The others and I stood in one of the oldest sparring chambers in the Jedi Temple, It was a clear relic from an earlier age when the Order had been smaller, and more intimate. It was located in the eastern wing's lower levels, it was a place few visited anymore. Which made it perfect for what I needed.
The chamber was circular, around thirty meters in diameter, with walls of ancient stone. Countless scorch marks from lightsaber strikes decorated the pillars that supported the vaulted ceiling. The floor was worn smooth, and the air carried the faint scent of ozone and old sweat.
While high windows near the ceiling let in shafts of morning light that cut through the dimness of the chamber. While dust motes danced in those beams. It felt removed from the rest of the Temple, so isolated, and private at the same time.
It was exactly what I need for this conversation.
I stood at the chamber's center, my hands clasped behind my back, trying to project a calm that I didn't entirely feel. My heart was hammering in my chest. This was it, the moment where I would either gain crucial allies or lose everything I'd been building.
Around me, my friends waited in silence.
Anakin leaned against one of the pillars, his arms crossed, his expression unreadable, but it looked like he was hungry maybe.
Seris stood to my right, her silver-white hair was catching the light. Even now she looked every bit like the noble Corellian Jedi she was training to become.
Barriss was on my left, her dark blue eyes always had a thoughtful look to them. When I told everyone where we would meet, she had already been here meditating before we arrived.
Derren who stood near the entrance, his easy smile always on his face. That calm demeanor making this situation feel more relaxed then I was.
Then there was my Master, Plo Koon. He was standing slightly apart from our group. Then his face turned toward the entrance.
The sound of approaching footsteps echoed through the corridor outside.
"They're coming," Plo said quietly, his voice carrying that distinctive resonance his mask gave it.
I took a deep breath, centering myself in the Force.
This is it Cain, there's no turning back now. Be confident, be brave, and remember. Your not alone.
The chamber doors hissed open and Master Fay entered first, her ancient presence filling the room like a gentle tide. Her gray eyes swept the chamber, taking in everything. Ands he offered me a small serene bow as she passed us.
"Cain," she said warmly. "I have brought the Jedi you wished to see."
And behind her, they came.
Master Oppo Rancisis entered with his serpentine lower body moving with fluid grace. His long white hair and beard gave him the appearance of an ancient sage, which wasn't far from the truth.
Adi Gallia was next, her Tholothian head-tails swaying slightly as she walked. She was younger than many of the other masters, but her reputation as a skilled diplomat and warrior preceded her. I could feel her dark eyes studying me with an intensity that made me want to squirm.
Master T'ra Saa came in next, her Neti form shifting subtly as she moved. She was ancient, even older than Master Fay, and her presence in the Force was so serene and comforting. Bark-like skin covered her humanoid form, and her eyes glowed with an inner light.
Serra Keto entered next, with her hand resting on her lightsaber hilt. She was Master Cin Drallig's former Padawan, now a Knight in her own right, and her reputation with a blade was formidable.
And speaking of Cin Drallig, the legendary battlemaster of the Order entered next, his presence commanding immediate respect. As his eyes swept the chamber with the practiced gaze of a veteran warrior. But when his gaze landed on me, I felt the imminent weight of his assessment.
Master Ima-Gun Dyne followed next. The Nikto Jedi moving with the careful precision in his walking cadence. His reptilian features were set in a neutral expression, but I could feel his curiosity in the Force.
Jaro Tapal entered the room quietly dispite, the Lasat Jedi's imposing frame filling the doorway. His vibrant purple skin and piercing green eyes were distinctive, and his presence in the Force was solid, and grounded. He felt and look like a jedi guardian through and through.
Master Agen Kolar came next, the Zabrak jedi masters face seemed to be focused. He was one of the Order's finest duelists, a master of Form V, and his reputation for aggressive combat was well-earned. The movie didn't portray greatly, by having him get killed by Palpatine right away.
Master Yaddle entered with her characteristic gentleness, her small form belying her immense power in the Force. She was always someone Anakin and I loved to see. She was the mother figure of the order that everyone valued.
Depa Billaba walked in with the grace, I was surprised for a moment. Her presence in the Force felt stronger then it was the last time I saw her. I heard she had recovered a little more quicker then expected, but she was placed on light duty and must refrain from taking any mission for. After those three weeks on Tython I'd had come to think of her as something like an older sister. A sister student of Mace and a fellow Vapaad user.
Kit Fisto entered next with his usual characteristic easy smile, his head-tails swaying slightly. The Nautolan Jedi Master was known for his skill in underwater combat and his mastery of Form I, but it was his genuine warmth that made him beloved throughout the Order.
