Chapter 105: 105. Chapter

Three girls of somewhat similar age were huddled together in one of the inner temples’ hidden corners. The girls mentioned were none other than Barriss, Kalifa, and Lily. Not far from their current position was a visible staircase that lead down to the lower levels of the temple. It was what the girls were supposed to protect…

At least, that was how they originally imagined this heroic mission. Alas, while they were preparing to defend their temple to the last kind of imagining themselves as temple guards, a new order arrived which overwrote the original one.

It stated that they should immediately move down into the tunnels if the invasion of the temple indeed repeats itself. It was not exactly the order they wanted to hear. Especially not Kalifa and Barriss. Maybe for that reason the earlier mentioned decided to complain loudly just about that.

-Oh, damn! I can’t accept this! Why should we be the only ones that are left out of the action!?

Barriss looked at her friend with a scrutinising gander.

-Didn’t you had already enough of this action last time? I can still remember you complaining about how helpless you felt while facing a bunch of clones, and… I was feeling like that, too.

Kalifa looked at Barriss, fresh annoyance glinting in her eyes. She stated gloatingly, while slightly raising her nose towards the sky, her hands placed on her hips in haughty manner.

-The only reason I felt like that was because we had to defend all those kids. In different circumstances, if I had been allowed to unleash my power, they would have no chance but to flee in utter terror.

Barriss rolled her eyes, dismissingly. She was already used to Kalifa’s boastful nature at least as much one could get used to it. Still sometimes it was pretty annoying, but this level she could confidently handle.

In the meantime, Lily, the newest addition to their little click, had been silently sitting nearby, staring into nothingness. It was not an unusual sight, and by this time, after spending a few days in each other’s company, the others have already learned to accept and ignore her antics.

In fact, they have already understood that even when Lily seemed completely lost in her thoughts, the reality couldn’t have been farther from the truth. She was probably more aware of her surrounding then either one of them, and because of this understanding, they actually know that she was keeping track even on their stupid little argument.

Kalifa decided to step away from Barriss, as she could sense her dismissive attitude towards her earlier statement.

-Humph.

She sharply looked aside… showing her distaste.

Of course, she knew that what she said was a bit of an exaggeration, but still, there was no reason to give that annoying attitude towards her. She hated to admit it, but Barriss, even with her seemingly meek behavior, was better than her with both force manipulation and lightsaber combat.

Yeah, she was a padawan for much longer than she was… but it still annoyed her to no end when she beat her so dismissingly in their practice matches.

It was how she learned the truth about Barriss’ actual nature. The girl was a wolf in sheep’s clothing. She was completely different from what she allowed us to perceive of her. Her meek act was but a way to fool her enemy, make them underestimate her and then hit them where it hurts the most. She was also fooled by this, but that won’t happen anymore. Her butt still hurt from their last fight, the bastard kicked her in the ass, literally.

Now that she understood that Barriss was actually a very competitive, cunning and at times even a bit cruel person. I mean… she loved to rub in every single victory of hers… That was really annoying, especially that she only did that when nobody else could hear… and now that she understood all of that, seeing her act like some lost loth cat kitten made her blood boil even more. Barriss was simply too greedy! She was so strong, yet acted cute all the same… yes… definitely she was way too greedy! How infuriating.

In the end, it all comes down to her, to teach a lesson to this greedy girl! Unfortunately, it is not the best time for such daydreams.

They were reading the most recent military reports, which they had special access to through their jedi com-links. The newest reports on the matter state that forces of the separatist army began their ground assault. Detaching large groups of droids to attack and take crucial positions on the ground. It was no surprise then that the sounds of battle and gunfire around the temple have continued to grow over the last half hours.

The temple itself was clearly one of those crucial points to take over. The droids now were already engaged in a fierce battle with the ground forces of the second army.

Kalifa was listening to the sounds of war with a frustrated body posture.

-Argh… it is not fair that we are the only ones ordered to not participate in the defence of our own home! When we are supposed to fight if not in this type of scenario?

Barriss sighed, while listening to the endless flow of complaints. She apparently had enough of Kalifa’s delusions and said in a grumpy tone.

-Speak only in your name, Kali… I would rather be here than going out there in this chaos.

Kalifa raised both of her eyebrows, making a shocked expression.

-What are you even talking about? It’s the war of the century happening around us, and we can’t take our share of the glory? Yet you are not bothered by it, not even the slightest?! Are you completely crazy? Are your blood veins only holding sugar-water or what!?

Barriss immediately jumped up as if she was bitten by a bunch of felucian red ants.

-A jedi is not supposed to dream about glory… especially not glory achieved through acts of violence.

