CHAPTER 11
The Temple was busy today, as it was every other day, but today was different than those other days. This day, to the Jedi was the first day of war and they were in the worst possible position to be in during war. They were blind, they could not see any evil that would be among them. They cannot do anything to defeat something they could not see. All they could do was keep the Force closer to their heart, focus on it more than the breaths they took, and rely on its insight to guide their actions because it would be the actions of their enemy that would determine how they dealt their first blow. The Jedi did not fear the Sith, they cheated their purge, they defied the dark side, and they will destroy what ever evil the Sith put into the light. The Jedi would first attack at their home; they would live their lives as they always have. The New Ossus district would open its shops on time. The children would still come to see one of the Planets greatest zoos, and the Temple will still give tours to the Galactic Senate Board of Chancellors and their respective aides, as led by the legendary C-3PO. ".And this is the great hall, After the Reconstruction of the Temple, this hall was added to pay respect to all the heroes who lost their lives in the war against the Yuuzhan Vong, ever since that time the great hall has become a tribute to all the heroes of the Republic's history." The shining golden protocol droid pointed to several of the memorials and portraits that lie in the great hall as he guided the group of high ranking politicians to their desired destination. ".There is Luke Skywalker, Hero of the rebellion against the empire and the man who single handedly set the foundation for the New Jedi Order and over there that is Zeramer Grek., he helped unify the Outlawing worlds of the outer-rim with the rest of the Galactic Republic. Sadly he lost his life defending the Republic during a scuffle with Imperial fanatics who were trying to rebuild the Empire, but how could this display being anymore complete without." The Droid pointed to a twelve foot statue of a stubby looking creature, with large prominent ears that pointed out the sides of his head. "Yoda, the greatest Jedi master of all time, despite his small size, Yoda was the one who taught Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force, and subsequently saved the Republic by doing so. It has been told through the old Jedi Holocrons, that Yoda once used the force to pull a moon back into its orbit while he was on another planet over a thousand light years away. Truly a great and remarkable feat of the imagination, what it must have been like to see such a grand event." Sub-chancellor Saias Opper waited for a moment where he could politely ask the talkative robot. "Pardon me, but I and my associates have a very busy schedule to abide by, and we would prefer to save this tour for another more convenient time. Could you please guide us to the Temple's Laboratory, so we might see the clones?" The emotionless face of 3PO, could only comply to his guest's wishes, it wasn't in his programming to be impolite. "Well then. If that is what you desire, by all means please follow me." The protocol unit led the dignitaries to the end of the great hall, where one of the many hatches to the trans-lift system was placed. 3PO typed in a code that would grant access for the Chancellors to the secure science level deep within the temple. "Please step into the lift!" the droid said as a pair of double doors opened in front of them. They calmly stepped into the round cylindrical compartment with 3PO following in behind them. He tapped the panel key which would motivate the lift to head for the Laboratory. The lift then began to move, swiftly but not as to disturb the passengers to much thanks given to the inertia- dampeners. It took less than a minute to reach the lab. When the lift came to a complete halt, C-3PO announced; "Sub-level twenty, Science and research development.", then pressed the panel once more to release the political guests. The room was very steel and silver colored, large as well, an immense warehouse of small stasis tubes, all stored in tall pillars evenly marked off so as to keep equal organization of the seventeen thousand some clones. The Chancellors posse was greeted by Master Yoda Skywalker, and Master Shi-Dal-Kunda, a female Cerean also of the Jedi High Council. "Welcome Chancellors, I hope your visit thus far has been pleasant?" "Quite, Master Skywalker. Your protocol droid here can lead a very indulging tour." Saias Opper expelled, in a manner best befitting to a politician, causing the Droid to nod in a respectful etiquette, so as to not offend the Gran male. "Well I'm glad to hear that he wasn't too much trouble, some say 3PO is a bit talkative." The droid made a small infuriated noise his master didn't hear. "I do apologize for the absence of our esteemed Forewoman Majel Antilles." Yoda looked into the three-eyed being so as to make his statement clear to the diplomat. "No worry, I understand that the Forewoman is a very busy person, infact if I'm not misinformed. I believe your Chancellor Antilles and our Master Oden are attending the same conference, in which case we are both in default." The yellow gram gave a hardy chuckle, causing his peers to smirk at Saias's remarkable laugh. All except for his aide, an oriental human female by the name of Jillill Cole, she didn't care much for her employer's laugh or her for employer in general. "Chancellor Opper, may I introduce to you my colleague, Jedi Master Shi-Dal-Kunda." The pale skinned woman bowed her pointed head in a sigh of respect to the Chancellor. "It is an honor to meet you Saias Opper." "The pleasure is mine." He smirked again. "May I introduce my cohorts." the Gran waved his arm to the five other formally garbed individuals standing to his left. ".Chancellor Maltif Fren, of Iridonia." the horn-headed man, bowed from the waist formally. "..Chancellor Kinn Kwar of Sullust." the four foot, empty eyed gilled being nodded his head energenically. ".Chancellor Emily Orion, and her aide Zak Aviskis." the two humans bowed as well, as Saias turned to Jillill on his right. ".and of course my ever useful aide, Jillill Cole." She gave a simple nod of compliance. "Well Master Skywalker now that the friendly introductions are out of the way, shall you tell us a little bit more about these clones of yours?" "As you wish." Yoda turned to Shi. The Cerean began to walk down the aisle, Following Master Skywalker's lead as the group passed the pillars of replicas. "As you might already be aware, these clones have remained in suspended animation for well over two-millennia. Over that