Riksha recoiled slightly when the sound of shattering clay filled her ears. She turned partially, to see shards of pot lying strewn about, sharp and menacing. When Riksha returned her attention to her companion, she saw that he no longer sat in front of her, but had stood and was pacing back and forth across the roof. The Force began growing increasingly darker, thickening and chocking the light. Anger swirled through the Force like a thundercloud, orange sparks crackling in the air.

Wind began to rustle the woman's hair, soon developing into strong, swirling gusts. Another pot fell over, though did not shatter. Anakin seemed to take no notice, hands clenched into fists, and... Was she imagining that yellow ring around his irises?

A sense of dread filled the former Jedi, ice seeping through her veins. She had to do something. "Skywalker-"

"No," he growled, swinging around to face her, "don't you 'Skywalker' me. This is unacceptable, and you know it." He resumed his pacing, steps strong and full of unchecked rage. "A tattoo? Really, Riksha? Don't you get what that means? The Queen has marked you- as property. You aren't a person to her, you're just an object. A prize."

"Skywalker-"

"This whole planet reeks of cruelty," he continued on his rant, ignoring Riksha's attempts to interrupt him. "I don't know how you stand it. There's so much pain and suffering and injustice and evil that I can practically reach out and scoop it into a dish. I can't stand it. I hate it."

"Anakin!"

"What!?" He demanded, turning again. He saw a flicker of something in her expression, and with a jolt realized that the something was fear. Looking around, he noticed the windstorm that was raging around them, crackling with hungry dark energy. He noticed Riksha's pots and other items, hovering ominously in the air around him, poised as weapons ready to be thrown. Startled, the Jedi realized this was all his doing. Eyes widening, he unclenched his fists as if he had been burned by his own hands, and took a step backwards. The wind calmed down, and the pots all returned to their original places. Inhaling a shaky breath, Anakin spun around and quickly covered the distance between himself and the wall. He leaned against it, grasping it for stability and ducking his head, breathing slowly to calm his rapidly beating heart. He had scared himself with that little display. Much like the time when his mother was killed, and he... No, he didn't want to think about that.

"What do you want me to do?"

The question was whispered so quietly, Anakin almost didn't hear it. He lifted his head, turning to look at the former Jedi. She was looking to her right, his left, away and towards the ground.

"What do you want me to do?" She repeated, "What do you think you can expect from me? I try, Skywalker. I try to do something about all the evil that's in this world. I do what I can, little though it may be. I take care of the others, I protect them. I help them with their work, and take punishment for them, so that they don't have to suffer as others do. Most of them are so young, only children... I want to give them the best life I can. That's why I chose the boy, Tatianos, in the market. He is so young, full of hope and light, despite his master's cruelty. By bringing people like him into the Queen's service, I can offer them a better life than what they otherwise might experience. It's still awful, yes. There is no bright side to being a slave. But even if I can't be a Jedi, I can still make a difference. I can do my job. I can bring them hope."

Anakin was silent, uncertain of how to respond at first. What was there to say? He looked out over the city, watching the sun slowly sink, bathing the dry land into a fiery glow. This mission was far more difficult than Anakin had anticipated, even with Obi-wan's warnings. This mission was supposed to be purely informative, an opportunity to find any weak points the Republic could exploit. But now, watching the setting sun and reflecting both on his little display and the woman sitting behind him, the Jedi realized he had surpassed that point long ago. He had grown emotionally invested, something that typically didn't end well for him. It had only taken three short days for his personal feelings and grudges to overwhelm him. Perhaps the Council had made a grave mistake, sending him on such an important mission.

Or perhaps... Perhaps there was a way. An idea began forming in Anakin's mind, and the more he considered it, the more it solidified. What if he brought Riksha back to Coruscant? Then she could give the Council everything they needed to know, and the Republic could make a move. Plus, she'd be able to escape this life of slavery.

"What if you came back with me?" Anakin asked, turning around fully. When he was met with only a puzzled look, he elaborated. "Come back with me to Coruscant. We need information about the Queen, and about the planet. Who could possibly have more information than you?" As he spoke, he grew increasingly excited and sure of his idea, gesturing with his hands to emphasize his point. "You can talk to the council. You can draw up a blueprint of the palace. You can tell them everything you know about this planet. You can help us."

