Chapter 3: Council


Qui-Gon walked into his apartment in the Jedi Temple before pausing, slightly surprised. Seeing Meetra in meditation wasn't surprising, but seeing Anakin sitting next to her meditating as well, in what Qui-Gon imagined was his first meditation, was. He had figured the boy to excitable and inexperienced to properly meditate without quite a bit of coaching. Yet...

The sight of the boy sitting next to Meetra seemed... like it was right.

He rubbed his beard for a moment. He had been planning to train the boy himself, but, if the Council forbid him, a certain Exile might prove to be a valid option rather than leaving the Order in order to train him. If the boy truly was the Chosen One as he believed, and the Sith had returned, then there might be no one better to train him to confront this threat. Not to mention, he hadn't been blind to see how much Anakin had stuck to Meetra on the trip here. The boy was drawn to her for some reason, both fascinated by, and concerned for her.

Qui-Gon could admit, there was something off about Meetra's presence, something that the Force was quietly whispering about, urgently, with unease and fear. That the Force itself could seem afraid was a baffling notion to him, especially towards someone with her reputation. From what he had read, she and her disciples were almost single-handedly responsible for destroying the Sith at the end of the Jedi Purge and helping to restore the Republic after it had been ravaged by the Jedi Civil War.

He contemplated his musings for a moment longer before shaking his head and clearing his throat. "Meetra, Anakin, the Council will see you now."

Meetra's eyes snapped open, she got up, stretched, and nudged Anakin.

The boy stirred, blinking, a hazed look in his eyes. "Wha...?"

Meetra reached down and ruffled the boy's hair. "Time to go see the Council."

Anakin rubbed his eyes. "Oh... okay..."

Qui-Gon's lips twitched upward with amusement. "You'll have a chance to nap later young one."

Anakin blinked a few times before shaking his head, becoming fully aware, crossing his arms and scowling. "I'm not a little kid, I don't nap!"

Qui-Gon chuckled. "You'll change your tune when your training begins."

"He's right on that," said Meetra, making for the door, "Thanks for the tea by the way, it's good."

Qui-Gon tilted his head. "If you want, I can show you where I buy it sometime."

Meetra nodded. "I'd like that."


They walked through the temple towards the turbolift to the Council's chamber. Meetra couldn't help but notice this time around, Anakin was quiet, he asked no questions, did not look around at the temple they walked through, nor let his thoughts wander. Instead, she could feel his eyes boring into her back with an intensity that made her curious and slightly uneasy.

Time for a bit of subtle probing then. "So Anakin, how was your first meditation?"

Anakin didn't reply until they got in the turbolift, "It... was like my dreams."

"Your dreams?" said Qui-Gon.

Anakin hesitated. "I... saw things, images. It's been the same dream every night on the way here, and in the meditation. Only, it was different. In my dreams, I don't really have a chance to try to figure things out while I'm in them. When I was meditating, I could just... well..."

"Stand back and observe?" offered Meetra.

Anakin nodded. "Yeah, helps me not freak out, and to try to think."

Qui-Gon pulled on his beard briefly. "It's possible you're having Force Visions. Be mindful Anakin, the future is always in motion. It's better to focus on the here and now, dealing with the future as it comes. For, the more you obsess on a vision, the more you likely you will enable it if it's bad, or push it away if it's good. Ultimately Anakin, your focus determines your reality."

Anakin pondered his words for a moment before his eyes flickered to Meetra.

"Was this 'vision' about me?" guessed Meetra.

Anakin hesitated, a wave of unease emanating from the force around him. "Y-yes."

Hmm... dealing with visions was a pain. Judging by the intensity Anakin had been staring at her, and the concern he had shown towards her the last few days, she had a hunch what the vision was about. It didn't bother her too much, she had dealt with the possibility of dying anytime during the Jedi Purge, especially when she had fought Nihilus and Sion. But did she ask? Or did she not?

Ah, kriff it. "Do I die?"

Oddly for so young a boy, Anakin grew contemplative. "In a way, I think you're already dead in the dream."

That... was a baffling answer, but, something she'd have to drop as the turbolift reached it's destination. Qui-Gon bid them to wait while he went into the Council chamber, returning a moment later and motioning Meetra through. She was rather amused to see a Holocron playing a recording of Atris speaking to the council, detailing what was known about Meetra's life within the Jedi before the Mandalorian Wars. Hmph, so Atris had stopped playing with her Sith holocrons and made a Jedi one, about her of all things. She didn't know if she should be exasperated or touched. She waited patiently, at the entrance of the Council chambers, until Atris finished, and an image of Meetra herself cropped up. The eyes of the Council flickered to the image, before turning their eyes to Meetra, grim acceptance in their eyes.

With that, a small green Jedi, so similar to Master Vandar, waved a hand, turning the Holocron off, and levitating it to rest beside his seat. "Welcome Meetra Surik, good to have you here, it is."

A hint of a smile played across Meetra's face at his race's kind of wording.

"Amuse you, I do?" questioning the small green Jedi.

"You remind me of Master Vandar Tokare," she offered.

The small green Jedi's ears twitched. "Hmm. Read of him, I have. A good master, he was said to have been."

Meetra nodded. "I can agree with that."

