Star Wars: The Rogue Knight

Rodia

Outer Rim

I stared at the two Togruta females who were first to disembark the lead LAAT gunship. The one I sensed – Ahsoka Tano – led the way. She jumped out and started bouncing around, obviously unable to contain her excitement. What she was doing here without her master I had no idea.

The appearance of the second, who I didn't recognize, halted me in my tracks. She was about my height if you do not count the curved horns, which were crowning her head. Her lekku caught my undivided attention. The were colored in soft blue and white stripes swung in a way which brought painful memories of my wife. I stared at the coloring she had over her eyes and went all up to her temples. It was snow white, with red rectangles over her eyes – which were, black and serene. The older Togruta returned my stare calmly and studied me in return.

The Jedi were followed by disembarking troopers, but I paid them little attention until a clone commander who had his helmet painted green came to me and stood at attention.

"We received your signal. We are at your disposal, sir!" he gave me a crisp salute.

I smirked under my helmet and wondered how many of the Jedi on the Council would have conniptions if they heard about this exchange. I returned the salute and pointed at the sniveling neimoidian.

"You may get this sorry excuse for a sapient being out of my sight, commander. This facility should be reasonably secure but it won't hurt to sweep it for surprises left by the Separatists." My tone was all business – something I was proud of, considering I just saw someone who for a moment looked damn close to my dead wife.

"Right away, sir! Men, take that sc.u.m away!" he ordered a squad of troopers. No one liked poor Gunray. Couldn't have happened to a nicer person.

My attention returned to the Jedi and I absentmindedly twirled my still ignited blade in my hand before deactivating it.

"Delkatar! Is Padme all right? Who were they?" Ahsoka pointed at the remains of the Dark Acolytes while bouncing around.

I wondered if she had overdosed on Caf, ate all the desert or something else in that vein.

"Slow, down kiddo. As far as I know the senator is all right. I left her up at the comm tower." I pointed at said building. "She may need a bit of anti-rad treatment. I loaned her one of my personal shields but it was damaged a bit and leaks a small amounts of radiation."

Hearing that, a team of clone-medics and two squads of infantry rushed acting as escorts rushed for the tower. Good men. Never trust that an AO is secure unless your own men had swept it for enemies, and if you are smart you won't assume it is clear even then.

"As for those idiots they were a couple of Dark Jedi trained by Dooku. Nothing special." I shrugged.

"Uhuh." said the younger Togruta, clearly unconvinced.

"Ahsoka, won't you introduce us?" I nodded at the older Jedi, who was observing our interactions carefully. She was guarding her emotions well – the only thing I could sense from her was a hint of amus.e.m.e.nt at Ahsoka's antics.

"Ah. Yeees. Sorry." Tano looked a bit sheepish. "Master Shaak Ti, this is Delkatar Veil. I am not sure as what to introduce him today... Bounty hunter? Dark Jedi? Or something else..." she trailed off.

"Master Ti, under other circ.u.mstances I'd say that is a p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e to meet you. However, I do not believe in coincidences. The Council found records about me from the war, didn't they? That's why they sent you here, isn't it?" I had to give them that – today's Jedi sure were devious bastards. It was almost enough to make me reconsider my stance as far as the Order as a whole was concerned.

The older Togruta gave me a small nod. Ahsoka looked between with confusion.

"And you people claim that the Sith are the manipulative bastards." I chuckled. Seeing that Ahsoka was confused, I decided to elaborate. "Ah, I see you've not been briefed yet considering that they sent you too, Ahsoka, you should know."

"Umm... What's going on here?'' Tano asked in a small voice. It was plain to see that she was not liking where this was going or being in the dark. Understandable.

"Once upon a time I was married to a Jedi. A Togruta woman." I nodded at Shaak Ti.

Ahsoka's eyes widened with realization. I could see her fighting to restrain her rising anger.

"It just happened that Master Ti was sent to patrol nearby with you in tow just when I had a mission in the area… If you believe that, I have some prime farmland to sell you. On Tatooine." I snarked.

"It's not the most cunning plan that the Council ever had, is it?" Shaak Ti gave me a rueful smile.

"It's a test at best and a provocation at worst. I'll leave it for you to decide which is the truth." I nodded at Master Ti.

I was torn between exploding with unrelenting fury and appreciation of the Jedi Master's trilling voice. So much for the idea I had gotten over Ashara's death. Oh, how mistaken I was. At that moment I could understand and almost agree with Sidious plan for permanently dealing with the Jedi. Kriffing Council!

