It had been three days since the Grandmaster announced that he was leaving for 'personal' reasons and would return. As Harbeck stood in the foyer outside the Temple chamber he considered the Jedi Leader's absence only briefly. His primary concern being the announcement he had to make and the event he would have the entire Order taking part in.

As the large vaulted door slid open, Harbeck stepped inside. Looking demure and subjective. Sharing smiles in return to the faces of his supporters on the Council. Thoroughly brainwashed, his followers viewed him as a messenger for the Force. His mission, to share his vision of a United Force with the galaxy. Harbeck’s followers were fanatical, willing to have him share that message by whatever means necessary. Those that opposed him in the beginning only strengthened the other's resolve. The Force in its own way trying to keep the balance.

Harbeck stepped into the center of the circular chamber bowing slightly and meeting the eyes of every single Council member in turn. Glancing passively at the empty Grandmaster's seat he opened his arms in a welcoming gesture once again to steady the room.

"My Friends, I bring news of yet another vision....further clarification that what I spoke of is true. The time is coming, the Light and the Dark must unite. We must set aside our hatreds, seek out the worshippers of the Dark and bring them into the fold. And for this, the Force....shall reward us. At least those who choose to listen to its infinite wisdom..." The members of the Council already under the spell of Master Harbeck looked at him lovingly, casting sidelong glances at the disbelievers among them. Nodding heads and smiles all around. Those skeptical Council members maintained their serene poise as Harbeck continued. "Tonight, in the General Assembly Hall....I ask that all among us who disbelieve the truth of my vision, prepare for the truth of the Force. Tonight, I show proof of my vision. As the Force Wills it." There was a low murmur in the room as one of the human Council members leaned forward steepling his hands toward Harbeck.

"Proof, Master Harbeck? What sort of proof?" Harbeck smiled fakely at the questioning Master before turning his mesmerizing gaze to the other non-believers.

"That...shall be revealed tonight. I ask only that the General Call be sounded to assemble the Jedi in the hall." Harbeck looked down at the tile floor. Emblazoned with the symbol of the Republic and the Jedi in unison. Dotted around and in inside of the light blue symbol, stars and planets; a galactic map. Shining lights of every planet the Jedi existed on or had touched in some way. Raising his hands, he looked up. "From all across the galaxy...all of the Jedi, our entire Order. Those who are unable to attend, must be asked to watch. So that they too can see the truth of my visions. And....decide for themselves." Smiling reverently, Harbeck bowed his head. They didn't see the smile turn up into a smirk as the hood hid the true nature of his face. It was a show of subjugation to the Members of the Council. They had to believe; they were in control of the situation. Or at least, Harbeck needed them to believe they were. After a few tense moments, the members of the Council nodded agreement as the Human Jedi answered for them all.

"It shall be done Master. We look forward to this proof. And trusting in the Will of the Force, we shall all be there to see it." Inside his mind, Harbeck was laughing wickedly while outwardly he kept his head bowed in acknowledgement of the Council's wisdom.

--

Using the back-underground Maintenance entrance, the Jedi Grandmaster slipped stealthfully back into the Temple. It saddened him that the former Supreme Chancellor refused to come with him. It was tempting for the Grandmaster to stay by his side and await the outcome of the Supreme Chancellor’s betrayal. But the Chancellor sent him away. The feeling possessed entering the Chancellor’s home was no longer present in the man. A sense of peace had come over Pultimo. Resolute in the knowledge that he was going to be taken care of.

Time was a factor, Pultimo told him. And in his words to the Master, ‘This is my destiny, I know what I’m doing and what I did...the fate of the Jedi Order and your destiny await you.’ Sadly, the Grandmaster left him behind and as he looked at his beeping Holo-comm he realized that he arrived back at the Temple just in time. The Council had ordered a general assembly in his absence. He was sure Harbeck was behind it.

