A New Player in the Force: The Reforged Path

by USSExplorer

Book 3 of the ANP series. After the tumultuous events on Naboo, Cam takes his newly-adopted son Anakin on a journey of discovery and re-training. As the timeline spirals further and further into the unknown, they plan and prepare for the battles to come, both on and off the fields of War.

12. A Change in Path 1

A/N: As always, a huge thank you to those helping with lore and planning for this and my other stories.

And again, this chapter was released to those of sufficient rank on the story's Discord (it pays to talk) about a month ago. For those who support my writing, then it was released between 1 to 4 months ago (and those supporters can also access chapters that far in advance).

If joining the Discord or supporting my writing interests you, there is a link at the end of the chapter for how to do so.

A/N: Sorry for he delay, real life decided to interfere.

---

3.12 A Change in Path 1

... ...

As the speeder bike raced through the swamp on Kiffex, I accessed the feed from the HUD to look behind me. Thick, black smoke was rising into the air rapidly; a sign that the explosives Simvyl and I had planted in Karkko's former prison-turned-command centre had done their job and that there'd be nothing there for T'ra Saa to locate. Now, we had perhaps used a touch too many thermal detonators – I had depleted the twenty-five I'd carried in my Inventory – and I had reduced Karkko's body to ash before leaving the complex, but there was no such thing as overkill in my mind if it kept the truth of what I'd done, and more importantly how I'd done it, from Master Saa, and thus the Jedi High Council for a little while longer.

The only item taken from the complex was Karkko's lightsaber which hung proudly at my hip. According to Observe, there was nothing particularly impressive or special about the lightsaber, but it was a trophy of my victory over someone who had once been a member of the Jedi Council millennia ago. It was a nice ego boost to consider that I had defeated someone who had once been a member of a Jedi Council, however nothing about Karkko's combat form suggested he was anything particularly impressive and as such, I was reluctant to consider my victory over him as a sign that I could defeat more than perhaps one or two members of the current Council.

Nothing else of value had been found in the complex in the brief time we had to search it, though I had downloaded what I could from the place's databanks in the hopes there might be something useful that I could discover later. Currently, even before we'd left the complex, I'd been actively hiding my presence in the Force in every way I knew how to prevent T'ra Saa from both trying to track me and giving her any additional information about the Dark side user who had fought and defeated Karkko before she arrived at the smoking ruins of his former prison.

Still, for all that I had moved to hide myself in the Force, and that my Force signature had altered considerably since taking Natural Selection and then training with various Force sects and studying from Adas' holocron, I knew it was only a matter of time – likely no more than half a year at an outside – until Master Saa was able to piece together that I was the one who'd defeated Karkko, drawing heavily on the Dark Side to shatter the illusions that the Anzati Dark Jedi had favoured. The Anzati had skill, I would give him that, but for all his abilities, he had only dabbled in the Dark Side in his later years, which given he could considerably have been centuries old before turning to the Dark Side, meant his mind had remained influenced by his time as a Jedi from being a Youngling until turning from the Order after serving on the High Council.

"What's the plan?" Simvyl asked through the secure comms as he and HK followed along behind me on their speeders, the droid monitoring the movements of any feral Anzati that were tracking us.

Those who had survived my duel with Karkko had been half-following, half-pursuing us since their master's death. From what I could sense from those that had gotten close enough to allow me to pick up on their feelings – at least before they were summarily killed – it seemed the beasts felt that because I had killed Karkko, they should transfer their loyalty to me. I had no interest in that, as they were little better than untrained kath hounds. However, their continual need to stay close enabled HK to keep thinning their ranks as we raced back to Deadend, fulfilling one of the conditions of the Lost Apprentice quest.

"Getting off this pathetic planet," I replied bluntly, not bothering to hide my irritation with being here even as HK used a semi-silenced blaster to take out a trio of Anzati that had popped out from behind cover in the brush around us. "But before that, I need to speak with Aayla."

"Observation: From examining the recordings of your duel with the Twi'lek meatbag, there was little there that impressed me, Master. Addendum: That said, any Force user that fights for your cause has greater use compared to the average meatbags that infest the galaxy."

I smirked at HK's blunt assessment of Aayla's form, and the even cruder comment on the wider galaxy. "You're not wrong, HK, however, my focus on Aayla for now is as her friend. She's one of the first I made at the Temple in fact." As I said that, I glanced skyward, my thoughts turning to my oldest dearest companion in the Order: Serra.

As with every other time memories of her came to the forefront of my thoughts, I couldn't stop myself from wondering how she was doing. By now she should've moved on from the death of Master Drallig, the closest thing she had to a parental figure, and committed to whatever training Master Windu had her undergoing. However, I had no idea what all that meant for us.

I cared deeply for her, loved her even and would always carry a flame for her in my heart. Yet, since Naboo I had come to realise that my path was leading me away from the Jedi – and more importantly, from her – faster than I had anticipated. The path I was choosing, the one that saw me use the Force to defeat Karkko by demanding its obedience instead of working with it as a Jedi would, was a path I wasn't sure she could, or even would, choose to follow.

The fear that she would reject me for the Order if forced to choose was one that often constricted around my heart, fuelling many restless nights I'd endured over the last roughly two years. I knew even before agreeing to help Quinlan that things were going to come to a head, but with events here, it seemed that that shift in direction was going to arrive sooner than I had expected.

T'ra Saa would report what had happened here, and what she had felt, to the High Council. The challenge for me was to leave the Order before she realised that I was the one who had killed Karkko. If I didn't do so, or she realised the truth and reported it before I formally left the Order, then I would likely see a team of Jedi sent after me. If it was one composed of Knights, then unless they ganged up on me and I was without allies, I wasn't overly concerned. However, if even two Jedi Masters were on any team sent after me, then I would have to be far more cautious about when and where any battle took place. The more experienced and skilled the Masters, the lower my odds of survival, never mind victory, became.

As much as simply going to the Temple and resigning was something to consider, doing so had many risks. First and foremost, I had Quinlan and Aayla with me, and taking them there would see the Order learn that I was the one who killed Karkko inside a day. The other major issue was that Dooku's long-gestating idea of gaining access to many restricted items in the more secure holocron vaults and keeping them after leaving the Order would be complicated. At least when it came to me.

Dooku, as a Jedi Master, could enter those vaults. I, however, couldn't. Not legally at any rate. Yet Dooku had been clear that he felt that I should have some of those items in the vaults as well as him. For him, it was an oddly sentimental decision, but one I hadn't complained about any time he had brought up his thoughts, and one that now appealed greatly given I had to leave the Order.

Before I could speak with him, however, I had to converse with Quinlan and Aayla, and after informing Sheyf Tinte of what happened on this world, ensure they didn't return to the Order. That line of thought brought me to the A Change in Path quest, and how I could use it to influence the direction the pair head.

When the Interface had created the quest, I had thought it was an odd one. Yet after Karkko's defeat, I realised that the Interface could, if not see, then at least predict the likely outcomes of my completion of the Lost Apprentice quest, and how the fates of Quinlan, Aayla, and myself were, at least for the time being, intertwined.

A Change of Path had several paths, from letting the pair return to the Jedi, to taking them under my wing and training them. That last option would generate a new quest, and until very recently was the one I was leaning away from the most. Now it held appeal because as HK said, having Force users on my side was extremely beneficial. Any Jedi was a Force multiplier, even with the way the Order limited its members in what they could do and learn. Two trained by me, using the ideals I'd gained from Adas, and whatever else I might learn from holocrons that I and Dooku could acquire from the vaults in the Temple, could turn the tide of many a battle that I knew existed in my future.

Already there were murmurings on the Holonet of growing discontent across the Outer Rim, with a handful of reports suggesting worlds and sectors from the Mid Rim through the Expansion Regions and into the Inner Rim were growing disillusioned with the Republic. Interestingly, for all those reports that I had seen on the Holonet in my travels when I had gone near the Core, they seemingly vanished. I had no proof that the Banite Sith were behind that, but it wouldn't take much to downplay a few stories here and there in the media to manipulate and deceive the masses. It was, after all, a tactic I knew had existed in my former life, and with the Republic being over twenty thousand years old, something that would exist here as well.

I had yet to catch any mention in the reports of a central figure stirring up anti-Republic sentiment, but there had to be someone doing it. Dooku hadn't become Darth Tyrannus, but the Banite Sith would find another fool to use as a pawn to generate the war they wanted. I just had to wait until that figure revealed themselves, and then see if an opportunity might arise to remove them before the war broke out. Provided, of course, that choice didn't in some way make things worse for me in the coming years.

The approaching walls of Deadend drew my focus back to the here and now, mind shifted back to Aayla and Quinlan. I could sense both with ease as while they were masking their Force signatures slightly, I knew what to look for and had their presences locked in before we were even halfway back to the settlement.

I would need them off-world before Master Saa sensed them and then sought them out. Ideally, she wouldn't recognise the pair's signatures before we departed, but if she did, then it would cause some amusing confusion in the Order. The Council would know from Master Saa that neither was the source of the Dark Side energies that had swarmed around Karkko's former prison before I defeated him, and the Order would be seeking the pair out for answers. Which was another reason for me to ensure the pair didn't return directly to the Order.

I watched as the gates of the settlement opened without a challenge, smirking at the gentle tremors of fear I sensed from those on the walls. They knew who I was, remembered what I'd done to Zaga and then the feral Anzati that had attacked here, and they were wise enough to not risk angering me in any way. Exactly what one would expect of bottom-feeding scum such as them.

Nearing the Black Hole Cantina, I wondered where Master Tholme might be. He was Quinlan's former Master, and would undoubtedly be looking for his old Padawan. I would rather avoid running into him currently as he was one of the Jedi Masters I felt I would struggle against. Perhaps one of the most dangerous given Dooku had often spoken of Master Tholme as one of the few in the Order who respected the Old Ways and was regarded as one of the best Makashi practitioners in the Order. Not on Dooku's level, but close enough that I highly doubted I could take him in a straight-up duel.

