The largest room in the vast Jedi Temple was the Archives.
Computer panels stretched out as far as the eye could see. A plethora of blue dots along the walls, hallways, and just near the stairways, running so far that if one was viewing them from one end of the room they wouldn't be able to see the end of them.
Flanking the long lines of computers were blue glowing stacks, framed by great pillars of bronze, all housing thousands of years of knowledge about geography and culture in the Republic. If one were to view them from one end, it would appear that it went beyond the expanse like a ray of light.
There weren't many visitors in the Third Hall of the Archives today. There rarely were more than a few on a normal day, but considering there was still a war going on, there was no high ranking Jedi present.
"Master Kenobi. You called for assistance?"
He turned towards the direction of the stern voice, watching as Madame Jocasta Nu strode up to him, old and weathered face wearing a demure smile.
Jocasta Nu had been the Archivist for many, many years since the death of Master Tahl, before that she had helped Tahl greatly, was always a hungry researcher of knowledge, and this had always been her true domain.
"Yes, Madame."
"Are you having a problem, Master Kenobi?"
"I'm trying to identify this piece of steel I found on Utapau that killed one of my Troopers instantly. It struck through his helmet without any issue. I've been researching for almost an hour, but it doesn't seem to be in the Archives, databank, or our records."
Obi Wan pulled it out.
"This small piece of shrapnel did that?" Jocasta Nu looked over the metallic shard, eyes narrowing.
"Yes. He didn't even know he died, it happened so fast."
Jocasta Nu hummed, eyes remaining narrowed on the metallic shard. "Let me take a closer look."
A few steps brought them to a computer. She found a seat, pressing in a couple of commands only she had access to, and set the piece of steel down so it could be processed in the computer's system.
"Are you sure this is even a steel, metal, or alloy?"
"It was enough to pierce through clone armor without any trouble, the heavy kind flame troopers use. It has to be steel or an alloy of some sort to do that. I am not sure what else could do that so easily, not even Dwarf Spider Droids can blast through so easily." Obi Wan reasoned.
"Perhaps a combination of steels, metals, and alloys?" Jocasta Nu tapped the keyboard for a few minutes, but a frown came to her face.
"Do you know where this came from?"
"It was on a Spider Droid."
Jocasta Nu turned to regard him.
"A chase in circles, maybe?"
"Maybe something more...Esoteric." Obi Wan ventured.
Jocasta Nu hummed softly. "It is not a match with Cortosis nor Mandalorian Iron. Clone armor is based heavily on Mandalorian Iron, its properties, and its design. Whatever pierced through the trooper's helmet, can in theory, cut through both Cortosis and Mandalorian Iron with the same ease."
"It's not a match with Song Steel or Phrik either." Obi-Wan admitted, grabbing at his beard.
"And, the same thing applies to Song Steel and Phrik as well. This is...Was that droid made out of this completely?"
"Only its head."
Jocasta Nu rubbed a hand over her chin, leaning forward. "Let me do a composition scan and a full analysis of its structure."
The shrapnel went into motion after a few more keystrokes, diagrams rolled, separated, and sprang from its form in the mainframe, melding together with the full piece of shrapnel.
The pair studied the reams of data running down the screen.
"This wasn't forged or produced through heat, it wasn't melded or pounded into shape." Jocasta Nu noted, tone sharp.
"So..." Obi Wan was at a loss.
"When we forge using heat, the heat changes the molecular structure of the steel or metal, and in doing so strengthens the steel or metal itself. Adding other alloys into a steel or metal adds different kinds of durability to the finished product. Forging integrates the molecules of all the metals or steels used in the process. It makes them uniform and one, basically."
Jocasta Nu rubbed her chin.
"But, it is an art. It takes a lifetime to achieve mastery. If someone messes up in the process of forging it into what they want it to be, it won't be hard, sharp, it may even crack, and warp severely."
She pointed at the screen which showed the known alloys, metals, and steels in the galaxy.
"All of these steels, metals, alloys, and their combinations can suffer from such foolish mistakes novices, and even experts make. However, this piece of shrapnel doesn't have the markings of those shortcomings, nor the trauma of forging...This is pure, I dare say."
