His comfort in knowing that Ari had successfully landed planetside was short lived when out of the stone enclosure wrapping around the circular base of the anti aircraft gun came three bronze battledroids. Their rifles were leveled straight at the Champion, one of them issuing a static command: 
"Cease and desist under order of Voss-Ka protocol seven two five. Remove all weaponry a-" His dual bladed saber sung through the air as it slashed through the torsos of two, Yerbol dodging a series of bolts fired from the remaining droid before the saber returned to it's owner and running the third attacker through the head in the process. A triumphant smirk briefly crossed his features, stepping over the wreckage and into the same orifice where the droids had proceeded from. A narrow stairway of four steps led upward into a spherical shaped control room with buttons glowing at various intervals along with a computer panel directly opposite from the entranceway that had a continuous scroll of non-descript characters that would have made sense to a technician, but to a Force user who barely had experience firing a blaster rifle. He briefly examined the arc of mystifying technology before shrugging his shoulders and plunging one blade of his saber into the computer panel, sparks flinging upward and scorching the vibrating ceiling above. Nearly loosing his footing, the Champion dug his saber a bit further into the machinery before withdrawing and making a hasty retreat into a sheet of metal where the exit would have been. Sirens blared in the domicile which threatened to deafen the Champion, a similarly robotic voice proclaiming:
"Sabotage detected. Initiating self destruct sequence two point seven two." If that "sequence" wasn't present before, Yerbol had a gnawing feeling that Manus had ingratiated it somehow into the AA's programming to ensure that no one could tamper with the device. 

Instinct kicked into high gear. The Champion thrust his arms forward in an attempt to dislodge the barrier, only creating a large dent. Another thrust, another dent, but no movement of the door itself. Grimacing, Yerbol stepped back as much as he could without potentially getting immolated by the sparks around him, closed his eyes and summoned whatever energy he could from the chaos within the control room before dashing forward, his entire body becoming a singular projectile, saber extended outward. 

It wasn't but a few seconds later that he opened his eyes to find the outskirts of Voss Ka visible once more. 
"Really?" He muttered with a disbelieving chuckle, looking behind him at the smoldering heap that was once a defense weapon for the Voss. 
"HA!" He stood up, wobbling slightly as he regained his balance, turning his head back to Voss Ka to find that a certain spouse of his was approaching without a single singe mark or blemish; in fact, as she drew closer, it looked like she had encountered no trouble at all. 

Of course she hadn't. 

It was at that moment he realized that she had reached out to him through their bond to assure him of her triumph. Had he said anything in return? Judging by her smirk and remark about his carnage, he must have. Filing away the incident flagged with "review the potential ramifications of subconscious communication through their bond" in his mind, he agreed with their next plan of action and proceeded into the heart of Voss Ka. The signs of battle became more frequent as they marched ahead: Faceless, Voss, Alliance troopers and even a few other unfortunate civilians of various races were strewn across the fabled streets. To think that there was a purpose for all this mess. A shudder had to be suppressed when the duo came upon a scene straight out of a holo. 

Cheriss and Voldon were holding off a group of Faceless and heavily armored droids with a kind of tactful precision that Yerbol could only envy. Cheriss' fluidity was complimented by Voldon's heavy handed saber style, which was currently applied to a Faceless who once had a head. As the Champions joined, Yerbol heard a zealous shout:
"DOWN! NOW!" Joining the fray meant complying with Voldon, who apparently had sensed a Faceless cloaked with a stealth generator and was ready to impale Yerbol on her saber. When the Champion dodged, it was his partner who sliced the murderer apart, Yerbol feeling the indignation clearly through their bond. 

[i]You know me, honey. Always the ladies man.[/i]

___

"You ask the impossible."
"Impossible?" Manus snickered at the thought, gaze piercing the trio of Mystics cross-legged on the floor. 
"I didn't think was a word in your vocabulary. Your creed, after all, implies that all things are possible with the strands of fate." 
"You misinterpret our words, our purpose as Mystics." Another spoke, a rare cracking of the voice audible. 
"Your purpose..." He sunk to one knee, pointing at the three of them.
"Is to understand how time and fate intertwine is it not? Not only to understand, but to INTERPRET?" Silence. 
"We're not getting anywhere with this." Soto complained, her arms folded over her ebony chestplate. 
"Patience. The process of reaching back in time takes...effort, does it not?" 
"We cannot reach bac-" Manus reached his right hand out, strangulating the throat of the protesting Mystic with a burst of Force. 
"I did not spend months of my life scouring your putrid philosophical meanderings for NOTHING." He released his grip before continuing: 
"You were trained to reach back into the past as a part of your initiation into the caste. I am asking very simply to locate where two people went, two very important people who could alter the fate of the galaxy and bring into existence a revolution for the Force, for the power YOU use." More silence. 
"I see we will have to resort to extreme methods. Jean, leave us." Knowing not to question Manus, Jean stalked towards him, whispering in his ear:
"They fought through the first line of defense and are headed towards the temple." Manus nodded.
"Intercept them." 

_____

Setting the macrobinoculars down, the boy quietly told the others laced into his frequency: 
"They're coming up the main path. Order is to intercept at all costs." With equally quiet acknowledgements, the squadron of Faceless moved into position as Manus had instructed, perching themselves among the tops of the sloping hills that flanked the main road to the Temple. They would prove their skill today. 

____

"The temple of Healing." Voldon flatly commented, wiping away sweat forming on his brow before pointing past the destruction that their battle had caused.
"The Mystics made their home there. Manus would have them cornered there in order to isolate them from the rest of the population. We make our way there." 
"On foot? Exposed?" Yerbol protested, adding:
"Those hills look perfect for an ambush." 
"Indeed. Which is why we're not taking the main road." 
"What?" 
"We'll have to go through the Nightmare lands."
"The what?"
"Nightmare lands. There's an underground series of caverns that connect the Nightmare lands to the Temple of Healing." Suspecting a follow up question, Voldon quickly added:
"Kira and I had to rescue the Mystics at the time from the corrupted planet core." Another addition: 
"No time to recap. Just keep close."