Irtar rubbed his chin as he looked down at the specs before him. This was the plan for one of the defense droids that were going to be presented as part of a defense proposal. He hadn’t worked with anything this complex before, or at least nothing he hadn’t worked on by himself. Simple designs based on older tech. Cheap to produce, but effective based on Sinsang’s industrial base.

He leaned back in his chair with a groan. There were many times when he couldn’t tell whether he was an ambassador or some techie. But then again, he wasn’t much of a public speaker so maybe it was better for him to do what he did best. Chao was much more political minded than he was. Irtar looked back at the schematic again for a moment and then with a groan pulled himself away from it.

He came out of his office with stride as he made his way out of the halls of the Sinsangese Senate. Irtar had decided it was now time for a much needed lunch break. He made his way down the street to the restaurant he had taken a liking to for lunch. It was a small restaurant that served a nice variety of food. The Sinsangese Food wasn’t too bad at first, but a man can only have so much of that greasy stuff before he needed a good old fashioned burger.

Irtar sat where he normally did, where he can look out and watch the street. He sometimes enjoyed to watch the swathes of people walk by. Having lived in relative isolation on Dantooine, he always found these sights interesting. Different. Then all of a sudden he felt something. Something… familiar…. Irtar began to think on what it could be when his thoughts were interrupted.

He heard a cough over his shoulder as the waiter stood there with his food. Irtar shook his head and blushed somewhat in embarrassment. “Oh sorry… still just kinda get lost around here even just standing still.” Irtar said with a little laugh more at himself than anything.

“Are you sure? You seem somewhat distressed today.” The waiter replied. He was an older man, part of the family who owned the place from what he overheard.

“Just have a lot of paperwork waiting for me. Office stress. Maybe all I need is a good lunch to get me back in the fight.” Irtar said with a soft smile as he took his burger and raised it in the air a bit.

The old man nodded his head in understanding and with a sigh walked away. Irtar shook his head slightly, shaking off that feeling that clung to him and dug into his meal.

The nice older waiter finished helping the Ambassador and then went back to the kicthen, presumably to place an order. As he came in, he saw his sister, Milea, give him an exasperated look, "Raul I can't help that... thing in the corner any longer. He sends back everything Grebal cooks! Too dry, too cold! too hot! It's a fracking burger!"

Raul glanced over his shoulder at the table Milea was speaking about. At the table sat a small hooded being of maybe five feet. Not much of whoever or whatever it was was visible save a long red funnel-shaped face. Wierd yellowish eyes peered over at him as the hooded form turned to stare directly at him. Raul quickly looked back at Milea.

"Thats wierd! He looked right at me!" He said, feeling a shiver go down his spine.

"Probable one of those Jedi things..."

Raul shook his head and nodded at the sitting Irtar, "I heard rumors the ambassador over there was once a Jedi of some sort..."

Milea gave an visible shudder, "Creepy."

"Look. I'll take care of our red friend. Just try to redo it's burger."

Milea nodded and glared at the "red friend".

And the hooded yellowish eyes stared right back.

Irtar heard some grumbling in the back. He couldn’t make it out and so he gave a bit of a shrug. Things were normally quiet around here but there were always times there’d be arguments about the rearing of certain family members. He remember the one day when the old waiter, Raul, was on about how his granddaughter was getting a tattoo.

He couldn’t help but smile remembering the old times at home. Like the time him and his brother were playing some ‘Catch the Drone’ around the house and they broke a lamp. His Dad had yelled at them so hard and when their Mom came in….

Irtar’s smile suddenly went away when he thought about her. He heaved a heavy sigh and pushed away the old memories. No need to dwell on such dark feelings. He just went back to his meal, and decided to finish up quick and head back to the office to finish up on reviewing those schematics.

When he was done the fine meal of a burger and fries, he headed up to the counter to cover the bill and Milea looked like she was about to snap. Irtar kinda a raised a brow looking at her. “Uhm… is everything okay?”

“It’s nothing… Your meal will come to ten credits.” Milea blurted out. Irtar wasn’t one to poke at the wrath of a woman and decided to let Raul deal with her. He promptly gave fifteen credits, the extra five being tip, and turned to leave. It was then he saw the hooded figure with the piercing yellow eyes. Irtar suddenly went rigid and the colour from his face pooled at his feet. He just made his way towards the exit. Maybe it wasn’t his old master. Y’know, there’s more than one man in a species.

