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Chapter Text

The future was in perpetual motion. People linked to the Living Force and therefore not very prone to visions did not seem to realise it, but Sifo-Dyas was perfectly aware of it despite his visions, or rather, he knew it thanks to his visions.

The future changed and was fickle because his visions changed and were fickle.

Individual decisions could change everything, and sometimes the Force would give a little nudge in one direction rather than another and the fate of the world would be changed forever.

Looking intently at what was clearly an older Master Windu than the one who sat in the High Council next to him every day, Sifo-Dyas felt... rather humble. The Force was capable of so many prodigies, it was frankly incredible. For the moment this person's presence had been kept secret, but it would be hard not to give details of someone who had appeared in the sky from nothing in a cloud of purple energy to crash to the ground of Coruscant and survive. What an impressive man, no one knew where or when he had started his fall, but from the moment he had been spotted by a camera, he was as high as the roofs of imposing buildings.

He should not have survived, but he had, the impossible was possible.

"Oh, Master Sifo-Dyas, excuse me. Have you seen Master Saa?"

"She retired to her appartment when I arrived about twenty minutes ago."

Knight Che – not for long Knight, there were several on the High Council who wanted to make her Master despite her sometimes unaccommodating temperament – nodded, checked the patient's vitals and quickly left to enter the opposite room even before the first door closed behind her.

It was an unfortunate permanent feature in this world that Healers never seemed to have a minute of respite, even more so for the most talented of them, whose special cases forced them to travel far from their positions, like Master Saa, the Sector Watcher replacing Master Tholme since he decided to train a Padawan who was still the object of all the envy of his peers.

He sighed softly, letting his posture relax again now that he was alone and not in front of a spectator. He still felt just as anxious, it was a common anxiety now, but it did not make things any more pleasant to be used to it.

It was... strange for him to be there, which was why he had come late to avoid running into too many people. The young Master Windu he knew was a Jedi Master about twenty years younger than him who did not trust Sifo-Dyas, in fact he mistrusted him almost openly, and this man, although older, was still his double, and that alone made him uncomfortable. Windu did not like him, Sifo-Dyas had suspected for some time that he was hoping to have him replaced on the High Council, just waiting for the right opportunity, and this added weight to the many worries he had on his mind. It was too much for one man to worry about, and he had too few friends to listen to him. He needed help to stop this dark age before the Jedi were wiped out.

The body jerked in Bacta's tank, bringing Sifo-Dyas's eyes back to the missing right hand for which a prosthesis was already being made and the fine welts that ran across the Jedi's body in a pattern both beautiful and poetic that did no justice to the macabre aspect of what had created it. He could – should – have died from so much lightning exposure, and purging Windu's body of the dark energy that had invaded it had taken a whole unit of seasoned Healers a great deal of effort. The bright red marks were mainly on his upper body and his chest, there were far fewer on his back; he had probably been attacked by an electric weapon from the front after losing his hand.

"What happened to you?"

For all his skills, Sifo-Dyas did not know. The future from which this Windu had appeared would probably never exist, he could only believe the good faith of what was explained to him... and knowing their relationship, he did not expect a very positive outcome, he would probably be left in the dark once again.

"What a life", he murmured sadly to himself, reaching out to touch the glass, curious about the changes in the possible futures that were about to befall them. "Good healing, Master Windu".

Sifo-Dyas did not notice the tired but lucid eyes that followed him as he walked away before slowly closing for a restful sleep.

Chapter Text

Unfortunately, Sifo-Dyas did not exactly manage to sleep. Lying on his back so as to be stable even in the event of a rude awakening, Sifo-Dyas had woken up jerking and sweating several times and had finally given up.

At this point, he knew that nothing but substances would help him sleep, but he had left that period of his life behind thanks to Dooku and he did not intend to give in to weakness at the slightest difficulty.

He could take it.

He spent the night on his knees, meditating, trying to find peace and serenity even though around him an eternal whirl of life and death was stirring in the Force that radiated with the activity of trillions of beings.

Coruscant was not a city that he enjoyed, he did not like being there, which was why he tried to get away from it as often as possible to play the role of mediator or negotiator, fortunately helped in this by Master Yoda or Master Windu who also wanted to get send him away as often as they could, even if it was for their own purposes. It was a sick city, a place where the stench of vice and sin that rotted its core disturbed even his relationship with the Force. His worst bad dreams, his most disastrous and nightmarish visions, he always had them here. In this Temple, he had anticipated thousands of attacks, hundreds of rebellions, dozens of wars and just as many genocides. There was only death, always death, hope was far away, beyond what his eyes could see.

He had seen those who loved to die.

He had seen the end of the Jedi.

When the sun appeared in the sky, he stretched slowly, his muscles knotted and aching, before heading for his shower. It was at times like this that he would dearly love to take a bath to relax his sore body, even his hands were hurting from clutching them so tightly, struggling to endure the wild, blurred storm that had descended upon him. Even trying not to pay attention to the Force was complicated, he was extremely small and vulnerable against the energy of the world as a whole, and what he had seen only worried him.

Jedi surrounded by droids in a primitive arena. Their corpses stretched out on their backs... Padawans among them.

An explosion that shook the Temple to its very core. Dozens of death and maddening destruction. A child is responsible.

A face in the shadow with only sickly glowing golden eyes visible apart from a vicious smile. A red-bladed lightsaber. A genocide.

Was this their future? Death?

Was there nothing he could do to prevent it?

If only Dooku was here to advise him. He had his temper, of course, but he was a shrewd man and an excellent tactician since he had had to fight armed groups when they were young, so he could probably advise him on what he saw and, above all, how to prevent it. Except that Dooku was not there, he was far away in the Outer Rim, and soon he would be into Wild Space to retrieve the Ancient Holocrons he had been asked to find. In theory, he should not need to leave Republic space, but Sifo-Dyas already knew that he would, and his vision was clear and unambiguous: they would not see each other for at least three weeks and he would not risk discussing the current situation through unreliable means of communication.

He hoped at least that the man who was resting and for whom he had an update on the situation every two hours like every other High Councillor would have some answers to give him. If he agreed to give them to him, of course.

Sifo-Dyas kept an umpteenth heavy sigh from the bottom of his heart to himself only because he reached the door of the High Council chamber and Masters Piell and Gallia were speaking calmly. He even ignored them when their volume dropped noticeably as he passed and only really nodded in greeting to Master Tiin who, apart from his relatively young age, had a lot in common with him which had subtly brought them together. Both had gifts that were beyond comprehension and could be intrusive: telepathy could tell you about people's decisions, and prophetic visions could tell you about their consequences. Both also had a more radical view of what was acceptable to do for one's goals than was acceptable to the average Jedi. They were not exactly friends, they were not close, but he was one of the few allies that Sifo-Dyas knew had no prejudice against him and his visions, and that was saying a lot.

Mainly because he had sometimes experienced particularly painful or distressing visions when he was next to him while Sifo-Dyas was out of phase in the middle of a High Council session. The period of the Stark Hyperspace War had been particularly intense on that front, and he really did not envy his gift.

A silent exchange quickly concluded with Tiin, Sifo-Dyas glanced at the other Masters already present, his face softening temporarily as he saw Master Yaddle sitting on Master Rancisis's long serpentine tail, bent over a datapad shown to her by her former Padawan. An image came back to his mind and shattered the illusion of peace, turning the air into ice and every breath into a fight against himself.

Was this room destined to be the last moment for a dozen Jedi children? Were these corridors to become a tomb? How much time did he have left to hope to prevent it?

"Good morning everyone, we have a lot to talk about before... this individual wakes up, so please take your seats."

Sifo-Dyas barely gave Windu a glance and went to sit down, his back straight and his face closed. He could not show any weakness, what was happening was too important for him to crack now.

Chapter Text

They did not make much progress that day, and they were still missing the most important presence in the situation, Maître Billaba, who was on her way back from Axxila as a matter of urgency but would still take several hours to arrive.

Under Republic law, it was forbidden to test the DNA of a person who was unconscious and incapable of consenting for anything other than a suspected crime, and since that was not the case here, they had not been able to check whether the man in Bacta's tank actually was Master Windu. There was no reason why it could not be him, he was a man of the same skin colour and with basic Korun characteristics such as apparent immortality in the face of disasters that would kill anyone else, but apart from that he could also be a man who had cosmetic surgery to fool them, who knows?

It was perhaps a little paranoid, but the situation was so exceptional that their only chance of an answer lay in the young woman who had been the man's Padawan and who therefore shared a special bond with him in the Force. They had known each other since he had rescued her as a baby with her older sister, they had bonded very early on and she had become a Padawan much faster than the average, then a Knight and finally a Master before arriving at the High Council after a demonstration of wisdom and calm that had made many appreciate her, Sifo-Dyas included. For noble souls valour does not await the passing of years, all that sort of thing.

This link would be their temporary proof, at this distance she could only feel that her Master-Padawan link was taking her back to Coruscant but it was impossible for her to be more precise.

They received and validated the security measures they wanted to apply until confirmation and tried to put forward theories on the phenomenon that had taken place in the possible and probable hypothesis that it was indeed a Master Windu from the future who was sleeping in their Healing Halls. Just in case.

