Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Star Wars.

Hello again, I hope you are all well. Thank you to everyone that reviewed the last chapter and I am glad for the support you guys give. I have been dealing with a few things in real life so the support has been really helpful so I thank you again. You guys are the best.

The next Mandalorian arc is coming up and will be set up in this chapter. It will be a key moment for several characters and tie up a couple of loose ends.

Sorry for any fans of Ki-Adi-Mundi, there will be bashing of him in this chapter. Also in this story he has not trained a padawan. Luminara Unduli also suffers a bit of flack in this chapter.

Review Responses from last chapter…

Cam . Katarn – Very detailed procedure, awesome work.

RagnoktheViking – Thank you, the CIS battledroids made up the core of their droid workforce in building the secret factories and shipyards and still do at least until proper worker droids take their place. There will be a droid fighter added to their forces eventually and possibly the droideka perhaps.

please don't1 – I appreciate you saying that, I was really worried about this story when I first started as I haven't written about Star Wars for awhile.

Victorvonboom - Interesting idea but I have a more or less full fleet for the Mandalorians now. As for the biosphere? You have a really good idea there, I think I even found a way to do it quickly. The HK-47 or Horizon Zero Dawn? I will think about it but don't hold out any hope.

Bariy – Haron and Vizsla will meet again very soon and there is a major change to canon, for now that is all I can say. As for the Bad Batch? I am waiting for Season 2 since if they meet Haron it will be after Episode 3. I have a meeting in mind I am just not sure since we don't know exactly what happens with them yet.

Rebel86 – To be honest I had completely forgotten about that. Thanks for reminding me.

Inspiration19 – Ara will have some adventures of her own in the future, at the moment she is keeping things running back home while Haron is away. As for the Umbaran arc, sorry but something different happens there but it has a lot of implications for what is to come.

AnthonyR89 – I know, Padmé is too much of an idealist for her own good which is one of the reasons she and Haron will at best be cordial with each other for Anakin's sake. Also the Pillar of Autumn? I have been looking into Halo ships and I might consider that one for later thank you!

DarthEmrys – Haron probably won't have a problem with whatever Eliza and Katele do as long as it doesn't affect their long term plans. Eliza is far more cunning than most people give her credit for. The limiting of the invasion? I know, to be honest Haron and most of the Mandalorian leaders now know that war with the Republic is probably inevitable but they are just trying to put it off as long as possible. As for Mandalorians joining the Republic military? Probably but Sidious I doubt would consider them a threat and the Republic needs skilled people. As for Anakin, well he is getting better but may show a little of his old self every now and again.

Starpottergeek – Cheers! I wonder about what characters to add and who not too as I am with ships. Call of Duty isn't one I thought of so I will look into it. As for Dune, there will be a sort of x over but they won't be Mandalorians.

red demon161 – I know, she isn't that smart for a politician. I think she's a bit like Daenerys Targaryen, she is excellent at inspiring people and proactive but not much idea how to use it wisely. Oh yes, the Clones and other personnel with the exception of the Jedi were much happier when he was here to lead them.

Blaze1992 – Indeed, Haron however is not the sort to mess around when something needs done.

Now on with the chapter...

Chapter 19 – Discontent

Military Command Complex, Coruscant…

Haron was still impressed by the state of the art military command headquarters that the Republic had constructed. The most advanced technology and no expense had been spared in setting up the command centre and he could far more easily keep up with the progress of the war and deal with the day to day tasks that required his attention.

He was also trying to catch up with all the events that had occurred in his absence, a lot had in deed happened he thought with a sigh of having a galaxy wide war going on. Key he thought was the emergence of another Sith faction, led by a Darth Maul who everyone had thought was killed by Obi-Wan Kenobi on Naboo years ago. Maul was aided by his brother Savage and honestly Haron did not expect them to last too long. Sidious was not likely to tolerate any threat to his position especially as the Sith had the rule of two and Maul was definitely in opposition to that.

Since Maul had only been out a short time and yet was still alive, Haron could only presume that Sidious hadn't managed to catch up to him yet or that he didn't consider him a true threat. Or worse Sidious had plans for him.

Haron wished dearly sometimes that the Jedi and Sith had never existed because of all the trouble each one caused.

So far the two had not stuck their heads up after a duel with Kenobi and Asajj Ventress who had broken away from Dooku. The new threat worried him as a random element could throw off even the most well thought out plans.

Right then he was forced to turn his attention to the first major campaign he had spearheaded since his return, the capture of the planet Fondor with its extensive and vital shipyards. The recent strike against CIS assets and the stalemate in the war had left it vulnerable and so Haron had dispatched Kenobi and Kit Fisto with a considerable taskforce behind them to secure it, the planet might have been sworn to the Separatists by its Techno Union masters but is people were by large unsympathetic to their cause especially as it meant back breaking work for little pay. Chances are that they would welcome the Republic taking control.

Secretly though it would also give him a chance to full study the extensive shipyards in case he had to attack them in the future. Something he was doing to a great many Republic assets. Given their size and extensive facilities the future Empire was sure to make the most of them.

Fondor, Colonies Region…

The large formation of Venator-class cruisers and their enormous fighter wings pushed forward with relentless energy. Some had already managed to dock at the main orbital stations and clone troopers poured out as fast as possible to secure the vital space stations where amongst other things the orbital defences were controlled.

Obi-Wan was leading them on the centre station from the front with Cody at his side, his blue lightsaber flashing as it sliced through the air and through droids too. The resistance was stiff but slowly they were gaining ground as they pushed through the station.

Obi-Wan disliked war and battle intensely, he far preferred to settle things with words...his best weapon and to be honest the best overall in his mind but he knew that this situation would need to be settled with his lightsaber much to his own disappointment.

The battle droids were costing them a great deal of time and effort to clear but Cody and his men were as accurate as ever, they helped clear the path to the command centre were the station was controlled from.

- x -

Outside Master Fisto was flying his personal starfighter with a wave of Z-95 and ARC-170 starfighters into battle, the many vulture droids and others that were flying around the shipyards clashing with them. He banked hard to avoid a wave of blaster fire sent at him and his flight only for three of his fighters to be felled by the attack. He gritted his teeth and violently jabbed the control stick to force his ship into tighter and harsher moves to get behind the wave of droids and with the force as his guide, pressed the trigger.

Laser fire from his two forward mounted cannons let rip into the flight droids, cutting four of them down quickly before they broke formation. This led to a far more divided dogfight between his fighters and the droids.

There was a concerned bleeping from his astromech R6-H5, Kit couldn't help but smile and reassured the droid.

"This fight will not take long, not now Master Kenobi has almost secured the control station. I can sense it." Kit told his droid. He could indeed feel through the force that the battle would soon end and that he thought would be a relief.

- x -

Obi-Wan arrived at the main doors to the command centre just in time to see the blast doors close in front of him. He frowned briefly as he came up to the doors with his clones and saw no obvious way to open them, leaving him with but one option.

"Cover me Cody, I've got some cutting to do if we're getting these doors open." Obi-Wan ordered and the Clone Commander, always the good soldier nodded.

"Understood. Men, surround and protect the general." Cody ordered especially as more droids could be seen coming up the corridor from the other direction.

As the clones took positions all around him, ready to shield him with their own bodies if necessary Obi-Wan plunged his lightsaber into the thick metal doors. He waited for the superheated blade to start breaking the metal which quickly started glowing orange and melted before slowly and with effort, Obi-Wan pushed his blade around the frame of the door while his clones fought the droids off. He could feel them, their worry and their determination and unfortunately when one of the fell, he could feel them become one with the force which only made Obi-Wan double his efforts.

The door began to give as the lightsaber weakened it, the door caving with each movement he made until finally with a concentrated force push from him the doors gave way and opened up the way into the command centre.

With his saber now free and Cody at his side Obi-Wan rushed forward, followed by their men. Seeing a group of richly robed Skakoans with their usual pressure suits. The clones quickly had blasters pointed at them and they were not fighters so they surrendered easily, too fearful to die.

With the command centre in their hands Obi-Wan gave his orders.

"Secure the prisoners, then fan out and finish off any remaining droids. Change the target priorities of the defence stations to target any remaining Separatists." Obi-Wan told the clones who all nodded and replied with a quick. "Yes General."

General, oh how he hated that term Obi-Wan thought with disdain. The fact he and other Jedi had taken such military roles felt wrong to him, they were supposed to be guardians of the peace not soldiers he thought with disgust. Some like Anakin and Ahsoka thrived in conflict which to his mind wasn't a good thing but even Obi-Wan had to admit he was impressed at how far the pair had come since the war had started.

The moment it was over, Obi-Wan thought with longing, he was going to enjoying throwing that particular title aside and living as a true Jedi once more. No more leading armies, no more combat missions and certainly no more battles.

Theed, Naboo...

The world of Naboo was beautiful, anyone could admit that. Its natural beauty was clear enough to most people but the design put into its buildings was exceptional. It did resemble classical Italy on Earth if you had known to make the comparison.

But the Naboo as a pacifistic people even with the earlier attacks on their people by Nute Gunray did not have as intense security as some other major planets. They had so little crime on their world it seemed pointless and a waste of credits. Places like the palace were more secure but they still were not as tight as they should have been.

A squad of astromech droids trundled around the city of Theed, coming from different areas. They followed the roads, went over the bridges and finally converged at the entrance to the Theed Royal Hanger. No one gave the droids a passing glance, hardly anyone ever wondered what a perfectly normal droid was doing as it moved about its business. One plugged itself into a wall socket and opened the door to the hanger before disengaging and fifteen astromechs all poured into the large open hanger.

The large silver starship belonging to the Queen of Naboo sat in the middle of the hanger while the few technicians around looked in surprise but not concerned as droids usually milled around the hanger to help with maintenance.

That changed when the droids split up and each went under an N-1 starfighter and plugged themselves into the slot just aft of the pilot's cockpit. Suddenly and without warning the starfighters started up and engines flared to life. The technicians were so caught off guard by this that they were frozen for a moment which gave the droids the time they needed to launch the ships free of their berths and out of the hangers before the technicians could lock down the hanger.

