Disclaimer: We don't Star Wars.

AN: Here's chapter 10 at last. We apologize for the long wait.

Under the Setting Sun

Chapter 10: The Light Prevails

Anakin stood up from the ground. "Time to get her out of here," he said. Siri agreed, and continued keeping a lookout. They sensed the Tuskens were nearby, but still unaware of their presence.

He scooped up Shmi in his arms. He was already regaining the focus he had had on coming here, and now his only priority was getting his mother out of here safely. Siri was already taking the lead and he followed her through the hole they had made. He was going to have to follow her lead from now on. He had almost snapped back here, and if it weren't for Siri, he would be slaughtering the men of the tribe indiscriminately, ignorant of his mother's desperate needs. He had no right to take the lead anymore, regardless that it wasn't his place as Padawan to his Master.

They exited the tent carefully. Nightfall was on their side, masking their presence more effectively. The two Jedi crept seamlessly through the shadows, senses on high alert in case they were spotted. It didn't take long until something went wrong, unfortunately.

There was a sound nearby, and they knew their cover was in danger of being blown. They tried to hurry up while remaining as quiet as possible, in case the Tuskens had noticed the damage to the hut where Shmi was. They needed to make their way back to the speeders. Unfortunately, a side-effect of having jumped down to the village was that they needed to take the path on the side leading to the cliff uphill. Anakin knew they were going to have to hurry once they were away from the village. But the Force wasn't on their side this time.

There was a loud shrieking that was almost a roar, and they immediately knew they had been discovered. Anakin in particular felt his blood freeze at the sound. Siri cursed at the foul luck that had befallen them, and ignited her saber in anticipation of what was coming.

"Get her out of here, Anakin," Siri commanded tensely.

"Master, I'm not leaving without you," Anakin protested.

"Do what I say!"

Now wasn't the time for him to question her authority.

Anakin wanted to obey his Master, but he knew better. The camp was on wide alert, and the Tuskens were gathering in mass. He wasn't going to be able to get his mother out of here while these Tuskens were pursuing him. Whether Siri liked it or not, he was going to have to fight. He gently set Shmi down on the ground, and ignited his lightsaber, prepared to defend her from the Tuskens circling them. It didn't take long for the first for the first attack to take place. The Tuskens came at them with their gaffi sticks, swiping at them with the sharp edges on both sides. Anakin sliced through the handles and pushed them back with the Force, hoping to dissuade them with a show of force before things got too dangerous. The Tuskens were skilled with their weapons, but they were no match for a Jedi. Anakin kicked aside some, while pushing some away with the Force. Alongside him, he saw Siri doing the same, trying to create an opening large enough for them to escape. The anger was still there, simmering in the background, but he pushed it aside with all the strength he could muster to focus on disarming his opponents, not destroying them.

Siri looked at Anakin and was surprised at what she saw. Only mere minutes ago, he had been ready to tear through the camp on a rampage to satisfy his desire for vengeance. Now he was restraining himself while fighting, defending Shmi instead of pressing the attack. He had reason to be furious at what they had done to his mother, but instead of giving in to the anger, he was refraining from going after them with everything he had, which he could very easily do. Siri felt a sudden burst of pride at her apprentice – he had come close to the dark side, and yet was pulling back as they fought. Siri herself wasn't doing so well. When she had walked in and seen the physical and mental state Shmi was in, she was appalled beyond words. It had been a long time since she'd seen someone in that condition, though she had the feeling she would have seen a lot more had she undertaken that mission the Council wanted to, with the slavers, all those years ago. But even though she was trying to maintain her cool Jedi exterior, she was finding it increasingly difficult not to feel a great deal of anger at these barbaric creatures passing themselves off as sentient beings.

She imagined what would have happened if it were her own mother she had found in that position, or Obi-Wan, back when they got along, or even her former Master Adi Gallia, despite the differences between them. She wasn't sure she would have been able to maintain her composure like Anakin was doing.

Anakin held them off expertly, but the Tuskens kept looking for openings in his defense, trying to slip past his maneuvers. And suddenly she saw something that alarmed her. They were going after Shmi. Despite how much they'd hurt her, and the fact that she wasn't even 'theirs' to begin with, they were trying to recover her, as if they owned her. They couldn't care less that this was the mother of a child, they just wanted their captive back. Like she was an animal they had picked up or scrounged in the desert, not a living, sentient being.

