A New Player in the Force (SW/Lite Gamer)

[Idovelicus]

Yeah, this portrayal of Eidetic Memory doesn't sound like what it's named. It sounds more like PTSD but for literally every moment of your life, with more weight the more intense the emotions attached to any given moment.

 

[Warlord D Thorin]

there was quite a large tone shift in this chapter at the point when he started training with the shapers

 

[Idovelicus]

there was quite a large tone shift in this chapter at the point when he started training with the shapers

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That part makes sense, time skips will do that. Cam is in a very different headspace after months training in different circumstances.

 

[USSExplorer]

Honestly a lot of the recent chapters kinda feel like Cam is slipping to the dark side more and more. He's not balanced in the slightest, he's just rage and hate that he keeps bottled up inside. I don't like this. To be clear I don't care for the Jedi much either, but both Jedi and Sith are extremes at the opposite ends of a scale, and extremes tend to not be good. Really not liking cams thought processes since... I suppose since he started just bottling everything inside. Eidedic Memory shouldn't make him unable to let got of emotion. That's not how memory works. Time dulls the emotions related to memories after all. Even if he can't forget, over time the rage would lessen. Someone else said this, and I agree, Eidedic Memory is sounding more like it forces him to relive moments again and again, which is not what Eidedic Memory is IRL.

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This isn't IRL, and for ANP, Eidetic Memory has been that way since the very start of the story. The name was intentionally chosen to, in many ways, mislead Cam. Then, with the Interface filtering his connection to the Force, it dulled the emotional feedback of his memories. With that gone, he has to endure what that Player Power causes. At no point in the story, even waaayyyy back when I started this, were TPTB ever seen as 'good'. They gave Cam the option of where to be reborn for their amusement and even made bets on what he would do.
Consider them a little like Q from Star Trek, but with a meaner streak.

Add in that he's only had a few years to find something he would consider balance, and has turned to Adas for help, and it was only a matter of time until Cam began to fall. Adas knew this from the get go and has been subtly manipulating Cam towards the Dark Side. Not to become a Sith ala Sidious or Plagueis, but one able to 'break free' of his chains, and those imposed upon him by the Jedi and galaxy at large. (Think, if the reference works for you, Malgus later on in SWTOR).

Yeah, this portrayal of Eidetic Memory doesn't sound like what it's named. It sounds more like PTSD but for literally every moment of your life, with more weight the more intense the emotions attached to any given moment.

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In many ways it is, but even before being reborn, Cam was one who let his emotions get in the way at times. As seen by the mistake that led to his initial death. Eidetic Memory just makes it nearly impossible for him ever recover from everything he's endured.

 

[Storylover213]

Just a question if your claiming that their might be NSFW content should this be their instead of here just curious is all.

 

[USSExplorer]

Just a question if your claiming that their might be NSFW content should this be their instead of here just curious is all.

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There won't be NSFW content as it PWP or the like. I'll always stick to the fade-to-black approach.
However, something like what is shown and hinted at in the Fallen Apprentice arc, or the general horrors of war are what I mean for the story potentially becoming NSFW. The reason I've never asked for it to be moved yet is simply because I keep forgetting and don't think that such scenes/arcs are common enough yet to warrant the move.

 

[Ruy]

fade-to-black

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I have some scenes like that in space battles, so I think it is fine here. Same for the horrors.

 

[USSExplorer]

A/N: As always, a huge thank you to those helping with lore and planning for this and my other stories.

And again, this chapter was released to those of sufficient rank on the story's Discord (it pays to talk) about a month ago. For those who support my writing, then it was released between 1 to 4 months ago (and those supporters can also access chapters that far in advance).

If joining the Discord or supporting my writing interests you, there is a link at the end of the chapter for how to do so.

A/N (2): This chapter hasn't had the same careful looked over from LuciferBael as usual as he has begun his own story and then was challenged by a Smurf to get out 100k in 10 days.

LuciferBael managed the challenge, and the name of the story is at the end of the chapter, but if there's something that feels rougher than normal, blame the Smurf.

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3.09 Family and Training
… …​

The furnace whispered its surrender. The heat faded, the air cooled, and in my hands, I cradled the fruit of fire and will—a crystal, born of my defiance. This one had been forged with nothing but my strength of will and desire. I was still disappointed that the first attempt had cost me one of the two crystals I'd gotten from the crystal cave on Ilum, but with a replacement now in my hand I accepted the price I'd had to pay.

There had been another attempt before this one as well, where I'd tried to temper my rage in shaping a crystal, pushing other strong emotions that weren't associated with the Sith into creating the lattice of a crystal. However, that attempt had produced a flawed crystal, one Observe made clear was unusable in a lightsaber. I had placed it in my Inventory on the chance that one day it might have a use, but I was uncertain if such a day might ever arrive.

This crystal was forged in blood and rage, tempered in the fires of my refusal to yield. It was the reflection of my war—not against an enemy, but against the galaxy itself. Against what it demanded I become. It had taken days of constant effort, the third such effort inside half a month, but in the end, my efforts had been rewarded and as I held the crystal up, placing it between my fingers, I failed to see any sign of a flaw. Still, I had to be sure.

Artificial lightsaber crystal (miniature)
An artificial lightsaber crystal created by Cameron Shan.
This crystal, while capable of being used as a focus for the Force, is too small to be used as the single focusing crystal within a lightsaber.
HP: 15
Rarity: Unique
Value: 5000 Credits
Energy Value: 500
Attuned Users: Cameron Shan (100%)
Special Features:
Grants a minor boost to the usage of Force powers that a Force user demands the Force help them with.
...
​

My brow rose at seeing the slight boosts this artificially created crystal granted me, and curious about the differences I pulled the remaining crystal from Ilum from my Inventory.

Ilum Adegan Crystal (miniature)
A crystal from the caves of the planet Ilum.
This crystal, while capable of being used as a focus for the Force, is too small to be used as the single focusing crystal within a lightsaber.
HP: 5
Rarity: Uncommon
Value: 3000 Credits
Energy Value: 300
Attuned Users: Cameron Shan (100%)
Special Features:
Grants a minor boost to the usage of Force powers that work in concert with the Force.
...
​

​

It was interesting to see the differences between the two crystals. The Ilum crystal sang with harmony—a melody of millennia, a hymn of the Force as it wished to be. My crystal roared—a symphony of defiance, raw and untamed, its notes jagged and sharp.

The fact the artificial crystal was worth more than the natural one was an odd discovery, however, days of effort to make the crystal didn't suggest it was worth considering creating crystals for revenue. And that was before I considered how much my writings and holomovies were making me.

The Energy Value of the crystals, and other objects that had it listed, was still something I'd yet to determine the purpose for. It only appeared on objects that held strong connections to the Force, yet the more obvious possible uses – such as trying to store the Force inside them, or using them as focusing crystals for the Force had failed to achieve anything. I'd used some of the crystals I'd found on Dantooine when I'd visited there many years ago with Fay, as other than using one for the focusing crystal in my shoto lightsaber, and another for Padmé's lightfoil, they'd served no purpose until now. I was uncertain if I might ever learn the reason the Interface listed Energy Value with objects connected to the Force, and I was not going to commit more thought to discovering its purpose.

My thoughts right now were more on the fact Observe gave no hint the crystal I'd created wouldn't work in a lightsaber, and trying to contain my excitement, I pulled the various components – those that had survived the battle with Maul and those I'd had to purchase as replacements – from my Inventory. The small greater krayt dragon crystal and the Mantle of the Force were also taken out. Holding the Mantle in my hand, and knowing this would be the last time in a long time that I could do so, I used Observe upon the ancient Force crystal.

Mantle of the Force
(Unique Force Crystal)
One of two legendary Force crystals linked with Revan.
While the origins of this crystal have been lost to the ages, the potential it possesses has not.
HP: 20
Rarity: Unique
Value: 50000
Energy Value: 1000
Attuned Users: Cameron Shan (100%)
​

Special Features:
Enhances the benefits of any other crystals used in a lightsaber.
Grants a small increase in the potency of an attuned user's Force abilities.
​

...
​

It had taken far longer than I'd expected to attune Revan's former crystal to me entirely, and when I'd finally managed to do so, I'd not yet gotten Mechanics [Lightsaber] to the required level to allow me to add it as a fourth crystal to my old lightsaber. That restriction was gone now, and I was curious as to what boosts it brought to the two main crystals I would be adding to my new blade, and my ability to focus the Force through it.

I placed a clean, silk towel on the ground, ensuring that the various components didn't bring even a speck of dirt into what I was about to begin. This towel was one I'd been given years ago by Fay as a way to help clean and maintain my lightsaber, and to rest the components if I ever disassembled my blade to make alterations. I had everything I needed to create my lightsaber, though the casing I was using this time wasn't the one I intended as the final design.

For that, I would need to travel to Mandalore. One of the smaller teeth from the dragon I'd killed for my verd'goten – yet the tooth was still longer than my palm – would be used for the hilt. The inside of the tooth would be hollowed out and the components placed inside. The tooth would be coated externally in beskar, preventing anyone from destroying my blade as Maul had done on Naboo.

I knew many would see my usage of Mandalorian Iron in my lightsaber's hilt as a sign that my loyalties ran stronger with the Mando'ade than the Jedi, but that choice had been one I'd come to over the last year and a bit. If I had to choose, my loyalty lay with my fellow Mando'ade and not the Jedi, nor the masters they failed to question in the Republic.

That said, I had no intention of leaving the Order just yet. Staying a member of the Jedi offered many benefits that I intended to exploit, including potential access to the Archives with a focus on the Holocron Vaults. Dooku had ideas there, but I could think about those later. My focus now, as I made sure each of the components I would be using was clean and ready, was on building my new weapon.

I took one final look at everything that lay before me and then closed my eyes. I stretched out my arm, placing my organic hand above the towel, and after taking a deep breath to centre myself, called forth the Force. I felt it flow through me, understanding my desires, and moving toward what lay on the towel. My breath caught in my throat as I felt my connection to the crystals I would be using – even the dragon pearl – as the Force brushed over them. I'd never experienced that before, providing yet another reminder that Natural Selection had been the correct choice.

From the Ilum crystal, the connection was gentle and soothing. It was as if the Force was melding with me, granting me the ability to flow with its desires and help bring forth the path it wished for. From the crystal I'd just created, the Force was more energetic. Not turbulent, but definitely primal. It desired control or for me to dominate it and guide it to help create the galaxy I wished for. The Force in the synthetic crystal bore hints of my Force presence, in much the same way as Raven did, yet without the higher intelligence the living starship possessed. From the pearl, there were lingering hints of animalistic mentalities, yet it was the Mantle that drew my focus.

I could sense my presence within it, yet the way the Force flowed with, through, and around it was different: something unique. It felt as if it wished to work with other crystals, to help them become something greater as it, in ways I failed to truly understand, altered the very Force that slid through it. This aligned with everything Observe had stated, yet being able to feel and experience it was an entirely different matter than simply knowing it was happening.

Understanding now instinctively how the crystals responded to the Force and me, I created the weapon I wished to build in my mind's eye. I knew in my soul how the crystals should align, and how the various technical components would be placed around them. Understanding my desires and working with me, the Force shifted, and I felt everything that was to be part of my lightsaber lift into the air.

I took things slowly, not wanting anything to be misaligned, and had the crystals and components float around each other, finding the perfect positions to create the most powerful weapon. This task, the creation of a lightsaber, could only be done by one skilled in either using or working with the Force. The Jedi and Sith were the obvious choices, but I felt others, such as skilled Shapers, could create a weapon of similar potential. To create a weapon of this magnitude demanded more than a connection to the Force—it demanded mastery. Precision. A will unbroken and unyielding. This was not an instrument of peace or war. It was a monument to power. A singularity of purpose that could rival the stars themselves.

Time dissolved, a casualty of my singular focus. The Force bent to my will, shaped by my purpose, moulded by my command. There was no partnership here, no harmony—only control. Each component, each crystal, moved where I demanded, the galaxy itself aligning with my design.

Eventually, uncertain of how much time had passed though it felt as if I had only just closed my eyes, the last piece slid into place. This was the configuration I needed, the one that would work best with me, the Force, and how I wished to use it. I moved the temporary hilt forward, sliding the assembly inside it, and then sealed the hilt with a latch that could only be opened by someone using the Force. Others could attempt to build a lightsaber, but only one skilled in the use of the Force could create a hilt for which the latch to gain access to the crystals and components was stored internally.

I opened my palm, and the hilt glided toward me. My fingers closed slowly around it, taking ownership of my new lightsaber, and as I felt the Force react happily to my creation, my eyes opened so that I could see what I'd forged.

I couldn't help but smile as if I were a youngling in a candy store as I took in the weapon I'd created. The hilt might not be the final one, but the familiar curved nature of it and the simple pommel felt comfortable in my grasp. This weapon was one built by and for me, and I now felt complete.

This blade was as much a part of me as my mechanical arm was, more so even. The parts might not be made of flesh and blood, but the blade was an extension of my will. I turned the hilt over, marvelling at what I'd created. It was smooth, with the ignition switch being stored internally.

Once the final casing was ready, I'd be adding other options as well, all of which would also be stored internally. Well, all but one of them. The only external extra would be an in-built DNA scanner in the grip. That was to ensure that even if another Force user activated the internal switch to ignite the blade if their pattern wasn't stored in the hilt then the blade would fail to ignite. The other features, such as the ability to work underwater, or alter the length of the blade on whim, would be internal. They would only work if my hand grasped the blade, so none could interfere with my weapon, nor turn it against me.

I stood slowly, careful to not let the hilt slip from my grip, and quickly moved into the standard opening stance of Makashi. Without trepidation, as if I knew the blade would work perfectly, The blade ignited with a whisper—a predator's growl echoing across the ages. The sound curled in my ears, primal and alive. It was not a weapon. It was a heartbeat, a howl, a promise. I smiled—a predator's smile—as the glow bathed the room. This was no Jedi's weapon.

"Interesting," I muttered, my gaze fixed on the blade's crimson edge. The red bled into the darkness of the core, consuming the light. It was not a deviation—it was an evolution. A mark of what I had become. The change must have come from the crystal I'd created that now lay at the heart of the weapon. The black light at the blade's core, which seemed to consume all light around it, darkened the red of the edge, but even so, I knew many would see this and assume more deeply that I had turned to the Sith.

I should've seen this coming to be honest. Almost every Sith blade – be they of the Banite line or one that came from before Ruusan – had borne a red artificial crystal at its core. Why, when I'd used the same process, should my blade be any different?

Now, there were some Jedi who used a red blade, but those crystals were naturally occurring ones. Much like the one I'd found on Dantooine that I had used in the creation of Padmé's lightfoil. Those Jedi with such blades were rare, with only black being rarer. In theory, the fact other Jedi had wielded red blades should absolve concerns from the Order, but I knew for a significant faction, it would only increase their distrust of me.

Jon Savos and Master Belfarr had always been the two most vocal voices against my presence in the Order. Others, such as Masters Windu and Piell had grown more accepting toward me, though I knew they still harboured reservations about me and my intentions. The newest voice to speak against me was Sia-Lan Wezz.

The former friend had turned, choosing to speak negatively about me because of what had happened to Serra and Master Drallig. That was disappointing as while we weren't that close, I had enjoyed her friendship, and watching her movements while we sparred. The girl was very blessed in ways that I could appreciate. Yet for all that, I was fine with losing her friendship.

She and the others could say what they wanted. I would deny it, of course, but it was amusing that they were right that I was a threat to the Order. Just not, perhaps, in the way they believed. The path I lay on was different from the Jedi, and so long as they made no move to prevent me from travelling where I wished to go, then I could ignore them for now. In the future, as war swallowed the galaxy, I knew I would find myself across the battlefield from the Jedi at times, but that was far enough away that I didn't allow it to concern me greatly.

I stepped forward, guiding my new blade through one of the base velocities of Makashi. The movement was, as it had been for years, perfect. Yet now, with the Force flowing freely and a blade crafted by my intentions, the action was smoother, perhaps even easier and more efficient. The blade slid around, moving so easily and accurately that it was as if it could sense and anticipate my intentions and desires. This blade was an extension of me, and moved in perfect alignment with my actions, letting the Force flow through and around us.

My smile grew wider, threatening to encompass all of my lower face, as I worked through more of the velocities of my base form. My feet shifted, bringing in the Ataru footwork I'd adopted into my personal style. My movements became easier, more fluid and graceful as the Force shifted with me, accepting my intentions, and acquiescing to them.

For the first time since Naboo… no, since my rebirth in this universe, I felt complete. I'd never understood just how much of a part of someone their lightsaber was until this moment. Around me, the world fell away as I moved through various velocities. Nothing else mattered for the time being, not Anakin or others I cared deeply for, or my slowly developing plans for the future. All that existed was myself, my lightsaber and the Force.

… …

​

---

​

… …
I pulled back, avoiding the fist that rushed toward my face, yet as the hand opened, I understood what was to happen but didn't react in time. A second later I was flying through the air, landing with a thud in the dirt around me.

"Osik!" I spat out and slammed my fist into the ground, angered at again failing to stop Simvyl from taking me down. Yes, I'd agreed to not draw on the Force heavily while we sparred, and yes he had become a far stronger warrior since Naboo – when he was still as good as most of the Mando'ade – but this was getting fucking annoying. What made it worse was the pleased smirk the Cathar had as he moved toward me.

"That's seven-six to you," he says as he extends a hand. "As much as I'm enjoying taking you down, I can tell something is bothering you."

I grunt in annoyance even as I take the hand. "Perhaps you've just gotten better than me over the last week," I snapped back, though it would be clear to even a youngling that I don't believe my words.

Simvyl sighed. "Cam, in the time since we first met, I've seen you fight hundreds of times, and sparred with you more times than I can count." My mind instantly supplied the number, revealing to be north of seven thousand, though some of those were spars that bled from one into another so might not count as individual spars. "Yes, ever since Naboo I have grown stronger by joining you and Anakin in your training, and I am grateful for you helping me become an even stronger warrior, but don't lie to yourself. For each step forward I've taken, you've taken a dozen more at least. I barely manage to score a single point in our spars and yet all morning you've been off. A hair too slow, a fraction late in responding. Even a blind, deaf, and dumb gundark could tell something is bothering you."

I look at Simvyl carefully as I consider his words. Since we first met on Zonama Sekot he's matured, and while still young at twenty-one, he has evolved into a powerful and skilled fighter. He is someone I consider a good and trusted friend though I know I've spent more time since Naboo training Anakin than interacting with him. He has never hinted at being upset about this and worked hard to join our training when and how he can. Yet for all that, I know that he still has some way to go before he reaches his peak and becomes one of the greatest ever Cathar warriors.

I grunt in annoyance at his words and kick the ground at my feet. "It's complicated," I mutter as I watch the clump of dirt I just kicked go flying away, "and has much to do with where we are."

We landed on Mandalore about a week ago, and I quickly sought out the Mando'ade metalsmiths so that they could create the hilt I desired. However, it turned out that my exact idea wasn't feasible, and they suggested something slightly different. Instead of creating a simple coat of beskar to go over the tooth, the metalsmiths told me they could infuse the metal into the tooth, making the entire thing stronger and allowing the natural colour of the tooth to remain, though enhanced by the distinct ripples of beskar. I was overjoyed at their suggestion and asked them to create it, and while it wasn't yet finished, they assured me it would be but another day or two until I had a weapon worthy of a true Mando'ade in my hands.

Word of what I was creating leaked to the two most powerful figures in the sector, and over one dinner Dukes Adonai and Torrhen – though both barely used the Republic-created titles for themselves – had asked me about the weapon. Between the pair of them, they controlled nearly seventy per cent of the sector and had the loyalty of nearly sixty per cent of the people. The rest, while not openly backing the pair, chose to follow decrees they passed, suggesting one or both could attempt to become Mand'alor.

Neither had however and while they both said it was because they felt unworthy of the title, I knew there was more to it. There was already a reigning Mand'alor, Jango Fett, though he had no interest in claiming the title, or at least using it to unite the clans. Instead, he had devoted himself to bounty hunting, becoming, unless something had heavily altered in this timeline, the template for the Clone Army and using Kamino as his base of operations white he raised his son, Boba.

Jango had become Mand'alor when his adopted father and the last to claim the title through strength of arms, Jaster Mereel, was betrayed and killed. Jango had avenged his father's death but afterwards turned his back on his people. Tor Vizsla had styled himself the secret Mand'alor and ruled via the Darksaber, and while Jango had killed him, I knew that Pre had the blade and was working to become the next Mand'alor. However, like Adonai and Torrhen, he didn't seek out Jango and challenge the bounty hunter to single combat.

There was a good reason for this, as from what I'd seen of his fighting, Jango was a greater warrior than any of the three. Because of that, until Jango died, or some new and unexpected challenger emerged who could defeat and kill Jango, there would be no Mand'alor to lead the people.

I didn't know for certain that Jango was on Kamino, beginning the training of the clones, but given many other warriors – names such as Vhonte Tervho, Kal Skirata, and Dun Marod who had all fought for me on Naboo – had gone missing, I felt it was a safe bet that he was there. The project was, as was always intended by them, under the control of the Banite Sith. The question was, with Sifo-Dyas dead, who was the puppet that Sidious had ordered to take control of the project?

I was heavily interested in the clone project, but knew that turning up on Kamino without an excellent reason to head to such an isolated system, would draw the suspicion of the Kaminoans, and through them, have the Banite Sith know that I knew of Kamino. Such a move risked exposing that I knew more than they thought I knew, and as I knew I was far from ready to take on either of them, never mind both or with Anakin in tow, then the longer they remained unknowing of the extent of my knowledge, the safer it would be for me and those I cared about, and it was two such people that had left me distracted all morning.

As I'd known would happen, the first night I was back on Mandalore, Bo and Naz had dragged me to bed, wanting to make up for our time apart. I had happily indulged those needs, though their suggestions that I challenge the dukes and attempt to become Mand'alor myself were ones I ignored and avoided. I wasn't strong enough, at least not without the Force, to defeat Adonai or Torrhen, to say nothing of Jango.

"Complicated as in dangerous, or complicated as in involving your females."

Simvyl's insightful comment drew my thoughts away from the future of the Mando'ade, and I chuckled at how easily he'd hit the nail on the head. "Where females are involved, is it ever anything but both," I responded, drawing a snort of amusement from him.

I turned and looked to where I knew Keldabe lay. Somewhere in the city, with HK and R2 as escorts, Anakin was being led around by my two lovers. I knew that Anakin would be heading to a Mandalmotors design facility later today – Alor Dred had allowed my request for Anakin to research some of his ideas at Dred's company's facilities, though on the promise that if the boy wished to have his designs made, that Mandalmotors had an opportunity to consider helping – but beyond that he was at their tender mercies as to what they'd do and where they'd go.

Fenrir was further to the south of me, enjoying himself deep in a remote forest. I'd left him there two days ago, letting him be the alpha predator he was, and I'd felt semi-regular bouts of delight from him. No doubt that meant that he'd either made a fresh kill, defeated a challenger or even both.

Simvyl and I had headed out to this open field so that we could spar and so that I could take my mind off the offer Naz, and less enthusiastically, Bo had made last night after our latest evening of carnal pleasure. However, it seemed their offer was haunting my thoughts and distracting me from the spar.

"They seek offspring?" My head snapped back to Simvyl, shocked at him knowing what the ladies wanted. He chuckled at my reaction. "I may not be Human," he explained, "but the mating dance has many similar actions regardless of species." He took a long sniff of the air. "As usual their scent is all over you this morning. Add in that you all are over the Age of Responsibility, what I now know of how important offspring are to Mandalorians, and that through Anakin you have shown yourself to be a good father, is it any wonder they wish to bear your progeny?"

I smirk at his words. "You are a touch too diplomatic and formal about their request, but you are right." I turned around and looked toward Keldabe, to where the two women who had taken space within my heart were. "I'm not opposed to having children, nor with them being mothers to my kids. It's just…"

"You fear for their safety because of the war you have made clear you know is coming?" I nodded but kept my focus on the city hundreds of miles away. "Understandable, but illogical. You are a warrior, Cam, an alpha in the most animalistic sense. Deny it you might, but you seek this war and look forward to it. That means you also want to establish your dominance over the coming darkness, which you believe will be perhaps ten years from now." I nodded again. "Then why are you afraid of bearing younglings with those you love? If you deny yourself the chance now, then as the war grows closer and the danger increases, the chances your offspring will be capable of surviving decreases. It is both logical and primal that you have your children now so that when the war comes, you have prepared them for it as best you can."

I grunt in annoyance at the wisdom in his words and begin walking toward where Raven is parked. "You're right."

"Of course," he responded with a smirk. "But I feel there are other concerns you have about taking your women and having them bear your progeny."

I fought back the image that formed in my mind of Naz and Bo, my cum leaking out of their bodies after I'd impregnated them. That was something I didn't need to see currently, not even in the deeper corners of my mind. "The Jedi," I said slowly, responding to his inquiry. "If they discover I have children, they will seek to test them, and if they display aptitude with the Force, will want to take them to the Temple and deny me access to them. And of course, the fact that, while not a requirement, most Mando'ade would be expected to marry those with whom they share a child."

We were within sight of Raven now, and I moved to a small crate I'd brought out, knowing there were chilled bottles of water inside. As I reached the crate, Simvyl spoke up again.

"I can't speak for Lady Vizsla, but we both know that Bo-Katan has about as much interest in marriage as you do in becoming celibate." I choke at his blunt, but arcuate comparison. "Even with the emphasis that Mandalorians place on family, she's something of an outlier."

"True, but Naz is another matter, and not just because she might like the idea of being bound to me," I say as I reach into the crate. "Her father… well, it's clear he dislikes the Jedi, and me even more so. She was engaged to the heir of another clan, and while that is over, I believed that the heir is still interested in her, so taking Naz as mine would cause issues with that clan as well as Alor Pre."

Simvyl caught a bottle as I tossed it to him. "Are any of them strong enough to challenge you for her hand?"

"Pre perhaps, but I know I can take him," I say as Simvyl take a sip of his water.

"Then it doesn't matter," He said after his sip, "as much as there was a time when I would've felt insulted to say this, Mandalorians are not unlike the Cathar. We might claim to be civilised and obey expected Republic norms, but we are a warrior people, as are the Mandalorians. For our peoples, it is strength or arms, both personal and clans, that matter and not who has the highest office, or who holds the most credits." He grunted and shook his head. "Perhaps that is the failing of the Republic," he muttered to himself, but his words reached me regardless. "If they dislike your arrangements with Lady Vizsla and Bo-Katan, then they can either challenge you about it and lose, or know their place and mind their tongue."

"Is this how Cathar society works?" I asked before drinking some of the water in my bottle. I could've said more, but I'm interested in what else Simvyl has to say. I've spent much of the morning going over the matter of children with Bo and Naz in my head, and I find that I'm enjoying having a male to speak with. Simvyl has, without me realising it, become my closest male friend. Hells, with Darihd dead, he is possibly my only male friend. That is both amusing and slightly concerning.

Simvyl smirked, exposing his fangs. "To a degree, yes. But then all cultures work along similar lines. At least where the influence of the Republic hasn't twisted their ideals. To those in the Core and worlds like them, power comes from credits and political influence. On the more remote worlds, or those home to species and cultures like the Cathar, Zygerrians, and Mandalorians, sentients understand that while credits and influence grant some control, true power belongs to those with the strength to take it. That, when push comes to shove, the galaxy belongs to the warriors and not those who seek peace and understanding."

My head tilted as I accepted and agreed with his logic. The Core is flawed and corrupt, something easiest to see on Coruscant but present elsewhere. What amused me about his statement was how, even if he would never know it, how close some of his ideas about what true power was and what it meant aligned closely with those of Adas.

"As for your concerns about the Jedi taking your progeny, I feel there is little for you to be concerned about." My brow rose questioningly at the certainty in his voice. "Mandalorians dislike the Jedi, thus I'm sure they have ways to falsify the records of the Force potential of any born into their culture. If you are still concerned that the Jedi might seek out your children regardless of the test, I suspect Duke Adonai in particular would be willing to ensure your name is not on any public records regarding the parentage of the children."

I looked at him, impressed with the insight. "Such a simple deception wouldn't fool the Jedi or Sith, and the moment they learn either of the ladies are with child, they will move to take the baby, knowing it's mine. It won't take them much effort to take either, no matter how hard Bo and Naz would fight, they're no match for a Jedi Master or a Sith Lord." I smirked as I finished my bottle and then used the Force to levitate the crate. "It's not exactly a secret how close I am with the pair."

Simvyl chuckled as we moved to enter Raven. "No, it certainly isn't," he said, "I believe half of the city has heard your couplings over the last few nights." A wide grin spread over my face at the idea I might have kept others up while Bo, Naz, and I partook in carnal desires with each other. "Still, while you are right that neither of them would be a match against a Jedi or Sith, we both know they would not face such a threat alone. Their clans, and perhaps much of the sector, would take up arms against any attempt to take one of their children or interference in Mandalorian affairs by the Jedi or Republic."

I didn't reply immediately, instead working to ensure the crate was onboard and settled on the floor. Simvyl made it sound as if the Mando'ade would declare war against the Republic if the Jedi took any children I potentially had in the future. I, however, doubted that would be the case. Oh, I'd expect their clans to seek vengeance, but only them. That said, the idea of Bo and Naz launching a two-woman assault on the Temple, and doing considerable damage to it, was quite amusing.

"Thank you for your counsel," I said once the crate was secure, and I had asked Raven to close the ramp. "You've helped me see the path I might take. Though I warn you that any lack of sleep you get from tonight onwards is your own fault."

He laughed good-naturedly at that and patted my shoulder. "I shall ensure I have aids to block out external sounds then. As much as the glances I get from others because of your behaviour amuses me, I need my beauty sleep."

"That you do," I snapped back with a grin. He smacked my shoulder as we both laughed at the joke though before anything else could be said or done, the comm unit in my arm beeped for attention. A simple tap opened the channel, and a small hologram of a familiar person appeared. "Osto, what can I do for you this morning?" I asked the heir to Clan Ordo.

"Cam," he replied, making clear instantly that this was a social call, "just wanted to check in with you and Simvyl. We've got another game of Meshgeroya planned for tonight."

I smirk at the revelation. "We're game, but I thought you'd be tired of losing so much," I responded, commenting on the fact that in the five games that we'd played so far, Osto had always been on the other team, and the score was four-to-one in my favour when it came to victories.

Meshgeroya was the Mando'a name for Limmie, a popular sport played throughout the galaxy. Amusingly, the name translated into 'The Beautiful Game', which fit well as the game bore a lot of similarity to football from my former life. The biggest difference, beyond the size of the playing area, was that it was far more violent, at times bearing more similarity to rugby than football, and thankfully had none of the more recent 'improvements' brought into football that had slowed things down and sucked some of the enjoyment from the game.

The rules of Meshgeroya weren't too different from football, so I took to the game easily, and since that first game, Simvyl and I had always found time to play it with the Mando'ade around our age. Beyond the building camaraderie that brought forth, it helped Simvyl become further accepted by the Mando'ade.

"Today will be the day you fall, defeated and broken at my feet!" Osto proclaimed dramatically while pumping his fist in the air. A moment later we all laughed at his comment, and he then continued. "I just wanted to be certain. This evening Gar and Tor will depart on assignment."

I nodded, remembering that Gar Saxon told me that he was, along with about twenty others including Rook Kast, Bryn Tyri, and Tor Vizsla, heading to the Gaia system. There they'd help the Lokella train their warriors for future raids against various slaver groups, and advise on ways to improve planetary and system defence.

There was something oddly poetic about Gar heading there to train the Lokella when it had been his father who had led the first assault from Decca the Hutt that attempted to re-enslave the, at the time unnamed group. He had long accepted that my killing of his father was honourable, even the actions of his father were not, but I still at times found it odd how easily Gar and I had become, if not friends, then comrades in battle.

Gar was aware that many Lokella wouldn't be happy to have a Saxon present on Mtael's Gift, but he was unconcerned by it. He had chosen this assignment aware of that issue, and like any true warrior would face the challenge head-on. I'd believed him for the most part, but still used the Force and Observe to confirm his honesty on the matter.

What was interesting, at least to me, was that Tor Vizsla, the son and heir of Pre and Naz's older brother, would be joining Gar and the others. Since the assault on Keldabe at the start of the most recent civil war, Tor had become a vocal opponent to the Death Watch, so much so that Observe didn't register it among his loyalties, though he retained a strong loyalty to his father. Tor's hatred toward Death Watch would infuriate Pre, as that man intended to rebuild the Death Watch in his image and, after either defeating Jango in combat or learning the bounty hunter was dead, proclaim himself Mand'alor. Though perhaps not as much as how close I was to Naz, or that through her Tor and I were becoming comfortable in each other's company.

One day, based on the quest I had for him, I knew Pre and I would face off in battle. If, as was the most likely option, I was forced to kill him in that battle, it would be interesting to see how Tor and Naz responded to that. I expected Naz to be sad but accepting, even – if we had children by then – that I proved her choice in taking me as her mate. Tor, however, was going to need watching, which was why the growing friendship with him was a useful thing in that regard as well.

"What time will we play?" I asked Osto.

"The usual," He replied.

I checked with Simvyl and got a nod, confirming he was interested in playing. "Then we'll see you then," I said to Osto before closing the channel. I started heading toward the cockpit, Simvyl walking with me. "I guess we'll have to pick up Fenrir earlier than I expected."

The Cathar chuckled. "I'm sure he's going to love that."

I laughed. Fenrir was going to hate having his hunt cut short, but I knew we wouldn't be spending much longer on Mandalore. The beskar metalsmiths assured me that the hilt for my blade would be completed by this evening, and I wanted to depart from the planet by tomorrow night at the latest.

Anzat was to be the next culture that I was to train with. Simvyl had expressed interest in learning from a race known to produce some of the most dangerous assassins, blood trackers, and hunters in the galaxy. Anakin, however, wouldn't be joining this training. He was too young, and I didn't want him around a species that, even if they didn't do so to every outsider, were known to feed on the lifeforce of others.

Now, only the most feral of Anzati tried to feed without thought, but I wasn't going to place Anakin, someone with the highest Force potential in the galaxy – if not of all time – into such a place. He would remain on Raven, guarded by Fenrir, HK and R2. I'd see what I could go about coming back to train him when I could, but regardless I'd be leaving detailed instructions of what he should do and when; along with permitting HK to gently enforce my rules.

Of course, before we could go to Anzat, I had to gather up my oddball family and say goodbye to friends and lovers. Perhaps, if the timing was right, leave one or both with the gift they desired.

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I rested on the ground, my knees taking most of my weight while my lower legs were bent under me. I kept my backside off my heels, as that was part of the instructions the Guardian of The Way had given me when I, and around fifty others had entered the Hall of Testing at this Sanctum of The Way. The Way was how the Anzati referred to the overarching martial art they followed.

I'd learnt this, and a bit more about the world when we arrived in orbit about a week ago, the Star Marshall who greeted our arrival providing a decent overview of how to learn The Way. There were five Sanctums upon the planet – all located on one of the two northern continents, where those wishing to learn The Way – be they Anzati or off-worlders – could attempt to prove their worth.

The Sanctums only opened on certain dates each year and were very particular about which sentients they would take as an Initiate of The Way. Anyone who failed a Sanctum's Trial had to wait half a year before reapplying to another Sanctum, and if one failed to gain entry to any of the five Sanctums, then they were unworthy forever of learning even the first steps of The Way.

Those taken as Initiates trained at the Sanctum where they had proved their worth for however long it took to be determined by the Guardians to attempt the First Judgment. Completion of the First Judgment saw an Initiate become an Apprentice and then be able to choose the path they wished to walk.

The most common path taken by off-worlders was the Path Of the Hunter; a route dedicated to warriors who fought with distraction and diversion. The two other most common paths were that of the Tracker and the Assassin. Most Anzati favoured the Path of the Assassin, which was why to the galaxy at large they were generally regarded as a race of that profession.

I was unsure as to which path I wished to follow, but from what little I'd managed to gather from the locals while Simvyl and I waited for the next Sanctum Trial, I found myself seeing use in the Path of the Assassin and the Path of the Hunter. Training to use the Force in subtle ways to slip past and engage targets, while not ideal to how I generally fought, would be a useful set of extra skills in my arsenal and could be of use if Dooku's hints of a plan to redistribute some of the treasures of the Jedi Temple developed into more duracrete plans.

A faint grunt of struggle drew my attention to my right. There I saw Simvyl resting in the same position as me, though it was clear he was fighting to maintain it. When we had first entered the Hall of Testing, assuming the position we were in was easy, yet as the hours stretched, and the sun slowly set somewhere outside, many of those in the room began to fall from their position, be collected by one of the Attendants monitoring us, and sent home.

One hundred had entered the Hall yesterday afternoon – I was sure a new day was upon us as I could see the sun rising outside – but now only twelve remained. Simvyl and I were the only non-Anzati remaining, as the other off-worlders – about ten – had failed during the night. It was clear that Simvyl was struggling but I could feel him drawing upon what little connection he had with the Force to strengthen himself. That was a sign the teaching of the Matukai had taken hold with him, and a clear indicator of his improvement over the last two years.

The challenge that lay before him, was to remain as he was as we waited for the Trial to end. I had no such issues, the Force granting me the strength to easily endure this trial, but I hoped that when it was time to become Initiates, Simvyl was still with us.

… …
As the sun rose high above the hall, increasing the temperature inside, I looked around. We were down to seven remaining, and impressively one of those was Simvyl. He had been struggling all morning, sweat flowing freely down his brow, but I was proud of my friend for not giving up. I was uncertain of how long we had been here, but I felt we were slowly approaching a full day in the Hall.

There was an unpleasant odour in the Hall, the result of two who failed during the morning losing control of their bodily functions. They had been escorted from here by the Attendants, embarrassment at their public humiliation evident on their faces, but no effort was made by the Attendants to clean up the messes left, nor nullify the smells. It hadn't taken me long to realise they, or more like the Guardians, left the issues to further test those of us who remained. In their place, I might not do the same, but I could see the use of taking advantage of the unexpected opportunity.

The doors at the front of the Hall slid back, drawing everyone's attention. We watched cautiously as Grand Guardian Frauq stepped into the Hall. He looked at all of us in turn, his eyes lingering on me more than any of the others. "Be at ease. The Trial has ended. You have proven your worth as potential Initiates." He paused there waiting for us to shift from the positions we had been in.

None of us moved at first, either fearful or curious that this was some form of final test. The Grand Guardian chuckled at our reaction. "I assure you this is no trick, no test or challenge you must face." He clapped his hands and the Attendants around the edges of the Hall stood. Most moved away though four came into the centre, moving to clear up the issues left by those who'd failed embarrassingly.

Seeing that, everyone shifted. I could tell they were all tired – their hands rubbing their calves to regain feeling in them – but I had no such issues. Even if I didn't have the Force to ease my burden, Player's Body ensured, even as altered as it now was from when I'd first been reborn in this galaxy, that such physical issues were heavily minimised.

I moved around and sat cross-legged, waiting for the others to recover and the Grand Guardian to continue. "Each of you has proven your dedication to taking your first steps on The Way," he said slowly, a faint outline of a smile creeping onto his lips. "In the coming hours, the Guardians of this Sanctum will speak to you in turn, seeking to know what your purpose here is, and thus determine which Path might be best suited for you. However, you will not begin any Path until you prove yourself worthy of being more than an Initiate. I warn you that for many it can take years, even decades, to gain such skill. Many depart this Sanctum never reaching the next destination on their voyage along The Way, though I have hopes that some of you here today," again his eyes focused on me, "will impress myself and my fellow Guardians."

The Grand Guardian stood at that and nodded. At that signal, the Attendants that had departed returned, bringing with them trays. My nose perked up as I caught the faint, but growing stronger, hints of food. While I didn't need the same sustenance as others – due to the Force and Player's Body – hunger was still an issue I faced.

Two of the Attendants – both females who offered me demure but hungry smiles – placed their trays at my feet. Lifting the lid from the bowls I saw one brought what appeared to be rice and vegetables, the other a hot broth with a strong and very distinct scent.

I offered the Attendants a nod of thanks and then reached down for a spoon, curious as to how the broth tasted, and then later, how the discussions with the Guardians would go. I had not hidden my status as a Force user from the Anzati when I arrived in the system, though they, like many, had simply assumed that meant I was a Jedi. That was true enough, but it did amuse me how that was always the first-choice others made and when the time came to leave the Order, it was something I could exploit if I so wished.

… …

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I moved through the paths of the Sanctum, about half a month into my training here. So far that had revolved around simple training focusing on ensuring that I, Simvyl, and the six others with us knew how to move silently around a location. The Guardians also taught us, or in some cases re-educated us, on how to move through the shadows, mindful of any – be they organic or mechanical – that might be seeking to find us.

After the meal following the First Trial, I had spoken with three Guardians about my intentions. They were impressed to see another Jedi coming to them to learn – it was uncommon but did happen on occasion – and they explained to me the purpose of training with the Anzati.

At this sanctum as an Initiate, I would work on drawing on the Force in subtle, almost untraceable ways. The intent was never to overwhelm a target, but to distract, disorientate, and dissuade them while moving toward whatever target one who follows The Way had.

Already that training had begun on nullifying the sound we generated as we moved. With my immersive Force connection, doing so was easy, but I was working hard on making such actions something I could do with the slightest effort. I wanted it to become as second nature to me as breathing; something that would always be used even when I had little or no use for it. The Guardians that were teaching us had decent potential with the Force, or at the very least their skill was such that they could sense if I drew too heavily upon it, helping to guide me to the point of manipulation of the Force that I desired. I wasn't there yet, but I knew I was close.

In the coming weeks, the Guardians would advance the training, teaching us how to mask our scent to further improve our ability to move about without detection. Once that was mastered, and I intended to do so as quickly as I could, then the training – the final section of that for an Initiate – would be using the Force to brush against the minds of others and guide their attention and thoughts in ways that allowed one following The Way to move past them unseen.

Everything about how that trick was applied sounded similar to Force Persuasion, the gentler form of the common mind trick the Jedi used that Master Fay preferred. Thinking about that had me wondering how Fay's task was going. It had been around three years since she left with Satele Shan's holocron to locate Tython, I knew she still lived as I could sense my former Master through the Force, but beyond that, I remained unaware of her progress.

I hoped she was successful as the more she could bleed off Jedi unwilling to fight in the coming war, or even better who wished nothing to do with the Republic at large, the fewer obstacles I would face in the future. Yes, such an action would also help the Banite Sith, but for now, my goals aligned slightly with theirs, so actions that could benefit us both were acceptable.

I would normally have spoken with Adas in my quarters aboard Raven about the training the Anzati had placed me through so far, however, there had yet to be an ideal time to do so. Since being accepted as an Initiate, I had been sequestered in the Sanctum, sharing a room with Simvyl. I trusted he would not question the holocron, nor speak of it to another, but I could not be sure if there were any listening and watching us while we rested.

Access to my ship, and more importantly Anakin, was why I was moving through the Sanctum today, heading for a meeting with the Guardians. Even if they granted my request, I would not be using the ancient Sith holocron. Adas likely had already sensed Anakin around me, but I would not speak with the long-dead Sith Lord with Anakin anywhere nearby and risk the Sith trying to corrupt and manipulate my son. When he was older, ready for what I had learnt from Adas, then if he so desired, I would teach Anakin what I had learnt, but access to the holocron would never be his. That path carried too great a risk to even consider.

Anakin would not become Darth Vader, and join the Banite Sith, but I understood now, after over a year and a half of interacting with the Force normally that, just as with myself, the darkness that gave birth to Vader was within Anakin. The challenge I would be facing in the next decade was teaching Anakin how to accept that darker part of himself, that part that was always there, and not allow it to take control of him, and drive him down a path of rage and anger from which he would be lost to the Dark Side, possibly forever.

As I passed a pond in the Sanctum, fish of some form swimming freely within it, my mind rolled back to my early days as an Initiate and my ideas about Balance, about how one should be able to draw on both sides of the Force by channelling the correct emotions. I understood now that those ideas were, to be gentle, impossible.

The ways in which one used the Force, what most termed the Dark Side and the Light Side, were almost discordant. The base ideologies of those two Orders were simply irreconcilable. You could have a Jedi that was more aggressive and drew on their impulses to make decisions (which I was sure many would feel was a good description for me), but they ran the risk of getting lost in their needs and placing personal desires over any sense of what was good for others. Or you might find a Sith that would try to not place their selfish needs ahead of things that might help the greater good. However, in each case, the sentient ran a high chance of slipping and shifting to the other side of the Force. Trying to be both Sith and Jedi, both Light and Dark, would only lead to one's mind shattering as it tried to reconcile the two paths.

Interestingly, this was, at least according to what I could discover in the Jedi and Celebratus Archives, what had happened to Revan. Hundreds of years after defeating Malak, and falling in love with Bastila, he had left her and ventured into the galaxy seeking out a threat. That threat had emerged centuries later as the Sith Empire fought a decade-long war against the Republic and the Jedi.

Yet it was after the rise of something called the Eternal Empire – the Celebratus archives had little on the exact details, and what I'd seen on the matter in the Jedi Temple had been highly restricted even as a Knight – Revan had somehow returned. Reading between the lines, he did this to stop a Sith Emperor who may also have controlled the Eternal Empire, and in doing so split his soul. The Light and the Dark within him were unable to reconcile their need to defeat this Sith Emperor with how they would do so.

In the end, Revan had been stopped from whatever insane idea his Dark Side had produced, but if his soul had split, then how had I spoken with him in the Crystal Cave on Ilum all those years ago, and what the fuck had happened back then?

I shook my head, pushing those thoughts aside. Every time I spent more than a few minutes trying to determine what had happened, I ended up with a migraine that would shatter duracrete and drive my mind close to shutting down. Perhaps one day, if he ever reappeared, I could ask my ancestor about how he could become one with the Force when his soul had severed itself, but given I'd yet to see him in the decade since that meeting, I wasn't holding out much hope of that happening. Nor of my completing the quest he gave me.

As I neared the Guardian's Quarters, I pushed thoughts about Revan and the Force away. There were two guards outside the building, each holding impressive-looking pikes that I had confirmed via Observe were coated in phrik and cortosis. Their armour was blaster-resistant to a degree and an interesting mix of practical and ceremonial. I wasn't sure where they gained the phrik and cortosis for their weapons, but I knew this was not the only Sanctum that would have such weapons, suggesting an impressive supply was available to the Anzati government.

Seeing the guards my mind turns back to the first afternoon as an Initiate. Two of the more senior members of the Path of the Hunter provided us with a demonstration of their capabilities. They moved with impressive speeds – not on-par with what either I or Anakin could, but beyond what most without a strong connection to the Force could manage – striking and avoiding each other with fluidity and grace. Simvyl struggled to follow the fight, but I had no such issues and found myself mesmerised by the deadly dance the two Hunters engaged in.

Afterwards, the Grand Guardian had spoken to me, impressed that I had tracked the movements of the Hunters so easily. He spoke of the last Jedi to train here, which had been Master Tholme who I knew in passing, and how it was always illuminating to have one of the Order train with their Assassins, Trackers, and Hunters. What the Great Grandmaster was surprised by was learning that I was a Jedi Knight. It seemed he had believed me a Padawan sent by my Master to study with them, and not a fully-fledged warrior of the Order.

"Why are you here Initiate?" one of the guards asks as I come closer. "The dormitories and training facilities are over there." He uses his pike to gesture in the direction of where those places are.

I bowed, showing respect for them, and acknowledging that they outranked me. "I have come to speak with the Grand Guardian. He is aware of my request and bids me to arrive at this time."

The guards looked at each other and then at me. It was early evening, less than an hour after dinner, and one of the few moments when Initiates were not in lectures, training, or spars. That I would use that small amount of free time when the Guardians were not pushing us to our limits, to seek out the Grand Guardian was unexpected.

One of the guards lifted his arm and accessed a small computer interface on his vambrace. As he did, I watched the sun slowly setting to my right. Anzat had a twenty-eight-hour day, and our training took up much of that time. Nearly twenty-two hours in total, with only four hours allowed during the night to rest. It didn't take a genius to understand the Guardians were pushing us past our limit, forcing us to keep going even when barely able to. Unlike the others, however, I had the advantages of being a Jedi, Player's Body, and a Meditation skill that was maxed. With those working in concert, I could negate any weariness my body and mind experienced.

It was because of that, and not being able to train Anakin while inside the Sanctum, that I was here to speak with the Grand Guardian. I hoped that even if just a few times each month, I might be allowed to return to Raven to monitor Anakin and test his progress.

"The Grand Guardian is expecting you." The guard said after something flashed on his vambrace. "You may enter and will be escorted to him. Do not attempt to deviate from your path, or escape the notice of your guide."

I bowed again, accepting the orders, and ignoring the tone the guard used. He was just doing his job and not, I felt, targeting me because I was an off-worlder. I entered the building, my mind already devising altered training patterns for Anakin if my request was granted, and the extent to which HK could go to ensure Anakin followed my plans.

And perhaps, while I was there, I might see how my son was coming along with his two projects.

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I slipped forward, moving from the wall I'd just scaled toward a row of bushes five metres further in. My steps were silent, the Force working in an almost inconceivably small way to dull the sound of my steps so that even I failed to hear myself as I moved. I was also using it to mask any scent I might produce. I could feel the Force swirling around me, subtly asking me to use it, offering its services, wanting me to rend every threat in the compound I'd just entered to pieces. I refused to do so. This challenge I faced was based on my skills and subtle usage of the Force, not overwhelming power. Failure to complete it sufficiently would deny me the chance to advance beyond Initiate, and prevent me from learning some of the greater skills those who followed The Way had.

Two months had passed since I, Simvyl and five others had been accepted as Initiates, and while Simvyl was doing well in his training, thanks to my ability to draw on far more reserves of the Force, and years of combat training before being reborn, I had advanced faster than him or anyone in our intake. This exercise, to infiltrate a compound, locate the target terminal, and then exfil without being detected was my Test of the Initiate; a chance to show that I was ready to learn more, and I was not going to fail it.

The major difference between this exercise compared to the various training drills we had been put through by the Guardians over the last two months was that this was a live-fire exercise. If the guards found me, they would shoot. The only small upside was that their blasters wouldn't be set to kill, just a form of stunning that induced great pain.

To prepare me for what might happen, one of the Guardians had shot me with a blaster with that setting. Even knowing it was coming and preparing for it, I had been driven to my knees. My senses had struggled to remain active as every nerve ending in my body felt as if it was on fire. At that moment, the Force came to my call, and only the barest thread of control and the knowledge that this was something I had accepted as needing to happen prevented me from lashing out. From using the Force to eviscerate the Guardian who had dared induce the pain I had felt.

I was relieved that I had been able to control my rage during that demonstration and knew that if I'd come to Anzat not long after taking Natural Selection, I'd have never been able to contain my rage. Sithspit, even before Naboo I wasn't sure if I'd have had the control – at least without Player's Mind – to not lash out at those who'd dared to hurt me.

I stayed still in the bushes I was in, looking around the compound. The Guardians had made clear that beyond the three objectives of infiltrate, locate the target, and exfil without detection, I was free to use all the skills and weaponry at my disposal. I had chosen to not bring my lightsaber, as this was – even if I was to be shot at – just a training exercise. The use of the lightsaber would make it far too easy to maim and kill any who got in my way and certainly cost me any hint of anonymity.

Instead, I had a simple blade along with a holdout blaster at my hips, and the tools located in my mechanical limb. The Guardians, while aware that I had the replacement, and understanding and accepting of it, remained blissfully unknowing of the extras the limb possessed. Ideally, that would remain the case even after this exercise, but if not, the myriad of tools I had at my disposal would ensure that I could escape without detection regardless of whether I found the required terminal or not.

I went still as the sound of movement reached my ears; the Force boosting my senses to make it easier to know what was happening around me. Staying low in the bush, I waited for the guard – there should not be anyone here but guards – to approach while examining the map of the compound that I had overlaid on my minimap. I was still several metres, and at least two paths, from coming into sight of the central building that contained the terminal I was to access. Yet as I stayed there, listening as the guard grew ever closer to my location, I felt something was wrong.

The guard was unaware of me, I was sure of that. Yet within the Force, there was a distant echo. As if something was happening elsewhere. Not on Anzat but off-world. The faint sight of blue flashed through my mind before I drew my focus back to my location.

The steps grew closer, and the crunching of gravel louder, as the guard walked along the path. I stayed still, trusting my cover, the skills I had learnt, and the gentle applications of the Force I was using to keep me hidden. The rules of the exercise said the guards wouldn't have anything like night-vision goggles or scopes, but I wouldn't put it past the Guardians to change those rules without telling me. I stayed low, using the bushes to mask my presence and waited for the guard to draw ever closer.

I listened carefully, tracking the sounds of his movement, and comparing them to the compound's layout on my minimap. As the sounds of his footsteps moved away, heading along the path, I stayed still. The routes and timings of the guards weren't given in the briefing so I had no certainty as to when or if the guard would turn and come back.

Once the steps became quieter, and the minimap confirmed he had moved around a bend, I slipped forward, sliding under the bush so that I could see the path. There was no moon in the night's sky, but using the Force to enhance my sight I saw the faint shifted sections of gravel where the guard had stepped. Pushing myself up to a kneeling position, I noted the marks in the gravel and the next row of vegetation.

Those bushes weren't as tall or dense as the one I'd just moved under, meaning it would be harder to avoid detection once in them. I looked both ways, searching for a better route. However, two trees, each about three metres from me on each side marked the end of the bush: the ground beyond them being open and exposed.

The bush across from me was my best path. At least unless I wished to sneak around the walls of the compound seeking another route toward the central building that contained my target. I felt that path carried more danger. The guards would be more alert to shifting shadows and unexpected sounds the closer they were to the walls. Deeper in the compound, the odds were higher that they might be less alert to a threat, thinking those further out would find a danger before it moved inward.

I moved over the path, placing my feet gently into the indentations the guard had made, and reached the other bush. My steps were muffled by the Force dampening any sound I made, but I still moved slowly, not wanting to risk a sudden mistake that might expose my position.

Sliding low, I slipped under the bush and crawled forward. Yet before I was fully under the cover of the bushes, I heard the sound of shifting footsteps on the gravel. The guard had turned and was coming back. Not wanting to be found, I pulled myself as much as I could under the low bush. Then, as the sounds of the footsteps grew ever closer, I called the Force to me, bending it around myself as a sort of second skin in a way the Guardians called the Unseen Façade that they had been teaching me over the last few months.

The Force would distort my appearance, in theory making it difficult for any to be able to focus upon me. In well-lit locations, that would make it harder for others to shoot at or attack me, and in the darkness of the night, as it was now, it would allow me to remain unseen even if someone were almost on top of me. In time, I would be expected to use this new power to hide from the detection of droids and mechanical sensors, but I'd yet to begin such training as that was considered an Apprentice-level skill. Provided I passed this exercise, then I should move to that rank and begin more advanced training. That said, I could already see how it would in theory work, and with two droids at my disposal if I couldn't learn it before my time on Anzat was over, I'd be able to learn it for myself.

As I lay there, unmoving and waiting for the guard to pass by, my thoughts drifted for a moment to the Jedi Shadows. Master Giiett had suggested on occasion that I would be well suited to serving with that subset of the Order. However, while I was skilled at subterfuge and able to think outside the box, I had grown to prefer being in the heat of battle instead of slipping around the edges of it to cause damage others wouldn't notice until it was too late.

The training that Giiett had provided me with when trying to convince me to join the Shadows – at least before his death – bore similarities to much of what the Anzati Guardian taught and wondered if the other Jedi who'd' come here – such as Master Tholme – had been Shadows themselves.

I refocused as the guard came to a stop almost on top of me. I remained still, waiting for him to move yet preparing to strike. Darts in my arm would render him unconscious in an instant if he spotted me, however, such a move would place a severe time restraint on the exercise. Either the guard would wake up in four or five hours and remember what had happened, or another would find him; either by walking along this same path, or by him missing a check-in.

Time seemed to slow as I readied myself on the chance I was detected. My heart rate remained steady even as I felt my body and the Force wait for my signal to strike. The idea to cast a false sound elsewhere in the compound came to mind. It was not a trick the Guardians had suggested, but one Fay had taught me years before. I'd never needed that power before, nor had it registered as a Force Power back when the Interface tracked such things, but it was an option if the guard lingered for too long.

Thankfully for me, the guard resumed moving, heading back in the direction I'd first seen him coming from. I stayed still listening intently to the sound of his steps, as the gravel crunching under his feet grew ever quieter. Once he was far enough away, I shifted, moving through the bushes toward the centre of the compound.

Once out from the bushes, I looked around. Ahead of me was a flower bed. There was no way I could move through it without damaging some of them, which risked giving away my presence. I could move around it, but either side offered no cover on the small expanse of grass before. That, however, was acceptable for now as my location granted me a clear line of sight of the central building in the compound, and where on the top floor the terminal I was expected to access was located.

At five floors tall, the building was a good ten metres above anything else in the compound, which made it easy to use as a point of reference. However, the downside was that scaling the outside of the building would be troublesome as I'd be visible to anyone who looked at it from the side I climbed up.

The terminal on the fifth floor was special in that it was air-gapped to the networks running in the compound, and supposedly the only one used for accessing several highly classified files that I needed to duplicate. The problem was always going to be gaining access to that terminal, and as my eyes scanned the base of the building, the difficulty increased exponentially.

The only visible entrance – I could make out two sides clear and catch hints of the third – lay before a large open expanse of gravel. An area of around ten square metres in size. Two guards stood at their posts on either side of the door, and as I watched, I saw at least four guards moving around near the sides I could see.

I could get past those guards, or at least I thought I could. However, doing so would either take too much effort to do so without alerting them or if I took them out, draw the attention of the other guards before I had completed my assignment.

My eyes searched the building, spotting windows on each of the floors between the ground and the fifth floor. However, as I looked closer – the Force granting me impressive depth of vision – I noted that all were locked from the inside. To make matters worse, along the edges of the building, shaped in ways to hide their presence with the architecture, I saw what I assumed to be sensors and cameras.

That removed the idea of taking out the guards, as I'd be seen by others before I was close enough to take the two guards down quietly. Oddly, I smiled as I understood the cameras were an extra layer of security, one not mentioned by the briefing before the exercise that was designed to catch out any who chose to rush the building in a desire to reach the terminal.

My gaze moved to the building's roof. From what I could see from my vantage point, it appeared flat. In theory, there would be some way to enter the room I wanted from there, however, getting to the roof would be a challenge. The sky might be black due to the missing moon, but using the Force to leap onto the roof would make it highly likely I would be spotted, if not heard as I landed.

My gaze shifted around, seeking a way to reach the roof of the central building without being seen by guards or cameras. There were a few smaller buildings nearby, though none within easy jumping distance. Some were close enough that I felt I could make the leap with the Force boosting me, and ensure that no one saw or heard my actions. Yet, as my eyes focused on one building in the corner of the compound, out of the way and seemingly unimportant, the Force subtly shifted.

That drew my attention, and I examined the building as best I could from my location. There was nothing seemingly important about it, and it lay far from my target, with only a single guard patrolling nearby, yet the Force was implying that this building might be of use. Curious about why that was, and knowing I had until the first light of the morning – about six and a half hours from now – stretched over the compound to complete my assignment, I decided to investigate.

At the very least being able to watch the target building from another angle might offer a way into the target. And at best… there might be a way to complete the challenge without needing to risk discovery.

… …
"Why were you drawn to the building you ended up entering?"

The question had come from one of the three Guardians that I was standing before. It was a few hours after the exercise had ended, and it was confirmed that while I hadn't accessed the terminal in the main building, I had completed it successfully.

"A feeling," I replied, thinking back to the small building the Force had guided me to. As I drew closer I discovered several instances of hidden security around the building, which only served to further my curiosity. "The Force hinted to me that there was more to the building than met the eye," I added as the Guardians looked at me. "Unlike the other buildings in the compound, bar the primary target, this one had more security than one would expect. Because of that, I decided to trust the Force and investigate further."

As it turned out, the building the Force guided me to had a terminal in it as well, one that connected to the supposedly air-gapped one on the top floor of the building I was meant to infiltrate. I had copied the files from the new terminal and then slipped from the compound without being spotted by any guard or sensor.

"You abandoned your orders?"

"My orders were to access the terminal in the main building and copy the files on the secured terminal. Whether I could or could not complete that, I was expected to leave the compound before sunrise without being stopped, or ideally detected. The target building with the terminal was too heavily guarded for there to be much chance that I could gain entry without being detected. Deciding that remaining unseen and learning as much as I could about the compound that night, so if allowed I could return the next, was the prudent course of action."

The three Guardians turn to each other. I could see their lips move, yet was unable to hear what they were saying as they discussed my actions. Soon, they turned back to me.

"The exercise is deemed a success," one of the Guardians stated, drawing a small smile from me. "Few Initiates ever consider accessing the secondary buildings, and fewer still locate the secondary terminal. Interestingly, you are the tenth Jedi to train at this Sanctum in my time as a Guardian," which, from what I knew of how long an Anzati could live, could be centuries if not millennia, "and all have located the secondary terminal. However, only five including yourself accessed said terminal."

"Because of your performance, we deem you to be ready to take your next step in harnessing The Way. Well done Apprentice." I bowed in thanks for the promotion. "We should state that an increase in rank brings with it a more gruelling training schedule. We are aware the Grand Guardian has permitted you to depart the Sanctum one night a week to train your Padawan. However, with your new training schedule, you shall only be granted two evenings of rest each week. You might also be sent to another Sanctum for additional training if we felt it would benefit your journey in harnessing The Way to do so."

I frowned at hearing that. While the increased training would help with the quest I had linked to my time here – which was focused on the skills of Stealth, Sleight of Hand, Lockpicking, and Perception, it would mean my time with Anakin might be curtailed.

"An Apprentice of the Way is pushed to the very limits of their physical abilities," the third Guardian said, "pushing you past the limits of your species and testing just how long you can rely on the Force for support. We understand that this might interfere with the training of your Padawan, and as such grant you a choice which needs to be made by the end of the day. Either you accept Apprentice training, and all that entails, or your time with us will see you remain as an Initiate; barely being pushed to improve yourself or harness The Way."

I bowed in thanks for the time to consider the matter and stayed there until the trio had left the room. Once they did I stood up and sighed. Anakin disliked only seeing me once a week as was, and while I should be able to keep seeing him as an Apprentice, I feared that I would not be able to do much training, or even supervise much of his training if I became as worn out and ragged as the Guardians were suggesting.

I left the room, and knowing I was under the clock sought out a quiet corner to meditate on my choice.

… …

​

---

​

… …
As I neared the ramp to enter Raven, I suppressed a yawn. The training I was undergoing now as an Apprentice of The Way was more tiring and strenuous than the Guardians had hinted at. Two nights of rest a week, at no more than four hours at a time, was stretching me to my limits, and with me needing to keep returning to my ship to speak with Anakin, even with the Force to help me it was starting to place a strain on my nerves.

I knew Anakin would sense my tiredness, but the more I could hide it, the less he would worry about me. I knew I was pushing myself heavily, running myself ragged with training with the Guardians and continuing to train Anakin, but I could handle it.

To help slightly with that, Simvyl came back to Raven once a week now, training Anakin in unarmed combat and other things so that I could focus on fewer matters when I was here. I was glad for that as while the training with the Guardian was intense, it felt extremely beneficial.

Learning ways to slip the Force around me to gently guide others to either ignore me or consider me less of a threat were tricks that would be extremely useful going forward. Haran, I would've killed to have such skills in my former life. Yes, it would've seen me shift from being a front-line operator to becoming a spook, but what one was capable of with the Force if one looked beyond the narrow ideals of the Jedi was mind-blowingly scary.

As I reached the ramp, I sensed an onrushing presence and looking up I saw the large black mask of my tuk'ata bounding toward me. "Fenrir!" I called out as he rushed me. I ducked and slid to one side, letting him sail through the air before turning to face him. "Down!" I snarled, some of my anger slipping into the Force with the word.

Fenrir stopped and his head dropped slightly, as if understanding he'd angered his pack leader. I sighed at the face he made; somehow even though he was almost as tall as me – and considerably bulkier and stronger – he still managed to pull off the sad puppy face that I'd have thought he would've grown out of by now. "It's okay," I said softly, holding out a hand to gesture him closer. "I'm just tired."

His head perked up at that and he moved closer, pushing one side of his face into my hand. I chuckled at the display and scratched him under his ear. "How have you been, boy?"

He whined softly and leaned into my touch as I once more felt the gentle shifting in the Force whenever I returned to Raven. At first, I'd thought it was simply the force feeling that I was home, yet the longer my training on Anzat had gone on, the greater the sensation had grown, and I was now certain it was the Force slowly letting me know that my time on the planet and training with the Guardians was drawing to a close.

I was a few weeks short of my nineteenth birthday, with the anniversary of the invasion of Naboo a few months further down the line. It was slowly getting to the point where I'd have to stop my various training voyages and begin preparing for what was to come, but I felt I still had time for one more trip, though I was uncertain as to which Force sect or warrior culture to visit next.

An excited ball of energy surged in the Force, and I turned back to the ramp to see Anakin bounding down it. "CAM!" He called out excitedly, and as I knelt– without taking my hand from just under Fenrir's ear – waited for him.

He ran into my arm, and I held him tight as his arms closed around my neck. "An'ika," I said with a smile at the warm reaction to my return. I patted his back as he held me tightly, almost as if scared I might not be real. "I'm here, don't worry."

"I know," He said, his head half-buried in my shoulder, "I'm just happy you're back." He loosened his grasp about half a minute later and pulled back so he could look me in the eyes. "Are you finished here?" He asked the same question he asked every time I returned to Raven to check up on him.

I knew he was doing well as HK and R2 sent regular updates to me, and from the sound of things, Anakin was obeying the training and studying regiment I'd created for him well, or at least HK hadn't suggested a need to discipline Anakin to me, nor had Anakin complained about HK's strictness. At least not since the end of the first month of the schedule.

"No, I still have some time to go," I replied, causing some of his energy to fade away, "but not long. Perhaps a month or so." That had the enthusiasm return slightly. "Now, how have your projects been going?" I asked.

His face lit up as I'd expected and he turned, moving toward Raven, one hand trying to drag me with him. "Great!" He said with the bounce back in his step. "Come on."

I chuckled as I allowed him to drag me up the ramp and into Raven. Fenrir moaned, unhappy at my hand slipping from his fur but followed along in the hope of more attention. As we reached the top of the ramp, I stopped, making Anakin turn to me. "Go and get your pads and I'll meet you in the main hold," I said.

He nodded so fast I feared he'd hurt his neck before bounding away a touch too quickly to be entirely normal. Such frivolous use of the Force wasn't something a Jedi would normally tolerate. However, I was far from being a normal Jedi, and as he was excited, and as it was a sign he was becoming more comfortable with drawing on his power in his everyday life, I saw little harm in allowing such behaviour to continue.

I moved forward, heading toward the central area, knowing he'd have the pads and schematics ready for me by the time I got there. I'd not asked about either project – the one for a starfighter and the one for a droid – in about a month, so it would be interesting to see how far he'd advanced his concepts.

At my side I heard Fenrir grunt, hinting at his amusement at my son's behaviour. It might've been less than two years since Shmi had died and I'd adopted Anakin into Clan Shan, but Anakin now considered me, Fenrir, Raven, and even the droids as family. That was a sentiment I shared wholeheartedly.

"Hey R2," I said as I saw the astromech rolling through a corridor, "been keeping out of trouble?" The droid beeped loudly at my comment, making me laugh. "Yeah, I know there's nowhere to get into trouble here, but I don't think that would stop you or HK if the chance arose." He beeped again and his head rotated around. "I know, I know. You're the responsible one out of the four of you, but that's not a high bar to clear." He whistled in irritation before turning and rolling away, deciding he didn't like the conversation.

I shook my head as I chuckled at his behaviour. I was being truthful in saying that of the four who stayed on Raven, he was the most responsible, but again when the other three were an assassin droid that wanted at times to wipe all meatbags, a creature bred to hunt and kill, and an almost hyperactive young boy with incredible potential at his fingertips, being the responsible one wasn't a hard position to take.

I knew I was not counting Raven in that grouping, but if the chance arose to do some acrobatic if not downright dangerous flying, she would. It was just that with us stuck on Anzat for such a long time, she had no chance to push to do something unwise. Though as my hand ran over her hull, generating a symphony of happy light from her, I knew she would the moment we left the planet.

As I reached the central area, which served as the meal hall, and general relaxation room, I saw Anakin at the central table. A dozen datapads were strewn on the table, though two in particular held places of importance before my son. "I see you're ready," I commented with a wide smile as I walked closer. "HK," I added as I spotted the assassin droid standing nearby, guarding the short corridor that led to the cockpit.

"Greeting: It is good to see you, Master. Query: When might we leave this pitiful excuse for a world, or at the very least, seek out meatbags so that I might test my latest calibrations?"

"We'll be leaving in a month or so," I replied, ignoring the suggestion that he wanted to go on a murder spree. He said that often but had yet to do so; at least without asking me first, which I always shut down. "Simvyl's coming along in his training and I'm not sure there's much else new that I can learn from the Anzati without committing to being here far longer than I'm comfortable with."

Simvyl was doing well in his Initiate grouping, standing third of seven. He wasn't overly happy about his placement, seeing it as a failure on his part, Yet I knew it was impressive. The others were all Anzati who had over a hundred years of experience on him – one was just north of two hundred according to Observe – so for him to be ahead of any of them, even considering he wasn't a raw recruit, was a worthy achievement. Before Naboo, he had been a good warrior, but now as we closed in on two years since then, and with training with the Matukai and Echani to draw upon, he was a far more dangerous fighter for any who stood against him.

My training was now handled alone, as I was too far behind any Apprentice grouping at the Sanctum to join them, but too advanced to remain with the Initiate grouping. The training was tiring, and draining, but I would manage it. I wouldn't allow it to break me. I knew that both Adas and Dooku might likely feel I could do better, or improve further faster, but I was content with my current level of exertion, as going any further might harm my ability to spend these evenings with Anakin.

Anakin struggles to remain still as I approach, and as I slide in beside him, he thrusts a datapad – one of the two directly before him – into my hands. Activating the pad, I let out a low, impressed whistle.

The image before me was of a fighter never seen before in this galaxy. The lineage of the Z-95 in it was clear to see, as were – rather amusingly – hints of the X-Wing. I'd not offered Anakin any hint of that vessel during his time working on this project, but even with just this basic rotating image of a starfighter, I could see how this vessel and the one made famous in the other timeline, came from the same family of design. Just with different minds pushing their creation.

I slid the screen to the next page, taking in the dimensions and specifications of this fighter. Anakin's creation – which I noted he'd not yet named – was about fifteen metres long, twelve wide and four high with the landing gears deployed. The wings of the Z-95 were present, though they started further along the fuselage, not far behind where an astromech slot was located, and tapered to rounded edges in line with the engines. Each wing was in fact a pair of S-foils that opened in combat, just like the X-Wing. The tip of each of those four wings carried a laser cannon. The stats of those, and other weaponry were missing, suggesting Anakin wasn't sure of the exact power output or models of such things. Still, the presence of four cannons like that was amusing.

The image before me shifted, showing me the underside of the craft. Three hardpoints for extra weapons – be they bombs, missiles, or extra cannons – were on the bottom of each wing while in the centre of the fuselage is a section that, according to Anakin's suggestions, could be used for supplies if the fighter has to travel for a long time, or to carry extra munitions. The specifics of what would go on these hard points and into the internal bay would depend on the mission, but I could already imagine various layouts to suit different operations. The flexibility of this wasn't something I'd suggested to Anakin, yet it was a feature I highly approved of.

The fighter had a hyperdrive, which would drive up the cost but was a good idea. Anakin seemed to want a 1.0-rated drive, which would make this fighter extremely quick in reaching its destination. Once there, the four engines would grant it impressive acceleration and atmospheric top speed.

"Anakin," I said slowly, looking at him in awe at what he'd created. "This is incredible." Yes, the design needed refinement – the specifics of the powercore, engines and weapons weren't defined as he didn't have access to some of the data needed to punch in the numbers – but I knew that what he'd created was a solid, if not amazing, base from which to create a fighter to rival anything the galaxy had seen.

"There's more," He said with a large smile. I passed him the pad, expecting him to give me another. Instead, he touched a corner of the one I was holding, and the image of the fighter gave way to some rough specifications.

I blinked as I saw figures that I'd not expected. "How did you get this data?" I asked, knowing some of it wasn't anything I'd granted him access to.

He shrugged. "I used the Holonet to find the files," he said before mumbling something else.

"What?"

"I, um, I used some of your credits to purchase some files and contacted Raith," he explained looking down at the ground. "I needed details for the design, and you weren't here to ask."

I chuckled and reached out to rub his hair. "In future, if I'm not here, so long as you're not breaking any laws, assume it's fine to spend credits for projects such as this," I said. Yes, he had gone behind my back on the matter, but the results of it – the details here suggested how different components from various manufacturers could be added to the inner workings and how many would alter various systems – was an incredible leap beyond what I'd asked of him.

After he nods, I turn back to the datapad, scrolling the list of equipment that could be used for each section. It appeared that Anakin had decided to make the internals as modular as the externals. Different components would need small alterations to fit into the fighter, and each would alter the circuitry slightly, but there was good logic in this approach. "Why did you not settle on a single supplier for each component?"

"I remembered you talking about the danger of placing all our eggs in one basket," Anakin replied with a smile. "some of the parts won't work with others, but I'd programmed the pad to mark out the pieces when that happens."

"Well done." I looked back at the details and grinned. "I asked you to create a starfighter with a focus on superiority, and you went and made something that was much more adaptable."

His smile widened. "I… I was also thinking about how we could use the base design for other ships." He spoke slowly, as if unsure of himself. "I wanted the ship to have every weapon possible, but doing that caused big problems."

"That's one way to put it," I said with a grin.

"Yeah. So, I was thinking of this." He tapped the pad again and this time it displayed four new fighters. Each was similar to the first one but altered in ways – some subtle, some less so – that made certain each was unique while having a common foundation. The details of each ship weren't present, but each had a title hinting at their various roles.

"Anakin," I said slowly as I understood the concepts he was going for here. "This is amazing."

Using a base airframe to build variants built for specific things – bomber, rapid recon or deep-strike, interceptor, and missile-boat were the four names Anakin had given to the new designs – was a smart way to standardise production, and in theory, keep down costs. Now, the variants were missing the level of detail that the main fighter design had, but I could see ways that many of the components suggested for the starfighter could be used in the variants.

"There's more," Anakin said, changing the display on the pad to show two more fighters. Again, there were clean lines that suggested the commonality of them, yet these two were significantly different. The first was larger by about fifty per cent and had a cockpit designed for two pilots and a built-in astromech droid. It looked slower but had more armament – potentially enough to take out cruisers and other mid-sized starships – and the more I stared at it, the more it reminded me of the ARC-130 the GAR would use in the Clone Wars.

The second variant was more akin to a scout craft. It was large again but seemed to be designed for outright speed. Yet with the larger central hold, it would be able to deploy its cargo and depart before most others were aware of its presence.

These designs were not things I'd seen on my previous trips as I'd spent the majority of the time training him with his lightsaber forms and usage of the Force. Yet it seemed he'd been far from idle in my absence.

Some of the concepts he had created bore similarities to fighters, bombers, and interceptors I'd seen on the galactic market, but the specifics of such vessels were hard to be certain of. Yes, their creators listed their capabilities, but I couldn't be sure they weren't overselling their creations. Nor did I know what other advanced projects and designs they had in the pipeline. The Banite Sith would be working with various companies to develop and build the ships and equipment for the GAR so that when war came, the Republic could fight back and, as the war dragged on, the Jedi could be dragged around and taken out slowly until the Banite Sith were ready to strike and end the Republic and Jedi in a single day or so.

"Are you planning for a war?" I asked him after looking over the variants. While alone a fleet of starfighters to his designs wouldn't be enough to win a war, in theory, they'd be more than capable of turning the tide of just about any battle.

"No," Anakin replied with a giggle. "But you've made clear you think there's one coming inside our lifetimes," I grunted, remembering I had hinted in his presence about the coming Clone Wars, unaware that he'd taken that knowledge in and that I had influenced his thoughts and intentions. "Even if there's not if we can make a fleet of these, then Lia and the Lokella can be safe from future attacks."

"Ah," I said softly, understanding now coming to me. While he was concerned about the war I felt was coming, his focus was on protecting his family. He knew I, along with Fenrir, Simvyl, and the droids could look after ourselves, but that his younger half-sister currently couldn't. Given she had little potential for the Force, she'd never become what Anakin could, but I felt with the right – read Mando'ade – training, she could be as dangerous as someone like Bo or Naz.

"There's nothing wrong with wanting to do everything you can to protect those you love, An'ika. But even if we do that, no matter what we do, even if we burn entire worlds in an attempt to save our loved ones, we have to accept that death is a natural part of the universe. Even the stars die. It is a law of the universe that cannot be overcome."

He looked up at me in shock, his eyes wide. "St…stars can die?" He asked, having seemingly considered it as possible.

