AN: From here we are starting to look at JA. However I am having this happen several years after they happened in JA. Just in case there was any confusion. I've been hitting a durasteel writer's block. So wish me luck, and feel free to give constructive advice! And here is the next installment.

Her heart had nearly broken when she had heard that there had been an attempt on her Master's life. Master Yoda had been in the room of a thousand fountains when the bridge had exploded, nearly taken Yoda's life. It had not, but it frightened her. Lanae frowned, it saddened her to return to the temple to find it in such disarray.

Her arrival had been kept quiet, the temple was dangerous, and Yoda had decided that it would be prudent to keep the girl's presence unknown, although Lanae was not sure of the reasons.

Master Yoda returned from his council meeting accompanied by Master Windu. They were talking quietly. "The boy's actions were rash, he endangered the lives of those children." Master Windu seemed frustrated, "I don't know if we can accept him back into the temple. He is impulsive, and that makes him dangerous."

"Impulsive Obi-Wan is, a difficult time this is."

Lanae hesitated, she wasn't sure what was going on, and didn't know if it was her right to ask. As though sensing the questions she wouldn't ask Master Windu turned to her. "Your friend Obi-Wan left the Jedi order to help a group called the young bring peace to their planet. Obi-Wan returned and has asked us to accept him back, we are not sure we can trust someone who would leave the Jedi Order so easily."

Lanae didn't say anything, Obi-Wan! She hadn't seen him in four and a half years, she had thought that he was on Bandomeer! What was going on? "He was accepted as an apprentice?"

Master Windu almost laughed, "Of course, it's been four and a half years since you've heard from him, on Bandomeer Obi-Wan saved Master Jinn's life, Master Jinn accepted him as his apprentice, the two of them were on constant missions for two years, they came back to the temple for a short time about a month after you left. They have been back much more frequently since that first time. A short while ago we sent Master Jinn and Padawan Kenobi to rescue Master Tahl on the planet Melida-Daan, which is where Obi-Wan decided to leave the order." He stopped for a moment and then added begrudgingly "Obi-Wan did succeed in bringing peace to the planet, but it does not excuse the ease in which he left the order, it sheds doubt on his commitment."

Lanae paused thoughtfully, "I left the Jedi Order. You allowed me to stay, does that shed doubt on my commitment."

Yoda laughed, "A point she has, doubt her we do not."

"Yes, but you were trying to do your duty, Obi-Wan was…" he trailed off and Lanae broke in.

"With all due respect Master Windu, it seems that Obi-Wan was trying his best to do his duty too." She glanced at Yoda "Sometimes the force asks strange things of us. Some that we may not understand, but we must follow the force anyways."

Yoda smiled, "Trust Obi-Wan I do, the right choice he tries to make. Accept him again I believe we should."

Master Windu sighed, "I know, I think most of the council wants to accept him again, but there is a matter of principle to consider."

"Can I see Bant, Reeft, Garen and Obi-Wan soon?" She asked, trying to change the subject.

"Reeft is out on a mission, you can see the others when the culprit is caught." Master Windu answered quickly. Lanae smiled to herself, sometimes Master Windu was bossier than her own Master. Master Yoda seemed to be thinking something along the same lines for he was now trying to hide a smile.

Communications had just come back up. Lanae waited impatiently with her Master to hear word from Qui-Gon, they were soon rewarded. "The temple is safe Master Yoda," there was a slight pause "Xanatos escaped, and in an accident Bruck Chun died." Lanae almost stopped breathing, "Bant has been rescued and all systems are back online. Obi-Wan and I will stop in with the council to make our final report tomorrow morning."

"Understand I do, speak with you then I will." Master Yoda turned the comm off a sad look in his eyes. "Sad it is to lose one so young."

Lanae merely sat there in shock. Her mind reeling, before it came to a conclusion. "Obi-Wan was there when Bruck died wasn't he?"

Master Yoda did not respond for a moment "Likely it is."

