Chapter 6: The Mirialan Master

"There is unrest on the planet Kabal," Luminara explained, pointing to the little Outer Rim planet on the holographic map of the galaxy, her young Padawan standing silently at her side. "They are suffering food shortages since the Trade Federation abandoned the sector. The nearby trade corridor is heavily taxed by the Senate."

"Are you saying they are abandoning trade to protest?" Mace growled, leaning forward in his seat, his eye twitching when Luminara nodded. Mace had been on edge since the Separatist Crisis began; so was the rest of the Council, but Mace was especially aggravated. Every day brought them closer to war, despite the best efforts of the Jedi to keep the peace. Nobody wanted war, but Mace knew neither side would budge, and fighting was on the horizon.

"Can the Republic not send aid?" Qui-Gon asked softly, his Padawan at his side nearly coming out of his skin in his attempt to stay silent. He had promised his Master he would watch his tongue, and Anakin wanted to make a good impression in front of the Council. So far, he felt he was failing.

"They can, but it isn't enough. The Trade Federation is vital to galactic trade. They are refusing to do business in any sector along heavily taxed trade corridors." Luminara crossed her arms. "The Republic needs to make concessions, or the people on Kabal are going to starve. The food shortages have been going on for nearly two months now, the population is close to rioting."

"They're selfish," Anakin growled quietly, and Qui-Gon drove his elbow into the Padawan's ribs.

"Hush, Anakin."

"The situation is dire, Masters," Luminara said softly. "The Senate will almost certainly send a Jedi delegation to try and resolve the matter peacefully. I believe this may be our chance to catch the Negotiator."

The Masters whispered among themselves, and Anakin pulled at Qui-Gon's sleeve. The taller man inclined his head so Anakin could quietly say, "Do you think this is really it?"

"I don't know, Anakin. The pattern is correct, though the situation has never been this bad before. The Negotiator usually intercepts before the strain on the planet becomes this great."

"Do you think this is part of his plan?"

The Master shrugged. "I really don't know. We know him to be subtle and subversive. It's hardly his style to go after a planet this insecure."

Skywalker scoffed. "He's afraid."

"That may be a part of it, but if he is truly Sith..." Qui-Gon sighed. "A true Sith has nothing to fear from a rioting people. He wouldn't be there because he's trying to remain unseen, and Kabal is in the galactic eye right now. And with how unstable the planet is, it seems very likely that the Separatists will have an easy time securing it as their own."

"So...the Negotiator will be there?"

"No, there's no need for him. They use him for planets like Rodia. You remember what happened there."

Anakin crossed his arms across his chest, whistling as he inhaled and exhaled until his Master sharply nudged him. What happened on Rodia bothered Anakin nearly as much as it bothered his Master. The diplomatic mission should have been an easy one, given the staunch Republic leanings of the Rodian Senator, Onaconda Farr. The Jedi were dispatched to oversee the resolution of a small conflict between the Rodians and the Trade Federation, but when they had arrived, the Grand Protector had joined the Separatists, and the Jedi were left to try and piece together the sudden change of heart. All signs pointed to the Negotiator.

"So you don't think he'll be there, Master?"

"I don't know, Anakin."

"We'll send a group of Jedi to Kabal," Mace said, and the Masters fell silent. "Luminara's right. This could be our chance to catch the Negotiator. If the Senate is going to call us in to manage the crisis there, then we need to leave before they mandate us to go. We've never had a head start on the Negotiator before, and we need to take this opportunity while we have it."

"Master," Anakin said softly, drawing closer to Qui-Gon, "I have a really bad feeling about this."

"I do as well."

"Do you have something to say, Padawan?" Mace drawled, looking bored and annoyed at the Padawan at Qui-Gon's side, and Anakin blushed deeply. He shook his head quickly, but his Master gently nudged him forward, quietly telling him to speak his mind.

Taking a deep breath and trying to calm his racing heart, Anakin said, "Masters, this could be a trap." He had wanted to be bold, confident, but Skywalker's voice sounded thin, wispy, high pitched in his nerves, and the teen shut his mouth, his entire face deep red.

"You seemed to raise a string of willful Padawans, Jinn," Mace said, smirking as the Padawan shifted uncomfortably.

"My students are independent thinkers, Mace. We need to be adaptable if we're going to beat the Sith."

"I don't think it's a trap," Luminara said quietly, and Anakin stepped back beside his Master, head bowed and staring at the floor. "This is a very real and very dangerous situation. Kabal can potentially become a battleground."

