Count Dooku's Palace on Serenno
The room was dimly lit and quiet, as the automatic doors opened and the venerable Sith master entered, and walked over to the comm station at the far end of the room. He pressed several buttons on the console, and then stepped back and bowed, as the hologram appeared.
"What is it, Lord Tyranus?" the low, evil voice of Darth Sidious asked.
"Master", the low, yet smooth voice of Count Dooku spoke. " I regret to inform you that our trap for Skywalker and Kenobi on Contruum, has failed".
"It is of little concern" Sidious said calmly. "We have more important issues at hand"
"What is thy bidding, my master?" Dooku asked.
"There has been a great disturbance in the force, have you felt it?" Sidious asked quietly.
"Yes master" Dooku replied. "It feels strong, troubling".
"Yes" Sidious replied. "It is most troubling indeed. We must find out what it is, and eliminate it".
"I will do everything I can to find it master" Dooku said.
"See that you do" Sidious snapped. "Your failures in the past so far, have disappointed me greatly. We can not let this disturbance interfere with our plans".
"It will be done master" Dooku said, bowing reverently.
"When it is done, then perhaps my faith in you lord Tyranus, will be fully restored" Sidious said, as the hologram disappeared. Dooku stood there for a few moments thinking, then turned and walked out of the room.
Coruscant, capital of the Republic.
They had arrived about ten minutes ago, and boarded a gunship on the Resolute to take them to the Jedi temple. Now as their gunship weaved in and out of normal busy Coruscant traffic, Jake marveled at the planet he once called home so long ago. In all the years he had been gone it had changed so much, which was expected, and yet there were some places that didn't change. He smiled as he saw several familiar buildings that had changed, but not too much.
And then he saw the Senate building. Unbeknownst to everyone else in the gunship, he had seen what the Senate building was like nearly four thousand years ago. And it amazed him, how little it changed. Suddenly, he got a cold chill up his spine as he looked back at the Senate building as they passed it. Somehow, he had felt a very strong dark presence from the building. He glanced over to Anakin and Obi Wan in the front of the gunship, and was surprised to see them completely unaffected. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't tell them that he had felt it, because they likely would have just thought him a madman. No, he would have to keep it to himself for now, and if possible, find the source of that darkness.
As their gunship prepared to land at the temple, Jake noticed three figures waiting for them. Once their gunship landed and they got off, the three figures approached them as Anakin, Obi Wan, and Ahsoka walked in front of him to meet the figures. Once the two groups met, the three of them bowed respectively to the dark skinned man in the middle, who was flanked by what seemed to be two temple guards. Jake followed suit and bowed as well, as the man spoke.
"Master Kenobi, Master Skywalker, Padawan Tano, it is good to see you all return safely" Master Windu said in his usual calm, but stern tone.
The three Jedi chorused a 'Thank you Master', as the man turned his attention to Jake, who was standing behind the group.
"And this is him?" he asked.
"Master Windu" Obi Wan said, as he motioned Jake to come stand by him. "Jedi knight Jake Delarus".
"It is an honor to meet you Master" Jake said, as he half bowed respectively to the venerable Jedi Master. "I've been told you are a very powerful and wise man".
"Yes, well" Mace replied, cocking an eyebrow at the supposed Jedi before him, as he turned his attention back to Obi Wan and Anakin. "Master Yoda has requested to speak with him before the council meeting".
"Very well, let's not keep him waiting" Obi Wan said, as he started to lead them into the temple.
"Just one moment" Mace said, as he held his hand up to stop them. "I'm gonna have to ask that he relieve his weapon".
"Master with all due respect, I don't think that is necessary" Anakin said calmly, but objectively. "Jake has proven that he is more than worthy to-".
Anakin stopped speaking when he noticed that Jake had already unclipped his lightsaber, and held it out to Master Windu. "I have no objections to your security measures" Jake stated.
Mace was a little surprised at the Jedi's willingness to surrender his saber, but took it and clipped it onto his belt. "Right this way" he said, as he led the group into the temple.
It was quiet in the room, as Master Yoda sat on one of the round cushioned seats in his quarters meditating. He opened his eyes, as he watched the five Jedi enter the room. They all bowed, as the green elderly Grandmaster spoke, "Join you, in the council chambers soon, we will".
The four Jedi bowed again and turned and left the room, leaving only Yoda and Jake in the room. Yoda motioned for Jake to sit on one of the cushioned seats. Jake did so, and sat across from him. They sat in silence for a moment, searching each others thoughts through the force, before Yoda spoke.
"Not from this time, are you?" he asked thoughtfully. Jake was somewhat surprised at the Grandmaster's forwardness, though it somehow didn't surprise him as much as it normally would've for a normal person.
"No, I'm not" Jake replied stoically, folding his hands and resting his chin on them.
"Why are you here?" Yoda asked.
"I was sent on a mission to help you find and stop the Sith Lord that you're looking for" Jake replied.
"Interesting, most interesting" Yoda said, as he scratched his chin in thought. "Tell me, send you on this mission, who did?".