Something snapped inside Siri in that moment. And before she was aware of what she was doing, she was consumed with a desire to see vengeance granted. She struck out with brutal force, giving them a Force push far stronger than necessary. Some of the Tuskens tried to counter her moves, but she sliced viciously through their forearms, and then cut them down with a slash. Another one she decapitated with her lightsaber, without a hint of remorse. The more she fought, the more she found herself losing herself in the adrenaline of the battle, intent on driving away these monsters with a lesson they would always remember.

Anakin was alarmed to see Siri striking out at the Tuskens with ferocious and very lethal blows. What was his Master doing? But he didn't have time to ponder that question, because more Tuskens tried to confront him, intent on stealing away their "captive" from him. Like hell he was going to let them. He struck at their gaffi sticks and limbs, albeit with much less ferocity than Siri. Others he Force pushed whenever the occasion presented itself. And eventually it seemed to work. Perhaps from Siri's display of ferocious power and tenacity, or Anakin's persistence, the Tuskens retreated from their attacks. The Tuskens evacuated the immediate areas, leaving Anakin and Siri standing alone with Shmi.

Anakin was breathing hard, though not from exertion, but from the tension of the battle. Siri was breathing harder, however, and he noticed her eyes were shifting uneasily. What was going on? Something was wrong with her.

"Are they gone?" he asked Siri tensely.

"I don't sense them around," she informed him, with a slight shake of her head. She still seemed slightly disoriented, though at least she was still aware of her surroundings.

But Anakin knew they had no time to waste. The Tuskens were gone from now, but they would return soon, and with greater numbers to act as backup. They had to get Shmi out of here.

Siri seemed to agree.

"Come on, let's get her out of here," she said to him.

Anakin picked up Shmi in his arms, while Siri kept her saber at the ready. Climbing the narrow path around the side of the cliff, they made their way back to the speeder bikes.

Obi-Wan finally made it back to his ship, after a long, grueling trek.

"Arfour, ready a transmission to Coruscant, care of the old folks' home," Obi-Wan ordered. Arfour got to work immediately. Thankfully the communication passed through, the holographic scanner recorded the image of Obi-Wan into the comm array. Obi-Wan knew the scanning senses on the planet would almost definitely capture it. He had to act quickly.

Moments later, the voice of Master Windu came up, assuring him he had a connection with the Council

"Obi-Wan? What have you report?" Mace asked seriously.

"Master Tachi and I have tracked the bounty hunter Jango Fett to a planet called Geonosis, in the Outer Rim," Obi-Wan began, leaving out any hints that Siri was not still with him. "We've discovered that the Trade Federation is responsible for the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala. But that is only the beginning. I've spotted Darth Maul here on Geonosis. It appears that he is the Separatist leader we have been trying to ascertain the identity of. He was conversing with the leaders of the Commerce Guild and the Trade Federation earlier in a conference room, including the Viceroy Nute Gunray," he reported, letting that linger for a moment.

"It seems that the Commerce Guild and the Trade Federation are in league with him and they have built a droid army," Obi-Wan continued.

"Darth Maul?" Master Windu questioned. He and the other Council members looked at each other in surprise.

"What about the other Separatists?" Mace questioned.

"The representatives also include San Hill and Wat Tambor, as Maul's guests," Obi-Wan informed them. Mace nodded to himself on the other end. The Banking Clan and the Techno Union. That meant the Separatists had a great deal of money and technology behind them. That meant they would be able to counter almost anything the Republic could throw at them.

"This is graver than we thought," Mace muttered.

If the Republic was suddenly attacked by a massive fleet, they would have no way to defend themselves. The nearest flagships were days away, and with the Military Creation Act still on the floor waiting for a vote, there would be nothing to counter the millions of droids that would surely descend on them all around the city districts.

They would have to rely on the planetary defenses, and he knew that wouldn't be enough – not with the enormous assortment of droids the Trade Federation would surely throw at them.

"Yes, Master. It appears that he and the Trade Federation are in league with the other commerce guilds, and are planning to launch an attack against the capital," Obi-Wan explained. Mace nodded again. It was his worst suspicion confirmed. They were going for the Capital. No warning here.

"Obi-Wan, where's Siri?" Mace asked him.

Obi-Wan made a motion to his left, as if staring at some far-away point in the distance. "She's indisposed right now. She's still observing Maul and the Separatist leaders, in case they unveil anything more of interest," Obi-Wan explained, hoping they bought it. He frowned for added effect.

