“Ferox!”
The excited cry came from Anakin as we stepped down from Raven onto the deck of Mtael’s Gift and he saw the old Corellian. Several of the Lokella working in the bay turned at Anakin’s call, but most returned to their work, unconcerned or uninterested in his behaviour. A few, those that I suspected had already been watching Raven, offered nods that were a hair from being a bow to me. Those were likely the older members of the Lokella and while I wished they’d move past the almost idol worship they held toward me; I knew there was nothing I could do to demand they stop.
As my feet touched the deck, I turned to those following behind. “You’re free to wander Fenrir, but behave yourself,” I said to the giant beast. The tuk’ata whined as if insulted by the suggestion he would misbehave. “Don’t give me that,” I shot back with a smile, “we both know you enjoy causing chaos almost as much as you enjoy a hunt. Haran, if you behave, then I’ll speak with the Lokella and Dooku about allowing you to head down to Gaia for some fun.
There were beasts on the planet, and almost all ran free as the settlement there was centred around the phrik mines. That meant Fenrir had when I allowed it, almost free reign to head into the forest and jungles of the planet to hunt and establish dominance over the local fauna. So far, he’d not encountered anything that could challenge him, but I knew that might not last. Still, I wasn’t going to deny him his fun.
That had him walk forward happily; head held high as he surveyed the bay. “HK,” I said to the droid as he and R2 brought up the rear of our party. “Don’t start anything, not even by inciting others to attack first.”
“Indignation: I would never do such a thing, Master. Addendum: At least not toward your allies.” That made me smirk and drew a series of excited beeps and whistles from R2.
“That means everyone on this station,” I stated so he didn’t try anything with any visitors. While the system was isolated, I’d seen a few freighters moving to and from the station and since they weren’t Lokella owned, that suggested they’d begun trading with others. Hopefully, it was only a small amount of phrik as I didn’t want the wrong groups – mega corporations or pirates – thinking about attacking the system to take control of the mines. However, I wasn’t going to stop the Lokella from trading, though I might suggest a few groups to avoid. “R2, the same warning goes for you.” The astromech beeped in indignation and rocked from side to side. “No playing innocent. You’re getting as bad as HK for trickery. Thankfully, you’re minus almost all of his weaponry.”
Thanks to Anakin and HK, R2 had been upgraded to be able to defend himself. He only carried a pair of concealed – and at HK’s insistence, jammed from scanners – holdout blasters, but it meant he wasn’t as defenceless as he had been. Anakin and HK had other plans for upgrading R2, but those had been on hold for a while as I didn’t want to turn the astromech into a rolling death machine. One such droid like that was enough for now.
“I’ll have the technicians refuel and service Raven,” Simvyl said, drawing my attention to him, “so we’ll be ready to depart when you want.”
“Thanks,” I said, giving him a nod before turning and heading to one side of the bay. As had happened before, I could sense Dooku was above me on the gantry that overlooked the bay. While I was grateful that I’d not have to head down to the planet to locate him, the fact I felt Vosa was nearby wasn’t something I was happy about. Before taking Natural Selection I felt I was almost ready to face her again, but since then I’d been reluctant to do so. Especially now, when I needed Dooku’s help to hide the changes that happened to me with the Force free of the Interface. That said, having her nearby, but not too close, would be a useful way to gauge how well I was doing in controlling my emotions and maintaining control when near those I’d rather not be close to.
There was a small chance that because she’d gone bat-shit crazy – even if she wasn’t now – that she’d sense the darker side of me behind the shields I’d created easier than Dooku. That was a concern, but I felt she’d not react to that. Or at least I hoped she didn’t.
Those thoughts lasted until I reached the top of the gantry and saw Dooku standing nearby, looking as regal as ever. “Master,” I said as I approached, lowering my head slightly. “I’m pleased to see you again.” Vosa was at the back of the gantry, near the hatch that led out of the bay. There was a moment as Dooku turned to face me where it seemed she was excited, but she pushed it away and remained where she was; something for which I was grateful.
“As am I Cameron, though I sense that you have undergone something of a change since we last spoke.” A single eyebrow rose as he finished, making clear the question he wasn’t going to ask but wanted me to answer.
