A/N

firstly i apologize for the extreme length but it had to be done properly and it can only be done properly when it is very long =D and secondly i hope that you like it so please review as this is my first story and i would like to know what you think of it!

Disclaimer: i do not own the Star Wars stories - George Lucas does! - but i do own Echo =D


Prologue - 10 years ago

After the last of the celebrations on Naboo, Obi-Wan and Anakin returned to the Jedi halls to begin Anakin's training.

"Now then, my young Padawan, I want you to concentrate on this ball. Without squinting at it – trust me that is not going to work."

Anakin's mind became oblivious to its surroundings – all he could see and think of was the small metal ball, no larger than a fist, in front of him. His greyish blue eyes began to quiver ever so slightly that you wouldn't have noticed of you didn't know what you were looking for.

"Nearly there." Encouraged Obi-Wan. The ball began to float off his finger tips. "Brilliant, Anakin!"

At the sound of his name, Anakin's eyes flicked to Obi-Wan's and the ball dropped but just as suddenly, they flicked back to the ball before it fell into Obi-Wan's waiting hand. Anakin smiled proudly.

"I'm dong it! I'm doing it!"

"Yes you are. That's very good, well done, Anakin! Now let's begin to make this a little more challenging, shall we?" He placed a shallow bowl on a table to his left as Anakin kept the ball suspended. "Now try and get the ball into the bowl."

Anakin obliged by turning his head quickly towards the bowl, throwing it in a low curve that sent the ball neatly into the bowl.

"Ha! Incredible." Laughed Obi-Wan. "Now, larger objects, I think." This went on for a few hours first increasing the size and weight of the objects and then encouraging the use of his hands. Anakin found that using his hands made it much easier to control the objects and throw them accurately. The tasked varied from getting the objects into containers to creating elaborate assault courses – designed by Anakin and Obi-Wan which they both greatly enjoyed.

"Alright, I think that's enough for today, its getting late and I can see you shivering. Get back to the apartment and get some rest – it's been a long day."

"Yes, Master Obi-Wan." Said Anakin, bowing respectfully.


Obi-Wan decided to escape the presently depressing surroundings of the Jedi halls, and went to find the diner in Coco Town that he knew so well. It was run by his good friend, Dexter Jettster, a besalisk he had stumbled across – and attacked, to great regret – as a Jedi Youngling. Dex had been around the galaxy a lot, trading, dealing and working with some strange characters with his family but eventually he settled down to open 'Dexter's Diner'.

Obi-Wan entered the diner. It was quite late in the day so there were only a few groups of people inside and Obi-Wan chose one of the red leather bound seats out of the way of the other customers. A droid waitress came to Obi-Wan's table and he ordered a large cup of 'Jawa Juice'. The droid then left him to himself, shouting the order to a small girl behind the counter.

A large brown creature came out of the kitchen, his filthy white shirt barely covering the thick spikes that protruded from his back, to collect some dirty dishes. As he turned around, he noticed Obi-Wan.

"My goodness. Obi-Wan Kenobi!"

"Hello Dex." Said an exhausted Obi-Wan as he got up to greet his old friend.

"Well, well, well, what brings you out here? And at this hour?"

"It's been a bit of a rough day and I thought that I could use some friendly company. Do you mind?"

"Not at all, my friend." They both sat down at the table that Obi-Wan had selected earlier. "Have you ordered a drink?"

"Yes I Have. I think it was being brought over soon."

Dex called over to the counter. The little girl that Obi-Wan had seen before popped up and turned to grab something behind her. She turned with nothing in her hand with her fingers spread out, the fourth and fifth fingers slightly bent. She motioned from behind her to the table where Obi-Wan and Dex were sitting and then a cup was gliding through the air towards them. Obi-Wan was shocked. He gaped at Dex.

"Really something ain't she? Been doing that for years" Said Dex proudly. "Anyway, how's it going, Obi-Wan?"

"Um … fine. Who was that?"

"Oh that's just Echo, my niece."

"Your niece?"

"Yeah. Do you remember when we first met all those years ago that we were in possession of a slave boy from … somewhere."

"Alborne, your adopted brother? Yes I remember him."

"Well he ran off many years ago and only returned occasionally but the last time he did return, he came with a baby. Little Echo, over there."

