The snack had semi-settled the hyper young man before the three of them made their way up to the High Council's chambers. Waiting in the Hallway to greet them were Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, both sharing a small smile as Anakin rushed out of the lift.

"Master Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, hi!" waving his hand at both while staying close to Callera.

"Hello, Anakin," Qui-Gon's steady voice echoing in the quiet hallway, "it is good to see you again."

Anakin looks at the closed doors and then back to the Jedi, "Are the one's I need to talk to in there?"

"Yes, but first they wish to talk with the Captain about Naboo." Left unsaid 'and Callera' was in all the adults' minds.

As if summoned by those words the door opens, and one of the Masters Callera doesn't know address the group. "The High Council welcomes you Captain Panaka, come inside so we may receive your testimony."

Said Captain gives a brief nod to the others in the hallway before walking into the chamber, its doors silently sliding shut behind him.

******

Minutes pass before Anakin starts to pace the hallway, his nerves evident to all in the hallway.

"Breathe Anakin," Callera's voice tinged with fond exasperation, "everything will work out."

"But what if they don't like me? Or think I might be bad at being a Jedi or something?" Anakin's voice frantic as he paces.

"Come here Anakin." Callera's voice a command tinged with affection, causes the young man to stop his pace and stand in front of her still fidgeting.

Kneeling to be at eye level with the boy and resting a hand on his shoulder before speaking, letting her ice blue eyes connect with his own blue eyes. "It's okay if they don't like you," That declaration causes the boy's eyes to go wide, "they don't need to like you believe you are capable of being a Jedi. They need to believe and feel that you could grow into a Jedi that they could respect even if they disagree with you." Pointing at Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, "Both of them follow the same code all Jedi do, but each of them favors different parts of them. That does not make either of them less a Jedi in the eyes of their fellows."

Pausing to let Anakin absorb the information before continuing, "What you will need to do is be honest with them." Anakin opens his mouth but Callera keeps speaking before he can interject. "They will ask you questions that are very uncomfortable for you. Both to hear and answer, and you will probably want to hide from them and shut them down. But to be a Jedi means being willing to face uncomfortable truths about yourself. Your frustration at being a slave, your mother, and myself are some places they could ask you questions intended to make you look hard at yourself. If they do, don't look away. Look inside yourself for your truth and then look the questioner in the eye when you answer. They might not like your answer, but they will respect you for trying to be honest and owning your answer."

Standing back up from in front of Anakin and starts to pace not all the way up and down the hallway, but enough so Anakin needs to turn his head to follow her movements. "Take myself, remember how I said I'd be a poor teacher at the basics for you?" The boy nods, "That's because I've asked uncomfortable questions of myself; about how my background had shaped me, and how the last few years have treated me. Being honest with yourself is key to being a Jedi, deluding or lying to yourself is dangerous to a Jedi." Anakin nods as he tries to absorb Callera's words. "But even beyond that, remember people love and care for you regardless of how this interview turns out and that the Force always finds a way."

"Try that breathing exercise we did on Tatooine, it should help your nerves." He nods as Callera gives him a reassuring smile.

Anakin moves to sit on the hard tile floor and leans against the wall. Closing his eyes he starts to breathe the way Callera showed him. Obi-Wan's eyebrow raises as he starts to feel Anakin's presence in the hallway beyond the boy's body, but only barely.

Thirty minutes pass before a fuming Captain Panaka, leaves the High Council's chamber. Master Mundi this time at the door. "It is time Anakin Skywalker." The young man, picking himself up off the floor, looks to Callera who gives him a reassuring smile.

As the door closes with Anakin with the Council, Captain Panaka whirls on Callera. "You lied to me."

She nods, "I lied by omission., and used bringing the Skywalkers here for medical treatment to force the High Council to spend more time directly on Naboo and the Queen's attacker."

The admission stuns the Captain as Callera continues, "The attacker has access to the Senate and by extensions, their physicians' records. If he found out about Anakin's strong connection to the Force that way…"

"…he becomes an additional target of interest to the Hunter." Panaka fills in gruffly.

"Correct. I am sorry I misled you, but I saw no other way to keep that information out of our enemy's hands."

"What's so important about the kid?"

"His potential is off the charts, Captain. If the average Jedi is a flashlight and the average Jedi Master is a lantern; Anakin has the potential to be a spotlight."

The Captain's eyes widen and then narrow at the implications, 'If the hunter has access to that information…"

"And gets a hold of Anakin, we could wind up dealing with an insurmountable problem in the Force." Callera finishes for him.

"You asked me a few days ago if I knew the Queen's attacker. His name is Maul, warrior born of Dathomir, and he is ruthless, skilled, and driven. He's taking orders from the shadows, backers of the Trade Federation's play for your world. Until Anakin is safely within the order, those backers cannot know." Callera's seriousness rocks the Captain, but he catches on to her words.

"Shadow backers?"

"Someone with vast resources and influences helped nudge things for the Federation to go after your world to open up opportunities for themselves."

"Do you know who they are?"

