Yan Dooku's eyes opened and he inhaled sharply. He was cold and naked lying as if dead on top of a bare mattress. He could feel the ache from the torture and the scars of broken memories flying around his head. Memories that haunted him. Komara Vosa begging to be trained or to practice her katas. Then her last words being whispered as he choked the life out of her. Then the many who died at the urging of the council, or to their fool pride in thinking they could face the Jedi on equal ground. Galidraan had been one of the worst failures of the Jedi Order in following the corruption of the Senate. These were his failures as well as they came to mind every time he woke up.
Komara Vosa was solved as he killed here and the other somewhat once he had joined Darth Sidious. It was not hard to figure out as plan after plan was enacted and the results came to bear linking them together in every political gain that if looking from the out side was random in scope. However, knowing some of the future actions he could more than see where things were going. He slowly moved as he came to his feet as he was channeling the Force.
He was controlling the pain that Sidious had given him and fueling his rage to build enough power to heal. He had not thought that Sith could heal, but he had learned they could and it was very effective and addicting. Still, it took a lot of effort to reach his ship. That took nearly all the energy he had even while banking on his anger and hate. His pain drove him to move, but it was just enough to get him inside his ship.
"Take me to Serenno." He did not see the droid nod its mechanical head before the darkness took him again. Just before it did he called on the Force one last time. His body sank slowly to the deck as the hibernation trance took hold.
He did not come out of his trance until he reached Kamino. Once he was there he had not time to himself as many of his duties needed to be taken care of and messages from the CIS council and the Assembly needed to be answered. It was not until the next day before he could get to more military focused needs.
Sev'rance Tann had been successful in acquiring a new vehicle for the Confederacy. One he would have better use of once it was reverse engineered. Wat Tambor will be thrilled to get a hold of the weapon. He recalled Sev'rance Tann assigning a tactical droid to take Sarapin. He read the report that General Grievous was ready for combat and was on his way to defending Hypori as it had the highest probability of being attacked. He then sent Trench to defend Muunilist and Whorm Loathsom to prepare to take Christophsis in several weeks.
He then reviewed dozens of different battles as old and ancient conflicts started up again as systems left the Republic in the wake of The Confederacy of Independent Systems declaring their independence from the Republic.
It is then that he came across the report of the Jedi Order recalling every Jedi for a full conclave something that had not happened in decades. Sidious had said that the Jedi would so foolishly enter the war as the clone generals, but it seems this failed to happen. He had studied the last conclave and the absolute silence that was maintained until its agenda was completed. He smiled as this must be infuriating to Sidious to have the Jedi just up and close their doors. This brings a smile to his face as he leans back into his chair to read other reports.
Palpatine was stunned he had received acknowledgment of the Jedi High Council to accept their commissions and as the judicial chiefs of staff were assigning certain Jedi to command each of the Clone battalions a declaration of a conclave is called from the Jedi Order. He did not think anything of it, but when only Jedi Master Oppo Rancisis reported to take command he had tried to personally call the High Council to ask why and his call was not even answered. He did not even wait to listen to the recording that had been left to excuse the lack of response. He then called in High General Oppo Rancisis to explain.
"...So you see once a conclave is called the Jedi Order will shut completely down to prevent any unwanted distractions." Master Rancisis finished without a hint of concern.
"What of all the missions currently assigned to the Jedi knights on assignment?" Palpatine tried to show a bit of confusion and worry in his aura, while hiding his growing anger.
"Suspended, canceled or assigned to the nonjedi in the diplomatic corps." Cold and completely unexpected. Many of those missions were designed to push a system away from or towards the Republic. Now it was up in the air and would cause issues if they had to fight to get certain systems back.
"I do not understand. The Republic is on the brink of war. Hundreds of systems are on the precipice of leaving the Republic or are prime targets of the Separatists."
"It was one of the concerns of the council, but the with the current amount of evidence they determined the need to fully discuss this with the entire Jedi Order being physically present." It would have been more useful if he had shoulders to shrugged with the amount of indifference he was showing. He needed more. Perhaps another attack on the Temple would get them to open up?
"I must confess my ignorance in such a process. Tell me when can I expect the Jedi Order to reopen communication with the Senate and the Chancellery?"
"There are several more days before the conclave starts and it could last a day to several weeks. The end results can vary to fully supporting the Republic in its efforts to Recusal."