"Impolite it is, to not introduce ourselves," said the small green jedi, "Master Yoda, I am."

One by one, the Council introduced itself. A female Tholothian named Adi Gallia. A human female named Depa Billaba. A male Iridonian Zabrak named Eeth Koth. A male Lannik named Even Piell. A Cerean male named Ki-Adi-Mundi. A male Thisspiasian named Oppo Rancisis. A male Kel Dor named Plo Koon. A male Ikototchi named Saesee Tin. A female of Yoda's kind named Yaddle. A male Quermian named Yarael Poof. The final one to introduce himself was a human male named Mace Windu.

Meetra carefully, gently, and without any attempt to be deceitful about it, probed their force signatures. While she knew it wasn't something required of them, the Council allowed it, a slight lowering of their mental walls to allow Meetra to identify and gauge them. In turn, when she felt their probes, she slightly dropped her walls. She felt curiosity, and anticipation from some of the more newer council members if she had to guess. They wanted to know how and why she was here.

Mace leaned forward slightly, the palms of his hands touched and held outward. "I'm not one to waste time Master Surik, let's get down to business, how..."

Meetra cleared her throat and interrupted. "With due respect, I was never officially made a Master."

Mace seemed slightly annoyed with the interruption, but banished it. "Noted. Meetra, according to the archives, like Revan before you, you disappeared almost four thousand years ago. What happened, and how are you here?"

Meetra clasped her hands behind her back, and decided to give them a brief run down, she wasn't interested in being stuck here for hours. "I left the Republic in order to search out Revan. My search led me to discover an entire Sith Empire, and took me to their capital world of Dromund Kaas. I discovered and freed Revan, allying myself with a Sith known as Scourge in order to do so."

"You allied yourself with a Sith?" said Ki-Adi-Mundi harshly.

"An alliance of convenience, nothing more," said Meetra, "I needed his help and knowledge to find Revan and learn what we were really up against. Revan apparently had a previous encounter with the Sith Emperor who ruled there, part of the reason he was turned to the Dark Side in the Jedi Civil War. The three of us came to the decision to destroy the Sith Emperor and we moved to confront him."

Meetra frowned, recalling the foul presence she had felt days ago back in her own time. "I... had never encounter a presence so dark before, none of the Sith I faced during the purge compared to him. Scourge and I handled his guard while Revan moved to begin the initial confrontation with the Emperor..."

She trailed off momentarily, trying to wrap her mind around what Revan had done. "I'm not exactly sure what Revan did. I was kind of distracted until Scourge and I moved to help him. Revan was literally glowing with the Force, in-tune with it in a way I have never felt before. He called for me, holding out his hand. I figured he was preparing some kind of massive force attack to use against the Emperor, so I took his hand and started giving him my energy. There was an explosion of energy, in which my vision turned black and I felt like for a moment I had been turned inside out. Afterwords, Revan and I reappeared on Tatooine."

She added dryly, "Apparently four thousand years later."

She reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose and sighed. "I don't know why or how he took us here. We were there to end it, to kill the Sith Emperor and end his threat before he could destroy the Republic and what remained of the Jedi. They weren't ready in the slightest, last I knew the Republic was in tatters and the Jedi hadn't even started on reforming yet. If we didn't stop him, I thought the Republic would be doomed."

She cleared her throat. "Which brings up the question of how exactly the Republic survived."

Eeth Koth leaned forward. "I've studied your time period a bit. The Sith Empire did not invade and start the Galactic War until a few hundred years after your disappearance. According to the information brought back to us from the strike team that eventually killed the Sith Emperor, he was gravely wounded in a confrontation between him and a 'pair of Jedi' a few hundred years ago. He took his time to recover and build up his forces before he invaded."

"So we bought the Republic and the Jedi time then," Meetra mused.

Yoda nodded. "Time needed, time well spent recovering, rebuilding, regrowing. Thankful the order is, for your and Revan's actions."

"Still, we ought to have won, fought and defeated him rather than just wounding him," said Meetra.

"Perhaps," said Mace, sitting straight in his chair, "But, would that have really been the best course of action?"

Meetra raised an eyebrow at him.

"Sith are power hungry. If you had killed the Emperor, another would have simply took his place," said Mace.

"And most likely launched an attack far earlier in retaliation, before the Republic and the Jedi were ready," offered Eeth.

Meetra contemplated it for a moment. "Possibly. I'd like to believe they would have destroyed themselves in the power vacuum for the throne, but we'll never know the answer to that."

"Lingering in the past, we are," said Yoda, "Discuss the present, we should."

Depa spoke up, "You are the only living Jedi with firsthand experience facing the Sith. We wish to ask you about the assailant you and Master Jinn fought on Tatooine. Was he truly a Sith? You alone are qualified to answer that for us."

"My first instinct is to say yes," said Meetra, "But there was something odd I noticed about him. He used the Dark Side to fuel himself, fed off it like a Sith, yes, but, he seemed lacking with ability in the Force itself. He held great hatred, but it was mostly focused towards amplifying his skills with a Lightsaber. I never saw him use an ability like Force Lightning or Drain Life or anything of that type."

"Force Lightning?" questioned Adi Gallia.

