Here, have this.
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Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars.
I felt uneasy as I walked along the crowded street. This seemed like an odd place to meet a Jedi Master other than say you know, the Jedi Temple. We were in the upper 4000's and we weaved through the crowd. Dooku took a strange turn down a grungy alley. He stopped at a door that looked just as grimy. He looked about and sensed for anyone who might have followed.
I followed suit while Dooku took the time to dawn a leather glove before knocking on the door. A robotic eye flew out of a whole in the wall appraising us both. It sucked back in and the door opened.
Inside were two Echani Sun Guard guarding the door. Their golden helms no doubt masking their bright features. That was the first major red flag that I wasn't here to meet Sifo-Dayas. The interior beheld a striking sight compared to the exterior. Carved wood tables and a bar with fancy crystal liquor bottles lining the wall behind it. A copious amount of red and white trim. It looked like the star wars version of a speakeasy.
"This way," Dooku gestured as he took off the glove and stowed it. I followed him. There were more Sun Guards flanking a set of stairs that must have led to a VIP room of sorts. I was impressed and wondered briefly if the Republic had a Prohibition phase at one point in the last thousand years.
I sensed ahead of me as I climbed the stairs and found not a trace of a force presence. This began to worry me somewhat. Hiding force signatures was a Dark Side ability that Sidious flaunted in front of the Jedi for years.
So, the Sun Guard, and lack of force presence gave me almost a certain picture of who could be in the room at the top of the stairs. My curiosity saved me from the abject fear I should have felt wondering why he wasn't in seclusion on Sojourn?
"Who was this friend you mentioned?" I spoke up for the first time since we arrived on this level. despite the answer being fairly clear.
"An old friend who I kept in contact with over the years. He does not often make trips away from his work." I suddenly wished I was there to meet the politician, not the banker. I dared not even think of their true names in my head for fear of my thoughts lighting a bonfire in the Force. I was sure that was not how it worked, but better safe than sorry.
"What made him venture out of his bubble if he is such a recluse?" I asked.
"I don't know. This trip was entirely out of nowhere." Dooku said more to himself. The door at the top of the stairs opened and it led into a beautiful dining room. It made the lower lounge almost look bland in comparison.
There was a short yet tall table for six in the middle of the room. Next to it stood a droid, an older medical model. 11-4D if I recall. That was the third and final clue, not that I didn't piece it together already.
Shit. I was in it so bad I was mentally cursing in English for a change.
"My master will be with us shortly," It announced. "In the meantime take a seat."
"Indeed." Dooku pulled out a chair for me. I nodded and sat thanking him.
He then sat opposite of me while Ol' Hego most likely would be sitting at the head of the table.
"This place is quite something." I said looking around. "Such a strange place for a Lounge."
"It is certainly that. I know little of the history of places like these. Our Host no doubt found this place in his dealings." Dooku posited.
"It was bought from a retired gangster." A low rumbling voice with a metallic edge to it announced. "He had little use of it as his days trying to court the rich and powerful were in the past." I looked to see a tall and lanky Muun wrapped in green silks. He was hooded and wore a breathing apparatus. Despite this, he moved with an easy grace that belied his injuries.
I did my best not to show any fear or knowledge of who he was. I reached out and force probed aura or lack there of knowing I would find nothing. I had to act as a Jedi would when meeting someone new. Damask would suspect something amiss if I didn't try or worse, would think I was lazy. Neither was an option.
"Damask, it has been awhile." Dooku said with a respectful nod.
The tall muun sat down.
"Indeed old friend." the Sith Lord said. "I don't often get out much these days." He looked over at me. I did my best to not flinch or look away, and to hide my fear knowing what he could do.
"You must be Luminara… Unduli correct?" He asked.
I nodded, "Yup." Was all I managed to say with a polite facade.
He continued. "Ah, Dooku has mentioned you. "I am Hego Damask of the IBC."
"Always a pleasure to meet a friend of Dooku's." I said politely. The Muun inclined his head.
"I will admit, it piqued my curiosity to hear of another Jedi who seeks to pull their order out of stagnation as Dooku alluded." The Muun said.
"Well I…" I said, trying not to allow a nervous blush. It was the way he said it. So straight forward and in a tone that suggested that he was impressed enough that I couldn't really rebuff it or risk breaking an illusion Damask himself had created. "I am hoping that they will realize the error of being so closely tied to the Senate and perhaps go back to the older days of being more spread out and following the Force's will."
I could tell that Dooku didn't quite approve of my stance. Again he was a reformer but not so in a way that would see him as a hermit in a mud hut handing out wisdom to any schmuck that crossed his path. I elaborated.