Lanae did not respond to that, she knew Obi-Wan was likely blaming himself. "Qui-Gon is going to go after Xanatos isn't he."

"Likely it is, support this we should not."

"Obi-Wan will go with him, won't he."

Yoda smiled at her, "Know him well you do, likely it is."

Lanae hesitated, wondering why she was even about to say this, it was foolish and pointless. "Will you send me with them?"

Yoda looked at her appraisingly "Wish to help Obi-Wan you do, know the pain of death you do, help him you would. Dangerous it will be. Hmm."

Lanae didn't answer, she did want to help Obi-Wan, she felt as though it was of utmost importance that she did so, and she knew that Qui-Gon would leave soon and the opportunity would pass by.

Yoda shook his head "Smart it is not, but necessary it might be. Speak with the council I will. Ready yourself."

Lanae fought a grin, if Yoda was telling her to get ready then it appeared that he had already decided on an answer. Now he just needed to convince the council and Qui-Gon.

"I do not understand your hesitation," Qui-Gon said. "Xanatos is a powerful enemy of the Jedi."

"Enemy of yours, I think he is," Yoda said, his gray-blue eyes intent on Qui-Gon. "Fruitless, a search may be. Wasted energy, it is. And too much anger I sense in you, Qui-Gon. Xanatos will reappear. Meet him you shall. But seek it you shall not."

"I feel that now is the time to find him, I do not seek him out in anger or for revenge, but he must be brought to justice before he wrecks even more terror."

Qui-Gon watched as the council members shared a look, one that told him that they had already known what he was going to say.

"The council does not like you suggestion, but we will support it on one condition."

That surprised Qui-Gon, he had not expected their support and had prepared himself for disappointment. He frowned, he wasn't going to like this condition.

"We wish for you to take Padawan Kenobi with you," Qui-Gon nodded, that was an acceptable condition "as well as Master Yoda's own apprentice." Qui-Gon looked up in surprise, he hadn't known that Yoda had an apprentice. Obi-Wan appeared just as surprised.

"Those conditions are satisfactory." He turned to Yoda, "If you would have your apprentice ready to meet us at the landing dock early tomorrow morning that would be appreciated."

Master Yoda smiled, "Be there she will."

Qui-Gon left the room Obi-Wan following him. It was a good sign that they wanted Obi-Wan to come with him, while Qui-Gon was still struggling to open up and trust Obi-Wan again, it meant that the council was more than willing to accept Obi-Wan back. Although Obi-Wan wouldn't see it that way. Part of him would likely suspect that they merely wanted him out of the temple. Qui-Gon sighed, that would be something he would have to address.

"Will you be ready to go by tomorrow morning?" He asked Obi-Wan.

"I'll be at the landing pad early."

"Good, I've already found transport with a luxury transport, we'll be going to Telos, Xanatos's home planet, posed as tourists."

Obi-Wan nodded, then glanced at Qui-Gon "Do you know who Master Yoda's apprentice is?"

Qui-Gon shook his head, "I wasn't even aware that he had taken an apprentice, which is odd, normally Yoda's apprentices are well acknowledged."

Obi-Wan grinned "Well I suppose we'll see tomorrow morning won't we."

He found Bant and Garen shortly after, they both looked excited about something, although both refused to tell him about it.

"I heard that you and Qui-Gon are being sent on a mission together." Garen stated conversationally.

"How did you know that? I haven't told anyone." Bant just grinned at him mysteriously.

"Don't worry," her grin widened "it will make sense tomorrow."

Garen looked at them, "You two can have fun together, there's someone that I want to spend some time with tonight." Obi-Wan noticed that Bant looked a little put out at that.

"Why do you get to?"

"You got to this morning."

"So?"

"It's my turn now."

"What are you two talking about?" Obi-Wan interrupted frustrated.

He was greeted with two mysterious grins, "You'll see tomorrow!" they chorused. Obi-Wan frowned, a little annoyed. But he knew from experience that when they got this way there would be no getting answers from them.

