Chancellor Palpatine drummed his fingers on his desk in his secure bunker.

  “What has the Republic's response been to the attack, of Republic Intelligence?” He asked Mas Amedda, “And what of the Senate?”

  “They are still looking for the perpetrator,” Mas Amedda said, “Even our less reputable sources don’t seem to have any idea who was behind the explosion. The attack was sophisticated, it is odd that they managed to completely destroy your office yet missed you in the attack.”

  “They didn’t miss,” Palpatine replied as his fingers stopped moving for a moment before resuming as he frowned and stared up at nothing as he pondered, “My abilities warned me and I delayed my return. If I had indeed been who I appear to be then I would have been in that office according to my schedule. But you’re right, even with that… It’s both too sophisticated and too amateur. Such a weak attack would…”

  Mas Amedda looked at his communicator and his eyebrows rose slightly as he read the message.

  “What?” Palpatine said, interrupting his thoughts as he saw the change in his aides' stance.

  “There’s been another explosion. The abandoned industrial complex in Sector Five of the Works. It’s unclear if it’s an accident or another attack, but there is only one thing of value in that place… Something so sensitive that you didn’t wish to record it in any other place.”

  Palpatine’s eyes widened and his hand tightened into a fist.

  “Dooku…” he hissed, “My recordings of our messages, all of my blackmail on him… Destroyed. My private facility in the works is the only thing that could be targeted in that rusting wasteland. That’s what he was after. He’s betrayed me… How disappointing. We will have to swiftly deal with him before he makes his next moves. We’ll have to delay the grand plan for now and find a new figurehead to lead the CIS in his place. Call…”

  Their conversation continued as Lord Sidious’ mind raced as all the dominos and pawns in his grand design suddenly shifted and changed now that Dooku had decided to betray him for some unknown reason. In training Dooku in the dark arts, Sidious had felt his mind and the rage within him burning against the Jedi. And Lord Sidious had proved his superiority over his apprentice many times both in his manipulations and with raw power. He had shown his apprentice how a clash between them would truly play out.

  Such a shame, everything had almost been in place. Only another year or two and Sidious could have started the great galactic civil war and entered the last phases of his plans to eliminate the Jedi and crown himself supreme ruler of the whole galaxy.

  Was this connected somehow to Skywalker coming to Coruscant only two months ago? Dooku had informed him of the reasoning, to sway some friendly Jedi to the CIS cause and create a rift in the Jedi Order.

  But given the betrayal, perhaps there might be other secret reasons that the boy had come here…

  With Dooku betraying him, the boy must be brought under Sidious’ banner under all costs. He’d grown lax these last few years, too busy solidifying his political hold over the Republic, and leaving dealing with the boy to later. Whether the boy was placed directly under his care, or given a sponsor more pliable to Sidious’ influence…

  Dooku would pay for his defiance. And the boy would be brought under Sidious’ more direct influence to correct his previous mistake.

  He went to sleep still in his bunker, and Mas Amedda left to assure the Senate about his safety. The bunker was highly shielded and he didn’t have any secure devices to send messages with. All the governmental devices used had a secret backdoor that he frequently used for information gathering, and recorded all conversations that took place around them. He couldn’t allow any recordings of his true self leak in such a way, so he was without a communicator besides the secured one, without the spy program, that Mas Amedda possessed.

  The next morning, Lord Sidious immediately noticed how tense the man was as he walked through the front door after Sidious allowed him entry.

  “Lord Sidious? There’s been… Dooku has made his next move,” Mas Amedda said in shock as his communicator started buzzing furiously, practically vibrating out of his hand from all of the notifications stacked one after another.

  “What has he done?”

  “He… Has initiated the galactic civil war,” Mas Amedda said gravely, “Hours ago. He has sent a message to the Senate. I have it here. I was barely able to get away from the pandemonium of the Senate in all this time. Even now the Senators are demanding for me to return and attempt to bring some semblance of order to the Chamber.”

  He navigated through his device for a few seconds before pressing a final button and bringing up a frozen holographic projection from the top of the device. The man looked no smaller than Sidious’ hand, and he leaned forward to inspect the frozen visage of the Count.

  “Play it,” he ordered without a glance at his aide.

