Bail had no idea organizing opposition to Palpatine could be so difficult. Surely some Senators would be willing to stand up to him. But, alas, he was having no luck. Perhaps he should try something else. Perhaps instead of outright opposition (which was proving impossible) he should focus on Senators who hold similar ideals to his when it comes to concepts such as liberty and freedom. Not directly oppose Palpatine, but indirectly build a coalition that could one day stand up to him. With the proper conditioning. That could work. This was going to take years. He was going to need the Jedi to help show some of the more timid Senators that Palpatine could be fought. He needed to get a message to the Jedi.
On Tython, Yoda and the rest of the High Council were debating the changes that Yoda felt were necessary. The biggest being that the Jedi could no longer be used as an instrument of state by the Republic (when it was reestablished). They would continue to advise and provide mediation, and even step in more forcefully when the Council felt it was warranted. But they would no longer do the Republic's bidding simply because the Republic said so. By Obi-wan's count, they were evenly split on this issue. Half the Council supported the idea, as being made puppets of the Senate is what got them into their current situation. The other half felt it was their duty to support the Republic no matter what.
Obi-wan was of the later point of view himself. The Jedi had served the Republic since its founding. While the Republic certainly had its issues, particularly at the end, it had still been a force for good in the Galaxy for a long time. The Jedi owed it to the Republic to support it. Especially since the Republic supported them. But as he listened to Yoda's reasoning more, he found himself slowly being swayed. The Jedi could still support the Republic. But only when it would not compromise their standards. Yoda's last point was what was really driving it home for him: That if the Republic could only rely on Jedi support when the Order agreed with their actions, then perhaps the Republic would begin to put more thought into what they were doing and more of their actions would be in line with the Order's principles. By the time they broke for their midday meal, the majority of the Council agreed with Yoda. Once the Republic was reestablished, the Jedi would let the Force and their own morals guide them, not be so controlled by the Senate. Unfortunately, this was the least contentious change that Yoda proposed.
The second major change Yoda wanted to make would require all Jedi to train a Padawan. After becoming a Jedi Knight, the Knight was to spend 3 years gaining field experience, working as a Jedi and then would be expected to take a Padawan. Even Yoda acknowledged that this was an extreme change for the Order, as previously, it was entirely up to the individual Jedi to decide whether or not to take an apprentice. Most of the Masters argued that being forced to train a Padawan could negatively impact how that Padawan was trained. To that argument, Yoda pointed to Anakin's training of Ahsoka. Anakin had not wanted a Padawan in the slightest. Had even been resentful of being forced into it. Yet now, the two were nearly inseparable to the point that the Anakin had nearly resigned from the Order when the Council had thrown Ahsoka out. The arguments over this change would last days before a resolution was reached. In the end, the Council agreed to implement the changes. Mainly due to the fact that their numbers had been so severely depleted. However, the Masters that were opposed did force one concession from Yoda. That the policy would be reevaluated once the Order's numbers had recovered and their was no longer such a pressing need.
The final major change that was suggested was to alter the Jedi's policy on attachment. The uproar this caused was nearly enough to rock the Temple off its foundations. Surprisingly, the first to speak in support of this change was Jocasta Nu. As Jedi Librarian, she had studied the history of the Order in more depth than just about anyone. She wisely brought out that the prohibition on attachment was, in the grand scheme of things, relatively recent. Since the founding of the Order 25,000 years ago, the Jedi had only outright prohibited attachment in the last 3,000 or so. Prior to this, while it was generally discouraged, Jedi were allowed attachments. And in many cases, those attachments, when properly formed and nurtured, kept a Jedi in the light. Master Koon argued just the opposite. That allowing a Jedi attachments was just as likely to cause them to fall. It would be months before any agreement would be reached on this.
Anakin had never dreamed that being the Battlemaster of the Jedi Order could ever be so difficult. He truly began to wonder how Master Dralig had managed it all these years. Not only was he instructing Younglings and Initiates in the basics of lightsaber use and combat, but he was also critiquing and refining the styles of some of the most prominent Masters in the Order. While Anakin could easily see and correct faults in just about anyone's use of a lightsaber, he was finding that telling a High Council member that their use of the blade was little short of disgraceful required a level of tact that he wasn't sure he possessed. Jocasta Nu may be one of the wisest Jedi alive, and certainly one of the most knowledgeable about the history of the Order, but her skills with a lightsaber were little better than a new Padawan's. In fact, he was fairly certain that Sors, the child that had impressed him with his courage that night at the Temple, could hold her off for quite some time, if not actually beat her. And he was eight!
