Chapter 17: A Tremor In The Darkness
Bail took a long, thirsty sip of the cool glass of water that he held in his hand; he took a long, deep breath, running his fingers through his thick, dark hair, as he stood near the window, looking out over the heart of Il' Bru'ndadja, one of the largest cities on this watery world of Deyer.
The large, orange sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, and Bail watched it as it sent a shimmering cascade of orange and gold hues rippling across the surface of the bay that lapped at the city's outer boundaries; it reminded him of his home planet of Alderaan, in some ways, as he looked at the thick, misty clouds that covered the city, the tall, smoothly domed buildings that covered the city's skyline disappearing and reappearing in the late evening sky, as the thick banks of silvery, shimmering mists rolled slowly past them.
He sighed, deeply, as he reflected for a moment on the terrible events of the last few days; it had been a long, trying ordeal, both physically and emotionally, for all of them, and they were all beginning to feel the effects, in their bodies as well as their spirits.
Bail looked down thoughtfully at the cup in his hand, turning it slowly as he looked far beyond it; everything had changed, in the most unimaginable of ways, and things would never be the same again. He wished, with all of his heart, that he could speak to his constituents in the Senate and find out what had transpired since he had left the Senate that fateful afternoon, but he knew that that was all but impossible.
He knew enough, anyway, as he sighed, deeply; the Republic that he had known and served for so long was changed forever, just as their own lives had been, and they would never be the same again.
He took a long, deep breath, as he took another sip of the cool water from his glass, and then he turned around slowly from the window as he heard Obi-Wan's voice behind him.
Bail walked over and took a seat on the couch beside him, as the bearded Jedi shook his head and looked at the display pad in his hands, scrolling slowly through the test results on the small, translucent disk that Yoda had given him.
"This is amazing, Master," Obi-Wan said, as he glanced back up at Yoda's thoughtful face. "And you said that you first tested her two years ago?"
"Three," Yoda said, his long ears wiggling as he nodded his small head. "Married a year, they had been, when Anakin first brought her to me and requested that I test her."
"So, if I understand you correctly," Bail said, as he leaned back in his chair and looked at the two Jedi Knights with him thoughtfully, "you've found that Padmé has the same abilities that any other Jedi has?"
"For the most part, yes," Yoda nodded, as Obi-Wan continue to scroll through Padmé's test results.
"Then, how was it that the Jedi didn't locate her when she was a child, like any other padawan?" Bail asked, curiously.
"Latent, her abilities were, as most of those with a midichlorian count such as hers are," Yoda replied, as he toyed with the knurl of his cane, turning it thoughtfully in his hands. "Until activated, they were, much later," he continued, looking back to his companions again. "By her bond with Anakin."
"You spoke of these midichlorians before," Bail asked, a look of keen interest on his face; he found all of this, everything about it, fascinatingly interesting. "If I understand you correctly, it's this count which determines how strongly one is connected to the Force, correct?"
"Yes," Obi-Wan replied, his eyes still fixed intently on the display in his hands. "Well," he said, looking up from the display, furrowing his brow a bit, "Maybe a better way to say it is that the concentration is an indicator of someone's innate abilities," he said, looking over at Bail. "For example, there are people who go their entire lives with exceptionally high midichlorian counts who never even realize that the Force exists."
"And you say that Padmé's count is higher than most, yet not high enough to account for the level of her current abilities."
"That's right," Obi-Wan nodded, as he scrolled quickly back up through the data on the pad in his hands. "See, look here," he said, leaning forward and turning the pad so that Bail could see Padmé's test results. "Padmé's midichlorian count is four thousand, seven hundred," he said, pointing to the blood test results on the small display in his hand.
"That's about four times the average concentration," Obi-Wan said, as Bail studied the test results in front of him closely. "It's high, but not nearly high enough to account for the rest of these test results."
"Padmé scored perfectly on the image association test," Obi-Wan said, shaking his head in amazement again as Bail studied the display intently as he called up the rest of her results. "She'd need a midichlorian count of over ten thousand to be able to score that high."
"So what you're saying is," Bail said, nodding his head slowly, "is that her bond with Anakin somehow accentuates her natural abilities."
"To be honest, none of us quite understand it," Obi-Wan sighed, shaking his head slowly. "Jedi history speaks of the rare existence of the dyad in the Force, as it's called," he continued. "But it happens so rarely that it's not well understood. Some believed it was nothing but a legend, so we truly don't know how it works. But after watching them together, through all of this," he said, nodding his head as he leaned back in his chair thoughtfully, "I'm beginning to understand why."
"So what, exactly," Bail asked, curiously, "is a dyad?"
"According to legend, it's a rare bond between two Force sensitive individuals," Obi-Wan replied. "Legend tells us that it can be stronger than life itself, binding these two individuals not only across space, but time as well."
Bail listened, mesmerized, as Obi-Wan continued. "Members of a dyad are attuned to each other's senses completely, including what they see, hear, and feel," he said. "According to legend, they can possess the ability to communicate with each other across many light-years in the galaxy."
They both turned their attention to Yoda, as he spoke again. "Explains, this does, how Padmé was able to tell Anakin where the younglings were," he nodded, as he gestured to Obi-Wan. "Remembered well, your history, you have, Obi-Wan," he said. "Continue, if you will."
"They can also use the Force for healing," Obi-Wan said; he paused, then nodded his head slowly as he continued. "I watched Anakin with her, on board the Falcon when she was in labor," he said, quietly. "Tion, himself, said it was a miracle she was able to survive that, injured as badly as she was. That's what Anakin was doing, even if he didn't realize it," he said, looking back to Yoda once more. "He was the one who was keeping Padmé here with us."
"A legend alone, this is no longer," Yoda sighed, nodding his head slowly. "Her source of strength, Anakin is," he said, as his companions looked at him thoughtfully. "And she, his."
"So how long has Anakin been actively training her?" Obi-Wan asked, inquisitively.
"Two years, now," Yoda said, as he leaned back in his chair and picked up his small cane, turning it over thoughtfully in his tiny, weathered hands.
"And how far has she progressed?" Obi-Wan asked, as he glanced over and handed the display pad to Bail, watching him as he leaned back in his own chair, studying the small display with rapt attention.
"Progressed quickly, she has," Yoda said, looking back at Obi-Wan's attentive face. "Ready to begin her saber training, she was, almost a year ago," he said, as Obi-Wan's eyes widened, amazed by this revelation. "Instructed Anakin to begin her weapons training, I did, when I last tested her."
"You're joking," Obi-Wan said, shaking his head in disbelief. "She's ready for full on saber training, in only two years?"
"Past ready, she is," Yoda nodded, looking back down at his cane again thoughtfully. "Postponed it, Anakin and I did, when we learned of her pregnancy." Yoda sighed, deeply, as he looked back up at Obi-Wan. "No hurry, we thought there was, at the time."
"What about her Force sensitivity?" Obi-Wan asked, leaning closer to Yoda as Bail looked up from the display in his hands and listened intently. "Did you test her progress, just like the other padawans?"
"Yes," Yoda said, nodding his head firmly. "Tested her, every three months, I did, as Anakin trained her," he said. "Doubled the frequency of the tests, I did as well, considering her age."
"You mentioned her age before," Bail said, lowering the display in his hands to his lap as Yoda and Obi-Wan looked back at his curious face. "I don't quite understand. Why, exactly, would her age be a problem?"
"As a person grows, they're shaped by the events in their lives," Obi-Wan said, turning his attention toward Bail again. "Over time, we learn certain responses to specific emotions," he said. "Once we learn these responses, they become instinctive, and it's incredibly difficult to unlearn them."
"On negative emotions, the Dark Side feeds," Yoda said, as Bail listened with rapt attention. "Anger, fear, aggression," he said. "All of these, and others, can lead to the Dark Side."
"It's dangerous to train someone in the ways of the Force after they've developed their own reaction patterns to these emotions," Obi-Wan said, reaching up and brushing his hand thoughtfully over his beard. "If they're tempted by the Dark Side, and they succumb to that temptation, then its influence can destroy them, and everyone around them."
Obi-Wan looked back at Yoda for a long, thoughtful moment, as they both reflected, painfully, on the terrible events of the past few days. "Just as it did Count Dooku," he said finally, watching as Yoda nodded his head sadly, and turned his eyes back down toward the cane in his hands.
Bail sighed deeply, as he looked at Obi-Wan and Yoda's sorrowful faces; he was beginning to understand just how costly Dooku's betrayal had been.
"Did you sense any of the Dark Side's influence, when you tested her?" Obi-Wan asked quietly after a long moment.
"No," Yoda said, shaking his head firmly. "None, whatsoever. Calm and peaceful, Padmé's spirit is, now," he said, looking back up at Bail and Obi-Wan again. "As calm as any that I have ever felt."
"So she truly is ready for the next level of training," Obi-Wan said quietly, leaning back in his chair and sighing, deeply. "And you and Anakin plan to fully train her as a Jedi, don't you?" he asked after a long pause, looking back at Yoda again.
Bail watched with rapt attention, as Yoda nodded his head again slowly. "Some question, there was, as to how far we would take her training," he said, looking back up at his companions thoughtfully. "Our original goal, it was, to provide her with only that which she needed to understand these gifts, and the will and guidance of the Force."
