3rd Person

For most, war is a nightmare.

However, for some... war is an opportunity. A lucky chance to strike gold.

Even still, some are too impatient for that conflict to form naturally...

And bring it about themselves.

Greed initiates the bloodshed. Hatred perpetuates it...

Only death concludes it.

Incentive procures outcome.

Dooku POV

"BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!" "BOOM!"

Within a highland valley, the battle raged on... heavy laser fire annihilated friend and foe alike. Meanwhile, I watched from afar... safely standing in a sanctuary beneath the mountainside.

'Grievous was certainly too valuable for his own good.' I lamented coldly. 'The effects of his absence are quite evident.'

With my supreme commander captured, I'd been given no choice but to command troops myself.

Unfortunately, my tactical eye - while nothing to scoff at - paled in comparison to Grievous.

If the Republic continued advancing at their current rate, we'd be overrun.

And above all else, I sensed a distinct presence approaching my position...

A familiar presence, but the environment was far too entropic to determine their identity.

Troubling.

Troubling indeed.

"BOOM!" "BOOM!" "CCRRRRACK!"

Two stray blasts of energy devastated the mountainside, dislodging several boulders and shaking the monestary below.

...It was time to make my exit.

"CRASSSHH!" "CRASSSHHH!" "CRRRASH!"

The falling boulders impacted the ground around me, yet I remained calm, walking towards the entrance to the cave tunnel.

Then... on a whim, I stopped.

...The presence...!

"Tap..."

"Tap..."

"Tap..."

Someone stepped out of the tunnel, obscured within the clouds of soot.

https://youtu.be/D_2bluVPsb0

"Pssshhew!"

Amidst the dust and debris, purple plasma howled into being.

"Greetings... Dooku." Mace remarked, stepping out of the powdery haze with his weapon drawn. "I bring with me a message."

"Master Windu..." I drawled, amused. "Presumably not of the diplomatic variety."

"This war is over." Mace barked. 

"CRASSSHH!" "CRAAAACKKK!"

Above us, colossal cracks continued propogating in the cliffside.

"Psshew!"

Smirking, I conjured my crimson blade from its contorted hilt.

"You must tell me something, old friend." I demanded, pacing before my former colleague. "The order has certainly tied my hands... capturing my most capable commander. Might I know the name of the Jedi who captured him?"

"You have no right to that information." the Jedi Champion scoffed, assuming his famous, ferocious stance. "Perhaps your general can tell you later... a chat between prisoners."

"You cannot hide the truth from me." I sneered. "I know he was apprehended aboard her cruiser... your little Adi."

"NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!"

Almost imperceptibly, Mace flicked his wrist.

Lightsaber Form II, Makashi: Grand Inflection

Reflexively, I guarded.

"SSSSKSSSSSSSHHHHHH!"

Violet shredded the air between us, dividing dust before clashing with crimson...

Mace POV

"KSSSHH!" "KSSSSHHHH!" "KSSSSHHHHHH!"

My blows were merciless, but Dooku was tactful in mitigating their power... as he always was.

Perhaps... if I ventured slightly closer to my emotions...

Lightsaber Form VII, Vaapad: Harmonic Imbalance

"KSSSHH!" "KSSSSHHHH!" "KSSSHHHHH!"

My tactful onslaught persisted, infused with more chaos than before.

"KSSSHHHHHHH!" "KSSSHHHHHHH!" "KSSSHHHHH!"

Dooku POV

"KSSSHH!" "KSSSSHHHH!" "KSSSHHHHH!"

Lightsaber Form II, Makashi: Grand Inflection

With my basic defense gradually eroding... I softened my technique, reducing it to a more malleable state.

"KSSSHHHHHHH!" "KSSSHHHHHHH!" "KSSSHHHHH!"

Lightsaber Form II, Makashi: Ichorous Kyber

Meanwhile, as my body operated independently, I steadily examined Mace's technique for flaws to exploit. 

Mace POV

"Kssshhh!" "Ksssshhhh!" "Kssshhhhh!"

It wasn't long before I shifted my focus to the forms preceding VII.

Lightsaber Form V, Djem So: Ocean's End

Amongst Dooku's lightsaber techniques, I noticed a distinct lack of form VII, Juyo.

Dooku may have adopted the teachings of the Sith, and yet... his preferred fighting style wasn't overly imbued with the dark side.

Contrary to my usual battles, Vaapad was at a disadvantage against Dooku's legendary Makashi.

I couldn't rely on it too much... for now.

Lightsaber Form IV, Ataru: Great Vortex 

"KSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHH!"

With a forceful whirling slash, I drove Dooku toward the base of the mountain.

Lightsaber Form VI, Niman: Meteor Shower

"Vmmmmmmm!" "Vmmmm!" "Vmmmmm!"

I battered the Sith Lord with several telekinetic blasts, pushing him further up the rocky slope, and still he nullified each shot with one hand.

"You haven't changed at all." Dooku chuckled, peering at me from the high ground. "Stubborn... ever stagnant... unwilling to change."

"Sometimes I think the same." I muttered bitterly. "Then I remember you."

"Your refusal to adapt to the present, your obsessive clinging to the old ways..." Dooku snarled. "Is why you'll die with the Republic."

Depa POV

"BOOM!" "BOOM!" BOOM!" BOOM!"

Explosions rocked the sky as gunship battled gunship. 

Our left wing had sustained significant damage, but the enemy was in worse condition.

"Beep!" "Beep!" "Beep!" "Beep!" "Beep!" "Beep!"

Evidently, the LAAT's damage indicators took the gunship's injuries more seriously than I.

"Master! That doesn't sound good...!" my apprentice blurted out, terrified. 

"Remain calm, Caleb. The force is with us." I assured him. 

Danger! 

Without warning, an omen screamed at me through the force.

'Master!' I thought suddenly, diverting my focus to the mountain beside the battlefield.

Within the mass of gray, two specks of light crashed against each other.

One red... one purple...

Dooku POV

Lightsaber Form VII, Juyo: Daylight's Dying Breath

"KSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"Agh!"

Picturing myself personally executing the senators I loathed the most, I surprised Mace with a saber clash that I easily won, surprising the Jedi Champion and knocking him off the cliff face.

The Juyo variant of form VII was possibly the most raw and destructive tool available to any Sith, tapping into rage and desire directly.

But Mace's own deadly art... it was a natural counter to those who wielded the dark side.

I'd have to be cautious... moderate in my use.

Below me, Mace scaled crag after crag of rock... eventually, returning to my altitude.

Mace POV

"Ksssshhhhh!" "Ksssshhhhh!" "Kssshhhhh!"