period of time the beings have become conditioned to the slower rate of development leading up to the stasis-lock this can make it difficult for the clones to live a normal lifespan. If they aren't processed slowly back into their casual state of growth, it could lead to complications later in life. Such as unnatural or speeded growth, or a high intolerance to certain diseases, we want to prevent this possibility. Ever since their arrival at the temple we have been doing our best to slowly return the clones to their proper rate of gestation. As soon as this is completed, we will release the clones from stasis and hatch them when their gestation period is finished." "How old will the clones be once they hatch?" Chancellor Kwar asked. "Technically this will be each of the clones first time they will become aware of their surroundings in comparison by age, they will be no older than a new born child." The Sullustian, nodded once more in agreement. "What will you do to help them adjust to the medical advancements?" Chancellor Orion inquired. "Surely our generational medical treatments were not present during the time of the clone's original conception." "As the deceleration of the clones stasis lock continues, are scientists are also injecting the Bacta-five serum into their nervous system, so they will adjust to our new medical technology." Master Kunda then pointed to the stasis tank to the group's left that contained a small Kel Dor fetus, named Plo Koon. "As you can see, the serum is introduced in through the replica's nutritional pipes, this way it can be absorbed and processed naturally." Chancellor Opper noted the tanks next to Koon's, unlike his, it had no name. "Why do some tanks have names and others don't?" he asked. Master Skywalker then answered for it was his duty to find the names of all the clones. "I can answer that. You see Chancellor when we first discovered the clones. We had recovered a list of most of their names, and a data- file that matched up with each name, unfortunately the clones' stasis tubes had been registered in the long dead language of Kaminoan. I have spent a great deal of time since, trying to decipher the writing but it is coming slowly. Only a few tanks have been identified through historical review so far, but I' am confident we will have every clone named before they are ready to hatch." Yoda concluded. This satisfied the Gran's inquiry. "Well I hope you do, otherwise it would be very difficult to return them to their surviving relatives." "May we see more of the clones?" asked a very energetic Kwar. "By all means, Chancellor's?" Kunda continued walking down the stretch of the ramp, as the political touring party followed that is except for Cole. Jillill managed to sneak behind the group unnoticed then slipped into a space between two large storage pillars. Not meant to fit a human's body through the space, since the pillars were constructed on rotating axis's, the fragile looking Cole was able to pass between the small space offered by the structures close proximately. But this wasn't Jillill Cole, rather a very convincing copy, a Humanoctic-Robotic they are called. They have been created by many governments for the purpose of running covert scouting and espionage missions, even the republic used them. The Temple's security scans would have detected the droid were it not for the replicated internal organs used to mask the false Cole's true composition. The mechanical Jillill reviewed her mission objectives via her nuero- database, then initiating her tactical protocols. The android opened a large compartment located in her back underneath her formal dress attire where a spinal column would normally be, releasing three small disc shaped hover droids. The small flying plates had four metal tentacles each, and then latched themselves into the wall, now flat against the paneling the droids activated their cloaking devises, causing them to disappear into the steel they nursed to. The Cole droid, covered itself back into its garments, and slipped back through the tiny opening created by the massive pillars, and on to the steel ramp where it had originally found itself. The group hadn't traveled that far down the aisle, Cole calmly walked down rejoining her Chancellor's side as no one had noticed she was gone. Master Kunda and Skywalker were at a large console station. ". and this panel here!" the Cerean motioned to a small panel displaying power levels. Leaving an other wise less caring android clueless to what she had babbled on while Cole was gone. "They control the power distribution used to maintain individual life supports for each stasis tube, without power the tanks reserves can last up to three days."
".after that time. The clones will then die." Above Coruscant air space, The Massive starship, Slave Nine remained cloaked, behind one of the planet's moons. Aboard the modified, former Imperial destroyer, bounty captain Tagro Fett and Sith soldier Jiles Oiket watched the Cole droid's surveillance feed from the Bridge's Holo-projector. ".Now let us move on to the observation deck where we can get a better look of the storage room. If you will follow me this way."the image of the large brained Kunda began to walk in place, how did you manage to replace an android with the Senator's aide?" Jiles remarked with envy of not believing he could ever accomplish such a feat. "My crew has had Mrs. Cole in our stasis hold for about three months now. Ever since we made that assassination on the Viceroy of Dantooine, I decided it might be best to see how long we could leave the Cole droid in active duty." Fett kept a stern smirk across his otherwise dull grimaced face "I have been quite proud of the fact that she has lasted this long undetected." The Captain turned to a member of his crew, located at the console responsible for monitoring and controlling Jillill and the disc probes. "Crewmen are the probes still cloaked?" "Yes sir." The fair haired crewmen looked down to his console. "The cloak is activated and fully operational." "Good!" Jiles commented. "At this rate our plan will be well underway." "You had best hope so Mr. Sith because if my ship becomes exposed to the Republic, they will not be the only ones you and your friends of the dark side have to worry about." Jiles was caught off guard by Tagro's statement, he was the one who warned others of his wrath, not the one who received it. There was something about Fett that rose caution even in the heart of Jiles. He didn't bother to return Tagro's promise. Jiles just continued to watch the projection before him, analyzing every detail that would benefit the task before him, relishing in the terror that would fall on the Jedi.
