Verily, a New Hope

The idle sound of a small nearby waterfall was soothing to my senses, entwined as it was with the soft melody of the landscape surrounding me, engaging in a lush concert with the breeze as it rustled through leaves and grass, the soft afternoon rays of the suns as they fell softly onto my gnarled skin and the cool supporting earth underneath me as I sat in deep meditation.

Keeping my eyes closed, I relaxed my posture even further as I let out a deep, controlled sigh, a soft smile tugging at my wide lips. My clawed hands were loosely clasped as I let them rest in the crook of my crossed legs as I sat at peace in the middle of an idyllic landscape.

In the distance I could hear the sounds of animals and birds as they added their voices to the unifying orchestra that was this world surrounding me, suffusing me, taking me in and making me a part of it, while also intertwining itself with me, making it a part of myself.

Neither was greater and neither was lesser. Neither was dominant over the other and thus neither was subservient to the other.

There was only… balance.

Peace.

After centuries of walking the galaxy, facing evil where I found it and doing good whenever I was able to, I knew that these precious moments were fragile and fleeting, even if they always managed to endure throughout time and space, finding their champions in all times and eras, even when all seemed lost.

Still, it was in the nature of things that these peaceful moments could not last forever, for that too was balance. Besides, they could hardly be called peaceful moments if they lasted forever, now could they?

In the past, there have been occasions when the peace was broken by violence, or even merely the threat or anticipation of it. Sudden and brutal, or insidious and unseen. This time, the easy stillness was disturbed by-

"Master! Master, I'm here- oof!"

-noise. Lots and lots of noise, I grumpily noted as the high tones of a child's voice shattered the symphony I had been enthralled by with all the subtlety of a rancor in a porcelain shop, only to be swiftly silenced as if by our indignant surroundings itself when it was immediately followed by the sound of something small tripping and falling face-first into the shallow pond that I had been seated by.

Giving another sigh (this one less controlled and more exasperated) I slowly open my eyes to see a small boy flailing his arms as he tries to work himself back to his feet again, his clothes dripping and hanging off his lithe frame as he desperately tries to simultaneously remove the slimy weeds clinging to his face while also trying to keep his footing on the slippery smooth pebbles underneath his little feet.

I don't move, remaining seated in my lotus position as I watch on for a few moments, merely raising a single eyebrow even as the rest of my face remains unexpressive. I don't have to wait long for the tiny blonde to cease in his struggles as he finally becomes victorious in his epic battle with the stringy weed, tugging them free of his face.

That proud expression immediately falls when he spots my unimpressed one as he quickly lowers his eyes, a blush creeping over his cheeks.

"Good, it seems you have arrived then." I merely remark dryly, the child giving an embarrassed wince.

"… sorry 'bout your meditation, Master." The boy mumbles somewhat bashfully.

With the experience that comes of having been (at various points) a teacher, diplomat, actor and parent figure for decades at a time, I expertly hide the smile that's threatening to break out on my aged face. I do allow it to soften somewhat though, taking pity on the little fella, patting the ground besides me with my three-fingered claw, an invitation he quickly takes, eager to get out of the water.

As he plops down next to me with the characteristic grace of children (meaning, absolutely none), I continue, my gravelly voice pitched to be slow and soothing, as if to restore tranquility to the scene around us.

"But, it is good that you knew to come. It means our bond grows stronger, as does your connection to the Force. Tell me, when did you feel that I wished to speak to you?" I ask with genuine curiosity as I shift slightly to face the boy better.

The child seems briefly conflicted on what to say, glancing down and away from me as his tiny fingers start playing with the tufts of grass around him. I do not press him for an answer though, even as I easily read the various emotions he is going through as he thinks on what to say. I merely keep my expression open and inviting as I allow him to work through his own thoughts, something he understands on an almost instinctual level when he glances at me from underneath his golden locks.

When it comes to our kind of people, conversations can often go far deeper than merely the spoken word, after all.

I do not have to wait long for him to make his decision though, as I can literally feel his resolve burst to the foreground.

"I didn't. Not really, I mean. I was sitting with Master Ki again, talking 'bout Aurebesh again? And he stopped and he went all silent and stuff. So I asked him 'bout it and he just went all 'I sense you are wanted elsewhere Padawan' or something like that and so I focused and that's when I noticed you Master." The child hurriedly throws out (even amusingly dropping his voice and donning a pompous expression when quoting the aged Cerean Jedi) and I can sense that he fears he disappointed me.

Instead, I merely smile and pat the back of his hand.

"Well done. Not only for deciding to tell the truth. But also because this is still a great accomplishment. We are after all quite a long distance away from where Master Ki-Adi-Mundi gives his lessons, and I did not need to wait for very long. Do not be embarrassed by a trained and experienced Jedi Master showing himself to be more attuned to the Force: it is not a standard that I would hold you by, and neither should you. I merely wished for you to join me and so you have. That is sufficient. In time, you will grow, as did I and as did Ki-Adi-Mundi and then you yourself will one day find yourself alerting daydreaming padawans to their masters calling out through the Force. As was the case when Ki-Adi-Munid was padawan and as was the case when I was padawan. That is the nature of all things, my boy: to start small, grow larger and once grown, guide the growth of those that come after them."

I can tell the child tries to internalize the little lesson I've just given him, but I can also tell that he doesn't quite understand the entirety of it. I'm neither surprised, nor frustrated. He is still a little boy after all, concepts such as growing up or looking after the next generation would be more alien to him than… well, literal aliens, I suppose.

It's fine though: he will learn in time.

I'll make sure that he gets the chance to.

I'm shaken from my own thoughts when the kid stops nodding, looking at me with squinted eyes as he suddenly almost glows with mischief.

"But Master, you've not grown much larger at all? Maybe that means I should be teaching you soon?" he says with such a fake expression of sincerity on his chubby little face, I don't even need the Force to tell me he's bullshitting me.

To that, I can only give one appropriate response.

"Whoa! Hey, wait- oof!"

The sound of a resounding splash fills the clearing again, as I flare my own good-natured amusement through the Force, letting out a few chuckles as well. I do this intentionally, so that the young boy knows that I did it as a prank, and not out of malicious punishment, something that he picks up on (even if he isn't consciously aware of it) as he rises to his feet again, sputtering as he moves his hair out of his face, the pleasantly cool water only reaching his knees.

As he looks at me in surprise, my chuckles grow into outright laughter, before I regard him with a wide grin, showing off my row of small, pointed teeth.

"Tell you what, my little padawan: when you throw me into the pond, I shall agree to let you teach me and call you Master."

The child's eyes light up, and he takes a heroic pose, feet spread apart and one hand pointed up at the little ledge I'm sitting on, a wide grin on his dripping face.

"You're on, old man!"

"Hey, that's Master old man to you!"

"Neverrrr!"

And thus, a glorious impromptu water fight was had.

After we had our fun (which was basically training in disguise, much how like kittens and puppies "fought" each other to develop crucial skills for later in life) and the three beaming suns had dried us, we sat next to each other again, me returning to my earlier meditative pose while the boy simply laid spread-eagled on the ground besides me.

I did not bother trying to correct him, seeing no need to. While he was an attentive and curious student, the child was simply too young and full of energy (not to mention sheer raw power) to have the patience for traditional lessons in meditation as I had quickly found out. Usually, he kept twitching when forcing himself to stay in a meditative position and the one time when he didn't (and I was already patting myself on the back for finally getting through to him) I discovered he had actually fallen asleep instead.

Thankfully for the both of us, I had quickly found the proper way to instruct him after only a few failed attempts, and the solution was very simple: just burn off that energy beforehand. Either in exercise and calisthenics or by vigorously playing with either the wildlife or some of the older Cerean children (as not a single child of his age could even remotely match him in physical prowess or stamina, even now with only the basics of Force training).

Afterwards, as a cooldown of sorts, I usually had very little trouble in guiding him through meditation, allowing him to focus inwards on his own thoughts and resting body and outwards on the Force and everything that connected to it. The physical aspect of that was coming along surprisingly rapidly (or perhaps not, considering who he was), his body recovering far faster from his strenuous activities than usual and he seemed to have an amazing awareness of the world around him during and shortly after meditation. The more esoteric aspects were coming along more slowly, but still at a rate that was certainly above the norm. He had trouble calming his thoughts and releasing his emotions into the Force and had difficulty with sensing others through it as well.

So far, the only two people he could reliably feel and check in on from over a distance of a couple hundred meters were his mother and I.

This was fine as well for a couple of reasons. The first being (as I had told him) was that he would grow into his power and there was no need to rush him or hold him to impossible standards. He would develop at his own pace and through doing so, achieve true greatness and incredible power, precisely because it developed at a rate where he could understand, internalize and appreciate said greatness and power. The second reason was that I didn't put much stock in "releasing emotions into the Force" anyways. It was great when one needed a clear head or when things could feel overwhelming, but overreliance on it could turn it into a crutch, causing one to become disconnected from their own emotions and thus incapable of truly understanding and thus dealing with them.

It was this point (among many others) that had caused me to be an outsider in the Jedi Order, to the point that it was debatable if I really qualified as a member of it anymore. I was still called Jedi by many in the Galaxy, by enemy and ally alike, but this title is a layered one and certainly isn't exclusive to those who answer to the High Council of Coruscant. An example are the Green Jedi of Corellia, who are independent from the Order even as they also serve the Light Side of the Force and claim descent of the ancient Je'daii. And their faction is but one of many, all smaller than the monolithic, Republic spanning Coruscant Order, but Jedi nonetheless. It was simply a matter of orthodoxy.

As an almost legendary wanderer of the galaxy and servant of the Force, I was respected in many of those smaller factions, for many of them representing a bridge between their own beliefs and those held high within the Order (after all, my own problematic position within said Order was hardly unknown). For other factions, however, that same connection to Coruscant caused suspicion and distrust, as if I were a missionary at best, or inquisitor at worst, a spy sent by unyielding men in ivory towers to take stock of their lesser brethren.

This view would change in time, I knew, and gruesomely as well, should the Great Jedi Purge ever come to pass.

Looking at the relaxed form of the boy besides me, I once again swore to the Force that I would do everything in my power to make sure that it wouldn't.

"Alright then, Anakin. Listen to my voice, and keep your breathing as it is. Good. Now, feel the world around us…"

Night had fallen when Anakin and I returned "home". It was a guest apartment in one of the monolithic buildings in Tecave City, a tightly packed collection of supermassive structures, all designed in such a way to allow for sufficient living space for millions of Cereans, while safeguarding the surrounding natural environment and allowing for massive amounts of farmland. Due to being a species with an extraordinary connection to the world around them, all cities on Cerea were structured like this, even the Outsider Citadels. Most offworlders were placed into those contained supercities as it was the only place that Cereans allowed non-Cerean technology (or simply massive amounts of technology at all).

Anakin and I were an exception due to my friendship with Ki-Adi-Mundi and the respect he had for me and because I was very open about simply wishing to train Anakin in feeling the world around him and the Force connecting him to it, seeing Cerea as a prime location do to exactly that. Being the "treehuggers" (as they were sometimes called in the wider galactic community) that they were, the Cereans saw no issue with this and neither did Ki-Adi-Mundi himself. Whatever his opinions were on me in regards to the Jedi Order and High Council specifically (they were… complicated at best), he too was secretly rather pleased that I saw his planet as a prime training ground for the most powerful Force user in thousands of years (maybe even in the history of the universe, depending on how much fate you placed in a certain prophecy).

It also helped that it was simply the two of us, Anakin's mother Shmi having found a job as an administrative worker in the cloud city of Bespin (that was a long story) and judging from the almost daily holocalls she made to her son, being quite happy there.

Speaking off…

"So, what did she have to say? Giving you a hard time about not eating your vegetables?" I ask with a small smile as I sit at the low table in our little living room, a thick pillow underneath me and a steaming mug of Gatalenta tea in one hand, a datapad with the philosophical treaties of Master Gnost-Dural in the other, a little desk lamp providing all the light I needed.

Anakin just walked out of the bathroom, already clad in his pajamas and toweling off his head, causing his voice to be somewhat muffled.

"But I do keep eating my vegetables! You make me do it! I keep telling her, but she keeps asking!" the child says with a huff of frustration as he takes a seat across the table from me, throwing the now damp towel off to the side.

