"I do," Master Windu nodded. I lowered my eyes and stepped back from him, relieved to have that over. He shifted his gaze to the Master beside me. "Anything else to add?"

"I stand by my actions," Qui-Gon said blandly.

Mace's eyes narrowed. "If you weren't already stationed here by senatorial request, I would have suspended you for what you did."

"I think I was justified. It was no worse than what Depa attempted to do."

I looked up at Qui-Gon, mystified. I couldn't remember him being a part of my tantrum. "What did you do?"

The Master bowed his head before giving me a glance out of the corner of his eye. "I used the Force against another Jedi."

The confused furrow in my forehead grew deeper. "When was this?"

"When you ran out of here. Master Depa attempted to use the Force to restrain you," he informed me. "I deflected her motion with the Force." He looked up again and eyed Mace. "Stacey's reaction was perfectly normal for a human, we didn't need Force-play to make things worse."

Now I remembered the rush of movement behind me, the wind that was not wind. "Oh," I breathed.

"Let us put it behind us and move forward," Adi implored. "You asked us to hear you, Qui-Gon. What do you have to say? Does it regard what happened here the day before yesterday?"

"It does indeed." Qui-Gon glanced at me, and then past me to Obi-Wan, who had accompanied us this time. The Padawan stood straight and still, hands hidden inside his robe sleeves, his usual emotionless frown decorating his young face. "We have discussed it amongst ourselves, and have come to our own decision on the matter of what to do with Stacey. We will not allow her to be separated from us."

Mace sat on the corner of his desk, keeping a patient look on his face. "Do you have a reason?"

"Several. First and foremost, she is bonded to me and indirectly to Obi-Wan through the midi-chlorians that were gifted to her," Qui-Gon explained. "We have been no more than a hundred kilometers apart at the most in all this time, so I can't say what would happen to her sensitivity or her health if she should be removed farther from me. And, considering that as of yet no other Jedi is able to sense her, I feel that she should stay with us in order to make use of her sensitivity. If you recall," he added, "even Master Yoda said that because she is bonded to me, she should remain with me."

"...'For now,'" Mace reminded. "That was also before he meditated with you and was able to touch her mind."

"Though, he has said nothing to us about what he experienced," Adi broke in.

"Nor to me," Qui-Gon put in.

Windu got up from his seat and made to pace. "I understand that this is the case; however, you and your apprentice are the only beneficiaries of the bond. That makes it very difficult to anticipate what sort of purpose she may have for being among us."

"That is another of my reasons," Master Qui-Gon tried to add.

"But, as someone brought up in Council, we are no closer now to discovering her purpose than we were a week or a month ago. The testing you did on your retreat, and the experiences you have had, may have taught us much about her, but the one thing they have not done is tell us why she is here." Mace paused right in front of me and looked down at me. He was actually shorter than Qui-Gon by quite a bit, but still taller than me and thus intimidating. "Unless you can give us a clear reason to keep you here, then I'm afraid we will have no choice but to find this matter closed and make arrangements to have you transported somewhere safe."

I shot Obi-Wan a glance, but his face and mind did not change, though he did meet my eyes. I could have spoken up right then, blurted out either my knowledge of the future or my feelings for the two Jedi on either side of me, but I did not. "I don't know what I have to offer you," I said quietly. "If you want a reason, bug the Force, not me. I don't know anything."

"Mace, please," Qui-Gon pleaded. "Give us time, and a chance to explain our position."

"I wish I had the time to give you," Windu said, for once showing some semblance of emotion as he gazed regretfully at the Master. "There are other matters which require our attention."

"A compromise, then." Qui-Gon spoke briskly, straightforwardly, as if brooking no argument. "Allow her to remain at the Temple, among us, but give her her own quarters. She would be safe here, under no one's charge...not even mine." A brief flutter of emotion registered on his face. "I would accept that. Could you?"

Mace Windu sighed long and paused for thought. "Qui-Gon," he finally said, "your willingness to compromise is appreciated, but this isn't a matter of whether or not she is with you. The reasoning for the Council's position runs far deeper than that." He glanced at me again. "I'm sorry. We have no other choice."

I had been thinking of one last, desperate option, one that I had not even shared with Qui-Gon, but I wasn't sure if it was something they did in the Star Wars universe. Nevertheless, I plucked up my courage and tried it anyway. In one breath I blurted out, "Then I request asylum!"

Eyes rounded on me. Even Mace looked startled. "On what grounds?" he demanded.

Oh, good, they do have asylum here. I scrambled to think of a reason the Jedi Order should grant me such a request, political or otherwise. "Um...on the grounds that I do not belong to this galaxy and have nowhere to go. I'm a stranger here," I reasoned, "and I have absolutely no survival skills to deal with this galaxy. I have no family, no community, no planet or nationality - I'm not even a citizen of the Republic! If I'm not given asylum...well, I'll be in danger no matter where I go because I don't know how to survive here on my own. I'll be a prime target for criminals. You don't want me to end up robbed or raped or killed, do you?"

