Ahsoka and Galen sat in an empty room on in Kota's flagship in silence. Galen had been thoroughly searched and his lightsabers had been confiscated by Kota's militia. Ahsoka wasn't searched as thoroughly out of respect for her former place among the Jedi, so she still had her own. Galen looked at the energy cuffs that had been placed on his wrists before they were left alone and frowned. "Why do you have the same name as Master Marek? Are you related," asked Ahsoka. Galen stayed silent. He had no idea how to tell the former Padawan of the predicament he was in. He doubted she would ever believe him. The Force could do so many amazing things through so many means, but time travel was unheard of. "Galen."

"It's a long story," he said.

"Not like we're going anywhere." Galen sighed.

"Yes. We are related."

"Ok. Off to a start at least. How?" Galen thanked the Force for Kota's timely entrance as the Master Jedi sat across from them and placed his lightsabers in front of them.

"Where did you get these, boy," he asked.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you, General," said Galen.

"I'm sure it must be a very interesting story. After all, I found this in one of those lightsabers." Kota held up the merged crystal. "Now, I may be getting up there in age, but I can remember the feeling of my own Khyber crystal. And it is right here." Kota placed his larger than average hilt on the table beside Galen's lightsabers and Galen met his eyes. "And its also in my hand. Now I'm going to ask you again, boy. Where did you get the lightsaber?"

"…From you, Kota." Ahsoka stared at him as if he'd grown a second head.

"Care to elaborate?"

"…No."

"Galen," said Ahsoka.

"I need to bring you into the Council, boy," said Kota. "You have two unusual lightsabers, one of which seems to have a twin of my own crystal. You've taken the name of a former Jedi Master, and you also will not give me a straight answer!" Galen felt Kota's anger grow slightly out of the frustrating situation.

"…I need to make sure no one but the two of you is watching or listening at the moment. I barely believe what's happening right now myself and it's maddening."

"Why?"

"Because the less people who know the situation, the better." Kota stared at him for a moment before getting up from his seat and scouring the room with the thorough gaze of an investigator and a hardened soldier who would know exactly what to look for. After thirty minutes, Kota sat down and crossed his arms.

"We're clear. Now start talking, boy." Galen sighed before looking Kota straight in the eye.

"Kento Marek is my father." Ahsoka and Kota stared at him, not believing his words. "I am supposed to be born within the year."

"What are you talking about," asked Ahsoka.

"General. I know you have a severe distrust of the clones. It's warranted. The time I come from is about 19 years from now. In that time, the Republic had won the Clone Wars and subsequently become the Galactic Empire. The Jedi are dead, and a Sith Lord rules over the galaxy."

"That's preposterous," shouted Kota. "The Jedi wouldn't…"

"I told you, the Jedi are gone. Hunted down by the very clones they fought with and the Emperor's lap dog, Darth Vader."

"The clones wouldn't do that," declared Ahsoka. "They're loyal to the Republic!"

"To the republic, yes. But not the Jedi. Especially not to Jedi like Aayla Secura and Ki Adi Mundi, two Jedi who would be a fearsome sight to anyone on the battlefield. Only Mace Windu's clones in the 187th Legion never followed the order because more than anyone, they held more respect for him than the Republic."

"What order?"

"Order 66. It's an order that identifies all Jedi as traitors to the Republic and subjects them to summary execution. It's preprogrammed into the clones via control chips. They were designed to ensure the clones would go through with Order 66."

"Control chip," muttered Kota. "Not long after Padawan Tano left, there was an incident. CT-5385 murdered Master Tiplar."

"Tup," asked Ahsoka.

"And he was soon put down for doing so. But ARC Trooper-5555 ran an investigation into what happened. According to Skywalker's report, ARC Trooper-5555 uncovered a part of the clone biology, this control chip. But that is restricted Republic knowledge. How could you have known?"

"I told you," said Galen. "I came from 19 years in the future." Galen looked both of them in the eyes and both could tell through the Force that he wasn't lying, or at least believed he was telling the truth. For all they knew it could be a very well-crafted story implanted into his mind from one of the Separatist forces. But then there was the crystal. Kota dismantled his lightsaber and removed his own Khyber crystal before holding it in his hand. The green portion of Galen's crystal was identical, right down to the cleavage. Kota was the only one who had seen and felt his crystal since claiming it during his trials. No one knew it better than he did, and Galen's crystal felt startlingly similar to his own, if not for the blue crystal merged with the green. Kota looked at him.

