Down in the Dark (O'vala)

[Hatoful GM]

The entrance to the site of the trial looked innocuous enough. The front seemed to be the entrance to a ruined temple, nothing immediately marking it as any different from the other ruined temples on the planet. But on second glance, the shadows within the entrance was just a little bit darker. The air was just a little bit colder. Even the smell, the taste of it was just slightly off. And the longer one studied any of these things, the more they would cause a creeping sense of dread. Of fear.

O'vala stood in front of the entrance now. Beside her was Master Chriala. The master turned towards her, the barest hint of a smile on her lips. It did not make her seem any less serious.

[O'vala Aeser]

Great. I got Master Chriala to comfort me.

O'vala patted the blaster pistol on her hip and the saber next to it. She had started carrying both ever since the latter had a bit of issues. Next to them was her breath mask, from the children. It was a double comfort.

Wait, they wouldn't let me die from poison, would they?

The youngling sighed. "I guess I just walk on in there, huh?"

[Chriala Hulis]

Chriala tilted her head, regarding O'vala somewhat. "Yes. It is that simple. If simple is the right word for anything about this."

Her head tilted a little bit further. "You will not need weapons in there. They will be of no use."

[O'vala Aeser]

"Really?" O'vala looked back at the cave and tapped her weapons again. Master Chriala was one of them Miralukan seer sorts. Galaxy seemed to have some sort of irony there. "Wouldn't it be safer to have them as a precaution?"

[Chriala Hulis]

Slowly, Chriala shook her head. "If you were having nightmares, would you wear your weapons to bed to fight them?" She asked.

[O'vala Aeser]

"I guess not." O'vala grumbled and unfastened her weapon belt. She held it out for the Jedi Master to take. "And here I was hoping to use it after it got all fixed."

[Chriala Hulis]

Chriala's forehead creased. "Most take it as a blessing when they are not forced to use their weapons, child."

She smiled. "In any case, they will be here when you are done. As will I."

[O'vala Aeser]

"I'll put the weapons down for good when people like the Sith and Mandalorians aren't making a mess of the galaxy."

O'vala gave the master a bow and headed into the ruins. She still had her commlink, and datapad, though the Holonet was having issues. She wondered if she'd even get service deeper in. Maybe I should have had Silas make me a jacket. Oh crap, I left that thermal cloak back in the kit.

[Hatoful GM]

Chriala's lips pressed together, but she said nothing. She just watched as O'vala stepped over the threshold...

Indeed, almost immediately her electronics cut out. Her datapad wouldn't even turn on, except a glow to its screen that made the surrounding darkness seem even more pervasive.

The doors to some sort of temple stood before her, now, wide open. They looked almost like the sort Jedi tended to use in their temples.

[O'vala Aeser]

"I'm pretty sure I didn't forget to charge it." O'vala sighed and made her way closer to the temple doors. She didn't know much about ancient lore, so it felt pointless to her to have her look at all of it.

[Hatoful GM]

Despite her lack of knowledge, the large doors before her seemed quite familiar indeed. Almost comfortingly so, despite the chill, and the faint tingle in the back of her mind.

The area beyond the doors was brightly illuminated, bright enough that what lay beyond them would remain unseen until she walked over this new threshold.

[O'vala Aeser]

"I didn't come here with mom, did I?" O'vala bit her lip and walked on inside. "If anyone's in here, please let me know!"

[Hatoful GM]

As she stepped through, she realized why it was so familiar. It actually was the entrance to the temple on Coruscant.

She found herself walking down the main corridor, just as she had so many times before. There were Jedi passing by, on their way here or there. As they walked, some gave her a casual greeting, a nod or a smile. Some looked her in the eye. Either way, there was something they all seemed to have in common.

Respect. They respected her.

[O'vala Aeser]

O'vala looked around and crossed her arms. Well this is a lot different from what I expected. It's kind of nice. The miralian continued to walk until she started to become a bit confused. "Now where was it that I was going?"

[Hatoful GM]

Fortunately, she would have an answer. A young man, perhaps fourteen or so, came running up to her.

"Master Jedi." He said breathlessly, bowing. "Please, follow me to the council chamber. The masters await your advice on the war with the Mandalorians." After waiting a moment to make sure she was following, he began to escort her.

[O'vala Aeser]

O'vala wondered if the young man used "Master Jedi" to signify that she was a master to him or if she was a master. Did she have a seat on the council? Because if she had a seat and wasn't a master, then it'd be outrageous and unfair. She followed along as requested, wondering if they'd want to be more lenient on the Mandalorians than they deserved.

[Hatoful GM]

In what seemed like the blink of an eye, she was in the council rooms.

It seemed that they were set up for war. The mirrored surface of the table had an overlay. Troop movements, orbital positions, and more were on the display. There were perhaps a dozen masters present. Orgus was there. He gave her a nod.



"Thank you for coming so quickly." He said. "Now, as you know, the fighting at Bankor has proved more fierce than expected. They've deployed in greater numbers. It was initially the position of this council that we avoid entering the conflict." Once more, he inclined his head respectfully. "You know the Mandalorians. Given the situation, what advice do you have?"

[O'vala Aeser]

"We can't avoid it. Last time that happened, the Jedi Order was nearly destroyed." O'vala crossed her arms. "We ignore this problem, they'll just move on to the next. We have to stop them."

[Hatoful GM]

The masters looked back and forth at each other. Slowly, they all nodded.

"Then it shall be done." Orgus gave her a nod. "Could you prepare a briefing on their tactics?"

[O'vala Aeser]

"A lot of them fight differently, so it's hard to know what will win against them. But ultimately, they're prideful, so they can be lured in."

O'vala shrugged. "I can work on a more detailed presentation."