Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. All recognizable characters belong to George Lucas, Dave Wolverton and Jude Watson.

/This and horizontal ruler indicates point of view switch/

Chapter 1

Blue light shone off the incandescent blade, glowing menacingly in the dark light of the building walls. I cowered when the red beam flew toward me, but my protector deflected them easily with a crushing sound from his saber. As my guardian stood over me, I stole a glance at our attempted killer, as several more shots were fired out of the blaster. The deadly beams were aimed at the both of us now, approaching us with alarming speed. With a flip of his wrist his lightsaber spun in his hands quickly, sending all blasts back to the attacker, who, I sensed was growing desperate and angered at her failed attempts. A slave to her emotions, the assassin leaped for my protector, a furry of red blastsrapidly following suit. The blue lightsaber swung madly in my guardians' hands, discarding them all, but the hunter pulled the deadly weapon from her belt.

With a flash of red-violet light, she hit the boy's shoulder, as he cried out in pain; myprotector was dislodged for only a matter of seconds, and that was all sheneeded to take the upper hand. The assassin swiftly kicked the lightsaber out of the young padawan's hands, and took him to the floor in one move. My breathing was shaken and my vision blurred, as I tried to find my lightsaber. I had to help him; I couldn't lay crumpled on the floor and watch his death.

As I rose hastily to save him, I felt the searing pain ran through my body, focused directly on the fresh wounds I bared from only minutes before.My hands flew to my stomach area, and my scream of pain echoed into the halls of that terrible hospital.

I fell to my knees; they had failed to hold my weight. I heard the sickening snap of something, a screech of pure agony, and a merciless laugh in a series. I had the dark thought of knowing that our assassin had harmed my protector in some great way.

Tears streamed down my face, hearing her slow and sinister walk over to my injured form. But I had a quiet satisfaction that I had drawn her away from my guardian, I would rather sacrifice myself then go on living with the thought of him dead by her hands. Even if this was all his fault. Even if he was the reason we were in this situation. The moments I had spent with him where too precious to me to not care for him as much as I did. At these thoughts, my breathing grew somewhat steady, controlling the fear in my body as my killer approached.

Cruel hands gripped my shoulders, forcing me to sit up and look into the hunter's eyes. I forced up all my feelings and attempted at my only defense left, looking defiant and strong as I glared into her eyes. My eyes must have displayed the fear underneath the weak defiance, as the bounty hunter's callous laugh tortured my mind.

"Sorry girly," Ona Nobis said in a velvet merciless voice, shaking her head in mock care, "you could have been a nice little experiment, what a shame to waste you."

She pulled her blaster out of herholster, and pointed it to my chest. I overcame my fear within seconds, as my gaze slid past her to the unconscious body sprawled in pain behind her. Quickly, I took action. Focusing all my energy on his lightsaber, I called it to my hand, ignited it with a swift click of my thumb, and swiped the saber across her side. She screeched, releasing her hold on her gun and stumbling away from me. I rose from the ground, one hand keeping pressure on my wound the other holding the blue saber. She snapped her head to me, her eyes livid as she reached for the deadly weapon. I took my course of action as I ran up to her; she swung the light-whip toward me. I jumped, and blue struck red with a whiningnoise. With her weapon held under mine I kicked her to the edge of the building. I saw her eyes grow fearful as she fell to her death.

I panted, my breathing harmonizing the soft steady hum of his lightsaber. I began to rest, thinking all the danger had passed.

Out of nowhere, a flash of red light caught my eyes as I saw the whip grasp a hold something above my head, and she was dangling from the hospital building. Ona Nobis was trying to swing onto the roof, the look of a hunter thirsting for blood in her eyes.

Again, I acted quickly. I raised his lightsaber and jumped up as high as I could manage, striking the blue against red-violet.The glowing whip became weak at my powerful strike, and with one final stroke, I cut the light-whip in half, sending Ona Nobis falling to her death.

