A/N: Will the answers come? Read on to find out...
Chapter Fourteen: Anticipation
Tsena gazed at Teranis as the ship began to land. The planet as a whole sparkled like a blue and green jewel from space, and the city of Gwaan, where her parents lived, was neat and clean. It was not like Coruscant, which was a jumble of skyscrapers and traffic jams. Gwaan had a slightly old-fashioned feel to it, one that did not date it or label it as backward, but rather added the charm of antiquity.
She gathered her luggage and prepared to get off the ship. She had sent a message to her parents earlier, and she knew they would be waiting to receive her. She took a deep, steadying breath and walked down the ramp.
A man and a woman waited on the landing platform, and even though she had not seen them for almost her entire life, Tsena recognised her parents immediately. Her father's eyes were the same shade of blue as her right eye, and she had inherited his calm, peaceful expression. Her mother's hair was just like her own – long, dark and wavy.
When they saw her, their faces split into delighted smiles, and she almost ran forward eagerly. They enveloped her in a warm embrace as soon as she reached them.
"Oh, Tsena. Look at you," her mother, Keila, said. "You're such a beautiful young woman." Tsena smiled at the sound of her voice, a voice now familiar from her dreams.
"Come, we will go home, and then you can explain to us the reason for your visit," Tsena's father, Perann, smiled as he took her bags from her. She took her mother's hand, and together, the family walked into the city.
"Stop the attacks on Senator Amidala, you must," Yoda was saying to Obi-Wan. "More intense, they may become."
Anakin was not paying attention the Council had specifically called him and Obi-Wan in, and since they had spent the last few minutes speaking to Obi-Wan, his turn was approaching. He was full of nervous anticipation – perhaps he was to become a Knight! Surely that was the reason why the Council wished to speak to him.
"Anakin," Mace Windu addressed him.
Anakin stood straighter. "Yes, Master?" he said with a short bow. This could be it…
"We commend you on your recent efforts in protecting Senator Amidala and your conflict with Dooku," Mace said. "We have come to a decision regarding your standing within the Jedi Order."
Anakin tried not to let his excitement control his thoughts. He did not want the Council to sense his confidence, especially when many of the members had been against his being trained in the first place.
"It is the decision of the Council," Mace continued. "That you remain a Padawan, under the tutelage of Obi-Wan."
"What?" Anakin shook his head in disbelief. "But Masters, I am ready to become a Knight! Might I ask why this decision has been made?"
"Much to teach you still, Obi-Wan has. Learn more from him, you must," Yoda replied.
"Masters, there is little I still can learn from master Obi-Wan. I may have begun training later than other Padawans, but my skills –"
"Yes, skills you have," Yoda interrupted. "But arrogance and over-confidence you have also."
Anakin opened his mouth angrily to argue, but Mace cut in.
"Anakin, you will not accompany the Senator with Obi-Wan back to Naboo. You are both dismissed," he said decisively.
Anakin spun on his heel and stalked out, Obi-Wan following more calmly behind. As soon as they were in a quiet, deserted area of the corridor, Anakin turned to Obi-Wan.
"Master, you don't agree with them, do you?" he burst out. "I'm ready to be a Knight, surely you can see that!"
"The Council believes that you still have lessons to learn," Obi-Wan answered evenly.
"The Council," Anakin almost spat out. "Has been wrong before. I have proved myself to be as good a Jedi as any other Knight. A Sith Lord – the man who could have caused galactic war – is dead because of me."
"Killing a Sith does not immediately guarantee elevation to Jedi Knight."
"You became a Knight when you killed Darth Maul." Anakin's tone was almost accusatory.
Obi-Wan's face took on a pained expression. "My Master was killed by that Sith. I was left on my own – the Council thought I was ready. So did Qui-Gon, before he died." He was going to let me go through the trials so that he could train you, Anakin. His last words made me promise to train you.
Anakin caught the pain in his Master's eyes, but he ignored it and focused on what he had just said. "The Council thought you were ready. So you don't think I'm ready." His tone was bitter and angry.
"Anakin –" Obi-Wan started.
Anakin glared at him and stormed off. Obi-Wan watched him go and sighed heavily, closing his eyes for a brief moment. The anger he had sensed in his Padawan was frightening – seeming to come from a place deep within that he had hidden and suppressed.
If he doesn't give that anger to the Force, if he doesn't control it – he could fall.
