Saga Moments in Time--AU post-ROTS vignettes. 16: Conclusion. Anakin and Mara's first real mission

Wow... this is a great AU, Arcalian! Mara is now Anakin's Padawan, the Jedi are gaining their own representative within the Senate in Bariss Offee, the Sith are creating their own Order and moving beyond the Rule of Two so that they may compete with the Jedi, and the Jedi Order itself is slowly beginning to change. This is awesome! Very cool!

Out of curiosity, just how old is Mara? Is she at a younger age than when most children are taken as Padawans, as Anakin was? The normal age is around thirteen, but there have been exceptions made...

Again, excellent job! Can't wait for more!

AQ

 

Now I completely get why you wanted to quote that piece, Arcalian!!

I really enjoyed this post! As always, the writing is great and the characters are honed. But in this post, you've extended your skills into that special place that makes writing great--deep thought!

My personal favorite line: As always, we must balance the lightsaber and the open hand. Each will be needed again. Now that the war is over, the balance between the two methods shall be restored. And you, my apprentice, shall be an active part thereof

All that, and you still manage to advance a plot point. I knew I liked you for a reason!!!


Great job!!

 

Hyperion: Anakin will take the last seat of the council at the beginning of the "Droid Uprising" story. As for a relationship with Aayla Secura, what's to say? There's a reason lots of us are Fanboys of her. If she were real and I weren't already committed to a wonderful woman, I'd "pursue a relationship" with her too!

Angel Queen: Mara is a bout 3-ish. And yes, it was a special case, based entirely on her early traning by Sidious and the fact that it was decided to make her Padawan to Anakin.

Souderwan: *bows* What can I say? You and Skywalker inspire me.

 

Well done! I've always enjoyed those two they do work so great together! Wow making her the Senate Rep is definitely coooool! Can't wait for more! Great job!

 

Even though the Jedi now have a man, or in this case, a woman in the Senate, what exactly will Barriss and whoever takes the job down the line be doing? Will she be a regular Senator like Padme, Bail Organa, and the 10,000 other Senators, or will she be someone that works as an aid to Gram Bel Iblis, sort of like Mas Amadas(sp?) or Sly Moore where for Palpatine?

 

Good update! I think the council has made a wise decision in their representative. As always, you continue to advance the plot beautifully.

 

Barriss...nice choice for the Representative. I was expecting Obi-Wan, myself.

Say, I wonder if the Sith get a Senatorial Representative, too?

 

Well, Kudzu, I don't think so, since the Sith tried to destory the Republic in the past .

 

Bariss looks like a pretty good choice as representative. Nice post! I liked seeing the two together. What a crazy world, but very plausible situation.

 

His title was Swordsman Shavar, but amongst the clones he was something more than that now.

He was a Hero.

The Clones had their own heirarchy, based on the ranks and training they had been given. ARCs were at the top, trained by the late, great Jango Fett himself. Then came the ordinary military ranks. Shavar had been at the bottom of those, a common trooper. But he had the eye of the Jedi, and being trained in lightsaber combat was something that had never happened before to a clone. Several ARCs were now in line to recieve such training, but none had seen action in the field with the weapon as he had. In prestige, if not rank, it put him just below the ARCs. Some saw him as their unnoficial leader, and certainly he was their official bridge to the Jedi.

The ARCs, on the other hand, while not exactly envious, did resent how he had, in their minds, been "promoted over" them. Pressure of circumstances and nothing else, he had asured his brothers. Any trooper would have done the same, particularly an ARC.

That was not strictly true, of course. Clones had differing degrees of intelligence and initiative; not even the Cloning tanks of Kamino could make any two clones come out exactly alike. It had been he, and not any of the other three clones involved with the Dooku Capture, as the Clones now called it, who had stepped forward to speak to the Jedi that day. And he would always be the First Swordsman.

But today was not a day for Saber practice. Today was a very important visitor to Chancellor Bel Iblis. Even the most put out amongst the ARCS agreed that he was the one for this mission.

Clones did not generally think about the Orders, but this one had, of course, been of great concern to the Jedi. Since now the one who would have benefitted from the Order were dead, Shavar reasoned, there was no cause to worry it would ever be called for. But both the Jedi and the Chancellor had something no clone, not even Shavar, had; an eye on the long term future.

