'Are you sure about this, Sidra?'

'I've thought about it, and I think it would benefit further negotiations if I'm here, Master.'

While Anakin and Ahsoka prepared to leave the sietch with Luvis, Sidra and Obi-wan talked in private. Stilgar had been distracted with talking with Ahsoka and was filling her in on how to properly avoid disturbing the sandworms in the desert. The 501st stood with their general, who was displaying an unreadable expression at the idea of going back into Arrakis' desert.

These aspects gave the Master and Padawan a moment to discuss why Sidra hadn't dressed in her stillsuit in the day's early morning.

Sidra had chosen to stay with the Fremen. The negotiations for peace were thrown back into the Harkonnen's field, which is where their true brutally may seep through the cracks. The Jedi Council also needed to be contacted about the progress (or lack thereof), which could only be done back in Arrakeen.

She knew the Harkonnen were going to be livid when they hear about the Fremen's response. She could also see that Obi-wan was relieved in knowing that Sidra was alive and able to accompany him in the baron's presence chamber. 

But after spending time with the Indigenous, and discovering that the Atreides hadn't been fully eradicated, Sidra told herself that the Fremen couldn't be forgotten about.

'I should have known that seeing all you've researched in-person was going to lead to this,' Obi-wan said in a half-regretful and half-prideful look. His hands rested on the hips of his stillsuit and he blinked down at his student. 

To him, Sidra was the perfect Padawan. She was curious, intelligent, and balanced with the Force. Obi-wan never questioned her loyalty to him or the Jedi Order. But with such balance, came his fear of Sidra's endeavours.

She sympathised with the Fremen, Obi-wan could see that. While the Council were trying hard to keep the Spice trade in their favour, they were unconsciously prioritising the Harkonnens' demands. This was not the Jedi way and Obi-wan had begun to see their loss of way during the clone wars. But Sidra remained with their values; protecting the peace to ensure the light continues. 

The Fremen were light and lived in harmony with the desert. Obi-wan had seen in their short time in the sietch that community and a binding religion drove their existence. And even though Obi-wan wanted to see the Fremen free from their exile, he couldn't help but notice how deep their religion ran.

'I'll say this,' Obi-wan started, his hands coming up to rest on Sidra's shoulders. 'These people have been on Arrakis for thousands of years. This prophecy of their's, although I hope that they do find their paradise, can be dangerous to you, Sid.'

The Padawan bit her lip and glanced around them in uncertainty.

'They really believe that you and the Atreides boy will be their saviour. With the boy's mother already part of the Fremen's religion, I can already see that he is beginning to believe it, too. 

No matter how tempting it may seem, please, remember your training and be mindful of your emotions.'

'Master, I know when to seperate belief from story-'

'I know you do, but even Anakin is worried about the seriousness of their so-called prophecy. It doesn't help that the Atreides boy seems to watch you everywhere you go.'

Sidra couldn't stop herself from following her Master's quick glance to the right. She didn't have to search the Fremen for the hazel eyes, as they were already looking in her direction.

Obi-wan's worries were confirmed when Paul rushed to look away and continue talking to Chani. He tried to appear as if he had been looking around the sietch while in general conversation. But both Sidra and her Master had seen the Atreides, and Sidra hated to think that he would ask what they had been talking about later.

'I just fear that even if these negotiations go through, that the Fremen will cling to their beliefs,' Master Kenobi brought Sidra's attention back to him, where he wore his concern on his face. 'Paul appears to want to stay with the Fremen, but you have a place in the Order. The Force has it's own journey for you, as it does for everyone.'

Sidra didn't want to draw out the conversation for any longer. She appreciated her Master's doubt, as it came from a place of care and worry for her. But how did he know that the Force's journey for Sidra was not with the Fremen?

'I understand, Master. I will be on my guard,' she said half-truthfully. It was enough to shift Obi-wan off the subject, which initiated the final goodbyes.

'Be safe, Sid. May the Force be with you,' he said with a smile and the two embraced.

'And with you, Master. Good luck with the Harkonnen.'

---

Out in the desert, Sidra squinted as her team set on their way to Arrakeen. Luvis took the lead and in their stillsuits, the Jedi and 501st took off with their masks over their faces.

'I want to see you riding a worm next time, Sid! I can't wait to tell Master Plo Koon about it!' Ahsoka called while walking backwards. Her hand was in the air and waving at her friend, who laughed while returning the gesture.

'Only if you aren't already in its stomach! Start sandwalking, you drukhead!'

Sidra heard the Tano exclaim 'oh, right!' before she turned and started to extend her leg to keep the sandworms quiet. The clones attempted to do the same, and the off-worlders left trails of prolonged footsteps in the sand.

Sidra was sad to see them go, but smiled at the comical sight. Never did she think that she would see Anakin Skywalker look so uncomfortable in his environment. 

'What's a drukhead?' Chani appeared beside the Jedi, making her turn to the Fremen with a lingering grin.

'It's like saying khararas.'

Chani analysed Sidra's side profile as the young girl watched her Master grow smaller and smaller. She felt Chani's burning, tinted eyes and at one point, Sidra's heart would have plummeted. A stuttering explanation would tumble out of her mouth and if Sidra was convincing enough, the Fremen would be oblivious for a while longer.

'I knew you could speak our tongue,' Chani said, her lips in a smug grin. 'I'm glad that you're staying. Stilgar was planning to hold a naming ceremony for Paul soon. He'll want you there, too.'

