Chapter 22 Finding Peace (Part 1)

Carnax, the Mid Rim…

Carnax was a planet that lived up to its position in the Mid Rim. Caught halfway between the Core Worlds and the Outer Rim some areas were as rich and advanced as the Core Worlds planets but some were poorer than some of the settlements on worlds like Tatooine, made them look lawful and modest in comparison.

It was however a neutral world in the Clone Wars and the leaders of the planet were hosting a conference for scientists from other unallied worlds so they could engage in scientific debate without the interference of the two warring factions.

Professor Mors Hebrigne was one of the scientists that had been invited and was looking forward to some intense debate, while there were many capable scientists in Mandalorian Space he was hoping to find some new ideas from peers outside his own culture.

After all, different world…different ideas or so he thought.

He settled into his room with the three bodyguards he had been given and while he was sure their presence would be unnecessary his clan leader and employer had insisted, they come for his own protection. He swallowed his own reluctance and accepted them being there as they were quiet and didn't interrupt him when he was working. Two more stayed back at their ship in anticipation of having make a quick getaway which he thought was pointless.

However, when night came just before the conference began the lights suddenly went out as the professor sat down to work. He blinked and his bodyguards instantly became tense, their weapons in hand in the blink of an eye and turned on their night vision and stood ready for trouble.

That came moments later when Commando Droids like those used by the Separatists burst into the room, shooting without hesitation.

The bodyguards yelled to him as they activated their gauntlet shields and returned fire.

"Get out of here." The problem was that they were boxed in and the only place left to go was the refresher which had no exit. Mors saw one of the bodyguards get cut down and knew as more droids poured in that they were going to get overwhelmed. He also noticed that none of the droids seemed to be shooting at him.

Realising that he was likely about to be abducted he hit the emergency transponder that would let the two guards left on the ship know they were in danger and quickly ran for his case. Ducking behind a desk he opened it and injected himself with the emergency tracker. Something that would allow the guards on the ship to track and follow wherever he might be taken.

The sharp pin prick was over in a moment and as the last of the bodyguards was overwhelmed, he felt the stun blasts and tried to resist but soon fell into unconsciousness.

- x -

In the small ship that had brought the Professor to this world the two remaining guards were doing their job which was monitoring the situation. The moment the emergency beacon was triggered they jumped into action.

"Go check out the apartment, any evidence secure it. Out bound ship registers the professor is alive and onboard. I'll track it and report to base, a ship will come for you." The senior warrior said.

"Yes sir." The younger one said and left the ship and went to do his duty while the elder took off and began to follow the other ship.

Quickly staying as close as possible before following it into hyperspace.

- x -

Reijar, the Ordo System…

The day was quiet on Reijar, not much was happening outside of the norm and the peace was appreciated even by their warriors. They spent time with their families and went to work and just enjoyed the peace of the moment.

Luna and her students were the only ones doing anything out of the ordinary. After their recent trip to Earth and the harvesting of their crystals they had duly inserted the crystal shards recovered into their gauntlets to help channel their power but also using the larger single crystal to construct their new weapon.

Luna watched as Kento instructed the four students who were now finally ready to be considered the first Akaan'aran of their new order once they had constructed their lightsaber and would soon become teachers themselves.

"These weapons are unique to you, built for you and you alone. As a Mandalorian you have the force and many weapons and tools at your disposal but the lightsaber is a weapon that will belong only to you." Kento said to the students, not liking for them to think of the Force as a weapon or even a tool but he knew after living among them that the Mandalorians did not think that way. Duty and family were the most important things to them governed by a strict code of honour.

He was surprised though that the hilts constructed by the Mandalorians were not like Jedi hilts. They lacked the cylinder shape the Jedi and the Sith favoured, instead they were shaped much more like traditional sword hilts similar to the Darksaber although each had their own individual points that set each one apart so like the Jedi no lightsaber was identical.

Luna watched as visions of them using those sabers came to her mind while she meditated, it was awesome to see their warriors wielding such impressive weapons. But her thoughts changed when she looked at Lelia.

The girl was very powerful, Luna thought. Full of raw power that when focused would enable her to become very strong and her other training was going very well. If anything, she would likely be ready to make the trip to Earth within a year or two to find her own crystals.

She would make a very powerful force wielder with more time and training.

Something the new soon to be graduates would be able to help with. It was a bit difficult for her to give all her students the attention they needed although Kento and Mallie had been a big help in relieving that pressure. Especially as eight new students would be old enough soon to begin training including Astoria Ordo who would join her older brother Markus as a student. It would of course mean more work but their order was now starting to grow.

- x -

Ara was sitting with her children as she considered her own pregnancy and what a fourth child would mean to their situation. She had three children already and that was enough for her but she just couldn't bring herself to abort the baby. It was frowned on in Mandalorians space but not illegal.