"Yes, Anakin they do. That is how Black holes, and other such phenomena occur." I reach over and place a hand on his shoulder as I sense the cold, almost mind-numbing fear radiating from him and push the warmth of my presence to him through the Force. "I know it scares you. It scares me as well when I consider that one day you, Bo, Fenrir, and others might die. However, dwelling on that fear, letting it consume you in some false hope that you can alter things so no one you care for dies is a dark and dangerous path to walk down. One that, if you do so, will see you consumed by the Dark Side and become nothing but a puppet of whatever twisted desires it demands of you."

"I know," he whispered though I felt he didn't yet understand, "it's just…" his head dropped, and he looked down at his feet, kicking them aimlessly against each other. "I miss her, and I don't want to lose you."

I reached forward and pulled him into a hug. His arms closed eagerly around my waist as I held him tight. "I understand, Anakin," I said gently. "I miss my grandfather and don't want to lose you either. That's why all this training is needed."

I held him for a while, letting him draw strength from me and allowing him to gather his thoughts and calm his raging emotions. He might not have the issue I did with the Interface, and through it, Eidetic Memory making it impossible for me to let go of my emotions and fears, but I knew he dwelled on such thoughts heavily. So much so that, in the other timeline, Sidious had exploited that and his fears over his wife, to corrupt him into Darth Vader.

After what felt like a few minutes, I felt Anakin shift and let him slip from my grasp. His face was long, and while there were no tears, I could sense his unease. I smiled in understanding and moved my hands toward the datapad he'd given me. "I'm proud of you and your creations, An'ika," I said softly, drawing his thoughts away from his mother and his fears for the future, "in the time we've known each other, you've gotten stronger and stronger. Don't ever think otherwise, nor that I don't want you trying to protect those you love. You just need to learn that we cannot protect everyone all the time."

His eyes came up, and a faint smirk came to his lips. "Not even you?"

"Yes Anakin, even me," I said as I ruffled his hair. "I know I have, shall we say, a talent for getting into trouble," he giggled at that, "but when I do I need you to stop and think before you act. It might seem to draw trouble to me, but I have never failed to escape that trouble with my own skill and power. I'd rather find my way out of that trouble than have to worry about you running in to help, acting like a bantha in a crystal shop."

Anakin laughed happily at the analogy. "Says the man who jumps from starships to help those he cares for." My brow rose at him throwing that back at me. I'd never talked to him about my rush to help Serra after her verd'goten or to reach Bo and Naz during the Battle of Keldabe, but it seemed he was aware of at least one of them. "Bo and Naz told me about your adventures."

"Ah," I muttered in understanding. "Still, I do hope that you learn from my mistakes – and such reckless action, even if it worked out was reckless – and make your own choices." With hindsight, I can see how I could've approached those moments better, and still achieved my goals, but I knew well what the saying about hindsight was.

"I'll try."

I shook my head as I laughed at his non-committal answer and ruffled his hair once more. In moments like this, I felt sympathy for Obi-Wan when he'd had to raise and train Anakin in the other timeline. The issue was that I knew I was, at times, a bad role model. Just like Anakin, I was the sort of person to rush headlong into the fire to save those I cared about, and while that had worked out for me for the most part – the loss of my forearm notwithstanding – I knew I had to temper my instincts. If not for my sake, then for Anakin's and the others I cared for.

He was only eleven, but already my thoughts were starting to drift to two years in the future. At that point, he would be old enough for his verd'goten, and I couldn't deny a hint of fear at what that might entail. I knew I'd trained him well, and that he could look after himself, but I feared that he would – like myself before him – face a challenge for which he wasn't entirely ready. The hardest part was going to be not doing what I wanted and rushing to help, as that would see him fail the challenge, and possibly hate me for doing so.

"So," I said slowly, pushing thoughts of Anakin's future aside, "the base fighter, do you feel ready to consider making a prototype?" If he was, then I'd have to contact either Raith or Alor Dred Yomaget – more likely the latter – and see if they or someone they knew could help with the creation of a prototype. The sooner it was made, and the kinks worked out, the sooner production could begin, giving at least the Lokella access to his creations.

Anakin's eyes widened, and I sensed his surprise at me suggesting he move forward with the project. "I… um… I mean, maybe. In a few months. I guess." He paused and rubbed the back of his head. "It's just… the parts I want to use, they're not cheap."

"How much?" I asked, not caring greatly about the cost, as beyond my wealth, I had access to the Jedi's funds. The idea of having them pay for the creation of a fighter that would, in all likelihood, be used against them, was amusing enough that I could see myself doing that.

"At least a million credits I guess. Both the parts and paying someone to build and test it for us."

"For you, An'ika," I countered, "this is your project, not mine." I saw his mouth open, probably to argue, and I held my hand up to stop him. "The idea of you creating a starfighter was one I gave you," I said slowly, wanting to explain my logic. "I did so because you have a talent for technology that I don't, which I'm fine with by the way. I wanted this project, and the one for a droid, to push your skills. I never intended for you to take it so far, so my influence over this project is over. All I will do is back you, however much it takes, with the credits to build the prototype. Whatever becomes of it, from the name to how far this goes, is up to you, and you will have my full, unqualified support for whatever you decide."

It took a few moments for Anakin to accept my words, but when he had, he looked at me with a wide smile. "Okay." There was a long moment where he seemed to revel with pride at having control of the starfighter project before he blinked. "Oh, the droid…"

He turned and all but snatched the datapad with the details of the starfighter on it from my hand, before replacing it was the other pad that had a place of prominence of the dozen or so that were on the table around us. Normally I would warn him about such behaviour, but it was clear he was doing it at this moment because he was excited, and not as might normally be the case, angry or upset.

As I turned to the new datapad I was curious as to what he'd done with the droid project. If the starfighter designs were anything to go by, this should be an interesting one. Especially with HK and R2 offering more opinions for this than for the starfighter.

At first glance, the droid didn't appear too different from a well-modified 3P0-series protocol droid, but as I looked closer, and read some of the information on the first display, I whistled. "I know I just said it about the starfighter, but this is impressive, An'ika. I see you took in many of HK's ideas," I added as details of the hidden extras on the droid appeared on-screen.

The stomach no longer exposed internal wiring, and the odd brackets on the joints that seemed to limit the movement of such droids were gone. The entire thing was encased in metal with no obvious spots where it could be opened. A note on the page suggested using either beskar or phrik in the plating and I was not inclined to the former. Beskar was too rare to use on a droid, and the Mando'ade would never stand for such apparently frivolous use of the metal.

Elsewhere the deactivation switch on the back of the neck didn't shut down the droid. Anakin wanted an option in the programming so that the droid could either fake being shut down or ignore the button entirely, and I knew that had come from HK. The same was true of the various hidden extras that the droid had.

"Yeah," Anakin said with a broad smile, though a second later it slipped. "Um, this won't be cheap either," He added, which made me laugh.

"I believe I just told you that cost wasn't a problem with the starfighter. Why would that be different for the droid?" His face lit up again at that. "So, show me," I add.

Before arriving on Anzat, my publisher had contacted me. Fellowship of the Ring was doing far better than he and the production company had expected. At that time, I'd gained nearly forty billion credits from the holomovie, and by the end of the year, he suspected the figure would clear a hundred billion, if not close in on two hundred billion credits. That figure didn't include anything from the merchandising, but the projections there were impressive as well and I could be looking at double to tripling the movie figures.

Yet, for all my new-found wealth, I suspected I was still far from being even the richest Mando'ade, to say nothing of the wider galaxy. Still, using those credits for Anakin's projects was a better thing than simply letting them sit in various accounts gathering dust. I just hoped that whatever Anakin had added wasn't overly complicated as, based on my experience in this life and the last, things worked best if they were kept relatively simple.

… …

​

---

​

… …
I leaned back in the worn and tattered chair I found myself in this evening. I tapped the table in front of me, seemingly thinking about the cards I'd drawn in this round of sabacc, but in reality, my thoughts were elsewhere.

I was no longer on Anzat, the training had gone as far as I thought it could go without me committing time I knew I didn't have. Simvyl had, before we'd left, attempted a similar exercise to the one I had. While he hadn't succeeded as well as I had – as was expected of most Initiates – he had done decently and understood his mistakes. Indeed, he'd managed to slip from the compound without being detected, which was the minimum the Guardians had expected.

That had helped guide my decision to leave, and after saying our farewells, with a loose promise to return if the Force allowed, we'd departed the system. After speaking with Anakin about a new extra he wanted to add to his droid – something akin to a chameleon cloak that would allow it to project the appearance of being organic over its frame – I'd had to hunt for where to find such things, and then locate a seller. That hunt had brought me to my current locale; a bar in one of the less reputable sections of Worlport; the capital city of Ord Mantell.

To any who approached the world, they'd see a beautiful and modern world, a symbol of the Republic's influence in the Mid Rim. But that influence ran below the surface as Ord Mantell was just as superficial as Coruscant or any Core World. Step away from the brilliant Corellian-inspired architecture in the Government District, and one quickly finds corruption, decay, and decadence. All signs of the failings that Republic was known for to any who knew to look away from the blinding light of the glittering central buildings.

The contact that I needed to meet had insisted on gathering on Ord Mantell, and I'd already spoken with them about what I needed. They claimed they could get the various components I'd need for Anakin's droid, but it would take time as while not illegal some of the parts were restricted. They'd said it would take half a month to gather them at most, and after five days on Ord Mantell, I was regretting agreeing to wait here for them to get what I was purchasing.

The first few days had passed easily enough. Anakin, Simvyl, and I had explored Worlport; first as Jedi and then as travelling Mandalorians. The reason the switch had taken place was because I kept getting invited to the planetary governor's mansion, as apparently there was some issue they wanted my help with. Sensing that whatever the issue was, I'd not enjoy it, I'd rejected the offer and then seemingly left the planet in Raven.

We'd returned a day later, taking over a more remote landing port; one where the planetary security was much laxer and more open-minded. The guards there had been persuaded with a handful of credits to mis-register Raven as another vessel but to avoid being bothered by the governor's people, Anakin and I had started travelling as Mandos.

Simvyl had used the time on the planet to contact a few fellow Antarian Rangers, getting updates on issues throughout this slice of the galaxy's Mid and Outer Rim. Looking them over, there was no apparent pattern to the grievances and skirmishes between various worlds and groups, but knowing what I did of what was to come, it didn't take much to convince Simvyl that all of it was interconnected to the failings of the Republic.

With little to do but kill time, I'd ended up wandering the three gambling districts in Worlport. Not because I had any real interest in gambling, but more to see how those not sitting around the top table lived. The first district, Path of Coins, was aimed at the high rollers; those unconcerned about losing a few million credits here and there. I'd spent some time there gambling and testing out my social skills, but I'd grown tired of the place.

Port of Coins was meant to represent the best of Ord Mantell, yet even though the common terms weren't used, slavery, drug dealing, and other illegal activities took place there. What made it worse was the fact the local law enforcement made no effort to deal with the problem. I knew the reasons – corruption and the like – but it still angered me that they would allow something as illegal as slavery to exist so openly simply by changing the name and, I suspected, forcing the workers to sign contracts that while seemingly making things seem legal, were little better than indentured servitude.

After a few more days of exploring, I'd ended up in Herglic's Folly, travelling from one establishment to the next. This district lacked all but the most token of security forces, but even though this place was dirty, worn-down, and dangerous – three sentients had made the mistake of trying to rob me on the first night in the district – I found it more real. Yes, there was slavery, drug-dealing and illegal trades taking place here, and those I was sharing the sabacc table with all had bounties worth at least twenty-thousand credits on their head, but they were open and honest about their rule-breaking.

Oh, if I wanted to, I'd happily gun everyone at the table down, along with the majority of the casino I found myself in. They were scum of the lowest kind, but at least they were truthful about what they were and that, at least for the time being, was enough for me to grant them leniency. Well, that and the facts I had to kill time on the planet, that playing with such reprobates was a clever way to practice my social skills, and between the Force and Observe I never left a table with fewer credits than I sat down with.

"I see your bet and raise you." That came from a Zabrak named Farld. This sentient, and I used the time loosely, was a trafficker in people, and had bounties from various sectors, the highest of which was thirty-five thousand credits from Taris. "Five thousand," he said as he slid a pile of credits into the centre of the table.

I watched him with amusement, already aware that my hand beat his. It might've been cheating to use the Force and Observe in such ways but as everyone I was playing with was scum of the lowest sort, I didn't care. Force, if they caught me cheating, then it just gave me a reason to gun them all down here and now.

"I see and raise," I replied, pushing seven thousand credits into the pot. It was a small increase, but should tempt him into meeting and raising it, which was what I…

"Cameron!" The shouting of my name when I'd not given it to anyone had my attention. If I'd been wearing my helmet, the HUD could've told me who called out, but I wasn't wearing it as faces had to be exposed at the table. "Cameron Shan!"

Hearing my full name, I knew the male – the voice made that clear – knew who I was, and as I turned, my hand grasping my blaster, I felt a familiar if off sensation in the Force. "Quinlan?" I muttered in confusion when I saw my fellow Jedi Knight coming toward me, dressed nothing like a Jedi should be attired, though since I wasn't in Jedi garb either, I couldn't hold that against him.

As he moves closer I notice a Devaronian enter behind him, one that looks remarkably like a devil, however, my focus is on Quinlan. Beyond the dishevelled look, his Force presence is off, if not wrong. As if part of him was missing or gone. "What's wrong?" I ask as I remove my hand from my blaster, sensing the Force swirling erratically around the Kiffar.

"It's Aayla! She's missing!"

I blinked at hearing that. "What? How?" I demanded, trying to figure out how he could lose his Padawan, why she was missing, and why he was coming to me. I could see him begin to explain only for me to remember the game. "I fold," I said, tossing my cards into the pile and then picking up my helmet. "Now," I said as I moved closer and placed a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him, "tell me what happened. From the beginning."

He nodded, and as he gathered his thoughts I felt the Force shifting. There was something about this moment, and about Aayla's disappearance, that it seemed to be suggesting might be of use to me. I just had to figure out what was going on, help Quinlan find Aayla, and then determine how it might affect me.

… …

​

---

​

… …
A/N: And with Quinlan's appearance, the training run is over. If you know your Dark Horse comics, you can guess which arc from that I'm about to adapt.

A/N (2): LuciferBael's story is here Of Lightning and Blood
...
This story is cross-posted on Fanfiction.net, Archive of our Own, and Royal Road.
...
For those wishing to join the Discord for the story, the server link is:
For this series: Heart of the Force
For general chaos/Gamer stories: Shiro's Gaming Omniverse
(Those on the story server who engage in chat can earn access to a chapter ~3 weeks before it goes public).

For those who wish to support my writing, and get access to drafts and completed chapters anywhere from 1 to 4 months earlier head to one of the links below:
Patreon: USSExplorer
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Regardless if you join the discord or support my writing, I hope you enjoy the story and suggestions, valid criticisms, and ideas are always welcome.
And of course;

May the Force be with you. Always​

 

[USSExplorer]

A/N: As always, a huge thank you to those helping with lore and planning for this and my other stories.

And again, this chapter was released to those of sufficient rank on the story's Discord (it pays to talk) about a month ago. For those who support my writing, then it was released between 1 to 4 months ago (and those supporters can also access chapters that far in advance).

If joining the Discord or supporting my writing interests you, there is a link at the end of the chapter for how to do so.
A/N: The training arc is over, now onto missions.

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3.10: The Lost Apprentice 1
… …​

I walked into the cantina just outside the Herglic's Folly gambling district, the HUD scanning for an empty booth. Failing to find one, I instead moved towards one with a pair of Rodians in it. "Get lost," I snarled at them as I neared. The pair stared at me with large black eyes. "Now." The two shared a look, hands drifting under the table, though that stopped when I had a blaster in my hand before either could unclasp their blaster. "Last chance."

There was a fraction of a moment where I thought the pair might not leave, but in the end, the pair shuffled from the booth, collecting their drinks, and muttering some choice insults in their native tongue. I ignored those, and slid into the booth, gesturing for the two accompanying me to do the same.

"Villie likes your style," the Devaronian with me said as he slid into the booth.

I ignored the horned alien and tossed a credit chit to a rather nervous-looking Togruta female as she shuffled to our table. "We desire privacy," I said as the female almost dropped the chit. She nodded rapidly and then turned and moved away as fast as she could without making it too obvious my behaviour scared her.

Once she was far enough away, I turned to Quinlan who had moved into the booth last. "Now, how about you tell me what is going on and how you managed to lose your Padawan, Quinlan," I asked, knowing my choice of words would cause a reaction.

Quinlan's eyes snapped to me, fury burning in them, and I sensed him grasp his lightsaber. "I didn't lose her!" he snarled. "She was taken!"

I closed my eyes, using the unstable burst of emotion to see a glimpse of him being Force pushed over a ledge by Aayla. That had me frowning as the two were, from everything I remembered, as close as siblings could be without sharing blood or parents.

Ever since he had appeared during my sabacc game, all I'd been able to sense from him was rage and confusion. His mind was a mess with no hint of even the basics of control that were taught to Initiates. Almost as if he had forgotten everything he'd ever known and lost his moral and mental centre. The pain and anger flowed out from him like a fountain threatening to consume a mountain. Still, the burst he'd aimed at me wasn't something, even in his current state of distress, I was going to tolerate.

I slid my helmet off so I could look him in the eyes. "Quinlan," I began slowly, "control yourself," I continued, using a gentle application of the Force to strengthen my words. "I'm here to help, otherwise you wouldn't have sought me out," I added, trying to not display my amusement at the fact that, for once, it wasn't me who was on edge and close to losing control of their emotions.

Ever since Anakin's kidnapping, and taking onboard the techniques Adas had taught me, I'd felt far more centred and if not balanced as how the Jedi Order might wish me to be, then with the stability to avoid lashing out like a wild rancor. Now, I'd yet to have that control tested, but I felt my mental strength was sufficient that even if the whirlwind of emotions I sensed in Quinlan existed within me, I wouldn't be as unbalanced as he was.

Quinlan blinked, my subtle use of the Force pushing aside just enough of his misplaced rage that he could see clearer. "I…" he slumped into the booth, as if ashamed of his behaviour. "I'm sorry. It's just… Aayla."

I nodded, understanding the pain he would be experiencing since I'd gone through something similar – though Anakin and I didn't share the strength and length of connection that Quinlan and Aayla did. Still, now that he was calmer, and back from the edge of fury, I could feel how different Quinlan's presence in the Force was, and not just because of his fear and anger centring on Aayla's current unknown condition and location. Wanting a read on him, I used Observe and frowned at what it stated.

Quinlan Vos
Race: Kiffar
Level: 28
Health: 100%
Age: 27
Force Potential: High
Threat Potential: High (Currently Low)
Reputation: None
Affiliation Loyalty: Aayla Secura (65%)
Emotional State: Confused/concerned/disorientated
Quinlan is frankly a wreck. Recent events have left him uncertain of a great many things, though he knows that Aayla Secura is important to him, akin to family.
He also knows that they were both Jedi, yet he has no memories of this; only fleeting images from various objects with those brought forth by his ability to read the history of objects.
It is through such images from Aayla's lightsaber that he has sought out Cameron Shan, understanding that he is, like him, a friend to Aayla, and now he seeks your help in finding his lost Padawan.
...​

It seemed that Quinlan was something of a blank slate with his memories now gone, though I currently had no idea of how that had happened. The lack of loyalty towards the Jedi and his former Master Tholme was interesting, a clear sign of this memory loss, as was his threat potential being considered Low currently when it should be High.

I recalled sparring with Quinlan on occasion, though not since before I was Knighted. While his base was, like Aayla's, centred around Ataru he fought unpredictably; almost as if he were forever living on the edge of losing control. Based on what Observe was saying, and what I could sense from him within the Force, Quinlan had gone over that edge and, when combined with his loss of memories of decades of training as a Jedi, was a loose cannon. He should have gone to the Order, or even his former Master for help, yet it was clear he hadn't and instead sought me out.

I leaned forward and tilted my head to one side. "What happened to you, Quinlan?" I asked gently. "Your Force presence is to be blunt; a mess and I can't get a clear read on your surface thoughts beyond a desire to find Aayla." He tensed at her name, making clear she was the driving force behind whatever had made him seek me out. "From the beginning, tell me what happened. I need to understand why you're this way and why Aayla was taken."

Quinlan took a moment and inhaled deeply. I could sense him trying to find some sort of centre as he did so. Giving him the time to do so, I turned my focus to the Devaronian, Villie. The alien claimed to be Quinlan's friend, and from what little we'd talked before reaching this cantina, Quinlan suggested that was the case, but male Devaronians weren't considered trustworthy. As such, with a few seconds to spare before Quinlan began his story, I used Observe on Villie and instantly felt my distrust of him increase at what was revealed.

Villie (Vilmarh Grahrk)
Race: Devaronian
Level: 29
Health: 100%
Age: 39
Force Potential: Low
Threat Potential: Low
Reputation: Disliked
Affiliation Loyalty: Vilmarh Grahrk (100%)
Emotional State: Amused/Curious
Vilmar, though he often goes by Villie, is enjoying the confusion of the Jedi around him. Vos' behaviour has been constant since Nar Shaddaa; however, he isn't sure what to make of you.
Seeing a Jedi – Vos assured him that you were a Jedi though he has yet to see a lightsaber – in Mandalorian armour is unexpected.
Still, he is wondering how he might further profit from it, and how good of a gambler you are.
...​

There wasn't much there that helped get a read on Vilmarh as he was truly called – I assumed Villie was a nickname he used – but what was revealed was enough. The only loyalty he held was to himself, or at least the only loyalty that was over 50% that the Interface was willing to reveal to me. He might have some faint respect and loyalty to Quinlan, but it wasn't showing and even if it did, it would never override his self-interest. With all that in mind, I wanted the alien gone as soon as Quinlan was finished recounting the events that led him to seek me out.

Honestly, if it was just him we were talking about, I would likely offer to help him. I owed him after my capture by the Bando Gora even though I barely knew him. Aayla, however, was a friend, or at least had been when we'd last spoken, which had been before I'd been knighted. It was possible that Sia-Lan and others had spoken to her since then and turned Aayla's opinion against me, but I had no way of knowing that currently, and would work on the assumption that we remained friends.

"It started with an assignment from the Jedi Council," Quinlan started slowly, bringing my focus back to him as I noted that he was frowning as if struggling to recall the events of which he was speaking. "There was a new drug spreading into various corners of the Republic, Glitteryll, and the Council assigned us to investigate the matter as I had several contacts in the underworld."

"Glitteryll?" I asked as while I had heard the term in passing on the Holonet, I'd never bothered to do any deep dive to learn more about it. The galaxy was vast, and a single new drug or hallucinogen seemed to appear every other week.

"It's a synthesis of glitterstim and ryll. From what I've learnt, it's made by feeding ryll to energy spiders that are capable of producing glitterstim. I believe that I've destroyed the only source of the drug, but what it did was when ingested or injected into a sentient, it caused them to forget their memories – possibly forever if the dosage was high enough – and often made the recipient docile. At least on those not strong in the Force and not kept on a constant supply of the stuff."

I growled at hearing about the abilities of this drug. "I do hope you've destroyed the source, though if I ever hear of its existence elsewhere, I'll be seeking to exterminate the spiders and those feeding them ryll with extreme intent."

A faint hint of a smile came to Quinlan's face as he heard that. "I will be doing likewise having been made to experience glitteryll." He paused and placed his hand against his temple for a moment before continuing. "Anyway, our investigation, as you might expect given where ryll comes from, took us to Ryloth where we met Pol Secura." one of my eyebrows rose at the name. "Yes, he is… was related to Aayla. Her uncle in fact. He, along with a member of my clan from Kiffu, was involved in the creation of the drug," he added with a growl, one laced with more rage.

Quinlan growled and I sensed an almost unrestrained well of rage directed at one or both the people about whom he had spoken. At the same time, the Force subtly moved around us in a way that I didn't entirely understand, yet I felt it was hinting at something that could affect the path we both took in the future.

"From what I've been able to piece together, when Aayla and I learnt the truth Pol and Asante Vos had us dosed with the drug." Quinlan paused here and closed his eyes as I felt him working to restrain the well inside him that seemingly bubbled as he spoke of the pair responsible for whatever had happened to him and Aayla. I remained silent, saving my questions for when he ended so that he could get through the entire story without getting distracted by minor matters.

"After being drugged, I awoke on Nar Shaddaa without a clue of where or who I was. The room I found myself in was a blaze, and at the time I managed to escape without understanding how, but I now know I used the Force to do so." That he knew how to use the Force instinctively, and I suspected could wield his lightsaber, hinted that his memories weren't necessarily gone; just lost in the deepest depths of his psyche. "That was the beginning of my… adventure on that world," he glanced at Vilmarh there. "One in which every sentient I encountered tried to kill me. It was after that first attack that I encountered Vilmarh."

"Villie find Jedi there. Confused and alone he was. Villie wanted to help him," the Devaronian said with a smile, exposing the large, sharp teeth of his species which when combined with the horns on his head and red skin created a fine image of a demonic figure from my former life. One many might call a devil.

Now, I knew it was wrong to judge a species by their appearance, but some concerns and misconceptions from my former life still existed in me, and when combined with what Observe had revealed, I doubted I'd ever find myself trusting this particular alien. Haran, if not for the fact Quinlan seemed to trust him – or at least tolerate his presence – I'd have already suggested the Devaronian left. Forcibly if he tried to say otherwise.

"Help is a subjective word," Quinlan added with a chuckle which only increased my distaste for Vilmarh. "Vilmarh, though he often calls himself Villie, is something of a gambler. A bad one at that…"

"Hey!"

"… as he, like almost everyone in Nar Shaddaa, decided to place a bet on when, where, and how I would die."

I grunted, fixing the alien with a stare that, if not for my immense control, would likely see him on the floor in pain as I used the Force to explain why trying to kill a Force user was an incredibly bad idea.

"Many placed bets on Jedi," Vilmarh said, failing to catch the cold fury behind my stare and seeing it as a demand for an explanation. "Many tried to cheat to win bet. Villie help Jedi escape cheats."

"Because if they had succeeded, you would've lost your bets?"

Vilmarh laughed at my question and slapped the table. "This Jedi gets it!" He said proudly to Quinlan before returning his attention to me. "Must be the Mandalorian in you," he added as his eyes looked over my armour with a hint of interest. I ignored the stare, along with the blunt probe for information on why I was wearing my armour. None of that was his concern, but if he made any move to acquire any section of the beskar I wore, it would be the last thing he ever did.

"He did have a bet on my death," Quinlan said as he continued his story. "However, thanks to the Force, I sensed this and reversed the powercell on his blaster before he could use it against me."

"Shame it didn't explode in his face," I muttered loud enough that they could hear me.

"Hey Now!" Vilmarh snapped, "Villie no like your tone Jedi." I chuckled, daring him to do something about it. "However, Villie forgive you. You friend of Quinlan, who is Villie's lucky Jedi, so Villie likes you too." I'd rather he didn't, but it wasn't a point worth arguing over.

"After his failed attempt," Quinlan continued, "two more sentients arrived. They were dressed like me, carried lightsabers and claimed to be Jedi. I was wary of them however and after Vilmarh warned me that they weren't Jedi, I killed them and took their lightsabers."

I nodded, thankful that they received the justice they deserved for pretending to be Jedi. Not because I cared about what little good standing the Order might have, but because of the principle of the thing.

"Once I held the lightsabers, I understood they were mine and Aayla's. When I grasped mine, I saw… flashes of my past, though the images were jumbled and had no emotional meaning to them."

"Psychrometry," I said slowly, "a rare gift that allows those who have it to read images and memories from objects they touch."

Quinlan nodded. "Yes, I learnt the name later, but at the time I didn't understand what I was seeing. From my lightsaber, I learnt my name and images of my past. Some were of my time as a Jedi, a few of when I was a youngling on Kiffu. Many centred around Aayla, though again, at the time I didn't learn her name until I held her hilt."

"That suggests that your memories aren't gone, but rather buried deep in your subconscious. There might be ways to recover them, but I'm uncertain of how to do so."

Quinlan nodded, seemingly accepting my words without issue. "When I held Aayla's hilt, beyond learning her name and that she is… was my Padawan and that it was my duty to protect her. However, I didn't have the time to truly focus on the blades and see what I could learn, not when others were still coming after me because of the bet." He smirked and jerked one hand at Vilmarh. "This one made a new bet after I survived his attempt to kill me; one with outrageous odds which required him to work with me honestly."

I looked at the Devaronian and considered the idea for a moment. "He bet on you to live… no, to escape the planet, as while you were on that world you'd be in danger," I said slowly as I closed my eyes, the answer coming to me with some logical thinking and a gentle grasp into the Force to confirm my suspicions. "He lost something… his ship on the first bet. To get it back he had to make an even riskier bet."

When I opened my eyes, both of them were looking at me. Quinlan understood what I'd just done, though he likely didn't understand that I'd used the Force to take the knowledge instead of asking for it. Vilmarh, however, seemed shocked at my understanding of the details of the situation. "How Jedi do that?" He blurted out.

I smirked. "The Force is a gateway to many abilities that some would consider incredible or unnatural," I replied, feeling amusement bubble in my chest. "Anyway," I continued, waving a hand to dismiss the matter, "given you are both here, it is safe to assume that Vilmarh won his bet, and you escaped Nar Shaddaa."

"We did, and once we did I spent time with the lightsabers, trying to regain what I could of my lost memories," Quinlan said slowly, one hand holding his lightsaber tightly. "Yet, while I recovered much about my past, there was no connection to them. I couldn't recall living them, and thus they held little importance. Save for those dealing with Aayla." He paused and leaned forward. "Is it normal for a Jedi to feel a strong connection to their Padawan as I do not feel such a bond to the one who once trained me?"

"The one who trained you was called Tholme, though I know little about him," I replied gently, taking my time to consider how to phrase my answer to the rest of what he asked. "As for the bond between Master and Padawan, it is a close bond – the closest most Jedi can experience to having a father or children – yet officially the Order prefers if the connection remains at best as one between friends and allies. It does, however, vary between the Jedi Knights and Masters. Some keep the bond in their thoughts while they train a Padawan, while others choose to ignore or dismiss its importance.

"I cannot say how you taught Aayla, but I recall when we were both just Initiates, that she knew you would be the one to train her in the ways of the Force. It was you, after all, who found her when you were a newly made Padawan yourself and brought her to the Temple." I smiled as my mind instantly brought back the warmth in Aayla's words when she spoke of Quinlan. "From what I recall, she considered you her older brother or cousin," I added, hoping it might help him remember something about his bond with her.

"Ah," he said slowly, as if a light had gone off inside his head. "That explains much of why she feels so important to me." He took a moment, gathering her thoughts, and I stayed silent waiting for him to continue. "There was one other thing that happened before we left Nar Shaddaa. An encounter with another Twi'lek named Bib Fortuna." I tensed slightly at the name, well aware of his connection to Jabba. I'd rather not find myself in the crosshairs of a Hutt, at least not for the time being, but if that was the case, then I'd do so for Aayla. "He knew who I was, and was connected to both Pol Secura and some, at the time, mysterious benefactor. He wouldn't reveal who that was, not even when I threatened him with my lightsaber." A small smirk came to his face, and I felt his enjoyment of the memory, wondering if the darkness that swirled around Quinlan had always been there or if it was a result of the memory loss. "However, before I could convince him to tell me, we were attacked by guards and droids."

"Droids?"

"Yes," Vilmarh replied with a nod. "Destroyer droids. Very bad news. Villie get Quinlan to leave quickly when they appear. Need to protect my bet."

I scratched my chin as I considered the reveal of the destroyer droids, and ignored Vilmarh's motivation for helping Quinlan.

Destroyer droids were linked to the Trade Federation, and while they had a new directorate after HK removed Nute Gunray and his assistants, they'd been keeping quiet while the Senate investigated their actions on Naboo. As expected, the matter was going slowly as with Gunray and many other Neimoidians dead there were few to question regarding the motives, but I felt the Banite Sith, in their roles as Chancellors, were working to delay and distract proceedings to suit their plans.

The fact the droids were seen protecting Bib Fortuna was more concerning as it hinted at possible ties between Jabba and the Banite Sith. Oh, I knew there had to be some sort of contact between them, but the presence of Jabba's major-domo meant things were far more interlocked than I realised.

"This is certainly interesting, and something I would like to come back to. However, for now, our focus should be on your story and what happened to Aayla."

"Yes," Quinlan said slowly in agreement. "After escaping Nar Shaddaa…"

"Villie win big on Quinlan doing that."

"… we headed to Kiffar," Quinlan continued, ignoring the comment from the Devaronian. "I had seen images of my people, and while we travelled I learnt the current leader of the Guardians was Tinte Vos, who I felt a connection towards. Once on Kiffu, I learnt she was my great-aunt and that before we'd lost our memories, Aayla and I had headed to Kiffu to speak with Sheyf Tinte." He paused and shook his head. "She hates the Jedi, claiming they stole me from her and my clan."

"All in Outer Rim know this. Jedi steal babies."

I sighed at Vilmarh's remark and pinched the bridge of my nose. "The Jedi don't steal younglings," I said slowly, ignoring the fact I was defending the Order's practices when I didn't agree with their methods. "They simply seek out those younglings who are strong in the Force, and if the parents or guardians agree, take the child to Coruscant and the Temple for training. Most parents want that, as they think it's a good life for their child, but not all agree and in that case, the Jedi are meant to leave and forget about the youngling."

Now, I agreed that those who could draw on the Force should be trained to harness their power, but the way the Jedi went about it – and their choice to not fully explain the reasoning behind it to the wider galaxy – was a mistake the Sith, even those predating the Banite Order that currently ruled, exploited to drum up anti-Jedi sentiment. The fact the Jedi had never rectified that issue, nor considered the need for a PR department after tens of thousands of years was beyond fucking stupid.

"Anyway," I said, drawing a line under the off-topic moment, "your aunt mentioned you had been to her before with Aayla, and I assume, guided you to Ryloth again?"

"Yes," Quinlan replied, fidgeting slightly in his seat. His mind was restless, a need to move and do something echoing so loudly in the Force that I wondered how the Council couldn't sense it on Coruscant. At least until I remembered that it had grown far harder for the Jedi to use the Force to see what was, would be, or might be happening in the galaxy because of the creation of a shroud or veil created by the Banite Sith to hide their presence and actions.

"It took some time for Vilmarh and me to discover the truth, but eventually we learnt that Pol Secura was involved in the creation and shipping of glitteryll. When I confronted him, he revealed that he was keeping Aayla among his slaves."

The word came out as a barely audible hiss, and I closed my eyes to centre myself against the wave of violent, malignant wrath I felt flowing from Quinlan. It reminded me of when I'd felt Anakin lash out at the Trandoshans, that immature, unfocused rage that I myself was prone to using up until that event. Yet what I felt from Quinlan was different in some ways.

Anakin's rage and that which I had displayed before the change in the Interface had been of one pushing up against an edge that we didn't truly understand or know what we were doing. For Quinlan, it felt almost as if he was drawing it into himself without realising; gaining strength and focus while unknowingly submitting to the whims of the worse elements of the Dark Side of the Force. However, what caught my attention, and for a moment drew me in, was the faint whisper offering to let me in, wanting me to take control and guide the rage emanating from Quinlan. To bend him to my will.

I pushed such thoughts aside and returned my full attention to Quinlan. "Why did he keep her like that?" I asked slowly, using the time it took me to speak to ensure the brief temptation didn't draw me more than a few inches from my controlled centre.

"Because she was family," Quinlan almost spat out. "He saw us in her presence, and kept her filled with glitteryll so she knew nothing but her name. He…"

His words trailed off and I saw the knuckles on the hand grasping his lightsaber hilt go white. Even as I reached into the Force to offer him something to focus on, I lifted my hand next to him and placed it on his shoulder. "Calm yourself, Quinlan," I said softly, using my control over my inner darkness to help him suppress the fury that threatened to overwhelm him. "Losing yourself to your rage over events that have happened, or might still happen, will not help us. It will instead make it harder to both find and then save Aayla from whatever danger she is currently in."

As I spoke, I used the Force to grant him reassurance, committing myself to helping him find her, regardless of her state or location. I watched as his eyes closed and he turned his focus inward, drawing on my presence in the Force while taking deep, calming breaths to find a point within himself where he could if not control then at least contain the wrath that burned deeply within him.

If I were a proper Jedi, I would've already insisted that he return to Coruscant for help and retraining, yet I had never been one to walk the path the Council wanted all Jedi to follow. Since Zonama Sekot I'd begun to realise that my path lay not just on one separate from the Council, but from the Order as well, and I was beginning to feel that the path I was walking might be one that appealed to Quinlan as well.

However, such thoughts were a matter for after Aayla was rescued, and the pair reunited. She might not remember me, but Aayla was a friend, and for that, I would do whatever it took to save her, the Council and the Republic be damned as to my methods.

After perhaps a minute, Quinlan opened his eyes and offered me a weak smile. "Thank you," he said quietly as I felt the furious storm within him if not disperse then at least lessen and withdraw for the time being.

"That's what friends are for," I replied.

"Are we friends?" He asked slowly, his head tilting to one side as I removed my hand from his shoulder. "From what I can recall from the images, we were never close. You and Aayla, however, were, though I feel from the lingering emotions I sensed from those images, perhaps not as close as she might have wished."

"We only really knew each other in passing; mainly because of Aayla," I answered honestly, feeling it was the right path to take. "We had sparred on occasion as well, but what you've forgotten is that I owe you as I was once captured by a rather evil cult. You and Aayla were part of the team that came to rescue me. It is because of that, and that I consider Aayla a friend, that I pledge to you, here and now, that until we find her I will be at your side." He nodded and the first flicker of a real smile came to his face. "However, for that, I need to hear the rest of your tale."

He nodded and I noted that the grasp on his lightsaber hilt had lessened. As if he no longer sought it and the memories it brought forth for strength and focus. "I spoke with her after Pol revealed her to me, and placed her lightsaber in her hands. Yet she couldn't recall anything." He grunted before continuing. "At that, I turned on Pol Secura and demanded answers. I wanted to know who he was working for, and when he refused… I summoned my rage as energy."

"Force lightning?"

He nodded. "Yes, that is perhaps the name for it. He gave me the name of his patron: Senator Chom Frey Kaa."

"I recall the news that he was removed from office a few months ago, but the Holonet didn't say why," I said slowly, the information, along with the ascension of Orn Free Taa to the position of Senator for the sector containing Ryloth. "Since he was removed, I assume this matter was brought to the Council and the Senate?

"It was, however, not by me." I frowned at hearing that, though I withheld a question as I could feel that was unimportant to the current position in Quinlan's tale.

"After Pol gave me the Senator's name, I could've released him. I could've let him go. But I didn't." He looked up at me with pained and confused eyes. "I wanted to hurt him. To torture and kill him." Understandable, if not exactly a sentiment the Council would approve of. "Aayla, not understanding why I was hurting her uncle, nor that I was doing it because of what he'd done to her… she lashed out with the Force. Pol and I were tossed off the ledge we were on. I survived the fall, the Force protecting me. Pol was not so lucky."

"Villie help Jedi escape. Wormheads not like political assassins. Like really not like. Bad poodoo."

"We… we were forced to escape from Ryloth before I could go back for Aayla," Quinlan continued, both of us ignoring Vilmarh's added commentary. "With little to work with, I headed to Coruscant. I wanted to take out my rage on Senator Kaa. I eventually gained a confession from that fat toad, but before I could execute him for what he'd done to me, Aayla, and countless others, Master Mace Windu appeared." I growled, knowing how that little confrontation had gone before Quinlan told me.

"He stopped me from killing Kaa, even fought me to protect that slug. I lost and he assured me the Senator would be punished in accordance with the law. He… he then offered to take me back to the Temple so that I could be retrained. He said he would help me find Aayla, but the Force told me he wouldn't. That he didn't care about her."

The storm within Quinlan began to grow wilder, and I placed my hand back on his shoulder, helping him push it back so he might continue his tale.

Quinlan turned his head to face me. "All he cared about was getting me to the Temple, to have me brought under the Order's control before my actions on Ryloth disgraced the Order."

"I'm not sure that's exactly why he wanted to take you to the Temple, or at least not the main reason," I said slowly, mindful of how I phrased my words so the storm that was his Force presence didn't overwhelm what little control he had. "However, that you killed an official on a Republic world would cause tension between the Order, the Senate, and the Republic at large. He would've wanted the matter brought in-house to avoid embarrassment to the Order," I added, barely able to keep my dislike of the way the Council operated at times from my tone and Force presence. "To help keep the peace."

"Yes. Exactly. That's what the force told me," Quinlan replied with a nod of hope. "I… he let me leave, saying that I could return to the Order when I was ready but all that mattered to me then, all that matters now is finding and saving Aayla."

"If you wouldn't accept help from the Order, why would you turn to me? I am a Jedi after all."

"You no dress like Jedi."

I ignored Vilmarh's comment and kept my focus on Quinlan, "And you say she needs to be saved?"

"Yes," he replied with a nod. "In the months since leaving Coruscant, as Vilmarh has helped me search for Aayla, I've grown certain she's in danger. Something… sinister is closing its vice around her. Something that I know will kill her if I'm not quick enough to find her. The Force showed this to me, along with images of you."

"Not easy to find you Jedi," Vilmarh interrupted again. "Name of Jedi on the Holonet, but location of you not. Took Villie much effort to find your ship."

"The Force guided me here," Quinlan cut in before I suspected the Devaronian attempted to get me to pay him for his troubles in helping Quinlan. I was going to do that anyway as there was as much chance of a Wookie falling in love with a Trandoshan as there was that I'd let him on Raven, but the fact he was trying to drive up his price only proved how unreliable he was if another made him a better offer.

Yet, for all the Devaronian's attempts at increasing his pay, my focus was on the Force as I felt it continuing to swirl around Quinlan and myself. Faint, almost indistinct whispers of what might be slipped past me, their words, and ideas just beyond my reach. However, while I felt that I knew what was being at, my focus remained on the here and now, and working to find and save Aayla. At least for the majority of my thoughts.

"You will help me, won't you?" Quinlan asked a hint of desperation in his tone.

"I will," I replied. "However, without anything to go upon, finding a particular Rutian Twi'lek female in the galaxy is going to be very difficult," I continued, ignoring the alert that popped up in the Interface. That would be a quest for finding and saving Aayla, and I'd find time to see what exactly was required for the completion of the quest.

"I know that!" Quinlan snapped, though his tone and the rage he generated within the Force was less than it had been when we'd first sat down. "I spent months looking for her without success, and then I saw hints of you in the Force and I knew that you were the key to finding her."

I offered him what I hoped was a comforting smile. "I can attempt to search for her through the Force, but it was never something at which I was particularly skilled. What would help with that would be something that belongs to her. Do you have anything?" I asked softly. Fay had told me before that having something to focus on often helped with seeking help from the Force relating to a specific sentient, however, I had never attempted such a thing. Both because the Interface had dulled my connection to the Force, and because I lacked the, to be blunt, patience to spend days if not weeks in communion with the Force seeking answers.

"No," Quinlan replied, his shoulders slumping. "I did have her lightsaber, but it was lost on Ryloth. I assume she took it with her, but I can't be certain of that. After Pol Secura's death, Vilmarh was more insistent that we escape the planet before we were arrested for the death than trying to stop Aayla or taking anything of hers."

"Hmm, that's going to make things more complicated," I said slowly only to stop for a moment as I realised I was stroking my chin in that oh-so-typical Jedi manner. It was a minor thing, but I'd once sworn to not do that, yet I kept finding myself doing it more and more as I matured.

Putting my irritation with the small lapse in concentration, I return my focus to Quinlan and how to find Aayla. "Heading to Ryloth might be possible, so long as you remained on my ship, but I'm uncertain if that would be any major help as I'm uncertain they'd give me anything we could use as a focus while meditating."

I gestured for Vilmarh to stand so we could all exit the booth. Once I was up, I slid my helmet on and turned to face the Devaronian. "Your services are no longer required," I stated bluntly to him.

"Now wait a minute Jedi, Villie…" his voice trailed off as I placed a handful of credit chits in his hands.

"Consider that more than ample payment for helping Quinlan up until now," I said, casually using about ten thousand credits to get rid of the Devaronian. Perhaps I was over-paying him, but Quinlan trusted him so I might have some use for him in future, and thus placing the idea that I paid well into his mind didn't harm anyone. Ten thousand credits was a drop in the ocean considering my reserves were over three billion credits with more rolling in every day from my cuts from the holomovie for Fellowship of the Ring and its merchandising.

"Do not follow us," I added, though I already knew he couldn't, not unless his hyperdrive was at least 0.7-rated. Raven could go faster if I delved into the Force and flew the lanes with her, but I preferred to keep that factoid hidden until it was critically needed.

"Vilmarh is a thief and pirate, but he's helped me so far," Quinlan said as he caught up to me as I reached the door to the cantina.

"He has, but I suspect that is because he won that bet on Nar Shaddaa and now considers you something of a lucky charm," I replied as I pushed my way out of the cantina; the pair of Weequays about to step in scurrying to avoid the armoured Mandalorian exiting the place.

Quinlan's robes were darker and more worn than those usually seen on Jedi, but even if they weren't it was doubtful anyone would believe he was a Jedi. Not so long as they failed to see the lightsaber at his hip. Yes, I had mine there as well, but people's eyes were drawn to the armour, and then if they knew about it the beskar used in its construction over the rare weapon at my hip.

As we moved, the HUD was capturing the images of everyone nearby and through the Battlenet linking it to Raven's computers, accessing the local Republic security systems. While those weren't the most dependable – especially on a world where corruption was almost as rampant as Coruscant – about forty per cent of the faces were known to local security forces. On another evening, if I felt the need to blow off some steam, I'd find the worst of the lot and either remove them or drag their defeated bodies to a security station and claim any outstanding bounties on them. Yes, I wasn't a member of the bounty Hunter's guild, but as a Jedi, I could easily circumvent that issue.

However, tonight those fools were safe as I had more important issues to handle. "My ship is about an hour's walk from here," I said to Quinlan as we moved. "Once there, we'll consider our next steps, and I can introduce you to my Padawan."

There was no hiding Anakin from Quinlan, so being open about it was the best path to take since I'd committed to helping Quinlan find Aayla. The issue would be that once Aayla was found and saved as if they returned to the Temple, then they would mention Anakin to others. That would let the cat out of the bag – with about the Council and the Banite Sith – but after around twenty months with Anakin as my ad and Padawan, I was secure in the fact he wouldn't let anyone separate us. Nor would I for that matter.

Having Quinlan along, and then later Aayla after we found her, would do Anakin some good I felt. He was limited in his interactions with others who could use the Force. I mean, he had spoken with Vosa – as much as I disliked her interest in my son – and been trained a little by Dooku, but outside of that, he had no interaction with any major Force user. Yes, Quinlan was off-balance and missing much of his memories – or at least the emotional attachment to them – but he was a trained Jedi and would be a new sparring partner for Anakin.

"You have a Padawan?"

I chuckled under my helmet at the shock in Quinlan's tone. "It's not that recent a thing, but also one I've not advertised. I took him not long after the Battle of Naboo, though I suspect you know little about that."

"I do actually," He replied. "When I was searching for you on the Holonet, I found images linking you to the liberation efforts though there are articles claiming you overstepped your bounds as a Jedi by interfering." I glanced at him.

"Yes, I've heard those voices. Both politicians, social commentators, and even inside the Order and from the Council."

"They're wrong!" Quinlan said firmly. "The Council only care about themselves and not the younger members of the Order!" Images of Aayla rushed from him into the Force. "Why would they care what you do to help others when they won't?"

I stopped and turned to face him, sensing the raging storm of his emotions surging forward within him again. Wanting to see if this storm was simply a result of his memory loss, or if there was something else buried in there, I peered into him through the Force, seeking the core of his personality.

With his training only existing in the subconscious, his mental defences were, to be blunt, pathetic, and I was easily able to circumvent them without him realising what I was doing. As I dove into what shaped his presence on the Force, I found that Quinlan had something buried deep within him that fuelled his aggression. Something that perhaps had always been an influence on him even before he lost his memory.

While the source of his aggression and reactive tendencies was his, it was familiar, reminding me of both myself and, as much as he was still young and immature, Anakin. A gentle pull existed from Quinlan's core, tempting me to push deeper and possibly even shape this fury that lay at the very core of his being; however, this wasn't the time nor place to consider such an action and I pulled back.

"Wh-what did you do?" He asked slowly, suggesting even though I'd been careful he'd sensed my mind entering his.

"I looked at you through the Force," I replied honestly. "It is a slight invasion of privacy, for which I apologise, but I wanted to get a proper read on you and see what was affecting your actions and choices in the Force. Amusingly, I see much of myself in you, though as we're both prone to rushing into situations that's not a huge surprise." A faint flicker of amusement flashed over his face. "Perhaps if we had both spent more time at the Temple growing up we might've become good friends. Who knows, after this perhaps we might become so," I finished before turning and resuming my walk to Raven.

Quinlan stayed still for a few seconds before he caught up with me. "I sense that you are right," He said slowly as we walked. "That might be why the memories of you were so prevalent in the images I saw while holding Aayla's lightsaber. That I felt a connection to you through the Force but didn't understand it at the time, and why I chose to seek you out over taking Mace Windu's offer to return and retrain at the Jedi Temple."

"Perhaps," I replied, not wanting to dwell on the matter until I'd had more time to consider it. "However, what might have been, and what could be, is less important than what is. Our focus must stay on finding and helping Aayla. Hopefully without her trying to kill you for the death of her uncle," I added.

I understood why Quinlan had wanted to kill Pol, and if our positions were reversed, I'd have done the same. However, that didn't change the fact Aayla blamed Quinlan for Pol Secura's death, and might well seek to kill him when they next met.

Silence came from Quinlan as he considered my words as we walked. In that silence, I accessed my HUD. The merchant I was waiting on to find the component Anakin was seeking for his droid would need to be contacted and I'd have to have the order either cancelled – unlikely given about half the time we had to wait had already passed and this deal wasn't strictly legal – or I'd have to ask him to hold the component.

Another idea came to me then, and I used the Battlenet to access the planetary communication network and reached out to see if any other Mando'ade were on the planet. I smirked as five responded to my greeting. There might be more who couldn't or didn't want to respond to my call, but five should be enough.

After explaining the issue, I discovered one – someone who had fought under my banner on Naboo actually – was in orbit and was willing to take the component elsewhere for me. I considered having it sent to Duke Adonai, but in the end, chose to have it delivered to Dooku in the Gaia system. I knew that no matter how this mission to find Aayla played out, that would be my first port of call afterwards.

My fellow Mando'ade accepted my request to deliver the component, and after the transfer of a thousand credits – for discretion as the component wasn't strictly legal without the proper permits – I considered that matter closed and could avoid Anakin complaining at us leaving before he got what we had initially been here for.

With that handled, my thoughts returned to Aayla. She was somewhere out in the galaxy; the question was where. Also, who, if anyone, was she running with and what sort of danger did she find herself in? I accepted she would be in danger even without opening the quest that would likely confirm it as, where I was concerned, The Force seemed to enjoy throwing me into chaotic situations that while I emerged from stronger; either caught me by surprise or tested me in ways I didn't realise I needed to be tested. Often at the same time.

The Force was using me to seek whatever it considered balance, yet I had to be careful. What it wanted and what I desired were, in all likelihood not going to align perfectly. I had to carve out my path so that I could survive and flourish in the coming chaos, and as I walked, I felt that Quinlan and Aayla might have some role to play in creating that trail, though what it was would have to wait until after Aayla was found and saved.

… …

---

… …
I sat on the floor of my quarters, seeking guidance from the Force over where Aayla was. The Force, however, was, in its oh-so-infinite wisdom, being reluctant to help me. Not only could I feel that it was unable or unwilling to answer my requests, but part of it was actively seeking to block me. Something that, as I felt my anger rise, reared up as if both challenging me and inviting me deeper into it.

My eyes snapped open at that shift in the Force. A glance at the chronometer on my arm drew a deep, guttural growl from me. Fourteen hours I'd been sitting here, seeking some kind of help and guidance from the Force but I had shab'an to show for my efforts. Or from any previous attempt I'd made since leaving Ord Mantell with Quinlan.

"Why the fuck won't you help?" I snapped, directing my anger towards the Force. I knew it wouldn't respond, but I needed to vent the anger and let go of the pointless need to blame the Force if I was to focus and move on.

It'd been a week since Quinlan had sought me out, and a day since we'd left Ryloth without anything of Aayla's that might help in locating her. The Twi'leks, while sympathetic to my need as a Jedi to find another of my Order, were unwilling to help given it was a Jedi that had killed Pol Secura.

After that complete waste of time, Raven had slipped into hyperspace bound for the Core. Now, I knew that the odds of Aayla being there were slim, but once we had a hint of where to head to find her, we'd have access to all the major hyperspace lanes which, in theory, would make it quicker for us to find her than leaving from a random point elsewhere in the Republic.

The problem was that neither I nor Quinlan were gaining any insight into where Aayla was, and to make matters worse the various meditative techniques I'd been shown by Dooku and Fay for seeking support and assistance from the Force were, to put it bluntly, failing. Now, I understood that some of the issue was that the Banite Sith had done something to darken the ability of those who used the Light Side – or in my case tried to use it – but the fact the Force was so hesitant to help me was infuriating.

I'd never had issues before when trying to gleam a hint from the Force, save when Anakin was kidnapped. However, at the time I had thought the issue was that I was struggling to control my emotions. Yet now, when I was – bar the odd minor burst of irritation at the Force being as useful as a snowball on Tatooine – in control of myself, the fact the Force still refused to help was infuriating, and yet also interesting.

Wanting to take a break from my so far failing attempts to glean anything of where Aayla might be, I stood, stretching once up. Thanks to Player's Body I didn't need to stretch and work out the kinks when I shifted after a long time in one position or awoke, yet I still did so, finding something relaxing about the ritual. Once up, I closed my eyes and reached through the Force for the bond I shared with Raven. She responded in less time than it took one to blink, and I intuitively knew the status of her various systems and the location of everyone else onboard.

Simvyl was in the cockpit, monitoring the various mechanical systems while Raven soared through the strange energies of hyperspace. If anything was wrong, however, it would be Raven who alerted me first through our bond. Fenrir was resting, as semi-normal in the central area, lounging on one of the sofa-like seats there while the droids were in a small cargo bay that Anakin had converted into his workshop. The pair were either charging – as that was where the alcoves had been moved – or discussing whatever it was droids talked about in their downtime.

Anakin and Quinlan were the only two really doing anything, as I could feel the pair enjoying themselves from within the bay converted into a training area. Even as I slipped from my cabin, I knew the pair would be sparring. Anakin dragged Quinlan any time he could to the training area so they could spar.

After rebuilding my lightsaber, I'd given my shoto blade to Anakin so that he had a blade to train and use. At least until he constructed his own. For that, however, we first had to find him a crystal. Now, I could just give him one of those half dozen I had in my Inventory, but I knew that wouldn't be an ideal fit. No, it was better if he found and selected the crystal for himself, or in theory created one. However, I knew he wasn't anywhere near trained enough to attempt that last option as I remembered well the effort it had taken me to create the micro-crystal that was now part of my lightsaber and given it the new red central colouring.

The most obvious place for him to find a crystal would be the caves on Ilum, however, that would need permission from the Council for him to head there. Assuming that Quinlan and Aayla returned to the Order once she was saved – something I had grown slightly less expectant to happen – learnt about Anakin, I had little interest in returning to the Temple with him. The Council would want to test him and there was far too great a chance that they'd discover Anakin was more than just my Padawan.

However, I was less certain that Quinlan and Aayla would return to the Order, and that was due to the Interface generating two quests relating to Aayla's disappearance, with the second being unexpected but potentially very exploitable. As I walked through Raven's corridors, I pulled up both quests to quickly review them.

The Lost Apprentice [ƍ] [֍]
Find and save Aayla Secura alongside her Master Quinlan Vos.
Rating: A
Objectives:
:a : Find where Aayla is inside half a year.
:b :Ensure that Aayla is saved.
:c: Make sure that Quinlan survives.
Rewards:
:a :1500XP
:b :2500XP
Passed test of Friendship with Quinlan Vos
A Large increase in Reputation with Quinlan Vos
:c: 2000XP
A decent increase in Reputation with Quinlan Vos
A variable increase or decrease in Reputation with Aayla Secura.
Failure:
:a :Death of Aayla Secura.
A massive loss in reputation with Quinlan Vos
Permanently lock Reputation with Quinlan Vos at hated.
:b :Death of Aayla Secura.
A massive loss in reputation with Quinlan Vos
Permanent block Reputation with Quinlan Vos of hated.
:c: Death of Quinlan Vos.
A variable increase or decrease in Reputation with Aayla Secura.
...
A Change in Path [֍]
An opportunity to alter the destinies of others has occurred.
Rating: A
Objectives:
:a :Convince Quinlan and Aayla to return to the Jedi.
:b : Convince Quinlan and Aayla to join you on your travels so that when galactic war comes, they are more likely to fight at your side.
:c: Convince Quinlan and Aayla to explore the galaxy themselves.
:d: Begin training Quinlan and Aayla in what you have learnt over the last few years in preparation for the coming war so that they might fight at your side in it.
Rewards:
:a :1500XP (for each that takes this path)
Variable increases in Reputation with members of the Jedi Order once they learn of your actions.
b: 2500XP (for each that takes this path)
Variable, though small, increases in Reputation with the Jedi Order once they learn of your actions.
Decent to large increases in Reputation with Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura.
:c: 2000XP (for each that takes this path)
Small to Decent increases in Reputation with Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura.
:d: 3500XP (for each that takes this path)
Creation of a new quest
Failure:
Paths :a :, :b :, and :c: are mutually exclusive, thus no penalty is assigned if one of these choices is taken of the others.
:d:
Potential for large losses of Reputation with Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura.
Potential for the Jedi High Council to declare you a Dark Jedi and send members of the Order to apprehend or kill you.
...​

The first quest was exactly what I expected, and yet far more limited than I might've hoped for. Before Naboo, a quest was clear in what had to be done and listed several hidden objectives. Reveal the Hidden had taken away the hidden nature of some objectives, so I had expected this quest to reveal more than it did. Since it didn't, all I could hope was that more objectives would appear as I learnt more about Aayla's situation, as had happened with The Phantom Menace and a few other long-winded but time-restrained quests. Either that, or finding and saving Aayla was going to be far easier than I felt it should be, but when had my luck ever been that great?

It was the second quest that had me wondering if the pair would return to the Order once Aayla was saved and was giving me a lot to consider.

Assuming that the whole glitteryll incident happened in the other timeline, then both had rejoined the Jedi and fought for the GAR in the Clone Wars. While Aayla's death was shown on-screen, Quinlan's wasn't. Regardless of that, they had returned to the Order, yet this quest was suggesting that I could alter that destiny for both of them; perhaps even to the point that they would ally with and learn from me.

Now, they could still return to the Order, and I'd complete the quest, but that was the path that offered the lowest XP reward, and thus I assumed, the path with the highest likelihood of occurring but also the one that offered the least benefit to me. The other paths, to either travel with me or head off on their own, were more interesting. Not least as the implication that I could train the pair myself, helping them relearn what they once knew but from a perspective more aligned with my opinions on the Force and how it should be used.

Now, I had been helping Quinlan with his training in the week since I'd agreed to help him, but I was keeping to purely Jedi techniques currently as while much of his training was still within him, his ability to understand and draw upon that was non-existent except when he stopped thinking too hard and just acted. That might not be an issue if he had better natural control over his emotions, but he didn't and as such he was prone to, when pushed too hard, lashing out.

To be clear, he wasn't a danger around Anakin as he knew far more instinctively than Anakin did when I came to sparring, but on the occasions I had sparred with him and overwhelmed his form, there had been moments where he'd almost lost control. Thankfully, I was able to ensure he didn't, though a few of those moments had been handled by drawing on teachings I'd gained from Adas. It was unlikely that if he returned to the Jedi, Quinlan would remember what I was showing him, but it was a concern and why I was sticking mainly to Jedi techniques even when those didn't seem to be working that well for him currently.

However, if the pair chose to journey with me after this adventure was over, and showed reluctance to return to the Order, I would consider training them, which was what I assumed the hint of a creation of a follow-up quest was based around. Plus, I couldn't deny that the prospect of having Force-capable allies around my age with me wasn't a tempting one.

For a long time, I had felt the first to join me in such a capacity would be Serra, especially after our relationship evolved into a romantic one. However, after Naboo she'd been taken as Windu's Padawan and given we'd not spoken directly since, I couldn't be sure that she would still be willing to follow me along the path I was heading. If she did, that would be great as I missed having her at my side, but even then that would only mean her, me, and Anakin in this new group I was forming. Quinlan and Aayla would add two more bodies to that group; ones that I knew had fought in the Clone Wars directly in the other timeline. A comment I couldn't make about Serra as she'd never appeared on-screen in any media I'd seen. Still, I was going to wait until Aayla was found and saved before considering how to approach the A Change in Path quest.

As I neared the training area, the expected sound of lightsabers clashing with each other reached my ears, with the sounds growing much louder – and the sight of yellow colliding and moving around green greeting my sight as the door to the area slid open. I slipped inside quietly, not wanting to draw either from their spar. I could feel each drawing on the Force, and while he was younger and lacked the muscle memory that Quinlan retained, Anakin was the one shaping the Force to a greater degree.

He was moving impressively fast for one so young, more so than I suspected I had even after maxing out the old Force Speed power I'd had via the Interface. Even so, it was clear that, as had been the case each time they sparred, Quinlan was overwhelming Anakin. He might not be able to utilise his preferred Ataru-based style in the cramped conditions of the converted cargo hold, but his size, reach, and power meant that for all Anakin could draw on the Force to a greater degree – and thanks to the training since Naboo, with more refinement – my son was slowly losing the spar.

I leaned against the wall as the door slid closed behind me, watching the pair as they continued to spar. Yes, Anakin was again losing, but that was good for him. Not only did it teach him that he couldn't simply assume because he had a great reserve of Force potential to draw upon that he'd win every battle, but it allowed him to face off against someone who wasn't me. Now, I didn't go easy on Anakin, at least not as much as I might do if I didn't know what was looming less than a decade away, but he was still a child, not quite eleven yet, and there were limits to how I could push him.

Even with the cargo hold limiting his options, Quinlan was still able to draw on Ataru, using the wall and ceiling to bounce over Anakin, forcing my son to roll to one side to avoid Quinlan's blade as it swooped overhead. While I had adapted Ataru's footwork into my personal style as a way to overcome the handful of shortcomings Makashi had, I shared Dooku's distaste for the form. It was too flashy, too energetic, and grossly inefficient for conserving oneself in a pitched battle. If the terrain prevented the space needed to truly exploit the more advanced velocities, then the form became even more ineffective.

Now, in the hands of those who dedicated themselves to the form as I and Dooku had done with Makashi, then it could be a devastating form. Something that was seen in how Yoda could use it and his size to be a kriffing nightmare on the battlefield. However, it wasn't a style that appealed to me. Function over flash was what I preferred. That said, I still considered it a better base for most Jedi than low-level Niman; which sadly far too many Jedi used but never bothered to master even to a basic level.

In the hands of one skilled in the form, Niman had the potential to be incredibly lethal. Yes, it lacked the speciality of the previous forms, but it had none of their weaknesses and was a great base for using Force powers in battle, and I had slipped into elements of it at times when trying to adapt my Force powers into my combat style. However, for the majority of the Jedi, it was learnt simply because it was so karking basic and simple that they could devote their attention to other matters that appealed to them more.

In times of peace that was fine, but as proven on Geonosis in the other timeline, in battle that logic only got them killed faster than others. Seven Hells, as he was now, I felt Anakin could defeat a few newly christened knights who use Niman as their base but failed to give it the attention it, like any of the forms, deserved.

Quinlan landed with grace and his blade swept around preventing Anakin from advancing, showing that while he might not remember his training, the knowledge was ingrained into his mind. He then turned and came at Anakin using a series of quick, slightly in my opinion extravagant, sweeps and thrusts to overwhelm my son and drive the boy back. This spar was over, which was shown when Quinlan's blade came to a stop close to Anakin's head. The blades were set on low power so being struck by them would only sting badly, but still Anakin had lost. My complaint was that Quinlan could've ended the spar mere seconds after I entered the room, and then a dozen times after that before he finally did. Now, perhaps he was seeking to train Anakin and maybe remained uncertain of his actions, but it was a flaw that against a more experienced opponent would cost him a battle. As had been the case every time we had sparred since leaving Ord Mantell.

Anakin's eyes widened as he saw Quinlan's blade close to his head and then his shoulders slumped. In the Force, I could feel his annoyance at losing, though I was pleased to see that any anger at another defeat was minor and quickly pushed away and forgotten. There was no point in dwelling on losing a training match.

Quinlan powered down his blade and moved closer to the boy, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You fight well, and your Master has done an excellent job in bringing you up to your current level in such a short amount of time. However, you lack the size, strength, and reach to truly use the techniques you want to use, and as such, it leaves you open against more experienced opponents."

I chuckled at Quinlan mirroring my words about his style as he spoke to my son. "That will change with age," I said as Anakin realised I was there, and I shifted against the wall. Anakin's face brightened at hearing my words, and I was glad once again that Quinlan was missing much of his training of the Force otherwise he might sense that the bond between my son and me was more than just a simple Master-Padawan bond. Of course, since he was hellbent on finding Aayla, even going so far as to reject retraining as a Jedi for the time being, he wouldn't exactly have solid ground to stand upon to question the depth of my bond with Anakin.

"How goes your mediation?" Quinlan asked, his thoughts instantly turning to Aayla, helping to prove my point.

"The Force is still reluctant to help," I replied, trying to not sound as vague as many Jedi were when they spoke about the Force. "While seeking guidance from the Force was never my forte, it has gotten harder for me to do so since Naboo," I explained, glossing over why that was. "I'm not giving up though, I just think I might have to try something a little more… unorthodox," I added slowly, my mind playing over an idea that had been growing stronger ever since leaving Ryloth.

It was clear to me that using Jedi techniques wasn't getting me anywhere, and with the shroud that the Banite Sith had placed over the Force limiting my ability to peer through the Force for answers even more, I wondered if I should instead use the veil for help. The issues with that were that I had little idea of how to peer into the Force and demand it reveal what I wanted and that the Banite Sith might sense my actions and use it in some way to either track me or influence my actions. Maybe even both.

For the former issue, the obvious way to correct that problem was to speak with Adas. However, I was reluctant to do so as I knew I was turning to him too much for answers, that activating the holocron would be sensed by Quinlan, and that Adas might sense Quinlan's presence as well. I'd rather not risk Quinlan mentioning that presence of something so steeped in the Dark Side in my possession to the Council if he returned to the Jedi, and I didn't want Adas considering teaching another his methods.

For the Banite Sith, the pair might well be able to sense when someone used the Dark Side and attempted to pierce the shroud they'd created to engulf the Force and limit the ability of the Jedi and others to see into possible futures. If that was the case, and I was leaning toward it being probable, then they could, in theory, use the shroud to try and influence me. Potentially furthering the idea that one or both had to either make me into their minion, or possibly even their apprentice.

While I felt they knew I was, as the Council would put it, tainted by the Dark Side after my last visit to Coruscant – I knew the defences I'd created to hide my presence and usage of the Dark Side, while good wasn't enough to ensure the pair of Sith ruling the Republic couldn't sense something amiss – I'd rather not give them an opening, or another one at least, to tempt me to their side.

What was amusing was that, in many ways, I might already be an apprentice to a Sith Lord. Oh, Adas had never used such terms whenever we'd spoken, but I felt that was how he was beginning to see me. Though, unlike Sidious and Plagueis, he wasn't showing me the way of the Banite Sith, but those of the true Sith, and by that I meant the species and forerunners to the Sith Order that was created by exiled Jedi who ended up on Korriban millennia ago.

That, however, was something I could think about in greater depth at another time.

Pushing myself from the wall, I moved towards my son and Quinlan, getting the impression Anakin had something to say.

"Um…" the boy began slowly, uncertain if he should speak up. A gentle smile and rolling of my hands encouraged him to continue. "Well, Qu… Master Quinlan is from Kiffu, right? Wouldn't Aayla know that simply from looking at him and seeing the tattoo on his face and then searching the Holonet?"

I paused for a moment, considering Anakin's idea. "That is possible," I replied slowly, weighing the idea in my mind. "However, facial tattoos are not unique to the Kiffar. Still, they are one of the more prominent groups to use such markings, at least from what I know," I glanced at Quinlan who nodded slowly, uncertain in his confirmation. "But, as we've got little else to go on, and it's not too hard to alter our flightpath once we exit hyperspace next, it's worth a visit."

"Yes, and even if Aayla is not there, my great-aunt, who is the current Sheyf of the Guardians, might have some new clues to help us find Aayla. Or possibly ways to help me regain my memories." Quinlan smiled as he spoke and then offered a small bow to Anakin. "My thanks for the idea, Padawan, and for pointing out something we adults should've thought of."

Anakin frowned for a second before returning the bow. Almost as if he didn't think what he'd said was worth the thanks. That made me chuckle before I pushed myself off the wall and moved closer to the pair. "From what Raven's telling me, we've got a few hours before we're due to exit hyperspace," I tapped at my gauntlet transferring the new destination to Simvyl so that, if I weren't there he could input the coordinates into the hyperspace computer. "So how about to kill time we have another spar?" I asked Quinlan as I unclipped my hilt from my belt.

Quinlan considered my request for a moment before nodding. "Yes, that is a good way to keep relearning what I have forgotten."

"And it might help us clear our thoughts before we next mediate," I added as Anakin fist-pumped in excitement at getting to watch Quinlan and I spar again. So far I'd won every spar with ease which wasn't a surprise given Quinlan's mental state. However, I felt that I could take him most of the time even if he hadn't lost his memories. He had never struck me as someone as advanced in Ataru as needed to be my equal as I was now, but I understood that sometimes luck played a factor in who won.

Quinlan activated his blade and slipped into a standard Ataru opening stance. I mirrored him, though my lightsaber gave the familiar and comforting little roar it always did as power flowed into the blade, and after a little flourish that while impractical was something that worked with Makashi, I settled into my opening stance.

As I waited for Quinlan to move, letting him have the first attack, I couldn't help but smile at how good it felt to have my lightsaber in my hand again. Yes, the hand was now mechanical, but it and the blade were a part of me and with the blade ignited, I felt whole again in ways that I'd not realised I'd missed until the new crystal had been created.

… …

---

… …
The swirling exotic energies of hyperspace slipped away as Raven slid back into normal space. My fingers flew over her controls as she scanned the nearby space and system, confirming we were in the right location. I smiled as it was confirmed we were in the system containing Kiffu and Kiffex; the homeworlds of the Kiffar sub-species and also where Quinlan was born.

"I know I have said it before, but this ship of yours is something special," the man in question remarked from the co-pilot's seat. "To be able to sense her in the Force, and you say interact with her, is something I would not believe possible if I was not currently here to, however abstractly, experience."

"That's something every Force user who's been aboard Raven has commented on," I replied with a chuckle as the long-range sensors reported their initial data. "Looks like we've got no orbital structures near the planets," which wasn't a shock as the two worlds often crossed close enough that, according to the Holonet, electrical storms could reach from the surface of one world to the other, "though there are ships of various sizes moving around Kiffu." If I didn't know that Kiffex was used as a prison world by the Kiffar, I might find that odd. "Are you sure Sheyf Tinte will be willing to help us?"

Quinlan had revealed that Sheyf Tinte was both his great-aunt and a member of Clan Vos, but from how he spoke about their last meeting – before Quinlan had gone to Ryloth and killed Pol Secura – it seemed she disliked him still seemingly choosing the Jedi over his people. So much so that I was considering not mentioning I was a Jedi to her. However, I knew Quinlan wouldn't see a need to hide that, nor did I want him lying to his aunt for my sake.

"It is likely she will," Quinlan replied slowly. "We have confirmed from the Force that Aayla is, if not here already, then on her way, and while my great-aunt dislikes the Jedi, she will help as we are the same clan and that matters to her."

I nodded in acceptance of his reply, and as Raven moved quickly towards Kiffu, I turned my thoughts back a few days.

After Anakin's suggestion about Aayla coming here based on Quinlan's facial marking, I had meditated again on Aayla. The Jedi approach had been as unresponsive and unproductive as ever. However, after taking the time to find my centre and draw forth my focused fury, I had demanded that the Force confirm that Aayla might come here. In that instance, it had relented and granted me glimpses of something that had or would happen, confirming Aayla had some connection to the worlds Raven was now soaring towards.

I'd seen flashes of two ships fighting over twin worlds, and then an escape pod from the destroyed vessel landing on one of those worlds. A Rutian Twi'lek had emerged from the pod, and while I couldn't be a hundred per cent certain that it was Aayla I was seeing, I felt certain it was. Something that only grew stronger when Quinlan confirmed the markings I'd seen on one of the ships – the one that survived – were those of the Guardians of Kiffu and that the planets I described were those of Kiffu and Kiffex.

There had been two unexpected events relating to the meditation, however. The first had been not being able to confirm it was Aayla who emerged from the pod. Something on the planet, something powerful, dark, and dangerous was partially blocking her from my sight, and I lost Aayla as she neared what appeared to be a jungle on the otherwise arid world.

Who or whatever was blocking me was, while incredibly powerful, also paradoxically weak as hell. So much so that I wasn't sure I was dealing with another Force user. Or that was the case until the quest linked to this mission added a new condition requiring me to defeat whoever was controlling and manipulating Aayla, and granting 6000XP for doing so. The wording of that objective – to eliminate them – made clear that unlike with Bo and Pre Vizsla, I couldn't turn this sentient to my side, but given that they were controlling Aayla, I didn't have any issue killing them, not when doing so granted me a Test of Friendship with Quinlan. At least if I was able to save Aayla in the process.

The second surprising part about the meditation when drawing on the Dark Side was how long I'd stayed in communion with the Force. What had felt like only a few hours had been nearly two days, which while not unusual was far longer than I usual was in meditation. Adding that to the fact it hadn't felt anywhere near as long meant that while it had worked, I was reluctant to delve into a Dark Side meditation again, fearful that I might not emerge from it. As much as I'd prefer not to, as I turned to him far too much, I needed to speak with Adas about the matter, but with Quinlan onboard that wasn't currently possible.

A beeping from the communications console drew my attention as we neared Kiffu, and I opened the channel.

"Unknown vessel, you are approaching Kiffu which is under the protection of the Guardians. Identify yourself and the purpose of your voyage here." The speaker who appeared as a hologram was a young male remarkably similar to Quinlan, though their facial markings were the obvious difference.

I turned to Quinlan and indicated for him to respond. "This is Quinlan Vos along with Jedi Knight Cameron Shan," He said, removing any hope he might simply choose to not mention I was another Jedi. "We are here to speak with Sheyf Tinte regarding a personal matter."

"Quinlan Vos?" The man repeated with some surprise. "But we were told…" He trailed off before shaking his head. "We will contact the Sheyf and alert her to your arrival." The man paused again for a moment. "It is good you have returned home, Quinlan Vos. Something is wrong on Kiffex."

The channel closed before Quinlan could ask for further information, and once it had I turned to him. "Well, either we're in the right place, or we're about to be delayed sorting out whatever the mess down there is," I muttered as Raven logged the arrival of a location on Kiffu for us to land at. Along with that came a series of clearance codes that, I assumed, granted us some form of priority landing permission. However, with how limited the space lanes were around the planet, I wasn't sure such things were a massive issue. Certainly not when compared to most developed worlds, never mind an ecumenopolis such as Coruscant.

As Raven raced towards the planet, I felt Quinlan reach into the Force trying to locate Aayla. While he barely remembered the emotional connection to his memories of her, the bond they shared in the Force was strong so perhaps…

"Yes!" Quinlan said, cutting into my thoughts. "I feel she's close," he added as I opened his eyes and looked towards Kiffex. "However, something is wrong. The anger I can understand, yet there's something… sinister that has enveloped her."

I grunted, already aware of that but having to play ignorant. "Then who or whatever it is needs to be found and removed so we can free her from its control," I said as Raven brushed against the uppermost edges of Kiffu's atmosphere. Hopefully, after Sheyf Tinte gave us more information about whatever was happening on Kiffex.

… …

---

… …
"You have returned to us once more, Quinlan Vos," an old woman said as I followed my fellow Jedi into a large, open room with clear views of much of the capital city of Kiffu. "And this time you bring a Mandalorian with you. An improvement, if only a small one."

The architecture of the planet was interesting, and the Guardian who'd met us at the landing platform and escorted us to this chamber – to this old woman I assumed with Sheyf Tinte – had been more than happy to explain why it was this way. Due to the massive electrical storms that occurred when Kiffu and Kiffex aligned, the buildings had to be designed to withstand them, while also being able to capture the energy of the storms to power the planet's infrastructure. It was an interesting approach to the issue, and one that worked for the Kiffar, though they were smart enough to have backup generators and power stations on the chance the storms didn't generate enough energy, or the people needed more for some unforeseen reason.

