A rush of chilled Winter air burst through the mouth of the cave. It ricochet off the walls, rushing towards Anakin's makeshift camp. Ice formed around the entranceway as well as the top hole of the cave, welcoming in the cold. Autumn had completed its time and allowed Winter to take its place.
At the center of the formation sat Anakin. He warmed his hands over a crackling fire that managed to stave off the worst of the cold. It was the single source of warmth. The cockpit of the Exile's ship provided some protection, yet he relegated its use to night when the weather made its best attempts to kill him. During the day, he focused his efforts on knowledge and growing what powers he could.
Anakin reached for the wooden stick sitting in the red depths of the fire. He blew smoke off of the hunk of meat he'd placed on it, then took a bite. The bitter, charred flesh crunched as he chewed. He scowled at his lack of cooking ability, however, he fought to finish it. The recent lack of food convinced him to eat what he could.
Over the last few days, food had been scarce. The animals he hunted earlier in the year disappeared. Whether they died, hibernated, or traveled for the Winter he had no idea. All that remained were small rodents that couldn't provide enough energy for him to continue his learning. Since his reserves became dry Anakin wondered what options he had left.
He chewed on his burnt meat and thought of what choices remained. Traveling towards warmer territory came to mind, but he had no way of knowing just how far that journey might be, and there was the matter of food and his holocrons to think of as well. He might be able to make it through the season if it was a normal length, yet he wasn't sure if it was a normal length or time - it could be months or years and the uncertainty pushed him elsewhere. Lastly, he may be able to repair the Exile's starship and return to known space.
The more he thought about it, the more likely it was he'd return to someplace he knew. As long as he avoided the Jedi, the Separatists, and the Republic, then he may be able to live in peace.
The logistics of his plan were still uncertain. The number of planets unknown or unassociated with the two warring sides was limited. Moreover, the hyperspace lanes patrolled by them were even more unclear.
Anakin finished his supper and decided to think more on the topic later. With his stomach somewhat full it was time to practice.
He easily submerged himself in the depths of the Force. It came naturally to him in that moment. His practice of his newfound abilities made the action automatic, and his tolerance for the energy it required grew.
As Anakin used foresight he entered a world of endless possibilities. The world stretching out before him was a black canvas full of what he believed to be stars. Initially, he naively believed himself to be on some sort of astral plane, but experience in that realm proved him wrong. Instead, the twinkling white spots were...something else, something far more important and enigmatic.
Whispers of the past, present, and future swirled around him. The voices and images grew stronger the more time he spent in his other world. Blurs and whispers evolved into fully developed moments in time and decipherable conversations.
"How feel you?"
"Cold, sir."
"Afraid are you."
"No, sir."
"See through you we can."
Anakin remembered the moment perfectly. When he first arrived at the Jedi Temple it was all so new to him and all so terrifying. His loneliness was crippling. Without Qui-Gon he might've stayed back on Tatooine with his mother. There were so many "mights" and "what-ifs". Hearing the moment again renewed the sense of loneliness he'd been feeling since he left Coruscant.
Another star came forward, answering Anakin's call. It slowed its approach and the voices from the past emerged.
"From the moment I met you, all those years ago, not a day has gone by when I haven't thought of you, and now that I'm with you again... I'm in agony. The closer I get to you, the worse it gets. The thought of not being with you - I can't breathe. I'm haunted by the kiss that you should never have given me. My heart is beating... hoping that kiss will not become a scar. You are in my very soul, tormenting me... what can I do? I will do anything you ask."
Anakin's gut clenched at the memory.
"If you are suffering as I am, please tell me."
The moment in time moved forward, leaving Anakin no room to digest what he'd heard and relived.
"Don't be afraid."
"I'm not afraid to die. I've been dying a little bit each day since you came back into my life."
"What are you talking about?"
"I love you."
"You love me? I thought we had decided not to fall in love. That we'd be forced to live a lie and that it would destroy our lives."
"I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway. I truly, deeply love you and before we die I want you to know."
Anakin, from his spiritual perch in between space and time, shouted, "no!" He couldn't stand those moments. He loathed hearing them again. He was reminded of what he had and lost. In a fury of anger and frustration he called another star to him, hoping it provided relief.
The conversation that followed took his breath away.
"Are you all right? You're trembling. What's going on?"
"Something wonderful has happened. Ani, I'm pregnant."
