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Title: Unraveling a Tangled Skein
Rating: NC-17
Author: Alena (alena.of.riol@gmail.com)
Categories: AU, romance

Disclaimer: Lucas is my Master; I shall not want money. He maketh me buy endless items of Vader on ebay, and lusteth after men in black. The Force compells me to create this AU and thus I will obey. ^_^

Summary: A young girl comes of age on her homeworld of Riol as she becomes an Oracle for her people, and in her adult years is later elected to become Senator of her homeworld in the Galactic Republic. Since her childhood, she has been both puzzled and intrigued by intense dreams about a Jedi whom she has never met. When she finally encounters him on Coruscant, his presence in her life has consequences that even an Oracle couldn't have predicted.

Author's note: Contains major spoilers to RotS. This story takes place before the events of RotS.

Chapter 1

"A terrible beauty"

Both suns were bright and visible in the azure skies above. The windows let in the fresh air, and Alena could tell that it was going to be a nice day to be outside. Her mother was in the kitchen, cleaning. She was trying to help her mother with the dishes but she really wanted to be outside playing, perhaps in the garden where the flowers were everywhere in splashes of beautiful color. And the roses, she loved the roses. When they were in bloom she would go up to them and smell them, smell every single rose, for every one of them smelled wonderful and they were velvety soft and pretty to look at.

She loved the roses.

"Mama, I'm coming," she answered when her mother had called her indoors to help clean the kitchen. She ran inside, albeit reluctantly, and dried dishes while her mom washed them. Half-heartedly she answered questions about school. Yes, classes were fine. She excelled in her courses. The teachers always called on her, and she always had the answers. She did well and she liked what she was learning. History bored her while science moved her. They were covering astronomy. She loved astronomy.

Alena stood at the window and looked out longingly at the brightly colored flowers gently swaying in the mild summer breeze. She wanted to be outside instead of doing chores, and did her best to hurry. She turned back to her mother, who continued to hand her dishes to dry. Alena looked at the plate. It was a beautiful ceramic plate, reddish-brown with a dark, burgundy striping along the rim. The heat from the suns streaming in from the window felt warm on her face.

Mama was talking, and Alena was half listening. Study your history, Mama was saying. History is important. It may be boring, but it is important. Yes, Mama, of course. History is important. I'll be good, Mama, I'll do well in history. Someday I may even be a professor like Papa.

Her face was warm from the suns, and her hands dried the plate carefully.

Eventually her mind wandered, and she began to daydream. She thought it was just daydreams at first, but like some of her "daydreams", it took a strange and sharp turn towards something else. Although they had started out not too different from her usual daydreams of space exploration, spaceships, stars and suns, the scene in her mind grew wildly out of control. Images kept popping into her head despite her attempts to think of other things. Alena saw fire, and sand. She heard a strange humming sound and saw blazing lights. They were blue. Hot blue, blazing sticks that clashed together. The two men that bore them looked oddly familiar but she couldn't quite see their faces. Not yet.

Alena blinked. Her face felt warmer. She shook her head in order to try to clear it, and willed herself to listen to her mother. Her mother was talking to her about how important it was to study. She was a bright girl, Alena. She was doing well in school. This would prepare her for her future. Think of your future, Alena.

The future. The room went black, and the view of the kitchen around her faded to reveal blazing fire and two men with swords clashing. Alena stared in shock, for they looked like Jedi.

'They can't be fighting, Jedi wouldn't fight each other,' she tried reassured herself. But the robes they wore and the glowing swords they fought with clearly indicated they were Jedi. How could this be?

Everything felt hot. She felt an intense heat from the place around her where the Jedi were. She could almost feel the sweat on their faces as their sabers clashed. Fires spew everywhere. What was going on? Where were they?

"Alena, have you been listening to me?"

Did one of the two men say this to Alena? No, it was a woman's voice. Who was talking to her? She struggled to bring herself back to the world around her. It was her mother, whom she could no longer see, who had asked the question.

"Mama," she heard herself say, "I don't feel so good."

Her hands reached out for the counter. She had to put down the dish somewhere, but she couldn't see. She could hear the two men yelling at each other. You underestimate my power, one of them yelled to the other.

A cool hand pressed itself to her forehead. She could feel the gentle, worrying touch of her mother.

"Alena, you're burning up. I'll handle the rest of the dishes. Go to your room and go lie down." Her mother grabbed the plate out of her hand and gently pushed her to the stairs. "Go, go now. I'll call you when dinner is ready."

Alena barely knew what she said in response. "Mama, I cannot see, I just see fire," was what she had remembered saying later.

Liquid fire everywhere, two pairs of blue eyes blazed as two bright blue sabers clashed.

Somehow, she had assistance. She felt herself taking each step up the stairs; her body knew what to do, having run up and down a million times up those stairs since she was little. Her room was at the top of the stairs. Her last image at this point is of herself lying in bed with the rays of the suns blazing through the open windows. Winds blew through, helping her to cool a little bit but not enough. She couldn't speak anymore; she was too hot. She lost her physical vision again and this time, she almost felt herself actually standing on the hot rocks and sand. The man in front of her looked wild and angry, like an animal unleashed. He was fire incarnate; his eyes were hotter than the fire that she stood on. And her face burned, Alena burned. She felt her world spinning terribly fast in the sky, and her stomach spun with the world. She watched as the man in front of her split into two parts, and in one part he is on fire—is fire. In the other, she sensed a cold darkness and black metal.

The room around her went black, and she saw the wild-eyed man face down, crawling with one arm on black sand. She looked on in horror. His legs were gone, and he had but the one mechanical arm that had replaced his other, lost to him in some prior battle. His skin was burning, his clothes were burning—and she was burning too.

Suddenly his body went up in flames, and her world was ablaze.

Her next vision was no less strange than the last. She was in a darkened room with a bright artificial light overhead. The man was there, badly burned and in obvious pain. She could feel the burns, she was burning, and he was screaming. There were droids moving about the room but she couldn't see what they were doing. She didn't know what was happening nor how she got in the room, only that she was there.

She touched him, and visions of many disturbing, horrible scenes filled her mind. People dead. Slaughtered Jedi on the ground, robes and bodies everywhere. Men, women, and children all dead. She saw the man whom he had fought, the one who had cut off his legs and arm off with his glowing blue saber. A beautiful woman held her throat. She was choking. Alena viewed all of this with the calm and certain understanding that he was responsible for all of it.

He was sprawled out on the table, scarred with horrible burns, and she knew that he was accountable for the entire catastrophe around him.

She sensed his pain and his torment from his skin cracking and burning, and from the fires all around him. His agony at the burns, his desire for the woman whom he choked, the bitter regret at having what he felt to be the duty to remove the Jedi, remove them all—all of his emotions poured into her. She knew he was thinking of the children as tears came down his cheek. He thought that he did this for love and to protect those whom he loves. He believed he deserved better than he got. Anger, hatred, and frustration ran through his mind and tormented him—but he also experienced sorrow and pain. He hated himself and what he had done. Another vision filled her mind: a group of people in a room all dead, cut down by his saber. She knew he relished in the killing, in the ability to take a life, and in the power he got from its taking. With that knowledge came the realization that he hated this power as much as he loved possessing that very strength and what he was capable of doing with it. There was a great conflict within him, two separate people continuing the saber duel among fire and lava in his mind, leaving himself split into two. He had kissed the pretty woman while his dark half had choked her.

The fires raged on inside his mind, and Alena sensed that he felt trapped inside of them, that he would never be free. He was caged now, trapped in the fires of his mind, his flesh, and he was still burning.

Something inside of him touched something inside of her, and she couldn't stand it anymore. 'Gods forgive me, Mama forgive me,' she thought desperately.

Her heart reached out to him. She hated what she saw, but she couldn't help herself—compassion overwhelms the young girl who couldn't bring herself to hate him for what he did. She then experienced something else, a warmth. This warmth both comforted and calmed her. It flowed through Alena, through him, the room, the droids, and upon touching it, she could touch everything. This strange gift bestowed upon her by some sympathetic god intensified her struggle, and the light above her grew brighter and more intense. Sounds became loud colors in her head.

'What sweet cacao have I to give you, oh unknown god, come the next harvest?'

She was dizzy and hot. Would she ever feel coolness again? She wanted desperately to stop the burning—couldn't some god help to stop the burning?

'What god are you? Who does this to me?'

Alena glowed. It was a quiet glow, not blazing like the blue sabers the two men fought with, not hot like the suns nor the lava that surrounded the two fighting Jedi. Of course she knows about what Jedi were in spite of her not paying attention in history class—who wouldn't know of the Jedi? She was a good girl who did well in her history class in spite of her disliking history--hating it even. It was a boring subject, after all. She excelled in history because she is a good girl. She enjoyed making her Mama proud. She comprehends that she needs to grow up someday, be a good woman, and excel in her studies that she might find herself a good profession, and be strong and smart like her Papa.

The glow flowed through her to the man on the table, the table itself, and the droids. Something else flowed through her, too, and it surprised her with its intensity: hatred. She hates what this man has done. To the beautiful woman he loved. To the people whom he killed. The children! He had killed children. Children her age, and even younger than her. She viewed it all in all of its starkness, its cold and violent reality, and she hated it.

But she hated his suffering more, and the glow poured out of her hands into his body. The hatred in her turned into sorrow, then compassion. Alena realized that she possesses an instinct that she doesn't understand, but knew it for what it is. She recognizes that instinct and has felt it before. She has touched her bruises and cuts, and knew how to make them and the pain go away. Kids during playtime break got hurt, and she made their pain go away. She was a good girl, a smart girl, who wanted to do well in school, had made regular offerings at the shrines and during the festivals to the gods, and desired to please her Mama and Papa.

Alena gazed sorrowfully at the man on the table, feeling an inexplicable desire to help him. She wanted to understand why he did what he did, and to comprehend what he went through. A moment of lucidity dawned on her, and she asked herself why it was that she was here. Why was she not able to help her Mama wash dishes? Why couldn't she be outside on this wonderful day? Why does she see these things?

His skin grew cooler to the touch, and it shone with an eerie radiance. She could see the skin forming and reforming itself, and almost see through him where his internal organs were healing. She saw all of this, the excitement and fear almost overpowering her in her realization that he was being healed because of her and that glow which surrounds her, him, the table, the droids, and the room itself. His skin was cool, but hers burned. It burned hotter than the suns streaming through the window, the lava and black sand which burned this man's body and continued to burn at his mind, she burned.

Her hands and body shook with a force stronger than her, gripping her and keeping her standing at the table. It filled her with an intense, blazing energy she could barely keep from exploding out of her and around the room. An instinct stemming from an unnatural calmness in the center of her belly was all she had to hang onto.

Everything glowed, everything blazed.

'Gods, please help me.'

And then, there was calm. She felt peace. Serenity was granted to her, and it took the form of a glowing light swirling inside of her and out of her fingertips. Strength coursed within Alena and brought her the strength to move one of her hands. Her head turned with it to look at the man on the table. His face was almost healed. One scar, now old, went through his right eyebrow and eye, and there was another on his chin. Skin was forming around a new scar just below his left cheekbone.

He was still screaming.

Alena touched him gently, trying to will all of that glowing light around him. 'Please, don't hurt anymore. Please.' Her outstretched hand held his face. She saw all that he had done in its terribleness, but this light had her now, had the both of them glued to this table. But she wanted his pain to go away.

I am sorry, I am so sorry. She didn't know if she had said this aloud, or in her head. She didn't even know if he could hear her. I am sorry that this happened to you. I am sorry that I cannot do more.

Her thoughts broke off as she felt him wincing beneath her palm. Her hand moved towards his forehead. At once she sensed what he was thinking. Hate, so much hate, directed at the man who nearly killed him and left him for dead, burning alive on black sand. If he could make this hate a fire it would destroy this man too—destroy him as surely as this man was now destroyed. Alena watched, almost numb, as the droids attached mechanical legs to him. His body spasmed, and all she could feel from him was hate.

I am sorry for what he did to you. You did not deserve it, no matter what you did. I wish I could help you more. I can heal your body, but I cannot heal your soul.

His wide, blue eyes looked right into hers, terrified. They were filled with a terrible beauty, a frightening wonder that reminded her of clouds, lightning, and storms. Another mechanical arm has been attached to his shoulder. Two mechanical arms, two mechanical legs. Alena knew he could see her. She doesn't know how he could—perhaps some strange moment of lucidity. Maybe he heard her thoughts as she was able to hear his; she does not know.

His mouth opened and a word formed from his lips, a single prayer as he gazed blindly into her eyes. "Padme?"

Alena tried to respond, but suddenly her hand went ice cold, and the cold sensation poured from her hands into her whole body. She shook as the shock of the temperature change hit her system.

A mask, black like the armor she saw before her, slowly lowered onto the man's face as he gazed above in sheer terror. The burns were very nearly gone from him, but a mark was still slowly healing on his face, a wound that would not heal. The mask lowered and she heard a slow, but very audible breath as if a heavy and dark wind came down a long tunnel. It reached Alena, who gasped. Something inside of her felt colder than the ice in the tub, and she began to pass out.

Before she lost consciousness, she saw the surrounding room being torn and ripped apart by the very glow she used to heal him. That healing glow became thunder which ripped through the droids and shattered the place as if shaken by an earthquake. She watched as part of the ceiling fell onto a man, a terrible looking man in black robes. His horrible, distorted face and his disturbing, wide grin in the face of the destruction and chaos was the last image to greet her eyes before all of her vision felt her. And in that moment, she was both thankful and afraid—thankful she can no longer see, but afraid of that awful face that laughed as the ceiling and sky came down….

She felt a cool hand on her arm. "Alena? Alena, it's time to wake up."

She opened her eyes. The sunlight streamed through her window, and she was lying in bed, clutching her covers.

"Mama, Mama, I had an awful, awful dream, I was doing dishes with you and then there was fire and I was burning up-"

"Shh, it's ok," her mother soothed. "It was just a dream." Isabel stroked her daughter's forehead gently.

"It's time for you to get up. The Oracles are waiting for you."

Oh, yes. Alena remembered. The kind women whom she had met a week ago had agreed to take her on as their new apprentice Oracle. They had heard of her gifts and had decided to train her as one of their own. She smiled. It was an honor and she was eager to start her first day with them.

"Yes, Mama."

Chapter 2

"You're growing up too fast"

It was nearly two years after she had first begun her lessons with the other two Oracles that she began her advanced placement at school. Based on her performance and academic record, her teachers had unanimously decided to allow her to graduate a year early by doubling up on her courses. They knew that it would give her more time to train as an Oracle, and could not deny that serving the gods was important. The laws of Riol were determined by a group of priests, and religion was very much inseparable from government. In fact, a teacher had suggested that Alena may one day serve in public office due to her experience as an Oracle. Upon hearing this, the young girl had brushed off the idea with a laugh. Her, become involved in politics? The idea seemed absurd.

The swordsparring class that she was taking once a week was going well and Teacher Karak met with her after class to give her advice and pointers about her technique. It was a new teacher who had taught the class from the previous year. She was improving in spite taking classes less frequently, and he was pleased that she had decided to continue taking them in spite of her busy schedule.

"I like to keep physically active," she explained. "Nyara and Erna—the other two Oracles, I mean—they told me to make sure that I get exercise as well as my studies."

He grinned at her. "Wise women!" he exclaimed. "And wise decision. You're coming along nicely."

"Thank you, Teacher Karak."

"How are your lessons with the Oracles?" he asked. He then added hurriedly, "If you don't mind my asking, that is?"

She considered her words carefully before responding. Much of her discipline relied upon caution in revealing the content of her lessons to others, as she was oathbound against doing such. "They are going well. I enjoy them and I feel that I am learning a lot."

"Good, good." He leaned against the nearby wall. Alena noted that while his features were nondescript, he had an accent that she couldn't quite place when he spoke to her, and she often wondered if he was born on Riol or had come here from a neighboring planet. Riol didn't have many outsiders that stayed for more than a visit, but it had its fair share of tourists during the summer season.

"I've always wondered how people learn that stuff—seeing the future, I mean. Do you use it often, like outside of your lessons?"

She shrugged her shoulders. "It comes and goes. I learn how to be more receptive to it, but it's not something that I can always control. I either see or I don't."

Karak nodded thoughtfully. "Interesting, interesting." He smiled down at her. "I hope that you're not using it to cheat on your tests." He made a funny face and wagged his finger at her, clearly speaking in jest.

Alena made a face in return. The kids in school often accused her of such—which angered her to no end--but Teacher Karak had a knack of joking about it in a way that didn't offend her. "Like seeing the future will help me in History class, right? Because history's…history. Unlike the future, which isn't history."

"But it will be! That's the beauty of it."

She laughed at him. Strange, but funny man. She made some noncommittal remark about needing to get to her next meeting with the Oracles, and he waved her along. Alena smiled as she left. At least the teachers were nice to her, and didn't treat her as if she were some bizarre creature on display.

***

"Greetings, Lord Sidious. I bring you some news."

The hologram in front of Karak shimmered a bit. It was badly in need of repair and he had been lucky to get a hold of it, let alone smuggle it into his apartment. If it had been discovered he would've had much explaining to do, as it was clearly outsider and not Riolian technology.

"Yes, what is it, Sinistrous?"

Karak smiled inwardly at the use of his Sith name. "The young girl you sent me to observe is still training, and is definitely strong in the Force. She uses it when she practices with her sword, and I suspect uses it in her classes as well."

"Fascinating," was the sole remark. Karak noted that Sidious' tone was slightly sarcastic, and he winced, wishing fervently that he had more information with which to bring him. "Is there any other indication of her abilities, or that she is training them in any other way besides seeing the future?"

"None so far, but her skill in the swordsparring class is almost Jedi-like. In time she could prove to either be a threat or a useful ally—I would obviously prefer the latter. I wonder why the teachers haven't picked up on her talent," he mused absentmindedly.

"Good, good. Thank you, Sinistrous. That will be all. Please send me more as soon as possible. I want to know what specifically those women are instructing her in, and if any of it could be used to our benefit."

"Yes, Lord Sidious. I will keep you informed."

The hologram flicked out, and he sat for a while in thought. He had no idea why the Sith was so interested in this young girl, nor why they didn't just kill her outright, or attempt to seduce her to the Dark Side. But he also knew of Lord Sidious' cunning, and hence trusted his Master's decisions. Still, he felt a little uneasy. Who was this girl and why was Lord Sidious so interested in her?

Of course, he wondered how he could turn this situation to his advantage. Darth Sidious was promising him much in return for his services, but maybe he should bargain with him a bit more to sweeten the deal.

He smiled to himself, and began work practicing his saber forms.

***

Summer came before Alena could grasp the idea of spring, and with it came more time for Oracle training as well as the opportunity to take additional courses and catch up on her swordsparring lessons. Her final year was approaching. The last year before she would graduate, and enter her apprenticeship with the Two Oracles full time.

She could hardly wait.

Excitement and potential filled the air that summer. The roses in her mother's garden were in bloom. Light pink, red, and yellow. They were everywhere. Alena would walk past them and smile. She had always loved roses ever since she was a child.

Her fifteen year was also approaching, and she reflected on that too. How much longer would it be before she was an adult? The idea both thrilled and frightened her. As much as she trained with the First and Second Oracles, a sense of the future filled her, and past a certain time things got shadowy and scary. And yet, a thrill filled her as if something lay just past the void that would find her in a wonderful place in spite of it all. The calm in the center of the storm.

Alena didn't want to think about, let alone touch that storm—not just yet. She knew that it was there, and all that she could do in the meantime was enjoy herself, study, and prepare as much as she could.

These were the days that she would remember for a long time.

She had gotten to become almost friends with Teacher Karak, never exceeding the teacher-student boundary, but was a more informal relationship than with her other teachers. She appreciated his odd humor, and he seemed to enjoy listening to her ideas on how meditating affected her swordsparring. The only other one whom she really liked was her astronomy and physics teacher, Teacher Moreska, who loved her enthusiasm for his classes and chatted with her often on the constellations that were in the sky at that period, and any other occurring astronomical events. Alena was thrilled to find out that there would be a meteor storm occurring sometime near the mark of her fifteenth year, and Moreska was amused and delighted with her reaction to the news.

With that news followed other news. Her father had received a promotion and would be Master Professor at the University of Riol. This meant longer hours away from home, but he would be working down in central near the temple where Alena would be training. He assured her many times that he would stop by and visit her, and perhaps they could walk home together. The thought thrilled her. She was very happy for her father, and liked the idea of walking home with him after her training was through.

She hardly saw her parents these days, so it seemed, and her mother took great pains to arrange for family gatherings on weekends, and make mealtimes together more of a priority.

"You're growing up too fast," Isabel often said to her, worriedly, "and I don't want your youth to slide by without us spending more time together as a family. You'll have plenty of time to be an adult before you know it."

Isabel was especially worried because she saw much of her husband in Alena. Torin was a brilliant man, but also a perfectionist and frequently overextended himself in his work and various projects. She knew that one day her daughter would be very successful no matter what she did, and she found herself looking forward to Alena graduating from school—if nothing else to be able to see her daughter more often. However, Alena was growing up fast, way too fast, and Isabel felt like if she didn't put on the brakes soon, her daughter would slip away from her.

But Alena, as always, had many ideas about what she wanted to do with herself, and it was obvious to Isabel on more than one occasion that her daughter was a dreamer and an idealist. She felt that as long as she stuck to practical goals, she could perhaps do something good with herself, and have a wonderful career. 'Perhaps with her interest in astronomy, Alena'll become an astrophysicist,' mused Isabel. She pictured her daughter working in the university along side her father, and smiled. Like father, like daughter.

However, there was the apprenticeship to consider. Alena's mother didn't exactly disapprove of her daughter being an Oracle—although she figured that whatever Alena decided to do with her life as long as she was both happy and successful would be fine. But she also felt somehow that her daughter would not be an Oracle for long, and hoped that it would be in order to pursue a professional career.

Career planning however would have to wait, as Alena needed to focus on the here and now, and get through her schoolwork.

Alena's fifteen year came and passed, as did the start of her final year of school. As Isabel waved goodbye to her on her way out the door on that first day of the schoolyear, she felt a sudden sense of longing for this year to stretch out as long as it possibly could. She shook her head, smiled, and disappeared back into the house. The roses needed to be tended to, but she could do that later.

***

When she went back to school at the beginning of the week, Alena was filled with hope. She had her swordsparring class that day and was looking forward to talking with her teacher.

The class went well, but she was struggling with some new forms. Teacher Karak was trying to teach her a few new ones which she hadn't seen before, nor read about. He had told the class that it was from another tradition and may serve as a basis for comparison for what they had already been learning. It was fascinating, but very different from what she was used to.

At the end of the class, Alena was drenched with sweat and desperate for a drink of water. She grabbed her water jug and a towel in the same grip and headed over to a bench to cool down.

Teacher Karak sat down next to her and began his usual survey of questions. What did she think of the forms, the class, how are things coming along? Did she find this class harder than the others, and if so, did it at least feel like it was helping her? She answered them all breathlessly, still recovering from the arduous lessons.

"You know, you're the only one in this class who managed to even grasp those forms," he suddenly told her, looking at her intently for her reaction. "I know that you've been studying for quite a while, but you're a natural. Honest. I wouldn't hold the fact that you got out of breath against yourself. Just keep practicing and you'll do fine."

She smiled at him. "Thanks," she replied. "But I didn't feel like I got it at all. I'll keep working on it, though."

He frowned at her. "You're further along than you think, really. Don't knock yourself." Then he brightened. "I know, I have an idea."

Alena looked at him curiously. "What?"

"Why don't you tell me what sorts of meditations that you've been doing with the Oracles? I may be able to give you some pointers that would help you master these forms. I know that you've told me in the past that your lessons have really helped you here. And they have," he added with a grin, "you're doing quite well."

With a shrug, she responded, "Honestly, most of the meditations I do are all on the Tapestry and being receptive to the future. I'm not sure how that would possibly help with swordsparring." That was all she would reveal to her teacher; as much as she trusted him, she couldn't break her vows.

"Ah, but it would."

Alena leaned forward, intrigued. "How so?" she asked.

"Simple. Think of it…being able to be so in tune with the, how do you call it? Tapestry, that you can see the opponent's moves before they move."

Her eyes widened.

"Think of it, Alena. You do it already—you're just not conscious of it. I bet if you master it even further, you could become a better swordsparrer."

 The thought had never occurred to her before, but it sounded brilliant to her ears. She had no idea such things were even possible, and it put so much of her life and what she could do in complete perspective.

He continued, noting her speechlessness with an odd laugh. "With that kind of training you could be…I dunno, almost like a Jedi." He gave her a pointed look.

Something flickered in her brown eyes. Karak took note.

"Anyhow…think on it. I'll let you get on your way. Good class today, Alena."

Alena finally found her voice. "Thank you, Teacher Karak."

"You're welcome." She didn't see the terrible grin that he had on his face after she left, or the glint of yellow in his eyes that followed.

***

In her dreams, Alena stood on a balcony, gazing out into an endless sea of what seemed like impossibly tall buildings, lights and flying cars everywhere. It was an ocean of metal, colors, and structures. It was night and all she could see were blue, many shades of deep, dark blue and lights that reflected off of buildings, from windows—everything was blue.

As the wind swept through her long, dark red hair, she knew that she was sleeping and that this was yet another terribly vivid dream.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She heard a somewhat familiar male voice say.

Alena turned to her left to see a tall, handsome man standing next to her. In that moment she knew she was dreaming, for his features were striking and vivid. His dark blond hair was swept back from his face, and piercing blue eyes had turned to look into hers. She caught a scar over his right eye, and that was all she caught before she felt her core being struck by the lightning of his gaze. At once she realized that it was the same man from the dream she had, the man who was fighting the other Jedi with fire all around him—only he was clearly unburned with no scars, save for the one over his right eye.

They stood by the ledge of the balcony in silence. Then he turned to look at the buildings. His arms were folded over his chest, and she could see the single black glove that covered his right arm, and the black Jedi robes that he wore. 'A Jedi,' she thought with wonder. Yes, the two men had been Jedi. This man was a Jedi. She glanced again at the glove, remembering the mechanical arm she had seen in her dream years ago. Was he wearing the glove in order to hide it? His other hand was bare, and her curiosity—and suspicions—were piqued.

"It's Coruscant," he stated. Receiving no reply from her as she simply stared at him, he went on, "I bet you've never visited here, have you?"

Alena shook her head. She wanted to speak, but something in her kept her silent. Instead she turned towards the spectacular, urban beauty that lay before her.

A few moments went by before she felt something around her. An arm. She gazed down to see his arm—the one that did not have the black glove on it—holding her around her waist. At once she went still. Her head spun, and her cheeks felt warm. She considered stepping away, getting her thoughts and head back together, as she felt them now slipping away from her.

But his arm felt good around her waist, and she leaned her head back into his chest, and gazed at the night over Coruscant. Everything she was, everything she felt, and all that she saw felt good at that moment, wonderfully and delightfully good. Alena felt as if she were floating on a warm cloud.

His other arm came around her, and he placed his black gloved hand on her chest. Thoughts swam in her head, memories of what some of the girls had giggled over in her classes when they spoke of boys came rushing back to her. Things that they imagined boys doing to them with their hands.

Alena tried to banish the thoughts from her mind. She knew that she was too young to be having such ideas in her head, and too old to be giggling over him the way that her schoolmates did over boys. But it was very difficult not to imagine his hand at that moment, slipping further down from the front of her chest onto her-

No. She would not think of it.

As she continued to struggle, she felt his head lean towards hers, and his lips brush the back of her now suddenly exposed neck.

I know everything, she heard him say, but it was a deeper, more resonant voice that she couldn't place.

Chapter 3

"When the gods call, we follow"

After she awoke, she sighed, and quickly went about her morning routine.

She didn't let herself think about such things. She didn't even want to think about such things. She was on her second to last year of schooling, and rapidly finishing up her classes. It was with great pleasure that she was given recognition for her high scores and made the top students' list. The list was posted on the electronic boards at school. Her emotions turned into glee, remembering. "Alena Doron, 94%". She was number four on the list, and twenty students were on it.