“Yes. After Naboo, and handling running back and forth between here and there, I spent time in isolation on a remote world. There, with some meditation and no distractions, I understood how to overcome the limitations surrounding my ability with the Force. And now I can draw fully on it when I require.”
The eyebrow rose higher. “While not perhaps how the Council would enjoy hearing you phrase it, it is an accurate description nonetheless.” He took a step toward me, his eyes examining me clinically while I felt his mind press against mine through the Force, probing for changes I’d not mentioned. “Your presence within the Force is far stronger than it was before, even with your attempts to restrict that for my examination. The moment you arrived in-system, the change was obvious to myself and Komari,” my eyes drifted to the former leader of the Bando Gora for a moment. “It was clear even then that you were attempting to limit how obvious the changes you’ve undergone are, however, you forgot to consider that those trained with the Force can sense such things for great distances. What I sense from you now is a barely sufficient barrier to hide the change, but because of what I have just said, it is for nought. Especially to one such as I who has spent considerable time around you and is aware of how you should feel within the Force. This is something Komari can also sense.”
My gaze returned to the former Bando Gora leader, seeing her smiling at me, her tongue just slipping through her lips. The gaze, while lacking almost all the viciousness of what I remembered, was effective in bringing forth memories of my time under her tender mercies. Knowing I couldn’t dwell upon them, as they’d breached the shroud I’d created – under guidance from Adas – to hide my power and mind, I pushed the memories, and the connected emotions back down into the depths of my mind. The lid that sat over them and other painful and enraging memories slid back into place, sealing them away again.
“Impressive.” Dooku’s comment had my eyes snap to him. “I sensed the residual anger you feel toward her rise, however it was soon dismissed. Still, you would do well to not allow even a fleeting memory to influence your actions in the present.”
“Might I infer from your comment that you have moved on from your mistakes with Vosa and upon Galidraan, Master?” I asked with a smirk. I knew I was striking a nerve, but I wanted to make clear that unless he had done so, he wasn’t speaking from high ground on the matter of moving on from past experiences.
For the longest time those two events, even though I’d never know about them until after being reborn, had been drivers in what shaped his path into, in the other timeline, becoming Tyrannus. Yet even though he had become a Sith, he hadn’t, from what I knew, ever lost himself in the Dark Side, never surrendered to its insanities. Something I believed was what caused the yellow eyes some Sith developed. His mind was far too rigid and disciplined to allow any but himself to control it, even if that belief – verging on arrogance – was probably how Sidious had decided him for nearly a decade.
There was a slight movement of Dooku’s lips, though that was the only outward reaction to by barbed response. Nor was there any hint in the Force of anything regarding my words. “I feel I have done so sufficiently that those events, and others you remain unaware of, no longer provide unwanted influence and impetus upon my actions. However, I do not feel you are close to achieving that, nor that Komari is ready to return to playing a larger role in galactic society.”
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I snorted, not bothering to hide my feelings on the matter. “With respect, I doubt she ever will be. Though perhaps that might not be an issue.”
Dooku’s eyebrow moved slightly. “I sense you have an idea that might provide Komari with unexpected motivation.”
“I think we all agree that she’ll never rejoin the Order.” Dooku nodded in agreement. “Yet you can’t keep her locked at your side. Eventually, she will grow to resent that, and problems that existed before, but are now more manageable, might resurface. Letting her run free in the galaxy is dangerous, and not just because I plan to mention that, along with the Sith I defeated on Naboo, the Bando Gora were involved in the attack that forced Chancellor Damask to wear the mask he now has to.”
“Is it wise to reveal that to the new Chancellor? We know the Sith are close to the orbit of the Senate, so informing the Magister of this fact would soon find its way to the attention of the Sith.”
“Perhaps it’s not wise, but keeping it from him means sitting on information that he would want to know. The Sith targeted him for a reason, perhaps that was so he didn’t become Co-Chancellor, or maybe it was another reason that we aren’t aware of. Regardless, he deserves to know there’s a threat toward his life.” Which he’d know was coming from Sidious. It was unlikely the information would cause any friction between the pair, but it was worth seeing if it might. Plus, from an ‘I knew nothing’ perspective, Damask was an ally, and alerting him to the potential danger was something I should do.
