The three separate teams of the Mar'hute defenders jogged silently through the tunnels. Each carried a smooth meter long stick, made from the stone wood. The end was twice the thickness as the handle, and it was as hard as stone, but without the tendency to shatter. They used no lights, nor did they need any. From their birth they had used the force. Although they did not call it the force. To them it was part of their body, as much as a hand or a foot, or even an eye. All Mar'hute were force sensitive, and each developed his or her force ability according to their strengths, bunch like other people in the galaxy.
But these Mar'hute were different. They were the absolute best at what they did. They were all defenders, who constantly trained, constantly practiced, and were always on the alert. The Mar'hute valued their privacy, and although several of them had gone into the outside world, in general they stayed deep beneath the earth.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Main body<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

The Mar'hute defenders who were rapidly approaching their objectives had prepared for this time well. The moment they heard the seventh explosion they masked their minds, as well as their bodies. Good defenders could mask themselves so well that no one could see them. At all. Even other Defenders had difficulty seeing them in broad daylight, in the mind as well as in the flesh.

The center column reached the main door seconds after the last explosion. They all lined up in two lines, each then pressed himself onto the wall. Standing like statues on opposite sides of the fifty meter hallway they would be difficult to see even if they weren’t masked. But masked it would be impossible. While the defenders took their places, Marcus and the Defender leader walked to the door, and listened. Their were no explosions, but to their ears, long trained to use the force as an extension of their body, the sounds of scratching was clear as a bell. They consulted each-other, and determined that it would be best to spread the body of twenty defenders out. They issued orders silently, communicating with the force as they usually did. The defenders spread themselves out until they were five meters apart, then again they stood back to the wall, invisible in the shadows, as well as in their mask. And they waited.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Left Flank, Right Flank<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

Splitting off to the left and right at the end of the gallery, the second and third groups also jogged down relief carved hallways. Stories depicting the battles of their ancestors gave them courage, as they ran out to flank an enemy of who's size they were unknowing. They too masked upon the seventh and final blast, and increased speed when they heard no more. The leaders sprinted ahead, making sure that the way was clear before leading their troops out of the hidden doorway's into the sun.
Spreading out in long lines they began to encircle the main entrance by three hundred meters. Masked and in their native environment they were all but invisible. But they still had a way to go before they could see what was going on.

K7-9 was doing the best that he can. The dog aspect of his programing took a good deal of joy that he was allowed to dig. He was so enthrolled that he barely noticed that the sound of his scratching and digginf was becomeing lighter and lighter. He stops taping his nose on the rock. The tap resounded with a light thud. The other side was hollow.

He turned around and transmitted the info to Zed.

The Officer droid turned to his two compatriots. "The way is clear. But there is no way that C4 and I can follow. Saber take my counter part with you and help vonta."

The Android gave a simple nodd. "Reinforcements should arrive in moments from the Saber Strike. They should manage to get through this rock face." With that she dove into the opening.

"No Need to wait." C4 says. "Shadow Hunter exit Yavin one. Execute program phi-ti-omaga on arrival."

"And what was that?" Zed asks the Hunter droid.

"Our ticket in." he answers.

Vonta was groggy. She had not been hit that hard in a while. Being carried along she was aware of being carried into a large amphitheater. She slowed her breathing to appear to still be uncounscious. This was a force user of some sort. And she was seeking them out. Best to play along until she can see who she is dealing with.

- - -

In the narrow tunnel saber slides next to the quadropedal droid dog. Looking it over she saw that it was more then thin enough for her to handle. PUlling her hand back she then slams her metal fist into the rocking shattering it and breaking through.

K7-9 lept through with imunity. His green glowing eyes anounceing his arrival. In infrared scaning he picked up at least three energy signatures the moment that he touches down. Toe claws and vibro teeth extend. Belly gun drops into targeting position and his repulsor units extend from his sides as the droid switchs to full combat mode.

