Crisis on Goull (open)

[Sage Hazzard]

Planet: Goull
City: Soullen (capital city)
Time: Noon

As the Peace Keeper II sat down on the landing pad, Sage breathed a tired sigh. This mission was not going to be pretty by any means. Where as the Jedi Master was notably one of the best fighters in the Jedi, he also had the least amount of patience. This was as much a diplomatic mission as there was, not that Sage wasn't skillful at that. In fact, he was often told he had a silver tongue. Though this was a testing mission, as it would challenge his deplomatic ability, his patience, and perhaps in the end... his warrior skill.

In a way Sage felt both lucky and worried to have his newest Padawan, J'ktal Anajii, along with him. It would be the Padawan's first Jedi mission but surely not his first mission in life. On the one hand, Sage was grateful to have a man of such calm desposition on his side, who seemed to have the patience the Jedi Master lacked. Though how would he react to helping a government suppress and calm their military rogues?

"Mr. Anajii, I need you to open the rear cargo hatch. We'll go out that way," he said to the man next to him, sitting in the oversized co-pilot chair obviously built for a Wookiee. "Makes us seem more grand, which is what they're looking for."

He disengaged the engine and turned on the security measures, finally turning shields off as he stood from his seat. Following his newest apprentice, he briskly caught up in stride with him.

"Remember, these Goullen are in a troubled time right now. Try not to say anything that'd lead them to believe we can't help them. Though it's wrong to mislead them into thinking we are their saviors, it'd be catastrophic to make them more petrified. It's a very shaky balance beam."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Not in posession of Jedi habilaments that were tailored to his needs yet, J'ktal had dressed in his greatcoat and other mid-level finery. The coat was impressive, flowing past his knees and trimmed in heavy patches with silver thread with three silver cords looping both over and under the left arm. The seal of the Death-Shadow was emblazoned on the chest in silver thread as well, and a deep crimson silk sash-belt was wound around the Nehantitie's waist. To his left sat his katana, and thrust through the front of his belt was his ivory-handled kris dagger in its wooden scabbard. He looked nothing like a Jedi, but would act the part as well as he could.

"I am no stranger to diplomatic situations, Master Hazzard," the Death-Shadow informed him as he leaned over to press the hatch release. "My kind are trained in many arts, and negotiation is one of my specialities. I have been emmissary more times than I care to remember."

Standing up, J'ktal straightened his coat and picked up his katana, inserting it through a small loop on a thin leather belt that was concealed by the silk sash-belt. With Sage beside him, the gray mongoose descended the ramp. Normally he should have fallen back slightly to let his master be first, but he kept a constant stride, neither passing of falling back from Sage. It was a deliberate move by all means. "Tell me again," he spoke quietly, "How much of a backseat role am I to take here in the diplomatic end?"

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage caught glance of the greeters at the base of the ramp. He had enough time to whisper a response.

"Not much of a backseat. Just give me some kind of a head nod or something to let me know you have something to say, and I'll respond in kind if it's okay."

Hearing that the Death-Shadow was a trained negotiater pleased Sage. He'd have someone to take over his duties if he didn't have a proper response, or the patience to deal with a response.

"Maesder Jeedai, greatings doa o' plaanet. Ah aame Geel Baaless, 'Ounceelor dof dhe Ghoull Bigh 'Ounceel." The Goullen spoke in heavily accented Basic. The large maw that was his mouth flapped open and shut with wet slaps from his meaty lips. If it was a he... "Wea aahe en gahaave daengeer."

Sage raised a hand to silence him.

"I am aware, Counciler. This is my Jedi Apprentice, J'ktal Anajii. I am Jedi Master Sage Hazzard. Before we continue with this, would it not be wise to move indoors to a secure location? If I've heard correctly, you've already had an assasination attempt."

The Ghoullen shaked his head violent.

"Ess, ess, ouu ah eeise Maesder Jeedai. Gum, gum," he said with a wave of his hand, leading the two to double transparisteel doors.

Sage leaned in for a private conversation with J'ktal as he trailed Geel. "Do you have any early insight on this man, Mr. Anajii?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Only that he carries no weapons while it is a time of danger, Master Hazzard," J'ktal whispered back. He had taken to using Master instead of Mr. once Sage had officially taken him as a padawan learner.

"He is also unused to manual labor," he continued. "Though I do not know the race well, hsi walk is pudgy, and his hands are soft. He relies on speech to earn his living, I believe. And speakers do not always tell the full truth, though they do say a great many things."

As he walked, his paw rubbed lightly against his right thigh, as if he were straightening out a wrinkle in his long coat. In reality, the Death-Shadow was ensuring that the blaster held onto his leg by a low holster was still ready in case it would be needed.

[Sage Hazzard]

"Very good. I would take the fact he doesn't carry weapons as his nature, perhaps he doesn't know how to work one. Or perhaps there is a shadier reason behind it. I've tought you how to sense things in a room, be my eyes while I talk to him. Let me know if there's something he's concealing on his person or has hidden in wherever we are being lead."

Finally, they came to an office, a large one. At the door was posted two sentry guards, along with two inside by the door. The councilor sat in his chair behind his desk, in front of uncovered windows that expanded to the ceiling and floor.

After he motioned to the two chair in front of the desk, Sage took a seat and nodded for J'ktal to do the same, though he wasn't sure if his Death-Shadow training tought him never to sit in a dangerous scenario or not.

"Maester Jedi--"

"Counciler Geel, we don't have much time to waste. I suggest you let us know of the placement of your military forces at last count. Have you ascertained their head quarters?"

