SYNOPSIS
The issue opens almost three years previous on Bakura. Sora Bulq, the Weequay Jedi and Tholme are dueling with Count Dooku, attempting to bring him to justice. Dooku hurls Master Bulq into a column, knocking him unconscious before flattering Master Tholme with his silver tongue. Dooku wants very much for other Jedi to join him in his new order, but when Tholme rebuffs him Dooku lances his shoulder and sweeps over fingernails over Tholme's left eye damaging it. Dooku then drops the ceiling on Tholme, burying him under a pile of rubble while he leaves with Bulq, whom he feels is more likely to be convinced.

Flash forward, Master Tholme is awakened from his memory by T'ra Saa on the planet of New Holstice having cybernetic grafts implemented to allow him to walk without the use of his cane. He feels this is necessary so that he can investigate the Separatists movements around Anzat. T'ra is worried for his safety, but a hologram visit by Aayla Secura letting him know that she and her troops are all set to accompany Tholme to Anzat.

Elsewhere in the Senatorial tombs of Coruscant, Quinlan Vos and Khaleen have remove Senator Viento's body, which has been frozen in carbonite, so that Quin can use his telemetric ability to read images and memories off of objects. Hoping to discover the whereabouts of the second Sith, he manages to see a female Anzati assassin from his reading of the body. Now all he needs is a name. Meanwhile, Tholme and Aayla land on Anzat where he is looking to meet with a contact and get more information of Sora Bulq's activities.

Quin visits his friend Dex at his diner trying to find out the name of the mysterious assassin. Dex thinks it may be Saljé Tasha, and promises Quin that he will send out word that Khaleen is looking to hire her. Dex agrees but thinks they are messing with the wrong people.

Back on Anzat, Tholme meets with his former master Akku Seii, an Anzati assassin, to ask about Sora Bulq. Seii says he cannot discuss matters regarding their contracts, but can neither confirm nor deny that Bulq is using the Anzati hitman. At this impasse, Seii current students charge and attack Tholme, looking to kill him.

Meanwhile in Maggot's Cantina at the spaceport, Aayla, in her guise of Jayzaa the itinerant mechanic, is using her wiles to convince a big hulking alien, Gort, where Bulq's ship is located. He obviously tells her and as she is leaving it with copies of the logs, a Morgukai assassin attacks her. She manages to kill him and overhears Sora Bulq, Tol Skorr, and the Anzati Rath Kelkko discussing plans for a "shadow army" that will "give the edge back to the Separatists."

Tholme manages to defeat Seii's students, but does not kill them. Seii then asks him to leave, as he can be of no assistance in these matters. When Tholme meets back up with Aayla they realize that the Morgukai resembled Bok, but had both his hands, and that Bulq may have Anzati training Morgukai in their ways. The stolen logs reveal that Saleucami is most likely Bulq's base of operations. Tholme says he will go by himself, because who else can accomplish this task?