Here is chapter six. I do not own…(I would never guess) Star Wars.

The inspiration for this chapter came from Khalthar and his marvelous idea of what to do with Asajj Ventress. Thank you.

Asajj Ventress woke to the feeling of pain. Pain was nothing unusual to her; she had felt pain throughout her life, from physical to deep emotional pain. It still was annoying and hard to ignore. Pain was unusual in that way. She had suffered greater agonies, but all she could focus on was her incessant migraine. The events beforehand caught up to her and she stifled the urge to groan. I am in Jedi custody. She was under no delusions that she would receive fair treatment or be able to walk free. She had earned the ire of too many Jedi for that. Voices began to penetrate her semi conscious state. They were both in masculine in nature and seemed to be arguing.

"She is dangerous."

"But she deserves a chance. I do not know what grievances she has committed against you, but if my sister can find it in her heart to forgive my father despite the atrocities he committed against her, then I am sure you can do that too."

"Did your father murder all your friends and take pleasure in the cold blooded kill?"

She felt startled at the venom in his voice and struggled towards realm of consciousness. She had to know who was speaking. Curiosity burned through her like a stimulant.

"My father had many faults, but I doubt that she can even begin to compare to my father in her acts."

"Oh really. Your father may have been a Sith, but at least he cared for his family."

Sith? The word brought up so many emotions. There was so much longing and a deep sense of betrayal.

"Mace, do not presume you know my father because of the scant information I provided you. My sister forgave him," he paused and continued softly, "Ignorance is a curse. He tortured his own daughter and tore her from her home world in his service to the Sith. If my sister can find it in herself to forgive him, then you can extend the same courtesy to Ventress."

The voices were talking about her. They must be Jedi. I must escape. They are not to be trusted. Part of her wanted to go back to unconsciousness and forget her miseries. The darkness was safe and comforting. But she could not turn back and unwillingly she was being dragged toward the light.

The voice replied contemplatively, "You never confirmed or denied the assertions about where you are from. I do not want to know what happens in the future, but I feel as if I will know."

Footsteps faded away and she heard a door close. The remaining person whispered in a dejected voice, "You are too perceptive my friend. I would love to prevent such a nightmare, but if I can, is the real question." A grave silence fell and she struggled through her sleepiness trying to understand what was happening.

"You never expected betrayal from my father" then the room was completely silent and the lights dimmed. What? Confusion filled her and she wished that she could see her jailer. Who is his father? And what does he mean about betrayal in the future.

Her eyes opened and she looked at the blank ceiling. She shifted slightly and felt a familiar weight on her hips. My lightsabers! Her hand clasped the objects, but it did nothing to ease her confusion. She fingered the familiar hilt and repressed the horrid memories of betrayal associated with it. A soft aroma drifted into her nose and she blinked rapidly as she recognized it. Fresh meat. Is this a new torture method to taunt the victim with food and deny it? She grasped her lightsaber tightly and ignoring her protesting body moved herself into a sitting position.

She was on a bed. It was not an expensive bed or even a noteworthy one, but prisoners never received beds. The bed was of the portable kind, which Clone Troopers would set up as they slept through the night anticipating the next battle. The air around her felt wrong. Not only could she smell the aroma of meat, but the Force was calm and tranquil, resting in a shade that she had never encountered before.

Her eyes landed on a little table propped next to her bed conveniently and on it the source of the delicious aroma. She looked around trying to find any restrictions on her to prevent her from eating the meat. There were none except for a small man sitting on the floor meditating.

Jedi, was her instinctive response, but she resisted the urge to slay him where he stood. He reminded her a little of her first Master Ky Narec. They did not share anything in looks, but the Jedi before her maintained the same calm air and attitude about him. Shame suddenly overwhelmed her as she thought of what her Master would say about her fall to the darkside. She tried to call on her anger and desire for revenge, but found herself unable to, and she felt a deep sadness grip her. For the first time, she allowed herself to mourn for her Master, who had been the closest thing she remembered to being her father.

Silent tears trace paths down her cheeks as she observed the Jedi. Part of her hated the man in front of her, who had been able to get her to show weakness without even trying. She had never felt such weakness in someone else's presence, defeat perhaps, but not weakness. Master Yoda, despite his skills had not been able to make her feel like this. Carefully she ignited her blades and inspected them, noticing that everything was the same. There was no sabotage at all.

