One week later…
Chancellor Sheev Palpatine stepped off of the transport and onto the soil of his homeworld. A welcome party was there to meet him and the others arriving from Coruscant, rows of pilots and guards and the Queen herself, along with the Jedi Padawan Obi-Wan Kenobi. And beside him, two people the Chancellor did not recognize.
Palpatine's eyes drifted over the boy and the young woman, and he nearly froze.
The boy was a bright, blinding Force presence. Clearly more powerful in the Force than any of the other Jedi milling about, greater even than Masters Yoda and Windu. Any doubts Palpatine may have once had were swept away in the face of the boy's brilliance. It was one thing to sense him from afar, across all of space, it was quite another to see him in person.
Yes, he was the one. The Force's child, cradled lovingly in its arms, so fresh and young and full of potential. Bright, like an untouched crystal, or a newborn lamb.
And oh, he would do so, so nicely. Palpatine could see it already. The Light's child turned against her, twisted and gnarled into a tool of death. Pressed and scarred, a thousand little cuts until the child yearned for the Dark and drank greedily from its cup. He would not be dragged against his will. No, he would run to the Dark with fire and fury, he would beg for it to take him in, reveling in its power even as the Light cried out in anguish for her Fallen son. He would be doom itself, no longer a supernova, but instead a black hole that would swallow planets in their entirety.
Darth Vader. That is what he would call his apprentice. The name tasted like hatred and ruthlessness, like blood off a knife. It was a name that would be feared across the galaxy.
But the boy was still but a babe, still a wide-eyed hatchling in the Light's warm nest. The seeds of darkness were already there, planted by the hands of life's cruelty. A master's whip, a mugger's fist, the misfortune of circumstance, all had tilled the soil and left their marks. The seeds would take time to grow, and they would require careful cultivation. Sidious would take great pleasure in being the one to do so. He would be patient, oh so patient, and when the day came when the boy submitted himself to the Darkness, Sidious would be there to reap the harvest of his toils.
It was enough to make him nearly giddy with anticipation.
The woman was far less bright. Very average, as far as Jedi went. But she was another mystery altogether. If the Force was an ocean, and all living things drops of water within it, she was a fish. Dipping in and out of the waves, water flowing past her, part of the ocean and yet not. Bound by its laws, subject to its tides, and yet more free than the water droplets themselves. The Force flowed through her, yes, but also around her in a most peculiar way.
He wondered for half a moment just what would happen if he were to pluck the fish up out of the water. Would she flail and die? A drop of water apart from the ocean is still a drop of water, but a fish apart from the ocean cannot survive. Would she gasp for oxygen, suffocating without the water to carry it? Would she cry out for the Force from which she had been wrenched? Would the Force reach for her? Or would it continue moving, uncaring, like the receding tide ignoring the animals it left stranded on the shore?
He was tempted to reach out one small tendril and brush against her Force-presence to get more of a sense of what she was. The boy too. Just a feather-light touch, enough to assess the seeds of darkness. But there were too many Jedi around who would notice such a cool whisper, and so Sidious had to keep his presence to himself, wrapped tight and dimmed to the pitiful hum of a Force-null human. Tragic, really. But necessary for his greater plans. He couldn't be sidetracked by one peculiar woman, not when he had so many things to set into motion. And besides, experimentation had always been more Plagueis' thing than his.
But should the Force's favor ever smile down upon him… Well, he wouldn't pass up a gift.
Padawan Kenobi approached and bowed, and Sidious pushed those thoughts aside. There would be opportunities to ponder such things later. He would be patient, and in time, the child would be his.
"We are indebted to you for your bravery, Obi-Wan Kenobi," Sheev stated, imbuing his voice with warmth and gratitude. He offered a smile to the boy and a glance at the woman, then made his way past them to speak with the Queen.
"Congratulations on your election, Chancellor," Padme said, her normally stoic face brightened for a moment by a smile.
"Your boldness has saved our people, Your Majesty, it is you who should be congratulated," Sheev praised. "Together, we shall bring peace and prosperity to the Republic."
"I am looking forward to it." She turned then to the Jedi Council, who stood just to the side. "Welcome, Master Jedi. I want to thank you again for all that you have done for the people of Naboo."
The Council members leaned forward in respectful bows. "It is our honor and duty to serve those who call upon us for aid," Master Windu said, on behalf of all of them.
