"I don't understand." Master Vokara Che pushes away from the hologram of the cells she is looking at. The sample was one of the few that they had from the brief but violent battle on the Temple Grounds and a dozen stealth ships tried to leave at once and one had their stealth field fail as two holonet news droids ran into them. The clones immediately shot at the unshielded ship hitting it in a thousand different places. It would not normally have been productive, but the clones' training gave them a nearly intuitive aim hitting exposed components of the ship. It came down hard as the dozen Sith jumped free of the now burning ship. They attacked and lost to the combined forces of the Jedi, clones, and security forces.

"What don't you understand master?"

"Their blood it does not have any midi chlorians."

"That is impossible isn't it? How could they use the Force? How could they be alive?" Barriss Offee came closer to study the holovid.

"Not impossible. I just though it was a glitch. A problem with how the test went on someone who had not been exposed to the rest of the Galaxy for so long. Maybe that their midi chlorians were different. I tried to come up with another test and it always failed to gain results."

"Who was the test subject?"

"Jenica Lour."

"Jenica Lour? One of our stronger knights?"

"She came from Dromund Kaas."

"She is from the former capital of the Sith Empire?"

"You know your history, Barriss."

"I do master, so would that mean the Keshiri have not had contact with the rest of the Galaxy as well in thousands of years?" Master Che suddenly stopped and stared at Barriss before smiling and allowing a giggle to escape her lips.

"Master?"

"Midi Chlorians don't make you Force Sensitive."

"Yes they do, or how else could people with high counts be able to be Jedi?"

"No they are a throttle. They restrict the ability to use the Force. If that is the case then without midi chlorians then everyone could learn to control the Force."

"You would still need to be trained."

"Yes and the master padawan bond is nearly always needed. If the only way you can sense the Force is through the bond at first than you could hardly learn to use the Force on your own. However, that would mean that Master Yoda has to bond with every Jedi he trains."

"He teaches lightsaber combat to all the creche clans. I remember him helping me to meditate and the sudden awe I had feeling the Force so strongly."

"No, that can't be it the infant creche is always having incidents of flying objects or the babies taking bottles when they are hungry. Even on the first day."

"You do have a strong premise that could turn into a hypothesis and later a theory. Maybe a fact that something happened in the past. Some bioweapon of the Second Sith Empire the Brotherhood of Darkness created?"

"It could be anything? Maybe some point in the past. Perhaps Master Yoda would have seen such a change. Then again he has a midi chlorians count, so it had to happen before he was born."

"During the beginning of the Great Galactic War with the Sith Empire there were millions of Jedi at the end very few same with the Sith and then again the Jedi nearly all died out during the Republic Dark Age with the Brotherhood of Darkness."

"True but that would mean Dromund Kaas was not left alone for three and a half thousand years. I remember they did take control of the former Sith Empire worlds. Dromund Kaas would have been included."

"I know my history but not that well."

"I guess we will have to visit the archives. If we can prove that the Brotherhood of Darkness operated on Dromund Kaas then the midi chlorians came at the end of the Light and Darkness War."

"Or a record of when midi chlorians were first discovered."

"Another line of investigation. If we prove this and a way to remove midi chlorians from a being then the Force potential is limitless."

"That is if it does not kill them."

"Good point and could also explain why midi chlorians exist or does everyone truly have them?"

"If that Sith and Jenica do not have midi chlorians then we can not say that every living thing has them. What about the other bodies?"

"Too far gone to tell. Midi chlorians do not survive long after death. It is why you have to test the count right away."

"That is discouraging."

"Come we have a lot to do." The two Jedi healers get in a lift. Across the Temple several Jedi are together as they sit in their now empty living quarters. Their concern and confusion can be felt through the Force.

"I can not believe the Jedi Order is to disband. It has been in place longer than the Republic."

"In some form or another. The first were the Jed'aii. They created the first order. Though I think the term was meant loosely. As time went on the various Jedi Enclaves around the Galaxy linked themselves to the growing Jedi temple on Coruscant after the destruction of Ossus. The many wars fought against the Sith changed the Order over time and their direct link to the Republic brought about them always upholding the justice and fairness of the Galactic Republic. However, it was not always that way. The Pius Dea Era saw the abandonment of the Republic."

