Berserker Book V

by Blitzkrieger

Traitor, Heretic, fallen jedi, Leo Rock exiled from the Order. Leo and his Black Knights are on a mission to remind the Jedi of who they truly are, but in a galaxy that increasingly distrusts Jedi, enemies on all sides. He'll face not just Clones and Droids, but Maul's Shadow Collective. With little choice, Leo must assemble an army for the one thing the galaxy needs, revolution.

8. Dangerous Alliance

Chapter 8

Dangerous Alliances

CATO NEMODIA

Three Years Ago

Click-click-click In the beginning I had finished putting down a revolt in the Sullust mining system click-click-click, the mining corporations there had paid handsomely for such a trivial matter click-click. When I received a coded message inviting me to Cato Nemodai.

Admiral Trench stepped off his shuttle onto the golden bridged city of Cato Nemodai's capital, Cato Neimoidian bridge cities were huge structures hanging between massive rock arches on Cato Neimoidia. They were covered in huge, lavish Neimoidian palaces and the Clone Wars, Neimoidians stationed large armies of battle droids and AATs on these cities to protect their valuables in case of a Republic attack. But this was at the start, Trench walked with his cane and without any cybernetic enhancements wearing a tan military uniform with a coat lined in fur Trench looked around at the other various military shuttles and transports around him. Recognizing Neimoidian commanders such as Lok Durd speaking with a shark faced Karkarodon, Riff Tamson wearing a sleeveless armored swim suit. Trench walked forward with his cane glancing at his right to see Whorm Loathsom, a Kerkoiden general coming down from his ship. THe horned devaronian one eyed Kleeve was speaking with a group of Kage warriors who appeared to be his bodyguards.

Word had spread like a wildfire across the outer rim about Geonosis, the sudden appearance of the Clone Army had sent defense and security forces scrambling to get their militaries in order for one thing and one thing alone.

Trench stopped when he saw the gates of the citadel they were all gathered at open and out walking toward them wearing his brown cape and humble robes was Count Dooku, smiling behind him stood a hooded Asajj Ventress and the towering cloaked General Grievous.

Click-click-click, War.

Later the military commanders had gathered in circular chamber as Count Dooku spoke to them all, each one with an analytical look on their face as the Count postured and spoke elegantly, Trench scratched his mandible thinking looking at the faces of Durd, Kleeve, Tamson and so on. A silver plated protocol droid served each of them wine that Trench refused. They had been joined by others, a human male with blonde hair in a dark blue military uniform, a meftian woman in striking red apparel that contrasted with her red skin.

The Count offered us all a role in the war to come, with Grievous as the supreme Commander but free range over our droid armies in whatever capacity click-click-lick we thought suitable to win click-click-click. He said the Separaitst Parliament would support us on Raxus and that any war crimes we committed would be blamed on you, the jedi click-click-click.

Kleeve suddenly stood up followed by the blonde haired man and the two spoke up to Count Dooku, hands outstretched and passionately.

Some of us, like Kleeve and that dreamer Farstar thought at last they could shed what they called click-click-click the yoke of Republic tyranny click-click-click. But many of us saw it for what it was as an opportunity for wealth and power.

Trench watched the others stand up and join just before he did as they swore loyalty to the Separatist alliance.

I, I knew there was something more, I had studied the legends and myths of your order of Sith Lords raising armies against the Republic and Jedi. And they always ended in the same way with an Emperor.

THE ROGUE SHADOW

Eight Hours Ago

"Emperor?" Leo asked while they flew through hyperspace, Trench sat across from him in one of the passenger seats while the blue vortex of hyperspace flooded the cabin with the ethereal light.

The cyborg Trench nodded "Yes, click-click-click."

Leo leaned back in his chair thinking looking out at his own reflection in the mirror "You know it's too?"

"I had… a vision, where the war- a war like ours ended with a Sith crowning himself emperor." Leo said remembering his vision of the Nexus, of a different life.

Trench rubbed the top of his cane with his good thumb "For years we served faithfully both Republic and Separaitst, click-click-click, you know as well as I that Count Dooku is in league with some deep in the Republic, the question is who?"

"A Sith Lord, the true Lord of the Sith, they go by the name Sidious." Leo said.

"Sidious click-click-click?" Trench said something twinkling in his organic red and cybernetic crimson eyes.

Leo perked up "You know the name?"

Trench hummed to himself "Only in whispers click-click-click."

He waited for the Admiral to continue "Many years ago, a man of that name was looking for mercenaries, the offer was only extended once and accepted once." Trench said, holding up one finger from each of his free remaining hands.

"Who accepted it?" Leo asked.

