[center][h2][color=B200BB]Riven Je'and[/color][/h2][/center]

She couldn't believe what had just happened, as she sat in the back of the ship bound for Coruscant's moon resort. Despite all their precautions, all their care and caution, that they would have been caught...Everything had been going well enough considering their order had been all but exterminated in its entirety, with the Council members all having likely fallen to their clones in battles across the galaxy, and so far, their small group of survivors had avoided drawing any unnecessary attention to itself as they moved from the apartment that they'd been hiding out in. Even before that, they had avoided unnecessary attention, moving as a group through the crowded lower levels and only speaking to those they had to. Fortunately for the group of Jedi, it would take time for the Clones to do a complete sweep of the Jedi Temple and even with that done, they may never find the secret exit. [i][color=B200BB]No one's noticed us, which is good. Probably think we're a gang hitsquad or something, which works even better for us. If we can just get to the rendezvous...[/color][/i]

But they didn't make it before trouble found them. Riven must have missed a tail or not noticed some being taking interest in her dealings with the gangsters earlier, because as soon as they got within four hundred yards of the ship that would deliver them to safety, the boarding ramp in sight with a pair of nervous looking gang members aiming blaster rifles at the alleys and playing guard, the Jedi Master got only a moments warning, and it wasn't enough. A flurry of blaster fire came from behind the group, the blue bolts crashing into the backs of the Jedi Knights and Padawans even as Riven's lightsaber flew to her hand and ignited, the twin orange blades snapping to life too late to save anyone but their owner. [color=B200BB]"No!"[/color] The gang members flew into action, as their source of payment was at risk as they took cover and returned fire on the clones as they moved forwards. Riven, grief gripping her heart, lashed out with the Force, locking the squad of six clones in a Stasis Field that held them in place as the two gang members put blaster bolts in their heads.

Stumbling over to the bodies of her fallen charges, she removed each of their lightsabers form their hiding places, clipping each one to her belt and swearing to keep their memories alive. However, when she reached Knight Rolan, he was still breathing raggedly, and struggled to offer her his own lightsaber, a sad smile on his face. "Guess it was *cough* too good to be true." Riven hurried over to him, struggling to stop the bleeding.

[color=B200BB]"No, Rolan, no, don't talk. I can stop this, we can both get out of here alive, and find other survivors. I won't have lost all of you."[/color] The Nautolan gently stopped her panicked fawning and put his crossguard saber in her hands, still smiling softly.

"No, Master. We were outplayed here, but the fact you're alive, and that other Jedi have likely survived, means there's hope. Go, before more clones come to investigate. The *cough cough* Force will be with you," the light began to fade form his eyes as he finished speaking, the last word say with his last breath, "alwayssssss...." And with that Jedi Knight Rolan passed on to become one with the Force, and leaving a Jedi Master who felt like she had failed those under her protection alone in the alley way.

"Lady, we need to move. Lookout says three more patrols are zeroing in on our little shootout here." Riven forced herself to her feet and past the gangsters, boarding her lift to Coruscant's moon and taking a seat after giving the person she'd made the deal with, Joseph Caronat, a Corellian with a big head, twenty thousand credits. He gave the word and the craft lifted off. Silence reigned as she grieved in silence for her lost fellows, but eventually, the Corellian spoke and revealed he not only had a big head, but a big heart as he also handed back the credits.

"Look, Master Riven. I know what the Empire is saying about the Jedi, about the war that just ended. Me and the boys, after you left, did some talking and something doesn't add up. We've all, at some point, had dealings with Jedi. They were the last to get violent and the first to try and talk things out. So this whole conspiracy that the new Emperor cooked up..." Riven looked at him with hard eyes.

[color=B200BB]"Get to the point please, Joseph."[/color] The man nodded.

"He's runnin' the biggest scam this side of the Maw and we can see it a mile away. Consider me and the boys at your service. Your eyes and ears on Coruscant and your personal tools for getting wetwork done. The Ravagers will answer to you." Riven took a moment to think, closing her eyes and focusing on her breathing to help. Having a source of information on Coruscant even after she fled it would be a great way to determine courses of action in the future and would also potentially allow her to return after the heat had died down and investigate on her own terms. Over all, she could find no down side, or at least, not yet.

[color=B200BB]"Very well, Joseph, I'll take you up on that. Having eyes and ears on the planet would certainly not hurt."[/color]

[hr]

As the ship took off to return to Coruscant, Jedi Master Riven Je'and felt a small glimmer of hope as she made her way through the back alleys of the resort to her secret safe house and the ship she had stashed at it. The Ravagers would be able to reach her anywhere on the encoded channel she'd provided and she'd made it to safety, at least for the time being. The door to her safe house came into view and she approached quickly, entering the keycode she had custom made to beat burglars and entering. In the span of two hours, she had resealed the safe house, secured the provisions she'd need to get to the Outer Rim, and had taken off in her modified XS Freighter, the [i]Yggdrasil[/i]. She set a course for the Outer Rim and jumped to light speed.

In the captain's quarters hung the lightsabers of the Padawans and Knights she had failed to get to safety, with Knight Rolan's saber hung one row above the others. [i][color=B200BB]I will do what I can for the galaxy, I will try and save the other survivors, I swear it.[/color][/i]