A/N: This is a relatively short chapter, but an important one. And I do apologize for my sporadic posting, but as I've said before, I would like to have this completed...

The search party arrived back at the surface at 0500. Obi-wan and Anakin took several of the men, and Rex led the others, splitting up to cover more ground. Bodies covered the ground from the battle, blood running over the smooth metal.

The Jedi couldn't find the tear. It was as if it had never existed – the ground was unmarred. Healed. But their men were still gone. Obi-Wan's hand rested on his belt as he came to a halt. To say the situation was troubling would have been an understatement.

"Obi-Wan…" Anakin's voice drew his attention. The tone sounded… Off. He followed the other man's gaze.

The ground was closing itself up. Small silver arms reached for each other, grasping and melding together until what was an open hole was completely gone. Sewn up. The cold returned to his bones, settling there like a ghost. "We'll go to the place where it began. That can't have been closed so soon."

Anakin only gave a nod. As they began walking, the younger of the two continued to glance at him. "What is it, Anakin?"

"You're troubled. I can feel it."

"You musn't feel it, you must instead sense it."

Anakin huffed quietly, "That wasn't an answer, my old master."

"I didn't hear a question, my former Padawan."

"Fair point." Anakin stopped as his comm lit up. He stopped by Obi-Wan's side, pushing the button and holding it closer to his mouth. "What did you find, Rex?"

"We located the men…"

Obi-Wan let out a relieved sigh. Good; Cody.

"The Commander isn't with them. Rat says there was something down there with them, something that let them out."

The muscles across Obi-Wan's back tightened. "What?" He spoke, opening the connection on his own wrist comm.

"I'm sorry, sir. We'll keep searching."

"Uh - No, no," he shook his head, "take the men back to the fleet. Anakin and I will stay until you return."

"Yes-sir."

The link closed. Obi-Wan gave a sigh, and promptly ignored the look he got from Anakin.

They walked on in silence. Steel hills rose and fell, but there was nothing else – no trees, no clouds, nor creatures. What else could possibly be inside Evelo's core? He had a feeling that he already knew the answer to that question. And he didn't like it.

"Do you feel it, Anakin?"

"I thought we weren't supposed to feel, but sense."

"Not now," Obi-Wan said, his voice dropping on the first word.

"Yes. I do. I sensed it when we first arrived, but I didn't think anything of it – planets often feel that way."

"But it is different with this one."

Anakin nodded.

"Its Force presence is… strong."

"Do you believe that a planet could be its own inhabitance?"

"Possibly."

Anakin frowned, and Obi-Wan could see the Light around him shift. Sometimes it happened with the young Jedi. He had stopped trying to understand why.

"Do you have a plan? Or do you need me to come up with one, as usual?" Skywalker asked, his fists clenched by his sides as they moved. He smirked.

This time, Obi-Wan returned the smirk.

"Oh, no… You're not going to negotiate with it."

Obi-Wan smiled, "That is exactly what I am going to do."