Chapter 30 Transcendence
The Jedi had left one of their speeders in the parking concourse of the housing complex so after seeing to it that his family was settled, he took it back the Temple. He looked forward to this meeting with a mixture of trepidation and anticipation. It was still hard for him to accept or understand what had occurred between him and Obi-Wan only three days ago. It hit him hard, however, when he walked into the Temple; heads turned in his direction as he walked down the broad hall toward the stairway to the upper levels. Knight, Padawan and youngling alike stared in awe as he passed them. Then he sensed that the younglings were actually following him.
"What are you doing?" He asked as he turned to look at them.
It was one of the younglings who spoke, "It's wonderful, Master Skywalker." He said.
"Really; what's so wonderful?" Anakin asked.
"You are, Master; we can feel it." Another answered.
"Feel what?" Anakin asked.
"Love, Master Skywalker; coming from you." Yet another replied.
"Oh, I see; well, I think you have more important things to attend to, so off with you. I'll talk with all of you later." Anakin said.
"Yes, Master." They said in unison.
Anakin turned to go, but he could sense them, still standing there, as he continued on his way to the lift. He met more of his former comrades on the way; each of them looking at him so differently now and it was beginning to make him feel uncomfortable. He was relieved when he finally reached the lift and closed the door against them. Is this what it was always going to like? He thought. "Only until they get used to you, Anakin." Qui-Gon's voice answered.
"Well, that's good; because it feels strange." Anakin answered aloud.
"In time; a very short time, in fact, they will come to understand. And then you will be able to teach them how to accomplish what you have." Qui-Gon told him.
"They'll want to learn; from me?" Anakin asked.
"Oh, yes; the Council already seeks your knowledge. Soon the rest will seek it too." Qui-Gon replied.
"But I don't know what I've done." Anakin protested.
"Yes you do; you've learned the power of selflessness; you've learned that from your brother. And you have learned the power of trust; also from your brother. Both of these things have made you more powerful than anyone could possibly imagine. Now, you must share your power with the rest. Can you do this?" Qui-Gon asked.
"But how do I teach something I don't understand? How can I share something that I don't see?" Anakin asked.
"Just reach out to them, Anakin; that will be enough and they will be changed too." Qui-Gon answered.
"You mean like Obi-Wan was?" Anakin asked.
"No, not exactly; Obi-Wan is part of your transcendence, and he transcended with you." Qui-Gon explained.
"So do others feel from him what they feel from me?" Anakin asked.
"To a certain extent, yes; but your connection to the Force because of your origin is so much stronger than any living Jedi that no one, not even Master Yoda, will radiate in the way that you do now." Qui-Gon replied.
"Oh, now I think I understand; if every Jedi learned this…oh, Qui-Gon the things we could do." Anakin said.
"You are beginning to understand; and now we are here. May the Force be with you, Anakin." Qui-Gon concluded as the lift door opened.
He walked the short distance to the Council Chamber; the door was open and he stepped in. Only Master Yoda was present and Anakin hesitated before entering further.
"Anakin! Good it is that you are here first." Yoda said. "Speak with you alone I would wish."
Anakin bowed to him and stood waiting to hear what the old master had to say.
"Sit down, Anakin." Yoda told him.
Anakin looked around for an extra chair, but there were still only the twelve Council seats; he moved to sit on the floor.
"No, Master Skywalker; take your Council seat. Never filled it was." Yoda informed him.
"Never filled? But, Master Yoda, there must always be twelve sitting on the Council. Why was no one picked to take my place? After all, I wasn't appointed by the Council in the first place." Anakin asked.
"At the time, you were not. But after the defeat of Darth Sidious, given the rank of Council Master you were; always your seat has been here, but empty it has been until now." Yoda answered. "Take your seat, Master Skywalker."
Anakin bowed again and sat in the chair he had occupied only months ago, a chair he never thought he would sit in again.
So there they were, the two most powerful living Jedi, the tall handsome young human known to all as the Chosen One and the diminutive elderly alien who was the backbone of the Order itself.
"How feel you." Yoda asked.
Anakin remembered, then, the first time Yoda had asked him that so many years past. He didn't answer.
"Remembering you are the first time." Yoda said.
"Yes, Master; 'cold, sir'; that's what I told you then, do you remember?" Anakin asked.
"Hmm…remember well I do; clouded your future was then, clouded it remained for a long time." Yoda answered.