Anakin stood in Chancellor Palpatine's office, a place where he felt welcome and appreciated. He had wished he could speak to Tsena, but knew that she needed some time alone with her parents – so he had opted to speak to the man who was almost as much of a mentor as obi-Wan. The Chancellor was the only one who knew of Tsena and Anakin's relationship – he was the perfect person to talk to.
"They think I'm not ready, that I still have much to learn," he finished.
Palpatine shook his head. "They don't trust you, Anakin."
Anakin clenched his teeth. The Chancellor was right. Not even his own Master believed he was ready. "But you do, don't you, Chancellor?"
Palpatine smiled and placed his hand on Anakin's shoulder in a fatherly gesture. "If I were on the Jedi Council, you would be a Master already." He noticed the smile on Anakin's faces, and his own widened. "I have said it before, and I will say it again – you are the most gifted Jedi I have ever met."
"Thank you, your Excellency," Anakin said coolly. His tone was deceiving – inside, he was thrilled. Compliments from Chancellor Palpatine were not to be taken lightly – in Anakin's mind, they were an honour as great as a compliment from Yoda. Perhaps even more so, as the Chancellor was the most powerful and influential man in the galaxy.
"It is a pity and a shame that the Jedi do not give you enough freedom to use your skills," Palpatine added. "I know that I would do all that I could to allow you to expand your powers."
"I know you would, Chancellor, and sometimes I wish you were on the Jedi Council to provide a true voice of reason," Anakin said earnestly.
Palpatine smiled. "When you tell me of their decisions, when I see some of the things they have done – I also think the same thing, Anakin. We are quite alike, you and I."
Me, similar to the Chancellor of the Republic! A man who is wiser, more powerful and knowledgeable than almost everyone I know! Anakin thought. It's almost unimaginable – and yet, it is also possible, thanks to his guidance.
The Chancellor smiled widely. "Come see me tomorrow, Anakin, and we will discuss matters further."
Tsena's parents lived a short way from Gwaan in a small, modestly furnished house. Although it was small and not elaborately decorated, it had a homely atmosphere, with holographs and flowers all around. Tsena saw a few holographs of herself when she was a baby, nestled in her parents' arms.
She followed her father to the table while her mother made some tea.
"Tell us how your Jedi training is going," Perann said as Keila sat down beside her daughter with the teapot and three cups.
"It's going very well, dad. I'm still a Padawan learner," Tsena told them. "Thank you," she said to her mother as Keila poured her tea and pushed the cup to her.
"Who is your master?" Keila asked, passing Perann a cup.
"Jovarii Amara. She's a wonderful master. She has taught me so much." They fell silent for a moment as they sipped their tea. Tsena set down her cup. "I'm afraid this isn't purely a social visit," she told her parents.
"We guessed as much," Perann said.
"We know that Jedi are not supposed to visit or even know about their parents," Keila added.
"Yes, well I suppose I'm a very unique case," Tsena said with a small smile.
"What has happened to bring you to us?" Perann asked.
Tsena recounted everything that had happened in the last two weeks, explaining the details of her dreams and visions, and the words she kept hearing. When she finished, her parents were quiet for a moment, digesting the information.
Keila broke the silence. "Who is Anakin exactly?"
"We believe he is the Chosen One, the one to bring balance to the Force," Tsena told her. She looked down at her cup, debating whether or not to tell her parents about her relationship with Anakin.
Her mother's voice interrupted her thoughts. "And how deep does your relationship with him run?" Startled and surprised, Tsena stared at her mother, who laughed and said, "Don't look so surprised, Tsena. A mother always knows."
Tsena gave her a slightly embarrassed smile. Well, perhaps the more they know, the more they can explain… "Anakin and I…we love each other. We want to be married, but obviously we can't. I don't want to give up the Jedi, and neither does Anakin – so we thought that maybe once he has fulfilled the prophecy, and I have done what I have been given a second chance at life to do, we could request special permission from the Council, considering our…uniqueness."
"That makes sense," Perann agreed.
"I know that I must stop Anakin from becoming the Sith I saw when I died, but I need to understand why I cam back to life." She saw her parents exchange looks.
"Tsena, what we have to explain to you will take a long time to tell. We will tell you what you need to know tomorrow, when you are refreshed," Keila said gently, but in a tone that told Tsena that this was the only option.
Reluctantly, Tsena nodded. She had hoped to return to Coruscant as soon as possible – she had been getting the feeling that Anakin needed her since she reached the house. But there was obviously a lot that she needed to know.
The answers will come tomorrow.