And her oracular training was coming along nicely. Nyara was teaching her how to shield against an energy flame directed at her, flame caused by the Second Oracle's mysterious ability to generate fire from her hands. Her ability to meditate was helping her to see into the present and future so much more clearly than before, and she was able to predict particular events with great accuracy. Of course, this would disturb her mother on various occasions, but at least her training was going well for her.

Alena had no time to dwell too much on a certain pair of intense, beautiful blue eyes. Nor could she afford to act on her desire to stare into them for a while, see what he was thinking and feeling.

See if he was indeed real, and not just a product of her subconscious.

As Erna often said, one of the things that she had to face in the world was to focus on the present, what she had, and to make the most of it. And there was no room for things—and people—who were not in her life. Not for friends who had cast her out of their lives when she had become too "different" for them, not for social activities which she didn't have the time for, and certainly not for blue eyed handsome men whom she saw only in dreams and visions.

***

When final exams came and went, she was nothing if not relieved. As much as she loved school and felt that she would miss some of her peers and her teachers, she wanted very much to enter into her oracular training full time. That was where she wanted to spend her days, she felt, and where she thought that she could be of the most good.

These abilities, she reasoned, were gifts sent to her by the gods. They therefore had to be good and come from a good source. But what made them really, truly good, was what she did with them. And Alena wanted to do many good things with them. As many as she could possibly do and conceive of doing. She just needed someplace to start—hopefully with an outlet where she could be herself and be useful.

The temple where the Oracles gave their prophecies was the best place for her, as far as she was concerned.

Alena graduated with high honors—tied in second place with another student. They both accepted their awards together, and shook hands. It was another girl in her class, someone who had transferred to the school from another planet. She was brilliant and Alena admired her, and felt no competition or hard feelings whatsoever. In her eyes, she was genuinely a good person and deserved the award.

More uncertain, however, she was of the person who graduated first—Jeret. He was the one who had bullied her in her swordsparring class, and although as time passed he eased off of her, he never seemed to stop bothering her in her classes or try to argue with her when she presented her ideas to the class. Alena had no idea what his problem was, nor why he had a small following of girls who would babble frequently about how wonderful he was, and how grand his swordsparring was.

Hence why she got the shock of her life when he came up to her after the announcements of the honors were made, and asked her if she wished to become a couple with him.

But no, it didn't go quite like that. First there were the congratulations, and the none-too-subtle jabs at her for coming into second place behind him. She endured this with a set jaw and a calm face, while internally she wanted to either leave or deck him with her fist, or perhaps her bag of books.

She found it strange, however, how he suddenly became tongue-tied with her, and talked about how much he enjoyed fighting with her during class, and she "really didn't take it personally when he teased her, right?"

Alena had smiled sweetly and said, no, not at all. She barely remembered him even troubling her to begin with, and him knocking her off of her feet? When did that happen? It was ages ago, really. They were children then. She did her best to be kind, and smooth things over. Maybe he simply wished to bury the hatchet before they went their separate ways.

The next words out of his mouth, however, stunned her to the core.

"You know that I've always liked you, right? I'm sorry that I was so bad at showing that. I mean, I was a stupid kid and all, and I really liked you. Heck, admire you even. Anyhow, I, uh, wanted to know if you would want to go with me sometime to the dance hall or maybe catch a bite to eat together. I think that it would be great if we were to become a couple. You know? I mean, we have a lot in common and all…."

She barely caught the rest of his rambling. Suddenly the contrast between his innocent but honest, teenaged fumbling around for words as he attempted to win her over and the intense dreams she had been having lately about a pair of dark blue, stormy eyes and the bursts of ecstasy that they gave her seemed to her to be absurd. This boy could hardly compare. And he had given her such a hard time that she never would've known that he had felt anything for her other than contempt and hatred.

At that moment onward, she decided that she did not comprehend the male sex in the least.

Many emotions came to her. Frustration, pity, anger, but also-

Sadness. Depression. Solitude.

Alena remembered mumbling something to the effect of, "Yes, sometime after my lessons with the Oracles, stop on by," et cetera, then she ran. It seemed like the insensible and most bizarre thing to do—not to mention the most cowardly.

But she didn't know what else to do, nor how to handle this youth who so awkwardly was trying to court her affections.

When she got home, she recalled kicking at the wall, attempting a practice or two with her swordsparring forms with her practice sword-

Then breaking down into tears.

She didn't know how to tell him no and let him down easy, nor did she know how to handle him or boys in general. No one before this point had the courage to approach her on any level. He was the first.

"When the gods call," she remembered Erna telling her once, "we follow." And Alena followed.

How could she possibly explain this to other people? People who were supposed to be the closest to in her life? How could she begin to describe the obligation she felt, the love that she felt for the guiding influences in her life, and the almost desperate need and desire to give them something back in return?

She couldn't. She barely had the words for it herself, especially given how seldom she tried to vocalize it. The young girl settled for ranting about it in her journal, about how bad she felt that she couldn't communicate to Jeret, and how even worse she felt about being so terribly, terribly isolated.

Alena cried some more on her bed before falling asleep. Later she would tell her parents that she had been so excited that she spent most of the day elsewhere. She didn't want to worry them. She didn't tell them of Jeret's interest in her, nor in her feelings about it. For how could she?

She was totally alone.

***

After a year of intensive training which began shortly after her graduation, Alena was instated as an Oracle, with the full duties, titles, and responsibilities thereof. The ceremony was beautiful, intense, and in Alena's mind, almost like a wedding. She was clothed in her white gown and wore an ivy wreath on her head. As required, she wore no jewelry, but later would wear a special necklace which would bear the insignia of her office, a special charm made of amber encased in silver and carved to resemble a star.

She wore it in a choker around her neck that stayed on even while bathing, and she never took it off.

Her introduction to fulfilling her duties as an Oracle was gradual. At first she officiated over the Oracles for special holidays and weekends, but in time she was present along with the other two women, and would assist others who came for advice. Most of them were from Riol, but some came from neighboring planets. The reputation for the Oracles of Riol rather preceded themselves, and so they would receive an influx of tourists looking for advice on matters ranging from financial to personal.

Nyara was especially good, she noticed, at giving advice regarding people's pasts and how that led them to their present day. Erna was always very good at reading the future, and not as good at determining past trends' influences into current day as Nyara.

Alena, on the other hand, seemed to be especially tied into the present, which meant that she not only had footing in the past, but in the future as well. She could tell people what they were thinking and how they felt on matters, and also help guide them in making decision based on what was best for them based on both what they desired and what they needed. Sometimes she would receive blinding flashes of their future, other times their past—and could connect it with their present in ways in which left people feeling as if she had been their next door neighbor. She also found her connection to past events enabled her to gain an appreciation for her history classes in a way she hadn't before. At long last, she truly realized that the present could not exist without that which preceded it. The insight was humbling.

Rapidly she grew a strong reputation for assisting people in great spiritual conflict, and in personal matters. She found herself giving council in the matters of love and family more than once, and did so in such a way that left people wondering if she really were sixteen years of age.

Her parents came once to see her giving oracles. They watched as she sat in the egg-shaped seat that she grew to love so much, and give people advice on many issues. Her mother was proud to witness her daughter be so compassionate towards others, and her father was thrilled to see his daughter have such a sensible head on her shoulders, with the ability to see into situations the little details that would ordinarily be overlooked.

They had hugged her afterwards, and told her as much. They were proud of her, and her mother kept repeating over and over again that no matter what Alena wanted to do with herself from here on end, she would support it. She had grown up into a fine woman.

A woman. Alena was now sixteen, which was the legal age in Riol for adulthood. She would not be able to own property until she was eighteen, and she had no desire to run for office. Besides, she had to be impartial as an Oracle and wouldn't be able to anyhow. She was content with what she had, and figured that she didn't need the additional responsibility.

She only knew that some days after that, she had passed by Teacher Karak in central, and he saw her, nodded hurriedly, and practically ran in the other direction. She had no logical explanation for his reaction to her, and figured that perhaps he was sensitive to the weavings of the Tapestry. Was he upset with her for some reason? Had she done something wrong?

'Or maybe, perhaps,' she thought, 'people are afraid of me now that I am an Oracle, and am afraid that I can see things in them that they don't want to see.'

The thought had occurred to her more than once, and it seemed like a simple, satisfactory conclusion to his reaction to her.

But something in her, for some reason incomprehensible, knew better. And she didn't want to know a thing more about it. The less she knew, she figured, the better. Alena had enough to worry about.

She was now the Third Oracle of Riol.

Hence when she began approaching the age of seventeen and her dreams of a man with blue eyes began to grow more intense and have lasting impressions that affected her waking day, she didn't think much of it. At this point in time, she had herself almost convinced that her dreams were just dreams. But she recognized her emotions, and knew that deep inside of her, she was beginning to feel stirrings of something very deep, dark, and incredibly intense.

Alena prayed that she was neither obsessed, nor falling in love. She could be able to handle neither. This man in her dreams didn't exist. How could he?

Her seventeenth year came and went with a splash and a sparkle—she had much to be grateful for, more than any other year, and looked forward to the mark of her eighteenth year with bright eyes.

She was alive. Truly alive, doing what she felt that she needed to be doing. What else could she possibly ask for?

The Third Oracle did not look to her future; she was too busy dealing with everyone else's.

***

It started one day with two people. Two people who were clearly outsiders, and from nowhere near Riol. But they spoke Basic, and demanded to see an Oracle immediately. It was relatively early in the morning, and they had just opened their gates to the public.

Nyara and Erna looked at each other, and figured that Alena could use the exercise. She needed at least one, perhaps two difficult petitioners. It would prepare her for the years ahead, and give her a chance to grow in her ability to give oracles as well as deal with the unexpected.

These two were unexpected, all right. They practically prostrated themselves before Alena's protesting feet.

"Please, no, do not do that," cried Alena, embarrassed. "I'm just an Oracle. I'm only here to advise others. If you want to worship, we have altars to the gods for that."

"Forgive us, but we have traveled a long way," spoke the man, almost stuttering. "You can call me Morn. This woman beside me is Lorna."

"We come from the Core Worlds," she explained.

Something inside Alena began to go off. Bells. She nodded slowly.

"Go on," she requested. "What is it that you wish to know of the gods?"

"We're actually not here to inquire of the gods. Instead, we're here to talk to you. To talk to you about the Galactic Republic."

"Yes, that's why we came here," Lorna spoke up eagerly. "We have heard about your abilities, and your interactions with other worlds. In fact-"

"Lorna, please," Morn admonished. "Let me finish." He turned back to Alena and began to explain. They were sent by the Galactic Republic, as Riol needed a representative to serve on the Senate. There were various diplomatic negotiations under way, not all of which Alena understood, but they had spoken with the clergy-run government of Riol, and they had recommended that they ask the Oracles who would be best to serve.

"We have watched and spoken with the men and women who have left these halls," Morn explained, "and heard of your skill with words, with prophecy, and with talking with others from other worlds. We have heard all about your oracles, and figured that you would be the perfect candidate to serve on the Senate."

Lorna added apologetically, "We know that this may be an overwhelming proposition to you, but think of the good that you could do for your people, and for the Republic. We feel that the Force is with you, with you very strongly, and that you would make a wise choice to represent your people."

"We believe in the Force," Morn stated, and quickly grinned at Alena, who thankfully at this point had enough experience to not appear as if she were staring at them agape, for she was on the inside. Externally, in their presence, she nodded calmly that they may continue. On the inside, she was screaming. She didn't know what to do with these people. Oracles had to be neutral in all matters of politics and government. She could only tell them what the gods wished them to hear, and what the tapestry would let her tell them.

"The Force?" she inquired.

Her mind was reeling. Over and over again, she could hear Erna's voice saying to her during the oracle given to her on her thirteen birthday, There is a war, but it is not your war, Alena. Stay out of it.

"Yes, the Force. I believe those on Riol, especially your Oracles, refer to it as 'the Tapestry'." He grinned and clapped his hands like a child. "I like your phrase better! But it has always been 'the Force' to me, ever since I was a young boy."

Alena didn't know what to do, nor did she know what the Oracles or her family—let alone herself—thought of this idea. Serve on the Senate? Be involved in galactic politics? Aloud she could hear herself answering the woman clearly and distinctly, "I will look into this matter and ask the gods what answer they have for your question. I will ask them directly and I will tell you if I am to serve in the Galactic Senate."

Absently she remembered herself not long ago after she had been given permission to graduate early, and how she had laughed at the teacher who suggested she might go into politics as a result of her becoming an Oracle. Alena was definitely not laughing now. Perhaps the teacher was unusually insightful, and saw something she hadn't. Who knows? But the best way she knew to find out was to connect with the Tapestry and see what the gods had to say to her.

Composing herself, she sat in the Oracle's seat and went into a deep trance. She was meditating for approximately five minutes before she suddenly opened her eyes, and looked directly at them.

"Yes," she responded clearly. "I accept the nomination to the Galactic Senate."

Chapter 4

"A blue rose"

Her parents were proud, but trembling when she delivered to them the news. Isabel seemed to be somewhat relieved; she had had high hopes for her daughter's intelligence and this seemed to be an opportunity for her to both use her gifts and enter into an honorable profession of which she approved. Torin, however, had gone into a long lecture on politics, personal safety, and what it would mean for Alena to become a Senator. She would have to move to Coruscant to live. Things she needed would most likely be provided for, but most of the Senators were wealthy businessmen and she was an outworlder from the Outer Rim—and young at that. She would have to keep on her toes, learn to not be so trusting, learn about what it meant to be a politician, learn a great many things.

Alena nodded and smiled calmly at all of this. She had been fully installed as the Third Oracle and had served as such for over two years, not to mention had turned eighteen five months ago. Already she was fully a grown woman, with the right to hold office and own property. Although her father was right to be worried about her, but she was not entering this without her eyes wide open. Plus, her meditation with the gods had told her quite clearly and bluntly that she needed to do this. She could still hear the loud, clear voice in her head: You will go to Coruscant and serve the Republic. It had jolted her out of her communion with the gods, and forced her to give the answer that she had given Lorna and Morn.

It was not that she was not afraid. Deep inside of her being, she trembled at the thought of leaving her family, her home, Riol, the Outer Rim—everything she had known and was used to for so long. And she knew in her heart of hearts that she would miss Erna and Nyara. However, the two women had fairly shoved her out the door, stating that they had foreseen this event years ago and it was her destiny. It reinforced the calm, certain feeling within her that told her that what she was doing was the right thing to do. The Tapestry was weaving away, and its in patterns she saw herself at Coruscant.

In those patterns she saw many things, and in those things she felt glimpses of the potential good she could cause. The rest was hazy and undefined--just beyond her grasp. Her struggle to see conjured other images instead, images of the dream she had of the balcony and the handsome Jedi trickled into her mind. They were quickly banished. It would play no part in her decision to join the Galactic Senate, nor her role within it.

"Just promise me, Alena, that you will contact us whenever you can," implored Isabel. "We will miss you dreadfully, but know this: we are very proud of you, and in spite of our misgivings and concerns, we support you in every way possible."

Her father held his arms out, walking towards her to give her a hug. "Conquer a few worlds for us, kid." They embraced, and after they pulled away Alena could've sworn that she had seen Papa blink back a few tears.

Alena smiled at him, and her mother. "Don't worry, I'll let everyone know what's happening in my life—and I'll visit when I can."

Her next few days were a whirlwind of packing and arrangements. A shuttle would be arriving at the planet to escort her to Coruscant, and it would be a good 12-14 hours before they arrived, she was warned. There were quarters on the ship that would allow her to nap if she so desired, as well as a complimentary container of water and light snacks.

Alena packed a few books along with her personal journal, and a framed white rose that she had dyed blue years ago when she was a young girl. She figured that it would make a wonderful piece to hang on the wall in her apartment on Coruscant. As she held it in her hands, she smiled. When she was a young girl, she had always wanted a blue rose, and had cried when her mother told her that they did not exist. In defiance, she had taken a white rose and dyed it blue. When it began to wilt, she pressed it and put it into a frame. Since she owned no other decorative pieces, she decided that it held the most sentimental value to her, and therefore should not be left behind.

Before leaving her room, she saw her practice sword hanging from its sack in the corner, and decided to bring it with her. Surely practicing her swordsparring forms would help her to relax, and unwind…? She grabbed it before leaving her room. There was one last look at the dwelling she had occupied for nearly her entire life, and she was gone.

When she met the shuttle transport, she arrived wearing her Oracle's robes, a suitcase with all of her clothing, a personal satchel containing a few books and her journal, and the practice sword slung over one shoulder.

Alena was ready.

***

Her arrival in Coruscant was nothing like she had expected. The planet was nothing like she had expected; the entire place was an urban sprawl, covered with tall buildings and transport flying everywhere. It stood out in her mind in clear contrast to the simple stone buildings of her homeworld that were covered in ivy, surrounded by trees, and the garden that she helped her mother tend to from the time she was a young girl until the present. Alena wondered briefly if she would ever see a rose in bloom while on this strange planet as she drowsily made her way off of the shuttle, and was escorted towards the Galactic Senate Building.

Her two escorts left her off abruptly at its entrance, giving her various papers written in Aurabesh and gave her some brief but inelegant directions to a particular room in the building. Alena blinked, and thanked them before wandering around the Senate Building.

All too soon she was lost, wandering around in various corridors until she got to the end of a hallway. An elderly, distinguished looking man was standing just outside of what appeared to be an office, deeply engrossed in a conversation with what appeared to be another official—perhaps one of the Senators? The woman talking to him was a blue skinned woman, dressed in strange robes and a headdress which Alena didn't recognize, and appeared to be in earnest conversation with the older man. As Alena grew closer, she noted that his visage looked faintly familiar to her, and then realized with a start that it was the Supreme Chancellor. Her oracular studies on Riol had left her with very little time to pay attention to the HoloNet, and last she had heard, Palpatine of Naboo had been made Supreme Chancellor some years ago and the Clone Wars were ongoing. Being from the Outer Rim, she felt very far removed from everything, and knew that she would have to catch up to the latest if she were to succeed as a Senator from her homeworld.

Palpatine glanced around, and with a slight, startled movement noticed Alena. He smiled warmly at her, and she couldn't help but smile awkwardly in return.

"Pardon me, would you happen to be the new Senator from Riol? Senator Alena Doron?"

Alena nodded. "Yes, yes I am." In spite of her nervousness, she felt the amber stone weighing down on her neck, and her sense of protocol took over. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Your Excellency," she stated, inclining her head slightly.

"The pleasure is all mine, I assure you," he replied. Gesturing towards Alena's bags, he inquired, "I assume that you are looking for access to your apartment? I can be of assistance with that, if you like. You will be staying in the Senatorial Apartments during your time here." He glanced to his left where the blue-skinned woman stood, and chuckled, shaking his head. "Oh dear, where are my manners? My apologies. Senator Doron, this is Senator Chi Eekway of Wroona."

Chi Eekway turned towards Alena, and she was immediately struck by the kindness in their depths and sensed a spirit akin to Erna's in the other Senator. Something told her that she would like Eekway.

Senator Eekway greeted her with a smile. "Welcome to Coruscant."

Smiling in return, she replied, "Thank you. I hope to make the most of my time here while serving on the Senate."

Palpatine nodded vigorously. "Oh, you will like it here, I assure you. In the meantime, you must be exhausted from your travel from the Outer Rim, not to mention you probably want to dispense of your belongings! I can help you reach your quarters, if you wish."

"Yes, that would be most kind of you," Alena responded graciously.

The Supreme Chancellor turned towards Senator Eekway with an apologetic smile. "If you will pardon me for a moment, I have to help our new Senator with her arrival. We will have to continue this discussion another time."

The blue-skinned woman nodded somberly. "Certainly, Your Excellency. Senator Doron, welcome again to Coruscant. If you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me."

"Thank you." Alena replied. "I appreciate that."

Palpatine gestured towards the other end of the hallway. "Follow me. I will take you to the apartments. Would you like me to carry anything?"

Alena shook her head. "No, thank you, this is fine." She demonstrated the lightness of her suitcase with a smile. "I like to travel light."

"An excellent and rare trait in a woman." He smiled at her as they walked down the corridor and through various sets of doors. "You must find this place awfully confusing in comparison with your homeworld. I can't say that I have ever been to Riol, but would love to hear from you your impressions and stories of your homeworld." He went on, gesturing with his hands, "Everyone here comes from all over the galaxy, from so many types of worlds, and all gathered here on this planet." He added in almost embarrassed tones, "As someone who grew up as a young boy from the Mid Rim, this place was awfully big to me when I first got here. It must seem that way to you, too."

She laughed. "Yes, it's certainly much more urban and crowded than what I'm used to. I don't exactly live on the countryside, but where I live, ivy and gardens cover everything. It's much more…" She struggled for the right word, and finally came up with it, "organic."

"Organic, yes." He chuckled. "Sounds to me that you like being surrounded by nature, and flowers, and trees. I think that you would love Naboo. You should visit there if you have a chance, perhaps on a holiday or during recess."

"Thanks for the suggestion; I think I would like that." She wondered to herself if she had heard of Naboo before, and realized that aside from passing references to it in school, she barely remembered it. Like many times, she wondered why she managed to graduate with high honors and do well in history class with the amount of attention she paid to current events.

When they arrived at the Senatorial Apartments, Alena had to fight to keep her jaw from dropping open. The place was huge and grand, and reminded her of an urban palace. She wondered how her quarters would look, and if they were different from anyone else's.

Palpatine worked the security pad to get her apartment open, and showed her how to rekey her own passcode to enter her place. Afterwards, she wandered into the place and was amazed to find an apartment the size of the house she had grown up in, except it was all on one level. The living room was furnished—as she supposed all of the rooms were—in burgundy with gold trim, very tastefully done. The couch in the living room was a beautiful piece of furniture shaped in a half circle with a small table in front of it.

"This place is beautiful," she commented, awestruck. She didn't bother to hide the admiration from her voice, as she did not expect such accommodations from the Republic.

She deposited her belongings on the couch, and glanced past it to see that there was a set of glass doors that led onto a balcony that overlooked Coruscant.

"Please, take a look around," urged the Supreme Chancellor. "I hope that these quarters will prove to your liking. I made sure to it that you would be comfortable here, especially since you are so far from home." He smiled amicably.

Alena smiled back, and opened the doors to step onto the balcony. With a start, she realized that she was overlooking the same view and was in the same place that she had seen in her dreams when she talked with the black clothed, blue eyed Jedi. It made her shiver slightly. She then realized that Palpatine had followed her outside and was looking at her with a concerned gaze.

"Are you cold?" he asked sympathetically. "You must be exhausted from your journey. I do not wish to overstay my welcome if you wish to get some rest."

"I'm all right," she replied with a quick grin. "I think I'm too excited at this point to sleep. The buildings, the sky—this place is amazing. I've never seen anything like it," she enthusiastically stated, but in her head she added, 'except in my dreams.'

He laughed. "Good, good. I am glad that you feel comfortable here. If there is anything that you need, please, let me know. I will be at your service. I want all of the Senators here to feel at home, and you should not be exempt from that."

Alena's eyes shone. "I thank you very much for your hospitality. This is wonderful, and I'm very glad to be here."

"Why don't we sit for a while inside? Surely you can spare an old man a few moments of your time so that I can get to know you better. I would love to know more about you, your homeworld—practically everything was new to me when I first came here, and I am sure it must be the same for you as well."

The young woman nodded eagerly, and the two went inside and sat on the couch. She gestured towards the eating area off to their right, and stated, "I am sorry that I have nothing to offer you in regards to food or drink, I don't even know where to get such things-"

"Oh, never mind about that," he dismissed the concept with a wave of his hand. "You just got here. There's plenty of time for that later, and I expect nothing from you, given that you just arrived on this planet's surface—what, two hours ago?"

She shook her head. "It just hardly seems fair, given how hospitable you've been to me. Besides, it's customary to provide drink to those whom you welcome into your home where I come from."

He nodded. "Yes, yes, a wonderful custom, very gracious and thoughtful indeed. Were other cultures so welcoming!"

About an hour or so passed in which Palpatine had asked Alena many questions, and she did her best to answer them. She found him to be surprisingly charming, friendly, and down to earth—completely not what she had expected from a renowned politician. It made her feel at ease with her new position, and gave her hope that she had indeed made the right decision. 'The gods are gracious,' she thought happily.

"Unfortunately, my dear, I must get going," he announced with a hint of regret in his voice. "I need to get to an important meeting with a good friend of mine. Perhaps we can talk more at a later time?"

"Certainly, Your Excellency, and thank you. I've really enjoyed talking with you."

"Same here, my young Senator, same here." As he stood up, he noticed the sack on the floor. "Before I leave, I must ask, I've never seen such a sack before. What exactly does it contain?"

Alena grinned. "My practice sword. I do swordsparring in my spare time. I brought it with me in the hopes of practicing my forms. It's very relaxing, sort of meditative, in a way," she explained.

He slowly nodded his head. "Swordsparring, you say? How interesting. You'll have to show me a thing or two sometime."

"If you wish it, most certainly I will."

"Be well, Senator Doron. I will be seeing you later."

"Be well, Your Excellency."

After he left, she looked around the place until she found the door that led to her bedroom. It was surprisingly big—bigger than her room at home—and had a window that overlooked the same view as her balcony. She opened her bag to get her rose, and hung the frame on the wall over her bed. Taking a few steps back, she surveyed the place with a smile. It almost looked like home.

Surprisingly, she felt restless after her journey, energized by her talk with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, and decided to head out of the apartments to take a walk. She found herself, oddly enough, heading in the direction of the Galactic Senate Building.

'Perhaps I should walk around and familiarize myself with it before I have my first meeting,' she thought to herself. It certainly wasn't a bad idea, and inside the building she went. Alena made her way down various corridors until she found herself around the same one where she had run into Senator Eekway and the Supreme Chancellor earlier.

A door nearby opened, and from it exited the Supreme Chancellor. He noticed Alena with a start.

"Oh, it's you again! So glad to see you, Senator Doron. What timing you have."

He gestured to the man standing next to him. "May I introduce you to my good friend Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight."

Alena turned to look at him, and was struck dumb by a familiar pair of intense looking blue-grey eyes in the center of a sturdy, handsome face framed by dark blonde hair. In a moment, her world spun around her, and within her was a small, still core that was the eye of the storm. The only thought within that core and surrounded by the chaos was, 'So, he exists.'

Chapter 5

"I guess I was in the right place at the right time."

Alena found herself thankful for the calm, assured voice that poured from her lips. "Pleased to meet you, Anakin Skywalker. I am Senator Alena Doron."

He smiled at her, and in that moment as he gazed upon her, her heart stopped. She could see oceans and worlds in those blue-grey eyes. "Senator Doron, it is a pleasure to meet you also. Did you just arrive here or have you been here long?" His head tilted slightly as he asked the question.

"Yes, just arrived here. A few hours ago, in fact."

At that moment, the Chancellor touched Anakin on the arm and stated, "We must be going. Good bumping into you again, Senator Doron, and looking forward to seeing you soon."

Alena nodded. "Same here as well. You both take care."

As fast as they were introduced, they were parted, the Supreme Chancellor and the Jedi walking briskly past her. She continued walking in the direction she was headed in until she was certain that they could not see her, and turned to watch their backs as they left.

'Anakin,' she thought to herself wistfully. 'Anakin Skywalker. That's his name. Anakin.' A part of her was desperately rooted in place, fixing the event in her memory. Anakin. His name was Anakin. He was real, he existed—there he was, brought to her from her visions and dreams.

Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight.

***

"Senator Doron, I feel, will be an asset to the Senate," Palpatine was saying to Anakin as they continued to walk down the corridor. "She is from a planet in the Outer Rim. There are rumors, as you know, of Separatist activity out there. Perhaps she can put in a word for us back on her home world, or," he paused momentarily before continuing with a gentle smile on his face, "dare I say it, giving us an oracle or two."

Anakin gave him a quizzical look. Palpatine laughed gently. "She is an Oracle from her homeworld, newly appointed as a representative in the Senate. I don't think she is much more than eighteen years of age. But," he went on, his tone taking on an almost grandfatherly admiration, "it is said that her precognitive skills are quite excellent. People have been traveling from as far as the Core Worlds to hear her prophecy."

