Anakin sat back as he and the rest of the Jedi High Council pulled back from delving into the minds of the strangers before them. His mind was filled with what he'd seen when he looked into their thoughts. He'd concentrated on the man since it was clear that due to his having no force abilities that he wouldn't be able to alter his memories in an effort to misguide him or the others. When he went into the man's thoughts he saw events of his past, both while he was a part of this Empire that the two had spoken about as well as after he'd left it. One thing that struck him, besides his devotion to his rebellion as well as the lengths that he'd gone to in order to protect others within it indicated, was the similarities of one of the individuals that he'd seen in the man's memories to someone he knew. He did say that his friend was a first-generation clone. And...

Anakin felt a twitch at the corner of his mouth.

Obi-wan, like the rest of the council, looked to see what Master Yoda would say after the pair before them had willingly allowed the council to reach into their minds to see the truth of their words. The smaller Jedi looked as if he was trying to decide how best to go forward. Finally, he did speak up.

"Cautious, we must be. If we move too swiftly, tip our hand, we could. First, the Jedi from our clone allies, we must protect. Removed from those who work directly under the Jedi, the inhibitor chips must be. Quietly. Pull the clones away from those Jedi who do not require their presence for missions, we should."

"It may be difficult to do that without drawing suspicion," Obi-wan said as he thought about how to go about implementing the removal of the inhibitor chips. He looked to the pair from the future who had brought them the information regarding the Sith's evil plot. "We'll take it from here. We'll have to discuss this in private."

"Rex is outside," Anakin said while keeping a straight face. "I'll have him walk them around until we've finished here."

He saw the look on the man and woman and wanted to chuckle. He would love to join them now as they went to spend time with their future friend. He also couldn't wait to tell Rex later on what he knew about not just them but him as well. He stood and went to the door to the council where Rex was waiting on the other side for him.

"Rex, could you show our guests around a bit? You know the usual areas to take visitors. I'll be tied up here for a bit longer and will join you when I can."

The clone in question gave a curt nod. "Of course, Sir."

Kiara and Alexsandr walked to the door and followed as the clone that the young Jedi Master referred to as Rex led them to the lift that would take them back down to the rest of the temple. They both were trying to picture this man as the older, tough, and loyal clone that they knew. Kallus then was struck with a thought. If this was Rex, then the man who ordered him to take them around the temple must be the infamous General Skywalker that he'd told so many stories about. The youngest member on the council. To be so young on the Jedi High Council must speak to the fact that at least some of what Rex had told him and the others had been true. He started to smile at the fact that he was able to put names to faces.

"Is something funny?" Rex asked as he eyed the stranger.

"It's just that you remind me of someone I know from where we live."

Rex paused in his steps and turned to face the man. "Is that some sort of joke regarding the fact that I'm a clone?"

Kallus raised his hands to show that he hadn't meant anything by his statement. "Not at all. You remind me of a friend. A good friend whom I respect. In fact, you'd have quite a bit in common."

Rex examined the man's face and saw a bit of sincerity in his eyes, so he let it go. He briskly turned and led the pair around and wondered why he'd been given the duty of being their escort. He was a soldier, not a babysitter.

"Look, I know leading us around isn't exactly what a soldier like you would rather be doing right now," Kallus said. "If you want, you can just take us back to the shuttle that we arrived on, and we'll wait there."

Rex was surprised by the man's intuitive nature, and he'd like nothing more than to dump them back at the shuttle, but he knew that he couldn't. He had his orders. "No, but perhaps there is a place that you'd like to go otherwise, within the temple?"

"Well, I was recently injured and have been working hard to get back into fighting form. However, the last few days have been... hectic. Perhaps a gym?" Kallus then added, "And I'd be grateful for a sparring partner."

Rex chuckled. "That, I think I can help you with."