No one answered; the question was obviously rhetorical. I stood there, rigid, fists clenched at my sides, waiting for a decision. I could feel the eyes on me, as Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan stared in wonder. "We would have to convene the High Council," Adi said after a long silence. "Only full Council can grant a request for asylum."

Mace Windu gazed at me for a long time, but not in anger or annoyance. He seemed to be thinking. I tried not to fidget. "Once a request has been made, before witnesses, it cannot be approved or denied without a full hearing," he said at last, essentially agreeing with Adi. "Very well. We will hold the hearing tomorrow. I will take it upon myself to inform the Council, while you should prepare your arguments."

"Thank you," Qui-Gon said politely, bowing to both councilors. He turned to go, and after bobbing my head in a similar means of respect, I followed, Obi-Wan right behind me. We strode up the corridor to the lift in a single-file line, saying nothing until the Master had summoned the lift. "Whatever made you think to do that?" he exclaimed in a hushed voice, then.

"I don't know," I admitted. "It just came to me. I was thinking about it last night, that if I was left with no other choice, I could try asking for asylum." I fretted as I looked up into his face. "I'm right, though, aren't I? I'm not a citizen of the Republic, I'd be seeking refuge here just like a refugee from one country or one world would do in order to escape persecution."

"Yes, that is right," Qui-Gon nodded. "I'm actually quite impressed, that was very clever of you."

"Now we'll have to come up with compelling arguments to present to the whole Council," Obi-Wan reminded as the lift doors opened.

"Considering I had hoped to somehow bring the issue to debate before the whole Council anyway, I would say we're in good shape." Master Qui-Gon led the way into the lift, smiling crookedly at me as I obediently followed him. "Come, we have work to do."

For the entire day, or at least what remained of it, the three of us plunged into our desperate mission, closed in quarters with datapads and the communicator blazing. It was determined that I should focus on the lack of skills I had to cope with life in this galaxy, as it seemed our best course. Qui-Gon asked me to write down all the differences between my upbringing on Earth and the way of life here, in order to present a clear picture of my unpreparedness. Emphasis was placed not so much on the things I had never seen or done before, like space travel, but rather my conceptions of what was possible and impossible in the realm of the universe. Meanwhile, he composed concise arguments based on what we had already talked about amongst ourselves, and Obi-Wan researched any past cases of asylum requested and granted, in case mine had any similarity we could play upon. Unfortunately, it appeared that of the current seated members of the High Council, only seven of them were on it the last time anyone had even asked for asylum, much less been granted it. The Master assured me that we would be fine, as he had some idea which way certain members would feel based on what he planned to tell them. "I wish you could have sensed Adi Gallia's mind when you made your request," he said with a smile as he took a seat beside me on the couch. "There was a spark of optimism. On our way out the door, she projected a sense of hopefulness to me."

"You think she's on our side?" I wondered.

"I don't know that there are 'sides,' but yes, I think she will argue on your behalf."

"So how is this hearing going to work? Do I have to do anything?"

Qui-Gon set aside his datapad and turned to face me. "Customarily, either you yourself or someone who has taken you in their charge will present your reason for requesting asylum to the Council. If there are any witnesses who can corroborate your point, you may ask them to speak as well. Then, in your presence, the Council will debate the decision until consensus is reached." He paused and gazed seriously at me. "Would you like to present the reason yourself, or would you prefer that I did it?"

"Um..." I had to think about that. "I don't know. Which do you think would be better?"

The Master glanced away for a second. "Actually, I think you should do it. You chose to make the request of your own volition."

"Okay." My hands jiggled nervously in my lap. "How long does it have to be?"

"Not long at all. Just tell them what you want, why you asked for this. They can't fault you for your honesty, and your point of view does not necessarily have to be factual. Your perception of what is dangerous is more important than any statistical danger. Though," he added, picking the datapad up and gesturing with it, "this will help."

He held my dictated list of differences between home and here. We had gone over it for hours, clarifying certain points and eliminating any that could be easily contended. "All right. There's, uh...no way you can translate that back into something I can read?" I timidly asked.

Qui-Gon smiled sympathetically. "You won't need to read this to them. Let it come from your heart, your feelings. Don't think about what you need to say, just say it. If you need this information, I will be right beside you. I can speak for you if you wish."

"As long as you're going to be there," I sighed.

"Yes, I will be there. You're in my charge for the time being, I have to be there."

I looked across the room at Obi-Wan, who was still elbows-deep in research. "Will you come too, Obi-Wan?"

The Padawan's head turned quickly, startled. "Would you like me to?"

"I think you count as a witness," I pointed out.

"Oh. True." He smiled. "Then, I must."

"Good." Master Qui-Gon gathered his robe and stood up, heading for the kitchen area. "I think we are ready, then. Obi-Wan, turn that off. We should have more than enough to make our argument. It's mostly subjective anyway, from Stacey's point of view. We will deal with the arguments when they arise."

"Yes, Master," his Padawan agreed, complying. He came over to keep me company instead; I watched him gracefully take a seat beside me and couldn't help admiring him. "Do you know, I think I know that case we were talking about," he said. "The last asylum request. It was a long time ago."

