Chapter 18: Decisions
"Well? What do you think?" Obi-Wan asked, as he reached up and took hold of the hood of his cloak, holding it tightly in his hand as the strong, angry wind tugged at it; he narrowed his eyes, watching as Anakin walked slowly down the entry ramp of the small ship, eyeing the tiny, aging craft carefully as he walked.
"It's definitely a far cry from the Destiny," Anakin said, running his hand along the hull of the craft's underside as he scanned it quickly with his eyes. He reached up and ran his hand through his hair, brushing it out of his eyes as the wild, damp wind whipped through it.
"I'll get Artoo to check out the hyperdrive and see what he thinks," Anakin said, as he joined Obi-Wan at the foot of the craft's entry ramp. "It old, and it doesn't look like much," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "It's going to be a little cramped in there, with all of us, but I think it'll get us home."
"The important thing is that it gets you there without any problems," Obi-Wan nodded, as another gust of cool, damp wind tore past them. "I think it's a good idea, to have your droid check it out," he said. "We don't want you drifting through space with half the Clone Army combing the quadrant for us."
Obi-Wan glanced up at the angry sky above them; the clouds were thick and dark, rolling across the wind-torn skies in huge clusters as another of Deyer's frequent storm fronts approached.
"What about the weapons systems?" Obi-Wan asked, glancing up over his head at the small laser array that jutted from the nose of the craft.
"Well," Anakin sighed, shaking his head slowly as he looked up at the array, "They're better than nothing, but I don't think they're going to be much of a match for anything that Palpatine's army is liable to throw at us if we run into them."
"I think our best option is to try to avoid using them," Anakin said, looking back at Obi-Wan with a resigned sigh. "It's a small ship, no obvious markings," he said, shaking his head as he glanced back at it. "We shouldn't attract too much attention."
"Well, she's not much," Obi-Wan said, nodding his head slowly. "But she's the best we can come up with on such short notice."
"I know," Anakin nodded, as he reached up and brushed his hair out of his eyes as the wind whipped at it again. "It'll do."
Anakin reached over and pressed the control panel near the ship's forward landing strut, and he and Obi-Wan both turned and walked back across the landing platform; Anakin looked up, watching the angry, rolling clouds as he felt several drops of rain on his face. "Lovely weather they have here," Anakin said, shaking his head slowly as he and his old master began to trot toward the doorway at the far end of the platform, as the rain began to fall harder.
"I never thought I'd ever hear myself say this, Master, having grown up on Tatooine," he said, as they both began to run faster as the rain began to come down in heavy sheets, "but I think I'm about sick of all this rain."
"I know what you mean," Obi-Wan said, tossing his hood onto his shoulders and shaking his cloak, as he and Anakin both slid to a stop underneath the wide awning in front of the doorway. "I got my fill of it on Kamino, four years ago," he said, looking up at Anakin with a grin as he watched him brush his long, wet hair out of his eyes.
"Let's get indoors," Obi-Wan said, as he felt the wind whip a spray of the driving rain under the awning where they stood. "This awning isn't doing a whole lot of good right now, with all of this wind, and Ardenn is waiting for us."
"Think he'll take our offer?" Anakin asked, as he reached down and pulled the door open, holding it for Obi-Wan as he looked at him with a sly smile.
"He seems fair enough," Obi-Wan said, winking at Anakin as he grinned back at him. "Hopefully," he said, as he stepped back through the doorway, "we can agree on a price, without having to resort to any kind of persuasion."
"Well, we both know how persuasive you can be, Master, when you need to be," Anakin chuckled, as he followed closely behind Obi-Wan. He glanced back out at the small, run-down ship, as it sat in the cold rain; he sighed, shaking his head slowly, and then let the door close behind him as he turned and walked quickly down the hallway to where the tall, gangly dealer waited for them.
Padmé couldn't remember the first time she had heard her mother hum the old, familiar tune; it had been a part of her childhood, a soft, lilting melody that she had listened to her mother hum and sing countless times. It was an old song, a sonnet that told a tale of a great adventurer who travelled across the seas of Naboo to distant lands, and of the great adventures he encountered on his journey.
Padmé couldn't remember the words, but it didn't matter; it was the melody that she loved, a soft, comforting tune that brought back so many precious memories from her own childhood. She could remember lying in her bed when she was very young, her eyes closed tightly as her mother sat on her bedside, softly humming the familiar tune as she rubbed her back gently. Her mother's soft, soothing voice would wrap around her like a thick, warm blanket as she drifted slowly to sleep, her young mind and heart filled with dreams and adventures of her own.
But, as wonderful as her childhood fantasies had been, they paled in comparison to the dream that she now held in her arms. She had never imagined, in her wildest, most wondrous dreams, that she could ever love, or be loved, so deeply. Yet here, in the security of her arms, rested one of the children that had come from the wondrous union that she and Anakin shared; a beautiful, radiant flower that had blossomed from that seed of love that they had planted together, that wonderful night on Naboo when they had first given their hearts to one another.
She gazed down at Luke's small, peaceful face, watching him as he blinked his eyes sleepily and looked up at her; she rocked him slowly, softly humming the same lullaby that she had heard her mother sing so many times. She smiled as she looked down at him, her beautiful, brown eyes glistening brightly in the soft light; he looked so much like Anakin, she thought to herself, as she watched him finally close his eyes and drift contentedly to sleep in her arms.
Padmé looked up, as she heard the soft knock on the door to their room. "I wonder who that is?" she whispered softly to her sleeping son, as she stood up and walked quietly over toward the bed.
She bent down, very slowly, and laid Luke gently in the bassinet beside his sister. She smiled at him, still humming the soft, quiet melody as she tucked the blanket in snugly around him, watching him as he stretched and sighed, and then drifted off to sleep beside Leia.
Padmé walked quietly across the room and slowly opened the door; she smiled, as she saw Yoda's kind, smiling face looking up at her from the hallway.
"Master Yoda," Padmé smiled, opening the door wider and stepping to the side behind it. "What a nice surprise."
"Disturbing you, I hope I am not, Padmé?" Yoda asked, as he gazed up at her, his hands resting on his tiny cane.
"Of course not," Padmé said, shaking her head. "I was just putting Luke down for a nap. Please, come in."
Padmé watched as Yoda walked slowly through the door, his cane tapping softly on the floor as he walked toward the small bassinet. She closed the door softly behind her, and then walked over slowly to join him as he gazed at her children with wide-eyed wonder.
"Warms my heart, it does," Yoda chuckled softly, as he looked at the two sleeping infants for a moment, and then up at Padmé, "to see them like this."
"With all that has happened," Yoda sighed, as he looked back at Luke and Leia again, "had time to simply visit with them, and their mother, I have not."
"Well, you picked a perfect time for a visit, Master Yoda," Padmé nodded, as he looked back up at her thoughtfully. "Anakin is still out with Master Obi-Wan trying to find us a ship."
"Then perfect, my timing is indeed," Yoda sighed, as he turned and started for the couch near the window. "Visited with you, I have not, since the last time you came to Coruscant," he said, looking over his shoulder at Padmé as she followed him toward the couch. "Long overdue, we are, I think, for a visit."
"Packed and ready, are you, for the journey home?" Yoda asked, as he tossed his cane up onto the couch in front of him and took hold of the armrest tightly.