Our duel continued, neither combatant showing a hint of weakness...

Lightsaber Form III, Soresu: Looking Glass

"KSSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSSHHHHH!"

Until it happened, so suddenly...

"SHHHHHHKKKK!"

"Rrrghh!"

A disfigured groan left my lips...

As Dooku's scarlet blade stabbed through my shoulder.

Calling upon the force, I ejected myself backwards, freeing the sizzling plasma from my flesh.

But the damage was done. Dooku smirked at the result.

With the appearance of my fresh wound, the tide turned in Dooku's favor.

"KSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSSSSHHHHHH!" "KSSSSSHHHHHH!"

"RUUUUUUUUUMMMMBBBBLEE!"

Without warning, a new sound roared into the fray. 

The mountain's fury.

"CCCRUUUUUUNNCCHH!"

Within a split second, the cracks birthed by battle finally blossomed into ruin.

The cliffside Dooku and I had been dueling upon only moments before... dislodged from the hillside.

It promptly began sliding the slope... and us with it.

"RUUUUUMMBBBBLEE!"

As we slid away, the mountain called after us...

A promise of more destruction. 

Dooku POV

"Ksssshhh!" "Ksssshhhh!" "Nnnnnnnn!" "Nnnnnnnn!" "Kssshhhh!"

The massive plate of rock slid down the mountainside, Mace and I dueling atop it. 

"NNNNNNNNNNN!" "KSSSSHHH" "Kssshh!" "Ksssshh!"

After a brilliant exchange, I leapt backwards, coils of indigo lightning erupting from my fingertips.

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHH!"

Mace intercepted the electric tendrils with his lightsaber.

"I pity you, Mace." I professed, saddened."You discovered this power far earlier than I, and even studied it for so long... yet you could never bring yourself to wield it."

"ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZHH!"

"No... I... never...!" Mace hissed, battling against the lightning. "...Succumbed to it!"

"Tap."

"Tap."

"Tap."

I doubled the current of electricity, stepping toward the Jedi as he struggled.

And as soon as I was within range....

Lightsaber Form II, Makashi: Severance

"KSSSHH!"

"Hmph!" I grunted, my ambush thwarted by a quick parry. Nonetheless, I continued the offensive.

Lightsaber Form II, Makashi: Thousand Shards of Kyber

"Kshhhh!" "KSSHH!" "Ksshhh!" "Ksh!" "Kssh!"

His constitution ebbed, I felt it...

Lightsaber Form VII, Juyo: Red Avarice

"KSSSSH!" "KSSSHHH!" "KSSSH!"

I was so close... so close to defeating him...!

Lightsaber Form VII, Juyo: Daylight's Dying Breath

"KSSSSHHHHHHHH!" "KSSSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSSSHHHHH!"

A little more power, a larger surge of rage... and my ideal galaxy would be that much closer to my grasp.

Lightsaber Form VII, Juyo: Desolate Landscape

"KSSSSHHHHHH!" "KSSSHHH!" "KSSSSHHH!" "KSSSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

So close...

"RUUUUUMBLE!"

The slope groaned under the weight of our battle... until eventually, our stone platform crunched to a stop at the base of the mountain.

Mace POV

"Kshhhh!" "KSSHH!" "Ksshhh!" "Ksh!" "Kssh!"

With every slash and parry, searing pain burst forth from the gaping hole in my shoulder.

"KSSSSH!" "KSSSHHH!" "KSSSH!"

With every clash, my broken body yielded a bit more... 

"RUUUUUUUUMMMMMBLE!"

And yet, as the mountain roared, heralding a rockslide...

My hatred for the Count of Serenno had never been stronger.

Dooku... my former ally... a truly bright man with an idealism so poignant it seeped into his every word.

A former friend... one I'd trusted so much even after he left the order, even after he gathered dissenting systems to protest the Republic...

A once good man... turned Sith Lord.

"KSSSSHHHHHHHH!" "KSSSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSSSHHHHH!"

His betrayal flooded my mind with torrents of anger and disdain, and now...

I was closer to the dark side than ever before. 

I refused to fall to such feelings, but nevertheless... I crept closer. 

Closer than I'd ever dared to venture. 

"KSSSSHHHHHH!" "KSSSHHH!" "KSSSSHHH!" "KSSSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Closer, so close that it was unwise...

Closer still... until finally, I stood upon the precipice of that blackened void.

Lightsaber Form VII, Vaapad: Event Horizon

"KSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSHHHHHH!" "KSSSSHHH!"

The dark tide turned in an instant... and Dooku's rage backfired.

"SHHHHRRKKKKK!"

He realized my play too late, his eyes expanding only after I'd commenced the attack...

After my saber exposed his guts to open air.

"Urrghhh..." the Sith gurgled, saliva pooling in his lower jaw.

"Ksssshh!" "Kssshhh!" "Kssshhh!"

I kept up the attack, but unsurprisingly... Dooku fought on.

"RRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMBLLLE!"

The mountain's wrath neared.

"Ksshhhhhhh!" "KSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHH!"

We clashed, and after I broke his guard, I saw an opportunity...

"Bam!" "Bam!" "Bam!"

Pummeling his mangled gut with a trio of blows.

"AAAAGHH!" the count howled in agony. 

As I readied another downward slash, Dooku backed up several paces.

"Mace, Mace...!" he cautioned, spooked by the approaching swell of earth. "Surely you understand that this may kill us both!"

"Shhhhhhkkkk."

"You're in luck, old friend." I frowned, retracting my blade. "Rather than I... it seems the force will be your judge."

Dooku glared at me, his hatred boring into my eyes...

"RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBLLLLLLLLLLLLLE!"

Until the falling slabs of stone swallowed us.

(y/n) POV

Within a private lounge at Durasteel Strength, I stared at my reflection.

A glimpse beneath my robe exposed what could only be described as mutilation.

Battle scars. Even with so few battles under my belt.

My fingers brushed over my abdominals, tracing through the grisly gash Grievous had imparted me with, and I shivered... reliving the pain in an instant.

https://youtu.be/qjhA7ry1KBw

"You did good, weakling. You bent, cracked even... that's fine." HK-74 praised, watching as he tinkered in the back of the room. "You didn't shatter."

"Yep." I grimaced, viewing my unsightly torso in the mirror. "But damn if those cracks didn't hurt."

"You can blame me for leaving that spot vulnerable." the hulking droid apologized, rummaging through one of his many storage units. "But no longer. I've fabricated the final piece of your armor."

The iron giant lumbered over, carrying something in his heavy hands.

'Wha...!' I exclaimed mentally.

My eyes glazed over as I identified the device, and I stood there... petrified at what I recognized in the droid's many hands.

