Chapter Three



Ben emerged from the transport looking bedraggled and out of balance. He had shaved his beard and had his hair cut as well in order to avoid instant recognition. Because of his role as Vader's number one prey, everyone in the Empire knew who he was. Banishing exhaustion from his mind, Ben attuned himself to the feelings of the beings around him, in case he had to make himself disappear with a little help from the Force should someone recognize him despite his efforts. He pulled his hood on just in case.

Suddenly, his intuition alerted him to a presence not too far from where he stood. It was familiar and it made his heart leap into his throat. He looked up and immediately met a pair of warm brown eyes.

"Sabé," he mouthed.

She smiled in acknowledgement and turned around without waiting for him. He lowered his eyes, but kept his senses attuned to her. She led through a maze of streets which he could only assume to be the heart of the city. People jostled him from every direction, none of them noticing the hunched old man who appeared lost in the big city. Finally, Sabé stopped in front of a warehouse and disappeared around the back. Ben stopped for a moment, appearing to study his surroundings, then followed her in.

The warehouse was as musty and dirty as he expected it to be but he barely paid it any heed. Sabé stood in the middle of the room with another. A tall, distinguished looking man who looked out of place in the seedy building. Bail Organa turned as Ben lowered his hood and he smiled broadly, holding his arms out.

"Obi-Wan, you've returned at last."

Obi-Wan....a name I haven't heard in a long time, Ben mused, but did not correct the man. It seemed right in this place with these people that he be called by his proper name, just as it was right on Tatooine to be known as Crazy Ben Kenobi.

Obi-Wan smiled in return and embraced his friend. "It has been too long, Bail."

Bail held his friend at arm's length and looked into a face unchanged by the harsh Tatooine sun. Without the beard, he looked even younger...until Bail looked into blue eyes faded by the hardships that life had thrown. Obi-Wan's eyes use to dance with mischief, with humor, but now there was only resignation and resilience. True, there was a strength there that had been absent in the past, but it made him more weary.

"She waits for you eagerly, Master Kenobi," Sabé murmured. "She wanted to come, but we felt it would be too dangerous for her to be outside at this time."

"I understand," Obi-Wan said. He offered her small smile. "It is good to see you again, Sabé."

"Likewise, Master Kenobi."

"I'm afraid I must take your leave, Obi-Wan, but I will be by to see you tonight. Take care of him, Sabé," Bail said, after giving his friend's shoulder one last squeeze.

"I will, Senator." She started towards a large crate sitting in the corner of the warehouse. "If you'll follow me, Master Kenobi."

"Please, Sabé, call me Obi-Wan. After all this time, it seems ridiculous to stick to titles. I'll be willing to bet that you don't call Padmé by any of her titles anymore."

"I slip sometimes."

She pulled a small rectangular module and pointed it at the crate. The sides fell away to reveal a small groundcar. The side door popped open and she gestured for Obi-Wan to climb in.

"We'll be there in two hours," she said, climbing in after him. "Are you comfortable enough?"

"I will be."

They lapsed into silence as Sabé pulled into the city. Ten minutes into the drive, she glanced over at the Jedi to see that his eyes were closed. At first she thought he was meditating but when he began to snore softly, she knew otherwise. Tucking away a smile, she focused on her task and drove just a little faster, knowing that by now Padmé would be bouncing off the walls.



* * *



Vader entered the oval shaped chamber in which he slept. As soon as he sat down in the center, the chamber closed down and dim lights turned on. He was completely shut out from the outside world. It wasn't that he was paranoid about assassins--no one could sneak up on Darth Vader, after all-- but he needed it to recharge his mechas. Wires began to snake from the walls and hook up to the various outlets throughout his body. Vader remembered the first time he had used this chamber, the revulsion that rose up inside him almost made him want to explode from the chamber with a Force- blast. Now, it was just another nuiseance.

He wondered that Padmé would think of this amalgamation of man and machine he had become. A knot of fear formed in his belly at the thought of her disgust. He would have been disgusted, too, at first, but if she truly loved him, loved him as much as he loved her, she would be able to look past the wires and metal to find the man she had known and the husband she had pledged her life to. Carefully, Vader removed his helmet and took a shaky breath of fresh air. It hurt his lungs a little, but he refused to put the damned helmet with its air filter back on. His face, once so young and handsome, was pasty and scarred, however, there was no mistaking that he was Anakin Skywalker. His eyes were the same color of electric blue they had always been.

He rubbed his eyes with a gloved hand, cursing Obi-Wan Kenobi for the umpteenth time. It was Obi-Wan's fault that he was in this predicament. Anakin the Jedi Padawan had underestimated his master's talent with the lightsaber and had allowed it to strike true. Darth Vader would not. The next time they would meet in battle, Obi-Wan would be the one who would be striken down. His hands flexed in anticipation.

Yet, he could not deny that at times, he almost wished his old master was at his side. Despite it all, they had good times, and for most of Vader's young life, Obi-Wan was the only father he knew. If only Obi-Wan had seen the wisdom of using the Dark side instead of sticking to the teachings of the Jedi Order. They would have been great together, mending the galaxy with their power instead of the weak methods enforced by the now extinct Jedi.

See who is left, Master Obi-Wan? The Jedi we once knew and respected now lie dead or hide like cowards. I was right after all.

But Vader knew Obi-Wan was too set in his ways to ever change and he would always see Vader as nothing more than a pupil, never an equal. Unlike his new master, Darth Sidious. With Sidious, Vader felt like an equal and sometimes a god as Sidious often deferred to the younger man's greater powers. He always said the right things.

Closing his eyes, Vader allowed the Force to flow through him. Bolstered by the thoughts of his new master, Vader focused on his search for Obi-Wan and Padmé. Stretching out with his senses, he searched, his desire to have them in his possession bordering on the obsessive.

I will find you and when I do, you will know my power and bow down to it, he thought to them.

Soon, he fell into an uneasy sleep, his dreams filled with his wife and his master. However, one corner of his mind was still searching for them.



* * *



Padmé paced up and down the length of the living room, unable to keep still. Leia sat at the coffee table, coloring in a book. Once and a while, she would look up at her mother quizzically. She had tried asking her what was the matter, but Padmé only gave her non-answers. Leia figured she would find out soon enough or her mother would simply tire herself out.

The sounds of an approaching groundcar made Padmé stop dead in her tracks. Her eyes widened and a hand flew up to cover her mouth.

"He's here," she said, her voice barely at a whisper.

"Who, Momny?" Leia asked, jumping to her feet and grabbing Padmé's limp hand. "Who's here?"

Not fully registering that Leia was at her side, Padmé moved to the front door and opened it as Obi-Wan was stepping onto the porch. He froze, color draining from his face, when their eyes met. They stared at each other speechlessly, neither certain of what the next move should be. For Obi- Wan, images of Padmé from their short time together flew through his mind, and he was overwhelmed by the strength of his feelings for her. For Padmé, she wanted nothing more than to bury herself in his arms and never leave.

Sabé looked from one to the other, and without a word, took Leia's hand and led her away. The little girl did not protest, sensing that something important was happening.

"Padmé," Obi-Wan finally spoke, taking a step towards her.

She needed no other invitation. She flew into his arms and held him as tightly as he held her.

"I've missed you, my love," he said, his lips brushing against her ear.

"And I you."

He pulled back just far enough too look into her face. They exchanged a tender smile...and then their lips met.



* * *

Light-years away, Vader woke.