Padmé chuckled softly to herself, as she watched Yoda climb, with no small effort, up onto the tall, thickly padded couch. "I think so, Master Yoda," she said with a grin, watching him with amusement as he turned and flopped down on the couch with a grunt. "Bail and Threepio carried the last of our things to the Falcon a short while ago. All we're waiting on is for Anakin and Obi-Wan to get back, and we should be ready."
"On seven planets, have I been, in the last six months," Yoda said, shaking his head disgustedly, turning a wry grin toward Padmé as she took a seat in the chair beside him. "No chairs, have I found, of suitable size on any of them."
"Just once," Yoda sighed, shaking his head slowly, "a planet full of short people, I would like to find."
"I'm sorry, Master," Padmé laughed, as she watched Yoda chuckle to himself. "These are a little tall for my tastes, too, I must admit," she said, as she looked down at the long legs on the chairs and sofa. "I think most of the natives are a good bit taller than we are."
Padmé looked at him, as he sat quietly for a long moment. "Miss my old chair, in the Temple, I do," Yoda said, his expression growing more somber as he spoke. "But a long time, if ever, I feel it will be, before I see it again."
Padmé felt her heart ache, as she saw the sad, sorrowful look that spread across Yoda's face as he sat quietly beside her. "There's always hope, Master Yoda," she said, nodding reassuringly at him as he turned his large, round eyes up to her. "I told Anakin the same thing, just last night," she said, as she turned and looked back fondly toward her two sleeping babies.
"I just have to look at them, and at Anakin," she said softly, as she looked back at Yoda again, "when I need to remind myself of that."
Yoda smiled, as he watched Padmé sigh deeply and lean back in her chair; he watched her for a long moment, as she glanced over and looked thoughtfully at her children as they slept in the bassinet not far from them.
"Master Yoda," Padmé said finally, turning her deeply thoughtful face back toward the little Jedi master who sat next to her, "there's something I've been wanting to ask you."
"Hmmm," Yoda mused, nodding his head as he folded his his hands thoughtfully in his lap, watching her as she smiled, somewhat weakly, at him. "Suspected as much, I did."
"When we were talking this morning," Padmé said quietly, turning her eyes down toward her hands as she fidgeted with the band on her long ponytail that hung over her shoulder, "you told Anakin that it was imperative that I complete my training." She looked back up at Yoda, a look of apprehension on her face. "Can you tell me why?"
Yoda took a deep breath and sighed deeply, turning his gaze back to the floor in front of him; he had sensed her concern earlier, when he had uttered those words for the first time, and he knew she deserved an honest answer, as honest an answer as he could give her.
"Strong, our adversary Sidious has become, Padmé," Yoda said, as he looked back up at her. "Stop, he and his apprentice will not, until hunted down and destroyed, we all are."
Padmé followed Yoda's gaze toward the bassinet, as he looked at her sleeping children thoughtfully. "Including your younglings," he said softly, as he turned his deeply worried face back toward her.
"Dangerous, this path is, that we have chosen," Yoda said, his tone growing deeply serious. "Powerful Anakin is, but your help, he will need, to protect your young ones, and him, as you will need to," he said, watching as Padmé listened to him intently.
"Able to sense Vader, Anakin is," Yoda continued, as he glanced back over at the bassinet. "Possible, it is, that able to sense him as well, Sidious's apprentice is."
Yoda took a long, deep breath, as he sat quietly for a moment. "Spoken many times, we have, since Anakin brought you to me for testing long ago," he said; he watched her quietly, as she nodded her head, listening to him intently. Understand, now, do you, the nature of the bond that you share with Anakin?" he asked, curiously.
Padmé sat quietly for a moment, and then nodded her head. "I think so, Master Yoda," she nodded. "It's a little scary, at times, to be honest," she sighed, shaking her head. "All these new feelings, images in my head... it's frightening, at times, but comforting, too." She paused, and then looked back up at him, a little sheepishly. "It's a little overwhelming now and then, because it's coming so fast, but yes, I think I do understand it now."
"Mmmm," Yoda mused, nodding his head slowly. "Awakened within you, the Force was, that day in Dooku's hangar," he said. "Always with you, it was, just aware of its presence, you are now," he nodded. "But, growing quickly now, your abilities are," he said, his expression growing a bit more serious and contemplative as he spoke. "A dangerous time, this will be for you, as it is for all those who grow in their knowledge of the Force. Important it is," he said, "that progresses along with this growth, your training does."
"I understand, Master Yoda," Padmé nodded; she closed her eyes and sighed deeply.
"With all that has happened, more important, your training is now, than ever, "Yoda continued. "In grave danger, the both of you, and your younglings, could be," he said, nodding his head as he looked into her somewhat troubled and apprehensive eyes. "Only as a fully trained Jedi Knight, with the Force as your ally, will you be able to protect Anakin, and your family, as you may need to."
"Protect Anakin?" Padmé asked, a bit taken back by Yoda's statement. "Anakin's an amazingly powerful Jedi, Master Yoda," she said, shaking her head slowly. "He's the one who protects me, and and he always has. How would I ever be able to protect him?"
"Hmmm," Yoda mused again, nodding his head slowly. "Difficult to see, the future can be," he said, a deeply serious expression on his face. "But protect him, and save him, someday you will," he said, looking at her awestruck face as she listened to him intently. "Foreseen it, I have."
Padmé listened intently, as Yoda looked down at his hands and sighed deeply. "Saved him once, from a terrible fate, you have already," Yoda said, turning his eyes back up to her. "Save him again, from another, you will."
Padmé took a long, troubled breath, as she sensed the deep urgency and foreboding in Yoda's voice; she sat quietly for a long moment, as she looked over at the bassinet in front of her.
"It's funny," she said, taking a long, halting breath as she gazed fondly at her two sleeping babies. "All the things that I thought mattered so much before Anakin and I were together just seem so insignificant now," she said, as Yoda listened quietly as she spoke.
"I don't care what I have to do, or how long it takes, Master Yoda," Padmé said softly, as she turned her glistening, determined eyes back toward him again. "I'll do whatever I have to to protect him, and our children."
Yoda smiled, his expression softening as he looked at Padmé's determined face, and sensed the love that swelled in her heart as her thoughts shifted to Anakin and their children.
"Very well," he said, nodding his head slowly. "Then as of this moment," he said, as he watched Padmé take a deep breath and sigh deeply, "Anakin's padawan, you are."
"Well?" the tall, rail-thin Massan asked, rubbing his hands together anxiously as he lowered his head and looked at the two Jedi Knights who approached him with a wide, toothless smile. "What do you think, eh? A fine vessel, is she not, eh?"
"Oh, yes," Obi-Wan said, folding his hands in front of his damp robe as he and Anakin looked up at the tall, spindly Massan; he had to be at least eight feet tall, if not taller. "She's a fine ship," he said, as he watched the dealer rub his hands together in wide-eyed anticipation. "How much did you say you were asking for her?"
"Eight thousand rupendiis," Ardenn said, greedily extending his open palm toward Obi-Wan. "A bargain, don't you think, for a ship of such quality, eh?"
"Excuse us for just a moment, won't you, Ardenn?" Obi-Wan said cordially, as he placed his hand on Anakin's shoulder. "We need a moment to discuss your price in private."
"Discuss?" Ardenn said, cocking his large head and looking at Obi-Wan curiously. "What is there to discuss, eh? A fine ship at a bargain price, what need is there for discussion, eh?"
"We won't be a moment," Obi-Wan said, glancing back over his shoulder as he and Anakin took several steps away from him and turned their backs to him.