"And now?" Anakin asked.
"Ah, clear it was when you destroyed the Sith; clearer now since your transcendence." Yoda replied.
"Qui-Gon used that word; is that why I feel so different?" Anakin asked.
"Hmm…released everything you have, Anakin; all your Dark secrets, revealed they were to Obi-Wan. Gone they are now and only your Light remains." Yoda explained. "That is why different you feel."
Anakin nodded.
"So, Master Skywalker, again I ask; how feel you?" Yoda asked.
"I feel…clean and…at peace with myself and closer to Obi-Wan than I have ever felt before." Anakin answered.
"Hmm…yes, clean…yes, at peace…done through Obi-Wan this was; that is why closer to him than any other you feel. Like your brother he is." Yoda replied. "Always there he is now, hmm?"
"Yes, Master." Anakin answered in amazement. "But I hadn't realized it until just now."
"Hmm…a bond you share now, Anakin; you know his thoughts and now he knows yours because you chose to share them; as one you now are." Yoda told him. "How feel you about this?"
"I…" Anakin hesitated as he searched for the words, a smile formed on face. "I feel complete."
"Yes, understand this I do." Yoda said.
"Is it the same for him?" Anakin asked.
"Anakin, need to ask that do you?" Yoda wondered.
Anakin smiled again, "no, Master; I already know." He answered.
Hmm…thought this I did." Yoda replied with satisfaction and without warning, reached out to Anakin.
Anakin's response was at first surprise and them acceptance as he let the grand master in.
"Hmm…no fear I sense in you, Anakin; gone it is as was your lies and secrets. Feel no fear do you, Anakin?" Yoda said at last.
This came as another surprise to Anakin, and a revelation in understanding the difference he felt in himself.
"No, Master; it seems to be gone too." Anakin answered.
"Hmm…room for it there is not anymore." Yoda told him as the other Council members started to file in.
One by one they slowly wandered in, Ki Adi Mundi first, following closely by Eath Koth and Shaak Ti. Then Stass Allie and her cousin, Adi Gallia came in together, Luminara Unduli with Plo Koon, Mace Windu and Depa Billaba. Anakin stood as they filed in, bowing to each of them as they filed in and, to his surprise, they bowed back.
"Surprised you are, Master Skywalker, that they would show you this respect, hmm?" Master asked.
"A little, yes, Master." Anakin answered.
"Anakin, you have done something wonderful; you have transcended and we owe you respect and gratitude for this." Stass Allie told him. "You can help us to attain a greater awareness and understanding of the Force."
"This was part of your destiny, Anakin." Ki Adi Mundi added.
"But all I did was…" Anakin began.
"…learn to trust." Obi-Wan finished for him as he walked in with Declan. "And that was the key to everything."
"Yes, Anakin; you opened up your heart and bared your soul to one you thought would turn away from you." Adi Gallia explained.
"And when he didn't you let go of everything and trusted that he would never turn away from you." Plo Koon expanded.
"And all the love you were afraid would be rejected, was accepted and returned many times over." Ki Adi continued.
"So that's what everyone at the Temple felt?" Anakin asked.
"Yes, Anakin; and Zak and your children." Yoda answered. "Too much to contain that love was; spilled out to all us it did."
"So, Masters, what do I do now?" Anakin asked.
"Nothing, Master Skywalker; you have already done what was needed; first by opening up to Master Kenobi and then by coming here. Just being here has spread this new power you have to everyone." Luminara Unduli replied.
"Have you speak with the younglings we shall. If early they sense this great power then early they will learn how best to use it." Yoda added. "Told them already you did that you would do this."
"Well, yes, Master Yoda, I did, but how did you know?" Anakin asked.
"I sensed it." Yoda answered.
"Masters, if I may have a moment?" Declan spoke up from outside the Council circle.
"Of course, Healer Declan; come forward." Mace replied.
Declan stepped into the center of the floor.
"Well, as most of you already know, I have been treating Master Kenobi since he came back from Naboo after the Champala affair. He had developed complications from the blaster injury to the back of his shoulder." Declan paused for a moment.
"Go on, please, Declan." Adi urged.
"Yes, well; he had developed a serious extensive infection which seemed to have cleared up overnight. At the time, I wasn't sure what had caused that to happen. Then after Master Kenobi reopened that wound and subsequently lost a great deal of blood causing him to slip into a coma, he regained consciousness much sooner than he should have. In both cases, this happened in the presence of Anakin Skywalker. I know he refuses to accept this, but I believe he may have what has been called in the archive entries the healing touch." Declan explained.
