Chapter 17

Drengin sat beside Anakin on a low stool, waiting for him to awaken. He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned his head to look at Kitster.

"You should get some sleep," Kitster told him gently.

Drengin shook his head and looked back at Anakin, who was shifting back and forth in the grip of a dream. "I can't sleep. I want to stay here in case he wakes up."

"I'll stay with him; you go along to bed," Kitster responded firmly.

"No!" Drengin snapped back.

Kitster walked around Drengin and knelt down in front of the boy so that he was at eye-level with him. "You still don't trust us do you?"

"It's hard," Drengin answered in a low voice.

"It won't be easy. What's torn down in a day can't be rebuilt as quickly, but when you find true friends, then what has been torn down will be stronger than before," Kitster responded with a small smile. He briefly glanced at Anakin and continued, "Anakin is one of your true friends and that's a step forward for you."

Drengin started to respond but was interrupted when Anakin cried out in his sleep.

Kitster turned to look at Anakin just as Anakin's eyes snapped open. "It's all right my friend, you're safe."

Anakin moved his head to see who had spoken as his rapid breathing slowed to its regular rhythm. He looked confused as he saw the dark skinned man who was at his side. "Kitster?" he said hesitantly.

"Yes, it's me Anakin," Kitster replied, smiling happily.

Anakin's eyes regained some of their lightness at seeing his friend again. "How did you get away?"

"About a week after you were taken away by the Sith, I was sold, along with a few other slaves, to someone from another planet. We didn't know who our new owner was until we reached Naboo," Kitster began. "We finally found out who bought us, and not only that, but that we had been freed. We were provided with jobs and places to stay. I got work inside the palace and helped with the organizing of schedules and other things."

"Do you have any friends?" Padme asked, changing the subject.

Anakin sat back into the chair, inwardly glad of the change of subject. "Kitster, Wald, Seek, Amee, Dorn and Pala." He smiled a bit as he thought of the adventures he had had with them. "Kitster is one of my best and closest friend I have ever had."

Amidala smiled softly. "It is good that you have friends. I'm sure they miss you."

Anakin shrugged his shoulders and his cheery mood seemed to darken again. "They'll probably think I'm dead or was sold unexpectedly."

"You could contact them and let them know that you're okay and weren't sold," Amidala responded.

He shook his head bitterly. "They're slaves like I was. Their Masters would not permit them to receive any communications off the planet."

"Well, how about I be your friend?" Amidala asked.

"Padme freed you," Anakin stated in realization.

"Yes, she did," Kitster confirmed. "I was surprised, considering that no one really pays attention to Tatooine."

Anakin closed his eyes and turned his head away so that Kitster and Drengin couldn't see the tears that escaped his eyes.

"Anakin, did I do the right thing?" Drengin asked, worried that he had made a mistake in trusting Kitster.

When Anakin didn't respond, Kitster stood up and placed his hand on Drengin's shoulder. "I think he wants to be left alone right now."

Drengin hesitated for a few seconds before he reluctantly left the cabin.

Tears glistening in his eyes, Anakin looked back as the door hissed shut for the second time. "Don't go, my friends," he said in a low voice. When the door did not open again, Anakin cried himself to sleep.

Drengin glumly stared into his bowl of oatmeal, occasionally making circles in it with his spoon. Absorbed in his musings, he didn't notice that someone else had entered the kitchen.

"Your breakfast is going to get cold if you don't eat it," Anakin commented as he walked up to the table and sat in a chair next to Drengin.

Drengin didn't look up as he replied, "Why would you care?"

Anakin opened his mouth and then shut it again, unable to form a response.

Letting the spoon drop, Drengin just stared into the bowl.

At that moment, Maya came into the kitchen and, placing a cup into the sink, she turned to look at Anakin. "Well, you're looking a whole lot better."

Anakin shrugged his shoulders. "I tend to recover quickly."

"Indeed." She walked over to Drengin and placed her hand on Drengin's forehead. "You're not running a temperature."

Annoyance flashed across Drengin's face as he pushed away her hand. "I'm fine," he spat. Standing, he quickly left the kitchen.

Anakin was surprised at Drengin's behavior, and he looked at Maya curiously. "What's wrong with Drengin?"

Maya let out a defeated sigh and sat down across from Anakin. "I didn't want to tell you until you were on your feet again---"

"Well, as you can see, I am on my feet. Now, you were saying?"

"Of course you are," she said quietly to herself. "Ever since we left Naboo, Drengin has been at your side constantly. Two days ago, I noticed that Drengin wasn't eating his meals. I tried talking with him, but he appeared distant. Kitster seemed to have better luck then I did. In my opinion, something is bothering Drengin, and I think that you being unavailable just made it worse," she explained.

Something that Drengin had said last night came to Anakin's mind, and Anakin groaned as he realized what was bothering the boy. "I'd better go find him," Anakin said and stood to leave.

Maya nodded and smiled up at him. "Good. I can see why Queen Amidala was in love with you, now. She knew there was good in you," Maya added and then began to clear the table.

She knew I had goodness in me? The thought was new, and touched Anakin's healing heart and soul. Padme believed there is good in me. The more he said it to himself, in numerous ways, the more he felt that Padme was right. The thought sent chills up Anakin's spine – good chills.

Anakin found Drengin in his cabin, lying on the bed. Walking on over, he sat down next to Drengin. "You asked me something yesterday, and I completely ignored you. I'm sorry, I should have been paying more attention."

Drengin kept his gaze on the plain white wall, blinking away small tears that had escaped his eyes.

