Chapter 53
Anakin awoke in the ambulance on the way to the hospital in Theed. He was discombobulated when he realized that he was in a medical capsule. But then he heard Padmé's voice, and he turned to see that she was with him.
"Ani, thank the Maker," she said.
"What...what's going on?" Anakin asked, his voice distorted by the capsule. "What happened?"
"You've suffered heart failure," she informed him. "You collapsed."
Anakin frowned as he struggled to remember.
"We've arrived, Milady," Anakin heard a man say.
"Arrived where?" Anakin asked.
"The hospital," Padmé told him. "In Theed."
The thought of returning to a hospital annoyed Anakin immensely. "I don't need a hospital," he replied, trying to push away the oxygen mask. "I'm fine."
Padmé frowned. "Anakin, you've had heart failure," she reminded him calmly. "You are not fine."
Anakin said nothing in response. He merely closed his eyes and accepted what was happening. He did his best to call upon the Force to calm himself. He remembered how Obi-Wan had tried to teach him to meditate, but how he'd never been patient enough to master the skill. According to Jedi lore, it was even possible to heal oneself using the Force. Anakin had spent many regretful, bitter years in pain wishing he'd been patient enough to learn that particular skill. But such a skill wasn't one that his master had encouraged. No, Sidious had enjoyed Anakin's pain, delighted in his disabilities. But Sidious is gone now, Anakin reminded himself as the ambulance set down on the hospital's landing pad. There's no one to hold you back now.
"Bring him this way," a nurse in the ER instructed the orderly who'd met the ambulance. Padmé hurried alongside as they conveyed the medical capsule to an examination room.
"How long has he been unconscious?" the attending physician asked Padmé.
"I'm not unconscious," Anakin spoke up, startling the physician. He looked down at Anakin, and then at Padmé questioningly.
"He was unconscious for about thirty minutes," Padmé informed him as the assisting medi-droids opened the medical capsule.
"I don't need this," Anakin said, attempting to remove the heart monitor. "I'm fine."
The doctor frowned, thoroughly confused by this point.
"He collapsed," Padmé explained. "Our household medi-droid told me that he'd suffered heart failure," she added. "He only came to a few minutes before we arrived."
"I see," the physician replied, looking back at Anakin. "I'd say a thorough examination is in order then, wouldn't you?"
"Most definitely," Padmé replied before Anakin had a chance to say a word. "However you should be aware of my husband's rather...unique medical history, Doctor," she added.
"Unique in what way?" the doctor asked.
"Well, it's a rather long story," Padmé replied as they stepped into the corridor.
The doctor listened in growing astonishment to Padmé's story, having a hard time not showing his shock when he learned that his patient was, in fact, the notorious Darth Vader.
"Perhaps it would be best if I spoke to the surgeons on Bespin," the physician remarked after Padmé had finished her lengthy explanation. "They would undoubtedly have records and reports that would help me treat Lord Vader."
Padmé nodded, but a frown creased her brow. "Please, do not call him that," she asked. "He stopped being Darth Vader some time ago. He has resumed his former identity in every way. Please call him Anakin Skywalker."
"Very well," the doctor replied, rather relieved. "I'll contact you once I've had a chance to speak with the surgical team on Bespin. In the meantime, I'll have one of my assistants perform a full examination on Lord...on your husband."
Padme nodded. "I'll be waiting here," she said, returning to Anakin's bedside.
Luke and Leia had given very little information to the delegates who had gathered at Lake Varykino. All they knew was that Anakin had taken ill, and that their meetings would have to be postponed for the time being. And yet, it was clear to all present how worried the twins were about their father, so they agreed to stay for a few more days to give the talks a second chance.
"So what's wrong?" Han asked as he walked with Luke and Leia to the dock. "He's gonna be okay, isn't he?"
"We don't know very much at this point," Leia told him. "The medi-droid said it was his heart, but you know how reliable house hold droids can be."
