31 BBY

The meeting with such a potentially huge client had Tan'ya feeling a touch nervous. Just a touch, not a lot, she couldn't allow herself to be so weak. She'd come to understand the fact that she was working with an advanced operating system on some fairly limited hardware. Her personnel emotional control was damaged by the fact that her brain still had the chemistry of a preteen.

Even so, Tan'ya did not allow herself to meet Hego Damask the Second with anything less than perfect composure. Her control of the Force was firm, her dress immaculate, and she was standing with straight posture and attentiveness.

When the ramp lowered she got her first look at Hego Damask in person. Like all munn's he was tall and narrow with a bulging forehead, but his face was partially concealed by a heavy breathing apparatus that whistled faintly every time he inhaled. He wore the formal black and gold robes of the Banking Clan, and walked with a controlled, directed stride.

"It's an honor to meet you, Chairman." Tan'ya told him, bowing low. "My Father has cleared his schedule, and is ready to meet you at a time of your choosing. If you would like to rest from your journey and refresh first, we've set aside a manor for you and your bodyguards."

And what bodyguards they were! The Thyrsian Sunguards had the reputation of being warriors on par with the legendary Mandalorians, but with an even greater degree of personal discipline. They also didn't have the warrior code that the Mandalorians did, which made them much more predictable and less prone to murdering people over trivial offenses.

The helmeted heads of the Thyrsians remained fixed on Tan'ya's own Serennoans, the two rows of guardsmen eyeing each other off without blinking.

After taking a long breath with which he regarded her curiously, Damask said, "I would like the chance to gather myself, before meeting your father. Walk with me through the gardens."

It was a bright clear day, and a good time of the year to enjoy the gardens with every flower in bloom and fresh fruits hanging from various trees and vines. Without saying anything, Damask plucked a low hanging Errerra and sampled it, looking contemplative as he did.

"How do you find your Jedi training?" He asked her.

She looked at him, surprised to learn he'd researched her before this meeting. Well, she supposed she was the daughter of the famed Count Dooku, and it was a reasonable assumption to make.

"I enjoy it, of course. It's a great honor."

"But you're dissatisfied." He pressed.

"...Yes, I'm not sure it's always the greatest use of my time." Tan'ya finally admitted. "My real passion is for administration, and my homeworld is in desperate need of investment and reform."

"How do you feel about being the subject of prophecy? Do the other younglings treat you differently?"

Prophecy? Tan'ya didn't know how to answer. No one had ever mentioned a prophecy to her.

"No need to play coy. I have my informants in the Jedi Temple, and I know well what's in the holocron vault." Damask replied. "Better than the Council does, I'm sure."

"I'm sorry, Chairman, I don't know what you're talking about."

"I'm talking about Power, child." He replied. "The Dark Side. The true, Dark Side. Not the silly warning fables the Jedi offer, but a black ambition that would light the Galaxy aflame."

The man was sounding crazy! Tan'ya found herself glancing over to her own bodyguards, confirming that they were indeed hearing what she was.

"I'm here to offer you power." He turned to her. "My plans have ignored you for far too long. I've long known about your incredible potential."

"Uh, thank you Mr Damask. I'm still not sure what you're offering." Tan'ya put one hand behind her back, making a signal to her bodyguards that something was wrong, and beneath their pneumatically sealed helmets words started to pass between them over the radios.

The bird song seemed to drop away, as the garden grew very quiet. The gentle breeze stopped blowing, her men froze in place, and the Thyrsians were standing unnaturally still.

"You know who I am." Damask said to her. "You know what I offer."

Tan'ya felt her mouth grow dry, as she stared at the face of her tormentor. Ever since she recovered her memories, she had fearfully waited for Being X to show up again. To plague, and torment her, and now he stood in front of her once more. The dark power, manipulating the Galaxy towards war.

"Being X."

"...What? No, I'm talking about coal."

"Pardon me?"

"Coal. The absolute greatest way to generate electricity. With your help, we'll create coal fired power plants in every world. Together, we will raise the Galaxy's average temperature, and make every planet uninhabitable! With our cheap electricity, we'll raise grand fleets and set out to conquer not just this galaxy, but every Galaxy! With you as my right hand, we'll be unstoppable!"

"Yes… Yes I see now!" Tan'ya found herself growing excited. "The answer is coal!"

"The answer has always been coal!"

"I can't wait to bring the Galaxy to heel with the unstoppable, and incredibly futuristic power of coal in hand! Global warming is for pussies! We're doing Galactic warming now!"

"It's truly important that we discuss the beauty and raw natural potential of coal in our stories. Only by propagandizing the writer's beliefs, can we really begin to change things!"

Actually, I'm more of an advocate for nuclear energy. Seems to me to be the best of both worlds.

"Yes! The author is a true lover and advocate for coal power!" No I'm not. "By serving him, and constantly reminding the audience of his values, we can definitely make the world a better place!"

"Through the power of storytelling! And Coal!"

Behind them, a Thyrsian and a Serennoan hug each other, while everyone else clapped and cheered.

"Coal has made me stop being racist." A Serennoan confessed, taking off his helmet to rub away a tear."

