CHAPTER 20

SAFETY

It was late the next afternoon when Luke approached Hodges so his ensign could tell him the next problem he had to deal with.

"Dr. Brenner has been asking to see you all day, sir," Hodges told him. "He was over here a few moments ago and said it was imperative that he see you as soon as possible."

"Is it about Callista?" Luke asked.

"He said that was where he'd wait for you, but the doctor didn't tell me what he wished to discuss with you."

"Thanks, Hodges. If Lando or Han come looking for me, let them know where I am."

Luke walked slowly back to Callista's mattress. If it were good news, he felt he would have known through the Force. If it were bad news, he really did not want to know. He found Ralph sitting beside Anakin. Jana and Jason sat on the opposite side of Callista. Ralph rose to talk to Luke as he approached.

"How is she?" Luke asked.

"Alive. Something I honestly didn't think I'd be able to say this time yesterday. But she isn't who I wanted to talk to you about."

"Who then?" Luke asked.

With a nod of his head, Ralph indicated the shadows behind them. Luke looked and then in the silence he heard soft sobbing and knew it was coming from Amethyst.

"I don't know what happened here last night. It's none of my business. But I am telling you that she can't continue like this," Ralph stated.

"She's terrified about the children. You know that right now Callista needs the children. Amethyst is just going to have to come to terms with it."

Ralph nodded. "I understand what you're saying, but I am telling you, if something isn't done to settle Amethyst down, I cannot be responsible for the consequences."

Luke nodded. "All right. For now why don't you sedate her like you did before?"

"I can't do that, Luke."

"Why not?"

"Luke ..." Ralph stared at him in amazement. "I don't know what's gotten into you, but if you want your family to come through this healthy, I suggest you handle whatever problem you have with Amethyst."

Luke sighed. "I know you're right, Ralph. I haven't had any sleep in almost three days, I'm tired, I'm swamped with problems, I have someone trying to kill me and my family and right now I don't have time to deal with the problem of a woman's imagined fears."

"The fears may or may not be imaginary – but the baby isn't. And I'm telling you, if you don't want her to miscarry, you'd better figure out some way to get her settled down short of my pumping drugs into her system."

"What did you say?" Luke gasped.

"I said I can't keep giving her drugs."

"No ... not that ... what did you say ... about a baby?"

Ralph looked at him. "You mean they hadn't told you?" He thought a moment. "Of course, I forgot."

"What are you talking about?" Luke demanded.

Ralph sighed. "They told me that they didn't want me to say anything to you until they'd told you – and that they were going to wait until you were back from both honeymoons. I'm sorry – in all that's happened, I forgot that you and Amethyst never got around to taking your honeymoon together."

Luke took hold of both of Ralph's shoulders. "Are you telling me that Amethyst is pregnant?"

The doctor smiled at the stupid grin that was spreading over the younger man's face. "Yes, Luke. I'm telling you that Amethyst is pregnant. And I'd like your help in seeing that she remain that way."

Luke sobered. "Of course, Ralph. I'll see that everything is taken care of. Go get Winter and tell her to come and get the children and take them away from here. I'll take care of Amethyst." He grabbed the doctor's hand between both of his and shook it vigorously. "And thanks, Ralph – thanks a lot!"

Amethyst was aware of Luke's presence, but she refused to acknowledge it. He sat a small lamp on the floor just in front of her and she felt him sit beside her on the ledge she used that was shaped like a natural couch. She did not resist when he gathered her into his arms.

"I love you," he told her. "I'm sorry the way I acted last night. I'm afraid that you hit a sore spot with me and since I was tired, I lashed out."

Against his chest he felt her shake her head. "I was wrong to confront you. You are my husband. It is not my place to judge or criticize you."

"It is your place to help me acknowledge my short comings. That's what a helpmate is suppose to do. What a helpmate is not suppose to do," he continued but she noticed that his voice took on an almost happy timbre, "is to keep secrets from her lord and master."

Amethyst looked up at him through heavy, tear-laden lashes. She saw he was smiling tenderly at her.

"I believe there's something you've neglected to tell me," he added.

She smiled and he was surprised to see her blush. "Ralph told you?" she asked.

He nodded. "I still want to hear you say it."

Her smile broadened. "Lord, I am to bear your first child. I am sorry, but it will be a daughter."

"I don't care if it looks like an Ewok!" he assured her as he pulled her tightly against his chest. "As long as she's healthy and we can make her happy." She felt his lips against her forehead. And then in a somber tone he added, "I don't want her to ever feel about her father the way ..."

His words stopped and he laid his cheek against the top of her head. They sat for a long time in silence, drawing strength and comfort from each other.

"We need to go back to Cal," he said at last.

"You go," she responded. "I'll be all right."

"I've sent the children away."

