A/N: I do not own the characters of either the Harry Potter or Star Wars universes.
I want to thank all of you who have read and reviewed. I apologize for the long hiatus; I promise you it will not improve the equality of my nonsense. Student teaching and work has taken up almost all my free time. I am still very much surprised by the reception this story is receiving and truly appreciate your input.
As always, please keep reading and reviewing. I look forward to hearing from all of you, be it good or bad.
Chapter 3
Battle not with monsters
Lest ye become a monster
And if you gaze into the abyss
The abyss gazes into you.
—Friedrich Nietzsche—
Harry Potter kneeled quietly, eyes closed. Around him, objects floated in the air, buoyed by his mental levitation charms. With each passing minute, a new object floated into the air, bigger then the last.
But it did not last forever. When the time came to levitate the engine of a Jedi snub fighter, Harry could not lift into the air while holding all the objects in the air. The other, more fragile objects, feel to the ground with a clatter.
Harry mentally chastised himself but he should've have known that wouldn't fool his master.
"Excellent job you did my Padawan," rasped Yoda, Harry's Jedi master. "Very new to the Jedi ways you are. Time it will take, to build you connection with the Force. Still forging a deeper connection am I."
Harry reluctantly nodded, his ponytail tickling the back of his neck. As usual when he felt that tickle, he smiled; in his years on Earth, he never could manage his unruly hair. The Jedi took care of that almost upon induction.
"Master, I understand what you are saying. But it is troubling for me not to do be able to do something. Luck kept me alive when I went into battle with Voldemort unprepared. I will not make the same mistake in this world."
"Harry, understand your concern I do. But battling a Sith Lord, right now you are not." Sensing a retort, Yoda held up his hand. "Saying no such threat exists, I am not. Saying only I am that expedience is not wise now. Your abilities you must master. Time that will take. Fight it, you should not. Take advantage of the time instead."
By way of response, Harry kneeled back down and closed his eyes, intent on trying the exercise again. Yoda chuckled under his breath and floated back to the end of the room. Or he tried to.
When he was a few feet from his padawan, his platform stopped in its tracks. The Jedi master was momentarily confused; he'd never had this problem before. Then he felt his padawan's presence manipulating the controls. Deciding to turn the table on his padawan, he jumped off the platform and, in midair, pushed it back.
Harry did him proud. Sensing the reversal, Harry let it come, deftly jumping into the air as it shot through the space he was previously occupying. In the air, he cast an orange ball of energy that incinerated the platform on contact. He landed on his feet, hands glowing. From brief experience, Yoda knew the red glow to be a "stunner" as Harry liked to call it. For all his centuries of experience, Yoda could not yet cast a "stunner," something Harry took no little pleasure in holding over his head.
"Good work my young padawan. Seen that orange spell before I have not."
The red glow on his hands dissolved as he diminished his aggressive connection with the Force. "That was a blasting hex, the lowest level. The incantation is confringo if you care to try, he added with a smile that looked pleasant but was anything but.
Yoda wagged. "Insubordinate you are. Such unkind things to an old man you say." But Yoda didn't even attempt the spell. Until he could cast a stunner, he wasn't going to try any new spells. "Now, fix my platform if you please. Much work we have to do still."
Harry sighed so melodramatically, Yoda had to chuckle again. His new padawan and his friends, including Anakin, were unlike any Jedi he had been around for several centuries. But their youthful energy was addictive. They were a breath of fresh air, a very much-needed breath at that.
Harry waved his hand, not bothering to repair the damaged platform. The rubble disappeared and, after another wave, a new platform appeared out of the thin air. A third wave, this time causing Harry's hand and the platform to glow blue, and the platform floated toward Yoda. The Jedi master jumped up and settled on the pillow.
"Very good Harry. Now, time it is I think to meet the others in the Jedi archives. Studying on the Jedi Code you four will continue while the masters and I confer with the rest of the council."
Harry nodded. "Sounds like a plan master." His excitement was evident when he almost ran to the archive chambers. From what he told him about his past and what Yoda surmised in unobtrusive observation, Harry loved his friends very deeply and, while being apart from them did not inhibit his power, being with them clearly gave him a boost.
After their masters were gone, Harry, Hermione, Ron, and Anakin each grabbed holopads about the Jedi Code and took a seat in the back corner of the archive chamber. Of course Hermione took more then Harry and Ron combined. Amusingly, Anakin took almost as much as Hermione. Like Hermione, he had a burning itch to know things, especially if it involved building things with his hands. But even abstract things, like the Jedi Code, were fascinating to him.
"Blimey Annie," said Ron, eyeing his pile of holopads. "We're here for a little light reading."
Anakin glared at Ron, mostly because he hated being called Annie, even if it was a name his mum gave him and one Padmé usually called him by. "I want to know more about the Jedi. Six months ago I was a slave on a planet in the outer rim. I'm not going to pass up the opportunity to learn about the Jedi. I want to be as powerful as I can."
Harry was a little worried about Anakin's fixation with power. It seemed like every time they worked together, Anakin was talking about power or strength. Harry did not want to nag him though, not yet. The boy was a slave not too long ago and the memory of him mum toiling away in servitude burned in his every thought. Harry hoped in time he'd move past this power fix.
"I agree with Anakin," said Harry. Ron gaped at him like he had started spouting Swahili. "I'm not going to grab another half dozen books Ron," the old vernacular died hard for Harry, "But it is important we know as much as we can about the Jedi Code, the old and the new. We're the first group of Jedi to swear to the old code in centuries. Our masters swore to the old code and they'll tear us apart if we don't know what we're talking about."
