Thank you all for the reviews. I really hope you all are enjoying this as much as me! I always wondered about the dynamic between the Sith. So, I just wanted to test the waters with this scene between Dooku and Ventress.

"You've got to admit, seeing him shirtless changes your image of him."

Ahsoka couldn't lie. Obi Wan had broad strong, shoulders. His body was composed of hard well defined muscles. He was bulkier than his master's more slender muscles. In a word the man's body was delicious. There was no denying that. There was also something else.

"I guess it was unexpected. He is so reserved and composed. He's not very flashy with his body like Master Vos. And yet, there's something else. Something..."

"Deadly," Kitana finished.

Ashoka nodded. "I gotta admit, he's pretty hot, for an old guy."

"You should see the rest of him and who are you calling old," said Kitana. Kitana punched her lightly in the arm

Ashoka giggled. It wasn't the first time she had thought about her master's battle scarred body, but Obi Wan had never come across her radar. Besides jumping his bones while she was temporarily insane, he'd always be a safe place. A comfort zone. Apparently the man was more than that since he did have a battery of "friends" she'd met over the years. Then there was this woman who seemed to know more about the him than she let on. She seemed intriniscally sexual. Both beautiful and fearless, Kitana reminded her somewhat of Senater Amidala. Ahsoka wondered if she would ever be so secure with herself let alone with males.

"Kitana, I want to thank you for treating me like a grown up...and not like I'm a plague."

"No problem."

"So, how long have you been Obi Wan's girlfriend?"

"He's not anymore. We agreed that we couldn't be more than what we are now. Our lives are too demanding."

Kitana looked somewhat sad. The woman exhaled as if waving away a thought.

"So, what will you do, Ahsoka?"

"Honestly, I don't know. For now I just want to enjoy all of this food."

"Sounds like a plan."

Obi Wan lay sprawled on the bed. His head was aching terribly. He attributed all of his current health problems to Anakin whom he would murder shortly. The younger man had brought them food. The pair had terrible eating and sleeping habits, neither of them had eaten within the last ten hours. Oddly enough, Obi Wan wasn't hungry. His food remained untouched.

He tried his best to mediate but nothing met him but a pounding headache. He did have a lot on his mind, but that never stopped him from connecting with the Force. The pain persisted. He decided that he would go visit the sick bay. He tried to sit up, but found himself unable to move. Slowly dark shadow seeped into his peripheral vision, and then he was blind. He tried to summon Anakin using the Force but found himself only able to lay there. He wasn't even sure if he was breathing.

Then, he was aware that he was standing, not laying down. A cool breeze blew on his back. He turned and found an old friend. It was his master. Waving him over with a casual grin like they had never parted in the most tragic of ways. Obi Wan felt instantly conflicted.

"Qui Gonn! Am I dead?"

Qui Gonn Gin sat with his legs crossed before a small fire. He laughed at his student and invited him to have a seat. Obi Wan sat on the opposite side of the fire. He stared directly into his old friend's eyes and knew instinctively that this was his master, his friend and not some hallucination. He looked exactly the way he had looked when he had died.

"How is it that you're here?" asked Obi Wan. "Where is here anyway?"

"Your powers in the Force are expanding, Obi Wan. This is the a place in between people and the Force."

"Alright. I see why you're here, and I am happy to see you, but...what am I doing here?"

"My golden haired boy!" said an elderly man who appeared out of no where. Obi Wan instantly recognized the old man as Kitana's father the Emperor Holun. "I needed to reach you, so Qui Gonn obliged an old man his last request."

"Last request? Master Holun, do you mean to say-"

"Yes, Obi Wan the Emperor passed on to the next phase of life. Life as one with the Force."

This hit Obi Wan hard. What would he tell Kitana?

"I've summoned you here, my boy, because of the one whom we both love."

"She's in danger," said Qui Gonn. Obi Wan said nothing. Perhaps this sense of forboding was much more than a Sith Lord plot. The fact that the Emperor was now dead would mean that the conference would be post poned or canceled depending upon how he died. Furthermore, what if there was civil turmoil in the Edenian system. Peace would have no hope.

"Did someone take your life, Master?"

The smiled at Obi Wan. "That's why I've always liked you Obi Wan."

"This is most troubling."