"Coal has made me stop beating my wife!" The Thyrsian replied.

With the author not bothering to keep track of who was speaking when, both Hego and Tan'ya turned to face you. "Thanks for reading this story thus far. Really, your discussion and feedback means a lot to the author. Happy April Fools day, everyone!"

"The rest of the chapter will be filled out by non canon drafts of previous chapters. Feel free to browse or ignore them at your leisure. Once it's no longer April Fools day anywhere, the Author will change the chapter from being in chapter sequence to a non canon omake."

Hego and Tan'ya held hands and chanted as one, "And remember, coal will fix everything if we just let it."


Deleted scenes

Chapter 3.

Never before had Count Dooku felt nervous to see his own former apprentice. There were times when he'd been worried about Qui-Gon's safety, that his padawan might fail a difficult test, but never to see him. Dooku strode through the halls of his palace quickly, taking long strides as his cape flowed behind him.

Did the Jedi Order know about Tan'ya? It was possible, despite his and Athemeene's best efforts. Even if they had done their best to keep Tan'ya from communing with the force, there were always jedi in the temple meditating, searching the galaxy for visions of young ones. Many were found that way, and his daughter was more potent in the force than any youngling Dooku had ever known.

Why did he feel so proud of that? Dooku knew why, he wasn't a fool. Tan'ya's birthday was in just a few weeks, and amongst the baby's meaningless babble, squeals and giggles, his heart leapt at anything that sounded even a little bit like Daddy. At first he felt some shame and doubt regarding this new development. He was a Jedi Master, he had sworn off all attachment and pursued a life of service to the galaxy.

But that life was over. He was a father now. It was too late to feel ashamed for what he'd done.

Indeed, he had done nothing to feel ashamed of. Leaving the Jedi had been the right thing to do, and as a former jedi he was no longer bound by their code.

Count Dooku, in his formal cape and wearing his chain of office, stepped out of his palace and into the sunlight. The tropical air of Serenno practically swam with humidity, and practically without thought he used the force to keep any condensation away from him. It wouldn't do for a man of his station to sweat, not when he had an impression to make. In politics and diplomacy, impressions were very important.

He had nothing to be ashamed of, so he strode through his garden with his high, his shoulders back, and striding forward with almost a spring in his step. At the far end of his garden was the landing pad, and parked atop it was a Consular Class Space Cruiser, which in itself told Dooku something. If this was just a personal visit, Qui-Gon would have come in his fighter. The Consular Class Space Cruiser meant that Qui-Gon was here to represent the Jedi Council.

He hadn't sent word to them that they had permission to enter his home, so the crew only lowered the ramp as they saw Dooku approach. Keeping composure didn't only mean maintaining a proud posture, when dealing with jedi it also meant radiating the right thoughts and intentions in the Force.

Dooku had nothing to hide or be ashamed of, so he let go of any thought of deception or fear of discovery. In this moment he was careful to be nothing but a proud father, happy to see his old friends again. Those were the emotions and intentions he projected in the Force and in his body language.

The boarding ramp lowered, and Dooku didn't even wait for the visiting Jedi to step off, he strode onto it and walked forward with a smile on his lips and a glimmer in his eyes. He felt them before he saw them, Qui-Gon, a teenager he didn't recognise but presumed was Obi-wan Kenobi, and Jedi Master Mace Windu.

If the Master of the Order was here then this was definitely about Tan'ya.

"My friends." Dooku greeted them, shaking each of their hands one by one and putting a hand on each of their shoulders. Count Dooku assumed that as a padawan, Obi-wan wasn't used to being flattered this way, and was rewarded for his assumption when the padawan radiated surprised satisfaction in the force. Immediately Qui-Gon radiated disapproval, and Obi-wan spiked with irritation right back.

Excellent.

At the sight of a Jedi master all but bickering with his student, Mace Windu felt annoyed and exasperated in the force, but seemed to force himself to focus on Count Dooku. "It's good to see you again."

"Come, come." Dooku turned away before he let any feelings of betrayal rise inside him. Really, he should be grateful to Mace Windu, for showing him how far the Jedi had fallen.

As they walked, Dooku talked. He explained what he'd been up to since leaving the temple, and talked about what being married was like.

"How did the other masters react?" He glanced over his shoulder at Mace Windu. "Were they scandalized by my wedding?"

"The Council understands the necessity of marriage in the politics of the Outer Rim nobility." Mace answered diplomatically.

Dooku almost laughed. "I would be surprised to learn that the Council understands anything." At his jab, Mace flared with minor offense in the force, and young Obi-wan joined him a moment later when he got the joke.

"Oh, friends please don't be upset." Dooku turned to face them. "Trying to run a planet has taught me much."

"I see your thoughts haven't changed, then." Mace said, already sounding tired of their conversation. Excellent.

"The Republic is as paralyzed today as when I left, and the Jedi Order is as busy as ever doing nothing to help."

"But we do help people." Obi-wan objected, and ignored the look of warning Qui-Gon shot him. "I've spent almost my entire time as a padawan helping people and learning how to better help people."