The High Chancellor's transport speeded through the coruscant skyline, passed massive buildings and huge skyscrapers all of such elegant architecture, that Dorshe' couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the planet's commitment to the beauty of their artificial world. Back on Orveaous, things were quite the opposite. Dorshe's homeworld is a planet of peace, balancing the line between a natural Oasis and a technological spearhead for some of today's greatest inventions. It was also where she met Pacres, the two were assigned as Jedi watchmen for the Orveasian sector of space. They unlike their other fellow watchmen were the only two beings native to the massive planetary system. Dorshe' had first crossed paths with the handsome young Pacres, on one of the fourth planet's twin moons, investigating refugee camps for containing illegal narcotics. The pair realized early on they made a good team, and decided peruse a longer lasting venture beyond their duties as watchmen, and later that year the two were wed. it was a wonderful service, that of a traditional Jedi wedding, preformed by Master Skywalker on a hillside overlooking the great Iallom sea. All their friends and family were there, it was a happy time only surpassed by the love that Pacres shared for Dorshe' and that feeling was mutual. That was sixteen years ago, the couple had spent most of that time together fortunately, compared to most Jedi families, but surprisingly in all that time. Dorshe' and Pacres couldn't produce a larger family of their own. That is until now, after Pacres's passing. At first Dorshe' thought of the unborn child as a reminder of the lover she had lost, all the times they would share together growing old raising their son, and all the other children they would produce to inherit the Jedi blood, gone. But that misconception soon diminished from the silver eyed woman's thoughts. She knew that some how the force had planned this child to come into the universe, and she even knew that her late husband would help guide their son in the ways of the Jedi through the Force. He was the most important thing to her now, he would grow in her body an instrument of the Force, become one with it himself then become a great Jedi, one who by all a mother's rights would have the universe for his taking. He will also be there on the battle field, fighting for our freedom against oppression, against evil, against the Sith. This brought a tear to run down Dorshe's bronze face, how could she bear to give birth to a single child only for the possibility it would die, fighting a blood feud that has raged on since the beginning of time itself. How could she stand to loose to two people that embodied her world as she knew it? Majel noticed her friend's distant sight of pain from the Chair next to Master Oden. "Dorshe'?" she spoke calmly. "Is everything alright?" The Jedi master, now aware of the saltwater seeping from her eyes, politely wiped it away with her hand, and then looked to Majel, giving the Chancellor the honest truth. "It's just that. with all that's happened, and with Pacres gone. I don't know how I'm going to manage to protect my child from the horrors of the galaxy he will be raised into." Dorshe' looked Majel in the eyes. They had become such good friends through their years working together on the Senate, and that had grown even more since she and Pacres saved her daughter Suezan's life. Majel had come to her for guidance relying on Dorshe's insights through force to help her make difficult decisions in the past. Now it was her turn to ask for help. "I'm afraid, that he will only be born into a world, just to die. I and many other Jedi sense this fight against their evil will not be solved all at once." Her tone hardened, at the sound of the truth. "This conflict with the Sith will lead to war a war he will have to someday fight." She bowed her head to collect her emotions. "I lost Pacres, I can't imagine the pain I would feel if I were to loose him too." Majel lent a sympathetic hand to the Jedi's shoulder. "No one could Dorshe', but how have you dealt with overcoming obstacles in the past?" Dorshe' knew the answer as she gave a smile to Majel. "I'll tell you, you had faith in the Force. 'Look to it when you are lost.' That's what you used to tell me, and even though I never had Jedi powers, I had hope that despite what wrongs I might have created, or the fears that dwell in my heart, or the evils that do exist in the galaxy. All will turn out for good in the end." Dorshe' could feel the Force comforting her soul through the Forewoman's words. "I know for a fact that with a mother like his, your son will grow to become a great Jedi who could very well take down an entire Sith army on his own and in the end, he will prevail. With not so much as a sweat on his brow." She ended knowing that she was nowhere near exaggeration. "Thank you Majel." "No Dorshe' thank you! without your example I don't believe I could ever have come to know what a power the Force truly is, or what a true example its people set for peace in the Universe." They shared a moment of reflection, and master Oden could only think of one thing to help repay Majel for her wisdom. "You are a child of the Force's guidance, now let me share its voice with you." Master Oden took two fingers and gently placed them on the temple of Majel's head. "Close your eyes." the High Chancellor complied, then felt a great river of emotion, experience, of thought, prosperity, and peace flow through her mind. It was overwhelming, and it was real. This is the Force. The familiar voice of Dorshe' entered Antilles's thoughts. It is the essence that binds all living things. It watches us, tells us what to do, it lives in us so we know that it will always be with us. Jedi or non-Jedi, the Force is in all of us. Never forget this moment, for it is now that you are all, and all are you Majel Antilles. Welcome to eternity. Majel basked in the Forces radiance, she could feel the good of the light, and knew of the Force's dark side, and the balance that must be maintained to keep order in the universe. Then she heard the voice of her robotic transport pilot enter her ears. "Chancellor Antilles, we have arrived at Master Oden's residence." The Chancellor somewhat overdosed with the adventure she just returned from in the comfort of her seat. Asked the droid to open the door so Dorshe' may exit. As she got up in the transport's compartment, Dorshe' turned to Majel before she left the craft. "May the Force be with, Majel Antilles." She smiled. "And may the Force be with you as well, Dorshe' Oden." She returned the gesture with another smirk. Dorshe' walked out the hatch and onto the adjoining balcony the transport landed onto. As soon as the hatch had closed, Antilles ordered to the pilot head for her penthouse. Dorshe' walked through one of New Ossus's lively promenades as she headed to her home. She couldn't help but note all the plant life that stood in the center of the large street. So lush, they reminded her of Orveaous, a world much larger than Coruscant, in size and population. Dorshe' could see the children at play, laughing, they were students at the temple like most of New Ossus's children. She could feel their joy, their innocence, and their strong bonds to the Force. They know of the danger that lies afoot, but yet they choose to play, to grow in peace with the Force through times of happiness, not fear. The Jedi of the past, taught their students to become unattached to their emotions, so that they may embrace true enlightenment into the Force, this is true. Attachment can detract one from the Force, but if you have faith in the Force it will guide your emotions, lead you to the