Yoda sighed, as he took a long, deep breath. "Yet now, with all that has happened," he said, shaking his head sorrowfully, "no choice we have, I feel, except to complete her training, and equip her with the skills she will need."
"So," Bail said, watching as Yoda and Obi-Wan turned their attention toward him, "Padmé will become a Jedi," he said, leaning back in his own chair slowly as he spoke. "Just like Anakin."
"Up to her, that decision will be, ultimately," Yoda nodded. "But yes, if she chooses to be. And a powerful one, I feel, she will become," he said. "Just like her husband."
They all sat quietly for a long moment, until Yoda finally turned his attention back to Obi-Wan again. "The samples from the younglings," Yoda said, quietly. "Given them to you yet, Anakin has?"
"Yes," Obi-Wan said, taking a deep breath as he turned his attention back to Yoda from his thoughts and reached down to the small compartment on his belt. "I have them right here."
Bail watched, with keen interest, as Obi-Wan produced two tiny crimson vials from his belt, and then turned toward him and extended his hand.
"So those are blood samples from the children, then," Bail said, as he handed the small datapad back to Obi-Wan, watching him as he placed it in his lap, and then reached down and produced a small, cylindrical device from another compartment on his belt.
"Yes," Obi-Wan nodded, as he quickly snapped the device into a slot on the top of the datapad. "Anakin had Tion's staff retrieve them when they were examining them a short while ago."
Bail and Yoda watched, with rapt attention, as Obi-Wan took the first small vial and snapped its silicone-covered end into the device atop the datapad. "This is Luke's," he said, as he quickly tapped the display on the datapad, calling up the test program. They all watched, in silence, as the tiny device began to hum softly.
"So I'm assuming that this will tell you the children's midichlorian count?" Bail asked.
"Yes," Obi-Wan replied. "It's standard practice, whenever we test a child that we think may be Force sensitive."
Bail watched quietly, as Obi-Wan looked back at the display in his hands as he heard several tones as the test process completed. His brow furrowed, as he saw the deep frown that crossed Obi-Wan's face as he studied the results in silence for a long moment.
"What is it?" Bail asked, as he and Yoda looked at Obi-Wan intently, watching him as he tapped the datapad quickly, and the small device atop his datapad began to hum softly again.
"I'm just double checking to make sure these numbers are right," Obi-Wan said, shaking his head slowly. "Give me one more minute."
Bail and Yoda looked at each other, curiously, as Obi-Wan watched the display in front of him intently. They both turned their eyes back toward him again, as they heard the tone as the test completed a second time.
"It's correct," Obi-Wan sighed, as he looked at the display in his hands. "I've tested Luke's midichlorian count twice, and I got the same numbers both times."
"So what's the count?" Bail asked, as he watched Obi-Wan study the display, shaking his head slowly.
"Fourteen thousand, five hundred," Obi-Wan said, looking up and watching the look of utter amazement that spread over Yoda and Bail's faces as they looked at each other in stunned silence. "Almost as high as Master Yoda," he said, as he reached up and removed Luke's sample from the small test device atop his datapad.
"That's incredible," Bail said, leaning back in his chair and watching Yoda as the tiny Jedi master looked down at his cane again, deeply thoughtful. "That's almost three times has high as his mother's."
"Let's see what his sister's is," Obi-Wan said, as he quickly popped Leia's sample vial into the tiny device and tapped the display in his hands, looking over at Bail with a sly smile as he heard the small device begin to hum again.
"I don't know anything about the Force, and I don't pretend to, beyond what you've both told me," Bail said, shaking his head as his two companions looked at him, "but I do know quite a bit about human biology," he said. "Children usually share the traits of their parents," he said, folding his hands thoughtfully in front of him as he leaned forward in his chair.
"If Luke's count is that high, and Padmé's is just under five thousand," Bail asked, looking back up at Obi-Wan curiously, "then just how high is Anakin's?"
Obi-Wan glanced over at Yoda, watching him as Yoda nodded his head, slowly. Bail leaned back in his chair, stunned and taken back by Obi-Wan's answer, as he turned his attention back toward him again.
"Twenty seven thousand, seven hundred," Obi-Wan stated, quite matter-of-factly, as he glanced back down at the datapad as he heard the tones as the test completed again. "The highest recorded count for any Jedi," Obi-Wan said, as he tapped the control pad and called up Leia's test results. "Ever."
"Fourteen thousand, five hundred," Obi-Wan chuckled, shaking his head in amazement as he glanced back over at Yoda again. "Just like her brother."
Yoda took a long, deep breath; his brow furrowed deeply, as he heard Obi-Wan's test results confirm what he had already sensed aboard the Millennium Falcon. What troubled him most, as he looked up and watched Obi-Wan and Bail study the display in his friend's hand with keen interest, is the thought of who else, beside himself, might have sensed it as well.
They had some hard decisions to make, he thought to himself, as he looked back up at his companions; and they had to make them soon.
"Drop shields, and open the hangar bay," Commander Bartellow barked, turning around quickly and looking at the trooper that manned the bay controls behind him. "And have two battalions assemble on the hangar deck, to prepare for His Excellency's arrival."
"Yes, sir," the trooper replied, nodding obediently as he reached down and quickly dropped the Interceptor's main forward defense screens and activated the hangar bay doors.
Bartellow turned and looked out of the observation window behind him, out over the massive star destroyer's hangar bay; he saw the quick, brilliant blue flash as the environmental force field engaged, keeping out the cold vacuum of space as the bay's bright yellow lights began to flash, as the outer doors began to slide slowly open.
He watched, somewhat apprehensively, as he saw the sleek, long range shuttle pass through the stasis field with an electrostatic flash, and then settle slowly down on the hangar bay's cold metal decking. He turned around to the trooper behind him again, as he saw the two battalions of troopers that he had requested march quickly out onto the hangar deck, as the shuttle's engines began to whine slowly down.
"Advise the General that he is needed on the command deck, immediately," Bartellow said, turning and looking back out at the hangar deck again. "Emperor Palpatine's shuttle has just arrived."
"I want everyone except essential personnel cleared from the corridors that lead to the medical lab, immediately," he said, turning his cold, steel-hard face toward the young officer who stood at stiff attention near him. "Is that understood?"
"Understood clearly, General," the officer replied, nodding quickly, and then turning and walking briskly toward the communications console behind him.
The General turned and looked back out of the Interceptor's command deck windows; he took a deep breath, folding his arms rigidly behind his thin, gaunt form as he walked slowly across the command deck, his sharp, icy gray eyes quickly surveying the deck around him.
It had only been a few hours, since he had received the communiqué that his ship, the Interceptor, had been named the new flagship of the newly formed Imperial Navy, not long after he had been ordered, by newly appointed Emperor Palpatine himself, to provide any and all assistance required to the transports that had arrived a short time before.
Palpatine hadn't told him anything beyond that; Commander Bartellow had ordered the corridors cleared before they arrived, and he had received no information from the ship's main medical lab since the mysterious, shrouded cargo had been unloaded from Bartellow's gunship and whisked in complete secrecy to the medical lab, along with an astounding array of equipment and supplies.
He turned and glanced around the deck behind him again; it made no difference, he thought to himself, what they were doing in the medical lab several decks below. He had assured the Emperor that all of his ship's resources would be at his disposal, and he had seen to it that they had been.
He turned around quickly, as he heard the high pitched signal from the lift at the far end of the command deck, as it was summoned to the decks far below them. "I want everyone on this command deck at complete attention," the General snapped, his steel-cold eyes surveying his bridge staff as they stood up quickly and snapped to attention.
"Speak only when spoken too, and any mistakes will be dealt with in the harshest manner," he said, as he summoned his deck officer to his side. "Is that understood?"
He ran his hand quickly through his silver-gray hair, and then turned his attention toward the lift as he heard it lock into place and begin to open, slowly.
"Emperor on deck," the General snapped, as he and his staff stood at rigid attention as they saw Emperor Palpatine's dark, cloaked form step off the lift, his two red-cloaked guards trailing close behind him as he walked slowly toward him, his long black cloak swirling around him as he walked.
The General took a step forward, turning to face Palpatine's cloaked form directly. "Welcome aboard the Interceptor, Your Excellency," he said, bowing reverently and then snapping back to attention as Palpatine approached him. "You honor us, and your new flagship, with your presence."
"Thank you, General Tarkin," Emperor Palpatine replied, nodding his cloaked head slowly as he stopped, along with his guards, just short of Tarkin's tall, thin form. "Everything appears to be in good order," Palpatine said, as he glanced around the command deck, observing the bridge staff as they stood at rigid, motionless attention.
"Your reputation, it seems," Palpatine said, turning his attention back to Tarkin again, "is well earned, indeed."
"I am honored, your Excellency," Tarkin replied, bowing humbly again.
"Has my staff been granted access to the medical lab as requested?" Emperor Palpatine asked, his hooded eyes glancing around the command deck again.
"Yes, your Excellency," Tarkin said, nodding his head firmly. "The ship's resources are at your, and your staff's, disposal."
"Excellent," Palpatine said, turning and studying Tarkin for a long moment as he stood silently in front of him. "Have your staff set course to these coordinates," Palpatine said finally, handing a small datadisc to him as he turned his attention back toward him again.
