Ask Unfortunate Duty

[Korsak Wulpez]

Korsak head the faint footsteps of the intruders well before he saw them, as the two ears larger than his head were more than just decorative pieces. The first set of footfalls were faint, but dull, a larger being trying to step cautiously in the dark, but there second were perplexing, like the pitter-patter of small metallic feet. A smaller being in armor, a droid, some kind of local insect? Korsak didn't know, and considering the last crop of uninvited guests had to be cut down with lightsabers, he couldn't care less about finding out. All that mattered now was keeping the Sith presence in the temple a secret, and warding off any other interlopers that might invade the structure.

What Korsak found, or perhaps more accurately was found by, around the next corner was not entirely unexpected, but it did catch him off guard. Rounding a corner Korsak was first struck by the bright headlamp of what appeared to be the same vermin-esque droid the Jedi had with them when they first came to the temple, which meant the others were not far behind. The droid chirped something at him in the droid language, which he had no capacity or desire to understand, and he simply nodded, smiling and waving with his organic hand while his cybernetic one held high lightsaber just out of sight.

"So, I take it if you're here the other Je-" A blade of blue light illuminated the far end of the passage, where the Zeltron Jedi from before stood appearing startled by his sudden presence. It was at this moment that Korsak realized that he had not suppressed his presence in the Force yet, and only the lingering sensation of death stood between him and detection. He was quick to bury himself in the Force, hoping that he had not been discovered yet.

"It's good to see you again, Master Jedi." He tried to sound warm and sincere as he waved to the woman with his organic hand.

@Catbert @Reyn @Thluna @Lavi @The Captain @Topher @Logan

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

Despite her initial reservations and belief that by making herself known to the approaching presences in the Force, she may be able to diffuse any potential escalation - for the best part it seemed that to have worked, enough so that no bolts of blaster fire had careened past her head. There was still a clear visual sight that the new arrivals to the temple had were not going to stand themselves down so easily. Sighing a little as she observed the insectiod Jedi change her stance into the defensive form Soresu before slowly positioning herself in front of the younger blue skinned Pantoran female, shielding her behind the green hue of the insectoid's lightsaber.

Whilst towards the rear of the group another Jedi with her sapphire hued blue blade lingered towards the tail of the group, very curious indeed that the young one in the middle was not baring a lightsaber like her other companions - A local resident perhaps? maybe one of the Jedi's initiates or possibly just someone tagging along for the journey? Not that it really mattered whether she were armed with the Force user's typical weapon of choice, Alyse could see that she was brandishing a blaster. Still despite all that, at least they were talking back and not attacking - though she was not going to relinquish the build up energies of the Force she had stored within her so quickly, not until the Jedi's weapons had been stowed away.

"That is pleasing to hear, it appears that there have been one too many who have ventured in without an appreciation for the dangers that lie within this temple" Alylse spoke out in initial response to the Insectoid's comment that they were indeed aware of the guardians., before a light smile curled at the edge of her lips, about the calmness she was displaying despite the danger of the guardians she had been quick to caution about. "Coming face to face with a brood of Nydaks in the darkness of their subterranean nest, has the effect of making these guardians pale in comparison" the blonde continued, with a light shrug before turning her attention to the surrounding chamber that they were standing within.

"That and these chambers have been made safe" Alyse resumed as she turned her attention back towards the newly arrived Jedi, her gaze lingering over the ignited lightsabers before pursing her lips in thought "if you'd permit me" she spoke before sweeping her hand upwards, allowing the force to flow out from her and out towards the dormant braziers that surrounded the chamber and with a spark of energy they erupted into life, as crackling amber hued fires burst into existence, illuminating the chamber in a warm flickering glow - as the chamber was once again bathed in light, Alyse reached into her pocket and retrieved a packet of tabbacc sticks, drawing one out and igniting it with a small spark of pyromancy at the tips of her fingers.

Drawing on the tabbac, the blonde inhaled deeply on the smoke, holding it for a moment before exhaling with a satisfied sigh. "These also help too" she added light a light grin. "As for my friends? My companion should be towards the rear of this chamber, observing the movements of the Guardians at the base of the adjoining atrium. Our colleague I believe has ventured to the lower entrance, to ensure that the unprepared don't venture blindly into this temple" she continued, before gesturing and turning the Jedi's attention towards the small alcove off to the side, indicating a small grouping of plain sheets that had been laid over the remains of the recovered bodies. "We suspected that you might have been locals coming to try and recover those who had been claimed by the temple, so we headed out to cover the known entrances to help either turn them away or direct them towards the bodies that we had recovered whilst exploring this temple"

 

[Alym Brokkos]

All things considered, Alym was just a touch disappointed that the intruders in the temple didn't come in guns-a-blazing, swinging their lightsabers all about like the uncivilized moronic savages Jedi and their friends tended to be. On the other hand, though, Alyse and Alym got to play the part of the coy Moraband serpent, luring the newcomers into a false sense of security before before striking, fangs sinking into their collective necks.