Ardenn craned his neck, and his ears, as he watched the two Jedi fold their arms across their chest and begin to whisper quietly among themselves.
"I don't know, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, as he glanced over and winked at him; they both knew that Ardenn was listening, as Bail had told them that Massans had an incredibly acute sense of hearing. "What do you think?"
"Eight thousand seems like a lot, Master," Anakin said, shaking his head. "We've only got sixty five hundred on us. I don't know if we can come up with more than that."
"There was that other ship that Bail told us about," Obi-Wan said, nodding his head as he stroked his beard thoughtfully. "We could give that one a try."
"Or we could just have Bail drop us off aboard the Falcon," Anakin said, shrugging his shoulders. 'It'd take longer, but we could..."
"Friends, friends," Ardenn suddenly chided, holding his long, spindly arms out to his side as Obi-Wan and Anakin looked back at him. "Ardenn has reconsidered his offer," he said, his wide toothless smile grinning down at them as he spoke. "Perhaps you will be finding sixty five hundred rupendiis to be more to your liking, eh?"
"That's a generous offer, Ardenn," Obi-Wan said, as he and Anakin turned to face him again. "It just so happens that's the price that fits our budget."
"See?" Ardenn said, his smile widening, as he rubbed his hands together again eagerly. "It is as Ardenn tells you. Looking out for his new friends, Ardenn is, eh?"
"I hope you won't mind if we have my companion's astromech droid check it out, though, just be sure there are no problems we're not aware of?" Obi-Wan said, as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the handful of local currency that Bail had given him.
"Problems, eh?" Ardenn said, leaning his head back and looking at Obi-Wan defensively, eyeing the money in his hand eagerly. "You suspect problems? No problems with that ship, my friend. An honest trader, Ardenn is, fairer than any in Il' Bru'ndadja. A better deal you will never find, eh?"
"Oh, I didn't mean to imply that there were problems, Ardenn," Obi-Wan said, shaking his head and raising his hand in front of him apologetically. "It's just that we have quite a long voyage ahead of us, and we don't want to risk any mishaps along the way."
"You understand, don't you?" Obi-Wan asked, smiling amicably up at him. "We'll give you half the money now, to hold the ship for us, and half when we take delivery in a few hours. Agreed?"
"Hmmph," Ardenn snorted, as he watched Obi-Wan begin to count out the shiny, new rupendiis in front of him. "Ardenn tells you that the ship is fine, gives you best deal in city," he said, as he stuck his greedy palm out in front of Obi-Wan, "and still you want silly droid to inspect ship, eh?"
"I'm sure that everything's just fine, Ardenn," Obi-Wan nodded, as he placed the handful of rupendiis into Ardenn's outstretched palm, watching him as he counted it greedily with his long, thin fingers. "We'll meet you back here in three hours and close the deal."
"Very well," Ardenn sighed, as he stuck the money into the pocket of his long, flowing robe. "After all, is only for new friends that Ardenn is willing to do this," he said, his smile widening. "You will send more business Ardenn's way, eh?"
"Oh, absolutely," Obi-Wan answered, nodding his head firmly. "You can count on it."
"Ardenn will see you in three hours, then," he said, and, bowing politely, he turned and walked back toward the doorway at the end of the long hall.
"Well," Anakin sighed, as he watched Obi-Wan put the rest of the money back into his pocket, "that went fairly well."
"Considering we paid him more than it was worth already," Obi-Wan sighed, looking back at Anakin with a resigned grin.
"Where'd Bail get all that money, anyway?" Anakin asked, watching as Obi-Wan pulled his hand out of the pocket of his cloak and patted it soundly.
"Who knows?" Obi-Wan sighed, shrugging his shoulders as he and Anakin started down the hallway. "It seems that Bail's got connections that even Master Yoda doesn't know about."
"Well, it isn't much of a ship, but it'll do," Anakin said. "We'd better get back and get things ready. We've got a lot to go over before we leave and Artoo's going to need at least an hour to go over the hyperdrive."
"You still have that encryption key I gave you?" Anakin asked, as he and Obi-Wan walked briskly down the hallway, the sound of their boots echoing off the smooth stone walls.
"I've got it right here," Obi-Wan said, nodding his head as he reached down and patted the belt at his waist. "We need to go over using it one time before we depart," he said, glancing back up at Anakin as he reached out and took hold of the door in front of him. "We don't have much of a margin for error, and I don't want to have any glitches when we're twelve parsecs apart."
"And that reminds me," Obi-Wan said as he opened the door, holding it for Anakin. "I've got something for you when we get back to the complex. Don't let me forget."
Obi-Wan stepped through the doorway after Anakin, and the two of them started back toward the lift that led to the transportation station on the main level.
"There you are," Padmé said, smiling brightly as she placed the book in her hand on the table beside her; she stood up and walked quickly to the door, as Anakin turned and closed it behind him, as quietly as he could.
Anakin turned around, just in time to jump with surprise as Padmé threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "Wow," he said, closing his eyes and smiling as he wrapped his arms around and hugged her, gently. "What a welcome."
"You can squeeze me harder than that," Padmé whispered in his ear, as she pressed her cheek close to his. "I won't break, I promise."
She closed her eyes and sighed contentedly, as she heard him laugh softly as he tightened his arms around her. "That's much better," she sighed, as she leaned back and looked at him as she placed her hands on his shoulders.
"Whatcha been reading?" Anakin asked, closing his eyes as she kissed him tenderly for a long moment. He opened his eyes, as their lips parted, watching her as she glanced back over at the book that she had laid on the table beside her chair.
"Nothing good," Padmé said, sticking her tongue out playfully as she looked back at him. "It was the only book that I could find in the library downstairs that was in a language I could read," she said, shrugging her shoulders, "but it reads like a hyperdrive repair manual."
"Well, maybe it is a hyperdrive repair manual," Anakin said, as she laughed at him. "It might come in handy, considering how old the ship that Obi-Wan and I just bought is."
"Did you find us one?" she asked, her face brightening again. "How's it look?"
"Well, it's a little small, and it's not too much to look at," Anakin sighed, shrugging his shoulders. "But I think it'll get us, and Master Yoda back home. I'm going to have Artoo check out the hyperdrive before Obi-Wan and I give Ardenn the rest of his money and close the deal."
"With any luck," Anakin sighed, "we should be on our way to Naboo in a few hours, and Obi-Wan and Bail will be on their way back to Coruscant."
"That's wonderful," Padmé sighed, deeply. "I'm ready to get back home," she said, her countenance growing a bit more concerned as she spoke, "but I'm not too thrilled about Obi-Wan and Bail having to go back to Coruscant."
"Are we sure there isn't another way?" Padmé asked, looking up at Anakin thoughtfully.
"Yeah," Anakin said, nodding his head slowly. "It'd only be a matter of time before Sidious found the children at Bail's residence," he said, looking at Padmé's worried face. "They've got to get them out of there as quickly as they can."
"Have you contacted Owen and Beru?" Padmé asked, gently squeezing Anakin's shoulder as she looked up at him.
"Yeah," Anakin said, nodding his head again. "I talked with Owen. He's taking care of the arrangements now," he said, Padmé nodded her head and sighed, deeply. "They should be ready when Obi-Wan and Bail get there."
"We're going to meet back up in the sitting room, in thirty minutes," Anakin said, watching as Padmé glanced up at the timepiece on the wall. "We're going to go over everything one more time, just to make sure that we haven't missed anything."
