NEW BEGINNING - Book I

Chapter 8

Revealing (Part 1)

Over the last weeks Anakin had worried a lot for his padawan. He's been acting strange since the encounter with Maul. The young padawan rarely slept, he didn't pay attention when Anakin lectured him, not when they attended a meeting, not even when they trained. He often seemed to be irritated and confused. Sometimes he even checked his surroundings like an animal on the run. But Petro didn't talk to him about it. The padawan pretended that everything was normal. Anakin began considering asking him about it but Petro probably wouldn't talk to him, or would he? The jedi knight needed advise so he went to his master's quarters. Fortunately, Obi-Wan and Katooni were currently on Coruscant.
Anakin didn't even need to knock because his former master felt his presence.

'Come on in Anakin.' Same old Obi-Wan, Anakin thought in amusement.

'I can feel something's disturbing you.'

'Yes, it's Petro.' Anakin sat down at a small table. Obi-Wan placed two cups of tea on it before he took a seat himself.

'Thank you.' Anakin sighed. 'He's been acting strange ever since the mission on Cato Neimodia.'

The elder jedi thoughtfully stroked his beard. 'Hmmm, I've also recognised his strange behaviour but I assumed it was only exhaustion. Being a padawan is a lot of new unknown pressure. And there is also the fact that your padawan often gets punished.' Obi Wan chuckled.

'O thought so to in the beginning. But he's often distracted and seems to be in his own world. And he does not talk to me about it. I don't know what to do.'
'I think you should just ask him about it. And if he feels uncomfortable talking about it with you, you can always send him to me or master Yoda.'

'Thanks Obi-Wan. I'll talk to him right away.'

Anakin has already jumped from his seat when his former master stopped him.

'Wait Anakin. I accompany you. Katooni and Petro are always spending their time together when we are in the temple, so I assume that my padawan will be in the exact place as your's.'

Katooni and Petro were sitting on the branches of the old tree in the Temple Garden. They currently told each other about their last mission.

'We just made it out in time. If we'd have only stayed a few seconds longer we would have exploded with the building!' The young boy might have exaggerated sometimes but most of the things he told his friend were true.

'We were in a similar situation on a planet in the Outer Rim.' Suddenly her joyful mood changed and she looked concerned. Katooni felt that something was troubling her friend. She always knew because of their tight bond.

'Did it happen again?' Katooni was the only one who knew about the nightmares he's been having and the cloaked man who controls him from time to time.
He hesitated but finally told her what happened.

'You almost choked the Separatist commander to death?! Petro I'm afraid it's getting worse.' Katooni was obviously very anxious about his friends problem.

'You're a padawan. You shouldn't even be able to do that yet.'

The Corellian looked down at his hands.
'I know... I thought I've left all this behind me when I left Almas, but I think it will follow me wherever I go. I will never be free.'

'Don't give up hope. You're only on Coruscant for a few months. Maybe it needs more time to end.'

'You're right. I'm sure I'll learn how to control myself in such situations. You'll see.' He didn't sound convinced at all.

'I don't think so. It's time to get help, Petro. You should talk to master Skywalker or master Yoda. It's only for the best.' She placed a hand on her friend's shoulder to comfort him a little.

'What if they expel me for this? They could say that my actions are unforeseeable and that I'm a risk for the Jedi Order. They considered to expel me only half a year back and they'll consider it again.'

'But I thought you trust your master. I'm sure he can convince the Council of your innocence in this.'

'I do trust him. The problem is that I'm not innocent! I break the Jedi code on almost every mission because I can't control myself.' he took his head in his hands.

Katooni had nothing to say on this. He was right and she didn't know how to help him.
Petro looked up again and lost himself in his friend's blue eyes. He knew he could always count on her. Katooni always had a good device at hand. One day she was going to be as wise as master Yoda, that was for sure.

They were interrupted by their masters who came searching for them in the Temple Garden.

'Masters, is there a problem?' Katooni asked nervously.

'No, everything is fine, Katooni.' Obi Wan responded.

The Tholothian girl jumped down from the branch she had been sitting on, followed by Petro.

'Come on, Katooni. Master Skywalker and padawan Petro have to discuss a few things. And you're not allowed to sit on the branches you know that very well.'
'Yes master. I'm sorry.' Before they left Katooni twinkled encouragingly at Petro.

The young orellian boy took a deep breath preparing for what he was about to say. But he didn't have the chance to because Anakin was the first who started talking.

'Petro, I recognised that you've often been disturbed over the last weeks. If you tell me what's bothering you I might be able to help you solving it.'

Anakin was obviously not fully comfortable having this talk with his padawan.

Petro felt that but decided to take Katooni's advice.

'The truth is...I...I had visions. Visions about a hooded man who keeps telling me that I'm his apprentice. He often orders me to...kill somebody, usually my enemies but sometimes even my friends.' Petro lowered his head.

'He has the ability to control me and I don't know what to do about it.'

Anakin tried hard not to look too concerned. What Petro told him sounded strange and dangerous. He had no clue what this could all be about. Nevertheless, he tried his best not to show Petro ist concerns.

'It's good that you told me about it. Visions can show us our deepest fears, but also things that might happen in the future. You have to tell me when you're having a vision again. Over time it's possible that your visions will become clearer and they can reveal more to you than they did before.'

Petro looked up at his master and nodded. He was obviously scared by the fact that it might be the future, the cloaked figure.

'Listen. You must follow your instincts and keep a cool head if you want to come behind all of this.'

Petro nodded again, but this time he was determined. Determined to find out the truth behind all of this.

'I won't disappoint you, master.'

'I know you won't.' Anakin laid his arm around Petro's shoulders.

'Come on, let's join Obi-Wan and Katooni.' This lightened Petro's mood immediately.