ED : Chapter 31: Arc Two III

Moving smoothly and unobtrusively to stand beside the Jedi Master standing seven or eight paces behind the Chancellor's position in a center seat on this side of the huge triangular table, Ferus Olin calmly remarked.

"Not a very auspicious beginning, is it, Master Yaddle?"

...

Looking up at the young man as he spoke, Yaddle studied the Knight for a few moments before offering a reply. His straight, gold-streaked brown hair hadn't yet grown out enough to lose the look of the classic Padawan cut.

Whereas the young man's extremely well-developed six foot, one hundred eighty pound frame, and the confident grace with which he moved gave a different impression than what was conveyed by his dark brown eyes.

Filled with a worry he otherwise gave no sign of, Olin Ferus nevertheless radiated a taut readiness the diminutive Master had long since come to associate with the newly knighted.

She knew it would take awhile for him to grow accustomed to serving without his Master looking over his shoulder and correcting every mistake made.

When he ran an idle hand through his hair, Yaddle pretended not to notice the young man suppress a surprised start at failing to find a Padawan braid.

"Only a beginning, this is. Uncertain, beginnings often are. The undecided and the caught up. Upon these, should the Chancellor's focus remain" Yaddle declared with a quiet and dignified calm.

Favoring the young Jedi Guardian with an encouraging smile in response to his concerned expression a moment later.

The more than five centuries old Jedi Master saw immediately that, much as he tried to hide it, Ferus didn't agree with her assessment. He was struggling to find an appropriately respectful manner to express his disagreement with the High Council member beside him.

Something which only convinced her not to make it any easier on him. The smile on her lined face vanishing as if it had never been. Becoming an intently expectant glower which seemed to say "Well?"

Part of the compassionate Jedi Master hated pushing Ferus like this, but the larger part of Yaddle reminded her the Knight needed to become accustomed to disagreeing with figures of authority when necessary.

It was a difficult lesson for some Knights to learn, as up until this point, obedience was the primary virtue demanded of them. Now, in moving from Padawan to Knight, Ferus Olin had himself become a figure of authority. He simply needed to learn to trust his own judgment to realize as much.

Opening his mouth to do just that, Yaddle suddenly held up a small three-fingered hand to forestall him. Frowning, she watched as the smaller door within the two immense conference-chamber double doors carved with naturalist scenes prominent in Tynnan history opened.

Revealing Master Dark Woman and her always controversial apprentice, as they both began the process required to make their way through the large detachment of visor-wearing Tynnan/Legends .

Armed with compact blaster carbines, and the stun-batons hanging from the belts which were the only clothing the Tynnan security officers wore. The eight officer squad manning the conference room's main entrance was only the first of four such units.

The second covered the smaller emergency exit opposite the main entrance, such as all Tynnan buildings contained. While the third and fourth squads covered the remaining sides of the large square chamber.

It had only been the Tynnan government agreeing to provide all the orbital and planet-side security, plus the Jedi detachment's willingness to accept the primacy of the planetary defense force's authority that had finally broken the deadlock of objections between Loyalist and Secessionists. Allowing the summit to go forward as otherwise planned.

Now, however, it was obvious to Yaddle the Tynnan security's dogged insistence on following protocol was delaying the other Jedi communicating the nature of whatever threat they'd uncovered. Nothing else could account for the grave concern and extreme focus she could sense equally in Master and apprentice.

Turning the unfortunate delay to her advantage as she crossed the room at a serene glide intended to cause as little stir as possible, both she and Ferus reached the main entrance just as their counterparts were being allowed through.

Albeit with one of the aquatic mammalians retaining possession of two bags Dark Woman's apprentice had seen fit to bring along, the Jedi Master noted in passing.

Bringing up a holographic display with the wrist-unit they'd all been issued by the Tynnan planetary defense force, Dark Woman pointed to what Yaddle quickly recognized was one of the primary maintenance tunnels beneath the huge stone edifice that was the Tynna Government Building as they come together. Not wasting any time on a greeting, she declared with grim seriousness.

"My Padawan has given me reason to believe subversive elements put in play by the Sith either recently have, or are about to release Stone mite/Legends to end the summit. If not kill some or all of the representatives, once the structural instability is detected and the evacuation begins.

Given there's no way to control the things after they're released, that tunnel is the only release point that guarantees the mites will find their way into the load-bearing portions of the sub-levels as soon as possible.

Release them in either of the two secondary tunnels east and west of the main maintenance passage, and they'd be risking the mites deciding to chew through an outer wall.

Let them out on a higher level, and they not only have to contend with the increased summit security, there's still little chance of collapsing the central portion of the complex."

Accepting what she was told at face value for the sake of brevity. Yaddle intently queried "A course of action, you suggest?"

An expression of intense concentration deepening the creases and lines of her wizened features, as the Jedi Master's mind whirled past one option after another while waiting for a reply.

Now the blue-eyed, silver haired Jedi Master's tone grew grim as death.

