Many said it was the dumbest name for a stim-tea house. This however did not deter Beru Mern. She insisted that her establishment would forever be called 'Padawan Place.' 

Padawan Place was her realized dream: a gathering house for people to relax and discuss the Jedi and their illustrious history. The cafe was covered in Jedi paraphernalia. There wasn't a wall that was not plastered with photos and holos of Jedi, past and present. Beru had a Jedi Code printed and framed which she hung in the most prominent position of Padawan Place. There was also a holo of her at the entrance with the caption: 'the goddess of hospitality.' This was an honor for which Beru had been voted by the local patrons two years in a row.

Padawan Place was odd, but Owen Lars found the place appealing and frequented the joint daily.

Owen did not quite fit in with his fellow students at the University of Coruscant. For starters, he was a few years older than his fellow freshmen. He had waited until he was eighteen to enter the University--his widowed father had needed him at the farm. As a result, he did not have much in common with those around him who participted in silly partying past-times.

So he liked Padawan Place.

Beru Mern was instantly attracted to this tall, dark-haired, serious young man. She was determined to meet him, but he never approached her. So, after about a week of watching him, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

"What's that you're reading?" a female voice interrupted Owen's studies.

He looked up and saw a tiny, owl-faced girl with braided hair, wearing a fashionable swept-back, layered dress. He was taken aback. He wasn't used to chatting with people he did not know.

"Uh, Miss, do I know you?"

"Nope!" Beru exclaimed and plopped down in the chair opposite him, reaching a hand across the table, "Beru Mern. I'm the owener of Padawan Place."

"Owen Lars," Owen replied shaking her hand. "You own this joint?" Beru nodded, "Aren't you a little young?"

"I'm sixteen. Queen Amidala of Naboo is sixteen and she runs a whole planet!"

"True," Owen nodded.

"Jedi become Padawans no later than age thirteen," Beru went on, "generally society today has rejected that time-tried failure which treats teenagers like they are in a holding state of unnatural childhood."

Owen was thinking of asking Beru if she always talked as though she were answering an essay question. He decided against it, and changed the subject.

"To answer your question, I'm studying moisture farming. It's one of my required classes at the University."

"Ah. What's your major?"

"Agriculture. I've farmed my whole life."

"You have any brothers and sisters?"

"One brother, but he . . . left awhile ago. I haven't seen him for several years."

"I see. I won't ask. You're not the only family to have a skeleton in the closet."

Owen had never considered Benjamin a skeleton, but he knew that if Beru found out his brother was a Jedi, she would never give him peace. He let the subject go.

"Quite an establishment you have here, Beru."

"Thank you. I keep a holo-site, too. My friends and I don't just obsess about the Jedi, but about all of the goings on in Coruscant. We're an objective news source, not hampered by politicians' bribes or corporate interests."

"Oh."

"As a matter of fact, I'm waiting for my buddy Zache to get back from the Senate. He's a gopher and always brings in news from the political arena. We then pre-empt the holo-news." She frowned, "He should have been back by now. He has an exciting scoop on who's running for the vacant seat from Alderaan."

Owen was wondering what could be so exciting about that when he observed a young man flying in, wearing formal robes.

Beru jumped up, "Well?" she demanded.

"It's Bail!"

"Really? So he's the next one in, eh?"

"Well, yes, but they won't announce it till after the 'election' occurs. It won't be a surprise. An Organa always gets the seat when they run for it."

Beru nodded. Owen was beginning to wish that they would both leave him alone.

"Oh, I nearly forgot, Zache this is my friend, Owen."

Friend? Were they friends? They'd just met!

"Pleased to meet you, Owen. C'mon, let's go Beru. We gotta post this."

"Yeah. Want to come up Owen?"

Zache protested, "Beru!"

"I feel we can trust him Zache," Beru said. And there's something about this young man, she thought.

Owen was about to decline the invitation, but then he remembered how long it had been since he had been around intelligent people.

He went with them.

If Owen thought that the cafe was stuffed with Jedi items, he hadn't seen anything yet! The apartment shared by Beru, Zache, and their holo-secretary, Clari, was covered from wall to wall with holos, stacks of papers, and books. Little droids busily moved through the mess, trying to sort everything out.

Clari was a pretty girl. Like Beru, she dressed fashionably, but with a good deal more lace than Beru wore. "Who's this?" she asked poking a thumb at Owen.

"A friend. Show him our site, Clari," Beru ordered.

The next hour was spent guiding Owen through mazes of Jedi knowledge, and other things of interest on Coruscant. Owen was finding himself fascinated. He could see how all of this research could get addictive. Then one link caught his eye: 'The Battle of Naboo.'

"What's that one all about?"

Clari shifted nervously, "Let's skip it."

"No," Beru objected, "show him!"

"Beru, I don't think it's a good idea to navigate him around this so soon."

"Show him!" Beru repeated. Clari complied. It was not difficult to see where the buck stopped in this group. Beru explained to Owen, "This project is our 'baby,' and our greatest unsolved mystery."

Owen nodded, his eyes on the computer screen. He was definately interested.

With a sigh Clari began to read the file, "'Two years ago there was a blockade of the Planet Naboo. The Jedi got involved."

"Hey!" Owen interrupted, "I remember this. It was a really big deal. Nobody thought that the peaceful Naboo would fight."

"And with the help of the Gungans, they did," Zache said.

"What's so mysterious about this?" Owen asked. "Everyone knew about the battle."

Beru answered mysteriously, "This is what's unsolved: what happened to Jedi Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi?"

"What happend? Jedi Jinn was killed in battle. So?"

"But how was he killed?" Beru shot back.

"I don't know. Why does it matter?

"It matters, Owen," Beru answered, "because if you try to find out any details, they stonewall you!"

"You can't find out anything?" Owen asked, and he wondered who the mysterious 'they' were.

Zache added to Beru's statement, "Nobody knows HOW Jedi Jinn died."

"That's right," Beru nodded, "and nobody involved in the battle is talking. Not Obi-Wan, his Padawan Anakin Akywalker, not the Naboo Queen, or the Chancellor."

"Ah," Owen was beginning to comprehend.

"Moreover, during all of this, the same Queen Amidala called for a new election in the Galactic Senate. So we had a major power shift during all of this."

