Author's Note: I was hoping to get this chapter down by Friday the 13th, but I am a few days late. At least I got it done in time to work on something for Halloween. It also took me less time than the previous chapter (three and a half months instead of six, though that is still too long).

I invented the dining hall myself since I could not find anything online. The underground caves are also my invention. Otherwise I am doing my best to stay close to established material.

Chapter 6: Predicaments

On the morning of his trials, Anakin pushed through the crowds of Padawans gathered in the dining hall. At the end of a long table, in a corner of the room reserved for Jedi Masters, he spotted of Obi-wan sitting across from Mace Windu, who leaned towards him.

Anakin tuned into their conversation as he approached them.

"I have trained him as best I can," said Obi-wan. "The rest is his responsibility and he has prepared himself well over the past month, but we must remember that the will of the Force shapes his destiny too." Anakin suspected the supposed will of the Force was in fact that of the Jedi Council.

"I can't grant the boy any favours," said Windu. "If he cannot perform to our standards, he will not become a Jedi Knight."

"We should be fair to him. None of us are born flawless, not even you or me."

"I don't want to hear excuses for his weaknesses. I expect results."

"You will get them," said Anakin, hovering behind Obi-wan.

Windu pursed his lips. "What are you doing here? Go sit with the other students."

Anakin raised his chin. "I wish to speak to Master Kenobi."

"Then speak and make it quick."

"I believe my Padawan intends to meet with me alone," said Obi-wan. He flashed a gentle smile at Anakin.

"His intentions are no secret from me," said Windu, "but whatever he wants to say, he can say to both of us."

"What I want is advice," said Anakin, "and my master is the best person to provide it."

"Maybe you should have asked for it earlier, instead of cowering in your room."

"I must agree with Master Windu," said Obi-wan. "Since it has been so long since I last saw you anywhere in the Temple, I was wondering whether you still wanted to face the trails today."

"I do," said Anakin, "but I can't pass them using my knowledge alone, so I came here to seek wisdom and you're bursting with it."

Obi-wan chuckled. "I suppose that is why I feel compelled to share it, whether you listen or not, though hearing you ask for my help is a welcome change."

"The past week has taught me how much I need it. I shouldn't have avoided you."

"Well, I can't argue with that." Obi-wan rose to his feet. "We will finish out discussion later" he said to Windu. "I want to savour this rare moment. At last, I can offer the sort of personal guidance I'm expected to, as a Jedi Master assigned to a Padawan, and not be despised for it. Such an opportunity might never come again."

"You will have other Padawans," said Windu, "more obedient ones."

"Yes, but nobody can replace Anakin, not when it comes to amusing me, inspiring me or invigorating my mind." Obi-wan stepped back from the table. "Even his stubborn resistance to our rules is valuable, to an extent. It challenges us to gain a deeper understanding of our core principles."

Windu pressed his hands together. "The Jedi Order can only handle so much defiance and he has a unique mission. You must not let him stray from it."

Obi-wan nodded. "Anakin will defeat the Sith, if only to impress me." He shot his student a wink.

Windu narrowed his eyes. "Remember, Master Kenobi, the trials will test not only his abilities, but his motives too. Do not encourage him to have the wrong ones."

"I understand," said Obi-wan, with a slight quiver in his voice. He turned away from Windu and beckoned to Anakin to follow him.

They collected their breakfast trays from the counter, found a table with two empty seats at its end and sat across from each other. Relieved he did not need to sit beside Obi-wan, Anakin let out a sigh. The anxiety his master provoked still confused him and keeping his distance had strengthened it.

"First, let me express how pleased I am to see you again," said Obi-wan. "I feared you might never come out of hiding. What you been doing?"

"You told me to relax before my trials," said Anakin, "and I find my room more relaxing than the rest of the Temple, so I've been resting there." The full story was too painful to describe.

At first, he had only hidden from Obi-wan, fearing the sight of his bandaged wrist and the memory of the larger crime he was meant confess to him. Then, two days after their fateful sparring session, Anakin noticed three Jedi Initiates huddling together and muttering, while the tallest cast occasional glances at him. Within hours, every student in the Temple was reacting the same way whenever he rounded a corner. Even the Jedi Masters did not take their eyes off him as he passed. Their piercing stares suggested they not only knew the unsavoury rumour, but sensed his secret evils too.

