Chapter 1
As I watch the world around me fall

(14 years later)

 "The episodes have become more frequent lately and after they pass she's even more withdrawn then before." Master Bodil said as he sat in a doctor's office. For the past few months he had been making frequent visits to this place.  Ever since the Jedi Healers said that could not do anything for his Padawan and the mysterious blackouts (for lack of a better term) she was suffering from, the Jedi Master had sought out alternative care but he still got the same sad looks and apologies.

"I'm sorry Master Bodil but we have done all we possible can. We have done hundreds of test and I have personally talked to some of the best in the medical profession and as far as we can tell there is nothing physically wrong with her." Doctor Lekis tired to explain with as much compassion she could muster. Master Bodil rubbed his forehead. He had heard this same reply before from many other doctors and quiet frankly he was starting to believe that medical personnel were given scripts on what to say in such a situation. Doctor Lekis saw the Jedi's frustration and felt something needed to be said, "Master Bodil you must understand my position—" Master looked up at her his eyes blazing.

"No! You must understand MY position. You are asking my to go and tell my Padawan that once again that the modern miracles of the medical field have failed." At that last statement Master Bodil stood from his chair and excused himself from the room. 

Master Bodil walked out into the waiting room where his Padawan 17-year-old Kelilah Vali was. He stopped in the doorway and just stared at her for a moment. If he looked hard enough he could still see the energetic little 5-year-old that he would have to chase down the halls every now and then. Kelilah used to be so open when she was younger, so eager to make friends with everyone around her.

But that all changed when she began to suffer from this mysterious illness. They came on quickly and then passed just as fast, leaving no evidence of anything happing except that Kelilah would be come very quiet and depressed. Whenever Master Bodil questioned her about it. She would try to change the subject or say she had class work to finish up or any other number of excuses.

But his padawan deliberately hiding something from him wasn't the worst part. The worst part was she never smiled anymore.

"Master?" The sound of Kelilah's voice brought the Jedi back to the real world. "What did Doctor Lekis say?" She asked rising from her seat.

"The same." Master Bodil's heart ached as he saw the defeated look come over Kelilah's face. "Kel there are still other doctor's on other planets who—" Kelilah's soft voice cut him off.

"I'm tired Master." She said. "I'm tired of going to one doctor after another and hearing the same apologizes and the pitying looks. I don't want to do this anymore." She looked up him with a pleading look. Master Bodil could see unshed tears I her eyes.

"All right Kel." He said quietly. "All right lets go home." Just then Master Bodil's comlink went off. "Go wait in the speeder Kelilah. I'll be out in a second." Kelilah nodded and walked out of the waiting room. Master Bodil took out his comlink and activated it. "Bodil." He said into it.

"You Jedi think you are so invincible." A hard voice said on the other end of the transmission. "You have no idea what's in store for you." A low chuckle was then heard.

"Who is this?" instead of a reply the low chuckle continued and grew louder till it became a menacing laugh.

Master Bodil's eyes grew wide as a burning sensation began to fill his chest. He suddenly found it difficult to breath and was becoming light headed. Before he lost consciousness the Jedi sent a message to his padawan. //Kelilah! //

Smoke bellowed out of the large opening in the ceiling of the Jedi Temple Memorial Hall. Around the circular room, lined with tall windows that let the light of Coruscant into the dimly lit space, stood hundreds of Jedi paying their last respects to Master Anton Bodil.

Among those present were the members of Jedi council, those who had gone through temple training with the fallen Jedi and others whom master Bodil had touched in someway, one of those Jedi being Master Qui-Gon who stood somberly with his Padawan 17-year-old Obi-Wan Kenobi by his side.

Obi-Wan glanced over at Kelilah. He had only met her once about two years ago. She was his age with black hair that fell to her shoulder and the most vivid green eyes he had ever seen. She had been very quiet, he could not remember her speaking more then three words and wasn't very sociable, having few friends if any since she mostly kept to herself. Most of the other Padawans thought her to be a snob. Other then that he didn't know too much about her except through reputation. From what he heard she was extremely smart, brilliant in fact. She was in all the top classes and way ahead of the normal grade level for a person her age.


She must have sensed him staring at her because her eyes rose to meet his. He quickly diverted his gaze back to the funeral pyre. He felt a chill run threw him. Her gaze was so intense. It was like she was looking into you instead of at you. Like she was looking into your very soul.