"Sith can launch lightning out of their fingertips at you," said Meetra.

Adi gave her a skeptical look.

"I'm not joking," said Meetra, "It hurts. If you aren't knowledgeable about what a Sith can do, you ought to read up in it."

Adi opened her mouth to say something but Mace cut her off. "Was this assailant a Sith, or was he not?"

Meetra was a bit off-put by his tone, but contemplated it for a moment before simply saying, "Yes."

There was a heavy silence in the room.

"Why is that so surprising?" asked Meetra.

"The Sith have been extinct for over a millennia," explained Ki-Adi-Mundi, "That they could have just suddenly returned without us knowing..."

Meetra crossed her arms. "You seem rather alarmed, it's just one Sith, one who seems more like an Assassin rather than a Lord."

"Always two there are, no more, no less," said Yoda, "A master, and an apprentice."

Meetra blanked for a moment. "Huh?"

"The Sith have changed from the expansive self-destructive orders you knew," said Mace, "Around a thousand years ago, the Jedi had learned that the Sith had changed, focusing all their knowledge and power on a single Master-Apprentice pair. We had thought this new order of Sith had been exterminated, but apparently not."

Meetra frowned intensely. "A single master and apprentice..."

A bad feeling formed in the pit of her stomach. This method of 'two' eliminated one of the Sith's most extreme weaknesses: Mass betrayal. Only two meant they would never have to worry about another Sith getting greedy and trying to backstab them for their position. The apprentice would not betray and kill the Master until he or she had learned all they needed to learn. Only being two would make it so much more difficult to track them down, or even discover they existed. They could so easily blend in and manipulate things, especially with the Jedi believing them to be wiped out. It meant that the Dark Side would solely be focused on and called by this single pair, not fought over and divided.

It was brilliant.

It was also completely terrifying.

And the Sith had apparently been doing this for roughly a thousand years.

Oh boy...

"That changes things then," said Meetra, her mind working in overdrive, "If they had been in hiding, biding their time this entire last millennia, the Sith wouldn't just show themselves for no reason."

"Why do you think they did?" asked Plo Koon, "Do you believe it had something to do with your appearance and the disturbance in the Force it caused?"

Meetra shook her head. "No. It wasn't that long after Revan and I appeared that the Sith came after the ship, a few hours at best. The Sith was already on the planet. They were already planning on revealing themselves."

"Again, why?" said Mace, "It makes no sense to just suddenly announce that they are here."

"Unless they are nearing their endgame," said Meetra, "The Sith have always wanted two things, ultimate power, and the death of the Jedi."

"Two against roughly ten thousand Jedi scattered through the galaxy seems like poor odds," stated Plo Koon.

"Only if you are able to actually track down and fight them with that overwhelming odds," countered Meetra, "But if they get to pick and choose their fights, and orchestrate things their way, then what good is that number if you can never fight them head on? Not to mention if I'd imagine they'd be willing to carpet bomb Coruscant if it meant killing the entire Jedi order."

"Point taken," said Mace, "You have experience against the Sith, what action would you suggest be taken?"

Meetra slowly shook her head. "I have experience against my Sith, not these new Sith. Though they may be similar to the Sith in the Purge that struck from the shadows, they are still far different. If they've had a thousand years to prepare themselves unchallenged, I couldn't begin to imagine how to deal with this."

Yoda shook his head. "Brought to this time for a reason, you were. Not a coincident it is of your return, the day the Sith reveal themselves."

Meetra frowned and thought it over. "The only thing I can say right now is that Qui-Gon and I fought the apprentice, I'm sure of it. There's no way with that lack of Force power that he was the Master. This 'reveal' was a message, nothing more, nothing less. The Sith have announced their return, whether it's to say they are ready to fight, or just to rile the order up and cause panic and discord to cover their actions, who knows."

Mace nodded slowly. "I suppose we will have to see what happens then. Meetra, we suspect Queen Amidala's arrival on Coruscant will not end Naboo's ongoing struggle and plan to have Qui-Gon and his apprentice keep aiding her. We believe your assistance will help them manage this crisis and perhaps draw out the Sith. You will travel with them and face this Sith."

Meetra narrowed her eyes and found her mood souring instantly. She had been civil and respectful, but it seemed the Council was the same as ever. Orders orders order, it never changed. They could have asked and she would have readily accepted. Instead, they demanded, they ordered, and they had yet to earn her respect to make demands of her.

Meetra crossed her arms. "I do not answer to the Jedi Council."

There was a pause before the Council members eyed her warily, save for Yoda who seemed amused. "A Jedi, are you not? Unwilling to aid your fellows, are you?"

"In-case you didn't read your history books, I'm an Exile, not a Jedi," she countered bitingly, "The Jedi banished me, for doing what was right, for joining Revan to take a stand against the Mandalorians."

Mace sighed. "Meetra, what grievance you have with the Jedi of old should stay in the past. You are more than welcome to rejoin the Jedi Order."

Just like that? Blow off everything that had happened? What the Jedi Council of old had tried to do to her on Dantooine was still very fresh in her mind.

