Anakin had Lyra's head resting against his chest as his fingers caressed her dark hair in a slow swing; the girl had fallen asleep after a second visit to Shmi. But beside the distress she was happy to announce that the improvements were more and more remarkable and even Shmi was already beginning to show signs of wanting to wake up.

The young Skywalker felt more and calmer to know that his nightmares were not fully true. And even was able to say that he was no longer afraid of them.

Lyra shifted to his side, snorting in a low voice as her arm circled Anakin's chest; he looked down, smiling lightly while he wrapped her better in his own robes. Her body was warm and her skin was a little colored by the heat of the twin suns. Anakin thought that he was blessed to have her with him, considering all the events that he tackled in recent days.

But now he was feeling a little better, but he knows that she was worried about him and all the things he said about his feelings and impulses; so she propose him to use the Force again on him to heal his crowded mind, thereby lightening his thoughts and restoring the peace that every Jedi needed. And she did. And Anakin was a new man.

Carefully, the boy slid down, resting his back fully on top of the mattress as he lay on his side. Lyra's breath hit his face gently, leaving a faint scent of the mushroom sauce that Beru had probably made for lunch. Anakin smiled again when he discovered that Lyra had sand in her hair; His hand lightly shook the strand that fell curled over her forehead, allowing the tiny grains to fall on the sheets. The gesture of Obi-Wan's apprentice widened as she wrinkled her nose and her eyes began to open.

"I'm sorry," he whispered as she took a deep breath and wiped her face with the back of her hand.

"You were right," Lyra murmured hoarsely, swallowing saliva, "I hate it."

"At last someone who understands me." She smiled, rubbing her nose.

They were lying on an old mattress in Owen's garage; there the wind from the outside entered warm and not as suffocating as spending five seconds under the suns. The day was already beginning to come to an end in a slow way.

"Beru says Mom has woken up." the boy muttered, allowing his fingers to glide along the contour of his companion's face, "She even ate a little, but now she's still asleep."

"Maybe a new session would be better before it gets completely dark," Lyra was speaking with her eyes closed and a voice still numb.

Anakin could not help feeling a powerful flush of relief that his mother was safe; he was still unable to believe it, but sooner or later he would have to: he had rescued her, but she had saved her.

"I do not know how to thank you," the boy's fingers tightened on Lyra's chin as he leaned forward, brushing his lips against hers. She smiled and also approached, until they finally joined in a kiss. Anakin's free hand traveled to the curvature of her waist and clung to it and part of her back, pulling her toward him and intensifying the kiss. Lyra, for her part, had linked both hands behind Anakin's neck, allowing her fingers to entangle the boy's hair, tugging occasionally from them.

But that privet moment was short. Too short for them.

A series of urgent whistles interrupted the pleasant weather as soon as Artoo entered the garage, as desperate as if a demon were chasing him. Anakin released Lyra as soon as the droid entered, jumping off the mattress and taking his saber.

"Ani, no!" Padmé exclaimed, also entering with Threepio.

"What's going on?" The boy questioned, even with the saber in his hands as he left the garage, "Why so much rampage, Artoo? I thought we had agreed that you would be watching the ship." The blue and silver droid began to whistle frantically.

"It seems to be carrying a message from someone called Obi-Wan Kenobi," Threepio translated quickly, turning his yellow eyes to both jedi apprentices, "Does that tell you something, Master Anakin?"

Skywalker returned to the astromec, kneeling beside him, "What message?" R2 whined and whistled.

"Relay?" Lyra repeated, crawling on the worn mattress and standing next to Anakin, "Why? What is it?" Obi-Wan's Padawan observed her and discovered that her cheeks were flushed and that she preferred to keep her head down so that no one else noticed.

"He says it's very important," observed C-3PO, moving sideways to look at the three people there.

"Go ahead, Artoo," Anakin said, "show us the message." As soon as the two Padawans and the senator settled in, the droid whistled and turned on itself, then began to project on the ground before them an image of Obi- Wan.

"Anakin, my long-distance transmitter does not work," explained the hologram of the Jedi, "I need you to relay this message to Coruscant," R2 interrupted the message there, and Obi-Wan seemed to be frozen in place. Anakin looked at Lyra and then he proceeded to stand.

"We must send this to the Council," he announced, heading for the exit. The two girls followed him and along with the two droids, they crossed the section that separated them from the ship of Naboo.

