A Long Overdue Visit [RP]

[Nupraptor]

OOC ~ This is a serious, IC roleplay. No spam, please.

The citizens of Coruscant went about their business, much as they had since the Empire had lost it's stranglehold on their planet. The entire planet was essentially a singular city, with no clear borders where it started or ended. Commerce, of course, was bustling as usual. People had better things to do than to waste their time and effort wondering why some Jedi was standing in the middle of the marketplace, looking towards the sky.

In truth, he wasn't looking at the sky. Nor was he a Jedi... not any longer. He used to be, years before. But ever since the Darkside Centipede was implanted in his skull, the Jedi Master Nupraptor ceased to be. The thing that currently stood in the middle of the city was little more than a twisted amalgam of his own personality, and that of the insect's, wearing his skin in the same way he always wore his heavy, dark robes.

His head was tilted skyward; Not to admire smog-filled city skyline, but so he could better project this thoughts to those he wished to contact.

<font color="white">Members of the so-called 'Greater' Jedi Order</font>, he said, projecting his thoughts to all Force sensitive beings in the area. <font color="white">The Jedi Master whom left your ranks years ago has returned. He wishes to look upon the faces of his fellow comrades once more. We will wait for you in the Marketplace. Please do not disappoint us.</font>

[Sene Unty]

The newly christened Jedi Knight was asleep in his room, attempting to get a little shut eye after a long day of training. He had just delved into a rather pleasant dream when his mind was rocked by words from a force user. Sitting up quickly in his bed he looked around for the person who had used the force so powerfully.

No one was there.

Swinging his legs off the bed, Sene grabbed his lightsaber and the nearest robe. It was still drenched with sweat from the afternoons training. He quickly threw the clothing on before exiting his room.

Quicker than he had expected, he found himself staring into the hazy sky of Coruscant. He took a deep breath before making his way toward the disturbance.

Sene would get to the bottom of this....

[Xazor Elessar]

A figure clad in white robes passed through the marketplace in the center of Coruscant when suddenly the thoughts of another Force-user entered her mind. Stopping, the Jedi Knight stopped and looked about, then let her bright cyan eyes come to rest upon a dark figure dressed in heavy robes. His head was skyward and she wondered exactly who he was. Was he the source of the voice in her mind? Lost in thought of this, the Garou took a few paces forward when her danger sense kicked into overdrive. She placed her hand upon the hilt of the wide bladed long sword on her back, but then had a change of mind and instead reached for the saber upon her belt. Many other weapons were upon her strong, muscular body, though she was a woman.

The wind whipped up her white robes and pushed her waist length blond hair behind her. The silver coins woven into her Garou Warrior Braids clanged together softly as she stood now before the one she was sure had released the voice to all those around the area. She eased up slightly on her saber and then fully let her arms drop to the sides, though she did not let her guard down. Smiling and baring her elongated canines, the Warrior Jedi Knight made her way a few more paces forward until she was standing just a meter and a half off of the strange, dark man. Xazor canted her head to the side and eyed him curiously, allowing her eyes to meet his for but a moment. He will bring you no good, Xazor. No, you must give everyone a chance just as the Order did for you. You're pregnant, don't get yourself into something you can't finish. How do you even know he's a bringer of evil? the voices in her mind swirled throughout her thoughts and made her unable to think clearly. Taking a deep breath of cool air, the young woman cleared her mind of all and instead, focused on the Dark One.

"....It is you who called to the Jedi. What do you seek, oh Master of the past? I am a Warrior....and a Knight of high standing. If you wish to speak with members of the Greater Jedi Order, than you shall, for one stands before you and I know there are more yet to come. Make haste and let the words fall from your lips, please...."

Her voice was soft and gentle yet power echoed in the words she spoke. Once a Council Member, the Knight was well versed in the manner of speaking to those she knew not. Still something made her cautious of this one. He made her feel awkward and her awarness level was keen as when in confrontation. Always in motion is the future... she thought in her mind quietly, still keeping her eyes upon him. Perhaps he would bring no harm....or perhaps....something much darker was in the near future of those who dare set foot in the marketplace......

