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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Ankh-Morpork Guard" data-source="post: 3016133" data-attributes="member: 10079">Chapter 392: Signs“Explain to me, again, what we’re doing down here?” Rea asked as she walked the large streets of the library world with Jyren, Tobias, and the Mon Calamari, Loro.    It was Loro that spoke up, in a somewhat quieter voice than he usually spoke in. Probably because of all the people around them on the streets, “I believe the correct term is gathering intelligence.”    “Also called spying,” Jyren said with a smile, not at all meaning that but feeling like someone had to lighten the mood. The conversations on the way down to the planet had been bad enough. Rumours spread across the fleet quickly, and none of them seemed to be good, anymore.    “On the Fleet Marines, though?” Rea’s face showed her confusion and the Force easily gave way to the uncomfortable feelings that was also brought up by those thoughts.    Sighing, Jyren shook his head. Sometimes, he decided, it was probably best to listen to Marix and not attempt sarcastic comments, “We’re here to be the eyes for the Commander.”    It was the Mon Calamari who seemed to understand this when he added, “First hand information is more accurate than reports that have gone through multiple departments.”    “Exactly,” Jyren nodded with a smile, glancing over to Tobias, who seemed oblivious to the conversation going on behind him. The young, and currently, human was a few paces ahead of the other three, all of whom were out of uniform and somehow managing to look like normal people. But Tobias, on the other hand, seemed to wander from side to side on the street, nearly running into any and everyone that got near him.    A few minutes earlier, Jyren had reeled Toby in, but that meant that he was now just barely managing a straight path. The streets of the library world were wide, but surprisingly populated...likely due to refugees that were flooding towards the Core Worlds from the Outer Rim. Far ahead of them, and barely visible over the other buildings, was the massive library building that housed thousands and thousands of years of knowledge from all over the galaxy.    But that was not where they were currently headed. Reaching forward, Jyren rested a hand on Tobias’ shoulder to turn him down another street towards their destination. It was a rather small apartment complex near the market district of the main city where the Vong had been found. Next to it was a small, supposedly unoccupied building that had housed the Peace Brigaders.    And, when they arrived at the pair of stone-carved structures lined with a rather bland looking duracrete, it was obvious that something had definitely happened there. A group of ten New Republic soldiers was holding the two buildings, though none of them were openly holding weapons...they were there in holsters at the belts of each soldier. The street was still populated, but it was decidedly lighter than most others, likely due to the soldiers, as most on Obroa-Skai weren’t used to any kind of military presence.     Two of the nearest troopers seemed to notice something off about the group as they were heading to the buildings rather than just down the street, and stepped forward while raising his hand, “I’m sorry, but this area is sealed off for now.”    Jyren, his hand still on Tobias’ shoulder, pulled back the young man to stand behind him, then reached into his jacket pocket to produce a datapad. He allowed himself a very short glance to the others, then handed the datapad to the trooper. As the human’s eyes checked over the completely blank screen on the datapad, Jyren calmed himself and did his best to use a technique that Marix had taught him, pulling the Force into his voice, “My name is Nara Lutaine. We are with New Republic Intelligence. Everything should be in order here.”    To their credit, the two young pilots kept their mouths shut. Jyren knew Toby would, but he was unsure of the others and didn’t exactly want to tell them ahead of time for fear that they wouldn’t go along with it. Not that Rulae was going to find out about this, either. Sometimes, though, it was just best to get things done and not worry about how, even if one had to reduce to somewhat unsavory tactics.    A few moments passed, as they always seemed to do in situations like the current one, and the soldier handed Jyren the datapad back with a nod, “I apologize, sir.”    Jyren allowed himself a smile, then glanced to the others one more time and headed in. They went for the large building first, which was where the Peace Brigade had supposedly set up. The door slid open to reveal a rather boring looking entrance way that was scarred with black marks across the walls. So there had been fighting all the way through...    They got down the hallway and to the first turn before Rea’s silence finally broke, “You lied to him.”    “Yes,” Jyren nodded, turning left and following the area where the blaster scoring got tighter and dried blood could be see on the walls and the floor, “I did.”    “I saw the datapad, Captain,” Loro said in a still-quiet, but watery voice, “There was nothing on it.”    “No,” he was doing his best to get a feel through the Force, too, a trick he’d picked up back when he actually was working with New Republic Intelligence, “There wasn’t.”    Before another comment could be made, however, Tobias cut in, “Dad...”    It was the way he said it that caused Jyren to stop. Slow and...he sounded worried. Both of which were not at all normal coming from Toby. Jyren stood up straight and turned to see a half-dented door that Tobias was looking at. Toby gave him a look, and Jyren did his best to calm him with the Force while at the same time he realized just what had gotten the kid on edge.    “What is that?” Rea asked, leaning in but not being able to make out just what the scoring was. And it smelled, too...not like the ozone smell that followed a blaster bolt...but something else. Something that she couldn’t identify at all.    But just as Tobias knew what it was, and the smell, Jyren did, too.    Through the center of the door, in a long, half-curved arc, was the burn mark from a lightsaber blade.    But it was the only mark like it amongst all of the blaster scoring. And there was nothing near the door to hint at any other details...not even from the Force.    Quietly, with a sigh as he knew that they were going to have to force that door open the hard way to get through it, Jyren said, “Its not a good sign.”((And nope, the only copy of this that exists beyond what's here on the boards is my extremely messy Wordperfect file. I definitely wouldn't be opposed to seeing it PDFed, but as you guys can probably tell, life's been really busy for me lately again.))</blockquote>

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