"This is Cameron Shan, Sheyf Tinte," Quinlan said, introducing me and confirming the old woman was his great-aunt and the current leader of the Guardians of Kiffu. "While he might not dress as one, he is a Jedi like myself." I smirked at that, knowing full well that I wasn't like Quinlan; either before he lost his memory or after.

Tinte's gaze turned to me, and I bowed slightly, "Sheyf Tinte," I said gently, making sure the lightsaber at my hip was clearly visible.

"As Quinlan Vos says, you do not dress like a Jedi," Tinte remarked.

I scoffed loudly. "Why would I want to?" I replied. "Have you seen how they dress? Like paupers and with no understanding of the need for armour in battle."

Tinte's lips twitched at my comment as if she found my response amusing. However, she didn't reply to me and returned her full attention to Quinlan. "You have still not found your Twi'lek Padawan?"

Quinlan stepped toward Tinte. "No. However, thanks to the Force, we believe that she's come to either Kiffu or Kiffex."

Tinte lifted a hand to her wrinkled chin and pondered his words. "Then it seems the Force has guided you here just as your people need your help," She said slowly. "Less than a week ago one of our larger security fortresses on Kiffex, from which we monitored many of the prisoner settlements, went dark. As is procedure, a search team was dispatched after they missed two check-ins. They reported that everyone in the fortress was dead, but the rest of their transmission was garbled, and we remain uncertain as to what has happened." She leaned forward and fixed Quinlan with a hard stare. "I requested the Jedi Council send you to help, but they claimed you were unavailable; handling another assignment the Council deemed critical." I grunted at the bare-faced lie. "They offered to send another Jedi, but I will not tolerate one not of the Kiffar helping us. Only you are permissible to the Guardians to help investigate this matter."

"The Council… lied," Quinlan said slowly as I sensed a shift in the Force around him: as if he was losing more faith in the Order. "I have not been an active member of the Jedi Order for some time now. Not since I was last here and you directed me to Ryloth to seek out my Padawan."

"The Jedi often lie," Tinte remarked, drawing another, louder grunt from me.

"No argument there," I muttered.

Tinte's gaze shifted to me. There was the faintest of movements in the Force, as she could sense something through it before she offered me an amused smile. "I suspect you are not aligned with the Council?"

I chuckled. "That's one way to put it," I answered. "I've had a handful of run-ins with them as a Padawan, and as I'm now a Knight I've chosen to simply… ignore their summons whenever I can." I paused and gently reached out into the Force, seeking a hint of why something felt off about this meeting. "However, that isn't why we are here, nor why Quinlan has come seeking your help as you wish for his. You want him specifically, and not just because he's from your clan and a Kiffar."

"Distant from your Council you might be, but you have the insight of a Jedi," Tinte responded slowly, with I noted far less of the distaste she had held a few moments ago when I'd been introduced as a Jedi. She turned back to Quinlan as she continued. "Your psychrometric heritage, your birthright as a member of Clan Vos, is the strongest ever recorded. I had hoped that you could learn something from the fortress that the search failed to discover before their deaths. We need to know who, or what attacked the fortress. I cannot risk any other Guardians on the planet until this matter is resolved, and as such all outposts and fortresses across the prison planet are now abandoned; though the Guardians made sure to remove their weapons and such equipment before they returned home."

As she spoke, I felt there was something she was keeping from us, and on the chance it might reveal it, I used Observe on the Sheyf.

Tinte Vos
Race: Kiffar
Level: 31
Health: 100%
Age: 72
Force Potential: Low
Threat Potential: Low
Reputation: Disliked
Affiliation Loyalty: Guardians of Kiffu (100%), Clan Vos (95%) Tinte Vos (90%)
Emotional State: Grateful/confused/concerned.
Tinte is glad to see her grandnephew has returned to Kiffu, and that he seems to be at odds with the Jedi Order. Once the matter on Kiffex is resolved, she hopes she might be able to exploit this to bring Quinlan back under her control.
However, she is confused as to your presence, not least why you wear the armour of a people often at odds with the Jedi.
She is also fearful of what is happening on Kiffex. While not trained to use the Force, she can feel there is something wrong happening on the planet and wants the issue resolved quickly before it threatens Kiffu and her people.
...​

Nothing useful came from it, save that her loyalty to herself, while exceedingly high, was overridden by that towards her clan and the Guardians. It had to be from the loyalty to Clan Vos that she was so accommodating to Quinlan, and why she disliked the Jedi so intently for taking him from his clan when he was a child. Apart from that, there was nothing to hint at why I felt there was something off about the Sheyf, or that she was withholding something that might be important to Quinlan or his mission to find Aayla.

"As this issue is possibly linked to Aayla's believed appearance on the planet, we will investigate the matter, Sheyf Tinte," Quinlan said after a second or two considering Tinte's words.

Tinte frowned. "No. Only you will go to Kiffex. He is a Jedi."

I stayed calm, pushing aside any irritation at her branding me with the same label she applied to the Council even as Quinlan took a step closer to her and I saw his hands clench. "Cameron will be going with me, Sheyf. While younger than me," Tinte blinked in surprise at that reveal though as I wasn't wearing my helmet, I'd have thought that would be something she'd have noticed was only about a month past my nineteenth birthday after all, and while broad, I still had a youngish looking face, "he is my friend. More than that, it was he who confirmed through the Force that Aayla is on Kiffex, and I know I need his help to find her and solve the mystery of what happened to your Guardians."

Tinte held Quinlan's gaze for a few moments before turning to look at me. Her eyes drifted over my armour, taking that in before she stared into my eyes as if searching for something in my soul. "Why are you helping Quinlan?"

"Honestly, he's not a friend if that's what you want to hear," I replied carefully. "However, when I was once captured by a Dark Side cult, he was one of those who came to rescue me, disobeying the Council in the process. His Padawan was also there, and she is one of my oldest friends. We were Initiates at the Temple together and she was one of the first to become my friend after the Jedi took me in later than they normally would." I knew that Quinlan had also been a late addition to the Order as his memories showed him with his parents when he was perhaps six or seven, so stating that I was also a late arrival to the Order might sway Tinte. "For her, for anyone I consider a friend, there is little I wouldn't do to help them in their hours of need. Nor to repay a debt of honour," I finished, gesturing at Quinlan to make clear that was a factor in my choice to help him, figuring it might further alter Tinte's opinion on whether I could accompany Quinlan to Kiffex. Oh, I was going one way or another, but I'd rather do it with permission than without if at all possible.

"You know of this debt?" Tinte asked Quinlan.

"I have a few fleeting memories of what he speaks of, but I can't confirm the details."

Tinte tapped her chin, and I felt a gentle shifting of the Force; as if, even with her low potential she was able to get a faint read on others through it. "Very well," She eventually said, "I shall permit you to accompany Quinlan to Kiffex."

I lowered my head as I replied. "My thanks, Sheyf Tinte."

She grunted. "I suspect that even if I had forbidden you, you would've found a way to go anyway."

"I'd prefer not to answer that," I responded, drawing a crackling laugh from the Sheyf. "Since I have permission, I must ask a favour. I have a Padawan myself, but he is far too young to risk against whatever is happening on Kiffex. Might I ask that he, and a creature I have a Force connection to, remain on Kiffu with my vessel while I and my other companions move to help Quinlan?"

Tinte frowned. "Your Padawan will be my honoured guest, and your ship placed under the protection of the Guardians while you are on Kiffex. However, these companions of yours, are they more Jedi?"

"No. One is a Cathar member of the Antarian Rangers, the other a combat droid." HK would be insulted at being called just a simple combat droid, but the less Sheyf and others knew of his capabilities, the longer it would be before people started asking questions. Especially with the second of the KOTOR trilogy, Shadows of the Sith due to be released in a month or so and HK, or a close facsimile of him, was part of the cover art.

As for bringing Simvyl, I felt I needed to. While I had forgiven him for what had happened with Anakin and the Trandoshans, I'd been reluctant to have him accompany me since. This mission was an effective way to overcome what I knew was irrational distrust of him that lingered within me and prove to him that I wasn't sidelining him. It would also let both of us see how the training of the last twenty or so months had improved him, as bar the Shapers, he had trained with the other groups and sects we'd headed to. Yes, Observe told me he was up a level since Anakin's kidnapping, now sitting at Level 26, but I wanted to see the changes in him on the field of battle.

"I have encountered an Antarian Ranger before," Tinte said slowly as if measuring her words. "The Togruta was a noble being who showed respect for our ways. While it is strange to see a Cathar travelling with one who wears that armour, in the name of that Ranger I will permit the one with you and your droid to join you and Quinlan Vos on Kiffex." She leaned forward as she continued. "However, I must warn you. Kiffex serves as the main prison for the entire sector. Many of those sent there should never be allowed free and might be sentenced to death in other sectors. Anyone you encounter who is not a Guardian should be considered a threat."

"Good," I said with a chuckle that made Tinte blink and lean back. "Means I don't have to worry about collateral damage or innocents getting on the battlefield."

Tinte blinked again, and her head tilted to the right before she chuckled. "Not what I would expect a Jedi to say."

"I'm not your average Jedi."

… …

---

… …
I stood at the back of the cockpit of the small Guardian patrol craft as it raced over the short distance between Kiffu and Kiffex. Quinlan was sitting in the co-pilot's seat while another Kiffar named Maritan Kas was at the helm. The Guardian hadn't spoken a word to me, or Simvyl and HK, since we'd boarded though he had talked in a few hushed whispers to Quinlan. Whispers that the microphones of my armour had picked up with ease, but which were all inconsequential to the mission.

Simvyl and HK were in the small craft's cargo hold, giving their armaments one final check. Normally, if I saw HK carrying the array of weaponry he was outfitted with for this mission I might ask him to leave some behind simply to avoid issues with local security forces as he looked like a one-droid wrecking crew. However, as Kiffex was a prison world, there were no Guardians currently alive on the surface, and what we were heading into was undoubtedly going to be more dangerous than I thought, then he might be slightly under-armed. The issue was he simply couldn't carry anything more, even with a full satchel on his back carrying an impressive array of spare clips for his various blasters and dozens of grenades and detonators.

To be fair, I was actually more heavily armed if I counted the array of explosives I held in my Inventory. After Naboo, Bo had helped me restock my supplies and I now carried enough explosives to take on an entire regiment of tanks single-handedly, and that was before considering what my armour contained or the fact I could command the Force.

Yet with the growing power in the darkness on Kiffex, I felt I might need every edge I had in combating it. While I felt stronger now than I had when I'd fought Maul on Naboo, and I was close to Level 32, I had yet to test myself outside of spars and training. This was going to be the first test of my increased power. Yet I also understood that the source of the darkness on Kiffex wasn't the only threat that awaited us there.

As the atmosphere of Kiffex filled the entire transparisteel window in front of us, I could sense the Force shifting violently and excitedly. Quinlan glanced my way for a moment, suggesting he felt it as well. Whatever awaited us on Kiffex felt like an inflexion point of some sort. Not just for me, Quinlan, and Aayla, but for others as well. As if how events played out on the planet would have a wider impact on the galaxy than I could currently comprehend.

My thoughts, as they often had since Sheyf Tinte had granted us permission to head to Kiffex, turned to the A Change in Path quest, and how events that were soon to happen might drastically affect the path Quinlan and Aayla walked. However, I wasn't going into this thinking about how I could manipulate events to my benefit, or at least not as a major factor in my reasoning. Focusing on the future at the expense of the here and now was a great way to get yourself into trouble or killed.

"We're approaching Kiffex," Maritan said, stating the obvious as the ship began to vibrate as we were buffeted by the winds of the planet's upper atmosphere. "When we are near the outpost, I won't land but hover. You and your team must jump out before I accelerate upwards."

Maritan spoke to Quinlan, working under the misconception that his fellow Kiffar was the one in command. I was willing to let it go as it wasn't a point worth explaining to the low-level grunt, but it still irked me to be so summarily ignored and dismissed by someone beneath me.

Still, the fact Maritan was unwilling to land was a hint of how seriously the Guardians were taking whatever was wrong on Kiffex. That was something I'd sensed from him and other Guardians on Kiffu before we'd departed and made clear how unusual and concerning whatever was happening was to them.

"Until we receive a clear signal from one of you, with the correct codes, no one will come to collect you. Is that understood?"

"Yes. "Understood." Quinlan and I replied together to the Kiffar's question, and I used that as a signal to leave the cockpit and gather in the cargo hold for a combat deployment. However, as Maritan spoke again, quieter this time, I slowed as I passed through the door of the cockpit.

"Quinlan Vos," the Guardian all but whispered though my armour easily picked up his words. "We… We were not able to collect the bodies of the fallen. We cannot honour them as we should. Do you understand?"

Even though my back was turned, the HUS recorded Quinlan placing a supportive hand on the man's shoulder. "I understand, Maritan Kas."

I exited there and waited for Quinlan to leave the cockpit as well before I spoke. "Rituals for the honoured dead?" I asked gently as we walked the short corridor to the cargo hold.

"Yes."

I nodded in acceptance of that and knew not to pry anymore into whatever ritual the Guardians had for those who fell in service. Entering the hold, I carried out a final check on my armour. Every addition to my gauntlets reported in the green while, unlikely to be needed as it was inside the armour, the extra features of my mechanical arm also reported as fully functional. At one hip rested my lightsaber with my beskad on the other while blaster pistols were also secured on the belt as there was always the chance that they might offer me a better option than my blades or the Force, though it was unlikely.

I closed my eyes and reached out into the Force, seeking the familiar presence of Anakin on Kiffu. Along with Fenrir, he wasn't happy about being left behind but had accepted that I wasn't going to change my mind. As penance for leaving him behind, I'd arranged for him to train with potential Kiffar Guardians and promised him that we'd enter a hyperspace race he'd seen on the Holonet that he felt Raven could win.

At the time of his request to enter the race, I'd accepted simply to appease him, yet with a day to think on the matter – at least when not planning for the mission – I'd changed my stance. I knew I wasn't that brilliant a pilot, nor did I have the natural inclination for flying that Anakin and others, such as Saesee Tinn, held, but I couldn't deny the idea of testing myself and Raven against others wasn't appealing. I didn't expect to win the race, but I was sure a kriff going to try. Even possibly using the Force and the depth of my bond with Raven to attempt to claim victory. However, for now, my thoughts were focused on Kiffex and finding and saving Aayla, so after sending a last impression to Anakin through the Force that I missed him and would be back soon, I brought my entire focus back to the cargo hold, those with me, and the mission.

After a day to prepare, we were as ready as we'd ever be, yet at the same time, I felt that only I could challenge and take down the source of the darkness that was growing on Kiffex. I was now certain that it was a sentient, possibly a Dark Jedi or another who used the Dark Side without being any form of Sith, and that they were powerful enough to be a threat.

I had no proof of it currently, but I was sure this figure had exploited Aayla's rage at Quinlan and her lack of memories of her training to control and manipulate her. I felt we could break that hold once the Dark Sider was dead, but I hoped for Quinlan's sake that none of the Guardians at the fortress had died due to lightsaber strikes. Even if Aayla never chose to return to the Jedi, the Council would not allow her to wander the galaxy after striking down so many in anger.

The intercom clicked to life. "Get Ready," Maritan's voice echoed in the hold as I felt the craft slow.

Behind us, the hatch opened, and the dusty surface of the planet came into view. HK jumped first with me a half-second behind. Simvyl came down next followed by Quinlan, and as his boots struck the ground, sending up another blast of dust, the craft pulled away, sending more dust into the air around us, I looked around and groaned at what the HUD was reporting.

"So much for dropping us at the fortress," I muttered as the sensors confirmed we were a good five klicks, up a rather steep hill that lacked dirt covering it from the fortress.

Now, the location was great as it granted clear lines of sight of anyone approaching, at least on days when there weren't sandstorms and the like, and there was only one clear path to the fortress. However, that meant that, in theory, we'd have to hike up that path, exposing ourselves to anyone who might be in the fortress, or watching from elsewhere for anyone approaching the location.

As we started moving, and the HUD provided secondary routes to the fortress that while more direct weren't exactly easy if one couldn't call on the Force or powerful servomotors in their mechanical legs, I felt a shift in the Force. Whoever was behind the situation on the planet, and the one influencing Aayla, was aware of our presence, and a familiar tingle, that of us walking into an ambush, slithered down my spine.

"Something wicked this way comes," I whispered to myself, ensuring the words didn't carry over the Battlenet or out of my helmet.

"You feel it too?" Quinlan asked quietly, drawing my attention. "What does it mean?" He asked after I nodded in confirmation.

"That we're walking into a trap," I replied with a chuckle. "So how about we spring it and see who's waiting for us?"

… …

---

… …
A/N: For those who are aware, this 2-chapter arc is based on events from the Darkness arc of the Star Wars Republic comic.

...
This story is cross-posted on Fanfiction.net, Archive of our Own, and Royal Road.
...
For those wishing to join the Discord for the story, the server link is:
For this series: Heart of the Force
For general chaos/Gamer stories: Shiro's Gaming Omniverse
(Those on the story server who engage in chat can earn access to a chapter ~3 weeks before it goes public).

For those who wish to support my writing, and get access to drafts and completed chapters anywhere from 1 to 4 months earlier head to one of the links below:
Patreon: USSExplorer
SubscribeStar: USSExplorer
Kofi: USSExplorer

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Regardless if you join the discord or support my writing, I hope you enjoy the story and suggestions, valid criticisms, and ideas are always welcome.
And of course;

May the Force be with you. Always​

 

[MacShimi]

"Looks like we've only no orbital structures near the planets,"

Click to shrink...

This passage was unintelligible. It looks as though there may either be a missing section or the need to rephrase. My best guess is that you intended something like "Looks like we've detected no orbital structures near the planets…" or "Looks like no orbital structures near the planets…" or "Looks like there are no orbital structures near the planets…"

Another fine chapter. I look forward to the next one. Thanks for your efforts.

 

[JohnSmithMIB]

Cameron did such a great job at preventing Dooku from forming a schism within the Jedi that Cameron has now become the seed for a schism.

I'd have enjoyed seeing him try to make an artificial crystal with the more positive emotions a handful of additional times with improvement and learning as he went on. It's clear though that his mind isn't quite where he needs to be for making the best decisions even though his control is improving.

It'll be sweet when Incom or Mandalmotors rolls out Anakin's family of Snubfighters. Lokella, Allied Mando Clans, and Jedi could all get kitted out. Since a X-wing was around 150k credits napkin math suggests a small line should be possible for under 200 million credits (7% manufacturer profit/fighter, 5 fighters a day, 10 year payback period, no interest). If it doesn't scale that low the profits required for a 1 billion dollar facility would suggest a line that could make 25 fighters a day after they got production sorted. It'd tie up more money than that but as far as actual costs goes it's not bad.

Each group gets a handful for evaluation and Cameron sets up a deal that guarantees he can buy 300 a year at a low margin for like 20 years. This guarantees minimum stable production for logistics, gives Cameron access to 6000 fighters to pass around, squirrel away, or sell, and should cost less than 2 billion credits total. Who could say how the costs would shake out in a partnership since Anakin massively shortened the R&D cycle and could get some profit per fighter made. Highly profitable matters less for the Mandalorians than the strategic benefits they'd get from having these, making them natively, and creating well paid stable jobs. Couple that with an Anakin Kom'rk design for small shuttle or armed transport duties and elite forces or insurgents would be set for small craft.

As for this chapter, Aayla and Quinlan with more Anzati techniques sound like just the menace the galaxy needs.

 

[USSExplorer]

A/N: As always, a huge thank you to those helping with lore and planning for this and my other stories.

And again, this chapter was released to those of sufficient rank on the story's Discord (it pays to talk) about a month ago. For those who support my writing, then it was released between 1 to 4 months ago (and those supporters can also access chapters that far in advance).

If joining the Discord or supporting my writing interests you, there is a link at the end of the chapter for how to do so.
A/N: The training arc is over, now onto missions.

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3:11 The Lost Apprentice 2
… …
​

I was a step behind HK as we reached the main doors to the Guardian's fortress when HK stopped and looked over the doors.

"Observation: These doors were pulled from their frame by hand, Master. Whoever attacked this place was unusually strong for a meatbag."

I moved closer, noting what the HUD displayed about the deformed metal that had once been blast doors for the complex.

"Or a group of them worked together," Simvyl added as the HUD confirmed that there were multiple impressions of fingers on the doors.

The HUD reported they were generally humanoid, but the degradation caused by the weather prevented it from getting a better read on what species might have been behind the attack. The only thing it was certain of was that those who attacked were of average height based on the residual markings of their hands.

Even though the signs of battle here were old and cold, my lightsaber was in my hand though unpowered as I took the first step into the silent fortress. The Dark Side was swirling around the place and while I didn't feel that the one behind the chaos on this world had been here, I was sure that it was linked to him.

"None of them are carrying weapons," Quinlan commented as he followed me inside, repeating something the HUD had already alerted me to. He moved forward and knelt beside the body of one Guardian, a female and his hand hovered over her. "I… I feel as if I knew this one," he said gently.

"There's no clear sign of death," I remarked as the HUD processed what it could from the various sensors in the armour and what HK transmitted through the Battlenet. While none of the bodies bore obvious marks regarding their cause of death, each wore an expression of fear and pain that suggested whatever had killed them had not been pleasant.

"Commentary: There are no blaster marks on the walls, Master, suggesting the meatbags were overwhelmed before they could respond."

I looked around, trying to get a sense of what about this all felt off. I mean, beyond the fact the Dark Side had been a raging inferno when the attacks here had taken place. It lingered still, hints of the residual chaos and terror of the attacks easy to sense within the Force even if nothing about this felt natural or honourable.

"HK, hold station at the door. I don't think we're alone as we perhaps should be," I said slowly through the Battlenet, not wanting whatever was lingering at the edges of my senses to know I was aware of its presence.

"Musing: I do hope you are correct, Master. I am eager to test my latest calibrations in a live-fire situation." As he responded through our secured comms, to which Quinlan was connected via an earpiece and vibrational microphone over his throat, I continued to look over the data the HUD was reporting. Nothing about this situation made sense nor was it becoming any clearer as to how these Guardians – thirty-seven by the HUD's last count – had died.

Wanting to test a theory, though I was uncertain if it would help, I looked down at one of the bodies and activated Observe.

Korlosan Votes
Race: Kiffar
Level: 0
Health: 0% (Drained of life)
Age: Dead
Force Potential: Dead
Threat Potential: Dead
Reputation: Dead
Affiliation Loyalty: Dead
Emotional State: Dead
...​

I grunted at the expected, but not welcomed, lack of any useful intelligence. Yes, learning that the body had been drained was something, but it was not particularly helpful as the Interface didn't say how or what it meant by that, nor offered any obvious indicators of who had drained this Guardian of their lifeforce. Still, there were only a handful of weapons and races that could do such a thing, which was at least a small step towards unravelling thi-

"Observation:" HK cut into my musing. "I have movement, Master. Several dozen… Correction, I am observing over a hundred meatbags converging on our location, with that number steadily climbing."

"Defensive positions!" I called out over the Battlenet even as the faint but comforting roar of my lightsaber igniting was picked up by the armour's microphones. My other hand remained free, ready to draw my beskad or summon the Force if needed.

HK slipped back inside the ruined entrance, his legs locking into position as a makeshift barrier to any that tried to enter past him while Simvyl's twin blaster pistols scanned the room, moving with his eyes in the hunt for targets. At his hip, the large blade that had belonged to his fellow Ranger, Kekda Zarkos, hung ready to be used if things got a touch too hairy.

Yet, even as I slipped into a ready stance, the HUD alerted me that Quinlan wasn't responding. Instead, he remained bent over one of the dead Kiffar. "Quinlan!" I called out again through the Battlenet. However, before he could respond or not, the HUD – fed with data from HK's sensors and those from my armour – alerted me to dozens of figures. Some were coming through the door and HK was already engaging them, but the majority leapt through the overhead remains of transparisteel that had provided natural light to the fortress when it had been active.

"Shab!" I cursed as I realised we were dealing with Anzati, which explained the life force being taken from the Kiffar. Yet as my blade swept forward, slicing through the first to dare invade my personal space, I frowned. I'd met and trained with Anzati, and while these were the same species, this group seemed less… civilised.

My feet were moving, avoiding the claws of the next Anzati to rush at me, and they paid for that by losing both arms at the elbows. The wound, however, didn't slow the attacker down and I was forced to use my free hand and toss them away, causing them to crash into another Anzati that had been trying to attack me from behind.

As I removed the head of three that came at me next in a single graceful move, I understood why these Anzati seemed different. They were attacking like animals instead of intelligent creatures, and based on the way the thin tendrils extended from their faces, it was clear all of them were desperate to eat the soup as they called it – the lifeforce or luck to others – from me, Simvyl, and Quinlan.

My blade moved with me as I slid away from the grasp of two more Anzati, their movements faster yet less controlled than what I'd trained against only a month ago. My free hand came up, the Force bending to my demands and the pair of rabid Anzati were blasted back, slamming into more of the pack.

Before any of that group could recover the blaster in my gauntlet took them out with precision fire as my feet kept me moving, adapting to attacks from all sides. This was the greatest weakness that Makashi possessed, but one I was happy to see the adoption of Ataru footwork into my style was helping to counter. A point proved further as, with a sweeping arced move, my lightsaber tasted the flesh of five Anzati even as I avoided their grasp so well that not even the cloak I wore was touched.

The HUD reported other Anzati falling steadily as HK and Simvyl exterminated the threats with intent. HK's actions were mechanically perfect while Simvyl moved with polish that showed his training over the twenty-odd months was paying off. His pistols sang out, taking out Anzati with timing and precision ensuring that no bolt was washed. That said, given the mass of creatures flooding into the fortress, it was hard to hit anything but flesh.

"OFF!"

Quinlan's shout, along with the flood of anger that roared into the Force was accompanied by a powerful Force blast that sent dozens of Anzati that were surrounding him flying backwards. One such creature slammed into my side, though thanks to the Force and the HUD, I was aware of the Anzati and was already turning with the collision before it happened.

My free hand came up, and using the Force and the strength of the motors in the gauntlet, I crushed the creature's throat, and as my movement ended, threw the husk at another of the swarm. Even as my lightsaber flicked out, slashing another Anzati in half, through the Battlenet I was alerted that while HK had easily held his footing, Simvyl was knocked back as one of the dead Kiffar crashed into his side.

A trio of Anzati rushed at him, hoping to take advantage of his stumble. However, before they or another other beast could reach my friend, the trio were pushed back; the Force bending to my will and slamming them into the wall hard enough that they splattered their blood and brains over it.

Even as I saw Quinlan lashing out, his blade swinging almost wildly as the hate he felt for the Anzati empowering his actions, I was moving. One foot slid back, causing the Anzati that had been about to strike me to claw nothing but air. Before it could recover, my blade came up, severing its head and one arm from the rest of its body.

More of the creatures rushed at me, drawn to me as pulled the Force into me, using it to strengthen and enhance myself. That drew attention away from Simvyl, which he used to quickly gun down four Anzati near to him. My blade flowed around me as I slipped around any incoming attack, yet for each Anzati I took down, the HUD reported two more surging into the fortress seeking to overwhelm us.

As much as I wanted to eviscerate every one of the beasts with my blade, to watch what little of their intelligence remained fade from their eyes, I knew that if this continued the sheer weight of numbers in such an enclosed space was going to overwhelm us.

While I and my blade danced around the Anzati, avoiding their futile attempts to grapple me and my blade flicked and swished out to mortally wound or kill any that came too close, my empty hand closed into a fist as I summoned the Force to my aid while warning Simvyl and HK to take cover.

My hand flicked open and every loose object in the room was suddenly airborne, swirling around me. Chairs, datapads, cups, random pieces of junk from the first attack on the fortress and even the bodies of those killed by us or the Anzati flew around, striking anything that moved.

Piles of Anzati were knocked over, causing cascading collapses in the still-continuing stream of them that were rushing into the fortress. I realised the sounds of bone shattering and blood exploding from bodies as a gory mess was created by my tornado of carnage. Yet, as the blast died down, clearing the area for the moment, I knew it was only a small opening before the creatures recovered, but enough of one that I could…

"AWAY! GET AWAY FROM ME!"

A second scream in a matter of moments from Quinlan was accompanied by a tsunami of fury rushing through the Force. One so strong and unexpected that I had to close my eyes to momentarily re-centre myself. With that done, and as HK and Simvyl resumed thinning the herd of barely sentient Anzati, I started cutting a bloody path to Quinlan, watching as his blade struck any Anzati it could find without a hint of grace or style.

He was attacking them with the same mindless rage and bestial fury they were using as they continued trying to swarm-rush us. The green of his lightsaber cut a bloody, brutal path of devastation through their ranks. It was working for now, but I could feel Quinlan sliding into the depths of the Force as the Dark Side gained a foothold in his mind to drag him to the pits of insanity that awaited those unable or unskilled enough to resist its siren-like lure. What made it worse was that with each move he made, with every Anzati that fell to his blade, I could see mistakes creeping into his patterns, and the sheer mass of creatures pulled towards him as he drew on the Dark Side was quickly overwhelming his defences.

"NO!" He shouted as one Anzati touched him as I moved towards him, my blade slicing one of the creatures in half. "NOO!" Quinlan screeched again as more grasped his robes.

I rushed toward him, cutting a path through the creatures as HK and Simvyl were slowly thinning the ranks of any Anzati entering the building. Yet before I could reach Quinlan, I felt the Force shift around him.

Pulling the Force into myself, I braced against the impending explosion and gathered the Force to me for what I could sense coming. I then watched as more than a dozen Anzati that had been pulling on Quinlan's robes were sent hurtling away; the Force erupting outward from Quinlan in an instinctual wave of power.

As the Anzati were airborne or colliding with others in the pack, I thrust out my hand, and tendrils of dark, malignant energy sparked forth. A grin spread across my face as I watched the lightning race through the air and strike the Anzati. They screamed in terror under assault, and as I ended my attack a second later, the bodies that struck the ground were smoking and charred: all either dead or close to it.

"Quinlan!" I snapped out, pushing the Force to enforce my words. "Get a hold of yourself!" I took another step towards him, my blade flicking out and slashing the face of an Anzati who made the mistake of entering my range. "You are in control, not your anger," I added as my free hand clenched shut, causing two Anzati to crash to the ground as the Force crushed them. "Harness and focus it instead of drowning in it!" I snarled, pivoting on my heel. The two Anzati I had been crushing were sent flying into others while my blade made quick work of three more of the deranged creatures.

Quinlan took a stumbling step forward, the way I was using the Force to empower my words slamming into his Force presence with all the subtlety of a hurricane. The look of confusion that engulfed his face, followed by the shake of his head barely registered with me as I savoured pulverising another Anzati against a wall with a Force Push. Yes, these creatures were beneath me, but after months of nothing but training and sparring across the galaxy, it was nice to finally let loose and remind the galaxy what I was capable of.

"Focus!" I shot at Quinlan as I kept moving towards him, gliding through the carnage like an angel of death. My lightsaber and the Force ensured that nothing came close to touching me. "Focus or fail Aayla."

His head snapped to me at the mention of his lost Padawan, and I saw the stupor he was experiencing fade away. With a snarl he stood, his blade exploding outwards, slashing through two Anzati that had been rushing at him. His face was still a mask of fury, but I sensed the hints that he was channelling that rage outward with basic control. It was far from perfect, but it was enough that I no longer had to worry about him falling to these pitiful creatures, and I returned my full attention to them, intent on wiping the lot of them from the face of the galaxy.

Yet just as I turned to face the remains of the herd, I felt a faint shift in the Force. Slowly at first, then within a few seconds on-mass, the Anzati turned and fled anyway they could. The four of us exterminated those that lagged, but only a few seconds after Quinlan gained control over his anger, the fortress was again empty save for us: and the mass of dead Anzati that littered the now chaotic battlefield.

"HK, Simvyl, secure the main entrance and pick off any stragglers that you can." As the pair moved to obey my orders, I turned to face Quinlan.

His face was still a mass of rage, yet I could feel the power of that blaze slowly dying with the reason for his anger. As I neared him, I powered down my lightsaber and clipped it to my belt. Both because I didn't need it now, and to show Quinlan that, if the red mist of anger still blinded his vision, I was not challenging him. As he was now, I could take him with ease – something I'd proven in the dozen or so spars we'd taken part in since Ord Martell – but there was no reason to risk a confrontation here and now if I could avoid it.

Once close enough, I grasped his shoulder firmly, though I made no move to force him to turn and face me. His head snapped up, the blade of his lightsaber coming around towards the potential threat only for me to grasp the blade with my mechanical hand. While the inside of a regular gauntlet would not be able to do that, I'd had mine altered slightly so that the palm of the beskar-coated replacement limb was exposed. It was a small risk to do so, but it allowed me to do a few things that I otherwise couldn't. Such as grasping the plasma of a lightsaber's blade without fear of losing my hand.

Quinlan blinked as his blade was held in place, and he then shook his head. I felt the pressure behind his weapon ease as he regained control over himself and as his shoulders slumped, I let the blade go. "I… I'm sorry," he said softly, looking as if he might collapse to the ground even as the lightsaber powered down. "I… it's just…"

"You hate the Anzati," I guessed which drew a nod. "Why?"

"I… I don't know," he growled in annoyance. "I… I have images of them in my head. They're attacking someone, they're attacking me," he sighed and looked away, "but it's not me. I don't understand it."

I gently squeezed his shoulder. "Once we find Aalya we'll work on a way for you to understand those memories and others, if that's what you want," I said softly.

He stared at me for a moment before nodding. "Thank you," I added as a weak little smile came to his face, yet in his eyes, I could see confusion and anger warring for control of his focus.

I returned his nod and then removed my hand from his shoulder. "I think we know what happened here," I said, gesturing at the mess around us. The HUD was reporting over a hundred and seventy dead Anzati in and around the fortress, with two more joining that list as HK gunned them down while they were nearly a kilometre from here. "Though it creates more questions than it answers," I added as I had the HUD mark out the bodies of the Kiffar for whatever ritual was involved in honouring the dead.

"Yes," Quinlan agreed as he took a step away from me. "If there are Anzati on Kiffex, why did no one know? Many are wearing torn clothing, suggesting they've been here for some time but how could the Guardians not know about this?" he spoke slowly, measuring his words as I felt the storm that raged within him slide away over the horizon of his Force signature. It wasn't gone, but for now, at least it was contained.

"I suspect that the answer might well be linked to the darkness that is slowly engulfing this world, and which seems to have ensnared Aayla." As I spoke, I knelt beside one of the dead Kiffar. "For now, we should handle the funeral rites of your people, and then see if there's anything of value the fortress' computers can tell us before heading out."

The HUD alerted me to Quinlan nodding in agreement, and then that he moved to another of the dead Kiffar. It was a gruesome thing to have to sift through this chaos for the bodies of the dead Guardians, but I would help Quinlan honour the customs of his people before we headed out. Just as I would expect others to honour those of mine whenever it was my turn to become one with the Force.

… …

---

​

… …
I examined the data coming into the HUD regarding the settlement if one could call it that, as we hiked toward it. The walls, while high, were bolted together from whatever large sections of scrap the inhabitants could find while the peaks of buildings inside had the same ramshackle appearance. "Yeah, this place looks fun," I muttered as we moved closer on our second day on the planet.

We had spent the night at the Guardian fortress as moving out during the night, with the remains of the Anzati pack no doubt still around, and whatever else existed on this world, was an unnecessary risk. Quinlan had not been particularly happy about our delay in heading out, but by the time the funeral pyres for the dead Guardians were ablaze, the sun was already beginning to set over Kiffex.

While the burning of the bodies was the main part of the Kiffar's ritual for the dead, along with some words Quinlan repeated without fully understanding how he knew them, he had also taken their badges. Once we found Aayla, killed whoever was behind the chaos here, and returned to Kiffu, those would be handed over to Sheyf so the Guardians could add them to their logs of remembrance.

During the night at the fortress, while we tried to rest in a place where less than half a day earlier we'd fought the Anzati, Quinlan told me what he knew of Kiffex. While it wasn't much more than what I'd learnt from the Holonet while we'd travelled to this system, and then the very brief warning Tinte had given us about the inhabitants, it still filled in a few blanks.

Kiffex was the sector's maximum-security prison, with any form of weaponry being illegal on the world. Contact beyond the planet, never mind to other systems, was meant to be impossible, but the Guardians had reported many messages going to and from the planet over the years. From those, and with their standard patrols, they aggressively targeted any vessel that approached the planet. Most of the time when a vessel came near the planet, it withdrew when challenged by the Guardians. Others, like the ship Aayla that had hitched a ride on, attempted to run the blockade around Kiffex were shot down, and any survivors were left to fend for themselves on the planet.

That was a brutal approach to security enforcement, but one I could see the logic for. However, the fact that the Guardians were so strict about anyone coming or going from Kiffex had me wondering if perhaps some of the prisoners here weren't as dangerous or worthy of spending the rest of their natural lives on Kiffex as the Guardians might otherwise like the rest of the galaxy to believe. That feeling had grown ever since we'd spotted the settlement.

We'd not initially intended to head toward it, as while it was recorded in the computers of the Guardian fortress, it wasn't along the path the Anzati had taken when they had run from the Guardian base. However, by late morning as the tracks the Anzati had made had grown fainter, they had angled towards the settlement before we'd lost the tracks altogether. The dust storms that ravaged this section of Kiffex removed any evidence that a pack of creatures had passed through here the night before.

With no tracks to directly follow, and suspecting we might not find anywhere else that could offer shelter tonight, we'd decided to approach the settlement slowly, taking our time to get a read on the place. Since the planet was inhabited by prisoners, of varying levels of crimes but all sentenced to live without the possibility of parole on Kiffex, the odds the inhabitants would be friendly were slim at best.

While we had moved today, I had also spoken with Quinlan again about his anger towards the Anzati. Beyond repeating what he remembered from the images in his head, he couldn't offer anything new. Since he wouldn't be able to let go of his rage towards the species, and as I felt it gave him an edge if he could harness it properly, I gently guided him in a few techniques that while not exactly approved of by the Jedi, weren't the domain of the Sith.

The teaching of the Matukai and Shapers about channelling one's emotions and the Force in and outwards was explained in a brief overview. I'd taught him the most basic meditative techniques of those sects in the hope it might help him focus for when we next encountered Anzati or found Aayla and the one behind the chaos on this world. Underlying that, however, was the continually growing belief that when the source of the darkness on Kiffex was found, I would be facing it alone. As if the Force had decided that this was a challenge to test if I was ready for what lay further down the path I was walking.

"Analysis: The walls of this location are, while seemingly chaotic, apparently stable, Master. I have already positively identified components from a dozen various starship models used in the construction. Addendum: I would add that while not intended for this purpose initially, the usage of these various sections of hulls would provide acceptable protection against most creatures and animals that might threaten the meatbags in the settlement. The wall is also sufficiently high that few meatbags or beasts could easily scale them."

"There'd better be a gate we can use," Simvyl remarked with a hint of disgust. "Otherwise getting inside might be a problem."

"Oh, we'll get inside," I replied with a chuckle. "The question is how much it costs those manning the walls to stop us."

Even as we slipped clear of the rocky outcropping we'd used to get closer to the settlement, I was already reaching out into the Force seeking answers on the number of beings on the walls, and those further inside that might rush to support those manning the defences if we were forced to fight our way inside. Now, since everyone on this world was meant to be a hardened criminal, then I had little issue with ending their sentence earlier than they might like, but we'd have to see how things played out before I drew my lightsaber.

… …
"Halt!" A voice called out from the wall when we were about thirty metres from it. "Who are you and what do you want?"

The Force had already provided me with the information that four beings were manning this section of the wall, which was less than the other gates that were possibly within reach this afternoon, and why we'd moved to approach from this location. What was interesting was that thanks to the HUD, I could see the Weequay male who had called out to me was carrying a blaster. That was odd as there should be no such weapons on the planet. Not unless they'd come from a ship shot down by the Guardians that had tried to break through the blockade around the prison world.

I stepped forward, drawing the attention of the speaker on the wall and those with them. "I am Cameron of Clan Shan of Mandalore," I started, though the need to state I was Mando'ade was a little redundant given my armour. "We are on this pitiful excuse for a world because the Guardians felt that the relatively minor infraction we committed was worthy of life imprisonment."

Through the Force, I could sense some amusement from those on the wall, though the Weequay was more cautious than those with him. "If the Guardians captured you, Mandalorian, why did they not remove your armour before sending you here?" the alien asked, and I moved my hand slowly toward my lightsaber. I would prefer to not waste the time having to fight our way into the settlement, but I could already sense the shifts in the Force suggesting that was the most probable outcome of this interaction.

"The only way the Guardians would get me to remove my armour was over my cold, dead body," I replied loudly, letting some rage slip into my tone. "While I would be happy to see their pathetic attempts to take my armour, and would enjoy sending many of their ranks to their deaths, they sadly chose to employ sense and allowed me to retain the armour.

"So why is the Cathar and droid armed?" The Weequay responded and I cursed the fact we seemed to have drawn an at least semi-intelligent guard. "The Guardians don't allow weapons on Kiffex."

I laughed loudly. "Says the one pointing a blaster rifle at my head," I fired back with a growl making clear I didn't like the gesture. Yes, the blaster he was using wouldn't even leave a mark on the beskar, but it was the principal of the thing. "And the others with him who are also armed. We found the blasters in a wrecked starship about three days north, and if you think we're just going to hand them over to you, you've got another thing coming."

I heard the dirt at my right shift before Quinlan whispered, "Are you trying to start a fight?"

"You think playing nice like a Jedi would work here? Or that they'd not shoot us the moment they realise you're Kiffar?" I replied quietly to him.

"Musing: It would at least end this pointlessly tedious waste of my time, Master. Please allow me to expedite the matter." HK's comment came through the Battlenet so those on the wall didn't hear it, yet it drew a grunt of amusement from Simvyl, and I felt a smile creep onto my face.

"What if we take them, and your armour from your cold, dead bodies?" A new voice on the wall called out as through the Force I sensed movement from behind the wall.

"You can try, but all that will get you is a quick and painful death," I responded bluntly as my hand slowly unclipped my lightsaber from my belt. There was a small growing warning in the Force of approaching danger, but even as I sensed dozens more sentients moving to reinforce the section of wall before me, I remained calm. There was the chance we could avoid pointless violence, but if there was to be a battle, I wouldn't mind as I knew I could take every one of these thugs with only slight effort, and that was before considering those with me.

"You're not getting in." That came from a new voice, which I believed had been in the group who were gathering to support the beings on the walls. "Gorto Zaga says none can enter after the gates shut and the sun starts to set."

"I want to speak to this Gorto," I shouted back, though I could sense the Force shifting around us as if hinting there was little chance of resolving this issue peacefully. "Bring him to me or I'm going to come up there and find him myself."

That drew a round of chuckles from those on the wall, and the HUD reported several leaning over the ramparts, aiming their blasters at us. "You've got guts, Mandalorian," a Human said, allowing me to place a face to the new speaker, "but there's no wghk."

The man's words trailed off as he grasped his throat, trying to understand why he was suddenly struggling to breathe. A moment later, I used the Force to pull him over the ramparts and as he fell face-first to the hard ground near my feet, I leapt, the Force empowering my limbs so that the seemingly massive walls were scaled with what appeared to be insane ease.

"Exclamation: Finally."

HK's words through the Battlenet arrived just as I landed amongst a group of nearly thirty confused thugs, pirates, and whatever else had gotten them sent to Kiffex. My blade had ignited as I leapt, and was already moving as I landed, slicing the chests of two sentients while I drove the elbow of my other arm into the face of a third thug.

Quinlan landed a split second later in the chaos and added his blade to mine while HK and Simvyl opened fire from below, picking off those on the rampart who'd turned to face myself and Quinlan. As my blade swooped through the neck of a Rodian, I turned to face the next target and saw a massive Gamorrean, easily twice my size, rushing at me with a large makeshift axe held over his head.

The alien fell to his knees a few moments later, shock and confusion on his face as he looked down at the remains of his axe and his arms on the ground beside him. A quick flick of my wrist caused the tip of my blade to slash through his spine as I moved past him, ensuring he would die a slow, painful death while I dealt with his brethren.

Two more fell to my blade before the chaos on the wall ended. As one would expect, even armed with blasters thirty-odd prisoners were no match for two Force users with little need for restraint, never mind when supported by a war droid and a trained Cathar.

I turned to one prisoner who was running away and summoned the Force to my command. The alien gave a startled yelp as they were lifted into the air. They struggled to escape the invisible restraints I placed upon them and then whimpered as I turned them around and brought them back to my side.

"Stay," I said to the alien – a rather pitiful-looking Snivvian – before moving to the outer edge of the ramparts. HK landed a few metres from me, the advanced actuators in his legs making the leap easy for him. Simvyl grunted in annoyance as I lifted him with the Force and then onto the wall beside me.

"I hate when you do that," he muttered once his feet touched the metal of the ramparts. "I could've gotten up myself," he added even as I turned back to the Snivvian.

"I know, but my way's faster," I replied only to snarl as I saw the Snivvian was not just still where I'd left them, but had soiled themselves. The way Quinlan lifted his hands to cover his face as I heard Simvyl cough, I was glad the helmet filtered external smells. Not wanting to deal immediately with the now stinking Rodian, I cast my gaze over the settlement, confirming it was as ramshackle in its construction as the walls had been. Nothing matched those beside it, and everything about the place was, while a testament to the prisoner's survival skills on this shit hole of a planet, an abomination that needed to be blasted out of existence if the opportunity presented itself.

"If you want to live, answer my questions," I said to the Snivvian, taking slow, measured steps toward it. It nodded so quickly and violently that I hoped it didn't kill itself before I had finished learning what I wanted to know. "What is this place?"

"Deadend."

I grunted at the unoriginal but appropriate name for the settlement. "Figures," Simvyl muttered through clenched teeth, the smell of the Snivvian still bothering him.

"Where can we find Gorto Zaga?" I asked the alien, ignoring Simvyl's comment.

"Th-the Black Hole Cantina."

"And where is that?" the alien shivered and looked down at the ground; almost as if it were more sacred of Gorto than me.

"Advisory: I suggest you answer my Master, meatbag. He can be quite creative in dealing with those who fail to appease him."

The Snivvian seemed to shrink in on itself at HK's words, though I could feel through the Force that the threat had worked. A moment later it turned and pointed at the largest building in the settlement. One with a large domed roof along with what appeared to be an antenna on the roof and was located almost at the very centre of the place.

"Thank you," I said to the Snivvian before waving my hand in front of its face. "Now sleep." The alien fell to the ground as if its strings had been cut, and a second later a loud, slightly irritating snore came from it. For a moment, I considered shooting it simply because of how annoying the sound was, but in the end, I decided against it simply because it wasn't worth the time or effort to do so.

"You realise that when it wakes, it'll tell everyone here what we did," Quinlan commented as he reached my side, and we walked down the steps into the settlement proper.

I took a moment to consider Quinlan's Force presence before I answered. The storm was still there, though it hadn't risked an appearance as had happened with the Anzati. Still, I could feel that it had enjoyed Quinlan's willingness to kill in battle. That was something I was going to have to keep an eye on in the following days as we sought out Aayla, and then once we found her. Unless I was massively wrong, her anger towards Quinlan revolved around the – in my opinion, entirely justified – death of her uncle Pol Secura. There was no way to know how she might react to his presence, or how he would react when she tried to kill him. Yes, there was the A Change in Fate quest to consider, but that was secondary to my desire to ensure both of them survived the confrontation that was coming.

"By which point either we'll have come to terms with this Gorgo, or I'll have been forced to assume control of this settlement," I replied with a grunt. "Neither of which is particularly appealing, though I suspect the latter is more likely given our appearances."

A slightly dark chuckle came from Quinlan and the idea that the prisoners here would want to talk with a Kiffar or a Mando'ade. "Fair enough," He said as we descended into the settlement. "I just hope this doesn't delay us in finding Aayla."

"You and me both."

… …

---

​

… …
My foot slid back, shifting my weight so that, as I deflected the trio of bolts coming towards me, they returned to their senders. As those thugs with quick enough reactions ducked to avoid being shot by their own bolts, my other arm came up. The blaster in the gauntlet sparked to life, firing away at other points in the room, ensuring the beings there remained unable to fire upon me.

A quick pivot and my blade came down, slashing a Weequay who'd been trying to sneak up behind me across their chest. As they fell back, hands reaching for the fatal scorch mark on their chest, a flick of my wrist had the blade arcing around. The blade clipped the face of the Weequay as it fell and then swatted aside bolts from another location in the large chamber.

"This is your idea of asking nicely?" Simvyl snapped as he took cover behind a large column near the door through which we'd entered about ten minutes ago.

"No," I began to reply as I kept moving, my blade bisecting a Human male that had, in a demonstration of stupidity, tried to attack a Mando'ade in full beskar with a vibroknife. "This is pest control," I added as I kept moving, dancing gracefully through the chaos that now engulfed the chamber. "If I was asking nicely, I'd have said please."

"Observation: You did say please, Master," HK remarked, his heavy blaster rifle obliterating a table one group of thugs had foolishly thought would provide cover from the dangerous droid. "Right before the Aqualish meatbag rejected your request and ordered his men to attack."

I waited for a moment to respond, focusing on using the Force to time my moves so that I slipped between the dual attacks of two thugs that came at me with vibroblades. The beskar could easily take the hits, but I wasn't going to allow scum like these to even touch it. The amount of the Force that I was drawing on to ensure this battle flowed around me was barely above what I'd learnt to channel with the Matukai, yet it was more than enough even with upwards of a hundred thugs in the room when the battle had started.

Kriff, even with the Anzati attack on the fortress I'd barely needed to delve into my reserves of the Force. The only time I'd truly displayed my power had been when I'd summoned Force Lightning to barbeque the Anzati Quinlan had tossed back with an anger-fuelled Force blast. At this point, even ignoring my armour, I could probably take every thug here while wearing Force suppression cuffs.

My blade swept around low, severing the legs of the two who'd just tried to attack me just below their knees. "Okay fine," I said, finally replying to HK as the blaster in my gauntlet shot the two thugs missing their lower legs in the chest, "this is how I go about pest control nicely," I finished as I caught sight of Quinlan moving, his blade slashing through a Rodian before removing the head of a rather large and wide Nikto.

I glided forward, my blade flicking out and slicing through the barrel a Human female was awkwardly wielding before a roll of my wrist had the tip of my lightsaber rush upwards. The tip scorched her face, causing her to fall back screaming as her hands reached for her now missing nose and eye. Yet as I turned, I sensed an approaching wave of trouble; one masked in darkness. And within that, a familiar if distorted Force presence.

"HK, Simvyl, finish this," I ordered as I turned and moved toward the door to the cantina. Quinlan rushed past me, the fact that Aayla was outside – or soon to be – overriding any other thought he had. After this was over, I'd be speaking with him about the dangers of such single-minded focus like that, but for now, I let it go. As I followed him out, my lightsaber lazily redirected a bolt back at the sender just before I crossed the threshold.

Outside was pandemonium. A flood of Anzati was rushing everywhere, attacking anyone moving. "AAYLA!" Quinlan called out as he rushed through the nearest pack of Anzati, ignoring them in his desire to get to his Padawan. Yet the way she glared at him, and the unrestrained and barely focused wave of rage that radiated from her through the Force, I could already tell their reunion wasn't going to be a peaceful one. Not when her anger reminded me so much of how I'd felt after Anakin had been taken by the Trandoshans. At least until I'd learnt to harness and focus that rage properly from Adas. I wouldn't deny that the desire to skin every Trandoshan in the galaxy alive was still within me, just that it no longer risked overriding my mind.

"YOU!" Aayla roared back as she pushed her way through several of the Anzati near her. "You killed my uncle!" she snapped as she moved to clash with Quinlan, and I noted the Anzati around her not only chose to get out of her way but that these Anzati appeared even more bestial than those that attacked the fortress.

I summoned the Force to me and moved to intercede between the pair. However, it seemed my action drew the attention of every Anzati nearby and the HUD snapped out an ever-increasing warning count of approaching enemies.

The Force called out a warning before the HUD could and I slid to one side, avoiding some sort of gooey mass that was ejected from the chest of a nearby Anzati. The HUD quickly processed that the substance was some sort of restraining method; akin to those used by energy spiders to cocoon sentients for feasting upon later. Coupled with the deranged looks on the faces of these Anzati, and the fact there was no hint of sentience behind their eyes, it seemed this was what happened to the species when they went too long without feeding or devolved. Regardless of which was the case, the now over three hundred creatures the HUD was reporting inbound for my location were an issue that I had to handle if I was to get to Quinlan and Aayla before one of them hurt the other.

The Force flowed through me, empowering me as it bent to my demands. My blade howled in delight as it swept through the air, slicing any creature that got too close. A quick pivot of my feet and hips, along with a shifting of my wrist as a single swipe slashed five of the creatures.

My feet shifted, the footwork of Ataru keeping me in motion as I danced around outstretched claws and avoided web blasts. My lightsaber flowed through the air, removing the heads of two beasts in a single effortless stroke while my other hand pulled my beskad from its sheath. Blood soared into the air as the weapon savoured its first taste of flesh today, as I cut my way through the onrushing horde.

Every so often I caught sight of Quinlan and Aayla, their green and pink blades clashing against each other. Yet, each time I tried to move towards them, more of the feral Anzati came at me, delaying my approach. At one moment, Quinlan was forced back by Aayla's rage, and she moved in for a killing stroke. Before it could land, I pushed the Force through my hand and along the blade of my beskad.

The pair leapt back, avoiding the explosion as the Force slammed into the ground where they'd been standing, but it was enough to ensure that Quinlan didn't fall. He was holding back, I could feel it in the Force, and from the glances I could grab that Aayla had altered her style. Or more likely the one who'd taken control of her and manipulated her rage had taught her new velocities.

The Ataru she had focused on was still there, but more aggressive and dangerous Juyo angles of attack were in use as well; her rage towards Quinlan granting her the strength and power needed to truly use Juyo the way it was meant to be harnessed.

As another attempt to slip through the mass of feral Anzati slipped away as they continued to gang-rush me, I felt my control slipping. These creatures were wasting my time, and the longer I delayed, the more chance one of those I was here to help would be injured or die.

Generating a few metres of room, I dove into the depths of the Force, calling forth the full capacity of it that I was capable of summoning. Instead of the fractional gathering and focusing of the Force through my body that I learnt with the Matukai, I was removing the filters and allowing the full depth of my potential to let the Force flow into me, and it was glorious.

Time slowed to a virtual standstill as I felt the Force rushing through every muscle, pore, and sinew in my body, galvanising every fibre of my being. The HUD continued to report new threats coming toward me, though the count was moving slowly as if trapped on the event horizon of a black hole. I could see the movement of every muscle on each beast near me as if they were trapped in some form of time distortion and I gasped as I understood, for the first time, the true potential I held within the Force.

I grinned as, knowing I was as ready as I would ever be, I let go of the walls I'd built around my presence in the Force, letting the full breadth of my power flood over the battlefield.

Around me everything stopped, the eyes of everyone – be they beast, prisoner, or Force user – turned deliciously slowly in my direction as they all tried to understand what they were experiencing. My grin turned into a smile that would freeze the blood of my enemies if they could see it as I started moving, intent on destroying everything that dared to even look at me wrong.

The first flickers of fear appeared in the eyes of the feral Anzati as they understood they were standing before an apex predator and that they were now my prey. Yet even as that flicker of understanding sparked in their minds, plasma and beskar were cutting a vicious, visceral swathe of devastation through their ranks.

The beasts closest to me barely moved a muscle before my blades struck them. Blood and smoke rose painfully slowly into the air as I danced through their ranks. Those after my first strikes moved more, their claws turning to either strike at me or offer submission. I wasn't in the mood for either, and as the blood from my first strikes continued its upward trajectory, more of the creatures tasted my fury and, before they even understood it, began a slow, creeping fall to their deaths.

Limbs, heads, and entire torsos separated from the rest of the body they should be attached to, moving apart slowly with the only links to the slowly unfolding chaos the streaks of red created as my beskad moved from one target to the next. Flutters of smoke rose from cauterised wounds showing the path carved out by my lightsaber as it also unleashed destruction on the beasts.

To the Anzati and the others, everything would be engulfed in streaks of red and black as my blade and armoured form moved so quickly through the ranks of the feral beasts that it would appear as if they'd been engulfed by a storm of malignant intent. The only ones who could, in theory, track my swathe of destruction would be Quinlan and Aayla, though they were again more focused on each other than me.

The pair were moving slowly, though nowhere near as slow as everyone else. Streaks of pink and green brightened the air, adding colour to the darkened aura my weapons and I created as I tore a path through the savage creatures towards the pair of force users. Aayla's entire visage was consumed by rage, by her need to make Quinlan pay for killing her uncle, whereas Quinlan had lost that edge his fury had granted him; now he was little more than an untrained Jedi barely surviving under the onslaught of one in the grip of the Dark Side.

As I neared, my blades still turning anyone and anything nearby into more pieces of the symphony of carnage I was creating, I reached into the darkness around Aayla, to both find a way to break through it so we might speak and to see if the one responsible for her actions and the mind behind the primitive Anzati was present. It took but a mere moment to find the other's presence in the depths of Aayla's mind twisting her thoughts and desires to suit his purpose.

This was the source of the same growing darkness that I'd felt ever since we'd begun to approach Kiffex. The same one who'd hidden Aayla's path from me when I'd demanded the Force reveal it to me. There was age and experience to this presence, power too. Yet at the same time, it felt weaker than it should: as if unable to fully grasp the power it should be able to wield. That was both comforting as it meant I should be able to overpower them when we met, and disappointing as I feared they would not be the challenge I wanted them to be. However, as Aayla's assault on Quinlan grew more violent, I pulled back from her mind and again focused fully on the battle taking place in Deadend.

My trail of carnage through the Anzati had almost drawn me to the pair, and it was clear that Aayla, no matter how in theory weaker and unskilled compared to Quinlan, was winning. Her strikes were ferocious; empowered by her fury and desire to kill her former master. The Juyo she was using was enhanced by her rage. Quinlan, his body knowing how to move even if his mind did not, was struggling to keep pace.

I could sense his desire to not harm Aayla, to help her. While noble it was costing him the fight, and as he was driven to his knees by Aayla's elbow, she readied her blade to finish him.

Her blade came down, a scream echoing around the settlement as she channelled every ounce of her anger into her strike, and I sensed Quinlan accepting his fate. I, however, did not and before the pink of her blade could sever his head from his body, it was blocked by the red and black of my lightsaber's blade.

Aayla blinked, her anger-enriched mind taking more time than it should to process what was happening. She continued to push down, trying to drive my blade back into Quinlan's face yet I remained firm. As her eyes shifted to me, the haze of her fury lifting enough for a faint flicker of recognition to spark there, I pushed my other arm forward, using the Force to drive her back.

She leapt with the blast, gracefully landing a few metres away from me. The move was slow to me however, and I pulled back on the power I was using so that I might try and break through the cloud engulfing her mind first before trying more aggressive methods.

"Who are you?" She snarled, her mind a jumbled mess that exposed so many weaknesses that if I was forced to fight her, I knew the battle would end whenever I wanted it to. Against Quinlan, with his past lost to him, and drawing on what her new master had taught her, Aayla would emerge victorious. However, against one as comfortable in his training as I was, and with the Force at my complete command, she was nothing more than a bug waiting to be flicked aside whenever I wished.

"Have you forgotten me as well?" I replied, making sure the voice modulator was turned off even as the HUD reported the mass of Anzati I'd just cut my way through falling to the ground dead. "Quinlan said you forgot who he was, but I had hoped you might remember me from our time at the Temple," I added as the HUD tracked the number of Anzati I'd taken out and the reactions of those who'd been far enough away to be spared the whirlwind of bloodshed I'd unleashed on the others.

For a moment, I considered removing my helmet to let her see my face in the hope it might trigger a memory. However, the faintest shifts in the Force alerted me to the folly of that idea, and how this wasn't the time to attempt such a move. Her grip tightened around her blade, both hands holding it ready to unleash a powerful strike at me.

"Jedi!" She hissed out before the Force accelerated her toward me. I stood there, watching her move, impressed with how well she channelled her fury into empowering herself. Her new master had taught her well. However, after only a few steps, I recalled the Force to me, bending it to my will and as I watched her pace slowed down remarkably.

A sliding of my foot, followed by the gentle shifting of my hips and a flick from my lightsaber was all I needed to deflect her attack and move far enough away that her secondary strike missed while remaining in place to cover Quinlan as he slowly pulled himself to his feet. "It's been over a decade since you last beat me in a spar, Aayla, and while you have skill – including what your new master has taught you – you remain woefully unprepared to engage me." My words, as intended, fuelled her rage and she moved to engage me again, the faintest hint of a flaw in her attack easy to spot.

I could if I so wished, end this duel with that flaw, but I didn't. No, I wanted to try and break through the hold the Dark Side and this unknown master had on her mind. My blade came up, the barest of movements enough to push aside her lightsaber even as I kept my beskad back, showing I didn't need it to engage her. "Search your feelings, Aayla," I said softly as my blade again pushed aside an attack from the Twi'lek. "You know and trust me."

Her blade came crashing down from overhead, seeking to slash through my skull, which showed she had no understanding of beskar and what it could do. My blade came up, deflecting the strike down and away before a roll of my wrist had my blade pressing against hers, forcing her to take a step back as I easily overpowered her stance. "Use the Force and look at me."

Through the locking of our blades – which I was only holding for my attempt to reach her – I saw her blink. The Dark Side shifted around us as the presence of her master grew fractionally weaker and in her eyes there was a faint flicker of passing recognition.

Before she could say or do anything, she stumbled back, a hand coming to her temple. "Don't listen to him," I said as I remained where I was, sensing her master trying to assert domination over her fragile mind. "Trust your instincts and search your feelings," I added as I reached into the Force, using a portion of the power I controlled to find in an attempt to sever the connection between this hidden Dark Sider and Aayla. "We're friends, Aayla. I don't want to hurt you, but I will if you leave me no choice."

Aayla looked at me again, that flicker of understanding and recognition growing stronger. However, before she could act on it a massive wave of power slammed into her mind. I stumbled back, driven from her thoughts by the actions of the one controlling her. They were strong, and I suspected, skilled in the more mental aspects of the Force. That was something I'd have to be wary of once I found them, but for now, as Aayla reset her stance, I concentrated on my friend. "No!" She snapped, her rage flooding her mind and driving away any other thoughts. "I must serve my master," She added with a snarl before charging towards me.

I sighed, though no one but me heard it because of the helmet, even as my mind analysed her form and spotted several avenues to counter. Most would result in her losing at least her hand, which wasn't what I wanted, and I dismissed those selecting another option.

A gentle shifting of my wrist and my lightsaber flicked out, pushing aside her attack without any concern for the extra strength her rage provided her. My beskad fell from my grasp as I moved my hand forward and grabbed her arm before she could counter my defensive stroke. "Sorry," I whispered as I activated a feature of the gauntlet.

"AARGH!" Aayla screamed as enough energy to down an enraged rancor surged into her system. She twisted her arm, trying to slip free, but my grasp was solid. Her blade fell into her other hand alone and she swung it as best she could, intent on severing my arm. Not wanting her to hurt herself when the blade bounced off the beskar, my lightsaber came up and clipped her attack before it was close.

With a rotation of my wrist, her blade was driven down, and I moved the tip of my blade down hers, close enough that the heat brushed over her knuckles. "Ah!" She shouted at the new burst of pain even as her blade fell from her grasp.

She fell to a knee even as her now free hand came around. I pulled my blade back, not wanting to cost her a limb and let her ineffectually punch my armour. The HUD reported the strength of her strike was more than her body weight should be able to produce, yet well within the tolerable range of the beskar to withstand.

I pushed any feelings that surged in me as I saw the pain rushing over Aayla's face from my mind. This was hurting her, yes, but it was for her own good. At least I hoped she would see it that way once free of the one manipulating her. Her hand slapped almost pathetically against my armour: each strike slightly weaker than the last.

The Force shifted and I felt the presence of the Dark Sider grow stronger in her mind. Infuriated at his need to try and control her even as she flailed in my grasp, as well as angry at him for using my friend for whatever his purpose was, I pushed back. With every ounce of power I had, I slammed into the mental probe they were using to influence Aayla; not even slightly holding back on my power, nor on what I was capable of.

The presence of the Dark Sider reeled back, and I savoured their shock and the faint hint of terror that I sensed from them before they severed the link they held with Aalya's mind. If the person was here, they might be able to keep the hold over her mind, at least if they weren't dealing with my attacks. However, they weren't, and I was, thus the control they had over her mind shattered as I blasted it away with the full breadth of my power.

"Ugh," Aayla cried as her other knee crashed to the ground and if not for my grasp on her arm, she would've fallen over. The combined weight of the charge surging through her nerves, coupled with me driving the presence of the Dark Sider from her mind broke through her rage, dismissing most of her unnatural anger towards Quinlan.

I stopped the flood of energy into her system, and she looked up at me with blurry eyes. Her mouth opened but no sound came from her lips; the combination of the energy surging through her body and the lingering presence of her temporary master being banished from her mind robbed her of her voice for the moment.

I placed my hand gently on her shoulder, causing her to tense. Yet when no surge of energy slammed into her, she relaxed. "Sleep," I said gently to her, using the Force to overwhelm her weakened mind and ensure my command was obeyed.

Aayla slumped to the ground, only my grasp on her shoulder stopping her from falling too quickly. I knelt, guiding her down as the HUD confirmed she was sleeping. Yet before I could attempt anything else it alerted me to the approaching mass of feral Anzati.

I stood with a growl, letting my power flow outward. "You shall not take her," I snarled, daring any of the beasts, or the master that commanded them, to challenge me.

As before, the Anzati froze, understanding they were facing off against something far higher on the food chain. What remained of their minds understanding that to challenge me was to invite death. I took a step forward, causing the dozen near me to, almost as one, move back, forcing those behind to move back as well.

A second later, Quinlan's blade ignited as he moved to my side, adding his presence to mine. It wasn't needed as I could already sense the growing fear in the pack of creatures; something that spiked further as the few remaining inside the cantina rushed out, blaster bolts from at least a dozen shooters forcing them to retreat.

That was the trigger as first, from the back of the pack a handful of the creatures slithered back, heading towards the walls of the settlement seeking to return to their master. Some had cocoons of captured victims on their backs, and while I could've moved to free them, I didn't. Not only did I know – via the Force and the Battlenet – that Simvyl was not among the prisoners, but those that had been captured were, in the grand scheme far less important to me than Aayla and while few deserved the fate of having their life force drained by an Anzati, they were on this planet for crimes that elsewhere might carry a death penalty. Their removal from the galaxy would only benefit everyone else.

More of the ranks of bestial Anzati crept back and then turned tail, their desire to live and escape my clutches overriding their master's demands to bring Aayla back to him. I stayed where I was, watching the pack retreat. Yes, I had an objective to eliminate as many of the creatures on the world as I could, but that was minor compared to keeping my friend safe.

Quinlan and I stayed where we were, even as HK and Simvyl led the remaining thugs from the cantina out, blasters firing at the retreating beasts. I only relaxed my stance once the last Anzati leapt over the walls, disappearing into the night, and the Battlenet confirmed that they'd gone.

At that point, I powered down my lightsaber and then after attaching it to my belt, bent to pick up my beskad. "Get her into the cantina," I said to Quinlan before continuing through the Battlenet to speak to HK and Simvyl. "Secure the area around the cantina for now. If any of the locals give you trouble, remind them as forcefully as you need that if not for us they'd all be Anzati food."

"Exclamation: It would be my pleasure, Master."

"What are you going to do?" Quinlan asked as the HUD reported him kneeling next to his Padawan, checking on her condition.

"First," I began as I walked into the field of carnage I'd caused, "I'm going to ensure that none of the beasts here are still alive. After that, I'll check in with you in the cantina in case we need to keep Aayla secured or sedated, but I won't be staying long. You can stay here with her, but I'm heading out. The one responsible for Aayla's turn to the Dark Side and these packs of feral Anzati is still alive, and I intend to correct that oversight."

… …

---

​

… …
The speeder I'm on raced forward, barely a metre above the stream I'm using as a path through the jungle I'm now in as I follow the rough directions I took from Aayla's mind before I departed Deadend towards her master: Volfe Karkko. With me, a few dozen metres back, are HK and Simvyl; the pair having chosen to accompany me instead of staying with Quinlan as he watched over a slumbering Aayla.

After securing the settlement, I'd headed to the cantina and spoken with Quinlan about her. He had wanted to wake her immediately so they could talk as he retained the belief he could get through to her without combat. I was less confident about that approach, and after debating his idea for about an hour that evening with him, I'd managed to convince him to wait.

Using supplies that I'd brought with me, I'd injected Aayla with a sedative that was meant to work even on those strong in the Force and left instructions with Quinlan to keep giving her regular doses to keep her under. In theory, he could do that for about two weeks based on the amount of the drug I'd left behind, but I felt I'd be back at Deadend within a few days.

As I needed intelligence on who I was facing and where they were located, I'd reached into Aayla's mind via the Force and, as gently as I could, extracted that information. Her mind was to be blunt, more jumbled than the most insane puzzle I'd ever imagined, which was no doubt a side effect of daily doses of glitteryll that her uncle had pumped into her in an attempt to keep her docile. The fact he had needed to do that, while Quinlan had seemingly only needed a single dose to forget everything about the last two decades suggested that the lekku of Twi'leks offered some protection against the worst effects of glitteryll. However, until either I or members of the Order spent time with Aayla to help her, I couldn't be certain if my idea had any validity to it.

Still, even with her mind being a jumbled mess, I'd managed to gather enough intelligence that I could set out the following morning – it was now approaching midday – to hunt my prey. While the exacts of where the exact location of the base wasn't given over – it seemed even sedated that Aayla was resisting, or that I wasn't as skilled as I needed to be at using the Force in such a way – I had gained a name and species of who I was now hunting.

Volfe Karkko was an Anzati fallen Jedi who had been imprisoned on Kiffex centuries, if not millennia ago, by the Order. It wasn't clear when exactly he had been imprisoned, and with Aayla's mind a chaotic muddle she couldn't confirm dates to offer any help, but I was leaning towards either not long after the Russan Reformation or before the New Sith Wars.

For the former, if it was any more recently, then I suspected I'd recall reading about an Anzati Jedi Master during my time in the Temple. Yes, it was possible the story of Karkko wasn't taught to Initiates and Padawans, but that was unlikely as the names of others who had fallen were mentioned in passing when various Jedi spoke of the dangers of the Dark Side. Dangers that while valid if one let the Dark Side overwhelm you, weren't entirely true once one learnt to take control of yourself and the Force around you.

As for the earlier date, if Karkko had fallen during the nearly one-thousand-year period known as the New Sith Wars, the odds were good that the Jedi would've hunted him down and killed him as they did for countless other Dark Jedi and Sith. What also added strength to that idea was that the prison complex created to house Karkko had, from the images I'd pulled from Aayla's mind, been overgrown by a tree that wouldn't look out of place on Kashyyyk. A tree that, even now possibly hundreds of miles from it, I could already see rising above the rest of the jungle and wondered if anyone had ever travelled there before Aayla freed Karkko as it would be something akin to a landmark on the otherwise barren planet.

My thoughts on when he was imprisoned were unlikely to be useful to me when I faced Karkko, but they'd help pass the time as we'd raced towards him on the speeders we'd taken from Deadend. What was, and what explained the presence of so many devolving Anzati, was that Karkko was an Anzati himself. From what I could pierce together from the memories I'd drawn from Aayla; he had resisted the urge to feed on the soup of others until one day deciding that a single drink wouldn't hurt and that he could resist further temptation.

To say that failed was a massive understatement as, from one of the more concise memories I'd drawn from Aayla's mind, he claimed it had taken most of the Jedi Council at that time to defeat him. Yet instead of killing him, or placing him in a secure prison designed for Force users – assuming those existed whenever all this took place – they had chosen to imprison him in secret on Kiffex.

That was, given the fact the planet was probably inhabited at the time, an insanely stupid idea, but it did prove that it wasn't just the Council of this era that made mistakes that they probably shouldn't be making. It also explained the presence of the other Anzati, all in stages of mental regression to more primitive states, on the world. They had been drawn over the years by his presence in the Force, and after becoming trapped on a planet with few sentients to feed upon, de-evolved into savage beasts. Those that had attacked the Guardian fortress must've been recent arrivals, drawn by Karkko's more powerful call once he was awoken by Aayla, with them attacking in their need to feed.

"Observation: The creatures continue to watch from a distance, Master. I believe they are ensuring we head towards their master so he might attempt to kill us."

I smirked under my helmet at HK's remark as he moved behind and to my left. The HUD was tracking the movements of dozens of feral Anzati as they tried to remain hidden in the jungle around us. As HK said, they were keeping their distance, but not all of that might be by design. I wasn't reigning in my Force presence as much as I normally would, and those who had been involved in the attack on Deadend would recall that presence and choose, regardless of what their master commanded them to do, to stay back. Animals they might be, but they weren't mindless automatons.

If I wasn't concerned about the mass of beasts that might remain under Karkko's sway, I would've left Simvyl and HK with Quinlan to retain command of Deadend until I dealt with Karkko. Hells, I had initially asked them to remain behind anyway, however, neither had accepted the instruction. HK because he knew I was heading into battle and wanted to participate, and Simvyl because he understood that I'd need others to deal with the Anzati while I fought Karkko. Throw in the objective to kill as many of the de-evolved Anzati I as I could, and taking them along had been an easy decision.

"They know that coming any closer means their death," Simvyl commented, giving words to my earlier thoughts about why the beasts were staying back. "After what we… well, you really did in Deadend, those that remain understand not to challenge you."

I grinned at the comment. "What can I say? I was inspired to take out the trash," I replied with a chuckle. The final count of dead Anzati in the settlement had been a touch over five hundred, with me personally being responsible for about half of that number. HK had taken care of about fifteen per cent of them while Simvyl took out another ten per cent.

"Evaluation: Your performance last night master was worthy of myself. The way you carved a path of carnage would have drawn the Creator's praise."

"Why thank you, HK," I responded with a smirk even if I knew he meant Revan when he had been a Sith Lord and not the man who'd married Bastila Shan. Or at least, that was what I assumed. "However, I think the beasts are also staying back because Karkko wants them to. He wants me to come to challenge him; seeing like I do as a test of his might. He thinks he can defeat me, and then feast on my Force potential to finally have the power to take his army of Anzati to Kiffu. It's all bantha-poodoo mind you, but it's what's guiding his logic."

"You're sure that's his goal?"

I grunted at Simvyl's question. "He hasn't struck me as anything more than your typical Dark Jedi. He wants power and expects to use force to get it. For that, however, he needs to be stronger and that's why the Anzati that attacked Deadend took victims instead of feeding on them there and then as they tried to do with the outpost.

"That attack was designed to take out the Guardians: The only threat to him on the planet. Deadend was expected to be a feast for him to regain his power. However, we kriffed up that plan and so now he's turning his focus to me. If he escapes Kiffu the Guardians can't stop his army of beasts, to say nothing of one as strong in the Force as him."

I looked forward, my gaze drawn to the tree that marked the location of Karkko's command centre. That he had turned his prison into his base made sense as it was located deep in the jungle, surrounded by Anzati he'd easily bent to his will even while imprisoned, and hard to approach from almost every angle.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I reached out into the Force, checking that I could still sense Karkko ahead of me. He was there, and as had been the case since this morning, seemingly growing stronger with each passing minute. No doubt that was because he was feeding on anyone his army of creatures had brought him in preparation for facing off against me. I suspected that if not for my approaching presence he might've held off on feeding on every sentient he had imprisoned, but there was little I could do to help those poor souls, even with a Quest objective to try and save as many as I could. Even if I hid my Force presence as fully as I could, he would know that I'd be coming for him and feast on the life force of those he held in his command centre. The sooner I reached him, the more chance there was that some of the prisoners might survive, but I wasn't expecting to find any alive once we…

I frowned as, unexpectedly, I sensed a subtle shift in the Force. One so slight that if I'd not been reaching into the Force to confirm Karkko's presence was still where it should be, I'd have likely missed it. I slowed my speeder and gently reached out into the Force, but not towards where Karkko was but to my sides seeking to find the source of the odd shift in the Force. It was just about familiar, yet at the same time it was clear that whoever was here was trying to hide their presence; seemingly wanting to approach Karkko without him or the beasts under his command being aware of what was happening. If only I could…

There.

My head snapped to my right as I felt another faint shift in the Force; enough that now I was looking for it, I not only had the rough location of the source, but I could determine it was someone I'd met before long enough to become familiar with their Force signature. "Shab."

"What?" Simvyl asked, suggesting my curse carried over the Battlenet. Or he was just wondering why I'd slowed down.

"We've got company," I replied as I used the HUD to mark the rough location of the person I'd sensed on a map for others to see. "There. A Jedi," I explained as a mark about fifty kilometres to our right appeared.

"Isn't that a good thing? I mean, someone else to help with facing this fallen Jedi."