After reviewing the data on the chip given to him by Chancellor Pultimo, the Grandmaster was sure Harbeck was going to use the General Assembly to make his move. The footage provided by the former Supreme Chancellor answering the last remaining questions of connection concerning Harbeck. Entering and closing the maintenance hatch behind him, the Grandmaster used his Force enhanced speed to descend the winding access way.

Even with the information, the Grandmaster knew he couldn't go it alone. The infection that was Elan Harbeck was spread almost completely through the Order. He needed some help. Stopping in front of an information terminal, the Grandmaster plugged his data pad into it accessing the Jedi systems by using his own back door security code. No one could know he was inside the Temple or that he was trying to get more information about what was happening. No one could know until the moment arrived.

--

--

Sounds of struggle permeated the entryway to Supreme Chancellor Pultimo's townhouse, followed by the smell of burnt and fused wiring. Pultimo sat back in his easy chair still huddled under his blankets, knowing that his protocol unit had been destroyed. The room grew darker as shadows from the hall pressed into the room. At the head, the all too familiar toothy grin of one Valdud Tarkin.

Tarkin entered the room, pulling a chair from a darkened corner and flipping it backwards toward the Chancellor. Tarkin leaned his arms crossed on the back of the chair bowing his head slightly in acknowledgement of the Chancellor as he spoke. "You never appeared to me to be the sort of man who would break a deal....Pultimo. It is most unfortunate that it has come to this." Pultimo laughed, sitting further back in his easy chair. The blaster he clutched under the blanket raised slightly.

"No need for words, Tarkin. Just do what you came here to do." Getting up from the seat, Tarkin acknowledged the Chancellor with a slight nod, smiling slightly.

"As you wish...this brings me no joy. You were once a valued asset--"

In a rush of movement, Pultimo threw the blanket off. Raising the pistol to Tarkin's face. The shock of it all caught Tarkin completely by surprise, but the small force that came with Tarkin was prepared. The barrage of blaster bolts from behind Tarkin lit up the room's dim features. Bolts sizzled through the air past Tarkin, each one hitting its target until the body of Supreme Chancellor Pultimo relaxed in death.

Dropping the pistol lazily to the floor as his body fell back against the seat he formerly occupied, Pultimo's face was not one of shock or sadness. A smile permeated his features. A smile for all time, permanent in death. Fountains of smoke rose from the myriad of gaping holes in the Chancellor's body. Tarkin once again stood upright. The smile causing Tarkin to raise an eyebrow. Pultimo, even in death had somehow outplayed Tarkin. There was no other reason to smile.

There was never a need to question him. Tarkin already knew that Pultimo had taken in a visitor. It was precaution that told him Pultimo told his 'visitor' the truth about Project Alpha. Killing Pultimo was always going to happen. It was the reason for the visit. But it was not a personal execution, it was business. As his assembled assassination squad began the process of searching the dwelling for evidence of Pultimo's treachery; Tarkin already knew they weren't going to find anything.

Tarkin's datapad beeped, bringing it up to his face he looked on the image and frowned. The Jedi Grandmaster could be seen clearly exiting the townhouse on the satellite image captured only hours before Tarkin was alerted. It would complicate things. Tarkin pondered what his next move should be. But not before taking one last look of the permanent look of satisfaction on Pultimo's face. Pultimo may have went to his death safe in the knowledge that there was nothing Tarkin could do to stop what he set in motion. But Tarkin was a man who prided himself on seizing...

....'Opportunities', he thought, 'Opportunities, always found a way to present themselves...'

--

--

Droves of brown and off brown robes poured into the General Assembly hall as Master Harbeck looked on. Smiling warmly on the outside, inside he laughed hysterically. They looked like a line of Nerfs...Nerfs already resigned to the slaughter. What made the moment even sweeter was his instructions to his followers that this meeting be only for the 'non-believers', his followers were told to stay away. In one flail swoop, he would rid himself of the opposition, leaving his power base intact. It was the perfect set-up.