Dooku took a moment to consider my words, a hand coming up to stoke his beard. “I will admit that the thought that the Sith were targeting the then Magister had occurred to me as well. However, sending any message via Holonet would risk being intercepted and traced.” Dooku paused, the hand coming down. “That, I suspect, is a partial reason for why you and your Padawan have returned to this system.”
“As always, Master, your insight is correct. The Chancellor contacted me directly about a week ago. A long-standing invitation to the premiere of the Fellowship of the Ring holomovie has come due.”
“He and Chancellor Palpatine are aware you are the creator of this work?”
“They are,” I replied, ignoring that I hadn’t created anything, simply copying over the work of someone from another universe into this one. “Due to his connection to the Banking Clan, Magister Damask wished to determine the author of the series. When we spoke about it, he expressed his surprise to discover that a Jedi was the author, which was during our meeting with then-Senator Palpatine regarding the threat posed by the Vong.”
“I recall you mentioning that meeting.”
I nodded at his recollection. “Because both Chancellors are aware of my involvement in the project, and that Chancellor Damask is a fan of the series, I promised that when the holomovies were premiered, I’d attend the gathering alongside them. None of us expected that by that point they would be Chancellors of the Republic, and I’d have helped free Chancellor Palpatine’s homeworld from invasion.”
“Normally, an invitation from a Chancellor for a newly Knighted Jedi to attend such an event might raise eyebrows. However, as you mentioned, your role in the liberation of Naboo grants you a valid reason for such an invitation to be extended. Some will still question your presence, but they would question anything happening around politicians, so you should not attract undue attention. At least from those not attuned to the Force. Which, I see now, is the primary reason for your visit, along with your Padawan being the only recorded Force user with a greater midi-chlorian count than your own.”
“That and, as I explained to him on our voyage here, introducing him to the Chancellors, and bringing him to the attention of people I’d rather remained unaware of who and what he is.” I sighed rather loudly. “As you know, I don’t place great stock in prophecy or vision, or at least I didn’t before Naboo. However, I understand that Anakin, because of his potential, will have a role to play in facing, and I hope defeating, the darkness we know is gathering. The longer the Sith remain unaware of his existence, the less chance there is that they move to either remove him or Force-forbid, turn him.”
“And what of the Council? Should they not be made aware of Anakin’s status as your Padawan, and his possible role as the Chosen One?”
I fought back an urge to snort. Dooku’s opinion on the Council was lower than mine, and he’d agreed along with Fay about keeping Anakin hidden from the Order when we’d first ‘discovered’ him on Tatooine, I knew he’d never agree to have Anakin trained at the Temple. And certainly not by anyone who fully obeyed the Council. “If I recall the words correctly, the teaching of a Padawan is entirely at their Master’s discretion. Something you and Master Fay reminded the Council after one of my misdemeanours as your Padawan.” There was a faint twitch of Dooku’s lips, meaning he got the point and found it amusing. “However, disregarding that, given the changes I’ve brought about in my connection to the Force, and how, as you commented on when I arrived, I still have work to do on controlling that change, I feel it safer if I give the Temple a wide berth. At least for the time being. Which is one reason why I shall be leaving him here for the week or so while I return to Coruscant.”
“Your Padawan has accepted this?” I nodded. “Impressive. Both that you managed to convince him, I suspect without revealing all of your concerns,” I nodded again, “and that he has the wisdom to understand and accept your reasoning.”
“He is far brighter than most his age. A result of his upbringing before we discovered him. Still, while he doesn’t know the full details of why I am reluctant for him to accompany me this time, he had agreed to remain behind.”
“It speaks well, both for you and him, that he can think rationally, without emotion clouding his judgment, and follow concepts and ideas that would normally be beyond him. How long before you must arrive on Coruscant?” Dooku said, shifting topics.
“The premiere is a little over two weeks from now, but I plan to arrive several days before so that I might speak with the Chancellors.”