"With all due respect, Chancellor, with skills like that, I am surprised that the Jedi Council never found her," Anakin replied cautiously. He was wondering why the Supreme Chancellor seemed to be somewhat taken with the girl, and he couldn't help but have a nagging feeling about her upon first meeting that he didn't quite know how to place. It made him feel uncomfortable. He would have to meditate on it later.

"Ah, Anakin," the Supreme Chancellor replied, amusement tinting his voice, "not everyone who uses the Force are Jedi, and the Jedi are not…omniscient." He smiled again, amicably.

The Jedi simply nodded politely. "Yes, that is certainly true." After a span or two of silence, he added, "And those Separatists…where are these reports coming from that they are in the Outer Rim? If they are out there, perhaps some Jedi need to be dispatched in order to handle the problem."

"Yes, yes," Palpatine nodded somewhat impatiently, "they will need to be dispatched. As for the sources, I have a number of contacts who have been involved in various acts of, shall I say, espionage. It's only a matter of time before we close in on their location. But perhaps," he stated with some reflection, "some Jedi would be needed."

Anakin's face grew solemn. The possibility that it would be him to be sent away once more was not far from his thoughts, and once again be separated from his love—he fought to keep his discontent from showing in his eyes and on his face. It was an unbearable thought, but he knew that he had his duty to perform, especially if he were to earn the trust of his fellow Jedi. His time with Padme would have to wait. His eyes closed briefly at the thought of her shining face. "I will notify the Council, then."

"Excellent. I knew that I could count on you, Anakin."

"Thank you, Chancellor. Your confidence in me is appreciated." In his head but not out loud, he thought to himself, 'At least some one in a position of authority does….'

As if he heard his thoughts, the Chancellor replied, 'Those who would disregard your talents do not give you enough credit, young Skywalker. I see many good things for you, especially in your future." He smiled kindly at the young man, who kept his face composed only to blink nonchalantly. Anakin was glad for his friendship with Palpatine, as it allowed him a chance to see himself as worthy of the Jedi.

It was not uncommon that he sometimes wondered what they truly thought of them. At times he thought that perhaps they felt uncomfortable with him. Other times he sensed that they were either nervous or disapproving. Some had wondered aloud to him about what it was like to be a Jedi who had known his mother, and he had bristled internally at having been asked such a question—not to mention be reminded of how he had been unable to save his mother from an untimely death. He had always found it difficult to relate to those who had never known their family, nor had known a life outside of the Jedi Temple.

Apparently, that feeling was mutual.

The conversation turned to lighter topics, and Anakin was relieved. He did not relish having to tell Padme that he would be taken from her once more, nor did he like the idea of going back to the Outer Rim on any mission. And he knew, deep inside, that he would be sent away for the mission once he told them the news of the Separatists. It was this quiet feeling inside of him. He knew. He always knew.

He couldn't help but know.

***

Alena sat on her Senate platform, outwardly composed and calm but internally feeling nervous and terribly young. She was on one platform in a sea of many platforms, incalculable, within the Senate walls. The place was immense, and she had been awestruck from the moment she first entered. The peace she had gained from being in the sea of Senators was shattered, however, upon hearing the news of the Separatists in the Outer Rim, and of two Jedi who were being dispatched to handle them—Master Obi-Wan Kenobi and Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker. Alena's heart sank. She had only just met the man, and now he was being sent away from her, for who knows how long. She wondered when she would have the chance to meet him again.

Upon entering her apartment later after the Senatorial meeting, she decided that her energy was best spent doing swordsparring forms. They would help calm and distract her, she reasoned. There was no sense getting depressed and worked up over some man whom she just met.

Even if she had been dreaming of his eyes for many years.

Hours seemed to pass before there was a chirp that she heard, very clearly. Alena blinked. Realizing it was a signal that someone was at her door, she put down the sword and opened it.

The Supreme Chancellor stood calmly outside her door while she stood, dazed and covered in a fine sheen of sweat.

"Senator Doron!" he greeted her warmly. "I hope that I am not interrupting…anything. I was hoping to have a chance to talk with you. I can come by another time if now is inappropriate?"

"I—no, now's a good time. I was just practicing my forms. Please, Chancellor, feel free to come in." Her sense of good manners forced her to add, "I have food and drink available, this time, if you would like anything."

"Just a glass of water would be fine, thank you." She walked briskly to the dining area as he walked inside of her apartment and gazed at the surroundings. "You live very simply, and yet you have made this place yours. I like what you have done with it."

She smiled as she poured the water. "Thank you," she replied, entering the living room with two glasses, one for herself and one for the Chancellor. Briefly she wondered if seeing him would be a common occurrence, and if he was this interested in everyone who was here, or just those who were new to the Galactic Senate.

Still, she was thankful for the camaraderie. She was far from home, without any friends or family, and this man was the only person with whom she felt comfortable talking. Senator Eekway, as much as she had promised to be within reach, was woefully busy and preoccupied, and hadn't been able to return any of her messages thus far. The rest of the Senators thus far were innumerable by her standards and hence she had not been able to make many contacts since her arrival.

Palpatine, however, seemed very curious about her as well as genuinely friendly. It seemed that he sensed that she was feeling awkward and out of place on Coruscant, and perhaps he was thinking of his own boyfriend on the Mid Rim when he spoke with her. "I was wondering if you could tell me, if it would not be too impertinent to ask, about your apprenticeship with the Oracles."

She almost inhaled her water.

He smiled gently. "Again, if I am being too overly inquisitive, please do not hesitate to be honest with me."

Alena put down her glass of water on the table—carefully—before responding. "I—I'm not sure what to tell you, Your Excellence. I studied with the two other Oracles, Nyara and Erna. They were very good to me, and I think of them as my older sisters." She folded her hands in her lap. "They took me in at a much younger age than most, and worked my training schedule around my schooling. I'm…very thankful for that."

"What inspired them, do you think, to train you? How does one get chosen on your homeworld to become an Oracle?" He leaned forward, his eyes bright with interest. "I would imagine that such an appointment would be an honor. How many Oracles were there on your homeworld?"

"Serving my homeworld itself? Only three, and I was—and am—the Third Oracle. There are smaller apprenticeships in various towns, but they work locally. We work for all of Riol, and for anyone in the system or from elsewhere who desires to know their future, or to obtain advice in general." Alena at that point felt incredibly thirsty, and quickly took another sip of her water before placing it back on the table before continuing.

"As for why they chose me…I guess I was in the right place at the right time. I always had dreams since I was a child, and they came true. One day I was able to help someone, not knowing that they were a priest-governor. Afterwards, he went to the Oracles and urged them to take me on as their apprentice. Of course," she went on, "they didn't refuse him.

He nodded thoughtfully at her. "How very, very interesting. How old were you?"

"I was twelve," she replied.

"Wow, how young! But then again," he added, "the Jedi start training their Padawans from infancy." He paused briefly before continuing, "Have you ever wondered what it would've been like for you to have been a Jedi, young Senator?"

She looked at him, studying his features. "No, Chancellor, I haven't." She stared off into space for a while before adding, "On my homeworld, I was very close to my parents—still am, in fact," she added with a small smile. "I couldn't have imagined being taken away from them any sooner than I was."

He smiled back at her gently. "No, of course not. A Jedi's life is not for everyone, regardless of how…romanticized it often is." Something seemed to float across his features, but Alena barely caught it before he pressed on, "So…my young Senator, what made you decide as an Oracle to get into swordsparring?"

Swallowing, she responded, "It—it seemed like fun to me, and practical, too." Alena struggled to get the right words out. "Swordsparring isn't just a physical discipline. There's a lot of mental training involved, and I find it to be very…calming, very meditative. Rather like the walking meditations in the garden that I would do with Nyara and Erna, except more—athletic."

"Yes, that makes sense to me." He nodded slowly. Suddenly she felt awkward, and felt inclined to explain further. "I—I guess you could say--so many whom I knew took the classes because, I think, they were interested in the Jedi and had heard of their fighting skills. I was more interested in the mental and physical exercise, I suppose."

He laughed. Suddenly she felt a little better, and a little less scrutinized. "Do you suppose, Senator Doron, that the Jedi might take up the lightsaber for similar reasons?"

She blinked. "Well, um, I guess I haven't thought about it in that way—or thought about it much, for that matter. I suppose so, maybe. Aside from…Anakin Skywalker, I haven't met any other Jedi and couldn't really speak about such matters."

"Ah, yes, Anakin." His tone suddenly changed and grew lighter, more vibrant. "He is an amazing Jedi. It would do you good, I think, to converse with him more when he returns from the Outer Rim. Never before have I met a finer young man. And," he added in a kind, sympathetic tone, "I suspect it would do you good as a young woman here to have companions. He could be a good friend to you." He paused, and sighed. "He has always been a good friend to me. And I trust him. I can't speak for the rest of the people here, but he may be able to talk to you about—oh I don't know," he waved his hands around, looking slightly lost, "swordsparring."

 Talk to Anakin…. She brightened at the suggestion. "Yes," she replied with calm, even tones. "I suppose I would like that. I would like to talk with him."

"Good, good. Those Separatists-" he sighed again, "-I don't know what we're going to do about them." He suddenly looked very old and weary. "The Republic needs good leaders, strong leaders, to ensure our safety. I am sure that good Jedi like Anakin Skywalker can provide, but we will need good Senators too."

"Of course we do," Alena reassured him. "I think that the Republic is in good hands with you at its helm, and with the people we have serving the Galactic Senate. I'm sure that the Separatists can be stopped."

"Thank you, good Senator," he replied in grateful tones. "I'm glad to hear such optimistic words at a time like this, and I hope for the Republic's sake that we do indeed, have such good people."

At that moment, he stood up. "I thank you as always for your time, and for humoring an old man who wishes to talk." She smiled in response. "Ah, Your Excellency, it is no trouble. I enjoy our talks, really I do."

"That is good." He smiled again, and made his way to the door. "Have a good evening, Senator Doron, and I look forward to talking with you again."

"And you as well, Chancellor."

***

After he left, she continued to practice her swordsparring forms. It was an exercise she relied upon, and as she did so, she thought about the conversation she had had with the Chancellor. He seemed very interested in her, and very interested in the idea of her talking with Anakin. Or perhaps that was her projecting, as she herself was very interested in talking with him.

Alena kept trying to distract herself from thinking about him, but every time her body moved with her sword, she could see intense blue eyes in her vision as if they were watching her practice. After many hours she was exhausted, both from the forms and from fighting the part of her that wished to spend any time thinking of him. She collapsed on the couch in front of the balcony, and under the glow of lights from buildings and flying vehicles, she dreamed.

Alena dreamt that she stood in the Oracle temple's gardens, wearing a light blue, almost sheer nightgown that seemed to have been woven by the sky itself. Everything was covered in moonlight and surrounded by the ivy-covered stone labyrinthine walls that fenced in the area. She stared ahead, gazing into a pool of water that shimmered in front of her.

And suddenly, she was lucid. Alena knew that she was dreaming, could feel the sofa beneath her, but was fully immersed in the dream. In front of her stood a tall man dressed in black. His blue eyes stared right into hers, and it was as if lightning struck her and went right through the center of her body. Alena was held there, in that moment, and at once she knew who he was, but she was confused. It was him, yet unlike him, but she was certain who it was-

Anakin?

He seemed not to hear her, or perhaps he did. She felt an intense rush of energy, a furious storm that focused and pounded its way towards her from all four directions. His eyes became like stormy skies, and one moment he was in front of her, some distance ahead, and in another, his leather glove clad hand held the back of her head in its grip. She looked once more into his eyes, and then remembered the dream she had had, years ago.

Hot sand, lava. Blue blazing sabers clashing. Black metal. Burning.

Her eyes widened. She remembered, remembered everything. This was Anakin Skywalker. She could feel the energy coursing through him, the energy of the tapestry that she was still learning to interact, but filled with a sharp and brilliant darkness unlike anything she had felt before. The current was coursing through him and around him and resonating like thunder in her head. Before she could react, Alena found herself up against one of the stone walls, with Anakin's hand still holding the back of her head.

What are you-

The words were cut off by the sensation of one of his fingers lightly brushing the back of her neck. She had no idea that her neck was so sensitive; she could feel every tiny movement that his finger slowly made across her skin, and every millimeter that his finger moved sent electricity running down her spine. It ran down her back and deep into parts of herself that stirred with every small touch, and awakened with sensations that threatened to pull her down into their dark waters and drown her. All with the tracing of one finger across the back of her neck he managed to invoke such intense feelings from her. Alena opened her mouth to speak, but the words stopped themselves in her throat as if drained of their power, and her of the ability to speak.

Then she felt his lips on hers, and everything else, both sight and sound, were drowned out the feeling. Lightning had struck her before when she had gazed into his eyes, but that was only the initial warning shot before the storm. She had felt ecstasy before on many occasions: winning swordsparring competitions, the glow she got from experiencing the gods during meditation and select moments of her life, and the feeling of being immersed in the tapestry and experiencing all of creation, but this was something else. This was something both physical and mental, and yet something which transcended each experience of both being in the body and being in the mind. Alena stood in the ocean as the waves kept pounding forth, each one bigger and stronger than the last. She felt herself wrapping her arms around him, a hand behind his head, one around his waist. There was no control, no thought, just feeling. None of the discipline that had been pounded into her being, day in and day out in her training as an Oracle and as a representative of Riol in the Senate, was here. It was gone, washed away by deep, dark waters.

Alena never felt so alive.

The hand that held her neck tightened, and the fingers stopped lightly tracing their way across her neck. Another sensation made its way towards the center of her being, a tightening in her stomach as she felt another hand thrust itself between her legs. A finger made its way inside of her, then another.

Alena's world exploded into an array of colors, lights, and sensations, the last remaining thoughts evaporated into a blinding abyss of feeling. Her body was still shaking from the impact when she awoke into dazzling sunlight, sprawled out on the sofa of the room.

Chapter 6

"She seems to be very…spirited."

It was still painfully early in the morning when Alena received the message from one of Chancellor Palpatine's assistants: Senator Doron, the Supreme Chancellor wishes to speak to you about a matter of the utmost urgency. Please meet him in his office at once.

She had nodded and thanked the messenger droid, who had scurried away rather abruptly, leaving her to stare down the hallway after it before making her way back into her domicile. Alena continued to stare blankly, blinking. She had very little time to get ready and be at the Chancellor's office, as she had the distinct impression that "at once" meant five minutes ago.

Clothing. Her more formal attire would be appropriate, but her Oracle's robes would be a tad too much. She glanced at a light blue pants suit, and was instantly reminded of her dream the night before. Her cheeks warming, she decided that her burgundy and gold tunic with matching slacks would go much better. Formal, yet comfortable. She had worn it during many a Senate meeting and had noted that in comparison with others present, she was appropriately attired. It would do.

A short while later, she made it to the Galactic Senate Building and towards the Supreme Chancellor's office.

"Good morning, Chancellor," she called out from the doorway. Then she saw the two men dressed in Jedi robes. One of the men looked to be in his thirties and had short, medium brown hair and a beard. The young man standing next to him she knew all too well, and she fought down her heart from leaping at the sight of his serious grey-blue eyes.

Before she could offer to introduce herself, the Supreme Chancellor gestured towards the doorway where Alena stood. "Good morning, Senator Doron. This man is Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi. I believe you've already met Master Skywalker," he added offhandedly.

She smiled at the Jedi. "Pleased to meet you, Master Kenobi. I am Alena Doron."

"Good to meet you, Senator." Without further preamble, he continued. "The Chancellor informs us that you are an Oracle on your homeworld of Riol."

Alena nodded cautiously.

 'What was this about?' she mused. 'Why would two Jedi want to see me?'

 "Yes, I am," she spoke aloud, looking back and forth between Kenobi and Skywalker. "May I ask why I have been summoned here?"

Kenobi smiled, but his tone was all business. "Senator Doron, intelligence reports have indicated that there may be Separatist activity on your homeworld. And perhaps the Sith as well."

"Sith?" she repeated, disbelieving. The separatists being present she could perhaps envision, but gods above and below, what would Sith want with her homeworld? "On Riol?"

"Yes, we are hoping that we can track them down and see if they will lead us to Count Dooku and Sidious."

She frowned as the feelings of anxiety starting to well within her. Her parents, Nyara, Erna….

"I can see why you would be concerned," she stated slowly. "I just have difficulty seeing what the Separatists, let alone the Sith, could possibly want with my homeworld. It certainly is not an advantageous location for them."

"To hide, most likely," offered Anakin. "In any case, we need to be able to investigate the situation more fully, but in order to do that we need to get past Riol's planetary security."

"They will not let us land on the planet's surface without at least one citizen of Riol on board the ship," Kenobi stated flatly.

Alena looked at him and blinked. "The governing priests must be equally aware of your concern, Master Kenobi," she replied cautiously, "and if this security measure is in place, then how would the Separatists, let alone the Sith, have been able to reach my homeworld?"

Kenobi and Skywalker looked at each other for a moment. Then Palpatine spoke. "That's what makes this all the more troublesome, Senator Doron." He added gently, "There may be Riolian citizens supporting the Separatists and possibly the Sith."

There was a quick intake of breath, and Alena realized a few seconds later that it was her own. "I see. So, you need someone from Riol to accompany you. Preferably someone…official."

"Yes," Anakin answered her.

"Then I will do it. Chancellor, I thank you for bringing this matter to my attention."

Palpatine brushed the air with his hand, and laughed. "My dear Senator, I thank you for your efforts to continue to support the Republic. You will be in good hands with these Jedi, I am sure."

"Pack your things, and expect a long journey," Obi-Wan told her briskly. "I am sure that you know from your arrival to Coruscant how long this trip may be."

"Not to worry. When shall we be leaving, and where shall I meet you both?"

"We'll stop by your quarters. And Senator?"

"Yes, Master Kenobi?"

"I thank you as well. This was not an easy request of us to make. The Chancellor, however, spoke highly of you and we will see to it that you are compensated for your trouble."

She frowned at him, not believing what she was hearing. "Compensated, Master Kenobi? As in financially?" She held her hand up as if to ward away his words. "No, thank you. It will be unnecessary."

It was now Obi-Wan's turn to blink. "But, Senator-"

"No buts, Master Kenobi." Alena's dark brown eyes met his blue ones decisively, and her mouth was pressed into a firm line. Her slow, cautious speech was gone as she continued. "Riol is my home. My family lives near Central. I wouldn't dream of asking you for a single credit. To accept such a thing would be an insult."

Also implying that having asked her was very well an insult, she realized with chagrin. But it was too late to take back the words.

"Well, then," he nodded at her. "I apologize if the offer offended you in any way."

"No offense has been taken. In fact," she pressed on, hoping to make amends, "I insist that you both stay at my home while you are guests on my homeworld. And I will not take no for an answer."

Kenobi felt the corners of his mouth turn upward. "Very well then. We thank you for your hospitality." He glanced at Anakin, who nodded at him, and quickly turned away to hide a twitching lip. The young Jedi attempted to cover it up by coughing.

Alena smiled at them both, noting Anakin's amusement with a strange glee.

"Not a problem. Master Skywalker, Master Kenobi, I look forward to this trip. Please stop by when you are ready to leave. Chancellor Palpatine, I will be speaking with you when I return from Riol." She gave the two Jedi her apartment number, nodded formally at them both, and left to go back to her apartment.

"Why do I have the feeling, Anakin," Obi-Wan stated quietly, "that this trip will be more than just a little interesting?"

Anakin grinned at him. "She may be a politician, Master, but she seems to be very…spirited."

Kenobi chuckled. "Let's see what a few years in the Senate will do to that young woman. She's newly appointed, yes?"

"Just a few months ago as far as I know, Master."

Obi-Wan shook his head. A young idealist, no doubt. "Well, let's hope that she doesn't decide to pack her entire wardrobe, or I may be forced to have you ride in the storage compartment."

The young Jedi gave him a look. "And who would fly the ship? Remember, you hate to fly."

Obi-Wan glared at him. "Don't remind me. Come, Anakin, let's get going."

***

They arrived at her apartment to find that Alena had two bags, one which appeared to be a sack that was undoubtedly carrying clothing and other essentials and another longer, narrower bag that she had slung over her shoulder.

"You pack light," Obi-Wan noted, a hint of admiration in his tone.

Alena shrugged. "I didn't take much more with me than this when I got here. Besides," she added, "we'll be staying at my home. Anything else I need will be there for me." She felt a pair of eyes on her back and turned to face Anakin, his blue eyes looking at the bag on her shoulder intently.

"What's in there, if I may ask?" His tone was light, but curious.

"It's, well, it's my practice sword." She fought herself from blushing. Talking to a Jedi about her sword made her feel incredibly self-conscious. Alena continued explaining, slowly and deliberately, "I took swordsparring when I was schooling back home. It's…it's how I relax and meditate. I figured that I might need that on this trip."

"You meditate by practicing fighting with a sword?" Obi-Wan asked incredulously.

Her cheeks instantly grew warm. 'Fruit of Anite,' she swore in her head.

"Swordsparring on my homeworld, Master Kenobi," she replied calmly, "is more of a defensive, meditative art. There are many disciplines associated with the tradition, not all of them involve aggression."

"Can you show me sometime?" She turned around to blink in surprise at Anakin, and noted the sincerity in his eyes.

The words came pouring out of her mouth as she tried not to stare at him. "Certainly. I would love to show you both sometime."

 Inwardly she cringed. Show two Jedi her swordsparring techniques? Was she insane? No matter how skilled she might have been in school, she knew the two Jedi could easily run circles around her.

She added cautiously, "I am certain it is nothing like your disciplines with the lightsaber, of course, but it may prove to be interesting."

"We will have to discuss all of this later," Kenobi interrupted. "The longer we wait, the more valuable time passes. And we have a long trip ahead of us with no planned stops."

***

Obi-Wan was more than a little relieved at the Senator's preference for light packing. The ship they were traveling on was fairly small, and would be just enough room for the three of them and a few sacks containing nothing but the essentials.

After depositing her sack in the back of the ship, she sat down in the seat behind the pilot's chair. She was not surprised to see Anakin practically jump into the chair while Obi-Wan wearily seating himself down in the seat next to his. She continued to watch with great curiosity as Anakin readied the controls and made preparations for takeoff.

Making a hyperspace jump was something Alena had never had a chance to really see up close. Her cabin on board the ship that took her to Coruscant had a window with a rather splendid view, but being right near the pilot's seat was going to be something else entirely. She eagerly awaited the trip.

As they cleared Coruscant's atmosphere and prepared for the hyperspace jump, she heard Obi-Wan groan.

"I hate to fly," he admitted under his breath.

Alena watched the stars fly past, feeling strangely ecstatic.

"I love to fly," she replied gleefully.

Anakin laughed. "Next time, Master, I'll take her instead of you."

He eyed his friend skeptically. "Right, and who would keep you out of trouble? Artoo?"

Alena looked at Obi-Wan quizzically. "Artoo?"

"Artoo's a droid," explained Anakin. "And a great companion of mine." He held up a microphone to his mouth. "Artoo, how are you doing up there?"

Alena heard some chirps and beeps as a response, and laughed delightedly. Artoo was apparently riding on the outside of the ship, most likely acting as a lookout.

"You'll have to forgive Anakin," Obi-Wan told the amused young woman, "he talks to that thing like it's a real person."

Anakin shook his head. "Because he is, Master."

Now it was Obi-Wan's turn to shake his head and look at him. Then he threw his hands up in the air in resignation. "I won't be arguing with you again about that."

"That's because you know I'm right," Anakin retorted.

Alena laughed. The more she thought about her situation, the more she continued to laugh. She was a Senator and Third Oracle from Riol, riding on a ship with two Jedi, a droid with a personality, and she was going home. As she looked into Anakin's eyes and smiled, she thought to herself that this trip just may be what she needed.

It was many hours later before they reached Riol's atmosphere. Alena had been dozing in her chair when she heard a man's crisp voice coming from the console. "Welcome to Riol. Please state your names and purpose."

"Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi, with-" he turned to look at Alena, and frowned slightly as if he were trying to remember how to address her, "-with Senator Doron."

"Alena Doron?" the man's voice came back, sounding both surprised and skeptical.

Alena moved forward to talk into the microphone. "This is Senator and Third Oracle Alena Doron," she informed the security personnel. "These two Jedi are traveling with me and are my responsibility for the duration of their visit." She added, "If you can contact the First and Second Oracles and let them know that I will be arriving, that would be most appreciated."

"Certainly, my Lady." came back the response. "Welcome back home. You are cleared for landing." His tone was far warmer than it had been before, and Obi-Wan and Anakin exchanged glances.

"Just how many Oracles do you have on your homeworld, Senator Doron?"

"Three--myself and the other two," she replied. Obi-Wan's eyes got a little wider. "And Master Kenobi, Master Skywalker, while we are here, please feel free to call me Alena. You don't have to be formal with me." She grinned at him. "After all, you both will be staying in my home."

She heard a clear voice responding from her left. "Then you better call me Anakin."

Alena turned to address him as he continued to man the controls. "Will do…Anakin."

Glancing at Kenobi, he simply nodded at her. "Obi-Wan, then."

She smiled. "Thank you, Obi-Wan."

Chapter 7

"The galaxy has become a dangerous place."

They had barely made it off the ship when a handful of men ran up to them. Anakin caught the words "Alena" and "Oracle" but the rest of it he didn't understand; they clearly were speaking in a language other than Basic.

Alena replied to them in the same language, then switched back to Galactic Standard. "These two Jedi will be accompanying me and I do not need to be escorted. But thank you." She turned to Obi-Wan and Anakin, who were standing at her side awkwardly. "My home isn't that far from here if you don't mind the walk."

"Does anyone live with you?" asked Obi-Wan.

"It's my parents' home, actually, so just them and me."

"They don't mind us staying with them, then?" Anakin sounded concerned, but she just shook her head and smiled. "It would be an insult for them to not offer guest-friendship, and I know that if they had known of this visit in advance, they would've offered anyhow."

His eyes got wide. "You never sent a message to let them know?"

Alena shrugged. "There was no time. Besides, I think that they would like a surprise visit." She grinned. "I have no siblings, and I know that they miss me."

At the end of the cobblestone path, they exited the gate of the main city and followed Alena through the path of stone walls, ivy, and greenery. Anakin gazed at his surroundings with great admiration and curiosity. Certainly his homeworld, which was a desert planet, looked nothing like this. The closest he had seen to this much green and flowers was Naboo. This place looked far more rustic than Naboo, he figured. The buildings were covered in ivy and made of stone and clay, and trees lined the path. He blinked off the sudden feeling of homesickness, and a longing for Padme.

They got to a modest sized home that was next to a garden filled with roses and other flowers which neither Anakin nor Obi-Wan could identify. It was at this point that Obi-Wan had been wondering to himself just where Alena's place was, and looking around to see if he could spot any large buildings or elaborate structures as of yet.

"We're here," she happily informed them. She ran over to the wall near the garden. "Oh! Mama is outside. Mama, I'm home!" she called out.

Both Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other in shock. This was the Senator's home? It looked like a very comfortable, middle-class settlement—but certainly nothing like what they had pictured where she might have lived.

"I guess that this will teach us, Anakin," Obi-Wan spoke quietly, "to moderate our prejudices regarding politicians."

"I must say that I would agree, Master," he replied, just as an older woman with short, deep auburn hair that matched Alena's approached them both with a smile.

Obi-Wan liked her immediately. She seemed like a kind, gentle woman—but strong.

"I'm Isabel Doron, Alena's mother. Welcome to my home." She put her hands up to her face nervously, then gestured to the door. "It's not much for visitors such as yourselves, but Alena tells me that you both have traveled a long way. Would you care for something to eat or drink?"

"Certainly, thank you," replied Obi-Wan gratefully as they stepped into Alena's home.

Anakin added, "We can't thank you enough for your hospitality—either of you," he stated, looking at Alena. He turned back to Isabel. "Our stay here will hopefully not be long."

Obi-Wan quickly cut in, "We are here to conduct some investigations that will help the Republic. Your daughter has been very kind in offering us her assistance."