[Nupraptor]

The hooded figure lowered his head, turning slowly towards the woman who had approached him. A deep, throaty chuckle began to build up his throat, though it never developed into full laughter. The upper portion of his face was well concealed by the hood he wore, but there was a bright, crimson light pulsing where his right eye should be. The corners of his mouth curved upwards into a smile.

"Our call was to those whom we had left behind when we abandoned your Order, oh great Warrior Jedi Knight." The last part he spoke with irreverance, as if the title meant nothing to him. "You are of little concern to us. But while we wait, we shall amuse ourselves with you. Prithee, tell us: Why do you devote yourself to the life of a Jedi?"

[Ryla Relvinian]

I watched the exchange between Xazor and the hooded figure from a side alley, my long black cloak drawn tight around me. His force signature was unmistakable, though painful to recall. He had been a great Jedi, one of the greatest, when still a part of the order. That path was long behind him now, and I lamented that he could not go back and undo the damage that he had done... both to others as well as to himself.

I had followed Xazor from the Temple, my own skills in mental location paled in comparison to hers, but I had a hunch at who had sent it in the first place. I did not fear for Xazor...I was by no means her babysitter, and although she was nearly ten years my junior, she was a quick study in the Saber. I had no reason to feel that he would attack her, and instead was quite content to stay as I was, cloaked in shadow both in form and in mind... watching... listening.

[Kelt Simoson]

' Because we live on the road of peace and harmony and not on the path of complete scum like yourself' Said a voice from behind Nupraptor, his voice was neither angry nor accepting but he meant business. Kelt had had a fight with Nupraptor a few months previous and Kelt was still hurt from the experience.

'Spare us the sarcasm and leave us in peace old timer!' Kelt crossed over his arms and waited, a frown knitting on his forehead.

[Xazor Elessar]

The Knight felt the sarcasm in the man's voice and nearly passed it off, though she would have normally attacked one under such circumstances. Not this time, not anymore. Just as she was about to answer his question, it was answered by another: Kelt Simoson. Furrowing her brow, the Knight looked at the Padawan and cleared her throat.

"Such a warm welcome, Padawan. You speak of peace yet you throw flaming arrows at this man. Forget not all that you have learned while here, Kelt. You're a Jedi even when speaking to a Dark One."

She said softly, though her voice was set in a reprimanding tone. The woman's cyan eyes followed the trail back to the once Jedi Master and came gently to rest upon his face.

"I devote myself to this life because I have walked along the path of Darkness...I have let it consume me and I have let it ruin my soul. I found something better for myself.....and though the road is perilous, I am not afraid for I am strong in the Force and I shall walk it to the end."

Great determination blazed within the Jedi's eyes as she folded her hands at her belt. She smiled gently and looked up at the man, a questioning look upon her pretty face.

"And why is it that you follow the path of Darkness....betraying everything that you ever knew, Master of old?"

It was a simple question asked in just; no mockery was upon her lips for the Knight was truly curious as to why anyone would leave this life for one of Darkness. But perhaps she reasoned her choice by having seen both sides of the coin from opposite directions...where as, he was not pulled from the depths but pulled into them. Canting her head to the side, her gentle expression gazed upon his as her aura was filled with Peace. Indeed she knew other Jedi would come...but at this moment, something greater was happening....it was like a test of all she knew....a test of what she had become.

[Nupraptor]

Nupraptor audibly laughed as the padawan flung insults at him, but made no further response. He waited, as Xazor explained her stance and presented the same question to him.

"We forsake the Light because we finally saw the truth: That our ability to do good was tenuous. We limited our ability to help others by refusing to touch the Dark Side. The Sith are but a small part of it: Every man has a dark side to his soul and, as a Jedi, you cannot do a thing to prevent the evil that man will perpetuate, if left to his own devices. We chose to embrace the Dark Side because it granted us the power to do what needs to be done."

