Edna watches the two dark Jedi in their discussion, wondering what they could be talking about that was so secretive. She didn't like being kept in the dark. She sees Kuylen go to leave and follows after him.
"Kuylen? Forgive me if now is not an appropriate time but you requested a word. I was wondering if you would like to speak now."
She looks at him puzzled. "Me? I had nothing in particular that needs addressing. You asked to speak to me alone. I was intrigued as to what it was about! But if you are in a hurry to meet Pelloran then I shall wait for you until later." She says looking him in the face, trying to get some idea from his expression what on earth could be on his mind. It is no use. His face is blank and tells her nothing.
Quam has wandered the long corridors and halls that made up Kuylen's residence. After a while, Quam found a large room that seemed like a gymnasium. He closed the doors behind him, undid his robe and started a short meditation.
After a while, Quam got up, eyes still closed, ignited his lightsabres and began practising intricate moves, swirls, jumps, salto's and numerous offensive and defensive sabre actions. Sometimes extremely slow, other times extremely fast.
"No, it won't akways feel like that, if you focus yourseld," says Kuylen. "Right now you are wasting all your emotions when you fight. You need to learn how to harness that power, use it to AID you in your fight... if you can use all your emotions, your fearn, your anger, you hatred... if you can make the SERVE you rather than hinder you, then you will never be bested in a million battles..."
Most of the time, it is too dangerous for you to leave the planet. Staying low and cautious has become the essence of your existencso much so that the times when you have vital missions to fulfill are joyous opportunities to express yourselves and leave your mark on the Galaxy...
Tme passes, slowly and nervously. No word has been received from Chion or Krisha, and Derin is still very much alive. Kuylen seems worried about the progress of something, though he wil not comment on what.
A few days later, Kuylen walks at a fast stride through the upper levels, with the Securitry Chief Hade in tow. As he passes by the three of you (Dim having remained silent ever since the mission), he speaks, briefly.
"A Republican Cruiser has landed on the lower levels," says Kuylen. "Come with me." He is heading to the security room.
The security room, as ever, a wall full of monitors checking every part of the base. Some of them are now replaying the images being talked about.
'What have we got?' asks Kuylen.
"This ship landed on the lower levels about 30 minutes ago," says Hade. Hade is a sour looking man, well built, and always with a variety of energy weapons by his side. There is a mean streak to him that makes him work well for you people.
"It is in Republican Red; a cruiser on a diplomatic mission. It made no attempt to disguise itself."
"Thirty minutes ago?" askes Kuylen. "Why didn;t you tell me before? We have been wating for the Republic turn up."
"There seems to have been a breakdown in our administration down there," says Hade. "I suspect subversion or sabotage. The ship's approach was not properly logged. I am not sure who gave it landing clearance."
"Irrtitating..." says Kuylen, thoughtfully. "So, who are they? They cannot be undercover investigators. Not in a ship so obviously flying Republican colours... a show of force, maybe?"
"Very much so," said Hade. "Two of our customs investigators tried to give them a shakedown when they arrived. Somehow they left the ship again without being paid anything."
The hairs on your necks grow cold when you hear this. The implication is obvious; those bent customs men ALWAYS take their bribes... but then they are a little weak-willed...
"I had them followed," said Hade, "but I needin;t have done. They made their presence very obvious."
Hade replays a series of events that happned down below quite recently. There appear to be at least four strangers; one rough looking pirate or mercenary type, one older woman dressed in tradtional brown robes; one much younger man also wearing brown robes and one in his twenties wearing fetching leather gear.
Kuylen seems to be scrutinising them carefully.
The Mercenary type is headed over to the Port Landing Authority. The younger one goes with him and wiats outside while the ither two hang back.
The younger one gets into a confrontation with one of the pirates. You recognise which one; it as a violent and dangerous Dug named Jemel, who is your finest pilot. The younger one tries to calm Jemel down at first but, being a Dug, it does NOT calm down.It looks like a fight will start.