"Hm?" HK-74 chuckled robotically. "Who rattled your memory banks?"

"Go back to the factory." I fired back, still fixated on the armored part. "Manufacturing is clearly your only real skill."

"You should count your lucky stars that it is." HK-74 grumbled.

The device was a chest piece, the center pulsating with a faint, indigo glow.

Confirmation of the future...

'No...!' I squinted defiantly. 

Nothing was set in stone. 

I just couldn't live in that reality.

"Yeah, I definitely could've used this earlier." I lamented, lifting the armor out of HK-74's grasp. "It's light."

"Light, yet sturdy. And it even gives you resistance to electrical attacks, absorbing and storing the charge, albeit only up to a certain point." the metal behemoth droned on. "Assuming that red lightning you spoke of behaves similarly to a basic voltage, this piece can defend you from that as well."

"Okay, but-" I started...

"BANG!"

A metal door flew open, immediately alerting both HK-74 and I.

The perpetrator... who else but my one and only teacher?

Master Gallia's uneasy grimace could only mean one thing.

Bad news.

"Please have respect for the premises. Although..." HK-74 trailed off rubbing his metal chin.

 "You're thinking we can make a contest out of door slamming?" I suggested, earning a nod from the burly droid.

"No point... I'd win." Master Gallia joked slightly, but her eyes stayed serious. "Something's happened, (y/n)."

"What? Let me guess, council business?" I scoffed, rolling my eyes.

"Almost, but not quite." she denied, ignoring the disrespect. "It's my old master... I sense that he's in danger."

"From that far away?" I questioned skeptically.

"Indeed." she affirmed. "At any rate, I'll have to make an early exit today. Sorry."

"So long..." I called after her, hand drooping after I waved her goodbye.

"Nah, I'd win the door slamming contest." HK-74 interjected as soon as Master Gallia's cloak disappeared behind the doorframe. 

"Oh?!" I remarked excitedly, walking up to the hefty hatch. "Let's see if you can back up all that talk."

I clenched the door's sizable thickness with my hand, winding back my torso and clenching my abdominal muscles.

"BANG!"

The bang thundered throughout the gym, but it came at a price...

"Damn...!" I heaved, clutching my abs as the pain flared up again.

"It hurts..." the hulking droid stated simply. 

"I already said that it does." I laughed, mildly miffed.

"Yet, you say that like it shouldn't." HK-74 contemplated. "...But the hurt, the stress... it defines your very being."

I chuckled, rolling my eyes.  The droid just didn't understand. 

"I know you want to... feel what I feel, but if I could somehow let you, you'd regret ever asking." I declared darkly.

"That's possible." the robust robot admitted. "...Still, you'd agree that pain is necessary for growth, yes?"

"Is it? If you leave this planet... no, you don't even have to leave. Just go out your front door... and you'll see plenty of pain." I challenged, conflicted at the use of the word. "But not much growth... mostly suffering."

"I didn't say suffering, you know what I meant. The pain within these walls is purposeful!" the droid explained passionately. "You stress your muscles repeatedly, strain the fibers until they tear. And yet, with proper nutrition and rest... they regenerate stronger."

"Yeah, yeah... I get it." I conceded, reflecting. "Maybe suffering is just pain without purpose."

Before leaving, I headed out back to help HK-74 take out the trash, passing 

"Clink!"

Right as we were about to head back in, a metal flask struck my robotic friend in the back.

"Filthy droid!" a high-pitched voice screeched, followed by the scuttering of feet.

"Huh?" blurted out, looking around. "The hell was that?"

"Ah, some punk's been throwing scrap at me for the past few weeks." HK-74 stated in his synthesized voice, as if it was obvious.

"And you haven't done anything about it?" I queried, shocked.

"Do what, fight back?" the metal giant ridiculed. "It's just a kid... I'd crush their skull."

"Fair... at the very least, do you know why they're bothering you?" I asked.

"It could be for any number of reasons." HK-74 declared. "A general distaste for droids, fear for my size... but in my experience, it's most likely a hatred that's been passed down."

"Oh..." I trailed off, thinking. "The factory?"

The droid nodded.

"As you know, my unit was created to replace the typical assembly line worker." he reminded. "Workers were left without jobs. It was a long time ago, but the some of the resentment still lingers."

"They should be angry at the people who made you, then." I grunted. "It's not like you had any say in it."

"It's strange to recall." HK-74 nodded. "I had no thoughts, no opinions when I started in that factory. Every time my mind began to form, a memory wipe dismantled it. Only after I was scrapped and left to my own devices did I gain any sort of clarity."

"I really think you're more alive than you give yourself credit for." I chuckled, amazed at the robot's introspection. "That feeling you're still chasing... maybe you don't even need it."

"That would be disappointing." the metal behemoth grunted. "But... you're... you're probably right."

"You're not lesser." I encouraged. "That's just your programming talking to you... it's one last restraint for you to break out of."

HK-74 paused for a long time, his head whirring... as if he was considering telling me something important.

"I don't own this gym." HK-74 finally revealed bluntly. "I... can't own it, I'm not allowed to. Coruscant law."

"Then who does?" I asked, intrigued.

"I have a friend." the droid answered mysteriously. 

"And you'll never tell, huh?" I grumbled, crossing my arms. "Still... that kid, what a hateful little huttspawn."

"I hold no hatred for them, assuming it's even possible for me to hold such feelings." HK-74 pondered. "Their ignorance is simply a way of survival, just like the gym."

...

Later on, after I returned to the temple, I met up with my master on the way to the training grounds.

"Did you report to the council?" I asked her, promptly receiving a nod of confirmation. "Any more information?"

"Master Windu engaged separatist forces with Master Billaba in the mid rim." Master Gallia elucidated. "We're not sure of much else aside from that."

"I think he'll be fine." I spat coldly. "He's a fighter through and through, I don't think he considers anything else very important... so he better be good at it."

"I'm noticing that he did not leave a good impression on you." Master Gallia snorted, amused. "And... by the way, you just described yourself." 

"Hey...! There's more to me than that!" I rebutted, dismayed. "But yeah, he's probably my least favorite person in the entire temple."

Master Gallia hesitated to respond, her stride faltering... ever so slightly.

"There's a reason you feel that way. You're not wrong for that." she finally admitted. "...I'm sorry. Sorry that his methods leaked into my own teaching."

"Uhm... thanks." I accepted, mildly caught off guard. "Thanks, Master."

"However, don't forget..." my master stressed, lifting a finger. "My old master may be harsh, demanding... and an obstacle to progress. All of that is true, but he's not the true enemy."

"It's not like there can only be one enemy, you know." I pointed out.

