Spending time with Riyo had really helped you relax after the boredom and stress of being a hidden jedi escort within the Senate. However, your dream that night at her apartment gave you a new course of action that you needed to address.

This entire time you had been on Coruscant you had been having nightmares about the Jedi temple and a dark figure hunting you down. Each night the figure seemed closer, your fear was more real and tangible and you felt physically sick some mornings. But when you were at Riyos and you entered the dream-temple, there was no dark figure this time and no frightening presence. It was still not as comforting as you remembered it being in your youth but you were truly alone now. Just you and the force in these halls. You felt a pull on your senses like a rush of energy or a cry for help. The temple was beckoning you.

You slowly opened your eyes and immediately felt your head pounding. "Uuuuhhhggggg" you groan as you sit up in Riyos bed. You look around, not seeing Riyo, and then swing your legs over the side as you start to wake up. --Glad I'm not afraid. But that was a weird feeling-- you think to yourself as you start to walk across the room "Riyo?". --Weren't we on the floor?-- you think through your pounding as you look about.

You hear no response and don't see her anywhere in the room. "Riyo?" you ask again, making your way towards the door that leads out into the kitchen area.

"Morning" you hear a voice from the kitchen table and see Riyo in her soft pink robe seated at the table.

Happy to have found her, you make your way over and sit down next to her. "How long til the hearing?" you ask tentatively as you look over the few breakfast items present. Looks like she just got up.

"Twenty minutes," Riyo says with a yawn.

You nod before having adrenaline hit your system as you realize the timeline "twenty minutes? We need to get ready now".

Riyo looks at you a little confused and then realizes why you're suddenly rushing "oh, yes! Yes, we do".

Both of you quickly scramble into the dressing room, throwing on clothes and brushing hair. The droid maid does both of your hair styles simply and quickly and you manage to leave the house two minutes before the hearing is supposed to start. You and Riyo are doing your makeup on the way over in her ship and checking over each other's outfits making sure everything is in place.

Once you are at the hall Riyo and her guards rush ahead of you and you arrive in your seats in the hall only ten minutes after the hearing had started. Your late arrival did not go unnoticed but you were too hungover to care and now that you were here you could feel the adrenaline wearing off and your brain calming back down. The grumbling around the hall quieted down as the current speaker continued talking and you leaned over and whispered to Riyo; "How bad is it if I fall asleep?"

"For me, a decent offense. For you, acceptable" she smiled back "You can rest, I'll wake you up if it's important".

You nod, slipping her the data chip to put into the computer before you get comfortable leaning gently in her direction.

"Sleep well darling" she quietly says with a cheesy grin.

"Stay awake dear" you mutter with a grin of your own and start to drift back into a foggy sleepy state.

* * *

A sleepy morning, another long afternoon of discussions and information, this day was usual and unexciting. But while you were resting on and off of Riyos shoulder you remembered the dream you had experienced after your night of wine and chatting. The temple, your oldest, most distant home, was calling you. As you rested and floated throughout the day you were plotting how you could get to the temple. You would want to go sooner rather than later, and if your nightmares had been any indication you would need to be careful.

You knew you could arrange a taxi from the front desk and then make your way over buildings the rest of the way like you had done with Rex. The more you thought about each aspect the more determined and confident you became. --tonight-- you decided --I will go tonight--. From the information scheduled on the Senate docket there would only be one more hearing after this, and no doubt the guys would leave immediately once it was over. From this moment on you had four days. It would need to be tonight.

Riyo noticed you were more awake now as the hearing was coming to a close and quietly talked to you. "How are you feeling?"

"I've been better, but I expected this after such a fun night" you reply "How are you holding up".

"I wouldn't be a true senator if I couldn't handle it" she smiles "but I'm definitely going to enjoy resting once I'm back. I assume you are coming back to my apartment to get your things before heading back to the hotel?"

"Yes" you nod as applause fills the hall, a speaker just finished speaking. "But I'll need to get back to the hotel shortly after, can't be gone for too long".

"You'll have to let me know if their mission was successful" Riyo replied and the hearing came to an official close.

You and Riyo did not waste any time in exiting the Senate hall almost as fast as you had entered. You had noticed Lieutenant Handsky out of the corner of your eye, but you wanted to get back to the Bermua hotel as soon as you could. It was early evening, the entire day had slipped through your fingers but now you kept an eye on the time and watched it crawl by.

"You seem a bit antsy" Riyo commented as you were flying back to her apartment.

"Just ready to get back to the hotel. I'm a little nervous about their mission results" you replied, but really you were getting anxious about your temple plan.

Clothing quickly collected, a few jokes and a hug, then you were flying back to the hotel. --A few more hours-- you thought to yourself --so long, and yet so worryingly close--.

You dropped your things onto your bed, and were soon hugged by Omega. "The mission was crazy! We got three more guys off the planet, but we almost got caught by security but then they helped us and it was amazing!"

"Hope your night was good too" Echo added, standing in the doorway "Hunter said you were over with Senator Chuchi?"