"Of that I have no doubt, padawan, but there's more to fixing a doomed ship than simply rushing about patching holes in the atmofilters." Dooku said to him, and fixed his full attention on the young boy. "The ship must be docked, parts must be replaced, and a new course set. Instead our ship's captain is blindly chasing his next cargo run and ignoring any panels that happen to fall off in hyperspace." He fixed Obi-wan with a meaningful look. "After all, what reason does he have to change his way, when you're so busy helping to fix his mistakes?"

The young boy looked quite challenged by Dooku's statement, and he opened his mouth to reply when Qui-Gon stepped forward.

"That's not what we're here to discuss." Qui-Gon said.

"Oh, afraid I'll corrupt your padawan?" Dooku smiled.

"No, of course not." Qui-Gon waved him off. "But we have a reason for our visit."

"Then please, tell me." Count Dooku drew himself up to his full height, and looked at them with his arms crossed. "Why have you come?"

"Your child." Mace Windu said, stepping forward. Standing at his full height he was only a finger short of Dooku. "She's force sensitive."

"And potently so." Dooku acknowledged. "She will be a fine jedi one day."

Mace paused before saying, "You intend to train her yourself."

"And why shouldn't I?" Dooku replied. "You cannot deny I'm capable."

"Attachments are dangerous for a jedi." Qui-Gon spoke up. "Training your own child is risky."

"Jedi of the past did not feel the same way." Dooku countered. "Separating children from their parents is only a recent tradition in the order."

"It's not a tradition." Mace spoke up. "It's a law. One put in place to prevent jedi from falling to the Dark Side."

The two of them glared at each other, Master of the Order Mace Windu, and Count Dooku of Serenno.

"Yes, it is a law." Dooku conceded. "If necessary, the Jedi Order can get a court order to compel an unwilling parent to surrender their child." He raised an eyebrow. "Did you have one?"

There was silence as Qui-Gon and Mace Windu looked at eachother and Dooku knew that they didn't. Usually the Jedi Order was able to persuade a parent to surrender their child before resorting to that, often because the threat of a drawn out legal process that inevitably resulted in defeat was something few could afford.

Count Dooku could afford that several times over, even if he would lose in the end.

"We can return with a court order." Qui-Gon said, turning back to Dooku. "Or we can come to an arrangement."

Dooku scoffed. "An arrangement? What will you give me? Visitation rights to see my own child?"

Half smiling, Obi-wan spoke up. "You could see your child as much as you like if you rejoin the Order."

The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees as Count Dooku fixed the full weight of his gaze and intention on the young padawan. He allowed the shield around his thoughts to fall, and all three jedi felt the full weight of his cold anger and dangerous intentions. The blood seemed to leave Obi-wan's face and he stared at the Count as if he saw his own death.

"Obi-wan." Qui-Gon stepped between the Count and his pupil before anything happened. "Go wait in the ship." He ordered.

Obi-wan didn't even have a snappy comeback. He lowered his head and rushed away from the room. There was a long silence after he left.

Qui-Gon turned towards Count Dooku, and reprimanded in a much calmer tone. "You're only demonstrating why attachments are so dangerous. Calm yourself."


Chapter 6

Tan'ya was excited for the trip she was about to take with her father. The day before they were set to leave, she'd personally gone to the palace's landing area to inspect her father's Consular-class Light Cruiser. She was beginning to suspect that Father didn't trust people very much, because the entire ship was staffed and piloted by droids. That seemed a shame to her, it put more distance between the population of Serenno and their ruling family. Having a good relationship with members of the public was an easy step towards having good relations with the population in general.

Missed opportunities aside, SCN Posture was a fine ship. The exterior was painted matte black, and trimmed with gold. The interior included soft carpeted floors and even internal plumbing, which was presumably preferable to the more common dry toilet and sonic showers of most vessels. There were no weapons on board, which was disappointing, but the vessel was a civilian model created specifically to be sold to the Republic for diplomatic efforts by the Corellian Engineering Corporation.

As far as she could tell, the planet Corellia was the galaxy's largest ship maker with multiple orbital drive yards, let alone the other ones they had in system. Serenno didn't even have one, a problem that was going to have to be fixed in time. Buying a functional navy from the Trade Federation, or Kuat Drive Yards, or even the Correllians for that matter might save costs in the short term, but was very much a missed opportunity in the long term.

Tan'ya wasn't an expert on the subject, but as best as she could tell the Serenno system had all the necessary raw materials to create ships. The problem was they lacked infrastructure and expertise, but those things could be built up. Not only would having their own ship building industry do a lot for the economy, it would change their situation dramatically, transforming them into a regional power almost overnight. Never again would pirates and slavers see Serenno as easy pickings.

Which was why Tan'ya rushed to finish her report. Such a project would take decades, probably more. The sooner that they started, the better. Even more so than on Earth, Tan'ya could see the absolute importance a navy would play in galactic warfare. Victory for the Kaiser had been made all but impossible by the absolute supremacy of the Albish Royal Navy, and it was only so much more the case when war would be waged across the vastness of space.

The best part was building shipyards and training up experts would by no means violate the Republic's laws on raising an army. There was plenty of money to be made selling civilian ships to the public, and important practice to be had doing so.