After all, it was not as if the unconscious man’s mind was extremely agitated – thank you Tiin – or that he had a future as uncertain as what was in a black hole – he could only thank himself for that – or that he was the catalyst for the "breaking point" – thank you Windu junior – even if he still did not really understand the concept. What was it, to see the cracks and frailties... of things? Of beings? Of reality? What were its limits and parameters? Sifo-Dyas had a bit of trouble understanding, but because he did not particularly want to be questioned and obsessively observed by dozens of people himself, he refrained from asking questions and simply recognised the underlying message of the Master of the Jedi Order: this Stranger was a time bomb, and Sifo-Dyas sincerely hoped that the explosion would not blow up in his face. He tended to be subjected to bad luck despite his visions, seeing the future did not necessarily mean he could escape it, as the late Master Tyvokka had proved, he was missing him so much...

The singularity he represented made Sifo-Dyas wonder what Master Windu was feeling at the moment. He seemed unmoved by the situation, but deep down, he must have been incredibly disturbed to see his older alter ego in such a state, whether or not it was really him at DNA level. The very existence of this man was disturbing, but injuries were not a good sign if the Master of the Order could be hurt this badly, whether Sifo-Dyas liked it or not Master Windu's talents were no joke, he was a very good Jedi and a great fighter... whose fighting style flirted with darkness, dancing on a fine line easier for him to cross than for anyone else because Vapaad comes so close to Juyo.

"Are we really not going to talk about the fact that his body radiated and still radiates obscure energy?"

It took everyone turning to him for him to realise that it was he who had spoken. Oops, that was what being too caught up in his thoughts often brought to him, he had not taken part in the debates and his first intervention was... this. Not exactly the most delicately said sentence on top of that.

"What's your point here? That I'm going to Fall?" Master Windu finally asked after a few tense seconds, his face severe.

What? That was not what he had said at all! Why did they always assume the worst of him?

"I'm just pointing out a fact," he explained slowly. "Anyone who's been near him can feel that he doesn't have a dark core, but since his skin still bears the trace of darkness, is it really irrelevant? If we assume it's you, then you've been attacked by a Darksider powerful enough to put you in this state. You. Can you see why I might be worried for our comrades?"

A chorus of nods supported him, and Master Windu lost his discreetly fierce air for a more measured and thoughtful face.

Suddenly, just as he was about to speak, the door opened to their great surprise to let in a figure who advanced with poise and confidence to stop between the first chairs in the room.

It was Master Windu. The stranger. Followed by several hesitant Temple Guards.

Perhaps they should have thought about this detail, their loyalty was to the Order and its Master, and that was what this man was, from a certain point of view.

His calm gaze settled on each of them, not stopping much more on Sifo-Dyas than on the others, and not even with annoyance or boredom, just... curiosity?

"We've got things to sort out, let's not waste time."

Chapter Text

Master Windu looked at his wounded counterpart warily, pointing out without a word to the man who had just burst in that he was covered in bandages, discreetly staggering and had entered uninvited.

"Perhaps we should postpone this conversation until later, when you will be more... rested."

With an air of disdain and arrogance that had always made Dooku twitch, the man snorted inelegantly and straightened up, looking ready for a fight.

"What's the point? I have all my mental faculties, my physical state is only a detail."

"Not when you've had multiple head injuries and your mental state could have been altered, along with your perception of your environment, of time, the Force, or even your memory," Sifo-Dyas mumbled.

It was the same thing with his visions, he would rather have his arm cut off than have another blow to the head, everything was getting so confusing, the last time it had happened to him he had been convinced that Dooku had Fallen for several hours, his best friend had ended up shooting him up with a sedative to take him to hospital for treatment.

A sharp look from the injured man told him that he had been heard by someone other than Master Koth, Piell, Yaddle and Yoda, who were smiling or hiding their amusement at the tacit reprimand before Master Windu took control of the discussion.

"While we're on the subject, please identify yourself."

"Are you serious? I've never needed glasses at this age."

"Would you consent to a DNA test to prove it?"

"Of course I will, but if you have any doubts I'll be even quicker."

The man walked quietly over to Master Koth and leaned on top of him, half slumping over him before resting his left hand on the nearest armrest to keep standingon his two feet. Not even a word was exchanged between them as the Zabrak nodded towards the Temple Guards.

"Please leave us."

The white, cloaked figures backed away as one and as the door closed, he repeated:

"It's definitely him."

"I beg your pardon, but how do you know?" Master Gallia asked on behalf of all those who, like her, seemed confused.

Sifo-Dyas was not stupid, he knew that this man was Master Windu, but where was their proof to say so? The fact that Master Tiin seemed convinced was understandable, once again, telepathy, and that Master Windu also seemed to know could be called instinct, so so be it... but why did Master Rancisis also seem sure of himself?

"I'd have thought you'd have dispelled any doubts by now."

"You were already in the Bacta tank when I came to see you."

"What about my clothes?"

"Oh, of course, you probably mean your burnt clothes, filthy from the floors of the lower levels of Coruscant and soaked in blood? Are we talking about those clothes?"

The man grinned, shrugging.

"I see."

As he stood up, Sifo-Dyas caught a glimpse of his comrade's deep breaths and watched in amazement as he... smelt him?

"Master Koth, what the hell are you doing?" he gasped in disbelief.

"I smell him."

"He smells me."

"He smells him."

Master Koth let go immediately and looked away, blushing slightly as Master Windu Junior cleared his throat, looking slightly embarrassed, which to him meant he was mortified.

"Hmm, I see," Master Yaddle said softly with a knowing glance at her Thisspassian Padawan. "You can smell that they have the same odour."

"What do you want me to say about it," the serpentine old man breathed out with a laugh, "not everyone has particularly acute hearing, we have to balance."

The smell? If it was the smell... then he could not be an impostor. There were many things that could be imitated, and smell was obviously one of them, but no fake body odour could fool sensitive smells after clothes had been changed and the body was washed, and Master Windu had been thoroughly washed and disinfected before going into care.

"Is that enough approval for all of you? I'd obviously do the DNA test as well."

"It is. You can sit down to spare yourself, Master Billaba's seat is empty."

"Yes, about that, where is she?"

"She's on her way back from Axxila as we speak."

"Axxila? I see... was she helping to settle a dispute between two companies working in the field of armoured land vehicles?"

Sifo-Dyas's first thought was "how on the Force does he know that?" but then the tired, wounded face answered him. He knew because he had been there.

"That's right, can you tell us how many years you've gone back?" Master Mundi asked curiously, his questions and conclusions coming much more quickly than theirs.

"About twenty years, she's already been on a mission to Axxila but wasn't yet on the High Council at the time and for the next one, the... circumstances will be very different. If I may, I'd like your opinion: should I share with you most of what could be your future, or should I keep it secret?"

"I suppose it depends on the circumstances, is there anything worth raising?"

A red office where the bodies of Master Tiin, Knight Fisto and an unknown Zabrak lie dead on the floor. A desperate Jedi Falls, and with him, Sifo-Dyas feels it in his bones, the Republic.

He already knew what Master Windu's answer would be, he just was not prepared to hear it. It was a confirmation he wished he never had. He wished he had been wrong.

"Is the end of the Republic in a civil war that the Sith win serious enough for your?"

Oh Force, the Sith. That was all he needed.

Chapter Text

The forced break they had had when Master Windu had started to get such a headache that he could no longer concentrate enough to speak and had passed out on his Padawan's seat had signed the end of their day, while Master Koth, more resilient than his small body could suggest, carried his unconscious friend in his arms back to the Healing Halls.

Said Halls immediately sent out a scathing written message about never again threatening the fragile health of their patients in a precarious state, unless it was an absolute emergency, or they would suffer the consequences. Well, Knight Che wrote to them, but they were not so naive as to think that she was not the strong voice that most of the other shy and discreet personalities so desperately needed as their spokesperson.

Master Rancisis offered to sort out this detail with the Healers and give clearer instructions to the Temple Guards and that was it, they were free for the day, and admittedly it was about time.

A civil war between the Republic and a Separatist Outer and sometimes Middle Rim.

Jedi enlisted as Generals, scattered all over the Republic and dying by hundreds in the space of a few years, and with them so many Padawans that Sifo-Dyas felt nauseous.

The return of the Sith after years of plotting, hatching their end in the shadows.

It was frightening.

He chose to get something to eat, relieved that there were not many people around at that time of the afternoon, and went home with the determination not to leave his house until the following morning. Master Billaba, seemingly slowed by the Force itself, had called as he was leaving the room: her ship had been attacked by pirates and she would be delayed. Unfortunate for her but a real relief for him as he lay on his bed without bothering to remove his clothes, pressing an ice pack on his forehead. He had such a headache, it was excruciating, his head was throbbing and he had the impression that everything was spinning around him and that nothing was stable any more.

When his com rang, he did not move. When it rang again an indeterminate time later, he picked it up but only activated the sound, he was not exactly feeling better and was not looking forward to spreading the news.

"Who's it?" He asked softly, almost hoping it was a misdial, but the voice that answered discouraged him.

It was one of the few times he was happy to be wrong.

"It's Dooku. Are you all right? You sound terrible."

"Oh, Dooku... good to hear you."

"Same here," his friend's horribly distorted voice replied before returning to normal. "Is everything all right?"

"No, I've got the worst kind of headache," he said sincerely, "but I will be fine, thank you."

"Right, is there anything I can do?"

"Not at the moment, I'm afraid, but thank you for your support."

"I always support you, Sifo. Ok, if there's nothing urgent then I'll let you relax, we'll talk about it when I get back, my connection is atrocious here."

"I'll be waiting for you, be careful."

A silent laugh answered him, barely audible but he perceived it nonetheless.

"I will be, take care."