"And I fear I may be as well, soon. The Separatists will surely have traced my location, now that I have made a communication," Obi-Wan said, with a note of worry. "I have to check on Siri. Are there any orders for us, Master?"

Mace hesitated, wondering if he should relay orders to an unreliable Knight. It was tempting to have them spy on them, but he couldn't risk their safety. Being in the same area as the Sith was bad enough, without having them be exposed to any searching Force probes on his part. The longer they lingered there, the greater the chance they would be discovered.

"No," Mace decided at last. "You've done enough leading us to them. Link up with Siri and get out of there."

"Understood, Master."

"All right, find some place to hide until we can take action," Mace advised him. To retreat now would be disastrous. With the communications silence broken, the Separatist would surely shoot down any ship attempting to leave the atmosphere. "We'll take this before the Chancellor and the Loyalist Committee, and we'll contact you if we require your assistance with the operation."

Mace gave the Jedi a stern glance, showing him that he was deadly serious.

"Obi-Wan, do not engage Darth Maul in battle, you or Siri," Master Windu told him.

"Yes, Master," Obi-Wan, after a moment's hesitation.

Obi-Wan shut down the communication. He had informed them of the situation, and he had even kept Siri's secret. Now he was going to pursue his own directive.

Obi-Wan took off into the distance. He and Maul had a score to settle.

It was almost dawn and Padme hadn't slept a wink all night. She had tried, but she was too worried about Anakin and Siri. They had been gone a long time, but her optimism remained high. Since sleep evaded her, she had made sure she had all the things they would need to treat any wounds standing by. She had made the bed in one of the guest rooms up and had all the first aid equipment waiting. As she sipped at her caf, she heard Cliegg come into the kitchen.

"You're up awfully early, sweetie," he mentioned.

"I couldn't sleep," she replied.

"Me neither. Not a single wink," Cliegg concurred. Padme poured him a cup of caf and set it down on the table for him.

"Thanks," he said. Suddenly, Padme heard the sound of an engine, followed by another, break through the peaceful silence outside together. She instantly felt her beloved's tremor and rushed outside the hovel. Cliegg was not far behind her. The speeder bikes slowed, with Siri grinding to a halt after Anakin. Anakin got off the bike, carefully lifting his mother into his arms. Padme was horrified when she saw how battered Shmi was with bruises covering her face and arms, assuring her that there was more in places she couldn't see. For a moment, she feared the worst. Thankfully, Shmi still appeared to be breathing, when Padme looked closer after a moment.

Padme saw the serious expression on Anakin's face, though, and the one on Siri's, and suddenly she became concerned again. Was Shmi dying? Was that why they couldn't look at her with even a hint of joy? She hoped, she preyed fervently, that wasn't the case, but they were so solemn, even as they stood there with the seemingly resting Shmi.

"Anakin," Padme began, "is everything all right?" she asked, only realizing after she'd asked how stupid it sounded. "I mean, is she all right?"

"She's alive. She's in a healing trance and just needs plenty of rest," Siri said, answering for Anakin.

Padme breathed a sigh of relief.

"My Shmi…my darling," Cliegg cried, as tears of relief flooded him.

"I prepared a room for her," Padme said.

"Thanks, angel," Anakin said thankfully. She had never given up hope that Shmi was alive for a single second. She saw the blood on his tunic and gave Anakin a questioning look. "It's not mine," he responded, brief and to the point. She nodded quietly, though she should have expected they would have a confrontation with the Tuskens. She had heard nothing but awful things about them, during her time here.

She saw the solemn expressions on Anakin and his Master, however, and she couldn't help but remained concerned. They were hiding something from her. Something was wrong. Had something happened out there besides rescuing Shmi?

"Anakin?" she asked. "Is there something you want to tell me?" she asked, knowing they needed to get Shmi inside, but desperately wanting to know if something was seriously wrong.

For a moment, Anakin looked like he might say something. But then he shook his head and pushed whatever the thought was to the back of his mind.

"No. It's not important. Come on, let's get her inside," Anakin said, carrying his mother into the small hovel. The others followed suit. Beru and Owen were up by then and more than a little surprised to learn that Shmi was alive. The expression on Owen's face was one of dumbfounded shock…and perhaps a hint of shame. Anakin traded a look with him before he carried his mother to the room Padme had prepared for her.