"Ess, ess. Dee sseem to bae een de r--rr--ruuuk ssseetemmeent meere de Soullen Ssaekrraed Waada-all."

"I see. Does this waterfall flow into a river that runs near Soullen?"

The Ghoullen pondered what the question could mean... but answered without figuring it out.

"Mmm, des. Dis rrruens doo de doown ssskare."

"The Town Square?" Sage asked, making sure he understood him correctly. The Ghoullen nodded.

The Jedi Master turned sharply to his Padawan, eyes raised in question, wondering if J'ktal was thinking of the same thing and silently hoping he had thought of another reason for an enemy force to base themselves on a water fall that's water went through the town square.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Sometimes it was dangerous to sit in an unknown situation, but often it was more dangerous to appear concerned and cautious. J'ktal took the seat and leaned back, making himself quite comfortable. A little too comfortable to still adhere to proper ettiquite, in fact. It was an act; by making himself appear completely at ease, concentration was taken off of him, and he was free to survey his surroundings without suspicion.

The view was lovely, even if the Goullen architecture left something to be desired. A lot to be desired, in fact, but he was not there to critique the aestetics of building design, J'ktal was far busier trying to gain a bearing on his surroundings and situation.

The Death-Shadow were tought to always think of at least three ways to kill, and four ways to disable an enemy at all times, and his mind was silently clicking away as every bit of information was fed to him. The Councilor was a coward, that much he could see already, but some cowards hid a dangerous presence very well, so he would not be ruled out as a non-threat yet, even though it was his cause that Sage and J'ktal were there to help. His fingertips drummed lightly on the polished wooden arm of his chair as he gazed out the window, the sun reflecting in his pink eyes. If they enemy were to be perched on a waterfall, it could mean a great many things. First, they could be preparing to poision the water supply, but that would ultimately be detrimental to their cause, for it is a small matter to switch to stockpiled water, and would also inadverntantly end up killing innocents that they would need to uphold their cause.

Second, an explosion set at the top could cause a momentary interruption of the river's flow, and beign a large river, could cause a small flood to rush through the town; it would be the perfect spearhead to an assault, for it would knock out most any ground defenses. But third, it served as a psychological high ground. By being able to threaten to do the first two options, they held the advantage. That, and they could also amass an army at the base of the waterfall where there was doubtlessly a large, still collecting pool, and mount an assault by boat downt eh river.

None of the possibilities held more weight than the others et, so the Death-Shadow returned to focusing on the room. There was no immediate danger that he could find, though he could not help but feel there was something amiss. Turning to Sage, he said quietly, "Master Hazzard, may we request a map of the city, and plumbing charts as well, if they are available?"

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage raised an eyebrow. His Padawan might be onto something he hadn't considered...

He found himself thinking weither J'ktal was thinking of what he would need to defend, or how he would attack if he was the opposing force. What mindset was he in? How did he look at these obstacles? Despite his interest and respect for his Padawan, he often found himself relizing he knew little about him.

"Counciler Geel," last names came first in introductions by the Ghoullen, which Sage had learned before departing from Coruscant. He wondered if J'ktal knew this already or simply wasn't confused by him refering to Geel by his first name. "Could we perhaps obtain a map of the city, along with it's plumbing charts?"

The fat being thought this over, clearly thinking why it was asked for and not weither he could obtain it. He traded looks with his gaurds before slowly coming around.

"Maester Jeedai, ded wood beh mmeah ppppleezuuh."

One of the gaurds nodded sharply at his words and went behind the desk, working with the keys. The gaurd was slimmer and seemed to be of the same species, but perhaps from a different region. He was more muscular than husky.

Soon a holoprojection of the maps requested appeared above the desk.

Sage nodded to his Padawan that he may lead the inspection.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

The map was satisfactory at best for J'ktal, who preferred having exactingly rendered maps when on assignment. What lay before him was a general overview, but many things were not labeled. But, one could only work with what one had.

From an inner breast pocket, J'ktal witdrew a pair of reading glasses. He didn't actually need them for visual clarification, but they were an added touch to his image. Placing them on, the mongoose rotated the maps and zoomed in on certain areas before picking up an adjustment stylus and pinpointing a few key locations on the terranic and economic map, and a few as well on the plumbing and sewer map. When he chose a location it shifted to red, and he mentally made notes, though explained little.

Finally, the Death-Shadow looked up to Geel and asked frankly, "What kind of situation is this, Councilor? Are we expecting to be attacked, or are we here to help you lead an offensive. If it is the latter, what transgressions against you have your military factions performed, and what kind of weaponry do we stand to face?" He looked straight into the chubby Goull's eyes, his own pink irises as cold as ice, and completely unwavering. "And how much time do we have to prepare?"

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage was a bit shocked. Though he quietly was pleased with him. He knew what had to be done and demanded what he needed. The Ghoullen looked at it a different way.

"Bah, bah, bah--BWAAT DIS DEES?! K--kkk--" he fumbled with his speech, frightened by J'ktal's stare. "Kkkoendan dooer ahpeendiish, Maester Jeedai!"

Sage leaned back in his chair slightly, smiling, fingetips pressing against each others. He said nothing.

"Bbbb--" slowly, his eyes sunk. Whereas Sage was more pleasant and allowed the Ghoullen to be vaugue, J'ktal cut to the throat of the matter. He couldn't dance around the issue with him. "Deesh is--.... Dia dooa bot mwaent dah kkkeeel dem. Ghoullenzzzz mwar pbealcful byee nnnaetuura. Deebench dis mwant dia rrreaquansht. Dey, dey... dey mwave doand dearaeblle dings.. Dey mwave--"

Sage cut him off.

