Chapter 20

A week later Garen comes running into their quarters and shuts the door behind him.

"Damn this must be serious." Micah jokes from his spot sitting on the couch with Mace's head in his lap as they both read from different datapads. Arl had come home to take a break from the silence that had filled the meeting room constantly since the dinner incident, she had intended to meditate until Garen showed up.

"Guess what, oh my gods you'll never guess, it was so freaking cool!" Garen says quickly as he practically vibrates.

"What is it?" Arl asks with an amused smile as Mace looks up from the datapad.

"I threw lightning, literal lightning! I've been trying for days and I did it!" Garen tells them happily, Mic immediately disturbed before seeming to catch himself and smiling at Garen.

"Congratulations Garen, that is incredible." He tells him earning a blinding smile from the boy, they all talked casually for a while before Arl announced she had to be getting back, Garen offered to walk her back since he still had sometime.

Once alone, Mace sat up to address his friend, "So, how hard was that for you to hear?"

"Yes." Mic replies, Mace takes his hand to rub soothing circles into the back. "I just feel like I've failed. My Padawan is training to be a Sith, he volunteered. It was literally my job to make sure, should an offer arise, he'd turn it down without hesitation." Mace opens his mouth to speak but Micah keeps going, "I know he's doing really well and it's not like he's a Dark Sith but it is kind of hard for me to swallow that my Padawan, my Padawan, just came in here so happy and excited because he used the dark side to create force freaking lightning." Mace attempts to speak again before Mic speaks first again, "I know, I know. We agreed to train people, I guess I was just a lot less prepared for this than I thought. I still can't believe one of my two best friends of over fifty years had been lying to me for forty-five of those years. I don't actually harbor any ill will to Qui nor to Dooku. I just, I never expected it to be Garen." Mace remains silent to see if he would continue, but he doesn't.

"He said to me the other day that it meant so much to him that you were okay with this, even helping him with it. He was so scared he would lose you. Had it been betraying the Jedi to do so, you know he never would have agreed. But now that we've opened this, what is it Arl says, can of worms? Or kettle of fish?"

"No I think kettle of fish is another one all together, I don't know. I seriously doubt we ever learnt to understand her sometimes, not even in the other timeline." Mic says with a smile.

"My point is, being a Sith is okay so long as he isn't using his abilities to hurt people. Just like being a Jedi, with great power comes great responsibility."

"You need to stop quoting your Padawan."

"Shut up I'm trying to give a pep talk here. He is doing what is best for everyone but also what is best for him. So maybe what you need to do is really accept that being a Sith isn't the evil we were raised to believe."

"You're right. How are you so accepting of this? I somehow thought you would be the most resistant." Mace smiles at his…currently unlabelled person…in a scarily understanding expression.

"So did I, but it was really easy to see the difference looking at Dooku and Qui-Gon. They lied and it hurt yeah but, no matter what they've hidden, I still know them. Neither of them are capable of the things Wrath has done, none of them would possess someone and make them murder their wife. None of them would possess someone at all. And I feel like I owe Dooku." Micah has to admit it made sense, except one thing.

"Why would you owe him?"

"He killed Cosinga to save my brother from the abuse he was suffering from. It failed, made things worse even. But he still turned on his Master to help Sheev, I won't ever not be thankful for that, regardless of how badly it went."

The next day Micah went to the meeting room to see Arlie, the council wanted an update on how things were going. He walks in to find dead silence and three people with their faces submerged in the papers or books spread over the table.

"This was your solution to arguing?" Micah asks, "Because it is efficient but doesn't really solve anything."

"We all agreed we were too busy to deal with it right now and so long as it doesn't come between our work it doesn't matter. Besides, we made a deal when we entered the mindscape, one we are sticking to." Arlie says, Quin looks at her and smiles, Micah thinks peace may have just been made, at least for now, though he has no idea what deal she means.

"You realise you only have a week left, right?"

