Prince Xizor knew that he was being sought after by the not only the Senate but also the Jedi Council, he decided that he needed to find a planet to lie low on for awhile, he would eventually be able to get back to his business. He left Guri his trusted android to run the Black Sun Crime Syndicate and returned to Fallen to his family. Since they were royalty he knew that he would not be extradited to Coruscant. It would be a number of years before he would show his face to the public arena. However, Prince Xizor was a very patient man; he didn't mind waiting even if it took decades.

Anakin had a special trial setup with Mara Jade and Jar Jar Binks was going to be in the center. The trial would place Mara Jade in the middle of the Nubian jungle with only water, her lightsaber, and her Jedi robes and cloak. She would have no food and no other equipment, but since their bond was very strong, he would always know where she was, she would merely have to ask for help. This would almost be impossible for Mara Jade, because if there was one thing that Mara hated to ask was for help from anyone, as she perceived it to be a weakness.

It was a cold morning when Mara was taken to outskirts of the jungle.

"No food, Master? How will I survive?" Mara asked.

"You will find a way, my padawan. Trust in the Force and your instincts."

"How long is this trial?"

"You must find your way home, Mara without the use of technology; remember the Gungans are a good people so if you run across one, don't be too hard on them."

Mara sighed deeply and pulled the hood of her cloak over her head.

"May the Force be with you, Mara Jade."

"You too Master." Mara walked away and disappeared into the dense jungle. Anakin sped away, she of course didn't know it, but he was concerned about this trial, but he also knew that she would walk away stronger from the experience; especially if Jar Jar didn't drive her crazy first. Mara Jade walked along the dirt path, using the Force to examine any threats. The only threats she found were the insects flying around her head. She found a fallen tree and gathered some long ferns for a make-shift roof and gathered wood for a fire.

After setting up the camp, she went to the swamp lake and attempted to go fishing, but without decent bait it was proving rather difficult, she found a long thick stick for fishing as well as a long vine to attach it to. "I hope I don't have to eat bugs; I'll vomit if I do. Now I know why Master Skywalker made me fast for the last twelve hours, so it would motive me to find food." She knew that there were fish in the bottom of the pond, she could feel their presence. "Maybe I can influence them to jump on my line." Mara concentrated on one rather large fish and managed to get it interested in the grub and the vine. She pulled it out of the water and was so happy that it worked. She removed her small knife and started cleaning it. She put it on the fire and it would serve as her breakfast. After eating breakfast, Mara went to find some herbs and some fruit that would be safe for her to eat. She climbed one of the large trees and sat in it meditating, enjoying the feel of all the life around her. It was strange but she felt somewhat at peace, even though she kept expecting the unexpected. "Nothing is ever as it seems my padawan." Mara remembered her master's words. She began to think about their bond and their relationship. She remembered the first day she met him, she was scared and uncertain, he was so intimidating and the fact that his anger was well known didn't help. It was strange though, he was fiercely protective of her just as much as his family. She couldn't help to get the feeling that this was trial for him just as much as it was for her; Mara knew that eventually he would have to let her go and become a Jedi Knight. She knew that one of Anakin's greatest flaws is that he had a very hard time with change and of letting go, she found out this the first year she was living with him and Padmé. He left home moody and sullen and he was incredibly critical, Padmé had told Mara that the anniversary of his mother's death was approaching, that he would leave soon to sort out his emotions; he would have to go alone. Mara was upset not fully understanding the burden his mother's death had on him. When he returned, he brought back a japor snippet for her and a hand-crafted jewelry box for Padmé. Anakin had also returned refreshed, vitalized, and his sense of humor had returned. When Mara finished meditating, she felt better but dark foreboding clouds were soon over her camp and it started to rain and storm. She went to her lean-to and pulled her hood over her head.

The wind whipped through the trees and completely destroyed her lean-to and she tried to find a cave or something nearby that she could find cover for her head. The lightning was intense and she sensed a child nearby who was crying and was absolutely terrified, her father and she were out camping and she had wandered away. Mara approached the four year old girl as the girl ran towards her, "Please help me. I'm lost."

"What's your name?"