"Yes," you smiled and stood up as Omega let go of you "me, her, and two bottles of wine. It was a fun night, but we were almost late to the hearing today".

Echo smiled and chuckled "Sounds like a fun night to me".

Omega ran back through the middle door dodging Echo who watched her run through before looking back to you "Any plans for tonight?"

You could feel your heart race more, but you kept your breathing calm "Nah, unless you count resting up. The last hearing is in two more days and I assume we won't be getting as much sleep once we leave here"--you walked over to the doorway while you spoke to him and finished your sentence a step or so away from him.

"Yeah" Echo nodded "Hunter and Rex are chatting about joining forces. But you'll be happy to know we are stopping back on Numidian Prime first".

That information did make you happy "Thanks for the heads up Echo"-you smile and then step forward coming closer to his face--" Did you want me to give you a climbing lesson this time?"

Echo's face got a bit red and he grinned sheepishly "You're getting better at getting a rise out of me. Sure, but only if Wrecker will be the catcher. Don't plan on having my legs being robot parts any time soon".

You smile, having fun teasing him, and both of you step back into your respective rooms. With a conversation like that you doubted Echo would suspect anything. Hunter and Rex both came in to check on you, and Wrecker took some time to tell you everything from his perspective. You had handed off the chip to Hunter, and sadly didn't get to speak with Tech. You thought that maybe something had happened on the mission but Hunter just told you "He's thinking, not speaking with anyone. We are letting him process whatever it is".

You could hear Echo comment just behind him "And they call me the computer".

Everyone is still fatigued from the mission and mostly just relaxing or keeping to themselves so it is not noticed as you rearrange your closet a bit and carefully climb into bed with your blacks on instead of your pajamas. Thankfully Omega was already planning on bunking with Wrecker. Those two were usually cuddling, and it meant you could armor up and leave your room without waking her.

Rex had stopped in again by himself to ask how you were doing as the evening was beginning to start. You were already laying in bed, secretly in your blacks and socks. You were legitimately tired but too anxious to let yourself actually relax.

"Hearings are almost over" he had started as he walked in and stood next to your bed side "How are you holding up?"

"I'll be happy once we are back on Numidian Prime" you replied with a genuine smile.

"Echo said he told you '' Rex chuckled "a jungle planet, guess it's no surprise you like it".

"You'll definitely recognize me more once we are there, I cannot resist climbing" you reply with a chuckle.

Rex smiled back "No doubt you'll have to remind me how it goes, I remember a lot of falling when I was on Felucia"

You giggled back "it's alright, pretty sure the only clones who actually took to the trees were the snipers you had".

"Yeah" Rex nodded, his eyes shifting into a distant gaze as he remembered those days on Felucia. It had only seemed like last month, and yet it was so much longer.

"Well" he said after a bit "I'll chat with you more about plans tomorrow. Goodnight Y/N".

"Goodnight Rex" you said, and he exited the room, shutting the door down to a crack behind him.

With that you were not disturbed anymore that night, and you began the long waiting game. You guesstimated that it would take an hour or so for everyone to settle down so you could quietly start moving after that time had passed.

Each moment that crawled by felt painstaking, and every time you'd hear something from next door you feared them coming over and checking on you. You wanted to keep this secret, and even Rex knowing felt too personal. Plus, each of them being the voice of reason wouldn't let you go and you need to explain why you wanted to go. If you got caught it needed to be on your own, then the others wouldn't be implicated and if you did go and doubtless have a melt down you'd rather do so on your own.

Finally you didn't hear anything from the neighboring room and you began to slowly and quietly get your arm and leg pieces on. Tying on your belt for the first time in a few weeks and attaching your two poles. You hadn't planned on wearing too much else just so it could easily be hidden under the cloak piece you had for the Senate. The boots would show but not much else. You carefully put your hair up, a few jewels just to seem official, and made your way down the hall carrying your helmet under your cloak.

The front desk was manned by a droid and after you explained you needed a taxi they summoned one for you. You specifically requested a human driver which was accommodated and you set out for the temple.

"Gotta say" the driver commented as he brought you closer to the building "Interesting to have a lady like yourself going out this late".

"Just some personal business to attend to" you smiled back "sadly the only time I have is this late".

The driver shrugs and takes you just outside of the temple grounds. As he lets you out of the car you wave your hand in front of his face "You'll forget all about me and won't recognize me".

The man's eyes glaze over for a moment before he blinks, closes the car door and drives off. You cannot prove that your mind trick worked but the glazed over response is usually a solid indication of effect. Hopefully using that force power will not jeopardize your hidden presence within the city.

With everything now in place you turned your attention to the walls surrounding your previous home. You hadn't been able to search up anything about security or guards even if you would have liked too, so you were winging this. You took a deep breath and put on your helmet as you looked over the different walls connecting together and could see a path upwards.

"In and out" you mutter to yourself "Back before sunrise".