"Yes, believe it or not this is actually coming together. We've been looking over different views on time travel and familiarising ourselves as best we can with the time period despite having next to nothing to go on. We've also chosen a time to go to, we're really just outlining some basic rules to keep ourselves in check and detached from events at this point." Quin tells him, Mic nods pleased.

"When exactly are you going?"

"13'052 years into the past, our estimated timeline puts that at a few hundred years after the Order of The Force broke apart into the three sects but a hundred years or so before the unknown third sect died off." Arlie tells him distractedly as she adds something onto a list, Mic leaves them to their work.

The day before the trio are supposed to leave, they have a final meeting with the whole group. Qui-Gon shows up with his hair sticking up, he sits down perfectly naturally while Dooku looks him dead in the eyes…and smirks.

"Yes, I know, payback." Qui says unhappily to his former Master.

"I did tell you this would happen dear Apprentice." He reminds him, Qui-Gon looks unimpressed, Garen is in his seat beside his Master looking sheepish as Qui-Gon attempts to flatten his hair. Arl gets the impression he's been trying for a while.

"Do we dare ask?" Plo asks though he sounds more amused then anything.

"You know when training Jedi and it is just guaranteed that at some point things will shatter when they get annoyed?" Qui-Gon asks.

"Jedi do that?" Dooku asks, "I've never trained one." He reminds those who appear confused, they seem surprised.

"You know I never put that together, anyway yes that does happen. I remember Arlie's incident and she'd already been trained." Mace tells him, Arl glares at him.

"That was Mic's fault and not because of a lack of control…well it was but…shut up." Mic laughs, "Why do these meetings always fall apart? Anyway, you should have seen Anakin as a Padawan. Although you still might. I would not be surprised if those events repeated themselves."

"Ah but now I know not to let him near Yoda's quarters until after his thirteenth birthday." Obi-Wan says, Arl snickers.

"So back to the original topic which still isn't what this meeting is for, yes we know that things will always shatter." Depa tells Qui-Gon.

"Well for Sith it's just a certainty that when attempting to instruct one's Apprentice to direct lightening, they are going to grow frustrated, lose control, and accidentally hit you." Dooku tells them.

"Yes, and then your Master is in a pissy mood for a week." Qui-Gon grumbles, "I certainly took it better than that."

"You think that's bad? Imagine doing it to Cosinga Palpatine." Dooku says shuddering at the memory.

"What did he do?" Garen asks curiously.

"He threw it back, except he knew how to channel it." Everyone cringes while Obi-Wan laughs.

"Why is that funny?" Bant asks incredulously.

"He did the same thing to me." Dooku smiles slightly. "We should compare Apprenticeship stories sometime."

"What are we going to do? Find embarrassing stories to use against him?" Dooku asks dryly though Obi-Wan can see the amusement dancing in his eyes.

"I still can't believe you threw force lightning at Qui-Gon." Adi says to Garen who looks affronted.

"I didn't mean to but if he didn't tell me the same thing fifty times in a row I wouldn't have been so annoyed."

"If you had listened the first time I wouldn't have had to keep saying it."

"I was trying!"

"Okay, so, Sith training. Going well?" Tahl asks trying to steer the conversation in the right direction.

"Better than I'd anticipated. We are entering a particularly difficult phase though." Qui-Gon explains, Garen looks confused while Dooku smiles sympathetically.

"Emotional control." Dooku explains to the others.

"The way Jedi are taught to deal with their emotions becomes instinct rather quickly because it is how you deal with everyday life. It is also completely different to what Sith are taught. So, attempting to break him out of the habit and back in is going to result in some interesting mood swings." Qui-Gon tells them, Garen winces slightly.

"It's going to be even worse for you than it was for me when training you. I started when you were eleven, he's seventeen." Dooku points out.

"Feeling how are you?" Yoda asks Garen who shrugs.

"Different, it's kind of hard to explain the feeling. But it's really interesting what I am learning, it's fun too. I guess it is kind of nerve-wracking sometimes. I was brought up to think of the dark side to be bad and stuff, it almost scares me sometimes how much I enjoy using it. But then I remember why this is even happening and I remind myself that it's not really any different than any other part of the force so long as I keep helping people."