Nahdar Vebb followed his master Fisto. I nocticed the young Mon Calamari Padawan large eyes studying the chamber with obvious interest. I knew he was talented, ambitious, and still learning to temper his eagerness with wisdom. Hopefully he won't die the same way he did in the main series.
Aayla Secura entered next, her blue Twi'lek skin seeming to glow in the morning light. She was Master Quinlan Vos's former Padawan, now a Knight, and her presence in the Force was vibrant and alive. And like all Twi'leks, she was beautiful.
Finally, Quinlan Vos himself walked in, with his characteristic stic face in place. The Kiffar Jedi's dreadlocks swayed as he walked, and his yellow streak of hair caught the light. I knew he'd be studying me carefully since the day I became a padawan.
The chamber suddenly felt much smaller with so many powerful Force users gathered in one place.
Master Fay then gestured toward the assembled Jedi. "As you have requested, Padawan Cain. I have gathered the selected Jedi."
I'm glad I got Master Fay to gather all these Jedi instead of me. If it was me. I knew there might have been some reluctance no matter how great my reputation in the Order it. A few of these Jedi wouldn't have shown up.
I bowed deeply to all of them, I felt the weight of their combined attention on me like a physical pressure.
"Thank you, everyone, for answering my call. I know this is unusual, a Padawan requesting the presence of so many masters and knights. You must be wondering what I could possibly have to say that requires such secrecy."
"Yes the thought had crossed my mind," Cin Drallig said dryly, as his arms crossed over his chest.
Before I could respond, Master Plo stepped forward, his hand raised slightly. "Cain, before we begin, there is a matter we discussed earlier that I should address now."
I paused and nodded to my master, grateful for the momentary reprieve. "Of course, Master."
Plo turned to face the assembled Jedi. "Padawan Cain has been researching the Order's holocron archives, seeking knowledge from some of our greatest historical figures. He asked me to investigate the accessibility of several specific holocrons."
That got everyone's attention. Several of the masters exchanged glances.
"Which holocrons?" Oppo Rancisis asked, his voice carrying the weight of the High Council.
"Bastila Shan's, Nomi Sunrider's, and Tarre Vizsla's," Plo replied.
The reaction was immediate. Several Jedi straightened, as their expressions shifting from curiosity to surprise.
"Those are not common requests," T'ra Saa said, her ancient voice like wind through leaves. "Especially the last one."
Plo nodded. "Indeed. I consulted with Chief Librarian Jocasta Nu regarding their status." He paused, and I could feel his reluctance to deliver bad news. "Bastila Shan's holocron was damaged approximately two millennia ago during the Great Galactic War. The Order has attempted to repair it multiple times, but the damage to its matrix was too severe. The knowledge it contained is... fragmented at best, corrupted at worst."
I wasn't entirely surprised. I'd played Knights of the Old Republic, so I knew Bastila's story, her fall and redemption. Her holocron was created during the time Revan was the Sith Emperors prisoner. And since I played the Old Republic online game, I new the holocron was damaged in the Jedi Counselor story line. I had just hoped after all this time they were able to to repair it somewhat.
"What about Nomi Sunrider's?" Adi Gallia asked.
"Grandmaster-restricted," Plo said simply. "Only the current Grandmaster of the Order may access it. The reasons are not specified in the archives, but given that Nomi Sunrider was herself a Grandmaster and one of the most powerful Jedi of her era, one can assume the knowledge contained within is considered too advanced or too dangerous for general access."
That made sense. Nomi had been instrumental in defeating the Sith during the Great Sith War. She'd dealt with the fall of Ulic Qel-Droma and united the Jedi to defeat Exar Kun. The techniques and knowledge she'd accumulated would be profound. But I know her views on attachments are what the Jedi council are worried about the most.
"And Tarre Vizsla's?" Cin Drallig asked, his eyes narrowing slightly with intrigue.
Plo hesitated, and I felt a ripple of something in the Force, uncertainty, perhaps even concern. "That one is... complicated."
"How so?" Master Fay asked gently.
"When I searched the Archives terminal, the entry was marked as restricted, but with no explanation given. So I asked Jocasta Nu directly." Plo's masked face turned toward me for a moment before continuing.
"She confirmed that Tarre Vizsla did indeed create a holocron before his death. However, it has been hidden away, and accessing it requires the explicit authorization of three specific individuals."
"Who?" Quinlan Vos asked, his investigator's instincts clearly piqued.
"Grandmaster Yoda, Master Mace Windu, and the droid Huyang."
Suddenly silence fell over the chamber.
"Huyang?" Aayla Secura said, surprised. "The ancient architect droid?"
"The same," Plo confirmed. "He assisted Tarre Vizsla's in the construction of the Darksaber. A mix of Jedi and Mandalorian ways and apparently. Tarre specified in his will that his holocron could only be accessed with Huyang's consent, along with the approval of the Order's leadership."