"You don't look well rested," said Obi-wan. "Your eyes are hollow and your face is gaunt. I can only imagine how bony the rest of you must be."

With sluggish arms, Anakin stirred his spoon through the bland porridge, without lifting it. Over the past week, his guilt had suppressed his natural hunger, making him eat less than his assigned portions. Convinced the entire Order despised him, he became more and more hesitant to enter the communal spaces of the Temple. For the past three days, his room had been his sanctuary. He only left it at dawn, to retrieve his breakfast from the dining room while it was still empty, intending to make it last until the following morning.

"It is obvious you're suffering, my Padawan," said Obi-wan. "You don't need to disguise your pain from us. We can support you through your struggles if you give us a chance."

No, thought Anakin, you and the other Jedi are the source of my troubles, but they were not. It had taken him until the previous night to realise he could not escape his torment by retreating into solitude. His remorse followed him wherever he went, even into his bed, where he lay awake, exhausted, but restless. He doubted he would ever be at peace again and dreaded the coming day. The thought of standing before his injured master and the rest of the Council terrified him.

His despair dragged him into an uneasy sleep, but the next day, when he awoke, he arrived at an uplifting realisation. Since his agony stayed with him no matter where he was, he gained nothing from being alone. Instead of crushing his hope, as he expected it to, this revelation liberated him, for it meant he had nothing to lose by being among his fellow Jedi. He sprung out of bed, got dressed and left for the dining room, eager to see Obi-wan, who he missed more than anyone.

"As my master, I know you mean well," said Anakin, "but my burdens aren't those of ordinary Jedi and I don't need anyone to bear them for me. I just want you to help me get ready for the trials."

Obi-wan sighed. "Well, the first thing you should do is eat your porridge. You can't perform well on an empty stomach and it would be shame to let such capable body waste away to nothing."

Anakin raised his spoon, but soon lowered it. His mechanical hand was functioning as normal, but he lacked the will to bring it to his mouth. The food held no appeal for him.

"Come now," said Obi-wan, "if I can eat my breakfast, so can you with your two working hands."

Anakin glared. "I don't need a reminder of the incident in the training arena."

"I didn't mean to evoke that memory. You must pardon my pathetic attempt at humour, just as I've pardoned you for your aggression during our duel."

"The rest of the Order hasn't." Anakin glanced sidewards. Two Padawans at the table shifted away from him. He grimaced, but knew their reactions made sense. He himself showed little mercy towards those who inflicted deliberate harm upon his brothers and sisters in arms.

"In time they will. Jedi are forgiving. We refuse to harbour grudges. Now eat or do you want me to shove the spoon in your mouth myself?"

"You aren't my father," said Anakin, through gritted teeth, "and you can't act as if you are, not while you feel the way you do. It's sickening."

"I don't intend to act as your parent in the future, but I am your master and will be until the ceremony which makes you a Jedi Knight. The instant your braid is cut, at sunset, you'll be free to do as you wish, but for the next twelve hours you must obey me. Eat, my Padawan. That is an order."

"Fine," he said, determined to stop Obi-wan from fulfilling his humiliating threat to feed him by force. He focused on scooping up the porridge, then bringing the soggy mess to his lips and consuming it. He was not interested in enjoying the meal. His only aims were to put energy into his system and silence the concerns of his mentor. He gulped down the last spoonful and pushed the bowl forward. "What else must I do?"

"You have done enough to get ready for the trails. Your sabre skills and your knowledge of Jedi principles are sufficient. You have limitless courage and as much wisdom as I can expect from one your age. If you relax, eat your lunch at the appropriate time and remember what I've taught you, you'll do well."

"What will the trails involve, Master?"

"I can't tell you, Anakin. As a member of the Council, I swore to keep the details of your trials secret until you attempted them. I can only say that they will test your dedication to the Order."

"The Jedi cause is noble and I'm willing to face any danger for its sake. I've even risked my life for it. Isn't that enough?"

"You have an extraordinary ability to let go of your self-preservation instincts, to the point where I wonder if you have any. We don't doubt your bravery or selflessness. Instead the trails will challenge you to overcome your weaknesses. You must prove you can put the whole of the Jedi Order above any individual within it or outside it, not only yourself."