"Is anyone else really glad Yarael stepped down when he did just so that he did not hear that?" Adi asks, Ki-Adi nods in agreement, Garen smiles sheepishly again.

"Satisfied?" Quinlan asks Arl who rolls her eyes.

"Fine, we can go to the past." She finally relents fully.

"People are getting suspicious about so many Jedi being grounded, so we need to start sending the people in here on missions again. While you are gone everyone else is going to have to continue on as usual, with the exception of Qui-Gon training Garen. Even that cannot be done in temple all the time." Ki-Adi tells them, they all agree.

"I have been thinking about something that makes me quite nervous. Should Darth Wrath manage to get into Knight Xanatos' mind once more while you are gone, do we have anyone else who will be able to subdue him?" Saesee questions.

"I've only ever duelled with Wrath in the mindscape so I'm not sure how accurate my assessment of his skills is, but everyone I've coached in sparring should be fine. If it's just Xanatos' mind being warped, well no offense but he's relatively easy to deal with. So long as Maul does not turn up at the same time at least." Arl tells him, "Dooku held his own against him for quite some time despite it being in his domain, so Mace and Mic should be fine. Also Obi-Wan."

"Speaking of Obi-Wan, if we are sending people out of the temple again, perhaps Obi and Xan would be a good pair?" Terza mentions, "I realise that goes beyond the topics we discuss in here but you can't pair either of them with someone who does not know the particular challenges they face, and they are likely to be able to help control the other should anything go wrong."

"Agree with this I do, agree do you both?" Yoda asks the two Knights both of whom look to each other before nodding.

"A corrupted Knight and a half-Sith, what has our order come to?" Kit says dramatically in a joking tone of voice.

"Us facilitating the turning of a Jedi Padawan to Sith Apprentice wasn't when you said this?" Arl asks.

"Actually, the first time I said it was when a nine-year-old Padawan claimed to be a retired Jedi-Master and General from thirty years in the future."

"Mine was when I realised my Padawan was fallen and I hadn't noticed, nor had anyone else, and it is not as though she blends into the shadows." Mace says derisively, she grins innocently at him.

"You know when I was a child I was really shy. Like really really shy."

"Now that I honestly do not believe Angel." Xanatos says to her, she grins again.

"All a part of growing up Saviour, you'll find out when you get around to that one day." He mock glares at her.

"What's Earth like?" Bellan asks, everyone now knew about it and the other universe, somehow that was harder for them to swallow than the time travel. She had not even really bothered attempting to explain what the in-between is to them. Not yet.

"Well I haven't seen all of it but my country, Australia, is…well…either very hot or very cold. Depends on the day to be honest doesn't matter what season, it'll go from snow in Stirling to frying an egg on the sidewalk in Adelaide within a week."

"I wish I could see it, see where this all came from." Bant says gesturing to her, Arl laughs before smiling as she thinks of something.

"I could probably actually take you there." She says before her eyes widen. "Hang on, I could probably go there." She says sitting up properly. "I could go home." She says breathlessly.

"That-that's amazing Arl." Garen says though his voice cracks in the beginning, she looks up and sees several melancholy faces.

"Did I mention I can also come back?"

"Dammit Arls don't do that!" Xanatos and Garen tells her at the same time both sounding relieved.

"How awkward would it be though, going home for a visit like no time has passed, meanwhile I'm fifty-two-years-old and they are expecting a seventeen-year-old that just went to buy some damn cat pyjamas." Arl says.

"Your life is fucked." Obi-Wan says at the same time Xanatos looks at her with a highly amused face and says "Cat pyjamas?"

"I needed winter pyjamas, they were cute and only like $20, shut up." She says.

"I'm sorry you just have a reputation for being a sarcastic know it all unbeatable bad ass Jedi Master…and cat pajamas?"

"You're such an ass, I was seventeen!"

"Did you spend half your time swooning at your crush?" Garen asks mocking the usual teenaged girl stereotype.

"I did not have a crush, I had a boyfriend, and shut up."