I processed this information, my mind racing. I understood why Yoda and Mace would need to approve, they represented the Order's highest authority. But why Huyang? That suggested Tarre had wanted to ensure that whoever accessed his holocron understood the unique nature of being both Jedi and Mandalorian.
Huyang, who has served the Order for thousands of years and had witnessed the rise and fall of countless Jedi, would be able to judge whether someone was worthy of that knowledge. And given that I'm apparently Tarre's descendant, that makes this even more complicated.
"Why the interest in these specific holocrons, Padawan Cain?" Oppo Rancisis asked, his serpentine form shifting slightly. "They represent very different eras and philosophies of the Order."
I met his gaze steadily. "Because they represent Jedi who faced impossible situations and found ways to succeed. Bastila Shan fell to the dark side and found her way back. Nomi Sunrider led the Order through one of its darkest periods and emerged victorious. And Tarre Vizsla..." I paused, choosing my words carefully. "He proved that being a Jedi and embracing one's cultural heritage weren't mutually exclusive."
"An interesting perspective," T'ra Saa said, her glowing eyes studying me. "But it does not explain why you have gathered us all here in secret."
I took a deep breath, feeling the weight of what I was about to do. "You're right. The holocrons are only part of a much larger picture." I looked around at some of the finest Jedi in the Order. "What I'm about to tell you is something that not even the High Council knows in its entirety. I'm trusting all of you with information that could change the course of the galaxy."
The atmosphere in the chamber shifted. Every Jedi present focused their full attention on me, and I felt the weight of their combined scrutiny like a physical pressure.
"I have chosen each of you specifically," I continued, "because I believe you are Jedi who can see beyond the limitations of current Orders dogma. I believe you are all Jedi who understand that the galaxy is not black and white, light and dark, but infinite shades of gray. Jedi who, when faced with an impossible choice, will do what is right rather than what is easy."
"Bold words for a Padawan," Nahdar Vebb said, his Mon Calamari features set in a skeptical expression. "What makes you think you have the authority to judge us?"
"I don't, I'm not judging you. The exact opposite actually, I'm asking for your help."
That seemed to catch him off guard.
"Help with what?" Serra Keto asked, her hand still resting on her lightsaber hilt.
I looked at each of them in turn, then at my friends standing beside me. Anakin gave me an encouraging nod. And Derren flashed me a quick thumbs-up.
Yup. there's no turning back now.
"I am planning to leave the Jedi Order," I said, my voice clear and steady despite the hammering of my heart. "And I am going to start a new one and I want you all to follow me when I do."
The reaction that came after was immediate and visceral.
As eyes widened as several Jedi were shock by my statement. Murmurs rippled through the assembled group. I felt surprise, confusion, concern, and even anger flash through the Force.
"What?" Depa Billaba stepped forward, her expression a mixture of shock and concern. "Cain explain, what are you talking about?"
"You can't be serious," Nahdar Vebb said, his voice rising. "Did you receive permission from the Council to start a new order? And why should any of us follow you, a Padawan who hasn't even completed his trials?"
I held up a hand, waiting for the murmurs to die down. "To answer your first question: No, I did not ask the Council for permission. And I don't need their permission to do so."
That statement sent another ripple of shock through the group. As several Jedi's eyes narrowed, and I could feel disapproval radiating from some of them.
"Let me be absolutely clear about something," I continued, my voice firm. "The Jedi Council does not control who can and cannot learn to use the Force. They do not own the Force. They are simply part of a long-standing order that has branched off, fallen, and been reborn many times throughout galactic history. It just so happens that this particular iteration has stood the longest."
"That's a dangerous line of thinking," Cin Drallig said, his voice carrying a warning edge. "The Council exists to provide guidance and wisdom accumulated over millennia."
"I'm not disputing their wisdom," I said. "I'm disputing their monopoly on Force training. The Jedi Order is not the only path to understanding the Force, and it never has been."
"So you're going to be the new Grandmaster of this order?" Serra Keto asked, her tone skeptical. "You, a Padawan who hasn't even gone through his trials? And where would you even establish this new order?"
"No," I said firmly. "I will not be the leader of the new order, and I don't want to be."
That statement filled the chamber with surprised silence. Clearly, they hadn't expected that answer.
"I want to be part of the galaxy," I explained. "I want to help its people, to make a real difference in their lives. I cannot do that if I'm running an order of who knows how many Jedi. That's not where my strengths lie, and it's not what the galaxy needs from me."
I gestured toward Master Fay and Master Plo. "I trust the Jedi Masters here, who have been wonderful teachers and to me, to lead the order. Along with individuals from outside the traditional Jedi structure who have different understandings of the Force."
That seemed to mollify Serra slightly, though her expression remained skeptical.
