Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Only Odessa and the plot are mine!

The battle sequence in this chapter was inspired by the battles in Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card, so that belongs to him, not me.

Two months had passed since that fateful day when Commander Lewis had appeared outside her apartment. Odessa had spent a day in bed, too grief-stricken to move, when she finally decided that both her husband and her master would have been completely disgusted at the way she was acting. They were gone; she was not. She had a job to do, and she intended on doing it.

Entering the Jedi temple that first day had been difficult. She passed old friends, old mentors, and realized that she could never be what they were, she could never achieve what they had achieved. Her life had been forever changed, and as much as she tried to convince herself that she must move on, part of her desperately wanted to lash out at those who had put her in the position she was in now. But she knew, deep in her heart, that there was no one to blame but herself.

Merina had put her to the task of recording the recent battles of the war into the encyclopedia right away. There was a decade's worth of information that needed to be deciphered, typed and inputted into the database. Odessa was a bit overwhelmed initially, but once she began, she realized that she couldn't have been placed in a better position. Reading about the battles rekindled the flame of passion for fighting for peace throughout the galaxy that had once burnt so fiercely inside of her. Everyone once in a while she would come across a battle that she and her master had participated in, and found herself going through the battle countless times in her head, cursing herself for mistakes she'd made, and applauding herself on strategies that had worked particularly well. In the two months that had passed, she had become quite an expert on battle strategy, viewing almost a hundred battles in the course of her work.

Tutoring the younglings was very fulfilling, too. They were young, innocent, and eager to learn, and they soaked up every bit of wisdom she gave to them as if it were rain on parched soil. She would amuse the younger ones with silly tricks using the force whenever they seemed homesick or a bit discouraged if their progress wasn't moving as quickly as they had hoped. She came to treasure the time she spent with the children, and eagerly awaited the appointments she had with them in the mid-afternoon.

Odessa arrived at the temple early, as usual. She never got out of the habit of performing her daily exercises, so her biological clock always woke her early. She typically arrived before Merina, so often that she gave Odessa the keys to unlock the computer system for general use. Odessa found the absolute silence of the early morning comforting as she sat at her desk to continue transcribing the numerous battles. It helped her play out the battles in her head, imagining them without the distraction or concern that arrived with the few Jedi who visited the library.

Late in the morning, the uncomfortable feeling of someone watching her interrupted her from her work, and she looked up to see Master Obi-Wan Kenobi looking at her thoughtfully. Once he saw he had her attention, he smiled.

"I'm terribly sorry, Master Kenobi," she said hurriedly, saving the bit of data she had been working on. "I hope you weren't waiting long?"

"No, not long at all, Ms. Sinthea. Though I must say it is rather refreshing to see someone so dedicated to their work that they wouldn't notice someone standing over them for close to ten minutes, especially someone with Jedi training." Odessa blushed, but she saw that Obi-Wan was smiling. She grinned slightly at him.

"What can I do for you, Master Kenobi?" she asked politely. He studied her face for a moment before answering, his clear turquoise eyes calm yet inquisitive. She felt as if he were trying to peer into her mind, and it wasn't an altogether comfortable feeling.

"I'm looking for a particular battle that occurred near Rattatak in the distant Outer Rim, perhaps three years ago. The Rattataki have an uncommon battle style, and there have been rumors that the Separatists have befriended them, and they are amassing a new type of army there. My apprentice and I must find out what's going on there shortly, and I would like to be prepared for the battle that unfortunately will ensue. The Rattataki have something of a penchant for war." She racked her brain for the battle he spoke of as he once again calmly studied her face.

After a moment's thought, her eyes lit up with recognition as she remembered the battle he spoke of. She had transcribed that battle a week ago, but she hadn't yet updated the databases to include it. She sorted through the numerous disks on top of her desk until she found the right one.