I threw the lightsaber to the side. The word was spinning, and the floor was pulledout from under me. I soon found myself on the floor, with my head aching. Everything was blurred from then on but I remember seeing him, over me, trying to stop the bleeding from my wound as he spoke to me quiet words of reassurance.

"This is all your fault." I said, with what smile I could play on my face. I saw the outline of my guardian's face turn to mine; a chuckle escaped his lips accompanied with a sad smile. He placed his hand on my head, and I could only see his beautiful eyes, which were sparkled with tears that would not fall with me watching.

"Sleep." He said, the force command was strong, and I closed my eyes in wait, closing myself off from my surroundings, my pain and wavering emotions, slipping into deep meditation. The only thing I remember was the glow of an unimaginably beautiful blue light, and a feeling of calm swept over me, as I knew I was safe, and released my consciousness to the Force.

My eyes fluttered open, lifting my heavy lids up and looked around. I was in a tank, thick liquid surrounded me, allowing my body to float and suck in the healing energy from the Bacta tank. Breathing calmly and controlled, I scanned the room beyond the tank, searching for any familiar sights. What I saw was the Healers room in the Jedi Temple. I released myself from all feelings of fear and let myself be rejuvenated with feelings of peace and security.

The healers had obviously not realized I was awake yet, and I scanned the room again, and soon became conscious to the fact that no healers were in the room to take me out of the tank. Unconcerned, I looked too my own injuries. The rather large seared gash from the light-whip still was healing, but no longer bleeding. I took a gentle finger and traced over the still-healing wound knowing that it would forever remain a scar. The wound stretched from beneath my navel and dragged upward to just below my ribs.

I slowly started to collect my thoughts and memories, replaying our entire 'rescue mission' to Sorrus. He convinced me to stay, against the Council's orders, to rescue Astri. He was sith-bent on finding Astri whatever the coast. Unwilling to leave him alone, I stayed with him, helping his fight off our attacker. Then the bounty hunter slashed me…I fell to the floor…and he came to my rescue.

Obi-Wan Kenobi. My Guardian. The boy who saved my life. The boy who held the responsibility for this suicide mission that should never have even taken place. Kenobi.

An overwhelming emotion flooded my senses as I remembered Obi-Wan standing over me; the emotion was pure, and strong. Uncertain of this emotion's intentions, I quickly pushed it away, to the back of my mind to meditate on later.

As that thought crossed my mind, I noted how I was still in the tank and there were still no healers there to assist me. Confused, I calmed my growing worry and decided to take things into my own hands. I closed my eyes, and focused on the force bond I shared with my master. I opened successfully opened it, and searched out my master with the force. Our bond was stronger than the training bond, but yet weaker to the bond that so few shared together. My Master could hear my thoughts, but we couldn't always register what the other was saying, so we had learned to translate emotions into words, 'until we strengthen our bond enough to hear one another's thoughts' my Master had said.

Reaching out to her, I let the emotion of my waking and the feelings of my surroundings into the bond. I sensed her receiving of the emotion-message, and sent to me the emotions of hurrying and security. I translated that into, 'I'm coming now with healers.'

I did not have to wait long. I saw, through the distorted view of the tank, my master gliding very so gracefully into the room and into a seat. Followed closely behind were two healers. Following after the healers where three others, who I realized to be Master Qui-Gon Jinn, Master Windu, and Kenobi.

I grew confused as looks of worry crossed all their faces. All but my Master. She was always good at hiding her true emotions, keeping her mind always clear and calm, free of distractions. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why she was so successful as a member of the Jedi Council. With their emotions betrayed on their faces, I began to wonder if the worry was entirely for me. But I sensed there was something elsewhere that bothered the four, something elusive.

Once out of the Bacta Tank, I became aware that I had on little clothing, only medical swabs of white fabric covering myself. I grew very uncomfortable at this fact, and I was very sure my Master could read my thoughts, for I felt the sensation through the bond that she was greatly amused and trying not to laugh.