So, she would soon have a fourth child and it honestly made her sigh with how little control of things they seemed to have.

However, the message from Carnax immediately shook her from her worries for the future and redirected them to the present.

One of their greatest scientists had been abducted by the Separatists and taken to a planet near their border. She frowned as she read through the details and knew swift action was required so as Hannah and Neville were still staying home with their sons and the rest of their inner circle was either off world or too busy and there wasn't time to find someone else Haron would need to deal with this personally. The fact it would get him away from the planet where someone had tried to kill him recently was merely a bonus.

- x -

Ordo Apartment, 500 Republica, Coruscant…

Haron was sitting on the couch of the sitting area with Ahsoka right across from him.

"So, the Armaments Committee meeting is cancelled now we have chosen to stick with the current providers and the Senate Subcommittees have been put back a week." Ahsoka told him as she read his diary for the next week. The boredom on the girl's face made Haron smile with amusement. It seemed that adjusting to admin was hard for a girl that had experienced non-stop action and he wondered just what sort of work she would seek out as soon as she was ready to go her own way.

But he had to admit she was very good at this, he thought with admiration. She managed his heavy schedule efficiently and rarely overlooked anything.

If this kind of work didn't bore her so much, he would have employed her full time.

Then his personal datapad chimed with an emergency message, frowning he picked it up and quickly accessed whatever message had been sent. Ahsoka looked on while his frown deepened, and he realised the implications of one of their best scientists being taken prisoner. Worse their information network revealed he wasn't the only one, a number of prominent scientists from different worlds including Republic ones had gone missing in the last few days. He saw that the Republic had no idea that the Separatists were behind it so he and his people had a lucky break since they had managed to track the ship to their hidden base.

A team was going to meet him and his people there choosing to keep this fast and light, it was a little-known planet that was on the very border with Wild Space. On the charts but all but forgotten in galactic terms…Odessen

He knew the name from his ancient history lessons, a world that had once been home to the Eternal Alliance which his ancestors had been a part of against first the Eternal Empire and then the Sith Empire as Task Force Nova. However, it had soon slipped into obscurity as the years passed and to his knowledge no-one lived there now. It was fairly isolated and not positioned for any strategic value so it had been largely forgotten.

Perfect place for a secret base.

Haron knew that it they had gathered so many scientists by kidnapping they must be working on something big there. Rescue aside that was worth going to see just what they were up too.

Despite the fact he was leader and could delegate he was fed up by the lack of action and spending so much of his time in an office or meetings and was determined to get some action. So, he would lead this team himself.

Looking at his former Jedi assistant who was now staring at him confused at what the message he had received said he told her.

"One of the most important scientists in Mandalorian Society has been kidnapped and we have his location. Since we have a few days, I will be leading the rescue mission and you will be coming with me." He told her sternly.

Ahsoka blinked in surprise for a moment before coming to her senses and telling him.

"But Duke Ordo." She said, still formal given their respective positions. "You are the Field Marshal for the Republic Military! There are countless issues that need you attention." She told him but he interrupted her.

"And just as many back home, but that is why we will make this as quick as possible. Delegation doesn't come as naturally to me in matters such as this. Not to mention I have many of those I could trust with this on projects just as important." Haron said with complete calm. "I have set up a good structure and it can do without me for a few days. Besides this will give us both a chance to get some excitement back in our lives." He told her, glad to finally be able to get off this world even for a little while.

Ahsoka instantly perked up at that and was eager to finally do some more interesting that organise his schedule and attend meetings to take notes. However, the lack of weight at her waist due to her lightsabers still being in the hands of the Jedi made her stop still in disappointment that she was still weapon less, especially as she wasn't that comfortable with blasters and other weapons.

The sudden hesitation in his assistant and the way her hand went subconsciously to her waist as if she was going to find her lightsaber there made Haron frown as he knew what the problem was. He sighed before going to his locker in his room and opened it. She looked confused at what he was doing before he returned and pressed a lightsaber into her hand. She blinked in surprise before looking at the hilt and igniting a blue blade. Staring at it for a moment before he told her sternly.

"You really need to build a new one of your own. This one is a trophy from the first Jedi I defeated. I did not take it from a cold dead hand I assure you, the Jedi that originally built this weapon is still very much alive. You may use it for this mission but I will be wanting it back when this is concluded." Haron warned her and she nodded quickly, cowed a little by his intense gaze. She shut it down and clipped it to her waist.

But she couldn't help but wonder if there was something Haron Ordo was holding back. Over the war and through what she had been told about him he seemed to be far more capable than he was letting on. To the extent that he was able to hand to hand with Master…no Ki-Adi Mundi she thought stopping herself from referring to the ass hole as a master anymore. But Mundi was still tough…and Haron had beaten him.

Was he all he seemed Ahsoka thought to herself? He seemed nice and honourable but he was keeping secrets that she was sure about.

