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| - Slowly his eyes opened. At first it took all his exertion and strength to open his eyes even a sliver, but, once it had opened, it became much easier to open his eyes. But, all he saw was a misty haze, and a voice far off said, ‘Go back to sleep. You are no good if you overdo it.’ At least, that is what he thought was said. He closed his eyes, and immediately plunged into the empty, dark realm of sleep. A couple hours later, his eyes opened again. This time, he could see perfectly. He tried to sit up, but he felt dizzy. So, instead, he pushed himself further up the bed, until he was at least partially sitting, even if it was at an angle. He noticed the whitewashed walls of the infirmary and thought to himself, What happened? Sitting by his bed was Samerra, her blue skin vibrant in the white surroundings. He smiled at her. This was a pleasant surprise. “Hello Master Samerra,” he said, the words sounding thick to his own ears, “How are we this day?” “Certainly not as terrible as you look,” she said, chuckling. Anakin laughed, and then realized immediately that it hurt to laugh. “What happened?” he asked, “I only remember knighting Yoda. Then, as soon as I finished, it went all black. What happened afterwards?” Samerra shrugged. “I’m afraid I cannot answer your question,” she said. “Why not?” he asked, pressing her into hopefully giving in, “It won’t do any harm.” “I think it would,” she said, and she was serious. Anakin sighed. “You know Samerra,” he said, “If we weren’t Jedi, we could be much more open with each other.” Samerra sat back and sighed, “I wish we could.” “Then why don’t we?” Anakin said, “What are you feeling?” Samerra shook her head. “We both know how we feel for each other,” she said, “Everyone on the Council knows. But, it is forbidden. Can we not just accept it and move on? As long as we dwell on our personal feelings, we can never achieve our full Jedi potential.” “We can at least kiss each other,” he said winking at her, “You know you are the only one with feelings for me.” “I would indeed like that,” she said to herself. “Then do it,” he said, cracking up with laughter. “You are such a tease!” she said angrily, throwing a pillow at him. Anakin could never have stopped that pillow. He was much too weak to stop it. It would have hit him square in the nose. And, with the force at which she threw it, might have knocked him out. A lightsaber flashed, and cut the pillow in two. Samerra at once went for her lightsaber, her face twisted into a scowl of disapproval. Her lightsaber came out, and her blue blade came sizzling out. She turned to the side, and pointed her blade outwards. “Get out of here!” she barked, “Traitor to the Order!” Her words were directed not to Anakin. But, they were directed to someone. A bald black man walked around the table, his reddish-purple blade held at an en guard position. He was much more powerful then Samarre, which he proved by flicking his fingers, and her lightsaber shutdown. She tried to ignite it again, but it was locked. “Is that any way to treat an old friend?” he asked, his voice deep and booming. “Old friend?” she asked, trying to unlock her blade, “As I remember, you left the Order!” “If I didn’t leave the Order,” he reminded her, “They would have expelled me. So, I saved myself the shame.” “Is not being one of the Lost Nineteen shame enough?” she asked coldly. He shrugged his shoulders. “I am not here to fight with you,” he reminded her, “I am here to see an old friend.” “Why should I let you?” she asked, glaring at him. He shrugged again. “Ristro lets me,” he pointed out, “If he does, then you have to also.” She grunted. That was true after all. If Ristro will allow him, so must I. She turned to leave and strode out the room. She paused right as the door opened to the halls, and said softly, almost to herself, “I’ve missed you Zward Windu.” “I have missed you too,” Zward said, and he could see the small grin on her face as she walked out. The door closed and Zward remained standing, facing the door. So many thought milled about in his mind. So many memories. So many victories….and so many defeats. But, he was soon brought out of his memories. “What is it between you two?” Zward asked. Anakin shrugged. “She’s had feelings for me ever since we were padawans,” he said, “I have absolutely no feelings for her besides friendship.” “Oh,” Zward muttered, thinking to himself, “That’s not good for a Council member to have feelings for anyone like that, especially another Jedi.” Anakin laughed. “It’s so good to see you old friend! What brings you here Zward?” Anakin asked, smiling at his older friend. “You,” Zward snorted, turning to face him, and taking up the seat Sammare had left, “Of course.” “Is that true about Master Ristro letting you come?” Anakin asked, eyeing his old friend. “It’s true,” the man sighed, “But, he was my Padawan once. So, he had better.” “You would assume,” Anakin agreed, “You made a new lightsaber?” “I got bored,” Zward said, “Life as a civilian gets ever so dull. I have made seven lightsabers since I left the Order seven years ago.” “I heard you are married,” Anakin stated. “That’s a lie,” Zward said, “I merely had a lapse of control. We did have a son, but, we were not married. I hated myself for quite a while for making such a big mistake.” Anakin sighed. Once a Jedi leaves the Order, he falls into traps most people would have better control over. It was unexplainable what happens. They just seem to…well…snap. “What’s happened to the mother?” he asked. “She died,” Zward sighed, “right before we were going to marry.” “And the boy?” Anakin prodded. “Partially the reason I’m here,” Zward said, “He’s being tested by the Council now, to see if he’s enough Force Potential. He’s six months now.” “What’s his name?” “Mace,” Zward blinked twice, “So, what happened? Lit didn’t let me in on any of the details.” Anakin frowned. “I don’t know myself,” Anakin admitted, “One minute I was knighting Yoda—" “Yoda!” Zward exclaimed, “He’s on the Council now?” “Yeah,” Anakin said confused, “Why?” “For years I pushed to have him on the Council,” Zward explained, “Yoda didn’t like it though. But, he had to be. I just knew it!” “Oh,” Anakin said, almost having forgotten that Zward had been a member of the Council. “Oh, sorry,” Zward said, slightly blushing from embarrassment, “Go ahead. You were saying?” “Right,” Anakin said, “So, I was knighting Yoda, and right as I finished, I blanked. I don’t remember a thing of what happened next. It was weird. Nothing like that has ever happened.” Zward frowned. Why did that ring a bell in his mind? Something like that seemed to have happened to Zward before. During— “I know what happened,” Zward slowly said, “You became One with the Force.” Anakin’s eyes widened in astonishment. “I did?” he breathed, “How do you know?” “It happened once to me,” he replied, “It’s amazing. I have lived to see two prophecies given.” “I had a prophecy?” Anakin asked bewildered by what was transpiring. “Yes,” Zward said, “And no wonder the members of the Council won’t tell you or me anything about it. It’s not for the teller to know what was told.” “May I ask why?” Anakin asked, “I have never been learned in Jedi-lore like you.” “A Jedi,” Zward began, crossing his arms like he always would when telling a youngling the Lore of the Jedi, “When he has a vision, which is where prophecies arise, never has just one message to share. It has usually multiple messages. Now, the Force takes entire control of the person, allowing the voice of the person to speak in its behalf.” “Why is that?” Anakin asked. “No one knows,” Zward shrugged, “I expect that the Force has to make it’s visibly heard. So heard; that no one can mistake what it wants to say.” “Makes sense,” Anakin conceded. “Now, the Force wants not the man who acts as voice to know what was said,” Zward said, “It’s forbidden for them to know.” “Why?” Anakin asked. “It always ends by telling the doom of that person,” Zward said, “Anyone with a vision never lives to have a peaceful end. Their end is harsh and cruel.” “What’s your doom then?” Anakin prodded. “Were you not listening?” Zward snapped, “I do not know, for I cannot be told. Once the person dies, then everyone will learn the Prophecy. Until that time, only the Council and those who heard it know what it was. Make sense?” Anakin nodded. “I suppose so.”
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