Phillip Davros. The perfect candidate.

Personally promoted by Windu, Davros had all the elements of a Jedi on the fast track to success. Shaak Ti had almost given Tano to Kenobi, but the young man was being groomed for a Council seat. While it wasn't unheard of for a Council member to have a Padawan, it was generally viewed as favoritism, since the Council administered trials.

Shaak Ti took a moment to be thankful that Skywalker left before Kenobi started Council training. The political backlash would have ruined Kenobi's public career, something a Council member couldn't afford to lose. Someone had to watch out for the reputation of the Jedi, and that someone sure wasn't Windu.

Shaak trusted Windu, she just wasn't sure what direction Mace was taking the Order. A Grandmaster could do a lot without input from the Council, but to fundamentally change the Order took a unanimous vote by the Council. Shaak Ti was sure Windu would have to reveal his plans soon to the Council.

Shaak may have considered Windu a maverick, but there was no doubt about his loyalty to the Order. Windu would never hurt the Jedi directly, but what about the Order's public image? Shaak knew the Jedi couldn't take too many more smear campaigns. She wasn't a fool, someone engineered this scandal. She hoped it wasn't Mace.

Shaak Ti picked up a small comm. "This is Master Ti, can the quarters of one Phillip Davros be modified to accommodate a Padawan? They can? Excellent, please do so at once, the sooner the better."

A small pad in front of Shaak held all the information on Padawan Tano, as well as a Formal Assignment Notice, to be signed by Davros and sent off to Temple Records. Once, the assignment or transfer of a Padawan to his or her Master was a full ceremony, officiated by at least two Council members. These days, there just wasn't time. Jocasta Nu, the crone in charge of the library, maintained the only permanent records for the thousands of Padawans who had died during the war.

Once, a Master asked Nu about setting up a memorial in the Room of a Thousand Fountains for the Padawans killed in battle. Nu replied with a withered laugh and explained the wall would need to be a kilometer long and five meters high to hold all the names at a readable size.

Shaak wanted to at least be there for the first meeting between the two, but it wasn't possible. Mace had called an urgent meeting, top priority. Shaak sent a communique to Tano before turning off her computer. She hoped this meeting wouldn't take too long.


Davros did his best to keep his boredom from showing on his now helmetless face. Him and Windu had interviewed all but one Council member. Every one agreed heartily with Windu, promising to back him fully. In between interviews, Mace confided that only Yoda and Shaak Ti were variables, and Yoda wouldn't be a problem much longer. Davros wondered if he was really necessary for this. Shaak Ti was basically the Council member who handled Temple logistics. Light, food, sewer, training, equipment acquisition: these were just a few of the things she managed every day. It was no secret that Master Ti preferred a cup of caf to saber training.

The lighter weight of a normal lightsaber comforted Davros. Temple Guards had more free time than normal Jedi. A Guard didn't take a Padawan or go on missions. If he wasn't on duty, a Guard was free to do what he pleased. Saber duels were a notable pastime of the Guards. The average Guard outclassed a Knight, and the good Guards could handle Masters. It was said the Grandmaster of the Guard beat Mace every year when the two fought. But neither would confirm it.

Davros stood with the best duelists when he was a Guard, but he wasn't so foolhardy as to believe he was a match for a Council member. He welcomed the diversion when his communicator beeped with a priority message, Council authentication.

Mace also recognized the signal. "Council?" He cracked a grin. "You talking to other Council members behind my back?"

Davros checked his comm. "Of course not, sir. Professional courtesy." The name and message surprised Davros. "Well, I know why Master Ti is late, she apparently just assigned Ahsoka Tano to my Padawan."

Mace arched an eyebrow. "Anakin Skywalker's former ward. Shaak told me Tano needed a Master. Rumor has it the youngling is a bit of a loose cannon. Congratulations, Davros, you're going to have your hands full."

"Sir, I don't know the first thing about caring for a Padawan. Guards don't get that sort of training."

"Then it will be a learning experience for the both of you."

Davros didn't have time to continue speaking. Shaak Ti finally arrived, stepping into the simple conference room.

"Ah, Master Ti, do sit down, we have much to discuss." Mace said.

Shaak was surprised to see Davros, standing behind Windu. "Bringing a bodyguard around now, Mace? The Senate is going a bit radical, but I doubt they would resort to assassinations. Guards don't normally carry a one handed lightsaber like that either, worried about the Jedi turning on you?"

Mace smiled like a politician. "A pleasure as always to speak with you, Shaak. Mr. Davros is here functioning in his new capacity as Head of Domestic Security, though that's not the reason I wished to meet you today."

"A Temple Guard, promoted to a position newly created by the Head of the Council, now standing behind that same head as he meets with every member of the Council. I'll draw my own conclusion about Davros' new 'Capacity.'"

Davros knew the two on opposite sides of the table in front of him were accomplished Jedi Masters and Council members, but right now there was no difference between them and any two master politicians bickering over some new law. He knew that any interruption at this stage would be unwelcome by both parties.

"You know you can't beat me in a fight, fair or otherwise." Mace said lowly. "None of this matters right now. The topic up for discussion is the Senate. On the final day of this preposterous deadline, the Jedi Order is going to fix the Senate."