"Anakin and I were discussing the possibility that the Negotiator won't show up." Qui-Gon stood up taller, looking around at the Masters, his Padawan nearly hiding himself behind his Master's cloak. "This seems outside his pattern."

"His pattern could change, Master Jinn," Luminara insisted, and Qui-Gon nodded.

"You're right, it could. We must not underestimate the Sith. But we also cannot forget that this is a Sith Lord. The Negotiator is smart, Masters. Much smarter than we know. If we arrive with too great a force, and he thinks he cannot win, he will flee."

"But if we go with a force that is too small, then we're just sending Jedi to their death," Luminara countered, and Anakin could see pain in her face like an old wound, healed with time, but the scars were still there. "We have already lost five Jedi to the Sith."

"Six Jedi, Luminara," Qui-Gon growled, voice cold and deep. "Dooku is included in that number."

"...of course, Master."

Qui-Gon looked around the Masters in the chamber, the room somber as each Jedi contemplated the best course of action. There was no good way to handle this. "Do we need to engage the Negotiator?" All eyes looked to Master Jinn. "If we can successfully predict his movements, then we can keep him from turning our allies against the Republic. If we show up to these places before him with a great enough presence, then he will flee. If he's shown us one thing, it's that he isn't stupid."

"Maybe not stupid, but he is Sith. He's going to be arrogant, and he's going to make mistakes." Luminara's bright blue eyes locked with Qui-Gon's, and Anakin backed away uncomfortably. His Master was known to be confrontational, but he was always uneasy when he did. Especially when it was with Luminara. Skywalker looked over to Barriss Offee, Luminara's Padawan, and she, like Anakin, was backing away from her Master. The two Padawan's locked eyes, and she looked at him apologetically, quietly mouthing that she was sorry. Anakin smiled sheepishly and pointed to himself; he was sorry also.

Qui-Gon and Luminara had gotten close after the massacre at Serenno, but the two often disagreed, and when they did, it had the tendency to get heated very quickly. They had found that their constant debating helped them see from other points of view, allowing them to keep a wide perspective with dozens of alternatives to single situations. They had become a shockingly good pair, with Qui-Gon arguing for the will of the Living Force, while Luminara brought the perspective of the Cosmic Force, and together, they were able to find wisdom they could not achieve on their own.

However, Anakin believed that, perhaps, in the Council Chambers before the likes of Master Yoda and Master Windu may not have been the best place for it.

"How long before the Negotiator starts making those mistakes?" Qui-Gon crossed his arms over his chest. "If we try to trap and engage him, he's only going to kill Jedi. We're going to have a learning curve too. We don't know what he can do, and we don't know his abilities because, so far, he's been non-violent. The only way to know this is to send in a team of Jedi that he will be willing to fight, and that mission is suicide."

"No, we send in Jedi he thinks he can beat. We can have reinforcements at the ready if needed, but we can beat him if we trap him. Avoiding him isn't just unwise, it's an impossibility. We can't be everywhere, and as you said, he's intelligent. Allowing a Sith Lord to run around unchecked can cost thousands of lives in the long-run. We need to deal with him now, on our terms, before he can force our hand and we must end up playing his game."

Qui-Gon turned to the Council. "Masters, I advise exercising caution by countering him with superior numbers. He hasn't been violent, and I think it unwise to provoke him. If he wants to throw himself against our might, let him, and he will die."

"Masters, I advise exercising caution by allowing him to make the first move on us." Luminara stood beside Qui-Gon, the older Jedi towering above her. "We will lure him into revealing himself and he will make mistakes. Allowing him to run around terrorizing the galaxy is dangerous. He needs to be stopped, and he will stop himself if we allow it to happen."

Both Masters stood in silence at the Council considered the very different views, and Anakin scooted closer to Barriss. "You know," he whispered when he stood next to her, "I agree with your Master."

She smiled softly. "Do you? I agree with yours."

"If we can catch the Sith, we might be able to stop this war from happening." The younger teen nodded.

"Yes, that's true. But sending a small force to deal with a Sith Lord is how Master Qui-Gon lost his previous Padawan."

"O-oh." Skywalker could feel his ears and cheeks turning red with embarrassment. "I hadn't thought of that."

"I bet Master Qui-Gon did."

"Y-yeah, but..." He sighed, watching the Council members as they looked at his Master, or sat with their eyes closed in concentration or meditation. "I guess there's no easy answer to this."