"I understand that, but should they not stay here on Coruscant?"

"No Obi Wan, not when this new Sith can just walk around us without even a hint of being there."

"I heard they are going to reopen all of the former Jedi Enclaves." Anakin wondered as he swirled his tea.

"Could happen Anakin. What are you planning to do?"

"I am married so long as I am not given a mission I would like to be near Padme. Could open up a repair shop or something if I get bored."

"So you are staying on Coruscant?"

"Ya. The only other option is to take the position and rank the Grand Army of the Republic offered me."

"Not so sure that is wise, but then again there will be several groups of Jedi remaining. The ancient military base was handed over to the clones giving them far more space than before."

"I heard the healers can't go or won't go. The archivists are getting the entire records packed up but releasing much of the data not related to the Jedi to the various archives around the Republic."

"What of the Holocrons?"

"The Sith holocrons have been destroyed all of them as the risk that some small bit of knowledge they contain is too great compared to the Sith knowledge this new Sith could gain."

"I wonder if some of them already went missing?" Ahsoka perked up at this. She could not think that anyone could just steal from the Temple.

"The room was made to hold them and any missing would be obvious unless replaced with a blank or copy. The rest of the Holocrons have been merged with the great holocron."

"Master how will we learn if the library and the holocrons are out of reach?"

"It will be up to your master and teacher to take you there. All the other skills can be learned from other libraries."

"Is the Great Holocron returning to Tython?"

"That would be telling and I was not told." A lot of things were not told to Qui Gon, but many more things were. His little death trap of a ship was replaced with one of the Jedi Defender class corvettes. He would be carrying a very in depth copy of the Jedi knowledge of the archive for his Enclave. He also had dozens of copies of Jedi Holocrons and many more that were copied from different sections of the Great Holocron. He was not the only master to be given this burden. All masters had been given enough knowledge to start their own enclave on the planet of their choice.

Siri Tachi frowned at the two large crates that were being attached to her fighter. She did not want to go where she was told to go. With the break up of the Order and that the code was changed back to the older code had completely changed her future and any plans she had made. She felt even drawn back to her time with Obi Wan even knowing it was so long ago. The idea to be free to explore her feelings and a relationship. Hopefully Obi Wan would be placed in an enclave near hers. She sighed one last time before the canopy closed as her R4 unit raised the ship off the ground and out of the Jedi Hanger. Other ships had gone before her and several followed her out to the waiting hyper rings.

"R4 what are those pods doing on the hyper ring?" She looked down at her droids display.

"Listed as survival gear. The four center pods. Thin rods are modified landing struts."

"We are going to land with the ring attached?"

"Yes. Coordinates received shall I engage?"

"Very well. Let's see where the Force wants us." The fighter vanishes in a flash joining a string of other fighters disappearing.

Master Yoda looked as calm as he always did. On the inside his fears had been realized, but for the first time in thirty year he was starting to feel something strange. Hope and it was truly an odd feeling as clones now walked the sacred halls where not a few days before Jedi roamed and younglings rushed to various classes. There were still Jedi arriving from the call, but they were given their portion and sent back to their home planet or to an enclave or back to the Agriworld they came from. Several large crates followed the tired master as his little hover disc navigated through the old walk ways of the Temple. It took an hour before he and the crates entered an ancient ship. One that had traveled between Ilum and Coruscant for a thousand years.

Hours, days and now a week had passed since the last time Mace had entered the office of the Chancellor. He smelled the fresh paint and the carpeting, but was directed to the secondary office. He had a feeling that he would not like what he found in the primary office. He felt darkness at the door behind him. He walked in and waited while the Chancellor finished with the senators around him.

"Master Jedi we will have to talk you and I." Mace nodded at Senator Organa before he turned away and left the office. Chancellor Palpatine watched them go and then turned his focus on Mace.

"I am at a complete loss for words. So many rumors flying around and I can not get a single answer from the High Council. You have a lot of explaining to do Master Windu."

"I only came here to deliver our Declaration of Recusal. The Jedi Order will no longer directly serve the Republic."

"Recusal?"

"It was once used centuries ago against the actions of the Pius Dea controlled Republic. Unlike the former time we will not completely abandon the Republic nor will we abandon those who have joined the Confederacy of Independent Systems."

