Anakin was starting to go stir crazy. He'd been stuck in bed for the day, he didn't know how his friends were, and the droids were all as sarcastic as he was known to be. "I haven't seen a human since one chopped my arm off," he grumbled one day.
"We're just glad to know we're appreciated," said the droid currently working on him.
"Well, how would you feel if you were separated from all you droid friends?" Anakin snapped back.
"I'm a droid, I don't 'feel'," it replied flatly.
And yet, you're still sarcastic, Anakin thought.
Another droid entered with a clipboard. "There's a visitor for Skywalker," it said.
"What?" said Anakin as he sat bolt upright. "Who? I thought I couldn't have any!" The droid didn't reply, but only stepped aside, seemingly ticked. The droid who'd been working on his arm left as a short, dark robed woman glided in soundlessly. Her short, jet-black hair was peeking out from under her hooded cloak. Anakin sensed the Force strongly around her, but everything else about her was clouded.
"Anakin Skywalker?" she said.
"Yeah…who are you?" he replied.
"No one you know," she said quickly as she lowered her hood, revealing silver highlights.
Anakin rolled his eyes and said, "That much is apparent." The woman gave him a sudden dark look that made him wince slightly, something to which Anakin Skywalker was unaccustomed. "So why are you here to see me?" he asked suspiciously, a tiny bit flattered.
"I'm not," she said as she sat down, crushing his ego. "I'm looking for an Obi-Wan Kenobi."
"Why?" Anakin ventured. The stranger shot him another dark look. "Well, what do you want from me?" he asked.
"I'm under the impression that you are his apprentice," she said calmly.
"You're correct," said Anakin, "but I can't help you."
"Oh yes you can," said the stranger. She had a look that explained that she knew about the bond between a Master and a Padawan Apprentice.
"Well, you're wrong. I don't even know where I am, little less anyone else. If you find him, tell me," said Anakin, hoping to get some more information before telling this strange woman anything. The stranger sighed heavily and Anakin sensed his opportunity. "Maybe if I knew who wanted to find him an why…" he started.
The woman scrutinized him in ways only a Jedi could, although he had never hear of such a person and was certain he would have if she were a member of the Order. "All right," she groaned and pulled her chair closer. "My name is Aleia Hayley Madre. I knew Kenobi when we were younger; his master visited mine… sort of. We were… good friends and I haven't seen him in over 10 years."
"Touching," Anakin said flatly. He'd been hoping for something a bit juicier. "Try the Jedi Temple, he's barely left since we got here."
"Damn the system!" said Aleia as she pulled up her hood and left, leaving Anakin wondering how many other old friends his master hadn't told him about.
"It's been longer than I thought," murmured Aleia as she left the Jedi's Droid Run Hospital. She had frumped her way through the interview with Anakin, trying not to give away too much, but Skywalker had figured that out easily. Aleia had hoped she would not have to go through the Temple; that was why she had gone to Anakin first. A renegade Jedi had trained her -Master L'Darrond- and she was not sure the people at the temple would be happy to see her. In fact, she was almost certain that she would be kicked out on her butt.
Aleia looked up from her thoughts and found herself outside a large building sporting older, more unique style architecture than most on Coruscant. Its first levels were made of stone and each level looked more modern than the last. It had been added on to as the number of Jedi throughout the Galaxy had grown. It was surrounded by beings all dressed as Aleia was, in Jedi robes.
"Jedi Temple, get ready for a culture shock," she muttered to herself.
"Master Kenobi?" said a young Padawan to the meditating Jedi.
"Yes, what is it?" Obi-Wan replied without moving.
"There's someone here to see you," the nervous student said quietly. "Shall I send her in?"
"Fine," Obi-Wan said calmly.
"Hello, Ben," said an all too familiar voice. Only one person in the entire galaxy still knew about that name. Obi-Wan's eyes jerked open and he fell over backwards.
"Aleia?" he said. "Aleia Hayley Madre?" She grinned broadly. "It's been so long," said Obi-Wan as he stood up. "Wow, you've grown." Aleia's smile widened; she was still a little more than a head shorter than him. "How did you find me?" asked Obi-Wan.
"I had to go through your Padawan. By the way, your apprentice is going stir crazy," she replied.
"You think he's stir crazy now," said Obi-Wan, reflecting on past years. "So what brings you to Coruscant?"
"I was at the Battle of Geonosis," said Aleia. "I knew it had been a while when I first heard that you were in trouble, but I didn't realize how long until I saw you chained to a pole alongside an apprentice. Tell me, how the hell did you get to be a master so quickly?"
"Long story, have a seat," said Obi-Wan. They sat down in the chairs by the window as Obi-Wan began telling Aleia about the soap opera his life had been in the last ten years.