Chapter 10

Disclaimer: All credit goes to George Lucas the creator of Star Wars

Cursing at the ease of Dooku's escape, Obi-Wan returns to the troopers and other generals. When they see him return empty handed, they know what has happened.

"He escaped in a shuttle before I could reach him." Obi-Wan explained.

"At least we have this base under our control. It was exactly where Skywalker said it would be." Master Plo added.

"The force was unusually clear yesterday. It all has something to do with Anakin, but I am unsure of what it is. Unless the force took a very great interest in him."

"The force would know of his existence prior to this time, why would it take an interest in him now?"

"Unless...it didnt." Master Windu voiced.

"What?"

"The force has been clouded for years now, the darkness in the galaxy would prevent it from sensing certain...beings. The only place that isnt infected by this war is on Thython. The exact same place where Skywalker is. Once he cut all of his ties to the Jedi and the war and stayed on Thython long enough, the force would surely of been able to sense his presence clearly." Master Windu explained.

"You believe that the force could not sense Skywalker before hand because of the sith, and now that it can it's grown clearer purposely?" Master Plo asked.

"It is possible. The force is a mysterious thing, but there is only one way that it would do all of these things for Anakin and that would be if he was of great importance or..." Obi-Wan began.

"The chosen one." Master Plo finished.

"There is a great deal of evidence pointing to him being the chosen one, more than there was previously. The Jedi might just have to accept the fact that Anakin is the chosen one and that he's not coming back."

"But he is coming in his holiday's."

"Knowing Anakin, he'll probably find a way to make his time there as short as possible."

To-ge-ther, always one! We shine bright-er than the sun. A fam-i-ly one and, the same.

Anakin woke up to the lullaby inside his head and smiled at how wonderful with sounded. After stretching a little in his bed, Anakin noticed that Orion was not where he usually was. Worried, Anakin sat bolt upright. Only to see his pet standing faithfully by his bed side. Anakin had forgotten that he could walk now.

"Ani." He said in his cute voice. Anakin smiled. He had remembered.

"Yes, that's me." Anakin stood up and was carefull not to step on Orion. He quickly got changed and noticed that all the others where still in bed. Anakin glanced at the chrono on the wall and saw that it was quite literally the crack of dawn. He should probably get out of the dormitory before another of Dylan and Austin's bundles.

As he began to walk to the door, Orion quickly ran after him and remained at his heels. "Ani." He said faithfully. Anakin chuckled and bent down so that he could scoop Orion into his arms. Anakin opened the door and headed for the fire place. After setting Orion down on the rug and turning the fire on, he sat beside his pet and stroked his fur. Orion laid down beside Anakin and yawned one of his cute yawns.

The fire did the best it could to warm Anakin up, but his cloak was doing a far better job. Anakin decided to open the huge curtains for each window before relaxing. So he quickly opened every one before hurriedly returning to sit by Orion's side. Orion was wide awake now and watching Anakin with his always curious eyes.

"I wonder if I can teach you to say something else?" Anakin told Orion.

"I wndr f I an teh ou smtin ese." Orion struggled to say.

"You copy whatever I say?"

"Ou copy whtever say." Anakin smiled. He had an idea, but he needed a book with lots of words. Anakn quickly ran over to the bookshelf and picked up a thin book entitled Basic sayings for you and your mates. Anakin went back over to Orion and sat down next to him again. Anakin held his breath for a second and prayed that this would work and began to read the book aloud for Orion to hear.

Callum woke up to the sound of Anakin's voice. But when Callum looked around, he saw that Anakin had already left his bed. Plus, Orion was gone too. Callum changed as fast as possible and walked slowly out of the door. He glanced at the fireplace and saw Anakin reading to Orion. But what surprised Callum the most was that Orion was copying whatever Anakin said. Curious, Callum walked over to them and sat down on one of the chairs surrounding the fire place.

"How long have you been at this?" He asked suddenly. Making Orion's head snap to his direction.

"For two hours now. Since the crack of dawn, do you know what the time is by any chance?" Anakin asked.

"It's almost seven. We have breakfast at half eight so we have an extra hour and a half with Orion."

"Actually, I think he's done. He copy's whatever you say if he doesnt understand it and so far he seems okay. Try asking him something."

"Uh, alright then. Let's see. Orion? How do you feel?" Anakin arched an eyebrow at the question. Callum knew that he must have thought it a stupid question. To Callum's surprise, Orion answered.

"The fire makes me feel very hot." Anakin smiled at Orion and gave Callum a look that plainly said I told you so.