"Click-click-click, the thyrsian special forces unit, the Sun Guard." Trench told him Leo's brow furrowed hearing the name "The Sun Guard?"

Trench nodded at him "I'm surprised, click-click-click I worked with them once in my you, they are a mercenary group and at the time worshiped the force as you did, but it's darker half."

"So they were what, a sith cult?" Leo asked, another nod to affirm his suspicions "Click-click-click- The Sun Guard click-click-click majority vanished during the Naboo Crisis soon after, Thyrsus special forces unit disappeared overnight with only a handful remaining on world click-click-click, and then just days after Geonosis the planet Thyrsus and their entire military was crushed by the Republic's new clone army, the Sun Guards who remained was banished or executed, click-click-click coincidence?" Leo squeezed the arm rests of his chair.

His eyes widened "I remember reading that report, the Republic commander in charge was dishonorably discharged, tried and executed for war crimes before a jedi general was put in place?"

Trench tapped his cane to get his attention "Then we must find the Sun Guard?"

"Why would I do that?" Leo asked him.

"Because, once the Republic and Count Dooku learn of you helping me escape they will send both their armies after us click-click-click, and we will need to balance the scales for the next click-click-click engagement." Trench offered.

Leo watched him and Trench watched him back, the two analyzing one another "The enemy click-click-click of my enemy is my friend." Trench said, offering him his hand. Leo looked at it wary. "We aren't friends, Trench." Leo said, turning around as they came out of hyperspace. The ship dropped out of hyperspace over Al'Doleem and quickly descended down to the surface. The Rogue Shadow landed in the valley across from the hammerhead the younglings were all doing morning meditations, K'Kruhk was over seeing it and across from them both Maris and Dray were locked in a sparring match with Sian overseeing the training. Tholme sat on a rock watching Jinx and Kirak duel. It was much of a competition as Kirak had one arm behind his back and Jinx used two to try and hold his own against Kirak. The clone troopers all walked around the perimeter, Jax had a fishing pole on the end of the stream chewing on a piece of grass while Dogma stood next to him.

"Catch anything?" Dogma aske.d

Jax shrugged, "Nothings biting."

Trench looked over his shoulder seeing the Hammerhead "Hmmm, Sypha-Class, old but reliable click-click-click, what is the ship's name?" Trench asked.

"It doesn't have a name yet." Leo said, landing the ship across from the Black Knights.

Trench's mandibles widened in surprise. "You fool, everyone knows it's bad luck to not name a ship click-click-click."

Leo squeezed the controls looking over his shoulder, his top lip tucked into his lower one "One more word, and I make you the new Grievous."

The Rogue Shadow landed in the glen next to the hammerhead exhaust spilling out, standing up from his seat Leo passed Trench "Stay aboard for now, they're aren't going to like you being here." Leo said on his way out.

When he walked out the younglings all got up from their meditation "Leo's back!" Petro shouted running off without K'Kruhk's say so. Even the padawans stopped their sparring to see him return. Tholme stood from his seat on the rock and approached him "I hope this misadventure wasn't a misuse of your time?" Tholme asked while Leo greeted the younglings warmly.

"Time will tell, how's everything?" Leo asked, looking past Tholme at Jinx and Kirak training again.

Tholme noticed it to "All quiet, Kirak's impressed with Jinx's skill but wanted to know why his Master wasn't here, I've sent Quinlan or coordinates so he should join us later this evening."

"And everyone else?" Leo asked him.

"You can see the younglings are doing alright, you noticed Sian has started to help Maris and Dray focus on their saber combat, your trandoshan friend and the trooper named Fives are out hunting and our latest addition remains bitter and quiet in her cell."

Leo nodded "Good, good, too bad Kirak doesn't want to join us." Leo said looking at the battle master who stopped his duel with Jinx, the twi'lek had been knocked off his feet before Kirak helped him up.

Tholme looked over his shoulder "The Barash vow is sacred, but he has given me two candidates for us to choose."

"Rogue Jedi?" Leo asked.

Tholme nodded "It took some time, and I lost contact with them after the war began but he told me where we can find them, But why do I sense there's something you need to tell me?" Tholme asked, sensing Leo had someone else onboard the Rogue Shadow.

Leo gulped, "This is going to be fun to explain."

Elsewhere, as Tholme said both Turok and Fives were scouring the wilderness for food. The two moved stealthy up a babbling brook to hide the sound of their feet. Going through a wide valley filled with lush green trees and foliage. Turok followed a set of still wet muddy prints on the bank of the stream. Behind him the clone trooper fives walked holding a blaster rifle "How much farther?" Fives whispered.

Turok sniffed the air "Not far, it's close." Turok said over his shoulder.

