Disclaimer: not mine

BTW – anyone who reads my DC vampire fics, I put them all into the blood childe series to make them easier to find even though Eternally is not at all connected to that original series.

Chapter 12

They carefully looked over all of the intel they had, seeing the trap that had been neatly laid but…it was not Vizsla's style. Was someone else pulling the strings? But Tim had sensed Vizsla and Kyr'tsad was on the planet, was someone backing them? But why? He was grateful to have the Jetii on their side, while he was sure the forces he had brought would have won, it would not have been without heavy casualties and the possibility of war.

He glanced at the two Jetii and they nodded, it was time to confront the Governor and see what he knew. Dooku was very different to what he had expected, more aristocrat than mystic monk. But it made sense, the Jetii were made up of all kinds of beings so of course they would all be different, something else their societies had in common.

Yan stared at the cowering man, he had not expected to be confronted by Jedi and Mandalorians together. No, he had expected them to wipe each other out, that was very easy to sense. But the man did not seem smart enough for such a plan…or brave enough. He kept his face bland as a certain scent reached him, wonderful, the man was so scared that he had soiled himself. Really.

"Where is Vizsla?" Mereel growled out from behind his helmet. At least he didn't have to deal with the smell.

Dick brought his eskrima up as he spun to face the helmeted figure. He was almost as big as B! He knew what Bruce had half hoped and half feared, had done the same, but there was no way. Tim wouldn't get so big with years to grow let alone only one…unless someone interfered, in their world there were a lot of things that could change someone. But the brutality just didn't fit, even if Tim snapped, his temper ran cold. He'd just grinned and shrugged, said he was like his Mom, that they were Drakes. Dick had looked into that and Janet Drake had been one scary lady when she had to be, so had her Mother…who might have killed her husband? The Gotham elite were just so strange.

The Red Hood stared at him, hands on his guns but he hadn't drawn them, yet.

"Can I help you with something?" he kept his tone light, he really didn't like to get shot even with the armour.

"What happened to Robin?" the mechanised voice asked, and Dick tensed.

"What is it to you?" he fought not to snarl the question.

"Just curious," the other shrugged. No…there was more to it than that, but what?

"Oh?" he forced himself to ask.

"Need to know if I gotta be extra brutal when finishing that clown off."

They were planning on payback for Tim? But why? Hatred of Joker hurting anyone? Just a general liking of Robin or something else?

But there was something…something about them that felt almost familiar. Who else would have such a beef with the Joker, want Crime Alley safe, be against the clown hurting Rob…no, that was even more impossible than Hood being Tim. It couldn't be…they'd buried him…but…

"Who are you?" he whispered, lowering his eskrima slowly, seeing Hood tense.

"Why did Batman seem disappointed?" was the counter question and Dick hesitated, well, it proved he'd been watching them.

"Because…he hoped you were Robin."

"What happened?" Hood asked, an edge to the mechanical voice.

"Joker grabbed him, we tracked them to a warehouse but all we found was the Joker and Robin's blood. There was no body, no trail, nothing. And even when questioned by Wonder Woman, Joker insists he didn't kill Robin."

"Not this one," Hood muttered, and Dick's heart was racing.

It shouldn't be possible…it couldn't be… Dick whistled a very specific pattern and Hood's attention shot back to him immediately…as if trained. Not Tim but… "Little Wing?" he whispered.

And Hood stiffened completely, taking a slight step back…

"Jason?" Dick took a hesitant step towards him, "is it really you?"

"What do you care?" Hood…Jason spat in rage. "You replaced him fast enough."

"No!" Dick snapped. This was Jason…it had to be, so he put the eskrima away, holding his hands out as he approached. "No one could ever replace you Little Wing," he stated firmly before pausing to take a deep breath. He checked his wrist computer, no surveillance. So, he reached up and removed his domino, reckless, probably, but he had to get through to Jason.

"Right, from the guy too busy to even go to my funeral," he sneered, and Dick relaxed. My, he said my funeral.

"Jason…I didn't even know you were…I got back from the mission to find you were gone and the funeral already held. Alfred had to call Clark to pull me off B. I stepped back from the Titans, from everything, I just…I couldn't… then I found out Haly's was going under, went to look into it. Found out someone was messing with them…and that's where Tim found me. He wasn't looking to be Robin, he wanted me to go back to the role, because B was…it was bad, really bad. I came back to Gotham to help B with a case and Two-Face nearly killed us, Tim saved the day with some help from Alfred," he paused to take a breath and make sure Jason was following.

Jason hesitated but then removed his helmet, revealing a red domino beneath it. He'd really grown up…and there was a streak of white in his hair, then again, all the trauma his body had suffered…it could be anything. He wavered but then removed the domino and Dick saw the clues, feeling sick. Once blue eyes were now green, added to the extra muscle mass and height plus white hair…he really hated the al Ghul's.

