NOTE: this happens about eighty years before the events of TPM
Disclaimer: I don't own the universe, only the characters you do not recognize
Part One
A man stepped carefully to a shadowed landing platform coming out of a landspeader after thanking again to the driver who just nodded and turned to take off as soon as his passenger was on the ground, there was no one on that visitor's platform except a tall gloomy looking guard by the closed durasteel doors that led to the Jedi Temple. Dell Kemiss smiled faintly at himself and at the guard who didn't seem to acknowledge him, it was windy so he pulled his dark brown robe around him and walked to meet the guard, he felt his emotions struggling to surface, he wanted to keep his demeanour calm and tried hard, but this was an important day after all for he was returning to the Temple, home after so many time lost somewhere he whished not to think about.
The Ithorian sentinel moved slightly as he approached the entrance and Kemiss stopped respectfully, he knew the guard wasn't likely used to see Jedi landing on that platform and as public transport was not allowed to the main hangars without clearance code he had no other choice.
"It's Master Dell Kemiss, sir"
"Clearance code?" he asked flatly.
"I have none, at least none you might be using, since I've been away for quite a while"
"I cannot let you pass" he answered.
"I understand," Kemiss had considered this option. He was a stranger to most Jedi, if not all "then as a visitor, I whish a meeting with Master Yoda, or if not at all possible any other member of the council" he offered hoping Master Yoda was available. The guard thought for a moment.
"Do you have anything scheduled?"
"No, nothing"
"I'm afraid you have to"
"Then take this as a matter of urgency, sir, contact the council, please" he kept his mind serene, Dell knew this could happen, he knew security had to be tight. The guard held his stare while weighting his request then retrieved his commlink from his belt and stepped away to speak. Dell did not mention to eavesdrop, he just stood there waiting for the Ithorian to be done with it, he had no whish to rush what was to come, all plausible possibilities were in his mind. He had only to wait.
The guard came over in his neutral stance "You are lucky sir, the council is ending session, they will see you in few time" he paused to open the doors and look inside, Dell followed his gaze and both saw a young Twi'lek emerge from the hallway "initiate Netoor shall accompany you while you're in the Temple" the guard bowed and went to his post "Have a good day" he said as they passed and both returned the greeting.
"I will take you to the Spire, we can wait there, they'll see you soon" the initiate said brightly after some ten minutes as they passed along corridors and hallways heading to the lifts that would take them to the Council Spire.
"Thank you Netoor" they arrived the lifts and entered one that was open "despite the fact that I know this to be a security measure it is by no means necessary, I know my way inside the Temple and besides I mean you no harm!"
"I see, Mr--?"
"It's Master Dell Kemiss, but I'm afraid you never heard of me, I've been away since before you were born" the initiate gave him a confused look, but said nothing further until they arrived at the council chambers' doors.
"We're here, Master Kemiss" the doors opened and before Kemiss entered the Twi'lek bowed "I'm Wes Netoor, I'll be waiting for you here" Kemiss thanked him and headed inside the Chamber.
The Jedi Master came to a halt before entering the circle of chairs, they had not called him yet and he did not wanted to seem forward. A deep voice echoed and he walked calmly to the centre of the circle, there were only five Masters scattered on the seats. He bowed to no on in particular. Kemiss sighed, Master Yoda wasn't among them.
"State your name" said a cold male voice from the Bothan right in front of him.
"Dell Kemiss"
"You were announced as Jedi Master" he was focused in Kemiss' robe and tunics "however your name does not features in our records" he kept his tone neutral "or else, it does under odd circumstances"
"That's why it is important for Master Yoda to be contacted" he answered "Master--?"
"Eckard Chris. Master Yoda is unavailable" he said delaying the last word. Dell only sighed again; he had not expected them to keep him from reaching the other Master.
"Master Yoda is familiar with said circumstances" Kemiss pushed a little further.
"How convenient then, your coming here when it is known the Grand Master has been unreachable for some time" said a female voice behind, Dell twisted his torso to face the councillor.
"I don't understand... is he away?" he asked the Chalactan Master
"That's classified" her tone told him that was all he was going to know on the matter.
"As are the details concerning you, Master Kemiss" the Bothan was on the edge of being sarcastic he did not sound like someone who enjoyed having details concerning any Jedi being kept from him, but he also did not sound like he believed Dell Kemiss to be a trusted Jedi Master. Dell could sense the probing of his mind by three of the councillors present being Master Chris the most insisting, the Chalactan wasn't among them, she was already resolute to take him as a fraud or foe, to her he stood no chance.
"My assignment--"
"You fell to the dark, Master" the Bothan clutched one of his paws on the chair arm and sat straight.