But still she thought as they prepared to leave, maybe she might learn so of them on this mission.

Vorex Ultima, Outer Rim Territories...

Anakin was sweating with the heat of a planet that like Tatooine had two suns but had the value of being enormously important for fuel for the Republic and more importantly taking it away from the Separatists.

He was working alongside Rahm Kota and a number of the other Jedi who had agreed to give his ideas a fair chance, on the ground he and Rahm Kota led both their clones and in Kota's case his own militia troopers into battle. The ferocity with which Kota fought was incredible and even Anakin was impressed at his fighting skill and that of his militia.

They might not have the same intensive training but they were excellent soldiers in their own right.

He was still feeling the absence of Ahsoka greatly, his anger towards the Jedi Council for not sticking by her side during the campaign against her by the traitor was still strong but at least he knew that some had cared enough and instead focused his rage and distrust of the council on the droids instead to burn it off rather than let it build up.

It was a technique that was not only serving him well but his Jedi too. They continued to develop themselves as people and discovering their own inner selves.

Bultar Swan some distance away was fighting a different front of the battle and her side was becoming somewhat bogged down by the droids. This irritated her a lot and stoked her own anger, something that would have once horrified her but now she accepted it as a perfectly natural reaction to the situation as long as it didn't control her.

Her anger however and her determination to see justice done for the people of this planet who toiled as slave labour to mine and process fuel for the Separatist war machine surged through her and without even knowing what she was doing, guided only by the force raised her hands and before she knew what she was doing let out all of that feeling.

Bolts of green lightning surged out of her hands and straight at the droids who shook violently as the lightning crashed into them before falling to the floor, reduced to helpless metal with circuits fried.

Bultar was almost in a trance as the force flowed through her, letting all her determination and anger be channelled into her outpouring of power. The clones that were with her all looked over in shock as she rendered all the droids that were close enough useless with her powers. They were all in awe of her as they had never heard of anything like this before and cheered as Bultar reduced the enemy line to a fraction of its strength.

She blinked after a while as sweat began to fall from her brow and then finally, she sagged, unable to keep up the barrage any longer but it had done its job. The clones all cheered as they charged at the weakened droid lines, able to break through now because of what their general had done. Hell, they might actually be able to beat Skywalker and his 501st legion there they thought with excitement.

Bultar meanwhile was struggling to keep up with her men as she felt drained but at the same time confused. She had never learned any ability even related to force lightning and yet moments ago she had been releasing it from her hands. However, it had not felt dark to her nor did it have the traditional blue colour. Instead, it had been green and that confused her until she remembered her former master Plo Koon had managed to learn the art of Electric Judgement, which was the closest Jedi equivalent. It was a banned art due to how close it was supposedly to the Sith version but she honestly had felt nowhere near close to the dark side when she had used it, instead it had come from her own sense of justice.

She had never wavered towards the dark side and had enabled them to push the campaign, she made a vow to herself to explore this new ability when she had the time. But for now, she thought with determination, they had a battle to win.

Jedi Temple, Coruscant…

"Force is within us and like us there is a light side and a dark side to it. Like a person has good and bad parts of their nature. To truly begin to explore the force, first you must explore yourselves." Tuwan said to their latest recruits to their way of thinking.

The students listened attentively even if some were uneasy about facing the darker parts of their own selves. Tuwan smiled encouragingly as they began their own meditations, aided by the incense he had acquired that would aid them in going into a special state, putting them in touch with their subconscious selves.

He smiled as he saw them go under, they would awake when they managed to connect to their deeper self, the parts of their own personalities that until now they hadn't explored. The force would sustain them till they completed this trial and discovered their true self.

"This is a hard journey; we will they manage?" Depa Billaba said from the side, knowing this trial was hard on those that endured it but if they managed to succeed…they would find strength within themselves and abilities they had hardly dreamed of. Both within the force and within themselves as people.

"They will if they have it in them to walk this path. If not, we shall know soon enough." Tuwan said sadly, knowing some didn't have the conviction to face the worst parts of themselves and would pretend they didn't exist rather than face it. Some had come to try and learn their ways only to fail this test. Tuwan told them that they must find the courage to try again and he would be waiting for the day they were ready. Some hadn't liked that and not returned but others had retaken the test and managed to pass it the second time.

It didn't matter how long it takes or how many tries you took, what was important was that you learned the lesson. Some masters he had known in his long-life time had taken two or even three attempts to get the lesson or pass the test but in time they had all become all the wiser for their failure.

You learned far more when you failed than when you succeeded.

Tuwan's own former apprentice, a Neti like himself had failed the first time and yet had come back far stronger for it. He had not looked up the Jedi Archives for any mention of him as he preferred to think that he went on to have an exceptional career, he had all the markings for being a great Jedi Tuwan thought and wished whatever had happened that it was a testament to his strong spirit and deep commitment to the force and to the Jedi.