Kalifa blinked disbelievingly, seeing and hearing the righteous but empty sounding phrase that was robotically burped up by this annoying green skinned mirialan.

-HA! Don’t make me laugh! This is what makes you so liked by the masters, always reciprocating those bullshit in front of them… However, you can’t fool me anymore! I knew that you don’t give a shit about all those things… in fact; you are more dismissive about them than I ever was! So stop acting like the goody two shoes before I decide to kick your ass!

Barriss’ expression darkened visibly as she retorted.

-I would like to see you try!

However, that sentence only got a wide smirk out of Kalifa.

-Hah, got you princess. You let your act fall apart so easily? Your master would be disappointed…

-…

There was a sudden cracking sound, filling the corridor. The noise was similar to someone cracking their neck or fingers, but a few times louder.

Both of the arguing girls turned towards Lily, who suddenly looked up and stared into the empty corridor. Both of the girls knew that Lily rarely did anything without reason and immediately stopped arguing, readying themselves while pulling out their sabers. They were prepared to activate them at any time.

The sounds of weakly echoing steps resonated through the walls, signaling now surely that someone was indeed coming this way. Someone who, in contrast to the current situation unfolding around them, was plainly not in a hurry.

The comfort of which this newcomer was arriving did not make them ease up at all… if anything, it made more them worried.

Kalifa couldn’t understand who this blatant person might be. Everybody who was capable to participate in the battle should already be outside fighting, leading or supporting the army. Only a few of the temple guards and those who were not supposed to participate in the battles were left behind.

She, however, didn’t have to think about it much longer. As the form of a small twi’lek girl stepped out from the shadows of the corridor. Seeing the familiar face of that Sith manifesting in front of her in this particular scenery made Kalifa jump back with an annoyed shout unknowingly broking out of her throat.

-IT’S YOU! SO IT REALLY WAS YOU! I thought that I was seeing things when we run into each other a few hours earlier… but it seems I didn’t completely go crazy after all… but how is it, that you barily change in two damn year! Were you hibernated? Must be!

While Barriss listened to Kalifa’s somewhat hysterical reaction, she also remembered to the face of this particular teenager. It was the one that talked with master Yoda all that, while speaking with such familiarity. She wanted to ask Kalifa after seeing her earlier surprise, but as things became quite chaotic soon after that, she didn’t really have the opportunity to act on those thoughts.

It didn’t really matter anymore, since she will have a chance to get to the end of it right now.

Surprisingly, or perhaps not so surprisingly, knowing Kalifa’s usual conducts, the twi’lek girl also reacted quite strongly when she saw Kali. Her mouth fell open for a few seconds as she stared at her with clear contempt and… was that fear? Even if it wasn’t, a strong sense of discomfort was clearly radiating from her… then her eyes focused on Lily and her expression became somewhat solemn.

Did they know each other as well? But Lily doesn’t seem to react to her presence, well it’s not like I could really tell what she was thinking, based on her expressions.

The girl looked back at Kalifa with an icy gaze, then closed her eyes and released a heavy sigh, as if she was prepping herself up for a troublesome exchange of words.

Then, after a few more seconds, she finally spoke up.

-I am staying in the temple, as a guest of the grandmaster right now… unfortunately before I realized, most of the people usually staying here left and I don’t really know what to do now… I was walking through the corridor for quite some time… hoping to bump into someone, because I am not yet comfortable with the temples layout, could you perhaps give me some directions?

That was what the unknown girl said, with just the right amount of hesitation lingering in her voice.

Both of the girls started to speak at the same time. While Barriss asked with obvious surprise, Kalifa shouted in aggravated annoyance.

-You are a guest of Grandmaster Yoda?!

-Stop lying you fiend! I know that you are a Sith. You can’t fool my eyes!

And indeed the moment Kalifa accused the grey-skinned twi’lek of being a Sith, for a short second it seemed that her eyes indeed glinted with a golden hue, alas it lasted for such a short amount of time that it could have been the act of Bariss's imagination or the mischief of a wandering ray of light arriving at an opportune moment.

Kalifa and Barriss looked at each-other as they heard the other one’s reaction.

Barriss asked demandingly.

-What do you mean by that!? How would the Grandmaster invite a Sith into the temple… use your brain for once, stupid!

The blood immediately rushed into Kalifa’s face, as she shouted in a frenzy.

-NO! She must have deceived Master Yoda, I knew what this girl truly is… I was the one who caught her after all! She is a Sith, and that’s the truth.

Barriss felt a cold sensation run up her spine. As she remembered a baseless rumor from a few years earlier… one that was lingering around the temple for a surprisingly long time.