"You're right, there isn't."

"Thank you for your opinions," Mace said quietly, and the Padawans had to lean in to hear him. "The Council will consider every option before we make a decision on this."

Luminara stepped forward, concern on her face. "Masters, the situation on Kabal is dire. We cannot delay."

"I agree," Qui-Gon said quickly, stepping beside the younger Master. "Regardless of what is done, we must act quickly."

"We know," Mace drawled, his frustration getting the best of him. "We won't be leaving until we have reached a decision, and we will be sending a delegation out to Kabal no later than tomorrow. We do understand there is a time limit on us. You aren't the only ones who learned from Kenobi's death." Luminara nodded, bowing as she turned to leave, but Anakin could see deep pain in his Master as he followed suit, the Padawans falling in line behind their Masters as they left the Jedi Council to their discussions.

"Do you think they'll act, Master?" Anakin asked as soon as the elevator doors had shut. "Do you think they'll listen to your council, or Luminara's? Or do you think they'll do something different? What about Kabal, is it going to the Separatists, or will it stay with the Republic?"

"Anakin..."

"Do you think we'll get sent to Kabal? Why don't they just send Master Yoda or Master Windu? They could kill the Negotiator!"

"Anakin."

"Do you think the Negotiator's even Sith? What if he isn't, what if he's just really good at talking? Oh Force, what if we go to kill the Negotiator and he's just a guy?!"

"Anakin!" Skywalker jumped, startled and he felt his heart race as adrenaline flooded his body. "Not now, Anakin..."

Skywalker looked at his Master's face, and the pain was still there. The Padawan felt a sharp stab in his chest, ashamed at his insensitivity. "I'm sorry, Master...I didn't mean...I-I just wanted to know..." He huffed, tugging at the sleeves of his cloak, reaching out with the Force to touch his Master, and he felt grief. "I apologize, Master. I try to be mindful of your feelings, I just-"

"You don't need to apologize, Anakin." Qui-Gon looked at the teen, the corner of his mouth turning up in a slight smile, but his blue eyes dark with remembered pain. "You are curious, that's good. Our Code encourages knowledge over ignorance, and you can't gain knowledge without curiosity."

"Master, you don't follow the Code."

"...not well, that is true." He smiled sadly. "But I do try, when the Force does not direct me elsewhere."

Anakin bit his lip and felt his frustration rise. He didn't mean to be difficult. He wanted to help his Master, but he had no idea where to even begin. Luminara picked up on Skywalker's distress very easily, and she laid a small green hand on the teen's shoulder.

"Your Master is struggling to let go, Anakin. This isn't your doing."

"I-I know that..."

Qui-Gon took his Padawan's hand and grasped it tightly. "I'm sorry. I don't want you burdened with this."

"I want to be burdened with it, Master."

The old Master smiled. "You do help. I promise you do." He cleared his throat, letting go of Skywalker's hand as the elevator doors slid open. "Are you up for some sparring?" Qui-Gon smiled as his Padawan nearly jumped in excitement.

"Yes, yes, yes!"

"Barriss needs the practice as well. May we join you?"

Qui-Gon nodded, and the four Jedi walked together toward the practice hall. "Now, Anakin, your questions...what was the first?"

"Uh..." Skywalker blushed, lowering his head into the heavy cloth of his cloak.

"Padawan Skywalker wanted to know if the Council will act, Master Jinn," Barriss said softly, and Anakin pulled his hood over his head to hide the furious red blush on his face. Barriss was younger than he was, but she was calm, collected, her thoughts neat and organized, unlike his. Anakin was very much the opposite, his energy frantic and excited, his excitement unconstrained and very much not the image of a dutiful Padawan. He peeked under his hood at his Master, and felt that he was amused, saw the easy smile on his face, and Anakin relaxed. He wasn't perfect, no, but he was good for the aging Qui-Gon.

"The Council will act, yes, and soon," Luminara answered quickly. "They spent a great deal of time delaying and debating when the Sith first arrived. They will not make that mistake again."

"...because of what happened before?"

"Yes, they learned from what happened to Obi-Wan."

Anakin frowned as he watched his Master's dark blue eyes slide out of focus, looking far away again. The shadow of Obi-Wan Kenobi seemed to hang over everything. Even Anakin had taken to Ataru as his primary lightsaber form, not because it was his Master's style, but because of the impressive fight between Kenobi and Maul that he had saved on his datapad. He was a legend, even more so now than he had been when he was alive, and it was largely in part because of his work tracking down the Sith, and now that the Sith were so much more active, Kenobi's name was coming up often. After all, he had laid the groundwork for their fight against their ancient enemy.