Kiara shook her head. Of course, he was going to take this opportunity to see Rex as a younger man and try to see how he himself would measure up. It was a good thing that Kallus had mostly gotten back to his condition prior to his interrogation by the Moff. Still, she figured that Alex may be biting more off than he could chew. Rex appeared to be in his prime and he has devoted his entire life to warfare. She followed the men to the gym and chose to watch the foolery that was about to ensue. She did decide to at least withhold any snide remarks until they were behind closed doors later.

Kiara could tell that Rex had to be holding back after hearing Alex state that he'd been injured recently. So at least he wouldn't be put to shame, but it was still clear that the clone wanted to let him know that he could have shown him just how reckless it had been to challenge the clone to a sparring match. Rex would much rather be sparring in the gym here at the temple than playing tour guide.

As she watched she was approached by Depa Billaba. She had instructed her padawan to join a class taught by Jocasta Nu. He wasn't happy about it, of course. It wouldn't be as interesting as the boy preferred but it was important to learn to stay in the moment even when there didn't appear to be anything exciting about it.

"I am surprised to find you here," Depa said as she took a seat next to Kiara.

"The council chose to discuss things in private." Kiara glanced around. There were a few Jedi scattered throughout the gymnasium training, but they weren't very close by. And of course, Rex and Alex were too engrossed with their match for the clone to overhear anything. "I was disappointed that you weren't able to join the meeting."

Depa nodded. She was as well. "If the council felt that I needed to be there then I would have been."

Kiara looked at the woman skeptically. "And if their feelings on the matter were clouded and misguided?"

The Jedi gave a small smile. "We are all misguided from time to time. If it is the council's time for such then I suppose I would be dependent upon others to instead see more clearly. And hopefully then they would impart any wisdom that they found would be needed."

Kiara snickered. "We told them everything. But I must ask, this one master. I believe he was referred to as Windu. Is he always so... Frustrating? Arrogant?"

Depa laughed. "He is confident, with good reason. But he can be difficult at times. I know that all too well; he was my master."

"A very diplomatic way of referring to him." Kiara shook her head. "Anyway, I do hope that you'll be filled in on everything soon."

"As do I." She then added, "I was informed that your ship's repairs have been completed."

"So, it will be brought here to the temple, then?"

"Provided that council approves." Depa looked over at where the men were sparring. "Do you not wish to do more than just sit on the sidelines? It occurs to me that it has been a while since I have been able to spar with another force user. Care to indulge me?"

"I'm afraid that I won't be much of a challenge for you. I can fight, but I've not studied like the Jedi here have."

"All the more reason for you to get some practice in, then. After all, if the Sith learn about you and your friend, then you may be forced to fight."

Kiara thought about Master Billaba's words of warning. She was right. She did need to be prepared. "Alright. I do need to practice with my shields that my friend made for me. They are powered by Kyber crystals just like a lightsaber. Care to help me test them out?"

Depa nodded and led the woman away to a private chamber to spar in while they waited for the council members to determine if they could return to their ship.


Anakin called earlier to find out where Rex and their guests were and had been surprised to learn that they were working out in the Jedi temple's gym. That wasn't a place that many visitors would find of interest. Once the meeting was called to an end he went in search of the trio. When he found Rex and the man from the future, Anakin hadn't expected to find them sparring with one another. He knew Rex was taking it easy on the man, but both were covered in sweat from their prolonged workout. When he entered into the gym Rex spotted him and indicated to the man he was working out with that he was finished. Anakin walked up to them as he heard Rex speak with the visitor.

"Not bad, considering you said you've recently been injured. We'll have to do this again when you are fully healed up," he said as he put a hand to Kallus's shoulder. "There are few non-clones who also aren't Jedi who could keep up with me. I'd like to put it to the test to see if you are one of those few."

Kallus chuckled as he swiped some sweat from his brow. "I look forward to it." He looked around and saw that Kiara wasn't anywhere in sight. "Wait, wasn't Kiara over there earlier?"

"I saw Master Billaba with her earlier. They went to the private room. They are still there. They haven't left."