"Indeed," said Qui Gonn. He ran a hand through his long hair and heaved a sigh. "This is a big request, the Emperor has for you my padawan. I'm confident that you can do it."

"What do you need from me, Master Holun."

"On this side of Force, so much can be seen. Malice, hatred, greed all swirling and rippling around my home, my children. I need you to keep them safe. Safe from the dark side."

That was a huge task indeed.

Master Holun placed a hand over the fire. His hand did not sear or burn.

"Place your hand over the fire Obi Wan," said Qui Gonn. Obi Wan obeyed. Obi Wan's hand, however, erupted with pain. He tried to withdraw it, but the Emperor held his hand fast. He struggled not scream but he couldn't help it.

"Why?" Obi Wan pleaded.

"Bestow upon you the inheritance of my fallen son, I yield to you this gift of fire." The Emperor released his hand and immediately pressed against his chest. "Look at your hand, Obi Wan," said Qui Gonn. He didn't want to look at it. He peeked down to see a hand that looked like it belonged to Yoda. It was green. It was missing two digits and possessed a set of impressive claws.

"It's a Talon," said Qui Gonn. "Emperor has given you a new gift in the Force, Obi Wan. Say thank you."

Obi Wan leaned forward slighty and nodded toward the Emperor and thanked him in his language. He was both perplexed and humbled at all of this. Both of the deceased men were holding things back. Things that Obi Wan desperately needed to know.

"She will ask you how," said Emperor Holun. "She will ask you how they took my life. You will tell her that I was mediating in the Southern Garden and I slipped away into the Force. They intended to remove my head. They approached me, but in this, I evaded them."

Obi Wan nodded. "You gave up yourself to the Force?"

"Yes." Now Obi Wan was truly confused.

"Why Master? There's so much that we needed you for. There's-"

"Obi Wan!" said Qui Gonn. "He did this to unlock this gift in you. He has gained more power than you could possibly imagine."

"Go my Golden Haired Son."

"Wait...wait...you said your fallen son...what did you mean by that? Master Holun!"

"Good bye Obi Wan," said Qui Gonn.

"Master no, wait...there's-"

Obi Wan sat up. Pairs of startled faces surrounded him. Ahsoka, Anakin, Kitana, Rex, and several of the clones all stood around him. He glanced around the room. From the look of it, he was in sick bay.

"Master, what happened?" Anakin said.

"I think you should tell me," Obi Wan said. He looked down at his hand to see that it was in fact his own. Apparently, Anakin had attempted to visit Obi Wan in his room. When he got no response, he broke in to find Obi Wan unconscious and unresponsive. He, Rex, and the several other clones bore him like a pall to the sick bay.

Kitana and Ahsoka were standing by with worried expressions. He was hoping to tell Kitana the news of her father alone, but he decided it was time they all have talk.

"Rex, please release Crank from his holding cell." Rex gave a look to Anakin and immediately went to retrieve the clone. Rusty, Milo, and Miles followed after him. "We all need to have a talk."

"Master, what happened to you? You had no vital signs."

Obi Wan could imagine how frightened they must have been.

"I saw my old Master, Qui Gonn. I will explain everything Anakin, but I really need to speak with Kitana alone for a moment."

"No," said Kitana abruptly. She was visibly trembling. Tears began to leak from her eyes. "That was a dream. Just a dream. He's not...He can not be..." Apparently Hulon had visited his daughter too. He only hoped her vision was not as cryptic as his. He took her by her arm and led her into the corridor. He intended to take her into a private room or a closet, but she jerked her arm away and stared at him indignantly.

"Tell me, right here," she said. Obi Wan could see the pain in her eyes, but she appeared to furious. He sighed and tried to embrace her. She shoved him hard causing him to stumble backward a bit. "Tell me."

"Your father, he's dead." Kitana crumbled to floor like a crushed flower. Her sobs turned to screams. Her wailing caused every passenger on the ship to converge on that point on the ship. It was Rex who pulled her off of the floor and carried her into the sick bay. He placed the woman carefully on the bed. The medic droid gave Kitana a shot of something that made her instantly calm.

"Just a light tranquilizer," said the droid. "There, there."

"Obi Wan, what did you do?" said Anakin. His accusation made him angry.

"Her father died, Anakin. I didn't do anything." Anakin looked at the floor. The death of his own mother still seered his mind. Some days, it would burn hot and other days it made him numb. The circumstances that surrounded a parent's death always stayed with you. He only wondered how Kitana would handle this.

