As the three walked out of the turbolift that had carried them down from the High Council chamber Anakin, about to ask the stranger what they were to do next was suddenly almost crash-tackled by a lithe orange-brown humanoid form. Obi-Wan Kenobi and the stranger stood off to one side and looked on with some amusement as Anakin tried to disentangle himself from the being that had leapt onto him.

"You made it!" the being, who had slowed down enough for the others to identify her as a young female Togrutan Jedi, cried out. "I heard all about you facing down the Sith Lord, Sky-Guy, but you're here and in one piece!"

Grinning, Kenobi reached over and tapped the young Togrutan female on the shoulder. "Now, now, Ahsoka," he said. "Anakin's just had a rather trying session in front of the Council, so he needs some time to recover."

Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano blushed and let Anakin go. Standing before the Jedi Master, she straightened herself up and bowed. "My apologies, Master Obi-Wan," she said. "But..."

Kenobi, still grinning, held up a hand. "No need to explain, Ahsoka dear," he replied. "You were glad to see your former master alive and in one piece. Something you can thank our friend here for," he continued, indicating the stranger.

Ahsoka looked at the stranger and, as she registered his presence in the Force, gasped. Then, straightening herself up, she bowed to him. "My thanks, Master..." she said, looking at Kenobi for some clues.

"I call myself Er-Ranalantae," the stranger said. "It reminds me of the price of overweening pride, amongst many other things."

Ahsoka looked puzzled. "Ahsoka," Kenobi quietly said, "this is the Founder. He founded the Jedi Order long ago."

Er-Ranalantae shook his head. "I really should not claim that distinction," he replied. "If I did indeed found it, it was not as a conscious decision on my part." He looked embarrassed.

"So, if you didn't consciously set out to found the Order," Kenobi said, "how did it come to be?"

"As I said, I was just a freelance wandering teacher," replied Er-Ranalantae. "I was teaching some other beings what I had learnt over the preceding millennia and the next thing I knew they had formed an Order based on what I had taught and named me Grand Master."

"So the creation of the Order was something that, in one sense, you really didn't have a hand in?" asked Kenobi.

"Correct." The three suddenly remembered that they had company, and looked at Ahsoka Tano. She stood in front of them, eyes wide and her gaze fixed on Er-Ranalantae.

"You are the Founder?" she whispered. "The founder of the Jedi Order?"

Er-Ranalantae sighed. "I'm called that, yes," he replied. "But as you just heard, the Order was really not my idea."

"Grand Master Er-Ranalantae is going to instruct Anakin and I in some... What would you call it, Grand Master? Kenobi asked.

Er-Ranalantae smiled. "Call it a refresher on what the Jedi Order has forgotten," he replied. "Then, after you are both ready, we go after a certain Sith lord. And after he had been dealt with, both you and Anakin will be able to help me to transmit that knowledge throughout the Order. A reformation, one might say."

"Do you think it might be possible to include young Jedi Tano here?" Kenobi asked. "She was promoted to Padawan Learner rank at a fairly young age because she showed great promise. And, I do admit, because we were forced to promote younger candidates due to the demands of the war."

"A good idea that is, Master Obi-Wan," said a voice from behind them. They turned around to see that Yoda had come down from the High Council Chamber. Accompanied by Madames Allie, Yaddie and Billaboa, he exited from the turbolift. "Of course, to the Grand Master this decision belongs."

Er-Ranalantae said nothing, but turned a measuring gaze onto the young Togrutan. Ahsoka said nothing, but put onto her face a look that clearly, to the bemused Anakin and Kenobi said I'll behave myself. Suddenly Er-Ranalantae grinned. "Why not?" he said. Reaching out, he placed a hand on Ahsoka's shoulder. "Welcome to the club, young one," he said. "I should warn you, what I intend to teach will be challenging in many respects."

Ahsoka beamed. Then, placing a serious look on her face, she bowed. "Thank you, er, Master!" she said.

Er-Ranalantae turned to Anakin. "You had best go to the Senate, Anakin," he said. "Check in with Senator Organa and Senator Amidala, see if they're all right." Anakin said nothing but nodded and went off to find a gunship to take him to the Senate building.

Yoda looked at Er-Ranalantae. "Approve of this, you do, Grand Master," he said. "Approve of this, I... Not sure I am, anymore."

Er-Ranalantae looked at his former, and once again, pupil. "Doubts are good, Yoda," he said. "Especially when it leads you to question something as rigid as dogma."

"But shouldn't Jedi practice detachment?" Madame Allie asked.