"Oh?" I scrunched up my face curiously. "How long?"

"At least ten years. It was right about the time I was apprenticed, though I don't remember if it was just before or after."

"It was before," we heard Qui-Gon offer from the kitchen. "I have a distinct memory of Plo Koon asking my opinion on it while I was here, just prior to leaving for Bandomeer."

I grinned at the mention of the familiar part of their past and returned my gaze to Obi-Wan. "What was it about? Who was the requester?"

"It was very interesting," the Padawan insisted, shifting to face me on the couch with the most excitement I had seen from him in a while. "I only remember her name was Te, and she was a Twi'lek, a slave. Yes, you're right Master," he added, raising his voice a little. "I remember now, talking about her with Garen. Neither of us had ever seen a slave-girl before." He settled down and began to tell the story, or as much of it as he could recall. "I never saw her myself, though I know at the time it was the talk of the Temple and every initiate wanted to get a glimpse of her and the Knight who represented her. She had been a slave, perhaps in the possession of a Hutt, when she met a Jedi who was passing through whatever Outer Rim territory she was trapped in. The Knight could tell she was Force-sensitive, though she had been made to repress many of her abilities by her masters, who would beat her if she tried to escape. There was nothing the Knight could do for her, he was beyond Republic space and not on a slave-rescue mission, but he did befriend her. Some time later, Te managed to escape her most recent master and make her way to Coruscant, hiding out in cargo bays of freighters and apparently mind-tricking her way through checkpoints, until she arrived here, at the Jedi Temple, and begged for asylum in the name of the Jedi she knew." His eyes wandered downward as he searched the inner pathways of his memory, and a small smile played on his lips. "And it was granted. Though she could not become a Jedi, it was given to her to live here in the Temple and study the ways of the Force if she wished." He grew thoughtful, rubbing his chin. "The files I researched didn't make it clear if she was made a ward of the Temple or of the Knight who found her, but as far as I know she still lives here. There was no record of her leaving, or of anyone taking her under their charge since then."

"Wow," I found myself commenting. "That's really interesting. A Twi'lek slave? Did anyone come looking for her, do you know?"

"Oh, I doubt it. Criminals don't come knocking on the door of the Jedi Temple asking for their slaves back." Obi-Wan smiled wryly. "If they did, there would have been no way they could take her away. Once someone is granted asylum within the Jedi Temple, they cannot be removed, not even if they have committed a crime somewhere. Of course, that is why the High Council must convene a hearing and decide if the request is to be granted. And, it is not widely known outside the Jedi Order that it's even possible to make such a request."

Qui-Gon returned at that moment, with tea for all of us. "Master," his Padawan asked, "do you know if Te is still a ward of the Temple?"

"I would assume so," Qui-Gon replied. "I haven't seen her, I wouldn't know. Te's case is a good example of the extreme to which the Jedi Order must look before they can accept a request like this." He sat down in an adjacent chair with a hot mug of tea cradled in his large hands. "Since a Jedi must be objective, and take no sides in a conflict without being ordered to do so by the Council or the Senate, the Jedi Order must not intervene in conflicts where they have not been asked to by allowing political refugees to seek asylum here. Had Te not been Force-sensitive, to the point where she would have been a Jedi if she had been discovered at an early age, I doubt the Council would have had the evidence to approve her request. She may have been sheltered for a time, and given money or passage to a safe world, but very seldom would an average person in her situation been granted asylum." He looked at me, then, and a flow of reassurance in the Force caressed my senses even as my heart sank at the distressing thought that my situation was hopeless compared to Te's. "You have nothing to fear," he said softly. "Your presence here is alike to Te's in many ways. You are Force-sensitive, and you are unique among us."

I dared to hold his gaze and hope. "Do you think I'll get it?"

His eyebrows twitched as a thought crossed his mind, and I felt the reassuring strand dim as though eclipsed in shadow. "I'm not sure," he said at last. "I don't want to make promises that can be broken. But..." He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Your chances are good. You have everything you need. The determining factor is whether or not the entire Council will see your point of view and understand it, which is something no one can prepare for." He ended his statement by taking a delicate sip of his tea.

I stared absently at my hands still entwined in my lap. It was hard not to be discouraged at that moment. "I don't know what I'd do if they turn me down."

"At least you will get them to discuss it, openly," the Master reminded me. "Even if they don't approve the request for asylum, they can use the hearing to determine other options. They may make a decision which means essentially the same thing."

"And if they don't?"

Qui-Gon looked straight at me, his eyes at their bluest and most piercing. I felt the Force pressing against my mind, as if he were trying to mind-trick me or something, but I was only overcome with a sense of peace. "All that matters is here and now. Concentrate on the matter immediately in front of you, don't try to leap ahead to an obstacle that may or may not lie in the future."

I nodded brokenly. The strain was getting to me, I felt very tired all of a sudden, and lay my head against the back of the couch. "One way or another, we'll know tomorrow."