"Okay," Padmé said, nodding her head. "Artoo and Threepio are with Bail now, on his ship," she said. "All that's left here for us to carry out are the supplies for the twins, and that's it."
"Speaking of our little ones," Anakin asked, turning and looking back toward the small bassinet near the bed, "how are they?"
"They're wonderful," Padmé said, opening her eyes and looking up at him with a bright smile. "I wish you could have been here a little while ago," she said, her face beaming. "I was talking to Luke, just after I'd given him a bath, and I swear he laughed at me."
"You're kidding," Anakin said, his own face beaming as he glanced over at the bassinet by the bed. "Did he really? I thought he was way too young for that."
"I did too," Padmé laughed, as she squeezed his neck tightly. "But I swear he did. I had just finished giving him his bath, and I kissed him on his stomach, and I know I heard him laugh," she said. "He was smiling at me as big as you are when I looked up at him. It was so sweet."
"I wish I could have seen that," Anakin said, smiling down at Padmé's beaming face. "How long have they been asleep?"
"About an hour," Padmé said, following his gaze to the bassinet beside the bed. "I fed them both, right after their baths, and they've both been sleeping ever since."
"By the way," Padmé said, as Anakin turned his attention back to her. "Master Yoda came by to see me a little while ago."
"Did he?" Anakin asked, his expression growing a bit more serious as he looked down at her beautiful, smiling face. "Did you two get a chance to talk, about everything we talked about this morning?"
"Yes," Padmé said, nodding her head firmly as she snuggled a little closer to him. "We had a nice, long conversation about everything."
"So?" Anakin asked, smiling at her slyly as he looked at her. "How'd it go?"
"Oh, it went fine," Padmé nodded. "We talked about you, and the babies," she said, as she glanced up at the ceiling playfully, "and about what a reckless pilot you are, and how Obi-Wan doesn't like to fly anymore because of you, and how much trouble you were when you were younger, and..."
"Okay, okay," Anakin chuckled, closing his eyes and nodding his head as she laughed back at him. "I thought you two were going to talk about you," he said. "I didn't know you were just going to talk about me the whole time."
"And it's not my fault Obi-Wan doesn't like to fly anymore," he grinned. "Besides," he said, shrugging his shoulders, "he hasn't said anything about that last crash... uh, I mean, landing we made on Coruscant."
"Probably because he's too scared to talk about it," Padmé snickered, her eyes sparkling up at him.
"So come on, tell me," Anakin said, as he tightened his arms around her waist and pulled her a little closer to him. "What did you two talk about, besides me?"
"Oh, not much," she said, smiling slyly at him. "There's really not too much to tell," she said, shaking her head playfully. "But I do have something that I wanted to get your opinion on."
"What's that?" Anakin asked, looking at her curiously as she laughed softly, her eyes sparkling brightly as she gazed playfully up at him.
"What do you think?" Padmé said, turning her head to her right, as she reached up and brushed her hand gently through her long, brown hair.
Anakin narrowed his eyes and looked at her hair, curiously, as he watched her shake her head gently; his eyes widened, almost as much as his smile, as he saw the long, thin braid that hung just behind her left ear; a single golden strand was woven through its entire length, just as it had been in his, when he had reached his second year as Obi-Wan's padawan.
"So," Padmé said, giggling happily as she watched him hold the long, thin braid almost reverently in his trembling hand, as he started to laugh softly. "How does it look, Master?"
Anakin laughed harder, as he looked back at her beaming face. "Is this what I think it is?" he asked, his eyes twinkling as brightly as hers. "Is this for real?"
"As real as it gets, by order of the oldest member of the Jedi Council," Padmé giggled happily. "Of course, Master Obi-Wan still has to approve," she said, tilting her head and closing one eye playfully, "but I don't think that's going to be a problem."
Padmé grinned excitedly, as she watched him place his hand gently on her cheek, caressing it softly as he smiled proudly at her. "You have a padawan, Ani," she laughed softly, her face beaming brightly as she looked up at him.
She closed her eyes tightly, as Anakin swept her into his arms, laughing happily. She wasn't afraid anymore; she knew, that whatever the future held for them, that they would face it together, just as they had faced every other challenge that had come their way.
She giggled, happily, as she suddenly thought of the lullaby that she had sung to her two beautiful children only a short time earlier.
She and Anakin were the adventurers, now; and what a wondrous adventure it would be.
"The little ones all right?" Obi-Wan asked, looking up and watching as Anakin walked quickly through the doorway of the small, round sitting room where he and the others sat.
"Yeah," Anakin nodded, as he walked over to the couch where Padmé sat, sitting down on the arm next to her. "They're just fine. Threepio's watching them, and he's got the comlink with him. He said he'd call us if he had any trouble."
"Maybe the right question should be, how's Threepio doing?" Obi-Wan chuckled, as he watched Anakin shake his head as Padmé grinned up at him.
"If one of them so much as sneezes, we'll hear about it," Anakin chuckled, placing his hand gently on Padmé's shoulder and squeezing it tightly. "I've never seen him so nervous. I'm glad that Artoo's with him."
"So basically, Artoo's watching the twins and Threepio," Bail grinned, as he watched Anakin nod his head slowly as they all laughed quietly.
"Pretty much," Anakin said. "A babysitter for the babysitter," he chuckled, as Padmé reached up to her shoulder and took his hand in hers.
"All right," Obi-Wan sighed, leaning forward in his chair and resting his elbows on his knees as he looked at his companions; they all watched and listened to him intently, as they huddled together around the small table in front of them. "Let's go over this one more time, as quickly as possible. I don't want us to run into any unexpected problems, and we need to get going."
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said, looking at his young friend as he sat on the arm of the couch in front of him beside Padmé, "Are you sure that Owen's made all of the arrangements?"
"Yes, Master," Anakin nodded. "I spoke with him a little while ago. He's getting everything ready now. I'm going to contact him again, as soon as we get underway, just to make sure he's ready."
"And he'll be waiting for our transmission?"
"Yes," Anakin nodded again. "Cleig and Beru will both be watching for your com signal," he said. "One of them will be standing by at the console until they hear from you. They know we may have to improvise pretty quickly," he said. "They'll be ready."
"Good," Obi-Wan said, nodding his head as he turned his attention toward Yoda; the little Jedi Master sat quietly in the chair beside him, turning his small cane over slowly in his hands as he listened.
"It should take Bail and I about three hours to get to Coruscant from here, given the Falcon's past performance as far as speed is concerned," Obi-Wan said, as Yoda turned his thoughtful face toward him. "We'll need an hour, maybe two, to pick up the children, and then another three to get to Tatooine. Do you think that will give you and Anakin enough time to relay the information we need from the archive data to Owen?"
"Barring any unforeseen circumstances," Yoda replied gruffly, as he looked over at Anakin, "and with the help of his droid, sufficient time, there should be, to connect the core and extract the information you will need."
"I spoke with Breha a little earlier this morning," Bail said, as they all turned their attention toward him as he stood quietly next to Obi-Wan, his arms folded across his chest. "She said that she's received several communiques from the Senate quorum master, asking why I haven't attended the last two sessions," he said, his expression growing a bit more somber as he spoke. "She said that Emperor Palpatine has squads of troopers combing the city, looking for any trace of the Jedi or anyone who was stationed in the Temple."