I glance at the discarded cloth for a moment, before turning back towards Anakin with nothing more than a raised eyebrow. His own eyes widen briefly, before he grumbles a bit, getting up with a sigh and picking the towel off the ground. He looks from it to the hamper for a moment, before a gleam comes in his eye, causing me to sit up a little straighter in interest.

He calculates the distance between him and the hamper (roughly two dozen feet or so), before he pulls back his arms and throws the towel, keeping his eyes intensely fixated on it. When the towel starts to descent to the ground again, falling well short of the hamper itself, I can see his expression tighten even further, the tip of his tongue peeking from the edge of his lips as he pushes forwards with his hands.

And with a sudden jerk, the slowly falling towel is slammed forwards, impacting the far wall above the hamper in a matter of moments, causing a proud grin to form on Anakin's face. Which immediately fades away into a disappointed frown when he notices the towel struck the wall several feet to the left of where the hamper is.

As the piece of fabric slowly falls to the ground though, the hamper suddenly jumps up and rushes along the wall, just in time for the towel to neatly fall into its open top.

Anakin's eyes widen briefly, before he turns to look at me. I of course am pretending to be completely engrossed in my datapad, merely glancing over the edge of the plasteel to give him a small wink before returning to my reading.

Anakin grins in response and once more takes his seat across from me at the table, digging into the bowl of soup that I had prepared after we returned home and he went to take a shower (which he definitely ended up needing after our water fight). As he begins shoveling the broth in his mouth at an impressive pace, I drain the last of my tea and set the datapad away, clasping my hands and placing them on the table.

Anakin shoots me a questioning look, spoon halfway raised to his mouth, but I instead give him a nod, indicating that he should finish eating first. Again, our conversation is clear despite being completely wordless, another indicator of our strengthening bond as teacher and student as well as his own increasing attunement to the Force. Not that Anakin really pays much attention to that as he gleefully digs in, polishing off the entire bowl in a matter of minutes.

Instead of letting him try his luck again (I don't need him smashing our tableware into walls after all), I merely wave my short arm, the bowl and spoon gracefully rising in the air and neatly depositing themselves in the sink. The Force: not just great at beating up evildoers, but also an excellent help in the kitchen! Of course, my small stature made it somewhat of a necessity, but some of the more traditional Jedi (regardless of whatever Order they belonged to) would've been absolutely horrified by my casual use of the Force for basal, unworthy tasks.

I knew this because they had told me so. Loudly. And repeatedly.

"Now then, Anakin. I did not get the chance to explain to you why I wished to meet with you so urgently today, due to the… intensity of today's lessons. It is, however, a rather important message that I needed to tell you. We are leaving."

Anakin is surprised and equal parts disappointed. Having travelled with me practically since birth after I finally managed to track an exhausted Shmi and a toddler Anakin down on Tatooine, the young child is accustomed to us not sticking around in a single place for too long. I need to follow the Force and in turn Anakin follows me. In a little under ten years, he must have visited over twenty different planets, an unusually high number for someone of his age and background. Interplanetary travel in the Core and Mid-Rim is fairly standardized, but in the Outer Rim it's not unheard of for people to live and die on the same planet, having only ever looked up at the sky overhead with a wistful sigh, feet never leaving the ground. Even professions that required interplanetary travel, such as traders, smugglers and bounty hunters had a tendency to stuck to roughly a dozen planets at most during their career.

Just because FTL travel was possible in this universe, didn't mean it was cheap. And what was considered poverty on a world like Naboo or Corellia, was considered average in the Outer Rim. For a kid born into slavery on Tatooine, even if he had been freed at only two or three years old (there simply wasn't a way for Shmi to be entirely certain), to have even seen half a dozen planets was extraordinary in and of itself. Despite having almost no memory of the time before I found him and his mother, Anakin was still somewhat aware of this and seemed almost determined to thoroughly enjoy each and every adventure (his words, not mine) I took him on.

Still, we had been on Cerea for a little over a year now and he had made friends here, as well as having had other teachers, something that didn't occur too often. While it was useless to keep his existence a secret (an old and notoriously loner hermit like me taking on a new padawan, practically raising him from birth even, was not something that you can keep quiet after all), I still tended to shield him from the world.

I thought it was important for him to see the galaxy and more importantly, see how different people had different opinions on the Force and different ways of wielding it. But I also didn't want his exceptional power to become well known throughout Force user circles. Me taking on a kid was weird enough. Me taking on a kid who was stronger in the force at nine than most were at nineteen?

It wouldn't take much for my enemies to realize just who it was that I had been teaching.

No, Anakin's greatest defense right now was anonymity. I trusted Ki-Adi-Mundi enough to count on his discretion though (after all, I had trained his former Master and had even taught him a thing or two when he was still a Knight fresh out of his trials), which is why I allowed him to sometimes assist in Anakin's lessons. After all, I was old, even by my own species standards (to a nine year old, I was practically ancient) and taking care of an energetic powerhouse like Anakin could be… taxing.

Hence why Anakin was conflicted, but the sadness of leaving his new friends was quickly replaced by an eagerness to meet new ones. It wasn't as if we never revisited the places we'd been to after all (we made bi-monthly trips to Bespin for instance), so he wouldn't really lose them. Some Jedi Masters would've seen that as a sign of him being too attached to people, with me allowing our return to old haunts and friends enabling that un-Jedi like behavior. Those Jedi Masters could shove their lightsabers up their own ass and ignite them for all that I cared. Let the child make friends and let him realize that saying goodbye is something else than saying farewell. Hopefully, this would allow him to get over his fear of losing someone, especially now that he could still visit his mother.

"So, where are we going?" he asked with enthusiasm as he leaned forwards on the table.

"Tatooine." I say with a smile, causing a confused look in the child's eye.

"Huh? Go back there? Why? Mom says the place is bad."

"It is, though as with all things, nothing is ever truly bad or truly good. Even Sith and Jedi. For just as Jedi can fall, Sith can be redeemed. And just as Tatooine is home to hives of scum and villainy, it is also home to good, honest and hard-working people."

"… it has sand." Anakin says, his face scrunching up, though the sentence is delivered with as much gravitas as my own statement regarding good and evil.

"… yes, it is also home to sand, Anakin. Lots of it, in fact. But we must travel there, because soon it will see the arrival of a quite extraordinary group of people. These people will require our aid, Anakin. Or, more specifically, they will require a T-14 Hyperdrive."

You know what? Anakin was right. Tatooine does have sand. Sure, it's obvious to even to most casual viewer, with its sprawling deserts and endless dunes and what not. But the problem with Tatooine was that the sand didn't have the common decency to stay in said deserts and dunes. Mos Espa's streets were often covered in the stuff and even the slightest breeze would send those devilish particles storming around, trying to find every nook and cranny they could fit into.

Including, as it turned out, my eyes, nose, big pointy ears and seemingly every single crease and wrinkle in my face. It even got up my… well, it got where you'd really rather not have any sand, let's leave it at that.

"Here Master! This should help!" Anakin says in a bright voice as he holds a long piece of thin cloth out towards me, his own face obscured by a similar cloth wrapped around his mouth and nose and a pair of comically oversized goggles protecting his eyes.

I take the cloth from him with a grateful smile (which I quickly close as a sudden gust causes sand to be blown in my teeth), wiping the sand from my face and eyes as best I can before fashioning the thin scarf into a makeshift face mask as well. It still leaves my eyes and ears exposed, though my young charge seems to have prepared for that as well, holding out… earmuffs?

"Sorry, but I couldn't really find anything else that would fit you. Maybe you could stuff your ears with something? That might help? A bit… perhaps..." Anakin explains when he sees my questioning look, but I wave him off.

"That is alright, my boy. This will have to suffice then. I have endured things far worse than mere sand after all!" I reassure him, placing the earmuffs on my head, my long pointed ear tips twitching every so often.

'I've rarely faced something more annoying however, I must add.' I grouse to myself, before looking out over the main street of Mos Espa again, squinting my eyes.

Goggles like Anakin was wearing would be rather useless for me, given our subtly different headshapes, and the earmuffs meant that I probably couldn't wear one even if it fit anyways.

Holding up one cloaked arm against both the sun and the sand, I squint down the wide street, unable to keep some frustration out of my voice, even as I take the emotion and allow it to fade away into the Force, calmness and collectedness flowing into me like a cooling river, sprouting from an endless, ever-present ocean.

"That being said, however, they should hurry up and arrive already! They are Jedi! Don't they know keeping the elderly is a grave sin for any upstanding Jedi?!"

"Is it?"

"It might be. I honestly do not know. It probably is. A hundred similarly inane things are."

"… Master, I don't think I'd like being an upstanding Jedi."

"That's my boy."

Thankfully for my poor eyes and constitution, it didn't take too much longer before I saw the group in question arrive, easily picking them out from the surrounding crowds. They were rather… out of place, after all. Padme wasn't too terrible, honestly, though her natural beauty combined with her simple clothing might stand out as weird to most residents of the village. Pretty girls like that usually didn't wear clothing that ratty, and girls wearing such ratty clothing usually weren't that pretty.

It was the sad truth of Tatooine, but Padme might have stood out less if she'd gone with a Leia-outfit.

Still, she was less obvious to the two Jedi accompanying them, though to be fair, my own Force sensitivity meant that they stood out to me like spotlights in a darkened room (following that comparison, Anakin felt like having a sun at my back). And it wasn't as if Qui-Gon had much chance of blending in anywhere. It wasn't just that he was impressively tall for a human (something that stood out even further amongst the often malnourished populace of Mos Espa), but it was this… aura around him, palpable even to non-Force users. A commanding aura of a man who was confident in his capabilities, and for good reason. In that regard, Obi-Wan stood out for exactly the opposite reason. Just one look at him would reveal that the youth was uncomfortable in what was obviously an unfamiliar setting. Because he was aware of this and trying his hardest to not let that show, it merely stood out all the more.

But, of course, the real reason why they immediately stood out was the lightsabers.

'Oh, Jin, I am disappointed. I taught you to be a sneakier bastard than that.'

After all, despite having very little (to almost none, in some cases) presence in the Outer Rim, the defining characteristic of a Jedi was known to every single organic (and droid) in the galaxy. Our universe isn't the only one where the lightsaber is seen as one of the coolest things/weapons in existence. After all, you can't see whether someone is a Force user or not (unless their entire species is Force Sensitive, of course), but a lightsaber is a dead giveaway.

Some Jedi who travel the galaxy in a diplomatic function even tend to present their lightsaber almost as an ID card of sorts, and you'd be hard-pressed to find people who wouldn't accept such proof.

And even then, simply carrying the greatest identifier of their millennia-old order out in plain sight still meant that the two Jedi didn't stand out as much as the last member of their little group.

"Wait! Wait! Meesa thinks meesa steps into somethings!"

'Calm. Balance. Peace. Repeat after me: I am a Jedi. I am not a Sith. Therefore, I do not kill people just because they annoy me. Even if they really, really, really annoy me.'

Taking a deep breath and once again allowing the calm of the Force to settle within me, I poke Anakin in his ribs with my elbow.

"There they are. Let us go and greet them, shall we?"

Feeling his acknowledgement, I step forwards into the busy throng of people, swiftly pushing my way past the sweltering bodies and ragged clothing, closing the distance between me and Qui-Gon in short order. He was inspecting the junk parts that were haplessly strewn about in a nearby vendor's stall with a discerning gaze, but the moment I was a few feet away from him, his head swiftly moved in my direction.

I can tell he immediately picks up on my extraordinary Force signature, judging by the way his eyes widen and how he subtly draws himself up even taller. Obi-Wan for his part does seem to react reflexively to his Master's change in posture, even if he cannot immediately pinpoint the cause of the change as Jin had.

Well done, for a mere padawan. Then again, Obi-Wan was a Knight in all but name at this point, so I wasn't too surprised.

"You will not find what you seek in any of these stalls, young Qui-Gon, unless you seek to lose some of your credits?" I ask with a chuckle, fully drawing the attention of the two Jedi and the Naboo Queen (Jar Jar was… staring at a nearby Dewback. For some reason).