As I powered down the speeder, my thoughts shifted to Anakin. He would be in Kiffar with Sheyf Tinte, and I was looking forward to having him back at my side. As much as I was now leaning towards at least having the two Force users inside the cantina before me come with me, if I had to I would drop them in an instant. Beyond his role as the Chosen One, Anakin was my son, and I would sacrifice almost anything and anyone to keep him safe from the clutches of the Banite Sith and Jedi. Eventually, I knew they would learn of his existence, but with me now settling on leaving the Order, their ability to attempt to take my ad from me was slipping away rapidly. Still, it would not stop the Banite Sith – and possibly certain elements in the Order if they learnt of Anakin's Force potential – from attempting to kidnap my son, and I would burn entire worlds to keep him from any of their clutches and ensure that he never rose to become the Banite Sith Lord Darth Vader.

Just before I pushed the doors to the cantina open, I pulled my helmet off, and as I stepped inside, my other hand rested on the hilt of my saber. Aayla was awake and seemed calm, but given what she had endured for the last few months, there was always the chance she might lash out at me for killing Karkko. I didn't plan to draw my saber, but it was always wiser to be prepared, which was why the anti-Force user weaponry in my gauntlet and replacement limb was powered up.

"And how is everyone this fine evening?" I asked as I moved into the main room of the cantina. Around me the noise fell away as those present, those lucky enough to survive first my battle with Zaga and then the attack by the feral Anzati, understood that I was not one they wished to mess with. From the general sensations in the room, I could sense glimmers of hope mixed in with the general unease and fear, which would come from the need of some to know if friends or loved ones survived their capture by the Anzati. If they had questions, they could direct them to Simvyl and HK as the pair entered behind me.

My focus was on the two Force users, and potentially former Jedi, that were sitting on two smaller, and frankly comfier-looking seats beside the raised seat from where Zaga had ruled before I'd cut him down the day before. I was sure Zaga considered it his throne, but while it did grant clear views over the entire cantina floor, it was little better than a large, high-backed chair, and as I moved toward it and the two Force users sitting at its base, I knew it was where I'd be resting until I left this kriff-hole of a planet.

As I neared the pair, I noticed Aayla's head turn to look at me, fire in her eyes, while Quinlan tensed, as if fearing his Padawan might try and attack me. Her eyes stared into mine and I made sure to hold her gaze before the gentle movement of one hand drew her attention to Karkko's lightsaber as it swung at my hip. To further ensure she didn't try anything, I allowed a mere fraction of my power to slip out of the cloak I was using to mask my Force signature.

The others in the cantina all went still, their minds filling with amusing terror, but my focus was on the pair I was approaching. Quinlan's eyes widened as he looked between me and his formerly lost Padawan, but I swore I felt acceptance from him at my display of power. As if I had the right – not that I needed his permission – to display my prowess after defeating Karkko.

Aayla's reaction was far more telling. She froze as my presence engulfed the cantina, which was as far as I was projecting my aura before there was a shift in her demeanour that I couldn't quite place. Acceptance that Karkko was gone for sure, but there was something more primal and instinctual underneath it. As if she felt I was some form of apex predator that she couldn't hope to challenge.

"How are you feeling?" I asked her as I neared, ignoring the rest of the sentients in the cantina, even Quinlan, as stepped closer to her.

"I.." She blinked, her eyes shifting from my face back to the extra lightsaber at my hip. "He's dead?"

"Reduced to ash," I confirmed with a touch too much amusement. I lifted Karkko's lightsaber from my hip and held the hilt out for her to see. "Along with his former prison, and I hope, most of the feral beasts that had served him."

She focused on the lightsaber as I settled into Zaga's former seat. A sigh slipped from her lips as her shoulders drooped, and I felt the concern she'd been holding onto, the fear that Karkko would return, fade away into the Force. "Thank you."

I smirked at her words. "Not the first thing I expected you to say after I confirmed his death," I commented as I handed her Karkko's lightsaber, sensing in the Force that she meant no danger to me. Her eyes looked at the lightsaber cautiously, and I felt a sliver of trepidation from her before she took the ancient weapon from my grasp.

"If I had just recovered from you making me sleep, then I might not have accepted your words. Not even with this," she lifted the lightsaber slightly, "in my hands. However," her gaze shifted to Quinlan, "after I awoke, and remembered I knew him as more than the man who slew my uncle, we… talked."

"Talked?" I asked. "Or talked?" I added, gesturing at the hilt in her hand.

Quinlan chuckled. "The former. It seems that while my memories are fragmented, if not gone forever without access to everything I might have touched in my life, Aayla remembers much of her… of our time as Jedi."

"Yes, but everything is jumbled," Aayla added, "like a puzzle for which I lack the instructions. One with sensations and," her cheeks darkened slightly as she looked away from me, "emotions attached to them."

"I assume your lekku helped you remember what you do?" The twin head-tails that extended from her skull contained parts of her brain, giving Twi'leks greater memory retention along with it seemed, the ability to recall memories even when their mind was meant to have been wiped. That, along with her powerful connection to the Force, was likely why her uncle had dosed her with glitteryll every day.

"Yes. From them, I remember Quinlan, how he saved me as a child, and how he started training me as a Jedi." Quinlan smiled at hearing her say that even as Aayla looked back at me for the first time since the earlier mention of emotions. "I remember you, Cameron. We were friends, were we not?"

"We were."

"There is another I remember when I think of you. A human with brown hair and eyes. One you are remarkably close with."

I gave her a melancholy smile. "Serra," I said, providing the name. "And yes we are close. Or at least, we were. We haven't spoken in a few years, not since…" I paused and closed my eyes, pushing aside my feelings for Serra lest they become clear to the pair before me. "Not since a battle where she lost her Master. I hope that we're still friends, but her Master was there because of her, and she was there because of me." I pushed aside other thoughts on Serra and removed the pain and regret from my smile. "But you're right to say we were friends, Aayla, and I still consider us to be so. If that is fine with you?"

She looked at me for a moment, her head tilting slightly to one side, and I felt her reaching out in the Force, trying to get a read on me. With my barriers up, hiding my presence she couldn't sense much, but I made sure my sincerity was there for her to find. "Yes," She replied after a short time, holding out Karkko's lightsaber for me, "I would like that."

I took the hilt with a smile and reattached it to my belt. I wasn't sure what else to say, though a gentle cough from Quinlan drew my attention along with Aayla's. "We… we aren't sure what we should do. I mean after we speak with my aunt." I raised a single eyebrow, wanting to hear more from him. "I know we should return to the Jedi, and resume our training with them. However,…"

"I've done horrible things," Aayla said quietly. "I've killed many and captured others in the service of Karkko. I… I watched him drain the life force from others and revelled in the dark delight of getting revenge for my uncle's death. Revenge I now know was unwarranted, but still, I… I enjoyed those feelings."

"I too have done things since losing my memories. Things the Jedi would not approve of," Quinlan added as I felt the Force reacting to their words. "Things I fear they might imprison me for. I can accept that, but I won't let them punish Aayla for my failings."

As Aayla turned to her former Master and placed her hands on his arm, I closed my eyes. Reaching out into the Force, I sought a hint of what I should do. The Force, however, was unwilling to provide one, and thus I exerted my will over it, demanding insight into the paths that lay before the pair. Unsurprisingly, what I saw aligned with the options in the A Change of Path quest, but as I pulled more information from the Force, and bent it to provide me with the knowledge I sought, it became clear to me that returning the pair to the Jedi was, perhaps, the worst path they could take. At least for me personally. Not just because of how it would constrict the timeline of Dooku's idea of liberating knowledge from the Holocron Vaults, but because the pair would highly likely become complications I would have to remove in the years, or even decades to come.

Perhaps the pair would return to the Order at some point, but I knew now that I had to ensure they remained away from the decadent capital of the Republic for at least a while longer, at least a quarter-year. That, from what the Force was revealing to me, would grant Dooku and me time to enact whatever insane plan it took to unshackle holocrons from the Order. Yet, I felt that the longer I could keep the pair from the Order, the greater the chances that I would gain allies for the wars to come; allies that I would need.

Opening my eyes, I offered the pair a soft smile, hiding what I'd just gleaned from the Force from my expression, or from projecting my desires into the Force for them to sense. "We can discuss that once, as you say, we speak with Sheyf Tinte. I, for one, long to get off this kriffing world and return to my Padawan and ship."

Aayla gasped. "You have a Padawan?" she looked at Quinlan as he chuckled.

"Yes. A young boy named Anakin. He is… impressively smart and has a passion for technology. Something, from what I can recall from the flashes I had glimpsed of our past, you share as well."

"I… I think I do," Aayla replied with a small smile for her Master before looking up at me. "I have no memory of your Padawan."

"Nor does any member of the Order. Save my former Master, and now you two," I replied with a smirk. I stood, noting dismissively how everyone in the cantina who wasn't a friend or ally tensed at my movement. The people here, whatever their crimes had been, were scum; far beneath me and those with me. The sooner I was away from them and this pathetic excuse for civilisation the better it would be for all. "I'd be happy to introduce you to him, Aayla, but to do that we need to get off this world," I added, looking at Quinlan, knowing only he could summon a Guardian vessel to collect us.

Now, if push came to shove Anakin could get Raven here without too much effort. Haran, Raven could likely manage the flight without a pilot if forced to do so. However, I had no reason to reach out to the pair and request they do so. It would cause issues with Sheyf Tinte, and I sensed I needed her help in ensuring the Jedi remained unaware that Quinlan and I had been on this world.

"Yes, we should depart from here at once," Quinlan agreed with that look hinting the Force was pushing him in that direction. He stood, and after giving Aayla a nod to assure her he would be back, moved towards the door of the cantina. I watched him go, my eyes drifting towards the nearest bar. It was unlikely that they had anything on tap that would be enjoyable, but I wanted something to celebrate my victory.

"How did he die?" I stopped after taking a single step down from the raised platform where Zaga had sat when he had ruled here and turned back to Aayla. "Karkko. I sense you defeated him easily."

I grunted in amusement. "I wouldn't say it was easy, but it was simpler than I'd expected."

"He was powerful."

