The Council chambers were quiet. Members had filed in minutes beforehand and now waited for the judgement of either Master Yoda or Master Windu, neither of which came. Both of those Jedi looked around the room. For a moment, their eyes rested upon Obi-Wan, then they moved on to the others. The feeling of the chambers was pensive.

Of course, the reason for the meeting brought an eerie tension to the Jedi Council. It went unspoken that the rogue Anakin Skywalker had to be brought back, but that was the lone statement made. The how, who, and when were put off until a later date - this date to be exact. Whoever took on the challenge had to meet certain criteria, criteria that also went unsaid, however, the Jedi knew in their bones what they were. It couldn't be someone too attached, too brash, or too arrogant to believe they could apprehend Skywalker. Likewise, the Jedi who went had to have enough skill, strength, and willpower to overcome the "chosen one".

The eyes of each member searched the room for who would be going - it had to be a Jedi master who went, and a Council member checked the necessary boxes. Naturally, Obi-Wan was not going to be selected for the mission. Despite him being the one to bring Anakin's transgressions before the Council, apprehending Skywalker was personal for him, and so the Jedi spared him no glances. When it came to combat, there were three on the Council who were up to the challenge, however, two of them had to have remained behind as they could not be spared. In reality, there was a single Jedi who would be going.

Yoda cleared his throat, bringing attention to himself. "An easy task this is not. Taken lightly it should not be. A powerful Jedi Skywalker was, and a Jedi of equal power will be needed."

The Grand Master's words lingered in the air, their weight sinking in on the other masters.

"There is no doubt," Kit Fisto began, "that Anakin's talents are far beyond most Jedi in the Order, perhaps even on this Council. If he has allowed these difficult emotions to cloud his judgement, then we also must consider that he has touched the dark side."

"We've all faced the dark side during this war, but there aren't many of us who have come away with a clear victory," Luminara added.

"Master Secura has been able to defend herself well against the Zillo beast as well as the combined forces of Maul and Count Dooku. Certainly, if anyone is able to apprehend someone with Skywalker's ability, it would be her," voiced Ki Adi-Mundi.

From his side of the room, Obi-Wan merely listened to the opinions going around. He watched as his fellow masters and companions spoke of Anakin as though he were a dog that must be hunted. They didn't understand him the way Obi-Wan did. If they chose to send him, perhaps he would be successful...then again, maybe not. When Anakin came to him in his time of need Obi-Wan dismissed those feelings in favor of upholding the code. For the last several nights he lay awake wandering over those thoughts.

Obi-Wan was, undoubtedly, lost. Without Anakin by his side he wondered what his next move would be. Where was he going to be sent to? More than likely it was going to be some section of the galaxy where he'd be far from the drama and far from his former padawan and friend once he was found.

"Master Secura, confident in this task, are you?"

The blue twi'lek woman paused for a moment. All eyes in the room fell upon her, waiting for the inevitable response. She held her hands to her chin, letting the wheels in her mind churn over.

Breaking the silence, she said, "Masters, I will be able to bring him here to the temple to face judgement. I know him. While others on this Council know and understand him better than I, I've had plenty of time in his presence and enough experience to succeed."

"All in favor?" All on the Council affirmed the appointment, much to the pleasure of Master Windu. "It's settled then. Master Secura will take on the task of apprehending Anakin Skywalker and bringing him here for his trial and expulsion."

The finality of the verdict hung over the members of the Jedi Council. While weeks had passed since he had left, it had become set in stone that their Chosen One was no longer on their side. After all was said and done, Anakin Skywalker morphed into an extremely dangerous enemy. The mere idea that he touched the dark side of the Force invaded the thoughts of the Jedi, and Aayla Secura mulled it over.

For the time she had known him, Anakin showed untold amounts of compassion towards others, not least of which were his former student and Senator Amidala - whom she now understood to be his ex-wife. That compassion made Anakin human to the rest of the galaxy. His emotions, erratic as they may have been, attracted the laymen of the Republic. Aayla believed them to be one of his greatest strengths, however, that was when he had been an ally. Now, as she exited the chamber,

A Jedi with Anakin's skill and power, the likes of which had never been seen, who had turned against the ways of the order, posed a very grave threat. That was without touching the evils of the dark side. If that were the case, if Anakin had truly fallen and finally let his emotions get the better of them, there was no telling the outcome. The possibility of Aayla having to claim his life was very, very real.