They walked up a few wet rocks and got low behind some bushes looking for their prey.

Fives stayed back watching the bounty hunter work his magic, gently Turok pushed aside some branches and looked down and saw a dead bird tangled in the bramble. It wasn't killed by claws or teeth, something had grabbed the bird and crushed the poor thing "Something came through here, not our prey?"

"How can you tell?" Fives asked.

"Trandoshans are bred to hunt, it's our way but this-" Turok cut himself off, he could smell something unfamiliar in the air. He took a few sniffs and scanned the woods and rocks, his ears twitched and flexed for any sound over the brook. But there was nothing, no animals, no birds, only silence.

Easy enough to see something had spooked the trandoshan, Fives got close "What is it?" The clone trooper asked behind his helmet.

Turok slowly turned his head. "We need to get back to the others, we aren't alone here."

Back at the camp, the Jedi, Masters, padawans and younglings and clones alike who followed Leo were all starring at him in disbelief while Trench standing behind him tapped his cane, Kirak being the only non member of Leo's entourage hovered across from them in meditation taking no intrest. "Now I know this looks bad-" "Bad?" Jinx asked with a snap.

"Bad, first you spare the sith assassin now you bring a Separaitst war criminal with us?" Jinx yelled at him.

Leo held his hands up to try and calm him "I resent that young one click-clicks-click." Trench scoffed.

Fingered at Trench, Jinx continued with his rant "Don't care, shut up, the Jedi are talking. Leo how could you do this to us, you could have at least asked us if this was okay?"

"Agreed, I thought we were united because other jedi kept secrets from us?" Aayla asked him siding with her twi'lek jedi brother.

Hands still up Leo tried to explain "I know, I know, but I didn't have time to explain myself or have a debate, the Republic was closing in on Trench I barely got away from Anakin as is."

"Anakin, you mean you fought Anakin Skywalker again?" Tholme asked, stunned at the lack of control Leo had.

Petro's hand popped up "Did you at least win?" He asked.

"Survived is more like it, if I hadn't gotten to Trench, Anakin would have killed him." Said Leo, but Tholme just buried his head in his hand.

Sian was then quick to remind him "And in doing so you have painted a bigger target on all our backs. Now not only will the Republic and Jedi hunt us, but Dooku will too."

"I know." Leo said

"Do you?" Aayla asked him, her tone darker then usual "You told me you promised to keep these jedi safe, this is the opposite of safe bringing him here, why are we even discussing this Trench has killed thousands of clones and caused nothing but misery and death in this war?" Aayla said, the others nodded in agreement but Leo held his arm in front of Trench shielding him if anybody tried anything "So have I." Leo said hand raised.

A silence fell over the black knights "But he has information that we can use, that we need if we're to succeed."

"Succeed in what?" Dray asked speaking up from behind the Masters "Yeah, most know the cover story you want to be a true jedi, but is that it, so far you've had secret conversations with the Masters, you just ran off out of nowhere and come back with one of the highest ranked Separaitst leaders and enemy of the Republic and Jedi, what exactly are we trying to succeed in?" Dray asked, the faces of each of the Black Knights were all sharing the same need for answers, Leo turned his head over to Dogma and the clones who were giving Trench nothing but nasty glares and Jax held up two fingers up at his eyes pointed them at Trench and then dragged his fingers across his neck in an obvious threat.

Leo gave his attention to Trench who just starred back "... Where's Fives?" Leo asked.

"Don't try to change the subject Leo." Jinx hissed.

"I'm not!" Leo yelled at the trandoshan letting his anger out at him, but Leo took a breath "I'm sorry, not just for running off but not letting you know the real reason behind the Black Knights, you all have a right to know." Leo apologized, he turned back to Dogma and nodded.

Dogma walked forward "Are you sure General?" Dogma asked him.

"Yes." Leo replied.

Taking a deep breath Leo started "Do any of you recall the incident at Ringo Vinda, Trench and I spoke, soon after we-" "WE GOT GO!" Without warning Turok and Fives came scrambling out of the underbrush of the trees at full speed toward the group.

"Oh no, we're having this out, no more secrets." Sian stopped Turok dead in his tracks, putting her hand on his chest.

Turok's fangs gapped "No, really, as in we need to get out of here Now!" Turok yelled looking back at the woods.

"Turok what is it?" Leo asked.

"Don't change the subject, what happened to Ringo Vinda?" Sian demanded.

K'Kruhk grabbed her shoulder "Perhaps we should listen to the bounty hunter?"