"Recusal? What is that?" Palpatine had an idea, but for the life of him the memory was not coming to him.
"It is where the Jedi Order will remove themselves from the Republic for a time. They did this during the Pius Dea Era. Though I doubt that would be the case here as there is much that can be done before such a drastic measure is needed."
"That is a sobering prospect, but I must say that it would not go well for the Order if they make such a decision I am afraid." Palpatine was showing worry even as he was planning this master's death. He so wanted to kill him where he was coiled. A Recusal would put the Jedi out of his grasp and prevent him from ever declaring himself Emperor. The Jedi had no attachment to any world and they could go straight for him if need be or shut down the Senate as they did during that same era now that he had a reference to go by.
"Chancellor you have little to worry about I doubt such a decision will be made. Most likely the Order will remain as the Peacekeepers that they are and allow those with the knowledge to help lead the GAR as I will be doing."
"Master Jedi that will be a problem as the all the Jedi are needed once it becomes war."
"Chancellor the Jedi are keepers of the peace not the Jedi Warlords of old with their system worlds and their armies to stand behind them. The Ruusan Reformations prevent the Jedi Order from directly supporting this war if it comes to be. Even with the Military Creation Act it does not remove the restrictions on the Jedi Order."
"Then perhaps you can pass on the Senate's orders to the High Council." Master Rancisis rose as he slid off the chair looking no different than before.
"I resigned my position in the Jedi Order to lead the war effort once hostilities commence. I am a Jedi Master only in name. I believe I have taken up too much of your time and I have nothing more to tell you that will make any difference. Only time will gain you access to the Jedi Temple. Good day Chancellor Palpatine."
"Good day, Master Jedi." Palpatine waited until he could barely feel the Jedi before he let even a sliver of the anger he was feeling crack the surface. He needed the Jedi to get caught up in this war and to feel the loss of each life until they are numb to it. Plus the loss of Jedi would thin out the Order to the point they could only react and not think of the things they were doing. He was also angry that this would prevent Anakin from visiting him as he really needed to probe the boy on his encounter with his mother and what he did on Geonosis. Dooku had left much out and his memories were mixed with a bunch of fantasy. As if Revan could come back from the dead thousands of years after his death.
Sidious sent the code to Dooku's comlink to start the war. If the Jedi could not be framed for starting the war then so be it. Their hesitance to attack Geonosis would allow the CIS to use those droids against another planet and kept the factories on Geonosis running. In a few days while the Jedi hide in their sacred Temple the Galaxy shall fall into war.
Anakin had to land the shuttle on the large expanse of the Temple Grounds as the many hangers inside the Temple were full of returning Jedi transports. As open as the grounds were it took time to get to the temple. Both of them looking in awe at all the Jedi and even none Jedi that were camped out. Inside the Great Hall was just as packed as even more Jedi that neither one of them knew not that Anakin expected to know any of them.
What was surprising to both of them was the amount of laughing and feelings of joy and happiness. Sure there was other feelings being projected, but they were also positive over all. Then there was not the open affection or displays of affection, but it was felt through the Force. Anakin could tell that most of the Jedi here were not Temple Jedi or had not been in the temple in a long time.
"I have to say master this is not what I would ever expect. I mean I thought all of you lacked such emotions."
"Anakin you know we feel emotions like any being, but you also know we do not let them free like you are feeling. We give them to the Force."
"Don't feel any of that here."
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"I would think not. Notice that these are not knights or masters and they from what I gather are seeing old friends for the first time in years."
"And what of those who are in love?" Obi Wan chuckled. What could he really say to that. At least they were keeping the visual clues hidden, but just barely as he did catch quiet a few hands being held or similar limbs. It was as they covered about half of the way through the Great Hall that Kenobi suddenly stopped.
"Kenobi?" He turned to see someone he had never thought to see ever again.
"Aalto?" The man smiled brightly and then force Obi Wan to clasp arms. It was in his grip that Aalto's face changed to one of regret.
"Yup in the flesh and first off I want to apologize for when we were younger. I came to realize I followed Bruck without question and I should have followed you. I mean Jedi Master of the Chosen One."
"Not quiet a Master yet, but soon and Anakin here will take his trials." Aalto looked Anakin over and even probed him a bit with the Force. Then the man clasp hands with Anakin as he felt being accepted.
