A/N: You all have permission to shoot me. Honestly. I've never been so appalled at myself. THREE MONTHS? I understand if you hate me. I have no excuse. I'm so sorry…umm…writer's block is the best way to sum up this terrible lack of updates. Please read and review, even if you do hate me? That's what encourages me to keep going. I love you all. Please forgive!

PART ONE: Bloom

Chapter Twenty Two

Dewar was an unfriendly place, full of suspicious glares underneath hoods and veils. The sandy, dry climate reminded Anakin of Tattooine. He hated sand, and all of its accompanying hassles. His skin was not used to the harsh sun, or the burning streets underneath the soles of his feet. It was hot, in that sweltering, uncomfortable way that made tempers boil and rationale lose its appeal. He had forgotten that kind of heat, and good riddance too.

"I don't like it, Master," He murmured to Obi-Wan. They had been in this place for well over a month, debating and arguing constantly with the ambassadors about the violations. The Dewarians were pushing for rules that were a bit more…lax. Obi-Wan refused to back down. After countless meetings and countless failed negotiations, both sides were getting frustrated. It seemed like a lost case.

"It does seem that they're holding something back from us, doesn't it?" Obi-Wan mused in reply. "Like exactly where they got their arms in the first place. Most countries should know that the violations will not be dealt with lightly. Who would risk the Senate's anger and continue to trade with Dewar?"

Anakin sighed. He hated politics. All these corrupt dealings and labyrinths of secret motives gave him a headache. That plus the heat. He hated the heat.

Obi-Wan's pager beeped, and he answered it tiredly. Almost immediately his face lit up, and a grin stretched across the aging features.

"Anakin, let's go."

Anakin followed obediently, a bit perplexed at what was going on. Once out on the streets, he questioned Obi-Wan accordingly.

"Secret informant, Padawan," His Master replied quietly, once sure that no one could overhear them. "He wants us to meet him at the corner between Saques and Egulls. In front of the hardware shop three blocks away."

"Secret informant?" Anakin breathed in excitement. Finally this case was getting somewhere! "With what information?"

"I don't know, Padawan. That's what we're going to find out."

"Ali, you need to focus." Lyra cried in exasperation. "Mediation should not be a problem for you when you are this far along in your training."

"Yes, Master." Submissive. So unlike her, Lyra thought. What was going on?

"You know, with this sort of attitude, I highly doubt you will be prepared for the Knighthood tests."

"Yes, Master." There it was again! That dull reply that was so unexpected of Ali! Lyra could almost scream from frustration. She had said that 'unprepared for knighthood' line simply to try and get a rise out of her Padawan. It had been so long since the girl had demonstrated any spirit. It was just 'Yes Master' or 'No Master' every minute of every day.

"Ali, tell me what's wrong." It was more a demand than anything else.

"Nothing. I'm fine."

"Things don't feel right." Anakin said quietly, ten minutes later. Both he and Obi-Wan were trying to blend inconspicuously into the background, but they stood out clearly in Dewar. Their fair complexions and colored eyes distinguished them from natural inhabitants.

"He said he'd be here," Obi-Wan murmured. The people were shooting suspicious glares now, the animosity and tension was palpable in the air. Something didn't feel right. There was a prickliness, a sort of friction in the atmosphere that didn't belong. It sent all of Obi-Wan's senses on high alert, and he couldn't help but note that in this hostile environment, if trouble were to come there way, help would be a long time in coming.

"Let's go," Anakin said quietly, obviously feeling it too. It had heightened to an almost unbearable kind of buzzing, constant awareness being the only solution.

Suddenly, right as they were about to leave, a whizzing sound right by Obi-Wan's ear caused them to turn. A dagger, expertly thrown, had missed his head by inches! It had imbedded itself in the wall behind him, vibrating ominously. The two Jedi quickly drew their lightsabers, igniting the blades.

There were at least ten of them, all dressed in black, their faces carefully veiled from detection. Each one was heavily armed, with an array of knives in some hands, and guns strapped in sturdily at their bolsters on the waists. And at the head—at the very head of the group—a face they recognized.

"King Tyrannus," Anakin whispered. "A trap!"

He turned around just as Obi-Wan did, prepared to make a run for it. About fifteen more were behind them, encircling the two Jedi. This was not good. Not good at all. Even if they were Jedi, the odds were against them. It seemed as if all hope had vanished, and for some reason Anakin had a desperate image of Ali flash through his mind.

"I told you you would pay, did I not?" The King said gleefully in broken English. "You will regret interfering in my affairs, no?"

This was an opportunity. The rant. Anakin struck while he talked, immediately taking out two of the assassins and clearing a path for him and his master.

"Anakin, this way!" Obi-Wan cried, and off they went, sprinting down an alley way. It seemed like all the civilians had evaporated. Obviously this was not an uncommon place occurrence, these fights.

"GET THEM!" The King howled, his face twisted with fury.