Ron mumbled under his breath about "fought Voldemort" and "know everything we need about good and evil" but he kept reading. Master Windu was having an incredible influence on Ron; he was just the flexible hard ass Ron needed to as a mentor.
That said, after about an hour, Harry, Ron, and even Anakin were getting a little antsy. At last, Ron turned his holopad off. "All right, I've done enough reading for right now." Hermione snorted, earning a glare from Ron. But that was his only response, which surprised Harry.
"Me too," chimed in Anakin, turning off his holopad. In the past hour he had read through two and a half holopads, short of the almost four for Hermione but well ahead of both Harry and Ron. "What should we do until the Council meeting is over."
Harry shrugged his shoulders. They were not allowed to leave and there was no training area. The trio had been trying to teach Anakin magic, and he was learning it faster then any of their masters, but he was still below a first year level. They also hadn't built light sabers yet. That would happen after they swore to the Jedi Code.
As they thought about what to do, Harry noticed a group of younglings coming in and heading towards the "simulation" room as Harry called it. In his admittedly biased opinion, it was the greatest invention ever. Holopads were played virtually and students could practice the exercises as they went. When he asked Yoda why every holopad wasn't like that, his master responded that finding knowledge on one's own was necessary to finding wisdom.
Then Harry had a great idea. Without saying anything, he ran around the table, rapping his friends on the top of their head and turning them invisible.
"Harry, what in the blazes are you doing," asked Hermione and Ron simultaneously. If he could see Anakin, he expected his newest friend would look lost.
"I want to have some fun with the younglings," Harry answered with an invisible smile. "You guys in."
"I'm in," Ron responded enthusiastically.
"Me too," added Anakin.
"Well, how about you Hermione?"
He could sense his best female friend's trepidation. The Jedi academy was not Hogwarts, was something she was surely thinking. Well, so what if it wasn't. Hogwarts was more fun, but that was because most Jedi were stodgy. For what other reason were they brought into the Order if not to inject a little brevity. Besides, he didn't have anything dangerous in mind. Just some fun.
"All right Harry," she said at last. "But if we get in trouble…"
"We'll get expelled and die on the streets," said Ron sarcastically. "Come on Mione, don't fight it."
"Fine Ronald. Let's go."
They snuck over to the simulation chamber, careful not to disturb the matron in charge. Harry really had no idea what he wanted to do once they got there. The he noticed a set of twins in the chamber and he had an idea.
"Okay, Anakin much as I hate to say it, you need to sit this one out."
"But why," he whined.
"Shhhhh," Harry said urgently. "You don't know magic yet. But cover us okay."
"Fine," the boy wonder grumbled.
"What are we doing Harry," asked Ron. Harry outlined his plan in hushed tones, just loud enough for Anakin to hear. The boy chuckled which convinced Harry this would be a good prank. Ron and Hermione laughed too, which he took as a good sign.
As quietly as they could, careful not to draw the notice of Cin Drallig, the trio moved about the younglings. Cambiamento canarino he cast silently, waving his hand over their back. A brief yellow circle glowed on their back for a fraction of a second before vanishing.
When all thirty children had the spell cast on them, the trio crawled out of the room and back to their seats. After a few minutes of pretending to read, there was a commotion coming from the simulation chamber. The trio and Anakin, careful to keep their faces concerned but not too fake, ran to the room. They couldn't help but smile at what they saw.
Thirty children-sized canaries were struggling inside the simulation helmets, chirping madly and flapping their wings. Cin Drallig didn't know what to do; he clearly never imagined anything like this happening.
"Is there any…," began Anakin before Harry stomped on his foot. But the Drallig noticed them. He was one of the progressive Jedi, wise, progressive, and pragmatic. He looked back at the younglings and back at the quartet, his eyes narrowed.
"Did you four have anything to do with this?" Before any of them could answer, the younglings exploded in a rush of feathers, retuning back to normal. A few were shaken but when they noticed the feathers, they laughed along with their friends. Drallig looked astonished by their reaction. But, after a few threw their feathers and started running around, putting down their robes, he smiled too.
Master Drallig watched them for a few minutes before rounding on the quartet, an amused grin on his face. He lowered his voice. "I have to report this to the Council but you're secret is safe with me." He tipped them a wink.
Then he stood tall again and turned to the younglings. "I have to report to the Council what has happened here today. These four," he gestured towards the quartet, "Will watch you until I return. Respect them as you would respect me." He left the archive chamber, smiling again at the quartet as he passed.
"What happened to us," chirped one of the younglings, a little Togruta girl of perhaps four.
"You transformed into a giant canary," answered Harry, ignoring Hermione's poignant stare.
"You can do that with the Force," exclaimed another youngling, a little human boy.
Harry and Ron nodded. "That's right," said Ron. "You can do all sorts of fun things with the Force. Shall we show them Harry?"
"Yes. Let's do." Harry and Ron clapped their hands, each levitating two chairs and having them rotate through the air.
"We've seen our masters do that already," said a third boy snobbily. "What's so special about levitation?"
Ron looked ready to growl at the boy but Harry answered first to avoid a scene. "We do something a little different. Ron, mini horntails maybe."
"Sounds good Harry." The pair concentrated on their chairs, transfiguring them into miniature Hungarian Horntails. The mini dragons flew threw through the crowd of younglings, playfully snapping at their head and hands. The younglings were a little scared at first but then they started chasing the dragons.
Hermione watched disapprovingly at first but her resolve broke and, with a wave of her hands, filled the room with bubbles of different colors and sizes. The bubbles also wouldn't pop and the younglings and dragons bounced off the bubbles, laughing and giggling.
"Amusing padawan," said a stern voice from the doorway.