Turok kept darting his head back and forth from the jedi to the trees as Fives asked "Ringo Vinda, Dogma are you talking about-" "We are Fives, look who the General brought back." Dogma said pointing to Trench, "What the-" "INCOMING!" Turok shouted pointing up to one of the ridges, a rocket flying straight toward them "SCATTER!" Leo shouted. Then Everyone ran for cover before the rocket made impact where they were standing rocks and when the dust cleared everyone was showered with rubble and dirt.

Coughing on his way to stand Leo looked around "Sound off?" Leo called out.

"Tholme and I are here, his legs damaged. I'm getting him aboard the Hammerhead." K'Kruhk said, helping him to his feet.

Sian spat out some dirt as she stood up drawing her lightsaber "I'm good, where are the younglings." She called out.

"We're over here." Katooni yelled as the dust settled, everyone was either knocked off their feet, Petro was unconscious with Zatt shaking him to get him awake.

The clones were running to help everyone up, Jax picked up Petro "We need to get the injured to the medical wing." Jax said as Leo looked at Turok sensed something coming up behind him "Leo drop!" But it was too late , the roar of a jet pack rushed to Leo's ears and when he turned around he saw a massive metal hand grabbing Leo by his face. The jet pack and hand picked Leo up and flew off with him

"General!" Dogma shouted watching the bounty hunter Durge fly off with Leo, before Dogma could run after him Trench appeared in front of him "Out of my way." Dogma said drawing his blaster pistol.

Trench held his three remaining right arms up "Look around you trooper click-click-click, we were ambushed, your people are injured, tend to the wounded then pursue with a plan." Trench warned him

Across the valley, Durge flew Leo into a dozen trees, smashing them before he landed on top of Leo, smearing him into the rock. Leo grabbed on to Durge's massive forearms, one eye poking between Durge's fingers "You know it's been over a century since I've killed a jedi." Durge said letting go of Leo to stomp on his face, the hydraulics of his legs starting to make his skull pop "And maybe today I get to kill a whole pack of you, it's a good day." Durge said.

Leo tore his lightsaber out but Durge moved his other foot to stomp on his wrist holding him down "And here I thought you'd be some kind of threat 'Berserker'." Durge said, pointing a blaster rifle that looked more like a pistol in Durge's hands down at him. But before he could squeeze the trigger Durge heard a tree get ripped out of the ground and flung at him the log knocked Durge off Leo who leapt to his feet at the ready.

"Your first mistake was coming after me, the second was telling me you killed, Jedi." Leo said as Durge pushed the tree off him.

Durge just snickered his deep mechanical voice replied "What's the point in killing jedi if you don't brag about it, from what I heard you killed a few yourself, Dooku's going to pay double when he finds out I killed you then that Spider Trench."

Leo raised his lightsaber but Durge drew his two blaster pistols opening fire on him, Leo deflected the incoming shots moving toward Durge. The bounty hunters rocket pack took him into the air where he flew around Leo, he chased after him grabbing the rockets with the force before he crushed them. Durge fell to the ground landing on his feet before Leo used another force push to knock him back, the hulking cyborg dug his fingers into the earth to keep him where he was before he reached around his back pulling out a set of bolos throwing them at him "You jedi, always the same tricks."

Leo swung his lightsaber at the cord but The bolo strings coiled around it and him "What?"

"Cortosis wiring, lightsaber proof which is good for me and bad for you." Durge said before Leo dropped his lightsaber so he didn't cut himself. Durge held up his blaster to shoot him but a shadow appeared over Durge followed by a green lightsaber slashing the two blaster pistols in half and standing in front of Leo and Durge.

A shaggy head of black dreadlocks raised with a smug smirk, under a yellow Kiffar tattoo, Quinlan Vos "I go away for a few days and look what happens to you." Quinlan said, smiling back at Leo. He was wearing dark leather armor with yellow streaks running down the pauldrons and his sides. He had star designs on his shoulder pads with two blasters holstered on his belt. The armor wrapped around his thighs in a short Kama strapped to his legs with a codpiece between his legs. The greaves he wore were metal inlaid to his boots. Both forearms were wrapped up under his gloves that held his striking green lightsaber. Quinlan cut Leo free before Leo grabbed his lightsaber.

"Shut up in fight." Leo said the two jedi rushed Durge, but the hunter was just getting started his arms raised followed by two Gatling gun bracers exploding out at them.

"Split." Quinlan shouted, Leo went left, Quinlan right Durge's arms following them till he had to turn around to keep up, taking their chance the Jedi attacked him in the opening with lighting speed they went at him from opposite sides. But despite Durge's massive metal body the cyborg darted out of the way just in time, rolling away opening up his right arm with af lame thrower aimed at the jedi. A dragon's breath of fire roared toward them both Knights held their ground, together they blocked the fire with a force bubble but it was all for nought. Durge flew through the flames ramming into both Jedi knocking them back.