Tan'ya was sure, absolutely sure that once Father saw the long term advantages of her recommendations they would be able to get started immediately. He was a man of action, after all. Not prone to sitting around or accepting half measures when there was more that could be done.

With just a little push Serenno would be made great, House and Planet.

Chapter 15

As a teacher, Sifo found it delightful to see his student burning with passion for a new project. There was always that desire to interfere, to meddle, to take over and make sure it was done right, but he suppressed it. He knew from personal experience that no one in the world liked having a tool ripped from their hands by someone trying to show them how to use it, and such an act would do little more than provoke frustration and resentment.

In this case that tool was a stack of papers piled nearly to the ceiling and room full of confused bureaucrats. Their consternation was understandable, given that their newly appointed de facto Minister of Defence appeared to be seven years old.

"It's just that… Well, we were under the impression that Count Dooku appointed Jedi Master Sifo Dyas to be his Chief Security Advisor?"

"And he did." Tan'ya replied, calmly. "Then Sifo Dyas appointed me as his deputy, a role that you'll find is perfectly appropriate for a Jedi Padawan. Rest assured that everything I do will be overseen by Master Sifo here, and that any decision I make has the authority of him behind it… As well as my Father."

At the mention of the Count, the men all looked at each other nervously.

Everyone knew that Dooku didn't like to be bothered by the affairs of the Advisory when he didn't have to be. As a Jedi and a lawkeeper, he openly resented bureaucrats as just a different kind of corruption, and at best viewed the offices of the Advisory as a necessary evil.

Not to mention the example Dooku had made of many of Ramil's appointees when he took power. Those he found guilty of corruption were executed on the spot by Serenno's new autocratic ruler, who had every right under law to appoint himself as judge and executioner, no jury required. The republican in Sifo was horrified by the process, but the pragmatist admired its efficiency.

"Well, yes, I see." The soft handed man murmured, nodding. "That being the case, we will of course trust the Count's judgment and serve his Chief Security Advisor faithfully, through his deputy."

There were some nods around the room, and Sifo almost scoffed. That one statement framed as a question was all the courage anyone in there had to resist. Dressed in Coruscanti style robes, all university educated and well used to office work, he could sense in their minds that they found it odd, but the decision was made and they would do their best to see Dooku's military reforms through to completion.

After that, Sifo faded into the background with a small force trick he knew. He watched and he smiled at the odd sight of his student thriving in a way he'd never witnessed before. Tan'ya smoothly and easily adjusted to the office environment, quickly requisitioning an adjustable chair and desk so she didn't have to sit with her feet hanging above the floor. After that, it was a whirlwind of meetings, proposals, recruitment goals and budgeting. By the end of the first day, Tan'ya had brought the staffers to heel, a productive office environment had been established, everyone understood what their duties were and they were already moving on to acquiring equipment for the army.

Sifo was pleased to see his student handling this all so well. When his old friend had informed him of Tan'ya's gift at paperwork he'd been slightly skeptical at first, but seeing it in person was remarkable. The best part was he ended up not having to deal with any of it himself.

The hours positively flew by. Sifo was sure that the army would be complete in almost no time at all.


Tan'ya felt no guilt at all for her wealth and status. After the absolute hell that she'd been through in her second life she'd more than earned the comparative peace of her third life. Sure, Tan'ya had felt a few twinges of conscience thinking about the battered men in the yards and the family's that were waiting for them fearfully at home, wondering if their fathers and brothers would return in one piece, but who wouldn't on occasion? But this was the free market at work, for the better of everyone.

Yes, those men weren't earning a very good wage, but they were definitely earning more than they would be if they stayed in the villages. Her father had provided the public with security, meaning they could now be economically productive and start gradually improving their quality of life. They weren't resentful of her, they were very respectful and grateful for her father's protection. Obviously this state of affairs wasn't going to be permanent, as the memory of the war and hunger faded they would begin to demand more for themselves, but that was an issue for the future.

But still, there were several things about the yards that Tan'ya had to acknowledge bothered her. Clearing all of Serenno's jungles for lumber wasn't really a sustainable business practice in the long run. With how large their population was it wouldn't be too far into the future when they ran out of jungles to clear. In just the fifty years since the economy had moved so heavily towards exporting wood they had already cleared a frightening swath of the jungle, large parts of the continents were looking more and more brown from space due to the environmental devastation and exposed mud.

Not to mention it was very inefficient. All those supposedly expendable workers could be doing something else, something much safer and more productive if only they had the opportunity. Normally the free market would be ideal to provide that opportunity, but unfortunately what they had could hardly be called free at all.

A series of senate backed oligarchical megacorporations controlled almost every aspect of the market, from production to consumption. They set prices to their own advantage, and shut out everyone who didn't cooperate or play along. Even the way galactic maps were drawn was evidence of this corruption.