"I tried to contact Knights (Bultar) Swan and (Nicanas) Tassu. The schedule states their patrol with the roaming security detachment coming on-shift began sixty-five minutes ago, but neither is answering their communicator, and the Tynnans report being unable to raise their team.

If you can think of anything except Sith or Dark Jedi which could neutralize two Jedi Knights and ten Tynnan soldiers without any of them reporting enemy contact, I would respectfully ask to be informed of such a threat's existence, Councilor."

While Yaddle was weighing her response to her fellow Master, Ferus took the opportunity to interject.

"Perhaps we should make further inquiries of Padawan Skywalker. He does have a penchant for concealing immensely important information, after all." The Jedi Knight's voice was cool and controlled, but the other three Jedi standing there could all sense the lack of respect he had for his old rival.

Rather than answering an accusation about his choice not to inform on Sifo-Dyas concerning the clones for as long as he had, Anakin suppressed a flash of anger and calmly replied "I told my Master everything I know, Knight Olin.

The Tynnans don't possess any readily available oxidizing foam, so we only have two potential means of preventing an infestation of stone mites from growing out of control. Master Yaddle's Morichro can shut them down, and I believe I can rupture any mites I can detect via Force Breach of their Shatterpoints. 

Assuming she gave me permission to do so, of course. I realize Force Breach is a proscribed technique with regards to living beings, but the mites are engineered weapons of bio-warfare on the order of a virus.

I only bring the option up because I can't imagine Master Yaddle having the energy to force all the mites into hibernation on her own. Not and have enough stamina remaining to defend herself from those who released the things."

The venerable Jedi Master raised an eyebrow at these assertions. "This far, your studies with Master Windu have progressed?" When Anakin nodded a trifle hesitantly, then more firmly as he considered what was at stake, Yaddle looked up and locked eyes with him.

"For myself only, Padawan Skywalker, can I speak. If this path we travel, called before the High Council, you may be. Willing to do this, you remain?"

Before answering the tiny Jedi Master he'd come to have so much respect for during several shared missions in pursuit of Granta Omega, the tall, curly haired apprentice glanced questioningly at his own Master. Yet Dark Woman only shook her head. Answering his unspoken question by making clear.

"It has to be your decision, Anakin.

I can't stop the High Council from doing whatever it is they might do in response to what I consider at most a technical violation of the proscriptions, so I can't tell you what you should do. You know what's at stake."

Ferus had a positively predatory gleam in his eye. One which Anakin was certain he'd been the only one to see before the other young man turned quickly away. He knew Ferus and the rest of the "Clique" back at the Temple deeply resented the prodigy so many of their instructors had held up to them as an example.

Even Battlemaster Drallig, one of Ferus's patron-saints, and a Jedi Master constantly expressing his various "concerns" about the apprentice who hadn't been raised in the Temple, grudgingly admitted Skywalker's talents as a Djem So and Shien stylist were already great and still growing.

Raising a Thought Shield of his own with every iota of skill at his disposal, the Jedi Knight turned back to face his rival and calmly remarked.

"You just got through telling us how urgent the situation is, Padawan. There are two Jedi Knights missing, and possibly K.I.A. Assuming you finally pass the Trials, you won't have time for this kind of hesitation. What's it going to be?"

Raising his head after several long seconds wrestling with his doubts, Anakin's brief grin at the Knight was a challenge. Yet when he spoke, his voice was clear, calm, and full of conviction.

"I give up my fear of the High Council's judgment to the Force. It would be my honor and privilege to assist you, Master Yaddle."

Ferus Olin's eyes narrowed as Dark Woman briefly laid a supportive hand on her apprentice's shoulder and Yaddle patted one of his adversary's legs in passing, but he wisely elected to remain silent as the Councilor directed the two of them to continue watching over the conference.

With a last look back over his shoulder before following the diminutive green Jedi now hurrying for the guard-station at the main entrance, Anakin murmured to his Master.

"Please be especially cautious, Master. If this is being done merely to flush all the dignitaries out into the open during an evacuation, then the chief threat(s) will emerge up here. Master Jinn and Knight Kenobi are a well-oiled team, but they only narrowly bested the Zabrak."

Instead of dismissing his words or palming him off with a platitude, Dark Woman smiled and told him "I'm not too proud to accept the help of as many Tynnan soldiers as I can lay hands on, Apprentice.

You just keep your head on a swivel, your senses wide open, and your lightsaber ready. Those tunnels will make Ataru next to worthless, but they'll do much the same to Juyo. 

I have taught you everything I know of Djem So, Shien, Ataru, and Trakata. If you remain rooted in the present and follow Master Yaddle's lead, you'll do fine."

With his Master's encouraging smile held firmly in memory, Anakin turned and jogged from the room of arguing diplomats. Stopping just long enough to collect what he hoped might prove to be equalizers during the coming trouble from the guards at the door.

Yaddle was already through the check-point and hurrying for the nearest lift leading to the lowest service tunnels, so he had to run once he was clear of the conference room to catch up.

...

Hey guys can you throw some power stones to Elevate the ranking.

=========================

if you want to read ahead of the public release you can go to p@treon :

 p@treon.com/Rage_moon