Obi-Wan, Anakin and Cory stand in the centre of the Jedi Council Chamber. The members of the Council are seated in a circle surrounding them - Cory is directly facing her Master.

"Track down this bounty hunter, you must, Obi-Wan," Yoda instructs

"Most importantly, find out who he's working for," Mace Windu adds and the rest of the council nods

"What about Senator Amidala? She will still need protecting,"

"Handle that, your Padawan will, Cory, stay and assist me with the younglings you shall,"

"But master, with all due respect, I think I'm ready for bigger missions,"

"Made my decision, I have. Assist Obi-Wan you may if you desire," Cory sighs and tries not to roll her eyes. Either her master was sending her on strange missions with other Jedi masters, or he was using her as free childcare.

"Anakin, escort the Senator back to her home planet of Naboo. She'll be safer there. And don't use registered transport. Travel as refugees,"

"As the leader of the opposition, it will be very difficult to get Senator Amidala to leave the Capital," Anakin sounds sceptical of the plan and Cory nods her head in agreement, Padmé seemed like a stubborn woman.

"Until caught this killer is, our judgement she must respect,"

"Anakin, go to the Senate and ask Chancellor Palpatine to speak with her," Mace Windu later dismisses the three Jedi and they bow, walking out of the chambers.

On the walk back to her room, Cory sees Mace Windu and Obi-Wan walking along the Temple corridors, Yoda next to them, riding in a small floating chair. She slows down, attempting to hear what they're talking about.

"I am concerned for my Padawan. He is not ready to be given this assignment on his own yet. Perhaps you should send Coretta with him,"

"The Council is confident in this decision, Obi-Wan," Yoda glances back where he sees his padawan walking much slower than her natural pace.

"The boy has exceptional skills," Mace Windu comforts Obi-Wan "As does Cory, but they work together too often, we need to see their skills alone,"

"But Anakin still has much to learn, Master. His abilities have made him... well, arrogant," Cory holds back a laugh.

"Yes, yes. It's a flaw more and more common among Jedi. Too sure of themselves they are. Even the older, more experienced ones," Yoda gives Obi-Wan a look as he stops in front of them. This forces Cory to walk past the group, giving them polite smiles.

"Remember Obi-Wan. If the prophecy is true, your apprentice is the only one who can bring the Force..." Cory is just out of earshot and she sighs, heading in the direction of her room. She walks past several older younglings who smile at her and wave - one of them being a very excitable Ashoka Tano.

Coretta soon reaches her chambers, and she smiles when she sees Anakin pacing back and forth outside her room "Anakin!" she greets, getting closer "What're you doing here?"

He stops and turns to look at her "I was worried I wouldn't get to see you before I left,"

"Well, I'm here," she smiles and puts her hand up to the screen next to her door so it opens, and she gestures for Anakin to follow her in "Are you excited for your first assignment without Obi-Wan?"

"I'd prefer it if you were with me," Anakin admits and Cory's door shuts behind him.

She gives him a soft smile and leans on the brown armchair that faces her bed. All Jedi rooms were the same: brown and ugly. Cory had a few paintings up, and her bedsheets were as colourful as she could get, but she knew Anakin had practically an entire workshop in his room.

"You'll be okay," Cory watches Anakin sit down on her bed, he looks up at her and Cory can tell he's nervous, although he wouldn't admit it. "You're a great Jedi Ani, and protecting people is second nature to you - especially those close to you,"

"Thank you," Anakin mutters and avoids Cory's eyes and he becomes shy under her gaze "I have to go before Obi-Wan comes to find me," he stands and Cory follows his lead.

"Good luck," She knows it's improper, but that doesn't stop her from practically leaping forward towards Anakin to wrap her arms around his neck in a hug.

His arms wrap around her torso and he takes a deep breath "You'll be fine," Cory whispers but when she tries to pull away, Anakin holds her tighter.

"I'll miss you," he hopes she doesn't hear it, but she does

"So will I...I always do," This time he lets her go and he gives her a brave smile before leaving her room. She has a few moments of silence while she stares at the door where Anakin had just left, and then, she hears the familiar beep from her Datepad.

"The younglings!".

After an afternoon of teaching, and an evening of meditating, Coretta wakes up to several consecutive beeps from her data pad, she groans and rolls over, finding two missed calls from Obi-Wan and a message.

'Breakfast?'

"Why does breakfast involve dodgy alleyways?" Coretta Follows Obi-Wan through a tough part of town. Old buildings and warehouses stand strong, beat-up speeder zooming above them, Cory is pinning her hair up as they walk.

"We're meeting an old friend, I thought you could use some food," Coretta 'hmphs' and crosses her arms, Obi-Wan smiles fondly "Sometimes I wonder how I let you and Anakin get so alike,"

"Only in the mornings," she grumbles, Obi-Wan laughs "Are you worried about him?"

"Are you?" he retaliates

"A little," they come across an old dinner with steamed-up windows, the lettering outside reads 'DEX'S DINER'. in alien lettering.

"Their aircraft arrived in Theed this morning, Senator Amidala plans to visit her family, then return to the safety of the palace" Obi-Wan leads the young woman inside, there's a brief pause as the patrons watch them, recognising their attire.

A droid goes to open the serving hatch behind the counter "Some people to see ya, honey. Jedi, by the looks of 'em."