However, the other two come to the younger man's aid- and BOTH of them draw lightsabres, which puts off even the Dug. Before things cam get nasty, the Mercenaryt type comes back out the Landing Authority Building, and starts to admonish the Jedi for trying to interfere, turning the crowd against the,
Eventually, both sides back down. The three Jedi back away from the crowd, sheating their sabres, and the Mercenary type starts to talk with the pilots.
That is it, then. The Jedi are here, and they can only have been sent to din you. But HOW? How do they know you are here? Perhaps... perhaps they do not suspect Dark Jedi, just powerful pilots. Perhaps you still have surprise on your side...
"Three Jedi then," says Kuylen. "And I suspect the Mercenary too... somehow that whole thing looks staged to me. He arrived with the others?" Hade nods. "Four Jedi, then. And maybe more on their ship. Hmm... I wish Krisha were here, we could take care of the ship." Kuylen looks at the screen for a few moments, and points at it.
"That woman... I recognise her., Her name is Gundark. She is a Master. Very dangerous." He smiles. "*I* will take care of her..."
He turns to face you people.
"The Jedi will not rest until they have discovered what is going on here. Sooner or later they will find us. We will have to destroy them, but we must be careful. They are in force and led by a Master."
"I need to know exactly what is going on here. I need someone to go to the Landing Authority and see how these people got clearance to land here. If there is a traitor, kill him. I need someone to check out their ship to see if there are any more. Try to stay quiet, but if the Jedi give you trouble, do not hesitate to fight unless outnumbered."
"The Master, Gundark, will come up here, sooner or later. Then I will face her. If any others try to come up here... follow them to the main concourse, where I will be. Then they will meet their destinies."
"Now it is OUR time to strike..."
The Jedi are here, and all your plans are in jeopardy. If you have any questions, ask them now; otherwise, how you deal with this unfortunate turn of events is entirely up to you...
"Who cares how they got landing clearance, Master Kuylen. They are here, they present a danger to you and your operation." Quam said calmly while scrutinising the video screens.
"The traitor will reveal himself in due time. These Jedi pose a greater danger."
Quam turned slowly towards the Dark Master. "I will check out their ship and report back when I know whether there are more. And then I will return to wipe out the remaining three Jedi."
Quam grabbed a communicator from the console and walked off, not even awaiting a nod of approval from Kuylen. "May the Force be with you," Quam mumbled nearly inaudible as the doors closed behind him.
Down in one of the room in the courtyard, Quam raced out with one of the speeders he discovered during his wanderings in Kuylen's base. Obviously he had made use of time to learn the layout and surrounding landscapes of the base and its surroundings. Kuylen WOULD be proud of him.....
Quam did regret Krisha wasn't here now. Fighting Jedi would have been the perfect occasion to "accidentally" decapitate her...
Edna watches after him as he leaves the room. Her expression half worried and half angry at his arrogant confidence.
"One day his overconfidnce will be his downfall. The traitor may very well reveal himself in due course. Everyone maes mistakes and he will make his in time. However, how can Quam expect us to dispose of these Jedi efficiently witha spy amungst us and no doubt also an informant to the new republic about our operations here. No I think he has underestimated the importance of finding this traitor. He is here somewhere I know it. I shall go down to Landing Authority and try and get some answers if that is ok with you. Heads will roll for this attrocity. I promise you!"
She looks up at Kuylen for a sign of approval.
High up on the rocks, well hidden in one of the mountain's crack, Quam checks out the ship on the landing pad with his macro-binoculars and scanner. It show no more lifeforms aboard the ship.
"I have to get closer to make sure..." Quam thought as he read the readouts of his scanner. "Hmmm, that guy down there seems a bit dazed".