General Tarkin raised his hand, motioning to the navigational offer that stood directly across from him. "Set course to these coordinates immediately," he said, as the nav officer took the disc from him and nodded obediently. "Maximum possible speed."
"Walk with me, General," Emperor Palpatine said, as he reached slowly into the pockets hidden in his long, black cloak. "You may accompany me to the medical lab."
General Tarkin glanced down, looking for a brief moment at the small, round holographic device that rested in the palm of the Emperor's hand. "There is something that we need to discuss," Palpatine said, as the general looked curiously at the small, smooth device.
"Maintain operations," General Tarkin said, snapping his head around and looking at his bridge officer that stood by his side. "Contact me immediately if anything should arise."
"Yes, General," his officer replied, nodding briskly.
The general folded his hands behind his tall, thin frame again, as he walked alongside Palpatine as they started back toward the lift behind them. "I believe," Emperor Palpatine said, turning his hooded face toward Tarkin and smiling coldly, "that you will find this to be of particular interest."
Tarkin took the small device from Palpatine's extended hand, and looked at it curiously as the lift doors closed with a hiss in front of them.
Padmé looked over toward the chair in the corner of her room, as she sat on the side of her bed; she smiled, watching Anakin as he cradled Luke gently in the crook of his arm, watching him as he slept.
"Now," Tion said, as he turned his large, round eyes back toward her from the display in front of him, "if you'll just take several more deep breaths while I complete the final scan, we should be almost finished."
Anakin looked up from his sleeping son and watched as Padmé closed her eyes and took several long, deep breaths, exhaling slowly with each one as Tion's scanners beeped softly each time that she did.
"Excellent," Tion said, as he turned his eyes from the display back toward Padmé again and stepped close beside her. "The tear in your diaphragm appears to be completely repaired, along with the rest of your injuries," he nodded, as he gently removed the sensors from Padmé's chest and back. "I believe that we can release you from our care without any fear of further complications."
"You will most likely continue to feel a bit of soreness and discomfort for a time, until your body has completed its own healing processes," Tion said, as he brushed Padmé's long hair back with his long, thin fingers and gently removed the last sensor from her neck. "I would simply recommend that you get plenty of rest and avoid overtiring yourself, if at all possible," he said, looking at her with a smile as she gingerly pulled her tunic up over her shoulders.
"Thank you, Tion," Padmé said, nodding her head gratefully at the tall, gray-skinned physician as he placed the sensors on the tray beside the small display. "I don't think we'll ever be able to thank you enough for everything you've done for us."
"Again, no thanks are necessary," Tion said, folding his long, thin hands over his silver robe and turning toward Padmé, bowing politely. He watched, as Anakin stood up from the chair in the corner of the room and walk slowly over toward him. "It has been our great pleasure and privilege to assist you both."
Padmé looked up at Anakin, as he smiled at Tion as he cradled Luke carefully in his arm. "Thank you, Tion," Anakin said, reaching up and placing his hand on Tion's shoulder, squeezing it gently. "We really appreciate everything you've done," he said, his expression becoming a bit more apologetic as he spoke. "And I'm sorry if I was a bit of a problem through all of this."
"You are most welcome, Master Skywalker," Tion said, bowing his head politely at Anakin. "And no apologies are necessary," he said, as Anakin looked back down at Luke again. "Your reaction, under the circumstances, was quite understandable."
"I believe that your companions are waiting for you in our receiving area," he said, as they both looked up at him. "We have arranged accommodations for all of you for the evening, not far from here. I hope you find them comfortable and pleasant."
"Thank you so much, Tion," Padmé nodded. "Not only for what you've done, but your kindness as well."
"I wish both of you a full life and much happiness with your new family," Tion said, glancing at both of them with a pleasant smile. "And a safe journey home tomorrow."
"Until next time, then," Tion said, bowing once more. "Long life and prosperity to you both." They both watched him, for a long moment, as the tall, thin physician turned and walked quietly out of the room and headed back down the long hallway.
"So," Anakin sighed, looking at Padmé with a grin as she took a deep breath and placed her hands on the bed beside her. "You ready to get out of here?" he said, as he rocked Luke gently in his arms.
"Yes," Padmé said with a firm, happy nod as she reached up and gently pushed back the edge of the blanket; she looked at her son for a long moment, as he slept quietly in his father's arms. "You'd better believe I am," she said, softly, as she looked up at Anakin fondly.
She watched Anakin for a moment, as he walked over to the small basinet and laid Luke gently down next to his sister. "How about that?" Anakin said quietly, standing up and looking back at her with a wide grin. "They're both asleep at the same time."
"If Sola's right," Padmé laughed softly, "that's not going to happen very often."
Padmé's face suddenly grew more thoughtful; Anakin looked up at her, as he knelt down in the floor in front of her, taking one of her boots in his hand. "You know," he said, as he unfastened the buckles that ran down the side of her boot, "sometimes Threepio's annoying attention to details can be a good thing," he said, as he glanced up at her with a grin. "At least he remembered to get your extra clothes off the Destiny before they left it."
"What's wrong, Angel?" he asked, as he looked back up, watching her cup her hands over her face and sigh deeply.
"Sola," Padmé sighed, sliding her hands down her face and looking over the tops of her fingers at Anakin as he slipped her bright, white boots on her feet, one at a time. "Oh, Ani, with everything that's happened, I haven't even thought about how I left that night," she said, watching as he smiled and shook his head slowly as he fastened the buckles on the sides of her boots, tucking the legs of her pants into them neatly as he did so.
"Don't laugh, Ani," Padmé said, shaking her head with a frown as she heard him begin to chuckle softly as he secured the last few buckles on her boots. "It's not going to be funny when we get home," she sighed, as she looked at him sheepishly as he grinned up at her, his eyes twinkling brightly. "I'm going to be in so much trouble. Sola will never speak to me again, and I don't even want to think about what Mom and Dad are going to say."
"You're not going to be in any trouble," Anakin chuckled, his eyes sparkling brightly as he stood up and gently took her hands in his. "If you were worried about getting in trouble, you should've been worried about what I was going to do to you when you came chasing after me like you did."
"But I know why you did it," Anakin said, gazing into her bright, brown eyes fondly as she smiled sheepishly up at him. "And you did save my life, after all. So I guess I can forgive you."
"Promise?" Padmé said quietly, as she squeezed his hands tightly, looking up at him as she hung her head sheepishly. "I'm so sorry I put you through all of this, Ani," she said. "I could understand if you were angry with me."
Anakin smiled at her softly, placing his hand gently under her chin and lifting her lovely face toward him. Padmé closed her eyes, and she sighed deeply as he pressed his lips gently to hers and kissed her tenderly for a long moment.
"I guess that means you're not angry with me?" she said, opening her eyes and smiling at him as their lips parted.
"I think that's the general idea I was trying to convey," Anakin grinned, as he placed his hand gently on her cheek and caressed it softly. "And don't worry," he said, as she sighed once more and gazed up at him. "We'll give Sola a call when we get settled in for the night and let her know you're okay," he said. "But I think we'll keep Luke and Leia a secret for now, till we get home."
"Okay," Padmé laughed; she closed her eyes again and placed her hand gently on his cheek, as Anakin leaned down and kissed her a second time.
"Besides," Anakin said, opening his eyes and winking slyly at her as their lips parted, "They're insurance. Once they all see Luke and Leia, they'll be too excited to be angry with you, anyway."
Padmé laughed again, as she closed her eyes and laid her forehead gently on his for a long moment. "I hope you're right," she said, opening her eyes and looking back up at him again.
"Of course I am," Anakin nodded, as he took her hands tightly in his again. "So, you ready to give it a try?"
"Yes," she said, nodding her head firmly. "Let's go find the others and get out of here. The sooner we leave," she said, "the sooner we can go home."
Anakin took a step back, holding her hands tightly as she gingerly slid forward off the bed onto her feet. "Careful, Angel," he said, steadying her as she stood up slowly. "Go slow, okay?"
"Okay," Padmé said, holding Anakin's hands tightly as she stood up straight; she took a long, deep breath, as she stood there for a moment, letting herself get used to the strange sensation of standing up on her own again; it seemed like an eternity since she had done so.
"How do you feel?" Anakin asked, as she looked at him with an apprehensive smile.
"Pretty good," she said, nodding her head as she took another deep breath. "I'm a little sore, but, all in all, I feel pretty good."
Padmé smiled brightly, as she looked down toward the floor. "How about that?" she said, looking back up at Anakin. "I can see my boots again!"
Padmé's eyes sparkled brightly, as Anakin began to laugh at her. "What?" she asked with a laugh, as she hugged him tightly as he placed his arms gently around her and pulled her close to him.
"I love you," Anakin laughed, as he held her close and kissed her on the cheek. "Come on, Angel," he said, as he turned around and took hold of the hover chair that sat quietly near the wall and pulled it toward them. "Let's take our family and get out of here."
Anakin held Padmé's hands tightly, as he helped her sit down in the small, faintly humming chair. She took a deep breath and smiled as she brushed her long hair back over her shoulder, watching Anakin as he walked over and, very gently, scooped Luke up into his arms.
"Let's see if we can do this without waking them up," Anakin whispered, as he leaned down and gently handed him to Padmé, watching her as she cradled him lovingly in the crook of her left arm. He turned around and, just as gently, scooped up Leia in his arms.
