a.n. Woohoo, another chapter done. Wow! I couldn't stop writing and this chapter just flowed from my fingers. It's longer than the last 2 and probably my longest so far, nearly 2,000 words. I'm so proud of myself. :). You no what to do! (r, r, e)

Chapter 6: Meeting With the Council

Anakin watched as twelve pairs of eyes turned towards him, seeming to burrow a hole right through him. In his younger years, he had been quite nervous and fearful being in this grand room with all of these Jedi Masters, each a legend in his or her own right, watching him, waiting to pass judgment on the young boy they had deemed unfit to be trained. Now, so many years later, he still was anxious about being here, surrounded by some of the most powerful Masters he had ever known, but not for the same reason. Before, his fear had been one of a young boy, uncertain of where his future lie and whether or not the great Masters would cast him out. Now, while it was still a fear of an uncertain future, he was also worried about whether or not the Council would believe him. He reminded himself that he was sent here to perform a task and he would see it through, with or without the Jedi's help.

He slowly marched towards the center of the large, circular room, glancing at every Council Member he passed. A few of them didn't hide their emotions and he could clearly read the expressions on their faces: confusion, doubt, anxiety. Not one of them knew who he was or why he was there, but all were waiting patiently to find out. He reached the middle and stopped, bowing slightly to the three members seated in a row in front of him: Master Mundi, Master Windu, and Master Yoda. The three senior Jedi on the Council, their opinions and decisions influenced those of many of the others and more often than not, their views would sway the votes.

Master Ki-Adi-Mundi sat quietly in his chair, a questioning expression on his face. He was curious to know who this young man was and what the important news was that he had to share before them.

Master Windu leaned back in his chair, his face cold, stoic, and hard to read. He was quietly probing the Force around the young man standing before him, seeing what he could sense about the stranger.

Master Yoda sat quietly, hand on his gimmer stick, wearing an odd expression. He seemed to look through their guest and into his soul, his very being. He adopted a perceptive look, almost as if he knew the reason why this young man was brought here.

"Brought before us, you have been, because important news to share with us, you said you had."

Yoda's voice, sounding not quite as gruff as his spirit's had, stirred Anakin into speaking.

"Yes, Master Yoda. There is some important news I need to make you aware of."

"Hmm…Know me, you do. And dressed like a Jedi, you are. Yet, never seen you before, have I."

Anakin started slightly at the statement. It was true. Though he knew he did bare some resemblance to the Anakin of this time, there were various differences here and there between the two of them that would allow him to pass off as someone completely different. He was a little more mature, more filled out, no longer the gangly teenager. He was more defined, his muscles more toned, honed from years of fighting. His hair was also longer, not cropped in the short Padawan-style, and he wasn't sporting the braid that highlighted his apprenticeship. His eyes were slightly sunken, a result of seeing too many horrors throughout his life. His skin was darker in tone from the many months spent outside on the battlefield and he sported a variety of cuts and scars, most noticeably, the long gash down the right side of his face that stretched from his temple to his high set cheekbones. He contemplated his response to Yoda's statement. He didn't know how to answer it.

"Get to that later, we will. But right now, tell us, you will, why you are here."

Anakin breathed a sigh of relief that he would be able to hold off on that part of the story, allowing him time to think about his response. He collected his thoughts and prepared himself to tell the Council why he was here and how important it was for him to succeed in this mission.

"Yes, Master Yoda. Esteemed Masters of the Jedi Council, I have come before you today to tell you something that is of the greatest importance. I know that it is an outrageous concept to think about and that it will be hard to accept, but it is truly essential that you believe me so that I may succeed in the task that I have accepted as my own in hopes that I am able to save others." Anakin paused in his speech, looking around the chamber to see the effect his statement had on the others in the room. He could feel that every one of them waited in anticipation of what he was about to say and that he had everyone's complete attention.

"Masters, I have been sent here to help stop a great evil from spreading, a plague that if left to grow, will infest every corner of this galaxy, and eat away at the democracy the Jedi have sworn to protect. It is an evil that must be rooted out and stopped. But, I know for a fact, that we will not be able to stop this plague now. It must be drawn out into the open, out of the safe hole it has crawled into, before we can attempt to take it out. Instead, my task is to seek out the one that the evil threatens to destroy, the one whom darkness will consume bit by bit, until there is nothing left but a dark, menacing creature, intent on up heaving everything and casting the galaxy into turmoil. I must protect this individual from being tempted by the evil, which will make promises to protect the loved ones that this individual holds dear, promises that it will not keep. I request your help with this mission, so that I am better able to succeed in not only saving this individual but preventing the galaxy from complete and utter destruction."

