AN: As always, thanks for the continued support!

Praxus84 - Thank you! I'm glad you're enjoying the story. I definitely am trying to make sure I don't bash anyone and trying to give a lot of undeveloped or underused characters more time to shine. Hopefully you'll continue to enjoy how I continue the story.

I have not read The Living Force. I looked it up though and read through the Wookieepedia. Definitely seems like one I'll have to read, so thanks for bringing it to my attention! As for how Kastor might have involved himself? Well, in the timeline, this was in his first year after having been found, so he was building his covers still. So, I could see him possibly wanting to assist Mace with looking for Depa, hoping he can help find Depa, help bring down the piracy group, and increase his reputation at the same time. On the flip side, he could have been someone called in for support when things started going bad. Since Siri would also get added here, since Adi was present, maybe she or Obi-Wan have a communication with Kastor, revealing the issues and he decides to respond. Then he might have been involved in the space battle and holding off the pirates while Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan infiltrated the pirate ship or something like that. I'd have to read it to really decide where Kastor would fit, or if he even would. I might have just come up with some other adventure he was going through concurrently in a different area of the galaxy. Looking into it, I might have to reference this later on. Definitely some characters that I could use during the Clone Wars. So, once again, thanks!

Chapter 56 - Leads and Discussions

Obi-Wan made his way through the halls of the Senate, heading to see the person who had the most knowledge on Senate intrigue, and who was also a very good friend. He found himself in a dim hallway that had bins and durasteel boxes stacked outside the door. He smiled. Some things never changed.

The door was slightly ajar, so he pushed it open and peered in. "Tyro, I need you once again."

A voice came from behind a stack of procedural manuals. "My ears are happy! It is the voice of my friend Obi-Wan!"

The Svivreni poked his head over the manuals, his eyes bright with pleasure, and he scurried around the room before exchanging the traditional greeting of his people with Obi-Wan, one reserved for friends.

"It's been too long, my friend," Obi-Wan said, with a grin.

"Yes, a long couple of weeks, indeed," Tyro said teasingly, though Obi-Wan knew that his friend too had missed the meetings or at least the semi-regular conversations or holomessages. "Oh, let me find you a chair." Tyro broke away and began to sweep books off a chair. "You Jedi, never sitting, always moving."

Obi-Wan sat. Tyro leaned against the desk to face him. Now, they were eye to eye.

"I do not have to ask why you have come," Tyro said, his dark eyes full of worry. "I was at the hearing."

Obi-Wan grimaced. "I did badly."

"You did well, my friend, as did Kastor, Senator Amidala, and Senator Organa. It went better than I thought since the anti-Jedi faction had packed the house with supporters. And Divinian's questioning!" Tyro threw up his hands. "An outrage! It was obvious he wasn't looking for the truth. In another time, too obvious. Steps would be taken to have him removed from a position of authority. But these days . . ."

Tyro shrugged and fiddled with the metal clasp that kept back his waist-length dark hair. It was a gesture he used when nervous, and Tyro was often anxious about the state of the Senate.

"Yes, things continue to decline, no matter how the Chancellor tries," Obi-Wan remarked.

"He does his best, but this uproar against the Jedi — I've never seen anything like it. Even for the Senate, it's ridiculous. And frustrating. It's just a distraction from the real work they should be doing."

Distraction. The word clanged like a bell inside his mind. He thought of something Omega's father had once thought up.

Disruption + Demoralization + Distraction = Devastation.

If Omega was behind this Senatorial effort, he had already succeeded in disrupting the Senate, demoralizing the Jedi, and distracting everyone. But if that was truly the case, what was the coming devastation he was planning? It made sense that this would be the work of Omega, especially with Sauro pulling the strings on Bog.

".. and I'm sorry to be the one to tell you this," Tyro was saying, "but it was inevitable given the circumstances, I suppose."

Obi-Wan wrenched his attention back to his friend. "What is it?"

"Bog Divinian's committee has taken an unusual step. Instead of a recommendation, it has just entered an official petition to ban the Jedi Order from any Senate action. This was clever . . . but not clever enough. Senator Organa found a clause that allowed him to appeal directly to the Chancellor in a separate closed-door session. Palpatine is scheduled to decide on the matter later this afternoon in a meeting with both Senators."

"This has all just happened since the hearing? I thought the Senate was supposed to be slow," Obi-Wan said in surprise.

"Only when real things are getting done," Tyro said drily. "When it comes to political maneuvering, you have to move fast." Tyro gave him a keen look. "What is it, my friend? The Jedi Order is in trouble, but we will find a way to fight, I promise you. You have more friends than enemies. You just have to remind your friends that they are your friends. It's the Senate way."

"The Senate way," Obi-Wan pronounced in disgust. "And what is that? Talk. Deals. Bribes. Corruption."

"Obi-Wan." Tyro silenced him gently. "I agree with you. All this is true, but I still believe in the Senate. It is the living symbol of the Republic. Until it was formed, the galaxy boiled with chaos. It is our only chance to bring peace to the thousands of worlds that cannot manage alone. There are good beings in the Senate, like Senator Organa. Many of them. They will win in the end."

Obi-Wan had never heard Tyro defend the Senate so passionately before. Usually, he railed against it, but of course that was why he continued to toil down in his little office, searching for ways to make it better.

"What amazes me is that you keep your faith in the Senate, no matter how many times your heart is broken."