"Aye, he was. I, however, was more so," I answered, letting some pride at my victory seep out as I spoke. There would be far harder battles to come against other Force users, but when faced with my first challenger, I'd emerged victorious with relatively little effort. That was something to be proud of, though I was wise enough to not let my ego grow too large from the victory. "I'm going to get a drink, but if you want I could detail the battle to you while I do so?"

Aayla nodded, and stood, taking my offered hand. As I guided her towards the bar, I wondered how she would react to learning of how, in the end, pitiful Karkko had been, and what effect it would have on her. Aayla was a powerful Force user and a pretty one at that, and if I could sway her into not wishing to return to the Order, I knew Quinlan would follow. His loyalty to her was something I could exploit for my benefit.

… …

---

… …

As Quinlan spoke with Sheyf Tinte, detailing everything that had happened on Kiffex, I leaned against a pillar in the large, open area where the leader of the Guardians of Kiffu ruled from. As Tinte listened, I appeared to be idly watching movement through the large floor-to-ceiling windows that allowed an almost three-hundred-and-sixty-degree view of the planet's capital city. What I was actually doing was, as it had appeared just as Quinlan handed over the bag containing the badges of the fallen Guardians we'd discovered on Kiffex, looking over the information of the completed quest linked to events on Kiffex.

Quest Completed!
The Lost Apprentice [ƍ] []
Objectives:
:a: Find where Aayla Secura is inside half a year. [Yes]
:b: Ensure that Aayla Secura is saved. [Yes]
:c: Make sure that Quinlan Vos survives. [Yes]
:d: discover what happened to the Guardians on Kiffex and report back to Sheyf Tinte. [Yes]
Ensure all dead Guardians are given suitable burials/send-offs. [Yes]
:e: Discover why Aayla Secura is working with Anzati. [Yes]
:f: Eliminate the Anzati horde on Kiffex. [954/1167]
:g: Survive the assault on the settlement named Deadend. [Yes]
:h: Eliminate the threat posed by Volfe Karkko [Yes - Killed]
:i: Locate and rescue any taken by the feral Anzati. [No]
Rewards/Penalties:
:a: 1500XP (+300XP)
:b: 2500XP (+500XP)
Passed test of Friendship with Quinlan Vos
A Large increase in Reputation with Quinlan Vos
:c: 2000XP (+400XP)
A decent increase in Reputation with Quinlan Vos
A variable increase or decrease in Reputation with Aayla Secura.
:d: 1500XP (+300XP)
A decent increase in Reputation with Sheyf Tinte
Decent increases in Reputation with every current member of the Kiffar Guardians.
:e: 750XP (+150XP)
:f: 9540XP (+1908XP) (+combat XP divided under party mechanics)
:g: 1250XP (+250XP)
:h: 6000XP (+1200XP) (+combat XP)
:i: Variable losses of Reputation with those sentenced to imprisonment on Kiffex.
Passed a Test of Friendship with Quinlan Vos.
A minor increase in Reputation with Sheyf Tinte
...

LEVEL UP!
Level: 31 - 32
PerkP: +1
STAM: 65
SP: +4
SKP: + 45
...

While my face remained passive, internally I was smiling. Just the base objectives had been enough to carry me to Level 32, which brought with it a new Perk Point. The combat XP from fighting the feral Anzati, and then the nice bonus I'd gained from taking down Karkko – which, doing some mental calculations, I discovered carried a large bonus because he was an active Force user – took me a decent amount towards reaching level 33.

The Perk Point had already been spent. The Perk list hadn't carried any new options this time around – I was only expecting that to happen from Level 40 onwards – and I had held a clear favourite from the last Perk Point I'd gained at Level 30. As such, Stat Boost had been taken, which lifted my combined physical stat limit from 65 to 75.

The Interface provided some details on what that meant, and a little extrapolation meant that I felt I now had the potential to move beyond what a baseline Human was capable of, even at their peak. I was now in the domain of those born with genetic modifications, such as the clones of Jango Fett if I had to guess, and a handful of alien species that held higher physical limits such as, potentially, the Cathar.

While I could take Simvyl if I used the Force to enhance my body, even when he used what he had learnt from the Matukai to do likewise, if we went without boosts, he had the edge in every way. That wouldn't come instantly, however. Not unless I dropped the 8 Stat Points – 4 each from Levels 31 and 32 – I had in reserve. However, while that was an option, as I could almost always ensure I could draw on the Force, I preferred to work on lifting them naturally, which was why, when I'd looked at my Stats, I'd barely managed to hide my amusement as Strength, Agility, and Vitality, had all gone up by one already.

It seemed that by having them maxed for beforehand, the moment room existed to raise the stats, the Interface had done so. An interesting, but relatively minor benefit I would have or remember if I ever discovered another way to raise my physical stat limits or another if a perk like Stat Boost was offered.

As I mentally closed the notice for the completion of the Lost Apprentice quest, my thoughts turned to the A Change of Fate quest and what to do about Quinlan and Aayla. It had only been about a day since I'd defeated Karkko, but after what I'd deducted from the Force in Deadend, I had begun subtly suggesting to the pair that returning to the Order wasn't in their best interests. I'd yet to openly offer them the opportunity to travel with me, at least to speak with Dooku as the Gaia system was where I was heading next, but I felt the pair were open to the idea of at least travelling with me for a short time. I'd prefer if they would commit to longer, but I wasn't going to push them currently.

"Cameron Shan." Sheyf Tinte's use of my name drew my focus, and I shifted my stance slightly from a fully relaxed pose to one that made clear she had my attention. "On behalf of the Guardians of Kiffu, you have my thanks." She lowered her head slightly, a gesture that I returned. "Not only have you helped one of my clan, but you have dealt with a danger the Jedi failed to alert us to until you and Quinlan Vos were already on Kiffex."

I smirked as I moved closer, coming to stand near Quinlan, my helmet resting under one arm so she could see my face. "I have discovered that, while they are indeed wise, the High Council is great at making decisions about Force users without considering how it might affect those outside the Order, or even warning them of potential dangers they might face." Yes, I was painting the Order in a bad light, but this was another little moment where being honest, in a sense, allowed me to colour Quinlan's perceptions of the Council in my favour.

Tinte chuckled at my words and gave me an odd smile. "I had never expected to hear a member of the Jedi be so openly frank in their agitation towards their leaders. It is refreshing to hear and see that you don't all follow the orders of your Council blindly."

"Those of us with an understanding of the wider galaxy are more open-minded, Sheyf," I remarked, making her smile grow further.

"Yes. Know that for as long as I am Sheyf if you ever require it, you will have safe harbour on this world and the support of the Guardians in this sector. At least so long as you are not wanted by the Republic for crimes the Guardians would consider enforcing."

"Thank you, Sheyf," I replied slowly, bowing perhaps a touch more than needed. There was still something about her I disliked; a sense in the Force that she was hiding something about Quinlan. However, that was a matter between them, and the chance to gain, if not new allies, then at least people willing to help me was something I could see a use for in the coming years.

Tinte nodded and then returned her focus to Quinlan. "I should tell you both that the Jedi sent one of their own, without informing me of doing so, to Kiffex. An action for which I have issued a formal complaint to the Office of the Chancellors over."

I nodded and brought a hand up to scratch my chin. "Ah, that explains it. I swore I felt the presence of another Force user on the planet, but I couldn't get a good read on who it was or why they were there," I explained. Or at least, I explained in a way that hid the full truth within the partial truth.

HK had sent me the logs of his efforts to delay T'ra Saa while I fought Karkko. Nothing he had done was intended to be lethal, which was as I instructed. That said, while Master Saa emerged unscathed from the encounter, and unknowing of her assailant, there was much from the encounter that HK was using to update his combat profiles for the Jedi of this era.

One thing that was clear, and reinforced my decision to cloak my presence after killing Karkko had been a wise one, was the way Master Saa moved. I could tell she wasn't yet pushing herself to her fullest, yet from the recording I knew I'd struggle to survive an encounter with her, never mind emerge victorious. That wasn't a surprise, as Dooku and Fay rated Master Saa very highly as a combatant and Force user, but it was a good reminder that while I was powerful, I wasn't ready to take on the uppermost tiers of Force users in single combat. Not without rigging the battlefield heavily in my favour first.

"I have been informed, via the Senate and not the Jedi, that they have dispatched a team to help handle the matter with the prison they left on Kiffex without telling my ancestors about," Tinte added, her venom towards the Order laced freely in her words. "Will either of you, or your Padawan, Quinlan, be staying to await their arrival?"

I chuckled and shook my head. "No. Not only do I feel the Force guiding me away from Kiffu, but I have found that the less time I spend around members of the Council, some of whom I know will be on that team, the less complicated my life is."

Tinte smiled at my remark, though Quinlan looked a fraction confused. Understandable given his lack of memories regarding the Order. "Yes, I can appreciate such a sentiment," Tinte said. "The politics of leading the Guardians is taxing enough for me. Dealing with the Jedi Council, to say nothing of your connections to Chancellor Palpatine, can only make everything that much more… unappealing."

"That's one way to put it."

Tinte's smile grew as she turned her full attention to her nephew. "And what of you and your Twi'lek? Will you return to the Jedi, or might you consider remaining here on Kiffu with your people?"

I didn't need to look at him to know Quinlan was conflicted. My words over the last day, as subtle as they had been, had helped sour what little goodwill he held towards the Order, and I could sense the doubt and confusion radiating from him into the Force. Each time I felt that I had to remind myself that while now untrained, Quinlan was strong in the Force and any attempt I might use to actively convince him to leave the Order risked being sensed by him as a self-serving ideal.

"I am uncertain," he replied slowly, taking care with his words. "When I encountered him on Coruscant, Master Windu offered to retrain me. I suspect, no, I know that offer still stands and extends to Aayla. However, returning to the Order would see us split up for retraining at best." He looked at the floor, sighed and shook his head before continuing even as I felt the Force swirling around him; tempting me was an opportunity that I could take. "I was the one who found Aayla, who brought her to the Order and trained her. At least before everything that happened on Ryloth. I know in my heart that it was my destiny to train her to become what she is meant to be, yet if we return to the Order, that will not happen and I find myself… fearful of that, and what repercussions the Order might have for us given our actions taken since losing our memories."

