Call me impatient or whatever, but I can't wait three years for Episode III. So here's my version. I don't own Star Wars. The entire galaxy belongs to George Lucas.
Chapter One: The Mission
It was never dark on Coruscant. You could go outside at any time of night and see the gleaming lights, like artificial stars. They cast an eerie glow on the surface of the planet.
He loved the stars. Not the artificial ones, but the real, bright, burning stars. Sense told him they were merely balls of gas that would eventually burn out. But his feelings told him differently. Each one told a story, a history; each one set sailors on a course to some exotic distant system. They could be deadly, if you were caught too near. But then what beautiful thing wasn't deadly? In his world, everything that was perfect was poisonous. Even her.
His master's presence at his side was unwelcome. He masked his annoyance quickly; he hated Obi-Wan's rebukes. "Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "The council wishes to see us. They have a mission for us."
Any other time, Anakin might have been glad to go on a mission, especially since now, at twenty-three, any mission might be his last as Obi-Wan's Padawan learner. But Senator Amidala was arriving the next day. His wife was arriving the next day.
"Yes, Master." Anakin followed Obi-Wan into the Jedi temple. It was late; he was surprised the council had convened at such an hour. It must be important. Despite his disappointment at missing his Padme's arrival, he felt a thrill of excitement shoot up his spine. Obi-Wan shot a smile at him, either guessing or feeling the young man's anticipation. Anakin smiled back.
They made their way into the Jedi council chamber. The masters were waiting there for them. They bowed respectfully and waited for them to speak.
"Obi-Wan," Mace Windu began, addressing the older Jedi. "There have been reports of unrest on the planet of Melida/Daan. The governor has specifically requested your help in this matter. I believe you know him from a previous mission."
Windu looked at Obi-Wan pointedly, and Obi-Wan bowed his head before answering. "Yes, Master, I know which mission you speak of."
This gesture puzzled Anakin, but he didn't have much time to wonder, for the briefing was soon over and they bowed, getting ready to leave. But before they could, Master Yoda said soberly. "One more thing there is."
Anakin looked at Obi-Wan, but his master didn't look surprised. He looked a little apprehensive, but he knew what was coming. Anakin did not. Yoda continued. "When return you do, your trials you will take."
Anakin blinked, speechless. Obi-Wan bowed and turned to leave. Anakin followed his lead, thanking the masters as he went. In the hall, he hurried to catch up to Obi-Wan. "Master, why didn't you tell me?"
"It was the council's decision, their right to tell you." Obi-Wan still looked worried and he didn't meet Anakin's eyes as he spoke.
"Their decision? But I thought the master decided when their apprentice was ready for the trials…" Anakin felt hot anger flush through him as he realized what his master meant. "You don't think I'm ready."
Obi-Wan stopped and looked at his Padawan learner. "No, I don't. Yoda was right. There is much anger in you, Anakin. And much fear. But I have taught you all I can. Whether you pass the trials or not is the will of the Force."
Obi-Wan was right. At that moment, Anakin felt much anger. All directed toward his master. His hands dangled limply at his sides, inches from his lightsaber. It would be so easy…
Anakin stopped himself before the thought formed. He glared at his master for a moment, then stalked away.
*
Behind him, Obi-Wan leaned against the wall, feeling sullen and angry- with himself, of course. He allowed himself to feel the anger, then released it. Anger was not to be held onto in a Jedi's heart. That was Anakin's problem. He held onto his anger, cherished his pain. He got his power from it. And that power came from the Dark Side.
"Told him you did?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "I had to."
"Believe in the boy you do not, Obi-Wan?"
"Master Yoda, I love Anakin. He's like a son to me." Obi-Wan leaned his head back against the wall. "But he's *not* ready. He's dangerous. I feel it now as I felt it years ago. The Force is strong in him. But I don't know if it will lead him down the right path."
Master Yoda looked deep in thought. "The right path is not always the one we would choose, Obi-Wan. Make his own decisions, your apprentice will. Trained him you did in the Light. Nothing more can you do."
*
Anakin left the temple swiftly, knowing only one place to go. He went to the large apartment he and Padme secretly shared. Neither really lived there; private property was forbidden to the Jedi, and Padme had her official quarters as a Senator of the sovereign system of Naboo. But they spent as much time there together as they could.
He entered silently and collapsed onto the sofa. He sat there, in the dark, for Force knows how long, until his sensitive hearing picked up on the front door being opened. In an instant he was on his feet, lightsaber activated and held to the throat of the intruder.
The blue glow of his lightsaber illuminated the woman's beautiful face. She looked slightly frightened, but more than a little amused. "Is that how you always intend to greet your wife?"
Anakin smiled and deactivated his lightsaber. "Padme." He wrapped his arms around her and the two kissed.
They both headed back inside and sat on the couch. Anakin held her hand gently, the love in his eyes erasing the anger and pain he felt earlier. "You're early."
Padme smiled. "Yes, I wanted to surprise you." Her smile faded. "Ani, I need to tell you something."
"So do I, love," he replied, thinking to tell her of his mission and coming knighthood.
But she began before he could. She looked more worried than he would have liked as she sighed and began, "Ani…" She looked into his eyes, willing herself to continue. "I'm pregnant."