"Alright, boy. Say I believe you. Tell me everything you know." Galen nodded and went over everything he was taught about the history of the Empire from Order 66 to the subjugation of the Wookie's and industrialization and subjugation of multiple worlds including Raxus Prime, Lothal, and countless others. He breathed deeply before he went into his life in the Empire under Vader. Trained in the Dark Side, trained to be an assassin and Vader's Secret Apprentice. He told them of his encounters with the future versions of Kota, the mad Kazdan Paratus, and Shaak Ti, bringing a look of anger to both Jedi and former Jedi. He continued into his journey of reformation under Kota and his attempts to form the Rebellion under Vader's orders originally but then growing to understand how necessary it was. He described his Trials and then his second betrayal by Vader.

"After PROXY saved me, Juno brought me to the Rogue Shadow and from there we made our way to the Empire's superweapon where the Rebellion was being held. I fought my way through scores of stormtroopers and then was confronted by Vader himself. I fought him and substantially weakened him. The Emperor praised me for my strength and attempted to coax me into killing Vader once and for all and for a moment, I considered it. I could feel the Dark Side calling to me again. You must have sensed it to, Kota because you took Vader's lightsaber and attempted to attack the Emperor. He reacted faster and brought you down with Force Lightning. After seeing that, I had to do something. I leapt from Vader and fought the Emperor.

"I fought him with everything I had, and he was on the ground, beaten as well. He tried getting me to kill him, to give in to my anger and the Dark Side but you talked me down. The plan was to arrest him but in his anger, he shocked you again. The Shadow loomed in the window for extraction and I intercepted the Emperor with my own lightning. I channeled all of my anger and my determination to protect you and the Rebellion into my lightning, redirecting his own back at him at the same time. The pain was unbearable, and it felt like my arms were going to explode as lightning channeled in and out of me all at once. And the next thing I knew, I was on Oba Diah and running from the Pyke Syndicate with this one and her friends." He nodded to Ahsoka.

"You blinded me and killed a member of the Council," said Kota as he stared at Galen.

"I did. And while it has already happened for me, it has yet to happen for you. I think the Force has sent me here to stop Emperor Palpatine and save the Jedi."

"Palpatine," asked Ahsoka. "You mean Chancellor Sheev Palpatine?!"

"The Chancellor is a Sith," exclaimed Kota. "That's impossible! We'd have been able to sense it!"

"The Emperor hid his presence from the Jedi using an old Dark Side technique that masks one's presence in the Force," said Galen. "Only another user of the Dark Side would be able to detect him."

"We have to tell Master Yoda and Master Windu," said Ahsoka. "The Jedi are in danger!"

"We can't," said Galen. "This is why I asked to make sure you weren't being monitored. The Emperor was able to ensure he rose to power because he monitored the Jedi somehow. I don't know who, but he converted a Jedi to the Dark Side and that's who Vader was before Order 66. He led an attack on the Temple days after the Battle of Coruscant."

"There was a Battle of Coruscant," asked Ahsoka.

"There will be. In a few months, General Grievous and Tyrannus will attack the Senate and abduct Palpatine."

"Why would he do that? I thought he was a Sith as well."

"To avert suspicion," said Kota. "I heard the Council had suspicions about a Sith within the Senate. What better way to prove you're innocent than to stage an abduction."

"During the rescue attempt, Tyrannus was killed, again, I don't know who did so, but they killed him rather than take him into custody."

"No doubt whoever Palpatine converted." Kota stared at Galen's crystal once more before inserting it back into the lightsaber it was extracted from and ignited it, feeling a slight connection that was not the same under the teal light. He switched it off and laid it in front of Galen. He raked a hand through his brown hair and looked at Galen. "Marek. Do you truly think that you were sent here to stop Palpatine?"

"It's the only thing after everything that has happened that makes sense, General."

"Wait, you said this Vader led an attack on the Temple. What happened to the Temple Guard, boy?"

"I don't know. Maybe, they were executed first by the clones or Vader wasn't the only one converted. I'm trying to make as much sense of this as I can, Kota. It's been a very strange day. From being placed with Ahsoka on Oba Diah to finding Revan's tomb on Mandalore…"

"You what?!" Galen nodded to his new blade.

