Chapter One:

Valin Horn knew that he shouldn't be exploring the lower levels of Coruscant. But Master Skywalker had sent the Solo kids on a mission to find a missing artifact, and he wanted to see what it was. Keeping his shields strong, he crept after the Solos, keeping a safe distance. The artifact was rumored to have the ability to take a person back in time, but no one was certain how it worked. Valin knew what he would do if he could go back in time. He would stop his grandfather from dying. That was bound to make his father happy, wouldn't it?

He entered a small, dusty chamber. Anakin and Jacen Solo were in there, standing in front of a tiny, glowing Crystal of Transportation. Jacen noticed him immediately. "Valin Horn! What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to see the Crystal," Valin said, edging his way further into the room. "Do you think it actually works?"

Jacen shook his head. "I doubt it. Transport you back in a time for a day? Impossible." He peered closer at the Crystal. "And if it does work, it could be dangerous." His dark brown eyes met Valin's. "Someone has to take your place."

"Can I take a closer look?" Valin asked, getting closer to the Crystal.

"What would you do if you could go back in time?" Anakin Solo asked softly, touching the Crystal.

"I'd prevent my grandfather's death," Valin said, touching the other side of the Crystal.

"I'd prevent my grandfather from causing death," Anakin Solo said, and the Crystal exploded.

***

Coruscant, Old Republic

Anakin Skywalker paced the meditation chamber, his blue eyes focusing on the Crystal of Transportation. "Do you think it works, Valin?"

Valin shrugged, sitting casually against the wall. "I don't know. And I don't think we should be testing it."

"We found it, Valin, it's our right," Anakin said, his eyes blazing momentarily. "Obi-Wan says that we should probably wait for Master Yoda to examine it first." He came over to the Crystal, studying it carefully. "If you could visit the future, what would you want to see?"

"I don't know," Valin said, coming over to glance at the Crystal. "I haven't really considered it before."

"Maybe your future wife?"

Valin shook his head. "If I saw who she was, I'd feel like I was cheating on her every time I took a girl out."

"Do you date often?" Anakin asked, eyebrow raised.

"Whenever I have time."

Anakin pursed his lips, suppressing a protest. He didn't feel that it was fair that the Corellian Jedi were free to love, where he was not. Valin didn't disagree with him. He was quite glad to not be a Coruscanti Jedi, but he wasn't about to mention that to Anakin. There was already a rift between Anakin and Obi-Wan, and Valin didn't want to help make it grow.

Valin cleared his throat. "And what would you want to see, Anakin?"

Anakin touched the Crystal. "Exactly how I am meant to balance the Force."

"I see," Valin said, not quite surprised. If he was a Jedi of prophecy like Anakin, he would probably want to know how to balance the Force as well. He noticed a soft light flickering in the Crystal, and reached out to touch it. "How do you think it works?" he asked, just as the Crystal disappeared in a flash of blinding light.

***

Nejaa Halcyon looked forward to gathering up Valin and heading home to Corellia. He had never been fond of the city world, and it's politics. "How do you feel about our apprentices finding the Crystal, Obi-Wan?"

Obi-Wan, walking on Nejaa's right, shook his head. "I am afraid my padawan will use it."

"I don't think it actually works."

"Things that [I]shouldn't[/I] work often do around Anakin," Obi-Wan said, walking swiftly. "I told him that he should let Master Yoda examine it first…," his words trailed off, and he exchanged an alarmed glance with Nejaa. "Do you feel that?"

Nejaa nodded, taking off at a run. He had lost sense of Valin in the Force. Either his son was shielding well, or he was suddenly not there. He ran into the meditation chamber where he had left his son. "Valin!"

A young man, who couldn't be older than fourteen, rose to his feet. "Y-yes sir?

"Where is Valin?" Nejaa demanded, at the same time as Obi-Wan.

"Where is Anakin?"

It was then that Nejaa noticed another young man in the room, who looked about sixteen. He was tall, with dark blue eyes. He looked quite a bit like Anakin Skywalker. "I am Anakin Solo, sir." He studied Obi-Wan. "Master."