Lanae grinned, her handmaidens were ticked with her for going on a mission. They felt that they were supposed to go with her, and she had told them that they couldn't it was Jedi business. They hadn't taken that answer very graciously.

Lanae was silently relieved. She had grown to like the four girls, particularly Luna. But she was ready to leave behind the life of a Princess aspiring to be a senator. She hadn't wanted the life in the first place. She supposed that was the only reason she was still a Jedi. She recalled that there were a few similar examples previously. Jedi's who had been asked to be more than just a Jedi in order to do their duty. She wondered if it was as hard for them as it was for her.

She quickly abandoned that train of thought. It would merely serve to depress her. She waited with Masters Yoda and Windu for Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon to show up. She was actually really surprised that she had been allowed to accompany them on this mission. Although she also understood exactly why. She had experienced first hand how guilt over a death could seriously harm one. She knew that both Masters were well aware that Obi-Wan was currently suffering from guilt over Bruck's death, even though it wasn't his fault. She was going to help him. She hoped.

Obi-Wan followed Qui-Gon down to the landing pad, he could see Masters Yoda and Windu as well as a short figure he assumed was master Yoda's apprentice.

Master Qui-Gon stopped in front of Master Yoda, "We're prepared to go, is your apprentice ready?"

Yoda nodded "May the force be with you." Then he turned and left. Which confused Obi-Wan he would have thought that Yoda would have at least introduced his apprentice. Qui-Gon seemed equally surprised.

He hesitated a moment before gesturing for both apprentices to follow him to their transport. Qui-Gon glanced behind him to where the two apprentices followed, "This transport is merely taking us to our official transport, where we will be traveling as tourists."

They boarded the transport and Qui-Gon at least waited for the transport to take off before turning to the silent apprentice. "I'm Qui-Gon Jinn and this is Obi-Wan Kenobi. Obi-Wan stepped forward, watching the silent form.

The apprentice nodded, before lifting her hands and lowering the hood. Obi-Wan was greeted by a girl with long red hair and bright green eyes. "And I'm Lanae Treaty. It's nice to see both of you again."

Obi-Wan stared in surprise. Lanae? He thought she was on Macinar? What was she doing here? And she was Yoda's apprentice? When had this happened?

She grinned at him "After four and a half years since the last time we've seen each other all you can do is stand there?"

"Lanae?" He said it hesitantly, as though unsure. Qui-Gon looked equally surprised.

"I thought you were in training to be a senator?"

Lanae frowned, "I suppose you could say I am following in the footprints of Master Grangefield." Obi-Wan nodded, Master Grangefield had been a Jedi who had been asked to be both a Jedi and a Senator, from what Obi-Wan had understood there had been rather extenuating circumstances. It made sense to him. It seemed to satisfy Qui-Gon as well, because he nodded and gestured for the two of them to get comfortable as he turned away and found himself a seat.

Obi-Wan stared at her, she would be eleven now, five years his junior. But he wasn't surprised that she had managed to land herself on a mission that shouldn't have even been happening. It was such a Lanae-type thing to do. He strode forward and hugged her. "It's been such a long time." She was hugging him back tightly.

"I know, I'm so glad you're here. I didn't even know you had left Bandomeer until a few days ago. I was so happy." She grinned at him.

Suddenly something clicked, "You spent last night hanging out with Garen and yesterday morning hanging out with Bant didn't you!" She grinned innocently at him, "No wonder the two of them wouldn't tell me anything." He glanced at her "Did you tell them not to tell me."

"I may or may not have suggested such a course of action." She smiled at him, "I knew I was going to see you today, and this seemed like such a great way to surprise you."

He grinned at her, "Well you succeeded."

She grinned back at him, "I figured as much from the way you stood there stock still gaping, it looked as though you had seen a ghost."

He laughed, some of the weight that had been resting on him lifted.