She closed her eyes, her lips tightly closed, her jaw set, before she slowly let her anger go into the Force. As much as she wanted to hold it against them... ultimately... the past was the past. These were not the Jedi who had turned on her, their heirs maybe, but the sins of the father shouldn't be laid on the sons. There was nothing she could do about it now. Besides... such thoughts were the way of the Dark Side.

No matter how good and righteous it felt to lash out.

Still... she wasn't going to just bow to the will of the Council. Ever again.

"I'll help the Jedi with this matter, as thanks for looking after Revan, and if only to make sure the Galaxy doesn't end up like it did during my time," said Meetra, opening her eyes "But, I will keep my Exile status and my independence from the Order, and the Council, and will reserve the right to refuse any mission I do not agree with."

There was a heavy silence in the room.

"You realize you wield a lightsaber and bear the robes of a Jedi," pointed out Ki-Adi-Mundi.

Meetra shrugged. "And? I built my saber myself, and bought my robes fair and square. Unless there is a law about owning a Lightsaber and robes, they're mine to keep and use."

Mace narrowed his eyes. "Very well. The Council... appreciates... your outside assistance. Spare quarters will be set up for you in the temple so long as you offer aid to the Order. You are dismissed."

Meetra briefly turned, not bothering to bow, before pausing, "What about the boy, Anakin?"

Mace frowned. "None of your concern, as it is a Jedi matter, Exile."

Meetra said nothing more, and walked out of the room, spotting Qui-Gon and Anakin waiting by the turbolift.

"How'd it go?" asked Anakin.

Meetra scoffed. "If you ask me, the Council hasn't changed in the last four thousand years."

A twitch went through Qui-Gon's face, an attempt to suppress a smile. "No, I suppose not."

"You don't like them?" asked Anakin, "Are they bad people?"

Meetra frowned before sighing. "No, they're not 'bad'. They just have a different outlook and expectations that I don't agree with. I am not some mindless Jedi that they can order around. Not anymore."

Anakin looked confused. "Mindless Jedi...?"

Meetra winced a little. "Okay, Jedi aren't mindless, but..."

"Most Jedi have a tendency to blindly follow the will of the Council and the code, rather than the Force," offered Qui-Gon.

Meetra nodded. "Agreed."

Anakin had a small frown on his face, trying to work it over.

"Don't worry about it to much Anakin, just focus on the Council's tests," said Meetra.

"Can you tell me what the tests will be?" asked Anakin.

Meetra wagged a finger. "That would be cheating."

Anakin scowled a little before crossing his arms. "Hmph."

Qui-Gon and Meetra chuckled a little before growing silent, waiting for the Council to summon Anakin in.


"Trust us, she does not," said Master Yoda, getting it out in the air right away.

"For what reason? That bitterness spoke of more than just 'banishment'," said Adi Gallia, "Master Windu offered her re-acceptance into the order and she brushed the offer off like it was nothing."

Eeth Koth spoke up, "Despite the Exile's disciples helping to rebuild the Jedi Order at the time, we know surprisingly little about the Exile's journey. There are records of course of major battles she participated in on various planets, but, her disciples did not leave much in the archives about the journey they shared with her itself. We know very little of what happened on Malachor V for instance, aside that the Exile single-handedly defeated the Sith there."

Even Peill nodded. "Agreed, there may have been encounters or altercations we are not aware of with the Jedi, not to mention a grudge left to churn for over a decade if I recall the duration of her exile correctly."

Oppo Rancisis spoke for the first time this session aside from introducing himself, "She may hold a grudge, but she bears the Jedi no direct ill will. She is not a threat to us. She merely shows a... disinterest in the will of the Council, an aversion to it I suppose. Not so different from Master Jinn and others."

Mace nodded, rubbing his eyes. "We already have enough Jedi like that without needing another of her reputation and power."

"Did anyone feel anything... odd... about her presence?" asked Yarael.

Yoda nodded. "Strange, she was. Off, her presence feels. Unlike anyone I have felt before, she is. Unsure I am, what this means."

"She felt... oddly empty," murmured Saesee, "But like Master Yoda said, I'm unsure what that means."

"It may be a scar left over from her conflict with the Sith," offered Mace.

The Council murmured in agreement and dropped that subject.

"Still, regardless of her unneeded defiance, her assistance will be good for dealing with the Sith," said Mace.

"Her and Revan," said Adi Gallia, "We didn't even touch on him with her."

"No need, there is, until awaken, Revan does," said Yoda.

Mace nodded. "Revan is a whole other matter that will bear careful consideration. He literally reshaped the course of the galaxy three times. Once in the Mandalorian Wars, and twice in the Jedi Civil War."

"Four times I suppose if you consider him wounding the Sith Emperor back in his time," offered Even cheekily, "Maye a fifth time by bringing himself and the Exile here."

Mace sighed. "For now, let's bring the boy in and get this over with."


"...a ship... a cup... a... ship... a podracer?" said Anakin distantly.

Mace tilted his head, a slight frown on his face. "Right until the last one. You're distracted boy."

Anakin winced a little. "Sorry sir."

"Hmm... how feel you?" questioned Yoda.

Anakin hesitated. His first instinct was to say dodge the question and say cold, it was after all cold here compared to Tatooine, but, he decided to be truthful. They were Jedi. Maybe they could help him help Meetra.