"Anakin Solo?" Obi-Wan asked, looking the young man and down. "Any relation to Anakin Skywalker?"

"He is my grandfather, Master," Anakin answered, meeting Obi-Wan's gaze.

Obi-Wan closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "I see."

Nejaa focused his attention on the younger man. "And you, son? What is your name?"

"Valin Horn," he said proudly. "I'm Valin Halcyon's grandson," he announced, not to be outdone by Anakin.

So it seemed Valin would have a daughter who married a Horn? Nejaa allowed himself a small smile, happy to see that Valin would eventually settle down and marry. But his smile was short lived. If the legends surrounding the Crystal were true, his son now resided in the future that Valin Horn had come from. He had no idea what dangers awaited his son there, and he could not be there to protect him from them. "I see you were experimenting with the Crystal of Transportation?"

Valin nodded. "We didn't mean to make it work, sir," he said, carefully regarding Nejaa. "I feel like I should know you, sir."

Nejaa smiled, pleased to feel his great grandson brush him with the Force. His touch was somewhat clumsy, but powerful. "You ought to, Valin. I am your grandfather, Nejaa Halcyon."

Obi-Wan frowned at him. "Nejaa!"

"The boy was bound to find that out sooner or later, Obi-Wan," Nejaa pointed out. "And until our apprentices return, these boys are our responsibility."

"I am aware of that," Obi-Wan replied, frowning at Anakin. "I think we'd better take them to Master Yoda."

Anakin Solo hesitated. "You're angry with me, Master Kenobi."

Obi-Wan sighed. "Not with you, young Anakin."

"With my grandfather, then. Why?"

"He's broken the code," Obi-Wan said stiffly, leading the way out of the chamber. "Are you coming Nejaa?"

"Yes," Nejaa said, gesturing for Valin to follow him. He could understand why Obi-Wan was upset. If Anakin Skywalker had a grandson, he obviously broke the code against love. But Nejaa was not very surprised. Anakin had confessed his love for Padme Naberrie to him. It was only a matter of time before he broke the code and married her. Nejaa was proud of him, frankly. He didn't understand why the Coruscanti Jedi forbade love, and could never support such a rule.

Valin scrambled after Nejaa, looking around the temple in wonder. "I was hoping to talk to Valin Halcyon, sir."

Nejaa waved his hand. "Call me Nejaa, if you will." He paused. "And I am afraid that speaking with Valin will be impossible. He has traded places with you."

"He's in the future, then?" Valin asked, sounding disappointed. His tone brightened soon after. "Dad will love to meet him!"

"Maybe so," Nejaa said, stroking his chin. He worried about his son traveling into the future. What if he ran into himself? What if he learned too much about the future? How would that affect the present? He looked ahead toward Obi-Wan, who walked silently with Anakin Solo.

Anakin Skywalker's grandson.

The galaxy was already changing.

***

New Republic, post Ruin

Valin Halcyon appeared in a small, dimly lit chamber. Anakin Skywalker was next to him, already jumping to his feet.

"Who are you?" Anakin demanded, resting his hand on his lightsaber.

Shaking his head at Anakin's brashness, Valin rose steadily to his feet. He noticed the young man then, of a height with him and nearly as tall as Anakin. Valin could tell that he was a Jedi, even though he didn't wear any robes. He could also sense far fewer Jedi on Coruscant than he ever had before. Had they entered the future, or the past? "I don't think he means us harm."

"I am Jacen Solo," the man said, regarding them calmly, but his hands were clenched. "Where is my brother? And Valin?"

"Excuse me?" Valin asked, surprised.

"Anakin Solo? Valin Horn?" Jacen demanded. "Don't tell me you haven't heard of them."

Valin exchanged a curious glance with Anakin. "They must have taken our place when we used the Crystal."

"Why is your brother named Anakin?" Anakin Skywalker asked, folding his arms.

"He was named for our grandfather, Anakin Skywalker," Jacen answered, his tone more defensive than the question warranted. "Who are you?"

"I am Garm Idanion," Valin answered, thinking quickly. "And this is…"

"Cliegg," Anakin supplied. "Cliegg Lars."