"You know for a girl who is strictly into girls you seem to date a lot of guys."

"At least I do date."

"I can't Arl I'm a Je…oh…hey Master what are the Sith rules on this?"

"Not until you are a Lord in your own right." Qui-Go replies smiling lightly.

"Fair enough." Garen says happy with the answer, far less restrictive than the Jedi that bans it all together. Despite most ignoring that anyway, Obi-Wan meanwhile starts laughing.

"You make it sound like the Jedi rules against it would have stopped you." Obi says to Garen while laughing, "Sorry just, in the other timeline…" He says before laughing too hard to talk.

"Yo asshole, how was your love life last lifetime?" Arl asks him snarkily.

"Um…full?" Obi-Wan supplies.

"I'm just curious, did you sleep with all the Sith or was Tyranus a special case?" Arl asks, Obi-Wan hits Qui-Gon's arm.

"I'm sorry you had just told me and I was panicked." He defends.

"And I'll have you know he was the only Sith I ever…okay there was one other but that's not the point."

"Oh gods Obi, who?"

"May have been Maul."

"FOR FORCE'S SAKE DID YOU SCREW EVERYONE WE WERE FIGHTING AGAINST? YOU REALISE YOU SLEEPING WITH DOOKU WAS TREASON BUT MAUL, REALLY?! MAUL?!" Arl yells incredulously.

"It only happened once!"

"When?"

"While I was his prisoner one time." Arl facepalms.

"I take it back, never questioning anything ever again. Should have learnt that lesson when I was seven, nope, forty-three years later and I still haven't. Seriously so glad I am not your commanding officer anymore."

"Better than Anakin."

"I was on a first name basis with your Commander because he kept having to report the stupid-ass things you both did. Cody and Rex knew my Padawan personally from spending time with her all the times when you two got recalled for going too far. Don't even get me started on Anakin's Padawan."

"Hey! Leave Ashoka alone."

"I'm not attacking, I just mean had you seen the mess you guys made for those of us dealing with the entire war instead of the battles you guys were sent on, you maybe would have tried to not be idiots so often. I did not have the time for all the paperwork you guys created. Anytime I needed to find a record of your missions I had to go through so many incident reports just to find it."

"Is that why you guys write reports too even though you were the ones ours went to?"

"Yes, we needed a record too in case we ever needed a reference point or something related to it or something, which happened quite often. Nothing was ever to chance, everything was connected. It was really annoying actually."

"I admit I did not take any of that into account."

"You know we've never really heard you two talk about the war." Qui-Gon says, Obi-Wan tended to slip into the mind set of Ben when around Arlie because it was so familiar, any other time though he was just his usual self. Qui-Gon thinks the two were merging more than Obi-Wan realises. He thinks that at some point he'll subconsciously integrate both sets of memories into something akin to Arlie's way of seeing things, in any case his former Padawan was maturing before his eyes. It was nice actually, to see the man he cared for so much being his age even if he shouldn't have been.

"We had very different views on things during the war. We had little else to talk about so soon enough we just stopped talking outside of work. Honestly, we were both so busy that there isn't much to tell but battle stories. I have a few good stories I guess from pranks and stuff in my ranks but Arlie had a very different experience."

"How so?" Valorum asks, he was very interested in this future, Arl would have been worried but she'd seen what he was using the things they told him for. He'd listened to what they were saying to find holes in how they did things now and make things better, she really liked the man.

"Well I was isolated, I didn't have time for friends or free time. Didn't have time for a Padawan either but Quilo gave me no choice on that one." Arl says with a fond smile, "Everyone else was out fighting the war and I was watching them die. Reading reports and getting updates on everything that happened, hearing people being attacked and being unable to directly help. Meanwhile the fun times that Obi and the other generals had, I got reports for replacement parts or complaints from people. All these kinds of things, it was just, a stressful time and I never got a break. Yoda once forced me to take six hours, a guaranteed six hours for Quilo and I to go see my parents. Then I got a call from Reeft and…something bad had happened. Yoda never made me take extended time off after that." Arl says looking haunted, Obi-Wan's eyes tear up thinking of it as well.