*****

When the enormous gray doors slid open before us, the nervousness I had been trying to stifle all night and all day rushed forward and throttled my heart. The twelve councilors were not seated in their cushy chairs as I was accustomed to seeing, but each standing beside their seat, facing the center of the circle, straight-backed and silent. I felt a hand on my back give me a little push, and I was moving forward cautiously, leading the procession. I strode to the center of the ornate tiled circle on the floor and turned to face Master Yoda, deciding to effect a small bow in the hopes it would make me look respectful. The more brownie points I could earn before opening my mouth, the better, I thought. Yoda gazed at me for a moment, and then lifted one hand. The councilors moved to sit down, and the wizened green Master stumped with his stick around to the front of his chair and climbed into it. I could feel Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan at my back, each standing just to one side of me, but for the moment the proceedings were focused on me alone, and I anxiously begged for them to hurry up and begin so all the waiting could be over. I had not slept well, having turned down offers of comfort from both of my friends in order to have the night alone to think, and consequently had spent the morning worrying that I would be tired and cranky in front of the Council, prone to outbursts and surly looks. As I stood with my hands at my sides, awaiting some words of ceremony from Yoda or Mace, the only thing I could feel was trepidation.

Mace Windu began plainly. "This hearing is to determine whether to grant the request of asylum made by Stacey, a visitor from beyond our galaxy." He settled his dark eyes on me. "Please tell us why you made this request."

It was time. I took a breath, aware that I was all alone in this, that the two Jedi behind me could say nothing unless asked and do nothing but stand there indifferently. "I asked for asylum, not even knowing whether or not you had that here, because the mere idea of trying to live somewhere else in this galaxy frightens me." I paused for another breath, more for courage than for oxygen, hoping I didn't sound too nervous. "Before I came here, I was under the assumption that this entire place and everything in it was fiction, that in reality there was no such thing as hyperspace, alien species, blasters and lightsabers, the Force, and so on. I was able to accept the reality of being here for a while because it was a novelty, a waking dream, and I reveled in the fun for a while. But now, the novelty's worn off and I'm faced with the stunning truth that I am...maybe millions of light years from the place of my birth. I have no home, no parents, no friends except Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, no planet or system that I can claim allegiance to or nationality. I'm not a citizen of the Republic. I don't know whether the Republic demands everyone carry some kind of identification, but I don't have any. I don't have any money or means of making any, since the technology here is vastly different from anything I've seen before. And, I don't know if there's any way I'll ever go home. I know none of you can sense me," I went on, fighting the urge to gesture with my hands by clenching one on my pants leg, "but I'm scared. I'm afraid that if I get sent away from here, before I can even get five feet out the door I'll be attacked or kidnapped. Whether it's real or imagined, I don't know, but I feel that I would be in danger if left to my own devices. At the very least, I'm scared that I won't be able to get a place to live and will end up broke and homeless on the lower levels of Coruscant. And that's bad enough, I've heard what it's like down there." I ran out of things to say, but felt a need to put some sort of conclusion on my statement before anyone else spoke. "I know it doesn't seem like it, but I really am very different from all of you. All I really want is to be safe, and to have a chance to expand my knowledge of the Force, since I've been given it thanks to Qui-Gon. That's all I'm asking of you."

A long silence followed, during which hardly anyone stirred. Mace lifted his eyes to the tall Jedi on my left. "Master Qui-Gon. You have taken charge of her while she has been here. What do you have to say?"

Qui-Gon tucked his hands into his sleeves before beginning. "I agree with Stacey's request, for the reasons she has given as well as for the sake of the Jedi Order." Some eyebrows lifted at that. "We have accepted that she is from another galaxy, and somehow the Force brought her here to us. There is a reason for that, though no one, not even she herself, knows it yet. It may be that she has a part to play in one life, or in many lives. To turn her out could potentially disrupt her purpose for being here, and leave her stranded. If she is intended to accomplish something and then return to her world, by not helping her discover and accomplish it, we risk preventing her from ever returning home. In addition, it is of great concern to me that we should seek to turn a Force-sensitive loose, and open up the potential for someone of less pure motives to find her and make use of her unique abilities. She is untrained and unfocused, and because of her age and the emotions that are a part of a woman in her stage of life, she walks closer to the Dark Side than any of us ever could. I don't want to see her turned, either by someone or by herself."

I repressed a shudder at his words. I didn't realize it before, but hearing him say so, it all made sense. I had just admitted to the Council how scared I was, and it was the truth - I was afraid of a lot of things. If fear is the path to the Dark Side, then I was one step away from starting down the Dark Path.

Mace's undisturbed gaze shifted to Obi-Wan. "Padawan Kenobi. Why have you been asked to be here?"

"I am a witness to everything that has happened to Stacey since she arrived here, Master," Obi-Wan replied. "I can corroborate anything she or Master Qui-Gon says."

"He is also a more objective party," his Master added, "because his connection to her is not as direct as mine. He is on the periphery, so to speak."

Several Masters nodded in acceptance of that. "Are the three of you prepared to answer any question we ask of you, truthfully to the best of your knowledge?" Master Windu went on. All three of us nodded. "Very well, then. The floor is open. Does anyone have direct opposition to the statements made?"

