~Prologue~

"Happy Birthday, Jyana," Obi-Wan Kenobi said kneeling down to see the 6-year-old at eye level.

The dimples in her small face became more evident as she blushed.  "Thanks Obi."

"I wanted to give you something, but I forgot until just now.  I hope you'll forgive me."

"You don't need to get me anything."

"What'd Qui-Gon give you?"

She reached around her neck and pulled out a necklace.  "He said you came to the temple with it on.  You want it?"

It was a cross that was made out of nails.  "No.  You can have it.  I could never tell you what it means."

"I never expected you to."

Obi-Wan stood up and took her hand and walked down a walkway in Coruscant.  He felt as if he was her older brother at 15.  He was really 10 years older than she was and he was to be 16 in a couple weeks.  He stopped in front of a small shop and said, "Wait here.  I'll be right back."

Jyana waited outside for awhile.  While she was waiting, she saw a small furry creature with a black Jedi cloak on in the distance.  He looked like an ewok…

Obi-Wan came back out and knelt down in front of her with his hands behind his back.  "I thought you'd like something."

"Obi, you shouldn't have."

He brought out from behind his back a small stuffed ewok, similar to one she already owned, only a different shade of fur.  "I thought your Wokki needed a friend."

"I'll call her Ekoko."

"What's that mean?"

"I don't know.  It just sounded neat."

"Well I thought in case our paths head in separate directions, that you'd need something."

"Obi…"

"Just remember that whenever you're scared, that there is someone out there that cares

for you."

A tear fell from her eye and Obi-Wan brushed it away with his finger.  Jyana wrapped her arms around him and hugged him…

There was something missing.  Obi-Wan woke up immediately and ran out of the suite and out of the Jedi Temple.  Qui-Gon Jinn and Mace Windu were standing together watching a ship depart into the sky.  "No!" Obi-Wan yelled helplessly.

"She said 'Good-bye.'  You must let her go…" Qui-Gon told him, trying to hold back his own grief.

"No!"  Obi-Wan fell to his knees and cried uncontrollably.  He put his head in his hands.  Nothing could stop him.  Nothing…

Obi-Wan awoke with a start.  The flashback had given him the same kind of pain that he had felt that same day when he had lost his only true best friend when he was still a Padawan.  Now he was 30 and he had his own Padawan, Anakin Skywalker, to train in the ways of the Jedi.  He couldn't let his own worst day distract him from his mission at hand.  They were en route to Naboo to be Padme Amidala's personal bodyguards sent from the Jedi Council, although they said that four Jedi were already protecting her, but they were there without the Council's consent, possibly on a mission for their own gain.  But for some reason, his last conversation with Master Yoda was still stuck in his mind.

"Your thoughts.  Betray you they do."

"What do you mean, Master?"

"Young Falson, they are on."

"I miss her."  With my whole being.

"Still?  Gone she has been.  15 years."

"Too long."

"Heard from her we have not, 7 years past."

"So long…"

"Fear she's dead I do."

"Dead?"  He couldn't believe it.  He didn't want to believe it.

"Or Sith she has become."

"No…" He didn't want to think of that either.  Some reason her being a Sith was a worse thought than that of her being dead.

"Find her you must."

"How?"  I've tried already.

"I can see not this.  Wish help you I could.  This I cannot."

"If I find her…"

"Bring her here you must.  Many issues.  Listen to us she must."
"If I find her, I will bring her back.  I promise."
"Keep promise you must.  Keep it you will."…

"Master, here we are," Anakin yelled from the cockpit.

A bad feeling.  Another one.  What's this presence I sense.  It can't be…  He shook the feeling away as best he could, but he couldn't shake it too far.

"You sense something, Master?"
"Yes, but it's of no concern.  It shouldn't affect our mission."  I hope.

"If you say so."  I think it may affect it.

He wouldn't let Anakin come with him, for some reason he was not quite sure of yet and Obi-Wan walked off the ship once it landed and headed Amidala's main chamber, using his Jedi powers to stop anyone from stopping them.  Some reason he couldn't go to her easily.  They must be still on tight guard because of the Trade Federation's blockade five years ago.  They must be nervous that it was going to happen again, whether or not their very own Senator Palpatine was the new Supreme Chancellor of the Galatic Senate.

They made it to the room.  The Queen's eyes smiled while she did not due to her regal pride and position.  She recognized her new visitors.  "Obi-Wan," Amidala called out to him, "It's good to see you again.  Where is your apprentice?"

Obi-Wan replied, "On the ship for now."

"So what brings your visit?" she asked him curiously.

Hmmm… She must not have been informed by the Council.  That's strange.  "The Council has sent us to protect you."

"As well as my other Jedi?"
"I think so."  I hope so.

"I'm sure you'll get along.  I don't know where they've all run off to…"  But…
A man in a black trenchcoat as a cloak stood off at a distance.  Obi-Wan couldn't see his face too well from this distance, but he could see his eyes and hair color.  His eyes were a bright blue while his hair was black with a single section of dark blue hair outlining the left of his face.  Obi-Wan surely hoped he was a Jedi, even though the stare that he was receiving gave him chills up his spine. 

All of a sudden he heard someone say, You dare enter on my mission.  It wasn't the man he saw in the distance saying that.  It was someone else altogether.

"I suggest you two go check on the melting pit corridor.  I think there's something wrong

with it," Amidala said.  Jyana will love this…

Obi-Wan agreed.  Then he heard, I dare you.  Don't come near it.

I might as well see what's going on there if someone's telling me not to go there.

You will die, the voice responded to Obi-Wan's thoughts from afar.

So be it.

Obi-Wan went back to the ship and noticed that Anakin was working on some repairs.  He motioned to his apprentice to come with him.

All of a sudden there was a sudden thought that came to the apprentice's head.  "Master," Anakin said, "I have a bad feeling about this."

"So do I, Anakin.  So do I."