"Well, having seen the results I can honestly say I am fully in support of this. My own apprentice will take this test when he is ready." She said, referring to the boy that some time ago she had caught spying on her when she had been training with Master Tuwan herself. Caleb was young but she could sense great potential within him.

- x -

In the Jedi Council Chamber, a meeting of the Council was taking place. One that had major implications for the order.

"And it was concluded that Master Looff had actually been using the force to gamble and steal so he could afford the most expensive materials and equipment for his own use." Master Tholme said with a calculating look in his eyes. "While I leave it up to the Council to determine his punishment and for the Jedi that have secretly been leaking information to Count Dooku." Master Tholme reported and some of the other masters around him all looked uncomfortable at his presence not that he cared what they thought.

He did his job and in doing so this time had discovered a number of Jedi had some dirty secrets to hide such as criminal activity while they were away from the Temple not to mention some were even spying for their enemies, either because they were in agreement with Count Dooku or where simply being paid to betray the Jedi and the Republic too.

It was deeply unsettling for some, to realise how much corruption had spread within the Jedi Order for so much to be going on under their noses. A few of the more conservative members like Ki-Adi Mundi felt it was just a case of some bad apples spoiling the barrel but others like Shaak Ti worried it might be a symptom of a larger problem within the Order. Either way for now the rotten parts had been identified and confined until the Council could decide just what to do with them.

"A proposal, brought to us by Master Tuwan has been." Yoda said, moving them on to the next point of business. The Conservatives even Mace frowned as they wondered what the 'heretic' or relic as some thought of him. While Skywalker was the figure head of this potential revolution in the Order it was Tuwan that was the brains behind it and many of the masters on the council even the more open-minded ones like Shaak Ti were very wary of him.

"Wants to create a new branch of the Order he does, or rather recreate one." Yoda said before Mace Windu took over.

"He wants to send some of our healers to study psychology so that a new specialisation of Jedi Healer can be founded. The Jedi Mind Healers who will be charged with the mental health of all members of the Jedi Order and providing treatment to those afflicted with mental health issues." Mace said simply, calmly and not showing his own personal feelings on the matter.

The Jedi on the Council blinked in surprise as the proposal was a great shock to all of them, mental health had not been a focus of the Order in its current generation ever. It was against the code to indulge in emotion. At least some interpretations of the code any way.

"Absolutely not!" Ki-Adi Mundi burst out, making everyone look in his direction. His eyes blazing with indignation. "It is forbidden for the Jedi to indulge in emotion! We must rise above such things to become one with the force and to serve it and the greater good! This is a power play by the heretics and failures to usurp the true Jedi Way." Mundi said, almost shouting by the end.

Many of the Council just sat there in silence as he ranted and blinked as silence hung in the air.

"Only if they seek to control the Order. But after some of the things I have experienced…having someone to speak to would have been a blessing in helping me find my inner balance again." Kit Fisto said calmly, sad too as he knew many of the Jedi who had quit the Order or turned to the dark side would likely have stayed if they had someone to speak too about how they felt like his old friend Eeth Koth. He had certainly wished he had someone to talk to after Nahdar's death he thought sadly, remembering the horrible fate of his first and only padawan. Nahdar himself might have managed his own feelings better if he had such an option open to him.

"Many Jedi especially those who see a great deal of combat would benefit from this." Shaak Ti said quietly. She often kept her own counsel in these meetings but this time she felt compelled to speak. "Someone whose job it is to help Jedi who are in danger of losing their way could be of great value to the order."

"If a Jedi cannot find their own way, then they are not fit to be part of the order." Saesee Tiin said interrupting his fellow council member. His expression as hard and unforgiving as stone.

Plo Koon, who had been silent since Ahsoka Tano had left the Order and appeared to have almost withdrawn from the Council finally spoke up.

"If you have never trained a padawan or if you have then you know that it is necessary sometimes for others to help you with their own wisdom to find your own balance."

The other members of the council especially Yoda who many of the Jedi Order would seek out for counsel anyway nodded in agreement, some Jedi needed the help and guidance of a master to find their way but who would those that had already been knighted or even masters seek if they felt the need to unburden themselves? Some of them and the other members of the Order had seen horrible sights since the war had begun. Some that since haunted them to this day. More of the Council started thinking that this might be a good idea.

"I most firmly object to this and will resign from the council in protest!" Oppo Rancisis said sternly as if to cow them into agreement.

"Seconded!" Saesee Tiin said loudly.

They were senior members of the Council, although only Tiin had a permanent seat and some were shocked at the move. However, Yoda saw it plainly for what it was, they were trying to leverage their position and the idea that the Council would value them over this new specialisation within the Jedi. He had seen such moves in the past on many worlds and much to his chagrin even in this room before. Not this time he thought with frustration, he was not going to tolerate such petty moves and teach these two a valuable lesson in the process.