Months of planning, of clouding the minds of the Jedi was about to pay off. Then he could turn his attention to the next important matter. Locating the elusive Sith Remnant and 'convincing' them of the truth of his vision. Project Zero-One was long gone...in its place Master Élan Harbeck. And he believed he was Harbeck, he believed it so blindly that even he began to believe the truth of his own lies. The 'vision' was real to him now, his just cause. The Force must be unified to make it and himself, whole. The need for power, the need to rule over that power and the Jedi was only a small part. He would get the Sith and rule them both. There could be no dissention. Failure at that juncture meant the sure and certain destruction of both factions. Watching the line of Jedi move into the hall, Harbeck knew his next move was the right choice. Glancing at the wall Chrono high over the vaulted archway entrance he joined the procession into the hall.

--

--

The small team of remaining Council members and other loyal Jedi made it to the bowels of the Temple in record time. With all activity at the ground level it was easy to move, easier still not to be noticed. No one had their eye on the 'believers' of Master Harbeck, they all looked like normal Jedi roaming the halls. There was no special signal or insignia a 'follower' wore. Just their word of truth that they believed in the 'vision'. What gathered in the maintenance room was anything but normal; the last of the Defenders of the Order. The Grandmaster frowned at the small group, they were a mere handful. The Grandmaster looked around at them, having no clue that so many of the Jedi Order had fallen under Harbeck's spell.

"This is it? There are no more coming?" The sadness in the Grandmaster's question filled the small space. The air was heavy with anticipation and regret. Regret from those among the Grandmaster that punished themselves for not seeing any of it coming. That Harbeck was able to mesmerize so many in so short an amount of time. Taking on a stern look, the Grandmaster locked eyes with each of the ten Jedi in turn.

"This is a crisis...most likely one of the biggest we have faced in the history of the Jedi Order..." The assembled Jedi all nodded reverently. "Our mission...and there is no option to NOT accept it...we must stop Harbeck before he does whatever it is he's planning. Let’s just hope he doesn't have someone keeping count. We can't afford anyone who is supposed to be there to be missed." One of the Jedi Masters smiled coyly at the Grandmaster.

"I had an idea about that Grandmaster..."

--

--

The last few Jedi slipped in. One of the sentinels at the door taking note that they came in a group. Of eleven.

As Harbeck climbed the stairs into the rounded stage he stopped short of the angled lectern in the corner of the raised floor; looking out at the many inquisitive, curious faces that glanced his way. Seeing him up on the stage the general murmur of noise began to die down as all of the assembled turned their eyes toward him. Harbeck smiled in his normal way, extending his arms in his usual welcoming manner, to encompass them all.

"Greetings Fellow Jedi...it is good to see all of you. Good to see so many of you willing to listen to my words so that you…can determine the truth of my visions. But before we do that..." He gestured with his hand, using the Force to close and lock all of the doors leading into the Hall, "...we must have absolute privacy."

Jedi were still getting seated. All eyes turned to the doors as they locked on Harbeck's command. The last group dispursing among their fellow Jedi. Some of them took a more direct route disappearing in and around the stage. Several more scotting in among the others.

--

Moving below the stage, several of the Grandmaster's team came upon the first of several Barium charges rigged to blow-up on a signal-initiated switch. The Jedi Knight leading the team looked at the others with him frantically. "Masters! I have experience with this...go locate the other charges. I will deactivate each in turn." The others moved off under the Assembly Hall to begin the search quickly, not knowing how much time any of them had left. Harbeck installed charges throughout the hall. One of the notes taken by the Grandmaster's sensor sweep upon his return to the Temple. Harbeck may have thought he knew who he was dealing with and to some extent he did. But he didn't know the Temple like the Grandmaster did. But, what the Jedi aligned with the Grandmaster found of the explosives laid by Harbeck was a fraction of what lay in wait for those listening to Harbeck.

"Master!!" The Jedi Knight leading the team under trhe stage whispered harshly into a wrist mounted comm-unit. "...we may need you to make your move sooner, rather than later. I'm not sure how many of these things there are!!!"

