A/N: Sorry for the long wait. I just had lost the writing spark. My life has been so hectic recently. Thanks to Ani-PadmeForever, Rangerfan58, sodorland, The Forgotten Skywalker, sailorsweetie, Elisabeth White, nd RomanticLover1 for your wonderful and supportive reviews! Onto the chapter!

Chapter 25

Losing Faith

Obi-Wan and Ahsoka manned the controls. It was twenty minutes before any sort of settlement appeared on the ship's navigational radar system. The navi system's alarm sounded and the coordinates matched the ones Anakin had provided.

"Approaching destination," the navigational system warned. "Approaching destination."

"We should land somewhere out here and walk over." Ahsoka answered.

"Not a lot of places to hide a ship this conspicuous. The land in this area is very flat." Obi-Wan answered,

"But you're right. It would give us away if we landed too close to the settlement." He continued.

The starship powered down. "Siri, put the shields up while Ahsoka and I go out to get Beru, Owen, and Cliegg."

"I'll be at the controls in case we need to make a quick exit." She replied.

Unfortunately Ahsoka and Obi-Wan didn't get the chance to wish Siri a temporary farewell. The ship lurched as some sort of explosive went off on its hull.

Siri tried to power up the shields, but it was too late. They wouldn't be fully operational for another minute and the slavers had managed to blast away the starship's entry door.

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan powered up their lightsabers.

"Siri, find a place to hide!" Obi-Wan shouted.

"I can fight with one hand. I'll be fine." She shouted back.

"I don't want you to risk it. Just go and hide." He replied.

"I do not run away and hide from problems, Obi-Wan! You should know that about me by now!"

She ignited her lightsaber and stood behind Obi-Wan and Ahsoka. Five slavers made their way into the cockpit and began to fire their blaster simultaneously. The three Jedi blocked every shot deftly. Ahsoka furrowed her brows and used the force to levitate one of the slavers. He rose up, slammed onto the ceiling of the cockpit painfully and fell back down, dropping his blaster in the process. Ahsoka smirked in satisfaction.

Unfortunately the injured slaver was not out of tricks just yet. He pulled a small elliptical metal object out of the utility pack on his belt and threw it at the three Jedi.

"Run!" Ahsoka screamed.

Siri, Obi-Wan, and Ahsoka ran out of the cockpit into the back of the starship but the force of the explosion sent them flying. All three of them slammed into the wall of the ship and fell to the ground.

Siri screamed in pain and curled up into a ball on the floor, groaning loudly.

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan stood before her crumpled form as the slavers approached, walking unscathed through the flames that now consumed most of the front of the starship. They fired mercilessly but Obi-Wan and Ahsoka stood their ground.

Ahsoka gritted her teeth as she tried to levitate all five of the slavers with the force. She could usually levitate large objects easily, but she was in pain now and tired and it required much more effort.

All five of them levitated, still firing their blasters as they flew up into the air. Ahsoka's arms swayed and the slavers went backwards into the flames. She could hear their cries of pain as the disappeared into the fiery inferno. Whether that was because they were being burned or because they had stricken something on the ship, she didn't know. But she wasn't going to stick around to find out.

Obi-Wan threw Siri onto his back and joined Ahsoka on her way out of the starship.

Ten slavers stood at the bottom of the starship's entrance ramp.

"We're outnumbered. Where are the clones?!" Ahsoka shouted.

"Obviously not here yet." Obi-Wan replied.

One of the slavers spoke. "Surrender Jedi. You will not win this battle."

"And how do we know you won't kill us after we decide to surrender to you?"

The slaver smiled arrogantly. "You don't. But either way, you'll lose."

Obi-Wan's voice sounded surprisingly calm given the situation. "It's not in our nature to back down."

"Drop your weapons. This is your last chance." The slaver replied.

Ahsoka and Obi-Wan looked fearlessly into the slaver's eyes.

"Terrible decision." He said smugly.