No one is irreplaceable and to appreciate what you have or lose it.

"Sad we will by your absence." Yoda said before anyone, like Mundi for example made moves to support their position. They all looked at Yoda in surprise as they had expected him to compromise to keep the two masters who had served the order for years there. He however had sensed the opportunity to remove two of the biggest bigots in the order and replace them on the Council with more levelheaded Jedi. Already he had two in mind. "If feel so strongly about this matter you do, recorded your position is but feel I do that it is a good step for the Order. Rig Nema and Olge Plavi will both attend the University of Aldera on Alderaan to study matters of the mind and its healing. In Rig Nema's absence, Master Stass Allie will take over duties of healing the Temple. Master Billaba and Master Sinube will take the vacant places on the Council." Yoda proclaimed firmly to end all debate.

The stunned two masters that had just without meaning to just resigned from the highest position one could hope for in the Jedi Order, with the exception of Master of the Order or Grandmaster and largely due to their own arrogance. The intense and hard stare of Mace Windu made the pair get up and leave rather than try to backpedal or worse beg for their seats back. Their embarrassment was so complete they retreated to their rooms and sat in silence while meditating on what they had just done.

Back in the Council Chamber though, Master Shaak Ti made a suggestion that would hopefully ease the tensions with the Jedi who followed Skywalker's example.

"We have spoken much of them but what do we really know of what they are being taught by Master Tuwan? Perhaps if myself and Master Windu were to observe their sessions we could discover if they truly are a threat to the Order or merely interpreting the code in a different way." Shaak Ti suggested with a hopeful expression. She was doing this largely for the reasons that she had mentioned but also there was a good amount of curiosity and intrigue in their methods.

Wondering if perhaps they might help her deepen her own connection to the force.

"A good idea, that will hopefully lay many of our fears to rest." Master Obi-Wan said with a smile, hoping it would ease the tension on the Council by bringing more calmer Jedi onboard.

- x -

An Hour Later the Council meeting was over and Yoda alongside Mace Windu sat in one of the meditation rooms with Master Billaba and Master Sinube.

"Hello old friend." Tera Sinube said with a smile on his old face. Yoda returned it with a warm smile of his own.

"Greetings Master Sinube. A request of you and of Master Billaba I have." He told the pair who both looked confused especially as Sinube was already doing a job for Yoda albeit very quietly.

"Two seats on the Council have become vacant after the Masters who occupied them resigned." Master Windu said plainly and they then both realised where this was going. "We need masters of considerable experience and wisdom to fill those posts. Will you both be willing to take up your seats on the Council again?" He asked them, both had sat on the High Council at some point in their lives and been highly respected members while doing so.

Sinube was surprised as he had not sat on the Council in decades but nodded, not really wanting too but knew that he must be needed if the two most highly ranked masters in the Order were asking for him to join them. So, he nodded and spoke.

"It would be an honour my friends."

Yoda nodded in gratitude for his old friend. However, Depa looked uncertain at the idea of serving on the Council again. None of them could guess her reasons but Mace seeing her conflicted feelings on the subject asked her.

"Is there any reason you don't want to assume this seat Depa?" Mace asked her gently, wondering what was holding his old apprentice back. Depa frowned before admitting.

"I had hoped to focus more on being a Jedi in the wider galaxy, to develop my own connection to the force and to train my new apprentice. Being on the Council is not exactly a good step in either of those goals." She said with a frown, she could still do those things but it would be hampered by having to attend Jedi Council meetings not to mention the larger number of missions they would be given.

"There is always time for that." Sinube said with a smile at the much younger master. "You will be able to do those things and when the time comes you can always step down if you wish. But for now, the Order needs you." He told her with a warm look in his eyes.

Depa felt her resolve weakening as she felt all three masters looking at her and sighed before finally admitting defeat.

"Very well, for at least the duration of the war I will be willing to sit on the Council again." Depa said with some reluctant acceptance. Yoda and Mace nodded in acceptance.

"Grateful I am that you are with us once again." Yoda said with a relieved look on his face, knowing he had two masters who were both wise and capable but more to the point were less rigid in their interpretation of the Jedi Code and more forgiving to its members. "Thank you I do but speak in private I must to Master Windu." He said and they both bowed before leaving.

Now alone with his long-time colleague Yoda turned to him and asked.

"Have any thoughts do you on hiding the Sith relics?" He said with a frown, knowing it needed to be done but had too much on his mind to manage hiding them too. Windu nodded before explaining his plan.

"The aura the relics create is too strong, the Sith or their servants will sense them if we hide them conventionally so we must find a powerful dark side aura in a suitably remote place that is difficult to get too. I think I have such a place in mind but it is rather unusual." Mace said before taking a breath to explain.