Jacen frowned, not quite believing them. "How am I going to explain this to Uncle Luke?"

"The Crystal's power should only last a day," Valin said, attempting to reassure him.

"How can you be sure?" Jacen demanded.

"I can't," Valin spread his hands, then glanced sideways at Anakin. "We didn't get the chance to examine it carefully."

Jacen let out a long breath. "I'd better take you to Uncle Luke."

***

Anakin Skywalker could tell that Valin was annoyed with him, but he had achieved his agenda. The Crystal had worked, sending them both far into the future, and he had met his [I]grandson[/I]. Anakin couldn't help smiling to himself, Jacen resembled Padme in looks and bearing. It was obvious that he and Padme would have children in the future, and the Jedi would accept their marriage. But there was something very wrong.

"Jacen?" Anakin asked as they entered a lift that would take them to the top level of Coruscant. "Why are there so few Jedi?"

"We lost quite a few to the Vong wars," Jacen answered, raising an eyebrow. "And before that, the clone wars." He gave them a considering look. "I don't know how to answer that best, because I don' t know what time you come from."

Valin cleared his throat. "It is probably better that it remain that way, Jacen. I am not certain that it is a wise idea for Cliegg and I know too much about our futures."

Anakin resisted the temptation to roll his eyes. The Corellian Jedi's caution was warranted, but also annoying. He had desired to come to the future for the express purpose of learning what it held. But he hadn't quite wanted to travel so [I]far[/I] into it.

"You're afraid of how it might affect the present?" Jacen asked, leaning against the lift's wall. "You must be ol… Republic Jedi?"

Valin jabbed his thumb toward Anakin. "He is."

"You're not?" Jacen asked, surprised.

"He's Corellian," Anakin said, shaking his head. "They think they're better."

"We try not to boast," Valin admitted.

Jacen laughed. "My father's Corellian, I know what they're like." He gave them both earnest glances. "There was so much lost during the wars, perhaps you can fill some of that void."

"Perhaps," Anakin agreed, adopting Valin's caution.

"Force knows Anakin and Valin must be getting an education."

Anakin was rarely taken by surprise, but he started at Jacen's words. Then he remembered that their replacements were named Valin and Anakin. "My Master will see to that."

Valin nodded. "An education in the past, or in Force training?"

"Both," Anakin replied, wondering suddenly how Obi-Wan would react to his grandson's appearance. Obi-Wan would know then that Anakin was in love with Padme. How would his Master take the news? Surely he already knew. He frowned when he noticed the direction Jacen was headed. "Aren't we going to the Temple, Jacen?"

"Jedi Headquarters," Jacen corrected him. "The Temple on Yavin IV was destroyed."

"Wasn't that Exar Kun's temple?" Valin asked. "The Sith Lord?"

"It was where we used to train Jedi," Jacen informed him, stepping onto a slidewalk. "Exar Kun's spirit was destroyed about fourteen years ago."

"Yes, but who decided to move the temple from Coruscant to Yavin?"

"We didn't know there [I]was[/I] a temple on Coruscant," Jacen said, looking around. "Where is it?"

"How could you not know that?" Anakin asked, shocked. "It's been here for thousands of years!"

"The Empire destroyed everything they could concerning the Jedi," Jacen explained, then glanced at Valin. "Do you really want to know this?"

Valin shook his head. "I don't know if we should," he said, frowning.

"Garm, there is something that could potentially destroy the Jedi, will nearly destroy the Jedi, and you don't think we should know about it?"

"I don't know," Valin said slowly. "Will we be able to stop it if we know? And if we do manage to stop it, will something worse take it's place?" He gestured to Jacen. "Something that the remnant of the Jedi wouldn't be able to defeat? We need more facts, Cliegg, before we decided to change the future."

"Always the detective," Anakin sighed. But, irritatingly enough, Valin was probably right. What if they got rid of one evil, only to be replaced by something worse? And if the Jedi fell so far to this…Empire, did that mean that he failed in his mission to bring balance to the Force?

Anakin suddenly wondered if using the Crystal had been a good idea after all.