Chapter 21

Obi-Wan could feel Anakin's bad mood clear across the room as he walked onto the bridge.

"We've dropped out of orbit," Obi-Wan told him. "We'll be at the capital in under an hour."

Anakin nodded. "Good," he said. "I'll be only too happy to get rid of Krennic and those damnable plans," he grumbled.

Obi-Wan frowned. "Bad night?" he asked as Anakin stood beside him before the large observation window.

Anakin folded his arms over his chest. "Great night, bad morning," he said.

Obi-Wan lifted his eyebrows. "Oh? Sorry to hear it," he said, not wanting to know the particulars. "I'm assuming you'll be coming down to the Chancellor's office," he said.

"Like hell I will," he said. "He'd probably arrest me."

"He did offer you a pardon, didn't he?" Obi-Wan pointed out.

"He did," Anakin said. "If he keeps his word," he added.

"Bail Organa is a man of his word," Obi-Wan said. "I am confident he will honour his promise."

Anakin's frown only deepened.

Office of the Chancellor

Orson Krennic was brought into the chancellor's office in binders, flanked by storm troopers. Obi-Wan and Anakin followed closely behind. Galen Erso accompanied them also.

"Good morning, Chancellor," Obi-Wan said, giving Organa a small bow. "I've brought you someone who wishes to speak with you, again."

The storm troopers shoved Krennic in the back and he stumbled forward.

"Well, Mr. Krennic," Bail said with a smile. "We meet again."

Krennic scowled. "Go to hell," he snapped.

"Mind your words," Obi-Wan warned. "This is the Chancellor you're speaking to."

"Oh please," Krennic said. "I don't recognize his authority," he said.

"You seem to have a problem with authority," Anakin said. "You'd be wise to learn some respect, Krennic."

"Are you going to try and kill me again if I don't?" Krennic sneered.

Anakin smiled. "Don't tempt me," he said.

Organa and Obi-Wan exchanged an alarmed look.

"Orson Krennic you are hereby charged with treason and making threats to the galactic chancellor," Obi-Wan said. "Take him to the detention centre," he instructed the storm troopers.

"This isn't the end!" Krennic shouted as the storm troopers dragged him out.

Anakin and Obi-Wan turned to watch him go, and then turned back to Bail Organa. "We have the plans, Chancellor," Obi-Wan said. "Courtesy of Galen Erso," he said. Galen smiled nervously, and then pulled the disc from his tunic.

"The Republic is indebted to you," Organa said to Erso as he took the disc from his hand. "You have a place in this new government, should you desire it."

Galen smiled. "I would like that very much, your Excellency," he said. "But I can't take full credit for this, sir," he said. "Anakin Skywalker here is largely responsible for this."

Bail looked at Anakin, who was watching him closely. "So I've been told," he said. "Well, Anakin, I'm a man of my words. You're hereby pardoned of all past crimes, and are free to visit any planet in the Republic."

Anakin nodded. "Thank you," he said.

Obi-Wan smiled, and patted Anakin on the back. "Good show," he said. "Well done."

Anakin looked at him, happy to have his support.

"So what will you do now, Anakin?" Organa asked. "I understand Obi-Wan and Yoda plan to restart the Jedi Order," he said. "Will you be a part of it?"

"No," Anakin said. "I'll never be a Jedi again," he said.

Obi-Wan and Organa looked at him in surprise.

"Are you serious, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes I am," Anakin said. "I'm ...unworthy," he said. "I destroyed the order, I have no right to be a part of it now."

Bail was surprised by Anakin's declaration, and began to see just how much he had changed.

"If you'll excuse me," Anakin said, and turned and left the chancellor's office.

Obi-Wan watched him leave and then turned to Bail, whose face bore a shocked expression.

"He really has changed, hasn't he?" Bail said.

Obi-Wan nodded. "More than you know, Chancellor," he said.

"What a waste," Organa said. "The most gifted Jedi in the galaxy. He's so young, Obi-Wan. What is he going to do now?"

"I don't know," Obi-wan said. "But whatever he sets his mind to, he will be successful, of that I have no doubt. Anakin Skywalker is a unique individual, unlike any one I've ever known. He's been through so much, and has really turned his life around. I couldn't be prouder of him," he said.

Organa smiled. "I'm so glad that you're close again," he said. "The galaxy is a better place with Skywalker and Kenobi together again."

Obi-Wan smiled wistfully. "Yes, yes it is," he said.

Anakin left the senate building and took a taxi to 500 Republica Boulevard. He had ensured that the apartment had not been sold since that fateful day on Mustafar. As he rode the lift up to the penthouse, a flood of memories washed over him. He remembered a day not that long ago when he was on his way up to see Padmé with Obi-Wan. He hadn't seen Padmé in ten years, and was full of angst and excitement at the prospect of seeing her. And then when she had seen him, she'd told him that he'd always been little boy she'd known on Tatooine. It wasn't long after that when they'd been married, and he'd proven to her that he was not a little boy any more.

The doors opened and another wave of memories struck him. How many times had he been met in this very foyer by his wife? They'd been apart for weeks, sometimes months at a time during the War, and the moment they were finally reunited was one of such indescribable joy. He's sweep her off her feet and carry her back to their bedroom, where they'd make love for hours. Anakin felt his eyes fill with tears as he remembered those days, now lost forever. You ruined everything because of your ego, because of your lust for power...you were too stupid to see that you were being used, too flattered to see that he was playing you like a fool all along...