"I maintain my position in this matter," came a gruff voice. I looked to see Even Piell, the short Lannik who had lost an eye in battle once upon a time. For some reason I was expecting him to have a higher pitched voice, like a munchkin perhaps, or someone who had sucked on too much helium. But he spoke fairly normally, if a bit growly. "The mission of the Jedi Order is not to shelter lost creatures, no matter who they are. If we accept one such person, what is to stop a line of needy creatures from forming outside the Temple doors?" He looked around the circle of his colleagues. "She was in need when she arrived here, and we aided her. We gave her medical care and temporary shelter while she recovered. I see nothing to indicate that she is still in need of aid."

"But what of the factor of her lack of midi-chlorians?" Eeth Koth countered. "If not for the Jedi Order, she would not be Force-sensitive. We, essentially, created her, gave her this present incarnation. We have a responsibility to her."

"The question is, to what length?" Depa glanced at the councilor beside her. "I agree with your statement, Master Eeth, and with Qui-Gon's, but I believe it is no longer necessary to house her within the Temple walls." She held up a hand to stop several people from interrupting her until she had completed her remarks. "It's not that the issue of a midi-chlorian-less individual brought here from another galaxy is not important, I believe it still is. But the Council of First Knowledge is able to discuss and debate her impact on our knowledge of the universe without having her standing in their midst at every meeting. Keeping her close at hand has ceased to be important."

"Where do you propose sending her?" Mace wondered, glancing both at Depa and Even, though the latter was directly behind me and Mace had to peer around me to see him.

"Not far," Depa assured. "To send her to Alderaan or some like peaceful system would seem to me to be banishing her altogether. She could easily stay on Coruscant. In fact, it is my opinion that she should be within range of contact and transport, should a need arise to see her again."

"I am in complete disagreement," Ki-Adi Mundi said in his perpetually-lilting way. "I see no further need of her at all. She is healed and stable. Perhaps the Force brought her here to us initially so that we might heal her, but now has need of her elsewhere. She should be free to go where she pleases, outside the Temple."

"With respect, Knight Mundi, I am in complete disagreement with you," Adi Gallia spoke up. I bit my lip to keep from grinning when I heard her voice behind me. "She does not belong in this galaxy. To our eyes and our minds she appears to be an average human woman, but I assure you, she is not. She has a hidden presence in the Force. I have felt it. Master Yoda has felt it."

She paused, but if it was intended to get Yoda to speak up on my behalf, it failed, because he remained silent, his eyes half-closed as he listened to the debate lancing past him. Adi decided to continue. "I think it very important to keep a close eye on Stacey, not merely for her safety, though that is a factor. We ought to examine how her sensitivity develops, and even help her develop it if need be. I recall what I observed in her interaction with Master Jinn and young Kenobi while on Salji. She had developed enough sensitivity by then to be able to use the Force to call to them when in close proximity."

"Yes, I believe it is important to see how much her skills with the Force can develop over the long term," Eeth agreed. "That cannot be done if she is sent away and forgotten."

"But what importance is it to her?" a new voice interjected. It was behind me - Oppo Rancisis. "She will never be a Jedi, on that all of us can agree. Apart from a mild sensitivity which still has strong boundaries, she is in all appearances a normal human. Being able to make use of the Force is not essential to her well-being, so if she were to live a normal life, lacking Force-using skills would not be a detriment to her. She can survive without such skills."

"What is your opinion on her request?" Mace asked him.

The Thisspian tapped his long, furry fingers on the arm of his chair before thinking up a reply. "I am not concerned about her level of sensitivity, either from a Jedi standpoint or the Dark Side. Her skills are unknown beyond the Master and his apprentice, so departing from the Temple would not harm her or us in that sense. But, I am concerned about her safety. I would approve her request based on her personal argument alone."

"Master Adi, you were with her on Salji," Even Piell remarked. "Did she strike you as being unprepared, there? Was she unable to cope with life there?"

Adi was silent for a long time. "Salji is a poor example," she finally answered. "We were in the middle of a war zone, and she was in close company with three Jedi."

"But did you get any sense that she would have been unprepared to live on a planet such as that? Wars notwithstanding."

More silence. I couldn't touch her mind, but I could touch Qui-Gon's, and didn't like what I found. He was apprehensive about what she might answer. "I was impressed with the way she handled herself on Salji," Adi admitted. "She was surprised to meet beings of other species than her own, such as Wookiees, but not afraid of them. I wouldn't say she is prepared enough to, say, pilot a speeder, but..." She sighed reluctantly. "...I suppose under the right circumstances she could survive, and thrive, without Jedi supervision."