Master Cin Drallig stepped forward. "Padawan Cain, it's clear you feel very strongly about this. I've watched you grow up in this Temple. I've seen you accomplish things in the Force that Jedi twice your age struggle with. Your skill with a lightsaber is remarkable for someone so young, and your tactical mind is impressive."
He paused, his eyes boring into mine.
"But I have to ask: Why? Why do you want to go behind the Council's back and start your own order? What could possibly drive you to take such a drastic step?" He glanced at Master Plo and Master Fay. "And you two, why are you backing him? He's thirteen years old. A child."
Before either of my masters could respond, I raised my hand slightly, signaling that I would answer.
"What I'm about to tell you," I said slowly, "is a vision I've had. A vision that has haunted me for years. A vision that not even Grandmaster Yoda knows about in its entirety."
A lie, but also the truth as well.
The chamber fell completely silent.
"I have seen the fall of the Jedi Order," I said, and my voice carried the weight of absolute certainty. "I have seen the Temple burn. I have seen Jedi hunted across the galaxy, cut down by an army they trusted. I have seen the Republic transform into an Empire, ruled by a Sith Lord who orchestrated everything from the shadows. And The were to blind to see it until it was to late."
The shock in the room was palpable. Several Jedi stood their quiet as they tried to figure out their words.
"That's impossible," Nahdar Vebb said, but his voice lacked conviction. "The Sith are extinct. They've been gone for a thousand years."
"They're not extinct," I said flatly. "They've been hiding, waiting, planning. And they're closer than you think."
"How close?" Adi Gallia asked, her diplomatic composure cracking slightly.
"Close enough that they've already set their plans in motion," I replied. "There is a clone army being created in secret on Kamino. An army of millions, designed to serve the Republic. But that army has a hidden purpose, a contingency order that will turn them against the Jedi when the time is right."
"A clone army?" Oppo Rancisis's eyes widened. "That would violate numerous Republic laws and treaties."
"It does," I confirmed. "But it's being created anyway, funded through black budgets and hidden appropriations. And when the time comes, that army will be used to execute a order that command's them to kill every Jedi onsite."
The horror on their faces was evident.
"You're saying the Republic is building an army to destroy us?" Kit Fisto asked, his usual easy smile completely gone.
"Not the Republic," I corrected. "The Sith Lord manipulating it. He's been playing both sides, orchestrating a war that will give him the emergency powers he needs to transform the Republic into an Empire. The Jedi will be branded as traitors, and the galaxy will cheer as we're hunted to extinction. The worse part they will use fallen Jedi to do so as their attack dogs."
"This is madness," Serra Keto said, but I could hear the uncertainty in her voice. "If what you're saying is true, why haven't you told the Council?"
"Because the Council won't believe me," I said simply. "Or rather, they'll want proof I can't provide without revealing how I know what I know. And by the time they're convinced, it will be too late."
"Then how do you know?" Cin Drallig demanded. "What proof do you have?"
"Search your feelings," I said, looking at each of them in turn. "You know what I say is true. Haven't you noticed how cloudy the Force has become over the past few decades? How difficult it is to see the future clearly? How the darkness seems to be growing, slowly but inexorably?"
I saw small signs of recognition flash across several faces. They had noticed. They just hadn't wanted to acknowledge it.
"It's been getting worse each year," I continued. "At first, it was barely noticeable, just a slight dimming of clarity, a faint shadow at the edge of perception. But now? Now it's undeniable. The Force itself is being clouded, obscured by something powerful and malevolent."
"The dark side," T'ra Saa said softly, her ancient voice filled with concern.
"Yes," I confirmed. "And it's not just random dark side energy. It's focused, deliberate, emanating from a specific source." I paused, letting the weight of my next words sink in. "This Temple. The Jedi Temple on Coruscant was built on top of a Sith shrine."
"What?" Master Plo stepped forward, his masked face turning toward me sharply. "Cain, what do you mean the Temple was built on a Sith shrine?"
Several other Jedi were speaking at once, their voices overlapping in shock and disbelief.
I held up both hands, waiting for them to quiet down. "During the early days of Coruscant's colonization, long before the Republic as we know it existed, the Sith established a shrine here. It was built on a Force vergence, a place where the Force is naturally strong. When the Jedi eventually came to Coruscant and discovered the shrine, they made a decision."
"They built the Temple on top of it," Master Fay said quietly, her ancient eyes sad. "To contain and neutralize the dark side energies."
"Exactly," I confirmed. "The Jedi hoped that by establishing the Temple here, with thousands of light-side practitioners meditating and training above the shrine, they could eventually convert the dark energy to the light. Or at least neutralize it."
"But it didn't work," Depa Billaba said, understanding dawning in her eyes.
