Chapter 7

A few weeks later, Anakin and Farra were in the Jedi hanger waiting for Obi Wan to return from Queyta where he and four other Jedi Masters had gone on a mission to retrieve an antidote to the chemical weapon they had encountered on the Naboo moon. When Obi Wan arrives he crash lands as his fighter is damaged. Anakin and Farra rush over to the crashed fighter and between them pull Obi Wan out of the wreck. He is badly hurt but alive and the antidote has also survived. While Obi Wan recovers, Mace Windu converses with the two Padawans. Mace tells them about the antidote. The two padawans are both concerned about Obi Wan but are able to comfort one another through their close bond. When Obi Wan has recovered he and Mace talk in a garden that contains larger than life holos of the four dead Jedi. Anakin and Farra are also there but they are away to one side spending some time being together. They listen as Obi Wan tells Mace what happened on Queyta. It concerns them to learn that Ventress has made it clear that she will kill Obi Wan the next time they meet despite Dooku's orders that she capture either Farra or Anakin. Anakin seems to find it amusing to learn that Durge lost both his arms.

"I don't see what is so funny about that Ani. You know what its like so have a little sympathy" Farra says to Anakin.

"You are right. I should be sympathetic" Anakin says, looking at Farra, his eyes reflecting his shame at such thoughts.

Later that day Obi Wan is asked to go to the Naboo moon to deliver the antidote he'd successfully recovered to those there so that they could make use of it. Anakin and Farra accompany him in their star fighters. They reach the moon and deliver the antidote after destroying some Separatist Forces that were still there. When that is done they prepare to return to Coruscant. Their trip home will take them through the Llon Nebulae. As they pass through there the three Jedi make a stop at the Kronex spaceport. While they were there Anakin notices a suspicious looking fleet. The three Jedi identify the fleet as the Confederacy's new Storm Fleet. It is disguised as freighters but has enough firepower to take over smaller planets. Obi Wan remembers Fizz one of Qui Gon's old friends so he and the two padawan make their way to the closest and noisiest cantina to get information from him. After they find Fizz Obi Wan tells him what they have learnt.

"So you're a full Knight now Obi Wan" Fizz says after greeting him.

"Yes I am and these are my Padawans, Anakin Skywalker and Farra Sti" Obi Wan said.

"Pleased to meet you Anakin and Farra" Fizz said.

To Obi Wan he said, "Two Padawans?? That's unusual isn't it?"

"Yes it is but it is the will of the Force. Anakin and Farra are two parts of one whole. They are in a relationship accepted by the Jedi Council and the Council asked me to take Farra on as a second Padawan" Obi Wan explained.

Fizz agreed to help the two Jedi and when they go to the hanger where the Storm Fleet is docked Fizz creates a diversion so he can get inside on of the Storm Fleet ships. When he returns to the Jedi he reports that the Fleet is headed to the Cyphar system in the Mid-rim. Obi Wan says the Fleet is going there to force the planet to join the Separatist cause. Obi Wan tells Farra and Anakin not to go after the Fleet when it takes off but Anakin wants to chase after them. Farra convinces Anakin to wait and after Obi Wan has contacted the Jedi Temple to let them know where the Storm Fleet is the three Jedi give chase. As they got close to the Fleet three ships peeled off and opened fire. The three Jedi dodge the bolts being fired from the ships but suddenly Farra's stabilizers are hit. She orders her astromech droid to repair them and after a few anxious moments is back in business. Farra decides to fly into a nearby asteroid storm hoping the rest of the Fleet would not turn around. She aimed to make the three ships fly into asteroids. Anakin is concerned that she is putting herself in danger but she tells him not to worry. She manages to lead two of the ships into asteroids and destroy them but the third ship retreats. Anakin and Obi Wan are waiting and they finish it off. Farra then flies back out of the asteroid field and joins them.

When the three Jedi get back to Coruscant, Obi Wan thanks Farra for stopping Anakin from going after the Storm Fleet until he was ready to do so himself.

"You really are good for Anakin, Farra. I've seen him grow so much since you and he became an item"

"When do you think the two of us might become full knights?" Farra asked.

"I'm not sure," Obi Wan said.

"It is our desire to be knighted together," Farra said.

"I thought it might be" Obi Wan said, smiling.

"Anakin wants to marry me," Farra said.

"I had discerned from the Force that he had thoughts along those lines," Obi Wan said.

"It is our intention to marry when the war is over. I hope we have children. They would become knights like us and we would train them ourselves if the council permitted it. We would hopefully be made Masters by then and sit on the Council together" Farra said.