"Worried sir," he answered.

Yoda seemed pleased. "Honesty, good it is young one."

"Be mindful of your feelings, you have nothing to fear from us," said Mace.

"I'm not afraid of you guys," said Anakin, a bit bluntly, but truthfully.

That drew a slight chuckle from Even.

"Your thoughts dwell on... Meetra?" questioned Ki-Adi-Mundi, seeming slightly surprised.

Anakin hesitated. "I've... been seeing her in the same dream, over and over again ever since I met her."

Mace and Yoda exchanged glances.

"Mister Qui-Gon said it might be... 'Force Visions'?" said Anakin with uncertainty.

"Possibly," offered Mace.

"Offer wisdom, did Master Qui-Gon?" asked Yoda.

"He said to be mindful of the future, that it's always in motion," said Anakin.

"Wise words, they are," said Yoda, "But believe them, do you? Much worry I still feel in you. Afraid for her, are you?"

"What's that got to do with anything?" said Anakin skeptically.

"Everything," said Yoda, "Fear is the path to the Dark Side. Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."

Anakin stood still, his eyes going back and forth between Yoda and Mace Windu, both of them seeming the most intimidating out of the room. He didn't understand it exactly. Worrying for somebody wasn't wrong, it showed that you cared. What was wrong with anger, especially if it was justified? Hating was bad sure, mom had always told him that, but in his experience, people didn't need hate to cause suffering. Slave owners did that just out of cruelty and greed.

Yoda slowly shook his head. "I sense much fear in you."

Anakin bit his lip, wanting to retort, but not wanting to be disrespectful to Jedi. He didn't understand it, Jedi were supposed to be heroes who wanted to help people. Didn't that mean they were supposed to be worried? To care for others? They weren't even asking what his dreams, his 'visions', were. He felt confused by this, and a little off putt...

He paused when he felt a slight nudging in his head. He instinctively turned to look at one of the Jedi, a big guy with horns on the side of his head, Saesee he thought?

"What of your mother child?" he questioned, "I'm surprised for someone your age to not be thinking of her."

Anakin blanked for a moment. He had been so distracted these last few days by his dreams he hadn't even thought about mom!

Poor mom... all alone back on Tatooine... what if Watto was mean to her? What if he sold her to a mean master? Oh how he wished he was a grown up Jedi right now so he could go back and help her. Maybe if he asked nicely, one of them would?

"And there it is," muttered Saesee with chagrin.

Anakin stared at him, baffled. He slowly turned his head around the room, growing more confused by the slight disappointment and dismissiveness in their eyes. He tried, but failed, to stop from growing a little angry. That they were using his care for his mom against him was really ticking him off. These people weren't what he thought Jedi were supposed to be like. Why weren't they like Qui-Gon and Meetra?

He noticed instantly a narrowing of eyes as if in response to his anger. Anakin closed his eyes, and tried that meditation thing Meetra showed him, trying to calm himself down before he had an outburst. It wouldn't do him any good to throw a temper tantrum in-front of the Council. When he opened his eyes, he noticed the demeanor of the Council had changed, yet again, with them now studying him curiously.

"Taught you, who did, to meditate and release your emotions into the force?" questioned Yoda.

"Um... miss Meetra had me try it out before coming here," answered Anakin.

"She ought to not be teaching the ways of the Jedi without approval," stated Mace.

Yoda chuckled. "A Jedi, she says she is not, our approval, she does not require."

Anakin looked at him in surprise. "She's... not a Jedi?"

Yoda leaned forward, studying Anakin closely. "An Exile, she was. Offered her to return to the Order, we did. Refusal, her response was."

At this point, Anakin was completely lost. An Exile was what he thought a Jedi should be, but these guys weren't...?

Yoda's ears twitched, an amused smile on his face. Anakin noticed however a number of the other Council member suddenly seemed annoyed. It hit him a moment later as he recalled what Ki-Adi-Mundi had said earlier, about his thoughts dwelling.

"Reading somebodies mind without permission isn't nice," said Anakin sourly.

"This is a test young Skywalker," said Mace, "Do not forget that, and mind your words."

Anakin went silent, but he didn't apologize. Though, he did focus on trying to keep his mind clear so some busy-bodies couldn't find anything poking around.

Judging by the look he got from a number of Council members he probably shouldn't have thought that...

Oops.


Darth Sideous slowly walked into his Master's sanctum inside the Banking Clan's headquarters on Coruscant, kneeling down behind his Master in the center of the room. "Master."

Darth Plagueis said nothing.

Sideous's eyes flickered upward, noticing the Muun having his back turned, staring out of the window silently, seeming lost in thought over something. Sideous's lips curled in distaste. Oh how he wanted to dispose of this old fool, oh how he hated acting sub-servant to another, and oh how he hated to repeat the word he had just used.

"Master?" questioned Sideous again.

"Speak," said Plagueis.

"I have encountered an... oddity, earlier today," said Sideous.

Plagueis turned, walked to his desk, and hit a button. Sideous was surprised when a holo image of the Queen's arrival appeared, and it focused in on the third Jedi, the Wound in the Force. So his Master was already aware... interesting.

"Yes. She is what I was about to seek your wise council for," said Sideous, letting false praise slip through his tongue.

