#sithandjedi

“Too few Jedi have the practical skills needed to lead a battalion. My fellow sith are not happy about the dangers present.” Darth Traya grimly stated, “If we keep this up, it won’t matter that we are spread too thin as there won’t be anyone left for even that!”

“Come now, that is a bit dramatic, don’t you think Lord Kreia?” Master Depa chided.

“No. We have been splitting the Jedi from their Sith partners and Sith are getting hurt because they are distracted from not being able to support their Jedi and the Jedi are falling because no one is there to remind them of their limits,” Lord Koon agreed.  

“Perhaps there is a compromise that would work.” Kenobi mused. He straightened as the mixed council focused on him, “After all, there are Jedi and Sith that have the practical skills needed to lead in war. It is unusual for all members of the triad to have them but they are often found within the group. Tholme, for example, doesn’t have the skills needed for warfare,” he raised a hand, “He is highly skilled in other areas. However, Lady Tahl has significant skill with leading and command while Lord Giiett has experience with tactics and strategy. Between the two they are more than qualified to lead a battalion.”

“I have some concerns with my fellow Sith leading,” Lady Nu hesitantly began, “We tend to be competent but inherently selfish.”

“Indeed, that is why we focus on protecting our Jedi, it fits that selfish streak, the possession that is so needed while keeping it directed to a healthy outlet, unlike what Palpatine has put forward,” Lord Dooku sourly said.

“Precisely why Tholme will still go with them.” Kenobi said patiently, “We may not be able to field teams of three in every case, but by ensuring that it is a team of a minimum of one Jedi and one Sith, we can ensure that each team has the skills that are needed. Double-up groups and teach less experienced teams. We can prioritize being effective over covering ground."

Master Billaba nodded, “We can focus on relief effort, rescue and refugee relocation. That we have an abundance of experience with sadly.”

“That would also allow us to address some of the devastation that the droid army has been bringing,” Master Adi Gallia agreed.

Plo spoke softly, golden eyes hidden behind his mask, “There is another concern that I wished to address. Padawans, particularly below the age of majority, have been given commands and sent to the front.”

“This has long been the practice, Jedi or Sith, to bring their Padawan on missions,”  Jocasta protested, eyes bright at the suggestion of yet another tradition thrown to the wayside. Others were nodding as well, even Yoda with a sad expression on his face.  

“Exactly, After all, I was not quite 13 when I first faced hard choices,” Kenobi began, and many froze mid-nod. “And I was 15 when I, successfully mind you, lead others in war. While not preferred, I don’t see the issue. I am very proud of the Jedi my grand-padawan is shaping up to be.”

Every sith flinched.

“Plo has a good point. No padawan that young could possibly have the skill set needed for command. And few teams have multiple padawans to assign together to make up for skills not yet learned.”

“Afford, we cannot, to not field padawans,” Yoda sighed, ears drooping.

Dooku tapped his fingers on the hilt of his lightsaber, “We can at least ensure that no padawan is given a command of their own until age of majority AND had the experience of a joint command.”

Master Shaak Ti nodded, “This also fits with the new priority of efficiency over coverage. We cannot sacrifice too much ground but if we aren’t keeping the ground and the generals leading, it won’t matter how much ground we secure.”  

“Very well, that leads us to the last item of the session. Lord Bane’s and Lord Plagueis’s presence or lack thereof.” Mace said, rubbing at his forehead. “Lord Plagueis decided to go verify that nothing could be learned on Naboo after Senator Amidala allowed for search parties. He has now been out of contact with for 6 weeks.”

“What?! How did it  go unmentioned for so long?” Lady Nu burst out with icy wrath.

Shaak Ti sighed, “We received a written message that we have since then determined that was likely from an enemy agent and not Lord Plagueis based on followup from the following team. Sith Knight Labooda and Plagueis were seen shortly after the message was sent and have since disappeared. However, the message appeared to be legitimate and a follow-up team was delayed.”