"Do you know what that would take, Masters?" I nearly jumped up and down, hearing that voice to my left: Saesee Tiin. He pressed the tips of his thick fingers together as he mused seriously on the topic. "I have walked briefly in her mind with my natural sense, I was struck by the distinctive thoughts that passed through her mind when I asked her about her home. Did you know, she cannot read Aurebesh? Her world uses different symbols in writing. She is unfamiliar with the types of food we eat, the means of gauging time and calendar such as we have, the currency of trade, even the technology behind refreshers." Several councilors chuckled at that, and though I turned red, I was glad he had said so - because he was right. "Great matters like space travel or new species are actually very small obstacles compared to those things which every one of us takes for granted because we have lived with them every day of our lives. I would be more concerned that Stacey could eat something poisonous to humans or fail to read an emergency sign and accidentally get sucked out an airlock, than that she could be kidnapped or harmed by an enemy."

"To be fair," Qui-Gon broke in, "I have been teaching her to read. It is going very slowly, though."

"It's hard," I muttered under my breath, unsure whether they wanted to hear my opinion or not.

"It would take extensive education to prepare her for a life on her own here," Saesee noted. "I know none of us have the time for that, nor does Master Qui-Gon. It would be cruel of us to simply dismiss her as baggage because we no longer feel her presence is important to us. She could die if we just sent her off to 'be normal.' She cannot be normal, because she can feel and use the Force. I am in agreement with Master Eeth, we created her, so we have a responsibility to her."

"What of the issue of her sensitivity?" Mace asked him. "Would she be a danger to herself or to us because of the Dark Side?"

"That, I cannot answer," Master Tiin said with a shake of his horned head. "I can walk in her mind, but I cannot sense her in the Force."

"I would think that might be her advantage," Oppo mused. "If we cannot sense her, surely someone with motives leading to the Dark Side could not sense her either." I glanced back at him to see him look towards us in the center. "Did Niall Oberanu? Master Qui-Gon?"

"No," he replied, turning to Oppo. "In fact, her life, mine, and Obi-Wan's were saved because Niall could not sense her. She was in the house where he lay in ambush, but he did not discover her because he used the Force to search for signs of life, as any of us would.

"However," he quickly added, "that is not a risk I would want to take. Niall did not sense her, but that does not mean someone someday couldn't figure out who she is and what she can do, and want to manipulate her skills for the Dark Side."

"But is her level of sensitivity even attractive to someone of the Dark Side?" Ki-Adi questioned severely. "Fallen Jedi and other rogue sensitives are probably more skilled themselves, they would not be interested in an untrained person such as her."

"I think the fact that she cannot be sensed by Jedi would be immensely attractive to someone with criminal motives," Adi said firmly.

"Master Qui-Gon, you have helped her develop some skills in the use of the Force," Depa said. "Do you think she is skilled enough to be a threat to us should she be turned?"

I looked up at Qui-Gon as he turned to face Depa Billaba, who was off to my right. His face was calm and controlled, but I could feel the strength of the Force which he employed to keep himself in check. "Does it matter? She would be a threat to someone. I or any one of us in this room could defeat her, but Jedi are not the only beings in the galaxy who can suffer at the hands of someone who has turned to the Dark Side. If a single innocent being is harmed because Stacey was made to turn, that is enough. If her own fears and anger cause her to fall, even that is suffering enough."

"I agree," Mace Windu broke in. I nearly fainted in astonishment. Looking at him, I could see a pensive frown on his face that deepened as he met my eyes. "It is unknown to any of us whether her sensitivity will develop to a point where some unscrupulous individual would want her, or whether she would be a threat of great magnitude, but we cannot afford to take that risk. Harm and threat are not quantifiable. Small harm is still harm."

"Indeed," another new voice spoke out. From the thin, reedy quality of it, I assumed - correctly - it was the peculiar Yarael Poof. "What matters is not what significance she has now, but her potential to be significant. Either to do harm, or to do good."

"Does anyone disagree?" Mace wondered. Silence was his answer. "I would like to take a preliminary vote. Silent, only. Where do you stand on this issue as of this moment?"

He looked slowly around the circle, holding each councilor's eyes for just a moment. Qui-Gon took my arm and steered me out of the way so Mace could see those seated behind us. I didn't understand what was going on until he had nearly finished: they were voting mentally. Each Jedi could only think of his or her answer, and Windu could sense it. Cool! I thought to myself.

The senior councilor sighed heavily. "Six for, four against, two undecided." His eyes went across the circle to Even. "You are still not convinced?"

"Not entirely," Piell said with a solemn bob of his head.

"Nor you, Master Depa?"

"I would need to know what the exact definition of asylum is," she replied. "I have never been a part of a hearing of this nature."

Mace sat for a moment in silence, his eyes cast on the floor in front of him. My mind was racing to guess which councilors voted which way, and who the two undecided parties were. This was not a majority vote, Qui-Gon had told me, it had to be a unanimous decision. Mace suddenly turned to the small seat on his right. "Master Yoda, why have you abstained your vote?"

My heart tightened with natural dread. Yoda didn't vote?

The ancient Master prefaced his comment with a long, ponderous, disheartening "hmm." "Prefer to hear all opinions do I, before my own will I share."

"Very well." Mace looked around the circle once more, and then addressed me before I even realized that he was looking at me again. "Do you understand what you're asking when you request asylum from us?"