"I remember him always being separate and I remember you telling me that he had disappeared. Wait didn't he die about four years ago?"

"Yes. It was six years actually. Only months after he had brought us the child. He said that he had found this incredible girl and that she had gotten pregnant. Echo being her baby, of course. Alborne had said that the girl had died during child birth and that he didn't think that he could take care of a baby girl on his own, so he left her with us."

"Do you know who the girl was?"

"No idea. We don't know anything about her and probably never will."

"Dex, this girl, Echo did you say she was? Well she has Jedi control. I've never seen anything like that before in one so young. Who wasn't trained by the Jedi."

"Really?" Dex suddenly went very quiet. "Funny you should say that."

"What's wrong Dex?"

"Well, it's just that Alborne said … when he died…"

"Tell me, Dex. What did he say … when he died?"

"He said that Echo would need Jedi training. He also asked that I go straight to you – he remembered you from when he was little – and he wanted me to get you to train her. I thought nothing of it. You know how he had always been jealous of you being a Jedi."

"Well if it was on his death bed that he told you to do that then the council has to let me take her as a padawan. Especially as she looks too old to learn as a youngling. However, I already have Anakin…"

"Do you think that you can help her?"

"It's possible. But, Dex, it would mean that you will have to give her up as your waitress."

"Oh, that doesn't matter. It's what Alborne wanted for her … I owe him this."

"Then I will try my best to help her."

"Thank you Obi-Wan! Echo! Come here I have something to tell you."

"You are very sure that you want to come with me, are you, Echo?"

"Yes, mister Kenobi. Thank you." Echo Grinned up at obi-Wan, not a shred of fear in her eyes. Good, she is enthusiastic, then she might have a chance against the council. I just hope they will give me a chance but they really don't have a choice on the matter.


"Let me understand this, Obi-Wan. You wish to take on a second apprentice?" Mace Windu appeared to be unable to believe what he was hearing.

"It appears that I have no choice, Masters." Answered Obi-Wan. He placed a hand on the little girl's shoulder. "She was entrusted to me directly on the dying wish of her late father."

"Blame this padawan on Qui-Gon, you cannot." Assured Yoda.

"I am fully aware of that and in the case of Echo here it would not apply."

"But it goes against the Jedi Code!" Insisted Windu.

"Very true, master, but our hands are tied in this case. You cannot remove Anakin as my first padawan and Echo has been trusted to me as a part of a sentiment that cannot be reconciled with. You must understand this." To Obi-Wan there was clearly no choice in the matter. He believed that Echo would become a fine Jedi not matter who her master was, but he felt that it was important that she trained under him.

"Possible for her to go to another Master, it is not." Said Yoda, Shaking his head and looking at the floor.

"I see no harm in Obi-Wan Kenobi taking on a second apprentice." Said Ki-Adi-Mundi. "Ages of six and nine are very similar, after all. And Obi-Wan has proved himself to be more than capable of this."

"I agree with Master Windu; it cannot be good for a Jedi to have two padawans or it would have been done before." Said Kit Fisto.

"Obi-Wan has a lot of energy, being so young, and I am certain that he can handle them both." Argued Luminara Unduli. "Maybe they will both benefit from working as a team. You cannot know for sure until it has been tried because it has never been done before."

"An excellent point, you make." Yoda took a pause and thought deeply. Then he looked up and walked over to Obi-Wan. "Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Yes, Master Yoda." Said Obi-Wan, cautiously.

"Believe that you can care for both children, do you?"

Obi-Wan nodded.

"Train both in the art of the force, you can?"

"Yes. I trust that I can, master."

"Hmmm." Said Yoda, with his cheeky little grin, he looked at Echo who just stared at the floor. He then turned and nodded to Mace Windu, returning to his seat.

"I therefore pronounce you, Obi-Wan Kenobi, master to both Anakin Skywalker and the girl Echo." Said Windu, with a little reluctance.

"Thank you, Masters." Said obi-Wan and he nudged Echo to follow his example.

Echo bowed lopsidedly. "Thank you, Master Jedis." She said in a small, quiet voice. They both turned and walked out of the council chamber.

"I do not think that this is a good idea, Yoda." Said Windu, once they had left the chamber. "Training two young Jedi simultaneously could become a liability for Kenobi and us."