Hermione vanished her bubbles in an instant, much to the displeasure of the younglings, who did not understand that Master Ki-Adi-Mundi was upset. Harry and Ron took their time transfiguring the dragons back into chairs. For some strange reason, one of Harry's dragons singed Mundi's beard with a sneeze as he was returning to form. Even stranger, this seemed to upset Mundi.
"So sorry Master," said Harry, voice overflowing with false sincerity. "Let me fix it."
"That's quite all right padawan." But Harry didn't listen. He waved his hand and Mundi's beard returned to its normal length. Then it grew a few more inches and tied off in a braided ponytail. Mundi looked furious but the younglings thought it was hilarious.
"You are on dangerously thin ice Padawan," Mundi said darkly. His scowled when all Harry did was shrug. Harry truly did not care what Mundi thought. Yoda, even though he trained Mundi, was starting to become disappointed in his old padawan. Mundi was a stick in the mud, something Harry knew once he met him in the Council chambers.
Harry and the others followed Mundi as he led them to the Council chambers. Drallig was leaving as they arrived. He tipped a conspiratorial wink to them, careful that Mundi did not notice.
Mundi left them in the waiting room for a minute. Harry tried to poke in to see how Mundi was trying to twist what had happened in the simulation chamber. To his surprise, another presence was blocking his push.
What the bloody hell!
Privacy you must learn to respect my young padawan. Nothing wrong with curiosity there is but respect you must exercise.
Harry did not expect Yoda to know he was trying to peek in. He hoped he did not disappoint Yoda too much. He wasn't trying to be rude.
Sure I am that you did not intend to be rude. Upset with you I am not. Quite the opposite in fact. Respect the privacy of others is all I ask. What others wish for you to know, tell you they will. Respect their wishes.
I understand master.
Very good. Your friends may enter.
"Come on guys," said Harry, getting to his feet. "They're ready for us." His friends followed his lead, walking straight to the center of the chamber. Ki-Adi-Mundi and T'un eyed them with more then a little dislike. Mundi looked doubly upset because he couldn't fix his beard. Harry stifled a grin.
Mace Windu got to his feet to address the quartet. "Today you four will be fully inducted into the Jedi Order. First you must swear to the Jedi Code." Master Windu sat back down.
"Before begin your induction we do, ask about what happened in the simulation chamber we must. Master Drallig told us that the younglings transformed into large yellow birds, though molted their feathers, eventually they did. Know anything about this do any of you?"
Harry was sure Yoda already knew they were responsible. No other Jedi could do magic, and even if they could, nor would most of them use magic for such whimsical purposes. Mace, Qui-Gon, and Adi Gallia probably knew as well.
Deny the charge you may Harry. So long as no younglings or masters are hurt, no harm there is in letting you have fun. Said before I did that a breath of fresh air you four are to the Order. Stifle your energy I will not so long as inhibit your training or the training of others it does not.
I understand master.
"We only just arrived to see the younglings change into birds," said Harry.
"We wanted to help but the returned to normal before we could do anything," offered Ron.
"Very well. We will not make this an issue," said Mace, to the immense displeasure of Mundi and T'un. "However, if you see anything strange, we expect you to report what you see. Am I clear?" The quartet nodded. "Good. Now, lets move onto your induction. Please stand in front of Master Yoda."
"You are the first group of padawans to swear to the old Code in almost a millennium. It is the foundation of the Knight of the Old Republic, of the Jedi who created our fraternity tens of thousands of years ago. Are your ready?" All four nodded, Harry stifling his disdain for all the pomp and circumstance.
"Very good. Repeat the Code after me. You will be asked questions as we go to make sure you understand the Code. It means nothing if you do not know to what you are swearing loyalty."
"There is emotion, yet peace."
"There is emotion yet peace."
"Padawan Granger, how can you have peace in your life with emotion," asked Qui-Gon.
"Emotions are not something to avoid. If we avoid our emotions, we open ourselves up to an emotional attack. Instead we need to understand our emotions and learn to moderate their influence, especially those that lead to the dark side."
"Very good," praised Mace. "There is ignorance, yet knowledge."
"There is ignorance, yet knowledge."
"How is it possible Padawan Skywalker for there to be both ignorance and knowledge," Mace asked.
"A Jedi must be circumspective and try to understand the world that is surrounding him. No one being can know everything that has ever or will ever happen. Ignorance is not something to be feared then, but used to motivate us to learn as much as we can about the world. If we start thinking we know everything, we become stagnant and vulnerable."
"Outstanding. There is passion, yet serenity."
"There is passion, yet serenity."
Padawan Potter, how is passion different then emotion? What does this maxim mean," asked Gallia.
"People are constantly struggling with the world around them. At times the temptation is so great to use a heavy hand, especially if you know you have power in the situation. As Jedi, we must keep all other options open before we resort to an attack. Theodore Roosevelt once said 'Don't hit at all if it is honorably possible to avoid hitting; but never hit soft.' That is a maxim or the Jedi. Passionate use of power leads to the dark side. A Jedi must always act with a calm hand and an even temper."
"Very good," complimented Mace. "There is chaos, yet harmony."
"There is chaos, yet harmony."
"Padawan Weasley, to what is the maxim referring," asked Mace, a critical eye on his padawan.
Ron took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. Harry held his breath by contrast, hoping his friend was ready.
"This maxim reflects the cosmology of the Jedi Order. A Jedi realizes that all things are interconnected and, more importantly, interdependent, in a never-ending cycle of balance. Things like failure, disappointment, and disagreement should be taken in stride. As Jedi, we should not deny the fact that tragic and terrible things happen; instead we need to understand that tragedy is a fact of life. This too leads to a balanced, objective, and realistic view of life and the Force."