They flipped away landing on their feet "Finally a challenge." Durge said, holding up his gauntlet to send more flames. Then Quinlan ripped the flamethrower out of Durge's arms.

"Fine then, we do it the fun way." Durge said, holding up his arms for another weapon hidden in them. Instead two red ray shields appeared on his bracers, he swung at the jedi who swung back. The ray shields taking the brunt of the lightsaber bouncing them off as Leo and Quinlan cut and slashed at him.

Leo took Durge's flank but the cyborg's massive leg kicked him in the chest, Leo was sent flying back into a rock with a loud thud dazing him "Not happening Jedi, my whole body is a nerve system I can feel you move before you even make it."

"Are all bounty hunters this talkative or are we just lucky?" Quinlan taunted swinging down on Durge.

Durge crossed his arms to hold Vos's lightsaber back "More like overconfident." Before Durge head butted the Jedi master backwards. Before he fell Durge grabbed both of Quinlan arms and started to pull ready to rip both his arms out of their sockets. Quinlan fought through the pain even as he felt his wrists start to break "Come on Jedi, I want to hear you scream so loud your friends can hear on their way to die next- AAHHGG." A blue laser bolt tore right out of Durge's right eye making him drop Quinlan. Even injured Vos was able to back flip away as Durge turned around to see

"Only one dying here is you bounty hunter scum." Dogma said next to Fives, Jax Glare and the squad of clone troopers who had pursued them.

Durge wheeled around "When I heard that voice I thought I had something to worry, but killing the copy's will have to do."

Fives raised his blaster pistol "Light'em up!" The whole squad of clones opened fire on Durge who charged with the fury of a raging armored bull. Jax let loose on his rotating blaster cannon the others even flung grenades at Durge but he kept coming. "N-no…. run-" Leo gasped trying to get to his feet before it was to late. Durge slammed into the clones, punching Dogma off his feet before he grabbed Fives and flung him into Jax. The rest of the squad ran at Durge without a second thought of safety, only duty. He grabbed Glare by the head of the clone trooper who had a staring contest with the younglings and snapped his neck, the others dog piled on Durge, who grabbed the one wrestling around his neck and flung him into the ground before he stomped on him his hydraulic legs crushing the poor clone in a scream. Reaching around Durge pulled out a knife to slash the third clone's neck right under his armor. The last one standing was grabbed by his neck and lifted up "Nothing like the original." Durge turned the clone on his side and to everyone's horror he tore the soldier in half with his bare hands showering him with blood.

Durge let out a maniacal laughter "But damn did that feel good, come on who's next?"

"Bastard!" Jax shouted raising his blaster cannon at him, the barrage of lasers were like rain on glass the way they bounced off Durge, before the rotating cannon overheated "We have a winner."

Starting toward Jax, Durge suddenly stopped. The cyborg's whole body fidgeted and shook but refused to move "Who-" "Me murderer." Durge watched as out of the shadow of the trees Master Kirak walked out without his shirt on, lightsaber in hand.

"Troopers, get Sir Rock and Master Vos out of here, the your ship is ready to go. I will deal with this one." Kirak ordered Jax, Fives and Dogma the only clones left. Dogma and Fives rushed toward Leo helping him to his feet as Jax went to help Vos.

Durge growled as he watched his targets slip away "Oh you'll deal with me, is that it, you're funny?" Durge asked as Kirak walked in front of him where Jax had stood.

"And you're a killer, which will make it hard not to enjoy this but I will endeavour." Kirak said, when he felt the clones and black knights were safely away he let Durge go. Standing up right, the cyborg starred Kirak down "And I'll endeavor to not to unalive you before I pour molten carbon slag down your throat old man." Durge leapt at Kirak who had the same lightsaber in hand. Across the valley, the clones carried Leo and helped Vos up into the hammerhead just as the ramp receded and the ship started to take off. The Rogue Shadow was docked in the hangar before explosions and fire rose from the area where Kirak had remained to hold Durge.

On the bridge, Jinx looked out the window, seeing more explosions and flames rising over the trees. "Time to go."

As the hammerhead ascended into the sky, Durge watched it go before he received Kirak's boot to his head, knocking him over. Durge rose back up as Kirak held his lightsaber to his neck "Stay down." Kirak ordered, in just a short time Kirak had landed a dozen lightsaber cuts on Durge's armor and scorched it with burn marks. "You're not my target, but you've pissed me off enough I'LL KILL YOU FOR FREE!" Durge reached to grab Kirak but the old sage side stepped, cutting off both arms before spinning around and cutting Durge in half. Kirak watched the body parts fall to the dirt. Turning off his lightsaber, Kirak walked back toward his monastery on the hill unknowingly seeing the severed parts of Durge's body birth small tentacles that started to pull him back together.

