Master Yoda looked as tired as he felt. Master Surik had not been quiet and the Force seemed to agree with every single point. His report was well written and everything in it felt like the truth. His insight on what most likely was going to happen if the Jedi accepted their commissions and went to war. His report brought over two dozen masters to the High Council and half of them demanded the council resign. That some of these masters were serving on the other council's gave their demand solid footing.

Jocasta Nu being the head archivist and silent member of the Council of First Knowledge was one of the few that did not make that call. However, she revealed something that was not going to please anyone. If it was not for the Force being in agreement he would not believe what she had brought to his attention. He sighed and focused on the Force again and for the first time in a hundred years he used introspection. The aches and pains of his age slowly faded as he felt his body being renewed over and over again. He did not worry what others would think as he was now beyond caring. He knew it would not be long before those masters would sway more to their side.

As he got up from his meditation cushion he stretched and seemed to gain height he did not have. With one hand he brushed his scalp removing all the old hair from his head. A very short stubble would be evident after a few days, but it would not be noticed in time. He moved around the room before going into his sleeping quarters and pulling out old tunics that he had put away long ago. Being the Grandmaster had its privileges, so other than maintenance coming in from time to time to inspect the clothing washing unit he had yet to use it. Three outfits went inside the washer and he carefully packed other items. When the machine was finished he put on the one outfit and packed the other two.

Jocasta Nu might be correct and the Force might be telling him it is also true, but at one point he had seen an aberration. Perhaps he could coax one out of Revan's tomb. Like a thief in the night master Yoda walked quickly through the temple and took a small transport against the will of R2-D7 that had been preparing the ship for another mission. He had left his comlink in his quarters after leaving a message that he would be back.

"Deeseven plot a course for this planet. To there we will go." Yoda sighed. Hundreds of years he had spoken with inflection on the meaning of his sentences. The habit will be hard to break. Not impossible, but hard. Even Master Yaddle had picked up the habit from time to time. As soon as the ship reacted the hyperspace jump point it vanished.

Master Yaddle yawned as she woke up from her nap. She then meditated while she changed her robes with fresh ones. It was after she got finished that she recognized that her place of napping had been moved. Spreading out her awareness in the Force she was mildly surprised that Master Yoda was on her ship. His presence was one of sleep and it was then that she realized she had slept for a very long time as she checked her comlink's chrono. Her personal droid would have sent her a message to wake her, but if they were in hyperspace that message would have been lost.

It would not be the first time she had slept too long, but this was the first time no one checked the sole cabin before taking off in her favorite napping spot on one of several small transports. Lowering herself to the door as it opened she walked out into the rest of ship and to the cockpit to see that Master Yoda was indeed asleep and looking as young as she was. Though his new hair was short, it was noticeable. Deeseven whistled quietly a greeting that she responded to with a nod. She knew what he had done, but wondered what was so dire that he needed to be young again to face it? It seemed that he would not be facing it alone.

Mace Windu growled as his head was splitting apart left and right. Every Jedi he looked at seemed to be on the brink of a personal shatter point. He got blank looks, ones filled with anger, others with confusion, and some with concerned worry. Though seeing those inside the Temple created shatter points the news and the reports were even worse. All of the knights and masters that could drop their missions had been called back to the Temple.

The Service Corps leaders made it clear that their missions came first. That they would help where they could as far as using the Exploration Corps as scouts, and the Judicials as part of the military. Some of the Medical Corps assigned members to the battalions as medics and doctors, but only on a voluntary basis. The Agricorps only promised to increase food production. Their reasoning they were farmers not warriors. This division in the ranks of the Jedi Order was tearing the very order apart.

He reached Master Yoda's apartments and knocked but did not feel his presence inside. This was the last place he come to find him and he could not fathom that he would leave. Flicking his hand released the simple locks and he found the apartment as it always was. Only a comlink on the table revealed something was not right. He moved to it and pressed the blinking symbol to have a much younger looking Yoda appear.

"Master Windu found this message you have. Leave I must to discover a truth. I do not know when I will return, but stay out of this war Master Surik demanded. Against the our decision he has stood and I want to agree with him I do."

"Evidence enough he has presented. Protect the Jedi Order you will. Investigate the Senate you will. Find this Sith we must. Uphold our duty to the Republic we have to. Ask only you will. Help the GAR the Jedi can. Lead them, do not."