"You are my newly minted minder, are you not? You, Master Ti do not want to hear my thoughts on the Council right now. Trust me about that." I managed to keep my tone civil.

If I started speaking about the Emperor damned bastards I won't stop cursing for hours. Instead I turned to humor, even if I was sure that the females would not appreciate it.

"Well, at least they didn't sent you to seduce me in order to keep me under control, did they?" I smirked. Not that I would resist too hard to being seduced by Shaak Ti. Even under the unflattering cloak and robes preferred by the Jedi she had a great figure and I hadn't gotten laid in too damn long.

"What!? NO! The Council... They'd never... Arrgh!" Ahsoka spluttered.

To my surprise the Master Jedi had a ghost of a smile on her face.

"Not yet anyway." she deadpanned. "Considering your history they thought that I would have better chances to get away in one piece if you went berserk as most of them expect."

"I find their lack of faith disturbing." I quoted Vader.

Kriff it, even four thousand years or so later, the Jedi still found a way to be a major pain in my a.s.s.

"The Council will do what they got to do." was Shaak Ti's neutral response and it explained nothing. Or perhaps everything, depending on how much credit someone was ready to give the Jedi in general.

"What about you, Ahsoka? I thought that Skywalker needed someone with a bit of common sense to keep him out of trouble."

The younger Togruta shrugged.

"Master Kenobi called him for some kind of mission. Almost at the same time my request to visit my home world and reconnect with my roots was unexpectedly accepted. I was ordered to join Master Ti and head to Shili with her after the patrol was over."

I really hopped that the old goats on the Council did not expect me to try seducing both females. Ahsoka was a kid damn it – young enough to be my granddaughter. Nevertheless, with me being a Sith they wouldn't have put it beside me… if they thought about that being an issue. And if I did so it could easily be used as a Casus Belli to deal with me – corrupting young and impressionable Jedi and other such nonsense would be a great justification in their eyes. Of course such thing would have most likely destroyed Ahsoka's future but who cares!? Sacrifices must be made for the greater Good of the Order.

'JEDI!' There was so much venom in that thought that it would have been enough to drop a whole Republic army.

Shaak Ti sensed, obviously sensing my bubbling fury, and cleared her throat.

"Well, I have an errant to run on Shili and after this patrol was over my forces were scheduled for a bit of R&R. Unfortunately that plan is now shot." The Jedi Master sighed and shrugged in a way that was painfully similar to Ashara.

I heard before sensing or seeing the approach of Senator Amidala. She was arguing with a medic who was waving a hand held scanner over her. She was followed by C-3PO who was bem.o.a.ning his fate and to my ever greater dread – Jar-Jar. The bloody nuisance didn't had the good sense to get himself shot. Or the damn droids were just that bad at it.

"Senator, it's good to see that more trouble failed to find you. This time." I said instead of greeting.

"You dealt with the droids and scared the Rodians to death. What trouble should have I found?" She snorted but there was a hint of disapproval in her voice.

Then she took one look at the dead Dark Jedi and her attitude changed.

"I saw your fight from the tower. Thank you. With them around its unlikely that I would have been able to escape." Amidala actually apologized. I think – her tone remained quite frosty.

This particular senator showing common sense? A bit reassuring. Besides its' been a long time since anyone had thanked me for something, which felt kinda nice.

"You are welcome. I just did my job – a well paid one I hope. Even Ferr is in one piece for what that is worth. What's the plan for him?"

Padme looked at me with resigned expression. Without me around, she might been able to spin some tale how the courageous politicians had helped deal with the separatists. And if the twins were not here, which they were only on my account, she might been able to pull some crazy stunt on her own and capture the Viceroy. However that was not the case. And I had a video evidence thanks to a recorder build in my helmet. It was great for AARs (after action reports).

The senator or former one as very well might be the case, was brought to us by a pair of clones. Before we could speak more about his fate I felt cold shiver running down my back. The Force screamed a warning and I was spinning around. My right hand had a death grip over my lightsaber's blade. I saw a clone technician place a holocomm emitter on the ground. I had to struggle with a stab of fear as it dawned to me who would most likely be on the other side of the interstellar call. I slammed my mental shields down and used every little trick I knew to help shield my signature in the Force. The Jedi looked at me with confusion.

Palpatine's holographic form appeared in mid air and the Chancellor started speaking.