"And out of nowhere comes this mysterious boy who wins the battle, then--unheard of!--he is accepted as a Padawan at the age of nine," Beru told Owen. "But once again, nobody explains why. The Council has been cryptically silent about all of this."

Owen let it all sink in. "This is way deep," he commented presently.

Beru's eyes sparkled, "I know, and we at 'Padawan Place' want to be the ones to crack the case! It's the ultimate!"

Owen asked tentatively, "You need some help in your research?"

Beru smiled in response.

Owen spent most of his nights from then on in the little apartment above Padawan Place. He slept on the living room couch and every morning awoke to the pleasant sounds of frying bacon and the vision of Beru, clad in a pinafore, cooking pancakes with chocolate and whipped cream. Before he ever called out a 'good morning,' she always ran to him and shoved a mug full of coffee into his hand. Beru's nickname was not 'the goddess of hospitality' for nothing, Owen found. He liked being around her and seeing her smile at him when she told him to come by later.

Owen came in and sat next to Beru who for once was not very receptive to him. He frowned, "Is something wrong?" he asked, concern over his face. He had begun to fall for her.

"No, just a cutsy little message from my Mom."

"And that's a problem?"

"She's a problem," Beru answered dully.

"Hey Beru, be happy you HAVE a Mom. Remember mine died when I was very young."

"Yeah well. My parents haven't been too keen on me. I don't know why. They worked as hard as they could to conceive me, even going so far as to get artificially inseminated," Beru paused and swallowed, she couldn't read Owen's expression, "You know what they do in that process?"

"Yes," Owen said cautiously, not wishing to say much. Luckily Beru spoke his thoughts for him.

"They make a bunch of kids and then hope one makes it. I won the lottery, but at what price? What brothers or sisters do I have that I'll never know, that did not survive or were . . . ?" She didn't want to say it.

"Hey," Owen soothed, taking her hand, "you don't have to talk about it."

Beru nodded, blinking back tears, "And no sooner had they finished having me, than they got a divorce. It wasn't even worth the effort."

"They had you. I'm certainly glad of that," Owen said sincerely.

Beru went on, as if she didn't hear him, "Well, if anything, I know that when I have kids, I'm not going to play games with their lives. I'm going to make them my number one priority. They won't be dumped with nannies or day-care while I run around with cute studs like my Mom did."

"Of course you won't," Owen was quick to reassure her. He didn't care to see Beru like this, insecure and angry.

"And now the stupid Senate is flirting with cloning technology! Are all adults idiots?"

Owen was silent. What could he say?

Beru spoke up, "Now do you see why I'm not happy to hear from my Mom?" It made her think about unpleasant, disturbing things.

He nodded, "I won't ask again. I'm sorry." He stood up, "Here, Zache said he had a little fun project he'd do with us. Let's go on up and see if he's ready."

"Ok," Beru smiled and wiped away her tears. "It was good telling you Owen, I . . . I felt I needed to share that with you."

Owen felt warm inside from the complement. He was definately falling for her.


Beru wasn't sure that this was a good idea.

Zache's proposition sounded similar to the games young people often play, flirting with the Dark Side of the Force as a form of recreation at get-togethers. But then this wasn't really the Dark Side, merely seeking knowledge that they shouldn't really attain.

Zache had hacked the computer software that could count their mido-chlorians. It would be 'cool,' just for the heck of it, to see how close they were, or weren't, to their idols at the Jedi Temple. They could maybe even plot them on a graph and post it in their apartment!

Beru overcame her hesitations. The more she heard Owen and Zache talk about it, the more curious she became. Clari took her post at the computer and the tests began.

Beru had the job of taking the samples and admonishing the boys not to be such wimps--it's only a DROP of blood for crying out loud!

Zache was first. His reading showed a count of 500. Beru marked it on the chart with a giggle. Owen declared him 'Padawan Boy.'

"You're next, Owen," Clari said. She fed in his sample and her smile froze.

"Well, what is it? It's gotta be more than loser Zache's!" Owen exclaimed, trying to get a look at the screen.

"Uh," Clari murmured, "it must be a mistake."

"What does it say already!" Beru demanded, pulling back a wisp of hair that had fallen in front of her owl-like face, peering into the screen.

"14,000," Beru read.

"14,000! Woooah Owen!" Zache exclaimed.

"Yeah, right, computer foul-up," Owen said lightheartedly. He had never guessed that his mido-chlorian count was that high. If it were, wouldn't he have become a Jedi like his brother?

"Yeah. I'm sure," Clari said a little shakily. "You next, Beru. I'Il figure this out in a second." Beru's sample was fed and Clari responded to the data with a sharp intake of breath. "15,000," she whispered.

Beru laughed, "Now we know this is a screw-up. Come-on, Clari, let's do you. I'll bet you beat Master Yoda!"

"Yeah . . ." Clari murmured and fed in her sample. All four looked at the screen in silence.

Clari's sample read 300.

"So the software was messed up!"

"But if it was, then Clari's count would have shown up high too!" Beru was hugging her pillow to her chest. She buried her head in it and murmured,

"I knew this was a bad idea!"

"What do you mean you knew?" Owen demanded, "I didn't hear you say anything before."

"Well I THOUGHT it."

"That's not the same."

"So . . ." Beru said slowly, "Does this mean that we could have become Jedi?"

"Let's just forget it . . .," Owen suggested quickly, "pretend it never happened."

"But it did happen Owen. It's too late for denial. The genie's out of the bottle. Could we have been Jedi?" she repeated.

Owen frowned, "I don't know." He looked down, feeling a little guilty.

Beru looked at him suspiciously, "You know something, don't you?"

May as well tell her the truth. "Well, my brother is a Jedi and . . ."

"What?"

"I said, 'my brother is a Jedi and . . .'"

"I heard you!" She interrupted, shouting, "why didn't you tell me?"

"It wasn't that important, I thought . . ."

"Not that important? You thought?" Beru exclaimed incredulously.

She was silent a moment, "Now I'm really curious. Perhaps there's a way to find out about all this mido-chlorian stuff. We can find out for sure if our counts came from a computer foul-up or if we really are Force sensitive."

"How?"

"Let's break into the Jedi Temple and access their records. We could do it."

"Yeah, and I could start talking backwards and call myself Yoda!"