The message ended with Master Yoda dropping his gimer stick on the floor. Mace picked up the comlink and went to the council chamber as he now knew what to do. The hardest part would be getting the other masters to agree as there would be resistance to not fully going along with the Senate mandates. Mace went to the communication hub and activated a full recall of all masters and knights. A full conclave was needed.

"This Master Windu calling all Jedi Knights and Masters to return to the Jedi Temple on Coruscant for a full conclave. You are to break away from your current missions unless the risk of death is too great. You have ten days to return to the Temple or to a major holonet hub under the control of the Galactic Republic."

He hit send and had it repeat every hour on the hour for the next five days. In that time he was sure they would have most of the order back at the Temple. From there he moved to the council chambers. The looks he got from the nine members were a mix of anger and confusion with some concern. Plo Koon was the first to break the silence as Mace sat down.

"Where is Master Yoda?"

"I have a message from him and I don't know where he has gone."

"Master Yaddle has left on her mission without the two Jedi who were going with her." Adi Gallia explained Master Yaddle's absence.

"Perhaps Master Yoda took the ship she was planning to take. I will find out." Even Piell busied himself with his data pad.

"What did Grandmaster Yoda say?"

"Let me play it for you." Mace moved to Yoda's chair and placed the comlink down. He hit the play button and Shaak Ti and Depa Billaba both gasped as they saw his younger form.

"Master Windu found this message you have. Leave I must to discover a truth. I do not know when I will return, but stay out of this war Master Surik demanded. Against the our decision he has stood and I want to agree with him I do."

"Evidence enough he has presented. Protect the Jedi Order you will. Investigate the Senate you will. Find this Sith we must. Uphold our duty to the Republic we have to. Ask only you will. Help the GAR the Jedi can. Lead them, do not."

The council was quiet as he spoke and remained so as they each absorbed his words. Oppo Rancisis normally so silent moved from his seat and did several circles around the chamber before returning to his seat. Coleman Trebor was swaying left to right as he started to glow with the Force. Saesee Tiin was the next to glow with the Force. Ki Adi Mundi appeared to be looking from one to the other and it was almost as if he was growling until he too closed his eyes. Each of the nine masters slowly joined the others in Introspection. Mace could see the their shatter points shifting as he to enter this form of meditation. It was Oppo Rancisis who broke the silence first.

"A hobby of mine is to study war and the tactics used in hundreds of conflicts. I am sure I can come up with effective strategies. I will accept the title of High General in the Galactic Army of the Republic as I resign from the Jedi High Council. Regardless if there is a Sith in the Senate or not, I feel the Force is guiding me in this."

"You do not have to resign the council, Master Rancisis." Plo Koon stated.

"I do as my focus will be on this war and not as a Jedi, but as a general."

"Do you have a suggestion for your replacement?" By Mace asking this question he accepted the Thisspiasian's decision.

"Kit Fisto would make an excellent addition to the council."

Mace nodded as he typed away on his datapad.

"Master Yoda was seen entering one of the shuttles that Master Yaddle entered several hours earlier. Not long after he entered the ship left the hanger and Coruscant on a Perlemian Trade Route vector. No flight plan recorded." The slightly younger looking Even Piell suddenly revealed.

"Agen Kolar, Cole Kcaj, Eno Cordova, Halsey, Luminara Unduli, Obi Wan Kenobi, Stass Allie, Sta-Den Eekin, and Tho-Mes Drei are to be considered for the High Council as well as Nejaa Halcyon of Corellia. They will be considered replacements for all of us." Mace declared as he felt many of them were shocked. Ki Adi Mundi more so than the others as for once he felt anger coming from the Cerean Master. He did not remain silent.

Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.

"You can not be considering to bend to those other masters calling for our removal?"

"I called for a conclave of every member not just of those who can easily walk away or postpone their missions. Master Surik made it very clear in his report that we can not jump into this war without investigating the cloners on Kamino, the identity of Tyranus as the one who hired Jango Fett as the template, and that Darth Sidious has a large influence on the Senate. I do not agree with those he has marked as potentially being this Sidious, but seeing as they are very close to the Supreme Chancellor we can not just ignore them either." Mace looked to Adi Gallia as she spoke next.

"The Chancellor and the Senate is going to expect and even demand we follow the mandate of the Chancellor to become generals." Several of them nodded in agreement as Mace thought of his answer.

