather as he headed outside as his security accessed the security door, and moved down the trail as he spoke to his transport "…at Landing Pad. Package to Collect. Will detail on site. Prep storage"

"Copy that Kanan" came back the response, using the 'legend' he'd used to move about in these non-Imperial territories "On approach"

The situation was bad, perhaps disastrously from the point-of-view of the Kel'dor and the surrounding species of the Sector as the New Republic's starship moved into the system. Because this meant that the expected New Republic offensive was underway, with the Namadii Corridor clearly the targeted route rather than towards Bogden or Chazwa that would lead towards Mandalore and Taanab respectively. It had ended the efforts to build relations, with both the advanced world, and the Force Users, as he'd spent some time doing, and instead they had to flee the system before things got too bad. So he jogged towards the landing pad, eyes towards the skies, seeing the planetary shield was being raised; he could only hope their clearance still worked when the time came to use the 'shield drawbridge'.

'That is for then, best get this done first' he reminded himself, seeing crates had been delivered to the landing pad and…

His hand slid into his borrowed robes, drawing forth his lightsaber, seeing the body, feeling the twinge of warning in the Force. Ending his jog, his blade ignited as he searched for the danger, seeing there were at least one, no, two, pairs of footprints. Felt them, felt the attempts at ambush, using his free hand to grab for the transport hover-loader used to…

One, then another, lightsabre, ignited, shimmering gold as two humans, or near humans stepped out, clad in white robes. The first, the taller, was an adult human or near-human female, though he didn't recognise the pale-skinned and blonde-haired woman, nor the likely padawan boy that was with her. Her hand rose, deflecting his effort to throw the hover-loader at them, partly crumpling the light push device between them before it collapsed to the earth. Yet…the woman and boy feel odd. Not serene, but similar, yet….wrong somehow.

'Well, New Jedi then' he guessed, nodding to them "Have you murdered these poor fellows? They were unarmed?"

"They, like you, were servants of the Dark. No mercy shall be shown" the woman replied tilting her head to the side, as if studying him, the padawan moving in a somewhat droid-like to her flank "Mon Cala?...no, nor the Fallen Yoda"

She nodded "Imperial then"

"Can we not talk about this?" Caleb asked politely, trying to buy time for his vessel, with its weapons, to arrive and give aid "Plea deals can be accepted under the Law. Can I ask your name at least?"

"Definitely Imperial" the woman said with another nod, golden blade moving into a proper two-handed guard to his eye "We are nameless, for we are the Light, and will banish…."

'Blah. Blah. Blah. Blah. Insane fanatic talk it is then' he thought as the diatribe he'd heard on a few holo-vids from Coruscant was said to him even as they prepared to attack. Even as she attacked the pair were talking, mostly about how righteous they were, and how evil he was. But Caleb was prepared; deflecting the blows as they came in close together, the sssshhhh'ing hiss of lightsabres impacting each other. Golden against green, the evening air a dance and song of hissing impacts as they sought a quick kill it seemed. Not enough as Caleb waited for a blow, then formed a fist, performing a telekinetic punch into the padawan's chest that'd once been on the other end. Students from the Stormcrow's House of Wisdom were annoying for doing such things when not specifically told not to in lightsabre duels after all.

It worked here too as the body went flying backwards, impacting the ground a short distance away, rolling along into a railing as Caleb raised his blade to catch his master's attack. She jumped back as he swung his blade after deflecting her, his blade almost catching her as the woman twisted back in her jump to duck her head and breast's under his swing. Then trying to 'kick' him with the Force as he braced, bracing back as he raised a hand…

Watched her somersault from the exchanged, launching herself up and back, landing a little distance away…

Looking up at the sky, then nodded, slashing her blade off the ground, which threw up a bunch of dust, especially as he felt the Force hitting the earth. Then felt her turn and run, for he also felt the approach of his allies. Caleb turned, looking for the padawan….and he was running too. Not fear?

'No…not the least bit afraid. Just...' he paused, standing on guard as the correlian YT-class 'not-a-smuggler' freighter came to hover over the landing pad, blowing more dust away from him. Comms activating "Heard all that Kanan, they gone"

"For now it appears" he answered with a press at his ear "But those crates need to be me moved. Now, and I need to warn, inform, the Baran Do of these unwanted guests. What's happening in orbit?"

The human's voice was strained "Looking bad, and your friends were the only troublemakers it seems. There have been explosions in several locations, timed to the arrival of two dozen Liberty-class Star Destroyers. We're looking at another Bilbringi or Shili. Just we get to be in the thick of it"

"Damn. We need to move fast then. Weapons hot but load those crates. Then we have to go" he ordered as the rear of the disguised freighter opened up, setting down, but not turning off engines. Burning fuel like crazy, but they didn't have time to risk in a start-up he suspected as he moved towards the ramp, still on guard. There was no guaranteeing these New Jedi murderers wouldn't return, with reinforcements, after all. Because it seemed they'd wanted to catch someone at the landing pad of the Temple, perhaps anticipating something like was happening now…