Inside the busy Jedi cafeteria, a group of non-Jedi sat at a table chatting animately together. Andrew Wells had pushed his now empty plate into the centre of the table and was waving his hands and talking enthusiastically to Jango about Earth's weapons and magic. On the opposite side of the table, Buffy and Dooku sat, both wearing matching expressions of horror and embarrassment as they listened to Andrew.

A little further off, Quin and Obi-Wan stood by the wall in deep conversation. Obi-Wan was telling Quin about his dream and every so often one of them would say something that caused the other to regard Buffy or the Count narrowly. Obi-Wan looked apprehensive while Quin looked baffled at what he'd been told.

When Bruck Zanleer, the teenager who'd escaped from the mountain with them, entered the cafeteria and stopped by the door, the conversation in both groups died away. The teenager stood on tiptoe, scanning the faces, obviously searching for someone in the crowd. Spotting Obi-Wan, he pushed his way through a group of laughing padawans, circled several tables, and came to a stop in front of the two knights.

After making a formal bow, he said, "Knight Kenobi, I've been instructed to find you, Buffy Summers, and Andrew Wells." He sounded short of breath as if he'd been hurrying. "The High Council need to see you all urgently."

Obi-Wan pushed himself off the wall he'd been leaning against."Thank you, Bruck. Buffy's sat over there. Tell them we'll go straight up." The boy nodded, and hurried off to relay his message back to the Council.

"I wonder what's the urgency?" Quin mused. A red patch appeared in the centre of Obi-Wan's otherwise pale cheeks and Quin guessed his friend was wondering if the Council had discovered his emotional attachment to Buffy. Lowering his voice, he whispered, "I don't think they'll want to see you for that. If it was, they wouldn't want Andrew there as well."

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "Because if they banish me they'll want Buffy and Andrew out of the Temple immediately."

Quin shook his head."Honestly I don't see it. Try not to let it stress you or else you'll give yourself away with guilt."

Inwardly, Obi-Wan sighed. If he was about to be banished from the Order there was nothing he could do about it. He'd known the rules and made the decision to change his life a while ago and ever since he'd only been putting off the inevitable. The three of them (Andrew wasn't safe to live on his own) would find an apartment on Coruscant somewhere. A sudden thought occurred to him. Would the Council expect him to give up his lightsaber? It wasn't that he didn't know how to use a blaster, Obi-Wan had learned many years ago how to shoot, it was just he'd never envisioned himself without a lightsaber.

As he approached Buffy, his eyes were drawn to the curved silver hilt of Dooku's lightsaber protruding from his belt. The sight of it made him feel a little better. If they'd let the Count keep his weapon, he didn't see why they'd refuse him his.

After passing on the Council summons to Buffy and Andrew, Count Dooku had given them all a long shrewd look and declared that he'd accompany them. Leaving Jango and Quin behind, the four of them made their way to the turbolift. Obi-Wan worrying silently while the Count watched him with an imperious and speculative look on his face.

When they left the turbo lift they were met by the Iktotchi master, Saesee Tiin. He made no comment about the Count inviting himself along, merely waved them into the chamber.

Inside, they were startled to find the Council was in the middle of a holo-call with a robed man. The four of them moved quietly along the circle of seats to take a closer look at the caller.

"Kardash?" Buffy doubted her eyes. Why would a vampire be holo-calling the Jedi Council?

The figure turned at his name. Forcing back the hood of his robe, the vampire tossed the hair from his eyes and smiled at her. "Buffy! Thank the Force! I'd forgotten how difficult it is dealing with the Temple Jedi! When I made the call I said it was urgent and they put me on hold! I had to listen to weird music before they put me through."

Buffy grinned in agreement. "Yeah, it's totally dire. They've done that with me."

"To verify your identities first, we needed." Yoda replied with a wave of his three-fingered hand. "Someone selling us something, you might have been."

The blue figure snapped, "A pity you didn't go to as much trouble when I was still alive!"

Yoda looked mulish. "Need to listen to you, we do not."

"Need to listen to me you will, unless you all want to become extinct!"

"No longer a Jedi, you are."

"I'm here to warn you!"

"Hey, what's up Kardash?" Buffy asked. If the vampire had a warning for them she didn't want Yoda driving him to cut the call before they'd found out what it was all about.

"Remember that promise you made me?" Kardash asked, eyeing her hopefully. Seeing Buffy's blank face he pouted. "You promised me and Mateo sanctuary and protection if we needed it!"