You took a running jump and landed in a corner between two walls, using the carvings on the stone to get a foot holding and steady yourself. Carefully you climbed upwards, struggling to find holds but otherwise making your way quickly to the top.

You peer over the walled edge and sprawling out before you is the moonlit garden of the temple. Clearly someone maintained it because these grasses and bushes would have become misshapen without care. For a moment you sense the silent eeriness you had felt in your dreams. Not that someone was watching, but that this place harbord death.

You slide over the top of the wall and smoothly down the otherside, using some force pushing to break your fall. You hit the ground with a gentle thump and then get down on your knees as you continue to look around. --No security thus far, I must be lucky-- you think to yourself, standing more upright and striding swiftly across the grounds. You dodge from tree to tree hiding in their shadows, but for the most part you become more relaxed and loose while you walk. It stirs a nostalgia inside you, remembering walking out under the moonlight in your youth, not that you could see any with the glow of the city surrounding you.

The temple doors are wide open --just as they always are--, but this time no warm welcoming feeling beckons you in. You feel something drawing you in, but it is more like a lost child crying for help than an old friend excited at your visit. --what happened here?-- you ask yourself as you cross the edge of the doorway into the temple.

You begin to cautiously search around, slinking through the shadows almost as if you were in your dreams again. Slowly walking from room to room, the faint sound of your boots on the tile floors echoing back to you. --Is there really no security?-- you think to yourself as you make your way further into the temple. A sense of foreboding was beginning to settle in, and you felt a deep stirring inside of you. It's almost as if your heart has started to cry all on its own, a painful panging and weight in your chest. Your mind is racing about what could have happened here and your senses continue to search for any sign of a guard.

You make your way upwards inside the temple, heading towards the rooms you used to visit the most. There is something just on the edge of your senses, the force calling to you, wanting to show you. You were afraid to connect to it, the looming presence of darkness was much stronger here, similar to the Senate. --its okay- you try to encourage yourself --It's the force, you can remain hidden as long as you're careful--.

You make your way into a room, kneel down on the floor, checking both directions inside the hallways before taking off one of your gloves and pressing your hand against the cold wall. You wanted to know what happened here, and you acknowledged the calling of the force around you.

A chill down your spine, a familiar feeling for you. At first there was nothing, the usual feeling of comfort and connection. But soon, your senses were assaulted by the weight of the energy around you. The darkness overwhelmed you and like a mouse suddenly found in a room full of hungry cats you could feel it lunging at you.

You heard screaming and crying, the voices of children in the distance and in the room. "What are we going to do?" you heard a small voice choke out in the corner of the room. There was fire, and the sound of a lightsaber slashing through the air. The stomping of boots from legions of soldiers and lastly a feeling of death.

It is hard to describe a feeling that can only be expressed from experience. Death did not feel like anger or sadness, or even fear. Those emotions were present as well, but Death itself was an echoing empty feeling of nothing. Not numb, not ignorant and not without pain, but nothing so deep it felt like it gripped the back of your neck with cold sharp claws.

You felt your heart pang in pain, you felt tears come to your eyes as your mind is simply overwhelmed with everything around you. Your heartbeat is racing, its speed only adding to the pain and you can feel yourself shaking. Your body grows cold, your arms and legs feel like they are being squeezed tightly in a vice as your blood flows out of them. --what... What is happening?-- you think as your mind tries to comprehend the reaction you're having. You struggle to breath as the tears flow and your sinuses are blocked. You find yourself curling up in a shaky ball. The force flowing through you was so much more than you were prepared to handle and the weight of the corrupted force energy was relentless.

--They didn't save them in time-- you realize as your mind starts to unravel the assault of emotions --They were all executed too--. You start to sob as your airways try to regain control of your breathing --All of them. No one survived--.

"Master skywalker!"

"Noooooo!"

"Brody!"

"They're coming!"

"Run Tricia run!"

The screams continued to echo about you, and the more they died down the greater the sense of death became. --So many children-- you think -- why the children?--. The seizing in your body doesn't lessen and you're worried you might pass out entirely from your shock. There simply was no end to the darkness, no end to the horror. It was digging into your very core and you didn't know how to feel or react.

In the midst of all this you sense a movement within the space. Beyond the emotions assaulting your senses, beyond the cold floor and stiffness of your body. There was someone here. You could feel their presence, and they were coming closer. You shakily get to your feet, feeling your head immediately reel as you stand leaning against the wall. A new sense of fear grips you as your mind makes the connection --this was a trap--.

--He's come to get me-- you think clutching your weapon at your side as your body begs you to stop.

--The figure.. He's here-- you believe as you hold up your weapon with shaky hands. You pay no mind to the aching in your legs or pounding in your head. The screams echoing around you and numbing sense of death only add to your heightened state of fear. You can sense him approaching, he's coming slowly, steadily your way. You hold your weapon with both hands, feeling like you might fall over but holding your ground. --This can't be it. He can't get me-- you mentally cry as the figure comes up to the door frame and you rush to attack.

--I'm not going to die here!!--