Historically Serenno ruled its own small star sector, but a hundred years ago was consolidated into the much larger and very strangely shaped D'Astan Sector, gerrymandering it out of a Senate seat. To make matters worse, there weren't even any hyper lanes running through the new D'Astan Sector connecting its capital of Axxila to Serenno. For a ship from Serenno to trade with its own supposed sector capital, it would literally have had to pass through two neighboring sectors, Thesme and Kalmith. Culturally, economically, and politically Serenno had almost no connections with Axxila at all, but was still supposedly represented in the senate by the senator from that world.

No wonder her father hated the Republic so much. This one arbitrary redrawing of the map had been an important tipping point that pushed his world into a century of sharp decline. It was infuriating to think that a world with such a large population, long history and rich resources had been left to fester in poverty and civil strife for almost a hundred years simply because it served the interests of the Republic's oligarchs.

Looking away from her Mother, Tan'ya considered the villagers. The issue was that from an economic point of view, they had almost no leverage at all. Lumber was only valuable in bulk, making it almost impossible for any of the villagers to strike out and start a business of their own. The tools needed to operate the yard were owned by someone else, and the only men in the whole business who weren't completely expendable were the climbers, who took time to train up and needed to be extremely fit.

If Tan'ya was in the shoes of an illiterate villager, her only real option for social advancement would be to become a tree climber. None of them even knew how to read or write, and as adults it was probably too late and too difficult for many of them to try and learn. They couldn't even really travel to find work, they all spoke regional languages, so getting to the capital or any of Serenno's other large cities was difficult and dangerous.

Tan'ya resolved herself to include literacy and Outer Rim Basic as part of the training curriculum for her militia. Even then she knew it was a drop in the bucket, really. Even if all of the million men she recruited into her Defence Force learned to read, write and speak Basic, it was only a drop in the bucket that would barely be noticed in a world of billions.

What Serenno needed, desperately, was to start expanding into other industries. If only Tan'ya could convince her father of the urgency, but she was pretty sure his answer was only going to be that they shouldn't discuss money as it was beneath them. Aunty Jenza could maybe be convinced to start working on the world's economic situation, but she only saw Tan'ya as a child. There was no way Jenza would do anything that might upset her father.

Unfortunately, in many ways Dooku's rule of the planet was an invaluable, stabilizing influence for a people ravaged by war, but his refusal to involve himself in the petty aspects of ruling was holding the entire world back.


Chapter 16

The seconds crawled by as Tan'ya counted the panels in the ceiling of her bedroom. It was just before midnight, and she lay on her back with her arms crossed beneath her head. One of the nice things about working in the city was Tan'ya was spending almost every night in her own bed.

It was a very nice bed too, with clean sheets made from a substance comparable to high quality cotton, and an internal battery to make sure it was always warm when she lay down. It was a bed appropriate for someone who would be Count one day. Because it was her room, she was able to decorate it to her tastes, so the books she and Sifo had worked on were displayed proudly on her shelf. To appease her mother, she also displayed the many stuffed toys she'd received as a gift, and she had a nice array of jewelry and clothing in her closet, not that such things particularly intrigued or excited her.

Mixed among her possessions were a few things that did mean more to her, like her family photos from their last two Life Day celebrations. Master Yoda had only been able to make time for the first one, but that evening in the palace's study with the little green gremlin and her father and mother was… It was a pleasant memory. It wasn't unusual for Tan'ya to dwell on pleasant memories, she was allowed to have those.

This life was so much better than her previous two, it wasn't even close. She was wealthy with a bright future ahead of her, and she was set to inherit a great deal of power and influence without need for her to do anything at all. Honestly, she'd spent most of her first and second life dreaming about retiring into the circumstances she was now born into.

By any sane standard, Tan'ya had lucked out. Being X had sworn she would never be reincarnated, but it seems he'd forgotten about her completely and accidentally blessed her beyond reason. Not once had he spoken with her in this new life, and it was almost frightening to think about.

Tan'ya had not been a christian in her first life, but she had heard about the Book of Job. It would be very in character for a being that claimed to be God to offer her so much and build her up, only to threaten to take it all away if she didn't bow down and worship him.

That wasn't what was keeping her awake, though. Being X was frightening, but it wasn't dreams of mud and blood and gunfire that kept her from sleeping. Instead, it was a strange pressure in her belly, almost like a nervous churning, but one that she hadn't felt before. Not once did she feel it in her second life, but for weeks now it had almost been ever present.

She lay in her perfectly arrayed, clean, automatically warmed double bed, and thought of small children out in the villages, huddled together in groups of half a dozen on filthy straw with barely a sheet to share between them. In her mind she saw young men crushed or broken under falling tree limbs, or with fingers and other extremities removed by a misplaced vibrosaw. Even a simple cut would be lethal in such a filthy work environment, leading to a long, slow, painful death from infection if the injury was deep enough and the victim couldn't afford basic medicine, which many couldn't without help from their fellows.

At the time Tan'ya hadn't been too bothered by it, she'd seen the horrors of war. As bad as the lumber yards were they couldn't compare to combat. As a soldier, she knew that being squeamish wasn't good for anyone, it just got in the way of things.

Yet here she was, laying awake and overcome with… squeamishness.

"Damn this soft princess body."

With a sigh she stood up and made her way to the kitchen. Not that she was particularly hungry, but maybe a glass of water would settle her stomach?