Dooku's fighter came out of hyperspace in the area above Felucia, where Sifo-Dyas had last been reported before his death.

It had been years since he had last heard anything about his old friend. The circumstances of Sifo's death were mysterious, and very few details available. He did not believe the official explanation that Sifo-Dyas had been ambushed by pirates on a transport. Sifo was too skilled for that. Whatever had ambushed him, it was no ordinary transport. He still recalled the day Sifo-Dyas had pleaded with him to leave behind the Order.

It was not something he would readily admit, but Sifo's plea had had a major effect on him. Dooku regretted not joining him at times when the Republic showed its uglier side, but ultimately, he felt he had made the right decision. It was a tempting offer, but Dooku felt something told him it would be a big mistake to join Sifo in his quest. Indeed, he had plans to leave the Jedi Order for several years before, again, something told him it would be a drastic error in judgment. No one, not even Yoda, knew how close he had come to departing from the Order. It was a secret of the highest order, and he would keep it for as long as he lived.

Sifo-Dyas had been disappointed in his decision, and the two rarely spoke after that. Sifo had gone on his own path, while Dooku remained in the Order as one of the most esteemed Masters. Sifo was angry in his decision to stay behind and support a corrupt and failing Republic, but Dooku felt certain that there was a greater purpose to his remaining in the Jedi Order. And so the friends had gone their separate ways, torn apart by their philosophical and political differences. Sifo hadn't resigned, but he might as well have – he rarely touched based with Coruscant and pleaded with the Council to allow him to follow his own path, a request the Council granted with some uneasiness. The Council wanted to check on its Jedi as much as possible, but they couldn't stop him if he wanted to work as a Jedi out in the remote regions of the galaxy.

And now it seemed that Sifo had gotten into some trouble of his own.

The information they had received from Kamino was shocking. Dooku couldn't imagine Sifo-Dyas ordering a clone army from a group of scientists. And the fact that the Council had been unaware of their creation was astounding. How blind were they, if they couldn't discover the creation of a massive army in the galaxy? Dooku had to admit he was horrified, no doubts about it. And where did he get the funds for it? Sifo-Dyas was not a wealthy man. Too many questions, and not the least amount of answers for any of them.

Moving closer to the planet, the Jedi starfighter descended down into the atmosphere. Perhaps the answers would be found down there, on the surface of the planet. It was there at the spaceport that his investigation would begin.

Anakin was in the kitchen, sitting at the counter. His mother had been taken into the room Padme prepared for her, and she was currently resting. He was feeling glum, though, so he needed some time to himself. He couldn't stop thinking about what had happened in the Tusken camp. What he had almost done…it was overwhelming, to think he was almost a mass murderer, had it not been for Siri. And that wasn't even dealing with what Siri had done; that unexpected burst of rage-like intensity that had left him taken back. That was still a question he wasn't willing to ask, yet.

"Anakin," Padme questioned, as she came into the kitchen. "What's wrong?"

"Just thinking about what happened," Anakin sighed, laying back his head. "I can't believe this happened to her, when she did nothing to deserve it." Padmé's face darkened.

"Those monsters," she said, as she thought of what they did to Shmi and tried to do to her Anakin.

"They're more like mindless animals. Savagery is just a way of life for them," Anakin replied, with a sigh. Padme frowned. This wasn't like him, and she once again got the feeling that something was very wrong.

"What's bothering you? Your mom is alive and safe, yet I sense that something is still wrong," Padme said.

Anakin sighed. How to admit it?

"I just wasn't a very good Jedi out there, that's for sure," he replied. "I'd rather not talk about it right now, though."

Padme looked at him sternly. "Anakin, how many times have I asked that you not shut me out? And just because you think I'm not going to like what I hear…" she said.

"You're probably not," he replied.

"That doesn't matter. I love you and nothing you say is ever going to change that. You're not perfect and I certainly would never expect you to be," Padme replied.

"I'm a Jedi. Perfection is expected, especially for me. I'm the Chosen One. I'm not supposed to lose control or show weakness," Anakin said.

"You're human, Anakin. No one is perfect, not even you. Your mother went through hell. I'd say you've handled yourself considerably well," Padme argued. She squeezed his hands.

"Tell me what happened out there that has shaken you so. I can help you, I know I can, but only if you tell me what's going on," Padme pleaded.