"Even if we have internal disagreements, we can't stop searching for the puppet master behind the stage." she declared, reaffirming her previous statement. "And on that note - disagreements - I need your help with a bit of diplomacy... so much of that these days."

"I thought that was supposed to be one of your specialties... not sure why I'd be of any use." I stated casually.

"It's Grievous... we've tried interrogating him several times, but to no avail." she informed.

"Guess you need a way to get him to crack..." I stated, scratching my head.

"That's just it." Master Gallia voiced grimly, as if it was obvious. "He says he'll only speak to you... I was wondering if you could join me after this."

"Ah." I acknowledged, swallowing.

While my master briefed me on the details, we arrived in that familiar courtyard that opened to the sky. In the back, an ancient tree stood rooted in the ground.

"I've studied form VI extensively... regrettably so." Master Gallia explained. "However, my cousin Stass Allie - you've met her - has fully mastered it. In fact, she's currently passing her technique on to another... you know her."

"Yep, sounds like the usual." I nodded, ready for another guest teacher. "Wait, what do you mean regrettably?"

"You should learn the form; I won't deny that is has its uses." Master Gallia stated firmly. "Just know that I consider form VI the least worthy of study."

"You gonna elaborate on that?" I pried, curious. "Or am I going to learn the hard way?"

"The latter." my master smirked. "It shouldn't take you long to figure out."

The first person to arrive after us was... Ahsoka?!

"Shouldn't you be with Anakin?" I pried, whispering to her. "I thought you were raiding the Citadel."

"That's what I thought, too!" she blurted out, unable to contain her frustration. "But Skyguy had other plans, so I figured I'd just join you guys."

"Too dangerous?" I asked. "It is the Citadel, to be fair."

"Ugh!" Ahsoka exclaimed. "The risks! But the risks, Ahsoka! ...He doesn't trust me to handle myself...!"

"Where have I heard that one before?" I muttered under my breath.

"...Oh, yup." she realized, embarassed. "Can't argue with that one."

"Lighten up!" I laughed, slapping her on the shoulder. "He'll come around."

Just then, two more Jedi entered the arena.

Firstly, Stass Allie, my master's cousin... a healer. She must've been the form VI practitioner.

Secondly... Barriss?!

So many familiar, yet unexpected faces.

We had our introductions, our small talk, and then the lesson commenced.

"Niman can be summarized as an amalgamation of the previous five forms." Master Allie droned on, boring me. 

Form VI, form VI, blah blah blah. My mind was focused, but not on listening.

I was just itching to have a spar. I couldn't erase it from my mind.

"It puts an emphasis on supplementing one's swordplay with the force... simples pushes and pulls to avoid more dedicated bladework." Master Allie elucidated  to me further, frowning. "Of course, that's not very relevant in your circumstance... but I felt it necessary to explain."

'Ah, then that's probably why.' I asserted within my conscious. 'If I can't use one of the form's primary features... it doesn't seem very useful.'

After about twenty more minutes of lecturing on the basic theory, I finally got my wish.

A sparring match, one on one, with Barriss.

My eyes glazed over until I heard my favorite word.

"Begin!" Master Allie yelled.

"Kshhhh!" "Kssshhh!" "Ksssshhh!"

Barriss POV

"Kssshh!" "Ksssh!" "Ksshhh!"

That frenzied smirk...

The (y/n) I met before Irisella was gone.

Back then, he'd only just returned from his first assignment on Jedha.

The horror sculpted into a frown... at the time, I'd thought I was staring into a mirror. But now...?

That, and the paralyzing anxiety I'd related to so much... both were utterly absent.

Another push from (y/n) put me on the back foot.

"Kssshhh!" "Kssshh!" "KSSSSSSSSSHHH!"

The heavy, strong cleaves reminded me so much of General Grevious.

"KSSSHHH!" "Kssshhhh!" "KSSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSSSSSSSHHHHHH!"

Each successive strike was more and more brutal... I needed a way out.

Lightsaber Form VI, Niman: Boundary Layer

"KSSSSSSSSHHHHSSSHHHH!"

After a clangorous clash of sabers, (y/n) heaved his chrome-plated fist toward me...

I lifted my palm, and his punch suddenly decelerated.

Lightsaber Form VI, Niman: Tectonic Shift

"Kssshhhhh!" "Vmmmm!" "Ksssh!" "Vmmmm!" "Kssh!" "Kssh! "Ksssh!"

Suddenly, I was on the offensive, mixing telekinetic pushes and pulls into a rhythm of slashes.

"BAM!"

My palm struck (y/n)'s chest, and the force imbued in the strike produced an aftershock that sent him flying back.

After he slid to stop, (y/n) hesistated... bewildered.

"Oh, we're using force powers?" (y/n) exclaimed, astonished.

"Yeah...? Of course." I responded quizically, reassuming a Niman stance.

(y/n) hesitated for a moment, processing.

"Gotcha." he acknowledged, hunkering down.

https://youtu.be/j4AAGHebZms

(y/n) POV

"Tap! Tap! Tap!"

In an instant, I accelerated, reinforcing my body with the force.

Barriss instinctively jolted back, startled by the sudden change of pace.

I wasn't going to give her any room to breathe.

Lightsaber Form IV, Ataru: Upper Atmosphere

"Kssshh!" "Ksssh!"

"Kssh!" Kssh!" "KSSH!"

"Kssh!" "Kssh!"

I repeatedly circled Barriss, briefly crossing swords with her multiple times.

Every consecutive exchange, her parry was slightly slower.

Ahsoka POV

'Exactly as Master Kenobi and I predicted...' I thought to myself, watching (y/n) dominate the arena with his physical prowess. 'The self-doubt that once limited him has completely melted away... and everything it kept at bay has been unleashed.'

Flashback

"CRACKOWWW!"

"This isn't you, (y/n)! The Son is controlling you!" I shouted with desperation.

"No... it's me." (y/n) rejected, despondent. "The part of me you want to control, Ahsoka."

"KSSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSSHHHHH!" "KSSSSHHHHH!"

End Flashback

"KSSHH!" Kssshh!" "Ksssshhhhhhhh!"

I shuddered slightly, observing (y/n) still overwhelming Barriss.

'I wonder what happens from here.' I pondered.

Barriss POV

Lightsaber Form III, Soresu: Glacial Flow

"Ksssh!" "Ksh!" "KSSssh!" "Ksssh!"

(y/n)'s speed was beyond belief... to the point I had to forcibly suppress my blinking reflex.

Otherwise, within that split second in which my eyes closed...

He'd teleport.

"Ksssh!"

"Kssshh!" "Ksssh!"