M8 flickered to life as Tan'ya passed her charging station in the hall. "Young Miss, is anything wrong?"

"I'm just getting a drink, go back to charging."

Coming down the stairs, Tan'ya was surprised to see the kitchen light already on, her mother already inside. Bleary eyed, and dressed in her evening wear, feeding Tan'ya's youngest brother, Ideon, with a bottle of warm milk.

"Tan'ya? What are you doing up so late, did you have a nightmare?" She asked, softly.

"I don't have nightmares, Mother." Tan'ya answered, slightly annoyed that was the first thing she would assume. "I was just thirsty."

"...I see." Athemeene answered, and watched silently as Tan'ya came in and got herself something to drink. The only sound in the room was the water pouring up to the rim of the cup and the hiss of the tap. Tan'ya felt slightly awkward as she finished, then rinsed her cup out and dried it out.

There was a tension between them, Tan'ya realized, and it really wasn't her mother's fault. Athemeene was in every way an ordinary mother, unknowingly cursed with a child who was really a grown adult inside. It was perfectly normal and sensible to expect a regular girl of Tan'ya's age to occasionally have nightmares, and maybe even Athemeene wanted her daughter to depend on her a little. Really, it showed how cruel Being X was for putting her in this situation.

"Is something wrong?" Her mother's voice interrupted Tan'ya, and she realized she'd been playing with her empty cup rather than putting it away.

"No, everything's fine." Tan'ya answered quickly, finding that the water in her belly had only left her feeling even more squeamish. She hurried to put the cup away and get back to bed, only to find her mother's hand on her shoulder.

"Would you like some sweet tea?"

Somehow, despite it being a question Tan'ya didn't feel like she could say no.

The autocauldron boiled the water in seconds, a small convenience that was utterly unremarkable this Galaxy, and not for the first time Tan'ya wondered where exactly she was in relation to Earth. Steam rose from the boiling water as it mingled with the dried errera pieces in the bottom of the ornate ceramic cup. Tan'ya looked at the fruit and considered its origin. The whole thing was edible, with sweet green flesh inside and a slightly bitter purple skin on the outside. There was no real equivalent to this fruit back on Earth, it had a completely different biological origin, growing on a vine with a palm sized, bell shaped fruit.

Tan'ya had spent hours pouring over the Galactic map to try and find Earth and coming up with nothing. Her hazy recollections of pictures of the Milky Way from her first life vaguely resembled this spiral galaxy, but she couldn't recall any details. If Tan'ya had to guess, she was somewhere far, far into the future, where humanity had colonized the Galaxy and completely forgot its origins on Earth. A common theory for scholars in this Galaxy was that Coruscant was where humanity originally came from, but Tan'ya was sure that wasn't the case. Humans had clearly evolved on Earth, and that was located near the edge of the Milky Way, not the interior.

This Galaxy had ten of thousands of inhabited worlds. Most likely Tan'ya simply hadn't found Earth yet among the crowd, like searching for a needle in a stack of other needles.

"What are you thinking about?" Athemeene asked, watching her daughter stare ponderously into her warm cup.

"Nothing." Tan'ya quickly answered, taking a sip. "Just… nothing important."

"It's important enough that you're thinking about it instead of sleeping." Athemeene pointed out. "Why don't you share?"

Looking into her mother's worried gaze, Tan'ya found her stomach all squeamish again. Tan'ya dropped her gaze, instead looking at Athemeene's reflection on the surface of her cup. "…Have you ever heard of reincarnation?"

Her mother nodded.

"...What do you think of it?"

"I think it sounds interesting. What do you think of it?"

Squeamish didn't even begin to describe how Tan'ya's stomach was roiling right now. It almost felt like it was folding in on itself, applying pressure to squeeze every bit of anxious sickness it could. Never once in any of her previous lives had Tan'ya felt quite like this.

"What if…" She swallowed, her throat almost closing over. "What if I was someone else?"

"Oh, sweetie." Athemeene stood up and came around the table, pulling her daughter into a tight hug. "Is this about the lumber yards Sifo took you to? He shouldn't have done that."

Somehow Tan'ya felt relieved and confused by the change in topic at the same time. "The lumber yards?"

Athemeene nodded. "They really are awful. I've never been, but the descriptions in the are bad enough. Occasionally you see someone in the city who's come from one, and you can just instantly spot them out from everyone else. Sifo told me about it."

Now Tan'ya looked up at her mother's face, blinking with confusion.

"Often I think, I don't deserve… this." Athemeene indicated the room. "This lovely palace, my husband, my beautiful daughter." She smiled at Tan'ya. "If I am reincarnated, what can I possibly have done to deserve this? And what could those poor villagers have done to suffer so much in this life?"

Tan'ya realized her mother had completely misunderstood, and of course she would. How could she possibly guess that her own child was a reincarnated man and a war veteran? Instead Athemeene had projected her aristocratic feelings of inadequacy onto her daughter.

Changing the topic, Tan'ya asked, "So you don't believe in reincarnation?"

"No. Your father believes everyone returns to the force when they die, but I'm not a Jedi."