The naming ceremony was a great honour for an outsider of the Fremen. To be invited to one was something that was near unheard of, but to have a ceremony for yourself, there was no greater form of respect on Arrakis.

While everyone had their own name, the Fremen had names that are exclusively used in their sietch. In their language, the Fremen would be identified with a title from their characteristics, personality or a great action. If Paul was being honoured with a name, it meant that he was being accepted into the tribe, and Sidra was happy for him.

'Wow... it would be an immense privilege to witness that. Thank you, Chani,' Sidra managed to say through her surprise.

'Oh, Stilgar won't hold the ceremony for just Paul, Sid. He'll name you, as well.'

---

In the next week of being with the Fremen, Chani instructed Sidra to put on her stillsuit. 

Without much explanation, the Jedi was left to pull on what she now considered her second skin. She had worn it more on Arrakis than she had worn her Jedi robes.

When Sidra thought about it more, she realised that it had probably been the longest amount of time that she had been out of her armour and robes. She kept her utility belt with her lightsaber on her stillsuit, but the classic Jedi attire had been impossible to wear in Arrakis' heat.

With her nose tube adjusted on her lip, Sidra followed Chani out of the sietch. There, she found a group of the Fremen prepared to venture out into the desert. 

In their stillsuits and with head wraps, they turned to begin their trek with Chani and Sidra joining them. Stilgar and Paul were part of the group, making Sidra wander about the naming ceremony. 

Chani's mention had been all that Sidra had heard. She didn't want to pry and overstep, but Sidra was curious as to when she would be attending the Fremen's sacred ritual. She would love to document it for the Jedi Archives, but thought it would be too unethical when the Fremen seemed to trust her as much as they did.

The walk into the desert was long. There was little to no wind, making the stifling heat uncomfortable. But thanks to the wrap that contained her black hair, Sidra didn't feel as if the strands acted as a fuze that would burn until it reached her head. 

The heat must have gotten to the young woman, because she found herself quickening her pace to match Paul's. She made sure that they were on a solid portion of the sand in order to pause her sandwalking. This made it so that she was beside the Atreides, who looked down once Sidra met his stride.

'Do you know where we're going?' she said in a quiet voice while squinting up at Paul.

'No, but Toki's got some hooks,' he pointed to the black bars that were concealed on Toki's belt. Sidra recognised the maker hooks that dangled from the Fremen's hip, and hoped that she always carried them as a precaution.

In a moment of silence, Sidra was content with walking beside Paul. They interchanged from sandwalking to a normal stride depending on the desert's path. It was beginning to feel natural to Sidra, while Paul never seemed to feel out of place in the sand. 

'Your Master seemed upset that you didn't leave with him,' he said randomly. 'I don't think you Jedi like Arrakis too much.'

'It's so different from Coruscant. The Core is mostly city planets of buildings. Naboo is one of the few that has some of its natural landscape left. They're just not used to desert planets, I guess.'

'But isn't that other Jedi Master from Tatooine on the Outer-Rim?'

The conversation paused when Sidra looked up from her sandwalking feet. Squinting from the sun that glowed around Paul's curls, Sidra stared at the boy that asked his strangely casual question.

'How did you know that? I never told you that Master Anakin was from Tatooine...'

Paul barely looked up from his feet. She didn't have the time to even notice the tinge of blue that was beginning to coat his hazel eyes.

'Really? I thought you told me that when you were telling me about your friend, Ahsoka.'

He sounded so genuine in his words, that Sidra doubted herself. Maybe she had mentioned it to Paul. When Anakin nearly got himself killed by the Fremen, maybe Sidra had made excuses for his erratic behaviour, and in turn, revealed Anakin's birth planet.

It wasn't untrue that Anakin had been in a sour mood while on Arrakis. The reminder of his home planet and its pain could have added to his rudeness during the negotiations. Perhaps this was when Sidra had let it slip that he was on edge in the desert, and that was how Paul knew about Anakin's Tatooine nationality.

'Oh... maybe you're right.'

Stilgar stopped the group in their walk up a sand dune. He pulled the wrap from around his face and let out an addressing sigh.

'Today is the perfect day for new things,' he started like he had spent the walk preparing his speech. 'Two off-worlders have come to us, and it is time for them to prove themselves. If they succeed, they will earn their own Crysknives, and be named with their Fremen name. 

It is time for Shai-Hulud to meet Paul and Sidra.'

The Force twinged around the group. Sidra's worst fear had come to life and the maker hooks hanging from Toki's belt laughed at her.

She thought that Chani would have let out another irritated sigh or quip in Fremen tongue. But she heard nothing, nor did Paul show the same fear that Sidra did. 

In fact, Paul's Force signature was nervous but excited to hear that they were going to be encountering the worms again.

'Paul, Toki has a thumper and hooks for you to ride your first Shai-Hulud,' Stilgar said pointedly, before he looked to Sidra beside the boy. 'Sidra, I thought we could try something different with you.'

Sidra assumed the worst. Let them swallow her whole? Be a martyr and attempt to take a tooth out of the worm's mouth while it's in pursuit of her flesh?

'You will use your powers to calm Shai-Hulud and take what will be your blade yourself.'

'What, I don't get to ride one?' Sidra was being sarcastic as a means to hide her immense fear. Her hands trembled beside her and despite her anxiously shifting feet, Stilgar shrugged and said,

'Eh, if you can stop one, then you can ride one all you like.'