"Yes," I said firmly, eternally grateful to Qui-Gon for going over this with me the day before. "If it's granted, I'll be sheltered here in the Temple indefinitely, unless I choose to leave or, in my case, the Force takes me away just as it brought me here. I'll be a ward of either the Temple or of Qui-Gon, who gets to make the rest of the decisions what to do with me."

"You want Qui-Gon to be your guardian," the senior councilor stated. I nodded.

"It would not be so great a responsibility that it would detract from my duty," the Master offered humbly.

"What do you think of that, Padawan Kenobi?"

Obi-Wan had been lost in his own thoughts, but looked up when called upon. "It would not be a problem at all, that I can see. Master Qui-Gon and I discussed it, and we both feel that it can be done without affecting our duty or my training."

Mace shot Depa a glance as if to ask her if that was information enough. "I can agree that keeping her inside the Temple would be appropriate," Master Billaba said, "but it's not necessary that she be under Master Qui-Gon's constant supervision."

"I don't know about constant," Adi quickly countered, leaning forward in her chair and resting her hands firmly on the arms, "but I think her connection to Master Qui-Gon is very important. It shouldn't be downplayed."

"We all understand that she has befriended the Master and his apprentice," Ki-Adi started to say, "but it would be in their best interests..."

"It's not the friendship," Adi sharply interrupted, "it's the bond. I have felt it at work. Without Qui-Gon, she would be nothing. He and his apprentice are the only ones who can sense her, who can work with her to develop her sensitivity. No one knows where this unique situation will lead. Given the chance, who knows what could happen? Certainly none of us - which is why I believe we cannot cast her aside merely because we don't know what to do with her. The Force will decide what role she is to play, and it is presumptuous of us to speak on its behalf."

That quieted all of them for a second. I closed my eyes briefly and mentally thanked her, even though she would never hear it. "Can she not be housed here and taught by the scholars and Masters who also teach the initiates?" Oppo queried.

"How would they know to gauge her progress?" Saesee calmly answered. "They would not be able to sense her. Master Qui-Gon's report noted that her abilities are increased or enhanced when in proximity to himself or to Obi-Wan. The converse might be true, and in that case, any scholar would be unable to teach her anything."

"But we don't know that for sure," Mace put in.

"It is a complex situation," Eeth Koth rightly observed. I found myself nodding very slightly in agreement with him. "I had initially agreed with Master Depa that a home could be found on Coruscant for her, but I have changed my mind. Because there are so many factors which are left unknown for now, I think it would be in the Order's best interest to grant her asylum and give her leave to work with the Master to whom she is bonded. I can see no other solution."

Even Piell harrumphed in his general direction. "How is that your conclusion? I see the unknown factors and conclude that there is nothing more we can do."

"Perhaps, nothing more is there for us to do," Yaddle spoke up in her gentle voice. "That does not mean that nothing can be done for her at all by the Jedi."

The circle fell silent again, pondering the wise councilor's comment. I was still trying to assimilate the constant stream of words and ideas being shot back and forth across the tiled floor, but the pause gave me a chance to collect my thoughts and breathe a little easier. I looked up at Mace, wondering what he was going to do next. He glanced first at Yoda, who still said or did nothing, and then to his left to Plo Koon. "Plo, you've not said anything for or against the request. Are you undecided, or is there a reason you withhold your opinion?"

The Kel Dor Master slowly turned his head toward Mace. I had never heard him speak before, so I didn't know what to expect from the protective mask he wore. His voice has a slight synthesized quality to it, but it was clear and patient as it sounded from his unmoving face. "My instincts tell me to trust Qui-Gon, and to agree with his every argument. The only reason I withheld my vote was the potential negative impact any distractions might have on this apprentice-pair."

Hearing that, I held my breath so I wouldn't burst out irrationally. Why does everybody think I'm a distraction? Just then, I felt Qui-Gon's hand ease onto my shoulder, and he addressed the Council in a warm, gentle tone. "Masters, I will have you know that every time someone refers to Stacey as a distraction, she hears it and is hurt. I know you meant no harm by it, Master Plo," he added with a nod toward him. "But, I would like to present my argument against that, if I may."

Mace shot the entire ring of councilors a quelling look for no apparent reason. "Proceed."

"It is no secret that I champion causes many of you consider lost, and shelter the unfortunate under my care when no one else will. Yet, not once has anyone ever told me that doing so distracts me from my purpose in following the Force, nor Obi-Wan from his learning. True, this is a different case in that my charge is hoping to stay in her position for a longer period of time, and I wish it also. We have discussed the situation among ourselves," he continued, pausing just long enough to catch a couple councilors' eyes, "and she said something very wise to me. She said she would rather die than allow either myself or my Padawan to forsake duty for her sake. There is an understanding between us that my duty as a Jedi is first and foremost."

A contemplative silence met his announcement. Mace stared at the three of us for a while, one at a time, ending with me. "You understand that?"

"Yes, I do," I said softly, trying to pick my voice back up after so much time just listening. "All I want is to be here, and to be with Qui-Gon, because he can help me. Nothing else." From a certain point of view.

Windu lowered his head, and then glanced to his right. "Master, I think we need your word on the matter now."