If he could have, he would have just rationalized it away with the fact that, as Head Librarian on the Order, Master Nu would likely never be called on to engage in lightsaber combat again. Unfortunately, Master Yoda had made that impossible. After appointing Anakin to be Battlemaster, Yoda had pulled him aside and told him in no uncertain terms that he wanted every Jedi brought up to snuff when it came to using a lightsaber. They couldn't count on the Sith never finding them. Or the fact that there was no telling who might be needed to go on a mission in the future. Yoda had also made it clear that any member of the Service Corps that had aged out was to be retrained in wielding a lightsaber as well. Since most of them hadn't so much as touched a lightsaber in years, he was having to start all over again with the very basics. In truth, he doubted many would become very adept at it, but he was determined to do his best. Why Master Yoda wanted to make this drastic change, he wasn't really sure. But he would see to it.
And on top of all of that, he was also having to start Ahsoka's training again. Fortunately, on that score, she hadn't really forgotten anything and their Master-Padawan bond had never truly broken. One meditation session later and it was fully repaired. However, with the Jedi now being hunted throughout known space, training a Padawan presented an interesting dilemma. How were they supposed to get experience dealing with other beings and performing the duties of a Jedi? Oh, he could certainly help her to develop her abilities to their full potential, but without real world experience, she (and every other Padawan) would only be half trained. This was something that every Jedi with a Padawan was trying to figure out and Anakin had had a number of conversations with otherJedi about it. So far, no one had been able to come up with a satisfactory answer.
Turning his mind back to Master Nu, he gave a sigh of frustration. He really had no clue how to approach the subject with her. Recommending which of the seven forms would best suite a Youngling or Padawan? Easy. Helping an Initiate use a lightsaber for the very first time? No problem. But this? As much as he hated to add another burden to him, Anakin decided that he would have to talk to Obi-wan about it. Time to put his reputation as The Negotiator to the test.
As his ship dropped out of hyperspace and the planet below came into view, Darth Sidious gave a small, satisfied smile.This is where he would rebuild the Sith Order. Darth Bane's Rule of Two would be changed. Only two would hold the title of "Darth." Only one true apprentice would the Master have. But many more Sith would there be. He would ensure that his new Empire was ready for the Jedi. His first "class" was locked up in the star destroyer's brig. Six captured Jedi. Two Knights and four Padawans. He doubted any would be suitable to be his true apprentice, but they would be useful nonetheless. He was already planning just how to turn them. Confining them on Korriban was just the start. The planet was steeped in the Dark Side. And the mental torture that he would subject them to would ensure that they broke just how he wanted them to. He was going to enjoy this.
Padme had never so tired before in her life. She had been training under Master Yoda for only 3 days, and already it felt like she was in a waking coma. How in the world did the Jedi tolerate this?
"I believe it's called Stockholm Syndrome," she heard from behind her. Turning to look, her face lit up.
"Ani!" Running to him, she embraced him tightly. Looking up at him she said, "Will you stop listening in on the conversations in my head?" Laughing, she continued, "But seriously, how did you or any of the Jedi manage to put up with this? I never knew Yoda could be such a tough task master!"
Laughing alone with her, Anakin couldn't help but commiserate. "You think this is bad? You should have seen him with me when I first came to the Temple! You're only learning basic shielding techniques. I had to catch up on nine years of Jedi instruction. My shins were bruised for a solid year from his gimmer stick. Don't let that kindly, mischievous exterior fool you. When it comes to training, Master Yoda does not cut corners."
"Master Skywalker, telling tales are you, hmmm?" Yoda said from behind them.
Blushing furiously, Anakin turned around. "Sorry Master. Just trying to help Padme out and pick her up a bit."
"Humph. Undermining me, more like. An eye on you I will keep, Young Skywalker. Undue all my hard work you will."
Chuckling slightly, all Anakin could do was reply, "Yes, Master." Turning to leave and head back to the sparing room, he whispered to Padme just loud enough for Yoda to hear, "Careful Angel, that gimmer stick of his packs a punch." 5 seconds later, Anakin experienced that gimmer stick across his shins again.
Realizing that Anakin had just baited him, Yoda hurriedly prodded the young Jedi Master out of the room. "Out, out! Work we have to do here. Time for games we do not." Looking at Padme, he said to her, "Always the prankster, that one. Recall I cannot the number of times havoc he caused in the Temple with his games. Tell you, has he about what he did to one of the cleaning droids?" At this Yoda let out a laugh. "Ask him about that, you should. Three weeks he spent on kitchen detail for that one. But now, to your training we will see." Settling in on the Meditation mat, they began.
Quinlan Vos looked down on the planet of Kamino. The Council had sent him here to do some digging. While they now knew that Count Dooku had ordered the Clones in the first place or, rather, that he had influenced Master Sifo Dyas to order them, the Order needed something more. He had been asked to infiltrate Tipoca City and "adjust" the Clones training so that they weren't quite so malleable. In reality, this meant tampering with the Inhibitor Chips so that they would be essentially worthless and modifying their standing orders. For this mission he had some unexpected help. Captain Rex had assigned a dozen of his men to go with him. As a Kiffar, he'd stand out like a sore thumb down there. But the 501st could blend right in. They'd conduct the reconnaissance for him, then smuggle him in to do the actual dirty work. This was a mission he looked forward to. Heading towards the planet's surface, it was time to begin.