Coruscant's Open Terrain

Terra sat down next to Anshara, listening as the teenager described her life. It had not been a normal childhood, and Terra could relate to that, having spent most of her childhood in slavery on Nar Shaddaa. But maybe that was why she felt so uncomfortable in the Temple, not just because there were so many people but also because it would be wholly unlike any place that Anshara had spent time in before. Not to mention that it sounded like she might be struggling a little with her inner darkness, so maybe she might be afraid that the Jedi wouldn't accept her because of this. Terra certainly didn't think that was the case and she doubted Jade would think so too. But how to convince Anshara that she wouldn't be judged or shunned because of that?

She sighed softly."You know...my childhood wasn't normal either. I grew up in slavery on Nar Shaddaa..."It wasn't an easy thing for her to admit even after all this time, especially since she didn't remember how she had gotten off the Smuggler's Moon in the first place."I don't remember anything after my 9th birthday. I can't remember how I got off Nar Shaddaa."She turned her head to face Anshara."I woke up on a shuttle one day...I didn't remember how I got on there, but I was alone. I got picked up by a Sith...he took me in for awhile and tried to train me, but one day he...left. When I first came to Corellia, I was terrified that I would be turned away."She smiled."It doesn't matter what your situation is, Anshara. The Jedi can help you. I know because they helped me change my life! I know we can help you!"

Terra appreciated that Anshara was willing to help her, even if she wasn't willing to give the Jedi a chance. She thought about trying to convince Anshara, but if her mind was set, then Terra didn't want to press the matter. Maybe Jade might have better luck convincing her but for now, she opted not to say anything more about it.

She nodded."I understand."She sighed again."I should probably head back to the Temple now. I still need to prepare for the mission."

Terra nodded, thinking for a moment about trying to convince Anshara to return to the Temple with her, but given how uncomfortable she had been there, Terra figured it might be best to let her stay out here. As for the upcoming mission, there was one thing Terra needed to do in order to ensure a clear head. She needed to talk to Nik. She couldn't have that distraction hanging over her head for this mission, and since he would be accompanying her on this, it was imperative that she clear the air.

She sighed."I know I will. Thanks."She smiled and turned to head back for the temple."Stay safe. I'll be back soon!"With that, she was gone, making her way back to the Jedi Temple.

Hours later she woke up and stretched. She rolled forth into the wind that blew straight into her face when she sat up. Her eyes closed, the head tilted slightly to a side she embraced the breeze. Her long hair blew like a flag behind her. The moment the young woman opened her eyes she already moved. Got on her feet and leaped from edge to beam, from speeder to ground. She was hungry and needed food and something to wash it all down.

She entered a diner and ordered something not really caring what it was as long as it filled her stomach. She looked around mindful of her environment. People with datapads, a young couple, old friends, families. She looked at them and hated them. Loathed them for what they were and how weak and mindless. All of them were as mindless as a sheep. Out there was a world of darkness, close to the brink of war and destruction and they didn't care. Death was all around and the Sith and Mandalorians were just working on taking over the galaxy and here there were people just sitting around and doing nothing. In case she would ever feel the urge to dominate them... who would stop her? Her bare hands would suffice to kill the entirety of living species in this diner and she wouldn't even break a sweat. She could kill all of them and be gone before the taskforces would arrive. Vermin under her heel.

She stared at the young girl who giggled as her older brother told a joke she probably didn't understand. She glared at the student who leaned forward to kiss his girlfriend. Envy and hate filled her for she saw things she never had and never would have. All of them were living a life she could never achieve and it filled her with a longing. She finished her meal and waved at a waitress to pay for it. She carried a tray with glasses and dishes. The woman nodded but was distracted. She didn't see the leg of the boy with the evil smirk who attempted to cause her to trip. Anshara saw it unfold before her inner eye, saw herself react and keep the woman from tripping and letting the tray hit the ground. She saw herself watching the waitress trip and hit the ground while glass cut her open, a splinter costing her left eye. She watched herself punishing the boy after laughing at the waitress despair.

The waitress tripped over the boy's leg, the tray dropped to the ground and the glass shattered partially getting there where the waitress would hit the ground. A splinter bounced off the floor and... dropped again. Anshara kneeled next to the waitress an arm between her and the ground, the left hand on her shoulder to stabilize her. Moving with the waitress she helped her up making sure she didn't cut herself. The whole diner looked in silenced awe at the scene that had just unfolded. They tried to understand how the blond teenager had been able to move that fast covering the distance of two tables in the blink of an eye. The shaking waitress looked at her confused and still stunned from the shock so the Force user simply put a few credits in her hand, a generous tip and left the diner.

