"Senator Amidala. Senator Amidala, please wake up," said a hushed male voice, as the man gently shook Padme Amidala-Skywalker's shoulder. Confused, the young woman opened her eyes. Something had to be wrong, she was the only woman where they were living, and all the men gave her the space and privacy she needed. Kneeling on the floor next to her was her dear friend, Bail Organa.
"What is it? What's wrong?" Padme asked, propping herself up on her elbows. Her dark curls gracefully spilled across her shoulders.
"It's Anakin and Luke." In a flash, Padme was wide-awake. "They're fighting. You had better come down here right away." Padme jumped out of her bed, and pulled on her violet robe. She rushed ahead of Bail, and nearly ran into Obi-Wan Kenobi.
Obi-Wan slowed Padme down by grabbing her shoulders, and looking into her brown eyes. She looked afraid about her husband and son fighting.
"Oh, Obi-Wan! What's going on?" she cried.
"It's Anakin and Luke. It looks like this is it. Anakin just killed Palpatine. The Empire's finally fallen," he told her. Padme looked at the screen hanging on the far wall. It showed Anakin apologizing to Luke for all the pain he's caused him.
As if in a trance, Padme walked towards the screen. She wrapped an arm around her waist, and her other hand covered her mouth. Tears slowly dripped down her cheek. Bail wrapped a soothing arm around her trembling shoulders.
"It's okay, Padme," he said. "It'll all be over soon." Padme looked at the screen. She couldn't believe what Anakin looked like now. His face was white and much rounder; he was also bald with a fleshy scar on the back of his head. His voice was weak and raspy, and there was almost no hint of the boy she had met on Tatooine, and the man who she had fallen in love with. She watched in horror as Anakin took his last dying breath.
"Don't worry, Padme. It's over now. Everything is finally over," said Obi-Wan.
"If it's over, then why isn't he here with me?" she asked through tears.
Bail replied, "The body. If the body isn't destroyed when the person dies, like what happened to me, then you must wait until the funeral."
"What if there isn't a funeral? Nobody's going to want to have a funeral for Anakin. All they care about is the fall of the Empire."
"A funeral for Anakin, Luke will have. Understanding and lover his Father, he has," Yoda said. Padme realized that everyone was doing his or her best to calm her down.
Everyone watched as Luke struggled to get his Father's heavy body onto the nearest ship. He then flew to Endor, and began to make a funeral pyre. The sound of a celebration floated through the air. Luke replaced the helmet on Anakin's head after he placed the body on the pyre. Without showing any emotion, he took a nearby torch, and lit the pyre.
When the fire finally died, Luke left, and didn't look back. He joined Han and Leia celebratin with the tiny Ewoks.
"Why isn't he here? The body's gone now," said Padme. She turned around to ask Obi-Wan, but couldn't find him. "Where's Obi-Wan?" she asked quickly. Everyone looked around.
"Master Yoda is gone too," Qui-Gon Jinn said.
"They couldn't have left, they were just here," said Bail. Padme looked around the room.
"Maybe they went to go and talk to Luke. Obi-Wan did that quite a few times when he was on Dogabah. Qui-Gon used to train Obi-Wan while he was watching over Luke on Tatooine. It's the only logical solution," Padme explained. Sure enough, there on screen was Anakin, Obi-Wan and Yoda. It was the young Anakin had fallen in love with, and the older Obi-Wan that had helped her son.
In a flash, the three figures were gone. Yoda and Obi-Wan reappeared exactly where they were before, as if they had never left in the first place. Obi-Wan was back to the way Padme was used to him. He looked exactly like he did when Padme had died.
"He's on his way," Obi-Wan said simply. Padme couldn't believe it! At long last, she was going to be reunited with her husband! She heard footsteps in the hallway, and her heart skipped a beat. Padme slowly turned around, and there he was.
"Oh, Anakin," she breath as she ran into his strong arms. He warm lips were pressed against hers. She easily became lost in the passion she had missed for so many years.
"Padme, I'm sorry," he said, breaking off the kiss. "I'm so sorry for everything. All I cared about was power, and I was wrong." Padme placed a finger over his lips.