Dooku was a true friend, it was nice to have someone who was always on your side like that. It was somewhat unnatural that they had become so close at the time, because they were not from the same Initiates Clan and Dooku really wanted to be Master Lene's Padawan, but he had never blamed Sifo-Dyas for being chosen by the cryptic and mysterious Master Lene Kostana. He had made his own way for the Jedi Master to recognise him and feed his passion for ancient relics and rare and exotic culture about the Force and, in the process, he had become Sifo-Dyas' best friend, the best friend a man could ever dream of.

Master Lene... He missed her.

She had accompanied him as he searched and found who he was on his own. She had given her life for him many times, only to survive by a miracle. She had given him his gift... Because she loved him, and he loved her too, which was why the lack was sometimes so painful and throbbing like a fresh wound.

She was gone, but her legacy remained, and he fell asleep more peacefully remembering that.

Chapter Text

Sifo-Dyas had finally taken some medicine for his migraine and had tightened his mental shields as much as possible before going to the High Council meeting in the early hours of the morning, but he was too focused on himself to pay attention to those around him who were suspicious and attentive to him and ignored everyone in favour of an attempt at complete isolation in a room where people were talking and debating.

It was relatively effective as long as he remembered to meditate on a calm and particularly restful scene, that is, until Master Windu The Second entered more calmly, and also a little more upright and assured. A seat was nevertheless immediately brought to him and he did not refuse it this time. Hng. Knight Che and her loudmouth had certainly stopped by, because Windu would not recognise self-care even if it bit him in the arse, he was one of those people who always stupidly pushed himself to do more at the expense of his own health, and Sifo-Dyas sincerely thanked the Force that no-one close to him was like that. It was a daily, unsuspected pain in the arse to look after people like that.

No one asked him for any further confirmation, his DNA test had been prioritised like nothing had ever been before and the result was just one more piece of evidence at this point, it was Master Windu, and Master Billaba looked between the two men with obvious confusion.

"It's truly incredible," she murmured as she slowly approached the injured man. "I know you're not my Master, but still... I feel a huge bond between us. A real Force Bound."

"That's because I love you more than I love my life," the man replied surprisingly with a gentle smile, reaching out to stroke the cheek of the Chalctan, who let him do so, surprised by such an emotional and gentle response. "I don't think I could dislike any Depa Billaba."

"Please don't use my body, my voice and my face to say such things in public."

"It's my body, my voice and my face, and I'll do whatever I want with it."

Yeah, arrogant and confrontational as ever. Dooku was going to hate it.

"What else did you want to tell us that couldn't wait until you were fully recovered? Thank you by the way for making the appointment and this time getting your discharge cleared and validated, it's appreciated."

"Yesterday was an exception. No one likes to stay in the Halls, but the circumstances were exceptional, and from now on I intend to comply with the treatments, the Healers are already under enough strain that I don't need to add to it. And as for what I have to say, it's... something that might be hard to believe."

"Said the man who appeared out of nowhere from a future that will probably never happen," Sifo-Dyas ironized with an amused chuckle that he quickly made disappear because he was not exactly in a friendly presence. "Not believing you would be stupid, you'll tell the truth about your life, or at least what you think is the truth, and it's up to us to turn that into something productive."

With a nod of respect that he had never before received from the current Master of the Order with whom Sifo-Dyas dealt with on a daily basis, the Korun said with hesitation still very clear in him:

"The Force had created... a Chosen One. A boy, he must be a baby now."

"What do you mean by Chosen One?"

"One to bring balance to the Force."

Their perplexity was so obvious that even Master Yoda looked at the man without understanding.

"Balance?"

"Sorry, what?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Isn't that an old prophecy?" Master Mundi interrupted Master Gallia, looking at Master Yoda. "My apologies Master Gallia, it just seemed to me that this story reminded me of something."

A Chosen One... Oh, Force. A Chosen One. One of the few things in this world that Dooku and Qui-Gon could agree on, the fact that the old prophecies were real and just waiting for their moment to come true. Dooku had always believed in visions, and even though he was by no means endowed with this talent for prescience, Qui-Gon had also unconsciously picked up his passion for old myths from his Jedi Master.

"Did you get to see him succeed?" he asked urgently. "Did he succeed?"

The war and the return of the Sith worried him, not to mention that traumatic glimpse of a young man Falling in hatred and despair.

"I've had years to think about it," the man explained calmly. "Our interpretation was a Jedi reading, but as the years have gone by and as I lived through civil war on a daily basis, I've slowly come to consider other options."

"What kind of options?"

"Perhaps the end of the Jedi is necessary to bring balance to the Force."

To be honest, Sifo-Dyas thought he had hallucinated that last sentence, but the shocked reactions around him kept him in the present.

"Master Windu, have you lost your mind?"

"Absolutely not, Master Piell, for don't you see? For a thousand years, a glaring and ever-growing imbalance has taken hold in the Force. Too much light for too little darkness, thousands of Jedi for two Sith, always two."

"What are you suggesting, that the Jedi Order should be disbanded?" Master Koon asked in his always pertinent style.

"What I'm saying is that I think the Jedi Order needs to ask itself the right questions and thoroughly interrogates its values and its code of conduct so that the Force is made up of a sufficient balance of measured and chaotic energies that its only solution to restoring balance is not to bring the number of Jedi up to the current number of Sith, which is to say almost non-existent."

"Are you talking about... a massacre of the Jedi by the Sith?"

"The war will turn the Republic against us," the man explained gloomily, indirectly responding to their growing concern. "Our means of investigation were limited, but if the Sith were the instigators, they will unfortunately have received a great deal of help and approval. The Republic will also have to change, but I think our own internal situation is more urgent at the moment and the only one we can have any real impact on."

Sifo-Dyas tended to agree with this analysis of priorities.

It was just that: there was no time to lose.

Chapter Text

The official announcement had been made internally at some point by Master Mundi during the discussion, Master Windu II was now a Jedi like the others and could walk alone within their walls. For the time being, he would sleep in the Healing Halls so that everyone could make sure there were no fatal or lasting repercussions on his body from everything he had been through, but he was free to move around and a flat was being set up for him until his health allowed him to be on his own.

And in the meantime, Master Windu was talking to them, recounting almost two decades of events that were being recorded so that they could be used later, because even if they were not all going to happen again, a lot of them were likely to happen and they could surely save thousands of lives just by taking into account the hidden agendas of certain politicians or financial conglomerates, the attacks or assassinations that had toppled regimes into anarchy and the epidemics that had affected certain planets.

They had all carefully avoided thinking about the absolute blasphemy of the proposal to change the Jedi Code and Master Windu II had obligingly agreed to act as if nothing had happened, aware that it was a matter too serious for them to discuss without giving it careful thought on their own. Changing the Jedi Code was... it was impossible, it was far too important and fixed in their lives, their customs, their very identity, both individual and collective, everything revolved around its precepts, to abandon it would be to abandon what the Jedi had been for centuries.

That was what the spontaneous and emotional part of Sifo-Dyas thought, the first to express itself, but never the one to win, because he was old and experienced in reflection and introspection.

Major upheavals were the fate of all societies, and a rethink would probably result in a schism, which the Korun had no doubt anticipated, but... if the future really was so bleak, then perhaps just reducing the number of Jedi whose ways could not be changed would be enough to give them time to restore a balance in the Force enough to save them from extinction.

On top of that, populations generally had no choice. These changes were made in blood and violence, born of chaos and revolutions, but here and now they had the time and warning they needed to do it right, and Sifo-Dyas already knew what he thought and what option he would defend, even if he had to be the only one to do so.

He wanted his community to survive, and whatever the cost, he would see his people have a better future than this.

In this he admired the man who had shown himself to be so daring and courageous, but he also pitied him, because even if Master Billaba and Master Koth were familiar and benevolent with him, in the end they stayed with "their" Master Windu when the Council split up, and whatever he did was now followed with unconscious questioning and a dull worry that slowed down even Master Yoda, who seemed to find himself constantly staring into space. Visions, perhaps? Sifo-Dyas would not wish his visions to even his worst enemy, but if it could at least make the old Master understand the importance of visions, or just a fraction of the torment they gave him, at least that would be something.

This attitude was reflected in every person he saw discover this new Master Windu for the first time, and he had the dubious honour of bearing witness to it as he had collected some food and was looking for a quiet table to eat at when the other appeared, causing an almost mystical silence to fall over the room.

From where he stood, he could see Qui-Gon and his newest Padawan looking on in surprise before the red-headed young one was drawn in by another human and a young Mon Calamari girl for a discussion that was undoubtedly about Master Windu II.

Master Windu II, who apparently didn't like the excessive attention paid to him any more than the man Sifo-Dyas was spending a little too much time with for his liking.

"What, don't you have anything else to do with your time?"

At the sound of his loud, almost painfully audible voice, everyone mechanically turned away from the angry Master of the Order before realising once again that he was not their angry Master of the Order and continued to watch him out of the corner of their eyes, murmurs rising up everywhere to spread rumours.

The Korun retrieved everything he needed with one hand and lifted his tray with an air of serene, regal dignity that would make any member of the royal court green with envy. He swept his eyes around the room without stopping anywhere in particular, paying no attention to people like himself who were not yet seated. Just like Sifo-Dyas, some twenty paces away, who went completely unnoticed in such a presence.

He hid it well, but he looked... a bit lost, and very lonely. The kind of loneliness that Sifo-Dyas knew from the bottom of his heart, the kind that hurt, no matter how much you told yourself that said loneliness was chosen and not endured, because you needed others to feel warmth and life. To feel you belong, to feel you exist.

