Rulic smiled briefly, something he was not accustomed to doing.

"You're right Ms. Skywalker, we haven't the time to waste. You impress me, so eager to help others with their trying times. Perhaps after this is over, you and I can have a nice conversation over a few things."

He led the way down through the town, and into his lab. Papers and cords were strewn about the floor, added to the noise of humming machinery as they walked. Rulic led the Jedi to a table where he beckoned for her to sit.

"I will try to make this as short and painless as possible. Over the past few months, we've had increasing amounts of attacks due to beasts called Kr'iyr. Now this normally wouldn't concern us so much, but we've also had threats dealt to our small town. This nameless enemy claims to have complete control over the Kr'iyr, and has said that our town will suffer. What worries me is why. We have done nothing, nor been charged of anything from this enemy."

He paused briefly and handed a few data pads to the Jedi, then continued.

"Another problem we've noticed is that since this foe has been harrassing us, our vegetation and other life on this planet has been dying. Those datapads contain a few incidents in which we've found some of our citizens dead, perhaps due to a ceremony or a ritual. They've all been stacked the same, though the numbers vary. We've been looking for answers but we've came up empty handed each time. That is why I called for you. Please, can you help us find the root of this evil?"

OOC: Thank you, I think your writing is excellent. :)

IC:

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The Jedi Master said nothing for a few moments, his face serious as he examined the wound more closely. The blaster had been set on a high power level, another result of the fear that blanketed the community.

The result of the bolt coming in contact with the guard's leg was not a pretty sight. A good deal of the surrounding flesh had been burned away, with the remaining part seared and blackened. Even with bacta, the miraculous substance that had revolutionized medicine, it would be difficult to heal.

Carefully placing his hands so that they were barely touching the wound, Kahn once again called the Force to him. The Light Side flowed within the Jedi, and he shut his eyes, a look of concentration on his face.

Picturing the wound, he then used the Force to help ease the pain, to help the tortured nerves know that their message had been delivered to the brain, that they did not need to send off pulses with such intensity. After all, that was essentially what pain was; the nerve's and body's way of alerting one of injury.

Gently, the Jedi removed his hands. The guard looked as though he was about to say something more, but Kahn spoke first.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

"You are in no condition to remain here without medical assistance, my friend. I will seek out this Rulic, but first you must find care for your wounds. Can you walk without putting weight on your leg if I support you?"

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> As he spoke, Kahn's eyes were locked with the guard's. His tone was calm, almost soothing. He knew that it was important to keep the man from going into shock before he recieved medical attention. At the same time, he was also closely connected to the Force, relying on it to warn him of any danger that might be near.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

"Greed, a universal motivation amungst intelligent beings across the galaxy. Your people seem to have been targeted for a specific purpose." Raven frowned, glancing over the text shown on the datapads.

"And those citizens, in pieces... A possible taunt, a vitual guantlet slapped across your faces, a challenge. Whoever it is, apparently enjoys what he's doing, though he could've done it in an easier, quicker fashion with similar emotional results. Were the wounds made by any normal weapon, or was there an indication of something else, perhaps a chemical burn, or an energy weapon? Were they able to recover one of the Kr'iyr, to find out if it was mechanical interference, or a developed drug dependency, where a drug could be a reward for performing certain tasks? How far is the extent of the damage of your vegetation? Could it possibly be reversed, given time?"

Raven hated asking so many questions, but answers had to be found. He already said they had turned up with nothing in their own investigations, but perhaps with her there, and whoever is following could make sense of it all?

Her own suspicions lurked in the back of her mind, and she feverently hoped it wasn't what she thought it could possibly be, especially when he said the deaths were dealt out in a ritual-like manner. It could be a cult, or it could be even worse. Even the claimed influence over the creatures themselves was pointing towards the worse.

"And, what exactly do you and your community do here?" Raven finnally asked," Perhaps what they want is what you have."

After all those questions, and a few moments of silence comming from Rulic, a commotion was heard from another part of the building, near the entrance, and her puzzled frown turned into that of a concerned one. Someone was down there, someone familiar, and in a few minutes, she would find out who.

OOC: And Ms. Skywalker, you write very well also..:)

IC: The guard forced a smile, but pushed the Jedi back.

"Thank you, but I have to keep guard and make sure no beasts get through these gates. Please, go swiftly."

With that, the guard leaned forward and picked up his blaster.

--------------------------

Rulic shook his head.

"From what we could tell, most of the wounds were results from blades, a sword, perhaps a knife. Though on some of the limbs we noticed that the flesh had been cauterized. Perhaps a chemical was used, but it makes little sense as to why. We don't have any energy weapons that I know of that can sever limbs like that, but I also don't know much about the person doing this."