"Follow me," she said as she rose and made her way to a small hologram projector. Inserting the disc, a brutal battle appeared in the air before them, with numerous small ships quickly engulfing the larger Republic fighters. A look of concern crossed Obi-Wan's face as he watched the seemingly helpless fighters become overrun by the endless fleet of Rattataki. A chaotic retreat ensued, with only a few fighters making it out. The hologram faded away, and Obi-Wan stared at the empty air above the projector, stroking his beard thoughtfully. A few moments passed, and then Odessa tentatively spoke up.

"It really isn't as bad as it seems, Master Kenobi. I spent at least five hours analyzing this battle, and I get the idea that there's one central ship controlling the entire fleet – the rest are just attachments; limbs if you will. I noticed something odd near the end. If you look here," she queued up the hologram so it was at the point she was speaking of, "you'll notice that all the ships seem to lose control, just moving with the momentum from their last movements. It's hard to tell, because of the chaos of the retreat. But they've also stopped firing, and they're just scattering about. So I went back in the battle a bit more, and found that once a certain ship was destroyed," she quickly pointed it out as she rewound the video a bit more, "all the ships seemed to lose control. So then I watched the battle from the beginning, and noticed that, while that one ship is indistinguishable from the rest, whenever a fighter would get close to it, massive amount of ships would come to its aid. You'll notice that in the battle, it seems that they fight with an 'every man for himself' mentality, but this ship gets lots of protection. Now, things may have changed since this battle, but I think if you can seek out and destroy this main ship, you won't have a problem defeating the army." Odessa looked at him expectantly, her eyes searching his face for a response. He did not speak right away, but instead watched the battle a few times, to confirm that she was correct about the circumstances of the battle. Looking up at her, he smiled.

"Well, it certainly would have taken me far longer to pick up on that without your help. However, I'm not entirely sure how to find this central ship without many losses and stabs in the dark – I am trying to avoid as many deaths as possible, regardless of the seemingly endless supply of clones we have for our army. And I worry that my apprentice is a bit headstrong; so I would prefer that if he is to go dashing off into battle, he at least it aiming for the correct ship. Do you have any ideas on how to locate the main ship?" Odessa could feel him trying to use the force to influence her to tell him, and while she realized that it was probably just a reflex that he always used when trying to get information, it irritated her just a little bit. Casting a glace to the large clock over the main desk, she turned back to him, her shoulders squared.

"I have thought of a few ideas, but can that wait until after lunch? I get very few breaks in my work here, and I'm on a strict schedule. Of course, you may join me if you like, and we can discuss it then," she said to him, her eyes staring right into his. He was taken aback by her suddenly assertive attitude, but intrigued at the same time. He studied her face once more, to detect any sort of emotion. Her expression betrayed nothing, just cool honey-colored eyes looking adamantly into his.

"I would be honored if I could join you for lunch. Few things are as riveting as discussing battle plans over the prattle of the younglings in the cafeteria," he said, a slight smile dancing on his lips. She grinned, and took the disc back to her desk. Grabbing a small satchel containing a few personal items, she joined him at the library entrance. They made their way to the cafeteria in silence, listening to the dim roar or the younglings heading en masse for their midday meal. Picking from the large selection of pre-packaged meals, they chose a small table near the back of the large cafeteria, far from the noise of the children chattering away as they ate. Odessa had barely settled in her seat before starting to speak.

"I think initially, the main ship will be well hidden. So the best way to determine where it's located will be to set up fighters randomly around the army, and fire into them. The ships will naturally try to protect the main ship if one of the fighters fires near it, so wherever it appears that the ships aren't being completely offensive, there's a good bet that that's where it's located. If that doesn't work, wait a bit into the battle…don't send the vital fighters in right away. I get the feeling that as the battle progresses, the main ship will fall into the most protected area, to easily assess the situation and decide what to do. Look to see where the center of the army seems to be, and you'll most likely find the main ship." She took a breath, then bit into her sandwich. Obi-Wan had listened, intrigued, as she went through her theory. He gazed at her thoughtfully for a few moments as she ate.

"You know, it really is a pity that a mind like yours isn't active in battles anymore. We could really use your knowledge of battles on the front. But, considering your circumstances, it really isn't possible," He looked at her with a curious expression on his face, somewhere between sympathy and disapproval. She cast him a sad smile.