"B didn't choose him?" he asked, and Dick shook his head. "How'd he know to go to you, why?"

"Because he was there…at Haly's the night my parents… there's a photo with me holding him on my knee, I just never realised it was our next-door neighbour despite seeing him at galas on and off. When he was nine, he saw Robin do a quadruple and he put it together, worked out other id's once he had me and Bruce pinned. Knew immediately when you became Robin. Crazy kid used to stalk as at night with a camera, you should see his photos, his best work is of you. So, he saw first-hand how far off the rails B was going without you, showed me the photos."

Jason fought the rage down to really listen to Dick, feeling amused that their id's were compromised by a nine-year-old because he had to show off. The idea the kid saw the Grayson's fall…ouch. But how old had he been, two? Knowing Dick hadn't chosen to miss his funeral helped, that he'd fought Bruce over it.

"Bruce hated the idea of another Robin, never wanted another kid in the suit, but Tim's a stubborn kid and…Alfie and I agreed with him. Bruce needs someone there to make him think, to pull him back. He wouldn't even train Tim, sent him overseas…and somehow the kid came back with a bō curtesy of Lady Shiva, never managed to get the story out of him. he has no sense of self-worth, but it's gotten better, especially once Young Justice formed. He's so smart and cheeky once he opens up, smarter than B even. You know he made up a fake uncle after his parents died to keep Bruce from adopting him? All because he didn't want to be a bother."

Yeah…that sounded like horrendous self-worth issues…nothing like he'd been told. "What happened to him?" Cause this kid, sounded like someone he'd want to have as a little brother.

"The Joker took him, apparently, he wanted a kid and decided that Tim, well Robin, was the perfect candidate. We got the footage…he was taunting him, chasing him down, beating him and letting him run again…by the time we found them…he'd gotten Tim to a warehouse and the things in there…" Dick shuddered. "We found his bō, bloody and broken, and the Joker was there right beside a pool of blood but no sign of Tim. We've tried everything, called the JL, Tim's team…even the Green Lantern Corps since Joker said he vanished in a flash of light. But there's no sign. When you showed up a year later… the timing and name, well…"

"I've got contacts," Jason murmured, and he would use them. The thought of another kid beaten by the Joker, the idea that monster wanted to make him his kid… even if Tim had been what he thought, he'd still help because no one deserved that.

"Part of the trouble finding him might be…the Joker slit his throat," Dick whispered. "We don't know how deep but he was proud about that. So, we don't know, Tim might be…"

"Mute. So, if off planet or even in another country, communication might be limited, making him harder to find."

"Will you come home?" Dick asked hopefully, and he shook his head, seeing the pain in his brorther's eyes.

"I can't Dickie…I…Bruce… I didn't come back right."

"The Pit," Dick murmured, and he nodded. Of course he'd recognise the signs.

"I'm not sure what I'd do, and Alfie doesn't deserve to see that."

"Can I at least tell them? You could call Alfred, maybe meet up for tea somewhere if seeing Bruce would be too much."

Jason hesitated but eventually gave him the number to one of his phones to keep and pass on to Alfred only.

"I won't ask you to stop, but could you maybe tone down the gore factor? You didn't have to see Commissioner Gordon nearly throw up on B with the duffle bag."

Jason grimaced, he'd always liked Jim Gordon, the man was so unflappable so the idea he'd caused that… "Where's Babs anyway?" He hadn't really been told anything about her.

And Dick winced but slowly told him about the Joker's attack…thew clown was a dead man walking. How had Gordon not 'accidentally' shot the monster? But he was glad that Babs had risen above it and become even more a threat to criminals than Batgirl had been. Oracle, huh? That explained a lot, he'd been told the name but not who was behind it.

They parted soon after and Jason was shocked to find he felt…lighter, the anger not gone but less.

Tim leant back against the tree, staring up at the sky beyond the dome. Something …something didn't feel quite right but he couldn't work it out, which was why he was outside rather than sleeping like most. He wasn't surprised when another body dropped down beside him, Obi-Wan dressed in only his tunics, no robe but with his armour pieces in place, good. Just because the palace compound was meant to be safe didn't mean it wouldn't be attacked. Tim wasn't wearing most of his armour, just the same pieces as his friend, since he'd been relaxing before coming outside. Durasteel bes'mabur, tadun'bur, and kom'rk, still in the same colours that he'd painted from the start.

His final, beskar armour was now ready for the day he swore the Resol'nare, unpainted until he completed his verd'goten. That he was nervous about, he wasn't sure what to choose. The obvious choice was a bounty hunt, the closest thing there was to a vigilante in this dimension. At least, he was pretty sure he was in another dimension after having studied hard to catch up to his age mates he'd looked at a lot of galactic history and star charts and there was nothing…plus here, the planet where humans first came from was very different to Earth. Most thought humans had first come from Coruscant so he'd read everything he could find on the planets history.