He watched Bruck fall, he kept reaching out trying to catch him but his arms moved slowly and he couldn't get there in time. He heard Bruck accuse him, blaming him for his death, even as he lay there with his neck broken at an odd angle. He wanted to cry out, tell him that he had tried to help him. Really he had! It was no use. Bruck continued to blame him, not only for his death, but for the death of Cerasi, for the death of Bant, blaming him, ridiculing him. Obi-Wan continued to deny it, but inside he knew that Bruck was right. Those deaths were his fault.

"Shh, wake up Obi-Wan." He felt someone shake him, "Wake up."

He jerked up to find Lanae next to him. They had arrived at the luxury transport. Qui-Gon was waiting for the two of them. Obi-Wan felt ashamed, he should not have fallen asleep, but he had not slept well recently and had needed it.

He followed Lanae and Qui-Gon onto the transport and was immediately awed and shocked by the extreme luxury. Who needed all this luxury. Lanae didn't seemed to be awed by it, she seemed a little frustrated with it. Which surprised him, he would have thought she was used to luxury by now.

Qui-Gon immediately found a seat that afforded him a view of the rest of the transport while remaining quiet and secluded. Lanae and Obi-Wan followed him, although he told them they could go and enjoy themselves if they wished.

Obi-Wan sat, tired and troubled. His dream haunting him.

"It's not your fault." The whisper was quiet, and he turned to see Lanae looking at him, "I heard you while you were sleeping, you kept saying it was your fault. It's not."

He just looked at her, "I was fighting him when he died. I'm the reason he died… I don't deserve this chance the council is giving me, I'm dangerous. It is my fault."

Lanae looked at him for a second. He noticed her bite her lip. "Do you think I'm a bad person? Cruel? Evil? Do you think I deserve a chance?"

Obi-Wan looked at her surprise. Lanae was certainly a good person. He wasn't sure where she was going with this. "Of course I think you're a good person."

She stared at him, "You fought with Bruck with the intention of saving Bant, it's not like you fought him with the intention of him dying, right"

He shook his head. And she laughed bitterly.

"Well if that means you deserve to be outcasted than I should be too."

"You don't understand, I fought with anger."

"Were you angry when he died?"

"I don't know." Didn't she understand that he was unsure now of his feelings then, he thought he had removed the anger, but had he really?

Lanae stared at him, "Obi-Wan, you aren't a bad person, if you could've you would have saved him."

He just shook his head.

"I killed my father." Obi-Wan's head jerked up to stare at her. Out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw Qui-Gon's eyes look up at the two of them. It was obvious he could hear them.

"What?" He was shocked, Lanae a killer?

"I took actions that I knew would end in my father's death. Even worse, I didn't take those actions soon enough, people died because I hesitated and was unsure." There was pain in her eyes, and Obi-Wan realized this was the first time she had ever said anything more than the basics about her past. "Look at me Obi-Wan. If one of us deserves to be kicked out of the order and shunned, it isn't you."

He reached out to her, unsure of what to do. She looked at him again. "You feel guilty for his death, and that's natural. But Obi-Wan don't you see? You needed to save Bant, but you would have kept Bruck alive if it were possible. I know this, and you know this." She slipped to her knees in front of him. "For the longest time I blamed my father's death on myself, I blamed myself for all of the people that he killed that I could not save. In the end I took the action that would save my people, even if it did mean sacrificing my father's life." She stared at him, "Does that make me a bad person Obi-Wan."

He suddenly flashed back to a night years ago, when he stared into the eyes of a five-year old who had been failed by the world. "No Lanae, no it doesn't."

"I won't lie to you Obi-Wan, there were times when I hated my father. But his death was not because I hated him. I did what I needed to be done to save my people. Obi-Wan, you did what you had to do to save Bant. And if you could you would have saved him. It's not your fault. I promise Obi-Wan, it's not."