Skywalker knew that Kenobi had been especially close to two Jedi. One of those was Quinlan Vos, a Jedi Master that Anakin had never actually seen, and the other was Luminara herself, which explained why his own Master had become so close to her. They shared a common grief, but while Luminara had managed to let go and accept Kenobi's death, the wound was still fresh for Qui-Gon, whatever progress healing made torn open by the mere mention of his old student.

"Which position is the Council most likely to follow, Master?" Barriss asked quietly, and Anakin groaned. He knew she had committed all of his questions to memory, and he was getting frustrated that he couldn't remember a single one of his stream-of-consciousness thoughts.

"Were I to guess, they will follow Qui-Gon's advice. My suggestion is a bit too close to what happened on Serenno. They will be reluctant to put more Jedi at risk."

"Why!" Anakin said swiftly, much louder than he intended, throwing his hood back and looking at the shocked faces of the two Masters and the other Padawan, and he felt himself flush in embarrassment again. The feeling was becoming much more familiar than he would have liked. "Not...I didn't mean to ask why they won't put Jedi in danger, Masters, I just..." He huffed, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. "I remembered one of my questions, that's all...why don't they just go themselves to Kabal? Why doesn't the Council just send Master Yoda?"

"That would be the effective equivalent of Qui-Gon's army of Jedi."

"The Negotiator isn't stupid, Anakin. He may be arrogant, but we don't know how arrogant. That is the problem with this situation, we don't know our enemy, but he may know us."

"Last time, we knew our enemy," Luminara said, her voice dropping as they entered the training hall. "Master Yoda had trained Dooku, Qui-Gon was trained by him, Master Windu was a regular sparring partner of his. Before, the Jedi knew our enemy, but the information was mishandled. Now, they are trying to handle the Sith correctly, but we no longer know our enemy. Knowledge of the Negotiator is essential to defeating him."

"Do we know he is Sith?" Barriss asked softly as they stood outside an empty sparring ring, the two Padawans shrugging off their cloaks and adjusting their sabers.

"I suppose there is a possibility he is not, but it is highly unlikely," Qui-Gon groaned as he lowered himself on to the steps around the ring, Luminara coming to sit right beside him. "He is almost certainly using the Force to control the minds of the leaders of these planets. We cannot prove it, but that is what Master Yoda believes."

The Padawans nodded, satisfied by the answer, and drew their sabers, the blue blades igniting with a deep thrum of energy. Barriss brought her lightsaber behind her shoulder, angling the blade down in the defensive Soresu, and Anakin held his at the hip, blade angled up in Ataru's aggressive posture. Smirking, Skywalker launched himself at the younger Padawan, their blades clashing as they fought, Barriss to keep her defense, and Anakin to break it.

"You need to let go," Luminara whispered, laying her hand over the older Master's. "Obi-Wan wouldn't have wanted for you to suffer like this."

"I know." His dark blue eyes watched the Padawans as they fought, sabers moving quickly, but both were making small mistakes that the other would take advantage of. "I am trying, Luminara. It's not easy."

"I know. I...can't imagine what it's like to lose a Padawan. But I am prepared to let mine go, when the time comes."

Qui-Gon smiled. "You have always been better at that than I. You know I struggle with the Code."

"More than most."

"The Living Force moves in its own way. I cannot dictate where it brings me, I can only move with it. Obi-Wan is dead, I know. Out of the Living Force and one with the Cosmic Force, but he is with me still, and I cannot move on. Not now. Not yet."

Barriss hissed as Anakin's saber found its mark, and he grinned at Qui-Gon, waiving frantically. "Master, did you see that?!"

"Yes, Anakin, well struck." Skywalker was grinning like an idiot. "Your left diagonal strike is sluggish, if you are going to use Ataru, you cannot have this weakness."

"I slept weird again, Master, my arm keeps hanging off the bed..."

"I am not going to put in a requisition for a larger bed for you, Anakin, for the last time. And you better find a way to compensate for that, Barriss knows about that weakness now." Anakin's blue eyes slowly looked to the other Padawan, a knowing smirk on her lips, and Skywalker paled.

"Master, you can be a real jerk..."