"But the others... The kids..."

"Can be saved. Don't you see? If you help us, we can liberate this planet. The kids can be freed Riksha. You can help save them all, and you'll get to be a Jedi again."

Riksha alerted her gaze once more, worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. This was the most human Anakin had ever seen her. Her typically stoic, confident persona was all but gone in this moment, as she faced such a difficult choice. Anakin could practically see the battle raging inside of her. He decided to give one last nudge.

"This is your chance to make hope a reality. Tarani, Puanani, they deserve better. They deserve a chance to be free, to run and play in the sunshine and catch fireflies by moonlight. Do this for them."

It was a bit of a stretch, and Anakin knew it, but he also knew that Riksha was too selfless to do something as risky as run away to Coruscant unless it was for the good of others.

The young woman exhaled slowly. "Alright," she said, determination returning to her gaze as she lifted her eyes to meet his. "I'll do it."

With the decision made, the Jedi and slave suddenly found themselves with much to do. The rest of the night was spent planning, pouring over maps Riksha sketched up and debating the best form of escape. Anakin was relieved to find that no, the Queen did not use devices like the one he had endured as a child, which would kill a slave should they attempt escape. In fact, Riksha had quite a bit of freedom, as far as physical restraints go. The only things keeping her in the palace her her care for her fellow slaves, the honor of her word, and the gates that stood on the edge of the city.

And now, of course, her new tattoo.

"That's going to be a problem," stated Anakin, "anyone who sees it will recognize you immediately."

"Let me worry about that," Riksha replied, waving a hand dismissively.

The Jedi huffed, but said nothing more on the matter.

The pair agreed that it would be best to leave at the end of the week, when Anakin was planning on leaving anyway. The slave market would be coming to a close, and nobody would suspect a thing should a trader leave with a new slave. Furthermore, people would be coming and going, so the gate would be open more often, and security would have a harder time checking everyone. People were searched for ID when coming in, but rarely were they questioned when going out.

"We will have to leave the palace at separate times, and meet up somewhere in the city," Riksha commented, running a finger over her map. "That way, you will not be as suspicious. There will be other guests arriving mid-week and leaving towards the end, so you will not be the only suspect should I disappear that same day. The Queen will likely send me out to gauge the success of the auctions. It is then that I will meet up with you. But first, I will need a disguise to change into. I'll pack something into a bag, which I want you to leave here." Riksha pointed to a building in the map, and then lead Anakin to the edge of the roof and pointed it out to him. "It is a warehouse, and not active during the auction. There is a large broken vent in the side. Leave the bag in the vent. From there, I will meet you four blocks over, closer to the gate. We will then have to merge with the group of exiting travelers."

Anakin nodded in undertsanding. "I have a small ship we can use to get off-planet."

"I suppose it's a plan then," Riksha stated, a small frown gracing her features.

Anakin looked up, and frowneed in turn. "What's wrong?"

"It seems too easy."

"I know. But with our luck, we'll run into plenty of problems along the way."

Riksha cracked a small at that. "I suppose we should celebrate our small victory in planning then." She was clearly still worried about the whole thing, though she tried to conceal it.

Anakin could sense her anxiety, and could guess where it stemmed from. "They'll be fine, until we come back."

"I hope so."

There was nothing left to be said that night, and upon looking at the sky, the pair discovered that most of the night had passed already. They had hardly noticed, with all their planning and discussion. A mutual, silent agreement was reached, and after a nod of farewell, each returned to their respective rooms to catch what little sleep was left in the night. The next few days would be tense, and any little thing could affect their plans. They had to be prepared for anything that could be thrown their way.

Happy Anniversary, Jedi? ! I apologize for the long wait, and am quite thrilled to be back. Here's a little chapter as a gift to all my wonderful readers. As you can likely sense, the action will be picking up in a bit... Are you excited?

I'd like to say thanks to all my lovely reviewers. It really makes an author's day when you review. To those of you worried that I might discontinue this fic, fear not, for I shall continue until the end, however long that takes. Hopefully, you will not have to wait another year for the next chapter. :)

As always, I'd love to hear what you have to say! Did I do the anniversary justice with this chapter? Are you glad I'm back? Do you have any suggestions? Leave them all below!