Author's Notes: Ugh. I have been trying to write this for months, and just now got it wrestled into something even approaching postable. It doesn't help that my mind has been going blank as soon as I look at a Word Document. I'm also considering posting this over at my page on AO3 … well, this, Out of the Ruins, Out of the Wreckage, and Pieces of the Truth. I may do that while I'm in Atlanta for DragonCon next month. So in this chapter, we finally get that meeting between the Council and the Kenobi father-daughter team that I mentioned (and Aidan and Ami hear way more than they wanted). I'd like to eventually write the confrontation Mace, Plo Koon and Yoda describe here … but maybe I'll just leave it as is, and leave it to y'all's imagination. Could go either way, especially since Mace keep sniping at Qui-Gon about leaving Obi-Wan alone and training his new padawan, since he wanted him so badly. The next chapter, I think, will be a meeting between Dooku and Jango Fett. Assuming they cooperate.
Chapter Nine
The First Step in Saving the Clones
Council Chamber
Jedi Temple, Coruscant
Two and a half Standard years after Thane Solo's death
Over the last few years, ever since he received word that two young humanoids splashed down into the Room of a Thousand Fountains, Mace Windu's understanding of the galaxy and the Force took a turn for the bizarre. At this point, there was no longer a question whether he believed the Solo siblings (or rather Merit Solo, since her older brother Thane died not long after arriving in this time) … but what insane thing would come true next. On the other hand, finding a knight and a padawan asleep on the Council Chambers floor? That was shocking, even to him. Of course, then he learned the identity of the knight (or rather, master) … Jedi Master Aidan Kenobi and his daughter-padawan, Amidala, the other half of the Four. Naturally. Who else would it be?
That was shocking enough … but from what Merit Solo told them, Amidala Kenobi was eleven standard years old. It was nearly three years since the arrival of the Solo brother-and-sister team … by all rights, Amidala should have been fourteen or fifteen. Instead, a twelve-year-old girl stood in front of them. Although, her muttered comment about getting moved by the Force as they slept was really getting old … that provided some information. Mace still wasn't sure if he believed that entirely … but he also didn't disbelieve it.
Someone cleared their throat … Aidan Kenobi, Mace identified. He was in his middle-to-late forties and bore only the vaguest resemblance to his grandfather, at least physically. But there were other similarities … similarities that were harder to define. And wasn't it strange to realize that this man and this girl were descended from a man who was currently in his mid-twenties, whom Mace remembered as a small boy? Yoda observed, "Something to say, you have? Grandson of my great-grandpadawan, you are. Resemble him, you do not. Inherited his spirit, you have." Well, that summed it up better than just about anything Mace considered.
"Master Yoda, the Force bids me to offer its greetings. You already know my identity and that of my daughter. I understand that my old friend Thane Solo has become one with the Force … and that his sister remains in this time as a Knight," Aidan Kenobi said once all eyes were upon him. Plo Koon actually snickered, murmuring, 'that's one way of putting it.' The Master of the Order contented himself with a discreet eye roll. That blasted girl's sense of humor was infecting the rest of the Jedi, including Mace himself.
The Kenobi in front of them raised an eyebrow and Master Plo explained, "She has made herself at home in this time … and your grandfather has made himself at home with her." Now an all-too-familiar headache began to nag at Mace's temples. Usually, it was brought on by Qui-Gon Jinn's frequent rants against the young time-displaced knight and her influence over Obi-Wan. On occasion, though, it was triggered by his fellow Councilors. Right now, though, he wasn't the only one affected in such a way … Amidala Kenobi was staring at them in shock.
The girl muttered, "All right, I didn't see that one coming … Merit and my great-grandfather? I think my brain just melted." Her father wasn't taking the revelation much better, but he was trying to rally and fulfill whatever task the Force brought him here to complete. In that respect, at least, he was definitely Obi-Wan Kenobi's grandson (Mace forced himself not to wonder how Aidan Kenobi's mother came into being … he was quite sure he didn't want to know). The elder/younger Kenobi cleared his throat, drawing the attention of the High Council back to himself, at least for the moment.
"Honored Councilors, my daughter and I come before you today to speak of the clones, and the best way to save them," Aidan Kenobi said. At Mace's puzzled look, he murmured, "I wondered about that. Within the last few years, an order was placed with the cloners of Kamino, for a coming war. But hidden within these clones is a terrible secret, one that carries the seeds of the downfall of the Jedi … and which will reduce the clones themselves to nothing more than mindless slaves. Ami and I have studied this extensively, but every attempt to negate this has met with failure. And so, we come to you … not just to save the Jedi, but to save the clones as well." Mace recoiled, not at the man's words, but at his realization of what the clones would be if the Jedi didn't intervene. They would be slaves, even before the chip was activated.
At his side, Amidala Kenobi spoke up, explaining, "Each clone has been implanted with a chip. Supposedly, it's to control aggression. That by itself is bad enough … but this chip has far more terrifying implications. Because of this chip, the clones will betray the Jedi if they receive one particular order. It's Order Sixty-six, issued by the Supreme Commander of the galaxy for a Jedi insurrection." At this announcement, Mace's blood ran cold. He wasn't sure if Amidala Kenobi realized it, but she just provided a vital clue to the Council about the identity of the Sith Lord.
