While Nizzal and Ahsoka were spending the afternoon in deep versation. Anakin was sitting in his room. He just started a call to Obi-Wan through his personal holo unicator device. His master was yet to answer his call, and it began to make Anakin nervous.

  ~oOo~

  From the perspective of Anakin.

  ~oOo~

  “e on, master...” — ‘Let’s hope he didn’t lose his device again.’

  ‘I was about to turn off the call, only to restart it, but just before I could cel it, Obi-Wan finally appeared in the form of a blue hologram.’

  “Finally, I thought for a sed that you mao get caught.”

  “Sorry about that, but getting caught was not my specialty, if my memories aren’t beginning to fail me.” — Stated Obi’Wan.

  “Heh, anyway, did you mao find anything useful?”

  “Of course, me and Rex kindly invited ourselves to one of the sve pits he pace. It was an educational experience, for the ck of better words.” — Said Obi’Wan.

  “Did you see any togruta?”

  “As a matter of fact, yes, I believe that we saw one of the togruta elders i. But didn’t mao firm it entirely, not without taking unnecessary risks.” — Expined Obi’Wan.

  “So nothiai?”

  “Indeed, but it is only the first day since we arrived. I would say lenty of time to find the kidogruta tribe’s location...” — Said Obi’Wan.

  ‘Obi-Wan’s usual cheerful attitude disappeared as he took a silent g me through the hologram.’

  “You seem to be troubled, Anakin...” — ‘He noted with , but it only mao annoy me.’

  “... And you seem to be ied in solving my problems... But, you tinuously keep ign me, when I am trying to help you solve yours.” — ‘I spoke ba, frustration clear in my voice.’

  “... It, it’s not the same. I was your master. I am still your mentor, Anakin. I am worried about you...” — ‘There he goes with his aloof attitude again, as if he stands above all the troubles of the world.’

  “Do you think I am not worried? I am also worried about you and Ahsoka. After that girl randomly appeared in the order, then just as suddenly disappeared, both of you began to act strangely.” — ‘Those words seemed to flow out of me.’

  “What are you talking about?” — ‘Obi’Waioned, surprise evident in his eyes.’

  “This, this is what I am talking about. Do you know how much time Ahsoka spent in the orders library before that girl disappeared?” — ‘I demanded.’

  “I would imagine she hardly know the library’s location...” — ‘He stated with a sly, disarming smile.’

  “Heh... likely, but don’t try to turn this versation away from the topic... What I want to say, is that she spends hours there, she is reading through these a files about mysterious force users from thousands of years ago... It’s good to be ied in history, but this is more like an obsession... And for what end? All of those people are already dead, anyway.”

  “Sigh... Reading holofiles a few hours a day is hardly an obsession...” — Obi’Wan shook his head, clearly amused by the very idea. — “Anakin, I know that I wasly the type of master you would deserve. When the cil gave me this new padawan, I didn’t want to accept it... I am not... sigh... I made many, too many mistakes and I regret much of it. When I realized that I would have to take the missioher way, I hoped tht my failures to a degree... Yet I failed again... in the end.” — ‘He seemed a lot older, a heavy weight pressing down on his shoulders usually invisible to others appearing for passing moment.’

  ‘I watched silently as his mental shields, as quickly as they faltered, reformed themselves, settling in that fortable cheeky rality his enemies couldn’t stand to see.’

  “Master... There was a time when someone said to me that failure is a y of every a. It only means that you have begun to learn.”

  “... Very wise words, do they belong to Master Yoda, I wonder?” — Asked Obi’Wan.

  “... No...” — ‘I smiled lightly, as the warmth of a distant memory spread over me.’ — “They beloo my mother. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised if Master Yoda came to the same clusion.”

  “... I see, she is a woman of wisdom, then.” — Said Obi’Wan, nodding wisely at the end.

  “...”

  “...”

  “Master, your ex-padawan is also here.”

  “... Of course you are here. I am not talking to myself, am I?” — He questioned with a teasing smile.

  ‘I had to roll my eyes at that.. It must have been Ahsoka’s influence.’

  “No, I am talking about the other one. She is in the pace as a personal handmaiden of the queen... Ahsoka is probably t her with an endless series of questiht now... If not worse, she seemed infuriated at the sight of her.”

  There was a moment of heavy pause as Obi’Wan sidered his following words.

  “... I see... but why here and now? I ’t find any e or reason she should show up here, he less, as a sve... Did she know that we would e here? Or was she here all the time? But that makes no sense...”

  “She was definitely surprised by our appearance, so I don’t think she knew.”

  “I see.” — Said Obi’Wan thoughtfully.

  “Also, there is something more to think about. She didn’t ge, like at all. She looked as if not a day had passed since she had escaped from the prisoransporter ship.”