"Can't sleep?" Obi-Wan asked softly.

"Something feels off," he admitted. "It's probably just buir and Jango both being gone," he shrugged slightly, their bes'mabur thudding together softly.

"They're not usually?" Obi-Wan asked.

Tim shook his head. "Too risky for the Mand'alor and his heir to be gone together, even with a secondary heir," and that still felt weird. "Melidaan was an anomaly. Before they found me, they travelled more together but that was because of Jango's age and buir still training him. Knowing they're walking into a Kyr'tsad trap…"

"They have Master Koon with them," Obi-Wan reminded him gently.

"Yeah, they…" he straightened and then froze, feeling Obi-Wan go still as well.

"There's someth, down!"

Tim hit the dirt, feeling the warmth and weight of Obi-Wan on his back, covering him, even as there was a loud explosion. "The trap wasn't on Galidraan," he gasped even as Obi-Wan moved, rolling to his feet.

"Ad'alor!" a sentry yelled.

He glanced at Obi-Wan who nodded even as Tim brushed over him, not sensing any pain. "We're fine!" he called back, drawing his blaster, seeing Obi-Wan draw his lightsabre. Yes, Tim was being trained with his sabre, but he knew he wasn't combat ready with it. "Come on," he called to Obi-Wan, rushing for the nearest cover.

They needed to reach the palace command centre…after he grabbed his armour.

Kal nodded as the two boys ran into the command centre, Tim'ika still settling his armour fully, but his weapons were ready.

"What happened?" The Ad'alor asked as he stepped up to the holotable, Obi-Wan a silent shadow at his side…was he positioning himself as a bodyguard? He supposed it made sense, the jetii were often tasked with protecting planetary rulers and politicians and Tim was the only current member of the Mand'alor's family on the planet.

"Kyr'tsad," Kal answered, bringing up the bomb sights on the holomap. Both boys studied the images intently, even before coming to Manda'yaim, Tim had been trained in some level of counterterrorism as part of his overall training. And the jetii too would likely train such things, though Obi-Wan likely had more hands-on training than average due to where they'd found him.

"This makes no sense," Tim murmured, Obi-Wan nodding agreement. Good, they'd seen it, those bombs had not been planted in the obvious weak points in their defences or even areas that would give mass casualties at night. "Did they go off early?"

"Remotely detonated."

"They're here," Obi-Wan murmured, eyes distant. "Not on Galidraan…that's the trap, it was a distraction."

"Draw a portion of our forces off and hit whoever's left here. But the warning we got was through the Force…does Vizsla know enough about the Jetii to assume one of you would sense it?" Tim asked.

"Your training with the Goran and now the Jetii isn't secret either," Kal pointed out.

"Send a message to buir," Tim ordered, and Kal nodded.

Technically, Tim had not been left in command, not when he hadn't sworn or undergone his verd'goten but he had a good head on his shoulders, mandokar to spare. Kal would guide him but this might be a good test of his leadership capabilities. Though…he'd apparently led a traat'aliit back on his birth planet.

The two boys spoke quietly together, the Ka'ra speaking to them? But the defence plan they came up with seemed solid to him. and then the reports began to flood in of approaching ships and speeders.

He was aware of his Apprentice's meddling in Mandalore's affairs and let it be. While the Mandalorians had often served the Sith well, he doubted they were of any use now, too fractured to serve as worthy soldiers for either side of the coming conflict. If his plans took out the so-called Mand'alor the Reformer then all the better since he was the sectors best chance at unification that wasn't controlled by the Senate to pull the Mandalorians claws. The so-called New Mandalorians would be no threat to anyone should they attain power and Vizsla's descendant was good at nothing but mindless terror. Perhaps the Mandalorians would wipe themselves out in their civil war.

"Mand'alor!" a communications officer called to get his attention, and Jaster accepted the message, eyes narrowing in anger.

"Kyr'tsad bombed Keldabe," he growled, seeing Jaster tense, everyone on alert. He looked to his eldest. "The boys are fine," he assured him, seeing him relax a bit at that news.

That would explain why they had only found a smaller than expected force with no sign of Vizsla…they were back on Manda'yaim. Had they waited for Jaster's forces to arrive before leaving to head back or had they never been there in the first place.

"I apologise Ba'jurir Dooku, but it appears we must return home immediately."

"Of course Mand'alor Mereel," the aristocratic Jetii inclined his head and then moved to speak with Ba'jurir Koon.

Would the force he left behind be enough to defend the capital and his son?

"Alfred Pennyworth speaking." The number calling was unknown which was odd.

"Hey Alfie, sorry I missed our last book club meeting," a voice responded, and he nearly dropped the phone.

It couldn't be…could it?

TBC…