The Force was all but calling out for me to intervene, to take advantage of the situation but I didn't. I knew there was more Quinlan wanted to reveal to Tinte and me, and I understood that I needed to let him continue before I made my offer and used the situation to my benefit. My eyes closed as I reached into the Force, pulling on the strings I sensed in it, readying them for the moment when I would act.

"Just as you have sensed around me, I… I have felt and called upon the Dark Side, aunt, during my quest to find her. There have been times when I have used my rage, my desire to find her to keep going and survive whatever dangers and obstacles appeared in my way. I know that these actions, and those taken by Aayla while serving… him, would not meet with the approval of the Jedi and I… I fear what the repercussions might be." As I opened my eyes, I saw he'd lifted his head and was meeting Tinte's gaze firmly. "Aayla is not of our blood, but she is my family. I would move planets to protect her if I must."

Tinte took a few seconds before she responded. "As I told you when you first came home looking for the Twi'lek, there is darkness within you Quinlan; one that I now sense risks consuming you if you aren't careful. If you believe that similar corruption exists in your Padawan and that the Jedi will not accept what you wish for, then I must agree with you in saying the Jedi are not the best option for you."

Tinte looked at me for a moment before she continued. "I could offer you both sanctuary on Kiffex, and I would if you asked for it, but I am uncertain if the Jedi who are coming here would accept that." Her gaze shifted fully to me. "Nor I suspect, would they like what I sense from you, Cameron Shan. You hide it well, but I have spent my life around the more dangerous elements of the galaxy serving as a Guardian and now Sheyf, and I know one who works within those pools. However, unlike my kin, I feel you are not at risk of being devoured by the Dark Side."

I held her gaze for a moment, a flicker of concern that my barriers weren't as strong as I suspected shooting through my thoughts. Tinte isn't particularly strong with the Force, but it seems she has, as she said, experience with the darker nature of the galaxy. "I've always had issues with my emotions and letting go of them," I began honestly. "My Masters understood this and helped me control my baser desires and wants so that they weren't what drove me. They still exist within me, however, which is something most Jedi wouldn't approve of given it takes me dangerously close to violating the Jedi Code." Or, as had been the case over the last few years, times and places where I'd abandoned the Code completely. "Since I've always had opposition in the Order about my presence as a Jedi, due to how I arrived at the Temple and the lineage I carry, I've learnt to accept people questioning my motives and drives," I continued, glossing over my past even though I felt a spark of interest from both Kiffar.

I turned and looked at Quinlan carefully, the Force vibrating around us in a way that I took to mean this was a moment where I could alter his destiny. "Quinlan, I'm not saying you should return to the Order, nor am I certain that walking away from the Order entirely is the right path for you and Aayla. However, I can offer, for as long as you wish, another option. You could travel with me for a while," I made sure to keep my words gentle, concerned that any intentional usage of the Force to influence him was something he and Tinte might sense. "I intend to visit my former Master, Dooku, once I depart Kiffu. While he will not be interested in retraining you, he would be willing to help me guide you towards a new path." I raised a finger as I sensed Quinlan was about to respond. "I should warn you that what we might teach would be considered…. heretical by some of the Order."

That was putting it mildly given a good part of how I was training Anakin was created from me distilling what I had learnt from Force cults outside the Order and Adas' holocron, and Dooku had never been one, at least for as long as I'd known him, to place great significance in the Jedi Code for himself or those he taught, feeling that it was a guide designed for lesser Force users.

Quinlan nodded slowly as I finished my warning. He then took nearly a minute to think about the offer before responding. "I feel there is more that you're not telling me, but at the same time, I sense that your offer might be the better one. For both myself and Aayla." His eyes narrowed as he looked at me and I felt a very crude mental probe into the Force emanate from him. "You are… different somehow. I know this, yet I cannot say how."

"My presence in the Force is more isolated and distant than most," I explained with an open smile. "I've always been this way, and while it doesn't hide my force signature, over the years I've learnt to alter that enough that those who try to read me within the Force remain… unaware of the changes I've undergone. Something I find beneficial when dealing with the Council and other members of the Order."

Quinlan nodded as he listened. I doubted he fully understood, but there was enough of a grasp of what I was implying that he seemed at ease with my explanation. He then turned back to Tinte. "When will the Jedi team arrive?"

"From what I was told, they departed Coruscant late last night on a diplomatic cruiser."

Knowing the ship in question, and the travel times for a ship with a 2.0-rated hyperdrive, it only took me a second to determine how long we had before the arrival of the Jedi. "Assuming they take the fastest hyperlanes, they'll be here by late evening tomorrow." A nod from Tinte confirmed my figures as she's already had that worked out by others. "Because of that, and assuming the Jedi on Kiffex isn't collected before the other Jedi arrive…"

"They will not," Tinte offered with a slightly amused smile. As if she was happy to leave the unwanted Jedi on a world with criminal scum.

"… then I will depart no later than noon tomorrow." I turned to face Quinlan and smiled. "If you choose to not come with me, I understand, but the offer will remain open to you for as long as I am able to make it." I needed him and Aayla to come with me, but I knew I couldn't force the matter. I felt I'd done enough to have the odds heavily in my favour, but I couldn't be certain until I departed, and the pair were onboard Raven. Yes, it would make things a little cramped, but we'd manage. Still, if the group I was gathering grew much more, I'd have to see about purchasing a second vessel for others to travel on. Raven was, beyond just being an extension of me in many ways, my home and I disliked having too many house guests. "As I mentioned to you and Aayla, I owe you both deeply, and consider you friends." I'd not gone into details about my time with the Bando Gora – mainly as I didn't want them sensing the deep well of hatred those memories were attached to – but I had made clear I owed them heavily for saving me several years ago. Something both accepted at face value.

"Which we are," Quinlan agreed. I smiled at him, and after nodding to Tinte, turned and left the chamber. The pair, I sensed, had more to speak on that I didn't need to hear, but as I slipped from the room, my helmet still held at my side, I felt that things were going to head in my favour. Not just long enough for Dooku and I to rob the Temple, but perhaps for long enough that the pair could be trained in similar ways that I was teaching Anakin.

Yes, I intended to use them for my plans, but if they stayed with the Order, then Aayla was likely to die in Order 66 as she had before. I didn't know Quinlan's final fate, but I felt it wasn't likely he was one of the handful that had survived the fall of the Order. No, it was better for them if their destinies were altered, and if I could make that benefit me, then all the better.

It would also add more Force users for Anakin and myself to train with and against. In the brief time that Quinlan had been with us, he and Anakin had seemed to get along, though given Quinlan's lost memories I couldn't be sure if that would last. Still, Aayla held some interest in machines and technology, and while I was certain she wasn't anywhere close to Anakin's level, having someone else who shared his passion would do wonders for my son.

He was the Chosen One, but I knew my role in coming events was almost as important, and I wouldn't fail the responsibility I'd taken on by adopting the boy. Together we would do what we must to ensure that the Banite Sith didn't rise to power and that the galaxy emerged from the coming conflict in a better place than it had been in the other timeline.

… …

---

… …

In the seconds after Raven slipped out of hyperspace, her scanners detected numerous objects moving throughout the Gaia system. Most were starships with over a dozen new DP20 gunships, CR70 and CR90 corvettes part of the defence fleet, along with what looked to be converted Gozanti-class transports. What drew my attention more, at least beyond the handful of cargo vessels stationary near Mtael's Gift, were the two Liberator-class cruisers that were floating nearby, along with a dozen automated defence platforms.

"Well, that's new," I muttered as I pulled up the scans of the platforms. All twelve were small, barely bigger than a standard corvette, yet because they didn't need a hyperdrive, they were armed to the teeth. Now, they were nothing compared to the larger platforms I'd seen around more developed worlds, to say nothing of the Golan platforms that orbited Coruscant and other worlds on mass, but for a relatively minor world in a backwater sector of the galaxy, nor far from the edges of Hutt Space, it was a veritable fortress defence. Something that would ensure that almost all pirates and slavers would stay well clear of the station and the planet below.

"Yeah, looks like they've undergone a defensive upgrade," Simvyl agreed as he sat in the co-pilot's seat monitoring various systems. Yes, I could get most of the data myself, or from Raven, which was always quicker, but I enjoyed having the company when entering a system, and it ensured that Raven remained comfortable with Simvyl being at her controls. Oh, now that she could, she'd fly herself before allowing him to pilot her, but she accepted his presence and found it fractionally reassuring.

One of the consoles at Simvyl's station beeped for attention. "We're being hailed by those two approaching corvettes," He explained before the small holographic image of a Togruta appeared.

Because the hologram was in blue, I couldn't determine who the alien was easily but the way his eyes widened as he saw me made clear he knew who I was. "Greetings Mtael," he confirmed with an inclination of his head. "We were not informed of your arrival, but you are always welcome here." I smiled slightly at his words. "Should I inform the Council you have returned?"

"No, no. There's no need for that," I replied quickly, wanting to forgo as much fuss as I could when I arrived on the station. I understood why the Lokella Council liked to make a deal of my arrival here, but as I expected to be spending more time here in the coming years, it would do the Lokella to step back from celebrating my every arrival. "I'm here to speak with Master Dooku. Is he on the station or the planet below?"

Even as I asked the question, I felt the Force signature – that cool, refined presence that reminded me of polished beskar – reach out to me through the Force. Dooku was aware of my arrival and was moving from Gaia to the station. There was a hint of confusion in his signature, which I assumed came from him sensing Aayla and Quinlan as neither was currently great at masking their presence, but nothing else. I responded to his presence, offering a subtle hint that I'd explain everything once we spoke.

I was relieved that he was leaving Gaia as much as I wished I couldn't, I sensed Vosa down there. Her signature had changed since her capture during my liberation, but it was still a jumbled mess. Now, it was far more ordered than it had been, and I could easily sense Dooku's hand in guiding the rebuilding of her mental presence, but I wanted little to do with her. Yes, I knew I would have to speak with her directly at some point, but today was not that day, and not just because I was against a clock.

