The Book of Dark Possibilities

Don't make a sound.

Be real quiet so not to wake Master.

Just a nightmare, it will go away soon.

Still the mantra did nothing for Bali as he ran through the whiteness of his dream. His feet glided over the formlessness below never slowing for fear the shadow would catch him. Fearing that his master would die saving him.

"Where are you going, my little padawan?" A disembodied voice hissed. It echoed through the whiteness, seemingly everywhere at once.

Bali squeaked and changed directions but did not allow himself to slow a step. All he had to do was keep running until he woke up, then everything would be all right.

Don't make a sound. Be real quiet and Master will never know. He does not need to know. The monster will win; the monster always wins.

It is just a nightmare; it will go away soon.

Laughter, like the shadows, boiled up around the apprentice. "No, little padawan, I will not go away!"

The darkness engulfed Bali throwing him into the suffocating nothingness. He struggled but there was no physical form to fight against. He screamed but stopped short fearing his master would hear.

"Cry out!" The shadow demanded, whispering in his ear. "Call him!"

The fear choked the boy as much as the darkness did. He fought against the shadow but could not break free. The air in his lungs was slowly being crush out of him.

"Cry out!"

"No," Bali moaned.

The darkness tightened its grip, slowly crushing the thirteen-year-old both physically and mentally. All the while softly whispering. "I will show you who your true master is."

"Go away," Bali responded weakly. He was so tired from fighting the darkness. He pushed a hand into the shadow but slowly withdrew it.

"A little padawan, all my own," the shadow laughed.

"Leave me alone," the apprentice softly whispered.

"Is that anyway to treat your master?"

"I have a master!" Bali snapped, newly energized he bravely pushed himself free of the shadow. Sputtering and gasping for air, he fell forward into the whiteness.

"He can't save you."

Bali twisted and climbed to his feet just as the glowing red blade appeared from the shadow. The boy bit back a scream as he bolted away from the darkness.

"Come little padawan, it's time to start your training."

The boy struggled over the whiteness, stumbling slightly. Fear seizing control of him and he felt helpless to handle it.

Ask it, Yoda's gravelly voice echoed through Bali's terrified mind. It cannot harm you.

Instantly Bali stopped and turned on the shadow. "What are you?"

"The future." Wicked, evil laughter echoed from the boiling darkness. "It is time to begin your training, my little–"

Padawan.

Bali felt anger rise in him. The monster would not kill his master. Not this time. "Who are you?" he demanded turning back on the beast.

The shadow retreated before slowly taking on the form of a black shrouded figure. Still clutched in its vile grip was the red lightsaber.

The padawan struggled against his fear, Yoda's words played like a mantra in his mind. With careful deliberation, Bali stepped forward to gaze under the beast's heavy black cowl. A flat black mask in the imitation of the face appeared. Bali gasped but did not retreat, as the monster did not approach. It remained perfectly still holding its weapon at ready. He studied the emotionless mask noting the pale gray line that ran down from the forehead and crossed over the right eye trailing jaggedly over the cheek.

Padawan.

There was something terrible and familiar about the monster. The unknowing frightened him more than the deadly weapon looming before him. Bali withdrew a step but the shrouded figure approached on the child.

Padawan!

"You are not my future!" Bali growled.

The beast just stopped.

"I will not dream of you anymore. You cannot harm me here." Bali said, staring the shrouded figure down. He marched a few steps toward the manifestation of his nightmares. "Go away."

The beast raised its weapon and hissed, "You will never get rid of me–"

"Padawan!"

Red flashed as the monster leapt at Bali, the blood red blade slashing violently through the air.

Bali shrieked and jerked throwing himself from the sleep couch. He screamed in terror as he was caught in strong arms. Still locked in the nightmare, Bali kept screaming, struggling against his master's hold.

"Wake up, Padawan," Obi-Wan gently demanded, desperately clinging to the struggling child.