ones you love, and protect you from the Dark side. It is when you act on emotions without the Force that one falls to the powers of the Dark side, .a fate worse than death. Dorshe' recalled Pacres once telling her of the pearls of the Dark side, in one of their many loving debates. The Dark side is born of fear, He said, and that fear leads to anger, and anger causes suffering, and suffering brings pain. Joy, bliss, love, can be temptations of every beings nature, we all seek acceptance and we are granted acceptance by the Force into its holy unity. He always made this part clear, we must protect our emotions from our wishes and give them over to the Force it will never fail us in the end. She knew he was right, he was the only man who could say every thing she felt, and never be wrong, that's why she loved him. They were meant for each other and for what ever reason the Force deemed Pacres was meant to die, for the overall scheme that is for the universe, but even though she had doubts the Force was telling her that her son would never die in battle. She could see him in her mind now, he would help the Jedi become greater than they are today, and he would marry, have children, and become a Master in the Force then grow old, with his loving wife. A wife? Dorshe's mind was in a joyous disbelief. Grandchildren! Her heart melted at her vision of all her son's future offspring. Her overly pleasant premonition was abruptly ended by a tugging sensation from her robe. "Master Oden?..." Dorshe' looked down to find a small redheaded girl dressed in the garbs of a Jedi student. It was one of her young clan students, Hiares Solomon . ".are you all right Master? You've been standing there for a while and we got worried something was wrong." She noted there were two other students behind Hiares, a young green skinned Twi' lek boy, Femmos Bielos, and another human girl of a bronze complexion, Britt Zan. None of her students could have been more than five or seven years old, but Dorshe' was very pleased to see her learners concern. "I'm fine Hiares, I was just listening to the Force," She bent down on a knee to look the girl in the eye. "nothing to cause alarm." "Okay." the child looked to the corner of eye as she brought a question to the Masters attention. ".Master Oden, are you going to leave us?" This shockingly caught Dorshe's attention she focused her silver eyes to her student. "What ever do you mean child?" Femmos answered the question directed at Hiares. "We heard you had left the council, and we thought that meant you were going to stop teaching our clan." "Please don't leave us Master Oden I'll do better in the exercises, promise!" a desperate Britt expelled as she wrapped her arms around Dorshe's neck. The teacher could feel a tear begin to build in her eye again as she eased the children's heart touching fears. "Oh, Children I'm not leaving you." she gathered the other children in her arms. ".Listen my students, I'm just taking time off from the council, and I have to return to my home for a while, but after that I will come back to teach you at the Temple, Okay?" "Okay!" the Children sighed in unison. "But Master Oden." Britt wiped tears from her face. "Why are you going away?" "I'm going to have a child, and I would like to give birth to that child on my homeworld." She patted her hand on the young Britt's blonde hair. "But don't any of you worry about me, as soon as my child is born I will I will return to Coruscant and continue your training, until then you will just have to listen to Master Chevacca as he will be my replacement for that period. Now go back and play I will see you tomorrow in the Temple." The students gave Dorshe' one last great hug and ran off to continue being children. That's the moment she knew, more than ever that she wanted to be a mother to her son. A smile, no other could surpass, grew on Dorshe's face as she skipped to her humble abode, so she could begin to pack for home, and even Coruscant despite its artificial life, seemed to be a little more vibrant from that day on.
* * *
I wonder? Yoda pondered to his work rotten mind. Could my ancestor be in there? "Highly doubtful!" a soft voice exclaimed from the doorway to Skywalker's personal study. He looked to the source of the voice, knowing it could only belong to the one woman who could enter his mind with surprise. Angel, his dear devoted wife, a tall Jedi master herself with blonde hair that was brighter than Yoda's own, and the bearer of the green eyes he cherished since their first encounter. "Your greatest of greatest grandfathers, was responsible for the Jedi purge. It is very unlikely that Quinlan Vos would have given the Kaminoans a sample of his genes just so he could be born again." Knowing his spouse made a logical notion, he still decided to argue that thought. "Yes, but there is always the possibility that Vos didn't know that Darth Vader was in fact, Anakin Skywalker, he could have very well found a sample of Anakin's blood for replication." Angel pulled herself a seat closer to her husband's work desk. "Yoda." she grabbed the back of her husband's head, playfully yanking at her lover's hair. ".you know that in all likelihood, Anakin probably isn't in there, even though the lists you obtained is missing over a hundred names, there is a small chance he is one of them." "I know Angel, but when I'm down there among those clones, I can't help but feel this small sense of familiarity." his eyes widened. "Like a distant relative I have never met, but I'm more than willing to meet, I just can't uncover where he is in that room." Angel looked closer into her husband's eyes, knowing there was something else on his mind. "But its not just one of them, I feel two presences that reach out to me." Angel kissed Yoda's lips attentively. "I know you feel sorry for what Anakin became, but that was over two thousand years ago. In a time you had no control over. You have no reason to subject yourself to the guilt of someone else's actions just because you share his name." Yoda bowed his head to the woman's remarkable insight, the Force flowed through her with greater prowess that he admittedly succumbed to. "You are a very bright woman, you know that don't you?" he smiled gracefully. "Yes, I know!" she basked. "Now only if my husband would learn to follow in my example." She remarked with the greatest of sarcasm any Jedi could muster, as her husband bowed his head once more, in a defeat of amusement. Yoda then returned his attention to Angel. Yoda realized that he could not sense the presence of his children in the Skywalker home apartment. "Where are Anna and Davis?" "Davis is on an investigation with Master Grew, and Anna is outside playing with her friends." Only in the Skywalker household could you find a family that spends more of their time together at the Jedi Temple, running scans or investigating terrorist activities, than at the homestead sharing a meal. This unlike most fathers, reassured Yoda, that the Skywalkers were out doing good for the universe. "Well that means we have the whole house to ourselves." A devious smile appeared on Yoda's face. "Do you know what that means?" "That means you still have work to finish before you can have any fun yourself! Master Skywalker." The smile fell from his face, Angel had a knack for getting things set in there place, and she had to she lives in a house with three Skywalkers. "Those clones will have to choose their own names if you don't get back to work." "Your right." He subdued himself to his mate's superior dedication to 'playtime after the job is done.' This would only make his task twice as difficult as Yoda pondered. Am I the right Skywalker that should be head of the High Council?