Obi Wan blinked, almost falling to his knees in shock.
Is there more than just this small sample?" Jocasta Nu continued, tone stern.
"The rest was destroyed." Obi Wan replied, finding strength once more, watching the older woman go through her paces.
"This should be in our records. All steels, alloys, and their combinations are in the records, they come from worlds within the eighty percent that we have covered in the databank." Jocasta Nu replied, but she was shaking her head, eyes growing hard.
"Could it be from the twenty percent of the galaxy not in the system?" Obi Wan asked, eyes searching.
"Perhaps this comes from the twenty percent of the galaxy we do not know, or..."
"I was afraid of that, but it doesn't make any sense to me. All worlds that have steel, alloys, and anything remotely like them are all recorded and cataloged."
"By the Republic and the Jedi Order both...We have logged these worlds extensively, even as far back as seven thousand years ago." Jocasta Nu said thoughtfully, still rubbing her chin.
Jocasta Nu stepped back from her familiarity with Obi Wan and assumed the austere demeanor of the Archivist once more. She moved closer to the computer screen and began to press the keyboard, fingers moving with grace and precision.
After a half hour, reams of data began to roll down the screen.
"I'm sorry Madame Jocasta Nu, but do you know what any of this represents?" Obi Wan asked, head bowed slightly.
Jocasta closed her eyes, letting out a weary sigh. "If we just for a moment speculate that this steel or alloy is from the twenty percent of the galaxy the Jedi Order and Republic has not logged and recorded, the worlds that can have this material are few and far between."
"According to most sources, those worlds in the Unknown and Wild Space are just jungles and whirlwinds of nature." Obi Wan agreed.
The two stared at each other for a long moment, Obi-Wan taking note that there wasn't the slightest tremor in Jocasta Nu.
She hardened herself.
Something was very wrong.
"Master Kenobi, if this isn't the case there is only one other option. That would be what this piece of shrapnel was a part of was created by someone, or some species strong in the force."
"A..." Obi Wan blinked, looking at the piece of shrapnel. "A force weapon?"
Jocasta Nu sighed, pressing a hand to her forehead.
"I do not want to speak too hastily on the assessment. I will have to call a meeting with the Lore Keepers, our JN-66 and SP-4 analysis droids, the Council of First Knowledge, and healers...This is most disturbing Master Kenobi. For someone to use the force to create this..."
"Are they sith?" Obi Wan asked, growing wary.
"Not necessarily. Forging isn't a sith only practice, and creating force weapons isn't only a sith practice either, but I know this...Whoever created the material this shrapnel came from is no longer with us today. They, their kind, and maybe even their home world have long passed from our galaxy, and this..."
Jocasta Nu moved the piece of steel so the computer's blue light reflected off it, turning the light into a ray that beamed to the far side of the room.
Obi Wan looked at the ray, slightly in awe, slightly alarmed.
She took a deep breath, continuing."This is what is left of their lost civilization. How beautiful is this, Master Kenobi? It can turn this computer light into a ray that is like a sun...Imagine what it can do, if say, a light-saber were to strike it full force, or if a blaster round smashed into it. It could strike through a trooper's helmet, or even send a Jedi's blade slicing into their own chest."
"I..." Obi Wan was at a loss for words, eyes fixed on the ray.
"Thank you bringing this to my attention. You will have to be present at this meeting when I call it, Master Kenobi. Perhaps Commander Cody will also have to be present so we know just how this Trooper was struck down with this shrapnel."
"So, it wasn't forged through heat? This wasn't forged at all or went through any process of heat, quenching, and cooling?"
Jocasta Nu shook her head. "Its structure and properties are clear. Pure. It is almost as if, someone..."
Jocasta Nu wouldn't dare finish-she knew of old tales and legends, where Jedi and Sith could materialize the force with their very willpower...Imbue their weapons, their clothes, even the very landscape itself with that same willpower.
The force, one's willpower, and one's emotions becoming one, and materializing for all to see.
But, there was no validity to that.
It was impossible.