Deep within Bali's panicked mind, he felt the warmth and familiarity of the training bond. "Master!" the dark haired boy cried out. Hot, wet tears escaped his bright green eyes; dropping to the heavy cloak Obi-Wan always wore. "Master," he sobbed clinging to the safety provided in his master's aura. "Master." The tears and the soft whimpering did not cease even as he pressed tighter to his master's chest.

"Shh," Obi-Wan whispered as he gently rocked the upset boy. "It is all right, Padawan. It's just a bad dream."

___________________

The Book of Growing Distances

Master.

There had been no anger or malice in that pronunciation. No hurt reflected in the softly slurred voice. The word was spoken the way it had been in Qui-Gon's memories in a way that he had not heard in years. It was not until that word was spoken in that cultured, core accent did he realize how much he missed it.

Master.

It had been spoken in the tongue of an appropriately humble apprentice. One who had always strived to meet and exceed any expectation he had placed upon the young man. One who–

These were silly, useless thoughts, Qui-Gon decided tiredly. They would achieve him nothing. They were of a past that no longer belonged and he must be mindful of the here and now.

He walked a little more slowly than usual as he quietly paced the long corridor leading to Senator Amidala's apartments. Carefully he eyed the heightened numbers of senate security personnel and guard droids. After his confrontation with the two Sith, he knew that would never be enough. The dark Force users could move unseen in daylight and obviously had great resources at their disposal. His disturbed thoughts were mildly settled by the knowledge that there was another level of protection for the Senator as well as her counterparts housed in the grand Senatorial Office Building. A quietly placed contingent of Jedi patrolled great structure.

The Chancellor had openly promised the Senators heightened protection and mercifully agreed to a limited use of the Jedi. Had all the Senators demanded their own personal protection it would have severely cut into the Order's resources.

At a large window, the Jedi master paused to study the busy morning. He could feel the kinetic energy of the city planet. It felt livelier this morning than he had ever noticed. Of course, he always noticed. He had spent his life noticing everything and everyone around him. He had to be aware so he could sense the soft whispers of the Force.

Qui-Gon had listened patiently during that long hot walk on that dusty planet, trailed by a droid, a Gungan and a queen pretending to be a handmaiden. He had listened to its soft calling and followed it to that junk shop unknowing of what he was searching for. He had known, but not for what purpose that he was there to find the boy.

"Master."

Sometimes the coarser pronunciation still jarred him. Anakin had never overcome the sometimes-garish accent of a boy raised in the outer rim. This moment, like so many others these recent months, he was also forced to note the tone in which that word was spoken. The elder Jedi had always sensed it was spoken in demand or argument. Never in acquiescence orwarmth. There was formality and distance whispered in Anakin's sharp tone that made Qui-Gon uneasy.

With each passing day, he knew space between he and his padawan was growing.

The gray Jedi master turned slowly, biting back the ache in his muscles left from the Sith lightning attack or possibly just his age was getting to him. Now was not the time to worry about mortality, he silently chastised himself allowing his gaze to cross the narrow corridor to his apprentice. "Yes, Padawan?"

Anakin shifted slightly allowing the full impact of his bright blue gaze to fall upon his master. The young man cut a fine presence in the corridor, moving slightly to place himself in a more commanding position. Had not the Jedi master grown accustomed to the youth's show he might have felt a little concern against such an imposing figure.

"The Senator is almost ready to leave for the Sienar Technologies conference." There was a pause before Anakin finished, "Master."

Qui-Gon nodded almost absently.

It did not take a probe for the elder Jedi to see the underlying excitement in the young man. For once though, he could not tell if it was inspired by the need to see what new "toys" Sienar was offering the newly besieged government or for just being in the company of the beautiful Senator. He hoped the youth was more interested in the military technology.

Unfortunately, Qui-Gon felt the magnetism between the two. "Very good," he said pushing back his own weariness.

"Will you be going with us?" Anakin politely as he shifted his attention to the unseen motion within the Senator's suite.

"No. I must returned to the Temple. I believe Knights Abay and Jof'la will shadow you. They are excellent swordsmen and have been briefed on the attack. They along with the Senator's additional guard should be enough. As well as Seiner has guaranteed all the attending Senators' safety."