"Fuck stoicism." Obi-Wan says getting up and walking to Bellan to hug her tightly.

"Oh, hello." She says accepting the arm full of close friend. She gestured for Arl to come join them which she did, albeit awkwardly and hesitantly.

"You wanna talk about what happened?" Bellan asks Arl who looks like she might speak before she sees the look in Bellan's eye and poorly concealed hope on Terza's.

"Oh my god, you are not evaluating me right now." Arl says with a bewildered laugh as she wipes at her eyes.

"Well you won't do it in proper circumstances, what did you expect? For me to let it go?"

"Oh I'd never dream of expecting that from you."

"Good because I am not going to leave something pertaining to your health alone and just hope it fixes itself."

"This is your nineteenth birthday all over again, or I guess twenty-ninth." Obi-Wan says thoughtfully.

"I thought we agreed not to talk about that again?"

"You agreed."

"Think we will ever get through one of these meetings without getting extremely sidetracked?" Quinlan asks Dooku.

"You lot are oh so professional sometimes." Tholme grumbles, Quin rolls his eyes.

"I'll bring the packs tomorrow, until then I suggest we all get some sleep." Quinlan tells Dooku and Arl before heading out, everyone else soon follows.

The next day everyone is in the meeting room again, Arl the last to arrive since she was saying goodbye to her brother and mother.

"You guys are really about to head thousands of years into the past?" Garen asks still nearly unable to believe it.

"Apparently, now we still do not know how long we will be gone. Hopefully no longer than three months, that's our hoped maximum. Should you desperately need us for something, there is a set of instructions that should only be opened in case of emergencies only we could solve for whatever reason and are for Mic's eyes only." Dooku tells them, everyone looks shocked.

"You said you'd plan for everything, I did not expect that to include leaving a way to somehow contact you should something go terribly wrong." Ki-Adi admits.

"Well, we're thorough. Though to be perfectly honest, it was Arlie's idea. Quin and I don't actually know what it says either. He just questioned if there was some way to do it and she disappeared for three hours. Came back and said it was taken care of."

Dooku runs through the basics of the plan with them, Quin helping when he gets there. Fifteen minutes later Arlie walks in.

"Right then, um, Garen. Don't forget to go to the creche to see the initiates, you know the drill. Obi-Wan, Anakin needs help with one of his projects, it's the mechanics, he needs someone to get one of the parts because the guy that has them in the temple won't give it to him for some wacked reason. Mace, make sure you are here and have access to the holonet in two weeks, you're gonna want to see the Nubian news. Mic, Mum said she'd probably come round while I'm gone to make sure you two aren't getting lonely, please make sure she isn't either. Xan… don't get into any trouble while I'm gone?" Arl says, Xan sputters.

"What? Why isn't Garen getting that? He starts everything!"

"Do not!"

"Okay, you two are not children anymore and I am not going to be here to break up your fights. Grow up and learn to get along."

"Everything will be fine Arl, the Jedi order can survive without you for a few weeks." Depa tells her putting her hands on her sister-padawan's shoulders. Qui-Gon clears his throat behind her, "Right, the new Jedi/Sith Allied Force can survive without you for a few days."

"Don't ever call this an alliance again." Darth Sohn demands moodily as he sits on his seat with his feet on the table glaring at everything.

"Get your feet off the table Obi." Qui-Gon tells him, he absolutely abhors a lack of basic manners.

"Yes Master." Sohn replies flirtily as he complies, looking up at Qui through his lashes, Qui-Gon swallows harshly.

"Okay, time to go." Arl declares after that display. "Man, he's creepy when he gets like this."

"He's part Sith, what do you expect?" Quin asks sarcastically before turning to his other partner sheepishly. "No offence Ty."

"Did you just make a pet name out of his Sith Moniker?" Tholme asks incredulously, Quin rolls his eyes.

"Well why not, Tyranus is his name. Arl, you don't nickname people often but we can all agree that when you do, it's brilliant, ruling?" Sohn pisses himself laughing, not literally but he does double over and go red in the face.