"Droids in general if you ask me," Han remarked as they reached the dock. "I've never had much use for..." he stopped as the three noticed a boat approaching them.
"Were we expecting someone else?" Luke asked his sister. Leia shook her head as they watched the boat approaching.
Luke shielded his eyes from the sun to get a better look at the passenger, and was surprised to see Obi-Wan Kenobi. "It's Obi-Wan," he told his companions.
Leia looked at her brother in surprise. "Obi-Wan?"
Luke nodded, heading down to meet the boat. Han and Leia followed.
"Hello there," Obi-Wan called as he noticed the greeting party on the dock.
Luke and Leia waved back.
"It's good to see you," Luke said as Obi-Wan stepped onto the dock. "I'm a little surprised, though," he admitted.
"Well, I returned to the command ship only to be told that there was a meeting here," Obi-Wan informed them. "A rather important meeting I gather."
Leia nodded. "Well, there was a meeting," she told him. "But it didn't last too long."
Obi-Wan frowned. "Oh? Why is that? What happened?"
"Well, first of all, the rebel leaders still refuse to accept that our father has changed," Luke told him. "And Father, well, he kind of got frustrated with them and walked away."
"Sounds like him," Obi-Wan remarked. "I'd very much like to see him," he told them. "I know it's been a long time, and we parted on the worst of terms, but if he's changed like you say he has, like I sense he has, then perhaps now would be a good time for us to become reacquainted."
Luke and Leia exchanged a look of surprise. It seemed that Obi-Wan had done some serious soul-searching in his time away.
"I think so too," Luke spoke up finally. "But he isn't here," he added.
Obi-Wan frowned. "No? Where did he go?"
"He's in the hospital," Leia replied. "We're on our way to see him right now. Why don't you come along?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "I will," he replied. "And on the way, you can tell me what happened."
Han stood on the dock as Luke and Leia joined Obi-Wan in the gondola and headed off. With a sigh he picked up Obi-Wan's haversack and headed back up to the house.
"You've sensed that he's changed?" Luke asked as they gondola sped them over the water.
Obi-Wan nodded. "Not only me, but Master Yoda as well," he replied. "Just before he passed on, he told me to seek out your father," he went on. He sighed. "I only hope we can pick up the pieces. After the way I left him..."
"You both have a lot to make up for," Leia pointed out. "Father is trying his best to atone for his past," she went on. "I think you'll find him a different man than the one you left on Mustafar 20 years ago."
"What is it that he has planned?" Obi-Wan asked. "I have to admit that I was surprised that he was meeting with the Alliance leadership."
"He means to stop Piett," Luke told him.
"Piett?" Obi-Wan asked.
"He was once Father's second in command," Leia explained. "His most trusted officer. While Father was recovering Piett took advantage of his position and betrayed Father's trust," she went on.
"Now he has control of the new Death Star," Luke continued. "Father means to destroy it before it becomes fully operational. But he can't do it without the Alliance; Piett has gathered too many men to his side."
"I see," Obi-Wan replied. "But the Alliance doesn't trust him enough to become his ally, is that it?"
"You got it," Leia sighed. "All they can see is Darth Vader, and all the crimes he committed. No one is denying that he was evil, especially him. But he's changed, he's become the good man he was long ago, the same man who risked his life for the sake of the Republic time and time again," she went on. "If they could only see that..."
"They will, Leia," Obi-Wan assured her.
"Let's just hope they do before it's too late to stop Piett," Luke remarked.
Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.
Theed
"Well Anakin, your medical history is certainly...extraordinary," the physician, whom Padmé had learned was named Dr. Swift, remarked as he entered Anakin's room.
"That's an understatement," Anakin replied.
Swift smiled as he picked up the datapad the medi-droid had left for him. "Let's have a look," he said, reading over the report.
"Look, I feel fine Doctor," Anakin stated for the umpteenth time. "This is really unnecessary."
"I'm afraid I can't agree," Swift replied as he looked up. "It seems that your heart is indeed the source of your trouble," he went on. "And I believe I understand why now."