They flew outward and upward, heading straight into orbit at top speed while the technicians and flight controllers scrambled to try to understand just what was going on.

The fighters were very fast at sublight speeds and quickly reached orbit and then out into open space, they hadn't the fuel to make a hyperspace jump so for a moment the ground controllers relaxed, knowing they couldn't go far and quickly started scrambling the rest of the fighters they had to follow and recover them.

However as they left the planet's gravity well to their horror they saw a Providence-class warship drop out of hyperspace. It's landing bays opened and the fifteen fighters all landed inside before the ship quickly made the jump back into light-speed and away with all the starfighters aboard.

- x -

Savage, Providence-class warship…

In the hanger bay of her new flagship Eliza Kane smirked widely as she considered the embarrassment she had just caused the Naboo. Fifteen of their prized starfighters stolen from right under their noses. They never sold those ships to anyone and now fifteen had been blatantly stolen right from the hanger.

She ran her hand along the smooth yellow and silvery grey hull of one of the ships while technicians made sure to remove the locator beacons just in case anyone tried to find them. She had no particular plans for these ships nor did she intend to sell them. More they were a test run for future more important heists she was planning.

Looking over she saw Katele Ma'Gard sitting in one of the cockpits and looked at the displays with distaste.

"Out of date and nowhere near as powerful as they claim. These things are worthless for anything other than looking pretty. How Skywalker managed to destroy a Lucrehulk with one of these pieces of crap I will never know." Katele said with disgust at the ship before climbing out of the cockpit and back onto the flight deck.

Eliza smirked, her exasperation being fun but more so as the operation had been a success. True it had been partly to humiliate the Naboo after Amidala had stuck her nose into their business but only she needed to know that. But also it had proven she had a good team and had managed to discover some very tempting targets for their future military.

"Maybe if we have a parade we can put them to use. Still things went exactly to plan." Eliza said, glad that Katele had finally figured out she was messing with her before as it was no fun sparring with someone who was afraid of you. As funny as it was in the short term, it got old after awhile.

"And." Eliza said with a vicious smirk before activating her bracer, creating small holograms of two small ships. "I found a much better target for next time."

"The Scurrg H-6 bomber. Idiots at the Nubian Design Collective built it so they could sell it to Naboo but those snobs have no stomach for war. Hardly anyone has bought them but they keep some prototypes at their facility on Nubia but thankfully we only need the specs. It has a lot of potential and even more when our guys get their hands on it." Eliza said with a smirk, seeing much use for the fighter since their forces currently didn't have a dedicated bomber of their own.

"Also we need to raid some Separatist bases." She said with a sense of thrill given they would be able to steal from those greedy bastards. "We want some of these Cutlass-9 patrol fighters. Its a good solid design and could be a great asset for us. If we do it though, no witnesses." Eliza said with a calm ruthlessness.

Katele nodded before saying with a challenging smirk.

"Bet I can down more droids than you." She said teasingly. Eliza answered with a smirk of her own.

"Oh you are on." Eliza said, accepting the challenge.

Barren Planetoid, Ordo System…

On one of the barren planetoids that floated around the system Neville stood on the bridge of one of their frigates, watching as the live test began.

The U-Wing as it was known was an Incom design but Neville had to admire the quality and skill that went into designing/building their ships. Ordo's engineers had spent the last couple of months making modifications to two such fighters and now it had it was now time to put them through their paces.

Neville watched with a careful eye as the ships dived down at high speed, their large wings swinging back for better protection with their deflector shields while improving manoeuvrability not that it was necessary today. Their front laser cannons were already powerful for their size had been given some upgrades courtesy of their engineers as had the shields.

The laser cannons easily penetrated lower powered shields quickly while causing considerable damage to more heavily defended ones. Neville nodded with satisfaction at that before they moved on to the next test.

One of the U-Wings dived again on the planetoid but instead of its laser cannons it flew over the rocky and lifeless surface and opened a hatch that had been constructed on the underside. In rapid succession a payload of proton bombs were dropped down and set off a series of explosions in the target area.

Then the other ship made a similar dive only instead of dropping bombs it started firing concussion missiles from a pair of launchers that had been fitted to the ship's underside. The missiles were pin point accurate and struck home to the targets that had been set up for them.

The payload was good, Neville thought with a considering look in his eyes. They were accurate and on the second variant it would be easy to convert from missiles to proton torpedoes if needed.

It was a good and solid choice for a bomber for their forces but he frowned as he considered the rather glaring problem that most bombers had. They were larger and slower than normal starfighters and that made them far more vulnerable to enemy fighters or gun positions especially if the former got behind them.

So he pondered and made a suggestion to the design team.

"See if its possible to fit a small laser on the top of the fighter with an aft firing arc to defend against enemy fighters. Maybe the co-pilot can operate it while the other pilot flies. Otherwise, this fighter is perfect." Neville suggested and the engineers looked excited about the idea and instead of complaining they threw themselves completely into the task of seeing it done.

Neville was amused a little by this but knew Mandalorians loved nothing more than a challenge and their engineers were no exception. They lived for solving problems that genuinely tested them.

It might seem over the top but if it gave them a space and air bomber than could handle itself without really needing help from other fighters it was a move well made.

Stormfront, Edge of Mandalorian Space…Two Months Later...

Rather than meet again on Graavis it had been decided that the Stormfront would host private meetings since as a ship it was harder to spy on them and could be easily moved.

Sitting in one of the ship's meeting rooms around a long conference table the different house leaders spoke, using the holo-terminal built into the table to display what they had managed to find so far.

"This is the Cutlass-9 patrol fighters and the Scurrg H-6 bomber, both fast and powerful and could be a major asset to us." Katele Ma'Gard said, standing in for her grandfather who had stayed at home after contracting a fever. It was not serious and he was expected to recover but was confined to bed for a few weeks. "As a scout the Cutlass is excellent considering its range and since both have a hyperdrive they are far less dependant on carriers to reach their targets."

Haron frowned for a moment as he remembered the minor panic there had been on Naboo when fifteen of their prized N-1 starfighters had been stolen apparently by the Separatists only for it to die down when nothing happened. Looking at Katele Ma'Gard and the sneaky glances she shared with Eliza Kane he could guess they had been involved but dedicated not to say anything. They had been careful not to leave any trace of their involvement and netted them a pair of potential designs.

"I too have a fighter design that might be useful, especially against other fighters." Duke N'Val said, changing the images of the two starfighters to a new and more original one. It was streamlined and narrow with three fins at the back around the triple mounted engines. Two laser cannons were mounted where the port and starboard fins met the cockpit and missile hooks had been added underneath the side mounted fins. They waited patiently for N'Val to describe his ideas.

"I have named it the 'Viper' after a creature on my own world. The Viper is a space superiority fighter that is not meant for bomber missions or engaging larger warships. Its sole purpose is to engage other fighters and destroy them. For that reason it has two laser cannons and at full load six concussion missiles but its main advantages are its speed and agility." N'Val them, getting more passionate as he described the ship.

"Its three rear mounted sublight engines give it high acceleration and speed in a straight line but small thrusters mounted in different positions allow it to turn in any direction very quickly. The G-forces can be cancelled out by a mesh that my people have been developing that can be made into a flight suit as an under-layer. The Viper would work particularly well with the Mirshko and Atin class ships."

Haron leant forward, resting his head on his knuckles as he arched his arms on the table, this was a potentially really useful design. Most starfighters were designed to do multiple jobs such as bombing and fighting other starfighters at the same time which meant they often couldn't do either to the best of their ability. The Viper was purely combat driven against other fighters and could be a major asset alongside dedicated bombers.

"It is an excellent design. My only concern is range especially if the carrier is destroyed, would it be possible to fit them with a hyperdrive for emergencies?" Haron asked, all eyes turned to N'Val who frowned for a moment before saying.

"It might be possible to fit a small hyperdrive and navigational computer but it would have a limit of five jumps maximum before refuelling." N'Val said and Haron nodded.

"Good, that would be major boost of us if starfighters could jump with long range bombers for strategic missions. Excellent work Duke N'Val." Haron said with a grateful nod which was accepted gracefully before they moved on to the next point.

"Has there been much progress in designing the Basilisk variants?" Haron asked and they all turned to Duke Yal Takan who had been in charge of that particular project.

"We have a number of concepts now in work." Yal Takan said, calling up images of several larger versions of the Basilisk. "Our team thought that basing them on different creatures around the galaxy might be a good idea so they created these." He said, then pointing to each one as he introduced them.

"The Rancor, a heavy assault tank version. It travels on tracks rather than walking but has two heavy blaster cannons along with four anti-personnel light blaster turrets and four ordinance launchers that can fire a number of shells ranging from armour piercing, bunker busting and anti-personnel." Yal told them, it looked dangerous they would all admit. Seeing that coming towards you would be terrifying especially if backed by the rest of their army.

"Then we have the Nexu, a light anti-trooper tank." Yal said moving onto a smaller machine with hover motors that could move quickly over rugged terrain. "It is fast enough to move along side ground personnel with rapid fire blasters and has a cable gun to help it climb."

"Finally there is the Krayt Dragon, the artillery heavy tank." Yal said and pointed to the largest version. Easily as big if not bigger than the new HAVw A6 Juggernaut tank used by the Republic. "It has a powerful medium turbolaser battery along with anti-personnel laser cannons, six ordinance launchers, a duel barrelled concussion missile launcher, heavy armour plating and two forward mounted heavy laser cannons for use against enemy vehicles."

They all, even those who were against making the variants were impressed at the sheer power projected by these variants, as long as they were careful these would be a very powerful asset to them in the wars to come.

Haron nodded before turning to Duke Sarek who had been working with Alain Ma'Gard to find suitable ground vehicles for their army that they could use alongside the Canderous Assault Tanks, Basilisks, Sky Troopers and Kom'rk-class fight/transport. The uptight Duke swallowed nervously before giving his report.

