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Chapter 42: The Prophecy

Anakin, Padmé, Luke, Obi-Wan and Ahsoka sat among the holograms of the remaining Jedi.

Aayla had just informed everyone about what happened on Ryloth; the young man that killed most of the Jedi, and the other Master that had been with her. Only Aayla, her children, her husband and a few apprentices were left.

"Fortunate that you, your family, and some of the apprentices survived, it is," Yoda said.

"Thank you, Master Yoda," Aayla replied.

"Tell us more about this young man you encountered," Qui-Gon inquired.

"He was fast and strong. He used two lightsabers and was a master of all seven forms, but his style was unorthodox and unpredictable, none of us could keep up," Aayla explained.

"How old was he?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Almost the same age as Luke and Leia," Aayla responded. "Also, even though she was masking her presence; I sensed my sister..."

Everyone's eyes widened.

"Talon..." Anakin trailed off.

"But she hasn't been seen for eighteen years. She was with the Empire when it started, but then she just disappeared," Ahsoka said.

"Then she was likely training this young man as her apprentice," Mace surmised.

"This boy...his Force energy is in constant fluctuation...there's light and darkness, but neither of them are dominant. But what really worries me, his strength in the Force...it may even rival Anakin's..." Aayla said with worry.

Everyone became silent, except one.

"Then it's a good thing you escaped," Shaak Ti said with relief.

"Actually, he had me cornered, but when he saw my children; he let me go," Aayla replied.

"So, he's not completely ruthless, like most Sith apprentices," Luminara said.

"Hmm, meditate on this, I will. For now Knight Secura, join Anakin and Obi-Wan, you will," Yoda instructed.

"Yes Master," Aayla replied, secretly smiling. She and Padmé had become good friends over the last few years, she was even named surrogate aunt to the kids. So, she was eager to see them again.

"Qui-Gon, I think it's time to reveal what we discussed before...before the Jedi Purge," Mace suggested.

Shmi had been walking by the meeting room when she heard those words. Having a feeling that she might be needed, she entered.

"I agree...Anakin, Luke, Ahsoka, are you familiar with the Prophecy?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Prophecy?" Luke repeated in confusion.

"There was a prophecy that the Jedi knew of. It was said that a child would be born to a virgin mother, created by the Force itself. The child would grow into a warrior and destroy all evil, bringing balance to the Force and peace to the galaxy," Ahsoka explained.

"Until today, only Yoda, Mace, Dooku, Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and I knew that this Chosen One has been found," Shaak Ti said, looking at Anakin. All the other mentioned Masters looked at him as well.

He was surprised that they were looking at him, "What? You think it's me?"

"Yes...we believe you are the Chosen One. Your midichlorian count is higher than any Jedi in history," Qui-Gon said.

"The reason Palpatine tried to turn you to the dark side, this is," Yoda added.

"But...I don't understand. You, Master Windu and Master Yoda are more powerful then I am. And I may have killed Ventress, but you and the others could have too," Anakin protested.

"Perhaps...perhaps not, but the fact remains that you have the potential to be more powerful than any of us. We may have more experience than you, but none of us can fathom the raw Force power you possess. It is why I brought you to Coruscant," Qui-Gon replied.

Anakin looked to his mother, who made her way over to him.

"Ani, you know I never told you about your father, remember?" Shmi asked.

Anakin nodded. He suspected he was the result of someone forcing themselves onto his mother while she was still a slave. He never asked her because he thought it would be too painful for her to remember it.

"But the truth is...you didn't have one. I became pregnant, yet I'd never been with a man before. Naturally, I was terrified at first. But then, I had you," Tears came to Shmi's eyes as she caressed his face, tears falling from his eyes.

"You were such a beautiful baby and I loved you so much. Despite the lifestyle we were stuck in; I raised you as best I could. I'm sorry," she told him.

"Don't apologize, Mom. I never blamed you," Anakin replied, then the mother and son hugged each other tightly.

