Chapter 12-A Great Lose

A month later, the night was peaceful at the Jedi Temple when suddenly all the occupants awoke at midnight, some felt the shift in the Force more than others and it was not a comforting one. The death of three Younglings and one Padawan could be felt by all the occupants of the large and spacious building that was considered to be a sanctuary to the Jedi Order. Master Anakin Skywalker shot straight up and clutched his head in pain; as he felt the deaths more prominently than everyone else. After a few moments, he jumped up, put his robe on and strode out of the room to find Ashlyn in the short hallway that led to her room.
"Master, what's happening?" she asked with fear written all over her face.
"Ashlyn, calm and relax your mind," Anakin reassured his student and he felt her slowly but surely start to relax.
Anakin headed for the door, "I will be back soon," he said as he walked out of the quarters. Ashlyn followed, "Can I come with you Master?" she asked.
Her Master turned to look at her and was about say no, "Please?" she added.
"Alright come on then Tiger," the Jedi Master gave in to his Padawans request. He could tell she needed reassurance to remain calm and if his presence helped her then so be it.
Ashlyn followed her Master to the High Jedi Council Tower and they ran into other members of the Council along the way. Upon arrival at the Council Chambers, the Padawans who had followed their Masters were told to remain in the foyer.
"Do you think Master Kenobi will tell them about our theory?" Stret asked no one in particular.
"I'm sure he will," Daly responded, "He was working on how he was going to present it to the Council this morning," he added with vertigo.
Inside the other room, there were serious discussions and debates going on about the outbreak that had now taken the lives of four students; three of whom were Younglings and the other a Padawan.
"Are we any closer to finding out what this illness exactly is?" Master Plo Koon asked.
"I have a theory that might shed some light on the situation," Master Obi-wan Kenobi said as he stood up from his seat.
"Would you care to share it with us Master Kenobi?" Master Mace Windu requested, motioning for the other man to stand in the middle of the circle.
Obi-wan did so with purpose, "Our Padawans actually came up with this theory-," he started which caused some of the Masters to frown slightly.
"How did they find out about this?" Master Saesee Tinn demanded.
"One of their friends Kyra Scorpio became ill a few weeks ago and other students had seen the children who did fall ill go into the medical bay and never come out," Obi-wan assured the Masters. "Proceed then," Master Ki-Adi Mundi motioned.
"The Padawans found the file in the archives for an illness that everyone in this room has had and the majority of all the students have had as well. The Midi-chlorian Pneumonia is an illness that we have all had but when I looked into the medical history files for these children who have fallen ill. None of them had this illness which means they don't have the Antibodies for it to protect themselves from this new disease," Obi-wan stated very clearly.
"Are you saying that this is just a really bad case of the cold, Master Kenobi," Mace Windu asked as if to mock the Jedi Master and their Padawans of this theory.
"No, I'm saying that it is a mutated form of the cold. Think about it for a moment; all of the symptoms match it's just this disease is more severe and aggressive," Obi-wan explained.
"If true this is, backtrack and found where it has come from we must," Master Yoda sighed deeply.
"My Padawan has a theory as to where it came from," Master Anakin Skywalker spoke for the first time in the meeting, "Padawan Kalus Jikasto, he was the first to fall ill and was the first one that lost the fight for life this morning."
"We should summon Master Hiaasen," Master Mundi said and everyone nodded in agreement.
"Return here at sunrise and invite Master Hiaasen we will," Master Yoda said as they all stood and bowed to each other before leaving.
Anakin and Obi-wan were walking back to their private quarters with their Padawans close on their heels.
"What did they think of the theory Master?" Daly asked curiously.
"We will investigate into it more but Padawans this means you need to leave it to us now," Obi-wan said.
"You both need to focus on your studies and exams," Anakin said when he sensed the Padawans about to argue, "It's for your own safety," he added.
"But we were the ones who discovered it and we want to help our friends," Ashlyn argued.
"Ash, you will both stay out of this. Do you understand?" Anakin turned around to face the two students.
Daly frowned at the floor defiantly, avoiding eye contact but nodded his head slowly while Ashlyn had a completely different reaction.
"No I will sit back and watch my friends and the future of the Jedi Order die right in front of me," Ashlyn said determinedly before stalking off. Daly watched her walk away and then looked at the Jedi Masters before following his friend.
"Do you sense it too?" Obi-wan asked.
"Yes they have become very close," Anakin responded.
"Should we follow them?"
"No we need trust that they will do the right thing on their own," Anakin responded as he turned and headed back to the private quarters.
Obi-wan followed his former Padawan, "Now when did you become so wise?" he asked.
The two men laughed heartily as they continued on their way but when they reached their destination both of them entered but only one stayed. Anakin Skywalker came right back out when he sensed his old Master had fallen asleep and he made a beeline for the West Hangar. He jumped into a speeder and sped off into the Coruscanti traffic with one destination in mind, Padme's apartment. Anakin landed the speeder on the balcony of the apartment and sat there watching his wife for a few moments before she turned around and saw him. The Jedi Master grinned, jumped out of the speeder and ran inside into the embrace of his beautiful wife.
"Ani," Padme said.
"I'm so sorry Padme; I haven't visited you in a while-," he started but she interrupted him.
"It's okay Ani, we both have very important jobs to do and we have to be more careful now than we were during the war," Padme said.
"I think Ash started to suspect something," Anakin suggested, "So I thought if we didn't see each other for a while she would lose the theory," he added.
"And you think she won't notice you missing from the quarters?" Padme inquired, "Ani, she will notice."
"Of course she will but I think she needs a break from the Jedi Temple. Could she spend a day with you? Maybe that will take her mind off things that are happening at the Temple," Anakin asked almost pleadingly.
Padme frowned slightly, "Is there something wrong going on at the Temple?" she asked with deep concern.
Anakin groaned softly as he had hoped that she wouldn't notice, "Yes but the Council wishes to keep it from the Senate," he said as he turned away from his wife and looked out the window with his arms crossed across his chest.
"Ani, I might be a Senator but I'm your wife and I promise if the Council wants to keep it to themselves then I won't tell anyone," Padme said putting her arms around his waist and resting her head between his shoulder blades.
Anakin sighed sadly, "The future of the Order is hanging by a thread."
Padme became shocked, "What?" she asked.
"The children are all getting ill and-," Anakin paused, "-four of them died at midnight."
Padme gasped and didn't say anything for a few moments, "What are you going to do?" she asked after the shock passed enough for her to speak.
"We have a theory of where to start but I'm afraid it might just be too late for all the Younglings and Padawans that have already fallen ill plus all those who could still become sick," Anakin said gravely.
"How is Ashlyn handling it?" Padme asked.
"She's not handling it at all," Anakin responded, "It frightens me because she is one of many who could get sick because she doesn't have the Antibodies to protect herself," he added.
"You should tell her," Padme said.
Anakin turned back around to face Padme, "I can't lose her Padme, she has come so far and has gone through so much," he said determinedly.
"Ani, if she is determined to help the investigation as much as it sounds she is, you need to tell her so that she doesn't put herself in any danger by trying to help," Padme said, "If you want I can tell her about it."
Anakin paused for a moment, "That would be very much appreciated Padme," he said.
"Now it's late and I have a long and busy day tomorrow and I'm sure you do too. So how about we both go have some rest," Padme suggested before leading Anakin to their bedroom.