"Our inquiries have found us two possible units for our army." Sarek said looking worried they had not found more before calling up the image of two ground vehicles.

"This is the MZ-8 Mobile Pulse Cannon, or the Plasma Tank for short." He said, indicating the image that looked the most like a traditional tank on Earth to Haron's limited knowledge of non-magical militaries. It had tracks to help it move and a large single barrelled weapon. "It is very slow but its plasma cannon has immense firepower, it has an energy shield for protection and heavy armour." He said and this was far less received by the other leaders, what use was a powerful gun if it took a century just to arrive at the target.

Seeing his option had not been well received Duke Sarek moved onto the second option.

"Then there is the F9-TZ Transport. A ground hover transport that can carry forty warriors in full gear with supplies. It has a shield but no weaponry." He added, knowing that wasn't going to be well received.

And he was right, it wasn't.

"One is too slow to be useful, the other is defenceless if enemy units catch it." Duke Ge'hark said with a dismissive voice, a sentiment that was shared by the others.

"I suppose we might be able to use the transport if it can be fitted with some basic weapons for defence." Haron said, deciding to see if they could make something of this since the Kom'rks, as fast and useful as they had been and hopefully would be in the future were vulnerable to anti-aircraft fire and could only carry twenty four warriors at once. The ground transport might be useful for moving people around so they could conserve fuel for their jet-packs or moving the Sky-Troopers around. "And the heavy tank might be useful in a prolonged siege if existing weapons aren't enough."

The others did not look convinced but let the matter drop before carrying on with the meeting.

"Gladius-class heavy corvette." Ceta Farr said, moving on to their space fleet. The image changing to a smaller warship with a long thin central hull with an extended drive unit at the back and antennas extending out from the front. "Two hundred and forty three metres long and despite having only medium armour it has advanced sensor suites for long range scanning and surveillance. Perfect for scouting missions and only needing a crew of fifteen to operate. Reasonable speed with a laser point defence system and two missile pods for extra fire power. While maybe not the most heavily armed ship in our fleet in can be our eyes and ears." Ceta said and they all looked on with a nod, impressed.

"Good then we will put them into production as soon as possible." Harlan said before turning to the other design. "And the Halberd-class light destroyer?"

"It has potential." Lila Kast said with vicious smirk, changing the hologram to another ship with an arrow head shaped design. "Twice the size of the Gladius it has stronger armour and a far more extensive weapon system. One medium turbolaser battery and twenty six missile pods protected by a strong shield, heavier armour and a laser point defence system. Crew, two hundred and fifty. They can be lethal in wolf packs against larger targets." She told them.

"More a missile cruiser than a destroyer." Eliza Kane said with a smirk. "I like it."

"So, we can agree to put those ships into production for at least a prototype." Ijaa said trying to get the meeting to move on. A look around the table got a nod of approval from all of them. Haron then took over.

"Has there been any progress on the droid carrier you proposed when last we met?" Haron asked Eliza who nodded with glee.

"Pretty much." She told them before explaining. "The Gondwana Project as I named it is right on schedule. Each carrier will be twelve hundred metres long and carry up to six hundred droid fighters with a crew of a thousand. Each droid fighter is cheap to build but will on mass swarm before ramming into a target with a harden metal nose before exploding. Most ships wouldn't stand a chance." She said with a vicious look in her eyes that was someone intimidating to most of them. Haron frowned before continuing the meeting.

"Then we begin immediately, if the ships and vehicles discussed prove effective then we will start on full production as soon as possible." He said, eager to get their fleet ready as soon as possible.

Iokath, Wild Space…

Deera was looking at the factories of Iokath as they starting up, the machinery loud as it began operating and hummed with energy while they began to produce the equipment she had ordered them too.

The efficiency of the machinery was something to be admired, it worked far faster than any other factory known to exist in the entire galaxy. Only the ancient Star Forge could compare or surpass it, Deera watched as the parts and equipment started to take shape. Three of their captured Lucrehulks would collect them when they were ready and ship them to other facilities around their space to speed up their production of new ships and vehicles, not to mention expand their facilities.

Worker Droids too were being assembled in large batches to be shipped out with them, the extra assistance should speed up their production and building programs.

Deera smiled as she felt the arms of her wife wrapped themselves around her, despite a long honeymoon they had still not really gotten out of that phase yet. They were just enjoying this feeling while it lasted and before real life crept in with problems and arguments and everything else that came with being married. The good and the bad.

She managed to turn her head enough to press a kiss to Zara's temple, Zara it seemed was feeling a little restless as she slipped her hand lower down. Deera felt it through the clothes she was wearing, gasping as Zara dared close to the waistband of her pants.

"Not here, wait till we get a bed first." Deera said with urgency as she fought the urge to just give in to Zara's adventurous touch. Zara however was not dissuaded and her other hand gently took hold of her breast through her shirt. Deera felt her resolve fading and turned to kiss Zara fully on the mouth.

Reijar, Ordo System…

Hannah and Mallie were both seeing the doctor at the same time, sticking together for moral support as they confirmed their pregnancies.

Sitting together in the waiting room while Frank and Galen were busy with their lessons they smiled and made conversation.

"Are you hoping for a girl this time, or another boy?" Mallie asked, not sure just what her new friend really wanted in a family.

"My child will be my child and that is all I care about." Hannah said with joy. "I will love then regardless. What about you?" She asked Mallie who looked a little tired before saying.

"I don't really mine as long as they are quieter than their elder sibling was." Mallie said with an exhausted look in her eye. Seeing a questioning look from Hannah Mallie explained. "Galen when he was born was rarely quiet and never seemed to sleep. There were more than a few sleepless nights for a long time. Not to mention the force surged around him a lot, one man who was shouting at us once was blown clear off his feet by a force wave that seemed to come from nowhere. I will love my next child but I just hope that they are quieter and easier to manage." Mallie said with a weary smile.

"Frank was such a quiet baby, never had a noise out of him the moment I put him to bed." Hannah said with surprise, now wondering if her new child was going to be like that.

- x -

Haron, on his way back to Coruscant from the secret meeting had taken a rather large detour to Reijar. His children and Din had been glad to see him and he had managed to spend the whole day with them. He was saddened to again be away for so long but it just couldn't be helped. At least he could be glad Ara and their friend circle was close at hand while he wasn't he thought sadly.

"You do an amazing job with them." Haron said as he prepared for bed with his wife, the first time in ages that they had been able too. She looked up at him with a deadpan look.

"Did you expect anything else?" She asked and he merely smiled.

"With you, never. They are lucky to have you as a mother. No one could give them the assurance you can, even if I wish I could." Haron said with anger at being stuck on Coruscant so much again. He had been hoping to spend more time with his family only to once again be stuck on the other side of the galaxy.

"I know." She said with a little smugness but then softened. "They understand, why you can be here and when they get older we can explain more completely. You do this to protect them, you are a good father." Ara told him and Haron, sighed a little before coming over and putting his arms around her.

"What did I ever do that was so good to find a woman like you?" Haron said with a smile and her grin turned turned into a smirk.

"Well saving the world probably helped. Now, for tonight at least I have you home and I intend to make the most of it." She said with a glint in her eye that honestly he understood completely and kissed her passionately which she responded equally while they stripped out of their clothes and falling into bed where sleep didn't come till much, much later.

- x -

The Following Morning...

Luna meanwhile was sitting with her students, taking a big step towards formalising their order and giving it some much needed structure. Looking she saw their faces including young Lelia Ordo and Frank who sat there beaming at her. She gave them all a smile before giving her announcement.

"We have all been training hard but for an order with no name, no history and no ranks. It is time for that to change." Luna said as she addressed them all with a smile. They all looked on in surprise and exchanged glances with each other.

"Our order exists in shadow so the Jedi and the Sith will not know about us till we are ready. We are few while they are many and powerful, until we are powerful too we must stay hidden. To that end our order's name will be Ranov'la. We are the secret that will bring our enemies to their knees and show the galaxy that the Force does not belong solely to the Jedi and the Sith. Our war leaders, those who will teach and lead will be known as Akaan'alor, those who fight will be Akaan'aran the guards of our order and those who are learning will be called Hibir. Titles too will be created as our order grows and diversifies." Luna told them with a smile, glad that her people had a name and ranks although many would need to learn a bit more to be called Akaan'aran let alone Akaan'alor.

"Now." She said moving on to the lessons of the day. "While the younger of us will be practising to see with only the force, the older students will be learning to create the weapon of those that might be our enemy someday...the Jedi and the Sith." Luna said, knowing full well the Sith were going to try and destroy them so they could never become a threat and the Jedi had many times tried to intimidate or convince other force wielding orders to join them...even attacking a few. The Jedi were too rigid and completely focused on their own corrupted way to the exclusion of all else to do anything else.

They too would see them as a threat, especially being Mandalorian Luna thought grimly. They would try to make them follow their ways with violence eventually or to eliminate them so they could help themselves to the large number of force sensitives in their space.

To be honest even with the threat the Sith posed, Luna wasn't sure which was going to be the bigger enemy in the long run...the Sith and their Empire...or the Jedi.

Shaking herself out of these depressive thoughts she turned to Kento Marek who stood in front of the older students, teaching them how to build a lightsaber.

"The heart of any lightsaber is the crystal." He said, holding up a kyber crystal in his hand to the students while Luna herself turned to the younger ones and instructed them.

"Now put on the blindfolds and let the force be your eyes, for although each of our senses can fail and deceive us the force will not." She told them and they did as she instructed, putting the blindfolds on and soon were dodging or deflecting shots from training remotes with training sabers.

Lelia and Frank among them, the pair were excellent students Luna thought with a smile. So eager to learn and dedicated.

In time they would become powerful force wielders...no Akaan'aran Luna corrected herself, feeling that they had taken a big step forward in establishing an order of their own.

Guerra Sigma, the Outer Rim…

A dusty mining world on the edge of the galaxy, having a good operation going that could have made a good living for its people if they were not constantly having to deal with raiders.

