Chapter 4

Naboo

Luke and Mother stood near the landing strip eagerly waiting as the Millennium Falcon prepared to land. They started walking towards the ship and reached it just as the ramp was being lowered. Leia, with Han just behind her, came down the ramp just as it touched the ground. Mother and daughter spotted each other.

"Leia!" Padme yelled.

"Mother!"

They ran into each others arms and embraced, crying joyful tears.

"I have so much to tell you, Mother." They just continued to embrace each other not wanting to let go until Han interrupted.

"Eh hem…So are you going to introduce me to this beautiful lady or do I need to introduce myself?" Han asked.

Leia and Padme looked up at Han.

"It's obvious where Leia got her good looks from." Han added.

Leia and Padme smiled and backed out of their embrace.

"I'm sorry." (sniff)…"Mother, this is my husband, Han Solo."

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Han. Luke has told me a lot about you." Padme said.

"I hope he didn't say anything too bad about me? Whatever he said, don't listen to him. I'm really a nice guy."

"I only told her what a real scoundrel you are." Luke said from behind Padme.

"Oh really, now. I think I could tell her a few stories about you too." Han came back.

Luke grinned. "It's too good to see you too, Han."

"Hey, what are we all standing out here for? I'm starving and I understand there's a big dinner waiting for us."

Padme smiled. "Certainly, we can get acquainted over dinner."

They started towards the palace when they heard a familiar clinking of a droid coming down the ramp.

"Mistress Leia. What do you wish me to do?"

Padme turned in awe and looked a 3PO. "3PO?"

"Yes, that is my name. Do I know you?"

"3PO, it's me. It's Padme. Don't you remember me?"

"Oh, I think I would remember you. But I'm afraid I don't?"

"Wait…Mother. You know 3PO?" Luke asked.

"Yes…Your father built him." She smiled at Luke.

Luke, Leia and Han looked at Padme and then 3PO with shock.

"Oh dear…I really don't know what this is all about." 3PO looked back at them confused.

"I guess there's a lot of things we don't know about, do we?" Han said.

"Then I guess I'll have to fill you all in. Come…I'll tell you all about it over dinner." Padme said.

"I'll be in for dinner in a few minutes." Luke said. "I have a promise to keep."

"Ok, but don't be long, Luke." Padme replied.

"I won't." Luke then went off to prepare the X-Wing and R2 for the journey to Dagobah.

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Dagobah

Vader continued to come at Anakin, pushing him closer and closer to the lava. "NO! I can't let this happen again!"

A sudden sense of determination entered Anakin and he started to fight back, in self-defense. Every strike Vader made with his lightsaber, Anakin matched it and then he used to Force to jump over Vader and took him by surprise. Anakin was now winning the battle over the Darkness and Vader was now the one being driven back towards the lava. Anakin continued to match every blow that Vader wielded. Vader tried in desperation to fight back, but Anakin was quicker and more agile than his opponent. It was obvious that Vader…the Darkness…was losing its strength against Anakin. Until, finally, Vader was balancing right on the edge of the abyss where the lava flowed far below. Vader reached up in one last ditch effort to overtake Anakin. But Anakin moved out of the way and Vader missed entirely. He lost his balance and fell backwards into the lava flow far below.

Anakin walked over to the edge…trying to catch his breath and fell to his knees. He watched Vader sink farther into the molten lava. I did it! I..I… triumphed over the Darkness.

"Very good, Anakin. You were able to defeat the Darkness that was still within you. Now you must complete the rest of your journey and right some wrongs."

Anakin couldn't see Qui-Gon…but heard his words. And almost immediately a light surrounded him, a welcoming light of love and goodness that he hadn't truly felt in a long time. Even after he saved Luke, he never felt this much in One with the Light Side of the Force. He started to feel whole again…young…and air started to fill his lungs. Not the filtered, manufactured air that he breathed while he was Vader…but normal atmosphere. The Light became blinding and then he lost consciousness.

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The next thing Anakin remembered was being blinded by the landing lights on the X-Wing as it landed near where he lay in the Dagobah swamp. He could hear a familiar beeping coming from the back of the X-Wing and he looked up as he tried to get to his feet.

"R2?"

R2-D2 excitedly beeped at seeing Anakin. He'd missed him.

"Yes, I'm back, R2. It's good to see you again too."

Back on his feet, his own feet, not mechanical limbs, he looked down at himself using the lights from the X-Wing. He was wearing dark brown Jedi Knight Robes like he used to wear and had a lightsaber fastened to his belt. But that wasn't the most astonishing thing he noticed. He looked at his hands. They were normal and natural…not mechanical, not pale and scarred. He touched his face and the top of his head. No scars there either and I have hair on my head. Eager to see what he looked like, he climbed up the ladder to see if he could see himself in the X-Wings canopy glass. Anakin looked at his reflection with disbelief…It was just like the last 23 years never happened. He was young and whole again. His sparkling blue eyes stared back at him.

R2, beeped with concern at him.

"Yes, I'm alright R2. After all these years, yes, I'm finally alright." He smiled.

Anakin jumped into the cockpit of the X-Wing and then took one last look around the swamp as he put his helmet on. No sign of Obi-Wan or Qui-Gon. Well…

He didn't give it another thought. He needed to get back to Naboo, to start his life over again with his family…Padme. How will she react to this? How can I tell her that this is only temporary. That I can only come back to her for 2 years.