Obi Wan nodded amicably, wondering when he would get to actually sleep instead of suffering through halfhearted distracted naps.
"Of course. I will be at the meeting to relay my findings, Madame Jocasta Nu. If Commander Cody must be present, I am sure the Council and the Chancellor will summon him."
"Thank you, Master Kenobi."
From the shadows of great pillars stretching up to the high vaulted ceilings that allowed the afternoon light to leak through the Temple's long and arched hallways, she watched Younglings and Padawan hopefuls alike clustering in through the archway of the main entrance.
She saw Anakin first, the hero himself. Tall and straight in the center of the commotion, his hair bleached to golden streaks by the sun as he wore a lively smile, the same smile that always made the Younglings and younger Padawan hopefuls look up to him as an older brother.
His black attire gave him an aura that dulled him into the eternity of the horizon, but also sank him deeper into the afternoon light.
Beside him in the flurry of children was Cadus. Even taller than Anakin, and more muscular, his white attire shined with the afternoon light, dulling him between rays of gold and the crimson horizon itself, and instead of bleaching his streaks, it shone an aura on his whole form.
He carefully opened the boxes of donuts and let the Younglings and Padawan hopefuls reach in. He wore a calm smile as he spoke, the same way one would smile down at their children. And, the Younglings calmed themselves the best they could, much like a child of a stern, but calm father would.
The young Jedi were glowing like their big brother and father. They were all smiling, laughing, running around, bursting with happiness and relief, and Shaak Ti's heart began to thunder at the sight of so many young, so happy.
The young were getting louder, more excited, and more hyper thanks to the sweets being offered.
She took a breath, exhaling slowly. She could breathe again. Through the swarms of children, and the excited chatter of Padawan hopefuls who rejoiced their heroes returned, and rejoiced that they got to eat sweets, she struggled not to bound towards Cadus and Anakin, not so much as to lift a hand or turn her head to face them.
She wanted to be silent, still, and only let herself breathe. She wanted to focus on the beat of her heart, its soaring tempo, as all of the despair she had endured melt away, simply by watching Cadus be alive...By watching Cadus give the young Jedi sweets.
But, she could not restrain herself.
Shaak Ti ran forward as fast as she could, her footfalls pounding into her sensitive hearing like bass drums, and echoing through the vaulted hallways like blaster fire.
It wasn't even a moment later she flung herself into Cadus, clinging onto him, and he hefted her off of her feet and held her in his arms.
Cadus could feel the tense anxiety boiling through her, like deep cramps and knots in her muscles that spasm with each movement. Her relief was palpable and like thunder in the force, her heartbeat was soaring beyond any physical comprehension.
He sent out waves of comfort, assuring her it was okay.
Shaak Ti took a deep breath, sighing.
It didn't look right by any means to most Jedi, but Shaak Ti clung to him for a few seconds longer, just breathing in his scent, soaking in his presence, getting the feel of him after so long, but it ended far too soon for her taste.
Cadus set her down, her feet gently patting the floor.
"You must have really missed him?" Anakin joked, smirking playfully.
"There's whispers...Every single day something is being spoken of madness, crazy ideas, and worse..."
Shaak Ti shook her head, remembering Palpatine being so irate, throwing his datapad, Windu being highhanded, Yoda being highhanded, and just feeling like she was cornered with no way our.
"It's kind of pointless to believe stories like that." Anakin said.
"You haven't been here, Anakin...You don't know how things have been. You don't know the things that are being said or whispered."
"Shaak Ti..." Cadus trailed off, staring deep into her eyes.
"It's been a lifetime, Cadus..." Shaak Ti fell into his gaze.
His eyes were intense, powerful, like always, yet warm, and his presence touched her, brushed her with the lightest touch, and he gently prodded to wipe away all the days and hours and minutes of unbearable dread she endured since his departure.
She felt much lighter.
She dearly missed her best friend.
"That was kind of weird." Anakin commented, looking at the duo with some inquisitiveness.
"We are bonded deeply in the force and have been since we were children."
"A force bond?" Anakin ventured, testing the word out. "Force bond?"