"Meetra Surik," said Plagueis simply.

Sideous frowned. "I'm not familiar with the name, though your tone almost suggests I should be."

"You are not mindful of your studies of ancient times my apprentice," said Plagueis, reaching into his desk to toss Sideous a datapad.

Sideous caught it and stood, turning it on and beginning to read. "The Mandalorian Wars...? That was almost four thousand years ago, what does..."

The moment the name Meetra Surik and a picture of her came up in the records, disbelief coated his face. "You cannot be serious. Flow Walking is one thing, but traveling through time itself is another."

"You felt the disturbance a few days ago, did you not?" questioned Plagueis, "It was unlike anything I have felt before. Within the Force, anything and everything is possible. Especially to a Wound in the Force, one who exists outside the rules we live by."

Sideous frowned intently as he read. "She might be more of a danger to the Grand Plan than I thought."

"She is responsible for the survival of the Jedi order in ancient times," warned Plagueis.

Sideous browsed the datapad, mulling over what he read, and started to take down mental notes. "She wasn't a factor until our ancestors drew her into the conflict. If they had simply let her waste away in exile, I doubt she would have been a problem. Our ancestors doomed themselves."

Plagueis scowled. "She is an old enemy who directly stopped the Sith from achieving victory against the Jedi, from wiping them out. She has slain powerful lords of the Sith, and countless of their apprentices and disciples. Beyond any Jedi that lives today, she is a threat. She must be destroyed, immediately."

Sideous's mind was however elsewhere, a scheme rapidly building. "There are ways she could be used..."

"She is to be terminated, do you question me my Apprentice?" demanded Plagueis.

"Of course not Master," lied Sideous reflexively.

"See to it that it is done," said Plagueis dismissively, turning back around, "Task your 'apprentice' with the deed."

"Your will shall be done," said Sideous, hiding his irritation as he took the datapad and left.

Unless he was willing to directly confront Plagueis and dispose of him, or somehow get him to lower his defenses and kill him, he couldn't countermand that order. He was loath to risk wasting the tool he had spent years shaping, especially since he doubted Maul could actually do the deed if what he was reading about Surik's skill was correct. Which ultimately, he supposed he could accept, after all...

Meetra Surik provided a very interesting opportunity. An Exile, a legendary figure, one who stood and acted in ways deviant of the Council and their code. That presented an opportunity to divide and fracture the Jedi order if played correctly. Considering also what she was as a Wound in the Force, her nature would eventually consume her, and drive her against the Jedi, causing what he could imagine would be a deliciously devastating confrontation that would turn the Jedi against themselves, and perhaps even public opinion, even before the planned wars began. The only problem was...

They had announced themselves to the Jedi. The Jedi would be looking for a Master and an Apprentice. With Surik's perception, that heavily risked Sideous's cover. He had been willing to accept and circumvent that scrutiny before Surik's arrival as part of the Grand Plan to strike fear into the Jedi, yet... he felt he would need more time to properly adjust his plans to incorporate her. The Sith needed to return to the Shadows, but unless the Jedi believed they had killed both the Apprentice and the Master...

He froze before a purely evil smile played across his face. "Yes... a Master and an Apprentice would need to die."

Darth Maul would be sacrificed, and Darth Plagueis could be 'revealed'. Sideous wouldn't even have to lift a finger to kill his Master, he could simply get the Jedi to do it for him, and when the deed was done, no suspicion would remain. None of that co-chancellor foolishness his Master desired. He would be free to act with impunity as the Chancellor of the Republic, all of the power being his to do as he saw fit.

Glorious.

Of course if Maul actually managed to kill Surik, then Sidous would simply pick back up where he left off with his original plans and find a way to kill Plagueis himself. Not to mention Maul might actually have proved himself to be a truly worthy apprentice by besting Surik.

Either way...

"I win," cackled Sideous, his dark laughter echoing down the halls...


Night had fallen by the time Meetra, Qui-Gon, and Anakin were called back to the Council chamber. Obi-Wan had rejoined them, apparently he had been resting and seeing his friends in the temple after the mission. Meetra found it curious that the Council allowed her into this meeting after saying Anakin wasn't her business, but she wasn't going to complain.

"The Force is strong with him," said Ki-Adi-Mundi, drawing Meetra's attention back to the meeting.

"He is to be trained then?" questioned Qui-Gon.

There was silence for a moment.

"The Council is divided," stated Adi Gallia.

"Divided?" questioned Qui-Gon, surprised.

"We have misgivings about the boy being trained, we believe he is to old," said Mace.

"He is the Chosen One, you must see it," said Qui-Gon, resting his hands on his belt.

Meetra blinked a few times, gazing at Qui-Gon curiously. The heck was the 'Chosen One'...?

Anakin saw her look and shrugged, not apparently knowing either.

Mace saw the interaction, pursing his lips. "He ought to be rejected and sent back to his home..."

Meetra frowned intently, we're they serious? If this boy was cut loose... what if the Sith found and trained him? He'd be an unstoppable force of the Dark Side, she didn't think she and Revan together could handle him when he reached the absolute peak of his power.

Meetra stepped forward. "If that is your decision, I'll train him myself."