--

Continuing to smile, Harbeck cleared his throat looking toward the rear of the Hall, a familiar figure standing and walking toward him using the center aisle. Master Harbeck closed his mouth cocking an eyebrow inquisitively as the eyes of some of the assembled began to turn and look at the person interrupting. They all watched the Grandmaster come to the center of the Assembly Hall, his hands on his hips glaring up at Master Harbeck.

"Excuse the interruption, 'Master'...but why do we need absolute privacy if it’s your wish to share the truth of your vision? Why lock everyone in?" Harbeck opened and closed his mouth several times in an attempt to assuage his growing anger. With all of his concentration on clouding the minds of the other Jedi he did not feel the Grandmaster's return, did not feel his presence in the Hall. Or how he and the others got in to the private meeting. Harbeck was unsure how long the Grandmaster had been back or what he knew. A ping in the back of Harbeck’s mind turned into a painful buzz in the Force. Something was amiss. But unskilled on how to listen to the Force, Harbeck glared angrily at the sudden appearance. He smiled strangely lowering his hands in a defeatist maneuver, slowly lowering his head.

"You are correct Grandmaster, why indeed? But I'm afraid that your attempt to further hide the truth from the rest of us is not going to work this time...." Harbeck was trying to turn around the sudden shock back on the Grandmaster. As well as buy himself some time. He glanced at the transmitter attached to his wrist. Taking everyone in the hall, along with the Grandmaster would soon seal the fate of the Jedi. The Grandmaster folded his arms over himself taking on his own crooked smile.

"Oh? And what truth would that be 'Master'?" All at once Harbeck came out of his submissive slump standing up ramrod straight and pointing a crooked finger at the Grandmaster.

"That the entire fate of the Jedi rests in my vision! That it is our destiny to lead the Galaxy; possessing the knowledge of the one true 'Unified' Force!" Harbeck remained pointing, moving his finger and his arm over the crowd to emphasize his point, "He, and others like him, wish to hide the truth from you...wish you ALL to remain in the dark!!" The Grandmaster had enough. Lowering his arms and opening his cloak he held a palm out opposite his lightsaber. It launched off his belt and into his open palm as he scowled at Harbeck, but did not ignite the blade.

"They will see the truth. Just not from you....I ask again, what truth is it you wish us all to see?" Harbeck looked around quickly, he could see the confusion growing in the room. Harbeck had run out of time and under estimated the Grandmaster. Still looking at Harbeck, the Grandmaster gestured with his free hand. Several of the audience members standing and moving up behind the Grandmaster. "It's over Harbeck..." The Holo-screen flipped on abruptly over the head of Harbeck hovering like a monolith over the stage, he looked up at it. The scene of his former visage...Project Zero-One tossing and throwing the previous Grandmaster around a darkened laboratory. The audience let out a collective gasp as Harbeck remained mesmerized by the images above him. Slowly he turned to look at the Grandmaster and his small band in the center aisle, a silver device appearing in his hand as he did so.

The recording was the same one in the holo-record of the Jedi Archives. A recording that showed only a flailing Grandmaster being thrown around by an unknown force. Until that moment, it was assumed the attacker was a Sith. The chip given to the Grandmaster by the Former Chancellor adding a last part that had been stricken from the record. A kneeling and pleading Chancellor looks up in the holo as ‘Zero-Zero-One’ looks down at him.

‘Serve me….you will….’

"The truth Grandmaster? The truth I wish all of you to see? If you will not accept that there is only one true Force, a Unified Force...then you are of no use to me. And if you are no use to me or the Force...then you are an obstacle to the plan..." Harbeck pressed the button fully expecting the bombs underneath the Hall to consume them all. Harbeck projected a Force intensive shield as he closed his eyes tightly. Finally opening a closed eye and looking out at the smiling Grandmaster. The Master lit his saber pointing it at Harbeck.