They were not a part of the Republic or the Separatists and their operation was far too small to be noticed so there was no protection and no one they could turn too for help.

Kerra Holt had noticed however, following where the force led her she had come and began to teach the locals to defend themselves. She stood in front of a makeshift target range with the locals around her and said with a commanding voice.

"A target will not always stay still long enough for you to shoot it. Creature, person or droid they will move and you need to be able to anticipate when you shoot." She told them and began to use the force to levitate several targets to float and began moving them around like a puppeteer at random to throw off the locals when they practised. She nearly sighed as she could see while they were getting better it was slow going and would take a couple of more weeks before they were good enough to call themselves fighters.

After the session was over she let the would be fighters go home and saw a little girl crying in a corner. No one seemed to notice her and Kerra's heart went out to her especially when she could feel her fear.

Kerra walked over and sat down next to her, the little girl looked at her with confusion not quite believing that someone was actually paying attention to her. She looked down at the girl and gave her a smile before asking.

"What's your name?"

The girl's confusion grew as no one had bothered to even think about her name in so long that she had almost forgotten that she had one. It took a moment to process that Kerra wanted to know it and so she answered slowly.

"Molly." The girl said slowly and quietly.

"That's a pretty name." Kerra said as she kept smiling at the girl who was starting to feel more comfortable around her. "Why are you out here on your own? Where is your family?" She asked and the girl instantly froze and then deflated.

"They're dead." Molly said with a grief twisted face. "Daddy was a miner and momma took care of me and the house but when the raiders came and wanted anything nice. Daddy tried to fight them and they..." Molly stopped speaking as tears ran down her face as she remembered the death of her parents.

Kerra knew full well how that felt, given all the things she had lost in her life and just reached out and put an arm around the little girl. The girl flinched away from it at first but then desperately in need of comfort leaned in to Kerra who just rubbed her back as she let it all out. They sat like that for a long time as Molly let out what seemed like weeks if not months of grief.

Kerra could feel how thin the girl was and worried deeply that no-one seemed to be caring for the girl. Vowing privately to find her somewhere safer to live after all this. Molly managed a small smile before saying.

"You're not like the Jedi I heard about."

Kerra was a little confused at what she meant and asked her.

"What do you mean Molly?"

"You actually care." Molly said with a smile and a small tremor in her body. "You're nice."

Kerra although she kept smiling to reassure Molly was scowling inside. She knew the Jedi could not right every wrong in the galaxy but the fact they had become so close minded and callous that they did nothing while worlds like this suffered infuriated her more than she could put into words.

So it looked like it was up to her to rehabilitate their image around the galaxy she thought as she continued to comfort Molly and made plans to find her somewhere safe when it was time to move on.

Lettow, Core Worlds…

The site of one of the darkest chapters in Jedi history, Lettow had been the place of the First Great Schism where a Jedi named Xendor had built an academy solely for the purpose of experimenting with the dark side and other aspects of the force the Jedi deemed unacceptable or too dangerous to touch. The early Jedi had come and wiped out the Legions of Lettow across the galaxy before retreating back to Ossus.

It would not be the last time that the Jedi carried out such a massacre and often it was not even mentioned in their history. Since as Yoda's Secret Team of Jedi landed on its surface they honestly felt a chill in the force, an echo of what had once taken place here.

They walked over to where the ancient Legionnaire Academy had once stood. The ages had not been kind to it and it virtually nothing by now, only a few very faded stones. The dark side aura of the place was near depleted after all this time and they did not want to build so out in the open in any case.

Yaddle, being one of the best with her force senses walked forward into the ruined enclave followed by the others and held out her hand before shaking her head in disappointment.

"Build here, we cannot. Too well known it is perhaps." She said, the force seemed to be urging to her not too and the others nodded. It was not strong enough in the force to hide their presence and the geography of the planet was not favourable to build a hidden base here. Not to mention it was likely the Sith would know about this planet given what had happened here.

Still Fay, the oldest and wisest of all of them looked around and frowned for a moment before saying.

"Maybe there is something here though." She said and started walked over to a rock formation nearby, the other Jedi followed her with curious looks at what she might be looking for. She closed her eyes and stretched out her hand. Nothing happened for a moment until one of the large stones that had fallen over started to move, it was well stuck into the ground but with effort it came loose and floated into the air, revealing a small passage beneath it.

The Jedi were intrigued immediately and Fay, taking charge of the group said.

"Myself, Master Yaddle and Master Glaive will explore the passage. Do not follow unless we call for it, traps might still exist that are as deadly as the day they were made." Fay warned them. Xendor, the founder of the Legions of Lettow had been no fool and who knows what might lay down there.

The other Jedi did not seem pleased with her decision but respected it. So she, Yaddle and Glaive walked forward, using their lightsabers to light the way. The passage was not natural she noticed, its structural supports were metal and she honestly did not understand just why they hadn't rusted away to nothing after twenty four thousand years? She put a hand against the smooth metal and felt the force within it.

"The force was used to reinforce the metal, probably the only reason the tunnel still stands." Fay said to her fellow masters who both looked at the supports with awe.

"That art has been lost for centuries." Glaive said impressed, he might have resented coming on this expedition at first but he could not deny that he and his apprentice had experienced adventures and learned secrets they could never have learned any other way. Now he was reaching into the Order's ancient past and it was humbling he thought with awe.

"Perhaps lost no longer." Yaddle said as she walked down the long tunnel till they arrived at what looked like an ancient forge. Tools and equipment not made of the same material had rotted to almost nothing after all this time but some tablets made of the same metal, force and crystal enhanced high carbon steel as the tunnel supports lay on a nearby stone base.

Fay walked over and gently wiped away the dust to see the contents, reading each one carefully with her best understanding of the old writing she managed to convey their contents to her fellows.

"These contain some of the key tenets and teachings of the Lettow Academy." She said with curiosity. "They detail the method for creating the force enhanced metal that holds up this building and...oh my." Fay suddenly said with excitement. The other Jedi were confused at just what she had discovered.

"Master Fay, what is it?" Glaive asked with impatience after awhile and Fay managed to recover her faculties enough to explain.

"Well, this tablet." She said holding up one of the metal slabs. "Has the method to produce the metal; how to shape the high-carbon steel in the furnaces, how to meld the metal's molecular structure with that of a crystal so they are one in the same and the force can run through it. But these tablets." She said, putting the first one down and picking up a number of others. "Contain the teachings of the Kashi Mer Mystics...the Guardians of the Breath." She said with excitement.

"Their techniques of using the force to help plants and animals grow faster, not mention heal the sick are legendary." Glaive said with surprise and sudden interest in the tablets himself. The Guardians of the Breath had not been seen in over nine hundred years, the last encounter with the Jedi being only ten years after the last battle at Ruusan. Many including the Jedi believed them to be extinct and yet here in this dark and gloomy place, something of them survived.

"Take them, we will. Copy and preserve this we must so not lost will the last words of the Guardians of the Breath...not lost to time will they be." Yaddle said with pride. It was an incredible pair of finds, guessing the last of the Legions of Lettow must have sealed this place to stop the Jedi from looting it. Ironic she thought but at least something positive had been achieved this time the Jedi had come to Lettow.

The Jedi Temple, Coruscant…

Yoda was sitting in one of the meditation chambers of the Temple, meditating on the current galaxy and the report he had just received from his secret group not to mention the Ossus Expedition.

A smile came to his face as he considered all they had already achieved. The recovery of such lost teachings and relics was a great gift to the Order as was the discovery that Ossus was recovering slowly but more so that the hidden temples were coming along well. Not only were Jedi teachings being preserved and rediscovered but they would be safe should the worst come to pass and the Jedi would have places to hide should it be needed.

But he thought, more would need to be done so he waited for his next two recruits to join them.

A chime at the door announced their arrival and Yoda opened his eyes and opened the doors with a wave his hand.

Two Jedi who had been waiting outside took this as their cue to enter. They were both very different from each other; one was young Twi'lek female with purple skin that had just passed her trials for knighthood wearing the tan robes of a Jedi archaeologist and a black headdress.

Her companion was a human male, dark skin and hair, a little older and had passed his own trial just a year before the start of the Clone Wars and until recently had led a joint taskforce of the Judicial Forces and the Senate Bureau of Investigation. But more crucially, at least to Yoda was that he was a former padawan of his.

"Knights Rachi Sitra, Qu Rahn." Yoda said. "Please, be seated." He said gesturing towards a pair of unoccupied chairs and both younger Jedi nervously took their seats, not sure just what the legendary Grand Master would want to speak to them privately about.

"Tasks I have for you, important they are and not to spoken of to other Jedi." Yoda said with a passive look on his face, they both looked astonished at him coming to them like this and leaned forward with excitement.

"Rachi Sitra, an excellent student of the past you have been. A skilled archaeologist and work awaits you...on Ossus." He said and the young woman gasped in surprise which made Yoda smile as did her excitement at where he was sending her. "A group of Jedi already there they are and aid them you will in uncovering our lost past, also take a hidden cache of holocrons and relics along with a copy of the Jedi Archive there you will for safekeeping."

Rachi looked awestruck at the chance to explore their order's ancient home, so much could be waiting there, so much that they thought lost. She was almost buzzing with excitement and ready to grab a starfighter and fly all the way there right now.

"Knight Rahn." Yoda said, turning to his former student who was now envying his younger colleague over her incredible opportunity before turning back to his former master and listening attentively like fresh padawan again. "In earlier years, intrigued you were over the lost Valley of the Jedi. Seek it out you will but as a knight no longer, but a master." Yoda told him with a certain pride in his former student.

Now the envy Qu Rahn was feeling evaporated as he felt excited himself, it was a long held dream of his to find the lost Valley and its monuments to the Jedi who had fallen there. He dearly wanted to see it for himself and Yoda floated a pad over to him and another to Rachi.

"Master Rahn, a journal left by Master Johun Othone who built the temple at the valley. Help you find it the journal will." Yoda said with a smile before telling Rachi. "Path to Ossus and location of the Jedi Camp there. Master Morne leads the team there."

