Finally, after ten minutes of laying unconscious, Anakin began to stir. Ahsoka, who had been holding his hand, watched as his eyes twitched and felt his Force presence begin to slowly emerge from where it had been temporarily dormant.

Ahsoka called up to the Jedi in the pilot seat. "Master Aayla! He's waking!" She cradled his head gently in her lap as Aayla activated the shuttle's autopilot and joined Ahsoka.

"Master? Master Anakin? Can you hear me?" spoke Ahsoka softly into his ears and into his heart.

Anakin slowly became aware of where he was. It was a hard flat surface. His muscles ached. He felt dazed, disoriented and unbelievably exhausted. His left arm was outstretched and his left hand was being squeezed by his Padawan. He squeezed hers in return. His right arm…

He slowly opened his eyes and gazed up into the concerned faces of Ahsoka and Aayla Secura. His vision was blurry as he lifted his head to look around. His right arm was neatly folded across his chest but he only felt the weight of it there as if it was a foreign object that had been placed on top of him. As he went to rub the throbbing temples of his skull, he remembered that his right arm was useless. In a rush of memory, his bleary mind began to recount the events of the mission.

Space travel, computer hacking, a nasty shock to his hand, younglings, running, droids, a droid factory, Obi-Wan…

"Obi-Wan…" said Anakin abruptly sitting all the way up. "Obi-Wan!" he said again as he stood up ignoring the pains of his body and the soothing words from the other Jedi.

"We left Obi-Wan to die!" He shouted, allowing rage and sorrow and regret to engulf him like a flame. He paced angrily around the cockpit. "We need to go back! Turn this ship around Aayla, we're going back!" He was panting with rage and pounded his fist against the bulkhead of the shuttle so hard that it left a large dent.

"Anakin, calm yourself!" said Aayla, horrified at his outburst.

He raged on. "We need to go back. It's because of Obi-Wan that we got away safely and we left him in that Sithly factory to die! Turn the ship around now!"

Anger was burning like molten lava deep within his dark blue eyes. Frightened, Aayla backed away from him and shielded the Padawan from his rage, but Ahsoka mustered the courage to sidestep Aayla and approach him.

"Easy, Master! Please calm down and reach out with your feelings," she pleaded. "I've been reaching out with mine just like you taught me! And I can sense him! I can sense Master Obi-Wan!"

Her words seemed to reach him. Anakin finally stopped his pacing and slowly sat down in a seat. He took several deep calming breaths and closed his eyes. He called out longingly into the Force.

Obi-Wan, where are you?

At first there was silence, but before long Anakin's powerful Force connection was transcending space-time, scouring the Koriban system for any sign of Obi-Wan's life Force. He found it there in the factory where they had left him.

I'm coming back for you Master, I promise.

Exhaling in a sigh deep relief, Anakin opened his eyes.

"Snips, you were right. He's alive. He's not well, but he's alive."

He looked in to the Twi'lek woman's eyes. "Aayla, I can't leave him. You and Ahsoka do what you must but I'm going back for him. I'm not going to make it all the way to Coruscant without going insane. I must find him and bring him home or at least try."

"There is no try, Anakin," she rebuked. "Stretch out with your feelings and sense where we are headed. Did you really think we were going to give up on him that easily? Honestly Anakin, you think you're the only one who cares, when really you're one of many!"

Aayla was unhappy with Anakin for setting such a bad example for Ahsoka, but she knew that the trauma of the past day and the act of being helpless to aid his best friend was taking its toll on him inside and out.

Anakin pondered her words silently. She was right, and his anger was not going to bring Obi-Wan back to him. He had to calm himself and focus on what he needed to do, instead of what they had done.

"Aayla, you're right and I'm sorry. Come here, Snips" he beckoned her closer to him and he knelt down to meet her at eye level.

"You know that how I acted was wrong. As Jedi, we need to control our emotions and never let them govern our actions. You know I get upset when the Old Man gets hurt, and I'm sure you can imagine how I feel right now. We are supposed to turn to the Force and let it guide us but today I needed you to guide me first. I am lucky to have you as a Padawan, Ahsoka. And once in while, like today, I find myself following your example."

A tear fell down Ahsoka cheek, carving a neat line in the dust and grime left on her face from Koriba. "I am scared for him too," she said. "Just like I was on Geonosis when you comforted me."

He pulled her into an embrace. It was exactly what they both needed at that moment in time.

As they pulled away he place a hand on her shoulder. "We are going to find him, Snips. I can't do it on my own, are you with me?"

"Always, Master," Ahsoka promised.

"Good," said Anakin rising to his feet. "Aayla, can you drop us off somewhere we can find good transport back to Koriba?"

Aayla looked Anakin up and down, her eyes lingering on his slack and useless arm. "Anakin, no offense, but you aren't at full capacity right now."

Anakin looked ashamed. It was true. He was unbalanced and battered and bereft of the use of his dominant arm.

"Which is why," Aayla continued, "I am taking you two somewhere where you can recruit backup. She pointed to a speck on the holoscreen that was directly in their path.

"Buckle up for landing, Master," said Ahsoka. "You and I are taking a detour to Kamino."

Anakin felt a sliver of hope pass through him. "Sounds great, Snips. Let's see what Rex and the boys are up to."