"Senator Amidala informed me what happened and what your people need Farr. I already dispatched a convoy to Rodia. You however..." Sidious shook his head becoming the perfect picture of regret.

The traitorous senator looked at the ground. His small antennas hanged limply.

"I congratulate you for your courageous role in capturing Nute Gunray. It will be taken into account when your fate is decided, Ferr." Then Palpatine turned his attention on me. "More than anything I want to congratulate you, Delkatar Veil. Your actions today not only dealt a great blow to the Separatists but kept a dear friend of mine safe." Sidious smiled graciously and waved at Amidala.

If I didn't know better, I would have said that Palpy was actually the genuine and friendly old man he appeared to be.

"I simply did my job, Chancellor." I gave the man a courteous bow. It was not the first and probably far from the last time I had to be polite to people whose guts I hated or planned to dispose of.

"I hope that the Republic could benefit from your services in the future." Palpy gave me a winning smile that reminded me of a hungry shark.

"I am thankful for your kind words, Chancellor, but that is unlikely. The Jedi Council and I do not see eye to eye. I believe that there are those amongst them who would do their best to insure that my talents are not used. The Jedi frown upon people using the Force for their own benefit instead for that of their famous Order's." I snipped at the Jedi Order and hoped that Palpy would jump at the opportunity to snub them.

"That's uncommonly harsh view to have towards the Jedi, my young friend. They've been guardians of the galactic peace for a thousand years. Surely your view of them is somewhat biased?" Sidious asked sweetly.

If I did not know better I would have believed his honeyed words. Ever across the stars I could feel a subtle pressure to listen to him. And I think that he was not even trying! That was just his aura! Truly there were few Sith Lords I met that could pull that off. It would be interesting to see how he compared to them. Even if he was the strongest Sith Lord to rise after the fall of the Empire I served, that did not mean that he would be unstoppable juggernaut. When all is said and done, despite his apparent power, Sidious hadn't had to fight every step of the way against countless Sith vying for his position. Right now there wasn't a horde of Force Adepts supposedly working for him who wouldn't like anything better than to replace him.

"Perhaps, your excellency." I shrugged. "Time will tell. May I ask for a small boon?"

"If it is within my power. You did a great favor to the Republic I serve."

Riiight. Pull the other one…

"I would want to join whoever escorts Gunray to his final destination. I caught him and do not wish my efforts to go to waste." That would also give me a better opportunity to not only observe the Clones in action but possibly make a few useful contacts. Besides, ensuring that Gunrey would be unable to escape would be a boon too. He had to have some useful information locked up in that head of his.

Palpatine looked at me and frowned. I think that he expected that I'll ask for more – probably a rise of the promised payment for my services. Well, I would and soon, though this was an opportunity for more than just a monetary gain.

"I can assure you that the Jedi Council and GAR high command can manage but if you wish to provide additional security so be it. It's the least I can do." Palpatine nodded after a short time to think.

"Thank, you Chancellor."

With that the connection was cut. I exhaled a breath in relief. I could feel him probing my mental shields which easily held. However that was not particularly reassuring. He was not dumb enough to try mind raping me while there were two Jedi behind me. But I can tell that he was interested in me. In the Emperor's name! I hoped that the old crafty bastard won't decide to groom me as his next apprentice. Those who aspired to that position tended to end badly. Cut in two, missing appendages and lava burns... It was hazardous for one's health.

I ignored Ferr who was begging Amidala for forgiveness and looked at the females who were giving me curious looks. Ahsoka was about to start bouncing again.

"Who gave the kid all the Caf and sweets?" I asked the Master Jedi.

Shaak Ti glanced at the full of energy teen and smiled.

"Oh, don't worry. I know how to make use of that. Padawan Tano, you've got some excessive energy to burn. You can never be in good enough shape. Start running around the courtyard without using the Force to rejuvenate yourself." The Jedi Master ordered.

"There must be more battle droids around here! Or something else to do! Mater Ti! Please?" Ahsoka w.h.i.n.ed.

"Start running, Padawan!" Shaak Ti snapped with a voice that would have made any self-respecting drill instructor proud.

The younger Togruta pouted but started jogging.

"Tano! I said RUN!" Shaak Ti snapped in a perfect drill-sergeant's voice.

Ahsoka jumped as if stung and sprinted away from the ire of the older woman.

"You seem able to manage her much better than Skywalker."

The Jedi Master snorted with amus.e.m.e.nt.