Rex led the way toward the private workout room and took in the sight of the two women sparring even more vigorously than he and Kallus had. Master Billaba had her lightsaber and the other woman had what looked to be Mandalorian personal wrist shields. He'd seen them deflect blaster bolts before but never a lightsaber. He was intrigued. Looking at his general, he could tell that Skywalker was as well.

"Where did she get those?" Anakin asked as the women continued to spar while they watched on.

"A friend of ours created them for her. Figured that since she doesn't carry a lightsaber, not being a Jedi and all, that she could use something in case she ever had to face a dark acolyte of the Sith. In our time there are many Inquisitors who are sent to hunt down force users."

Rex shot a look at Kallus. "In our time? What is that supposed to mean?"

Anakin studied the man. That wasn't a slip. He had intentionally said what he had. He shrugged. "I'll fill you in on it later. For now, we'd best find our friends a room for the night."

"I was under the impression that we'd be returning to Master Billaba's Light Cruiser. If not our own ship. Why would we require a room here at the temple?" Kallus crossed his arms as he spoke.

Across the room Depa spotted Skywalker so she called an end to the sparring session with the female stranger. When the two of them joined the men, Anakin explained.

"The council has deemed it best if our two visitors remain here for the time being."

"So, we are prisoners?" Kallus asked while glaring.

"No, not at all. In fact-"

"So, if I wanted to go and enjoy the city, I'd be permitted?" He uncrossed his arms and waited for the Jedi to reply.

"Well, no. But you'll be given comfortable rooms and you'll be able to-"

"I see." Alexsandr gave a wry chuckle that spoke to the fact that he found this anything but funny. "So at least our prison will be a comfortable one. It doesn't make it any less of one, though."

"Alex, let's hear him out."

Anakin gave her a grateful smile. He sort of wished that he hadn't been elected to be the one to inform their guests that they would have to remain at the temple for the time being. "With the fact that your arrival has caused a disturbance in the force, we fear that if you leave the temple that the Sith could take the opportunity to try to find you. Here, your presence can be masked by that of so many force users. This really is for your own protection. Especially considering..." Anakin still found this part hard to believe even though he'd seen their memories for himself, "who the Sith Lord is."

Kiara let out a sigh but nodded in acceptance. "For now. But our presence can also be masked on my ship. If we do leave, so long as we are on it, the Sith still won't be able to sense us there."

"I'll make sure that your ship is brought to the temple. And I'll keep that in mind. Trust me. I wouldn't want to be told that I had to stay here, neither," Anakin gave a wide smile and motioned to lead the small group toward the few rooms that were set aside for the rare occasions for non-Jedi to stay at the temple. In fact, he wasn't sure if he knew of a time where he'd seen that they were used before.

"I must go and see to my padawan, but I do hope that I'll be able to see you again," Depa said to the pair.

"So do I. And if it wouldn't be out of line, perhaps you could bring your apprentice with you the next time," Kiara said since she did want to see her brother again before the pair returned to their place on the frontlines of the Clone War.

"Of course." With that she departed.

Once they were shown their room Anakin and Rex left and waited outside for a clone escort to arrive who would be stationed outside of the room. Now that they were alone Rex turned to his general and friend.

"Now would you tell me what that was all about in the gym? And what makes those two so special?"

"Rex, you are not going to believe me."

The clone tilted his head. "With everything that I've seen since being your captain, I doubt that there is much that would surprise me."

Anakin smiled since that sounded like a challenge to him. And he loved a challenge. "Then you won't be surprised to hear that they are from the future."

Rex looked back to the door behind him and then back to Skywalker. "I stand corrected."

Anakin let out a hearty laugh. "Trust me, I found it hard to believe, too. But... Well, it is the truth. Now we have to decide what to do with the knowledge that they brought with them. Speaking of, remember Fives? What he told us?"

Rex's eyes darkened at the memory of the man's final moments. "I do."

"He was right. Which means when we leave here, we'll be taking you to the medical bay. You have a chip that needs to be removed. We need to quietly remove them without letting anyone else know. We are starting with those clones who work closest with Jedi."