The next meeting of the Jedi Council unfolded in a calm, deliberate atmosphere. In the center of the hall hovered a hologram of the Galaxy, displaying the main theaters of war. The burden of responsibility resting on the Order was immense; every decision regarding the conduct of hostilitieswas carefully weighed and discussed. Too much was at stake.
The session was held in an expanded format. In addition to the Masters, several other key figures were present: Jocasta Nu, the Chief Librarian and Head of the Archives; Master Jedi Hiram Mardin, Head of the Corps of Balance; Palael Harimo, Head of the Corps of Seers; and Master Jedi Adni Moretti, who oversaw the Archaeological Corps.
The issue on the agenda was deeply troubling. Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and his Padawan, Anakin Skywalker, had obtained information concerning a new weapon of the Sith—the Dark Reaper. During their mission to Raxus Prime, they uncovered the nature of the weapon Count Dooku had unearthed. The price for this knowledge was steep: one Acclamator-class assault ship andnearly all of the clones and equipment under their command. The troops of Jedi General Glynn-Beti, who had supported Kenobi's unit, also suffered heavy losses in the operation.
The Republic forces had faced a massive droid army, but that alone was not what doomed them. During his retreat, Count Dooku unleashed a monstrous war machine known as the Protodeka onto the battlefield. Obi-Wan managed to destroy it with great difficulty, but by the time he did, the machine's devastating fire had annihilated nearly all Republic forces. Skywalker himself was captured by Dooku, yet somehow managed to escape alive.
"...The Dark Reaper operates through the Force Harvester," Jocasta Nu reported, her voice measured as she cited information from the Archives. "It's a device that drains the life energy of all living beings within its range, channeling that energy into beams capable of inflicting catastrophic damage on anything they touch. However, it cannot harm the Force itself. The weapon is also equipped with turbolasers powered by the dark side. To defeat the Dark Reaper, the ancient Jedi Knight Ulic Qel-Droma trained other gifted members of the Order to resist the effects of the machine."
"But what are we to do now?" asked Ki-Adi-Mundi, his brow furrowed. "That knowledge has long been lost to us."
"I found a reference to a place that might help," Jocasta continued. "Rhen Var—the tomb of Ulic Qel-Droma lies there."
"Then we must send a message to Obi-Wan at once," said Mace Windu firmly.
"It seems we recently lost an outpost on that planet," reported Oppo Rancisis gravely. "Apparently, Dooku already knows of the tomb."
"We must stop him at all costs," Windu said. "Inform sector command: allocate new ships to Kenobi and provide him with all necessary support. What insights can the Seers offer?"
Palael Harimo, head of the Corps of Seers, stepped into the center of the chamber and began his report.
The Corps of Seers was often confused with the Corps of Balance, though their roles differed in subtle but important ways. While the Balance Corps focused on a grand, holistic understanding of the currents of the Force throughout the Galaxy—seeking to sense even the faintest imbalance through deep meditation (traditionally, this meant watching for signs of Sith activity)—the Seers dealt with more specific matters. Their efforts were often directed toward individual planets or key events, predicting possible outcomes and threats. This work was especially vital now, since the Separatists' droid armies could not be felt through the Force—only faint impressions of danger emanated from them. And the Seers could answer these and other questions about the war.
Shaak Ti listened attentively, though inwardly she began to tire of the proceedings. Harimo's voice had a dry, grating quality that made even the most fascinating report hard to bear. Judging by their expressions, several of the other Masters felt the same. She exchanged a knowing glance with the hologram of Plo Koon.
Suddenly, an audible signal broke through the discussion. Palael stopped mid-sentence, frowning toward the entrance. The Masters exchanged puzzled looks—interrupting a Council meeting was allowed only in matters of the utmost urgency.
"Hm. Let these Jedi in, we shall. Important news they bring." said Yoda, his voice calm but firm.
The doors slid open, revealing two figures. The first was Master Dar'Kai Preston, head of the Order's Intelligence Division. The second was Keto Zui-Tswang, Master of the Guard Corps. The news these two brought must have been more than interesting - otherwise, what made these two come together?
Dar'Kai exchanged a brief glance with the Guardian, then cleared his throat and spoke:
"Honored Council, forgive the interruption, but the situation is urgent. Half an hour ago, a recording appeared on the Holonet—of questionable quality, but it is no forgery. Upon analysis, we determined that it concerns Senator Amidala's flight to Randon."
"Was it worth interrupting us for such trivial gossip?" Harimo snapped irritably. Mace Windu said nothing, but his silence carried agreement.
"Master Yoda," Keto Zui-Tswang interjected, "Master Preston first came to me—but I believed this matter required the Council's attention."
He lifted an infocrystal for all to see.
"See the tape, we must, if the Master insists, hmm." Yoda said, frowning slightly. With a wave of his small hand, the galactic map vanished. A projector rose from the floor, and Keto stepped forward to insert the crystal. Together with Preston and Harimo, he moved back toward the doors as the hologram came to life.
Master Shaak Ti leaned forward in anticipation.
The beginning of the recording was not very clear —an empty corridor flickered into view. Figures soon rushed through it—senators and clones, judging by their silhouettes. Moments later, they were gone, leaving behind a single figure in a Jedi cloak.
It was not alone for long. A second figure appeared—a young woman—and in her hands…
"Sith!!!" Windu exclaimed, leaning sharply forward.
Shaak Ti felt her pulse quicken. The rumors were true. After the younger Kenobi's duel with the Zabrak Sith, the Council had believed the Sith threat extinguished. Yet the holographic image left no room for doubt: the crimson glow of twin blades cut through the air, unmistakable and deadly. In this light, Count Dooku's earlier words about a certain Darth Sidious suddenly seemedfar more credible.
The recording had no sound—either the microphone had failed, or it had been disabled. The two figures exchanged words, but none could be heard. Then, the duel began.
The Jedi shrugged off his cloak, and Shaak Ti immediately recognized him: Mikore Vikt. Few Jedi wore armor—but Vikt always did. Judging by the looks around the chamber, several other Masters had recognized him as well, while others appeared clearly surprised.
Windu only exhaled through his nose in faint disapproval at the Jedi's Shii Cho. But Shaak Ti caught a flicker of anticipation on the Guardian's face—he had clearly seen the footage before.
The Council watched the duel in tense silence, murmuring occasional remarks about the combat techniques displayed. Shaak Ti noticed a bunch of mistakes on both the Jedi's part and the Sith's. However, the tattooed girl looked stronger, attacked more, moved more sharply. Yet she was weak in her use of the Force, especially whenfighting with twin blades; such a demanding style required immense concentration and left little room for anything else.