When the braziers suddenly came to life, Alym decided hiding didn't really serve much of a point anymore. Nonchalantly, the young Sith slid from her hiding place and came into view of the others, throwing a friendly wave as she saddled up next to Alyse, a quaint but fake smile creasing the corners of her mouth.

Everything seems safe for the moment, Alym said, her eyes not leaving the group before her while she spoke. Despite her attempts to seem friendly and nice, Alym couldn't help but let the faintest hint of a grimace spread across her face as she laid eyes on Izel. There was nothing in the universe more disgusting than a human sized bug pretending like it was people.

So, what brings you all here? An innocuous question, but one that could give Alym a lot of information depending on how the newcomers answered it.

@Catbert @Reyn @Lavi @Thluna @Charndley
@The Captain @Topher

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Planet Ontotho, 8:52 am
Hidden temple, dark hallway

Kori sprang up and around into a combat stance, instantly angling her azure blade into a defensive position... only to find out that nobody was right behind her. The soft footsteps had been an echo in the Force after all. The Zeltron exhaled with relief and anger at herself. But why did something feel off then?! The answer presented itself soon.

There was a figure in the distance, barely caught out of the darkness by the lightsaber glow. Short and barely distinguishable, but with a familiar voice. Beldan—it was him indeed—sounded warm and sincere. But it was probably simple politeness. Kori didn't feel those emotions emanating from him, like a Zeltron normally would. If anything, the Amaran was probably as surprised as Kori herself. Then again, the room did become much less cold. Yeah, Kori, you're definitely too jumpy.

"Beldan?" the Jedi lowered her azure blade parallel to the floor and replied to the greeting: "Thanks, likewise." A part of her wanted to correct the Amaran—she was far from a Master—but the title was flattering, and there were other, more pressing concerns. Kori didn't extinguish her saber, as it remained the only source of light, apart from Beedee's spotlight. Speaking of the droid, there he was, skittering next to the Amaran. "You sure have a way of running into people, buddy," the Zeltron smirked to the droid, before turning to the Amaran again, to clarify some of her concerns.

There was a thought that was bothering the Zeltron Jedi, but she couldn't quite put it yet. So instead she asked: "I'm surprised you're still around. More people have disappeared in the area since the last time... So I figured the temple was still dangerous. Speaking of which," Kori tilted her head. "Have you run into anyone else, or seen the bodies at least?"

@Lavi, @Reyn, @Thluna, @Charndley
@The Captain, @Topher, @Logan

 

[Kegari]

Kegari, In the temple along with Izel senses something was off but she couldn’t put her finger on it. Perhaps it was Nara, she wasn’t in the best shape right now. Or it was just the fact that she may have been in the way of things, only being an initiate. Or a disturbing presence. The fact that she couldn’t figure it out was driving her insane. Patience. Kegari thought to herself as she looked through the temple.

Sith. They are within our presence. Kegari knew that sense was disturbing. “So, what brings you all here”? Kegari heard the young blonde ask them as if she was fishing for information. Kegari didn’t know how to answer this. She wasn’t sure on how to approach this one. She wasn’t about to disclose any information to enemy lines. Even if she had the slightest bit of information regarding the villagers.

“Oh you know, just on a mission to find some artifacts; however, I suppose we got more than we bargained for”. Kegari explained a little white lie never hurt anyone, except maybe herself and the entire mission. She wasn’t about to blow their covers and have them find out about the rescue mission. Except lying wasn’t the Jedi way. But she wasn’t going to fall for the blonde Sith’s little game. Oh yeah, Sith tries to small talk young Jedi initiate into spilling their plans to them. Or maybe it was just small talk, either way Kegari wasn’t falling for it. She may be young, but she wasn’t a dummy by any stretch of the means.

Kegari kept herself on guard just in case they tried to throw a wrench in their plans. She also didn’t want to make things too obvious that they weren’t the only Jedi here. So she tried to send a signal to the others through the Force that there may be enemy lines here and may try to ruin the mission.

