Starkiller glanced up from his breakfast when someone sat down in front of him. A human male, perhaps a few years older than the former assassin.

"You're Master Ti's new padawan, right?"

"Yes," Starkiller said, his voice kept low, quiet, and even, "What of it?" The elder jedi, still clearly sporting a padawan braid, bristled at the brusque tone.

"I was sent to get you for the council." Starkiller pushed his plate away, grabbing the Zeance fruit from his plate and bit into it. He tilted his head to indicate the other padawan to lead.

"I'm Anakin, by the way."

"Starkiller."

"That's... not a normal name..?" Anakin hedged uncertainly.

"That's because it's not my real name." Starkiller said matter-of-factly, continuing to eat his breakfast.

"Then what is?" Anakin asked curiously. Starkiller glanced sideways at his companion as they walked and pointedly took another bite. Anakin opened his mouth to demand an answer, but thought better of it and merely turned away.

When the mismatched pair reached the council room, Anakin instantly perched himself on the arm of his master's chair. Starkiller moved to his master's side; he dipped his head in acknowledgment of her motherly smile.

"With you, you take your padawan, Master Ti?" Yoda asked. Shaak tilted her head delicately.

"Yes. I think Starkiller may be more comfortable outside the temple." Starkiller glanced nervously at his master, but she waved him off. Later, later, her whisper came through the force.


The moment Starkiller stepped out of the ship he was soaked to the bone. Between the large waves crashing against the platform, and the torrential downpour from the lightning-kissed sky, water was everywhere, and Starkiller instantly hated the planet. Master Ti set her hand on his shoulder, squeezed it gently and walked into the building with the other masters, leaving Starkiller (and Anakin) to follow.


Standing in neatly regimented lines, the clones were far taller than Starkiller had expected; when the Marshal Commander stepped forward, he was slightly shorter than the ex-sith. The Marshal Commander pulled off his helmet and began to explain the battalion division to the Jedi Council.

Starkiller absently flicked his braid off the back of his neck as he studied the clone army.

Their armor was different enough from that of the Stormtrooper Corps that Starkiller wasn't entirely unnerved, but the similarities didn't escape him.

The jedi masters each had their own battalion, with the Marshal Commander being Kenobi's first-in-command. And, for Starkiller, seeing them side-by-side was enough to put a name to the eerily familiar face: CC-2224, Commander Cody, the clone that had formed most of the Empire's protocols, as well as having trained a large portion of the Stormtrooper Corps.

Master Ti's hand on his arm drew him out of his observations.

"You and I, my dear padawan, are going to supervise the clones' training." Starkiller swallowed thickly.

"They're going to die." He said, soft and low and controlled. She moved her hand, as if to cup his face, but he pulled away.

"We both know how this ends." He whispered.

"The future is not set in stone, child. Your destiny is what you make of it."

"The Emperor-" Starkiller began, his voice stronger this time.

"He is not Emperor," Master Ti said icily, "Not yet."

"How can we stop him? He has an army and I-" Starkiller cut himself off with a frustrated growl.

"It starts here, with us. You and me and the difference we can make." Master Ti put her hand on his shoulder, squeezed it gently, offering comfort.

"Hope," she said, "Is like the sun. If you only believe in it when you can see it-"

"You'll never make it through the night." Starkiller finished, meeting his master's eyes for the first time in their conversation. She smiled at him and brushed her hand over his cheek. This time he let her.