LordDarthYoda - It's Ventress. It might not be completely faithful to the storyline, I'm just interpreting that Dooku has trained her for a while, which makes sense as she's able to go up against Anakin and...not die, so she needs to have some pretty advanced training. Your speculation is good, as usual :).

SpeechBubbleme - I love Ventress, so I just needed the slightest excuse to bring her into the story. She'll have a role to play in the rest of this one. I think Ventress isn't quite that strong at this point. I think she could handle any of the Padawans, if she wanted to. And if Dooku gets involved...kiss everyone goodbye!

A/N - Nothing from me!

As always, Please enjoy the next chapter.

Chapter 29: Into the Wild

The Wilderness Retreat at the Youth Summit was an event that had endured throughout the Summit's many long years of existence, despite the numerous different planets that the retreat had been on over the years. The point of it was to take these future leaders, who may or may not have seen much of life outside the city and give them time to explore the unique environments of the world they were on. And hopefully to give them an appreciation for what other planets and their ecosystems are like.

Herding a thousand or more young men and women milling around a single area would constitute a bit of logistics nightmare, so the attendees had been broken into smaller groups of about thirty and dispatched to various spots across Serenno. Each group was led by a local guide, who showed off the local flora and fauna and generally educated the young leaders about Serenno.

Though Serenno was mostly an urban, industrialized planet, it had a nice smattering of forests, rain forests, mountain ranges and rivers to explore. As Sascha was more partial to forests, he had chosen to follow a group that was exploring the Drayden forest, located not far from where he and Nara were staying. It was springtime in this section of the planet and you could tell, bright flowers searched for sunlight for which to thrive. Green leaves from big, mature trees, created a high canopy that nearly blocked out the sun. All around him, he sensed the small critters of the forest, bouncing from tree to tree, avoiding the group of young men and women, but content to go about their tasks.

Sascha, though he was physically walking along at the back of the pack, was mentally somewhere else. He was still sorting through that conversation he'd had with Tyra. Everything she had said had made sense...but he still didn't feel right. Not yet.

It kind of felt good that he had no real idea where Nara was and no real desire to find out. He wasn't necessarily afraid of his feelings for Nara, but he was very, very cognizant of attachment. Once he started worrying where Nara was at all times, he was sunk. Fundamentally...he didn't really feel like he would be susceptible to that sort of attachment. He was experienced enough to know that he could simply not be by Nara's side at all hours of the day. She certainly didn't need his protection either.

Sascha allowed himself a little smile. Things could be worse. It was a nice day, there was a nice, cool breeze and reasonably decent company. He was just going to enjoy himself today. The galaxy could wait for a few hours.

Nara Nalto was less than thrilled at how her day was going. It wasn't just the current...whatever...that was going on with Sascha. It was that wherever she went, she couldn't escape her current least favourite person in the world, Count Dooku.

Nara had chosen to go along with a group of young leaders to one of the more thickly forested sections of the Drayden forest, as that was the sort of environment that she, as a Togruta, enjoyed. She and about twenty other young people had piled into a hoverbus and were just waiting for the okay to lift off and go, when the tall, lanky form of Count Dooku appeared, smiling like he was a politician at a fundraising event.

"May I join you?" asked Dooku.

The only person not to answer in the affirmative was Nara Nalto.

Dooku took a seat in the hoverbus towards the back and near to where she was. Nara recoiled as he walked by. If it wouldn't have been a huge break in protocol, she would have simply walked out of the bus and found a better group to be a part of.

Unfortunately, a Jedi showing up Count Dooku was probably a bad idea. So she would grin and bear it, and look for the first opportunity to get away from the odious Dooku.

Fortunately for her, Dooku seemed more interested in holding a conversation with the people around him, at least for the duration of the ride to the forest. Of course, because things couldn't possibly go the slightest bit good on this mission, once everyone was out of the hoverbus, Dooku immediately came over to stand beside her as they walked through the forest.

"I couldn't help but notice that you did not participate in the conversation," Dooku said mildly.

"I've learned that sometimes, listening is as important as talking," she replied, matching his tone. She was darn sure that she wouldn't win a battle of wits with Dooku...but she could get her hits in too.

Dooku seemed amused by her barb, folding his hands behind his back and smiling genially, "Yes, that is only too right, I suppose."

"You suppose?"

"There is also a time for leadership and action," Dooku suggested, as if he was ordering desert of a menu. "Perhaps the Jedi should show more of those."

