Author's Notes: No, this story has not been abandoned … on hiatus for A Very Long Time thanks to a brain invasion from Torchwood, finally landing a job (after thirty-nine months of being unemployed), two trips to Europe (and a third one coming up in just a few hours … I'm leaving for Hungary tomorrow afternoon), and several other factors … but not abandoned. I lost my train of thought, where I was originally going with this fic, and that caused as many issues as anything else. However, with this new little twist, I now know where I'm going and how I'm going to get there. Thanks to everyone for their patience while I got things worked out. I do apologize for the brevity of this chapter, but Yoda wanted me to start a fresh chapter for a particular conversation he'll be having with Obi-Wan … and I really didn't think anyone would object too much to an update, even a shortened one. Also, for those who are wondering, the way I'm writing Palpatine in the second section? Not a red herring … what you see is what you get this time around. He isn't exactly a good guy, but he also isn't Sidious (the identity of that particular Sith will be revealed in the final chapter). I'm sort of writing him as the Malcolm Merlyn of Star Wars, if you're at all familiar with Arrow. And no, I don't regard Malcolm as evil. Not a good person, definitely a bit on the creepy side (his smile when Thea joined him in the car at the end of 'Unthinkable' comes immediately to mind), but also not beyond redemption. So that's where I'm taking Palpatine. Yeah, surprises me, too. As to why isn't he Sidious in this universe? Well, think about it … 'sidious' is part of the word, 'insidious.' He certainly behaved in an insidious manner, but he also had some degree of obvious power as Palpatine in the prequels. What is more insidious, really … the person who does already have some power (even if he thinks he should have more) or the person who seems to have no power, but is in fact orchestrating everything? The clones are slightly different in this particular universe, too … not that this surprises anyone. So, officially, in this chapter, Commander Cody gets some good news … while the Chancellor mulls over what comes next.

Chapter Eight

The Measure of a Man

"Cody … that was General Skywalker. They found Kenobi."

He released a breath he didn't remember taking and turned to face his brother. They'd been incommunicado for the better part of three weeks, thanks to the Seppies. And Commander Cody Fett couldn't think of any news more welcome than the revelation that his general was safe. Rex smiled faintly, adding, "He's safe … recovering. General Skywalker warned that his memory is a mess." But he was alive, and that was what counted. His Jedi was alive … alive and home.

Still, there were other questions to be asked. Cody ran his hand over his hair, asking softly, "Any sign of our dear progenitor?" There was more than a touch of distaste in his voice when he spoke of the bounty hunter who provided the template for him and his brothers. Rex merely shook his head, looking worried as Cody felt. Difference was, Cody was worried about the kind of trouble Jango Fett could (and usually did) stir up. Rex was worried about the man himself. Why he was worried, Cody had no idea, but that was his brother.

"Nary a sign, vod, and based on what I'm hearing from Kamino, that worries the long-necks as much it does everyone else. Jango's never out of touch this long, unless something's wrong with Boba," Rex answered and Cody grunted. Boba was Jango's natural-born son, but he was still their little brother. They'd been grown in a test-tube, while he had only vague memories of his own mother. He also had a way of getting around his father's instructions that left Jango Fett shaking his head with affection and exasperation. Kinda the way Cody felt about his Jedi, really … and yeah, he had a pretty good idea of how Jango would feel about being classed with a Jedi. That was why he took such pleasure in doing it.

Cody and his batch were uncorked more than ten years earlier. Rumor had it that he and his fellow 'units' were commissioned by a Jedi … but if that was the case, it was done behind the backs of the Jedi Council, as Cody learned when he met General Yoda nearly five years earlier. He still had no idea how the Jedi learned of their existence, but General Yoda immediately corrected the long-necks when he and his brothers were called 'units.' Cody himself was not quite six years old at the time he first met the 'little green troll' as his own Jedi were known to call him, but went through the same rapid-acceleration as his brothers.