"Contemplative: Based on how the Master has fought so far, the powers he has displayed and might need to use against this Dark Jedi, I speculate that the Master is reluctant to have a Jedi nearby to observe his actions."

"About covers it," I responded to HK's answer to Simvyl's question. "That's T'ra Saa," I explain as I track her movements through the Force cautiously, not wanting to draw her towards me. Through the HUD I can spot a few dozen feral Anzati near her rough location, but none seem to be aware of her which is an indication of how well she's masking her presence, and how lucky I was to be able to be at the right moment to sense her presence without giving away mine.

T'ra Saa stopped and I felt the faintest of probes reach into the Force from her. I pulled back fully, locking down my Force connection to the best of my ability so that, if all went well, she'd be unable to sense me. For a moment I wondered how, if she felt my presence, she didn't know it was me but then I remembered that when I'd met her around eight years ago, the Interface had been filtering my Force signature, making me appear distant and weaker than I truly was. While I'd changed dramatically with my training since Naboo, it would be the loss of the Interface filtering the Force that would be causing her the greatest difficulty in determining who I was. However, I knew that wouldn't last, particularly if she was nearby while I fought Karkko. If that happened, and as HK said, I was forced to use everything I knew to defeat the Anzati, then she'd know I was drawing on the Dark Side and report it to the Order. That would cause all sorts of problems that I'd rather avoid for the time being, so I needed a way to…

"HK, I need you to divert and delay her," I said as I realised I had the perfect method to, if not kill, then at least hamper a Jedi. Now, I didn't want T'ra Saa dead, not unless I had no other choice, but I understood that if she were there when I fought Karkko then as soon as he was defeated she would turn against me. While I was powerful, I wasn't ready to take on a Jedi Master; particularly not one with centuries of experience who could probably fight to a standstill, if not defeat, many of those who sat on the Council. "Don't try and kill her, or get close to her. I don't want to risk losing you for that. Just… do whatever you have to, from a distance, to ensure she doesn't get to Karkko's location until after I kill him and Simvyl and I leave."

"Assurance: She will not cause you a problem, Master. Addendum: I am looking forward to testing a Jedi of this era to see what their capabilities are."

"T'ra Saa is one of the best in the Order, so if most things don't work don't take it personally."

HK scoffed. "Indignation: I am a droid, Master, not a weak meatbag. If my methods are ineffectual, I will simply be forced to craft more ingenious solutions to countering Force users." With that, he angled his speeder and moved off. Not directly toward Saa, but on a vector that would ensure he could cut her off without actively engaging her.

As I watched him vanish into the jungle, I looked back at Simvyl. "Are you okay with this?" I asked him. Yes, he had sworn himself to me, but the Antarian Rangers worked with the Jedi, and with this action, I was making it clear to him that my path wasn't going to remain linked to the Order's for much longer.

He was slow to respond, the conflict inside him easy to read after so many years travelling together. Loyalty to the ideal of the Rangers warred with the oath he'd sworn to me. "I… I understand why you're doing it," He eventually said slowly. "You've never been what one would expect of a good Jedi," I chuckled in my helmet at hearing that again, "and I've long since understood you don't intend to stay with the Order for much longer. I don't regret swearing my claws to your side, it's just… this feels like actively working against the Jedi and the Republic and that this point is coming sooner than I expected."

"I'm the same, and by having HK delay her, we might be able to keep our goals aligned with the Order's for a short while longer. However, I think I've known deep inside, perhaps since before we ever met, that my path wasn't the one the Order currently walks. I've never been able to be the sort of Jedi the Council and others wish me to be. For a time, I had hoped to just become something of a rogue or grey Jedi – as in one who, while still a Jedi, follows the will of the Force or their own path instead of the orders of the Council. Yet after Naboo, I knew that wasn't possible." I turned back and grasped the accelerator of my speeder. "I'd just hoped that the separation wouldn't come this soon," I finished as I twisted the accelerator, causing my vehicle to rush forward as fast as it could. "And that it didn't have to happen like this."

… …

---

​

… …
As the former prison but now command centre for Volfe Karkko came into view, buried as it was under the massive roots of the tree that had overgrown it, I whistled. "That's older than I expected."

The HUD was scanning the structure, and while an exact date wasn't forthcoming as it couldn't be certain of the effects of ageing and weather erosion that had afflicted the building, its rough estimate was a little over two thousand years old. That certainly aligned with the sight of a tree overgrowing a multi-storey building with its roots while the rest of the tree stretched up far above the jungle and confirmed my feeling that Karkko predated the New Sith Wars was accurate. Why the Jedi Council of the era hadn't chosen to kill Karkko, or at least lock him in a proper prison designed for Force users, I couldn't say, but it seemed I was now forced to correct their mistake.

I slowed my speeder as we reached a large open expanse in the swamp; one covered in a muddy bog, cautious that there might be a threat hidden within. Skirting the edge of the bog, we neared the temple, it and the tree that had grown over it looming larger with each passing second.

"They're getting closer."

I didn't need to look back at Simvyl to confirm his words, the HUD reporting the same thing as the feral Anzati moved around us, blocking off any chance of escape we'd have without having to fight our way through their ranks. Given the HUD had failed to discover more than a few hundred at any one time, I suspected that if needed I could handle all of them by myself. However, that wasn't why I was here.

"Hardly a surprise," I say as we race around the edge of the bog. "Their master wants us here, and unless I miss my guess, they want us to head up that big, wide-open set of stairs."

"You mean the one with no cover, and from which they could swarm us from any angle?"

"That's the one," I say as we finish passing the bog and enter the last few hundred metres to Karkko's command centre. "Which is why we're not taking it," I said as I angled my speeder towards a smaller entrance the HUD had located. "I'm using that one." That entrance was barely wide enough for more than two people to enter side by side, was a point the feral Anzati seemed to be coming and going from, and for which not much of the inside was known. Either from the HUD or from what I'd pulled from Aayla's memories about this place.

"That's better," he replied as he followed behind. "Much easier to defend. The only issue is the Anzati gathered around it, and no doubt inside as well. They're going to want us to head to the main entrance."

I chuckled darkly. "They're welcome to try and stop me going where I want."

"Stop us."

I slowed my speeder and looked back at Simvyl. "I'll be facing Karkko alone," I said slowly but firmly.

Simvyl laughed. "I know that. I'm not stupid enough to think I can take on a Force user when they go all out. Kriff, I can barely keep up with Anakin at times when he really gets going and sinks into the Force. What I mean is that while you face Karkko I'm not staying outside and dealing with these feral Anzati. I've not got a death wish."

I grunted as I realised I'd overreacted for a moment. "Fair enough." Simvyl was a capable warrior, one that had grown stronger over the last few years, but he at least knew his limitations. Oh, asking him to hold a position, even one as seemingly defensible as the cave entrance we were heading for against hundreds of Anzati was going to be a challenge, but it had better odds than him facing someone like Karkko. "Once we're inside you'll find a point to bunker down while I push on, hopefully removing any of the beasts that might try and sneak up on you, and take out Karkko."

"What about any of those taken from Deadend?"

"For now, there's nothing we can do," I replied as our speeders slowed further. The Anzati around us were growing restless, not liking that we weren't heading toward the entrance their master wanted us to use. "Karkko's getting more powerful by the minute, no doubt feeding on any prisoner he has. Once he's dead, if there's time, we'll look for others but I'm not expecting much luck with that. If you find anyone, leave them for now. I don't want you exposing yourself to attack trying to help them."

"Understood."

I stopped the speeder and slipped off. The beasts moved closer, massing in a feeble attempt to stop me from entering the complex where I wanted to enter. I smirked under my helmet, as I drew my blade. The faint howl of the lightsaber igniting was accompanied by me releasing some of the hold I kept on my Force signature.

Many of the beasts shuddered, and a sizable number took a few steps back. Those were the ones who survived Deadend and understood what I was capable of. I'd likely have to remind them and teach the others, to gain entrance to the passageway I wished to enter from, but I knew they'd not be able to stop me, or even really slow me down.

They weren't the target, just bugs on the windscreen that needed to be swatted. However, the more I took out now, the less I'd have to try and find afterwards, if time allowed, for the linked objective of the Lost Apprentice quest. Plus, even if as I suspected I couldn't take them all out, thinning the herd would make them less of a threat to the Guardians once they returned to control the planet and monitor the prisoner population.

It only took a few minutes, and around another hundred dead feral Anzati, for Simvyl and I to reach and then enter the passageway. I reached out with the Force, wanting to ensure no creatures were hiding inside in an attempt to flank my friend as he held our escape point. A few were found, and those close enough to be dispatched were efficiently taken out with either my blade, the blaster in my gauntlet, or judicial use of the Force.

With the area cleared, I turned to Simvyl, watching as he pushed crates and boulders together to form a temporary foxhole. I quickly assisted him by moving several larger objects, including sections of the complex that had broken loose over the years because of plant growth or damage done by the Anzati, so that he had a readily defensible position to await my return.

"Here," I said to the Cathar as I pulled a pouch from my belt and handed it to him. "Place these around at any weak points you find. I'll do the same as I move ahead," I explained, knowing the pouch I'd just given him contained about a dozen thermal detonators. While killing Karkko and as many of the feral Anzati, and then rescuing any prisoners were the goals here, I had no intention of leaving this place standing after we left. It stank of the Dark Side, but not in any way that might be considered natural or healthy. No, this place was a vile corruption of the Force that needed to be expunged.

Simvyl placed the pouch down beside him as he moved into the created cover, though his focus remained on the entranceway we'd just come through. As I moved deeper into the complex, I heard his blasters open fire, the Battlenet reporting the fall of a trio of the beasts that had tried to assault his position. He would have to work to stay safe, but I had faith in his training and ability to handle the challenge.

Slipping into the next chamber beyond the one connected to the entranceway, my blade flicked out and bisected two Anzati on either side of me in one elegant, flowing motion. As their bodies fell to the ground, the HUD scanned the array of cocoons in this chamber. Most had the heads exposed, allowing the HUD to link many to faces it had scanned in Deadend; however, none were moving, and I could feel the Force's revulsion at how they had died. Instead of being allowed to return to the Force, their life force had been drained, preventing them from returning to the cycle of life as it was in this galaxy.

Moving deeper, I passed through two more chambers, each as full of lifeless cocooned corpses as the first. The handful of creatures that were in the chambers bore my wrath for their part in the abomination that had happened here while I placed explosives as I went, trusting the HUD to mark potential weak points in the structure Perhaps I was using too many detonators, but I had over fifty in my Inventory and wanted no part of the complex to remain after Karkko was dead.

Eventually, I reached a fork in my path. One route led deeper into the caverns under the complex, with more cocoons inside, the other led upwards into the former prison, and to where I knew Karkko was waiting for me. Reaching into the Force I tried to sense if anyone in the next chamber was alive, but felt nothing. With a sigh, I took a handful of detonators from my Inventory, placed them around the chamber, and then tossed several more into the next chamber.

With that done, I began my ascend towards the Anzati Dark Jedi above, my mind and body ready for any threat. As I ascended, I felt something twisted brush against the defences around my mind. I growled and enhanced them, ensuring that Karkko couldn't slip into my mind and learn something he might use against me. However, I didn't unfurl the entirety of my power. No, that reveal, even if he'd felt it remotely when I'd taken out his horde of feral beasts and freed Aayla from his control, I wanted to wait until I could see his face before I let him understand just how outclassed he was.

The stairs were in better condition than the chambers I'd just come through, and the signs of degradation and overgrowth by the tree became less prevalent the higher I climbed. It seemed that even while in stasis Karkko had generated enough of a residual twisted presence in the Force that it interrupted with the natural growth of the jungle. As the climb continued, I wondered why the Jedi who had imprisoned Karkko had gone to this extent to create a prison for him. It made even less sense than the decision to imprison him on Kiffex and then forget about him, or at least made things more confusing as the lack of logic involved here was staggering.

Soon I emerged at a door, and I knew that he awaited me on the other side. The door slid open slowly, the ravages of time causing the system controlling it to take a few seconds longer than ideal to react to my presence. The chamber that greeted me as the door slid open was one filled with smoke, though not enough that it in any way impeded vision even if I wasn't in my armour.

Stepping into the large chamber, one that reached at least three stories in height – again, another odd design choice for a prison – I saw large pipes, each easily the thickness of my thigh, running towards a central round platform. On that platform, using a chair that clearly wasn't part of the original decor, sat my target.

Volfe Karkko looked like any healthy Anzati should, though the beard he wore was straight out of the handbook for stereotypical villains. Now, perhaps it was fashionable during his era, but to me, it reminded me of those worn in many older action movies from my former life.

I walked towards him slowly, my hilt in my hand but not yet powered, studying the man through the HUD and with Observe.

Volfe Karkko
Race: Anzati
Level: 37
Health: 95%
Age: 132 (2300 linearly)
Force Potential: High
Threat Potential: High
Reputation: None
Affiliation Loyalty: Volfe Karkko (100%)
Emotional State: Intrigued/confused.
Volfe knows you are the one who took Aayla Secura from him, and while that angers him, he is intrigued by the power he senses within you.
He had expected Quinlan Vos to arrive with other Jedi, yet you fight with the brutal efficiency of a Sith, and he wonders if you might be a better apprentice than Aayla.
However, he is unsure what to make of your arrival while wearing armour that, while unfamiliar to him, is similar to that worn by Mandalorians in his era.
...​

"You are the one who took my apprentice from me," Karkko commented as he sat on his chair on the platform, leaning forward slightly with a slight frown as he looked me over. The platform was, based on the device in the ceiling, where he had once been imprisoned, and I assumed he was using it as his throne to mock the Jedi who had made the Force-awful decision to imprison and then forget about him millennia ago.

"She was never yours," I replied softly, keeping my feelings out of my voice. I could have the HUD modulate my voice, but it wouldn't matter as any emotion that slipped into my tone would be sensed by him through the Force. I took another few steps toward the platform, cautious as something felt off about this entire encounter. As if I was being allowed to approach far too easily by someone who had to consider me a threat.

Karkko leaned his head on one hand as his eyes roamed over my frame. "You are the one I felt take her from my control and defeated my legions. You have power child, the likes of which I admit I have not felt before, yet it is clear both by your actions and your choice of attire confirms that you are no Jedi." His head tilted and I felt him brush up against my mental defences again. "Your armour is of Mandalorian design, is it not?"

"It is, though I suspect it's different from what you remember," I replied calmly even as I reached out as subtlety into the Force as I could, trying to put a finger on what felt off. There was no great warning from the Force or immediate danger, nor a reaction of Danger Sense to an imminent threat, yet I couldn't escape the feeling that something was amiss.

Karkko chuckled, the large nose that was semi-common of his species shifting oddly as he did so, and then leaned back in his chair. "Interesting."

He stood slowly, moving carefully to not appear a threat even if I knew he most certainly was. "Interesting," he remarked as he gently leapt down from the platform on my side yet still a good ten metres away from me. "Your power is far beyond that of the Twi'lek," he continued as he moved closer yet angled to my right as if trying to slowly circle me. I turned with him, keeping my front aimed toward him so it would only take the slightest of shifts to get into a duelling stance. "I can taste the Dark Side within you," he said as he unclipped his lightsaber from his belt. "Yet you chose to free the Twi'lek from my control instead of simply killing or breaking her as I would expect." His head tilted to his left. "Who is she to you?"

"A friend," I replied honestly.

Karkko nodded, though he already seemed disinterested in Aayla. I watched as he paused. "Ah, but where are my manners," He said before giving a very regal-looking bow. "As you are no doubt aware, I am Volfe Karkko. Formerly a member of the Jedi Council until I saw through the lies of the Order, and you find yourself in what was once my prison but is now my inner sanctum."

"Cameron Shan," I replied, not bothering with any more details.

"Shan?" Karkko repeated slowly before tapping his chin. "Ah yes, I recall that name from the Twi'lek's thoughts; some that were unbecoming for a Jedi I might add," he continued with a chuckle. "How deliciously ironic that in freeing her from my control and coming here to confront me, you have denied yourself the chance to see if she might now act on those desires now that the false teachings of the Jedi no longer afflict her thoughts." He paused and chuckled. "Well, not unless…"

"Unless what?" I asked, already suspecting where he was going with this. "Not unless I join you and take her as my slave?" I grunted and shook my head. "Sorry, but if I was ever going to learn from a Dark Sider it wouldn't be some pathetic fallen Jedi such as yourself."

Karkko's lips thinned before I felt a mental probe brush against my mind. "Ah, so the Sith are still active in this era. How interesting."

I was glad my helmet was on, masking the momentary shock that he had pulled something from my mind, despite my best efforts to shield it.

"The Twi'lek was unaware of this, but that is hardly a surprise. The Sith would never show an interest in one destined to be a slave when far more powerful and delicious potential apprentices exist." His lightsaber ignited with a snap-hiss.

"Before I drain you, I will pull your knowledge of the Sith and the galaxy from your mind."

"If," I said gently, my blade igniting. The roar of its energy filled the chamber, its colour drawing Karkko's gaze—and a flicker of surprise.

"If?" he asked, cautious now as I eased into a Makashi opening stance.

"If you defeat me," I clarified with a smirk he couldn't see, but one I let him feel through the Force. "Which, from what I've seen so far, is about as likely as the Jedi welcoming you back to the High Council."

Karkko's lips twitched, his only outward reaction, but I felt a ripple in the Force—and then he was upon me.

His blade swept in a wide arc toward my arm, a strike meant to test rather than kill. A flick of my wrist guided it past, deflecting with minimal effort. He rotated, his blade flowing seamlessly into another strike, this one faster, aimed at my ribs. I stepped back, letting the tip burn through empty air.

He was testing me, as I was testing him.

A third attack came, faster still, a sweeping cut toward my shins. My blade dipped low, catching his and guiding it up and over my head in a controlled arc. He had power, but I had precision. I remained in Makashi, giving no hint of the other forms in my arsenal.

Another attack came, flowing from the missed stroke before. This one moved even faster; a low sweep designed to bait a reaction. With a flick of my wrist, my blade dipped low again, guiding the attack up and over without allowing him an opening. While his moves were crisp, they lacked the sheer aggression and deadliness of Maul's strikes, which reassured me. Karkko was powerful, but he was no Sith Lord.

He leapt over me, flipping midair in a flawless Ataru velocity. I pivoted, blade rising just enough to deflect any errant strike. As he landed, he shifted into Juyo, drawing upon the Force to augment his speed and strength.

"You've been trained well," he admitted. His stance coiled with barely restrained aggression. "However, I can see the flaws in your stance and know the weaknesses of your style. Which I will use to defeat you and then feast upon your soup."

I stayed silent, weight balanced, waiting.

He lunged. A feint. I sensed it before he moved, remaining still, waiting for the real attack. His blade drove forward, seeking a decisive strike. I turned, one foot sliding back, guiding his blade away with a minimal flick of my wrist.

His attacks intensified. Strength. Speed. Ferocity. But Makashi was built for this—for control, for counters, for precision. A subtle pivot, a shift in weight, and his strikes found only air.

Another opening appeared, and I took it, though this time only the edge of his robes were burnt by my blade. Still, another moment of proof that I was the better combatant which only fuelled the desperation that I felt growing within Karkko.

Sensing he was losing, Karkko roared, infusing the Force into his scream. I braced and was driven back a few meters by the power of his rage, yet even as he sought to use that, I was ready.

His blade came in, bound for my heart. Guiding it away was easily doable, but in the time that would pass between the beats of a butterfly's wings, I saw another path.

Karkko's eyes widened as my hand first moved towards his blade, and then grasped the heated plasma with ease, stopping his momentum in an instant. His lips shifted, and confusion echoed in the Force but before he could ask how I'd grasped his blade, my lightsaber drove forward, burying a good third of the blade in and through his gut.

He grunted at the sensation, which turned into a pained moan as, with a flick of my wrist, my lightsaber rose, searing a deadly arc through his chest and then out his side.

His lightsaber slipped from his grasp, though for a second before it turned off, it remained secure in the grasp of my mechanical hand. As it fell, I stepped forward, catching the hilt in my hand and then igniting the blade.

Karkko stumbled back, the hand that had been grasping his blade moving to the long, fatal wound on his side. He slumped to a knee, looking at the wound in shock. As his head rose, and his eyes saw me, I moved closer, both his blade and mine ignited and in my hands.

His lips moved, and the arm came up. Whether in a desperate plea for mercy or some final act of defiance, I didn't care. My blade flicked around, severing his arm at the elbow before, wanting to ensure he was gone, I used his blade to remove his head.

The body slumped to the floor in a heap as his skull, shock and fear forever locked on his face, bounced off the ground and rolled away.

I stepped back, depowering both blades and smiled at the headless body at my feet. He had dared to think he could be my master, that he was in some way more powerful than I. That failing, along with what he did to Aayla, ensured this was the only outcome that befitted him.

I stood there, the Force shifting and bowing down to me, savouring the moment of victory. Of the proof that all my work since Naboo had been worth it. Yes, I wasn't ready to take on most Jedi Masters, to say nothing of the Council or the Banite Sith, but I had my proof that the path I had chosen and the choices I'd made had been the right ones.

As the moment of relishing my victory passed, I knelt, wanting to see if Karkko kept anything of value in his robes. At the same time, I sent a signal to Simvyl that Karkko was defeated, and that we'd soon be moving out.

Finding nothing of worth on Karkko's corpse I stood and moved what the HUD suggested might still be working computers in the chamber. The process that the Jedi of that ancient era had used to imprison Karkko while old might hold some value, and there might well be files there that could be of use. I'd also be making sure the systems were purged so that, if T'ra Saa arrived and had time to examine the complex before it exploded, she'd not find any recordings or sensor readings of anything I'd done since I'd come into range of the complex.

As I walked away, and after clipping both lightsabers to my belt, I called upon my training with the Shapers, and then the fury that burnt within my soul. Pushing one hand back to Karkko's body, the HUD reported it being engulfed in flames fuelled by the Force which would again, if she arrived with time to spare, further prevent T'ra Saa from knowing what had happened here. The flames shifted to the Anzati's head and then arm, reducing everything to ash.

As I used my gauntlet's system to access the complex's ancient computer systems, I reached out with the Force, hoping to sense anyone who was not an Anzati still alive in the place. However, I felt nothing beyond the faint hints of the various Anzati that had served Karkko, in all their stages of de-evolution, ambling around unsure of what to do. The more bestial one of them had become, the harder it was to sense them within the Force, even when drawing on the darker elements of it for help.

It was as I pulled back from that search, the minimap of my Interface marking as many of the feral Anzati as I could locate, that a signal came in from HK through the Battlenet. He had been forced to pull back from delaying T'ra Saa. The Neti Jedi Master had finally slipped through whatever delays and distractions HK had deployed to keep her from my current location and she was now moving at great speed towards the complex.

Understanding time was of the essence, I ordered Simvyl to get to the speeders and then, with the Force surging through me, raced around the chamber and elsewhere in the complex, deploying thermal detonators at points the Force felt would ensure the maximum amount of destruction.

By the time we left, this complex would have but seconds of existence left, and the threat it had created to the prisoners on Kiffex, and to the Guardians who monitored said prisoners, would be gone. Along with, I hoped, most of the Anzati that had been drawn to Karkko's prison and service.

The threat he posed was over. It was now time to check on Aayla and Quinlan, contact the Guardians then leave this planet. Hopefully forever.

… …

---

​

… …
This story is cross-posted on Fanfiction.net, Archive of our Own, and Royal Road.
...
For those wishing to join the Discord for the story, the server link is:
For this series: Heart of the Force
For general chaos/Gamer stories: Shiro's Gaming Omniverse
(Those on the story server who engage in chat can earn access to a chapter ~3 weeks before it goes public).

For those who wish to support my writing, and get access to drafts and completed chapters anywhere from 1 to 4 months earlier head to one of the links below:
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Regardless if you join the discord or support my writing, I hope you enjoy the story and suggestions, valid criticisms, and ideas are always welcome.
And of course;

May the Force be with you. Always​

 

[HereForMemes]

severing his arm at the elbow

Click to shrink...

Get Star Wars'd

 

[Hms Scarborough]

Bro got cooked literaly. Nice to see Cameron training and experiace paying off.

 

[USSExplorer]

A/N: As always, a huge thank you to those helping with lore and planning for this and my other stories.

And again, this chapter was released to those of sufficient rank on the story's Discord (it pays to talk) about a month ago. For those who support my writing, then it was released between 1 to 4 months ago (and those supporters can also access chapters that far in advance).

If joining the Discord or supporting my writing interests you, there is a link at the end of the chapter for how to do so.

A/N(2): Sorry for he delay, real life decided to interfere.

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3.12 A Change in Path 1
... ...​

As the speeder bike raced through the swamp on Kiffex, I accessed the feed from the HUD to look behind me. Thick, black smoke was rising into the air rapidly; a sign that the explosives Simvyl and I had planted in Karkko's former prison-turned-command centre had done their job and that there'd be nothing there for T'ra Saa to locate. Now, we had perhaps used a touch too many thermal detonators – I had depleted the twenty-five I'd carried in my Inventory – and I had reduced Karkko's body to ash before leaving the complex, but there was no such thing as overkill in my mind if it kept the truth of what I'd done, and more importantly how I'd done it, from Master Saa, and thus the Jedi High Council for a little while longer.

The only item taken from the complex was Karkko's lightsaber which hung proudly at my hip. According to Observe, there was nothing particularly impressive or special about the lightsaber, but it was a trophy of my victory over someone who had once been a member of the Jedi Council millennia ago. It was a nice ego boost to consider that I had defeated someone who had once been a member of a Jedi Council, however nothing about Karkko's combat form suggested he was anything particularly impressive and as such, I was reluctant to consider my victory over him as a sign that I could defeat more than perhaps one or two members of the current Council.

Nothing else of value had been found in the complex in the brief time we had to search it, though I had downloaded what I could from the place's databanks in the hopes there might be something useful that I could discover later. Currently, even before we'd left the complex, I'd been actively hiding my presence in the Force in every way I knew how to prevent T'ra Saa from both trying to track me and giving her any additional information about the Dark side user who had fought and defeated Karkko before she arrived at the smoking ruins of his former prison.

Still, for all that I had moved to hide myself in the Force, and that my Force signature had altered considerably since taking Natural Selection and then training with various Force sects and studying from Adas' holocron, I knew it was only a matter of time – likely no more than half a year at an outside – until Master Saa was able to piece together that I was the one who'd defeated Karkko, drawing heavily on the Dark Side to shatter the illusions that the Anzati Dark Jedi had favoured. The Anzati had skill, I would give him that, but for all his abilities, he had only dabbled in the Dark Side in his later years, which given he could considerably have been centuries old before turning to the Dark Side, meant his mind had remained influenced by his time as a Jedi from being a Youngling until turning from the Order after serving on the High Council.

"What's the plan?" Simvyl asked through the secure comms as he and HK followed along behind me on their speeders, the droid monitoring the movements of any feral Anzati that were tracking us.

Those who had survived my duel with Karkko had been half-following, half-pursuing us since their master's death. From what I could sense from those that had gotten close enough to allow me to pick up on their feelings – at least before they were summarily killed – it seemed the beasts felt that because I had killed Karkko, they should transfer their loyalty to me. I had no interest in that, as they were little better than untrained kath hounds. However, their continual need to stay close enabled HK to keep thinning their ranks as we raced back to Deadend, fulfilling one of the conditions of the Lost Apprentice quest.

"Getting off this pathetic planet," I replied bluntly, not bothering to hide my irritation with being here even as HK used a semi-silenced blaster to take out a trio of Anzati that had popped out from behind cover in the brush around us. "But before that, I need to speak with Aayla."

"Observation: From examining the recordings of your duel with the Twi'lek meatbag, there was little there that impressed me, Master. Addendum: That said, any Force user that fights for your cause has greater use compared to the average meatbags that infest the galaxy."

I smirked at HK's blunt assessment of Aayla's form, and the even cruder comment on the wider galaxy. "You're not wrong, HK, however, my focus on Aayla for now is as her friend. She's one of the first I made at the Temple in fact." As I said that, I glanced skyward, my thoughts turning to my oldest dearest companion in the Order: Serra.

As with every other time memories of her came to the forefront of my thoughts, I couldn't stop myself from wondering how she was doing. By now she should've moved on from the death of Master Drallig, the closest thing she had to a parental figure, and committed to whatever training Master Windu had her undergoing. However, I had no idea what all that meant for us.

I cared deeply for her, loved her even and would always carry a flame for her in my heart. Yet, since Naboo I had come to realise that my path was leading me away from the Jedi – and more importantly, from her – faster than I had anticipated. The path I was choosing, the one that saw me use the Force to defeat Karkko by demanding its obedience instead of working with it as a Jedi would, was a path I wasn't sure she could, or even would, choose to follow.

The fear that she would reject me for the Order if forced to choose was one that often constricted around my heart, fuelling many restless nights I'd endured over the last roughly two years. I knew even before agreeing to help Quinlan that things were going to come to a head, but with events here, it seemed that that shift in direction was going to arrive sooner than I had expected.

T'ra Saa would report what had happened here, and what she had felt, to the High Council. The challenge for me was to leave the Order before she realised that I was the one who had killed Karkko. If I didn't do so, or she realised the truth and reported it before I formally left the Order, then I would likely see a team of Jedi sent after me. If it was one composed of Knights, then unless they ganged up on me and I was without allies, I wasn't overly concerned. However, if even two Jedi Masters were on any team sent after me, then I would have to be far more cautious about when and where any battle took place. The more experienced and skilled the Masters, the lower my odds of survival, never mind victory, became.

As much as simply going to the Temple and resigning was something to consider, doing so had many risks. First and foremost, I had Quinlan and Aayla with me, and taking them there would see the Order learn that I was the one who killed Karkko inside a day. The other major issue was that Dooku's long-gestating idea of gaining access to many restricted items in the more secure holocron vaults and keeping them after leaving the Order would be complicated. At least when it came to me.

Dooku, as a Jedi Master, could enter those vaults. I, however, couldn't. Not legally at any rate. Yet Dooku had been clear that he felt that I should have some of those items in the vaults as well as him. For him, it was an oddly sentimental decision, but one I hadn't complained about any time he had brought up his thoughts, and one that now appealed greatly given I had to leave the Order.

Before I could speak with him, however, I had to converse with Quinlan and Aayla, and after informing Sheyf Tinte of what happened on this world, ensure they didn't return to the Order. That line of thought brought me to the A Change in Path quest, and how I could use it to influence the direction the pair head.

When the Interface had created the quest, I had thought it was an odd one. Yet after Karkko's defeat, I realised that the Interface could, if not see, then at least predict the likely outcomes of my completion of the Lost Apprentice quest, and how the fates of Quinlan, Aayla, and myself were, at least for the time being, intertwined.

A Change of Path had several paths, from letting the pair return to the Jedi, to taking them under my wing and training them. That last option would generate a new quest, and until very recently was the one I was leaning away from the most. Now it held appeal because as HK said, having Force users on my side was extremely beneficial. Any Jedi was a Force multiplier, even with the way the Order limited its members in what they could do and learn. Two trained by me, using the ideals I'd gained from Adas, and whatever else I might learn from holocrons that I and Dooku could acquire from the vaults in the Temple, could turn the tide of many a battle that I knew existed in my future.

Already there were murmurings on the Holonet of growing discontent across the Outer Rim, with a handful of reports suggesting worlds and sectors from the Mid Rim through the Expansion Regions and into the Inner Rim were growing disillusioned with the Republic. Interestingly, for all those reports that I had seen on the Holonet in my travels when I had gone near the Core, they seemingly vanished. I had no proof that the Banite Sith were behind that, but it wouldn't take much to downplay a few stories here and there in the media to manipulate and deceive the masses. It was, after all, a tactic I knew had existed in my former life, and with the Republic being over twenty thousand years old, something that would exist here as well.

I had yet to catch any mention in the reports of a central figure stirring up anti-Republic sentiment, but there had to be someone doing it. Dooku hadn't become Darth Tyrannus, but the Banite Sith would find another fool to use as a pawn to generate the war they wanted. I just had to wait until that figure revealed themselves, and then see if an opportunity might arise to remove them before the war broke out. Provided, of course, that choice didn't in some way make things worse for me in the coming years.

The approaching walls of Deadend drew my focus back to the here and now, mind shifted back to Aayla and Quinlan. I could sense both with ease as while they were masking their Force signatures slightly, I knew what to look for and had their presences locked in before we were even halfway back to the settlement.

I would need them off-world before Master Saa sensed them and then sought them out. Ideally, she wouldn't recognise the pair's signatures before we departed, but if she did, then it would cause some amusing confusion in the Order. The Council would know from Master Saa that neither was the source of the Dark Side energies that had swarmed around Karkko's former prison before I defeated him, and the Order would be seeking the pair out for answers. Which was another reason for me to ensure the pair didn't return directly to the Order.

I watched as the gates of the settlement opened without a challenge, smirking at the gentle tremors of fear I sensed from those on the walls. They knew who I was, remembered what I'd done to Zaga and then the feral Anzati that had attacked here, and they were wise enough to not risk angering me in any way. Exactly what one would expect of bottom-feeding scum such as them.

Nearing the Black Hole Cantina, I wondered where Master Tholme might be. He was Quinlan's former Master, and would undoubtedly be looking for his old Padawan. I would rather avoid running into him currently as he was one of the Jedi Masters I felt I would struggle against. Perhaps one of the most dangerous given Dooku had often spoken of Master Tholme as one of the few in the Order who respected the Old Ways and was regarded as one of the best Makashi practitioners in the Order. Not on Dooku's level, but close enough that I highly doubted I could take him in a straight-up duel.

As I powered down the speeder, my thoughts shifted to Anakin. He would be in Kiffar with Sheyf Tinte, and I was looking forward to having him back at my side. As much as I was now leaning towards at least having the two Force users inside the cantina before me come with me, if I had to I would drop them in an instant. Beyond his role as the Chosen One, Anakin was my son, and I would sacrifice almost anything and anyone to keep him safe from the clutches of the Banite Sith and Jedi. Eventually, I knew they would learn of his existence, but with me now settling on leaving the Order, their ability to attempt to take my ad from me was slipping away rapidly. Still, it would not stop the Banite Sith – and possibly certain elements in the Order if they learnt of Anakin's Force potential – from attempting to kidnap my son, and I would burn entire worlds to keep him from any of their clutches and ensure that he never rose to become the Banite Sith Lord Darth Vader.

Just before I pushed the doors to the cantina open, I pulled my helmet off, and as I stepped inside, my other hand rested on the hilt of my saber. Aayla was awake and seemed calm, but given what she had endured for the last few months, there was always the chance she might lash out at me for killing Karkko. I didn't plan to draw my saber, but it was always wiser to be prepared, which was why the anti-Force user weaponry in my gauntlet and replacement limb was powered up.

"And how is everyone this fine evening?" I asked as I moved into the main room of the cantina. Around me the noise fell away as those present, those lucky enough to survive first my battle with Zaga and then the attack by the feral Anzati, understood that I was not one they wished to mess with. From the general sensations in the room, I could sense glimmers of hope mixed in with the general unease and fear, which would come from the need of some to know if friends or loved ones survived their capture by the Anzati. If they had questions, they could direct them to Simvyl and HK as the pair entered behind me.

My focus was on the two Force users, and potentially former Jedi, that were sitting on two smaller, and frankly comfier-looking seats beside the raised seat from where Zaga had ruled before I'd cut him down the day before. I was sure Zaga considered it his throne, but while it did grant clear views over the entire cantina floor, it was little better than a large, high-backed chair, and as I moved toward it and the two Force users sitting at its base, I knew it was where I'd be resting until I left this kriff-hole of a planet.

As I neared the pair, I noticed Aayla's head turn to look at me, fire in her eyes, while Quinlan tensed, as if fearing his Padawan might try and attack me. Her eyes stared into mine and I made sure to hold her gaze before the gentle movement of one hand drew her attention to Karkko's lightsaber as it swung at my hip. To further ensure she didn't try anything, I allowed a mere fraction of my power to slip out of the cloak I was using to mask my Force signature.

The others in the cantina all went still, their minds filling with amusing terror, but my focus was on the pair I was approaching. Quinlan's eyes widened as he looked between me and his formerly lost Padawan, but I swore I felt acceptance from him at my display of power. As if I had the right – not that I needed his permission – to display my prowess after defeating Karkko.

Aayla's reaction was far more telling. She froze as my presence engulfed the cantina, which was as far as I was projecting my aura before there was a shift in her demeanour that I couldn't quite place. Acceptance that Karkko was gone for sure, but there was something more primal and instinctual underneath it. As if she felt I was some form of apex predator that she couldn't hope to challenge.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her as I neared, ignoring the rest of the sentients in the cantina, even Quinlan, as stepped closer to her.

"I.." She blinked, her eyes shifting from my face back to the extra lightsaber at my hip. "He's dead?"

"Reduced to ash," I confirmed with a touch too much amusement. I lifted Karkko's lightsaber from my hip and held the hilt out for her to see. "Along with his former prison, and I hope, most of the feral beasts that had served him."

She focused on the lightsaber as I settled into Zaga's former seat. A sigh slipped from her lips as her shoulders drooped, and I felt the concern she'd been holding onto, the fear that Karkko would return, fade away into the Force. "Thank you."

I smirked at her words. "Not the first thing I expected you to say after I confirmed his death," I commented as I handed her Karkko's lightsaber, sensing in the Force that she meant no danger to me. Her eyes looked at the lightsaber cautiously, and I felt a sliver of trepidation from her before she took the ancient weapon from my grasp.

"If I had just recovered from you making me sleep, then I might not have accepted your words. Not even with this," she lifted the lightsaber slightly, "in my hands. However," her gaze shifted to Quinlan, "after I awoke, and remembered I knew him as more than the man who slew my uncle, we… talked."

"Talked?" I asked. "Or talked?" I added, gesturing at the hilt in her hand.

Quinlan chuckled. "The former. It seems that while my memories are fragmented, if not gone forever without access to everything I might have touched in my life, Aayla remembers much of her… of our time as Jedi."

"Yes, but everything is jumbled," Aayla added, "like a puzzle for which I lack the instructions. One with sensations and," her cheeks darkened slightly as she looked away from me, "emotions attached to them."

"I assume your lekku helped you remember what you do?" The twin head-tails that extended from her skull contained parts of her brain, giving Twi'leks greater memory retention along with it seemed, the ability to recall memories even when their mind was meant to have been wiped. That, along with her powerful connection to the Force, was likely why her uncle had dosed her with glitteryll every day.

"Yes. From them, I remember Quinlan, how he saved me as a child, and how he started training me as a Jedi." Quinlan smiled at hearing her say that even as Aayla looked back at me for the first time since the earlier mention of emotions. "I remember you, Cameron. We were friends, were we not?"

"We were."

"There is another I remember when I think of you. A human with brown hair and eyes. One you are remarkably close with."

I gave her a melancholy smile. "Serra," I said, providing the name. "And yes we are close. Or at least, we were. We haven't spoken in a few years, not since…" I paused and closed my eyes, pushing aside my feelings for Serra lest they become clear to the pair before me. "Not since a battle where she lost her Master. I hope that we're still friends, but her Master was there because of her, and she was there because of me." I pushed aside other thoughts on Serra and removed the pain and regret from my smile. "But you're right to say we were friends, Aayla, and I still consider us to be so. If that is fine with you?"

She looked at me for a moment, her head tilting slightly to one side, and I felt her reaching out in the Force, trying to get a read on me. With my barriers up, hiding my presence she couldn't sense much, but I made sure my sincerity was there for her to find. "Yes," She replied after a short time, holding out Karkko's lightsaber for me, "I would like that."

I took the hilt with a smile and reattached it to my belt. I wasn't sure what else to say, though a gentle cough from Quinlan drew my attention along with Aayla's. "We… we aren't sure what we should do. I mean after we speak with my aunt." I raised a single eyebrow, wanting to hear more from him. "I know we should return to the Jedi, and resume our training with them. However,…"

"I've done horrible things," Aayla said quietly. "I've killed many and captured others in the service of Karkko. I… I watched him drain the life force from others and revelled in the dark delight of getting revenge for my uncle's death. Revenge I now know was unwarranted, but still, I… I enjoyed those feelings."

"I too have done things since losing my memories. Things the Jedi would not approve of," Quinlan added as I felt the Force reacting to their words. "Things I fear they might imprison me for. I can accept that, but I won't let them punish Aayla for my failings."

As Aayla turned to her former Master and placed her hands on his arm, I closed my eyes. Reaching out into the Force, I sought a hint of what I should do. The Force, however, was unwilling to provide one, and thus I exerted my will over it, demanding insight into the paths that lay before the pair. Unsurprisingly, what I saw aligned with the options in the A Change of Path quest, but as I pulled more information from the Force, and bent it to provide me with the knowledge I sought, it became clear to me that returning the pair to the Jedi was, perhaps, the worst path they could take. At least for me personally. Not just because of how it would constrict the timeline of Dooku's idea of liberating knowledge from the Holocron Vaults, but because the pair would highly likely become complications I would have to remove in the years, or even decades to come.

Perhaps the pair would return to the Order at some point, but I knew now that I had to ensure they remained away from the decadent capital of the Republic for at least a while longer, at least a quarter-year. That, from what the Force was revealing to me, would grant Dooku and me time to enact whatever insane plan it took to unshackle holocrons from the Order. Yet, I felt that the longer I could keep the pair from the Order, the greater the chances that I would gain allies for the wars to come; allies that I would need.

Opening my eyes, I offered the pair a soft smile, hiding what I'd just gleaned from the Force from my expression, or from projecting my desires into the Force for them to sense. "We can discuss that once, as you say, we speak with Sheyf Tinte. I, for one, long to get off this kriffing world and return to my Padawan and ship."

Aayla gasped. "You have a Padawan?" she looked at Quinlan as he chuckled.

"Yes. A young boy named Anakin. He is… impressively smart and has a passion for technology. Something, from what I can recall from the flashes I had glimpsed of our past, you share as well."

"I… I think I do," Aayla replied with a small smile for her Master before looking up at me. "I have no memory of your Padawan."

"Nor does any member of the Order. Save my former Master, and now you two," I replied with a smirk. I stood, noting dismissively how everyone in the cantina who wasn't a friend or ally tensed at my movement. The people here, whatever their crimes had been, were scum; far beneath me and those with me. The sooner I was away from them and this pathetic excuse for civilisation the better it would be for all. "I'd be happy to introduce you to him, Aayla, but to do that we need to get off this world," I added, looking at Quinlan, knowing only he could summon a Guardian vessel to collect us.

Now, if push came to shove Anakin could get Raven here without too much effort. Haran, Raven could likely manage the flight without a pilot if forced to do so. However, I had no reason to reach out to the pair and request they do so. It would cause issues with Sheyf Tinte, and I sensed I needed her help in ensuring the Jedi remained unaware that Quinlan and I had been on this world.

"Yes, we should depart from here at once," Quinlan agreed with that look hinting the Force was pushing him in that direction. He stood, and after giving Aayla a nod to assure her he would be back, moved towards the door of the cantina. I watched him go, my eyes drifting towards the nearest bar. It was unlikely that they had anything on tap that would be enjoyable, but I wanted something to celebrate my victory.

"How did he die?" I stopped after taking a single step down from the raised platform where Zaga had sat when he had ruled here and turned back to Aayla. "Karkko. I sense you defeated him easily."

I grunted in amusement. "I wouldn't say it was easy, but it was simpler than I'd expected."

"He was powerful."

"Aye, he was. I, however, was more so," I answered, letting some pride at my victory seep out as I spoke. There would be far harder battles to come against other Force users, but when faced with my first challenger, I'd emerged victorious with relatively little effort. That was something to be proud of, though I was wise enough to not let my ego grow too large from the victory. "I'm going to get a drink, but if you want I could detail the battle to you while I do so?"

Aayla nodded, and stood, taking my offered hand. As I guided her towards the bar, I wondered how she would react to learning of how, in the end, pitiful Karkko had been, and what effect it would have on her. Aayla was a powerful Force user and a pretty one at that, and if I could sway her into not wishing to return to the Order, I knew Quinlan would follow. His loyalty to her was something I could exploit for my benefit.

… …

​

---

​

… …
As Quinlan spoke with Sheyf Tinte, detailing everything that had happened on Kiffex, I leaned against a pillar in the large, open area where the leader of the Guardians of Kiffu ruled from. As Tinte listened, I appeared to be idly watching movement through the large floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed an almost three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of the planet's capital city. What I was actually doing was, as it had appeared just as Quinlan handed over the bag containing the badges of the fallen Guardians we'd discovered on Kiffex, looking over the information of the completed quest linked to events on Kiffex.

Quest Completed!

The Lost Apprentice [ƍ] [֍]

Objectives:

:a : Find where Aayla Secura is inside half a year. [Yes]

:b : Ensure that Aayla Secura is saved. [Yes]

:c: Make sure that Quinlan Vos survives. [Yes]

:d: discover what happened to the Guardians on Kiffex and report back to Sheyf Tinte. [Yes]

Ensure all dead Guardians are given suitable burials/send-offs. [Yes]

:e: Discover why Aayla Secura is working with Anzati. [Yes]

:f: Eliminate the Anzati horde on Kiffex. [954/1167]

:g: Survive the assault on the settlement named Deadend. [Yes]

:h: Eliminate the threat posed by Volfe Karkko [Yes - Killed]

:i: Locate and rescue any taken by the feral Anzati. [No]

Rewards/Penalties:

:a : 1500XP (+300XP)

:b : 2500XP (+500XP)

Passed test of Friendship with Quinlan Vos

A Large increase in Reputation with Quinlan Vos

:c: 2000XP (+400XP)

A decent increase in Reputation with Quinlan Vos

A variable increase or decrease in Reputation with Aayla Secura.

:d: 1500XP (+300XP)

A decent increase in Reputation with Sheyf Tinte

Decent increases in Reputation with every current member of the Kiffar Guardians.

:e: 750XP (+150XP)

:f: 9540XP (+1908XP) (+combat XP divided under party mechanics)

:g: 1250XP (+250XP)

:h: 6000XP (+1200XP) (+combat XP)

:i: Variable losses of Reputation with those sentenced to imprisonment on Kiffex.

Passed a Test of Friendship with Quinlan Vos.

A minor increase in Reputation with Sheyf Tinte

...





LEVEL UP!

Level: 31 -> 32

PerkP: +1

STAM: 65

SP: +4

SKP: + 45

...

​

While my face remained passive, internally I was smiling. Just the base objectives had been enough to carry me to Level 32, which brought with it a new Perk Point. The combat XP from fighting the feral Anzati, and then the nice bonus I'd gained from taking down Karkko – which, doing some mental calculations, I discovered carried a large bonus because he was an active Force user – took me a decent amount towards reaching level 33.

The Perk Point had already been spent. The Perk list hadn't carried any new options this time around – I was only expecting that to happen from Level 40 onwards – and I had held a clear favourite from the last Perk Point I'd gained at Level 30. As such, Stat Boost had been taken, which lifted my combined physical stat limit from 65 to 75.

The Interface provided some details on what that meant, and a little extrapolation meant that I felt I now had the potential to move beyond what a baseline Human was capable of, even at their peak. I was now in the domain of those born with genetic modifications, such as the clones of Jango Fett if I had to guess, and a handful of alien species that held higher physical limits such as, potentially, the Cathar.

While I could take Simvyl if I used the Force to enhance my body, even when he used what he had learnt from the Matukai to do likewise, if we went without boosts, he had the edge in every way. That wouldn't come instantly, however. Not unless I dropped the 8 Stat Points – 4 each from Levels 31 and 32 – I had in reserve. However, while that was an option, as I could almost always ensure I could draw on the Force, I preferred to work on lifting them naturally, which was why, when I'd looked at my Stats, I'd barely managed to hide my amusement as Strength, Agility, and Vitality, had all gone up by one already.

It seemed that by having them maxed for beforehand, the moment room existed to raise the stats, the Interface had done so. An interesting, but relatively minor benefit I would have or remember if I ever discovered another way to raise my physical stat limits or another if a perk like Stat Boost was offered.

As I mentally closed the notice for the completion of the Lost Apprentice quest, my thoughts turned to the A Change of Fate quest and what to do about Quinlan and Aayla. It had only been about a day since I'd defeated Karkko, but after what I'd deducted from the Force in Deadend, I had begun subtly suggesting to the pair that returning to the Order wasn't in their best interests. I'd yet to openly offer them the opportunity to travel with me, at least to speak with Dooku as the Gaia system was where I was heading next, but I felt the pair were open to the idea of at least travelling with me for a short time. I'd prefer if they would commit to longer, but I wasn't going to push them currently.

"Cameron Shan." Sheyf Tinte's use of my name drew my focus, and I shifted my stance slightly from a fully relaxed pose to one that made clear she had my attention. "On behalf of the Guardians of Kiffu, you have my thanks." She lowered her head slightly, a gesture that I returned. "Not only have you helped one of my clan, but you have dealt with a danger the Jedi failed to alert us to until you and Quinlan Vos were already on Kiffex."

I smirked as I moved closer, coming to stand near Quinlan, my helmet resting under one arm so she could see my face. "I have discovered that, while they are indeed wise, the High Council is great at making decisions about Force users without considering how it might affect those outside the Order, or even warning them of potential dangers they might face." Yes, I was painting the Order in a bad light, but this was another little moment where being honest, in a sense, allowed me to colour Quinlan's perceptions of the Council in my favour.

Tinte chuckled at my words and gave me an odd smile. "I had never expected to hear a member of the Jedi be so openly frank in their agitation towards their leaders. It is refreshing to hear and see that you don't all follow the orders of your Council blindly."

"Those of us with an understanding of the wider galaxy are more open-minded, Sheyf," I remarked, making her smile grow further.

"Yes. Know that for as long as I am Sheyf if you ever require it, you will have safe harbour on this world and the support of the Guardians in this sector. At least so long as you are not wanted by the Republic for crimes the Guardians would consider enforcing."

"Thank you, Sheyf," I replied slowly, bowing perhaps a touch more than needed. There was still something about her I disliked; a sense in the Force that she was hiding something about Quinlan. However, that was a matter between them, and the chance to gain, if not new allies, then at least people willing to help me was something I could see a use for in the coming years.

Tinte nodded and then returned her focus to Quinlan. "I should tell you both that the Jedi sent one of their own, without informing me of doing so, to Kiffex. An action for which I have issued a formal complaint to the Office of the Chancellors over."

I nodded and brought a hand up to scratch my chin. "Ah, that explains it. I swore I felt the presence of another Force user on the planet, but I couldn't get a good read on who it was or why they were there," I explained. Or at least, I explained in a way that hid the full truth within the partial truth.

HK had sent me the logs of his efforts to delay T'ra Saa while I fought Karkko. Nothing he had done was intended to be lethal, which was as I instructed. That said, while Master Saa emerged unscathed from the encounter, and unknowing of her assailant, there was much from the encounter that HK was using to update his combat profiles for the Jedi of this era.

One thing that was clear, and reinforced my decision to cloak my presence after killing Karkko had been a wise one, was the way Master Saa moved. I could tell she wasn't yet pushing herself to her fullest, yet from the recording I knew I'd struggle to survive an encounter with her, never mind emerge victorious. That wasn't a surprise, as Dooku and Fay rated Master Saa very highly as a combatant and Force user, but it was a good reminder that while I was powerful, I wasn't ready to take on the uppermost tiers of Force users in single combat. Not without rigging the battlefield heavily in my favour first.

"I have been informed, via the Senate and not the Jedi, that they have dispatched a team to help handle the matter with the prison they left on Kiffex without telling my ancestors about," Tinte added, her venom towards the Order laced freely in her words. "Will either of you, or your Padawan, Quinlan, be staying to await their arrival?"

I chuckled and shook my head. "No. Not only do I feel the Force guiding me away from Kiffu, but I have found that the less time I spend around members of the Council, some of whom I know will be on that team, the less complicated my life is."

Tinte smiled at my remark, though Quinlan looked a fraction confused. Understandable given his lack of memories regarding the Order. "Yes, I can appreciate such a sentiment," Tinte said. "The politics of leading the Guardians is taxing enough for me. Dealing with the Jedi Council, to say nothing of your connections to Chancellor Palpatine, can only make everything that much more… unappealing."

"That's one way to put it."

Tinte's smile grew as she turned her full attention to her nephew. "And what of you and your Twi'lek? Will you return to the Jedi, or might you consider remaining here on Kiffu with your people?"

I didn't need to look at him to know Quinlan was conflicted. My words over the last day, as subtle as they had been, had helped sour what little goodwill he held towards the Order, and I could sense the doubt and confusion radiating from him into the Force. Each time I felt that I had to remind myself that while now untrained, Quinlan was strong in the Force and any attempt I might use to actively convince him to leave the Order risked being sensed by him as a self-serving ideal.

"I am uncertain," he replied slowly, taking care with his words. "When I encountered him on Coruscant, Master Windu offered to retrain me. I suspect, no, I know that offer still stands and extends to Aayla. However, returning to the Order would see us split up for retraining at best." He looked at the floor, sighed and shook his head before continuing even as I felt the Force swirling around him; tempting me was an opportunity that I could take. "I was the one who found Aayla, who brought her to the Order and trained her. At least before everything that happened on Ryloth. I know in my heart that it was my destiny to train her to become what she is meant to be, yet if we return to the Order, that will not happen and I find myself… fearful of that, and what repercussions the Order might have for us given our actions taken since losing our memories."

The Force was all but calling out for me to intervene, to take advantage of the situation but I didn't. I knew there was more Quinlan wanted to reveal to Tinte and me, and I understood that I needed to let him continue before I made my offer and used the situation to my benefit. My eyes closed as I reached into the Force, pulling on the strings I sensed in it, readying them for the moment when I would act.

"Just as you have sensed around me, I… I have felt and called upon the Dark Side, aunt, during my quest to find her. There have been times when I have used my rage, my desire to find her to keep going and survive whatever dangers and obstacles appeared in my way. I know that these actions, and those taken by Aayla while serving… him, would not meet with the approval of the Jedi and I… I fear what the repercussions might be." As I opened my eyes, I saw he'd lifted his head and was meeting Tinte's gaze firmly. "Aayla is not of our blood, but she is my family. I would move planets to protect her if I must."

Tinte took a few seconds before she responded. "As I told you when you first came home looking for the Twi'lek, there is darkness within you Quinlan; one that I now sense risks consuming you if you aren't careful. If you believe that similar corruption exists in your Padawan and that the Jedi will not accept what you wish for, then I must agree with you in saying the Jedi are not the best option for you."

Tinte looked at me for a moment before she continued. "I could offer you both sanctuary on Kiffex, and I would if you asked for it, but I am uncertain if the Jedi who are coming here would accept that." Her gaze shifted fully to me. "Nor I suspect, would they like what I sense from you, Cameron Shan. You hide it well, but I have spent my life around the more dangerous elements of the galaxy serving as a Guardian and now Sheyf, and I know one who works within those pools. However, unlike my kin, I feel you are not at risk of being devoured by the Dark Side."

I held her gaze for a moment, a flicker of concern that my barriers weren't as strong as I suspected shooting through my thoughts. Tinte isn't particularly strong with the Force, but it seems she has, as she said, experience with the darker nature of the galaxy. "I've always had issues with my emotions and letting go of them," I began honestly. "My Masters understood this and helped me control my baser desires and wants so that they weren't what drove me. They still exist within me, however, which is something most Jedi wouldn't approve of given it takes me dangerously close to violating the Jedi Code." Or, as had been the case over the last few years, times and places where I'd abandoned the Code completely. "Since I've always had opposition in the Order about my presence as a Jedi, due to how I arrived at the Temple and the lineage I carry, I've learnt to accept people questioning my motives and drives," I continued, glossing over my past even though I felt a spark of interest from both Kiffar.

I turned and looked at Quinlan carefully, the Force vibrating around us in a way that I took to mean this was a moment where I could alter his destiny. "Quinlan, I'm not saying you should return to the Order, nor am I certain that walking away from the Order entirely is the right path for you and Aayla. However, I can offer, for as long as you wish, another option. You could travel with me for a while," I made sure to keep my words gentle, concerned that any intentional usage of the Force to influence him was something he and Tinte might sense. "I intend to visit my former Master, Dooku, once I depart Kiffu. While he will not be interested in retraining you, he would be willing to help me guide you towards a new path." I raised a finger as I sensed Quinlan was about to respond. "I should warn you that what we might teach would be considered…. heretical by some of the Order."

That was putting it mildly given a good part of how I was training Anakin was created from me distilling what I had learnt from Force cults outside the Order and Adas' holocron, and Dooku had never been one, at least for as long as I'd known him, to place great significance in the Jedi Code for himself or those he taught, feeling that it was a guide designed for lesser Force users.

Quinlan nodded slowly as I finished my warning. He then took nearly a minute to think about the offer before responding. "I feel there is more that you're not telling me, but at the same time, I sense that your offer might be the better one. For both myself and Aayla." His eyes narrowed as he looked at me and I felt a very crude mental probe into the Force emanate from him. "You are… different somehow. I know this, yet I cannot say how."

"My presence in the Force is more isolated and distant than most," I explained with an open smile. "I've always been this way, and while it doesn't hide my force signature, over the years I've learnt to alter that enough that those who try to read me within the Force remain… unaware of the changes I've undergone. Something I find beneficial when dealing with the Council and other members of the Order."

Quinlan nodded as he listened. I doubted he fully understood, but there was enough of a grasp of what I was implying that he seemed at ease with my explanation. He then turned back to Tinte. "When will the Jedi team arrive?"

"From what I was told, they departed Coruscant late last night on a diplomatic cruiser."

Knowing the ship in question, and the travel times for a ship with a 2.0-rated hyperdrive, it only took me a second to determine how long we had before the arrival of the Jedi. "Assuming they take the fastest hyperlanes, they'll be here by late evening tomorrow." A nod from Tinte confirmed my figures as she's already had that worked out by others. "Because of that, and assuming the Jedi on Kiffex isn't collected before the other Jedi arrive…"

"They will not," Tinte offered with a slightly amused smile. As if she was happy to leave the unwanted Jedi on a world with criminal scum.

"… then I will depart no later than noon tomorrow." I turned to face Quinlan and smiled. "If you choose to not come with me, I understand, but the offer will remain open to you for as long as I am able to make it." I needed him and Aayla to come with me, but I knew I couldn't force the matter. I felt I'd done enough to have the odds heavily in my favour, but I couldn't be certain until I departed, and the pair were onboard Raven. Yes, it would make things a little cramped, but we'd manage. Still, if the group I was gathering grew much more, I'd have to see about purchasing a second vessel for others to travel on. Raven was, beyond just being an extension of me in many ways, my home and I disliked having too many house guests. "As I mentioned to you and Aayla, I owe you both deeply, and consider you friends." I'd not gone into details about my time with the Bando Gora – mainly as I didn't want them sensing the deep well of hatred those memories were attached to – but I had made clear I owed them heavily for saving me several years ago. Something both accepted at face value.

"Which we are," Quinlan agreed. I smiled at him, and after nodding to Tinte, turned and left the chamber. The pair, I sensed, had more to speak on that I didn't need to hear, but as I slipped from the room, my helmet still held at my side, I felt that things were going to head in my favour. Not just long enough for Dooku and I to rob the Temple, but perhaps for long enough that the pair could be trained in similar ways that I was teaching Anakin.

Yes, I intended to use them for my plans, but if they stayed with the Order, then Aayla was likely to die in Order 66 as she had before. I didn't know Quinlan's final fate, but I felt it wasn't likely he was one of the handful that had survived the fall of the Order. No, it was better for them if their destinies were altered, and if I could make that benefit me, then all the better.

It would also add more Force users for Anakin and myself to train with and against. In the brief time that Quinlan had been with us, he and Anakin had seemed to get along, though given Quinlan's lost memories I couldn't be sure if that would last. Still, Aayla held some interest in machines and technology, and while I was certain she wasn't anywhere close to Anakin's level, having someone else who shared his passion would do wonders for my son.

He was the Chosen One, but I knew my role in coming events was almost as important, and I wouldn't fail the responsibility I'd taken on by adopting the boy. Together we would do what we must to ensure that the Banite Sith didn't rise to power and that the galaxy emerged from the coming conflict in a better place than it had been in the other timeline.

… …

​

---

​

… …
In the seconds after Raven slipped out of hyperspace, her scanners detected numerous objects moving throughout the Gaia system. Most were starships with over a dozen new DP20 gunships, CR70 and CR90 corvettes part of the defence fleet, along with what looked to be converted Gozanti-class transports. What drew my attention more, at least beyond the handful of cargo vessels stationary near Mtael's Gift, were the two Liberator-class cruisers that were floating nearby, along with a dozen automated defence platforms.

"Well, that's new," I muttered as I pulled up the scans of the platforms. All twelve were small, barely bigger than a standard corvette, yet because they didn't need a hyperdrive, they were armed to the teeth. Now, they were nothing compared to the larger platforms I'd seen around more developed worlds, to say nothing of the Golan platforms that orbited Coruscant and other worlds on mass, but for a relatively minor world in a backwater sector of the galaxy, nor far from the edges of Hutt Space, it was a veritable fortress defence. Something that would ensure that almost all pirates and slavers would stay well clear of the station and the planet below.

"Yeah, looks like they've undergone a defensive upgrade," Simvyl agreed as he sat in the co-pilot's seat monitoring various systems. Yes, I could get most of the data myself, or from Raven, which was always quicker, but I enjoyed having the company when entering a system, and it ensured that Raven remained comfortable with Simvyl being at her controls. Oh, now that she could, she'd fly herself before allowing him to pilot her, but she accepted his presence and found it fractionally reassuring.

One of the consoles at Simvyl's station beeped for attention. "We're being hailed by those two approaching corvettes," He explained before the small holographic image of a Togruta appeared.

Because the hologram was in blue, I couldn't determine who the alien was easily but the way his eyes widened as he saw me made clear he knew who I was. "Greetings Mtael," he confirmed with an inclination of his head. "We were not informed of your arrival, but you are always welcome here." I smiled slightly at his words. "Should I inform the Council you have returned?"

"No, no. There's no need for that," I replied quickly, wanting to forgo as much fuss as I could when I arrived on the station. I understood why the Lokella Council liked to make a deal of my arrival here, but as I expected to be spending more time here in the coming years, it would do the Lokella to step back from celebrating my every arrival. "I'm here to speak with Master Dooku. Is he on the station or the planet below?"

Even as I asked the question, I felt the Force signature – that cool, refined presence that reminded me of polished beskar – reach out to me through the Force. Dooku was aware of my arrival and was moving from Gaia to the station. There was a hint of confusion in his signature, which I assumed came from him sensing Aayla and Quinlan as neither was currently great at masking their presence, but nothing else. I responded to his presence, offering a subtle hint that I'd explain everything once we spoke.

I was relieved that he was leaving Gaia as much as I wished I couldn't, I sensed Vosa down there. Her signature had changed since her capture during my liberation, but it was still a jumbled mess. Now, it was far more ordered than it had been, and I could easily sense Dooku's hand in guiding the rebuilding of her mental presence, but I wanted little to do with her. Yes, I knew I would have to speak with her directly at some point, but today was not that day, and not just because I was against a clock.

My mind had been creating and dismissing ideas on how Dooku and I could rob the Temple without being caught or detected. So far everything I'd thought of had holes so big that I could fly a Mandator-class dreadnought through, and I hoped Dooku would have something more refined than a smash-and-grab.

The other reason I was reluctant to interact with Vosa was that, while they might not remember it, Quinlan and Aayla shared a history with her. They had been part of the team that had freed me from the Bando Gora and captured her in the process. I had no idea how Vosa would react to their presence, particularly that of Quinlan who she had defeated before I'd found her, but I wasn't going to expose them to that insanity until I'd done more than give them rudimentary instruction in controlling and guiding their emotions.

There was much more I could teach them, but I was taking it slowly; being cautious of what I revealed. There was always the chance, however much I felt it was receding, that they would return to the Order. Until I was convinced they wouldn't, the more interesting and useful techniques I'd learnt over the last few years would remain hidden from them as I didn't want the High Council learning of what I was doing. Even after I left the Order, which I felt had to happen at some point within a year, as a Force user they still could, technically, come after me if they had confirmation I was using the Dark Side.

"I am uncertain as to his current whereabouts," the Togruta replied, drawing me out of my thoughts. "However, I will submit a request for that information to be provided to you once you land on Mtael's Gift.

"Thanks," I said before nodding and then closing the channel.

Even before the channel was closed, Raven was angling herself towards the station; her mind alert to my intentions and her knowledge of the system plotting a course that was both economical and allowed her to enjoy the scenery. Or at least the scenery as it appeared to her. A second later the flight plan came in from one of the corvettes even as the patrol craft angled away from us. I smirked at seeing the bay was the same one I always used; one reserved for Lokella Council business.

I was a member of the Council, but I'd never used that position or my vote on Lokella affairs to influence the development of the group. Not since the early days of the group. Still, it was nice to see that I retained my position even without ever being around to serve the people.

"Mtael?"

I turned around and looked at Aayla and Quinlan. She had been the one to mention my title and wore a look of amusement on her face; one mirrored, though not as widely, by her former Master.

The pair had accepted my offer to travel with me here, and once there to speak with Dooku and allow us to begin their retraining. I wasn't sure how happy Dooku would be about the matter, not least as both favoured Ataru which was Dooku's least favourite lightsaber form, but I felt he'd understand my reasons for bringing them with us.

"It's a Togruta word," I explained slowly, no longer holding any resentment towards the title. Yes, I would prefer it didn't exist, but I'd accepted that to many of the Lokella, I held an important position in their mythos. "It means 'Nature's Chosen'. When the Lokella organisation was born, Master Dooku and I played roles in helping them gain their freedom. Those first freed sentients bestowed the title on me for my actions in those early days, and my support in helping them grow into what you see before you."

Beside me, Simvyl snorted at my underplaying of history. However, he wisely held his tongue. The pair would learn the story soon enough – Baalta was more than happy to tell it to visitors, particularly friends of mine, and Anakin enjoyed hearing the tale of my duel with Girk Saxon for the fate of the station every time we were here.

So far, my son was enjoying the company of the two other Jedi, particularly Aayla. He was too young for me to be concerned about needing to give him 'The Talk' but it was clear he enjoyed sparring with her more than Quinlan. Some of that was undoubtedly because she wasn't as big, strong, or aggressive as Quinlan, but I did wonder if Anakin had other reasons for enjoying time spent with the Twi'lek. Something I couldn't deny held appeal to me as well, but with her mind as disjointed and fractured as it was, I made sure to never have any interaction we had venture beyond the bounds of friendship. I wasn't going to take advantage of her condition for a fleeting moment of pleasure.

… …
I walked down the ramp from Raven, placing my feet on the deck of the landing bay of Mtael's Gift about thirty minutes later. Around us, various sentients watched us. Those who understood who I was, stared for longer, with those who were from the first groups to become Lokella, offered various nods and bows to me. Even though there was an ego boost to their actions, I didn't feel they had to do it. Still, I'd take the quiet reverence over the usual fanfare the Lokella Council displayed when they knew I'd returned and wanted to greet me.

Moments after I'm fully on the station, I hear a far lighter pair touch the deck. I smirk at the anticipation pulsing from Anakin like a beacon in the Force; one that had been lit the moment he'd learnt we were heading here and only grew stronger the closer we came. "Go on." I would scold him later for letting his Force signature slip so massively, but for now, he was free to do as he pleased.

"Thanks." The word barely finished before he was racing off across the bay, the Force enhancing his reactions, so he was almost a blur to those unable to command the Force, or with superior visual senses.

"Keep an eye on him," I said without taking my eyes off my son as he raced away, and a second later a large black beast raced after the eleven-year-old boy. While those working the bay had ignored Anakin, the sight of the giant tuk'ata bounding around had many rushing to stay clear; even those who should know Fenrir was no threat to them. Not unless they did something so foolish they forfeited their lives in the process.

"Anakin has a younger sister here," I explained as I turned to face Quinlan and Aayla as they walked down the ramp. "While the Order insists that members don't remain in contact with their families, or form deep friendships and more with others, I don't share the opinion that they should be outlawed. Yes, such connections carry an inherent risk of causing us pain – a danger magnified by our ability to wield the Force – but those same connections can be what grant anyone, Force user or otherwise, the strength and determination to complete a task, no matter how dangerous or arduous."

While I was speaking truthfully, I understood the reasons for the Order's edicts. Most people were unable to either scrub their emotions when someone they cared for was in danger or lost themselves in their desire to help. For those above that or those who formed deep connections with ease, such as myself and Anakin, there was no way those edicts could work. Which was what Sidious had exploited in the other timeline and why I wasn't telling the Jedi Council I had taken a Padawan.

"I think I remember some of those lessons," Aayla commented as she looked around the bay. "They taught us that attachment often leads to dark places and that we as Jedi should be above our baser needs."

I grunted but held my tongue. As much as I wanted to point out the hypocrisy of the Jedi and their teachings, I didn't want to dive into a debate with them. We'd spoken about several ways the Jedi conducted themselves on the voyage here with Aayla often able to vaguely remember lessons on the topics and now as then, I had to restrain myself from countering too heavily lest the pair, who I could sense were still not fully committed to leaving the Order, learn something about me I didn't want the Jedi Council to discover. Just because I was being paranoid, didn't mean I wasn't right after all.

That said, when we had talked about anything related to the Jedi, my words had rarely been supportive of their methods. I wasn't outright criticising them, but everything I said had a slightly negative slant to, I hoped, further, turn the pair away from the Order and open them to the lessons I might one day impart.

Before I could begin those lessons, or even get them to a point where they were ready to hear them, I first needed to speak with Dooku. We had to carry out our raid on the Temple and then, once the heat had died down, resign from the Order. After that, if the pair wished to return to the Order – though I already felt that was unlikely – then I would allow it. The future, as Master Yoda and others were keen to remind younger members of the Order, wasn't set in stone. Something my very presence confirmed.

When I'd awoken in this body, replacing the mind and possibly soul that had been here before, I'd thought I knew what the path forward was. I needed to become a Jedi, then train Anakin as one and keep him away from Sidious. I'd also wanted to ensure Dooku didn't become a pawn for the Banite Sith Lord. Yet, when I now looked back on the path I'd taken, the time I'd spent as an Initiate, then Padawan in the Order, I found it lacking.

I had made mistakes along the way, ones that with hindsight and understanding of the wider galaxy, I would not commit now. Yet, for each event that had occurred – from helping Dooku and Fay cleanse the Sith temple deep below the Jedi Temple, through becoming Mando'ade via the completion of my verd'goten, to being captured by Vosa and the Bando Gora, fighting the Vong as an insurgent, and then duelling and defeating Maul – and from every friendship or more that I'd gained or lost along the way, I had grown and become who I was today.

The past was set. There was nothing I could do to change the road I'd taken to this moment, but from here on out I would be walking a path designed not simply to stop the rise of Darth Sidious and the Empire, but one intended to ensure my place in the galaxy, and that my legacy touched every corner of every world inside the Republic and out. Yes, Sidious – and through one of my mistakes, Plagueis – would have to fall, but so would the Jedi. At least as they were now.

Perhaps, just perhaps, there might be a way for those more like Master Fay in how they viewed themselves as servants of the Force and not enemies of the Dark Side, to remain. I wasn't certain of that, but I hoped I would not one day find myself forced to fight, or even potentially kill, my former Master. She, though she might not be pleased about it, had helped shape the man I was today, and was someone I considered family.

Thoughts on Fay, and potentially how she was doing in locating Tython, were pushed from my mind as I felt the familiar, and oddly comforting given his seemingly dispassionate demeanour, presence of Dooku nearing. Before the doors had opened to allow him access to the bay, I was already moving towards them.

As he entered, his gaze shifted from me to Quinlan and Aayla, before returning to me. I offered a nod of respect as we approached each other. "Master," I began once we were close enough, "I'm sure you remember Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura."

"I do," he replied slowly, his eyes seeming to stare through their souls, "and they still have my thanks for helping to liberate you from the clutches of the Bando Gora. However, it doesn't take a Jedi Master to understand something has deeply affected them."

"A little over a year ago, they were assigned a mission by the Council to locate a new drug in the Republic: Glitteryll. As the name implies it is a combination of glitterstim and ryll. They were exposed to the substance by those they thought they could trust but were actually responsible for the distribution of the drug, and under its effects lost their memories."

"Quinlan awoke on Nar Shaddaa, and after managing to find the one responsible for his memory loss, Pol Secura, he discovered that the Twi'lek was keeping his niece Aayla dosed with the drug daily."

"Her lekku granted her some protection against this drug?"

"They did," I confirmed before continuing with the abridged story. "Pol was killed, and Quinlan was forced to flee Ryloth without Aayla. From there… things spiralled a bit." I paused and glanced at Aayla who seemed to sink in on herself. "Quinlan dealt with others involved in the glitteryll trade and then searched for Aayla, which brought him to me. As for Aayla…"

"I found myself drawn to Kiffu because of my former Master's ancestry," Aayla stepped in, showing accountability for her actions. "But I ended up on Kiffex, and fell into the service of a former Jedi High Council member turned Dark Jedi named Volfe Karkko."

The only outward response from Dooku was a slight raising of one eyebrow, and to anyone who didn't know him, there wouldn't be any perceivable change in his Force presence. However, after nearly a decade of training under his tutelage, I knew the subtle signs to look for. "An Anzati Jedi from before the New Sith Wars," I explained, retaking the telling of our tale. "Quinlan and I travelled to Kiffu and eventually landed on Kiffex." I reached to my hip, pulled back my cloak and unclipped Karkko's lightsaber. "He commanded an army of feral Anzati who were drawn to his presence over the millennia. However, like their master, they are no longer a threat to the people of the planet," I finished with a hint of pride.

"Impressive," Dooku commented as he took Karkko's hilt and turned it over in his hands. "However," he continued as he handed the hilt back to me, "I fail to see why, if these two require retraining, they have come here instead of returning to Coruscant."

"After I found the one ultimately responsible for the glitteryll trade, I encountered Master Windu," Quinlan responded. "He stopped me from executing Senator Chom Frey Kaa for his crimes. He understood quickly what had happened to me, and offered to take me back to the Temple for training. I asked him about Aayla, and he said the Order would search for her but I…" he paused, and I heard him licking his lips, "I felt he wouldn't. I fled Coruscant and started searching for Aayla for months until the Force led me to Cameron."

"Beyond the debt I owe them for helping you free me from the Bando Gora, Aayla is my friend," I added. "Accepting Quinlan's request for help wasn't in question. I've helped them as best I could with retraining, and Aayla remembers fragments of her time from before being dosed with glitteryll. However, they feel that, based on what they've done since losing their memories, the Order might not be as welcoming as they hope," I explained, trying to hint at the potential usefulness of the pair to Dooku without coming out and saying it, or using the Force to imply it. It was unlikely either would sense me if I reached out to Dooku, but I wasn't going to take that chance, and knew I could explain my intentions to him in greater detail at a later moment. "Because of that, and my debt to them, I offered them transport away from Kiffu before the Order arrived, and passage to here. I know you are still occupied with your former Padawan; however, I was hoping you might be willing to consider offering them some help with regaining control of their abilities and emotions. I also wished to speak with you about my encounter with Volfe Karkko and some ideas," [specifically your thoughts regarding holocrons,] I added telepathically, sure that such a shift in the Force now shouldn't alert the pair to anything nefarious centred around them, "that have come to light."

Dooku's gaze locked onto me as I spoke, and I felt a thin tendril reach through our bond and brush against my mental defences. I lowered those defences enough to confirm the truthfulness of my words, and that there was more I wished to say but couldn't in present company so that he could gain a hint of my thoughts on the matter.

I was grateful for his training and continued counsel, however, Dooku had a remarkably simple – he would call it elegant – approach regarding the galaxy and those in it. Everything was either an asset that could be used or a potential enemy that might need to be removed. It was that approach I was using, specifically in reference to assets, that I hoped would convince him to help me retrain Aayla and Quinlan instead of simply allowing them to return to the Order and become potential adversaries in the future.

"Hmm," he lifted a hand and stroked his chin. "Very well." He looked the pair over clinically. "While I do not believe I would be able to retrain both of you fully at the current moment, I can offer suggestions for you and Cameron on how to go about relearning much of what you have forgotten if that is your desire." The pair bowed in thanks and Dooku returned his focus to me. "Komari is progressing well in her readjustment; however, she is still… uncertain of what her role could become. Normally, I would say that the presence of two other Force users might help her further recovery. Yet she shares history with both of you, so I am reluctant to have you interact with her beyond comms channels."

I felt confusion from Quinlan along with a flicker of potential recognition from Aayla. "Komari Vosa is who Master Dooku is speaking of," I explained, though before I could continue Aayla gasped and took a few stuttering steps back.

"Aayla?" Quinlan asked, turning to her and placing a hand on her shoulder – a gesture that caused Dooku's brow to rise again for a moment. "What is it?"

"I… I remember her," Aayla said quietly, some colour draining from her face. It returned with interest as she looked at me for a moment before looking away. "She… she was the leader of the Bando Gora when we helped free you from them. She was the one who…"

"Who tortured me," I replied, keeping as calm as I could to avoid the memories of those months resurfacing. "Yes, that was Vosa. However, she was once Dooku's Padawan, before embarking on a mission against the Bando Gora that saw all the Jedi there slaughtered. For a long time, Master Dooku believed she had died as well, and it was not until my rescue that he confirmed her survival, though by then she'd become the leader of the Bando Gora."