As the last of the fires died down, the Jedi began to leave the hall. Docent Cheevy entered the hall having some trouble getting past the throng of Jedi that were exiting. She finally made it over to Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan. The Docent bowed respectfully.

"Mast Jinn you have a visitor." The docent informed him. Qui-Gon nodded and followed her out of the memorial hall.

Outside in the hall Senator Basilio stood admiring the painting of past masters that were mounted on the wall. The senator turned as he heard someone approaching and smiled as he recognized his long time friend, Qui-Gon Jinn.

"It's good to see you old friend." Senator Basilio said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "I only wish this reunion could have been under better circumstances."

"Does something trouble you?" Qui-Gon asked as the two began to walk.

"Yes." Basilio confessed. "My daughter has gone missing. It's been a week now since I last heard from her." Qui-Gon remained silent for a moment.

"Have you not taken this to the security force?" Senator Basilio stopped walking and turned to face the Jedi master. He looked Qui-Gon straight in the eye.

"Qui-Gon, I'm asking you as a friend to help me. I fear the worst for her." Qui-Gon looked at his friend with compassion. He could understand the man's worry. The Jedi master had felt the same when his Padawan had been taken by a Sith lord over a year ago. The experience had caused him to almost lose Obi-Wan for good and not only because of the Sith.

Qui-Gon was about to agree to help the senator when he felt a disturbance in the force coming from the memorial Hall where he had left Obi-Wan and Kelilah.  

"Something wrong Qui-Gon?" Basilio asked. Qui-Gon didn't reply but only made off down the hall with Senator Basilio following from behind.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Obi-Wan had remained in the memorial hall after his master and the docent left. He looked over at Kelilah feeling the need to say something but not knowing exactly what. Qui-Gon was better at consoling people then he was. Finally he began to feel like a fool just standing there and walked over to the grieving padawan.

"I'm sorry for your lose Kelilah." The young woman turned when he spoke and looked him up and down. She turned back to the funeral pyre without saying a word. But Obi-Wan wasn't about to give up and decided to take another approach. " I heard it was coronary." Kelilah made a sound that was in the middle of a bitter laugh and grunt. Obi-Wan thought that reaction interesting. "You don't believe so?" Kelilah turned to him.

"I don't think the healers believe it was either." She said. There was another lapse of silence.

"Kelilah if you need anyone to talk—"

"Obi-Wan did you know that you and I were in the same lightsaber class together a few years back?" The question caught the young man off guard.

"Ah…no. Wait I thought you were in upper classes?"

"In academics yes but when it comes to the physical aspect I have the short end of the gimmer stick. But that's not the point. The point is all that time I was in that class you didn't acknowledge me once. Now you take an interest? I don't need your pity."

"Kelilah it's not pity." Obi-Wan began in his defense but Kelilah eyed him. "Okay maybe a little pity but—"

"No! Stop right there! I want to get one thing straight and I hope you pass this around. I don't want or need your help or anyone else's understood? My business it just that, mine." With that she turned and began to exit the memorial hall but then she stopped and turned. Obi-Wan could feel it too.

Abruptly the windows that encircled the room began to shatter one by one sending flying shards of glass everywhere. Obi-Wan ran over to Kelilah and pushed her to the ground and pressed his body over her to help prevent the shards from cutting her.

Obi-Wan chanced looking up as the shards of glass flew through the air. He saw a man dressed entirely in black, jump into the hall from the circular opening in the ceiling. As the man landed the shards fell to the ground.

Obi-Wan stood his hand on his lightsaber hilt ready to defend himself and Kelilah. The man drew his own lightsaber and charged the padawan. Obi-Wan brought up his lightening blue lightsaber to block the blow easily. Then he whirled to his left trying to draw the man away from Kelilah and to where he had more room to maneuver.

The man charged at Obi-Wan again. Whoever this guy is, Obi-Wan thought to himself, He has limited ability with the lightsaber. The young man easily ducked the blow that was aimed for his head and kicked his leg out, kicking the man's feet right out under him.

The man knew that he couldn't win this battle but he wasn't going to be captured. As a last ditch effort he raised his hand and force pushed Obi-Wan back several meters. Obi-Wan body slammed against the opposite wall and then slumped to the ground.

The man looked over at Kelilah and grinned menacingly. He took a step towards the young woman but stopped as Qui-Gon and Senator Basilio entered the memorial hall. The man retreated through the ceiling hole in which he entered the room.

Qui-Gon had seen the man make his escape and jumped through the ceiling hole after him but when he made it up there, the man was no where to be seen.