"You made the right decision," Anakin added as Drengin remained unresponsive. "You can't be that mad at me?"

"No," Drengin replied.

"Then what's wrong? Did I do something else to upset you?" Anakin asked, working to find out what was wrong.

Silence reigned in the cabin for a few minutes until Drengin broke it. "I wanted to talk to you for days, but you were always asleep while recovering from the cold and fever."

"I'm awake now and we're talking, so why don't you tell me what you wanted to say before," Anakin answered.

"I've been having dreams," Drengin stated. "My Master and a black-haired man were fighting a Sith with a double-bladed lightsaber. They were dueling in some kind of reactor core place, and were on one of the catwalks. My Master got kicked over the side and managed to land on a lower catwalk. He rushed to get back up to where the duel was taking place and took off at a run. Master became trapped between a laser barrier and was forced to watch the battle. The black haired man was injured and fell into this pit in the center of the room. The laser barrier deactivated and my Master went to fight the Sith and won the duel."

"Anything else?" Anakin asked gently.

"I opened my end of the bond back up the same day the dreams started." Drengin turned over to his right side and looked at Anakin. "His barriers were down, and the emotions I felt were of defeat. He reached out to me, but then someone blocked the bond."

"Do you want to go look for him?" Anakin asked, unsure of how to respond.

"Should we?" Drengin asked in a low voice.

"It's up to you," Anakin replied.

Drengin nodded and wiped his face with his hand. "I want to go look for him."

"All right, but first let's go eat – I'm starved," Anakin said with a smile.

Drengin's face cracked in a grin as he followed Anakin.

Bruck stared down at the floor, unable to look directly at the Council. He felt the Masters' eyes on him, shrinking him to a miniscule size. He remembered when he had been chosen as a padawan; he had felt nervous when he entered the Council room with his new Master. Master, I wish you were here now. I feel so alone. His thoughts were interrupted when Yoda began to speak.

"Padawan Chun, look at us you will," Yoda spoke after carefully observing Bruck.

Slowly Bruck raised his head and met Yoda's green eyes. Yoda's calm, passive gaze nearly made Bruck look away for he felt unclean in their presence.

Saesee Tiin picked up a data pad and began to read it. "Padawan Chun, you have been charged with the following: stealing a ship from the hanger, leaving the Jedi Temple without permission, intruding on the Naboo mission, embracing the Dark Side, as well as any crimes you committed while among the Sith. How do you plea?"

"Guilty," Bruck answered.

"Where are Padawan Muln and Padawan Kenobi?" Plo Koon asked.

Bruck swallowed a rising lump in his throat as he responded. "Obi-Wan is still at the Sith Temple and Garen is dead."

"How did Padawan Muln die?" Oppo Rancisis asked, continuing the questioning.

"I...I killed him," Bruck replied, fighting back tears.

The Council looked at each other, silently communicating through their bond.

"Why?" Adi Gallia questioned, probing Bruck's reaction with the Force.

"He tried to kill my apprentice," Bruck told them. "I didn't mean to kill him, it happened so fast."

"Where is your apprentice now?" Adi Gallia continued.

"He's with Anakin. They left the Temple before I did. I don't know where they may be," Bruck responded.

"Why did Padawan Muln, Kenobi and you go to the Sith Temple?" Plo Koon inquired.

"We wanted to save Anakin from the Dark Side and bring him back here. Garen planned everything after his Master died," Bruck replied.

"Why did you go with Padawan Muln and Kenobi?" Even Piell asked, his one eye looking into Bruck's.

"I felt that it was the right thing to do." Bruck explained.

"Was the plan more important than your Master?" Plo Koon prodded.

"No," Bruck said firmly.

"Then why did you leave him to die?" Plo Koon continued.

Bewilderment passed over Bruck's features as he turned his head to look at Plo Koon. "He was killed by the Sith when he fell into the melting pit."

"Are you certain?" Plo Koon asked, leaning forward in his seat.

This must be a test. I saw him fall into the pit and--- "Yes," Bruck responded. The bond was broken and I no longer felt his presence.

Plo Koon looked to Yoda, who gave a short nod, and then back at Bruck. "Your Master is in fact alive and in a comatose state."

Bruck could only stare in shock, unable to believe that it was possible. No, they must be testing me. He's dead; I saw him fall.

"True it is," Yoda spoke up. "Test it is not."

What have I done? "Can I go see him?" Bruck inquired in a low, almost childlike voice.

"No," Saesee Tiin replied.

"No? Why?" Bruck asked in bewilderment.

"We have our reasons," Saesee Tiin answered

Oppo Rancisis continued. "Your actions could have – and possibly already have – caused serious ramifications. Therefore, the charges against you are high."

"Open your mind to us you will," Yaddle told Bruck, a gentleness in her voice that did nothing to soothe Bruck.

Bruck lowered his head and knelt on the floor, drained and defeated. Opening his mind to the Council, he felt them enter, sifting through some of his memories and searching his soul. As the Council members worked, Bruck was distracted when a soothing presence flooded through the now open bond. Bruck reached out to it only to cry out in shock, anger and despair when one of the Council members blocked the link off.

Hours later, the Council receded from Bruck's mind and watched as Bruck fell to the floor, sobbing.

Yoda got up from his chair and walked over to Bruck, resting his clawed hand on Bruck's head. "Sleep now," he said as he placed a sleep suggestion in Bruck's mind.

Turning away, Yoda looked at the Council members. "Coming the tempest is."

To be continued in Book 3: Turnabout