A/N: Welp...here we are again. Another Star Wars fanfic. I promise, I will update my other stories...It's just that this is the only inspiration I've got right now. So I'm running with it. :) This is another story featuring my OC...but I think I've realized that my plots and everything aren't as good unless she's in them. I've also realized that she cannot stop visiting Corellia. Every single story has her doing something in Corellia so far. It's her home planet, but still... ;) I need to think of another planet to send her to. ;)

-This story's inspiration comes from the story "Ten Carefree Days" (I can't remember the author.)

-This story is set pre-TPM; Obi-wan is 15, which makes Alana 12. She was chosen when she was 11.

-WARNING: RATED T FOR BRIEF GRAPHIC DESCRIPTIONS OF DEAD THINGS. DON'T LIKE/CAN'T STOMACH, DON'T READ! (At least not at night.)

-Disclaimer: I own Alana and Ke-win, the rest belongs to George Lucas and Lucasarts.

Without further ado, please enjoy!

Obi-wan had only placed one foot inside the Jedi Temple when he felt it. He had just finished a simple diplomatic mission with Qui-gon, and upon their return they had stopped at Dex's diner. He was in a terrific mood.

However, he sensed one of his friends might not be. "Master..." he began, "I've got a bad feeling. Not personally, but..."

"I sense it too. Is it one of your friends?" Obi-wan examined his bonds with each of his best friends for a moment. Garen, Bant, and Reeft all seemed to be fine. Alana was not. She seemed to be feeling an extreme amount of shock and horror. Obi-wan nodded. Qui-gon put a hand on his shoulder. "Go to her." he said simply. "She needs a friend. I'll handle the meeting with the Council." Obi-wan nodded, and started off.

It took him almost half an hour to find Alana. She had taken refuge in the Temple Gardens, in a very private spot. Alana loved that spot because she could feel the warmth of the artificial sun, and it was quiet enough that she could only hear her own thoughts. It helped her center herself when she needed it the most. He found her leaning against a large tree, trying to meditate. Trying being the key word.

"Hey, Alana. What's going on?" Obi-wan asked softly. He was trying not to spook her, even though he knew she had already sensed that he was there. He gingerly sat down next to her and waited. A couple of minutes passed before she raised her head. Her face was blotchy, and her eyes were red from crying. Her hands were shaking badly, and even when she clasped them together under her robe Obi-wan could still see them vibrating. Obi-wan gently snuck his arm around her shoulder. "What happened, Alana?" he asked quietly. Before she could force herself to answer (or before Obi-wan could force her to), another Padawan dropped out of a tree near them. Obi-wan's heart sank. It was Bruck Chun.

"Obi and Alana, sitting by a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" he crowed, vaulting towards them. Obi-wan glared at him. "Grow up and bother someone else, Bruck." Bruck cackled back at him.

"Oh-this is rich! You know what Alana did, and yet you're still willing to be seen with her!"

"What are you talking about, Bruck?"

"Oh, this is even better-you don't know! Well, I'd say dump her while you can, but-" Both boys felt the surge in the Force from Alana as she stuck out a hand, and Bruck went flying. Obi-wan immediately turned to remind her that that (unfortunately) was not how a Jedi solved their problems, but his words died on his tongue when he saw her face. She was full-out crying now, and her face had become even more blotchy. She also, he noticed, was reliving something in her mind-something that seemed to ooze dark, danger, death, and decay. As soon as she felt Obi-wan looking towards her, she began to hastily construct her mental shields. They slammed up right as he started to look again. However, since she constructed them so quickly, they were extremely flimsy and filled with holes. Alana tried to repel her friend, but he simply stopped for a moment. Then, she felt him slowly reaching out towards her mind again. When he reached her mental blocks, she tried to block him, but he merely waited until she had expended most of her energy. Then, he gently pushed past her mental blocks. She let him.

Darkness. The Iearians all crying. Alana crept through the corridors of the compound, which were about as happy and cheery as a crypt. She pushed open a door to reveal...

A great flash of light and searing pain. All the Iearians who were crying-no more. Ash. Bodies falling out of the doorway, their glassy eyes unseeing and their cold flesh decomposing. A mountain of never-ending corpses, continuing on until-

At this, Obi-wan stopped, and withdrew. By this point, Alana had begun to shake incredibly hard, and Obi-wan could feel her panic. He pulled her in close, until her head was resting on his shoulder. They sat like that for a while, how long exactly Obi-wan would never know. He simply sat there, holding his friend and rubbing soothing circles on her back as she cried. When her tears finally slowed down, Obi-wan looked down at her. "What happened, Alana?" His friend shook her head, but Obi-wan was persistent. "Alana-I want to know what happened, from your perspective. From what Bruck said, there are many rumors floating around the Temple as to what happened. You are the only one who knows exactly what happened, and so I want to hear it from you." He could feel her debating over whether or not to tell him, and so sat quietly and waited, not wanting to rush her or panic her even more. He was the unofficial diplomat of their group of friends for this very reason-he understood how to get people to tell him what he wanted to know. Finally, he felt his friend shudder gently, before grabbing his hand. "We...were on the planet of Ieria. Master Tejra and I were there to make sure of a peaceful transfer of power between the ruling class and the….rebel forces. While we were there, there was a ...threat of violence. There were multiple small...events that occurred in the days before, but nothing we couldn't handle. But that day...the day before the new Prime Minister took power, there were thousands of Ierians who were taken captive overnight...right from their beds. My Master and I tracked them down to an old, abandoned compound on the outskirts of the smallest city. We split up to search more ground, and...I found them first. They were all in a room together...men, women, and children. Master Tejra was approaching, and told me not to open the door, but….I didn't listen. I didn't know...I had no idea…" Here she faltered, and it was only Obi-wan's gentle encouragement that allowed her to go keep going. "What I didn't know-and that Master Tejra had already sensed-was that there was….a bomb...attached to the door, and that when it opened, it would go off. Master Tejra managed to pull me out of the way before I got too hurt, but…...none of those Ierians made it out. Because of a stupid Padawan who didn't listen to her Master...they all died. It's all my fault." At this, she broke down crying again. Now Obi-wan knew what Bruck meant...and he wanted to smack him in the face even more. He refrained, though, in order to comfort his friend. "Alana...it's not your fault." He saw her start to contradict him, and immediately shook his head. "No, listen to me. It is not your fault. You made a mistake, yes, but that does not mean that it is your fault. You are young, Alana. You will make many mistakes in the future. I have, Reeft has, Bant has...even Garen has, and we both know how he wouldn't admit to that even if you paid him." At that, Alana grinned-but only a little

"But I didn't listen to Master Tejra, and because of that, thousands of innocent people are dead."

"You didn't listen to your Master, and that was wrong. But that is not what killed them. It was the bomb, Alana-not you. Sometimes, bad things happen, and the missions may not end the way we want them to. But we have to struggle through and use the consequences to improve ourselves and make sure that the same thing doesn't happen again." It took a second, but Alana slowly nodded against his chest. "I….I think I understand." she said. Obi-wan grinned. "Good," he said, "because Bant brought back some of that candy we all love from Naboo, and I don't think we want Reeft to eat it all himself." Alana laughed, and allowed Obi-wan to pull her to her feet. "Race you there!" she called, and sped off towards Bant's apartment, Obi-wan fast on her heels.

She wasn't completely healed. Not by a long shot. But it was a start.

So, this also took on a life of its own….I had a sudden inspiration a few days ago, and this is what my brain spat out. I hope you all enjoy it! Please R&R!

God bless!

1monster2