Chapter 7

"The Jedi are great assets to the Republic, our resources are at your disposal." The Chancellor told them.

"Kind you are to offer your help, Chancellor. A ship we may need to further our deception." Yoda answered.

"Anything, Master Yoda. Let me know when you are ready to leave." Bail replied.

The Jedi then returned to the Temple. Under protest from Zak, he was sent off to eat and rest.

"But I'm not hungry, and I want to hear what we are going to do." He argued.

"We have had this discussion before, Zak. If you want to help me, then you have to eat and get some rest." Anakin said.

"But…"

"Zak, that's enough. Go eat, I mean it." Anakin answered.

Zak did not argue further and headed for the kitchens.

"What was that about?" Mace asked him.

"I'm really not sure; he won't tell me. I had to make him eat this morning too."

"Hmm…feeling guilty perhaps." Yoda interjected.

"Guilty, Master Yoda? About what?" Anakin asked.

"Food he has to eat, while Obi-Wan does not." The old master replied.

"Oh, of course. He said this morning that he was hungry and then suddenly he didn't want to eat." Anakin realized.

"Well, I think we should discuss our plans, shall we go to the map room?" Mace said.

"Yes, a good place for this." Yoda answered.

"Master Yoda, I would like to speak with you privately first. It is very important." Anakin requested.

Yoda studied Anakin for a moment.

"Yes, important it appears to be, come with me." He told him. "Master Windu, meet you in the map room shortly we shall."

"As you wish, Master Yoda." Mace replied and continued down the hall.

Yoda and Anakin entered Yoda's private meditation room. Anakin sat down on one of the cushions.

"Speak your mind, young Skywalker." Yoda told him as he, too, sat.

"I should have been on that transport, Master Yoda." Anakin began.

"Think that, do you? Why would you have been there?" Yoda asked.

"The nightmares, when Obi-Wan and Zak came, I had them again." Anakin said.

"And this is why you should have been on the ship?" Yoda asked.

"Obi-Wan wanted me to come back with him to speak with you. I didn't, if I had been on that ship, Obi-Wan and I would have been able to fight off those raiders." Anakin explained.

"So sure of that, are you?" Yoda asked, "Too many of them there were, even for you. Captured you would have been too. Dead you and Obi-Wan both would be."

"But if I wasn't supposed to come to Coruscant with Obi-Wan, then why did I have those nightmares again?" Anakin wondered.

"Hard to say. About Zak they were, Padme told me. Triggered by Zak's appearance I think." Yoda guessed.

"Then why do I feel as this is my fault?" Anakin asked in frustration.

"Your fault it is not, Anakin. Amedda's plan this was to take Obi-Wan as bait. Prevent that you could not." Yoda assured him.

Anakin sighed and looked down at his hands.

"Then what about the other dream?" Anakin asked.

"Other dream? Tell me." Yoda urged.

Anakin proceeded to tell Yoda about the vision of the transport hijacking.

"The present you saw, Anakin. Happened it did when you first saw it. So stop it from happening, you could not." Yoda said. "Misplaced guilt will not help you. Think no more of it you must, Anakin, or help Obi-Wan you cannot."

"Thank you, Master Yoda. You are right, of course." Anakin answered with a nod.

"Better you feel now, Anakin?" Yoda asked.

"Much better, Master. Should we join Mace in the map room?" Anakin replied.

"Yes." Yoda answered.

The more Anakin thought about Yoda's wise words, the more he realized the old master was right; and now he could focus on finding and saving his best friend.

The plan was simple; Mace would accompany Anakin along with Adi Gallia and Quinlan Vos. They had second thoughts about taking the Republic transport and opted instead to use Anakin's Naboo yacht. It would then appear that Anakin was acting alone without the assistance of the current Republic government or the Jedi. They would leave in the morning.

"Your own advice you should take, Anakin; eat something you should." Yoda told him as they were leaving.

"Yes, Master Yoda. I was just about to do that." Anakin answered. "Oh, I almost forgot; what should we do about Zak? He will insist on coming with us."

"Difficult this is; Zak's master Obi-Wan is. Wrong it would be for us to prevent him from going." Yoda replied, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"I know that when I was put in this same position, I didn't want to be left behind either. I went alone and made matters worse." Anakin pointed out, "We should take him; between the four of us, we should be able to protect him."

"Wise decision this, Anakin. Go with you, Zak will. Rest you must also, Anakin." Yoda advised.

"I will Master Yoda." Anakin told him as they parted.

