A/N: You guys are really the best. Lots of love! I so appreciate you all! Please enjoy!

Chapter 18: From a Certain Point of View

Yavin 4

"Anakin, you always come through for me. I never had any children but you are as close to a son to me as any."

"You can count on me, Chancellor. I won't let you down."

"No, my son. You won't and you never will."

Drenched in a cold sweat, Anakin shook awake wide eyed, stirring with a quick start from his nightmare. Darting up into a sitting position, his back straight and stiff as a board of brylark wood, the only thing he could focus on was his breath within the hazy of the skin prickling fog between the realm of wake and sleep he teetered between. The sticky tendrils of a vivid dream that won't soon go away. Against the heat of his face, the thick coat of cool sweat creeped down his forehead in stark contrast to his hot skin, raking his nerves further. Just as he feared, the nightmares were back and with a vengeance. What had faded with time had reared its ugly head again. For a moment, disoriented, his head spinning with confusion, the blood pounded in his ears as he struggled to piece together the sights and sounds of his unfamiliar surrounding; he wasn't sure if he was still dreaming.

Rubbing the last remnants of the dream from his eyes, he instinctively reached across the mattress with his other arm. For the warm, soft body of his wife and the sight that usually calmed his nerves and settled his racing thoughts but she wasn't there. Instead, there were the stiff bedsheets of a lonely bed.

Groaning loudly, finally remembering, he flopped back down onto his bed ungraciously. Staring aimlessly at the cement ceiling, his vision drawn to the cracks that spread across the otherwise dull view. Rumbling softly in the background, several nearby ship engines started up, causing his bed to shift slightly. Next came the roll of metal wheels crushing the compacted dirt outside his windows. He squeezed his eyes shut. Now, he completely recognized where he was. Waking up in the Rebel's base, the musty scent of the worn bedsheets and the sound of the bugs that skittered through the cracks in the walls and ceiling made him feel so empty.

Instead of the music of his children's boisterous laughter spilling in through his window and the echoes of their rooster crowing the morning alive, it was coarse laughter and sharp tongues of rowdy young men. Some joke told at a new guy's expense and the resulting embarrassing yelling and laughter that ensued afterward. It was loud and chaotic here and so different from the last five years.

Finally sitting up again, he stretched his arms out to the side as he released a wide mouth yawn, feeling his stiff jaw click back into place. Having slept shirtless, the japor snippet thumped freely against his muscular chest as he felt the deep ache in his lower back. Then, arching his back, the tight cords of sinew spasmed in protest as he attempted to stretch out the knots that burgeoned overnight on this old, too soft, and worn mattress. Not to be ungrateful, the rebellion didn't have much, and he knew it was a luxury for him to even have a bed so he wouldn't complain to anyone.

Tossing his feet over the edge, he stood up and went through some light stretches. The routine helped him relax and focus his mind. Afterward, with a sigh of relief, finally feeling looser, he sat on the ground cross legged. It felt strange yet not at the same time to be in this position. Now that he opened himself back up to the Force, it seemed only right he would meditate in it again. Plus, hopefully, it'll dissolve the remnants of the nightmare he rather not think about at the moment. If it was anything like when he first opened himself back up, he decided he would take it slowly and barely crack open his mind to the sonorous waves of the Living Force. Like taking a peek with one eye barely open, he didn't waste any time as he dove straight in. Even scarcely within the stream, he could feel all the pain and suffering coming through. It was shocking how much had changed, and he had never experienced the Force like this, ever. Not even in the lowest periods of the war, it was never this…desperate.

Desperate and everything screamed at him. Plunging into the Force, try as he might, he couldn't shut out the different Force signatures. Angry, fearful, and chilling, their loud thoughts interrupted his own as he felt the echoes of misery throughout the Galaxy. How did he ever do with this in the first place? That also returned. Remember now that he was never good about sitting within the Force and also was even more reluctant to do so given its amount of misery. Giving up, he decided on another tactic. He was always better with moving meditation.

Next to the bed was a small table where he had stored his lightsaber. Turning in that direction, he stalked towards it then stopped abruptly as an idea tugged at him. Staying where he stood, he reached out with his right hand and closed eyes. Easily, the Force pulsating loudly now that he had its attention, and he willed it to obey his command. Stretching his fingers out, the weapon quickly sprung from the table into his awaiting palm and he closed his hand tightly around it. A slight thrill ran up his spine as he turned his wrist over, opening his hand to marvel at the lightsaber.