Nodding her head, Tan'ya considered her tea for a moment. How could she possibly explain to her own Mother that she wasn't really her daughter?

"Sometimes… I have dreams." Tan'ya admitted, voice small. "That I'm another person from a very different world from this one."

"And you had one of these dreams tonight?"

"Y-yes." Tan'ya lied. "Just a dream, that's all. It's not important." She looked back down into her tea.

"But it's worrying you."

Tan'ya shook her head, but then felt her mother's hand on her wrist.

"Why don't you tell me about it?" Athemeene asked, softly.

There was a lump in Tan'ya's throat as she spoke, giving her voice a soft, croaky sound that disgusted her with its weakness.


Chapter 20

Alternate take on Qui-Gon's death.

Escaping the palace had meant cutting through the plasma refinery below, and Qui-Gon Jinn wondered why it was located there at all. Presumably the Theed Palace was built over the plasma reactors, though Jinn couldn't even imagine a reason why.

He shook his head, needing to clear his thoughts. Now wasn't a good time to let himself grow distracted. When he told Padme that the force sustains him, that was true, but not in the sense she may have interpreted. It was not possible to draw sustenance from the force using any technique that Jinn knew, but he and Kenobi were able to mediate their feelings of hunger and exhaustion away into the Force. It didn't do anything to strengthen them as their bodies' metabolisms began to fail in the absence of much needed nutrients and calories, but it meant they could push beyond human limits for a time.

Jinn and Kenobi passed through the plasma refinery unattacked, marching under shaking roofs and quietly slipping around battle droid patrols that circled the facility's exits. With the Queen in tow, they were able to sneak their way through the city to where Jinn remembered leaving the Bongo they borrowed from the Gungans. It had drifted slightly in the weeks since they used it, now scraping against the canal wall, but it had been ignored by the populace who were kept under lockdown by an army of droids.

Jinn kept a lookout while Obi-Wan checked to make sure the vehicle was still operational after a few weeks of neglect. There was a veil in the force, almost like the one that had been on Tatooine when the assassin was concealing himself, but not quite the same. Feeling as though they were being watched, Jinn searched doorways, roofs, alleyways, and windows nearby to see if he could spot their observer. Nothing.

Reaching out in the Force he found no minds nearby, and his hackles rose. Someone was out there, but if they were just a random, hungry citizen they wouldn't have been able to shield their mind.

Jinn reached for his lightsaber, sending a warning to Obi-Wan through the force. Kenobi didn't look up, continuing to work on the Bongo, but shifting so his hand was closer to his lightsaber, his eyes darting up and around for the source of the attack. Slowly, Jin moved so that his body blocked off Padme from the street, making it so that any attack aimed at her would have to pass through him first.

Minutes passed, but no attack came. Through the force, Kenobi sent to Qui-Gon a feeling of triumph, to let him know the Bongo was operational. Jin considered for a moment, before indicating for Padme to follow closely behind him as they crossed the street. Obi-Wan watched for any attack as Jin scooped Padme into a carry and leapt onto the Bongo.

The waterborne vessel rocked when he landed, and only being guided by the Force kept Jinn upright.

"Master." Kenobi murmured lowly, "Is someone watching us?"

"I feel it too." Jin replied as he set Padme into the vehicle's rear seat.

Kenobi activated the ship's barrier, blue Gungan energy shields flickering to light around the vehicle. Only once they were in place did Jin drop his guard enough to climb into the vehicle himself, and be seated.

Only once the Bongo sank below the water did Jin feel himself relax. Whoever had been watching them would not be able to follow them through the planet's core. As dangerous as the journey itself might be, Naboo's underground oceans being rife with large and dangerous predators, it wouldn't be possible for another Sith assassin to follow them without specialized equipment.

Now Qui-Gon Jinn just had to navigate the dark waters of Naboo without Jar Jar Binks to guide them. The Gungan had been foolish and prone to panicking; the force had done more to protect the Jedi on their first trip than he had, but even so Jin wished he was safe wherever he was. He didn't know what the droid army had done with the captured Gungans, but presumably it wasn't well.

"Master, you should get some sleep." Obi-Wan said. "I can pilot us the rest of the way there, and you're both exhausted."

"These are dangerous waters, Obi-Wan, and you're as tired as either of us." Qui-Gon warned.

"Neither of you can help me pilot, so you may as well sleep." Obi-Wan countered. "If we're in danger, I'll wake you right away."

After a while, Jinn rested his head against the seat and closed his eyes. At this point there was nothing he could do but trust in the Force. This whole plan had always been a gamble. Success had hinged on Naboo's small, outnumbered fighter squadron, but sadly it hadn't been enough.

Qui-Gon always followed the guidance of the Force, and he was sure he had been guided to this. Defeat must mean that the Force intended for him to help the Queen, but not necessarily for her to succeed in freeing her people.

The Will of the Force was a mysterious thing.

Jinn breathed out in regret, and tried to sleep.


"Master, we're here."

Jinn blinked awake, feeling Obi-wan's arm on his sleeve. He looked around, taking in the cockpit of the Bongo, and the swamp beyond its view screen. Overhead, the stars in the night sky were blocked by the forest canopy.

