A/N: Hi, needed a bit of a break don't worry we're back now, but I need your help.

Chapter 20

The New Apprentice

SERENNO

The Palace of Count Dooku

In the depths of the dark palace, the evil Count Dooku was speaking with his true Master, "He came to you of his own free will?" A hologram of a cloaked man asked him their face shrouded in shadow by a hood.

"Indeed Lord Sidious, it was most peculiar." The Count said on bended knee to his lord and master.

"Most peculiar indeed and perhaps furtitus?" The Sith Lord said scratching his chin which was the only thing visible from under the hood besides a bent beak like nose.

Dooku raised his head curious "With the loss of his Padawan, Master Kenobi will be off balance and the Jedi Council will fall further into fear of their own ranks, while you will have gained a new 'apprentice'."

"You want me to train him?" Count Dooku asked him "That is why you have kept him alive is it not?" Sidious asked him.

The Count appeared visibly confused "My loyalty is to you my Master, however the fate of Asajj Ventress and the treacherous Savage Opress has left me wary of taking another."

"Yet this one will have been taught by Jedi, there will be little to teach for I know the boy has great anger, great hate all you need to do is focus on it and he will be ours." The hologram said "By now the Jedi will have changed all defense codes and strategic information with the padawans deffection, focus only on seeing if he is truly ready to be Sith."

Count Dooku bowed his head "As you command…" he smiled, his face hidden from the video "My lord."

Leo awoke inside the walls of the Count's Palace, the room he was in was twice as large as his padawan dormitory, there was a great green tinted window to his left with a desk to the right at the foot of his bed laid a trunk and when Leo got out to open it he saw what was inside. Filled to the brim wasa set of dark black and other dreary colored clothing for Leo to wear, reaching in he pulled out a pair of black boots and trousers with them before he started to rummage through the rest of the clothing till he found an outfit he felt comfortable with.

Once he was dressed the former padawan looked at himself in the mirror, his pale face, his yellow eyes and of course his new found white hair.

The jedi was dead for all it mattered, who he was now was a matter of some debate.

Emerging from his quarters making his way to Count Dooku's inner sanctum, Leo was dressed in attire befitting a Sith apprentice of the Confederacy of Independent systems. The robes were near identical to Count Dooku's buttoned over jacket and matching trousers save for the exception that Leo was wearing a thick black vest over the jacket tucked with a dark leather belt, and he had both his baggy sleeves bound around his forebears in tight wrappings so his sleeves wouldn't get in the way.

When he walked into the office, Count Dooku was waiting for him "What is it that you seek?" Count Dooku asked him.

Leo took a few more steps before he dropped to his knees "I seek- I seek power." Leo replied his voice shaking.

"But what is power?" Count Dooku asked him "Hmm, speak up?" Count asked him again.

"... Knowledge is power." Leo said, finding the answer.

The Count turned around his lip curling at the answer showing he was pleased "Indeed, and the knowledge of the dark side is the gateway to power." The Count said raising his hand beckoning the boy to rise.

"Yes." Leo said slowly starting to rise "The Masters feared it, but I didn't." Leo said

"Hmm we shall see, recite the Sith Code if you can?" Count Dooku asked him.

Leo gulped already knowing what the words were

"Peace is a lie, there is only passion through passion I gain strength through strength I gain power, through power I gain victory, through victory my chains are broken the Force shall free me." Leo recited the code up to the Count who frowned.

He approached Leo "Bah, recited as if the jedi were speaking through you, you know the words but do you know the meaning?" The Count said walking past Leo.

Raising both his arms the Count spoke "Peace is a lie, for war is the natural state of the galaxy, empires rise in the heat of war and die in the dullness of peace." The Count said.

"Passion is what keeps men alive, when the passion for anything art, glory even life they lose the strength to carry on." He said turning around to face Leo showing his hands, forcing lighting danced on his fingertips "Strength leads to power, for one must be strong to contain such forces of nature to bend it to their will and achieve victory-." Dooku suddenly tore out his ligthsaber and rushed Leo, the Count despite being an old man moved with the speed three times his his younger "Through victory my chains are-." The Count raised his lightsaber at Leo and saw the boy had no padawan braid.

Leo barely had time to react until the Count walked around and saw the scar on the back of Leo's head "Your chains are broken only by you."

"To remove one's padawan braid is to leave the Order for good… you were prepared to leave the Jedi?" Count Dooku asked him to sheath his blade.

Leo lowered his head "The Council feared my power my lord, I knew they would exile me sooner or later so I chose to leave of my accord to learn at the feet of a true Master." Leo said before kneeling again "You completed the training of both Sith and Jedi, who better to teach me?"

"Hmmm and you believe yourself worthy of my teachings?" Dooku asked him.

Leo waited squeezed his hands into tight fists "I am worthy, how many acolytes did you send against me… and how many have I killed?"

Dooku gave a smirk "A test then, are you familiar with the ancient traditions of Sith Apprentices?" The Count asked walking back to his desk

"As there are no other candidates what did you have in mind?" Leo asked.

Dooku walked up the steps of his desk and turned "The mark of the Sith Lords, of our Order is our lightsaber, red the color of passion when kyber crystals were not available the apprentices would seek out the former blades of Great Sith Lords, you shall do so."

"Which sword am I to take?" Leo asked him.

Dooku turned then, "Study the ancient texts here within my palace, read the poetry of the Sith and decide which Sith Lord's sword would suit you as when you carry the blade of a Sith, you carry the legacy of thousands of Lords who came before us."

"Why not craft my own saber?" Leo asked him.

"Are you questioning my teachings?" The Count asked him, Leo bowed his head "No Count, I will study the ancient texts and return when I know my path." Leo turned around and walked to the door leaving the Count behind.

So that's all I got for you, new look, new master- maybe now I want you Star Wars fans to help choose which Sith Lords lightsaber Leo should seek out, and any other suggestions you have.