"Oh, my heart may break from time to time, but never my will," Tyro said lightly. "In that way we are alike."

Obi-Wan looked at his friend curiously.

"If you were given free reign to try and make some changes, hopefully for the better, what would you do?" Obi-Wan asked.

"That's not an easy question, Obi-Wan," Tyro said with a sigh. "I think the Senate needs some oversight . . . perhaps oversight that could come from the Jedi if you would be willing to become more involved with us. Your High Council advises and is around to meet with Senators for missions and requests, but you rarely are involved in actual politics. I think that if I could do one thing, it would be to create some sort of oversight to help reduce corruption."

Obi-Wan nodded thoughtfully. He thought that sounded miserable, but Mace had said something similar. Maybe it was something to bring up to Allara? With her now on the High Council, and even her, Kastor, and Fay on the newly formed Grandmaster's Council, perhaps that could be a change they pursued.

"Now, tell me what worries you," Tyro said. "I am pleased you asked for my opinion, but I can see that something else is on your mind."

"It's not so much the petition, but what the petition might conceal," Obi-Wan explained.

Tyro shook his head. "I don't understand."

"What if this action to discredit the Jedi is just a diversion so that something worse could occur?" Obi-Wan said.

Tyro's small, furred face gave him an intent look. "Ah. Of course. Continue."

"I can't help feeling like this has something to do with Omega and Zan Arbor," Obi-Wan said. "What if they were behind this latest scheme? What if it is merely a smokescreen for their real plan?"

The possibilities clicked through Tyro's brain. "Of course if it is true that they're involved, this would be more than possible — it would be likely," he said rapidly. "It fits with the way Omega operates. And it makes sense, since Sano Sauro is involved." Tyro's face contracted into an expression of distaste. "That would explain why he has remained in the background. He doesn't want us to connect him to this campaign, because he knows we will immediately make the connection to Omega."

"There is something we're not seeing here," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully.

"The Chancellor is, of course, a big supporter of the Jedi," Tyro said, thinking. "It's unlikely that he will approve the petition. Bog and Sauro could then manipulate this defeat into a call for a no-confidence vote. That would allow them to propose Sauro as Chancellor. I know that is his ultimate ambition."

"Then Omega would control the Senate," Obi-Wan said slowly.

Tyro tapped his tapered fingers on the manuals. "But Palpatine is too powerful and too skilled to be outmaneuvered. I doubt even Sauro could muster enough support for a vote of no confidence. Let's see, he controls the Viga alliance, and the planets in the Commerce Guild, and . . . yes, he could get several systems in the Mid-Rim. But in the Core? No. He's powerful, but he's actively disliked, and there is a strong opposition faction headed by Bail Organa that can't be discounted. Even in the Mid Rim, he has some strong opposition."

Tyro ended his speculation, realizing that Obi-Wan had grown impatient with the details of Senate politics.

"In conclusion," he said, sighing, "I have no conclusion. I can't see them trying such a thing. You don't try something like that unless you're sure you can succeed. Palpatine is tremendously popular, especially at the moment. If he wasn't, we would have already had a new election. Tomorrow there will be a ceremony for the opening of the All Planets Relief Fund. A huge group of supporters will be attending—including many Jedi. This is Palpatine's pet project, and it's a good one. He's worked his way through the tangled bureaucracy to get it off the ground. Now any world in peril can petition the Senate directly for funds through one central account. Palpatine claims this will stop the bureaucratic slowdown for relief to troubled worlds. You see, before this, a world would have to petition the committee for Relief, which would then turn the matter over to a specially appointed investigatory committee, which would then — "

Obi-Wan's comlink signaled, and he held up a hand to interrupt Tyro. He had to admit he was relieved to hopefully avoid getting a crash course in the now outdated procedural details of Senate relief efforts.

Siri's crisp voice came through the comlink. "We found something. Possibly Omega and Zan Arbor's hideout. I figured you'd want to join us."

"You figured right, my dear," Obi-Wan agreed.

She gave him the coordinates. Obi-Wan stood as he flipped his comlink closed and put it back in his belt — at last, action and not meetings. "I have to go."

"Yes, go to your partner-of-heart," Tyro said, and Obi-Wan eyed him, and he shrugged. "It's clear to those who know you best, my friend. I don't have to tell you to treasure her because you already do. Just remember to invite me to the ceremony."

Obi-Wan's eyes widened further at that, and Tyro grinned.

"Take care of yourself, Obi-Wan. I think you are right. Our enemies are hidden, and that makes them more dangerous."

Tyro held his hand out, fingers spread. Obi-Wan pressed his own spread-fingered palm against it in the traditional Svivreni goodbye.

"So go," Tyro said, completing the tradition.

**The Will of the Force**

Kastor led Allara to the Room of a Thousand Fountains, to one of his favorite spots, which he shared with Siri and Obi-Wan. With them was Fay, Adi, and Plo. They sat themselves on a small group of benches.

Allara took a deep breath, a smile appearing on her face as she soaked in the sun and the light of the Living Force.

"You've picked a wonderful place, dad," Allara said, "and you of course know that I have a great many questions after everything that occurred today."

"Yes, I figured you did," Kastor agreed.

"So, let's start with the Republic as a whole," Allara said. "You'd told me a bit, but our focus has been on your life and my life, not the galaxy. So, when did the Jedi become so dependent on the Republic?"