Anakin walked into the living room and stopped as he remembered feeling Padmé's pregnant belly while they sat together on the large couch. He sat down heavily on the couch and ran his hands over his face.

"You mustn't despair," Qui-Gon said as he appeared on the couch beside Anakin. "You've come too far to lose hope now."

Anakin lowered his hands and looked at him. "My wife doesn't know if she wants me anymore," he said. "How can I not lose hope?"

Qui-Gon smiled. "You've never been the most patient person," he said. "But you need to be patient now. Padmé loves you, but she needs time to come to terms with your past. Surely you can understand that."

"I'm so tired of people telling me to be patient," Anakin said, standing up and walking away. "If she could accept the past she'd have already done so," he said. "It's been months since we were reunited, Qui-Gon. I'm just tired of living in limbo."

Qui-Gon nodded. "I know," he said. "You need to busy yourself, keep your mind off of her. I know that Obi-Wan wants very much for you to help restart the Order. Would you at least consider it?"

"No, I won't," Anakin said, turning back to face Qui-Gon. "I destroyed the Order. I have no place in their midst, no right to be wearing those robes again."

"I understand," Qui-Gon said. "But I remain hopeful that you will change your mind some day. I want you to consider this, though," he said. "For the first time in your life, you are free to do what you want."

"Am I?" Anakin asked.

"Yes you are," Qui-Gon said. "Think of it, you were a slave when I met you," he said. "And then you were beholden to the Jedi Order, and forced to hide your marriage from everyone. And lastly, you became the apprentice to the Sith," he said. "But now you are free. You are free to realize any dreams you have. Isn't there something you've ever wanted to do, Anakin?"

Anakin said nothing, but that did not deter Qui-Gon.

"When I met you, you were a remarkable boy," Qui-Gon said. "You were full of dreams, full of ideas and hope. Do you remember that boy?"

"That boy doesn't exist anymore," Anakin said.

"No, the boy became an extraordinary young man," Qui-Gon said. "A man who is capable of anything he puts his mind to it. Think about it, Anakin."

And with that Qui-Gon disappeared.

Anakin sat for a long time, deep in thought. Qui-Gon had dredged up memories that he'd pushed aside the day his mother had died. But he re-examined them now. He had been full of dreams, full of optimism. I had a dream, he remembered, a dream that I freed all the slaves on Tatooine... Was it possible? Could he do it? It would take a lot of money, he realized. Palpatine had a lot of money...He smiled as he remembered a message he'd ignored weeks earlier from Palpatine's attorney, telling him that he was the sole beneficiary of the late emperor's estate. And what better way to spend blood money than to free slaves...

Anakin spent the rest of the afternoon tracking down the attorney and speaking with him. He was compelled to tell him the long story of why he no longer wore a mask, and agreed to a DNA test to prove that he was the same man that Palpatine had called Darth Vader.

"Well all we need from you now is a DNA sample from when you lived as Darth Vader," the legal clerk said.

Anakin nodded. "Of course," he said. "I will have to go to the star destroyer I commanded in order to get that," he said.

"I understand," the clerk said. She looked at Anakin with a smile. "Forgive me for saying so, it's just so hard to imagine that you were Darth Vader."

"Is it?" Anakin asked. "Why is that?"

"Well, you're so young, for starters," she said. "And pleasant to talk to. I never met Darth Vader, but from what I know of him, he wasn't pleasant at all. Quite the opposite."

Anakin shrugged. "I was a different person when I called myself Vader," he said. "The late emperor groomed me to be an unfeeling killing machine," he said. "And that's what I was."

Anakin's words made the woman rather uneasy, and she concluded the meeting shortly thereafter.

Anakin left the office and contacted Obi-Wan.

"Have you returned to the ship yet?" Anakin asked.

"We were about to do so," Obi-Wan said. "Do you need a ride?"

"Yes," Anakin said. "I'll meet you at the senate building in 20 minutes."

Obi-Wan noticed the change in Anakin's demeanour immediately, and he had to wonder what had transpired in the hours that they were apart.

"Is there something you want to share, Anakin?" Obi-Wan finally asked, unable to curb his curiosity.

Anakin smiled. "What makes you think I do?"

"Because you left the chancellor's office in a state of depression," Obi-Wan said. "And now you seem to be a man with a purpose again. What happened?"

"Qui-Gon gave me a kick in the ass," Anakin said.

Obi-Wan laughed. "Did he now?" he asked. "He's good at that, as I recall."

"Yes he is," he said. "Almost as good as you," Anakin said.

"Well now let's not get carried away," Obi-Wan said. "May I ask what he said that has changed your attitude?"

"He reminded me about a dream I had as a child," he said. "A dream that I'm going to try my hardest to make a reality."

Obi-Wan was intrigued. "That sounds like a fine plan," he said. "Is there something I can do to help you?"

Anakin's face grew wistful. "Look after my family," he said. "Just as you did for the two years when I was lost."

His words moved Obi-Wan and he smiled. "It is my honour to do so, Anakin," he said, putting his hand on his friend's shoulder. "I have missed you, old friend."

Anakin nodded, too emotional to reply. I've missed you too.