"I don't know why, but I do know that the Force has chosen you to defeat the Sith and bring the Force back into balance. I think Master Yoda suspected your significance the day you told him of the nightmare Palpatine planted in your mind. But we kept silent, so you wouldn't have to bear such a burden," Qui-Gon stated.

"It's also why Palpatine tried to turn you. Having the Chosen One as his apprentice would've destroyed all hope for the galaxy," Shaak Ti added. "That's why we went to such lengths to make sure you and Padmé survived."

Anakin was silent for a moment, as he let those implications sink in.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Later in the day, Aayla, her family and the apprentices arrived. Luke, Leia, Aiden and Bella were all happy to finally meet their surrogate aunt in person.

Aayla's husband was a tall, green skinned Twi'lek named Haro Berenk. He was a former Jedi who left the Order just before the end of the Clone Wars.

They had three children; first a girl named Padma, in honor of Padmé. Second a boy named Jado, and another girl named Tala.

Padma was almost a duplicate of her mother, Jado had green skin like his father, but a darker tone. Little Tala had aqua colored skin, like a mixture of her parents.

Together, Anakin, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, Aayla and Haro continued training Luke, Leia, Mara, and Aisha. Even Padma and Jado were apprentices, about at the same level as Aisha.

Padmé received more of her training from Anakin, and she still took to it like a fish to water.

Six months had passed and currently, Padmé, Sola, Jobal, and Satine sipped at their afternoon tea as they watched the children play.

"They're growing so fast," Sola mentioned.

"I know, I wish they would stay this size forever," Padmé said wistfully.

"Enjoy it while you can. Annie is going to be a teenager in just a few years. Ben and I aren't ready for her grow up," Satine said, referring to her nine-year-old daughter.

"Bella...no that's my toy!" Aiden called as his one-year-old sister lost interest in her own toy and started trying to play with her brother's.

"Mommy, make Bella stop," he whined.

"She doesn't know better sweetheart, but it is about time for her nap. Come here Bells," Padmé called to her and watched with a smile as her baby pulled herself up onto her little legs and toddled to her. Padmé picked her up and then took her upstairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The aging customer shook his head in amazement as he examined Anakin's work and the engine of his older speeder roared to life with the vigor that was like new.

"You've been fixing stuff around here for three years now, but you never cease to amaze this old man," he said.

"Just glad to be of help," Anakin replied with a kind smile. The man placed the credits in Anakin's hand.

"I trust you'll put those credits to good use with those young ones and that beauty of a wife you have," he said. Anakin grinned.

"Yes Sir, I will," he replied as he handed the ignition key to him.

"Pleasure doing business with you, son," he said as he got into the speeder and slowly drove away. Anakin wiped his hands on a grease rag as he saw Obi-Wan and Ahsoka coming in from the backroom. This caught Rex's attention as he stopped what he was doing.

"How is it looking today?" Anakin asked.

"Patrols are shifting. Lando thinks this is going to be the best opportunity we have. In two days time, there should be a very weak Imperial presence in that sector," Obi-Wan said.

"If Vader is shifting his attention away from Tatooine, then something big must be going on elsewhere," Anakin said.

"The Alliance leaders agree with that assessment and they're tracking Imperial movement as we speak," Obi-Wan replied.

"We won't get another chance like this rescue Han for quite some time," Rex mentioned.

"Then we'll plan to leave for Tatooine tomorrow. Tell Lando we'll be meeting him in two days," Anakin said. Obi-Wan nodded.

"I'm afraid I must journey to Degobah instead of going with you. Masters Yoda and Windu have requested mine and Aayla's presence and they would like Luke and Mara to come with me," he said.

"Once we rescue Han, I'll send Luke that way," Anakin replied. Obi-Wan nodded.

"I am assuming Padmé will be coming with you to Tatooine?" he asked in amusement.

