The Archives

Jud's head snapped in the direction of the call and small presence within the Force. His predatory instincts taking hold, overriding the fact that it had been the voice of a child, yet as soon as Jud's baleful eye looked behind him. He saw nothing but the empty corridor. The Sith's eye lingered, darting around as if trying to pinpoint exactly where the sound had come from. His hands had called his saber hilts to them, there etched hilts smoothing his paranoia, and quelling his sinister urges...

"An echo..." He finally extrapolated, lying to himself before turning his attention back to the door in front of him. With a raising of his hand the door op0ened even so slightly and slowly, allowing the Sith to nimbly slink into the chambers beyond.    


Jud had continued towards the section which supposedly housed the remnants of what he was after, only to come upon two Force sensitives (Panno, Celia) already scouring the area. Jud darted down a parallel isle and cursed to himself silently, as he listened in...

"Well," I say, casting a look across the rows of shelves that stretch before us, "it's a bit of a long story, but the short version is that I came across an old, broken memory stick that used to belong to Plagueis. I had a hell of a time finding someone who could decrypt it, but eventually I did, and that led me here." I catch sight of the records section and lead the way toward it. "Let's see what we can find regarding the early days of the Jedi presence here. Even if they didn't know Plagueis had an outpost nearby, I have to assume somebody would have noticed something out of the ordinary." Unlike the all-digital archives in most temples, this one actually includes a fair amount of physical books. Eager to begin our search, I hope our answer isn't in one of those. "So," I continue as I examine the first row of data storage devices, "how about you? You never said how you ended up on Felucia."

Jud grit his teeth. There were others, he'd taken too long and knowledge that would be his alone was now in jeopardy of being used by lessors.

Well it's more a coincidence that I am here. The Mandos are out there hunting us down...Panno motioned with both hands to everywhere. So I figured the best way to stop it was to ask the force for help. And here I am.

Jud's brow knit with thought. He had no time. He had no more time. He looked over his shoulder again, and judged the distance. He'd have to make this quick, very quick. 

Tantin mentally frowned. He knew that Master Hesper was trying to protect him, but he could not help but feel she was treating him like a child. He knew he was, but it did not help that she was holding him like a defenseless baby. No child liked to be continually treated like a child. It was just part of growing up. Still, he trusted her and her judgment. She was only looking out for him.

Tatin's ears drooped, and he looked up to where her invisible face was. He was unsure if she could see him, but his eyes were wide with the innocence of someone his age. Like a child he trusted a grown up, especially Hesper. She had saved him once.

"Wh-where are we going to go? What about me finding a master? If a Jedi Temple is not safe from the Sith, what place is?"

Tantin closed his eyes to keep the rapidly moving air out of them. When he opened them, they were somewhere else, higher up. He looked around, before Hesper set him down. He moved his paws around on the floor nervously.

"F-fight? I....don't think I would be a very good fighter. I'm not very big....Compared to you and other aliens."

Tantin bit his tongue as soon as the word alien slipped it. He bowed his head, his eyes going to the wall beside him.

"I didn't mean alien offensively....but most of you are so big...and I'm really small....I don't think I'd be a very good fighter, up against other species."

Tantin listened to Hesper's words. He had not heard of any other small stature Jedi except the story of Jedi Master Ikrit. Those were by word of mouth. Technology did not have a place on Kushibah, so he had never been able to read up on famous small Jedi. Maybe he should learn how to use a computer, and learn more about the group his mother and father held in such high regard.

Tantin followed the direction of Hesper's finger and saw the shift in the light. It was hard to see, harder to focus on. It was like he knew it was there, but he did not want know it was there, as if something was affecting his senses. He nodded slowly, and watched the shadow moving through the hall.

"What are we going to do then, if not fight? Just watch and let a Sith roam freely? What if he hurts someone?"

It takes a while to sort through the early records. Unlike the ones from later years, when the base was fully established and records were kept meticulously, the old ones are filed haphazardly, with no consistent labeling system. Presumably, nobody in the years since has ever needed to consult them, and they've consequently never been organized. I collect an armful of old data modules and make my way to the terminal at the end of the row of shelves.

Staying on task is difficult: the old records contain all kinds of interesting information about the local flora, fauna, and weather patterns, and some of the Jedi involved in the project actually kept diaries that provide a fascinating glimpse into the state of the galaxy back then. I make a mental note to come back and lose myself in these records when I have more time, and force myself to focus on the task at hand.



"Nothing yet," I say, chewing my lip thoughtfully. "There's a lot of stuff here, but it's really--hold on a moment..." I stop as something in the data from a probe droid's scanner catches my eye. "Hey, come look at this," I say, pointing to a small spot on the digitally generated map that is lighter than the area around it. "This shows energy usage in the area. Anything that's using power," I tap the screen to zoom out the map, showing the larger light patch at the location of the Jedi outpost, "shows up like this." I zoom back in. "There's something here. It's subtle, and I wouldn't have noticed it, except I was just looking at this:" I switch to a satellite image of the same area. There doesn't appear to be anything different about the spot where the droid detected energy. "Nothing, at least nothing that you can see from this distance, but we know something there is using energy. Or was. It doesn't show up in later energy readings, but that doesn't necessarily mean much. We have to keep in mind, this lab is very, very old. Whatever machinery it contains has probably broken down by now.

"Anyway," I continue, "it's not much, but it's a place to start. And even if it turns out to be nothing, it's right next to a place they call the Ancient Abyss, so at least we'll be in for some interesting sightseeing. I say we go check it out."

-Hesper watched Tantin and attempted to reassuringly stroke his head. She didn't like this inaction, but it was against the Jedi code to attack an unarmed opponent, or one whose intentions were unknown.-

"Little One, we don't know what this one wants yet. A Jedi doesn't attack first an ask questions later. You cannot take back a lost life or a maimed limb. Raise your sword and strike when you know who your opponent is. It is foolish to rush in and attack him, simply because he is hiding."

=Tantin=
"So, we're trying to find out what he wants, and if possible intervene once his purpose for coming here is shown?"

"Very good, Little One. We will intervene, but only of his intentions are hostile. Come, we will move closer."

She whispered to him as she scooped up the Kushiban. She lifted him up into her arms and held him close. She flipped and leapt silently from pillar to pillar towards the archives. She paused at the last one before the door and waited. Hesper moved swiftly and silently, slipping passed the Darksider (Jud).

"But shouldn't we tell someone? If someone runs into him by accident, he could strike out to keep them from telling others. At least then he might be spooked into leaving, if he finds out they know he's here."

"Shh.. The force will teach you that there's a time for silence. Now is one of those times." She said calmly.

Hesper carried an aura of calmness around her that couldn't be rattled by anything.

As he dark figure emerged from the shadows almost appearing as a shadow himself. He did not have much time to react but there was enough, raising his fists so that his hands would cross and make and "X". Rather than blocking the blade they touched tips, the metal of the armour being made of purified Cortosis it was a good chance the lightsaber would momentarily short circuit. Not looking to see if the Jedi he was with was okay he figured the best way to stall was to talk. Tell me why do I have no right. The old sith started the Galactic Empire, my empire is its successor. Using his right hand he waved it in a circle Out of the three of us I have the ONLY right to obtain this... thing.

Reaching out with the tendrils of his mind, Panno found the man well empty. It was as if he was not there. That or he was hiding himself from the force. Not like it mattered to the two here, it was obvious the way he attacked he was no Jedi.