The healer handed me the traditional Jedi tunic, I frowned slightly. I never had liked the clothes we had to wear at the temple, I much rather preferred civilian clothes. I always received a disapproving glance from my master when I wore them around the temple. But other apprentices had taken to my trend, occasionally wearing civilian clothes.

I got dressed rapidly behind the protective barrier blocking the visitors and the patients, thinking about how Kenobi must've seen me in such a state. I was surprised when a rush of blood warmed my cheeks, in innocent embarrassment. I immediately discarded that feeling, a bit alarmed at such an emotion.

Sure, I had spend hours on end with him in the center of the planet Kegan's corrupt learning center, but I was only looking for a friendship with the older padawan. We had gained a new perspective of each other, that was true, but I never expected to feel any feeling so…strong for him afterward. I thought of the time we spent trapped together in Kegan. Those were the very few moments that I had ever opened up to another on an emotional level, But then again, I thought I would die and so did he. So what did it matter? We were friends. I convinced myself strictly as a pulled my cloak over me.

I stepped out of the patient's ward and into the visitor's lounge, releasing all emotion to the force, and concealing them from my master. As I stood before my visitors I took in their stressed stances and worry-lined faces. I cast a short questioning glance at my master and she gave me a look to suggest all would be explained later.

The healer trailing behind me approached the Jedi and told them of my physical status. I automatically tuned her out; think that I already know the status of my own body. Instead, I drank in the sights before me.

Master stood tall, in equal comparison to Master Windu; she was one of the tallest women in the Jedi order. She was a beautiful woman, with dark skin and solid blue eyes. Her dark hair was always held into an elaborate head dress, and her presence was as commanding as that of a Queen. I admired her so much, just as any apprentice should admire their master, but perhaps I admired her more so. She was unbelievably strong, physically and emotionally. No matter what situation was at hand she always remained calm…or so it would appear. It was very well known trait of hers, which she never let her emotions rule her, but I had discovered how simple it was to hide your face from betraying your true emotion. Master had taught me her trick, and I soon learned how it wasn't as simple as it seemed. To conceal you emotion from other Jedi was difficult, it took a lot of control and a long while, but Master said that I was almost close to effectively mastering the skill. It was also said among the Jedi order that master had passed some other of her rather illustrious skills down to me; such as her swift skills with a lightsaber, her cleverness and her ability to always think on her feet.

Standing next to Master was Qui-Gon Jinn. I looked at his wise features with curiosity. Master had always said that she owed this man her life, they were dear friends and I couldn't help but wonder how these opposites attracted such a strong bond on friendship. Master Jinn had a strict sort of air around him; his brown eyes were constantly guarded. I couldn't say I didn't like the man, but his nature had always seemed a bit heartless to me. He never struck me as the nice type, but in respect to him, I didn't know him well, and I heard from another apprentice that Mater Jinn never expressed any sort of emotion whatsoever. Maybe that was why his first apprentice abandoned the order. The thought made me feel sympathy to his second apprentice.

I flicked my gaze over to Kenobi. The seventeen year olds thoughts were elsewhere.The older padawan's eye browswrinkled together in a confused manner, I could tell he was trying to sort something out. I took notice to his eyes, those beautiful sea-gray eyes that could melt any heart. They were so changeable so...entrancing, I dared not look away from under my lashes. Emotions raced past his eyes, I could tell he was struggling to control them. Fear, guilt, pain, disappointment, and confusion ripped him from the inside out. I could feel the older apprentice fighting to release them into the force.

His eyes unexpectedly leapt to mine, surprise clear in his eyes when he saw me staring back. Within a second his face had gone blank, and no emotion strayed on his face as he locked his eyes with mine. As much as I wanted to look away I couldn't, he, with some power over me, held my eyes with his. For a brief moment I felt as if he could see through my clever mask, and read my true emotions. Shocked, I regained control of myself and looked away from him, a sudden defiance coursing through my veins. When I came to my senses, I realized the room was tense and unbearably quiet.