"Indeed. Still, our peace has come at great sacrifice to your Order, and for that I and all of Naboo will be forever grateful. You have my sincere condolences for the loss of one of your own."
"Thank you," Windu said.
The Queen turned and swept a hand towards a couple of Nubians. "These guards will show you to your accommodations. I have also had a meeting chamber prepared for you. I hope it will suffice."
"You are more than generous."
"It is the least I can do."
With pleasantries exchanged, the crowd began to disperse. The Queen and the Chancellor went one way, while the Jedi followed after their escorts.
"Obi-Wan," Yoda greeted, hobbling forward with his walking stick. "Good to see you in person, it is."
The Padawan inclined his head. "You as well, Master." He looked up at the others. "Masters."
He was slightly surprised to see that all of them were here. Yoda had said that the Council would come to Naboo for Qui-Gon's funeral, but Obi-Wan had expected at least one of them to be called away on a mission, or to stay behind in case a representative was needed at the Temple. But no, they were all here, and Obi-Wan found that he was glad. Qui-Gon would not be cremated in the Temple he had long called home, but at least he would be honored by the entirety of the Council.
"We have much to discuss," Master Windu said. His gaze drifted over the boy, Qui-Gon's 'vergence', and the young woman, the so-called Padawan of another Order. "We will commence a meeting immediately. Your presences are requested—all three of you."
"Of course, Master," Obi-Wan said.
The other two nodded in acknowledgement.
It didn't take long to reach the palace, and from there it took maybe ten more minutes to reach the room that had been prepared. Chairs were arranged in a large circle, and the Council members easily found their proper places. Obi-Wan moved to the center of the circle, tucking his arms into the sleeves of his robe, and Sienna paused beside him. Anakin took up residence in his usual place between the two.
"Now that everyone is situated, I believe introductions are in order," the Korun Jedi stated. "I am Jedi Master Mace Windu. This"—he gestured to his right—"is Grand Master Yoda, Master Ki-Adi-Mundi, Master Saesee Tiin, Master Yaddle, Master Even Piel, Master Oppo Rancisis, Master Adi Gallia, Master Yarael Poof, Master Eeth Koth, Master Depa Billaba, and finally, Master Plo Koon."
Sienna bowed, and Anakin followed her lead to do the same.
"Padawan Sienna Retrograde," she said.
"Anakin Skywalker."
"Good to meet you, it is," Yoda said.
"You as well, Masters," Sienna returned, inclining her head politely.
"We would like to begin this meeting by clarifying the matter of your identity," Windu said. "You call yourself a Padawan, yet our Order does not recognize you."
"That would be because I'm from another Order."
"There has not been an offshoot in a thousand years," Ki-Adi-Mundi said. "And the one there once was does not remain active."
"My Order isn't an offshoot of yours," Sienna said. "It was founded independently."
"In another galaxy?" Mundi asked skeptically.
Sienna's lip dipped slightly at his tone. "Yes."
He glanced over at Windu and Yoda, who shared a look between themselves.
"Forgive us if we are a bit… hesitant to accept your claims," Windu commented.
"Search the Force, then. You'll see I'm telling the truth."
"Your words ring with truth, yes, but that only gets us as far as knowing that you believe what you say."
Sienna's eyes narrowed. "Are you implying that I'm crazy?"
"No. But just because someone believes something does not make it an objective truth."
That struck a nerve. So, they all thought she was some brainwashed kid who'd been led to believe she was from another Order? Sienna bristled at the implication, and straightened up to her full five-foot four-inches of height to fix the Council with a fiery glare.
"I am Sienna Retrograde of the Cosmic Order, Padawan to Jedi Knight Calian Verde, under the wisdom and guidance of Grand Master and Master of the Order Tulca-Noen Azimuth, along with High Council Members Nexus Aqualite, Borealis Quasar, Kao, Kavi Beckett, Nima Blankuna, and Ren Mur. Our Order exists on the planet Felidae. The original Order was founded more than three thousand years ago, but having been destroyed and its members killed or scattered, Master Azimuth was tasked with building the New Cosmic Order from scratch. It is this Order, though still young, that now thrives in a territory carved out for us by the Force itself. "
Silence.
Sienna's passionate declaration hung in the air, her claims outrageous—and yet supported by the Force.
