Seri approached him as he sat alone. His eyes lay on the child found on Yavin IV.
"Who is the child?" she asked softly, trying not to startle the Jedi. Like I could startle a Jedi.
"His name's Anakin," the Jedi replied, his voice cracking. Tears fell down his cheeks unhindered.
"So this is Shmi's son. He's beautiful."
He turned to her with a slight smile on his face. "First, it was Echuu. Now this…"
"Who's Echuu?"
"My first apprentice… Now…" he couldn't continue.
"Now what?"
"I've lost the two boys that meant a whole lot to me. Johannes shouldn't have died. It should have been me."
Seri reached out her hand and placed it on his shoulder. "Mace, you did all you could to save him. You have to realise that when children reach a certain age, they'd like to be independent. It comes all too soon when we have to let them go."
"I know." Mace bowed his head and wept. Seri sat beside him and offered silent comfort. Annona came over and sat on the opposite side of Mace. He looked up at the Jedi Master beside him.
The Twi'lek looked deep into the sad eyes of Mace Windu. "Mace, don't be hard on yourself. Johannes had his destiny. You have yours. Johannes knew, even before any of us did, that it was the Sith you encountered on Nal Hutta."
Mace nodded. To his surprise, his childhood friend reached out and hugged him. His eyes fell on the child once again. They had found the truth behind the Sith. He had been right in thinking Darth Sidious was a Sith.
Bright blue eyes stared at him. Mace knew, in that instanced, that the child was the one who would bring balance to the Force.