My gravelly voice and the bits of my face not obscured by my face-shawl (as well as my distinctive body-shape and skin) causes surprise and recognition with the two Jedi, Obi-Wan's eyes widening comically.

"Master?! What are you-?"

"Peace, Obi-Wan. I think this is a case of mistaken identity. Is it not, Old Wanderer?" Qui-Gon's deep voice cuts in smoothly, and a smile forms on his face as he looks down at me.

I respond in kind, letting out a hearty laugh as I wink at the baffled young Padawan.

"My, my, it has been a while since I have last heard that particular title. I did not realize I was still called as such by the Coruscanti Jedi. It has been quite some time since I last visited, after all. You had yet to even start your trials, if I recall correctly, young Qui-Gon."

The tall Jedi's smile widens somewhat further in fond remembrance.

"Indeed, Master. I took them not even a year after your last… argument with the High Council. Still, that day made quite an impression on all of us: I don't think any of my generation will soon forget it. Not to mention, my former Master Dooku still holds great admiration for you."

Jin's smile fell slightly as the genial mood between the two of us turned somewhat more dour.

"Because of that, many blame you for his decision to leave the Jedi Order and return to Serenno. I assume you were aware of this?"

"Hmm, yes indeed. I briefly visited his court a scant few years ago, not long after he reclaimed his title of Count. Since I was merely passing through and he still had much to get in order, we did not get the opportunity to talk for very long. Still, I perceived that my erstwhile padawan was in good spirits and he even claimed that he finally felt like he was where he truly belonged, so I did not press him further on his decision, merely wishing him all the best." I rumble, stroking my chin with my claws.

I had been an on and off again teacher for Dooku during his younger years, but his maturity and my own missions at the time meant that the intense young man didn't spend all of his days at my side. Often he trained and engaged in debates with the Jedi at the Temple on Coruscant, usually a practice more reserved for full-fledged Jedi Knights who had not been assigned padawans. It wasn't unheard of for a teacher-student bond to form this way, and considering Dooku's clear power and intellect, nobody had objected. Dooku himself appreciated the freedom I gave him and the both of us deeply enjoyed the discussions and lessons we would have whenever chance allowed us to meet again. It was through my influence on him that his allegiance to the Jedi Order was far lower than it would've otherwise been, but I hoped that said influence had also fostered a greater allegiance to the Light Side as well.

I couldn't be certain as to what extent I had managed to counteract Sideous' (or his master's or perhaps even his replacement's, depending on what I had managed to change) hold on my former student, especially since he had taken on another (equally famous) teacher in his later years, but from what I managed to glimpse on Serenno, Dooku was a ways off from becoming Sith just yet.

"Apologies, Master. But who is the child? Have you taken a new student?" Jin's calm voice snaps me from my thoughts, a smile appearing on my face again (though it was probably hidden underneath my scarf).

"Ah, yes indeed! Qui-Gon Jin and Obi-Wan Kenobi, meet Anakin Skywalker! Anakin, these are two very fine Jedi, people you can look up to." I say, turning to the child in question, only to frown at him when I saw that he hadn't been paying attention to our conversation in the slightest.

Following his line of sight, I saw he had been staring at Padme, who had been looking back with equal interest. Judging from their expressions and what I could feel through the Force, there was nothing romantic about the looks they gave each other, merely interest. Padme, because she was generally interested in who the two of us were that her protector regarded us with such respect and Anakin because…

… well, because he thought the girl was very pretty. It was still an innocent and childlike kind of observation, but the seeds for his later fascination had already been sown in the instant he saw her.

'Screw you Force! He doesn't even have the proper hormones yet, why are you pushing so hard for your ship already?! Let him grow a beard first dammit!' I shouted in my mind, though I managed to keep my expression calm.

Sure, I follow the will of the Force. That doesn't mean I won't hesitate to call it out on its bullshit at times though.

"Anakin…" I said, raising both my voice as well as my Force presence, causing him to snap towards me with an embarrassed look.

Indicating the two Jedi with my head, he quickly cottoned on, giving them a respectful bow.

"Greetings, Masters Jedi! My name is Anakin Skywalker, but my mom calls me Ani!" he says, straightening with a smile as he regards them with curiosity, already thinking about making them his friends and going on adventures with them.

As a bright and happy child, this was Anakin's attitude towards most people that I introduced him to, partly because the very fact that I was the one doing the introductions meant that those people implicitly held my trust and partly because Anakin simply loved making friends.

The Jedi's eyebrows rose almost identically (Obi-Wan clearly emulating his teacher in more ways than he was probably aware of), but Jin easily disguised his surprise at Anakin's statement regarding his mother as he responded with a smile as well, though his padawan kept shooting the child an odd look.

Not surprising, given Jin's greater experience and my own influence on him. Obi-Wan's youth meant that he was still very much adhering to the Order's strict Code. It would change in time if I had anything to say about it, I thought to myself as I regarded Jin once more.

"I knew you would be arriving at this time. The Force revealed this to me quite a while ago. I have the hyperdrive navigator that you need. Merely bring us to your ship and we can be on our way."

Jin simply nodded as I revealed my knowledge, though Obi-Wan and Padme looked very much surprised. Young Kenobi, however, being a Jedi and trusting his teacher, accepted my statement, though Padme regarded me with suspicion.

"You wish to join us on our mission then?" Qui-Gon asked, his long strides allowing him to easily keep up with me as I turned and walked to where I had stashed my speeder and the flatbed on which the navigator was safely secured.

Getting to Tatooine hadn't cost me too much, the tickets for a commercial travel ship provided for me by the mayor of Tecave City, and even though the speeder dealer had tried to swindle me, a simple application of the Force had made sure I only paid for what the rusty bucket was really worth. I of course had bought the Hyperdrive navigator almost two years ago already when I managed to find it for cheap during the short while Anakin and I had spent on Nar Shaddaa.

While I had found the Smuggler's Moon far too loud and dirty for my tastes, the sheer overabundance of tech there (most of it highly illegal) had been Force Valhalla for Anakin, so we had ended up staying on that Hutt-infested planet for a little over a month. I hadn't minded our extended stay, since I knew most (if not all) of our acquired tech, including the navigator, would have to remain in storage in one of the Citadels on Cerea, so I let Anakin play with tech for a while, seeing as he'd have to do without for quite some time.

All that I had really been concerned with at the time was keeping Anakin away from the many, many red light districts that littered Nar Shaddaa (as I had repeatedly and profusely explained to the child's mother when she found out where exactly I had taken her son).

Still, retrieving our stuff from the storage space in the Outsider Citadel, accepting the tickets for our trip to Tatooine and buying the speeder (flatbed included) had set me back by quite a few credits. Not that I was a very material person after all these centuries, but money was still the motor of civilization, regardless of universe or planet, and the loss could negatively impact my options for traveling around the galaxy.

Not that that would be much of an issue following our current quest, considering what I was planning to do at the end of it.

"Indeed. The Force wills it so." I simply say in response to Qui-Gon's earlier question, not breaking my stride.

Behind us follows Obi-Wan, while behind him walk Padme and Anakin who are engaged in conversation (mostly Padme trying to subtly grill him about me and Anakin comically missing her point completely). Behind them follows (or rather, stumbles) Jar Jar, who somehow manages to find the sheer absurd levels of hand-eye coordination required to walk into every single being that passes us.

'There is no emotion, there is peace.'

"As you say Master. May I ask, what else has the Force shown you? Do you know the contents of our current mission and what we have planned?" Jin answers easily, accepting my claim of foresight without much question.

Such a thing is hardly unheard of amongst the Jedi after all, and I have proven on several occasions that my own gifts were significantly stronger than normal. Of course, I cheated, but they couldn't know that.

"I have foreseen much, young Qui-Gon. I will not reveal all of it at this time. You shall come to know everything you must when the time is right. For now, I can only say that I know you wish to travel back to Naboo and break the Trade Federation's blockade there. And I know what awaits you on that planet."

Hearing the ominous tones in my last words, Jin frowns deeply even as he easily manages to match my stride.

"It is true then."

At my raised eyebrow (barely visible through the cloth swaddling my face, so he probably picked up on my unasked question through the Force), he elaborates.

"I have had a… bad feeling, as of late. I could not tell why, or what caused it. I still cannot truly pierce the… the veil that surrounds it. I can merely sense that there is… something, though I cannot tell more than that. To be honest, Master, I was beginning to wonder if it was truly there at all, instead of a phantasm created by my own worries." The tall Jedi explains, showing me his own uncertainty and his dislike of said uncertainty.

"Fear is a gateway to the Dark Side, Qui-Gon. Left unchecked, it can easily control our actions, make us lose sight of ourselves. It is the main reason why the Coruscanti Order and many others are so… stringent when it comes to controlling one's emotions. But, the greatest cure against fear and its hold… is simply to voice it aloud. Do not be ashamed of your own paranoia, Qui-Gon: it was warranted. Now that you have spoken of it and have had it validated, recognize your own feelings and accept them. Release them into the Force, as all things are from the Force, including your own worries and even the cause of these worries." I rumble as I finally come to a halt in a shaded alleyway.

Tugging the tarp covering the speeder back and throwing it in the flatbed, I turn back towards Qui-Gon (spotting Obi-Wan's ponderous face right behind him) before letting out a large grin, one easily seen through my scarf.

"After all, why worry, when you have one of the greatest Jedi of all time at your side!" I proclaim proudly, taking a wide stance and planting my fists on my hips.

The image would be much more grand if I actually had the physique to back up my bold claim and stance however, judging by the suppressed chuckles I pick up from Anakin and Padme. Obi-Wan merely looks somewhat confused at the sudden 180 in my attitude, but Qui-Gon merely nods seriously at my words, though he has a smile small on his face.

Patting the flatbed with the navigator on it (shaking loose some sand and rust as I do) I look back at the small group.

"Very well then. Let's get you all to Coruscant, shall we?"

I could understand what Qui-Gon meant. Even though I knew that Maul was on the same planet as us, I could not pinpoint him. I could merely feel that something ominous was in the air, though thankfully some distance away still. This level of concealment was impressive… and worrying. There was no way Maul was this adept at hiding himself with the Dark Side. He was an assassin yes, but he was more well-versed in the physical aspect of the Sith disciplines. Powerful or not, there were very few Force users alive who were adept enough in the more esoteric disciplines of Force mastery to hide from my gaze (especially when I knew they were there), and Maul was not one of those.

Given this and the fact that he was trained as an assassin, yet had far less skill in actual stealth than in combat, it could only mean one thing: someone else was hiding him and they were doing a very good job of it.

Unfortunately, that could mean a great many of things. The most worrying would be if Sidious had still been created. I had traveled to Naboo when Palpatine was still a young man and recently elected Senator (my status as a wanderer and hermit meant I didn't really need a pretense to travel to any specific planet), but I hadn't sensed darkness in him then.

Of course, Sideous was a true master of Force Disguise, so that didn't really mean much.

Still, I had observed him for the better part of decade (disguising my presence on Naboo as a mission to establish peace between the Gungans and the Naboo, something I was incidentally fairly successful in) and I had yet to find definitive proof of his involvement in Sith matters.

I had kept an eye on any contact between him and Plagueis, known to the Galaxy as Hego Damask II, but I hadn't found anything of the sort. I knew that Damask was Plagueis, having seen him flee after I managed to track down his master Darth Tenebrous, killing him in single combat, but the Muun had expertly hidden himself amongst his notoriously close-knit people, while also firmly integrating himself in the public eye through politics.

Essentially, while he subjected himself to severe scrutiny from me, the Jedi Order and the galactic populace at large, in reality he had made himself untouchable to me. I was already on thin ice with both the High Council as well as the Senate, considering the Muun had managed to get a narrative out in which he revealed my killing of Tenebrous in his public (and well-loved) persona of Rugess Nome. Needless to say, this had hardly endeared me to many, especially when I revealed that I had slain him because he was a Sith. No evidence other than a few artefacts and Nome's lightsaber could be produced of course, courtesy of both Tenebrous' and Plagueis' own fail-safes. The scant evidence available meant that at least I wasn't thrown in jail, but my apparently sudden killing of one of the galaxy's most beloved ship designers in cold blood for no real reason (after all, everyone knew the Sith had been gone for millenia, hadn't they?) had meant that my relationship with the High Council and the Senate soured even further.