"Everything will happen when it is meant to happen" Obi Wan said.

A few days later Obi Wan and the two Padawans have a meeting with Palpatine and Yoda. Palpatine asks Obi Wan and the Padawans to lead an assault on Muunilinst. The three Jedi accept the assignment and head off. The republic fleet lead by the three Jedi encounter resistance as it enters the orbit of the planet. Anakin and Farra choose to remain in space while Obi Wan leads the ground attack. The space battle is fierce and Anakin and Farra have to work together to stay alive. Suddenly a mysterious ship engages Farra. She reaches out through the Force and discovers that the pilot is the dark Jedi Asajj Ventress. When she goes to hyperspace Obi Wan orders the two Padawans to follow her. The two Jedi follow Ventress and end up in space above Yavin 4.

Ventress fired upon the two Padawans and Anakin's ship was hit. He realized he would have to crash land on the surface of Yavin 4 so headed down. The moon is a forested moon so Anakin realizes that his ship will probably be destroyed in the landing. Farra follows Anakin down as does Ventress and she manages to land safely near the area where Anakin crash lands. Ventress also lands safely and Farra intercepts her as she heads for Anakin, hoping he is unconscious so she can take him back to Dooku as per his instructions. Farra and Ventress duel, Farra finding that Ventress is much stronger than her. Ventress wounds her in the leg and she falls to the ground in pain. At the same time she hears someone coming and looking up sees Anakin approach.

"Anakin watch out" Farra calls out.

Anakin and Ventress battle one another through the forest. Farra joins him, as her wound is not serious. Together the two Padawans maneuver Ventress so she has her back to a tree. As they prepare to disarm and capture her, Ventress suddenly leaps to one side landing in a tree. She then drops down behind Farra and disarms her, then leaping upwards pulls Farra into a tree with her. Ventress leaps from tree to tree, carrying Farra until she reaches her ship. Forcing Farra inside Ventress prepares for take off after cuffing Farra with special cuffs that stop her from using the Force. As Anakin runs into the clearing where Ventress' ship is he is too late to stop her taking off. He stares up into the sky as Ventress's ship dwindles to a speck then reaches out into the Force trying to touch Farra. He is horrified to find that he cannot establish a connection with her and falls to his knees holding his head in anguish.

Back in Coruscant Anakin keeps going over in his mind what he could have done differently to prevent Farra being captured. He is missing her terribly and it is affecting his studies. The rest of the Jedi now realize what Ulic meant when he said that Farra and Anakin were two parts of the one whole. Obi Wan tells Anakin to trust in the Force.

"If it is the will of the Force that she live and be rescued it will happen"

"I wish to search for Farra and find her," Anakin declared.

"It is too dangerous and there will be other missions for us. We must hope that Farra can escape and return to us," Obi Wan said.

Anakin had taken Farra's lightsaber when Ventress had knocked it out of her hand. He kept it in his room, as it was his only connection to Farra while she was missing. When he looked at it he vowed that he would find Farra.

Ventress took Farra to Geonosis where Dooku and the other Separatist leaders were hiding. When Farra comes face to face with Dooku again she crosses her arms and stares at him with contempt.

"Aah its Skywalker's girlfriend. Good work Ventress" Dooku said.

"What do you want Dooku" Farra asks.

"I hope to lure Skywalker here. I also want to know more about you and he." Dooku said.

Farra feels a sense of hope, as she knows that should Anakin find her there they stood a good chance of escaping.

Dooku gestures and Farra's cuffs fall to the floor. She feels the Force flow into her again and looks around for possible escape routes and hiding places. Then Dooku lashes her with Force lightning and she realizes his plan. He is going to torture her and Anakin will sense her pain through the Force and come to rescue her. She screams in pain and falls to the floor writhing in agony. At the same time she senses Anakin on Coruscant and he connects to her.

Back on Coruscant Anakin is meditating when suddenly he is able to connect with Farra again. He senses that she is in great pain.

"Where are you my love?" he asks through the Force.

"Geonosis but it is a trap. The Count wants you to come so he can capture you" Farra warns Anakin through the Force

"I'll come and we'll escape" Anakin tells her.

His link to Farra drops out again as she passes out from the pain. Anakin runs through the temple to Obi Wan's quarters and tells him what he learnt.

"We will both go" Obi Wan declares.

At the same time Dooku is questioning Farra about Anakin.

"You love Anakin don't you Farra" Dooku said.

"What if I do," Farra said.

"It is against the rules of the Jedi to love" Dooku said.

"The council has permitted our relationship" Farra said.