My mind had been creating and dismissing ideas on how Dooku and I could rob the Temple without being caught or detected. So far everything I'd thought of had holes so big that I could fly a Mandator-class dreadnought through, and I hoped Dooku would have something more refined than a smash-and-grab.

The other reason I was reluctant to interact with Vosa was that, while they might not remember it, Quinlan and Aayla shared a history with her. They had been part of the team that had freed me from the Bando Gora and captured her in the process. I had no idea how Vosa would react to their presence, particularly that of Quinlan who she had defeated before I'd found her, but I wasn't going to expose them to that insanity until I'd done more than give them rudimentary instruction in controlling and guiding their emotions.

There was much more I could teach them, but I was taking it slowly; being cautious of what I revealed. There was always the chance, however much I felt it was receding, that they would return to the Order. Until I was convinced they wouldn't, the more interesting and useful techniques I'd learnt over the last few years would remain hidden from them as I didn't want the High Council learning of what I was doing. Even after I left the Order, which I felt had to happen at some point within a year, as a Force user they still could, technically, come after me if they had confirmation I was using the Dark Side.

"I am uncertain as to his current whereabouts," the Togruta replied, drawing me out of my thoughts. "However, I will submit a request for that information to be provided to you once you land on Mtael's Gift.

"Thanks," I said before nodding and then closing the channel.

Even before the channel was closed, Raven was angling herself towards the station; her mind alert to my intentions and her knowledge of the system plotting a course that was both economical and allowed her to enjoy the scenery. Or at least the scenery as it appeared to her. A second later the flight plan came in from one of the corvettes even as the patrol craft angled away from us. I smirked at seeing the bay was the same one I always used; one reserved for Lokella Council business.

I was a member of the Council, but I'd never used that position or my vote on Lokella affairs to influence the development of the group. Not since the early days of the group. Still, it was nice to see that I retained my position even without ever being around to serve the people.

"Mtael?"

I turned around and looked at Aayla and Quinlan. She had been the one to mention my title and wore a look of amusement on her face; one mirrored, though not as widely, by her former Master.

The pair had accepted my offer to travel with me here, and once there to speak with Dooku and allow us to begin their retraining. I wasn't sure how happy Dooku would be about the matter, not least as both favoured Ataru which was Dooku's least favourite lightsaber form, but I felt he'd understand my reasons for bringing them with us.

"It's a Togruta word," I explained slowly, no longer holding any resentment towards the title. Yes, I would prefer it didn't exist, but I'd accepted that to many of the Lokella, I held an important position in their mythos. "It means 'Nature's Chosen'. When the Lokella organisation was born, Master Dooku and I played roles in helping them gain their freedom. Those first freed sentients bestowed the title on me for my actions in those early days, and my support in helping them grow into what you see before you."

Beside me, Simvyl snorted at my underplaying of history. However, he wisely held his tongue. The pair would learn the story soon enough – Baalta was more than happy to tell it to visitors, particularly friends of mine, and Anakin enjoyed hearing the tale of my duel with Girk Saxon for the fate of the station every time we were here.

So far, my son was enjoying the company of the two other Jedi, particularly Aayla. He was too young for me to be concerned about needing to give him 'The Talk' but it was clear he enjoyed sparring with her more than Quinlan. Some of that was undoubtedly because she wasn't as big, strong, or aggressive as Quinlan, but I did wonder if Anakin had other reasons for enjoying time spent with the Twi'lek. Something I couldn't deny held appeal to me as well, but with her mind as disjointed and fractured as it was, I made sure to never have any interaction we had venture beyond the bounds of friendship. I wasn't going to take advantage of her condition for a fleeting moment of pleasure.

… …

I walked down the ramp from Raven, placing my feet on the deck of the landing bay of Mtael's Gift about thirty minutes later. Around us, various sentients watched us. Those who understood who I was, stared for longer, with those who were from the first groups to become Lokella, offered various nods and bows to me. Even though there was an ego boost to their actions, I didn't feel they had to do it. Still, I'd take the quiet reverence over the usual fanfare the Lokella Council displayed when they knew I'd returned and wanted to greet me.

Moments after I'm fully on the station, I hear a far lighter pair touch the deck. I smirk at the anticipation pulsing from Anakin like a beacon in the Force; one that had been lit the moment he'd learnt we were heading here and only grew stronger the closer we came. "Go on." I would scold him later for letting his Force signature slip so massively, but for now, he was free to do as he pleased.

"Thanks." The word barely finished before he was racing off across the bay, the Force enhancing his reactions, so he was almost a blur to those unable to command the Force, or with superior visual senses.

"Keep an eye on him," I said without taking my eyes off my son as he raced away, and a second later a large black beast raced after the eleven-year-old boy. While those working the bay had ignored Anakin, the sight of the giant tuk'ata bounding around had many rushing to stay clear; even those who should know Fenrir was no threat to them. Not unless they did something so foolish they forfeited their lives in the process.

"Anakin has a younger sister here," I explained as I turned to face Quinlan and Aayla as they walked down the ramp. "While the Order insists that members don't remain in contact with their families, or form deep friendships and more with others, I don't share the opinion that they should be outlawed. Yes, such connections carry an inherent risk of causing us pain – a danger magnified by our ability to wield the Force – but those same connections can be what grant anyone, Force user or otherwise, the strength and determination to complete a task, no matter how dangerous or arduous."

While I was speaking truthfully, I understood the reasons for the Order's edicts. Most people were unable to either scrub their emotions when someone they cared for was in danger or lost themselves in their desire to help. For those above that or those who formed deep connections with ease, such as myself and Anakin, there was no way those edicts could work. Which was what Sidious had exploited in the other timeline and why I wasn't telling the Jedi Council I had taken a Padawan.

"I think I remember some of those lessons," Aayla commented as she looked around the bay. "They taught us that attachment often leads to dark places and that we as Jedi should be above our baser needs."

I grunted but held my tongue. As much as I wanted to point out the hypocrisy of the Jedi and their teachings, I didn't want to dive into a debate with them. We'd spoken about several ways the Jedi conducted themselves on the voyage here with Aayla often able to vaguely remember lessons on the topics and now as then, I had to restrain myself from countering too heavily lest the pair, who I could sense were still not fully committed to leaving the Order, learn something about me I didn't want the Jedi Council to discover. Just because I was being paranoid, didn't mean I wasn't right after all.

That said, when we had talked about anything related to the Jedi, my words had rarely been supportive of their methods. I wasn't outright criticising them, but everything I said had a slightly negative slant to, I hoped, further, turn the pair away from the Order and open them to the lessons I might one day impart.

Before I could begin those lessons, or even get them to a point where they were ready to hear them, I first needed to speak with Dooku. We had to carry out our raid on the Temple and then, once the heat had died down, resign from the Order. After that, if the pair wished to return to the Order – though I already felt that was unlikely – then I would allow it. The future, as Master Yoda and others were keen to remind younger members of the Order, wasn't set in stone. Something my very presence confirmed.

When I'd awoken in this body, replacing the mind and possibly soul that had been here before, I'd thought I knew what the path forward was. I needed to become a Jedi, then train Anakin as one and keep him away from Sidious. I'd also wanted to ensure Dooku didn't become a pawn for the Banite Sith Lord. Yet, when I now looked back on the path I'd taken, the time I'd spent as an Initiate, then Padawan in the Order, I found it lacking.

I had made mistakes along the way, ones that with hindsight and understanding of the wider galaxy, I would not commit now. Yet, for each event that had occurred – from helping Dooku and Fay cleanse the Sith temple deep below the Jedi Temple, through becoming Mando'ade via the completion of my verd'goten, to being captured by Vosa and the Bando Gora, fighting the Vong as an insurgent, and then duelling and defeating Maul – and from every friendship or more that I'd gained or lost along the way, I had grown and become who I was today.

The past was set. There was nothing I could do to change the road I'd taken to this moment, but from here on out I would be walking a path designed not simply to stop the rise of Darth Sidious and the Empire, but one intended to ensure my place in the galaxy, and that my legacy touched every corner of every world inside the Republic and out. Yes, Sidious – and through one of my mistakes, Plagueis – would have to fall, but so would the Jedi. At least as they were now.

Perhaps, just perhaps, there might be a way for those more like Master Fay in how they viewed themselves as servants of the Force and not enemies of the Dark Side, to remain. I wasn't certain of that, but I hoped I would not one day find myself forced to fight, or even potentially kill, my former Master. She, though she might not be pleased about it, had helped shape the man I was today, and was someone I considered family.

Thoughts on Fay, and potentially how she was doing in locating Tython, were pushed from my mind as I felt the familiar, and oddly comforting given his seemingly dispassionate demeanour, presence of Dooku nearing. Before the doors had opened to allow him access to the bay, I was already moving towards them.

As he entered, his gaze shifted from me to Quinlan and Aayla, before returning to me. I offered a nod of respect as we approached each other. "Master," I began once we were close enough, "I'm sure you remember Quinlan Vos and Aayla Secura."

"I do," he replied slowly, his eyes seeming to stare through their souls, "and they still have my thanks for helping to liberate you from the clutches of the Bando Gora. However, it doesn't take a Jedi Master to understand something has deeply affected them."

"A little over a year ago, they were assigned a mission by the Council to locate a new drug in the Republic: Glitteryll. As the name implies it is a combination of glitterstim and ryll. They were exposed to the substance by those they thought they could trust but were actually responsible for the distribution of the drug, and under its effects lost their memories."

"Quinlan awoke on Nar Shaddaa, and after managing to find the one responsible for his memory loss, Pol Secura, he discovered that the Twi'lek was keeping his niece Aayla dosed with the drug daily."

"Her lekku granted her some protection against this drug?"

"They did," I confirmed before continuing with the abridged story. "Pol was killed, and Quinlan was forced to flee Ryloth without Aayla. From there… things spiralled a bit." I paused and glanced at Aayla who seemed to sink in on herself. "Quinlan dealt with others involved in the glitteryll trade and then searched for Aayla, which brought him to me. As for Aayla…"

"I found myself drawn to Kiffu because of my former Master's ancestry," Aayla stepped in, showing accountability for her actions. "But I ended up on Kiffex, and fell into the service of a former Jedi High Council member turned Dark Jedi named Volfe Karkko."

