CHAPTER I
How long a year is…

"We need to send someone to Tatooine to investigate this new information we have received." Jedi Master Mace Windu started out the Council meeting. "The Council was informed that someone on the planet knows the location of Asajj Ventress." Anakin Skywalker cringed when he heard that name. Ventress. He had fought her one too many times. She had mysteriously vanished and was never brought to justice for the crimes she had committed. The former Sith Disciple still stirred hate inside the young Jedi Master. Anakin's fingers absent-mindedly traced the scar on his face, remembering…

"How do we know this informant is to be trusted? " Master Ki-Adi-Mundi asked. The question pulled Anakin out of reverie and he slightly turned to his left to listen to Mace's answer.

"We don't." Mace said in a low tone. "But we cannot let the opportunity to finally bring Ventress to justice pass." Anakin couldn't agree more. The evil woman had a disturbing interest in torturing Jedi and soldiers of the Republic… but especially Jedi.

"This mission should be kept as silent as possible, we wouldn't want Asajj Ventress to disappear once again." Master Shaak Ti pointed out.

"I agree. Tatooine is a dangerous place and someone unfamiliar with the customs could easily be discovered. We need someone who knows the area and who knows how to deal with the locals." Ki-Adi-Mundi added and he looked at the young Jedi sitting next to him, on his right. "I think Master Skywalker should be sent on this mission. He knows the planet well."

"I concur." Plo Koon said "I must add that he is also the only Jedi to have faced Ventress on numerous occasions and to have survived." Anakin lowered his head ever so slightly. That wasn't true. Only one other Jedi had faced Ventress as many times and was also the only Jedi to have survived her torture. But that Jedi was no longer among them and it was Anakin who had taken his vacant seat on the Council. Anakin then noticed every member of the Council was looking at him, somehow waiting for a response to his nomination for the mission.

"It is true that I know the place well, I was raised there as a child." Master Skywalker finally said. "I accept to take this mission if it is what the Council requests." Eyes then turned to Master Yoda, who had stayed silent. He lowered his head for a moment, pondering on the matter at hand. Finally, he spoke.

"Agree I do. Be sent to Tatooine, Skywalker should." The Council agreed and it was Master Windu who spoke next.

"Anakin, we received word that a man named Ruvaa Tsirak knows the location to Asajj Ventress' hideout." Murmurs started humming around the Council. Anakin arched an eyebrow. Ruvaa Tsirak had become a popular name in meetings for the last year or so. He was a rumoured Bounty Hunter Assassin, more of a myth then man.

"Ruvaa Tsirak? I thought he was just an urban legend of the Outer-Rim. Why did he accept to help us?" Master Ti asked.

"We don't know. All we know is that he has accepted to help us as long as we don't mess with his business." Anakin scoffed at the answer.

"He's still a murderer, we should bring him before our trials also."

"But remember that the Republic has no power on Tatooine. Not to mention he is protected by Jabba the Hutt himself." Mace pointed out. "We cannot touch him. By doing so we would infuriate the locals and cause conflict." Mace looked directly at Anakin. "We do not want Jabba the Hutt as an enemy." Anakin nodded. "You will make your way to Mos Eisley and wait for us to contact you when you land. You will have following instructions then."

"Hmmm… danger I sense in this mission." Yoda stated calmly. "Careful you must be, Anakin, if taking this mission you do."

"I will Master, I promise."

"To ensure the safety of this mission, I ask that you bring Master Garen Muln with you. He is also familiar with Tatooine and will be a great help to you." Saesee Tiin slowly added. The many Jedi Masters spoke their agreement and the meeting was closed.

The youngest Knight to ever be accepted in the Council walked the halls of the Jedi Temple. It was a few days after maverick Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi had suddenly left the Order that Anakin felt it. A sharp pain within him; a sense of lost and emptiness. Their bond was broken. Though Anakin wanted to deny it he knew it could only be true; Obi-Wan Kenobi, the man who had raised him as a son, had loved him as a brother and who trusted him as a best friend, was dead. He couldn't understand it and he was not the only one. His death was a mystery to the Jedi but Anakin had arrived to a conclusion. A conclusion he could not accept. Could Obi-Wan Kenobi have died of his own hand? Could the pain from losing Siri Tachi cause him to wish death upon himself? It couldn't be true but then again Anakin had seen utter defeat into the once strong blue-green eyes of his former master.

He had voiced this to Master Yoda, and the old master agreed. There was a darkness around Obi-Wan; a darkness no one could save him from. But though Master Yoda believed it to be true, Anakin would not accept this. Obi-Wan Kenobi was strong, he would never had given up so easily.

Young Skywalker was soon invited to take Obi-Wan's seat in the Council and to finally have the title of Jedi Master. Anakin had accepted, though not full-heartily. Sitting in Obi-Wan's seat had been hard. His master had taken the seat for such a short period of time but Anakin could still sometimes feel his faint force-signature. But after over a year, Anakin no longer grieved the lost of Obi-Wan Kenobi and had started to move on. He stopped trying to understand why. He had finally accepted that Obi-Wan had ended his life. Nothing of it could bring back Obi-Wan no matter how hard he prayed the Force and no matter how he begged for answers. Attachments were forbidden and as a Jedi Master, Anakin would not let himself dwell in the past. His secret marriage to Padmé came to a halt as he decided to be the true Jedi Chosen One his master had wanted. Devoted to the Code no matter what and to the Republic as well.

