His right hand had been shaking uncontrollably ever since they dropped out of hyperspace. He was quick to hide it under his robes and keep a straight face on as they approached Coruscant.

Paul was well aware of what he was afraid of...

If anything happens to the others, it would be my fault.

Paul stared ahead as the ship entered the hangar, and slowly glided down onto its landing ramps. The Blackline Wing were long gone by then to return their fleet.

I'm risking too much for this...too much...

Outside several squads of stormtroopers lined in formation in front of the freighter. Paul watched as one officer walked over to the next. He heard the conversation that followed, as every word they spoke was replayed inside their minds.

"Inform General Tarnus of this. The Jedi has returned, but he has brought others with him as well."

"Yes, sir."

Then the uniformed man walked away, heading for the turbolift.

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There is no reason to fear what has not happened, he thought to Paul. And Shawn truly believed that. Granted he had some serious concerns regarding the darkness he'd been sensing ever since they'd be on Tatooine, but he felt Tarnus would be fair...

...at least, he'd always been the other times Shawn had encountered him. Shawn stretched out his senses to examine his sphere of influence while he waited...

...and was promptly met with splotches of darkness all about them. Shawn didn't frown; he didn't even blink. He merely continued to wait, only allowing his deepening concern to show in that he became the slightest bit more alert. He sent one final tendril of thought out to Paul as he continued to stand silent.

The darkness is all about us here...

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"Excuse me, Shawn & Paul--what is the trouble?" He began, coming to a stand while his robe was pulled without any physical attributes of the Force-user changing. Landing over his shoulder in a fitted manner, he came to a stop beside the two chairs. Staring at the two, he studied their description.

"Paul, what do you sense?" The black haired youth questioned, his voice low in whisper so Kiara wouldn't be frightened.

Then, the Rogue Jedi waited, in all the silence that man could produce, he waited. The Jedi ways had became hard to follow, especially without the formal, organized teachings. He had yet to become a student, and learn from a living being the power of the light side, the calmness of a Jedi, and the aura that one would have. He just want off instincts, and they hadn't got him far.

He was just back where he started, infront of the Imperial. It was clear the politics of the galaxy weren't the ways of the Jedi, and he had just been contenously drawn to it. The only good thing out of the whole situation is that he had meet two Jedi in the process, and their was a possibility that he could learn during their travel something from them.

Anything would be good...

"Whats wrong..?" Lumbia said once again, his voice even lower in volume, and more concerned to emphasis his want.

The want of knowledge--not only the knowledge of this Imperial situation, but he wanted to find from the emotions of the man, even his expression how to be a Jedi.

[ 04-07-2003 06:11 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by LumbiaSith ]

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"Master."

The Jedi looked up suddenly at the familiar voice of his Padawan. He didn't know why he did that; Paul should've known he would see nothing but the group of stormtroopers in parade formation.

"Did..." he started, looking at neither Shawn nor Lumbia. "...Did you hear..."

The radio cackled to life as a stern, direct voice followed it. "Attention, freigher. Lower your landing ramp and allow an inspection team to come aboard. We will be escorting you out shortly. Any attempt at resistance will result in the destruction of your ship."

Frowning, Paul leaned forward and flipped a switch. A red light on the control board started blinking, an alarm that the freighter's landing ramp was being lowered.

"Kia'ra," he said quietly, but loud enough for her to hear. "Just do what they say and don't fight back. If we cooperate, they might let us go..."

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"Paul, don't worry--your relations with one of the Imperial officals will allow us a clean way down into the city." Lumbia said suddenly, his voice like the sun taken an apperance on a cloudy day.

Yet, his mind was racing with certainity that trouble could brew from his presence. He had never been smitten with the Imperial, specially since he attack one of their bases-even before he became a Rogue Jedi.

Breaking through his thoughts was the abrupt sound of the door swinging open. The stormtroopers equipted with the traditional blasters. Their white suits reflecting the sun that stared above, with their monsterous mask keeping their eyes from pain of the brightness. The group came from all walks of life, but as of now they walked beside each other in achieving what they wanted.

It was than that the Rogue Jedi realized how insignificant, and irrelevant was the fight. The Republic should have dealt with the situation much differently. Force was always the last resort--yet it seemed like the first.

Innocent we're dying, and it was all caused of the rebellious act..

"Why, why do we as a galaxy love the work of pain. The affliction, it is so wrong." He said in such a tone that only Kia'ra could hear, though his words were not in a question--nor directed to her. He thought outloud, but his awe painted eyes show he knew nothing of it.

"Exit the freight ship you four." The tallest of the Imperial began, his extra padding showing he was their commander, or general on this mission.

Lumbia was the first to follow the general's orders. The dark brown haired force-user heading slowly outside with two strormtrooper escorts beside him. It was seconds later when he was waiting outside for the others--hoping their would be no casualties.

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He considers us that distasteful, he thought as with a wave of one hand he commanded his squad into an honor guard around the foursome. Then he turned away to lead them on to Command HQ, where Lt. General Tarnus awaited them.

How utterly foolish of him.

Behind him came the squad with Paul, Shawn, Kia'ra and Lumbia carefully enclosed in their midst, and behind them came the search party, who had boarded the ship the moment it's occupants had departed, soon exiting with a rustbucket of an ancient droid held carefully between them. Marching in unison the group quickly sped up to double-time cadence, and swiftly and surely moved away from the hangar bay and out onto the walkways of Imperial City.

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It was all I could do not to snort aloud. I straightened up in my chair, raising a gauntleted hand as I did so. The Reborn immediately came into flanking position next to this Lord Elnas, their lightsabers held in ready position yet in such a manner to clearly indicate that he was no longer regarded as merely a "guest" of the Empire.

"Arrest this man," I ordered briefly. "He's not going anywhere until I get to the bottom of what's brewing on Kamino."

The Reborn nodded, then whirled in unison and escorted their prisoner to a holding cell. I immediately opened a channel to CCHQ, where I ordered the immediate capture of the ship Elnas had arrived in. After deploying yet another fleet to investigate Kaminoan happenings, I then turned my attention to another message light which was blinking on my console. I flipped it, studied the contents of the message now scrolling across my screen.

Arakeen was returning with the droid as ordered, but had some friends with him? Well well well....

Smiling grimly behind my visor I sent an order that he and his party were to be brought directly to my ready room. Then I settled back in silence to await their arrival.

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((OOC: This thread continues in Tomorrow Never Comes in this forum, thank you.))

[ 04-16-2003 12:08 PM: Message edited 1 time, lastly by Graysith ]

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