Isabel smiled. "That's my girl," she replied matter-of-factly. She put her arm around Alena, and gave her a hug. "You'll have to tell me all about your trip later."

"I will, Mama."

"Perhaps everyone would like some tea? I picked herbs fresh from the garden early this morning. They should almost be dry by now."

"That would be wonderful, thank you." replied Anakin eagerly.

"Yes, Mama, I'd like some as well."

She chose some tea made from an herb that she always liked. It had such a cool, refreshing taste to it and it also brewed well with other herbs.

"What's this I hear about my daughter with a couple of Jedi? Don't tell me you've become a Jedi now too, Alena?"

"Papa!" Alena ran over to him and gave him a hug. "Papa, don't be silly. They're here on business and they couldn't arrive without someone from Riol who could vouch for them, so," she shrugged, "I'm here."

"And I'm sure that you'll be taking back more of my books with you to 'borrow'?" He tousled her hair affectionately. "Glad to see you, dear. Sorry, Master Jedi, where are my manners? Forgive me, but she's my one and only. I'm Torin Doron, Alena's father."

Obi-Wan smiled at him. "Completely understandable. I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this is Anakin Skywalker."

Anakin nodded at Torin in greeting. "Pleased to meet you."

Torin poured himself a cup of tea, and sat down at the table with Anakin, Obi-Wan, and Alena. He gestured to his wife, but Isabel was boiling more water on the stove.

"I'll be there in a minute," she told him.

"So what brings you two all the way from Coruscant? I imagine that whatever it is, it has to be big enough to send two Jedi." He raised an eyebrow at them.

Obi-Wan stroked his beard as he replied carefully. "There have been reports of possible Separatist activity on this planet, along the possibility that their allies are of a…potentially dangerous nature."

"We believe that there may be Sith here," offered Anakin.

Kenobi glared at him while Alena watched with casual amusement.

"Master Jedi, we need to be honest with my father," Alena informed them. "He can handle the truth, and he may be able to help us track down the information we need in order to see if there really is a problem here on Riol."

Obi-Wan sighed. "I do not want to be the cause of alarm. But I will not deceive you; what I have heard is deeply disturbing, and I was quite hesitant to let the young Senator here," he nodded at Alena, "become involved in all of this."

Torin frowned. "Given her status as the Third Oracle, she's a relatively well known figure here. She could've been safe on Coruscant, far away from whatever may or may not be happening here."

Kenobi watched the expression on his face change. He could tell that the father had his misgivings about his daughter here.

"The real reason, Master Kenobi, why I let my daughter go in the first place is that I can't shelter her. It's true, Alena," he looked at her, fully in the eye. "The galaxy has become a dangerous place. But I can't protect you from that."

"Papa-"

But Torin interrupted her. "Master Kenobi, I work as a professor in Central for the university. I can't promise you that I'll be able to turn up anything, but I can give you clearance so that you can do the investigating. There are other things as well, but…" His voice trailed off, glancing at his daughter.

"What, Papa?"

Kenobi looked at Torin, then at Alena. "Alena, I need to talk to your father alone. Anakin, would you be so kind as to discuss what we know thus far with the young Senator so she can best be prepared to help us?"

Alena's eyes flashed, and she opened her mouth to speak, but Anakin looked at her with a smile and stated, "Besides, Alena, you promised me to show me some of that 'swordsparring' you were referring to earlier."

Whatever angry words were about to pour from her mouth were bitten back. "I—yes, certainly, Master Sky—I mean, Anakin." She folded her arms.

"Thank you, Anakin." Kenobi told him gratefully.

Alena exited the room with Anakin following her.

"Now, Torin…you were saying?"

Torin waited until his daughter was well out of earshot before he took a deep breath and spoke. "Yes, Master Kenobi. I have...my suspicions about someone, someone who has been on this planet for a while now. Unfortunately, every chance I've had to inquire about his background or whereabouts has been met with dead ends. He may have part of the answer, could be a key to what you're looking for—I don't know. I just know that I have a bad feeling about him."

Obi-Wan nodded thoughtfully. "I see. And would I be right in assuming that this is someone that Alena would happen to know?"

Nodding, he closed his eyes, and opened them back up again. "Alena had an excellent swordsparring teacher. Highly unorthodox in his methods, showed up out of nowhere. Out here in the Outer Rim, no one thinks of such things, and Riol being so remote from the Core Worlds, is rather…sheltered." He shrugged helplessly. "His name is Karak. No one knows where he's from or where he's been, and he disappears and reappears at odd times. However, he has made a good deal of friends amongst the teaching staff so no one has questioned him.

"Alena was one of his favorite pupils, and she really took to him. I suspect that she'd be hurt if I suspected him, but I suspect she would be even more hurt if my suspicions about him were correct."

"What sort of suspicions do you have, exactly?"

Torin rubbed his head. "I don't know. I just have…a bad feeling. My daughter and I have good instincts, we connect with the Tapestry and all that, but her judgment when it comes to her heart is not all that sound."

The Jedi Master had picked up his cup of tea, but stopped in mid-sip.

"Tapestry?" he repeated questioningly.

Alena's father laughed. "Ah, I suppose it's what the Jedi refer to as the Force. Around here, we refer to it as the Tapestry, and we have our own…beliefs and teachings about it, if you will."

"I see. And Alena…she has this connection too?"

"Undoubtedly. And the two Oracles taught her how to do things which—well, frankly I haven't told her mother about, because I think it may scare her a little." He chuckled. "But my daughter has a good head on her shoulders, in spite of her occasional stubbornness, and the two Oracles are good women. I think that they were a good influence on her."

"Where can I find these Oracles? Do you think that they have some information on what's going on here?"

Torin paused before answering. "Your best bet, Master Kenobi, is to go to Central and follow the main route. They work in the huge temple there."

"Main route?"

"Yes," he replied, "you can't miss it. It's the one major road in the city. It connects its boundaries end to end. When in doubt, just ask the locals. And if they give you any trouble," Torin grinned at him, "just mention my daughter's name. It has enough weight there that they won't ask you too many questions after that."

The Jedi thought for a moment, sipping his tea.

"Torin, I have wondered something since I met your daughter. She does not act in the least bit like a Senator." Alena's father frowned at him, but Obi-Wan held up his hand. "I do not mean that she is not good with people, is not diplomatic, and she certainly is an excellent speaker—but she is definitely no politician and I certainly would've had difficulty placing or thinking of her in the Galactic Senate had I met her before. Why do you suppose she became a Senator?"

"That's a good question, Master Kenobi. Perhaps you should ask her that yourself?" He raised an eyebrow at him.

Obi-Wan smiled. "Perhaps I will. Thank you for your help and wisdom, Torin. It is much appreciated."

"Any time, Master Kenobi."

***

Alena had grabbed her sword on the way out the door, beckoning Anakin to follow her.

"Best place for this would be outside. Mama would blow a pipe if I were to do my forms inside."

Anakin laughed. "And I suspect that this would not be good?"

She chuckled. "No, no it wouldn't. Not in the least."

When they were outdoors, Alena showed him where there was a small courtyard in the garden. Anakin looked up and noticed that it was rapidly approaching twilight. He was used to watching the two suns set on his own homeworld, but it looked rather different setting on trees and green landscape and white clay buildings than it did on endless, sandy desert.

"Why, do you think, my father and Master Kenobi—I mean, Obi-Wan—wanted to talk without me?"

Anakin shrugged. "Seemed more like your father than Obi-Wan, honestly. But why, I couldn't tell you."

"Ah." She went quiet.

"Maybe you should ask him?"

She looked at him, and nodded. "Yes, I should. Something about it…eh." She pulled out the sword from the bag, and Anakin noted that it was not a straight blade as he had originally envisioned it, but instead was long and curved gently to the point at the end.

"I don't think I've seen a sword like that before," he stated, continuing to look at it curiously.

"That's probably because you've never seen a sword from Riol before." She grinned at him. "I would also imagine that this is pretty different from those glowing things that Jedi use."

"'Glowing things'?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.

She laughed. "Yes. They look awfully pretty, and pretty deadly. I've always wondered how wielding one would be different from a sword, though."

"Rather. The blade doesn't weigh anything, unlike a metal sword like the one you have."

"Ah. I see."

He folded his arms and looked at her with a grin. "So, are you going to show me a few forms or not?"

She bit off a smart ass retort that nearly sprang from her lips, and simply responded by changing her stance and the way she held the blade. As he watched, he felt something click and realized that her earlier statement about how swordsparring worked was accurate, but not entirely truthful. It was definitely a meditative art, but it also involved energy—he could see her connecting with the Force and it defining her movements, and her working through it. It seemed to Anakin that the entire form consisted of energy, mindfulness, and a type of movement that seemed so slow as to almost be dance-like.

As Alena began, she did her best to not focus on her father, Obi-Wan, or the handsome pair of blue eyes that were watching her. Once she had gone through the first few steps, she fell into the meditative state of mind that she always went into when she practiced her forms. Before she knew it, long moments, perhaps minutes, had flown by. After she had finished with the fourth form, she glanced up at him to realize that he had been watching her intently the entire time.

"I…suppose that may be rather different from what you are used to," she stated slowly.

"I've—I've never seen anything like that," he replied honestly.

Truthfully, there were similar disciplines that Master Yoda had taught which mimicked the concept of the forms with which Alena worked, but he hadn't expected to find anything similar outside of the Jedi Order.

"Really?" she asked him, not certain what to make of his response.

He nodded. "I wish you could meet Master Yoda sometime, if you like this sort of practice. He may be able to talk to you about it."

Yoda. She nodded, remembering hearing of whom he had spoken. Master Yoda was a very renowned Jedi, and his wisdom made him legendary. It was difficult to not know of him, even if she hadn't yet met him in person.

"In all honesty, I've never met someone outside of the Jedi Order who learned how to connect to the Force. I think that the Jedi sometimes pretend that they are the only ones who could wield it," he stated with a slight smile, remembering similar words coming out of Chancelor Palpatine's mouth. 'I guess he was right,' he thought absently.

She looked at him and blinked. "The Force?" She thought about it for a moment, then remembered Lorna and Morn's visit to her what seemed like so long ago. "Oh…yes…the Force. On Riol we refer to it as the Tapestry."

Anakin laughed. "I've never heard of it by that term, but I suppose it fits. It's an energy field that surrounds everything, rather like a tapestry. Tapestry sounds more poetic, I must admit."

She grinned at him. "I suppose," she replied, and began idly practicing with her sword. It was hard not to do while it was in her hand, and it gave her something to focus on besides Anakin. Anakin standing next to her. Anakin talking to her….

"Alena, I—I was curious about something."

She paused in mid-swing. "Yes?"

"Why did you become a Senator?"

She put the sword down. "I'm not entirely certain how to answer that," she replied. He noticed that her rate of speech was slowing down dramatically.

"If the subject makes you uncomfortable, I don't mean to pry, I just-"

"No, it's all right. I literally don't know how to answer that. At least, not without sounding slightly crazy." She turned around to look at him directly. "All I can tell you is that I decided to do it because the gods thought that I should. I felt-" she flipped her sword in the air and caught it, "-guided. No, more like shoved." She laughed.

"To tell you the truth, Anakin," she continued, "I really don't know. Looking back on it, I guess it seems like a crazy idea—at least to me. I just," she shrugged her shoulders helplessly, "I felt like I had to. So I went with it."

He looked at her for a long moment. "What did your parents think of it?"

"They—they supported me, really. I think that they were proud that I was nominated, and I think Mama wanted me to go further than just be an Oracle here and do something different. I guess more secular, less religious. She never really was a religious person." She started swinging with her sword again. "So, Anakin, now that you've asked me, I'm curious to know. What did your parents make of you becoming a Jedi?" She watched as his mouth tightened, and she instantly knew that she had asked the wrong question. "I mean, since you asked me-"

"I only had my mother, and she let me go alone to become a Jedi when I was nine. I used to live in the Outer Rim as well, on Tatooine."

Alena blinked. She had been twelve when she went to train with the Oracles, and she never really left home—or even school, for that matter.

"Gods above and below, I'm really sorry. Do you still see her?"

His eyes were looking more grey than blue at that moment. "She died a few years ago." She could tell he was holding something back about that, but decided not to press the matter.

"I'm—I'm really sorry. I can't imagine losing either of my parents. They're all I've ever had, them, the two Oracles who trained me, and my swordsparring instructor, Teacher Karak."

He looked at her. "How old were you when you started training?"

"Twelve. And I got to stay at home, and it was only part time training until I finished schooling."

He laughed, but it didn't sound right. "I never had schooling prior to becoming a Padawan. My mother and I were slaves on Tattooine. I learned things from my mother and on my own."

Alena's eyes got wide. Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, had been a slave?

"I suppose that you wouldn't have thought that I had been a slave, right? Then again," he added, "I wouldn't have thought until today that a Senator would come from anything other than royal birth, wealth, or both."

She looked at him. "You thought that I was a noblewoman or something?"

"Or something." He grinned at her, and she laughed.

"The 'or something' may be more accurate," she told him wryly. "Our government here is priest-led and elected through a combination of oracular divination and voting. We really don't have noble families or anything like that here. The closest we come to that are people whose families have been priests for generations."

"You come from a long line of priests, then?"

She chuckled at him. "No, hardly. Papa is intuitive, and believes in the Tapestry, but he's a scholar. Not a bit of priest in him."

"My mom was…" Alena looked at him curiously, hoping he'd continue. "My mom was a strong woman. I don't think that she had any skills with the Force that I knew of, but…." His voice trailed off.

Alena smiled gently. "I would've liked to have met her."

Anakin looked at her for a long moment. "She would've liked you, I think."

She smiled in return, not knowing what else to say. There was a long silence that started feeling awkward to Alena before it was broken with Anakin suddenly pointing at the sky.

"Those two moons…they look pretty from here. And…big."

She tried not to laugh. "I…yes. I guess so. They're big. Big moons."

He made a face at her. "No, really, I've never seen moons that close to the planet before."

"You can only see two of them right now, but we actually have three. The third is pretty small, and due to the positioning of the suns, doesn't look as bright at this time of year."

"Where is it?"

He was standing next to her. Alena did her best not to notice.

"Right there." She pointed in the sky to the right of the two moons. "See that bluish circle over there? You have to squint in order to see it, and it's best with a telescope, honestly."

Anakin looked down at her, and followed her finger to where she was pointing. He did his best to squint.

"Oh—yes. I think I can see it, but barely."

"It's usually best viewed during the winter," she informed him.

She turned to look at him and noticed that he was standing fairly close to her. Maybe too close, at least for her.

"I'll have to see it sometime," he replied, and smiled at her. She watched as something nameless and obscure floated across his features.

"We should go inside now, since it's getting dark," he told her.

"Right. Good idea." She put her sword in the bag and they went inside.

Chapter 8

"Let's get to business, shall we?"

Alena woke up in the middle of a night with a start. Sweat was beading off of her as if she had showered in her sleep. She sat up and put her head in her hands, willing herself to go through every detail of the dream in her mind.

She was in the corridors of the Galactic Senate Building, talking with the Chancellor. They were discussing some Senate meeting which just took place and recent events.

Suddenly he turned to her and stated very clearly, "Sometimes your friends can betray you, Alena…as well as your heart."

Then she saw Anakin. She watched as his face brightened as he looked in her direction and began to run towards her. Alena was both startled and disappointed when he ran right past her to another woman whose features she only saw from behind. She looked familiar in the dream, but for some reason Alena couldn't figure it out. She kept racking her brain, but it was no use. If only she had seen her face, could see her face…but then they kissed, and Alena's world shattered.

The dream folded to the next scene where she was standing in front of Anakin, and there was fire all around him, and he was wearing a dark, hooded robe. She gazed into his eyes and saw that they were no longer blue, but amber and red.

"I am no longer Anakin," he told her. And something in his energy and screams from the Tapestry woke her up-

Alena kept running through the dream over and over again in her head, but decided in the end that she needed to be cautious, because try as she might to dismiss it as "just a dream," she finally realized that the woman looked a good deal like Senator Padme Amidala.

She's carrying his children, whispered the unknown, quiet voice inside her head.

No. That can't be, couldn't be.

She shook her head and got up to bathe and get dressed. They were just dreams, dreams that stemmed from her anxiety towards the mission she and the two Jedi were on, plus her feelings towards Anakin….

All too clearly she remembered that moment standing with him outside in the garden. Anakin standing next to her, his eyes looking into hers…. She blocked it out before the telling tears could spring to her eyes.

This could not happen. None of this could happen. She was the Third Oracle and Senator of Riol. She was here on business. The two Jedi were very friendly to her, and did not treat her as just a burden they had to bear in order to have clearance to land on her homeworld's surface.

She didn't have the luxury of falling in love.

Her mother greeted her in the kitchen where she was preparing vegetables and fruits.

"Master Kenobi and Master Skywalker have gone out for the day, Alena. They will be meeting up with you later, they said, most likely after noon."

'Ah,' she thought. They left without her. They didn't need her around; she was truly useless. This news, coupled with her dreams, didn't help her mood.

"That's all right, Mama." She forced a smile on her face that she didn't feel. "I was planning on heading into Central today and looking up some old friends." Alena began to head out of the room when Isabel stopped her.

"Alena, I—I need to tell you something."

"Yes, Mama?"

Isabel bit her lip. "I saw you and Anakin out in the garden last night. You two seemed to have a good time."

"Yes, Mama. We did. I was showing him my swordsparring forms."

"That's good." Suddenly she looked tired, and concerned. "Alena, you do know—you do know that he belongs to another woman, right?"

She didn't think to ask how her mother knew, nor how she could have given that it was common knowledge that the Jedi did not typically marry nor have relationships. There was no logical reason why her mother would've known this. All that she knew was that she desperately wanted to be anywhere but trapped in the house. Alena could feel her lips pressing into a thin line.

"Yes, Mama…I know."

She turned around to leave the house. Before she did, she grabbed the bag with her sword in it and slung it over her shoulder.

'Might be handy today,' she figured. Could use the meditation, as well as the distraction. She fought back the tears as her teeth clenched, and began walking down the road to Central.

***

Obi-Wan and Anakin were wandering through the streets of Central as they attempted to locate the university of which Torin had spoken.

"This…Karak, you said that he was Alena's swordsparring teacher?"

"Yes, that is correct, Anakin. He might be worth talking to. At the very least, others may have leads on him or his whereabouts."

Anakin pondered this. "I suppose that this makes sense. Do you think that perhaps we should've brought Alena along, given that she knows him?"

"No, Anakin…I think that maybe her father was right. Alena is much safer right now at home with her parents. Besides, I want to find out for certain if Karak is in league with the Separatists—or worse—before we let Alena know what is going on."

He frowned at Obi-Wan. "Master, I do not mean to be harsh, but isn't this a little deceptive on our part? She has been an awfully considerate host to us besides."

"Never fear, Anakin," Kenobi reassured him. "We will be meeting up with her later in order to talk with the Oracles. I simply don't want to give her the truth until we are certain what the truth actually is."

Anakin sighed. Deep within, he had an uneasy feeling about this, but he knew that Obi-Wan had made up his mind. "Sometimes, Master, I wonder if the truth is merely a certain point of view."

"What's this, you haven't been talking with Master Yoda lately, have you?"

At that moment, a young man walked past them. He looked around Alena's age, but no more than nineteen.

"Excuse me!" Anakin called out, while Obi-Wan fought down an urge to cover his face with his hand. The young man turned around to look at Anakin. "Would you happen to know where I can find Teacher Karak?"

"Teacher Karak? Yes, I think he's in his office today with his private lessons. I just spoke with him an hour or so ago. See that building on your right, with the large oval doors? Just walk right through."

"Thank you," replied Anakin.

"No problem at all," the young man replied cheerfully. "My name is Jeret. Tell Teacher Karak that I sent you in, and that I said hello!"

"Will do, Jeret. Thank you again!" He waved, and walked off with Obi-Wan towards the building which the young man had pointed out to them.

 "Well, that was easy enough," commented Obi-Wan.

"Very friendly planet here thus far, Master. I think we'll do just fine retrieving the information that we need."

"We shall see," intoned Obi-Wan skeptically as they entered the building.

***

"Alena? Alena Doron, is that you?"

She turned to see who was addressing her, but the voice was familiar enough.

"Karak? Teacher Karak? How are you doing?"

Karak grinned at her, beaming from ear to ear. "Doing well, enjoying the summer season. I see you have your sword on you," he noted. "Planning on doing some practice this morning?"

"As a matter of fact, yes." She tugged on her bag and smiled. "I have a few hours to burn before I meet up with some friends this afternoon."

"Friends? Back from your days at the University, I assume?"

Alena laughed. "Ah, no, I brought a few with me from Coruscant and they're sightseeing right now in Central."

"Excellent, excellent…and tell me, how is Coruscant these days?"

She nodded thoughtfully. "It's fine. Very different there from Riol. But it's slowly becoming a second home."

He folded his arms over and gazed at her critically. "And so you're taking off from your Senatorial duties to vacation with your friends?"

"Well, not exactly," she replied slowly.

"Official business?" he grinned. "It's all right, I won't pry! But what are their names, in case I should run into them? I wouldn't want to miss out on welcoming them to Riol."

She thought for a moment. "Just so as long as you don't advertise it or anything. If you run into Anakin or Obi-Wan, just make sure that you can help them if you can. It's…Senatorial stuff, you know. For the Republic. At the very least, do your old student a favor?" She grinned at him, but he seemed suddenly quiet. She wasn't certain if it was the trick of the light from the suns, but he seemed slightly paler.

"Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker?" he chuckled. "As in, the galaxy's two most famous Jedi?"

She felt her mouth go dry. "Famous…Jedi?"

He laughed at her. "You never paid attention to the HoloNet, did you? Not even while schooling! They're all over the news reports, galactic heroes and what-have-you. And you're telling me that they're friends of yours?"

She laughed nervously. Galactic heroes? Was he serious? "You always were a funny man, Teacher Karak. Galactic heroes, indeed!" She shook her head. "It was wonderful running into you, but I have to run. If you are at the University building later, I may see you."

"Then be well, Alena! Do drop on by with your friends and say hello before you leave." He grinned at her.

"Will do, Teacher Karak. Take care!"

***

Moments later, Jeret ran as fast as he could to where he last knew Karak was heading. He found him standing by the street gazing off into space.

"Teacher Karak, I have news for you. There are Jedi here. Two Jedi, looking for you."

"So I've heard," he commented dryly.

"You don't suppose that they know, do they?"

Karak hissed at him. "All that I do was that one of my favorite students has returned and is cavorting with Jedi. Jedi! After everything that I taught her. Jedi." The word "Jedi" fell from his mouth as if he were speaking of animal dung.

Jeret's mouth dropped wide open. It couldn't be…. "Not…Alena? With Jedi? Her?"

"Yes, Alena." He sighed. He was quite disappointed with her. What was that Galactic Senate doing to that woman? And he had had such high hopes for her, too—even after all the witch-oracles had done to her in their teachings.

"Well, no matter…you can stop them, right? Surely you can."

Karak sighed. "I will inform Lord Sidious of their arrival as soon as possible. After, of course…."

"After what, Teacher?"

He replied matter-of-factly. "After I get rid of them, of course."

"Sounds good to me. But about my training, Teacher, do you think that I would have the power? To make her notice me?"

Karak smiled at him. "You always had a crush on her, didn't you? I knew it from the moment you tripped her during practice."

Jeret sneered at him. "I had to. I had to take her down a peg or two. Still," he added, "the way she took me down after that was impressive."

"But ah, yes, what an amazing temper!" he chuckled. "It's really too bad that she doesn't indulge in that temper more often. She'd make an amazing Sith," he stated wistfully, shaking his head.

"I will let Lord Sidious know that Alena is here as well. He will be pleased."

"And then?"

"And then, yes, she's yours to do with as you wish. But only after we deliver them to Lord Sidious."

"Alive or dead, Teacher?" Jeret was frowning. This sounded messy. Fun, but messy.

"The Jedi…preferably dead, I would imagine. Except for Skywalker. Sidious wants Skywalker."

"And Alena?"

Karak frowned. "I never got to ask. Oh well. I will have to assume living, for the time being. If he wants me to kill her, I suppose that I will have to comply."

 The young man nearly knocked him over in his rage.

"You promised!" he yelled at him, furious. "I won't have her dead!"

"Then explain your case to Lord Sidious," he told him calmly. His student was rapidly becoming a pest. "Believe me, I wouldn't be too happy to do it either. I have asked him to allow me to train her as my pupil in the ways of the Sith, and feel she would be a greater asset to us alive than dead. But what my Master wants…he gets. Besides," he added, "I may have a chance at becoming his Apprentice someday."

Karak sighed. He had rather missed Alena. Much easier to work with, much more willing to please—and certainly was far more of a natural at swordsparring; whereas Jeret was simply good at exhibiting brute force, Alena grasped the finer complexities of movement through energy and the Force. "In the meantime, I have to go greet my guests. If you'll excuse me…." Teacher Karak turned away from Jeret and ran down the street towards the university building.

***

Obi-Wan and Anakin waited inside Teacher Karak's office, where they were assured from one of the people there that he had "just stepped out," and hence were quite relieved when someone matching his description finally came towards them.

He was a man of average build and taller than average height, with short, dark brown hair and grey eyes, and looked to be in his 30s. His dress was simple, but elegant, and he didn't look in the least bit Riolian—however, Obi-Wan couldn't quite place his origins. 'Perhaps from one of the Core Worlds,' he thought. 'But definitely not from around here. And certainly not from the Outer Rim.'

"Hi, you must be Master Kenobi and Master Skywalker," he smiled at them pleasantly. Obi-Wan realized that his assumption had been correct; his accent sounded vaguely Coruscanti. "I'm Teacher Karak. Please, step inside my office."

"Thank you, Teacher Karak," replied Obi-Wan.

His office turned out to be a desk that was inside of a medium-sized room designated for sparring. Anakin noted the surroundings and noticed that hanging on the wall were several swords very much like the one with which Alena demonstrated her forms.

Obi-Wan was the first to speak. "Now, Teacher Karak," he stated politely yet firmly, "let's get to business, shall we?"

"Ah, yes," he replied happily.

Suddenly in Karak's hand a lightsaber ignited, the brilliant red light reflecting off of his desk.

"Let's."

Chapter 9

"If that's what you want."

"So you're the Sith," growled Anakin. His lightsaber was ignited and he took a ready stance.

Obi-Wan ignited his own a beat after Anakin's. "I see that we're going to cut right to the chase," he commented wryly, "and I suspect that won't be just a poetic metaphor."

The three men paced around each other in the room, the two blue glowing lightsabers against the single red one.

"You two were idiots for coming here," laughed Karak. "And you still won't be able to stop Darth Sidious. Killing me won't make a bit of difference. But," he added softly, "that's not the way that this is going to go."

He lunged straight for Obi-Wan, who brought up his saber quickly to ward off the attack. The blades crackled when they crashed together.

***

Alena paused outside of the building, her sword still in the bag slung over her shoulder. She wondered if the practice room was available, and if so, she could be able to get out some of that nervous energy she was currently carrying around from the events of the day thus far.

She discovered that getting there was easy, but that the room had already been taken.

It was occupied by three men engaged in a very heated duel that did not look at all like friendly competition. Before her eyes, Anakin and Obi-Wan battled her swordsparring teacher—each man wielding a lightsaber.

Moments went by before it dawned on her that they were not merely practicing. They were fighting to the death.

And Teacher Karak had apparently not been all that he had appeared to be.

Many emotions went through her at once. Shock, rage, hurt, betrayal—Teacher Karak was the closest person to a friend whom she had on the planet, aside from the two Oracles and her parents. He had been the only one in the university who had neither treated her as if she had a disease, or had been god-spawned.

She stood in shock as she watched the three men engaged in battle.

Obi-Wan was the first to notice her presence.

"Alena, get out of here!" Obi-Wan bellowed.

"You can thank your friend over there for alerting me to your presence," Karak gleefully told him. "She's always been my favorite pupil."

"What?" choked Anakin. But his next actions were interrupted by a sudden shout directly behind him.

"She's mine, Jedi!"

Anakin whirled around to face the young man he had talked to outside the building not too long ago. What was initially a match with the odds in favor of the two Jedi were turned around in a matter of moments.

