Disclaimer: Don't own Star Wars.

A.N.- Here is a special early installment! Special thanks to Kitomi, Anime-StarWars-fan-zach, SilverStella, Ann Jinn, and Namesake for reviewing last chapter! Sorry this one is shorter than the others but it is swinging into the action.

Chapter Three: Searching for the Key

Qui-gon and Anakin stood before an almost empty Council Chamber. The only members present were Masters Yoda and Windu, who sat in their customary chairs. Beside him, Qui-gon noticed Anakin shift on his feet. 'No doubt, he is nervous that it is just Master Yoda and Master Windu,' Qui-gon thought as he bowed low in reverence to the two Masters before straightened.

"Bring word of Muunilinst you do?" Yoda asked, leaning forward.

"Yes, Master," Qui-gon started, clearing his throat. "The battle was a major success. Unfortunately, San Hill managed to escape afterwards. We still do not know exactly how he managed his escape. I am, however, certain he had help in the matter."

"This is troubling," Windu said, his brow knitting in concentration. "We should investigate the matter further."

"I don't feel that is necessary, Masters." Qui-gon met Mace's gaze. "I believe the bounty hunter Durge was responsible for the escape. Unfortunately, we were unable to contain him before he reformed."

"Troubled you are, Qui-gon." Yoda said suddenly, his ear dropping with his eye lids.

Jinn shifted on his feet like his Padawan had moments before as he felt that Yoda was looking into his inner core. "We have discovered two new Dark Jedi. The one's appearance we are unsure of as they never left the cockpit. This particular Dark Force-user tried to lure Anakin away from the battle. We both sense that, whoever they are, they are strong in the Force… and well-trained."

Yoda frowned, his skin forming many more creases. "Troubled more by the second one you are. Sense great unrest in you, I do, Qui-gon."

'Curse that confounded troll,' Qui-gon thought to himself after making sure his shields were tightly in place. "The second one was manipulating the battle. We engaged him in battle-."

"It was more like we engaged his lightsabers in battle." Anakin muttered, earning three glares. "Sorry, Masters."

"During the battle, his face was revealed." Qui-gon continued, ignoring Anakin's outburst. "He looks like what Obi-wan should have looked like at the age of seventeen… even the Padawan braid was in place. The only difference was this boy was blind."

"An enigma wrapped in a riddle," Mace whispered, look out of the corner of his eye at Yoda, who remained silent. "What do you make of it, Master?"

Yoda gently tapped his gimer stick against the marble, filling the room with a slow steady cadence. The three other occupants in the room exchanged worried glances as they waited for the Grand Master to speak.

In the end, it was Qui-gon who spoke again. "I see two possibilities, regarding this youth. He is either a descendent of Obi-wan or he is a clone."

"Hmm," Yoda murmured. "Many questions these possibilities bring. Holds the key to this war the boy does. His capture priority should be made. Lead us to his Master he might. Hmm… and answer questions near the heart he might." The green Master looked meaningfully at Qui-gon. "But there is more is there not."

"With his skill of manipulating the battle, I am certain he is gifted in Battle Mediation." Qui-gon paused. "And as Anakin has mentioned, we did not fight him directly… he used telekinesis to wield the lightsabers, giving himself the opportunity to escape." Qui-gon paused, removing the two intact lightsabers and a bag containing the broken fragments of the other three. "I fear he might be the Jedi Killer, who is stealing the lightsabers from his victims."

"No," Mace stated grimly, his eyes darkening. "The killer has revealed himself on Hypori… the new Droid General. He is practically a machine, himself. He nearly killed all the Jedi that were on Hypori… Masters Barrek and Gi, and then Knight Seirr are dead. Shaak Ti and Aayla Secura were almost killed. From what Master Mundi has described of him, this Grievous is a force to be reckoned with. He is also the lightsaber thief. Of course, this youth you have described could also be a participant."

"Research the lightsabers you have brought we will. If to Jedi they belong put where they belong we will."

Qui-gon nodded handing the lightsabers to Yoda, who accepted them solemnly.