The only outward response from Dooku was a slight raising of one eyebrow, and to anyone who didn't know him, there wouldn't be any perceivable change in his Force presence. However, after nearly a decade of training under his tutelage, I knew the subtle signs to look for. "An Anzati Jedi from before the New Sith Wars," I explained, retaking the telling of our tale. "Quinlan and I travelled to Kiffu and eventually landed on Kiffex." I reached to my hip, pulled back my cloak and unclipped Karkko's lightsaber. "He commanded an army of feral Anzati who were drawn to his presence over the millennia. However, like their master, they are no longer a threat to the people of the planet," I finished with a hint of pride.

"Impressive," Dooku commented as he took Karkko's hilt and turned it over in his hands. "However," he continued as he handed the hilt back to me, "I fail to see why, if these two require retraining, they have come here instead of returning to Coruscant."

"After I found the one ultimately responsible for the glitteryll trade, I encountered Master Windu," Quinlan responded. "He stopped me from executing Senator Chom Frey Kaa for his crimes. He understood quickly what had happened to me, and offered to take me back to the Temple for training. I asked him about Aayla, and he said the Order would search for her but I…" he paused, and I heard him licking his lips, "I felt he wouldn't. I fled Coruscant and started searching for Aayla for months until the Force led me to Cameron."

"Beyond the debt I owe them for helping you free me from the Bando Gora, Aayla is my friend," I added. "Accepting Quinlan's request for help wasn't in question. I've helped them as best I could with retraining, and Aayla remembers fragments of her time from before being dosed with glitteryll. However, they feel that, based on what they've done since losing their memories, the Order might not be as welcoming as they hope," I explained, trying to hint at the potential usefulness of the pair to Dooku without coming out and saying it, or using the Force to imply it. It was unlikely either would sense me if I reached out to Dooku, but I wasn't going to take that chance, and knew I could explain my intentions to him in greater detail at a later moment. "Because of that, and my debt to them, I offered them transport away from Kiffu before the Order arrived, and passage to here. I know you are still occupied with your former Padawan; however, I was hoping you might be willing to consider offering them some help with regaining control of their abilities and emotions. I also wished to speak with you about my encounter with Volfe Karkko and some ideas," [specifically your thoughts regarding holocrons,] I added telepathically, sure that such a shift in the Force now shouldn't alert the pair to anything nefarious centred around them, "that have come to light."

Dooku's gaze locked onto me as I spoke, and I felt a thin tendril reach through our bond and brush against my mental defences. I lowered those defences enough to confirm the truthfulness of my words, and that there was more I wished to say but couldn't in present company so that he could gain a hint of my thoughts on the matter.

I was grateful for his training and continued counsel, however, Dooku had a remarkably simple – he would call it elegant – approach regarding the galaxy and those in it. Everything was either an asset that could be used or a potential enemy that might need to be removed. It was that approach I was using, specifically in reference to assets, that I hoped would convince him to help me retrain Aayla and Quinlan instead of simply allowing them to return to the Order and become potential adversaries in the future.

"Hmm," he lifted a hand and stroked his chin. "Very well." He looked the pair over clinically. "While I do not believe I would be able to retrain both of you fully at the current moment, I can offer suggestions for you and Cameron on how to go about relearning much of what you have forgotten if that is your desire." The pair bowed in thanks and Dooku returned his focus to me. "Komari is progressing well in her readjustment; however, she is still… uncertain of what her role could become. Normally, I would say that the presence of two other Force users might help her further recovery. Yet she shares history with both of you, so I am reluctant to have you interact with her beyond comms channels."

I felt confusion from Quinlan along with a flicker of potential recognition from Aayla. "Komari Vosa is who Master Dooku is speaking of," I explained, though before I could continue Aayla gasped and took a few stuttering steps back.

"Aayla?" Quinlan asked, turning to her and placing a hand on her shoulder – a gesture that caused Dooku's brow to rise again for a moment. "What is it?"

"I… I remember her," Aayla said quietly, some colour draining from her face. It returned with interest as she looked at me for a moment before looking away. "She… she was the leader of the Bando Gora when we helped free you from them. She was the one who…"

"Who tortured me," I replied, keeping as calm as I could to avoid the memories of those months resurfacing. "Yes, that was Vosa. However, she was once Dooku's Padawan, before embarking on a mission against the Bando Gora that saw all the Jedi there slaughtered. For a long time, Master Dooku believed she had died as well, and it was not until my rescue that he confirmed her survival, though by then she'd become the leader of the Bando Gora."

I'd already gone over the Bando Gora a little with them, explaining the debt I owed them, but I'd avoided details as I'd wanted to avoid the risk of Aayla remembering more details. There was nothing I could do to avoid it now that we were here, which was why I'd not shied away from the matter as I had before, and it seemed I'd been right to be cautious.

"I'm sorry you have to remember those memories," I added as I took a step towards Aayla, placing my flesh hand on her forearm. "I'd prefer neither of us had to relive it, but I won't hide the truth from you."

"No!" Aayla snapped back, a fire in her eyes as I felt an unexpected, but not unwanted, flicker of rage spark within her. "I'm the one who's sorry. Not for you, but the Order!" She looked at Quinlan. "You and Master Dooku asked them for help to find Cam, but they refused. Said it was up to the will of the Force." Quinlan grunted and I wondered if Windu had used those exact words to him when speaking about finding Aayla. "We.. we had to go to others for help…"

"Mandalorians," I added, for the first time in a long while not calling them Mando'ade.

"Yes. I remember them. The red-haired female… she meant something to you?"

"Still does," I slipped in with a smirk, remembering the last night I'd spent with Bo and Naz and wondering how they were doing and if either of them carried my child as they'd hoped.

"What she… Vosa… did to you…" Aayla's eyes dampened. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for," I said, lifting my hand to brush away a few tears that were forming on her face. "You weren't the one responsible for that. Without you and Quinlan's help, Master Dooku might have struggled to free me." There was no audible sound from him, but I sensed a spark of disagreement from him through the Force. "What happened to me there… it is a part of me, just as what you have endured over the last year is a part of you. I loathe Vosa for what she had done to me, but at the same time, I pity her as she would've endured the same or worse to become that monster. Yet, I don't blame her as much as I once might've. No, the majority of that goes to the Order for allowing her to join the mission to Galidraan."

I knew Dooku still blamed himself in part for signing off on letting her go, but in the end, the credit stopped with the High Council, not Dooku as by then Vosa had been removed as his Padawan. From the corner of my eye, I looked at Dooku trying to get a read on him. He remained as outwardly stoic as always, yet I felt a fleeting burst of gratitude from him through our Force bond.

Vosa's rehabilitation into something useful was important to Dooku, which was why I never openly complained about it, or the fact he'd seemingly abandoned my training in the last year or so of my time as a Padawan to help her. I'd never trust her completely, but I had found myself empathising with her for what she'd had to have endured, and I hoped Dooku was able to turn her into something useful for us going forward. The same hope I held for Quinlan and Aayla, though neither of them had done anything as twisted as Vosa had. Or so I prayed.

Refocusing on Aayla, I saw her eyes wander over my frame, her cheeks darkening even as her eyes stayed wet and it didn't take a genius to know what part of my rescue she was reliving. I'd been found naked and heavily tortured by Bo and the others, and after being freed rushed off to confront Vosa. How I'd acted then had not been my best moment, but as I'd said less than a minute earlier, it was something that had made me who I was today. Still, I'd prefer not to dwell on that memory, or have Aayla do so either. Unless, of course, it helped ensure the pair became more open to me directly retraining them, or more accurately, training them into something that would be of use to me in the years to come.

"How," Quinlan began, his voice almost feral before he took a moment and inhaled deeply. "How often does the Order abandon its own?" He managed to get out in a voice barely above a growl even as I felt the Dark Side swirling excitedly around him.

"I cannot answer that directly," Dooku replied slowly, seemingly ignoring the anger rising from Quinlan. "However, I will state that the Council believes that no single Jedi, no matter their rank, position, or potential, is important when it comes to what the Force desires. Anyone who can awaken their connection to it is little more than a pawn in his work to achieve balance."

"How can they be so callous?" Quinlan snapped, though his anger was subsiding as Aayla grasped his hand with one of hers. "That they would not move to help their friends when they are in danger."

"As Master Dooku said, the Council places the Force above the members of the Order. That whatever happens to any of us is the Will of the Force. We serve it and through us, it works to achieve and maintain balance. Even those unable to feel the Force around them are connected to it, and thus under its influence, though those like us who can draw upon that connection, are often tested more… strenuously than the rest of the galaxy. That does not mean that our destinies are written in stone, or that the Force has plans for all of us. We are as alien to it as it is to us, however, we understand that the Force, like anything in nature, seeks balance. However, no one knows what the Force considers balance, or why it desires it if it does indeed desire anything."

"To the Council, we are all instruments in servicing and protecting that balance. We are but drops in the river that is life. A river that carries us to an ocean that is the Force where we become even more insignificant in whatever grand scheme the Force has enacted that we were in the river of life. The choice anyone who can access their connection to the Force faces is to decide how to handle being drops in the ocean. The Council and Order believe that being consumed, drowned, or destroyed by the currents of the Force is acceptable. It is the Will of the Force after all." I sighed there and shook my head to enhance some of my apparent uncertainty and doubt with the Jedi's way. "And no, before you ask, I don't think we can change the Will of the Force in the ways the Dark Side might make us believe we can, nor can we redirect the river of life that carries us to the Force. All we can do is take control of our surroundings to ensure that we do not drown easily in the ocean."

What I had said was a mix of what I'd learnt from the Jedi and from Adas mixed with an idea I was creating in my mind for how one should live even when connected to the Force. An idea that I knew neither group would entirely approve of.

"There are many, myself included, who might not describe life and the Force in such a manner," Dooku said into the void my impromptu speech had created, "Yet it is hard to consider what Cameron has just stated as being entirely incorrect. Be that in how the Order views the Force in relation to the needs and wants of any individual, even those capable of sensing and experiencing the Force, or in how we fail to understand what exactly it is that the Force wants." Dooku looked at me pointedly. "However, such discussions are best conducted in more… secure locations."