Of all emotions she had felt in the diner there was only one that was really dominating all others: pity. She pitied the people who had to live under those circumstances unable to defend against people like her and living by the mercy and goodwill of people like her. No code or morales would suffice to keep any Force user at bay it was solely a decision made every day. On her way back to the place where Terra had left her she smiled for she didn't have to chose. Her hatred and loath fuelled her pity with the normal people and her pity caused her to protect them from people like her. She climbed back to her vantage point and merged with the shadows silently watching over the streets vigilant to protect those who weren't able to protect themselves.

Jerot effortlessly guided his and Errol's flash speeder behind and to the right of Liutenant's Muuthar's leading speeder. In delta formation the three blue and white CSF airspeeders made quick time towards Pipe Z114, utilizing priority police lanes to cut through the congested skylanes. Errol felt his stomach lift as Jerot guided their speeder downwards. By now they could see the massive grey pipelines that crisscrossed the city grids like veins, pumping essential nutrients throughout the planet-wide city. Atop one of the large pipes was a block-like structured, a maintenance and oversight station that hosted city employees responsible for the upkeep of this stretch of pipe. While housing almost a hundred Water Distribution and Reclamation employees, it was dwarfed by the sheer size of the pipeline upon which it was sitting. Errol squinted, by now they were close enough to make out shapes beyond the building, 4 large blots and several dark sticks appeared to be in front of the station. Seconds later and dozens of kilometers closer, the shapes began to take shape, revealing 4 CSF speeder bikes, their accompanying officers and 2 orange clad Besalisks, city employees.

There was a burst of static in Errol's headpiece and he tapped his ear with his palm to try to clear the signal. Muuthar's voice crackled on the comm "Looks like CSF central provided us with some reinforcements and there are our pipe-line experts. Set down to the right of their speeder bikes and we'll bring each other up to speed." Moments later the speeders broke out of delta formation and chose landing spots by the CSF speederbikes. Jerot's fingers flicked across the speeder's control panel, powering down the systems and bringing it to hover a half meter off the durasteel floor. Errol gripped the airspeeder's hull and leapt out of the speeder, his boots hitting the hard ground with a dull thunk. A second thunk meant Jerot had disembarked as well and the two made their way over to the approaching group of Besalisks and CSF patrollers. 

The groups converged near the CSF speeder bikes with the Patrol leader and Liutenant Muuthar shaking hands. Errol nodded respectively towards the boys in blue, the Counter-terrorism and Patrollers eyed eachother appraisingly while the Besalisks hulked in the background. After the two squad leaders completed their greeting and private conversation the blue clad CSF patrol leader, a middle aged man with a large mustache began the briefing. "Alright, these fine city employees have the access codes to the service tunnels, they'll be with us to provide us with directions and expertise of the tunnel network which they claim is a real labyrinth." One of the Besalisks grumbled an affirmative before crossing both sets of arms. They were an imposing sight, almost two feet taller than the humanoid CSF officers and hundreds of pounds heavier, they also passed two sets of massive forearms. Errol's sizing up of the Besalisks was interrupted by Muuthar's commanding voice taking over. "Here's the situation. We received from this station a chemical alert, resulting int he shutdown of this pipe. There have been no reported security breaches in the computer systems and Water Distribution and Reclamation security cameras inside the pipes don't show any intruders. We are going in to investigate. Our men are going to suit up in tactical gear, and will take point. The Patrol officers will hang back in support with our City friends." Muuthar nodded towards the Besalisks. "Alright my people et suited up. If you fine gentlemen would be so kind as to take point by the access tunnel and prepare to open it on my mark." There were nods and murmurs of understanding. The patrol officers drew their blaster pistols and followed after the Besalisks who were already trudging towards the access hatch.

Errol and Jerot hustled back to their speeder with the former popping open the storage compartment and removing a set up CSF body armor and tossing it to Errol. Pulling the blast dampening armor of his head, Errol secured the straps and stretched trying to find comfort in the body armor. He caught the blast helmet, another gift from Jerot, and pulled it on, fiing the chin strap so it rested securely on his head. As Jerot put on his gear, Errol pulled out a flechette launcher and Riot Carbine. "Good cop of bad cop?" He asked his friend. Jerot grabbed the riot carbine "As if you had to ask."