 

[Izel Thral]

Izel was surprised by the sudden use of pyromancy lighting up the room, though she maintained her form and kept her eyes focused on the human before her, determined not to let herself be distracted and offer an opening. The woman was bold to openly reveal her powers in the Force. That made the Padawan hesitant. It was still unclear to her the levels of power each of them possessed, and whether or not she'd be able to defeat her opponent if they came to blows. While her own connection to the Force had steadily increased as she neared the end of her apprenticeship her ability with a lightsaber was still the weakest of her skills.

The human mentioned she had two companions, one of whom immediately revealed herself. Much to Izel's consternation. Who was the third then? Perhaps it was this Amaran Nara had mentioned. And that was assuming they were being truthful, which one should never do with a Sith. When the first woman pointed out the covered bodies off to the side the Vratix couldn't help but steal a glance in their direction. How many of those people had actually been killed by the guardians, she wondered grimly. The situation didn't look good. They outnumbered the Sith here three to two, and that would perhaps serve to deter conflict. But Nara was far from peak fighting condition, and Kegari didn't even have a lightsaber. If a fight did break out Izel wasn't so certain they would prevail, but she couldn't make the mistake of trusting these Sith either.

Immediately sensing that her Pantoran companion was trying to reach out to Kori through the Force Izel decided to try and keep the Sith talking. "We appreciate you showing proper respect to the dead." She said in an amicable tone. "It's very kind of you to make such an effort to ensure the safety of the locals. As my Padawan says we were asked to come here to aid in the investigation of the temple, since the first foray revealed it was more dangerous than originally expected..." She hoped the lie that Kegari was her apprentice would trick the Sith into believing she was a very experienced Knight, perhaps even a Master. She doubted these humans would be able to tell how young she was. Her species wasn't exactly easy to read and now was a good time to take advantage of that. "But I'm sure you didn't just come to this temple for the sake of being charitable to ignorant explorers and looters. What's your interest in this place?"

@Catbert @Lavi @Thluna @Charndley @The Captain @Topher @Logan

 

[BD 9]

The sound of the igniting lightsaber made BD-9 jump as much as it did to Beldan. All thoughts of returning Beldan's greeting were put aside as Beedee confronted the threatening noise until he realized it was just Master Nykoria.

"You sure have a way of running into people, buddy," the Jedi knight said to him.

// This unit cannot help himself! // Beedee twittered in response, despite none present having any capacity to actually understand his exact words.

The little droid watched as Nykoria and Beldan speak, gauging their expressions. Nykoria seemed nervous about something. Perhaps she is worried about not being able to find the bodies? Or perhaps her mind is centered on whatever treasures are down here too? The droid has not been around the Zeltron enough to tell for sure. On the other hand, Beldan seemed like he was holding something back. Perhaps he found a nice treasure? BD-9 would certainly want to keep something like that for himself too.

The little droid raced to Beldan's other side, hoping to get his attention, and yet unknowingly positioning himself to the side where Beldan concealed his saber beneath his garb.

// Found anything interesting, Beldan? // the droid beeped again, cocking his body to appear curious.

@Catbert, @Reyn, @Thluna, @Charndley
@The Captain, @Topher, @Logan

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

Well, the Zeltron hadn't asked him about a dark presence in the room, or thrown herself at him swinging her lightsaber, so Korsak felt safe in assuming that Nykoria had not discovered his secret. Of course, her blade was still up and the droid had not circled around to Korsak's lightsaber side, so perhaps they were just trying to play this subtly and encourage Korsak to lower his guard. In either case he had no intention of trusting a Jedi and her droid, as even without a personal hatred of the order he could not be sure how the duo felt about Eternals like him.

"Hmm?" The droid...made noises at Korsak again, and once again he gave a strained smile and replied kindly. "Sorry, my little friend. I still don't speak the droid language."

While not communicating with someone who's language he did not understand made Korsak uncomfortable, what came out of Nykoria next almost raised his hackles. The Fylari had called the Jedi again after their second crop of idiots went missing, because of course they did. Last time they called the Jedi they at least got closure, in no small part due to Korsak's intervention on the matter. He would be silently kicking himself for the rest of the day over that strange twist of irony.

"I am sorry to say, yes. I wasn't there at the time, I had returned to my ship for some equipment when I heard the commotion. Some...creatures nesting deeper in the temple had attacked the Fylari, tore them limb from limb. I was able to seal the nesting area with stones but..." He paused to look as remorseful as possible. "I was too late to save anyone. There was barely enough to bury, I've just been mustering the courage to tell the villagers ever since."