Padmé laughed, softly, as she watched him stand motionless, wide-eyed, as Leia twitched and cooed several times as he moved her, and then fell silent again as she drifted back to sleep.
"She's a light sleeper," Anakin whispered, as he leaned down again and placed Leia gently into Padmé's other arm. He stood up and sighed, watching her as she leaned down and kissed Leia gently on her tiny forehead as she cuddled her two precious children close to her.
"You've got your hands full, Mom," Anakin sighed, as Padmé turned her beaming face back up toward him again. "You gonna be able to handle those two?"
"I've got someone very special to help me," Padmé said softly, her eyes sparkling as she gazed up at him fondly. "Someone very special, indeed, who loves me very much," she said, as she stretched out with her feelings and touched his strong, soothing tremor deep in her heart. "Almost as much as I love him."
She took a long, contented breath, as she watched Anakin walk around behind her and place his hands gently on the back of the chair. "Come on, Angel," Anakin said, leaning down and kissing her gently on the cheek. "Let's go home."
Anakin placed his hand gently on Padmé's shoulder, as he gave her chair a gentle push. He took a long, contented breath, watching her quietly as she cradled their sleeping children securely in her arms as they started slowly back down the long, white hallway toward the receiving area where Obi-Wan, Bail and Yoda waited for them.
The medical droid turned slowly, as the doors to the medlab slid open with a cold hiss; he watched, as Emperor Palpatine stepped through the doorway, surveying the lab quickly with his hooded eyes.
"Leave us," Palpatine said, turning to the two red-cloaked guards that followed closely behind him and General Tarkin.
Tarkin watched, as the two guards bowed silently and then walked back outside, taking their place on either side of the medlab doors as they slowly closed with another hiss. He glanced around the medlab, his eyes and mind marveling at the incredible array of equipment that had been brought on board his ship; he turned his eyes back toward Palpatine again, as he heard the Emperor's cold, unfeeling voice behind him.
"Give me a status report," Palpatine said, as he and General Tarkin turned their attention the medical droid that stood near them.
"The procedure is nearly complete, your Excellency," the droid's metallic, monotone voice replied. "We are beginning the final phase of the operation now."
"Good," Palpatine said, nodding his head slowly. "Will he be able to function normally when the procedure is complete?"
"Yes, your Excellency," the droid replied. "He will be dependent on the suit to maintain his biological functions," he said, his monotone voice almost as cool and unfeeling as Palpatine's, "but he should be completely self sufficient. We are preparing to remove him from artificial life support and engage the suit's support systems now."
"Excellent," Palpatine said, nodding his head slowly again, as he glanced over at Tarkin, watching him as he glanced around the medlab curiously. "We wish to observe the last phase of the operation."
"Of course, your Excellency," the droid replied, as he turned and started back toward the far end of the medlab. "If you will follow me, we will begin the procedure."
"If the operation is successful," Palpatine said, as they followed along behind the droid in the dim light, "how long until you can release him?"
"No more than a few hours, your Excellency," the droid replied. "If he survives the final phase of the procedure."
Tarkin's eyes scanned the dimly lit medical lab, as they made their way along the narrow corridor and into the large, brightly lit operation chamber. He looked over, his eyes catching sight of the group of medical droids that milled about busily around the large, heavy table in the middle of the room; a myriad of pipes, tubes and wiring ran from an unimaginable array of monitors and equipment. He craned his neck, curiously, as he tried to catch a glimpse of the figure that lay on the table; all he could see was a mixture of pink flesh and black material, as the droids hovered over the table.
Tarkin turned his eyes back toward the droid near him, as he watched another turn from the table at the far side of the room and approach him. "Are the modifications to the breathing system complete?" the droid asked, as he looked at the device in the approaching droid's hand.
"Yes, commander," the droid replied, as he handed the device to the droid that stood near Palpatine. "We are awaiting your command to proceed."
Tarkin's brow furrowed, deeply, as he looked at the device as the droid turned it over, slowly in his metallic hands. It was a mask, or a part of one, at least, dark and sinister looking.
"Very well," the droid replied, handing the mysterious mask back to the droid that waited patiently in front of him. "Administer the atropine, and disengage the external life support systems."
"Come, General," Palpatine said, turning his hooded face toward Tarkin and looking at him with a cold, unfeeling smile. "This should prove quite interesting."
General Tarkin swallowed hard, as he walked slowly at Palpatine's side, toward the mysterious figure that lay on the table in front of them; he watched the droids, as they stepped to the side, clearing a path for him and the Emperor to approach the long, heavy table.
He grimaced, as he watched the droid at the head of the table place the sinister shell over the face of the individual that lay on the table in front of him. He wasn't sure which was worse; the face that he had seen a moment before, or the terrifying image that glared up at him as the droids fastened the horrific mask into place.
Padmé leaned back against the nest of soft, warm pillows that Anakin had tucked behind her; she looked up, as she saw him step out of the small bathroom, scrubbing his long, blond hair with the thick towel in his hand.
"Feel better?" she asked brightly, as she watched him lean against the narrow, arching doorframe as he dried his hair.
"Much," he sighed, as he lowered the towel and shook his head; she smiled at him, as she watched him brush his hair out of his eyes as he walked slowly over toward the bed where she lay.
"Well, you definitely look better," Padmé said, as he sat down gently on the side of the bed beside her. "Especially now that most of those bruises are gone," she said, as she reached over and placed her hand gently on his bare chest.
"How does it feel?" she asked, as she gently rubbed her hand on his chest as he smiled back at her.
"Absolutely wonderful," Anakin grinned, nodding as he reached up and pressed her hand gently to his chest. "Keep it up."
"I mean, your chest, silly," Padmé laughed, as she patted it gently. "How's it feeling?"
"Much better," Anakin said, nodding his head as he reached up and took her hand gently in his. "How about you?"
"I'm a little tired, and a bit sore," Padmé said with a weary, yet contented sigh. "But I'll be fine."
Padmé looked down, as Anakin reached over and gently brushed his hand over Leia's thick, dark hair. "Is she still nursing?" he asked softly, as he watched Padmé cuddle her close to her breast.
"No," she said, shaking her head softly, as she smiled down at her daughter lovingly. "She fell asleep a little while ago," she said, looking back up at Anakin contentedly. "I've just been holding her, and thinking about how beautiful they both are."
"She has her father's eyes," Padmé said, as she looked back down at her daughter again. "I was noticing that a little while ago, right before she fell asleep."
"I think they both look like you," Anakin grinned, as Padmé leaned her head back against the pillows behind her and smiled at him, sleepily. "They're both so beautiful," he said, as he squeezed her hand gently. "Just like their mother."
Anakin reached over and gently caressed her cheek. "You need to get some sleep," he said softly, as she closed her eyes and sighed, deeply. "They'll be up again in a few hours."
"Okay," she nodded, as he gently scooped Leia's tiny, sleeping body from her arms, cradling her carefully in his own as he carried her to the small basinet that stood a short distance from their bed.
She laughed, as she heard his voice, as he leaned down close over the basinet and his two sleeping children. "Mom's really tired, you two," he whispered softly. "If you want to sleep a couple of extra hours, it's okay with us."
"I don't think it works that way, baby," Padmé laughed softly, as she snuggled down in the bed and watched him turn and grin at her sheepishly.
"Well, it's worth a try," he shrugged, as he turned his attention back to his children again.
Padmé took a deep breath and sighed deeply, as she watched him gaze at them both for a long moment; she reached up and quietly wiped away the happy tear that stood in the corner of her eye, as she heard his soft voice again as he looked down at their two sleeping babies.
"Good night, Luke and Leia," Anakin whispered softly. "We love you both."
Padmé pulled back the covers beside her, as he turned around and walked quietly back to the bed and climbed in beside her. She tossed the covers up over him, as he snuggled down against the pillows behind him with a deep, contented sigh.
"Mmmmmm," Padmé sighed, closing her eyes contentedly as she felt his arm wrap tightly around her shoulders as she snuggled close beside him, wrapping her arms tightly around his chest. "You don't know how much I missed this."
"Yes, I do," Anakin said softly, as Padmé looked up and brought her face close to his. "Almost as much as I did," he whispered, as his eyes searched hers for a long, quiet moment.
"I know we did what we had too," Anakin whispered softly, as he reached up and caressed her cheek softly. "But if I had to go back," he said, shaking his head slowly, "I don't know that I could leave you again."
"You never left me, Ani," Padmé said softly, as she gently ran her fingers through his hair. "You were with me the whole time."
Padmé watched him, as he lay quietly for a long moment. "Padmé," Anakin asked softly, shaking his head slowly as he looked up at her again, "Did anything that we did make a difference?"
Padmé smiled at him, her eyes glistening brightly in the soft light of their bedroom. "Everything you do makes a difference, Ani," she said, as she gently stroked his long hair. "Just ask those children that you saved in the Temple, if you need proof."
"I know that a lot of terrible things have happened, since all of this started," she said, nodding her head as she looked down and took his hand tightly in hers. "But there were a lot of terrible things that didn't happen, because of what you and the others did."
"There's always hope, Ani," Padmé said softly, as she smiled back up at him and caressed his cheek gently. "Just go look at your children, if you ever need proof of that."