"Now where do we find this youth?" Windu asked, resting his chin on his clasped hands. "There are countless battlefields to choose from… how will we know for sure where he will appear next?"

Yoda closed his eyes, appearing as if he were meditating. "Almost captured he was… alone the Sith Lord will not send him again. Wait for the right time, we will. Until then a strike force create we will. Master Windu, head it you will."

Mace turned in his seat. "You believe the time is close?"

"Always in motion the future is." Yoda said, repeating one of his favorite sayings. "When the time comes be prepared we must. Master Rancisis also will go. Gifted in Battle Mediation he is. Combat the boy's efforts Master Rancisis will so unable to sense the task force he is."

Windu nodded, turning to face Qui-gon and Anakin, who were silently waiting. "You are dismissed. Thank-you for your report."

Anakin bowed and began to leave when he noticed that his Master remained rooted in place.

"With all respect, Masters, I would like to be apart of the task force."

"Perhaps, you shouldn't be, Qui-gon." Windu said after a long pause. "This situation is very close to you."

"Decided later this should be." Yoda said suddenly, while rummaging through the bag, removing a blue crystal that was very familiar to Qui-gon. "Erm… Erm." Yoda muttered as he rotated the crystal between two of his clawed fingers. "Dismissed you are Master Jinn… Padawan Skywalker."

The two bowed, turning slowly to leave the room. When the door closed, Mace rose from his chair. He turned and looked down at Yoda who continued to toy with the crystal only now his eyes were shut.

"Are you alright, Master?"

Yoda nodded his head, his lips tightening. "Heart of the Jedi the crystal is."

Mace raised an eyebrow, waiting for the aged Master to continue. When Yoda did not elaborate on his statement, Windu departed, leaving Yoda to contemplate whatever was on his mind.

SWSWSW

Coruscant with its numerous and varied citizens continued about its business, unaware of a single solar sailer that made its way into a private hanger located in The Works. If they had been, the solar sailor would have been stopped even before it had the chance to enter the planet's atmosphere. With the war waging, many security matters were surprisingly lax, especially with the many of the Jedi away. It also helped that the darkness clouded the Force. The Jedi were not even aware that the Sith Lord was right under their noses.

Ventress set the sailer neatly in place, and the hanger doors closed behind them. She was curious, who the Sith Lord paraded as during the day, but knew that that information would most likely never be revealed to her. She would probably discover that identity only after he decided to tighten the noose and let it fall. Her fingers ran across the controls, shutting the engine off before opening the hatch. Ventress then looked over at her companion, who had awoken. His posture stiffened, while his face assumed a vacant quality. Rising, Ventress could only assume the boy was trying to avoid another memory wipe.

"He's out there." Ventress stated rather than asked.

"He's not happy." Dukke whispered, also standing. "You did not lure, Skywalker, to Yavin IV. Instead, he still draws breath."

Ventress glowered at the youth. "Mind your own lot, boy!"

Dukke shrugged, before stepping out of the solar sailer. He kept his head downcast as he approached his master, kneeling before the Sith. Dukke heard the sound of Ventress's feet clattering against the floor. Her clothes rustled, and the youth assumed that she was too was kneeling.

"What is your bidding, Lord Sidious?" Ventress's voice asked.

"Return to Count Dooku, he will further instruct you… and address your failures." Sidious hissed. "You're performance at Muunilinst was less than inspiring."

"I underestimated the pull the false Jedi, Jinn, held over Skywalker." Ventress answered quickly. "It will not happen again."

"See that it doesn't, Ventress." The Sith Lord stepped forward, standing beside a rigid Dukke. Sidious's hand rested on the youth's head, though his gaze still bore into Ventress. "Though it seems that your inability to lure Skywalker away was for the best… I just might have lost a wonderful tool." A crooked smile crept onto his lips. "Leave now, while the defenses are down… and rendezvous with the Count."

The Dark Jedi bowed one more time before, returning to her personal craft. She briefly looked back at the pair before eagerly entering her sloop and jetting away from the city planet.

