The Clone Wars had began with a 'victory' for the Jedi; Jango Fett was dead; Yoda, Obi-Wan and his Padawan had bested Dooku; Anakin was the incredible one-armed boy. Things were going pretty well overall.
Anakin had been admitted to the Jedi's Droid Run Hospital as soon as they arrived back on Coruscant. He had passed out from loss of blood on the way back and woken up in the dark, dismal place that night. There was no furniture in the room, just the uncomfortable bed. Anakin tried to remind himself that it was only dark and dismal because he wanted to be anywhere else, but it didn't do any good; he'd never been able to be logical.
Stupid Dooku, thought Anakin to himself as a medial droid inspected his stub of an arm. The droid had said it would go quicker and easier if he slept through the procedure, but every time Anakin closed his eyes, he saw Dooku's attack all over again. Occasionally, his mother appeared too. It was like she was trying to tell him something…
"OW!" Anakin yelped as something poked at his scabbing and he sat up sharply. The droid had some sort of expression resembling amusement.
"Told you to sleep, I did," it said.
"Master Yoda's been here lately, hasn't he," Anakin moaned as he fell back on the pillows. Damn these cheap voice imitation droids, he thought as he once again saw the red stick of pure energy come slashing down on his arm.
Back in her senatorial residence, Padmé couldn't sleep either. The thought that she was safe in bed and Anakin was still short one appendage was unbearable. Apparently, she was the only one in her residence quarters bothered by that fact since everyone else was sound asleep. Or am I… she though as she heard a droid in the hall.
"Mistress Amidala, are you still awake?" said the synthesized voice of C-3PO at her doorway.
"Yeah," she sighed. She had a lot more she wanted to say, but no self-respecting Senator spilled her feelings to a droid.
"I'm so worried about Master Ani," 3PO said.
"I didn't know a droid could feel worried," said Padmé, trying to distract herself.
"Master Anakin programmed me to have synthesized human emotions," he replied sadly. "Mistress, what is so amusing?" 3PO questioned at her smile.
"I've never met anyone else who built a droid in spare time, especially at nine," she replied. "I'm trying to figure out if Anakin is a genius or if he's crazy."
"He's perfectly sane!" said 3PO. "All my gears and circuits work perfectly and no mentally unstable person could make me function correctly- Mistress Amidala, why are you laughing?"
"3PO, you're exactly right," Padmé replied, not mentioning that she hadn't needed such a complex response. "I don't know how you do it, but you always seem to cheer me up."
"Hmmm," 3PO sighed. "I don't believe I'll ever understand human behavior."
"I don't think I will either," groaned Padmé.
"Master Kenobi, what troubles you?" asked Mace Windu, interrupting Obi-Wan's turbulent meditation. Obi-Wan now sat in one of many rooms in the Jedi Temple reserved for meditation with Mace Windu and Yoda.
"Nothing, Master Windu, just my Padawan," Obi-Wan replied.
"Ah, something, your Padawan is," said Yoda.
"Yes, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan chuckled. "It's just that he can be so overconfident, and has so much built up inside; if and when it comes out- that's why he's missing an arm right now. His abilities keep going to his head-"
"Enough criticism, Obi-Wan," Mace Windu interrupted, holding up a hand. Obi-Wan bit his tongue.
"Perhaps, from both sides, better understanding needs to come," Yoda pointed out gently.
"Yes, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said quietly.
"The Force is still strangely unstable," Mace Windu said calmly. "If it continues down this path, your Padawan could be our only hope."
"I know," Obi-Wan sighed. "That's what frightens me."