Chapter Text
22BBY, 2 days before the attack on Geonosis
“Master Allie!” a twi'lek child burst into the meditation chamber. “Master Allie theres…”
The Tholothian woman held up a finger, silencing the youngling. Slowly bringing herself back to center, Master Stass Allie opened her eyes.
“What is it, child?” she asked gently. “Master, there’s someone in the garden.” The child’s Lekku twitched in excitement.
“Master Yoda sent me to find you. She’s alive, but asleep...or at least she’s not waking up and she’s not one of us. Not a Jedi…” The jumble of words spilled rapidly until the Jedi master rose.
The child lead her to one of the inner gardens, a favorite sight for Master Yoda’s classes. Indeed the ancient Jedi crouched next to a human female, surrounded by younglings buzzing with excitement.
“Ah, found you, they did.” Master Yoda stood and moved back, allowing the healer to examine the woman.
She was unremarkable, for a human, brown hair, an average face, clad in a sleeveless jumpsuit similar to the ones worn by municipal workers. The only thing that stood out was the large tattoo, all jagged points and sharp lines, that covered her right shoulder. She was breathing, appeared to have no external injuries, but remained unconscious despite the gentle ruckus created by the younglings. Master Allie reached out with the force...and gasped.
“She...I can barely sense her.” She explained. “It is as if she is shielded… hiding in the force.”
“mmm, felt that I did.” Master Yoda, smiled, “A most troubling incident this is. Alert the council I will." The old Master began to herd the younglings out of the garden, “For now to the medcenter take her”
The mystery woman, now laying on a bed in the Jedi Temple med center, had been heavily drugged. It had been a frustrating diagnosis, one that tested Stass Allie’s patience. Not only were the woman’s life signs barely visible in the force, but she did not register on any medical scanner. Only by shooing the droids away and entering a deep mediation could Stass find the cause. But now, in the stillness, the Jedi healer could sense the sedatives, and so much it was amazing the woman was still alive. She purged some, but not all of the drugs. Members of the Jedi Council were on the way and she thought it best to wait. The woman was stable, and aside from the drugs running through her system, was otherwise healthy.
Instead Stass studied her affects, laying on the tray beside her. She did not have any sort of ID, only small holdout blaster, a vibroblade and, curiously, a fixed blade knife made from some alloy Stass had never seen. Stass looked up at the sound of the med center door sliding open. Master Windu, Master Yoda, and Master Gallia entered. She quickly placed the blade back on the tray.
“Masters” the younger Jedi inclined her head. The trio nodded in return. Master Gallia moved to examine the woman while Master Windu picked up the knife from the tray.
“This was found with her?’ He turned it over, studying the engraving on blade.
"Yes, I've never seen a metal like that."
“Cortosis.” Master Windu handed the blade to Yoda “ And a high concentration, I haven’t seen anything like this. And the engraving....”
“Ancient it is.” Master Yoda squinted, studying the markings, “And Sith in origin.”
“As is the tattoo.” Master Windu agreed.
“Most troubling this is.” Master Yoda stroked his chin, before addressing Stass “Discovered the cause of her slumber have you?”
“She is heavily sedated. '' Stass informed them, quickly adding “With respect, Masters, she does not feel like a Sith…”
“She doesn’t feel like anything,” Master Gallia looked up from her examination, “And that is worrisome. It is one thing to hide within the force, but quite another to do so unconsciously.”
“I thought it best to wait for your arrival before reviving her.” Stass said, humbly.
“A wise decision. How long before she can be revived?” Master Windu took the knife back from Yoda.
“Only a moment, if Master Gallia will assist.”
“Of course,” the older Tholothian held her hands over the body, matching Stass’s movements. A dim blue light reflected on the jumpsuit, purging the effects of the drugs. The woman stirred, her eyes fluttered open. As the healers withdrew, she pushed herself up on her elbows looking around.
“Fierfek” She flopped back against the pillow.
“Let’s start simple, What is your name?” A tall dark skinned human, one of four beings clad in distinctive Jedi robes, asked.