I'd already gone over the Bando Gora a little with them, explaining the debt I owed them, but I'd avoided details as I'd wanted to avoid the risk of Aayla remembering more details. There was nothing I could do to avoid it now that we were here, which was why I'd not shied away from the matter as I had before, and it seemed I'd been right to be cautious.

"I'm sorry you have to remember those memories," I added as I took a step towards Aayla, placing my flesh hand on her forearm. "I'd prefer neither of us had to relive it, but I won't hide the truth from you."

"No!" Aayla snapped back, a fire in her eyes as I felt an unexpected, but not unwanted, flicker of rage spark within her. "I'm the one who's sorry. Not for you, but the Order!" She looked at Quinlan. "You and Master Dooku asked them for help to find Cam, but they refused. Said it was up to the will of the Force." Quinlan grunted and I wondered if Windu had used those exact words to him when speaking about finding Aayla. "We.. we had to go to others for help…"

"Mandalorians," I added, for the first time in a long while not calling them Mando'ade.

"Yes. I remember them. The red-haired female… she meant something to you?"

"Still does," I slipped in with a smirk, remembering the last night I'd spent with Bo and Naz and wondering how they were doing and if either of them carried my child as they'd hoped.

"What she… Vosa… did to you…" Aayla's eyes dampened. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I said, lifting my hand to brush away a few tears that were forming on her face. "You weren't the one responsible for that. Without you and Quinlan's help, Master Dooku might have struggled to free me." There was no audible sound from him, but I sensed a spark of disagreement from him through the Force. "What happened to me there… it is a part of me, just as what you have endured over the last year is a part of you. I loathe Vosa for what she had done to me, but at the same time, I pity her as she would've endured the same or worse to become that monster. Yet, I don't blame her as much as I once might've. No, the majority of that goes to the Order for allowing her to join the mission to Galidraan."

I knew Dooku still blamed himself in part for signing off on letting her go, but in the end, the credit stopped with the High Council, not Dooku as by then Vosa had been removed as his Padawan. From the corner of my eye, I looked at Dooku trying to get a read on him. He remained as outwardly stoic as always, yet I felt a fleeting burst of gratitude from him through our Force bond.

Vosa's rehabilitation into something useful was important to Dooku, which was why I never openly complained about it, or the fact he'd seemingly abandoned my training in the last year or so of my time as a Padawan to help her. I'd never trust her completely, but I had found myself empathising with her for what she'd had to have endured, and I hoped Dooku was able to turn her into something useful for us going forward. The same hope I held for Quinlan and Aayla, though neither of them had done anything as twisted as Vosa had. Or so I prayed.

Refocusing on Aayla, I saw her eyes wander over my frame, her cheeks darkening even as her eyes stayed wet and it didn't take a genius to know what part of my rescue she was reliving. I'd been found naked and heavily tortured by Bo and the others, and after being freed rushed off to confront Vosa. How I'd acted then had not been my best moment, but as I'd said less than a minute earlier, it was something that had made me who I was today. Still, I'd prefer not to dwell on that memory, or have Aayla do so either. Unless, of course, it helped ensure the pair became more open to me directly retraining them, or more accurately, training them into something that would be of use to me in the years to come.

"How," Quinlan began, his voice almost feral before he took a moment and inhaled deeply. "How often does the Order abandon its own?" He managed to get out in a voice barely above a growl even as I felt the Dark Side swirling excitedly around him.

"I cannot answer that directly," Dooku replied slowly, seemingly ignoring the anger rising from Quinlan. "However, I will state that the Council believes that no single Jedi, no matter their rank, position, or potential, is important when it comes to what the Force desires. Anyone who can awaken their connection to it is little more than a pawn in his work to achieve balance."

"How can they be so callous?" Quinlan snapped, though his anger was subsiding as Aayla grasped his hand with one of hers. "That they would not move to help their friends when they are in danger."

"As Master Dooku said, the Council places the Force above the members of the Order. That whatever happens to any of us is the Will of the Force. We serve it and through us, it works to achieve and maintain balance. Even those unable to feel the Force around them are connected to it, and thus under its influence, though those like us who can draw upon that connection, are often tested more… strenuously than the rest of the galaxy. That does not mean that our destinies are written in stone, or that the Force has plans for all of us. We are as alien to it as it is to us, however, we understand that the Force, like anything in nature, seeks balance. However, no one knows what the Force considers balance, or why it desires it if it does indeed desire anything."

"To the Council, we are all instruments in servicing and protecting that balance. We are but drops in the river that is life. A river that carries us to an ocean that is the Force where we become even more insignificant in whatever grand scheme the Force has enacted that we were in the river of life. The choice anyone who can access their connection to the Force faces is to decide how to handle being drops in the ocean. The Council and Order believe that being consumed, drowned, or destroyed by the currents of the Force is acceptable. It is the Will of the Force after all." I sighed there and shook my head to enhance some of my apparent uncertainty and doubt with the Jedi's way. "And no, before you ask, I don't think we can change the Will of the Force in the ways the Dark Side might make us believe we can, nor can we redirect the river of life that carries us to the Force. All we can do is take control of our surroundings to ensure that we do not drown easily in the ocean."

What I had said was a mix of what I'd learnt from the Jedi and from Adas mixed with an idea I was creating in my mind for how one should live even when connected to the Force. An idea that I knew neither group would entirely approve of.

"There are many, myself included, who might not describe life and the Force in such a manner," Dooku said into the void my impromptu speech had created, "Yet it is hard to consider what Cameron has just stated as being entirely incorrect. Be that in how the Order views the Force in relation to the needs and wants of any individual, even those capable of sensing and experiencing the Force, or in how we fail to understand what exactly it is that the Force wants." Dooku looked at me pointedly. "However, such discussions are best conducted in more… secure locations."

"As you say, Master," I replied in acceptance. Dooku hadn't revealed anything of his opinions on the Force and our role in it, and how we should live here. However, I had heard him speak before on the matter, and while he had never been as open as I had just been in hinting at doubts about the Order's approach to the Force, and other things, I knew he agreed with me in principle. That was why I was glad he was willing to at least consider helping me with retraining Quinlan and Aayla.

The question that I'd have to face in the coming days was what path Dooku would follow once he left the Order, as I knew he would do so as soon as I made clear that was my intention. He wouldn't be shifting to becoming Darth Tyrannus; however, I knew he wouldn't support the Republic once war engulfed the galaxy. And it was a question that I'd have to discover the answer to while we planned out our version of a holocron heist.

… …

​

---

​

… …
My feet shifted over the packed soil, sliding back in a Makashi retreat as Dooku's blue blade darted toward my chest. The saber missed by inches, grazing the air. I stepped to the side and flicked my own blade forward—red with a black, unstable edge—angling it to catch his saber and deflect it outward with a precise parry.

A counter followed, powered by more strength than a standard Form II repost should carry. My blade glided off his, aiming for the exposed line between his wrist and elbow. But Dooku was already there. His wrist turned, shoulder angling just enough to guide his saber into a clean interception.

I didn't expect to land that strike. The move was designed to provoke—testing if he'd bite and follow with a counterthrust. He did. His blade snapped toward me in a sharp line, and I was already in motion, pulling my saber back to defend.

We circled each other. The Force surged between us—alive, reactive. It bent to my will, whispering the intent behind his movements. I remained grounded in the moment, watching for flaws in his form. Not because I believed they were mistakes, but because even a trap offered information.

Dooku pressed forward, executing a trio of rapid thrusts with surgical precision. My body moved before conscious thought. One step back. A twist at the waist. My blade rotated on the vertical axis, parrying two attacks and sidestepping the third. I responded in kind—an overhead diagonal slash meant to break his rhythm. He slipped away with a dismissive elegance.

Each movement was met with a counter. Each strike was followed by a response. We were two minds playing a deadly game of chess, every twitch a feint or invitation. The empty plain around us was silent, save for the electric hiss of colliding sabers and the occasional shift of boots over dry earth.

We had been fighting for a while—how long, I wasn't sure. My armour lay aboard Raven, which now hovered somewhere behind us, maybe two hundred meters back. The timestamp on my vambrace was useless. I wasn't risking a glance.

Her presence sat faint in the corner of my awareness. Calming. But my focus was locked on Dooku. On the clash of sabers. On the Force thrumming through every fibre of my being.

This was not the first duel since Natural Selection. But it was the first where I wasn't holding back. The Force bent more easily now—resisting less, obeying more. Dooku hadn't commented on my approach, even when I'd drawn on techniques some would label Sith. He'd only watched; eyebrows raised in mild curiosity.

And now, everything felt different.

I leaned back, rotating my blade in a low arc to deflect another jab. I advanced with a tight pivot of the hip, pouring weight into my next strike. Djem So—not my primary form, but a brutal counterpoint to Makashi's finesse. The sudden increase in momentum caught most duellists off guard.

But Dooku wasn't like most duellists.

He slid a foot back, angled his body, and turned my strike aside with almost casual precision. I pivoted under his extended guard, sweeping low toward his legs.

He retreated again—not out of fear, but calculation. Still, I'd forced a step from him. Progress.

The Force rippled around us. Dooku drew it in like a trusted ally. I commanded it. My steps shifted into Ataru's lighter footwork, springing away from another counterattack. I couldn't stop the smirk from forming.

No, this wasn't a duel to the death. But I was at peace in this moment. No internal struggle. No hesitation. Just combat. Pure and clean.

Dooku inhaled, and the Force deepened around him. His next strike came faster, sharper, and I matched it—blade rising into a textbook Shien deflection before flowing into a Shii-Cho chain. Five hits. Six. A thrust toward his ribs.

He evaded—not just by movement, but by Force-assisted glide, sliding farther than physics should allow. I raised an eyebrow. That was new.

His eyes gleamed with amusement.

We reset. I took a classic Makashi stance—blade centred, arm extended, feet narrow. Dust swirled around our boots, kicked up by earlier footwork and now beginning to settle.

I reached into the Force. Deeper. It came willingly. My strikes changed—Makashi's finesse layered with Djem So's power. I drove him back again, this time a full three steps. My movements didn't overextend. They stayed tight, dangerous, and focused.

His defence adjusted. His parries came faster, closer to the hilt. But I stayed with him.

Matukai breathwork helped me stay grounded, channelling energy without exhausting myself. The world around us seemed to slow. Dust hung in midair. The clash of blades became the only sound in existence.

My limbs moved faster. My mind sharpened.

I stepped left, feinted high, and thrust low. He caught it—barely. His saber twisted down to intercept, but I already withdrew and flowed into a new line.

He adapted instantly, his own counter barely missing my shoulder. Another thrust. I sidestepped and parried. Our sabers locked for a breathless second, the pressure vibrating through our grips.

He smiled. Just barely.

I pulled back.

Then surged forward—right foot stepping past his left, blade rising in a vertical cut meant to push his guard high. As expected, he raised to meet it. I pivoted, blade slicing horizontally for his flank.

He spun to block, and we separated.

My lungs burned. My muscles trembled—not from exhaustion, but from the intense current of the Force. It flowed through me faster than I'd ever channelled before.

But Dooku wasn't slowing.

I focused, drawing more from the Force. It came, hot and heavy, threatening to overload me if I lost control. I shifted into pure Makashi again, letting the form dictate tempo. Blade tight. Point aligned. Economy of movement.

We clashed again—this time with greater violence.

I noticed it first. His posture opened slightly. A gap—not a feint. Not intentional. I knew this pattern. My sudden burst of pressure had disrupted his tempo. The gap was real.

I moved.

Blade up, rotating, angle changing mid-strike.

He moved to block—but I changed the line. My saber skimmed past his parry and pressed forward. I stepped into the opening, blade aimed for his thigh.

He gave ground again.

Three steps.

I had him.

For the first time in any duel, I pushed Count Dooku fully on the defensive.

The Force roared in my ears. I chased him, sabers clashing, light strobing red and blue across the plain. His defence was perfect—but he had to defend. No offence. No room.

Then—there it was. The opening widened.

I lunged.

But something changed.

The Force shifted. I felt it an instant before it happened. I twisted my wrist, blade dropping into a parry just in time to redirect a strike aimed at my leg.

He hadn't been passive. He'd baited me.

Still, I wasn't done. My wrist rolled, blade snapping down, dropping low again—this time for a strike to his thigh.

His stance was too wide. He couldn't withdraw his leg in time.

And then—heat.

I froze.

My blade struck his thigh. His struck air. Close to my throat.

Too close.

"Kriff."

The curse tore from me before I could stop it. I could feel the warmth of his blade across my neck. A millimetre deeper and I'd be dead.

I'd won. And lost. At the same time.

I held my ground. My blade pressed lightly to his leg. His hovered at my neck. Neither moved.

My breath came fast. Rage bubbled—hot and bitter. I'd had it. I'd had him.

I closed my eyes and pushed it away.

This wasn't the time for ego.

When I opened them, Dooku was still watching me—silent. His saber hummed low, unmoving. But I saw it—barely—his chest rising faster than usual. His presence in the Force flickering at the edges. He was winded. Pushed.

I gave him a small nod. The universal signal: I yield.

He stepped back and deactivated his saber. I followed suit.

"You have improved greatly," he said. His tone was calm. Steady. But I heard the edge of respect underneath. "Impressively so in such a short time. However,…" He tilted his head. "I am not yet ready to see you surpass me."

I offered a tired grin.

"Noted," I replied with a small smile.

Dooku grunted; his only acknowledgement to my statement that we both knew to be true. Once his hilt was clipped to his waist, he moved forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. "That day, as much as I seek to delay it, will come. You are the greatest Padawan I have trained, and the perfect legacy to ensure my knowledge of Makashi is retained in the decades to come. You have the technical skill of the form and others, to rival any I have ever sparred with, all that remains, as you are aware, is experience in spars and duels that take you to the very limit of what you are capable of."

"Thank you, Master," I said, lowering my head at his words; aware of the pride he felt in saying them, along with the honour he was bestowing upon me. I grinned after lifting my head. "I thought for a few moments that I had you, Master."

Dooku allowed a fractional grin to spread on his face as I felt him squeeze my shoulder. "Perhaps you did, and if I was not the one who had trained you, and seen the growth you have undergone since Naboo and your defeat of the Zabrak Sith there, you might have. Unfortunately for you, I am aware of every change you have undergone and every ounce of skill you have gained with the blade, and thus could turn the potential of defeat into the certainty of victory." He held my gaze as his hand slipped from my shoulder. "Nor did it escape my notice that, as you enjoyed the spar, you drew on the Force in a way many in the Order would have grave concerns about."

"Master, I…" The raising of his hand stopped me from explaining why I had, in many ways, acted like a Sith in demanding the Force's obedience instead of working with it as a Jedi should. However, as I waited for his reply, I realised that in the later moments of the duel, he too had made the Force work for him instead of with him.

"Cameron, as you are well aware, there are a great many things I disagree with the Order about." I held my tongue. "However, when we last sparred, I sensed you struggling to maintain control over yourself and used techniques that made the darkness within you more prominent. I was concerned that you might lose yourself to whatever changes you were undergoing. After this spar, while I still sense your use of methods the Order would consider heretical at best, I am pleased to know you have control of yourself and your emotions; enough that I do not fear you losing control and allowing the Force to consume you."

He turned at that and began the long walk back to Raven, who I realised was a little over five kilometres away around a hill we had seemingly circled while focused on our spar. I quickly moved to fall into step at his side, though a half metre back. He offered a small smile at my action and then gestured for me to walk beside him as an equal, something I gladly accepted.

"Since I was a Padawan, I have found myself at odds with many of the ideals the Order, at least in its current form, obeys. Before you arrived at the Temple, I had been heavily considering if I should remain with the Order, though the Force ensured those thoughts were diminished once I understood my next role was in training you. However, with your knighthood, and your victory on Naboo, I have once again found myself considering the path I am on, the injustices in the galaxy that the Order and others fail to address, and the legacy I wish to leave when my time in this galaxy, decades from now, comes to an end."

He turned to look at me as we kept walking. "Since Naboo, while I had been questioning the path I am travelling, my thoughts were often focused on you, I had been concerned, understandably, by the shift towards what the Order would consider a darker method to achieving the goals that you have taken in your training of yourself and your Pada… your son." He paused for a moment. "I now see, happily, that your journey will not take you down a road to the darkest depths that the Force can use to consume the destiny of those who can use it, nor, though this was never a great concern for me, of you aligning with the Sith we know that are seeking to destroy the Order and Republic."

"Master, I…" I paused as I sensed the Force shifting around us, and closed my eyes for a moment. The Force had been in motion near me ever since I agreed to help Quinlan, with moments like this where it was more active; as if hinting that these were moments when I could alter not just the road I was taking, but those of others who walked near to me. Of course, if not for the Interface generating the A Change in Path quest I might not have realised that as soon as I had. Nor would I see that the quest name referred not just to Quinlan and Aayla, but to myself and even Dooku.

"Since not long after Naboo I have been… studying and learning from an ancient Sith holocron," I continued cautiously. I knew Dooku wouldn't seek to take Adas' holocron from me, nor take me before the Jedi for questioning, but I was taking a risk. One that, as the Force seemed to rise around us, was about to have a permanent effect on my relationship with my former Master. "I'm not using it heavily, just seeking advice on how to accelerate my training with the various sects and groups I've visited for training with Anakin while searching inwards for some sort of balance that I now feel I've found."

We continued in silence for a few minutes as I allowed Dooku time to ponder what I'd revealed. Telling him what I had was, in many ways, a dangerous move, but I felt certain he would accept what had happened, though not without concern.

"It is troubling that you admit to learning from a Sith holocron, Cameron. Not just because it is affecting your development, but that of your Padawan as well. Even though I expect you are aware, you should never trust anything any Sith, alive or as the gatekeeper of a holocron, say. They will seek to use and manipulate you to serve whatever goals and ideals they hold themselves to." He paused there and I felt a gentle probe slide along the bond we shared within the Force.

Wanting to reassure him that I'd not fallen into the madness of the Dark Side and that I was in control of my actions, I lowered my defences enough that he could explore the outer edges of my mind without difficulty. My thoughts on what I was slowly deciding for my future, and that of Anakin and others, were buried deep, far from his notice, while any knowledge I had that came from before being placed in this timeline was protected by the Interface.

I felt his probe shifting through the readily available thoughts, and it was clear he was searching for information about what I'd learnt from Adas, and what effect that had caused to my psyche. I allowed him the freedom to search those outer layers as we walked, wanting to assure him that I wasn't lost in the depths of the Dark Side and to reassure myself that I'd not been influenced in ways I didn't realise by Adas.

After nearly ten minutes, I felt the probe pull back and Dooku opened his eyes, stopped, and turned to face me so he could examine me carefully. There was no hint of anything more than concern from him emanating into the Force, which was reassuring. However, it was the faint hint of curiosity that caught my attention; as if Dooku wished to speak, or possibly even learn from Adas himself.

"While your defences are sufficient to ensure that no surface probe would detect the changes you have undergone, anyone with the skill and power could breach them and learn the truth. You have been, as you are aware, influenced by this Sith holocron, though I cannot sense any clear sign that you've fallen under their sway any more so than one might when seeking knowledge from a restricted source.

"This path I sense you are taking is one that the Order will not accept, but again, you are aware of that. That said, I can sense that you feel that to defeat the threat posed by the looming darkness in the Force, and the influence the Sith of the lineage of Darth Bane hold over the Republic, and by connection, the Order, you need to use every tool at your disposal."

"I do, Master, and I am well aware that the Council will not approve of my methods; both those I've already taken and those that I know I will have to in the coming years."

Dooku allowed a small grunt of amusement to slip from his mouth. "No, they would not. However, as you are well aware, my opinions on a variety of matters do not align with those of the Council. One such matter that you would be aware of would be the direction the Order should take in seeking out the Master of the Sith you defeated on Naboo."

I felt my brow rise at his words. "You are in contact with the Council?" That was unexpected, and given what I'd just revealed, potentially dangerous. While I didn't sense Dooku was going to report my learning from a Sith holocron to them, the fact he still spoke to several of the members, even if just about the looming threat posed by the Banite Sith, was unexpected.

Before he could directly reply, Raven came into sight and the stray thought occurred to me that during the duel with Dooku, I had been aware that we had moved away from her, but not how far. I had lost myself in the spar, and while that had not been an issue today, there might well come a day when it would, and thus I'd have to learn to be more aware of my surroundings even when focused entirely on defeating my opponent. Failure to be cognisant of your location was a lesson that had been driven into my skull across two lifetimes.

"With Masters Windu and Yoda," He explained as we started the final walk towards my ship "They share my concern that the presence of the Zabrak on Naboo might signal a return of the Sith. However, they refuse to act as I feel they should to prepare the Order and galaxy for the threat of this new Sith Order. Nor do they believe that the one you fought has any connection to Darth Bane. According to the records, he was killed only a few years after the Seventh Battle of Ruusan."

"I believe that was a ploy, Master, one designed to hide their presence while this Banite line of Sith chose to break with the past and work in small numbers from the shadows."

"I share that opinion, Cameron, however, the Council does not. We can discuss this fully at a later date. For now, I wish to discuss what your plans are for the future, how the changes you have undergone affect the plans we created alongside Master Fay and others, and your hints that you approved the concept of liberating items from the Temple Archives that might offer insight and powers to help us face the looming threat of the Banite Sith."

"Yes, the knowledge the Council has locked away may well be of use. However, while I wish to help you in the acquisition of such holocrons, or any other object in the secure vaults, I feel that while I can hide the changes I've undergone from most surface probes if any Master chooses to probe more deeply, they will undoubtedly discover the changes that have occurred to me. To say nothing of facing even a single member of the Council."

"No, your defences would not stand up to the probes of the Council or other senior Jedi. Still, it is encouraging to hear that even after defeating the Dark Jedi Volfe Karkko, you remain aware of your shortcomings. As is the fact you knew it was wiser to depart before Master Saa arrived, both because of the power you used to defeat Karkko, and the understanding you could not yet defeat her." He paused and looked at me even as we continued to walk. "In time, I know you will be able to, do not fear, but you are not quite at the level to be considered a true threat to most Jedi Masters."

I nodded, accepting his opinion, and not just because it was one I agreed with. "About the Council… when Master Saa realises that it was me who defeated Karkko and drew on the Dark Side to do so, they're going to send teams after me, aren't they?"

"If you remain within the Order, that is certain. Even if you resigned, which I feel is a choice you are committed to making, they might still do so. However, while by Republic law all Force users are under the supervision of the Order, the Council generally chooses to not intervene in any Force sect so long as it keeps itself isolated from the wider galaxy and doesn't become a threat to the Order or Republic."

"I could just disappear with Anakin, Master. Stay in the Outer Rim, keeping as far from major systems as possible while I continue training myself and my son."

Dooku gave a single, brief chortle at my suggestion. "You very well could, Cameron. However, I know you will not." He stopped and turned fully to face me. "Master Fay and I trained you to hold more respect, for yourself and others, than that. No, regardless of the threat it poses to you, you will state to the Council in person your intention to leave the Order as your ideals no longer align with theirs. As will I."

I blinked, caught out by the declaration. I mean, I knew it was only a matter of time until he left the Order, but that he was prepared to do so at the same time as me, and shield me from the Council was unexpected. "Master, I… You don't have to do this."

Dooku chortled again and moved closer. "Cameron, as I have said many times, including not more than a few minutes ago, I have known for many years that my path would not remain in step with the Order. It was because the Force guided me to you, and implied it wanted me to train you, that I have remained a Jedi as long as I have instead of planning my departure at an earlier date. I have trained several Padawans, Cameron; all of whom, even Komari in some small way, I am proud of. However, it is through you that I see a way to define myself and my legacy." He extended a hand. "When the time comes for you to stand before the Council and resign as a Jedi, I will do so with you."

My hand moved out slowly. "It would be my honour to stand at your side in that moment, Master," I said as I grasped his forearm.

By doing this, Dooku was taking the Council's attention, or most of it at any rate, off of me. Yes, to some in the Order I was the potential Chosen One, however, in the eyes of the Council, I was just a young and powerful Knight, whereas Dooku was one of their most revered Jedi Masters. When he resigned he would become the twentieth Jedi Master to resign from the Order in the last few thousand years.

"As you should be," he replied dryly, though I could sense his amusement through our Force bond. A moment later, he broke the arm clasp. "Before we head to the Temple and announce our departure from the Order, we must discuss what items we wish to take as recompense for our time in the Order."

"Yes, Master," I said as we resumed the remaining short walk to Raven.

As we moved, my mind pulled forth the various scenarios I'd gone over in my thoughts that had, at least in theory, a slight chance of us succeeding in breaking into the secure holocron vaults, grabbing a dozen or so holocrons – more if I told Dooku about my Inventory and framed it as an odd Force power, or if I was able to use it without him seeing it being used – and then departing the Temple without being apprehended.

None of the plans were what I'd call good, the best had maybe a ten per cent chance of success, but they should give Dooku something to draw from. At least if he didn't already have plans created that had better odds of success.

… …

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This story is cross-posted on Fanfiction.net, Archive of our Own, and Royal Road.
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May the Force be with you. Always​

 

[USSExplorer]

A/N: As always, a huge thank you to those helping with lore and planning for this and my other stories.

And again, this chapter was released to those of sufficient rank on the story's Discord (it pays to talk) about a month ago. For those who support my writing, then it was released between 1 to 6 months ago (and those supporters can also access chapters that far in advance).

If joining the Discord or supporting my writing interests you, there is a link at the end of the chapter for how to do so.

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3.13 A Change in Path 2
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"How is your research going?"

I lifted my head wearily from the datapad in my hands, the same pad that I'd been reading almost constantly for the last two days, as Dooku stepped into the cabin the Lokella had assigned me during my stay on Mtael's Gift. The cabin was more akin to a private suite, one I used regularly now whenever I was on the station as it had a spare bedroom for Anakin to rest in along with a large cupboard that doubled as a charging station for my droids.

As often happened, Fenrir had claimed the large rug at the base of my bed as his and was currently resting there while I focused on the datapad. A datapad Dooku had given me that had captivated me ever since I'd read the title of the contents, and had caused me to allow Anakin the last two days to do as he chose, which was usually spending time with his sister Lia, catching up with Lena – one of the other children who had been captured by the Trandoshan hunters about a year and a half ago and then ended up with the Lokella, or training with the station's personnel or the Mando'ade here to instruct them.

That Gar was still here, or as I had discovered from Rook on my first night, back here again, training the same people his father had been killed trying to enslave was both amusing and honourable. As if he was working to remove the stain on Clan Saxon's reputation by correcting a mistake of Girk's. I hadn't spoken with the pair or the other Mando'ade much, as the datapad had taken my attention fully. Still, it was good to enjoy a few drinks with friends.

The datapad had come from Dooku, and as I pushed it back a little and stretched in the chair I'd spent the night sitting in – though I only realised that now as I saw the time – I looked at my former Master. "This wasn't how I was expecting this… operation to go," I replied with a smirk.

Dooku eased himself into another chair at the table, my nose picking up the smell of fresh kaffa from the cup he carried, making me a little thirsty and hungry. "Did you think we would launch some form of audacious, and potentially harrowing, nighttime assault on the Temple to liberate a handful of holocrons and other items for the secure vaults?" There was no smile on his face, but his amusement was, for him, rolling off him in waves within the Force. Amusement that I suspected had been present ever since he had given me the datapad that I'd been engrossed in for going on forty-six hours straight. "Or that we would be left with no choice but to fight our way out of the Temple with our prizes?"

"Maybe," I replied as I rolled my neck, trying to hide any lingering embarrassment at how I thought this plan was going to go. I didn't need to roll my neck, nor stretch out tiredness, thanks to Player's Body, but I did so anyway to put others at ease. "I won't deny that I thought we'd have to find some elaborate method to get me into the secure vaults, perhaps via an external distraction, and then sneak out the figurative backdoor." I gestured at the datapad. "Yet it seems all we're doing is going shopping."

Dooku grunted. "It is far from as easy as you make it sound," he retorted as I turned the datapad to him, a few holocrons and other restricted items on it having caught my attention. "This will be complicated, in both execution and making a selection of which items you feel drawn to."

I chuckled as I tapped the datapad and once more marvelled that it was as simple as going to the Archives and downloading a list, with an overview of every item, of what was locked away in the secure vaults. Well, it was simple for Dooku as he was a Jedi Master, while I – like Anakin just before the fall of the Republic in the other timeline – was but a Knight and thus denied access to the most sensitive items the Order stored.

I was still struggling with the insanity that any Master could walk into those vaults, pick up any holocron, lightsaber, or any other artefact there, and without even being questioned by Temple security, walk out again. It was a security flaw that was rife for exploitation, though given how only nineteen – soon to be twenty – Jedi Masters had left the order in several thousand years, I could see why the Order didn't feel it was a major issue. Still, the fact this flaw existed was going to make getting our hands on holocrons far easier than I had expected. Though with Dooku having free access to come and go as he wished, I knew even before he'd told me that there was a limit to the number of items he could repurpose without someone growing suspicious.

Eventually, the missing items would be noticed. When exactly would depend on the exact security the items were under and how often a Librarian checked they were all where they should be. However, in essence, Dooku could simply walk into the Temple, put a pile of holocrons and other artefacts in a sack, and then walk out with them.

Now, most of the items in the secure vaults were, at least to me and possibly Dooku, of little use. I was interested in the holocrons, lightsabers, and other items linked to former High Council members, Grandmasters, Masters of the Order, and other influential Jedi over the millennia, but few felt that important to me, or drew a reaction from the Force as I read the description the datapad Dooku had provided me with about the items. One of the few that jumped out at me, though there was little reaction from the Force to suggest it might be useful, was a holocron from Bastila Shan.

Yet with Dooku likely only able to make two or three trips into the secure vaults without drawing attention or running the risk of triggering any security measures once someone noticed an item was gone, even my great-grandmother's holocron wasn't high on my list. Certainly, high enough to make the five-item shortlist I had to give to Dooku before he headed to Coruscant in a few weeks to carry out the first shopping trip.

Currently, my list was composed entirely of Sith artefacts and holocrons. A few years ago, such a list would've concerned me, but after learning to accept who I was, and how I would do whatever it took to not only fight against the Banite Sith but emerge victorious, I was committed to the path I was taking. The Dark Side was a faster path to power, yes, but not one that offered less potential than the way the Jedi called upon the Force, nor one to be ignored simply because they considered it heretical.

The top of my list, and possibly the only object that was certain to stay high on the list was a holocron that was created by Darth Malgus. He had been a Sith Lord during the time of my (many, many times removed great grandniece) Satele Shan, only to, according to the records, leave the Sith Empire and move against them while still waging war on the Jedi. The reports from that time state he had led several major battles, including the attack on Alderaan and the taking of Coruscant, which included the sacking of the Jedi Temple.

I had learnt about him, and others during that time, as a Padawan, though it wasn't until I'd gone to the Celebratus Archives that I'd gotten much detail on the matter. Like most topics that dealt with ancient Jedi and Sith, I had avoided learning about them while at the Temple, but at the Celebratus Archives, I had happily downloaded everything I could on galactic history that caught my attention, with the events centred around Revan and Satele Shan first and foremost in that regard.

That the Order had Malgus' holocron, and stated in the synopsis on the datapad, that it was either made or finished after he had left the Sith Empire, only made it more appealing. He was one of the few Sith to ever leave a Sith Order, and learning about why he had done that, along with potentially discovering any caches of knowledge or technology, no matter how ancient or outdated, was something I wanted to understand. Potentially even learn from.

There were other items on my list, such as holocrons belonging to Darth Rivan and Naga Sadow, and the lightsaber of Exar Kun. However, nothing was entirely set and even after nearly two days of non-stop reading the datapad, I still had about thirty per cent of it still to read the descriptions of the items in the secure vaults. Yes, many were Jedi artefacts, but everything would be given its due consideration.

"Won't the Order suspect something when you return to the Temple twice in quick succession, and then depart with the items we wish for?" I asked, pushing aside thoughts on what I hoped Dooku could get for me, and focusing on the details of the operation.

"As I have already explained, any Jedi Master can enter a secure vault in the Archives at any time. Yes, the entry and exit are logged, but nothing inside is tracked as being taken. Between my work since Naboo with Komari, who is developing into something of potential use, I have made semi-regular returns to the Temple. Even going so far as to borrow for over a month in some cases, the occasional restricted holocron. At no point have I been questioned on this, not even for one holocron I have held in my possession, but held no interest in, for over a year. The list you are pursuing was acquired not long after your last visit to Coruscant; a spectacle that some in the Order asked me about." He raised a hand before I could say anything. "None believe you were there as anything more than a guest of the Co-Chancellors. It is known to the Council and others that you have connections to both Palpatine and Damask after all."

"Ah, that's good to know. As for the list, I assume you already have some items you wish to take as departure gifts?"

Dooku's lip twitched slightly in amusement. "I do, and I already have one such holocron stored in my cabin." I felt my curiosity spike at learning that. "The challenge, particularly with anything linked to the Dark Side, is dulling their presence so that others are unaware of what I am carrying. Thanks to studying how you were masking your presence in the Force, specifically your tendency to draw upon the Dark Side when you were last here, I have created methods to hide such Force signatures. They have already been tested and worked well enough that Master Nu was unaware I was in possession of a minor Sith Holocron when I spoke to her the last time I was in the Temple."

"The challenge that exists is projecting this masking technique to more than a handful of items that have strong signatures in the Force. Ideally, the possession of something aligned with the Order would help enforce the masking of anything connected to the Dark Side, however, I cannot be sure of that which is why your list is required to be so limited."

He reached into his robes and pulled out a familiar holocron; one I'd not even realised he was carrying when he entered my cabin. I extended my hand and took back King Adas' holocron, having lent it to Dooku when he'd given me the datapad so he could examine the source of where some of my more recent training had come from. "Judging from your surprise, it seems the masking extends even to those who hold a connection to the holocron. That said, the holocron must remain inactive for me to be able to mask it."

"Good to know," I say as I place Adas' holocron on the table. I intended to speak with him about some of the options as while the names would've come long after him, he might know of a few – either from directly teaching them or having them mentioned in passing by others he had interacted with – that could be of interest to me. "Did the gatekeeper deign to speak to you?"

"He did. However, he was unwilling to tell me what he had taught you or offer up any secrets to me. All I did learn was that he was impressed with my teaching of you with a lightsaber. While King Adas came from a time before lightsabers were invented, he was a warrior and respects skill regardless of who has it."

I nodded, relieved that Adas hadn't blurted out anything about what I'd been learning from him to Dooku. Oh, I hadn't expected him to do so, nor teach Dooku as, for all his commitment to leave the Order, my former Master wasn't ready to learn from the Dark Side. Or at least I didn't get the impression he was.

"Have you made much progress on what items interest you?"

"Some," I replied with a chuckle, gesturing at the datapad. "There is a lot to go through, and while I am certain that nothing linked to the Order holds much interest for me, save perhaps the holocron of my great-grandmother and one or two others – deciding on a final list is… time-consuming."

"As it should be, Cameron. We are not, as you so dryly put it when I entered, going to a local store for weekly shopping. The difference that exists is that I have had many months to consider my options whereas you have two days before I make the first of at most, three trips to Coruscant and the Temple to acquire anything of interest."

"Yes, Master." Time was a constraint as Master Saa would eventually realise that I had used the Dark Side to destroy Karkko. I didn't sense anything from the Force to suggest my time was running out, but I didn't want to either as it would risk us trying to leave the Order around the time the Council became aware of the path I had taken. "How have your examinations of Quinlan and Aayla gone?" I asked, changing the subject.

Dooku's brow creased slightly. "Slowly. It has, after all, only been two days since you and they arrived on the station." He paused and I swore his thoughts drifted to another matter or person for a moment. "I am having to restrain my dissatisfaction with Master Tholme for allowing Vos to focus on Ataru as his base. While not as technically proficient with Makashi as you, he was regarded as one of the finer practitioners in the Order, and I would have expected him to ensure his Padawan had a firm grasp of the duelling form. Sadly, that is not the case." I bit my tongue as Quin-Gon had used Ataru as a base and he had been Dooku's Padawan at one time. "Secura using the form is less concerning. Twi'lek's are generally a species that leans towards rapid movements and quick reactions, particularly their females. Such behaviour leans towards one of the more… active lightsaber forms."

"From the spars I had with Quinlan while we searched for Aayla, even though he retains the instinctual reaction for Ataru, he is essentially a blank slate and as such, I tried to have him adapt more efficient techniques. As for Aayla, she recalls her memories better due to her physiology, but you are right in saying Ataru is suitable for her."

Dooku offered a single nod before falling into silence. I assumed he was considering the training for the pair, and allowed him the time to do so while pondering my words. Even if Quinlan were taught Makashi, I didn't think it would be a suitable base for him. Djem So felt better if we could shift him from relying on Ataru. "Have you given any thought to what is to happen to them once we have left the Order?"

I shook my head before replying to his question. "Not really. I mean, they're both powerful Force users and Quinlan, from what I can recall, always appeared as one who wasn't entirely aligned with the direction the Council has taken the Order, while Aayla is a friend. However, the choice of what they do must be theirs. I won't force them into following me if they aren't comfortable with doing so."

Dooku gazed at me for a few moments before sighing. "Cameron, when you leave the Order what exactly are your plans? Are you to continue your wandering with your Padawan, training in secret for the war that is to come? Or do you plan to start becoming more proactive in preparing for what is to come, along with building forces so that when the war the Sith of Darth Bane's line has planned for comes to pass, you aren't just looking to survive but win?"

"The latter," I answered with a faint smile. "And yes, I can see what you are implying, master. Quinlan and Aayla would be particularly useful allies for the war to come. However, I remain uncertain about forcing them to follow me if they don't wish to. Aayla is a friend, but with her remembering much of her time in the Order, she might decide to return to them. If she does, Quinlan will follow, even if I feel steering clear of the Order is the better path for him to travel."

"It is good that you understand that you will need assets to use against the dangers that loom in your future. That said, you must remember that those you consider friends, or even lovers, can turn against you if you do not ensure their loyalty. You must seek to convert them to your side so that they do not become forces your enemies can use against you." He stood before continuing. "I will not ask directly about your plans for after we depart the Order; that is something that should not be had until we are clear of any member of the Order sensing them in our minds. What I will request is that while they remain on this station, that you train them with the intent that they are not returning to the Order, but instead will be among the first to gather under your banner."

"Yes, Master," I replied, lowering my head. The A Change in Path quest was, as always, fresh in my mind when I considered Quinlan and Aayla. There was a potential there for what Dooku was suggesting, and I would admit that ever since rescuing Aayla, the objective of them learning from and following me was the one that gained appeal daily. Dooku was right that I would need allies for what was coming. Not just soldiers like those I hoped to gain from the Mando'ade, but Force users to counter whatever the Jedi and Banite Sith threw at me. A single Force user, if trained properly, was beyond anything even the best Mando'ade could do. Even in a group with an ambush laid and activated, I didn't believe any Mando'ade group could take out most Jedi Masters, to say nothing of those like Windu and Yoda who were the very apex of what the Order was capable of.

For the longest time, I had expected Serra to be one of, if not the first Jedi to follow me regardless of what path I chose. However, since Naboo, and with Windu taking over her training, I hadn't managed to speak with her, and I was beginning to feel that our paths were diverging. Potentially fatally. I prayed that wasn't the case, but I had to prepare as if it would happen.

Currently, outside of Dooku who was more of an ally than a potential follower, the only Force user I knew would stand with me was Anakin. Even once he got close to his peak, the pair of us alone wouldn't be enough to alter the destiny of the galaxy. For that, I needed more than just armies and navies, I needed Force users who would do whatever it took to win, and Quinlan and Aayla had the potential to be the first of those forces.

Yes, it was callous to think of them and others in such blunt, almost dismissive, terms. However, it was a simple fact that outside of Anakin, I felt I might have to sacrifice anyone for victory.

… …

---

… …
"WOOHOO!"

The excited, perhaps overly so if my eardrums were anything to go by, shout had come from Anakin as he sat beside in the co-pilot's seat in Raven's cockpit. What drew it on was me guiding my ship past another vessel with only a metre or so to spare as we raced around the final beacon on one section of the stellar racecourse we were traversing.

While it might seem odd at first that, with Dooku currently on his way or at the Temple to acquire some holocrons and I was taking part in a galactic race, there was logic to it. Not only did it give me clear deniability to be involved in the thefts – as some in the Order would blame me even if I couldn't access the secure vaults – I had also promised Anakin that we'd take part in such a race while I had been on Kiffex trying to first find Aayla, and then when I'd gone to kill Karkko, and he had been confined to Raven. The fact the race was broadcast on the Holonet meant I had proof that I was nowhere near the Temple whenever it was discovered that holocrons and other restricted items were missing, and would allow Anakin to later, once I downloaded the recording of the race, watch it again at his leisure.

Currently, Dooku had two holocrons that I wanted, that of Darth Malgus and Darth Desolous, as while there were others that I was interested in and that Adas had suggested, those two were the ones I felt the most drawn to. From both a curiosity perspective, and through the Force.

Most of Adas' suggestions had centred around Sith who had shown a focus towards Sith alchemy or sorcery. I was unsure if I would ever head down those roads – Adas made clear that one had to commit fully to the Dark Side and forgo almost every positive connection one might have with others to learn them – but the fact such knowledge was there to potentially be taken, and that they might hold some unexpected discovery, meant they remained on the list I had for Dooku's next trip to the Temple. A list that was, even though I'd tried to trim it down, was still nearly twenty items long.

"Power levels?" I asked Anakin simply to distract him from distracting me as I piloted Raven. We'd finished this particular section of the course, one that focused on manoeuvrability, and were now in a straight drag towards the next set of beacons.

I already knew the power levels as Raven was relaying everything to me through our bond, but the more Anakin focused on the systems, the less of a nuisance he was, and as we were approaching the next ship in the race – a modified YT-1200 freighter that had impressive afterburners – I wanted my attention to be fully on overtaking them before the next beacon was reached.

The race had started with a hundred ships and while we'd made a good start, I'd held back. I wanted an idea of what the other vessels were capable of and thus as we'd reached the first set of beacons to be navigated around – ones that had us dropping into the atmosphere of a semi-habitable moon – we'd been sitting in about sixty-first. Since then, we'd been climbing slowly, already up in the thirties and barely a tenth of the course had been completed.

I already knew we'd be hard-pressed to catch the frontrunners. While fast, Raven wasn't built for outright acceleration like some of the other ships were, but it was apparent after the last set of beacons – the second series of quick, sharp turns we'd had to navigate – that she had better turning than almost every vessel in the race. And that was before I used the bond I shared with her to its maximum potential.

"Steady, but with room to push more," Anakin replied, and I could sense how much he was enjoying this. The radiant thrill he was emanating into the Force was like a beacon that, for those who could sense it, could be used to steer themselves by. Even if they were a whole sector away from us. He wasn't doing it intentionally, instead simply revelling in the experience. It was one of the few times I'd seen him not hold back – be that consciously or subconsciously – his Force signature.

"Should we do so now?" I shot back, deciding as the YT-1200 came ever closer while Raven ran it down, to test him a little.

"No. Not yet," He answered. "Save it for when we leave the next set of beacons."

I nodded even as the YT-1200 reached the first of those beacons; Raven was close enough that I could see flickers of colour in the freighter's engine plumes. My fingers flew over the controls, sending instructions to Raven, though she was already moving before I finished, her ability to sense my needs growing stronger with each passing day.

Power was shifted from the main sublight engines to the shields as Raven pulled alongside the YT-1200. Sparks of colour danced where the shields brushed against each other, though by the time both vessels banked around the next beacon, Raven had already pulled half a length ahead as we rounded the beacon. That lead was confirmed as the freighter, like every other vessel we'd hunted down, fell away behind us.

As we neared the third beacon for this section, it shifted. The course moved slightly to challenge the pilots. Before I could even alter our path, Raven was moving, adapting to the challenge. As we emerged around that beacon, my smile grew as I saw we'd closed several ship lengths on the next vessel we had to hunt and overtake.

I understood that while I had impressive skill with piloting, I wasn't a natural at it like some, nor anything close to being a pilot like Saesee Tiin was, or Anakin would be. However, I had my bond with Raven, and that along with my connection to the Force being more natural than it had once been, meant I could match any pilot in the field, and if we got lucky, secure a top ten finish. Perhaps even make the top five.

As we slipped from the last of this section of beacons designed to test a ship and pilot's ability to make quick, powered turns and adapt to shifting vectors, the extra power Anakin had told me to hold back was pushed into Raven's sublight engines, and we'd overtaken two more vessels, slipping into the top thirty. Ahead of us were the next five ships, all of them racing towards the beacon at the edge of the system. Once there everyone would jump to hyperspace and head to a nearby system for the next section of the race, and then return to repeat the course in this system before finishing where we'd started.

Raven rushed forward, the distance to the group of five ships ahead of us closing rapidly. We'd not overtake them before jumping, but I knew we'd pass them as Raven danced through the exotic matter of hyperspace. Like Anakin and myself, she was rejoicing in the experience of testing herself against other vessels. She was built for flying and while she enjoyed any form of flying, she was over the freaking moon about taking part in this race; potentially even more excited for it to begin than Anakin had been once she understood what was going on.

We caught the last of the five vessels just as we reached the jump beacon, and Raven had the power shifting to the hyperdrive even before I reached for the switches to do so. My smile grew, possibly now matching Anakin's at how naturally and instinctively Raven knew what I wanted when we were flying. She was a part of me in a way few could ever understand, and no matter what happened with the Order when I resigned, I knew she would stay mine.

Technically, she was the property of the Order, however, unless they wished to intentionally punish me, and hurt Raven, they wouldn't attempt to separate us. Not when the bond we shared uniquely radiated within the Force. Hells, even if they did decide to deny me access to Raven, I had no concerns. The moment they tried to lock her down, she'd break free and escape from the Temple; something that I couldn't deny I almost wanted to happen simply to see the reactions of the Council members and others in the Order. Even if they took her somewhere and attempted to hide her from me, blocking our connection, I knew they couldn't keep us apart. Raven was, in a sense that many might not ever truly understand, my child and like with Anakin, I'd burn down the galaxy to keep my family safe.

As the exotic energies of hyperspace washed over Raven's hull and she almost squealed into the Force at experiencing them in a race, I let such concerns slip from my thoughts. Today was about having fun with my family and nothing else.

… …

---

… …
As the glowing blue blade came towards me, I chose to slide back instead of seeking to deflect the attack. "Not bad" I commented before my wrist turned, causing my blade to flick towards my opponent, "but be aware of your footing," I added just as my blade clipped her on her forward leg just above her knee.

The blades were on low power, ensuring that any strike only stung instead of removing a limb; or life if the area would induce a fatal wound. As I pulled my blade back, I hid my amusement at her annoyance with how easily I had countered and scored the strike. "If you over-extend with any part of your body you leave yourself exposed to a quick, controlled counter like I just demonstrated," I explained as I stepped back and looked down at the young Zabrak I was sparring with.

"Yes… Master," the girl said slowly as she recovered from her annoyance and then took a deep breath. "And thank you for taking the time to spar with me," she added with a warm smile. One that I returned as we powered down our lightsabers. "How long are you going to be at the Temple?"

"Just for today, Tedra," I replied as we moved from the sparring circle towards where her Master, Shaak Ti, had been watching us. "Master Dooku and I have some business to discuss with the Council, and after that, I'll be off to speak with Chancellor Damask." The second part of that was a falsehood, but one that made sense given my connections to both Chancellors and by saying I was going to the Senate I could avoid having to promise to spend time with her or others after I resigned from the Order.

The thirteen-going-on-fourteen-year-old Zabrak girl was coming along nicely as a Jedi, though thanks to Observe, I knew that she still hadn't fully acclimatised to the Order, nor forgotten her roots. That was made clear in the fact her loyalty to me ran higher than to the Order, and that her loyalty to the Lokella was still strong as well. Her level had increased impressively, though while she had a long way to go before becoming anything more than a low-level threat to me – in the estimation of the Interface at any rate – her training with Shaak Ti seemed to be going well.

When I'd felt her in the Temple, I'd made sure to seek her out first. There were others that I would be speaking to before Dooku and I stepped before the Council, but like Serra, Tedra was another that, if given the chance, might follow me when I left the Order. Or join up with me later once she was older. Something that the reveal from Observe about her loyalties reaffirmed.

We'd spoken a bit both in the Archives when I'd found her and Shaak Ti there, and when walking to this training room. According to her, she was able to beat most of her fellow Padawans in spars. Master Ti had cleared up that Tedra meant those her age, as against anyone from My age group – such as Serra or Sia-Lan for example – she always lost badly. However, Master Ti was impressed with Tedra's dedication and felt she had the makings of a powerful Jedi Guardian.

After the spar we'd just had, I would agree with Master Ti's assessment and could see the flaws that remained for her to overcome in the base forms before she could focus heavily on the creation of a style designed specifically for her. Still, she had potential and when combined with her retained loyalty to me and the Lokella, I felt I could shape her into something remarkably powerful if she chose to follow me after I left the Order.

Tedra's shoulders slumped with my answer. "Oh. I'd hoped that… well, that we might spend more time sparring, or talking or…" she trailed off as we heard Shaak Ti laughing gently. The sound was one I always found pleasant, and now that I was older, a little alluring. I wasn't going to make the mistake of trying anything with the Togruta Jedi – not least as I'd undoubtedly let my guard down around her, which would be disastrous – but nothing said I couldn't enjoy thoughts about what she might look like under her robes.

"Much like his former Masters, or even myself as you should be aware by now, Cameron is not a Jedi content to spend his days within the confines of the Temple," Shaak Ti remarked. "He allows the Force to guide him where it needs him to be, and does as it wishes."

I bit back my first comment about no longer doing as the Force wanted and instead chose a more jovial response. "I would prefer, Master, if the Force could find the time to avoid placing me in dangerous situations. Or at least grant me more warning of the threat than one right as I am dropped in the metaphorical gundark tank," I added with a smirk.

"If one is not tested by the crucible of life, how can one learn to see and accept the wonders that the Force provides?" Shaak Ti countered with one of those knowing smiles that all Jedi Masters seemed to possess. "Or learn to understand what role it is that the Force has deemed for us to fulfil?"

I grunted in reply, biting back a comment about not enjoying being the Force's plaything. My reaction was misinterpreted by Tedra, and she chuckled thinking I had no comeback for her Master's words. Now, Shaak Ti was right in that I had accepted the wonders brought forth by the challenges I'd faced, but not in the way she likely expected. That said, it had taken time after the fact for me to understand that I'd enjoyed almost all of them. "As you say, Master Ti," I finally said, letting the matter drop.

The Togrutan Jedi lowered her head a fraction, accepting my surrender on the point before I continued. "Since you admit to preferring your time away from the Temple as much as me, might I ask why you and Tedra are here today?" It was an easy way to shift the conversation away from me, and my issues with the Force and the Order, without forcing the issue.

"We have just returned from a mission in the Outer Rim near Felucia," Shaak explained as we moved to exit the sparring room. "One that tested Tedra in a way she had not expected beforehand."

"Slavers," Tedra blurted out, faint embers of almost delicious anger slipping from her into the Force. I ignored those as best I could, letting her continue. "They were targeting a Togruta colony on a remote world in a nearby system, and the colony's governor asked the Jedi for help."

"Tedra struggled at first to control her feelings on the matter..."

"Understandable," I cut in, offering the Zabrak a smile of understanding. "She lost her parents to slavers before Master Dooku and I found her."

"Yes," Shaak commented, unconcerned by me cutting her off. "However, with time, patience, and meditation, she has worked to move beyond those feelings towards those who engage in such barbaric acts. At least enough that it will not affect her current status as my Padawan." Shaak Ti glanced at Tedra, who was walking on my other side. From the Zabrak I felt hints of acceptance and disappointment, which if I had time, and Shaak Ti wasn't present, I would've explored further to see if her lingering hatred – and that's what it was – towards slavers could be encouraged. "If she is to one day become a Knight, something I believe she is more than capable of doing, then she will have to let go of all her residual anger towards such individuals. Just as you did," she added, offering me a smile.

"It's a difficult lesson for many to grasp, Master," I replied diplomatically. "Some of us are… more adept at forming connections with others. Connections that can make it hard to fully let go of our feelings for them and towards those that seek to do them harm."

Shaak Ti slowed, and I felt a gentle shift in the Force. Aware she might be trying to browse my surface thoughts, I made sure my defences were in place and generated the same distant sensation that I'd had before Natural Selection. On top of that, as I had done since before even arriving in the Core, I made sure my feelings on anything were buried deep behind my barriers, as far from the outermost edges of my thoughts where anyone could sense them. My mental defences weren't perfect, and if she pushed, she'd breach those walls and soon discover the truth of what I'd done and who I'd become, but to do that without proof was something no Jedi should ever do. Haran, even with proof it was something many had an issue with, which worked to my advantage here as I felt her gentle probe pull back.

"Hmm. If I did not know that you had learned to see past such issues, and thus let go of your feelings during our assignment to Zygerria I might find reason to wonder if you were truly ready to be a Knight. As I do know better, and you have yet to take a Padawan, I feel there is no issue."

"As you say, Master," I said slowly, lowering my head in her direction while keeping my amusement that she'd failed to sense anything amiss buried as deeply as I could. She wasn't on the Council, but might well be one day, so to allay her concerns so easily was a nice reassurance that the defences I'd crafted, and that Dooku had probed intently for flaws in the time we'd spent before coming here today, worked as intended.

"So that's why she asked about you." I turned to face Tedra at her comment, though before she replied I realised that I'd inadvertently copied Dooku and raised a single eyebrow in question. Something that drew a murmur of amusement from Shaak Ti. "Um," Tedra continued as she caught me looking at her, "we had to speak with a Zygerrian princess, and when there she asked Master Ti where you were."

"Miraj Scintel was able to provide several leads that proved beneficial in locating the slavers," Shaak Ti took over, "and freeing the Togruta they had already captured but not yet sold." Her smile grew as she continued. "The price of her help was, among other things, a request that I reach out to you and ask that you visit her when you next have the time to do so." She glanced at Tedra for a moment. "It seems that she has retained her interest in you; something that seems to be a recurring theme among many young females around your age."

"And what about those females who are slightly older, such as yourself?" I asked back, with perhaps a touch too much flirtatious undertone. I was pushing things in an odd direction, but that was simply to keep my thoughts clear of Miraj, Padmé, and their interactions with me and each other at the premiere of Fellowship of the Ring, or from the Co-Chancellors and wondering what machinations the Banite Sith had concocted while Anakin and I had been travelling and training.

Shaak Ti laughed gently in amusement and lightly patted my arm. "If I felt the urge to… indulge my instincts, then perhaps I might be interested in seeing if the interest you generate is deserved. Thankfully for you, I feel no such interest currently," she flashed me a smile, exposing her canines. "Togruta females can be quite… ferocious when excited." Those canines were not, as many falsely believed, poisonous, though many Togruta played into the myth for their amusement and benefit. Still, it was interesting that she was willing to, seemingly, respond to my flirtatious question in kind. Particularly with her Padawan present.

Tedra's feelings for me had lessened over the years, but they were still there and as she was entering puberty had evolved partly from ones of loyalty and trust into immature desire. I would never use her feelings to manipulate her, both because she was the same age as Anakin, and I remembered the scared young child I'd found looking for her mother when I'd first helped Dooku free the slaves that would found the Lokella.

"I have some experience with your species, Master," I replied with a knowing smirk as we exited the training room. "But I know that one as powerful as yourself would be a challenge that I don't yet feel ready to face," I added, drawing a chuckle from her. Bedding Shaak Ti was something I wouldn't deny I hadn't dreamed about. However, I knew it would never happen. First, because I was but a Knight while she was a Master, and now because my path led away from the Order any such encounter would turn ugly the moment my passions ran freely.

Pushing those thoughts back into the depths of my mind where they belonged, I turned and then bowed to her Padawan. "Tedra, it was good to see you again," I said with a warm smile. "I hope that our paths will cross again in the not-too-distant future."

Tedra smiled, banishing the grimace that had been there during the brief moments of flirting between myself and her Master. "And you, Knight Shan. Perhaps if we are both still present in the Temple after you finish your business at the Senate we might spar again?"

"Perhaps," I agreed, though I knew that after the meeting I would be out of the Temple post-haste. Even if the Council didn't have us escorted out by the Temple Guard, Dooku and I wanted off Coruscant as quickly as possible. Yes, the heists remained undetected, and the longer we remained present the greater the chance that as news of our choice to leave the Order spread, someone might try and link us to the missing holocrons once they were discovered to be absent from the vaults. "Until we meet again, may the Force be with you both."

"And with you, Knight Shan," Shaak Ti replied, drawing a nod of agreement from Tedra.

With that, I moved off. However, I didn't head towards the elevator that would carry me to the High Council chambers. Instead, I headed in the direction of the person that I had been wishing to speak with ever since I'd arrived in orbit of Coruscant and sensed her presence. Two years had passed since I'd last seen Serra being moved onboard a Republic cruiser, still unconscious after being removed from the bacta tank after her encounter with Maul, and while I was tentative about speaking with her, I knew I had to. This might be the last chance I got to do so while we were both members of the Order.

Before I stepped into the larger room where I could sense Serra and others present, I took a moment to centre myself. All the emotions that were swirling below the surface, every one of them focused on Serra, were pushed deep. I wasn't actively trying to nullify the connection I shared with her, but I could not let myself be guided by my feelings. Not when I could sense at least one Jedi Master inside.

The moment the doors slid open, the sounds of lightsabers clashing against each other reached me. Stepping inside silently, making sure to keep my presence as restrained as I could, I saw Serra standing in the main sparring circle in this larger room. She's facing off against, unluckily for me, Sia-Lan while they are being observed by, among others, Eeth Koth.

Master Koth had replaced Master Drallig as the Order's Battlemaster but unlike his predecessor, was still from what I knew, a member of the High Council. He, along with a handful of others acknowledged my presence with nods, which I returned, but my focus was on the pair of young ladies duelling inside the circle.

The pair were moving at an impressive pace; at least for Padawans. Serra's twin azure blades – of which one, I was pleased to note, was still a shoto – swirling around Sia-Lan's single blade. As I moved around, I made sure to remain hidden as best I could from their gazes. Yes, they were focused on each other as their lightsabers danced around, flowing from attack to defence and then back again with good, but not brilliant if I was being critical, style.

Sia-Lan rushed in, her blade sweeping high intent on striking Serra somewhere around her chest level. Serra easily deflected the attack with her main blade, and then as her opponent's blade was forced high, pushed forward with her shoto. The move, while successful in pushing Sia-Lan onto the backfoot, was flawed. The shorter blade of the shoto prevented Serra from fully exploiting the opening, still, it forced Sia-Lan to pull back her hand, which from the spark of excitement I felt from Serra before she squashed it, was what my oldest friend had intended.

Serra's main blade came around, overly dramatically and inefficiently in my opinion, forcing Sia-Lan to take several shifting steps backwards. The pair moved faster, Serra calling on aid from the Force to exploit her advantage and Sia-Lan – a hint of desperation in her request – using it to keep up with her friend's assault. Even as murmurs filled the room, coming from the younger Padawans, I continued to track the pair without effort. They were fast, but it was nothing compared to the speed I had used when sparring with Dooku recently, or even when I defeated Volfe Karkko.

Sia-Lan's blade came around, pushing away Serra's shoto before flicking out in a textbook Djem So counterstrike to force Serra's main to stop its impending attack and shift to counter the incoming threat. Even as Sia-Lan managed to stop that attack, Serra's shoto was adapting, coming in low and fast. That forced Sia-Lan to shift again, surrendering the hint of offence she'd gained with her earlier move.

As the pair continued their dance – and that was all it was as since neither was willing or capable of exploiting openings for a kill strike – it became clear to me that while Sia-Lan was good, Serra was now the better duellist. An interesting change from when I'd first met the pair around eleven years ago. There was a crispness to Serra's movements that was new to me, and I could easily see the teaching of Master Windu in how she looked for and then exploited an opening.

That said, while Serra soon had the spar won – a feint with her shoto drawing Sia-Lan's attention just long enough that Serra's main blade could strike her friend's shin – she failed to exploit a half-dozen openings I saw in the minute or so of the spar that I had observed. Each of them would've granted Serra victory, with only two in my estimation carrying anything more than a minor chance of suffering an injury in return. Of course, given that I had felt the same way when I'd last duelled Dooku on Gaia and, even though the strike had landed, I had failed to prepare for his kill strike, perhaps I was underplaying the threat that Serra would be under from any potential counter by Sia-Lan.

"Kriff!" The annoyed curse slipped from Sia-Lan as she felt Serra's blade press against her shin; only a quick shifting of her weight prevented her from tumbling to the mat. Low-powered the blades might be, but I knew well that they still stung, and a strike against the right point could see someone crumble to the ground.

Her irritation faded a fraction of a second later, the girl doing as Jedi were taught and releasing the negative sensations into the Force. While she did so, my focus shifted to Serra. There was a flicker of enjoyment at the spar and at defeating her friend, but it was less prominent than I had expected, even when considering what happened on Naboo.

The intervening years had been kind to her, and while it was hard to be certain of the physical changes she'd undergone because of her robes, from what I could determine she had matured into a beautiful young woman. One that, if I wasn't keeping a tight rein on my emotions, would spark my desire to claim again what had once been mine.

"You have both fought well," Master Koth said as he stepped into the sparring circle. The pair reacted quickly, powering down their blades, turning to the Battlemaster and lowering their heads slightly in respect even as he continued. "Padawan Wezz, you started well; committing to the offensive without making rash moves and managing to drive your opponent back. However, once you were forced on the defensive you surrendered agency and made your defeat inevitable." There was a faint ember of annoyance from the girl at the mention of her defeat, but as before, it was gone a fraction of a second later even as Master Koth turned to Serra.

"Padawan Keto, you were wise to wait and observe what your opponent was capable of. Your use of the dual blades is highly impressive for any in our Order, to say nothing of a Padawan. However, you allowed the spar to continue too far; avoiding opportunities that others would exploit for a faster, and potentially more conclusive, victory. Against an older or more dangerous opponent, such civility might cost you the day." His gaze shifted to me as he smirked. "Would you not agree, Knight Shan?"

I ignored what was likely not a jab at my aggressive tendency in spars, and instead focused on the pair as they spun at realising I was present. For a fraction of a second, as our eyes met, I felt Sia-Lan's anger spike. A hint, that disappeared before I could consider it fully, of her still blaming me for events on Naboo, or that I had managed to approach without her knowledge. Regardless of whether it was one of those reasons or another I was unaware of, I gave it little thought, my focus instead on my oldest and dearest friend in this life.

Even though I knew she didn't want it to happen, the emotions that burst from her for a moment through our bond appeared over her face. Joy, fear, resentment, and relief all mingled in her expression and her Force presence as her eyes locked onto mine. Even as she regained control of herself, I reached out through our bond, curious as to how she would react. She responded, but there was some trepidation in her reaction which caused the concern in me that we were drifting apart to grow stronger.

I turned to Master Koth and nodded. "I would, Master Koth. However, the training of Padawans is the responsibility of their Masters, or yourself as Battlemaster and those assigned to assist you. As I'm not currently working in that role, I would be reluctant to offer any unsolicited advice."

Koth smirked for some reason at my response. "A wise choice to take. However, you once helped the former Battlemaster train Initiates, and as a contemporary of the two Padawans, and the first Jedi to defeat a Sith in generations, I am curious to hear your thoughts on the spar."

I allowed a glimmer of a smile to brush over my lips, pleased that at least one Council member believed Maul was a Sith. I pushed aside the pride I felt at that moment, suspecting he had said it to determine if I was overly proud and dwelling on my victory. While I was, the fact I'd had to rely on equipment to take Maul down rankled me, and at some point soon I intended to speak with the Zabrak, and if I felt ready, challenge him again to a duel. This time testing my ability with the Force and a lightsaber against his.

I lowered my head, accepting his wisdom, even while ignoring the fact he'd intentionally brought up Master Drallig with Serra present; something I knew was a test for both of us in separate ways. "I only arrived just before Padawan Keto took control of the spar, so I cannot comment on anything before that, Battlemaster." I used his title as a mark of respect, and to make clear I understood this was his domain.

Koth inclined his head, accepting my logic, before I continued. "I would concur that Padawan Wezz, once she lost the initiative, failed to retake it. There were a handful of moments where she either tried to, or could've attempted to shift the narrative of the spar, but none were taken successfully." I looked at Sia-Lan. "If the opening is there, and you feel you are losing, there is no shame in trying innovative approaches or taking a risk while sparring. If you don't learn what you are capable of here, then if ever faced with a true opponent outside the Temple's walls, you'll never survive."

Sia-Lan stared at me for a few seconds before lowering her head in acceptance of her words. That allowed me to turn my full attention back to Serra. "Padawan Keto. As Battlemaster Koth stated, you failed to take advantage of opportunities that presented themselves. Perhaps you did not see them clearly or did not feel comfortable taking them. However, against a more capable opponent than your fellow Padawan, such hesitation may well mean death."

I disliked having to put her down for her actions, but to not do so would draw Master Koth's focus. Perhaps it would even cause me issues when I spoke with the Council later. Also, I was not going to hold my remarks towards Serra, as her form, while decent, left a lot to be desired. Since I'd last seen her fight, I felt she'd lost something. As if that spark of creativity and passion that had driven her to try and keep up with my abilities had vanished into the Force along with whatever emotional guilt she carried about the death of Master Drallig.

Serra held my gaze for perhaps a few seconds longer than she was meant to, and I could feel the conflicting emotions warring within her. She was doing a decent job of keeping them contained, but via our bond, it was a simple matter for me to sense her feelings, though I chose to not react to any of them currently.

"Padawans Wezz and Keto, please leave the circle. Padawans Marek and Hett, step forward."

I stepped back from the circle, watching as the two Padawans that I knew were replaced by a pair of human males. As much as I wanted to head over to Serra, I couldn't. I had to be patient and allow her the time to come to me. I watched silently, slipping towards one of the walls in the room, as the pair moved to a bench, speaking quietly to each other as they collected their belongings.

There was apprehension from both, which was entirely understandable. The last time I'd spoken to Sia-Lan she'd blamed me for the death of Master Drallig, and I knew from Tedra and Rachi Sitra – who I'd not managed to speak with today as I sensed she wasn't in the Temple currently – she had been doing that for at least a year after. I'd stopped asking about Sia-Lan since, so I was uncertain if she still held that blame, but from what I could sense there was understandably far less animosity from her than when I'd last seen her.

As for Serra, her apprehension was easier to determine. It was all centred around Naboo and the death of Master Drallig. I'd wanted her to stay away, my visions hinting at what would happen, yet her vision had shown her my death if she wasn't at my side on Naboo, and that along with her invoking her status as Mando'ade was why I, selfishly and foolishly, allowed her to stay.

Eventually, the pair moved slowly towards me, Sia-Lan glancing at Serra with her eyes as they neared, which I took as a sign that she didn't want to speak with me, but was concerned for our mutual friend. "Knight Shan," Sia-Lan began once the pair were closer, "I wish to apologise for my behaviour two years ago on…" she gave Serra a sidelong glance, "Naboo. I was out of line in blaming you for Master Drallig's death. You didn't act with any intent for a member of the Order to die, and from what I have learnt, only gathered the forces you did after the Council chose to not provide support."

"Thank you, Padawan Wezz," I responded gently. If things were different, I might speak to her more; perhaps see if the friendship we once shared could be restored. However, I wasn't here for her, and we both knew it.

"Right, so, um," Sia-Lan coughed as her eyes bounced between me and Sera. "I, uh, I promised to help Rann with… something." With her rather clumsy attempt to extract herself from the situation taken, she walked away, though I caught her eyes lingering on both Serra and me. It was nice that things between us were settled, but I felt that once events of today reached her, Sia-Lan's interest in renewing our friendship would be shattered, and if, as I was now heavily certain of, I ended up opposing the GAR then the next time we saw each other might well be as adversaries.

The air between Serra and I grew tense. I stood there, looking down at her waiting for her to speak first while I could sense she was warring with her thoughts about how to begin the discussion we both knew was coming. That said, there was more I had to say that she realised.

"Why?"

Serra's single word came as her eyes finally came to meet mine. "Why didn't you check up on me after Naboo, after my…" she paused, and I felt her emotions flaring behind the barriers she had created to hide them from almost everyone else. With our bond, those barriers couldn't keep me out easily, but I made no move to react, wanting her to get everything out as best she could. "After Master Drallig died?" She finished.

"I did try to contact you," I replied softly, my hand twitching as I fought the urge to reach out for her. Ideally, this conversation could take place somewhere private, such as the spot in the rooftop gardens where we'd spent many an evening talking about everything and anything or simply enjoying the view in each other's company. "At first, the Council of First Knowledge placed you in seclusion, and so every call I made to the Temple was redirected to others. Then, after Master Windu took over your training, any time I tried to contact you, I was told that I couldn't speak with you; that I had to go through him."

"And what about after that?" She shot back, barely able to contain the venom raging in her feelings. "Why didn't you try to call me?"

"I did!" I shot back, my own emotions bubbling. I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep breath, pushing down deeply whatever emotions I couldn't expel into the Force. I couldn't risk losing my control here, not with Master Koth and others present and likely quietly observing us. If we were in the rooftop gardens, or even in a room to ourselves, I might let some of my emotions slide out; and let her understand that I raged at being denied access to her. However, that simply wasn't possible.

"I tried to contact you," I continued once I'd regained my centre, "But as I said, each time I reached out to the Temple, I was directed to Master Windu and the one time I came back to Coruscant, I called and discovered that you and your new Master were off world."

"I… I saw you on the Holonet," She said slowly. "You looked comfortable with the Chancellors and others, but I knew you didn't."

"I wasn't, and not just because I don't have the patience for politics," That drew a weak smile from her, "but because I couldn't see you." Again, my hand twitched, wanting to reach out of hers, but I restrained myself. However, it seemed she saw the movement as her eyes darted down and the smile grew slightly. "Where did you go?"

"Master Windu took me to another Jedi complex in the Outer Rim. Somewhere that he said would help me come to terms fully with what happened to Master Drallig."

"And did it?" I asked, taking a step closer, but staying just outside her personal space.

"Enough that I'm able to continue my training as a Jedi," she replied coolly. Even with what I could sense through our bond, she was keeping her emotions as in check as she could, which was making it hard for me to get a good read on her, and where we now stood. "That I might one day become a Jedi Knight and…" She looked down for a moment before continuing in a whisper, "Stand beside you." With her words, I felt some of the walls she'd created to contain her emotions slip and sensed her feelings for me through our bond.

I smiled at her omission, and opened a small hole in my barriers; enough that she could sense my feelings for her through the Force. "I do not doubt that you'll be great at whatever you choose to be," I said before reaching out to her mentally. [I've missed you, and I'm sorry for… everything.]

"It is an honour to have your faith in my abilities, Knight Shan." [I… I've missed you too, and know now that you weren't at fault for what happened. The Force, it… it has a plan, and we all have roles to play within it.] She looked down. "How is your hand?"

I lifted my left arm, letting her see the replacement limb, the ripples in the beskar causing her eyes to widen in surprise. "I've adapted," I began with a chuckle. "There's still some phantom pain, but it's mostly minor now and doesn't cause me any issues. Even though this has a few hidden tricks," [some I think you'd enjoy] "it is a constant reminder to me of what I… what we lost." Her hand came out to touch the metal, getting a feel for the replacement. [The Force tricked us, Serra. It showed me your possible death if you came to Naboo, and showed you mine if you didn't come. It knew only one of them could come true, yet used us to get what it wanted.] I turned my wrist and let the mechanical fingers slide against her palm. [Then and now, I'd gladly lay down my life to protect you. I want you to be happy and safe.] I stopped there, not wanting to say too much, and let my feelings for her, the Order, and everything slide into her bond. If she knew what I intended, she would have a choice to make, and I didn't want to put her on the spot about that. Not just yet. "How is the training with Master Windu going?" I asked as I pulled back my hand, aware of where we were.

A flicker of desire flashed in her eyes, and I felt her emotions spike before she regained control of herself. While no one could overhear us, her response if based on what I'd said openly, would draw some concerning queries. "It is… different to how Master Drallig trained me," She replied, a hint of sadness in her tone. [I want you to be happy as well, Cam. But I trust in the Force and the plan it has for us. We have to accept that, even if it is the one that keeps us apart.] "He's different from what I expected as well."

"How so?" I asked as my brow rose in response to both her answers. "[I'm not sure I can accept that, Serra. Not only are you my oldest and dearest friend but… I care deeply for you.] I let a flicker of my feelings for her travel along our bond and watched as her face brightened at what she felt. Yes, perhaps I shouldn't be choosing to be so open with her, not with where I was and what I would soon be doing, but I wasn't going to lie to her about my feelings for her.

Around us, the Force moved in a way I'd come to recognize as a hint that something was happening. I pushed down my fears over what that meant as it was clear Serra was content with the Order currently, but in the deepest parts of my heart, I knew things had changed between us. Perhaps in ways that could never be overcome.

"He's stricter than Master Drallig, and yet not. Forceful yet patient beyond measure in a way I'd never realised before." She looked away and a small smile came to her face before she returned her gaze to me. [I care for you deeply as well, Cam, but we're Jedi.] Through our bond I felt her feelings in response to mine; the same desire and compassion that had been there for years remained, but it was now… constrained. [However, such thoughts, such feelings… they can lead us down dangerous roads, such as the one that cost me my former Master.] She looked down, unable to meet my gaze. [I'm not sure I can travel on those roads with you.] "He's so different when training me than how he appears when a member of the Council."

I forced a chuckle from my lips, acting along to what she was saying with her lips, and not what was said in our minds. "Yeah, Master Windu is something of a contradiction." [ I want you by my side, Serra, today and every day after. Whatever happened to the young, energetic, and passionate girl who stole my heart while believing emotions weren't something to fear?] "For the longest time, I felt he hated me, but as I've grown and matured, I understand he doesn't. He's just very… set in his ways about what is best for the Republic and the Order."

"Yes, he's very clear in believing that the Republic is the greatest source of protection, outside the Order, that we have against the returning Sith." Her fingers shifted, drawing my attention, and I assumed it was her fighting the urge to reach for me again, just as I was restraining myself from touching her again as well. [I'm still the same person, Cam, and I never stopped caring for you, not even when,] she paused for a moment, [ when I blamed you incorrectly for Master Drallig's death. That was the fault of the Sith and their corruption of the Force and not because of you.] I kept my emotions in check, knowing I was to blame in part for what happened on Naboo. [I still care for you deeply. More so than I should as a Jedi. I just… I accept that the Force is the one that will determine if we are to remain as connected as we once were or not.]

I couldn't keep a faint, primal growl from slipping from my lips at Serra's mental words. Hearing her place our fate in the hands of the Force, something that cared precisely fuck all about anyone in the galaxy when it came to finding its ideal of balance, infuriated me. This wasn't something Serra had accepted before; this wasn't the same woman I'd fallen in love with in the years leading up to Naboo. I had to try something, but it was risky. [Why should we let it play us like toys in whatever insane game it is creating? What… what if we left the Order together? The Force wants us to be together, Serra, I know that in my heart and I know you know that too.]

Serra blinked and then, much to my disappointment shuffled back a fraction. I felt her probe my thoughts along our bond. She wasn't powerful enough to overcome my defences, but I knew that preventing her access would damage what we had. Or perhaps more accurately, what we had left. Thus, I allowed her in just enough to sense my feelings for her, and how much I wanted her with me, though I hid everything about my plans for the future. Plans that began today.

[Cam,] her words in my mind seemed remorseful and concerned, [that isn't how a Jedi should think, and as much as we might not agree with the way the Order behaves, we are Jedi. We serve the Force and the Council in their judgement of how best to help the Force while keeping the galaxy safe from evil.]

[Is the galaxy safe?] I asked her, aware that we were now standing around silently while others moved around the room, the two Padawans sparring inside the circle to, I hoped, distract everyone's attention. [Can you really say that the Republic serves the people?]

[I believe so.]

[Then what about Naboo? Or Galidraan or the Lokella, or the countless other events happening within the borders of the Republic where the Jedi and the Republic have stood by and done nothing, or worse, helped those causing harm and suffering to others retain their power? Is that the will of the Force at work? How can the Order claim to serve the Light when it allows the interests of sentients only interested in their self-worth – in the Senate and elsewhere – to dictate Republic law?]

Serra blinked, and I realised I'd allowed perhaps a touch too much of my rage at the impotency of the Republic and the Order to slip through our bond. She moved closer, and uncaring if anyone saw, placed a hand on my forearm. [Cam… what has happened to you? I can sense you've changed since Naboo. Not just in what you're willing to say but…] She closed her eyes, and I felt her reaching through the bond again, but this time I denied her access to what she sought in my psyche. Her eyes opened; her shock clear in them. [Cam… what has happened to you? Why won't you let me see?]