Anakin considered these words. "The trails will test if I can let go of attachments, right?" The silence he received from Obi-wan suggested that he was correct. "You haven't told anyone what happened to my mother, have you?"

"No, I kept the account to myself. It pains me to think of it, let alone discuss it."

"Then, did you mention my infatuation with Padme?" His month apart from her had allowed Anakin to assess his feelings and chose the most accurate word to describe them.

"I pointed it out before you left with her to Naboo," said Obi-wan, "but the others dismissed my worries. Their focus lies with another attachment. You'll find out more soon enough."

Disappointed he was not going to learn the specifics of his trials, Anakin became distracted by the sound of metal plates clanking together. He saw C3PO waving at him and gestured to the droid, who made his way to the table with a slight bounce in his cautious steps.

"Master Anakin," said C3PO, in his joyful voice, "how fortunate it is that you've reappeared at last! Artoo and I have been wondering where you were."

"I needed some time to myself," said Anakin, who had kept even his droids out of his room while he stayed there, "but I'm feeling better now."

"That is wonderful news. If you aren't too busy, I have a small favour to ask of you. For the past two days, my arms have been rather jittery. I'll be most grateful if you repair them."

"The entire Temple will be," said Obi-wan. "Your malfunctioning droid has been dropping trays and dishes everywhere. Nobody here can fix him and he has become a subject of many complaints from younglings and Padawans, who are yet to learn patience. When he came here we agreed to keep him while he was useful, but now the Council is considering expelling him from the Temple."

"Expel me," said the droid. "My goodness!"

"I will not let them," said Anakin, "I can fix you." He stood up and grabbed a pry bar from his pocket. Then he faced C3PO, laid a hand on his shoulder to calm him and, with care, prized open the circular panel in the centre of his chest. Behind it was a cylindrical cavity, containing an assortment of basic tools, including a rusted wrench and a collection of wires. "I built him so I could always repair him no matter where we went."

Obi-wan looked up at him. "Do you know what the problem is?"

Anakin detached a metal plate just below the left elbow of his droid. "Let me have a look." During his inspection, he found several frayed cords, but his insulative glove protected his artificial hand from danger. "I am amazed by how long these wires have lasted," he said, "but I should replace the entire set for both arms so nothing breaks again."

The droid jerked his head. "Are you sure the procedure is safe?"

"It is for you, but I need you to turn you off so Obi-wan and I don't get electrocuted."

"As you wish, Master Ani, and may I say again how thankful I am for your assistance. You are the most generous human I've ever encountered."

"I suppose you don't know Obi-wan yet. I'll introduce him to you once you're fixed."

C3PO switched off and Anakin got to work, while his master watched him. "I now understand how your droid learned his excessive flattery," said Obi-wan.

Anakin stared at him, while unscrewing a tight bolt. "What do you mean?"

Obi-wan blushed. His cheeks stayed red while his Padawan completed the long task. After disassembling the arms of the motionless droid, he inserted the unused wires into their proper spots. As Anakin reattached the plates covering them, a crowd of Jedi students gathered around the table. Unable to understand their sudden interest, he ignored them.

He slipped his prybar into his pocket, tucked the wrench into its compartment and returned the central panel to its place, before turning the droid on. C3PO sprung to life and greeted everyone around him. Anakin then handed him an empty bowl. He grasped it and held it steady. "Oh, thank the Maker," he said, prompting the surrounding onlookers to burst into applause.

Obi-wan joined in with a soft clap of his own. "I told you Jedi were forgiving."

"I guess you were right," said Anakin, his voice weak.

As promised, he presented C3PO to Obi-wan. They chatted, while he collected the remaining wire scraps. The crowd dispersed, leaving him to wonder how long their admiration of him would last. He recalled the harshness with which the Council had treated his droid, when they could not find a use for him. They see him as nothing more than a tool, thought Anakin and wondered whether they saw him the same way. Either way, the trials were his chance to prove he was not broken.

Anakin took a deep breath, adjusted his cloak and strode into the High Council Chamber on the top floor of the south-eastern tower. After eating a proper lunch for the first time in days, sleeping and practising his light sabre routine one last time, he felt prepared to overcome any physical test. His only fear was having to stand before twelve pairs of judgemental eyes.