Kas sat down on the chair provided by the Mar’hute. He thanked the man, and leaned back. The two Mar’hute stood ramrod straight next to him, one on either side. Kas sighed, and began to think. Although he had been successful in restoring his memory, it was still fuzzy, and somehow incomplete. It must be from some sort of trauma recently. He was working over the thought when he felt the presents of another two beings entering the Gallery. Because they were still over 900 meters away Kas didn’t pay much mind to them, except to probe the mind of the man who was carrying the female force user. He was a strong Mar’hute, but not very bright.

He moved on from probing the guard, and moved along to the man advance body. His mind’s eye flickered out and touched each and everyone momentarily, before resting upon Marcus. Kas frowned, and then smiled. He remembered now. Communication via the mind. The Mar’hute’s main form of communication was via a mind link. He opened one with Marcus.

<font color="grey">”Marcus, be careful. The door guard is coming to me with a force user. He must have taken a side passage to get here faster if you missed him. He is unaware of how she got in through the door, but thinks she used the force to walk through it or something like that. He’s not very intelligent, so it’s hard to probe him. </font>

“I will be careful. Wait… the sound has stopped.”

Kas left Marcus, and moved on ahead with his mind. Hmm… three droids. Wait… something was different here. His still foggy brain moved as quick as it could, and he worked on the problem. There was a blank spot in the force. Blank spot… blank spot. The ‘vong generated a blank spot, as did a … ”C4 Kas barked out. It was C4, the sith bounty hunter from the Vinda Corporation. Then the other must be Zed9, and the third would then be K7-9, Zed-9’s dog droid counterpart. “What would they be doing on this planet?”

Kas’s frown deepened, and his mind moved back to Marcus.

<font color="grey">”Marcus, don’t hurt them, I know these beings. They are my co-workers at a company I am the admiral at. When the droids come through I want only you and a few others to be present. Unmask yourselves, and allow them to see you. Have the others fall back, and stay masked. Don’t make any moves, don’t say a thing.
Don’t do anything. These people are very good at what they do, and are completely made of metal. Let them make the first move. </font>

“Yes master” Marcus replied. Kas could hear him communicate his wishes to the others in his group, and then to the two flanking parties.

He pulled his mind back to himself, and looked up. He saw the Mar’hute guard approaching, carrying a female human. Standing, Kas motioned for the guard to place the person on the chair in front of him.

After Kas's last communication Marcus moved to comply. He and the three most competent moved to stand in the center, their arms folded. They stood like statues while the rest of the group moved back down the corridor, and back into the shadows.

<!--EZCODE BOLD START--> Crunch<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

A fist violently slammed it's way through the wall. Marcus took the time to glance at his second in command, his eyebrow raised. Interesting. The fist removed it's self, and a large four legged thing came hurtling through the small opening, enlarging it with his egress. It had glowing eyes, and made funny noises. To the Mar'hute whose eyes were not accustomed to viewing anything but a flesh being, this truly was a fantastic creature. It landed with a clunk, and then floated up a few inches. As it did so a thing popped out of his belly. Marcus resisted the strong temptation to stare, and looked solidly at the wall. But he prepared his mind for a defensive attack should one be needed.

Vonta let her counciousness remain closed as if she were uncounscious to a force user. The walk through the tunnels had been breif. Growing tired of the guise she was playing she watched the tunnels through half open eyes.

the walls were painted extravagantly. The various dipictions were unfamiliar to her. But the illustrated several times, men lifting themselves through the air or objects through the air. Obvious force use. She had to assume that these were telekenetics that she was dealing with.

Sithspawn! That complicates things if it came down to a fight. She had no telekinetic power save for when she absorbs energy to redirect it. If it came to a fight it would not be easy.

The two walked into a large room. She is either going to meet the leader or get through to the rancors. Best to prepare for both.

As the brute set her down she droped the ruse of being unconscious. Sitting up right and facing what she felt earlier. The ancient force prescence the brought her here in the first place.

"Good day. Allow me to introduce myself I am the Observer jedi Knight. Student of the ancient force sects. Student of the Aiki order, the Jensaarai, Jedi, and Teepo Palidin order.

And I came several thousand light years just to see you." She states all the while calling on Aiki force techniques incase she needed to defend herself. Her Experience with the krath taught her to be cuatious of new force groups.