"We will not fail you master." Qu Rahn said with earnestness. Yoda smiled at his enthusiasm and at Rachi's too.

"Fail me, you cannot. Only yourselves." Yoda said, knowing the tasks he had given they were not easy and there would be challenges that none of them could anticipate and he could only hope their training was enough to get them through the challenges ahead.

- x -

Mace Windu had only just returned to the Temple after a prolonged absence to fight the war and was annoyed to again have to take orders from the irritating Mandalorian. He was planning to have some stern words with Skywalker for bringing him back here but at least he had proven useful in stopping the Separatists and their advance. The war was starting to turn back in their favour and Jedi were no longer being lost at the same rate so that was something to be grateful for Mace supposed.

But he had also become aware that his senior Jedi colleague Master Yoda was behaving very strangely. On the surface he seemed to be almost normal but there had been some directives and supplies that had gone missing and although he had no evidence he couldn't help but feel that Master Yoda was responsible in some way.

Also some Jedi and fairly prominent Jedi at that had disappeared over the course of the war, not dead Windu was sure of that but they had vanished and there had been no investigation into their disappearance. Some had been senior masters and naturally Windu had been surprised and suspicious that Master Yoda had not ordered people to look into it. In fact he had seemingly suppressed any inquiries into their absence.

This definitely got Windu concerned.

So he was on his way to confront his long standing colleague in private, not eager to drag whatever could be happening any further out into the open than he had too. The Jedi had enough bad press as it was right now and could ill afford any more. So he was handling it as quietly as he could.

Reaching the meditation chamber where he could sense the ancient but powerful presence of Master Yoda and was just in time to see Knights Qu Rahn and Rachi Sitra emerge from it and head off to their rooms. Windu frowned, wondering if they were about to 'lose' two more highly capable knights for whatever reason. He did not however question them, instead he carried on intent on getting answers from the Grand Master himself.

The door opened before he even reached it and beyond he saw Master Yoda sitting on one of the cushioned chairs inside. He looked up and said.

"Greetings Master Windu. Join me, will you?" Yoda said with a smile which honestly put Windu completely off kilter but he rallied and entered the chamber. Taking a seat opposite to Yoda he frowned as he looked at the old master.

"I need answers." He said simply but Yoda only tilted his head and said.

"Never about answers is it, asking the right questions...that is the true mark of wisdom." Yoda said and Windu could feel his irritation with the situation rising as he knew Yoda was going to run rings around him in this conversation. So he tried to get to the point.

"Why have some of our most talented Jedi disappeared without a trace? Why has so much in the way of building supplies gone missing? Enough to build a duplicate temple if not more." Mace asked with a pressing look and Yoda just smirked and said.

"Things lost all the time they are, Jedi not allowed to take leave are they?" He said with a teasing look in his eye and Mace frowned before sighing in frustration.

"What are you up to Master Yoda? Why won't you share it with the council?" He asked point blank and Yoda merely tilted his head again before saying cryptically.

"An old saying there is." Yoda spoke. "Hope for the best, plan for the worst. Following that line of thinking I am, ensuring that while I and you and others work here for the future of the Jedi and the Republic, certain others work in the shadows to ensure that we have a future if the dark side should gain a greater sway over the galaxy."

Mace was confused at first as to what Yoda meant, the only thing he really got from it was that Master Yoda was doing something to prepare in care the very worst happened. It appalled Mace that Yoda of all people would do so behind the backs of the Council and keep it a secret from them in times such as these.

But the look in Yoda's eye, one of age old experience made Mace stop from calling an emergency council meeting to force this issue into the open. This was Yoda, who had lived through literal ages that Mace had only read about in history lessons. The one that had taught Mace himself to be a Jedi along with training every member of the Jedi in the Order at one stage or another.

How could he argue with such experience? Mace thought with his outrage at this being done so secretly and behind their backs warring with his trust and faith in Yoda.

They sat in silence for a moment before Mace finally spoke.

"Then I hope you will trust me with what you have truly done eventually. It will not go beyond the two of us." Mace said and Yoda nodded before telling him.

"A matter of trust, it is not. Worked together we have so long, know I can trust you I do. Many eyes are upon us now, Sith among them. Hide what we are doing from them especially, we must." Yoda told him with a sudden ageing of his features.

Mace nodded, now understanding a little better and thinking that Yoda must be constructing a secret base for them to flee too should the need arise, not to mention moving some Jedi out of harm's way. Knowing that or at least suspecting it eased his concerns as he saw it was probably a very prudent course of action given if the Sith were as Dooku had claimed controlling the Senate, the Republic itself could be turned against them.

The senior masters stayed silent for a time after that before leaving to attend a Council Meeting, an important one no less.

The Jedi Council Chamber was a serious place, matters discussed here often had great importance for the Order certainly and often for the wider galaxy as well.

Today however it was an internal Jedi matter that was being discussed. The Council sat in their chairs, almost like they were in judgement of the two Jedi standing before them.

"Much concern has been raised about your training of Padawan Bene." Ki-Adi-Mundi said with characteristic pompousness. Many of the council members made almost nods in support of this statement while a few like Yoda and Plo Koon stayed motionless. "That she is being taught dangerous lessons ill-fitting a Jedi and in fact are potentially dangerous to her devotion to the light side of the force."

"I would dearly like for you to actually justify that statement." Minisa Anari said with a frown on her beautiful face. "I fail to see how training her to fit in with the wider galaxy and to survive on her own is dangerous or unsuitable for a Jedi. How to manage in any environment that she might find herself especially in places which might be dangerous for a Jedi when she might be cut off from support. Something that yourselves and Master Drallig completely failed to do." She said with an annoyed look in her eye.

"Then there is the manner of the non-standard training methods you have been using." Mundi said with annoyance on his face, seeming to ignore her statement. "It is far beyond what the council has set out..." He started to speak but was interrupted by Master Tuwan who had accompanied Master Anari to support her.

"Such a statement shows why you have never trained a padawan to knighthood." Tuwan said firmly which only made Mundi stutter in outrage at being interrupted. "Any true teacher knows that every student is different, they learn at their own pace and each person responds to a method of learning that suits them. Some learn by example and through doing while others learn through patient and slow mentoring in the classroom. There is no set manual to teaching Ki-Adi-Mundi and in my day you would not have been eligible for the council having never trained a padawan to full knighthood." Tuwan said calmly.

"Our standard techniques have been more than suitable for centuries. We have managed a thousand years of peace with them." Master Tinn said from the side. Master Unduli, still new to the council spoke up in agreement.

"Agreed, a standard method of training ensures all are treated fairly." She said her voice calm and measured but Tuwan had a response that undermined her argument.

"Yet few ever achieve more than basic competence." He said with a completely calm expression that put hers to shame. "All sentient creatures have their own unique abilities and skills that our job as a teacher is to bring out and help them reach their limit before surpassing them. Some will always be better than others at certain things and holding the few back to appease the many only encourages resentment. Your own apprentice Luminara Unduli, for example while her skills may lay with healing, Barriss shows considerable talent at lightsaber fighting and her power in the force is stronger than your own, however you have not expanded her education to cover more esoteric areas of the force beyond force healing nor given her the opportunity to study other lightsaber forms than your own preferred Form 2 and 3. It is short-changing her education by doing so, she might even feel you are holding her back." Tuwan said critically which Luminara looked on with a slight glare at the insult.

"More Jedi lose their way due to resentment and feeling they are not being allowed to spread their wings. Unchecked it might be dangerous but just as dangerous is suppressing them." Minisa said, using Tuwan's argument to put in her own. "We are meant to serve the galaxy and go where the force wills us, not where the Senate orders us to go. Are you the Senate's foot soldiers or the servants of the Living Force?" She asked with a pressing look.

The looks on many of the Council's faces were ones of pure contempt at the ideas Tuwan and Minisa were promoting while Yoda looked troubled at the internal issues the Order was facing.

Military Command, Coruscant…Two Weeks Later…

Haron stood in the centre of many clones and regular officers watching displays as the invasion of Umbara was now underway.

"Clear up that image." Haron ordered one of the officers on duty as he studied the enemy ships that were still in orbit. He knew that the planet threatened a key trade route but honestly Haron had a bad feeling about this campaign.

Seeing the state of things he gave his orders.

"Have Admiral Pellaeon move his cruisers to grid seven eight three and head off their supply ships. Admiral Coburn meanwhile will engage the remaining Separatist ships." Haron ordered before turning his attention to the ground battle. Things were going reasonably well he thought as the senior Jedi Generals he had chosen for this campaign included Kenobi and Skywalker even reluctantly General Tiin.

However things had definitely taken a turn for the worst when for no reason Anakin had been recalled and his forces had been put under the command of Pong Krell. That honestly worried Haron more than anything else as the man was a brute, an ambitious and powerful brute but a brute all the same. There was a strong dark side presence around the Besalisk Jedi and it had been getting stronger all the time. He had objected to him being there and had tried to rotate another general in to take his place but the Jedi had dug their feet in and refused to let him be moved.

Haron gritted his teeth at this and wondered just what had to happen for them to see common sense even part of the time.

Turning back to the battle he saw the strategic airbase had indeed been taken and held against a hostile force of Umbarans but then a report from Captain Rex, Anakin's clone captain appeared. Haron was confused as to why Krell wasn't sending the report until he read the contents.

Haron honestly was ready to tear his hair out as he read the contents, he had known Krell was rotten but not so corrupt that he was ready to fritter away the clones lives, even ordering them to attack each other to reduce their numbers so the Umbarans could win and he could defect to Dooku and become his apprentice. To rule as part of the 'New Order'.

Haron made a note of the fact Rex and the rest of the clones had managed to stop him and cited all of them for a Medal of Valour for their actions which had likely saved the entire campaign Haron thought with relief. However Rex he cited for a higher award given if it was not for him questioning orders and thinking the entire campaign might have been lost and two full legions of highly skilled and experienced clones likely would have been wiped out.