The Council members glanced around at one another. Some pierced Sienna with assessing gazes, others stroked their chins thoughtfully, and still others turned to Yoda. For his part, the little green Master simply tilted his head and pressed his lips together.
"Master Azimuth, you say?" He asked, after the silence had started to become uncomfortable.
"Yes."
"Hmm." Yoda leaned forward slightly, resting his hands on his walking stick. "Knew an Azimuth, I did, long ago."
A spark of surprise lit up the Force.
"You knew a Jedi from this other Order?" Mundi asked.
"Mmm. A Padawan, I was still, and she too." The Grand Master chuckled. "Nearly forgotten, I had. Too long, it has been. More than seven hundred years." He turned his bright gaze to Sienna, humor dancing in his Foce-signature. "Tell her to visit, you should."
Sienna was just as stunned as the rest of the Council. Yoda knew Master Azimuth? What? She stared at the little green Master for a second, then shook herself from her stupor when it became clear she was expected to respond. "I… will try to remember that."
"Do or do not," Yoda said, still chuckling. "There is no try."
A beat passed. "Well," Windu began, "now that we have that more or less straightened out, the question remains as to why you are in our galaxy instead of your own."
"Right. That's the more complicated part. I fell through a Force portal just over a year ago, and I haven't found another, so I'm kinda stuck here until I can find a way back."
"You fell through a portal?" Windu repeated.
"Well, I mean, technically I was pushed, but yes."
The Korun Jedi sighed. "That is admittedly the most believable part of your story."
The other Councilors hummed their agreement.
"Why is it that you allied yourself with Master Jinn and Padawan Kenobi?" Plo Koon asked.
"Master Jinn suggested that I might find solutions to my predicament in your Temple archives. He invited me to return to Coruscant to search."
"Possibly," agreed Plo Koon, and a few of the other Masters nodded as well. "The archives hold a great deal of knowledge."
Another beat passed.
"I believe those are all the questions we have for you at the moment," Windu said, glancing around at the other Council members in case there were any objections. There weren't, so he continued. "We would now like to address young Skywalker. Master Jinn requested that we test him, and we agreed to do so, should you"—this was directed at Anakin—"agree to undergo the test."
The boy straightened slightly now that he was the center of attention. "What's the test for?"
"It is a test to determine your affinity for the Force."
"What do I have to do?"
"Nothing too strenuous. I will hold a screen in my hand, and you will tell me what is on it without being able to see the screen."
Anakin nodded, then tilted his head to look up at Sienna, seeking her approval.
"It's your choice, kiddo. If you want to take the test, go ahead. If you don't, then don't."
"Ok then. I'll do it," he said, turning back to Master Windu.
"Alright. Padawans Kenobi and Retrograde, if you would please exit the room, we will administer the test now."
Obi-Wan and Sienna bowed in tandem.
"We'll wait for you just out on the bench," Sienna assured Anakin.
He nodded again. "Ok."
The Padawans strode out of the room. Anakin watched them go. He caught a glimpse of Sienna's quick thumbs-up and smile before the doors whooshed shut, leaving him alone with the Jedi.
He turned his attention back to the Jedi Master directly in front of him. The man pulled a datapad from somewhere within the depths of his robes and attached a small handle to it in order to prop it up.
"Alright, Skywalker. I will start the sequence of images. They will only stay on the screen for a few seconds before changing. Your goal is to correctly identify as many of the images as possible. Understood?"
"Yes sir."
"Good." Windu tapped a button on the screen. "Begin."
"A house. A tooka. A chair…" Anakin rattled off item after item, plucking the answers easily from the Master's mind. Every image that flashed before Windu's eyes was there for Anakin to see as well, and with each answer the boy grew a little more confident. This was an easy test. Kind of like playing cards with Sienna when she let down her shields so Anakin could practice. "A ship. A cup. A ship. A… Speeder!"
Master Windu lowered the device and glanced over at Yoda.
"Hmm," the little green Master said, bringing one clawed hand to his chin. "How feel you?"
"Cold, sir," Anakin responded with a shiver. Naboo wasn't a cold planet by any means, but the palace was still much chillier than the burning heat of the desert.
"Afraid, are you?"
"No sir," Anakin answered immediately. He didn't want the Jedi Council to think him cowardly.
"See through you, we can," Yoda commented.
