[i]Taris - Spire Enclave[/i]

As their guests descended the ramp of their vessel the assembled party awaiting them all stood to attention, taking a slight bow to show their respects to a visitor of their world. Taris' Alor stepped forward first, bowing again and smiling as he greeted the Black Hand. "We of the Grand Republic are pleased to welcome you to our world, and our friends of the Jedi are equally pleased to meet with you, for they have given their home to us for this meeting." At his words, Solace and Requiem stepped forward as well, Solace merely standing to attention, while her sister smiled and waved towards the guests. Continuing, he introduced the rest of the congregation of representatives with each of them nodding or bowing at mention of their name, "First are our hosts, the resplendent Knights of the Jedi Enclaves, Solace and Requiem, apprentices to the dark-jedi Shimmerene of the Cold Void. We also have joining us, Ceres Bannon, whom I'm sure you are already acquainted with. Finally there is myself, Sebastian Erazx, Alor of the Tarisian League, and Legate of the Grand Republic of Mandalore."

Concluding his introductions, the troopers at their sides were dismissed back to the corridor, giving the parties a more personal platform without as many armed persons to dissuade honest thoughts. Solace continued to glower at the droids, her disdain for them evident, though for a brief moment her eyes lingered on the larger of the brothers and her scowl slipping for a moment as she wondered what he looked like under that mask and robe. To the three of them, her aura would read clearly steeped in the dark-side, a pall of bloodshed and hate deep about her persona and the revenants of previous battles fought and won. She allowed them this freely, showing them her honest self, not bothering to hide what she was and what she would do if betrayed. Her sister was nearly the complete opposite, her aura a bright spot in the dismal wake of Solace, and seeming of genuine optimism. Only good intentions read from her, that she was meeting new people only added to her optimism. Both sisters would likely be far from what the Black Hand was expecting from a group calling themselves Jedi, one steeped in hate, and another far too open to dealing with those who call themselves Sith, yet she held a bright and shining soul deeply rooted in the light side.

Ceres was the one who spoke next, gesturing to the open doors of the hall with one hand while smiling towards the Black Hand, "Lords, if you would follow us into the Great Hall, we would welcome you more personally to Taris with food and drink. My Lady." He now looked to Darth Thorn herself as he spoke, "If you wish, we can have quarters arranged for you and your fellows here, should you be requiring of rest either before or after our discussions." To be truthful, they had already arranged for the rooms up in the higher levels of the Enclave, trying to prepare for any eventuality.

---

[i]Mandalore - The Gardens of Mandalore[/i]

A hand brushed the gentle flower, the slight moonlight illuminating the hands of an older man who still had the precise touch of a warrior, fingers capable of crushing the flower touching the petals with the gentleness of a one who had never known the handle of a blade. He walked the gardens repeating this process to each flower he passed, feeling the gentle life upon each of them and letting them know his touch. This man was one who had not been born a warrior, but had been trained as one, and been needed as one. A man who had fought to preserve a way of life, and in the end failed. He was once merely a Jedi Knight, warrior to the Old Republic, and a guardian of peace and honour for the galaxy. With the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire, he had fled with so many others like him to the Mandalorians, seeking refuge among them. Time would see him grow wiser and take up leadership of those who had followed him, and eventually he would be named Grandmaster. He did not wish for it, but he accepted it, knowing that he was best fit for it.

[i]"Grandmaster Kenobi..."[/i] The voice was cold and seemed distant, but it always did, for it was not truly a physical voice, but the telepathic communications of one who should have passed into the force a long time ago. He turned to bow before the cloaked form of his fellow jedi-master, the one who called herself Shimmerene of the Cold Void. "Master Shimmerene, you were not expected. What brings you to the gardens?" He smiled, and clasped her on the shoulder, braving the chill of her touch for a moment before releasing her shoulder. A nod from the dark-jedi and they set off down the paths of the gardens, walking under the terraces filled with climbing vines, the flowering buds of their nocturnal fruits shining in the moonlight.

[i]"I came to discuss a growing threat."[/i] Her words were without emotion, but he could feel the slight urgency she wove into her messages with the force in order to falsely convey emotion. [i]"The Dar'Manda are moving in the shadows, and the Paladin has received word that they are planning to strike a high-priority target, though we know not who they are trying to kill. My apprentice, Requiem has also been receiving visions of a terrible betrayal soon to befall us, one similar to Knightfall. She cannot be certain however, of who will strike, and who will fall. My efforts to parts the clouds of fate from her mind were in vain, something seems to have latched onto her mind, that even my powers cannot dispel."[/i]

Obi-Wan thought on these words, they were dire indeed, and well worth the journey from Taris. The vision of another Knightfall particularly worried him, as all of the Enclaves knew of the tragedy of that day, when most of their order was wiped out and the rest scattered to the stars. Surely another such event couldn't happen again? No, it would be foolish to doubt the portents of the force, especially such a dire one as this. He recalled how the Council was divided in such matters up until their betrayal, and how many of them had lost their lives during the fall of the Republic. "Send the word out." he said at last, taking mind to ensure that should anything happen, they would be ready this time. "Make sure our networks are secure, and every master and Knight is to do a full sweep of their personnel to ensure that we have not been compromised. Let us also start recalling operatives away on missions, but ensure they are safe and loyal to the code. The Jedi Order will not fall a second time, we have lost too much and recovered so little, if we must lose anything, let it be our holdings before our people. Glory to Mandalore, and may the Force be with you."

Taking a bow, Shimmerene went off to do as Obi-Wan asked, parting with only a return of [i]"Glory to Mandalore and may the Force be with you."[/i] Now alone in the gardens once more, Obi-Wan looked to the lake's edge, staring into the calm waters to see the reflection of the moon and the stars beyond. He wondered if these portents were true, and what would befall their order should they be, wondering if perhaps one person could ever see the fates of so many souls. Yoda had been known to dabble in foresight, though he had infamously warned of attempting to delve too deeply into the future, for fear of seeing a fate that could not be changed. There was a shift in the force, he could feel it himself, a shift which surrounded the fates of the miralukan twins, their master, and a stranger he did not know of. He would have to meditate further on this, too much was uncertain. For now, all they could do was prepare for the worst.