Anakin sighed, drowning in helpless frustration. He didn't want to burden her with this knowledge, but he knew it was going to come out eventually. Padme was too good. And maybe, if he was lucky, she wouldn't find herself completely disgusted with him. He knew he sure was.

"Padme, I have to be honest. I almost lost control out there. Mom was dying and I got so angry. I wanted to kill them all! Every single one of them!" Anakin cried, his voice taking on an angry tone laced with fury. Tears came to his eyes, not out of sadness, but out of rage. "I wanted them to die for what they had done to her. And I almost did. I almost committed mass murder. Master Siri pulled me back, but I would have killed them all if she hadn't been there. I would have killed them and my mother would have died! You deserve better than me," Anakin spat, disgusted with himself.

Padme was incredulous. "You…were going to kill them all?" she asked, trying to understand. She knew he was probably going to kill some of them when he left, in search of Shmi, but what he was telling her was a whole different scenario.

"That's right. Oh, I had some small thought to spare the children, and the females, but I was still going to butcher the men like they were animals," Anakin said darkly. "And this, after all Master Siri taught me."

Padme was wondering what she could say. What he was telling her was disturbing, and certainly very horrible to contemplate. She knew some people would have probably called the Council right now, the hell with his Master, and told them they had a situation on their hands. Or else, they would have told his Master that he was a psychopath, who deserved to be locked up. But this was the Jedi's fault for keeping Anakin away from his mother for so long, and the Tuskens for kidnapping Shmi, not his. And she was not going to have him blaming himself for something he didn't do. Maybe the fact that he hadn't actually done that thing helped a lot. One thing she did know was that she loved him, and he needed her support right now.

"Ani, you can't dwell on something that didn't happen, nor can you punish yourself for something you didn't even do," Padme argued.

"But what if Master Siri hadn't been there?" Anakin asked.

"We could both drive ourselves crazy with the 'what ifs', Ani. I kept asking myself: what if I hadn't motioned for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Valorum? Would we be on the verge of war if I hadn't? We don't know. In your case, you recognize that you could have made a horrible mistake. But you didn't and now you can learn from that," Padme said. Anakin gave her a half-smile.

"You're so good at putting things in perspective. I wonder sometimes what I did to deserve you," he replied. Padme wrapped her arms around his neck.

"It's like I said before; I love you and nothing will ever change that," she said, as she gave him a long, tender kiss.

"Come on. Let's go check on your mother," she said, as she helped him put his tunic back on, making sure to be gentle around the fresh bandage on his shoulder. He stood up to his full height and now gazed down at her. Her chocolate gaze met his, as she now stared up at her love. She reached up and cupped his cheek in her hand. He leaned into her touch and kissed her palm.

"You're a good man, Ani. Don't let something that you didn't do haunt us. We don't need to think about what might have happened if Master Siri hadn't been there, because the reality is that it didn't happen that way. Your mother is alive and safe. And we're together. That's all that matters," she said. Tears slipped down his cheeks and she took him in her arms, as his tall frame collapsed against her petite frame.

"Shh…it's all right my love…it's all right," she soothed him. Sobs racked his strong shoulders and she combed her fingers soothingly through his hair.

Anakin hated himself for feeling like this. He didn't want to cry, because that was just another sign of weakness from the Jedi's point of view, but it was all just so overwhelming. First was mother was kidnapped and almost tortured to death, then he had almost become a mass murderer, and now something was wrong with his Master. He knew he couldn't tell Padme about Siri's secret, but the other two reasons were plenty enough to be upset at.

"I…I don't deserve you," he said, as he started scrubbing the tears from his face. Padme rose up on her toes and pressed her lips to his in a passionate kiss. When their lips parted moments later, she pressed her forehead against his.

"Anakin Skywalker…you just better get it through your head that I'm yours forever. You're my soul mate and I'm always here for you, especially when we're going through a difficult situation. Please don't waste too much time beating yourself up, especially when things turned out as they should. Everyone makes mistakes, my love and they learn from them. You may have wanted to kill the Sand People, but Master Siri helped you see reason and you didn't act on those dark feelings. In the future, this experience will serve you well, because you will know exactly what you must not do," Padme reasoned. Anakin nodded, not trusting himself to answer verbally. They kissed again, before they finally joined hands and made their way to the guest bedroom where Shmi was resting.