"I truly miss it. I've always loved flying, and fighting for what I believed in made me feel so wonderful. But sometimes life decides to throw a wrench into your plans, and I'm just trying to make the best of things." She cast a quick look at her slightly protruding stomach before meeting Obi-Wan's gaze. He still had on the look of sympathy and disapproval, but there was also a glimmer of confusion, as if he didn't know exactly what to make of her. Odessa smiled inwardly; she prided herself on being able to control what people could and couldn't figure out about her, and even a Jedi Master was no exception. She took another few bites of her sandwich in silence before Obi-Wan spoke up again.

"Your situation is…unfortunate, but I must say that I agree with the council's decision. It's far too dangerous to allow you to continue when your main concern would naturally be for your child's safety," He said tentatively.

"I agree. While I miss my old life, I don't regret what happened. I loved my husband, and the most important thing to me was my life with him. Being a Jedi was an extremely close second, but I think it will definitely pale when compared to being a mother." She looked away, hoping that she wouldn't reveal the pain she felt from being expelled from the Jedi order. If he picked up on it, he didn't mention anything.

"I didn't realize that you were married. You did realize that marriage was strictly forbidden, did you not?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Of course I did. But as I said, there are more important things than being a Jedi. Love is definitely one of them. But I never let my love for my husband get in the way of my training – were my master still alive, he would vouch for me. I don't believe I ever let him down."

"Did he know of your, er, situation?"

"You mean, did he have his suspicions? I'm sure. How could he not? My husband and I had been the best of friends since childhood, and he couldn't have missed that. But surely he saw that I was a capable Jedi, regardless of my relationship with my husband." There was a slight edge of bitterness in Odessa's voice, which she tried to conceal. It wasn't lost on Obi-Wan. The clock chimed the hour, and she rose.

"I must return to my work, Master Kenobi. I wish you the best of luck on your expedition, and may the force be with you." He rose and formally shook her hand, his face once again a blank slate.

"Thank you, Ms. Sinthea, for all of your help. No doubt our paths will cross again – it's rare to find a librarian with such a knowledge of Jedi battles." They walked to the exit in silence, and split ways. Odessa watched his retreating back for a moment, unsure of what to make of him. He seemed compassionate, but deeply involved in all the workings of the Jedi, so much so that he was blind to the fact that some rules were indeed made to be broken. Even his headstrong apprentice seemed to realize that, being almost twenty years his younger. Yes, even a great Jedi Master still had much to learn.

Odessa made her way back to her post in the library and resumed her work. Her thoughts dwelled on the impending battle for Obi-Wan and Anakin, hoping that she had provided enough information for them to manage the battle safely. The rumors of Anakin being the chosen one had reached her ears long ago, and as she had seen him in action, she came to believe that it was true. He was certainly gifted, but perhaps a bit too passionate to be a truly wonderful Jedi. Obi-Wan seemed to be a good influence for him, pushing him to be his best, but Odessa thought that perhaps the master was just a bit blinded by the fact that Anakin was the chosen one, and didn't focus much on the fact that he was also human.

She met with the younglings, and many had seen her meeting with Master Kenobi. They were eager to know what they had been discussing, so she spent her time with them explaining how she analyzed the battles that she was transcribing into the database. The older ones had their own theories on how some of the battles played out, which led to some lively debates. The younger ones simply watched in awe at the Jedi fighters as they performed the tricky maneuvers necessary to get out of the tight situations they put themselves into. Odessa spent an extra hour with them than she normally did, but even if she had to stay late, it had been worth it. They had been so excited, so eager to get on with their training, and she missed feeling the way they did.

She spent three extra hours at the library that evening, carefully analyzing the battles she was adding and updating the database. When she finally locked up, the sun had long since set and the hallways were darkened. She headed towards the entrance, but stopped abruptly when she saw two people embracing at the top of the steps. She took a few steps closer, and then snuck behind a column to hide. With a second glance, she saw that the man was Anakin, and the woman was crying. He said something so softly that it didn't reach Odessa's ears, and then pressed a tender kiss to the woman's lips. Embracing her tightly once more, he dashed down the steps and ran past Odessa towards the hangars for the starfighters. Once he was gone, the woman had sat on the steps and dissolved into sobs. Her heart aching for the woman, Odessa walked towards her.