"Thought he would be shorter." Anakin blinked before seeing Aalto laugh.
"He had a resent growth spurt. Unlike you as you seem to have not gotten any taller."
"Ah Obi Wan had an accident with some equipment. Nearly lost both legs, but with the Force and some luck they just got a bit shorter."
"Well I am glad that you are well and I accept your apology." Aalto blinked before his smile looked to consume his face as he blinked several tears out of his eyes. He then bowed before disappearing into the crowd.
"Who was that exactly?"
"He was the friend of a bully when I was an initiate. In the end he was tricked into using the dark side and fell to his death as we dueled."
"You know the Order really has to change that. You know I did not have a lot of friends."
"I know and I could have helped with that."
"No you couldn't have."
"Perhaps. Now let's get through this circus before another of my past friends appear." Obi Wan such not have said anything as nearly a dozen former age mates found him and pulled him in to meet their friends or even a spouse or two. Anakin slowly got to see an entire different side to Obi Wan. One that was not this perfect Jedi, but one who had been struggling for years to be perfect. It also made him see how uncomfortable Obi Wan could be as he face these happy faces or those that seemed happy.
Their bond was stable, but enough leaked through that Anakin could see that Obi Wan was human and capable of making mistakes. That he had never really had felt and now it changed much of what he had been trying to teach him. That he could almost believe that Obi Wan was afraid on not teaching him correctly. Anakin's pride in his master grew and he enjoyed meeting all these different Jedi that had influenced Obi Wan and made him who he was. The only person in the Order that he knew that knew Obi Wan was Bant Eerin and she had never revealed anything about Obi Wan's past.
Four hours later they finally made it to their quarters. They changed and straightened up the apartment as best as they could though have the common room was a work shop along with most of Anakin's room. Once everything was clean enough they went to eat. The dining hall was full with nearly the entire Jedi Order in residence. The Force was vibrating with all of them here. Anakin closed his eyes half way through his meal and just felt how different the Temple and this room was. There was the over all calm and on top of that was the joy of reunion with so many Jedi that had not seen each other.
What Anakin felt over all was how the feeling of the Temple had changed. The calm quiet environment geared for learning was still there, but this anticipation for what was going to happen and the fact that most of the Jedi present were knights. Where as the groups on the outside and in the great hall were happy and festive there were more serious Jedi here in the dinning hall and the Temple proper. The Force was nearly a tangible presence as it swirled around every being. It was then that he spread out his senses looking for Rey Van and Asajj. They were not in the hall and from what he could feel they might be in the archives.
"Anakin are you going eat? Your food is cold and I am finished." Obi Wan tapped his tray to add to the need to finish.
"Right sorry. Just so many Jedi."
"Yes indeed, tighten your focus and your shields and it won't be so distracting."
"Right." Anakin returned to his cold food and shoveled it in. He barely avoided a lecture on proper manners. It was as he was putting way his tray that he saw Asajj just sitting there alone at one of the tables. A quick glance and her table was the only one that was so empty. Then he looked back and she was gone as a groups sat where she had been.
"Anakin are you coming?"
"Yes master." He took a few hurried steps to catch up before Obi Wan moved out of the hall and towards the lift.
"I wonder where Master Surik is? I just saw Asajj I think."
"After he released his report to the entirety of the Jedi Order I would assume that many will seek him out like before. He is one to draw attention to himself without even doing something. Now that he has I doubt he has found any peace." As like every time that Obi Wan has returned to the Temple he made his way up to the High Council chamber.
"Odd." He remarked as he moved from the lift to the doorway. The padawan that would normally be there was not. As he spread his senses out he felt no one past the door which made him throw it open. He glanced around the room to then look out on the growing sunset.
"Where is the council?"
"That is a good question. Perhaps Master Windu has an answer." Obi Wan turned as Mace stepped into view.
"They are meditating. With no missions to guide or reports to hear it is time to focus on something we have been ignoring for decades." Obi Wan turned back to the setting sun as Anakin moved to his side.
"I doubt that."
"Oh but it is true. So long we have been playing politics with the Senate. So long we have bowed to their requests and demands. So long we have ignored the very being of this Republic for their greed. Now that it has all stopped I can see it. We have been ignoring the Force and so it has gone silent."
"Silent, Master Windu it screams at me."