"Beg your pardon sir," said Rex. "How do you know that? We haven't received any communications from the home planet or the Dauntless."

"Emperor Hulon was an old master of the force. I was told by Qui Gonn Jin, my master, and Hulon himself. We can trust them."

Kitana began to wimper. Ahsoka moved to her side. "What is it Kitana?"

"How?" she whispered. Now here was the hard part. Obi Wan went to her bed side. "In the Southern Garden, he gave himself to the Force. They were coming to behead him." Tears flowed freely down her cheeks. He moved to wipe them away, but she shook her head.

"Please everyone leave me."

They left.

Asaaj Ventress instantly hated the woman in the hologram. Her hair was dark and ridiculously long. She wore a silly rose made from gold in her hair. Her lips were full and her eyes bright brown. Her breasts were encased in a ornate bodice which she could tell Dooku enjoyed staring at the photo. Why not? The woman was quite the beauty. Everything she wasn't.

"So, this was your student?"

Dooku nodded. "I came here to retrieve her personally for Jedi Training. Yoda thought our similar backgrounds would make us an easy pair. He was right in that regard."

"So, why is she no longer a Jedi?"

"She had the courage to do what the Jedi fear to do."

"Too bad her pretty little head will roll." Asaaj never saw it coming. Of course Dooku never let her. The back of his hand struck her so hard that she didn't have time to taste the blood before her skull bounced against the floor. Asaaj didn't know why he struck. She just thought it best to lay there. She lifted her head to the old man removing his cloak. Oh goodie, Dooku was in a good mood.

She put her head on the floor and awaited instructions. He wouldn't stop until her humilation was complete.

"Come."

She lifted herself onto her knees. How she hated this. For a man his age one would think he wouldn't be able to get erections. But oh no, not Count Jard Dooku, he would not hindered by old age. She crawled on her hands knees to where he sat with his legs open. She didn't make him wait, because that would piss him off. She fought the urge to vomit as she put his member in her mouth. The metallic smell of sweat and flesh invaded her nostrils. She resisted the urge to bite because, well, she didn't want to die on her knees with some bastard's penis in her mouth.

His hand was heavy and oppressive on the back of her head. He set and impossible pace. It seemed he thrust into her mouth forever. Then without warning, he came and released inside her mouth. This time, she gagged but he held himself firmly in her mouth. He pushed her away when he was finished.

"You are such a disappointment," he said. Dooku rose to his feet. "She is not your target, child. You can't even complete simple tasks like killing Jedi. She is not to be harmed."

She didn't say anything because she couldn't speak. She refused to swallow. She nodded. Count Dooku left her rooms in peace. Once, he made her swallow and then he beat her for an hour. Old man had stamina. She promptly went to the restroom and vomitted.

She hated Kenobi and Skywalker. Why couldn't they just die?

She decided to spend the rest of the trip focused on her hatred for them. Unexpectedly, hot tears streamed down her face. She lurched and wretched into the toliet until she felt empty which was better than feeling like shit.

Crank's face hurt. The princess had been coming by and giving him painkillers. She'd missed her last couple of rounds. The ship and come under fire and he could think about if the others were alright. He sat in between Rex and Rusty and they didn't seem to be to angry with him. Ahsoka had seen his face and had immediately exclaimed how painful it looked. She was filled with concern about him if he needed help.

Apparently no one told the girl what he said. He felt like a complete douchebag.

Now that all sat around with grim expressions. He wanted to ask what was going on, but he didn't want to get smacked. Carefully, he glanced at the girl. She sat apart from the group now, eating some powdery white pastry. He tried not to focus on her how lips enclosed them, on how methodically she was chewing, on how damned sexy she looked in those black tights. Instead of risking getting molly whopped again, he concentrated on the floor. He felt the Jedi watching him.

The older Jedi cleared his throat. "It appears we have an unfolding situation. I haven't contacted the Jedi Masters because I don't really know what to say at this point."

"Here is what we do know, it was not galatic weather that crashed our vessels. Master Hulon, by foresight, sent Kitana to that planet system to retrieve us. Master Hulon, evaded his assassins by giving himself over to the force in an effort to warn us before we reach Kimpo."

Milo looked perplexed. "This was inside job then. Someone from the Edenian government attempted to kill their Emperor and stop us from reaching the city."