"What is it, Doctor?" Padmé asked. "What's wrong with his heart?"
Swift sighed as he placed the data pad back down on the table beside Anakin's bed. "You recently had massive reconstructive surgery," he began. "Surgery that involved the regeneration of your major thoracic organs, as well as other tissues, bone..."
"Yes yes I know all that," Anakin interrupted. "I was there, I know what happened to me," he went on impatiently. "How is that relevant to what happened earlier today?"
"According to the report I read, your convalescence was cut short," Swift replied. "By several days," he added. "My guess is that your heart tissues were not completely regenerated," he went on. "That is the reason it is in a weakened state now."
Padmé frowned, the guilt she already felt about removing Anakin from stasis early growing exponentially. "What can be done to fix it now?" she asked.
Swift looked at her. "Well, we'll need to ...jumpstart the cell pattern in the heart again," he replied. "As well as at least a week spent in stasis," he went on. Anakin interrupted him, preventing him from going any further in his explanation.
"I don't have a week to spend in stasis," he declared. "There's a megalomaniac bent on making the galaxy his personal slave if I don't stop him. Time is of the essence."
Swift frowned. "Sir, I don't think I need to tell you how serious a malfunctioning heart can be," he commented. "Even for a man as young as you, it can be fatal if not treated."
"I'm not saying I won't submit to whatever treatment you deem necessary," Anakin went on. "But it can't be now. Can't it wait? Isn't there something you can do in the meantime until all of this is behind me?"
Swift looked at Padmé. "Milady?"
Padmé smiled. "My husband is nothing if not single minded doctor," she explained. "Surely there must be a medication he can take to regulate his heart," she added.
"Of course," Swift replied. "Several actually. But you'd have to be faithful about taking the injections every day," he warned Anakin. "One missed dose could spell trouble."
Anakin nodded. "I will be," he promised. "And I have a wife and two kids who will make sure I don't forget," he added, smiling at Padmé.
"Well, then let's proceed with this then," Swift said. "Is two weeks long enough for you to ...deal with this situation?" he asked.
"Yes, plenty long enough," Anakin replied.
"Very well," Swift answered. "I'll have the pharmacists put together enough injections for that length of time," he went on. "One for each day."
"Excellent," Anakin replied.
"We appreciate your flexibility, Doctor," Padmé added, ever the diplomat.
"Not at all," Swift replied. "I'll be back shortly."
As he left the room, Luke and Leia entered, smiling with relief when they saw their father sitting up in bed.
"Dad!" Leia cried, running to him and embracing him. "We were so worried!"
"No need," Anakin assured her, returning her embrace. "I'm fine."
Leia looked up at her mother for confirmation of his statement, and could tell by the look on Padmé's face that her father was not exactly telling the truth.
"It seems I have an issue with my heart," Anakin said.
"An issue?" Luke asked. "I thought the surgery you had fixed all your injuries."
"Apparently I was...undercooked," Anakin quipped with a smile. "At least my heart was."
"So what does that mean?" Leia asked with a frown of worry. "More surgery?"
"No," Anakin answered. "I need to take medication to keep my heart stable. Once this situation with Piett is behind us I'll need to spend some more time in stasis to allow it to heal," he added.
"And he has to take it every day without fail," Padmé told them. "He can't miss a single dose, so we all have to help him remember," she added.
"I think we can do that," Leia said, giving her father a smile. "You're feeling okay now?"
"Perfect," Anakin said, shifting restlessly in the bed. "I just wish they'd let me leave already."
Luke and Leia exchanged an amused look. If their father was complaining, he must be feeling better.
"Dad, there's someone here who wants to see you," Luke said, his expression more serious. "But I wanted to check with you first to see if it was okay."
"Who is it?" Anakin asked.
"It's Obi-Wan," Leia told him. "He arrived at the estate just as we were leaving. He's waiting in the hallway right now."