He looked down at the table and began shuffling through some papers, finally pulling out another datapad from underneath them. He handed it to the Jedi and began again.

"As you can see, the Kr'iyr are perfectly fine. No sort of toxins found, no mechanics involved. It would seem as if they are attacking of their own free will. As for our vegetation, of course it can be repaired, but I don't see how in my lifetime. But if we could only get a solid start on the regrowth, then it would be worth it, in my opinion."

He sighed, and stood up.

"If you will, follow me Ms. Skywalker."

He motioned for the others to stay where they were, then led the way upstairs with the Jedi following.

"We do nothing of intrest here. Nothing that anyone but myself and a few other people know about that is."

When they finally reached the top of the stairs, they passed through a small, ill lit corridor before comming to a stop at a door. To the right of it was a screen and keypad. Gently, he placed his hand on the screen, very carefully applying pressure to certain points. With his free hand he punched in a series of keys and waited for a moment. The door slid open revealing a large chamber, various equipment flashing and reading out information along the sides. In the center was a long cylinder, cords and wires connected at the top, running down to the base and into the floor.

"We've come across a giant advance in our technology over the last year. After decades of research, by some of our fathers, we've finally developed a cloning cylinder. Now, I know there are others out there, but here we take pride in requiring the knowledge for ourselves. As much as I hate to admit it, this could very well be the reason for the attacks."

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The Jedi Master was well aware of the slight shakiness with which the guard's limbs moved. The Force healing technique he had used would keep the pain at bay for a short time, but prolonged use of the leg would only lessen the chances of healing going well.

Kahn's instinct was to move the guard out of danger, knowing full well that it was highly unlikely that the being would be more than a slight obstacle, should any more of the beasts come apon the scene.

However, another part of him respected the man's bravery and strict adherence to duty. He could tell by the look of determination in the man's eyes that he would not desert his post until he was sure that there was a replacement.

The Jedi bowed, his expression unchanged. Over the past few days, Kahn had worked on keeping his emotions from showing; he saw no reason to project the inner turmoil that he had been experiencing since Hanna's death. Not that his mind was on her at all at the moment; no, it was on the situation at hand, where it should be. A Jedi did not let personal problems interfere with the quest for the greater good.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

"I admire your bravery, my friend. I will return shortly; may the Force be with you."

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Knowing that every second now had the chance of meaning the difference between life and death for the guard, in case more beasts were near, the Jedi Master set off at a brisk pace, using both the Force and the guard's directions to guide him to where he felt this Rulic must be.

Pausing outside a door, he noted the incredible security appliances that adorned it. Also, through the Force, he recieved a ripple, the familiar feeling of some other Force user in the area. Very close, actually.

Not wishing to cause undue destruction to the community's property, Kahn, rather than using his lightsaber to dismantle the security, used the Force to put his 'voice' into the sentient minds he could sense behind the door.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Rulic Hart is needed, and the matter is urgent.<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

(OCC: Thank you. You're doing very well from what I'm reading so far as well. :))

Her suspicions about the worse had been correct, but had to be confirmed to be absolutely certain. There were too many clues pointing to that fact.

"Cauterized wounds, a religious like method in which they did the deed, and a creature not controlled by any logical means.... were there any witnesses to what happened? I have some suspicions as to who it could be, but I want to be certain before making accusations. Imagine what power your cloning technology would give to any who wanted it for themselves." Raven replied.

The attacks, the threats, and the land been poisoned. Somebody wanted the people to leave, and abandon the cloning cylinders. But, for what purpose? This purpose had to be found, and action had to be made to prevent even more harm could be done to the people here.

Rulic walked towards the cylinder, and put his hand on it's side. So much work had been poured into it, and he wasn't about to see it all go to waste.

"No, madam Jedi. None who witnessed what happened, survived."

He sighed, then turned to face the Jedi. She seemed to be the only hope or reason to hope he'd had for a long time.

"I'm sorry for asking for your help, it's not your problem, but I thank you again."

Hurried footsteps could be heard comming down the corridor. Rulic spun around on his feet and with a wave of his hand, deactivated the lights. The room was now pitch black, protecting the precious secret of the cylinder. The footsteps slowed and stopped at the entrance.

"Sir! Someone has requested you. They <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> said <!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->it was urgent. I don't know what it's about, but I can bet it's important. We didn't even <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> hear<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> him speak! It was in our minds!"

It was obvious that the situation had startled the man.

"Alright," came the reply, "I'll be down there momentarily."

"Yessir." The footsteps ran back down the corridor and disappeared. The lights reactivated and Rulic motioned for the woman to come with him.