  Dooku’s hologram unfroze and the message started playing.

  “People of the Republic,” Dooku began, his posture refined and stiff, “Today is a sad day for us all. A day that can end in peace, yet which unfortunately I do not believe will. Today, the outer rim stands for our independence from the dying Republic. Corrupt and bloated, the core worlds hungrily exploit the rest of the galaxy with no care for all the pain and suffering they bring to us and our people. The Republic always tells us, its citizens, that it stands for Justice and Peace. Represents all worlds in its grand Senate halls. Yet this is a lie, and all know it. The Senate represents only the Core worlds and their interests alone, and it has been that way for generations and generations. Even the smallest efforts to reverse the rampant greed and exploitation have been shot down without even the smallest considerations by the Senate. Completely dismissed from the Senate floor without cause.

  “So it’s with a heavy heart and yet hope for the future that I announce the formation of the Confederation of Independent Systems. And the formation of a Senate of our very own on the planet of Raxus. A Senate that will represent our interests, our values, our goals. We have seen in the occupation of Hutt space that the Republic doesn’t hold to even the thinnest veneer of the values that they claim to uphold. Only tyranny and injustice mark the Republic’s occupation and policies there. But I ask them to pretend to uphold their own values one last time. Let the Confederation of Independent Systems leave this Republic peacefully and quietly. But be warned that if it comes to conflict then we are prepared to defend ourselves from any Republic aggression… through the power of our wallets… Or blasters if need be. Let this be a happy day for all people of the Outer Rim, where we can free ourselves from the greedy grasping hands of the Core Worlds at last.”

  “He… He started it?” Sidious said in shock, rooted to his chair, “How? My allies, his ranks were completely infiltrated with my people in the CIS. How did he…”

  “That is the second crisis,” Mas Amedda said. Lord Sidious resisted the urge to strangle the man for a moment for daring to interrupt him, but settled down and allowed the slight impertinence without punishment given the tense situation.

  “Tens, maybe even hundreds of thousands of officials and prominent members of the newly founded CIS all across the galaxy have just been assassinated almost in sync. The new CIS Senate on Raxus is blaming the Republic, and our Senate is not doing much to assure them of their innocence. Instead they are braying for blood and for sending the military to quash the rebellion at once. All of those assassinated… They were all our people either directly or indirectly. Dooku has initiated a full purge, even of the highest leaders loyal to you. The methods were as varied as the number of those killed, but nothing has come back implicating Dooku or any of his allies for it yet from what I've been told. We still have some minor assets left in the CIS, but all of the senior command and Raxus Senators are now his. At least the seventy percent of them or so that are left after the purge, that is. A clean and brutal strike from Dooku has eliminated them all at once."

  Sidious froze as all of his elaborate plans screeched to a slamming halt. This… He had underestimated Dooku. The man had seized full control of the CIS. And deceived Lord Sidious himself to create this massive surprise and coordinate it all without his knowledge. The announcement must have been kept secret but several core worlds and the others more aligned to Sidious given more vague warnings, thinking the split was still several years off like Sidious had previously thought himself, rather than just a few short months… And now that it was announced and put out there in the galaxy, the allied worlds would be practically be forced to join in and succeed themselves or be declared traitors or cowards by the larger galactic CIS network.

  His mind raced as he recalculated and thought of his resources. Resources that were much diminished from only a few days ago. Dooku would surely be on the lookout for any attempts by Sidious to reestablish his influence in the CIS again after the purge. But he wasn’t a dark lord of the Sith for nothing. Despite Dooku’s brilliant moves in the opening play, he was no match to Sidious’ manipulation and power in the long term of the games in the shadows. Given time to recover and having now stopped underestimating the Count, he’d come out on top.

  Sidious’ lips curled into an ugly sneer.

  “If Dooku wants war, then we’ll give it to him. This is no longer a play. The Republic will crush Dooku and the CIS under its heel. We will have to activate some of my contingencies to handle him. Without me holding the Republic back, and my own assistance when needed, the Jedi and the Republic military will demolish the droid armies in no time. Our priority is destroying Dooku’s powerbase at all costs. We can not let him infest us like a festering wound, we must excise him quickly before he causes any more damage to my plans. Mas Amedda, guide the Senate to war. Whip them into a righteous frenzy. There will be war, and from its ashes I will rise ascendent despite this brief setback.”

