Prologue

Peace. Warmth. Love. Anakin reached out to those feelings and brought them to him from the inner recesses of his soul. Peace soothed the jagged edges of his mind. Warmth warmed his cold thoughts. Love, pure love chased away the darkness. Here he was at peace. In his unconscious state he found refuge.

He stood in a lush green field where waterfalls trickled, rippled, and roared near and far. The sky was the bluest blue, no clouds to mar the sky. He saw Padme walking up to him, her smile wide, her steps swift. Their fingers met and like a puff she was gone. Anakin's breadth caught in his throat and an icy chill chased away the warmth. The scene shifted into red and in that redness he saw a silhouette of a person slowly taking shape. "Mom?"

Shmi's eyes were closed, her skin ashen. Her right arm and her forehead were caked with dried blood and her clothes were singed and blackened. A gust of wind rose up and swept back Shmi's bedraggled hair and then her eyelids flew open.

"Mom?" Anakin uttered, his voice strained with emotion.

"Anakin, where are you?"

Her voice, so sorely missed, penetrated deep into Anakin's heart. He felt tears brimming in his eyes as he reached for her. "Mom, I'm here."

Shmi turned her head back and forth and called out again. "Anakin, where are you?"

"Mom, I'm here!" Anakin started walking toward her but with every step he took she was farther away. It wasn't long before he was running as his mother grew further and further distant, still calling out his name.

"No! Mom!"

The image of his mother fragmented and then shattered…

Anakin jolted upright on his bunk, breathing heavily. He rubbed at his face with the palms of his hands and found his cheeks wet with tears. Hurriedly he wiped his cheeks with the sleeve of his tunic and listened for any sign that his Master was aware of his nightmare. He carefully extended his senses, testing the waters of the Force and was grateful to find them undisturbed in the cockpit, he relaxed.

It was just a nightmare, a dream. That was all. Just his overactive mind dwelling on things best laid to rest. His mother was dead, there was no use dwelling on it. But then, why was he dreaming about her now? For the past ten years he had not once dreamed about her until now. Why now? How was it he was now dreaming of her?

Anakin ran his hand through his thick, shaggy, hair. Focus, he must focus on the mission. His Master would have his hide if he learned that Anakin was distracted by a dream. Anakin closed his eyes and slowly inhaled through his nostrils. The darkness around him was fractured, like it had been struck by an invisible blow. He breathed out through his mouth and inhaled through his nose again, settling into the currents of the Force. Anakin dug in deep to what he hated; slavery, and like a salve applied it the cracks, letting it seep through and harden. He reached deep again to the well of memories that fueled his anger and hatred and applied layer upon new layer around himself. Lastly he drew upon his thirst for power, to be the most powerful Force user ever.

Anakin's eyelids lifted and he gazed out of the small porthole. He wanted to be back on Coruscant, not chasing after some deranged scientist. There was no knowledge to be obtained by this ridiculous mission that should have been assigned to the local officials.

He swung his legs over the edge of the bed, Force pulled his boots to himself and began pulling his boots on. He could hear the beeping of the hyperspace alarm, they were almost to their destination. Anakin grabbed his cloak off of the end table and made his way to the cockpit, shoving the memory of his dream into a back corner of his mind. He must focus on the present. Any indication of weakness was unacceptable. He would seek out Ben the gardener when he returned to Coruscant. Ben would help him put the dream into perspective.

Ben had been a mentor to him for the past ten years. A steady rock against the storm his life had become when the Sith had taken him to their Temple. Ben's words were always encouraging and eagerly accepted for the knowledge they contained.

"Anakin!"

Anakin winced, realizing that he had stopped walking. He immediately moved forward again, quickly closing the remaining distance to the cockpit.

...

Padme knelt in the chapel, a sanctuary on a mountain peak built by her ancestors. The sun blazed through the stain glass windows, casting colors across the pearl colored room. The surface of the floor was smooth and clear like crystal.

Padme's white cloak settled around her, covering her bare feet. Her hood was thrown back, revealing her rich brown hair trailing down and over her shoulder in a tightly woven braid.

She looked at her reflection in the floor, her arms crossed against her chest. She remained in that position even as the sun began its descent and as darkness enshrouded the room, the floor began to glow with orange and gold entwined. Renewed energy pulsed through Padme's veins, her white cheeks turned pink as her body warmed.

"What is your need, child." A bodiless voice spoke.

Padme slowly lifted her head. "Guidance, Master. The Sith are systematically destroying Naboo's reputation and tightening their grip on us. The Naboo wish only for peace and freedom but many are beginning to wonder if we should fight back."

"For every action there is a consequence."

"Yes, Master."

"You have grown much, child but still you center on your anxieties. Keep your mind on the present. Tell me your thoughts on what should be done for the people of Naboo."

"Forgive me, Master." Padme expelled a long breath of air and inhaled gently through her nose as she pushed her worries aside. "Diplomacy. There has to be a way to resolve this without it escalating into bloodshed. Someone will have to leave Naboo and go seek an audience with the head of the Sith Council."

A figure clothed in a brown cloak with its hood up walked through the light toward Padme. "An aggressive move, however be mindful of your feelings. Fear can teach respect but fear that runs amuck will lead to dark places that will in turn lead to destruction." The being chided.

"Yes, Master."

"Your choice is already before you and ready for you to accept or reject it. Do not let your attachments hinder you in making choices for the greater good."

"I will do what must be done, Master." Padme lowered her head back down in submission.

"Shalom go with you." The being responded in farewell.

"Shalom." Padme repeated. The light faded back into the floor, leaving Padme in complete darkness. Removing a mini glowlight from a concealed pocket in her cloak, she switched it on and made her way out of the room.

At the base of the sanctuary was a small speeder bay where a lone speeder and an orange robed handmaiden waited. The handmaiden approached Padme and handed Padme her boots.

"Thank you, Maya." Padme told her, gratefully taking the boots and slipping them on before entering the speeder. "We will return to the palace."

"Yes Milady."