Once Anakin had eaten, he went back to his old quarters to rest. He did so fitfully; his sleep was filled with dreams; of the past, his life as Obi-Wan's Padawan and even before that when he had first met Qui-Gon Jinn. Anakin rose several hours later and went to the Room of A Thousand Fountains. He had often gone there as a boy. Growing up on Tatooine, he had known nothing but the desert sands. Here, there was green grass and a lake. Anakin sat down on the grass and closed his eyes. Once again he reached out with the Force for Obi-Wan, and again he felt his friend, weak but alive.

"Just a little longer, Obi-Wan, my friend, hold on just a little longer." He thought to him.

Sensing another presence, he opened his eyes and looked up. Zak stood before him, looking forlorn and alone.

"We will find him, Master Anakin; won't we?" He asked.

"Yes Zak. Sit down; I want to show you something." Anakin told him.

Zak sat down facing Anakin. Anakin took the boy's head in his hands.

"Clear your mind, Zak; and just concentrate on me." Anakin instructed.

Zak closed his eyes, took a deep centering breath and relaxed.

"Good, now open your mind to me. Yes, that's it. Now, what do you feel?" Anakin asked.

For several moments, Zak said nothing, then a look of wonder and joy came to him.

"Master Obi-Wan! I feel Master Obi-Wan!" He exclaimed.

"Yes, you see, he's still with us. We can still help him." Anakin whispered.

"Can he feel us too?" Zak asked.

"I think so, but I'm…Oh no, not again." Anakin said as he pushed Zak away from him.

As soon as he said this, he bent over in obvious pain. Zak had felt a little of this just before Anakin pushed him away.

"They're hurting him again, aren't they?" Zak said.

"Yes, they're taunting me. I swear Amedda will pay for this." Anakin said through gritted teeth.

A runner approached them with the news that there was a transmission for Anakin in the communications center. He was to report there immediately.

Anakin rose and headed for there in a dead run. Zak could not keep up with him.

When he arrived, Mace and Yoda were already there. Amedda's holo-image was before them, the now familiar force lance in his hand, "Ah, there he is. Skywalker, did you get my last little message?" He asked.

"You'll pay for this, Amedda. For everything you've done, I swear, you'll pay." Anakin said menacingly.

"Oh, Anakin, are you threatening me? Maybe you need another lesson." Amedda replied as he motioned to someone. Immediately Obi-Wan was hauled into the image.

"Lesson number 3, Anakin." Amedda said as he hit Obi-Wan in the leg with the weapon.

Obi-Wan collapsed and Anakin dropped to the floor in agony.

"Enough, Amedda, we have seen enough." Mace said as he knelt before Anakin. "Anakin will do what you wish. We will not interfere."

"Good. Come to me, Anakin, and I will let Kenobi go. You have my word." Amedda replied.

"I will do whatever you want, Amedda, just don't hurt him anymore." Anakin answered breathlessly.

"Don't do it, Anakin. He's going to kill me anyway." Obi-Wan cried out.

Amedda hit Ob-Wan again.

"Who gave you permission to speak, Jedi?" He demanded.

"Leave him alone, Amedda." Mace ordered.

"When you get to Champala, you will be instructed where to land. Come alone, Anakin, or your friend dies right before your eyes." Amedda said as the image faded.

Zak had finally arrived to see Anakin kneeling on the floor. He had been spared from seeing the holo-message and they were all grateful for that.

Anakin felt sick even as the painful sensation wore off; he could feel his anger building and he fought to push it down.

"Why does he hate you so much?" Zak asked.

"Because I killed Palpatine; I ruined his life. When Palpatine was exposed for what he was, Amedda was branded a criminal. His political career ended and he became a fugitive. When he escaped, I guess all he could think about was revenge. Now he's getting it." Anakin explained.

"And Master Obi-Wan?" Zak wondered.

"Because he trained me. He was responsible for bringing me here to the Temple. That and he knows that he could get to me by using Obi-Wan against me." Anakin answered.

"Well, not for long. If you are ready, Anakin, I think it is time to go. Adi and Master Vos are meeting us at your ship." Mace said as he helped Anakin to his feet.

"The sooner the better. We need this to be over, now, for Obi-Wan's sake." Anakin replied.

There was nothing else to say. Yoda accompanied them to the landing platform and watched as the boarded.

"May the Force be with you." He called to them.

"Thank you, Master Yoda. We will see you soon." Anakin said.

Yoda watched as the yacht rose into the sky and disappeared.