"The Force" Jake replied. Yoda calmly and quietly used the Force to search the supposed Jedi's feelings. What he felt, was nothing treacherous, nor deceitful. In fact, all he felt was a great amount of calmness, and a strange amount of openness from this man in front of him.
"Very well" Yoda said, as he reached down and grabbed his gimmer stick and hopped down from his seat. "Come along, important matters we have to discuss".
Jake nodded and got up to follow the small, green elderly Jedi Master out of his quarters.
"While it is unfortunate that Grievous was able to escape, the results of your mission was a success, good work" Mace said from his seat in the round council room. Obi Wan and Anakin both bowed respectively, and walked to the nearby empty seat, Obi Wan sitting down in it while Anakin stood next to him.
"Now onto other important matters, and the reason we've had to meet this quickly" Mace said to everyone in the room. "As some of you already know, Masters Kenobi and Skywalker encountered a very strange person on their mission".
"Who is this person" asked Master Shaak Ti. "And why is he so important?".
"From what he's told us, the reason he is so important, is because he claims to be a Jedi".
"What do you mean 'claims' to be a Jedi" the Zabrak Jedi master, Eeth Koth asked. "Wouldn't we know if he was a Jedi or not?".
"Normally we would, but this is different" Mace replied. "So far, he hasn't shown up in any of our records, and no one has ever even heard of him".
"Then how can we believe he's a Jedi?" the Twi'lek Master Aayla Secura asked.
"Master Kenobi, will you please play the recording you obtained from your mission" Mace asked.
"Certainly" Obi Wan replied.
He pressed several times on the datapad that rested on the armrest of his chair, and a large hologram appeared in the middle of the council room. He pressed play, and the recording began to replay the fraction of the battle between the two opponents. All of the masters watched and observed the strange man fight the mechanical monster before him, using skill in both lightsaber combat and use of the Force. The recording finished, and the hologram disappeared.
"Master Yoda, you met with him before this meeting, what did you feel from him?" the Nautolan Master Kit Fisto asked.
"Hmmm, strange things. Calmness, curiosity, and no sense of treachery. Telling the truth, he is" Yoda replied.
"And what are your thoughts on this man, Master Kenobi?" Mace asked.
"I will admit, there have been some things that seemed a little too coincidental. But based on his actions so far, I see no reason to believe he's is neither a Separatist spy or an agent for the Sith Lord" Obi Wan replied thoughtfully.
"And I suppose you would like to lead this investigation, Master Kenobi?" The Thisspiasian Master Oppo Rancisis asked.
"Honestly yes. I think me and Anakin are most suitable for this, considering we've technically started it" Obi Wan replied.
"Agree with Master Kenobi, I do" Yoda added.
"Where is this man now?" the Cerean Master Ki Adi Mundi asked..
"Waiting outside to be summoned, he is" Yoda responded.
"I think it's time we see what he has to say for himself" Master Plo Koon said.
"Very well" Mace nodded, as he pressed a button on his chair.
Moments after he pressed the button, the doors slid open and all eyes were drawn to the man that entered through them. He appeared seemingly calm, and they could all feel that he mostly was. He proceeded to walk calmly to the center of the Council chambers. Once he was there, he bowed respectively, and folded his hands behind his back at an 'at ease' like posture. There was silence in the chambers for a moment as they studied him, and finally Shaak Ti broke it.
"Who are you?" she asked.
"My name is Jake Delarus" he replied.
"Where are you from, Jake Delarus?" Ki Adi Mundi asked.
"Though I don't know where I was originally born, my earliest knowledge is that I was brought here as an infant" Jake replied.
"And who was it that brought you here?" Aayla asked.
"A human Jedi named Kavar, he was a Padawan at the time" Jake replied. Some of the council members exchanged confused glances, and whispers among each other. But they were silenced as Mace spoke.
"Then why don't you show up in any of our records?" Mace asked sternly. Jake was silent for a moment, as he turned to the dark skinned Koruun Master.
"Because I'm not from this time" he stated bluntly. The room erupted into confused whispers, as Obi Wan and Anakin looked at each other in confusion. This time it would be Anakin who would silence the whispers.
"What do you mean?" he asked.
"After checking the date on the journey back here, I learned that I am three thousand-nine hundred and thirty nine-point four years into the future from where I originally was" Jake replied. What he said caused looks of shock and disbelief to spread to all the faces of those on the council, except for Yoda who put to his chin and looked at Jake with interest.
"That's impossible!" Ki Adi's voice said in surprise. "There's no possible way someone could live that long. How can you possibly explain that?".
"With the councils permission" Jake said, turning to Yoda. " I will answer you questions all at once, if I may be allowed to fully explain the situation.
"Proceed" Yoda nodded. Jake returned a grateful nod to the venerable Jedi master.
"Well I suppose the best place to start is from the beginning" he began, as everyone in the room listened with rapt attention. "Millenia ago, I was one of the Jedi assigned to Jedi knight and Republic General, Revan. I served with him at several battles, commanding armies and fleets under him. But as we were heading to regroup with another fleet, Revan received several visions. The visions showed the Jedi in this time, fighting a great war, then the order would be destroyed and a great darkness would befall the galaxy" he said as he paused for a moment.
"Did these 'visions' say what destroyed the order?" Aayla asked.