"I mean it, Owen. It's not that hard. We can slip in, act like we're there to worship or something, and just access the data."

"You make it sound so easy."

"It is."

Owen and Beru snuck into the Temple the following evening looking for all intensive purposes like the devout wishing to make meditations. Except when evening came they slipped into the library, hiding under a table. There they waited a few hours to be certain that things were settled down. Only once were they disturbed when a Padawan came in to shut out the lights. Finally they emerged and Beru sat down at a computer terminal.

"Here goes," she whispered more to herself than to Owen.

"Aha!" A voice shouted out startling them. Owen and Beru's heads snapped around and beheld a boy of about eleven years confronting them, lightsaber drawn. "Breaking into the Temple records, eh?" the boy accused. "Just WAIT till I get the Jedi Council to come down here and fry you!"

Until this moment, everything had gone like clockwork. Now they found themselves caught by a kid!

"Listen, little . . ." Owen began taking a step toward the boy.

"Little yourself. I am Padawan Anakin Skywalker, and you are a thief and an invader!" the boy exclaimed, waving the saber in front of Owen's face. Owen was becoming annoyed, and was about to call the Padawan a colorful name when they all sensed a presence, and turned simultaneously. Standing at the door of the library stood Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi, hood up and arms folded. All three, Padawan included, looked down in guilt.


The two intruders sat in chairs facing the Jedi like criminals before a judge. Anikan had been sent to bed with an, "I'll speak with you later," from his Master. The face of a damned soul could not have looked more horror stricken than the young boy's. "Busted, I'm busted, may as well just disintegrate and . . ." the boy's muttering was cut off by the sliding door.
The imposing Jedi turned his attention to the intruders, "And what were you doing in our temple breaking into classified material?" he asked.
Beru decided she'd be wasting her time if she tried to deceive the Jedi.

"We were accessing our mido-clorian records."

"Because?"

"Because we wanted to. We do Jedi research and we thought it would be cool to plot our mido-chlorians on a graph." Owen groaned. It made them sound like such dorks. Well, maybe they were . . .

"You understand how inappropriate that is?

"Yes, sir."

Owen marvelled at Beru's calm before the man she idolized.

"And we could have you arrested for invasion?"

"Really?" Beru's eye's lit up.

"Oh man," Owen thought, "she'd think of it as an adventure!"

"But I won't," Beru's face fell, "I think a warning is all that's called for. But if you invade our Temple again, we will prosecute."

Beru opened her mouth to answer, but Owen rushed to speak before she said anything else that would incriminate them, "Yes, sir, never again, sir. Please, we'll just leave and I swear we'll never bother you again."

Beru gave Owen a betrayed glance. He didn't return her look.

"Very well, then," Jedi Kenobi said. He personally escorted them out. Briefly Owen hesitated, did a double-take at the Jedi, then moved on. Beru missed the moment.

Jedi Kenobi did not.


"Certain are you?"

"Yes, Master Yoda. He is my brother. I felt it, and, to be certain, I checked it out in the data files."

Depa Billaba spoke up, "I sense anxiety and confusion from you, Jedi Obi-Wan. There is no need. The Code does not forbid you to make contact with your brother, if that is your wish. As a matter of fact, as a full Jedi Knight that is your right. I am surprised you haven't tried before."

"I didn't see the need. My family has always been the Jedi."

"But the natural family is a good thing, too," Billaba answered. "Perhaps the Force has intervened by bringing Owen to you, shown you that you were neglecting an important part of your life."

"Two years since a Jedi Knight you became," Yoda commented.

"I'll think on it." Obi-Wan replied.

"May the Force be with you," Billuba dismissed him.

The six young ladies were no strangers to Beru. She didn't know what they were trying to pull, but, believe it or not, Queen Amidala and her handmaidens had actually come into Padawan Place! Once Beru got over the shock, she made the decision to have some fun with the the high-placed visitors.

"Hello," a handmaiden called out to Beru, "we require assistance."

Beru walked over to the table, "Yes?"

"We would like a drink."

"Ok, Sabe." The girls' eyes widened. "Or is it Ertae? And you, must be Padme, or is it just plain Queen Amidala?"

With a clank of weapons and clicked holsters Beru found herself staring into five sleek Royal Naboo pistols.

"Hey, I'm not gonna hurt you, I mean . . ." Beru stammered, startled.

"Put your guns away girls, it's alright," Padme ordered. "Sit down please, Ms. Mern. How did you know us?"

"It's pretty obvious isn't it?

"No. We are in casual clothes."

Beru couldn't figure out if the Queen was joking or serious. She realized with an amused start that it must be the latter. "Yeah, casual. But you're not dressed like the average working girl. And one can tell that the clothes were tailor made." All six looked at their clothes. Beru went on, "So I see some rich girls, six of 'em, who look familiar. Why? And of course it clicks. Did you think that I wouldn't recognize 'Padme Nabarrie?'"

The queen was disturbed now, "How do you know about Padme?"

"Begging your pardon, your Highness, but we know everything about you, your clothes, your schedule, your friends, where and what you drink, eat, what you do in the Senate. Many of my patrons spend a good deal of time discussing your fashion statements. Very nice, I might add. I expecially like that 'celebration' outfit."

"'Celebration?'"

"The one your wore at the Naboo Parade two years ago."

"You named the dress?"

"Yeah, actually we've named them all!"

"This is a little sick."

"If you say so. But maybe what's really sick is your attitude that us 'little people' are too dumb to recognize you. And here of all places! You who are connected to the Jedi!"

Padme nodded, conceeding the point, "Yes, I do apologize. I wanted to come here because a good friend of mine is a Padawan."

"And I am honored that you did, excuse me." Beru got up and filled a cup of stim-tea for the Queen, sat down again and asked, "So, do you know 'The Man?'"

"'The Man?'" Padme asked confused.

Beru pointed toward Obi-Wan's holo, "Half of Coruscant is in love with him!"

"Really?" raising an eyebrow. "I suppose he is good-looking, but he's a Jedi. Why would a girl want a Jedi? They are so serious."

"You really don't know a lot about your fellow gender members do you?"

"What do you mean?" Padme asked.

Beru explained, "What I mean is that the serious, 'save-the-worlds' type is precicely the kind of man we gals are attracted to. Maybe you miss out on that since in many ways you too fit that category of savior."