  “... Wait, do you think?”

  “Yes.”

  “Of course... why wouldn’t we think about this possibility? She must have been hiberhat would ahe mistery of her perfect disappearahat or she must have goo seclusion, but that wouldn’t expin why she didn’t ge.” — Stated Obi’Wan.

  “Certainly not. Also, that possibility was very unlikely. Not many are willing to go into long-term hibernation, not if they are healthy or have any other choice. After all, everybody you know will get older, or die by the time you wake. I wouldn’t wish to experience such a thing, but the evidence is clear.”

  “This just indicates, the unorthodox teiques and thinkihods the members of the secretive Grey Order use.” — Said Obi’Wan.

  “And also to the extent they are willing to go.”

  “... Yes, and this is not reassuring at all. I will report this to the cil. We shouldn’t act rashly until the cil makes their decision. This is already a very delicate situation. We shouldn’t make it into a more problematie.” — Warned Obi’Wan.

  “You don’t have to tell me, Master. Ahsoka will be airely different matter, though.”

  “I know... But make sure to warn Ahsoka properly... Don’t make the same mistakes as I did.” — Said Obi’Wan.

  “I will make sure that she gets it.”

  “Then, I guess it is time to go back to work.” — Said Obi’Wan.

  “It seems so.”

  “...”

  “One more thing, Anakin... I am...” — Obi’Wan started.

  “Yes?”

  “Sigh... May the force be with you, always.” — Obi’Wan finished curtly.

  “And so with you, Master.”

  ‘The call ended, but I was still sitting in the exact pce where I was. I never khat my master, the model jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi, had self-doubt issues about his teags. I guess that means he is also human. I smirked lightly... realizing my master’s stupidity. He was a great jedi, a master that I didn’t even deserve. I am the one who is lying to him, and I am the one who should apologize... But if I do... How could I make that choice? Between the order, my home, my friends, that was all my life until retly... and Padmé, my love, my wife...’

  ‘I felt as a siear of futile desperation began to run down on my face. Another one of my mother’s teags came to my mind suddenly. Whoever hesitates to make a choice between two possibilities pys with the risk of losing both.’

  ‘That, maybe true, but if there is a ce, however small a ce, that may be, to keep both of them. I will make it happen. I promise. I won’t fail you, Padmé. I promised to protect you and I will, and whatever or whoever stays between us will suffer the sequences.’

  ‘Sigh... It is time to get ready for dinner with that harpy... Why did I even say that I want to bask in her prese’s more like burning... if I hadn’t said that, I would probably get away without dinner... Then again, I was improvising because she got into a bad mood after I stared at her sve... Now I see, I should have known that everything is because of that annoying girl, Nizzal or whatever. Everything turns into chaos whenever she appears... Also she called me a... Well, let’s fet about that... Stupid kid...’

  ‘Sigh, but Ahsoka is right, even she didn’t deserve to be colred like an animal. I doubt she would have bee a sve if she had a say in it. After this damn dinner, I will have to call Ahsoka too.’

  ‘I looked out through the closest window. The sky was getting darker. The first stars had already appeared on the horizon. I took a deep breath from the fresh air ing through the open window.’

  ‘I hope she is alright.’

  ~oOo~

  Obi-Wan Kenobi was very surprised by this new unforeseen development. Why would that girl appear here after all this time? Could it be a ce? She was not expeg to meet with us here. That’s clear, and I trust Anakin’s judgment on this. Then what was the reason? Sigh... Anyway, time to tact the cil.

  ~From the perspective of Obi’Wan.~

  “This is Obi-Wan Kenobi Jedi Master. I wish to report the current status of the rescue mission on Zygerria, ect me to the Elders’ house on Corust.”

  A feminine droid’s voiswered.

  “It will be my pleasure, Master Kenobi.”

  ‘There was a quick distortion in my signal, then the e was made. Master Yoda, Windu, and Shaak Ti appeared sitting in their cillor seats. The other pces were empty.’

  There was a momentary silehen Master Yoda began the versation.

  “It seems that your infiltration was a success, Master Kenobi. Yet I feel that your force presence is fused. Advice if you need, we will provide.”

  Master Windu also added a few words of his own.

  “You wish to report something about your mission? Did you mao find the kidogruta tribe so soon?”

  “I believe that they are kept here, but I am irely certaihis was not the reason I needed your advice, masters.”

  Windu o that curtly and waited for Obi-Wan to further expin.

  “I just spoke with Anakin to exge information. He reported that a certain long-lost twi’lek child is currently serving the queen as a handmaiden of her inner circle.”

  Master Yoda’s ears began to slowly raise, but it was, the until now silent Shaak Ti who stated her question first.

  “Uhum... Would that certain twi’lek kid have gray skin with pink eyes with the name of Nizzal Grey, perce?”

