A/N: I had rewrite chapter once or twice. Hopefully it feels realistic. Some aspects i wont be sure off until I get it out there. Regardless until Harvest is over, I won't release anything new. Frankly I need the sleep. As usual, reviews and criticism are always welcome.

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.

I was on my own for the first time in a long time. It was odd to be so far away from Master Tal'or. The old man was always a calming presence and had wisdom in spades. Still the real strange part was the Force Bond between Master and Padawan. I was lightyears away yet I could still feel his presence. A bizarre feeling sure, but if I focused enough, all I could sense was pain.

I don't think he was as clear of the beast's venom as he let on. The beast. Just thinking about sent shivers through my being. Still had nightmares at times about the encounter. I remember it was like that of a hunchbacked humanoid with a massive tri-spiked head and maw full of jagged fangs. Ten feet tall and armored head to toe in natural plating. Which could resist lightsaber strikes. It was faster than it looked. So glad I had been learning Form III, and a little bit of Form V. The truly scary part was that it was resistant to the force. Resistant is the wrong word. More like it was absorbing it. The force seemed to meld away from it, like wet tissue paper being broken and the sliminess of paper just hung from the beast's aura. Clinging to it as it was being sucked in. I had some idea of what the creature could be, but I couldn't be sure until I examined the corpse closer. Which I didn't have time for.

The beast aside, the distance from my master was the true reason I was sent away. It had to be in order for me to not constantly sense the pain he felt in his very being right now. It wasn't just a physical pain either, but one that eked into his very Force presence.

So Master Tal'or sent me to go with Master Dooku to Galidraan. Supposedly to stop a massacre of protesters. Only problem was that we were there to fight the wrong enemy. Well yes and no, as the True Mandos did kill them, but the protestors were actually armed insurgents rebelling against the Corrupt and Tyrannical Governor. The Governor who was colluding with the Deathwatch to trap the True Mando in a storm of Jedi Lightsabers.

My Master's condition aside, this outcome for the True Mandolorians was something I would like to change. I didn't know how though. I wasn't too sure how to go about it. Best I could come up with was a "Vision from the Force." Which isn't entirely inaccurate, from a certain point of view.

"You look nervous." I looked over at the beautiful blonde human padawan sitting across from me in the bunk opposite to me. The cabin of the Jedi transport was roomy enough, but lacked any real decoration.

Komari was taller than me by half a foot, and a real bombshell. If she wasn't a Jedi, I swear she could have been a model in another life. Compared to my slimmer build, I felt lacking in her presence. I mean I wasn't lacking. This body wasn't entirely curveless and wouldn't be later on. Still, I had never really felt this way before. This jealousy? Envy? I mean I was still around fourteen and Vosa was around twenty, of course I hadn't fully developed yet. I had to stop myself from going down that avenue of thought. So pushing these awkward teenage thoughts out of my mind I answered her.

"Yes and no." I admitted and Komari Vosa nodded. "I am far from my Master, yes, but I just believe the fight ahead is not the one we should be focusing on. Something about all this isn't right."

"Don't worry about it." Vosa said as she flopped back on her bed and stretched. I… wow… I quickly looked away when she reversed her back stretch and looked back at me. "We will get to take out some barbarians that to be honest our order should have really mopped up a long time ago. But we'll at least get some action. It will be like in the old days of the order. Our own tiny little Mandalorian War." Yeah because that worked out so well in the end.

She got up and sat next to me on the bed. She then looped an arm around me. I did my best not to blush at her being so close. Wait, did I smell perfume. When did Jedi wear perfume? "Don't worry kid, I will be right beside you the whole time. Dooku told me to look after you. And what my Master wants out of me he gets." She seemed to get a far off look in her eye, like she was thinking about Dooku in a way a student shouldn't be thinking about her teacher. Ah poodoo, I remember part of the reason she left the order now.

Her infatuation with her master aside, Vosa had been excited about the trip since we met on the ship. We had sparred briefly earlier and she was a very talented duelist. How could one not be when being trained under Count- I am sorry Master Dooku. He wasn't a Sith Lord yet. He was still a Count, but the Jedi was still at the forefront. He was just disillusioned with the order at this point in his life I believe. Galidraan was a stepping stone on the path he may one day walk.

Another of Vosa's issues was that she had a tendency to get too involved in her lust for battle. Something Dooku from the sound of it was trying to rein in. During our sparring sessions prior to leaving the temple, I often found myself overwhelmed by the quick and light attacks, but my training in Form III helped immensely. I loved that form so much. Maybe one day I will pick up all Seven Forms of Lightsaber combat. I would really have to work for that. Perhaps Form III and V could get me by. Form II would need to be added to that list after my duel with Vosa. Got my ass kicked. Considering what was to come, there will be a definite need to add that to my still growing repertoire.