Come on, Sifo-Dyas, it was only a kind offer to ease his own conscience, it was not as if he was ever going to say yes.

Having made up his mind at the last minute, he moved forward with slow steps, trying to hide his nervousness behind an inexpressive mask.

"Master Windu? Would you like to join me for lunch?"

The man turned very carefully towards him, looking at him strangely for a second before his face revealed something resembling a faint smile.

"I'll follow you, thank you."

... damn it.

Chapter Text

"Ah... this way then," he stammered, swallowing as soon as his back was turned, a knot in the stomac.

It was not planned, why was not it planned? He would have liked to have foreseen it, it would have been interesting to prepare himself mentally, because as things stood the 'conversation' would be both pathetically short and horribly awkward.

He led them to a secluded table and immediately noticed how the absence of his right hand was going to disturb the Jedi Master, so he took it upon himself to remove the bones from his fish and chop his vegetables before stopping in mid-task to turn scarlet. Thank the Force for his naturally tanned complexion, because really, it was embarrassing.

What had got into him?

Fortunately, when he looked up to see what Master Windu thought, he did not look as disapproving of Sifo-Dyas's actions as he seemed frustrated with himself, so he would probably be fine, surely he had not made such a serious mistake.

"When are you going to get the prosthesis?" He asked casually, finishing his work as quickly as possible.

"They want the lacerations and burns caused by the lightning to be completely resorbed before they put it on so as not to cause nerve damage further up, otherwise it would have been quicker," he explained gently. "All I can do is wait, but even though it's horribly infantilising, I find it even more unpleasant to eat food that's been pureed to be easier for me to catch in a bowl."

Yeah, Sifo-Dyas didn't like how that sounded either.

"I sympathise."

"Thanks."

After that, they just ate in silence, the moment dragging on and on until even the quiet and unassuming Sifo-Dyas found it distressing, especially with the thumping sounds of Master Windu's cutlery hitting and scraping the containers of his food to compensate for the absence of his other hand to steady his spoonfuls. When they opened their mouths, it was to say at the same time:

"So..."

"After you," Windu said immediately, and Sifo-Dyas was taken aback.

"I didn't have anything to say in particular," he finally explained, looking away. "The silence was just beginning to feel heavy."

"Same here."

"Uh?"

Master Windu lowered his head to his plate, digging into some potatoes, the marks on his skin seeming to stand out a little more under the artificial light, which was strong at this hour for diurnal people. If they had come later, he did not think that the light set at a lower volume would have revealed this pattern so clearly, not to mention the nocturnal hours when the lights were turned off to respect the sensitivity of certain species with specific needs.

"I imagine you have some questions, so feel free to ask. If not... well, our two daily lives are two decades apart, so I guess it's a given that we have nothing to say to each other."

"Questions?" He repeated, not needlessly bringing up the fact that they never had small talks even when they were from the same era.

"About your future?"

Sifo-Dyas bit his cheek to keep from laughing loudly in a manner unbecoming of someone in his position in a public place. What future? Sifo-Dyas was no more stupid than he was naive, he did not need to ask to read on the other's face that he had died somewhere in these next twenty years. He was dead... and even if it was sad, there was not much more to say. It was the lot of living, mortal beings to die one day, his life and death were part of an eternal cycle he could not stop being part of.

When he was young, he was afraid of death, afraid of disappearing, but today he was no longer that young man. He had braved death, he had braved dangers of all kinds and he had come back. He had learned, he had matured, and he had become an accomplished and recognised Jedi Master, respected by all but a few of his most immediate peers.

Just like the man in front of him.

He was not desperate enough to be heard and understood to cling to just anyone, he already had friends, he already had a few people to rely on who were enough for him.

"I'm fine as I am, thank you."

The look of sheer incredulity was amusing. Sifo-Dyas probably had not impressed or surprised the other man in any other way for a long time, he had never really known him. Or it could be that he had been dead for so long that the man had forgotten about him, that was also an eventuality.

"Everyone wonders about their future..."

"I have no such questions."

The Seers did not really have questions about the future, they saw it almost all the time.

"Really?"

"Really."

"But don't you want to-"

Bang!

The next second, Sifo-Dyas realised he had stood up and slammed his tray down on the table, and corrected himself by calming his breathing to lift it more slowly. Was this on purpose? Was he trying to test him? Sifo-Dyas had no time for these sick and twisted mind games.

"Thank you for your concern," he said slowly and with an absolutely phony smile, "but I don't need to know that, mainly because your mere presence and existence will change everything you think will happen. Your knowledge will only be useful for as long as it takes for each of your actions to have an impact far beyond your reach. Now please excuse me, I've got things to do."

It was an evasion, yes, but a necessary one before he said or did anything he regretted. He was not rested enough to deal calmly with annoying, inquisitive people.

Chapter Text

Sifo-Dyas had been... all bowled over by this interaction with the man who had been glaring at him at every opportunity since their interrupted lunch, and as he attended every session of the High Council as a tourist... erm, sorry, as an "observer", this had been happening a lot over the last three days. He did not know what he had expected, but it was not that, for Windu II had made no comment on his rudeness and seemed to respect his desire to maintain a distance between them, but as he continued to stare at him, this ended up annoying Sifo-Dyas himself. He had not signed up for this, damn it!

Which was why he remained seated when everyone rose one evening, his eyes riveted on Master Windu II's in a silent challenge that kept the other motionless long enough for them to finally be alone.

"Master Sifo-Dyas? How may I be of service?"

"Perhaps you could stop looking at me as if you distrust me, you're starting to make others look at me strangely and it could quickly become disturbing."

"I'm not suspicious of you," the Jedi replied frankly. "I'm just curious."

"Curious? About what?"

"We've never really... spoken, we don't know each other. Around me I see people I've known, people I know, and people whose future developments I already know."

Was he really implying that it was the lure of novelty and the thrill of the unknown that interested him in Sifo-Dyas?

"I'm sure that's the case for a lot of other people too."

"It seems you have a temperament and a backbone underneath your diplomacy."

... he loved being resisted as much as he hated it. Yeah, Dooku was really going to hate him, especially now that their age gap had melted like snow in the sun.

"Well, if you could at least express it in something other than stares, it would be much appreciated."

"Understood."

Clumsiness was making a strong comeback and Sifo-Dyas remained mostly confused about the other's thoughts and motivations, which was why when Master Windu II raised his hand to his face, he remained perfectly still and silent. He preferred to err on the side of caution, the man had never made any secret of the fact that he would do anything to protect the Republic, and Sifo-Dyas did not know what had happened to him in the future or to what extent his opposition with Yoda and him had intensified. He did not feel in danger, but danger could be anywhere, even where it was not expected.

Luckily, the other man seemed to realise what he was doing just before he touched him and retrieved his hand, looking at him strangely. Sifo-Dyas did not know what to do apart from return a look of incomprehension. What was this now? Had this "journey" and all this electricity fried his neurons?

"May I invite you to my home for tea to make up for my bad manners?"

"Tea? Yes, of course..."

Biting his cheek was pointless, he had already said yes like the tea-addicted idiot he was. It was an obsession he had with this beverage, Dooku drank it to please him but preferred coffee, unfortunately Sifo-Dyas never needed more caffeine in his body. Never.

Relaxing drinks, soft blankets, subtle incense, everything in Sifo-Dyas's room was designed to do just one thing: soothe and relax. It was hard enough to get a good night's sleep on a day-to-day basis without doing everything he could to do so. He even sometimes brought back talismans, charms and other protective amulets from his missions, you never know.

Master Windu's new home was depressingly simple, austere and sterile, with no personal touch as his personal effects had not magically appeared with him, but he already had an impressive stock of drinks of all kinds.

"The tea, honey and cakes are from Master Mundi, Cerea is an agricultural planet as you know, and his wives often send him things when he leaves them for Coruscant. The coffee is from Master Koth and the spirits... my Padawan."

"She has good taste," Sifo-Dyas said simply, shaking his head neutrally, suspecting that even Dooku would have nothing to say about the selection of bottles arranged on the end of the kitchen worktop. "How's the hand going, by the way?"

"Apart from the sensors being a bit weak, it's fine," he reassured him, demonstrating wrist and finger movements, the prosthetic hand moving naturally like the flesh and bone one. "What type of tea would you like?"

"The one in the ochre jar."

He sat down at the table with a slight smile, he had already been welcomed by Master Mundi, he knew the variety present in this jar, all the tea containers he saw here were exact replicas of those he had already seen at the Cerean... with the exception of this strange dark jar.

"And what's this one?"

"A gift from Master Yoda, I don't dare open it for fear of finding insects or other creatures too repulsive for my sensitive palate."

Sifo-Dyas choked on his biscuit, suddenly remembering that Master Mundi had exactly the same – sealed – jar in his living room amidst photos of his family. He had never eaten at Yoda's, but Dooku still complained about the foul taste of his home-cooked food, and his apprenticeship went back even further than the Cerean. As he regained his composure, his drink arrived – large cup thanks the Force – and Master Windu sat down opposite him, folding his hands to look at him with a gravity that sounded an alarm in the back of his mind.

"Listen, I'm not going to beat about the bush: your visions, they're true. You're right, this future you see is real, and if you help me, we'll make sure it never happens."

Sifo-Dyas did not even respond, collapsing headfirst onto the table, caught up in a vision too massive for him to offer any resistance to the Force.