Jinn hardly felt rested at all, though he must have slept for the better part of the day.

In the seat behind him, Queen Amidala slept deeply, unmoving. Her ship was fully in view, with the loading ramp raised and some camouflage provided by the gungans to make sure they weren't spotted by scouts overhead.

"Was there any trouble?" Jinn asked Obi-Wan.

He nodded once, but didn't provide any further details. In the Force he radiated a deep exhaustion, making no effort to hide his feelings.

"You should take the Princess into the ship." Jinn eventually concluded. "There should be something to eat in the kitchen, then get some sleep." He looked about, sighing. "We should be safe enough here for the moment. Once we've all rested and recovered somewhat, we can decide what to do from there. I'll keep watch for now."

Obi-Wan nodded, before shaking Padme awake. The Queen groggily followed the Padawan into the ship, with Kenobi only coming out to offer his Master some soup in a canteen along with a bottle of sugared water.

Careful not to drink or eat too quickly, lest he make himself sick, Qui-Gon patrolled the perimeter around the ship, keeping an eye out for any intruders. As he did, he expanded his mind in the force, feeling the small reptiles, amphibians, insects and avians that called the swamp their home, waiting for any sign of an intruder, or discovery.

Qui-Gon stayed awake for hours, feeling serenity despite the danger of their situation. The sun's rays warmed his face just as they started to poke over the horizon, insects creeping and clicking around him. He closed his eyes for a moment, allowing the force to flow through him and letting out a breath as he did.

Then he heard the sound of mud squelching on a boot. Jinn spun towards the source of the sound, drawing his lightsaber just in time to see the silhouette of a woman with a blaster pointed at him. She fired, and Jinn whipped his lightsaber out to block the shot, only for it to explode.

Blinded, deafened, Jinn was thrown backwards onto the ground where he felt something in his shoulder crunch and compress. He couldn't see anything, his ears ringing meant he couldn't hear either. All he could feel was pain in the stump where his hand used to be. Hot blood oozed from his neck where a piece of shrapnel was lodged.

Jinn did what he knew he had to do. He stopped, slowed down, touched the force and let it guide him. Everything seemed to slow, his breathing, his heart rate, stopping him from bleeding out immediately, though he still didn't have much time. Without treatment he would be dead in minutes, and even with it he would probably die anyway.

As he did his thoughts raced, putting together the pieces of the situation.

The woman? Aurra Sing. A bounty hunter and assassin wanted by the Jedi, and known for her ability to hide herself even from the Force, probably using the Dark Side. She was the one watching them at Theed, when they were climbing into the bongo. She must have planted a tracking device, knowing they would have to surface somewhere.

The explosion? A grenade launcher. Jinn was so tired, and hungry that he mistook it for a blaster.

Now? Kill Aura, save Kenobi and Padme.

Without his eyes, he couldn't see Aura Sing, and without his ears he couldn't hear her approach. Worse still, her use of the Dark Side concealed her, so he couldn't even sense her in the Force. Qui-Gon could feel Obi-Wan startled awake by the sound of the explosion, rushing to his master's aid with his shoes missing and lightsaber in hand. Qui-Gon also felt his kiber crystal singing out clearly, still embedded in the hilt of his lightsaber a few meters away. Finally, there it was. Not the presence of a person, as much as a spot where all the small buzzing swamp insects milled about in confusion have bumped into something they didn't know was there.

Aura Sing was closing in on Jinn's prone, bleeding form. Likely to finish him off

Reaching out, Qui-Gon called his lightsaber to him. The fingers in his hand were broken, but he forced them to close with Telekinesis, and guided only by the force he leapt to his feet, blade flashed out in front of him in a perfect Ataru form.

In the force, he could suddenly feel Aurra Sing's unshielded mind. Shocked, and disbelieving that the blinded, dying Jedi had deflected her bolt straight back into her chest. The blaster she was carrying tumbled down from cold, lifeless hands, and her mind winked out, disappearing in the Force once again.

Jinn lowered his lightsaber, and realized that even with the aid of the Force slowing his heart, these were the last few moments of his life.

Through the Force he felt his Padawan approaching, all but sprinting without even a hint of mental shielding. Swamp mud squelched between Obi-Wan's toes, and Jin smiled fondly.

"Padawan, calm yourself." He warned, as sternly as he could, though he had to swallow a mouthful of blood. "Remember your training." Qui-Gon felt Obi-Wan's arms around his shoulders, and he leaned against them, not able to hold his own wait. "I had intended for you to be knighted when you returned to Coruscant, but now is my only chance to tell you. Congratulations, Obi-Wan. I'm proud of you."

There was more he wanted to say, but he was running out of time.

"Please, watch over the boy. And save the Queen. I know you'll do well." Qui-Gon couldn't help the smile that touched his lips, realizing that it would be the second time Obi-Wan was alone and on the run with royalty.

A sense of vertigo overcame Qui-Gon, and even with Obi-Wan's help he wasn't able to carry his own weight. This was it then.

Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn breathed out one final time, and allowed himself to become one with the Force.