A/N: Chapter 8! I'm a little tired from the musical, butI just had chocolate, so here's another chapter for you! AotC is going to be on TV (where I live, anyway) on Sunday, so I'm extremely excited about that. And on Thursday - Revenge of the Sith!
Anyway, enjoy the chapter

Chapter Eight: Vision

Obi-Wan stood in the Jedi Council chamber with Anakin, Jovarii and Tsena, tightening his mental shields. He did not want to risk the Council members discovering what had happened between him and Jovarii. He glanced briefly at her. Her face was impassive, and he knew that she, too, had shielded her mind.

He turned back to the Council, who were passing the dart taken from the assassin around gravely.

"Obi-Wan, Jovarii. Track down this bounty hunter you must," Master Yoda said.

"Most importantly, find out who he's working for," Mace Windu added.

"What about Senator Amidala?" Obi-Wan asked. "She will still need protecting."

Yoda looked at Anakin and Tsena. "Handle that, your Padawans will," he said.

Tsena tried to pay attention to the information Yoda was discussing with Anakin about their assignment, but she was finding difficulties. Her breathing was becoming laboured, coming in short gasps. She began sweating and trembling.

What's wrong with me? I was fine a few minutes ago, she thought hazily.

She shut her eyes, trying to centre herself. Suddenly, she was hit by several sensations at once.

She was immersed in the ocean, and could see nothing but a golden glare. Then she could smell, hear, feel…

The acrid smell of blood and burning metal…

The sound of lightsabers clashing…

The pain of hundreds of creatures…

Emin talu raya…

Tsena fell to her knees, struggling to open her eyes.

"Tsena! Tsena, what's wrong?"

Her Master's cries seemed to come to her in slow motion, as if the words were trying to push through thick syrup.

She opened her eyes, but could only see shady blurs, all seeming to come towards her.

She was dimly aware that Anakin was scooping her up and carrying her out of the Council chamber. Then she lost consciousness, and fell into black.

Tsena opened her eyes and blinked. She looked around. She was lying in a bed in the Temple's medcentre. She furrowed her brow in confusion.

"How did I get here?" she asked aloud.

"You lost consciousness in the Council chamber. Anakin carried you here," came the voice of Jovarii.

Tsena turned to see her Master tilted back in her chair with her feet propped up on the bed, the concern in her eyes betraying her apparently casual posture. She put her feet down and drew her chair closer to the bed.

"What happened, Padawan?" she asked.

Tsena looked away, remembering.

"I'm not sure," she said slowly. "One minute I was fine, and the next I was shaking and sweating. I closed my eyes and I was hit by a vision." She shook her head. "No, not a vision," she corrected herself. "I could hear, smell and feel things as well as see them." She looked back at Jovarii. "I was in the sea, and there was a golden light before my eyes. And then I could smell blood and metal burning, could hear lightsabers clashing…" she trailed off, her eyes wide. "I could feel pain," she whispered. "I could feel the pain of hundreds of creatures, all dying."

Her Master looked shocked and worried.

"Was there anything else?"

Tsena nodded. "I heard my mother's voice. She said 'emin talu raya'."

Jovarii sat back, gazing at her Padawan.

"Do you believe it –"

"Meant something?" Tsena finished for her. "Yes, Master. I believe it was the future, but whether near or distant, I cannot tell."

There was silence for a moment, both Jedi mulling over Tsena's words.

Presently, Tsena asked, "What's going to happen now?", referring to their mission.

"Obi-Wan and I are still to find the bounty hunter," Jovarii replied. "But you are to stay at the Temple, and Anakin will accompany the Senator to Naboo alone."

Tsena nodded. She understood that the Council were concerned about her health now, so she accepted her confinement without complaint. She was happy for Anakin, as this would be his first solo mission.

"I wasn't sure I was good enough to work with Anakin in the first place," she confided. "I don't think I'd have been a good protector."