Chapter Text

"...as? ... Dyas! SIFO-DYAS!!!"

His body was moving, yet he was not moving.

"Hng?"

Oh, he had just realised: he was being shaken.

"Get up!"

The slap that offered a biting caress to his cheek very effectively pulled him from the reminiscences of his vision and in the space of a second his mind had returned to his body and he was once again perfectly aware of his surroundings. He jumped and instinctively pushed the person holding him away, hitting Master Windu on the jaw with all his might, only able to watch in horror as the other recoiled, thrown on his arse far from him. He wasted no time in checking the damage, bending over the injured man.

"Oh shit, no, sorry, I didn't mean to, I'm so sorry, it was a reflex!"

"I have been through worse," the other grumbled, rubbing his jaw and looking at him worriedly. "Are you all right? You collapsed suddenly, I was just about to call in the Healers to check you out."

"No need, it happens to me all the time, everything's fine." He promised absent-mindedly, pressing down on his jaw to check he had not broken it.

He was not always in control of his strength at times like this, he had already hurt Dooku and, on one particularly unfortunate occasion, he had thrown Master Yoda away from him straight into a wall and sent him into a Bacta tank at the Healing Halls. He could have been severely punished had Master Tyvokka not witnessed the scene and come to his defence. Fortunately, he was another vision specialist and Sifo-Dyas was still young at the time, otherwise it could have been costly. Yes, their disagreements and disputes over visions and the emotional and uncontrolled reactions they could cause went back a long way.

Anyway, everything was fine so far, most of the time he could feel the visions coming, it was like a tension in the Force building up to a climax and all he could do to prepare himself was to make himself comfortable so he would not collapse anywhere. He had hurt himself before, but never too badly, and there was nothing he could do about it anyway, especially when the visions came so unpredictably.

"Fine? You are fine? You've still got blood all over your face and I've had to put your nose back in place!"

"How... I can't feel anything though," he murmured as he discovered that he did indeed have dried blood and fresh blood on his face, feeling his nose not to suffer any pain.

"I gave you a painkiller, of course," the man sniffed as he stood up, leaving the kitchen to return immediately with a damp washcloth, which he used to wipe his face with unexpected gentleness. "I really thought you weren't going to wake up. It was a vision, wasn't it?"

"Hmm."

"Is it always like that? It was very impressive and frightening."

" One out of five times? The other times I have enough time to isolate myself and get to safety."

"I had no idea."

It sounded almost like an excuse to him, but it was probably just temporary disorientation playing tricks on him.

"What did you see?"

What had he seen? Sifo-Dyas actually had to concentrate a little to remember the vision.

He had seen... a future very different from the ones he had seen since he was able to see. The Temple was almost completely empty, but... other places with the same structure lived in a constellation of smaller but interconnected communities. A Jedi Order made up of a multitude of small Temples and nomadic or sedentary Jedi, Jedi in couples, Jedi with children...

And in the midst of all this, he walked with a serene smile, spending time gardening as was his secret passion, for which he had no great talent, and with... well, his lover?

He had seen himself... kissing this Master Windu?! Oh Force, why? Why that, why now, what did it mean?

As a professional receiver of visions, Sifo-Dyas knew from experience that the clearer and more "palpable" a vision was, if you could put it that way, the more likely it was to come true.

And he had clearly seen himself, embracing a man who was almost entirely unknown to him and who almost certainly hated his guts. Oh Force, that was the worst.

Throughout his teenage years, he had looked with desire and interest at the bodies of boys his own age and then at the men around him. He had repressed this part of himself, because he could not, he was a Jedi and Jedi took a vow of celibacy. It was hard, sometimes he could not help looking at men and thinking that he would like to be carnal with them, or even just emotionally close to them, to confide his doubts and weaknesses to them with even more closeness than one could give to a friend... but he had never been able to and never could. He was a Jedi. There is no emotions, only the Force.

How painful those words could be...

"It was nothing relevant, just tell me what you wanted to say."

Clearly torn, Master Windu chose to let it go and warily led them back to the kitchen table, once again boiling water for the cooled tea.

"Basically, it involves us killing a guy, but obviously it's going to be a bit more complicated than that in reality, I've learnt the hard way that you have to beware of him."

... Sifo-Dyas did not know what to say, so he drank his cup as soon as it was poured, not even feeling the liquid burning his mouth or throat. Very effective, this painkiller.

"I see. I'll have to decline, I’m not into murder."

"Even if he is a Sith?"

He sighed deeply, holding out his arm:

"I'm going to need another cup. Well, no, I want the teapot."

Chapter Text

Master Windu had served him this second cup and was ready to serve him a third but had kept the teapot.

"I'm sorry, I realize that I'm giving you... too little information for too much pressure and very little time, it's just... terribly complicated to explain in a way that doesn't make you leave without further ado."

He had already made him want to leave before, at this point it was only his irrepressible curiosity that made him stay, that and his strange behaviour with him which was really not in phase with the other Master Windu and intrigued him greatly. And no, it had nothing to do with this vision which, if Sifo-Dyas did not naturally have a rather dark skin tone, would have made his cheeks turn pink.

"I don't understand what's going on and what you want, so keep it simple, explain things to me like I'm five years old."

"The-"

"Five years old," Sifo-Dyas cut him off with an insistent and critical look.

He knew this almost theatrical voice, it was the voice of long, unbearable monologues, Sifo-Dyas wanted to get straight to the point.

"I have not told the High Council the whole truth: I know the identity of the Sith, and I would like your help in killing him before he becomes a threat great enough to harm the Order and the Republic."

As reckless as ever, he had not stolen his nickname of Master of Ferocity in homage to the Vapaad. How was it possible that, barely up and fully functional on his own – which had yet to be proven – he was plotting an assassination in a corner as if it were a perfectly normal activity for a Benduday afternoon? Was this another vision after all? Where the hell was reality?

"Who is it?"

Who is the poor soul I will have to protect from what may be a psychotic delusion?

"I prefer not to say it until you agree to help me, then you will have plausible deniability for giving me any assistance."

That would have surprised me...

Sifo-Dyas felt a migraine coming on, and this time it had nothing to do with the Force.

"And so, you ask me to help you kill an unknown Sith who, I assume, has proven to you his identity and the extent of his abilities that justify your determination to override the law."

If he had not seen it with his own eyes and relied on second-hand accounts, he was going to scream.

"Well, yes, I am certain that it is him, in terms of his abilities... I had beaten him in single combat with a lightsaber, but he managed to manipulate the Chosen One and make him Fall, hence my hand, and when I found myself defenseless, I tasted the lightning and fell."

What did the Chosen One have to do with the cutting off of his hand? Oh well damn, there was more urgent matter.

"Fall?" He repeated suspiciously, not thinking the man would truly indulge in the corruption of Darkness but cautious and wary all the same.

He did not know him, trust had to be earned.

"From the top of a building. Impressive fall, even though I passed out before impact."

Very interesting, but they were getting away from the subject.

"The Sith. Do you know where he is, his public identity I mean? His current situation?"

"Yes, and if I look at the dates, he already has his own Apprentice. The Sith evolve in pairs of two now, so his Master is probably already dead. The Apprentice is talented, but perfectly manageable and of a reasonable age, as for the Sith Master, I don't plan to give him the slightest chance."

"This is no more, no less than an execution," Sifo-Dyas recalled with a growing sense of alarm. "There won't even be a trial if you do that, you would be judge, jury and executioner at the same time."

"I know," Windu replied sincerely, looking into his eyes. "And I also know that I cannot ask this to my alter ego who is currently Master of the High Council precisely because it is not a method that I approve. The Supreme Chancellor during the war acquired exceptional powers and turned into a tyrant against whom we could no longer do anything. When we wanted to remove him legally with the support of a large number of Senators, do you know what he said?"

"No?"

"That he was the Senate. This is exactly the problem that arises today. Master Yoda believes in the best, whether in people or events, but this man is a threat lurking in the shadows who has and will kill millions and millions of people without doubt or remorse. I can't... I can't fail this time."

His hands were shaking as he put his cup down to rest his hands on the table, but Sifo-Dyas still noticed that Master Windu was gripping his hands with all his might, his mechanical hand pressing into the very living flesh like if all sensation of physical pain had been removed from Master Windu. As if his body was incapable of feeling. Perhaps a consequence of the lightning, or perhaps it was that the pain of the soul was greater. He must have been consumed with remorse and guilt for not having seen sooner what was happening before his eyes, for not having prevented it... but Sifo-Dyas could not let the despair of a man overwhelm him and corrupt all his principles so easily. He was not an oblivious and reckless child, the sense of urgency conveyed by the very nature of a secret Sith among them could not prevent him from using his common sense and moral code.

Now he had to find a way of turning the traumatized Jedi down without making him turn against him.

Chapter Text

"I understand your pain, and I sympathize with your situation..."

He tried to explain it with a soft, compassionate voice, reaching out his hands to place them on Master Windu's joined hands who unconsciously released the pressure of his grip at the foreign contact.

"... nevertheless, I can't say yes to you, I'm sorry, it's too immoral for me. You're not even sure if he's a Sith today, I mean, maybe things are different here compared to what you experienced, and if that's the case, you'd kill an innocent person."

"Many truly innocent people have died, Jedi, civilians, cl... various collaborators and soldiers, I obviously intend to carry out an investigation before acting, but I know that I would have difficulty doing it alone despite everything."