Obi-wan rose from his padded seat and walked over to meet his Padawan. "Your shoulders are tense," he said. "Relax them. To pass the trials, you must show control over your emotions as well as your sabre." Behind him, eleven other Jedi Masters sat in a circle muttering to each other.

Worried his master was searching for an excuse to touch him, the young student did as he instructed, but did not expect the change to make a difference. "You can still read my feelings through the Force," said Anakin.

Obi-wan kept his voice quiet as he spoke. "I fear it doesn't always provide definite answers these days. Your body language will influence the way we interpret your Force signal, though if you calm yourself, you will not need to fake confidence."

"How can I be calm? I don't want to lose the chance to become a Jedi Knight and have no choice but to keep living under your control. You know how important these trials are."

"I am afraid they are even more important than you realise. If you cannot pass them you'll cease to even be a Padawan."

Anakin faced Obi-wan, his eyes wide. "Will I have to leave the Jedi Order?"

"No, but you will be assigned a new role. Students who cannot progress through our ranks enter the Jedi Service Core. They then travel between planets, supporting our peacekeeping efforts through their various powers, but aren't involved in combat."

"I can't accept that. I'm one of the strongest fighters in the Order. It is my destiny to save the galaxy from the Sith. I must not fail."

"Those in the Service Core aren't failures, my Padawan, and you shouldn't feel ashamed if you join them. The work you'll perform will be vital to our cause and your path no less honourable than that of a Jedi Knight, but it will diverge from mine. The organisation operates as a separate branch of the Order. If you become part of it, we'll never see each other again. That is the only downside and I fear you may not even see it as such." Obi-wan lowered his gaze.

"I do," said Anakin. "You are a kind and noble man. I want us to stay friends. Believe me." He knew he had felt this way for as long as he knew Obi-wan and only disliked the power he wielded over him. Once he succeeded in the trials, his former master would have to stop viewing him as a child, allowing their bond to become stronger than ever."

Obi-wan opened his mouth, but Windu interrupted him before he could speak. "It is time," he said, his voice loud, yet controlled. "Anakin Skywalker, step forward."

The Padawan nodded. He moved to the centre of the circular space, as Obi-wan returned to his seat.

Windu then took his place at the front of the chamber. He stood upright, facing Anakin, his form even taller and more imposing. The Coruscant horizon shone through the window behind him. "On this day, young Skywalker hopes to become a Jedi Knight, though some doubt he is ready."

"They are wrong," said Anakin, "and I'll prove it."

Yoda sat beside Windu with his legs crossed and his green head bent. "Much fear you brought with you when you arrived here, Skywalker. Now I sense the same fear behind your fierce words. Afraid you still are of losing those close to you. Powerful you have grown, but power alone will not make you a true Jedi. A long and difficult path, I see ahead of you."

"I agree," said Windu. "To complete the trials, one must demonstrate more than strength in the Force. In addition to light sabre skills, a Padawan wishing to become a Jedi Knight must show spirit, insight, courage and the fortitude to handle any pain, no matter how intense."

Obi-wan gulped. "I thought we agreed to exempt Anakin from the Trial of the Flesh. After he fought Count Dooku, we decided it was unnecessary, as is testing his courage."

Windu nodded. "If your account is true," he said to Obi-wan, "your Padawan has shown bravery by protecting you and suffered for his commitment to the Order. We grant that he has passed two of the five trials, but I must remind you that he lost the fight and left both you in peril. The Council is not impressed."

Yoda shook his head. "Blame Skywalker for his defeat, we cannot. Too mighty Dooku now is, for any Master and Padawan pair to face alone."

"No," said Anakin, "Obi-wan and I were strong enough to beat him, but I acted on impulse instead of heading his guidance. That is why Dooku won, but he will not escape us again."

"Talented you are Skywalker," said Yoda, "but dangerous it is, for a Jedi to show arrogance and impatience." He stroked his chin, as did several other Council members.

"It isn't shameful to admit your limitations, Anakin," said Obi-wan. "As a Jedi Knight, you must keep striving for a fuller knowledge of the Force and honing your fighting style, though I suspect you're right. It will not be long before we triumph over Dooku, now that you've worked so hard to improve your sabre technique."