"What is going on here?" Alena found herself asking, rather lamely to her ears.

With a few quick movements, Jeret crossed over to where Alena was. Before she knew it, he was behind her with his swordsparring blade to her neck.

"Jeret, what are you doing?" hissed Karak as he continued to parry thrusts with his saber. "We must assume that Lord Sidious wants her alive!"

This was news to the Jedi. Obi-Wan's eyes went wide.

"What in the world does Sidious want with Alena?" demanded Anakin.

 Jeret barked a laugh. "I'm not going to kill her. I'm just going to have some fun with her first!"

Alena thought that she heard a shriek, and realized that it was her. Before she knew it, she was being pulled out of the room, rather roughly, her bag still attached to her back.

"Anakin, go after him and help her!" yelled Obi-Wan. "I can handle Karak."

The young Jedi didn't respond, except to dodge out of the room after them.

***

Jeret had shoved her roughly to the floor.

"I'm so sick of you," he told her, glaring. "You think you're better than me?"

He had taken the sword bag away from her by cutting off the band—and part of her clothing with it--and was now holding it over the open flame in the university's temple room. Shrines to the gods were all around them.

She glared at him. He had always been an atheist, but this was too much.

"I think I'll light this bag on fire, and destroy your sword. Then, we'll have a little fun."

Alena grew ill at thinking of what possibilities he had in mind that were "fun", but they quickly gave way to realization of what he was doing with her bag, and the potential behind it. Fire. If the bag was on fire…. She hoped desperately that he would be this stupid, hoped fervently to the gods that this would be her chance.

"Don't you dare," she hissed at him, her eyes flashing.

'Thank the gods the Oracles taught me how to shield, thank the gods Nyara taught me how to-'

He brought it near the flames.

Thankthegodsthankthegodsthankthegods-

Alena reached out through the Tapestry towards the flame, and to the bag which had begun to catch on fire. With one swift moment, it was yanked out of his grip and into her hands.

Jeret gawked at her. "How in the hells—well, spit on me, you stupid whore. You wanna fight first? Nay, I daresay this would be more fun."

He laughed. Maybe after she gave up and got tired, he could have his way with her. She was always more fun after she had gotten angry and red-faced, anyhow.

'Mala, god of battle, accept this fight as an offering to you,' she prayed. Her sword was out of its sheath and in her hand in mere moments. With every ounce of will she had in her, she moved into a fighting stance and dropped into the mental state she had sometimes referred to in her journal as "the knowing void."

"If that's what you want," she replied evenly.

***

Anakin, after tracing where Jeret was hiding with Alena through the Force, had gotten to the room to find the door predictably locked shut.

With a grimace and a thought that the door and perhaps the school officials would forgive him later, he cut away at the door latch with his lightsaber. He was done after a few minutes, all the while begging the Force that he was not too late. Anakin managed to knock down the door with his shoulder, and was greeted to a sight he most definitely had not expected to see.

Alena and Jeret were fighting each other furiously with their swords. Jeret had an amazing amount of brute strength, and was giving everything he had in order to try and take the young woman down. His eyes were glowing a strange amber color—perhaps it was the candlelight, he mused. But no, they were definitely red and yellow, a most telling trait of the Sith.

Alena's eyes were on fire, but it was not due to their color, but due to the mind that lay behind them. The young Jedi was taken aback by her movements, and the energy behind them in the Force—this was nothing like the gentle, friendly Alena he had come to know during their mission here on Riol. He had remembered her calm control in the garden as she had demonstrated the more meditative aspects of swordsparring, but this was something else. This was pure passion. She had not the brute strength of Jeret, but she more than made up for it through her connection to the Force.

She didn't just fight, he realized hazily.

She danced.

The young woman was furiously and gracefully dancing with her sword with a terrible and beautiful speed. Her face was calm while her eyes betrayed the fiery focus and will that kept her at once one with the radiant dance of the swords, and at the same time alive with blazing energy, a perfect union of passion and serenity.

With his own calculating mind that connected with the Force, Anakin surmised that this spirit of hers, this energy that gave her the ability to give herself to both the fight and the Force was perhaps why Darth Sidious was so interested in her.

He kept his lightsaber ignited, and slowly moved into the room, hoping that Jeret was too busy focusing on Alena to notice him. It was a futile hope.

"Don't even think about it, Jedi," warned Jeret.

"Oh, I'll do more than think," Anakin responded, taking his lightsaber and lunging towards the young man.

Alena felt herself inhale quickly, and she exited her fighting trance as she watched Anakin point his saber at Jeret's throat.

"Drop it," he commanded.

Jeret blinked, and did what he was told. Alena managed to have the forethought to run over and grab it. She held a sword in each hand and gripped them by her sides. Dimly, she was aware of a thin sheen of perspiration on her brow which was running down the side of her face. Alena was also growing faintly aware that she was beginning to go into panic. She forced it down and willed herself to focus on the moment. 'I'm safe, I'm all right,' she reassured herself. She had neither been raped, nor worse yet, killed. And she was still standing with all of her parts intact.

"Now, why don't you explain yourself, starting with why the Sith are here on Riol," demanded Anakin, his blade still pointing at Jeret's throat.

The young Sith chuckled at him. "What, are you threatening me, Jedi?" he asked sarcastically. "I thought that killing unarmed opponents was against your code, so why are you bothering to pretend that you're going to hurt me with that thing?"

Alena felt a strange smile spreading onto her face. "I'm not a Jedi," she stated quietly, and raised her blades to point at Jeret's throat along with Anakin's lightsaber. She felt the Jedi's eyes on her.

"Alena, that won't be necessary. We—we need to bring him in for questioning." He added in confident tones, "The Jedi can handle this."

Her smile turned into a tight lipped mask. When she spoke, her voice came out slightly higher than usual and sounded as if her words were being spoken by someone else. "I could've been raped, and he's going to be held for questioning?" Her shock and panic were rapidly giving way to anger.

Jeret cackled. "I'm starting to see what Teacher Karak sees in you," he told her, shaking his head. "You'd make an excellent Sith."

She winced. This was not a compliment to her, not by a long shot.

Then she heard Anakin's voice speaking quietly to her. "Alena?"

"Yes?"

"Do you want to be like him?"

"No," she replied without hesitation.

"Then drop the swords, and let's bring him to Obi-Wan."

Alena looked into his eyes, the blue eyes she had seen in her dreams for years, and had fallen in love with long before she had met him, and her anger melted. Her arms fell to her sides, and she relaxed the stone grip she had on the swords, allowing the hilts to no longer be cutting into the palms of her hands. Then she swiftly dropped them both into her bag, and retied the broken cords together and slung them over her shoulder.

"I suppose you'll be bedding him later?" jeered Jeret, who had noticed their exchange with great interest.

"If you're trying to change my mind about not slitting your throat, Jeret-"

"All right, that's quite enough," Anakin declared, holding his blade closer to his throat. "Move, now, to the door. You're coming with us."

The young Sith sighed. "A shame that I'm not into a three-way with other men," he stated sadly. Anakin shoved him forward with his other hand. Jeret turned and glared, but obediently made his way out the door and towards the training room.

"Sure you don't want to kill him?" Alena questioned dryly.

He laughed. "I'm sure," he replied.

"You could wound him. Just a little."

Anakin's face grew serious. "I can't say that I'm not tempted, but it's not in my hands to dispense justice to this…person."

After a few moments, she replied, "I suppose you're right. Mala will already have his hands full of him."

The Jedi's brow drew together quizzically. "Mala?" he asked.

"Our god of war."

"Ah," he replied. "Sometime after all of this is over, you'll have to talk to me about your religion sometime."

"Will gladly do," she stated as they walked back into the training room where Obi-Wan was waiting for them.

"Karak got away," he told them grimly. "He disappeared through the storage closet, I walked in—there must be a trap door or secret passageway, or something—"

"It's all right, Master," reassured Anakin. "At least Alena is safe, and we have this man-" he shoved Jeret towards Obi-Wan, "-to take back for questioning."

"Wonderful," Kenobi replied. But he didn't sound too cheerful.

It was at that moment that Alena took it upon herself to inspect the storage closet. It was a fairly large, walk-in closet containing equipment for training practice. If there was a secret passageway in there or a hidden door, she wouldn't be all that surprised.

"I've already looked," Obi-Wan told her glumly. "If you know of something in there that I don't, perhaps your efforts in there won't be wasted."

She shrugged, and continued to walk into the closet. While the Jedi outside talked to each other and to Jeret, she began looking. There were swords, protective gear, and clothing everywhere, and nothing on the walls revealed any potential passageway. After a time, she realized why Obi-Wan had gotten stumped.

After shoving some equipment away, she found a metal box that looked as if it had been carelessly left on the floor. She tested it to see if it was locked. It was not. The latch opened up easily, and Alena was stunned to find a lightsaber inside.

Reaching in, she picked it up and held it in her hands, curious.

 'It must've been Karak's,' she thought. But it made no sense to her. Why would Karak leave a lightsaber behind? Was it for Jeret?

"Alena?" Obi-Wan's voice broke her train of thought. "Alena, we need to get out of here, now." His tone left no doubt that there would be no argument, and they had to move fast, for whatever reason.

She quickly pocketed the lightsaber in her pants, and exited the closet.

"Right with you," she replied.

Once she was outside, she noted with a certain degree of satisfaction that Jeret's hands were bound behind his back—and he looked quite irate.

"Apparently his master didn't teach him not to pick fights with Jedi and young women," admonished Obi-Wan. Jeret grimaced, but said nothing.

"Now, let's hurry. If this young man speaks truthfully, Karak is on his way to meet with Sidious, perhaps even somewhere on this planet."

It was then that the dam broke. "I-" Alena tried to speak, but she choked up.

Obi-Wan looked at her sympathetically. "I know that he was your friend, or at least, you thought he was. The Dark Side, unfortunately, is a never ending pit of betrayal and lies."

"He was my only friend," she choked out. "Aside—aside from the Oracles…Nyara and Erna…he was it."

Anakin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. It was a gesture which she was most grateful for, but his touch released the tear that she had been holding in her eye, and it fell down her face with nothing to hold it back. It was in silence and a sense of trepidation that the four of them walked out of the training room, leaving nothing behind them—save something which Alena felt to be ineffable and indefinably delicate.

Chapter 10

"You must face the darkness within if you are to fight this menace."

"I think it would be best to talk to your planet's government," Obi-Wan noted as they left the university building. "I am more than certain that they would want to know what certain citizens of theirs have been up to."

Alena thought about it for a moment before replying.

"The priest-regents are fairly strict in their process, and would ask that we visit the Oracles first. Which we need to do anyway," she added, "as they are expecting us."

"Now how exactly does that work?" asked Anakin. "You're a Senator, but you're also the Third Oracle. Can't you answer questions for us?"

"Not officially," she replied. "We employ three Oracles for a reason—namely, that one of us may go on leave due to serving office, pregnancy, death in the family—any of those things. Right now I am on leave precisely because I am serving as a Senator for the Republic."

"I see," he commented, but said nothing more.

"If we want to see them, we better see them right away. They have an…unnatural tendency to know what I am up to, and I suspect that they may be worried."

"Well, that's why they're Oracles, I suppose," offered Obi-Wan with a slight smile.

"Yes, I suppose so," replied Alena with a degree of amusement.

Jeret mumbled something under his breath.

"Pardon me, young man, but I didn't quite catch that." Obi-Wan's tone was relatively nonchalant on the surface, but underneath was a significant note of warning.

Jeret's lip curled. "As usual, you Jedi never get to the point. Rules, regulations…and Teacher Karak of course is with Lord Sidious right now. What good will those stupid Oracles do you?"

"Perhaps tell us where they are?" offered Alena sardonically.

Anakin sighed. "It sure beats looking into every building in this area," he commented.

His voice conveyed something negative, and Obi-Wan gave him a look. Alena could not determine if the young Jedi was irritated, impatient, or simply feeling pessimistic.

Now it was Obi-Wan's turn to sound impatient. "We can continue to argue about this, or we can simply keep our appointment with the Oracles. Alena, I feel, is right. At the very least, they may have a lead on where the Sith Lord may be. It certainly beats blindly going forward into the streets and getting nowhere."

"Very well then," replied Anakin.

"The Temple of the Oracles is only a few blocks away from here," Alena informed them. "Just follow me."

Once they reached the gates, they passed by the guards without an issue. It was obvious from the way they regarded the young woman that they knew her for who she was; they nodded so strongly in Alena's direction that it felt to Anakin as if they were almost bowing. The presence of the two Jedi and the young man whose hands were bound back his back, however, hardly stirred a twitch from their faces.

The entrance to the hall where the Oracles sat was also guarded, and they let the group in without comment. Alena saw Erna sitting in her seat while Nyara was standing, clearly in the middle of a moment of pacing across the floor. She looked fairly agitated while Erna, as usual, looked relatively calm and peaceful.

"Alena! Oh gods, the Tapestry weaved you here safe and sound. We were worried about you!"

"You were worried about her, Nyara," the First Oracle corrected her. "I, on the other hand, had faith that she was safe and sound." She looked at Alena, beaming from where she sat. "Alena, my dear, it is good to see you again. And who would these gentlemen be?"

She looked back from Anakin to Obi-Wan, then to Anakin again. Then she saw Jeret scowling at her.

"Ah, you. I knew that you were up to no good from the moment you tripped our Third when she was a schoolgirl in your swordsparring class. What has he done now?" she asked the Jedi.

Obi-Wan smiled at her gently. "All in due time. You two must be the Oracles. I am Obi-Wan Kenobi, and this is Anakin Skywalker. We are Jedi sent from the Council to investigate a possible Separatist movement on your planet, and discovered while we were here that the Sith were also present."

Erna's eyebrows went up, but her face remained as calm as before. "I am Erna, the First Oracle, and this is the Second Oracle, Nyara. The Sith, you say?"

She looked pointedly at Jeret until he squirmed under her gaze.

"Yes. We've uncovered their presence, sadly, while visiting your university. Your local teacher, Karak, has been serving the Sith Lord we have been searching for."

She nodded as if this were not news. "And Jeret?"

"Jeret has apparently been assisting Karak in his efforts."

"I see. Jeret, why don't you tell us some more about what has been going on? Unless, of course," she added mildly, "you'd like us to find out straight from the gods' mouths. We have ways here, you see, of getting information."

She smiled amicably. Alena grinned.

"We would greatly appreciate your cooperation and assistance in this matter," Obi-Wan stated gratefully.

"And our cooperation and assistance will be most assuredly given." she offered with a smile. "Our Alena has been tormented by this young boy in the past, and I see that he has attempted to hurt her again."

Erna's voice got surprisingly sharp, and Alena glanced at her questioningly. How much did she know of what he did—tried to do—to her?

"Don't mince words, Erna," cut in Nyara. "Jeret, the only thing preventing me from toasting you alive right now is the oath I swore to the gods. I'll have you know that right up front."

"Nyara," the First Oracle slowly pronounced her name in warning.

Out of the corner of her eye, Alena saw Anakin fighting back a smirk.

"I'm glad that the Second Oracle amuses you, Master Skywalker," noted Erna calmly, "but our job is not to roast—or toast people—but to see to it that the gods' voices are heard in this room. If they are not, we have failed."

"I agree," stated Alena. "As much as I'd like to see justice done, our purpose here is actually rather different. We have reason to believe-"

"You want us to divine where this Sith Lord is?" interrupted Erna with a smile.

The Third Oracle smiled back, and nodded. "Yes, we do."

"Good. Please, gentleman, have a seat—except for you, Jeret. I want you standing right there." She cleared her throat. "Has Alena demonstrated how our oracles work to either of you?"

"No," replied Anakin.

"No, she has not," Obi-Wan also replied. "In fact, she told us that she was on hiatus due to her term on the Galactic Senate."

Erna smiled at them. "That is true, she is on hiatus. However," she nodded at Alena, "it is perfectly acceptable for either of you to consult her on a non-official, personal basis. As for my part in this matter, I would in fact consider it to be an honor to so serve our guests here on Riol."

Anakin gazed at her thoughtfully. "Thank you, First Oracle."

"Anytime, Master Skywalker. Anytime. Now," she stated, "let's begin. Nyara, please bring me the incense and the measuring cup."

Nyara brought over the items, and Erna carefully measured out a portion of incense, and burnt it on the stand in front of her. Then she began intoning something which Anakin only knew to be words in Riolian. He could feel his hair standing on the back of his neck, and felt the Force very strongly with the Oracle, and increasingly so as she continued to chant. He noted out of the corner of his eye that Alena was watching calmly, but the words Erna was chanting were affecting her as well.

Obi-Wan watched the entire ceremony with great curiosity, waiting patiently for whatever the Oracle had to say. This world's customs were foreign and at times even alien to him, but the Force was clearly with these women—and strongly at that. He wondered if a long time ago, renegade Jedi had settled here and made their own religion over a period of time. And why did the Council not find these talented individuals and train them to become Jedi? It was a mystery to him, and he resolved to question Master Yoda about it when he returned to Coruscant.

When Erna spoke to him, he noted that her eyes were unfocused, and she seemed to look right through him.

"Master Kenobi, you will find the answers you are seeking on Coruscant. The Sith Lord is not present on this planet at this time, and Karak has left in order to join him. As for the Separatists, they are elsewhere on the Outer Rim, not far from here."

"Where is the Sith Lord? Where is Karak?"

"They are located in the place you fear for the most, and the trail to them is fraught with betrayal and deceit. Alena," she addressed the Third Oracle suddenly, and turned towards her.

"Yes?"

"If you can follow him to the flames, you can avert a tragedy." Without preamble, she continued. "Master Skywalker, your heart is in the right place but by your own actions, you will cause that which you fear the most.

"I am afraid for you all, for this very galaxy. The Sith Lord is much closer than you all think. He might as well be here in this very room, for all of the influence that he currently has on everyone. Karak was wrong to follow him, and he will be punished in all due time. Jeret, I would watch your neck, if I were you."

Jeret mumbled something under his breath which Anakin figured to be more Riolian, except that it definitely was not the sort of language Erna had been using earlier. Both Alena and Nyara glared at him, and the Third Oracle merely laughed.

"I only give advice. Not my fault if it is not heeded. Gentlemen, I wish that I could be of more help," she frowned suddenly as she seemed to become more lucid, "but the Tapestry as it is woven is filled with threads of darkness and shadow. So much of it surrounds all of you, this situation, this…this madness," she stopped speaking, and shook her head as if to toss out something from inside of it.

"The Dark Side has clouded our best efforts to see the future as well," offered Obi-Wan. "Even Master Yoda cannot penetrate it. I marvel at your efforts, and I thank you for them."

"You are welcome, Master Kenobi, but," she frowned again, "this Dark Side you fear, all of your are afraid of—you increase its powers in your hearts and minds by being so afraid of it. This Dark Side of which you speak is in every person, everywhere, in this galaxy and even beyond it. All of the efforts in the world that neither I, Nyara, nor Alena could do to fill this room with the voices of the gods could not dispel it. And with all due respect, even your Council is affected by it, will be affected by it. It stops for no one. It is relentless."

It was clear at this point that she had gone back into trance again, and continued speaking, "You must face the darkness within if you are to fight this menace. I only pray that it is not too late."

"Within?" questioned Anakin. "Within what, ourselves?"

But Erna said nothing. Her eyes refocused, and she faced the rest of the people once more, fully herself.

"That is all I have to say. I hope that it was useful to you all. Please, think on it, meditate on it…and take nothing I say at face value."

Jeret blurted out, "All you gave them was nonsense and riddles. What are they supposed to do with that? In the end, the Lord Sidious will win, win over all of you. You're pathetic. All of you."

Erna just looked at him.

"Is that all you have to say, Jeret?" she asked mildly. He didn't respond. "Lots of talk from you. Remember what I said. We shall see."

"Thank you, First Oracle," Obi-Wan acknowledged. "We will not forget your kindness. I will take what you said back to the Jedi Council, and we will meditate on it."

Anakin nodded. "Yes, thank you."

"Erna, I need to ask something." Anakin turned towards Alena, noting that she was speaking once again, slowly and deliberately. "What are we to do about Jeret?"

The Third Oracle turned her eyes and with clear expression and voice, replied, "Take him to the priest-regents and have him held in custody. He will be held accountable for what he tried to do to you—and do not think that we did not know. I am thankful, ironically enough, for the influence that Teacher Karak had on you, Alena. Without those classes you took from him, you might not have been able to defend yourself."

Obi-Wan blinked, and turned towards Alena. "You defended yourself against Jeret?" His voice was so level that it was almost not a question.

She turned to him. "Yes, I did."

"Fragging girl used the Force to get her sword back," muttered Jeret. "Would've been too easy otherwise."

"Used the Force?" Obi-Wan's tone was incredulous. "What did she-"

"Master Kenobi," interrupted the First Oracle. "Alena is safe and that is what matters. She has been training here for years, and as part of her training, she does interact with the Tapestry. You may have noticed that I do similarly when I give oracles."

"Prophesy is one thing, but this? Alena, is this true? You can use the Force?"

Alena's mouth thinned. "Only…only through fire. Heat, mostly."

Obi-Wan looked at her with a skeptical air. "I don't understand."

"He tried to set my sword bag on fire." She smiled, but it was forced. "It was a bad idea."

Obi-Wan looked at Anakin, and back towards Alena. "And what did you do, exactly?"

With an indifferent air, she lifted one shoulder. "I felt the heat in the Tapestry and got my bag back."

"And," added Erna sharply, "saved herself from getting assaulted."

The Jedi held up his hands. "I certainly do not deny that it was in her right to defend herself. I am only curious as to how she managed it."

"With all due respect, Master Kenobi, the Jedi are not the only ones who can use the Tapestry—or Force, as you call it." She continued, gesturing with her hands towards the incense pillar. "Here on Riol, we honor the gods by learning to connect with the Tapestry. We believe that they gave it to the people so that they could interact with us. The Oracles here are trained to interact with it in order to communicate with the gods. Without it, we would be quite helpless."

"I see. I know that I am not entirely aware, let alone familiar, with Riolian customs," replied Obi-Wan courteously.

"That is quite all right," laughed Erna. "I do not expect either you or Master Skywalker to be an expert on Riol or its Oracles after a day or so of stay here. I would recommend talking with Alena if you wish to know more. She would, perhaps, be the best…translator, for the lack of a better term."

She stood up, and smoothed her robes. "I must get to other business, unfortunately. If there's anything else that either myself or the Second Oracle can do for you, please do not hesitate to ask."

"We greatly appreciate your help, and hope to learn more about you while we are here," Anakin thanked her. "We are a long way from home."

Erna smiled at him. "You are, as always, quite welcome, Master Skywalker."

"If there's anything we can do for you-"

"As a matter of fact, yes." Erna looked at Alena, and back at Anakin. "Please, look after our Third Oracle. She too is a long way from home when she is serving the Republic, and we worry about her."

Anakin laughed. "Not to worry, First Oracle. We will do that." His face turned grim. "Especially after what this-" he glared at Jeret, "-young man tried to pull. We will take him to the proper authorities immediately."

"Excellent. I thank you. Alena, please, keep in touch. Let us know how things are going with you, and the Republic."

"But of course, Erna." Erna walked over, and reached her arms out, and the two women embraced gratefully as the Jedi watched.

The Third Oracle gently took Alena's hands into her own, looked down at them, and sighed. "Just—just remember, Alena, what we told you when you turned thirteen. We had it recorded so that we too wouldn't forget. But we don't want you to forget either."

Alena's eyes grew serious. "I won't forget. I think of them regularly."

"Good. You make us proud, Third Oracle. I'm sure that you will continue to do so."

"Thank you Erna—Nyara—for everything. I will meditate also on everything that you said, and if I have share on it-" she turned to the two Jedi, "-I will let you two know."

"Thank you, Alena. We should get going, and leave the Oracles to their work. I assume that you know where to take this young man?" Obi-Wan inquired.

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." Alena nodded at Erna and Nyara, and they nodded in return to her. Then, in a strange gesture that Anakin observed, they held their palms up, and clasped them together in front of their chests. Alena did the same in return, and he guessed that it was a ritual farewell.

As they left the room, Alena noted that she felt lighter somehow, as if the burdens of the day's events had been lifted from her. It felt good.

Chapter 11

"Why am I doing this?"

They left Jeret with the local priest-regents, who assured them—particularly Alena, whom they knew from her status as Third Oracle—that he would be sent to the prisoner cell, where he would await his determined punishment.

Satisfied, the three went back to Alena's home outside Central, where her parents waited for their arrival. Before they got there, however, she made the two Jedi swear that they would not tell her parents what Jeret had done to her.

"It would cause them unnecessary worry and grief," she implored. "I'm alive and well, and that's what matters."

Obi-Wan was reluctant, but saw the wisdom of her decision. "If that's what you want, I won't argue with you," he told her.

Anakin, on the other hand, put his hand on her shoulder before she entered the dwelling. She turned around, slightly startled.

"Yes?" she asked him.

"I, well," he began before pausing slightly to cough. She raised her eyebrows.

"If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask, all right?"

She blinked, and nodded. "Thank you, I appreciate that."

"Not to worry." He nodded at her, and gestured towards the door. "I think your parents will want to hear all about how your childhood bully was an apprentice Sith. That will occupy them, I think." She grinned at him, and he smiled back at her in return.

***

Late that night, sometime after Alena's parents had served everyone dinner, Anakin found himself wandering around outside the house. The garden was all in shades of dimly lit colors, shaded olive greens, and greys that sat under a sky that was lit up by the stars and two moons. He stared up at the sky momentarily before feeling compelled to walk around in the back of the dwelling where much of the herbs that Isabel had picked for their tea the day before were growing.

He found Alena there, sitting on a rock by one of the flower patches. She was gazing up at the sky, hugging her knees to her chest as she gazed up into the heavens.

"Beautiful night," he stated matter-of-factly.

"Yes," she replied absentmindedly. It seemed to Anakin that she was millions of light years away, perhaps even orbiting one of the many stars she was staring at. He looked at her curiously for a while before sitting down next to her.

"Very different from Coruscant," he remarked.

Suddenly, something in her shifted, and she remembered a dream she had had a long time ago. Anakin and her on a balcony, him holding her, his hands touching-

She shook the memory away. She couldn't entertain such thoughts right now. She was glad for the dark, for she was certain that her cheeks were pink.

Alena simply replied, "Yes, very."

As she gazed up at the sky, other memories, some dreams and others from out of nowhere came floating into her mind, pieces and bits from the Tapestry that she scarcely understood and mostly remembered as emotions stemming from images. Out of the blue she remembered another sky with a single moon hovering over a city very unlike Coruscant, and very unlike any other city she had ever known.

There was a long period of silence before Anakin spoke again quietly, his words gently cutting into her reverie. "Do you come out here often? I mean, did you, growing up?"

She nodded slowly. "I've always liked looking up at the stars."

Anakin quickly glanced at her, puzzled. He wasn't certain, but he thought that he heard a slightly different accent coming out of her mouth.

"Stahs?" he mimicked.

All at once, she blinked and drew herself back to the present with a laugh. "My apologies… Anakin. I sometimes get lost when I look at them-"

"It's all right," he reassured her. "I hadn't expected to see you much in the mood for company, anyhow. If you like, I can go back inside and wait."

"No!" Alena startled herself with how vehement she sounded, and quickly amended, "I mean to say, I don't mind you staying here."

Anakin noticed that her speech was taking on that slow, deliberate quality that it often did when she was acting on behalf as an Oracle of the planet, or at other times, nervous. "Please, do not think that I am uncomfortable with you being here. I do not mind the company, actually."

Anakin looked at his hands, and started laughing. She just looked at him.

"What is so funny?" she finally asked after another lengthy pause. He shook his head at her.

"Forgive me, I don't mean to mock you."

"Don't mean to?"

"I mean-" He fumbled with his hands for a bit before sighing, and continuing. "I was just thinking to myself that you…you don't seem to be the type to talk to people often."

Anakin was looking at her directly now. There was something in his gaze that reminded Alena of something, but she couldn't quite put a word to it. His eyes looked particularly intense in the shadows, and it occurred to her for a moment that she was looking at the real him. She decided to be silent and see what he had to say next.