With a heady rush, a new sense of appreciation filled him. A vast difference from before, there was a time he wouldn't even think twice before making a move like that. Now, he had to remind himself of such…conveniences. It stirred a deeper reverence with his connection. Like seeing Ahsoka again, it was an old friend he had left behind and was reunited again. It would take some getting used to.

After quickly dressing and clipping his lightsaber to his belt, he retreated out of the barracks to find a secluded area to practice his forms. Rusty would be a nice way of putting his current abilities. Cutting the corner to round the back of the building, he stopped as he scanned his surroundings before finding what he was looking for. Off, behind several crates, revealed an undisturbed area near the tree line by the perimeter. Nice and quiet with no rowdy young hooligans to be seen. Smiling, he decided to make his way over there.

Farther away from the hustle and bustle of the epicenter of the base, it was appreciatively peaceful out here. Despite the low vibration of the electric fence that wrapped the perimeter, overall, it was surprisingly calm, and for a moment, he could imagine himself back on Nevah. Standing in the ready position, his muscles synced with the deeply ingrained stance as he reached for his lightsaber hanging off his hip. Whimsically flipping the lightsaber in his hand before he ignited it, the soft swoop rang in the air as the blue fire burst forth, and the gentle hum greeted him. As he stood there, a light prickle ran across his neck, like a round pebble skipping across a lake. Flints of energy too small to be humanoid but noticeably potent. Like it was yesterday, he could recall the Force signatures of the native arctons. Apparently, his lightsaber had drawn them closer to the base to investigate despite the possible danger the blue fire represented, or maybe it was their curiosity of him or a mixture of both? It was strange, he felt their presence before but there was something different about it that he didn't notice before like a deeper layer unraveling.

Still present, their power within the Force was noticeably palpable and the men in the Rebellion were wise to keep their distance from them. One poisoned sting was enough to send a person into a horrible full body convulsion complete with terrifying foam at the mouth. That's if they didn't meet an instant death at the arcton's sharp appendages while being helplessly drawn closer to the beast by their natural Force ability. Now, as he watched them behind the shadow veil of the nearby trees, he also felt a pause as they surveyed him. Not as impulsive and mindless as he previously assumed they were, he noticed a genuine curiosity about them as they studied him as much as he observed them. There was definitely an intelligence to them. Testing his theory, he waved his lightsaber back and forth. Although their darken forms were covered by the foliage, he could feel their eyes through the Force as they followed the blue light in awe. This caused him to chuckle. How did he not notice this before?

Perhaps it was the passage of time that altered his perspective. Before, he was just a Padawan and self engrossed in his failure to successfully escape the pirates unscathed, coupled with the need to repair their ship in a timely manner. Back then, he simply didn't have the capacity to bother learning about these creatures.

Slicing his lightsaber through the air, as he went through a couple of forms, he felt them drawn to each slight movement, flickers of excitement coursing through the Force. Admittedly, he honestly enjoyed their company and attention. It felt like children utterly fascinated by the small spectacles of life. This reminded him of his own children and he realized why he recognized their curiosity as it mirrored his own children's zeal and inquisitiveness.

Stopping midstride, he powered off his lightsaber as he stood up when he realized this. The arctons' attention peaked, puzzled by the movement. Facing their shadows as he peered at them through the fence, returning their curious looks, he saw them differently now. Since the last time he was on this planet, a lot had happened, shaping his perspective of the Galaxy and his relationship with the Force. These insects were still extremely perilous creatures and that electric fence was very necessary if they decided to attack him. More for their safety than his, of course. But, now, he could appreciate that they were intelligent living creatures going about their lives as best they could. It humbled him to come to that conclusion. Something he never thought about until that moment.

A snapped twig drew Anakin's attention, although he was curious as to why the arctons didn't scatter at the sound. He got the sense they knew the presence walking towards him very well.

Turning his attention back to the person, the cloaked form advanced steadily towards Anakin, with the hood down, the shadows of the masked face of the Kel Dor's flickered with the pulse of the green lighted fence. Stopping a respectable several meters away, he bowed to Anakin. "I hope I am not disturbing you, but I wanted to properly greet you in a way I was unable to yesterday. It is good to see you so well." He straightened up and the folds around his eyes coverings relaxed.

Returning the bow with a small smile on his face, Anakin responded, "Master Plo, it is good to also see..." He paused to find his words. "To see you surviving during these difficult times." He said solemnly.