"Mhm. Cadus is my first friend and my best friend." Shaak Ti nodded.
"Friend. Force bond." Anakin said the words, pondering them even more.
"That is something I have never looked into...Maybe I should start researching more on that particular ability. I haven't had a bond like that since Snips. I think she's the only person who would sprint full speed like Master Shaak Ti just did and squeeze me to death, besides the Younglings of course."
Remembering his splendid Padawan brought a pang of sadness to Anakin.
"What about Master Obi Wan?" Shaak Ti asked, tilting her head a little.
"It's not the same thing. Snips and I had an unbreakable bond. We understood each other without having to ever speak a word. Obi Wan and I are inseparable, but there are still times we revert back to our old ways."
Anakin hefted the donuts back to Cadus, who handled them with precision.
"Every bond is not the same, you are right." Shaak Ti admitted, a little sad.
"That is true, but a bond with a Togruta is one that lasts for eternity. There is something special about them, in my opinion. They understand and accept you for who you are, they will never try to change you. The Mirialan are also special, a bond with them is one that not even the galaxy itself can separate. And, the Twi'leks are sensitive and intuitive, especially to emotions and deeper motives of a person. The people they interact with from a very young age are the ones they bond most with."
Anakin found himself nodding his thanks to Cadus, but more out of the fact what was said couldn't be refuted, and he never had any idea. He knew from first hand experience just how special the Togruta were, Ahsoka was a testament to the species innate talents.
Just as Shaak Ti accepted Cadus, Ahsoka accepted him.
And, he accepted Ahsoka.
But, he just thought it was Ahsoka that had this talent, but he could have been very wrong.
"What about humans?" Anakin asked.
Cadus frowned, looking at some ice cream melting.
"It depends. Take this ice cream. Some humans would not want to eat it because it is melting. While some, don't want to eat the ice cream because it is too cold. If they do not like the person or have any...Misgivings, for lack of a better term about the person, they may not bond at all. With humans it depends on the person entirely, it is not a broad stroke like with the three species I mentioned."
Anakin nodded, rubbing at his chin. "I think I understand..."
Cadus looked at him, interest clearly invested. "Speak your piece."
"For the Togruta, Mirialan, and Twi'lek it is the person themselves. All of their faults, their strengths, what they love about them, and what even drives them crazy. They accept that about the person."
Shaak Ti waved her hands a little, looking momentarily flustered.
"But, to be fair, Anakin...The Mirialan believe that we are ripples in the force, and our every action, on an individual level sends out a ripple. If they apply this to bonds, which they do, they understand the person without ever having to say a word, and there's nothing that could break the bond. Not unless both the Mirialan and whoever they are bonded with, were to, sever the bond on purpose, or one of them was killed...But, that would leave them empty."
Anakin frowned hearing that. "Empty?"
"It's like a void opens up inside of you, a space that can never be filled. But, even if the person you have a bond with is no longer in front of you, as long as they are alive, the bond is strong. They can feel you as much as you can feel them. When you think of them, they are thinking of you, when you dream of them, they dream of you, and when you miss them, they are missing you much more."
Anakin nodded his thanks to Cadus and Shaak Ti for speaking their pieces, and once more giving him a wealth of knowledge. It sounded like force bond could be the most rewarding ability to have, but it also carried the most risk. For people, animals, species, or multiples of all three.
Entire worlds.
Entire systems.
It just wasn't about the individual.
It was dangerous, and as he knew before, and knew without a doubt now, to even have the thought of doing something devious with this ability was enough to discard the thought to even research it. He would never stoop to that level of depravity.
And, so like he had been for the better part of almost three standard days on Coruscant since he returned from Rhen Var, Anakin retreated back into his mind to simply reflect and think about everything he was being told.
Only Cadus, Anakin, Shaak Ti, and Obi Wan were present in the cafeteria when Master Kento and his close comrade, the beautiful and sincere Master Mallie walked in searching for Master Yoda, Master Murak, or Master Windu to relay their reports.