"No," I agreed. "It didn't. Instead, the shrine's presence has been slowly, subtly clouding the Jedi's connection to the Force. It's like trying to see clearly through a dirty window, you can still see, but everything is slightly distorted, slightly unclear. And over centuries, that distortion has become so normal that most Jedi don't even realize it's there."
"If this is true," Oppo Rancisis said slowly, "then the implications are staggering. Our ability to sense danger, to see the future, to detect deception, all of it would be compromised."
"Which is exactly what the Sith are counting on," I said. "They've been operating right under our noses, and we haven't been able to see them clearly because we're standing on top of their shrine."
"You said you have proof," Cin Drallig said, his voice hard. "Where?"
I reached into my robes and pulled out a data chip, holding it up for everyone to see. "This contains the location of the entrance to the shrine, along with detailed schematics of the tunnels beneath the Temple. But I have to warn you, the Sith have been using those tunnels. They have droids down there, excavating and maintaining the shrine, keeping its existence hidden. If you go down there, you will encounter resistance."
I tossed the chip to Cin Drallig, who caught it smoothly. "If you're lucky, or unlucky, depending on your perspective, you might even encounter the Sith Lord themself down there, absorbing the shrine's power."
The Order battlemaster stared at the chip in his hand as if it were a thermal detonator. "Why haven't you told the Council about this?" he asked, his voice quiet but intense. "Why haven't you told your own Master?"
I glanced at Master Plo, feeling a pang of guilt. "That is a secret, Master Drallig. One of many I'm keeping. But please consider this a sign of trust, I'm giving you information that could expose me, that could get me expelled from the Order or worse. I'm trusting that you'll use it wisely."
"Cain," Depa Billaba said, stepping closer. Her expression was showing concern. "What makes you think we won't go directly to the Council with everything you've just told us?"
"You can," I said simply. "Go ahead and tell them. Tell them everything, about the clone army, about my plans to start a new order, about my belief that attachments should be allowed, about my intention to study all aspects of the Force, including understanding the dark side. Tell them all of it."
"You could be expelled for any of this," Depa said, and I could hear genuine concern in her voice. "Starting your own order, advocating for attachments, studying the dark side, Cain, these are serious violations of the Code."
"I know," I said gently. "And I made peace with the possibility of leaving the Order a long time ago. Especially if staying means abandoning the people I care about and love."
I looked over at my friends, and they smiled back at me, their support unwavering.
"So if any of you want to tell the Council, go ahead," I continued, turning back to the assembled Jedi. "I will do what this Order should have done a long time ago. I will leave Coruscant and travel the galaxy, helping its people. Not just the rich and powerful, but everyone. The forgotten, the enslaved, the oppressed." I began to feel passion rising in my voice, years of frustration finally finding an outlet.
"I'm not saying we should be soldiers. I'm saying we should actually be keepers of the peace. But how can we claim that title when slavery and crime run rampant in the Mid and Outer Rims? When we ignore entire populations because they're not politically convenient? When we take children from their families and tell them that love is forbidden?"
I gestured toward the Temple around us. "I have yet to see one Jedi who actually came from the lower levels of Coruscant be brought to this Temple. We're literally sitting on top of the largest concentration of suffering and poverty in the Core Worlds, and we do nothing. We ignore those people. We let crime syndicates operate with impunity right under our noses."
My voice then grew harder, and more intense.
"We have access to the largest source of political power in the galaxy, and we still do nothing. We sit in our Temple, meditate in our gardens, and tell ourselves we're serving the Force while people suffer and die in the shadows below us. That's not being keepers of the peace. That's being complicit in injustice."
The silence that followed was profound. I could see the impact of my words on their faces, shame, recognition, and in some cases, anger. But not anger at me. Anger at themselves, at the Order, at the truth they'd been avoiding.
Master T'ra Saa was the first to speak, her ancient voice soft but carrying clearly through the chamber. "You speak harsh truths, young one. Truths that many of us have thought but dared not voice."
"The Order has become too comfortable," Kit Fisto said quietly, his usual cheerfulness completely absent. "Too focused on politics and diplomacy, not enough on actions in actually helping people."
"But what you're proposing is radical," Adi Gallia said, though her tone was thoughtful rather than dismissive. "Allowing attachments, studying the dark side, operating outside the Council's authority, these things go against centuries of tradition."
"Tradition isn't always right," I said. "The Jedi Order has fallen before. Multiple times actually. And each time, it fell because it became rigid, dogmatic, unable to adapt to changing circumstances. I don't want to see that happen again."
"And you think your new order will be different?" Nahdar Vebb asked, still skeptical but less hostile than before.
