Disclaimer – all original Star Wars characters in this fanfic (excluding my OC's) are the property of Lucasfilm and Disney.
Chapter 21 "The Test of Skills."
Planet Anzat, Spaceport, Maggot's Cantina.
"Volfe Karkko," Zai'shira repeated the name, squinting her blue-colored eyes. "I think I heard that name before."
"Hmpf, you surely did," Avelon replied. "He was a powerful Jedi Master, who believed he was above the natural predatory instincts of his species. However, after casually tasting the soup, he rapidly developed an addiction, which precipitated his fall to the dark side of the Force. He was defeated, and the Jedi Council placed him in stasis on the prison world of Kiffex. He was left there for a millennium in full mental consciousness so that he might contemplate the error of his ways. Volfe Karkko, however, refused to renounce the dark side, and spent his time in isolation plotting his revenge against those who had imprisoned him."
"It sounds like you believe he deserved his fate," Zai'shira commented and took a few steps back, sitting on the edge of the bed.
"He did," Avelon confirmed with a nod. He noticed that the Togruta didn't try to manipulate or distract him, so he continued, but kept his yellow blade ignited. "Volfe Karkko was an arrogant and corrupted person. He eventually sensed an arrival of a young Jedi named Aayla Secura, whom he lured to his prison on Kiffex and tricked her into releasing him from stasis. He seduced her to the dark side and took her as his apprentice, planning to make her his queen upon his escape from planet Kiffex. However, her Jedi Master, Quinlan Vos, appeared on the planet, and he eventually killed Volfe Karkko, but that wasn't enough for the Jedi Order."
"What do you mean?" Zai'shira asked, feeling she won't like the answer.
"My parents weren't Force-sensitives like me, and they were nothing like my grandfather, but the Jedi Order decided not to risk that an Anzat from Karkko's bloodline would become another powerful Force-user drove by the addiction and wanting to get revenge," the Anzat said with a growl. "So they sent a Jedi Master to kill my parents and me. My father was killed, and my mother, who loved him dearly, hanged herself in our house from grief. I wasn't home that day, so I never meet that Jedi Master, but another one searched for me to end the Karkko's legacy."
"I'm sorry to hear that," the Togruta said compassionately, sensing the Anzat's anger and grievance. "I know how it hurts to lose someone you love, although not in such a way. When I was a Jedi, the Jedi Council wanted me to terminate my pregnancy, but I refused, leaving the Order in the process. After I tried to kill a Sith Lord to prevent a war by myself, since the Jedi didn't believe, I lost and was accused of attacking an innocent man. As a result, I was forced to fled Coruscant. I simply decided to prepare for war to protect my family. Unfortunately, a few years after my daughter was born, I had a vision in which she would die. I needed to make a hard decision to save her. With a heavy heart, I had to erase her memory and allow the Jedi to take her to the Order." Zai'shira sighed, and Avelon sensed her sorrow and honesty.
The Anzat turned off his lightsaber and looked closely at the Togruta, who looked at his weapon and decided to ask. "That lightsaber, it belonged to the Jedi that tried to kill you?"
"Yes," Avelon confirmed. "I defeated and him and brought him to my house as a prisoner, taking his stuff for my own. The lightsaber was one of them."
"I see," the Togruta nodded and narrowed her eyes. "But there's one thing I can't get my head around. How do you know so much about your grandfather, his history, and the other Jedi?"
In response, the Anzat gestured towards the small desk. Zai'shira stood up from the bed, moved towards the desk, and opened its only drawer. Inside, she saw a pyramid-shaped Sith Holocron etched with reddish symbols and ancient hieroglyphs.
"It opened in my hand when I was full of negative emotions," Avelon began to explain. "A red, transparent hologram of a person clad in full dark armor appeared before me. He introduced himself as Tulak Hord, Lord of the Sith. He told me to use my anger to destroy the Jedi and get my revenge. To be honest, I wanted to find the Jedi Master, who killed my father, so I decided to listen to the Sith and find out what he could teach me. I learned a few useful dark side abilities like Drain Knowledge, for example, and I used it on the captured Jedi. That's why I knew so much about my grandfather, Volfe Karkko, and the things he did. I simply extracted the information directly from his mind."