"Great work my young padawan," Mace said with pride. "There is death, yet the Force."
"There is death, yet the Force."
"Padawan Potter, explain this maxim for the Council," prompted Yoda. This was a fitting maxim for Harry because of his experience with death, and one Harry did not need to study to understand, considering the tragic events in his life.
"A Jedi, like many ancient feudal knights of various empires, must always be ready for death. As Ron said, some things are inevitable. To fight them is foolish and to let them weigh you down is dangerous. Death is not a tragedy but simply part of the life cycle. Without death, life could not exist. The Force in us, still lives on after we die. Death is a transitory state for any living being and is not truly an end to one's life, but merely the beginning of the next stage of one's journey. Through the Force, existence continues both as a constant state of connection to all living things as well as through the state of afterlife which follows death."
"Good," rasped Yoda. "Proud of you all I am. Inducted fully into the Jedi Order you are. Your masters will soon take you on trips to build you connection with the Force and see the galaxy at its most natural. On your trips, build you light sabers you will."
All four looked excited at the prospect of building their light sabers, though Harry was trying to think what Yoda had in store for him in their travels.
"Harry."
It had been about two hours since the quartet had sworn to the Jedi Code. It was rather anticlimactic but they were thinking about where their masters were going to take them.
"Do you think we'll go together," asked Anakin hopefully.
"I doubt it," replied Harry. "Even if they've encouraged us to work together and work well together on the Council, they have different ideas about how to train. I suspect for this they are going to take us to places of their choosing: to see what they want us to see. I am curious about what other life is out there in this galaxy."
"Me too. There are so many different beings just here in the temple. I can't imagine what else is out there," said Hermione.
"'What else is out there?' Very X-Files of you Hermione," said Ron. Hermione blew him a raspberry. "I'm really looking forward to building our light sabers. Watching the other masters and their older padawans train has been torture. Those look like a lot of fun."
"Remember what Harry said today though Ronald. Our weapons are a last resort. You were always the most trigger-happy when we were fighting the Death Eaters."
"Well forgive me. I didn't hear you complaining after I saved you from those Death Eaters in Manchuria."
"Ron, you demolition spells probably hurt, and maybe even killed, more then a few innocent people. I had everything in hand against those Death Eaters before you interfered."
Ron got up from the table, knocking his chair back to the floor with a crash, and causing everyone to turn in their direction. "Well excuse me for saving you. It'll be a cold day in hell before I think about doing something like that again."
Harry watched his friend stalk off. "Hermione, do you really think you handled that well. And before you yell at me about taking his side, really think about what you said."
Hermione looked defiant. But after visibly thinking, she deflated and looked sad. "I can't believe I said that to him."
"It was a little harsh," said Anakin, adding his two cents before Harry could stop him. Harry may have been able to keep Hermione's anger in check but Anakin couldn't. To Harry's relief though, Hermione didn't fly off the handle. She just left. Harry could've followed her but this was something she needed to handle on her own.
"Well Anakin, I'm going to my chambers. Master Yoda wanted to see me before bed. Are you coming?"
Anakin shook his head. "No, I'm going to stay here for a little while. I'll see you later." Harry smiled and clapped his friend on his back before leaving.
Yoda was waiting in his room when he arrived. "I'm sorry Yoda. I hope I didn't keep you waiting."
"A problem it is not my young padawan. Time to meditate this was. Since being appointed to the head of the Jedi Order, little time to meditate I have had." He eyed Harry speculatively. "Okay are you? Sad you look."
"What? Oh, yeah. I'm fine. Hermione and Ron had a tiff." Harry chuckled. "I should be used to it by now but, now that they've been going out for so long, it's hard to see them fight."
The look Yoda was giving him was hard for Harry to read. Then he realized that if Yoda had eyebrows, one would be raised. "What does it mean, to 'go out?' Never before have I heard that phrase."
"It means that they were a couple, boyfriend and girlfriend," explained Harry, unsure if he was making sense.
But Yoda understood. "Ah, life partners they are, though not yet have they consummated their relationship."
Harry shook his hand. "Well, you're half right. They weren't married before we came to this galaxy. But they have consummated their relationship." Harry blushed, remembering accidentally walking in on them once in the Room of Requirement during their seventh year. Yoda chuckled at his padawan's glowing cheeks.
"Nothing to be embarrassed about my young padawan. Marriage is discouraged in the Jedi, but if two souls love each other, as your friends do, nothing wrong I see with becoming lie partners."
Harry chuckled ruefully. "I can think of a few masters who would disagree with you there."
Yoda shrugged his shoulders. "Understand their position I do. Guilty I am of feeling the same way until recently. But the more I reflect on my past training, the more I realize that ignoring our emotions is no less a danger then succumbing totally to them."
Yoda then turned a speculative eye on Harry. "Your friends, careful they are now to show affection?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Padawan, understand I do the affection of others, but propriety, important it is. Too great they show their affection, scandalized eyes they will draw, like a moth to flame."
"Ah, I understand what you're saying. I'm not sure if they've done anything since we've been here. I haven't been with them as much. But knowing Hermione, she will keep Ron on the straight and narrow in public. She wouldn't want to draw that kind of attention."
"Good. Now, talk to you I would about where we are going tomorrow."
"We're going to leave tomorrow," asked Harry, not expecting such a quick departure, though it was rather welcomed.
"We are. To two planets I wish to take you right now: Nar Shaddaa and Korriban."
"Korriban," asked Harry, trying to remember something Anakin told him a few weeks ago. "Isn't that one of the Sith planets or something."
"It is a Sith planet. Abandoned for millennium though, it has been. Visit the old tombs of the Sith Lords we will. Experienced the wrath of one powerful Dark Lord you have; introduce you to a planet born of the dark side now, to see the scope of the dark side."