"I know and that is what makes me not trust you. I see it talking to you. Screaming at you pleading for you to understand, what I do not know but should." Obi Wan looked at Anakin as his head sank and the defeated look of the Master of the High Council. Yet, his face was not without hope. He was just pausing. This was a truth that Anakin would never had heard. Such honesty from one he had never trusted and was always on guard against.
He was like many of the masters as he grew up and who had demonstrated time and again that they thought he was not good enough. That his best efforts were only bad attempts. This high impossible standard that the Chosen One was held up to. Now he felt the regret. He felt that Master Windu would no longer hold him to this standard that was impossible. He felt anger at this and puzzled at the same time at the source of the anger. He suddenly thought of Sheev and the council he has provided over the years and it felt hollow.
"Perhaps this conclave is what the Order needs." Kenobi rubbed his beard as his eyes focused on the sun.
"Good cause you are going to lead it."
"What?!" Mace only gave a weak smile before walking out of the chamber. Just before he reached the lift he turned his head back.
"You really should read all of your messages." The lift opened and Obi Wan stared as if frozen as the master walked in and the doors closed.
"Master? What did he mean?"
"I am leading the conclave, but what of the council?" He pulled out his comlink and went to the last message. Quickly he swiped from message to message and finally stopping on one.
"Master Kenobi as you are not part of any council it has been determined as the newest master of the Jedi Order that your insight will be critical in the current time. Eleven others have been selected and due to the abruptness of the forming of the conclave your padawan has been elevated to the rank of Jedi Knight pro tem, which will become permanent after completion of his trials." He was not sure who was speaking, but he had heard the voice before.
"Seriously master?"
"It seems that way. I am to report to the conclave chamber to meet with the other masters to compile an itinerary for discussion to be released for all Jedi to lend their opinion. Once I enter we can not leave until we have held the conclave."
"That does not sound good."
"No, but there is a full refresher there so we will not have to experience discomfort, but it will mean we will be there for a minimum of three days. I need to go."
"What right now? We just got back and you didn't sleep as it would be night soon."
"Introspection it is. I would still go to the knights tower, Anakin. I am sure you have a similar message in your comlink and there are certain things that you will need to due to study for your trials. Meditating is one of them." Obi Wan left him standing there and soon Anakin was the only one left in the High Council chamber. He felt a sudden cold as he heard a phantom cackle of glee. One that made him look to the Senate Rotunda for some reason.
Revan and Asajj were in one of the deepest parts of the Temple. It had been weeks since he had crawled back to the surface of reality and due to his arrival there was power and lighting as hundreds of droids moved building material or made repairs. He was following a hint in the Force and it lead him to one of those ancient storage rooms.
"What can we possibly find down here?"
"I am not sure, but the Force is urging me here."
"I don't see anything but crates of clothing and boots."
"What we seek is a bit farther in, and you are not reading the more important items. Armor and other items of war. This is from a time I believe a thousand years ago or less."
"I see that. The date near the door on the wall, 1 ARR to 100 ARR or 6978 to 7078 CRC."
"That was two sections ago this section is from the time of the Mandalorian Excision." He moved from crate to crate feeling the lives that had once owned the armor that was now stored here. Armor that did not belong to the Jedi. Armor that had been taken from the Mandalorians that had surrendered or was taken from their shrines and museums. Revan stopped at a certain crate and with a deft swipe with his lightsaber he opened the ancient crate. A flick of his hand and a helm that he had last seen with a gold gilding came into his hands. The gun metal gray of bare Beskar could not hide the dings and slights dents of hundreds of battles.
"Canderous Ordo you were never one for flashy, but I would sense your mark anywhere." Also the mark of Mand'alor the Ultimate. Though he remembered it looking much differently, yet, he could see it through the imprint that Canderous had left on it and the slight mark that his twin had left as well. It would never be the symbol that would bring the Mandalorian warriors together again, but why else could the Force have moved him to come down here?
"Who was he?"
"Canderous was the leader of Clan Ordo. Not sure of what happened to him after I killed Mand'alor the Ultimate, but from his mark on this buy'ce he became Mand'alor at one point. I really should have destroyed this, but I did not. My twin must have gotten the memory of where I hid it."
"So we came all the way down here for some dusty helm?"
"I am not sure. The Force is telling me that I have not found it yet." He scooped out the rest of the crate finding nothing before moving the crate out itself. There behind the crate was a disc.