"And I can't engage headlong in such a serious question," he replied shortly. "I'm not a young man anymore, that's precisely why I hesitate even more than at the time. I have killed before, to save my life or others, and it is never trivial. No matter how hard we try to justify our own actions, to reassure ourselves that they were on the other side, that they were the bad guys and I was the good one in the situation, that they had consciously chosen to engage in crime or violence... I remain ultimately responsible for the death of several beings, and I do not want to add a broken life to this count unless there really are no others choice."

"He killed several High Councilors. He killed Master Tiin as well as Master Fisto and Master Kolar, I was the only one to match his speed and his rage to conquer thanks to Vapaad and their sacrifice... and even with that, if he had attacked me first and not Kolar, it would have been my heart that he would have pierced, and I would not be alive to talk about it."

Tiin. Force, he did not want to believe it.

"A red room? Round and dark, the fight takes place at night?"

Windu's haunted eyes were enough of an answer...and it was a terrifying one. Fisto was a good fighter, but not exceptional either, at least at the moment, Tiin on the other hand was a remarkable fighter due to his telepathy, and Kolar... Sifo-Dyas did not know Kolar personally but he knew what was said about him, the man was a genius in lightsaber combat, an exceptional warrior so skilful and natural that one would believe him born for another era, in the Era of the High Republic and the great wars. He had almost no rivals and few equals despite his very young age, wielding the Ataru to perfection, only surpassed by Master Yoda and perhaps Master Mundi in this Form, combining several forms in an explosive, powerful style and unpredictable character that Sifo-Dyas would never want to face in real combat, and he knew few people who would be willing to take that risk.

"Did you say Kolar? Agen Kolar? He killed him?"

"Yes. In one move, the way he enhanced his body's abilities with the Force surprised us all, and... I admit I had to rely on my negative emotions at that moment to hold on. You understand better why a fair fight is out of the question, I refuse to put anyone in danger again." 

Sifo-Dyas understood, but...

"My answer remains the same. You may be Master Windu and you think you know where we are today, but the man you suspect may not be a Sith here, it's still too early to tell if you have travelled through time or alternate dimensions, it's impossible for me to deny all my principles while there are too many uncertainties, I'm sorry I can't help you but I refuse to get involved in this."

...oh, it seems that this is not the answer expected by the Korun who looked at him, mouth agape, before giggling behind his hand. It seemed a bit hysterical. Finally, they each took a cup, and Sifo-Dyas politely pretended not to see the glass of strong alcohol discreetly served and swallowed by his host between two portions of tea and fruity biscuits.

"I understand... and I respect that. It's... I'm so confident that I didn't expect so much scruples from you, but it's only to your credit not to be as hasty as I am," Master Windu replied with an air progressively more serene and impassive. "I don't think time is running out as much as I am in a hurry to see it disappear because my end goal is to protect the Order and the Republic, I understand, I can wait... if you think I can change your mind."

Sifo-Dyas could sense that this was an important moment, an important answer, and maybe he should think about it a little more before potentially entering into a pact with the devil, but... things were so clear in this context: Master Windu asked him to help him save the future and the Order, telling him that he was right, that he believed him.

Sifo-Dyas was right.

He could not refuse. He was a Jedi, he wanted to protect his people even if they did not listen to him, even if he had to get his hands dirty making drastic and horrible decisions because one day they would see that he was right, and even if it was too late for him, he would have done his best with the little he had.

"If you find evidence... I will surely help you," he promised temporarily.

"Thanks, I will investigate and get back to you with more information then."

"Alright. If you don't mind, I'll take my leave, I... you've given me a lot to think about."

"Of course."

As he walked him to the door, Sifo-Dyas turned around at the last moment, trying to find a bit of humour to lighten the mood that had fallen on them.

"Please tell me I'm not that Sith and that you're not trying to take me away from Coruscant to get rid of me quietly."

...he really had to stop the humour, Dooku was right, it was atrocious.

A laugh made him look up, Master Windu was chuckling, eyes sparkling with amusement as he reached up to press the door control to open it for him.

"You seem to have a talent for surprising me, Master Sifo-Dyas, I can't wait to get to know you a little better."

The second he realized how close their bodies were, Sifo-Dyas threw himself through the half-open door, not paying attention to the fact that he was hitting the door frame and that it was going to leave bruises. He had to leave, immediately.

"Thank you for the compliment... I think? Anyway, I'm going to go... have a good evening!"

It seemed that Sifo-Dyas had not yet completely mastered the art of suppressing his lowest instincts...and the Force was not helping. The last time this had happened was with Dooku and he had struggled to look his best friend in the eye and suppress his interest for months.

Please, just please, no erotic visions, Force, please anything but that...

Chapter Text

The next few days were incredibly quiet, it was suspicious.

No dreams of painful deaths and terrified faces twisted in pain? Suspicious was the only word to describe it, and Sifo-Dyas did not know if it was a message from the Force or if it was the Force itself that did not know what to send him, that was yet to be determined. In the meantime, he was finally at peace, well, almost. Master Windu II, after his resounding announcement, had apparently taken it upon himself to disappear to do exactly what he had promised, to find evidence, and since then Sifo-Dyas had not had any news.

No news, good news... right? Because if he went to confront the Sith Master alone and did not come back alive, Sifo-Dyas would have another guilt to bear, and he would be fine without it.

"Master Sifo-Dyas, your opinion?"

Sifo-Dyas bit his cheek to avoid answering anything aggressive. It was not because he had felt a little something for this man that he had softened his opinion on Master Windu who was always, in his eyes, an arrogant and authoritarian fool. Twenty years really made a difference, he could look at the face of the Master of the Order and meet his gaze without being moved.

"No matter what we decide to do, at the end of the day, a lot of things are out of our control. If your alter ego reappears and decides to start telling people about the future he experienced or even inventing things to suit himself, the Order will be irrevocably changed, and with it, the Republic."

"How could he- "

"You are the Master of the Order, do not doubt the influence he can have," he warned morosely. "The Order is an institution which by nature abhors haste and urgency, it is not in our nature not to take our time, so whatever our decision, things will be difficult and we will need to adapt to a new paradigm. To be honest, I think the real question here is not whether we want to change... but whether if we can avoid it, or if we even should. Don't we have a moral duty to strive for the common good, even if it disrupts our habits and beliefs?"

Master Windu looked away, looking frustrated for some reason.

"He seemed very interested in you, did he by any chance confide something to you?"

Sifo-Dyas got around the spontaneous indignation that this sentence inspired in him and preferred mockery and a rare feeling of triumph. The man was annoyed and visibly jealous because things were getting out of his control a little more every day, and Master Windu II seemed closer to Sifo-Dyas than to him, Sifo-Dyas, a man he would love to kick out of the Council. How sad it must have been to feel rejected like that... Ah! If he could take advantage of having a little taste of his own medicine, it would do him good, it might well instil in him some lessons in good manners that his immense natural talent had allowed him to avoid until now.

A welcome clearing of throat from Master Tiin helped bring his thoughts back on track, and while he could not help but remember the conversation, he suddenly wondered if Master Windu II's refusal of him saying the Sith Master's name was not also to prevent him from speaking or to stop certain telepaths like the Iktotchi from reading the answer in his mind. Master Tiin stiffened in his seat and his hand tightened on the armrest before he hid his hands in his sleeves without anyone paying attention. Sifo-Dyas personally hoped that it was just paranoia, or that it was because they did not yet know each other well at that time and did not yet have a very developed bond of trust due to the Radical Jedi Iktotchi's relatively recent and controversial entry into the High Council, because he was largely trustworthy in his own eyes. He was patient and thoughtful, and not one to betray confidences, on the contrary, it was widely believed that he was a man of few words and this unfortunately reinforced the discomfort of almost everyone who could not accept that their thoughts will never be safe in his presence. Sifo-Dyas had gotten used to it, the discomfort had disappeared.

Or maybe it was because the Sith had killed him and Windu hoped to spare him unnecessary trauma, unaware that Sifo-Dyas had already had a vision about it. Oops. He had just thought about it, and given the train of his thoughts, Tiin must have been unable to stop himself from absent-mindedly following all of this.

Sorry, he thought distinctly as he saw his comrade suddenly turn pale but nod minimally to tell him that everything was fine.

"We talked about personal things, Master Windu."

"What kind?" The man asked urgently.

"My death."

The mood of every person in the room changed drastically at these words, as if suddenly this reminder brought home to them all the fact that they were all mortal, that they would all one day face a destiny that they spent their entire lives avoiding as best they could.

"No matter what you choose," he finally sighed wearily, looking at each of them until his eyes stopped on Master Yoda. "The obsessive fear of change remains a deep and irrational fear, rooted in our hearts. Fear leads down a dark path that I don’t think any of us want to go down. We must always remain masters of our fears so that they never govern our reason, I advise you to meditate on this before making the important decisions which are necessary, I am done for today."

Luckily, no one tried to stop him and he could see out of the corner of his eye that young Master Koon was looking at him with a contemplative look which was a very good sign in his eyes for the Padawan of a Seer would of course be a lot more tolerant for him than the others.

There was a lot to think about here, and he did not need more enemies.

Chapter Text

Master Windu II's return had been like a tornado knocking at your door, literally breaking it down in the middle of the night.

Startled from his sleep, Sifo-Dyas almost knocked himself out in panic and confusion, arduously drawing his lightsaber to himself before hearing a voice familiar enough to stop him for a second.

"... not a moment to lose, this is the perfect opportunity to get him with the minimum of risk if we... Erm."

