Kallus sat at the dejarik table and waited for Rex to make his move. They were on their third game and Rex was determined to not lose another one. What the man didn't know was in addition to Kallus's ability to beat the computer on a regular basis he'd also played the man in the future several times. So that meant that he knew many of the man's strategies as well. He watched as the man considered many moves before he finally sent his holographic piece forward. Kallus smiled since it was a move he'd anticipated. Still, he waited a few moments before he made his next move which brought the game to an end. When he did Rex's brow lowered.
"How did you do that?"
Kallus chuckled. "You were told I'm from the future, right?" When he saw the man's look of doubt he continued. "And that one of my friends was a clone? That friend is you. And your game hasn't changed much in nearly twenty years."
Rex narrowed his eyes since he still found the whole idea of time travel to be hard to believe and more than a little ridiculous. "Is that so?"
The blond stood to stretch after three games of dejarik. He looked toward the corridor in the direction of the cargo hold. That was where Kiara and the Jedi had gone to discuss whatever it was that force users discuss. The difference between the Jedi Order and the ancient teachings of the Kwa that Kiara had stumbled upon and studied. They'd been there for the entire day while they traveled through hyperspace.
Tac was asked to remain in the cockpit. After their last trip through hyperspace he figured that it would be best to keep the droid there to monitor things while the rest of them were elsewhere on the ship.
"Well, since it's getting late I'll show you to the two unused cabins. You and Skywalker can use those."
Rex followed Kallus to the two cabins that faced one another on the end of the corridor that led to the cargo hold as Anakin and Kiara were coming out of it from their all day conversation/study session. "Everything alright, Sir? You've been busy all day."
Anakin chuckled and nodded. "Just a lot to take in. Most of the basics are pretty similar to the Jedi Order but the differences are pretty substantial. Takes a bit to take it all in."
The clone raised a brow but nodded. He didn't really know more than a casual passing knowledge of what the Jedi taught so he would have to take the general's word for it.
"I was just showing Rex these cabins that the two of you can use," Kallus said chuckling indicating to the cabins facing one another. "We won't arrive on Dathomir for another week and it isn't like we're going to make you stay in the cargo hold."
"I forgot how far it was to Dathomir." Anakin cringed a bit at the thought of the long journey to the Outer Rim.
"Having second thoughts about this trip?" Kiara asked as she leaned against the door frame to the corridor.
"Too late if I was." Anakin sighed. "But I have the feeling that this is well worth any trouble that I might get into."
"And it looks like this time it was you two who didn't have a chance to grab a bag before being whisked away," Kallus opened one of the cabins and opened the closet to show some spare jumpsuits that were a generic size that Rex would use to help with making repairs in the future. "These should fit, roughly."
"So, I'm going to be wearing some stranger's clothes?"
"Not a stranger," Kallus snickered. "These are some that you left here. So they are yours." He then turned to Anakin. "I'm sorry I don't have any Jedi robes so you'll have to either borrow some of these or I can probably find something that can fit you. After all, if you wear the same thing for a week I'm going to have to keep you in the airlock."
Anakin chuckled. "Fair point. Thanks for the offer for the loans. Now, I think I should at least send out a transmission to someone since I'll be gone for so long."
Kallus nodded before he joined Kiara where she was waiting out in the corridor. "If you need some privacy just head to the common room. No one will interrupt you. We'll see the two of you in the morning."
"You aren't going to ask who I'm going to contact?" Anakin asked just a bit surprised.
"I'm not sure its any of my business," Kallus smirked. "I doubt that you'll be contacting the Order so quickly after you made such an effort to slip off of Coruscant undetected. Which leads me to believe that this transmission would be of a personal nature, instead."
Rex covered a smile with one hand since he was often asked to help cover his general's transmissions to Senator Amidala. He was sure that more people knew about their forbidden relationship than the Jedi wanted to admit. But at least right here on this ship, Anakin could openly contact the woman that he loved.
"I'll go ahead and turn in for the night. I'll see you in the morning, Sir."
Anakin grinned as he left the spare quarters and headed to the common room. He operated the comm unit in the room and waited for it to flicker to life. He needed to let Padmé know where he was heading. He could handle being in trouble with Obi-wan and the rest of the council but he had no desire to face his wife after being gone for at least two weeks with no word by the time he returned to Coruscant. And he knew that she wouldn't rat him out.