“Designation Cipher Nine.” Cipher sat up and swung her legs off the table, nearly taking her whole body with them.
“Careful, you had a near lethal dose of sedatives in your system.” A Tholothian female took her arm, steadying her.
Cipher’s vision swam and she let herself slide off the table into a heap on the floor. A wave of nausea washed over her. She scrambled to grab a waste receptacle and retched heavily into it.
“That...will probably help.” the Tholothian continued, stepping out of splash range. Her stomach emptied, Cipher sat leaning against the table, enjoying the cold metal against her back before she let the Tholothian help her back onto the table.
“Better?” the dark skinned Jedi asked, not unkindly.
“Much, thank you.”
“Good. Then you can tell us how you managed to get into the Temple.”
“No.”
The Jedi exchanged a look with a small green skinned being, a species Cipher had never seen before.
“How about your affiliation? Who or what sent you?”
“No”
“What can you tell us?”
“Designation Cipher Nine.” Cipher took the opportunity to observe her surroundings. Clearly this was a med center with one entrance she could see, behind the two male Jedi. The dark skinned human held her knife while the holdout blaster and vibroblade sat on a tray near the head of her bed, along with a handful of currency, probably local. The younger Tholothian was hovering nearby,no doubt in case she needed medical attention, but still between her and the weapons. An older Tholothian stood silently behind her.
“Let’s talk about your tattoo…” the human Jedi gestured to her shoulder.
“What tattoo?” Genuinely curious, Cipher glanced at her shoulder.
The bite of the needle. The bite of teeth on her throat. Powerful hands holding her, a caress along her face. The bite of the needle. Blood. Heat. Pain. Pleasure. Darkness. Nothing.
She was on the floor again, the younger Tholothian kneeling over her looking concerned. Cipher sat up, waving the Tholothian off. She sat awkwardly on the floor eyes closed while memories came swirling back. The Empire was gone, this was not the Republic nor the Jedi she knew. She was out of her element, out of her time. She was frozen and then not and then…. here in a medical facility, apparently run by Jedi. She pinched the bridge of her nose, hoping Jedi were as merciful as they said. With no memories beyond waking in cold and ice, the dim recollection of a male voice, and nothing else, it was time to admit she needed help.
“Kailyo. Hyllus. My name is Kailyo Hyllus" she lied, "and I truly can not tell you how I got into your garden. As for who I work for, they’ve been dead for three thousand years.” Somehow she managed to squirm up the table and reseat herself, aided by the two Tholothian women.
“Explain can you?” The small green Jedi spoke for the first time.
“I am...was, an Agent in Imperial Intelligence under the Sith Empire.
I was frozen in carbonite during the Galactic Civil War. Someone released me and I woke up here.”
“Someone?”
“I vaguely remember the unfreezing process, but beyond that I have no memories between then and now. Though, apparently I was given this tattoo.” she frowned at her shoulder, pulling the skin around to better view the whole thing. It was bright and crisp, though clearly several years old.
“And this?” the Jedi held up her knife.
“A cortosis alloy blade, a gift from Darth Zhorrid for the express purpose of killing Jedi.”
“Killing Jedi?” the younger Tholothian drew back, eyes wide.
“Of course. I was an Agent of the Sith Empire, and I was good at my job.” the calm in her voice sounded psychotic, even to herself
“But,” she added, “It was only a job, I have nothing personal against Jedi.” She winced, very reassuring that will surely get the Jedi to help you.
The two male Jedi exchanged another glance before the human spoke again.
“We’ll have to keep you in the detention center. Until we know more, your unexpected presence makes you a threat.”
“I agree with your decision”
“Do you?” The human Jedi kept his voice even, but the slight change in his expression showed surprise.
“It’s what I would do. And I will cooperate. Believe me, I hope to unravel this mystery as much as you.”
Honestly, she was impressed by whomever put her there, even at the height of the Imperial Power it took the combined might of the Mandalorians and the Sith to sack the temple on Coruscant. Yet she had been dropped into an inner sanctum by persons unseen.