" It's probably a foregone conclusion that his forces will be searching my residence in a matter of hours, if not sooner," Bail said. "She's moving the children to a small warehouse in the industrial district, just outside of the city's perimeter. I thought it would be safer for her, and the children, if we got them out of there as quickly as possible."
"She's using an unmarked transport that belongs to one of our servants," he said, as Padmé looked back up at Anakin, a worried look on her face. "With any luck, she should be able to move them without being noticed."
"I never used to believe in luck," Obi-Wan sighed, shaking his head slowly. "But at this point, I'm willing to accept any help we can get."
"All right," Obi-Wan said, looking around at his companions. "I guess we're all ready. Any last minute questions?"
"I think we're ready, Master," Anakin said, as he and Padmé exchanged glances for a long moment. "We just need to get the twins and the last of our stuff from our room, and we'll meet you at the ship."
"I'll come down and give you a hand," Obi-Wan nodded, as they all stood up together. He sighed again, as they all looked at each other thoughtfully for a long moment.
Obi-Wan smiled, as brightly as he could manage, as he turned his gaze slowly among his companions, as they stood silently in a tight circle; he glanced over and watched, his smile widening a bit, as Padmé reached down and took Anakin's hand tightly in her own as she stood close by his side. He knew that they all felt the same twinge of sorrow that he did, as they prepared to do what had to be done.
"All right," he said, nodding his head firmly. "We'll all meet at the Falcon in fifteen minutes."
"Come on in," Anakin called over his shoulder, as he heard the familiar pattern of knocks on their door; he reached down and picked up the large bag that sat beside the bed and handed it to Threepio, as he shuffled over next to him by the bed. "It's open."
"I'm not intruding, am I?" Obi-Wan asked, peering around the edge of the doorway as he opened the door slowly.
"Not at all," Padmé smiled in reply, as she laid Luke's tiny, wiggling form down on the bed beside his sister, watching as Obi-Wan opened the door and stepped inside.
"Go ahead take this on up to the Falcon, Threepio," Anakin said, as he patted his tall, silver droid on the shoulder. "We'll be up to join you in just a few minutes."
"Of course, Master Ani," Threepio replied obediently, turning and shuffling as quickly as he could to the doorway as Obi-Wan stepped behind it and opened it fully, so that Threepio could step through.
"Thank you, Master Kenobi," Threepio chimed pleasantly, as Obi-Wan held the door for him, watching as he stepped sideways and carefully shuffled through the somewhat narrow doorway.
"No problem, Threepio," Obi-Wan nodded, as he watched Threepio head down the hallway toward the exit. "We'll be up in a minute," he called after him. "Tell Bail to go ahead and warm up the engines."
"So," Obi-Wan sighed, closing the door behind him. "You two ready to get out of here?"
"Absolutely," Padmé sighed, as she sat down on the bed next to Luke and Leia, watching them as they wiggled and cooed softly. "I'm ready to get back home and get these two settled."
"I imagine so," Obi-Wan said, stepping over to the bedside and looking down at Luke and Leia with a smile. "Their arrival didn't quite go the way either of you expected, did it?"
"No," Padmé laughed sarcastically, shaking her head firmly. "I don't think either one of us pictured things happening this way," she said, looking back up at Obi-Wan. "Even in our wildest dreams."
"Well," Obi-Wan sighed, as he took a deep breath and folded his hands thoughtfully in front of his robes, "I can't help but feel that I owe the both of you an apology for that."
"Apologize for what, Master?" Anakin said, as he stepped over to the foot of the bed as Obi-Wan looked up at him thoughtfully. "You didn't have anything to do with any of this."
"I can't help but feel that I did," Obi-Wan said, shaking his head slowly. "If it wasn't for me coming and tearing you away from Padmé when all of this started, the two of you would never have had to go through any of this."
"You didn't tear Anakin away from me, Master Kenobi," Padmé said, as Obi-Wan turned his face back toward her. "He chose to come and help you, just as he should have," she said. "And just as I wanted him to."
"Everything worked out just the way it was supposed to," Padmé said, looking back at her little ones fondly as she spoke. "Even though we might not like the way some things have turned out," she said, looking back up at Anakin and Obi-Wan thoughtfully, "we have to trust that things will work out the way they should."
Obi-Wan watched Padmé look back down at Luke, tucking his small arm back under the blanket that he was wrapped in as he wiggled on the bed in front of her. He smiled, as he caught sight of her newly wrapped padawan braid as she leaned closer to him and kissed him gently on his small forehead.
"You know, it's just not fair, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, turning to his former student as he stood beside him. "I always hoped you'd have a padawan that would aggravate you more than you did me all those years ago."
"Don't underestimate her, Master," Anakin chuckled, watching as Padmé raised her eyebrow and smiled up at him slyly. "She can be a handful when she wants to be," he said, laughing as she stuck her tongue out at him playfully. "I'm going to have my work cut out for me."
"By the way, Padmé," Obi-Wan chuckled, as she glanced up at him, "I haven't had a chance to congratulate you yet."
"Thank you, Master Kenobi," Padmé nodded, smiling coyly as she glanced over at Anakin as he grinned back at her. "It's nice to know that at least someone thinks I'll make a good padawan."
"I never said you wouldn't make a good padawan," Anakin laughed, shaking his head firmly and crossing his arms across his chest. "I just said you can be a handful when you want to be."
Obi-Wan laughed, as Padmé stuck her tongue back out at Anakin again, and then went back to tending to her twins. "That reminds me," he said, chuckling softly to himself as he reached under his cloak. "I have something here for you."
Anakin watched as Obi-Wan reached under his cloak and produced a small box, and then held it out with a smile as Padmé looked up at him, a look of pleasant surprise spreading across her face.
"For me?" Padmé asked, as she reached up and took the small box from his hand, looking at it curiously. "What is it?"
"Well, open it and see," Obi-Wan said, nodding his head as she smiled up at him. He glanced over at Anakin, and the two of the exchanged knowing smiles as Padmé untied the small cord that fastened the top of the box, and then opened it slowly.
"Oh, wow," Padmé said quietly, as she reached into the box and picked up the smooth, brilliantly polished gem; she held it up in front of her, turning it slowly, a bright, curious smile on her face as she looked at it.
Anakin's smile widened, and he glanced back at Obi-Wan as he recognized the gem that she held in her hands. It was a perfect sphere, just about two inches in diameter; he looked back at Padmé, watching her as she turned it slowly in her hands, mezmerized as she saw her own face reflected back at her in the smoothly polished surface of the translucent, gold-colored gem.
"It's beautiful," Padmé said, looking back up at Obi-Wan as she laid the box down on the bed beside her and turned it over slowly in her hands. "But what is it?"
"It's a Mandarian meditation stone," Obi-Wan said, folding his arms across his chest as he watched Padmé look at the small gem with keen interest. "I thought it might come in handy when you're practicing your meditation exercises," he said, glancing back at Anakin with a grin.
"What's it do?" Padmé asked, as she looked up at him curiously.
"I'm sure that Anakin's already taught you that most objects can be very easily manipulated by the Force, right?" Obi-Wan asked, looking back at her keenly curious face.
"Mmm,hmm," Padmé mused, nodding her head. "He's had me practicing at home with small stones, and things like that," she said. "But I've only been practicing for a couple of weeks. I haven't done much yet."
"Well, it sounds like he's got you right on schedule, then," Obi-Wan nodded in reply. "Most padawans begin to learn to manipulate objects at the start of their second year," he said, glancing back at Anakin as he raised his eyebrow and smiled at him slyly. "Only a handful ever start earlier than that," he said, "and a few have been known to try on their own without their master's permission."