"Please don't, Annie. That's the past. We're together again. That's all that matters to me now." Anakin looked past Padme to Master Windu. It was his fault Windu had died. He could have helped him, and none of this would have ever happened.
Anakin walked up to Master Windu, and bowed respectively. Windu also bowed. A smile spread across the wise Jedi's face.
"Welcome home, Master Skywalker," he said. Anakin couldn't believe it! Him, a Jedi Master. Even though the title held no power or even meaning now that he was dead, Anakin couldn't remember being so happy in years.
Anakin felt exhausted, and it was becoming obvious to those around him. Slowly, everyone returned to bed. Padme took Anakin's hand, and led him to her room. Instead of the daybed that she had used before, there was a much larger bed for the two of them.
"Padme, I want you to know how sorry I am. I don't blame you f you hate me. I deserve it," Anakin said quietly. Padme took his face in her hands. It felt wonderful to fell her soft touch again.
"I don't hate you, Anakin. I love you. I've never stopped loving you. As I watched all the terrible things you did for Palpatine, I still loved you, and knew that there was some good left in you. It just took our son for you to realize that." Padme ran her fingers through his hair. A shy smile broke out across Anakin's face. Padme gave him a confused look.
"What's so funny?" she asked him. Anakin looked at his hand.
"It's been so long since I've seen my real body." He paused, and looked at his gloved right hand. Under the glove was the haunting memory of the machine that he used to be. "I'm still getting used to it." Padme bit her bottom lip. she then firmly pressed her lips against Anakin's. He was surprised at first, but then began to kiss her back.
"It's been a while since I've seen your real body too," she whispered into his ear as she began to unfasten his Jedi robes.
An hour later, Padme pulled on her nightgown, and curled up in bed next to Anakin. She felt so safe, and that things were finally back to normal with her husband's arms around her. Padme was so tired that she didn't feel Anakin slip out of bed. She was so tired that she didn't hear Anakin pull his robe on over his pants, and quietly leave the room. When she wok up a little while later, she had forgotten about Anakin for a moment, but immediately sat up when she realized that he was gone. Padme pulled on her robe, and went downstairs in search of him.
Anakin was downstairs standing in front of the viewing screen. His feet were shoulder length apart, and his arms were folded behind his back. On the screen there was an image of Luke and Leia, both sleeping.
As soon as Padme got down the stairs, Anakin asked, "I'm sorry, did I wake you?" Padme wasn't surprised by Anakin knowing that she had joined him. She had gotten used to living with some of the Galaxy's most-powerful Jedis.
"No," she replied. "I woke up and saw that you were gone. Is everything alright?" Anakin turned around and shook his head.
"I was just watching them sleep. I can't believe they're my children." Padme slipped an arm around Anakin's waist, and rested her cheek against his shoulder.
"When Luke and Leia were babies, I used to watch them sleep every night. When they met Han-"
"Han?"
"Han
Solo. That man asleep with Leia. When they met Han, things began to
get really crazy with the Rebels. I would fall asleep watch the
twins fight, and then Obi-Wan would come down, and move me back up to
my room. Is that why you're really down here? To watch
Luke and Liea?"
"I don't get why you're a politician; you'd make a far greater Jedi." Padme laughed.
"I'm sure I was in the right career. Now, do you want to tell me why you're down here?" Anakin nodded towards the screen.
"Just watch," he said.
The image of Luke and Leia faded, and was replaced with darkness. A picture of Qui-Gon Jinn, Jar-Jar Binks, and Obi-Wan Kenobi as a young Padawan came on screen.
Qui-Gon asked Jar-Jar, "You hear that? That's the sound of a thousand terrible things heading this way…" You could hear the sound of battle druids in the forest on Naboo.
"When they find us, they will crush us, grind us into little pieces, then blast us into oblivion," continued Obi-Wan. The picture was replaced with Qui-Gon talking to Sio Bibble at the capital on Naboo.
"Your Highness, we are the Ambassadors, for the Supreme Chancellor," Qui-Gon said, bowing.
"Your negotiations seem to have failed, Ambassador," said Sio Bibble shortly.
Qui-Gon explained, "The negotiations never took place." The next image was in Watto's junk shop. Anakin was sitting on the counter while Padme stood next to him. The really Anakin blushed and shook his head, while Padme laughed.