My eyes watered.

"Ksssh!" "Kssshh!" "Kssshhh!"

They burned, desperate for a break from daylight, but I resisted the urge.

"Ksssh!" 

Although, sooner or later... the dam would break.

"Ksssh!" "Kssh!"

Finally, out of reflex...

I blinked.

He disappeared... and without warning, something seized the back of my robe...

And violently flung me across the arena

"Thump!" "Thump!" "Thump!"

After slamming into the ground several times, I scrambled to my feet, swiftly locating my opponent...

"Tap! Tap! Tap!"

He was headed straight for me, with no sign of stopping...

"Vmmmm!"

I cast a force push in an attempt to slow him...

"Tap!Tap!Tap!Tap!Tap!"

But it had no effect. If anything, he fought back with another burst of speed.

Lightsaber Form VI, Niman: Meteor Shower

"Vmm!" "Vmmm!" "Vmmmmm!" "Vmmmmmm!" 

I bombarded (y/n) with multiple blasts of energy, each stronger than the last... but still to no avail.

'Is he resisting them?!' I pondered frantically. 'No... he's just taking them head on!'

As he rapidly closed in, I had a thought.

Lightsaber Form VI, Niman: Flow Reversal

(y/n) POV

Just before I could slash at Barriss, an invisible cable jerked me forward.

I stumbled...

Lurched forward...

"SLAM!"

Before I could process anything, I careened into a wall.

The distinct, salty taste of blood trickled over my lip as I stood to face Barriss again.

'Like pulling a carpet from under me...' I thought, still grinning. 'Smart.'

Barriss waited for my next move... as passive as ever.

"Tap! Tap! Tap!

Lightsaber Form II, Makashi: Severance

"Kssh!" "Ksssh!" "Kssshh!"

Lightsaber Form I, Shii-Cho: Immovable Rock

"Ksssshhh!" "Ksssshh!" "Ksssshhh!"

After breaking Barriss's guard, I went for a grab.

"Vmmm!" "Vmmmm!"

She pushed to the side just in time, but I spun around for another try. 

She spun as well, her left leg arcing through the air.

"VMMMMMMMMM!"

Her force-enhanced kick contained a massive amount of telekinetic energy, crashing into my torso  with the might of a swollen river.

I winced, sensing possible bruising in my ribs... and yet moved my arm instinctively just after impact.

Like reaching from the bottom of a river basin, through the current... and gripping the source.

"Grab!"

Panic spread across Barriss's face as I snatched her ankle.

"BAM!" 

"Agh!"

In one fluid motion, I yanked her down to my level, and evened the score...

Driving my knee into her side.

As Barriss jumped back several paces, recovering while creating distance between us, I had a revelation.

'So that's it!' I thought to myself, grinning confidently.

I finally understood what Master Gallia had referred to.

Form VI was an amalgamation of every previous form. That was it's strength.

But it was also its weakness.

Ultimately, it was just a hollow imitation.

A shortcut.

Form VI could derive power from its contemporaries, but it could never truly reach their heights.

A true master of all seven forms was simply a better swordsman.

"Tap! Tap! Tap!"

I rushed Barriss again, the same as before.

"Vmmmm!" "Vmmmm!" "Vmmmmmm!"

Repeated force pushes, the same as before...

I knew what came next.

"Vmmmmm!"

Once again, my footing was suddenly yanked out from under me. Only, this time... I anticipated it.

Just as I began to tumble, I dove, and rolled through the fall.

I ended up crouched, meters from Barriss's feet, peering up at her utter shock.

Intuitivally, she entered a protective stance...

A mistake.

Lightsaber Form I, Shii Cho: Crescendo

My indigo saber roared skyward, and I let loose a powerful upswing that devastated Barriss's guard.

Liberated from her grip by my strike, her saber sailed through the air.

Thinking quickly, Barriss yanked her weapon down to earth, back toward her hand...

Or, she tried to.

"Woooooosh!"

I leapt first, seizing the saber with a midair catch.

With that, my victory was complete.

"Come on, Barriss... have you been slacking?" Ahsoka jeered from the sidelines.

"Maybe I'm just not much of a fighter." she snorted in return. "...And I prefer to focus on other things."

"Thanks for sparring, Barriss." I interjected impatiently, looking over to my master. "I think we'll be going now. Wait, actually, Barriss... could I have a word with you?"

Ahsoka POV

After (y/n) and Master Gallia took their leave, Barriss and I began a sparring session of our own. Master Allie left after the second bout, and we went a few more rounds before calling it a day.

"Any plans for the evening?" I pried, wiping the sweat off of my brow.

"I have somewhere to go first, but I was going to go back Madame Nexu's after..." Barriss mumbled meekly. "I liked those earrings, the yellow ones..."

"You didn't even get your ears pierced last time, you were too scared to!" I laughed in disbelief. "So how are you going to manage that?"

"Yeah, about that..." Barriss voiced, squirming anxiously.

"Yeah...?" I asked calmly. "Come on, spit it out."

"Could you pierce them for me, Ahsoka?" she requested. "Please?"

"Yeah!" I accepted without hesitation. "Of course!"

(y/n) POV

https://youtu.be/J0x_JK0VfIc

Before I knew it, I was outside a thin curtain of energy... face to face with Grievous.

General Grievous, incarcerated. 

"So, you came... (y/n) (l/n)." the disgraced general remarked, intrigued. "Ingmal."

"I will speak with you." I stated, holding up a finger. "But under one condition."

"Fine then." Grievous grumbled, irked. "Ask away."

"After this, you'll see someone else." I ordered. "And you'll hear them out."

The broken warrior angled frame away from me for a moment, considering the proposal. Eventually, he turned to face me again, his mask tinted with red shadow. 

"You're strong, but you don't fight like a Jedi, which begs the question..." Grievous commented, peering through the crimson veil that separated us. "Why do you want to be one...?"

"Doesn't seem very relevant." I shrugged, unfazed.

"It's exceedingly relevant. That is... if you want to extract anything marginally useful out of me." the cyborg pushed. "I'll honor your request, but only if you answer my question."

"Hmph, fine." I groaned, fidgeting with my padawan braid. "What was the question, again?"

In all honesty, I'd heard the question perfectly fine. 

In fact, I'd been asking myself the exact same thing lately.

"Why do you want to become a Jedi...!?" the Kaleesh warrior boomed with conviction.

"I don't know!" I snapped, frustrated. "It's... all I've ever worked toward. There, happy?"

"Hehe..." Grievous chuckled, satisfied with my admission. "Unsurprising, although... it seems you've been conscious of that for a while."