"The window wasn't my fault," Anakin chuckled, raising his hands in front of him defensively as Obi-Wan laughed at him. "If you hadn't come in and frightened me, that never would have happened."
"What did he do?" Padmé laughed, as she watched Anakin lower his head and shake it slowly as Obi-Wan began to laugh harder as he saw Anakin literally blush with embarrassment.
"Your husband, or should I say, mentor, here, was practicing without my permission, when he'd only been my padawan for about six months," Obi-Wan laughed, watching Anakin as he placed his hand on his forehead and covered his face as he laughed quietly to himself. "I happened to come in the door and catch him, right as he was levitating the heavy glass and metal table that sat in the middle of our living quarters."
"Oh, no," Padmé sighed, as she placed her hand over her mouth and looked at Anakin; she didn't know what was funnier, the look on Obi-Wan's face or the color of Anakin's, as he turned another shade of red. "What happened? Did he break the table?"
"Oh, that would have been far too simple for Anakin," Obi-Wan chuckled, shaking his head. "When I walked in on him, he panicked. Instead of lowering the table, like he should have," Obi-Wan said, as Anakin started to laugh harder, "he pushed."
Padmé began to laugh, almost as hard as Anakin, as Obi-Wan continued. "You should have seen the look on his face, when that table went flying through the window," Obi-Wan laughed, as he watched Anakin sit down on the bed and shake his head as he laughed, harder and harder. "Fortunately, no one was in the speeder that it landed on four levels below us, either."
"Anakin Skywalker!" Padmé laughed, reaching over and shoving him playfully as she watched him cup his hands over his face and begin to laugh hysterically. "And you're complaining about me being a handful?"
"I hope you made him pay for the window," Padmé laughed, as she watched Anakin reach up and wipe away the tear that stood in the corner of his eye as he laughed.
"Oh, he did," Anakin chuckled, wiping his eyes as he looked over at her. "I cleaned floors in the Temple for six months, until I made enough to pay for the window, the table, and the repairs to Shaak Ti's speeder."
"You were lucky it was hers it landed on," Obi-Wan chuckled. "Master Windu wanted to expel you then and there, but she calmed him down. She always did like you."
"Anyway," Obi-Wan chuckled, as he watched Padmé shake her head as she laughed, and then look back at the gem in her hand, "that's the kind of thing that this meditation stone should help you avoid."
"The gem that the stone is made of is a very rare material," Obi-Wan said, as he and Anakin turned their attention back to the brilliant golden gem in her hands. "It's one of the few materials that resists being manipulated by the Force."
Padmé looked up at Anakin as he reached over and held his palm out in front of her. "It takes a lot of concentration and control to be able to lift one of these and make it sing," Anakin said, as she placed the smooth, round stone gently in his outstretched hand.
"Sing?" Padmé said, looking back at him curiously. "You mean it sings?"
"Mmm,hmm," Anakin mused, nodding his head as he held his hand out in front of him, looking at the small stone intently. "If you focus hard enough, and your control is precise enough, once you make it float, it'll start to hum."
Padmé and Obi-Wan both watched as Anakin closed his eyes and sat quietly for a long moment; her smile widened, as she saw the small, golden stone begin to glow softly, and then lift slowly and hover, just an inch or two above Anakin's outstretched palm.
"Anakin could always make it sing much better than I could," Obi-Wan said quietly, as he and Padmé exchanged a quick glance.
Padmé looked back at the stone, watching with a sense of wonder as she saw the stone begin to glow even brighter, as it's soft, soothing hum began to fill the room around them. She and Obi-Wan both watched, as Anakin slowly opened his eyes and lowered his hand to the bed beside him.
"And that's something that I could never do," Obi-Wan said softly, a proud smile on his face, as he and Padmé watched the stone hang, suspended in mid air over the bed, as Anakin's bright blue eyes watched it closely. "Anakin and Master Yoda are the only two I've ever seen who can balance the stone with their eyes open," he said, shaking his head slowly in amazement. "And without supporting it."
"Balance the stone?" Padmé asked, as she watched, with a growing sense of awe and amazement, listening intently to the soft hum of the stone as Anakin held it, perfectly still, for a long moment; the golden stone seemed to burn from within, glowing brightly as it's soft, pleasant hum resonated through the air around them.
"That's what we call this exercise," Obi-Wan nodded, as the stone begin to spin slowly, as Anakin's unblinking eyes focused intently on it. "It takes a level of control that few Jedi ever master to do what Anakin's doing now," he said, as he looked back at Padmé's smiling face. "I know of two right now who can, and I hope to know a third someday."
Padmé shook her head slowly, watching as Anakin reached up and placed his hand under the small, humming, glowing stone and, closing his eyes, let it drop back into his hand.
"That's amazing," Padmé said softly, as Anakin took a deep breath and opened his eyes, looking back at her with a smile, as the stone's soft hum faded quietly away.
"Whew," Anakin sighed, as he took another deep breath and placed the stone back into Padmé's outstretched hand. "I'd forgotten how hard it was to do that," he said, nodding his head slowly.
"So this is just like the one you practiced with, then, when you were Obi-Wan's padawan," Padmé said, looking back at the stone in her hand with a profound sense of wonder.
"No," Anakin said, as he looked up and exchanged glances with Obi-Wan for a long moment, as Padmé looked back up at him.
"That is the one I practiced with," Anakin said quietly, as he looked back at her fondly.
"Only three of these stones were ever made," Obi-Wan said, as Padmé turned her awestruck face up to him as she cradled the stone almost reverently in her hands. "Master Yoda has one of them, and there was one in the Temple library," he said quietly. "I bought this one for Anakin from Master Mundi, about a year after he became my padawan."
"Master Kenobi," Padmé said softly, turning her glistening eyes back up to him, as she realized the value, both physical, and emotional, of the gift he had just presented her with. "I don't know what to say," she said, as she squeezed the small, golden orb in her hands tightly.
"Just promise me you'll practice with it, and often," Obi-Wan said, nodding his head as he smiled back at her. "I know you'll take good care of it," he said. "It really belongs with you, now, anyway."
"Besides," he said, as he looked down at Luke and Leia as they continued to wiggle and coo contentedly on the bed beside her, "you'll probably need it, when it comes time to train these two someday."
Anakin watched, as Padmé looked back at the stone in her hand for a long moment; he smiled, as he watched her stand up and place her arms around Obi-Wan's neck and hug him tightly.
"Thank you, Master Kenobi," Padmé said softly, as Obi-Wan patted her back gently. "Thank you so much. I'll take good care of it, I promise."
"You're welcome, Padmé," Obi-Wan said, as he smiled back at her as she released him from her embrace. "I just hope it helps you as much as it did Anakin."
"You're going to make a fine padawan," he said, nodding his head as he squeezed her shoulders tightly as Anakin stood up and stepped beside her. "And I foresee that you're going to become a great Jedi Knight," he nodded, watching her reach down and take Anakin's hand tightly in hers.
"Just like your husband," Obi-Wan said, turning a proud face to Anakin as he stood quietly at her side.
They all looked at each other for a long moment, as each of them sensed the deep sorrow buried deep inside their hearts. They all knew that things were going to be different, as soon as they left this room, and this planet; yet neither he, Anakin, or Padmé knew exactly how, or where their individual paths would take them. The only thing that they were sure of was that, no matter what else happened, or where the path they had chosen took them, their friendship would endure.