Anakin smiled, as he gazed deeply into her beautiful, brown eyes. "You always know how to make me feel better," he whispered softly.
Anakin closed his eyes, as Padmé pressed her lips tightly against his as they held each other for a long quiet moment.
Their lips parted, finally, and Anakin took a long, deep breath as he leaned back against the pillows behind him, as she laid her head gently on his chest and snuggled close to him.
"Good night, Padmé," Anakin said softly, as he held her tightly to his side. "I love you so much."
"I love you, Ani," Padmé sighed contentedly, as she leaned up and kissed him on the cheek, and then laid her head back down gently on his chest and snuggled close beside him.
Anakin looked down at her, as he gently stroked her long, brown hair; he watched her quietly, for a long moment, as he felt her breathing become slow and rhythmic as she quickly fell asleep at his side. He leaned down and kissed her gently and then, with a contented sigh, he raised his hand and, reaching into the Force, turned out the light.
He felt an incredible wave of panic sweep over him, as he slowly began to regain consciousness; the strange electrical impulses that traveled from his arms and legs only added to that panic, as the strange, mechanical hiss filled his ears. He tried to move, but he couldn't; he felt the panic begin to turn to fear, as he tried in vain to move his arms and legs.
He struggled harder, as he heard the sinister, rhythmic hiss again; it was all around him, echoing in his ears as it repeated itself, over and over again. He tried to open his eyes, but all he saw was darkness, and still, the terrible, rhythmic sound continued.
Through the wave of panic that swept over him, as he struggled to move, he began to hear voices; he struggled to focus his thoughts on them, as he tried to drown out the terrible, repetitive hiss that cycled, over and over, in his ears.
"Where am I?" he cried; he panicked again, as he heard the strange voice that echoed his plea. It wasn't his own, dark and sinister, yet it spoke each time that he tried to speak.
"What's going on?" he cried again, the dark, angry voice filling his ears as he struggled harder against the restraints that bound him. "What's happening to me!"
"Just lie still for a moment," he heard the monotone, mechanical voice reply, as the strange, methodical hiss continued to fill his ears. "Try to relax."
He blinked his eyes again, several times; still, all he saw was darkness. "Don't tell me to relax," he shouted angrily, as he continued to struggle against the restraints that bound him. "What's happening to me!"
"Is this reaction normal?" he heard a dark, cold voice ask; he stopped struggling, for just a moment, as he tried to focus on the familiar haunting voice.
"Yes," he heard the cold, monotone voice reply. "It is possible that it may require some time for him to adjust to his new environment."
"Master?" he asked, continuing to struggle frantically as he recognized Sidious's dark, sinister voice. "Master, is that you? What's happening to me?"
"Patience, Lord Vader," he heard his Master's voice reply, and he stopped struggling, for a moment, as he tried desperately to focus on that voice, as he tried to tune out the repetitive hiss that continued to echo around him. "You must attempt to calm yourself."
"Where am I?" he cried, the dark, angry voice echoing around him. "Why can't I see anything?"
"Your optical visor has not yet been activated," he heard the monotone voice answer in reply.
"What do you mean, my optical visor?" the strange, dark voice asked, as he started to struggle again. "What's going on?"
"Activate the visor," he heard Sidious' voice state, coldly.
Vader blinked his eyes, as he saw the bright flash in front of them; he watched, shocked and perplexed, as he saw the lights suspended directly over him as he lay on the table; it looked artificial, like an image on a computer display.
He felt himself begin to panic again, as his eyes saw, in the dim light of the displays in front of his eyes, the inside of the strange mask that covered his face.
"What's going on?" he heard the dark, sinister voice cry again, as he looked up and saw Darth Sidious's face as he stepped close to his side and looked down at him.
"Master, please," he pleaded, as he tried to move his arms and legs again. "Tell me what's happened to me."
"You were injured, Lord Vader," Sidious said, his hooded face flickering as the droid adjusted the optical sensors in the mask that covered Vader's face. "Quite seriously."
"Why won't my arms and legs move?" he asked, as his eyes glanced around the room above him.
"You are confined, for the moment," Sidious said, nodding his hooded head slowly. "For your own protection, until you get used to your new support system."
"Support system?" Vader asked, as he listened to the rhythmic hiss that continued, steadily, around him. He felt himself panic again, as he suddenly realized that the hiss coincided, perfectly, with the rise and fall of his chest, yet he couldn't feel himself breathing; something was breathing for him.
"Why do I need a support system?" he heard the dark voice cry again, as he continued to try to move his arms and legs; he could feel them, but they simply wouldn't move. "How long have I got to be in this thing?" he asked frantically, as he turned and looked, through the strange, electronic display in front of his eyes, at his master as he looked down at him.
"Forever," Sidious said, coldly, as he looked down at his apprentice; Vader felt an incredible wave of despair sweep over him, as he watched in horror as the droid next to his master picked up a prosthetic hand and, very smoothly, passed it over Vader's masked face to the droid that stood across from his master.
"NNNNOOOOOOOOO!" he heard the angry, dark voice scream, as he closed his eyes and lashed out, with every ounce of his being, as the incredible wave of hate, fear, and anger swept over him, as the methodical, mechanical hiss echoed, again and again, in his tortured ears.
Anakin's eyes snapped open, as he jerked his head from his pillow as the powerful, angry tremor traveled to him through the Force; his breath came in quick, ragged gasps, as he clutched Padmé close to his side as he glanced frantically around their room.
His breathing began to slow, somewhat, as he felt the horrible, tortured tremor begin to fade slowly. He looked down, as he felt Padmé stir at his side as she raised her head from his chest and looked up at him, worriedly.
"Ani?" she said, as she took a deep breath and looked at him sleepily. "What is it?" she asked, as she reached up and placed her hand gently on his cheek. "What's wrong?"
Anakin took a long, deep breath, struggling to calm himself as the terrible, horrifying tremor continued to fade slowly away. "Nothing," he said, as he shook his head and smiled sleepily down at her. "It's nothing," he said, as he gently squeezed her shoulder. "I thought I heard something."
"Are you sure?" she asked, blinking her eyes sleepily again.
"Yes," he said, nodding his head as he leaned down and kissed her gently on the forehead. "Everything's fine, baby," he said, watching her as she blinked her eyes, sleepily. "Go back to sleep."
Anakin lay back against his pillow, wrapping his arm tightly around Padmé's shoulders as she laid her head on his chest and snuggled close to him again. He brushed his hand gently through her long, brown hair, gazing at her in the dim light that filtered through the window from the city outside as she drifted quickly back to sleep.
He took a long, deep breath as he glanced over toward the window, watching as the lights twinkled in the darkness; he slid down a bit farther in the bed, as he instinctively pulled Padmé a little closer to his side as he felt the echo of the dark, tortured tremor in the Force that flowed so strongly through him.
It can't be possible, he thought to himself; yet he knew, in his heart, where the terrible tremor that he had sensed had come from.
He glanced back down at Padmé, as she sighed contentedly and held him a little tighter. He took another long, deep breath, as he looked back up to the window again.
"Vader," he whispered softly, as he watched the raindrops begin to fall, gently, against the window as he heard the low rumble of thunder off in the distance.
Anakin opened his eyes, sleepily, as he heard the soft, small cry from the bassinet beside him. The morning sun was just beginning to filter through the clouds on the horizon, and he blinked his eyes several times in the soft, faint light that flowed in through the window at the far side of their room.
He yawned, deeply, as he glanced over at the small bassinet not far from him, and he smiled as he saw Leia's tiny hands appear, just for a moment, above the edge of it. He closed his eyes, yawning deeply again, as he slowly pulled himself up onto his elbows as he glanced at Padmé, as she slept beside him.
He leaned back on his elbows, smiling quietly as he watched her sleep; Padmé was usually a light sleeper, but the ordeal of the past several days appeared to have finally caught up with her. Anakin watched her for a long moment, reaching over and brushing her hair with his hand, very softly, as she lay curled on her side next to him, her arm tucked under her pillow as she slept.
Anakin turned and looked back toward the bassinet, as he heard Leia's soft cry again; he stood up slowly, being careful not to wake Padmé and, rubbing his face with his hand, sleepily, he stepped up next to the small bassinet.
"What's the matter, Leia?" he whispered softly, as he reached down and scooped her wiggling body up gently in his arms. He smiled, as he felt her tiny hand touch his cheek as he cradled her securely.
"Are you hungry again, already?" he asked, as he walked quietly toward the chair near the window; he reached up with one hand, as he cradled her carefully in his arm, and pulled the curtains closed a bit. He looked back down at her with a smile, as he sat down quietly in the chair.
"And your mother thought your brother was going to be the one to eat like I do," Anakin whispered, as he gently brushed her fine, dark hair away from her forehead as she whimpered softly and blinked her eyes at him. "You only ate about two hours ago," he said, as he glanced down beside the chair to the small bag that rested beside it.
"Your mother's really tired, sweetheart," Anakin whispered, as he reached down and rummaged through the bag with his left hand, searching for the small feeders that Tion had given him shortly before they left the medical facility. "I think it might be time to give some of this a try," he said, as he continued to rummage through the bag. He found one of the feeders, in short order, and pulled it from the bag as he sat back in the chair and yawned deeply again.