"Do you think Obi-Wan is well?" Padmé asked, and suddenly she turned pale.

"Master Kenobi is strong," Lyra said, squeezing her arm gently, "I would not worry; But Master Windu has said: Obi-Wan was on a mission, maybe he just wants to pass some report."

Once inside the ship, Anakin instructed to connect the long-distance transmitter of Naboo's ship with the Temple frequencies on Coruscant. Padmé only took a few moments to initiate the connection, and as soon as it was done, Anakin gave Artoo the order to start reproducing the message. The droid whistled, and Obi-Wan's hologram moved again.

"I have followed the bounty hunter Jango Fett to Geonosis droids foundries; The Trade Federation will receive a droid army, and it is clear that Viceroy Gunray is behind the attacks on Senator Amidala, "both girls exchanged a glance, but clearly neither was surprised by that information.

"The Trade Guilds and the Corporate Alliance are going to hand over their armies to Count Dooku and are forming a ..."Obi-Wan's face twitched at once, and he take from his belt his lightsaber, "Wait! Wait!" In the image a couple of droid-Kas entered, firing. The Jedi master defended himself as best he could, but the hologram fluctuated and eventually disintegrated.

Anakin jumped and ran for R2-D2, but Lyra stopped him, holding him by the collar of his robe. The boy resisted, but after a moment he began to realize that there was nothing he could do. Nothing at all.

"Masters," Lyra said, taking Anakin to the pilot's seat and forcing him to sit, "What do you think?"

In the distant Coruscant, Yoda and Mace Windu and the other members of the Jedi Council observed the holographic transmission with exaltation and sadness.

"He is alive," Yoda announced after watching the broadcast for the second time, "In the Force I sense him." Lyra placed a hand on the shoulder of Obi-Wan's apprentice, who appeared to be almost on the verge of collapse again.

"But they've captured him," added Mace Windu, "and the gears move ever more dangerously."

"More than what has been revealed in Geonosis, I feel that it happens."

"I agree, we cannot stay idle," nodded Lyra's Master.

"Anakin, Lyra," said Mace Windu, looking at them through the communicator, "We will deal with Count Dooku," his apprentice nodded. "It matters most that both of you stay where you are and protect Senator Amidala at any cost. For now, that's the top priority for you. "

"We will, Master," Lyra agreed, holding a hand to her chest in sign of respect.

"Understood, Master Windu," Anakin said, and his tone, full of resignation and defeat, deeply affected both girls. The fierce senator was exasperated by the idea that Anakin was trapped in that place, when it was evident that his Master was in danger.

As the hologram went out, Padmé moved to the ship's console and began pressing buttons and checking coordinates, confirming what he already knew.

"We'd better get back to Naboo in a few days," Lyra murmured, leaning against Anakin's seat as she folded her arms, "We'll be better there,"

In response, the senator snorted, "They would have to travel half a galaxy!" she exclaimed, turning to both Padawans, "And yet they would never arrive in time to save him."

"Padmé ..." Young Buleeana tried to say, but the senator jumped to her feet, pointing to one of the console screens.

"Look, Geonosis is less than a parsec away!" she exclaimed, manipulating the controls to show her a flying course on the screen, "Anakin, what do you think?" she asked, trying to engage the afflicted boy too.

Anakin rubbed his hands over his face, sighing against it, "You heard the Council," he mumbled, exhausted, "we must stay. They will take care of the situation. "

"But they cannot come from Coruscant in time to save him!" Padmé repeated, raising her voice. She began to move more controls from the control panel, preparing the engines for takeoff, but Anakin laid a hand gently on hers, stopping it.

"If he's still alive," the young Jedi replied grimly. Padmé looked at him sternly, and he turned and walked away.

The senator watched the two teens, frowning and both hands on her hips; she had a gesture of disbelief. "Are you giving up?" she questioned, "Anakin, are you going to stay here and let him die?"

"Padmé, we have orders!" Exclaimed Lyra, trying to make her come to her senses, "We cannot disobey them; Apart, there may be someone else out there, away from Coruscant and near Geonosis."

"It's us!" Insisted the stubborn senator, "Obi-Wan is more than just a Jedi!" she said, almost as if she were reproaching them, "Anakin, he is your partner, your mentor!"