"Oh yeah," She nodded. "I sorta told the Council about our deal." She looked over at the masters, speaking to Mace rather than Yoda. She wouldn't put it past the muppet to say he'd no recollection of it – he'd been acting oddly around her since she'd come back from Naboo. "Nick, do you remember me telling you about a vamp who helped me escape from the cave-in? That was Kardash."

Thankfully, Mace nodded. "I do remember. Kardash, if we can help you and your brother we will do so."

"Jedi promise?" Kardash asked, his eyes on Yoda.

Yoda nodded. "Help you, we will."

"As long as you don't attack our necks," muttered Master Kid Adi Munda, touching his neck self-consciously.

Kardash looked from one master to the other warily. "I've only come to you because Darth Sidious is worse than Darth Desolate and he's Rancor-scat crazy." The vampire shook his head as if he couldn't believe he was actually doing this. "Look, I know the Jedi Order likes to take its time, but this is going to happen fast. If you don't act on it, I've put myself and my brother at risk for nothing because you'll all be dead meat and the Jedi Temple will be up in smoke."

Dooku cleared his throat. "Be assured, that I will take everything you say seriously." At Kardash's questioning frown, Dooku added. "I am Count Dooku of Serenno. Once I was Master Dooku of the Jedi but, now I am quite separate from the Jedi Order."

Obi-Wan shot a narrow look at Dooku and noticed Andrew's mistrustful expression. Andrew knew something. What was it? What in the Count's statement had dismayed the Watcher? Was it something the seer, George Lucas, had declared back in their dimension? Obi-Wan was pulled back from his thoughts as Kardash began to speak once again.

"I'm on a supply ship and I've temporarily blocked the official communication channel so that my superiors won't know I'm making this call." The vampire paused, chewing at his bottom lip as if gathering his thoughts.

"You'll have guessed Desolate has turned the Supreme Chancellor?" Yoda nodded and the vampire continued, "I like to listen and be in places I've no business being in. I find that if you pull out a bunch of wiring and sit on the floor looking busy no one gives you a second thought." He grinned, looking around the chamber. "That works whether you're a Jedi or a vampire." Spotting Yoda's scowl, he continued, "Things here are changing fast. Sidious has persuaded Desolate to turn not only Force users, but anyone who's capable of fighting for them. It's like he's building an army-."

"Crap, I knew this would happen," said Buffy. "Master vampires can't help sharing the blood and creating more and more minions."

Yoda began to speak and all there heard the note of sadness in his voice, "In a dark place we find ourselves. The future is forever changing but foresaw trouble coming, I did." He gave Buffy a meaningful look before turning his attention to Kardash. "Something more you have to add, young one?

Kardash nodded. He folded his arms into his sleeves, his eyes on the floor, looking every bit a Jedi as those sat in the chamber watching him.

"I overheard a conversation a couple of days ago between Master Sifo-Dyas and Sidious. If they'd found me, I'd be dust. Palpatine intends to return to the Senate for the Trade Federation speeches."

"I thought that was all done and dusted?" Buffy asked, looking at Obi-Wan for confirmation. "Didn't the Galactic Republic charge them for acts of war against Naboo?"

"They did," Dooku gave a snort of disgust. "I've followed their trials very closely and it appears Viceroy Nute Gunray and his several of his fellow accused have friends in high places. Every time the trials start they are released on a technicality."

Andrew gave Dooku a narrow look. "Is it you who's been helping him?"

"No, it is not!" snapped the Count, his dark eyes flashing with annoyance. "Where do you get these stupid ideas from? If you don't know what you're talking about it is wiser to keep your month shut."

"Uh, just checking," replied Andrew sheepishly. He knew in the Lucas version of events, Darth Tyranus had used his influence to get Gunray off the hook. "Darth Sidious is behind this. Gunray only invaded Naboo because Sid told him to."

Buffy interrupted, "So the Senate are having meetings about Nute Gunray?" She couldn't see what this had to do with Sid being a vampire.

Most of the masters looked over at Ki-Adi Mundi who knew more about this than anyone. He inclined his long head at Buffy. "The discussions in the Senate aren't about Nute Gunray. You see the Trade Federation represented a lot of planets with genuine grievances. Their armies might have gone but their grievances remain. To try to stop further discord in the galaxy the Senate is prepared to listen to these grievances to see what can be done. Already Senators and Ambassadors from all over the galaxy are arriving on Coruscant to attend these meetings."