HYPERSPACE

Sometime Later

"They call him Durge, he's or he was a Gen'Dai bounty hunter, an old one, some say over two thousand years old." Turok said inside the meeting room, everyone was inside except for Jinx who was at the helm of the ship flying. Leo sat with a bandage around his head to stop any bleeding and keep pressure on the wound. Trench sat in a chair where one of the younglings would sit, next to Leo as Turok sat across from him. The Masters and Aayla sat around the table with younglings and padawans finding spots where they could. "I first met him when I was just starting out as a hunter, and saw him take down a small army just to get to one target who crossed the wrong Hutt." Turok said.

The jedi listened to him some in disbelief, K'Kruhk tapped his claws on the table "I know of Durge, he was right when he saw he hadn't killed a Jedi in a century many jedi I had known since my youth died trying to capture him before he disappeared."

Turok nodded "That what he does, every now and then he'll disappear for a few decades to a century, go into hibernation or something nobody knows how or why, some because he gets too good, others because he gets bored but now that he's awake and after us, we should be afraid." Turok said in a warning tone.

"But Kirak messaged us saying he'd dealt with the hunter?" Sian asked Turok.

The trandoshan scoffed "No offense Jedi, but you're kind have been trying to kill him for centuries, there are few things that are lightsaber proof in the galaxy Durge is one of them."

"We can worry about Durge later." Tholme said looking at Leo, "You were about to share why you brought Trench with you?"

Quinlan who was also rocking headache "Yeah, I was wondering why we brought a-" "A Separaitst admiral here, yeah, get in line." Maris said next to him.

"... Fives?" Leo asked.

The clone trooper stood in the corner arms crossed looking grim thinking of the clones who had just died to save them from Durge. "There are chips inside every clone trooper's head, when my friend Tup was made sick from one of them he killed a Jedi General in cold blood, kept mumbling good soldiers following orders." Fives said, walking up to the table.

"Dogma and I investigated and discovered these chips have codes in them that force us clones to obey without question." Fives started to say "When I was transported to Coruscant to talk to the Chancellor, the Kaminoan doctor Nala Se drugged me, made me delirious before General Rock and Dogma found me. We removed both of ours and gave one of them to Leo, who in turn gave it to General Bulq." Fives said.

"Who we know was an agent of Dooku, he destroyed the ones we had but discovered this." Leo reached under his mantle and pulled out a necklace he'd been hiding all along, attached to it was a hard drive before plugging it into the holotable. A screen of code appeared before them, data pressed together in tight clumps.

Everyone leaned in "What is this?" K'Kruhk asked him.

"This is the genetic code of the biochips, but it's hidden by a firewall which is why we've been looking for the mystery hacker, Vos?" Leo asked him.

Vos pulled off the ice pack "Hold on a sec, you mean this all about the chip incident that killed Tiplar?" Quinlan asked.

"The same, but it goes deeper." Leo said forcing himself to sit up "When Anakin, Obi-Wan and I, under the orders of the Council investigate the disappearance of Chancellor Valorum's personal ambassador to the pyke syndicate on Oba Diah and Jedi master Sifo Dias." This got the rogue jedi masters attention, all but Tholme who had known from the start.

"The official report said his death remained a mystery and that the Chancellor's aide was kept a prisoner for leverage until he went mad?" Aayla asked.

Leo swallowed, not wanting to be the one to say it "A lie." Tholme said standing up.

"What, you knew?" Sian snapped at him.

"Only as much as Leo told me, the full truth is that Sifo Dias, our brother, was murdered by Count Dooku, who assumed Dias name to commission the creation of the Clone Army and subsequently the chips in their heads, the third Clone Wars are a lie fabricated by the Sith." This sent ripples down the table, K'Kruhk stood up, Sian shouted "No." Quinlan fell back to his seat covering his face with the ice. The younglings all swore and gasped in shock while Trench said their silently next to Leo.

The younglings looked at one another "Petro did you know?" Katooni asked.

"What how could I?" He asked.

"All those deaths, all those needless battles…" K'Kruhk said.

Sian kept shaking her head "It can't be true, it can't be, Cyan, Lotor, Adi…"

Dray had fallen into his seat squeezing the edges of his arm chair holding back tears, "This can't be true, it's a lie." Aayla said, trying to get everyone to calm down.