"That was Revan's lightsaber during the Mandalorian Wars. Together me and Ahsoka were able to uncover the tomb on Mandalore a few hours ago."

"It takes weeks to reach Mandalore from Coruscant."

"I think the Force did something to increase the hyperdrive of the ship we were on," said Ahsoka. "If Galen is here to stop Palpatine, then maybe leaving when we did ensured we had an advantage against Palpatine, a hyperdrive that can bring us to planets in a matter of hours rather than weeks."

"Given my knowledge of events," said Galen. "This means we can recruit people that we can trust."

"Why," asked Kota.

"Revan told us that balance would help us defeat Palpatine," said Ahsoka. "His disciples said we balanced each other out and that's what allowed us to open the tomb. It's where we claimed our lightsabers." Ahsoka pulled out her lightsaber and ignited the silver blade. "This was Revan's lightsaber as a Sith."

"That blade was red, girl."

"And I healed the crystal, I guess you could say." Kota looked at them both.

"You realize how insane this sounds, yes?"

"I do. I can't believe Galen's story entirely. But… it feels like you do." Kota shook his head before looking at her.

"I honestly don't know what to believe. It sounds unbelievable but then I need to take into consideration Marek's crystal. You said it was mine and who's?"

"My father's," said Galen.

"Kento Marek. You said that in this year, you would be born."

"That's right."

"Do you know where Kento Marek is? I think the only way to determine whether or not you're is telling the truth is to find Kento and see if he's impregnated someone. If there's any validity to your claims, that will be it."

"Kashyyk."

"Do you know where on Kashyyk? It's not exactly a small planet, boy."

"I do. I can get us there."

"Then we should go. I need to report this to the Council about me leaving my post for a few days to investigate a potential Separatist plot on Kashyyk."

"Or…" said Ahsoka. "Maybe put our advantage to good use."

"You want to use the Angel," asked Galen.

"Think about it. All it needs is to get its engines repaired. We can get to Kashyyk in hours rather than days or weeks, and the Council, and more importantly Palpatine, don't have to find out."

"That's if the engines can be repaired at all."

"With some help, they can," said Kota. "Have the pilot bring the ship here. I can pass it off as an impromptu rations transport for my men."

"Trace and Rafa Martez live on 1313, Master. Their engines should have been enough to get them back and should be enough to get them here provided Trace already started on repairs. I'll go by myself and offer to have your men help with repairs."

"Will they go along with it," asked Galen.

"I think they will. I think Rafa developed a bit of a crush on you." Galen shook his head before looking at Kota.

"Extend the invitation, Padawan Tano," said the general. "We'll have our best mechanics on it and let her dictate how repairs should go."

"Thank you, Master Kota." Ahsoka bowed and Kota removed Galen's energy cuffs before letting him claim the lightsabers again and reclaim his packs.

"I think I should stay here," said Galen. "The less interaction I have with others, the better. I should also focus on finding balance in myself and Kota can help that."

"Alright." Ahsoka nodded to him before leaving and Kota looked at Galen.

"Alright, boy," he said. "You want me to train you, is that right?"

"I do, Kota," said Galen.

"Then follow me. It's time you learn the Jedi Code."

Ahsoka arrived at the Martez's home and spotted Ahsoka Trace working on the engines. "How's it coming along," she said with a smile. Trace looked up and smiled.

"Ahsoka," she called. Trace jumped down and hugged the Togruta. Ahsoka hugged back and smiled. "How's Galen?"

"Galen's fine. The one we were running from heard what he needed and is offering to help you with repairs in his flagship."

"The Jedi, right," asked Rafa as she walked into the room.

"Yes. Turns out Kota is Galen's Jedi Master. He'd gotten on Galen for insubordination and aimless wandering in the past, so Galen was trying to avoid that."

"Handsome and a rebel? Talk about a catch," Rafa muttered to herself. Ahsoka shook her head and turned to Trace.

"Kota's offering to lend you his mechanics to help repair your ship."

"Just out of the kindness of his heart?"

"Well, not exactly. He's willing to buy your services to fly us to Kashyyk."

"Us?"

"Yes… us…" Ahsoka sighed and brought out her lightsaber. "I used to be a Jedi and they've asked me to help with an ongoing investigation that Galen was a part of. It's why he was on Oba Diah."