"And Sid's coming back for these big meetings?" Buffy felt perplexed. "Why would he want to come back to discuss inter-planetary grievances?"

"He isn't interested in the grievances," said Kardash. "He wants a full Senate in attendance when he uses his position as Supreme Chancellor to add a last minute item to their agenda. He intends to abolish the anti-vampire acts that were created last year. He's going to argue that being a vampire is a health problem and therefore shouldn't be penalised. He also wants to revise Lord Vader's role as Defender of the Republic from Vampire's and outlaw slaying people who are already dead."

"The slimeball!" huffed Buffy with annoyance.

It was Andrew's turn to be confused. "I thought you didn't like being Darth Vader? You complained enough about taking on tall, dark, and snorty's role when he gave you the title."

"That's because I'm not Darth Vader!" Buffy refuted quickly. Around her, the masters exchanged looks. No doubt brain messaging each other about how she wasn't to be trusted.

"Buffy is nothing like a Sith Lord, Andrew." The deep voice of Count Dooku rang out in the chamber. "Those among the Order who had doubts," he didn't look at Yoda, but Buffy knew he meant him, " no longer do so. Please do not confuse Buffy with one of your YouTube characters."

Andrew shrugged. "Lord Vader, Darth Vader, it's the same thing."

"No it is not! And if you don't shut up," Buffy threatened, "I'll tell Jango how you used to kiss his poster every night before going to sleep."

Andrew flushed scarlet and stared at the Council chamber floor. "Did not."

"You did so! Faith caught you doing it. She told me."

"I did not kiss Jango's picture. It was Bobo's."

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan was trying his best to shut the noise of their bickering out and concentrate on what they'd been told. "Kardash, you are telling us that vampire slaying will be outlawed?"

The vampire nodded.

A small tic played beneath Obi-Wan's eye. "Is Buffy in danger? Does he intend to arrest her for being a vampire slayer?"

Kardash nodded, his eyes sliding across to Buffy. "He's told everyone they are lovers and he intends to have her arrested and while she's in custody to change her into a vampire."

The Council masters all stared at Buffy suspiciously.

"The guy's one Sith ritual short of dementia," Buffy said quickly. "I wouldn't touch what he's got in his trousers with a six foot pole."

Obi-Wan found himself pinching the bridge of his nose so hard that he was leaving nail marks. If a warrant was put out for Buffy's arrest, they'd need to leave Coruscant and head for the Outer Rim.

"More, you have to say?" Yoda quietly asked. Obi-Wan stopped massaging the self-inflicted nail marks on his nose and regarded the vampire worriedly.

"Palpatine intends to create a warrant for the arrest of not only Buffy, but many of the Jedi." Kardash looked about him. "All the High Council as well as Obi-Wan."

"What about me?" Andrew squeaked.

"Who are you?" Kardash peered at the plump Watcher.

Andrew puffed out his chest. "I'm Buffy's Watcher, Andrew Wells"

The vampire shook his head. "Nope, never heard you mentioned." He turned away from the affronted Watcher and continued, "Once Buffy and most of the Jedi masters are in for questioning, he'll address the Senate for a second time. At some point during his speech he'll have the cameras turned off and the Senators will be attacked by a team of vampires he's putting in place. He plans on turning the Senators who will then fall under his and Desolate's control. This will be the first step in creating a new Sith vampire Empire."

"The Empire Strikes Back!" screeched Andrew excitedly. Buffy elbowed him, sending him stumbling to one side where he glared at her and rubbed his forearm

"Let's forget that one and skip straight to Return of The Jedi," Buffy whispered. She took a step forward and spoke louder so all the masters could hear her.

"First thing is to work out when these attacks are going to be made. Then I think we should step in before the Republic agree vampires are simply misunderstood and cuddly beings. Which we know they're not, present company excepted, Kardash."

He gave her a Xander-like grin. "I knew you liked me, Buffy."

"Yeah, well, you and your brother can get your ass' back here. If we find out that you've lied to us you'll be the first to die on Mr Pointy."

He pouted. "You're no fun."

"So I've been told. Now, what we need to do is find a way of derailing Sid's plans." Buffy looked around at each of the Masters before her gaze rested on Obi-Wan. "I think I've got a plan..."

Although Obi-Wan regarded her with outward serenity, down their bond, he hissed, ~ Oh, for Force sake, no.~