Chapter 16 – Master Yoda

Yoda had been a grand master of the Jedi order. He should be helping teach the inexperienced force users. But it was Obi-Wan and Ahsoka walking Luke through a meditation session, and Anakin sparring with Leia. Rex was keeping a close eye on all of them, while occasionally commenting on Padme and Bail's debate about a post-empire galaxy.

Yoda should have been teaching too. He had been earlier in the week, but the last few days he was too busy observing. He saw what Obi-Wan's smile looked like when he praised his padawans, how Ahsoka's eyes twinkled when she teased Luke, how Leia's smile sparkled when she blocked Anakin's riposte. But most of all he saw how the constant churning of Anakin's force presence eased when he was surrounded by his family and friends.

Yoda meditated on it. Love, attachment, family. These were things he was cautioned against embracing, had in turn warned others against. These were things that could too easily lead to the dark side of the force. And yet now they seemed to have the opposite effect on Anakin. Anakin who wanted them all to let go of the force, or to at least abolish their ability to wield it. Yoda had agreed to help but he was not sure if he should. The force connected everything. It was the power surrounding them. How could you let go of it even if you wished too?

Anakin told them he thought the secret to letting go of the force was to free the midi-chlorians within themselves. Yoda knew many theories surrounding the midi-chlorians. Little was agreed upon except that they were a physical manifestation of the force within each person. That they were present in much higher numbers in those who were force sensitive. Skywalker seemed to think that they could somehow convert the midi-chlorians inside themselves back into the pure energy of the force and this would start a chain reaction throughout the galaxy. He also believed strongly that this is what the force wanted.

Yoda had questioned him many times on this assumption. Anakin had been vague, asking them to trust him as they all spent time trying to communicate with the midi-chlorians within. It was difficult. More infuriating was that it came much easier to Skywalker, who had never been very good at meditation. But then Yoda and Obi-Wan had always searched for the force outside themselves. It was not the Jedi way to look within, to seek their own personal power.

"It's hard for you because you aren't aware of their presence within yourself the same way I am," Anakin finally explained one day when both he and Obi-Wan had questioned him repeatedly.

Yoda had been struck with how Anakin seemed ashamed of this admission. Nothing remained of the haughty young knight who would have delighted in outdoing his masters.

"Jedi communicate with them silently, when you meditate, when you seek their guidance and their will. The force flows easily between you and them. It's so natural you don't even notice it. It's like breathing. But a Sith demands their obedience, forces them to obey their will. Then you can feel them burning in outrage within you. If you felt that you would never be unaware of them again. The same way I felt each breath when I was Vader."

Yoda had meditated on Anakin's words, searching within himself, feeling each breathe enter his body. And it seemed that the force was answering him, from within and without. And he suddenly understood. There was no dark side to the force. Or light. It simple was. The dark side was a subversion of the force, caused by subjugating it. And the force without could never be subverted to a single person's will, only the force within.

Perhaps Anakin was right – the midi-chlorians really were the problem.

End Chapter 16

A/N: Sorry for the slow updates, the nicer weather takes away my motivation. Also this chapter was harder to write, and I almost gave up on it but I really wanted to have it here - even if it's short, and philosophical and keeping me from working on the next chapter which is way more fun and full of Anakin and Palpatine drama. Just 2 more chapters and an epilogue now...