"A thousand years ago," Adi said. "The New Sith Wars ended, and the Jedi had, what was believed at the time, to be too much power. Many Jedi held the title of Lord and we even had Jedi acting as the Supreme Chancellor at times."

Allara frowned.

"The Ruusan Reformations occurred after the devastation that occurred after the Seventh Battle of Ruusan," Plo continued. "It restructured the Republic, taking much of the power away from the Chancellorship and giving it to the Senate."

"That's not what I've witnessed happening currently, with everyone mentioning how Palpatine is the only one holding things together," Allara said.

"Yes, recently, we have been reverting," Adi agreed. "Recently Palpatine's term ended, but the Senate chose to keep Palpatine in, despite the term limits, and chose not to hold a new election."

Allara frowned thoughtfully, and nodded. "Let's go back to the Reformations and how they affected the Jedi."

"The Jedi were the backbone of the Republic military back then," Plo said, and Allara frowned again.

The Jedi had been a major part of the Republic military during her time, but not the backbone of it. It had been one of the major disagreements between the Republic and the Jedi with the Republic wanting and expecting the Jedi to get involved in all conflicts, and the Jedi had been hesitant to do so, unless the Sith were involved.

"The Jedi abandoned wearing battle armor and renounced all their military ranks," Plo continued. "We once had a commander-in-chief and, as we said, had Jedi Lords. These were renounced and the army, navy, and starfighter corps were disbanded. We then placed ourselves under the supervision of the Supreme Chancellor and the Judicial Department."

"At this time, we stopped taking older initiates, focusing on training children from when they were very young in order to lessen the chance of a Sith resurgence," Fay said quietly. "Older initiates became a very case by case basis and were always very special circumstances, and unfortunately were generally looked at as different."

"So, due to these reformations, our Order has no real manner of fighting the Sith Empire or even the Separatists if it comes to war?" Allara clarified, alarmed. "It will fall strictly on what Jedi we can bring together?"

"Unfortunately," Kastor agreed. "We have no other real options, other than joining the Republic's military . . . which is also extremely small," Kastor agreed. "I've worked to grow our allies, and of course built a fleet I technically don't control, but there's only so much that can be done on that path."

"That has to change," Allara said firmly. "Immediately. As much as I don't like war, and our jobs are to prevent it, we can't do so if we have no real force to engage threats with. Malgus is very likely to invade, and what little we know of the Separatist Council, it suggests they too are readying for war. We need to be able to protect the people of the Republic, whether that means protecting the Republic itself or not."

"Agreed," Kastor said. "We, at the bare minimum, need a navy and a starfighter corps. I've obviously been developing our Order's relations with the Mandalorians and even the Antarian Rangers, who can bolster our forces both in space and on the ground, but right now we are having to rely on them, which isn't ideal or fair. If we could bring them officially in, making them a branch of our Order, it would go a long way to funding them and giving us the strength to mount an offensive or defensive if needed. There are other organizations that we could also approach for similar reasons."

"But we'll need Republic support to actually do that," Adi said, "hence Mace's worry right now if the Republic withdraws all support from us."

"We'd be able to grow as we choose, but would have no jurisdiction and be very unwelcome in the Republic," Allara muttered. "Funding to grow and even continue doing what we do would also become a major issue. We need to find some way to make the threat real to the Senate, to make them realize they need the military to grow. We need support to openly create an army."

Plo, Adi, Kastor, and Fay nodded.

"Tell me about Palpatine," Allara said, and the four other Jedi exchanged glances. "Including your suspicions of the man."

"He's a great supporter of our Order," Kastor said hesitantly, "but I'm suspicious of him. He has shown a rather suspicious interest in me, which was followed by that incident I told you about."

Allara nodded, remembering the incident on Ruusan.

"With what little I know of the Banites, I believe he could be Sith, or could be aligned with the Sith," Kastor said, "but I have no proof. However, with the power he's managed to gain, his mysterious past, and his interests make me nervous. His position, especially now that he has managed to retain power when he should have lost it, alarms me."

"That I understand," Allara said thoughtfully.

"Part of my worry came from someone clearly knowing about me and him being the list of possible suspects for a leak," Kastor said, "however the other possible theory was a Jedi had fallen and betrayed us . . ."

"Which could have been Dooku," Adi finished, and Allara nodded again, thinking of what her father had told her about the Separatist movement.

"And Dooku's proclamation against the Republic and the Jedi Order happened right as Palaptine was about to lose power," Plo said, and Allara nodded grimly, having guessed that.

"Palpatine also has an interest in Anakin," Kastor said, and Allara frowned.

"Why?"

"They met when Anakin helped free Palpatine's world during the Naboo Crisis," Kastor said, "and they've struck up a friendship since then."

"But you worry it's more than that," Allara said.

"They say he is the Chosen One," Fay said, and Allara frowned.

"A prophecy," Kastor said grimly. "One who will bring balance to the Force, and supposedly destroy the Sith."

"I don't have much faith in prophecies," Allara said, and Kastor grinned with Fay.

"Neither do we," Fay said, nodding at Kastor.

"We're unsure if he is the Chosen One, and admittedly I care not for prophecies either," Adi said wryly. "However, it is an ancient prophecy that many have heard and take some stock in."

"He is a gifted apprentice though, and will one day be perhaps the most powerful Jedi in the Order," Plo said, and Kastor, Fay, and Adi nodded at that.

"Regardless, I worry," Kastor said. "Even more hearing what Mace said."