They fired and Ahsoka and Obi-Wan blocked a substantial number of shots, but the fact remained that they were outnumbered and eventually a shot reached its intended destination and struck Ahsoka in the arm. She screamed and the slavers took the opportunity to capitalize on her moment of vulnerability and fired three more shots. One hit her in the shoulder and the other two struck her outer thigh. She cried out like a wounded animal and fell down.

Obi-Wan tried to use the force to knock the blasters out of the slavers hands, but having to block shots with his lightsaber with one hand and carry Siri on his back took too much of his energy. A blaster shot struck him on his lowest rib and then another struck his forearm. He cried out in pain and staggered. Yet another blaster shot struck him in the chest and he fell down near Ahsoka. He fainted.

Ahsoka was still conscious. She reached out to her fallen comrade weakly. "Obi-Wan." She said hoarsely.

Siri had fallen onto her side. She looked at Ahsoka with fear in her eyes. Jedi were supposed to accept death. Jedi were not supposed to fear death. But Siri looked frightened.

Ahsoka dragged her self towards Siri and held her hand. "There is no pain, there is the force." She said softly. She said this even as tears blurred her vision. She said it even as she felt the pain that the force was supposed to cure in her heart. "There is no pain. There is the force."

She closed her eyes and repeated the mantra in her mind. Everything was silent and dark.

There is no pain. There is the force.

Anakin was in one of the training rooms at the Jedi Temple. He smiled faintly as the younglings followed his instructions, helmets down over their eyes and lightsabers poised to receive shots from the spherical remotes floating before them.

Suddenly he felt a pang of pain in his chest and he knew something was very wrong. The younglings sensed the change in his energy.

They all stopped their exercises and looked at him in concern.

"What's wrong, Master Skywalker?"

"Nothing, young one. I forget to notify the Council of something and I'm worried they will be upset with me." He lied.

"How could the council be upset with you, Master Skywalker? You're one of the bravest and strongest Jedi ever to exist."

Anakin smiled sadly. "Thank you, Padawan. Everything's fine. Continue your exercise. I will be right back."

"Okay, Master Skywalker."

He walked slowly out of the training room, limping as he did so. He caught sight of Master Windu.

A year ago he would have had to force himself to speak to the Jedi Master. A year ago he despised Master Windu. But Anakin no longer disliked the man. Windu had a very strong personality and could be abrasive at times, but honestly the same could be said about Anakin himself. And besides, if Windu hadn't showed up that day when Palpatine had attacked Anakin they would all be dead. Obi-Wan would be dead. Anakin himself would dead. Padme and their unborn children would be dead.

Anakin was given so much praise for fighting the Chancellor and for realizing that he was the Sith the Jedi had been looking for and trying to defeat for years.

But Windu deserved so much credit for saving them. None of the wonderful things Anakin had to be thankful for, none of the people he loved would be with him had it not been for Windu's tenacity and his bravery. And Anakin would be forever indebted to Windu for that.

"Master Windu!" He shouted.

The Jedi locked eyes with Anakin. "Hello Anakin."

"I have felt a disturbance in the force."

"Search your feelings Anakin. You will find the answers you're looking for."

"I don't know if I want to."

"You must."

"I know. I just wanted to ask you if you could watch over the younglings I'm instructing while I try to gain some clarity on this issue."

Windu smiled. "Of course, Anakin."

Anakin found an empty chamber and closed his eyes, falling into a meditative trance. There were flashes of color in the darkness. Siri's limp body was being dragged by someone. She looked frightened. She was dropped near Obi-Wan's lifeless body. Ahsoka was lying beside Obi-Wan and crying almost soundlessly. "Anakin," Her voice cracked.

Anakin's eyes opened in shock. His premonition had come true. He was breathless for a moment and it took a minute or two before he fully regained his bearings.

His friends were dying. Obi-Wan. His former Master. The man who had raised him like a father was dying.

Anakin felt dizzy with grief and he felt the blood drain out of his face. He decided to go home. He was far too upset to continue training the younglings. Jedi weren't supposed to let their feelings get in the way. But Anakin was no ordinary Jedi.

He just couldn't turn off his heart.