THE JEDI TEMPLE ON CORUSCANT

"This is what we know of Arren Fu and his ship" Plo Koon said as he, and the other grand masters of the High Council, studied the hologram that was the only source of light in the room; watching a rendition of the corellian captain and his small freighter. "We have tracked his movements as best we could, using official chanels, logs and records."

"He has been all over the place" Ki-Adi-Mundi said as he stroked his beard in contemplation.

Plo Koon nooded. "Geonosis, Kamino, Mustafar, Cato Neimodia, Coruscant, Nar Shadaa, Bespin, Ord Mantell, Falleen and Mon Cala. Most can be found in the Outer Rim."

"No specific pattern" the zabrak named Eeth Koth said as he studied the travels by Arren Fu as were indicated on a map of the galaxy. "Back and forth, irratic almost."

"A deception" Saesee Tiin muttered. "He has been used as a decoy."

Ki-Adi-Mundi nodded. "My feelings exactly."

"What we do know" Plo Koon said, "is that Arren Fu travelled from Corellia to Ord Mantell, most likely with Sifo-Dyas, in pursuit of the Korriban crystals. And a few days later he came here to Coruscant, and then went to Falleen. After that, he started moving back and forth quite irratically, as we have concluded."

"Geonosis, his last visit was" Yoda said as he leaned forward somewhat to rest against his cane, sitting as he was in his mobile chair, the design of which strongly resembled a headless R2-unit in many ways. "Left he has, records tells us."

Plo Koon nodded. "Two weeks ago, and has yet to arrive at any known port in the Republic."

"Could he have gone into hiding?" Kit Fisto, the nautilan on the council, wondered. "Perhaps together with master Sifo-Dyas?" he suggested as he studied his fellow jedi.

"Or because of Sifo-Dyas fate" Saesee Tiin countered, always the pessimist.

Mace Windu, the only jedi present who was not a grand master, walked over to the hologram and studied it closely. "Do we know his last known trajectory?" the acting council-member on behalf of the Watchers asked, turning to grand master Plo Koon.

"Indeed" the Kel Dor admitted. "It provides us with thirtyseven possible destinations."

"Any interesting ones?" Windu then asked.

Plo Koon, as ever speaking through his breathing-apparatus, shook his head as he focused on the holographic display and all the information it shared. "No known hideouts for smugglers or pirates, no ports or colonies with known connections to Black Sun, Pyke or the Hutt clans."

"What about this?" Windu said and pointed at the new list of systems that had appeared as a hologram, providing the names of all destinations along Arren Fu's last known trajectory.

"Cato Neimoidia" Yoda said with a grunt, and nodded as it was clear that Arren Fu could have returned to that planet once more.

"The Trade Federation?" Ki-Adi-Mundi thought aloud. "Could Sifo-Dyas have discovered a plot that concerned the current invasion of Naboo?"

Windu turned to face the council-members. "I sense that Cato Neimoidia is key in all of this."

Yoda grunted and sighed. "Journey to Cato Neimoidia, I will. Master Windu, accompany me, you shall."

DAGOBAH

Declan Skywalker studied the planet from the seat in the cockpit and was not impressed.

"That is one dysmal looking place" he concluded, seeing as the entire planet was gray and dull, completely covered in clouds and fog. "Massive life-readings though."

Rahm Kota rested his arm against the captains chair. "These are the coordinates. It should be a safe place to land" he added as he handed a small data-chip to the vessels pilot.

The old and worn shuttle headed for the atmosphere and was soon enough enveloped by the dense clouds. Declan found himself in trouble soon enough.

"Whatta...?!"

"Trouble, captain?" Kota asked, now strapped into one of the seats, as turbulance began to violently shake the craft.

"All the scopes are dead!" Declan growled as he struggled to keep control of the ship. "I don't know why, but the atmosphere is screwing around with our systems unlike anything I've ever seen! Hold on back there, this could get ugly!"

Kota eyed the innards of the cockpits confines as the shaky flight was placing great stress on the integrity of the shuttles hull. Things were starting to shake lose and lights began to flicker and panels died alltogether.

"Trust your instincts, captain" Rahm Kota said, strangely calm considering being in the middle of a crash-landing. "Follow your gut-feeling."

"My gut-feeling says to eject!" Declan shouted back over his shoulder.

"Not an option, I'm afraid" Kota replied. "The swamps of Dagobah are unforgiving."

"Just so you know!" the freighter-captain replied back, "So is crashing and burning!"

It did not take long before the shuttle crashed through trees and vegetation and Declan cursed during the entire out-of-control landing. Finally, he activated his retro-rockets and within seconds the ship slammed hard into the ground. After a few moments of silence, Kota allowed himself to cough to clear his throat and then unbuckled himself.

"Impressive" Kota said as he got out of his seat and found the entire shuttle tilting heavily.

"Shut up" Declan frowned and then retrieved a flask from his innerpocket and drank from the strong alcohol it contained.

"I mean it, captain" Kota said as he climbed towards the rear of the shuttle. "Few pilots are capable of succesfully surviving a landing here."