Sometimes I wondered whether Plagueis had foreseen this and allowed me to track down and face Tenebrous when I had, just to expose our confrontation in the worst light possible and exploit it for his own benefit and (more importantly) my detriment.

He was called The Wise for a reason, after all…

If he was cautious and wily enough to have pulled it off, it would mean he did in fact have the capabilities required to fly under the radar in plain sight as Hego Damask II and it could indicate that he had somehow managed to still come in contact with Palpatine and corrupt the Naboo Senator, all without my knowledge. I could hardly follow the young human every second of every day after all, especially since Palpatine often traveled the Core Worlds in his capacity as Senator.

Still, his apparent innocence and Plagueis' clear act of lying low (if in plain sight) had made me consider if maybe the slippery Muun had found another apprentice. Now as I was waiting for Padme's crew to repair her ship with the navigator I so graciously provided, I was starting to rethink that.

The fact that Maul was still hunting the group on Tatooine, as well as the fact that he was cloaked from my senses this well… it pointed to Sideous, certainly, but it wasn't definite proof. Not yet.

I would have to wait for the opportunity to ask questions though, since we were quickly up in the air and bursting through Tatooine's atmosphere when I could sense this hidden danger still quite a few kilometers away from our position. No running battle between him and Jin required this time, and for just the briefest of flashes, I could sense a powerful source of sheer rage on the planet. It was quickly smothered and hidden away again and when I later subtly questioned Qui-Gon about it, he revealed that he had only barely felt something for a brief instant and neither Obi-Wan nor Anakin seemed to have picked up on it.

During the entire trip to Coruscant, Qui-Gon had kept a close eye on Anakin despite keeping his distance, probably out of respect for me. The bond between a padawan and their Master was a special one and in most cases, other Masters respected this by not interfering to much in their education, though many of them were always open to answer a question of provide some tutelage if asked for it.

Since I identified Anakin as my student, Qui-Gon would take care not to intrude too much on Anakin's personal space since that could be construed as a sign of disrespect, especially considering my far higher status compared to his, outsider within the Order or not. Still, Qui-Gon was strong in the Force and he hardly needed to interrogate the child in order to feel his already monstrous levels of sheer power and raw potential.

I knew he suspected that Anakin was the Chosen One, but he hadn't voiced his suspicions yet and I wouldn't press him for it. Unfortunately, after this whole ordeal was over Anakin's true identity would be known to the galaxy either way, so it didn't really matter that Qui-Gon had figured it out this fast.

Honestly, the trip to Coruscant was quite peaceful, especially since Anakin and I would get off on another planet first. I wasn't quite ready to go to that place just yet in order to face the music. Just setting foot on the planet, even if I should remain in the ship, would alert him to my presence, something I'd rather avoid for just a little while longer, even though it was probably inevitable after this adventure had come to a close. No, instead I had asked the pilot to make a slight detour towards Serenno first. Since this would delay the rest of the group by at least a day before they arrived on Coruscant, Padme was understandably upset at my decision, fearing what it could mean for her planet, especially when I refused to elaborate on why I didn't want to travel to Coruscant with them.

Evidently, "because the Force wills it so" isn't a good enough argument for princesses in this day and age. To be fair, it seemed that it sounded inadequate even to those that actually do follow the will of said Force. Qui-Gon was hesitant at my departure, even as I promised him we would meet up before they would end up travelling towards Naboo, seemingly put off by my apparent certainty that his and Padme's reports to both the Order and the Senate respectively would ultimately amount to nothing being done about the blockade, forcing the small group to take matters into their own hands. From his point of view, this only made my presence on Coruscant even more necessary if we wanted to avoid such a scenario.

"Master... surely after all these decades, you could-"

"Please, young Qui-Gon. Let us speak no more of this matter. You must travel to Corsuscant to alert the Council, just as Padme must travel there to alert the Senate and just as I must travel to Serenno to talk to my erstwhile student. The galaxy is about to change, my friend. Malcontent is rising within the Outer Rim, while the Dark Side has veiled the Core Worlds in Shadow. Both must be fought with all our strength and conviction, for I have foreseen that if we fail in this, doom awaits us all."

No pressure, of course.

"Then come with us. You have fought against the Dark Side for centuries! We need your strength there-"

"Qui-Gon. This type of Darkness... it is not the kind that is fought with lightsaber skills or telepathic might. It is as clever as it malicious, hiding behind innocent faces and within the cracks of political powers and structures. No, the Force tells me that this should be combated not by some rogue Jedi with a chip on his shoulder." I chuckle softly, my raspy voice filling my small room as I stare at the tall human sitting across from me.

"Then with what, Master? How do we stand against the Dark Side if it is as insidious as you say?" Qui-Gon asks in a low, pained voice.

As a follower of my teachings (though still loyal to a fault to the leaders of the Coruscanti Order) the young human was more in tune with his feelings than other Masters of his skill and age and as such I could clearly feel his inner turmoil. A true (if humble) champion of Good, Qui-Gon wanted nothing more than stand as a vanguard between the oncoming storm and the billions of innocents living unaware of this danger in the Core Worlds, but he was unsure if he knew what to do, and whether or not he would prove to have the strength to do it.

A smile formed on my craggy face as I allowed myself to expand through the Force, flowing towards Qui-Gon's own signature as I shifted up against it, feeling every hint of negative emotion that he felt: fear and insecurity, and shame over the strength of those emotions. Instead of berating them, or pushing them away from him into the vastness of the Force itself, I poured more of myself into this metaphysical contact.

I basically Jedi-shoved every ounce of utter conviction and trust I felt in his abilities and merit as a Jedi into his metaphysical face. A little bit too enthusiastically, I belatedly realized when Qui-Gon's eyes widened before he tipped over backwards as if someone had just poked him very hard in the forehead, sprawling over the floor of my room.

As the Master worked himself back to his elbows, staring up at my diminutive form with awe and respect, I felt my smile widen even further as I picked up my cup of Cassius Tea, raising it to my lips and taking a deep, satisfied inhale of its smooth aroma, appearing completely relaxed both in the physical world and in the Force.

"How do you beat such Darkness? Very simple Qui-Gon, and the reason why you and Padme need to alert your respective governing bodies, even if it is likely not to have any noticeable immediate effects. Even if we will need to go to Naboo by ourselves to free the innocents there. Because in the end, there's only one way to win this new war that has just now entered its opening stages."

I take a deep gulp of the smooth, slightly bitter tea, smacking my lips in satisfaction, before my eyes focus back on the human, gaining a dangerous twinkle as my grin turns just slightly sharper.

"Together, of course."

Anakin and I shielded our eyes as the sleek Naboo ship blasted off from the planet, headed towards the Galactic Core in a desperate bid to make up for lost time. I watched them go with mixed feelings. Based on half-remembered memories of a startlingly short life before my current one, I knew that their mission was in vain: the Republic would not act against the Trade Federation's blockade of Naboo. Despite my centuries long lifespan, I had still been born too late to try and counter the Ruusan Reformation, which had been finalized almost a century before my (re)birth.

My whole life I've been trying to get the Republic to see how utterly, monumentally stupid that Reformation had been, but I had been turned away at every corner and opportunity. Even as we saw the aftereffects grow worse and worse over the centuries, with the Outer Rim slowly turning into a lawless wasteland due to the incapability of the Republic to protect its own members from slavers and pirates and worse, my cries went unheard.

The Brotherhood of Darkness had caused too much pain, to the point that even two centuries after they had been defeated, people still suffered from the consequences and simply did not dare reverse the measures put into place to prevent a second rise of such diabolical characters. And afterwards, as the specter of their memory finally had slowly begun to fade, it was too late: people had gotten used to the new status quo and the Republic isn't something that is prone to change, especially in peace time.

Even the Jedi Order didn't agree with my sentiments, with words like "Warmonger", "Battle Seeker" and "Asshole" being thrown around at various points (though the Order of the Silver Jedi have practically been begging me to become their Grandmaster of decades now). Looking back on it, that is probably where the rift between me and the more traditional-minded Jedi originated. They saw the Ruusan Reformation as the beginning of a new era of peace, foolishly connecting the absence of war to the absence of an army. With no war to fight, there was no need to keep an army around, as such strength would only invite challenge, and challenge would lead to conflict, they reasoned.

Whenever I argued that conflict already existed, I was countered with the argument that so did the Jedi. They and their lightsabers were sufficient to resolve these minor conflicts meaning that there was no need for an entire army to be there to come in with overwhelming force when it was clearly unnecessary. When I tried to throw their hypocrisy back in their face by asking them if our presence then did not invite conflict just as well as such an army would, I was calmly told that, no, indeed we did not. When I asked them why not, the answer was a simple as it was wrong.

The Jedi Order did not have any enemies that would seek out such conflict, since the Sith had been all eradicated.

My subsequent rant that they were still very much alive and plotting against us was met with skepticism at the best of times and my subsequent centuries of traversing the galaxy and fighting their (often invisible) influence meant that my earlier calls for a Republic Army must indeed have seemed to be the calls of a man hungry for conflict and war.

For every plot stopped or planet saved was another Rugess Nome slain in broad daylight and more suspicion leveled my way, until among many within the Order and on the Core Worlds I was almost seen as some unstable Jedi probably on the verge of falling to the Dark Side, if not fallen already and simply hiding it all these centuries.

Thankfully, I was not completely alone in my views. Over the course of my life there have been several Senators that had had similar opinions to my own and there were even a couple of attempts at either revising the Ruusan Reformation or even retracting it completely. Every single one of those attempts had ultimately failed. The one that had come the closest falling just short as the Senate had voted on the proposed new legislation and my faction was short a measly three votes.

The fact that three Senators who were in my corner just so happened to die in "unfortunate accidents" mere days before the actual vote was of course ruled as being completely coincidental. My vehement rants to the contrary and arguments that this was just more proof that the Sith had had managed to sink their claws in the Republics political powers were once again twisted and thrown back in my face as evidence towards my own paranoia and warmongering ways.

It was only in recent years that I had gained any allies within the Council in the form of Master Sifo-Dyas, whose gifts of Foresight rivaled my own, even with the special knowledge that I possessed. But while I only occasionally returned to Coruscant every decade or so, he was butting heads with the likes of Mace Windu almost every single day and the resulting tension had caused him to leave the Council, though like me he was still considered a formal member of the Coruscanti Order.

I had tried to steer him away from going to the Kaminoans in his desperation, but I wasn't entirely sure how successful I was, considering how upset and betrayed he looked when I appeared to try and undermine the same thing that we had both been advocating in the Order for years. I had even tried to plead with the Council myself through holocommunication, but the parallels between him and me were to great and the Jedi decided that he should continue following in my footsteps and start wandering the galaxy as well.

However, away from the Coruscanti Order and the Core Worlds, my words found more willing ears. Following the Force had led me to one pit of despair to the other and in the Outer Rim this usually involved slaver camps or local warlords or something similar, which I of course then drove back as best I could. I wasn't always successful, but I managed to save the innocents more often than not and that, combined with the fact that I had even bothered in the first place, had brought me a lot of goodwill with the marginalized and oppressed of the galaxy.

In fact, come to think of it, there had been these Twi'Lek sisters a little over a century ago that had promised to build a large statue of me back on their home planet of Ryloth (I briefly puzzled how anyone could make a large statue of one of my species, but I dismissed it quickly) after I had saved them from slavery on Mawan.

I'm a little fuzzy on the details, but I'm pretty sure that this, in combination with having saved thousands of their species and given them the means to return to their planet, I could be considered a Saint to the Twi'Lek people.

Huh.

It wasn't just the common people of the Outer Rim that proved to be a willing ear to my desperate warnings: while the Corsucanti Order were made uncomfortable by my emotional outbursts whenever I felt blocked in my ongoing crusade against the Sith, several splinter groups were more sympathetic to my troubles.

Not all of them believed that the Sith still existed, but most of them agreed that the possibility alone warranted caution. And since most of them lived among the regions where the influence of the neutered Republic and stubborn Order was most visibly waning with each passing generation, they agreed that something needed to be done.