Irtar nodded to himself. Vodo had no reason to come to Sinsang. He had duties to take care of on Naboo. It was probably just another member of whatever race Vodo was.

Milea smiled at Irtar and thanked him for the generous tip. The Ambassador turned, and to her, acted kind of strangely as he walked out.

She turned to Raul, "He's such a nice guy. Kind of makes me feel a little better."

Raul smiled at her, "I know. Now to take care of our new friend..."

He set himself and then began navigating his way across the diner to the corner booth where the annoying hooded thing kept giving them problems.

"Sir, my name is Raul and I will be your new waiter..."

He looked up from his order input datapad and then frowned.

The hooded person was gone.

He turned back, "Milea!"




Outside the Diner



The yellow eyes followed the ex-apprentice down the crowded street outside the diner. Irtar was heading back to the Sinsangese Senate building. And the Master thought it strange that it's ex-Apprentice's step seemed to be quickened after leaving the diner.

Maybe he had seen the Master? Though that was hardly a surprise because the Master hadn't exactly been hiding. In fact, he had wanted to be seen.

The Apprentice was off-balance.

Just the way he always had been with the Master.

Just the way the Master had always wanted it.

The Master followed at an easy pace, opening himself up to the Force only enough to barely be sensed.

Like a ghost.

Irtar slammed the door to his office shut behind him as he stepped into his room and took a deep breath. He rushed back just feeling as if Vodo was behind him the whole time. The two hadn’t parted on the best terms. The irony of the situation couldn’t have been more pitiful. He was supposed to head and face his fears of his past and the fears of loosing his family. And because he had headed there, he had drawn a Sith who killed his mother for no reason than just because she was there. He never returned to Naboo after it.

And Irtar kinda still had Vodo’s Y-Wing.

He reluctantly stepped away from the door with a sigh. It was all just his mind playing tricks on him. Guilt was a harsh feeling that played on everyone’s mind.

He dropped down into his chair and looked at the paperwork in front of him. The schematics and diagrams and cost figures and theorized performance ratios. He groaned. He knew he had to get through this work but the ‘Vodo Scare’ didn’t quite put him in the mood for the grind.

After a bit of reluctance, he forced himself to resume his work.

Proposed Defense Droid Schematic Number Seven….

Outside the Office

"Hello, Ambassador Mal'Gro's office... yes one moment please.... Hello, Ambassador Mal'Gro's office..."


The young woman at the desk in the anteroom just adjacent to Irtar's office, looked insanely busy and completely focused on what she was doing, answering calls and transferring them without getting them mixed up. It was a tough job, but she did it loke it was easy. The Master watched for a moment, feeling her calm focus in the Force.

He found himself envious of her.

Shaking off those thoughts, he threw his hood back, revealing his alien appearance and walked up to the secretary.

"Ambassador Mal..." She began to say, looking at the diminuitive Jedi Master, and letting her voice trail off.

After a moment she regained her composure and put the call on hold, "Can I help you..." She looked him up and down. No doubt dissaproving of his plain brown robes in such a regal enviroment, "...sir?"

Vodo Baas, Jedi Master, tapped her desk with a walking stick he always carried, "I want to speak with Irtar." He said flatly, his grating voice coming out soft and quietly.

The secretary shook off any doubt and regained her composure, "Ambassador Mal'Gro is busy at the moment. If you call at another time, you can make an app..."

Vodo motioned with his hand, "I seem nice."

"You seem nice." The secretary repeated.

"You think I should get to see Irtar."

"I think you should get to see Irtar."

He lowered his hand and the secretary nodded at him,"Go ahead..."

He turned to her, "Vodo."

She smiled sweetly, "Vodo."

He turned to the office door, which opened as stepped up to it.

"That Y-Wing was a loan, you know." He said as he entered.

Irtar nearly jumped out of his chair as he heard that voice and saw that form. And more importantly when he felt that presence. Irtar sunk into his chair as Vodo approached the desk. A hundred ideas rushed through his head at once. Thoughts to run, thoughts of words, thoughts of actions. But all of it just came out in one muddled mess.

