Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Padawan and the Chosen One of prophesy, fell backwards flat on his butt. He frowned and cursed inwardly, but stood up again. The nine-year-old boy was involved in a mock duel with another student. They were using training sabers on very low power, but they each fought as if they were real. Anakin's opponent was a dark-haired girl, which made Anakin even more angry that he had been pushed down.

Anakin made a feral growl in his throat as he leapt toward the girl for another strike. She easily dodged, having been training her whole life. This made Anakin even more angry. It flooded his vision and threatened to blind him. It also urged him to jump at her and smash the girl's face with the hilt of the blade. He had the same urge to do that to Yssek Arma, the Jedi who was overseeing the duel. But the only thing that held him back was the young Jedi who stood behind duraglass watching him.

The Jedi was Obi-Wan Kenobi, Anakin's prechosen Master, since Anakin was not yet ready to be a Padawan. The Jedi was watching Anakin with a look that was hopeful and sad at once. It had been four months since Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn had fallen at the hands of a Sith. Four months since the Sith had been felled by Obi-Wan. And four months since Obi-Wan had agreed to take Anakin as his Padawan. Sometimes, Obi-Wan wasn't sure that he made the right choice, others, he was completely satisfied with his decision. Right now, he wasn't sure how he felt.

He was proud that Anakin was making such progress, but he could feel the anger dwelling inside of the boy. It was like a cold draft seeping through the cracks in a door. The sheer power of it confused Obi-Wan. He watched as Anakin was once again dropped on his behind by the more skilled girl. He was about to interfere and speak with Anakin when he saw a figure come into the hall where he was.

He didn't have to look to see who it was. "Greetings, Master Windu." he said.

The dark-skinned Jedi stood beside Obi-Wan and smiled. "Hello to you, Kenobi. And how is the Chosen One doing?"

Obi-Wan sighed. "He is still holding on to much of what he had on Tatooine. He is still angry and wants so much to win. He doesn't realize that he doesn't have to defeat her to win."

"That is what Jedi training is to help him do. Four months is almost nothing, Kenobi. He will get the hang of how we do things." The large Jedi was silent for a moment. "And how are you doing now, Obi-Wan?"

"I guess I'm alright."

"I know that it's hard."

"It's like you expect him to walk through the door at anytime." Obi-Wan began to study his boots.

"Yes, I know. But are you ready to lay grief aside and become active again?" Mace turned to study the young man.

Obi-Wan stared at him for a moment. Lay grief aside? How can I do that? "Meaning...?"

"Are you ready for your first mission as a Jedi Knight?"

Obi-Wan thought for a moment before nodding. "I am, but Anakin is far from it."

"I know that. As of now, he is far too reckless. The Council has a mission for you if you want to accept it. You should meet the Council in ten minutes time." Mace Windu clapped a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder and walked back out of the hall.

Anakin paused for a moment to watch the Jedi who was talking to Obi-Wan. When he realized who it was, he narrowed his eyes. That was the Jedi who told him that he couldn't be a Jedi. He watched as the Jedi left, them watched Obi-Wan for a moment. Suddenly the young Knight looked very tired. He rubbed his face with his hands then ran them through his hair. He then motioned for Anakin to come to him, so Anakin excused himself and went to his Master.

"I have to go to the Council room, Anakin. I want you to stay here and please listen to Master Arma. Ok?"

Anakin nodded. "What does the Council want?"

"They want to send me on a mission."

"Um, by me you mean the both of us, right?"

Obi-Wan shook his head. "I'm afraid not, Anakin. You are not yet trained enough to go on a mission. Besides, this is my first mission as a Knight, so I should go it alone. Understand?"

Anakin nodded. "Yeah. I got it." Anakin turned and began to go back to his practicing when he whirled around at the door, a huge smile on his face. "Just wait Obi-Wan! By the time you come back, I'll be more than ready for a mission. I'll be the best Padawan a Knght could have!" Anakin turned and walked quickly back to his teacher.

Obi-Wan smiled and shook his head. Kids, he thought. Then he too began his walk back to where he was needed. It took him about five minutes to get to the Council Room, where he was permitted entry almost immediatly. To his surprise, only Yoda, Mace Windu, and Plo Koon were in the room.

Yoda was a small creature, short in height, but he more than made up for it in wisdom. It probably came for the fact that he was almost 800 years old. Plo Koon, Obi-Wan remembered, had been a good friend of Qui-Gon's. He felt the familier grief enter his heart at the thought of Qui-Gon, but tried not to show it. He bowed respectfully at the Jedi Masters and stood, unmoving, in the center of the circle.

"How feel you?" Yoda asked.

"I am fine."

The Master's all nodded, liking the answer. "Do you feel that you are now ready to undertake your first mission as a full-fledged Jedi Knight?" asked Plo Koon.

"I am, Masters."

"Ready to go by yourself, are you? For young Skywalker shall not go."

The Knight nodded. "I am ready to go with or without my future Padawan. Though I think that as of now, Skywalker would be more of a hinderance than a help."

Plo Koon nodded. "How is he progressing?"

