Author's Notes: Thanks, kayladie, for the wonderful review. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Here's chapter 5, and I'll post again on Sunday.

Disclaimer: George Lucas owns Star Wars. I write for fun, not money.

Fear Part 5

Chapter 5

If a squadron of battle droids had been aiming their rifles at her, Keren Miret could not have been more terrified. She was in a new place surrounded by strangers, and one of them was the very person who had taken her and her mother prisoner so many years ago.

True, he was also the one who had freed them, and as he'd explained then he had never intended any harm to come to them. Still, he had been responsible for her family being split apart, for the fact she and her mother had lived in total isolation from the rest of the galaxy for seventeen years. He was responsible for the fact that her father was a stranger to her, and that she felt more like a little child, woefully unprepared to fend for herself in the galaxy, than a young adult.

Keren was just beginning to to learn about the galaxy around her and how to interact with other people. As far back as she could remember, her world had been a sparse, underground room. Her mother and the protocol droid who'd guarded and bought supplies for them had been her only companions.

Somehow Betta had convinced the droid that books and holovids were permitted, and she had told Keren countless stories about the galaxy outside of their hidden prison. But those things were a poor substitute for the reality.

Even a month after their release, Keren was still having a very difficult time adjusting to this new life. She wanted to explore, to be brave and independent, but she couldn't help feeling scared and overwhelmed by it all. Part of her wanted to meet new people and make friends with her peers, but another part was terrified and just wanted to cling to her parents and hide in their apartment.

Zel and Betta had thought seeing a therapist might help her, but her one and only visit with one of Theed's most reputable counselors had been a disaster. He'd spent the entire time lecturing her about having unhealthy relationships with her parents (she was too close to her mother, not close enough to her father), and concluded by saying that her anxiety attacks occurred because she was weak-willed and self-absorbed.

Keren might not know much about the galaxy, but she couldn't understand why anyone would spend money to be insulted. She'd left his office and flatly refused to see another therapist.

But her feelings of anxiety and inadequacy didn't improve. She hated the noise and crowds of the city, but she knew she couldn't keep hiding. Sometimes she felt as if she would go crazy from the pressure building up inside of her. Finally, in desperation, she began to think about going to the Jedi Academy.

Luke and Anakin had invited her to come. They'd said she was Force- sensitive and could become a Jedi. Keren knew a little about the Jedi. Her mother had always admired them and Jedi Knights had frequently been a part of the stories she'd told her daughter. Keren hated the thought of leaving home, but she'd begun to wonder if becoming attuned to the Force and learning the skills of the Jedi might help her to become more confident and relaxed.

Her parents had been doubtful. Though they hadn't said so, she knew they didn't think she could handle living away from them, and they weren't sure she should have anything to do with Anakin Skywalker. Keren was a little afraid of him still, too, but he had changed. Surely she would be safe. She was more than a little afraid of leaving home, but she knew she couldn't keep on living in fear all the time. And she was rather excited at the thought of studying to become a Jedi.

She and her parents had had endless discussions, but they'd all finally decided Keren ought to give it a try. If it was too much for her to handle, she could always come home, after all.

So here she was.

But she'd found the front gate locked and she'd set off a loud, terrible alarm when she'd tried to open it. Keren had been on the verge of jumping back in her speeder and taking off, quickly, when the two Jedi who'd rescued her had come hurrying out.

She recognized Anakin Skywalker. He was the tall, blond-haired man in the lead. She hoped he wouldn't be angry at her for setting off the alarm and disturbing everyone. She felt her stomach clench nervously, and to distract herself, she focused on the second Jedi.

He was younger than she'd expected, about her age, or maybe just a few years older. Of course, he was Anakin's son, and Anakin was only in his mid-forties, so his son couldn't be much older than she was. He had his father's coloring-blond hair and blue eyes, but he was smaller and slighter.

Like his father, he wore a tan shirt and pants and boots-Jedi clothes, she knew. She and her mother had searched Theed and found several cream- colored outfits and a brown cloak for her to bring. She hoped they would do.

"Hello, you must be Keren," Anakin called.

She could only nod. Her throat was suddenly too dry to speak.

"Hang on a minute. I'll call inside and tell them to turn this darn thing off," Luke reached for his comlink and a few seconds later the alarm quit blaring.

"There, that's better," Anakin remarked. He opened the gate and motioned for Keren to enter. "Come in, we're sorry about the alarm, but unfortunately, it's necessary." As Keren slowly came through the gate, he added, "I'm guessing you're here to become a padawan/"

Padawan? If her mother had ever mentioned that term, Keren couldn't remember it.

Noticing that Keren now looked both frightened and confused, Luke explained, "A padawan is a Jedi apprentice. Did you come to train with us?"

Again, Keren nodded. Then almost in a whisper, she added shyly, "If you let me."

Luke smiled at her. "Of course. You're welcome here."

He wanted to reassure her. The poor girl was obviously terrified. He could feel it through the Force and see it in her expression, but he couldn't figure out exactly what she was afraid of. Some of her fear seemed to be related to his father, which was understandable, but mostly it just seemed like generalized anxiety. Hopefully, coming inside, meeting everyone, and getting settled in would calm her.

The three of them went into the foyer where the other padawans and the droids were waiting at the door. They'd obeyed Anakin's order to stay inside, but just barely. They were all curious about the newcomer.

"We have a new padawan. This is Keren Miret," Anakin explained. "Keren, this is Tera Paara, Elissa Arixil, and Gil. And these two," he gestured at the droids with a fond smile, "are the glue that holds us all together, See-Threepio and Artoo-Detoo."

Keren looked about the group. She saw a young salmon-colored gungan, a tall girl with amber eyes and long light brown hair, and a boy with sandy hair, green eyes, freckles, and a square jaw. There was a golden humanoid protocol droid that reminded her of M4U, and shorter cylindrical droid, mostly white and silver.

If Keren hadn't been so painfully unprepared for meeting new people, she might have noticed that they all wore friendly expressions and seemed eager to greet her, but instead all she was aware of was that a group of strangers was standing there staring at her. She ought to say hello, or something, she knew, but she felt paralyzed and unable to speak.

Suddenly, the terrace doors were thrown open and a gigantic hairy beast rushed into the room, howling at the top of his lungs and holding a bowcaster ready to fire. From deep in the woods, Chewbacca had heard the alarm and come running to defend his family.

Keren screamed and fainted.

TBC