"I think it has to be," I replied. "Because if we don't change, if we don't adapt, then the vision I've seen will come true. The Temple will burn. The Jedi will fall, and the galaxy will descend into darkness for generations."
I looked around at all of them, meeting each pair of eyes in turn.
"I'm not asking you to follow me blindly. I'm not asking you to abandon everything you believe in. I'm asking you to think about what the Jedi Order could be, what it should be, if we weren't bound by fear and dogma. I'm asking you to consider that maybe, just maybe, there's a better way."
The silence stretched out, the air was heavy with contemplation.
Finally, Master Fay spoke. "I believe in Cain. I have seen his heart, his intentions, and his dedication to doing what is right even when it costs him dearly. He is not perfect by any means, none of us are, but he is genuine in his desire to help the galaxy."
Master Plo nodded. "As am I. Cain has proven himself time and again. His methods may be unconventional, but his results do speak for themselves."
"I need time to think about this," Oppo Rancisis said slowly. "What you're proposing is not something to be decided lightly."
"Of course," I said. "I don't expect immediate answers from anyone. Take all the time you need. Meditate on it and search your feelings and listen to what the Force tells you. And when you're ready, you'll know what to do."
I gestured toward the data chip in Cin Drallig's hand. "But I would suggest investigating the shrine sooner rather than later. If the Sith Lord is down there, you'll want to know about it."
Cin nodded grimly. "We'll look into it immediately."
"Then I think we're done here," I said. "Thank you all for coming and listening. I do hope you all consider what I've said today."
One by one, the Jedi began to file out of the chamber, their expressions looked troubled, or in some cases, thoughtful. Some nodded to me as they passed. While others avoided my gaze altogether. But all of them were thinking about what I'd said, I could feel it in the Force.
When the last of them had gone, leaving only my friends and my two masters, I felt my legs nearly give out. The adrenaline that had been sustaining me drained away, and I had to lean against one of the pillars for support.
"Good job holding it together, Cain," Anakin said. "You really showed them. I don't think I've ever heard anyone speak to masters like that. Or make so many speechless."
"It was a powerful speech," Barriss agreed. "You had me moved, and I already knew what you were going to say."
Master Kuro and Shaak Ti approached us, having remained silent throughout the entire exchange.
"Padawan Cain," Shaak Ti said, her Togruta head-tails shifting slightly as she spoke. "Your speech was very surprising. Master Plo and Seris told me you knew something and wanted to make great changes, but I didn't realize the scope of what you were planning. It's... a lot to take in."
Master Kuro just smirked, his arms crossed over his chest. "Padawan, I don't know about all these other things you mentioned, but I do agree with one thing: the Jedi are hypocrites, and things need to change. I knew I saw something great in you. You can count me and my student on board."
"Master, there you go again, speaking for me like I don't have a choice," Derren said nervously, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice.
In perfect synchronization, Master Kuro and I both looked at Derren and said, "You don't have a choice."
A cold shiver visibly ran down Derren's spine. And he turned to Seris, his expression pleading. "Ice princess, please help me. Can't one of your Corellian Jedi members save me from this?"
Seris placed her hands behind her back. Then, with dramatic flair, she turned her head sharply. Her long silver-white hair, braided back into a ponytail, whipped around and smacked Derren directly in the face.
"Ow! What the hell, ice princess?"
Smack.
Master Kuro's hand connected with the back of Derren's head. "Language, Derren. How many times do I have to tell you to watch it?"
"But Master, you swear more than I do!" Derren protested, rubbing the back of his head.
Seris stepped on his foot. Hard.
"Ow! What the Kriff"
Smack.
"Language, Padawan," Master Kuro said sternly, though I could see the amusement in his eyes.
I couldn't help but chuckle at their interaction. It was exactly the kind of levity we needed after the intensity of the past hour.
Obi-Wan Kenobi, who had been standing quietly near the back of the chamber, finally stepped forward. His expression was thoughtful, troubled, and perhaps a bit overwhelmed.
"Cain," he said slowly, "you said a lot just now. Some of it I'm still trying to understand, especially how you know so much. How can you be so certain about these visions? How do you know they're not just possibilities rather than certainties?"
That was such an Obi-Wan question. Always seeking clarity, always questioning, always trying to understand the full picture before making a decision.
"What can I say, Knight Obi-Wan?" I replied with a slight smile. "I am blessed and cursed by the Force with knowledge."
The words were truer than anyone in this room could possibly understand. Having knowledge of future events didn't mean I could always act on it. And It didn't mean I could always change things.
I thought back to Master Qui-Gon, to how I'd tried to save him and failed. Knowledge wasn't power, it was responsibility, and sometimes it was burden.
"So, Cain," Obi-Wan said, his voice carefully neutral, "are you truly leaving the Order? Taking like-minded individuals with you?"