Haron therefore put Rex down for the Chancellor's Service Medal, for extraordinary feats and valour above and beyond the call of duty. He had more than earned one.

He did though have a bone to pick with the Jedi and therefore turned to one of the communication officers and said.

"Call however many members of the Jedi Council we have on planet here immediately and Anakin Skywalker if you can find him." Haron ordered sternly and his voice carried so much authority the lieutenant did not even hesitate to do it. Haron turned his attention back to the battle and then the other fronts of the war so far while he waited for the Jedi to arrive and saw to his relief that things were finally back on track.

The tense moments passed till at last nearly an hour later Anakin arrived, he looked flustered so Haron guessed he had been with Padmé but Haron didn't care about that.

"What is? They mentioned some kind of emergency." Anakin said and Haron sighed before handing him Rex's report.

"You might want to read this, your captain sent it." Haron told him and Anakin was confused as to what could be so important. That changed the moment he read the report and what Krell had done and looked enraged at what the other Jedi had tried to pull especially with his troops. Anakin was looking around furiously for the other Jedi but none had arrived yet so they stood while they waited.

Eventually, after nearly half an hour, they arrived. Masters Yoda, Windu, Mundi and Unduli. Yoda was the only one who looked actually curious at why they had been called here. The others just looked annoyed.

"Well what have you deemed so important that you dragged us here?" Master Mundi said, ignoring any rank or position that Haron held which unofficially at least was Field Marshal...meaning at least unofficially he was their superior.

"The fact that one of your Jedi Masters just went rogue and nearly cost us the Umbara Campaign. If it wasn't for the actions of a very brave group of clones actually seeing what he was doing we would looking straight down the barrel of certain defeat." Haron said with a hard glare at the Jedi, Anakin too was looking furious and said.

"Not to mention he had the clones actually fighting each other! How did you not notice Krell was a traitor!?" Anakin demanded with angry look on his face that his own clones had been killed due to them not discovering they had a traitor in their midst. That stunned the Jedi present and Anakin almost threw the report at them but managed to hand it to Master Windu who took and read the contents.

"If you Jedi are not going to allow the Internal Security Services to monitor your members then you need to handle your people better." Haron said with cold calm. "You literally have no safety nets to catch this kind of thing. I warned you about Krell being dangerous but you chose to ignore me, how many others can we expect like him just because you pretend you don't feel?" Haron asked them with fury.

"Don't you dare question our order's rules! How can a barbarian like you even hope to understand our ways?" Ki-Adi-Mundi said his face becoming red with anger, months of being bossed around by the Mandalorian as he thought of him finally reaching tipping point. He had been glad to see the back of him but now he was back and worse than ever. Him now criticising the Order while his people were horrible and rotten barbarians finally got to him.

"At least I can face the flaws in my culture. You certainly can't accept in any way that the Jedi Order is flawed." Haron said, staying calm while the so called Jedi Master became unhinged. Haron had no illusions about his own people, he knew they were flawed and he would face that but the Jedi he saw had this fantasy that they were living this almost perfect life to achieve a higher state of being. One that he knew was anything but and Krell was just the latest example of its failures.

Mundi it seemed had finally had enough and lost control of his temper, he swung his fist straight at Ordo who was not wearing his helmet. Haron with a speed the Jedi would not have thought possible for someone other than themselves moved his head out of the way and grabbed his arm before twisting it behind his back, forcing him down on his knees.

"Stay down." Haron said forcefully, twisting Mundi's arm. While Yoda, Unduli and Anakin all looked on in surprise at Mundi's actions, Windu looked on furiously but stopped from interfering as he heard rather than saw Haron's guards aim their weapons straight at his back.

Haron let go of Mundi who shrugged at him angrily as he got to his feet and then without warning aimed a kick straight at Haron's midsection. This caught everyone off guard and Haron felt the impact force him back a bit but thankfully his beskar armour took the full brunt of it and Haron almost smirked as he saw Mundi wince in pain when he put the offending foot down.

Never one to ignore a threat Haron was quickly on his feet again and charged against Mundi although he did not draw his weapons as that would likely escalate the fight and Mundi had yet to draw his lightsaber.

Mundi the moment Haron was in reach tried to grapple with him, probably for an over the shoulder but Haron side stepped the attack and back handed Mundi's face with his armoured gauntlet. There was a nasty crack as Mundi's nose was broken but the Jedi Master gave as good as he got, hardly slowing down at all and managing to land a hit on Haron's cheek but while it hurt, the bone didn't break.

Getting in closer Haron kneed Mundi hard in the gut and that seemed to knock the wind out of him but Mundi recovered quickly and soon was trying throwing out another punch. Haron saw it coming and dropped down to do a sweeping kick that Mundi barely avoided by jumping away.

The staff of the War Room, the other Jedi and the Bloodguard present could only watch as Haron and Mundi fought. But Mundi, ever the valour filled Jedi leapt straight back onto the attack with a furious barrage of kicks and punches while Haron either dodged or deflected. Then Haron noticed Mundi's hand going straight for his lightsaber and realised this was getting out of hand so he had to act quickly.

With as much speed as he could muster Haron smashed his beskar vambrace straight into Mundi's face with considerable strength behind it. While his other hand grabbed Mundi's lightsaber as it fell from his hand and with the aid of his crushguard, an exoskeletal glove, crushed the cylinder.

The blow stunned Mundi and sent him reeling backwards before Haron quickly took advantage of him being stunned and rushed forward to tackle the Jedi Master to the ground. He managed with skill to force him onto his front, pin him down and held his vambrace straight at Mundi's head.

"A repulsor blast at this range would knock your brains around inside your skull and turn them into jelly. Understood?" Haron said with a cold voice and when Mundi did not answer Haron pressed his foot down a little harder. "Understood?!" Haron repeated with greater emphasis.

Mundi with gritted teeth nodded and Haron let him up although he stepped back and kept his gauntlet pointed straight at Mundi. His guards likewise did the same and Windu, infuriated by the display said.

"No more fighting, back to the Temple now!" He said with a glare aimed at both of them although the comment was aimed solely at Mundi. The Jedi left including Anakin who gave Haron a look of being impressed while Haron gave him a slight nod in return.

- x -

"That was unacceptable behaviour Master Mundi. No Jedi should ever act in such a manner let alone a Master or especially a council member." Master Windu said with a furious glare at Mundi, his eyes narrow. Mundi looked unrepentant as they rode the transport back to the Temple.

"That barbarian cannot keep insulting the Council and the Jedi unchallenged." Mundi said stubbornly but Windu just raised an eyebrow.

"Yet you just proved him right by attacking in a fit of temper. If one cannot handle criticism then one will not get very far in life." Windu said sternly. "Ordo is a grating presence and insulting to the order but he is not our enemy. He showed far more restraint than you." Windu said, not believing he was having to side with the Mandalorian against one of his own order. But this time, the Mandalorian was right and as much as he considered Ki-Adi a friend, they needed to watch for this kind of failing in their own members. If one they had named a master and trusted had fallen so far and they hadn't noticed, how many more might there be like him?

The fact a senior master had just lost his temper in such epic fashion in front of the entire military command staff was just another worry. Yoda too he noticed looked unsettled by this and they needed to review their own people to see if all of them were suitable for war and if they might be better placed on relief efforts.

Anakin meanwhile was looking at the scene with amusement and shock, he could hardly believe that he was seeing the high and mighty Master Mundi getting a dressing down from Master Windu after having his butt handed to him by Haron. It was usually him or Ahsoka that was getting dressed down, sometimes by Master Mundi but this time he was the audience and it was almost funny to him.

Still though, Anakin thought becoming more sober. It was a shock to him that a master no less could fall so far that they would actually sabotage a campaign and kill all their clones to do it. Rex had really proven himself today Anakin thought with relief, proud of his captain for being so strong and being able to question rather than trust blindly in authority. Even though he wished he could have dealt with Krell himself for what he had tried to do to he was glad Rex and their soldiers had come through it.

But he was like Windu troubled by this, the whole order was going to be too when they learned what had happened. He knew he needed to speak to Tuwan about this or Obi-Wan at least, hoping they might be able to give him some insight.

As part of their review, Jedi were pulled from all assignments not listed as critical to come home and be assessed by the council before being allowed back out into the galaxy. Many would not be allowed to return as Haron Ordo would take advantage of it to prevent those he thought unsuitable from returning to the front and instead Master Yoda who was very concerned by this development would assign many to aid work around the galaxy or else keep them at the Temple for their own safety.

Ki-Adi-Mundi however was forced to make a trip to Ilum rather quickly to replace the crystal in his now ruined lightsaber which he would now need to replace.

A week later Anakin found Tuwan teaching a group of younger padawans and knights to force forge their own armour and smiled as he saw the younger ones stare in awe at the wise and gracious old master who seemed so strong and knowing that only Master Yoda could compare. Speaking of Master Yoda though Anakin blinked in surprise when he suddenly saw the old Grand Master himself was part of the class and appeared almost as enamoured with Tuwan as the other much younger Jedi.

Anakin was so shocked at this he nearly slipped off the wall he was leaning against and witnessed the master that everyone in the Temple looked up too create a new set of robes and a walking stick for himself.

The walking stick was made from a branch of Uneti tree and the robes were simple but amazing to look at. They were pure white in colour while having a brown and gold trim around the edges and when donned by the grand master they made him look positively regal and his presence in the force, already so strong and warm radiated even stronger and brighter.

"Thank you Master Tuwan, quite an experience this has been and a worthwhile skill for any Jedi." Yoda said to Tuwan who nodded and told him.

"It is a pleasure, I trust you will be available for chess tonight? And we can debate some more while we play?" Tuwan said and Yoda much to Anakin's own surprise nodded.

"Indeed, I will defeat you tonight I am sure." Yoda said with a smirk that honestly was astonishing to Anakin who had never seen the Grand Master do that before.

"We shall see." Tuwan said and the two old masters parted company, as Yoda walked out of the room he passed Anakin who he gave a nod too as he passed. Tuwan then called out.

