Chapter 1:

The Apprentice

Jurran Ruinmark was a human child living on the streets of Nar Shada with his parents. He had lived on the smugglers moon his entire life, and hated every bit of it. Ever day he watched his father would go out and do vile deeds for some up and coming hutt, which keft him without a father most of the time. This left the poor boy feeling deprived and lonely as he was left to fend for himself and his depressed mother.

Whenever Jurran did see his father home it was only for a couple days. It was the same thing everytime. His father promised it was his last job and he would be home for good, his mother would seem happy then there would be a knock at the door. It was always one of Jabbas men, his father would order his wife and young Jurran into another room. Jurran loved to hide by the hallway and listen in on his father visitors.

THey would always start out speaking about the hutt, always they said," The Great Jabba this," or "Hail Jabba." Jurran hated that name more than anything else in the world. He believed it was he who split up his family. The visitor would stay only for a few moments, hand his dad a datapad then move on. Each time his father would read the datapad then pack his things and leave. He was watching that same thing as the rodian visitor handed his father the small black piece of plastic.

His father switched it on and, Boom! Red blood and guts went flying and painted the walls. The boy just stared for a few minutes. He took in the scene, secretly vowing to end the huts life one day. A few moments passed and the boy stood up and went back to his room as if it were just any other day.

The next day Jurran and his mother were on the streets. Apparently the hutt had been paying there rent, when he terminated his father. This left his mother no choice but to beg and offer herself for money. It wasn't long until his mother stopped coming home to the empty storage bin they called home.

It only took a few months for Jurran to find away to take care of himself. He would walk in the crowds and every now and then bump into a passing patron, at that time he would pick their pocket of what credits they contained. He could do it blindly if he wanted too, it was if some extra sense was guiding him to the best chance. At that time he wrote it off as experience and survival instinct.

It was this day that he bumped into a particularly wealthy looking man. He wore a stylish black tunic and a brown cloak. His hair was black and slightly graying. A perfect target, though Jurran's extra sense seemed to tell him to forgo this man. He shook his head, this man was obviously wealthy. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves he walked straight into the man.

After a few mumbled apologies the boy headed off, smiling for he knew he just hit the big time. He had just turned the corner when he hit a solid figure. Jurran went sprawling on the ground, losing his credits. He quickly stood to collect them when he heard the figure chuckle. He was about to let whoever it was have it when he looked up.

His jaw dropped in surprise, it was the man he had just picked pocketed, he instantly turned to run. He found himself going nowhere. It was as if he were floating a good foot off the ground. The confused boy looked down and found that he really was floating. He gasped as he stopped moving his feet.

"I see your mind works fast young one," The man said in a kindly and commanding voice. He felt himself turn towards the man. "If I put you down do you promise to not run? I will not harm you; if that was my intention you would already be dead." The boy gawked at the man as he bowed his head. At the same time he spotted a metal cylinder attached to the man's built.

The boy gasped, the man had a lightsaber! Jurran felt his feet touch the ground again. He looked up at the man's smiling face and asked hesitantly, "Are you a Jedi?" The man only nodded his head as he grabbed Jurrans hand. He just starred the whole time as he followed the man to his starship and his destiny.

The man had introduced himself as Jedi Knight Dooku once they were on his ship and sitting in the bridge. Dooku had told the young boy how he had just finished his mission and was returning to his ship when he felt a pull from the force to take his unusual path down the main walkway. It was here that he ran into Jurran, after that he asked him to hold out his finger. Dooku pricked his finger and put the blood in a machine. He smiled at the young lad and turned to a robot ordering him to Courescent.

That was thirteen years ago, now the young boy was a young adult and Dookus padawan. They were just departing from their most recent mission, he decided to meditate on the last conversation he had with his master on the bridge of the ship and went straight to his quarters. Master Sifodius had asked Dooku to go to the Kamino system and negotiate a clone army. He also supplied the man to be cloned; it was a bounty hunter known as Jango Fett. Dooku accepted the mission as he always did, without a single question.

At first Jurran was adamant about the mission, until he found that the army would be clones of a ruthless bounty hunter. He asked Dooku why they would put the fate of the republic in the hands of a criminal. Dooku simply answered," Prejudice is not the jedi way my young padawan. The bounty hunter is a natural in all combats. People say that it came naturally to him, as if he had already known it. Some even believe he is a descendent of the legendary Mandalorians."Jurrans calm master then turned serious," Besides we have altered the clones slightly. They will not be the single minded man he is."

That was how his master left the conversation. Though his words made since, Jurran still had the nagging feeling that nothing good could come from such an arrangement. Still who was he to question The Jedi Masters? "We are now breaking atmosphere."The intercom beeped with a droids voice. Jurran quickly threw on his brown over robes and headed to the bridge.

It was normal protocol for Jurran to meet his master at the bridge upon entering a planet and landing, he was also to be there when they left a planets orbit. Jurran had not noticed the length of time he was meditating. He often became lost in his meditations, but the trip from Kamino to Courescant was several standard days long.

Jurran shook his head clear as he walked to the door, pausing as he saw his reflection in his wall mirror. He noticed that he was starting to look more like an adult and less like a juvenile. His face was naturally pale; he had solid jet black hair which he kept in a pony tail. His face was flawless and smooth except for his goatee which hung in a point from his chin.