"And Nar Shaddaa?"
"That is a different sort of planet. Centuries ago, rivaled Coruscant it did in wealth and grandeur. No more. Never before I have I walked a planet that was so alive with the Force, yet so dead to it. There we will go first, develop your connection with the living Force." Yoda floated toward the door. "Sleep well my young padawan."
The trip to Nar Shaddaa would take three days. Harry thought he would have to use the time to meditate or on some other kind of training. He was pleasantly surprised to find Yoda wanted to use this time to build his light saber. Harry, who had researched light sabers when he wasn't studying the history of the Jedi, was looking forward to building his own.
"Harry, before your light saber you can build, determine your affiliation in the Order we must. Ask you a few questions I will. Answer truthfully. Have you any questions before I begin?"
"No sir."
"Good. Now, a woman and her child in an alley you see, being attacked by four thugs. What do you do?"
"I would protect the woman and attack the thugs," he answered without hesitation.
"Good. To investigate a murder, sent to a nearby cantina you are. How do you get your answers?"
Harry paused, trying to decide how he would get information. "Do I assume this is the first time I'm interrogating them or have they been uncooperative?"
"I cannot say. That is for you to decide."
"Very well. I would try to persuade them, to avoid a conflict that may lead to people being hurt for nothing."
"Good. A poor beggar asks for 5 credits. What do you do?"
Harry reflected back on his horrible existence with the Dursley's, having no money and remembering how his aunt and uncle refused to spend any amount of money on him. The he remembered how poor Ron and his family was, or at least was growing up because there were so many children. Perhaps both those factors affected his judgment.
"I would give him 10 galleons. Excuse me, 10 credits."
"Good. In the heat of battle you are, with a dangerous adversary. There is a break in the combat. What do you do?"
"I would take the time to go over the battle and find a weakness. Blindly rushing into the fight could prove disastrous."
"Good. Prefer do you to fight at a distance or in close contact with the enemy?"
This was a tough question. Depending on the situation, he would use different tactics. But in general, he was one to slug it out with an enemy toe-to-toe. "I prefer fighting in close contact with the enemy."
"Good. Last question. Rule two cities you do, one large and prosperous the other small and poor. Plan to attack the small city your enemies are. What do you do?"
This was a no brainer as far as Harry was concerned. "I would defend the smaller city."
"Your answers do you credit Harry. Very impressed I am with your ability to assess situations and decide when to attack and when you use your instincts. Though the decision, yours it is, recommend I would for you to become a guardian. Great knowledge you have, powerful in the Force you will become, but more comfortable you are, if only just, in combat."
"What are you master?"
"I am a consular. Again, there does not always exist a great distinction between consulars and guardians. I am a consular, yes, but I am very skilled in light saber combat."
"Then sir, I would like to become a guardian."
"Good. When achieve the rank of master you do, a new title will be bestowed upon you: warrior master."
"Before you can build your light saber, one last decision must be made. What type of saber do you wish to wield?"
"What types are there master?"
"The traditional single blade, as I myself wield. And there is a double-bladed saber, as you saw on Naboo. The double-blade is generally favored by guardians, though many also choose to use two single-bladed sabers as well."
Harry thought about which to use, seeing the pros and cons of both. "Could I have both," he asked suddenly.
"Understand your question, I am afraid I do not."
"Can I construct two light sabers but build them so they can connect. That way, depending on the situation, I can use one, both, or connect them. In my world, there were swordsmen who favored one blade, others who favored two, and those that favored long blades. I trained in all forms and imagine using a light saber would be much the same."
Yoda looked thoughtful for a moment. "Possible it is, my young padawan, to construct two single blade sabers. Unsure I am how to connect them. If desire this arrangement you do, help you to experiment I will. But unravel this secret on your own you must."
"Deal," Harry said. "Now, do you have the parts for me to begin?"
"You know what parts you need," Yoda asked, though he had a knowing look in his eyes.
"I do master. After seeing them in action, I made it a point to learn as much as I could about light sabers. I hope you'll forgive me, but I bent Master Drallig's ear quite a bit. He told me a great deal about saber history and lore."
"Ah, a warrior master he is, and one of the best in the Order today. Not surprising it is, to decide to talk to him you did. As I said, help you I will to build two sabers that can connect, but the design must be your own."
"I understand master. I'm ready to begin if you have all the materials."
About 12 hours before they were due to arrive on Nar Shaddaa; Harry had successfully constructed two single-bladed light sabers that could connect. One was a brilliant silvery-blue and the other was bright violet, a few shades lighter then Master Windu's. They each had curved hilts, built with Yoda's help to conform to his lead and secondary hand (right and left respectively). When the curved ends were connected, using a charm Harry created to improve his ability to bond with foreign wands, it produced a saber staff with slightly off-center blades but he could move with much more fluidity then with the first saber staff he crated.
"Good work my young padawan," Yoda praised when Harry was finished. "Excellent use of your magic that was. Spend time you should, practicing with your new saber."
"I will Master Yoda."
The diminutive Jedi master nodded and floated out of the room, presumably to his own chambers. When he was gone, Harry cleared a space in the center of his chamber, to give him space to practice the swordsmen katas he learned in Japan.
Yoda watched behind Harry's door, using the Force to watch his movements. His apprentice was quite a natural with a light saber. He needed to compensate early on for the weight change between a sword and he light saber; the force needed to go through a medium slash for a sword was much greater then a light saber.
Harry practiced moving between his various saber combinations, a jerky and awkward shift at first but after a few minutes he seemed to feel the presence of the other blade and could connect and disconnect them with little effort after a few tries.