"That they could sense some darkness here on Coruscant and in the Senate," Allara said quietly. "I sense it too. Something is here, something or someone powerful."

"Perhaps Mace is right," Kastor said with a sigh. "Perhaps we need to be more involved with the Senate."

"I think he is right," Allara said, before glancing at Plo and Adi. "What do you both feel?"

Adi sighed, and Plo nodded.

"We too feel that our Order needs to be more involved, despite our great dislike of doing so, despite our desire to only keep the peace."

Allara nodded thoughtfully.

"That answers most of my questions about the Senate and Palpatine," Allara said after a moment. "I'll save further discussion there for either the High Council or when we convene the first meeting for the Grandmaster's Council. Now, let's discuss the state of the Order as a whole."

"We're being spread thin," Plo said. "The unrest in the galaxy grows every day, and requests for aid come in, taking Jedi out on missions. At the same time we have a host of missions that we are unable to assign teams to . . . and that doesn't even count the worlds we wish we could send Jedi to to aid in civil unrest, famine, disease, corruption, and even just dealing with organized crime."

"All of which will be impossible to fill if we are called to war," Allara muttered.

"Indeed," Adi said. "Kastor's alliance with the Mandalorians and his efforts to bring the Antarian Rangers closer has helped us greatly, but with war on the horizon, it is not enough."

Allara nodded. "What of the morale?"

Adi and Plo smiled.

"Thanks to your father, morale is perhaps at the highest it's ever been," Plo said, and Allara smiled while Fay hugged Kastor's side.

"I don't know about that," Kastor said.

"No, it's true," Adi said. "Kastor has improved our status in the Senate and even among our allies by opening our Temples. Once every two weeks we host a potluck where we invite Senators, their aides, their guards, among others to see the Temple, dine with us, and talk to Jedi, young and old. It has helped dispel some of the misconceptions of our Order and gained us support from areas where we did not have it, and earned staunch support and allies in areas where we already had firm friendships, as you saw with Senators Amidala and Organa."

"Beyond that, he has fostered friendships and partnerships within our own Order," Plo added. "Jedi now reach out to their age mates, peers, friends, and old masters for advice and simply to lean on each other for support. It started with Obi-Wan and Siri's year group, but has quickly spread throughout the Order, bringing us as a whole much closer together. His work to allow attachments has also gone much further than most of the High Council would have liked or thought," Plo added with a slight chuckle.

"While there are still not a ton of couples, the number does grow every day since the High Council put out to the other Masters that we were revisiting that part of the Code. Since then, there have been many other successful couples that have come forth, along with others that have started and are being watched, but show signs of everything your father has preached."

"Ki-Adi has never been happier, truly knowing his family," Plo said. "T'ra Saa and her longtime friend Tholme, finally revealed their longtime relationship. There are many others who have found a partner to love and cherish, strengthening their bonds to the Force."

Allara smiled at that.

"It only took 25,000 years," Allara mused, "but finally we've made some ground in the right direction."

"Well, there were plenty of times over those 25,000 years that relationships were allowed," Kastor pointed out.

"True, but ever since the Jedi Order emerged from the Je'daii Order, relationships have been very back and forth," Allara said, and Kastor nodded in sad agreement to that.

"Hmm, well I think I'll do my best to keep working on everything you have accomplished dad, adding my efforts to your cause, but I think it's time for us to enter the political arena . . . and it's time to get our navy and starfighter corp back, along with a standing military. It's also time to start pushing further into alliances that we can use for support or to bolster our efforts, even if it's simply finding other groups that can take up the cause for helping the people of the Republic while we're engaged in war. The Sith are rising . . . and we need to rise to meet their threat."

**The Will of the Force**

"We got a tip from an informer," Siri said.

She pointed to a small white building across the way. A blinking sign said VIRTUAL HAPPINESS. Another sign, smaller and clumsily handwritten said: OUT OF BUSINESS.

"It was one of those sim-voyage places," Siri said. "You know, where you can go and have a simulated vacation experience to the luxury worlds of the Core. But our source says a couple moved in a few days ago. They said they were starting a business, but nothing has been done, and they only exit the building at night."

"Ferus did a quick check of the airspeeders parked here," Siri continued. "Nothing unusual came up. Then he did a check with Coruscant security and went through the tickets for illegally parked airspeeders, cross-checking with known IDs used by the Slams. A standard Ralion B-14 that was recently bought at a speeder lot twenty levels down matched one of the false ID docs the Slams had on their master ship."

"One they thought we didn't know about," Obi-Wan said with a smile. "Good work," he told Ferus. "I say we go in. We don't have time to waste."

They moved quickly, and attempted to use the Force to quickly open the door, but when the lock held, they wasted no time in using their lightsabers to cut through the door and they strode in, finding themselves in a dark house.

Whether it was them stepping in, or the door falling back, it was unclear, but lights suddenly blazed and the sound of rockets and blasters disoriented them for a moment before they realized it was a holoprojection that filled every wall.

The sound was so loud it almost covered up the noise of the seeker droids. Obi-Wan and Siri were faster than their apprentices, Obi-Wan's senses feeding into Siri, and they cut down several of the droids as their apprentices joined the fray, and within minutes, the dozen droids were reduced to scrap on the floor, and the holoprojection was shut down.

"Empty," Obi-Wan muttered as they searched the house.

"Yes, but this was definitely Omega's hideout," Siri said. "Let's look for signs of what they might be planning."