"Very well, actually. Though he does still harbor a bit of anger with him. He has progressed through his classes faster than I thought possible."

Yoda nodded. "Believe do you, that he is the Chosen One?"

Obi-Wan tried not to sigh. "At first, I thought him just another Force-sensitive boy that Qui-Gon had drug into my life. But as I got to know him, I see that he is much more than the mere Force-sensitive child I thought he was. The Force doesn't run through his veins, it fills them. He uses a part of the Force that is very difficult to use as if it were just turning on a light."

"That is true. Yet you still have not answered Master Yoda's question, young Knight." Plo Koon said.

"To answer your question, Master, yes, I do believe that he is the one who will bring balance to the Force. But what the prophesy means by balance, I am not sure. Which side is in need of balance?"

"Answer your questions, we cannot." Yoda leaned forward slightly.

"With all due respect, Masters, I though I was summoned here to hear of a mission, not to discuss Anakin Skywalker." Obi-Wan fixed his blue gaze on Mace Windu.

Mace laced his fingers together and set his head on them. This one has spent too much time around Qui-Gon, he sent mentally to Yoda. I fear that he may have picked up more than a little of Qui-Gon's defiance. Then Mace felt the usual pang of guilt and sorrow that was associated with Qui-Gon. For weeks after his death, Mace had contemplated whether he could have somehow prevented Qui-Gon's death. But then he had concluded that it was the will of the Force, and couldn't have been changed.

"That you are here for, Obi-Wan." Yoda said, not outwardly acknowledging Mace's 'comment'. "But curious we were about your future Padawan."

"And I am sorry Master." Obi-Wan answered, bowing his head to Yoda.

Master, not Masters, Mace thought. So the boy is sorry for saying that to Yoda, but not to me. Not that I can blame him. Mace Windu, for some reason, had always been an obstacle to Obi-Wan. He was always so cold and critical, and had even tried to have Obi-Wan sent away when the boy was 12, leaving Yoda to defend him.

"Hmm." Yoda huffed. "Accepted, is your apology. And your first mission, we have for you."

"A team of Jedi have disappeared on the Outer Rim. They were sent to Tatooine to follow a suspected terrorist, but they had not made contact for over three weeks. Until yesterday." Plo Koon reached down and turned on a small holorecorder.

The foot-tall image of a young woman appeared close to Obi-Wan. She was very pretty, but her hair and clothes looked worse for wear. She also had a look of panic on her face. "Master Yoda," she began in a melodious voice. "My Master is dead. He was killed by thugs in Mos Eisley. They had a ylasmiri with them, so they were not regular thugs. I believe that our cover was blown somehow, and that I am the next target. I need help, Master. I have no ship and I fear that they are closing in on me. I am staying with a slave woman in the city of Mos Espa, but I fear that it may get her in trouble if I stay. Please send someone right away." The holo blinked and shut off.

Obi-Wan stared at the spot where the woman's image had been for a few seconds before turning back to the Council members. "You will have me go in and rescue her?"

Yoda nodded. "And retrieve the Master's body, if possible."

Obi-Wan looked down at the floor for a moment. Mace Windu could feel his inner turmoil. The mission hit too close to home for the Knight. Mace was beginning to wonder why Yoda had chosen Obi-Wan for this mission when there were more experienced Jedi at the Temple, Jedi who hadn't just lost their own Masters. One of them would more than suffice. But to send an inexperienced Knight to a rouge planet to save a Padawan? Mace shook his head. He didn't know what to think.

"Can you do it?" Plo Koon asked.

Obi-Wan's head snapped up, and Mace saw the familiar defiance of Qui-Gon in the man's eyes. "Yes. I can do it."

Yoda nodded. "Good, good. Go you will. Today."

"Uh, Master Yoda?" Obi-Wan ventured.

"Yes?"

"You never did tell me the Padawan's name or the Master's name? How am I supposed to find her if I don't know her name?"

Yoda chuckled. "Good again, young Obi-Wan! See, thinking like a Knight already, you are."

Obi-Wan frowned. It wasn't thinking like a Knight that made him ask; it was common sense.

"The girl's name is Kyra Banks. The Master's name was Yusuu Comachi." Mace said.

Obi-Wan nodded. "Thank you. You give me no other instructions?"

"We leave it up to you to decide what to do. We cannot decide because we don't know what is happening. We trust your judgement." Plo Koon bowed his head, the signal that he was finished talking to the young Jedi. The other Masters soon followed suit. Obi-Wan bowed and stepped out of the room, the door hissing shut behind him.

Mace turned to Yoda. "Why are you sending him? The very situation of the lost Master could impare his judgement."

Yoda shook his head. "Trust him, I do. Experienced the same thing as Kyra, he has. So understand her feelings, he will."

"It will also help him understand that there are others who go through the same thing." Plo Koon added.

Mace frowned. "But there are risks. He could become enraged that another Master could be murdered, and could seek revenge in his own way."

"Hmm. Vent his anger and grief on the killers of Yusuu, you mean?"

"Something like that, I fear."

Yoda nodded. "A test, this is. He has proven that he can fight, now he must prove if he can cope with a loss."