"Oh," smiling wrily, "You are right. I haven't had much time to be young, you know."

"Yeah, how could you with things like what you pulled at the Battle of Naboo?"

Padme stiffened, "I don't want to talk about that."

Beru went on regardless, "My friends and I have studied the battle quite a bit and . . ."

Padme interrupted, "It's a matter of security. Drop it," she commanded.
"Yes ma'am!" Beru exclaimed loudly, sarcastically, then covered her mouth in horror, "Uh, I am so sorry, your Highness . . ."

Padme wasn't sure what to make of this odd girl who talked to her with such an attitude. She stood, her handmaidens rising with her. "I'd like to go now," she announced and swept out of the room.

"Boy did I blow that," Beru thought.

"Yes, Chancellor, the oddest people," Padme told Palpatine in his quarters. "I suppose they keep a good deal of records on every detail of our lives. They are presently fascinated with the Battle of Naboo and the Sith that was behind it all."

"The Sith?" Palptine looked alarmed.

"Don't worry, they don't know it was a Sith, nobody does. But they know something disturbing happened. They speculate that it must be really big since there has been such a cover-up. If they happened onto the truth. . ."

"That would be unfortunate."

"Indeed, for if this girl found something concrete on that Sith, the whole galaxy would know about it quickly. Their holo-site is very popular. You should see it."

"Yes, I should. And I sincerely hope that they won't find or post anything about the Sith, for their sakes."

"You are good to want to protect them, Chancellor."

"Yes. I am concerned," he replied.


Zache burst in. "You won't believe what I've found out! Listen!" Zache pulled out a recorder.

"What is it?" Beru asked.

"A recording of Queen Amidala and Chancellor Palpatine."

"But Zache, we don't record for our data!" Beru protested.

"C'mon Beru! It's so much more efficient, and anyways, is it really that much different than me plain listening and then reporting to you?"

How was it?

Beru covered her hands with her face. "Hey, Beru, it's too late for regret. I've done it and I've found something. It's dynamite, I tell you. Here it is."

Zache played the message for her.

Beru and Zache went to Clari's computer station and got onto the holo-net silently. She typed in the keyword 'Sith.'

They had a new project.

Chancellor Palpatine was browsing through the holo-net. His site of interest: Padawan Place. He was very amused looking at the section on the Sith. Beru, Zache and Owen, the top writers, had certain things listed from their research:

1. Sith like to hide and only reveal themselves once you
are in their power.
2. Sith have to work through your free will. Since they
cannot coerce you, they use psychological weapons.
Therefore one must have their priorities in whack
before facing one.
3. There are always two Sith: the Master and the Apprentice.

True. Palpatine gave them credit for their insight.

Then a link caught his eyes: 'Help Us Find the Other Sith.' His smile faded as he clicked and read the file for the Battle of Naboo.

He was no longer amused.

"Hey, Zache," Jori, a fellow gopher, called out into the mail room. "The Chancellor has an errand for you."

Zache answered, "I'll be right there."

Zache entered Chancellor Palpatine's office. He was holding an envelop.

"Sir?" Zache asked repectfully.

"Yes, I have a request, two to be exact. Please take this to Senator Bail Organa's secretary." He fell silent.

"The other, sir?" Zache innocently asked. The Chancellor was merely going to do a dance asking about Padawan Place, but seeing this little worm in front of him, digging into matters not his business, spying on him and posting it for all to see . . .

His anger fueled and before he could think, he answered softly, "This." And choked off Zache's air.

Owen was just sitting down in his desk at the dorm. He really needed a rest. He was throwing out old papers and junk from the semester when he heard a buzz. "Yeah?"

"Owen?" It was Beru.
"Hey, girl, I told you my brain is like totally fried from the exams. I'm gonna throw out some junk and hit the sack as soon as . . ." A disturbance floated through him. Something was wrong, terribly. He put Beru on visual and saw her red-rimmed eyes.

"What's happened?" But Owen knew before she said anything. Something terrible had happened to Zache. He knew it, though he couldn't explain how . . .

"Owen, come quickly, he's dead."

Owen sprinted through the tunnels connnecting the various buildings in Coruscant. He knocked down a few college kids but didn't care. He had one thought: to get to Beru and find out what happened.


"The doctor said Coruscant's air can be hard on an asthmatic, but Zache always seemed fine. Never a violent attack as long as I've known him. He was running an errand for the Chancellor when the attack happened. Within minutes he was dead."

Beru's voice was getting angry and hysterical, she shook Owen by the shoulder, "Why? Why do things like this happen? I mean why?" and she began to curse, something Beru NEVER did. Owen himself was feeling ready to do some cursing and yelling.

But he didn't get the chance. Somehow he started kissing her and then they were blindly following their emotions and what that led to. It was only by an incredible act of will-power that they did not have sex.

He flipped on the light in Beru's room and jumped off the bed, "I'm sorry . . . I . . ."

Beru sat up, "You're sorry? I was doing it too you know!"

Owen didn't reply to that, merely said, "I'm going to the kitchen. I need a drink. A nice cold drink."

Beru came up behind Owen and sat down on the couch. Both were embarassed. "I'm sorry," he repeated.

"C'mon, we're human," she replied, "we shouldn't have been alone at such a time. Or at least been on our guard." She sighed, "It's not your fault . . ." She was starting to cry, thinking of Zache. Owen hugged her and she cried against his shoulder. He tilted her head up and started to kiss her again. She pulled away. "That's how we almost got into trouble!"

"Oh." Owen was embarassed and non-plussed. "Beru . . . I . . . want to tell you how I feel. . ."

"No, not now," Beru interrupted sharply. "I can't, I mean, can't we just sit here, together, and not do anything else?"

"Uh, sure."

He drew her awkwardly next to him and wrapped his arms around her.

She laid her head on his shoulder and they stayed like that for a long time.

All wore traditional mourning clothing at Zache's funeral. Beru made quite a tragic figure in her long black veil, standing between Clari and Owen.

The crowd dispersed and Beru saw a familiar figure in the back, wearing mourning clothes far more elegant than they. She walked up and greeted in a low voice, "Queen Amidala."

The girl looked up and said, "Please call me Padme."