He was also somewhere he really wasn't supposed to be … something the long-necks hadn't noticed, but Yoda had. After the chastened Kaminoan left following their confrontation, Yoda called, sounding more amused than anything else, 'Come forth, you should, young one … bite, I do not.' Cody stepped out of his hiding place, not quite sure what to make of this tiny being. Yoda hummed under his breath as Cody knelt before him, and murmured, 'Many complications, I see … time, I need.' Cody frowned, not understanding, and a tiny clawed hand touched his face with far more gentleness than he would have thought likely, as the Grandmaster of the Jedi Order asked, 'A name, you have?'

Cody mentally translated the reversed syntax, before replying, 'CC-2224, sir.' The Jedi's ears flattened against his head and another 'hmm' emerged. Cody thought briefly about asking what he was, but didn't want to be rude. Besides, this was a Jedi, and it was Cody's duty to protect his Jedi (even if he wasn't sure if this would be his Jedi). Besides, he really didn't care, not after what he heard Yoda say. 'Sentient beings, these are … not units, not slaves!'

'Designation, that is … your name, it is not. Your name, I asked, youngling,' Yoda observed. Cody started to answer, and then stopped. Not just because this was a Jedi asking, but because he was asking, not demanding … not forcing. He already defended Cody and his brothers once, already made it clear that he was far more than the circumstances of his birth. But his name … that wasn't shared with just anyone. Names had power, after all. The only people who called him 'Cody' at that point were his brothers. But … maybe it was alright to tell this Jedi his name? As if to drive Cody's own thoughts home, Yoda added, 'Call you 2224, your brothers do not?' Cody shook his head, and it was the impetus he needed.

'No, sir … my brothers call me Cody.' Later, after he learned that most Republic citizens had a given name and a surname, he took Jango Fett's last name as his own. Not out of any great affection for the man, but because he didn't want to presume by taking the surname of a Jedi. That was the beginning of his odd relationship with an odd but venerable Jedi. Over the next few years, Yoda made more and more trips to Kamino, sometimes bringing other Jedi with him. Chief among those were the Master of the Order, Mace Windu … Yoda's padawan, Jedi Master Yan Dooku, and his grandpadawan … Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi. And when he met the last young Jedi, Cody knew this was his general.

He was a clone, he wasn't Force-sensitive … but he had known. This was a man worth fighting for, worth dying for … worth dying beside (even if that wasn't plan a). And when Obi-Wan, along with his padawan and Senator Mothma were captured on Geonosis, Yoda came to Kamino to ask Cody and his brothers if they would assist in the rescue. No one was entirely sure who Mon Mothma was, aside from the young senator from Chandrila, but it didn't matter. A Jedi was in trouble, a Jedi who befriended them, who was family … so there was only one answer.

Cody said now, aware of his brother's silent presence at his side, "The minute we hear from Skywalker, calling us back to Coruscant, we go. Who is taking our place?" Rex smiled, an almost feral expression, but after hearing the Wolfpack would be taking over, Cody completely agreed. Not all of the Jedi were like Skywalker, Kenobi, and Koon … but such Jedi did exist, and that was all Cody had to know. He added, "Oh, and we are going after whoever took our general, just as soon as we find out who did it." Perhaps it went without saying … but Cody didn't want any confusion about what was to come. None at all.

SWSWSWSWSWSW

He wasn't a good man. He never said otherwise. And he couldn't deny there was a tiny bit of pleasure when Naboo was invaded by the Trade Federation. Now they understood how it felt to be under attack and utterly alone, with no one to come to their aid. He was from Naboo, but he had no love for his home planet. He didn't have anything to do with the invasion, but he wasn't interested in stopping it, either. No, he wasn't a good man. A good man would have forgiven the people who stood by and did nothing as a gentle young girl died. A good man would have forgiven the people who committed that horrific crime. But he couldn't forgive those who took his beautiful daughter from him, those who stood by and watched, and certainly not himself.