He wore similar robes as his masters, with the exception of his cloak being a dark grey and silver wrist cuffs. What stuck out the most in the young jedi was his presence. Whatever his mood it seemed that it effected others in the room as well. When he was younger was unable to control his emotions his fellow pupils seemed to imitate his same feelings. When he was mad so were they, when he was happy they all smiled and when he was sad everyone seemed to be in a depressed mood

He knew it was the particular way the force worked within him. Still he kept it a secret, for he knew the jedi would wonder about such a thing. Sighing he turned his attention back to the task at hand. He pressed his hand against the scanner and the door flew open. Stepping out into the long sterile white hallway he absent mindedly turned left.

He had walked this path many times before and had every little turn memorized. He was on the Third to bottom floor, the bridge was on the top. At the end of the hallway was the turbo lift that would carry him to his master. He reached the lift which, as always, flanked by two droids. Stepping in he spoke his destination," Bridge!" he then heard a ding and off they went.

Ding! The turbo lift stopped and Jurran exited. On both sides of the door were two more droids. Ignoring them he walked straight ahead where the doors to the bridge lay. The swooshed open and Jurran entered. He saw his master standing amid the deck. He had changed little threw the years. Now his hair was salt and pepper, but he still stood with majesty and dignity.

He truly was lucky to be apprentice to Dooku. Dooku was the offspring of a very wealthy family. He started his training at seven, by then he was already well versed in politics and had an advanced education. Apparently his induction into the jedi was a political trade. A famous Jedi knight had found the young man and made a deal with his parents to allow him to be trained as a jedi.

It wasn't until he reached Couracant that the young Dooku found it wasn't just any Jedi knight that procured him, but the famous Jedi Master Yoda. At the time seven was too high aged to be trained, most jedi then were aristocrats though and followed rules from a time when the sith lived freely in the galaxy and they had to be careful in case there were any spies. Knowing only peace these Jedi stood hard against Yoda for betraying tradition.

It wasn't until Yoda reminded them that his master was one of those that started such a tradition that they allowed Dooku to be trained. This happened nearly one hundred years ago, now Dooku was on the verge of becoming a Master himself. Jurran was truly privileged to be under the tutelage of someone like Dooku.

He noticed the bridge was filled with droids. Jurran could never understand his wise master's love of droids. He would gladly trade a sterile computer that carried sixteen different blasters for a thinking bothan who knew a blaster any day. He had just finished the thought when he heard Dooku call him. "Come, my young padawan. It is important that you know the procedures to land in planets like Courescent."

His master used the same line every time they entered and exited a planet, with the exception of the name of course. Jurran as always smiled and said, "Of course Master." Dooku smiled with pleasure. He was wearing his usual black suit with the official brown robes of the jedi. His long salt and peppered hair was tied back in a pony tail; his beard was neatly trimmed as always."Now when we arrive Master Sifodias will meet us on the landing pad. I will go with him to the jedi council. Meantime I have a small mission for you."

Jurrans brow furrowed in curiosity," Yes master. What is this mission?" Dookus smile broadened. He waved his hand and switched off the active intercom. His face then turned serious, as he crossed his arms. Dooku used this gesture whenever he was dead serious about something. It meant Jurran was to tell no one of this mission, the padawan nodded his head ready to accept his masters' mission.

"When we land we will be met by not only Sifodias but also a young senator from Nabboo. His name is Senator Palpatine, I have my suspicions for this man rose from a mere assistant to senator quite quickly, but that isn't all its the way he reached it." Dooku said with an air of animosity," His predecessor met an untimely demise." Jurrans brow twitched," You mean Murder?" Dooku bowed his knowingly.

"I have arranged for you to meet with this senator. I wish you to befriend him and it is your mission while whenever we are here to be in his company and see if he was involved in this whole murder thing." Again Jurran bowed his acknowledgement."Good, I'm glad to see you so eager. Is something troubling you my young padawan? I sense much duress in you." Jurran folded his hands. He had to choose his words wisely in order to convene his meaning in full.

"I am disturbed master."Dooku arched a brow at his padawans response. Jurran knew why that was; Dooku was a single minded acolyte, whatever the jedi told him was the truth no matter what. He believed the masters incorruptible, especialy Yoda and Siffodias. Jurran knew otherwise, he understood the force. The force is a living breathing universal being filled with power, it is said that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely.

Not just that but he believed as all jedis it was meant for the light, but he also understood every light casts a shadow. The darkside of the force was just as potent as the light. Every jedi knows the pressure of power, only the strongest willed can truly succeed in being a jedi as they grew in power. That was why Jurran believed the jedi had so many masters and not to blindly trust even the Jedi Council.

Still he knew that even jedi masters were not beyond corruption."You see master," Jurran continued, "Is not every being in the force touched by it in another way? And if so then how can we clone so many copies of one man? Wouldn't the force eventually fad in them" Dookus face instantly softened. It wasn't very often that he removed the emotionless mask he wore. The jedi clasped Juran on the shoulder and looked him in the eye.

"We truly do not understand the force. Even with all our training and meditation we don't know truly what it is or why it does what it does. Will the force fade from these clones? Possibly, but they can grow stronger too. You see we can't always predict what direction the force will take" then Dooku really surprised him, a smile actually crossed his face. Not one of his political ones but a genuine smile. He then removed the hand from his padawans shoulder and walked by him without another word.