Nara forced herself to shrug, "If only there was Jedi willing to show leadership still in the Jedi Order. Maybe an older, respected, Jedi Master? Can't think of anyone that fits that description off hand."

Point made, Nara strode off confidently, heading to the front of the group and away from Dooku

It took Dooku nearly twenty minutes to approach her again, minutes which she very much enjoyed indulging her hunter's instincts. There were many creatures in this forest, many of which would have been delightful snacks, if she had been in the mood for hunting. Being a predator and a Jedi was something of an odd experience. While her nature told her that she was in a good place to go hunting, her instincts as a Jedi told her to preserve life. In Nara's opinion, if she was starving or in need of nourishment, she would have had no problem going hunting. Anything short of that though...

Still, it would have been fun to go hunting, even if just to catch and release whatever she caught. She didn't really have a pack though and Togruta weren't really individual hunters...

"Togruta are home in places like this, aren't they, Padawan Nalto?"

Dooku. Couldn't he just leave her alone? Why was he antagonizing her? It didn't make sense. Maybe he just wanted company. He did live alone after all.

"I do like this forest," she admitted.

"It's a forest without any major predators," observed Dooku, not incorrectly. "That is a strange thing for a forest, is it not?"

"It is," Nara said, not sure where Dooku was going with this.

"There should be a natural order of things," Dooku said. "When there is not a natural order, or it is in flux, confusion can occur."

"Ah, this is a metaphor about the Jedi, is it not?"

"You are indeed a sharp one," chuckled Dooku.

Nara sighed out loud.

"Allow me to explain," Dooku said, ignoring her obvious exasperation. "The Jedi, for thousands of years, operated with the Republic as partners. Many times a Jedi Master was Chancellor of the Republic itself. The two Organizations worked in lock step. And things were harmonious."

"I seem to recall about a hundred different conflicts with the Sith during that era," Nara said dryly. "Harmonious it was not."

"Maybe externally," said Dooku, visibly annoyed as the remainder of the group gathered around them. "But internally, do you remember hearing of corruption in the Senate? Of deadlock? Of malaise."

Probably something to do with the wars against the Sith that threatened to bring the whole system down, Nara suspected. Having a common enemy was a good way to motivate people. Or perhaps historians weren't that interested in writing about political corruption when there was about a hundred thousand battles to write about. Unfortunately, neither of those seemed like convincing arguments.

"I am not a historian," Nara admitted.

"So you think the problem is that the Jedi are too detached?" a young man asked Dooku.

"I think they've abandoned the principals that served the Republic well for thousands of years," said Dooku, holding court as the group progressed deeper into the forest. "They believe that they should be loyal to the Force. I believe that they should be loyal to the people."

Such a load of Bantha dung, "But people are fickle," said Nara. "And people disagree. Should we take a popular vote on our actions? Or should we be like the police? Subservient to the politicians?" Nara stood in the middle of the circle and found a log to stand on. "The Jedi chose to step away from taking leadership positions in the Republic because the Republic would never be a representative democracy if you had to be a Jedi to be Chancellor."

Nara waved a hand angrily in Dooku's direction, "All I've heard from our former Jedi Master this week is how flawed the Jedi have become, how weak the Republic is. But at least the Jedi are supporting the Republic and its people. What are you doing, Master Dooku? You lob criticisms and say that things should be better, but you don't do anything yourself. You have wealth at your control that could make the lives of billions better. But you don't do it! So who is worse; someone who does something, or someone who does nothing!"

Too late, Nara realized that she was getting emotional and that the young leaders of the the Tykon Youth Leadership Summit were staring at her in discomfort. She had gone too far.

"I see," said Dooku as he moved to stand directly in front of her. Despite the fact she was standing on a log, Dooku still overtopped her slightly. "Well, finally we see honesty from a Jedi. I wonder how many more controversial opinions are being held by those within the Jedi Temple."

Oh Force, he's going to use this against the entire Jedi Order, isn't he. Drat.

"My opinions are my own," Nara replied weakly.

Dooku smiled like a Lothcat that had found its prey. "I understand that you just speak for yourself. But I find that this attitude is only too prevalent in the Jedi Order. Only inward looking, and ignorant of their own history."

Nara clenched her fists, turned and stalked away, pushing her out of the circle that had formed. Nara didn't care that it looked bad. She was losing her temper and didn't care to do it in front of Dooku and a bunch of strangers.