"That question will be brought up during the conclave. We have ten days to come up with a plan of action that this Order will follow during this war. Jedi masters and knights who have shown to be strategists or graduated from Academy of Carida will be the ones to be offered general ranks on a voluntary basis."

"What of Anakin Skywalker? As the Chosen One his fate will be tied to the Order."

"Master Yoda and I had discussed his successful mission in protecting the Senator of the Chommell Sector and helping in the freeing of Master Kenobi without pulling the Republic into open conflict with the Geonosian Government, and starting the war with the Separatists. I recommend him for the knight trials."

"The war has started. Just not so sudden as a battle on Geonosis would have. I have been seeing dozens of conflicts cropping up near systems aligned with the Separatists." Saesee Tiin got up once he was finished and looked out the windows. "We have been in conflict with Allenteen and Gamor in the past."

"Master Tiin highlights several different issues by making a reference to his home system. Other Jedi will have such thoughts even if they know nothing of their home system or species." Shaak Ti added as other than participating in a rite of adulthood she knew little of her people.

"Then let us get to work." Mace nodded as well as Master Koon. All of Master Surik's points would have to be covered and countered during the conclave and since they decided serving in the GAR to be voluntary then they decided that one of the main points to the conclave would be the forming of a new service corps.

Anakin was exhausted as soon as he had finished his report Master Kenobi came back from the archives with several data cubes. These cubes contained a ton of information and Anakin was forced to study them with Obi Wan as they headed to Ilum. Though to be honest once he learned the first technique offered and one that Obi Wan did not know either it became a contest who could perfect a new technique the fastest, or to show the most accuracy.

Since Surik opened up their bond nothing seemed to be off limits. Though as much as this had been increasing and improving his abilities he felt he was losing himself to Kenobi. They had talked about this and he was thinking about it just like Anakin was. The bond was doing so much, but the cost was losing ones sense of self to the other. It was all that Obi Wan could do to close off the bond. Anakin had tried as well, but all it did was incense his rage. It was a thing that he does not even begin to understand and one he could only come from the outside, but he no idea why he thought this way.

It was as if it the bond was the only thing keeping the dark side away. It was the strangest thing that he did not understand. His connection with the light side of the Force was growing stronger every day. He could meditate now for several hours and he felt so refreshed, stronger and faster than before. He and Obi Wan had dueled for eight hours straight and still felt ready to keep going had they not needed to land on Ilum. Now he was deep into the crystal tunnels as he searched for a new crystal. No he needed several now. No longer would he have the time to come to Ilum if he ever lost his crystal again with a war ravaging the Republic.

His thoughts were suddenly broken as the first of a vision appeared to him. Every time he had come to these tunnels he had seen a different vision. This first had included the very Sith Obi Wan had killed so long ago. This time Anakin stopped as he saw two men standing before each other. He got closer and they ignored him as he listened. One man was tall and had two blue stripes tattooed on his bald head the other was hooded and even if he turned he knew that the man wore a mask. All of his studies and he did not know who these two were, but he felt that they had been important at one point.

"Do you really think that you have all the answers? Do you really think that the Sith Emperor would so willingly let us go? This was all part of his plan. One that he has thought about for a thousand years."

"It matters not what the Sith Emperor has planned. Without the Star Forge there is no way he can stand against the might of the Empire we are creating. With every victory against the Republic. We are closer to creating an force capable of meeting them head on."

"We should be destroying the Republic not chasing them around the Galaxy. So many planets you have allowed to escape our wrath."

"Worlds that are slowly seeing that only we can stand against the Sith. Sith for Sith. One with the power and the other to covet it. If you do nothing but destroy it would be us who will covet the power. No they are needed as without the light the dark can not exist so too can the dark side not exist without the light. The Sith Emperor is nothing but the dark and with that he is weak."

"What you propose is madness. No one Sith or Jedi can serve both the light and the dark. One will always have power over the other."

"There is only the Force. Dark and light are only in our minds. When we set our focus to combine the two only then will it become reality."

"Then you will only be weak."

"Perhaps, but I will not fail. My success will make me stronger than anyone." The taller man suddenly attacked the other and they fought in a blur of red light. Both looked to have fallen far to the dark side as lightning danced around their battle. Then slowly the masked one's color changed from a red to purple and his lightning grew as it turned pure white. With a flash both vanished leaving Anakin alone again. In his hands he found three crystals. Each of the Khyber crystals were mostly blue but he could see flecks of red.