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

K7-9 stood there with out making a move. The three just stood there as well. With only the hum of the repulsors echoing through the tunnels.

Saber barreled into the silent scene. She had no time to waste this was a military operation and she intended to save her captain. Her blaster out she fired a volly at them. With her gun set to stun them only.

"what are you waiting for mutt? shoot!" She yells at the dog like droid. It lets off a volley of it's own. The blue stun bolts lighting up the tunnel breifly. The Green eyed droid flew past Saber flooting on repusor units making the dog appear to be some omonisous wrath firing bolts of blue fire from his belly.

Vonta made one other thing clear. Until they know if this is a misunderstanding they are to only use none lethal force. The dog reached the three foes first with vibro claws and teeth extended to grip or block weapons. With The android woman saber not far behind. Moving with unnatural speed for a human.

(OOC, the carvings are chiseled, not painted. Thanks, We'll explore that later. I have an interisting story to go with that. Also, I do not know Vonta IC or OOC so I'll play it that way.)

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "Good day. Allow me to introduce myself I am the Observer jedi Knight. Student of the ancient force sects. Student of the Aiki order, the Jensaarai, Jedi, and Teepo Palidin order."<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Kas' face was a picture of nothing. Some thing tickled at the back of his mind, but he couldn't retrieve it. There was something strangely familiar about the way this woman held herself. He couldn't pull it out, so full was his mind at this moment. He thought that he needed a bit of sleep before his mind would un-muddle. Pulling himself back to reality, he replied.

“Welcome Vonta Horn. Welcome to the home of the Mar'hute. Please, pardon me if I seem a bit demanding, or sudden. But there seems to be a little problem at the main door. The droid C4, and ZEd-9 are outside, while another droid and Zed's counterpart K7-9 have just drilled their way through the door. I'm afraid some blood and oil may be spilled before the contact is over. If you cannot stop them, I will be forced to. I would prefer it if you did.”

Kas stood, and again reached out his mind to Marcus. He was too late, for the second droid had slammed it's way through. The Mar'hute were unfamiliar with energy weapons, and thus they had been caught by surprise. All three were down, out cold. His eyes narrowed. If Marcus had followed directions, any droid should not have attacked, unless it was a military droid. He probed swiftly, moving over the two intruding droids. It must be the humanoid, for the dog droid seemed a bit hesitant to attack.

Concentrating for a moment, he wrapped his mind's "hand" completly around the intruder, and from over a mile away, squeezed a firm but strong squeeze around the droids entire body.

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

Center Advance Body

The commander, second in command and the special detail commander were down. The troop temporary leader was stunned. How...

How could something take out the three most powerful people he had ever seen in less than two seconds? He opened a link with his group, and communicated his orders. Although still stunned, his training took over. He could still hear his teacher.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> "When in doubt, and under attack by an overpowering enemy, attack to kill or retreat. Do not try to disable, for that may lead to additional troop deaths. There is no harm in retreating, if it saves you your troop. And dying with honor for a good cause is even more acceptable."<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

He decided to attack. While logic said to retreat, he remembered his teachers other mantra. Attack in numbers. In swarms. The group moved out, still masked. They prepared their minds to push, squeeze, bull, bash, whatever they were best at they prepared for it.
Then the unexpected happened, the humanoid attacker froze. Absolutely froze. She was then lifted into the air for over a meter, and then just stayed there. Here head swiveled, and she spat something at the fourlegged creature. It hesitated, then began to back up, glancing about himself. The group leader issued more commands, and the squad unmasked. All seventeen of them at once. The fourlegged creature seemed to growl, and stood his ground, neither attacking nor retreating.




And they stood.

And stood. A stalemate, each side unsure of it's opponents capabilities, and both unwilling to make the first move.

K7 stood with a mob situation before him, there were too many to attack out right. And the force abilitys made them unpredictable. Last time he faced a forc user he was slamed into a wall and disabled.

Saber stood helpless held by some unknown force. She could do nothing not yet any way. "All righ mutt plan B." Zed had down loaded the combat commands for K7 in the event that they were engaged in combat.

