sinereal Wrote:The room fell silent as the video ended. A moment later, Mace reached out to the computer and rewound the footage, stopping when it reached the moment the unknown figure ignited its lightsaber. It was the best image they had of the culprit.

Comparing it to human norm, it was average height for a man or a bit tall for a woman. The build was hard to make out with the armor and the way the robes moved, but going frame by frame he eventually decided it was most likely a female by the way she walked. The rounded helmet obscured their race. It could be just about any humanoid species under that thing—sure, it may be uncomfortable for a togruta or a twi'lek, but those head tails and montrals were more flexible than most people thought and could squeeze into a space that small with some effort.

She? wielded her lightsaber left handed and, in the few movements the helmet camera caught, Mace could tell she wasn't using any particular style as she swiped her red lightsaber through the announcer's neck, then took a short few steps and did the same to the hutt on its unpowered floating bed. Then she started deflecting blaster bolts—reacting… lazily, almost. Bored, even. As if the effort were beneath her, or she was so far beyond it that she only did it because she wanted to cause chaos by turning the guards' own weapons against them.

Despite that, her movements weren't those of an untrained neophyte, or some novice. It was only the most basic of the basics, but they were smooth and practiced. Economical in motion. Whoever this was, they knew what they were doing, and they were very good at it. It was very… workmanlike. Practiced and well worn, but with getting the job done in mind—no frills, nothing wasted. The more he watched it, the more it annoyed him. It felt like a slap in the face. Like a challenge. 'Look what I can do with so little.'

Or perhaps he was reading too much into it. Seeing something where there was nothing.

Or it could be an impression in the Force, he mused.

Turning to Grandmaster Yoda, Mace raised an eyebrow. "What do you think?"

Troubling, this is.

Yoda frowned, fingers laced over the end of his cane as he studied the image on the screen. "Troubling, this is. Move openly, the Sith do now. Begun, a new war has, between light and dark."

Mace nodded. "If Palpatine is the Master, do you think this is the Apprentice?"

"Know for sure Senator Palpatine is the Master, we do not. Only suspect. Only one Sith have we seen for ourselves," Yoda pointed out, nodding to the video.

Sending the older Grandmaster a doubtful look, Mace said, "Her report on what Palpatine showed her was pretty damning. If he's not a Sith himself, then he's a Sith cultist or worshiper. Either way, something we need to deal with."

"Not yet," Yoda shook his head. "Investigate, we shall. We must. But carefully must we tread, if a senator we are to accuse. Evidence must we have. Undeniable. Not merely an accusation."

Mace didn't like it, but the old Grandmaster had a point. The blowback if they jumped on this and were wrong… It would cause a stir among the other senators, who would have more ammunition to question not just the need for the Jedi but their effectiveness and whether or not they were even fit for duty in their role within the Republic.

"Fine. That does bring up another point." Crossing his arms over his chest, he asked, "Can we trust it? Can we trust her? Knowing what we've learned about Dooku and his secession."

"Mm." Master Yoda hummed, reaching up and stroking his beard. "Chafe under the rules of the order, Tanya does. Too independent. Too headstrong."

"That describes Dooku and his entire line," Mace shook his head.

Yoda was silent for a few moments as he thought it over, before finally coming to a decision. "Her heart is in the right place, I believe. Shows that she still considers herself a part of the Order, this does," he nodded towards the screen. "Capable of seeing the greater threat, she is."

"How should we handle it? The council has a right to know," Mace pointed out, and Yoda nodded.

"Yes. Inform them, we will. An emergency session, we will call. However, keep it quiet we must. Should word get out…" he trailed off and Mace sighed.

"I think it's too late for that. This was at a public venue. In Hutt space, yes, but word will get back. You know as well as I do that half the senate attend questionably legal events just like this. I'd be willing to bet many of them were there that night. We should get out ahead of this. It's going to look bad for us no matter what. Better that we're seen to be doing something and we be the ones to break the news to the senate, if it hasn't already broken to the majority of them."

For a moment, the Grandmaster closed his eyes, sagging where he sat. He sighed, before nodding. "Right, you are. Hide this, we cannot. Very well. Discuss this with the High Council we shall, then address the senate tomorrow."

Yoda stood and Mace followed as they left the room, heading for the High Council chambers.