Anakin practically ran down the ramp. Being so close to Rei Soffran after the man's observation had made him claustrophobic. Fresh air greeted him along with an ocean breeze. Thunderheads rolled out over the water. Obi-Wan was waiting some distance away. Anakin grabbed him in a swift embrace before just as quickly stepping back.

"Rough trip? Or rough vacation?" The old man's grey eyebrows lifted.

"Mostly the trip. Before that there were just a few rough spots. But the trip..." He shook his head. "He's on to me, Obi-Wan. Ahsoka was telling what happened, she avoided the details. But my emotions were strong and he's onto me."

"Well. He did have to be told eventually."

"I would've preferred it where I had room to let him get used to the idea." His blue eyes were sad. They widened suddenly.

Obi-Wan glanced over his shoulder and smiled. Padme. "Go. You can fill me in later."

Anakin looked back at him, uncertain.

"Really. Go."

"Thanks." Anakin ran toward her as Rei Soffran and the others came down the ramp.

The twilek calmly observed, "I see you never broke him of affectionate displays."

"Oh, he grew out of it some. Then he grew back in." Obi-Wan did not add that he was glad of it.

Rei Soffran's eyes were on Anakin as he swept Padme in a hug and buried his face in her hair. "Quite a greeting." His eyes widened and lekku twitched.

"They're married. Have been since he was my padawan."

Soffran looked sharply at him.

"We have much to discuss."

"So I see."

"How was it?" Padme asked, "I wish I could've gone with you."

"To Tatooine? Sand, sand people, hutts...more sand."

"And you meeting old friends, and finding more about Luke's upbringing?"

"How did you know that?"

"Educated guess. Anyway, sand can be easier to deal with than politics and people pushing for their own planet's agenda being first in line for the new government."

"Oh." Anakin winced. "Is this going to be any better than the government Palpatine corrupted?"
"It will be. It has to be. But we have to figure out how the Jedi fit in too. I know Obi-Wan doesn't want to fall into the same trap as before."

"Failing to investigate where we should because some politician pulled strings?"

"Well. In part." Her brown eyes slid passed him to the new group of Jedi passing.

"Of course, first we need enough Jedi to help. Think the former initiates will be okay with finishing their training?"

"They're mainly leaning on Soffran. He's been their leader for years."

"How's he feeling about the changes?"

Anakin glanced over his shoulder. "I don't know. I got a definite sense of shock when he saw us together. In the old days an initiate wouldn't have a chance to be trained at this age. And he wasn't there to see the gradual changes during the Clone Wars. I get a feeling Luke is going to get grilled."

"He'll win him over."

Leia called her on the comlink then, looking for help finding quarters for them all. Padme kissed him and left with an "I'll see you, later."

Rei Soffran found Anakin a few moments later, strolling along the hillside. Anakin immediately felt the air thicken around him and an urge to retreat.

"I have a question for you, Anakin."

"Fire ahead." Anakin replied, reluctantly.

For a very long moment, the Jedi Master just stared into the distance. Finally he turned to him. "When faced with a terrible choice between doing the right thing...for the Republic, the Force, the Jedi or saving your family, which would you choose? Now. Today."

Anakin hesitated, squirming internally and fighting the resentment that rose at the question. The man had a right to ask, under the circumstances. "I'd choose the former because they would want me too. If I love them I care about what they want, not just what I want for them."

"Ah. A good answer. But what if those you love would not want it so?"

"It's a moot point. They do."

"But it will not be so for others. Your son has attachments. Your daughter as well. If and when we accept new Jedi for training, and they have the attachments, they will face this question too."

Anakin was silent. His eyes were on the rippling grass, but he kept glancing at the twilek.

"If you are accepted back as a Jedi due to sheer need, then either you come with attachments or not at all, correct?"

"I need them." Anakin replied, a touch coolly.

"So. Are you the exception? The only one allowed? If so, that seems to reward you for your failure. It gives you what you want."

"I'd say it should be allowed to everyone. Attachments are a strength as well as a weakness in the wrong hands."

"Which brings us back to the original question. What if there family is not like yours and would ask, demand, or hope for things that are against are code, or the greater good? What if this attached Jedi must choose between them? How will people accept their neutrality if they know they also have these biases?"

"I expect you wouldn't send them into that situation where it was challenged. But if you don't have to make that choice, choosing between the greater good or your family, then how will you know what you are asking of others? I heard a lot of that complaint, that the reason the public turned on the Jedi is because we were perceived as isolated. Disconnected from the wants and needs of society. I've never been one to ask more of others than I demand of myself. Sometimes that's too much, even for me. But if you don't understand what your asking, how can they trust you to know what's best or that you care about the personal consequences they'll face? I've learned more about discernment and strength in adversity from my family than I ever did from the Jedi."

Rei considered this answer carefully.