With the little outside light coming into his room from the dimly lit corridor, Sifo-Dyas could only tell that his state of undress had been noted and integrated, but it was impossible for him to tell what the other thought as his face was in shadow.

"My door," he said stupidly, a little overwhelmed.

He had gone from a deep, dreamless sleep, lying on his stomach with his head buried in his pillow, to being rudely awakened and now being observed with his bare-chested. Well, in truth he was naked, because it was incredibly hot at night at this time of the year, but fortunately his sheet concealed that fact enough because he had not got up.

"Shall I have it replaced?" Master Windu offered. "It's now or never though, the opportunity is too good to miss, I assure you."

"I told you to find evidence, not an opportunity to strike," Sifo-Dyas groaned, running his hands over his face in a desperate attempt to stay awake and not just tell him to piss off and fall headfirst back into his bed, which had a far greater appeal to him at the moment.

"I have evidences," Windu objected passionately, "we can talk about it on the way. When you're dressed, of course," he added.

"Don't you dare lecture me on the impropriety of my not wearing clothes in the middle of the night."

"Improper isn't the word I'd use for it," the other replied spontaneously before clearing his throat once more. "Anyway, I'm going to go. If you're not here in the next ten minutes I'll have understood the message and I'll leave you alone."

"I'm coming, I'm coming," he said annoyedly, throwing a pillow in his face before getting up, pulling back his sheet so he could grab his clothes and pull on a pair of boxers, gathering his things under his arm and heading for the bathroom. "Just a minute."

He heard nothing but an approving noise and blindly followed the man to a ship, yawning all the way to the hangars, surprised to find the Holo image of a young man whose face he vaguely recognised and marks on star charts. Who was he again? In any case, he did not know the name associated with it, Tatooine... Was not that the name of a minor planet plagued by crime and ruled by the Hutts? If he remembered correctly, there was a well-known pod race held there, and Tiin had already told him about it. Was the Sith hiding there?

He hoped he was not having memory problems, he certainly did not feel that old.

"You'll find here all my compilations of information and material evidence, most of which would be completely useless for a trial because it was obtained in a less than legal manner but hey, I was in a bit of a hurry for a classic investigation," Windu explained as he started their take-off. "I can't count on too many people to trust me at the moment, but I've managed to find someone who can help you deal with the Sith Apprentice while I deal with the Master, but we don't have much time, it's a limited window of opportunity."

"Wait a minute, what do you mean, take care of the Apprentice? "

"Sidious has a secret base on Mustafar, do you know Mustafar? "

"Volcanic planet used for mining, that sort of thing," he recited more than he pondered, "there are not really any native inhabitants other than extremely minimalist flora and fauna... and therefore perfect for hiding people who want to remain a secret."

"At this very moment, Sidious has left to ‘retire to his country house’ as he does at least once a month. These trips last a maximum of three days. When he leaves Mustafar, I'll look after him, and you and your partner will look after the Apprentice so he can't escape. In a non-lethal way," Windu said reassuringly, "he is after all still the student and could be useful to have as a captive, in particular to convince the other High Councillors that I'm not delusional and that the Order really needs to be reformed to take into account the fact that the Force has many facets and that our way of doing things up until now has been naive, even though well-intentioned."

"Fine... and this eminent partner, where is he?" He sighed as he dropped onto a bench to grab the first datapad at his disposal.

Sheev Palpatine. A no-name with no power, position or influence strong enough to exist on his radar.

That said, Sifo-Dyas' radar of people worth remembering was very high.

"Tatooine, we're going to pick him up before we go, he's raising his son alone and is the equivalent of a village chief so he didn't want to be away any more than necessary. "

"Who in the name of the Force is this man? What makes you so sure he'll be useful for such an important task?"

Windu laughed heartily from where he was entering security codes to leave Coruscant unhindered by customs, Jedi privileges, casting him an… amused and mischievous glance?

"Him? He's Sharad Hett of course, Eeth's Padawan."

Of course he was.

The brilliant Padawan of Koth who had been remembered for a few short years as a Knight before leaving the Order to disappear completely, Sifo-Dyas could sense that he was going to have so much fun.

Chapter Text

The evidence were not perfect, and Sifo-Dyas certainly did not approve of breaking into isolated mansions in a "Lake Country" of Naboo, but as he did not approve of vaults full of Sith artefacts, astrological charts leading to unknown Sith Temples or particularly nauseating Holocrons, he wisely decided that this was more than necessary under the circumstances and put down his reading to meditate a little, hoping at least to calm his mind.

The idea was to reassure himself that at least his task was not to kill but to capture, and that there was nothing he could do about it anyway: Windu was determined to kill Palpatine anyway. Similarly, while he did not approve of the cowardly and dishonourable method of shooting his ship into space for the man to die of asphyxiation if the explosion was not enough, he understood where it was coming from. Windu still bore the scars of their confrontation and they would probably never completely disappear, he had almost died, he should have died, so this was the best solution. It would not make any noise, he would never even be found because people would assume that it was an act of piracy to try to kill or capture a small Senator for ransom or a bounty, nothing unusual in the world of politics or piracy.

Now if the Force could stop spamming him with microscopic visions of meaningless guttural grunts, that would be better.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Are you always so... intense and proactive or is that a thing of the future?"

"I'm afraid the intensity has always been there, but as for the rest... the war has changed me, it's changed us all," Korun admitted from where he was sitting on the bench in front of him, fiddling with an unlit lightsaber whose hilt made Sifo-Dyas realise that it was his old model, the one with the blue blade, which young Master Windu had had to agree to give him before he evaporated into thin air to carry out his research. "At one point, being proactive could be the only thing that made the difference between survival and death. I was responsible for the lives of my direct subordinates, I couldn't just stand by and do nothing. I'm well aware that this is not... appropriate in this day and age."

"On the contrary, perhaps it's exactly what we need," Sifo-Dyas argued with a sincere smile. "Someone to shake things up for us."

A small blond human child looked up at him from the open doorway of a house and smiled happily, trying to approach him on wobbly little legs, quickly caught by a worried young woman.

Who was this now?

Trapped in another reality, Sifo-Dyas only noticed the hand that had come up to his face when it touched his hair... his loose hair. Force, he had completely forgotten to tie his hair back – he could not remember being so unkempt in a long time.

"Ah... do you have something I could use to tie them up with?"

Then he realised he was talking to a bald man and cleared his throat, looking away.

"Sharad will probably have something for that. Tell me, I know it's not quite the same but... as a man who has had many visions, many of which have come true, do you find it... understandable that my apprehension of things and people seems to have nothing to do with my memories?"

"What do you mean by that?"

"I know exactly who the man who is the younger version of myself is, I know what he thinks, what he's capable of doing and what he wants. I know what he's been through and how he'd react... but I can't seem to feel limited by that. I have other ambitions, other goals, other... desires."

The way the word "desire" sounded warmed Sifo-Dyas's body, but the gaze focused solely on him ended up igniting something in both his body and heart, which was suddenly racing.

"Could you explain that?" He murmured, swallowing uneasily.

"The rules on attachment, bonds, celibacy and family, I intend to see them disappear. It's not as if it really works anyway."

"It's not-"

"It's particularly troubling for me, don't get me wrong, but you're absolutely not what I thought you were at the time. I think deep down I was afraid of your gift, afraid of your visions, afraid that they were real. Because I was afraid to face the world as it was and as it was going to become, I preferred to blame it all on you, unfairly, and I sincerely apologise for that. I had to be back into a corner to realise this, and I wish it hadn't been so... you deserve so much better."

Master Windu on top of him, both of them horizontal on a bed, kissing full on the lips while SIFO-DYAS helped him undress.

Back in the present before Master Windu had time to notice that he had spaced out, Sifo-Dyas blushed so hard he knew it was visible this time.

The problem with Sifo-Dyas's visions was mainly that, as far as he could remember, none of them had ever been wrong, and that was something he could not ignore at the moment.

"You're firm and determined, to the point of being an extremist, but your intentions are as noble as they could possibly be, and you're gentle, empathetic and compassionate despite the disrespect most people show you because some of the High Council members don't quite trust your opinion. I really admire you."

"Ah, er... thank you, I suppose? I'm not so-"

"I've never tried to seduce anyone, so forgive my bluntness and awkwardness, but you are someone I find intriguing and attractive... from a personal as well as a professional point of view. I'd like to prove to you that I could be a good lover, if you'd give me a chance?"

"Isn't that a bit hasty?" He objected very weakly, suddenly realising that for some reason he could not seem to say no to such advances.

It was something he had perhaps dreamed of hearing from someone at least once in his life, but he had no idea what to think of it beyond being flattered and... reluctantly interested.

"I am someone who knows his own mind," Master Windu countered with a gentle and soothing tone, but resolute all the same. "And even if I had the impression that my interest could be reciprocated with time and effort, I hope you are aware that I will always respect your wishes, if you wish me to back down, you have only a word to say."

"I don't doubt that for a second, it's just... it's one of the things you didn't tell the High Council..."

So he had not thought about it, not as a reasonable or conceivable thing, that is.

"Master Mundi loves his wives and daughters, and a lot of Jedi have left the Order to have families, so making it possible within the Order is a logical step that will impose itself. I'm just anticipating this because... sorry, it's a bit embarrassing to put it this way but... I didn't want to give anyone else the opportunity to take the first step towards you before I did."

"I can't say I'm at that stage," he murmured, playing with his sleeves, "but I admit to feeling a physical interest and a strong curiosity about you."

