Author's Notes: And here we have chapter twelve, in which the characters once again remind me that they have minds of their own. Maybe one of these days, I'll get used to that (no, I won't … you never do). And in other news, I now have two great-nephews … my second oldest niece Melissa gave birth to her little boy, Andrew, back in September. I'm quietly pleased about the name … 'Andrew' was what my niece Sabrina's name would have been, if she was a boy. Also, 'Andrew' was the name of my great-grandfather, my paternal grandmother's father. Now, moving onto Star Wars, I saw the teaser for Solo, and it looks good (still need to see the full trailer). Also, I recently had two fandom dreams come true … back in November, I had the great fortune of meeting Manu Bennett in Atlanta (who is, as far as I'm concerned, the best hugger in the Arrow cast … he doesn't hug, he enfolds). And this past weekend, I was beyond lucky to meet Sean Bean in St. Louis. How does this involve Star Wars? Well, because Sean Bean is the 'face' of Aidan Kenobi, while Manu Bennett, of course, is Tayn Sione. And with that said, enjoy the new chapter! Another will be along once it's finished and fine-tuned.
Chapter Twelve
What News from Home?
Dooku Family Estate
Serenno
He hadn't really wanted to come here. There were too many things going on at the Temple, at his home, and the galaxy was careening toward … something. But here was where he was needed, according to not just the Council, but the Force itself. And so, here he was. Jedi Master Tayn Sione turned as Count Dooku swept into the conference room where Tayn had been waiting for the last three quarters of an hour. The older man stared as Tayn bowed, all but sneering, "And what do my misguided Jedi brethren want from me now?"
"Master Yoda merely wanted to confirm the contents of your last communiqué. There are many changes that need to be made, but such changes will take time," Tayn answered politely. The Force seemed … neutral to him, right now, not warning of any issues. No. Not neutral … it seemed like the Force was waiting for something. After a moment, the count released a breath, and indicated for Tayn to take a seat as he poured them both glasses of … something. The newly-promoted Master waited until the count did so, and then he sat opposite the older man, accepting the glass with a small smile.
"Forgive me … my pseudo-Master doesn't entirely trust me, and so I must check the room for listening devices every time I enter. It's why I directed the serving droids to enter first with the food and drink," Jedi Master Yan Dooku observed with a tired sigh. Tayn inclined his head and Master Dooku went on, "Now. Tell me what news there is from home. How are my padawan and grandpadawans? Is that child whom Qui-Gon found on Tatooine truly the Chosen One? Is that young girl still turning the Order on its head?"
"In reverse order, no pun intended," Tayn began, grinning at the elder Master's exasperated look, "I don't think she'll ever stop doing that. And she never means to … turn things upside down, that is. I don't know where she comes from, but her habit of asking innocent questions is leading younger Knights to do the same. And they aren't accepting, 'because it's always been done that way' as an answer. Is Anakin Skywalker the Chosen One? With the way he's been behaving the last year or so, I truly hope not. Between Chancellor Palpatine's constant flattery of the boy, and Jinn's habit of making excuses for him, he's becoming more and more of an entitled brat."
Tayn didn't question whether he should tell Master Dooku this. Yes, Master Jinn was his former padawan, but Master Dooku was well aware of his former apprentice's views. The fact that the other Master looked even more exasperated, but not even remotely surprised, confirmed this. Which just left one person, and Tayn was almost gleeful about revealing this. He went on after a moment, "As for Knight Kenobi, he's doing very well. During the last three and a half years, he's become one of the Order's most requested diplomats." Master Dooku nodded, looking as proud as if Obi-Wan Kenobi was his own padawan. He raised his glass of wine to take a drink, and that was when Tayn dropped the bombshell, "Oh, and he'll be a father in a few months."