"I am yet to see these improvements," said Windu. "I don't doubt the boy once possessed extraordinary abilities for a Padawan, but he now has an artificial hand. He must show he can use it."

Anakin furrowed his brow. "Trust me, I can."

"I daresay his replacement hand is even more impressive than his old one," said Obi-wan. He then bit his lip and glanced downwards.

Windu stared at his fellow Jedi Master for a moment, then addressed Anakin. "If so, you should have no problem demonstrating your skills, along with the spirit and insight expected of a Jedi Knight.

Anakin nodded. "Tell me what I must do."

"Take the central elevator to its lowest floor. You must travel through the underground caves, until you encounter a group of reprogrammed Separatist droids. One of them is storing a red hard drive, which you must collect without damaging its contents."

Anakin snorted. "Is that your idea of a challenge?"

Yoda giggled. "Simple the mission is. Easy it is not. More you will learn, once you enter the caves."

Anakin sighed. He was no fan of mysteries. As he turned away from the Council, he caught sight of Obi-wan gesturing and inclining his head. The Jedi student faced Windu once more and performed a reluctant bow. "Thank you for your guidance and for giving me this opportunity." He decided not to look back as he walked away, but then his master called out to him and broke his resolve.

"May the Force be with you, my Padawan," said Obi-wan.

"Never refer to me that way again," said Anakin, with a brief laugh.

Obi-wan grinned in response and his apprentice left the chamber, convinced that his mentor longed for his triumph as much as he did.

The doors of the turbo-elevator opened and Anakin stepped out into a dim basement. His footsteps echoed on the metallic floor. He had never ventured so far underground and was not prepared for the cold. He tightened his cloak and pressed onwards, aware that the Jedi Council was watching his movements through flickering cameras on the walls of the passage.

It ended at a durasteel door. Anakin froze. A blue sensor shone through a narrow opening on his left. He squeezed through it to find his two trusty droids waiting for him.

R2-D2 chirped, while C3PO greeted him in his usual polite manner. In his repaired hands, the protocol droid held a transparent cap covered in different coloured wires, which lead to a grey device that Anakin recognised as a short-range transmitter.

"You must be wondering why I've brought this most bizarre item," said C3PO. "The Jedi Council insists you wear it while in the caves. Once you put it on, Artoo will unlock the door."

Anakin slipped his arms through the straps attached to the transmitter and adjusted them to hold it in place. Then he stretched the cap over his head and tucked a few stray wires behind his ear to prevent them getting in his way. "What does it do?"

"I am sorry Sir, but that information is classified."

R2-D2 emitted a series of long and short bleeps as he inserted his utility arm into an outlet in the wall. Anakin nodded. "Thank you, Artoo."

C3PO slapped the dome of his shorter companion. "Stupid droid, if Master Anakin is cast out from the Jedi Order for cheating it will be your fault. Don't complain to me when he has you deactivated."

Anakin laughed, knowing he would never disable either of his faithful friends. He bid them farewell, went back through the opening and pushed against the door until it grated open.

Beyond it lay a granite cave, lit only by two lines of thin candles. Wet earth sank beneath Anakin as he stepped into it. Water dripped onto his head, but he suppressed his shivers.

He had not gone far, when he a wall came into view a few paces in front of him. With caution, Anakin moved his foot forward, but it fell through empty space and, to his relief, landed on a lower surface. He caught his breath and straightened his back. His mechanical hand reached for the wall and found a downward slopping rail. He refused to hold it, but braced himself for a steep descent.

As he suspected, he was on a spiral staircase. He could not see far ahead, for the candles weakened and became less frequent the further he went. The pale granite became speckled with a brown colour, which spread and intensified. Anakin reached the last visible candle and found black rock surrounding it. The flame was so weak that, as he reached for its warmth, it went out, plunging him into total darkness. The candles behind him were obscured by the curve of stairs.

Anakin blinked several times in the hopes of sharpening his vision, but saw no light in any direction. He recalled hearing older Jedi discuss rumours of a Sith Shrine buried beneath the Temple and wondered if he was at the mercy of an ancient evil. Desperate to prove he was not afraid, he decided not to switch on his light sabre until a true threat emerged.