“HE-uhm-Hello there, er, Master….” The young man kinda jumbled out. “Fancy, erm, seeing you, uh, here.”

Scratching the back of his head and getting that stupid look on his face he always got when he was embarrassed. He coughed slightly, and readjusted himself. He had to face Vodo strong. He had to not look like a complete and utter idiot who had learned nothing on his own. He forced himself to focus and wipe himself.

“Yes, I know the Y-Wing was on loan Master Baas. It is simply that circumstances have kept me from returning to Naboo. If the Y-Wing is what you came for, then you shall find it at the Hangar here. I didn’t change the codes.” Irtar said as formally and as seriously as possible, trying to get the strict tone that Chao normally had in his speeches. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got… much work to do….”

Irtar kinda trailed off as he looked at the papers on the desk, praying that the Y-Wing was the only reason his old Master had come knocking. He knew in his heart that it was true, but wasn’t hope such a lovely and fragile thing?

He remembered the first time he had met Vodo, in what seemed ages ago. Master Organa-Solo had fallen off the radar (still was the last he had heard) and so Irtar had taken to training himself. Trying to piece together what he could from other Padawans and Knights at the Temple to gain a passing knowledge of the Force. It was there that Vodo had met him, and begun to instruct him in the ways of the Jedi, though only for a short time. Vodo quickly sent Irtar off to face his fears which end so badly….

But then again, how could things get much worse?

Vodo hobbled in, still hiding most of his presence in the Force as he did so. He listened politely as Irtar spoke about giving the Y-Wing back, and having much work to do.

And promptly ignored him.

Vodo looked up at his old apprentice with a half-hearted smirk upon his face, "Please. If I wanted the ship, I would have sent one of my new apprentices after it."

Without being invited, he took a seat across the desk from Irtar and picked up a technical schematic, "Proposed Defense Droid Schematic Number Seven." He said as he read the label off.

He looked at Irtar, "Is weapons design part of your Ambassadorial duties?" He asked with a chuckle.

He put the schematic down and looked up at him, "You've done well for yourself, Apprentice Mal'Gro."

He kinda reached out for a moment when he picked up the technical schematic. He brought his hand back when Vodo read out the identification of it. Irtar cleared his throat abit and resumed speaking in his unessecarily formal and proper voice. “Well, there’s a lot to do. Making sure that weapons don’t breach Coalition codes on restricted weaponry, whether parts could be brought in from other Coalition planets to reduce production costs, and so on and so forth.” Irtar pointed out with confidence.

Irtar looked about the rather Spartan room. He didn’t have the lush paintings, nor grand artifacts, nor large bookshelves full of old tomes like many of his colleagues. His room was actually rather spartan when compared to most places. But then again, he never had many visitors. Most of his business was with Chao and his Council.

“Well, I guess maybe when compared to some I’ve done well….” Irtar said reluctantly. He never really thought that this was where he was meant to be. After all, he was no good as a public speaker.

“Though I am curious Master, why have you come here then?” Irtar asked, already regretting what the answer will be.

Vodo idly picked up another schematic and read through it, although he didn't in fact focus on it. He was letting bits and pieces of his Force-presence out, and was feeling Irtar for any change of behavior.

His job was to 'stir the pot' so to speak. He was always looking for ways to mix things up, keep other people off balance. Because when you are in a fight, or a duel, the best way to gain advantage was to put your opponent off balance.

He felt Irtar's confusion, and perhaps, a little fear.

So he pounced on it.

"I can feel it, Irtar. I can feel your uncertainty. I could feel it all the way from Naboo."

He took a deep breath before standing up and walking to the nearby window to look out, "I can feel it all that distance away. You left me originally to find your own inner... distractions. There were things in you that were holding you back, holding you from your true potential. It's a shame you had to turn out this way."

He looked back at him, "Gash Jiren was a great Jedi, but I did not know him personally. His Rogue order may seem tempting, but in the end, you will go down the path that he did. And look where that got him." He looked directly in Irtar's eyes, "I have come here to tell you this. I have had enough of Jedi leaving Naboo and deciding it "wasn't for them". I am too old to have my time wasted."

"And that is exactly what you did."