"He is like my father!" Replied the boy, standing abruptly, "But you have already heard Master Windu: we have strict orders to stay here."

Padmé remained silent, while Anakin began to head toward the exit ramp; and suddenly she began to understand what was happening to him. It had not been her intention, but she had overheard the conversation where he admitted that he had murdered the entire Tusken's group, and perhaps for the first time in his life he doubted his inner voice, his instincts.

"Wait!" she exclaimed before the boy stepped into the desert again, "Both of you were given strict orders to stay here so you could protect me," Padmé corrected with a smile, hoping to be able to remind him clearly that his previous orders, already ignored, demanded that they stay in Naboo.

"And what do you suggest?" Lyra asked, retreating on her own steps. The senator turned to the console to move more levers. And the engines roared to life.

"Padmé!" Anakin rushed back inside, as he tries to hold on into something.

"They were given strict orders to protect me!" She said again, "And I'm going to save Obi-Wan. So if you're planning to protect me, you'll have to come with me. "

Both Padawans looked at each other and both seemed to discuss the situation in silence. If there was something that characterized Padmé was her obstinacy and they knew perfectly well that would nothing they can do to make her change her mind.

"We cannot just leave," Lyra announced, sighing in despair, "we must explain to the Lars that we must attend ... aggressive negotiations, and leave them some advises about how take care of Shmi." Padmé smiled victoriously and dropped into the passenger seat.

"Fix whatever you have to fix and let's get out of here; I feel we have a chance to save Obi-Wan! "

SW-SW-SW-SW

"I'll try to come back," murmured Lyra, as she tucked in an cloth bag her lubricant-stained clothing; her father was behind her, his arms crossed over his chest and a disturbed look, "But in case I cannot ... do you think you can send Nomi?" she asked, looking at him, "Shmi still needs all the help we can provide to regain her strength."

Lorcan was watching her closely and Lyra wondered what kept him so quiet, "Can you do it?" she repeated, hanging her bag behind her back.

"I will," replied the man. She nodded.

"Thank you," she thought the words were not necessary with him, just because she did not know what to say, "I guess we'll see each other again... eventually." Lorcan walked over to her, placing both hands on her shoulders.

"I hope that will happen," the man confessed as Lyra regarded the gesture with a critical eye.

"I can watch over Gael and Kenth, if you want." The girl cleared her throat as she subtly stepped back so she could be away from her father's grip.

"Alyana and I would appreciate it," Lorcan smiled and a dimple formed on his right cheek; Lyra watched him, and almost without realizing her actions, she put a hand to her face, stroking over her cheek, remembering that that mark was also formed when she smiled.

"I'll do it with pleasure," she said, clearing her throat again. Lorcan nodded pleased as he stepped aside, "So…bye," the girl muttered, heading for the door.

"Lyra, wait!" The man cut her off, interposing between her and the exit. The girl's big gray eyes rose to him, and Lorcan saw them shining like two sparking stars.

"Is something wrong?" Lyra asked, wishing she could finish this meeting that, if it had not been of the utmost importance, would never have convened.

Lorcan did not respond with words, simply opened his arms and wrapped his daughter in them. Lyra was petrified where she was standing. A few days ago she had witnessed how Padmé was reunited with her father and the affection they professed each other; also she remember her first few years inside the Temple when she was wonder what it would be like to return to those times where her life was simple and where her father used to carry her on his shoulders, pretending to be a starship as they run among the people of Tatooine.

The bag fell heavily to the floor and Lyra clutched as much as she could to her father's dusty clothes. She had a mission, of which she did not know the nature of it and the probability of returning to Tatooine was really scarce: if there was a confrontation with the Geonosians, would she manage to get out alive? And if they succeeded, would she be encouraged to return to that desert planet?

Lyra did not think she had all the answers, so she simply closed her eyes and hugged her father.

When finally everything was expressed, Lorcan accompanied her out of the Lars property with little Nomi in his arms. Lyra waved her hand to them as she headed toward the ship. Anakin was at her side, and they were both holding hands; Lorcan had not even had to ask what her feelings dictated. He had also been young and had not encouraged himself to challenge his master, perhaps Lyra would never have illuminated his life.

"Bye! Bye! "Nomi exclaimed as the engines began to start.

The patriarch of the Buleeana family used his free hand as a visor covering his eyes from the sun while Naboo's star ship roared through the skies of Tatooine.