"Establishing a perimeter" announced one of the unwounded Counter Terrorism officers. Patrol Officers cracked road flares tossed them in front and behind the party, bathing the tunnel in unnatural red phosphorous. Safely behind their walls of light, the unwounded officers took stock and knelt in firing positions. "Jerot, how are the wounded?" Muuthar inquired as he absentminded nudged the face of a dead defel, turning it over, revealing bloodied teeth and lifeless eyes. Errol stood to his side, his weapon hanging loosely in one hand as he took in the carnage. Bile threatened to whell up and spill from his mouth as the blood shone . Jerot's reply at least was positive. The wounded would survive, but they should probably be evac'd before infections set in. 3 would require time in bacta tanks. "Alright, let's get them up, its time to withdraw. Call for reinforcements." Muuthar commanded. "Sir, we've lost communication, there's a jamming signal, probably why the probe droids went inactive." Replied the female officer.

There was a universal groan and despite the bright flares there was an unmistakable dread and sense that the tunnel had become that much darker. Errol thought to himself that only a few meters separated him from the urban bustle above. However down here in the dark, they could have been in another world... He glanced at the dead defels and his wounded comrades and his uncertainty was replaced by anger. The shadows had proven themselves to be nothing but creatures, and they bled and died like everything else. They had fallen back under the firepower of their weapons and he felt righteous vindication, he would kill those monsters that stood in the way of law and order. He defiantly cocked his flechette launcher and turned to face Muuthar. "Sir with all due respect, I am pressing forward. We have the enemy on the run and by the time we get reinforcements the perpetrators will have fled the scene, perhaps having time to destroy all the evidence. We have them scared and if we press forward we might interrupt their plan or secure the evidence."

The Nikto's face contorted for a moment and Errol saw fire in the alien's eyes and feared perhaps he had overstepped his bounds. However the Nikto's features smoothed into silent resolve. "Our besalisk allies will carry the wounded back to the surface with Patrol officer Parnash who will contact Sector control and demand assistance. The rest of us will continue on. Safeties off, shoot anything that moves." The orders were met with stoid silence, the only affirmation of the order was the clicking of safeties and shucking of new blaster packs into their weapons. 

"Lets go." Grumbled a Besalisks who grunted as he lifted up one of the wounded officers who groaned quietly. Patrol officer Parnash blaster in his right hand, reached down and grabbed one of the flares before standing up and walking, the red light leading the way forward. The red light got smaller and smaller as the return party made their way back to the access hatch. Muuthar took point followed by Errol and the rest who walked and limped forward, they were only a few dozen meters away from their objective, their lights showed only empty hallway. "Muuthar whispered to Errol, "Use rubber bullets and fire down the hall, clear them out." Errol moved forward, lowered the barrel of his weapon and fired down the hallway, rubber pellets ricohetted off the wall. The echo of the flechette launcher was answered by howls from Defels, no doubt remaining there to remove evidence. "Guns out!, chase them away from the site." Yelled Muuthar as he rushed forward. After a moments hesitation the others ran forward yelling war cries to chase off any survivors. After which they secured the perimeter.

Errol secured his flechette launcher to the mag-seal on the back of his tactical vest and drew his flashlight and scanner, with a quick flourish he found a sizable hole in the wall. "Sir, i've found the insertion point." He said as he moved forward. There was an unmistakable sound of rushing water. "Oh boy." he whispered to himself as his light illuminated the whole and white rushing water. He moved forward to peer inside the pipe when his foot sent a bottle rolling into the sidewall of the tunnel. Illuminated by the flashlight, Errol realized it was not simply a bottle, it was a medical cannister. He reached slowly to pick it up, it felt empty. Turning it over he gasped and dropped it, letting it bounce on the floor. The noise caused a reaction, Muuthar appeared, weapon drawn. "What the hell was that Errol?" 

"Sir... that canister... We have the get hazmat teams in here." Errol said quietly as the lieutenant moved forward and tapped the cannister with his foot, turning it over and revealing a terrifying label. 'Rakghoul.' "Kiff, they've put the rakghoul plague into the water system. Take as many scans as you can. We have to discover who was behind this."