"There is wisdom in this." He acknowledged "Which perhaps we failed to take into account. But you say you 'need' them. And if the worst should happen and they not be there?"
Anakin closed his eyes, denying the thought. Then he opened them. "I know now that they'll always be there. I've seen Qui-Gon since he crossed over. So has Obi-Wan, lest you think I was hallucinating. I know those who went before are there. And I know even if it hurts like blazes, that they are still found in unexpected places. When I thought my wife dead I found her in my son and daughter. When I look for them I see them in the legacy they've already established. It's not easy. But I can do it."

Master Soffran nodded slowly as he turned and walked away. "I hope so, for all our sakes."

Luke showed the Jedi initiates around the base. He hardly had a chance to ask them any questions. They were busy hitting him with an unending stream of questions. They didn't limit it to questions about the base or Alliance. They were fascinated by the way he was trained.

"So, you were an adult before you even started training?'

"Yes. Never even thought about it before then. I didn't even know I had the potential."

"And trained by Master Yoda...he taught our clan, when we were younglings. But it had been years since he took a real padawan of his own!" Ashla was intrigued.

Luke finally passed his Father standing, legs slightly spread, looking down over the water on his favorite place to meditate. Anakin glanced back at the chatter. He gave Luke an amused, half smile. Luke's eyes were wide and he glanced back. He didn't need to say what he was thinking. Luke was finally realizing how unusual his training had been.

"Help." Luke mouthed.

Anakin just smirked knowingly at him. Luke and the group had passed on route to tour the med center when another figure joined them. Rei Soffran, moving to the front and joining in the grilling. Obi-Wan, who had been walking with them, continued on the path and joined Anakin.

"Luke is getting an education just from the questions." Anakin observed.
"And Master Soffran is trying to fathom Luke managed to gain such skill in such a short amount of time as well. I think he's going to want to give him a try out."

"I don't doubt Luke will do fine."
Obi-Wan studied him. "He does know the truth."
"He figured that out pretty darn fast." Anakin acknowledged.

"Your guilt and shame gave it away." Kenobi said softly.

Anakin sighed. "Guess I need to work on that emotional shielding some more."

"You should always be working on that. It's always been your weak point. There still might be those out there that would use it against you."
"I know." Anakin's eyes sparkled. "That why you kept that trunk a secret?"

"Trunk?"

"That trunk with lightsaber parts, padawan journals, a river stone, padawan beads..."

"You dug through that?"

"You didn't tell me not too. And Luke's been through it."
"I told Luke to go through it."
"Ahsoka didn't think you'd mind, said we may as well see if you might want us to bring it back." Anakin's eyes were bright. "Then we found out what was in it." He paused. "I'm not the only sentimentalist around. I'm sorry that's all you had left of the good times."

"Well. A padawan journal can help future learners realize what their predecessors struggled with. Not a bad idea of Knights either." Obi-Wan laid his hand on his shoulder. "Learn anything new you might want to add?"

"Maybe. And maybe relearned some things too."

"Such as?"

"Did you know Qui-Gon sent Mom a torbel lens?"

Obi-Wan blinked in surprise. "No."

"That's what I thought. They tricked Watto into trading her freedom for it."

Obi-Wan smiled. "It does sound like something he would do. Give her the means to help herself."

Anakin stared at the ocean. "I don't really think keeping me from her, denying the contact, was a great decision on the part of the Jedi. No matter how normal. It seems to me, she was the one to teach me about how to let go. She was brave enough to let me go off into the unknown. She was so strong. She had faith in me and I guess in Qui-Gon. I guess...I need to learn that. To trust enough to let go." He paused. "She told about the ups and downs of life on the farm, even mistakes she made that really caused set backs. She didn't know anything about moisture farming. They always forgave and worked things out. They faced bad crops, equipment malfunctions and no money and they always kept faith in each other. I'm sorry now that I never got to know them. I guess now I see why Luke turned out so well. It wasn't just your training, or even Yoda's, as good as that was. That kind of life taught him how to forge ahead no matter what catastrophe struck."
"I'll grant you, there are moments when I've glimpsed a scared little boy in you. And I knew that was a leftover of your slavery. I am sorry I never knew quite how to break through and help you heal that part of you."

"Luke didn't always get on with him, did he? Owen?"

Kenobi shook his head. "Owen was a survivor, a hard practical worker in a tough environment. Luke is an idealist and dreamer, like you and Padme."

"It's hard to keep faith in the Force, in people...when you've seen so much horror. And we aren't always appreciated even when we succeed."

Obi-Wan Kenobi nodded. "We need to practice searching for the light. And if we aren't appreciated...well, we're fighting for the right of people like Owen and Beru to have that chance."

"And people like Mom. When we can't find it...that's when we have to be the light." Anakin smiled.

A cool breeze blew off the water and light glinted off his blue eyes. Obi-Wan smiled back and stood beside him. There was no need, now to meditate alone. And there was plenty of view to share.

the end

Thanks for the reviews!

Want more? Working on a sequel tentatively titled: Empire's Revenge,

~ Anakin's defection benefited the Alliance. But not all are pleased with the arrangement, not all understand what Palpatine's Sith abilities implied. The new mastermind in the Empire plans to use this to shatter the fragile bonds Anakin has built, demoralize his friends and weaken the Jedi.