Obi-wan didn't know why but he should have expected to find Anakin to be missing at the same time as their strange visitors. When the alert went out regarding an unauthorized departure of a ship over Capital City on Coruscant he'd immediately suspected their guests. He didn't know why, he just did. But when he'd learned that their escorts were actually relieved by Anakin he grew confused. Why had he left with them? Didn't he know that if they were to prevent the events that they had warned the council about that keeping them hidden was of utmost importance?
He'd gone to see if Padmé knew where he may have gone but he wasn't able to explain to her why the location of the individuals whom he'd disappeared with was so vital to learn. Even though he trusted her, she was still part of the senate and the Jedi were treading treacherously close to treason. It could be seen as plotting to overthrow the chancellor because, essentially, they were. Not because he is the Chancellor but because he was the Sith Lord who appears to have orchestrated the current war as a ruse to give him an opportunity to wipe out the Jedi Order.
He left her suites dejected since he was no closer to learning where his former padawan had gone and he wasn't sure if there was anyone else that the man would have shared his plans with. Ahsoka would have been one but she was no longer a part of the order and hadn't reached out since she'd left. And of course, from what he could tell, Rex was with Anakin. So at least maybe the clone could help prevent Anakin from getting into too much trouble. Thinking of clones, he spied Cody walking up to him. He'd clearly come looking for him.
"Cody, do you have a report?"
The man nodded. "Sir, we've been able to remove the defective chips from three percent of the clones in the field as of right now. And per your recommendation, we've been working from those who work closest with the Jedi and plan to move outward from there."
"Good. Make sure that the need for discretion is pressed. We don't need for rumors to take hold. Nor do we need to worry anyone needlessly." He hated to lie to the man about the truth behind the chips and why they needed to be removed but it was necessary.
"Sir. I hate to say this but rumors have already begun to spread. But that is to be expected, I'm sure."
Obi-wan eyed the clone and asked, "What kind of rumors?"
Cody looked the Jedi in the eye. "Sir, there are concerns about the removal of the chips being linked to the incident from several weeks ago. The incident where a clone claimed that the chips were used to control us."
Obi-wan stroked his beard. "And what are your thoughts on the rumors going around?"
Cody's posture straightened just a touch before he replied, "If the rumors are true, then I appreciate the Jedi looking into it and removing them. I like to think that I'm able to make my own decisions and don't like the idea that the ability could be taken away by something like that. And I'm glad that you had me remove it today."
"I see." Obi-wan took a breath as he nodded. "In any case, we need to stamp out the rumors for now."
"I'll see to it, Sir." Cody then asked, "Any word on Master Skywalker?"
"Unfortunately, no."
The clone relaxed his posture before he put a hand on the man's shoulder whom he considered as a friend. "Don't worry, Sir. He'll be fine. He's well-practiced at getting out of any situations that he finds himself in."
Obi-wan smiled. "Only because he is well-practiced at getting into such situations."
In the Office of the Supreme Chancellor Palpatine was surrounded by his various alleged advisors. They rarely had advice for him, rather he was the one who did all of the thinking around here. Still, he preferred to surround himself with those who knew who he was so that they could at times be helpful in implementing his plans.
He looked over at one of his acolytes, Sim Aloo, who served under him as advisor and wanted to throw the man across the room for his lack of ability to tell him what he wanted to know. He'd yet to be able to tell him what had caused the massive disturbance in the force that he'd sensed several days ago. He would deal with that man, later.
"Well?" Palpatine waited impatiently as he glared at Mas Amedda, the Vice Chair of the Senate. "What have you been able to determine?"
"There are rumors that the Jedi are concerned about the inhibitor chips growing tumors around them. As such, they are implementing a plan to have them removed."
"So they have determined what they are for," Palpatine said in disgust. "But how?"
"Sire, they may not know. The story about a tumor would indicate that they are proceeding with caution after what happened with CT-5385 and CT-5555."
"I want to be certain of that. In any case, we are now working against the clock. We need to implement Order Sixty-Six before they have removed too many chips but we must also ensure to spur the Jedi into acting in a way that we can tell the Senate that they were committing treason." He was so close that he could taste victory and he will not allow anyone steal it away from him.
"How do you suggest that we do that?" Amedda asked only to be pushed up against the wall with the force, being held in place with pressure on his neck.