As she left the lift at the ground floor, Aayla noticed Obi-Wan staring at the speeder lines outside of the large windows. Compared to the calm, collected, and quick witted man she had come to call a friend, this Obi-Wan was lost. The thoughts she knew he had were retained rather than shared. He attempted to mute the mixed emotions he felt, however, Aayla saw through the charade. The man missed his friend.

Slowly, Aayla approached him. She folded her hands behind her back and stood to Obi-Wan's left. She followed his line-of-sight which focused out on the abyss in front of them.

"It's rather beautiful, isn't it?" she asked.

"I'm sorry?"

"The way the sun sets behind the towers and how it reflects off of the speeders going by. It's easy to get lost in it for a while."

"Yes, it is."

Aayla frowned at the simplistic answers she received. Small talk was not going to make a difference to him. Beating around the bush was a futile tactic. There was little time to waste, so she became more direct.

"Before I leave, I'd like to learn a little more about S - Anakin," she told him. Aayla chose not to use his last name believing the Jedi master responded better to his friend's true name.

"I believed that would be your intention."

"You've spent more time with him than anyone else. Help me understand his mindset. Help me see where Anakin might be in order for this all to end peacefully. No one wants this to end in violence."

Obi-Wan exhaled slowly through his nose. Instinctively, he reached for his chin and ran his thumb and forefinger over his beard. His brain fought to retrieve the memories forged throughout the decade-plus he had spent alongside Anakin. Hundreds of memories surfaced and he focused on the pattern in most of them.

"There are few things that mean as much to Anakin as family or what he perceives to be his family," Obi-Wan began. "He cares deeply for those closest to him. His mother, Ahsoka, and Padme all fit into that category. When he loses them or, more accurately, when they leave him, Anakin cannot process it. He's very protective and when they reject that possessiveness Anakin has problems coping with it. When he lost his mother, Anakin became reclusive and a dark aura hovered over him for a long time. When Ahsoka left, Anakin fell into a sullen state. I'm assuming that this is the deepest loss of all, so whatever emotions he's felt before are stronger."

"And what about you?"

"Me?"

Aayla was taken aback. "Yes. Don't you believe that you've had an affect on him as well? You're a substitute for the mother he lost at a young age. There must be a connection to you. Losing you, well, it must be equally as hard on him."

She watched Obi-Wan turn from the window and look down at the floor beneath his feet. He continued stroking his beard, mulling over the enlightenment.

"You haven't thought of that, have you?"

"I'll admit that I haven't. I've been more focused on the effect the others have had on him, but you might be right. I...did bring him to the Council when he trusted me first. Knowing him as I do, it must affect him greatly."

"I imagine it does." Aayla paused, thinking back to what he had said before. "Do you know if he's lashed out before? From what we've heard, he acted aggressively towards Senator Clovis, so it's possible he's acted that way beforehand."

"It's possible, and it's also true. When the Council had me fake my death Anakin made his annoyance and feelings of betrayal plain. According to the real Rako Hardeen, Anakin threatened to kill him when he was apprehended. There were reports of him throughout the criminal underground, none of which portrayed him in a good light."

"Naturally, if he doesn't take kindly to those he cares about leaving him, then it must have been especially hard with you."

He turned from her, facing the wall to his right. "I imagine so."

"What about his mother? What happened then?"

"From what I remember, it was at that time Padme came back into his life. While he felt the negative effects he also had a new...wife to balance it out. We were shipped out not long afterwards. Whatever negativity clouded Anakin may have been released in the battles we found ourselves in."

Aayla made mental notes on what Obi-Wan had told her and added them to what she already knew. When Ahsoka had left, a cloud hung over Anakin. The life the young man had within him dulled. He lost the bounce in his step and the exuberance she associated with him. She imagined it became far worse over time, then adding on the stresses of his current predicament may send him spiraling.

"Thank you, Master Kenobi," she said gratefully. "I will be taking my leave and preparing for my investigation."

"I wish you the best of luck,"' he replied, though the solemn tone in which he said it made Aayla wonder whether or not he truly meant it.