Zai'shira knew that Drain Knowledge was a Force power that allowed to steal deep memories and information violently and mercilessly. It was an ability of the dark side of the Force. However, the Togruta was impressed that the Anzat was able to learn it so quickly. It was clear that he had a natural talent. What's more, he properly used the dark side. He made the Jedi suffer.
"However, the Jedi's mind didn't survive the constant abuse, so I could not learn the name of the Jedi Master who killed my father before his mind fried," Avelon added with a sigh. "I left the 'broken' Jedi in the wilds and the feral Anzati... well, they found his soup tasty."
"So you thought I was another Jedi that came to this planet in order to kill you," Zai'shira summarised.
"Exactly," Avelon smiled slightly. "I work in this cantina, and the Devaronian behind the counter is a family friend. He knows what happened to my parents, so when someone asks for me, he warns me by pressing a button under the counter. That way, I know when someone is coming."
"Huh, clever," Zai'shira commented, smiling as well.
"What do you want from me, anyway?" Avelon asked, arching his black eyebrow. "I don't think you simply looked for me to chat."
"It's complicated, but I'll try to explain everything," Zai'shira promised.
Coruscant, Jedi Temple, High Council Tower, Council Chamber.
"You requested my presence," said Master Dooku as he left the turbolift and entered the circular chamber, stooping at its center.
"Important mission, the Jedi Council for you has," announced Master Yoda.
"I told you I won't accept any more missions," Master Dooku reminded. "You should focus on retrieving the holocron with the list of Force-sensitive children."
"We strongly insist you take this one," said Master Windu. "It's about your former Padawan Komari Vosa."
Dooku squinted his eyes as his interest peeked. "We send her to the Citadel since she didn't show any will to redeem herself. What happened?"
"She was freed from her cell," answered Master Windu. "Someone managed to infiltrate the Citadel with relative ease, and now they trying to escape. The ship that arrived on Lola Sayu used the clearance codes of Master Sifo-Dyas."
Dooku's eye widened. Sifo-Dyas was his close friend, and if someone used his clearance codes, that could've meant he was in trouble. Dooku blamed himself for not being there for Qui-Gon on Naboo, and he ended in a terrible state. If Master Sifo-Dyas would share Qui-Gon's fate or worse, he'd die, Dooku would never forgive himself.
The Jedi Master nodded. "Alright, I'll head to the Citadel at once."
A slight relief appeared on the faces of some Council members. "Knight Kenobi and Master Fisto join you on this mission, they will," said Master Yoda. "Assistance, you may need."
Dooku had to agree that if someone was strong enough to defeat Master Sifo-Dyas, he would definitely need some help.
Planet Anzat, Spaceport, Maggot's Cantina.
Avelon and Zai'shira left the small room and sat down at the table in the corner of the cantina, where no one would disturb them. The Togruta explained everything from the beginning, and the Anzat was shocked, to say the least.
"Damm," Avelon said to himself. "That's... a lot to take in."
"Tell me about it," Zai'shira replied with a slight chuckle. "I still have trouble believing some things, although I saw them with my own eyes. They don't teach or even speak about such a thing at the Jedi Temple."
"But why the Force wanted 'me' to help you?" Avelon asked bewilderedly. "Especially for such a crucial task."
"I think it's your talent and your instincts," Zai'shira replied, although not entirely sure. "Tell me, how old are you?"
"I'm fifty-seven," he replied, making Zai'shira raise her white eyebrow markings. For a species that could live for eons, Avelon was considered a young adult with forty-three more years until he would reach full adulthood.
"Yep, you have great potential in you," she confirmed. "You knew how to use the dark side of the Force so that it didn't corrupt you. You can become a powerful Force-user and really help us in bringing balance to the galaxy. In exchange, we can help you find the Jedi Master responsible for the death of your family."
Avelon thought about it. If anything, it was a good deal, and it was also kind of ironic. The Jedi wanted to kill him so that he would not plot revenge against the Order, but in the end, their actions were the sole reason he now wanted revenge. However, if the Togruta told him the truth about the end of all life in the galaxy, if they won't manage to bring balance, their mission was far more important than his desire for revenge. Hell, if we could be a part of a faction that managed to do what the Jedi never did, it would prove that he was better his grandfather.