"It did not reveal what exactly did it, only that it was the work of the Sith" Jake replied.
"Anyhow" he continued. " The Force willed that someone go into this time to stop this from happening, and it just so happened that it willed me to go. Why me I don't know, but I was not to deny the Force's will".
"If what you say is true, how did you manage to survive the passage of all that time?" Master Plo asked.
"When the visions were revealed, the Force also revealed to Revan about a special nebula, which is the one I was found in. Once I was on my ship and in the nebula, I was placed in a sleep trance, and the Force created a special bubble around my ship and the nebula, were I would not age at all and remain hidden until it was time for me to be discovered".
"And that's when Master's Kenobi and Skywalker found you" Ki Adi concluded.
"Correct Master" Jake affirmed.
"What you say is interesting, but why should we believe you?" Master Koth asked.
"Because I speak the truth, and because I haven't done anything to make you believe my motives lay elsewhere. My mission is to keep doing my job as a Jedi, and find out who this Sith Lord is, and stop him" Jake replied. The room was silent for a moment.
"Very well" Mace said, turning to Jake. "Until the investigation headed by Masters Kenobi and Skywalker is complete, you will remain in a cell here in the temple. If what you say turns out to be true, then you will be released and returned to active duty, as well as your title of Jedi Knight will be reinstated. If not, your fate will be decided then". Mace glanced to Yoda, who nodded in approvement.
"Very well, thank you masters" Jake said, as he bowed respectively and left the room.
"I don't think we can trust him" Adi Gallia said immediately. "How can we possibly believe his outlandish story".
"I must agree with Master Gallia" Master Even Piell said. "How can we believe that he's not simply lying".
"Or if he's hiding that he's an agent for the Sith Lord" Eeth Koth added.
"Met with him before the meeting, I did. Sense evil or deception in him, I did not" Yoda said.
"And don't forget he did save Ahsoka's life on Contruum" Anakin pointed out. "A Sith agent wouldn't go to the lengths he did to save her".
"I agree with Master Skywalker" Kit Fisto said. " If this man was trained by the Sith, given the circumstances, he would have left her to die and said he couldn't have saved it".
"Be that as it may, we must still be wary of this and proceed with caution" Ki Adi warned.
"Agreed" Mace said, as he turned to Obi Wan. "Obi Wan, you and Anakin will remain here on Coruscant to take the lead on this investigation".
"Understood Master, we will begin immediately" Obi Wan replied.
"Meditate on this, and consult the Force, I will. Reveal the truth, it will" Yoda said.
"As for everyone else, until we've learned more about this situation, this must remain a closely guarded secret. This must not leave this room, so as not to let the Sith Lord learn of this. Is that clear?" Mace asked, as he was met with nods from the others in the room.
"Very well, this meeting is adjourned" he said, as everyone got up and left the council chambers. Pretty soon, it was just Obi Wan and Anakin in the chambers as they made their way to the lift.
"So were should we start first?" Anakin asked his former Master.
"Perhaps we should start at the start of all of this" Obi Wan replied. Anakin knew exactly what he meant.
"His ship" he said. Obi Wan nodded.
"Yes, it's being examined at one of the dockyards here on the planet right now" Obi Wan said.
"Then let's get over there" Anakin replied, as he and Obi Wan got on the lift to head out on their investigation.
Deep in the depths of the temple were the special force resistant cells. Constructed millennia ago to contain mostly anything that could use the force. As they lead him into his cell, he could feel his connection to the Force be disrupted.
The two temple guards led him into his small cell, which only had a cot and refresher. As he stepped in, the yellow energy door activated and the two guards took their positions at each side of the door.
As the guards took their places, Jake lowered down on his knees in front of the door in a meditative position. Due to security purposes, he had been stripped of his armor and placed in a black bodysuit that highlighted his muscular body. And because he had demonstrated his ability to use the Force, he had to remain in Force resistant cuffs, which would only grow tighter and shock him a little bit if he tried to use the Force.
But it didn't bother him. He closed his eyes and, though he couldn't meditate with the Force, he would do his best to keep his mind clear and focused. He would soon be out of here, because the Force would see to it that he would fulfill the purposes he'd been sent for. Even the ones he did not know about yet.
A:N/ Again, some complications arose while writing this, hence why its late.
But apart from that, I know this chapter is probably the shortest of them all, but this and the next two chapters cover the investigation and the councils decision, plus Jake learning more about his new galaxy. After these next two chapters, there will be a two part series that will have some good action and adventure in it. You all will see that soon enough;)
And real quick, a shout out to two particular of my readers EmlynMara and Ichigo Shioin. I love chapter by chapter reviewers and you guys are the best, (Who am I kidding, your all the best).
And to answer your question EmlynMara: Jakes presence will change things in two ways. The first will be that there will be a few noticeable changes here and there, but the biggest ones will be affected by small things that occur over time throughout the story and eventually build up to be the biggest differences.
Thank you to everyone who reads, follows, favorites and reviews the story. The following to this story already is crazy thank you so much. As usual, I hope you all enjoyed this next installment on this journey that continues to grow. May the Force be with You, Always.