"The Council would never-" The shouting and arguing that followed ended when Tholme slammed his hand on the table "The Council ordered the Knights to keep it a secret Aayla." Tholme said to everyone and her. Aayla looked at Tholme then at Leo. The look in the young mans eyes showed Aayla he was telling the truth, the pain behind them "That's why you were acting so defiant?" She asked.

He nodded "I begged the Council to tell the truth, to tell everyone they could that it would stop the war maybe but-but we didn't have any evidence and they were afraid of losing their… their credibility."

"...But the Chancellor's aide, he went mad, was that a lie?" Sian asked him.

The white haired Leo shook his head "He was mad, I was left to guard the door while Obi-Wan and Anakin went to talk to him, I think they almost got through before I messed it all up again." Leo sighed the last part "Bulq?" Quinlan said.

Leo nodded "He pretended he was captured by Dooku, I thought I was rescuing him but I just let Dooku walk in and kill our only lead." Leo admitted.

The room became silent as Leo leaned back burying his head in his hand, everyone else did except for Aayla "There's something else?" She asked.

Leo glanced at her "You followed Master Yoda on his quest, why?"

"Master Yoda wanted to try and convince me to follow the Council and make the right choice, to try and play the Sith's game." Leo said, shaking his head.

"But you didn't click-click-click that's why they exiled you?" Trench said.

Leo looked at the Black Knights "We owe it, to not just every jedi, but every person in this galaxy who's suffered from this war to find the evidence we need to prove that Count Dooku created the clone army, created the war, and it's inside the clone trooper chips."

"That still doesn't explain Fives?" Aayla asked "They say he tried to kill the Chancellor, why?" Aayla asked.

"Because the Chancellor told me he was the one who ordered the chips created, he's just as guilty as Count Dooku." Fives said, this hit hard to the jedi "That's impossible, you were delirious from the drugs that the Kaminoan doctor gave you right?" Aayla asked.

Fives sneered at her, "I know what I heard." Fives snapped at her.

Leo held his hand up "Fives, Aayla, I'm not sure how deep the Chancellor is involved but what I do know is this war started at Naboo Crisis, not Geonosis the same crisis that gave the Chancellor his power. All of this, every major event from the Battle of Geonosis to this Shadow Collective have been created by the Dark Lord of the Sith, Darth Sidious."

"So why do we need Trench?" Petro asked, pointing at the spider.

"We know the Republic, Trench knows the Separatists, we have common enemies that make us allies by default." He said to not just Petro but everyone. "The closer we get to uncovering the truth, the more people, the more armies they'll send after us. That's why we need one of our own, we need an army?"

Tholme raised a brow "An army, and where do you expect us to find one willing to follow rogue jedi and separatists?"

Tholme stood up "You are a fool if you think only the Republic and Jedi have armies click-click-click, one needle only looks in the outer rim to find the mercenaries, dissidents and warriors we need?" Trench said.

"And what's in it for you Trench, you're the last person I'd expect to do something like this out of the kindness of your own heart?" Aayla asked.

"The Separatists want me dead, the Republic would execute me too click-click-click, for good reason." Trench said looking back at Leo then "The best course is to side with you, click-click-click and as more enemies amass against us we must be prepared to make a stand if need be click-click." Trench added. More silence followed after Trench's answer. Everyone looked at everyone wondering who would speak next but nobody did until Vos held up his hand.

When he had everyone's attention "Okay, I've been gone a bit so let me see if I got this all figured out." He said holding up a finger "One and two, on top of the Jedi Sentinels after us we now have a two millennium old cyborg war machine with a jedi murder kink after us." He said with two fingers up now. "Three our main mission isn't to remind the jedi who we are as jedi, it's to find the hacker who can decipher the clone biochips that may or may not have the proof we need to uncover the Sith plot?" He held up a third.

"Not entirely-." Leo tried to get a word in as Vos raised his fourth finger "Four, we're going to war with a mysterious criminal syndicate that nobody has heard of with an army of Mandalorians, pikes, black sun and who knows what else." This was followed by a fifth "Five, Leo ran off and brought back a wanted Separaitst war criminal, which means the Separatists will be after us along with the Republic, did I miss anything.?"

Eyes danced around the room "Tell him." Leo sighed.

"Barriss Offee the Temple bomber is in the brig, someone in the Republic released her and Volfe Karkko to hunt us down, Leo insisted we try and help her." Aayla told him.

"Six!" Vos snapped holding a pinkie finger off the ice bag "What were you thinking Leo, this has put us all at-" "AT RISK!" Leo shouted across the table at Vos making everyone jump, he jumped out of his chair pushing it back "I know the risk better than anyone, which is why we can't afford to be indecisive about what we do, or how we do it anymore." He berated Quinlan, at everyone in the room. Leo leaned on the table shaking his head "We need allies, we need more jedi to teach Maris, Dray and the younglings and to stop the Sith's plans and do that we need an ARMY!" Leo shouted, slamming his fist on the table.