"Are you an angel?" the young Anakin asked Padme. Padme looked at him, confused.
"What"? she asked.
"An angel. I've heard the deep space pilots talk about them. They live on the Moon of Iego, I think. They are the most beautiful creatures in the universe. They are good and kind, and so pretty they make even the hardened spice pirates cry."
"I've never heard of angels."
"You must be one…you just don't know it." A picture of Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan came on screen. Obi-Wan was on the Naboo skiff, while Qui-Gon was outside Anakin's house at night.
"Make an analysis of this blood sample I'm sending you," Qui-Gon ordered through his comlink.
Obi-Wan replied, "Wait a minute…"
"I need a midi-chlorian count," explained Qui-Gon.
"All right. I've got it."
"What are your readings?"
"Something must be wrong with the transmission."
"Here's a signal check."
"Strange. The transmission seems to be in good order, but the reading's off the chart…over 20,000."
"That's it then."
"Even Master Yoda doesn't have a midi-chlorian count that high."
"No Jedi has." Qui-Gon put down the comlink, and looked off to the horizon, deep in thought. The next scene showed Qui-Gon talking to Watto at the podrace. Qui-Gon had just asked that if Anakin won the race, if he and his mother could be freed.
"No pod's worth two slaves," snapped Watto. "Not by a long shot…one slave or nothing."
"The boy, then…" Qui-Gon bartered.
As Watto pulled a small cube from his pocket, he said, "We'll let fate decide. Blue it's the boy, red his mother…" Watto tossed down the cube. Qui-Gon moved his hand slightly, and it landed on blue. He was pleased, but Watto was angry. The image of Anakin flying across the finish line came on screen next. He had done it, he had won! The screen showed Anakin leaving his Mother on Tatooine with Qui-Gon Jinn and Padme. He looked upset that she wasn't coming with them. Next, it showed Anakin curled up on the skiff talking to Padme. She was back in her regular handmaiden outfit, but had drapped her cloak over Anakin who was shivering. He pulled something out of his pocket, and handed it to her.
"I made this for you," he said. "So you'd remember me. I carved it out of a japor snippet…it will bring you good fortune." Padme looked at the necklace, and slipped it around her neck.
"It's beautiful, but I don't need this to remember you," she said to him. The next scene was in the swamp on Naboo.
"We wish to form an alliance," Sabe said, but everyone thought that she was Queen Amidala. Suddenly, Padme stepped forward.
"Your Honor," she said confidently.
"Whosa dis?" Boss Nass, the leader of the Gungans asked.
"I am Queen Amidala. This is my decoy…my protection….my loyal bodyguard," she said, pointing at Sabe. Anakin looked at Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, confused. The two Jedis appeared to have known from the beginning. Next, it showed Qui-Gon and Darth Maul dueling. Darth Maul caught Qui-Gon off guard. He hit the Jedi in the chin with his lightsaber handle, and ran him through. Qui-Gon fell onto the floor in a heap. After that, it showed Anakin in the middle of a huge space battle. He fired two torpedoes at some druids, but instead the torpedoes flew down the hallway and blew-up the reactor room.
"Let's get out of here!" he announced to Artoo as he sped out of the hanger deack. Then, there was Obi-Wan talking to his dying Master.
"Obi-Wan promise….promise me you'll train the boy…"
Obi-Wan replied, "Yes, Master.
"He is the chosen one…he will…bring balance…train him!" With that, Qui-Gon died. Obi-Wan began to cry quietly cradling his Master's body. Anakin stood next to Obi-Wan at Qui-Gon's funeral. He looked upset about the death of the man that had saved him.
"He is one with the Force, Anakin," said Obi-Wan. "You must let go."
Anakin asked, "What will happen to me now?"
"I am your Master now. You will become a Jedi, I promise." Queen Amidala stood in front of the palace on Naboo. Smiling, she handed Boss Nass the Globe of Peace.
He held it up, proclaiming, "Peace!" and the parade continued down the streets of Naboo.
The next scenes took place ten years later. Senator Amidala walked down the ramp of a ship, when there was suddenly a blinding light and deafening explosion. The Senator flew off the ramp, and onto the ground. A female pilot knelt down next to the Senator, and took off her helmet. It was the real Senator Amidala.