Seeing the only four high ranking Jedi present all the way in the back, the duo quickly made their way to them, far away from prying ears, but not so much the prying eyes of young and hopeful Jedi on kitchen duty, eating, or getting food.
No one commented on the donuts and ice cream Cadus had at the table, the fact he was eating bits of both, nor said anything to the Padawan hopefuls and Younglings walking up and taking some for themselves, asking first of course, as they were all taught proper manners.
Anakin took a chocolate donut and began to munch on it.
Obi Wan shook his head, but feeling a little peckish, he picked up his own chocolate donut and began to eat it carefully.
Sweets were a good way to fight off tiredness and fatigue, after all.
Luminari and Barriss lectured him about that.
"You want one?" Cadus looked at Mallie and Kento, finishing the rest of his donut.
Mallie took one, setting it on a napkin. "Thank you."
"Well, since Kento isn't eating..." Anakin trailed off, looking at the older man.
"I'll decline for now. I have water." Kento said, amicable.
"I am going to put this on a holo-recorder. We don't need to go over this twice for Master Yoda, Master Maruk, and Master Windu. Watching and listening to this will suffice for them." Cadus looked at everyone gathered before setting the device down.
He waited for a loud click to signify it was recording.
Once Kento heard the loud click he began to speak.
"I was running a basic recon in the Quence Sector, Sluis Sector, and Bajic Sector. There was a lot of activity in the areas. War ships, Dreadnaughts, Star Dreadnaughts, cruisers, frigates, nothing out of the norm. The CIS has had the whole region locked down since Grievous's attack on Utapau, the battle by the Vergesso Asteroids, and the crisis in the Minos Cluster..."
Kento paused, taking a sip of water.
"But, then three entire fleets came through hyperspace. From the coordinates my Troopers guessed they were using deep space vectors. Not local traffic. Nothing from the Core, Colonies, Mid Rim, or Expansion Region."
"Where do you think they came from?" Mallie asked.
Kento frowned. "There were three fleets that arrived in total, but the first one to arrive did so near instantly, like they had the coordinates put in already with no drawback time of calculating the actual jump. If I had to guess, I would say they came from around the way of Csilla or from around the Braxant Sector."
"Csilla is past the Unknown Regions...There's not much out there. Mygeeto and Muunilinst are on the Braxant Run." Obi Wan wiped the chocolate from his fingers and mouth, careful not to ruffle his beard or mustache.
"Could they be going back and forth?" Anakin asked.
"From the Braxant Run to Csilla, now that is doubtful. There's no hyperlanes to connect them, and even if they go into real space in between each jump...It's just too much of a risk." Cadus said, more out of thought than a definitive response.
"Why?" Anakin asked, curious.
Cadus rubbed his chin, closing his eyes in thought. "The safest way for them to move, without the risk of falling out of hyperspace while they are traveling to Csilla, would be to go through the Braxant Run and into the Hydian way. From Bandomeer they follow the Hydian Way into the Metellos Trade Route or Widek Bypass."
"They can jump to Ilum from any of those points, and from Ilum they could get to Csilla easily, but going through that great effort would be pointless." Anakin realized.
"What about the other two fleets? Where did your Troopers put them?" Obi Wan questioned, moving the conversation forward.
"The second fleet, which was the largest, had to have come from a remote place. There were also millions of transports. They were not armed, but they had the colors and symbols of the CIS. My Troopers guessed they came from the way of the Spar Sector, or the Moddell Sector possibly."
Obi Wan looked at Kento. "Those last two sectors are in the Unknown Regions..."
"That's what worried my men. There's not a lot of known stable hyperlanes that go that far out. The third fleet came from the way of Rintonne."
Anakin nodded, remaining silent so the older man could continue.
Kento took another sip of water.
"I wanted to take a closer look, so we dressed up the cruiser as a trader vessel and we moved to, hopefully, bypass the fleet since we posed them no harm. They must have been ordered to kill anyone that got close to the transports sight, because the Dreadnaughts felt the need to open up on us with their turbo laser cannons."
"Did they use any of their tractor beam projectors?" Obi Wan asked quickly.