"Well," Obi-Wan sighed, as he reached up and squeezed their shoulders reassuringly, "I think it's just about time we got underway."
"I think so," Anakin said quietly, turning and watching as Padmé reached up and wiped away the tear that stood on her cheek. "I'm sure the others are waiting for us."
Obi-Wan watched them, quietly, as Anakin stepped over beside the bed and handed Padmé the box that Obi-Wan had given her; he watched quietly as she placed the meditation stone back into the box, and then retied the cord to secure the top. She held it tightly in her hand, watching as Anakin gently picked up Leia and placed her into her arms, and then picked up Luke, cradling him in his own.
They followed close behind Obi-Wan as he walked slowly over toward the door in front of them. "You sure that's everything?" he asked, as he opened the door and held it open for them.
"That's it," Anakin said, nodding his head as he glanced back around the small room where they had spent their first hours with their newborn children. "I think we've got everything," he said, looking back at Padmé with a smile. "Including the memories."
Obi-Wan smiled, as he watched Padmé take Anakin's free arm tightly in her own and lay her head quietly on his shoulder; he could feel the ache deep within her heart, and see the tears that stood in her eyes, shining in the soft light as she walked slowly at Anakin's side toward the doorway, cradling her newborn daughter tightly in her arm.
"Let's go then," Obi-Wan sighed, as he patted her reassuringly on the shoulder as she and Anakin stepped through the doorway into the hall. "It's time to go home," he said. "And you've both got a lot to do when you get there."
Obi-Wan watched as Anakin and Padmé started quietly down the hallway toward the exit; he took one last, long, deep breath, as he closed the door quietly, and then started down the hallway behind them.
"You okay?" Anakin asked softly, as he knelt down in front of Padmé as she sat quietly on the bench in the main passenger compartment of the small ship; her eyes were bright, but he could see the tears that stood in them as she looked at the small, golden orb in her hands.
"Yeah," she said quietly, nodding her head as she reached up and wiped away the tear that began to trickle slowly down her cheek as she looked back at his warm, thoughtful face. "I was just thinking about how much things have changed," she said, her voice trembling slightly, as she looked back out of the ship's entry ramp behind Anakin; she could see Obi-Wan, as he handed the handful of rupendiis to the tall, gangly Massan. "And how much they're going to change when we leave here."
"I know," Anakin said, taking her hand gently in his and squeezing it tightly. "But it's going to be okay, Padmé," he said, nodding his head as he reached up and wiped away the tear that stood on her cheek as he caressed it gently. "We'll see them again," he said, nodding reassuringly. "I promise."
"It's not just that," Padmé said, as she smiled back at him, and then looked back down at the golden gem that rested in her hands. "I was just thinking about how special this is," she said, as they both looked at the stone quietly for a moment. "Obi-Wan bought this for you, not long after we parted all those years ago."
"It's the first thing I've ever held, that belonged to you when you were a child," she said, reaching up and wiping her cheek again.
"It's yours now, Angel," Anakin said softly, and Padmé closed her eyes as he leaned forward and kissed her, very tenderly, for a long moment. Padmé opened her eyes slowly as their lips parted, and she reached up and caressed his cheek gently as he smiled back at her.
"Just like me," Anakin said, watching her as she laughed softly and wiped her eyes again with her hand.
"Are they ready?" Anakin asked, looking back at the small basket that rested on the floor beside her; he reached over and pushed the blanket aside, smiling as he saw Luke and Leia's peaceful, sleeping faces.
"I think so," Padmé said, nodding her head as he looked back up at her. "They're both asleep," she said. "With a little luck, they'll sleep all the way home."
"As will I," they heard a gruff, but cheerful voice say behind them; they both looked up, just in time to see Yoda's smiling face, as he walked up the small ramp and eyed the small ship with keen interest. "If handle the ship, Anakin can, without me."
"I think I can handle it, Master," Anakin replied, as he stood up and watched Yoda make his way into the small passenger compartment. "That cockpit's not really big enough for more than one person at a time, anyway," he said, nodding his head toward the small pilot's station at the nose of the ship. "There's just enough room for me and Artoo up there, as it is."
"Fortunate for me, at least, that is," Yoda chuckled, as he stopped and looked at Luke and Leia for a long moment, as they slept in the basket at Padmé's feet. "Slept well, I have not, for the past few evenings," he said, looking up at them with a grin. "Make up for it, I will on this trip, if need me, you do not."
"Make yourself comfortable, Master Yoda," Padmé said, as she nodded toward the small bench beside her. "I think you'll find that bench to be almost a perfect fit," she said, as she watched Yoda walk over and eye the small bench with a smile; it had been a little too small for her tastes, but it suited him perfectly.
"You two get settled," Anakin said, as he stood up, being careful not to bang his head on the low cabin ceiling. "I'll be right back."
Anakin watched, chuckling to himself, as Yoda wasted no time climbing up onto the small bench beside Padmé, and then began to chatter contentedly with her as he stretched himself out onto the thickly padded cushions. He shook his head slowly, smiling to himself, as he walked down the ramp and started over toward where Obi-Wan and Bail stood near the Millenium Falcon.
"I trust Ardenn was happy?" Anakin asked, as he reached up and ran his fingers through his hair as the wind gusted around the landing platform.
"Oh, yes," Obi-Wan sighed, nodding his head as he handed a few measly rupendiis back to Bail. "Here," he said, as he dropped them into Bail's outstretched hand. "You can save these for the next time we visit."
"Thanks," Bail said, chuckling to himself as he tucked the shiny, gold coins into his pocket. "Depending on how bad things get at home," he said, sighing deeply as he looked back up at Anakin and Obi-Wan, "they'll come in handy if Breha and I have to move here."
"Hopefully, if things go well, you won't have to do that," Obi-Wan said, narrowing his eyes as he looked up at the sky, as a clap of thunder rumbled in the distance; he glanced over at the horizon, and he could see the thick, angry clouds that rolled toward them.
"We'd better get moving," Obi-Wan said, looking back at his two companions as he placed his hands on the belt at his waist. "It'd probably be best if we get out of here before that storm front gets here," he said, looking back at Anakin. "The fewer bumps, the better, as far as the children and Padmé as concerned."
"Okay," Anakin said, nodding his head slowly; he turned his attention to Bail, as the tall, dark haired senator extended his hand to him.
"I hate long goodbyes," Bail sighed, as he looked at Anakin thoughtfully as the young Jedi Knight took his hand and squeezed it tightly. "In fact, I hate goodbyes in general," he said, his own eyes shining brightly in the late afternoon light. "So I'll just say good journey, and may the Force be with you, and your family, Anakin."
"Thank you for everything, Bail," Anakin nodded. "I don't know how I'll ever repay you, for everything you've done for all of us, and for Padmé," he said, nodding his head slowly. "If you ever need me, don't think twice about contacting me."
"Or you," Bail said, nodding his head firmly. "I've already told Padmé goodbye," he said quietly. "But give her another hug for me when you get home."
"I will," Anakin said, nodding his head slowly as Bail released his hand. He took a long, deep breath, as he swallowed again, hard, as he watched Bail turn and walk quickly up the Falcon's main entry ramp.
Obi-Wan turned his attention toward Anakin; as he did, he caught sight of Anakin's weapon belt, and Anakin looked at him, curiously, as he suddenly snapped his fingers and turned his attention to his robes.