"I think Count Dooku was behind it," Padme said to Chancellor Palpatine later that day in his office.
"Too little about yourself you worry, Senator, and too much about politics. Be mindful of your danger, Padme. Accept our help," Yoda whispered in Padme's ear while everyone else was busy talking. Next, Padme was talking to Jar-Jar in her apartment. She was asking him to fill in for her while she was away.
"Representative Binks, I know I can count on you," she said to the Gungan.
"Yousa betchen mesa bottums," he replied.
"I do not like this idea of hiding," she snapped as she returned to where Anakin and Dorme were in her bedroom. Next, Padme was talking to her Mother and her sister, Sola back home on Naboo.
"Sola! He isn't my boyfriend! He's a Jedi Knight assigned by the Senate to protect me," she said, rolling her eyes at her sister. Then, it showed Anakin and Padme at the Lake Country on Naboo. Anakin kissed her, and she didn't resist. Padme came to her senses, and pulled away. Next, there was Padme and Anakin talking the following evening.
"You're studying to become a Jedi Knight. I'm a Senator. If you follow your thoughts through to conclusion, they will take us to a place we cannot go…regardless of the way we feel for each other," she said to him. Obi-Wan stood on a platform with the cloners Lama Su and Taun We. Below them was a huge parade ground; there were thousands of Storm Troopers marching and drilling in formations of several hundred. Following that, Jar-Jar was making a proposal to the Senate.
"Senators," he said. "Dellow felegates….I propose that the Senate give immediate emergency powers to the Supreme Chancellor." After that, the screen showed Padme telling Anakin that she loved him right before their scheduled executions.
"But I thought you said that it would destroy us if we loved each other," he said quietly. Padme looked towards the crowded arena where they were about to executed.
"It looks like our lives are about to be destroyed anyway," she replied. With that, they shared a passionate kiss as the cart caring them began to move forward. Yoda was talking to Obi-Wan and Mace Windu.
"Not victory," the little green alien said. "A defeat, it was…Master Obi-Wan. Begun, the Clone War has!" A Holy Man blessed Anakin and Padme as Threepio and Artoo watched. Amid the falling rose petals, Anakin and Padme shared their first kiss as a married couple. Tens of thousands of Storm Troopers climbed the ramps of Military Assault ships in strict formations.
The following scenes took place in the middle of the Clone Wars. Anakin had just dueled Count Dooku, and now Palpatine was telling him to kill the Sith Lord.
"Kill him. Kill him now!" ordered Palpatine.
"I shouldn't," Anakin said. He seemed to be debating as to whether or not he should listen to the Chancellor.
"Do it!" Looking away, Anakin cut off Count Dooku's head. Next, Anakin and Padme were talking behind one of the large pillars at the Jedi Temple.
"Something wonderful has happened. I'm…Annie, I'm pregnant," Padme said. A smile broke out across Anakin's face as he took her in his arms.
"That's….that's wonderful," he replied.
"What are we going
to do?"
"We're not going to worry about anything right now,
alright? This is a happy moment. The happiest moment of my life."
The next image was a distorted picture of Padme lying in an alien
medical chamber giving birth. Somehow, you now it is a dream.
"Anakin, help me! Help, Anakin, I love you. I love you," she cries out. With a final scream, she dies. Next, Mace Windu is trying to kill Chancellor Palpatine, a Sith Lord.
Anakin begged, "I need him…" Mace was about to kill Palpatine, but Anakin came forward, and cut off his hand. While Mace stood there in shock, Palpatine jumped up, and blasts Mace with a full force of powerful bolts. The force is too strong; Mace flies out of the broken window to his death. After that, Anakin and Palpatine were talking a few minutes after Windu's death.
"Just help me save Padme's life," pleaded Anakin. "I can't live without her. I won't let her die. I want the power to stop death." Padme closed her eyes as her husband tightened his grip around her. A tear slowly slid down her cheek. The picture of Anakin on the screen knelt before Palpatine. "I pledge myself to your teachings. To the ways of the Sith," he continued.
Palpatine replied, "Good. Good. The Force is strong with you. A powerful Sith you will become. Henceforth, you shall be known as Darth…Vader."
"Thank you, my Master."