“Hmm. While not ideal, that should allow me time to help you strengthen your defences and hide, to a degree, the changes you have undergone from most cursory examinations by a Force user. It will also allow me to examine what effect this change has caused to your form.”
“About that,” I said slowly with a slight grimace, “because I don’t yet feel entirely comfortable with the changes I’ve undergone, I hadn’t yet rebuilt my lightsaber. For the time being, I’m relying on the shoto blade and the beskad.”
“Has that not left you vulnerable while you have traversed the galaxy with your Padawan?”
“For the most part, it hasn’t, Master. I’ve been hiding my status as a Jedi beneath the Mandalorian armour I have.” I was wearing some currently, but as with when I was behaving more as a Jedi than Mando’ade, it was aligned with what was worn by Jedi in times of war than the full armour one would expect of the Mando’ade. “As I’m also, generally, avoiding major systems and places that might have significant Jedi presence, it’s been enough to keep me safe. For the most part.”
“Would the other part be related to the ripples of anger I sensed from you nearly half a year ago?”
I’d hoped to avoid this coming up, but the chances that Dooku and Fay – to say nothing of others who might know my Force presence well – not having sensed my reaction to what had happened were slim. As such, I knew I couldn’t avoid the issue.
“Yes, Master. Anakin was, through no fault of his own, kidnapped by Trandoshans for a hunt.” My tone was as calm as I could keep it, but I knew I wasn’t doing a perfect job. When I mentioned the hunt, Dooku’s brow creased, an outward sign of his distaste for the practice, or perhaps the species in general. “I was able to locate him quickly enough that he wasn’t physically harmed. However, of the dozen younglings with him only three others survived; something only possible due to Anakin taking command of the situation.”
“I’m pleased you didn’t avoid the topic. For the record, I was aware of what happened from speaking to young Lena. Komari has taken to protecting the girl while she is here, possibly as she senses something in her that reminds Komari of herself at such an age.” I gave a brief nod, not wanting to return my thoughts to Vosa. “The girl has settled well, and is currently on Gaia, learning at one of several youth houses for those children the Lokella have rescued and taken in who cannot locate any relatives.”
“I’m glad to hear that. What she and the others endured is not something I’d wish on any youngling. I also suspect that Anakin will wish to speak with her while here.”
“That can easily be arranged.” He paused for a moment. “Returning to the Trandoshans. The, shall we say, burst of unrestrained anger that I and Komari sensed from you was deeply concerning. I feared that perhaps, you had succumbed to the madness such actions can bring forth. While I now understand what brought it on, and that you appear to have maintained your composure after the event, I would remind you that emotional displays, particularly such negative ones, are unworthy of a Jedi. Especially one that I have invested considerable time and energy toward training.
“Yes, Master.”
“I shall not ask what became of the Trandoshans, only wish confirmation that they received a punishment worthy of their heinous actions.” I nod to confirm that, neither of us wishing to have him fully aware of how I’d punished them. I knew Dooku wouldn’t care that they’d all been executed for their crimes, as he considered such creatures, along with many others, beneath him. What I wouldn’t be revealing, nor focusing on, was the methods I’d used to dispatch the Trandoshans and how I’d extracted anything useful from them before their deaths. “Excellent. Yet, while you have recovered from the incident, I can still sense the lingering after-presence of that anger. While an inability to truly let go of your emotions has been a flaw you have long since possessed, I believe that with the changes I can sense from you, you require greater work on if not removing this flaw, then overcoming it.”
“I have been trying, Master.”
“I can sense that. However, your improvement, while acceptable to many, is far from the standards I expect from a former Padawan. As I cannot test your resolve and progress through a spar, I will have to determine other methods while you are on the station to see where you stand, and what additional training I can offer to further enhance your defences.”
“Yes, Master.”
I’d known that I’d have to endure this once the invitation from Damask had come in, and been preparing myself for it. I wasn’t looking forward to it, as Dooku was a harsh, almost to the point of expecting perfection, taskmaster. However, outside of Adas, who I was reluctant to turn to currently, there was no one else I felt could help me sufficiently in the time I had to prepare before I came face to face with the two Banite Sith that stood as Co-Chancellors of the Republic.
… …