The Temple was busy today, as it was every other day, but today was different than those other days. This day, to the Jedi was the first day of war and they were in the worst possible position to be in during war. They were blind, they could not see any evil that would be among them. They cannot do anything to defeat something they could not see. All they could do was keep the Force closer to their heart, focus on it more than the breaths they took, and rely on its insight to guide their actions because it would be the actions of their enemy that would determine how they dealt their first blow. The Jedi did not fear the Sith, they cheated their purge, they defied the dark side, and they will destroy what ever evil the Sith put into the light. The Jedi would first attack at their home; they would live their lives as they always have. The New Ossus district would open its shops on time. The children would still come to see one of the Planets greatest zoos, and the Temple will still give tours to the Galactic Senate Board of Chancellors and their respective aides, as led by the legendary C-3PO. ".And this is the great hall, After the Reconstruction of the Temple, this hall was added to pay respect to all the heroes who lost their lives in the war against the Yuuzhan Vong, ever since that time the great hall has become a tribute to all the heroes of the Republic's history." The shining golden protocol droid pointed to several of the memorials and portraits that lie in the great hall as he guided the group of high ranking politicians to their desired destination. ".There is Luke Skywalker, Hero of the rebellion against the empire and the man who single handedly set the foundation for the New Jedi Order and over there that is Zeramer Grek., he helped unify the Outlawing worlds of the outer-rim with the rest of the Galactic Republic. Sadly he lost his life defending the Republic during a scuffle with Imperial fanatics who were trying to rebuild the Empire, but how could this display being anymore complete without." The Droid pointed to a twelve foot statue of a stubby looking creature, with large prominent ears that pointed out the sides of his head. "Yoda, the greatest Jedi master of all time, despite his small size, Yoda was the one who taught Luke Skywalker in the ways of the Force, and subsequently saved the Republic by doing so. It has been told through the old Jedi Holocrons, that Yoda once used the force to pull a moon back into its orbit while he was on another planet over a thousand light years away. Truly a great and remarkable feat of the imagination, what it must have been like to see such a grand event." Sub-chancellor Saias Opper waited for a moment where he could politely ask the talkative robot. "Pardon me, but I and my associates have a very busy schedule to abide by, and we would prefer to save this tour for another more convenient time. Could you please guide us to the Temple's Laboratory, so we might see the clones?" The emotionless face of 3PO, could only comply to his guest's wishes, it wasn't in his programming to be impolite. "Well then. If that is what you desire, by all means please follow me." The protocol unit led the dignitaries to the end of the great hall, where one of the many hatches to the trans-lift system was placed. 3PO typed in a code that would grant access for the Chancellors to the secure science level deep within the temple. "Please step into the lift!" the droid said as a pair of double doors opened in front of them. They calmly stepped into the round cylindrical compartment with 3PO following in behind them. He tapped the panel key which would motivate the lift to head for the Laboratory. The lift then began to move, swiftly but not as to disturb the passengers to much thanks given to the inertia- dampeners. It took less than a minute to reach the lab. When the lift came to a complete halt, C-3PO announced; "Sub-level twenty, Science and research development.", then pressed the panel once more to release the political guests. The room was very steel and silver colored, large as well, an immense warehouse of small stasis tubes, all stored in tall pillars evenly marked off so as to keep equal organization of the seventeen thousand some clones. The Chancellors posse was greeted by Master Yoda Skywalker, and Master Shi-Dal-Kunda, a female Cerean also of the Jedi High Council. "Welcome Chancellors, I hope your visit thus far has been pleasant?" "Quite, Master Skywalker. Your protocol droid here can lead a very indulging tour." Saias Opper expelled, in a manner best befitting to a politician, causing the Droid to nod in a respectful etiquette, so as to not offend the Gran male. "Well I'm glad to hear that he wasn't too much trouble, some say 3PO is a bit talkative." The droid made a small infuriated noise his master didn't hear. "I do apologize for the absence of our esteemed Forewoman Majel Antilles." Yoda looked into the three-eyed being so as to make his statement clear to the diplomat. "No worry, I understand that the Forewoman is a very busy person, infact if I'm not misinformed. I believe your Chancellor Antilles and our Master Oden are attending the same conference, in which case we are both in default." The yellow gram gave a hardy chuckle, causing his peers to smirk at Saias's remarkable laugh. All except for his aide, an oriental human female by the name of Jillill Cole, she didn't care much for her employer's laugh or her for employer in general. "Chancellor Opper, may I introduce to you my colleague, Jedi Master Shi-Dal-Kunda." The pale skinned woman bowed her pointed head in a sigh of respect to the Chancellor. "It is an honor to meet you Saias Opper." "The pleasure is mine." He smirked again. "May I introduce my cohorts." the Gran waved his arm to the five other formally garbed individuals standing to his left. ".Chancellor Maltif Fren, of Iridonia." the horn-headed man, bowed from the waist formally. "..Chancellor Kinn Kwar of Sullust." the four foot, empty eyed gilled being nodded his head energenically. ".Chancellor Emily Orion, and her aide Zak Aviskis." the two humans bowed as well, as Saias turned to Jillill on his right. ".and of course my ever useful aide, Jillill Cole." She gave a simple nod of compliance. "Well Master Skywalker now that the friendly introductions are out of the way, shall you tell us a little bit more about these clones of yours?" "As you wish." Yoda turned to Shi. The Cerean began to walk down the aisle, Following Master Skywalker's lead as the group passed the pillars of replicas. "As you might already be aware, these clones have remained in suspended animation for well over two-millennia. Over that period of time the