Butters, a rather baby faced version of Jango, heaved a sigh. "That means we don't know who to trust if we get there. I mean, this Natsuno guy just opened fire on us for the weakest reason."

"They didn't answer our distress signal either," said Anakin. "Which let's us know they're not too concern about Kitana's well being."

At that moment, Kitana entered the room accompanied by the medical droid. "I promise not to be that fragile again." Her voice was quiet and calm. She took a seat next to Ahsoka who immediately embraced the older woman by the shoulders.

"What of the Republic delegation? Are they safe?" asked Ahsoka.

A wave of terror washed over Anakin. He immediately surpressed his panic. Obi Wan turned and looked at him for a moment. They locked eyes briefly.

"Anakin, why don't you see if you can reach Senator Amidala. No details, just check their status."

"We've got to get Edenia sooner than later," said Rex. "We got a left over supply of extra fuel coils that should be compatible with this vessel class. We'd need a few hours to dock and install them, but I'm sure with Skywalker and Rusty, here, we can spend the rest of the journey in hyperspace."

"That would cut our flight time in half," said Rusty, the red hed of the bunch.

"The nearest friendly planet is Chotho. I've got a friend there that will keep our presence secret. He'll house us and not ask questions," said Kitana.

"The next order of business is evading the Dauntless," said Obi Wan. Just as he finished saying that the com linked beeped. It was the Dauntless.

"Answer it, Ahsoka. Audio only," said Obi Wan. "They cannot know that we know about the Emperor."

"This is Padawan Ahsoka Tano," said Ahsoka.

"Oh, a young lady?" It was Natsuno. "I must speak with the Princess immediately."

"I'm here. What do you want, Minister?"

"I regret to inform you, that your father has been murdered."

Kitana looked at Obi Wan. She mouthed the word 'murdered'. If the Emperor had been murdered, there would be a body. If he gave himself up to the force, there would be no body. Obi Wan's wrist com link beeped. It was Anakin.

"Obi Wan, there's a encrypted message from someone who says they're Kitana's brothers."

"Hold on Minister Natsuno," said Ahsoka. She suspended the call link. Obi Wan patched the callers through.

"Big Sister?" said a voice that sounded both confused and hurried. "I realize you must be having a wonderful time on your ship with your twenty men, but we've got to talk, honey, right now!" Hiro, her effeminate little brother who one would think would be a weakling, but was actually an accomplished politician and a skilled fighter. The fact that the Emperor did not shun him allowed the rest of the court to judge him by the man that he was.

"Hiro, is Kanta on with you?"

"Yup," said another slightly calmer voice. Kanta was the male version of her. He was brash, handsome, a lady killer. He loved his mother fiercely and his adored his father to a fault. Kitana had to him everything she knew about the force. Although, it could also be said that, that Hiro was a male version of her but that was another debate.

"We're aboard my transport. Father sent us to Chotho on some damned wierd errand. We're on our way back home. "

Obi Wan said, "The Emperor's been busy."

"Tell me, were you at Len Tao's shop?"

"Yes, honey, how did you know-"

"Never mind that! We both had a premonition that father has died."

"I'm afraid that myself and Obi Wan had similar dream."

There was silence over the com link. "Obi Wan Kenobi?" The two brothers mumbled to each other briefly. Kitana grew impatient.

"How did Father tell you he died?" she asked.

"Said he gave himself over to the Force in the Eastern Garden."

"The Eastern garden," said Obi Wan. "Are you sure, Hiro?"

"Very sure, but, Kanta said, he was in the Northern Garden."

"I wonder, what Nobunoda will say," said Obi Wan. Nobunoda was the First Prince of the Edenian Empire.

"Hold on, we're getting an enrypted call from mother," said Kanta.

"This is getting very interesting," said Rex. "For a dead man, the old man got around."

"That's the true power of the Force," said Kitana somewhat proudly.

"Okay...Mom said that he told her that he was in the Western Garden and Nobunoda is no where to be found."

"Little Brothers we are on our way to Len Tao's stay put."

"No!" cried Kanta. "We've got to get to Mom. She's all alone there."