The Jedi had not responded and she noticed his slight elevation from the floor. He was meditating. Anger bubbled in her at his complete disregard for the danger he represented. An image of the man who knocked her out rose within her mind, and she realized it was the same person. A Jedi who had offered her to become a Jedi. He was different than the rest of the order and her thoughts drifted to the strange conversation she had heard. There was something more to this man, whose presence dominated the entire room. Anakin Skywalker was supposed to be the Chosen One, but standing in the same room as this being, she began to doubt it.

She retracted her lightsabers and slowly set them down on the floor. Hesitantly her hands reached towards the meat and she devoured it with gusto. Finished with her meal, she watched the other Jedi in his meditation. She would not disturb him. Recalling the meditation techniques that her Master had once taught her, for the first time in over a decade, she rejected the dark side and meditated.

Mace Windu paced his quarters, ignoring the pointed looks from Obi-Wan and Skywalker. Under normal circumstances he would have never allowed for his emotions to be seen, but Spacewalker was not normal. Conversations flitted through his mind rapidly:

"Who is your father?"

"He was once a Sith Lord."

"I never knew my father while growing up"

"he returned from the dark side"

"The darkside cause more pain to the user than one would think."

"He tortured his own daughter and tore her from her home world in his service to the Sith."

The possibility was ludicrous, but there were other signs, like Luke's strange resemblance to Anakin and they way they flew. There was the strange habit of Luke, to clench his right hand. Or the way his right hand was often covered by a glove, they way his hand felt lifeless in Mace's hand. Is it that far of a stretch that Luke is from the future? He speaks as if haste has cost him something and in the future cybernetics would be drastically improved. He continued his rapid pacing that was becoming faster. Could Luke be a descendant of Anakin's? But that would mean… Anakin has a relationship. He is too easily attached… if he had a relationship it would be permanent… is he married? Mace Windu stopped abruptly and his desperate eyes swung towards Skywalker.

The Jedi order cannot be wiped out. It is not possible, Anakin is the Chosen one. Afraid, but understanding the necessity he looked at Anakin and voiced his concerns praying he was wrong, "Anakin are you," choking slightly on the word, "married?"

Obi-Wan turned toward Skywalker with wide eyes, as Anakin began to panic. With great sadness Skywalker murmured, "Luke told you."

Mace stared in horror at Skywalker as the implications overwhelmed him. The sentence registered in his mind and he cried, "Luke knew you were married? Why didn't he tell anyone? How long have you been married Skywalker? How is it that Luke has been here for a couple days and has already deducted that you are married? How did we not notice? It's Padmé isn't it? We thought it was just an infatuation and that you had overcome it. It is was abnormal already for you to be such good friends with her, but married? Do you know what you have done, what this means Skywalker?... The code forbids attachments for a reason, but you did… just that. You were always a rule breaker." Ending his rant, Mace fell onto the bed and put his head into his hands. He just wanted to break down and cry, "Why didn't you tell us?"

Skywalker looked at him curiously and sadly said, "I will get my stuff."

Mace's head snapped back up, "What?"

"I broke the rules. I'm not a Jedi anymore."

Mace shook his head in exasperation and looked at Skywalker closely. At his last words a weight seemed to have been lifted off his shoulders and Mace could discern a subtle difference in Skywalker's Force-signature, which had ceased to be as turbulent. His anger at the Knight abated slightly, he was simply afraid.

"If you leave, it will so much harder to give you our congratulations."

Skywalker looked at him in surprise.

"Skywalker, contrary to your belief, I am not the evil minion that sticks to the code at all cost. I am just a person."

Had the situation not been so serious, Mace would have laughed at the stupefied expression that adorned Skywalker's face. Realisation swept through him. "Why are you a Jedi?" Luke had asked him. Why am I a Jedi? Why was Skywalker a Jedi? Why was Luke a Jedi? Sure, many Jedi were raised from an early age at the temple, the only option was to be a Jedi or be sent off to the Service Corps. I may love being a Jedi, but why am I one? Luke had been asking what drove me to be a Jedi; what would keep me as a Jedi. The sad thing is I don't know.

"Look, Sky-Anakin. I cannot understand you, we have entirely different backgrounds and I find your impulsiveness annoying, but the council has been wrong before and I admit to have been wrong before also. I am just a person Anakin. I want to be a Jedi and I thought it meant following the code, but like Luke has hinted towards, there is more to a Jedi than just following the code," he paused and gathered his breath looking into Anakin's eyes, "Luke is different from us. We do not understand him, but I believe there is something that makes him the superior Jedi to us all and it is not his power, or ability to control the Force, or even his knowledge. He knows why he is a Jedi."