"The Nicknaming Queen, the only nickname in the temple she didn't make was her own and the only one in the temple who did not have one was Terza. Yeah, she doesn't nickname people often." He says continuing to laugh, "No the trick is whether or not she tells you the name you've been assigned. Trust me 90% of them are terrible but catchy."

"Oh shut up yours was very descriptive and accurate, I didn't even mean it to stick let alone become the title you were famous for and had a ship named it in your honour. And Terza did have one I was just very wisely too respectful to use it." Arl defends poorly.

"You mean too terrified?" Xan asks, she force swats his arm.

"And yet, what do I get stuck being called? Me, the infamous General and diplomat? Front lines on the war, always in the dirt with his men, constantly getting Padawan and Grand-Padawan out of trouble…oh yes…The Negotiator. The fucking Negotiator."

"Given what I have since learnt, the second may be more accurate."

"One of these days I am going to walk in here and see you all being professional, that's when I'll know I'm having a stroke." Valorum tells them with a smile.

"What the fuck are you three wearing anyway?" Sohn asks rudely, Qui-Gon glares at him, he winks, Qui-Gon looks away flushed.

"Closest approximation to the clothing of the time period, we didn't want to stand out." Quinlan tells them.

"Good luck, come back safely, do us proud." Mic tells the girl he considers his daughter as he rests his hands on her shoulders before pulling her into a hug she gladly returns. After all goodbyes were over, Arlie, Dooku, and Quinlan put the packs they created on their backs and stand together. Arl holds out her hands for them to take before giving them one final warning.

"No matter what you see, no matter what you hear or feel. Do not try to focus on it, do not try to make sense of it, ignore it, keep your eyes closed and for god's sake, do not let go." Arlie tells the two of them who nod, she closes her eyes and pulls the three of them into the in-between. She calms herself once again, ignoring the feeling of something watching her knowing it to be impossible. This was once a safe haven for her but then,

A face, a face she can't quite see, it's there, staring at her with sickly yellow eyes, it's climbing out of the in-between and it's angry. She's seen those eyes before, so hauntingly familiar it made her shiver with the knowledge that she wasn't the one in danger.

Then she dreamed one too many times, she knew this place was not safe for them.

(So stop focusing on that, get them out of here.) she thinks to herself before focusing on the point in reality she wishes to take them. It took longer than intended but the two did as instructed and kept their focus inwards. Then she pulled them out and looked around, she released their hands, the preapproved signal that they could open their eyes.

"Wow." Dooku says looking around in breathless wonder.

"My sentiments exactly." Arl replies in agreement as they gaze around at the forest they've found themselves in.

"I have a really bad feeling about this." Arl and Dooku turn to look at their partner.

"What do you mean Quin?" Arl asks at the same time Dooku asks, "About what?"

"A feeling that you may have been right after all Arl, we should not have come back here." He tells them, then he loses consciousness.

"Quin!" The Jedi and Sith call as they move to help their partner.

"Do you require aid?" An unknown voice asks from a tree as Arl and Dooku look over their friend attempting to find the cause of his fainting. Dooku looks for the origin of the voice as Arl uses the force to scan over her friend sensing for any damage.

"Hello there, um, My friend, he's ill. Is there a village nearby by chance?" Dooku asks spotting the child in the tree with ease.

"I am Eran Pol of the Far Eastern Village, it is nearby. I will act as your guide if you so wish?" The girl offers as she swings down from a high branch before dropping and rolling to come stand before him with perfect precision.

"We would be very grateful if you were to do so." Dooku tells the girl as Arl looks over.

"Help me with him, will you?" Arl asks her partner, Dooku easily picks up Quinlan in a standard fireman carry, Arl shrugs, "That works." She mutters to herself as Dooku begins following the girl before she hurries to catch up.

"Would it bother you to tell me your monikers?" Eran asks politely, Dooku smiles warmly at the child.

"I am Tyranus, this is Arl, and our friend here is Quinlan." He replies, Arl could sense the ease in which he introduced himself, relieved as he is to be able to go by his truest name.