"Yes," Anakin replied with almost childlike glee, "they want to show off their security programs." Apparently noticing that Qui-Gon did not share his enthusiasm, the young man's bright blue eyes chilled slightly.

"Yes, of course." There was a moment of hesitation before he glanced away. "Must you meet with the Council everyday?" Hurt echoed in his voice. "The Chancellor assigned us to protect the Senator." Quickly the intense gaze fell back to his master. "How can you do this if you are always at the Temple?"

Qui-Gon straightened slightly at the chastisement. "I am returning for a check up with Master Healer Dirad." He reached out and took Anakin's chin in his rough hand, tilting the eighteen-year-old's head slightly to examine the healed flesh where the youth had been injured in the battle with the Sith. "Maybe you should have had your head checked. You seem to have forgotten your place."

The young man jerked back a step and glared at Qui-Gon. "Forgive me, Master," he said tensely but never dropping his gaze.

For a moment, Qui-Gon thought he had been too hard on the boy.

In the nine years he had spent training Anakin, the master had tried never to withhold anything from him. Qui-Gon had always chosen to speak to him about the Council's concerns and explained to him why he should make an effort to bow to the rules. After all, it was for his own good and if he could learn, he could excel and become the greatest of all Jedi. Anakin had always been reasonable about the talks and–Qui-Gon admitted–tried; at least when he was younger. The Jedi master decided that now was not a time to change methods. Anakin was distracted enough as it was. "I am also intending to speak with the Council," he said evenly leaving little doubt as to who was the master.

Something uncertain flickered in Anakin's eyes.

Qui-Gon ignored it and continued, "I am requesting we be removed from this duty. Allow a fresh team, or more importantly teams, to see to the Senator's safety."

"You can't do that. No." Anakin said sharply as he shifted. Panic fluttered through his aura before being masked behind intense shielding.

"Anakin," Qui-Gon said calmly, resting a hand on the tall youth's shoulder. "You are becoming too close to the Senator. You are distracted from your duty to protect her."

"No." Anakin pulled away. "If anything it makes me more determined to protect Padmé."

"Anakin–"

The door to the suite opened and several guards spilled out before Padmé appeared. Both Jedi turned and formally bowed to the young woman in a long red dress. Fine black embroidery covered the silky material but did not distract from her. The clothing, while beautiful, was more subdued than her usual formal wear as she was attending a business meeting. She smiled at the two tall men.

"Master," Anakin said softly, curtly before stepping over to the waiting Senator. "Milady," he said with undue warmth in his tone.

"Jedi Skywalker."

Qui-Gon noted the less than discrete look the young woman offered his apprentice. He was definitely going to speak with the Council today.

"Master Jinn will not be joining us," Anakin said plainly. "I promise your protection nevertheless."

"Thank you."

"Senator," Qui-Gon bowed as second time without offering to detail his absence from the journey. He retreated slightly allowing the entourage to pass.

__________________

Holonet Broadcasting Company

"this just in. We are getting holovid confirmation that the Republic has been amassing a massive military force. We go to Houf Learatil with a live report"

"Thank you, Lylo Anio, this is Houf Learatil coming to you live from the Modell sector. There had been rumors for over a standard year that the Republic was on military training maneuvers. All seemed innocent enough; raiders from the outer rim have been attacking cruisers and republic Security has been called in to deal with the problem. Upon further investigation though HBC has exclusively learned that it is more than a patrolling operation that has been going on out here. Can you show the footage we have obtained? Now you see these are some massive firepower. Battle cruisers and star destroyers of the like have never been seen within the Republic. I am told that each of these ships holds enough firepower to destroy a large colony. I am also told that this build up was brought on by the fear of an impending civil war or worse any attempt to overthrow the Republic's government. Back to you, Anio."

"Thank you, Houf. We should be thankful that they are on our sideUnconfirmed reports are coming in that the League of Secessionists have expelled all Jedi from their territories with the attached warning that any Jedi who enter will be considered Republic spies and killed on sight."