"Best of luck, Anakin." The Padawans were at it again, blades moving faster than before.

"She's intimidated by Anakin," Luminara whispered to Qui-Gon.

"He is a few years older, but he is intimidated by her as well. Having her around has made him study harder, he doesn't want to be beaten by a girl that is younger than him."

"She has been doing this longer." She smiled gently as she watched the students fight, carefully looking at their footwork. "You know, your Obi-Wan was the best I've ever seen in Soresu. I taught him, but he surpassed me quickly."

"You have mentioned that, yes." Luminara could almost see the wound open again.

"Qui-Gon." The dark blue eyes fell on the Mirialan Master, her face serious. "Your Padawan was right. You need to talk about him, or you won't be able to make peace with what happened."

"I have been, Luminara."

"Not enough."

Qui-Gon sighed, leaning back against the steps and lazily watching the Padawans. Anakin had struck Barriss again, but the girl was ready to go a moment later. "I want to give my full attention to Anakin. How can I properly teach my student when I am openly grieving for the one I lost?"

"I admit that's difficult. I didn't take on Barriss until I knew I had let go of my friend." She scooted closer to the Master, her thin shoulder pressed up against his broad chest, and she could feel his deep, even breathing. "Quinlan and I talked a lot about him, though he always handled it in a less...conventional way. You know how he is."

Qui-Gon chuckled, pulling Luminara closer to him. "I imagine he spent a good deal of that time inside a bottle."

"He did, yes, but he talks about Obi-Wan constantly. I believe his view on things may suit you better than mine. I let him go and accepted his death. Quinlan keeps him alive by talking about him, and of you know anything about Master Vos, you know he has difficulty keeping quiet."

Anakin suddenly hissed, dropping his saber and clutching his wrist, a pleased smile on Barriss' face. "You cheated," Anakin panted, picking his saber up off the ground. "You can't just stand there, it isn't sparring if you don't engage!"

"I was engaging," she said softly, smiling faintly.

"Anakin," Qui-Gon admonished softly, and his Padawan snapping to attention as his Master spoke. "The flaw of Ataru is the lack of defense. It will tire you quickly. You lost because she chose to conserve her energy and wait for an opening."

"Master, the Sith aren't cautious, they're going to fight aggressively! I saw the recording of your fight with the Sith Lord, I saw how he fought!"

"And you know the way of all Sith?"

"W-well...n-no, but-"

"Dooku is a Master of Makashi, which is much more graceful and refined than what you believe the Sith to be capable of. You need to work on your defense."

"I'm just no good at it, Master! Even Master Luminara thinks I'm hopeless!"

Luminara laughed loudly at that and stood, taking Qui-Gon's lightsaber from his belt as she did so, and the older Master started to reach out to grab for it, but stopped, biting his lip and face concerned. "You are not hopeless, Padawan, it is just not your inclination, and your saber is unbalanced for a solid defense. It's making learning the Soresu basics difficult for you." She powered on the weapon in her hand, the blue blade hissing to life, and she adjusted the setting. "This weapon was built to be optimized for defense and energy conservation. You will feel off-balance at first, but you should improve as you get used to the feel."

Anakin took the weapon from Luminara's hand, rotating the blade and trying to adapt to the lighter weight. "I won't fight with this weapon, though."

"No, you won't, but it will be easier for you to adjust to your own blade when you have a feel for the basics. Barriss, will you walk him through the basic exercises?"

The young Padawan bowed, and the two students began to work, Anakin listening intently to the girl as she helped him work through the foundations of a style that did not fit well with the restless young man. "That lightsaber," Luminara drawled as she sat next to Qui-Gon, nestled closely to his tall body, "caused me more welts and bruises than I can count. Obi-Wan was relentless in his dedication to mastering combat."

"He was relentless in his dedication to everything. I never knew him to quit." The Mirialan looked up at her friend's face and saw him smiling faintly. It was a good start.

"He laid the groundwork we need to defeat the Sith. You do know that, right?" Qui-Gon nodded, but said nothing. "The Council has changed the way they are dealing with things. Even you must see that."

"I do, yes. I'm worried about it being enough." The Master sighed, watching as Anakin slowly became more relaxed, handling the saber with a more refined touch as he walked through the movements of the basic Soresu forms. "Obi-Wan and I grew apart after he was knighted, but from what you and Quinlan have said, he was convinced the Sith were no longer recognizable from the way they were. If that's truly the case, than all the knowledge in the Archives won't be enough. We must begin again."