@Catbert, @Reyn, @Thluna, @Charndley
@Lavi, @Topher, @Logan

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

A slight frown furrowed on the blonde Sith's features as the insectoid Jedi voiced her appreciation for showing respect for the dead locals and treating their bodies with dignity, making her wonder just what had the Jedi expected them to have done with the bodies? Had the teachings of the Jedi became so biased in the enforcement that the Darkside was the root of all evil in the Galaxy that they portrayed those that embraced the dark-side as mindless savages that defile the bodies of the dead by mounting their corpses on their ships like macabre trophy racks? If Alyse was to be honest with herself, she couldn't help but feel insulted by the comment, whether there was an intended insinuation being levelled at the Sith who had started investigating the Temple, or whether she was reading between the lines.

Yet whether or not it was intentional or not, the blonde guardian couldn't help but notice that despite the chamber now being fully illuminated by the crackling braziers, it was the Jedi who still had their weapons drawn and poised in their respective stances. Perhaps unlike the young Padawan she had encountered of Lok, not all Jedi where open to discussion without the need for weapons to be drawn. Sighing a little as she shook her head, before bringing her Tabbac stick back up to her lips. Taking a drag on the cigarette for a moment before turning her attention to Alym standing beside her for a moment, a smile forming on her features as she regarded her fellow blonde.

"I won't deny that attending to ill prepared looters and explorers was our primary intention" Alyse spoke out as she returned her attention towards the gathered Jedi standing infront of the two Sith. "My companion and I..." she continued, before pausing slightly in her words to run a hand along the side of Alym's cheek, partly to sooth the veins of irritation that she could feel from her cohort, but also to throw the Jedi off a little with the unexpected display of affection. "we came here to assist with documenting what has to be one of the biggest archaeological discoveries of the decade, its not every day that a temple of a long lost Force using culture is discovered" She added, before gesturing to the cavernous chamber that surrounded them. "Yet Regardless of our intent, whilst we may not be Jedi, It does not mean that we are incapable of treating the bodies of the dead with respect and dignity"

 

[Alym Brokkos]

The more the insect-person spoke the more uncomfortable Alym became. Regardless of her general poise and grace in almost all situations, this was just getting to be a little too much. Just as she was beginning to hit the point of no return with the bug and draw her lightsaber, Alyse started talking again and abated Alym's growing hostility.

It didn't take long for all of the boiling annoyance in Alym to suddenly wash away and replace itself with something entirely unexpected: surprise and just a little bit of embarrassment. Feeling Alyse brush her hand along her face, Alym did her best to keep the color rushing to her cheeks and giving away her internal feelings entirely. Not the easiest task, to say the least - especially when she was also trying to remain aloof while in the presence of the Jedi.

You're lucky my friend is so willing to answer your demanding questions, Alym said suddenly, pulling herself back together and getting more to the point with the Jedi.

The hypocrisy of having asked nearly the exact same question herself wasn't entirely lost on Alym, but she didn't really care. There was no sense in standing here with them doing twenty questions back and forth like they were trading texts on space Tinder. It seemed time to get down to brass tacks.

So are you going to continue wasting our time here or can we go back to our own business?

If the Jedi wished to fight, Alym would fight. But there was a small chance that they'd take the hint and kindly kriff off back to wherever they came from, which is what Alym was hoping for. Although, maybe the thrill and inevitable success - Alym was quite confident that the bug face and the blue kid wouldn't really put up much of a fight to begin with - would cause Alyse to make decisions she otherwise may not. Bloodlust could be a hell-of-a drug.

Alym had never seduced a girl in an old dusty tomb before, but there was a first time for everything.

@Catbert @Reyn @Lavi @Thluna @Charndley
@The Captain @Topher

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Planet Ontotho, 8:54 am
Hidden temple, dark hallway

If Kori's sense for emotions was anything to go by, she'd bet that Beldan wasn't so upset with the fate of the villagers. She didn't know why, but had a good guess—the Amaran could be after the ancient artifacts. If so, he'd have less competition now. Although he was acting friendlier than he actually felt, the Jedi had no reason to distrust Beldan yet. A stereotype described Zeltrons as extremely gullible, and Kori was playing to it now, unintentionally.

"I see," the Jedi paused, thinking about the course of action. There were too many questions to ask, so she started with the one that bothered her the most. "I take it you buried the villager who..." she pointed at where the tomb guardian's victim was supposed to be. But Kori didn't finish her question. What could appear as being lost for words was actually the Jedi sensing a message directed at her through the Force.

A familiar feeling... But also different. Kegari, the Pantoran initiate. But not scared, lonely, or upset, as Kori often encountered her. Caution? Suspicion? A forewarning. Or a looming threat.​

After a pause long enough for the Amaran to slip in the answer, Kori turned her attention to BD-9. "Our friends might need a hand. Let's find a way to regroup with them. I'll be right behind you." With that said, she briefly turned to Beldan: "Sorry, something came up. Need to meet up with my crew. We're here to get any bodies back home..." The Zeltron shrugged. "... And to deal with the beasts, apparently."