I froze, and slowly turned my head to the Masters I had lost track of. The three were shifting their eyes from me to Kenobi, waiting for one of us to say something. Their conversation with the Healer was over, in fact, I noted the Healer wasn't even in the room anymore. I wondered how long they had been watching us two Padawans staring into each other's eyes, if they had felt the struggles of emotions through the force…

I wiped my mind of the thoughts, and respectfully boweda deep and shameful bow.

"I am sorry Masters." I was surprised to hear his smooth melodic voice match mine, as we apologized in perfect unison. That annoyed me.

The Masters seemed taken aback our unison action. Whatever Master was feeling toward me she held back behind her mask, but I was sure I was to hear of it later, in a more private area.

Master Windu led the way out of the healer's ward, with Kenobi and Master Jinn steps behind him. Master and I fell into step with one another, and followed suit behind them.

Immediately I knew where we were marching to. Kenobi found out as well, for I saw him tense all his muscles and look to his master for comfort. The master gave no such mercy, and I felt as if I should reach to my friend and help him in some way…I took a deep breath, clearing my mind. I felt all my muscles tensing up involuntarily, preparing myself for whatever harsh punishment awaited us as we were escorted into the Jedi Council chambers.

/Obi-Wan Kenobi/

"No explanation of your actions have you?" Master Yoda spoke to us, a bit of light disapproval seeping into his voice. At this, I felt a stab of disappointment for myself, I winced inwardly at his words but kept my face blank. My head was hung low, looking at Master Yoda's alien feet, thinking about how much of a complete idiot I was.

"If so eager were you to stay on Sorrus you were, why not tell us of your adventure huumm?" I hung my head lower at his words, feeling more and more ashamed at each question. How could I do this? I had not realized just how much I would sacrifice for the mission I took into my own hands. I had put the council's trust on the line, and at worse, my Masters respect and trust in me on the line, and what was totally unforgiveable, I had put Siri's life on the line.

She was right, it was a suicide mission from the start.

I remembered when she looked up at me and tried to joke before I put her to sleep. There was no joke in it now.

It was my fault.

The possibilities ran through my head, my mind picked out the worst thought of them all; I would be expelled, along with Siri, all because she was following the orders of an older Padawan. She had nothing to do with it, I made her stay.

"Master Yoda, I have full responsibility for what was done, I made Her stay with me Master. Whatever punishment you have, I ask you spare her of it." I said, my voice soft and shameful as I looked Master Yoda steadily in the eyes.

I stole a fleeting look at Her, who had remained oddly silent, which was usually against her character. Her golden hair was still somewhat wet from the Bacta Tank, pulled back into a tight ponytail from which lone strait locks had already escaped from. Her sun-kissed skin was a light brown color, due to the hours on end we spent under the Sorrusian suns.

After my words, I saw her eyes flicker to me under her blonde lashes, annoyance spreading through their emerald cores. Before anyone else could read the emotion in her eyes, she swiftly blinked and rid her eyes of the annoyance, now hidden under her mask. I had to smirk in spite of catching such a rare moment as that. She was good at it, but I could see beyond that. I knew Her too well to be fooled by her trick.

"Master Yoda, I chose to stay."

I shook my head, I sensed she would not stay silent after his statement.

"I could have left Kenobi on Sorrus, and followed your exact orders, but I decided myself to stay and help him rescue Master Astri and defeat the Ona Nobis. I deserve as much punishment as he."

"Speak out of humility do you?" Master Yoda said with an edge of sarcasm.

"Padawan Tachi," Maser Windu's voice rang clear, "What do you have to say for your actions?"

She blinked slowly at the question, and answered, "Master, our actions were against the Council and brought danger to not only ourselves, but to the mission as a whole. We disobeyed a direct order, from both our masters and from you. Together, we should be rightfully punished for our actions."

I closed my eyes, and extracted a stressed breath, sure that she had just doomed us.