[A lot's happened to me since Naboo. Some good, some bad, but everything that's happened has helped shape me into who I am today, and I'm proud of what I've become.] I replied to her mentally as I moved my hand and placed it on top of hers. [I… I need you to accept that, and promise me that what I'm about to say you won't reveal to anyone for a few days. Not even if asked directly about it.]

[Of course.]

The instant response from her, showing that she still trusted me, made me smile broadly. Even as I felt more certain that at least for now, if not for a long time, our paths were about to diverge, it was reassuring that she retained her trust in me. I wanted to see if that was still higher than the Order, but I wasn't going to use Observe just yet; not when she might be able to sense it and thus derail what I was about to discuss. [I… I have a Padawan,] there was a mental gasp, but the only outward response was a widening of her eyes, [who I've also adopted in Mando'ade tradition.] She blinked, and I saw in the mind the image of Bo rush to the fore. [No,] I continued with a smirk, [Bo hasn't adopted him, nor is she pregnant.] At least, I'd not heard from her or Naz to suggest that they might be carrying my child in the months since I'd last enjoyed their company.

[Oh.] For the briefest of moments, I thought I sensed something from her mind. Relief mixed with disappointment and even a hint of desire, but she pushed it away before I could determine what I'd sensed.

[My son, I found him among the Lokella, like with Tedra. I didn't adopt him then and there. He had a mother and they'd only just been freed from slavery. But… when we fought on Naboo, and the Lokella came to my aid, others took advantage.] There was a small spike in concern from her. [Master Dooku and those that remained managed to defeat the attackers but not without cost. The boy's… Anakin's mother died, and I felt it happen when I fought Maul.]

Her hand slipped from my forearm and slid down to touch the cool beskar of my replacement. [When did this happen?]

[Before the Council came to Naboo, and while you were in the bacta, I returned to the Lokella. The Force… I felt it shift as I consoled the boy, and understood I was to take him as my Padawan, and my ad. It wanted him trained with both the Force and as a warrior.]

[The Council would not approve of this,] Serra replied even as a weak smile slipped onto her features. [Much as they haven't agreed with many things you've done.]

I matched her smile as I replied. [No, they wouldn't. Which is why I wanted your promise before I told you about this.] She gave me a small nod and the sensors in my replacement limb felt her press a touch more for a moment. [I've been training him for the last two years and… Serra, training and raising him...] I felt my smile widen. [ It's brought a joy to my life that I'd never known I was missing. Yes, there have been a few moments of concern, not least an encounter with Trandoshan hunters.] Her fingers tightened around my limb at the mention of that species as she was aware of my issues with them dating back to my verd'goten. [However, it is through him that I've finally found the path I need to walk and am at peace with it. However, it… it leads me away from Coruscant, or more accurately, from the Order.]

Serra stepped back, her hand shifting from my wrist to her mouth. Around us I could sense a few people turning our way, no doubt sensing the shock from her before she schooled her features, lowered her hand, and claimed her emotions. "Cam," she said softly, so much so that I struggled to hear her, never mind anyone else in the chamber, even if the rhythmic sound of lightsabers clashing against us wasn't filling the air. "Are you sure about this?"

"I am," I replied, taking a step forward and grasping both her hands with mine. "That's why I'm in the Temple today. However, before I face the Council, I had to speak with you. I had hoped you'd come with me, but I can sense now that you won't. Your path remains with the Order. At least for now." Part of me feared that her path would never reconverge with mine, but I wasn't going to dwell on that, not when I could instead spend these last few minutes with her.

Even though I knew it was dangerous, I found myself struggling to not tell her everything that had happened to me. I wanted to detail the training I'd undergone, with the various groups and Force sects across the galaxy, and even what I'd learnt from Adas' holocron. However, I knew I couldn't, not unless she left the Order with me. Instead, I needed to make it clear to her how deeply I cared for her and would continue to do so, so that once T'ra Saa worked out it was me who defeated Karkko by drawing on the Force in the way I had, Serra wouldn't condemn me. If that was the case, then perhaps, just perhaps, there was a chance that she might one day choose to follow me on a path that led away from the Order and the Republic.

I allowed some of my true feelings for her to slip along our bond. [I love you, Serra, and I always will. However, I cannot stand idly by as the Order and the Republic are led to devastation by the Sith. You know there's a darkness coming, you've felt it too.] She nodded, showing she remembered at least what I'd mentioned to her long ago about the darkness that was slowly engulfing the galaxy. [The Council knows about it, about the Sith and the threat they pose to the galaxy. Yet in the last two years, not once have I heard of them doing anything to try and find these Sith. Not once have I been contacted for a follow-up regarding our fight with the Zabrak on Naboo. It feels as if they are willingly choosing to ignore the threat.]

[They're not, Cam. I... I've spoken with Master Windu a little on the matter and he assures me the Council is aware of the threat and working to locate and defeat the Sith.]

[Maybe they are, maybe they aren't, but I know I have to do more than just let them handle the matter. I need to protect those I care about,] I gave her hands a gentle squeeze. [You, Anakin, Bo, and others matter so much to me. I need to prepare for what's coming so that I can do everything I can to keep you all safe. And that is a path the Order cannot support me on.]

I released her hands and took a step back because as much as I wanted to maintain such proximity to her, I knew I couldn't. Not here and not now. [Whatever happens in the future, whether I can convince the eddies and currents of the Force to reunite our paths or not, I… I hope and need you to understand that everything I've done, everything I'm going to do, no matter what you might hear from others or on the Holonet, I'm doing it for the greater good.]

There was a flash in the Force from her; one that only I could sense due to our bond. An understanding came over her that I was, at least to her mind, considering waging war on the Sith. She moved forward a fraction, her hands coming up before she stopped herself. A glance towards the sparring circle, and Master Koth, made clear she understood we couldn't be as expressive as we wanted.

As her eyes focused on mine, seeking a glimmer of a hint of whatever plan I was preparing I felt her reaching out through our bond. She wanted to know what I was going to do. Wanted to see if she could help. I, however, denied her the answer she sought. She wasn't ready to hear what I had to say. Not concerning my plans or the path I was on. Not now.

Her shoulders slumped at me closing off my mind from her probe. "I understand," she said softly as her gaze fell to the floor and felt something inside her Force signature shift; perhaps fatally altering what we shared. [I promise that I'll always keep an open mind about whatever it is you do, Cam. I swear it by the Force, and… and on what we shared.]

I felt my smile return, though it was nowhere near as wide as before. I moved forward and tenderly brushed a lock of hair from her face. "Thank you," I whispered as I pulled my hand back. "May the Force be with you and keep you safe, my love."

With my part said, I turned and started walking towards the door. This hadn't gone as well as I'd hoped, but also not as badly as I'd feared. Still, I knew that for now at least, Serra wouldn't be a part of my life and that hurt me deeply. I closed my eyes and pushed down the flames of anger I could feel bubbling in the depths of my soul. This wasn't her fault, nor would it serve anyone if I lost control of my emotions while inside the Temple.

[I love you.]

Her words sent over our bond stopped me mid-stride. I turned just enough so I could see her.

She was standing where I'd left her, her hands clasped firmly at her sides; her knuckles white as they grasped her robes for support. I knew she wanted to run to me, to embrace me, but that she couldn't or wouldn't. The words she said were true and pure, and I couldn't help but feel a warmth spread through me knowing she felt for me as I did for her.

[I know,] I sent back to her, opening enough of myself that she could feel what she meant to me. I knew Master Koth and others would sense it as well. However, given I was leaving her here, and the Force was swirling around us, I felt he'd believe that it was just us finally letting go of our feelings for each other, and not saying what could very well be a final goodbye.

With everything said that needed to be, a warm but melancholy smile on her face, I turned back and resumed walking towards the door. In the sparring circle, the two Padawans were nearing the end of their fight. Both, from what little I'd caught of the spar, had potential, but I wasn't going to hang around and offer an opinion on their performance.

A nod was sent to Master Koth, one he returned with an understanding smile as if he knew what had been discussed and was pleased we were committing ourselves properly to the Order. I fought back a spike of fury at him falsely believing that and kept walking towards the door. Once there I paused mid-step.

Part of me wanted to turn, to run back to Serra and take her with me, but the larger part – the more rational and controlled part – understood I couldn't. She wasn't ready to make that step, and might never be. I resumed walking, stepping from the room and potentially consigning Serra and everything we'd shared and that I felt for her to my past.

There was no going back on the path I was choosing. I was committed to it, and I wasn't going to falter at the first major challenge. My fate, my destiny, was in my hands. Not that of the Order, the Republic, or the Force. The time of the first two, at least in their current forms, was ending. What I had to do was prepare for the chaos that came with the end of days; to work to ensure that the line of Darth Bane ended with Sidious and Plagueis and that something stronger, fairer, and more fortified rose in the place of the Republic, the Empire, and whatever came after.

… …

---

… …
(Mace Windu POV)
As he sat with the other members of the Council who were present in their chambers, Mace Windu could sense the Force shifting around them; growing heavy with expectation as they awaited the arrival of the two Jedi who had requested this meeting. Currently, nine of the Council were present with Master Gallia occupied with helping the Chancellors handle a resolution in the Senate, Master Billaba off-world training her Padawan, and Master Poof settling a dispute between Corellia and Alderaan.

The passing thought of his former Padawan, Depa Billaba, had Windu's mind turn to his current and highly unexpected charge. Unlike Depa, Serra Keto was not one Windu had chosen as an Initiate to become one of his Padawans. He had only taken the young woman on to complete her training after the death of Windu's close friend, Master Drallig. Windu wished to see Cin's final student become a Jedi Knight, though at first Windu could admit that in hindsight he had been uncertain if Padawan Keto's path were to remain with the Order.

When he had first spoken with Padawan Keto after she emerged from the bacta tank following the death of Master Drallig, Windu could tell just from looking at her that she was at a defining moment in her life. The use of Shatterpoint had only reinforced that, with two potential pathways possible for her. She was, understandably despondent about the death of her Master and verging on leaving the Order. Windu saw that such a path would lead not just to her demise, but weaken the Order in some way he could not fully perceive.

Because of that, Windu had stepped in, and beyond arguing for her to continue her training as a Jedi. Many on the High Council and Council of First Knowledge were against it, feeling her irrational behaviour had led to the death of Master Drallig, but in the end, Windu had managed to convince Master Vilbum, Caretaker of First Knowledge that Padawan Keto should remain with the Order and that he would take over her training.

Knowing she faced great hardship to accept the death of her former Master, Windu had placed her in isolation in the Temple, denying her contact with any in the Order bar himself while she communed with the Force. She, like many younger Jedi, was over-eager and prone to emotional reactions to tense situations. Something that contributed to the death of Master Cin Drallig when she had chosen to sneak away from the Temple and go to the aid of her friend, Knight Shan, as he gathered forces to do what the Senate and Order could or would not, and liberate Naboo.

Windu accepted Cin's death. Yes, he had been a friend, and someone important in Windu's eyes to the safety and security of the Order and Republic. However, it was the will of the Force that Knight Shan moved to help the Naboo when the Senate would not, and from that, events led to Master Drallig's death. Without those series of seemingly unconnected events, though Windu understood that it had been another Shatterpoint centred around Knight Shan, the Order would remain unaware of the fact the Sith had returned and were now, at least in that one battle, acting openly against the Republic.

Yes, along with the rest of the High Council, and many other senior members of the Order, Windu knew the Dark Side was rising. The disruption of the Seers to glimpse the future had grown weaker each year in the last ten. But until the defeat of the Zabrak by Knight Shan – another moment that Windu considered pivotal in the fate of the galaxy though he was as yet uncertain as to why – the Council had lacked proof. Now they had it, but to Windu, they dithered on how to handle the issue correctly.

Many members, along with those in the Senate, such as the Co-Chancellors, who had been made aware of the return of the Sith, believed that it was prudent to be cautious. To not let the Sith know they had been discovered. As such, while many in the Temple had heard that Knight Shan had defeated a Sith on Naboo, the Council had publicly determined that it was a rogue sentient and not the return of the Order's ancient enemy. That, to Windu, was a mistake and one he argued against to this day to little avail as the majority of the Council disagreed that more direct action was needed. Without proof, be that which was denied by the disappearance of the Zabrak's body and the then mysterious and seemingly accidental death of Viceroy Gunray of the Trade Federation or from other as yet undiscovered sources, of a clear sign from the Force of the danger the Sith represented, the majority of the Council chose to be cautiously vigilant.

That, along with the potential he sensed in her, and the silent promise he made himself to finish the work his departed friend had begun, was why he took over Padawan Keto's training. While the Shatterpoint of her choice between staying with the Order or stepping away had been resolved, Windu understood another one lay in her future. One centred, as many events seemed to be, around Knight Shan.

Windu fought back a frown as had been the case ever since this meeting was requested, his thoughts turned to Knight Shan. The young man was one of the Order's most potentially powerful members; one who might even surpass his record of being the youngest Master since the Ruusan Reformation. However, because of all that potential, and perhaps more, Knight Shan was a Shatterpoint of untold complexity and seemingly infinite possibilities. One that beyond giving Windu migraines that lingered for a week every time he tried to comprehend what he could see within the Force, made it clear Shan had to be taken in and taught by the Order.

Shan had a lineage to his name; one that flowed with both sides of the Force. While that concerned many, it was the complexity of the Shatterpoint that he was that made Windu certain that Shan had to be trained. Yes, he was far older than most Initiates taken in, though not the oldest. Indeed, mere months after the events on Naboo, the son of a former Knight, A'Sharad Hett had been taken as a Padawan by Master Mundi at the age of ten. Yes, Padawan Hett's father had been a Jedi Knight and had taught his son the ways of the Order, but Knight Shan was not unique in being accepted into the Order late. Yes, his high midi-chlorian count was unusual, being more than Master Yoda's and his. However, a high count did not guarantee someone would become a Jedi nor if they did become one of the Order, that they would one day become a Master or even a member of this or one of the other Councils.

Still, with all that the Force had clearly brought him to the Temple from the past, many in the Order and on the Council were reluctant to take him in. His name, the killing of a Sith apprentice as revenge for his grandfather's death – something Shan denied had affected his reasoning yet Windu still questioned to this day– the fact the Dark Side had suddenly clouded the ability of the Jedi to see potential futures, and other minor things made others cautious. Windu, thanks to his gift, knew the truth.

If they allowed Shan to depart, if they chose to not train him, then his path was clouded in darkness. One that would engulf the galaxy in such despair that it may never recover. The sheer scale of the Shatterpoint that Shan was, and the potential for harm he could bring to the Republic and Order, meant that if Windu were a weaker man, he would've argued for Shan's execution or at least imprisonment.

Windu, however, was not a weak man. He was a Jedi Master and current Master of the Order, and he had argued, vicariously at times, with the rest of the Council for the training of Shan. It had taken effort, many on the Council were concerned about the potential danger of allowing someone with Shan's lineage and from such an ancient, uncivilised time, to be trained as a Jedi, but in the end, Windu had convinced enough of the Council that Shan was accepted by a decision of eight to four. While those four, two of which remained on the Council to this day, remained doubtful of Shan, the actions of the first Initiate, then Padawan, and now Knight had proven Windu's belief that the boy should be trained.

He had impressed in the Initiate Trials, showing a rate of growth in his abilities that Windu had only ever seen in a rare few, to say nothing of mastering unusual Force abilities at an age when none should even be attempting them. He forged a connection with one of Windu's oldest friends, Master Dooku, which had helped ease whatever concerns Dooku had been experiencing.

For a long time, Windu had sensed the Force shifting around Master Dooku, so much so that Windu had felt an impending Shatterpoint forming within Dooku. Yet after taking on Shan to train alongside Master Fay – another that had seemed distant from the Order but was now working to rediscover the ancient homeworld of the Order – Master Dooku had grown more centred; the Shatterpoint that was forming in him shifting to become one linked intrinsically to Shan. That event alone would have convinced Windu he was right in arguing for Shan's training, but it was the first of many events that centred around the young Jedi that proved his path lay with the Force and the Republic.

Shan formed connections quickly with those around him, including one that factored into the swirling possibilities around Windu's new Padawan. While that concerned several in the Council and elsewhere in the Order, Windu saw it as a strength. Shan was important to the future of the galaxy. Each time he had stepped before the Council, Windu had sensed the prospect of a brighter, fairer Republic and Order in the maelstrom of possibilities that Shan was intrinsically linked to grow ever stronger. Those, like Padawan Keto, only helped to fuel that potential for a better future and Windu was content to allow it to happen.

That said, even as Shan formed his connections, the Force was intent on testing him. Some of which Windu could approve of how Shan handled them, others he did not, but each pushed the young man beyond what he was. By the Force, several of the events would have challenged a Jedi Knight or even a Master, yet Shan had faced them emerging stronger and more ready for what lay ahead.

Still, some of the events, such as Shan's capture by the Bando Gora, had caused Windu to grow concerned. The Council's decision to not offer Master Dooku help in freeing his Padawan – something Windu had argued for but been outvoted on – had been a mistake. It had created a small fissure between the Council and the then Padawan Shan, and drew him closer to the Mandalorians and Master Dooku. Yes, two Jedi – Knight Vos and Padawan Secura – had assisted Master Dooku, but that was only because they were working on investigations that overlapped before Shan's capture.

Shan's decision and one Padawan Keto had also taken, to willingly choose to join the ranks of the Mandalorians was one Windu did not approve of. Beyond the potential for split loyalties, the Mandalorians had a history of challenging the Republic and Order while Shan shared a connection to them through his ancestor, Revan. Yes, the Mandalorians had, at least until recently, been far more supportive of the Republic than they historically had been, they were still a culture with opinions that often ran diametrically opposed to the Order and the will of the Force.

Still, Shan had grown stronger for that trial, and from capture by the Bando Gora; an organisation that was now, based on the reports of Master Dooku and Knight Vos, been shattered and removed as a possible thorn in the side of the Republic and Jedi. It had also, in ways Windu had only come to understand, prepared Shan for what he faced on Zonama Sekot.

There Shan had faced a race that he believed came from outside the galaxy. Master Fay, who had been with Shan at the time, disagreed with that assessment, as had most of the Council, but using his gift, Windu had sensed that there was the potential that Shan was correct. Still, the months-long campaign he, along with a Mandalorian who had been accompanying him at the time – one Windu suspected Shan had been intimate with – had fought to protect the inhabitants of the world, and then, in a display of fortitude that Windu highly approved of, fought and defeated the leader of this alien invasion force in single combat to save the lives of the inhabitants and drive the invaders.

Yes, there were issues about the events that followed, not least the fact the world was not where Master Fay and Knight Shan had said it had been, but the fact Shan had placed the lives of others above his own, even willing to die to protect them from darkness, was an action worthy of a true Jedi. As were many events that came after, all of which, Windu understood now, had been the Force preparing Shan for Naboo…

Before he could once again consider that fateful invasion, and everything that had come from it, Windu leaned back in his chair. Just outside the Council Chambers, he felt the presence of two familiar Jedi. The stronger, yet more reserved and calm – as if seeing the hardened edge of a vibroblade – was that of Master Dooku. The other, in the same oddly detached way, though Windu noticed that it was not quite as detached as before, but impressively powerful – as if looking at a distant, intense star from a great distance – came from Knight Shan.

The pair stepped into the chambers purposefully, and as they moved to the centre of the large, circular room, Windu felt they were firm in whatever they wished to speak of, and that the Force was alert to something.

"Master Dooku, an audience with the Council you have requested. Of importance, something you have to tell us?" Yoda asked, the lack of the pretend uncertainty he often used made clear to Windu that the Grandmaster of the Order sensed the way the Force was reacting to the presence of these two in these chambers as well.

Dooku lowered his head slowly, and Windu felt a sense of melancholy in his friend's movements. Oh, there was little that most could see in the way Dooku moved, spoke, and reacted but after decades of friendship, Windu knew what minor signs to look for to sense the mood of his fellow Jedi Master.

"We have, Master Yoda," Dooku replied as he stood at the centre of the chamber. He took a moment, looking around at each member of the Council; an action that caused the Force to shift further, and as Dooku looked at him, Windu used his gift to try and glean an insight into what was occurring.

For the first time since Galidraan, Master Dooku was not on the verge of becoming or experiencing a Shatterpoint. No, whatever the moment was in his fate, it had already passed. What remained was one clear, certain path. Yes, there were potential moments along it that Windu felt could be new points of importance, but in this moment in time and space, Dooku was resolute in what he was doing, and left nothing for Windu to try and exploit for the benefit of the Order.

Yet, while it was clear that the moment in Dooku's fate had passed, what was also clear was that the filaments of energy that connected Dooku to Knight Shan had grown firmer. Windu's brow rose at that, as it meant the fate of one was, at least for the time being, linked to the other, yet he remained uncertain of what that meant for the Order, and potentially for the Republic. If it were any other Jedi, Windu would believe that Dooku had formed an emotional connection with Shan, one akin to father and child, yet he knew Dooku did not see people in the same way as others, so Windu was uncertain what the powerful connection meant beyond that it affected both of them and the Council on this day.

"As many of you are aware, for many years I had been… uncertain about my direction in life and my place in the Order," Dooku continued after his gaze had returned to Yoda, his former Master. "When I felt the Force guide me to Cameron," Windu's brow rose fractionally at the use of Knight Shan's given name as such a thing was not something Dooku used often in public discussions, "those uncertainties faded away as I worked diligently with Master Fay to train him into becoming the Knight that stands before you today."

"His presence as one of our youngest ever Jedi Knights is a testament to the teaching of yourself and Master Fay," Master Mundi offered, drawing a lowering of Dooku's head in acceptance of the praise.

"However, once his training was complete, those uncertainties returned and for the last two-plus years, I have been considering what path I will follow. In recent months, I have come to the realisation of where that path is leading me and that is why, with great reluctance, I must submit my resignation from the Order."

There was no major outward response to Dooku's intent to become the twentieth Jedi Master to leave the Order in the last few millennia. However, within the shared mental communication chamber the Council had, Windu felt surprise, shock, and from Yoda, resignation, at hearing Dooku's proclamation. He turned his head to the Grandmaster, the Jedi who had trained Dooku to knighthood.

Within the Force, Windu saw that the connection that had once been resolute between the former Master and Padawan was, while still there, fading. Dooku had chosen to sever his bond with Yoda when he stepped into the chamber, making clear his intent to leave the Order. The diminutive and ancient Grandmaster seemed to slump into his chair, showing his age and slowly diminishing vitality. "Certain of this, you are?" Yoda asked slowly, his eyes locked on Dooku, and for once looking every one of his multiple centuries.

"I am," Dooku replied calmly, though with the firmness of durasteel. "It is not a decision I have taken lightly, nor one where I have not considered every consequence of my action. However, the more time I spend in deep meditation with the Force, the clearer it becomes that I cannot continue to stay on the path the Order is travelling." He glanced at Shan for a moment. "And again, if not for my former Padawan, I would likely have reached this decision sooner."

Windu, like many in the chamber, turned his attention to the young Knight. Most gave the man only passing consideration before returning their focus to Dooku. Windu, however, remained watchful of the Jedi Knight. As he peered at the young man's Force signature, Windu noted that something was different. The same, unique remoteness that Shan had held since he had first appeared at the Temple was there, but it had shifted. Almost as if Shan had found a way to overcome the barrier between himself and the Force, yet chose to retain it for unknown reasons.

Curious about that, and how Dooku's decision affected the potential paths that emanated from Shan, Windu used his gift to observe the Knight. For the first time ever, the expected migraine brought on by the almost uncountable myriad of probable trails Shan could take never formed. Yes, there was still an almost overwhelming array of potential threads moving outward from Shan, one of which was connecting to Dooku while others Windu knew touched several in the Temple including his Padawan, yet it was the rest of what he saw that had him lean forward slightly.

Shan was still a Shatterpoint, one that could conceivably alter the very fate of the galaxy. However, the myriad of threads that had hinted at possible paths for him were far less now, and it was clear to Windu that Shan was committed to whatever path he had chosen. The certainty of one at peace with their decisions radiated from the young Jedi into the Force, and while Windu was concerned that Shan's path, like that of his former Master's, was leading him away from the Order, he was still proud to be able to experience the changes that Shan had undergone.

Gone was the uncertain, and at times confused and emotional young boy, and in his place stood a man of conviction. That was what Windu had hoped for Shan to become, and why he had fought so vigorously to have Shan trained by the Order. Yet, as he enjoyed the moment of personal triumph, Windu hesitated.

For the briefest of moments, no more than half a heartbeat, Windu swore he'd seen a shift in Shan's remote Force signature. Through that, a lingering tremor of something not just emotional, but potentially sinister had appeared. It was only for a moment that Windu felt he sensed the darkness, but as the other members of the Council spoke mentally about Dooku's decision, Windu focused on Shan.

Shatterpoint wasn't obscured by whatever the Sith had done to alter the Force, at least not when used on sentients. Yet it was dampened; perhaps fatally if the faint trace of danger he felt from Shan was only now revealing itself. However, without actively pushing against Shan's defences – an act that while permissible would derail this meeting and no doubt infuriate Dooku – Windu couldn't be certain of what he thought he sensed from behind the distant Force signature of Knight Shan.

At the very least, while Shan was now committed to the path he had chosen, one that Windu felt led to a better future for the Republic and Order, it was something to monitor in the coming years. Perhaps even going so far as to request that Shan return to the Temple to help with the instruction of Initiates and younglings; something Master Drallig had commented that Shan had a talent for.

"Is there nothing we can say to at least have you reconsider this choice?"

The question from Master Rancisis drew Windu from his thoughts on what he might have sensed in Shan, and he noted that the telepathic discussion on Dooku's decision had ended. From his fellow Council members, Windu sensed resignation as they understood Dooku wouldn't change his mind, but the question still had to be asked.

As they waited for the reply, Windu's focus returned to Shan, though this time he felt something through his gift that had him moving beyond the momentary confusion of potential darkness in the young Jedi Knight. As he looked at the young man with his gift, Windu tensed as he understood that Cameron was not here simply to support his former Master's decision. No, he had reached one of his own.

Windu peered into the Force, at least as much as he could with the cloud of the Dark Side interfering with the Force and Shan's unusual Force signature making it hard to get a clear read on the young man. The decision that Shan had reached was like the one Dooku had reached, one that had already taken place. His presence here today was a formality, and Windu understood that this decision, one that both altered the Shatterpoint that Shan was and yet didn't. He was still critical to much of the potential futures that Windu had sensed before flowing through Shan, yet now Windu saw that if any tried to deny the decision he had made, then Shan's path – and potentially, that of the entire galaxy- led to a very dark and dangerous place. One where, conceivably, death and destruction on an untold level lay and which could see the light of the Order snuffed out forever.

"There is not," Dooku replied, and while the mystery of what had changed about Shan remained, the resignation of a Jedi Master was of far greater significance. "I have spoken with you, Master Rancisis, and others on this Council and within the Order over the decades about my concerns over the direction the Republic is taking, and how the Order seems intent on doing all it can, not to prepare for any threat from the Sith or other Dark Side orders, but on doing whatever the Senate demands of us. I allowed those concerns to move to a backburner when I took on Cameron as my Padawan. However, events on Naboo, and my former Padawan's encounter with a Sith assassin only served to bring those concerns back to the fore, and after taking a long time to consider the matter, I find myself with no choice but to step away from the Order."

"You understand what this means?" Master Piell remarked with that typically abrasive-sounding tone he used. "For both yourself and the Order?"

"I do, and I accept those consequences."

While they maintained their gazes on Dooku, Windu sensed many of the Council were looking to him and Master Yoda for how to move forward with this revelation. Master Yoda had taught Master Dooku when he was a Padawan while he was Master of the Order, and thus head of the Council.

Master Yoda turned and looked at him, seeking guidance. Windu reached out through the Force, accessing the mental chambers where the Council discussed business without letting those present know what was being discussed. [This is what the Force wills and I sense that Master Dooku has already made his decision.]

[Yes. Certain am I also, of this,] Yoda replied with a hint of weariness. He turned back to Master Dooku. "Accepts your resignation, reluctantly, this Council does. With you, my thoughts will be." Master Dooku lowered his head, accepting the blessing of his former Master.

When neither Master Dooku nor Knight Shan moved to leave at that point, Windu understood that what he had sensed from Shan – that sense that he had also passed a personal Shatterpoint – was about to be revealed. Something that became even more certain when Master Dooku looked at Shan and gave his former Padawan a subtle nod.

Windu watched as Shan moved in front of his Master and he felt the eddies of the Force shifting; something the other members of the Council also felt as Shan prepared to speak.

"Esteemed members of the Council," Shan began, showing more respect for them than Windu expected. While a Knight, Shan was noticeably clear at times in his opinions, and how he felt about decisions made by the Council. While not great behaviour for a Knight to display, Shan was young and as he lacked a Padawan – both to potentially pass on his negative traits to, and possibly help smooth the edges of his slightly confrontational nature – Windu had, unlike other members of the Council, not held any long-term concerns about it. "I didn't come here with Master Dooku as simple moral support. We all know that he does not, nor wouldn't want that." Windu felt his lips twitch upwards at the gentle dig at Master Dooku; something shared by others as he heard a few gentle chuckles of amusement within the mental chamber the Council maintained. "No, like Master Dooku, I have found myself at a crossroads in my life, and after spending the last two years considering my choices while wandering the galaxy and communing with the Force, I find that I cannot continue as a member of the Order either and offer my formal resignation from the Order."

Windu's face remained impassive but as the minds of the Council gathered in their mental chamber, he noticed that many of their faces weren't as passive as his.

[We cannot allow this!] Master Koth voiced first. [To many he is the Chosen One. If he leaves, many will begin to question the wisdom of this Council and our decisions.]

"[Many? Or simply those he has formed connections with?] Master Tinn countered. [Shan has been, since the moment he entered the Temple, a disruption for many of his generation of Jedi. They see him openly pushing back against our decisions, not least with Naboo, and displaying emotions more freely than a Jedi should.]

[I do not believe he is the Chosen One. However, it is impossible to deny that Shan's very presence in these chambers was the will of the Force. It moves around him in a way all of us have rarely seen. He has a role to play in the coming confrontation with the reconstituted Sith. Something Master Dooku referenced in his resignation when he spoke of Naboo.]

"Does your decision have anything to do with your battle with a Sith assassin on Naboo?" Master Koon asked, giving voice to Master Yaddle's comment. "Or the fact that events conspired to see Master Drallig perish in the conflict?" Master Koon was, after the death of Master Gillett and the presumed death of Master Sifo-Dyas – a body had yet to be recovered though the Force was clear he had perished – the member of the Council with the strongest connection to Knight Shan.

"It does in part, Master Koon," Shan replied calmly, his hand moving to his belt where Windu noted a new lightsaber rested. It had the same curve that his previous one did, and that Master Dooku insisted was critical for one to truly master Makashi, yet to Windu the saber looked incomplete. As if it was missing something. "My actions when I spoke to you, and with members of the Senate, however indirectly, led to the death of Master Drallig. When Padawan Keto came to join the forces that I was gathering to help the people of Naboo – something she did against the wishes of her Master and myself – I should have sent her back. I should have denied her request."

Instead, I allowed my friendship with her, and the bond we shared from our time training with the Mandalorians, to affect me in a way it shouldn't have. That event, and the subsequent death of Master Drallig, do play a role in the decision I have come to. However, it is not the only factor." Shan straightened as if he were a soldier standing at parade rest.

I won't lie to the Council and say that the responses from this body after events on Naboo, or after Zonoma Sekot and with the Bando Gora haven't influenced me. They did play roles. However, I feel that to become what I must to counter the coming darkness, I must leave the Order."

Windu leaned forward, seeking a hint of what was shaping Knight Shan's thoughts, something he felt the other members of the Council also doing as they brought their considerable presence to bear on the young Knight's mind. Windu hoped he was wrong about the earlier brief glimpse of darkness within Shan, but even if he was, then he and the Council needed to sense what had changed with the Knight to make him so abruptly choose to leave the Order.

The same distance that Shan always had projected into the Force was there, but as the combined might of the Council pushed against it, Windu sensed it beginning to falter. Yet, before they could push through the young man's barriers, a powerful presence emerged to protect his mind. One that Windu knew came from Master Dooku.

"Cameron and I have made our decisions, and if this austere body is willing and able to accept mine after my decades of service to the Order, I would expect you to do the same for his and not attempt to brute force your way into his mind to discover his reasons for his choice." In one of those rare moments where Dooku let his feelings slip into his tone and posture, it was easy to see he was offended with the Council for their decision on mass to try and read Shan's mind. Something that Windu could sympathize with as he would react similarly if the Council chose to do so to his former Padawans. Still, Windu was taken aback by how forcefully Master Dooku had come to Knight Shan's aid.

"He is but a Knight, and a young one at that. Untold numbers of his rank have left the Order, along with an even greater number of Padawans I suspect. For the Council to try and force the reason from his mind is, frankly, an offence that only serves to strengthen my resolve on resigning from the Order."

Windu pulled his thoughts back from the barriers around Knight Shan's mind, as did the other members of the Council who, as one, had decided they needed to understand why Shan wanted to leave the Order. Yes, many Knights and Padawans had left the Order over the centuries since the New Sith Wars, and countless more in the millennia before, and while their names were recorded in the Archives, they were not remembered as the Lost Nineteen were. Or Windu corrected himself, after today, the Lost Twenty.

Those nineteen before Dooku had all also been Jedi Masters who had left the Order. Half had been before the end of the New Sith Wars, with the last coming when Windu himself was just an Initiate. The Bronzium casts that lined the main entrance to the Archives were how those lost Masters were remembered, and to most of the Council – even those who might place stock in the concept that Knight Shan was potentially the prophesied Chosen One – Master Dooku's elevation to join those nineteen was more important resignation taking place today.

To Windu, however, as he gazed at Shan with his gift again, he understood that Shan was the fulcrum of events. Not just today, but in the coming years. A Shatterpoint was forming as the Council considered accepting the resignation; one that, if handled poorly, had the chance to unleash a dark path which Windu was unsure if the Republic and Order could survive.

For a moment, as he examined the forming ripples of an emerging Shatterpoint, Windu wondered if in helping Padawan Keto recover from the death of Master Drallig, and by extension keeping her away from Knight Shan, in an attempt to weaken the bond between them he had inadvertently brought this incipient moment to the fore. Regardless of whether that was the case or not, Windu had made his choice for Padawan Keto in what he considered the best option for her, the Order, and the Republic.

Within the mental chambers of the Council, voices rang out as various members debated accepting the resignation of Knight Shan or not. It was less controlled than with Master Dooku, as while he was a far more revered member of the Order, his disillusionment with the Council had been present for several decades. For Knight Shan, while young and opinionated, many had expected him to grow out of it which happened with many younger members of the Order. Instead, the opposite had occurred.

Masters Koon and Koth spoke the most vehemently about trying to convince Knight Shan to remain with the Order. Masters Piell and Tiin were the most content to let him leave; neither having been supportive of Shan's presence in the Order over a decade earlier. The others offered opinions and comments, but it was clear to Windu that all were waiting for either himself or Master Yoda to offer a judgment.

[We must accept this,] Windu said into the mental chamber. [The repercussions of not doing so… They lead to a dark place I am unsure the Order can recover from.]

That statement stilled the voices in the chamber, each member of the Council taking stock of Windu's apparent willingness to simply allow Knight Shan – one of their brightest lights among the younger generations – to walk away.

[Was it not you who spoke the most powerfully to convince this Council to accept Shan's place within our ranks?]

[It was,] Windu replied to Master Koon's question, [and I stand by that being the correct decision at the time. Which Padawan, or even Knight, could we expect to have survived and grown from the ordeals Knight Shan faced? I cannot think of one who might have emerged from all, from the Sith shrine deep under this very Temple that we were all ignorant of, to sensing that there was more to the invasion of a member world of the Republic than political matters. The Force guided him to us so that we, and then Masters Dooku and Fay, might train and prepare him for those trials so that now, standing before us, is not a boy but a young man sure of his convictions and the path the Force has laid out for him.]

[I understand many might consider the idea of one with Shan's potential and youth being allowed to leave the Order a potential danger. Not least with the looming threat posed by the presence of a reborn Sith. However, I trust in the Force and the path it has chosen: For Shan and ourselves.]

[Insight, the Force has granted you?]

[It has,] he replied to Master Yoda. [Any move we make to dent Knight Shan's request, even to simply ask that he take more time in the Temple to consider his choice, risks benefiting none but the Sith. If we do not accept his resignation, the future, I fear, will be lost to us.]

In the mental chamber, several of the other Council members expressed shock and surprise at Windu's words; thinking perhaps that the Master of the Order might be over-reacting. Or they would if they did not understand the nature of his gift. Master Yoda understood it, as did Masters Yaddle, and Rancisis. It was the others, or at least one other, that he had to convince a majority of the Council to accept Windu's position.

[Shan has never been an easy fit within what we expect of a Jedi, but I stand by my position that accepting him was the only course we could take that did not risk the future. Just as now, I know that trying to deny or delay his choice to leave our hallowed Order, would also only serve the Sith. Perhaps in a way that would make us not having taken Shan in for training seem inconsequential by comparison. I do not wish to see him leave, as for all his faults of youth, I felt he might one day replace me as Master of the Order. However, I will not stand in the way of what I believe the Force wishes.]

The mental chamber fell silent, each Master taking time to consider his words.

[I supported your reasoning when Shan arrived before us and backed his acceptance into the Order. If you are certain that letting him leave now is also the best decision, I will support it.] Windu offered Master Rancisis a mental nod of thanks. Ideally, Master Yoda would have been the best to support the position, but Windu knew the aged Grandmaster preferred to reserve his opinion until after all others had spoken.

[As will I,] added Master Koon, who was followed by Masters Koth, Tiin, and Mundi. That was the majority, so the matter was settled. However, before he spoke to Knight Shan, Windu waited on Master Yoda's view.

[Concerned, I am, of what allowing one with such potential as Shan to leave the Order might mean. For the Order, and our younger Jedi most heavily. However, regarding Shan, trust in your gift in the past I have placed, and trust it again, I will.]

Windu offered the Grandmaster a small public nod of gratitude for his support, before looking over the two Jedi standing in the middle of the Council Chambers. Or should he say, soon-to-be former Jedi.

Dooku was his familiar, resolute, and stoic self. His fate was already determined, but Windu sensed that if the decision had gone against accepting Shan's resignation, Dooku would have protested most vehemently. Shan was attempting to mimic his former Master, yet Windu could sense the slowly rising concern from the young Knight as the Council debated his decision. The trepidation, the moment of deep-seated, and misplaced, distrust that flashed through Shan's Force presence might, to others, make them concerned about allowing the young and powerful Force user out into the galaxy. For Windu, however, it was another sign that he had convinced the Council of the correct decision for Shan.

"It is the decision of this Council to accept your resignation, Knight Shan," He said solemnly, respecting the gravity of the situation. Dooku was about to join the Lost Nineteen while Shan was the first Knight to leave since Gop Berek almost twenty years ago. "We, along with every member of the Order, are saddened that you feel your paths no longer run with the Jedi but accept that you are acting with the wishes of the Force and that it has chosen these paths for you. We hope that you will find peace and balance with your choices, and wish you to know that the doors to the Temple will remain open to you in the future and that we shall consider you allies of the Order."

"Thank you." As he spoke, Dooku bowed deeply, his former Padawan copying the gesture a few seconds later – though only after Windu felt a wave of relief wash over the young man. Along with the rest of the Council, Windu watched as the pair unclipped their lightsabers and placed them on the floor in the centre of the Chamber. "May the Force be with you."

Windu bowed to his old friend. "And with you, Master Dooku, and you, Knight Shan."

After a nod of appreciation, and Dooku offering personal marks of respect to others on the Council, concluding with a deep, almost horizontal bow to Master Yoda, the pair turned and walked calmly from the room.

As they did so, Windu reached into the Force again with his gift. The darkness that lay along several potential paths that both might have travelled towards was now gone. In their place, came contentment with their choices, and Windu felt hope that by allowing their resignation – not that the Council could exactly deny the request –he had guided both towards the path that would best serve the interests of the Order and by association, the Republic that he felt was the best source of protection and security that the Order had with the looming threat posed by a resurgent Sith threat.

… …

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… …
This story is cross-posted on Fanfiction.net, Archive of Our Own, and Royal Road.
...
For those wishing to join the Discord for the story, the server link is:
For this series: Heart of the Force
For general chaos/Gamer stories: Shiro's Gaming Omniverse
(Those on the story server who engage in chat can earn access to a chapter ~3 weeks before it goes public).

For those who wish to support my writing, and get access to drafts and completed chapters anywhere from 1 to 4 months earlier head to one of the links below:
Patreon: USSExplorer
SubscribeStar: USSExplorer
Kofi: USSExplorer

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Regardless if you join the discord or support my writing, I hope you enjoy the story and suggestions, valid criticisms, and ideas are always welcome.
And of course;

May the Force be with you. Always​

 

[Morkail]

Thank you for the chapter.

The history of the Jedi order is a fascinating one when one considers the current Jedi order compared to it before its reformations post the last Sith war. The jedi were usually also the chancellor, they more or less had there own armys and many force sensitive bloodlines existed and even ruled star systems.

But after the thought bomb the backbone of that order was wipe out along with the sith. And the bloodlines seemed to vanish over night despite the fact there had to be people at home, there armys were disbanded and no Jedi was even allowed to be a chancellor.

It really feels like it was more of a coup where the extremely conservative members of the Jedi order and the a group republic senators came together to both strip the Jedi of there powers and slowly trip the mid rim of it's ability to defend its self.

There's a reason so many story's make it seem like the Jedi order is the lap dog of the senate, and why the council and Jedi in general can't view the republic objectively. It's like a religion for them the shiny golden age republic of freedom and democracy. Never mind the fact the republic a disorderly mess and like 90% of its senators aren't voted in but appointed.

The republic is an oligarchy not a republic. If the Jedi were forced to confront that half of them would fall.

 

[TrueNecromancer]

I love your portrayal of Windu. Most people write him as an unrepentant hardass that's completely inflexible. Here he has so much depth and nuance.

 

[Bulledar]

Is Raven ever going to get an avatar like a projector with speakers or a Droid body she can control?

 

[USSExplorer]

The jedi were usually also the chancellor, they more or less had there own armys and many force sensitive bloodlines existed and even ruled star systems.

But after the thought bomb the backbone of that order was wipe out along with the sith.

Click to shrink...

From what I recall, the Jedi only became Chancellor during times of galactic emergency. Such as the New Sith Wars. Afterwards, like with the disappearance of bloodlines in the Jedi - or at least it being seemingly more commonplace - it was made so no Jedi could be Chancellor. The fact that law seemed not to exclude the Sith was a really big mistake given the events of the prequel era.

It really feels like it was more of a coup where the extremely conservative members of the Jedi order and the a group republic senators came together to both strip the Jedi of there powers and slowly trip the mid rim of it's ability to defend its self.

Click to shrink...

The Jedi who died on Ruusan to the Thought Bomb were those who had fought in the galaxy against the Sith. I think a good number focused on protecting the Core Worlds and thus barely saw action in the later decades of the war. It's certainly possible that those who remained behind after Ruusan were less inclined to support intervening in galactic affairs/using the government for their goals.

Sadly, it's an era that's not really explored in the EU. (The Disney High Republic shit doesn't ever count)

I love your portrayal of Windu. Most people write him as an unrepentant hardass that's completely inflexible. Here he has so much depth and nuance.

Click to shrink...

If you can, go read the novel Shatterpoint. That's a great place to see things from Windu's POV as he's the MC of the novel.

Is Raven ever going to get an avatar like a projector with speakers or a Droid body she can control?

Click to shrink...

Highly unlikely but never say never

 

[Bulledar]

I just feel bad when it's explained she gets anxious when landed for long periods so it would be cool if she could still explore when she can't fly

 

[potentially_a_robot]

Okay, so I have just binged this story to catch up with the current release. I think it's great and how USSExplorer keeps up the hard work. I do have a question though,

Why, over the course of the last 10 years, has Cameron's combat skill degraded so much? He used to take out star ships with TK, he used to phase through attacks to force his opponent to make a mistake, and was the battle of Mtael's gift literally the only reason to give him battle meditation? He has got the active version of it and never used it even when he was fighting two wars where it would have been useful.

I'll accept that since Natural Selection, it would have been difficult to use these, and I also have no issues with him not fighting smart against the Bando Goro because of Dark Side interaction, but the rest? C'mon.

In addition, as former SAS, shouldn't he know that range is king? Why even bother slicing through all of the chaff when you could telekinetically wipe them all out at once instead a few at time? Sure, someone like Maul you have to close with as anything at range will be swatted or dodged but for most lesser threats? Why give them the honor of his blade? They aren't worth it.

One more question, since Natural Selection, does he still have the mini map? in general, is there a rundown of how NS has affected his powers and abilities?

Again, I have really enjoying this story and hope it keeps going strong, I just fine myself frustrated during the combat scenes because Cameron should be more effective than he is and is surrounded by people (HK, Mandalorians) who should call him out for being less effective than he should be

 

[USSExplorer]

A/N: As always, a huge thank you to those helping with lore and planning for this and my other stories.

And again, this chapter was released to those of sufficient rank on the story's Discord (it pays to talk) about a month ago. For those who support my writing, then it was released between 1 to 6 months ago (and those supporters can also access chapters that far in advance).

If joining the Discord or supporting my writing interests you, there is a link at the end of the chapter for how to do so.

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3.14 The Dragon Stirs
… …​

I leaned back, marvelling once again at the swirling, seemingly chaotic energies of hyperspace as Raven raced through the faster-than-light dimension, taking us back to the Gaia system. I'd left Coruscant the evening of my resignation from the Order, wanting to be clear of the planet before either Chancellor reached out, or before word of my choice to leave the Order reached the ears of my friends within the Jedi.

Serra was the only member of the Order who was aware of what I planned before I'd met with the Council, and while parting from Serra wasn't just painful—it felt like severing a lifeline. But if I stayed, I'd rot alongside the Order. They were blind to the threat of the Banite Sith, to the many failings of the Republic that had occurred since the Seventh Battle of Ruusan, and to the chaos that was slowly engulfing the galaxy. Now, much of that chaos might have occurred even if the Sith were destroyed at Ruusan, but the fact the Order chose to not intervene, to not act in seeking the best solution for the majority and instead acquiesced to the desires of the Senate, and the various corrupt individuals that supposedly served the people of the galaxy, was a sign of the Order's corruption.

That two Banite Sith now ruled as Co-Chancellors without the Order's most powerful and seemingly infallible members realising it was another sign of their corruption. Perhaps even that the Force had abandoned the Jedi, at least in their current form, and realised that the only way to counter the threat of the Banite Sith was the creation of Anakin. And, at least in this dimension, the insertion of myself into events and the acceptance of my presence in whatever the Force considered the best path towards balance.

Now, I wasn't arrogant enough to believe that I alone could stop the Banite Sith and the rise of the Empire, but I understood that the path the galaxy was on was one that I could help influence. The Republic was too deeply flawed and broken to be allowed to survive. For the good of the galaxy, it had to fall, and as the Order was tied to it, then it too had to fall. Or at least break free of their requirement to serve the Republic. On that, perhaps Fay might be of use.

I had not heard from her since she'd left, with Satele Shan's holocron, to rediscover Tython before Naboo, and I often wondered how she would feel about the choices I'd made since we'd last spoken. I knew I wasn't fully following the path the Force wished for the galaxy, and thus not committing to the Force as Fay did. However, Dooku had, even when I'd been the Padawan of both, displayed opinions that ran counter to those ideals and both Jedi Masters – or former in Dooku's case – weren't ones willing to blindly trust the direction of the Council.

That said, the path I had walked, and was now committing to wasn't one I felt she would approve of. Perhaps not even slightly. I hoped we never found ourselves on opposing sides of any upcoming conflict, but I couldn't discount the potential for it happening. Still, with all that said, I held out hope that her desire to rediscover the ancient world where the Je'daii had spawned from was successful, and those who wished to study the Force free of the Council's and Republic's demands would move there. At the very least, it would remove a group, no matter how small, of potential combatants that could be forced by the Order to fight in the coming war or be sent in theory against me.

A sense of impending change emanating from Raven drew me from my thoughts, and a moment later I saw the consoles and displays alerting me we'd reached our destination. The ship slid gracefully out of hyperspace, exiting in a minor system a little off the Nanth'ri Route. That hyperspace route ran from the inner edge of the Outer Rim to Hutt Space and it was along this hyperspace route that I had to travel to reach the Gaia system and the Lokella, however, I wasn't there yet. No, for what I planned, I had chosen to move off the route somewhere between Antar and Gyndine emerging in a minor system that was, according to the star charts, uninhabited. Not even remote mining was done here due to the lack of solid worlds.

The star was a white dwarf, and while Raven adapted to the new energies radiating from the older stellar object, I guided her into the system. With no one with me on this voyage, Dooku had arranged a different route from Coruscant to suggest that not only were we leaving the Order, but that we were heading our separate ways, I felt this was the best time to do something that I'd wanted to do ever since Dooku had managed his first trip to gather holocrons and other items from the Vaults inside the Jedi Temple.

It was only a matter of time until someone at the Temple noted the missing holocrons and other items, and that Master Saa would realise that I was the one who she'd sensed using the Dark Side on Kiffex to defeat and kill Karkko. While they wouldn't link me to the theft of the items from the Vaults, it wouldn't take much to suggest that my departure from the Order alongside Dooku was linked to those thefts. As I was free of the Council and not the faintest intention of returning to Coruscant anytime soon, there was little they could do to recall me so we could speak. However, there was a chance that they might send someone after me to question me over the missing items, and if they determined I'd been involved and had fallen – in their eyes – to the Dark Side, try to capture me.

That would be a problem. I knew I would have to face off against the Jedi sooner or later, but the longer I had to prepare, and the more I learnt before that occurred, the greater my odds of victory would be. Particularly against a Jedi Master. I was getting closer to being capable of doing that, the spar with Dooku before we left the Order was proof of that, but I knew I wasn't quite ready, and with the time to kill before I met with Dooku on Mtael's Gift – Raven's 0.7-rated hyperdrive once more proving a blessing – I had decided on this stop to expand my knowledge.

Once Raven was deeper in the system, settled into orbit around an icy gas giant that had no name, just a serial code, I stood. "Alert me if anything threatens us, but otherwise remain here," I said to R2, the astromech responding positively with his customary series of whistles, bells, and pop.

As I exited the cockpit, I reached out to Raven, asking her to watch out for ships entering the system and to allow R2 free access to her systems. She accepted the request with a hint of reluctance as while she was fine with the astromech helping to monitor her mechanical systems, she preferred when it was me watching over her systems. At a push, she could accept Simvyl or Anakin as Raven, even if she had some mechanical components, preferred the presence of organics over droids at her controls.

Moving through the corridors of Raven, I once more lamented at how quiet it was. Apart from R2, no one else had come with me to Coruscant. The others had been left with the Lokella, though Fenrir had been deposited on an unsettled landmass on Gaia so he could hunt and prowl to his heart's content. Anakin, Simvyl, and HK had remained on Mtael's Gift, along with Quinlan and Aayla.

The pair of memory-damaged Jedi had chosen, at least for the time being, to remain with the Lokella. I wasn't sure if they would choose to take their own path forward or allow me to help with their retraining, but I was reasonably certain already that they wouldn't be returning to the Order. The bond between them was one they were both relying on during their recovery from what had happened to them and while I hadn't done so overly, I had played up the high probability that they would be separated for retraining by the Jedi. I was manipulating them for my purposes, but it made sense to do so as I needed more Force users willing to follow me, and Dooku approved as he saw it with similar logic to how he had worked on retraining Vosa.

However, determining the exact path the pair of former Jedi would take could wait until I returned to Mtael's Gift, for today my focus was on the objects that Dooku had acquired for me from the Jedi Vaults. Or more accurately, the holocron that had resonated with me the moment I learnt of its existence.

Once in my quarters, I sealed the door ensuring that I'd only be reachable in an emergency, and then opened my Inventory. A moment later, after extracting it from its slot, I sat at the table in the room and looked at the small, red triangular pyramid of the holocron of the former Sith Lord, Darth Malgus.

According to the records that I'd read before Dooku had acquired the holocron, it had been created in the latter years of the conflict between the Republic and Jedi and the Sith Empire, after the fall of the Eternal Empire. At a point when Malgus had left the Sith and embarked on a campaign that served neither the Sith nor the Jedi. That, along with the connection he held to my family via my grandniece (I remained uncertain how many 'greats' I should add to that) Satele Shan, had drawn my attention, and then the shifting of the Force as I read the details about the holocron and its creator had ensured it was the first item added to the list of artefacts that I wanted. The others remained inside my Inventory, ready for me to use and research when I felt the time was right, but for today, and at least in the near future, the holocron of Malgus would be my focus.

I couldn't help but compare the holocron before me to that of King Adas. Adas had crafted his, the first Sith holocron, not long after defeating and driving back the Infinite Empire when they tried to conquer Korriban, using technology taken from them to do so. It had the same triangular pyramidal shape that all Sith holocrons had, but unlike the one before me now, it lacked some of the finer external details I could see on Malgus' holocron.

Now, that wasn't to say that Adas' holocron was in any way simple-looking, or unfit for a sentient who had ruled for hundreds of years. It was just a statement of fact that as his was the first Sith holocron, it lacked the refinement and intricate detail that came with later iterations, such as Malgus'.

Adas' holocron was still richly adorned with gold and other rarer metals, as would befit a God-King, however, while Malgus' had less such metal applied to it, what was there was placed with more apparent care. That made clear the refinement that had gone into the design during the millennia that passed between the creation of the two holocrons.

I closed my eyes, and after calling the Force to my side, reached out for Malgus' holocron, curious as to how accessing it and awakening the Gatekeeper would go. For Adas' holocron, I'd had a cheat sheet in the form of the Interface filtering the Force, meaning it was easier than it probably should have been. Malgus' would be harder, yet as my Force presence met a wall in the Force, hard as obsidian; generated in the Force by Malgus' holocron, I realised just how big of a cheat the Interface had been for me to access Adas' holocron.

The force with which the Gatekeeper met my probe was impressive. Terrifying—if I hadn't been ready. Yet even though I was aware of what I was attempting, and expecting it to be difficult, the sheer force of will that not only met my probe but shattered it with contemptuous ease and drove my mind back out of the Force shocked me.

Opening my eyes, I leaned back and looked at the small device on the table, marvelling at the power displayed by the Gatekeeper of his holocron, and pushing aside my irritation at how easily it had resisted my attempt to force it to open. While the Gatekeeper had gone silent in the Force, the way it just rested there, unconcerned, and unmoved by my presence taunted me, causing my irritation to grow ever stronger.

I channelled that irritation inward, focusing it away from the chaotic rage that it had been slowly growing into and refining it towards a stream of solid, defined power under my command. I realised that brute force wouldn't work with this holocron, nor I understood as I reviewed what I knew of Malgus from the historical records, should it.

While still an Apprentice, he had spearheaded the attack to retake Korriban for the Sith Empire. A signal to the Jedi and Republic that it had returned and was as powerful as ever. That attack had seen him clash blades for the first time with Satele Shan and kill her first Jedi Master in the battle for the system. The pair would clash again during the war, but perhaps Malgus' greatest achievement while a member of the Sith Empire was leading the taking of Coruscant and the sacking of the Jedi Temple.

Beyond the number of Jedi, including one of the most notable Jedi of the time, Ven Zallow, killed, the attack saw the capital of the Republic fall to the Sith. The only time in history that had happened. The fact the Sith sacked and all but destroyed the Temple, and killed the Supreme Chancellor during the attack only added to Malgus' fame and infamy.

Later in life, after the emergence of a third party, the Eternal Empire, Malgus split from the Sith Empire, choosing to walk his own path. That was, I felt, why I was drawn to this holocron so heavily. I was seeking a path that was different from the Jedi and Sith, or at least the Banite Sith of this era. The galaxy would call me Sith. Let them. I hadn't fallen—I'd chosen. I knew that to emerge victorious, and ideally, able to enjoy the fruits of those victories, from what was to come, I might well have to draw on every scrap of knowledge and power I could get my hands on. Learning from one who had turned away from the Sith, but retained the ability to draw on the power within him was something I couldn't ignore. The issue was that accessing this holocron was going to be far more difficult than I'd expected.

Closing my eyes again, I dove inward, seeking the well of power that I kept deep inside myself. From that contained cauldron of rage and fury, I gently pulled forth a thin thread of that power, seeking to harness it carefully. The Force reacted around me, as I brought more of my fury into play, tightening the power that came from it inside while leeching off energy from the Force around me. Time slipped away as I worked on focusing the force and my emotions inside myself, seeking to refine them into the tools I would need to prise the holocron open as I proved my worth to the Gatekeeper.

I remembered well the need to prove my potential to Adas when I'd first opened his holocron, and knew something similar would be needed with Malgus. However, a faint, almost imperceivable ripple in the Force suggested that the former Darth and commander of the Sith Empire wouldn't want to see a display of raw power. No, instead I felt he would test me, and demand proof of my control and mastery over the Force. For that, I would need control and preparation.

Eventually, after an untold amount of time, I opened my eyes and stared at the Holocron. The Force around us was bent to my desires; ready to do my bidding. With that command over it and the fact I could feel Raven's presence at the edges of my thoughts offering help if needed, I pushed forward and reached out through the Force for the holocron.

A grunt slipped from my lips as the Gatekeeper inside responded to my new probe, driving back the attempt to gain access with the Force. This time, however, I was ready for the defensive assault, and focusing my thoughts drove through that defensive counter. The gatekeeper pulled back as if reconsidering me as I displayed control over my power and hinted at the depths of what I could do. I knew this was but the opening gambit of the battle to wrest the holocron open, but it pleased me that I had emerged from it victorious, and had seemingly impressed the Gatekeeper within.

That pleasure was short-lived as the Gatekeeper responded, coming at me through the Force, seeking to smash through my defences and gain access to my mind. The attacks were crude and unrefined. Entirely not what I expected from Malgus' holocron. They were, of course, simple to not just drive back, but reach out and crush in turn with my command over the Force.

Again, there was a grudging hint of respect in the Force from the Gatekeeper. However it was short-lived, and I was soon under assault by the presence within the holocron again.

This time, the probes from my mind and my control over the Force were more refined. More what I expected of Malgus. Incredible power pushed against my command of the Force, seeking to test me in ways I likely didn't yet understand or anticipate. In my mind's eye, the Force swirled around as the Gatekeeper and I fought for dominance over it; seeking to prove whose mastery and control of it was greater.

I could feel sweat forming on my brow as I fought with the Gatekeeper, determined to convince it I was worthy of what secrets it protected. This was not a test of my ability to draw on the Dark Side but of my capacity to command, control, and harness it with precision and power. A test that I had no intention of failing.

I gasped as, within my mind's eye, the swirling vortex of the Force shifted. Images began to form. Shapes slowly emerged from the darkness, taking the figure of sentients. The shapes came at me, seeking to strike me down and to counter them I created a mental representation of myself. The creations of the Gatekeeper would not deny me.

The red and black of my blade ignited in this mental battlespace, and the lightsaber moved around gracefully' striking at the figures as they neared. Some moved to defend, others rushed onwards uncaring of my defences, but each that my blade struck faded into black shadows that dissipated into nothingness even as I turned to strike the next target.

The assault continued, the figures growing more numerous and aggressive, coming at me faster with each passing nanosecond. My blade danced around me, keeping back the onslaught, as I glided around the mental landscape, easily demonstrating my mastery over this battlefield. What I was facing was less than what I had expected from the Gatekeeper, and far below the first push that had driven me back from the holocron and hinted at the power held within, and I knew this was just one battle in the fight to prove my worth to the Gatekeeper and learn what it knew.

The battle raged on in the empty landscape that existed on the connection forged between myself and the Gatekeeper; the shadow creatures easily dispatched no matter how many came at me. Yes, there were many of them, almost too many to count, but with my power, I was easily able to move in this psychic combat and prevent any of them from even brushing against me.

The Gatekeeper, either realising this or feeling that I had passed this challenge, pulled back, and the figures stopped. Around me, they swirled, merging into one continuous wall of darkness. That wall slowly moved inward, seeking to close upon me and crush me within its blackness.

I stood my ground, pulling on my power and prepared to push back. The wall, which swirled around me as if I were trapped in the eye of a hurricane, grew ever closer; tightening the gap that I existed in upon this ground as it sought to destroy me. My thoughts turned inwards, pulling on the deep well of emotion that lay at the bottom of my soul. With that latched onto, I pushed the Force outwards from my skin.

Around me the wall stopped, and flickers of grey emerged in it where my command of the Force slammed into it. I growled, pulling on more power and pushed the wall back, slowly working to shatter and dissipate it to regain control of the warzone in which this battle was taking place.

The blackness fractured and then splintered away, leaving me standing alone in the empty space created by the link between myself and the Gatekeeper. As it prepared its next challenge for me, I breathed deeply, recentring myself for the next onslaught. One that came not long after.

The black masses rose again, forming into figures around me. Yet this time, I watched cautiously as they took on more distinct forms, and then saw lightsabers of assorted colours ignite in their hands. Not wishing to remain on the defensive, as I knew that was not something the Gatekeeper wished to see, I moved forward, my blade ready to strike down these phantom challengers.

The figures around me moved, reacting to my attacks. Their blades flicked and swept out, seeking to strike me. I glided through and around their attacks, my weapon – an extension of my soul – moving fluidly as it sought and found openings in their forms. Each shadow that was clipped, no matter how fully, shattered and fell away, though, for each that fell, two more took its place.

I flowed around the battlefield, bending, twisting, and contorting the mental image of myself while continuing to move. These apparitions might outnumber me, but I was the one in control. I was the figure attacking and all of them were just targets for me to remove with elegant ease.

The battle continued, each shadow that I struck down replaced by more to fill the ranks, yet I kept moving. I could feel my body reacting to the strain of this mental conflict; I knew that I would need a shower afterwards to wash away the sweat of this engagement. However, I remained committed to the battle. If I fell back now if I retreated then I knew instinctively that the Gatekeeper would never allow me access to the holocron, and that was something I would not tolerate.

My blade moved around as an extension of me, perfectly intertwined with my desires and body. Pained, unnatural screams emerged from one of the shadows as I struck it down; the sounds echoing through my body – both in this mental hellscape and as I sat in my chair. Yet I persisted, not allowing the Gatekeeper to stop me. I would emerge victorious from this confrontation and gain access to the knowledge I sought.

More shrieks and screams came, now rising from every shadow as it was struck down, filling the air with an unholy symphony of anguish and pain that reverberated through my soul, but onwards I pressed. This mental image of me blurred as the Force bent to my demands, ensuring me that I would emerge the victor from this challenge.

As the figures began to grow so vast that I couldn't see where one ended and the next began, I realised that for all my power, for all my command over my blade, I could never strike them down fast enough to avoid being overwhelmed and consumed. Pausing, I shifted tack, and pulled the Force from around me inward, harnessing it for what I was considering.

Sensing weakness, the shadows advanced. Their blades grew ever closer, and I fought off the urge to flinch as the first touched my mental skin. Vicious howls of delight rose from the shadow figures as they saw I wasn't fighting back, and they swarmed towards me, seeking to devour my presence and soul. That, however, was exactly what I wanted.

I roared as I pushed the Force that I had gathered from my body; the air around me turning a dark, malevolent violet. The shadows froze in shock, and then as the closest to me were consumed in the crackling sparks of energy that erupted from me, those further away pulled back as if seeking solace in numbers. It would do them no good, however, and the wave of power that rushed from me engulfed everything around me, consuming and obliterating the figures.

Pained shrieks erupted from whatever passed as mouths on the figures, and I savoured the terror I heard in those sounds as my power obliterated everything else in this mental hellscape. The air raged purple as my power swept over the place, ensuring that no shadow, no hint of the Gatekeeper's presence remained here. This was my domain, and my power controlled it. Yet, for all that the energy dancing and crackling around me might appear chaotic, I was in complete control. The darkness, the full fury of the Force, was at the command of my fingertips and nothing the Gatekeeper, or anyone else for that matter, could do would remove my control over it.

With the Gatekeeper's presence driven from this battlefield, I opened my eyes and looked at the holocron. I blinked in surprise, realising that I had risen to my feet during the mental engagement, yet as the holocron began to glow, I felt my legs weaken.

As the small creation on the table pulsed with power, and the first shimmering light was projected above it, my legs gave. I fell to a knee, gasping for breath. The mental fight had taken more out of me than I'd realised, and as I breathed deeply, trying to recover before the Gatekeeper saw me, I understood that the power it controlled, or at least that which Malgus had once wielded, was on par with anything I'd sensed from a Jedi. Potentially even rivalling Yoda and Windu with what he had once been capable of.

A faint, almost unheralded sound of someone grunting in apparent annoyance reached my ears, and as I looked up I saw the Gatekeeper – a perfect representation of Malgus as he was after the Battle of Alderaan – I saw he was looking down at me. While it was only a reflection of the former Sith Lord, the Gatekeeper seemed both irritated and impressed with my actions.

I stood, not wishing to remain on my knee before the Gatekeeper, and thus appeared either as a willing servant to it, or weak in its eyes. My limbs were tired, and as I stood I glanced at the chronometer in my room, noting that far more time had passed fighting to unlock the holocron than I'd believed. Almost two hours in fact.

"You have potential," the Gatekeeper said slowly, his eyes seeking something from within mine. "Power lies within you, and you can harness it. However, you still have much to learn." I stayed quiet, letting the Gatekeeper speak; curious as to what else it would say.

"Listen closely," It continued, its voice distorted by the mask it wore, "for I shall reveal to you truths long buried. The path to power that has been concealed by thrones and hidden by councils for countless millennia in a war with no true victor. I have seen visions of the future – of the galaxy in flames, and offer you a chance to wield the power to emerge from those flames.

"The Jedi will tell you that to seek power is to embrace darkness. The Sith will teach that power is the reward for deception. They are both wrong. Power belongs to those who are unafraid to wield it openly. The Sith and the Jedi, dishonourable tyrants and councils of fools, have controlled the galaxy for far too long. It is time to break free of their lies.

"With my teachings, you will never again have to bow to a Master. Never will you allow another to rule over you. Learn from me and I shall reveal the path you must take to break free of the chains the galaxy has forced upon you without your consent. Fire and destruction will light the way for the strong to rise, and through the wisdom I offer, I will show you how, as the galaxy burns, to light the way to a future worthy of those willing to grasp it."

A smile had crept across my face as I heard Malgus' words. "I am willing to learn, but I won't bend the knee to anyone ever again," I said slowly, feeling that was the correct way to phrase my response.

"As well you shouldn't," Malgus replied as he looked at me. "You have power in you, and the skill to wield it as more than a mindless fool in servitude to others. I sense that you have the teachings of both Jedi and Sith within you, and with my guidance, you can complete the journey I began countless years ago."

… …

​

---

​

… …
I watched as Matel's Gift came into sight, and as I transmitted my clearance codes to the nearest military vessel, I reached out through the Force.

It didn't take any time at all to sense Anakin. His presence, while naturally clouded from those not looking for it, was like a beacon to me within the rippling currents of the Force. I knew what I was searching for and locating him through the Force was no harder than walking from my cabin to the cockpit. As much as I didn't wish to admit it, the incident with the Trandoshans, and my hunt to locate Anakin before the worst happened, had made it far easier for me to sense his presence even when there were sectors between us. I could sense Dooku at a distance and suspected I could also sense Fay, but not at the same range. However, Anakin was a vergence in the Force, and that sort of power, no matter how constrained and slowly being tempered after around two years of training with myself and others, was simple for those who were aware of it to not just sense but if they held a connection to it, use as a beacon that could, in theory, light a path from one side of the Republic to the other.

After assuring him via our bond that I was back, and that he'd be leaving with me when I next departed the system, I reached out and quickly found Fenrir. The tuk'ata was on Gaia, below Matel's Gift, and while he felt sated – meaning the roughly two weeks I'd been gone had been enjoyed – I sensed he was eager to travel again at my side. Something I was also looking forward to as having just R2 on Raven made the place feel empty.

Raven wasn't massive, and her presence was continually around me, but not having anyone else bar her and R2 to interact with had been more mind-numbing than I'd expected. The only upside, at least during the return from Coruscant, was that it had allowed me time to commune with Malgus' holocron. Something I'd done heavily since passing the initial test so that the Gatekeeper would ordain to speak with me.

The last few days had been spent with the holocron. I hadn't yet learnt anything, but that was what I expected after first opening Adas' holocron. Yes, that holocron had taught me one specific power not long after I'd first opened it, but otherwise, the time had been spent conversing on the philosophy and ideals of the Sith Lord that created it.

Malgus' holocron was doing much the same, and while there were similarities between their ideals, there were stark differences as well. As one would expect given the fact they lived in different eras and were different sentients. Malgus spoke heavily on learning to not just harness the rage and fury that lay inside oneself, or in using it to control the Force, but in focusing and refining it so that, at the drop of a hat, one could call upon it for a task, or push it back until it was next needed. One was not, in Malgus' mind, to become an untamed beast unleashed on a battlefield. Yes, there was a time and place for brutality and ferocity, but such behaviour should only be used when required, and never without control and discipline.

Much of that I agreed with, and already in my own way, and through Adas' teaching, had adapted. What Malgus was saying, among other things that I hoped he would teach me in the coming years, would help to refine my control over my emotions and the Force so that I could retain control of myself in the most desperate of situations while able to call upon my rage with the barest of breath turn the embers of my well of emotion into an inferno with which to scorch any who dared challenge me.

Like him and Adas I desired to be in the thick of battle, and not commanding from the rear. To do that I had to be able to control myself fully so that an explosion of rage didn't overwhelm and consume me, and theoretically cost me a fight. As it had done against Vosa, and would've done against Maul if not for my armour.

Focusing back on the station, I felt the presence of Quinlan, Aayla, and, as much as I wished I didn't, Komari Vosa. At the distance I was from the station, I couldn't be certain, but it felt as if she were nearby to at least one of the mind-ravaged, and if my plans went as intended, former Jedi. Or at least was in the same general section of the Lokella base.

Beyond letting the pair of former Jedi know via the Force that I had returned, I saw no need to speak further with them from such a distance. We would converse once I arrived, and I would learn if they had decided on their fates or not.

Closing my eyes, I sensed the Force shifting as I neared the station; a reminder that the fate of the pair was as yet uncertain. However, with my path now determined, I knew what I wanted the pair to do, and how I wished for them to move forward. What I would need to ensure was that they walked the path I intended for them, and did so willingly.

Allies were needed for what was coming, and while the support I had among the Lokella, and with some Mando'ade was a good base, none were capable of taking on a Force user and emerge victorious. At least not ones with the power that I knew I would need to face and defeat in the coming decades. For that, I needed others strong in the Force who were willing to not just follow me, but learn from and adapt what I wanted to teach them.

Yes, I was doing that with Anakin, but that was more because I had made a vow to myself when I'd adopted him, and understood from the various visions that had been granted to me by the Force that for my plans to succeed, we needed to stand together as one. However, even with all the power we did and would command, two against a galaxy were odds that not even the most deranged gambler would accept. I needed elite warriors, ones trained in the use of the Force and with the will to act and do what was required for the greater good.

I reached down into the eddies of the Force, demanding a hint of how I should approach the meeting with Quinlan and Aayla. The Force, I felt, agreed with me that their paths weren't bound to the Jedi's. Or at least there was potential for them to become something far greater than they could be if they remained chained to the narrow-minded and corrupted ideals of the Order as it was now.

However, the Force wasn't willing to grant me the knowledge I desired at this moment. At least not more so than it had already hinted at, and not without me having to actively bend it to my demands. I knew I could do that, however, I understood that this wasn't the moment or place to do that. Not in regards to the two mind-ravaged former Jedi at any rate. I knew what I wanted to achieve, and it would be up to me to do so once I arrived on the station, not the whims of the energy field that encompassed almost everything.

When I opened my eyes, I saw the looming towers of the station; leftovers from when it had been a cathedral ship during the Pius Dea era. That a vessel designed to exterminate and enslave non-Human races was now used as the command centre for a group of predominantly alien former slaves from which they struck out at slavers carried an amusing sense of irony that always made me smile when I thought about it. The great ship would never fly the stars again, but the modifications the Lokella had done on it, along with the addition of defence platforms and warships nearby meant that it was safe from any small or medium assault by those who might seek to destroy what the Lokella stood for.

Even as Raven glided into the bay assigned to us, I sensed Anakin rushing through the station, eager to catch up with me, and as the last remaining Sekot vessel in the known galaxy touched down on the landing pad, I saw him emerge through one of the doors, a smile that beamed with delight on his face.

"Come on," I said to R2 as I stood and left the cockpit. The astromech beeped and rolled along behind me, and as we walked, I dragged my hand along the wall, once more savouring the connection I shared with Raven. There would come a day, as much as I wasn't looking forward to it when the small biomechanical vessel wouldn't be suitable for me to use as anything more than a personal transport. That day, however, was many years away. Or so I hoped.

"CAM!"

The screech of my son and Padawan – though I was unsure if I should call him that any longer – had me grimacing as I moved down the ramp. A moment later, the eleven-year-old boy was wrapped around my waist, hugging me tightly. "I worried you wouldn't come back," He said gently as I patted his head and allowed him the moment.

"Why would you think that?" I asked as I saw the door he had emerged into the bay open again, this time admitting HK. I gave the droid a nod but otherwise kept my focus on Anakin even as R2 rolled past us.

Anakin didn't respond, at least not at first, choosing to tighten his hug. For a moment, a frown slid onto my face though by the time he relaxed and deigned to look up at me, it was gone. "I… I felt something in the Force. Like when the ground shakes because of a krayt dragon," he began slowly. "I, I feared that something had happened to you on Coruscant. That the Council didn't like what you and Master Dooku had to tell them."

"They didn't," I replied with a chuckle, "but in the end, they accepted our words."

"So?" He asked when I stopped and didn't continue. "Why did you go to them? Did you learn something about the Sith?"

I chuckled and ruffled his hair as I felt Quinlan and Aayla moving closer. Vosa was with them, and I prepared for having to face her without Dooku present. He was still a few days away from arriving as the transport he had hired couldn't come close to matching Raven's hyperspace speeds, even when one considered that I stopped for several days to first open Malgus' holocron and then converse with the Gatekeeper.

Before the doors through which I knew the two former Jedi and Vosa would emerge opened, I sensed Vosa stop. It seemed that she understood that being in my presence would be dangerous for her, and decided to avoid any potential confrontation particularly without our former Master present to mediate. A wise choice.

I moved towards the door even before it opened, giving the Kiffar and Twi'lek nods as they came through. They returned the gesture, and as the door closed, I saw Vosa lingering there, her eyes seemingly not on me but on Quinlan. My brow creased at seeing that, wondering if perhaps the way she watched him, and the subtle shifts in the Force around her as she did so, might be something to investigate at a later date.

"I hope your meeting with the Council went well?" Quinlan asked cautiously once he and Aayla were closer.

"It did, though perhaps not in the way any of you expected," I replied slightly cryptically. My smile grew as I sensed ripples of confusion from all three. "After several years of contemplation, both Master Dooku and myself have resigned from the Order."

The trio went silent as they processed my words, their minds processing what I'd said and shock rippling from them just as much as it spread over their faces. Interestingly, Anakin was the least surprised by my decision, though I sensed some remorse from him.

A gentle push at the thread in the Force revealed that he disliked the fact that now he'd never get to see the inside of the Jedi Temple or train against other Padawans there. Understandable, but I knew that his path lay as far from the Jedi, Coruscant, and Sidious as I could take it. The Jedi Code wasn't something that had or would work for him, and like myself, his path now lay away from the Order and the Republic. The trick I faced over the coming weeks was ensuring that he understood and accepted that.

"Why?"

The question came from Aayla, her eyes narrowed as she stared at me. "I mean, from what I remember, you never quite fit in with many there, and saw things differently from others, but I sensed you had connections to the Order. Or at least your friends there."

I nodded, intrigued that enough of her memories were returning that she could have that sort of insight. "I do, and for those I could meet while there, including Serra, I hope they understand my choice." I paused for a moment, letting some of my lingering disappointment that she hadn't chosen to leave with me vibrate through the Force. There was no point in denying that I wasn't happy about her staying behind, but it was her choice, and we were still friends. In time, I prayed, we would recover what had slipped away, but until then our paths had diverged. "However, for years, even, as I've come to realise, before Naboo, I had a feeling that my journey was one that I couldn't take while a member of the Order. After Naboo, and during the last twenty-odd months that Anakin and I have explored the galaxy training with other force sects, that feeling only grew stronger and more pronounced."

"Was this why you didn't insist we return to the Order after we saved Aayla?"

"In part, yes," I replied honestly to Quinlan. "When we first met during your search, I could sense your hesitation about returning to the Jedi, and the concern that they wouldn't have helped you find Aayla. Something that I also believe. However, I didn't allow that to influence my actions or words. At least entirely." I paused and looked at the pair as Anakin stood at my side. "If you wish to return to the Order, then not only won't I stand in your way, but I'll transport you to a major system so you can secure passage back to Coruscant."