He paused, partly to catch his breath, and partly to let his words sink in before he continued.

"Palpatine had the right idea, but he approached the situation completely wrong. The Galaxy needs to be re-shaped. Not by establishing a Tyrant, as he so foolishly attempted to do, but a Caretaker. We will be that caretaker."

He stepped closer to her now, locking his gaze unto her's. His robe had split apart, and she could see that he carried no weapon on his person. But that hardly left him defenseless.

"You see, the differences between us are nearly non-existant. You want the same thing as we do. You, however, walk down the path of impotence - unable to accomplish anything of note. We walk the path of enlightenment."

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor listened intently as the man spoke of his views. She nodded ever so slightly in places of his words and let the meaning behind what he was saying sink into her mind. Indeed, these were the very same lies she had been feed as she was growing up on Cysaria, being trained in the ways of the Sith. It puzzled her so why anyone would want to lead a path of self-destruction, but the Knight knew that the deceptive ways of the Darkside were powerful and had obviously planted their claws into his heart.

"Indeed, our ways differ quite so though it seems we hit on familiar ground. Both of us are trying to accomplish something, is that not true? Is it not also true that in our pursuit for that something, we may get lost in the winds that carry others opinions and such? How then, can we be sure which way is the correct way to live for another when one may never be capable of being a Jedi or one might never be able to grasp the Darkness that lurks within the teachings of the Dark Jedi and Sith?"

The young woman stared intently into his eyes, feeling unthreatened by the stranger, yet she was aware of his every move and felt his presence within the Force. Indeed, she saw that he possessed no weapons....but she also knew that the deadliest weapon of all sometimes was one's own self. Smiling thoughtfully, Xazor canted her head to the side and eyed him curiously.

"How then can you stand here and tell me who shall be the caretakers of this very universe when indeed both of the paths we follow cannot be forced upon another? Tell me that, would you please?"

She folded her hands at her belt once again and looked upon the Darksider thoughtfully still, wondering what he had to say with true interest.

[Sene Unty]

Sene followed the disturbance to its origin: the marketplace not far from the Jedi Order. As he neared it he felt the presence of a few Jedi that had apparently arrived already. Good. at least now he wouldn't have to face the darkness alone.

He found himself at the marketplace already, but it was very quiet. In the distance he saw a cloaked figure surrounded on two sides by Jedi. As he got closer he recogonized both of them.

Kelt Simoson was someone Sene hadn't seen very much around the order.

Xazor on the other hand was someone he had seen very often. She was his master. He was glad she was there....

Sene let his presence be known to all there, because he suspected it would be futile to attempt to hide himself from the cloaked man. If he was strong enough to send a force message to all the Jedi, he was strong enough to sense out a Jedi Knight who wasn't very far from him. As he walked closer to the scene he nodded a hello in his master's direction. Everyone appeared to be talking at the moment, but Sene didn't know how long that would last.

This cloaked man was bad news.

Sene didn't need the force to tell him that.....

[Nupraptor]

The Dark Jedi shook his head, as if speaking to a child who was having trouble grasping a simple concept.

"We do not attempt to force our way upon you; Even if we thought you would understand what it is we are doing, you are not yet strong enough to walk the path alone."

Apparently satisfied, Nupraptor turned away, He lifted his head to the sky once more, his nostrils flaring as he inhaled deeply.

"Where are the others, we wonder?", he mumbled to himself.

Lowering his head again, he crossed his arms as he continued speaking, his back still turned to her.

"You see, that is we haven't gotten lost in the 'winds', as you put it: It takes immesurable will to be able to walk our path without faltering."

[Pierce Tondry]

"Well, well, well," Pierce Tondry said, rounding a corner. In his hands was a rifle, and on his back, easily visible, a ysalamiri.

"Well, well, well," he added. "They told me there was a disturbance in the marketplace. Guess they were right. You are damned disturbed."