Jedi or no Jedi, these people followed the Light Side of the Force, and were more than willing to give their all in trying to defend the innocent from the rising civil unrest, power kept at the ready should the growing Dark Side eventually reveal its champions. Some banded together to form larger factions, growing beyond their own splinter cells, while others agreed to start working closer together with existing planetary power structures, almost deliberately opposing the way that the Jedi Order proclaimed itself separate from the Republic's political power-structure, even if they still obeyed the Supreme Chancellor's orders.

The result of my increased popularity among the Outer Rim planets as well as the more understanding Force Users had led to the creation of the kind of people that gently shook me from my reverie as I stood beside Anakin inside Serreno's spaceport.

"Master Jedi? Count Dooku awaits your arrival. If you would follow us please?" a voice, smooth and cultured, broke through my musings with politely uttered words, and as I turned around I saw half a dozen men and women in crisp, muted blue and red uniforms standing at attention a few feet away from me.

Their uniforms were the fairly standard synthweave suits that were found all over the galaxy, probably reinforced with an under-layer of armorweave. What was attention grabbing however, were the small cream colored capes/ponchos that they had thrown around their shoulders and torso, and the long techstaffs each one wielded in addition to the standard-issue blaster holstered at their hip.

Planetary security, structured much in the same way that the Coruscant Security Force or even Padme's own forces were organized, but with a little extra sprinkle thrown in. It seems that Dooku had managed to implement the reforms that he and I had discussed so long ago after all, with me drawing from vague memories of a faction called the Zakuul Knights or something.

"Of course, lead the way." I reply with a smile, gesturing with my three-fingered claw.

I receive a low nod from the man in front, before the unit turns as one with uncanny precision without the need of a verbal command from him before we all start moving at a brisk pace, forcing poor Anakin to hurry somewhat in order to keep up.

We've gone down at least three hallways and up two floors before I ask a question, deliberately slowing my pace to give the now slightly panting Anakin a change to catch his breath. If the security detail notices or is bothered by my reduced speed, they are professional enough not to show it on any level, which means they either really do not mind or they are more skilled than I had initially given them credit for.

"Might I have your name, if you do not mind?" I ask of the tall dark haired leader of the group.

He briefly looks down at his side to meet my gaze, before he looks straight ahead again, eyes (and more esoteric senses) continuously monitoring our surroundings even as he answers me.

"I do not mind, Master Jedi. My name is Theross Serenno." he replies easily, though the corners of his lips turn down somewhat when he mentions his family name.

I raise an eyebrow slightly as I consider the name and his reaction to it, keeping a mental eye on the rest of the group through the Force. It makes a certain amount of sense I suppose: most people would probably assume that a member of the ruling House in the role of guard captain probably got thrown the position as a favor of something or was perhaps demoted to such a position because of some dishonorable thing.

Considering how tuned in this squad was on their leader combined with his own no-nonsense attitude led me to believe that this was hardly the case, and if so, Theross had more than earned his stripes by now.

"Ah, I see. I don't think I've ever seen you on Coruscant, but then again it has been quite some time since I last visited. You were probably one of the first that my apprentice snapped up for this project of his upon his return then, correct?" I ask and judging from the way his eyes widen in surprise, it's clear that he understood I wasn't referencing to his blood status but something else entirely.

He studied me for a long moment, before a small smile flitted across his otherwise grave expression (briefly I wonder if perhaps this was just natural for people of House Serenno and if so, if I had been a bit too hard on Dooku during his younger years), giving a light shake of his head.

"Indeed. You are as... perceptive as he said you were." the captain replies, his voice gruff but the tone is good-natured, causing me to let out a raspy chuckle.

"I thank you for editing the words that he probably actually used to describe me: we are in the company of a child after all." I say, reaching out to ruffle Anakin's golden hair, causing him to half-halfheartedly try to bat my claw away with a petulant expression on his face.

"Indeed." the captain merely replied again, before our little group fell silent once more for the following few minutes, before we arrived at a large set of double doors, which led into a large vaulted command center I saw as Theross places a hand against a panel to the side of the doors, causing them to smoothly swing open.

Nodding in thanks to the captain and his team, I lead Anakin further into the room in a straight line towards the tall figure that's bent over a long, low-slung table browsing several datapads, assistants and officials hurrying all over the place in the imitation of an agitated beehive, though the overall atmosphere was one of optimistic determination.

These people had hope for a better future, and weren't afraid to roll up their sleeves and get to work in order to make it a reality.

As the doors fell shut behind us and we came to a stop a few feet behind the tall figure, the man noticed us and straightened to his full height, turning on his heel so his cape flared slightly behind him staring down at the both of us.

And then a wide smile crossed Count Dooku's face as he gave a deep formal bow.

"Master! It is a pleasure to see you."

As always has been the case these past few decades, there's a brief pang of sadness as I take in his features. It wasn't so noticeable from the back, but now that I can get a close look at his face, it truly strikes me how aged the human looks since my last visit. Yes his hair has gotten grayer, but I hadn't expected the many wrinkles surrounding his eyes or the creases in his forehead or how at some place the skin seems thinner and looser than before...

More than 900 years and I still haven't quite managed to deal with just how tiny human lifespans are.

"And you as well, my student. I am glad to see how you have managed to fulfill some of your ambitions for your beautiful planet. A Force-sensitive policing force, huh? It is good to see you and your people doing well." I reply with a broad grin, letting go of my slight melancholy over his ever approaching death and simply deciding to enjoy his current presence as the Count straightens from his bow.

"Thank you Master. It has not been easy, but as you've always said, nothing worth doing ever is. After my people's... history with Count Gora's Security Droids, they are happy to see actual people in charge of their safety. Additionally, the fact that these people are empaths makes their peacekeeping and conflict resolution abilities even more impressive. It has also done wonders for people's perception of me, I'm surprised to report. It seems my earlier status as a mysterious Jedi, a faction most only know through fanciful stories, had caused them to regard me somewhat wearily. I believe some of them even likened me to a vampire of sorts, a misinterpretation of the Jedi's ability to hypnotize others no doubt. I am hardly a Anzat after all." Dooku replies, shifting his weight into a more relaxed stance (though his posture remains impeccable of course, can't have nobility slouching all over the place after all).

His eyes slide away from my own to land on Anakin, who has moved slightly so he's standing somewhat behind me, clearly intimidated by the Count's somewhat forbidding gaze.

"Ah, I see that the rumors were true. You have taken a new padawan then. And a surprisingly young one at that." he muses, slightly raising an eyebrow.

The words are simply a statement of his observation and to me, who has known him since he was merely a teenager, it is clear he doesn't really mean anything with them. However, due to his naturally deep voice and severe expression, it clearly doesn't sit right with young Anakin, who I can feel tense behind me.

"Yeah? So what, I'm still gonna be the best padawan he's ever got! So... so there!" he proclaims loudly, giving a self-satisfied nod as he finds the needed eloquence.

Both Dooku and I are surprised at his sudden outburst, and Dooku is just the slightest bit annoyed at the young child's disrespect, so I turn towards Anakin before my other apprentice can react, wondering where this is coming from.

I don't verbally ask him, merely raising an eyebrow and strengthening the connection in the Force between us.

He shuffles his feet somewhat, sending me a mullish look and I can feel my ears twitch up in surprise at the feelings that I get from him: jealousy and anxiousness.

From what I can puzzle together, Anakin is unsure how to deal with my familiarity with Dooku and our clear Master-apprentice bond, even if it has faded over the years following the Count's own mastery of the Force and my decade-long disappearances. It's the first time he's met someone who shares such a strong bond with me and considering how much of an impact I've had on his life (both saving him and his mother and also being the person he spends most of his time with almost every single day) and the idea of someone else having a better "claim" on me and my time can certainly seem daunting to the nine year old. Which is where his anxiety comes from: for all that I've been trying to slowly ease that aspect of his personality out of him, Anakin still has separation issues and is clearly terrified of the idea that I'll somehow leave him for the clearly more powerful and distinguished Dooku.

I smile at him in the most comforting way I can manage as I basically wrap my presence around his: the closest thing to a hug in the Force. I flood him with reassurance, openly showing him how much I've come to care for him in the seven years since I've taken him under my wing, showing him that there's not shred of doubt in my mind that I'll never abandon him.

Anakin is nearly overwhelmed at this show of affection, but I guide him into calling on the Force to assist in dealing with and subsequently releasing the storm of emotions he feels, allowing him to regain his calm and balance as he takes a few long and deep breaths. All of this merely takes seconds, but Dooku is skilled enough to have caught most, if not all, of it, judging by the calculating look he sends me.

Having been my student for decades, even if I was rather hands-off in regards to his education thanks to his own skill and maturity, he is hardly unused to me being so open in my feelings regarding the people closest to me, but this was unusual even by my non-orthodox standards.

Turning back towards the tall human, I place my three-fingered hand on Anakin's small shoulder and gently shove him forwards so he's standing besides me, rather than behind me, shooting Dooku a large grin.

"Count Dooku of House Serenno, meet Anakin Skywalker, son of Shmi. My new apprentice and, by his own claim, the best apprentice I'll ever have." I say with humor lining my voice and it's only my intimate familiarity with the man in front of me that allows me to catch the twinkle of amusement hidden in his dark eyes as he takes in my words.

"Well then, that is a bold claim. What say you to putting it to the test then?"

Former negative emotions all but forgotten (ah, the emotional elasticity of the young), Anakin is nearly buzzing in place as he leans forwards, exited grin stretching on his chubby face.

"Yeah! Bring it!"

"He's strong."

"Indeed he is."

"Exceptionally so."

"More than most at his age, yes."

"Definitely on the same level that I was when my father left me to be found by the Order."

"Hmm, yes I would agree with that."

"... stronger than you were?"

"Oh, I couldn't say. You know how long it's been since I was that age, not to mention I was already past 60 when I even discovered I was Force-sensitive-"

"Master. The truth. Please."

I fall silent beside my old friend as we both stand at the edge of a large clearing in one of Serreno's vast forces, the midday sun softly shining down on our backs. In front of us, there's the sounds of small footsteps slapping against earth, wood and metal as Anakin races through an obstacle course as fast as he can, three small drones nipping at his heels with under-powered lasers.

And he's winning.

Not just winning: he's utterly dominating the course. Neither Dooku or I have interrupted the youth (who we had sent into the field with no further instructions than "just try your best") since he took off in a dead-sprint with a peel of laughter. As such, we hadn't told the kid that this obstacle course was still used by the Force-sensitive Security Forces that Dooku had managed to form upon his return to his new planet.

While his current lap times were already in the top twenty, he hadn't broken any records.

Yet.

And he was getting faster.

After a long pause, I let out a deep, tired sigh, opening myself up to the Force, allowing it to both strengthen my fortitude as well as Dooku to look in on my presence as I told him the truth.

"Yes, he is. He's stronger than any Jedi recorded for the past thousands of years. He might prove to be the strongest Jedi of all time." I say with finality, not having to look in his direction to know that Dooku's eyes have widened dramatically.

"So, it is true. He's the Chosen One-"

"Don't speak that title. Never where he could overhear it." I snap out and Dooku leans away slightly in shock at my sudden harsh tone, something that has only ever seen me use on criminal elements or on obstinate politicians (same difference, unfortunately) but never at him, or even at a Jedi in general.

At his unasked question I try to struggle to find the correct words.

"It's just... it's not something I would wish to burden him with. He's just a child, Dooku. He deserves to be happy and unbothered, at least for a little while."

Dooku doesn't exactly disagree with the sentiment, but he still voices his worries.

"Master... the prophecies-"

"I have already told you this many times, Dooku: do not put too much faith in prophecies. Try to hold fast to what I've taught you. 'We are masters of our fate. We are captains of our soul'. Destiny is not an immutable object, but something that is shaped and decided by us."

"But it has been proven that Jedi Foresight holds true. You yourself have mastered it-"

"They have only held true because they are so vague they always turn out to be true and the only reason I've mastered that particular gift is because I've always tried to change that which I have Seen." I cut him off abruptly, showing him my disapproval for digging up the same discussion we've had a thousand times already and from which I always (eventually) made him back down.

But back then he was merely a padawan, or recently Knighted. Now he was not only a Master in his own right (and a particularly powerful one at that, especially once he had taken over Dooku's training), but he also had actual proof right in front of his eyes in the form of a small child that easily cleared a five feet wide gap between obstacles with a gleeful smile plastered firmly on his dirt covered face.