"Geel! Duck!!" his danger sense was never great, not when applied for others, but it did alarm seconds too late.

Suddenly the glass behind him broke, shattering in a thousand pieces. A bolt of blinding red struck Geel in the back of the head, sending his mass out of the chair and slamming against his desk. As the back of his head was exposed there was a large burn crater and a hole of the Ghoullen's skull had been incinerated.

"J'ktal, secure the door!"

The two soldiers posted outside had already left, they were rushing for a medic, but it was too late. The guards on the inside of the office had slowly walked over to the desk, watching Geel's body in wide mouthed awe and disgust.

Sage drew his sabre and activated it, as a precaution if any more bolts were shot. He rushed to the window, crushing glass under his boots as he did. Looking out he couldn't see any snipers...

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal had not sensed the blast coming at all. Spipers were difficult to sense. At least when they were not aimed at yourself.

As Sage stepped toward the window, the Death-Shadow reached out and grabbed the back of his shirt tightly and yanked him back from the edge jsut as another shot balsted through the open pane. Spinning Sage back against the wall, the mongoose growled, "Never stand in the known path of a sniper. They always watch to make sure their target is dead." Roughly letting him go, J'ktal then turned on his heel and snatched the holomaps up off of the desk and poscketed them while drawing an antique blaster from his right thigh with his other paw.

Not pausing, he fired twice at the lighting fixture above, killing it and darkening the room to natural light, then he blasted two holes nearly point-blank through the desktop before grabbign onto ine side and tipping it over. Getting low and leaning his shoulder into it, he shoved it over to the broken windoe and peered out of one of the holes he had made. Already he wished he had brought some of his own equipment along, but it was too late to wish, it was time for action.

"Master Hazzard, the sniper is on the move," he called as he stood back up, letting pieces of glass fall from where they had clung to his greatcoat. "There is no further activity in the square, but I feel this was not to be an isolated incident. I suggest we head down there to check things out."

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage didn't think to mention he could have swipped the bolts away with his Jedi abilities. The Death-Shadow's actions showed courage and extreme skill. From the way he moved to how he acted under pressure assured Sage the Death-Shadow had indeed earned his rank.

"We have to find that sniper. Like you said, this can't be an isolated incident. We need to stop him until he moves onto his next target."

Sage abruptly pulled the desk away from the window, disengaged and clipped his lightsabre to his belt, and leapt out the window. The fifty foot drop didn't hurt Sage in the least, it was an old Jedi trick. One of the first Jedi were tought. Too bad he hadn't gotten around to teaching J'ktal it yet. He sighed relieved though as he saw a water pipe leading up the side of the building, wide enough to climb down. Especially for a Death-Shadow, Sage assumed.

He reignited his sabre, eyes darting for movement, his mind open to the Force.

Suddenly, a bolt went whizzing through the air from higher up, aimed near the window...

"J'ktal!!!!"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Suddenly J'ktal wished he had not worn his finery on the mission. At least, not over his working clothes.

When Sage leapt from the window, his first instinct was to try and grab him again, but intuituion kicked in and reminded him that a Jedi Master would not simply jump to his death. Peering out the window, he caught sight of the drainpipe, and also the buzzle flash of a blaster rifle. Whirling back inside, he ducked and felt the rain of masonry shards fall over him as the blaster bolt blew through the pillar beside him. Though the drainpipe was handy, it was not a viable option under the circumstances.

Scrambling back to a stand, the Death-Shadow was on his way to the doors they had entered in, bursting through them with a shove from his shoulder as he rolled up his left sleeve, the holomap projector in his right paw. As he ran, the mongoose desperatly tried to focus on connecting a cable from the holomap to a small metal input jack on his wrist. It was one of the upgrades he planned when he had his arm replaced. Within seconds he had the maps downloaded to an electronic portion of his brain--also a replacement due to training injury--and his left eye glowed a sliight green as a wire-frame map was overlaid on his normal vison, most of the lines correctly tracing the architecture as he ran. A red line showed him the most direct path to where Sage was, and he pocketed the map device in favor of his blaster once more as he sprinted at breakneck speed down the hill and around a winding street.

"Master Hazzard, what is out situation!" he called out as he approached the protected postition Sage had taken. His eye still glowed a pale green in the iris, with bits of red, and he could see Sage looking at it curiously. "Map," was the only answer J'ktal offered.

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage turned back to where he could sense danger. Suddenly, a bolt ripped through the sky and Sage sent it back to it's origin, though it hit the side of the building instead.

"He's up there! Come on!"

He charged towards the building. In the back of his mind he wondered what J'ktal meant by "map"... how did that have to do with his eye?

"What did the plumbing charts reveal?" he asked as he made his way for the assasin.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

As he ran alongside Sage, J'ktal explained, "The water distribution system is worthless to us; the pipes are too samll to house a being of our size, and most of the incomign water is fed from several pump and purification houses along the river."

Suddenly he broke from Sage's side and dashed up a short flight of steps and vaulted over a decorative seperating wall. He had just taken a shortcut and was slightly ahead of his master, but still running. When Sage caught up, he continued his findings, "The swerers, on teh other paw, might be useful. If we only knew where this sniper was headed, we could cut across town in half the time, though it is not an option I hold in high priority. This corner, it will save us half a block." He suddenly announced as he took a sharp right down a small alley.