I nodded. "Yes. I am. And I'm taking anyone who wants to come, anyone who believes that the Jedi can be more than what we currently are."
Obi-Wan was quiet for a long moment, his blue eyes studying me intently. Then he said, "And what about personal matters? Such as attachments? You mentioned allowing them in your new order."
I felt a grin spreading across my face. "Oh, you mean like your attachment to a certain Duchess of Mandalore?"
Obi-Wan's face went through several interesting color changes. "I...that's not, we're not...."
"Oh Obi-Wan," I said, stepping closer and lowering my voice conspiratorially, "the Duchess likes you. She told me so herself. And I don't know what you two talked about or did when I left you alone in that room on Mandalore, but I swear, if you don't make an honest woman out of her, I will be very disappointed in you."
"Thank you! Someone else finally says it!" Anakin exclaimed, throwing his hands up in exasperation.
"Wait, what?" Obi-Wan looked genuinely confused, his composure cracking. "Cain, you're a child. What do you know about love or adult matters? And besides, I'm still part of the Order. The Code forbids...."
"The Code has stopped exactly no one from finding love throughout the Order's history," I interrupted. "There have been countless Jedi who've had relationships, families, attachments. They just had to hide it, live in shame, deny the most fundamental part of being alive. Is that really what you want?"
I moved even closer, looking up at him seriously. "Obi-Wan, I'm being completely serious now. The Duchess will make my plans on uniting Mandalore more complicated if you don't resolve this situation soon. So please, marry her, go off somewhere peaceful, or bring her to Tython and start a family. Just do something. Because watching you two dance around each other like this is painful to watch."
Obi-Wan sighed deeply, running a hand through his hair. He looked tired, conflicted, and perhaps a bit relieved that someone had finally called him out on it.
"Fine," he said quietly. "I'll come with you to your new order."
I blinked in surprise. "Really? Just like that?"
Obi-Wan nodded, and his expression grew more serious. "When Qui-Gon died, he told me to believe in the Force. To believe in Anakin. To trust that the Force would guide me to where I needed to be." He glanced at Anakin, then back to me. "If Anakin believes in you, then so do I. And if you're right about what's coming, then the galaxy is going to need Jedi who are willing to do things differently."
I thought it would be more difficult to get Obi-Wan on board. But I won't look a gift horse in the mouth.
"Thank you, Obi-Wan," I said sincerely. "That means more than you know."
He smiled slightly. "Besides, someone needs to keep you younglings out of trouble. Force knows you're all going to need supervision. Especially Anakin."
"Hey!" Anakin protested. "I'm not that bad."
"You blew up a Trade Federation battleship when you were nine," Obi-Wan pointed out dryly.
"That was one time plus they were the bad guys!"
As the others laughed and the tension finally broke, I felt a wave of relief wash over me. We'd done it. We'd had taken the first real step toward building something new, something better. But I also knew this was just the beginning. The real challenges were still ahead.
Later that night, as most of the Temple slept, I sat in deep meditation in my quarters. The familiar sensation of slipping into the void world came easily now, after years of practice.
The darkness gave way to the void realm of swirling mists and distant lights. My golden light pulsed at the center, surrounded by the familiar presences of my friends like always. But tonight, there was another presence waiting for me.
Mother Talzin materialized from the mists, her form floating before me with that characteristic cold grace. Her pale face was expressionless, but her eyes, those knowing eyes, studied me with an intensity that made me want to squirm.
"Hello, Master," I said, bowing respectfully. "It has been a while."
"Cain, my student," Talzin said, her voice echoing strangely in this place between places. "We have much to discuss."
Something in her tone made my stomach clench with apprehension. "Oh. Is it that bad?"
"Yes, my student," she said gravely. "You have awakened the shadows and now they move."
CORUSCANT – PALPATINE'S RESIDENCE
Palpatine woke to the insistent chiming of his private holocomm, the one connected directly to his most secret operations. He sat up in bed, his face carefully neutral despite the annoyance he felt at being disturbed at such an hour.
This had better be important. He thought
He activated the comm, and a droid's image appeared, one of the maintenance units he'd stationed in the tunnels beneath the Jedi Temple.
"What is it?" Palpatine asked, his voice cold. "This better be important to call me at such an hour."
"Yes, Master," the droid replied in its flat, mechanical voice. "The Jedi have found the entrance to the shrine. They are currently eliminating our forces and progressing deeper into the tunnels."
Palpatine felt ice flood his veins. "What?"
How? How could they have found it? The entrance has been hidden for centuries. The wards, the misdirection, the careful manipulation of the Temple's layout, all of it designed to keep the shrine's existence secret.
"How many Jedi?" he demanded, his mind already racing through possibilities and contingencies. "Who is leading them?"