"I have suspicions but no real proof, part of my talks with the Council have been trying to find ways to prove or disprove my assertions. And your interview with the High Council as a character witness and as someone directly affected by my actions will hopefully help them understand the seriousness of the matter."

"I was less than complimentary of you when they told me you had lied to me about them wanting to meet with me."

"As you should have been, I would have expected no less Captain."

"But I also said that you probably did it for a reason. Now that I have some knowledge of your reasoning, I still do not like it, but I can understand it. If it keeps the kid safe and shines a light on why the Federation invaded my world, my discomfort is a small price to pay."

"I know Captain, but also know that if I thought of a way that didn't lie to you without tipping our hand; I would have done that." Her eyes staring into the Captain's dark eyes trying to impart her sincerity.

"I believe you Callera, and apology accepted."

"Thank you, Captain."

****

Inside the High Council room Anakin stood alone in the center. The masters had started with simple questions fired at random from various Masters, but remembering Callera's words he faced each questioner head-on. His Mother, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan, and Callera all believed in him, he wouldn't disappoint them. The dark-skinned master pulled out a small device and asked Anakin to tell him what was on the screen without seeing the screen. Images seemed to brush against his brain and Anakin repeated them as they showed themselves to him. The Master that had tested him, nodded to the small green Master, who then nodded towards the Master behind Anakin with the long tall skull.

"How are you feeling?"

Anakin turns to him. "Cold, sir."

"Feel your worry we do." The green one brings Anakin's attention back to him.

"I don't want to let my mother down."

"Bladesinger more than your mother you fear to fail."

Anakin tries not to rock back as the green Master, cuts right through as Callera predicted. Taking a second to think. "She fought for my freedom and believes in me. I want to be worthy of that."

"Her love and acceptance you fear to lose if you do not become a Jedi."

The words cause Anakin's eyes to go shiny as he realizes the words are true. "Yes, I am." The masters stay silent as the young man tries to keep searching for words. "I am afraid to lose her. His head dropping at his admission. "Even though she's told me otherwise, I fear to lose her."

"Do you think that she will abandon you if you do not become a Jedi?" A random master asks.

Anakin shakes his head in the negative as he turns to the voice. "I know she won't!" His voice rising slightly, "But I am still afraid!" His voice lowering after that declaration. "And she told me its okay to fear and doubt. As long as I confront it, it's okay to be afraid!" The blue eyes of the young man going steely with the last words directed at the last master.

"What do you think will happen if we choose not to take you in?" The dark-skinned master speaking again.

Facing him with defiant eyes, "I'll go to Naboo with my mom, probably go to school there. Hopefully Callera can join us there. Master Qui-Gon and her both agree I need to be taught, if I'm not taught here, I'll have to be taught there."

"What if she cannot join you on Naboo?"

"I'll find a way to learn masters; to do anything else, would make me not worthy of the belief Callera, mom, and the others have in me."

When the High Council finished with Anakin, Callera was hit by a small sandy-haired missile. His arms wrapping around her waist with a sniffle. Her gobsmacked look made Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan hope for a pictrecording from the Temple's security system.

"It's okay Anakin, interviews like that can be rough on anyone." Trying to pat Anakin's shoulders reassuringly with her eyes pleading to the Jedi to 'save her' even with her words trying to reassure the boy.

"You were right." Anakin looks up at her with shiny eyes.

"I was?"

"Uh-huh, they wanted me to admit how afraid I am."

Almost dreading the answer Callera asks, "Afraid of what?"

Mumbled into her tunic, "Losing you."

Carefully peeling Anakin's arms from around her waist so she can look the young man in the eyes, her own eyes slightly damp. "Why are you afraid of losing me?"

"You've done so much for me and mom, you constantly believe in me, and you're trying to help me become a Jedi. I'd still be a slave if it wasn't for you. I don't know what I would be if it wasn't for you!"

The heartfelt admission rocking the Arkanian as his sincerity washes over her in the Force and she knows she has to respond lowering her barriers to the boy, his nascent senses feeling her pain, respect and love. The others watching seeing tears fall from both Callera and Anakin. "I didn't expect this when we arrived on Tatooine. I'm still a broken Jedi, Anakin, but somehow you have managed to worm your way into here." Tapping her heart. "I appear to have gained a little brother and potential student at the same time." Ruffling his hair with a bittersweet smile.

Without meaning to both speak as one, "Helping you, heals myself."

"Much reservations we have of this." The sudden words of Master Yoda, bringing the two back to thehallway. "Will of the Force it appears, to teach young Anakin Jedi Bladesinger is." The rest of the council pensive next to him near the door as he speaks. "Masters Drallig and Che spoke well of you. Time with them you will spend Bladesinger while Anakin Initiate he becomes. Master and Padawan we will see in five-years time.

Anakin's smile could power the Temple it was so big as Callera looks at him with a wry smile. "What do you think kid, five years of learning from others before I get to call you Padawan?"

"Just make sure you have a lot to teach me!"

"Of that there will be no doubt Anakin."