"As you say, Master," I replied in acceptance. Dooku hadn't revealed anything of his opinions on the Force and our role in it, and how we should live here. However, I had heard him speak before on the matter, and while he had never been as open as I had just been in hinting at doubts about the Order's approach to the Force, and other things, I knew he agreed with me in principle. That was why I was glad he was willing to at least consider helping me with retraining Quinlan and Aayla.

The question that I'd have to face in the coming days was what path Dooku would follow once he left the Order, as I knew he would do so as soon as I made clear that was my intention. He wouldn't be shifting to becoming Darth Tyrannus; however, I knew he wouldn't support the Republic once war engulfed the galaxy. And it was a question that I'd have to discover the answer to while we planned out our version of a holocron heist.

… …

---

… …

My feet shifted over the packed soil, sliding back in a Makashi retreat as Dooku's blue blade darted toward my chest. The saber missed by inches, grazing the air. I stepped to the side and flicked my own blade forward—red with a black, unstable edge—angling it to catch his saber and deflect it outward with a precise parry.

A counter followed, powered by more strength than a standard Form II repost should carry. My blade glided off his, aiming for the exposed line between his wrist and elbow. But Dooku was already there. His wrist turned, shoulder angling just enough to guide his saber into a clean interception.

I didn't expect to land that strike. The move was designed to provoke—testing if he'd bite and follow with a counterthrust. He did. His blade snapped toward me in a sharp line, and I was already in motion, pulling my saber back to defend.

We circled each other. The Force surged between us—alive, reactive. It bent to my will, whispering the intent behind his movements. I remained grounded in the moment, watching for flaws in his form. Not because I believed they were mistakes, but because even a trap offered information.

Dooku pressed forward, executing a trio of rapid thrusts with surgical precision. My body moved before conscious thought. One step back. A twist at the waist. My blade rotated on the vertical axis, parrying two attacks and sidestepping the third. I responded in kind—an overhead diagonal slash meant to break his rhythm. He slipped away with a dismissive elegance.

Each movement was met with a counter. Each strike was followed by a response. We were two minds playing a deadly game of chess, every twitch a feint or invitation. The empty plain around us was silent, save for the electric hiss of colliding sabers and the occasional shift of boots over dry earth.

We had been fighting for a while—how long, I wasn't sure. My armour lay aboard Raven, which now hovered somewhere behind us, maybe two hundred meters back. The timestamp on my vambrace was useless. I wasn't risking a glance.

Her presence sat faint in the corner of my awareness. Calming. But my focus was locked on Dooku. On the clash of sabers. On the Force thrumming through every fibre of my being.

This was not the first duel since Natural Selection. But it was the first where I wasn't holding back. The Force bent more easily now—resisting less, obeying more. Dooku hadn't commented on my approach, even when I'd drawn on techniques some would label Sith. He'd only watched; eyebrows raised in mild curiosity.

And now, everything felt different.

I leaned back, rotating my blade in a low arc to deflect another jab. I advanced with a tight pivot of the hip, pouring weight into my next strike. Djem So—not my primary form, but a brutal counterpoint to Makashi's finesse. The sudden increase in momentum caught most duellists off guard.

But Dooku wasn't like most duellists.

He slid a foot back, angled his body, and turned my strike aside with almost casual precision. I pivoted under his extended guard, sweeping low toward his legs.

He retreated again—not out of fear, but calculation. Still, I'd forced a step from him. Progress.

The Force rippled around us. Dooku drew it in like a trusted ally. I commanded it. My steps shifted into Ataru's lighter footwork, springing away from another counterattack. I couldn't stop the smirk from forming.

No, this wasn't a duel to the death. But I was at peace in this moment. No internal struggle. No hesitation. Just combat. Pure and clean.

Dooku inhaled, and the Force deepened around him. His next strike came faster, sharper, and I matched it—blade rising into a textbook Shien deflection before flowing into a Shii-Cho chain. Five hits. Six. A thrust toward his ribs.

He evaded—not just by movement, but by Force-assisted glide, sliding farther than physics should allow. I raised an eyebrow. That was new.

His eyes gleamed with amusement.

We reset. I took a classic Makashi stance—blade centred, arm extended, feet narrow. Dust swirled around our boots, kicked up by earlier footwork and now beginning to settle.

I reached into the Force. Deeper. It came willingly. My strikes changed—Makashi's finesse layered with Djem So's power. I drove him back again, this time a full three steps. My movements didn't overextend. They stayed tight, dangerous, and focused.

His defence adjusted. His parries came faster, closer to the hilt. But I stayed with him.

Matukai breathwork helped me stay grounded, channelling energy without exhausting myself. The world around us seemed to slow. Dust hung in midair. The clash of blades became the only sound in existence.

My limbs moved faster. My mind sharpened.

I stepped left, feinted high, and thrust low. He caught it—barely. His saber twisted down to intercept, but I already withdrew and flowed into a new line.

He adapted instantly, his own counter barely missing my shoulder. Another thrust. I sidestepped and parried. Our sabers locked for a breathless second, the pressure vibrating through our grips.

He smiled. Just barely.

I pulled back.

Then surged forward—right foot stepping past his left, blade rising in a vertical cut meant to push his guard high. As expected, he raised to meet it. I pivoted, blade slicing horizontally for his flank.

He spun to block, and we separated.

My lungs burned. My muscles trembled—not from exhaustion, but from the intense current of the Force. It flowed through me faster than I'd ever channelled before.

But Dooku wasn't slowing.

I focused, drawing more from the Force. It came, hot and heavy, threatening to overload me if I lost control. I shifted into pure Makashi again, letting the form dictate tempo. Blade tight. Point aligned. Economy of movement.

We clashed again—this time with greater violence.

I noticed it first. His posture opened slightly. A gap—not a feint. Not intentional. I knew this pattern. My sudden burst of pressure had disrupted his tempo. The gap was real.

I moved.

Blade up, rotating, angle changing mid-strike.

He moved to block—but I changed the line. My saber skimmed past his parry and pressed forward. I stepped into the opening, blade aimed for his thigh.

He gave ground again.

Three steps.

I had him.

For the first time in any duel, I pushed Count Dooku fully on the defensive.

The Force roared in my ears. I chased him, sabers clashing, light strobing red and blue across the plain. His defence was perfect—but he had to defend. No offence. No room.

Then—there it was. The opening widened.

I lunged.

But something changed.

The Force shifted. I felt it an instant before it happened. I twisted my wrist, blade dropping into a parry just in time to redirect a strike aimed at my leg.

He hadn't been passive. He'd baited me.

Still, I wasn't done. My wrist rolled, blade snapping down, dropping low again—this time for a strike to his thigh.

His stance was too wide. He couldn't withdraw his leg in time.

And then—heat.

I froze.

My blade struck his thigh. His struck air. Close to my throat.

Too close.

"Kriff."

The curse tore from me before I could stop it. I could feel the warmth of his blade across my neck. A millimetre deeper and I'd be dead.

I'd won. And lost. At the same time.

I held my ground. My blade pressed lightly to his leg. His hovered at my neck. Neither moved.

My breath came fast. Rage bubbled—hot and bitter. I'd had it. I'd had him.

I closed my eyes and pushed it away.

This wasn't the time for ego.

When I opened them, Dooku was still watching me—silent. His saber hummed low, unmoving. But I saw it—barely—his chest rising faster than usual. His presence in the Force flickering at the edges. He was winded. Pushed.

I gave him a small nod. The universal signal: I yield.

He stepped back and deactivated his saber. I followed suit.

"You have improved greatly," he said. His tone was calm. Steady. But I heard the edge of respect underneath. "Impressively so in such a short time. However,…" He tilted his head. "I am not yet ready to see you surpass me."

I offered a tired grin.

"Noted," I replied with a small smile.

Dooku grunted; his only acknowledgement to my statement that we both knew to be true. Once his hilt was clipped to his waist, he moved forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. "That day, as much as I seek to delay it, will come. You are the greatest Padawan I have trained, and the perfect legacy to ensure my knowledge of Makashi is retained in the decades to come. You have the technical skill of the form and others, to rival any I have ever sparred with, all that remains, as you are aware, is experience in spars and duels that take you to the very limit of what you are capable of."

"Thank you, Master," I said, lowering my head at his words; aware of the pride he felt in saying them, along with the honour he was bestowing upon me. I grinned after lifting my head. "I thought for a few moments that I had you, Master."

Dooku allowed a fractional grin to spread on his face as I felt him squeeze my shoulder. "Perhaps you did, and if I was not the one who had trained you, and seen the growth you have undergone since Naboo and your defeat of the Zabrak Sith there, you might have. Unfortunately for you, I am aware of every change you have undergone and every ounce of skill you have gained with the blade, and thus could turn the potential of defeat into the certainty of victory." He held my gaze as his hand slipped from my shoulder. "Nor did it escape my notice that, as you enjoyed the spar, you drew on the Force in a way many in the Order would have grave concerns about."

"Master, I…" The raising of his hand stopped me from explaining why I had, in many ways, acted like a Sith in demanding the Force's obedience instead of working with it as a Jedi should. However, as I waited for his reply, I realised that in the later moments of the duel, he too had made the Force work for him instead of with him.

"Cameron, as you are well aware, there are a great many things I disagree with the Order about." I held my tongue. "However, when we last sparred, I sensed you struggling to maintain control over yourself and used techniques that made the darkness within you more prominent. I was concerned that you might lose yourself to whatever changes you were undergoing. After this spar, while I still sense your use of methods the Order would consider heretical at best, I am pleased to know you have control of yourself and your emotions; enough that I do not fear you losing control and allowing the Force to consume you."

He turned at that and began the long walk back to Raven, who I realised was a little over five kilometres away around a hill we had seemingly circled while focused on our spar. I quickly moved to fall into step at his side, though a half metre back. He offered a small smile at my action and then gestured for me to walk beside him as an equal, something I gladly accepted.