Anakin was surprised, before shooting her a grateful smile.

"That's why we are split," said Mace, "IF he is the Chosen One, and IF he is to be trained, it should be as a Jedi dedicated to upholding the code, not as a rogue Force Wielder."

Meetra scowled. "A rogue am I?"

Yoda held up a hand. "Peace, no ill will, shall this meeting allow."

Qui-Gon cleared his throat and stepped forward. "Whether Meetra trains him, or I choose to take him on as an Padawn learner after Obi-Wan completes his trials, he will be trained."

"Oh?" said Yoda, "Forget Qui-Gon, you do, it is our own council that we will keep on who is ready to take the trials."

Qui-Gon countered back. "He's more than ready for it at this point, there is little more that he can learn from me."

Meetra felt a bit of apprehension and a slight twang of betrayal emanate from Obi-Wan, but the young man still stepped forward to aid his Master. "I am ready to face the trials."

Yoda sighed. "Listen to our words, you do not. Young Skywalker's fate will be decided later."

Mace leaned forward. "Now is not the time for this. The senate if voting for a new Supreme Chancellor and Queen Amidala is returning home, which will put pressure on the federation and could widen the confrontation."

"And draw out the Sith Apprentice," said Ki-Adi-Mundi.

"Go with the queen to Naboo and draw out this dark lord, Meetra has agreed to aid you in this," said Mace, "This is what we need to flush out the Sith and deal with them once and for all."

"May the force be with you," said Yoda, effectively ending the meeting.

As they walked out, Anakin glanced up at Qui-Gon. "What does..."

Qui-Gon shook his head. "Not now Anakin. We will talk when we rejoin the queen and get on her ship."

Meetra could feel the boys emotions swelling. He seemed so lost and confused, and a bit hurt by what the Council had said. Meetra repositioned herself to walk behind him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder and squeezed. He tensed for a moment before relaxing and glancing back at her, a small smile on his face. They walked in silence to the hanger bay of the temple, and then to the Queen's shuttle. Anakin kept himself busy looking over a small astromech droid while the Jedi talked and the queen's personnel brought supplies on the ship and prepared it. Meetra stayed close to Anakin, watching from a distance as Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon argued about something, stretching out her senses, she could feel it was about Anakin.

What in the world was the big deal about it? Just train the boy and...

She paused as they drew closer and Obi-Wan spoke, "The boys dangerous, they all sense it, why can't you?"

Meetra stared at him in disbelief before glancing down worriedly at Anakin. The boy was staring down at the R2 unit silently, gripping it tightly, trying to keep himself in check. What in the nine Corellian hells was that fool thinking? The boy was RIGHT THERE!

She was at least pleased when Qui-Gon rebuked his Padawan. "His fate is uncertain, he's not dangerous. The Council will decide Anakin's future, that should be enough for you. Now get onboard."

Obi-Wan slowly turned and left.

Anakin fiddled with the R2 unit for a moment longer before bowing his head and saying, "I don't want to be a problem..."

Meetra reached over and placed a hand on his shoulder. "You're not, Anikan."

"Agreed," said Qui-Gon, kneeling down in front of the boy.

The boy stared at him with a sad expression that said 'Then what is all this commotion about'?

"I just... I don't understand...," said Anakin, "Why can't I be a Jedi?"

Qui-Gon sighed. "You will be Anakin, whether the Council agrees to allow your training and I become your teacher, or they refuse you and Meetra does. You will be a Jedi, I promise you."

That seemed to relieve Anakin a bit, but, a different concern seemed to go into his mind, glancing back and forth between Qui-Gon and Meetra. "Both of you can't teach me?"

"We can indirectly, but only one of us, regardless of the Council's will, can be declared your Master," said Qui-Gon.

There was a heavy frown on Anakin's face. "A Master..."

Qui-Gon softened. "Not like that Anakin, this isn't the slavery you come from. We refer to Master and Apprentice as a teacher and a learner."

Meetra started a bit and glanced at Anakin. He had been a slave?

"Oh," murmured Anakin, "I had been wondering about that."

"Regardless, there is much either of us could teach you about being a Jedi," said Qui-Gon.

"I'd... have to choose though? Between both of you?" asked Anakin a bit timidly, "Between who would train me to be a Jedi?"

Meetra resisted the urge to snort. There would be no choice if the Council got their way.

"Perhaps," was all Qui-Gon said.

Meetra stared at them silently for a moment, working a thought in her head. She wondered... if he was a former slave from Tatooine... what did he really know about being a Jedi? What would be required of him? Did he honestly understand what would be asked of him?

"Anakin, if you were to ask me to be your Master, I wouldn't train you to be a Jedi, I'd train you to be human," said Meetra.

Qui-Gon frowned at her and stood up, crossing his arms, but saying nothing.

"What do you mean?" said Anakin, "I don't understand. Jedi are human! Well, I mean, and other races to of course!"

"Anakin...," began Meetra with a sigh, "You really have no concept of what it means to be a Jedi. Tell me, what do you think the life of a Jedi entails?"

"Jedi are heroes," said Anakin, "They go out, do good, help people and save their lives, they're famous. A Jedi is someone I wanna be so I can do good, and when I'm strong and famous enough, I can go home, free all the slaves, and make my mom proud of me."