"How did you come to be that deep into the trees?" Eran asks Dooku, Arl is walking behind them so neither see the suspicious look she sends to the girl.

"We are travellers, new to this area. I am afraid we are lost." He replies, she smiles kindly at him.

"With luck, my Master will be able to give you direction Lord Tyranus." He smiles, Arl's frown deepens.

Ten minutes later they are entering the village.

"There is a distinct likeness to the descriptions in the archives but much difference as well. We must be sure to tell Jocasta and Tahl when we return." Dooku tells her over their pairbond.

"Many travellers must come through here, we are not receiving any odd looks as newcomers."

"Master!" Eran calls to an elderly man who looks up and smiles as he excuses himself from his conversation to walk over.

"Hello my pupil, how goes the mapping?" The man says, she smiles sheepishly.

"I did not get through much this day, it was my pleasure to happen across these travellers. I believe they come for afar Master, they are lost and one is injured." The girl's Master turns to them in concern.

"Greetings, I am Master Pyre Halvi." The man introduces, Arl fights back the surprise at the man's name, who names their child after a pyre? "There is a healer's hutch just over there, come, they will aid your friend." Dooku follows, Arl hesitates, looking around the village on the spot.

"There is something wrong with this place Doo."

"Quin needs help Arl, if you have any better ideas, do tell." Arl huffs and follows him to the hutch without lowering her alert senses.

"What ails him?" A healer asks without greeting as he gestures for Dooku to leave him on the bed.

"We do not know, he just collapsed." Dooku tells the man.

"He is suffering from a severe displacement shock, I do not know where you came from, but he was not prepared to transfer that distance." Arl fights back the guilt, she could not have known after all and they were aware of this. "He will be all right but he will have to remain in our care for several hours." The healer informs them as a purple glow of light akin to Arl's own force-magic emits from his hands, his eyes glowing the same purple Arl's are. She knew he must have been a part of this third sect they were searching for, but was everyone here?

"The village is about to consume mid-meal, I can bring some in for you if you wish?" Halvi asks, Dooku nods.

"That would be very much appreciated Master Halvi." He says bowing slightly, Halvi returns the bow before leaving the room. Arl and Dooku are shown to a small dining area in the next room, the door was thankfully left open so that they could still see Quinlan.

"May I join you Lord Tyranus?" Eran asks as she stands shyly in the doorway unsure if she was welcome, Arl frowns again not quite sure what was bothering her.

"Of course young one." Dooku says pulling the chair beside him out so that she could sit with them.

"Would you enlighten me as to your correct title Madam Arl?" The girl asks, Arl hesitates.

"Knight." She replies eventually, the girl's face scrunches in confusion.

"I am afraid I am unfamiliar with such a title, how did you earn it?"

"Effort, and far too much time."

"You do not care for me much, do you Knight Arl?" Dooku glares at Arlie out of the girl's view.

"I am wary of all things I am unfamiliar with, it is nothing against you."

"That is a harsh way to live, do you never tire of being suspicious all the time?"

"I tired of it long ago, however I have been proven correct far too many times for that to bother me." She couldn't quite believe that she was just shy of threatening a child but her life was strange enough, and until she worked out what was so off about this all, she would forgive herself this. Dooku it appeared, would not.

"We never were properly introduced I am afraid, our friend appeared to be in a dire state. My apologies for the abhorrent manners." Dooku says as Master Halvi comes back with food. "We really do appreciate all you have done for us."

"Of course, it is our way to aid those in need. My Pupil has informed me of your monikers Lord Tyranus, I hope you do not mind."

"Not at all." Arl narrows her eyes at her partner's insistence on trusting these beings.

"I hope it is not rude of me to ask, but you are a Master of what exactly?" Arl asks diplomatically, the Master smiled patiently at her as Eran seems put off by her tone.

"I suppose I did not say earlier did I? I am a Master in the Order Of The Force."

Links to their respective outfits for going back in time:

. - Arl

. - Dooku

. - Quinlan