"As much as I wish she would stay here with Sola, Satine, and the children; I won't be able to stop her. We're leaving Aiden and Bella here so that will at least keep Jobal quiet," Anakin replied. "Let's close up and go tell them the news at home."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Anakin arrived home and hopped out of the speeder, spying Luke helping Chewie with repairs on the Falcon.

"How's it coming?" Anakin called as everyone else went inside.

"Good. I think she'll be ready when we need her," Luke responded. Chewie rawled in agreement.

"That's good to hear, because we're leaving in the morning," Anakin announced.

"That's great!" Luke called and Chewie rawled happily.

"Really Daddy?" Leia asked. Anakin turned and smiled at her.

"Patrols have shifted so we won't get another opportunity like this for a while," he replied as she hugged him tightly.

"Thank you Daddy," she said.

"You don't have to thank me, Princess. I...I just hope he treats you right. He'll be answering to me if he doesn't," Anakin said. Leia smiled.

"He will, but don't worry, I'm always going to need you," she promised, knowing that he didn't want to let her go, especially since so much time had been stolen from them to begin with.

"Promise?" Anakin asked. She nodded with a smile.

"I promise," she replied.

"Did you finish old man Jackson's speeder?" Luke asked. Anakin nodded.

As they went inside, their nostrils were greeted by the wonderful aroma of home cooking.

"Daddy!" Bella called as she toddled clumsily into the kitchen. Anakin knelt down and scooped her up as Aiden came bounding in to greet him as well. He scooped his little son up too and then stood up where Padmé greeted him with a tender kiss to his lips.

"What a welcome," he said as he put Aiden down.

"You're just in time for dinner too. Go get washed up, sweetie," she told her young son.

"Come on buddy, I'll give you a ride," Luke said as he hoisted Aiden onto his back and took off up the stairs.

"I heard Rex saying that we're leaving for Tatooine in the morning," she said. He nodded.

"Are you sure you don't want to stay here?" he asked. She nodded.

"As hard as it will be for me to leave Jaden and Bella, I need to go," she said. He nodded.

He almost wished she would stay behind with the babies, but he knew she was needed by the Alliance as much as he was. Therefore, he respected her decision. They hugged each other close and shared a tender kiss before going to join everyone else for dinner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next morning, Padmé hugged and kissed Aiden and Bella as they prepared to leave.

"How come I can't go this time?" Aiden asked with a pout.

"I'm afraid we're going somewhere that's too dangerous for you. But we'll be okay and we're going to rescue Han. Then we'll be back," Anakin promised. Aiden pouted.

"How long will you be gone?" he asked.

"Hopefully only a few days, my little prince," Padmé replied as she kissed his cheek.

"Be good for your Grandma and your Aunts," Anakin reminded. He gave a nod, and hugged his Father tightly. Padmé cuddled Isabella close and kissed her head.

"Please Padmé, don't go. It's bad enough you're going yourself, but letting Leia go too? Why don't you let the men handle this?" Jobal fretted.

"I'm sorry Mother, but I need to go. I'm part of this too and the rumors concerning a new Death Star that is nearly complete means that the final battle is nearing. It's time that Palpatine finally pays for everything he's done to the people of the galaxy," Padmé stated.

"Dear, you know there's no talking her out of it," Ruwee stated, smiling. Padmé hugged both her parents.

Anakin kissed Bella too, before they handed her to Sola.

"She'll be fine. Just be careful and take care of each other out there," she said.

"We will," Anakin promised as they followed Luke, Leia and Mara up the ramp. Obi-Wan said his goodbyes to Satine and Annie, before he and Rex boarded the Falcon as well. Slowly, with Anakin and Chewie at the helm, the ship descended into the air and headed for space.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Cody stared at the readouts, as his command ship orbited Tatooine.

He had been waiting months to track down Rex and he was certain he would be able to corner him when they attempted to rescue their scoundrel friend. Even though he had been ordered to shift patrols with the rest of the battalions, he was purposely disobeying this order.