"Is the fire too hot for you?" Callum asked.

"A little, I feel like I'm on fire." Orion replied. Callum and Anakin's eyes widened and they both got up to see if Orion really was on fire, thankfully he wasnt. Anakin picked up Orion and placed him on the sofa so that he was away from the fire. Callum sat with Anakin in front of the fire and they both got to talking about what they would be doing today.

"Well, we have astronomy, which we will be missing, flying practise and fighting practise." Anakin rehearsed his day's plans.

"So we miss the one actual lesson that we have so that we can go flying and practise with the sabers?" Callum asked.

"Basically...yes."

"Wow, thats good thinking."

They spent the next hour and a half talking with one another. The others did wake up, but the girls were more interested in Orion and reading. The boy's, on the other hand, were too busy watching a short holovid and talking with one another. They wouldnt bother Anakin or Callum unless it was a question or invitation. Anakin was asked if he could fly with them in their free time, he accepted. Callum was invited to watch a holovid that night, which he accepted seeing as it was the only thing that he had planned that night.

"I wonder whats on the holonet?" Dylan asked as he flicked the channels.

"General and commander in the clone war, Anakin Skywalker, has recently left the Jedi order."

"WHAT!" Everyone turned to look at Anakin, besides Callum and Leah. Whom Anakin had told before hand.

"Hey, its no big deal. They tried to call me away so that I would have to leave and I told them that they either let me stay or I left the order to protect you guys." Anakin explained.

"Blimey, mate. That took some courage." Arthur pipped up.

"Well, they still remain in contact with me, for some reason. I have to go to the temple in the holidays to tell Obi-Wan how I'm doing."

"Well it's obvious why isnt it? You, my friend, are the chosen one. The Jedi's saviour. Of course they'll stay in touch."

"I dont claim to be the chosen one, in fact the last thing I want is to be openly declared the chosen one. But I can't make my name disappear from that prophecy, so I've learned to live with it."

"Hey! You guys! Tutor Lenis says that if your not at breakfast by the time she finishes sorting out some dark side students then you can go hungry. For the whole day." Aiden burst through the door and spoke.

"Okay people, move it!" Arthur called. They didnt need the order but they all quickly scrambled to their feet and ran to breakfast, with Anakin saying a quick good bye to Orion as they went.

"We have located Count Dooku's base, unfortunately he was able to escape before we could capture him." Obi-Wan explained over the hologram.

"And the base was exactly where Skywalker said it would be?" Ki-Adi Mundi asked.

"Yes, but it had a lot more droids than we expected."

"Have you gather any intel from Dooku's lair?"

"Yes, a message between him and his Master." In the center of the council chamber a hologram of a kneeling Dooku appeared.

"What is thy bidding, my master?" He asked in his sith toned voice.

"Lord Tyrannus, we have a problem. The force has become clouded to the sith, and blocked my abilities." The sith master informed.

"As have mine been, my master. I heard the force whispering of our destruction, of the chosen one."

"As have I."

"Do you believe, my master, as I do. That this is all because of Skywalker? He has left the Jedi order recently and gone to a place we know nothing of."

"That is precisely what I believe, Darth Tyrannus. He has left behind all his ties to the war and the force has been able to sense his presence in the galaxy for the first time."

"This is a kind of celebration, my master?"

"Both a celebration, and revenge. The force was clouded from the sith for a reason, if it was not the forces doing, then it was Skywalkers."

"But how could he do such a thing? He may be the chosen one but he is far too young for such power."

"The force thinks differently, my apprentice. Skywalker will soon be the most powerful being in the galaxy, and we must destroy him before that happens."

"But, master, we do not know where to look. The force has deliberately hidden him from us, whispering that we are not to harm its child."

"The force can do many things, Lord Tyrannus. But the dark side will aid us in our goal, the presence of evil in the galaxy will see to that."

"Yes, my master."

The hologram ended abruptly, leaving the Jedi order in deep thought.

"So the sith are interested in Skywalker, and believe that he will become the most powerful being in the galaxy." Kit Fisto voiced. "The force has prevented the sith from using it, all because it can sense Skywalker?"

"There is overwhelming evidence that this is the case." Master Windu replied.

"It is a pity that we cannot talk with Skywalker about this now." Shaak Ti complained.

"We'll just have to wait for two weeks, then we can speak with him." Obi-Wan assured.

Anakin stood with his lightsaber ignited waiting for Callum or Leah to make the first strike. He had taught them some very basic lightsaber moves and made the three of them training droids. After he believed them to be good enough, he finally agreed to spar with them in their inner dormitory. Callum had given the new room a name, living room. Simple but useful name.