"Turn, turn, turn!" Obi-Wan shouted above the din of the chase and the massive amounts of weapons being fired. The world seemed to be spinning, reeling on its axes. There was so much noise—shouts, incomprehensible, in a language Anakin could not decipher. Everyone, everything seemed to be in chaos. It was the insanity of a battle, of a fight. He should've been used to it, but even as time passed he was not.

They ran off, occasionally using their lightsabers to deflect blaster shots coming too close to them. One singed Anakin's shoulder, and he gave a little gasp of pain. It stung like hell, but the wound was not deep and hopefully would not infect. He didn't have time to inspect it anyway. Things were too hectic right now to care.

The two Jedi ran across the alley, jumped a gate, tramped through someone's yard, turned left, and continued to sprint down the hard, paved road. Their pursuers were close behind, and with each panting breath Anakin took they seemed to get closer.

They kept going, brushing away the lines of laundry in their path and ignoring the screams of women and children. Hearts pounding, Anakin realized that there was a vehicle shop not too far from here. He was sweating, and his hair (damn it, he should have listened to…he should have gotten it cut) was sticking to his forehead, obscuring his vision. He brushed it aside impatiently.

"Turn here, Master!" He cried, pulling Obi-Wan along. The elder hesitated—just long enough for a shot from their closest pursuer to cause a nasty slash in his calf. He cried out in pain, clutching at the wounded leg, and stumbled a few more steps.

"Master!" Obi-Wan kept running, albeit slower. Anakin turned around and cut down the closest of the enemies, and slung Obi-Wan's arm around his shoulder. He picked up a blaster from one of the enemies, pocketing it just in case.

"We're almost there, just hold on," Anakin said, and then there they were. Someone was just getting out of their car, keys in hand, trying to explain to the dealer what they needed.

Anakin ran up to him, and held the blaster to his temple.

"Give me the keys and move out of the way." He said coolly. Without thought the two acquiesced, backing away slowly.

Anakin glanced quickly behind him, and out of the corner of his eyes saw the assassins rounding the corner. Shit.

Shoving Obi-Wan in unceremoniously, Anakin himself piled into the tiny plane. He shut the door and fumbled with the keys for a moment before the ignition turned on. They were closing in.

"Don't worry, Master, I'll get us out of here," He murmured, half to himself. These controls…had he seen them before? Yes, once…a model TX-185, crude but satisfactory.

They were two hundred feet…one hundred feet away…fifty…

Anakin gave the ship a great jerk upwards, and it took off, alighting into the sky and jostling the wounded Obi-Wan, who groaned in response.

"Sorry, Master," Anakin said. "Don't worry, we'll be fine now!" He was jubilant. They had escaped!

"Call…the Jedi Masters," Obi-Wan choked, coughing violently. His leg really was bleeding quite profusely, and the weakness in his voice made Anakin forget his happiness. This was not good.

It was time, anyway, to discuss Knighthood with the Jedi Council. That was the explanation behind Ali's presence in that circular room, surrounded by all the Jedi Masters and Lyra.

"Prepared, you are," Yoda began thoughtfully. "But a lapse in concentration I also sense."

"It's been recent," Lyra said. "I'm sure my Padawan will be fine as time passes."

"Yes," Mace Windu repeated, an eyebrow raised. "Fine." He turned to Ali. "What is your opinion on this, young Padawan?"

Ali hesitated. Paused. Thoughts suddenly came flooding to her mind, of her and Anakin. Becoming a Knight meant dedication to the Jedi ways. It was a concrete end to her relationship with Ani. But she had already decided on that concrete end! Why was it coming back to haunt her now?

"Alianne?" Windu prompted.

Ali opened her mouth to answer. She didn't even know what she was going to say, but—

"Masters?" A crackly voice said over the holodevice. "Masters! Jedi Council!" An image flickered briefly, then broke. It crackled again, and then a tall young man stood there in miniature.

"It's Anakin," Ali breathed. The comment was unnecessary, but just seeing him again brought all the emotions back in a tidal wave so powerful that it was overwhelming.

"Master Yoda, we need your help!" Anakin cried agitatedly. "The Dewarians--" A crackle interrupted his speech. "And King Tyrannus, they ambushed us, Obi-Wan's hurt—"

"What's he saying?" Ali asked, her face going pale.

"Illegal arms trade, violation of the Senate's decree—" The image was blurring now, flickering constantly. Suddenly—a loud sound shook the fake Anakin and he glanced around in horror.

"We're hit!" He cried suddenly. "We have a gas leak, we were trying to get off Dewar, they chased us in a ship—we're hit! We managed to shoot them down, but they got us before that. We have to land. We're hit! Obi-Wan's injured, he's bleeding a lot, and we need help. We need—"

And then the transmission flickered one more time before ending.

A/N: Ewww…that chapter was icky. It was bad. I can't write chase scenes, plus it's really late at night. The next update WILL come sooner—if and only if you all review.

PLEASE REVIEW, it's seriously my motivation for continuing. Or else I'll stop. Please?

P.S. Once again, I apologize for the hugeeeeee wait.