His hands moved quickly as parts began to fly around himself. The lightsaber he had built came apart as he added and adjusted the new crystals. When he turned it on it was at first blue, but as he studied the blade it had a white center with a blue that deepened to a purple. He had chosen a hilt length of thirty centimeters for added leverage and some how that translated into a longer beam length. It was nearly twenty centimeters longer than a standard blade, and it appeared thinner. The better copy of the blade he lost had the same color, but did not change in length. The third blade could be attached to the second making it a dualsaber.

He then set to make certain adjustments to find that the blade length of the first was not fixed as he raised or lowered the power setting. For normal dueling it was at the standard one meter length. At full power it was the twenty centimeters longer and if he added more power it grew up to two meters, but he knew it was not capable of maintaining such a length. He liked the blade, but now seeing how it performed he would be making a dozen changes.

He set out to return boosting his body with the Force as he got up from his position. If his position was anything to go by just walking would take several hours. He smiled to himself as he liked the new color. It was different from a normal blue or green as most of the order had. Sure there were plenty that had yellow as well it was just not as common. Those three colors were dominant if you got your crystals on Ilum. Some got theirs from other planets even Tatooine had a crystal that could be used other than a Krayt dragon pearl. Though finding one small enough was considered difficult as a Krayt dragon that small only had a small chance to have one.

"I was about to get worried, padawan mine."

"I was wanting something different." He ignited the blade showing Obi Wan and it was then that he realized that he didn't hear him in his head.

"Ah I see a tint of purple. Though the white is strong." I was waiting for the other comments that would flow through our bond, but the only thing I noticed was exactly what he said.

"Is there something wrong with our bond?"

"Oh, ah then it must be working."

"What is working?"

"Can you even tell if I am projecting the Force in anyway?" Anakin opened himself to the Force and focused it on Obi Wan. For several seconds he felt nothing, but then he go a hint of the Force from Obi Wan. As he studied him for a full minute he was feeling more and more like he was a normal person without the Force.

"That is the void in the Force ability?"

"Mostly, but I have found it can be detected, so I have been working to modify it and strangely enough it allowed me to also close our bond down back to the way it was. Anakin staggered as suddenly Obi Wan was fully inside his head with a tone of random thoughts followed exactly with how he used his newly learned still. Anakin focused on it and soon he felt Kenobi fading away as his active senses diminished until it was as if he was not a Jedi. Though he could still detect Obi Wan's active use of the Force. It was as Anakin was fine tuning his void presence in the Force when Obi Wan's comlink went off. He looked at it and Anakin saw the concern cross over his face.

"What is it, master?" Obi Wan suddenly looked at him with a growing smile just before concern resumed its place.

"They are calling a full conclave. Also I have been designated to be one of the twelve masters to preside over the the conclave."

"You are my master but officially you still are not a full master, right?"

"Officially yes, but I have been studying for the master's trials. Nothing like your knight trials will be like which you will start as soon as we get back."

"They are going to knight me? How can they I am not ready and m I not too young?" Obi Wan chuckled as he shook his head.

"That depends on your point of view. Just stating you are not ready is a good sign that you are either right or you are ready."

"But, I just turned nineteen. You didn't become a knight until twenty four."

"True, but that had more to do with my master and our success rate then anything. We were the Jedi to call upon when they wanted to make sure the mission got done. Many other teams would have four or more Jedi to get the same results. Though I think it was one of the things that lead to Qui Gon's death."

"You don't still blame yourself do you?"

"Annie, that will never truly go away." Anakin was shocked. He had rarely used the short version of his name. He hid his smile as it was not appropriate for the seriousness of the conversation. "I do have to ask your forgiveness. I was not prepared to be your master not after losing mine. I should have insisted you stay in one of the creches to learn what you had not while I dealt with my loss."

"No need living in the past master."

"Obi Wan please. Time you got used to not calling me master. Though strange that you finally accept our meaning of master at the time you will no longer be required to use it."

"Ah but then you will be a full master and I just a knight. Would it not still apply?"

"In the presence of others outside of the order yes or in front of the council."

"Right, so we better get this bucket in the air."

"Hopefully, it will fly since you did not crash it."

"Hey, that last time was not my fault." Obi Wan chuckled as the ramp to the ship closed behind them.