Chapter 4

Anakin drifted through a healing trance, shut off from the Dark Side, clinging to a word. He wasn't even sure, in his state of mind, what the word meant, but he knew that it was important. The word was "alive." He rolled it around in his mind looping it over itself, poking it, prodding it, examining it from every angle, trying to find out what was so very important about it.

Luke paced with uncharacteristic impatience. Every time he thought he might get some answers out of Master Yoda, he was called off. He thought about heading out after him, but the thought of getting lost in what had to be a gigantic structure within the largest city he had ever seen was daunting to say the least. Finding him with the Force, something that he would have thought impossible prior to his appearance in Yoda's meditation chamber, now seemed like it might work. He dropped into a meditative trance once again, but found that Master Yoda was heading in his direction. He felt relieved that he wasn't going to have to navigate the building to find his answers.

Master Yoda walked along the corridor for the fourth time that morning. One of the Jedi charged with ensuring that administrative items were all in order caught up with him. "Master Yoda, I am glad I caught you." He began.

"Unless to tell me that the Council is to be in session today are you here, to other things I must tend." Yoda said firmly.

"Of course Master, I understand. That is why I am here."

"Why the Council meets, do you know?"

"The Supreme Chancellor has requested an audience."

"Odd this is. There I shall be."

"Thank you, Master."

Master Yoda continued toward his meditation chamber, as the younger Jedi went off in another direction down a side hall. He entered his meditation chamber again, appraising Luke as he entered. "Patience you should learn, young Jedi." He said, settling down once again on his cushion. "Obi-Wan Kenobi, a student of mine, he was. Qui-Gon's Padawan, he is now. Traveled from the future I believe you have."

Stunned at this revelation, Luke sat back, letting out a breath. "What can we do now?" he asked mostly to himself.

"Wait." Master Yoda said.

"Wait? Wait for what?" Luke asked, his frustration starting to get the best of him.

"A Council meeting I have today, and precarious your father's health is. Go see him we should, and stay with him you will, until done with this I am."

"Good, you are here." Qui-Gon Jinn said as he entered the apartment that he shared with his Padawan.

"What is it Master?" Obi-Wan asked, looking up from his reading.

"We have been requested to see the Council, this afternoon."

"There's nothing going on that they would want us involved in is there? After what happened the last time that we went on a mission for them, I would think that they wouldn't want us anywhere out of their sight."

"They are not requesting our presence. Supreme Chancellor Valorum is."

"Oh, really. This is interesting. What could he want with us, I wonder?"

"Wonder indeed," Qui-Gon said heading off to another room to find formal attire for their meeting.