Anakin, perceiving this as a rebuke, quickly brought up his flimsy shields. He should have put them up earlier, Sienna was always telling him how important shields were around other Force-sensitives. His ears turned slightly pink in embarrassment for the mistake.
There was a ripple in the Force that Anakin couldn't read. Surprise, maybe? It was frustrating, how void the Jedi's Force-signatures were. They were just like Obi-Wan, keeping their feelings tucked away behind their shields, making it nearly impossible for Anakin to gauge how they were reacting to him. And if he couldn't gauge that, he couldn't adjust his behavior to placate them. It was incredibly unnerving.
"Who taught you how to shield?" Master Windu asked.
"No one," Anakin answered. As best he could tell, the Council was displeased. He didn't want Sienna to get in trouble.
"Lie to us, you should not," Yoda said. "Sense the truth, we can. Afraid of betraying your friend, you are."
Anakin frowned, but kept his mouth shut tight.
"Your loyalty is commendable," Ki-Adi Mundi said, "but we are not your enemies. We do not intend to hurt your friend. You don't need to fear us."
"Are you afraid of us?" Windu asked.
Anakin glanced at him, then at Master Mundi, and around at the various members of the Council. The ones he could see, anyway. There were others behind him, and he didn't dare turn around, but he could feel them watching him. All with the same projected cool, calm presences.
The boy wasn't sure what to say. On the one hand, Master Yoda said they knew when he was lying, and Anakin knew that lying could lead to big trouble. On the other hand, telling someone you were afraid was dangerous too, because they could use it against you. So he was caught in the middle with no good option, and he felt the fizzy feeling squeezing his chest and dancing in his fingers. He clenched his hands into fists so that the Jedi wouldn't see if they started trembling.
"Councilors, if I may," one of the voices behind Anakin spoke, "I think perhaps it is time we ended this portion of the meeting. There are many other things to attend to."
"Right, you are," Yoda said, watching Anakin closely.
Windu nodded as well. "Young Skywalker, you are dismissed. Thank you for meeting with us."
Anakin bowed, the way he had seen Obi-Wan and Sienna do, and hurried out of the room.
"Hey brat," Sienna greeted, rising from a bench she had been sitting on, "that was quick. How'd it go?"
Anakin shrugged. "Ok, I guess."
He heard the soft whoosh of doors opening. "Pardon me," said the voice from a moment ago.
Anakin turned and found himself looking up at a tan human woman. He couldn't remember her name, but she was smiling kindly, and she nodded in polite greeting to Sienna and Obi-Wan.
"I was wondering if you would like to join me for a walk in the Palace Gardens," she said, directing the question at Anakin. "It would be nice to have some company."
"What about your friends?" Anakin asked.
She laughed lightly. "Oh, I have spent plenty of time with them. And I will be stuck with them for most of the evening." She glanced around as if to see if anyone was listening, then leaned in conspiratorially. "And between you and me, some of them can be dreadfully boring."
Anakin cracked a smile at that. They did seem like the kind of people who could be dreadfully boring. He glanced back at Sienna and Obi-Wan.
"Master Billaba is a skilled and wise Jedi Master," Obi-Wan said. "You will be safe with her."
Anakin nodded. Well, if Obi-Wan trusted Master Billaba, then he would too. Still, he glanced at Sienna, to see her reaction.
"Go on, brat," she said. "Have fun. Find a favorite plant to tell me about later."
The boy grinned. "I will. Bye!"
He gave Sienna and Obi-Wan each a quick hug, then followed Master Billaba.
"Have you been to the gardens before?" She asked.
Anakin nodded. "Yeah! I went with Sienna a few days ago, and again with Padme and her friends. They're sooo cool. There's more kinds of plants than I've ever seen in my whole life, and they're all in one place. It's wizard."
"I have never seen them. You will have to give me a tour."
"Sure!" He tilted his back to smile up at her. "I remember all the paths. I'm good at remembering things like that."
She smiled back. "That is a very good skill."
Anakin hummed in agreement. "I've got lots of skills."
"Oh yes? Which ones are you most proud of?"
"I can fix anything," he said immediately. "I even built a whole pod racer, all by myself. Well, mostly. Sienna helped."
"That is impressive," Depa said. "Where did you learn how to build things?"