Plo Koon smiled through his mask. "It is rather difficult to kill a Kel Dor. Force attuned or not, we are a hardy and resourceful species." He replied amusingly, with his posture loose.

Anakin laughed heartfully, "I suppose that's a good thing."

Being around Plo Koon again, he recalled why he had always liked him. There was a calm and accepting energy about the Kel Dor and he always felt comfortable to speak more freely to him.

Earning an easygoing chuckle from Master Plo, the Kel Dor pivoted to face the forest and Anakin felt the arctons perk up. Clearly, they were comfortable with him here and almost seemed friendly as they came closer to the fence. At this distance, the oldest ones the size of an adult massiff, he could really appreciate their black and red markings on their hairy exoskeletons. Far from anyone's description of beauty, they were still challenging to look at and hard to not be wary of. Definitely not as cute and cuddly as a loth cat. Yet, there was something cute with how they turned their heads as they focused on two force wielders.

Looking down, Anakin followed their eyes to his lightsaber. Through the Force, he felt them ask for him to do it again.

Smirking as he turned to Master Plo, Anakin noted, "You know, it's funny. I never realized how aware these creatures were. I always thought they were just insects."

"Hrm," Master Plo started but just like Anakin had remembered him, there was no judgment in his tone. "It is a common perception and you are not alone in viewing them in this way. Many people on this base are instinctively terrified of the creatures that naturally roam here. The outside appearances shape their perception of what dwells within. However, you have come to realize there is more to them." He turned to face Anakin.

Anakin glanced down at his lightsaber, tracing the outline with his finger. "They're really fascinated by my lightsaber." He paused as his thoughts took a darker turn. "But they don't understand I could kill them easily with this. They would be dead before they knew what happened." He rolled the lightsaber tentatively in his hand before looking back up at Master Plo.

"Indeed, they are very curious. Perhaps too curious for their own good and unfortunate things happen when one gets too curious around a dangerous foe beyond their capabilities." The conversation shifted ever so slightly.

Anakin nodded, comprehending the deeper meaning of his words before answering back. "Sometimes, they can't help but be curious." He stated sadly, it wasn't about the insects anymore. He didn't elaborate further, not giving away all the details that led to his dark decision.

Despite Master Plo's shielded eyes behind the protective mask, his attentiveness came through as he kindly offered. "Some things are just meant to happen the way they were. The will of the Force is mysterious and difficult to understand at times. We focus on the here and now and on the things we can change and do in the present." He offered graciously.

It resonated with something inside Anakin and he swallowed hard on the words. Padmé often told him something similar since their relationship's very early stages, but he never really understood what that meant. Slowly, he was starting to grasp the meaning. Still, there was so much remorse…

"Nothing makes the past better, does it?" He asked softly.

Watching apprehensively, Anakin knew the Kel Dor understood by his shoulders slumped in compassion and his face softening in response to Anakin's confession.

Master Plo replied, "Having a repentant heart is a powerful thing. Do not dismiss its importance. Keep moving forward. Sometimes that's the only thing…anyone...can do."

Strangely, this was comforting in a morbid way. A shared commiserating feeling passed between them in those words with a deep sense of mourning and pain. It sounded like Master Plo had his own regrets that he struggled with and wanted nothing more than to put it past him to move forward. That was a sentiment Anakin could agree on. The Jedi, Count Dooku, the Republic, and even the Separatists were all pawns in Darth Sidious's devious and well-crafted plan. Everyone had lost. Realizing this fueled Anakin's conviction to face Darth Sidious. It became very clear to him that everyone needed this to move on. With the fire of conviction burning in his veins, he appreciated Master Plo's firm gentleness. Yeah, he was really glad that Master Plo survived.

"Thank you, Master Plo," Anakin bowed, gratefully.

"One more thing, Anakin." The Kel Dor lifted a capped finger and pointed to the arctons, and he watched as they responded to the silent message in the Force, heading back out into the thick foliage and away from the base. "Most people here would rather kill them first then try to understand, but you know better. That understanding is a gift. Do not forget that." Then he left the same way he came in leaving Anakin to piece together what he meant by himself.

A/N: Based on TCW and comics, I'd imagine Plo Koon to have a balanced, empathetic view like Qui Gon but not with Qui Gon's rebelliousness. LOL. Maybe he was rowdy as a teenager a long time ago? That's a story for another time.

Things are going to get intense soon!