Yoda, who favored the Ataru form but was a master in all seven basic light saber forms, did not know what form would work best for his apprentice. He suspected though, given his emotional disposition and propensity for internal emotional flairs, he would follow Master Windu and master Juyo.
He would also need training in Jar'Kai but Yoda would not be able to provide training in that form. He never favored two sabers, finding the second too cumbersome. Cin Drallig and, if he could be convinced, Master T'un would be the best teachers for Harry to learn Jar'Kai.
Yoda did not intend to teach Harry the intricacies of light saber combat until they returned to Coruscant. He was sufficiently skilled in both the Force—his "magical" training giving him an incredible leg up on new Jedi—and swordsmanship and would be fine on this trip.
"Stay close to me Harry," said Yoda as their ship landed in the refugee center. "Know this planet well you do not."
"I understand master. Forgive me, but how can you concentrate here with so much…noise in the background." Harry was not talking about audible noise and was confidant Yoda would understand.
"Quite surprised I am Harry, that detect the torrential rush of the Force you can. Reflect on what you are feeling. Discuss this sensation, soon we will." With that Yoda, opting for his cane instead of floating platform, walked down the platform. Harry sensed a slight focus on his light saber. Harry followed suit, eyes trying to look everywhere at once.
Yoda led him past a few merchants, into the main square such as it was. For reasons that escaped Harry, there was a deep abyss in the middle of the square. As they neared the railing around the abyss, the feeling of millions of voices fighting to be heard grew stronger.
"Hear that do you Harry?"
"I do master. What is it?"
"You are feeling the millions of suffering people echoing through the Force."
"How is this possible? I mean, I never felt this in my world, not like this."
"Hmmm. Difficult to say. Tell me, how many people lived on your planet?"
"Maybe five or five and a half billion people. Why?"
"That may have something to do with the sensation you are feeling. On this planet, more then seven billion live. Four out of every five beings live under out feet in a veritable hell. Their pain echoes throughout the Force for all those to hear. Difficult it is to maintain a connection to the Force while on this planet. Incredible it is that you can."
"Is this why you brought me here master? To feel these people, this suffering."
Yoda shook his head. "No, it is not. Visit we are, a long-abandoned Sith academy. Not long will we stay but something important to see there is. Come. Follow me." Yoda walked around the railing, without purpose as far as Harry could see. Then they came to an elevator Harry hadn't seen so much as felt, back in the shadows of the southeast corner of the square.
"A long ride we have Harry, deep into the core of the planet. The Sith who built this academy was a man of secrecy, and well he should've been because he was hunted by followers and opponents alike."
"Master, who built this academy? Why did he build it on this planet?"
"Can you think of no reason why someone would come to this planet to build an academy?"
Harry thought for a minute, no idea coming to him. Then he felt another rush of powerful sadness and despair and he came up with an answer. "The Sith wanted to hide his presence from the Jedi."
Yoda nodded. "Very good. But not only from the Jedi. Darth Kaan, the man who built this academy, was leader of a Sith paramilitary unit called the Brotherhood of Darkness. Thousands of Sith warlords, acolytes, and fallen Jedi flocked to his banner. At his peak, he led an army that could've toppled the Republic."
"Why didn't he do it then?"
"He was afraid," Yoda answered simply. "He was the last of the Sith Lords to rule alone. Fragile was his hold on power. Sweeping victories he led against the Republic and Jedi Order. But rebellion simmered, in spite of his victories."
"To save himself from attack, created this academy he did, hidden from his 'allies.' Trained here, elite Sith assassins he did, loyal only to him. Smart he was, because after the devastating defeats over and on the planet Ruusan, slipping was his hold on the Sith."
"What happened to him," asked Harry, already getting an idea.
"One of his followers, an immensely powerful Sith Lord called only Bane, plotted to kill him and did, in a way. Mad Kaan was going, his mind breaking. Told him Bane did about a weapon so powerful it could destroy an entire planet if deployed properly. His grand 'victory' seemingly lost, Kaan tried to use the weapon."
"What was the weapon called?"
"A Thought Bomb the weapon was called, one of the most powerful pervasions of the dark side. The bomb destroyed all of Kaan's Sith followers, save three. The Sith were assumed destroyed. The Republic and the Jedi rejoiced."
Harry couldn't believe what he was hearing. The thought bomb sounded almost unreal, a weapon of mass destruction almost too powerful to imagine. But this was the point when the Jedi assumed the Sith extinct. "Master Yoda, if three survived, why would anyone assume the Sith were dead?"
"Know there were survivors, very few knew. One was my master. Darth Bane survived and transformed the Sith in his image. If in power instead of Kaan he was, possible it would've been, the galaxy he would've conquered. Established the Rule of Two he did, refusing to make the mistakes Kaan and other Sith Lords before him made."
"What is the rule of two?"
"Always two Sith Lords there are, no more, no less. Sith acolytes, assassins, marauders, and warriors will always exist. But only two lords, one to hold the power, the other to crave it."
"And that is what the Sith are like today?"
"Possible it is. Remember, know about the Sith today, no one does. The dark side clouds everything, a cloud denser then I have ever encountered. A powerful Sith Lord, operating in the galaxy there is. What his or her intentions are, know I do not."
Before he could continue his tale, the elevator stopped with a screech and thunk. "Remove your light saber," Yoda advised, putting his cane away and igniting his green light saber. As he did, Harry felt a rush of the Force revolving frantically around Yoda. He didn't know why but he suspected it would help him in a fight, if one came.
The pair walked down the dark tunnel, the only light coming from their light sabers. After a few minutes, Harry muttered a few incantations, boosting his senses, strength, and endurance.