Quam quickly began his descent, using his ascension gear to lower himself. Using the shadows and the countless cracks in the rocks, Quam invisibly and silently descended all the way to the landing pad, ending up only a few feet from the absent minded mechanic. Using Force Pull he made the guy stumble towards him. Once the mechanic disappeared in the shadows with Quam, a muffled snap ended his life.
A few moments later the mechanic left the shadows, walked towards the ship and got on board.
'If there is one thing I have learnt about Quam' says Kuylen, 'it is that he will let NO-one else steer his destiny for him. You are right, of course. If there is a traitor and he is not found quickly these may not be the only agents who land here undetected
'Go to the Landing Authority. But be careful, Edna. You are not ready to fight the Jedi yet. I will be waiting on the main concourse.'
"Don't worry! I know what I'm doing and I'm not about to do anything rash!" Edna gives Kuylen a nod o acknowledge the fact that she has registered his warning and leaves to make her way to the Landing Authority. All the way she tosses ideas in her head about how exactly she was going to go about pipointing the traitor.
You take the cable car down to the lower levels, Edna. Few people are cleared to use it, but all of Kuylen's associates can go where they like.
You don't go down below very much; you don't like it there. it;s where the scum go, aside from anything else, and it reminds you too much of your past. Still, you are recognised as one of Kuylen's people, and others give you a wide berth.
The Port Landing Authority isn't as busy as it was when the so-called fight happened with the Jedi; that was just after a mission and it was full of pirates making maintenance requisitions. Now things have calmed down but it is still doing brisk business. Busy people surround you as you make your way inside.
There are about 50 space traffic controllers, any one of which could have given clearance.. Simply talking to each one would ake a long time. You need a way to narrow it down, or track how this was done another way.
Quam, the ship seems deserted. it's difficult to know what to make of that.
BTW, Kuylen is going to cut all off-world communications. This won't last forever but it means the Jedi cannot call for help in the short term.
Edna walks into the Landing authority centre, visibly relaxing as she leaves the crowds of people behind her and enters the more calm atmoshphere of the cool and quiet corridors.
She slowly makes her way along th coridor to the space traffic control cnetre being careful not to make too much noise. She didn't want to make her suspects aware of her visit before she wan't them to be. She paused outside the door, focusing her mind as Kuylen had taught her to do, trying to get a feel for the minds behind the door. She coud distinguish them well but no single person seemed particuarly nervous or worried or scared.
Perhaps they have become more confident now that they believe they have smuggled these Jedi on planet unnoticed. So perhaps a visit from me would be the last thing they would be expecting right now and may knock this new found confidence right out of them.
With that thought in mind she punches the door look and enters the space traffic control centre with heavy, confident steps.
"Who is in charge here?" she asks with a booming voice once she is certain she is within ear shot of all the people in the room. She wanted everyone to be suddenly very aware of her presence. All the time her mind was fully aware and embracing the force to sense changes in emotion of those surrounding her.
The data disc slid across the table towards Kuylen.
"I suggest we check the that, my Master. The ship was deserted, it seems there were only three Jedi on board. They shut down most of the ship's controls, but I did manage to retrieve that."
Quam sat down calmly and dignified, showing his respect for the Dark Master.
"What I do seems rash, my Master, but it's not on impuls. There's too much talk like a committee, even among dark Jedi. There you have the results. And now I'm sure you sent Edna down to retrieve the traitor... An unfortunate waste of time, in my humble opinion of course." Quam slowly bowed his head a little as he finished his sentence.
Kuylen hands the data disc ti Hade.
"Analyze this," he says. He turns back to Quam.
"Four people were seen leaving that ship, Quam. Something is wrong here." Kuylen stands.
"I have a bad feeling about this..." he says. "Edna MAY find out something to our advantage... but we have little time."
Kuylen hands you a small cylinder, QUam.
"Return to their ship. This is one of Krisha's volatizers. It;s simple enough to use. Attach it to their ship and get clear. That should take care of any attempt to escape. Off-world comms will stay down for a few more hours; time enough to deal with them..."