Quiet gasps filled the rooms as the Council glanced around the room at each other, then back at the stranger that had brought them this information. They didn't know whether to believe him or not. No one could sense anything that resembled malice or ill will in him, but they didn't let their guards down either.

"Now tell me," Master Windu slowly drawled out, "why we should we believe you? What proof do you have that this will indeed occur?"

Anakin sighed. It wasn't going to be easy to convince him that he had come back in time to warn them of their fate. But he had to try. The future of the galaxy depended on it.

"Masters, I know this will be hard to believe, but you must trust me on this matter." He took a deep breath to calm himself before he delivered his astounding revelation. "I have been sent back in time to warn you of this fate. I am not from this time. I am from the future. About twenty-six years into the future to be exact."

If those in the rooms had been stunned before, they were completely astounded now. How was such a thing possible? No one had ever heard of it being done. Sure, many scientists had argued that time travel was possible and some had even tried to attempt it. But not one had succeeded in their efforts and time travel had remained a farfetched impossibility.

Anakin stood in silence as he allowed those in the room to absorb everything that he had just told them. He knew that they would be hard-pressed to believe him; he wasn't sure he would have been able to believe it himself if it hadn't happened to him.

Master Windu managed to regain his faculties first and questioned the young man before him.

"How are we to prove that what you say is true?"

"I assure you, I am not lying. I have no reason to deceive you. However, if you want proof, you may probe me with the Force to see if you can sense anything false in what I say."

Mace Windu proceeded to do so and Anakin stood still as he felt the Jedi Master poke and probe the Force that surrounded him, searching for anything amiss. The Master prodded every crevice he could find, searched every hole carefully and thoroughly for a few brief moments before he retreated and leaned back in his chair. He slowly opened his eyes as a thoughtful, questioning expression came upon his face.

"I sense nothing false about him. He is indeed telling the truth."

With that statement, murmurs began to fly about the room, interested in how such a thing was possible. Anakin answered their unasked questions.

"It is by the will of the Force that I am here today. I cannot go into too much detail at the moment, but suffice it to say that the Force has granted me this one chance, this rare opportunity, to save the future that will occur if I cannot change things. Everything I told you about what will happen is true, sadly. All of that will happen if I can't fulfill my mission. You must allow me to do so, or everything and everyone you know will be doomed."

The Jedi Masters sat in the silence for a few brief moments, conferring with each other silently over what they should do. They all began nodding their heads in agreement as a decision was made. Anakin waited patiently, though anxiously, as the Council decided what they would do with the information they had just been given. It was Master Mundi who gave the declaration.

"We are unanimous in our decision and have decided what we will do." Anakin waited nervously for the decision to be rendered. "We, the Masters of the Jedi Council, hereby agree to help you on your mission. We feel that is imperative that we do so if what you say is true, which we have accepted is the case. Therefore, you have our aid at your disposal and are free to proceed with your assignment."

Anakin breathed a sigh of relief as he heard the Council's decision and was overjoyed that they had agreed to help him. They didn't know how much their decision truly meant to him or how much it pleased him that they had put their faith in him.

"Thank you Masters. I am truly grateful that you have granted me your aid and your blessing for this mission. With both, I know I will be able to succeed. Thank you for your time."

Anakin bowed before the Council and turned to head back out through the doors. Yoda's questioning voice stopped him.

"One more question for you, we have, before leave, you do. Who are you? What is your name?"

Anakin thought about how to answer the question. He didn't want to lie to the Council after they had just put their faith in him but he couldn't tell them the truth either.

"I am afraid that is information I cannot share with you. I am sorry."

Anakin turned a sorrowful gaze back toward the Jedi seated in front of him, all of them with thoughtful looks on their faces, accepting that he couldn't reveal his true identity to them.

"But, if you want to call me something, you may call me…Luca Redenov."

At that last statement, he turned around and walked purposefully out the door, leaving behind twelve Jedi Council Members, all with distressed looks upon their faces.