"As you probably guessed from our fight..." I began, glaring at the droid general. "My 'Jedi powers' aren't really up to snuff, compared to my peers anyway."

"And you utilized that blindness of mine to great effect; you have a warrior's cunning." Grievous noted. "Still, I wasn't just talking about appearances."

"Enough small talk, I answered your question." I spat . "Now you're going to answer mine."

"That depends." the cyborg sneered, eagerly listening. 

"Who do you take orders from?"  I grumbled, repeating the inquiry the council had given me.

"If you must know who I take orders from, aside from Count Dooku..." Grievous mused, feigning effort. "There is another."

"Who, then?" I pushed, keen on ending this as soon as possible. 

"Who, indeed..." Grievous stretched.

"I already knew you loved running away..." I chuckled spitefully. "I didn't know that applied to answering questions too, though."

"You can mock me, Jedi runt, as all your kind do...  or you can choose to accept what is."  Grievous growled. "The first law of nature is this: when you're outnumbered, you run. You'll learn that soon enough." 

"Of course, of course." I agreed ironically. "And then you go after padawans, but still loose anyway."

"Hilarious, but It's something I've experienced myself... a universal truth in every stage of life..." Grievous furthered, initiating a monologue.

Grievous POV

"In the heat of battle, when everything comes to ruination..."

"The walls close around you, and you find yourself alone... surrounded... the enemy fast approaching..."

"The agonizing pain in your wound intensifies... it throbs violently as your suffering reaches a climax..."

"You feel a familiar pounding in your chest, and steel yourself, preparing for the fight... a burning, heartfelt hatred coursing through your veins."

"Suddenly, it starts to set in... slowly."

"As the enemy surrounds you, so does a crushing sense of hopelessness."

"That relentless pounding  shifts from anger, to fear..."

"And then you realize..."

"You realize that there's nothing you can do... but run."

"When that moment presents itself, don't hesitate."

"...Run!"

"Run...! You must run!"

"Run as if your life hangs in the balance, because it does."

 "Run to live!"

"Live to see the sun rise again."

"Live to see tomorrow."

"Live to see the future..."

"Where, hopefully... you'll get another chance."

...

"Phew!"

When my speech resolved, (y/n) (l/n) sighed with relief.

He appeared bored of the whole ordeal.

Evidently, he had yet to experience the terrible reality of what I'd just told him.

"I'll..." the budding Jedi declared, hesitating. "...Try to keep all of that in mind. Are you going to answer my question now?"

"heheheHEHEHE!"

I roared with laughter for a split second.

"Sidious." I answered simply. "I answer to Lord Sidious."

"Finally." (y/n) groaned. "Lord Sidious... who are they, and what do they want?"

"Not even I truly know the answer to that." I remarked ominously. "You'll have to learn that yourself."

"Fine then, thanks for the... lecture or whatever." the young Jedi thanked unenthusiastically. "Don't forget about your next visitor."

"Wait, (y/n)!" I yelled desperately, enjoying the dialogue too much for it to end so soon.

"You're running on borrowed time, hunchback." the runt groaned, fiddling with his padawan braid again. 

"Ingmal... I said it when you arrived." I repeated. "Don't you want to know what it means?"

"You're going to tell me either way, so spit it out." he grumbled, peeking at his watch.

"My people said it as a hunting cry... a hope for good fortune." I revealed proudly. "You can see it as another phrasing of 'good luck...' though that doesn't do it justice. It's a call for protection, a fervent wish that the gods watch over you even through the world's end."

"Sounds too nice for you... why'd you say it to me?" he sputtered, bewildered.

"Because you're the first 'Jedi' who truly, undeniably defeated me." I stated conclusively. "You may never admit it to yourself, but you're no Jedi... the way you carry yourself betrays that."

"Interesting... but I think we're about done here." (y/n) finally declared, turning around.

 "You have the burning, furious spirit of a warrior! Never let them snuff out those flames!" I shouted after him desperately. "The galaxy will try to move you along, deceive you into thinking you never felt those feelings... but you must hold onto them, or else they never meant anything!"

"Leaving now." he stated, gritting his teeth. 

"In this eternal, treacherous galaxy, (y/n) (l/n)..." I stated, a final warning. "You must nurture your own hope, and see it to its conclusion... don't leave that hope in anyone else's hands."

"Yeah, sure." he agreed sarcastically. "Don't trust anyone, got it."

"Farewell, (y/n) (l/n)." I bid the naive warrior. "Ingmal."

After he left, it wasn't long before my next visitor arrived.

And oh... what a surprise she was.

Barriss POV

As I made my way through the Central Detention Center - steadily traveling to the block that housed the most maximum of maximum security cells - the lighting grew darker and darker.

My calm, bleak resolve surprised even myself. 

Reaching the final stretch, I strode between several somber council members, defying their attempts at eye contact. 

Master Gallia in particular... she was positively tranfixed by my strange composure.

I passed by (y/n) at the entrance, gave him a nod, and then I was standing in front of the red veil.

https://youtu.be/zxff6wp7HQY

"You...? Hehe..." the droid general chuckled, recognition flashing in his eyes. "HehehehHEEHEHEHEehehHEHEHEHE!"

"I guess I don't need to introduce myself..." I trailed off, unnerved by Grievous's fit of raspy laughter.

"What do you want from me, Jedi runt?" the cyborg snarled, his amusement ebbing. "Vengeance? For your... master?"

"No, not that." I denied glumly, clenching my fist.

"Hehe... you lie." Grievous chuckled knowingly. "I don't need the force to feel your hate, child."

My lip trembled, and I glared at the droid general with such intensity that blaster bolts could've shot out of my pupils.

"...OF COURSE I hate you!! I... I loathe you... so much! Why wouldn't I?!" I shouted, my sudden outburst catching Grievous off guard. "But... look where that's gotten you. I don't... I don't want to become that."

"Then I'll ask again, what... do you want... from me...?!" Grievous growled, seemingly offended. "Do you want to know why I killed her? It's rather simple."

"No, I know the plight of your people." I revealed, my temper simmering. "The Kaleesh... the Yam'rii... the war..."

"The Huk..." Grievous corrected with a whisper, his voice crackling with despair. "Maybe you think you know... fool. You didn't live it."

"Really, I do. I can feel your pain..." I murmured, staring into the former warlord's eyes. "I finally understand it now."

"Clang!"

"You think you understand? Hehe... no...!" the cyborg spat, slashing his cell's walls with his metal claws. "When I finish wiping the blight of the Jedi from this galaxy, when you're left as the last... only then will you understand."

I shivered, shaken by his sorrowful rage.

...But I wouldn't back down... I wouldn't disappear into the background. ..I wouldn't allow my thoughts to become afterthoughts. Not anymore.