There was a low murmur amongst the Council members, Obi-Wan looked at Anakin and Anakin looked at the floor.
"I have further proof of this, if could just give me a few more moments." Declan offered.
"Please do, Declan." Mace replied.
"Well, the next incident was Zak; when Baylor Grant strangled him, there was extensive bruising and there should also have been severe swelling. We were concerned about this because it would cause breathing difficulties for him. We were all ready to send him off to the medical center where they could deal with that type of complication when one of my interns noticed that what little swelling had already begun was gone. Again, I have no explanation for this except that he had been in the company of Master Skywalker. He was the one that removed the rope from his neck; and from what I understand, he had close contact with him for several minutes. While Zak was with us, Anakin had been going down to check on him; at that time, there was a youngling with a severe case of lung fever. Again, we had arranged to transfer the boy to the medical center; but before we could, his condition cleared itself up.
"Now, one last occurrence I would like to tell you involves Master Kenobi again. Master Skywalker had apparently detected scarring in his injured shoulder; I suspected this would happen considering the complications that occurred before it was fully healed. But this afternoon when I examined him, there was no evidence of scarring; it's not 100 percent healed, but there is no permanent damage and there will be no sign, other than a superficial scar." Declan explained. "Now, Master Kenobi told me that Anakin had been working on his shoulder regularly while he was on Naboo. My contention is that Anakin was responsible for the disappearance of what should have been permanent damage."
The Council Chamber was completely silent and all eyes were on Anakin who continued to stare at the floor.
"What say you about this, Master Skywalker?" Yoda finally asked.
"I don't know." Anakin murmured.
"Are you willing to at least accept the possibility that it's true?" Declan asked.
Anakin sighed, but did not answer and did not move his eyes from the floor.
"Come, Anakin; the evidence is right in front of you. Why is it so hard for you to accept this?" Ki Adi asked.
"It…It's too much." Anakin replied, suddenly feeling overwhelmed.
"That is because you are fighting it; accept it and let it become part of you." Adi told him.
"No more will we do today. Tired Master Skywalker is; better, I think to come back tomorrow." Yoda announced.
The rest of the Council nodded in agreement and stood up to leave, "We would like to pursue this, Anakin." Stass Allie said as they all headed toward the door.
"Yes, Master Allie." Anakin replied.
Moments later, the room was empty with the exception of Anakin, Obi-Wan and Yoda, "So hard is it to accept this gift that has been granted to you, Anakin?" Yoda asked.
"I don't know; it's just that I'm so tired of being…" Anakin trailed off.
"Responsible to us?" Yoda asked.
"No, I just want to be like everyone else." Anakin replied.
"Hmm…your destiny weighs heavy on you." Yoda said.
"Yes; sometimes I just want to be with Padme and my children, and not have to think about anything else." Anakin admitted.
Obi-Wan moved from his chair to the one next to Anakin. He put his hand on the younger man's shoulder.
"I know, Anakin; but I'm here to help you. I'm always with you; we're connected, remember?" He told him gently.
"I don't know if I can do this." Anakin confessed.
"You can; if you believe you can. A big step you have taken, Anakin; not so hard it will be to take the next one. You have opened your heart, the most difficult part; as for the rest, easy it will be." Yoda assured him. "At peace you said you were when we spoke earlier; when at peace you are again, better you will feel."
Anakin only nodded.
"Think of this then, Anakin; if this gift of healing you did not have, where would your brother be…hmm?" Yoda asked.
"These gifts you have don't mean that you have leave Padme and your family, Anakin; just don't desert the Jedi completely." Obi-Wan said.
Anakin looked over at Obi-Wan and they looked at each other for a moment, "I could never leave the Order behind; I could never do that to you, Obi-Wan." He replied as he felt a renewal of the strength and resolve he had felt earlier. "I could never do that to the Jedi."
"Good, then tomorrow shall we meet?" Yoda asked.
"Yes, Master; tomorrow." Anakin replied resolutely.
"Come on, Anakin; you should go back to be with your family." Obi-Wan said.
"I'd rather stay here." Anakin answered.
"You would? I thought…" Obi-Wan began.
"I know; I thought I would too; but tonight, I want to be here." Anakin finished.