"I understand you concerns, master Windu, but believe it will come to great things, I do." Yoda still had a triumphant smile on his face. "Extraordinary, they all tree are."

"Yes, I must admit that I was not expecting medichlorian counts to so high. Definitely not for there to be two found in one day! Echo's count is more than five times the count of Anakin, and his count was off the charts!" Exclaimed Kit Fisto.

"Yes. I do believe that this will be very interesting to watch." Said Unduli.

"Yes, well we will see." Said Windu. Still not convinced.

Once outside, Obi-Wan crouched down so that he was Echo's height. "Well, Echo, we are to be working together. Isn't that exciting?" Echo nodded enthusiastically. "If I'm honest I didn't think that they would let me do this, but I suppose that they were bound to follow a dead man's wishes, as I thought." He stood up and turned to carry on walking. "Come, now. Let's go find your new friend."


"Very good, young master Skywalker" cooed the maid-droid as he continued to amaze her by levitating my table. It was an MD-T76 - a maid droid assigned to Anakin's room.

Man, I love me new Jedi tricks! He thought. "Master Obi-Wan says I'm a natural." He smirked. "Though, he always says that I must only practice 'under controlled circumstances'." Whatever that means.

"Your master will be returning soon, young master Skywalker"

"I should hope so." He lifted a chair as well. "Where's he gone anyway?"

"Master Kenobi said that he was to be visiting a friend, young master Skywalker."

"Did he say wh-"

"Anakin?" Obi-Wan! He's returned. "Anakin, can you come out here for a moment?"

"Coming!" Anakin raced out of the room letting the furniture fall, clattering to the floor. Oops. Oh well, the droid can worry about that.

Obi-Wan Kenobi was standing in the middle of the main room of their apartment – they were Master and Padawan now, its official – with a figure cloaked in a robe that was far too big for it, standing at his side. It was no taller than Anakin's shoulder height. He couldn't see its face as it was covered in an expanse of dark fabric.

"Anakin Skywalker, this is Echo. She's going to be staying with us from now on" He smiled down at her and she looked up briefly at the sound of her name then continued to stare at the floor. In the short movement the folds of the cloth fell from her head to reveal a very young girl with delicate features and long, dark brown hair that hung, matted, over her shoulders. She looked so innocent. Her dark blue eyes large and glistening with tears but they were the only sign of fear on her face.

Huh? Is she scared? Obi-Wan tilted his head towards Echo and raised his eyebrows at Anakin.

"Pleased to meet you." He said. Smiling encouragingly. "I hope you like it here. I do." There was a pause and then Echo looked up and made a little bow towards Anakin. Her hair fell over her face, like curtains.

"You may go to your room now" Obi-Wan said to Echo. "It's down the hall on the left and there should be a selection of clothes for you to change into. I'll call you in ten minutes, okay?" Echo nodded and half ran to the door, struggling a little with how to open the door and then went inside.

For some reason the Master-Padawan apartments in Coruscant were always accommodated with four rooms, a spacious communal bathroom and a large common room. Two rooms were obviously for bedrooms but maybe the other two were for meditation, though that was always done elsewhere in the halls. Obi-Wan, Anakin and now Echo, would be sharing the apartment the Obi-Wan had formerly shared with his Master, Qui-Gon Jinn … before his death … at the hands of Darth Maul. At any rate, it was now very useful to have so many spare rooms available.

"Sweet little creature, isn't she?" Obi-Wan mused.

"She's scared. Master Yoda said that fear could lead to hatred and suffering … or something like that … he talks strangely." Anakin's forehead creased with confusion.

"Yes, but she hides it well. There's a lot of promise there and the council have decided that you will make a pair."

"Was she at your friend's? Is that where you were?" Asked Anakin, staring quizzically up at Obi-Wan.

"Yes." Obi-Wan grinned. "She was in the diner levitating objects around. Like you do now. To do that without any Jedi training or exposure shows incredible, raw talent."

"How old is she?"

"Six, just three years younger than you, so, I thought that you might get along. What do you think?"

"I dunno." Said Anakin, shrugging. "She might be alright. But we need to let her settle in a little bit, I think."

"Good idea; we'll do that." Obi-Wan said as if he hadn't already thought of that. "I'm sure that she will be very grateful for the time to herself"