"From my mom. She's great at it. And also from Sienna." He glanced up at the Jedi again, tracing his eyes over her features. "You know, you look a little bit like my mom. Your hair is the same color. I've never seen her wear braids like that though."
"I shall take that as a compliment," Depa said. "Do you miss your mother?"
"Yeah." Anakin looked down at the marble floor, and then out the windows. He could see the sprawling city, and the forested hills beyond. "I wish she could have come with me. Mister Qui-Gon said he tried to free her, but Watto wouldn't let him. But mom said that she has almost enough money to buy her own freedom, and then she'll come to visit. Or, when I'm bigger and older and know how to fly a ship better, I can go visit her." He glanced back at Master Billaba, tilting his head curiously. "Do you have parents? Do you visit them?"
"I'm afraid not. My parents died when I was a baby," the Jedi said.
"How?"
"They were killed by space pirates."
Anakin nodded as if that was a common occurrence. "Those space pirates are dangerous. I've heard lots of stories about them. I've met a couple too. I didn't like them. Neither did Watto, cuz they always tried to get stuff for less than it was worth, and they were always picking fights."
"That is what pirates do," Depa agreed. "They attacked my family's transport while we were traveling. It was only by the will of the Force that Master Windu happened upon us, and rescued my sister and I."
"Master Windu rescued you?"
"Yes. He brought us to the Jedi Temple, where I grew up. He is also the one who trained me as his Padawan."
"Wow," Anakin said. "I wouldn't have thought he'd like kids. He seems kinda… I dunno, like someone who doesn't like people who annoy him."
Depa laughed. "He can be a bit prickly on the outside, but between you and me, he's very soft at his center."
"Really?"
"Really."
Anakin fell silent, pondering this, and Depa let him take his time. They reached the entrance to the gardens a minute later. She held open the door and gestured for Anakin to go ahead through.
"Where should we begin?" She asked.
"This way," Anakin said, pointing to the right. "There's a path with lots of flowers, and then there's a fish pond. Did you know that people keep pools of water just for decoration? Not even for drinking? And they let fish swim in them and don't even eat the fish, just keep them as pets."
"I did. It is quite a common practice among the wealthy."
"I can't imagine having that much money. Water is suuuuper expensive on Tatooine. Padme said that there are lots of places in the galaxy where you can get water for free." He glanced up at Depa. "Is water free in the Jedi Temple?"
"It is, for the Temple's inhabitants. The Temple purchases water from the city water system, and those within the Temple are able to use it and drink it."
"Wow. How come no one brings water to places like Tatooine? I asked Sienna, but she didn't know, and Padme said it would be too hard."
"Bringing large quantities of water from one planet to another could severely disrupt a planet's ecosystem," Depa said. "Each planet has its own natural order of things. Its own plants, animals, and resources. If you bring new plants or animals, they can harm the ones that live there naturally. If you bring in water to a desert planet, it can completely change the weather and landscape. That would in turn harm the beings that have adapted to live on the planet. There are plants that will die with too much water, just as there are ones which die with too little. And if you take too much water from a place with a lot of it, that land would change and suffer too."
Anakin processed this explanation. He didn't know what the word 'ecosystem' meant, and the rest was hard to grasp too. He tried to imagine a planet made out of water, and what would happen if someone took away too much. Would the planet disappear? How did a planet made of water even work? And where did water even come from in the first place?
Anakin decided he was all done thinking about that. It was too complicated. "Ok," he said instead.
They reached the end of the path a moment later, and Anakin led Depa over to the fish pond. He knelt down in the soggy earth at the water's edge, not caring as the mud soaked his knees.
"The fish are super curious," he informed her. "Watch. They'll come say hi."
Sure enough, several colorful fish soon made their way over. They peered up at the people with large eyes, regarding them with much the same look with which Anakin was regarding the fish.
"Tell me, Anakin, do you want to be a Jedi?" Depa asked, kneeling beside him on a dryer section of grass.
He bobbed his head. "Yes, definitely."
"Why?"
He looked up at her with a puzzled expression. "What do you mean? Why wouldn't I want to be a Jedi?"
"There are a great many jobs in the galaxy. Some children wish to be teachers, others wish to be doctors, and still others go on to make their living creating works of art. There are many things one might want to be."
"Oh," he said. He looked back at the fish swimming circles in the pond. "Well, I don't know of very many jobs. But I had a dream I was a Jedi once. I went back to Tatooine, and I freed all the slaves."