Upon his nomination within the Council, Anakin opened himself to the Force and discovered exactly why the Council and its members no longer trusted Supreme Chancellor Palpatine. Moving upon instinct, the Jedi launched a final battle against the Separatist above the capital planet of Coruscant, leading to the destruction of General Grievous and the arrest of Count Dooku. With the leaders of the Separatist eliminated, it wasn't long before the Republic Senate started to see things for what they truly were. They later moved for a vote of no confidence in Chancellor Palpatine.

The Council's suspicions of Palpatine being the Sith Lord they had been searching was confirmed when, during his trial, Count Dooku voiced his hate for his Sith Master for leaving him for death at the hands of the Jedi. Unfortunately, the twisted Dark Lord disappeared well before the Jedi could reach him. But the hunt to find Palpatine has never stopped. Throughout the galaxy, Jedi and Clones search every star-system in hopes of finally bringing the end of the Sith. Many events followed quickly after the disappearance of Palpatine; Senator Bail Organa of Alderaan was voted the new Supreme Chancellor and the Confederacy of Independent Systems officially fell to the Republic. Finally after years of endless war, the Clone Wars were over and peace within the Senate was slowly returning.

After things came back to their normal pace, Anakin had been asked to take a Padawan if he wished to keep the quarters he once shared with Obi-Wan. Anakin had refused, no longer wanting to stay in the place that still resonated with Obi-Wan's aura. No. He was too young for a Padawan; as was twenty-five-year-old Obi-Wan when he took Anakin.

"Master Skywalker!" Anakin was so lost in his thoughts he hadn't heard Jedi Knight Garen Muln run up behind him. "Master?" A hand on his shoulder brought him back and he turned around. Standing there was a 38 year old Jedi, ginger hair and bright blue-green eyes. It was intriguing to Anakin the way Garen and Obi-Wan still bared much resemblance, even though Garen didn't adorn a beard the way his best friend did. As youths, they would often serve as decoy for one another but the accent was the give away. Obi-Wan had a gentle Coruscanti accent; Garen's was not as pronounced and had a touch of what seemed like Corellian. "Are you all right?"

"Yes I'm fine. I seem to have let my mind wander for a second." Anakin smiled.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you Master Skywalker, I…"

"You're not bothering me Garen. Please, no need to call me 'Master'. Leave formalities for when I'm sitting in the Council's Chambers." Garen nodded.

"Master Windu has just informed me I'll be accompanying you on your mission to Tatooine."

"I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, I'm looking forward to it actually. Since the war against the CIS ended, things have become boring around here." Anakin chuckled.

"I agree. I've been sent to so many meetings with ambassadors and senators lately. I can't wait to use my lightsaber again." The Jedi sat down on a bench in a small resting area. Younglings and Padawans who wanted to study for upcoming trials or exams frequently used this place.

"It must be strange though…" Garen started.

"What is?" Anakin wondered.

"To return to your homeplanet after all these years." The Jedi Master lowered his head but only for a moment.Garen had no idea Anakin had returned only three years ago to rescue his mother and had failed. Only Padmé and the Chancellor knew. He had never told Obi-Wan… Not pleased with where his mind was taking him once again, Anakin looked back towards the older Jedi.

"Let's just say I don't miss the sand and scorching heat." But there was something in Anakin's voice that pull at Garen's attention.

"You miss him, don't you?" The sudden question had caught Anakin off guard as his mouth fell open slightly. Obi-Wan was a subject no one brought up with him, a subject that was closed to any further conversation.

"I… No I…" Anakin stuttered nervously.

"Anakin, he was my best friend. I miss him too. It should be him going on this mission with you, not me." Another memory pushed pass Anakin's shields. Going to battle above Coruscant had been hard, especially when he would forget, even if only for a moment, that Obi-Wan was gone. Anakin breathed in deeply and released his feelings into the Force. He had to stop living in the past.

"Garen…"

"Yes?"

"I do miss him, more then I should after a year. But bringing up his name isn't helping me move on from this. I would appreciate it if…" Anakin looked at Garen. "If you no longer mentioned him to me." Garen shook his head.

"This is not going to help you, Anakin. Obi-Wan still missed Qui-Gon after over ten years but he wasn't afraid to speak his name." Anakin stood.

"I am not afraid to…"

"Yes you are. Obi-Wan is a part of you just as he is a part of me and of many Jedi in this Order. Ignoring the fact he is gone and will never return is not what he would have wanted for you." Garen stood to leave and with one final look towards Anakin, he added. "And that is not a good way to honour his memory."

Hope you like the rewrite! Yes, I killed of Obi… please don't hate me! I'll make yummy, gooey brownies to make up! Garen Muln is a real Star Wars character too, just like Siri, he isn't in the movies, just the books and comics and stuff. I wish I had a better physical description of Garen, I known he and Obi-Wan looked alike when they were younger, but I'm not sure about things like, his hair colour and eyes. If someone can help out I'll give you an extra brownie:P