"Master. If he were to Fall-"

"He won't."

"But if he did." Dooku pressed on, brushing aside my interruption.

How rude.

I'm silent as his stare bores into the side of my head.

"First you warn me of increasing instability and disturbances of the peace in the Outer Regions, something that I've confirmed for myself since the years that I have returned and which, I'll remind you, I have begun to counter-act through initiatives just like the new Exemplar Forces. Then you caution me against a growing Darkness in the heart of the Republic, to the point that you don't even trust them to act against the Naboo Blockade and you hardly seem to trust the Order at all anymore, choosing instead to run all over the galaxy with some unknown, new apprentice at your side instead of showing him the Coruscanti Library of the Jedi Temple. And then I discover that this child is none other than the Chosen One himself. So, I ask again: if the child Falls... what shall you do? What can we all do in the face of a catastrophe such as that?"

For a very long moment, I remain absolutely silent as the world seems to come to a halt, its colors faded and its sounds muted as the question keeps repeating itself inside my head, louder and louder each time until it's the only thing that I can think of. Even the Force itself seems to have sucked in its non-existent breath as it awaits my answer. Slowly, but steadily gaining strength is a sound that has been haunting my nightmares for almost a thousand years.

The sound of heavy, mechanical breathing.

Something in front of me catches my eyes, a quick flash of gold and my eyes refocus to settle on the grinning face of Anakin as he slides to a stop in front of me, spraying up flecks of mud as he does. His eyes are shining wildly in unbridled enthusiasm and his face is set in a wide smile of innocent youthful abandon. His entire form his absolutely smeared in dirt, from his clothes to his hair, but he hardly seems to notice.

"Did you see me?! Huh?! Did you see it, did you see it! I went like whoosh, 'cause the drone got close, but then it went like whah so I had to get up and to the whoom thing that Mundi showed me and I went aaaaallll the way up that wall! High huh?! It was. so. COOL!" Anakin babbles in a single breath, and I hardly even register his words as a soft smile grows on my face as I feel certainly settle once more firmly inside my soul, the Force seeming to wrap itself around me in relief.

"Very impressive Anakin. Well done. Now, you must be hungry, so why don't you go to our rooms and get cleaned up, alright? We need to be prepared for when our friends hail us, they'll need our help in saving their people and we can hardly be heroes if we're all covered in mud, now can we?" I chuckle, Anakin's eyes widening at the thought of a new adventure (or perhaps at seeing Padme again?) before with a quick wave and a hurried "bye!" he dashes away from Dooku and me.

"And make sure to take your shoes off before you go inside!"

A distracted 'sure!' floats back towards us and I already resign myself to following a track of muddy footprints to our guest rooms. As serenity slowly and somewhat hesitantly flows back into our surroundings again (as it always did when the excitable young boy left a place after overturning it with the hurricane also known as his sheer personality), I look back up at the somewhat taken aback Dooku from the corner of my eye.

As I speak, I can see and feel him nearly shake at the sheer conviction in my voice as I answer his earlier question.

"We'll save him. No matter what, we'll save him. Just as he'll save all of us."

The next day I received a holo-call from Qui-Gonn, revealing things had gone pretty much exactly as I had expected. The Senate wouldn't act, the Order was still skeptic about his claims of being hunted by Sith and once Padme decided to take matters into her own hands and travel to Naboo blockade be damned, Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were ordered to tag along. However, this time around there hadn't been a conversation about Anakin in the Council, Qui-Gon keeping his mouth shut and interestingly enough Palpatine hadn't pushed Padme into calling for a Vote of No Confidence, which worried me for several reasons.

If he wasn't pushing to become Supreme Chancellor himself then he either a) wasn't actually Darth Sideous, which I hoped for but found unlikely, or b) his plans didn't require him to wield a higher position of power within the Republic than he already possessed, which worried me far, far more.

Dammit, when was the last time I went over which political actions he involved himself in again? Or the last time I checked Plageuis' communications? It must have been months, caught up as I've been in training Anakin. I need to get into contact with my agents ASAP, I need to be ready for whatever fuckery that bastard of a Muun has managed to cook-up in the shadows.

I took care to hide these feelings from Anakin, but I allowed Dooku to catch on to them and the aged human shone with determination in return. I could trust that on Serenno at least, the Sith's machinations wouldn't expand unchecked. The moment Qui-Gon ended the holo-call, Dooku had already notified spaceport control and cleared his personal shuttle for take-off. Theross of course was already standing at the ready to guide us to the proper flight deck and in less than half an hour Anakin and I had entered Hyperspace, traveling towards Naboo at speeds that defied physics.

The plan was very simple: we'd land on one of Naboo's moons, which fell outside of the Trade Federation's blockade as it was solely centered on the planet itself, hopefully managing to disguise ourselves well enough from their long-range scanners. There, Padme's ship would meet us and Anakin and I would board the ship after which we would attempt to break the blockade.

While the trip towards Naboo's system took a couple of hours, our waiting time was surprisingly short, the Queen's ship touching down a mere twenty minutes after we had.

Seems the Force is eager then.

Anakin and I quickly thanked our pilot before switching ships, the Serennian taking off not moments later, eager to put as much distance between its own unshielded and unarmed self and the Trade Federations hulking behemoths. The reunion with the rest of the group was short but heartfelt (though I tried my absolute best to subtly and not-so-subtly avoid Jar Jar at all costs), though we quickly turned to the task at hand.

It was too dangerous to jump to hyperspace from the moon to the planet so we would be approaching with our regular subluminal engines, which in turn meant that we would be in the Trade Federation's sights for longer which of course meant more time for them to try and turn us into a hot fiery ball of plasma.

Something that most doctors would recommend avoiding as much as possible for health-related reasons.

Padme was almost continuously in conference with her security detail, trying to form a strategy to retake the palace and kick Nute off their planet. This saddened Anakin for a bit, until I not-so-subtly steered him to meet R2, and the two immediately struck up a strong friendship.

Currently, Anakin was trying to teach the droid how to play Sabbac, completely disregarding the fact that the astromech didn't have any arms with which to play the game with (I blame our time on Nar Shaddaa for the child's worryingly in-depth knowledge of the poker game).

Obi-Wan was simply meditating, reaching an impressive level of focus for one who had yet to pass his Knight Trials.

Qui-Gon and I… well, we simply sat and drunk tea, reminiscing of our younger days and exchanging news and stories. There really wasn't much else for us to do: we knew that a cloaked enemy would try to oppose us, but given that he was, well, cloaked there wasn't much we could do other than speculate and that would bring us nowhere.

Of course, I knew perfectly well who he was, but since I only had a name and cursory description to give Qui-Gon and we were currently in hyperspace, there wasn't much we could do with that information. I suppose if I had managed to approach Mother Talzin shortly after Maul's birth, I could've tried to convince her not to sell Kycina's son to Sideous, but that seemed highly unlikely at the time. Well over thirty years ago, the Witches of Dathomir and I had a… falling-out, after I brutally slew Talzin's predecessor Mother Zalem on Ova, preventing her from messing about with a Kwa Star Chamber and thus destroying the very planet.

I had tried to explain the necessity of my actions to the Witches, but the Dark Side users had been… less than understanding. The newly appointed Talzin had made it very clear that the next time I set foot on Dathomir, either they would perish, or I.

Yeah, Dark Side users really did tend to deal in absolutes, even those that weren't strictly Sith.

Still, while Ova was saved, the consequences of my actions there had still meant I couldn't prevent Maul from being taken by Darth Sideous, if that event had even happened. My previous knowledge of this universe had shown me much, but after multiple centuries a lot of it was fading and my own Force sight was just as badly affected by the Dark Side as any other Jedi, if somewhat to a lesser extent due to my power. Not to mention the fact that my enemies was just proficient in the skill of foresight as I (or in Sidesous' case, completely unchallenged in it) and they were hardly inactive in trying to counter the changes that I was trying to make.

Still, the fact that the group was pursued by a powerful opponent expertly hidden by the Dark Side was a strong indication that Sideous had still managed to raise his little attack dog in secret, but until we touched down on Naboo there was very little we could do about it.

There was also very little use to us sitting in with the frantic meetings regarding what we actually would do once we had touched down. Padme and Panaka could plan all they wanted, but we were Jedi. We would go where we were meant to go, trusting in the Force. Other than maps with the lay-out of the palace and a rough estimate of the number of enemy forces, there wasn't much else of use that they could provide for us.

Even if they did try to include us in their battle plans, our nature as Jedi meant that we would probably be used in a similar manner to commandos, moving away from the group to secure important objectives and eliminate the most powerful opposition, meaning we would have to rely on our own wits anyways.

Not that we minded secluding ourselves in one of the more spacious rooms aboard the ship: the company was good, the tea was excellent and the brief moment of rest was appreciated.

Of course, the moment I thought that, the Force decided to show its twisted sense of humor once again as Panaka's voice suddenly burst from the speakers in the room as a subtle shudder traveled through the entire ship.

"We have begun our approach for Naboo. Prepare for evasive maneuvers and hopefully atmospheric entry. And hope we don't get blown up."

'Showtime.' I thought to myself with a grin as Panaka shut off the comm.

'Showtime indeed.' I wryly thought to myself, nudging the severed head of a B1 battle droid with my three-toed foot.

Standing in the hangar of the Naboo palace, I lazily glanced around at the multitude of mangled artificial bodies scattered around me, many of them still glowing at some points where their limbs had violently been removed from the rest of them.

"You could have aided us." Obi-Wan's voice intrudes on my casual examination of the bloodless carnage at my feet, causing me to glance in his direction.

The young Jedi's tone was carefully controlled in order to make sure it wasn't accusing, since the strict Kenobi wouldn't even dream of talking down to his superior like that. Still, the youth couldn't help but shoot me a questioning look, to which I simply replied with a grin and a shrug.

"Clearly, you did not require it to deal with this particular brand of opposition." I state dryly.

Before Kenobi can ask what I mean by that, the large double doors on the other end of the hangar slowly open, allowing a figure in all black to purposely stride through. The moment he throws back the hood covering his head, exposing his yellowed eyes, red-black skin and horned scalp, the need for stealth is apparently gone as the veil of Dark Side is similarly pulled back, confronting us with the full extent of the Zabrak's rage.

Both Jedi respond by falling in a tense stance, raising their lightsabers in reflex, causing Maul to slowly extend his own perpendicular to the floor, a blood red blade bursting forth with a snap-hiss! before he sinks into a deeper stance, arm extended and eyes focused and a second blade bursts forth as well, visibly taking the Jedi off guard.

… I swear I'm hearing Duel of the Fates right now.

"That particular brand of opposition, however…" I calmly muse, drawing a somewhat disbelieving look from Obi-Wan at my apparent nonchalance, which I ignore in favor of turning towards my young charge.

"Anakin." I simply say, my voice calm but serious, immediately catching the attention of the young boy who swiftly drops the droid head he had been fiddling with and he makes his way over to my side.

"Master?"

"Why don't you hide in one of those fighters for now? This opponent is very dangerous: if he comes back here again and you see him approaching you, take the fighter and leave this place as fast as possible. Understood?"

He's clearly reluctant at the idea leaving me after I told him the red-skinned warrior might defeat me, but years of following me from planet to planet at the drop of a hat has made him accustomed to scenarios like this (after all, sometimes we had to leave a place not because of the mysterious ways of the force, but simply because I had severely pissed someone off, be it in politics or in the underworld).

"Yes Master… be safe."

"Thank you Anakin, I shall definitely try." I reply with an assuring smile, one he bravely tries to reciprocate before he quickly scurries away.

The exchange only took a few moments, but Maul seems impatient (a bad trait for an assassin, but a common one for Sith) as he starts stalking forwards, causing the Jedi to tense even further and move closer to one another.

"Let's take this elsewhere shall we?" I call out, my gravelly voice breaking the sudden tension.

Maul grins at my apparent challenge, whirling his double-bladed staff around in anticipation as a hunger creeps into his look, stalking forwards even further. Right before I lift every single blaster that had been laying in the hangar (courtesy of the freshly minced droids Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan had so graciously provided), point their muzzles at him and simply unload.