"Rise," Sidious said to Dukke. "We have places to be." The youth obeyed without hesitancy and followed him as he led the way out of the hanger. "You were confronted by two Jedi… Anakin Skywalker and… a Qui-gon Jinn."

"Yes, Master." Dukke answered. "I was aware the one was Skywalker, though I didn't know the Master's name."

His Master bowed his cloaked head. "The name Qui-gon Jinn holds no meaning to you?"

Dukke swallowed, thinking carefully. "Should it, Master?"

"He is a maverick among the Jedi… and helped secure our plans on Naboo."

Dukke frowned. "Naboo?"

"It is not important." Sidious removed his hood, revealing the face of the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic. "There is something on your mind… it troubles you." A deep chuckle erupted from the Sith Lord's throat.

Dukke's eyes widened, feeling his Master's icy tendrils treading through his mind. An unknown instinct jumped into action, trying to raise frayed shields in a desperate attempt to block the Sith from his mind.

"You are mine… you can hide nothing from me." The shields crumpled as if they had never been in place. "Ah, and there is the source… afraid to lose a word." Sidious's eyes took in the youth, who was trying to hide his emotions behind a blank face. "Obi-wan… so the Jedi have seen your face.'

'Let me tell you a story about a young Jedi Initiate," Sidious drawled, his grin cemented firmly in place. "He was rejected for training repeatedly. Eventually a Master did accept him only to reject him again. Theirs was a relation of betrayal… revolving around a planet torn by the Old and the Young. They separated on that planet, and the apprentice took to wandering. His travels led him to other battlefields, seemingly joining where he could. It would seem the call of battle echoed through his blood, but it is hard to say… and the answer has been lost now. Eventually, the apprentice found himself over his head, and once more he was betrayed, and literally found himself bleeding in a ditch."

The youth stiffened, and the Sith Lord could sense his desire to take a step aware from him. It was entertaining to witness the battle that rage with in the boy. It was at times like these that he could see the youth, who had brazenly cut his ties to a crumbling Order in order to fight a war that was not his own.

"It almost humorous," Sidious continued slowly. "That no matter how many times I erase and rework the mind… he continues to reappear. But do not let this trouble you, my boy. It is only a story after all… nothing to lose your head over." With a sweep of the Force, Sidious cleared the boy's tattered mind, slightly amused at the little resistance that he put up. "And now it is gone."

The Sith Lord took in the truly vacant expression on the boy's face and smiled. He continued through the building, slipping off the black robes, revealing a richly designed outfit that was befitting of the Supreme Chancellor. Behind him, he heard the boy's reassuring footfalls as he followed in his wake. He would keep the boy with him for awhile to make sure the Jedi had not left lasting damage that the mind wipe had not cured. 'Jinn, you have proved very meddlesome. Even after deserting him on a war torn planet, you still hold some influence over him.'

SW(Five Months Later)SW

Yoda eased out of his mediation. For a few moments the dark curtain had ascended, and with its absence the Force was allowed to bring answers that the small Master had been seeking. The darkness as quietly as it had left returned, leaving Yoda slightly troubled. Sighing, he clasped his gimer stick and hobbled over to his comm-station. He carefully inputted the correct information and waited for Mace Windu to answer his comlink.

"This is Windu."

"Assemble your strike force you will and travel to the planet Iktotch. There find the boy you will." Yoda paused. "There find Dooku you will as well. Take Master Jinn and his Padawan… capture Dooku they must. Feel that reason to his former Master Qui-gon might bring."

"I will alert them immediately… I believe they are on their way back to the Temple." There was a pause over the com. "Master Rancisis is currently at the Temple… I will alert him immediately. I will need a gifted pilot… besides Skywalker, since we will be separating."

Yoda closed his large eyes and went over the roster in his head of those few Jedi, who were in the Temple. "Knight Muln on leave at Temple is."

Yoda could feel the other Master's frown even without seeing him. "Wasn't he a friend of Kenobi's?"

"Yes, but gifted pilot he is also."

"Who else do you recommend for this mission?"