It had been the last thing that Tion had done for Padmé before they had left the facility. Childbirth, especially with no anesthetic of any kind, was extremely hard on any woman; Padmé's ordeal had been even worse, with her injuries, and Tion had provided them with several small infant feeders and a generous supply of supplemental formula so that Anakin could help tend to their little ones while she recuperated. He glanced over at her for a moment, watching her as she slept; she had gotten up with him each time the children had awakened, during the night, lovingly tending to and nursing them both without so much as a whine or a whimper. It was time for her to get some rest, and he was determined to see that she did.
"Let's see if you and I can figure out how this thing is supposed to work," Anakin whispered softly, looking back at his daughter with a grin as she squirmed in the crook of his arm.
Anakin pressed the tiny switch on the side of the feeder and shook it gently just as the tall, gray-skinned physician had shown him; he felt the small device begin to warm in his hand, as he watched the tiny red light blink next to his thumb.
"Looks like it's working," he sighed, watching as Leia blinked her eyes and looked up at him as the small feeder hummed softly, growing steadily warmer as he continued to shake it gently.
Anakin looked back at the feeder, as he heard the small beep as the tiny red indicator went out. "Looks like we're ready," he whispered, as he shook the device one last time, and then turned it up, bringing the small synthetic nipple closer to Leia's tiny face. "Now the only question is whether or not your dad knows how to do this," he said, as he looked at the feeder one last time and sighed, somewhat anxiously.
He rubbed the tiny nipple gently against her mouth, just as Tion had shown him; he smiled, as she suddenly opened her mouth and, with a tiny grunt or two, began to nurse contentedly.
"That must be pretty good stuff," Anakin whispered, looking down at his daughter with a grin as he watched her nurse hungrily from the feeder in his hand as her tiny eyes gazed up at him. "I might have to try a little of this myself."
Anakin looked up, as he heard the soft giggle that came from the bed in front of him. He shook his head and sighed, as he saw Padmé's bright brown eyes sparkling at him as she lay on her side with her head on her pillow, gazing at him sleepily, a wide, contented smile on her face.
"What are you doing awake?" he asked softly, as she giggled again and snuggled down in the thick covers. "You're supposed to be asleep."
"I'm glad I'm not," she laughed softly, snuggling her cheek against her pillow. "I would have missed this."
"Missed what?" Anakin grinned, as he looked back down and watched his daughter continue to nurse hungrily from the small, warm feeder. "Leia and I were just having a little quiet time, weren't we?" he said, watching her as she looked up at him; he smiled, as he felt a tiny tremor of wonder as those beautiful, small eyes gazed at him.
"Your mother needs to go back to sleep," Anakin said, turning his head slightly and winking at his wife. "We can't talk about her while she's watching us."
Padmé laughed softly as she watched Anakin turn his head and lean his ear closer to his daughter. "What's that?" he whispered, a deeply serious look spreading across his face as he strained as though he were listening to a faint, faraway voice. "Okay," he said, nodding his head and looking back at Leia as she continued to nurse contentedly. "I'll tell her."
"Your daughter says to tell you to go back to sleep," Anakin frowned playfully, as he watched Padmé giggle again and close her eyes. "It's not time for you to be up, yet."
"She does, does she?" Padmé laughed softly, as she opened her eyes and gazed back at him fondly. "It does look like her daddy is taking very good care of her," she said, nodding her head as she snuggled close to her pillow. "I guess I should listen to her and go back to sleep, huh?"
"That's a great idea," Anakin nodded, firmly. "Now close your eyes and go back to sleep."
Anakin smiled, as he felt her heart touch his as she closed her eyes and took a long, contented breath. He closed his own, stretching out with his feelings toward her, as he held their daughter securely in his arms.
He smiled, opening his eyes as he heard her soft voice. "I love you, too," she whispered quietly, and Anakin watched her for a moment as she closed her eyes and sighed deeply again.
"Now where were we?" Anakin whispered, as he turned his attention back to his daughter, snuggling back into the thickly padded chair as he watched her continue to nurse contentedly in his arms.
Padmé opened her sleepy eyes, just a little bit; she smiled, as she watched Anakin gaze, with the wonder of a child himself, at his newborn daughter as he cradled her in his arms. They sat quietly, father and daughter, their gaze transfixed on one another, as the early morning sun filtered softly through the curtains of their room.
Padmé closed her eyes and leaned back under the warm water as it rained down over her from the shower head above her; she ran her fingers through her long, thick hair as the soothing, warm water cascaded over her, taking a long, deep breath as her still tired and aching body thrilled to the simple, therapeutic joy of a long, hot shower.
She felt better today, in no small part due to Anakin's thoughtful tending of their little ones during the wee hours of the morning; his thoughtfulness and caring had allowed her to sleep for a blissful, uninterrupted four hours since the last time she had gotten up with them, and her tired, aching body had soaked up every sweet, peaceful moment of it.
She leaned forward a bit, letting the hot, soothing water run down her back; she reached up and wiped the water from her still tired and sleepy eyes with one hand, as she gingerly reached over and picked up the soft washcloth that hung near her with the other, along with the bar of soap that rested in the small slot beside it.
She closed her eyes and leaned her shoulder against the smooth tile wall, as she slowly soaped up the soft, thick washcloth. She placed the soap back in the slot, and she winced a bit, as she began to gently scrub the two incisions on the right side of her stomach; her midriff was still terribly sore, as she knew it would be, given the fact that she had just given birth a couple of days before, but the two bright pink stripes where Tion's medical staff had expertly fused her incisions back together had itched terribly the night before. Padmé sighed again, leaning her shoulder back against the wall as she gently scrubbed them under the warm, soothing water; it hurt a bit, but felt wonderful at the same time.
She opened her eyes, as she heard Anakin's voice as he entered the small bath chamber. "Wow," Anakin said rather loudly, over the sound of the shower. "It's hot in here."
"I'm sorry, baby," Padmé grinned, watching his shadow though the shower curtain as he quietly closed the door behind him. "I've been in here way too long, I know. I'll be out in just a minute."
She smiled, as she heard his cheerful voice. "That's okay. The babies are asleep, and we're not supposed to meet Obi-Wan and the others for another hour, yet," he said. "And I know that hot water feels good."
"It does," she sighed, closing her eyes and leaning her head back under the hot, steaming torrent for another moment. "I don't remember a shower ever feeling quite this good."
She leaned back out from under the water, opening her eyes as she looked down and examined her very sore, still swollen stomach. She sighed, as she looked at it; even with all of the advanced medical knowledge that Tion's staff possessed, some things in nature just took a little time to heal.
"My poor little tummy," she sighed pitifully, as she looked down and surveyed it carefully, looking at the long, pink incisions as she rubbed the washcloth gently over them. "It'll never look or feel the same again," she sighed.
Padmé looked up, just as she heard a familiar crunch. "I think your tummy's as beautiful as ever," she heard Anakin say with his mouth full, munching contentedly as he spoke.
"What are you eating?" Padmé asked curiously, as she stopped scrubbing her stomach; she was hungrier than she remembered being in a long, long time, and she knew, from their four blissful years together, that if there was food to be found anywhere nearby, Anakin would find it.
Anakin leaned closer to the shower curtain, and bit down hard into the crisp, ripe apple in his hand, its sharp, inviting crunch echoing through the small bath chamber. "Why?" he asked, grinning as he chewed as loudly as he could. "Are you hungry?"
He laughed and jumped back a bit, as he saw her suddenly jerk the curtain open and stick her wet, curious face through the opening. "I'm starving," she said, looking at the apple in his hand ravenously as she caught site of it.
Anakin laughed, as he held the apple up to her face; she grabbed his wrist with her soapy hand, holding it tightly as she took a huge bite out of it. "Ohhhh," Padmé moaned, closing her eyes contentedly as the delicious taste of the ripe, juicy apple filled her mouth. "Where did you get that?" she asked, munching as contentedly as he had been just a second before as she opened her eyes and grinned back at him.
"I've been foraging," Anakin replied, bouncing his eyebrows slyly, as he turned the apple slowly in his hand as she took another couple of hungry bites. "I heard your stomach growling a little earlier while you were asleep," he grinned. "I thought I'd go and find you some breakfast. I've got a whole tray full of goodies out here for you."
"You wonderful, sweet, thoughtful, adorable man," Padmé sighed, as she leaned forward and kissed him playfully; he could taste the sweet flavor of the apple on her lips, as he opened his eyes and looked at her beaming face.
"Mmm, sweet kisses, indeed," he said, as he leaned forward to take another bite; he laughed out loud, as she tugged his arm toward her with her soapy hand, and, reaching through the curtain with the other, snatched the apple out of his hand.
"Uh-uh," she said, shaking her head as she grinned broadly at him. "Mine," she said, as she pulled her face back into the shower and pulled the curtain closed behind her.
"This is a first," Anakin chuckled, as he leaned back against the counter and picked up the small towel next to him. "I've brought you breakfast in bed before," he said, wiping his hand and arm as he heard her take another bite, "but never breakfast in the shower."
"I like it," he heard her reply, munching happily. "We're going to have to try this when we get home."
"I'm sure we can arrange that," Anakin nodded, as he tossed the towel back onto the sink beside him and picked up the large, thick bath towel beside it. "Now come on," he said, as he unfolded the thick, soft towel and took a step closer to the shower. "Come on out of there and we'll eat some breakfast before the babies wake up."