Once she had gone far enough and she had made sure that no one else had followed her, she bent down, picked up a rock and then threw it as hard as she could into the distance. She would have screamed if it wouldn't have been overheard. Instead she kicked her booted foot into a nearby tree stump. Predictably, her foot now hurt.

She bounced up and down for a bit on her good foot until the pain faded. Truly and utterly annoyed beyond all reason, Nara tried a Jedi breathing technique to calm herself down. What was it about Dooku that annoyed her? Sure, there was the arrogance, but she had been around people more arrogant than Dooku. Not many, mind you, but enough. But she usually had patience to spare. She had been trained by Tiplee, one of the calmest Jedi that she knew. She knew how to act. So why had she had such a short fuse today?

"It's because of Sascha," Nara growled to herself.

It had been Dooku that had suggested that she might have feelings for Sascha. So, perhaps instead of addressing the underlying emotions between her and Sascha, which so clearly existed, she had shunted all her emotion towards Dooku.

Damn.

It was all so obvious in retrospect.

She resisted the urge to kick the tree stump again. So, instead she slapped herself on the cheek, "You are an idiot, Nara Nalto."

She smacked herself again, this time lightly on the head. The first thing to do was to somehow make amends with the rest of the group, and try to make herself look like less like a barely restrained psychopath. Which she may or may not be able to do in the time left. All she could do was try.

Nara opened herself up to the Force, so that she could more easily find her way back to the group. She found the group easily enough, but there was something strange, something dangerous in the Force. A feeling of impending danger.

Nara turned and sprinted back to her group, slipping her lightsaber into her hand.

Sascha Whitestar was involved in a lively, but friendly debate with a Gran and a Twi'lek about how the Jedi Order could be more open with the public. Both young men were being open about what they thought about the Jedi.

"The Jedi need to be a little more approachable, like you are right now, Jedi Whitestar," said the Green-skinned Twi'lek. "I had one opinion of the Jedi before I came here, and now that has changed. I couldn't have gotten my opinion changed if I haven't met a Jedi and gotten to talk to them."

"But as the Jedi said, the Jedi cannot be everywhere, and they cannot show favouritism," said the Gran.

The Twi'lek wavered, "I know. But there must be some sort of middle ground."

"You should just train more Jedi," the Gran said, smiling. "That way you wouldn't be spread so thin across the Republic."

"I think we should," said Sascha. "I think we've become a bit restrictive on who we train." He smiled, "Of course, I have absolutely no power in this matter."

"I understand, Master Jedi."

Sascha's comlink rang, "Sorry, I have to take this."

"Jedi business?"

"Probably someone with a wrong number," he joked.

Sascha took a few steps away from the group and answered his comlink without looking at who was calling, "Hello?"

"Sascha! It's Nara. Our party is under attack by droids! Come quick!"

He almost asked where she was, but upon glimpsing into the Force, she could tell that she wasn't all that far away from him. Sick coincidence.

"I'm coming," he said, and hung up.

Sascha went to the tour guide, an amiable young man named Cartis. "Cartis, you need to take this group and go back to the staging area. Do it quickly and calmly. Can you do this for me?"

"What's going on?"

"I don't know, but it's not good. Can you take care of these people for me?"

Cartis hesitated and then nodded, "I can do it."

"Good, I'm trusting you," he said.

With no time to spare, Sascha dropped into the Force, trying to determine the direction that he needed to go. When he did, he started sprinting in that direction, being careful of his footing in the treacherous forest.

He almost twisted his ankle a couple of times, when the elevation of the forest suddenly changed on him, but with his quick reactions and strong balance, he was able to prevent himself from injuring himself on the way to battle.

When he arrived, minutes later, there was still a firefight going on. Nara, with her lightsaber ablaze, was standing in front of a terrified group of beings, all of which were huddled close to Nara. There was one really tall person behind Nara that seemed to be moving more than the others...

Dooku?

What the hell?

The Force was swirling around the two Jedi...well one Jedi Padawan and one former Jedi Master. Nara was taking up the defensive responsibility, keeping up a quick moving lightsaber. Dooku was using the Force to send the droids, which looked like ordinary battle droids that had been painted in the colours of the forest.

Instead of jumping to Nara's aid, Sascha stopped and thought for a second. Battle droids needed something to control them. It probably meant that there had to be someone in the near vicinity that was in control of the droids.

Sascha stopped and extended his senses, looking for someone nearby. He found one such presence in the Force that was somewhere off to his left. He decided that he would o and have a visit with this person. At the very least, he could draw the attention away from Nara.