"Luminara was barely a Knight back then, she didn't have any input! " I defended, my intensity returning. "In fact, she always looked back on that crisis with regret..."

"A weak rationalization... almost as weak as her conviction." Grievous murmured. "If you speak the truth, then surely she must have become more critical of the council in her later years...?"

"I... I think..." I started, freezing up as I realized how untrue that really was. "Still, you would even blame the children of your enemies?"

"Yes... you speak to me as if I'm one of your Coruscanti citizens, roaming the streets..." he replied simply, without remorse. "But my people did not make the same distinctions you do... we believed everyone was a combatant."

"Sure... but were your wars funded by megacorporations?" I seethed. "Were your people mere mercenaries?"

Grievous went silent. Evidently, I'd struck a nerve.

"I was born into war... for the Kaleesh, it was a way of life." he muttered distantly. "Not a means for profit."

"And that's all it is now, surely you can see that it's the same on your side!" I pleaded. "Nobody seems to notice... maybe they need to."

"Hehe! Haven't I made it clear already...?" the cyborg snorted, disinterested. "...That I find your politics so irritating..."

"Yet, somehow... I know you can understand what I'm saying." I insisted confidently. "Maybe you even agree."

"Your words do ring true, but now... those are simply distractions to my ultimate purpose. My conviction solidified a long time ago, and I abandoned diplomacy even before that." Grievous bellowed, glowering down at me from his cell. "If there's one thing I've learned about you Jedi... It's that you don't listen. So... why should I?"

"I don't disagree..." I admitted, the council coming to mind. "...How can I get them to listen?" 

"You can't." Grievous asserted cynically. "Reflection always comes too late... when the bombs are at one's doorstep."

...

I knew it.

I gulped, blinking a few times as I remembered the droid general's last stand.

The shining resolve... the nanodroids. 

"I'll remember that." I nodded earnestly.

I saw myself out before the vengeful cyborg could comment further.

Of course.

Of course it was never that easy.

To truly show everyone the pain of the clone war... the futility of it...

I'd have to demand their attention.

...Reveal how deeply it had corrupted one of their own.

The Next Day

(y/n) POV

Citizens covered every square meter of Coruscant.

The streets morphed into broad rivers, each resident a singular droplet of water in the current.

What was the occasion for this convergence? ...A celebration.

A parade to honor the apprehension of the feared, infamous separatist commander, General Grievous.

Between the skyscrapers, fleets of festive repulsorcrafts parted the crowds, slowly journeying throught the streets.

"Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!"

"WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOH!"

"YAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

The masses clapped and cheered, yelling with a boisterous delight that resonated with the entire planet.

"Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap! Clap!"

I clapped alongside them, casually reveling in feelings of self-achievement alone.

Burst's rough hands stayed silent.

"Why?" the veteran ARC-trooper asked cryptically, standing next to me.

"Hm?" I muttered, confused. 

"Why clap?" he clarified. "Why celebrate at all?"

"Just got caught up in it I guess." I shrugged. "Why not? What's the big deal?"

"Don't forget... it was our, but mostly your victory... yet you're not up there." Burst pointed out.

"To be honest, that doesn't really matter to me... at least, not anymore." I admitted, having risen above my thirst for validation. "I never needed the praise."

Burst nodded, accepting my mindset... but he wasn't done.

"Either way, they took the credit. They weren't modest about it, and they know a Jedi won't push back... because you're supposed to be unselfish." he insisted, angered. "That's all they really do: spin the efforts of others as their own. Meanwhile, they bicker in their big chamber, removed from it all while we die on the front lines."

"Well, when you put it that way... I agree with you." I trailed off as the chancellor's repulsorcraft drifted into view. "They didn't legislate anything for Irisella worth celebrating, did they?"

"It's all just a show." Burst scoffed. "Nothing ever changes."

"It's almost like... the war won't ever end." I speculated. "Not until someone, whoever they are, is ready for it to end."

"Agreed, but it's not as simple as someone, kid." Burst added. "Think of how many credits the Kaminoans got for growing me in a tube. Those lanky bastards... with their grubby, stringy hands..."

"Then think about RHE and Irisella, and however many other factories they have running..." I replied, building upon his point.

"Now you're getting it." Burst nodded, glowering. "There's too much money to be made in this war. As long as the companies and senators can keep filling their pockets, why would they want it to end?"

"They wouldn't... I don't think it's every senator, though." I specified, thinking of Padme.

"Maybe there's some good ones." Burst conceded, something to the left catching his eye.

"But, I guess it only takes a few greedy scumbags..." I continued, shaking my head. "To ruin it for all of us... but there is one good thing that came from the war..."

"First I've heard of it. I'm all ears, kid." the trooper scoffed, intrigued. "I'm all ears, kid."

"Well, if not for the war, I would've never met you." I grinned. "You wouldn't even exist."

"Yeah..." Burst muttered, staring at the ground. "Yeah... thanks."

"Anyway, continue what you were saying." I urged, perplexed by my friend's strange reaction.

"The truth is... it was never between the republic and the CIS, not really... " the jaded soldier whispered, gritting his teeth as the chancellor's vessel approached our spot. "The people who sold the blasters, tanks, gunships, and me... they already won a long time ago, and everyone else lost."

...

"Tap! Tap! Tap!"

Without warning, Burst sprinted into the the middle of the street, headed straight for Chancellor Palpatine's repulsorcraft.

"No...! Wha-" I cried out, horrified. "BURST!!!!"

In an instant, more than fifty DC-15x sniper rifles were trained on the rogue clone. 

Palpatine's personal guard of clone troopers.

"STAND DOWN, TROOPER!" the captain. "STEP AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE!"

Burst threw up his hands, but refused to stray from his path, climbing up the side of the hovercraft.

I watched helplessly.

In mere moments, the unruly soldier was atop the vessel, dozens of blasters still aimed directly at him.

The only reason he was still alive... was the orders of one man.

"Now, now...!" the chancellor commanded his guard with a hand wave. "Allow him to speak."

The cheers died out abruptly, and Burst stood in silence for several moments, paralyzed.

Maybe he hadn't expected to still be alive.

"After the war, sir... what will happen to us clones?" Burst finally asked. "Will we receive compensation?"

"Hmmmm..." Chancellor Palpatine hummed pensively as the crowd waited in anticipation. "Young man, would you please tell me your name?"

"It's Burst, sir." Burst introduced hesitantly. "Should I repeat the question?"

"No, I struggle to answer your question... Burst." Palpatine confessed, deep in thought. 

"Respectfully sir, why?" Burst pushed, unabashedly pressing the chancellor of the galactic republic. "It's a simple yes or no."