I sighed, needing to get away from her a bit. Vosa could be a bit full of herself and it was a bit grating. "I need to talk with your Master. I have a feeling this mission is more than it appears." I knew it wasn't fair considering I might have judged her on my meta knowledge. Though perhaps this was her attempt at a big sister routine. I was just too much of a Jedi introvert I guess.

I never really connected much with the other younglings up to becoming a padawan. I mean I still wouldn't mind seeing them again as Jedi. Master Tal'or had often forced me to interact with others early on. Once he pushed me into some Square dance on a farming moon. It was fun once I figured out the steps.

Vosa shrugged. "No matter, I am sure things will be straight forward enough for you when we touch down and the blaster bolts start flying." She chuckled to herself as I left.

I got up and stalked through sterile white and bright lit halls of the Jedi Transport. I feared Vosa was right. How could one Padawan change things? It was a bit overwhelming. Short of sabotaging the ship to let the True Mandos get away, but they did kill those rebels even if they didn't know the real situation. Kriff, I just hoped this worked.

I walked until I found Dooku talking with a couple knights in the briefing room, and standing around a holomap. They sensed my approach and all turned to me.

"Ah, Padawan Unduli. What can I do for you?" He smiled pleasantly though it felt like a facade to mask a sense of pity. Tal'or was in worse shape than I thought then. My Master being one of those people everyone knew, but yet not a specific member of any faction. A floater you could say. So everyone tended to like him.

"I have a question, Master Dooku." I bowed and Dooku waved the other knights away. The door whispering shut behind me. Dooku was very patient when I was around. He knew Tal'or well it seemed. Especially to put up with flirting with the only one padawan rule.

"Yes, Padawan. I could feel it weighing on your mind since I mentioned we were going to Galidraan." Damn those Force senses could be so annoying. He looked younger but had that Christopher Lee charm and pure charisma that was hard to ignore, but he was Dooku. The possible future apprentice of Sidious. So I would keep my distance. He wasn't Tyrannus yet though. Still I could see why Komari became infatuated with him like she did.

"Master, I think I might have had a vision regarding the coming battle?" I blurted out, I was so damn nervous. I was actually trying to alter history.

"A vision you say? Might I ask what you saw in this vision?" His tone was skeptical and I don't think he entirely bought my half truth. Hard to tell. He offered me a chair. I sat down, and smoothed out my battledress. The armor pads I wore on my legs sometimes caught in the fabric of the battledress. Would have to get some cortosis weave for my robes. It would slow me down. Even when weaved into clothing, the stuff still weighed a fair bit. The extra protection would be worth it.

I briefly collected myself. Here goes nothing. "I was fighting the enemy and noticed that their armor was bloody. Strange thing to notice I know. I could see a symbol of a strange animal skull on one of his shoulder pauldrons. Yet as I stuck the warrior down, I heard laughter in the distance. I could see another warrior dressed similarly, though his armor was clean it didn't gleam. He had a different symbol on shoulder pauldron. Some sort of bird of prey. He laughed at the fallen warrior and flew away via jet pack." I wrung my hands nervously as Dooku pondered my "vision."

"Have you had similar visions?."

"No, well, I have had it multiple times. I admit this was the first real vision I have ever had. It feels like the warrior I fought was duped and that I myself was also a pawn in a different game. It was not really all that clear. It has been getting stronger ever since the closer we got to Galidraan." Damn, it took everything I had to focus on maintaining my nervousness to mask the half truth. He stood once again as paced thinking on this.

"I see." He seemed to consider what I had said if only for a moment. "Something has felt off about this mission. The way the council blindly believed the Governor was a bit naive. However, I believe you may have misinterpreted the meaning. The warrior you stuck down still had blood on his hands, correct?" I nodded reluctantly. "The Future is always uncertain, young one. Such visions are never clear at first."

"I understand," I reluctantly agreed like a good student would. "Master, can we at least parlay with them? To hear their side of things?" I asked hopefully.

"That all depends on them. By law I do have to announce my intentions. Hopefully their leader sees reason. These are Mandalorians I should add and are more likely to shoot first than talk."

"Thank you, Master Dooku. That is all I ask." I felt hollow as I left the room. If Dooku merely called out like an old west Sheriff, the Mandos were likely to just shoot at any approaching force. No wonder this battle turned out so bad. That damn Deathwatch, their damn Governor, and the Damn Jedi and True Mandos in their stubbornness. Wait… that was it.

"Master, in your declaration to the Mandolorians. Can you mention that we are there at the behest of the Governor specifically? To test their reaction. I mean why would they go out of their way to kill random protesters. No, Mandolorians are Mercs, someone hired them. They also abhore easy fights like unarmed picket weilding protesters. It all boils down to what they were protesting against?"