He had the immense pleasure of seeing Dooku actually sputter at that (oh, if only he had the opportunity and equipment to record this!) and smiled innocently at the older man's expression. Master Dooku's lips worked for a few moments, before he finally ground out, "That was not a very Jedi thing to do, Knight Sione. All you had to do was tell me that my line was growing." Tayn arched his brow at the other man, allowing a smirk to settle on his own lips. Well, yes, he supposed he could have said that. However …
"But where's the fun in that?" he inquired as innocently as he could. He found himself on the receiving end of another glare, and Tayn added, "And it's Master Sione, not Knight. I was recently promoted." Something that still utterly shocked Tayn, given his actions on Rattarak. He said as much to Kit Fisto, but the Nautolan Master pointed out that Tayn wasn't entirely himself at the time. More to the point, if he truly wanted the boy dead, not even Merit could have stopped him. Master Fisto was right. Merit was right at the time … he didn't fully trust her. He still didn't. There were too many secrets that swirled around her.
Master Dooku saluted him with his glass, murmuring, "Then congratulations to you, young Master. So, my grandpadawan is to be a father … that makes me a great-grandfather in some respects. When is the child due to arrive … and how did Mace and the little green troll take it?" Now, Tayn couldn't help but laugh. Bant Eerin was the only one in the room when Merit told Obi-Wan about their impending parenthood … but her Master was in the Council Chambers when the Master of the Order told the Council about the newest addition to their home.
"Well, Master Windu was sparring with Merit in the training salles when he learned," Tayn answered. A dark brow lifted, and Tayn went on, "Merit fainted during their spar. It might be a good thing that Master Windu is already bald." That drew a snort, and the younger Master concluded, "He realized while he was taking her to the Halls of Healing that she was with child, and Bant Eerin confirmed it. He's also the one who told the rest of the Council. From what Master Fisto said, Master Yoda wasn't particularly surprised … can't say the same for the rest of the Council, though."
Now the senior Master was openly smiling, and Tayn added, "As to her due date, she'll likely give birth in about two or three months. It's actually a bit scary to see how fast she moves, even waddling. Of course, she's the first pregnant Jedi in my memory, and the Order has been adapting. She was removed from the roster for missions once she hit her fourth month. Not that she's been taking it easy. As her pregnancy has advanced, she's swung her focus entirely on the children who used to be sent to the Corps when they weren't chosen. Well, that's not entirely accurate, either. Over the last few years, there have been some students who asked to be reassigned to various Corps when they realized they didn't want to be Knights. However, after a pattern was detected, it was decided that the unchosen padawans could be reassigned to the Corps at the age of seventeen if they realized the path to Knighthood wasn't where the Force was leading them. The Council is in the process of coming up with a name for them."
"Good … that's very good. Tell me more about this supposed Chosen One? You say that Chancellor Palpatine has taken an interest in the boy?" Master Dooku asked, his dark eyes growing thoughtful. Tayn inclined his head, and the elder Master went on, "Understandable, given that the boy helped to save his planet … however, the idea of a politician having so much access to any child of the Jedi makes me most uncomfortable." Tayn didn't disagree. However, his input hadn't been requested.
"Agreed. The Council isn't happy about it, either. Master Jinn refuses to listen to them, accuses them of being blinded by their fear of Anakin. I would think that he has a point, but even people who have welcomed Anakin have issues with the chancellor's unfettered access to the child. Forgive me for saying so, but I truly believe Anakin would be better off if Master Solo survived Naboo. From what I've heard, he would have done an excellent job of training such an unconventional student," Tayn observed. Master Dooku looked very tired and almost sad.
"I cannot disagree … but Master Solo was fulfilling a promise. Likely, I shouldn't tell you this. But at present, I'm pretending to be a Sith apprentice, and part of that involves causing chaos. The Order, as a whole, has not been completely forthright about the origin of the Solo siblings. It is true, from a certain point of view, that they are not from this galaxy. But that isn't the whole truth. They are, in fact, from the future," Tayn's companion observed. The Force whispered to Tayn, urging him to accept this particular truth.
And he did … so many things made sense now. He scrubbed his hand over his face, thinking of all the times when Merit corrected herself in mid-sentence … of the way she interacted with Anakin before Master Jinn demanded that she stay away from his padawan. Of the way she seemed to know so much about some things, and so little about others. And he thought of the sadness in her eyes when she admitted that she knew he didn't trust her.