Declan merely sneered, but as he gave the words of his passenger some thought, he turned around. "What do you mean, succesfully surviving? Either you survive or you die."

Kota stopped by the airlock and offered the pilot a smile. "Precisely" he said and then proceeded in exiting the vessel.

Declan shook his head with a sneer and took another sip from his flask.

Declan climbed out of the shuttle with a heavy backpack over his shoulder and a blaster-rifle in his hands. He had to balance his steps as he climbed down from the shuttle that was halfway sunken into the swamp, and eventually found solid ground; or as solid as the ground could get on Dagobah. The freighter-captain walked over to Rahm Kota who was waiting for him.

"Something troubling you, captain?" Kota asked.

"Besides how to get off this giant mushroom?" Declan said. "Yeah, this place gives me the creeps" he admitted as he glanced about. "I don't know. It feels like..."

"Feels like what?"

Declan shook his head as he studied the trees and vegetation. "Like we are not alone. Like we're being watched."

"And you are right" Kota said. "We are not alone. What you sense is the Force."

Declan quirked an eyebrow. "The Force? Are we talking forcefield or..."

"The Force" was Kotas simple explenation.

"Right..." Declan said hesitantly and took a sip from his flask. "So..."

"You feel its presence because you are a Sensitive, captain" Kota explained. "This entire planet is a nexus for the Force, here the Force surges unhindered through all things and touches all." Kota could not help but smile as he turned his eyes at the misty canopy above. "This is a sacred place."

Declan was almost afraid to ask. "And... what does that make you?"

Rahm Kota turned to glance at the freighter-captain. "I am Rahm Kota, grand master of the Jedi Order and a member of the Jedi High Council."

"Of course you are" was Declans response, almost with a whisper.

"We are here because I need your help, Declan" Kota admitted. "I need your help in finding something."

Declan smiled, not without a hint of sarcasm in his features. "Something that most likely will get me killed?"

"Not if I can prevent it" the grand master of the Ranger disciplin said.

"Why me?"

"You have a strong connection to the Force, captain. Very strong, even. Had we found you as a child, we would have taken you into our order. As it happened, we discovered you shortly before the battle of Whills, when you aided a young jedi named Mace Windu to prevent an all out war between the Republic and the Zygerrian empire. We have kept an eye on you ever since, as is our custom with Sensitives and Wielders too old to join the Jedi Order, so that if you ever were to produce offspring that inherited your talents, we could recruit them."

Declan couldn't help but chuckle and scratched his neck as he did. "Yeah, I've heard the stories" he said, referring to the Jedi custom of recruiting infants. "I'm sorry, I just found it amusing that you think I might have kids one day."

Kota smiled. "We must have an open mind, captain."

"Wide open" Declan replied with a grin. He took a moment to study their surroundings before turning his attention back at the jedi. "Windu, huh?" he said as he thought back on the events leading up to the battle of Whills, all those years ago. "We didn't exactly part ways as friends."

Kota nodded. "Understandable" the old Ranger said. "You did after all betray him, and joined the mercenaries that intended to assassinate the Zygerrian empress. Did you not?"

"More or less" Declan admitted rather casually. "But hey, the empress survived. No harm, no foul."

Kota shook his head. "You truly are a fallen one."

Declan rested his blaster against his shoulder. "So... You claim I have the Force in me. Let's say I get my head around that fact. I have no kids, so why am I here? Unless you have a woman hidden away here somewhere?"

Kota could not resist the grim appeal of the scruffy freighter-captains humor and a smile was impossible to hide. It was with a sigh that Rahm Kota did turn serious once more. "Your connection to the Force could help me solve a problem."

"I figured as much" Declan said sarcastically. "Why? Why can't the jedi fix this on their own?"

"Walk with me" Kota said and guided a suspicious Declan Skywalker into the swamps of Dagobah, leaving their shuttle behind them to slowly sink into the marshes. "There are many aspects to the Force" Kota explained, "the Force is fluid and always in motion, at times it moves in waves, other times it strokes the galaxy like a breeze, and some times it howls at us with all of its power. We understand many aspects of it, but there is so much to learn. My dear captain, if you only knew. There are, however, aspects that the jedi are careful to take too great an interest in. We are suspicious and distrustful towards these aspects. And for good reason. The Force is a powerful ally, but a jedi with too much power..."

"Is a bad thing" Declan said, having no troubles imagining the havoc a rogue jedi could cause if only a sliver of the legends surrounding them and their abilities were true.

Kota nodded, ever guiding Declan deeper into the swamps. "It is a bad thing" was his simple affirmation of the freighter-captains reasoning. "And this is where you come into the picture, my friend. You can explore aspects of the Force that a jedi can not."

"What aspects are we talking about exactly?"

"Greed, jealousy, lust for power, lies and deceit, fear and hatred... the Dark Side of the Force."

Declan stopped dead in his tracks. "Explore how?" All of a sudden, he was not at all comfortable about the whole deal.

Kota turned to face the now very hesitant freighter-captain. "By confronting yourself."