"Which makes the work with the Negotiator so vital. The Jedi cannot afford to miss this opportunity."

Qui-Gon was silent for a long while as he watched the Padawans, Barriss laying her hand on Anakin's elbow and raising it into the correct position, the teenage boy's face drawn in concentration. "I agree," the Master said softly. "I know it didn't seem like it today with the Council, but I am reluctant to engage the Sith. Learning about the Negotiator will almost certainly cost more Jedi lives."

"...you are probably correct about that."

"How many Jedi lives are worth the life of the Negotiator? I'm inclined to say none. Dooku is certainly not worth the life of my Obi-Wan, but that exchange was made anyway, along with four others, and we gained nothing from it but more Sith. How many more lives will Dooku take before we stop him? How many will the Negotiator take?"

"Many of us may die to destroy the Sith. That's a sacrifice that we must make to keep people safe. You know the galaxy would suffer if they are not stopped. Countless would die under them. Countless may have already. The Jedi must stop them, no matter the cost." Luminara watched the Master's face tremble, and she draper her arm across his broad chest. "The exchange is not fair, Qui-Gon. No Sith is worth a single Jedi life. But peace is, and if that's the price we must pay, than we must be ready to pay it."

"...I know you're right. I do, but-"

"I felt the same as you, Qui-Gon. All life is valuable, and Obi-Wan's was cut unfairly short. Peace doesn't seem worth it without him."

"...y-yes..."

"...do you want revenge?"

The Master shook his head. "Vengeance won't bring Obi-Wan back."

Luminara nodded, smiling softly at the older man. "You're a fine Jedi, Qui-Gon. Even if you don't keep to the Code, even if you are struggling with your attachments, you are a greater Master than most I know."

Qui-Gon pulled Luminara to him, hugging her tightly, and he could feel the small woman chuckle into his chest.

"Master?" Qui-Gon's dark blue eyes looked up to see the Padawans standing before them, Barriss' eyes averted and flushing a dark shade of green, but Anakin was smirking, mischief in his bright blue eyes. "Barriss and I can go elsewhere if you and Master Luminara need some time alone, Master..." Skywalker drawled, and the Mirialan Master quickly wriggled out from Qui-Gon's grasp, her face the same shade as her blushing Padawan.

"Don't be absurd, Anakin," the Master said softly, holding his hand out, and the boy dutifully placed the borrowed saber in his hands. "Though if you two are done sparring, you and I need to get back to your studies in meditation."

"What? Master, no, we're not done!"Skywalker reached out to grab for Qui-Gon's lightsaber, but the Master held it just out of reach, clipping it back to his belt when Anakin dove for it and missed.

"It looks like you are done to me. Aren't you done, Barriss?" The girl dutifully nodded, smiling slightly at her friend's distress. "Excellent. Come now, Anakin, say goodbye." The teenager groaned loudly, but did as he was bid, bowing to the Mirialans, and standing beside his Master, a frown on his face and trying to stand as tall as he could. It was not near the height of his towering mentor.

"Shall we see each other tomorrow to discuss the Council's decision?" Luminara asked, and the elder Jedi nodded.

"I would like that. Anakin needs to work on his form as well, so shall we meet back here around the same time?"

"I look forward to it." The two Mirialan's bowed and turned and left, Master and Padawan watching them as they walked out of the hall.

"Do you think everything's going to be alright?" Anakin asked after a while, feeling through the Force for his Master's presence and finding it turbulent and disturbed. There was something more there than just grief.

"I don't know, Anakin, but something feels..."

"Wrong?" His Master looked at him and nodded. "I feel it too."

"Remember this feeling. The Force is trying to tell us something. We must continue to be mindful of it."

"...is it the Sith, Master?"

"I don't know." Qui-Gon took a deep breath and closed his dark blue eyes. "Obi-Wan would have known. He was always better than me at feeling disturbances in the Force."

"...what would he have said?"

The Master looked at Anakin and saw real worry, concern and fear in his bright blue eyes. Every part of him wanted to shield the teen from what was to come, but Qui-Gon knew better now. "He would have said it was the Dark Side we feel. He felt it often and strongly. I can only imagine this unease is what he meant."

"Are we ready to face it?"

"...no. Nothing we do will make us ready."

Anakin looked at his Master, and the pain was in his eyes, but beyond the grief he saw, there was a fierce determination that he hadn't seen before. Everything would be fine. The Force was with them.