"The Malachor System is full of dark side energy. All the planets are touched by it and Sith sites can be found there, however what I propose is we use the one planet where no-one goes…Malachor V." Mace said.

Yoda blinked for a moment having not expected that before he stared, needing to hear more before he risked any trip to arguably one of the most dangerous systems in the galaxy for the Jedi.

"The planet's remains are still highly immersed in the dark side and some of the chunks are large enough to hide a ship among the other ruined ships there. We can fly a ship in under droid control and have it land inside a cave on one of the larger asteroids and then shut down. The aura will be masked and any who see the ship if anyone dares going close to the ruined planet, they will think it just another wrecked ship from the Mandalorian Wars. They should be safe from discovery there." Mace said with care to ensure he got his point across.

Yoda while hesitant at having anyone going to that corrupt and dark system was still highly impressed at what Windu had come up with. It used the Sith's own corruption of the planet against them and the dark side nexus there was strong enough to mask the objects but they could with difficulty be retrieved if needed.

"See to it immediately." Yoda said with a proud look at his friend. His thoughts however went back to how much darker his visions had grown in recent days as the Sith grew stronger and the day they made their attempt for power came closer. Time he was sure was running out and his preparations were not yet complete which worried him no end. He wished he could do more and realised that maybe he was trying to do too much alone…maybe it was time for him to let Mace in.

"Time though it is, to reveal just what I have been doing and to share my suspicions." Yoda said and Mace blinked before settling more comfortably on his chair as this was likely to be a long discussion.

Yoda slowly started telling him about the group he had assembled and how they over the last few years had been going to old Jedi sites or other places to establish secret temples for the Jedi to run too if they ever had to hide. Also, that Ossus was now being explored by a Jedi team to uncover more of their ancient past and to give the Jedi somewhere else to go if they needed to hide not to mention store a copy of their archive and many of their relics for safe keeping.

Mace was astonished and in awe of the Grandmaster now thinking more than ever that he deserved the title. Thanks to him and his planning and guile the Jedi had much more security and preparation from future difficulties but more than that they were recovering their ancient past too.

"I understand and think it is very prudent. If the Sith are watching the Order then it is a good thing to keep it secret." Mace said, a little relieved. Yoda however then disclosed one of the reasons he had gone to these lengths.

"Vital this is, because fear I do that the Chancellor, either a Sith he is or a puppet of them." Yoda said sadly. "Signs I have seen and if so the Republic, turn against the Jedi it will."

Mace seemed shocked by that statement and Yoda quickly explained his reasoning for making that statement and when finally, Mace had managed to regain his wits he looked at Yoda with accusation.

"Why haven't you done something? Before he can mount any potential action against us? Why wait and let him gain more power?" His earlier admiration gone as he was honestly lost as to why Yoda had done nothing when he had a fairly good lead on who the Sith was.

"What proof do we have?" Yoda asked sadly. "Can we even make the galaxy see the danger he poses? What he is beneath the surface, we cannot." Yoda said with a sigh. "Twist the truth he would, make us the villains and use it as an excuse, to turn the Republic and the Clone Army against the Jedi. Trapped we are, by a plan long in the making. If act against the Sith we do without some kind of plan and fail we do, destroy the Jedi he will."

Mace blinked as he realised that Yoda was right, most of the galaxy couldn't really tell the difference between the Jedi and the Sith and wouldn't understand why Palpatine was so dangerous. Worse as Yoda said if they failed to stop him in one move then he would turn the Clone Army against them and wipe out the Jedi in one fell swoop.

Mace was horrified as he realised just how much danger the Jedi were in and why Yoda had kept it to himself purely to stop the Sith from wiping them out before they had a plan to stop it. Mace nodded in acceptance and sighed himself.

"Then until we are ready, I will make no move against him, so to not destroy the Jedi." Mace said with determination to now find some way to reveal this Sith for who he really was to the whole galaxy.

- x -

Elsewhere in the Temple Tholme was looking through his highly detailed notes in his room that he had turned into an office.

"You know you really should get out more." His former apprentice and current lieutenant Quinlan Vos said with his usual smirk. Tholme was far too used to his eccentricities and too disciplined to react however and instead told him.

"I am sure that you will get out enough for both of us Quinlan." Tholme said with a calm smile that masked his ever-calculating genius. He might not be the most powerful Jedi nor the most skilled lightsaber duellist, but his mind was one of the sharpest in the Order and he could operate in the greyer or even darker areas of the galaxy that few Jedi could even go into.

As a spymaster he had served the Jedi and the Republic far better than he could as a general. Quinlan had been a big help to him as while more troubled than he was, he too could operate in the darker areas of the galaxy too.

"I have a lead on another potential traitor to the Order." Tholme said with a grave tone in his voice. "He has been making several attempts to see Barriss Offee and hidden communications to Jedi who are in the service of Dooku."