beings have become conditioned to the slower rate of development leading up to the stasis-lock this can make it difficult for the clones to live a normal lifespan. If they aren't processed slowly back into their casual state of growth, it could lead to complications later in life. Such as unnatural or speeded growth, or a high intolerance to certain diseases, we want to prevent this possibility. Ever since their arrival at the temple we have been doing our best to slowly return the clones to their proper rate of gestation. As soon as this is completed, we will release the clones from stasis and hatch them when their gestation period is finished." "How old will the clones be once they hatch?" Chancellor Kwar asked. "Technically this will be each of the clones first time they will become aware of their surroundings in comparison by age, they will be no older than a new born child." The Sullustian, nodded once more in agreement. "What will you do to help them adjust to the medical advancements?" Chancellor Orion inquired. "Surely our generational medical treatments were not present during the time of the clone's original conception." "As the deceleration of the clones stasis lock continues, are scientists are also injecting the Bacta-five serum into their nervous system, so they will adjust to our new medical technology." Master Kunda then pointed to the stasis tank to the group's left that contained a small Kel Dor fetus, named Plo Koon. "As you can see, the serum is introduced in through the replica's nutritional pipes, this way it can be absorbed and processed naturally." Chancellor Opper noted the tanks next to Koon's, unlike his, it had no name. "Why do some tanks have names and others don't?" he asked. Master Skywalker then answered for it was his duty to find the names of all the clones. "I can answer that. You see Chancellor when we first discovered the clones. We had recovered a list of most of their names, and a data- file that matched up with each name, unfortunately the clones' stasis tubes had been registered in the long dead language of Kaminoan. I have spent a great deal of time since, trying to decipher the writing but it is coming slowly. Only a few tanks have been identified through historical review so far, but I' am confident we will have every clone named before they are ready to hatch." Yoda concluded. This satisfied the Gran's inquiry. "Well I hope you do, otherwise it would be very difficult to return them to their surviving relatives." "May we see more of the clones?" asked a very energetic Kwar. "By all means, Chancellor's?" Kunda continued walking down the stretch of the ramp, as the political touring party followed that is except for Cole. Jillill managed to sneak behind the group unnoticed then slipped into a space between two large storage pillars. Not meant to fit a human's body through the space, since the pillars were constructed on rotating axis's, the fragile looking Cole was able to pass between the small space offered by the structures close proximately. But this wasn't Jillill Cole, rather a very convincing copy, a Humanoctic-Robotic they are called. They have been created by many governments for the purpose of running covert scouting and espionage missions, even the republic used them. The Temple's security scans would have detected the droid were it not for the replicated internal organs used to mask the false Cole's true composition. The mechanical Jillill reviewed her mission objectives via her nuero- database, then initiating her tactical protocols. The android opened a large compartment located in her back underneath her formal dress attire where a spinal column would normally be, releasing three small disc shaped hover droids. The small flying plates had four metal tentacles each, and then latched themselves into the wall, now flat against the paneling the droids activated their cloaking devises, causing them to disappear into the steel they nursed to. The Cole droid, covered itself back into its garments, and slipped back through the tiny opening created by the massive pillars, and on to the steel ramp where it had originally found itself. The group hadn't traveled that far down the aisle, Cole calmly walked down rejoining her Chancellor's side as no one had noticed she was gone. Master Kunda and Skywalker were at a large console station. ". and this panel here!" the Cerean motioned to a small panel displaying power levels. Leaving an other wise less caring android clueless to what she had babbled on while Cole was gone. "They control the power distribution used to maintain individual life supports for each stasis tube, without power the tanks reserves can last up to three days."
".after that time. The clones will then die." Above Coruscant air space, The Massive starship, Slave Nine remained cloaked, behind one of the planet's moons. Aboard the modified, former Imperial destroyer, bounty captain Tagro Fett and Sith soldier Jiles Oiket watched the Cole droid's surveillance feed from the Bridge's Holo-projector. ".Now let us move on to the observation deck where we can get a better look of the storage room. If you will follow me this way."the image of the large brained Kunda began to walk in place, how did you manage to replace an android with the Senator's aide?" Jiles remarked with envy of not believing he could ever accomplish such a feat. "My crew has had Mrs. Cole in our stasis hold for about three months now. Ever since we made that assassination on the Viceroy of Dantooine, I decided it might be best to see how long we could leave the Cole droid in active duty." Fett kept a stern smirk across his otherwise dull grimaced face "I have been quite proud of the fact that she has lasted this long undetected." The Captain turned to a member of his crew, located at the console responsible for monitoring and controlling Jillill and the disc probes. "Crewmen are the probes still cloaked?" "Yes sir." The fair haired crewmen looked down to his console. "The cloak is activated and fully operational." "Good!" Jiles commented. "At this rate our plan will be well underway." "You had best hope so Mr. Sith because if my ship becomes exposed to the Republic, they will not be the only ones you and your friends of the dark side have to worry about." Jiles was caught off guard by Tagro's statement, he was the one who warned others of his wrath, not the one who received it. There was something about Fett that rose caution even in the heart of Jiles. He didn't bother to return Tagro's promise. Jiles just continued to watch the projection before him, analyzing every detail that would benefit the task before him, relishing in the terror that would fall on the Jedi.