Other than a snarl of frustration, Maul is not deterred, spinning his staff even faster while deftly stepping away with sure and supernaturally quick strides, the screaming blasterbolts either streaking past his nimble form or being deflected by his flurry of strikes. Still, they are too numerous for him to try anything more than simply deflect, leaving him unable to hit them back towards us and the focus needed to keep himself from being turned into a sieve means he's no longer advancing.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan are quick to catch up on my impromptu plan and start hurling droid parts at the Sith as well. The Zabrak's yellow eyes briefly widen, before he desperately bobs and weaves while also trying to keep defending himself from my onslaught of blaster fire. He could cut the droid parts in half, but that would still leave him with two (now superheated) chunks of metal on a direct collision course with his body, and hemmed in as he was by a veritable wall of plasma, he couldn't reliable dodge those as well.

Still, he was very well trained (one does not take down a Jedi of Qui-Gon's caliber without even suffering a single wound themselves if they aren't significantly powerful after all) and though we had him contained for the moment, we had yet to harm him and eventually, the Jedi would run out of artificial bodyparts to throw.

Which is where the next stage of my plan came in. While I had used part of my focus on keeping the two dozen or so blasters aloft and firing, I had simultaneously used the majority of my power to subtly drag the noses of the nearest four fighters to point in Maul's direction. Focused as he was on defending himself from our earlier combined attacks, the Sith had failed to notice their labored movement, even as they slowly turned into position inch by inch.

Right until their turbo-lasers fired of course.

Still, I couldn't really aim their weaponry, just point their hulls in his general direction, but that was sufficient. The nearest two were near enough that their powerful blasterfire impacted close to where Maul was standing, meaning that the resulting explosions in the floor battered his body, which in turn allowed a few bolts to slip past his defense, grazing his legs and arms.

Soon, the torrent of starship-grade weaponry slamming into his end of the hall caused a cloud of dust to form as the heavy lasers turned the previous ornate marble into rubble. I allowed this to continue for several moments before releasing my hold on their firing sticks. A quick wave of my hand and the dust was quickly swept away revealing-

"Shit."

-nothing, other than an empty crater and some torn black fabric. The sound of swift footsteps and a trail of dark blood leading back to where the Zabrak had first entered the hangar clued us in on Maul's attempt at running away from battle.

"After him! Swiftly!" Qui-Gon roared, already moving with Obi-Wan and I on his heels.

The humans might be taller than me, but such things meant little to the Force, allowing me to easily keep up with their hurried strides. We arrived the chamber with the thin walkways and electrified towers easily, and I spotted Maul limping along one of said walkways around fifty meters in front of us. With a frown on my face of concentration, I raised both my hands and with a grunt pulled them back, causing the walkway underneath Maul to buckle, break free from its brethren and fly towards us, flipping end over end.

The Sith had quickly fallen off, losing his footing, but he still had the presence of mind to push off at the last moment, ensuring that he crashed into one of the lower platforms instead of falling to his death in the endless chasm below us. A negligent wave of my hand caused the torn walkway to alter its course, harmlessly sailing past me and my Jedi allies.

Obi-Wan had briefly frozen when the walkway sailed towards us, but Qui-Gon's instincts were more battle-hardened than his apprentice. He barely paid the flying hunk of metal any attention, keeping his eyes on his opponent and gracefully jumping down towards Maul's platform mere moments after the Sith painfully smacked into it.

Still, Maul was fueled by the Dark Side, and his desperation at seeing the descending Jedi gave him unnatural strength. Ignoring the pains of his body, the Sith managed to work himself to a knee, raising his lightsaber just as Qui-Gon descended upon him. Green met red in a brilliant clash, the force of the blow pushing Maul even further down, the lightsabers pushed so close to him that his arms were trembling and the heat of the plasma blades caused his upper robe to start smoking (the parts of it that weren't burnt already, that is).

Still, the Zabrak grit his teeth as he locked eyes with the determined Qui-Gon, before he pushed on his hilt, sliding his lightsaber against Jin's with the furious crackle of Force and plasma, even as the move caused the blades to inch even closer to his face. However, the move was a clever one, as he managed to point the bottom of his hilt straight at the Jedi's stomach.

Obi-Wan and I saw the move for what it was, and I was already preparing to leap into battle as Kenobi cried out for his master, but Qui-Gon showed he had earned the rank of Master as he pivoted away right as Maul's second blade burst forth, barely missing his midsection by just a hair. Impressively, Qui-Gon managed to keep his and Maul's blades locked even during the spin, pressing down as he had better leverage now that Maul was overextended and holding back his green blade at an awkward angle.

Something that was proven when Maul tried to dodge away, hugging the floor as he tried to let Qui-Gon's blade slide off his own, trying to disentangle them. It worked up to a point, but Jin easily moved with the motion, freeing his blade as he spun counter to Maul's movement, bringing his green blade around in a graceful arc straight towards the Sith's approaching torso.

Only the greatest of reflexes and the unnatural strength of the Dark Side allowed Maul to pull up his blade into a guard, but even that was insufficient to protect against the full momentum of Qui-Gon's swing, as he was enhanced by the Light Side of the Force. The impact of lightsaber on lightsaber was masterful and Maul was thrown back several feet, though he immediately turned his fall into a backwards roll and handspring, narrowly avoiding the flurry of Qui-Gon's follow-up attacks.

He tried moving backwards, but in the scant few seconds their altercation had taken place, Obi-Wan and I hadn't been idle. Maul tensed when he heard the sound of soft leather boots striking the metal grating behind him, sparing a brief glance over his shoulder as he locked eyes with the tense Jedi padawan, blue saber raised in challenge.

Before he could move, however, his entire body locked up and he sank to his knees with a pained grunt, almost as if a immense invisible weight was suddenly placed on his shoulders. Looking up with blazing eyes filled with pure hatred, Maul identified the sudden source of his latest predicament as he stared up at where I stood on the walkway above him, both hands outstretched at his kneeling form.

"Cease, Sith! There is no hope for victory here!" Qui-Gon called out, though he kept his blade at the ready, Obi-Wan following his master's example.

During the trip to Naboo, I had told my Jedi friend that it would be better in the long run if we could capture Maul so we could extract answers from him and present him as proof to the High Council and the Senate. That being said, Maul was still Sith and therefore automatically amongst the most dangerous individuals in the galaxy: should he prove to be too violent to safely approach or contain, neither Qui-Gon nor Obi-Wan should hesitate for even the slightest moment, but strike him down then and there.

To do otherwise is to risk death.

Having taken my cautionary words to heart, neither Jedi approaches the contained Sith, keeping a wary eye on the blazing red saber still held in his clenched fists and the almost mad look in his hate filled eyes.

"Give up, Maul. The Dark Side shall not set you free this day." I intoned through gritted teeth, struggling to keep my hold on the raging Zabrak who gave his everything trying to break free, as shown by the way his entire body trembled.

"Drop your blade, Sith! We do not seek any further conflict! We merely wish to have our questions answered!" Qui-Gon tried again, switching to a different tactic, but the promise of peaceful resolution is wasted on Sith with a battle high.

At Jin's softer words, Maul lurched in his direction, snarling like an animal and bearing his teeth, arms trembling as he tried lifting his lightsaber. Obi-Wan was startled at the sudden movement, taking a half-step forwards and gripping the hilt of his cobalt blade even tighter, but Qui-Gon was unyielding in the face of the Zabrak's sheer rage. He moved neither backwards nor forwards, holding his position and staring down the raging Sith with a calm expression of his own.

Maul's eyes slid away from Qui-Gon's steely gaze, swinging towards Obi-Wan's more nervous yet equally determined one, before slowly travelling towards my own. Briefly I wondered what he would see in mine. I meant what I had said to Anakin, back on Cerea before we left. Just as the Jedi can fall, the Sith can be redeemed. I knew this for a fact. History had shown it to be the case, and my own knowledge of the future centered around it. If at all possible, I would try to give Maul the chance to abandon the Dark Side and return to sanity.

However, should there even be the slightest inclination of him suddenly going for my allies, or if he proved to be a danger to innocents, I would not hesitate one bit to strike him down in a heartbeat.

I think he saw that conviction within my eyes as he suddenly grinned, looking as if he had come to some sort of decision. It quickly became apparent what that was when he let out a deafening roar (enhanced by the Force, most likely) before he surged to his feet, bringing both arms high above his head despite the heavy toll it put on his body, the sounds of muscles tearing audible even in the cacophony of our surroundings.

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan were already moving in with their blades, trying to strike the Sith down before he could complete his motions, but they were too late. With a pained cry in which Maul poured all of his hatred and desperation, he slammed his lightsaber down at the grating below his feet, causing the entire walkway to buckle before it shattered, the Zabrak falling away as gravity took hold.

It was only their enhanced reflexes that allowed Qui-Gon and his apprentice to move away from the rapidly crumbling walkway in time, both managing to jump to another one at the very last second. This all happened so fast that Maul couldn't have fallen more than a dozen meters since ripping apart the walkway and I narrowed my eyes as I allowed the Force to wholly suffuse my body.

'Oh no you don't!'

Moving smoothly at a pace that would make me a blur to the untrained eye, I shot forwards low against the ground towards the edge of the walkway. Gripping the raised metal sides with both hands, my huge momentum caused me to tumble all the way over it as I used a move more commonly seen on the trapeze in a circus. The turn ended when my feet slammed into the underside of the walkway, my arms outstretched behind me still gripping the ledge.

Maul had fallen another couple meters. I flexed my body, building up pure Force and Power as I narrowed my eyes.

I pushed off.

The walkway exploded upwards in my wake, metal groaning and buckling underneath the might of my take-off.

I rocketed past Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, their eyes barely capable of tracking me as I absently noticed their baffled expressions.

Air whistled around me as I closed in on the surprised looking Zabrak. His shock at my sudden impersonation of a missile caused him to be too slow in trying to right himself in mid-air and bring up his lightsaber in defense.

I slammed into his chest, my proximity allowing me to hear the squelching of ruptured tissue and the snapping of broken bones in perfect clarity as my velocity changed our combined trajectory from straight downwards to an acute angle.

We crashed into one of the lowest walkways, the metal deforming under Maul's back as all air left his lungs in a single explosive moment. As he was briefly disoriented, I straightened, standing over the downed body of the Zabrak.

Around us, the debris of the destroyed walkways kept tumbling down into the abyss below us.

"Do not try anything Maul. I will know if you do, and the results will be most… unpleasant." I warned him, my posture still tense and my claws at the ready.

My only response was a pitiful coughing and rattling, wheezing breaths.

Twin sounds of leather hitting metal alerted me to the Jedi's arriva, as did the steady humming of their lightsabers as its plasma edge cut through the air around us.

"Is it done then, Master?" Qui-Gon asked cautiously, and I shoot him a glance over my shoulder.

"This whole affair is far from done, young Qui-Gon. What we faced here goes far deeper than you know. But yes, this battle is fini-"

"MASTER!"

Obi-Wan's panicked cry rings throughout the cavernous room as a snap-hiss! resounds behind me. I barely have enough time to turn before Maul, having worked himself to his elbows, thrusts his crimson blade towards my chest at breakneck speeds with a hateful snarl, satisfaction and glee filling his maddened yellow eyes.

I'm shoved back by the powerful blow, the soles of my feet struggling to find purchase on the smooth grating underneath us as I can hear the Jedi give panicked shouts. Qui-Gon is already rushing forwards, lightsaber held high to deliver a killing blow, and judging by Maul's grimly smiling expression, he's perfectly fine with that as long as he gets to take me with him.

Unfortunately for him, I'll have to deny him that pleasure.

"Hold!" my voice slams through the chaos surrounding us, the authority in it sufficient to halt both Jedi immediately in their tracks.

Their widened eyes swing towards me, only to widen further as I slowly straighten from my hunched position, showing a feat not seen since Satele Shan last faced Darth Malgus on Alderaan. Even Maul's rage is briefly replaced by pure shock as his eyes slowly travel from his hilt, down the blade, towards the tip… which is struggling against a visible, light blue distortion pooling in my hands, halting the weapon in its tracks.