"But I must respectfully ask the Council to not just perceive those facts. Kenobi and I also succeeded in completing the mission, rescuing a Jedi Master, and destroying a bounty hunter who captured Jedi for experiments. I will say that, we only had the right intentions in mind when we decided to go through with this. I do not mean to say that our actions should go without penalty, but I do wish for the Council to weigh out the actual damage done, to what we, as a team, managed to accomplish."

I was speechless. Not a tone in her voice suggested that she was meaning any disrespect, but I feared the words she chose to defend us might actually turn against us.

"Speak older than your age, you do Padawan." Master Yoda said thoughtfully.

I suppressed a small smile at the Master's words. The fifteen year old did have a tendency of commanding the presence of a master. She even looked like she was older than she actually was. Master Windu's eyes bored into hers, and she being so bold, stared directly back into his.

"There will be a punishment for your actions, the council will decide that later. What you are here for now is to report. Tell us what happened from after you received our order." Master Windu spoke with a stern tone.

I took my cue.

"After we got your orders, we both decided that we could not just leave Master Astri on the planet, so we agreed to stay. We snuck into the hospital ground to try and sneak Master Astri out, but we were discovered by the Jedi Bounty Hunter Ona Nobis. I tried to get Master Astri out, while Siri took up arms against the bounty hunter…"

She took her cue.

"…She pulled out her light-whip weapon. It was like a lightsaber, but weaker and is designed to sear flesh. I defended my self for as long as I could until the whip wrapped around my lightsaber, and she flew it off the building cliff. From then…" her hands wrapped painfully around her stomach reliving the agony of the wound. Her brilliant green eyes turned to me, as she continued, "I don't remember much after she whipped me."

I carried on the story from there, telling the council about Siri's quick action, and me telling her to sleep, skipping over the part when she spoke to me. I told them how after I turned her to a deep meditation; I focused all my energy trying to heal her wound.

ApparentlyShe had not heard that part of the story yet, when I was explaining her head shot up to me, eyes wide with an emotion I couldn't quite read. She stood staring at me as I recounted the memories of connecting with her body in meditation, slowly helping the blood to clot properly so the bleeding could stop. And when I was finished I had stopped most of the bleeding, activated my homing device and fell unconscious beside her.

The council exchanged astonished glances with one another whispering lightly as they saw I was telling truth. I did not find the problem a big deal; the youngest of apprentices learn how to heal in some way.

"Huumm. Very well. Outside you must go young Padawans, wait there, while we discuss the weight of your actions and punishment." Master Yoda's wise voice rang through the whispers of the Jedi.

I bowed low, feelings still bombarding me with waves of guilt, shame and disappointment aimed at myself.

We stepped away from the council, silently making our way out. When the doors were shut securely behind us, she turned towards me, her brilliant eyes frosty.

"What were you thinking?" She exclaimed, looking at me with defiance and frustration that shone in her emeralds.

"I was trying to save you from bleeding to death! What did you expect me to do?" I shot back.

"Jedi have died from doing that Kenobi! You could have been one of them! I mean...you just…" she glared at me the unreadable expression tight in her eyes, "you're mad." She finished.

I grinned widely at her just to lighten up the mood. She let out a defeating breath, and walked over to the window, her eyes tracing the purple-orange sky of dusk.

I couldn't help but watch the younger apprentice. Her already attractive features seemed enhanced in the light that shone onto her. Her expression was careful, as if she were carefully thinking about a confusing matter. I smiled as her teeth grasped her lower lip in the most adorable way, and I was unable to break the stare.

An unknown feeling crept over me as I watched her. A deep sensation stirred in my body, rushing past my cheeks,and pulsing though my veins. I could feel my eyes soften and all my concentration turned to her, a grand smile tugged at my lips, and my fingers began playing with my cloak, as if I was nervous. Uncertain of what the sensation was, I cleared it off my expression before she could catch a glimpse of my weakness.