He looked down at her, and he could feel some of the weight leave his shoulders, it wasn't healed yet, and he knew that, and she knew that, but she had shown him that he could heal. He didn't have to carry this burden. Silently he wondered if even after all this time she was truly healed.

"And for the record Obi-Wan, I will never censure you for doing what's right." She smiled at him, and Obi-Wan was sure she meant Melida-Daan. He had stayed because he had felt it was the right thing for him to do. It had been impulsive, but he had never doubted the rightness of it. And it seemed that neither did she.

"When did you get so wise?" He grinned at her.

"Me? I've always been wise." She stuck her tongue out at him. "The question is, when will you get wise?"

Qui-Gon spoke for the first time, "Now Lanae, let's not get greedy asking for a miracle."

Obi-Wan cried out in fake outrage. "What is this? A conspiracy to ridicule me?" Lanae laughed. And for the first time since Qui-Gon had left him on Melida-Daan Obi-Wan was sure things would be alright.

Qui-Gon glanced at Lanae, it would be simple enough for him and Obi-Wan to look busy here in the loading bay, but he wasn't sure exactly how Lanae would get through. Lanae herself frowned at the loading bay. Then turned to them.

"Meet you on the other side." Qui-Gon frowned he would have to trust that she had a way of getting to where the men were picking up the boxes without drawing to much attention to herself.

"Come Obi-Wan."

Lanae drifted off as Qui-Gon lifted a box and began to carry it back the way it had come. Following his old rule, look like you belong and look busy and people will assume that you belong.

He could hear Lanae behind him. "Excuse me sir, but I'm a little confused, my parents told me they would meet me by the kitchen of the transport. But I got here and they weren't here. Do you know how I can get out of here?" He could hear her, she sounded frightened and confused and he grinned, she wasn't supposed to be here, and so she was going to use that to her advantage.

"Follow me little missy, I have a shortcut out of here, maybe you can find your parents outside." Qui-Gon glanced behind him to see Obi-Wan stifling a laugh. Obviously the thought of Lanae as a little missy was funny to him.

Qui-Gon set down the box and continued on his way. Hoping that Lanae would catch up with them soon. It was moments later that she joined him and Obi-Wan outside the transport area, the three of them mixed in with the tourists coming out of the transport.

"Hey there, stop." Qui-Gon frowned, he had no doubt they were talking about them. He pretended not to hear them, they had done nothing wrong, there was no need for them to react.

Lanae spoke up conversationally, "If it comes down to it I can run." Qui-Gon didn't doubt it, but could she outrun several grown men was the question. He and Obi-Wan could do it easily.

"You two, stop!" So, they didn't realize that Lanae was part of their group. Interesting.

He could see two police officers now, obviously tracking them, they were getting rather close. After a moment's hesitation he nodded to the two apprentices and they broke into a run, slipping through the crowd without so much as bumping into a shoulder.

He saw the two police officers begin to run as well. The three of them tried to evade the officers for several minutes, even jumping onto a rook to do so. The police were persistent though.

Finally the three of them entered a large dome, there was an event called Katharsis going on, the game put Qui-Gon on edge. From his seat he could see more police obviously searching for him and Obi-Wan. He gestured for Obi-Wan and Lanae to leave this row, they would need to leave the dome. But it should keep the officers busy looking for them for a while longer.

The closest exit had an alarm on it though, they would have to go up. He frowned, the police had spotted them. The game was up.

"Would the three of you like a seat? I have room." Qui-Gon looked over to see a man gesturing to a box where there was indeed extra room.

Qui-Gon nodded, "Why thank you." He hurried in smoothly followed by the two apprentices. "It was difficult to find a seat."

The guy laughed, the box moved up into the air where they could watch better, they were now away from the police. "I know, especially when there are police after you." Qui-Gon noticed both Obi-Wan and Lanae tense. But the guy merely laughed "Don't worry about it, there isn't much crime on Telos, the police tend to like to hound people for things as simple as throwing away Muja juice. Even innocent guys like me get hounded." The guy laughed "Call me Den."