A sleek, dark starship landed on a platform, attached to the side of the Capital Building. The landing gear creaked slightly under the weight of the ship, the hum of its engines quickly died down, leaving the landing area in a strange, ominous calm.
Five hooded figures emerged from the ship, their faces hidden in the shadows of their cloaks. They moved with purpose, their boots making soft, deliberate clicks against the metal platform. The two guards stationed at the entrance to the building watched them approach with suspicion.
"Identification," one guard said, holding out a hand.
Without a word, the lead figure reached into his cloak. But instead of pulling out identification, he produced a blaster. With deadly precision, he fired two quick shots. The first guard fell instantly, the blaster bolt piercing his chest. The second guard barely had time to react before a bolt hit him squarely between the eyes. Both men crumpled to the ground.
They stepped over the bodies and entered the Capital Building, their movements swift and calculated. Inside, the white floors gleamed under the dim light, and the faint echo of their footsteps was swallowed by the vastness of the structure. They were on a mission, and nothing would stand in their way.
—
Several floors above, Finn and Link stood guard outside Senator Connix's door. The hallway was quiet, foot traffic had dwindled down slowly. Now the area was empty. Link was noticeably uncomfortable, her violet eyes scanning the corridor nervously.
Suddenly, Finn felt a disturbance in the Force, like a ripple in the air around him. His senses flared, and his hand instinctively went to the hilt of his lightsaber.
"Link," he said quietly, "something's wrong."
Link looked up at him. "What do we do?"
"Stay here and guard the Senator," Finn instructed. "I'm going to check it out."
Finn stepped into an elevator and pressed the button to descend to the docking level. His heart raced as the elevator carried him down. The feeling of danger was growing stronger with every passing second.
The elevator doors slid open, revealing a large lobby bustling with people. Finn's senses immediately locked onto the three hooded figures moving toward him through the crowd. They saw Finn and pulled out their blasters. A man nearby saw them and yelled, "Get down!"
The first shot rang out, and Finn's lightsaber ignited in an instant. He deflected the shot effortlessly, sending it back at the attacker. The man crumpled to the floor, dead before he even knew what hit him. All around them, people were screaming and heading for the exits.
The other two opened fire, their blasters spitting deadly bolts. Finn's movements were fluid, his lightsaber spinning in perfect arcs as he deflected each shot. The Force guided his hand, and within seconds, the two remaining attackers were cut down, their bodies lying motionless on the cold floor.
As Finn deactivated his lightsaber, the building's security team arrived, their faces grim. The lead guard approached him, glancing at the fallen figures. "What's going on?"
"Assassins," he replied. "We need to check on Senator Connix. Now."
Without another word, they rushed to the elevators, Finn's mind was racing. He knew the attack wasn't over. There were more of them, he could feel it.
—
Upstairs, Link stood alone in the hallway, her senses on high alert. She felt the same disturbance Finn had, but it was more than that now, there was something close, too close. Her hand hovered near her lightsaber as she stared down the narrow corridor.
An elevator door opened at the end of the hall. Two hooded men emerged. They started walking toward her and she said, "Stop."
Without hesitation, they drew their blasters. Link's green lightsaber ignited with a snap-hiss, casting a vivid glow in the dim corridor. The first shot came, and she swung her blade, deflecting the bolt back toward the attacker. It hit him squarely in the chest, and he fell to the floor with a grunt, his body still.
The second man hesitated for just a moment, but it was enough. Link charged, her blade a blur of motion. The man fired again, but she deflected the shot effortlessly, her focus unwavering. As she closed the distance, she swung her lightsaber, cutting through his blaster with a sharp hiss.
Disarmed, the man stumbled back, but before he could make a move, Link reached out with the Force. With a flick of her wrist, she sent him flying back, his body falling onto the floor with a thud. He groaned.
Link stood over him, her breathing heavy, her lightsaber still ignited, casting a green glow over the fallen figure. She held her stance, ready to strike again if necessary, but the man didn't move.
Just then, an elevator door slid open. Finn and the security guards rushed out, their eyes taking in the scene before them. The guards moved past her, securing the hallway. One guard rolled the surviving attacker over, cuffing his wrists behind him.
Link deactivated her lightsaber and followed Finn toward the Senator's door. He pressed a button on the wall and the door slid open. Inside, they found Captain Sarthus holding a blaster, his eyes focused on the doorway. He lowered the weapon slightly when he saw Finn. Kaydel was standing behind him with her back to a wall, her expression tense.
"Are you two alright?" Finn asked, stepping forward.
Daro nodded, his grip on the blaster loosening. Kaydel let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "Yes, thank you," she said. "Both of you."
Finn turned to exit the room and Link followed, closing the door behind them.
He looked at Link and smiled. "Good work," he said, his voice filled with pride. "You saved their lives."
She silently smiled back.
An officer approached. "I think you should see this."
The man held out a necklace, taken off one of the attackers. A metal emblem dangled from the chain, a symbol, The Path of the Open Hand.