"He said he didn't know why he was there," said Trace.

"He was just making sure you had plausible deniability, that and he was shaking off the effects of accidental exposure to a mind-altering spice. Galen was doing this mission without the Order being aware of his actions, but now they need to act on the information he's gathered. They will be willing to pay you for your assistance."

"And you?"

"Despite how I left the Order, they were all I knew growing up. I should help them as well."

"I didn't know you could leave the Order," said Rafa.

"It's rare, but it has happened. A lot more since the War started. A lot of the Jedi didn't think the Order leading the war efforts was a good thing. Recently I left because it… it felt like we were losing our way in the war. Focusing more on politics than helping people."

"We know that much…"

"But they were my family for most of my life. I couldn't turn them away if they asked for help. You know what that's like. Right?" Rafa and Trace shared a look before sighing.

"Yeah. We do. Alright. We'll do it. But only if you're serious about being paid."

"And I'm sure that seeing Galen again has nothing to do with it at all." Rafa blushed before climbing aboard the Angel. Trace and Ahsoka shared a look and giggled before following her. Trace looked at Ahsoka as she prepped the Angel.

"I heard you Jedi can feel when each other are around," she said. "Is that why you followed him on Mandalore?"

"Sort of…" Ahsoka shook her head and helped start up the ship before navigating them to Kota's ship. Her thoughts drifted to Galen's story and she immediately thought of her former Master, Anakin, as well as Obi Wan and the other Masters she had a close bond with. She also thought about Rex and the other members of the 501st. The thought of Rex and Anakin turning on each other, it wasn't something she wanted to think about. She needed to contact Anakin and Rex before anything happened to provoke Order 66. Rafa looked at her.

"Had you met Galen before," she asked.

"No. Trace was right. Force sensitives can sense each other with the right training. The Force guides us all to where we need to be. It lets us know where allies are and when danger is near."

"And that lightning thing Galen did?"

"That's… something only specific Force users can do."

"Can you do it," asked Trace.

"No. I can't." She looked at the flagship as they made their way to it. "That's it there. Letting them know we're coming in." She noticed out of the corner of her eye that Rafa started to fix up her appearance slightly in the reflection of some metal. She shook her head with a slight frown and turned away from her. They brought the ship in and Ahsoka walked off the ramp and saw multiple militiamen saluting her. Rafa looked around.

"No clones," she asked.

"Kota doesn't trust them. He hired and trained his own militia to fight the war."

"Why doesn't he trust the clones," asked Trace.

"It's because of the fact that someone must've seen the Separatists coming a long time ago," said Kota as he walked to the girls. "But a premade army based on the DNA of a known bounty hunter, and a Mandalorian no less, is one that is bound to cause problems. They don't have the creativity a normal human has and only know war. There's nothing good that can come from them." Ahsoka frowned at the mention of clones lacking creativity, knowing full well that wasn't true.

"Yeah," said Rafa. "That's great. Where's Galen?" Kota gave Ahsoka a look who grinned slightly.

"Meditating."

"Can we see him?"

"Kota," shouted Galen. They turned to him and saw a look of fear in his eyes. "We have to act, now!"

"What's going on," asked Ahsoka.

"Someone's in trouble!"

"Who?"

"A Zabrak woman, white skin, short hair, no horns."

"Ventress?"

"I guess. She needs help, now!"

"Where is she?"

"Christophsis."

"We need to repair the engines on your friend's ship first," said Kota. "We don't know what overtaxing that supped up hyperdrive before repairs are done would do." Galen started pacing. "Don't get so worked up, boy. We'll set out as soon as repairs are done." Galen looked at him.

"In my vision, there was a man with him, tan skin, long hair, some weird face paint on his nose."

"That's Master Vos," said Ahsoka.

"He left the Order not long after Ahsoka did," said Kota. "Were they fighting?"

"Not each other," said Galen. "They were after a man. Old, grey beard, curved red lightsaber."

"That would be Count Dooku, the Sith leading of the Separatist forces."

"Tyrannus." Galen frowned slightly and turned to Trace. "Can you get your ship working as fast as possible with some help?"

"I've never worked with anyone before," said Trace.

"Well now you will. Kota? Can we borrow some of your men?"

"I thought that was why you brought them here, boy," said Kota. "Get to it!" Galen smirked before wrapping his arm around Trace's waist and jumping them to the top of the Angel, Ahsoka and Rafa frowning slightly at the action.