Callum slashed at Anakin's side, which he parried. Then Leah followed suit and soon Anakin was blocking both of their attacks like he used to with Obi-Wan in the temple. They continued on like this until their fellow classmates entered the room and the girls had a tantrum.

"What are you doing!? You might hurt yourselves, or even worse, Orion!" They yelled. The three of them stopped dueling and motioned to where Orion was sitting, by the fire place and far out of their reach.

"See, we did think about his safety." Callum said crossing his arms and attaching his lightsaber to his belt. Anakin smirked and walked over to the training droids for Callum and Leah.

"Here you two, train with these. Theres something I need to do." Anakin advised. They both nodded and practised with the training droids. Anakin quickly ran into the dormitory and fetched his data pad to check for any messages. Strangely enough, he had three. One from Obi-Wan, one from the council (strangely) and one from Rick.

Anakin,

Thank you for telling us the location of Dooku's lair. Unfortunately he was able to escape into hyperspace before we had the chance to capture him. We were able to find a message between him and the sith master. They were talking about you. About how the force was becoming brighter and how your presence was clouding their use of the force. Anakin, you need to be careful. The separatists have made it their mission to find you, even thought you are no longer a Jedi, the sith believe that you are the chosen one and will stop at nothing to kill you. Do not leave the planet unless you are coming to the temple for you holidays. Yes, I know that you are no longer a Jedi and that I cannot give you orders. But as a citizen of the republic, I can order you to do it, so take the hint.

Obi-Wan.

Anakin was annoyed that Dooku had been able to escape and slightly worried that the sith were looking for him, along with the separatists. The next message was from the Jedi high council.

Skywalker,

We thank you for the information on Count Dooku, but we also need you to do one more thing for us. Stay where you are. Do not leave unless you are coming directly to the Jedi temple. It is far too dangerous for you to be somewhere in the galaxy where separatist spies can find you. Master Kenobi has probably explained to you that the sith are looking for you and he's right, they are. We know you can sometimes be arrogant and ignore our advise, but this is one thing that you must not ignore. The force is in quite a state and it is all revolving around you. We will need to speak with you when you arrive at the temple in two weeks time.

Jedi council.

Anakin was slightly surprised that he had been sent two messages telling him to stay with the force users when the Jedi had been begging him to return to the order a few days previously. The only message he was curious about was Rick's, since his data pad has been connected to many others since it was discovered that he had one.

Ani,

I know that you take a lot of time off of your lessons to practise for your competitions and such, but I would like you to come and see me. You can bring Orion and those two friends of yours that the school is talking about. I need your opinion on something, something that you may find slightly interesting. Send me your reply soon.

Rick.

Anakin smiled and typed his own reply.

Rick,

I would love to come to see you. I can come over tomorrow. I'll bring Orion, Callum, and Leah. Seeing you soon.

Ani.

Next was his reply to Obi-Wan, which contained his own question.

Obi-Wan,

Fine, I will stay put and not go wandering off around the galaxy as I usually do. But when I come to the temple, I can't exactly leave my pet in Imperus. So long as you dont say anything about me having a pet, I will bring him to the temple. He can talk, no I am not joking, and is named Orion. You can look after him for threatening to make me clean the entire temple with a toothbrush. Dooku can't stay hidden for long, his ship must be in space somewhere.

Anakin.

After making a mental note to teach Orion how to bite someone, Anakin went back to the living room and started up his own training droid. He had fighting practise in an hour and wanted both Callum and Leah to be prepared. The training droid was no match for Anakin on the lowest levels. In fact, the only time that it was able to push Anakin back was when it was on the fourth highest level. Anakin never put it on the highest level as that was meant for swordsman such as Master Yoda. But Anakin was definitely going to try it out some time.

Callum and Leah were doing fine with their lightsaber training and they had already been taught in the ways of the force since their birth. Anakin could sense every person around him, for some reason. The force seemed so clear, Anakin couldnt remember the last time he had meditated. He spent all his retreats with Padme when she was available. But now it seemed as though he did not need to meditate to hear what the force wanted. He had been hearing that lullaby in his sleep and was sure that it meant something, but whatever it meant was related to him. The force was always doing something that revolved around one person, and now it was revolving around Anakin. For whatever reason, the Jedi had kept themselves a constant presence in Anakin's life, for the reason that Arthur had said most likely, and it felt as though he was still in their order. But he did not mind this, after all, he had lived in the order for over ten years.