The Force. That strange, omnipresent power in all things had chosen Alanae to be gifted with an excellent sense of it, as much as himself. Obi- Wan sat and wondered silently what could have happened to keep Alanae from the path of a Jedi. The possibilities were endless. After a while, he got up and went to talk to her. Something about the irony of the last day's events led him to suspect that this meeting was more than just unbelievable chance.

"Alanae?"

"Yeah?" she said, a bit distracted.

"Have you ever had a blood sample taken?"

"Listen, Obi-Whatever, this is not the time. We're about to get off this dustbowl and the space just above the atmosphere is teeming with fighters."

Obi-Wan immediately sat down and buckled in.

"You know, after having you for a pilot, I don't think I'll ever enjoy flying again."

"Yeah, well, I got a bit more than I bargained for, too," she said as she pointed the ship upwards.

"Here we go again," Obi-wan groaned.

Crimson Storm shot up towards the sky. The ride became turbulent as they ploughed through the clouds and towards freedom. As soon as they emerged from the atmosphere, four fighters appeared on the sensors.

"Oh crap."

Alanae twisted Crimson out of the shots of the closest ship. She flipped a switch that lighted up another steering device to the side. She grabbed it with one hand and kept an eye on the rear sensor.

"What's that for?" Obi-Wan asked.

"You'll see."

The enemy ship drifted from side to side in the rear sensor, following Crimson as Alanae turned it this way and that to avoid fire. Then, she stopped evading fire and pushed a button on the second steering device. Obi-Wan watched in the rear sensor as the enemy ship exploded. This girl had a gift-- Force-sensitive or no.

"Good shot."

Alanae couldn't keep a small smile from crawling across her face but she kept focus, now two others came at her in formation. The last ship on their sensors was not behind. She pulled Crimson up and tried to do a flip- like maneuver so she would be behind them. This didn't work, the two ships split formation and each flew to one side. Alanae and Obi-Wan went right between them. Next, Alanae tried to lure the fighters into following her by flying across their path but high enough so they couldn't shoot her. These two fighters must have seen the other ship's ending and neither was willing to go out the same way. After several minutes of more twisting, Alanae's stern face split into a smile. Obi-wan watched silently as she steered a course to take them between the two ships. Both were firing and Crimson took some minor hits where a shot grazed it's protective armor.

"I'm going to die, I'm going to die!" Obi-Wan muttered, shutting his eyes tight.

"Remember what happened last time you said that?" came the reply.

Obi-Wan opened his eyes, seeing with mounting fear the emerald bolts being fired at them from the two menacing adversaries. Alanae deviate from her course but instead accelerated through the gap. The enemies' eagerness to destroy their foe would be their undoing. Each fired a bolt at the same time. The shots flew through the air and hit the opposing ship, causing them both to explode.

"Whoo hoo!" Alanae raised her arms in the air and shouted.

Obi-Wan also let himself experience the moment. "Yeah! We showed them!"

Just then, another bolt hit the Crimson Storm. The ship jumped forwards and the two were almost thrown out of their seats. The fourth ship had arrived.

* * *

Qui-Gon Jinn paced in the Senate Embassy far below on the desert planet. He chided himself again and again. He had lost his apprentice. His mind had been too focused on the looming political issues and debates that he had disregarded his obviously tired padawan. Not to mention that he had done so after the transmission section on Obi-Wan's comlink had broken earlier that day. This was the worst thing a Jedi master could do and he swore that if he never found Obi-Wan, he would never forgive himself. On the edge of his senses, he could feel his disciple was close yet far away at the same time. By getting any feeling at all, Qui-Gon guessed that Obi- Wan was alive. His thoughts were interrupted by the sense of something approaching. He jerked his head up and listened. Soon, he could hear footsteps. An officer entered the room.

"Master Qui-Gon," he said, making an almost mechanical bow. Qui-Gon nodded to him. "Your padawan has not entered the Embassy, sir. I've checked the records. Shall we mobilize--"

"No, no. That's alright," said Qui-Gon, "I'll find him myself."

"Very good, sir."

Qui-Gon glanced out the window at the night that blanketed the city then turned back to the officer.

"No use going out in this pitch darkness. I'll stay the night and set out shortly after dawn."

"Sir." said the lieutenant, obediently , "I'll send a droid in with blankets and a bit of supper. You must be hungry."

"Thank you," said the Jedi master "food would be nice. You may go."

"Thank you, sir."

The doors opened and the officer marched out. Qui-Gon turned back to the window, thinking of his pupil.

"Use the Force, Obi-Wan," he said "don't be afraid."