Yerbol took a sideward glance at his lover and managed to form a smile, bloodshot eyes widening a bit.
"Not...with y..ou..around...they...won..'t.." 
"You found an exit point, yes? Then we move." With Aria in the lead, they made their way to the elevator and found themselves in another sector of the undercity, the familiar sight of smokestacks and run down tenements giving Voldon some comfort in knowing they weren't too far off from getting Yerbol to a med bay. 
"Keep in front and make sure the hounds stay at the rear...unless you want to lug him around yourself." 

Their trek was far too quiet, an eerie silence threatening to break at any moment with hostility. There were groans from the creaky foundations of building, the occasional group of homeless or other unsavory characters that were hurrying from one alleyway to the next, casting glances mixed with curiosity and fear at the party before ducking out of view. Thankfully there were street lamps that illuminated the walkways they followed, Voldon occasionally stopping not only to have Yerbol rest, but to check his nav unit and ensure they were on the right path. A couple of times the Elder thought he heard a howl or a scream in the distance, but dismissed the noises as part of the already seedy underbelly of the capital world. Near the end of their journey, they arrived at a sloping ramp that led down towards an elevated walkway that curved east towards the security office. From their vantage point, they were able to see the chaos that was currently unfolding on the walkway.
"Bloody thugs." Security personnel at the entrance to the undercity were hiding behind cover, popping out to deliver blaster fire to a group of thugs on the side of the walkway closest to the party of Force users. 
"Taking advantage of the ch-" The street lamp bulbs fizzled and popped, the entire undercity consumed in a disconcerting darkness. Thankfully a couple of moments later, the bulbs came back on, but at extremely lower brightness than before, a dull, hazy orange glow serving as the only illumination. Voldon could feel a rippling in the Force, like someone had a thrown a meteor in a lake and they were beginning to feel the effects. Before Voldon attempted to give orders, the walkways shuddered and rocked, smoke billowing from underneath them. Acrid scents wafted around them, intermingling with the blood and refuse that were already present, creating an atmosphere Voldon was all too familiar with. 
"Aria, clear a path for us! I'll do what I can to shield you, but take those thugs out, NOW! Get those hounds out in front as well!" With his free hand, Voldon gestured upwards, bringing a light blue sphere into existence that took shape around them.
"Move in sync with the shield!" He barked as he plodded down the ramp, teeth clenched as his physical strength began to wane from carrying Yerbol so great a distance. They would have to carve the thugs up as quickly as possible. There was no other option. 

___

"What on Ryloth's name is going on?!" Saresh stormed out of her pitch black office, emergency lighting casting a red glow on the reception area located just outside where she had been working a couple of seconds ago. Two aides burst into the room, one of them blurting out:
"The undercity just lost ninety percent of it's primary power!" The other aide added:
"The upper city lost sixty percent and-"
"Get General Laer and Major Zem in the war room NOW!" A massive Zabrack pushed aside the aides, unbuttoning the top collar of his Republic uniform as he told the Chancellor:
"We're already on it. Security personnel are being sent to the undercity and additional troopers are being called in from barracks planetside to patrol both upper and lower cities."
"Laer, what-"
"I don't know, Tyne, but we're going to find out." Saresh gave a confident nod before responding:
"Then assemble the Cabinet together in the war room." 

___

"This is it." Jarrick stepped away from the access tunnel, gesturing to it dramatically with a relieved smile cast in his employer's direction. 
"And this will grant us access to this 'tower'?"
"Absolutely. With all the transitions in power, these tunnels got forgotten about. It'll lead you into the maintenance rooms, which are only a couple of flights of stairs up to the main hall. We've tried getting up there ourselves, but ah...well, you don't care, do you?" 
"Correct. But I am veerryy grateful for your help." Illesia calmly placed a hand on Jarrick's cheek.
"And I always show my appreciation." She sunk her fingernails into Jarrick's cheek, his eyes rolling back into his head as Illesia took her other hand and jammed her talons into his chest, breathing in deeply before exhaling, dropping the body to the ground as she wiped the residue on her black leggings. 
"That will never grow old." She giggled innocently, looking to her compatriots, who were grinning with malevolent intent. 
"Come. Power awaits."