He knew that Rex and Skywalker would come now. Even though he was looking at serious punishment for shirking duty, but he had a personal score to settle.

"Sir, we've been ordered to join the other brigades at these coordinates," one of his subordinates said.

"I'm taking a shuttle to the surface. Commander Jax will take over in my absence and I'll join you soon," Cody said.

"But Sir, you'll be disobeying a direct order from Lord Vader," the soldier warned.

"I know what I am doing, Lieutenant!" Cody snapped as he left for the docking bay without another word. He and his former brother had a score to settle once and for all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Millennium Falcon descended slowly onto the desert floor of Tatooine. Anakin landed near a small moisture farm and dropped the ramp. Nearby was Luke's X-Wing, as he had landed just a few minutes earlier.

Luke was a little nervous when they arrived at Owen and Beru's moisture farm.

He had spoken to his Aunt a few times over the past three years, but Owen had refused to speak to him. Padmé has also spoken to Beru over the Holocom and let her see both Aiden and Bella, which she enjoyed. Luke knew though that things would never be the same between him and his Uncle. But he knew that his aunt would love seeing them. Beru was there to greet them, while Owen hung back. They all went inside the hovel to prepare for their infiltration of Jabba's palace which would take place later in the day.

Anakin thanked Beru, as she set a glass of juice down for him.

"Are you sure it's a good idea to send the droids in first? You think they'll buy it?" Lando asked.

"I'm positive. The Hutts have use for droids. But we better not let Threepio in on everything, just Artoo. Threepio talks too much," Anakin replied. Luke chuckled.

"That's putting it nicely," she replied.

"Okay, well I better get my disguise and get in there," Lando said. He was going in disguised as a guard.

"After the droids go in, then Leia and I can pretend to be bounty hunters taking Chewie in," Padmé said. Anakin turned to look at her.

"Uh...Luke's going to be to be taking Chewie in," Anakin said. Padmé's gaze steeled at him and he fought the urge to wince.

"And just what do you plan for Leia and I to do?" she asked.

"Yes daddy, what do you plan for us to do?" Leia repeated.

"Um...stay here?" Anakin said weakly.

"Anakin Skywalker! We are most certainly not staying here like a couple of little porcelain dolls that you're afraid will break!" Padmé huffed.

"Angel please, I wasn't implying that I don't think you and Leia could help. It's just that I don't think it's a good idea for either of you to go anywhere near the Hutts," Anakin replied.

Luke was silent, though very interested in how his father was going to talk his way out of this one. Mara did everything she could to contain her laughter.

"And why is that?" Leia asked.

"Because, if something were to go wrong and Jabba discovered who you were; he'd make you into slaves. The Hutts LOVE women, especially human and Twi'lek women," Anakin replied, uneasily.

"Ani, nothing's going to go wrong. And even if it did, you, Luke and Mara will only be an hour behind us at most," Padmé replied.

"Angel please, it's not a good idea," Anakin pleaded.

"Come on Leia, we should go change," Padmé replied.

Luke was trying to suppress a laugh, but Mara couldn't hold it anymore.

"Don't laugh. I'm going to get enough flack from Obi-Wan when he hears about this. You know, all those years ago, we weren't supposed to be anywhere near Geonosis either, but she decided that we were going anyway. I STILL get chatter from Ben about it too, but there is no telling her no. Your mother is the most stubborn, frustrating woman in the galaxy. " Anakin complained.

"Just this morning, I heard you tell her she was the most beautiful woman in the galaxy," Luke teased.

"Well, she's that too," Anakin sighed.

"And didn't you propose to her on Geonosis too?" Mara continued. Anakin gave her a withering glance.

"Yes, but the point is that it's pointless to argue with her. It always has been, so we better just be prepared for anything," he said. "Come on, we better prepare that recording and upload it into Artoo."

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