"Good idea that is my young padawan," said Yoda, sensing the rush of the Force. "Similar magic I have done."
Soon Harry felt a powerful rush of darkness, a smoldering aura of hatred, lust, and power. They must have been coming up to the academy.
Sure enough, the corner of a massive building came into sight, lit by the two light sabers. A few more yards and they came to a door into the academy. Above the door, just faintly visible, was a curious picture of two, sideways, three-peaked mountains on the side of a black circle.
"Master Yoda, what is that," Harry asked, pointing to the symbol.
"Sign of the Dark Lord of the Sith that is. Over 25000 years old the symbol is, representing the eye of Korriban, the ancestral homeland of the true Sith." Yoda moved towards the door. "Come. Little time we have." Using the Force, Yoda pushed open the academy doors and led Harry into the massive entrance chamber, in which stood a massive statue of a man who looked a little like a young Slytherin, though not as monkey like.
"Lord Kaan this is," said Yoda. "Touch the base of the statue when you are ready. The spirit of this once proud Dark Lord still lives in this academy. Face him you must, experience the power of a once great Sith Lord."
Harry gulped, not expecting this challenge. But he would not back down. He walked over to the statue and placed his hand on the cool marble.
Nothing happened as far as he could see.
Then he heard the rumble of stone moving around the statue, forming an arena of sorts. A ghost, denser then Nearly Headless Nick came into existence, a foreboding leer on his face and a long, black sword in his hand.
"Welcome interloper," Lord Kaan said, his voice sounding far off, as if he were talking through a tunnel. "Invaded my academy you have." The sword twirled in his hand, the light from Harry's light saber flickering off the sleek metal surface. "You will never leave here. But don't worry, you will be reunited with your lost love."
Harry's eyes narrowed, a rush of wind making his robes flap ominously. He dropped into a defensive stance, his left hand a few feet above his light saber. His hand was also glowing a pale blue, a spell already ready to fly.
"Come on," Harry snarled. "Make your move."
Kaan yelled and charged Harry. The boy-who-lived slid back, magically icing his shoes. Then he pushed his hand towards Kaan, firing his ice curse. The Sith Lord tried to defend himself with his sword but the spell didn't rebound; it froze his sword to his ghostly hands, much to Kaan's dismay.
Harry used the moment to banish Kaan, his ghostly body hitting the fallen pillar with an almost human smack. But the Dark Lord would not be easily defeated. As Harry ran in for the kill, the Dark Lord spun on the floor, shooting up like a missile and knocking Harry to the floor, his nose bleeding.
"You'll have to do better then that boy. Even your new tricks won't help you." Kaan ran at Harry, clearly ready to cut his head off as he lay on the ground. Imagine his surprise when Harry disappeared on the spot, reappearing behind the Sith Lord. Another ice charm, this one hitting the target, sent Kaan to the ground, most of his torso frozen.
Harry summoned the sword out of his hand and, magically enhancing his strength again, broke it in half over his knee.
"That was a mistake boy," Kaan said with a mad laugh.
"I don't think so," Harry said, stabbing Kaan through the heart. The ghost disappeared in a black cloud.
"I'm still here boy," said Kaan behind him and Harry just barely managed to apparate again before another cold blade of steel nearly cut off his head.
Harry did not falter, did not blink even though he was confused. Clearly he wasn't supposed to destroy the sword. Maybe that was what he needed to use to defeat the Sith Lord.
"You are quite powerful in the Force boy. And I sense great anger in you. You could make a great Sith Lord."
"Or I could kill you now." Harry raised his hand over his head, muttering furiously under his breath. Kaan ducked, not sure what to expect. But when nothing happened, he smiled crazily and ran at Harry, intending to finish the boy-who-lived off.
He never came close.
Harry's spell, an ancient dark spell he learned from, of all people, Grindelwald, opened a hole in the ground, releasing spirits of the damned. Harry didn't know how it worked in the galaxy but he didn't question it. The spirits turned into a bolt of flame and swirled around Kaan. The heat and light of the flame caused endless pain to the fallen Sith Lord.
"What kind of magic is this," Kaan wailed.
Harry didn't answer. In one fluid motion, he banished the ring of fire, summoned Kaan's sword, and stabbed him through the heart. The spirit disappeared, along with the sword. The pillars returned to their place, letting Yoda hobble up to Harry.
"Incredible work Harry. Underestimate you brand of magic I do. Disposed of Kaan faster then I expected."
"Thank you master. But I don't understand why you wanted me to face him."
"Before I could take you to Korriban, sure I needed to be that you could handle yourself. The spirits you will face on Korriban will be much more deadly."
"How so? No disrespect to Kaan, but a many of Voldemort's followers were better fighters then he was, and Voldemort outclassed him in every way."
"Not surprising that is. The spirit of Kaan, been here for a thousand years he has. Time and absence from the Force has robbed him of his strength. Still a worthy test of your abilities and assured I am that ready for Korriban you are. If ready you are, return to our ship we should."
Harry nodded and followed Yoda out of the academy and back to the ship.
Coruscant
Darth Sidious say imperiously in his office, looking over the sprawling cityscape. A gentle knock at his door jarred him from his thoughts. "Enter," he rasped, voice colder then the polar ice caps on Telos IV, ten times colder the Lord Voldemort.
An elder aristocrat entered his office. "Chancellor Palpatine," he asked, trying to see through the dim lighting.
"Sit down Count," Sidious ordered. The fallen Jedi, perhaps unnerved, sat down, his hand nervously twitching under his robe. Sidious smiled. "Do you wish to kill my Count? If you do, I will not defend myself. However, by killing me, you will kill any hope of saving the Republic. Is that really what you wish to have happen?"