Jovarii raised an eyebrow. She thought her Padawan was more than competent, and she was proud of her, but she lacked confidence in her abilities. She was more of a pacifist, and hated to use violence. Quite the opposite to Jovarii.

"When are they leaving?" Tsena asked her Master.

"This afternoon. Anakin will be coming by soon to see you. He is delivering an order to leave for Naboo to the Senator from Chancellor Palpatine now."

"Might I go to see them off?" Tsena asked, sitting up.

Jovarii looked at her. "Are you sure you are well enough?"

"Yes, Master. I am perfectly healthy."

"Well, if the Healers have no objections, then I suppose you may." Jovarii stood up. "I must go now – I have to meet Obi-Wan to discuss our plan of action."

Tsena saw a look of pain flicker across her Master's face at the mention of Obi-Wan, but it was gone so quickly she thought she must have imagined it.

"All right, master."

"I will see you later, Padawan." Jovarii smiled briefly, then swept out the door.

A few minutes later, Anakin walked in.

"Tsena – you're awake." He smiled in relief and sat down next to her. "I wanted to be here when you woke up, but –"

"You had to see the Chancellor," she finished. "I know, Jovarii told me." She smiled at him. "She also told me that you are going on your first solo mission. I'm so happy for you, Anakin."

His eyes sparkled in excitement. "Finally, the Council has recognised my abilities. The Chancellor has been very supportive too." His eyes lost some of their gleam and he looked at her almost sadly. "I wish you were coming," he said honestly. "You and I on a beautiful planet like Naboo…"

Tsena reached out and took his hand. "I wish I could come too," she said softly. "I'm going to miss you."

"The sooner our Masters discover the identity of the bounty hunter, the sooner I can return," he told her.

"Then let us hope that they find out quickly."

Obi-Wan, Tsena, Dormé and Captain Typho accompanied Anakin and Padmé to the freight docks. It had been agreed that none but the two going to Naboo would exit the transport carrying them to the docks. In order to avoid attracting attention, Anakin and Padmé wore simple peasant clothes to blend into the crowd of refugees.

When they arrived at the docks, Obi-Wan pulled his Padawan aside as Padmé began her tearful farewells with her handmaiden and security captain.

"Anakin, you stay on Naboo. Don't do anything without first consulting either myself or the Council," he said to Anakin, repeating the mission instructions with added emphasis.

"Yes, master," Anakin replied, trying not the roll his eyes. I've heard this enough times already, he thought, annoyed. Then he looked into his Master's face and, seeing only concern written on there, he softened.

He's just worried about me, Anakin realised.

"Don't worry, Master. I will follow the Council's instructions," he assured him sincerely. Obi-Wan held his gaze for a moment, then nodded, giving him a small smile.

Anakin turned and walked over to Tsena. He was surprised to see her eyes brimming with tears.

"I had that dream again," she told him. She gave him a tight hug. "Don't do anything foolish, Anakin. Please." She stepped back, the tears spilling from her eyes.

Anakin cupped her face in his hands, gently wiping away her tears with his thumbs. "I promise you I will be fine," he reassured her tenderly. He knew she was worried – her very nature was to worry about the people close to her, and even people she was not close to at all. She was a worrier – a fault – yet empathic too – a virtue.

She brought her hand up to briefly rest on his. "Just stay safe," she whispered. She gave him a soft kiss on his cheek, then stepped away from him.

He gathered the bags and looked over at Padmé.

"It's time to go," he announced.

"I know," she answered, obviously less than happy.

He resisted the urge to sigh. He knew she did not want to leave the Senate in the midst of the debate. She'd made that quite clear earlier.

"May the Force be with you," Obi-Wan and Tsena said simultaneously.

"May the Force be with you," Anakin replied.

As Obi-Wan watched them disappear into the docks with R2-D2, he couldn't help muttering, "I hope he doesn't try anything foolish."

Captain Typho looked at him. "I'd be more concerned about her doing something than him," he said.

Tsena paid no attention to the comments, focusing on Anakin's back.

Keep safe, Anakin. I love you.