"Don't know who you are, but I can make guesses. Let me ask you this half-man: if you're walking a path alone, how many people exactly are you taking care of?"

[Anbira Hicchoru]

This is one not to be trifled with. An Angel perched on broken wings, and a savior of broken dreams.

:: Anbira approached the man, a look of nostalgic sadness in his eyes. ::

His is a life I have already once lived, and our footsteps through time are congruent shadows laid upon each other.

[Figrin D'an]

Figrin had heard the Dark Jedi's call through the Force, and had been observing the scene from short distance before intervening.

"Master Anbira speaks the truth," he spoke to the group as he approached. "This man needs no weapon or slight of hand to be dangerous."

Two of the younger Jedi stepped aside, allowing Figrin to face the his once former comrade.

"His foul tongue is enough to sew the seeds of dischord."

[Xazor Elessar]

Xazor shook her head and sighed.

"You speak to me as if I were a child, which obviously I am not. You know nothing of my life, nor my past. I have walked in Darkness, alone. And indeed, how could you be leading people when there is no one to follow you? You contradict yourself Darkone. This is no place for you."

The Garou let her eyes rest upon his back still as if she was speaking directly to his face as before. Her heart ached that such darkness had taken hold of one that had once belonged to her Order. Still despite his evident ego issue, she remained calm though he blatently made rips upon her ways. If I was alone with you I'd.....I'd....nothing! she thought in her mind, though a defiance surfaced in her heart once again. Sighing, she bowed in respect and held herself there a moment longer than usual before rising back to full height.

"We shall meet again, one of the Dark ways. Oh yes....we shall."

Her voice was near a whisper now as she turned away and passed by others who were beginning to gather. Honestly she had had enough of his arrogance and wondered exactly what he was going to do. So she let the elders get by her and she took her place near a former student of hers, Sene.

"Greetings dear friend...I see you have come to witness this man. What audacity he has to come near the Jedi Base and act high and mighty. I'd like to....put out his lights for a while so he might have a chance at seeing the Truth once again."

It angered her to know that someone had it so good, being a Jedi and having a life of servitude that was good, but then he shoved it back in the face of the Order for the Darkness that would eventually be his ruin. With firey zeal, she crossed her arms over her chest and sighed once again as she watched the exchanges of the others.

[Nupraptor]

A chuckle.

"Oh, but we had forgotten how amusing it is to debate philosophy with fantatics."

He spoke to no one in particular. For in his mind, he could sense several familiar Force signatures approaching. His eyes lit up - or rather, one of them did - when he recognized Anbira's.

His back still turned, Nupraptor could hear the dissent growing. Individual voices were a trifle for him to pick out, as he heard his former comrades whispering warnings to the younger members of the Order.

"Ah, yes... Master Figrin. You fear that some of the children may find themselves wayward, because you know that what we speak is the truth."

He turned around, allowing his gaze to lock fully on the Jedi Master.

"You seek to lionize yourselves by demonizing your darkest enemy, is that not true? But you need not fear us. For, while our reasons for being here are multi-faceted, we do not seek to steal your children away from you. They would be of no use to us. He, however..."

Nupraptor turned, pointing out Anbira.

"Would be of great value to us."

Nupraptor's visage changed then, losing all of it's malice and condescending pallor. It was replaced with the face which was much more gentle, that of a kindly old man pleaing for an audience.

"Master Anbira, you understand what it is we're trying to do. You've known it all along. We were too weak, back then, to accept what it was you were doing. We do not know how the Jedi have brainwashed you with their teachings, but we do know that you cannot deny what it was you were; And what you still are. You are the Angel of Death. With you by our side, we could bring order to the Galaxy in the span of a decade - possibly less!"