Chapter One: The Mission
It was never dark on Coruscant. You could go outside at any time of night and see the gleaming lights, like artificial stars. They cast an eerie glow on the surface of the planet.
He loved the stars. Not the artificial ones, but the real, bright, burning stars. Sense told him they were merely balls of gas that would eventually burn out. But his feelings told him differently. Each one told a story, a history; each one set sailors on a course to some exotic distant system. They could be deadly, if you were caught too near. But then what beautiful thing wasn't deadly? In his world, everything that was perfect was poisonous. Even her.
His master's presence at his side was unwelcome. He masked his annoyance quickly; he hated Obi-Wan's rebukes. "Anakin," Obi-Wan said. "The council wishes to see us. They have a mission for us."
Any other time, Anakin might have been glad to go on a mission, especially since now, at twenty-three, any mission might be his last as Obi-Wan's Padawan learner. But Senator Amidala was arriving the next day. His wife was arriving the next day.
"Yes, Master." Anakin followed Obi-Wan into the Jedi temple. It was late; he was surprised the council had convened at such an hour. It must be important. Despite his disappointment at missing his Padme's arrival, he felt a thrill of excitement shoot up his spine. Obi-Wan shot a smile at him, either guessing or feeling the young man's anticipation. Anakin smiled back.
They made their way into the Jedi council chamber. The masters were waiting there for them. They bowed respectfully and waited for them to speak.
"Obi-Wan," Mace Windu began, addressing the older Jedi. "There have been reports of unrest on the planet of Melida/Daan. The governor has specifically requested your help in this matter. I believe you know him from a previous mission."
Windu looked at Obi-Wan pointedly, and Obi-Wan bowed his head before answering. "Yes, Master, I know which mission you speak of."
This gesture puzzled Anakin, but he didn't have much time to wonder, for the briefing was soon over and they bowed, getting ready to leave. But before they could, Master Yoda said soberly. "One more thing there is."
Anakin looked at Obi-Wan, but his master didn't look surprised. He looked a little apprehensive, but he knew what was coming. Anakin did not. Yoda continued. "When return you do, your trials you will take."
Anakin blinked, speechless. Obi-Wan bowed and turned to leave. Anakin followed his lead, thanking the masters as he went. In the hall, he hurried to catch up to Obi-Wan. "Master, why didn't you tell me?"
"It was the council's decision, their right to tell you." Obi-Wan still looked worried and he didn't meet Anakin's eyes as he spoke.
"Their decision? But I thought the master decided when their apprentice was ready for the trials…" Anakin felt hot anger flush through him as he realized what his master meant. "You don't think I'm ready."
Obi-Wan stopped and looked at his Padawan learner. "No, I don't. Yoda was right. There is much anger in you, Anakin. And much fear. But I have taught you all I can. Whether you pass the trials or not is the will of the Force."
Obi-Wan was right. At that moment, Anakin felt much anger. All directed toward his master. His hands dangled limply at his sides, inches from his lightsaber. It would be so easy…
Anakin stopped himself before the thought formed. He glared at his master for a moment, then stalked away.
*
Behind him, Obi-Wan leaned against the wall, feeling sullen and angry- with himself, of course. He allowed himself to feel the anger, then released it. Anger was not to be held onto in a Jedi's heart. That was Anakin's problem. He held onto his anger, cherished his pain. He got his power from it. And that power came from the Dark Side.
"Told him you did?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "I had to."
"Believe in the boy you do not, Obi-Wan?"
"Master Yoda, I love Anakin. He's like a son to me." Obi-Wan leaned his head back against the wall. "But he's *not* ready. He's dangerous. I feel it now as I felt it years ago. The Force is strong in him. But I don't know if it will lead him down the right path."
Master Yoda looked deep in thought. "The right path is not always the one we would choose, Obi-Wan. Make his own decisions, your apprentice will. Trained him you did in the Light. Nothing more can you do."
*
Anakin left the temple swiftly, knowing only one place to go. He went to the large apartment he and Padme secretly shared. Neither really lived there; private property was forbidden to the Jedi, and Padme had her official quarters as a Senator of the sovereign system of Naboo. But they spent as much time there together as they could.
He entered silently and collapsed onto the sofa. He sat there, in the dark, for Force knows how long, until his sensitive hearing picked up on the front door being opened. In an instant he was on his feet, lightsaber activated and held to the throat of the intruder.
The blue glow of his lightsaber illuminated the woman's beautiful face. She looked slightly frightened, but more than a little amused. "Is that how you always intend to greet your wife?"
Anakin smiled and deactivated his lightsaber. "Padme." He wrapped his arms around her and the two kissed.
They both headed back inside and sat on the couch. Anakin held her hand gently, the love in his eyes erasing the anger and pain he felt earlier. "You're early."
Padme smiled. "Yes, I wanted to surprise you." Her smile faded. "Ani, I need to tell you something."
"So do I, love," he replied, thinking to tell her of his mission and coming knighthood.
But she began before he could. She looked more worried than he would have liked as she sighed and began, "Ani…" She looked into his eyes, willing herself to continue. "I'm pregnant."