A Love That Turned Evil
Chapter Eleven
Departing
"Padme, I've been thinking." Obi-Wan paced around the children's nursery. Padme sat in a rocking chair burping Leia. Obi-Wan was holding Luke, who was trying to get away.
"Ow!" Luke kicked Obi-Wan suddenly in the stomach.
"Let me take him." Padme put Leia back into her crib and began to rock Luke. "What were you saying, Obi-Wan?"
"These children are very strong with the Force, Padme."
Padme suddenly looked very unhappy. "Ani spoke of the Force." She spoke slowly, and sadly.
"Luke is especially strong with it. I've spoken to Mace Windu and some of the other respectable members of the Council." Obi-Wan continued. "There is no doubt that Darth Vader would love to take the children and teach them about the Dark Side."
Padme clutched Luke protectively. The child began to squirm and fuss. "No, not Luke! Not Leia!" Padme hurried to Leia's crib and stood over it, as if that would keep out Darth Vader.
"You need to send the children away, Padme." Obi-Wan said.
"No." Padme began to weep and clutch the amulet that hung over the crib.
"It's for the best, Padme! Think of the children!" Obi-Wan went to comfort the poor, distraught Padme.
"I will not let them go!"
"Padme, if you don't they will turn to the Dark Side! They will join Darth Vader in his quest to destroy the Jedi!"
"Oh, Obi-Wan!" Padme placed the sleeping Luke back into his crib. "Don't make me do this!" She pleaded with him.
"It's for the best, Padme. Now think. Do you have any relatives, anyone that Darth Vader has never met, or doesn't know of?"
"Well, there are Owen and his wife, Veru, on Tatooine, but Owen is Anakin's half brother."
"Hmm. Tatooine." Obi-Wan thought. "We should send Luke there, it will do. He can learn and become a pilot, or-"
"A slave."
"No. But Tatooine would be best for Luke. It's out of the reaches of the Republic."
"There's-"
"Who?"
Padme sighed. "Bail Organa. On Alderaan. Anakin has met him, though."
Obi-Wan considered this. "Explain it, we still may be able to send Leia there."
Padme sighed again, and then slowly explained about Bail Organa and Anakin.
Obi-Wan pondered the situation. "Can he be reached in short notice?"
"Yes."
"Then he's the best we have." Obi-Wan handed his hologram to Padme, who took it into the next room and shut the door behind her.
Padme locked the door behind her. She wanted no one eavesdropping on this conversation.
"Bail Organa."
"Padme, how nice to see you!" Bail appeared on her table.
"Bail, I need to ask you a favor."
"Anything, my love."
"Don't call me that!" Padme snapped. Then she reconsidered. She was about to ask this man the biggest favor of her life.
"I'm sorry Bail." She apologized. "Now, the favor.
"My husband, Anakin, who I am unfortunately still in love with, has turned to the Dark Side and become the evil, brainwashed Darth Vader."
"Mmm-hmm."
"My children-"
"The twins."
"Yes." Padme paused. "Darth Vader may come back. The children are strong with the Force, Bail. He'll want to tempt them into the Dark Side, and I couldn't handle that."
Bail was silent.
Padme continued, "I need you, if you would be so kind, to adopt Leia and treat her as your daughter."
Bail seemed stunned, even through the hologram.
"Anything for you, Padme." He finally said.
"Obi-Wan will be there soon." She turned off the hologram and went to call Owen and Veru before she broke down.
Padme pretty much repeated all that she had said to Bail Organa.
"Oh, Padme, dear! I'm so sorry you had to make such a terrible decision!" Veru cried, a tear sliding down her cheek.
At that, Padme had to turn off the hologram and sob.
At this point, Obi-Wan was about to use the Force to unlock the door and come in, but Padme opened it just as he was about to.
She wiped a tear off her cheek and said, "everything is in place, Obi-Wan. Will you take the children for me, to Alderaan and Tatooine?"
Obi-Wan nodded. Padme straightened up and tried to put on a brave face through her tears.
Obi-Wan headed out the door and onto the ramp of his ship. Padme had already said her goodbyes to the children, and had shut the door; unable to watch them leave her.
He wrapped the children in their blankets and placed them into the little cribs he had tied to the floor of his ship, so they wouldn't roll around.
Right before takeoff, he checked on the children again. Luke looked almost happy, Leia was curious.
Obi-Wan couldn't help but smile.
Padme could hear the ship's engines ignite outside. Not knowing what else to do, she took out a pad of paper and began to sketch her two babies, batting the amulet around above their heads.
"The children have left their mother, Master." Said Darth Vader through his machine-generated breathing.
Obi-Wan decided to go to Alderaan first- it was closer. He arrived at Bail Organa's house just before the sun set.
Bail Organa was a powerful man in the Alderaanian government. Obi-Wan recalled this fact to mind as he carried the children inside the house, not wanting to leave Luke alone in the ship.
Bail Organa was summoned and Leia was given to him. Bail held her in his arms and looked at her lovingly.
"She looks so much like her mother." Bail said.
Obi-Wan returned to the ship and set course for Tatooine.
'Aunt' Veru was standing outside the main house of their moisture farm, waiting. When she saw the ship she waved her arms up and down.
What an energetic old woman, Obi-Wan thought amusedly.
"Oh, a child at last!" She gushed when Luke was placed in her arms. "Owen and I aren't able to have babies." She informed Obi-Wan. "Oh, I wish you could meet Owen, but he is working the fields late today." She peered across the desert lands of Tatooine as if she was searching for her husband. "He will be overjoyed. He has always wanted a son."
Obi-Wan departed again for Naboo with a strange feeling in his heart. It was a mix of peace from knowing that the children were safe, happiness that this was all over, and sadness and sorrow for the Senator.