“While this looks bad, Lady Labooda would never betray the order. Perhaps a temporary appointment while the team has time to track down the pair?” Master Billaba suggested.

“Unfortunately, the team has already hit a dead end.” Shaak Ti said gently, “The Palpatine estate is completely abandoned and has been Force blasted. Even if we were to recall Voss, he wouldn’t be able to get a reading on anything there.”

Jocasta nodded, “We have declared the two missing-in-action and notified the GAR to keep an eye out for them. My suggestion would be to ask Lord Rugess Nome to step in until Plagueis can return. Darth Plagueis was trained by Darth Tenebrous and is supported by previous decisions by the council.”

“Meanwhile, Darth Bane hasn’t been seen in almost 5 years now.” Darth Traya drawled, “We can’t continue with a third of the Sith Council missing, not with the demands the Senate is making.”

"Who did Lord Bane denote as his successor?" Mace inquired.

“Lady Zannah,” Plo said dryly.

Silence rang out before Obi-Wan cleared his throat, “My understanding is that Lady Zannah was the last fatality before the merging of the Jedi and Sith Orders?”

“Yes, apparently he changed it right around when he disappeared.” Plo rumbled, “Prior to that, the submission was Lord Maul.

“A surprising choice considering Bane’s lineage’s fight against the order’s merge but then the merge was spearheaded by Bane originally. Unless there are objections, I see no issue with appointing Maul as Bane's successor.”  Dooku concluded.

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Mace tried not to snicker at Maul’s face.

“The council, what?!” Maul fumblingly tried to protest and Mace lost it laughing.

Maul snickered at the screen played Anakin freaking out while stripping, “Still? It has been a week?” Mace asked as he pulled his boots on.

“Oh, rumor has it that he is still finding sand. Anakin holds that is ‘Just how sand is’ but the troopers are pretty sure that General Kenobi did something to the cleaning droids.” Ponds said dryly, offering the Jedi his robe.

“So new footage,” Mace couldn’t help the thread of interest, “What did he do? I mean, outside the shovel talking.”

“Missed General Kenobi’s briefing, complained when he got rescued after 32 hours in the cockpit, and then laughed at General Jinn’s misfortune,” Ponds recited.

“That isn’t the best part,” Maul was laughing out right now “Kenobi pulled Tholme in from his watchman posting for an assignment.”

Mace paused, “Tahl would have run into both of them.” He looked at the door, “Footage?”

“Of both lectures,” Maul helpfully pulled up the footage as he and Ponds’ shared a smug look as their Jedi sat down. Maybe they could get Windu to take a proper break this time.  

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Lord Sidious gritted his teeth as he looked at the smoking ruins around him. While satisfying, leveling worlds was not gaining him what he desired, neither the galaxy or that red-headed brat. “Get me Cad Bane,” He snarled to the cowering neimoidian. His plans for the galaxy had been delayed, annoying but nothing serious, revenge on Kenobi would require flexibility. Yes, his current backup plan would work but taking out Kenobi would require the removal of his wannabe-Sith guards. Sidious felt his lips curl, perhaps he could take care of a few things at once, Skywalker had been so close to being useful after all.  

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Mace leaned back into his chair, “Then we are in agreement of Kenobi taking Master Yaddle’s chair.”

“Welcome change, it will be,” Yaddle nods, “War, little use have I. Far better my abilities are, for teaching the young.”

“Very well,” Mace cut off as the doors opened abruptly to a Temple Guardian who entered.

“Masters, the morning guard found the cells of Pong Krell and Prosset Dibs empty and the four guardian’s on shift missing. Two Humans, a Twi’lek and a Pau’an, Master Drallig is working on finding more  but something was done to the system at the same time which is causing issues.”

“And what has the Sith Council done in response,” Mace asked. The guardian’s feet shifted and there was the slightest amount of embarrassed-hesitant in the force. Mace closed his eyes and put a hand to his head, “Which of course you haven’t told yet. I will take care of it.”