[AmazonBabe]

:: AB had gone with the others, also having heard the mental summons by Nupraptor. When he had been a long standinf Jedi, she had perhaps only spoken with him a few times, but it was more through reputation that she remembered him. never the less, she was an elder at the GJO, and a Council Member at that. And she had every right to see why it was a man fallen to the Dark Side would call upon those of old from the Jedi Order. ::

:: She stepped up from behind Anbira, her hunter green cloak coming to rest around her body, concealing it, save for her head. ::

And Master Hicchoru has overcome the weakness of being led by the Dark Side.

:: She raised an eyebrow at the man wrapped in darkness standing before them, one green eye narrowing slightly. ::

But I find it peculier you'd come all this way just for remenicsing. Seldom have I seen a Sith do anything without a reason to prophit from.

Why have you summoned the elders of the Jedi Order?

[Figrin D'an]

Figrin's expression remained fixed.

"The substance of truth," he replied to Nupraptor, "is what we each find in it. You lie to yourself if you believe that truth is solely the ally of you and your cause."

The Jedi Master's voice became more sadened as he continued.

"You speak of bringing order, yet you would do so through spilling the blood of the innocent. You wish for you and your brethren to be caretakers for the Galaxy, yet your embrace of the Dark Side will cause you to be anything but benevolent."

"But, I am not here to debate you, dark one."

Figrin turned his attention to more immediate matters. His gaze turned to Anbira, whom had quickly become the focus of whatever insidious plot Nupraptor had concocted. The Jedi Master trusted the will power of the former Angel of Death, but his intuition told him that something was amiss. Even here, on Coruscant, near the very heart of the Jedi Order, there was a masked danger...

[Sene Unty]

Sene smiled as Xazor approached him. It was good to see her again as it had been a few days since he had. She was pretty angry at the cloaked man, but Sene understood. The man with the red eye seemed to hate the Jedi more than anything. Every word that emerged from Xazor's mouth was turned away from uncaring ears. Seeing her distressed he wrapped an arm around her shoulder and brought her close to him in a comforting effort.

"You did good master, but apparently he did not want to listen."

[Ryla Relvinian]

He is not here to talk... I thought to myself as Xazor visibly fumed at their little exchange. Mind shields as tight as ever, I had no fears that she, or anyone else would hear my thoughts. By now there were several other Jedi of varying ranks standing around the enshrouded man, conversing in strong, yet lowered voices. Something compelled me to stay hidden, and I did just that. I had the feeling that he was listening, searching for something, and I could only hope that it was not me.

[Anbira Hicchoru]

:: Anbira's brow furrowed as he took the words of his one-time counterpart in. ::

It is true, that I cannot separate the man I was, and the man I am today. I remember all, but the passions that govern the heart are absent from those nightmares of yesterday. A blessing, and perhaps a curse, as your cause is all the more alien in my eyes.

I look upon you, and feel a great pity. Not that one so virtuous has fallen into evil...but that you are, as I once did, carrying a bloodied standard. How many can you kill, how much pain can you inflict, that all you stand for shall be washed clean, and in the end, you shall stand vindicated? I once sought to be the ward of the galaxy, much as you do now. Where does this righteous retribution end? You will compromise every principle you fight for...long before you have slain your last enemy. Can you not see it?

[Severen]

By now of course a crowed had gathered around the grouped Jedi and there foe standing within the market place, Arcan. Most if not all of the civilians probably had no idea why the dark one stood mocking his old comrades, they were just there for the latest bits of gossip, far from realizing the danger they were in. With them stood Severen, a insignificant, unrecognizable man who watched carefully and with great interest. The Dark One he showed particular interest in as he mocked the Jedi and there ways. Severen had gathered that he used to be a Lightsider and intelligently fell towards the dark. Severen smiled...the Dark One was an ally and not a foe.

He kept his eyes fermly on the confrontation and watched as both sides dealt out there hands.

[Pierce Tondry]

Anbira's words struck home with Pierce, and a great weight of weariness settled onto his shoulders. That damn burden of war.

Quietly and unobtrusively, Pierce moved off to the side, letting other Jedi take the forefront of this verbal battle. He would just watch. Watch, and think.