-Wait… are you saying those rumors about you, and the stupid stories you couldn’t stop repeating were actually true?! NO WAY!

Kalifa's mouth was the one that dropped open hearing Barriss reaction.

-You-you bastard, of course it was true. Do you take me for a lier!?

-But… but that doesn’t make any sense… it can’t be the case, something is not right…

-No! It is as I say!

-SILENCE!

Both of the arguing girls froze, hearing the obviously force reinforced voice ringing through the corridors with quite the power. Both of them turned towards the newly arrived visitor.

The girl was furious; her face red from suppressed anger, and now her eyes were really glinting with an unmistakable and dangerous golden hue.

The two girls, facing her, gulped down their excess saliva while witnessing this ominous phenomenon. The twi’lek started to rant at them with a stuck up attitude.

-Silence!

She repeated her words once more this time without the force infusion.

-Since the day we met, no… since the day I rescued you from being hunted and likely killed for sport by a bunch of trandoshans… you have been lieing about me! Even now you have the face to point at me saying with such confidence that I am a damn Sith! If I was a Sith, why the hell would I go out of my way to save your sorry little ass back there?

Now listening to the other party’s perspective, Barriss slowly lowered her lightsaber, but did not turn it off just yet… The situation unfolding in front of her eyes, was just as she expected more complicated than it seemed to be… nothing was simple if it involved Kalifa to begin with.

In the meantime, Kalifa started to fidget slightly… More often than not, she looked down to the floor, which was likely an act of shame, or at least some level of discomfort.

This was suspicious.

Kalifa spoke up defensively.

-I don’t know any of your intentions, but it couldn’t have been anything good. I know more than enough of your kind to realize this, you only waste your time with trying to sweet talk with me.

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The twi’lek whose true character was still a mystery for Barriss, seemed to become even more frustrated. Her hands were formed into tight fists as her body shook with anger. Her gaze turned towards Barriss, she was clearly trying to defend her cause and now gave up on the notion of communicating with Kalifa.

The twi’lek girl pointed at Kali, while saying with a strong sense of disgust.

-Sweet talk you into WHAT?! This barbarian has assaulted me after I have released her from a cage… she humiliated me and then spread nasty rumors of me all around the temple… Among other baseless lies, she said that I was a Sith of all things! Can you believe it?

Barriss looked at Kalifa, who was now also red in the face, then turned back towards the newcomer, who actually seemed really annoyed and riled up by this.

Barriss nodded to herself, crossed her arms over her chest and said.

-Yeah, that actually sounds like something she would do…

The twi’lek seemed to feel a sense of relief hearing that. While Kalifa looked at Barriss with large betrayed eyes.

-Are you going to believe the words of the enemy over your comrade?!

Shouted Kalifa in disbelief.

Barriss answered.

-I didn’t say that, but since we have a sensor type with us, we might just ask her to share her take on this matter. Lily, is this twi’lek girl lying?

The until now completely silent girl moved, eliciting a series of cold crackling sounds. It was the bone like exoskeleton covering a large portion of her body that knocked against itself as a result of those movements making that eery noise as a side effect.

-She isn’t lying, at least not in an obvious way that I could sense. I can only sense straight out lies after all…

Kalifa kicked her in the leg, interrupting her speech just a bit too late.

-Are you mad!

Shouted Kalifa, scolding Lily helplessly.

The girl puffed out her cheeks.

-Ouch? Why did you kick me? You are mean!

-I am better off being mean than being an absolute fool like you!

-I… what did I do?

Barriss facepalmed with an exasperated sigh…

-Thanks Lily… but you shouldn’t have told that information in front of a potential enemy… Now she is aware of how to go around your ability to detect lies… that is the problem.

Lily’s eyes grow larger with genuine understanding filling them. Then she immediately became sad.

-Uh, sorry… I didn’t mean to cause you trouble…

-It’s fine… just think of it next time. Anyway, I guess, if she was really a Sith we would have been killed by now, so as far as I go. You are welcome to join our miserable little company.

Stated Barriss with a warm smile while reaching out her hand in a gesture of a handshake, which the fresh addition happily accepted.

-I am Barriss Offee padawan to Luminara Unduli, this troublemaker here you probably know already and that is Lily. She doesn’t have a second name as far as we know, but that’s not that rare around here.

-I, well… thanks for the introduction, I am, I mean my name is Nizzal, Nizzal Grey.

Barriss grabbed Nizzal’s palm a bit tighter than it was considered polite when she heard that.

-Are you with the Grey Order? Oh, obviously… I should have realized right away when you said that you were a guest of the Grandmaster… forgive our earlier rudeness, but we are a bit on edge considering the circumstances… Coruscant being under attack, the second time in a few weeks, and all that. Things are becoming wild.