"Are you alright?" She asked her softly. The woman looked up, and all color seemed to drain from her pretty face as she saw Odessa above her. She stood abruptly, eyes wide.

"Oh! I'm sorry! Did it look like…I mean, we weren't…you see, he's just my…I mean…" The woman desperately searched for some sort of excuse to make for Anakin, but Odessa just smiled and placed a hand on her arm.

"It's alright. I know how hard it is watch the person you love go off to battle. Don't worry, your secret is safe with me," Odessa said comfortingly. The woman visibly relaxed, staring down the hallway Anakin had disappeared through. Odessa was surprised that Anakin of all people would have allowed himself to get into a relationship, especially with someone like Obi-Wan as his master. But she knew better than most that love can come out of even the strangest situations in life.

Looking back at the woman, she saw that silent tears were sliding down her pale cheeks as she stared off into the empty hallway. Odessa gently squeezed her arm, the woman looked at her sadly, and smiled.

"Would you care to come back to my apartment, and I'll make you something to eat? You look as if you could use some nourishment," Odessa said to the frighteningly pale woman. She paused for a moment, unsure of whether or not to trust Odessa.

"Well, I'm not sure…I mean, we haven't been properly introduced. I am Padmé Amidala, though it should be Padmé Skywalker, but we don't want Anakin to get in trouble." She held out a delicate hand, and Odessa shook it.

"I'm Odessa Sinthea. It should be Odessa Solo, but it's not, for very similar reasons to your own." Padmé cast her a surprised look, then smiled once more.

"I'd like to dine with you, but only if you tell me about your situation," she said to Odessa. They made their way to Odessa's small apartment as Odessa told Padmé the entire story of how she ended up working at the Jedi Temple, from discovering her pregnancy to her husband's death. By the time dinner was through, Padmé was as pale as she had been when she watched Anakin leave.

"Don't you worry about your husband, though. He's in safe hands. Earlier today Master Kenobi stopped by to do some research on this mission, and it shouldn't be dangerous, as long as Master Kenobi is careful, which he always is. I know he cares very much for Anakin, and he'll make sure he doesn't get himself in trouble. Well, too much trouble, at least. I daresay Anakin would find life very boring if he never got into any trouble." She smiled, and Padmé seemed to calm down a bit.

"I just can't believe that you were able to bounce back so well after, well, losing everything. If I didn't have Anakin in my life, I think I'd just shrivel and die…he really just kind of…completes me, you know?" Padmé looked up at her questioningly.

"Those we love never truly leave us. I constantly feel the presence of my master, and I know that my husband is still with me in here," she placed a hand on her stomach, "so he'll never really leave me. But neither of them would have wanted me to just forget everything I've worked so hard for, and 'shriveling and dying' would certainly anger them both. They made me the person I am today, just as I'm sure Anakin has made you stronger. Love is a powerful bond, one not so easily broken but such trivial things as death." Padmé stood, and walked towards the door.

"Would it, I mean, if it's okay with you, would it be alright if I visited you more often? There's no one I can really talk to about my relationship, and fewer that can understand what I'm going through. I mean, I've help raise my two younger siblings, too, so I could help you with the baby, and we could support each other…what do you think?" Padmé shot Odessa a hopeful look.

"Of course…it's been a while since I've had someone that I could talk to, also. And I could use all the help I can get with my child…I've never even held a baby before, so this is all new to me. Thank you for offering. And don't worry about your husband – he's very gifted, and he will do great things with his life," Odessa told her, smiling. Padmé's face brightened considerably as they walked to the door.

"Thank you, Odessa. You know, it's a shame they didn't allow you continue your Jedi training. I still think you'd make a wonderful Jedi knight, even though I don't know the first thing about it. So, I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow it is."