PART 3: ASTRAY ACOLYTES
CHAPTER 1: SECRETS OF A JEDI
AU. While Dooku leads Anakin down a darker path, Padmé and Obi-Wan work to discover who ordered the creation of the Clone Army. In Anakin's absence Asajj and Ahsoka set out to learn more about the force for themselves. [Months after the events of THE RAXUS GAMBIT]
Qui-Gon had been gone for a long time now and yet his legacy, a secret legacy, was still alive. Obi-Wan stood in the council chamber. Things had been silent a long time after the message on the holocron had been revealed.
"This," Master Galia said "is incredible." but her voice did not hold awe, so much as shock at Qui-Gon's blatant disregard for the Jedi code.
"Who is this, Skywalker, Qui-Gon speaks of?" Master Mace Windu asked, glancing from the holocron image of Qui-Gon to where Obi-Wan stood.
Where to even begin? Obi-Wan was only guessing at much of it himself, "I suspect he is a boy we encountered on Tatooine during the Naboo blockade crisis. However, any further contact Qui-Gon may have had with him was kept a secret from me." Obi-Wan paused for a moment. He could barely believe his former master, a believed friend, had kept something so important from him, from the council. Why train the boy in secret, why break so many rules of the Jedi code? Obi-Wan knew his former master well enough to know that Qui-Gon would only have acted for what he thought best, but what that motivation was he didn't know. "Recently," Obi-Wan went on "I've encountered a force sensitive, he's received training, that's clear; I now believe that he may have received it from Master Qui-Gon." Obi-Wan chest felt heavy saying it.
"The pirates who robbed Ilim," Master Mundi mused.
"Think that all three of these pirates received training from master Qui-Gon, do you?" Yoda asked his old eyes watching Obi-Wan carefully.
"It's hard to say," Adi Galia answered, she too had met the pirates briefly. "When I met them they all had clearly received training of some kind, however, I believe that master Jinn was not the originator of the training for all of them".
"This mystery explorer we will, but at a future date, more pressing matters there are," Yoda said, turning to Master Ki-Adi-Mundi.
"We have been contacted by Senator Amidala, the senator is opening an investigation into who ordered the clone army and she has asked for the Jedi's help in this matter," Ki-Adi-Mundi said.
"The Jedi support this official investigation by a member of the senate. You are to help the senator discover the truth of the matter," Master Mace Windu said.
"Yes masters, am I to assume that the entire matter should be handled quietly?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Yes," master Shaak Ti said, "those who wish to obstruct are unwary of this investigation as of yet."
"Senator Amidala is looking into the source of the clone armies, who ordered them, and who paid for them," Master Ki-Adi-Mundi said.
"I was under the impression that the Keminoin's were refusing to open their files to the republic. And that all travel through Seperatits held space was suspended, especial with the possibility of peace talks?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Your understanding is correct," master Ki-Adi-Mundi said, "the Jedi, as you know, have been named as placing the order, when our records show no such thing. Because of the travel ban, your investigation may be more difficult, as it is unlikely you will be able to go to Kemino," he added.
"Much fear in the galaxy there is, a secret army, fractured governments, losing faith in the Jedi the galaxy is. The dark side clouds everything," Yoda mused.
"Someone is trying to discredit the Jedi?" Obi-Wan was alarmed by the idea, the damage that the clone armies had already caused politically was catastrophic. The Separatists viewed the existence of the army as an act of war. If their true purpose was to discredit the Jedi there was much more to the current turmoil then seemed previously.
"Behind these events I sense the hand of the Sith," Master Mace Windu said. The council chamber was quite a long moment. Yoda broke the silence.
"Go now, help senator Amidala discover the truth you will" Obi-Wan bowed to the council and left the chamber.