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage nodded sharply, picking up the pace. He could run faster than humanly possible, and perhaps faster than a Death-Shadow. But he tried to remain in stride.

"What if... this was an opening to a full frontal, military assault. If you found that two Jedi were landing on the Palace and meeting with a councilor, right when you wanted to launch your plan... wouldn't you want to get them chasing something, something to take them away from where you're headed?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Good call, Master Hazzard. For the moment, I am in agreement with their idea that we should be away from the assault. We stand less chance of getting killed that way," J'ktal chuckled. Well, at least he tried to chuckle, it came out as more of a grim laugh instead. Smiles and jokes were not his forte.

The alley walls were high, and there were only two exits--the way they had come in, and they way J'ktal was leadign them. About halfway down, the mongoose slowed to a halt and tapped at the left side of his forehead and blinked his left eye a few times. "Blasted shoddy maps," he muttered. "I cannot scroll far enough ahead while we are moving this fast. If your presumption is correct, we should return to the Councilor's chambers, or at least to the ship. If there is to be an assault, we will need some of the armaments I saw in your hold."

He winked his eye again and rolled it slightly before seeming satisfied with whatever it was he was doing. "There are a few ways back. The way we came, another back street, or the sewers. The nearest manhole will be about a block that way, around the corner. Your call, Master Hazzard, you know more of this situation than I."

[Sage Hazzard]

"If I was a miltary leader, I would wish to herd my most dangerous obstacles away from the area of my concern. If we go back the way we came, we may encounter harsh resistance. Resistance that would slow our progess too much. A backstreet will still keep us visible enough to allow for more strategies to be employed or for our allusive sniper to find us in his sights. The sewer's our best best."

As J'ktal made way for the manhole, Sage stood still. He plucked his lightsabre from the belt.

"You're wrong, though, the nearest manhole is wherever I cut it."

He thumbed on the blue blade and nodded to the ground, asking if a sewer ran beneath his feet, so he could cut into it.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"And let them know how we might be able to get around? I doubt it," was J'ktal's reply. "That, and I do not know of anythign under this alley. Sewer pipes are usually at least ten feet beneath ground level as to allow for better weight distribution by buildings overhead. Any closer to the surface and they could be crushed by focused pressure. I doubt your blade can extend to ten feet, and even if it did, there would still be a matter of clearing earth that would be in our way. Trust me, the existing manhole is a btter option."

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage smiled. "Well, one of us is logical," he said with a wink. He reminded himself how glad he was to have a more patient person around. Someone who would stop him from being rancor headed.

"Lead the way. Quickly," they were losing time as they spoke.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"This way," J'ktal agreed as he started off down the alley again and around a bend that led out to a moderate street.

The two Jedi caused a bit of a stir with the locals as they emerged from the sidestreet, Sage with his lightsaber and J'ktal with his blaster drawn. The mongoose rushed directly to the manhole and jammed his paw into the handhold, yanking up on the heavy durasteel cover and revealed a foul-smelling darkness with an old ladder leading down.

"F'koth," J'ktal spat in his native tongue, "Why did I have to wear these clothes. You go, I'll follow." Stepping back from the enterance, J'ktal reached down and pulled up the trailing portions of his greatcoat and tucked thm into his belt so it would not get too dirty, then followed Sage down the ladder and pulled the manhole cover back over the opening.

It was pitch black, but J'ktal could see where the tunnel walls were with his holo-map projected into his inner retinae, and could hear Sage at the bottom of the ladder. Evidently there was a good foot anf a half of water, soiled or not, waiting for him down there.

"I just had these clothes dry-cleaned," came his complaint as he descended the ladder. In his concern for his clothing, J'ktal finally expressed some form of feeling to his Master. It was snobbish grumbling, to be certain, but it was an emmotion nonetheless. "Hang on, I have a lamp."

Suddenly a flash of light ripped through the backness from the powerful flashlight J'ktal held in his paw. He was careful not to shine it in Sage's face, and then pointed it down the dark tunnel. "This should be simple. We head that way, and after a few twists and turns, we will be out." He made no reference to how Nehantites had a far keener sense of smell than humans, and how the reeking air was nearly choking him. He had learned to endure pain, and would do so now for the sake of the mission.

[Sage Hazzard]

For a fancy Death-Shadow he sure does complain a lot about his clothes! Sage thought to himself, the smell irritaing himself enough to be a little peeved at J'ktal's complaints.

"Alright, let's go... and if you're that concerned about your clothes, I'd keep that flashlight away from the water, you don't want to know what's floating around your pants. Trust me."

J'ktal might of had the enhanced sense of smell, but Sage had the enhanced vision. The Force illuminated the darkness enough to see, yet it was washed over with a blanket of green and had distortion in places. Not to mention the facts that J'ktal's eyes were a negative in this sight. He couldn't keep it up for long but he wouldn't need to. He shut it down, relying on the flashlight, to conserve his energy from the looming fight ahead.

"So..." he had time ask it now. "Do the Death-Shadow practice memory enhancement? How'd you memorise that map?" Sage asked, unaware of J'ktal's implants or why his eye was that color now.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"I told you my left arm is partially cybernetic, correct?" J'ktal replied, looking back at him momenttarily, the luminous glow of green and red from his left eye plainly visible in the dark, though now lines and markings were discernable weheras before they had been a blur of color.