"Anyhow, I…."

He paused, and she realized that he was genuinely struggling with something that he wanted to say. Alena gazed up at the sky again, and something about the twinkling lights up above her pulled her back to herself, and to the Tapestry.

What came out of her mouth was completely unexpected.

"I'm sorry," she stated.

She looked back towards him. He presented her with a scrutinizing gaze.

"For what?"

She bit her lip before responding. "I was…not myself today. With…everything. With Teacher Karak, and Jeret. Perhaps you were right about dispensing justice. I feel much better with Jeret in the hands in the priest-regents then I did…back there."

"You were not wrong, Alena." She felt herself inhale quickly. Anakin's tone was suddenly harsh, and strange. "Never think that. Ever."

She blinked at him, not knowing what to say.

He stood up suddenly, and began pacing around her. Alena simply watched him, fascinated.

"I—I never told you how my mother was killed, did I?"

She shook her head.

"She was murdered. By Tuskens."

Alena's hand flew to her mouth. She did not know what Tuskens were, but she did comprehend the tragic loss he went through, and it cut her deeply.

"Anakin, I'm-"

"Don't. Please. Let me finish." He held up his hand. "I've never told anyone, save a few, what I'm about to tell you. Certainly not any of the other Jedi."

She waited patiently, silently, looking at him.

"I killed them. I found her there, imprisoned and tortured in their camp. And I killed them all. Slaughtered them." He threw his hands up in the air. "Women, children—everyone. There was not a single survivor by the time I was through."

Alena found her world standing still at that moment, with many impulses running through her that she dared not give in to. One impulse told her to say something, say anything, to ease this man's suffering. Another impulse was screaming at her to jump to her feet and embrace him, comfort him.

Still another impulse, somewhere in the back of her mind, told her that this man was deeply troubled and his wounds went beyond anything she could do. She could only hopelessly and uselessly sit there while he told her this, wondering what she could possibly say or do that would be appropriate.

Murdered. His mother. Probably the only life and family he had ever known as a slave. Family was sacred according to the beliefs of her people. Having no siblings, her parents were all that she had. She could not comprehend the loss of her father, or her mother—and to murder.

How would she have reacted? Would she have taken her sword and cut down the murderer? Slay him where he stood? She thought of Jeret and his mocking face, and how he had nearly hurt her—nay, nearly raped her—and how willing she had been to end his life that Anakin may fulfill his Jedi code and that justice may be served to the brute.

It was that final thought that made her realize why he had told her this story.

"Anakin, nothing I can ever say or do can make the pain go away. I can't comprehend what it would be like to lose my mother or my father to such a tragedy. I also can't begin to imagine what it would be like," she continued, "to carry the burden that you have, not just of her loss but how you responded to it."

"I hated them," he told her, "and I still do."

Alena thought of what he had said. Anakin had killed everyone, including children. He took out his rage on an entire race of people, including innocents who had perhaps nothing to do with his mother's death. What could she say to such an act? And, most importantly, did it change how she felt about him?

"Do you regret," she questioned softly, unable to hold back the question, "what you did to the Tuskens?"

There was a long pause as Anakin folded his arms across his chest, and kicked at the ground as he thought.

"No," he finally admitted. She gazed at him silently, waiting for him to continue. "I don't. That's what bothers me."

"Why?" she asked.

He held out his hands in front of him, continuing to pace before stopping at her feet. "I'm a Jedi, Alena, I never should've allowed such a thing to happen. Ever. If I told anyone, I'd be thrown out of the Order."

"You carry this burden alone, then," she stated softly. The deed was done and clearly his conscience still suffered for it.

"It's not the only one I bear," he remarked, his eyes suddenly looking away from her, towards the trees in the distance. "But it doesn't make it any less, I suppose."

"Why won't you-" she stopped momentarily, as if searching for something. "Please, sit down." He did so, and she noted that there was a crease in his forehead where she hadn't seen one before, and something in his eyes seemed terribly lost, and shadowed.

"Nyara mentioned an oath that she swore to the gods when we met with her and Erna earlier. I swore a similar oath, but I wasn't about to tell that to Jeret." She took a deep breath. "I don't honestly know if I would've killed him or not, but the thought was tempting to me. I can't deny that. It's a part of what makes us human."

"I have to be more than that," he burst out. "Being human…and being a Jedi. I need to be more than human."

"All of us who strive to be better than what we are, strive for that. But, Anakin…we are human. I don't pretend to understand what the Jedi Masters teach you, nor have any understanding of how different it is from what I was taught, but if it makes any difference, I don't judge you for what you did."

"No?" he asked her, his gaze suddenly becoming piercing.

"No, I only want to comprehend. And listen."

"What is there to comprehend?" he asked impatiently. "My mother was murdered, and I hunted down an entire camp of Tuskens who had held her captive. Killed them all, every last one. I even enjoyed it." He looked at her to witness her reaction.

"You were in pain, and you lashed out," she stated matter-of-factly. "And if it makes any difference, I won't tell a soul of what you told me. Wouldn't even write of it in my journal. But I thank you, for telling me of this."

His brow furrowed. "Why?"

"Because everything I went through today, the betrayal of someone whom I thought was my friend, nearly being raped—I think that none of it compares to what you went through." She sighed. Then she chuckled ruefully. "I would, in all honesty, be almost ashamed to discuss it with you."

He shook his head. "Never," he told her. "Don't. Really. I mean it. Please, Alena," he urged.

Alena gazed into his eyes, and instantly wished that she hadn't. It reminded her all too well of how painfully attracted she was to him, and how none of those emotions would help her right now. He had just admitted to her about a very dark and troubled part of his past, and she felt conflicted about it. She could not help but wonder about the dream she had about him not long ago: I am no longer Anakin. Would this pain and guilt that he bore for the act he committed and his emotions towards it eventually lead towards his undoing?

She had a bad feeling about this. When she finally spoke, her tone of voice held an urgency it didn't have earlier. "What you said to me before, about if I needed anything?"

"Yes?" he asked.

"I extend the same courtesy to you. If you need anything, anything at all…please do not hesitate to see me. And I also mean it," she told her sternly.

He smiled at her, and in that smile she felt that sensation she had earlier when they were returning from the Oracles' Temple, and everything was floating on air. This time, it was because the one man whom she wanted in all of the galaxy to be smiling at her was, and in that moment, her sense of the world and of life was complete, and she needed nothing else.

***

It was the following day that they boarded the shuttle to go back to Coruscant. Alena noted with amusement that Anakin was all too eager to see Artoo again, as he had been guarding the ship during the time they spent on Riol.

Alena was beginning to feel the pangs of homesickness again, and that sense of hopeless sorrow she had about leaving her homeworld—again.

'Why am I doing this?' she suddenly thought to herself, miserable with the thought of leaving her home once more. Did she really belong on Coruscant?

Electronic beeps cut through her thoughts, along with masculine laughter. She turned to see Anakin and the droid talking to each other. He had his hand on one side of the ship as he laughed at something Artoo had said to him. His eyes were twinkling, and she saw none of the shadowed intensity of the night before, as if it had been momentarily lifted from him.

She watched them, and as she continued to do so, a smile slowly crept over her face. A backward glance is all that she had for her home before she followed Anakin and Obi-Wan back into the shuttle.

***

Her life in the Senate after that seemed almost lifeless in comparison, especially since Anakin spent so much time away from Coruscant on other missions with Obi-Wan in the Outer Rim. She knew that since her part in the journey was over, as the Separatists had apparently fled her homeworld and Jeret was still safely locked in a cell somewhere in Central that she had not an excuse in all of the galaxy to go with them.

But it didn't stop her from wanting to do so.

Nonetheless, she continued practicing her swordsparring forms with something of a sense of urgency and renewed vigor. She kept thinking of how she had demonstrated them to Anakin at her home, and the look in his eyes as he had watched her.

It gave her hope. Hope that she knew that she couldn't—and shouldn't—have.

Her routine was meaningful and gave her quiet repose as she did her duty for her homeworld, and continued her dialogues with the Supreme Chancellor—which grew more and more seldom, she noticed, as the Clone Wars continued.

She did not think much of it, except during one day when she was on her way to the Senate Building and was stopped by one of the Senators whose platform in the chamber was close to her own.

"Senator Doron, get out of here!" he yelled desperately, waving his hands at her. "The Chancellor has been taken hostage! Grievous has him!"

Alena could hear herself muttering numerous curses in ancient Riolian, but her voice was all she could hear at that moment. 'Oh gods, no," she thought to herself. Probably the only friend she had here on this planet other than Anakin, and he was in danger. Where was Anakin? Obi-Wan? What was happening?

And in that moment, she could feel the Tapestry tensing all around and within her, and filling her veins with something she could only define as noiseless music. Something had changed, and this something was not easily definable in words. The more she tried to puzzle it, the more she drowned in the sound that was not a sound, the ever present void.

All she could feel was fear and uncertainty as she watched crowds of people around her running, panicking—terrified.

Chapter 12

"If you wanted to, you could have anything. Anything at all."

Some hours later, the news on the HoloNet arrived. Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker were being sent to rescue the Supreme Chancellor. People took this news as a comfort; if the two famous Jedi were being sent, all would be well soon. But there was still a tension in the air which Alena took notice of, and wished would be gone soon.

She couldn't help but feel concerned as well. The Chancellor had become a friend to her, Obi-Wan as well. Not to mention Anakin.

When she thought of his name, her heart felt as if it were caving in, and she involuntarily closed her eyes as if to ward away some painful vision. It was not that the thought of him pained her, far from it. Many thoughts related to him, however, did trouble her. The thought of Anakin being in danger sent her heart racing—and certainly not with excitement or pleasure. A part of her wished that she were with him, and were able to help him, do something, somehow. She wanted to be sure that he was safe, regardless of people's calm assurances that the Jedi were all right. After all, they were the miracle workers of the Republic, right

And yet, another part of her reminded herself repeatedly of her dreams, and her intuition. His heart belonged to another; she was certain of it. But the information didn't stop her own heart from both caring and wanting him.

She was certain that the Chancellor suspected of her feelings. He seemed to have a gleam in his eye when he spoke of the young Jedi in her presence and a knowing smile when she spoke of him in return. At times she wanted to confide in him, but something inside of her held her back. Alena didn't know what nor why, but figured that she better trust the feeling.

After all, she couldn't ignore her feelings.

Alena sighed, and figured that it would be best to practice her swordsparring forms. It both calmed and focused her mind. Usually it helped her to focus on other things, more important things.

It was getting harder and harder lately, however, to become calm and focused. Her mind would jump to all sorts of subjects which stirred either her passions or her anxieties. Sometimes she would wonder if Jeret got the punishment he deserved, and was still locked up. Other times she wondered if her parents were faring well at home.

The rest of the time she kept getting distracted by a dazzling pair of intense grey-blue eyes, and of how it felt to walk by his side, and talk to him. Her thoughts strayed to other things, dreams that left her breathless and drenched upon awakening with bedsheets clutched in her hands.

She gritted her teeth, and forced herself to focus on her form. The sword swung around effortlessly, gently through the air, but with more force than usual. She knew that she was putting in a little too much physical power into the motions, but she had to get out all of the energy somehow. Everything, her emotions and thoughts, were swirling in a chaotic whirlwind. She felt that if they were not released somehow into the world, she would lose valuable control over herself and her actions.

***

It was sometime over the next couple of days when the news came through—the Jedi had rescued the Chancellor and were returning him to Coruscant. The Senators were convening to await their arrival and greet them personally. The HoloNet news reporters were excited, and eager to get the latest from the Jedi and the Supreme Chancellor once they returned.

Alena stood in the crowd of Senators, eager to catch a glimpse of Anakin—something, anything. She was thrilled to know that the Chancellor was all right, and ecstatic to know that Anakin had returned, safe and sound.

The crowd finally dispersed, and she managed to make her way to the outside of the crowd, and she spotted him.

She watched as Anakin's face lit up, and he suddenly ran towards one of the pillars. She looked over, and saw the form of Senator Padme Amidala, waiting there. Like the nightmares of her dreams were the next few moments that played out as the two of them were in an eager, heated embrace.

Something quick and brutally sharp pierced her heart, and she could bear to look no more. Sounds of blood rushing in her ears and the sensation of drowning filled her. She quickly ran towards the Senate Chamber where the other Senators were chatting amongst themselves. Palpatine was in the corner talking with some of them. He looked over past one of their heads, and smiled at her.

"Ah, Senator Doron! I am glad to see you again. Please, join us."

She forced a bright smile on her face and went over to where he stood. "Chancellor, it is a pleasure to see you well and alive," she told him, clearly and distinctly. "I am glad that the Jedi were able to bring you back here safely."

"Yes, I have Master Kenobi and Master Skywalker to thank," he replied with a gentle smile. He casually waved off the remaining Senators standing by him, and with a gracious nod of the head told them, "I will be in touch with you kind people later. I need to have a word with the young Senator from Riol for a bit."

He walked over to her slowly, folding his hands in front of him.

"I have heard many good things about your adventures in Riol with the two Jedi, especially in regards to you, my young Senator."

Her brow furrowed in surprise.

"You heard good things? About me?"

He laughed gently.

"Oh, don't be so surprised. It would seem that you have quite the admirer. Tell me, have you been able to talk to Anakin since his return?"

"No. No, I haven't."

She fought to keep her teeth from clenching.

He patted her arm.

"I'm sure that you will have a chance to meet up with him in time. In the meantime, I would love to hear about how you have been doing on Coruscant since then. How are things with you?"

"They are doing well, thank you." She paused before continuing. "I have been mostly preoccupied with business in the Senate, and practicing my swordsparring."

He shook his head at her.

"A beautiful young woman like you, doing nothing but Senate business and—what do call it, swordsparring?" He smiled at her. "I find it hard to believe that you do not socialize more often."

Alena shrugged, and with a slight awkward smile replied, "I am used to keeping to myself, I guess."

He looked at her for a long while before speaking.

"You know…Senator…I would not give up hope just yet, if I were you."

She looked back at him and blinked.

"I'm not certain what you mean, Chancellor," she stated carefully.

Palpatine gave her what seemed to her a fascinating cross between amusement and a sly knowing glance. Then he smiled again.

"He talks to me, you know. More than anyone, he has…confided in me. There were certain things that he said to me which make me think that he is attracted to you."

She found herself frowning.

"Chancellor, that is not even possible. I know that he—he thinks of another. I am certain of it."

He chuckled.

"Not everything is as it seems, my young Senator. Besides, surely you must know by now that a man can be attracted to more than one woman at the same time."

"I-"

"Senator Doron, do you realize," he cut off suddenly, giving her a hard, strange look, "if you wanted to, you could have anything. Anything at all. You have it in yourself. I see it in you. You have drive, courage, and determination. You have been a wonderful Senator here, demonstrated ability far beyond your tender years."

Suddenly she felt very odd and disoriented. This conversation with the Chancellor was beginning to feel surreal, and she wasn't certain if she were really in this room, talking with him. The chatter around her seemed to die down to barely a whisper.

"I have hope for you. I truly do. And I believe that one day, you will make him see you for the wonderful woman you truly are."

He folded his hands in front of him once more, and began to walk off.

"I will be talking with you later, Senator Doron of Riol. Just remember what I said. Think about it."

She could only nod, and long after he walked off to converse with the other Senators she still felt the room swirling around her. Finally, she decided to walk back to her apartment so she could rest.

***

It was around late afternoon the following day when she was once again practicing her swordsparring forms, and thinking of the very odd conversation with the Chancellor

'He shouldn't be trying to give me false hope like that,' she thought to herself. He most likely was trying too hard to cheer her up. But something about the way he spoke to her seemed earnest and real.

'Maybe,' she figured as she brought the sword out in front of her, 'he really does think that Anakin is attracted to me, even if he isn't.'

Alena kept remembering things, moments which she had shared with Anakin. The night out in the garden when they spoke together, the camaraderie they had shared on Riol—he obviously thought of her as a friend, if nothing else. And for that, she was thankful.

'But,' she thought grimly, swinging the sword down on the floor, 'I know that in my heart, it's not enough-'

She heard an electronic chime, and knew that it was someone at the door. Something in her whispered, It's him. She brushed it off as nonsense.

'Idiot,' she told herself.

Alena opened the door, and found the young Jedi standing there with a rather serious, intent expression on his face.

"I hope that I am not troubling you, Senator—I mean, Alena. I—may I come in?"

She frowned slightly.

"Certainly, please, by all means."

She gestured for him to enter, and the door closed behind him.

Alena stood there, looking at him and for the second time that week she felt odd sensations of non-reality swirling around her. Anakin. Anakin was standing in her apartment. With her.

She forced herself to focus on the moment.

"So what seems to be troubling you, Anakin?" she asked slowly, calmly. "And you may sit down if you like."

He took both a seat on the couch, and looked down at the tops of his boots. With a deep breath, he looked back up at her and his eyes were grey, completely grey.

"I need an oracle from you, Alena."

She blinked once, then twice. This was not what she had expected to hear coming out of his mouth.

"Certainly. Did you have a question or a concern in mind?"

He swallowed, and she noted that his hands were held in a death grip in front of him.

"Yes, I do, actually. Both a question and a concern." She waited patiently for him to explain.

"I have reason to believe that someone whom I know may die, and die painfully. I wish to know whether or not I can avert this death."

She felt a sensation of calm rushing winds pouring through her, and words tumbled out of her mouth before she could prevent them.

"You speak of Senator Amidala."

His eyes grew almost vicious in their intensity as he regarded her.

"How—how did you know?"

The young woman felt a smirk upon her lips.

"How do you think that I got the role of the Third Oracle on my homeworld, Anakin?" Her tone was light and teasing.

"You've seen her death too?"

"No, I only knew of whom you spoke. But yes, I would only be too happy to give you the oracle. Wait right here."

She went to the window next to the balcony and retrieved a small, three legged incense burner, a fire source, and some resins. As she got the items, he began to speak as if some lock held tightly within him was suddenly broken.

"Alena, I don't know what to do. Padme—she's my life. I've loved her since I was nine. I can't let her be taken from me."

"She's your wife," she found herself murmuring.

As she spoke the words, she felt the pangs in her chest.

"Yes," he affirmed.

The oracle within her went on, cruelly oblivious to her torment.

"And bears your children."

He blinked.

"She—she bears my child. Yes."

Her lips pressed together, and she forced them apart again to speak as she turned around, holding the items in her hands.

She gazed decisively into his grey, terribly concerned eyes and stated, "I will do my best to give you the oracle you need."

He looked at her, and his eyes closed briefly. When he opened them, there was a spark of something there which she couldn't quite place a word on.

"Thank you, Alena."

"You are welcome."

Quickly she knelt down, and assembled the items on the table in front of the couch. The resins were lit on the incense burner, and the Riolian words flowed from her lips as they had on so many occasions before. As each word came out, she felt increasingly distant from the world around her, and that distance granted her a temporary but blessed relief from the tightness in her chest.

When she was done she looked up at him and the words came rushing forth.

"If you rush into the fire, you will lose her. Everything you are doing now is causing the flow of events to occur. You are the great magnet which will draw forth everything in the Tapestry to cause this vision of yours to occur."

Suddenly, images flashed into her mind. Fire. Lava. Burning sand. Black armor and breathing that echoed in her mind from a long, dark tunnel. Pain. Agonizing, searing pain and anguish that burned more than the fires. All of it surrounding him.

One word came forth.

"Mustafar.

He blinked in confusion, but she continued, "Do not go to Mustafar. Everything you have, everything you are, everything you care about will die there if you go." Her voice was suddenly loud and echoing, vibrating inside of her chest. She couldn't stop it.

An image of him, burning in sand. She blinked away the tears that came into her eyes. When she spoke, it was not with her Oracle's voice, but as Alena, just as Alena.

"Please, Anakin, do not go to Mustafar, I beg of you. What I saw there was horrible, and I, I need to tell you something."

She cleared her throat.

"When I was younger, much younger, I had a dream of you there. You-"

"You what? A dream?"

"Please, Anakin, let me finish or I will never be able to get this out. I dreamt of you before I met you. You, you were fighting Obi-Wan on Mustafar. You lost. I saw you burning on black sand. And I see it again now."

"Fighting Obi-Wan?" he asked incredulously.

But it was too late; her eyes glazed over as she slipped back into an oracular trance.

"If you fight you will lose everything. It is this very fight which will cause you to not to win. The twins will be separated, but will be reunited after a long absence. In the end, you will win a great battle and die a hero, but only after many years. It is through losing the fight you have now which will force you to have to fight it again, and win. But you will lose much."

She looked at him with eyes that could no longer see him, and as he gazed upon her, Anakin felt as if something in the Force had suddenly turned and focused all of its energy squarely upon him.

"You are meant to be the Chosen One, Anakin. It is your destiny. But it is a destiny that has been much misunderstood for a long time. Balance is your gift. Your inability to understand what that means is your curse."

The rushing winds in her ears subsided, and when she came to, she found Anakin sitting on the couch, staring at her with a strange intensity that almost frightened her, and the incense had all but burned out.

After a long silence, she heard words that were spoken with her voice, but she never had expected to hear her say in a million years.

"I think I need a drink. A strong one."

She slowly got up, and made her way to the kitchen.

"What—did—all—of—that mean?" he asked, almost hissing.

"Most of what I remember is seeing you burning alive and lots of lava," she replied unceremoniously. "None of it was particularly pleasant. You're headed down a dark road, Anakin. I don't know what your dream means but it's pointing towards something even bigger and perhaps even worse."

"What can possibly be worse than losing the woman I love?"

She looked up at him, and something in her eyes almost made him shrink a little.

"Losing yourself," she replied.

He shook his head.

"I'd sooner that than lose her."

"Based on what I saw in the vision, you're going to wind up doing both. Please," she held up her hand as if in warning, "remember what I said about Mustafar."

He nodded at her.

"Yes, Mustafar, but what does that have to do with anything? I saw her die in childbirth."

Alena shrugged.

"Everything is interconnected."

He sighed, and stood up.

"Alena, I—I thank you for the oracle. I will go meditate on it."

"I hope that you will. I'm…worried…for both of your sakes." She looked at her practice sword, then back up at him. "If it means anything, I will be praying for you—and if you need anything," her voice was stern as she pronounced the word "anything", "please do not hesitate to ask. I am here for you. Honest."

He smiled at her, the first genuine smile on his face that she had seen since he walked in. "I will. Thank you."

She stared after him as he left, not knowing what else to say. Suddenly she felt the urge to stare down at her hands. They looked small, and ineffective—just as she was feeling at that moment.

Chapter 13

"I want to change the world."

Anakin paced inside of Padme Amidala's quarters. He was beginning to understand why Alena troubled him so when he first met her.

'She has a gift, and I—I can relate to that gift,' he reasoned.

But it was more. It was something in her eyes when she looked at him, something in her voice when she told him not to go to Mustafar.

He closed his eyes. He would do anything to save Padme, anything. If only—he wished that he could understand what the strange oracle that Alena gave him meant. What could he possibly do?

His mind kept playing the scene back and forth, desperately trying to get more out of what had happened and what was said to him. He remembered watching Alena burn the incense, recalled her speaking with a voice that put a strange sensation in his chest, and tried to reconcile that with the gentle Alena in the garden, the passionate Alena who defended herself against Jeret, the angry Alena with the swords to Jeret's throat-

The young Jedi shook his head, as if trying to shake the thoughts out of his head. But they persisted. There was something odd about her, something strange, and he couldn't figure it out.

When Padme finally walked into the door, it was as if the rays of sunlight had coursed through the room.

"Anakin," she breathed eagerly. The two embraced, and in that moment, all of the strangeness that Anakin felt faded away, and there was just the comforting, familiar warmth of Padme.

"I—I am so glad to see you. How are things going in the Senate?"

"Boring, and awful."

She laughed, but something in her eyes and voice caught his attention.

"Boring and awful, you say? It couldn't have been that bad," he told her, wondering what news from the Senate may be unleashed upon the HoloNet that evening.

"Oh, nothing," she brushed him off with a wave of her hand. "Think no more of it. It's been a long day, Anakin, and I'm just glad to see you. Tell me, what have you been up to?"

Suddenly in his mind, he saw Alena's intense eyes looking at him through the smoke of the incense. "I had some Jedi business to attend to."

"Jedi business?" her voice raised slightly, questioning.

He gave her a smile.

"Nothing important."

With a few quick steps, he was at her side, his arms around her—and everything faded away for the two of them.

***

Over the next couple of days, Alena saw little of Anakin, but she had the chance to spend some time with the Supreme Chancellor, who had been taking some quiet time from his duties to spend with her. She was extremely grateful for his company, as he had many beautiful stories to tell her about his homeworld. He also had a listening ear which she had not benefited from in a long time, and sometimes she caught herself remembering Teacher Karak. The memory of their friendship still pained her, and she felt betrayed, at a loss. It felt good to be able to talk to someone again and be herself.

It was, for the most part, business in the Senate as usual. People continued to express their gratitude and well-wishes for the Supreme Chancellor's being, and declared their appreciation for his continued measured towards their safety. There was a call in the Senate to give him more powers and to expand his duties, which was becoming a louder and more resounding vote in the face of a persistent feeling of troubled insecurity and lack of safety. Chancellor Palpatine was snatched up right from Coruscant; what more troubles would face the galaxy if Coruscant itself were not safe? With him home, they felt that they could breathe a sigh of relief, but only if he continued his efforts to keep them safe and secure.

Perhaps this, if nothing else, caused Alena all the more anxiety when Anakin turned up at her doorstep once again. His face and eyes were all grey and he entered her place with a troubled walk and gaze, declaring that he and Padme had fought earlier. Over politics, of all things. She was afraid for the Republic, afraid that things were going wrong, scared that the government was moving in a bad direction—she sounded like a Separatist, he declared, spitting out the word as if it were rotten and vile.

She didn't know why Padme was troubled, nor why Anakin was so disturbed that Padme was distressed. She only knew that he sounded as if he needed someone to talk to and wondered why it was her, of all people, that he sought.

'Perhaps another oracle?' she thought wryly, but he made no motion nor attempt at desiring another vision or voice from her. When it occurred to her to offer him a drink, perhaps something alcoholic, she knew that he was in desperate need of conversation when he did not refuse.

He hesitated.

"What do you have?"

"Corellian ale, Riolian red wine, some nice fermented honey from Alderaan—take your pick."

"I-" He paused, and looked down at his hands. "I really shouldn't be drinking."

"Why not?" She grinned at him. "I won't tell Obi-Wan, if that's what you're thinking."

He laughed, but when he looked up at her, the laughter caught in his throat. There was still something in her eyes which reminded him of the oracle she gave. Finally he nodded.

"Corellian ale, then."

"Good choice."

She poured him a drink of the ale, and herself a glass of Riolian red wine. After it was poured, she looked up at him and saw dark tendrils weaving themselves around him, all over the Tapestry. The vision was so vivid and startling that she nearly dropped the glasses she was holding her hands.

"Gods, Anakin," she caught herself before she could—or would—say anything inappropriate, as she didn't know how to describe the vision without sounding like Obi-Wan. "Dark Side of the Force," indeed. She settled for, "Anakin, be careful. I see very dangerous influences around you. I don't want to be cause for alarm, but-"

"You've already given me an oracle that I will be burning alive, and you don't want to be the cause for alarm?"

Now it was her turn to laugh, although it was a cheerless laugh.

"I just wish that I had better news for you. Nothing I saw was good, and aside from a clear warning to not go to Mustafar, I don't have any other advice for you. I don't know how to tell you how to save Padme," she found herself almost choking on the name, "except that you need to be careful in what you say, and what you do, because you're about to fulfill your worst fears." Her brow furrowed. "Didn't Erna say something to that effect when we were on my homeworld?"

He brushed her off.

"Oracles, prophesies—I've had plenty myself. They've all come true, no matter what I do. But this time," his voice suddenly got savage and fierce, "this time, there will be nothing to stop me. I will avert this."

Something in his voice almost frightened her.

"Anakin, please…drink this, and talk to me." She decided it would be wise to change the subject. "You and Padme fought, you said?"