Sascha traded speed for stealth as he snuck up on the mysterious person. A few moments later, he found her. Perched on a strong lower branch of an old tree, he saw a young woman, dressed in a red and black jumpsuit with a long flowing skirt. Her hair was a shock of platinum blonde. She had a blaster at her side and in her hands was a small, gray device that looked like it might be responsible for controlling the battle droids.

"Put down the controller," he said, projecting his voice in the Force to carry extra weight.

Instead of startling, like Sascha expected that this...attacker, should have. She simply turned and said,"Oh I don't think I will," said a strong, sultry voice.

Slightly unnerved, Sascha tried one last attempt at diplomacy, "I am a Jedi. I am asking you to surrender peacefully."

The woman rolled her eyes, "But that would be so...boring."

Well. He tried diplomacy. It hadn't worked.

Sascha ignited his lightsaber and threw it so that it would cut down the branch that the woman was perched on. While it would leave him defenseless, he didn't think that this woman would be able to draw and fire her blaster at him before his lightsaber cut through the tree branch.

He almost miscalculated.

Showing incredible speed and reflexes, the whip-thin blond woman was able to leap off the branch she had been perched on, withdraw her blaster and fire it at him, all in one very smooth motion. Fortunately, she was not good enough to actually hit him with her fire, but she was accurate enough to keep him pinned down and unable to move.

Sascha recovered his lightsaber and held it across his body. The woman, smartly decided against firing at him. She held the blaster and had it pointed at him, but she seemed to realize that it was pointless to actually fire at a Jedi that was focused on them.

"Surrender," he said.

"I could call my droids back, you know," the woman said casually. "Then we could really make it fun."

Sascha took a couple of slow steps towards his assailant, "I'd enjoy that."

"Sorry hun, you aren't my type."

Sascha decided that he wasn't going to bandy words with this woman any longer. He charged directly at her. The woman fired a couple of times with her blaster. The shots pinged off his lightsaber as he easily deflected it. Sascha decided that a quick lightsaber move to disarm this woman seemed like a good way to deal with things.

But then the woman bent her knees and jumped high into the air, far over his head, landing like a Lothcat on a branch that was probably five or six meters in the air.

Did...she just...use the Force? That jump should have been impossible for an average human. In fact it would have been a difficult jump for most Jedi.

Sascha looked warily at the attacker, keeping his lightsaber in a defensive position, "Who are you?"

"You can call me Ventress."

"You use the Force."

The woman shrugged lazily, projecting indifference, "It's not like the Jedi have a monopoly on using the Force...though I'm sure they'd like if they did."

Sascha said nothing.

"Look, this is a stalemate. You can't get to me without me riddling you full of blaster bolts. And I bet you could just block my shots all day." Ventress waved her hand, "This is all a bit...boring now."

"I'm going to bring you in. You have nowhere to go," he said.

Ventress snorted, "Delusional Jedi child." The pale woman flicked a tiny salute towards him before hopping off her branch and escaping deeper into the forest. Sascha toyed with the idea of following her for a moment, before deciding that his main concern was to get back to Nara. But still...so many questions remained. What in the hell was that? Who the heck was she? And why did she seem to be Force sensitive?

Whatever the answers were, he had no time to determine them right now.

He jogged back to where Nara and Dooku were finishing off the last of the battledroids. Without the oversight of Ventress, the battle droids were...well...pretty dumb. Up against a Padawan and a Jedi Master like Dooku, they had no chance of success.

Pieces of droids were littered everywhere. Nara was sweating and breathing hard, looking like she had just gone twelve rounds of sparring with someone who was better than her. A small cut just underneath her left eye was the only obvious injury she had.

Dooku on the other hand, looked completely unscathed.

Sascha disengaged his lightsaber.

"Everyone okay?" he shouted.

Nods and mild confirmations answered him.

Nara managed a little smile, "Thank the Force these were just dumb battle droids," she said. "I think everyone is fine."

"I'm okay too," Dooku replied dryly as Sascha passed by him.

Sascha shot Dooku a look before looking at the rest of the group, "Everyone else okay?" Sascha asked the shaken up group of young people.

No one raised a hand or said anything, so Sascha assumed that everyone had come through unscathed.

Two questions remained. Who was that woman, and why had she attacked this group?

He stood beside Nara, "You okay, Nara?"

Nara shot him a little smile, "It's always better when you are here, Whitestar."