"That was not the only modification I had made due to injury. My left eye is also partially electronic, as well as a small portion of my brain. If I were to lpull back my sleeve you would see a small solver connection plate on my left forearm. I downloaded the maps into my memory, and now they are playing back in harmony to our surroundings through my eye," he explained, deftly taking all the correct corners before coming to another ladder. "A small internal projector overlays the map on reality, and I can plot a perfect course that way. Simple, really. Now, be ready, this ought to take us out behind a small hedge nearly a hundred feet from your ship."

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage slowly came around to the idea of him having cybernetic implants. It was odd, and some would think disgusting, but it was extremely useful. More so when Sage relised he probably couldn't live without the implant in the brain, it probably saved his life during an old injury.

"One three. One. Two. Three!"

As J'ktal and Sage climbed out of the manhole, ready for action, an eerie silence was all they found. It was deathly, like a ghost town. Or perhaps the calm before the storm.

Sage followed next to J'ktal as they ran, ready to bat bolts away from the both with his sabre. But no shots came. Either they lost them or they decided it didn't matter anymore. Or maybe both.

As they neared twenty feet Sage took out a control and hit a button. It erected a defense shield around the ship, that they were inside. One of the many security measures.

"Now," Sage said, allowing himself to breath now that he could do so with his gaurd down, as he hit the cargo door opener. "you really should have told me about those implants. Here."

He took out a datacard from one of his pockets as the cargo door lowered and handed it to J'ktal.

"Can you process information quicker when it's fed to that electronic brain section? I'm hoping so, or else we'll have to read this the hard way, and hope we can do it fast. It's the briefing I recieved before departing. The one I thought I'd have time to read while deplomacy was still an option."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"I find that articles about my person are at my own discretion to reveal," J'ktal defended himself as he walked up the ramp and into the belly of the ship.

"I can recieve information, yes, but it is not always up to me how quickly I understand it," he explained as he burriedly stripped the boots he had beed wearing and removed his sword and kris, tossing them onto a seat. "I will do my best to comprehend it an an expediant fashion, Master Hazzard."

The Death-Shadow then removed his belt and coat, tossing ecerything over the seat, and his white silk shirt and crimson satin pants were next. Beneath eerything he had been wearing one of his Death-Shadow uniforms, though the logo was no longer present. Black and crimson, it looked almost lke vinyl, and clung to him, accenting his build. Wound around hikm in strategic locations were webgear and ultility clips. From his bag he withdrew many of the accouchrements that were to go onto it, and he dropped into the pilot's seat as he plugged the datacard into the main computer, running a cable form the output to the back of hic neck instead of his forearm. Within seconds he unplugged it and was standinf again.

"It is downloaded, but, nothing is comign through yet. Sometimes it takes concentration for the infomation flow to start, Master. It becomes like a memory, and without a trigger to find it with, the search can be difficult.

J'ktal was almost fully dressed for an assault mission. His balster on his thigh, and various othe weapons and devices scattered about his person, though he made no move to get his katana again, instead reaching into his bag and pulling out an object wrapped in satin. Tossing it to Sage, he explained, "That is the lightsaber I spoke of. You might want to inspect it while I focus on remembering this new information."

The lightsaber was not very old., perhaps twenty years at the oldest, and was slightly longer than a two-handed grip. Silver and black, it was of common design, and the blade would shoot forth red.

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage was too busy to reply. He grabbed the sabre in stride, walking to a nearby locker.

He ripped off his robes and clothing, coming down to his boxers. The Death-Shadow wasn't looking and even if he did, he didn't have time to be shy. Sage had to prepare for a war and these Jedi robes were never his favorite cloth. He'd worn it for show, to be a representative of the Jedi, which is what a troubled government needed to ease their minds from panic. But now they wouldn't have any choice but to panic. He could feel it growing and growing in the Force, just over the horizon. He'd probably send many soldiers to their graves today, though he'd try his damnest to stun or disable instead.

He put on a tight, black, shortsleeved shirt. Accompanying it was a white belt and white combat style boots, laced up as tightly as possible. His pants were made of a black silky material that moved and breathed easily, allowing for swift and fluid movements. He strapped four percular looking lightsabres onto his belt, each with an odd end to the hilt where it connected to the belt. He also put two blasters, set for stun, into hip holsters, also white.

Now, he placed the lightsabre J'ktal had given him onto a table. Unfolding the cloth around it he held it firmly in his hand. Opening himself to the Force, he fed himself into the weapon, feeling it all the way through. He thumbed it on finally, inspecting the blade. Deactivating it, he layed it next to J'ktal.

"Should be fine. Just let me know if you start to feel like going on a killing spree for the fun of it," he said, intending to make a joke, though it didn't exactly sound that way. He was focused on the matter at hand and his voice echoed his emotion. "Remember anything yet?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Bits, pieces," J'ktal said, his eyes closed. "Faces and names, but many things are not lacing properly. That was more information than I can normally absorb at once, but I will keep trying."

And try he did, though now with his pink eyes opened. He had shut off his map, and was again foraging through his bag. "I wish you had offered this information before, even in datapad form, Master Hazzard. I would have brought my Shadow (spacecraft, I'll explain later), or at least better weaponry," he said as he pulled out a small black packpack that he slung on, then grabbed up a large blaster rifle, and a beastly looking slug-thrower with a foldover stock. A second handgun, again apparently a slug-thrower, was clipped in its holster on his chest webbing, and he continued to load up.