"Speak." She states.

At that the droid draws his head back an unleashes a hyper sonic howl from his "mouth". The Sonic signal was ampliphied to maximum noise. Droping all organics with in 200 feet.

- - - - - - - - - -

Vonta felt the out side her self. Saber was following protical to the tee as always. Out side she felt her reinforcements arrive. A lamda shuttle and a YT-1300 carrying 25 Teepo plalidins, 5 Jensaarai, and 4 very angry nohgri sworn to protet her.

The Force users cloaked them selves as Vonta had instructed them to do. They landed and came in behind the hidden force users. The Teepos force rader picked them out easiely. And from several hundered feet away they begain eating away at them with stun bolts.

Vonta took out her com unit. "This is vonta horn to all rescue teams I am all right for the moment. Go into stand by retinue."

The forces out side ceased fighting. and the sonic howl that had just reached the amphitheater as a annoying echo ceased."

Kas felt the sonic power from where he was standing, and winced. A direct knockout for sure. Yes, that was a direct hit. He saw the entire forward group fall, ears in pain. It was even more painful for the Mar'hute than it was for a standard humanoid, because the Mar'hute rarely speak, and when they do it is usualy to a single outsider.
Kas probed them all in a blink of an eye, checking to see that they were all right. The were fine, and were already beginning to recuperate. Kas then turned his mind's attention back to the droid he was holding. He examined the human look of disgust on it's face, and thought of an idea. Multitasking easily, he shook the droid slightly, just enough to make it quake, it's feet rattleing around.

K7-9 smelled smoke. His dog-like body swiveled quickly, and his dog brain became confused. There, in the stone door, rock was falling out of the face. Smoke billowed up, and red began to appear. Writing formed, and the dog-droid gave a whimper.

The humanoid droid held in the air was turned forcefully around, and set down on the ground not too gracefully. She saw the now glowing text literally burned out of the stone.

<font color="red">Be thankful I am not given to hasty wrath</font>

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

Kas pulled himself back, and sighed. He opened his eyes, and sat again. Folding his hands, he looked at the "Observer Jedi Knight" who called herself Vonta. She turned, and met the gaze.

"Once again welcome, Observer Jedi Vonta. It seems you have some loyal friends, who came to rescue you. Although why they should be too concerned is not logical, as you entered this place of your own free will, understanding that there may be dangers.
I do not wish to pry, but before I show too much hospitality I have questions that must be answered. I cannot be too careful.

First, how did you get in here. The main door is fifteen meters thick, and is quite solid. The only one that I know who can open it is myself. Second, what is an observer Jedi? I have heard of and seen Jedi, and have even met Jedi Masters. But the rank of Observer eludes me."

Vonta turned to the new force user. Obviously the leader of the sect. May be he is like the Sarraikarrai of the Jensaarai the dictorial leader of this sect.

"Well as to why my men decided to act so hastily when I lost contact with them so suddenly. Well lets just say the that is a long story from one of my recent force sect journys. The short version is that I came to find a new force sect and they in turn tried to turn me into one of their dark side deciples. My protecals for away missions have been a bitmore proactive since then.

I came through the wall with a Jedi order force technique that I have mastered called Phase shift. I phase my body out of shift with this dimension allowing me to pass through solid matter.

As too what an Observer Jedi is, It is a new order that I was...well bidden to follow the path of. The ancient force ways are lost to us but in many visions I felt that if they were not reunited with the jedi order again that the universe would fall to some unseen threat.

A threat that I may have found. In the form of the Krath. A form of force leaches. Able to convert any force user to their way of thinking and force use.

I have been bidden by the force to seek out the ancient force sects. First I was a student of the Jedi order under master Organa solo. After my visions begain and I left the order on my first journy, I found the last of the Aiki Master Irman Nogar. A Nohgri force user and last master of that antient unarmed force style. After completing my training there I trained with the Jensaarai. Then the Teepo Palidins in witch I also had my first incounter with the Krath. And now I was bidden to find this place."