There was no doubt in his mind that this was tied to the Sith somehow. Which meant that the Sith was far closer than any of them realized … and was likely why Merit wasn't permitted to tell them everything she knew. We must work for our salvation, Mace thought, not for the first time. Merit and Thane were sent back to warn us, but we must save ourselves. But the father-and-daughter team wasn't done. Of course they weren't, that would be far too easy!
Aidan Kenobi went on, "We also learned that the clones are being taught that their only purpose in life is to protect the Jedi. That is their reason for being, it is everything to them. For that reason, they are issued numerical designations, rather than names." It only Mace only a split second to comprehend exactly what the Kenobi father-daughter team was telling them … a split second after that, rage exploded within him, a rage that he quickly pushed into a corner of his soul, where it could be later channeled. But he wasn't the only one who understood what they were being told, the only one who was seeing what all of this would mean, not just for the clones, but for the Jedi as well. In other words, the first step in saving the clones also meant a step forward in saving themselves as well, so closely were their fates tied together.
"A slave army, you speak of," Yoda stated and Aidan Kenobi inclined his head. The Grandmaster of the Order hummed under his breath, murmuring, "A conundrum, this presents. Already created, the clones are. Sentient beings, they are … and innocent." Mace nodded. The clones were innocent in this entire mess, but he could see the war that was coming and the Jedi Order would be forced (no pun intended) to make a horrific choice. They could remain 'neutral' and keep their hands clean. They weren't a military order; they were an order of diplomats and peacekeepers. Or, they could agree to fight for the Republic, if only to ensure that the clone army received commanding officers who didn't see them as so much cannon fodder. Both paths were fraught with danger, but something Thane Solo said to him in the hours before he and his sister left for Naboo with Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, and Anakin Skywalker repeated in his head. 'Sometimes, there are no good choices … sometimes, there are only bad choices and less bad choices. The trick is, telling them apart.' Indeed.
And the grandson of one of those men said now, "Unfortunately, this is a conundrum we have to leave in your hands. We must have faith that you'll take care of the clones and do right by them." Mace bristled at the implication that they might not (or did they not do right by the clones the first time around?) Aidan Kenobi went on, "The Force is whispering to us that it's coming time to move on again, and I have no idea where we'll end up this time." He paused, hesitated for a moment, and then asked, "I may regret asking this … I probably will … but when you say that my grandfather has made himself home with Merit Solo, you mean …?" His voice trailed off. Mace made the mistake of glancing over at Yoda, and nearly groaned at the mischievous smirk decorating the face of the Grandmaster of the Order.
"Mean that, we do. Found Knight Kenobi and Knight Solo in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, his former Master did. Both missing clothes, they were," was the equally mischievous response. Mace had the immense pleasure of seeing Aiden Kenobi's eyes actually bug out of his head (now he knew how he looked when he beheld the sight that actually rendered Qui-Gon Jinn speechless). Amidala Kenobi actually squeaked and covered her mouth with her hands. However, Plo Koon had to put his two credits in.
"More to the point, Master Qui-Gon Jinn found them naked in one of the pools, Knight Solo's legs wrapped around Knight Kenobi's waist as they kissed," the Kel Dor Master and Councilor observed, his amusement coming through loud and clear. Now it was Aidan Kenobi's turn to squeak, his daughter turned bright red, and Mace was torn between face-palming and laughing, not just at their reaction, but remembering the incoherent noises his age-mate made when he found his former padawan and his partner … and how he couldn't look away fast enough when he realized just how much of each knight he was seeing.
"Hmm, yes … need to know that, they did not. Still … amusing, it is," Yoda observed and now Aidan Kenobi was blushing as well. He looked toward Aidan, asking, "Help to train Merit Solo, you did?" That was something Merit mentioned … he hadn't done anything official, but he did teach her a few moves and worked on honing some of her skills. The elder/young Kenobi nodded and Yoda added, amusement clear in his tone, "Caught her son with one arm, she did. Still kissing Knight Kenobi, she was." That drew another laugh from Plo Koon and wrung a reluctant smile from Mace as he remembered that part of the fallout. He was already in the Room of a Thousand Fountains, but knew enough to stay away from that particular pool as it was secluded and a favorite for assignations among young (and not-so-young) Jedi as they moved forward in this new future. That didn't stop him from racing in its general direction when he heard the raised voices (voice, rather … Qui-Gon wasn't even remotely using his 'inside' voice).
He quickly averted his eyes when he beheld the two young bodies curled together in the pool, but that didn't stop him from seeing the tiny boy move quickly from Qui-Gon's grasp. Bran, Merit's three year old son and the reason why Qui-Gon was seeking out his former padawan, squealed and jumped into the pool as if it was a game. Then again, to him, it probably was. Mace thought again of the shatterpoints that surrounded the little boy when he found him two and a half years earlier, and shuddered. He still didn't know who Bran's birth parents were … for all Mace knew, the couple who tried to kill him during his investigation (making that their final mistake) may have killed the little boy's mother and father. What he did know was that those shatterpoints surrounding Bran were gone within a year of Mace's return to the Temple with the infant. The child would have become important in the Empire which Merit told them about … but now, that enemy was an ally.
"Right," Amidala Kenobi said weakly, "Well, we'll leave Merit, our ancestor, and the clones in your hands. Papa? Are you ready to go?" He bobbed his head mutely, his hand reaching out to grasp his daughter's shoulder. If Mace thought the Travelers couldn't still surprise him, he was proven wrong a moment later when Aidan and Amidala Kenobi simply … vanished. He rubbed at his eyes. He was going to make Merit pay for this headache later in the salles. He truly was.
TBC