"More is coming to me. This will be dangerous, Master Hazzard, there is no doubt about that. And, I never kill for fun, either. It is a deliberate process, one that brings me no joy, I assure you." He explained as he took back the lightsaber, velcroing it to his belt with a pair of straps. He had lied, there was joy in killing, but only in those deaths he felt were just and called for. Security guards and military were simply figures that stood in the way of his goal and would be dealt with.

Finally ready, and a good thirty pounds heavier with equipment, J'ktal turned back to Sage and nodded, "No more is coming to me now. I will remember more when I see faces, that will be the next step. So, it is up to you, what will our plan be? The Councilor is dead, so I believe we should head to the next in line to see if we can prevent another assassination."

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage nodded. "You're correct. About both things. I should have read that more thouroughly and sooner, I apologise. This was catorgorized, if you believe it, to be a low stress mission. Goodness, if I'd known better I would have brought Chewnakka along with us," he said with a smile, out of place amonst the seriousness of the mood. He'd love to have the big wookiee next to him on this.

He turned and headed for another locker, pulling out a bag and stuffing several items into it. Items that would come in handy later. Sage used to be in the military, trained to be a Warrior Jedi, and always had an eye for combat. He would not go down easily.

Two of the blasters he took out of the new locker he placed in a second pair of holsters. Sage liked to move with as least amout of weight as possible, so he'd carry all the heavy equipment in the bag and stash it somewhere. In a strategic location where he would, undoubtedly need a "bag of tricks".

"Come on, lets go," he said, grabbing the bag by the handle and leading the way to the cargo door. "Still got that map? Take us to wherever the next longest sitting councilor is, if you've processed that information yet."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

J'ktal had no idea who Chewnakka was, but the name at least gave away the race the character most likely belonged to. He was about to head down the cargo bay when a nagging feeling tugged at the back if his mind, and he looked back to the katana on the chair. He had almost always taken it with him on missions, but now it would stay behind in favor of the lightsaber. It almost felt like a betrayal to his old ways, though he knew he must move on.

Tapping his left temple, the map flashed back to life, though he did have to blink twice to get it to focus. "The map is up, hold on while I try and locate our destination," he explained, letting his eyes unfocis as he played over the map in his head. Once he had selected the most likey target, J'ktal snapped back to attention and headed down the cargo ramp with sage, an assault blaster rifle held ready in his arms.

"Strange," he spoke aloud. "There is nobody here. You would think that after a politician is assassinated, ther media would ahve swarmed this location by now. Things are not right, Master Hazzard, and we have a long distance to travel. See that building across the way, the one with the thiree spires? That is where we must go. I reccoment we commondeer a vehicle, what do you think?"

He gave his master no time to reply as he shot the lock off of a speeder door and then climbed in, neatly jamming something like a screwdriver into the ignitoon and letting the engine roar to life. "Hop in, and fasten your restraining belt. I do not feel this will be a smooth ride. We have comapny appriaching from behind," he pointed into the rearview mirror.

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage didn't offer an argument. For all he knew, this might of been the dead councilor's speeder. He wouldn't need it right now.

He fastened his restraining belt as requested.

"J'ktal, are you sure you know how to drive well enough to--" he was cut off as the speeder took off, slamming his body against his seat. "--Nevermind."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

It was less a speeder than it was a hovercar, really. It floated off the ground, but had little pitch control, only speed and steering. J'ktal had picked it for the long engine bay it contained, and the finely-crafted chrome accents. The two usually combined into the assumption that it was a luxury car, and luxury cars usually had a good deal of power, and a solid frame that could take some abuse.

"I am an excellent driver, Master Hazzard," the Death-Shadow said, shifting into second gear as he whipped the speeder around to head down the causeway leadign up to the hall, then floored the accellerator. In front of them stood a line of armed military guards; they were something J'ktal could not be bothered with at the moment, especially since they were leveling guns at the rapidly approaching car.

Powering the window down with one paw, J'ktal held a steady course on the wheel with the other, then reached his blaster out the window and set it to automatic, ripping off a series of shots at the ground before the guards' feet. They scattered at the last moment, realizing the speeder was not slowing down, and a rain of blaster fire was sent after the black car as it took off around the corner.

"That was fun," J'ktal grinned, placing his left paw back ont eh wheel and digging out the holomap with his right paw, then passed it to Sage. "Things are coming to me faster now, but I still cannot put it all together. Take a look at the map and tell me where you think we should go." As he spoke, he whipped through the narrow and winding streets at at least twice the posted limit, sometimes taking corners a little close just for the thrill of it.

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage raised an eyebrow at him. Was he insane or did he enjoy driving like a madman? As always, he couldn't read J'ktal by his facial expressions and refused to violate his thoughts for such a silly musing.

He clicked on the map, observing it as it bounced and russled under the turns the vehicle made.

"Well, let's see...." he said, trying to concentrate on the map while being thrown about in his seat. "Uh... Take the seventh right, the second left, then the first left, then the six left. That should bring us to the back entrance of our--" he was cut off by a swerve. "--our destination without encountering too much resistance. If my feeling is right, that is."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Nodding once, J'ktal marked the loaction on his own map, and followed Sage's instruction for several blocks and turns, narrowly missing a pedestrian a few times too many. All went well until J'ktal noticed a barricade being formed int he road ahead. A small tank and a few mobile assault vehicles, as well as several armed guards. Engine distruptor strips had been lain out as well, so he could not chance bashing through them for fear of killing the speeder permenantly.

Slowing down to give himself time to think, J'ktal tried to work out a few possible alternatives, but only ended up with one. Shifting down a gear for greater power, the mongoose siply said, hold on, this is not going to be very smooth."