He strode on until he felt the floor flatten. Stones crumbled and fell behind him. He looked left and right, unable to tell which way he was meant to go.

Then an orange glow filled the cave and the rocky tunnel ahead became visible. Anakin navigated it with care and soon found himself in an open space, facing a cliff four times his height. A river of fast flowing magma ran past it, licking at its base. The molten material explained the sudden brightness.

Anakin saw only one means of crossing the wide and deadly channel. The task was difficult, even for one strong in the Force, but he embraced the challenge.

He steadied himself, breathed in and leapt forward, rocketing into the air. As the cool wind ruffled his cloak, he focused on the ledge he was targeting, but, to his shock, found himself falling before he could reach it. His cheek collided with the rough rock. He bit his lip to muffle a shout and managed to grab the cliff edge in time to avoid plummeting into the magma.

He grunted as he spotted a ladder, made from a dull metal which blended with the blackness around it, leaning against the cliff. With his arms tensed, Anakin pulled himself up, then rose to his feet. He glanced back and smiled, impressed by the distance he had jumped.

With a swish of his cloak, he pressed on through the next passage. It was larger and better lit than the others, with lanterns shining from the ceiling. There he at last came across a pair of primitive battle droids. They were the standard units used in the attack on Naboo ten years ago.

As he brandished his light sabre, a larger grapple droid, with green and white plating, marched in from a narrow tunnel this left. Though bulkier than its counterparts it was no match for Anakin, who chopped off its thick arms before it even touched him, causing it to lose balance.

He then evaded the blasts fired by the smaller droids and tossed his sabre at them. It spun through the air, sliced through both their necks and returned to his hand.

Anakin smirked, as his enemies fell. His precise strikes had left their torsos unscratched. The droids twitched on the floor until their central panels sprung open, releasing wisps of smoke. He examined what was left of them and found they each contained a grey hard drive, not a red one. His true target still awaited him.

He stalked towards a gap in the passage wall, then peered through it into a wider chamber. Separatist droids crowded it, patrolling back and forth, leaving little room for an invader to enter. I was wrong, Anakin realised. The Council did not underestimate me.

A harsh cry echoed through the tunnel. He turned towards the noise. A row of dank cells lined the right side of the cave. A force field barred his access to the middle one.

In it, Obi-wan lay on a stone slab, with a power generator roaring behind him. Anakin rushed forward as a second, louder scream confirmed his fears. A lever stuck out of the wall beside him, but a plaque beneath it warned that any attempt to force it down would trigger an alarm.

To regain his focus, he recalled the reason he was in the cave. Among the tests he needed to pass was the Trial of Insight, in which a student proved they could read the true intentions of others. R2-D2 had told him that the wired cap tracked sensory signals from his brain and sent them upwards to the Temple towers. He now understood why he was wearing it. The Council needed to know what he was seeing and ordinary cameras did not detect illusions.

"They are testing my attachment to Obi-wan," he said, to those he knew where listening. "He isn't here. He is safe. They respect him too much to harm him. I must move on and complete my mission." Anakin willed his legs to take him onward, but they stiffened at the sight of his master writhing on his back. He groaned, then fell silent, his still body slumped against the stone.

Horrified by the possibility, however slight, that Obi-wan was in grave danger, Anakin clasped the lever and tugged on it with his full strength. It did not move. He yanked it twice more. At last it budged. He bit his lip and pushed it down until it clicked into its new position.

The force field disappeared. Anakin dashed into the cell, ignoring several high-pitched sirens. With three quick slashes of his sabre, he severed the chains which bound the prisoner to the stone by his limbs and the cords pumping electricity into his palms.

With his bare fingers, Anakin broke open the shackles which held his wrists, but those on the ankles were too strong, even for him. He considered using his sabre again, but Obi-wan was thrashing from side to side and he refused to risk hurting him again.

Convinced he had no other choice, Anakin lifted him into his arms and gazed at his twinkling eyes, as he carried him away from the torture device. While staring at his bearded face, he wondered how it would feel to touch it. He held the freed captive close and stroked his cheek with his flesh hand. To his disappointment, it was cold and angular.