"How about this truth? We are taking you into Custody. That's where you’re going...until we can decide if you need to be sent to a 'lab' or a 'cell'..." The images above Harbeck continued to play the death of the former Grandmaster on a loop. Harbeck glanced up at it smiling wickedly. Pulling the hood from his brown robe up and over his head, he slowly extended his arms out to his side. For a minute they all thought Harbeck was going to surrender. Purple lightning arched between his fingers.

"I destroyed one Grandmaster...I have no reservations about destroying a second..." Launching his arms forward he unleashed a brilliant burst of lightning that snatched everyone in the center of the room up and into the air. The Grandmaster launched his body over the onslaught landing next to Harbeck on the stage as the Assembly Hall began to clear of non-essential personnel. The sound of other lightsabers ignited in the background. Those members who came in under the hall with the Grandmaster as well as the other Jedi present activating to apprehend Harbeck. Holding his Lightsaber at the ready, the Grandmaster let the light from it cascade over the both of them.

"The last Grandmaster didn't know what kind of Monster he faced...I do...Master Harbeck...or should I say, 'Project Zero-One'..." The smile from under Project Zero's hood darkened his features further as he lowered his hands, residual lightning arced from one hand to the other as he lowered his voice slightly, inhumanly.

"You asked for the beast...now you may have it...."

Raising his hands up above his head, Harbeck closed his eyes. The top of the cathedral like ceiling in the Grand Hall cracked, split off and fell behind the Grandmaster's Jedi Strike Team; blocking their only escape.

"Move!!! Move!!!"

"Not only do you have nowhere to run, there is no one to rescue you..." Harbeck sneered as he spoke, his hand raising toward the group; fingers outstretched and curled in strange angles. The Grandmaster leaped to a sidewall running along its length before leaping to the opposite wall, then back again. His objective to keep Harbeck focused on him while his Jedi Assaulters got into position for attack. Lightning shot behind the Grandmaster harmlessly and again on the opposite wall, Harbeck continuing to sneer as he shot the bolts chasing the Master around the room. "You can't run forever..."

The first two Assaulters leapt to the stage flanking Harbeck, the second a bit slower than the first as Harbeck turned his palm toward him, a Force Wave of tremendous power emanating from his hand. The second Jedi assaulter was gone. The wave coursing over and through him, turning his body to ash. The wall behind him cast a picture of his shadow as it was burned into the paint, the last terrifying moments of a Jedi who never saw the attack coming. Bouncing back to the opposite wall, the Grandmaster let out a roar at seeing his fellow Jedi Comsumed in the Force, leaping down to land the lead foot atop Harbeck's head.

Falling to the stage from the blow, the other Jedi used the moment to leap from the seats to the stage. Harbeck half-conscious raised his palm toward the group. The ensuing Force Wave consuming them, burning their own leaping shadows into the long row of seats. Stepping over the sprawled body, the Grandmaster lifted Harbeck's head toward his own; back handing him across the jaw. Rage took over the Grandmaster as his Force aura took the fall, his eye burning brightly red. Harbeck slid further down the stage from the strike, weakened from the blow to the head, the use of his power to consume the remainder of the Grandmaster's team suddenly sapped from him. Stooping down over him the Grandmaster began striking him repeatedly across the face, his rage knowing no bounds. Blood launched to both sides of the men splattering the stage in a macabre spider web of gore.

Tired finally, the Grandmaster stood lighting his lightsaber, holding it above his head to launch down and end what lay at his feet. Harbeck, turned laying flat on his back, his hands outstretched to his sides, blood gurgled from his mouth as he spoke.

"Good...it's better this way. In what Universe could I exist that the Grandmaster would be so willing to end a life..." The Grandmaster hesitated, looking down. His eyes burning with fury. He searched himself and knew he had fallen. Deactivating the saber he tiredly tossed it out to his side.

"You are not a life...you are an abomination of the Force, a freak...a mishap. But, it is not my place to judge you..." Stepping over him the Grandmaster dropped off the stage. "The Council shall decide your fate." Moving his hand in front of the debris at the exit, he opened a path. Looking back, he spoke to the air as he addressed an empty Hall. "You have no power here...not anymore."