  “Yes my lord, it will be done. Will that be all?”

  Sidious waved his hands dismissively and his aide left to follow his commands. Sidious leaned back into his chair. Dooku had no idea the kinds of resources that he had access to. With his full assistance, the Republic’s victory was assured.

  — — —

  Obi-wan watched the news on the screen, at the recording of Count Dooku’s message that had been playing over and over for the last few weeks. Back then he had thought after the attack, that that had been the extent of it. An assassination plot against the Chancellor, which had ultimately failed. But then the separatists… This had been what Anakin had been talking about, wasn’t it? Obi-wan was torn at the realization. He wanted to be angry, to feel betrayed by the separatists separating from the Republic that he held dear… But he couldn’t focus on that. Anakin’s words rang loudly in his head now. The Jedi would be drawn into war. Ahsoka would be drawn to war.

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  “Master Obi-wan?”

  He looked up to see a slightly nervous temple guard standing there.

  “The Council has asked to see you. They are gathered in their chamber waiting,” the man said.

  Obi-wan nodded and quickly calmed himself.

  “Hello, Grandmasters,” Obi-wan said calmly as he stood in the Council chambers a few minutes later, “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

  “Master Obi-wan. Thank you for coming,” Grandmaster Windu said, “I’m sure you already know that we’ve been working hard to determine how to best assist the Republic in restoring order to the galaxy over these last few weeks. These separatists have made early gains in the war, despite the loss of the majority of their leadership and new senators. Their droid technology and military might have surprised us all, and with so much of the Republic's standing military out in Hutt Space still overseeing the occupation and cut off from the hyperspace lanes back to the Core, the forces remaining in the heart of the Republic are being pushed back more and more by the day. Things are in dire straights for the Republic.”

  “I see,” Obi-wan said with a nod, “It’s a difficult situation.”

  “Indeed,” Windu said while eyeing Obi-wan almost with suspicion, “It has been decided that we Jedi will be taking the place of command in the Republic fleets. Alongside the traditional captains, paired with one of traditional military men with experience to provide us with advice and execute our strategies. Our strength in the Force will let us guide the Republic fleets to victory and give time for us to push back the CIS assault from getting farther than the mid rim of the galaxy. To hold the separatists back until the full might of the Republic is able to turn their way and lead to the Republic's victory. We only need to buy the Republic a few more months before the clone armies from Kamino can be instilled with loyalty to the Republic and democracy before we use their strength in this war.”

  “Command? For us? Is that wise? Will Republic Intelligence or the military even accept our orders?” Obi-wan asked, “Given the recent rumors and attitudes about us over these last few years, I don’t think they would be amenable. ”

  Windu waved his hand dismissively.

  “Perhaps. But they will follow orders, if reluctantly, for now, until they see our results. Our advantage in predicting enemy maneuvers is unmatched, and our abilities will give the Republic a key edge over the droid armies on the ground and in ship battles both. And I’ve been assured that the clones would be superior to droids in head to head combat when they arrive in their full numbers.

  "Regardless, to the reason that we’ve called you here for today. We have assignments for you and your padawan. She will be remaining here at the Temple. You will be heading the initial fleets to reseize the world of Christophsis. You leave first thing in the morning, we’ll send the details to your…”

  “No.”

  “Yes, that’s… What? What was that?” Mace Windu said sharply.

  “No. I will remain with my padawan. Here. I will not lead any Republic fleets in war. Not at this time. I refuse.”

  “I… That’s…” Windu stammered, seemingly genuinely shocked by Obi-wan’s refusal, “But it’s your duty! To the Republic, to democracy! How can you refuse when the Republic calls on us for aid?” the man leaned forward in his chair and squinted at Obi-wan, “What could be more important than assisting the Republic?”

  “I will remain in the Jedi temple,” Obi-wan said again as if he hadn’t heard Mace Windu’s question, “With my padawan. Is that all, or am I free to go?”

  Windu stared at the other members of the Council in disbelief before turning back to Obi-wan.

  “You have your orders. We’ve already assigned you a fleet to command. There is no need to be so stubborn, if I have to be so blunt about it then you are a Jedi and we are your Council. It’s your duty to follow our orders. The orders of the Republic.”