Sadness because she couldn't provide him with a reason to truly trust her. Master Dooku was silent for several moments, allowing him to come to terms with this truth, before continuing, "They are from approximately one hundred years in the future … a very dark future, indeed, one where the Jedi have been purged from the galaxy twice." Tayn's head jerked up at that, and he mouthed, 'Purged? Twice?' Seeing this, Dooku again nodded and warned, "The first purge is to happen within the next ten years. Master Solo sacrificed his life on Naboo to save Qui-Gon … and myself. In the original timeline, I Fell to the Dark Side after Qui-Gon's death."
Now the pieces were falling into place for Tayn (no pun intended), and he breathed, "So … in exchange for Master Solo saving Master Jinn, you stayed in the light … but pretended to leave the Order." Master Dooku inclined his head, and Tayn murmured, "Then there's more to this, isn't there? Somehow, Master Jinn's death on Naboo was a linchpin ... or maybe one of Master Windu's shatterpoints."
"Yes. I spent several hours with Master Solo before he and his sister left for Naboo with my padawan and grandpadawans. I heard, in great detail, about the future from whence they came. He, and his sister, told us a great deal, but they were not permitted to tell us the name of the Sith Lord. We must discover that for ourselves. They have given us the tools to save ourselves, but only the tools," Master Dooku answered. He rose to his feet, pacing, and murmured, "I have severe misgivings about any politician having easy access to any child, save their own. Even a Jedi youngling may have praise go to their head. My padawan is a fool if he thinks his beloved Chosen One is any different."
There was a bitterness in the elder Master's voice that surprised Tayn. However, he kept silent, because he had the uneasy sense that this was a lineage matter. Instead, he told the pseudo-Sith, "Master Windu is concerned, too … Master Narec was killed on his last mission, and nothing has been seen of his padawan. She shows a great deal of promise, according to the Council, but demonstrated a great deal of anger in her time at the Temple." A small smile touched Dooku's mouth, and Tayn inclined his head as he realized what the other man was about to tell him.
"Master Narec sent his padawan to me before the mission went bad. I don't know how he knew that I wasn't truly a Sith, but he sent Padawan Ventress to me. I've been training her for the last few months. In secret, of course … she is my Jedi padawan, while I train others as a Sith. Must keep up appearances, after all," was the not-so-surprising revelation. Dooku paused, and then added, "I am told that she was my apprentice in the original timeline … and that I failed her badly. I may fail her again. It is my dearest hope that I do not."
That, Tayn didn't know, but given what he learned in the last few minutes, he really wasn't that surprised. He didn't address the matter of Dooku failing Asajj Ventress either time. He really wasn't much one to talk. Instead, he asked, "What of the clones? Yes, Master Windu told me about them … he wasn't happy about their creation, but could see no other way around it, especially when he explained that it was on the orders of the Sith Lord. I know it's his hope that we can …" Tayn's voice trailed off, as something occurred to him. He looked at the Jedi in the shadows, asking slowly, "The clones … they were created the last time as well?"
Dooku inclined his head, answering, "Indeed. It ended badly, from what Thane Solo told me. And unfortunately, the four were sent back at the time of Anakin Skywalker's finding … rather than further back, to prevent one of our worst errors." He fell silent, allowing Tayn to come to terms with the newest revelations. At length, he said, "I cannot correct that error, but I am trying to mitigate it. Come, young one … there is someone you should meet." Frowning thoughtfully at this cryptic (even for a Jedi) statement, Tayn did as bid, rising to his feet and following Dooku from the secured room. The elder resumed his 'Count Dooku' mien, telling him haughtily that he had everything he could ever desire here, on Serenno. Tayn responded with what he privately called 'diplomatic double-talk,' realizing that, just like the elder Master, he was now playing a very dangerous game, indeed. But the Force guided him, as it always had.
TBC