Shaak was so confused, she dropped her polite stare, her brow wrinkled, eyes alert. "How do you plan to fix the Senate? That's a little too grand for even your reach."

"I wasn't entirely truthful. The Jedi order isn't going to retrain senators, the Jedi Order is going to replace the senators." Mace finished, sending a mental signal to Davros to be ready.

The Togrutan stood up, eyes wide with shock. "You're going to stage a coup, you're a traitor." She said with disgust, barely contained rage filtering through her voice.

"It's only treason if we fail." Mace calmly replied.

Shaak Ti stood up, igniting her lightsaber. "You may have the rest of the Council in your pocket, but I and Master Yoda will never agree to your schemes!"

Mace allowed a smile to show through his mask of calmness. "Didn't you hear? The great Yoda passed away last night, in his sleep. Seems his age finally caught up with him. There's a memorial service planned for the day after tomorrow." He said.

Shaak dashed across the room, swinging at Mace. Davros barely activated his saber in time, blocking Shaak's saber inches from Mace's head.

"Call off your hound, Mace." Shaak growled.

"I have a better idea, you best my 'hound,' and I'll let you have a few swings before this ends." Mace said, clearly enjoying the moment.

Davros felt the adrenaline coursing through his body. Their sabers were still locked, strength enhanced by the Force, inches from Windu's face. Shaak would have to be the first to make a move.

One, two breaths, Davros was about to consider his options when Shaak jumped back, slamming the massive conference table against the far wall with the Force. What was once a meeting room had been violently transformed into an area fir for dueling. Davros held his saber loosly, not wanting to reveal his abilities just yet. He was surprised when Shaak settled into a Makashi stance, the slight mix of arrogance and skill that marked someone who had dedicated time to learning the complicated form.

Davros mirrored Shaak, moving into the opening stance of Makashi. He waited, the dumbest thing you could do was strike first against a Form II user. Shaak charged in a whirling blur. Davros could barely block, let alone go on the defensive. Shaak never stopped moving, her saber weaving a wall of impenetrable light. She was carefully avoiding getting into a saber lock, one of the weaknesses of the form.

It took ten minutes, an eternity for a duel, for Davros to notice Shaak's one weakness, her left shoulder. Strikes aimed there were deflected more slowly, Davros' only chance was a saber lock, right above the left shoulder.

Davros moved towards the right wall of the room. Block, strike, repeat. There was the opening. Davros struck with a high, two handed swing, pouring all the Force power he could muster into holding the strike. Shaak couldn't shrug this one off, she grabbed her saber with both hands as well, pitting her Force against his.

Davros couldn't overpower her physically. He sent the equivalent of a mental dagger inter her side. As Shaak's right side faltered, Davros batted away her saber before cleaving her from foot to head. Exhausted, Davros dropped to the floor, struggling to regain his breath. He heard a slow clap.

"Not bad," Mace said, standing up. "Not bad at all. I only had to help a little."

"What?" Davros managed in between gasps for air.

"You didn't really think you could duel a full Council member and win, did you?" Mace asked. "If I hadn't 'muddied' her mind a bit, you would be the one lying in two pieces right now. Don't worry, Hound, I will be personally training you in the saber arts. Get some rest, oh, and congratulations on your new Padawan." He finished, leaving the destroyed meeting room.


Ahsoka Tano, poster Padawan of the Jedi Order, was bored. She shouldn't be, not even a week had passed since her Master had betrayed her and the Order. Ahsoka knew she would be assigned a new Master, but she hadn't expected one so quickly. 'Fast' assignments were known to take weeks, the average was counted in months. Tano counted hers by days.

Which was why Ahsoka was sitting in the Temple Library, waiting for her new Master. Master Ti had commed her earlier today, but the only information given was a name, Davros. Ahsoka didn't even know what Davros looked like. She idly wondered if her new Master knew what she looked like.

A man dressed in a Guard's uniform shuffled into the library. It took Ahsoka a moment to figure out how she knew it was a man, he had no helmet. This must be who Master Ti was talking about, a Guard, but not.

The man came and stopped in front of her. "My name is Davros, I assume you're Ahsoka Tano?"

"That's me!" Ahsoka said in a happy chirp.

Davros looked pensive for a moment. "Um, Tano, how close were you to Master Ti?"

Ahsoka was confused, what did Master Ti have to do with things? "I met her before I became a Padawan, all us younglings did. I kept in contact though, Master Ti was the 'counselor' for all of us from Togruta. What's up?"

"Well, Master Ti is dead. She attacked Master Windu randomly today. The Hearlers think she was experimenting with Battle Meditation and contracted Force Madness."

"Okay." Ahsoka said, unaffected by the news.

"Okay?" Davros asked. News of Shaak's death didn't seem to bother Ahsoka at all.

"It doesn't matter how close I was to Master Ti. She betrayed the Order, just like my old Master." Ahsoka replied, clenching her fists briefly, before calming down.

"Alright then, I guess that's covered. Let's head to my, our, quarters. I need rest, we'll get to know each other tomorrow." Davros said. "And get a psych evaluation for you." He finished, too low for Ahsoka to hear.