"N…no."
Sidious smiled again, a darkly sinister smile that chilled Dooku to the bone. "I want to save the Republic Count, just as you do. For too long, the Jedi have pretended to safeguard the Republic yet when our back is turned, they scheme and contrive to boost their power, even at the cost of innocent lives. You saw this yourself in the Battle of Galidraan. The governor manipulated the Jedi. Instead of admitting their mistake, they unleash another war on the people of Baltizaar. So many innocent lives were destroyed, both because of ignorance and out of an arrogant pursuit of power. Absolute power has, as it is wont to do, corrupted the Jedi."
Sidious knew immediately it would not be hard to convince this man to join the Sith. Already his thoughts were traveling down a path that ended in Jedi retribution. There was yet one obstacle that needed to be overcome: Master Sifo-Dyas.
"The Jedi's time has come," continued Sidious. "A new dawn is approaching but much work is still left to be done. Not long ago your old, supposed friend Sifo-Dyas, traveled to Kamino."
"Kamino," interrupted Dooku. "The cloners?"
Sidious nodded, repressing the urge to punish Dooku for interrupting. "Yes. He has been sent by the Jedi Council to purchase a grand army for the Jedi, to destroy the Senate and subjugate the Republic."
"No, that can't be possible. I certainly would've heard."
"No. They did not trust you. They were jealous of your wealth and your influence. And they knew you were dissatisfied with their practices. If you were made aware of their plot, it could spell disaster for their usurpation of power."
Dooku looked sad but convinced, as if all the dominoes were falling into place. In a very real sense, he was a fool. But even fools have their uses. And Sidious would only need him to wise up once he was completely under his control.
"Sifo-Dyas is still on Kamino. He is a threat to the safety and continuing stability of the Republic. If you are truly repentant and wish to make amends for your actions as part of the Jedi, travel to Kamino. Kill Sifo-Dyas and then pay for the clone army yourself. Together we can protect the Republic and reveal the plot of the Jedi to the galaxy."
Dooku got to his feet and left without another word. Sidious did not stop him. He would watch the Count closely. If he killed Sifo-Dyas and purchased the clone army, Sidious would take him as his new apprentice. If he didn't, then he would have to die.
"Thank you Lama Su," said Sifo-Dyas with a bow.
"You are welcome. We will begin your order once payment has been received."
"I understand. You'll have the money soon. And I appreciate your agreeing to keep this operation a secret." The Kaminoan nodded and went back to his work, indicating Sifo-Dyas was free to leave.
Sifo-Dyas took a few minutes to pass up his things and gather his thoughts. He knew of only one person who could afford to purchase this clone army and devoutly hoped he could convince him of the need. There were dark times coming and, unless something was done, the Republic would fall to the Sith. Sifo-Dyas did not want to see that day ever come.
It was pouring rain as he went to leave. Won't miss the rain. No sir, I truly won't.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a man sulking in the shadows. "Excuse me, can I help you," he called, his hand carefully concealed under his robes, on his light saber. When the man didn't answer, Sifo-Dyas pulled his saber free but did not ignite it. "I say again, can I help you?"
The person—he now realized it was a man—stepped out of the shadows. He was dressed in all black. "I'm sorry old friend," the man said sadly.
"Dooku," Sifo-Dyas said. Then he saw the flash of silver and red before the light saber impaled him right through the stomach. "Dooku," he coughed, falling to his knees and, mercifully, dying.
"I'm sorry old friend. But if you throw your lot in with serpents, you deserve no less than they." Dooku levitated his old friend into his ship and made sure he was concealed.
A kaminoan female was sitting when Dooku entered the Minister's manor. "May I help you?"
"Yes, I need to speak with Minister Lama Su. It is very important I speak with him immediately."
"Of course. Follow me," she said, almost floating to her feet and gliding down a set of tall but narrow hallways. At last they reached the office of the Prime Minister. "Minister Su, this gentleman would like to speak with you," she said airily.
"Of course. Thank you Taun We." After the female was gone, Lama Su motioned for Dooku to sit. "How can I help you sir?"
"I am here to purchase the clone army for Sifo-Dyas and the Jedi."
"I did not expect you to arrive so soon. I got the impression it would take Sifo-Dyas time to find an investor."
"The Jedi Council ordered me here when they realized Sifo-Dyas was purchasing an army. They are disappointed he did not tell them sooner but grateful for his idea. As the wealthiest member of the Council, naturally I was chosen to finance the army."
"Excellent. 200 thousand units will cost approximately 315 million credits. They will be ready in ten years as Sifo-Dyas requested."
Dooku pulled out a holopad. "Here is a payment advance of 500 million credits. Please contact the following person. He has generously agreed to serve as your clone subject. All that he asks is that you provide him with one, unaltered clone."
"That can most certainly be arranged. While we create the army, we will need him to live on site, at least until the initial order is created. Will that be a problem for your suitor?"
"No. It will not be a problem. Please see to his unaltered clone immediately upon arrival and cater to his every need. He is a very important man."
"That will be no problem. Will you be paying for his room and board?"
For a minute Dooku thought the Kaminoan was mad or else trying to extort more money from him. But the Kaminoans, while merchants, were not programmed in that way. "Yes, I will pay for all his expenses. Please send monthly statements to this address and I will see to it that you are compensated. Is there anything else?"
"Two things. First, under what name is this clone army to be billed?"
"Tyranus."
"Very good. And can you please pronounce the name of the person you request to be cloned? Forgive me but I am not fluent in your Galactic Basic."
"His name is Jango Fett."
I hope you are all enjoying the story. Please review if you have the chance, good or bad. I love to hear from all of you.