"What I mean is that we used to have enclaves all over the Galaxy. It allowed us to branch out and help those in the majority of Republic held space at our discretion. With so much uncertainty and chaos brewing in the Outer Rim. It is crucial we allow ourselves to actually be the Knights we claim to be." I sensed that my elaboration seemed to appease Dooku, and Damask leaned back deep in thought.
I shifted focus briefly to 11-4D. Shame I didn't bring a datapad and a spike. If I had managed to get alone with the Droid, I could stun the droid with ionize and copy his data. The Droid was the best witness one could ask for. Though there would be a window which would act as the perfect opportunity in the future. Again provided I didn't kark things up timeline wise. I dared not think of it anymore with Damask present.
"Noble, but would that cause more trouble than not. Many in the Outer Rim are not used to such oversight. There would no doubt be pushback. Your way may cause a lot of conflict." Damask stated.
He posed it as a mere statement of fact, but I sensed the underlying threat. I had a feeling if the Council did reestablish an enclave. It may be harassed and even have a rock dropped on it from orbit by "very well informed pirates". Luckily I had no intention of broadcasting the location of such an enclave provided I got any say.
"Of course it wouldn't be a walk in the park." I continued. "One would have to take the time to feel out the players in the area and deal with them accordingly. Routing out pirates and smugglers would be a boon to many business ventures to have free and open trade routes." I had tried to sound like I was throwing a bone to Damask. "There is no doubt a lot of work to be done before such an idea can be implemented."
"Words are often where many stop. I am glad to see you are considering the matter beyond that." Dooku said and took a drink of his wine. I took another sip as well. I had been thinking about it quite a bit actually. If my enclave reestablishment didn't fall though, I would most likely hire Jango and the Protectors to at least patrol hyperspace lanes and root out pirates. That is if the Mandos were even going to be set up in such a way or Damask hired them first.
Damask raised his glass, "Here, here. I knew I was right in having Dooku bring you here. It has been enlightening to see that while I have many disagreements with the Jedi. That the Jedi themselves find the state of their involvement in the Republic to be a form of shackles from which the Jedi themselves must break." Did he just insert the Sith Code in his little compliment? Of course he did. I didn't react and simply nodded respectfully.
After that, Dooku and Damask spent a great deal of time chatting idly about many different happenings in the Galaxy. They brought up the beginnings of the Huk War. Something I had no idea how to prevent at this point. I couldn't leave Coruscant without smuggling myself out and I didn't want to antagonize the Council anymore unless it was really important. I wanted to go to check on that old space station. Something I should have done a while ago. Even with all the goodies the pirates had squirreled away, I needed to be certain that Terentatek was truly dead. I wanted to be sure. I needed to be sure.
There were so many easy things to overlook in the grand scheme of things. It is one thing to look at the timeline and plot out a course. Another to actually live our life in between those points while still trying to stay on track. Not to mention actually doing something about that event. I got lucky at Galidraan, and it nearly bit me in the ass at Troiken.
Speaking of Troiken, I heard "The Huntress," was still out and about. Despite being Dar'manda and Deathwatch, she was still spitting the face of the True Mandos it seems. She got a new arm too. She was becoming some sort of Reverse Jango in this timeline. Next thing I know she'll end up being the template for the Clones. I couldn't help but laugh mentally.
Then Damask turned the conversation toward the force. Which I started to really pay more attention to.
"Though I am vastly ignorant of the Force's mysterious nature, unlike the Jedi. I do find my curiosity has peaked." He looked at me. "Dooku has mentioned that you have become proficient in an ancient technique. Some sort of Battle Focus?" There he was pretending to know jack shit about the Force. I mean if I didn't know he was a Sith, then I might have believed him.
"Battle Meditation," I corrected. "It allows me to link with many individuals and direct them as one coherent force." I also saw that he purposely got the name wrong so I would have to correct him and explain further. Smart.
"A powerful ability indeed." Damask nodded. "Though it seems like there is little use for this era."
"Never say never," I smirked, "Besides, that is no excuse to drop the art. Once a farmer has the crop harvested, do they not spend the following winter preparing to sow once again the moment the snows thaw?" I stated rhetorically.
"A wise course indeed." Dooku agreed. I figured he would approve as his preferred fighting form, Makashi was all but extinct, say for a few practitioners in the order including myself. Many in the order thought it was dated and there was no need for it. Damask nodded wisely conceding my point. I should add that I think Damask purposely set himself up for that small loss to further test my outlook. Sneaky Sith Lord.
"May I ask what brings you back to Coruscant?" Dooku said.
Damask turned to him. "Some business I had to be physically present for. Truly a rarity these days. Even in my self-imposed exile my work is never done."