"No. I'm glad they didn't give it a second thought to go that far. We would have been ripped apart in the middle of space." Kento admitted without hesitation.
Anakin frowned, clenching his brow together. "They don't want to fight. They are transporting something, and they want to annihilate everything and everyone."
"Exactly. The formation and size of these fleets are not meant for small fighters, or even Corvettes...They are focusing on Star Dreadnaughts and Star Destroyers. A huge battle, against huge machines of pure destruction." Master Kento glanced down at his right side
Char marks were burned across his palm, arm, shoulder, and his whole right side in general.
"So the CIS is shipping something of high importance in these transports from the Corellian Trade Spine into the Corellian Run, the Rinma Trade Route, and the Hydian Way?" Mallie ventured.
"It could go into the Triellus Trade Route." Anakin added.
Something so valuable, that they will attack anyone on sight? What could be that valuable?" Shaak Ti ventured, speaking for the first time.
"They could be going back and forth between those points. If they can grasp that entire span of space between those two trade routes they are going to stretch from the Outer Rim into the Mid Rim, and will even go into the Expansion Region. Rintonne is not far from Wroona, which is the beginning of the Inner Rim."
Mallie looked at her hands, closing her eyes to calm herself.
"A full scale attack to take the Core?" Shaak Ti ventured, eyes narrowed.
Kento hesitated.
"We don't have any troop concentrations out in the Moddell Sector, though. It doesn't make any sense. Not even a small force or a squad. Not a single transport. And why would they attack right away? They couldn't have known who we really were, our cover was perfect. We weren't the only ones out there either, but they focused all of their fire and efforts onto us."
"There must be something there we aren't supposed to know about. They could be hording something, a power source possibly. The transports were very valuable to them, it seems." Obi Wan said.
Mallie studied the light-saber burns on Kento's right side. "Maybe there is someone out there..."
Cadus met Kento's gaze. "The Dreadnaughts stopped firing, that means...You were routed because of those attacks."
"You made a jump to hyperspace, and when you did, they followed you..." Anakin trailed off, finishing the last piece of the puzzle.
That meant they had been anticipating Kento's escape.
They knew in advance, well in advance.
Kento sighed, nodding. "Yeah, those damn destroyers blasted the cruiser to the point of no return. Lost too many good men in that fight, and I just barely made it to Excarga in one piece."
Anakin shuffled through his thoughts. "They knew you were going to be there. They knew you were going to evade and go that far out of the way."
Kento nodded.
"How?"
"I...I don't know." Kento paused, clenching his fingers together. "The only thing could be..."
Cadus frowned, eyes turning flinty. "A traitor in the Jedi Order or the Republic, perhaps? It's one of the few possibilities that make sense."
Everyone stared at Cadus.
"A traitor in our ranks? Impossible." Mallie said, tone filled with conviction.
"We shouldn't have anyone that is so deceitful." Shaak Ti seconded.
Cadus acknowledged Mallie and Shaak Ti, nodding, hoping they were right. "Well, let's not speculate. Sorry, Master Kento."
Kento took a chocolate donut, falling prey to his hunger.
"At first I remained hidden in a mine, hidden from whoever planned the attack, but when oxygen started to become scarce...I had to risk going to the surface. I didn't move far, I kept my presence suppressed, I swore I made myself insignificant and worthless in the eyes and minds of everyone around me...I swear it..."
He trailed off.
"I guess I didn't make myself worthless enough. He found me off before I could get far and forced our fight into a mine. I managed to press him into a bypass, and then he used the force to send the whole thing collapsing down on top of both of us when I cornered him...I just barely escaped, and I knew it was just a matter of time before I lost after that..."
"He..." Obi Wan met Kento's gaze. "He...Who is this he?"
Kento remembered the fangs, and the face contorted with hatred. He remembered the cold, unflinching resolve to eviscerate that flew off the apparition out of the chaos realm. He remembered the dark side flaring all about him, like he was in the center of a volcano and being melted.
"What did he call himself? What was his name?" Obi Wan prodded, gaze growing intense.
Kento looked at the gathered Jedi, eyes hard.
"Maul. Darth Maul."