Dooku rubbed his chin at the thought. "You make a valid point. Who stands to gain in the midst of this the most?" He stood connecting the dots. He went to a holotable pulling up news on the planet. After reading for a moment he said, "The Governor has been less than a saint it seems."

I walked up beside him and briefly scanned the newsletter. "Could he have hired the Mandolorians to deal with the growing insurrection and then later contacted us in an effort to kill two mynocks with one stone in order to forgo payment?"

"I agree, but it doesn't absolve the Mandolorians of their crimes either, but it does give us more of a broader picture. I find myself disappointed in the Council, blindly following the mere word of a Republic official is humiliating. We are not ones to be beckoned and called like an akk dog when it suits the Republic. Leave me. I require time to meditate on this development." His voice held a tone of one who had realized they made an error and were kicking themselves for it. He dismissed me with a wave, and I left the room.

Holy shit, I think I did something? It may not change the battle, but I felt something had shifted. I hope.

I left the room with a pleasant vibe. It was only about halfway back to my bunk did I encounter a looming presence standing in contrast to the brightly lit hallway.

"Just what do you think you're doing?!" Vosa stomped toward me.

"I…"

"Are you trying to spare those butchers?. I was looking forward to getting to take out some useless mercenary bantha fodder. Then you come along and try to put a stop to that? It's like you want the butcher's to go free." She stood taller than me and poked me in the chest.

I managed to reply coolly, "I want justice. Rolling up and swinging sabers with abandon is not the way Jedi do things. Also, who are you trying to impress? Your Master. He already thinks the world of you. We're Jedi. That want for validation is supposed to be beyond us." Did I drink communion wine recently? When did I get so preachy all of sudden? Right, space monk. Tal'or would be so proud.

"You wouldn't understand. I need something to prove my worth to him." Vosa growled with a tinge of desperation. I could sense the infatuation oozing out of her now.

"To him?" I raised an eyebrow. My tone was more accusatory than surprised. Amazing how the mere tone of one's voice could change a meaning in a question or sentence. In this case though…

Vosa growled. "How dare you even suggest a thing?"

I held up my hands. Trying to bactrack. "Sorry, I am just stressed with the upcoming battle. I just had my own concerns. Think about it. Would your Master be impressed if you did well in the battle ahead? Slaughtering the enemy left and right only to find out later that we were just doing the Governor's dirty work. It would stain such an action forever. The Mandolorians ought to be punished, but their recent history shows that they rarely take jobs like this. Well this faction at least."

Vosa thought for a moment. After getting over her initial outburst. I felt relieved Vosa seemed to be thinking this through. It helped that I just remembered that other than her infatuation with Dooku, she was actually a decent Jedi. If a bit annoying. Shame I had to play on that infatuation if only in a small way.

"Since you obviously heard Your Master's and my conversation. Then you know why during the battle, we ought to disarm and pacify. We need all the witnesses we can to prove the Governor's hand in this. If we kill them all, we can't unveil the true culprit's crimes. Problem is it won't be easy. The Mandos are likely to shoot as soon as they see us." Vosa seemed to ponder this. Perhaps I could deny fate twice on this trip. I drove the nail home. I hated to play on this card. "It would be a true test of skill to defeat many Mandos yet not kill them. To give in to the bloodlust of battle like a mere common warrior is not the way of the Jedi." Unless they practiced Form VII.

Wrapping an arm around Vosa's shoulder, I walked her back to our shared room. Hoping my words had some impact. "I know my Master would be impressed." I squeezed her shoulder, briefly feeling those beautifully toned muscles underneath. I wonder what training regimen she utilized. Then again Jedi training was rather intensive as is, but damn Vosa was a real Valkyrie. I released her shoulder and left Komari to mull over the battle ahead. Her initial excitement had dulled down, replaced by a focus and calm that impressed me more than her fighting skills. We didn't talk for the rest of the journey.

It was only a half a day later, we arrived in system and boarded the shuttle down to the surface. I put all thoughts of Dooku and Komari aside and did my best to calm my mind and prepare. This wasn't going to be a fight against some pirates or underworld losers that barely knew which end to hold a blaster. These were Mandolorians. The greatest non-force sensitive Jedi killers the galaxy had ever known and being led by the greatest non-force sensitive warrior in the galaxy at this point to boot. I had to focus a lot harder to even to clear my mind. By the time I reached that inner calm, the damn doors of the shuttle hissed open and jolted me from my meditation like a damn snooze button alarm.

A/N: The battle itself is up next. Thanks to all those who follow and reply. The good thing about sitting in a harvester all day is that you get time to mull over and refine an outline of your work at least. Also thanks to those in the comments who point out small things that I can accidentally overlook or misinterpret. Thanks again.