"Quarters you always have here, Anakin." Master Yoda told him as he left the room leaving them alone.
"Anakin, you don't have to stay here; no one will think less of you if you don't." Obi-Wan said.
"It's not that, Obi-Wan; I just want to, that's all. I don't know why, I just do." Anakin replied.
"Well, alright; I'll walk with you then, I was heading in that direction anyway." Obi-Wan answered.
The next day, Anakin met with the Council again; by this time, he had come to accept that he did have the gift of healing and could actually identify the sensation he felt when it was happening. He did not speak very much at all to them. It seemed to be enough to be in their presence and the sharing of power and knowledge flowed without the necessity of conversation. By the end of the meeting, Anakin felt confident enough to do as Master Yoda suggested, meet with the younglings. The consensus of the Council thought it best for him to meet with the five year olds first and then with each age group up from them in turn. That would be followed by meetings with Padawans and their masters to speak of the power of trust. Then finally with the singular knights; those without Padawans. This, Anakin realized would take several weeks in order to make the groups small so that Anakin could also speak with each of them individually to answer any questions they might have. Between these meetings and frequent visits with his family, Anakin's days during those weeks were busy ones. By the time it was finished, Anakin felt happier and more fulfilled than he ever had.
The Nubian sat waiting for them the morning they planned to leave. A great many Jedi waited in the Temple landing bay and many more stood along the great hallway as Anakin and Obi-Wan walked to the shuttle waiting to take them to the landing platform. Yoda and the rest of the Council stood at the forefront.
"Grateful we are to you, Anakin, for what you have shared with us." Yoda said.
"I have told you this before, Anakin, and I will tell you again; no matter how far away from us you go, you will always be a Jedi." Mace told him.
"I know that now, Master Windu." Anakin replied.
"You must come back again, Anakin." Ki Adi insisted.
"Yes, I will Master." Anakin promised.
"Well, we should go, Anakin." Obi-Wan said as he prodded Anakin forward.
Anakin bowed to the Masters and then turned to wave at the other Jedi who had come to see him off.
"Your seat will never be filled, Master Skywalker." Adi Gallia told him.
"No, because filled already it is." Yoda added.
Anakin boarded the shuttle, but he was torn; as much as he wanted to go home with his family, he wanted to stay with the Jedi at the Temple. Obi-Wan clamped his shoulder, sensing the conflict within him, "The Force will guide you, Anakin; and you will find a way." He assured him.
Anakin nodded without speaking.
Padme and the twins had already been picked up and were waiting for them when they got onboard. Zak had gone early to help Padme and he too would travel with them to the waiting Nubian. The trip was a quiet one. Even the twins were quiet and still. The arrived sooner than either Obi-Wan or Anakin would have liked and without another word, they disembarked from the shuttle. Zak and Obi-Wan helped with the bags and time had finally come for them to say goodbye.
"I will miss you, brother." Anakin said with tears in his eyes.
"It won't be forever." Obi-Wan replied with a hint of a smile. "And as you have told me, we are always connected."
"I know; but…" Anakin could not finish.
"The Force will find a way, Anakin." Obi-Wan assured him.
"Yes, it always does." Anakin answered.
They clasped hands and then hugged; something Obi-Wan had become accustomed to doing. Anakin then turned to Zak, "Keep out of trouble, little brother; especially when you're with Boba." He told the Padawan as he patted his shoulder.
"I will, Master Anakin." Zak promised.
Anakin followed his family up the boarding ramp.
"Bye, Sackie." Luke called down.
"Goodbye, Luke." Zak answered.
Anakin turned one last time at the top of the ramp and waved.
"May the Force be with you, my brother." He said.
"And may the Force be with you, Anakin." Obi-Wan answered.
The boarding ramp closed and the Nubian's engines roared to life. Obi-Wan stood back with one hand on Zak's shoulder watching as it rose up and moved away from the platform. They stayed until it had completely disappeared in the distance.
"Will he come back, Master?" Zak asked.
"Oh yes; he's a Jedi, and they always come back." Obi-Wan answered.
Well, that raps up this one, thanks for sticking with it to the end; I hope you enjoyed it! Don't worry, although this little trilogy is finished, there's more in store for our heroes; coming soon: "The Homecoming", where Zak has to confront his troubled past when Obi-Wan takes him to his homeworld. Thanks again for reading!