"Why?" Dooku asked.

Farra gritted her teeth and said nothing. Dooku's lips curled back in a snarl and he released intense Force lightning. Farra screamed as it entered her body.

"I said, why have the council permitted your relationship with Anakin?" Dooku thundered.

"I won't tell you" Farra said.

A short time later Anakin and Obi Wan were on their way to Geonosis. They arrived there after an uneventful flight and touched down in a deserted valley close to the complex where Dooku was. Both Anakin and Obi Wan could sense Dooku. Anakin could sense Farra again and reaching out with the Force told her they were there and would be with her soon. The two Jedi crept into the complex and began searching for Farra. Both are hoping they won't encounter Dooku until they've rescued Farra so that the three of them can fight him. After they had searched for a while Obi Wan suggests they split up. Anakin nods and runs off down a hallway. Both Jedi have their lightsabers out in case they run into unfriendly droids. Their lightsabers aren't lit though as the humming would draw attention to the Jedi. Anakin skids around the corner and comes face to face with some droidekas. Igniting his lightsaber Anakin reduces them to scrap metal then runs on. He turns several more corners then finds himself overlooking a vast cavernous room. Farra is crumpled in the middle smoke coming from her robes. It is all Anakin can do to not leap down to her rescue. He checks himself as he has seen the Count near her and has learnt from his previous encounter with the Count not to rush in. Obi Wan joins him shortly after and the two discuss tactics. Obi Wan says he will distract the Count and he leaps down.

Anakin moves to follow Obi Wan but before he can do so Ventress appears out of the shadows. The two fight their battle carrying them all around the upper level. Ventress is surprised at how powerful Anakin is.

"You haven't seen anything yet Ventress" Anakin warns, "If Farra was here and fighting with me I would be even more powerful"

"You don't think I already know that Anakin" Ventress mocked, catching Anakin a glancing blow on the right side of his face with her lightsaber.

She is clearly trying to make Anakin angry. Anakin takes a deep breath and tells himself to relax and let the Force direct his actions. Soon he has the upper hand and it appears he will defeat Ventress. However Ventress suddenly disengages from the fight and vanishes with a Force assisted leap down to the room below. Anakin follows her down but she has disappeared so he turns his attention back to Farra. He is so concerned about Farra that he is unaware of the pain from the wound on the right side of his face.

Anakin sees Obi Wan kneeling by Farra then hears Dooku laughing. Suddenly Dooku is there standing in front of Obi Wan. Farra looks up to see Anakin standing near her.
"Dooku, the council permitted our relationship because together we are strong" Farra said, her strength returning. She leaps to her feet and catches her lightsaber, which Anakin had tossed to her. It ignites as she swings it at Dooku. His lightsaber flies into his hand igniting as it does so and he effortlessly parries her blow. Anakin leaps in to join the fight and together the two Padawans battle Dooku. He is alarmed at how strong they are and quickly flees. Anakin and Farra race out of the complex and back to the Jedi star fighters hand in hand. They contact the Jedi Temple and have a ship sent to collect Farra. When it arrives Anakin insists on going with Farra, as he wants to be close to her. Another Jedi pilots Anakin's star fighter back to Coruscant and Obi Wan follows.

Farra wakes up on the ship taking her home to find Anakin next to her. She smiles then notices the wound on his face.

"Oh love, you're wounded," she says.

"Its nothing" Anakin said, "I'm just glad we were able to rescue you. How are you feeling" Anakin asks.

"Refreshed but I think I've got burns from the Force lightning Dooku hit me with"

Anakin was gripping Farra's hand tightly and he told her he'd added his strength to hers when he had joined Obi Wan next to her.

"I know Ani. I sensed it. We are strong together. I really felt that today," Farra said squeezing Anakin's hand.

"Oh Farra love, when I couldn't contact you I really feared the worst. I honestly thought that Ventress must have killed you.

"No she didn't. What actually happened was that she cuffed me with these cuffs that prevented me using the Force as she wanted to take me to Dooku"

"I'm just glad you are alive," Anakin said, brushing Farra's cheek with his fingers.

He leant down and brushed Farra's lips with his. Farra wrapped her arms around his neck drawing him closer and deepening the kiss. Their kiss was warm and tender. When they came up for air Farra looked at Anakin. She raised her hand and her long slender fingers brushed the wound on Anakin's cheek. He let out a hiss of pain and she felt him tense up.

"That is quite a deep cut. I think you'll have a scar when it heals" Farra said.

"Maybe" Anakin said.

The two spend the rest of their trip home meditating together.

Chapter 8