  “No. It is not. You may assign that fleet to somebody more willing to do so. Goodbye.”

  Obi-wan turned and without another word and left the room with his heart pounding in his chest despite his flat and calm expression and leisurely pace through the halls of the Jedi temple. Anakin had been right. The Jedi were being sent to war. And Obi-wan did indeed view it as his duty to go and defend the Republic. In fact, his obligation, to assist them in this war.

  But he had a greater duty to Ahsoka and her training. He couldn’t take her into war, and he also couldn’t leave her behind without him there to guide her. He had sworn to himself that her training would come above all other duties while he was still her master.

  Not even over his sworn duty to the Republic itself apparently, as he had just learned about himself a few minutes ago.

  None of his troubled thoughts showed on his face as he returned to the courtyards and observed a few of the padawans sparring with their forms. Ahsoka was there waiting on the sidelines and watching the others, waiting for her turn to spar with the older ones.

  This would be her training. Not the horrors of war, blood, death, and smoke choking her nostrils and clouding her mind.

  He would be there to correct her and teach her the proper path the whole way.

  He wouldn’t fail her like he had Anakin.

  — — —

  “Master, are you alright? You’ve seemed a little… Off for the last few weeks? Ever since the Council summoned you?”

  “I’m perfectly fine, Ahsoka,” Obi-wan said, “The situation with the war just weighs on me. The Jedi leading the fleets has brought balance and stopped the separatist’s offensive, but things are now in a stalemate. There is loss of life and much suffering that happens with every day that this dreadful war continues.”

  “I know, but isn't it our job to help stop it? To do our best to help?”

  “Maybe. But for now we must focus on your training. You will only worry about such things when you are a Jedi Knight and ready for such larger concerns. For now you must train and improve yourself under my teachings and in your classes here at the temple. There is no need to worry about the Republic's safety until then. I should hope that the war would be over far before you’d ever be old enough to have to fight in it.”

  Ahsoka hesitated and then looked away at the ground in shame.

  “Master, I— I have to admit something,” she said, mumbling a little as she kept looking down and not meeting his eyes.

  Obi-wan frowned, surprised by her sudden change in behavior.

  “I- I’ve been going on missions,” Ahsoka admitted, “I’m not supposed to tell you. The Council and the man from Republic Intelligence said it was top secret, and that no one could know, not even you. But I just… I don’t know. It felt wrong not telling you. I hope that I’m not going to get in trouble…”

  “Ahsoka, what kind of missions? When did this start?” Obi-wan asked sharply as his eyes bored into her.

  “It’s the… gang stuff,” Ahsoka said, “Separatist terrorists, like the one that tried to assassinate the Chancellor right before the war. I’ve had to skip a lot of my classes to make time for my missions, when I’m supposed to be learning. It hasn’t been too bad so far. Mostly I go along with a squad of disguised Republic soldiers and warn them if something feels wrong or might be a trap. I’ve only had to fight once, and everyone got away safe. Even if it was frightening having people shooting at me again. I blocked their blaster bolts with my lightsaber!”

  She mimed holding a lightsaber in front of her with a little smile, only for it to falter when she saw Obi-wan’s severe look as he stared at her.

  “When did this start? The Council ordered you to do this?”

  “It was two days after you met with the Council. So a while ago. And they just gave me the opportunity to help, not just ordering me to! Master, I understand that you want to help me train. But we’ve got to help the Republic win the war! I want to help, to be useful. That’s what being a Jedi is about.”

  Obi-wan sighed as he rubbed his temples as the determined girl looked up at him with an innocently proud expression. She hadn’t seen the horrors war yet. Luckily. It seems that even her encounter with the gangs had been largely bloodless despite her seemingly engaging in some minimal combat.

  “Thank you for telling me this, Ahsoka,” Obi-wan said seriously, “I know you want to help, I do too. But you’re not ready. You’re barely fifteen, my padawan. And the Council has vastly overstepped by going behind my back to let you do this. And even hiding it from me. I had no idea that you were not in your classes. From now on, you will not leave the temple. No more missions, and inform me if Republic Intelligence or the Council asks you to do anything else. I will deal with it.”