Siri moved past a table. "The only thing they left was dirty dishes," she said, disdainfully pointing to several greasy plates on the table.

She was sadly right. Other than the signs of a hastily abandoned meal, there were no other clues to be found.

"We've come up empty again," Siri said in disgust after a few minutes of searching.

"It's Omega's style," Anakin said. "He knows how to leave without a trace."

Obi-Wan drifted to the table. He bent over the dishes. There was a scrap of roll on one plate, and a puddle of sauce on the other. He bent closer and sniffed.

"Gotcha," he murmured.

"What is it, Master?" Anakin asked, turning.

Obi-Wan pointed to the plate. "That's Dexter Jettster's slider garnish. I'd know it anywhere."

"Obi-Wan, you have eaten one too many meals at Dex's," Siri said wryly, and Obi-Wan smirked.

"You know you love eating there just as much as I do."

"Well, it's not the worst place for date night," Siri conceded, with a fond smile.

"No, no, no," Anakin said. "Back on track. We have a place to start now."

Siri nodded, with a slight grin. "Why don't you and your garish obsessed master head over to Dexter's Diner and ask some questions. I think Ferus and I should study the water delivery system here on Coruscant. We know they're here. We'd better have a good idea of what damage they could do."

"Good idea," Obi-Wan said. "We'll let you know when we find something."

Obi-Wan and Anakin made the short journey to Dex's, but when they got there, Anakin stopped Obi-Wan for a moment.

"Look who's inside," Anakin said, and Obi-Wan glanced in, seeing Astri sitting alone in a booth, both hands cupping a mug.

"Well, maybe this is the Force allowing me to help a friend," Obi-Wan murmured.

He'd been a bit angry at Astri at first, seeing how she acted and treated him, but that disappointment in her had faded thinking of her small occasional smiles before her husband spoke, returning her to the politician's wife.

Astri looked up, surprised, when Obi-Wan and Anakin slid into her booth. She had been so lost in thought that she hadn't seen them enter the diner.

"It's funny to see you here," she said to Obi-Wan. "Like a dream. I was just thinking of the old days. Everything is so different now. Even here." She looked around. "Dexter actually made it into a profitable enterprise."

"Well, he doesn't give away meals and drinks the way Didi did," Obi-Wan said.

She smiled. "That's true." She held up her empty cup. "He doesn't even give refills. But I like it here."

"Yes, those were good days, even if we almost died a great many times," Obi-Wan said, smiling a bit. "Things are more complicated now. Like the fact that your husband is trying to destroy the Jedi Order."

Astri's hands tightened on her cup. "I long ago made it a policy not to discuss Bog's politics."

"So what do you think about, then?" Anakin asked.

His question wasn't confrontational. It was easy, interested. Obi-Wan was glad Anakin had seamlessly picked up on Obi-Wan's desire to try and figure out what was going on with Astri. Obi-Wan's statement had caused her to tense up, but Anakin's would hopefully help her relax again.

"My relief work," Astri responded promptly. "The economy of my adopted world, Nuralee, is failing."

"I didn't know that," Obi-Wan said, a bit sadly. "The last time I was on Nuralee it was prospering."

She looked down into her empty cup. "That was probably some time ago."

'Before Bog took office,' Obi-Wan guessed.

"There are many who are too poor to buy food. I'm here on Coruscant briefly, just to attend a meeting to ask for help from the new All Planets Relief Fund and attend the inaugural ceremony. A Jedi team is acting as couriers and protectors for a shipment of food and medical supplies to Nuralee, and I must return to ensure it gets in the right hands."

"Do you know who they are?" Anakin asked.

"Soara Antana and Darra Thel-Tanis," Astri said. "I am grateful for their help."

"Good friends of ours," Anakin said pleasantly.

Obi-Wan took the time to really study Astri, looking beyond her changed hair and clothes. He knew something was wrong, beyond her being distant and remote, but it took him a moment to discern what she was truly feeling . . . fear. She was afraid, but of what?

"So you are returning soon," Anakin continued.

"The day after tomorrow. I am anxious to see my son and Didi."

Obi-Wan leaned back, still studying Astri without seeming to. She looked away, twining her fingers through the handle of her cup.

"So has Bog seen what Dex has done to the old place?" Anakin asked in a jovial tone, gesturing toward the red stools and the curved counter.

Obi-Wan was proud of Anakin, asking a casual question that would help them find out information on Bog, and he let the pride flow through their bond.

"Yes, he's been here." Astri pushed away her empty cup.

Once again, she tightened up at the mention of her husband, but it was now likely that Bog had been the one bringing food to Omega and the others.

Astri began to slide out of the booth. "I should go. I'm late. It's always good to see you, Obi-Wan. Anakin."

She hurried out the door, not waiting for their goodbyes. As she left, she almost collided with a cloaked figure who was also leaving.

Obi-Wan stared after her. Even the way she moved was different. He remembered Astri striding down the streets, her curls flying, her face uptilted, her eyes alight, taking everything in. Now she walked with her head down, her hands thrust into the deep pockets of her tunic.

"She's afraid," he muttered worriedly.

"Yes," Anakin agreed. "For her son."

"We'll have to do something about that," Obi-Wan said, and Anakin smiled, and nodded in agreement.

"Can't let a friend suffer without us trying to help her," Anakin agreed.