The High Chancellor's transport speeded through the coruscant skyline, passed massive buildings and huge skyscrapers all of such elegant architecture, that Dorshe' couldn't help but be overwhelmed by the planet's commitment to the beauty of their artificial world. Back on Orveaous, things were quite the opposite. Dorshe's homeworld is a planet of peace, balancing the line between a natural Oasis and a technological spearhead for some of today's greatest inventions. It was also where she met Pacres, the two were assigned as Jedi watchmen for the Orveasian sector of space. They unlike their other fellow watchmen were the only two beings native to the massive planetary system. Dorshe' had first crossed paths with the handsome young Pacres, on one of the fourth planet's twin moons, investigating refugee camps for containing illegal narcotics. The pair realized early on they made a good team, and decided peruse a longer lasting venture beyond their duties as watchmen, and later that year the two were wed. it was a wonderful service, that of a traditional Jedi wedding, preformed by Master Skywalker on a hillside overlooking the great Iallom sea. All their friends and family were there, it was a happy time only surpassed by the love that Pacres shared for Dorshe' and that feeling was mutual. That was sixteen years ago, the couple had spent most of that time together fortunately, compared to most Jedi families, but surprisingly in all that time. Dorshe' and Pacres couldn't produce a larger family of their own. That is until now, after Pacres's passing. At first Dorshe' thought of the unborn child as a reminder of the lover she had lost, all the times they would share together growing old raising their son, and all the other children they would produce to inherit the Jedi blood, gone. But that misconception soon diminished from the silver eyed woman's thoughts. She knew that some how the force had planned this child to come into the universe, and she even knew that her late husband would help guide their son in the ways of the Jedi through the Force. He was the most important thing to her now, he would grow in her body an instrument of the Force, become one with it himself then become a great Jedi, one who by all a mother's rights would have the universe for his taking. He will also be there on the battle field, fighting for our freedom against oppression, against evil, against the Sith. This brought a tear to run down Dorshe's bronze face, how could she bear to give birth to a single child only for the possibility it would die, fighting a blood feud that has raged on since the beginning of time itself. How could she stand to loose to two people that embodied her world as she knew it? Majel noticed her friend's distant sight of pain from the Chair next to Master Oden. "Dorshe'?" she spoke calmly. "Is everything alright?" The Jedi master, now aware of the saltwater seeping from her eyes, politely wiped it away with her hand, and then looked to Majel, giving the Chancellor the honest truth. "It's just that. with all that's happened, and with Pacres gone. I don't know how I'm going to manage to protect my child from the horrors of the galaxy he will be raised into." Dorshe' looked Majel in the eyes. They had become such good friends through their years working together on the Senate, and that had grown even more since she and Pacres saved her daughter Suezan's life. Majel had come to her for guidance relying on Dorshe's insights through force to help her make difficult decisions in the past. Now it was her turn to ask for help. "I'm afraid, that he will only be born into a world, just to die. I and many other Jedi sense this fight against their evil will not be solved all at once." Her tone hardened, at the sound of the truth. "This conflict with the Sith will lead to war a war he will have to someday fight." She bowed her head to collect her emotions. "I lost Pacres, I can't imagine the pain I would feel if I were to loose him too." Majel lent a sympathetic hand to the Jedi's shoulder. "No one could Dorshe', but how have you dealt with overcoming obstacles in the past?" Dorshe' knew the answer as she gave a smile to Majel. "I'll tell you, you had faith in the Force. 'Look to it when you are lost.' That's what you used to tell me, and even though I never had Jedi powers, I had hope that despite what wrongs I might have created, or the fears that dwell in my heart, or the evils that do exist in the galaxy. All will turn out for good in the end." Dorshe' could feel the Force comforting her soul through the Forewoman's words. "I know for a fact that with a mother like his, your son will grow to become a great Jedi who could very well take down an entire Sith army on his own and in the end, he will prevail. With not so much as a sweat on his brow." She ended knowing that she was nowhere near exaggeration. "Thank you Majel." "No Dorshe' thank you! without your example I don't believe I could ever have come to know what a power the Force truly is, or what a true example its people set for peace in the Universe." They shared a moment of reflection, and master Oden could only think of one thing to help repay Majel for her wisdom. "You are a child of the Force's guidance, now let me share its voice with you." Master Oden took two fingers and gently placed them on the temple of Majel's head. "Close your eyes." the High Chancellor complied, then felt a great river of emotion, experience, of thought, prosperity, and peace flow through her mind. It was overwhelming, and it was real. This is the Force. The familiar voice of Dorshe' entered Antilles's thoughts. It is the essence that binds all living things. It watches us, tells us what to do, it lives in us so we know that it will always be with us. Jedi or non-Jedi, the Force is in all of us. Never forget this moment, for it is now that you are all, and all are you Majel Antilles. Welcome to eternity. Majel basked in the Forces radiance, she could feel the good of the light, and knew of the Force's dark side, and the balance that must be maintained to keep order in the universe. Then she heard the voice of her robotic transport pilot enter her ears. "Chancellor Antilles, we have arrived at Master Oden's residence." The Chancellor somewhat overdosed with the adventure she just returned from in the comfort of her seat. Asked the droid to open the door so Dorshe' may exit. As she got up in the transport's compartment, Dorshe' turned to Majel before she left the craft. "May the Force be with, Majel Antilles." She smiled. "And may the Force be with you as well, Dorshe' Oden." She returned the gesture with another smirk. Dorshe' walked out the hatch and onto the adjoining balcony the transport landed onto. As soon as the hatch had closed, Antilles ordered to the pilot head for her penthouse. Dorshe' walked through one of New Ossus's lively promenades as she headed to her home. She couldn't help but note all the plant life that stood in the center of the large street. So lush, they reminded her of Orveaous, a world much larger than Coruscant, in size and population. Dorshe' could see the children at play, laughing, they were students at the temple like most of New Ossus's children. She could feel their joy, their innocence, and their strong bonds to the Force. They know of the danger that lies afoot, but yet they choose to play, to grow in peace with the Force through times of happiness, not fear. The Jedi of the past, taught their students to become unattached to their emotions, so that they may embrace true enlightenment into the Force, this is true. Attachment can detract one from the Force, but if you have faith in the Force it will guide your emotions, lead you to the ones you