"Very well. Thank you for coming. Though I am puzzled."

"Your friend worked for the Senate and I still remember our conversation. I frequently have been on your holo-site. It's as though I have started to know you. I am sorry."

"Thank you, Padme," Beru said the name awkwardly. "Would you like to meet my friends?"

"No, I must go."


Padme and Obi-Wan were lounging in her quarters, talking quietly as Anikan was busy playing the podracing game she had given him for his birthday. Obi-Wan had confided the dilema concerning his brother.

"Dilema?" Padme asked, "there is none. He's your brother. Go for it!"

Eyebrows raised slightly over blue eyes, "Really?"

"Of course."

"Then I guess I'll head over to Padawan Place and meet with him. Isn't that where they hang . . . What?"

Padme was laughing, "Obi-Wan. What would it look like if you went into Padawan Place?" She thought of the cult of 'the Man,' and it made her laugh harder.

Obi-Wan flushed, "OK, Padme. Point made. Ani and I will go to his dorm at the University. That shouldn't be a problem."

"Excuse me," the soft English voice said. The girl behind the desk ignored him. She was engrossed in her magazine. Obi-Wan was confused. Could someone realy be so rude? Surely not. She must not have heard him. He cleared his throat, "Excuse me," he said louder.

"What already!" the girl's voice whinned. She looked up with annoyance and saw the hooded man in front of her. Her magazine dropped and her mouth gaped open, letting out her cigarette. Sheer horror came over her face. Anikan laughed, but was quickly silenced with a warning look from his master.

"Ma'am, I am needing to speak with Owen Lars. Could you please buzz his room and ask him to come to the lobby?" The girl still gaped. What was wrong with her? Obi-Wan repeated the request. Finally she obliged. Neither saw Garret, Owen's roommate, dart away from the electronic pool table in the lobby.

Owen was just sitting down with a cup of stim-tea and beginning his homework--more moisture farming, uggh. Like he would ever need to know about that useless aspect of farming! Suddenly the door to his room flew open.

"What the . . .?"

"No time, man. You're dead dude, so dead!"

"What?" Owen jumped up alarmed. He had never see his roommate so scared. Actually he wasn't sure if he'd ever seen him sober before.

Garret gasped, "Jedi! They're coming for you! They must have found out about your snooping holo-site. The desk is about to buzz."

As if on cue the message came, a frightened, squeaky voice, "Uh, Owen, a . . . a gentleman is here to see you."

"That's it, man, you're toast!" Garret exclaimed.

Owen's heart seemed like it would stop. They were coming for him, for the break-in. He looked around and asked Garret, "Is there a back way out of here?"

"Yeah, but man if you did, he would like use the Force and clutch you out of the air and . . . "

"Garret, do me a favor."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up!"

"Ok, right. Uh, actually, I think I'm, uh, outta here!" It occured to him that he might be cited as an accomplice for whatever Owen had done. He dashed out of the room.

Owen was left alone. What to do? Then he felt something (the Force?) It would be alright. He left and went to meet the Jedi.

"I wanted to leave the dorm. I suppose we attracted more attention than I thought we would," Obi-Wan said to Owen as they walked away from the dorm. The remark elicited a snort from Anikan, who immediately suppressed it. Owen wanted to choke the kid. There wasn't anything very funny about the situation.

He sensed his life was over. From now on nothing would be the same, though perhaps not in the way he initially feared.

"Relax, Owen," Jedi Kenobi said.

"I am, sir." He was beginning to notice that it was the Jedi who was acting nervous.

Obi-Wan sensed a connection with his brother's feelings. "We have a lot to talk about. First of all, I should tell you that my name, my birth name, is Benjamin Lars."


Chancellor Palpatine was present to the Queen in a holo-gramme, "It will be sad to see you leave so soon, your Highness."

"My place is with my people, Chancellor."

"I know. So how is your last night on Coruscant being spent?"

"With my friends Obi-Wan and Anikan and, well, his brother."

"Anikan's brother?"

"No, Obi-Wan's. They just made contact at my urging."

"Ahhh. Jedi Kenobi has a brother?"

"Yes. His name is Owen Lars."

Owen Lars! One of those Padawan Place pests!

"He must be strong in the Force, then."

"Not necessarily. The Force is not always hereditary."

"Perhaps. Or maybe their parents didn't want to give up two children to the Jedi." Silence, "But of course the reason is really none of our business."

"As usual, you are right, Chancellor."

"Give my regards to the Jedi brothers."

"Of course, sir."

Padme was pleasantly surprised when she saw Beru among the eating party. She and Owen must be an item. It gave the girls a chance to become better acquainted. Owen and Obi-Wan were also hitting it off during dinner, but poor Anikan looked like he was in a torture chamber. Padme leaned over and spoke to him, "When this is all over, I'll challenge you to a holo-podracing game."

The Padawan's eyes lit up. Something fun to do after all.

Beru continued to work on her Sith project. The history of the evil order was facinating and it was quickly becoming the most popular feature on her site. So engrossed was she this evening that it took her a while to notice the nervous young man sitting alone. She sensed fear from him, very strong. Ever the gracious hostess, Beru went over to him to see if she could help.

As she sat down, the boy's fear grew stronger. Beru felt uncomfortable, but she introduced herself.

"Anything you want to talk about kid?"

"Uh, no."

Beru looked deep, trying to use her untrained Force skills to help. Suddenly it jolted through her. Her eyes widened in realization and she grabbed the boy's wrist demanding, "Who sent you? Who!" The boy broke free and ran.

Darth Sideous pondered the boy's tale. "It was as though she could read my mind. I felt a probing. It was freaky, and then she knew everything. I can't explain it."

"I can," Sideous replied and dismissed the boy. He knew about Lars, being the brother of Obi-Wan. But Young Mern? He'd have to hack the files at the Temple. Not a problem.

Beru was scared. She had sensed the Dark Side in that boy.

"It is possible, Clari, that maybe this Sith knows we're onto him and, and . . ."

"He's coming after you?"

"Yes. Do you think we need to go to the Jedi?"

"And tell them about these games we've been playing? They'll let us have it with both ends of the stick!"

"Better that than be dead."

"Here, this is easier. Let's have Owen's brother over for dinner. See what he says."