Anakin didn't want to think about that right now. He was too filled with joy. He had another chance at life. And 2 years is more than he could ever hope for.

"R2, prepare the ship to leave."

R2 beeped an enthusiastic affirmative and Anakin took the ship up and into space.

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Anakin woke up to a bang and the X-Wing shaking. "What was that? A laser blast?"

He heard R2 make a sound that almost sounded like, "Uh Oh".

Anakin had put himself into a state of deep meditation for the trip and had been oblivious to his surroundings. But when his eyes finally focused…there was a Star Destroyer staring right at him...but not just one…several. Oh Force!

"What happened to the hyper drive R2?"

R2 sent a reply.

"It malfunctioned! Uhhhh!"

"Unidentified ship. This is the Imperial Star Destroyer Executor 2. Identify yourself or you will be taken aboard our ship for questioning."

"More like tortured. This isn't good, R2." Anakin said aloud as he sat up straight.

R2 sent a question to Anakin and the X-Wing translated.

"No, R2. I don't know how the Empire was able to put such a large fleet together. I thought the Rebel Alliance had defeated them too."

R2 beeped again.

"No, we're not going to answer them. But we're certainly not going to let them take us without a fight. We need to get away so we can warn the New Republic. Hang on R2."

Anakin tried to move the X-Wing into some kind of attack position and started firing upon one of the Star Destroyers near him, trying to make a hole for them to escape.

R2 beeped again.

"I know this is crazy to attack a whole armada, but they have us surrounded. There's nothing to do but fight."

He then continued to fire on the Star Destroyers and flew around in circles to try to out maneuver them…but it didn't work and the Executor 2's tractor beam grabbed hold of the X-Wing, pulling it towards its underside.

Anakin cursed under his breath and covered his face with one hand…This can't be happening…

"R2, shut everything down. There's nothing we can do, but wait."

This isn't how this was supposed to start. I'll be killed before I can even accomplish anything.

"Have trust in the Force, Anakin. You will be able to complete your mission."

"Obi-Wan? How?"

There was no answer.

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Executor 2

"Admiral Piett, what's going on?"

Grand Admiral Thrawns voice boomed as Piett approached the holocomm. Thrawn's glowing, red eyes looked right through Piett, causing him to swallow hard before answering.

"Grand Admiral Thrawn. A Rebel X-Wing was just spotted off the starboard side of the Executor 2. We have it in our tractor beam and bringing it aboard."

"Very well. Find out who this Rebel is and report to me as soon as you learn something of value. Thrawn out."

Piett stared at the screen after it went blank. I don't know who was scarier…Darth Vader or Grand Admiral Thrawn. At least when Darth Vader looked at you, you couldn't see him looking right through you. He shuddered and then shook it off.

Piett considered himself lucky. He saw the end of the Executor 1 coming and had given the order to abandon ship. He just made it to an escape pod before the Executor 1 hit the surface of the last Death Star. Many onboard weren't as lucky. He had to watch as many of his shipmates met their Maker as the ship exploded into a huge ball of flames and then the final explosion of the Death Star itself. A lot of good men and women lost their lives that day, on both sides.

Yes, he knew the Empire was evil; but he had been drafted into the Imperial Navy and had never been able to afford to act against it. He had a family, his son, to think about. Although, Piett had once admired the Rebel's enthusiasm, but just never thought they would actually be able to bring down the Empire. And they pretty much did. But Imperial troops found his escape pod and drafted him back into service. He could never leave the Empire now and then there was that incident regarding his son, Kirkland, of which he just couldn't bring himself to forgive the Rebel Alliance.

Kirkland was only 9 years old when a Rebel force hit his home planet of Axxila, located near the outer rim. That was 5 years ago. Lord Vader was the one who told him of how his son had died…Killed by Rebel forces when he tried to run away from them. Shot in the back, Vader told him. His wife died giving their son life and Kirkland had been staying with some old childhood friends. Piett put his hand over his eyes, trying to hold back the tears. I can't breakdown in front of my subordinates.

"Admiral Piett." A young lieutenant said from behind him.

"Yes, Lieutenant."

"The Rebel X-Wing has been brought onboard and we have taken the pilot prisoner. He refuses to give his name, sir."

"Ok, Lieutenant. I'll be right there."

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Anakin was standing between two storm troopers with his hands bound in front of him. He'd managed to hide his lightsaber under the seat of the X-Wing before his capture, hoping he'll be able to retrieve it later.

He looked up and spotted Admiral Piett as he entered.

"Admiral Piett?" Anakin asked with hesitance and surprise.

"Yes, and who might you be? I don't recognize you, so you must have heard my name somewhere."

I might have a chance after all. This is what Obi-Wan meant. I'm supposed to right a wrong for Piett. He must have somehow escaped the Executor. I never would have guessed that he was one of my missions…

"I'll tell you who I am…but only if we can meet in private." Anakin answered.

Piett looked at Anakin with curiosity. Who is this man? I can't quite put my finger on it, but something does seem familiar about him.

"And why should I do that?"

"Because I know the truth about what really happened to your son."

Piett looked at Anakin with shock. How did he know?