She sat up and tried to look into his eyes in the dim light.

"You and I will care for Callista," he told her.

"I can't – not as well as the children can," she stated.

"I don't care. She won't die. I will not allow that. And I won't have you displaced from her side where you belong. It was wrong of me to allow the children to stay."

She began to sob softly again.

"Please don't," he begged. "I don't know how I could've possibly listened to your pain for so long, but I can't listen to it any longer. Tell me what will easy your heart."

"Have ... have ... the children ... come and care for her."

Luke was leading her back to their mattress. "I want you beside her. She may gather more healing from the children, but she receives more tranquility from your presence."

Amethyst held Luke's hand and lowered herself to the mattress. She stared at Callista for a long time.

"I have to go back to work," Luke told her finally. "I'll be back in a little bit."

"Luke."

Her gentle voice caused him to turn back to her.

"Bring the children back."

He crossed to kneel beside her. "No ... I'll not put you under that kind of strain. Ralph's already concerned that you could miscarry. If you're still frightened of the children, we'll do something else."

She looked at him, her violet eyes widen with despair, wet with tears. "And if something happens to Cal? Luke, I could never forgive myself. She needs the children's strength."

"You need the children's absence," he replied flatly.

She sighed and buried her face in her hands. "There must be something that we can do," she insisted.

"Beautiful lady."

Amethyst jumped as she heard a phrase that Darth Vader often used with her. It came at her with Anakin's voice.

"Anakin, I thought I told Winter to keep you over there," Luke told him.

"Winter doesn't know," the little boy replied reasonably.

"Go back," Luke ordered.

Anakin looked over at Amethyst. "Your little girl is going to have Grandpa's eyes, too."

A tortured gasp escaped from Amethyst as she covered her mouth with both hands.

"Anakin, go back to Winter – now!" Luke ordered harshly.

Anakin took one frightened look at the Uncle that had never raised his voice to the little boy before and ran away.

Luke sighed after the little boy knowing that his sister would soon be over demanding an explanation. For now he ignored that problem and went back to Amethyst's side. Once again he sat beside her and held her. She turned large frightened eyes toward him.

"What if he's right?" she asked.

"I don't know," Luke told her. "I don't even know how you know what father's eyes looked like. He always wore that helmet."

"Do you know what Vader did at the Jedi Academy when he went over to the Dark Side? Have you heard of the murder of the Padawans? Did you know there were recordings of what happened?"

Luke shook his head slowly.

"I was curious about the man who killed my parents. I watched that recording. I saw what he did. I saw his eyes as murdered the children."

"For the love of god, Amethyst, stop it!" Leia cried out.

Luke and Amethyst looked up as Leia approached them. She sat on the floor of the cave in front of the mattress. The older Jedi twins looked into each others eyes and knew they were each feeling and thinking the same thing – the same shame at what their father had done.

"Anakin told me you had yelled at him, but he didn't know why," she told Luke.

Luke looked down at Amethyst but she was lying against his chest, her eyes closed. "He told Amethyst that the baby was going to have 'grandpa's eyes, too'." Luke quoted.

"What baby?" Leia asked.

Luke gave her a big grin.

"Really? That's wonderful!" Leia grabbed her brother's hand.

"Amethyst says it'll be a daughter," he told her.

"With Vader's eyes," Amethyst whispered trying but not succeeding in suppressing a shutter.

Leia looked at Luke with sympathy. "What can I do?" she mouthed silently.

He shook his head. "Nothing now," he replied in the same manner.

With a nod, Leia rose and left.

Luke cradled Amethyst tenderly. "Can you tell me what will bring you peace?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I just want to go back to our suite and be with you and Callista. I want to have my baby and be left alone."

"I'll return you to our suite as soon as it's safe. We'll see that Callista lives and returns with us. What if ..."

"What if he's right?" Amethyst voiced the question Luke could not ask.

"Yes."

"Perhaps, as my love for you allowed me to overcome my fear of you, my love for our child will allow me to deal with my memories."

Luke nodded. "All right. Would it be all right if I ask the twins to sit with Callista?"

"Without the small one?"

"Yes, without Anakin."

"All right. That would be acceptable."

It was several days before the officers were able to get a break on finding the assassins. Forquet came hurrying into the cave with the news that ten recruits had disappeared from the temporary camp he had established and that a small group of trusted enlisted men was on the recruits' trail.

The secret location of the assassin droids was located before nightfall. A coordinated raid was organized during the night and launched the following morning at dawn.

The men returned to the cave at lunch time to announce that as soon as they had eaten, everyone could begin returning to the palace.

TBC

A/N: Thanks for the replies. As I said before the first chapter, this story is already written. Less than half of it has been posted. I'm just doing some final editing before I post each chapter. As long as I know there is one person still interested in my story, I am very happy to continue sharing it.