"Another knight take you should."

"I will arrive at Iktotch shortly." Mace replied before ending his conversation with the Grand Master. He, then, used his comlink to contact Qui-gon, telling him to make his way to Iktotch before informing Muln that his leave was over. Finally, he called Master Rancisis.

With the calls out of the way, Mace proceeded to the hanger bay, where some poor Knight was about to be recruited. The hanger bay was filled with activity with many Jedi returning or leaving. Clone troopers were also present in the hang bay. With shrewd eyes, Mace ran his eyes over the various Jedi before settling on a blonde, who held a small bag and appeared to be ready to leave the hanger bay.

"Knight Tachi," Mace called loudly, causing the knight to jerk aleart. "You're with me."

"What?" The knight questioned, her blue eyes narrowing. "I just got back!"

"And now you're going out again." Mace stated walking passed her.

The disgruntled knight turned on her heels and followed the Master, her lips pursed in a thin line. "What is the mission, then?"

"On the transport," Mace replied shortly. "We will be waiting for Knight Muln and Master Rancisis."

Mace selected the transport and waited patiently for the other members of his team to arrive. He bit back the impulse to tap his foot, not allowing his sense of urgency to show itself.

"Master Windu," Knight Muln said, inclining his head.

The Jedi Master returned the nodded, spotting Master Rancisis as he did so. "Good we are all present." Windu paused. "I will brief you all in route to Iktotch." He led the way into the ship, moving out of Garen's path as the knight walked to the cockpit.

Siri simply stood out of the way, watching every move the two masters made as they greeted each other. Gradually, it was Master Rancisis, who broached the nature of the mission.

"Master Yoda has informed me of the situation sometime ago." She overheard Master Rancisis tell Master Windu. "I assume this mission is the same that he spoke of all those months ago."

Windu nodded.

"So we are headed to Iktotch." Siri said aloud, drawing the two Master's attention.

Mace nodded his head, taking a seat as the craft lifted. Tachi quickly grabbed the wall, trying to brace herself. Master Rancisis easily rode out the slight motions of the spacecraft leaving the planet's surface.

Siri held her tongue, knowing they would be in hyperspace soon, and then Muln would be free to come into the main hold. Her estimation was correct, and within minutes the knight was among them.

"So what is the mission, Master Windu?" He asked as he took one of the remaining seats.

"We are to take alive a boy, who has been using Battle Mediation to sway the outcomes of the battles." Windu paused. "Master Jinn and his Padawan confronted him on Muunilinst… he bears resemblance to a former Padawan, who left the Order some time ago. However, we doubt that he is the actual Padawan. His age does not match."

"Who does he resemble?" Siri asked out of curiosity, taking the last seat.

"A certain Obi-wan Kenobi." Mace glanced at Garen, who sharply inhaled. "It is improbable that they are the same person. Master Yoda believes that he might know Kenobi's fate… however, it is the identity of the Sith Lord that we wish to learn from him.'

'For this mission to be successful, we are separating into three main forces. Master Rancisis will be joining the Star Destroyer that is already above Iktotch. From there, he will make sure our progress is masked and, hopefully, be able to stop our target's own Battle Mediation." Windu paused, bringing out a holographic image of the planet. "With Master Rancisis in place, the rest of us will seek out the target. Our intel suggests that the Separatists have set up camp on this side of the planet. This same intelligence states that Count Dooku is also present on the planet. Master Jinn and Padawan Skywalker will be leading an attempt to capture him."

Garen frowned slightly, his eyes focusing on a bulkhead. "It doesn't seem wise for Master Jinn to be involved in this mission. He is too involved either way. He's guilt-ridden over Obi-wan… though he should be it was his choice to leave a thirteen year old on in the midst of a battle."

"It was Obi-wan's choice… but we are not here to discuss the past." Mace said grimly. "We are here to find the key."

SWSWSW

A/N: Don't forget to R&R and let me know how I'm doing… feedback is very helpful. Chapter Four: The Control Room will come when I'm able to get it done, but hopefully this coming Friday.