-Are you collaborating with the enemy?

A face appeared filling a large part of Barriss’ vision suddenly, but this time she was more decisive than before. In a few quick movements she handled Kalifa, pulling her to her side while forcing her head to bow and ask for forgiveness for her ignorant actions.

Naturally, the girl was stubborn as a mule and only after a decent amount of coercion did she give in.

-Ouch-ouch-ouch-ouch… you are going to break my wrist! Okay, fine! Stop! I yield, do you hear me sorry!! I am sorry I was wrong!

When Barriss finally let her go, she scurried away, hiding behind Lily, and giving Barriss a death glare with a pair of teary eyes that weren’t really that intimidating. They were much more comical.

After that, a heavy and awkward silence filled up the corridor that didn’t seem to lift up for a while.

A dreadfully long time later, the twi’lek coughed and spoke up.

-Eh… by the way, do you mind if I ask what you were originally planning here?

Barriss was grateful for the question and rushed to answer it.

-We were guarding the entrance to the lower corridors, it is designed to be an escape route that led to a secret location outside of the temple. In case if a situation arose when we are trapped in here. The tunnels are also effective in serving as a bunker. It is true that the temple has its own shield generator, but those things do not provide protection against every type of attack. A falling down ship, for example, would pass through it without much opposition.

-I guess that makes sense…

Suddenly, a loud siren started echoing through the corridors. All four of us shuddered at the unexpected loud sound.

-What is going on now?

Asked Nizzal, genuine worry leaking into her voice.

It was Barriss who answered.

-It seems the temple’s defences have been activated. That means we got unwelcomed guests in the temple. I guess… it was only a matter of time. Now. We should head down to the tunnels and close the door behind us, orders and stuff.

Kalifa grunted, still hiding behind Lily, who was silently observing the situation, still feeling a bit down from her earlier mistake.

-Like you really care about orders… you are just like that Sith, doing whatever you want…

-Would you shut up, already?

-No.

-Sigh… I expected as much. You know what… until you don’t do anything stupid; I don’t care. Now move into the tunnels. We don’t have much time.

Are we going to cover in the shadows like cowards? What is your take on this Sith? Some would think you have a reputation to uphold or something like that…

-I am not a Sith…

Kalifa looked at Nizzal with thick ridicule.

-Yes, and your eyes are just turning yellow by mere accident whenever you glare at me.

Barriss also realized the truth in this and looked at Nizzal questioningly.

She schooled her feelings as much as she could, and answered.

-It’s a side effect of my order’s training methods… but that doesn’t mean anything…

-Hah, keep telling that to yourself and you might even believe it.

Barriss coughed and interrupted their argument before it could take root.

-I will take your word for it, as I don’t really have anything else to do at the time… I saw master Yoda speaking with you in a friendly manner, and that is enough reason for me to give you some of my trust. Now move. As I keep mentioning, we don’t have much time.

Nizzal coughed lightly and said.

-I… actually know a safe way to leave this place… since you were willing to trust me, I might as well trust you, but I don’t trust that girl.

Kalifa shouted, annoyed.

-Shut up, it’s not like I need your trust! In fact, I won’t trust you either, stuuupid!

Barriss stated calmly, after she began to walk down into the tunnels.

-Unfortunately we can’t leave. We were requested to guard the tunnels the children and the injured hiding inside. If the worst comes to show, we will have to lead them out of the tunnels.

Nizzal was not happy with this answer… but she still nodded silently.

-I see, so there are others hiding there too… that is troublesome.

-Yes, it is…

Agreed Barriss.

In the end, Nizzal also followed the other three into the dark tunnels, but while doing so, she sent a telepathic message to her people to teleport out of the temple. They have no reason to intertwine with the events happening here directly, at least not more then they alredy did. It was not their war. They were here, through the guidance of the force, and with a very specific reason. Using battle meditation to boost the soldiers’ effectiveness was already enough help. There was no further need to risk their lives in a more direct way.

The elders and the soldiers agreed to teleport, but they insisted on leaving at least two guards to follow Nizzal. She is not supposed to wander in a still weakened condition without proper escorts.

Now that most of her people were in safety, Nizzal could finally focus on her main objective. Which was to somehow bring Lily along with her on her own accord. Based on her observations, it was very likely that this girl was the key to secure their order from the first real threat that could threaten their existence over thousands of years. The threat caused by the rapid zerg expansion.

If the order could teach Lily and guide to reach her potential, then she could very likely deter the zerg invasion without even needing to fight with them.

At least those are the best case scenarios.

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