"But it's warm in here," she whined, playfully. "Just a little longer."
Anakin grinned, slyly, as he draped the towel over his arm; "I have a pineapple," he said, softly.
He chuckled to himself, as she jerked the curtain open, looking at him with a blank, incredulous expression. "You do not," she said, shaking her head as she peeked out at him, chewing slowly.
"Oh, but I do," he said, nodding his head slyly. "Freshly cut," he said, raising two fingers up in front of her. "Two of them."
They were her one weakness, when it came to food; he knew he had her, as he saw the ravenous look on her face for only a split second as she disappeared back behind the shower curtain and shut the water off. He smiled broadly, laughing as she pulled the curtain open and smiled up at him, chewing happily as she held her apple in front of her smiling, dripping wet face.
"Well, what are you waiting for?" she asked coyly, as she wrapped her arms around her dripping wet body and shivered playfully. "Bring that towel and help me out of here before I freeze."
Anakin laughed softly to himself, as he stepped close to her and wrapped the thick, soft towel around her and began to gently dry her off. "You're so cute," he grinned, as he gently wiped the water from her beautiful, radiant face. "Especially when you're wet."
Anakin's face suddenly grew more thoughtful, as he looked at her for a long moment. "What did I ever do to deserve you?" he said quietly, as he gently brushed her cheek with the edge of the towel.
"I was just wondering the same thing," Padmé sighed, gazing at him fondly as he gently wiped the water from her face.
He leaned down and kissed her tenderly, and then looked back at her with a grin as she took another hungry bite from the apple in her hand. "Come on," he said, as he wrapped the towel around her snugly and helped out out of the shower. "Your breakfast is waiting."
"Good morning," Obi-Wan said cheerfully, placing the cup in his hand on the table in front of him; Yoda watched him, thoughtfully, as he stood up and walked quickly across the large, sunny sitting room as Anakin opened the tall, arching doorway that lead into the bright, dome-shaped room.
"Good morning, Master," Anakin nodded, glancing over at Obi-Wan as he held the door open for Padmé, gently taking her by the arm as she stepped through the doorway and into the large sunlit room.
"How are you feeling this morning, Padmé?" Obi-Wan asked, as she looked up from the two little ones that she cradled carefully in her arms.
"Much better, Master Kenobi," Padmé smiled, nodding her head as she watched Anakin carry the thick blanket under his arm over and lay it on the large, thickly padded couch near the center of the room.
"And how are our little ones?" Obi-Wan asked, as he reached down and gently pushed the blanket aside, looking at Luke with a grin as he slept in his mother's arms.
"They're doing just fine," Padmé sighed, as she looked down at Luke, watching him as he slept peacefully. "They both slept better than we though they would last night, all things considered."
"Here," Anakin said, as he turned and walked back toward her. "Let me help you, Padmé," he said, reaching down and gently taking Luke into his arms. Obi-Wan placed his hand gently on Padmé's shoulder, walking close beside her as they followed Anakin to the couch.
Anakin smiled, as he laid Luke gently down on the thick, soft blanket. "I'm having to keep a close eye on her," he said, glancing back over his shoulder at Obi-Wan as he gently tucked the blanket around Luke's tiny, sleeping body. "Tion told her to take it easy," he said, watching Padmé grin and shake her head slowly as he spoke. "But she's not paying much attention to him."
"Like I said, Anakin," Obi-Wan chuckled, as he watched him help Padmé sit down on the couch beside her newborn son. "I think you're a bad influence on her."
"Have you two eaten?" Obi-Wan asked, as he walked back to his chair and took his seat beside Yoda again. "We've got some food over here if you're hungry."
"We ate just a little while ago," Padmé nodded, looking at her daughter fondly as she bounced her gently in her arms. "Anakin went foraging early this morning," she said, looking up at her husband with a sly grin as he stood behind the couch where she sat. "He did a fine job," she nodded. "As usual."
Anakin turned and looked at Yoda for a long moment; the little Jedi Master sat quietly, his hands folded in his lap, as he looked at Padmé thoughtfully. "Are you okay, Master Yoda?" Anakin asked; he could sense that Yoda was troubled and unsettled. "You look like something's bothering you."
"Sleep well, I did not, last night," Yoda said, taking a deep breath and sighing deeply. "A great deal to think about, I had."
Anakin started to answer him, but looked up as he heard the door across from him open. He and the others watched, as Bail Organa stepped quickly through the doorway, and then turned and closed the door behind him.
Anakin's brow furrowed again, and he and Obi-Wan both exchanged troubled glances; a young padawan could have sensed how upset Bail was as he turned his troubled face toward them and started across the room.
"I'm sorry I'm late," Bail said, as he made his way quickly across the room to where his companions sat. "I was..." Bail paused for a moment, as he glanced around the room at his friends. "Delayed."
"What's wrong, Bail?" Padmé asked, looking up at her friend's troubled face as she gently rocked Leia in her arms; even she had felt Bail's troubled heart as he had entered the room.
Bail grabbed the belt at his waist, tucking his thumbs into it as he looked down at the floor for a long moment. "I don't know how else to tell you this," he said, as he looked back at his companions, "so I guess I'm just going to come out and say it."
Anakin and Obi-Wan both looked back at Yoda's deeply troubled face for a moment, as Bail continued. "I just finished speaking with Breha," Bail said, as he walked slowly to the empty chair beside Padmé, placing his hands on its thickly padded back as he stopped and stood behind it. "One of my confidants in the Senate contacted her this morning and gave her some terrible news."
"It would seem," Bail said, looking down at his hands as he squeezed the back of the chair in front of him, "that there have been some serious changes in the Republic in the last few hours."
"So let me see if I get this straight," Anakin said, turning from the window and looking back at Bail as he sat in the chair next to Padmé. "The Republic as we knew it, only a couple of days ago, doesn't exist anymore?"
"That's correct," Bail said, nodding his head slowly. He looked over at Padmé; she sat in stunned silence, listening to him with a look of complete and utter disbelief on her face as she tried to take in all that she was hearing.
"As I understand it," Bail said, looking up at Anakin as the others listened to him intently, "Chancellor Palpatine..." he paused, sighing as he shook his own head in disbelief.
"Or should I say, Emperor Palpatine," he said, a look of complete disdain spreading across his face as he spoke, "called an emergency session of the Senate last night, using his authority under Article 37 of the Republic's constitution," he said. "He limited the meeting specifically to the minimum number of representatives required to hold the session, and he hand picked the ones who were there."
"As soon as the session was called to order," Bail said, "Mas Amedda proposed an amendment that, given the seriousness of the current situation and the apparent betrayal by the Jedi, that the Chancellor be given complete imperial power for the indefinite future, until this crisis has been resolved."
"So you're serious," Anakin said, frowning as he shook his own head slowly in disbelief. "He's actually had himself instated as Emperor, now."
"He can't do that, Bail," Padmé said, shaking her head as he looked back at her. "It's completely out of order. It goes against everything that the Republic stands for."
"Apparently, you're the not the only one who feels that way," Bail said, nodding his head slowly. "As soon as the session was called to order and the amendment was proposed, several of the representatives present tried to contact the other members and advise them as to what was going on."
"Most of them arrived within minutes," Bail said, looking down at his hands as he folded them thoughtfully and leaned forward in his chair. "As soon as they attempted to protest the proceedings, Chancellor Palpatine had them labeled as sympathizers to the cause of the Jedi and had them detained on the spot," he said, looking back up at his companions again. "We don't know where they're being held at the moment."
"This is incredible," Obi-Wan said, standing up from his chair and walked toward the window where Anakin stood silently, his arms folded across his chest, looking out over the massive city.
"It gets worse," Bail said, looking over at Yoda as the little Jedi master listened in complete silence. "As soon as the protesters were removed from the chamber, the Chancellor called for a vote on the amendment, and it was passed and ratified, by the exact number of votes required."
"The amendment called for the transfer of power to take place immediately on ratification of the amendment," Bail said, glancing back over at Anakin and Obi-Wan again. "The first thing the Chancellor did, the moment it was passed, was to declare himself Emperor and place the Senate on immediate and indefinite suspension."
"If it's any consolation," Bail sighed, as he looked over at Padmé's stunned face, "Amedda was effectively stripped of his own power as soon as his damnable amendment was ratified."
"So it's over, then," Anakin said, holding his arms out beside him in frustrated disbelief, as he walked over toward the couch where Padmé sat. "The Senate's been stripped of its power, and Sidious has complete imperial control of not only the Republic, but the biggest, most powerful army ever created."
"And every star destroyer, gunship, and weapon at its command," Obi-Wan sighed, as he folded his arms tightly across his chest, looking out of the window toward the peaceful city below them.
"That pretty much sums it up," Bail sighed, nodding his head. "But that's still not the worst of it."
"What could possibly make any of this any worse?" Anakin said, shaking his head as Yoda looked up at him, sadly.
"He issued two other imperial orders, as soon as he was instated," Bail said, looking back up at Yoda's face as the tiny Jedi turned his deeply saddened eyes toward him. "The first was to dissolve the Republic and reform it as the Galactic Empire," he said. "He stated, according to my confidant," Bail said, shaking his head as a look of utter disdain crossed his face again, "that it was necessary to 'represent the resolve with which the former Republic would face its new challenges'."