In that split-second when he launched his surprise attack, I had managed to raise my hands in front of my chest, cupped together, catching the lightsaber on a thick veil of Force. The technique was both extremely difficult (manifesting something as ethereal as the Force into something as tangible as this is no easy feat) and extremely draining. As it was, I couldn't hope to hold back Maul's blade, weakened as the Sith was, for more than a minute or so and his strike had been powerful enough it had still nearly sent me flying off my feet.

Not that it mattered now, since most importantly, it hadn't. Maul's last-ditch effort had failed (spectacularly so) and as I locked eyes with him, both my hands still wrapped tightly around the burning crimson tip of his lightsaber, he knew it.

Ifs and maybes didn't matter in the end: I had won, he had lost. No matter what he managed to do to free his blade and attack once more, he had lost the element of surprise and I still had two fresh Jedi close by and very much on edge.

This was the end for him.

"It is over Maul. This is where it ends." I said gravely, my voice steady even as beads of sweat started to form on my craggy brow.

The words spark life in the stunned Zabrak's eyes which flash towards mine. Without warning, a savage smile splits his face as he gives a cruel bark of laughter, which is quickly cut short by a heavy coughing fit, phlegm and blood spilling past his trembling lips and pointed teeth.

He's struggling to even keep himself pushed up on his elbows like this and judging by the fact his legs haven't even so much as twitched so far, I probably broke his spine when I crashed us into this walkway. Still Maul draws on the unholy power of the Dark Side as he manages to sit up a little further, completely disregarding the tearing sound of flesh and of bone grating against bone, a mad gleam in his eye.

"No…" he growls out lowly, his voice a wet rattle as his lungs are steadily filling up with something other than air.

"This is where it ends!"

And with that triumphant roar, he gives a sudden vicious jerk on the lightsaber trapped between us. Thinking he wants to tear it free to have one last swing at me, I merely tighten my grip on the tip of the burning plasma, but I realize my mistake too late.

With my hold at the outer end of his blade, Maul still has the freedom of movement to position the hilt of his weapon… right over his heart. His eyes are locked with mine as his smile widens further, but even as I release the lightsaber as I jump towards him, I know I am too late.

snap-hiss!

Maul's second blade bursts forwards…. and straight through his heart.

"NO!"

The Sith's eyes widen briefly in shock and surprise, before they meet with my wide ones. One last gust of air softly passes over his stained lips. And then all strength fades from him as he falls limp against the grating, eyes still wide and unseeing, that same bewildered look plastered over his face.

Gone is the rictus of hate from before, those maddened features twisted by mindless rage and the darkest of thoughts.

As always, the Dark Side had abandoned her toy in its final moments, leaving nothing but a ravaged wreck in her wake. It was something I had seen far too often. So many times I had been left with the consequences of the actions of those who had fallen to her seductive whispers. So many times had I been present when the monster was vanquished, and the mortal remained. It was a lesson that I had seen enforced upon those misguided unfortunates countless times.

It was a lesson they only got to experience once.

"Master?"

It's Qui-Gon who shakes me from my morose thoughts and I briefly close my eyes. As much as I've tried to fight the Dark Side to the best of my abilities, tooth and nail, lightsaber and telekinesis, I always tried to remember the same values that I was trying to instill in Anakin. I needed to believe that redemption was possible, always. If not, then not only was there the danger of me turning into a Templar like figure, one who hunted without remorse or question, but even worse than that...

If I stopped believing in redemption… what would become of Anakin?

Would I decide to strike him down now, while he was still undeveloped? Would I start rationalizing the act, loudly proclaim that such a horrific deed was completed solely in the name of some lofty, unknowable Greater Good? If so, could I truly claim that I was a more honest, more "pure" servant of the Light Side than my unyielding brethren amongst the High Council, with their absolute code and inane rules?

No. As hard as it was, I had to be able to feel pity and remorse for my enemies, even a dangerous beast like Maul had been. I had to, if only so that I could pass on this worldview to Anakin.

"It is alright, Qui-Gon. It is always a sad day when the Dark Side forces her victim to pay the ultimate price of serving her. Whenever a conflict has to be solved with the might of our weapons, instead of the truth in our words, a Jedi should always seek further contemplation and knowledge, for he should realize in what ways he failed, perhaps not his duty, but his ideals. Perhaps Maul was beyond all redemption. It would honestly not surprise me if it turned out to be so. But now, that shall always remain a question without an answer. Such is the nature of our conflict with the Dark Side, I suppose." I softly muse, before shaking my head again, before looking at the two silent Jedi with a smile.

"Ah, forgive an old man for his rumbling words, please. Death like this… it always causes me some deal of melancholy. Please do not concern yourselves about my wellbeing: I shall meditate on our conflict of today, searching through all possible answers, feelings and contemplations before surrendering those notions to the all-encompassing knowledge of the Force. You are free to join me if you wish to do so?"

Qui-Gon briefly spares a glance towards his young padawan, who has gone back to staring at the still form of Maul, before he looks towards me again, giving me a firm nod.

"Thank you Master. I think it would be wise for us to do so. Obi-Wan hasn't had much experience with death, not so closely at least and I… I must confess, the rage and hatred of our opponent, as well as his skill in the Dark Side has left me… rattled, also."

"What should we do with the-... with the body?" Obi-Wan asks haltingly.

His reaction is understandable. Slicing up droids is a rather different affair than the bloody mess that remained of Maul after my clash with him (speaking of, I only now noticed how my outer robe was liberally covered in the Zabrak's blood, with more covering my face and hands).

I briefly glance at the body in question, before I give a long suffering sigh, before with a snap-hiss! and a flash of crimson, Maul's head is separated from his body, both it and his lightsaber floating to rest in my hands.

"Was that truly necessary, Master?" Qui-Gon asks with a slight frown, while behind him Obi-Wan turns slightly green.

'Considering he managed to come back to life after being sliced in half and falling down a several kilometer long shaft…'

"Sadly, yes, young Qui-Gon. Brutal, I agree, but necessary nonetheless. The Dark Side is a pathway to abilities many would find unnatural. Battered as Maul's body was, his Master would likely have been able to resurrect it in some fashion nonetheless, turning his apprentice into an even greater danger. Sith creations such as that inevitably carve a path of death and destruction across the galaxy, and a revived Maul would be no different. Many an innocent and Jedi alike would fall to his endless hatred should that come to pass. So, again, brutal, but necessary nonetheless." I caution, before turning away and steadily making my way down the walkway.

Not hearing any footsteps in my wake, I shoot them a glance over my shoulder as I raise an impatient eyebrow.

"Well? Come on then! Pick up his body and follow me. It is high time we returned to the main palace. No doubt the day is won and they are simply waiting to hand out well-deserved praises and have prepared plenty of sweets!"

And with those words, I continued walking. This time, it only took a few moments before a twin pair of footsteps fell in behind me.

"What's next, Old Wanderer?"

"Coruscant."

"The High Council will see you now." the young Twi'lek padawan stated in a high-pitched voice, adorably trying (and utterly failing) to not stare too obviously at me.

Giving the child a nod of thanks, I glance at the tall human besides me.

"Well, go on then. I think it is best if you walked in first."

Qui-Gon merely looks down at me with an amused expression on his face.

"You're merely saying that in the hope they focus their ire on me first."

"Partly. The other part is that, in the case of a lightsaber swinging out the moment we open that door, I would much rather stand behind you." I remark dryly, getting a chuckle out of Qui-Gon.

"Surely Master, things aren't that bad now…"

He slowly trails off as I give him a look.

"Surely not?" he asks with a nervous chuckle, though I simply raise my eyebrow higher.

"If you truly believe in the level-headedness and overall meganominity of our glorious leaders… then why have you not yet entered already?" I ask with a smirk as I narrow my eyes.

Qui-Gon looks away from me with an embarrassed cough, though he can't hide the sudden slight sheen of sweat on his brow.

Our brief mental spar is broken by the annoyed voice of Anakin, who's standing next to a baffled Obi-Wan as they're watching us.

"Man, this waiting around is getting boring! We were invited in, so let's go already!"

And with those words, the child swiftly marches past us, pushing open the heavy doors leading to the Council Chambers, throwing them wide open and boldly striding inside… for about five steps, before he fully registers the heavy gazes of nearly a dozen Jedi Masters as they instantly lock onto his form.

"Uhhh…. hi?" he asks in a small voice and a hesitant little wave.

Seeing very little reaction at that (other than a slight twitch in Master Shaak Ti's lips which he completely misses), Anakin goes red as a tomato, before clearing his throat, his nervousness evident.

"Right! You wanted to see my Master right? He's right here! Go stare- I mean talk to him!"

And with that, Anakin swiftly turns around, grabs me by my sleeve and bodily drags me inside, swiftly placing me in the center of the room so that he's placed securely at my back.

'The little traitor!' I grouse goodnaturedly to myself. After all, if I had really wanted to stop him, he wouldn't have been able to even nudge me from my spot. Still, I had to face the music sometime even if it was on the insistence of my young padawan because he didn't like being stared at by a bunch of very powerful, very dour looking strangers.

I briefly scan over the Council members present, recognizing most of them, though there are some new faces since my last visit, now a few decades ago. Ultimately, I brush past them, focusing solely on the diminutive figure sitting at the centre of the half-circle, his gnarled hands gripping the thick top of a short walking stick, white tufts of hair on his nearly bald head illuminated from behind by the setting Coruscanti sun, long ears flattened against his small skull.

And wide eyes narrowed to slits as nostrils flare and a wide mouth is set in a deep frown. When the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order speaks, his voice is cold and dry, void of the paternal warmth he has been known for for these past eight hundred years or so.

"Yondu."

All in all, it's like looking at my own face staring back at me, and I can't help but let out a wide, cheeky grin as I lock eyes with Yoda himself.

"Hello there… little brother."

Fun Fact: N'Sync nearly had a cameo in Attack of the Clones. They were added in at the request of George Lucas' daughter. Thankfully, they were removed during the final cut.

AN: Be honest: when did you realize who exactly the SI was? Let me know!

AN2: So this was an idea that I had even before my car accident, but when I sat down a few days ago, I realized that I wasn't in the right headspace to continue writing on 12 Steps. Perhaps because some of the coming chapters in that story can get quite dark. Instead, I had a Star Wars fic rattling around in my brain because I recently got back into playing Star Wars: The Old Republic. I had a wild variety of things that I maybe wanted to do, ranging from a Gen'Dai SI during the Cold War, or a Dashade some decades before the sequels and, get this, even as a Rancor SI that would either befriend a young Anakin or Luke on Tatooine (somewhat out of necessity, because as far as Rancors who find themselves in society are concerned, it's either bonding to a Force sensitive or it's straight to the gladiator pits with you). While these ideas were fun, they didn't really inspire a story or a setting, before I settled on becoming Yoda's twin (Yondu's comment of "little brother" is mostly needling, he was born three minutes earlier, which when compared to over 900 years means… absolutely nothing, really). Not only did it feel unique (as far as I know, it hadn't been done before), but I immediately knew where to take such a character. In large part this is due to having read How not to raise a Sith Lord by WillyDJ since I really enjoyed the way his SI handled Anakin (laid back and very open-minded, leaning away from the more traditional and strict Jedi teachings without just saying "fuck it" and going rogue or something). For my own story, I wanted Yondu to hit a note somewhere between Shifu from Kung Fu Panda, combined with the more trolling Yoda on Dagobah and in the Last Jedi (puppet Yoda being one of the very, very few things that movie genuinely got right). I also wanted him to truly feel old as well, so that you can really feel those 900 years of running around the galaxy trying to keep it together long enough for the Chosen One to arrive. Going by Kung Fu Panda parallels (what? It's a great movie, don't judge me) again, I suppose I went for a more Oogway feel, especially when he's giving Po or Shifu a pep talk, while not losing any humor. So yeah, let me know how I did on that front!

As always, I wish to thank my lovely patrons, Shaman95, IronmanMarkIV, justlovereadin, Daniel Dorfman, Sam, CJ Elsen, Thordur Hrafn, Carn Krauss, DavidJP, ReaperScythe, CrankyD, Devon, Yan R. Bernier, RC Oprea, Kyle Reese, Kahn, RLStrained, Roman Krupkin and Vu for their continued support, it truly does mean a lot to me Thank you so much!