Anikan, Beru and Clari walked behind Obi-Wan and Owen. The brothers were enjoying some talk about agriculture on their home planet. Beru was trying to think how best to bring up the subject of the fearful visitor, when she heard a screech coming from a speeder. The vehicle crashed into Clari and killed her instantly.

"There!" Owen and Obi-Wan shouted, sensing it, pointing in the same direction.

"You felt it, brother?"

"Felt it! I'd say! It's cold, evil, afraid." Owen shouted from where he was holding Beru who had gone into a state of shock. The ambulance arrived.

"Sith, man, this is so Sith!" Anikan exclaimed.

"Ani!" Obi-Wan warned sharply.

"Sith?" Owen asked, his blood turning cold. Is that what evil felt like?

Obi-Wan ran to Beru, "Come. We must leave for the Temple immediately. You'll be safe there."

The hysterical driver of the speeder was wailing, "I swear I didn't do it, it was like something took control and . . .!"

"But Clari!" Owen insisted over the noise.

"No offence, brother, but she won't care if we leave. I'm concerned now about the living."

Clari was already being taken away and before Owen could protest again, he was in a taxi heading for the Jedi Temple.


Palpatine watched the scene from his balcony. Just a flick of the wrist and the speeder was out of control. Enough to put Beru in danger, and kill her friend. Enough to terrify them. Beru. He smiled. So far he liked what he saw in her. She would be a powerful apprentice, maybe even better than Darth Maul. He had to find a way to tap those talents she previously had been using for the Light side of the Force. He knew the answer: psychological intimidation, as the girl herself wrote on her site. Too bad she did not know how terrible that intimidation could be. It could break a Jedi, let alone a 16 year-old girl.


Beru was met by Jedi Master Adi Gallia who took her on a tour of the Temple. She was going to introduce Beru to the Padawans. The past few days had been a whirlwind of adventure. Finally she was in the Temple of the Jedi! She was able to converse with those who had only been fantasies before. Yet the excitement was bittersweet for she was consumed with grief over her lost friends. She hoped the tour would distract her, but seeing the Padawans . . . Beru bit her lip and tried to restrain her jealousy. She would have been among them if her parents had but let her.

"Be mindful of your emotions," Adi warned.

"Should I, Master Gallia? I'm not a Padawan, you know."

Adi sighed, quite a chip on the young woman's shoulder. "Let me speak plainly, Miss Mern. You have a high mido-chlorian count, you are not a Padawan, and you have a Sith without an apprentice very interested in you. You do the math, as you young people say."

Fear washed over Beru, "Oh man, I had no idea . . ."

"Now you do."

"And this hate and fear in me are like an express ticket to the darkside?"

Adi nodded, "Now you see what is at stake. Shall we continue our tour?"


Adi ran slightly to catch up with her friend and comrade, Deppa. She wished to discuss the situation with Deppa as she was familiar with Owen and Beru's past. The Lars family's refusal to give two children to the Jedi was understandable. The Merns also had a good excuse. They had been childless for so long. Records also showed that 90% of the time Beru had been raised by a nanny.

Billaba commented, "The parents had been outraged that we'd wanted to take their child away."

"They made a valid point. This practice of taking children away is presently being discerned as too harsh."

"And the Council can change it as the practice is a custom and not an explicit admonition in the Code."

"Yes. It is wise. More support should be given to the families."

"But the coming war may prevent that. It has us distracted."

"I know. If we could but find and destroy this Sith, I sense that our problems will be over."

"It's as though the evil one is placing everyone in just the right places to prevent them from fulfilling their proper functions."

"Profound, Master. We must write it down to deliberate."

Silence. Both women spoke in their minds how essential Beru and Owen might become in the war to defeat the Sith.

Adi related her findings to Yoda, including Beru's hate for her parents.

"Dangerous this is," Yoda commented, "much hatred she has in her. Vulnerable. And powerful in the Force."

"A dangerous combination. She could have been a great Jedi."

"Too late for 'what-ifs,' it is."

"Let us bring her before the Council, Master Yoda."

After the interrogation, Beru reported to Adi. "It wasn't that bad."

"I told you it wouldn't be. So long as you speak the truth, you will always be safe."

Beru asked tentatively, "Is it really too late for me to become a Padawan?"

"Yes." Aidi felt pity for the girl.

Beru's thoughts darkened. Her hatred for her parents was growing.

The Council met.

"We need to find a way to bring out the Sith," Mace Windu said.

"I believe he will come to us, to them." Adi commented. "I have foreseen it."

Mace Windu nodded, "True. Sith hide, but only for so long. We must somehow make it known that we invite a confrontation with the Dark Master."

An urgent buzzing,

"It seems he has beat us to it!" Adi commented.

Beru had stared at the message on her screen. So polite. An invitation to meet at Padawan place, to discuss a partnership. Both Beru and Owen were offered the opportunity to become the Dark Lord's apprentice. It was up to them to decide who it would be.

Beru had jumped up, nearly numb with terror, and informed a Jedi secretary, who immediately buzzed the Council. The message was printed and given to them.

Beru's blood was ice. She was terrified. She didn't feel so tough now.
Restlessly she sought out Adi, "I want to fight him, but please teach me, how . . . how not to be afraid."

Adi nodded.

The invitation had included a request for 5 minutes alone with Beru and Owen, and then the Council would be welcome to speak with him. The Jedi believed it was worth the risk. They wanted to confront the Sith. Nothing could harm Beru and Owen with the Council members nearby. Moreover, they would be trained on how to resist him.

But they had to ask Beru and Owen. Would they be willing to give 5 minutes to a Dark Lord of the Sith?

"Owen!" Beru shouted out to her friend, running down the hall to catch up with him, "Did they speak with you about it?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"And I let them have it! I don't want a thing to do with their game. If they want the Sith so bad, they can fetch him themselves, not use us a bait." He studied her determined face, "You didn't agree?"

"Of course I did! Owen our fight has always been against evil. We are on the side of the Jedi. This is our ultimate chance to help them out!"

"You're crazy Beru, do you know that?"

"Owen if we do nothing, if we run and don't help the Jedi, then Clari has died in vain!"

"If we hadn't gotten involved there wouldn't be any death for us to give meaning to!"

"We're doing it!"