Anakin slipped into his mother's room where she was resting. Cliegg sat by her side with his hand clutching hers as she slept. He motioned for Anakin to come in. He sat down on his mother's other side and took her hand in his own.

"I can never thank you enough for bringing her back alive, son," Cliegg said quietly.

"Master Siri deserves the credit. I don't think I could have saved her without her help," Anakin replied, still feeling the shame of what he would have done. Besides killing the Tuskens, Shmi would have died if he had done what he intended. He owed Siri in more ways than he could imagine.

"She's safe and alive. That's what matters most, and it's all thanks to you and your Master," Cliegg said.

"You don't ever have to thank me. I'm just glad she's going to be okay. I don't know what I would have done if I had lost her. I don't think I would have ever forgiven myself," he replied. Shmi suddenly stirred and her eyes fluttered open.

"My darling," Cliegg whispered, as her eyes focused on him. She smiled weakly.

"Cliegg…" she whispered.

"Yes my darling. I'm here and you're safe," he replied.

"Mom…" Anakin choked. Shmi turned her head and laid eyes on her grown son.

"Ani?" she asked, as she raised her hand and placed it on his face.

"I'm here, Mom. You're going to be okay," Anakin said, as a few tears slipped down his cheeks.

"My handsome boy…I knew you'd come. I knew," Shmi said, as exhaustion set in quickly.

"I…love you both," Shmi said, as her eyes became very heavy.

"Sleep darling and save your strength," Cliegg said, as he kissed her hand.

Sometime later, Anakin stepped into the kitchen, only to find Padme and Beru chopping vegetables at the counter, as they talked. She looked back and smiled, as she saw him. She wiped her hands and put her knife down, before going to him.

"Are you okay?" she asked. He nodded.

"She woke up for a minute…and she's fine. She's going to be okay, Padme," he said, as they hugged.

"I'm so glad," Padme said, as they shared a tender kiss.

"What are you cooking?" he asked, as his nostrils inhaled the heavenly scent of home cooking.

"Beru is teaching me to how to make your mother's Bantha stew. I thought it would be good for me to learn, since it's your favorite meal," Padme replied. Anakin grinned.

"I love my mother's Bantha stew. You really are an angel," he said. She kissed him softly.

Moments later Siri entered the kitchen, looking sternly at Anakin. She was clearly very bothered by something.

"Anakin, we have to talk," she said seriously. Padme stared between the two of them, knowing they had to deal with this alone.

"Anakin, go ahead. I'll call you when the meal is ready," Padme said, going back to her cooking.

Anakin nodded and accompanied his Master into the garage. Siri seemed to be struggling with what to say. Anakin knew what this was about.

"Master…I'm so sorry about what happened out there. I…I lost control," Anakin said. Siri still didn't respond. Anakin became concerned; it was like his mentor to hold back her thoughts.

"Master?" he asked questioningly.

"Anakin…you're not the only one who lost control," Siri pinched the area between her eyebrows. It wasn't something she did often, having to admit she was wrong. "Fighting out there, I gave in to my anger. I fought with un-Jedi like aggression, and I would have killed all of those bastards if they hadn't retreated."

Anakin was in shock. It was one thing to suspect something was wrong with his Master, but it was another for her to confirm it so bluntly.

"Why…would you do that?" Anakin asked, unable to keep the confusion out of his voice.

"Anakin," Siri sighed in exhaustion, "I used to have a bit of a quick temper, before I started training you. You just don't see it because I've had to repress it," she told him, smirking wryly to herself. "Not in the same way the Council wants us to repress attachment and love, but in a similar way I've had to set it aside in the background nonetheless. I've had to learn patience and how to be open minded in order to teach you." She smirked. "Believe it or not, I used to be a pretty staunch supporter of the Code before I started training you," she told him, knowing his disbelief at that little factoid of hers. "But of all of that is still inside me," she gestured at her heart. "And when I saw Shmi lying there, helpless and beaten, I, ah…I lost control. It's as simple as that. I was outraged that they would do that to her, knowing Shmi and the type of woman she is. It shouldn't have happened and I'm sorry I set that example for you. I should know better as a Master," Siri apologized, looking down from her pupil's inquisitive gaze.