love, and protect you from the Dark side. It is when you act on emotions without the Force that one falls to the powers of the Dark side, .a fate worse than death. Dorshe' recalled Pacres once telling her of the pearls of the Dark side, in one of their many loving debates. The Dark side is born of fear, He said, and that fear leads to anger, and anger causes suffering, and suffering brings pain. Joy, bliss, love, can be temptations of every beings nature, we all seek acceptance and we are granted acceptance by the Force into its holy unity. He always made this part clear, we must protect our emotions from our wishes and give them over to the Force it will never fail us in the end. She knew he was right, he was the only man who could say every thing she felt, and never be wrong, that's why she loved him. They were meant for each other and for what ever reason the Force deemed Pacres was meant to die, for the overall scheme that is for the universe, but even though she had doubts the Force was telling her that her son would never die in battle. She could see him in her mind now, he would help the Jedi become greater than they are today, and he would marry, have children, and become a Master in the Force then grow old, with his loving wife. A wife? Dorshe's mind was in a joyous disbelief. Grandchildren! Her heart melted at her vision of all her son's future offspring. Her overly pleasant premonition was abruptly ended by a tugging sensation from her robe. "Master Oden?..." Dorshe' looked down to find a small redheaded girl dressed in the garbs of a Jedi student. It was one of her young clan students, Hiares Solomon . ".are you all right Master? You've been standing there for a while and we got worried something was wrong." She noted there were two other students behind Hiares, a young green skinned Twi' lek boy, Femmos Bielos, and another human girl of a bronze complexion, Britt Zan. None of her students could have been more than five or seven years old, but Dorshe' was very pleased to see her learners concern. "I'm fine Hiares, I was just listening to the Force," She bent down on a knee to look the girl in the eye. "nothing to cause alarm." "Okay." the child looked to the corner of eye as she brought a question to the Masters attention. ".Master Oden, are you going to leave us?" This shockingly caught Dorshe's attention she focused her silver eyes to her student. "What ever do you mean child?" Femmos answered the question directed at Hiares. "We heard you had left the council, and we thought that meant you were going to stop teaching our clan." "Please don't leave us Master Oden I'll do better in the exercises, promise!" a desperate Britt expelled as she wrapped her arms around Dorshe's neck. The teacher could feel a tear begin to build in her eye again as she eased the children's heart touching fears. "Oh, Children I'm not leaving you." she gathered the other children in her arms. ".Listen my students, I'm just taking time off from the council, and I have to return to my home for a while, but after that I will come back to teach you at the Temple, Okay?" "Okay!" the Children sighed in unison. "But Master Oden." Britt wiped tears from her face. "Why are you going away?" "I'm going to have a child, and I would like to give birth to that child on my homeworld." She patted her hand on the young Britt's blonde hair. "But don't any of you worry about me, as soon as my child is born I will I will return to Coruscant and continue your training, until then you will just have to listen to Master Chevacca as he will be my replacement for that period. Now go back and play I will see you tomorrow in the Temple." The students gave Dorshe' one last great hug and ran off to continue being children. That's the moment she knew, more than ever that she wanted to be a mother to her son. A smile, no other could surpass, grew on Dorshe's face as she skipped to her humble abode, so she could begin to pack for home, and even Coruscant despite its artificial life, seemed to be a little more vibrant from that day on.
* * *
I wonder? Yoda pondered to his work rotten mind. Could my ancestor be in there? "Highly doubtful!" a soft voice exclaimed from the doorway to Skywalker's personal study. He looked to the source of the voice, knowing it could only belong to the one woman who could enter his mind with surprise. Angel, his dear devoted wife, a tall Jedi master herself with blonde hair that was brighter than Yoda's own, and the bearer of the green eyes he cherished since their first encounter. "Your greatest of greatest grandfathers, was responsible for the Jedi purge. It is very unlikely that Quinlan Vos would have given the Kaminoans a sample of his genes just so he could be born again." Knowing his spouse made a logical notion, he still decided to argue that thought. "Yes, but there is always the possibility that Vos didn't know that Darth Vader was in fact, Anakin Skywalker, he could have very well found a sample of Anakin's blood for replication." Angel pulled herself a seat closer to her husband's work desk. "Yoda." she grabbed the back of her husband's head, playfully yanking at her lover's hair. ".you know that in all likelihood, Anakin probably isn't in there, even though the lists you obtained is missing over a hundred names, there is a small chance he is one of them." "I know Angel, but when I'm down there among those clones, I can't help but feel this small sense of familiarity." his eyes widened. "Like a distant relative I have never met, but I'm more than willing to meet, I just can't uncover where he is in that room." Angel looked closer into her husband's eyes, knowing there was something else on his mind. "But its not just one of them, I feel two presences that reach out to me." Angel kissed Yoda's lips attentively. "I know you feel sorry for what Anakin became, but that was over two thousand years ago. In a time you had no control over. You have no reason to subject yourself to the guilt of someone else's actions just because you share his name." Yoda bowed his head to the woman's remarkable insight, the Force flowed through her with greater prowess that he admittedly succumbed to. "You are a very bright woman, you know that don't you?" he smiled gracefully. "Yes, I know!" she basked. "Now only if my husband would learn to follow in my example." She remarked with the greatest of sarcasm any Jedi could muster, as her husband bowed his head once more, in a defeat of amusement. Yoda then returned his attention to Angel. Yoda realized that he could not sense the presence of his children in the Skywalker home apartment. "Where are Anna and Davis?" "Davis is on an investigation with Master Grew, and Anna is outside playing with her friends." Only in the Skywalker household could you find a family that spends more of their time together at the Jedi Temple, running scans or investigating terrorist activities, than at the homestead sharing a meal. This unlike most fathers, reassured Yoda, that the Skywalkers were out doing good for the universe. "Well that means we have the whole house to ourselves." A devious smile appeared on Yoda's face. "Do you know what that means?" "That means you still have work to finish before you can have any fun yourself! Master Skywalker." The smile fell from his face, Angel had a knack for getting things set in there place, and she had to she lives in a house with three Skywalkers. "Those clones will have to choose their own names if you don't get back to work." "Your right." He subdued himself to his mate's superior dedication to 'playtime after the job is done.' This would only make his task twice as difficult as Yoda pondered. Am I the right Skywalker that should be head of the High Council?