Qui-Gon closed his eyes, a soft sigh escaping his lips.

Meetra smiled softly. "That's a good desire Anakin, but, the second half is compleatly against what it mean's to be a Jedi that adhears to the code."

"Huh...?" said Anakin, looking utterly lost.

"As a Jedi, you must follow the rules of the Jedi, their code, obey the laws of each world you go to," began Meetra, "Take Tatooine for example, slavery, as awful as it is, is allowed there. Ignoring that the Republic doesn't even reach Tatooine, you wouldn't be allowed to just go there and start freeing slaves. Even if you were, how would you even do that? A Jedi isn't allowed personal affects or money that isn't allocated for a mission, you could never afford to buy and free them all. Using the Force or your Lightsaber to forcefully free them wouldn't be allowed either, in fact, it would be strictly against the Code."

"But... that's...," stumbled Anakin.

"Beyond even that Anakin, as a Jedi, attachments are forbidden. You would be forced to give up your attachment to your Mother, you'd never be allowed to go back and free her," said Meetra, "Beyond that, you're not even allowed to love."

Anakin visibly recoiled. "What?!"

He turned to Qui-Gon. "That's... that's not true, is it?"

Qui-Gon was silent for a few moments before he opened his eyes and softly spoke, "It is."

Meetra flinched as the Force, as the song, disrupted around Anakin. A ripple, a distortion blew out of him as his emotions exploded in distress as she felt his dreams and desires literally shatter. She stared at him sadly. Anakin looked so utterly betrayed, he opened his mouth to speak a few times before closing it. Meetra found her stomach twisting at the sight of him, of the lost little boy.

Finally, he bowed his head and muttered miserably, "I never should have left Mom after you freed me."

"A Jedi's life is sacrifice Anakin," said Qui-Gon, "And while I personally don't follow the code to the letter, and view it as more of a guideline, the basic principles are the same regardless."

"I can't," said Anakin, "I can't be something that asks me to give up mom, I just can't."

Qui-Gon sighed and turned to frown at Meetra. "Meetra..."

She met his gaze, a hardened glint in her eye. "He deserved to understand what he was walking into. He's already formed an attachment to his mother, a deep one, one that got him through his early life as a slave. Discovering that he couldn't help her after the fact, asking him to give her up, he never would have been able to fully do that Qui-Gon. If she somehow died while he had the strength to save her, it would have destroyed him. It would lead him straight to the Dark Side."

She slowly shook her head. "Look at him Qui-Gon, stretch out your senses and feel. He loves and cares to readily and to freely to be a proper Jedi. It would just clash with who he is at heart and leave him unstable."

Qui-Gon sighed once more, turning his attention to study Anakin intently. "I suppose your right. He would clash with the Jedi so frequently and so readily I can imagine him being quite alienated in his classes and studies."

He glanced at Meetra. "I leave him to you then. Will you promise me that after this Naboo incident is over, that you will train him to be the best he can be? He has a destiny he must fulfill."

Meetra nodded. "I promise."

She frowned as his words fully hit her. "Though, only if he truly wants to. His training should not be forced or required simply because of some 'destiny'. Is that the only reason you even freed him?"

Anakin looked up at Qui-Gon sharply, hurt and betrayal in his eyes.

Qui-Gon frowned. "No, it's not the only reason, but it was a factor."

He didn't give another chance for questions as the Queen of Naboo arrived and made for her ship. He left and joined her, speaking quietly as they moved to the ship. It honestly felt like he kind of ran away.

"I thought he was nice," muttered Anakin, "I thought he cared, but Jedi aren't allowed to care."

He glanced at Meetra. "Why is it like that? Just because of some code thing?"

Meetra recalled something Kreia had once told her, and found herself paraphrasing it, "Anakin... the Jedi Code doesn't give all the answers. You can't blindly follow it, you can't stay true to a single ideal, especially one that tries to make you more of a machine than a human. It's a failing the Jedi have had for a long time. Though, Qui-Gon doesn't appear to be that crippled by it."

She moved to kneel down in front of him. "But don't mistake what he says. He does care in his own way, but being a Jedi limits the way he can show that care. He's not a bad person, none of the Jedi are."

Anakin tried to think on what she said, but he sagged and rubbed his eyes tiredly. "This is all so confusing."

She smiled and ruffled his hair. "I know it is. Come, let's get onboard and get you to bed. We'll talk in the morning."

"Weeesaaa goin home!" came a large shout from the gungan that made both of them jump.

"That guy is crazy," said Anakin with a small laugh.

Meetra chuckled. "I suppose he is."

They started walking towards the ship, but Meetra paused briefly when Anakin's hand slipped into hers and he clung to her. She contemplated breaking away, but didn't. While she didn't agree with the Jedi on many things, attachment could be dangerous. She had no problem with love and care and friendship so long as they did not become full-blown negative attachments. Being attached to his mother was something she would never hold against the boy. So long as it didn't rule his life and make him obsessed. And right now, he needed something, someone to lean on after the mess the Council made of this situation, leaving him lost in this confused world as he was.

So, instead of breaking away, she gently squeezed the boy's hand, gave him a small smile, and walked onto the ship with him...