"The reports from our remaining units indicate the intruders are Master Mace Windu, Master Cin Drallig, and seven other Jedi," the droid reported. "They are systematically destroying all droids and equipment. Estimated time until they reach the shrine chamber: fifteen minutes."
Palpatine's hands clenched into fists. Mace Windu. Of course it would be Windu, the one Jedi whose shatterpoint abilities made him uniquely dangerous. If Windu saw the shrine, if he understood what it meant, if he realized how long the Sith had been operating right under the Jedi's noses... But how did they find it, and why now of all times?
This could unravel everything. Years of careful planning, decades of manipulation, all at risk because somehow, impossibly, they found the entrance.
"Destroy any evidence of my presence," Palpatine ordered, his voice hard as durasteel. "Wipe all data cores. Collapse the tunnels if necessary, and eliminate any Jedi you can."
"Understood, Master. Initiating...."
The transmission cut off abruptly.
Palpatine stared at the empty hologram projector, his mind working furiously. Someone had told them. Someone had given the Jedi the location of the shrine. But who? Who could possibly know about it?
Dooku? No, he wouldn't work with the Jedi to undermine me at this point. Then who?
He stood and began pacing his quarters, his carefully maintained facade of the benevolent Chancellor cracking to reveal the Sith Lord beneath.
Could it be a coincidence? Could they have stumbled upon it by accident?
No. The odds of that were astronomical. The entrance was too well hidden, too carefully concealed. Someone had deliberately led them there.
But who would know? Who could know?
BENEATH THE JEDI TEMPLE
The last droid fell in a shower of sparks, its photoreceptors dimming as Depa Billaba's lightsaber carved through its central processor.
"That's the last one, Master," she said, deactivating her blade.
Mace Windu stood in the center of the ancient chamber, his purple blade still ignited, casting eerie shadows on the walls. Around him, the other Jedi, Cin Drallig, Kit Fisto, Adi Gallia, Agen Kolar, Saesee Tiin, and Shaak Ti, formed a defensive perimeter.
The shrine itself was a thing of dark horror. Ancient Sith runes covered every surface, glowing with a faint red light. At the center stood an altar of black stone, its surface stained with what might have been blood, or something worse. The air itself felt heavy, and thick with dark side energy.
"By the Force," Kit Fisto whispered, his usual cheerfulness completely absent. "How long has this been here?"
"Millennia," Mace said quietly, his eyes scanning the chamber with his shatterpoint vision. He could see the cracks in reality here, the places where the dark side had worn away at the fabric of the Force itself. "This shrine predates the Temple. Predates the Republic itself, most likely."
"And we've been meditating on top of it for a thousand years," Cin Drallig said, his voice hollow. "Training younglings, seeking guidance from the Force, all while standing on a nexus of dark side power."
"It explains so much," Adi Gallia said softly. "The clouding of our visions. The difficulty in sensing deception. The way the dark side has been growing stronger while we've been growing weaker."
Mace nodded grimly. He'd suspected something was wrong for years, but he'd never imagined this. The shatterpoints he'd been seeing, the cracks in the future, the sense of impending doom, all of it made sense now.
"Master Windu," Shaak Ti called from near the entrance. "You need to see this."
Mace moved to where she stood, examining a data terminal that had somehow survived the droid's self-destruct protocols. The screen flickered with corrupted data, but enough remained to be legible.
Excavation schedules. Maintenance logs. Energy readings from the shrine. And most damning of all, access codes that could only have come from someone with intimate knowledge of both Sith lore and current Republic security protocols.
"Someone has been using this shrine," Mace said, his voice hard. "Recently. Regularly."
"The Sith Lord Cain warned us about," Depa said, understanding dawning in her eyes.
"Yes." Mace deactivated his lightsaber, the sudden darkness making the shrine's red glow seem even more ominous. "Which means Cain was telling the truth. He could be telling the truth about all of it."
He turned to face his fellow Jedi, and they could all see the weight of realization in his expression.
"The clone army. The Sith Lord. The fall of the Order. If he was right about this," Mace gestured to the shrine around them", then we have to assume he's right about everything else."
"What do we do?" Cin Drallig asked.
Mace was quiet for a long moment, his mind working through the implications. Finally, he said, "We carefully and quietly investigate everything. This army, and everything else. We will verify everything Cain told us."
He looked around at the shrine one last time, memorizing every detail. Then he turned and began walking toward the exit.
"Seal this chamber," he ordered. "Post guards. No one enters without Council authorization. And someone contact the Council, we need an emergency session immediately."
As they made their way back through the tunnels, Mace's mind was racing. Cain had just proven himself to be either the Order's greatest asset.
But the boy is hiding more than he revealed, Mace thought, So much more, and I intend to find out exactly what.