"Such as things often are." Dooku agreed. "Now if you'll pardon me, I will be back momentarily, I have to take a call."
What! My thoughts went crazy. Don't leave me alone with the Sit- Banker! I smiled nervously at Hego when Dooku left the room.
He canted his head politely. I took a drink.
"So from what Dooku has told me you have a surprising grasp of the Force for one so young." He said.
He seems to tell you a lot. I thought to myself while I considered an answer.
"I just…" I paused trying to come up with a good answer. "Found out the hard way that the Force is not finite unless you allow yourself to believe such. It has its own will to be sure but so long as we use our ability to direct it in the general direction it wants to go it will be your greatest ally." That got the first true reaction out of him. Damask didn't believe the Force had a will of its own. So I sensed a small amount of irritation from him. "There was a time I felt I could only do so much with it. It was after Troiken that after nearly dying that I figured things out. It was like a flood gate opening. When I accepted that I could do anything with the Force, things felt clearer."
"This clarity gave you access to your Battle Meditation powers?" Damask asked.
"No, that was at Galidraan. It did allow me to expand my sphere of influence with that ability however." I said.
"Galidraan, is where the Jedi were nearly duped if I recall." Damask said changing the subject. What was he after? Also is that how the media portrayed that whole affair? Not The Jedi were able to parse out the lies of a corrupt Political leader and a terrorist group? Never thought I would feel such urgency to establish a small counter-media empire more than now.
"Yeah, Jango and the True Mandalorians would have nearly been wiped out were it not for cooler heads prevailing." I said.
"This Jango. What is your appraisal? Surely this legendary warrior the Mandalorians call King or some sort of chieftain could not be so formidable." Damask asked with a heavy curiosity.
"You want my honest opinion?" I asked. He nodded. "From what I've seen, Jango is the best non-sensitive warrior in the galaxy. He is dangerous and possibly able to kill even Jedi if he had the drop. Not one to underestimate. It also tells you a lot that the Deathwatch had to use guile to try and defeat the True Mandalorians by forcing them into conflict with the Jedi."
"That is much of what I have heard about him as well." Damask agreed.
"Are you planning on hiring him? I am pretty sure he is preoccupied with running the Mandalore Sector these days." I asked.
"It is always wise to ascertain a possible future business associate. His people may be available for certain contracts for my clients." He said.
Or to ferret out the best human candidate for a clone army. I nodded.
"Understandable," I said. We sat in silence for some time.
I took a few small bites of the dish in front of me. Some sort of fish.
Dooku returned a little later.
"It seems we must cut this dinner short. My apologies." Dooku waved me along. Oh, thank the Force.
I got up. "It was nice to meet a friend of Master Dooku's." I said.
"Indeed, may you find success in your ventures." He said plainly. Though it felt like he was smirking under that respirator.
I simply nodded and gave a small bow. We departed soon. I didn't dare speak until we were in the transport.
"Interesting fellow. Not the most moral, but his insights and attitude provide a surprising contrast." I said while mulling over the conversation.
"I thought you would find this encounter interesting." Dooku said. "He often has a knack for poking holes in Jedi dogma. Something you will see as time goes on. He restrained himself this time. What did you speak of while I was away?" he asked.
"Not much, he wanted to know about Mandalore's new leader. I think he had some interest in looking for bodyguards for a client or something." I said a bit dismissively.
"Yes, it is still unclear what the Mandalorians will do. Regardless, I was glad to have introduced you both. Damask has always been an enlightening individual to converse with and I suspect he may contact you in the future from time to time." Dooku said easing the speeder into the Temple landing pad.
"You didn't introduce me to him just so he doesn't pester you as much did you?" Dooku got a smug expression on his face.
"Hardly," he said with a mock offense. I rolled my eyes.
"Well, it was nice to see you again." I said. He exited the vehicle. I did the same.
"Likewise. I would leave you with some advice." he said. I listened. "It would be wise to appear to temper that fire a bit more. You are walking on thin ice as it is from what I can gather. There are a few on the council that think you should have your lightsaber taken and you shoved off into the service cores."
"I take it that Master's Rancisis and Windu aren't the only ones in favor of this action." I said.
"It is split down the middle. However, the Grandmaster is adamant you be trained."
"Part of me thought he would be in agreement with the ones who wanted to kick me out." I admitted. "He is always so grumpy around me."
"He has always been grumpy." Dooku said with a hint of amusement. Right, he was Yoda's last padawan.
"Well take your word for it. Thanks for the heads up." I said. I bowed and he returned the gesture.
We parted ways. The day was at a close. I decided to get some meditation in before going trying to get some sleep. I almost didn't sleep. The day's events were truly a roller coaster of surprises.