With everyone silent Leo continued "And it can't just be an army of mercenaries, it needs a cause to rally behind a reason to fight, maybe even die in the name of that cause we've already begun to show we're true jedi now we need something greater than the Jedi, Tholme?." Leo looked directly across the table at the elder jedi.

"You know what I'm going to ask of you and the Masters."

Tholme leaned on the table "Which is why you need the two others, six masters in total."

With a long sigh, Dray said "I'm lost?" "Get in line." Maris whispered to him.

"Leo…" K'Kruhk said sensing where the conversation is going, "You don't know what you're asking, if we agree to it there'd be no going back to the order ever, we would be officially breaking from the Order."

"Which is why I don't ask it now, let's find the two other Masters Kirak told you about Tholme, maybe convince me to find a different way."

Aayla looked back and forth at Leo and the other Masters "Decide what, what are you scheming about."

"It's no Scheme Aayla." Quinlan said taking the ice pack off, "I don't like i eithert, and my jedi law is a bit rusty but the Jedi Council hasn't always been the governing body of the Order, in times of crisis separate Councils have formed on distant distant worlds or…. in times of war, that's what you want Leo for us to form a separate Council?" Quinlan asked him.

Leo nodded hesitantly "Yes."

"And you want to be in it I assume?" Aayla asked Leo, but he shook his head "Never, I'm not a Master, I have no right." Leo said to them.

"Stars why, I thought the whole thing about the Black Knights was that we didn't want the Council telling us what to do?" Maris asked Leo across the table.

Leo bit his lip not saying a word, he looked at Tholme who read his mind "Because it'll give us legitimacy in the eyes of the rest of the Order, we wouldn't look like renegades anymore."

"But then we lose our votes, why would we want this?" Zatt asked.

Leo looked at Zatt "We won't let that happen Zatt, but we need stability, we need concrete plans. It's worked out well so far but our luck will run out eventually."

"Maybe if we had a name for the ship, we'd have better luck who came up with the name better than the Flaming Fish?" Ganodi said, making Turok smirk behind them, half the room snickered, the snicker turned into more giggles before everyone started to laugh spreading up and down the conference room. Leo even laughed with them sitting down shaking his head. With everyone now in a better mood a smirking Tholme let out a relaxing breath of air "I think we've all had enough excitement for today, agreed?" He asked followed by resounding nods from everyone.

"Good, everyone get some rest and we'll name the ship at breakfast tomorrow and find the masters we seek." Leo nodded at Tholme. Everyone sitting stood up and walked out. Leo stayed in his chair leaning back, but as Master Vos walked by Leo spoke up "Quinlan?"

He stopped "Oh yeah the hacker he's on Oba Diah-" "No not that, Jinx." Leo said.

"I'm on my way to see him now." Quinlan said, patting him on the shoulder, "Thank you." Leo said he looked over to see Trench had remained in his chair.

"You are a strange one Leo Rock, click-click-click, it will be interesting to work with you now." Trench stood up from his seat "Where do you keep your spare droid parts, I will require a new set of arms." Trench said pointing to the metal stubs on his right side.

Leo stood up and at the same time both Dogma and Fives blocked his way out "Trench." Leo said leaning on the chair "I know, I know click-click-click, I even betrayed you and I'm a dead man, click-click-click, but what is my word compared to that of a jedi my friend?"

"I'm not your friend remember." Leo said staring at Trench, "Ah yes, though I would cherish it I will settle for ally." Trench said, looking back at the clones Leo nodded at the two Clones to let him, letting the admiral walk out.

"Dogma, Fives, can we talk?" Leo said to the last remaining clones.

They looked at one another "... I just can't believe you brought him of all people?" Fives said, holding back his anger.

"Fives is the right General, he's killed thousands of our brothers." Dogma said to Leo, he knew they were right and rightfully upset more than anyone aboard the ship.

Leo nodded, holding up his hands as he offered them something. "I won't insult you by asking for your forgiveness, you've followed me this far, you've watched your other brothers die. I won't ask you anymore, if you two and Jax want to leave I will do everything to help you."

Fives and Dogma gazed at Leo thinking it over "Now that's insulting." Dogma whispered.

"I don't understand-" "We may be clones sir, but we've never run away from a fight in our lives and we don't plan to now." Fives said with a nod from Dogma.

Leo walked up to them and put his arm on each of their outer shoulders "Thank you."