Owen was irked. "Listen, I'm not just gonna sit around and take orders from you anymore, Beru Mern! Your reckless, nosy, pig-headed, bossy self is what got us into all this trouble in the first place!"

Beru's voice went low and her gray eyes snapped, "Watch it, Owen Lars."
A static silence ensued. "Fine then," she said after a moment. "Be a coward. I'll do it alone!"

Owen retorted, "No, I won't let you do that either."

"Ok. That's decided." She stalked away from her friend coldly.

Owen watched her disappear down the corridor and was thinking that sometimes he hated her.


They would return to Padawan Place and give the Sith five minutes alone with them. Then the Council would meet with the Sith at last. It was dangerous, but the Jedi believed that the trade-off was worth the danger in which they would be placing Beru and Owen. They replied, via e-mail, to the Sith's message. He would come.

Palpatine read the short message from the Council. "They probably think their arrogant selves can talk me out of my chosen way of life. Fools!"

He had enough confidence that before the Jedi could reach them, Beru or Owen would be his. It would take only a few minutes. The Jedi had underestimated the power of the Dark Side.

As usual.


Beru and Owen were waiting in the empty lounge of Padawan Place. The twelve members of the Jedi Council were nearby, preparing for their own meeting with the Sith.

Meanwhile, Beru was admonishing her companion, "Remember, Owen, the Sith use psychological weapons. We can't get all emotional."

Owen nodded.

Beru continued, "There can only be two Sith. He wants an apprentice, but only one, remember. He needs to find a way to make us give in. He will use our affections, and Owen, I need you to listen carefully. We have to let that go."

"What?"

"What we feel. He will offer us a way out, but only one. He will use our affection for each other to make us give in. And we won't allow that to happen."

"But the Jedi will come in before it comes to that."

"I don't think so. I can feel it."

Owen jumped up "Let's tell the Jedi, then, call it off!"

"Too late, Owen." Her voice was eerily calm, "He's just minutes away from us. Anyways, I want this confrontation. I want to look evil in the face and have my chance to say that I will never lose my soul."

Owen thought that he would lose his soul if it meant Beru would always be safe. He loved her, and he would . . . He saw Beru shaking her head violently at him.

"Don't," she ordered, "I would rather be dead than know that you gave in. Know that Owen. Because I foresee that he will hurt one of us, and offer to let the torture stop."

"Then why do this?"

"It's our destiny," she replied simply.

"Oh, that's nice way to describe suicide!" He paused, realization, "Isn't that what you've been trying to do your whole life? Ever since you were old enough to hate your parents? It's been eating you, Beru. If you want closure, confront your Mom and Dad, don't go seeking out a Sith for some vicarious therapy!" Owen's anger was rising, "And since when have you been so Force Sensitive to play Jedi?"

Beru decided to ignore his comments, anger would only distract and make them vulnerable. She said simply, "Even if I start to beg for the torture to stop, do not give in."

"Beru did you hear what I just said?"

"Yes, but we will not be divided, not now. Our lives depend on it." Holding up her hands, "Come, now, before we lose time. Let us make an oath."

"An oath?"

"Something tangible to hold on to. We'll create our ultimate weapon."

"Beru. I've had enough of . . ."

"Owen, now!" she ordered, cutting off his complaint. He felt it then, something powerful, moving, something . . . and he complied.

Unconsciously their hands fell into the traditional wedding oath pose, palms outward, touching. "Repeat after me: I solemly swear."

"I solemnly swear . . ."

"That I will never give into the forces of evil . . ."

"That I will never give into the forces of evil . . ."

"And I will protect those I love with my very life, from the same forces. Even if it means torture or death. I will never betray myself or those I love to the evil ones."

Owen repeated what she said, staring into her eyes.

"I solemnly swear."

"I solemnly swear."

It was as though they had left Padawan Place and were in another time. A bond, an unbreakable bond formed through that oath. Without knowing how, they were kissing tenderly, and swearing always to love each other.

"What a moving scene," Darth Sidious commented from the door of Padawan Place. He was in his hooded glory, boasting exaggerated evil. The couple broke their embrace, then turned toward him. "Mind if I sit down?" he moved towards the table.

"Yes, sir, I mind. We don't make it a habit to invite monsters to our table," Beru replied.

Sidious smiled and gestured invitingly to Beru and Owen. They complied and walked before him into the center of Padawan Place, the Framed Code in front and the Council holo behind them.

"I like your artwork," the Sith said genially.

The pair did not answer. He went on, "So here we are! How quaint. I can't believe that this is truly our first meeting. I feel as though I've known you for weeks."

"Yes, we've been getting to know you, too," Beru answered, "I don't think you'll be invited to our Jedi family reunion."

The Sith laughed, but had hard eyes. "I like your humor, Young Mern, but let's dispense with the pleasantries. Have you chosen? I know you received my challenge."

"Yes," Beru said confidently, "We have chosen. You are sad, very sad, weak, fearful. We will not join you."

"Did I ever ask for both of you?"

"Pardon, me. Laspse of tongue. Neither of us choose to join you," she said and looked the Sith straight in the eye.

Sidious was a little unnerved. Where had the girl gotten the strength? He then sensed something else, from the boy, uncertainty. He would use him then. He wanted Beru, but his dark sense was telling him that Beru was too strong in the Light side of the Force. Her fear was controlled.
Very well, the boy.

"Don't you speak, young Lars?" Owen's head jerked up startled. "Your girl is doing all the talking and she is proving to be a little stubborn. But what about you? I feel the conflict in you. Would you allow me to help you decide?"

Beru's hand tightened on Owen, "Stay strong" she whispered.

"You are annoying me now, girl," Sidious said and with a gesture from him, she flew back, invisible electricity zipping through her.

Owen ran to her, only to find more bolts, this time visible, going through her. "The closer you get to her, the more she receives, boy. Come with me and I promise to stop."

Owen's head was reeling. He had anger flow through him like he'd never felt before. "Good," the Sith leered. Owen started for him,

"Owen! No!" Beru screamed. Owen stopped. This was exactly as Beru said it would be. The Sith's actions seemed planned, almost text-book like. Sith Seduction 101. He breathed and looked over to Beru who gave him strength.

"Beru is right, you are sad. I would rather die than be like you!" And before the Sith could answer, the sounds of Adi Beluba and the other members of the Jedi Council were heard entering. The five minutes were up.