Steam billows out from the kitchen hatch behind the counter as a huge head pokes through.

"Obi-Wan!" a large alien greets happily.

"Hey, Dex."

"Take a seat! Be right with ya!"

Obi-Wan waits for Cory to slide into a booth, then perches next to her

"You want some Jawa Juice?" The droid asks

"Oh yes, thank you. A serving of Blue Bantha pancakes for the padawan as well please,"

"Comin' right up,"

As they wait, their drinks arrive with Cory's breakfast, a complimentary side of Palmfruit Yogurt from Dex. When he appears, he embraces Obi-Wan - with his four arms.

"Hey, ol' buddy!"

"Hey, Dex!"

Obi-Wan sits back down next to Cory and Dex eases himself into the seat opposite, he can just make it.

"Who's this then, you got yourself a new padawan already?"

"No," Obi-Wan laughs "This is Coretta, one of Anakin's friends," she waves, gulping down her pancake.

"Pleasure to meet you,"

"She's got manners. So my friend, what can I do for ya?"

"You can tell me what this is," he places the dart from yesterday's chase on the table between them. Dex's eyes widen and he puts down his cup, speaking softly.

"Well, whaddya know..." he picks up the dart delicately between his puffy fingers and peers at it " I ain't seen one of these since I was prospecting on Subterrel beyond the Outer Rim!"

"Can you tell us where it came from?"

Dex grins and puts the dart down between them "This baby belongs to them cloners. What you got here is a Kamino saberdart,"

"Kamino saberdart?"

"Why didn't it show up when you searched the analysis archive?" Cory questions

"It's these funny little cuts on the side that give it away..." Dex interjects "Those analysis droids you've got over there only focus on symbols, you know. I should think you Jedi would have more respect for the difference between knowledge and wisdom,"

Obi-Wan laughs "Well, Dex, if droids could think, we wouldn't be here, would we? Kamino... doesn't sound familiar. Is it part of the Republic?"

"No, it's beyond the Outer Rim. I'd say about twelve parsecs outside the Rishi Maze, toward the south. It should be easy to find, even for those droids in your archive. These Kaminoans keep to themselves. They're cloners. Damned good ones, too,"

Coretta reaches over her breakfast plate and picks up the dark inspecting it "Cloners? Are they friendly?"

"It depends,"

"On what, Dex?" Obi-Wan grins

"On how good your manners are..." he gestures to Cory, then Obi-Wan "and how big your pocketbook is..."

Cory finishes up her breakfast, and she and Obi-Wan return to the temple, going their separate ways.

"Ah! Here your trainer is," Yoda exclaims when Cory enters the youngling's training centre, she smiles awkwardly, and waves at the twenty or so four-year-olds. She starts to prepare the training droids and watches the younglings chat amongst themselves, she missed having that innocence, having that many friends...

As the session passes, Coretta watches the younglings with the helmets over their eyes, trying to strike with their miniature lightsabers.

"Don't think... feel... be as one with the Force. Help you, it will," Yoda notices Obi-Wan hovering by the doorway "Younglings - enough! A visitor we have. Welcome him,"

The children turn off their lightsabers and lift their helmets.

"Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, meet the mighty Bear Clan."

"Welcome, Master Obi-Wan!" the children echo, Cory joins them, bowing to her friend.

"I am sorry to disturb you, Master."

"What help to you, can I be?"

"I'm looking for a planet described to me by an old friend. I trust him. But the system doesn't show up on the archive maps,"

"Lost a planet, Master Obi-Wan has. How embarrassing... how embarrassing," Yoda teases "Liam, the shades," a youngling closes the blinds " An interesting puzzle. Gather, younglings, around the map reader. Clear your minds and find Obi-Wan's wayward planet, we will. As shall Coretta,"

The reader is a small shaft with a hollow opening at the top, and everyone gathers around it. Obi-Wan takes out a little glass ball and places it into the bowl. The window shades close, the reader lights up and projects the star map hologram into the room. Some of the children laugh in wonder and try to touch the nebulae and stars.

Cory smiles at them all, and one young girl leans into her legs, Cory kneels down and rubs her back, pointing out the stars near them. The poor girl was terribly shy, Cory had been the one Jedi she had clung to, and Yoda had suggested that she would be a good candidate for Cory's Padawan once she was promoted to Jedi Knight.

Obi-Wan walks into the display and points "This is where it ought to be... but it isn't. Gravity is pulling all the stars in this area inward to this spot. There should be a star here... but there isn't."

"Most interesting. Gravity's silhouette remains, but the star and all its planets have disappeared. How can this be? Now, younglings, in your mind, what is the first thing you see? An answer?" silence "A thought? Anyone?"

There is a brief pause. Then a boy puts his hand up, Yoda nods.

"Master? Because someone erased it from the archive memory," the children around him nod and agree

Zelo, the girl hiding in Cory's robes speaks up quietly "If the planet blew up, the gravity would go away,"

"Well done," Cory praises and Obi-Wan stares at this revelation.

"Truly wonderful, the mind of a child is," Yoda chuckles "The Padawans are right. Go to the centre of the gravity's pull, and find your planet you will," he leads Obi-Wan away from the children, and with the wave of his hand, Obi-Wan causes the star map to disappear, he uses the force to call the glass ball back to his hand as the two walk into an adjoining room.

Coretta flicks the shades back up and resumes the training session.