"Anakin, come in." He said with a wide smile on his face and Anakin, still shocked at the sight did as he was told. Tuwan seeing this smiled wider and told him. "Master Yoda was merely adding to his own skills, we are all in end still learners throughout our lives. No matter how much we might learn however long we live there is always something else to reach for." Tuwan said sagely and Anakin could only nod in agreement before getting to the point.

"Master, I was just wondering. About Pong Krell?" Anakin said, not entirely sure just how to phrase his question. Tuwan visibly deflated and nodded.

"I know, a great shock that was to the Order but not so surprising." Tuwan said gravely which Anakin stared at him while Tuwan expanded on his point. "There will always be those who lose hope and their way. Not just to the dark side but to everything, in the old days this happened too but we had a greater connection to each other. We confided in each other and had Jedi whose job it was to find those in the order that needed help to find their way and to ease their pain. The galaxy has always been a harsh place and will remain so for all time, even we Jedi can fall prey to it and this current order does little to prepare those going out there for the realities." Tuwan said sadly.

"Did that other way work better?" Anakin asked even though he already knew it was. Tuwan sighed before he answered.

"It wasn't perfect and we still had those turn to the dark side or left the order but it was a far rarer event than it is now and remember in my time the order was a lot bigger. The Jedi can be passionate and truly caring Anakin as long as they have a support system in place to help ground and heal them should they need it. A group that cares for them and will be there to pick them up when they are low or lost. Not having that is what causes many to become callous, angry and depressed while not having an outlet for their feelings because despite what the Council seems to think, just because you are a Jedi...doesn't mean you don't feel." Tuwan said sadly.

Anakin was lost in thought as he considered what Tuwan was saying, he wondered if many of the coldest and hardest Jedi that he had always disliked had been so different for him once, only for the galaxy and the order's lack of care to harden them to the point they no longer seemed to have any empathy. Some he knew still did, or at least hoped but if so he could only pity them. He himself realised that he was lucky enough to have a network like that; he had Padmé, Ahsoka, Rex, Obi-Wan even the Chancellor...in that moment he was so grateful for those he loved and knew he needed to convince others to do the same.

"Something has to change." Anakin said with a voice that seemed to become more determined as he spoke. "The order can't go on like this or we are just going to have a lot more like Krell."

Tuwan looked at him for a moment before he started smiling which Anakin didn't really understand until the reason was explained.

"Change is not an easy thing Anakin, you or I cannot do it alone. One voice can be tuned out but many can make themselves heard above the noise. And thanks to all the Jedi coming to the Temple for the Council to test them, I have found a number of Jedi that might listen if you speak." Tuwan said proudly as he looked at Anakin.

"Me?!" Anakin said with shock. "But I thought..." Anakin started to say but Tuwan shook his head.

"Anakin I may be a Jedi but not one of this era. I was not trained as you were nor have I walked the galaxy as it is now. You know what the galaxy needs the Jedi Order to be and they all know you...they will listen to you and what you say. Tell them in a way that they can understand what you and I both know. That the Order has to change, that it is hurting the Jedi in the long run to be this way and that they must stand up with you to make that change." Tuwan told him with his deep wise voice. "Shall I make the calls?" He asked with a probing look.

Anakin was trying to wrap his head around what Tuwan was asking of him, he was always something of an outsider in the Order despite being a part of it and certainly not a leader but that was what Tuwan was asking him to become, a leader of a potential revolution within the Jedi.

It was daunting, he had led soldiers into battle against odds not in his favour but this was a different kind of battle that he had never fought before. A battle of minds of...politics...Anakin thought, almost fearful of even trying. He knew it had to be done but still he was thinking with worry and a little resentment why did it have to be him?

"Yes. And there might be a few I might want to invite too." Anakin said with resignation and Tuwan just nodded calmly.

"The more the merrier, hopefully Anakin this will be the birth of a new beginning for the Jedi." Tuwan told him and Anakin could only nod and hope that he was right.

Sundari, Mandalore…

The city of Sundari was a major city and with its large population and considerable industrial base and business complexes should be wealthy and prosperous. A year ago even with the Clone Wars it had been even if the Duchess had refused to allow businesses to profit from the war.

But that was no longer the case.

The docks, once busy bringing in materials, food and trade goods were now almost silent as fewer and fewer ships came to the planet. That of course meant the dockworkers weren't being paid and now were struggling financially which lead to a strike which only made the situation worse.

Inside the city it wasn't any better and in fact could be considered worse. The soaring prices of food and medical supplies was far too much for most to afford, especially as their economy tanked and trade with other worlds suffered from a lack of exports.

The price of food had skyrocketed and rationing was now in effect, it was so expensive to buy food a thriving black-market had been established that exploited people in every way possible but the authorities could do nothing as they struggled to stay on top of crime and keep order with the angered people who were starting to turn their discontent towards the people they blamed most of the situation.

The Protectors had increased security around Satine's Palace where she had remained cloistered, not daring to set foot outside just in case angry citizens decided to try and take their fury out on her. Members of the government too like Minister Almec were holed up in the palace.

Almec was feeling like he aged a year with every month that passed as the stress of balancing the precarious economy took its toll. He had made a lot of deals with very shady characters who honestly he really didn't trust just to keep the planet fed.

But he could see it was slowly failing, the food crisis was only going to get worse as his 'suppliers' were far from reliable and the medical situation was also becoming more desperate by the day...supplies of medicine were very small and disease and illness were rising at an alarming rate. Many would likely have left the planet had it been possible.

Sooner or later Almec thought as he felt the pains in his chest and his heart pounding, something would need to change.

- x -

Death Watch Camp, Location Unknown…

Things were not much better for Death Watch as the defection of so many clans and the stripping of Vizsla's own holdings had left the organisation near bankrupt.

A trickle of income from some who hoped to restore the warrior ways or otherwise wanted to exploit them should they come to power was hardly worth anything and Pre's own family had lost had not much left in their own coffers. Equipment was wearing out and everything from spare parts to ammo was running low.

Pre had been in a dark mood for days, he had been so angry that no one even Bo Katan dared go near him else they find themselves targets of his fury.

They had taken to prowling the space lanes and looking for anything of value that they could sell.

They only hoped that they might discover something that would change their fortunes soon.

Jedi Temple, Coruscant…

Anakin was really nervous as he stood outside the room that Tuwan had managed to arrange for them and he could sense already that everyone was waiting inside. Padmé, who had come to the Temple to offer her support smiled as she fixed his robes for him.

"You're going to be fine." Padmé said with a warm smile and caressed his cheek with her soft hand, Anakin took a gentle hold of it and squeezed, smiling at his wife before reluctantly letting go and knowing he couldn't put it off any longer, stepping into the room.

Apart from Tuwan and Ahsoka who were sitting with the crowd, seventeen other Jedi sat in the room, chatting quietly among themselves before turning to face him. Anakin felt his nerves rising but out of the corner of his eyes he saw Padmé smile and Ahsoka and Tuwan were giving him encouraging looks. Bolstered a little by their encouragement and support, Anakin took centre stage and began to speak.

"Welcome and thank you all for coming. If you are here then you like me must have had some doubts about the order." Anakin said simply, doing his best to stay focused. "After what happened on Umbara with Pong Krell and all the other Jedi that have defected away from the order since before the war began. I mean the only reason the war is happening is because one of our senior and most respected masters felt the Order had failed itself and turned to the dark side as a result." Anakin said, pointing out Dooku and his acolytes as examples to support his point.

"Not to mention how many of us have fallen due to the Order not training us to inhabit the galaxy. The Jedi Order is supposed to be protectors and guides for all across the galaxy but...are we?" Anakin asked gathering his confidence as he spoke. "With the exception of missions to serve the senate, when was the last time the Jedi did anything other than aid work on behalf of the Republic. We serve it and seems to me it alone."

There was he noticed a feeling of agreement with his points in the group as some of them clearly felt the same as he did in at least some of these matters.

"That's all well and good Skywalker but what can we do about it?" Master Rahm Kota, a grizzled older master with more than his share of scars said from the back. Anakin felt his confidence falter a little at those intimidating eyes but he received support from another in the crowd.

"Let him speak." Minisa Anari said before giving him a flattering smile that would have made many people go weak at the knees but Anakin just gave her a thankful nod before continuing.

"Some times ago, I came to find a new or rather old way of following the force. Partly from Master Tuwan." He said while gesturing with his hand towards the old master who nodded while smiling warmly. "Over the war I have learned that the only way to find our true purpose in the galaxy is to not only allow ourselves to care for the galaxy but also for each other. To allow ourselves to connect to others and to learn to channel our whole being into the things we do...the good and the bad." Anakin said.

That seemed to shock most of the Jedi in the room, leading to a heavy silence. They could hardly believe what he was saying except for Minisa, Ahsoka and Tuwan who had already being doing this themselves while Bene, Minisa's padawan frowned as she it seemed was still coming to terms with it.

"Skywalker that is dangerous!" Naat Reath said, remembering all too well the dangers of revenge and anger after what it had done to her and her master. He was still in hiding on Krant and she dared not speak of it should their flirtation with the dark side be revealed.

"No its not, no more than anything else we do." Ferus Olin said in support of Anakin which surprised Anakin given the difficult history between them. Tru Veld and Darra Thel-Tanis too nodded in support, he had not seen any of them since that mission to the ancient Sith homeworld Korriban years ago where only the fact that Granta Omega had apparently been captured by an unknown Mandalorian bounty hunter before he could get there had saved Darra's life. Anakin had seen the other outcome in a vision some time later and been grateful for it.

"This is why connections is the most important thing." Anakin said, giving the three a grateful look which they smiled at. "True learning to embrace all parts of ourselves including our darker impulses is dangerous but only if we do it alone." Anakin said which surprised them. "It is our connection to others that can keep us grounded and remind us of our better self. To curb ambition and if we are slipping too far what can pull us back. It may not be fool proof but remember Exar Kun, Ulic Qel-Droma and Freedom Nadd. They tried to explore on their own and fell because they had no safety net to fall back on or it was too far away." Anakin said, remembering the conversation he had with Ulic's ghost on Rhen Var when they had been there to learn the secret of defeating the Dark Reaper.