"Padawan Tano," said Kota. "I'd like to have a word in private, if you will."

"Of course Master Kota."

"Miss Martez. I can have someone lead you to the mess hall. It's not the best food, but it's food."

"I'll uh…" started Rafa as she glanced at her sister and Galen as they and the mechanics got to work on the ship. "I'll just stay here. Keep an eye on my sister."

"Oh, I'm sure it's your sister you're keeping an eye on," said Ahsoka with a smirk.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Just go talk with your friend." Kota shook his head before leading Ahsoka into the room Galen had been meditating in. Ahsoka looked around and spotted the objects in the room were scattered on the ground.

"What happened in here?"

"Marek happened," said Kota. "The boy's connection to the force is unlike anything I've ever seen. In just a second he reached a meditative state and was more connected than I've seen anyone ever achieve. And now he's probably had a prophetic vision of Ventress and Quinlan Vos fighting Dooku. I don't know how he's this strong."

"It probably has something to do with his training and also his heritage."

"Maybe. Kento Marek was one of the Jedi who fought on the front lines, but other than that was somewhat unremarkable. He and another Jedi left recently, though I'm not sure who the second Jedi was."

"Do you think it could've been Galen's mother?"

"If it was, then maybe that would explain his connection to the Force, being born from two Jedi, might even explain why the left the Order."

"What do we do once we get the engines back to full function?"

"Head to Christophsis, first of all. If Ventress and Vos are indeed going after Dooku, we can kill two birds with one stone and arrest two Sith."

"Should we?" Kota narrowed his eyes slightly.

"What are you saying?"

"Galen had a vision of Ventress for a reason. The Force is alerting him to her and Master Vos being in danger. What if we're supposed to recruit them?"

"Us work with that traitor? Are you serious?!"

"I am. Ventress saved my life when Baris Offee framed me for the bombing of the Temple. There is some good in her, I know it. If she can adapt the same way we need to, maybe it will give us an advantage over the Chancellor." Kota shook his head and turned from her.

"That is a major risk, girl."

"I know it is. But you heard Galen. The Jedi get wiped out by the clones during Order 66. We don't even feel it coming. Master Skywalker told me that the Dark Side has been dulling our senses for a long time. What if it was for Order 66?"

"If that is the case, then this means this plan could be decades, even centuries in the making." Kota thought for a moment.

"Ventress learned how to hide her presence in the Force, just like Palpatine did but on a lesser scale, it's how she managed to ambush some of the Jedi. We can use that against the Chancellor." Kota shook his head before crossing his arms.

"I don't like this."

"I know. It's not easy for me, either. But…"

"You sense that Galen is being guided in all of this, don't you?"

"I know he is. Revan's tomb would've been left to rust if he hadn't found it, and it never would've opened if we weren't there together."

"I still don't know what to think of that. The oldest defector and arguably the most dangerous enemy the Order ever had."

"I know, Master. But right now, I think following Galen is our best option. Especially if Anakin and Obi Wan are in danger. Anakin is close to the Chancellor."

"Hmm. Perhaps a little too close if you ask me."

"What do you mean?"

"Just a feeling. Come on. We should see how the repairs are going." Ahsoka nodded and followed Kota to the hangar.

(Mandalore)

"My lord," said Gar Saxson. "The unregistered ship landed in a forgotten canyon. One of our scouts went in and retrieved the only thing in there. It's an ancient helmet."

"Let me see," said the current Mandalore as he watched over Keldabe. Saxson brought the helmet to his leader and presented it before backing away. Maul held the helmet in his hand and closed his eyes as he felt its energy. "Revan…" As he traced the energy of the most recent Force Sensitive to touch the mask, his mind was wrought with images of events yet to happen. Maul dropped the helmet and gripped his head. "No…"

"My lord?"

"Find me that ship! There was a Jedi on that ship, and I want him found! Find me the Jedi named Marek!"

(Kamino- Clone Training Facility)

Master Shaak Ti opened her eyes from her meditation. Images of her friend, Jedi Knight Mallie Sola, on Kashyyk and in danger. Mandalorians and criminals bearing down on her and former Master Kento Marek. Fearing for her friend's life, Shaak Ti wasted no time and boarded her personal fighter, setting a course for the jungle planet.