Chapter 6

Emperor Palapatine stood placidly from his current office, watching the wrecking crews with a serene air as they methodically broke apart and piled the last bits of the building that had been the Jedi Temple. Such an eyesore, a symbol of insurrection against his power, it had to be destroyed of course. There was barely a whimper from the Coruscant Planetary Building and Zoning Committee when he issued his edict. Oh, there had been some who suggested it be used for perhaps a different purpose, mostly cheap minded city planners who hated wasting any available space on a planet so lacking thereof, but Palapatine would not hear of it. He had flexed his new, imperial voice, and all argument had been ceased.

Yes, he was in control now, there was no doubt of it, already the planetary pledges of support and good wishes were pouring in, as well as congratulations on the ending of the Clone Wars. Just this morning Bail Organa had arrived to personally extend he and his wife Breha's support in his new rule, and to hand deliver the official seal of the Queen of Naboo her own warm wishes and congratulations to 'our people's favorite son'.

Palapatine suspected those words had perhaps caught in Apailana's throat as she had dictated them, but he knew that she was no ones fool. Naboo, as his home world, would almost be obligated to follow him, if they knew what was good for them. And Apailana had one priority, and that was Naboo, she was a smart girl, much smarter in some ways than the headstrong and proud Amidala had been.

And as for that Padme Nabierre Amidala, he thought sourly, she had conveniently removed herself from the scene of conflict. How very clever of her.

He had stormtroopers tear through the city looking for Anakin Skywalker after that night, knowing that he'd either be dead or too wounded to have hidden. He had rather hoped, secretly of course, that Skywalker was alive, broken, so that he could easily bend him to his plans. But nothing had turned of him; the body of Mace Windu had been recovered easily enough. He had landed on a speeder full of drunken teenage children of ambassadors out for an evening. Nearly killed them all, it had taken more than a few silvered words with their parents to smooth out the details of Jedi's random death near the Chancellor's office.

Skywalker's body, which should have been nearby, was nowhere to be seen. All questioning of witnesses had turned up nothing. For all intense purposes, the damnedable boy was gone, vanished without a trace.

"Except I can still feel him," the Emperor muttered to no one in particular, breathing in deeply, as if summoning the Force signature of Anakin. He wasn't on Coruscant; he knew that, if anything he was searching for that young Senator he loved. That was the first place that Palapatine had looked for him. Her security tapes had been carefully and secretly seized, copied, and replaced while she was attending the Senate meeting where he announced his imperial rule. But nothing out of the ordinary was found, except for a call to Naboo, stating she was returning, and was not feeling well. Something with her child, or at least that was the excuse she was giving.

Skywalker's child…a valuable asset to be sure, Palapatine couldn't deny that. One almost worth considering, but no, he would wait. There was no guarantee that any offspring of Skywalker would have the power of the father, the sheer presence in the Force. Not to say they wouldn't be quite capable in and of themselves…but no, patience. Any child of course would be a threat, but he would rather weigh his options. Besides, as of right now, Senator Amidala had done nothing and said nothing against his Empire. A direct attack on a beloved figure of Nubian politics, and he could risk much. Rather wait, see what turn of events came of this, and whether Skywalker would find his way to her. Then, perhaps he could play his piece as he wished, and gain the prize he was truly seeking.

"My Master," the voice of one of his most trusted personal guards sounded from the doorway of his offices, and without turning, he beckoned towards him.

"Tell me of your findings." He croaked towards the figure he knew was kneeling.

"The search of the Senator's apartments turned up nothing out of the ordinary, at least nothing that we haven't seen before." Of course Palapatine was well aware of Skywalker's previous presence, anything new would be hard to detect.

"And her residence in Naboo," he asked.

"The Senator has taken to her home, seeing only medical droids. The Queen has made it known that the Senator's condition is very delicate at this point, and that Apailana has ordered her to her villa, with extra security to see to her protection."

Odd thing, for a Queen supportive of his new, peaceful regime to fear for her Senator's own life so much during a time when such threats were to be ended, he thought in amusement.

"Was there an explanation?" Palapatine barked out.

"Yes…Senator Amidala fears that Anakin Skywalker might try convince her to run away with him, or a kidnapping plot on the part of the Jedi. She declares she is loyal to the Empire, and the Jedi would be rather unhappy to hear this."

What was left of the Jedi, if there was anything, she meant. How clever Amidala was, she always had been smart, if a little bold for his tastes.

"Very well then," Palapatine turned to the guard. "Turn your attentions then elsewhere, I want you to create a group to start seeking out and destroying what remnants of the Jedi power base that remain."

The guard was obviously confused. "Sir?"

"I can trust only you on this. Find and track down any Jedi that you hear about in this galaxy. Others are out there, hiding carefully, perhaps unbeknownst to their protectors, or even in areas outside of our own personal control, rebels and traitors all. Hunt them down, kill them."

"Yes, my Master," the guard murmured.

Palapatine waved at him to rise and go, but stopped him before he got to the door with a hand gesture. "Wait…if you should happen across children, Force sensitive children,"

"Yes, my Master," the guard asked.