His footpaw punched the gas and the speeder shot off, though at an angle for he was turning them down a residential alley. As the engine roared, and the speeder rapidly picked up speed, he shifted back up to fifth and floored it. The dashboard readout displayed 112 miles per hour by the time they reached the end of the alley and crashed through a small, decorative stone handrail, and were launched off the roadway onto the grassy expanse of a small park some twenty feet below.

The speeder hit hard, bouncing off the earth and killing the engine, though J'ktal had expected that much, and turned his "key" in teh ignition once more, bringing it back to life, and stepping on the gas again, only to have the speeder fishtail before gaining some aerial traction and shooting off again. It could not survive another jump like that, though, as the knocking of the engine and turbine relay were clearly telling him.

"Sorry about that, Master Hazzard. This speeder is not equipped with very good shock absorbers," He mused, already getting them onto another course to their destination, with little improved driving habits.

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage had just battled to keep his lunch down. "You don't say..."

Reaching out with the Force, trying to feel his surroundings, he made the grim forecast. "We don't have much time, I fear. Speed is our ally now. Don't hold back on the speed for my sake," he ordered, grabbing his restraining belt and stomach at the same time.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"I am beginning to think we should have just taken your ship. The only drawback is that there would have been no good place to land," J'ktal said while they swung around a corner, then were jerked to the side as the mongoose avoided a head-on collision.

They were only blocks away from their destination now, but the speeder was rapidly doing worse. One of the generators had already conked out, and the second two were threatening to go at any moment. Evidently this planet's luxury vehicles were not meant for much wear and tear. Still, it made it in mostly once piece, and the Jedi apparently beat any assassins to the target for there was no commotion to be seen. None except for the passers-by that gawked at the two foreigners and the now-smoking beat up speeder.

As if he were just getting out after a morning commute, J'ktal unclipped his seat belt and climbed out, pulling his pack and rifles from the back seat before removing the "key" from the ignition. The moment Sge was out and had his things, J'ktal released the brake and let the speeder slide down an embankment and into the cover of some bushes. They would not need it again; it was far too wrecked to trust anymore.

"Inside, before we are seen by any more people," he suggested, loading up a more detailed map of thje building's interior, and was unhappy with the poor-quality result.

[Sage Hazzard]

The door was locked. They must of gone into shutdown mode, keeping their politicians safe. Sage waved a hand and the door clicked. Pushing the door open, he was greeted with a gun to the face.

"You don't want to do that," Sage suggested.

"I don't want to do this." the guard agreed.

As the soldier lowered his weapon Sage closed the door behind himself and J'ktal, locking it back up.

"I apologise for my interference into your thoughts, but you were about to do something you'd regret, if only for the few seconds you'd of had left before J'ktal ripped your heart out."

The soldier stared wide eyed at them both.

"Yo--your Jedi?"

Sage nodded, "Correct."

"We assumed you were dead."

The Jedi Master grinned, "You obviously don't know the Jedi very well."

Sage lead the way deeped into the building.

"Stand gaurd at the door as before, we can find our way. You're about to be very needed in that, I fear."

The guard nodded slowly, clearly spooked. "O--okay, sure."

They closed in on two near gaurds. Not wanting to undermind J'ktal's abilities in front of others, he leaned in and asked discreetly before they got withen hearind distance.

"Are you able to find our destination or should I ask for a tour guide?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"There is a safe room on the second floor. If our politician thinks like most others do, he will be hiding there. But, if he is wise, I believe we might find him in the kitchens," J'ktal replied. "Though I never have known many politicians to be that smart. They are trained to speak, not to act. This way, we will take the stairs."

Rounding the corner as if he had lived in the building all his life, J'ktal pushed open a door marked "Private" and started up a flight of steps immediately to the right. Unlike the rest of the building, the stairwell was unfinished concrete, and lacked even a coat of paint on the durasteel handrail. Evidently the Goullen did not focus attention on things that were not often seen. If that was a consistant theme, there would be other design flaws to look out for.

They emerged from a side door into a large hall, and J'ktal pointed to the left. "There, behind that painting is a door. A keypad allows entry from the outside; would you like me to hack it?"

[Sage Hazzard]

Saged raised his eyebrow. "Yeah, I think that'd probably help," he said with a chuckle.

He could feel the Force growing more hostile as the troops of the invading force prepared. Their "pumping up" sent chills down his spine. All the anger, all the adrenaline, all the fear... it was not pleasant to be a Jedi Master at this point.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

Pulling the painting out of the way--it was on a side-hinge--J'ktal set down his larger weapons and pulled a slim card and a small panel with a digital display and a few buttons from one of the pouches on his belt. With no delay he slipped the card into a bypass reader slot and pressed a few buttons on both the main door control pad, and the one connected to his card.

As it deciphered the combination, the Death-Shadow made small talk. "Do you know the best way to open a safe room when the external locks are shut down? You blow up the floor beneath it and let the structure fall. Odds are that one of the walls will crack, and it can be pulled down for entry and removal of the target, be it living or material. It takes but a few mintues to set charges, and usually only a hydraulic crowbar to open a room. Most men will try to blow the door off, or cut through it, which is folly. The door is the strongest part of any safe. The floor or cieling are usually the weakest. And, we are in."

A green light blinked and the large durasteel door popped open a crack as the many deadbolts slid back into place. Pocketing his hacking equipment once more and picking his weapons up, J'ktal turned to Sage, "So, should we count on protecting him in here, or shoudl we take him to the kitchen? The vegetable refridgerator is about the last place any man would look for a dignitary. Trust me, I know."