Shavar had become a most unusual specialist, for a clone. But he was still a clone for all that, and was still subject to the Orders.

So it was that he came before Chancellor Garm Bel Iblis. He saluted formally.

"Greetings, Swordsman Shavar. Please do sit down." Bel Iblis' chamber was much smaller than Palpatine's had been, richly carpeted and tapestried in blue and gold shades. Shavar sat, somewhat awkwardly, in the most plush chair he'd ever used in his life. "The order has already been modified for every new clone coming out of Kamino. But those in active service, such as yourself, require direct alteration of commands. This new version of the Order will be put into effect today. I am giving the program to you, to put into the Clone Order database. It could have been done by electronic transfer, or by any clone. But you have perhaps a more personal motivation in this matter, I think?"

"Any clone would place the reprogrammed order into the database, sir," Shavar answered. "But it is true that I will draw....a certain satisfaction from this."

Bel Iblis nodded and handed him the datapad. Shavar already knew what it said, but read it anyway.

Order 66 (modified): Any Jedi who threatens the security of the Republic is to be captured and held, preferably with the assistance of loyal Jedi, for interrogation and questioning about their actions against the Repbulic. Any execution, should it prove neccesary, will be peformed by another Jedi. In the event no loyal Jedi is present, the target will be stunned and kept sedated until a loyal Jedi can be reached.

The Jedi Council and the Chancellor had agreed on the rewording of the Order. It had been one of many things that had been discussed in the long night session between them in the Jedi temple. Shavar had not been present for that, but as one of the few clones who knew the truth about Palpatine, he had heard about it.

"I will see to it the new order is programmed in," Shavar said, standing.

Bel Iblis nodded, standing. Normally he would have asked t

 

The clones are extremely interesting characters! Did any of them survive into Luke's time? Did they still serve Vader? I like seeing them as the centerpiece of this chapter, it gives it a satisfying depth.

Bravo!

 

Great update! It's a good thing to see, order 66 revised. I wonder what other similar orders Palpatine had instilled that now need to be modified?

 

Oh loved the alteration of Order 66. Great job on that! Liked your idea with the clones A pity they didn't do that originally...

 

Ha ha. Interesting training scene b/w Dooku and his apperentice. The name Darth Vitriol gives me the imagery of a sith who has spittle flying out of his mouth, so imo it's fitting that Vitriol is a wookiee . Good story!

 

Nicely done!! I really enjoyed the foray into the clone world and a little time with The First Swordsman was nice. Keep up the great work.

 

I like the new Order 66. More better than the one in the film....

I wonder why you decided to show this new order. Will it be important in the next part of your story, I wonders?

 

Nice Post. I believe this has helped us gain a little more understanding as to how Shavar views during the true post-Palpatine era.

Also liked the modified Order 66. Certainly not fool proof, but easily trumps the original.

Another good post! Sorry I couldn't review the day it came out, but, as I've said in all the other notes, I was outta town (state really) with some friends...and hopefully I'm all caught up now...but I wouldn't bet money on it.

Until later, I eagerly await the next post.

 

I liked learning a bit more about the clones. Good to see Order 66 modified, hopefully it'll reduce the number of potential problems they'll have with the Jedi.

Nice job!

 

This is how it feels to be Padawan Keshel Thuwarr, right now:

You have joyed in the success of the Jedi. The fall of the Sith Lord Darth Sidious fills you with hope. You don't know all the details, but you know that with Palpatine's death he was finished, and that Jedi Masters Skywalker and Kenobi found him and killed him. Rumor around the temple is that he was hiding with Greivous, but you don't know for sure. His apprentice, Dooku, also known as Darth Tyrranus has escaped, and has hidden himself who knows where.

But the Sith are once again on the run, in hiding. Once again the Jedi are victorious, just as they were over a thousand years ago when the Sith were conquered then.

Your master chides you not to be so blindly cheerful about it. But honestly, the Jedi are meant to win. It is clearly the will of the Force.

The good guys always win.