"Yes. I—it doesn't matter. I just-"

"What?"

They looked at each other for a long while from opposite sides of the living room table.

"Do you ever have the feeling, Alena, that you could do anything? Anything that you wanted to? And somehow, you were the only person holding yourself back?"

Alena clutched her glass. This was sounding entirely too much like the conversation she had had with Chancellor Palpatine.

"I," she began, and paused to take a quick swallow of the Riolian wine, "I don't know." She peered into her glass as if trying to see her reflection within. "I've had many clear moments in my life, for a lack of a better term. A feeling of connectedness, of passion towards being united with the very gods who gave us the Tapestry—but I don't know what it would feel like to be able to do absolutely anything I wanted to." She looked up at him from her glass, concerned, not knowing where this conversation was heading.

"Neither do I," he stated bitterly. His tone astonished her. "But," he added, "I have something within me that tells me that it's not impossible. I've had a taste of this feeling before. I know what it means, but I don't know what to do with it."

Alena stared at him, unable to speak.

When she finally did, she responded in a slow, even tone. "We are all children of the gods, Anakin—whatever that means in your philosophy. We all contain the bright spark of the divine within us. It's what we do with that spark that determines our destiny and allows us to shine."

"I want-" he stopped, grasping for the words. "I want a different destiny. For myself, for Padme—for the galaxy, even." He shook his head. "Things are so tense right now, so…."

"They'll get better," she offered, but he interrupted, continuing to rant as if a dam had burst within him.

"Do you know what it means, Alena," she startled slightly at the suddenly fiery tone of his voice as he addressed her, "to feel a fire inside of you, a fire that you cannot quench?"

She nodded, slowly.

"Yes, yes I do."

Anakin looked at her with a long, measuring gaze.

"Have you ever acted on it?"

With an intake of breath, she met his gaze.

"Yes. I'm here. I mean, on Coruscant. I followed the will of the gods that brought me here. I still don't even know why," she admitted.

He threw his hands up in the air.

"Well, I felt that way about becoming a Jedi—and still do—so I guess we're even."

She smiled at him.

"I guess so."

Her smile faded when she saw the shadowed, troubled look in his eyes.

"Anakin," she spoke clearly, looking at him directly in his grey-blue eyes, "what brings you here? I mean, what is really troubling you? You say it's Padme and I believe you, but I can't help but think that there's something else, something deeper than that."

It was this question which forced him to his feet and got him pacing around the room, his hands violently alternating between being clenched tightly behind his back and gesturing wildly in the air.

"Alena, there's something coming. Don't you feel it? And, look at me," he turned to her fiercely. "I'm not who I should be. I'm not as strong as I should be. I need to be able to do something, something about all of this. But.…" his voice trailed, and she felt a sense of helplessness, both from him and from herself as she knew that she was utterly incapable of helping him. "I want it all. I want to be able to change the world."

Change the world. She looked up at him with wide admiring, yet fearful eyes.

"Don't we all?" she told him, hearing her voice ring in her ears as something strange and alien. "Do you think that I wouldn't want to do something meaningful, for my home, for my family, for everyone? I try. I know that I do, with being an Oracle and a Senator, and I never know what else I can possibly do. But even the smallest efforts can count. Pebbles can create avalanches. Think of that, Anakin. Really, I do mean it."

"I know. And believe me, I thought of all of that." His mouth had grown into a tight, fine line, and something in his eyes made her clutch her glass more tightly. "I lived on a world where I was a slave, my mother was a slave, and no one saw any wrong in that. That same world allowed my mother to be killed. I wish all of that to be gone," he concluded fiercely and ferociously, "I wish all of the laws to be afflicted upon that savage Tatooine race."

"I believe you," she stated calmly, her mind whirling.

She felt very strange, far stranger than she had with her talks with the Chancellor, and she could see the strange dark tendrils in the Tapestry pulling him further towards her. And indeed, he took several paces towards her.

"Someday, I want to be able to change this. Change it all."

She found the corners of her mouth moving upwards.

"If you were ruler of the galaxy," she mused suddenly, "I would suspect that you would give all slave owners and traders the death penalty." Alena looked up at him suddenly. "You would, wouldn't you?"

He stared at her, then towards the large window that separated her living room from the outside world.

"No," he said at last.

"No?" she queried, surprised.

"I would torture, then kill them."

There was a long silence. The two gazed into each other's eyes.

"I should be going," he announced. "Padme will wonder what has happened to me."

She shook her head sadly, and her sense of manners overtook her.

"I am sorry that I have kept you out this late. Please forgive me, Anakin."

"I—no, please forgive me," he declared savagely. "This ale has gone right to my head. I don't even know what I am saying anymore. Please, don't think of me harshly."

Without knowing what she was doing, she stood up and walked over to him and caught both of his hands in hers.

"Anakin, I could never think of you harshly nor judge you. You have been through a lot, you are tired and I know that you have many wounds in you. I want you to feel better, and if talking to me helps, then well...I wish for you to do so."

There was a strange light in his eyes and an even stranger warmth that she felt from him as she clasped his hands. It was then that she realized that she may have overstepped her boundaries, and she should not have so impulsively touched him. She immediately let go, and she could almost hear a sound as if the breaking of glass as she did so.

"I'm—I'm sorry, Anakin. Please forgive me. I am just concerned about you. I do not wish for you to feel discomfort."

Her voice was cautious in tone, and her unhurried words became all the more deliberate when he took one of her hands into his own.

"No, Alena," he told her firmly, "thank you. If I am able to sleep tonight, I owe that to you. I wish you goodnight, and that you sleep well too."

With that, he left for the door.

As he closed, only then was she able to utter in the faintest of whispers, "Me too."

Her knuckles were still white as she gazed upon them moments later, clutched together, and her heart was not at peace either. Her sleep was of few dreams, but fitful and restless that night.

'I want to change the world,' she heard echoing in her head. She could still see his eyes gazing intently into hers as he spoke.

Change the world.

And a part of her knew that he could, knew that he would—and feared for the result. That very knowledge would prevent her from sleeping that night.

Chapter 14

"You need to let go, not me!"

He avoided her for a while after that—or at least it felt that way to her, and she was never one to doubt her intuition. Alena figured that he was still embarrassed at revealing all that he had about his troubles to her, and also surmised that it would pass. Her days were filled with much activity in the Senate, and numerous swordsparring forms were required before she could rid herself of all of the stress she felt being put upon her.

The days and nights passed in relative peace. Her work and her studies occupied the better part of her thoughts, until the afternoon that the chimes by her door sounded loud and clear shaking her from a days-long reverie. She greeted the door eagerly, hoping that either the Chancellor or Anakin would be there.

Alena was surprised to find about five Senators standing behind a very determined looking Padme Amidala. For one split second, she wondered if Anakin's recent visits had finally gotten word to the Senator, and if perhaps she was upset with her. Her sudden and strange paranoia was alleviated by the exceptionally gracious, yet practiced way in which Padme greeted her.

The young Senator let them into her apartment, surprised to find a number of the Senators were people whom she had recognized, but had kept, at least in her mind, a humble profile. Eekway was among them, and she wondered what had kept her from her home all of this time—had her invitation suddenly been received? What had brought them all here?

Padme was the first to speak, and it was clearer than the chimes of her door that she was the leader in this expedition to her apartment.

"Hello, good Senator. I hope that I am not troubling you," she spoke in that very friendly, professional way that she used when speaking politically.

Alena recognized the tone all too well during her Senate meetings. She smiled in return.

"Not in the least, Senator Amidala. Would anyone like something to drink, tea perhaps?"

They all shook their heads, almost in unison, as they gazed at one another and back at her.

"No, that's quite all right, but thank you," spoke Padme.

Alena glanced at her hand, and noticed that she carried with her a databook, and clutched it as if it were her last refuge.

"May I ask what brings you here to my home?" asked Alena politely, wondering what this was all about.

Anakin had not visited her for some time, and she was wondering if this sudden excursion to her apartment had something to do with it.

"Senator, it brings me joy to have you welcome us into your home on such short notice. I only wish that we could be here under better circumstances."

Something in Alena's heart felt icy and cold. Something wrong with Anakin? Palpatine, perhaps? What?

"Please, good Senator," she began, but was silenced by a motion of Padme's hand.

"I am sorry. Allow me to get to the point. There are a number of people in the Galactic Senate who have concerns, and those concerns are growing by the day. I know that you are aware of the latest amendments which are being considered?"

Alena nodded. "Yes, yes I am. What about them?"

"We are concerned that in the process of trying to provide for us a degree of safety, our liberties are being taken away. We want the best for the Republic—and I know that you do too, Senator Doron. We all do."

Senator Eekway cut in. "It was I who recommended to Senator Amidala that we speak to you. I have nothing but the utmost of faith in your discernment, Senator, and I hope that you will listen to us and heed what we have to say."

Alena blinked, looking back and forth towards the two senators as the other three sat silently, gazing at her expectantly.

"Of course we all have the best for the Galactic Republic in mind, dear Senators," replied Alena, each word came from her strongly, and precisely. "I am only wondering what you desire of me in order to assist in this achievement."

"The reforms that the Chancellor has put forth, we are afraid will come with a price. We wish to negotiate with him some terms—reasonable terms, one that will help keep the security and protect the Republic."

Alena nodded, waiting for her to continue.

"I am passing a petition among the Senators. So far, nearly two thousand have signed. We are hoping that you will support our cause."

Bells rang in Alena's head.

"You want me to…sign a petition? Stating what, exactly?"

"That we wish to formally protest the extension of the Supreme Chancellor's powers as given, and restore balance to the Republic."

Her head began to swim. They wanted to dispose of the Chancellor. Chancellor Palpatine, who had been nothing but a friend to her, and to Anakin as well, while the galaxy was crumbling with the wars and the problems and the strife….

"We realized that you have a special relationship with the Supreme Chancellor and were hoping that your endorsement of this petition would cause him to reconsider."

I want to change the world, Anakin's voice suddenly came floating back to her. But was this the way to do it?

This is not your war, Alena, she could still hear Erna say upon her thirteenth birthday, stay out of it.

She swallowed, and with a slow inhale, she rose from her seated position on the couch across from the other Senators. The young woman didn't know what to say, where to begin—nor how she truly felt at that moment. In fact, she was entirely too surprised to hear the words which did wind up coming out of her mouth.

"Do you realize, good Senators, that this is the first time that you have come to me, to my home, since I have arrived on Coruscant?"

Padme looked at her and blinked. It was obvious that she had not expected these words either.

"Yes, we know. It is a shame that we cannot meet more often with each other individually, but you know how busy life is in the Galactic Senate."

The young Senator smiled and nodded.

"Yes, yes I do. Trust me that I do. And yet, I am in a difficult position. I have welcomed the Supreme Chancellor into my home in numerous occasions, and yet I cannot say the same for any of you." She looked at them directly. "On my homeworld, we have certain…customs in regards to guest-friendship. I am at odds, given that I have demonstrated this gesture towards the Chancellor, and that gesture is meaningful."

With a deep breath, she continued, "I would feel even more at odds to sign the petition, knowing that I have granted this gesture to him, and not knowing what would come of that petition. I need to think about this. I understand your concerns," she stressed, "and I share them. I want nothing more than this galaxy to be at peace, but...."

"But Senator," Padme responded, "we are presenting this petition to the Supreme Chancellor tomorrow. We would need your decision by tonight."

"Then I would not be able to sign a formal agreement. I will state, however, if that if you do need my aid and support, it is freely given—but I will not act against Chancellor Palpatine after all of the support he has shown me upon my arrival here."

"Senator Doron, I understand, but these concerns of ours—they are very real. Terms have been abolished and extended indefinitely for his stay in office, his powers over the use of our military have also increased—we are safer for much of what he has done, but we are afraid that he might go too far."

Alena spoke, and as she did, her voice changed slightly as switched from her Senator voice to her Oracle's voice. It happened so smoothly that she did not notice until she was done speaking, and her words rang in her ears.

"I know," she went on, "and I share those concerns. But Senator, do you have any idea how he has treated me upon my arrival, when everyone else has all but ignored me as that young girl from the Outer Rim?" She noted that a few Senators winced as she spoke. "I cannot think that someone who cares so much to make someone from the outskirts of the galaxy feel welcome would be so cruel to us.

"Please, think of me and the position you put me in. He has become, for the lack of a better term, a friend to me—a mentor to me as a new Senator. Palpatine has shown me nothing but guidance and support since I first laid foot on Coruscant. Whether I am on your petition or off of it, I am too close to the situation to see clearly. I can only ask that you think of me should the worst occur, and please contact me should it happen. Then will I be at your door, for I care nothing more than to be certain that the Republic is safe."

"Very well, then. I thank you for that, and I understand your concerns."

She put her hand out, and the two women shook hands. At that moment, Alena felt something, a shift in the Tapestry, and then-

Senator Eekway came over to her, and gazed at her intently.

"Young Senator, you are brave, and you have a noble spirit. I can only hope that it remains undamaged in the events to come."

With those words, Alena felt her face flush with embarrassment, but managed to keep her composure. In her eyes, she let the Senator know that she was grateful for her praise, as well as flattered.

"Thank you, dear Senator. I hope for the same. In fact—I hope for it for all of you. Please, take care. I wish you all well."

***

It was that evening that Alena could feel it in her bones—Anakin and Padme had fought again, maybe over politics or something else—but there was a sense of disquiet within her that felt displaced, belonging to someone else, and darkened by mysterious shadows.

In her dreams, she spoke with him.

"I know that you are troubled, and I know that you have all of these fears. If I could, I would take them away from you—really, I would," she said to him, her voice shaking with both resolve and compassion.

"Alena, you know nothing of my fears, believe me. I've—I've told you much, but not all of it."

"Then what?"

They stood outside, gazing over her balcony.

"The Chancellor thinks Padme will betray me."

Alena laughed.

"She adores you, Anakin. Why would she betray you?"

There was silence before he finally responded.

"There's a distance between her and I these days. We don't talk about it, we just focus on what has been and have faith that it will always be between us. But," he went on, "I am…afraid. I am afraid of losing her. And I am even more afraid that she has interests and beliefs which will ultimately tear her away from me."

"Ah," was all she stated, remembering the day's events.

The petition. She wondered if he knew about it.

"I just want us to be happy, to be the way things were when I first met her again, on Naboo—I want us to be happy."

His hands flailed for a moment.

"Alena, you disturb me." Upon hearing this, the young woman whirled around to look at him sharply, wondering why she perceived what she was hearing. "Do you want to know why?"

"No," she replied, almost sullenly. "But you might as well tell me anyway."

The dreamscape began to form itself eerily in front of her eyes, and at once she knew she was dreaming, but could not wake up before he could answer her, and he continued.

"I can talk to you," he told her. "I can talk about my feelings, go on about the Force, philosophy, the state of the galaxy—and I don't even know why. I barely even know you. I just met you, but whenever I meet you, I find myself babbling uncontrollably about things which I don't even tell Padme about. Things which I only hint about to the Chancellor."

He rested his arms on the railing, his face grim.

"I don't like it. I don't like the fact that I can talk to a perfect stranger about how I feel, but I can't communicate those same feelings to the one whom I love."

"Maybe that's because I'm not a stranger," she stated suddenly. She could feel herself floating away as the Tapestry began to weave around her. "Maybe you already knew me and you just don't remember."

Suddenly she found herself facing him, his hands tightly gripping her arms. Anakin was furious, and she could feel the fire and lightning all around him.

"Why do you talk to me like that?" he demanded.

"Because it's true," she blurted out, beginning to feel frustrated nearly to the point of being incensed. "I've never been a stranger to you and I never will be. You can deny that until the day you die, but I have never been a stranger to you, Anakin. Not once!"

"You talk in riddles," he spat out, releasing her arms roughly.

Alena rubbed them, almost feeling them ache physically, once again knowing that she was dreaming.

"What are you really angry at, Anakin? What troubles you?"

"Everything," he snapped back.

She laughed, but inside she did not feel like laughing.

"And you're taking it out on me? After I've done nothing but try to help you? How grateful."

"Look," he spat out, "do you see this?"

He ripped off his glove, and showed her his right arm. She nearly gasped when she saw that it was made of metal, and it glistening in the light that shone down on the balcony.

"Anakin, what happened?"

"I lost it in a battle with one of the Sith. He was a Jedi until he joined Grievous. And do you know what I did to him after I found out that he had kidnapped the Chancellor?"

She could feel herself swallowing, and her mouth was dry.

"No, what?"

"I killed him. I took two lightsabers to his throat and took off his head. He was unarmed, begging for his life." His eyes closed. "It was against the Jedi code, and it was just what you would've done to Jeret had I not stopped you. Had I not talked you out of it, preached to you about justice. And yet, after all of those lectures I gave you-" he paused to look into her eyes, and she saw the gaping wound within them, "I did the same thing."

She took a deep breath and let it out.

"Anakin, why didn't you tell me?"

"It's too late for that. Too late for all of that."

He began to leave the balcony, but she grabbed him by the arm.

"Don't you dare leave now after telling me that. Anakin, what happened? Please, tell me!"

"I don't know." His voice sounded strained. "I just don't know. I don't know anything anymore."

"Anakin?"

Her hands still gripped his arm, and he spun around.

"Why won't you just let me go?" he demanded angrily. "I'm of no use to you, the Jedi Council, to Padme-"

"Anakin, stop it!" she yelled, her temper getting the better of her. "Don't you see? The more you dwell on this, the worse it gets. You need to let go, not me!"

"Alena," his voice came out half strangled and the other half a growl, and in that moment she saw something in his eyes, something like what she had seen when she last saw him, only it was growing bigger, stronger-

Before she knew it, she was pinned against the wall with his gloved hand.

'This can't be real,' she told herself, 'it's only a dream. It's only my fears turned into a nightmare.'

"Anakin, why can't you see that I only-"

She was silenced by a deafening roar, and it was moments later that she realized that roar was in her ears, and a wall was against her back and fierce lips were pressed against her own. Alena could feel and taste flesh, his breath, and the lightning she felt earlier coursed through her veins, spread through her legs, her fingertips, and in spite of herself she grabbed the back of his head and pulled him more closely to her. She could taste the inside of his mouth, feel his tongue within hers, and all of dancing like reflections of light on the buildings below.

Onlyadreamonlyadream-

It began in her head like a mantra as if she was trying to will herself awake, will herself to see with greater clarity what was going on, trying to wish it away, trying to remember that she had to fight this, this was wrong, he was wrong-

Onlyadreamonlyadream-

Her legs were parted with a fierceness that echoed the still tingling sensations in her arms, and before she could protest, she felt a piercing pain that quickly turned into ecstasy. With her eyes rolling back into her head, she fell back into the wall behind her, melting into it-

Onlyadreamonlyadream-

Alena could feel him passionately pounding into her, and she could not tell if it was to imprint himself on her, or to will her away from him. She only knew that it was lasting forever and she would go mad if it did not stop, or did not continue-

Onlyadreamonlyadream-

The lightning that ran through her came out of her and inside him and back again until she exploded, exploded into a million pieces across the landscape, and all was bright, white light inside her mind-

***

When she awoke, her heart was pounding, and through her connection with the Tapestry and its whispers in her ears, she knew that someone else was awake, someone who had shared what she had seen-

'Madness,' she thought to herself. 'All madness. None of this can be real. I am losing my mind, truly I am losing my mind.'

She sprang out of bed, and went to put on her robe and found herself once more staring out over the balcony. The light was barely touching the horizon as it was not yet sunrise. Alena stared at the light for a long time, as if willing it to touch her inside, and bring her back to herself.

Chapter 15

"You have no idea."

Anakin stood outside of Padme's balcony, staring listlessly out into the sunrise. After several moments, he glanced at her sleeping form. He could see the rise and fall of her chest, even from where he stood, and welcomed it as he welcomed every day that he knew that she was still alive and well.

Momentarily, he closed his eyes. He could not believe that he could be unfaithful to her, even if in a dream. And yet…. He flexed his robotic hand. Something in him had relished the act, relished taking Alena so suddenly and fiercely the way he had. It was entirely unlike him. He had always been a gentle lover with Padme, and she never liked it too rough—although, she did like his playful nature in bed, but that was different. This part of him disturbed him.

But this part was not alien to him. He had encountered it on many occasions: during the podraces in his youth, when he killed the Tuskens who had imprisoned and eventually killed his mother, when he sliced off the head of Count Dooku in revenge for his lost arm—it was with him. It was always a part of him. It made him think of the serpents in the twin suns of Tatooine, the fires that would forge steel. It fueled his victories, gave him courage, and strength when he needed it most. It bore to mind what he had told Alena: Do you know what it means to feel a fire inside of you, a fire that you cannot quench?

And yet, these gifts bore a price, and in time, may bear more costly prices. Already he was denied the opportunity to advance to the rank of Jedi Master—but he sat with the rest of the Council. The rest of the Jedi feared him, and shunned him, and although they feigned a casual indifference, he could see it. See it in all of them.

Fear leads to the Dark Side, he could hear Yoda saying. 'Oh, but everything with you leads to the Dark Side,' he thought scornfully, and winced even as he knew it was scorn. But it was true—he felt it. He felt their fear of the Dark Side, and felt it imprison them in a web within which they could not even see nor feel the workings of the Force as they used to. Their very fear entrapped them.

And yet, they blamed this entrapment on the Sith.

Anakin did not know what to make of the Sith. The Jedi told him that they were evil, and he believed them. At the same time, he held a curious fascination towards them that he was unwilling to admit to anyone—including himself. He did know that they were responsible for the death of Qui-Gon, a man whom had made his way into his heart as a young child as someone who would protect him, protect him in a way that his mother hadn't been able to. He still missed Qui-Gon, and hoped that wherever he was, the Force was with him.

He leaned towards the wall by the balcony and as he did so, recalled with bright detail soft, fair skin framed by dark red hair, held against the wall by his hands and body. Anakin closed his eyes. A part of him was deeply ashamed for his dream, and appalled that he could dream about another woman while the one he loved—his wife—was sleeping soundly, pregnant with his child, and may die due to that very child. What kind of man was he?

The answer was what he had given to Alena in the dream: useless. Useless to the Jedi Council, to Padme, to himself.

He folded his arms in front of his chest. There was no way that he could continue to visit Alena. Not after what he had dreamed. He couldn't bear to think of ever betraying Padme, hurting her in any way. It was only right that he regard the young woman from Riol as a casual acquaintance. Perhaps the dream meant that his attentions were wandering, and he was best off focusing them where they should be—on his wife, and making sure that his dream about her death did not come true.

He was slipping. He couldn't let himself slip. Not now, not ever.

The young Jedi was so caught in his reverie that he did not notice that Padme was standing beside him.

"Anakin? Are you all right?"

He opened his eyes and just looked at her.

"Another bad dream?" she guessed.

He said nothing, but took her into his arms, and held her close, thinking of times in his childhood days on Tatooine when all he had was his mother, his few friends, and podracing. As hard of a life as he had had, there were moments during it that were far brighter than this.

***

Hours later, he was seated next to the Chancellor, the two of them gazing at a beautifully performed opera. It was a wonderful chance to forget about everything, but there was no chance to do so. He had much to confess to his friend in the hopes of understanding, and yet there was so much that he was afraid to tell him for fear and shame.

Palpatine seemed to sense his friend's mood, and opened with a question that at first sounded strange to Anakin's ears until he remembered the day's events before.

"Are you finding these days, Anakin, that people are less truthful than they appear?"

Anakin cringed, thinking of himself. "Sadly, I am, Chancellor."

His friend nodded slowly. "It is interesting that during times of great need that we discover who our friends truly are. Take your friends on the Jedi Council, for instance. They have let you down recently, have they?"

The young Jedi couldn't speak. He knew why he had been appointed to the Jedi Council more than anything else. It wasn't his skill, his talent, his hard work, or abilities—it was so that he could spy on the Chancellor and report back to them. As usual, he was shunned except in cases where he could be used. At least, that was how he felt, and for so long, he had desperately tried to tell himself otherwise. Obi-Wan had made him feel differently, and although he knew that he was originally a burden on him left by his former Master, he knew that he had in him a friendship.

Or did he? What sort of friend would request that he spy on a friend? For what? Politics? Anakin never gave a womprat's ass about politics. Never had, never will. Friendship, loyalty—these were values to him that were far more important. Hence why he never spoke ill of the Council, no matter how alienated the Jedi made him feel. He was loyal and he would do his best until the end.

And when would that end be, came the dangerously quiet but strong voice inside of him. What if it was sooner than he had thought? Was he looking down the tunnel of the end of things as he knew it?

As usual, the Supreme Chancellor appeared to sense his thoughts. "Anakin, I know that there are forces within the Senate and within the very Jedi Council seeking to take advantage of this wretched state that the Republic is in. The Council members themselves are being manipulated by certain Senate members to act, and in these very actions, are looking to control this situation—to control me."

Softly, almost sympathetically, he added, "They sent you to spy on me, didn't they?"

Anakin couldn't stop himself. He blurted out, "I don't know what they are afraid of, nor what is coming to the Republic. I am very concerned for everyone—the Jedi Council, the Republic-"

"And yourself," finished Palpatine. "And of course you would. These are dangerous, troubling times, and it is a damned shame that the Jedi threw you into the middle of this mess. You belong doing grander things than, well, 'spying' on an old man such as myself, who is only seeking to do what he can to turn this galaxy around. Stop the rest of the damage before it is too late, and the Republic is lost."

The young Jedi continued to watch the graceful dance before him, and it seemed as if the movements were in time to the Chancellor's words.

"Anakin, you are a special young man. A very, very special young man. You could have everything you ever wanted. You could have it all. You possess many great gifts, young Jedi, and I am proud to call you a friend. I am very glad to have met you, and to know you. You have come such a very long way since that bright, promising young boy I had met years ago."

Anakin closed his eyes, and took a deep breath. "Thank you, Chancellor. I appreciate your kind words."

"And I appreciate your company, my young friend."

They sat and watched the opera for several minutes until the Chancellor spoke again.

"I fear that there is a plot afoot to have me…removed…from my office, Anakin. I—I do not speak of this lightly. I have heard that there is a group in the Senate forming, and would prepare to dispose of me by any means necessary—even if it meant disposal of democracy. There is a meeting that I have been asked to attend, and I wish for you to accompany me. I would feel most grateful for your presence there, as I fear that members of this group may be present."

"A meeting, Chancellor?" questioned Anakin, who turned to look at him squarely.

"Yes, a meeting. And the person who proposed this meeting…." His voice trailed off. "Anakin, do remember what I said about learning who your friends are, during troubled times. I worry about you, you know."

"I will, Chancellor." Anakin didn't ask who, but in his heart there was a great fear. Padme? Perhaps Alena? He tried to reason with himself, but there were few Senators whom he was close to. He hoped, Force willing, that neither of the two Senators were the cause of Palpatine's concern.

"I know that you have great concern, Anakin, and wish to protect the things in your life that you hold dear."

The young Jedi nodded, still looking at him.

"These—Jedi—claim that fear leads to the Dark Side, don't they? And yet, they fear this very Dark Side which they speak of. Don't you find this a bit," he waved his hand as if to find the right word, "ironic?"

"I do, Chancellor. And I also find it to be crippling." The words poured out of them, and somewhere in the words came forth his whole struggle, the struggle to find some balance and meaning in the midst of so much confusion around him. He was relieved to see that his friend seemed to understand, and nod kindly at him.

"Have I ever told you the story," Palpatine asked, a small smile appearing on his face, "about the Tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?"

***

Hours later, Anakin stood outside the door where the meeting had been held. He was struggling to regain his composure, remember his Jedi training, remember everything that he was taught over the course of his youth and the beginnings of his manhood. All of that seemed to be failing him now as he found himself forced to look a ghastly, painful truth in the face.

The Chancellor had been one of the last to exit the room, and looked upon him with a kind and concerned expression.

"You didn't know?" he asked gently.

In his mind's eye he could Padme there, speaking to Palpatine with her politician's voice, smiling her politician's smile—and the look she had given him before the meeting had ended. It had not ended well. The Chancellor had become visibly upset at the charges brought before him—and in spite of it all, had kept his composure, Anakin had noticed—and it was clear that the petition would not be honored in any conceivable way as it had been presented. The petition was extremely transparent to Anakin, painfully so. It was a clear attempt to accuse Palpatine of abuses of power, let alone remove him from office—and he did not bend one bit to the requests that had made of him.