"Since I was a Padawan, I have found myself at odds with many of the ideals the Order, at least in its current form, obeys. Before you arrived at the Temple, I had been heavily considering if I should remain with the Order, though the Force ensured those thoughts were diminished once I understood my next role was in training you. However, with your knighthood, and your victory on Naboo, I have once again found myself considering the path I am on, the injustices in the galaxy that the Order and others fail to address, and the legacy I wish to leave when my time in this galaxy, decades from now, comes to an end."

He turned to look at me as we kept walking. "Since Naboo, while I had been questioning the path I am travelling, my thoughts were often focused on you, I had been concerned, understandably, by the shift towards what the Order would consider a darker method to achieving the goals that you have taken in your training of yourself and your Pada… your son." He paused for a moment. "I now see, happily, that your journey will not take you down a road to the darkest depths that the Force can use to consume the destiny of those who can use it, nor, though this was never a great concern for me, of you aligning with the Sith we know that are seeking to destroy the Order and Republic."

"Master, I…" I paused as I sensed the Force shifting around us, and closed my eyes for a moment. The Force had been in motion near me ever since I agreed to help Quinlan, with moments like this where it was more active; as if hinting that these were moments when I could alter not just the road I was taking, but those of others who walked near to me. Of course, if not for the Interface generating the A Change in Path quest I might not have realised that as soon as I had. Nor would I see that the quest name referred not just to Quinlan and Aayla, but to myself and even Dooku.

"Since not long after Naboo I have been… studying and learning from an ancient Sith holocron," I continued cautiously. I knew Dooku wouldn't seek to take Adas' holocron from me, nor take me before the Jedi for questioning, but I was taking a risk. One that, as the Force seemed to rise around us, was about to have a permanent effect on my relationship with my former Master. "I'm not using it heavily, just seeking advice on how to accelerate my training with the various sects and groups I've visited for training with Anakin while searching inwards for some sort of balance that I now feel I've found."

We continued in silence for a few minutes as I allowed Dooku time to ponder what I'd revealed. Telling him what I had was, in many ways, a dangerous move, but I felt certain he would accept what had happened, though not without concern.

"It is troubling that you admit to learning from a Sith holocron, Cameron. Not just because it is affecting your development, but that of your Padawan as well. Even though I expect you are aware, you should never trust anything any Sith, alive or as the gatekeeper of a holocron, say. They will seek to use and manipulate you to serve whatever goals and ideals they hold themselves to." He paused there and I felt a gentle probe slide along the bond we shared within the Force.

Wanting to reassure him that I'd not fallen into the madness of the Dark Side and that I was in control of my actions, I lowered my defences enough that he could explore the outer edges of my mind without difficulty. My thoughts on what I was slowly deciding for my future, and that of Anakin and others, were buried deep, far from his notice, while any knowledge I had that came from before being placed in this timeline was protected by the Interface.

I felt his probe shifting through the readily available thoughts, and it was clear he was searching for information about what I'd learnt from Adas, and what effect that had caused to my psyche. I allowed him the freedom to search those outer layers as we walked, wanting to assure him that I wasn't lost in the depths of the Dark Side and to reassure myself that I'd not been influenced in ways I didn't realise by Adas.

After nearly ten minutes, I felt the probe pull back and Dooku opened his eyes, stopped, and turned to face me so he could examine me carefully. There was no hint of anything more than concern from him emanating into the Force, which was reassuring. However, it was the faint hint of curiosity that caught my attention; as if Dooku wished to speak, or possibly even learn from Adas himself.

"While your defences are sufficient to ensure that no surface probe would detect the changes you have undergone, anyone with the skill and power could breach them and learn the truth. You have been, as you are aware, influenced by this Sith holocron, though I cannot sense any clear sign that you've fallen under their sway any more so than one might when seeking knowledge from a restricted source.

"This path I sense you are taking is one that the Order will not accept, but again, you are aware of that. That said, I can sense that you feel that to defeat the threat posed by the looming darkness in the Force, and the influence the Sith of the lineage of Darth Bane hold over the Republic, and by connection, the Order, you need to use every tool at your disposal."

"I do, Master, and I am well aware that the Council will not approve of my methods; both those I've already taken and those that I know I will have to in the coming years."

Dooku allowed a small grunt of amusement to slip from his mouth. "No, they would not. However, as you are well aware, my opinions on a variety of matters do not align with those of the Council. One such matter that you would be aware of would be the direction the Order should take in seeking out the Master of the Sith you defeated on Naboo."

I felt my brow rise at his words. "You are in contact with the Council?" That was unexpected, and given what I'd just revealed, potentially dangerous. While I didn't sense Dooku was going to report my learning from a Sith holocron to them, the fact he still spoke to several of the members, even if just about the looming threat posed by the Banite Sith, was unexpected.

Before he could directly reply, Raven came into sight and the stray thought occurred to me that during the duel with Dooku, I had been aware that we had moved away from her, but not how far. I had lost myself in the spar, and while that had not been an issue today, there might well come a day when it would, and thus I'd have to learn to be more aware of my surroundings even when focused entirely on defeating my opponent. Failure to be cognisant of your location was a lesson that had been driven into my skull across two lifetimes.

"With Masters Windu and Yoda," He explained as we started the final walk towards my ship "They share my concern that the presence of the Zabrak on Naboo might signal a return of the Sith. However, they refuse to act as I feel they should to prepare the Order and galaxy for the threat of this new Sith Order. Nor do they believe that the one you fought has any connection to Darth Bane. According to the records, he was killed only a few years after the Seventh Battle of Ruusan."

"I believe that was a ploy, Master, one designed to hide their presence while this Banite line of Sith chose to break with the past and work in small numbers from the shadows."

"I share that opinion, Cameron, however, the Council does not. We can discuss this fully at a later date. For now, I wish to discuss what your plans are for the future, how the changes you have undergone affect the plans we created alongside Master Fay and others, and your hints that you approved the concept of liberating items from the Temple Archives that might offer insight and powers to help us face the looming threat of the Banite Sith."

"Yes, the knowledge the Council has locked away may well be of use. However, while I wish to help you in the acquisition of such holocrons, or any other object in the secure vaults, I feel that while I can hide the changes I've undergone from most surface probes if any Master chooses to probe more deeply, they will undoubtedly discover the changes that have occurred to me. To say nothing of facing even a single member of the Council."

"No, your defences would not stand up to the probes of the Council or other senior Jedi. Still, it is encouraging to hear that even after defeating the Dark Jedi Volfe Karkko, you remain aware of your shortcomings. As is the fact you knew it was wiser to depart before Master Saa arrived, both because of the power you used to defeat Karkko, and the understanding you could not yet defeat her." He paused and looked at me even as we continued to walk. "In time, I know you will be able to, do not fear, but you are not quite at the level to be considered a true threat to most Jedi Masters."

I nodded, accepting his opinion, and not just because it was one I agreed with. "About the Council… when Master Saa realises that it was me who defeated Karkko and drew on the Dark Side to do so, they're going to send teams after me, aren't they?"

"If you remain within the Order, that is certain. Even if you resigned, which I feel is a choice you are committed to making, they might still do so. However, while by Republic law all Force users are under the supervision of the Order, the Council generally chooses to not intervene in any Force sect so long as it keeps itself isolated from the wider galaxy and doesn't become a threat to the Order or Republic."

"I could just disappear with Anakin, Master. Stay in the Outer Rim, keeping as far from major systems as possible while I continue training myself and my son."

Dooku gave a single, brief chortle at my suggestion. "You very well could, Cameron. However, I know you will not." He stopped and turned fully to face me. "Master Fay and I trained you to hold more respect, for yourself and others, than that. No, regardless of the threat it poses to you, you will state to the Council in person your intention to leave the Order as your ideals no longer align with theirs. As will I."

I blinked, caught out by the declaration. I mean, I knew it was only a matter of time until he left the Order, but that he was prepared to do so at the same time as me, and shield me from the Council was unexpected. "Master, I… You don't have to do this."

Dooku chortled again and moved closer. "Cameron, as I have said many times, including not more than a few minutes ago, I have known for many years that my path would not remain in step with the Order. It was because the Force guided me to you, and implied it wanted me to train you, that I have remained a Jedi as long as I have instead of planning my departure at an earlier date. I have trained several Padawans, Cameron; all of whom, even Komari in some small way, I am proud of. However, it is through you that I see a way to define myself and my legacy." He extended a hand. "When the time comes for you to stand before the Council and resign as a Jedi, I will do so with you."

My hand moved out slowly. "It would be my honour to stand at your side in that moment, Master," I said as I grasped his forearm.

By doing this, Dooku was taking the Council's attention, or most of it at any rate, off of me. Yes, to some in the Order I was the potential Chosen One, however, in the eyes of the Council, I was just a young and powerful Knight, whereas Dooku was one of their most revered Jedi Masters. When he resigned he would become the twentieth Jedi Master to resign from the Order in the last few thousand years.

"As you should be," he replied dryly, though I could sense his amusement through our Force bond. A moment later, he broke the arm clasp. "Before we head to the Temple and announce our departure from the Order, we must discuss what items we wish to take as recompense for our time in the Order."

"Yes, Master," I said as we resumed the remaining short walk to Raven.

As we moved, my mind pulled forth the various scenarios I'd gone over in my thoughts that had, at least in theory, a slight chance of us succeeding in breaking into the secure holocron vaults, grabbing a dozen or so holocrons – more if I told Dooku about my Inventory and framed it as an odd Force power, or if I was able to use it without him seeing it being used – and then departing the Temple without being apprehended.

None of the plans were what I'd call good, the best had maybe a ten per cent chance of success, but they should give Dooku something to draw from. At least if he didn't already have plans created that had better odds of success.

… …

---

… …

If you wish to join the Discord server - where you can get 1 chapter ahead of time if you're active enough - or support my writing - such people are 1-4 months/chapters ahead - please use the following link (Remove the spaces) to see the links as FFN doesn't support direct links:

linktr . ee /USSExplorer

...

Regardless of if you join the discord or support my writing, I hope you enjoy the story and suggestions, valid criticisms, and ideas are always welcome.

And of course;

May the Force be with you. Always.