"How did you do that?"
"I went to the Hutts and I told them that they had to let everyone go."
"And they listened to you?"
"Of course they did. If you're a Jedi, people have to listen to you."
Depa chuckled. "I am afraid many people do not share that sentiment."
Anakin frowned. "What do you mean?"
"Not everyone respects the opinions of the Jedi."
"But, the Jedi are more powerful than anyone. Don't they have to listen?"
"The Jedi are peacekeepers. We do not go places with the intent to make people do things. We go where we are invited, to help mediate conflict."
Anakin was silent for a moment. "You don't make people do things," he repeated.
"Not if it can be helped."
"How come you're all called Masters then?"
"The title of Master refers to a rank within the Order," Depa said. "It means that you have achieved mastery of something."
"What does 'achieved mastery' mean?"
"It means to be very skilled or knowledgeable about something."
"Oh," Anakin said. "A Master is better than a Knight, right?"
"It's a higher rank, yes."
"Obi-Wan says he has to take a test, and then he'll be a Knight. Do you gotta take a test to be a Master?"
Depa smiled. Full of questions, this boy. "Sometimes, sometimes no. It depends on the circumstance."
"So you gotta be a Knight first, and then a Master?"
"Yes."
"When does Obi-Wan take the second test?"
"Maybe never," Depa said, "some Jedi remain Knights for the rest of their lives. Though I suspect Kenobi will be granted the rank of Master, and sooner rather than later."
Anakin's eyes widened. "Their whole lives?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"What do you mean?"
"Why don't they take the second test, if being a Master is better than being a Knight?"
"It isn't necessarily better, it is just a higher rank."
"But..." Anakin furrowed his brow. "But higher is better."
"Not always. The roles of Knight and Master are very similar. While most Jedi will eventually be granted the rank of Master, others never quite reach the level of skill necessary to earn the title. And that is ok. They are still valuable members of the Jedi Order, no matter their rank."
"Everyone's important?" Anakin asked.
Depa nodded. "Yes."
"If everyone's important, then how come you have ranks?"
"A rank does not define your importance, it simply demonstrates your level of skill."
Anakin pressed his lips together and scrunched his brow, clearly trying to make sense of Depa's explanation, but eventually turned back to the fish with a small sigh. "I don't think I understand."
"That's perfectly alright," Depa said kindly. "New things take a while to understand."
The boy hummed, apparently done with the conversation. He leaned forward and poked a finger into the water. A few fish swam over to investigate, gently nibbling at his skin, and he giggled at the sensation.
Depa regarded the child before her thoughtfully. His presence in the Force was one of the brightest she had ever seen in a child of his age, and he was possibly brighter than some of the Masters in the Order. In addition to the literal sense of the word, he seemed to be bright and curious, always asking questions. She was impressed with his ability to articulate the questions he had, and she wondered if it had been his mother who taught him to speak like that or if it had been Sienna. Whoever it was, they had done a good job of cultivating his mind. There were younglings his age in the Temple who weren't as articulate as he was.
She could also see the influence of his upbringing, such as his perception of higher or more skilled being 'better' and more valuable. That was a common attitude throughout much of the galaxy, but she suspected even more so when one's worth is measured in credits. In the Jedi Order, to some extent it was better to be more skilled, but that wasn't something Jedi used to measure the value of a person. Should the Council decide to admit Anakin into the Order, Depa had a feeling that the concept of his worth would be something Anakin would struggle to grasp.
The Jedi Master opened herself more to the Force, letting herself feel Anakin's Force-signature more clearly. It was a bit difficult to look at, being so bright and without any substantial shielding, but she let the energy flow over her. She could see wounds in the Force, like cool spots on a star. Fear, anger, hate even, the seeds of the Dark side. However, there were fewer spots than she had expected to find. Everyone has some spots, and though he had far more than a Jedi youngling, he didn't have any more than a grown Jedi. They were concerning, yes, but they were also to be expected given his history.
"Anakin, what is it you are most afraid of?"
He shot her a suspicious glance. "Why do you want to know?"
An interesting reaction. Depa considered how to respond without putting him on edge. "Understanding what someone is afraid of can help you understand the person better," she said. That was, truthfully, why she wanted to know.