-----

"Nothing is gauranteed, Padawan," Master Wael Nupp chided Keshel. "The Force is not a monolithic entity. It has a Light and Dark side, and each has it's own will. Besides which, the will of each side is really just a manifestation of the subconscious desirse of sentient beings. The Light Side of their positive emotions and thoughts...."

"....And the Dark Side of their negative emotions and thoughts," Keshel finished. "I remember the teachings, master. I do not dispute them, nor your own wisdom. But surely, history shows the more enlightened attitude always wins in the end? That ultimately, good triumphs over evil?"

Nupp let out the whistling sigh of his race. The old Yelonian was on his third Padawan now, and this human was so taxing so as to certainly be his last. He understood now, more than ever, what a strain Skywalker must have been on Kenobi. "Remember also, Yoda's old teaching," he chided Keshel again. "Certainty leads to pride, pride leads to arrogance, and arrogance leads to the Dark Side."

That got Keshel's attention. He stopped and stared at his master. "I'm sorry, Master, I meant no disrespect. Truly I did not. Perhaps...perhaps I should prove my worth to you."

Nupp's long yellow tentacles twirled uncertainly. "What do you mean, young one?"

"Good can triumph over evil, I feel it in my bones, I know it. My lightsaber is ready, master. Send me on a mission, any mission, to accomplish on my own--with you in close observation, of course--and I will triumph. Perhaps it will not seem like arrogance, when I show you it is justified?"

Nupp closed his scaly eyes and let loose another whistling sigh. Could the lad not feel the Force chiding him for his foolishness? But then a thought struck him. His eyes opened, and he stared with his unblinking silver gaze at his apprentice. Keshel saw himself reflected in those mirror-like eyes, and became ever so slightly worried.

"Very well, Padawan," his Master said finally. "I will give you a mission to accomplish. But we will need not go far. Go, now, to the duelling chambers on the fourth sub-level. And wait."

"Wait for what?"

"An opponent. A powerful opponent, strong in the Dark Side of the Force. All you need do is defeat him, and I will be satisfied of your claims."

Keshel bowed. "Thank you Master! I won't fail you!"

Nupp's alien expression was unreadable. "We shall see, my apprentice, we shall see. Your enemy will not be the most proficient swordsman, but he shall have power and strength in the blade. Choose chamber 14-B. He will come for you there."

"Master...how do you know this Dark Side Warrior? How can he enter the Temple unscathed?"

"As I told you, Padawan, nothing is gauranteed. You shall have your test, is that not enough?"

Keshel bowed. "Yes Master."

-----

Keshel found chamber 14-B dark and unpowered, yet he waited, as his Master had instructed. After he stepped in the doors close behind him, and he was in darkness.

He did not ask for lights up. That, he was sure, was part of the test. Your eyes can deceive you, don't trust them. That was an old Jedi tenet. So he had to beat his Dark Side o

 

It would seem that Padawan Keshel Thuwarr has more to learn, but has gained, at least, some better understanding.

But most of all....you need a new undertunic.

After getting my butt royally kicked by the Chosen One, I would expect no less.

A well written duel topped off with a lesson. Well done, Arcalian. Can't wait to see what you have in store for Assajj in the next post!

 

I really like that! I'd say the padawan learned his lesson. I too am curious what Assajj has been up too.

 

Excellent fight scene. I liked how Anakin put some thought into him by beating him, and then telling him how close they all came to Sidious winning, and only a handfull of Jedi spread across the galaxy surviving.

Just out of curiosity, aside from the the Jedi Council, and to a lesser extent this poor Padawan, do any of the other Jedi know about Sidious, as in who he was, and what was about to happen, or is that information being kept on a need to know basis? Maybe Anakin can tell the new Jedi Senator about Sidious, and what could have happened in a one on one conversation later on perhaps?

 

Another great post, Arcalian!!

I really like the use of the "This is how it feels to be.." device at the beginning and the end. And the "need a new undertunic" comment was just hilarious!!!

Great job!!

 

That last line...

Looks like the Padawan did learn, or understands better now. Hard way to learn, hearing what almost became true from Anakin, but he won't be forgetting it anytime soon.

I'm really enjoying these little snippets. I'm curious what Ventress has been up to.

 

Ouch. Anakin (almost literally) kicked the crap out of that poor kid.