"As I suspected," he said, with a sigh, "I saved a droid." Still its resemblance to Obi-wan made Anakin unwilling to let go, as it moaned and grabbed the collar of his cloak. Even its behaviour matches his, he thought. The Council must be laughing at me for falling for their trick, but I made the right choice. His only order was to retrieve the hard drive. Now free from the haunting wails of his master, Anakin could finish his task without hesitation or regret.

He left the cell, intending to advance to the chamber ahead, but his adversaries were already filing into the main passage. They belonged to same series as those Anakin had already defeated, with the simpler units in front and the grapple droids making up the rear.

He could have crushed any of them in a solo fight, even while bearing his bulky load, but their numbers made him shudder. Together, they raised their blasters. Anakin spun around to see an identical formation arriving from the other direction.

Surrounded on both sides, he hoisted the droid disguised as Obi-wan onto his left shoulder and drew his sabre. The combat units closed in around him and fired. He spun back and forth deflecting their laser shots. If even one hit him, he would pass out and fail the trails. He could not hold back his opponents for long. He needed to destroy them.

Icy water dripped onto his forehead from above, making him wince. Then an idea struck him. He thrust his sabre into the cave ceiling, burning away the earth around its blade. The battle droids froze. As Anakin pulled back the weapon, loose dirt and liquid poured in through the deep puncture. He stabbed again and cracks spread from its centre, then burst open.

Dirty water gushed down, smothering the droids. One by one they jolted and hit the ground hard. Their panels flew open, as those of the first group had. At the far end of the chamber, a grapple droid collapsed and Anakin caught sight of a red glint. He placed his sabre in his left hand and used the Force to summon the object to his right one.

Anakin took a brief look at the scarlet device, then stowed it away and ran. He dodged the muddy torrents and chased the lanterns ahead, while those behind him crashed to the floor. To protect both his prizes, he struck down any surviving droids which came near him.

After escaping the chaos of the tunnel, Anakin came to a halt atop the dark cliff. With the ceiling right above his head, he did not have room to jump back over the molten river.

He examined the ladder leaning against the cliff. Its structure was not made from durasteel as he had assumed, but a cheaper iron alloy. Though he did not know its precise heat resistance, he doubted it could be submerged in magma without melting and its top was not attached to the cliff. It should not be standing, he realised. How is it possible?

Then the answer came. "The magma isn't there," he said aloud, since the cap did not transmit his inner thoughts. He hoped the Council would not penalise him for discovering the deception too late.

With the rescued droid still balanced on his shoulder, he stepped off the cliff and hovered downwards. The magma illusion was vivid enough to make him wince, but he passed through it and made a graceful landing on the smooth ground beneath it.

He walked across what he now knew was an empty trench. A red haze blurred his vision. He squinted, located the platform he had stood on earlier and leapt onto it.

At the entrance to the next passage, Anakin paused. He dug into his pocket, made sure the hard drive was still inside and found a small heap of sand under it. As he threw the pale grains into the trench, he wished the magma was real, so it could melt them. The rough grains had not only surrounded him on Tatooine, but somehow stayed with him for over a month.

He strolled through the passage until he reached the staircase. The instant he crossed its threshold, the glow of the fake magma vanished. To escape the darkness, he hurried up the steps.

By the light of the candles Anakin saw he had a Trade Federation combat unit on his shoulder. He set it down and knelt beside it. The droid wore a brown cloak with a strong scent. He removed the garment, with the aim of returning it to its owner, and exposed a voice box glued to the panel beneath it. The device emitted whimpers which made his heart race. He had not seen Obi-wan in the cell by accident.

As a final act of mercy toward the defenceless droid, which now lay still, he used his sabre to remove its ankle shackles. It followed him as he climbed the staircase. Since it posed no threat, he did nothing to stop it.

Anakin took off the tight cap and wondered how much the Council had noticed. As stupid as he felt for showing affection towards a heartless machine, his power was never compromised, not even for an instant. He did not expect to ever rid himself of his attachments and, with the Force coursing through him, stronger than ever, he saw no reason why he should.

I hope you enjoy this more optimistic chapter. I am glad I made Anakin feel better, because I will be taking a short break to focus on other stories and NaNoWriMo, but I look forward to writing the next chapter.