Chapter One

"This is the third malfunction that stopped the surgery from happening. First the droids all broke down before surgery, then there was an electrical surge that broke down most of the monitors and equipment, and now her implant cannot be found." Qui-Gon Jinn tried to reason with the Council in the hospital room, "the Force does not want her to have this implant."

The Council looked at each other in thought. This idea was not a 'one among the rest' idea. There were others on the Council who were in agreement with Qui-Gon that the little over one year old baby who was asleep in a small protected box with some blankets for comfort, prepped and ready for surgery for her audio-implant, should remain deaf. It had been an argument among the Council members for three weeks now ever since the 18 month old with light strawberry blonde hair that was just starting to grow in had been left on the steps of the Temple by a hooded woman. The Temple Guards found nothing but the small child wrapped in a small bassinet and a note only stating: My daughter is Anallah Genevieve Staphos, born on October 30th. She is Force Sensitive and has been deaf since birth. She cannot talk. Ever since it was a discussion on whether or not the young one should remain deaf. Upon medical analysis, there was nothing wrong with her ears. Everything was working as it should and everything was developed. For all purposes, she should be able to hear but she didn't. She didn't respond to sound at all, no matter how loud. The medbot suggested that she could have gotten sick or when she was born she did not get enough oxygen. Qui-Gon and Adi Gallia were major advocates that she remain deaf. Qui-Gon argued that if she was born deaf, or had become so that it was the will of the Force. But they had debated and had a vote and Anallah undergoing surgery was the majority vote to carry. Most of them did not know sign language and training her would take more time and it would be more difficult. It would be uncharted territory for all of them.

All of the Council members felt that she was very strong in the Force. She even knew how to manipulate it even at such a young age. She could pick things up very easily, such as bottles and toys, and bring them to her. Adi Gallia attributed this to the fact that she was deaf and could not talk or call well enough to get what she wanted from her parents, so she learned to bring the things to her herself than crying for others to do it. Seeing the steadiness of how the objects came to her was surprising to many members though. She already had a good physical connection with the Force. But that was not the only things that surprised them. Even though Anallah had only been at the Temple for a couple of weeks, she was beginning to understand feelings in the Force strongly as well by just being with them. When the young child realized that she could project feelings in the Force and that they could understand her, something different from her parents, it was like an ecstatic lightbulb went off in her head. From there, she constantly did it and it was how the people around her understood when she was hungry, even why she was upset. And she used these emotions to know them too. Soon she didn't need to turn to know that they were coming. She recognized that each person was different in the Force and then knew them well to identify who was who and even if she could trust them. She felt through the Force to know if they were safe and secure, if they liked her, if they wanted to take care of her. This happened within the first two weeks she was with them and most of the Jedi Masters were surprised about how quickly she learned to manipulate and use the Force to help her like that.

The Council knew she would be strong in the Force, but they did not know if her deafness would hinder her or if it would help her. Plot Koon argued that it was her deafness that made her manipulate the Force so easily because she relied on it and could sense through it because that was how she connected with people since there was a barrier of language. Feelings to her and expressions were how she connected. If she wasn't deaf, she wouldn't do this the same way. Then there was the counter argument of training her, how it would be different and they didn't know how far of a stretch it could be. She firm ground, but to build on it was what they worried about.

When the droids, fully charged with no problems, suddenly broke down many thought of it as a sign from the Force, trying to encourage them to keep Anallah deaf. And when it happened again, it was more of a reason for Adi Gallia to argue for another vote. Now, neither of them could deny that what was happening couldn't be a coincidence.

Mace Windu looked at the sleeping child, innocent of anything.

"Who will teach her. She will need extra language teachings for sign language and basic." he commented.

"I can." Qui-Gon told them, "I'll teach her."

"You do not know it yourself," Ki-Adi Mundi told him.

"No," Qui-Gon admitted, "but I will learn."

"All of us will have to if we are going to train her. All of us will be teaching her as she grows." Stats Allie commented to them.

"I believe it will be worth the extra time and effort." Plo Koon told them.

"I agree," Saesee Tiin told them, "we can learn and she can know both languages."

"I would also be willing to teach her," Adi Gallia told them. She had been another large advocate of her deafness as well, "I believe that this child staying deaf is the will of the Force. She was born like this for a reason and these coincidences are too much for me to say that we should try again. I believe this is what the Force wants and we should follow it. Just because she is deaf does not mean that she will not make a remarkable Jedi. She is very strong in the Force even at her age."

Qui-Gon nodded in agreement. He told them, "I suggest another vote."

Everyone looked at Yoda, who was looking at the sleeping child and thinking. After a couple of moments, he nodded, "yes, another vote, we should have."

And this time, a new favour had the majority.