"Ami; I know you are Jedi, can you protect me?"

"I'm not a fully trained Jedi, as of yet, I'm still learning. But yes I will protect you. Now who are your parents?"

"My mother died last winter and my father is an artist his name is Palo."

Mara took the child's hand and reached out in the Force to try to find her father. He was looking for her, crying out her name. When they arrived, Ami ran to her father's embrace.

"Oh, Ami I don't know whether I should spank you or hug you."

"Hugging works, father." Ami laughed.

"Miss thank you, how can I ever repay you?"

"It was nothing, its all in the line of duty."

"You are a Jedi padawan aren't you?"

"It is really that obvious?" Mara Jade sighed.

"Yes. Come I want you to come inside our cabin until the rain and lightning let up. I have some stew on the fire." Palo offered.

Mara Jade entered the cabin and removed her cloak to allow it to dry.

"I have a dress here from my late wife it might be a little big on you, but it will serve until your clothes dry." Palo gave Mara Jade the peasant long sleeved dress it was a very pretty lavender. "Thank you, sir."

"Oh, please call me Palo, what's your name?"

"Mara Jade, my trainer is Master Skywalker, do you know him?"

"Anakin Skywalker?"

"Yes."

"How I could I not know him, he is married to my childhood sweetheart, Padmé."

Mara Jade ate the wonderful stew as the weather continued to intensify throughout the night. Ami really liked Mara; she had beautiful red hair and the prettiest green eyes she had ever seen. "Can you tell me a story?"

Mara Jade told her the story about how the morning she met Master Skywalker for the first time. Ami listened intently amazed by details and even though she didn't want to fall asleep, she did anyway. Mara tucked her into her bed and fell asleep by the fire. The next morning she pulled on her Jedi robes and left a note thanking Palo for everything. She immediately returned to the jungle and found a Gungan poking around a log apparently looking for breakfast.

"Hello there, who are yousa?"

"Mara Jade and you are?"

"Meesa Jar Jar Binks; and I are very, very hungry. Dousa have any food?"

"No."

"Yousa here by yousa self?"

"Yea, what of it?"

"Dangerous creatures are about, yousa should be with me."

"No thanks. I find your broken language to be annoying." Mara stormed off, this creature annoyed the hell out of her and it didn't seem to know how to take a hint it followed her until he fell into a hidden trap in the ground.

"Help meesa please!" Jar Jar yelled.

"You clumsy oaf!" Mara lowered a large vine down to him and he pulled himself out of the hole.

"You save me! I owe you a life debt." Jar Jar grabbed her and hugged her tightly.

"No, it's really not necessary; I relieve you of your debt, seriously."

"No, demanded by the gods it is."

Mara Jade spent the next day trying desperately to get rid of Jar Jar Binks, but he kept following her and talking to her incessantly.

"Will you just shut up for five minutes, I can't think with you blabbering on and on much ado about nothing!"

Jar Jar Binks sighed seemingly heartbroken by her outburst, he said goodbye.

"I'm sorry, Jar Jar; its just you talk too much, I didn't mean to yell and say those mean things."

"Yousa did; Ani told me that you would get angry and have very little patience with me, but he figured that I would be good for your test. Yousa are very brave warrior, see yousa soon." Jar Jar Binks left Mara Jade with her mouth hanging open; she might have known that he would do this. She meditated on this failure and knew that she would have to learn to control her temper with people that drove her crazy. But Jar Jar said something odd about her master, he called him, 'Ani', she laughed hysterically, she sometimes heard Padmé call him this, but never anyone else, they wouldn't dare. "Master Ani." Mara laughed once again. She would have to find her way home, soon so as to pull this name out of the proverbial hat. She would then share it with Han; she knew he would get a kick out of it.

It took an entire day to make it to the home grounds; she opened the patio door, silently as she knew that the house was probably asleep. Mara immediately crept into the kitchen to make herself something to eat. She was starving and ate ravenously.

Author's Note:Thank you for all your reviews, if you want me to respond to you via email I will need your email address, mine is or you can also find it listed in my profile page. Thanks again.—DarthGladiator45