"Well, count me in," Avelon said with a smile.
One hour later – Planet Lola Sayu, The Citadel.
Lola Sayu was a sulfurous, volcanic, cracked planet that resembled a beautiful glowing purple orb from orbit. It was the site of an ancient Jedi notorious prison complex, constructed five hundred years before the clone wars, known as the Citadel or the Citadel Station.
Master Dooku, Master Kit Fisto, and Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi, who ordered his Padawan Anakin Skywalker to stay at the Temple, flew over the glowing river of molten sulfur and headed towards the fortress in the Eta-class shuttle. Even from afar and inside their ship, all three Jedi heard the alarms of the Citadel.
"I can't understand one thing," stated Obi-Wan, who piloted the shuttle. "Even if the infiltrators had Master Sifo-Dyas's clearance codes, the Citadel's security should raise the alarm immediately after learning that Master Sifo-Dyas wasn't on board."
"Good point," admitted Master Fisto, who sat in the co-pilot seat. "But we'll learn everything soon enough. If by any chance the Sith are involved, maybe there a chance to learn something about the Holocron."
As they flew over the Citadel and reached the landing platform, Dooku, who stood behind Obi-Wan's seat, leaned forward and noticed a commotion in the distance. "I think we already found our infiltrators," he announced, pointing at something. Both Master Fisto and Obi-Wan saw that someone with crimson blades fought near the large landing platform against the Citadel's security.
The Jedi Knight landed their shuttle close to a Firespray-class starship, which they guessed belonged to the infiltrators, and all three Jedi quickly disembarked, recognizing Komari Vosa and Bruck Chun, who killed the last of the guards.
"Komari!" Dooku called out sternly.
The woman turned around with hatred in her yellow-colored eyes. "Hello, Master!" she said contemptuously. The Jedi Master noticed that Komari had a lightsaber in each hand, guessing Bruck Chun gave her the weapons.
"You should've escaped sooner," said Master Dooku. "Now, you won't be able to leave, and the Citadel we'll have one more prisoner."
"Oh, but we didn't want to escape, we waited for you, Master Dooku," replied Bruck Chun. "We knew the Order would send someone after Komari was freed, but we're lucky that it was you and Knight Oafy-Wan. Revenge will be sweet."
Obi-Wan frowned at that insulting nickname. "We overestimate your abilities, Bruck," he stated. "Even if you would be strong enough to face us one on one, we outnumber you."
Bruck looked at Master Kit Fisto, who only grinned in response. "Oh, really?" the human smiled sinisterly. A small dart was suddenly fired towards the Jedi from above, and it was kit Fisto, who noticed it. With the Force, the green-skinned Nautolan Master redirected the dart to the side. It the wall and exploded after a quick beep. The Jedi looked up and noticed a person with a jetpack clad in a silver-blue Mandalorian armor. Master Dooku recognized that person since he and Komari, when she was still his Padawan, encountered him during the battle of Galidraan. It was the Mandalorian warrior, Jango Fett.
Without a word, Fett unleashed at the Jedi with his dual WESTAR-34 blasters. Obi-Wan and Master Kit Fisto quickly activated their lightsabers. They began deflecting the energy bolts, while Komari and Bruck Chun dashed at Dooku, who activated his blue blade and performed a Makashi salute, placing his left arm behind his back. He didn't plan to kill them since they could have useful information about the Sith.
Bruck and Komari swung their crimson blades at Dooku, who gracefully and even balletically dodged to the side. The two were clearly outmatched by the more experienced and skilled Jedi Master. Dooku easily parried and deflected the strikes, literally dancing around them as he sat fit.
"I thought you were smarter, Komari," Dooku said disappointedly after a successful parry. "You could've become a wise and powerful Jedi Knight. Instead, you became a pawn of the Sith."
"It's your fault!" Komari screamed with anger, raising both of her blades. She swung them downwards, but Dooku stepped to the side and struck Komari's head with the hilt of his lightsaber, causing the woman to his in pain and fall forward on her knees. "You were my idol, I... I loved you, and you decided to abandon me."