Anakin took in everything Siri was saying. "So you once had problems controlling your temper, too? I'm not alone in that?" he asked, looking at her with hopeful eyes. "I have to say I'm surprised. I knew you were irritated easily sometimes, and you've certainly given some adversaries a tongue lashing sometimes, but I didn't think you felt that kind of genuine anger, that…" he trailed off, not comfortable that it wouldn't sound like an accusation.

Siri raised an eyebrow. "What, hatred? Irrational rage? Everyone feels hatred, Anakin. Everyone feels anger at things, sometimes beyond our control. But to repress it entirely, and never deal with it at all…perhaps that's not the best way to approach things." Siri furrowed her brow. "Hmm. Perhaps I should take some of that advice. I wouldn't have exploded like that if I had full control over my emotions. I didn't have to use my anger to save Shmi, and I could have figured out a way to help her without relying on that destructive emotion."

Anakin felt it necessary to call his Master on what was seemingly a contradiction. "But Master, you said you'd repressed your anger. How can you not have complete control over it, then?"

Siri gazed at her thoughtful student. "Because repressing it is not the same thing as learning how to deal with it. That's why I decided not to teach you to control attachments and friendships rigidly, the way other Jedi do. I knew that wouldn't work well for you." She mused. "One thing I'm learning is that perhaps that applies to anger as well. Maybe repressing it isn't the best way to deal with things," she said carefully, figuring it out as she talked. "Releasing it into the Force doesn't address the source of that anger…" she stated.

The question was one with some validity. Had her repression of her anger all these years been the reason for her sudden explosion? Was it just her outrage at the Tuskens' actions and Shmi being in danger? Or was there another reason for her outburst, one that she wasn't explaining to him?

Anakin had to ask one thing, something that had gotten him curious. "Have you ever gotten angry with another Master? Some of the Council members, perhaps?" He knew some of the Masters didn't really like him, and they weren't enthusiastic about Siri.

Siri was completely honest about it. "Oh, of course. You don't go through life in the Jedi Order without angry at the Council once, at the very least, my Padawan," she smiled widely. "And in my case, I really had a temper to be afraid of. Master Gallia used to be very frustrated with me sometimes, because I could lose control at any moment, and snapped at people many times over the tiniest of things," she said in remembrance, smiling at how forceful and single-minded she was in her youth.

Anakin contemplated everything Siri had just told him. "So you were a real hothead in your younger days, were you Master?" he smirked, in a teasing way. "I don't really know how to picture that. You've always been so patient with me, while you were instructing me," he said.

Siri smirked. "Oh, you'd be surprised at how forceful I was in those days, Padawan. I was known far throughout the Temple as the one girl you didn't want to mess with and the Padawan who was an absolute little terror for her Master sometimes." She smirked. "You should have seen some of the scuffles I got into with Obi-Wan. But anyway, the point is that I know anger, and I know right from wrong when it comes to being a Jedi. It was wrong and it shouldn't have occurred that way. I'm sorry," Siri apologized, feeling a bit of embarrassment about the situation. She wasn't supposed to make mistakes like this, and admitting it to your Padawan was definitely one of the toughest things a Master could experience.

Anakin was quiet, allowing her to continue; he had a feeling this was important to her. Siri sighed and continued with her apology.

"So you see Anakin, you're not the only one who has to apologize," Siri admitted, feeling her fair share of shame. She was supposed to set an example for her Padawan, and instead she had disappointed him worse than any Master recently with their Padawan. Naturally, Anakin disagreed. She shouldn't have been surprised.

"But it's not the same!" he protested. "What you were doing, it…was to protect my mom. I would have done something horrible against all Jedi standards of decency," Anakin insisted, a bit passionately.

Siri shook her head. She couldn't allow her Padawan to have such misconceptions. "It was still wrong. I shouldn't have acted on my anger like that, and I shouldn't have killed anyone from it. I don't want you to repeat my mistake, no matter what happens in the future," she told him seriously.

"No, Master, you're not like me." Anakin couldn't accept that. He couldn't believe that Siri was anywhere near that low in morality. "You have restraint. You're not a…" near-murderer, he finished silently, once again feeling that shame at what he had nearly done.

"Ani…all Jedi at one time or another face brushes with the dark side, some just closer than others," Siri stated, determined to teach him that understanding. "In my case, I lost control momentarily, but you held back with restraint. Focus on that, and learn from it."

"But Master, if you hadn't been there, I…could have killed them all!" Anakin said, with anguish in his voice.