"Who is it?" Quinlan asked, suddenly becoming serious and even angry at the mention of yet another traitor. Tholme was about to tell him when someone else appeared.

His second apprentice however as she came in through the door hadn't quite mastered that skill of eccentricity. Aayla was a far more conventional Jedi than both him and Quinlan put together which he honestly felt was a shame…the events of her past especially the time when her own uncle had forced fed her with glitteryll and wiped away her identity. She had lost so much time under that drug and then when her uncle had been killed by Quinlan sought revenge against him falling to the dark side in the process. Even though she had regained most of her memory she still felt responsible for all she had done namely setting the dark Jedi Volfe Karkko free and helping in his campaign.

So, she had devoted herself to being a 'perfect' Jedi he thought with a frown even if she at least was an individual in how she dressed looking at her leather outfit, rather than be true to herself since she didn't trust herself to make the right decision. It was a great shame and he felt stopped her from reaching her full potential, something he was hoping to fix today.

"Aayla, thank you for coming to see me." Tholme said while Quinlan brightened at the sight of his former apprentice even if he had never finished her training, he still cared a great deal about her.

"Master…Quinlan." She said more formal towards him than Quinlan who she gave a slight smile too, showing the bond that still existing between them. "You wanted to see me." She said, not sure why especially given Tholme's new position on the Jedi Council…something she felt was well deserved.

"Aayla…I have a task for you." Tholme said carefully, knowing he had to present this the right way or his plan to not only get Aayla to finally get her full confidence back but find her true self was not going to work. "I want you to join Master Tuwan's next class."

Aayla looked shocked for a moment, blinking as if not able to believe what he had just asked of her. Quinlan smiled and patted her on the shoulder to jerk her back to the moment before she finally managed to recover herself.

"Master…I don't think that is acceptable for a Jedi." She said quickly, too quickly and with a tell-tale quake in her voice. She did well at hiding her emotions but not well enough to hide them from him and he saw her fear straight away.

"Acceptable or not I think it would do us good for one Jedi that we know can handle herself to go into the class and see just what they teach. Not to mention I think you might learn something about yourself while you do." Tholme said carefully before Quinlan who was fully on board with this came over and put a hand on her shoulder.

"Aayla, trust me and yourself. You can do this. Face your demons. I believe in you." Quinlan said with a proud look in his eyes and complete confidence. She was touched by his faith in her even if she had far less in herself. She nodded slowly, not able to disappoint them and hoping that they were right about her and that she could face whatever the ancient Jedi could throw at her.

- x -

Republic Correctional Facility, Coruscant…

Barriss was such a strange sight in her prison overalls and her dark hair was now hanging loosely down to her mid back. Her face was full of frustration and pent-up rage as she lay on her bunk. Her confession might have saved her from the death penalty but she had instead been left to rot in this prison cell. Of course, she had been cast out of the Order much like Ahsoka had been but during her 'trial' there she had refused to say a word and instead just glared at the Jedi Masters who had dared judge her for doing what in her mind had been right.

Not that it had done her any good she thought with anger, her words were being dismissed as those of a madwoman and a traitor to the Republic. She had been reduced to nothing more than a footnote and nothing she said mattered.

The injustice and failure ate away at her as she was confined to her cell. She wasn't allowed to mingle with the other prisoners, never let out of her cell in fact and all meals were brought here by droids. Doing limited exercise was her only real distraction and trying to meditate but her frustration was such that she just couldn't focus.

Then someone approached the cell door and she could feel a familiar presence in the force that only irritated her. With her back to the security field, she didn't even bother turning around before snapping.

"What do you want? Come to give me a lecture on how I went wrong?!" She said sharply as her former master. She honestly was so angry that Luminara had dared show up that she was nearly shaking with rage. "If so then you are wasting my time and yours. Leave!" She snapped.

Luminara who had never seen Barriss like this was honestly taken aback by the incredible amount of rage inside her. How had she missed this? She thought to herself with disbelief. It had to have been growing for years to get this bad and she had never caught even a whiff of it.

"I would think a distraction would do you good as you have precious little else to do right now." She said back to Barriss, not excusing her sharp words by responding in kind. She just sat at the foot of the security field and waited for Barriss to respond.

"I would rather live through the Battle of Geonosis again than be distracted by you!" Barriss said, spinning around without getting up so she was now face to face with her former mentor who looked as unruffled as ever which only angered Barriss more.

"Which one?" Luminara said with a raised eyebrow as they had been at both of them.

"Both!" Barriss shouted with her eyes having returned a little to the deep and alluring blue they had always been before her fall but still a small ring of yellow remained around the pupil. The sight of it unsettled Luminara but she didn't let it show.