"That is your job to determine!" Palpatine bellowed before he casually released his force-grip on the blue Chagrian. "So see to it. I want options by the morning."
"As you wish," the man stood and bowed before he and the rest of the half a dozen advisors hastily retreated from the chancellor's office.
Once alone, Palpatine sat behind his desk and spun in his chair to look out over the city. He looked in the direction of the Jedi temple and sneered. "You have not won just yet."
"So," Anakin began as he and the others began to eat their morning meals of rations. "I know you told me that you found the Kwa by luck but have you always held with the belief of balance or-"
Kiara couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Actually, before I found their temple I was probably one of the most unbalanced people I knew. At least where the force was concerned. Anytime I got upset I was a danger to nearly any electronic around me. Poor Tac has had to have nearly every system repaired at least a dozen times." After another small giggle she then became more sombered.
"And when my father, who is, was, or maybe I should say will be, a Moff in the Empire, attacked the rebel base that Alex and the others were at and nearly killed him... Let's just say that it was too easy to reach out and do the same thing to him; nearly kill him. But fortunately my brother was there to pull me back and stopped me. Many times, doing the easy thing is the wrong thing. That's one thing that I had to realize. Just like sometimes there are instances when we can't see the good in a situation but that's because we aren't the ones meant to see it. Just as sometimes we benefit from horrible times that others have had to endure through. But that is the universe's way of bringing about balance."
"It's not that easy, though, when you are the one going through the hard times for others," Anakin said just a bit gruff.
"But like I said, sometimes, the easy choice is the wrong one," Kiara shrugged. "It sounded better coming from the spirits in the temple."
"Sort of like how advice always seems to sound more wise coming from Master Yoda rather than Master Windu," Anakin snickered.
"Wait, are you comparing me to that arrogant Jedi from the other day?" Kiara gave a look of mock-indignation. "I'm insulted."
"I don't know, Kallus, you know her better than I do. Does she remind you of Master Windu at all?" Anakin asked as he leaned back and openly laughed.
"You don't think that even if I thought so that I'd say it, do you? I'm not that stupid." He sent Valour a smile before holding his hands up as if in surrender. "Not that I would agree, anyway."
Rex figured he'd change the subject, just to be safe. He had no desire to be trapped on a small ship where the owners were at odds with one another if Skywalker's teasing backfired. "So the injury that you mentioned before, it was from when her father tried to kill you? I've heard of over-protective fathers before but that's taking it a bit far, don't you think?"
"Trust me, he wasn't exactly a protective father." Kiara rolled her eyes. "Vindictive is more the word for it."
"Ouch. Sorry I said anything."
"I'm sure Elios did what most fathers only dream of doing when their daughters are in a relationship," Kallus gave an awkward laugh. "It's a good thing that I was taught well by the ISB and I paid attention and was a good student when it came enduring torture."
"Wait a minute, this all takes place less than twenty years in the future. That must mean that your father is in the military now, too." Anakin didn't like the idea that someone like this could be working now under the current administration.
"Yes, but he only truly indulged in his more aggressive tendencies after the Empire took over." Kiara swallowed and figured she'd change the subject. "So, when you sent out your transmission the other night, did you learn anything regarding the search for us after we left Coruscant? Get any dirt on the goings ons back there?"
Anakin could hear the need for a change in topic so he let it drop. "Let's just say that Obi-wan realized that you were with me pretty quickly and he isn't happy. But he'll get over it. Especially if this trip is as helpful as I hope."
"Well, here's hoping for a go-"
"Mistress Kiara!" Tac floated into the common area excitedly. "There's been a change on frequency zero."
"The purrgil?" Kiara quickly stood up to head to the cockpit.
"No, Ma'am. A transmission."
"Frequency zero?" Rex questioned. "No one uses that frequency."
"Almost no one," Kallus corrected. "Only the purrgil and-"
"Ezra!" Kiara activated the comm unit in the common room but it looked as if the message there were coordinates being sent instead. "Lothal?"
Kallus read over the coordinates while both of the other men looked at them questioningly.
"Who is Ezra? What does he have to do with the purrgil?"
"It's a long story," Kiara said she worked on sending a message back to the the point of origin of the transmission. She needed to confirm that it was indeed Ezra who had sent out the coordinates.
Anakin looked around and then said, "We seem to have the time."