Anakin stared at him, "Why are you a Jedi?"

Sighing, "I do not know. I think we were wrong and perhaps we should consult Luke on how his order was run. All prospective Jedi have to come to the temple young or else we turn them away. But because of their youth and lack of knowledge, they cannot know a different lifestyle and are unable to find a reason to be a Jedi except that except that everyone else is a Jedi and they seem awesome, so I want to be one too."

A bitter smile crossed his face and Obi-Wan walked up to him, "I understand."

Obi-Wan turned to Anakin, "How long have you been married?"

Mace also turned to Anakin curiously, "I married Padmé right after the Clone Wars began."

Mace felt shock and found himself respecting the errant Knight, "Well then allow me to be the first to express my incredibly tardy congratulations."

Obi-Wan smiled, "No allow me, I am your former Master after all," continuing more to himself, "So that is why Padmé had Anakin's lightsaber."

Anakin laughed and years seemed to lift from his face, "Thank you," pausing, "Both of you."

Obi-Wan clapped his hands together, "I think this call for a celebration, but first we should talk to Luke. He may have beneficial advice."

Mace frowned slightly as he thought of Luke and Ventress, but pushed his bitterness away, "Luke is in his quarters, but he insisted that Ventress would be with him."

"What?" Anakin exclaimed and anger clouded his eyes, "She could kill him!"

Obi-Wan rested a hand on Anakin's shoulders, "Luke is perfectly capable."

Anakin nodded reluctantly and followed Mace outside the room. Mace let a small smirk escape onto his face. He would be interrogating Luke about the possibility that he was from the future. He looked forward to it. He needed to find out how, if Anakin was the Chosen one, that the Sith had destroyed the order. He was aware that his questions may lead to unpleasant answers, forewarned is forearmed.

He stopped in front of Luke's quarters and opened the door with a wave of his hand. The first thing he saw was Luke levitating in the air and on the bed a meditating Ventress. Aware of Anakin's impulsiveness, he shifted himself to block the entryway. Luke continued to remain unresponsive.

On the other hand, Mace was none too pleased that Ventress had come out of her meditation and had ignited her lightsabers. She was glaring at them with hatred and looked ready to kill them. Mace found himself doubting that anyone would die, unfortunately Luke had yet to come out of his meditations. The two Knights behind him ignited their blue lightsabers, and his own hand drifted to his lightsabers.

"We mean no harm."

Ventress continued to glare at him with obvious skepticism, "Right. That's why Skywalker and Kenobi already ignited their lightsabers and your lightsaber is in your own hand. It just rings of peace."

Mace felt his mouth dry as he tried to think of some words that would diffuse the situation. He noted her defensiveness and the slight tremor of fear, "We will not attack you. You just surprised…"

Ventress abruptly cut him off by throwing a lightsaber at him.

He quickly dodged and it impaled the wall. His own lightsaber ignited and he flew forward to attack Ventress.

Luke woke up from his meditation and landed on his feet gently. He groaned and tried to identify the source of the disturbance to his meditations. Noticing Ventress in front of him trying to hold her own against three of the best duelers in the Jedi Order and failing, he just wanted to groan.

"Please stop."

No reply. Luke ignited his own lightsaber and jumped into the fray, trying to keep everyone alive. Lightsaber battles are not meant for enclosed spaces as he was acutely aware of from experience. The three Jedi backed off as they noticed Luke. A lightsaber swung at him from behind and he lazily blocked.

"Can we please talk about this?"

Ventress stepped back.

"Thank you, by the Force what were you guys thinking? What are we, primates, or sentient civilized beings?"

Anakin winced slightly and retracted his lightsaber. Mace and Obi-Wan quickly followed suit. He turned to Ventress and crossed his arms, giving her a pointed glare. She also retracted both of her lightsabers.

"Thank you."

Anakin looked at Luke carefully and seemed to be trying to ignore Ventress' existence, "We wanted to talk to you."

"Oh joy, I thought that I wasn't a politician."

Ventress gave him a confused look, but remained stubbornly silent. Anakin continued hesitantly taken back by Luke's sarcasm, "We wanted to know what your Order was like and its view on attachments."

Ventress sniffed, "You Jedi are all just emotionless droids."

Luke surprised himself as he began to chuckle. An image of Threepio came into his mind and how he would exclaim in horror. Then there was Artoo who would prank every Jedi. Droids are not emotionless.

"What so funny?" snapped Ventress getting angry.