"I came only to ask one question; answer it and I will consider leaving you alone in your new home." Luminara said, casting her gaze around the small cell that was likely going to be Barriss's home for the rest of her life.

"I don't care what you want!" Barriss said with rage, getting off the bunk and she came so close to the security field that they were almost touching. "What possible reason would I have to tell you anything?"

"What else do you have to do?" Luminara asked calmly although inwardly she was desperate to know just what had driven her apprentice to this.

Barriss looked at her with complete loathing which after seeing blind obedience for so long was jarring for Luminara but she persevered, hoping that if she learned enough maybe she could help Barriss find her way back to the light.

Barriss didn't like the comment and glowered at her for what seemed like an age. They both sat there as Barriss glared at her for hours before finally Barriss got fed up and decided to do so on the off chance that Luminara might leave her alone.

"When? When did I start realising the Jedi were rotten to the core and cared nothing for anyone but themselves!? From the time I had a brain worm steal control of my body or the time I saw the Republic destroy the truly beautiful world of Phorose and the peaceful Ru being wiped out! From all the destruction caused by the Jedi and the Republic from the start of the conflict and even before like when they supported the Arkanian Dominion in exploiting the Yaka and Quermians! When they rebelled, the Jedi helped suppress their freedom! So many other actions! How could I still believe in a code that is so rotten and corrupt that it could endorse such things!" Barriss said as too many times the Jedi had protected the status quo rather than help people like they were supposed to.

Committed slaughters and protecting horrible dictators! She spat at the field and her spit dissolved on contact but the point was clear.

Luminara was now starting to understand just how the lack of compassion the order showed had started getting to Barriss. She was a healer not a warrior by nature and helping people was her calling, so the war and all the morally questionable things the war had forced on the Jedi had started to erode her confidence in it.

"But it wasn't till Umbara that I finally realised just why the Jedi were never the place for me." Barriss said with a nasty smirk on her face as she recalled the place that she had discovered her heritage. This made Luminara look up as this was new information and hopefully would explain just how Barriss thought a Sith from ancient times was her ancestor.

"When I was on the surface of Umbara I went off to scout on my own, I could move faster than the clones. More quietly too." She said with considerable arrogance that made Luminara frown, wondering just when Barriss had started thinking herself better than others. "The force pulled me to a cave that was hidden by plants and inside…was a tomb. A tomb of a Sith called Belani Syy'in." Barriss said almost in reverence.

"She was a Sith from the New Sith Wars. An assassin with some sorceress training and one that killed many Jedi during that war and relished every moment of it." Barriss said sounding almost in awe of the woman which worried Luminara greatly. "She lived up to her family till the day she died and when I came to her tomb, her holocron woke up. I had never seen anything so beautiful as that pyramid and when I touched it…" Barriss said, her eyes glazed as she remembered the moment she had learned of her heritage.

"It opened for me. The gatekeeper, Belani herself told me that she had a vision one of her descendants would come to this world. The holocron wouldn't work for anyone not of her bloodline! She told me so much about the Jedi and the Sith, let me see things so much more clearly." Barriss said with an almost relaxed look in her eyes.

Luminara was now starting to wonder if this Sith had merely been lying to manipulate Barriss, making her feel important and building up a false bond between them but listened as Barriss continued her story, hoping that when she had all the details that she could start getting through to her fallen padawan.

Auratera, the Outer Rim…

A world of light, near constant daylight Auratera reminded some of Alderaan with its great mountains, Dantooine with its great open plains and Endor with its forests not to mention beautiful clear oceans. Like someone had taken the best qualities of all three and combined them on this unspoiled world.

Unspoiled, was the word. Few people actually lived here but they lived simple lives in small, scattered communities.

Yoda's group was instantly invigorated as they stepped out of the ship and onto the surface of the planet, the force was incredibly strong here, far stronger than on any world they had been too before and mostly it was in tune with the light side of the force.

For a Jedi it was paradise.

Yaddle and Fay both meditated in front of the beautiful Crystal Sea which is where they had decided to build the new temple since the old one had long since collapsed. It was peaceful here and both were enjoying it immensely while the others took time to make sure this was the correct site to build a new Jedi Temple on. Make sure the ground was firm, not prone to flooding and that there was no sign of tidal waves or tsunamis in the past. T'ra Saa was busy investigating the nearby resources to see what was available so they could perhaps stretch the materials Master Yoda had sent them further by expanding the temple.

Due to this world being more hidden than others they could build more out in the open and more elaborately so a full temple could be built. Not a monstrously large construct like on Coruscant but a complex with all the facilities Jedi could possibly need to train and live.

Just as well Yaddle and Fay thought as they felt in the force that they were going to be here a long time for some reason. This was the latest place they had been sent to establish a temple on but no more had been chosen yet and the feeling of being safe here prevailed.

They just hoped that it was because they wanted to stay for a while, which they might well do…and not because they were forced too.