"Bring them to me, will you? I have a plan for them." The Emperor waved him off again.

XXXX

Anakin jerked awake again, his face and chest covered with cold sweat. Beside him lay Padme, sound asleep. She was so used to his nightmares by now that she slept right through them. Perhaps it was best. He doubted she would want to know his visions, his dreams.

Palapatine was searching for him, and he knew it. This was a very dangerous course of action he was treading, both for himself and his beloved wife and future children. He swallowed hard. Palapatine knew Anakin wasn't dead, and he was searching for his prize. Eventually, Anakin had a sad sinking feeling he would find him.

"Ani, are you all right?" Padme turned slightly, her face marred by sleep. "You aren't dreaming about…"

"Some," was his short reply. "In others you are alive, and we are happy, with our children. But then…" He couldn't finish. How does one explain to an expectant mother the vision of ones own children dying horribly before their eyes?

"Ani, you know what Master Yoda warned you before he left, these are visions, merely possibilities. The future is always hazy, especially when it someone you love."

"Padme, he's searching for me, he can feel me…" Anakin whispered hoarsely, "Even this far out he knows and sees me. I'm like a huge beacon in the Force, how can he miss me…"

"Does he know where you are at?" Padme asked, her hand immediately going to her now very swollen stomach.

"No," Anakin knew that. Else he wouldn't be searching so hard, so far. "He doesn't, but that doesn't mean I don't get his message." He could prevent these things. He could help these things never to happen. He knew Anakin's weakness, he knew what the loss of those he loved did, and it was all just a matter of time.

Padme shook her head then, as if to clear it, sending her dark curls cascading about her. "Tomorrow, you'll meet with Boss Nass, and you'll be taken to Gungan City. You'll be far away from me, and too preoccupied with our new Rebellion to worry about Palapatine. And I'll be up here, safe and sound." She smiled up at him; firm in her belief this was the best course of action. "And I'll let you know when the twins are arriving. The Boss has promised to get you here, 'mossa quick'." She tried the rather poor impersonation of the leader of the Gungan people, causing Anakin to smile, his dreams momentarily pushed aside.

"What will we ever tell them about their arrival?" Anakin chuckled, reaching for her and pulling her close.

"That they were born on a swan boat, and cherished as a prince and princess?" Padme said hopefully, laughing at Anakin's confusion. "That was what my mother told Sola and I when we were younger, and Sola told her daughters. They still think that they were greeted in Theed with cheers of jubilation."

Anakin shook his head. "Don't you think that's a bit mean to do to a child?"

"Of course not, parents tell their children fancy tales all the time. Didn't your mother ever tell you any?"

Anakin tilted his head thoughtfully. "One," he smiled softy. "She told me that the night I was born, a great dust storm had howled in from the desert. And while she lay there, waiting for me to be born, she heard the wind tell her to 'fear not'. That I would be a child who would be great someday, and the Skywalker name would be remembered through history for its great deeds and courage."

"Sounds so much less romantic that swan boats and gilded castles," Padme rolled her eyes. "How very boyish, it sounds towering and epic."

"Oh, it was," Anakin grinned, "Then there were all these other parts about killing the Sarlaac, and freeing the slaves of Tattoine. And of course, there was a beautiful damsel in distress I had to save."

Padme beamed at him.

"Or perhaps two, or three, Mom found I went through desperate women rather quickly in my imagination." He tried not to wince as her slap met his still bandaged chest.

"You won't tell those stories to our son when he grows, will you?" Padme look scandalized.

"I don't know mine might be tamed a bit. Perhaps he only gets to save one daring damsel," Anakin shrugged in a non-chalant manner. "Not that she needs saving, mind you, she's quite handy with a blaster."

"Still, she might just need a little protection. We can't have our little hero feeling too left out."

"Of course," Anakin conceded. "Say, did you ever decide on names for our two little ones yet?" Two, he still could barely believe it.

"Since you were so willing to help me on this," Padme's voice dripped with sarcasm. "I've decided that I will name them Luke and Leia."

"Luke," Anakin quirked an eyebrow, "it's a nice name, where did you come up with it?"

"One of my father's ancestors, it's a family name." Padme yawned slightly, and Anakin felt a pang of guilt. It was still very early in the morning, and with the growing twins inside her, Padme slept less and less.

"Leia, that was the name of a girl I met while doing voluntary work once. She was my age, very pretty, and very sad. Her entire family had died, and she was left alone to carry on. I kept in touch with her for a while, but then I became Queen, and we drifted apart." She sounded pensive. "I always wondered what became of her. She was one of the strongest people I knew once…well, before I met you."

Anakin felt his heart twist just a little. "I'm not that strong, Padme."

"You withstood a Sith Lord and his temptation, didn't you?" Padme said this as if this was a simple explanation. "That takes much strength."

"I suppose it does." Anakin didn't comment further. He knew he had only avoided Darth Sidious for the moment. The true temptation…that was still waiting and Darth Sidious was making it loud and clear that he hadn't, and wouldn't forget.