Obi-Wan rode the transport to a small diner before going to the Jedi Temple. He felt happy for Anakin, that the boy had finally found some true happiness, but he also felt sad for him, because Anakin would have to lose his family. Most younglings after being brought to the temple were cut off from family members, cutting all emotional ties. Anakin had been too old and too attached to his mother when he had been brought by Qui-Gon Jin to the Temple.

"He'll be fine. He's the Chosen One," Qui-Gon had reassured Obi-Wan many times.

"But, Master, forgive me if I seem rude, but he's too old. He has too many emotional attachments," argued Obi-Wan.

"He will be fine." That was Qui-Gon's argument, and that was usually where it ended.

Obi-Wan smiled to himself as he thought of his late Master. The transport pulled up to the dock and the doors hissed as they opened, letting a stream of aliens pass out the doors onto the street. Obi-Wan stepped out of the transport and as his boots touched down onto the permapavement he felt a familiar sense of relief, though small, pass over him. He wasn't quite sure why flying made him so nervous . . . perhaps because Anakin had always wanted to see how close he could get to danger without killing them . . .

He walked into the diner and a waitress droid approached him. "Take a seat, I'll be right wit' cha!" she said cheerily.

"Thank you," he said kindly, and walked up to the bar. He sat down and took a look around him. Suddenly a huge alien with broad features and a large belly approached the bar and bellowed,

"Obi-Wan!"

The Jedi Master laughed. "Good to see you again, Dex!"

"What can I do ya for today?"

"Just a drink."

The big alien chuckled. "Rough day?"

Master Kenobi shook his head with a smile. "Quite the contrary, old friend. Quite the contrary. I just found out a good friend is about to become a father soon, and he has many more good things about to occur in his immediate future."

"I'll get you that drink then. Massassi Murder on the rocks?"

"No thank you, Dex. Just make it a Correllian Soda, would you?"

"Comin' right up!" smiled Dex, and he bustled away to get the drink.

. . .

Shaak Ti was meditating her room in the Jedi Temple. As always her thoughts were racing as she tried to quiet them. This evening's annoyment was the fact that the Young Jedi Skywalker was going to take the Trials, and become a Master. Many Jedi Council members were still gone, spread out through the galaxy, trying to defeat the Seperatist Rebellion, which had quieted a little since the death of Chancellor Palpatine. Master Windu and Master Yoda had concluded that Skywalker would take the Trials as soon as most of the Masters could convene.

It wasn't that Shaak Ti had anything against Young Skywalker. She truly didn't. He had trained a young Togruta Jedi named Ahsoka Tano, and for some reason that had struck a very harmonious chord with Shaak Ti. It could have been because the young female Togruta was Shaak Ti's alien race sister, or perhaps because young Tano reminded Shaak Ti of a young self long ago.

She shook her head wearily, her head tails moving with the rhythm. She rubbed her face with a sigh. Ahsoka Tano was also reckless and rebellious and proud, traits that Shaak Ti was certain had come from her master Skywalker.

Shaak Ti had not hidden her opinion that Skywalker was not ready to become a Jedi Master from Master Windu or Grand Master Yoda.

"He is young, reckless, headstrong, impetuous—"

"But he is brave, strong, intuitive, and able to adapt well," said Master Windu confidently.

Shaak Ti was not able to hide her incredulous expression, or her feelings of skepticism from them.

"Disbelieve us, you do," said Yoda. "Trust us, you will not. Skywalker, young though he is, a good Jedi Master will make."

"Masters, if you feel that Skywalker is ready, I will not go against your decision," sighed Shaak Ti, her rusty skin looking pale.

"Why don't you think he will become a good Jedi Master?" asked Mace Windu curiously.

"I—I don't know, really. Perhaps it is maturity," said Shaak Ti, resigned that her opinion no longer had a say in the matter of Skywalker's promotion.

"Shaak Ti," said Windu warmly. "I know that you may not want to hear this, but Skywalker proved himself on the day he destroyed Chancellor Palpatine."

"Forgive me for saying this, but I think you welcome him more because he saved your life, Master, not because he is brave or intuitive," said Shaak Ti sharply.

"Changed, he has," said Yoda quietly. "To overcome fear and a sense of betrayal, hard to do it was for him."

Brought back to the present by a soft knocking on her door, Shaak Ti stood up. She crossed over the blue carpet, feeling its comfort beneath her humanoid feet. She pushed the button for the door to hiss open and saw Obi-Wan Kenobi standing there, a kind look on his face as always.

"Master Kenobi," she said, with a hint of surprise and curiosity. "May I ask what you are doing here?"

"You may," smiled Kenobi. "I know it is late at night, but . . ." He fumbled underneath his robe for something. He pulled out a cylindrical tube. "I was asked to deliver this to you."

Shaak Ti scrutinized the human and took the tube from his hands.

"Not all humans are arrogant and swayed by circumstancial evidence," said Obi-Wan mysteriously. His smile was wide. "But I, like Master Yoda and Master Windu believe that Young Skywalker is ready for the Trials to become a Jedi Master."

"You too," muttered Shaak Ti. She shook her head. "That's why you're here? You came to mysteriously hand me a message tube and try to sway me to accept Skywalker?"

"Well, I won't say it didn't cross my mind. But I am confident you won't need to be 'swayed'," said Obi-Wan kindly.

Shaak Ti sighed. She was quite beautiful for a Togruta. The ends of her black and white striped headtails twitched in agitation as she handled the tube between her rust-colored hands.

"What is this?" she asked wearily.

"A holofile I thought you would like to play on your 'projector," said Kenobi simply.

"Thank you, and good night, Master Kenobi," she said turning away.

"Wait," said Obi-Wan hesitantly. She turned, an eyebrow raised.

"Yes?"

It seemed like he had almost become embarrassed. "I ask you to watch it with an open mind. Try to forget the young Jedi you know, or else, try to see how he is different."

She sighed again, but nodded. "I will. For you, Master Jedi, I will." Then the door slid shut and she was alone in her room, holding a tube, feeling weary and tired . . . and alone.

. . .