It grew silent in the hall, and I had to wonder what she was really thinking in that amazing mind of hers. I walked up next to her subtly, not wanting to disrupt her thoughts with any sudden movements. I stood beside her at the window, studying the sky. I managed to steal a glimpse of her expression through my peripheral view, tying had to read her face for any plain emotion. There was nothing I could read. Slightly frustrated with her damned ability, I reached out to her instead with the force to try and see what feelings she may have leaked out. Again, I failed at the attempt.

Ever sense I first met her, Siri had trouble with actually connecting with others through the force. There was this wall in her conscious, serving as a barrier between her inner emotions and thoughts and her outer exterior thoughts and emotions.She was guarding herself from something, or possibly everyone she interacts with. It was as if she trusted no one with her true self, letting no one inside her protected mind. I sensed that she had been shutting out others for so long, it had become a mere instinct and now she was unconscious to the barrier she had steadily built over the years.

I knew I could break down her barrier. I had somewhat devoted myself to slowly working on somehow forcing my way through, making a holein her defense, just to peak inside. I had done it before, on that mission when we were sent to Kegan, forced by the council and our masters to work together. During the countless hours we were trapped in the corrupt learning center, I had managed to somehow reach out to her on some level, for she had exposed her feelings to me, letting me discover a new, rarely seen side of her. No matter how much she tried to hide it, I knew there was a more sensitive, more caring side to her than the independent, beautiful girl everyone had come to know her as. I was convinced 

that if I could reach to her completely, we would have one of the best friendships there could possibly be.

"Thank you Obi-Wan." the milky honey texture of her voice amazed me.

I smiled widely at her words, drinking in this moment. She had called me by my first name.

"Your welcome, Siri."

Her pair of jade diamond eyes turned and locked into mine.

The doors opened with a soft hiss behind us, thought I knew Master was waiting for me there, I could not take my eyes from hers.

"You may enter, padawans." Said my Master in an even tone. I could sense through the bond, he felt a twinge of suspicion, almost weary of something.

I did not look at him, still looking deeply in her eyes when I responded to him.

"Yes Master. We are coming."

She was the first one to break glance when she pivoted abruptly around, and swiftly glided into the Council Chambers. I followed suit behind her, keeping my eyes low, afraid to see the disapproval of my Master.

We took our positions, standing in the middle of all the stern stares. I flinched on the inside, passing all the masters who watched us with a certain coldness imprinted to their glares. I kept my head low, but Siri being who she was, boldly lifted her head and met Master Windu's stare.

"The Council has agreed," Master Windu began, "that the pair of you shall be required to extra mediations, and you two are not allowed to be let out of the Temple and banned from any missions for the duration of four week cycles."

My jaw clenched. The punishment was harsh, but we did deify the Council directly, no oneever does that. And we were the first apprentices in a long time to decide against their orders and do whatever we felt was right.

They had great trust in us, letting us go on a mission by ourselves, without even our master's company, and we had ripped it from them. We were now back to square one.

I peeked attentively at Siri. Her mask was over her face, and her barrier up to maximum. The only way I could read her feeling was the thin, compressed line of her lips. From that single action, I could tell she was fuming.

"Much to learn, you still have." Said master Yoda, no doubt sensing my distress and her resentment, "need to center your thoughts, the two of you do. Extra meditation that will help."

"Yes Master." I said, my voice stronger than I thought it would be.

"Yes Master." She repeated, murmuring slightly.

Master Windu nodded as our Masters walked to us, "Council is adjourned."

We were escorted out by our Masters out of the Chamber, and into the hall. When we entered the main Hall, we each took a different set of stairs on opposite ends of the room. I knew that we were going to our quarters, where I would surely get and earful from my master.

I kept my eyes low the entire way there, partly because I did not want to look at my Master, I was ashamed too much. Another reason was because I was thinking about the long day ahead of me tomorrow, trapped in the Temple with no missions for a month strait. I found myself thinking about how I would be spending all that time with Siri Tachi.