The bombshell propelled Anakin from his temporary place between space and time. His mind was catapulted from the Force and thrown back to reality. He fell backwards onto the cold stone floor of his cave.
Anakin reached for his chest, trying to fight the tightness in his lungs. The air, no matter how hard he sucked in, wouldn't come fast enough. It burned as it entered and was hot as it left. Without anything else to focus on, Anakin stared at the gaping hole in the cave above, staring at real stars this time.
Pregnant.
The words reverberated in his head. They weighed him down, threatening to pin him to the floor permanently.
Was it even real? Did that moment actually happen? Doubt battled belief.
The other moments had truly happened; they were clear in his memory. The first was from his childhood and the second just before the Clone War. The third...if it followed the pattern of the others, then it had to have already passed or it was in the near future.
How far into the future was it? When was Padme planning on telling him or did she even know the truth? Anakin created more questions than he had answers.
One answer he did have was that he was going to be a father. He, a former Jedi knight, was going to have a responsibility and joy that no Jedi was meant to have. The only thing he wanted out of life may become a reality.
But the Jedi...if they found out about the child, there's no denying the fact they'd raise him or her. The baby wouldn't know him or Padme. It would be just another tool used by the order. The idea ran Anakin's blood cold.
He'd kill them all before he let that happen.
Anakin turned around to look at the ship behind him. Its siren's call beckoned him towards it. The ship allowed Anakin to press his advantage, to take control of the situation before anyone else figured it out - perhaps even before Padme. He could hide in the shadows, lurking and waiting for the right moment. There may be a chance to convince Padme to come with him, too.
The child was the deciding factor. Anakin pressed himself up off of the icy, wet stone and searched for any spare parts and tools. At worst, The ETA-2 rested on the ocean floor just off the coast.
The latest lead was another dead end. The backwater planet, whatever it was called, provided no new information on Skywalker. In fact, they hadn't heard his name let alone provide information on the missing man. It was nothing new.
Aayla Secura pulled up the hood to her robes and walked back to her ship across the landing platform. The rain pouring down from the angry gray sky pooled in the indents of the aged steel. The water splashed up inside of her boots, drenching her toes. It added salt to her wounded pride.
She scowled at the landing platform to the Theta-class shuttle. It closed behind her, sealing her inside of the warm, dry place.
For weeks she'd gone after every possible lead on Skywalker, but none of them bore fruit. It was as though he vanished in his starfighter, leaving no trace of his whereabouts. It frustrated her to no end. Mentally, Aayla prepared herself for the encounter that she once thought inevitable. Now, she wondered if he'd ever be found.
Aayla threw her robe across the back of the pilot's chair. Her fingers dances across the control panel, bringing the shuttle to life. She jerked on the controls and the shuttle leapt upwards and headed for the sky above. The turbulence in the atmosphere shook the shuttle, however, it entered the eternal black space after a final jolt.
The Jedi leaned back in her chair wondering where to go next. She twisted in her chair, her hands folded over her mouth.
A blinking orange light on the dashboard caught her attention. She leaned over, pressed it, and sat back to wait for whatever message came through.
Mace Windu's blue hologram appeared before her. "Master Secura, I hope this message finds you well. We agree that the lack of information on Skywalker is frustrating, however, we've recently had information passed along to us by the Chancellor's office. According to a report sent in by a patrol close to the outter rim, a single yellow ETA-2 starfighter was seen heading towards the unknown regions. At the time, they didn't believe it to be anything out of the ordinary, but with Skywalker's abandonment now being well-known they sent it in as soon as possible. We'll send you the last known coordinates of the ship. May the Force be with you."
As soon as the hologram disappeared Aayla found the coordinates the Jedi sent her. The position was farther away than she liked - a day's travel at the very least - but she'd be able to reach it. She punched in the coordinates and allowed the ship's autopilot to take hold.
She couldn't help wondering when patrols would be sent into that region of space. Most of the Separatist forces were participating in their latest offensive on the other side of the galaxy. While errant patrols weren't unheard of, Aayla wondered why the patrol would possibly be sent so far away from where it was needed. Of course, they'd be long gone by the time she got there, but she thought it was curious to say the least.
A/N: We're getting towards the end of part one! I think there will be one more chapter, a brief hiatus while I finish up another story, then come back to this. This story is far from over! Thanks for all of the support. I always appreciate it.