Chapter 8

A dark figure standing off to the side watched as the robed man laughed at something the boy said. The two then walked with the prince farther down the hallway. Instead of following them as he had been, the man headed towards a far off corner. He pressed a hidden niche in the wall, and quickly dropped into the small opening. It led him down to the sewers. He rapidly walked the dark passageways under the city, finally coming to an opening that would lead him free of darkness and the dank, rotten stench. He walked through a gate and up an old stone staircase to a trapdoor. Opening that, he came up through the floor into a building where his allies were milling around tables, making plans for their next target. He pushed his way through the crowd that was gathered there and strode to a closed door. Entering a pass code into the keypad, he walked through the door as it slid open when the light on the keypad turned green.

He walked in and kneeled down as a darkly robed figure came into a blue-hued focus on the life size hologrid.

"You may rise," the gravelly voice instructed his minion.

Daruc Spion stood with a bow of his head. His black hair was cut short, save for the white and black streaks that spiked up in front, providing a striking contrast with his light blue eyes. "Your were correct in your assumption, my lord. A Jedi has indeed arrived."

"He was alone?" the voice intoned.

"No, my lord. A young boy and an astromech droid were with him."

"Ah, a Padawan. The Council did send Kenobi, then."

The cloaked figure stood silent for a moment. Daruc shifted from foot to foot, not so much nervously, but in excitement of anticipation for his next orders. Then the hooded head lifted and began speaking again.

"Daruc, continue having at least one member of your legion watch them at all times. As for you, I have different orders. There is to be a banquet tonight at Jidora Palace. I want you and some of your best men to rig explosives to go off during the banquet. Do not allow yourselves to be discovered, or a fate worse than being arrested will befall you."

"Y-yes, my lord," Daruc said, trying to swallow his fear as he directed his ice blue eyes away from the figure. He bowed down on his knee, and by the time he stood back up, the holo was gone. He left the room as quickly as possible to go talk to those who were anxiously awaiting the latest word from their master, Darth Sidious.