Kori acted as if it was all settled, and prepared to follow her droid companion. The azure blade remained ignited to illuminate the path ahead. But the Jedi was more cautious now, ready to go defensive at a moment's notice. There was no telling what Kegari and the others had run into, so Kori would made sure to watch her sides and back as well, just in case. However, she felt no need to conceal her presence in the Force just yet.

@Reyn, @Thluna, @Lavi, @Charndley
@The Captain, @Topher, @Logan

 

[Izel Thral]

As they continued speaking the hostile emotions emanating from the two women, particularly the more quiet of the two, were becoming palpable to the Vratix Padawan. That one human wanted a fight, and the other... Izel watched unmoving as the other one brushed a hand across her cheek in a seeming show of affection. The only reaction from the motionless Vratix was a slight twitch of her antennae. She was trying to calm her, to keep up their ruse. The human with the cigarra was clearly the more calculating of the two. Izel didn't know if she truly wanted to avoid conflict or if she was just trying to lure them into a false sense of security. She wasn't falling for it either way.

Even so she had to make some kind of concession. A fight at this time would not be in their favor. She still couldn't walk away though. The Sith could not be left alone in a temple such as this. If they were to find any artifacts of power it could prove disastrous to the locals, if not the wider galaxy. Wishing to alleviate some of the growing tension she spoke diplomatically, deciding to play their game for the time being.

"I've offended you." She stated, realizing from their responses that her previous remarks caused some frustration. She feigned a light-hearted laugh and extinguished her lightsaber, standing up straight and holding it like a regular staff. One upside to having a pike instead of a more traditional lightsaber hilt was that she could keep her weapon in hand at all times without appearing like she was brandishing it. She bowed her head slightly to them. "My apologies. I only meant that most petty tomb raiders would not bother with a second glance towards their fellow sentients. It's clear that the two of you are civilized explorers."

She made a point of looking around the chamber now to show her guard was lowered, even if her senses were still on high alert, and she maintained an invisible Force barrier as though prepared for a duel. "And I must agree with you. One need not feel the touch of the Force to appreciate the beauty and worth of a place such as this." She looked back at the Sith. "Although... You are Force sensitive." She inclined her head knowingly, though did not make any kind of accusation. "You are clearly eager to continue your investigation of this fascinating ruin, and we have no desire to stop you." She tilted her head innocently. "Perhaps we should investigate together? There's strength in numbers after all. Who's to say if there aren't even more threatening machines than these deeper inside?"

Time, all she needed was time. Time for Kori to return to them so they'd more thoroughly outnumber their opponents. Perhaps there would be no trouble at all, but the Padawan had no intention of leaving these two dark siders to their own devices. She would not allow a single Zeffo artifact to fall into their hands if she could help it. "Oh, where are my manners?" She said with another soft chitter. "My name is Izel, my companions are Kegari and Nara." she gestured to each of her fellow Jedi in turn.

@Catbert @Lavi @Thluna @Charndley @The Captain @Topher @Logan

 

[BD 9]

BD-9 was able to notice on his sensors that Master Nykoria turned to address him and was able to turn in time to receive her direction. The thought of the others potentially being in trouble got his verbobrain spinning, leaving the droid eager to lend his assistance to whomever needed it.

// If you say so! // Beedee responded.

With his spotlight leading the way, Beedee trotted off in the rough direction that the others were headed. It would be generous to say that his internal mapping of the area was complete, but Beedee's analysis of the temple's layout gave him good estimates of what to expect. A turn at the first corner to the right, down the hall to the second entrance on the left, taking the door on the opposite side of an open room, eventually brought him towards where he could hear the echoes of conversation.

Given that his instructions was to lend a hand (however a little droid like him is supposed to do that), Beedee's initial impression was that the speakers sounded... guarded. Definitely not unpleasant, but not amicable. The droid opted to stay out of sight for now, switching off his spotlight and shifting to thermal vision to navigate the rest of the way.

He poked his head around the final corner, where lit braziers obstructed his vision. Switching thermals back off, BD-9 was able to pick out that he was positioned on the opposite side of the Jedi team, with the two unknown figures blocking a direct route to them. Surely, Beedee could figure out a way to navigate around them without disturbing them, but the suddenness of Master Nykoria's request meant that she probably thought that there was something wrong.