  “That indeed seems to be the case. Also, I think we just realized ere uo find her. She was likely hibernated, because, as stated by Anakin, she didn’t ge at all. She looks exactly the same way as whe saw her.”

  Hearing that, the cil fell into a thoughtful silence. Which was, in the end, broken by Yoda.

  “A bold move, this is, but effective he less. Use this opportunity to find the togruta, we must. Ask Ahsoka to question her friend about the possible locations for these sve au houses and factories outside of Zygerria. Then we will send an attack team to each pce to rescue as many sves as possible.”

  The moment Yoda stopped speaking, Windu immediately tinued.

  “Freeing the sves will be a great opportunity that will ter bee a great card in our hands to push the Senate decisions in our favor. We will need every help, and every favor, to destroy the Sith that, against our best efforts, still mao elude our search.”

  Master Yoda tinued after a few seds of silence.

  “Darkness, I sense, great darkness, growing uhe surface. Every moment this war tihe Sith gains power over us. They are always just ahead of us with oep... We already know that the enemy is hiding among us. Most likely one of the members of the Seself, but we were uo find its presence, and we don’t have the authority to start an iigation over every senator in the gactic republic. Hmmm, it is ironic that our own democratic system seems to be the ohat hides the Sith from our eyes.”

  Shaak Ti took over the versation almost immediately after Yoda stopped.

  “Do not fret, Master Yoda. It is exactly what the Sith wants, to make us began doubting in our own values and priorities. Democracy is far from being a perfect world system, but we have to believe in the people to make their own choices.”

  “You are right.” — Said Master Yoda. — “Yet I fear that the people will be deceived easily, if even our eyes are blio the truth.”

  There was a heavy sileer that statement from the clearly tired grandmaster.

  After about a minute of silence, Obi-Wan began to speak.

  “I feel that there is a reason that girl is here. It seems to be too much of a ce that she had also appeared here at the right time. I feel the for this.”

  Everybody thought about what Obi-Wan just said...

  Soon, Windu began to speak.

  “You are implying that the force led you there to meet with the girl?”

  “Yes.” — Answered Obi-Wan. — “She knows much of the force, that we don’t, especially in the darker aspects.”

  “Darker aspects, you say. She killed a dozen men with a single force spell, in a cruel and gruesome way, as we already know. Our own jedi iigator team restructed and sehe intense pain and suffering that happened. I should not have to remind you that one of them is still traumatized from sensing such a malicious dark-side aura.” — Argued Windu.

  “No. She killed a dozen criminals and serial killers. There is a difference here.” — Said Obi-Wan.

  “A Jedi should never use their power to attack, only to defend themselves and others.”

  Shaak Ti interrupted suddenly.

  “She is not a jedi, she never was. Therefore, you shouldn’t use our order’s way to judge her. It have already backfired once.”

  “We have let her live in our temple as a padawan, therefore, she should be judged by our ws and traditions.” — Stated Windu.

  “She never asked to be a padawan or to live in our temple.” — Said Shaak Ti.

  “We ot let an unknown force user just run around and do whatever she wants, especially with unclear iions. If we do so, we may just lend over the gaxy to the Sith.” — Answered Windu.

  Yoda chose to interrupt the argument at that moment.

  “We have let our pride blind us to think that the Sith have beeinct. Only to find out too te that we were wrong. Our mistake resulted in a bloody civil war, which has yet to end. Then we uimated a girl from an unknown order, because we were too proud to see the possibility of the existence of another powerful force-sect. I feel, that the girl is the key, to find aroy this sith lord. Obi’Wan, you her back to the temple.”

  “I uand, Master Yoda, but what if she doesn’t want to go back, and I say that I didn’t really see why she would want to...”

  “Then, you will have t her back against her will.” — Yoda sighed and added. — “ying with the future of the entire gaxy. Each of us had made sacrifices, many of us paid with their lives. She will have to stay in the order, and tell us everything she knows about dark side teiques, that will immensely improve our ces of finding that Sith lord. We have no more time to waste.”

  “I... I will do what I must, but it won’t be easy... She is one of the personal sves of the queen... Maybe... What if we propose to buy her while disguised?” — Suggested Kenobi.

  “No, we should not pay republic credits to boost the separatist war maes. It is uhat the queen would sell her, anyway.” — Stated Windu. — “Make her e with you by herself, or arrest her if you find it necessary.”

  “Sigh... I will see what I do.”

  “Obi-Wan,” — Started Ti — “we know that this is a hard task, but it is necessary, for the future of axy, to end this war, the suffering. May the fuide you in your task, always.”

  The e was undone. As Obi-Wan suddenly found himself with another heavy weight pushing down his shoulders.

  “Damn... this is getting needlessly plicated again. Why am I always the one who gets these kinds of jobs?”