The pair looked at each other, and I sensed the faint shifting of the Force as the pair likely communicated telepathically. Them returning to the Order was the last thing I wished for, but I had to appear willing and honest to accept that they might so as to further cement their opinions and trust in me. Underhanded perhaps, but I knew what the best path for them was, and I would ensure they took it.

"For now, we would like to remain here," Aayla said with a small smile. "The time will soon come when we have to make a final choice, but for as long as the Lokella will have us, we shall remain." She was the Padawan, but because her memories, while still jumbled, were clearer than Quinlan's I had noticed even before heading to the Jedi Temple that she was often the one to voice an opinion or decision the pair would follow. An interesting shift in their dynamic, and one that made it clear to me – even without access to the Force – that she was the one I had to convince that returning to the Order was unwise.

"I'm sure that can be arranged, even with the extra Force user present," I added with a small probing smile.

Aayla looked at Quinlan and her smile widened. The Kiffar became a little uncertain as we looked at him. "It turns out that we…" he shrugged. "Well, you know the link between us and Komari Vosa," he continued with what was meant to be a disarming smile but it failed as I could sense his discomfort – and Aayla's amusement – through the Force.

"Yes, I remember my time with her," I commented, keeping as much of my issues regarding that stay, and the torture I'd endured, buried deep within. Something was happening between Quinlan and Vosa, and it seemed that it might be of use to me. At least that was the inkling I gained from the Force as I gently pulled what I could from its eddies without alerting the two before me that I was doing so.

"Yeah… Anyway, Ko.. Miss Vosa is interested in learning what happened to us, and well," he shrugged as if the matter wasn't as important as I was slowly beginning to suspect it was, "with both you and Master Dooku gone, she had no one to speak with. At least none that could use the Force."

I smirked, sensing there was more he could say but wouldn't. The smile worn by Aayla only heightened my suspicions. However, this wasn't the moment for me to prod for more details. If Vosa had taken some odd interest in Quinlan, that was fine by me as it meant I had less chance of having to directly interact with her. I knew one day I would have to do so, but the longer I could delay that, the better I felt the meeting would go. Not least as I knew she retained an interest in me, one that she also had in Anakin though thankfully in a far less sadistic way.

"So," I said, letting whatever was developing between Quinlan and Vosa fade away for the time being, "what have you been up to?" I asked Anakin.

The rather puzzled, and slightly disappointed expression he'd worn ever since I'd told them I'd left the Jedi faded away. In its place, a wide, proud smile spread over his face. "I spent time with Lia, and did my training…"

"He's an impressively fast learner," Quinlan offered with a smile of his own; seemingly glad I wasn't probing about Vosa any longer.

"… and Baalta had me helping fine-tune the newest Head-hunters they've acquired," Anakin finished, speaking over Quinlan to a degree.

I chuckled and ruffled his hair. "I'm sure that's not all you've done, but so long as you're mostly keeping out of trouble, good." I knew he'd have spent time exploring the station or the planet below, looking for unfamiliar places to uncover. He had a drive to know as much as he could and wasn't one to sit idly by for more than a few hours at a time. A trait that I had shared when I was younger, but that I had thankfully almost entirely grown out of. At least enough that I wasn't getting into adventures that I was unprepared for as often as I had been while I was a Padawan.

"Mostly," Anakin replied with a nervous look flashing over his face.

I laughed again and shook my head. "Please tell me you've not broken someone's ship trying to improve it again."

"That was one time!" He snapped back in annoyance, pushing me as he spoke. Or at least trying to. "I didn't mean for the environmental system to catch fire."

"You what?" Aayla asked slowly, confusion and curiosity spreading over her Twi'lek features while her lekku gently shifted. "How is that even possible?"

Anakin glared at me, annoyed at the topic being brought up, before turning to face Aayla. His face shifted when he did, and I felt a slight vibration in the Force. He was too young to be developing feelings for the Twi'lek, but it seemed he enjoyed her attention a touch more than he perhaps ought to. "Well, it was when we were on this fuelling station a year ago," he began slowly, seemingly over his embarrassment at me mentioning the topic and happy to share it with Aayla. Given she seemed to have a knack for machines and starships, though not on Anakin's level, it made sense he would be comfortable talking with her about such things. That said, based on what I'd just sensed within the Force, I just hoped that the feelings he had held for Padmé in the other timeline weren't shifting to Aayla.

The age gap was far greater there and, if I was being honest, I still had some intentions to bed the Twi'lek. Something that, at least before her memory loss, I felt she might've been receptive to if not for the fact that we were Jedi, and I was extremely close to Serra.

My thoughts again drifted to my oldest friend, and I looked up at the ceiling of the bay wondering how she was doing. No doubt others had asked her about me as news of myself and Dooku leaving the Order would be running like wildfire through the Temple. I just hoped that when Windu had spoken to her, she had not mentioned much of what we'd talked about before I'd faced the Council. I had made mistakes in revealing much of my current situation to her, not least that I'd taken Anakin as my Padawan and son. I had faith she'd honour her word, respect our friendship, and not reveal that information and others unless directly asked about it, but there was a chance that her loyalty to the Order might supersede her feelings and commitment to me.

As Aayla moved off with Anakin, listening to him tell his story, I offered Quinlan a smile, and we walked behind the pair. Elsewhere in the bay, the droids were communicating while members of the deck crew worked to refuel Raven. That was useful as I didn't intend to spend long here, at least not for now.

I had to head to Mandalore and speak with others there. It was time to begin solidifying the alliances and friendships I'd built over the last decade into something that, if all went well, would one day become a force that might be able to stand against the GAR, CIS, the Jedi, and the Sith. War was coming, and I intended to be ready when the final spark that ignited galactic conflict flared into life. War was dangerous, but in it, there was a hope to find a better path, and for those willing to try and change the order of things to rise.

… …

​

---

​

… …
I couldn't help but smile as I walked into Oyu'baat Cantina on Mandalore. Around me, various warriors were enjoying meals and drinks with their fellow warriors. It was a lovely warm and sunny day, and the cantina's owner – whose family had run the millennia-old place since at least the Ruusan Reformation – had seemingly left the main doors open to allow the breeze to carry in. And so that the smell of food and drink at the planet's oldest cantina could carry outwards and ideally draw in new customers.

The open door caused my cape to bellow in the wind, and the shadows that cast drew the attention of many near the doors. Most offered me a nod, or in the case of faces I remembered from Naboo, a raised mug of salute. I returned those with nods and moved through the cantina, heading towards the stairs that led up to the private rooms. My helmet was under my arm and my hair, which had grown a little beyond my shoulders over the last few months, was secured with a simple band while at my hips, my beskad and lightsaber rested comfortably.

The presence of the Jedi weapon drew a few extra glances, but nothing else. That said, I could see a few tables whispering as I moved, no doubt surprised to see me enter the cantina and so prominently display the weapon, and with it suggest that I still held a connection to the Jedi. I might have left the Order, and given them a lightsaber that while built by my hands, and with a crystal aligned to me within wasn't my true blade, but the weapon was as much a part of me as the armour Mando'ade, here and elsewhere in the sector and wider galaxy, wore. If any wished for me to remove it, they could attempt to do so and I would happily explain why that was a bad idea. Hopefully without needlessly killing them in the process.

As I climbed the stairs, I noticed a few familiar faces. Or more accurately, the armour of those aligned with Houses Kryze and Ordo. Each warrior I met I offered a nod, respecting the warriors of my allies. As they were on duty, none returned the gesture. Through the Battlenet they shared, my presence here was expected, and none were prepared to challenge the leaders of their Houses. As such, I walked past the warriors and made my way upward, none physically reacting to my presence.

Reaching the fourth, and thus top floor of the cantina, I smiled as I saw several familiar faces. "Oya, Alor Baston," I greeted the first: Baston Tyri. The dark-skinned man was the head of Clan Tyri and the senior commander of House Ordo's military forces. "It has been some time."

"That it has, Alor Cameron," He replied as we clasped forearms. "I have not seen you since the celebration on Naboo."

I smiled, remembering the celebration well. "Aye. How are your ade and bu'ade?" I asked as we broke the clasp, making sure to use the Mando'a for children and grandchildren.

Baston laughed deeply. "They are well, though I swear Byrn will kill her husband if he seeks another ade. Four is her limit, though she loves them dearly." I knew that Bryn was married to Osto Ordo, but the last I'd heard the pair only had two children, a boy, and a girl. The new pair was a surprise, but given how highly Mando'ade valued children, be they born to them or adopted, it was hardly a surprise that such a prominent couple would seek to have many.

"That would be a great loss. Not just to Clans Ordo and Tyri, but to all Mando'ade," I commented. "Particularly with what I wish to discuss with Alore Torrhen and Adonai."

Baston's brow shifted. "I am curious as to why you would seek a meeting with both, and choose the Oyu'baat to do so. However, it is not my place to question. At least not unless Torrhen wishes to inform me of the meeting after it is completed."

"Oh, I suspect he will be happy to tell you and others, Baston," I remarked with a chuckle, knowing full well that what I wanted to lay the groundwork for today had the potential to alter the fate of our people. "When next you seek your ade and Osto, tell them I hope we might fight alongside each other again in battles to come, and look forward to the day my ade and your bu'ade might share that honour."

"Yes, I remember meeting your son at the celebration," Baston looked beyond me as if trying to see where Anakin was though he would already know via the Battlenet of House Ordo that my son wasn't present. "That you have adopted an ad is something that many young female warriors reacted with interest to, and I had hoped to meet him again and see how his training is progressing."

"Depending on how this meeting goes, I suspect you will do so before the day is out. He, along with Fenrir, is with Bo-Katan Kryze and Naz Vizsla elsewhere in Keldabe. Hopefully avoiding getting into too much trouble," I added with a chuckle. One that Baston copied, though the man behind him who had walked over could only offer a smile. "Alor Pre," I said, turning to Pre Vizsla and offering my arm, "how is being mayor of Sundari treating you?"

Pre grunted. "About as well as one would expect with a city still containing so many neverd," he responded as we clasped arms. His grasp was tighter than Baston's. Not because he was stronger but, I felt, because he was challenging me in some way. Naz hadn't borne me a child, nor had she lost that desire when we'd spoken earlier today, so I was at a loss as to what was causing Pre's apparent animosity. Curious about the issue, and wanting an idea of the danger presented by a future adversary, I used Observe on the secret leader of whatever remained of the Death Watch.

Pre Vizsla

Race: Human

Level: 30

Health: 100%

Age: 49

Force Potential: Low

Threat Potential: Intermediate

Reputation: Hated

Affiliation Loyalty: Clan Vizsla (95%), Death Watch (92%)

Emotional State: Irritated/Angered/Concerned

Pre is annoyed at your return to Mandalore, not least because of the influence you have over his daughter.

He would prefer if you had never become Mando'ade and longs for the day when he can kill you.

However, the fact you have called for the meeting with Alore Torrhen and Adonai makes him anxious.

…

​

"Still, at least most have abandoned the di'kutla ideas placed in their heads but the Tsad Droten," he finished as the information from Observe came up.

"Almost getting killed by dar'manda like the Kyr'tsad often shows people the flaws in believing peace without strength leads to anything but a wasted life and an early grave," I remarked, not missing the chance to needle the man about his hidden allegiance. That said, it was interesting that his loyalty to his Clan, and by extension his family, was higher than that for the Death Watch. Perhaps there was a chance that his quest could be completed without me having to kill him, and thus risking what I shared with Naz and the weak friendship I had with her brother, Tor. However, with my standing with him being so bad, that chance was unlikely to be a large one, and if I was forced to choose between killing Pre and removing a threat or keeping Naz happy, my choice was an easy one to make.

"Yes. That is true," Pre replied, breaking the arm clasp. I knew my comment would've annoyed him, but there was nothing he could do about it. Once I had spoken with Adonai and Torrhen, and he learnt of my intentions, that annoyance would turn into full-blown anger. I was looking forward to that, and whatever attempt he made to remove me. However, if he went after Anakin, Bo, or anyone else I cared for, then he would be first to experience what it meant to face one no longer constrained by the corrupt ideals of the Jedi.

I gave both men a nod and then moved forward, towards the door behind them. The floor, like the stairs I had climbed to reach here, was only guarded by those bearing the marks of Houses Kryze and Ordo, meaning there would be no others elsewhere who might overhear anything that was to be discussed. Still, to be certain of that, as I pushed the door to the room where I knew the two Mando'ade leaders were waiting for me, I had my armour scan for and block if necessary, any monitoring devices that might be present. The warriors of each House would've already done so, but with Pre among their ranks, I couldn't be certain something hadn't slipped through, though even if Pre weren't loyal to himself and Death Watch, I'd still have checked the room for devices.

Adonai and Torrhen were talking animatedly as I stepped inside, mugs in their hands. There was no hint of animosity between them even if the conversation sounded rather boisterous. Taking a moment, I used Observe on the pair to see where I stood with them.

Adonai Kryze

Race: Human

Level: 36

Health: 95% (artificial lower leg)

Age: 56

Force Potential: Minimal

Threat Potential: Intermediate

Reputation: Liked Friend

Affiliation Loyalty: Clan Kryze (100%) Mando'ade (95%)

Emotional State: Amused/Curious

Adoni is enjoying the old war story that his friend Torrhen Ordo is telling him.

Even so, he is wondering why you have called this meeting and hopes you have made the choice he wishes for you. One his daughter would greatly approve of.

...





Torrhen Ordo

Race: Human

Level: 34

Health: 100%

Age: 54

Force Potential: Minimal

Threat Potential: Intermediate

Reputation: Liked Friend

Affiliation Loyalty: Clan Ordo (100%) Mando'ade (92%)

Emotional State: Amused/Curious

Torrhen is enjoying the story he is sharing with Adonai Kryze.

That said, he ponders as to why you have called him and Adoni to a meeting, particularly in this cantina.

He hopes that perhaps you are ready to speak about what was on the datapad left by his ancestor, Canderous Ordo.

However, for that, the Mand'alor needs to return and lead the people, or a new one rises to claim the title.

...

​

That both considered me a friend and were loyal to their clans and our people was useful. Add in that both wondered why I had called this meeting, and the reference in what was revealed about Torrhen to the datapad found in the Vault on planet Ordo, and my hopes for this meeting rose as the door closed behind me. Still, I wouldn't allow my excitement and hope to grow out of control. I had to convince the pair that my goals aligned with theirs, or could supplant theirs without costing them honour first. Even then, today was just the first step on the path I was choosing to take.

"I hope I have not kept you waiting," I said, drawing them from their drinks and whatever they were discussing.

"No, no," Torrhen answered for the pair as they stood, "we were simply discussing our future bu'ad," I frowned, confused by the comment.

"Drogo has remarried," Adonai explained as he moved around the table the pair had been sitting as I clasped forearms with Torrhen. "Choosing to bond with Alys Ordo."

"Ah, then my congratulations to you both on forging unity between your Clans," I commented, drawing wide smiles from the two men.

"Yes, it is a joyous occasion," Torrhen added as we broke our clasp, and I turned to Torrhen to do so with him. "Another bu'ad is always something to marvel at, though I do wish Asta was less… insistent with ideas it placed in her head."

I chuckled, having a good idea of what he was hinting at. "Perhaps suggest a kir'manir?" That was the Mando'a term for adopting a child into your family, and what I had done with Anakin.

"I have said as much, but she is quite committed to her way," Torrhen responded as I broke the clasp with Adonai.

"Marriages and births," I said as I looked at the two older Clan leaders, and heads of two of the three Mando'ade Houses. That being groups of clans that followed the word of one Alor. "What else have I missed?"

"Not much," Adonai replied as he gestured to the table, and we moved to sit. "The sector had been quiet since your call to arms for Naboo. A battle that a great many warriors talk of proudly."

"To many the chance to fight for a cause, one worthy of honour, that meant no longer battling against fellow Mando'ade or working as bounty hunters across the galaxy was a welcome change. That it was a moment when we could remind the galaxy of the might of our people, only heightens its significance for many warriors."

"I'm sure the Lucrehulk that rests in orbit over the planet helps in that regard." That vessel, formerly known as the Saak'ak, served as the only stationary defence above Mandalore. At least beyond the myriad of other vessels of almost every shape and size, including the Ne'tra Tal'ade, that orbited the planet. I had no idea if the Lucrehulk was still capable of hyperspace, but the changes the Mando'ade had brought to the vessel, or at least those Raven's scanners had detected as we passed it earlier today, made clear Adonai and Torrhen had worked to upgrade the massive transport into a true battleship. One far superior even to the upgrades the vessel had gotten from the Trade Federation before the Battle of Naboo.

"It does, though the calls of others for us to return our prize, or disarm it, continue. Thankfully, those voices are growing ever quieter with each passing day as are our blunt denials of Tsad Droten's other demands." I laughed openly at Adonai speaking so coarsely against the Republic, and those inside it who wished the Mandalorians to stand down. Seeing the change that he had undergone after the last civil war, and the deaths the insane ideas of the so-called New Mandalorians had brought to this world was a relief. One that made my reasons for calling this meeting more potent. "Speaking of marriages and births, how are things between you and my daughter?"

I smirked, giving myself a few moments to consider my response. "We are well, and from my short moment to catch up with her and Naz Vizsla before coming here, I believe she still intends on granting you another bu'ad." That the man was so comfortable with not just me courting and fucking his daughter, but getting her pregnant outside of marriage was unexpected but gratifying.

Marriage was something I didn't feel ready for, at least not yet. Particularly with how I had left things with Serra. However, to most Mando'ade, marriage was a sacred bond, and couples were expected to be married if they had children, or at least those of their blood. It wasn't, however, a requirement and Adonai understood and accepted that Bo wasn't a traditional Mando'ade in that regard. However, if she did end up pregnant with my child, I would raise my child as I should. Married or not to the mother. That went for any female I spent time with, though only Bo and Naz wished for children.

"I shall alert the guards to ignore calls of violence from your quarters while you are in Keldabe." I blinked at the comment, which made both men laugh. "I love her, but Bo-Katan has always been vocal in expressing herself. Particularly when you are involved."

"Ah." I really didn't know how to reply to that. I remembered Simvyl commenting the last time I'd visited Mandalore about the noise Bo and Naz had made, but I had assumed he was teasing. Given Adonai was referencing that, then perhaps the Cathar hadn't been.

"Putting ad and bu'ad, both expected and potential aside, I… we are curious as to why you wished for this meeting," Torrhen said, changing the topic. As I looked at him, he passed me a mug, one filled with ne'tra gal which I heartily enjoyed a mouthful of as he continued. "Whenever we have spoken before, it has been in Sundari or on Ordo." He leaned closer, a glint in his eye. "For you to request we meet you here, in such a traditional location for our people to conduct inter-Clan business, has sparked my curiosity."

"As it has for me," Adonai added with a smile.

I enjoyed another mouthful of the Mandalorian ale, and then looked at the pair, wondering how they would handle what I was to reveal, and what I would propose. "The location was intentional, Torrhen because as of less than half a month ago, I am no longer a member of the Jedi Order."

I stopped there and waited to see how the two older warriors would respond. The pair looked at me carefully, however, I didn't see any shock or confusion on their faces nor within the Force. No, what I saw was acceptance.

Before I could further wonder what was going on, Torrhen tossed his head back and laughed loudly. "I told you!" He all but shouted happily at Adonai while banging his mug hard on the table. "I shabyr told you!"

Adonai grunted and rubbed his chin. "Yeah, I know, I know," he muttered. I watched as he reached into a pouch around his belt and pulled out a handful of credits.

After blinking in shock, during which time Adonai moved the hand with the credits onto the table, I spoke. "You… bet on me leaving the Order?" I asked incredulously as the credits fell from Adonai's hand into the waiting paw of Torrhen who looked as if he'd just won the inter-Republic Lottery.

"Yes and no," he said as he pulled the credit chits towards himself. "We both knew that you would leave. You're a warrior, not a n'aala or'dinii." I grunted, accepting the comment as I certainly wasn't some peace-loving fool. "However, I believed you would leave before Bo-Katan was with child, whereas Adonai felt you would only do so if she was with child."

I blinked and looked at Adonai, shocked he would bet on something centred around his daughter, or one of them at any rate, getting pregnant. He shrugged in response. "It has been clear to me for several years now that if my daughter is to bear children, you are the only option for her." He let out a bark that sounded like a mixture of amusement and irritation. "I still cannot believe that you have changed her so that the idea of not just adoption, but rearing a child of my blood appeals to her. Before her death, my wife believed that Bo would never wish for children; a sentiment my daughter expressed for years. Until you gained your current ship in fact," he added, staring intently at me.

"Zonama Sekot was an intense experience for us. In many ways." I made sure my words were soft, not wanting to offend him nor have him wondering about what Bo and I had gotten up to on that world. Or at least what we'd done outside of combat.

"Yes, we have all heard the stories of your duel for a planet," Torrhen commented with a wide smile on his face and the credit chits now secured in a pouch on his belt. He lifted his mug towards me. "To you finally realising that you are a warrior and that we are your people. Oya!"

"Oya!" Adonai and I replied, though the head of House Kryze was less enthusiastic about the cheer than his old friend. We all leaned back, and took long gulps of the ale; something I savoured as it slid down my throat. I was discovering a fondness for various alcohols in this galaxy, though the black ale of Mandalore, while not the most refreshing, held particular significance to me. Now more so than ever since the Mando'ade were the only people I had left after leaving the Jedi, and were those I hoped to use in the coming war.

"Still, while you finally claiming your position as a true Alor among our people is worthy of celebration, I feel there is more to this meeting than just that," Adonai remarked once we had all enjoyed some of the ale.

"Yes," Torrhen agreed as he leaned forward, "what is next for you now that you are free of the shackles of the Tsad Droten?"

"Mand'alor," I replied bluntly. The pair fell silent, perhaps thinking I meant the planet and not the title. That was fine as I knew even if they realised I intended to take the title and lead our people, I needed to convince them of my reasons for this decision and get them onside. Hopefully without having to face off against them in a martial challenge. "Even though you both focus on our people and this sector, I know you can hear the drums beating. In the hearts of all Mando'ade and across the galaxy. War is coming for the Republic, and I know it will not survive it. Not in its current form."

"Good. The Tsad Droten deserves to fall. I'm just disappointed that we cannot be the ones to finally bring it down."

I nodded at Torrhen's words. "It will fall under its own weight, and sooner than I think many would expect," I added with a smirk. I couldn't reveal everything I knew, as they didn't realise much about the actions of the Banite Sith and the Interface would interfere with me if I tried to reveal such knowledge and make me sound like an idiot. However, it didn't take much to point out the flaws in the current galactic structure, and from that, show a possible path forward. One that I needed these two, and then millions and billions of others, to not just understand but follow. "However, in the chaos of the fall of the Republic, there is the… opportunity for new powers to rise."

Leaning back, I made sure to look at both as I continued. "The Republic claims to be this great beacon of hope that, one that from Coruscant will lead the galaxy into a brighter, safer future. Their capital is the quote-unquote, Gleaming Light of Civilisation. Yet it has a rotten core and has done so for centuries. Haran, it might well have always had one. A bright, shiny bauble designed to fool the masses into believing everything in the galaxy is good, just, and right." I snorted and shook my head. "I'm not here to remind you both of the failings of the Republic, or its flawed ideals and their need to enforce those ideals on others. No, what I'm here today to do is suggest a direction through the coming chaos. One that would see our people rise to the position they deserve.

"For millennia, the galaxy has been taught to fear the Mando'ade. That we are some big, bad threat to the Republic and civilisation. A more physical danger than the Sith, who most believe are little more than a divergent sect of Jedi. They are, in many ways, that, but also not. However, that is beside the point." I pulled on the Force as I spoke, slowly using it as subtly as I could to, if not alter the pair's perceptions of me, then to make them more willing to at least consider what I was about to propose.

"The time has come, as the Republic enters its final decades, for, as I said, new powers to rise. Or, perhaps, old ones under new banners and with goals the masses would agree with." I reached into my belt and placed a set of restraining cuffs on the table for them to see. "These represent one of the greatest failures of the Republic. They say that slavery is outlawed. That no sentient may be owned by another. Lies! I have seen the levels under the glittering surface of Coruscant, and the masses there trapped against their wills in poverty and denied the chance to fight for and claim their freedom. That is but one of the Republic's lies. One of hundreds if not thousands it has told the galaxy for centuries.

"The time has come for those lies to be pushed into the light of day, and then shattered by those with wills made of beskar. However, I cannot take on the slavers that exist, be they those inside Republic borders or without, those at the bottom of the chain, to those with the most power, alone. A stand must be made, and a line drawn in the sand."

I could see a glint in the eyes of the two older men, as if they could see where I was going with this speech but were prepared to let me continue. "The Lokella were a start. A testbed, if you will, to see if those who had once been shackled could be turned into warriors of note. Through the work of myself and dozens of our fellow Mando'ade, the Lokella are being forged in the fires of combat into a force to be reckoned with. However, they are but one small, and sadly, all but insignificant group. When faced by the might of Trandosha, or other worlds that believe in hunting, enslaving, and killing others, they would not be able to withstand the onslaught. To say nothing of the other threats that would rise in the Core and Outer Rim against them. No, for what I wish to achieve, I need more. I need an army; I need our people!"

I stopped there, letting my words and my conviction sink in with the two powerful Mando'ade.

"Many would listen to your words," Adonai started slowly as if measuring his thoughts before he gave voice to them. "Just as many would reject them. You are Jetii, or a former one. Many warriors will not stomach a former Jetii leading them. That was why even with our support, the numbers that came to aid you on Naboo were far less than I had hoped. Even with the generous terms of service you offered."

My brow rose slightly at his words. The force the Mando'ade had brought was, even without the support of the Lokella, more than enough to overwhelm the Trade Federation's forces. That more would've come if I wasn't a Jedi was intriguing. "Yes, I had expected many would not like me trying to gather warriors for a cause. However, those who came to Naboo proved my goals were noble and worthy of their support. That, I hope, would've improved my standing with all who still follow the resol'nare in their hearts."

"It did," Torrhen confirmed, "but what Adonai says is true. Your position as a lapdog of the Republic, even a former one now if what you say is true, will be held against you." I ignored the jab about my resignation not being genuine. I knew Torrhen meant no true insult by it, and was simply testing me to see how I would react to the remark as others would try to use it against me. "Many warriors, be they leaders of clans or self-minded individuals, would challenge your position. They would not be willing to follow anyone into battle they did not deem worthy."

"I know, and I expect the challenges to grow more once I make clear that my intent to all isn't simply to gather those willing to fight for credits to my banner, but to unite our people." The pair stopped, and I swore that if one fell, I'd hear a credit chit hit the floor in one of the nearby empty rooms.

"You… you intend to seek the title of Mand'alor?"

"Aye," I answered Adonai's cautious question, "and I will fight whoever I need to claim it. As I said before, the Republic is falling, and it is time for a new power to rise. Why should it not be our people? Why should our ways, our ideals not be the ones to show the galaxy the path forward out of the darkness that the Republic has drowned us in?" I pounded the table with my fist. "Ever since the Dral'Han, the Mando'ade have been cowed by the Republic. Haran, since my ancestor shattered the forces of Te Ani'la Mand'alor at the Ani'la Akaan, our people have been fractured. Yes, there have been times when we have risen again, to answer the call of a new Mand'alor, but none were able to restore the Clans to what we once were. And nor should they be," I continued, shifting track slightly. "The old ways will not work. No, we have to adapt as Jaster Mereel tried to make the people do decades ago."

"He was struck down for that belief," Adonai remarked, "by those who wanted to keep to the old ways. To break and enslave everyone beneath the feet of a new Crusade. Foes that, even though they should be crushed, linger among our people to this day."

"The remnants of Kyr'tsad remain?"

He nodded. "They do, and while not as powerful as they were before our last civil war, they still cause problems. Their calls for a return to the old ways – for our people to rampage across the galaxy as little more than mindless beasts seeking battle – continue to echo with some in our ranks."

"That isn't a surprise. Decades… centuries of seeming servitude to the Republic and the Senate will chafe those in which the flames of battle burn," I said with a smile, "and I know the last embers of that flawed ideal must be stamped out so the fires of a new path can be ignited."

"Even ignoring whatever remains of the Kyr'tsad, as I just mentioned, many will challenge you once it is clear that you intend to move for the title," Torrhen cut in, offering another issue that I had been expecting and thus planning for on the flight to Mandalore. "You cannot avoid those challenges, nor deny them the chance to challenge you for leadership of our people."

"I would not. Nor, if you felt the desire, would I deny either of you that opportunity. Force knows that you both have stronger claims among our people to become Mand'alor. I hope, however, that instead, you will back my intentions."

Adonai shared a look with Torrhen, one that had both smirking in that way that meant they knew something I didn't. "Perhaps we will," the head of House Kryze replied, "but not now. Not when another already has the title."

"You speak of Jango Fett?"

"Aye, though he has not made any move to lead our people. Not since avenging the death of Mereel."

"Osik, as it stands, there has been no sight of him in several years. The same is true of many other warriors, some of whom fought with us at Naboo." I tilted my head at Torrhen's words, curious as to which Mando'ade were missing. I already knew where they would be, or more accurately had a fair suspicion that they had followed Jango to Kamino, but I didn't have confirmation of that currently.

I knew that there had been elements of Mando'ade culture in the Clones, though it wasn't overly clear in the cartoon, and what was shown of their training was undertaken by mercenaries during the war. In Jango's place, I would've hired many to help train the clones. To teach them the way of war, and there were few better people to do that than the Mando'ade.

"I know where Jango is," I said quietly, making the brows of both men rise, "and if those warriors left with him, then them as well. I understand fully that until Jango is killed by my blade, few if any will accept me as Mand'alor. I even have a plan, perhaps an insane one, to draw him into confrontation. That, however, can wait for later." I leaned forward, making sure to meet the eyes of each house leader. "For now, I need your support to begin gathering and training forces for striking at slavers inside the borders of the Republic. To prove my worth as a leader in battle, and gain support so that I can become Mand'alor. I need to show I can lead warriors in battles across the galaxy. By targeting slavers, I can also show that, at least those warriors under my banner are not the demons of old that the citizens of the Republic have been trained to fear. A new era is dawning, and I lead our people through the coming conflicts into a glorious future. The question is," I contented as I leaned back in my seat and looked at both older warriors, "will you back my vision here, or must I fight each of you to prove my worth and break your clans from the ashes of the old to light the new?"

… …

​

---

​

… …
I sighed as I walked slowly through the streets of Keldabe, using the Force to counter the effects of the rather copious amount of alcohol I had enjoyed. It had been several hours since I'd sat down with Adonai and Torrhen to tell them of my choices, both past and present and I was finally heading back to Raven to rest for the evening.

The pair had, much to my surprise, agreed at least tentatively to support my plans, though they promised that when the time came for me to openly move to become Mand'alor, they would be the first to challenge me. Not because they felt I was unsuitable for the role – something I confirmed with Observe before we'd shifted topics to less heavy matters – but to ensure those loyal to them continued to follow them, and thus with their backing me, gain the support of many of the Mando'ade clans and people in one swift move.

The date of when that open declaration of my intentions would be wasn't touched on, but we all understood the challenges that I had to deal with first. Internally, I had to move to crush the Death Watch fully, placing me on a direct path of confrontation with Pre Vizsla, prove myself to others that I was strong enough to lead our people, and then, when the time came, kill Jango Fett. As much as I would wish for a warrior of his stature at my side, there was no way I could claim the throne while he still lived.

Pre was both the easiest and most irritating issue to face. I knew he was leading Death Watch, and had the Darksaber, but how to gain confirmation of that knowledge and force a confrontation with him was an issue. The bluntest way was to impregnate Naz, as there was no way he would stand for that and demand a duel of honour. However, as much as I found myself open to the idea of children with Naz and others, using a baby to force a confrontation was the path of a vile coward, and thus not the path I would take. No, instead I was going to have to do things the slow way and crush Death Watch cell by cell until I gained enough proof about Pre's connection to them that I could openly confront and then defeat and either kill or subjugate him. During that time, I'd be open to his attempts to have me killed, which meant confirming that every Mando'ade that joined my anti-slavery campaign wasn't loyal to Death Watch, or if they were, either working to manoeuvre them into battles that held a chance for them to fall in combat, or place them in positions where they couldn't harm or spy upon me. At least not in ways I couldn't control and direct.

The challenges from the other clan leaders would be easier and also just as dangerous, if not more so, as those would be a series of duels against any who felt I didn't have the right to lead our people. Thankfully, while any could in theory make a challenge for the throne, so to speak, most wouldn't have the support of enough fellow warriors to step forward with any expectation they would be accepted as leader if, by some miracle, they managed to defeat me in single combat.

Facing and then killing Jango – there was no other way that battle could go – would be the decisive step in my rise to the throne. Oddly, him being on Kamino and a bounty hunter made him the easiest to find and draw out, but the one I feared the most. He was a known killer, one who had killed Jedi unarmed on Galidraan and thus not to be taken lightly. Yes, Windu had dispatched him easily on Geonosis, but that was because it was Windu and Jango lost the ability to use his jetpack, and thus keep his distance from a Jedi. One of the best ways to fight and survive against a Force user when you couldn't draw on the same power. Given he would also know that I was Mando'ade, and would prepare for that, it would only make my fight with Jango more difficult, and thus enjoyable.

That said, I knew that Jango would be the last challenge I had to overcome to become Mand'alor. A fact made clear by the quest that had been generated after Adonai and Torrhen had accepted my intent to become the leader of our people.

The Dragon of Mandalore [¤] [ɸ]

Rating: S

Work towards becoming Mand'alor and leading the Mando'ade into the coming galactic war.

Objectives:

Become the new Mand'alor.

Remove the threat posed to the Mando'ade by Death Watch. This also involves the completion of the Pre-emptive Strike quest.

:c: Emerge victorious from challenges brought forth by Adonai and Torrhen.

:d: Emerge victorious from challenges brought forth by any Mando'ade with the support and desire to challenge your right to lead.

:e: Gain the sworn loyalty of various Clan leaders.

:f: Kill Jango Fett.

:g: Complete objectives to :f: within five years.

:h: Complete objectives to :f: within three years.

:i: Complete objectives to :f: within one year.

Rewards:

15000XP.

Command of all Mando'ade in the galaxy bar those willing to become dar'manda instead of following your commands.

2000XP + Completion of Pre-emptive Strike quest.

:c: 750XP for each challenge.

:d: 500XP for each victorious challenge.

:e: Variable XP based on the percentage of Clan leaders backing your claim.

Variable changes in Reputation with all Mando'ade.

:f: 3000XP.

Large increases in Reputation with all Mando'ade.

:g: 2500XP.

:h: 5000XP.

:i: Double all XP gained from the quest.

Failure:

Massive loss of reputation with Adonai Kryze and Torrhen Ordo

Unable to ever attempt to unite the Mandalorian Clans again.

, , :d:, :e:, :f: Your Death

...

​

Much of that quest was, based on what I had been discussing with Adonai and Torrhen before its creation, what I'd expected. In terms of what I'd have to do and what the cost of success and failure would be. The need to gain the support of the various Clan leaders was something Adonai and Torrhen had mentioned during the evening. The pair made clear that, while they led multiple Clans under a single banner, each Clan Leader had a single vote in backing a claimant for the title of Mand'alor. That was something I hadn't counted on initially and meant I'd have to go on a charm offensive – Mando'ade style – to gather the support of the hundreds of Clan Leaders. Regardless of the size of the Clan, each had a vote and spoke with an equal voice. That further meant that I couldn't just focus on the major Clan Leaders.

Such thoughts, as much as I didn't want them to, once again, turned to Serra. She was the leader of Clan Keto, which while a clan of one, had the same voting power as Adonai and Torrhen. I had hoped to keep the Jedi and Sith in the dark as to my intentions until long after I had become Mand'alor, but if I did that, and she wasn't given a chance to voice her support or challenge me for my right to lead, then she would be declared dar'manda once I killed Jango and took the throne. Being cast out for not answering the call of the Mand'alor was something I didn't want, hells, it was going to be hard to explain why she wasn't one of the first Clan Leaders to support my claim for leadership.

We were in the minds of many Mando'ade linked together. The first Jedi to join the Clans in an extraordinarily long time. If she didn't stand with me, it was going to bring forth questions and choices that I'd rather not deal with. However, there was little I could do about the issue, not unless, by some miracle, she was knighted before I made my push for the throne.

While the quest offered a huge bonus to completing things within a year, I was uncertain if that would be doable. The amount of work needed to pull that off was, to be blunt, impressively concerning. However, I was going to try. Not because of the quest per se, but because the sooner I united the Clans, the sooner I could move to strike at larger slaving operations, and other underworld activities that I couldn't accept, and thus the earlier the actions of the resurgent and united Mandalorian Clans would spread across the galaxy.

There were, I suspected, many worlds in the other timeline's CIS that only joined as they had no other choice. Equally, there would be many who had stayed with the Republic because they hated the mega-corporations more than they despised the Senate. While few of those worlds would be of use to me in a war, the weaker I could make the CIS and GAR, in terms of resources, reputation, and territory, then the better my starting position would be once civil war broke out.

The odds of that happening on Geonosis in this timeline were remote, more so if I were able to exterminate the inhabitants before they could begin building for the CIS that they had. Now, in theory, the Death Star plans could potentially still be acquired from Poggle. However, I suspected that because of my actions in this timeline, the Geonosians wouldn't play as pivotal a role in the early days of the war as they had in the other timeline. Something I intended to ensure along with a few other species and locations, Geonosis was a place I wanted to if not render lifeless, then at least crippled severely so that it would be of little to no use to the CIS.

Many would consider my intentions to target an entire species, or a planet inhabited by a large number of sentients because of the threat they could and would pose, as callous, if not downright evil. However, in the grand scheme of things, the weaker my enemy was when open warfare erupted, the greater my odds of military success would be. For the good of the many, the few had to be sacrificed. A great many few if that was what it took.

"Well, hello there warrior."

I was drawn from my thoughts by the familiar voice coming from ahead of me. I had just emerged at the landing pad where Raven was stationed, and as I looked at my ship, I saw Bo leaning against the landing ramp. The way her body was angled highlighted her frame while her armour only heightened my libido as I knew what lay under the beskar.

"I figured you'd have returned home after returning my son to my ship," I remarked as I approached, a smile spreading over my face as I sensed her desire burning in the Force like a beacon calling out to me. "However, I think you have other ideas for the evening, and perhaps the rest of the night through until tomorrow morning."

Bo chuckled softly and pushed off from the strut of the ramp she was leaning against to begin sauntering towards me. "I do indeed." As she neared me, she lifted a hand to my chest and ran her fingers down the edges of the beskar there. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?" I countered, even though I knew what she was asking. Her thoughts were an open book to me. Especially now that I was prepared to use the Force for my needs and not simply request aid from it.

"That you've left the Jetii and chosen our ways over theirs."

"And if I have?" I asked, making her growl with delight.

"Then we should celebrate," she suggested, moving closer before leaning up so she could whisper into my ear. "I have missed you inside me," she added before nibbling my earlobe. "As has Naz."

I chuckled at her wantonness. "Where is she, and where is my son?" I asked. Even as I did so, I reached out through the Force, seeking Anakin's location. He wasn't on Raven, nor was Fenrir or Simvyl.

The trio were, as Anakin replied to me through our bond, spending the night at the Kryze estate; a compound that was more akin to a military base centred in one section of the old city which Adonai had taken over with Torrhen to establish their power in the city, and from it, over Mandalore and the surrounding sector. The pair had never moved to directly control the entire city, nor the comings and goings from here and elsewhere on Mandalore, as such a move would be seen as an attempt to take control of the Clans, which would invite backlash. However, their large and seemingly permanent presence in the capital made clear that they were the most powerful Clan Leaders among the Mando'ade. A position they'd held ever since the end of the civil war, and one it seemed neither was willing to surrender. At least to any but the Mand'alor.

"He's safe with my father and Torrhen," Bo replied, confirming what I'd learnt in the moment that passed between my question and her reply. "Along with the Cathar and Fenrir. As for Naz," she pulled back, her fingers sliding down my arm and then grasping my beskar-covered artificial fingers, "she's inside awaiting us."

I pulled Bo back to me, my lips finding hers with practised ease. She moaned into the kiss, and her other hand came to my chest, her desire and need burning like a star within the roaring eddies of the Force. I pulled back before she became overcome with lust. "Then let us head inside and see what we can do about quenching your… passions."

The pair still wished for a child from me, and I saw no reason to deny their desires. Yes, there was a danger that others, particularly the Sith and Jedi, could try and get to me through my children, but they would seek to do so anyway through Bo, Naz, and even Serra. However, I wouldn't deny that I wished for offspring as well. The idea of ensuring that even if I fell in the coming wars my bloodline and ideals were carried forth appealed. Anakin was my ad, but the time would come when he became a warrior in his own right and founded Clan Skywalker. I would not be the last Shan to influence the galaxy, not if I could help it.

… …

​

---

​

… …
I stood at the edge of the area, watching as Anakin sparred with a child a few years older than him; one training at an Institute similar to the one that Serra and I had attended while on Mandalore. The difference was that the training for future warriors was no longer constrained by the demands of those Republic-backed fools who had called themselves New Mandalorians.

Depending on how my plans for tomorrow went, then he would be joining the Institute for a few months at least However, even if tomorrow went pear-shaped, which it had a good chance to do, training with others his age, particularly those not able to draw on the Force but trained to combat such individuals, would only serve him well in shaping the warrior he was becoming.

"He's too rash. Too quick to move and losing focus."

"I'm aware," I replied to Simvyl who stood at my side. The Cathar drew looks whenever we were on Mandalore, and had on occasion been challenged to prove his worth. Challenges that he had passed with honours and was now regarded well by those Mando'ade who knew him and his connection to me and my clan.

It was a few days after my meeting with Adonai and Torrhen, and things were moving along slowly. Which was to be expected as it had only been a short time since I'd revealed my intention to become Mand'alor. Both men were reaching out to their contacts, seeking information on Death Watch while I was talking with those I was friendly with – in the case of Bo and Naz intimately so – about striking against slavers and other criminals in nearby sectors.

I was aware that destroying the black markets and cartels that ran the galactic underground was impossible. Not only would that mean taking on the Hutts, Black Sun, Pyke Syndicate, and others that had the manpower, starships, and credits to crush anything I did with contemptuous ease, but for every group I crushed, for every major black-market port or trading post I destroyed, three or more would spring up in their place. That said, taking out the slave trade, or at least doing enough to show that I was capable of ensuring that any that engaged in such practices would suffer violent and painful deaths was generally achievable.

For the other illicit trades, I would have to consider each and the groups involved in them carefully. Spice was an obvious one, save that it was also legal to trade in it. The problem was that some variants were dangerous to certain species, while many spice mines used slave labour to mine. I wanted to shut down those mines, but moving against any but the smallest operation would see me brought into conflict with groups I wasn't capable of taking on currently. Thus, my focus, or at least my planned focus for now, was on the slaving operations that took place in the surrounding sectors: on worlds that were under the authority of the Senate, but where crime and chaos were rampant. For that I would be borrowing heavily from the Lokella playbook, though with warriors bred from an early age for war, and who understood the importance of tactics to a degree that few other cultures did.

The one issue I had encountered, and it was something Adonai and Torrhen had touched on at our meeting turned drinking session, was that many of the more experienced warriors who had fought for me on Naboo were missing. Kal Skirata, Vhonte Tervho, Jad Spars, and former Rangemaster Dun Marod among others had disappeared, seemingly cutting ties with their Clans. The two older Mando'ade weren't sure where those warriors had gone, but I was certain that Jango had recruited them to train the Clones. They should, once I killed Fett, return to Mandalore, and swear themselves to their new Mand'alor, or even potentially challenge me for leadership. The problem was that I couldn't be certain they would return when they should as Kamino was intentionally cut off from the rest of the galaxy. In that event, I would have to travel there myself, or at least have someone I trusted to do so, and demand they return to avoid becoming dar'manda. None deserved that fate, but if they would not follow me, then that was what awaited them.

Another issue I faced, and a far more pressing one, was Anakin. When I began my assaults against slavers in nearby sectors, then I had to juggle when he could come along and what he did, and when he couldn't. While still several years from being ready to take his verd'goten, he was my son and apprentice – I was shifting to that term instead of Padawan as I was no longer a Jedi, and he had never officially been one – and leaving him behind regularly would suggest I didn't trust him or want him at my side. The last thing I desired for him to believe.

There would be operations where he wouldn't come, and on those, he would accept my word. However, for the others, he would and for that, he needed to train and understand how Mando'ade fought and worked together. Hence why, as of this morning, I had brought him to an Institute for training alongside children his age. So far, I was unimpressed, as while he had won a handful of spars, his overall performance was lacking. Unrefined, undisciplined, and rageful. All traits of a berserker and not a warrior.

A grunt of annoyance slipped from me as I felt the rising fury that blazed within him as his opponent, the son of the leader of one of the Clans sworn to House Kryze, didn't just block an attempted strike, but slapped his arm away almost dismissively. "Control," I growled out under my breath for at least the dozenth time this morning.

Anakin, sadly, didn't hear me, nor realise his mistake and before he even committed to his next move, I knew the spar was over. As the other boy grasped Anakin's arm and began to turn, pulling my son off his feet, I was moving forward. I had allowed these mistakes to continue for long enough in the hope that he might see his greatest flaw and attempt to correct it. Yet, as he struck the ground loud enough to draw a pained cry from his lips, it was clear that not only wasn't he sensing the lesson but that much of what he might've learnt over the last few years was slipping away as his fury radiated outward, threatening to overwhelm him.

The other boy stepped back, a proud smirk on his face and said something to Anakin. My son's head snapped around and as almost unrestrained rage erupted into the Force and I felt the pressure in the air grow thick with anticipation, I increased my pace. "Anakin!" I spat out forcefully, using my power over the Force to blast through his emotional instability.

His head snapped so he could look at me as I moved closer. [What are you doing?] I asked him through the Force.

[Losing!] He snapped back. I reached out into the Force, letting my power over it leak into our bond and the area around us. I didn't care how the warriors around us reacted to such a thing, not that I expected any of them to understand what was happening. No, what I wanted was to remind Anakin that I wouldn't tolerate that tone and aggression towards me. [Sorry.]

[As you should be. Not for lashing out or getting angry, but for allowing those emotions to take control. You have learnt better, I made sure of it, so control yourself.] "He might be stronger and better trained than you, but he is not your better," I said out loud, knowing that if I chose to simply stare at my son while others watched, they wouldn't understand what was going on and think I was acting like a Jedi. That was something I wasn't, nor the more I'd thought about things in the month or so that had passed since I'd left the Order, had I truly been one for some time. Even perhaps going back to before Naboo. I just hadn't seen the signs while I was racing past them. "Control yourself. Focus on the moment as I trained you to do, and you will emerge victorious," I added before shifting back to mental communication. [You control your emotions and the Force. You don't allow them to control you. There is nothing wrong with drawing on how you feel in battle, or in most places in life. However, you need to channel and focus them. As you learnt with the Shapers and Matukai.]

"I know. Sorry."

I moved closer and lifted his head which had dropped after my words, both oral and mental. "Don't be sorry. Be better." [The Force is with you, so use it and prove yourself against your opponent.]

I held his eye, waiting for his response. Beyond a nod, there was nothing visual, however, within the Force, I felt the shift. Where before there had been a hint of madness in how he and the Force were interacting, as he lost himself in his negative emotions, now things shifted. The fire that raged within him remained, but I could see him harnessing it. Not as well as I could currently do, or to the level I one day hoped to be able to by learning from Malgus and other holocrons, but enough that I could sense he had regained his control.

After returning the nod, I stepped away; certain that he would do better. As I walked back to Simvyl I saw one of the Cathar's eyebrows had risen, and I understood why. My words today, as they had been since I'd left the Order, were colder to Anakin. Or at least to one not attuned to the Force, they would seem that way. Within the bond I shared with Anakin, I made certain he understood that I cared for him and that my intentions were only to start shaping him into the warrior he would become. I had even, the day after we had left the Lokella for Mandalore, explained as much to him.

Since we had arrived on Mandalore, or at least when I had been free to train him, he had experienced the shift and understood that my feelings for him hadn't changed, only my goal for what I was training him for. He felt I was shifting everything towards making him Mando'ade who could draw on the Force, which was what I expected him and others to believe. In reality, I was shaping him to use the Force as a tool and weapon.

The coming war, in which his role was as important as mine, would require him to be a weapon; one designed to fight on any kind of battlefield. He needed to be ready for that, but I wasn't going to go as far as Adas and Malgus would want me to with an apprentice. I wouldn't break them down and rebuild them into what I wanted. Anakin already trusted me and understood my goals were to make him strong so that one day, he could claim his revenge on Decca the Hutt, and then be ready for what came after.

We would not be Sith, though he would learn their lessons as I distilled them within myself, and through us, and others like Quinan, Aayla, and others I hoped to gain as allies and followers, reshape the galaxy into something worthy of our presence.

… …

​

---

​

… …
I moved slowly through the facility, making my way towards the only occupied cell in the place. The complex was located in the Mandalore system, but not on the planet itself. Instead, it was one of several – though the only one currently active according to Adonai and Torrhen – located throughout the Mandalore sector designed in millennia past to house and contain Force-sensitive prisoners the Mando'ade had captured.

The facility was housed inside an asteroid that while now in use wasn't running at close to full power. Both because it held only a single prisoner and because the only current occupant wasn't considered on the level of a Sith Lord or Jedi Council Member. Now, that wasn't to say Maul wasn't powerful, nor that the Mando'ade were being skimpy on the security of the facility, it was just that this place could, in theory, detain Force users like Sidious, Plagueis, Yoda, and Windu. At least in theory. I was sure that a Force user with those levels of power and control could break free of the containment, but according to everything I'd read about this site, no Force user had ever escaped from it in the countless years it had been in existence.

The corridors were generally devoid of people, with pairs of guards in full armour and outfitted specifically to take down Force users at critical intersections. Cameras lined the corridor I was walking down, as they had ever since I'd arrived on the station with Baston Tyri. He was the one overseeing the security of the facility and had remained behind in the control centre while I'd set off for Maul's cell. The direction was programmed into the Battlenet running through my armour, which was connected to the station's security system. That way, if things went south in a hurry while I spoke with Maul, I could ensure that he wouldn't escape.

As I neared the cell, Maul's presence in the Force became clearer, and I frowned under my helmet at what I sensed. The power and fury that I had faced on Naboo was there, but it was… contained. Around that rage that had powered him during our fight, and no doubt in every other moment of his life until then, was a barrier. One keeping the storm that was Maul's presence in the Force contained, and as I gently bent the Force around me to my demands, I realised that he seemed more centred than I recalled. Why that was I would have to discover once I spoke to him, but it was an interesting change.

Perhaps it was in response to my presence. Once the ship carrying Baston and I had been halfway to this facility, I had allowed the restraints on my Force signature to slowly peel away. I had considered waiting until I was in Maul's physical presence before removing the barriers I had learnt to craft from Adas' teachings. However, I had decided against such a display as it would only place Maul on the defensive, well far more so than he would be anyway, when we spoke, which might well undermine what I hoped to achieve here today. Or at least begin the process of achieving.

It would take him time to realise I was the same person he had fought on Naboo, as I knew my Force signature wasn't anywhere close to what it had once been. However, before he saw my armour when I entered his cell, he would know that it was me that was approaching and I wanted him to have time to process that fact, and that not only had I grown more powerful, but that I now no longer hid that the Force bent to my will instead of me asking it for aid as a Jedi might.

Depending on how today went, I was considering returning his lightsaber to him. His lightsaber was a part of him just as mine was part of me, and while that weapon wasn't in his hands, I was assured that his cell could contain him even if he was armed. Bringing the weapon with me was a risky move, but he had no way of knowing it was present as it would remain secure in my Inventory until I felt the moment was right to reveal it. If such a moment ever occurred.

The armour's sensors, and those of the station, noted a steady drop in the temperature as I moved ever closer to the cell and I peeled back the last of the restraints on my Force signature while I basked in the power of the Force as it acquiesced to my demands. A moment later Baston contacted me via the Battlenet, asking what was going on, though my only response was to inform him I was the cause of the shift. He would, in time, understand that I was using the Force to influence the environment around me; to shift and bend the physical realm to my demands as I did with the Force. All to prove to Maul that I was, and yet was not, the man he had fought on Naboo.

I waited outside the final set of doors leading to Maul's cell. Even though they knew who I was, and why I was here, the four-warrior team there carried out their orders: confirming my presence with Control, and making sure all the security codes were accurate and up to date. Exactly as they were meant to do.

A simple nod from the leader of the four-warrior team was the only confirmation I received that I was clear to proceed, and I moved towards the door. It slid open, not because I had approached, but because of dual commands from the team present and the control centre. Stepping inside, I realised this was an airlock, or something remarkably similar to it. The hiss of seals as the door closed and the air shifted around me, confirmed that before, a moment later, the inner door opened, and I was greeted by the sight of Maul's cell.

Calling it a cell was perhaps a misnomer. This place was more akin to a storage room in size. I was standing on a ledge, looking towards the centre of the room where, in a completely relaxed cross-legged meditation position, sat Maul. His eyes ranged over me, as I stood there, and I felt him searching in the Force, confirming that I was the same individual who had defeated him on Naboo. As he did that, and I allowed more of my signature in and control over the Force to expand outwards, I moved to one side of the ledge.

There a small console rested on a pedestal and contained only two buttons. The left would extend a platform that ran to the edge of the ray shields that formed a cone over Maul's platform and ensured he couldn't escape. The other would lower the ray shields, though only if confirmed in seconds by commands from the men outside and those in the control room. Otherwise, it would open the vents around the walls and turn the chamber into a vacuum. While the vastness of space wouldn't instantly kill Maul, it would ensure he remained contained, and thus able to be, once he weakened from the exposure, restrained, and moved to another secure location.

While I considered how to approach this meeting, or at least where to begin our conversation, I turned back to Maul and used Observe; curious as to his mental state and how he might've changed in the years since we last encountered each other.

Maul

Race: Zabrak

Level: 37

Health: 100% (Limited subsistence outside of the Force)

Age: 24

Force Potential: Very High

Threat Potential: High

Reputation: Neutral

Affiliation Loyalty: Maul (82%) The Banite Sith (64%) Darth Sidious (57%)

Emotional State: Curious/Angered

Maul is wondering why you, after so long, have returned to see him.

He is also intrigued by the changes that he can sense within you, wondering if, like him, you have seen through the lies.

However, he remains infuriated that you defeated him on Naboo, as he knows it was only his failings and your gadgets that allowed it to happen.

...

​

The most interesting things from that, at least when I compared it to when I'd used Observe on him while he was sedated after our battle on Naboo, were threefold. The first was that he had risen a level even while contained in this cell. I was unsure how that had happened, but I assumed that he had spent time reflecting on not just our duel, but on his life up until then, and used it to train himself in ways that Sidious had not, for whatever reason, done so. That suspicion was enhanced by the massive drop in loyalty to Darth Sidious and the Banite Sith Order. Both were low. Far lower than I'd expected, but they were something I could use, and should, I hope, drop as we spoke.

The last thing was how he felt about me. Yes, the anger about losing to me on Naboo, courtesy of my armour and what I'd added to it was understandable, and something I could exploit while we spoke. However, it was the mention that he had seen through the lies that caught my attention. It mirrored something Malgus had said once I'd managed to open his holocron and suggested that my plans for Maul, and the linked quest Son of Darkness, had a greater chance of success than I'd initially hoped for.

Deciding to begin the conversation now, I lifted off my helmet, and after shaking my head to allow my hair to breathe again, looked at the sitting Zabrak. "Hello Maul. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

… …

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… …
This story is cross-posted on Fanfiction.net, Archive of Our Own, and Royal Road.
...
For those wishing to join the Discord for the story, the server link is:
For this series: Heart of the Force
For general chaos/Gamer stories: Shiro's Gaming Omniverse
(Those on the story server who engage in chat can earn access to a chapter ~3 weeks before it goes public).

For those who wish to support my writing, and get access to drafts and completed chapters anywhere from 1 to 4 months earlier head to one of the links below:
Patreon: USSExplorer
SubscribeStar: USSExplorer
Kofi: USSExplorer

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Regardless if you join the discord or support my writing, I hope you enjoy the story and suggestions, valid criticisms, and ideas are always welcome.
And of course;

May the Force be with you. Always​

 

[USSExplorer]

He used to take out star ships with TK, he used to phase through attacks to force his opponent to make a mistake, and was the battle of Mtael's gift literally the only reason to give him battle meditation? He has got the active version of it and never used it even when he was fighting two wars where it would have been useful.

Click to shrink...

going through these in order.
He used TK against ships when standing on the bridge of another ship, ignoring everything going on around him. The other time he used it was again from distance. He was stationary and far from battle (the first battle of Mtael's Gift). Since then, he's become more of a front-line fighter than a sit-back and observe commander.
Battle Meditation is a family trait, but one that hasn't suited Cam's fighting style much. That might/will change as he find uses for it as the story progresses.

Why even bother slicing through all of the chaff when you could telekinetically wipe them all out at once instead a few at time? Sure, someone like Maul you have to close with as anything at range will be swatted or dodged but for most lesser threats? Why give them the honor of his blade? They aren't worth it.

Click to shrink...

Again, Cam has become someone who enjoys the heat of battle, so slicing his way through chaff. (Plus, if they're in his road, that's there bad luck)

Natural Selection, does he still have the mini map? in general, is there a rundown of how NS has affected his powers and abilities?

Click to shrink...

Minimap remains, it's just that it's not used as much now either because of the HUD in his armour (which he has superimposed over where the Minimap, appears or it's just not mentioned.
As for the changes, the descriptions came in Phantom Menace 6 and 3.01 Evolution and Adaption.
In general, it only affected his interaction with the Force. Everything else remains, by and large, untouched.

 

[Morkail]

Thanks for the chapter.

Couple things stand out to me one he will need a source of ships and materials to be on the same level as the republic and CIS and I can't shack the feeling that something like the starforge will play a part in that, or maybe that one factory planet that was in later area of the Star Wars MMO.

Speaking of MMO I never got around to doing the later quests with Malgus think I recall he went rogue and the Jedi and Sith capture him…. But I can't recall why or even why they care about him. Sooo… quick summery of his story please?

Having his future crusade be on fighting slavery will mean that little anakin will be nearly impossible to turn lol, that boy is going to be living his best life fighting slavery scum.

He had the bare minimum of a plan here, it sounds like durning the Cvil war he wants of build up his own faction and nation and towards the end game maybe ensure the empire never comes to be but instead the republic just collapses. Big ask since the Jedi are not going to happy about a resurgence former Jedi lead mandalore let alone the resident Sith Lord who will view them as the biggest threat after the Jedi.

Odd are high they will be forced to fight both sides.

Still interesting chapter

 

[tiwarikk]

I want to know if his end goal of understanding the balance of the force is the same or if he has abandoned that,I also want to know what else can he face, like will he face abeloth, the mortis or something like the dark dimension? And what happened to the oneness skill?

 

[potentially_a_robot]

going through these in order.
He used TK against ships when standing on the bridge of another ship, ignoring everything going on around him. The other time he used it was again from distance. He was stationary and far from battle (the first battle of Mtael's Gift). Since then, he's become more of a front-line fighter than a sit-back and observe commander.
Battle Meditation is a family trait, but one that hasn't suited Cam's fighting style much. That might/will change as he find uses for it as the story progresses.



Again, Cam has become someone who enjoys the heat of battle, so slicing his way through chaff. (Plus, if they're in his road, that's there bad luck)

Click to shrink...

Thanks for the response. I guess I just struggle with the thought that a former military would abandon seemingly more effective means for less effective ones but it could happen. I look forward to the development of his battle prowess both as a combatant and leader with the latest developments.

 

[USSExplorer]

I want tobknow if his end goal of understanding the balance of the force is the same or if he has abandoned that,I also want to know what else can he face, like will he face abeloth, the mortis or something like the dark dimension? And what happened to the oneness skill?

Click to shrink...

Balance in the Force isn't truly doable. The most common example of it is Revan, who never really was balanced. He was either Jedi or Sith, and the one time he was balanced, his Force Ghost split in two.
There's a whole philosophical debate to be had about balance, the Force, and what it all means but I'm not going to get into that here. (Done enough of that on the story's Discord to have had my lifetime's fill)
Oneness, in theory, is easier for him to obtain now as the Interface isn't screwing with the Force and Cam. However, it's also harder as the path he's walking isn't one that allows it. As for the other things mentioned, there are plans that go beyond The Clone Wars but those are rough as heck right now.

I guess I just struggle with the thought that a former military would abandon seemingly more effective means for less effective ones but it could happen.

Click to shrink...

You forget how the Force affects someone who uses it. Even before Cam rushed in, which was part of how he died. With the Force now amping up his abilities, and the fact he's got a lightsaber, he's developing an enjoyment of cqc fighting over ranged assaults. Now, he'll have to temper that in the coming decades but for now, he's able to leap into the fray almost at will.[/ISPOILER][/ISPOILER]

 

[tiwarikk]

Balance in the Force isn't truly doable. The most common example of it is Revan, who never really was balanced. He was either Jedi or Sith, and the one time he was balanced, his Force Ghost split in two.
There's a whole philosophical debate to be had about balance, the Force, and what it all means but I'm not going to get into that here. (Done enough of that on the story's Discord to have had my lifetime's fill)
Oneness, in theory, is easier for him to obtain now as the Interface isn't screwing with the Force and Cam. However, it's also harder as the path he's walking isn't one that allows it. As for the other things mentioned, there are plans that go beyond The Clone Wars but those are rough as heck right now. ]

Click to shrink...

Right thanks for your answer, has he recovered all his lost skills from before the natural allingment update or it is still some ways to go?

 

[USSExplorer]

A/N: As always, a huge thank you to those helping with lore and planning for this and my other stories.

And again, this chapter was released to those of sufficient rank on the story's Discord (it pays to talk) about a month ago. For those who support my writing, then it was released between 1 to 6 months ago (and those supporters can also access chapters that far in advance).

If joining the Discord or supporting my writing interests you, there is a link at the end of the chapter for how to do so.

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3.15 Dragon meets Demon
… …​

(Maul's POV)
As had been the case for most of his confinement, Maul sat calmly in the centre of his cell. A cell that he was forced to begrudgingly admit was designed exceptionally well for containing Force users. The platform he was trapped on sat in the centre of the room, a good twenty metres from the wall or the very small ledge that was in front of the door that would lead out of the cell. Such a jump was but a minor inconvenience for one as well trained and powerful in commanding the Force, however, to reach that ledge, he had to contend with a ray shield that encased the platform projected down from above.

Again, the ray shield was a minor annoyance on its own, as he could easily reach out with the Force and crush the projector, or any semi-critical component inside it, such was his domination over the Force. However, doing so, or using the Force to activate the controls for the ray shield, the walkway that extended to his platform or the door out of the cell would result in the vents in the room sucking all the air from the cell.

When he had first been told of that, not long after waking in a rage at his defeat to the Jedi Cameron Shan, Maul hadn't believed the Mandalorian that spoke to him from behind an armoured face. He had reached out with the Force and began crushing the ray shield's projector. Just as the warrior had warned, alert sirens sounded, and the vents opened.

Maul knew he could survive in the vacuum of space for a decent while, and felt he could overcome the issue, kill every Mandalorian trying to contain him here and defeat the other defences – which extended to the numerous laser cannons that were dotted around the walls and all activated the moment the shield was dropped. However, a quiver in the Force, one that he had not felt before, had quelled his rage.

He had ripped the answers from the Force, and as much as he didn't believe it, understood that this was where he needed to be. At first, he had believed that it was so he could learn from his failure and await recovery by agents of his Master, Darth Sidious. Even while he waited for that believed inevitable rescue, Maul postulated ways to escape.

He was forced, as the days ticked away, to slowly admit that the Mandalorians knew how to contain a Force user. Multiple redundancies and dead-man's switches existed for each layer of the defences of his cell, ensuring that nothing would be easy. Add in that they rotated their patrols, the times he was fed, and even altered the length of the day and night to deny him a chance to settle, and Maul found himself, rather unexpectedly, gaining an appreciation for his jailors. Yes, the moment he managed to escape from his confines, he would slaughter them all, but for the craftsmanship that had gone into this prison that now held him, they deserved honour in their deaths; one brought on by death at the hands of a fellow warrior.

Yet, after what he felt was perhaps a week, if not two, and with every potential plan for escape bringing lower odds of success than he was willing to commit to, he remained unable to contact his Master. Even his demands for a response in the Force failed to draw a response, which caused Maul's fury – barely constrained as it always was because of his training at the hands of Darth Sidious – to swell once more.

That time, however, the anger was not directed at his captors, but at himself. He deemed himself unworthy of his place at Darth Sidious' side. He had allowed a Jedi, one weaker than he had expected but resourceful enough to work to overcome those failings in other, slightly unanticipated ways, to not just beat him, but capture him.

Cameron Shan, that armoured helmet hiding what a Human might deem appealing features, had stood against him on Naboo. The Jedi's form was perfect, at least in the mechanical sense. No movement was flawed or inaccurate, yet they were all predictable. As if Maul was training against a droid with the ability to match a Force user for speed and dexterity. Maul had enjoyed the long-held thought that the Padawan he had defeated before engaging Shan, the one for which his reason for being on that insignificant backwater of a planet, shared a connection with, had been a greater threat.

Yes, the female was far from being as skilled as Shan, nor as powerful as her slain Master with the Force. Yet, when forced to engage him, she had adapted and drawn on the Force. Doing so, much to Maul's at the time anger but now begrudging respect, by bending the Force to her demands. However, in the end, her use of the Dark Side was that of a child dipping their toe into the deepest depths of the Force, whereas he had bathed in it since he was taken in by Darth Sidious and trained in the ways of the Sith.

Yet, for all his flaws, for the clear weaknesses he had, Shan had come prepared, and thanks to the help of that damned armour, the same one he saw whenever one of the guards ordained to enter his cell, he had defeated Maul. It had taken time, more than he now was happy about, before Maul had not just accepted his defeat, but gained some begrudging respect for Shan. The child, for that was what he was, no matter that the Jedi made him a Knight, had adapted and overcome his failings. He had, in at least several ways, broken the chains that contained him. Both those created by the Force in whatever twisted ideals it had placed on Shan and in the flawed teachings of the Jedi.

That realisation had sparked something unexpected in Maul. The understanding of why Darth Sidious spoke so highly of Shan – perhaps even considering replacing Maul with him – and in Maul's own failings. The realisation that his training had been constrained and narrowly focused had always been one Maul held, but with time away from the teachings of Darth Sidious, he had slowly come to understand his flaws were not ones he had worked to overcome. Not just because of his own innate belief, instilled in him by Darth Sidious that he was a weapon built to kill Jedi, but because his Master had failed to complete his teachings to where he might be a suitable Apprentice for the Dark Lord of the Sith.

That had caused his anger to shift again, moving towards his Master. Anger that threatened for longer than he was happy to admit, threatened to consume him for far longer than it should've. As time passed, and one day slipped into the next, Maul began to understand that his Master had abandoned him, not just because he had failed, but because he had always been disposable. He was never the one Darth Sidious intended for the role of Apprentice once Darth Plagueis was removed. He had only ever been a tool for Darth Sidious to send against enemies he couldn't himself – for whatever reason – eliminate personally.

Maul had ruminated for some time on the whispered words from his now former Master, remembering well the promises that once Darth Plagueis was killed, Maul's training would be completed so he would be a worthy Apprentice for the new Dark Lord of the Sith. One that could honour and carry forth the teaching of Darth Bane as the Grand Plan was enacted. Those words, which he understood now were little more than spice-covered lies designed to keep Maul obedient as much as the harsh punishments and gruelling training, were worthless. Whispers on the winds like the countless others Sidious had told others, even his Master, Darth Plagueis, during his rise to power.

He remembered well the attack on Sojourn, the failure of it and the punishment brought forth by Darth Sidious for not killing, or at the very least gravely wounding Darth Plagueis. How his former Master had been infuriated at the failure and had punished Maul for weeks afterwards. At the time, Maul had borne the punishment as he felt he should. He had failed and deserved to be punished. Yet, with time to consider the matter, Maul now understood that Darth Sidious had been less enraged at the failure than at his Master still living. It, along with other similar memories, had Maul questioning the power of his former Master. At least in a sense.

Darth Sidious was powerful, incredibly so, and Maul retained thanks that he had been trained by the Sith Lord. Yet, it was clear that Darth Sidious, for all his power and influence, was still weaker than Darth Plagueis. That he had no intention, or perhaps ability, to strike down his Master and replace him if engaged directly. Now, Maul understood that diversion and distraction were the way of the Sith since the creation of the Rule of Two by Darth Bane. However, the clarity of thought his confinement had brought helped show him that he was nothing but a weapon to be thrown at targets and that his Master was not all-powerful.

With those thoughts in mind, Maul had turned inward. Not in anger at himself, Darth Sidious, Shan, or anything else. No, he did so with the intention that, as his confinement continued and granted him the peace of environment to do so, to see that not only was he not what he should be, but that Darth Sidious had purposefully made it so. He understood that now, with nothing else to do and time to use, he could change that. That there was much his former Master had failed and chosen to teach him.

Thus, with his location certain but his path not, Maul reached into the Force and ripped from it any scrap of potential knowledge. He would remain here until such time as he was ready to leave, or the Force offered an opening he would take, and work to improve himself. He had focused on matters that Darth Sidious had told him were unimportant to his training, or that would come later once Darth Plagueis was killed. Maul understood that what he was learning himself had little base from which to work. Just fleeting passages of text in the various ancient Sith manuscripts that Sidious had allowed him to pursue, or displays of the Force that he had seen Jedi he had fought and killed display. However, it did not matter. He would learn those abilities, he would grow stronger so that when the time came, and he was free of this confinement, one he was now using to his advantage, he would be able to strike against those who had…

Maul's eyes shot open as he sensed something truly unexpected in the Force. For the first time in his confinement, he felt not just the potential of the Force within someone, but the control of one who had mastered influence and domination over the Force. Power unlike that of his former Master, but potentially far grander and more dangerous, was nearby.

He stood slowly, his mind pushing into the Force, demanding answers about the newcomer. This was not his former Master, nor as he brushed up against the shields that seemed to contain the raging fury of a galactic storm, was this his Master, Darth Plagueis. He had never directly met his former Master's Master; however, he had been close enough on occasion to brush up against the Muun's defences without, he hoped, being detected. Darth Plagueis' defences were incredible, putting to shame those of his former Master. Yet, this approaching individual was not the Muun.

The Force was shifting, reacting even though they were a great distance apart, to the presence of Maul and the newcomer, and he felt it lurch at the display of power raging within it. With perhaps a hint of desperation, or even hope, that this was when his confinement would end, Maul grasped at the Force, demanding to know what was happening and who this newcomer was.

He stumbled back as the newcomer not only denied him that knowledge, but slammed his probes into the Force back with power that, as he blinked in his cell, Maul understood was powerful. Potentially surpassing that of his former Master. "Impossible," he muttered as he recovered from the backlash.

The power he had felt, though still raw and in many ways immature, was almost intoxicating. Particularly as Maul had not felt the presence of another Force user since his defeat at the hands of …

"No," he mumbled as his eyes widened. "It cannot be." He moved around his platform as anxiously as he ever had. "It cannot." Yet, as much as he wished to deny it, the newcomer approaching, the one with power on a scale he had perhaps never experienced before was Cameron Shan. "Impossible," he muttered again while shaking his head.

Maul had longed for the day when he might face Shan again. First, when consumed by rage at Shan and then himself, so that he might splatter the Human's blood on the ground and remove the stench of defeat from himself. Then, once he had regained control of his fury, so that he might learn how the Jedi had prepared for, and in the end, bested him. Yet never in his wildest expectations did he predict that when Shan ordained to re-enter his presence, not only would Shan have grown more powerful than Maul had ever considered probable, but that he did so by using Sith techniques.

Maul had wondered, and in a few of those more despised moments of weakness feared, that Shan would come. That he would, having become the new and true Apprentice of Darth Sidious, appear to engage and then kill Maul. Yet, while it was undeniable that Shan was drawing on and commanding the Dark Side, Maul didn't sense his impending doom. Nor what he would now consider the taint of his former Master.

"Interesting."

Shan was using techniques that one could only learn from the Sith to mask his Force signature, or had been before Maul had been caught unaware of his presence. He was now not attempting to constrain his signature, letting Maul freely sense the way Shan bent the Force to his desires and assumed control over the system they were in. That meant Maul had time to prepare for their meeting, and perhaps if Maul were interpreting the ways the eddies in the Force seemed to be shifting, that their confrontation would not be one that ended in bloodshed. It still might, as Shan was denying him the ability to wrest answers from the Force – another sign of Shan's seemingly unlocked power – yet Maul felt there was the chance that something unexpected, but intriguing, was on the verge of happening.

Knowing he had time to meditate on the matter, Maul sat down and resumed his earlier position. The same one he held most often when awake. Shan was inbound, but there was time for Maul to consider what was about to happen and ensure that his rage at seeing the one who had defeated and imprisoned him here would not overwhelm him. He was not the rabid dog that his former Master had created to unleash on his enemies. No, Maul served himself now and had control of his desires. That said, if the confrontation between himself and Shan turned violent, Maul would ensure that if he were to fall on this day, then he would ensure that Shan would remember it for eternity.

He had gained power during his time here. While most of that was outwardly untested for he refused to reveal what he was now capable of to his captors, he knew with certainty that even denied his lightsaber – something he suspected he would have to replace when he finally determined a method of escape from this containment – he could defeat a Jedi. The issue was that Shan was no longer a Jedi.

It was possible that he might claim to be one to others, but he had revealed the truth of himself to Maul. He was a Sith, though not one of Darth Bane's lineage. Maul felt his face shift, and the faintest hint of a smile slip onto his face before he schooled his features. Shan wasn't here to prove his worth to Darth Sidious, nor for all his power was Shan ready to face Maul's former Master. Yet he was a Sith, and that thread was one that Maul, after countless months, if not years, within this cell, found himself pulling on.

For all his hopes and desires, for his need to escape to defeat Shan, destroy Sidious and devastate the Jedi and the Republic, Maul was not one to get lost in them. The future was uncertain, and the way the Force was rising and swirling into a seeming monsoon that was slowly tightening as Shan approached. Yet, he sensed that perhaps, just perhaps, there was a way out of his confinement that would allow him the opportunity to gain his vengeance against all who had wronged him. However, for all that he longed for freedom from his confinement, he would not trade one Master for another.

Time fell away as he focused on ensuring he was prepared for the meeting. Shan had willingly given him warning of his approach, and Maul would not fail to use it. Nor did it seem, as his mind once more lingered on the possibility of freedom, would he stop considering what it meant. However, he knew that no answer would come until he faced Shan.

That Shan had chosen to not appear in the days and weeks after their battle on Naboo was a sign of wisdom from the young Human. Had he appeared, then in the rage that Maul had struggled to contain and forge, Maul knew he would've lashed out and not heard anything the clearly former Jedi had to say. Now, though, with time to accept events and see his flaws, ones hidden from him before, Maul knew he would listen. However, if it were the best option he had available, he would strike down Shan if he could.

Shan was edging closer, now on the station. For all the training the Mandalorians had to protect themselves against the Force, Maul had time, patience, and new training that allowed him to, if not influence the minds of these warriors, then at least sense where they were around him. They might change their patterns, both when any appeared in his cell and those without rotated, but their central command station was one Maul knew the exact location of. Much as he did the hangar bay in which Shan was now moving.

He sat there waiting patiently for Shan's arrival, his eyes opening a mere moment before he heard the outer door of his cell unseal and slide back. Shan emerged a moment later, revealed in the same armour as he had worn on Naboo.

As Shan looked over at him, Maul felt a flicker of something in the Force. Something new, unexpected, and yet not dangerous. His brow tightened as he understood Shan had used some technique that he had never encountered before. Perhaps one that not even his former Master or his Master knew of. Another hint that this was not the same Human he had faced on Naboo.

As Shan lifted his hands to his helmet, Maul allowed the faintest flicker of amusement to slide over his face. Shan had replaced the limb Maul had taken, and would no matter if Maul fell today or another, carry the reminder of their battle until he himself perished. That caused a spark of pride to form within Maul; however, he refused to dwell on it.

The sight of the face of the man who was responsible for his imprisonment came into view, and while externally he remained calm, inside Maul felt the furnace of his rage swell up. One of those he wished to defeat and destroy was there before him. All he had to do was reach out and crush him. However, Maul controlled his rage. He was in command, not the internal furnace nor the whispered voices of temptation that came from the maddest sections of the Force that, if able to, would twist weak fools into pathetic husks.

"Hello, Maul. It's been a while, hasn't it?"

Maul stared at the face of the Human, comparing it to the one burned into his memory from before he was sent to Naboo by his former Master. On the surface, only minor differences were visible. A few years have passed, the Human's hair has grown longer, and there is stubble on his chin and jaw. Yet it was the eyes that drew Maul's attention. There, in what some weak-willed sentients would say the window to one's soul; Maul saw the proof of the changes he felt radiating into the Force from Shan. Young though he may be, in the Human's eyes Maul saw the heart of a warrior, one forged in fire, which caused a small shift in his opinion of Shan. A small measure of respect was gained as he peered at the warrior who stood before him. One who freely and openly commanded the Force to do his bidding.