"Rise, Darth Vader." After that, an image hologram of Palpatine came on screen.
"The time has come," he said. "Execute Order Sixty-Six." Images of the murder of the remaining Jedis flashed across the screen. The following scene showed Palpatine talking to the Senate. It was a day Padme remembered well; the day the Empire was formed.
"In order to ensure our secutiry and continuing stability, the Republic will be reorganized into the firth Galactic Empire, for the safe and secure society which I assure you will last for ten thousands years," Palpatine announced. A deafening uproar filled the Senate building. Padme and Senator Organa looked at each other in disbelief. "An empire that will continue to be ruled by this august body, and a sovereign ruler chosen for life." Padme began to cry. Nobody but Padme and Bail Orana seemed to understand what was really going on. "An empire ruled by the majority…ruled by a new constitution…"
"So this is how liberty dies, with thunderous applause," Padme said shortly. Then, it showed Padme talking to Anakin on Mustafar.
"Obi-Wan was right. You've changed. I don't know you anymore. Anakin, you're breaking my heart. I'll never stop loving you, but you're going down a path I can't follow," she cried. When Anakin saw Obi-Wan standing on the ramp from Padme's skiff, re reached out, and began to choke her.
"Liar!" he cried out. "You're with him!" The real Padme buried her face into Anakin's chect. She couldn't take watching it anymore. On screen, Anakin and Obi-Wan were fighting.
"I should have know the Jedi were plotting to take over…" Anakin told his former Master.
"From the Sith! Anakin, Chancellor Palpatine is evil," replied Obi-Wan.
"From the Jedi's point of view! From my point of view, the Jedis are evil."
"Well, then you are lost!" Anakin jumped onto the bank after Obi-Wan had. In a flash, Obi-Wan cut off Anakin's legs, and left arm. The apprentice tumbled down the embankment, stopping just short of the lava. Obi-Wan picked up Anakin's lightsaber, and began to walk away as Anakin slid further down the sand.
"I hate you!" he exclaimed.
Obi-Wan replied, "You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you." Anakins' clothes caught fire, and he began to scream as he burst into flames. Obi-Wan walked away without looking back. Next, the screen showed Padme giving birth. Anakin watched with interest. On the screen, Padme winced from pain. A medical droid was holding a small baby.
"It's a boy," it said.
"Luke…" Padme said weakly. She offered a small smile, and touched Luke's forehead. She cried out in pain again. The medical droid was holding another baby.
"…and a girl."
"…Leia." Padme was talking to Obi-Wan.
"Obi-Wan," she said in a weak voice. "there…is good in him. I know there is still…" with a final gasp, Padme died. Obi-Wan studied the japor snippet clutched in Padme's hand. After that, Bail Organa was talking to a pilot. Next to them was Threepio and Artoo.
"I'm placing these droids in your care," the Senator said. "Treat them well. Clean them up. Have the Protocol Droid's mind wiped." Large crowds lined the streets of Naboo. A flowered coffin was being drawn by 6 beautiful white beasts. Inside the coffin was Padme's body. In her hand was the japor snippet Anakin had given to her so many years before. finally, Darth Vader walked along the bridge, joining the Emperor and Governor Tarkin. Outside the window is the gigantic frame of the Death Star.
"What was that?" Padme asked Anakin. He looked at her. She could feel his soft breath on her face.
"A dream. A dream for Luke and Leia, so they'd know what really happened to us. I thought that they had a right to know." Padme ran her fingers through his hair.
"I love you, Anakin," she whispered.
"I love you too, Padme," he replied. Padme pressed her lips against his. The couple shared a deeply passionate kiss.
Obi-Wan heard talking downstairs, and decided to investigate. When he came to the bottom of the stairs, he saw Anakin and Padme kissing. Not wishing to disturb them, he returned to bed. On his way back upstairs, he came to the conclusion that despite everything they had been through, Anakin and Padme were made for each other.
The End
A/N: There might be a sequel…about what Luke and Leia make of the dream. Don't get your hopes up, I'm in the middle of a few long fan fics, and I would really like to get those done soon. Check back in a month or two! In the mean time, you know you want to click that little button that says "review" you know you really want to! Okay, so I might not have Jedi powers, but please review!
Tina101