Luke chuckled again, "Let's say that some droids have a very distinct personality."

"Like Threepio" chimed in Obi-Wan.

"I had a droid that loved to prank everyone. The worst time was when there was a delegate from the Senate arriving and my droid decided to release some chemical in the ventilation system that made everything pink," pausing thoughtfully, "The younger children loved it. The best time was when my droid made it snow inside the Temple. good times."

He noticed with amusement Mace's expression of horror. "Don't like snow Mace?" he teased.

Ventress chuckled slightly and put her lightsaber on her belt, "You are different from other Jedi."

Luke was instantly acting insulted, "What? But I am the model example of all Jedi. Every Jedi aspires to be like me."

"Don't get your ego too inflated. It might not fit through the door," retorted Anakin.

Luke laughed good naturedly and looked at Ventress, "Would you wish to join me for lunch? I am sure you are starving."

Ventress nodded, "Yes, Master."

All of a sudden weary, "I'm not your Master, Ventress. You are free to leave anytime you wish. Of course we would prefer if you could answer some questions of ours first, but you are in no way obligated to."

"Thank you," she whispered in surprise, "Call me Asajj and I think I will take you on the offer of lunch."

"It's my pleasure...Asajj."

He walked off crisply and the other followed him. He could feel their anxiety and mistrust, but they held Luke in high regard and therefore, for now, did not question his intentions."

Leia looked at the machine skeptically, "Are you sure it is going to work?"

The man nodded and began to give a lecture on the inner mechanisms of the machine, "The idea is that there are multiple planes of existence, which is why hyperspace works. By taking the basic concepts of a hyperdrive we can apply it to instead of entering hyperspace another realm of existence. Previously we were working on teleportation or instantaneous transportation and with the guidance of my colleagues in those fields we were able to meld the technologies into this device. It emits a magnetic field which alters basic quantum particles…."

Leia listened patiently and her eyes began to glaze over. She thought of Han and her brother who would appreciate such technical details more than her. As his speech ended she voiced her concern, "How will we be able to enter the right universe, there could be infinitely many?"

"Ahh, that is why we will only be able to send two Force-sensitives with a close connection to the Jedi Grand Master. From my understanding of the Force, by focusing on his Force presence you will be able to land in the correct universe and probably very close to him."

The other Jedi Masters in the room nodded in understanding, one spoke up, "I think we all agree that Leia should be allowed to go even though she isn't a Jedi. She has the closest connection to the Jedi Grand Master after all, since he is her brother."

The others nodded in the room. Someone else in the room spoke up, "The other Jedi should be a highly adapt Master."

Other members voiced their own opinions. Leia looked at them annoyed, "I think Dea, Luke's former Padawan should go. She posses the most recent connection and notified us of the situation. I believe the Force would agree."

"The Ewok?" dismissed one of the Jedi.

An older Jedi came to her defense, "Despite her size, Dea is highly adept at illusions and has a highly organized mind. We should not dismiss her because of her size and she technically is not an Ewok. The Ewoks were native to Endor, Dea is a cross and slightly taller. She is arguable one of the most brilliant people among the Order and had you been paying attention you would know that she was a major contributor toward the theories that had to be developed to make this operation possible."

The room filled with murmurs of agreement and Leia smiled.

A concerned voice brought forward a different argument, "While we do not deny her sentience and capability to function as any other citizen of the Republic, the Old Republic will view her as a stupid mongrel."

Leia nodded thoughtfully, "It could be an advantage though. We do not know exactly at what point in time we will be landing and our records of the Old Republic are unfortunately scant, but Dea is easily underestimated, but I am sure that my brother has made her into a fearsome warrior. I also know that there has been concern about her maintaining an illusion of being a human, but I think we will agree that it can be a great advantage to us. The Jedi of the old did not employ illusions normally, so we have the element of surprise."

An elder Jedi Master stepped forward, "The discussion is over. A vote will now be called."

The vote finished quickly and a younger Jedi Master was hurried out of the chamber to request Dea's presence. A grim air settled over the room as they powered up the machine.

Poor Mace. He believes so strongly in tradition and the Code, but now he has to question everything he learned. I personally believe that according to the so called prophecy, Luke fits the terms better than Anakin. I am also aware that I said there may be a duel this chapter, but I found myself rushing the storyline too much. I want to explore Asajj Ventress character a bit more. I am sorry if anyone is too out of character, as I am not overly familiar with the Clone Wars. Most of my information comes off Wookiepedia. Once again, thanks to Khalthar for his excellent idea.