  “What? But master, I wasn’t supposed to tell you! Everyone would be disappointed in me if they knew!” she insisted, “I thought that you deserved to know, I wasn’t complaining. I’m sure that—”

  “We can discuss this in more depth at a later time,” Obi-wan interrupted, “I will make sure you’re not in trouble. Now, you may take this as some free time to spend with your fellow padawans. I now have some more pressing matters to now deal with instead of finishing our current lesson. Research our most recent defensive forms on your own for now and when we speak next we will discuss your findings on their similarities and differences from the others that you're already more familiar with.”

  “I understand, Master,” Ahsoka said, seeming to understand that he wouldn’t budge on the topic, “I just wanted to help. Isn’t this what I’ve been training for?”

  Obi-wan paused for a long moment.

  “Yes. I suppose it is. But still. Not yet. You have a few more years before you should have to face the ugliness of the galaxy so directly.”

  — — —

  “You have prepared her well for that kind of work, and we believe that she will do excellently in assisting the Republic in rooting out terrorists like the ones who attempted to assassinate the Chancellor. Already she saved that security team from being ambushed nearly a dozen times, and even when she didn’t catch it, managed to help them retreat without a single casualty on their side. Frankly, we’ve all been impressed with her talent. We were thinking of giving her more responsibilities despite her age,” Mace Windu said, a pleased smile on his face as he faced Obi-wan.

  “Grandmaster Yoda?” Obi-wan asked with a slightly pleading note.

  “Sorry for this deception, we are. But the padawan wished to help. Insisted in fact, she did. Who are we to deny her wishes?”

  “That’s- I apologize,” Obi-wan quickly cut himself off as he almost said something that he knew that he would regret later.

  “I protest me being kept in the dark about her missions. I am barring her from participating in any further such activities for the moment.”

  “You do not have that authority,” Windu said with a gleam in his eye, “We respected your decision to stay out of the war. It was done disrespectfully… But you were correct. It was up to your own personal choice to make such a decision if you truly wished to do so, not to us. The Council can admit that point. But now you must allow that same choice for your own padawan. She’s already agreed to assist. And I see no reason why you should be able to overrule her. Until she chooses to refuse of her own volition, she will continue in her new missions for the good of the Republic.”

  “I am her master. She is my padawan. Her safety, both physical and mental, is my responsibility. You know the kinds of things that we have seen on our missions as Jedi. Ahsoka isn’t ready to experience that level of darkness yet.”

  “She is needed for those missions. And it is good experience for her. She’ll come out of it as a more competent Jedi Knight than otherwise, and you don’t have the authority to stop her,” Windu said firmly, “Not unless she herself decides that she no longer wishes to do so. That is this Council's ruling.”

  “I am her master. I have the authority,” Obi-wan said firmly.

  The Council chamber was silent for a few moments as the rest of the Council sat there and didn’t respond.

  Windu glanced at the others around them and let out a heavy sigh.

  “One last chance, Obi-wan. It’s best for the padawan to go on these missions. As I've already said, it’s her own desire to go. Even if you are not upholding your duty to the Republic, let her uphold hers.”

  “No. Not until she’s fully trained. Until she’s no longer my apprentice.”

  “As you say,” Windu agreed, smiling in apparent victory, as if he had been waiting for those words from Obi wan.

  “So that’s why effective immediately, she is being transferred away from your care,” Windu continued, “She will take her accelerated Jedi trials in a few weeks and graduate into a full Jedi Knight. Given the war, she will skip most of the traditional trials and instead be tested directly by this Council for her competence. After which you will have no more responsibility towards her.”

  Obi-wan saw Windu’s smirk and knew what this was. It was all a ploy. Everyone here knew that while talented, Ahsoka wasn’t quite to the level of a full Jedi knight just yet. The only way she’d pass the trials was if the Council allowed her to do so by rigging them, at least a little, in her favor.

  They were doing it again, the same thing they had done with Anakin. Overruling Obi wan so they could do what they wished with his padawan.

  He wouldn’t allow it.

  “I understand,” he replied neutrally, “I will take my leave then. Good day.”

  No one stopped him as he left the room.

  Obi-wan… Would have to take some drastic measures.

  He’d have to call Anakin.