"Detachment in some circumstances, such as battle, or sitting in judgement, is good," Er-Ranalantae said. "But can you truly say that detachment is the way of the universe? Of course not! We are all attached to one another through our relationships with each other and, ultimately, through the Force. Detachment can be seen in that circumstance as an illusion. The Jedi should practice freeing themselves from illusion. Then they would be better placed to fulfil their role." He looked at the Jedi Master. "Consider that your first lesson in the reformation of the Order."

"But what about attachments, such as young Skywalker's?"

"Neither discourage nor encourage, except as a friend," Er-Ranalantae said. "Accept such as the will of the Force."

"And the Sith?"

"They represent a side of the Force that is contrary to all that is good within the Universe," Er-Ranalantae said. "Darkness as against Light, destruction and indifference as against nurturing and caring. But Light cannot exist without the Dark to measure itself against. They are the two sides of the same coin. Only when they are in balance will the Universe be in harmony." He indicated where Anakin had gone. "And that young being is an important part of that harmonising." The Jedi Master followed Er-Ranalantae's finger and frowned.

Er-Ranalantae sighed. "I suppose I had best put it to you this way," he said. "There is a monastery that has an eastern and a western hall. One being comes out of the eastern hall and another from the western hall. When they both meet, they shout at once. One of them is the host and one the guest. Which is the host and which is the guest?" The Jedi masters looked at one another, trying to figure out what the meaning behind the story was.

Then Yoda smiled. "Unimportant the distinction is," he said. "For both from the same source originally come: the Force." He looked at Er-Ranalantae. "Forgotten that, in our dealings with the Sith, we have."

"But understanding that will give you greater strength," Er-Ranalantae replied. "That will help you to overcome all that is illusory. Including, if I may be so bold, some teachings that have crept into the Order." His gaze hardened as he ran it over the assembled Council members. "Such as this 'Prophecy of the Chosen One'."

Yoda bowed his head. "Grand Master, foolish were we to try and read into prophecy things that our wishes were," he said. "Much we have paid for that lesson we have."

"However, not all of it was misread," Er-Ranalantae said. "Anakin Skywalker will bring balance to the Order and to the Force, since he now knows both the Light and Dark side." He nodded. "I can easily see him ultimately become head of the Jedi Council. But only if he wants it." He frowned. "Not if he is pushed into it by this whole The Chosen One business!" The Jedi Council members flinched as Er-Ranalantae's scorn lashed them. "And to consider emotions a threat! Are you living beings, or automatons?"

"What would you have us do, Grand Master?" asked Madame Billaboa.

"Learn from your emotions. Learn not to fear the emotion, but to fear what letting emotions such as fear, anger and hate can lead you to. But also learn that they can be used to do good in the right context, that they can be controlled and channelled. Not learning that... Well, you have seen where that can lead."

"And detachment?"

"Be detached in passing judgement and in battle," Er-Ranalantae said. "But also learn to use positive emotions, such as love. That is an emotion that can overcome vast obstacles, even to the point of death and beyond." He nodded in the direction Anakin had gone. "Something, I feel, that young Anakin is already your master in." He gave a small smile. "Perhaps he may need a little directing in how to best use his emotional empathy, but then, that will be a part of what I'll be teaching him."

"But much of what you are saying contradicts the Jedi Code!" said Madame Allie.

"And much of the Code prevents you from doing what is right," Er-Ranalantae replied. "If you have to choose between the Jedi Code and doing what you know is right, always go with your feelings. Usually it is the Force trying to tell you what you ought to be doing." He looked around. "Well, I suppose I had better set about finding myself some quarters."

"No need, Grand Master," Yoda said. "Your suite, prepared always it is. Waiting for your return, it is."

Er-Ranalantae grimaced. "I do not deserve such consideration," he replied.

"But deserve it you do," Yoda replied. "As also our respect."

Er-Ranalantae looked at Yoda, and then, sighing, looked at Kenobi. "Then I suppose I had best go to this suite you have for me," he said. "And, Master Yoda? There are two senior Padawans, Made Pterois and Gilead Thuus. Could you, with their masters' permission, please send them to my quarters? They fought alongside me in defence of the Temple, and I suppose I had best add them to this little class I seem to be forming."

Yoda bowed his head. "Send for them I shall, Grand Master."

Er-Ranalantae bowed in reply. "Thank you, Master Yoda." He turned and looked at Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano. "Then we had best get me settled in, Master Kenobi, Jedi Tano, and then, when Anakin and the others join us, we shall ready ourselves for this evenings ceremonies. The dead deserve all the honour we can give them."

To this the assembled Jedi Masters could not but agree.