It was, in his mind, inconceivable. Two thousand Senators, all opposed to Palpatine's leadership. Two thousand, all who believed that he was exercising too much power, clearly had the idea that he had ulterior motives in attempting to restore the Republic, and wanted to oust him from his office at no expense.

And at their head, was his wife and future mother of his child. Padme.

"How could I have?" he responded bitterly.

Padme. Padme of all people, trying to dispose Palpatine of his position—not just a signature, but a clear leader in the discussions against him. Unjustly. When all that he had done to help the people, he had done. He didn't understand, didn't comprehend—and of all people, Padme. Padme Amidala, his wife. The bearer of his child. Who knew more than anyone how much his friendship with the Chancellor meant to him.

And she was now seated on the opposite end of the grand table, seeking to remove his friend from office—against regulations, against formal channels. Why? And how could she?

The only word that Anakin could find to aptly describe how he felt was betrayal.

Palpatine continued to gaze upon him, until he finally reached out and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I had a look at the names on that petition," he stated slowly.

Anakin turned towards him with unseeing eyes, fires still roaring in his chest.

"Who was on there?" he asked.

The Chancellor smiled. He removed his hand from his shoulder, and folding his hands in front of him he gazed upon the young Jedi with a thoughtful eye.

"Our friend—Senator Doron of Riol—was not on the list," he replied. With a casual gesture, he walked off towards his office leaving Anakin puzzled, stunned—and in spite of the day's events, strangely elated.

***

As the evening went on, he managed to make it back to Padme's apartment. He couldn't stay long, he had told her. He had Jedi business to attend to that night. Events involving the Council.

She understood—or did her best to, he couldn't tell—and they embraced and enjoyed each other's company for an hour or so before he left.

Anakin did not know where he was going, but he found himself walking down the hall and making his way towards an increasingly familiar corridor that was located about a flight above and away from where Padme was. He pressed the button by the door, and was greeted by lively, bright brown eyes that jumped out from pale skin and thick, long dark red hair.

"Hello, Alena," he found himself saying, "would you, by any chance, have a glass or two of Correlian ale to share with me? I—I think that I could use some right now."

She blinked, cocked her head to the side to gaze at him momentarily, then nodded. "Yes, certainly. Come in."

"Thank you." His earlier confusion, shame and embarrassment at the dream he had had about her that night went away, burnt to ashes by the serpent in his heart, and as he entered her apartment, a strange and fierce sense of freedom ran through him, piercing him almost to the bone.

***

Alena could see it in him, see the confusion, anger and pain that was cutting him deep. And in her mind's eye, could still see the dark tendrils swirling about him, almost having him in their grip.

In her heart, she only wanted to take him away from those dark strands, even for a short while.

"Did something happen today?" she frowned at him. Then she asked, "Is Padme all right?"

He shrugged. "I guess." His voice was bitterer than he had intended, and Alena's eyebrows went up.

"I'll get that ale for you." She went into her kitchen hurriedly, and Anakin found himself following her.

"I—there was a Senate meeting today," he told her lamely as he watched her take the bottle from her shelf and pour him a glass of Correlian ale.

"And let me guess," she replied absently, "was this concerning a certain petition about a certain important man in the Galactic Senate?"

Anakin stared at her. "So you do know," he stated, his eyes beginning to darken. "And what do you know?"

"Apparently, various members of the Senate feel that their rights may be taken away, have already been given away—I don't know. Your—Padme Amidala—was here yesterday to ask me to sign."

Anakin gave her a hard, strange look. "So she was. And I hear that you didn't sign?" The last sentence was almost a question.

She sighed. "No, I did not."

"Alena-"

"Anakin, I have never cared for politics. I frankly hate politics. I'm here to serve the gods and little else. It's most likely why none of the Senators thought to even pay me a visit or say hello to me before yesterday." Her mouth grew into a thin line.

Anakin's stance grew less tense as he looked at her. "How long have you been here? In the Senate?"

"About a year, or so, I guess."

"And they shun you." He was looking off into the distance, and Alena saw that he was clearly thinking about something else.

"I guess that they see me as a foreigner, or don't understand me."

"Maybe they're afraid," he suddenly told her, as her head jerked up from the drink she was also pouring herself, "perhaps it's your position on your homeworld as an Oracle. Maybe they think you can read their minds like a Jedi or something."

Alena went very quiet and still. The young man saw her reaction and quickly blurted out, "I'm not judging you; it's them I judge. I find myself—I find myself in similar circumstances. With the Council, I mean. I—"

"They fear you." She spoke quietly. "And you think it may be the same for me with the Senate."

"Alena, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-" His hands were flailing at this point, and he looked very embarrassed.

"No, it's all right. I had wondered why they treated me as they did, and figured it was because I was from some backward planet on the Outer Rim. It never once occurred to me that part of the reason might have been my status among my people." After a thoughtful pause, she added, "it's just so a part of my life that I never would've thought it strange, or fearful to be an Oracle. But you put it in such a-" she frowned, "perspective."

"Forgive me. I spoke too much."

"No, no, Anakin—it's all right. You have given me much insight. I'll have to meditate on it, is all."

They were quiet for a few moments, grasping their glasses with their hands as they stared away from each other.

Alena broke the silence. "I have always wondered, Anakin, what made you decide to become a Jedi. I mean, if you did decide. I don't know if you had a choice in the matter or not."

He looked at her with an odd smile. "Aside from my having been born a slave?"

She smiled back ruefully. "Yes."

"I had always dreamt about being a Jedi. I knew that it would be my destiny one day, and when I met Qui-Gon—a Jedi Master—and Obi-Wan, I knew. That was just it, I knew. The choice," he tried to explain desperately, "was an illusion. It was done already, had been done already. So I just went and did it. That was all."

Alena nodded pensively. "That was rather like how I became an Oracle." Dreams and visions filled her mind, ones that she had long forgotten. The two Jedi fighting, one with dark grey-blue eyes—and there he was, standing before her, and she had completely misplaced the connection. She nearly dropped her glass but quickly recovered.

Anakin raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing. "Perhaps we should sit down?"

She nodded. "That would be a good idea. I suspect that you have a lot on your mind."

He laughed. It wasn't a cheerful sound.

"You have no idea," he told her.

***

She had no idea of how much time had passed since he started talking to her—about the Jedi Council, about his meeting with Padme and the other Senators about the Supreme Chancellor, about his mission to spy on him—she felt that the dreams she had were more real than the conversation that was taking place at the moment.

When he was done, all she could think of to say to him was, "What are you going to do about all of this? What would you like to do?"

"I—I don't know." He threw his hands up in the air and sank into the couch. Anakin looked frustrated, disappointed—and something else that Alena couldn't quite place.

"I didn't sign that petition because I didn't feel that it was right," she told him quietly. He just looked at her, waiting for her to continue. "I had invited him into my home on many occasions, and that's not a gesture one takes lightly among my people. I couldn't imagine that someone who had been so kind to me since my arrival when no one else had would have the sort of designs towards the Republic that these Senators seem to think that he has."

"He has been, besides Obi-Wan, and—and yourself, my only friend."

Alena's brow creased as she looked at him. "I'm one of your only friends? Here? But you—you get along with everyone here, the HoloNet adores you—I can't, I can't understand-"

"Admiring me for my exploits is not the same thing as being my friend," he told her coldly, "You of all people should know that."

She blinked. "Yes, of course, but still—I just find it so hard to believe that you haven't met more people to talk to." She blinked, realizing that she was nearly using word for word what the Chancellor told her after her first few months of being on Coruscant.

He just looked at her. "And you?" he asked. "How many friends have you made since your arrival here?"

Alena squirmed. She hadn't expected this question.

"Yourself, and the Chancellor," she replied somewhat reluctantly.

"Well, then, I guess that makes us even," he declared, folded his arms. Then he laughed. Unlike before, it was something resembling a genuine laugh, and Alena found herself smiling.

"Why don't we talk about something else? Anything? Just pick a topic, something," she begged him. "All of these things, they're eating our lives away-"

"And there are so many other important things to worry about."

"Right," she agreed.

They looked at each other across her couch, and in that moment, Alena felt something in the Tapestry finally weave itself into place, and then snap. The snap began to make its way up her spine, and through her limbs. She found herself more than grateful for the ale that she was drinking, because his eyes were becoming more grey than blue, and when they turned that color, it was hard for her to not be held by them, spellbound, captivated as much as she was caught in the web that was—that is—the Tapestry.

Chapter 16

"People have to realize that we are who we are—prophecies be damned."

They spent a long time talking, and as they consumed more Correlian ale, Anakin began to relax, and found himself entertaining Alena with stories of some of what he had undergone with Obi-Wan in the recent skirmishes in the Outer Rim.

"'…but Master, you always told me that I should feed from the Living Force,' I told him." He chuckled, and put on an appalled, somber expression, and mimicked Obi-Wan's serious voice. "'No, not like that, Anakin!'"

Alena was laughing, but she made a face. "Oh I can hear him now! But I can't believe that you ate bugs. How awful!"

He shrugged. "Where else was I going to get my nourishment from in a place like that?"

"True." However, she shuddered. "I am not certain what I would have done. It is taboo for any Oracle to eat anything of an animal, so since I was twelve, that is how I have eaten."

He stared at her. "I had no idea."

She grinned at him mischievously. "Oh Anakin, for shame! You saw what Mama put out to eat for us when we stayed at my home. Did you notice any animal products in it?"

Anakin paused. "Hm. Actually, I wasn't paying attention. But yes, the food was good. I didn't even notice." He shook his head at her. "I hope that you never have to fight in a war, Alena. You'd have to break a lot of taboos."

She took another sip of her drink, and laughed. "Yes, an Oracle doesn't belong in a war, except to advise."

"And yet, you take up swordsparring." He looked at her with a quizzical expression on his face.

"Defense and meditation, mostly," she replied offhandedly.

 He folded his arms and began chuckling. Pretty soon the chuckling turned into hearty laughter. "I don't believe you," he stated in a knowing sort of way that Alena found to be surprisingly irritating.

"And just what do you mean by that?" Her tone was light, but Anakin could tell by the look in her eyes that she was slightly peeved.

"I don't mean anything by it, Alena, except that you are a passionate person. You don't strike me the same way many of the Jedi do." He frowned. "I think that they are afraid of passion."

Alena sat back, slightly stunned. "I thought that they couldn't fear? Or avoided fear?"

"They avoid it, but it is more of their nature than they care to admit." There was something dark in his grey-blue eyes that she couldn't identify, and she wondered about it. She remained silent, however, and consumed the rest of her ale.

"I think I'll go get some water. Would you like some as well?"

"Yes, thank you. That would be wonderful."

He walked with her to the kitchen, where she began to pour each of them some water from the faucet on the wall. As she held the cup under the water, Anakin began talking.

"There have been many things during this war that I…that I regret, very much so. You are lucky to have been so far away from it, and I can't begin to tell you that."

She nodded. "You're right, I am. And I'm glad that you and Obi-Wan managed to rescue the Chancellor."

"Yes, me too." He responded very quickly—too quickly--and something in his voice made Alena pause to glance at him before handing him his cup of water.

"Was it that bad?" she asked cautiously, not knowing if she was asking him a difficult question or not.

Anakin sighed, and leaned up against the wall next to her, the cup she had given him held tightly in his hand. It wasn't until after he had slowly taken a swallow of the water that he answered her.

"I rescued him, but-" he bit his lip before continuing, "what I had to do in order to rescue him was," he stared down at his glass, "unexpected," he finished lamely.

"Unexpected?" He had her full attention now, and the young Jedi could see that her shrewd gaze was upon his face, watching him intently.

"I'm not so sure that I should be telling you this," he told her. Then he fixed his eyes squarely into hers. "Can you keep a secret?"

"Anakin, of course I can. What happened?"

"The Jedi Code states that I cannot strike upon, let alone kill, anyone who is unarmed. You know this, back from when we had to deal with Jeret when we were on Riol."

She nodded, and began to fill her cup. "Yes, I remember." As she watched the water fill the cup, he continued.

"I had to face the Sith who held him hostage, and I had him disarmed—and I killed him."

She didn't even think; the words just poured out of her as easily as the water poured into the cup. "The Sith—oh, the one who had been a Jedi, yes, I-"

"What?" His voice was low and quiet, but harsh. Before she could react, he grabbed her by the shoulder and turned her around to face him. "How did you know about that?"

"You…." She found herself unable to finish, remembering precisely how she had found out. You told me, was the finished sentence, left lingering in the air.

The water began to fill the basin shelf beneath the faucet as Anakin and Alena stared at each other for an excruciatingly long and painful moment. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest. 'That was no dream,' she thought dazedly. And from the look on his face, she could tell that her feelings upon awakening were correct. He knew. He had shared that dream with her. Shared everything that she had experienced.

She gulped, and reached to turn off the water. With one hand grasping the cup and the other holding the basin, she found herself gripping both objects with all of her might. Alena had no idea what to say or what to do. Embarrassment, shock, confusion—all of it filled her. It was then that she realized that when he had grabbed her, he managed to make her spill some water on her. Droplets were running down her shoulders and chest, making her painfully aware that the top that she had worn with her skirt that evening was sleeveless, and her skin was bare. Worse yet, she could feel his eyes boring into her as if she were to blame for the dream that they had, and everything that had happened in it.

But what could she say to him? The two of them had clearly had an intimate encounter, one which neither of them had planned and for which no one could truly blame the other. How do you blame someone for a dream, for something that took place in your mind while you were sleeping? Alena felt not only embarrassed, but helpless. And stupid. He was married. How could this have happened?

Alena knew how she felt, and had prayed more than once for it to pass away in time. She did not want to lose his friendship, but she could not help but wonder if the shared dream meant that there was a hope for them yet.

"Say, Anakin, I-" she turned to speak to him, and when she found that his head was bent over her, close to hers and closer when she had turned, she stopped speaking. He was still staring at her intently, his expression strange and alien. It was when she realized that she could feel the warmth of his skin that she took a step backward, gasping slightly. She managed to back up into the basin with a jarring jolt. She winced, thinking to herself of how much of a bruise she was going to have on her back the following day.

It only made matters worse when she remembered being roughly backed up into a wall in their dream, and the events that followed. Then she felt something that she rarely did, her cheeks growing warmer as the rest of her went numb. She was so embarrassed she could hardly think.

Only in that instance did he let go of her shoulder as if it had been on fire. When he looked at her, she could see a pain in his eyes, a pain that she desperately wanted to obliterate. That pain was far worse than the alien look he had given her moments ago when she had nearly touched her face to his.

Then he looked away, balling his gloved hand into a fist, and resting it at his side.

"I—I shouldn't have come here tonight," he stated flatly. But every sound that he uttered was an aching sore in his chest, and he found himself rooted to the spot, unable to leave. The knowledge only tore him apart further. How was he to be forgiven for this?

"It's not your fault," came the words that tumbled out of Alena's mouth, "and I don't blame you. Please don't blame yourself either."

There was a lengthy silence as they looked at each other.

"Alena, you have been a very dear friend to me," he blurted out, "and I don't know what I would've done without either your counsel, or your friendship. But-"

"But?" she queried.

"There is something between us, something that shouldn't be. And I don't understand it. It just doesn't make any sense." He began pacing around the kitchen in that way that had grown familiar to Alena, his hands clasping behind his back, and his eyes totally grey, no blue left in them.

"The only woman whom I have ever loved may die and my child with her, and yet I find myself-" He broke his pace to turn towards her with a look that shot straight into Alena's heart. "I'm—I'm painfully attracted to you, Alena, and I shouldn't be. I am married, a loyal man to my wife, and yet I find myself here with you, and I feel things that I can't feel with my wife, haven't felt with my wife-" His eyes closed, but Alena could still see things within them, things which stirred her, "-and I wonder if I ever will." His lips thinned, and Alena watched as his jaw tightened.

"Do you understand? I could never betray her, even after what she did to me today, to my friend, and to the Republic. And—perhaps is the worst part of all-" His eyes shone with a strange and fierce light that turned Alena's stomach over, "a part of me would rather be here with you. And it's not like me. None of this is."

"I…Anakin, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to speak. I should be ashamed, and I should leave here, and be out of your presence," he hissed in his rage. He was angry with himself, especially for coming to her place after such a dream. After all, he had obviously been tempting fate by having done so. And Force willing, Anakin could not say that he was not tempted—but he had so much to lose, and was so afraid to lose it.

In that eerie and ghastly moment she was afraid that he would make his way for the door, and so she blurted out, "Anakin, I've had dreams about you since I was twelve. Nothing can take that away from me." She went on hurriedly before she could lose her nerve, "I don't understand what is between us either, and I can't say that anything that has passed between us is anything that I would not have wished."

He knew what she meant, but didn't want to acknowledge it, didn't want to hear any truth that may be in it. "But you don't know me," he told her harshly, "you don't know the things that I have done. And what I could do."

"And yet I do, and I have," she insisted, stepping closer to him. "I know about the Sith Lord you killed, I know about the Tuskens, and I know about your disappointment with the Jedi Council, and even Obi-Wan. What don't you think I know? What don't you think I can handle?"

"I can't be with you, Alena."

"Are you trying to convince me?" she asked, her voice suddenly going up half an octave, "Or yourself?"

Alena heard something akin to a growl, and before she knew it, her wrists were being gripped tightly by his hands as he glared down on her.

"Don't you ever talk like that," he responded angrily. "I have a marriage, and a life to fulfill as a Jedi that you couldn't possibly understand."

Her eyes flashed at him, and for a moment it seemed like lightning was shooting out of them and into his. With an impassioned voice she retorted, "And I have a life to fulfill as an Oracle that you couldn't possibly understand."

"You get to proclaim the prophecies, Alena," he stated with clipped tones, "I get to live them."

She made a sound between a chuckle and a snort. "What now, you don't think that there's a prophecy or two about me?"

"I'm the Chosen One, destined to bring balance to the Force." The tone of his voice was dangerous with rage in spite of his light words, and the grip on her wrists grew tighter. She clenched her teeth but refused to show any resistance. "Have you ever heard about my father, Alena?"

She blinked. "No, I have not. What of him?" She immediately added in a gentler voice, "What became of him?"

"According to my mother, I don't have one. And according to some in the Jedi Council, my father is the Force itself."

Alena felt her spine straighten with shock. "Oh," she replied quietly. 'No wonder he always carried that burden around in his eyes,' she mused.

He went on, his voice becoming quieter but there was a hissing sound to it that sounded to Alena like the beginnings of a lit fuse. "And what could you possibly understand about that? I'm not the Jedi I should be, Alena. There's either something very wrong with these prophecies, or very wrong with me."

The young woman felt a strange smile grow upon her face. "Were you ever told from a young age onwards that you are currently living the life that you live because you arranged it in some past life, planned and arranged it all so that you could be reborn and help to save others?"

Anakin glared at her. "No, I was certainly not."

"Well, I was. Not quite the same as the Chosen One, but I can't say that I don't have any understanding of how you might feel."

He finally let go of her wrists, and she resisted the temptation to rub them as he did so.

"I see," he commented.

"Our lives, Anakin, are what we make of it, not what others make of them. People have to realize that we are who we are—prophecies be damned. If they are real, then we will shine in the end."

"And what of the people whom I will undoubtedly let down? Obi-Wan, the Jedi Council, Padme?"

What came forth next from Alena's mouth was as if she were seized by a spirit, and unable to stop herself or it from making her speak. "If they see you and love you for who you are, it won't matter. If they don't, then they should be damned." He blinked at her, surprised by the amount of sincerity and passion that filled her voice. "The prophecies too," she added.

He continued to stare at her, his eyes slowly narrowing.

"Impressive," he finally stated. "Most impressive. So you believe that everyone in my life should just go to hell if they do not accept me for who I am?"

His voice was biting and sarcastic, but Alena ignored it as she saw in his eyes a glimmering of something else entirely. Her brow furrowed as she gave him a withering look. "Yes, and it isn't the ale talking. You need to meet more people who accept you as you are, and stop enforcing all of these absurd standards on you to the point where you're ready to explode, or chop off several heads in the Senate, or something."

In spite of himself, he chuckled. "'Chop off several heads.' Oh, if only Obi-Wan could hear you. He'd forbid me from speaking to you for weeks."

"Could he?"

He folded his arms across his chest, and pursed his lips thoughtfully. "No," he finally answered, "and he knows it too. I don't always have the reputation for following rules," he told her with a smile that was half rueful and half full of mischief.

"Well, I'm the one who keeps Nyara out of trouble for setting things on fire, so I guess we're on an even score there."

Anakin sputtered, "What?" The word turned into almost a giggle before he could stop himself.

"Have a seat on the couch, and I'll tell you about it," was her nonchalant reply. He just gave her a blank look, and compiled, following her back into her living room.

She sat down across from him—making sure to keep a comfortable distance--and with both hands gripping her drink, she began to explain her curious upbringing to him.

"When Nyara and I first met, we didn't always get along. Until one day I had provoked her into one of her fits, and before I knew it, the curtains next to us were on fire. There were no candles nearby, no torches, no sources of heat, nothing. She explained to me later that her temper had the ability of setting things on fire around her."

At this, Anakin leaned forward in his seat, hanging on her every word. She continued, "She could control it and Erna had taught her how through many means of discipline, mostly through meditation and visualization. When I was brought on as an Oracle and I had discovered her ability—inadvertently—I was encouraged to help her, and in doing so, helped myself."

"What do you mean?" asked Anakin, unable to help himself.

"If you recall from when Jeret had—fought me—he had tried to set my bag on fire, and in that moment, I was able to get my bag back through the Tapestry. You see, Nyara would set things on fire, deliberately, and I would manipulate the fire—with my mind, you see—and sometimes whatever was on fire. We made it into a game, even. At first, it was by accident that I found out that I could move whatever was on fire and not just the fire itself, but later on I found that I was able to move things that were significantly hotter than what was surrounding them. I can move things such as lit candles, stove pans—things of that nature. I have not yet figured out how to reach for something in the Tapestry without the aid of heat, but someday…I hope to."

The ale began to swim around in his head, and he idly began to wonder if he would have a hangover the next day. "I will have to thank Nyara next time I see her. The 'games' that she played with you saved your life."

She smiled. "I will pass along the message next time I speak with her." Then she sighed, and put her cup down on the table.

"I know that I haven't been keeping track of the time, Anakin, but—were I Padme, I'd be worried about you right now. I should let you head home," she stated reluctantly.

Now it was his turn to sigh. "I—I'm not so sure I want to be seeing her tonight after today's event. I probably will be spending the night at my quarters in the Jedi Temple. And…I did tell Padme that I would be on Jedi business tonight."

"Ah, so I'm 'Jedi business' now?" Her tone was light and teasing, but he frowned at her.

"It's—it's not like that, Alena. I…." His voice trailed off. He had not intended to see her, and that was indeed the truth.

She nodded and gave him a small smile. "I know, you wanted to spend the night alone and didn't want to hurt her with the truth, that you were too upset to see her. It's all right; I do understand."

Anakin was silent for a moment.

"No, Alena," was all he could think of to say in response, "I don't think that you do." He paused. "This you might already know, but please—do not tell anyone I was here. And I mean anyone. Including the Chancellor."

She blinked. "Of course I won't. It's no one's business, and I won't have people thinking ill of you."

The young Jedi looked at her and smiled. "I appreciate that." He rose from his seat, and as he did so, Alena could feel a growing distance that he was putting between them, and her chest felt hollow.

"Just promise me one thing, Anakin?"

He turned to her with an indescribable expression on his face. "What?"

Alena found herself suddenly lost for the right words, and cleared her throat. When she finally spoke, she did so slowly and hesitantly. "Please, whatever you do, don't feel that you have to avoid me. I am here for you, you know—as a friend, if nothing else."

After staring at her for a long moment, he simply shook his head. "I'd never avoid you, and I mean that in all honesty. And I do appreciate having you as a friend."

In spite of himself, he reached out with his hand and touched her cheek. In that instant, she could feel and almost see lightning dance between them and she grew dizzy. His eyes went from blue to grey again, and he slowly pulled back.

"I will see you later. Sleep well, Alena."

"You too." Her voice was scarcely above a whisper, and as she watched him once more make his way out her door, she felt strangely comforted, as if he had left some part of him back in her apartment with her somehow.

***

That night she dreamed of him vividly, but the dreams were not in the least bit delightful. They were strange, and foreboding. She could see the dark tendrils of the Tapestry weaving its way around him as he walked on some road towards…somewhere. Something.

As he walked, the black strands wove themselves around him and inside of him until it looked like he was encased in armor. An armor made up out of black Tapestry threads.

As he walked, the galaxy shook, and worlds split apart.

As he walked, she could feel something rising within him that made her fear for him, herself, and the world.

She watched as he reached out with his gloved hand and grab stars within his hand. The light reflected off the strange, armor-like threads woven around him, and it was if she was gazing into a pool of liquid silk. He was at once both beautifully terrifying, and terrifyingly beautiful.

And as the threads continued to wind and tighten around him, she watched as he walked through a wall of fire. Alena thought that she could almost watch him make it out alive, but when she awoke, she could still hear her own screams reverberating in her ears.

***

 Morning caught up with Anakin all too quickly, and he did not relish. He was still blurry-eyed from lack of sleep. He had been afraid to sleep for fear of dreaming, either about Padme's death--or of a certain redheaded young Senator's embrace. He had not slept much since his return to Coruscant, but last night's lack of sleep had drained him much more than usual. There was too much racing through his mind, thoughts that he dared not admit to, feelings that he didn't want to have.

But he had someone to meet before he left Coruscant, a certain Jedi Master whose thoughts and opinions still mattered to the Jedi in spite of everything. He felt a desperate, dire need to apologize to him. Apologize to him for his behavior towards him, for he was afraid of losing one of the few friends he had in this world. If nothing else, he had the horrible feeling that he might not see Obi-Wan again—a false fear, he kept trying to tell himself, but the weight kept pressing on him.

He only wished that he didn't think, somewhere at the back of his mind, that he was reacting out of guilt. And guilt for what, he wanted to think even less about.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was headed towards Utapau in order to face down Grievous and defeat him. He had earned the appointment whereas Anakin had not. The Jedi Council wanted to keep Anakin on Coruscant where he could help them keep an eye on the Supreme Chancellor.

'And most likely keep an eye on me as well,' he thought grimly. When he saw his friend in the distance readying the ship for departure, he shook away those thoughts. Now was not the time. He had to speak to Obi-Wan before he lost his courage, and he could not do so with his head filled with negative thoughts about the Jedi Council.

"Hello, Anakin!" greeted Obi-Wan, who waved at him enthusiastically. "You are up early, I see."

"Yes, Master—I wanted to see you before you left." He looked up at the ship, and sighed. "I really do wish that I was coming with you. You need me."

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I'll be fine, Anakin, don't you worry. You stay here. Coruscant needs you."

"Master, I-" He bit off the response that was coming, more arguments about the upcoming battle. It was unimportant, at least for now. He knew that. He had to get this off his chest.

"Master, I want to apologize. I have not been behaving as I should have these past few days. I have not treated you as you deserve, and I am sorry. There is so much that you have taught me and have been trying to teach me, and I have not always listened as I should have. You have been a very dear friend to me, and it has not been you whom I have been angry at; it is the Jedi Council. And I should not have taken that out on you. I only wanted you to know that before you go. Your friendship means a great deal to me."

"Anakin." There was a weight of many things that Obi-Wan put into his name, and among them the young Jedi could feel gratitude, admiration, and brotherly affection. He gripped Anakin's gloved hand in his own, and looked him square in the eye. "I have not always been so quick to tell you things either. Such as, I have always admired you for your compassion and strength of spirit. Never believe otherwise. You are a credit to the Jedi Council, and in many ways, you have far surpassed that which I have tried to teach you."

 They spoke for a while about many things, and when they parted with the standard "May the Force be with you" that was a common salute among the Jedi, Anakin could truly feel it, and for the first time in what felt to him like ages, mean it.

To be continued...

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