"Fell? Masters I am not familiar with the final reports on my mission, Master Yoda--"
"Accordingly..." came the musing voice of the Chalactan Master, she was looking at a datapad "You left thirty-seven years ago! In case these records are not all wrong, how do you explain them? You look less then thirty yourself" a barely dissimulated smirk sneaked out her lips, Dell was used to be taken as younger then he was, actually as far as he remembered he had always looked the same since he was found on the planet Glottal by his master "you're human..."
"Yes I am, 100 in all scans"
"Indeed" she took another peak at the datapad, but said nothing further.
"Masters, the knowledge of Master Yoda is essential... or maybe Master Crimson Jaa" he brought up the name of the other Jedi who knew the real facts.
"Again, convenient" spat the Chalactan annoyed, Kemiss was confused "Master Jaa is deceased"
"Deceased?"
"Yes not five years ago" Master Chris replied instead of her and the Chalactan shoed no objection "Quite a blow I see"
"Indeed, he was my mentor..." there was a pause where none of them whished to speak and the Force itself crawled inside every councillor engrossed on their thoughts and shielding them from him, Kemiss did not mind it, he only hoped they could spare him one small chance, one benefit of doubt.
"Dell Kemiss, you have to understand where we stand" soothed a serene voice at last from the Jedi on his right. He was a Kiffar, telling by his face tattoo with robe and tunics in shades of grey which gave him a calming air "we are sceptical"
"I understand, Master--?"
"Veehpin Kuo"
"Master Kuo. But do understand my position as well, please. I only want to explain the whole situation"
"Which, judging by all evidence on file is undeniably obscure. You fell." He heard the Chalactan across the room, but did not move to face her.
"I did not" Kemiss suppressed another sigh and dropped his gaze to the floor. Is former confidence begun to slowly abandon him, Master Yoda wasn't supposed to be away and his Master was not meant be dead, he had been wise and strong and had believed him, Master Jaa would have known him to be faithful to the Jedi otherwise Kemiss would not have been chosen.
"Then what did you do, Master Kemiss, care to explain?" asked Master Chris who had regained his patient gaze.
"Yes." He inhaled "About thirty-nine years ago while on a mission on the lowest level of Coruscant, where I was investigating a convergence point of dark energy I crossed way with an unusual individual..."
"The convergence himself?" interrupted Master Chris.
"No, that's what intrigued me and my Master. Where I found him was a place of darkness, but unlike other passers by he was a cloud in the Force, an indifferent presence that seemingly did not belong to It. I met him several times after as to keep investigation, Master Yoda had been informed by then and required constant update"
"Only those two Jedi were informed?" Master Kuo had a slight frown.
"It was one small off-record thing. Now it sounds a little irresponsible, but then seemed right we did not foresee what was to come." Now that he mentioned it had really been reckless, but Yoda had desired it to be classified so fear or restlessness would not fall upon all Jedi. Kemiss had to go on with the detailing of the assignment, they had to know it all "it was latter discovered he was a strong Force sensitive and had influence over Its Dark Side. But only years after did I realise he was indeed a Dark Lord of the Sith." as he concluded his sentence a wave of distress ran the Masters and two or three gasps echoed along the smooth walls of the chamber and even Dell sensed the sudden uneasiness and surprise radiating from the five beings as the Force around them vibrated almost alarmingly. They would not believe him.
"A Dark lord of the Sith?" came Master Kuo's grave voice "But they are known to be extinct for nearly a thousand years!"
"Thirty-nine years ago..." mused the Bothan Master "I would remember..."
"We would have known..." a female Mon Calamari sat between Masters Chris and Kuo, Dell stared painfully at her, he tried to speak but his mouth opened and closed and no sound came from it and he only felt capable of another sigh as he noticed the last shred of confidence go out in is Force signature.
"It was classified" his shoulders fell and his arms hanging at his side became numb.
"Aahh..." gasped the Chalactan in mock realization "another convenience" however the wary feeling of surprise didn't vanish at all from the Force and all other four had the decency to act with polite embarrassment before such words, not that she'd lost her composure, but Jedi neutrality begun to be repressing. Kemiss was on a fragile situation and it was increasing its weight on him.
"Continue, Dell Kemiss" Veehpin Kuo was honestly interested in finding the truth in it and sent him encouragement through the Force as he rested his fingers together and elbows on the chair arms.
"He begun to trace me and approached me every time I ran errands in the City, I reported it all to my Master and Master Yoda. And one of those meetings he referred to something giving a lot to think to Master Yoda who latter presented us a plan"
"By this time you were certain that he was indeed a Sith?" asked Eckard Chris
"Almost, I knew he went by the title... unfortunately only latter did I understand the real meaning of it--" Dell had to stop to take a deeper breath, memories of that time tainted his spirit, all air was sucked from his lungs and pain took over him, it still ached in all bones and muscles, it was craved in the Force. Master Kuo likely sensed some of that pain because from his side tendrils of the force reached Dell and assured him of compassion and he was capable of maintaining tranquillity and composure "the plan consisted on infiltrating as his apprentice since he'd mentioned he was looking for one. I was only to give him a reason to want to turn me to the Dark--" his voice failed and Kemiss was at loss to continue.