"The Sith attacked the Temple and the Republic is on the precipice of war. How could you think of leaving? Is it not in you mandate to keep the peace?"

"We have thought of that and the Sith can openly hide in the Temple and we can not feel them. The dark side has clouded this planet. Spread out through the galaxy we can better defend key planets and systems from becoming part of the coming conflict. It also provides the best means to survive any conflict with the Keshiri Sith Empire as any actions the Republic takes are not linked to the Jedi Order. I do not entirely believe that they will leave us alone, but there was truth in Olar Rhea's statement to stay out of their conquest of Hutt space. The final reason is that we have been informed that the Senate is being controlled by a Sith Lord one not related to these other Sith."

"I can see your reasoning, but I have to protest those claims as preposterous. The Sith from what I have of history have always fought the Jedi. It is only a matter of time before you fight them again and you already have by the battle not a few days ago. As far as the last claim as being nothing more than rumor. Being told something is far different than having proof."

"A knight had submitted a report of the laws and actions of the Senate over the last hundred years. It had nothing to do with a Sith pulling the string as this Knight knew nothing about what we heard, but the patterns are very disturbing and point directly to a slow change in policy and action. The policies of the Republic that has caused the Separatist Crisis. The increased use of the Jedi Order for conflicts and disputes that should have been handled by the Judicial Corps or the Diplomatic Corps first before bringing in a Jedi Knight or Master. The missions have shown a pattern of failure or success that has gained the Jedi several negative names. Republic Lap Dogs is not what the Jedi stand for. All these patterns point directly to a planned effort to alienate the Jedi Order from the Republic. It succeeded."

"Master Windu I can not accept this Recusal I'm afraid."

"Why not?"

"Well the current legislation passed just after the acceptance of the clones gave every Jedi with the rank of Padawan or above a more current military rank. Being an organization directly under the control of the Senate it was determined not only to give you rank and command in the GAR, but it also puts you under the regulations of the GAR as well. Each known padawan and above is subject to those laws and leaving is considered an offense that can be termed as treason Commanding High General Mace Windu."

"Treason?"

"I am afraid that it was worded poorly and I doubt a change will be possible for some time. Other matters will take up the Senate's attention. I will do what I can."

"Chancellor Palpatine you do not understand it is too late. The Jedi Order no longer exists. I am no longer the Master of the High Council and Master Yoda is no longer Grandmaster of the Jedi Order."

"The Jedi Order can not disband or cease to exist. The legislation came before this Recusal was drafted. Do you really want for every Jedi to be hunted down as traitors to the Republic?"

"Thank you."

"Thank you?"

"Yes you see you just confirmed the Council's fears and told the rest of the Galaxy that you consider the Jedi Traitors. We will defend the peace, but not like you want us to, Dictator Palpatine."

"I am the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic not a dictator."

"You have military power over the Republic and the Senate has no way to remove those powers from you. I also should mention that this clone army was not grown in a day. It took ten years for the cloners to produce the first batch. The equipment they use is never before seen on the market and the ships are new as well. Ships that had to have been built before you created the Grand Army of the Republic in direct violation of the Ruusan Reformation. I may not have proof, but those clones were started within a month of you became Chancellor." Mace held his calm as he took off a small disc and tossed it on Palpatine's desk. Around the edge of the device was written both in High Galactic and Aurebesh the name Holonet News. If it was not for the Senators off in the corner talking or the half dozen aides he would have killed the arrogant Jedi who just walked away.

Palpatine fumed for the rest of the day having to defend the accusations from the news agencies and dozens of Senators. The only positive was that he was able to stall any possible call for a special session of the Senate. However, it would happen in the next active session and there would be nothing he could do if they voted him out. As much power as they had given him the ability to hold a vote of no confidence was still there. Perhaps he could execute Order 67. Removing the Senate would be hard to explain, but it could be done slowly forcing those that voted against me to cease to exist.

Finally the day ended and he was able to escape to the Works. There is let go of his rage as he destroyed his entire practice area. Hundreds of highly advanced combat simulation droids were nothing more than smoking scrap metal. The Grand plan was in ruin, but maybe he could salvage it. Maybe a bombing by a separatist supporter?

"Hmm, that might work. I will need to meditate on it. See what the future would reveal." Maybe he could introduce the Sector Governance Decree early?