[Sage Hazzard]

"Well, since you just explained to me how simply a safe room can be infiltrated, I'd say the fridge. We might even be able to lure the attackers up to the safe room, since they'd logically have some kind of intel. We could rig the entire floor to blow, though not entirely as not to kill everyone in the building, jump out the window as the bulk of the front comes up, and hit the switch. Sound like a plan?" He paused. "There's probably more than one guy in here, there is a council, right? Which means atleas more than two individuals. Let's hope the vegetable freezer was built as a walk-in."

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"With a palacial building such as this, I would wager it does," J'ktal said before gripping the door handle tightly and heaving back on it.

Inside the safe room were three men, one obviously a guard, and the othe two dressed in clothes finer than the Death-Shadow had seen on the average Goullen. One of them had to be a councilor, but the faces wouldn't click quite yet. "Sirs, come with us," he instructed. They simply nodded, noting the amount of weaponry that the furry man and Sage were packing. "We are Jedi, and you are in danger. You, gaurd, follow us out and shut this door. If anyone comes, make them think these men are still in there."

Herding the three of them out of the safe room, J'ktal took over again. He was not sure of the amount of authority he could take, not being the master on the mission, but seeing as Sage had not stopped him yet, he figurred he had been okay so far. Either that or Sage was afraid to interject.

"This way, Councilor Happjad," J'ktal pointed back to the stairs he and sage had come up, rather surprised that he had suddenly remembered the man's name. "I hope you two have dressed warmly, for you will be rather chilly for a while."

"Where are you taking us?" Happjad demanded, "And who are you?"

"I am Captain J'ktal Anajii, Death-Shadow, and this is Jedi Master Sage Hazzard, and we are taking you to the kitchens." J'ktal replied flatly.

"The kitchens?" the second man bubbled up a question.

"Yes," J'ktal called back over his shoulder as he reached the bottom of the stairs and opened the door carefully, making sure no one else was watching. "An enemy thinks little abotu their stomach, or about servants when planning an assault on an upscale residence. You should be safe there for the time being."

Using his map, J'ktal navigated the hallways and pushed on itno the kitchen. "Sirs, the vegetable redfigerator will be your hiding place. I suggest you find a place inside to sit down out of sight. Do not turn off the light, for it will only cause suspicion. And, please, try not to eat everything," he added as a barb just for fun. With little other choice, the Goullens waddled into the chiller and let J'ktal close the door on them.

Turning back to Sage, he asked, "You can feel things, correct? How much longer do we have before they will be upon us?"

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage was already trying to figure that out. He never had much of a sense for things, except in battle situations. Danger was always easier to read, especially to Sage.

"I'd say soon. I feel many of them trying to accept something. Like soldiers accepting the fact they may die. Which should mean they're ready to move out in no time. And that waterfall that runs through town square... I feel it will most definately have a role in the first wave," he said, not meaning for a pun.

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"Why do they expect resistance?" J'ktal questioned. "Surely they do not expect two men they know nothign about to be a threat. If they are afraid, then there must be some other reason behind it. The politicians' guards are pathetic, and cannot hope to hold back that army."

[Sage Hazzard]

"This government already leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Whatever it is, we don't have the facts to know what. We just have to stop them from whatever they're trying to do."

He paused, rubbing his chin.

"Though we don't know how the city, country, or world would react to this. There could be a riot, or even a militia group formed out of thousands of rebels. So they might be planning to set a strong ground to hole off future rebellion."

He started jogging back to the safe room level.

"Do you know the plans of this building well enough to know if charges can be set to explode that wouldn't actually take down the floor?"

[imported_J'ktal Anajii]

"The plans I know, as well as advanced urban demolition techniques," J'ktal explained. "But what I do not know is exactly what this structure is made of. Every building material can withstand certain levels of impact and shaking. Given what I have seen of this building, I am at least able to wager a decent guess as to the location and strength of charges needed."

As he spoke, J'ktal glanced out of windows, though careful not to let himself be a visible target for too long. His gait seemed natural enough, though; he had years of practice at it. "For what purpose would you set charges, if not to bring the cieling down atop them? Distraction? Would you pack the charges with shrapnel? Unfocused explosions are weak in battle. I suggest we abandon this building as quicxkly as possible and move to antoehr for the safety of the politicans. After all, if we move, they will think we have moved their target, and not even search this place."

Pausing to study a sculpture, he added, "Besides, I could not bear to destroy some of the art that these halls contain. I blow up artwork that represents a culture is one of the highest crimes one can commit. I will not do it."

[Sage Hazzard]

Sage shook his head. "I don't think we have time for relocation, or else it'd of been the first thing we did. They're closing in, now, I can feel it."

He grabbed one of his lightsabres off his belt.

"I think we need to get to the front door, now. Demolition probably isn't the best thing anyway, there's a chance we can still leave this building, and it's government, intact. We could lead more troops up the stairs, away from the soldiers, if we kept the fight up there, without abandoning it and blowing it up."

He gripped his sabre harder, to the point his knuckles turned white.

"The front door. Now," he said, already running for it.

A rumbling was loud enough to hear as they rush to the front door. The town square, only a block away, was getting flooded as a wave crashed through it, followed by hoverships.


As they reached the front door the flooded river, in a tremendous wave, crashed through the doors, taking Sage off his feet. It quickly dissipated, but in it's place was the full attack force.