Meanwhile, Ashlyn had walked all the way to the Archives Hall and she could sense Daly close behind her so she stopped to let him catch up.
"Ash, what are you doing?" Daly asked as he tried to catch his breath.
"We need to do more research," Ashlyn said determinedly.
"Ash, you heard what our Masters said. We are not allowed to help and there are obviously good reasons why they don't want us to help," Daly said as he tried to put sense back into his friend's head.
"Okay, then why?" Ashlyn demanded in frustration.
"I don't know but think about it Ash. All of us have said that we have had that cold except for you, now why would that be the case?" Daly asked.
"I never had the cold," Ashlyn answered, "But I don't see what that has to do with why we can't help with researching this disease."
"Ash, once a person has that cold they never have it again because they are immune to it but what happens if you never had it," Daly mentioned.
"Are you trying to tell me that I should stay out of it and not help Kyra because I could get sick?" Ashlyn demanded, "That's selfish and Jedi are supposed to be selfless," she remarked.
"Yes Ash but Kyra wouldn't want you to put yourself in any danger just to save her," Daly said, "Think about it, you know Kyra better than any of us do and she would have done as she was told so that when you did survive she would be there for you."
Ashlyn's resolve started to give way to her emotions and she fell into Daly's comforting embrace, "I just d-don't want her t-to die," she mumbled as tears ran down her cheeks.
"None of us do Ash but she would rather you remain safe," Daly said soothing and comforting her.
Daly no longer cared about what others would think if they saw this because at the end of the day he would do whatever was necessary to protect all of his friends and be there for them when they needed him the most.

A/N: I hope you are enjoying the story so far.

Ashlyn Dubreas.