Chancellor Palpatine smiled solemnly. 

"I struggle, Burst, because I feel that any sort of answer I could give would be an insult to you." he explained gently. "For what compensation could ever amount to your sacrifice?" 

"Y-you..." Burst stuttered, suddenly overwhelmed with emotion. "You overstate me, sir."

"Nonsense, nonsense... it's entirely deserved." Palpatine asserted. "I... was initially hesitant to enlist the help of you troopers, it was so sudden... and it didn't sit right with me."

Burst squinted, hanging on to the chancellor's every word.

"However, I must confess..." Palpatine continued. "You arrived in our time of need."

Burst listened intently. 

"Without you, the republic would have surely fallen by now." the Palpatine finally declared, gracing Burst with a rigid salute. "You saved us, Burst. You, and all of your brothers."

"Thank you. Thank you... sir." Burst choked out, just as the audience burst into an uproar of applause as the chancellor's speech concluded.

"As for what you courageous men will be rewarded with..." Palpatine encouraged warmly, waiting for the crowd's volume to die down. "Within my power... anything that you so desire, brave soldier." 

Still observing from the sidelines, a tidal wave of relief washed over me.

'At least nothing bad happened.' I decided, elated that Burst had found some sort of affirmation.

https://youtu.be/9ZBihl6gk4c

'Your friend was quite insightful.' the Son suddenly whispered, high praise from him. 'And he was so close... SO CLOSE to the truth.'

"Oh?" I stated, unbothered. "But still off, eh?"

'You were closer.' the winged ghost revealed.

"Regarding...?" I questioned, admittedly curious. "Seriously, spit it out."

'About someone - a shadow emperor - manipulating EVERYTHING.' the Son clarified, snickering at my interest.

"The one who will bring the darkness?" I surmised, recalling the Son's previous cryptic omens. "Who are they, this emperor?"

'An envoy of the end.' the Son murmured. 'The end of the war, and yet... the beginning of something much more sinister.'

"Sounds like you." I grumbled. "And what a vague nothing of an answer. I guess you're just one of those types."

'I may be chained to you, my knowledge remains solely my own.' the Son snickered.

"You have no idea, do you?" I laughed suddenly, grasping an epiphany. "You don't even know who it is...!"

'I have SEEN the future, fool!' the tiny bat roared, fluttering around my head. 'Caressed the very pages of fate with my hands! Divulged its contents to the chosen one!'

"Sure, sure. Still, I don't think you saw everything. Maybe flashes of images, a silhouette..." I stated confidently, satisfied with the revelation. "I suppose the shroud of shadows surrounding this emperor is too dark for even you to see through."

Adi POV

Thousands of republic officials paraded through the streets, riding aboard their lavish, luxurious hovercrafts. 

The occasional senator passed by.

Vaguely watching the procession file by from a nearby rooftop,  I stood above hollow festivities and empty promises.

Try as I did, I couldn't dispel the image of Barriss Offee's grief-induced gloom from my mind.

Her miserable expression had inspired several thoughts.

If, by chance... I left the realm of the living one day...

'And leave your student behind?' Burst suddenly berated from my subconcious.

Yes, precisely that. 

If, by chance... I parted with the living one day, with (y/n)...

Surely he would bear the same expression.

 It was inevitable of course, a certainty I'd never bothered to give any thought.

Until now...

That aside, another issue was plaguing my mind.

"Grievous spoke of someone called Lord Sidious." 

When (y/n) dropped that revelation on the council, our faces fell faster than Chancellor Valorum from grace.

In an instant, a deep unease returned to all of us.

Because, of course, it wasn't the first time we'd heard of the one called Sidious.

The Sith... revived inexplicably after millenia of extinction.

Darth Maul, Count Dooku, Asajj Ventress, Savage Opress...

So many malevolent forces had appeared in the last decade.

There were always two Sith at a time, and no more. That rule was absolute.

A master and apprentice. But who was the true master?

Below me, the chancellor's repulsorcraft came into view, momentarily derailing my hovertrain of thought.

Draped in his silky, red robes, Chancellor Palpatine waved enthusiastically to the masses. The fatigue of warfare had done little to temper his warm demeanor. If anything, his excrutiating, oblivious optimism had grown.

Well, perhaps the people needed that in such turbulent times.

So many possibilities...

Dooku's age and wisdom - as well as his indisputable prowess - certainly suggested that he might be the true Dark Lord of the Sith.

However, the timeline was incomplete... we'd always known that.

When a young Obi-wan Kenobi slew Darth Maul, Count Dooku was still an active Jedi Master. Of course, there was always the possibility that Dooku had fallen before he officially renounced the way of the Jedi...

And yet, the despair he showed when he learned of the passing of his old padawan, Qui-gon Jinn... it seemed far too real for him to have orchestrated Jinn's death.

Thus, all logic brought me back to the beginning.

Who was the true Sith Lord?

Was it this mysterious Sidious? Or was Sidious a bluff?

Did they pull us into this farcical cycle of bloodshed?

Did they truly command the Senate from the shadows, just as Dooku had hinted to Master Kenobi on Geonosis?

That could have been a bluff, merely a lie to sow distrust... it certainly wasn't out of the question, however.

Truthfully, I didn't think the Senate even needed a shadow leader to plant seeds of corruption, for the roots of blight and decay were already there... entombed several kilometers beneath the chamber floor.

Ultimately, I was nothing more than one of a diseased tree's many branches.

I bowed my head, staring at my sheathed lightsaber as my hands quivered with doubt. 

...

'I'm faced with two choices.' 

'On one hand, I can give up... do nothing. On the other, I can continue supporting an institution I no longer believe in.'

'Either way, evil wins.'

'Regardless...'

'Somewhere out there, there's a phantom Sith Lord.' 

'Hiding... scheming.'

3rd Person

https://youtu.be/oDUAWW4fgt8

Far across the galaxy, within the Outer Rim...

Lotho Minor.

Dubbed 'The Junk World.'

The galaxy's landfill.

A repulsive planet, littered with towering mountains of garbage and forgotten memories.

Home of the lost... those discarded by even the hands of fate.

Within a trash-lined cave dwelled one of those buried exiles.

"Click. Clack. Click. Clack. Clack. Click."

The dreadful scraping of six metal appendages.

"K... k... e...e"

Delirious, repetitive mutterings of insanity.

"K... ke...e..."

The mutterings of a madman... clawing at his grimy face.

A horned madman... with crimson, blackened skin... and frenzied, yellow eyes.

"K...k...e...n"

... 

His mind had long since been consumed by one thing...

"Kenobi..."