A/N: You guys, my reviewers, are awesome! You guys read my story and give me great feedback. I am glad you are so detail oriented, I couldn't remember who did what when Anakin confronted the Chancellor. Thank you ever so much.

-The Blind Apprentice

(Chapter Ten)

"Any questions?" asked Mace.

Vas shook his head, "No my Master."

"Very well, May the Force Be With You." Replied Yoda.

Vas and Elizabeth bowed to Yoda and Mace and left the Council Chambers.

Mace turned to Yoda, "I hope that we are not sending them into unnecessary danger."

"To a neutral planet they are going. Dangerous there it should not be." Stated Yoda.

Mace sighed heavily, "I simply cannot bear to feel the loss of another pair of Jedi, and Elizabeth is doing so well…"

oOo

Vas took a deep breath and looked down into the very child-like eyes of his seven-year-old apprentice. What he was about to tell her would change her life forever, and could inevitably push her to the dark side.

He took another deep breath and calmed himself. He cleared his throat, "Elizabeth, do you have any questions about our mission?"

"No Master."

He cringed inwardly.

Sometimes it is so hard when they are so innocent, they don't even understand the undertones in people's conversations nor do they understand half-truths. Maybe I am doing her a service by ridding her of the blindfold of innocence…but that is why she is so special.

He sighed heavily again. "Elizabeth…" he stopped and restarted a few times before he had to make himself come right out with it. "Elizabeth," taking both of her hands in his, "You remember how concerned Master Mace was with your ability to use a lightsaber?"

She nodded.

"Well, there was a reason to be concerned."

Why oh, why do they have to be so trusting… Why must I be the one to do this to her…?

He closed his eyes and calmed himself again. "Master Mace was concerned for your lightsaber abilities, because we are in a war."

She looked around, as if to see the enemy flying through the room or past the windows. "The war is not here on Coruscant, at least, not yet. In a way, the war started here, but has never been fought here."

She looked very confused.

Oh man, I'm confusing her. Hell, I'm confused myself…

He sighed again, "What I mean, is that the Senate sort of perpetuated the war. They approved the creation of an army, therefore sending the Republic to war."

She showed no emotion, only concentration. These were big concepts for a seven-year-old to grasp, and Vas might have to re-explain some of this later.

"Our mission is just a negociation, but the way the negociation turns out will mean the difference between one more enemy to fight, or an ally to fight with."

He could almost see the wheels turning as she tried to understand what he was saying.

"Elizabeth?"

She looked up at him with a peculiar emotion on her face. "So, our negociations are really important, right?"

"Yes," the Master replied with relief.

She still looked confused. "but, why do we have to fight, can't we just get along? And why are the Jedi fighting, I thought we only believed in peace?"

She had hit the nail on the head, so to speak, with that last question. "Many Jedi, including myself are dealing with that very question. When did the peacekeepers become warriors? The only answer I can give to that, is that by going to war, we eventually hope to have peace."

"But Master, that doesn't make sense…how can wars create peace? Most of the time, one group is taking over another group. That is not peace is it? I thought that was domination?"

He sighed heavily, "You are correct. War does not lead to peace, it leads to more war. However, we as Jedi are fighting for the Republic, the government that allows all citizens to have a voice. This other group doesn't believe in that, they want to break up the Republic."

"But, isn't that doing what the people want, giving them a say? If that's what the Republic is supposed to do, then why is that a problem?"

Vas was stumped. He sighed and lifted his hands in surrender, "to be honest, I do not know how the government rationalizes that part, when it comes right down to it, we are simply following orders."

She jumped to her feet in outrage, "But what about the Force?! Doesn't it get a say?!"

He put his hands gently on her shoulders. He sighed heavily, feeling at that moment as old as he looked, "Elizabeth, I don't know what to say, we as Jedi have to trust that the Council knows what the Force wills, and I have to believe that they do."

He saw many emotions flicker across her face, confusion, fear, anger, frustration, but mostly confusion.

I knew this was going to be too difficult for her to handle. I am, myself, wrestling with the very questions she has raised. How am I supposed to answer her questions, when I can't even answer my own? Oh, Force, please help me. We have many questions, and not enough answers.

oOo

Elizabeth went back to her room and lay on her bed, trying to understand what her Master had just told her.

None of that makes sense, why would the Jedi follow blindly behind a government I thought Master Obi-Wan once said that our only duty is to follow the will of the Force How is listening to a government following the will of the Force? I am so confused…Force, if you're still here, help us, we don't want to fight. We want to serve you and do what you want us to, but are we supposed to fight?

That conversation with her Master had worn her out, so she slipped beneath her covers and fell asleep.

oOo

Vas stood in the doorway to Elizabeth's room looking at his sleeping apprentice.

She can eat later, we don't have to leave until morning, and I can wake her early to get her packed for the journey…

oOo

Somewhere else in the Temple, someone was also wrestling with the questions Elizabeth had raised.

Although his dealt with loyalties and how he defined duty over friendship.

He had said that he would go to the Council. That he would turn him over to them.

But how can I? He's been a friend, a mentor…he's been like a father. And he promised to teach me how to save Padme…

Anakin sat with his head in his hands having tried and failed to meditate several times during the night, but was unable to sleep.

Force! Please…help me! What am I to do?

Eventually, exhaustion made his mind submit and Anakin fell into a fitful sleep.

A/N: I don't want to put too much into one chapter, but I wanted to show how a few of our main characters are dealing with the situation. How would you feel if everything you were taught to believe, you were suddenly told to put aside and take sides? Jedi never take sides! At least they didn't used to…