Even so, he meant what he said to young Anakin Skywalker after the Freedom Parade … he would be watching the boy as his future unfolded with a great deal of interest. The child's power was incredible, but more than that, he could see himself in the boy (much to his chagrin) … even worse, the child reminded him of Jasleen. She wanted to help people, had died trying to do just that. And Sheev … well, there was a time when he thought his sensitivity to the Force meant something, that he could help people with it. But life-and his daughter's murder shortly before the Trade Federation invaded- destroyed that delusion. He wasn't interested in helping people, much less those who wouldn't help themselves … who would destroy anyone who tried to help them. Just as they'd destroyed Sheev's beloved child.

Oh yes, Sheev Palpatine was extremely interested in the progress of Anakin Skywalker as a Jedi, back when he first met the child and he remained interested, even now … especially after he learned the truth about the boy's background. He spent the first nine years as a slave on Tatooine, along with his mother. That explained a great deal. Here was a child who would not react well to being powerless ever again, for his sake or for anyone else's … and how would he react in Sheev's situation? Would he forgive those who brought his world crashing down, or would he strike out in fury and in grief? In those early years, the answer seemed obvious … but then, Anakin began to grow and change. Not just as a Jedi, but as a human being.

Even during that first meeting, Sheev could see that the youngster adored his (very) young Master. Even then, he could see that next to losing his mother, losing his Master would be the single most devastating thing to happen to little Anakin. Here recently, it seemed he would find out just how far Anakin would go to avenge Obi-Wan Kenobi, but then, a miracle happened. Anakin and Kenobi's wife Asajj found the missing Knight. Alive … badly injured, but alive. Dealing with an incorrect set of memories, but alive. Struggling to remember the life he created with his wife and twin children, but alive. And Sheev wanted to hate him for that. Why was he alive, and Sheev's precious Jasleen dead? He wanted to hate him, but he couldn't. Dammit.

He turned away from his view of Coruscant, making a face at the mountain of paperwork awaiting him on his desk. How did he end up with this job? Oh, right … because he goaded the former queen of his home planet into calling for a vote of no confidence in Finis Valorum. And why had he done that? Because Valorum stalled a program that might have saved Jasleen's life (or might not have done anything), and Sheev wanted to get back at him. Oh yes, that was turning out so well for him.

Especially since the Jedi Order, as a whole, trusted Valorum far more than they did him. Under ordinary circumstances, that wouldn't bother him … but lack of trust meant they were less likely to tell him things that he actually needed to know. Such as, where Kenobi was found. Sheev had little use for the Jedi, but it didn't look good for the Republic when one of its finest Jedi generals was abducted whilst on peace-keeping mission. Of course, it didn't look especially good for the CIS, especially not for their claims that they just wanted to be left alone. In fact … Sheev began to smile as something occurred to him.

While he went through the same junior legislator program that Amidala graduated from, Sheev also educated himself on communication … more to the point, how communication, the holonet and the media could be used to manipulate people. And he had an incredible talent in that area. If he'd been interested in power, rather than just being left the hell alone in the wake of his daughter's death, he could have probably taken over the galaxy. But then, why would he want to do that? Ruling the galaxy, the entire galaxy, took entirely too much energy and wasn't worth it in the end. He began writing a speech to be delivered at the press conference that would be taking place the following day at the Jedi Temple.

While the Jedi didn't particularly like him (well, that was more than fair, since it was a hundred percent mutual), he would be permitted to speak at that press conference. He was the Chancellor, after all, and he was Obi-Wan Kenobi's Supreme Commander. And it was long last time he reminded people of that fact, along with what happened to people who thought they could harm a sitting Galactic Senator and a Jedi Knight without reprisal.

Speech first … message later. And as he wrote out his notes, Sheev's eyes kept sliding to the holo of his daughter, his precious Jasleen. Maybe he would even deliver his message in person. It was so long since he flexed his Force muscles, and like all muscles, they needed practice. No, Sheev wasn't a good man, in any sense of the word … and there were days when he reveled in that knowledge. This was one of those days.

TBC