When Master Windu came up and kissed him with more warmth, passion and desire than he had felt from another sentient being for so long he could not remember the last time, Sifo-Dyas did not back down.

It felt so good to be wanted, even if it was probably temporary... He felt as if he were floating on a cloud, far away from trouble.

Chapter Text

If trouble had a form, Sifo-Dyas imagined it to be this dark, misty shape behind a cloud of sand, but more realistically, it probably looked more like Master Windu II.

"Let's not waste time, there's a sandstorm coming!" A loud, raspy voice echoed through the ship even before the door was fully open.

Windu did not reply and immediately took off from the seemingly random rock he had landed on in the middle of a sandy desert, not even looking at the tall, broad, cloth-covered figure who dropped a bag and calmly dusted himself off before stopping dead in his tracks when he saw Sifo-Dyas.

"Hng."

Then he mumbled things that made no sense and mostly sounded like mouth noises. Like those auditory visions he had just had.

"Sharad, don't be a brat," was the warning that strangely managed to bring him back to Basic.

Oh, yes. Koth's Padawan, Koth's best friend, Windu had probably been a sort of close uncle and role model for him.

"Sorry, habit, speaking in Basic in front of the settlers is frowned upon in the Tribe," he explained under his mask, making Sifo-Dyas a little more confused.

"Tribe?"

"Tusken, I'm a Clan leader."

"Hng."

The man breathed a laugh into his beard before sitting down next to him, taking out a lightsaber with worn but still serviceable parts to check it.

"The sand damages it faster than anywhere else, and I don't normally use it anymore anyway," he explained calmly. "So, are you ready for what we have to do?"

"Moderately. What about yourself?"

"If I die and my son is orphaned, I'll curse the Jedi until the end of time, but otherwise I'm fine, I'm always willing to save people when it comes to Sith."

"He forgets to mention that I promised him assistance in clearing the Hutts off Tatooine, the settlers and them are encroaching on the desert which is a traditional Tusken territory."

"Even if there wasn't that, I'd still come, it's a question of saving my Master."

Sifo-Dyas cast a sidelong glance at Master Windu who looked away. Hmm... was it emotional manipulation that he detected here?

"How old is your son?" He finally asked so as not to delve into things that did not concern him.

Son. Sharad Hett had had a son, a Jedi had had a child and had not raised him as a Jedi. Was he also a child of the Force?

"Eight years old, his name is A'Sharad."

"I didn't know the Tusken were compatible with humans," he remarked without thinking about it.

It seemed to him that they were rather different, more reptilian, but he could be wrong, he was far from being a connoisseur of each species.

"My wife was human, also adopted by the Tribe."

Sifo-Dyas simply nodded. If his death would make his son an orphan, then she was already dead and he did not want to bring back bad memories in vain, especially at a time when they needed to concentrate.

"And how have you been since the last time? You were still fairly new to the High Council when I left."

"Not as new as your own Master."

"That's right, how is my Master?"

"He's doing well, he has the restraint and moderation befitting this position and he inspires respect."

"Good, good... and yourself?"

What were all those people asking him how he was?

"Fine, as long as my door is fixed when I get home. Don't ask."

He could feel the judgement beneath the ridiculous and vaguely frightening mask worthy of a good old horror Holo, but Hett did not insist and carefully cleaned his crystal kyber, looking wistful. Sifo-Dyas could not imagine what it was like to grow up to be a Jedi, to achieve your goal, to become a legend and then abandon everything to start again somewhere else. He must have felt terribly lonely too. How long had it taken him to know his desert as well as he knew the corridors of the Temple? How long to love it with the same sincerity? It was not because he was young and radically different from him that he had not experienced anything or that he was incapable of doing anything, being a father and husband had apparently not changed him that much... this was in fact a point for Master Windu and what he wished to establish on a larger scale. Sifo-Dyas did not really know if this was a good idea, family ties were the most restrictive of all, you could break a marriage, but almost never really break a filial bond, and if a Jedi's loyalty was divided between his duty and his family...

But then again, was not Master Mundi proving that it was possible? If he could do it, why not others? Why not himself?

This was too much rambling, he needed something tangible to think about.

"The Sith we're going to arrest, do you have any more details? His appearance, his age, that sort of thing?"

Master Windu sneaked up beside him, just close enough for their legs to touch, and looked only at Hett, but Sifo-Dyas was not so naive. This was no accident... and for the moment he was in favour of it.

"Your target is a young Zabrak, red and black skin, eyes between yellow and orange, glowing with rage. He's extremely gifted for his age, but you have experience and years on your side, and there are two of you. He fights with a sharp, effective Juyo. He's resourceful and ruthless, and he's killed Jedi of every rank before, so don't make the mistake of underestimating him. He'll want to kill you, and although you have the element of surprise working for you, his knowledge of the area will give him an advantage and he might try to run away."

"He won't run away," Sifo-Dyas promised assuredly.

"Vision?"

Sifo-Dyas smiled calmly, carefully dusting off his clothes.

"No, but I have a plan."

Chapter Text

"I've been through some of the most absurd plans in the world with the Kenobi-Skywalker duo, and you're nowhere near as lucky as those two suicidal idiots, I need to hear exactly what this plan is about before I approve it."

"Ah!" He laughed with a smirk, not even knowing who Kenobi or Skywalker were. "Bold of you to assume that you can order me to do anything, or even that I need your approval."

Both men turned to him in a single movement that was strangely coordinated, and Hett held out a hand that he hesitantly shook for a handshake, confused when the other placed his other hand on their joined hands.

"Have I mentioned that I think we'll make a good team? Don't lose that ferocity when we face the enemy."

Eh. The Tusken must have been a warrior society, so him showing a bit of temper had made Hett's respect grow as quickly as it had put a look of bewilderment on Windu's face, whose gaze slowly became more inquisitive and predatory.

Why could not Sifo-Dyas ever pick the easy ones? It was hopeless that he had such poor taste in anything other than determining a person's sex appeal.

"I beg your pardon?" The Korun Jedi Master asked slowly.

"You heard me perfectly well," he replied in the same tone.

Unfortunately for Windu, Sifo-Dyas was not exactly the kind of man to let anyone limit him, and he was not about to be intimidated. Courting, eh? Sifo-Dyas could not think of being in a relationship with someone who tried to dominate him and prevent him from making his own choices like the middle-aged man he was. It was not that bad, at worst he would just be a booty call, and Sifo-Dyas did not need much more chemistry than that to be convinced to have sex with him, but it would be a shame if he turned out to be such a disappointment. Just because he had not behaved well with him in the past did not mean he did not think very highly of him in general as a fellow Jedi.

They exchanged a glare that reflected their mutual stubbornness before Master Windu sighted, and Sifo-Dyas was particularly relieved because he felt his own resolve to stand firm was waning. It was not very mature of him to do so, and he was also about to try and calm the argument down, but so much the better if he did not have to, he still felt he was not at fault here. He was not a child and he would be treated like the High Councillor he was, no more and no less.

The message seemed to sink in.

"Hmm... Certainly. My apologies. May I start again? Master Sifo-Dyas, would you do me the favour of explaining to me and to your partner in misfortune the idea that crossed your mind to effectively apprehend the Sith Apprentice?"

Sifo-Dyas let go of the subtle irony and focused instead on the man who used to be a Jedi but who, no matter how talented and legendary he may have been, was nonetheless a man who was no longer a Jedi on a daily basis and who did not often fight with his lightsaber to defend his life these days. His survival depended on him, he was going to have to protect this young – even though not so young anymore – man so that he got home in one piece, or at least with all the important pieces held together, and he suspected that it would be no mean feat to accomplish this in such an imprecise and unfortunately extremely dangerous mission.

"He's a Sith, and he wants to kill Jedi. He'll take any opportunity to kill one or both of us, so that's what I'm going to give him."

"What do you mean, that's what you're going to give him?"

"He won't be able to resist the bait of a weak High Council Master who is not used to fight."

Master Windu frowned, looking tense, and Sifo-Dyas did not understand, it was the most logical choice, even Hett agreed, shaking his head.

"Good point, he'll come for you if he thinks you're weaker than him."

"That's out of the question, and what's your level as a fighter?"

"Quite decent, given that you've never been able to kick me out of the High Council because of a weakness on that side of my abilities," he scoffed. "More interestingly, I'm an adept of the Soresu, so he'll have the impression of dominating me if I just back off. It won't be a matter of much time or effort before he thinks he can defeat me, so if we use that to set a trap for him, it might be less risky and hazardous than expected."

"It's a rationally unstoppable, coherent and considered plan. What role should I play in this picture?"

"What are your strengths?"

"Ataru, like my Master, but I have a decent Makashi and my Shi-Cho is impeccable."

Solid foundations, great mobility and good speed.

"My Makashi is also at a good level," he shared thoughtfully.

With a friend like Dooku, you could not be bad at it, but he just was not convinced, even in theory, that he would have time for disarming moves against Juyo. It was bad enough that he did not pretend to be able to take on Vapaad, but pure Juyo used by someone with a strong destructive will...

"Does he have any noteworthy particularity that would be useful for us to know about his fighting style?"

"The last I heard of him, he was wielding a double-bladed lightsaber."

"And I suppose he used it... well?"

"Unfortunately. In his time he has killed many Jedi before he ws even in his thirties... including Qui-Gon Jinn."

... Was it too late for him to leave his place to someone else?

Please, just let him look away from this mess.

It's always your lineage, Dooku, always.