He shifted his position to try to get a better look into the room, but he felt his foot press down on... something. His audio sensors registered a click of mechanization as something was triggered. A few moments later, his sensors picked up the sound of something big rolling his way.

// Uh oh... // he quietly warbled to himself.

A giant object, which can only be really described as a ball, was rolling from behind Beedee's position. It was coming fast, as though it had rolled down a ramp on its way here. Without any time to find a cranny to hide in, Beedee ran ahead of it.

// Incoming! // he hollered as the large ball made its way into the brazier-lit room, himself racing to get out of its way.

@Catbert @Reyn @Thluna @Charndley
@The Captain @Topher @Logan

 

[Kegari]

Kegari stood quietly as the Vratix Jedi spoke to the two Sith women. She didn’t want to fight as they have at least one of them did, that’s what she had sensed. And she knew neither did Izel and Nara wasn’t in any shape to fight anyway.

Perhaps working together for now would be the temporary solution but that would only last so long.“My name is Izel, my companions are Kegari and Nara."

Kegari heard Izel introduce us to the Sith women; however, she was not sure how long they could buy this facade. But falling for their trickery would’ve been a far worse outcome than what Izel’s plan is.

“Its a pleasure to meet you both, as Izel said I’m Kegari”. Kegari introduces herself again as well although it wasn’t warranted it was just in her natural habit that she does this. After all, it was only the right thing to do.

Kegari also noticed the interaction between the two Sith women, a lot different than the formal business relationship with each other. Perhaps they were friends, family, or something else. Either way she wasn’t going to let it distract her from the mission at hand.


And why the Kriff would Izel be so concerned about offending these folks? Ugh. They are the ENEMY”! Kegari’s growing frustration would be her downfall as she thought to herself she didn’t want to fight but she wasn’t going to lie down and play dead either. Patience was the key.

 

[Korsak Wulpez]

Korsak tried to keep up a pleasant façade, but he was starting to sense heightened emotions and hostility on the floor above, it would seem his companions were trying to be diplomatic with the other Nykoria's friends, and neither side seemed happy about it. Korsak weighed his options, it was clear now every time a villager disappeared these Jedi would come running to their aid, and these villagers seemed determined to keep sending people to disappear in the death-temple. It might be better to eliminate the Jedi rather than let them leave, or try and maintain this charade any longer. But if they killed the Jedi no doubt more would come to investigate those disappearances, meaning that killing the Jedi was also off the table.

"Hmm? Well...there wasn't much-" Korsak had barely reorganized his thoughts when Nykoria caught on to the rising tension as well, and ordered the small droid to accompany her upstairs to reinforce their allies. This could not do, and Korsak was preparing to reveal himself to the Jedi when the droid tripped...some kind of switch and sent a massive sphere rolling down the hallway toward all three of them.

"Oh come on!" Korsak hoped the Jedi was fast enough on the draw to stop the rolling, glowing boulder coming at them, but if not he was more than prepared to make a break for it.

@Catbert @Reyn @Thluna @Charndley @Topher @Logan @Lavi

 

[Alyse Ti'Varnus]

A light smile crossed the Blonde's lips as she nodded respectfully at the acknowledgement to the offered apology from the insectoid Jedi, before her eyebrow arched inquisitively at the loaded comment and knowing nod towards their sensitivity to and the ability to use the Force. There was in Alyse's eyes little point in concealing her connection to the Force, yet alone to what side of the Force that flowed through her, afterall if someone was that dead set in determining her allegiance lay, she found it was perhaps better to make it clear, rather than let them come to their own and potentially misguided conclusions - if afterall she presented herself as being attuned to the Darkside, and not some mindless slave to her emotions, then perhaps things could be conducted in a more civil manner. That was of course unless the other party was so blinded by their devout belief that zealotry towards the eradication of the darkside and it's agents was the only solution.

Yet perhaps these Jedi were not blinded to their ideology, after all for the best part the lightsaber of the insectoid Jedi had finally been extinguished. As well as an offer made to make a joint venture towards exploring the depths of the temple, the thought making the blonde Sith chew over her lips in contemplation whilst the Insectoid Jedi introduced herself as Izel, followed by the pantoran Female as Kegari, and the Jedi lingering at the back as Nara - whom admittedly Alyse had momentarily forgotten was present, seemingly Nara was perhaps inlined towards the old Jedi Sentinels, Standing and observing the proceedings in silence from afar.

A curious expression crossed Alyse's features as she read the currents of the Force that flowed out of the young pantoran female, her growing frustrations resonating out from her like a heavy stone had just been dumped into a plunge pool. "Aylse" the blonde spoke as she introduced herself, holding a hand towards her chest as she respectfully bowed her head in return, "And my companion here is Alym" she added whilst gesturing towards the blonde standing beside her.