“Help Drallig, I will,” Yoda nodded as he hopped off his chair. “Quickly we must move, yes, or our Sith brethren, hasty may be.”

Rex shook his head as he went to get his general, was Cody hugging his rifle? He understood that the proper gear maintenance was important but really that was taking it too far. But it did not look like a regulation rifle… Rex frowned when he realized that the contents of the tent were spread out. Anakin was beating his blanket against the wall, cursing madly interspersed by “ Sand ” in the same tone of voice that his general usually reserved for idiots who left Obi-Wan alone during a mission. But that wasn’t all. Anakin was down to only leggings and one sock, his boots were tipped over the side down by an overturned cot and tunics were scattered every which way. “Fucking pustulence, how did he get it in my fripping gloves...” Anakin ranted as Rex cleared his throat.

“Sir, we had a briefing at 0800?” Rex said as Anakin spun round with a final curse, sand flying from his hair to sprinkle the ground.

Anakin just stared with sparking yellow eyes, clenching his jaw so hard that Rex could see white lines.

“Obi-Wan told you directly you would pay for it, what did you expect?” Rex finally asked dryly. “Report to your ship at 0930, Ahoska can give you the rundown,” Anakin grunted and went back into the tent, hopefully, to finish getting dressed. Rex shook his head as he headed to get the ships prepped, “And hope that Obi-Wan doesn’t decide to get back at you for missing his briefing.”

“Sand. I hate sand.” Came up out of the tent as Rex tried valiantly not to snicker.

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Qui-Gon snickered at Ahsoka’s dramatic retelling of just how much Anakin hates sand. Clever of his Imp to get Anakin right before an op where he wouldn’t have a choice but to wear sand-saturated tunics. Anakin’s bad luck that it turned out to be a mission standard Kenobi-style with both Sith and apprentice getting stuck in the cockpit for 32 hours.

Anakin stomped past, “He is going to get you too! Just wait!”

“Oh? How is he going to even get close to this for me?” Qui-Gon lazily waved a hand at how Anakin’s tunic was still shedding sand (Anakin swears he has washed it four times and it doesn’t seem to end). “Replacing all my tea with caff was annoying, and certainly darker than I expected but this is why I have a secret tea stash.”  

“QUI-GON JINN!” Reverberated off the walls in a deep contralto voice. Ahsoka looked startled as Qui-Gon went white, hands fumbling clumsily to grab datapad. Meanwhile, Anakin started laughing as a tall, dark-skinned woman came striding over to grab Qui-Gon’s ear. “What is this about a shovel talk?! Seriously? You?!” The tall long-haired master was tentatively trying to set out a defense but failing miserably as the yellow and gold striped-eyed woman wasn’t letting him get more than a word at a time out as she dragged him away.

“And that, padawan, is Master Tahl,” Anakin said with satisfaction as everyone stared in awe of the woman giving the other sith the dressing-down of a lifetime. “We can get away with a lot, but Tahl is why Qui-Gon has a secret stash to begin with.”

“Also, I have it on good authority that his, ah, ‘Secret’ stash also got hit too,” Rex said with amusement.

Ahsoka whistled, “Got it. Don’t mess with grand-master.”

Chapters: 1/? Fandom: Star Wars - All Media Types Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi Characters: Obi-Wan Kenobi, Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin Skywalker, Sheev Palpatine | Darth Sidious, Dooku | Darth Tyranus, Tahl (Star Wars) Additional Tags: Major AU, Action/Adventure, Angst, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Shovel Talk followup, As in Revenge to the Shovel Talk givers, Clones have their own planet, And a seat in the Senate, Other Additional Tags to Be Added Summary:

This is a direct continuation of Sith and Jedi by @swpromptsandasks (with permission, how much fun to do fanfic with author permission!).