Obi-Wan frowned thoughtfully. Astri had done much for him, and he was a bit ashamed that she hadn't come to him for help, even if he was sure she had wanted to keep him out of it. He would do everything he could to help her, and he knew Kastor, Siri, and Rhys would eagerly join him, and then he'd tell her what he should have told her a long time ago . . . that their bonds were not easily cut, and that she was family.

"Master, I have to ask you something," Anakin said now. "Supreme Chancellor Palpatine has offered me a chance to observe the proceedings he attends over the next few days. He thinks I would gain insight into the political arena of the Senate."

"I agree," Obi-Wan said, hating that he did agree that Anakin could learn much from Chancellor Palpatine, and regardless of Obi-Wan's suspicions of the man, it wouldn't be right to deny Anakin the experience many others could only hope to be given. "I have no objections, as long as it doesn't interfere with our pursuit of Omega. You could learn something valuable that could help us. It is a great honor that Palpatine has bestowed on you, my young Padawan."

Dexter waddled out from behind the counter, wiping his four hands on his greasy apron.

"Obi-Wan! My friend! Why didn't you come back to the kitchen and greet me?" Dexter's wide face creased in an enormous grin. "And you brought the tadpole with you!"

Anakin winced at the nickname, and Obi-Wan hid a grin as Anakin stood up, showing that he had grown a fair bit since the last time they had seen Dex together. Dexter burst out with a shout of laughter.

"Well, you showed me, you did, young Skywalker. I'd say you were full-grown now!" Dex hooked one enormous foot over a chair rail and dragged it over to the booth, then eased his bulk onto it.

"Now, what can I get the two of you — ten-alarm chili? Sliders? I've got a stew cooking with bantha meat, cooked long and slow to make it tender. I know they say banthas taste like old boots, but they haven't tasted Dex's stew! I'll tell you my secret, boys." Dex leaned over. "I leave the hooves in the pot while it's cooking."

"Sounds delicious, Dex, but we've come for information," Obi-Wan said quickly, as Anakin's face paled. "We're on the trail of some galactic criminals, and we believe they have a taste for your slider garnish."

Dex slapped his knees with two of his hands. "And who doesn't? I've got to remember to bottle it. I could make my fortune! One of these days, when I get a minute away from the stove, ha!"

"One of the criminals is Jenna Zan Arbor."

Dex whistled. "A nasty piece of work. Wouldn't know her to see her, though, and I haven't heard she's back on Coruscant."

"How about Senator Bog Divinian?"

"Astri Oddo's husband? Sure, he's been here. Likes my sliders. You know, some people find them addictive! Picks up his dinner many a time and brings it back to his lodgings."

'Not likely,' Obi-Wan thought.

Obi-Wan briefly described the Slams. "Have you seen them?"

Dex stroked his chin. "Don't think so, and haven't heard of them, either. Hard to say. Here's the problem — we've been too busy here lately to notice much of anything except dirty dishes. And things are set to get even busier tomorrow, because the All Planets Relief Fund Ceremony will be held right across the way." With one fat finger, Dex pointed out the window to the plaza. "This is the kind of area the Fund will be trying to improve. Anyway, I'll keep my eye out. Many will be coming to see the big shots like the Chancellor. But most will come, I'd wager, to see a fortune being transferred. Everyone likes to be close to vertex, even if they don't have any themselves. They feel richer for looking at it — at least until they go home and look around at what they've got!" Dex laughed heartily.

Anakin looked at Obi-Wan.

"What do you mean, Dex?" he asked.

"Don't you know the drill? Every planet in the Senate is donating crystalline vertex to the new fund. They present it to Palpatine, and then his personal guard brings it to the vault." Dex pointed across the plaza. "The Bank of the Core. Now don't be thinking there will be hanky-panky," he said, waggling his finger. "There will be security like you've never seen. Coruscant security and the Chancellor's Red Guards. Tomorrow they'll be cordoning off walkways and placing officers around the plaza. A journalist for the HoloNet news even paid me to keep her airspeeder out back so she'd be able to take off quick tomorrow to get to her vidcam studio hookup. I said yes because she was a looker — or maybe it was the credits she put in my hand, ha! Then she goes and parks it so it blocks my food-delivery doors. Left it locked tight as a drum. Now you know I don't stand for that." Dex chuckled. "So I got my pal Acey to break in and I moved it myself behind a dumpster."

Dex's words washed over Obi-Wan. There was something here. Item after item clicked in, but he couldn't add them up.

"Can we see that airspeeder, Dex?"

Dex gave him a puzzled look. "Don't see why, but what I have is yours, Obi-Wan. This way."

Anakin and Obi-Wan followed Dex through the steamy kitchen, noisy with clattering pans and spattering grease, through the rear exit doors into the alley. A long airspeeder was parked in an angle, wedged between a dumpster and durasteel trash bins.

"It'll smell like old fish tomorrow, but I can't help it. They can't block my kitchen," Dexter said.

"It's a Ralion B-14." Anakin said, and Obi-Wan nodded, thinking of what Ferus had discovered.

"Can you show me how it was parked before you moved it, Dex?" Obi-Wan asked.

Dexter stamped his enormous foot. "Right here. In the way."

Obi-Wan bent over and studied a round cover sunk into the duracrete street. "Utility tunnel."

"For my water delivery," Dexter said. "I know because my water froze last winter, and that's where they crawled down to fix it."

Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged a glance again. It was all adding up.