"My only fault was to not noticing that sooner," Dooku replied with a stoic expression. "But that doesn't justify your actions. You could resist the corruption of the dark side, but you decided not to. For your fall, you have only yourself to blame, but you can still surrender."
Bruck Chun slashed horizontally at Dooku's back, but the Jedi Master blocked the strike without even looking at him. Komari stood up, and with a wrathful scream, she turned around and continued to attack.
At the other end of the platform, Jango Fett continued to fly around both Jedi with his jetpack, showering them with blaster shoots. When the bounty hunter focused only on Kenobi, Master Fisto managed to grab him with the Force and yank him down from the air, which resulted in the bounty hunter dropping one of his blasters. As the Nautolan dashed towards him, Jango pressed a button on his left gauntlet, activating his flame projector.
Kit Fisto jumped over the flames and landed behind the bounty hunter, who spun around with his flame projector. The Nautolan slid beneath the fire and attempted to slash Jango with his green blade, but the bounty hunter flew away with his jetpack. However, he was suddenly hit with the Force push in the back by Obi-Wan Kenobi.
The moment Fett fell on the platform once again, he fired a missile attached to his jetpack towards the Jedi. Master Fisto quickly grabbed the missile with the Force and stop in mid-air, but Jango fired at the missile, causing it to explode. Both Kit Fisto and Obi-Wan were swept off their feet by the impact of the explosion.
Jango stood up and fired a cord from his right wrist, which coiled around Obi-Wan's leg. The Jedi Knight was injured in the arm by one of the metal shards. The bounty hunter flew into the air, pulling the Jedi Knight with him and towards the platform's end. Before the bounty hunter could drop Obi-Wan into the molten sulfur, Master Fito hurled his lightsaber, cutting the cord and saving Obi-Wan, who managed to grab the edge of the platform.
As the Nautolan called his lightsaber back to his hand, he was suddenly hit by a bolt of lightning. His loud scream drew everyone's attention, and his skeleton flashed through his skin as his steaming body was flung off the edge of the platform, not far from where Obi-Wan hung on the edge. The Jedi Knight used one hand to grab the Nautolan in the air with the Force. He barely managed to hold him due to the pain in his arm.
As Dooku turned towards the direction of the Force attacked, he spotted a figure clad in a black cloak, who stood outside the Firespray-class starship. "I have seen enough, bounty hunter!" the figure announced loudly with a masculine voice, his face hid under the hood. "We're leaving!"
The Jedi Master wanted to stop him, but he knew that Obi-Wan needed assistance. The man turned towards Komari Vosa and Bruck Chun, who were somewhat tired and battered by Dooku. "Come, assassins," he ordered. Bruck bowed his head and immediately spoke. "Right away, Lord Vundus." Looking carefully at the Jedi Master, the two quickly ran towards the starship. Jango flew over to them, grabbing his other blaster en route, and all four boarded the starship, closing the ramp behind them.
When its engines roared, Dooku squinted his eyes with irritation and quickly ran to the edge of the platform. With the Force, he lifted both Obi-Wan and Kit Fisto, placing them carefully at the platform. "Thank you, Master," Obi-Wan said, wincing in pain. Kit Fisto groaned, slowly regaining his consciousness.
Dooku turned his head, looking at the starship, which already lifted off. There was no way to catch them now. The Jedi Master was curious who was the Sith Lord Vundus. Since Komari and Bruck weren't his apprentices only assassins, there was another Sith Lord, either his apprentice or a Master.
Much later - Coruscant, Industrial District, The Works, LiMerge Building.
Jango's Firespray-class starship called the Slave I, landed inside LiMerge Building, a secret hideout of Darth Sidious, which was initially designed as a weapons manufacturing facility. Additionally, it was believed to have served as the corporate headquarters for the factories that surrounded it. The top two-thirds of the building appeared to be little more than an unadorned pillar with a rounded summit, and the superstructure of the lower portion was supported by massive fins reinforcing a circular base. Several docking bays were located on the level where these fins met the structure itself. Permaglass windows and skylights dotted the exterior of the building.
Upon landing, Darth Vundus, Komari Vosa, Bruck Chun left the Slave I and approached Darth Sidious, who awaited them while Jango was told to remain aboard the ship. Bruck immediately knelt before the Sith Lord with Komari following suit. Darth Vundus bowed his head and spoke. "My mission was successful, Lord Sidious."