Anakin regarded her for a moment. She felt him stretch out with the Force, gently brushing against her presence, trying to discern whether she was sincere. As he pulled the curious tendrils back to himself, Depa caught a glimpse of a thought, for he had lowered his thin layer of shielding when he stretched out: Obi-Wan says she's ok.
"Losing people," he answered, apparently deciding she was trustworthy.
That was a bit of a red flag, from a Jedi perspective. A Jedi cannot be so attached to another person that their fear of losing that person clouds their judgement or puts them or others at risk. But then she caught flashes of thoughts and emotions from Anakin's now unshielded mind. Children torn from their parents' arms as one or the other was sold individually, a slave beaten to death in the street, a favorite elder shot by a bounty hunter. There was an underlying layer of fear in all those things, because that could happen to me and what if Watto sells mom and I have to be good or he'll sell me and I'll never see her again. Anakin had next to nothing, so people were all he had.
"I see," Depa said, because she did. His attachment was dangerous, but perhaps that could be remedied with time, training, and security.
"What are you most afraid of?" Anakin asked.
The Jedi blinked. She hadn't expected that, but she supposed after the explanation she gave, it made sense that Anakin would turn the question back to her in turn.
"I suppose I most fear folly and ignorance," she said. "But I have learned how to release my fears to the Force, and so they do not control me."
The boy tilted his head. "Through meditating?"
Again, he surprised Depa with his quickness. "Yes, through meditating."
Anakin nodded in a resigned sort of way. "Sienna tried to teach me meditating. I'm not very good at it."
"Do you want to be good at it?" Depa asked.
The boy considered this. "I want to be a good Jedi. It seems like you gotta be good at meditating to be a good Jedi. So I gotta be good at meditating. But it's so boring."
An amused smile tugged at Depa's lips. That was certainly a common opinion among younglings, and even among Padawans. "It becomes more enjoyable the more you do it, and it has numerous benefits."
"That's what they say," Anakin said dubiously.
Depa chuckled at that. "Would you like to try meditating with me?"
"Alright."
Depa shifted so that she was facing Anakin, and he turned to her as well.
"Let us begin by closing our eyes. Take a deep breath..."
Depa walked Anakin through a basic meditation exercise that would be taught to Temple younglings his age. She sensed him struggle to stay focused, but she could also sense an earnest desire to do well. He followed all of her instructions to the best of his ability. For her part, Depa paid close attention to Anakin's presence and took extra care to gently draw him back to the present whenever she felt his mind wandering.
They meditated for an hour. Depa honestly hadn't expected Anakin to be able to sit still for this long; most nine year old younglings would be restless by now. But for all his complaints about meditation, he seemed much calmer and more centered than he had been throughout her interaction with him. The tension had eased out of his body, and his breathing was even and relaxed.
"You may open your eyes now, Anakin."
The boy's eyes sprang open, and he looked up at Depa hopefully. "Did I do it right?"
"How do you feel?"
"Good. Calm."
"Then yes, you did well."
His presence sparkled at the praise, and Depa made another mental note: the boy had a need for reassurance. Not necessarily a problem, but she suspected that if he was accepted into the Temple he would need to be paired with a Master who would give him the support and approval he desired if his fears were to be overcome.
The Jedi rose to her feet and stretched. "Thank you for joining me, Anakin. This has been lovely. I am afraid I must now return to my duties on the Council."
Anakin climbed to his feet too, and tried to wipe some of the mud off of his knees. "Thank you Miss Billaba."
"What will you be up to for the rest of today?" She inquired as they made their way back through the gardens and towards the palace.
The boy shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe Sienna can teach me more flying."
"Are you fond of flying?"
"Oh yeah. I love it. On the way here Sienna taught me a little, and Obi-Wan helped too. He told me how to use the Force to be a sarlacc and feel things, and then I used the canons to blow up an asteroid." He motioned with his hands, mimicking something exploding. "Boom! Except, there's no sound in space. But I bet it would've made a really loud explosion sound."
"I'm sure it would have," Depa agreed. "Did Obi-Wan teach you a lot of things?"