"Got to check on my stew. You two come in when you have more time. You know I like to feed you." Dexter waddled back into the diner. "Bring your woman next time, Obi-Wan. That Siri is always a right laugh!"

"Must have been Valadon in disguise," Obi-Wan said to Anakin. "The airspeeder is for their getaway, and this is where they plan to use the Zone from."

Anakin prowled around the airspeeder. "Doesn't seem to be juiced up, at least on the outside. No extra exhaust valves. Seats four, five in a crunch." He opened the door and slid inside.

Obi-Wan entered the speeder from the other end. "Looks clean."

"Fully fueled," Anakin noted.

Obi-Wan reached over toward the door on his side. Something had drifted down to the floor when he'd opened the door, the tiniest wisp of a thing. He bent over to pick it up. It was a thread. He held it up. Blue.

"Anything?" Anakin asked.

"I'll send it to the Temple lab for analysis, but it looks like standard cloth," Obi-Wan said, carefully placing it in his utility belt. "Certainly not the septsilk and veda cloth that both Zan Arbor and the Slams like to wear."

Anakin murmured a reply, busy studying the engine specs. "This doesn't make sense," he said. "The transport body style doesn't fit the engine. In speeders, you maximize every particle of space. I'd guess there are about three centimeters unaccounted for."

"That's not very much."

"Oh, yes it is." Anakin looked over at his Master. "It's just like the Slams' ship. They knew how to hide secret compartments in tiny spaces."

Anakin was already reaching under the dash.

"Got it." A drawer popped out toward Anakin. He reached inside, then tossed an item to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan examined the palm-sized datapad. He switched it on. "It's a map of the plaza," Obi-Wan said as he accessed the file. "With notations on street closings and space lanes." Obi-Wan pressed a few more indicators.

"And the water transport tunnels are marked."

"Omega, Zan Arbor, and the Slams are planning to heist the new Relief Fund treasury," Anakin said.

"That's what they're after. Not only will it give them a fortune to operate with, it will embarrass Palpatine."

"It will be a political victory as well as a personal one. That's most likely why Bog and Sauro got involved — they are looking at a way to strike a blow against Palpatine. And if they profit from it as well, why not?"

"With the help of the Zone, a small band like the Slams can get around the entire Coruscant security force," Anakin said, shaking his head.

Obi-Wan nodded. "And in his arrogance, Omega expects to defeat the Jedi, too. If the Jedi Order allows the heist to happen, they will be disgraced. That will help Bog and Sauro pass their petition — or win a no-confidence vote against the Chancellor. Or both."

His eyes gleamed at Anakin, and Anakin caught the spark. He felt a spurt of excitement. The pieces were falling into place.

"Now we think we know what they are doing," Obi-Wan said. "Let's set the trap."

Obi-Wan glanced over at his Padawan, who was waiting for his instructions. Obi-Wan smiled, knowing it was time to surprise his Padawan a bit.

"So?" Obi-Wan queried.

"So?" Anakin asked cautiously.

"What next?"

"You want me to decide?"

Obi-Wan nodded. "When you become a Jedi Knight, you'll have to strategize as well as act."

Obi-Wan saw and felt his Padawan's brain filling with thoughts, half of which were quickly discarded before his Padawan took a breath and he felt Anakin reach a decision.

"First, we should contact Siri and Ferus and tell them what we know, so that they can concentrate their study of the water system on the area around the plaza," Anakin said. "Then, we should contact Master Windu. The Jedi Council needs to come up with its own plans to protect the vertex during the ceremony."

"Good," Obi-Wan said with approval.

"And we should request a meeting with Chancellor Palpatine," Anakin went on. "It's the only way we can get across the seriousness of what we think is going to happen. After all, it's just guesswork, and it could be easily dismissed. However, I'm sure we can convince him to increase security and monitor the water system. Though . . ." Anakin said, slowly ". . . if we do nothing, and allow the sabotage to occur, we have an advantage."

"Is that so?" Obi-Wan said cautiously.

"The Jedi will not be affected, but our enemy won't know that. Omega and the Slams will be lulled into the belief that they have succeeded. In other words, we give them what they want in the beginning, but we control the outcome."

"That's a big gamble, Padawan," Obi-Wan said.

"The Zone isn't toxic."

"As you knew it," Obi-Wan said, and Anakin frowned. "We also don't know that it won't affect Jedi anymore. Zan Arbor got to test it on you, and might have adapted it since then. Keep in mind four people did die during testing in Falleen. That could have been because they were attempting to make it stronger to deal with Jedi. This is Zan Arbor and Omega, so we should also be wary of assuming that we do actually know their plans. We have theories, but no proof."

Anakin frowned thoughtfully.

"I can see your point, Master," Anakin said finally, though Obi-Wan could see that he still thought the risk was worth it. However, while tactically that could be the case, this wasn't a war where those types of risks with innocent people were warranted. If things went wrong and hundreds died from exposure to the Zone . . . something they could have prevented, the Jedi Order would be through, and Obi-Wan wouldn't even blame the people of Coruscant for feeling that way. "So, we need to guard the entry points to the system so that the Zone cannot be deployed."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Anything else?"

Anakin thought briefly. "No. Not at the moment."

"I agree. Let's go."

**The Will of the Force**

The first meeting of the Grandmaster Council was already being held. They had elected to take all briefings on the Sith Empire and intelligence about the Separatist movement for the High Council, freeing up the High Council to focus on active operations. It helped that the Grandmaster Council had two of the Jedi who knew the most about warfare.