"So he did take you to the Dark" concluded the Mon Calamari Master.
"I assume I was capable of persuading him well enough" he muttered.
"And I find elusion a grand attribute of the Dark" told him the Bothan.
"My Masters, all these years I've learned one thing. There are no actual distinguished sides of the Force, there are different ways of using it and our final understanding of those ways, the purpose we use them for; my understanding is clear: my allegiance is to the Jedi" he had no more to say.
"Well Dell Kemiss, it's hard for us to measure the level of truth in you, the Sith are deceitful and cunning. And as you said you eluded a Sith Master concerning your allegiance what proves us we are not being eluded ourselves?" Eckard Chris wasn't sarcastic, he was stoic and pointful. The chamber lay in silence while all five councillors pondered all that had been said until the Chalactan Master broke the silence.
"My name is Amber Dullin, I don't think we were properly introduced yet, not that it matters, but it's polite to be given the name of those addressing us." Dell bowed and repeated her name as if they hadn't spoken so far "There is another inconstancy on your records," her tone was graver "it is here said that you were only brought to the Temple at the age fifteen"
"Truth"
"Since the Ruusan Reformation Force-sensitives are not accepted if not infants, your training was a liability" Master Dullin wasn't looking at him, she checked her pony-tale and soothed her already neat brown robe, Dell had a probing feeling her lack of interest was meant to make him feel insignificant, a poor act especially for a councillor, but he could also be reading the wrong signs, Dullin might be tired, they'd been in session probably for hours.
"A risk My Master decided to take"
"This is something we have to monitor more carefully henceforth" Master Chris' words caused a long pause during which the Force was agitated inside of all of them as the Jedi deliberated every word spoken. Kemiss felt tired as the councillors released their heaviness into the Force, he needed this to be over and go somewhere else to rest his mind. His past yeas had not been quiet, escaping from the Sith's tutelage, running and hiding for two years trying to evade him before returning to the Jedi was not the comfort he had hoped for after years of suffering, this was torture beyond his endurance. Returning to a Temple of strangers was enough to bring him close to a breaking point, he would not dwell on it, but hovering over its pit smelled of threat and he might consider leaving the Jedi if this plagued him further.
"Was your mission accomplished?" asked carefully Master Chris, his tone suiting the delicacy of the subject.
"No, it was not, Master" he hadn't been capable, his mind strength had failed him "He should've been brought to justice" if they had listened carefully they might have noticed that small lilt in his last word, however none of them knew him enough to see how it betrayed his calm façade.
"Can you find and identify him?" the female Mon Calamari sat straight in her chair if the strong beats of her heart had pulled her and Kemiss felt helpless as he hadn't in a while.
"It won't be easy to find him and one alone stands him no threat. He's very dangerous to be dealt lightly" she sat back, her jaw tight and black eyes thoughtful "he is wise and cunning, the search will be a hard one, but we'll find him. And yes, I can identify him under any disguise or circumstance" Dell was resolute on seeking the Sith even if it was his last mission and with the Jedi's help or without it.
"So the Sith have returned" Master Eckard Chris was frowning heavily as the Force around him tensed "This is grave... How many of them are there?"
"Only one. And they have not returned... actually they were never extinguished. One survived the destruction of the Brotherhood of Darkness, one who established several rules to make survival and secrecy possible." Kemiss held Master Chris' gaze "the Rule of Two is one of those rules, it means there can only be two of them, a Master and an Apprentice and as far as I know there is the Master alone. However I don't believe it'll stay like it for long" when he finished all Masters were silent, analysing evidence in their minds and awkward to believe Dell. If he sat where they did, he wouldn't believe the man standing there claiming to have been a Sith Apprentice on a Top Secret mission only two other Jedi knew about and both were in situations they had no possibility to testify. He felt tired walking a road that never ended with feet heavy and hands tied.
Another ten minutes passed and the Jedi remained silent until Eckard Chris stared into Dell's eyes and politely told him to leave.
"Master Eckard is right" followed Veehpin Kuo "we have to debate this matter in full session. We'll contact the ones absent and present it to them. So if you please wait in the Temple while it's done." Kemiss bowed respectfully.
"And another Jedi will see to you and accompany you wherever you desire to go in the Temple" whispered the Bothan female waving her paw in an excusing manner as it was as tiresome for her as it was for him to have other Jedi following him around. Dell bowed, acquiesced and turned to leave.