"You're right, Cheriss. Searches on multiple fronts would be the best option. I have a feeling that if the Xiis did appear on Coruscant, someone would've caught onto their scent. It would be difficult to miss them by the description you provided. Alderaan too would be a difficult to place to hide, but Taris..." He grunted disapprovingly at the lack of solid evidence they had.
"Alliance troops won't be able to hold their own against the Xiis without our help. I say that three on the Council should go, one to each planet. With Matt training the younglings and new Knights plus the recovering Masters Malu was able to salvage, we can accompany the Alliance squadrons. I'll inform Saresh about our plans."
The now expanded hangar was on high alert, mechanics, pilots and technicians scurrying between shuttles and fighters in order to comply with the issued commands by Elara. Entering the hangar were Aliel, Cheriss and Voldon, each having already decided on where to go after discussion with Saresh. The Chancellor promised she would send whatever soldiers she could, although she warned of civil unrest in the underbelly of Coruscant that popped up very recently, reports of street gangs consolidating and forming into larger syndicates for an unknown cause. Being the most seasoned on the battlefield, Voldon nominated himself to go to Coruscant. He had to justify his position to his fellow Elders, but eventually they acquiesced and headed towards Taris and Alderaan. He insisted Aria come with him as well, for "back up" he said. The former Battlemaster would follow up on his insistence on bringing Aria with him on the shuttle ride there, telling her:
"I think he's on Coruscant." When she asked how he knew, a half-smile formed on his face.
"Call it a gut feeling, a premonition of the Force or what have you, but I just...know." He shifted in his seat uncomfortably after the statement.
"I prefer to deal with concrete facts, but the Force works however it will. We must learn to conform to that. A lesson that I must continue to learn." They could hear Junoco snoring in the back of the shuttle, prompting an eyeroll from Voldon. The smuggler had also implored them to take him to Coruscant and "let him find his own way", but with a little cajoling, he was convinced to help them navigate the sprawling network of Coruscant's infrastructure in exchange for a hefty sum of credits and certain crimes expunged from his record. Voldon only hoped that the smuggler could be faithful to their agreement.
_____
"They're gonna slaughter ALL of us!" The Nikto slammed a fist on the counter for emphasis, two Twi'lek behind the bar nodding in approval.
"Better believe it." The female Twi'lek spoke, her lekku twitching in agitation as she looked at the array of furniture stacked against the entrance of their once hidden safehouse.
"You hear from the Marauders?"
"All gone. Nuie, Kew, Latana...murdered in the street."
"Shades?"
"Zun went underground when the blue guys crashed his human trafficking ring. Told him he was stupid for leaning on that operation for all his cashflow." The Nikto groaned, placing his head on the counter momentarily.
"So we're the only ones left?"
"Pretty much!" The male Twi'lek said with a sadistic smile.
"BUT, the Justicars. Those guys are still around. Actually put out a bounty on the blue girl." The trio shuddered.
"You see her?" The Nikto asked.
"No...but the holos say it all, right?" Muffled screams came from beyond the door, some of the furniture in the makeshift barricade rustling as the fortified door was dented.
"Get to the sewer hatch!" The furniture scattered in several directions, door flying inward as agile blue forms flitted into the safehouse, cackling as they bounded onto the fleeing thugs, howls of agony floating into the mostly deserted streets. Illesia surveyed the bloody mess with an approving glance as she asked one of the stouter males:
"This is the location you were given?"
"Yes. Here." She patted him on the cheek.
"Excellent." Strolling past her underlings and the gore, she ripped the doors off of two standing lockers.
"Bring her to me." A Xiis came from outside, dragging a female Zabrak to Illesia's feet, the former's mouth bleeding from a very recent blow.
"Can you talk?" The Zabrak looked away, prompting Illesia's right knee to jam into her chin, tears and blood flinging into the air before illesia grabbed the woman's cheeks.
"Do you wish to now?" She nodded slightly.
"Good. See there? Can you use them?"
"Y..e..ssss.." She coughed up a clot of blood.
"Take them and follow these two to where these need to be placed. If you deviate from their company, I'll have them rip your eyes out and feed them to you. A fair proposition, no?" She giggled innocently as the Zabrak was dragged away, Illesia clenching her hands into fists, savoring her newly infused power.
"Ohhh Yerbol. Thank you, my love. Thank you."
_____
"It's our worst nightmare realized...basically." Coruscant Security chief Listra sardonically quipped, pointing at the holographic projection of Coruscant's massive undercity.
"See all the pinpoints? Those are REPORTED gunfights by our people. Civvys are calling in by the second for help and trying to give us even more reports of straight up genocide." There were a massive amount of small specks clustered around various points in the undercity.
"Have your people reported what they're seeing?"
"Other than 'the blue guys'? No. They have mentioned groups consisting of gang members from a number of rival factions fighting off 'blue guys' AND them, which is an interesting development. We've also heard loose reports from civilians about tremors, which of course is strange, because the last time I checked, Coruscant doesn't get earthquakes." Voldon looked at the map for a moment before telling the Security chief:
"Have your men retreat. We'll head in without support."
"You're serious?"
"A large squadron of soldiers would draw too much attention. If we find ourselves in trouble, we'll call in for reinforcements."
"Your funeral."
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El Taco Taco
The Elvenqueen