When he had warned him not to follow the same path.

"Cutting ourselves off from others makes us weak." Anakin said continuing his point as he saw some looks of discomfort. "Never have I in my life fought harder and longer than I have for those I care about." Anakin told them giving Ahsoka and Padmé small glances which they smiled at him for. "If we have no connections to anyone then what do we truly have to fight for? To strive towards? Doing duty for the senate? Ignoring the wider galaxy while it suffers." Anakin said insistently.

"There is no real compassion, without connection. However much we deny it can we really feel for someone if we are suppressing our emotions?" Anakin asked them intensely, making all of them think and they all felt uncomfortable at the answer that they came too.

"The Jedi have lost their way." Master Jyl Somtay said in agreement with a sad look on her face, she had only just returned from an undercover assignment somewhere they were not allowed to know about. "I have been out in the galaxy and seen the suffering and wrongs the Jedi could right but we don't because we are chained to the Republic. I will not say we are slaves to it but is there any real difference...being unable to act without its leave or do anything unless the Senate says so for fear of punishment?" She said with dismay.

That struck a cord we many of them, they had all at one point or another questioned the Council and the Order's policies and many felt the Order could do a lot more than it actually did.

"So what is it you suggest?" Bultar Swan asked with curiosity. "Break away and form a small order of our own like the Altisan Jedi?" She said with curious look in her eye at where he was going with this. Anakin was surprised at her being here given how devoted and respectful she was known to be to the masters of the order but then again before the war she had been famous for never taking a single life regardless of what assignment she had been given and potential consequences. That was true commitment he thought with respect.

"No, of course not." Anakin said and the Jedi present seemed a little eased by that statement. "But the Order does need to change, maybe become more like Djinn Altis and his Jedi. The Jedi numbers have not truly increased at all over the last few centuries, staying consistently as we are. The war has only helped show the flaws in the Jedi as they are while it whittled down our numbers. What I am proposing is to share what I and Master Tuwan have learned with all of you and let you decide on what you want to do with it. I want to show the Jedi that there is a better way, that change can be good and that it can start right here with us...now." Anakin said with hope that they might listen. "That all the Jedi can see we are part of the galaxy and isolating ourselves from it and its people is not the way a Jedi is supposed to be. Krell isolated himself, none of us saw what was happening to him until it was too late. That is a trait in all those that fall, that they do it alone. They feel alone, the best way to fix that...is to be with others and open yourselves up to them...to have friends, companionship, a fact some of us know is true already." Anakin said with a smile, knowing more than a few Jedi had their attachments like him.

"Then if you can see what I see and wish see the galaxy as I do...help me and those like us spread the teachings across the order so it might at last be a Jedi Order worth serving in." Anakin said and looked around the room while they all considered his words.

The longer this went on the more nervous Anakin and indeed Ahsoka became, they honestly was wondering if they were all going to disregard every thing he had said and go straight to the council and dress the whole thing as him trying to usurp the Order. At worst this might actually result in him and Tuwan and possibly even Ahsoka being expelled from the Jedi completely.

Then at last, someone spoke up or rather laughed.

"You've got some stones on you Skywalker." Rahm Kota said while chuckling while everyone looked at him in surprise. "Why not, it might be fun." Rahm said and nodded his acceptance to Anakin who honestly almost let out a sigh of relief that someone agreed with him.

"Very well Skywalker I agree." Bultar Swan added, taking her lead from Kota.

"You can count myself and my apprentice in." Minisa said with Bene at her side who nodded uncertainly but followed her master's lead.

"If it helps me, I will learn from you." Naat Reath said with trepidation in her voice, hoping that perhaps he was right and it might help her overcome the still raging anger inside her that surrounded her brother's death and her master's exile.

"If it helps the Order then I will study under you Skywalker." Jang Li-Li said with a large smile that was warm and full of humour.

"If travelling around the galaxy has taught me anything, it is to take opportunities when they are presented too you. I'm in." Jyl Somtay said with a confident smile.

"I know attachments are a good thing...most of the time. I agree." Olee Starstone said with a smile.

"All that it takes to overcome any obstacle is hard work, if it makes the Order stronger, I will learn." Tallisibeth Enwandung-Esterhazy said with a nod.

"Helping the galaxy is the rightful task of any Jedi...we are in." Ferus Olin said and his fellows Darra Thel-Tanis and Tru Veld nodded right along with him.

"I am a Jedi and we are supposed to help the people of the galaxy, I am with you." Dendro said firmly.

"Agreed." Rune, a Mon Calamari Jedi said, folding his brown and blue robe covered arms.

"I trust you Anakin, so lead on." Axton Tredway said with a smile and a proud nod which Anakin returned. He knew that Axton himself actually had a wife of his own and family too! Had even introduced Anakin too them! He was as much a maverick as he was and Anakin was glad to have him on board.

"This will be interesting to see." Ranik Solusar said with folded arms. Anakin knew like him and Axton the man had a wife and child although he had 'officially' cut them out of his life after being caught he still maintained quiet communication with them.

"This will have great implications for the Order, but I think it is the right thing to do." Jax Pavan said with a gently stroking of his beard, in deep thought.

"Then we are all ready to begin." Tuwan said with a smile and gave Anakin a proud look which honestly made the still nervous but elated Anakin feel a lot better. At his side he could feel Padmé's hand grasp his and squeeze which he returned.

- x -

Some hours later, after the initial discussion Ahsoka was chatting to some of the other Jedi from the meeting, laughing and joking as they got to know each other and she was really looking forward to sparring with Tallisibeth who was supposed to be an amazing duellist. She was just chatting with her and Olee Starstone, both of whom being older than her had wild stories of their own to share.

She was unaware that nearby someone was looking at her with jealous eyes.

Barriss Offee, who had actually been invited to join the meeting by Ahsoka glared at her with anger in her eyes. She had once counted Ahsoka as a friend, a person to confide in and seeing her so free and joyful when she herself was never given the chance was infuriating. Master Luminara had learned she was going to attend the secret meeting Skywalker had set up and forbade her from attending, even going to so far as to insist on them meditating together so she could keep an eye on her.

Just like she had refused to let her study other lightsaber forms with Master Cin Drallig forcing her to do it in secret or research more into other abilities within the force maybe even seek out another master to help her, not even letting her learn to force forge or anything that Luminara couldn't do herself! Barriss thought with a sneer on the inside, knowing now how hypocritical the Jedi were and how afraid they were of people who actually think.

Ahsoka Barriss noticed with anger, didn't even seem to care that she hadn't been at the meeting. She was getting on with her new friends and flouting the rules while she was unable too. So free and happy while serving the Jedi Order that only believed in violence and had violated everything it was supposed to stand for.

Barriss was finally at her wits end and knew in her heart that something had to be done...something they couldn't ignore. She stalked off, her rage barely contained as she went away to devise her plan and make the Jedi be seen for what they really were.

Ahsoka, unaware of her friend's inner turmoil went to look for her after ending her conversation with Tallisibeth and Olee, desperate to invite her friend to join them and find out why she hadn't been there but she was disappointed as Barriss didn't seem to be in any of places she usually would and soon she was called back to join her master.

Ahsoka was disappointed and worried about Barriss being missing and even thought of going to find Master Unduli to ask where she was but didn't as she knew the Master did not approve of her master and by association her either despite them having saved Master Unduli's life at least once each.

Her worries persisted though, she honestly felt something was terribly wrong but had no idea just what.

Hondo's Stronghold, Florrum…

Obi-Wan and Adi Gallia were on the trail of Maul and his brother Savage Opress as they cut a bloody and violent swath across the galaxy. They had been stealing and killing without any restraint or regard for any life, trying to build power and fortune.

Now, they were trying to take over a clan of pirates on Florrum. The pair of Jedi had followed them there and paid a great cost for the encounter. Master Gallia had perished at their hands and Kenobi had been left to fight the paid of vicious Sith brothers alone.

And taken to the limit of his skill he had succeeded and actually severed one of Savage's arms off and managed to with the aid of Hondo and his pirates who he had at last gotten under control to drive them off world. They took off in a ship only for a rocket fired by one of the pirates to hit it in a critical place.

Maul and Savage managed to make it into the escape pod before the ship crashed and burned with Savage almost unconscious from his wounds, providing a cover for their escape. The escape pod struggled against the planet's gravity but managed with Maul's careful manipulation of the controls to get into space.

The pod though, low on fuel from their escape was soon drifting helplessly in space. Maul and Savage lost consciousness as oxygen began to run out and slipped deep into a force trance that lowered their need for it so they could survive for as long as possible.

The life support system's failure also created an intolerable cold that the trance helped them stay alive in but even it would likely have reached its limits, frost covered their bodies and the window with barely detectable breathing coming from the two brothers.

Their fate was indeed dire but while they stayed in their deep trance, seeming almost asleep lights from another space craft appeared over the pod.

There we are, I know it might seem rushed but I was eager to get to Maul's meeting with Death Watch and the next Mandalorian arc in the story. I do hope you still enjoyed the chapter though and please review to let me know what you thought.

Some notes from this chapter...

The Viper's hyperdrive system is similar to what the A-Wing has in the old canon.

Zel of the Sharrugan inspired a ship that will appear later in the story, can't say which right now though as it would spoil the surprise.

The name and ranks of the new Mandalorian force order were suggested by the amazing Tellemicus Sundance who has been a great help and support during this story!

Sajuuk is the one who came up with the idea of Basilisk variants. I thought three would be a good mix to go with the existing version.

The Gondwana Carrier was suggested by nicklaren, coming from Gundam Seed Destiny. He also suggested the idea of Droid ramming fighters.

The design for the Rancor/Basilisk variant was inspired by the HK-Tank from the Terminator franchise.

Next Chapter – Maul and Death Watch make their underworld alliances and the Mandalorian factions are forced into action. The Jedi are dealing with more upheaval.