Sidious knew he had lost this round. Perhaps if given more time he could break the boy, but since the Council was still strong, there was nothing he could do but flee. Breaking the promise to meet with the Jedi meant nothing. He rarely kept his word.

"Later, children."

He was gone.

Owen ran to Beru, tried to pick her up and was shocked. Beru fell unconscious.

She awoke in the medical room of the Temple. It was a dream, a bad dream. No, it almost seemed like something out of some melodramatic holo-vid. But looking at her bandages, Beru was struck with reality. As a comfort, the kind face of Adi was before her, and Owen was there. She tried to croak out something, but no sound came out.

Owen took her hand. "You're fine. We'll be fine."

She smiled and went to sleep.

Owen was walking with his brother. "Tantoinne?"

"The Council believes you will be safe there. The Sith will want revenge. They never let a grudge go unpaid."

"So that's the end of me, eh?"

"No. The Council has alloted funds to set you up in a farm, a moisture farm, with Beru. That is, if you wish to stay together."

"I do. I'm going to ask her to marry me."

"Good," Obi Wan said. "She is a fine, strong woman. You are lucky."

"Yes, I know. In more ways than one." Would he have given into the Sith without her giving him strength? Absolutely! But then if he'd never met her, the Sith would never have found him.

Perhaps.

"Beru and I took an oath against the evil one. It was powerful."

"Yes."

"I wish we had never gotten involved. If Padawan Place had never existed . . . Our lives have been pure hell because of it. I want nothing more to do with any of it. You Jedi can fight the world and have Sith destroy you for all I care." Obi-Wan was startled by his brother's vehemence. "I mean it, Ben. Ever since this happened, all the people I care about have been hurt. It's taken away our friends, our careers, and . . . our children. You know that the bolts from the Sith damaged Beru so that she can never be fertile?"

"I heard. I'm sorry."

"Not as sorry as I. And for what? We didn't capture the Sith or find out his identity. Nothing was accomplished!"

"The Council disagrees. It's not clear to them, but they sense that whatever happened has given you and Beru the experience and character needed for a far more important service which you will give to the Force."

The remark infuriated Owen, "I'll show you a 'sense' Obi-Wan Kenobi! I sense that you all have seen the last of me and Beru. The Jedi Council and their destinies and the Force, and all of it can go to rot for all I care!"

"Owen, you don't mean this."

"What do you know of what I mean and don't mean? You barely know me! Service to the Force . . . huh. It makes me sick. Used as Guinea Pigs by the Jedi! Yeah, send me to Tantoinne, give me a farm, it's the least those blood-suckers can do, but I won't help them further. I never want to see or hear from any of you again!" He was shouting by the time he made it to the last statement, hate was eminating from every pore.

Obi-Wan stood silent before this display of wrath.

Owen calmed down and added, "That's how I feel, but knowing Beru . . . the Beru I know and love won't go and forget. She'll be more than willing to continue as the Jedi's pet." Owen spat out the last word and stomped off, leaving his brother shocked and hurt.


"Obi-Wan is what?" Owen asked Beru, incredulous.

"Officiating at our wedding!"

"He agreed? "

"Of course, he's family."

"But we had a huge . . ."

"Fight. Yes he told me."

"And he still wants to be at our wedding?"

"Owen, fighting between you is to be expected. You're brothers! Ususally it's only those whom we love that can get us so mad."

Owen was silent. She was playing Wise Jedi again. The fact that she was probably right annoyed him.

Family. He looked at Beru. She would be his family now. That's what was most important now. As for Ben, he would work it out with him later . . . maybe.

Isn't that the way it always is with families?


Beru was making her wedding dress, humming. She'd been pleasantly surprised earlier that day. Queen Amidala of Naboo was back in Coruscant and would be at the wedding, a simple ceremony. Beru sighed, Padme would have been a good friend, but impossible now that she and Owen were going into exile. Their parents would be informed by a brief goodbye note that could never be tracked. It was more of a sacrifice for Owen than Beru. He and his father had been close.

"Nice that they let you in on the secret," Beru said to Padme.

"Well, lately I've been in on more than a few, as you found out, you nosy thing!"

Beru shrugged, "I was good at my work."

"You could have done some intelligence work for the Republic."

"I could have done a lot."

Quietly, "You still can Beru."

"I know," she sighed, "just no longer in the center of things. Out in the desert I'll have to find my worth. Build a marriage, family--we will adopt, you know that don't you?"

"Of course."

Padme brought up tentatively, "Remember what you told me about that conversation with Owen? About those we love having the ability to make us the most angry?"

"Yes," Beru answered warily.

Taking a breath, "Then you must love your parents very much, despite everything. And if you want a smidgen of piece of mind, you must forgive and make peace with them."

Beru's lips thinned, tears came to her eyes, "Not now. I can't forgive them, not yet. Please don't ask me."

Padme nodded, "Very well. But don't take too long. You never know when it's going to be too late."

Beru and Owen were sitting on their bed in their transport to Tantoinne. They had begun their married life and were closer than ever. Their room afforded a clear view of the streaks signifying light speed. Beru sat behind her husband, embracing him from behind, her head on his shoulder. As they watched the blurred stars, she remembered their dead friends, Zache and Clari, their parents, brother Obi-Wan, whom they almost got to know, Queen Amidala, a friend and confidant, all lost to them . . .

Owen daily expressed his lament that he and Beru got involved with the Jedi. Today, as always Beru reminded him, "Let the anger go, Owen. We'll begin again. We can."

He nodded silently.

Beru asked, "Do you think Ben's received the message by now?"

"Most likely."

It had taken some persuading on Owen's part to have Beru agree to the proposition contained in the cryptic message to Obi-Wan. She eventually relented, beginning already to transfer power to her husband. It would have to be that way on their farm, in their marriage. May as well begin now for--dear Owen--he had so often given up his own will for her. She would allow him to lead now and trust that somehow there was a meaning to all of the pain.


Obi-Wan read the message from his brother and new sister, shaking his head. It was harsh, but then it was theirs to do with as they pleased.
Obi-Wan hired the men for the job making certain that the request was fulfilled in a safe manner.

And had 'Padawan Place' burned to the ground.