"I'm sorry, we'll get back to this as soon as we can."

He let out a polite smile and led the woman back downstairs, the door sliding shut behind them. After only a mintue, they had made it back to the lower floor. The guards at the main entrance stepped aside and went to the controls to open the door. With a nod, the guards pressed an activation switch, causing the door to slid open, revealing a man in a brown cloak. Something did not feel right to Rulic. Stepping foward, he addressed the newcomer.

"I'm Rulic Hart...did you require any assistance from me? Forgive me for asking, but how did you get past the guards?"

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> The Jedi Master bowed slightly before speaking. His expression was calm, despite the looks of suspicion that he was recieving.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

"Let me put your fears at rest, my friend. I am Kahn, a Jedi from the Light Side faction on Naboo. I came after recieving the call for assistance that was sent out."

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Kahn paused, sizing up the man that stood before him. There was fear in him, as there was in almost all of the beings the Jedi Master had thus encountered in the community. But it was a controlled fear, a fear that was not allowed to interfere with reason. He also noted the strength of character that Rulic gave off of him; the man was a leader, and apparently a good one.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

"As to the answer to your second inquiry: it is possible to use the Force to cause beings to look over a person. It works best with the weak-minded, and I had some trouble with your men, all well-trained. I am a bit pressed for time, and it could cost a good man his life if I had been delayed. I apologize for the lack of protocol.

I entered through a different gate, and a man with a serious leg wound has insisted on remaining there go guard his post until I return. Perhaps we should go there and discuss things later? I fear that the danger that caused the death of one of your men and the injury of another has not yet passed."

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> There was no urgency in Kahn's voice, no sense of rushing. All the same, the tone was firm and brooked no arguments.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

No Witnesses. An obstacle had risen in the investigation, but there had to be a way around it.

From the sad tone in his voice, Raven had to find a way around it.

Raven too heard the footsteps from down the hall, and wasn't surprised when the lights were turned off. Out of sight, out of mind, was the old saying. Since nobody could see her, she let her neutral concerned frown laspe for a brief second, in frustraition more than anything else, then the old frown returned.

A startled guard was at the door, mentioning somebody was wanting Rulic's attention, and her eyebrow rose a degree when he mentioned that they didn't hear him by any normal means.

But, it couldn't possibly be their aponent, for the moment that person or persons were acting only through their Kr'yir. Though the individual's presence was familiar.

Raven could only offer a nod in understanding as she was lead back down the stairs and back at the main entrance, and familiar presence was confirmed by Kahn's appearance. It had been awhile since the last time she saw him durring a mission to find healing crystals on Coruscant.

When Kahn mentioned a dedicated injurred guard, the possibity of a witness was now open to her. Apparently, Kahn's arrival had been much more eventful than her own.

"I agree, we must get moving. Perhaps we'll find the answers we're seeking and get Kahn up to speed as to what we were dicussing a moment ago. We'll need all the help we can get." Raven replied, with an equally diplomatic no-nonsence tone.

"If you'll lead the way, of course, Kahn." she added, offering a reasuring smile to Rulic, and a nod to Kahn.

Despite the calming voice of the stranger, Rulics' heart sank. Another of his people dead. His burden seemed to increase tenfold as the news came in.

"I thank you kind Jedi for bringing the news to me."

That was about all he could choke out. After taking a deep, soothing breath, he felt more in control. He turned and motioned for two guards to follow, after catching the smile from Skywalker.

"Yes, the help is greatly appreciated. Please, let us go in haste."

Rulic and the Jedi led the way, his guards falling a bit behind, letting the Rulic get the new Jedi up to date. As he finished explaining things, they reached the entrance. The guards rushed in front now, checking on their fallen brothers.

To their surprise, they found both dead. One was missing his head, and the other had his head crushed. Keeping his composure this time, Rulic examined both men, then the beheaded Kr'yir carcass. Both man and beast had similar cauterized wounds on their necks.

"Kahn, did you do this to the beast?" He said, pointing to the neck. After the Jedi explained what happened, Rulic shook his head.

"May I see the weapon that was used? Perhaps then I will have an idea of what kind of weapon has been used against my people for some time."

He did not accuse the Jedi of decapitating one of his men. For some reason, he did not feel that the Jedi was capable of doing such things to the innocent. Instead, he began thinking if there was another on their planet like the Jedi, only with a darker heart. Before Kahn could respond though, his fears were confirmed. On a wall next to the gate, a carved message read:

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> JEDI LEAVE...YOUR POWERS CANNOT BEGIN TO COMPARE TO MINE! YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE! LEAVE!<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->