"The Sith are reclaiming planets at a rapid rate," Quinlan briefed.

Quinlan, Taria, Jon Antilles, and Bode Akuna were holoprojected into the small chamber that the new Council had taken up.

"Nearly a hundred planets have been claimed or willingly joined their Empire," Jon briefed. "Korriban remains the only one of their sacred worlds that they have not reclaimed."

"Because it is on the edge of Republic space," Kastor muttered.

"And it does have Republic conglomerates with interests," Fay agreed. "The Commerce Guild currently controls the planet."

"It won't be long before they reclaim it though," Allara said. "It has little worth beyond what Sith artifacts they may find, but they will focus on their economy and production facilities."

"Resources are being pushed to Ziost and the Dromund System," Bode said. "It stands to reason they are setting up production facilities there, but they'll spread as soon as they have them up and running."

"What else have you managed to find?" Kastor said.

"They've set up a Council, and at this time there doesn't seem to be a set Emperor," Taria said. "However, the more you dig, the easier it is to see that, similar to how you described the old Sith Empire, there are definitely subfactions within. These factions work for various members of the Council."

"With no clear Emperor, we might be able to use that to our advantage," Kastor said thoughtfully. "The Emperor was the one to help keep various elements in line and focusing them towards a common picture. If we can sabotage certain elements, and frame others for it, we could cause major discord in this Council. Sith are naturally suspicious of each other and paranoid as is."

"Do we know exactly who is on this Council?" T'ra Saa asked.

"We don't have a full idea, yet," Quinlan said. "We know Malgus and Nox. We also have heard about a Darth Glovoc and his apprentice, Darth Voren. We also know that the Separatist ambassador, Darth Noctyss is on the Council. There are three more members, but we have not yet discovered their identities."

"And what of the Separatists?" Rancisis said.

"The majority of the Separatists seem dead set on simply forming their own Confederacy and want to demand recognition from the Republic," Bode said. "However, there are elements that believe that force and conflict will be the only way to achieve their goals."

"Focus on the diplomatic options, we must," Yoda said. "A war with the Sith, inevitable it may be, but know this for sure, we do not. In the past, work with Sith, Jedi have. Perhaps, work again, we can. War with the Separatists, involved we should not be unless no options, there are."

"I highly doubt there can be any diplomacy with Malgus," Kastor said with a scoff, "however, with this new Sith Empire in its infancy, perhaps he can be convinced to enter a state of nonaggression. A new Cold War. I can't even predict what Nox may desire. Glovoc or Voren though might be ones we can work with."

"It all depends on why they joined our ancestor in his war on the Republic," Allara said. "If they are more like Malak, then power corrupted them and we have no hope of convincing them. If they are more like Revan, then perhaps we can reason with them. I suspect a war between the Republic and this Empire is inevitable, but perhaps we can push it back decades or even centuries."

"We don't necessarily need the whole Council to support peace," Fay said. "If a majority can be convinced, then the Empire will either follow suit or it will fracture apart."

"So, we need to figure out who else is on the Council and what they might desire," T'ra Saa said. "As for the Separatists, we need to approach the Senate about extending hands of diplomacy."

"We have allies in the Senate," Tera Sinube said.

"We need more," Allara said. "We also need to be more involved. We need Senators and Jedi together reaching out to bridge the Republic and the Separatists . . . and even the Republic and the Sith Empire."

There were nods of agreement around the room at that.

"We need to try and reach a peaceful arrangement, however we can't ignore that the Sith Empire seems to be setting up an alliance with the Separatists, and that could very well be to engage us in warfare," Kastor said.

"So, what do you suggest, Master Shan?" Rancisis said.

"He's saying we need to grow our strength," Fay said. "We need to petition the Senate to allow us to regrow our navy and starfighter corp."

"We need more allies as well," T'ra Saa said in agreement. "We need allies who, like the Mandalorians, will join our growing fleet and starfighter corp and assist our Jedi on the battlefield if needed."

"We need to get closer to the other sects of the Jedi," Kastor said. "The Corellian Jedi, the Iron Knights, even Master Altis's group. They can help bolster our numbers. We should also reach out to other Force sects like the Jal Shey, the Matukai, the Grey Paladins, the Baran Do, and the Guardians and Disciples of the Whills. I'm sure there are others I'm not thinking of."

"Allies among certain people we can have too," Yoda said. "Great relations with the Wookiees I have. Around the galaxy, people the Jedi have helped. Help us in return, many will, if we but ask for aid."

"This is all null and void if we cannot get the Senate to approve us growing our strength," Rancisis said.

"Obi-Wan and Siri are currently working to find the root of this anti-Jedi hate in the Senate," Fay said. "If they can find the source and put an end to it, the sympathy may swing our way. Combine that with logic and reason, and we might be able to get approval. With the Republic already denouncing the Sith Empire for their actions in the Manaan System, even if the Sith denied their involvement, their growing unease with the Separatists and the Sith Empire might help us."

"Tempo is the name of the game," Allara muttered. "We have to move onward and grow in strength, but we cannot do so in a way that makes the Separatists, the Sith Empire, or the Republic nervous. Yet, we cannot grow too slowly so that we are unable to react if something happens."

"Careful we must be," Yoda agreed.

The seven Jedi exchanged grim looks. They all suspected that this was going to be the focus of their meetings for the foreseeable future, unless the High Council asked them to weigh in on other issues.