"Ani, every Jedi faces trials and tribulations. What last night proved was that, while you're grown up now, you still need my guidance and there is nothing wrong with that," Siri said. "As I learned too, that perhaps I…need someone else's just as much." Anakin was humbled by that admission. Still, he felt a little guilt.

"I just hate disappointing you," he said in exasperation.

"You haven't disappointed me, young one. If anything, I disappointed you. I let you down when you needed me to be at my calmest, and I nearly lost myself in fury," Siri said, feeling all manner of emotions – irritation and anger at herself, for letting him down; shame at failing as an example of a Jedi Master; fear that perhaps this could happen again, under worse circumstances, and too many others to count. She felt like a hypocrite, advising him to focus on overcoming his anger while she had been unable to do the same, despite her "motherly" image which she had cultivated at the Temple, both willingly and unwillingly.

"You didn't disappoint me, Master," Anakin shook his head. No matter if she had killed someone, she hadn't hurt anyone innocent, and neither had he, even if he still felt the guilt of what he would have done.

Siri smiled wearily. "I'm very proud of you. And we will learn from this misstep. I will make sure of it. But you are focusing on the negative and we must focus on the present," she said. Anakin nodded. They stood up and Siri hugged him firmly, a hug which Anakin eagerly gave back.

"Anakin, we have to tell the Council members what happened here," Siri told him. "Not all the details, just the basic ones. They're going to find out I took a side trip here, unless I wipe the database of my starfighter clean. In which case, they'll question why I erased the database. No, I won't do it. We'll tell them we had some information your mother was in danger, and we had an obligation to protect her and her family, so we came here to check on her. And in the process, we prevented a war between the settlers and the Tusken clans. After all, that is what would have happened if we hadn't rescued Shmi, am I right?"

Anakin marveled at Siri's brilliance. He wouldn't have thought to present such a simple, half-honest, and entirely rational explanation to the Council. He would have just avoided the issue altogether; or worse, lied straight to their faces. It was the type of half-truth the Jedi were famous for offering, only now it would be used against the Council, to keep the details of their little excursion a secret. He felt a little uncomfortable knowing he would be involved with his Master in what was a decidedly sneaky affair, but he couldn't worry about it too much. If he hadn't come here, his mother would be dead right now. He didn't regret his decision to come here, only the actions he would have taken had his Master not been here to rescue him from his temporary madness.

"I understand," Anakin nodded. He paused. "You don't believe Kenobi will keep your secret?"

"Please," Siri scoffed, making a disdainful face. "Obi-Wan's a slave to the Council. I appreciate what he's done for me, but I have no doubt he'll be rushing to tell the Council I left my mission the first chance he gets," she said disdainfully.

"I'm sorry, Padawan, your Master's not a perfect Jedi," Siri grinned wryly, making light of the situation with some humor. It wasn't often she joked around, but this situation necessitated it.

"I don't want a perfect Master, Siri," Anakin said, as he shook his head in denial. "I want you. You're the only one who understands me, inside the Temple. I wouldn't want to be with a Master who's going to think I'm a terrible Jedi Padawan because I don't follow the Code," he remarked, absolutely certain of the conviction he felt in that. Anakin was not a fool: he knew what Siri had sacrificed to train him, and he was eternally grateful that she had taken it upon herself to do so as such.

The older woman's eyes widened in response and her mouth was just a bit open. She had never heard Anakin speak in this manner! He sounded serious, mature; the manner in which Anakin spoke held more conviction than most Jedi Masters Siri had seen, and that was saying something.

"Thank you, Anakin," Siri said, a bit taken aback at the emotion Anakin held towards her. She had cared for him tremendously over the last several years, but she didn't know he felt that strongly toward her. It was humbling, to know her Padawan valued her that strongly.

"Don't worry about that, though. I don't think any other Master'd have you," Siri smiled, chuckling a bit in response to defuse the tension a bit. Anakin smiled, knowing that it wasn't being said out of spite, as an assessment of his flaws; Siri was just joking with him, showing the affection she held for him without stating it in a blatantly obvious way.

"Things could have turned out badly, but they didn't and we won't focus on what could have been. We will learn from this experience and we'll move on," Siri said.

"Thank you Master…for everything," Anakin replied. Siri touched his arm affectionately.

"Come on, let's go find a quiet, cool place to do a little meditating," she said. They left the garage, both with a new understanding of each other, and yet with some uncertainties over what the future held for them.