Yoda hummed again and raised his head from contemplating his feet. "Wrong it would be, if allowed to disappear into the galaxy she was. Exists she does, in the Force, and bonded to Qui-Gon Jinn she is. A reason must exist for her to be here." There was a long, weighted pause. "The Force is not ready to give up its secrets yet. When it does, need her we may. But..." He looked up, aiming a squinting, scrutinizing eye at Qui-Gon. "...reservations have I about keeping her quartered with you, working with you." He sighed testily. "But, those details will be decided later. No bearing have they on this hearing."

"What is your decision, then?" Mace pressed.

Yoda gave him a slow glare. "Call the vote."

The senior councilor sighed through his nose and then sat back commandingly in his chair. "The vote has been called. Speak your position, in favor of granting this girl asylum or denying it."

To his right, Plo Koon intoned, "Grant it."

He looked to Depa, and I feared her answer. But she also said, "Grant it."

Eeth Koth nodded satisfactorily. "Grant it."

One by one, in order around the circle, the votes came, and each one was for granting asylum. Even Piell let a dramatic pause precede his vote, and he grumbled when he said it, but that was all the protest I got until Ki-Adi Mundi. He sighed heavily, feeling the weight of the majority against him. "I too have reservations, but I will address them to the warden in charge of deciding the specifics. Grant it."

All eyes were on Master Yoda, even mine. While ten votes had almost given me my desire, if there was one vote that could derail the whole process, it would be Yoda's. Everyone listened to him. He fixed me with a steady gaze. "Grant it."

"My vote is unchanged from before, I also say it should be granted," Mace concluded.

The breath I had been holding rushed out of my lungs in a joyful gasp. I looked quickly up at Qui-Gon, and found him grinning widely at my reaction. "The vote is unanimous, the request for asylum has been granted," Master Windu declared to make it official.

"Thank you!" I burst out, restraining the rest of my reaction except for clenching my fists and shaking them in triumph.

"Let it be recorded that Master Qui-Gon Jinn is made her guardian, until further notice. A meeting to determine the housing and care situation will be held at another time. For now, this hearing is concluded." Mace pushed himself to his feet, signaling that the proceedings were officially over.

I knew it would be rude to start rejoicing then and there, but I couldn't keep the stupid grin off my face. Some of the councilors simply left, having done their part and now having other things to attend to, but a few came to where I still stood in the middle of the chamber, between my two friends. I beamed at Adi. "Can I hug you?"

A sly smile curved her full lips. "You're happy with me, I take it." She held her arms open, and I threw mine around her, hugging her. That done, I stepped back and bowed to her - and to the other Masters who gathered around. "There's no need for thanks," Master Adi assured. "We each only argued from the logic we knew was right."

"Thank you anyway," I exclaimed, clasping my hands together and raising them to my face, trying to bashfully hide behind them. "All of you. I don't know what I would have done if the decision had gone the other way."

"I told you you didn't need to worry about that," Qui-Gon smiled, clapping his hand to my shoulder.

Saesee Tiin bowed to me. "Welcome to the Jedi Temple. I hope you will find it as suitable a home as we do."

"There's no place I'd rather be," I grinned at him. "I'm glad you knew enough about me. What you said was right."

"That is why I said it," the Iktochi shrugged.

Plo Koon intruded on the throng, then, and held out his hand to Qui-Gon. The Master clasped it eagerly. "You understand," Plo murmured good-naturedly, "I had to say it."

Master Qui-Gon's smile remained unchanged. "I would have been surprised had you not. In fact, I was glad you said it before someone else could."

"I don't think of you as a distraction, my friend. Anything but," he said to me, then. "My apologies if you were hurt."

I waved a hand. "I've gotten used to it, unfortunately."

The councilors had other business awaiting them, so they escorted us out of the chamber and waited with us for the lift. I squeezed in beside Obi-Wan and didn't mind pressing up against his robed figure, and from the smile he gave me I guessed he didn't mind either. We left Plo, Saesee, and Adi on one level and continued downward to our quarters, and I could finally let out a whoop of delight. "I live in the Jedi Temple!" I cried, making both Master and Padawan grin. "I don't believe this. This is great!"

"Congratulations," Qui-Gon purred kindly. "You have nothing to fear, now."

"Well, I don't know about that," I cautioned him. "We haven't told them that I still want to go with you when I can."

"No. But, that will be another fight for another day. For now, we should be happy that at the very least, you will not be sent anywhere in the galaxy, you'll be right here."

"I think we ought to celebrate," Obi-Wan suggested.

"Yeah!" I threw my hands up in the air, and then paused to think, letting them fall back down. "Um...how?"

Qui-Gon chuckled. "We're on Coruscant. The choices are endless. I'm sure there's something we can do to celebrate..." His eyes twinkled, his voice softened. "...to welcome you to your home."

I smiled back. There was no better feeling in the world to be alive, so elated after such a victory, and standing in a lift with Qui-Gon Jinn's delicate smile shining down upon me. "Thank you, Master. All right, let's go party!"

On to part 35

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