"Mother was a Jedi Master for fifty years before she started having kids. She didn't survive that long by being an easy kill. Stay. Put." Kitana's people had unusally long life span's. It allowed to them to bear children in older years and gain immense powers in the Force. The history of the Edenian empire was shaped by those families who had strong bloodlines in the Force. The Kawasura clan, Kitana's clan, had rule for hundreds of years, because of their lineage. The Republic had looked to them for years as a source of Jedi candidates. Several of Holun's children had fought and died as Jedi. The war with the Separtists had caused the ruling council of the Edenian Empire to give pause to that practice as a neutral system.

"Kitana," said Hiro. "What if its Nobunoda? What if he's the one behind all this?"

"The fallen son," whispered Obi Wan. "Hiro, Kanta, what is the gift of fire?"

Kitana glared at Obi Wan. "What do you know about that?" asked Kanta.

"Holun gave it to me, when he met me on the other side."

"Then he means for you to be our next Emperor," said Hiro. "Thank goodness, heaven knows I'm not up to the task of heir bearing."

Kitana looked at Ahsoka, "Tell Natsuno to confirm the assassination with Prince Nobunoda." Ahsoka obeyed.

"A foreigner cannot rule on the Edenian throne, brothers," said Kitana. "Father must have meant something else."

"You and Nobunoda are the heirs apparent to the Empire's throne. Father made that clear that you're his pick. If Obi Wan marries you, then..."

"Hiro, I do agree that it would best for you all to get to your mother's side as fast as you can. I think Nobunoda may have fallen to the dark side," said Obi Wan. It was important that they remain on task.

"Wait," said Ahsoka. "Why did the Emperor send them to Chotho in the first place?"

"He sent us to drop off star fighters. About twenty of them. Len Tao wasn't too happy about it."

Every one looked around the room at one another.

"I'm starting to like the old man," said Rex.

"It's clear that the old man saw our predicament," said Anakin. "The Republic delgation is safe and sound by the way. Padme says that the people are upset. They want to crown the next Emperor very soon."

"Alright, Hiro and Kanta get back to Kimpo as fast as you can. We're on our way to Chotho," said Obi Wan. They ended the communication. Kitana was glaring at Obi Wan.

"What the hell was that?" she barked.

"What?"

"I didn't want them to leave their position!"

"They were already on their way back to Kimpo," said Obi Wan. "If you didn't notice, your mother is danger."

"How do you know that? What did Father tell you?"

"I think we better leave, men," said Rex. He excused himself and the clones followed Rex. Rex headed to the cock pit while the others went to prep the fuel coils.

Ahsoka decided to tell Natsuno that the princess would reach him when she was more composed. After that, Ahsoka caught up with Rex.

Crank decided that he wanted to apologize. So, he told his brothers he'd catch up with him later. He traced his steps back to the cock pit when he saw Rex and Ahsoka walking side by side. The girl grabbed Rex by the forearm. He yanked his arm away. The girl seemed to be trying get him to stop walking.

"I just need to apologize, for what I did. I-I put you in an unfair position." Rex looked at the floor. He didn't want to talk about this. Not here.

"Fine. Apology accepted," said Rex. He tried to keep on walking but Ahsoka, was unusally strong. She held on to his arm hold him fast to that spot.

"No that can't be it. You can be honest with me," said Ahsoka. Rex looked like he was in agony.

"No, no I can't. Listen we will talk about this, but not right now."

"You promise."

"Promise." The girl threw her arms around the man, and reluctantly he returned the embrace.

Crank was furious. He may have literally been born a few years ago, but he wasn't stupid. There was something going on between those two. Something he'd got abused for. He was going to expose Rex for the hypocrite that he was. He went back to the loading dock with the rest of his brothers. "Hey Crank, how ya feelin'?" said Philo.

"A little pissed off actually," said Crank.

"Really? Why?"

"That I was such an idiot."

Philo clapped him on the back and offered to help him with his share of the work. Crank was sorry. Sorry that he allowed himself to go along with this "program". That they had made him a tool. A utensil.

Right now, he would have to cooperate. He decided he would wait to make the Jedi and the Captain regret for what they did to him.

Here we go! The next chapter will not be for children...probably adults shouldn't read it either. We're going to travel to Kimpo and see what's going on there. Then, we going to take another walk on the dark side. Then, we going back to the Regalia to see what Crank has up his naughty sleeve. Please read and review. Authors love reviews. Even if you don't like the story I'm open to ideas. Ciao, for now!