Maul's eyes drifted to Shan's side, noting the lightsaber there. A momentary flicker of irritation rushed through him at both the fact that Shan had replaced the weapon he had destroyed and that his blade was lost somewhere on Naboo. If not destroyed by Shan in an act of vengeance after their duel.

Shan's lips twitched as if he knew what Maul was feeling and thinking. Maul's gaze shifted back to the Human's face, though as it did he pushed into the Force, using it to demand the truth of what Shan had become and find some minuscule crack through whatever illusion Shan was projecting to make him appear more powerful, if unrefined, in comparison to what he had been when they had fought on Naboo.

The twitch turned into a small grin as Shan felt Maul's actions within the Force. Yet, instead of pushing back or attempting to crush the probe, Shan didn't just allow it. No, he dropped the first layer of his defences, allowing Maul to access the surface of the Human's mind that mingled with the Force.

It took all of Maul's control not to display his surprise and shock outwardly at not just Shan's willingness to let Maul examine him within the Force, but at what he felt. The same storm that he had sensed from distance was still present, still threatening to engulf a star if given the freedom to do so. Yet it remained contained: crystallised behind a wall of sheer will that, in the moments that Maul allowed himself to examine it, no hint of a flaw could be found.

Oh, Shan lacked the control and sophistication that Maul's former Master held over the Force, but Maul was left in little doubt that in terms of sheer potential, Shan was the most powerful Force user he had ever encountered. Part of him raged at Shan, wondering how the Human had altered himself so dramatically since Naboo. Another voice screamed that it should be he who held that power, not Shan. Neither demand was given the attention they sought, not now that Maul had learnt to truly harness and control the Force around him.

Yet as he continued to examine Shan, as he demanded the submission of the Force, he could feel Shan's grasp over it as well. A grasp that, if Shan wished, would push Maul from what he was doing with an ease that Maul considered almost insulting. His former Master often displayed the difference in power and command that existed before them, yet Shan did not. Most curious, and potentially useful.

"Anything to say?" Shan asked, seemingly trying to break the ice as it were between them.

Maul remained silent, content to stay in his meditative position for now. He might be the prisoner here, but he sensed that it was he who had command of the situation. That Shan wished for something from him. That said, Maul would admit that the way the Force positively bristled with intent around them had him curious as to Shan's purpose here.

There was no malice in Shan's body language nor within the Force. Nor did Maul sense Shan intended to kill him; something that Maul would make most difficult even without his lightsaber and trapped behind the ray shield as he was. If Maul did not know better, he would suspect that Shan had a purpose here that, potentially, might see Maul somehow freed from his confinement.

"I mean, I knew you never said much when around Darth Sidious, but come on." Maul's face remained impassive, but a fractional tremor must've slipped into the Force as Shan's grin widened into a smile. "Ah, there we go. I was hoping the mention of your Master would be what I needed to draw a response."

"Former Master," Maul said quietly, deciding to use his first words to make clear his current position within the Sith Order.

"Ah. My mistake. I must admit I'm not as up to date on the current rank and file of the Order of Darth Bane as I once was." Maul felt a tremor of something radiate from Shan at the mention of Darth Bane and the Sith who had followed his teachings. Not anger, but perhaps irritation and annoyance. He couldn't be sure as Shan's mental defences, even with the outermost layer of his mind exposed for Maul to sense, were immense. As if hardened, rather appropriately given Shan's outfit, by beskar.

Another silence fell over the chamber. Maul's gaze held Shan's, the pair calmly waiting for something to give. A sliver of infuriation formed in Maul as he sensed this was what Shan wanted. To draw Maul out of the shell he had crafted to contain himself while trapped in this cell. Maul didn't wish to give the Human the satisfaction of responding, but the flicker of curiosity about what Shan had just revealed he knew slowly grew inside Maul like vines moving to cover a tower.

"How do you know that name?"

"Hmm?"

"Darth Sidious."

Shan chuckled, and Maul sensed amusement from the Human, along with, entirely confusingly, relief and delight, radiating into the Force. Almost as if Shan longed to speak that name, and what he knew, but had never done so before. That made no sense. Shan was not in the service of Darth Sidious or Darth Plagueis. Particularly not with how he referred to the Order of Darth Bane earlier. Yet Maul sensed through the Force that Shan knew the truth of both figures, and yet also had not mentioned them to others. Perplexing in the extreme.

"You mean Chancellor Sheev Palpatine?" Maul felt his brow rise, the sheer shock at hearing the mention of Darth Sidious' public persona, and so brazenly done so at that, was enough to break through Maul's control for a moment. "Yes, I know who the Chancellor is." Hearing that the plan to see Darth Sidious elected to lead the Republic had succeeded was interesting and, potentially, once Maul finally escaped his confinement, troubling. "Well, Co-Chancellor."

"Co?" Maul couldn't help himself. The apparently simple slip by Shan added another crack to the barriers Maul had around his emotions and control. It was a minor revelation, but with the earlier connection of Palpatine to Darth Sidious, enough to further chip away at his resolve and allow faint flickers of his emotions to leak into the Force.

Shan's lips twitched, suggesting he had sensed Maul's latest slip brought on by his surprise. At least before Maul had restored his control. "Yes. It seems that after his election, the invasion on Naboo helping to secure his position as he intended," again, Shan displayed that he knew more than he should, "Sheev Palpatine, in his first official act as Chancellor, determined the office was too broad a scope for a single being to manage. Thus, he openly appointed a Co-Chancellor to rule alongside him with equal powers. Hego Damask." Maul's brow shot up at the revelation, unable to contain his shock at this revelation," or as you know him, Darth Plagueis."

"How?" The word, much to his embarrassment and irritation, slipped from Maul before he could stop it.

"How what? How did Sidious manage that, or how do I know that Damask is Sidious' Master, Darth Plagueis?"

"Both," Maul replied, seeing no reason not to respond. In the few moments that this conversation had been taking place, much of Maul's belief in the hidden status of the Sith Order and its hidden figures of power had been shattered. As if what he felt from Shan was accurate, the Human was almost revelling in what he was revealing.

"To the latter, well, that's a story that I can't tell you the full details of. What I can say is that I have discovered, let's say an ability, that allows me to learn secrets for someone with the subtlest of effort. It isn't infallible, but it does help immensely." Maul wanted to dismiss Shan's words, to believe he was lying to him, yet he found no hint that Shan was being deceitful.

Maul reached into the Force and browsed his memory of this encounter, seeking the faintest of hints as to how Shan had learnt these truths. "When you entered, you did something… unknown to me with the Force."

"Yes, and no," Shan replied almost infuriatingly. "Those with immense control of the Force, or a strong connection to me, can sense my ability. However, it isn't a Force power per se. More a… gift that I possess. One of several, though you'll not be learning about the others today." A burst of anger flared in Maul. Being denied knowledge and power as Sidious had done to him on many an occasion during his training only fuelled that anger, as Shan now did likewise. However, Maul was not some wild beast and contained his anger.

"Honestly, I couldn't explain it fully if I wanted to. There's… rules attached and…" Shan paused suddenly and chuckled. His head lowered as he shook it, causing the hair to flap about irritatingly, while he laughed at some private jest. As Maul waited for Shan to recover from whatever had caused the bout of amusement, he pressed into the Force, trying to use a sliver of his control over it to pierce the protections around Shan's mind.

Shan's head lifted, and he wagged a finger as Maul was pushed back from the walls around Shan's mind with raw power that Maul knew, as much as it only fuelled his simmering rage, he could never match. "Uh-uh. No peeking without permission," He said almost dismissively. Lifting his head, and pushed the hair from his face. "Sorry, it's just… Well, I've never been able to say much of what I know to others. Never met another I could explain certain things to without, well," Shan waved his hand aimlessly, seemingly dismissing the matter. Maul wished to know more, but he sensed that Shan would not be revealing anything about this ability of his, or the others he had hinted at, today. "Anyway, Plagueis… I met him for the first time on Mandalore, at the start of their last civil war."

Using the Force, Maul sought to confirm that Shan was speaking the truth and received that affirmation. Maul knew of that encounter from his former Master, and while Maul had thought at the time that Darth Sidious had been irritated by the event because it might have meant a glimmer in the veil that hid them from the sight of the Jedi had been weakened, Maul now knew understood that was not the case. Darth Sidious had been annoyed as it was a moment when his Master might've been weakened enough that Maul's former Master might've struck down Darth Plagueis, and Shan had been brought to Darth Plagueis' attention.

"It was there that I discovered, through my gift, that he was Darth Plagueis." Again, this was the truth, though Maul sensed there was something else about the moment that Shan was keeping hidden. Nothing that suggested deception, but that not all the truth was being revealed. A sign that Shan was wiser than his age made him appear to be, though, after how the Human had worked to overcome his flaws so he could defeat him on Naboo, Maul was hardly shocked at learning the Human had wisdom beyond his years. "And it was from there that I was drawn into the plans of the two Sith Lords. As for how Sidious moved to have his Master made Co-Chancellor, well, that I suspect is my fault."

Maul remained silent, not wishing any of his confusion and shock that not only was Plagueis still alive, but now a Co-Chancellor of the feeble Republic, to slip into the Force so that Shan might further enjoy his confusion. His former Master had told him that once he was Chancellor, he would strike down Darth Plagueis, yet that was not what had happened. Another sign of the lies and deceit that his former Master was a master of. Something that only proved that his true name was one well taken from the Force.

"Like you, I'd expected Plagueis to fall after Naboo, regardless of who won our duel. However, instead, Sidious didn't strike down his Master as intended. Instead, he chose to make him Co-Chancellor, and now two Sith Lords instead of one hold the highest office in the Republic, and from there," Shan shrugged as if there was nothing he could do about something, "well, they can enact their Grand Plan."

Once more, Maul was caught flat-footed. Even if by some miracle this power that Shan claimed to possess insight into a person, even one who was trained to hide the truth of their nature from others, there was no way that he should know of the Grand Plan. It was the Sith's most closely guarded secret. Even more so than their presence in the Republic. To hear it so openly mentioned drove a stake through whatever remained of Maul's loyalty to his former Master and the Sith Order.

"As for how and what I know of that, well, we can discuss that later." Maul fought the urge to leap to his feet and demand answers now. Only his control over himself and the raging inferno that burned at his core prevented him from doing so.

He was glad for his control because a moment later, Shan reached for the controls near him. The sound of the machine beneath the ledge echoed in the chamber, and Maul watched silently with Shan as a walkway extended from that ledge towards the platform where Maul was contained. As normal, it stopped before touching the ray shield.

Shan moved forward, walking towards the shield, and Maul, reacting not just to that but to the swirling shifts in the Force around him, stood. As he did, Maul watched Shan's movements. Controlled, concise, and purposeful. Those of a warrior certain of themselves. Maul also noted that Shan wore more than just his lightsaber. On the other hip rested the blade he had used during their duel on Naboo, and Maul knew the gauntlet on the right arm contained weaponry and was certain the replacement would also. Shan was not, from everything he had studied before Naboo and then observed today, one unwilling to approach a threat unprepared. And a threat Maul knew he was, even contained behind the shield.

"I enjoyed our fight on Naboo," Shan said once he was just on the other side of the ray shield, the energy barrier the only thing stopping either from striking the other.

"As did I," Maul replied, matching Shan's honesty. "Though I expected better from one my former Master spoke so highly of," he added challengingly, curious as to how Shan would react and respond.

Instead of even a flicker of anger from Shan, which was what Maul had intended to bring forth, the Human chuckled and shook his head again. A habit that Maul was already growing irritated by. "Yeah, I had… issues back then," he said, the truth of his words freely radiating into the Force. "Ones that almost, even knowing the confrontation the Force intended for us there, cost me my life."

"If not for your armour and the weapons within, you would have fallen like other Jedi before you." Maul paused, there, letting a small smile appear on his lips. "As did the Padawan you were close to."

The comment, as intended, drew a small sliver of rage from Shan. The fury that sparked into the Force for a brief moment was glorious, both because of the reminder to Shan that he was the better duellist, and as it let Maul taste the simmering fury that raged within Shan. A rage that he found reminded him of the rage that dwelt at his core.

Maul did consider using the spark of anger to slip deeper into Shan's mind, but before he could do as he had done on Naboo on occasion, Shan regained his composure. No hint of the fury remained in the Force, displaying Shan's new control over it and himself, something that earned him another mark of respect from Maul. Like him, the Human was not some mindless beast to be directed blindly at the target of their Masters.

"She survived, barely," Shan replied slowly after regaining control of the momentary outburst. "Her Master, the former Battlemaster of the Order, just to confirm, didn't." The knowledge that the Jedi Master had died was one he already had, but learning that it had been the supposed foremost warrior in the Jedi was both pleasing and yet oddly unsatisfying.

Maul recalled the duel he had engaged in with a Twi'lek Jedi and his Padawan on Coruscant not long before Naboo. That Jedi Master had been a better fighter than any he had faced on Naboo, but he too had fallen to Maul's blade as would any Jedi who dared to face him. Even the frantic last attempt at killing Maul while he died had failed to grant the Twi'lek any sliver of victory in defeat. Just as had been the case for every opponent Maul had engaged. Save, unfortunately, the one before him. Yet it was clear to Maul that Shan was no longer a Jedi, and perhaps that was part of how he had managed to survive their encounter on that irritating world.

"And where is she now?" Maul asked slowly, sensing a thread from the girl, Serra Keto he recalled, with which to potentially torment Shan and test his resolve.

"She… remains with the Jedi, her training taken over by Master Windu." Maul nodded. While he had been trained to combat any Jedi, Master Windu was one of those his former Master considered a threat to the Sith. If the Padawan was being trained by one of the best warriors in the Jedi, such as they were, then she would emerge stronger from it. It would not, however, change the outcome if she ever chose to cross blades with him again. "However, neither she nor the other Jedi are why I'm here today, Maul."

Maul crossed his arms, waiting to hear the reason that brought Shan to his cell, and that was causing the Force to rise around them. As if they were engulfed in the eye of a storm that could ravage a planet if it so wished.

"I'm here because, after defeating you, which I admit was because of my armour and weapons," Maul nodded, accepting the caveat of his defeat, though it did nothing to dull the long-held anger at the failure, "I realised something." Shan paused and, annoyingly, chuckled once more. "A great many things actually. However, the one that concerns you most is that I saw I had to change. That I had to overcome and break through the… chains that contained me and prevented me from embracing the power that flows within me."

"I can sense that you have, in more ways than perhaps the Jedi would approve of."

Shan smirked. "Yes, though as I no longer serve the Council, nor the Republic, that is none of their concern." Maul allowed his brow to rise at those words, making clear his approval of Shan breaking through the lies of the Jedi just as he had done with those of his former Master. "Just as your… evolution is none of the concern of Darth Sidious. At least currently."

"I will not return to serve him," Maul said slowly, sensing that this was a moment to bear some of the truth of how he had changed. "I will not serve anyone ever again."

"As you shouldn't," Shan replied with an approving nod. "The lies of the Jedi and Sith; blinded fools and dishonourable tyrants that they are, are not paths we should allow ourselves to believe or follow."

Maul nodded, finding himself agreeing with the one responsible for placing him in this cage, and thus granting him the time to realise the truth of who and what he was, and what his purpose was meant to be. "Then what are we to do?"

"Now that is a question," Shan responded with a smile. One that seemed to echo into the Force as he took command of it and bent it inward, displaying his power over it. "The galaxy stands on the precipice of war. Even if, but a miracle that no gambler would ever take the chance on, the Jedi discover the truth about the Banite Sith, The Republic will fall. The galaxy will burn. But in that crucible of war, in the terror and torment that will be unleashed, there exists the chance to shape the future into something… different. Something better and greater than another empire or republic bound to the failings of the Jedi and Sith."

Maul considered Shan carefully, pushing aside the way the Force called temptingly for him to accept the truth in the Human's words. Instead, he pushed into the Force, seeking to rip hints of what Shan was considering and proposing. His eyes widened as, in that moment, Shan allowed a fraction of his plans to drift into the Force.

Shan wouldn't move to stop war coming to the galaxy, but he wouldn't stop Maul's former Master and Darth Plagueis from bringing down the Republic. No, as he had said, Shan intended to use the coming war to… shatter everything and rebuild the galaxy anew, free of the falsehoods peddled by the Jedi and Sith. Or at least, Maul realised as he sensed more, the lies of the Sith since Darth Bane.

Maul's eyes closed as he felt the presence of one who understood the Dark Side and used it freely and openly. Shan was not a Sith of the Order that he had been trained in, but one born of the old ways. Of a time when the Dark Side was used as it should be; to empower those willing to grasp and mould it and control the fate of themselves and the galaxy.

Slowly, recovering from the sensations he felt and processing the realisation of what Shan was planning, Maul opened his eyes. "I will not bend the knee to you, or anyone else. Not again," he repeated slowly. Yes, there was an appeal to Shan's vision for the future, but Maul wouldn't serve at the behest of another as a tool for their vision. He wouldn't permit another to deny him the power and control he knew he deserved. No, he would help shape the destiny of the galaxy with the strength of his might and will.

"I would not ask that of you," Shan responded quickly, dismissing the idea as if it insulted him. "No, what I seek is... an ally. A Wrath and Right Hand to show the galaxy that I am not the only one who will shape and define the future. I don't wish for an apprentice. I have one already. What I seek is one willing, able, and powerful enough to help enact my vision."

"And how do you propose to do that?" Maul asked slowly, lifting one hand to draw it near the shield. That caused the energy to flicker out, sending small, easily manageable sparks of pain to rush deliciously through his body.

"Through combat," Shan replied calmly, with a small smile. One that Maul matched at hearing the words. "If I cannot prove myself in battle against those I wish to ally with, how can I expect them to help me create the future I demand?"

As Maul watched, Shan reached behind his back, into the gap between his armour and the cape that hung behind it. His eyes narrowed as he felt another unusual shift in the Force, only for them to open as Shan's hand pulled back. Within his grasp, somehow, rested Maul's lightsaber.

"I'm offering you a chance, Maul. Not just to be free of this confinement, but to help shape what will rise from the ashes of the Republic, the Jedi, and the Banite Sith," Shan said slowly as he brought the blade in front of him, allowing Maul to see it was exactly as he remembered. Even down to the small scratch that he hadn't been certain had appeared in the casing when he had been struck by those darts Shan had used to subdue him.

"If I agree to this proposal, to this duel to prove your worth, it must be fought on equal grounds," Maul said slowly as his eyes rose from his lightsaber once more to meet Shan's. "No armour, no fancy toys or deceitful trickery. Just us, our blades, and our mastery over the Force."

Shan nodded. "Of course." He spoke with certainty of victory, and Maul could sense through the Force that he expected as much. Such belief riled Maul, but he kept those feelings internal.

"And what exactly will happen when, as on Naboo, I prove to be the better fighter?" He asked firmly, as certain of his victory as Shan was of his. One of them would be wrong, but even though Shan had changed drastically from the Jedi he had faced on Naboo, and that Maul had only lost because of the same armour Shan now wore, Maul knew it would not be him. He would see, finally, after countless nights, Shan broken and defeated at his feet.

Shan laughed gently. "In the improbable event that you are able to defeat me, then our roles reverse. I shall become your ally and Right Hand." Again, Shan spoke with certainty, but that was to be expected. No warrior could enter a battle expecting anything but victory. Not if they wished to emerge triumphant.

Maul looked at Shan carefully, judging the Human, the way the Force was rising to what felt like an approaching crescendo of brilliance. One that Maul knew would peak during the battle. The hints of what Shan wished to craft from the chaos of war appealed to Maul. To no one but himself, he knew he lacked a vision for what to do when his freedom came. What Shan proposed was… beautiful chaos. The sort of insanity that, while the chances of success seemed remote – particularly given the power of Maul's former Master and his Master – was one that was worth pursuing.

"Then I accept your terms."

Shan nodded. "Good." He shifted his arm holding Maul's lightsaber hilt and moved it to the other arm, the one grasping his helmet. "However, we won't fight here. A duel between warriors such as us shouldn't take place in such an undignified location. No, we should duel in a place worthy of our glory and prowess."

Maul felt himself nod. "Agreed." He lifted his arms, offering them so that Shan could restrain him. While there was none visible, Maul understood that this agreement of a battle between them was why Shan was here, and Maul was more than willing to endure the short insult of being chained if it meant he would soon experience his freedom and have a powerful ally ready to serve him.

"No need for that," Shan said, gesturing at Maul's arms. "Your word that you won't attempt anything until we duel will suffice."

Maul frowned as he once again experienced being caught out by Shan's manoeuvres. "You are willing to trust me?"

"I am."

"A dangerous choice," Maul remarked softly as his arms returned to his side, "but one I will honour." Around him, he felt Shan reach into the Force, bending it to confirm the veracity of Maul's word. An encouraging sign that Shan had truly embraced the way the Force was meant to be used.

"Good. I'd hate to have to strike you down and lose a potential ally." Shan pressed a button on his gauntlet, and a moment later, Maul heard the current surging through the generator above his platform end. A second afterwards, the ray shield between them faded, and for the first time, Maul could see Shan's face without any impediment.

Youth was there, but as Maul stood still, ready for any hint of betrayal even though the Force assured him that there wouldn't be, he saw an older soul. One changed in ways he didn't yet know but found himself looking forward to learning about.

"Here." Shan extended his arm, offering Maul his lightsaber. The action was bold, perhaps too bold. All Maul had to do was take his blade and, with a flick of his wrist, sever Shan's head from his body. If this offer had been made a few months after Naboo, that was exactly what Maul would've done. Thankfully for Shan, the warrior of the Dark Side that stood before him now was tempered by time and reflection.

His hand moved slowly, sliding around the hilt as Shan released it from his grasp. For the first time since Naboo, Maul felt complete. A weapon the lightsaber may be, but the Jedi were right in saying that, if nothing else, the blade was a part of the user. An extension of their will, and after so very long, Maul was not just complete, but whole.

Shan took a step back, allowing Maul room to ignite the blade, which he did. A flicker of delight rushed through Maul at feeling the blade come alive in his grasp once more or being reunited with the instrument that had killed so many misguided Jedi, and he hoped, might one day strike down his former Master.

He gave the blade a few experimental turns, the style he had formed during his training with Darth Sidious rushing to the fore as he moved. To be whole again was invigorating.

"If you're quite finished reuniting with your blade." Maul opened his eyes, pulling back from the eddies of the Force that had come naturally to his summons as he acquainted himself with his blade, to see that Shan had turned and moved across the walkway, now standing near the inner door of the cell. "I think it's time you left this place, and we headed for our duel."

Maul nodded, his lightsaber moving to his side and depowering in a single, flowing, almost hypnotic gesture that would entice the minds of weaker beings to think they could claim such an instrument. "It is," he said with certainty.

For too long he had stayed in his cage, and while the time had been well spent, to be free again, to know that his path and destiny were finally his and not that of any false Master, was invigorating. He moved down the walkway, his steps measured and controlled, but inside he could feel an ember of delight form. Soon he would cross blades with the one who had caused his imprisonment, and this time, the outcome would be different.

And afterwards… the galaxy would learn to fear his name.

… …

---

… …
(Cam's POV)
I walked slowly through the halls of one of many Yamika be Verda – Chamber of Warriors – that existed on Mandalore, a significant group of warriors and one Dark Side Zabrak with me. This Chamber, while not the largest on Mandalore, was still an impressive one and used regularly to settle grudges between Clan Leaders or other significant warriors that existed outside a time of open war between the Clans or an external threat. Any battle that took place here was considered the final matter in whatever dispute was taking place, and any attempt to seek revenge for a loss in a Yamika be Verda was considered highly dishonourable. So much so, in fact, that the warrior who retaliated afterwards could be considered dar'manda or see blood feuds break out between the Clans involved.

The Yamika be Verda were not used often, or at least hadn't been over the last century or so, though since the last civil war and the destruction of the insane New Mandalorian faction, they were seeing a slow but steady return to prominence. Or at least public prominence, as those who never agreed with the Republic-backed peace-loving fools, who had tried to change what it meant to be Mando'ade at heart, had continued to use its chambers to settle grudges. However, the ones in Keldabe had been barely used since the New Mandalorians, backed by the Republic in the centuries after the Dral'Han, had risen to supposed power over Mandalore.

"This is an interesting place." The comment came from Maul, who walked by my side. Ideally, he would walk a half-step or more behind, but until I defeated him, I knew that wouldn't happen. Behind and around us was a group of Mando'ade, which included Baston Tyri, Osto Ordo, Pre Vizsla, and Drogo Kryze, among others.

The presence of those four, two Clan Leaders and two heirs to Clans – and the clans that led the largest Houses among our people – was intentional. As was the choice of venue, and the others who would be present. A Yamika be Verda was the ideal location to duel Maul and determine our positions of importance in what I hoped to craft for the future. By picking one of the larger Chambers, and ensuring that Adonai and Torrhen knew of my intentions, not only would they be present, but so would many of the Clan Leaders who swore to follow them and joined House Kryze or House Ordo. Thus, it presented the ideal opportunity to start impressing those I would need the support of for my eventual rise to becoming Mand'alor.

"Oh?" I replied to Maul's comment, the first he had made since we had left his cell. In the hours since then, he had remained quiet and entirely unconcerned by the group of warriors that gathered around him. It didn't take a genius to sense the belief he had that he could take every Mando'ade present if forced to, nor did I doubt he could do so, though I expected it to be harder than he anticipated. However, as much as I suspected some of the Mando'ade around us wished he would break his word and attempt to escape, Maul made no move to do so.

He had given his word he would not, something the Force confirmed was truthful, and he had kept it. That was pleasing as it showed he had changed since Naboo, or perhaps adapted might be the better word. From what I knew of him from the other timeline, he had been intelligent, adaptable, and highly capable, and if not for the entirely understandable issues he had held with Obi-Wan Kenobi, might have risen to be something truly terrifying to the Jedi and Sith. It was that idea, and the belief that he would, if given time to contemplate his situation, that had convinced me to attempt to capture him on Naboo. Well, that and the chance that if he failed to prove useful as an ally, I could attempt to break him for information, though I doubted he knew as much as I would like about the Grand Plan. Or at least anything truly critical that I wasn't already either aware of or suspected.

"I remember little of my childhood before I was taken to be trained, but I recall hearing that my people used similar structures to settle complications between their leaders." His head turned slightly so he could watch me, as I was watching him, from the corner of his eye. "That the Mandalorians have such a place as well is unsurprising, but the reminder of a time before I was taken by Darth Sidious is most… pleasing."

"Glad you're happy," I responded with a chuckle, one that drew a sliver of a smile from him.

"I am more pleased to be free of my confinement, and that when I defeat you, I shall remain so." He spoke with certainty, as was to be expected. Anyone who entered a duel for power and control had to believe they were going to win after all; otherwise, they were doomed to fail.

"You will, even after I again prove my superiority in battle," I countered, causing that sliver to form into a proper, if small, smile. "And the Mando'ade with us have sworn to me that whatever the outcome, they will not interfere. Not unless you attempt to dishonour the duel and flee instead of fighting. Something we both know you won't do."

"Never. For all I despise my former Master, I will not abandon the ideals of the warrior that were burned into me during my time training under him. To do otherwise would make me no better than the weak-minded fools in this galaxy who believe they have power when what they hold is but an illusion."

I nodded, agreeing with the sentiment, and I felt my gauntlet vibrate. Looking down, I saw that Baston had sent a message through the Battlenet, stating his agreement with Maul's words. Something that it seemed the rest of the warriors with us, and those elsewhere connected to this secure channel of the Battlenet, agreed with. Now, the majority weren't responding via the Battlenet, instead focused on their duty, but I could sense their pleasure and agreement with Maul's words. I might not have intended it, but it seemed he was already impressing the warriors I wished to one day have follow me into war.

The rest of the walk to the arena at the centre of the Chamber was done in silence, which gave me time to plan how I would approach this battle. Or more accurately, refine my plans. I had no intention of killing Maul if I could avoid it. To do so, when the terms of the duel were not to the death, would cheapen the victory in the eyes of the watching Mando'ade, and cost me a useful piece for the coming years, and for one particular mission that I intended, depending on how the next month or so went, to complete before beginning my ascent to the position of Mand'alor.

Maul's style, for everything I could recall – both from seeing and fighting him directly and what I knew from my previous life – was one based on explosive power and tenacity. He overwhelmed and dominated every fight he entered, save the one where he and Savage had faced off against Sidious. That one, however, I discounted as the worst ravages of his mental condition had reared their head during the fight, and I suspected he believed he couldn't defeat his former Master; a factor that, along with Sidious' insanely powerful abilities, meant the battle was over before it had begun.

For this duel, I had to adapt. Makashi had a great weakness against powerful opponents and lightsaber forms. I had created my style of combat based on that weakness, and saw that the improvements I'd made were working in my last duel with Dooku. Yes, I had once more lost to my former Master, but I had done so only because his final blow would've killed me, whereas mine would have only badly wounded him. A minor distinction when one was battling with lightsabers, but still a clear difference. That said, it was the first time I'd ever come close to taking him, and it gave me not just the confidence to visit Maul but offer this chance to him. It also hinted that, in time, I would be capable of taking on anyone, be they a Jedi Council Member or a Dark Lord of the Sith.

As we entered the chamber, my gaze drifted up and around. The place was large, though not massive. Perhaps a hundred metres across what was a circular area. Above the floor, on which we would fight, were two rows of balconies. In times past, for the most important duels, this allowed hundreds of people to gather to watch the battle, and in the largest Yamika be Verda, over three thousand warriors could attend a duel. Today, only a few hundred were present, and while they would be observing my battle against Maul, they had orders to take him down if he cheated or tried to escape.

There were also cameras high on the walls to document any duel, either so that it could be broadcast to those unable to attend, or viewed later as both a way to study how the combatants fought and for the victor to display at their celebration. The cameras were not broadcasting today, and while they would record my duel with Maul, I had been assured by Adonai and Torrhen that only those present would ever see the recording. At least not without my permission. Once I won, and after celebrating that and my new alliance with Maul, I would review the duel to see what flaws I had displayed. I was good, but I knew I had further to improve to be the best.

After giving Maul a nod, I moved to one side of the arena floor. As he did the same, the warriors that had come with us stayed outside the arena and the door we had entered through slowly slid closed. Like the rest of the Chamber, the walls were reinforced so that if Mando'ade used everything in their arsenal in a duel, the structure would not collapse. The balconies didn't have any protections for those watching because if a viewer was killed by a stray bolt or explosive, then the fault was theirs for not being alert to the danger. One should never lower their guard when a battle was taking place, even if you were not fighting in it yourself. A lesson that was drilled into the heads of every child by their parents.

Once I was at the far side of the arena from Maul, I slowly removed my armour. There were ripples of confusion and even a little shock at my actions from those watching, but the rules of the duel were known. If they expected me to dishonour myself by breaking them before the battle commenced, they were fools. My focus, with my eyes and through the Force, was on Maul. He watched as I removed my armour, a small flicker of satisfaction slipping from him into the Force from behind his barriers. While not on the level of those of Dooku, they were still impressive, and I knew that they would withstand untold agony so that none would learn his secrets.

That said, I knew if Sidious or Plagueis ever captured Maul, he would break eventually. Even those as powerful in the Force as ourselves were not invincible. A mistake that countless Jedi, Sith, and other Force users had made over the untold millennia since sentients first emerged from their caves and realised the power they could wield. Still, the barriers were enough that I knew what I had revealed to him would not be willingly taken from his mind.

Each section of my armour was placed with respect against the wall of the arena until I stood before everyone in just the underweave. While it had beskar running through it, a direct strike from a lightsaber – or even a solid glancing blow – would break through. In my left hand, I held my lightsaber, while at my right hip rested my shoto. I had considered using my beskad, but while I was more comfortable with the solid blade, it was not a weapon designed for a Force user and thus not one I felt was acceptable under the rules of the duel.

I ignited my blade and lifted it to give Maul a Makashi opening salute. He returned the gesture with a flourish as he ignited his dual blades. A small tremor of excitement flared within me as he adopted his starting pose: The same one he had used in the other timeline when facing off against Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon.

Around us, the Force swirled like a tempest that could devour a planet. The anticipation and expectation that surged through it, and in the minds of the Mando'ade watching from above, grew with each passing second, yet on the floor, Maul and I were immune to the moment. Instead, all that existed with us and our opponent. As if we rested in the eye of a hurricane, about to shape the direction with which it would ravage the galaxy.

The moment stretched as we drew the Force inwards, bending it to our demands and desires. It offered itself freely, understanding the importance of this moment in time and how it could shape everything that was to come. My fingers tightened around the hilt of my blade, and I moved forward slowly, advancing on my opponent as he did the same, our steps in time with each other.

Once we were closer, the Force shifted as he pulled it to him. A faint snarl appeared on his face, and he lunged. I tore raw power from the Force, letting it course through my limbs, matching his speed and allowing him the opening salvo. His blades danced around, swirling through the air with grace and power.

My blade flicked and swished, deflecting and diverting each attack from his weapon without moving. I held the position of a Makashi duellist, wishing to draw him into thinking that was all I would use. On Naboo, I hadn't done so, but he had no concept of whether that was based on my, as I had defined them to him, issues or if I was trying to bait a trap. Either way, his attacks continued.

With a shift of my shoulders, my blade pushed out, guiding one-half of his saberstaff away. A fractional movement of my foot, sliding it back, ensured that, with the push I'd enacted on one half of his weapon, the other end of his blade missed.

My blade flicked forward, seeking a faint opening. He closed it with a powerful swirl of his weapon, and I was forced to re-angle my blade to prevent the other end of his lightsaber from striking me. He took advantage of the move, his blade sweeping in low, aiming for my lead foot. Having already sensed the move; my foot was moving back before his strike was fully formed.

Into the opening, my blade slid. A roll of my wrists and a shift of my shoulder, taking the blade around his and threatening his chest. The Zabrak swirled away, snarling at the ease with which I'd slipped through his defences in the opening engagement.

I pushed forward, intent on taking advantage of his momentary retreat. Maul, however, was already resuming his attack. My blade flicked out, the Force granting me every fraction of power I ripped from it to ensure the red of Maul's blade didn't strike my underweave.

The ferocity of his attacks drove me back. He moved with blinding speed — a calculated fury radiating from him through the Force. My feet scrambled to match, adjusting with each twist of his assault. Our blades danced: his red saber against mine, the black core pulsing like a void. The pattern we wove — grace, control, raw power — would have stunned anyone fast enough to follow.

The tip of my lightsaber caught one side of his blade mid-shaft before a push-down blocked the other end of his weapon. I dropped low, letting the first end sweep through the air above me even as my blade pushed up and against the other end, the power of my body, augmented by the Force that served me, helping alter the angle of his weapon and body.

He leapt back as the tip of my blade slashed the ground where his feet had once been. As he landed, I saw a smile spreading on his face, one I knew I was matching. The fight, though only feeling moments old, was already exhilarating for both of us and with renewed fire, he came at me again.

We moved around, our weapons and bodies constantly shifting in an endless, majestic dance as we sought an opening with which, if not to win, then at least to wound our opponent. The Force — a roaring river we both drew from — sang with our display of strength and precision, as if exalting in the duel as much as the spectators above..

His blade danced close to my shoulder, the heat building and then dissipating in a fraction of a fraction of a second. The next moment, the tip of my blade came close to his face, only a quick shifting of his head to one side preventing the sight and smell of burnt flesh from emerging. As I pushed one end of his blade away, he adjusted, and the other swung low.

My foot lifted and I pivoted. The acrid tang of ozone clung to the air as his blade sizzled past my boot, so close I heard fabric hiss and felt heat nip the leather. One of his hands was pulled from the hilt of his weapon, forced to do so to avoid my blade as I thrust it forward, the tip missing the casing where his hand had been by a fraction of an inch.

Onwards our duel continued, our weapons were extensions of our bodies — of our very souls — as the Force bent the knee to our power. Each movement we made, every shift of a body part, was a section of the dance of death that intricately flowed through us. Nothing else mattered, only this moment and the outcome of the duel.

Faster and faster, we moved. Time blurred, stretched, and collapsed. Outside our battle, the world melted into red and black. But inside our circle — the eye of the storm — we danced. Each strike, each feint, searching for the one opening that would decide everything, trying to wrench that future from the force.

The fullness of my style, the amalgamation of Ataru and Djem So that I had added to augment Makashi on full display. The mobility of Ataru allowed me to shift and avoid powerful strikes from Maul that I would otherwise have failed to evade. The occasional extra power of a Djem So strike, even the addition of a second hand to my blade, helped to push Maul back at moments he would prefer I didn't.

At the same time, the purpose and refinement with which he merged Niman and Djem So into his style, and used them to augment his natural strength advantage, were on clear display. Zabraks were stronger than Humans, though because of my abilities, I was seemingly able to match him physically, even without the Force as a factor. With my power in the Force, I perhaps had the edge, yet his ability to draw on his rage, to keep going in an attempt to crush my defences, perfectly countered that.

My blade surged forward, seeking an opening in his stance. With a quick shift of his feet and movement of his waist, the fiery energy of my lightsaber was guided away. I pulled my arm back and twisted, sensing the counter, yet I was a fraction too slow.

Stumbling back, I grunted as the lower half of his saber, or at least what had been the lower section in that moment, had grazed my side. Not enough to do real damage, but the underweave I wore hadn't been strong enough to resist and the barest edge of his blade had brushed against my skin, burning the flesh.

I moved back, gaining distance so he couldn't push the fractional advantage even as the fire inside me roared. It demanded vengeance. I drew on that fury — and on the Force — bending its energy further to my will.

Maul didn't allow me respite, closing quickly. His blade swooped around, slicing the air with vicious intent. My blade flicked out, pushing one end away, and then tapping the other to avoid his next strike. Our feet skated across the scuffed arena floor — dust rising around us, stone scorched black in arcs from near-misses. Every slip risked death. But still, we danced. This was greater than my fight with Karkko, better than any duel with Dooku and even though I had just been lightly wounded, I was enjoying myself immensely. That said, I had no intention of losing.

I pulled the Force to me, pushing its energy through every sinew and nerve in my body and moved forward, meeting Maul's latest assault with one of my own. For a fraction of a millisecond, I saw shock in his eyes and sensed concern in the Force; however, it was gone a moment later. His rage and intent for victory pushed to the fore once again, drawing more heavily on the Force to meet my onslaught.

Our blades clashed — again, again, again. The air bristled with power, each blow adding to the storm. His saber sliced close, shearing off strands of my hair. I twisted, striking back. My blade kissed his bicep — shallow, but enough to feel a burst of pleasure. His rage flared. I smiled.

His skill was immense; his training designed to fight and defeat Jedi. I, however, was no Jedi. Nor perhaps had I ever truly been one. The Force was mine to command and dominate, and I slowly began to use my greater connection to it to push the Zabrak back.

The twin red blades of his double lightsaber sliced the air, moving rapidly to counter the normally precise flicks and thrust of Makashi and the odd moments where I added a more powerful Djem So strike. The variation and irregular rhythm of my moves kept him off-balance just enough that I could sense the shift in the flow of the battle. For the moment, I had the ascendency, and knowing it wouldn't last, and concerned deep down that I might not have the training to continue this for as long as he could, I pushed harder seeking victory.

My blade tapped forward, feinting to strike high. The move drew a reaction, and as Maul shifted to avoid it, I dropped my shoulder and guided my lightsaber lower. He saw the move and tried to move, his blade shifting as his body turned, yet it was for nought.

Maul stumbled back; one hand forced from his lightsaber to avoid losing it. The end of the hilt that my blade struck was severed, leaving Maul with what amounted to a single blade with which to fight. His eyes shifted from his weapon to me, a vengeful fury in them even as I drove him back further.

I felt him grasp onto the Force, attempting to bend it to his desires for my blood. However, I didn't let him. My power, my potential, my training with Adas and that which I'd recently begun with Malgus, and my sheer force of will allowed me to engulf his attempt at domination of the Force to prove the disparity in our power.

The hand forced to retreat from the hilt returned to it, and with fury in his eyes and burning brightly in the Force, he stepped forward, engaging my assault with his own. Our blades clashed violently, the air alight with the constant buzz of the blades as they moved and clashed against each other.

Without the other end, Maul shifted to almost a pure Djem So approach, coming at me with intense but controlled fire. His blade slashed the air, seeking to remove my limbs and sever my body. My blade countered each blow, the rattle of the connections sending tremors up my arms and through my bones. This was the Maul I had wanted to fight; this was the battle I had hoped for on Naboo. I had been denied it then, due to my limitations, but now I had what I desired, and I would not just relish in the glory of it but emerge victorious.

My blade met his — a block, but sloppier than before. Less power. Less control. Maul sensed it instantly and pounced. His next strike was deflected away, though again my effort was weaker and less certain. I felt the Zabrak's delight at the shift in the battle, and he pushed forward seeking victory.

His strikes pushed me back. Step by step, he drove me toward the centre of the arena — exactly where I wanted to be. I let him. Gave ground. Pretended to falter. Then, there!

The black and red of my lightsaber seemed to consume the air. It slid past Maul's strike, one aimed to bisect me, as I angled my body for my strike. I grunted again as I felt the edge of his blade strike my side, burning deeper than I would've liked. Yet, in what he had thought was his moment of victory, as his mouth snarled in delight, he blinked.

Against the side of his neck, the heat teasing his skin was my blade. So close that any movement by either of us would see him lose his head.

Around us, the world sped up. Or perhaps more accurately, we slowed down. The dust we had kicked up as we fought fell to the ground, the air settling after the intense and ferocious duel we'd engaged in ended.

"Yield," I said as calmly as I could. Pain surged through my body, the second wound roaring like fire. The fire in my side screamed for retribution. My grip tightened. I could end it — one twitch, and he would fall. However, I wrestled control of my emotions and shoved the honeyed whispers of the dark side away as Malgus had taught me.

I had taken this duel intending to gain an ally, and I would not allow some petty need for revenge for a flesh wound, no matter how painful, to rob me of my true victory.

My chest rose and fell as I breathed deeply, a sign of how intense the battle had been, and a gesture matched by the Zabrak. His eyes locked on mine, fury and shock at seeing his victory snatched from him at the very moment it was meant to arrive, raging inside him. For a moment, as we stood there, my blade against his neck, his close but not touching my side, I wondered if he would seek death over working with me. That he might fear my earlier words about him being my Right Hand instead of a servant were somehow false.

"I… Yield." The words came slowly from his lips as if he had to fight with himself to say them. The barest of nods came from me, but my blade remained where it was; the colours of the blade meshing well with those of his flesh. Not until he powered down his remaining blade and pulled the arm back from my side did I step back.

The blade remained on, at least until I was a good two metres from him. There was no hint of deception from him lingering in the Force. No potential threat looming nearby. Yet I remained vigilant even as I sensed his reluctant acceptance of the defeat, and a sprinkling of, if I was sensing things correctly, admiration.

"Thank Manda," I muttered as I powered down my blade and lowered my arm. "I feared you might seek death over the chance of helping craft a new era." I chuckled, only to grimace and lift my free hand to my side. "Or that I'd have to endure more wounds than necessary for you to see the truth of my intentions."

Maul's lips twitched slightly at my admittance that he had wounded me, and perhaps at the implication that the duel had been as close as he had believed. "I admit that even before this duel, I was uncertain if your words were truthful. My former Master was skilled in the art of deception," I grunted in agreement, though instantly regretted it as more pain surged through my body from the wound in my side. "However, during our battle, one that I can say I enjoyed immensely, nothing was hidden from me regarding your plans. Both for me and the warriors around us."

I blinked, not realising that some of my thoughts on what I was intending to build had leaked into the Force. That was something I was going to have to be mindful of in future as I would be engaged with other Force users in battle, and most of them, if they didn't surrender or fall to my blade, would report back anything they learnt to their Masters.

"Because of that, and my… appreciation of your skill, though I do hope that we might duel again soon, I find myself willing to commit to your goals. For now."

I nodded, accepting the warning that if he felt I was growing weak, or that what I planned no longer aligned with his desires, he might challenge me or depart seeking his own dominion. "Fair enough." I moved closer and extended my arm even as the Interface informed me of a quest completion. "To our alliance."

"To our alliance," he confirmed as he moved to meet my hand. However, instead of letting him shake my hand, I shifted forward and grasped him by the forearm. After a fraction of a second of hesitation – likely brought on by concern of betrayal caused by my sudden shift – he did likewise.

It was at that moment that I realised the sounds echoing around the arena, which it seemed, rose in intensity as we shook. Looking upwards, I saw many of the warriors around us cheering and shouting, savouring the battle they had just witnessed. For those with their helmets on, they might well have seen more than those without, but I could sense the delight of the Mando'ade here, mixed with appreciation. This was, for probably all of them, the first time they had seen a true Force user in combat. Or at least combat where neither held back against the other.

"What now?" Maul asked as we broke the clasp.

"First, we celebrate our alliance; something my friends will enjoy doing." A small smile came to his lips. "However, if there are any that think they can take you in battle, try not to kill them if they don't back down."

"I shall attempt to do so."

Chuckling at his response, I moved closer and clapped my free hand on his shoulder. "That is all I could ask, at least for most of them." My eyes drifted behind him, to the door through which we had entered the arena. Said door was now open, and while all the warriors there were clapping and cheering at the battle as they approached, my eyes lingered on one.

Pre Vizsla, while outwardly applauding the duel, radiated irritation and anger into the Force. Something almost delightful in its intensity. He knew what I'd done today, could sense the threat I now posed to his plans, and would be on alert for a way to strike me down. Something he would've seen today would be far harder than he had expected.

While I would prefer that he didn't learn just what I was capable of, that what had been displayed today was only part of my ever-growing power, it was but a minor inconvenience. No Force powers, or at least those used externally, had been deployed, nor had I used them often in battles that he would have reviewed, or see in the coming years. That, along with dozens of other options at my disposal, would ensure that when the time came to strike the fool down, I would do so with ease. However, not before making sure any remaining members of Death Watch understood that their ways were flawed and only resulted in a tortuously painful death.

"That one is a threat."

I nodded at Maul's words, understanding that as he had turned to stand beside me, though not behind to make clear he was not a servant, he had sensed my focus on Pre.

"A minor one, yes, but he remains unaware that I know," I said quietly as we started moving to meet the Mando'ade. "And I intend for him to remain so until the time is ripe to strike him down for his arrogance. He might be Mando'ade, but he is not one destined to shape the galaxy."

Maul made what sounded like a pleased grunt, and I sensed my response had helped a little more to improve his opinion of me. Thinking about that, and with a few moments to kill, I accessed the Interface, and after seeing that there were two notices instead of one, opened them both.

Quest Completed!
Son of Darkness [֍] [¤]
Objectives:
: a: Defeat Maul in a duel. [Yes]
: b: Win the duel without being injured. [No]
:c: Win the duel inside of ten minutes. [Yes 9:45]
:d: Kill Maul in the duel. [No]
:e: Have the duel take place before others. [Yes]
Rewards:
: a: 6000XP (+600XP)
Pass a Challenge of Friendship with Maul.
A large increase in Reputation with Maul.
:c: 3000XP (+300XP)
A minor increase in Reputation with Maul.
:e: Variable increases or decreases in Reputation with those watching.
...
​

Quest Alert!
Warrior of the Sith [֍]
Maul is willing to listen and work with you for now. Prove your worth to him and gain an ally to stand against those who would oppose your plans for the galaxy.
Rating: S
Objectives:
: a: Prove your alliance with Maul by ensuring he is one of those you take with you to Dromund Kaas.
: b: Ensure Maul survived until the completion of the quest Tremors of the Ancient Sith Empire.
:c: Allow Maul to prove his worth in battle at your side against a suitable challenge.
:d: Have Maul reveal the truth of Darth Sidious and Darth Plagueis to another.
:e: Prove to Maul that once Dromund Kaas is completed that you still view him as an ally and not a servant.
Rewards:
: a: 3000XP
Pass a Challenge of Friendship with Maul.
A Large increase in Reputation with Maul.
: b: 8000XP
Pass a Challenge of Friendship with Maul.
A variable increase in Reputation with Maul depending on events on Dromund Kaas.
:c: 3000XP
An increase in Reputation with Maul linked to the strength of the challenge faced.
:d: 2000XP
Risk the Banite Sith learning that you know the truth about them and their identities from whoever Maul reveals the secret to.
A moderate increase in Reputation with Maul.
A moderate increase in Reputation with whoever is brought in on the secret.
:e: 3000XP
A moderate increase in Reputation with Maul.
Failure:
-500XP
A loss of Reputation with Maul
The death of Maul
Possible loss of whoever went in Maul's place.
The potential loss of another who went with you to Dromund Kaas.
:c: -1000XP
A loss of Reputation with Maul if you faced the challenge without him present.
:d: The secret of the Banite Sith remains hidden from all but yourself and Maul.
The potential for someone close to you to die.
:e: The chance that Maul turns against you and becomes an unstable variable.
Accept?
Yes/No
...
​

I kept my surprise at the new quest buried as I read over its details. The idea of taking Maul to Dromund Kaas, a mission I was considering doing before I became Mand'alor, was one that I had considered as nothing more than a remote possibility. It seemed that the Interface had acted on this faint idea and created the quest. Perhaps in response to me using Maul to circumvent the restrictions placed on me regarding what it considered Future Knowledge.

The rewards were enticing in both an XP sense and the fact that it would further cement Maul's loyalty. Or perhaps more accurately, his willingness to go along with my intentions as Maul was unlike anyone else I could consider an ally in that he wasn't going to be bound to me via training or cultural dynamics. A situation that I expected would become more common as the years passed.

The penalties for failure were concerning, though. Not taking Maul to Dromund Kaas increased the chance of death for others who went with us. A group that right now was just me and Dooku. The chance Maul might die on Dromund Kaas wasn't a shock; the quest for it was rated S*** for a reason, with only Changing Fate [Anakin] similarly rated. That quest was one I felt I had done enough to finish, or at least was close to doing so, but the Interface disagreed, which suggested there was more to it than revealed. At least in the danger of Anakin falling to the Banite Sith and becoming Darth Vader.

Adding in that not using Maul to reveal the truth of the Banite Sith to others increased the potential that someone I cared for would die, only made it harder to ignore the quest. That said, I wasn't in the habit of accepting quests instantly. Not after the failures of the Changing Fate quests for Sifo-Dyas and Micah Giiett. Therefore, I closed that alert but didn't dismiss it.

There would be time for me to consider it later. For today, or what remained of it, I intended to enjoy the celebration of my duel and victory. And make sure Maul didn't kill anyone of importance among my Mando'ade allies.

… …

---

… …
I leaned against a tree just beyond a sparring ring into which Anakin was just stepping. It was a few days after my victory over Maul, and so far, the Zabrak hadn't given me any reason to doubt his sincerity in working with me. No hint of betrayal emanated from the former Banite Sith, and according to Observe, not only were his loyalties to Sidious and the Banite Sith below fifty per cent – that was the limit the power had for showing Loyalty – but I was now considered a Liked Acquaintance.

The terminology was awkward as I doubted Maul particularly liked me, but it was a step up in both his opinion of me and the first step to developing, if not a friendship, then a comfortable alliance of ideals and equals. Or as close as one could get to such a thing when both of us demanded control and obedience from the Force and over our destinies.

Currently, the Zabrak was off elsewhere in Keldabe. Interestingly, there was a group of Zabrak Mando'ade on Mandalore, spread through a handful of clans. I didn't expect Maul to join one of their clans, but it seemed that connecting with others of his species held some appeal. Or, probably more accurately, they were interested in getting to know Maul more than he held any desire to spend time with them. So long as Maul didn't end up alienating or killing them, then there was the chance his presence around his fellow Zabrak might help with ensuring their acceptance of me once I rose to become Mand'alor. Perhaps even convincing their Clan Leaders to support my campaign.

Bo and Simvyl were with Maul, acting as watchers on the former Banite Sith. I might be willing to trust him, and he had given me his word, but my allies weren't as trusting. Something Maul approved of, as it showed that people weren't blindly accepting his presence in their ranks after our duel. Or at least that's how I assumed Maul was seeing it, as I hadn't directly asked him about the matter, only noting the sense of acceptance and approval that he projected into the Force when Bo made clear they would be escorting Maul around while he was on Mandalore.

Since the night of the duel, Bo had become almost an ever-present at my side. Or at least more so than she usually was. While I wasn't minding the attention, nor what it had led to each night since it amused me to see her act like this, and how it seemed to fire her desires to have a child. Much of her behaviour was, I suspected, almost an attempt to claim me as hers, as I'd seen several female Mando'ade look at me with interest since the duel. A duel that word of had spread around the Mando'ade and that I'd allowed Adonai and Torrhen to show to various Clan leaders in the hope that it might increase their willingness to support me when the time came for me to take the throne.

There was still a buzz around Keldabe, and I suspected elsewhere on Mandalore, if not throughout the sector, over the duel. Or rumours, since seeing the recordings wasn't something most had done. Few if any Mando'ade had seen two Force users engage in full combat as Maul and I had, and the spectacle of the event, combined with my status as Mando'ade – word of my leaving the Order was spreading with the fight – meant many were interested in viewing the battle. Something that was, exactly as I had hoped for with my choice of venue for the duel, going to be extremely helpful in the next few years.

Amusingly, but not entirely unexpected given the culture, several Mando'ade of all ages, genders and species had approached me about sparring. Each had been accepted freely, and while I had restricted how I used the Force in the spars, each had been a victory. Something that would again only help to spread my name and increase my fame among my people.

All those I had sparred with, be they fresh faces or old, were remembered and extensions made to them so that, if I launched a campaign as I had done with Naboo, they would be available for contact. Most, if not all, would join, which would create, I hoped, a large contingent of warriors with which to begin earning glory and reputation across the sector and beyond. Already, I had R2, HK, and a few Mando'ade I trusted with underworld connections, sifting through data seeking knowledge of the various hives of scum and villainy in the sectors surrounding the Mandalore sector. The focus was on those involved in some way with slavery, as beyond allowing me to bring the Lokella further into alliance with my growing faction of Mando'ade, it was a target that would be the easiest to explain to outsiders when the inevitable backlash occurred on the Holonet.

I was uncertain how the Banite Sith on Coruscant would respond to my actions, at least in their public personas. However, in their true forms, I knew both Sidious and Plagueis would approve. Not only would I be sowing discord in the Outer Rim, further fanning the flames of civil war in the Republic, but I would be doing so ruthlessly. Both would be interested in considering me for training as either a tool or, in the case of Sidious, at least once he killed Plagueis, as a potential Apprentice.

I hadn't spoken in much detail about my developing plans with Maul yet, but I would soon, so that not only would he feel I was keeping my word in making him my Right Hand, but so he could provide more insight on how his former Master and Plagueis might react to my actions. I'd be speaking with Dooku as well, with my former Master inbound for Mandalore at my request. I hadn't explained exactly why I wished him to come here, and thus leave Vosa alone with the Lokella, but he had accepted that it was important and was coming. As were, most interestingly, Quinlan and Aayla.

According to my former Master, the pair had reached a decision on the path they wished to pursue. One that they felt they had to give to me in person. I could feel subtle shifts within the Force whenever I thought about the pair and their intentions, and from what I'd ripped from the energy field, I felt reasonably certain that they were planning to accept my offer of retraining them. I just hoped that, once the appearance of Maul and the explanation of his past was given, they wouldn't change their minds.

My thoughts turned to my son and apprentice as the spar began, and as I felt him draw the Force into himself, demanding it grant him just enough power to defeat his opponent without embarrassing them, I couldn't help but smile. Since my talk with him about controlling himself, and a further one reminding him that he was better than he had been, he hadn't lost a spar against anyone close to his age. The only ones that he had were when he faced those who were significantly older than him.

Now, if he drew properly on the Force as we both knew he could, I felt he could take most of the younger warriors around us. Perhaps even those like Bo and Naz, who were close to my age. However, he kept his spars against those who, while they might have completed their verd'goten, were only two or three years older than him.

There was the odd defeat, often when Anakin was overconfident or made a mistake that the opponent was able to exploit, but generally, he was punching well above his weight class while only drawing on enough of the Force to make the fights interesting. Beyond the pride I felt in seeing him best warriors three or four years older than him, it impressed me immensely that he was learning such fine control over the Force, and understood how much power to take from the energy field to ensure victory without embarrassing his opponent. At least most of the time.

There had been one boy, Utheh Zess, a Togrutan Mando'ade, who had taken his defeat well, but his father had not. The arrogant prick, who Observe revealed disliked me simply for being a former Jedi, had claimed Anakin had cheated by using the Force to win. I had countered that the Force was a weapon like any other, and no warrior who had the power to use a weapon would refuse to do so. The challenge was in using the weapon correctly to ensure that the user only used enough power to win without destroying the objective.

Those around us, be they adiik like Anakin, warriors he was sparring with, or others simply watching the young train had accepted my reasoning with ease. Zess, however, hadn't and challenged me to a duel then and there. He demanded that I not call upon the Force and prove I was worthy to be called Mando'ade. After explaining that the Force was as natural to me as breathing and giving my word not to use it as freely as I had against Maul, I accepted the challenge.

Drawing on only the barest sliver of my power that I needed, I had proceeded to not just beat the Togruta, but hammer a message to him and others that even without the Force being heavily used, I wasn't someone to trifle with. Given that the Togruta had, once his wounds had healed enough for him to do so, left Mandalore and departed for wherever his Clan made their home, it seemed the message was heard.

I suspected that Clan Zess was one I would face while seeking to stamp out the last embers of Death Watch. If that were the case, I would be happy to show them just what a Mando'ade with full command of the Force was capable of.

In the ring, I watched as Anakin moved around his opponent, a young girl with armour coloured vibrant red and orange, seeking the opening for victory. This girl had, I realised as her face came into sight, sparred with Anakin several times since we'd come to Mandalore. Almost once a day. While only a few years older than Anakin, it seemed she enjoyed sparring with my son and was part of the growing circle that was forming around him.

I didn't know if there was more to the girl's interest than a worthy sparring partner, but it was amusing that Anakin was drawing the attention of others and forming his circle of friends and allies. A sign that he was slowly maturing, and while he had a few years yet before he completed his verd'goten, I could already see the signs of him becoming a powerful warrior. One who used the Force and remained in control of his emotions. The trick, like anyone with a strong connection, was making sure he got through puberty without the worst of that phase of his life affecting him adversely, but I felt confident that he could, with my guidance, do so and become a brother-in-arms on the battlefields of the future.

… …

---

… …
"This is most… unexpected."

The words which came slowly from Dooku were the first he had given since I had brought him into this room and had learnt that Maul was not just still alive, but now allied with me, brought a smile to my face. Technically, Maul was allied with us, but I hadn't yet brought Dooku in on what my plans were, nor asked what his intentions once he finished with Vosa were going to be. I suspected that he would, much as he had in the other timeline, look to reclaim his title as Count. However, making assumptions was a dangerous business. Particularly when dealing with those who were powerful with the Force.

"Where's the fun in doing what's expected?" I shot back as my smile grew into a grin. It wasn't often that I was able to surprise my former Master, but this was certainly one of those times.

Dooku's brow rose just a fraction. A sign I knew well that he disliked something that had been said or done, but wasn't going to directly comment on. At least not at the moment. "When you were evasive about the Zabrak's fate, I had believed it was because you had a reason to be. Perhaps you might even have captured him and placed him somewhere secure to later interrogate him for details on the Sith threat the galaxy faces." There was a faint ripple from Maul that leaked into the Force. One no doubt brought on by the fact that he knew I was, like him, a Sith. Just not one of the Banite lineage. "However, I can be honest and say that the idea that you would recruit the Zabrak to your side was not one I had ever given serious thought to."

"Understandable, and until I defeated Karkko, I hadn't actively considered it. However, with the defeat of the Anzati Dark Jedi, and how I'd done so likely to lead the Jedi to attempt to arrest me, and thus ruin everything we were planning, I saw an… opportunity to gain a powerful ally."

"Can he be trusted?"

Maul sneered at Dooku's comment, and the flickers of rage at the questioning of his honour radiated into the Force. Thankfully, Maul remained still, standing at the far side of the room as I stood in the middle, separating him from my former Master.

"I have given Shan my word that I stand with him until we take down my former Master and his Master," the Zabrak stated bluntly. "His prowess in battle is worthy of respect, as is your training of him."

Dooku's brow rose higher, and he looked at me intently. If not for the seriousness of the situation, and why I'd requested Dooku come to Mandalore, I might've laughed at the faint, almost infinitesimal hints of confusion that I sensed from my former Master. The number of times I had managed to surprise Dooku could be counted on one hand with fingers to spare, but this meeting was one that had completely flummoxed him, and thus was something I was enjoying immensely, even if I couldn't fully revel in the moment.

"We came to an understanding via combat. The loser would ally and work with, but not serve, the victor." I glanced at Maul and nodded. "The battle was glorious, but I was honoured to emerge the winner."

"This time."

I nodded again and chuckled at Maul's response. "This time," I repeated, acknowledging that there would be another duel at some point in the future. Particularly if my vision of how to shatter and reshape the galaxy wasn't one he approved of.

Turning back to Dooku, I refocused. "Maul has had free rein, in a sense, on Mandalore since our duel. He's had almost three weeks to escape, and ample opportunity to do so. However, he hasn't. Instead, he has kept his word and stands with me against the looming chaos that awaits us in the near future."

"You are playing a dangerous game, Cameron."

"As are you with Vosa," I countered, letting a minor fraction of my anger at the woman slide into my tone. There was a flicker of recognition from Maul at the name, but I ignored it. We could speak about that bitch later on.

"I trained Komari as a Padawan, as I did with you. You have no such connection with…" Dooku paused and shifted his gaze to the Zabrak. "Do you have a title or epithet that you prefer?"

"Maul will suffice. I am no longer a Darth from the line of Darth Bane. If I truly ever was." The last part was something I had asked him to make clear if the chance arose. I needed Dooku to not just accept my choice, but understand at least part of my logic in creating an alliance with Maul. Dooku was aware of my training with Adas' holocron and that I held, among others, Malgus' holocron. As he too, had taken Sith artefacts, and would no doubt be learning from them, the distinction between the lineage of Darth Bane and what I was learning needed to be made clear.

Dooku's brow rose again at Maul's words, and his focus returned to me. "You are certain he is with us? That this is not some deception so he can return to his former Master and regain his place?"

Maul snarled and stepped forward, his hand raising to point at Dooku. "I will never again be a slave of Darth Sidious!" He snapped, the tone and his movement causing Dooku to shift his stance, one hand sliding to the hilt of his lightsaber. "I long for the day when I can drive my blade through his heart and claim vengeance for every lie he told me!"

I shifted as Maul continued, moving so that I was in the eye line of both males while trying to not look threatening. As much as I'd pay billions of credits to see Maul and Dooku face off while both were in their primes and capable, I wasn't going to risk having everything I was hoping to lay the groundwork for today blow up in my face.

"I… apologise for doubting your motives," Dooku said slowly. The fury with which Maul had spoken, and the rage and truthfulness of his intent burning like a star in the Force, seemingly helped to convince my former Master.

Maul nodded, accepting the peace offering, and settled down. That had Dooku relax his stance and pull his hand away from his hilt.

"How has Anakin taken this reveal?"

I blinked, a little caught out by the sudden shift in topic. "At first he wasn't happy about it," Maul smirked, likely remembering the moment my son, at eleven years old, threatened to destroy Maul if he hurt me. While we all knew he couldn't do that, at least not currently, the fire and passion had impressed Maul. As had the spark of power that he'd felt with the boy. I'd not elaborated on just how powerful Anakin could be, only saying that he had the potential to equal Maul and myself with time, but it seemed that was enough for Maul to limit how antagonistic he was around my son and apprentice.

I was sure Maul felt I was too soft on Anakin; that I should push him faster and harder in his training, but he held his tongue. At least for the most part. Maul had, once free of servitude to Sidious or any madness from how he was defeated by Obi-Wan in the other timeline, displayed a tendency for blunt, and often brutal, comments on various matters. Something I found oddly refreshing and amusing.

"However, he trusts me and understands that there's something dangerous coming, for which we need allies."

Dooku nodded, accepting my explanation, though I knew that once this meeting was over, and he recovered from what I wished to discuss, we would be talking about Anakin again. "You are correct in that matter. It will please you to hear that Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura are willing to undergo retraining with you. On a trial basis initially."

I nodded, pleased to hear that. There was no alert from the Interface, meaning the quest A Change in Path wasn't complete, nor was the decision final. However, it was a good beginning and one I could work with. At least once I was ready to. Before then, there were other things I had to do, not least the purpose of this meeting.

"That's good to hear, but they'll have to wait," I replied with a smirk as I reached into my belt. "I'm sure you have questions for Maul regarding the Banite Sith. However, those will have to wait for a while as well." I pulled a datapad from one of the pouches on my belt and placed it on the table that lay between Dooku and Maul. "First, I have a mission that I need both your assistance with."

As both watched me with curiosity, I connected a small interface on the table, and a moment later, a world appeared above it. "This is Dromund Kaas, the former crown world of the Sith Empire from around three and a half thousand years ago."

"How…" Dooku began, taking a small step towards the map. Something mirrored by Maul. "I fail to see why a former Sith world, particularly one lost to history, would be of importance."

"It's not lost," I countered with a smile, one that made clear I knew more than either he or Maul did. I enjoyed the fact that this was one of those rare moments where I could use this smile against Dooku, as he and Fay had seemingly loved using it against me while I was their Padawan. "This datapad contains the hyperspace routes to Dromund Kaas."

"How?"

I looked at Maul. "How old do I look?"

"Younger than I."

I bit back the laughter that formed in my throat at his sharp response. There was a hint of annoyance at the fact I'd beaten him while younger, and thus theoretically weaker and less skilled. "Biologically, I'm nineteen. Legally, however, I'm over thirty-eight hundred."

Maul looked at me as if I'd suddenly grown a second head. One that belonged on a rancor. After seeing I wasn't joking, he turned to Dooku for confirmation. "Cameron came to the Order through an accident in time," my former Master explained slowly. "Aboard a Sith transport from that era."

"Impossible."

"And yet here I stand," I countered. I turned to Dooku before continuing. "When I met the Jedi Council, I was unsure of why things were different. Because of that, and a feeling that I should do so, I withheld a small fraction of the story I told them. Something so minor that they wouldn't have focused on it as it was trivial compared to my arrival in this era.

"After the ship took off from my homeworld and entered hyperspace, I realised the controls were locked and was forced to travel wherever the Sith wanted the ship to go. That, as it turned out, was Dromund Kaas, though thankfully not during my era. When I arrived there, the planet was a graveyard orbited by husks of ruined stations, defences, and shipyards.

"It took me time to unlock the hyperdrive, but once I did, I realised that I had to head to Coruscant and the Jedi for help. It was only later, once I was in the Temple and they were considering the truth of my story, that I realised that I'd travelled in time. Later on, using the Jedi Archives and the Celebratus Archive, I determined that the world where I'd appeared was Dromund Kaas and that the routes there had been lost. Routes that, because I took them from the hyperspace computer on the Sith vessel and then wiped them from the ship's memory, I am possibly the only person in the galaxy to possess them."

I stopped there, letting the gravity of what I was saying, and what the datapad held, sink in. Dooku was quiet, behind the durasteel walls that protected his mind, no doubt considering a multitude of questions and issues with my possession of these hyperspace coordinates and why I'd held onto them for so long. That said, there were a few moments of confusion and disbelief that flashed over his features as I explained the situation.

At the other side of the table, Maul appeared just as shocked at my reveal of the data as Dooku. And like my former Master, he kept a tight lock on his full opinions such that I couldn't glean anything about his thoughts on the matter from the Force. Not without ripping his mind to shreds, which wasn't something I wanted to attempt, nor felt capable of doing.

"I have several questions, most of which centre on why you have kept this from me, and where you have stored this data until now. However, those can wait. The query that I feel requires clarity first is why you are revealing this now."

I smiled broadly at my former Master. "Because I want us, as in the three of us and a handful of others, to head there soon."

"How soon?"

"Within a month, ideally." I could sense Dooku's reluctance for such a narrow timeframe. "It's only a matter of time until the Jedi realise what I did on Kiffex, and thus consider coming after me. Not only would Dromund Kaas grant me a place to hide for a short while from their attention, but it might have something that could be of use. Not just to stay ahead of the Jedi and the Sith, but to help us prepare for the war that looms on the horizon."

There again was silence in the room, and I could feel both of them peering into the Force, seeking answers from it and me as to my logic. Dooku's probe was controlled steel; calm, collected, and precise. Maul's, while controlled, was more forceful. As if trying to burn through anything denying him the answers he sought. Neither, however, would break through my barriers or draw answers from the Force. Not when my command over it was already settled and had been the moment the pair had first locked eyes on each other.

That moment, when Dooku met the Sith responsible for the death of someone that he considered a friend, or at least a friend in his terms given his rather unique way of seeing the galaxy, and Maul faced off with a Jedi that I knew Sidious had mentioned to him on occasion, had distracted the pair for the moment I needed to ensure my domination over the Force within the room. Domination that I wasn't willing to release until both agreed to my plans.

"You feel we can prepare for a mission to a Sith capital world, one hidden deep inside a restricted sector with but one known entrance that is monitored by the Republic and Jedi, and has an untold number of other challenges for us, both seen and unseen, can be arranged so quickly?"

"I do. Mainly because I've been planning this almost from the moment I defeated Maul." The Zabrak growled at the reminder of his defeat but said nothing. Mainly, as I had turned to him to continue. "I promised you that you would be my ally and learn of my plans for the galaxy. Dromund Kaas is the beginning of those. I have known since I first saw the world that it was important, and now I know that it is time to head there. To take its riches and knowledge before either Darth Sidious or Darth Plagueis learn of the world and grasp them for themselves."

Dooku stared at me, and I could feel him searching the Force, seeking proof of my certainty, or perhaps enough clarity to agree to the proposal. "For now, I am willing to entertain your proposal," he said slowly, his eyes drifting to the image of Dromund Kaas that was being projected. Almost as if the temptation of hidden knowledge called to him as much as it did to me. "Before that, I require clarification on another matter. One linked to your new… ally." He turned his focus to Maul and pushed into the Force as if seeking to draw the answer to an unasked question from the Zabrak.

Maul growled, sensing the attempted intrusion into his thoughts, and pushed back against the attempt. I remained silent, letting the duel of power take place, curious as to Dooku's purpose for seemingly antagonising Maul. The mental battle only lasted about a minute, but as Dooku pulled back, he offered the Zabrak a nod as if impressed by what he had sensed, or not sensed, depending on the outcome.

"You have both mentioned a Darth Sidious," Dooku said slowly, "with you," he added, focusing on Maul, "referring to him as your former Master." Maul nodded to confirm the point. "If that is the case, then reveal his identity to us here and now."

Maul held Dooku's stare, matching the cool, penetrating gaze of my former Master with one that bristled with barely restrained intensity. I had already explained to Maul that I hadn't told anyone the public personas of Sidious and Plagueis, making clear that I hadn't known who I could trust. Or perhaps more accurately, what they would do with the knowledge. I'd then made clear that Dooku would seek that knowledge once they met.

Maul had respected my caution, mentioning the power and influence – over the Force and lesser beings – that Sidious held. He understood the caution I'd displayed and was impressed that I hadn't shouted the knowledge to the Jedi Council or others.

"You know him as Sheev Palpatine."

I watched Dooku's face as the truth was revealed to him: As the blindfold the Banite Sith Lord had placed over him was shredded in the truth of the Force. Dooku's eyes widened, his mouth drooping open a fraction in clear indications of the shock and disbelief he felt at the reveal. "Impossible!"

"Palpatine is Sidious," I added, drawing my former Master's attention. "I've known it for years. Ever since I used this power," I used Observe on him, "not long after first meeting him. That I was able not to react to the knowledge was, frankly, a small miracle. Perhaps one brought on by the… restrictions I had with my Force connection."

Dooku's eyes flickered wider before he narrowed them. A second later, I felt him brush up against the barriers of my mind, seeking clarity on what I'd just confirmed, and that I had hidden such knowledge from everyone. Perhaps most of all him. I lowered the outer barriers around my thoughts, letting him sense as much of my persona as I would allow. That alone confirmed the truth of my statement, and as he pulled back, I felt a rising sense of respect from him. Along with what felt like a flickering hint of concern or consternation.

The room once again fell into silence. Maul not speaking as he seemed to understand the moment belonged to me and Dooku. My former Master turned inward, processing the knowledge he had just gleaned and perhaps the fact that I had withheld it from him almost from the moment he had taken me as a Padawan. I waited for him to recover from the revelation, curious as to how he would handle it, and what else remained to be said.

Ideally, I had hoped to delay this conversation until after Dromund Kaas, but as I waited for Dooku's arrival on Mandalore, I realised that would never happen. Once he got over the shock of seeing Maul allied with me and came to accept it, he would demand the knowledge of who the Banite Sith were. More than likely, he had expected it to be someone of minor importance, not a long-time friend and the current Co-Chancellor.

"This is most… unsettling," Dooku said slowly after perhaps five minutes during which he processed the information. There was no projection into the Force indicating his struggle with acceptance of the knowledge, or anything else such as disgust at himself for not seeing the truth. However, I knew that behind the walls that shielded him within the Force, he would still be struggling to fully grasp the enormity of the idea that Palpatine was Sidious.

"It is. However, as horrible as it sounds, there's nothing illegal about it," I commented, causing his eyes to snap to me. "Republic law prohibits any Jedi, current or former, from becoming Chancellor. A law was placed on the ledger after the last battle of Ruusan. However, and I checked the law carefully on this to be certain, it doesn't prohibit another strong in the Force, such as a Sith, from rising to take the title."

"A loophole that it seems a Sith Lord has used to usurp the Republic." Dooku's hand came up, and he stroked his chin in contemplation. "An extremely problematic issue, but one that only proves the Republic is corrupted at its very core and thus beyond saving."

"It gets worse," I said slowly, trying to hide how much I was enjoying knowing more than my former Master and the effect this information was having on him. It was petty to feel superior to him, at least in this way, but after a decade of training under his tutelage, there was something perversely enjoyable about watching him squirm as he processed everything that was being revealed to him. "Darth Plagueis, that is Darth Sidious' Master… is a Muun."

"No!" The word burst from Dooku's lips before he could stop it. As I nodded to confirm his suspicion, and Maul made no effort to hide his pleasure at seeing the former Jedi Master reel from this last great reveal, Dooku took an unstable step to his side. His hand grasped the back of the nearest chair, using it to steady himself even as I felt the barriers around his mind weaken. The sheer insanity of the truth that was now known to him was enough to at least weaken his considerable mental control. "Magister Damask…"

"Is Darth Plagueis," I confirmed with a nod. "Something I learnt after," I stressed the word, "I believed I had saved him in this very city around six years ago."

"I…" Dooku stopped and closed his eyes. I felt him grasp the Force and pull it to him, using it to restore his mental protection, and no doubt control the emotional rollercoaster he'd endured over the last few minutes. "I cannot believe that both Co-Chancellors of the Republic, beings I have known for decades, are Sith Lords. Yet I also cannot deny that both of you are certain of this." He paused and took a slow, deep breath to rediscover his centre. "There is much I wish to ask about these… discoveries. On a great many topics."

"As I had expected, Master," I replied, using the title as a mark of respect. "And I, at least, would be happy to answer all that I could. However, it has to happen while we prepare to explore Dromund Kaas. The Banite Sith control the Republic, and it is only a matter of time, a decade at best, I suspect, before they enact their plan and destroy the Republic, obliterate the Jedi, and replace everything with a new Sith Empire."

I could tell that among the many questions he held was a desire to inform the Council. However, I also knew that his trust in it, even those he considered allies and useful tools within it, was weak. It wouldn't, I hoped, take much to convince him that the path we had committed to was the one we had to remain committed to and that the Jedi couldn't yet know that they were taking orders from two Banite Sith Lords.

Eventually, they would have to be told so they could bring their power to bear against the threat we shared. However, that time was far from now. At least in any move that was done openly, as perhaps there were a few breadcrumbs we could drop, based I felt on what Maul knew, that might open the minds of the Jedi Council to the fact that a Sith had influence, if not outright control, of the Senate.

Beyond that, I knew this was the time to head to Dromund Kaas. Not only was it part of the newest quest linked to Maul, one that would further cement our alliance, but I had to complete it before war erupted. With my plans for Mandalore and its people, there would be almost no time to commit to such a venture until the drums of war had sounded. Whatever was on the former capital of the Sith Empire that had once sacked the Jedi Temple and controlled Coruscant, I couldn't and wouldn't let it fall into the hands of the Banite Sith.

Such power belonged in mine.

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A/N: There will be no public chapter for ANP until mid->late August. This is because I'm off on holiday to visit my wife with my son. As she's in China, that will place me behind the GFW and I'll be taking it easy for the month while I'm away.
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This story is cross-posted on Fanfiction.net, Archive of Our Own, and Royal Road.
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