"Damn," Obi-Wan said, as he reached underneath his cloak and into his tunic. "I almost forgot this," he said, as he turned and looked back up at Anakin with a grin.
"You'll be needing this," Obi-Wan said, as he extended his hand toward his young companion. "It'd be a real shame to break up a matched set."
Anakin looked down and smiled, as he saw his lightsaber resting in Obi-Wan's outstretched palm. "Are you sure don't want to keep it, Master?" Anakin said, as he reached down and took his weapon from his old master, rolling it thoughtfully in his hand in front of him.
"No, I'd better not," Obi-Wan said, shaking his head as Anakin placed it securely in the empty holster at his side. "Like you're so fond of saying, Anakin," he said, smiling slyly at his old apprentice, "I'd probably just lose it anyway."
"Besides," Obi-Wan said, raising his eyebrow slyly as he reached back into his robes, "I've got one that will do until I can build a new one."
Anakin looked down, and took a long, deep breath as he saw the familiar, curved weapon that rested in Obi-Wan's outstretched palm. "I hope you deactivated the homing beacon in that thing after you took it from him," Anakin said, looking back up at Obi-Wan thoughtfully as he watched his old master roll Darth Vader's weapon slowly in his hand.
"Oh yes," he said, nodding his head as he tucked the weapon securely back into his robes. "Right after he, uhm... gave it to me."
"Gave it to you, huh?" Anakin grinned, slyly. "You'll have to tell me all about that, the next time we're together," he said. "And I don't want to wait too long to hear about it, either."
"It's a deal," Obi-Wan nodded, chuckling to himself. "Over dinner, at your house. And I won't eat for a week before I come."
"Not a problem," Anakin laughed, nodding his head firmly. "You can count on it."
They stood quietly for a long moment, as they realized that the time that they had tried so hard not to think about had finally come. "Well, Anakin," Obi-Wan sighed, as Anakin turned his brightly shining eyes back toward him, "It looks like we're going to have to say goodbye for a while."
Anakin looked at Obi-Wan for a long moment; he opened his mouth to speak, but stopped, as he felt the strong emotions that tugged at his heart.
Obi-Wan nodded his own head slowly, as Anakin look down and close his eyes silently for a moment. "I know, Anakin," he said quietly, as he reached up and squeezed Anakin's shoulder tightly, struggling to keep his own emotions under control. "I know."
"I wish it didn't have to end this way, Master," Anakin said quietly, his voice trembling as he turned his glistening eyes back up to his old mentor.
"It's not the end, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, his own voice trembling as he nodded his head and smiled, as convincingly as he could, as he watched Anakin reach up and wipe away the tear that stood on his cheek. "Padmé's right," he said, nodding his head firmly. "There's always hope. And if you need proof of that, just go and look at your children."
"I know," Anakin said quietly, as he reached up and wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his tunic. They looked at each other quietly, for a long moment, neither of them really knowing what to say, or how to say it.
"When will I see you again, Master?" Anakin asked quietly, as he took another long, deep breath.
"It'll probably be a while," Obi-Wan said, nodding his head slowly. "Probably not until Padmé's ready for her trials. It'd be too dangerous for us to risk it, before she's ready."
"But we can talk," Obi-Wan said, as he patted the belt at his waist. "I've got your encryption key right here. Just give me a call, if you need me for anything at all."
"You do the same, Master," Anakin said, nodding his head slowly. "I'm here if you need me," he said. "For anything."
"I know, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, squeezing Anakin's shoulder again tightly. "If there's anything in this universe that I know, without a doubt, that I can count on," he nodded, "That's it."
Obi-Wan closed his eyes and swallowed hard as Anakin stepped forward and hugged him, tightly. "Be careful, Obi-Wan," Anakin said quietly.
"You too, Anakin," Obi-Wan said, as he squeezed Anakin's shoulders tightly as he released him. "Take care of Padmé and the young ones," he said. "And don't cut any corners on her training just because she's your wife."
"I promise," Anakin grinned, nodding his head slowly.
"I'll talk to you in a few days, then, when we get settled on Tatooine," Obi-Wan said, as he started up the ramp behind him. "May the Force be with you, Anakin. Always."
"May the Force be with you, Master," Anakin said, and he watched quietly as Obi-Wan turneded and start up the ramp, as Bail powered up the Falcon's main engines.
Anakin turned and trotted back across the hangar deck toward their small ship; he turned, as he heard Bail push the throttle and fire the Falcon's landing thrusters, and he watched, quietly, as the sleek, silver vessel lifted slowly into the air above them, turning slowly as Bail moved her out away from the platform into open air. Anakin took a deep breath and sighed, deeply, as he watched the Falcon fire her main impulse engine, and then take off quickly across the massive city; he watched her, as long as he could, until she disappeared into the thick, heavy clouds overhead.
He turned around, very slowly, taking another long, deep breath as he walked slowly up the narrow ramp and into their ship; he paused, looking back out for just a moment over the city behind him, and then pressed the button on the bulkhead, and made his way quickly toward the cockpit as the ramp closed behind him.
Anakin smiled, as he felt Padmé lean down and kiss him gently on his cheek, as he sat in the small, cramped pilot's cockpit; he closed his eyes, as he felt her wrap her arms around his neck and hug him tightly.
"You okay, baby?" Padmé asked quietly, as she knelt by his side and place her hand reassuringly on his cheek.
"Yeah," Anakin said quietly, as he looked back at her warm, caring face. "I just hate goodbyes," he said quietly, as his bright, glistening eyes searched hers for a long moment.
"I know," she whispered, nodding her head slowly as she looked at him. "I do, too. But we'll see him again, Ani," she said, smiling at him as reassuringly as she could. "You'll see."
"I know," Anakin said, closing his eyes as she leaned forward and hugged him again, as tightly as she could. "I know we will," he sighed, looking up at her as she released him from her embrace and knelt beside him again. "Because you're right," he said, as he reached up and placed his hand gently on her cheek. "There's always hope."
"Everybody ready back there?" Anakin asked after a moment, taking a deep breath as he glanced over his shoulder into the small, cramped passenger compartment.
"Threepio's a little nervous," Padmé grinned, as she nodded her head toward the compartment behind her. "But that's nothing unusual."
"Sounds like things are getting back to normal already," Anakin said, as he reached down and powered up the ship's engines. "You'd better go get strapped in, Angel," Anakin said, turning his attention back to her again. "It's time to go home."
Anakin closed his eyes again, as Padmé leaned forward and kissed him tenderly for a long moment. "I love you," she said, smiling brightly at him as he opened his eyes and gazed fondly at her.
"I love you, too," Anakin grinned, as she stood up beside him; she squeezed his hand tightly, and then turned and made her way back to the passenger compartment.
"Okay, everybody," Anakin shouted, as he brought the ship's engines up to full power. "Fasten your belts and hold on tight," he said, as he looked over at Artoo as he sat at the droid's station beside him. "The express shuttle for Naboo is now departing."
Anakin smiled, as he listened to Artoo whistle excitedly as he reached over and punched the thrusters; he pulled back on the control yoke, watching as the rain began to fall gently on the cockpit's windows in front of him, as he swung them out over open air, and then fired the main engines.
The tiny craft's engines hummed smoothly, as it climbed up over the city, and disappeared into the thick, rolling clouds above them, just as the rain began to fall again as Deyer's largest sun dipped below the horizon.
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