"Bantha poodoo," Obi-Wan muttered under his breath, as he turned and walked slowly back toward the window again.
"It's the other order that's the most troubling," Bail said, glancing back down at his hands again; he paused, sitting quietly for a long moment, as Yoda, Padmé, and the others sat in silence around him.
"He's dispatched more than half of the Clone Army into the outlying systems," Bail said, looking back up at Yoda's troubled face as Anakin and Obi-Wan stepped up behind the couch where Padmé sat. "They've been given direct orders to hunt down and kill any Jedi that they find on sight."
"Apparently," Bail sighed, his own expression growing deeply troubled as he spoke, "the task of coordinating the effort has been entrusted to someone called Darth Vader."
"Va... Vader?!" Obi-Wan stammered as he leaned forward, placing his hands on the back of the couch where Padmé sat. "Are you absolutely sure?"
"That's the name that I was given," Bail said, nodding his head as he looked up at Obi-Wan's stunned face.
"But that's impossible," Obi-Wan said, shaking his head in disbelief. "Anakin and I faced Vader in that cave on Mustafar," he said, his tone growing deeply frustrated as he spoke. "He fell into that pit, just before you rescued me. I saw it with my own eyes," he said. "There's no way he could have survived that."
"Don't be so sure, Master," Anakin said quietly; Obi-Wan turned and looked back at his young companion, as Anakin turned his deeply troubled face toward him. "I sensed something last night," he said, as he reached down and placed his hand gently on Padmé's shoulder. "It was shortly after we'd gone to bed."
Padmé closed her eyes, as she reached up and took hold of Anakin's hand on her shoulder; she had known, instinctively, that it hadn't been a noise that had awakened him last night.
"What was it, that you sensed?" Yoda asked, looking up at Anakin's troubled face as he looked down at him.
"It was him," Anakin said, shaking his head slowly. "Dark, angry, in excrutiating pain..." He paused for a moment, as he looked back at Yoda again. "It was one of the most terrifying things I've ever sensed."
"I don't know how I know," Anakin said, shaking his head slowly as he looked back up at Obi-Wan, "but it was him. I'm sure of it."
"Very well," Yoda sighed, as the others turned the attention toward him. "Clear it is, that a price Sidious has placed on our heads," he said, glancing around the room at his companions. "Rest, he and his apprentice will not, until dead, all of us are."
Yoda turned his attention Padmé, as he heard Leia begin to cry softly in her arms; he felt his own heart begin to ache, as he watched her turn her attention to her daughter.
"Shhhhhh," Padmé shushed softly, as she gently bounced Leia in her arms. "It's okay, sweetheart," she said, as she leaned down and kissed her daughter gently on the forehead.
"Anakin," Yoda said quietly, looking up at his young friend as he and Padmé turned and looked at him. "Of utmost importance, it is," he said, his tone growing deeply serious, "that we discuss your younglings."
Obi-Wan shook his head slowly, leaning forward in his chair as he folded his hands in front of him; he sat for a moment, with the rest of them, as the awkward, pained silence filled the small room around them.
"Master," Obi-Wan said, looking back up at Yoda as he sat across from him. "Are you absolutely sure about this?" he said, glancing back over at Padmé's stunned face as she sat quietly on the couch; Anakin stood at the window behind her, his arms folded across his chest, as he looked out of the window behind him toward the city below. "There's got to be another way."
Bail looked up at Anakin, as he heard the young Jedi's voice break the awkward silence. "That's completely out of the question," Anakin said firmly, and Bail watched as Anakin turned and walked slowly back across the room; he stepped behind her again, and then reached down and placed his hand reassuringly on Padmé's shoulder.
Padmé closed her eyes for a moment, as she tried to take in what she was hearing; she opened her eyes and looked up at Anakin, as she felt his hand on her shoulder, and his reassuring tremor in her heart.
"Don't worry, Angel," Anakin said softly, as he squeezed her shoulder gently, his bright blue eyes searching hers for a long moment. "Master Yoda's just trying to help," he said, shaking his head slowly. "That's not going to happen. We'll find another way."
"Understand, I do, your feelings on this, Anakin," Yoda said quietly, as he turned his small face toward him, watching as he turned his head and looked back out over the city, standing completely motionless behind his wife. "But confident, I am, that the safest option for your younglings, this would be."
"I said no," Anakin said firmly, shaking his head as he turned his eyes quickly from the window and looked back at Yoda, placing his hands firmly on the belt at his waist.
Padmé instinctively clutched her sleeping daughter closer to her chest, as she sat on the couch; she watched Anakin as he took several steps closer to the chair where Yoda sat. She could feel the strong tremor that traveled through him, as he instinctively protected his new family; she had never seen him so resolved, yet so calm at the same time. There was no hint of anger, frustration, or doubt as she sensed his emotions through their bond; he was, quite simply, completely sure of his decision.
Yoda was taken back, somewhat, by the defiant firmness of Anakin's reply; he looked up at Anakin, as he stood a few feet from him, the expression on his young face steel hard and determined.
"I understand what you're trying to say and do, Master Yoda," Anakin said, his expression softening a bit as he watched Yoda sigh deeply and lower his gaze toward the floor in front of the chair where he sat. "And Padmé and I know you're only trying to suggest what's best for Luke and Leia, we know that," he said, as he watched Yoda look back up at him slowly.
"But what you're suggesting is just impossible," Anakin said, glancing over at Padmé as she looked down at her newborn daughter as she held her close. "You might as well ask us to give up our own hearts, our own souls," he said, shaking his head slowly. "We just can't do it. It's not possible."
"I'm afraid I have to agree with Anakin and Padmé on this one, Master," Obi-Wan said, leaning back in his chair and looking up at his old padawan for a long moment. "It just doesn't feel right," he said, shaking his head as he looked back at Yoda.
"I agree," Bail said, as Yoda turned his attention toward the tall, dark haired senator and listened to him intently. "There has to be another way."
"Strong with the Force, you and Padmé have become, Anakin," Yoda said, shaking his head slowly as he turned his attention back up to him; he watched Anakin as he folded his arms tightly across his chest as he stood beside him, listening intently.
"Powerful, our enemy Sidious is," Yoda said. "If able to sense you, or Padmé, he is, then in danger not only you, but your children, will be."
"Our last hope, these two younglings are," Yoda sighed. "If separated they are, and hidden, then harder it will be for Sidious to find them."
"But he thinks we were all killed when the Destiny was destroyed," Padmé said, turning her troubled eyes from her daughter's sleeping face and looking at Yoda thoughtfully. "Doesn't he?"
"A safe assumption that is, for now," Yoda said, nodding his head. "But strong with the Dark Side, Sidious is," he said, looking back over at Padmé's deeply troubled face. "Able to sense many of the same things through the Force, he is, as we are."
"Then we just have to make sure that he continues to think that we're dead," Anakin said, as he turned and walked slowly over toward the couch where Padmé sat.
"Difficult, it will be, to maintain that illusion, Anakin," Yoda said, looking back over his shoulder and watching as Padmé reached up and took Anakin's hand as he came and stood behind her. "Especially for so long a time. Bent on destroying us all, Sidious is. Difficult indeed, it will be, for all of us, and more so for you. A dangerous path, this is, that you are considering."
"I don't really care how dangerous it is," Anakin said, shaking his head as he looked back at his wife and children. "I'm not trusting the safety of my children to anyone except me and their mother," he said, turning and looking back at Yoda again. "And that's final."
Obi-Wan looked at Anakin's determined, resolute face; for a split second, he could have sworn he heard his old master's voice, as defiant as ever, echoing in Anakin's. He felt a smile spread slowly across his face, and he looked quickly down toward his lap as Yoda turned and looked at him.
"Told you, I did," Yoda grumbled, scowling as he looked at Obi-Wan as he struggled to wipe the smile from his face. "Qui-Gon's defiance I sensed in you, long ago," he said, shaking his head. Now, passed it on to your padawan, you have."
They all watched, as Yoda took a long deep breath and sighed deeply. "Very well," Yoda said, nodding his head. "Respect your decision in this matter, I will," he sighed, as he looked over at Anakin and Padmé again. "But a dangerous, and risky, path this is."
"The dark side clouds everything," Yoda said, as he closed his eyes tightly for a long moment. "More difficult than ever to see," he said, shaking his head slowly as he opened his eyes and looked back at them again, "the future is."
Anakin looked down at Padmé, as he heard her soft voice as she finally spoke again. He smiled, as he watched her cuddle Leia close to her chest, rocking her gently in her arms as she slept. "I can face a future full of danger and uncertainty, Master Yoda," Padmé said, as Yoda looked back at her softly smiling face. "I can face anything," she said, as she looked up at her husband fondly, "as long as I have Anakin at my side."
Padmé looked back down at her newborn daughter again for a long moment; her long brown hair tossed gently around her shoulders as she shook her head slowly and looked back at Yoda again. "But I can't face a future without my children, Master," she said. "Anakin's right. We have to choose another path, no matter how risky it is."
Yoda sighed, deeply. "Very well," he said, looking up at Anakin and Padmé for a long quiet moment. "Chosen this path, you have," he said, nodding his head slowly, "Time it is, now, to discuss what will be required, for all of us, to walk it."
Our story continue shortly!...