Pursing her lips in thought, whilst she mused on the offer a little further. There would be benefit to the extra hands being made available, yet there was the inherent risk if these Jedi were anything like those that had come before them, then they would seek to suppress and lock all the knowledge that may be hidden in this temple away in some vault never to see the light of day again. Under the impression that anything that went against their teachings was therefore evil and should be sealed away. But atop of that, there was of course the young Pantoran that had struck the Sith's curiosity, the growing frustration that resonated out from her. For the more unscrupulous of the Sith's ranks, would make easy pickings for them to exploit to get the young Jedi primed to fall to the Darkside.

"As for co-opting the exploration of this Temple, I would be open to the proposal. Additional capable hands and eyes would make traversing the hazards that lie within his structure easier, However...." Alyse spoke out her attention moving away from the insectiod Jedi she was addressing, over towards the Pantoran "I feel that it would be wise to caution, that the Darkside resonates strongly within the deeper cores of this temple, It would be unwise to venture any further whilst you are holding onto your frustrations, least you wish to risk the Darkside taking root and preying upon them" she added, casting a sincere smile as she regarded the young blue skinned Jedi, if the pantoran chose to walk the path of the Jedi, then in Alyse's eyes she had no quarry with her doing so, yet if she was to be a Jedi then it was only good form to at least caution her.

Narrowing her eyes, as a loud thundering sound resonated from the stair well that they had recently ascended to meet the Jedi at the Temple's entrance. "What the Kriff?"

@The Captain @Logan
@Reyn @Catbert @Thluna @Charndley

 

[Alym Brokkos]

Alym remained quiet, intent to let Alyse do the majority of the talking from here on in. There was little for her to say, if Alym were being honest, that would come out in any way other than condescending, rude, or even downright hostile. Alym's patience was wearing thin with these intruders and if it were up to her, she'd carve each of their faces off and put them over her own, mocking the dead by mimicking them in some profane way. She had no interest in their thoughts, opinions or aide - but as long as Alyse was, she would abide.

Then, out of nowhere, Alym heard the loud rumbling of some unknown object being loosed from its forever home. Looking up towards the noise, she spotted the massive.. boulder? rolling towards them at increasingly breakneck speed.

What the hell is this, Corellia James and the Marauders of the Lost Ark? She shouted jokingly, grabbing Alyse by the elbow and pulling her to a more safe position.

Without a second thought, and now behind a pillar of safety, Alym did something that might blow all of goodwill - however fake and plastic it was - that Alyse had garnered with the Jedi to high hell. As subtly as she could, Alym reached out with the force and tried to alter the path of the rolling death ball so that it would drive itself straight towards the Jedi.

The plan was two fold: First, if they were lucky and the Jedi were as stupid as Alym thought they were, they'd just stand there and let the boulder crush them into a fine paste. Second, if that didn't work, perhaps it would force the group back where they came from, and the boulder would block their path of entry to return to the temple, leaving the Sith alone to do what they had come here to do in the first place.

Regardless of the success or failure of her attempt, it was likely the Jedi might notice. In that event, Alym was more than ready to whip out her lightsabers and get to the carving fantasy she had had a little bit ago. All of this talk was starting to bore her, anyway.

@Catbert @Reyn @Lavi @Thluna @Charndley
@The Captain @Topher

 

[Nykoria Tallis]

Planet Ontotho, 8:56 am
Hidden temple, main hall

Despite her Jedi training, Kori had a hard time keeping up with the nimble droid. Especially in the dark, with only Beedee's spotlight and her own azure lightsaber to show the way. However, as they hurried further and further into the temple, Kori noticed that her surroundings weren't pitch-black anymore. There was light up ahead. The Zeltron extinguished her lightsatber, and yet she could already see the way. More importantly, she heard voices, both familiar and unfamiliar. And no lightsaber whirring, which was a good thing. It was high time to figure out what the fuss was about...

A stony click. A pressure plate, perhaps?
The sound of rolling metal, louder and louder.
Droid chitter. First confused, then alarming.
The sense of danger, growing stronger by the moment.
Riiiiiight...​

A Jedi trained from youth might have tried to stop the glowing metallic ball of death with the Force. Kori, however, was more accustomed to augmenting her own strengths with the Force. She had done that unconsciously before joining the Order. And telekinesis was always a conscious choice. Since the Zeltron didn't have time to think, she simply shouted: "Oh, kriff... RUN!"