"Yeah! He taught me how to be a sarlacc, and before that he helped me find out what sea slugs eat. Back on Rodia! We went exploring and there were sea slugs, they're called Kwa- Kwazel Maw. And Obi-Wan says that some animals have gills to breathe underwater. Those fish in the pond have gills. And other animals don't have gills but they live in the water still. And the Kwazel Maw eat fish as big as me! And I learned that Obi-Wan doesn't have a girlfriend because attachments are forbidden, which he tried to explain but I'm still confused. Then we found some can-cells, which are giant bugs, and I tried to ride one but then I fell off and me and Obi-Wan had to walk aaaaaaall day through the swamp back to the city, and Obi-Wan almost got eaten by a swamp monster but he used his lightsaber to kill the thing trying to eat him"—Anakin swung his hand, pretending to slice a monster—"and also I learned the word 'wading' which means walking through mud and water." Anakin tilted his head to beam up at Depa. "Obi-Wan is super smart. He knows lots of things. Sienna knows lots of things too, but I think she knows different things than Obi-Wan. She's the best pilot ever, but Obi-Wan doesn't like her fancy tricks. And I think Obi-Wan is better at teaching meditating than Sienna is. But that's ok, because mom always says that everyone is good at different things, and that's why you gotta help each other."
Depa absorbed that onslaught of information with the grace of a Jedi Master. Apparently, the meditation had really calmed the boy's nerves, because that was possibly more sentences all at once than he had spoken to her during their entire time in the gardens put together. It was unfortunate that she had to cut their excursion short when Anakin was just beginning to open up. There were a lot of noteworthy things packed into what he had just said, such as the fact that apparently Obi-Wan had nearly been eaten while trudging through a swamp. That was certainly not something he had put in the report he submitted. Not that she was surprised either; this was Jinn's Padawan, after all, and both of them were magnets for trouble.
"It sounds like you have had quite the adventure," Depa said.
"Mm hm."
"And you and Obi-Wan get along well, it seems?"
"Yeah. He's really nice. He didn't even get mad at me for getting him stuck out in the swamp, or for ruining both of our boots. And he doesn't get mad when I ask questions either. Some people don't like it when you ask lots of questions. Sienna doesn't mind either, she likes to teach me things. She says she's only a Jedi student, but I think she's a good teacher. Obi-Wan too. Does he get to be a teacher once he's a Knight?"
"Perhaps. Knights and Masters alike take on apprentices, if it is the will of the Force."
"Well, I think he should for sure," Anakin said confidently. "He'd be good at it."
Depa smiled. Obi-Wan certainly was a gifted Jedi.
Speaking of Obi-Wan, they reached the Council room just as he stepped our through the doors. He looked a bit solemn, but when he spotted Depa and Anakin his expression shifted and a warm smile crossed his face.
"Master Billaba, Anakin," he greeted with a half-bow. "Did you enjoy the gardens?"
"It was most enjoyable," Depa confirmed, and Anakin nodded his enthusiastic agreement.
"I'm glad to hear it," Obi-Wan said.
The doors behind him opened again and out filed the Council members. They dispersed in both directions down the hall, some walking alone and others in pairs or small groups. Mace Windu approached the little trio.
"We are taking a recess for lunch and to attend to various tasks," Mace informed Depa. "We will convene again at 1600. Padawan Kenobi has just filled us in on more details of his mission, which I can relay to you over lunch if you would care to join me."
"I would be glad to," Depa responded. She turned to Anakin and inclined her head. "It was a pleasure spending time with you, young one. Enjoy your afternoon."
Anakin copied her motion. "You too, Master Billaba."
The two Masters turned and made their way down the hall, leaving Anakin and Obi-Wan alone.
"Well, Anakin, what do you say we find ourselves some lunch as well?" The Padawan suggested.
Anakin nodded eagerly. "Yeah! Is Sienna coming?"
"I believe she is otherwise occupied with the pilots, but perhaps she has finished with them. Let me comm her and check."
Obi-Wan tapped a quick message into his wrist comm. It beeped a second later, and Obi-Wan pressed the 'accept call' button.
"Hey Bee, what's up?" Sienna's voice asked over the little device.
"Anakin and I were wondering whether you would like to join us for lunch."
"Sure. I'm about done here. Your room or ours?"
Obi-Wan glanced down at Anakin's muddy trousers. "I think yours would be best."
"Sounds good. Thirty minutes?"
"That works."
"Cool, see you then."
The comm clicked as the call disconnected.
"Well, off we go then," Obi-Wan said. "Let's get you cleaned up before Sienna arrives."
Anakin hummed, and with that they set out for lunch.