"Very good, Lord Vundus," replied the Sith Lord, gesturing his apprentice to follow. When they left the docking bay, Darth Sidious asked. "How do you evaluate the skills of the bounty hunter?"
"He'll be an excellent clone template, my Lord," Darth Vundus replied, taking off his hood and revealing the face of the former Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas. The former Jedi Master was now a Sith Lord, with paler skin and yellow-colored eyes. Since Dooku didn't join the Sith, Darth Sidious needed another apprentice to replace Maul, and a former Council member would fill the role just fine.
Darth Vundus's first task was to find a clone template for the army of the Republic. Sifo-Dyas didn't meet Jango Fett on Galidraan like Dooku, so the Mandalorian wasn't his first choice. Many bounty hunters failed his tests and died, but Jango proved successful, but he still needed to test his skills against Force-users.
Originally, Count Dooku hired Jango Fett to find and kill Komari Vosa, who was the leader of Bando Gora cult to prove his skills, but since she never became one thanks to Zai'shira, who defeated her many years ago, the Sith Lord needed a different test for the bounty hunter.
Darth Vundus took Bruck Chun and hired Jango to fight the Jedi, who were expected to arrive on Lalo Sayu after he and Bruck would free Komari from the Citadel. It was easy for the former Jedi Master to fool and kill the unsuspected guards.
"Good," Darth Sidious nodded. "Present him our offer and travel with him to Kamino at once."
"It will be done, Lord Sidious," Darth Vundus assured. "Can I keep Komari Vosa as an assassin like Bruck Chun? Under my tutelage, she can become an asset to our cause."
Darth Sidious hummed under his nose. "Very well, but don't go too far with her training," he warned with a threatening tone. "Only two Sith Lords can exist at one time."
"I remember, my Lord," Darth Vundus reassured and bowed his head.
Coruscant, Jedi Temple, High Council Tower, Council Chamber.
After returning to Coruscant, Master Dooku went to give the High Council a full report, while Obi-Wan and Kit Fisto were told to visit the Halls of Healing. "Darth Vundus?" asked Master Windu after Dooku told them about the Sith Lord.
"Yes," confirmed the Jedi Master. "In my assumption, I think they hired the Mandalorian Jango Fett for something important. Darth Vundus observed his fight with Master Fisto and Obi-Wan, and after a while, he revealed himself and clearly said, 'I have seen enough, bounty hunter.' I don't know that meant precisely, but maybe he was tested for something."
"Two assassins and probably two Sith Lords," summarised Master Plo Koon. "Not to mention, they're hiring bounty hunters. The numbers of our enemies are increasing."
Dooku fixated his sight on the floor, which Yoda noticed and asked. "Master Dooku, something on your mind, there is?"
"There's one more important thing I need to announce," the Jedi Master replied and sigh after which he continued. "I decided to leave the Jedi Order."
At first, silence filled the chamber as all members of the Council thought they misheard the Jedi Master. "Why?" Master Windu finally asked.
"Do you remember Master Windu what I told you in the Archives the day the kyber crystal was stolen?" Dooku asked, but answered himself. "The Senate is corrupt, the Council fallible, and Jedi training methods far from perfect. However, I remained in the Order because I believed that I could accomplish some good as a Jedi. Well... it seems I need to become someone else. Maybe I'll reclaim my title, and perhaps I'll manage to do some good as a Count. I have some contact, so maybe I manage to get information about the kyber crystal on my own and not as a Jedi."
Master Dooku approached the seat of Grand Master Yoda and handed him his lightsaber. "I have a feeling will see each other again, Master Yoda," Dooku said before turning on his heel and headed towards the turbolift, leaving the Council members shocked. Grand Master Yoda looked at Dooku's lightsaber and closed his eyes with a sad expression.
When Dooku finally left the Jedi Temple, after saying his goodbyes to Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan, who was also shocked and saddened by his decision, he called Zai'shira via holo just like they agreed. The Togruta was happy to hear that and even told him about Avelon, who also joined them. Dooku was interested in meeting everyone and creating this Kingdom of the Force.
Please R&R ;)