Despite this approach to the problem, Kori was still a Jedi first and foremost. Helping those who needed it came first. That's why she'd be running last, after Beldan and Beedee. That way, if anyone was too slow, the Zeltron could try and drag them out of the harm's way before the metallic ball would catch up. But hopefully, they had all the warning they need. Especially when Kori yelled "TAKE COVER!" as she rushed into the hall. Out of the corner of her eye, the Zeltron noticed two blonde women; one pulling the other to cover behind a pillar. But then the ball changed trajectory, leaving Kori (and anyone she might've grabbed) alone and heading towards Nara, Izel, and Kegari.

...​

Kori didn't see it was a blonde's doing. But if the Zeltron didn't have to save anyone from the passage, she'd reach out with her right hand (the left still held the lightsaber hilt) and try to alter the trajectory even further. Her goal would be to have the ball miss her companions and hit a nearby wall, losing momentum and coming to a halt. If Kori were to succeed, she'd remark with a smirk: "Sorry, didn't mean to play Zeffo squashball with you. I'm more of a shockball type. Everyone alright here?"

@Lavi, @Reyn, @Thluna, @Charndley
@The Captain, @Topher, @Logan

 

[Izel Thral]

Izel was glad that her apology seemed to have the intended effect of calming things down at least somewhat, but the events that immediately followed destroyed any hope she may have had that the Sith here were actually genuine and not just putting on an act to disarm them. First the woman that identified herself as Alyse seemed to take interest in Kegari, warning her of dark side corruption in the temple. That might have just been an innocuous warning, but Izel still got the sense there was something distinctly predatory about the Sith's gaze. The Vratix stepped forward to interpose herself between the two humanoids, breaking Alyse's line of sight to the initiate. She was about to speak up when they were all interrupted by the arrival of Kori and BD, and the unintentional triggering of a trap.

From her position furthest away from the incoming giant sphere the Padawan was able to witness everything that happened. First Kori, BD and the Amaran Nara had mentioned, whom she was almost certain was the Sith colleague Alyse had spoken of, entered the chamber running as they tried to escape the trap. Alym pulled Alyse aside to take cover from the metallic ball, and then she saw it. The thing changed direction, unnaturally so, and was now rolling straight towards her, Kegari and Nara. The only explanation was that one of them, possibly both, had used the Force in an attempt to subtly attack them. Those vile... She thought to herself, with all manner of impolite descriptors for the two Sith popping into her head. Standing her ground she took full advantage of Kori's help. The Zeltron Jedi had already slightly altered the path of the ball with the Force in order to protect them, and now the Vratix reached forward with both hands and lashed out violently with the Force. She seized the ball and with a furious grunt sent it hurdling out of their path and into a nearby wall, hitting it with great force.

Immediately afterwards the Padawan ignited her lightsaber once more. The whole party was back together, the Sith had played their hand and failed. The time to expel them from this place was now. "Kori! BD! Get away from them!" She shouted in warning to the others. "They're Sith! They're all Sith!" The anger was rising in her, as much as she tried to remain level headed. She remembered what it was like feeling the dark side on Ifrane and Tython. It was such a horrible thing, it had frightened her then. Now she was just angry. She couldn't believe that anyone would willingly cling to such a thing. It brought her to the conclusion that anyone who would choose to do so was evil, and now she had been given proof that conclusion was correct. The Sith had smiled at them, lied through their teeth, and then tried to kill them at the first opportunity. She wanted to fight them. To show them that they were wrong about everything they held to be true, and that the way of the Jedi would overcome them. She shook with a sort of excited terror she hadn't experienced before. She had never wanted to engage in conflict so much in her life.

Then she was pulled out of her frenzied state by a loud rumbling. Looking to her left she saw the ball had done much more damage to the wall then she originally realized. A number of concerningly large cracks had wormed their way up the stonework from the place of impact to the ceiling, and now the whole structure seemed to be destabilized. Oh... She thought absently.

@Catbert @Lavi @Thluna @Charndley @The Captain @Topher @Logan

 

[Kegari]

Kegari could have told them they were Sith, she had sensed it. And the one blonde warned her about it. She seemed to sense that was more than just a “warning”. Alyse wanted her to join them. She wasn’t going to do anything, and not under anyone’s influence.

After Her and Izel were greeted with the rolling boulder that almost creamed them Kegari could sense the anger rising in her. And she had every right to be. It was a trap set up. Kori and BD weren’t too far behind when the boulder hit the wall after the two Sith women tried to kill them with it.

She noticed that they had climbed over the boulder and are now clinging together behind a pillar.“I sensed it”. Kegari whispered to Izel as the concrete began to chip away at the now smashed boulder.