Chapter Twenty Two: Parting Sorrows
"Twins," Bail breathed, staring down at them in wonder. He looked up at Windu and Yoda. "What has she named them?"
"Leia and Luke," Windu replied.
"Strong in the Force they both are." Master Yoda said, looking down into their faces. "The boy especially."
"I can take them," Bail suggested hastily. "I'm the viceroy and First Chairman of the Royal House of Alderaan and I am childless. No one will question my adoption of orphaned twins."
"His presence Palpatine would surely sense. For him there is a different path."
He was persistent. "The girl then- Leia. I will take her and Amidala back with me to Alderaan."
Windu nodded. "Yes."
Bail held his new daughter in his arms, close to his heart, and looked at Yoda and Windu. "The Republic *will* rise again. Such a dark power cannot keep its hold."
Yoda looked away. "Clouded the future is," he said enigmatically. He stood and moved into the swamp.
*
Obi-Wan sat on a log, staring into the murky water. He didn't look up as Yoda approached but he did greet him. "Master Yoda."
"Obi-Wan." Yoda perched on the log beside him, chin resting thoughtfully on his gimer stick. "Deeply troubled you are. Help it will to speak of this."
Obi-Wan swallowed. He was silent for a moment. When he spoke, he said softly, "I murdered my Padawan."
"Murder him you did not, Obi-Wan."
"I pushed him. And then I couldn't pull him up again. He fell." Obi-Wan stopped, the tears welling up into his eyes again. "As long as one lives, there is hope for redemption. But I killed him, Master."
"What you had to do you did. Make a decision, make another. Remake one past, you cannot. Pain you feel. Understand this I do. But ready you must be for your last mission."
Obi-Wan looked up. "Master?"
"Take you will the son of Skywalker. Train him you will."
Obi-Wan froze. "No. Master Yoda, I cannot!"
"You can. You must."
"I failed Anakin, Master. I cannot take another Padawan."
"Thought this way Qui-Gon did. Until shown he was by another boy. The darkness in one does not lie in all."
Obi-Wan stared into the water, unwilling to meet the Master's gaze. "Xanatos didn't destroy the Republic."
"The same it is despite the differences. The boy you will take and the boy you will train. When ready he is, know you will."
Obi-Wan struggled with Yoda's ruling, but he nodded his consent, then stood. "Is Padme awake, Master?"
"Yes. See her you may."
Obi-Wan bowed to Yoda and moved swiftly to the small hut where Padme laid. The hut was dark and Obi-Wan was shocked at the weakness of Padme's force signature.
"Milady?" he asked quietly.
Padme didn't answer right away. He moved to her side, staring down at her pale face with tears in his eyes. She was pale, and looked so small. There were small lines etched into her beautiful face.
Her hand grasped his. "Obi-Wan. How are my twins?"
"Small, but healthy, milady."
She sighed, smiled bitter sweetly. "My children. Ani's children."
Obi-Wan ducked his head, hiding the tears that had finally fallen. "I am so sorry, Padme." Before she could reply, Obi-Wan unclipped Anakin's lightsaber from beside his own and gave it to her. "I saved it."
Padme fingered the lightsaber delicately. "Give it to Luke when he gets older. Ani would want him to have it." She smiled, her heart breaking. "He is going with you, isn't he?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "He will be a powerful Jedi. The last hope for the galaxy."
Padme shook her head. "A cause is never lost as long as one person fights. Anakin told me you said that."
Obi-Wan nodded. "I swear Padme, Luke will know who his father was. He will know of the Anakin we knew. I'll never let him forget."
Padme stared up into Obi-Wan's face. Already a think layer of stubble covered it. Where his smooth skin had made him look so much younger, the heavy bags under his eyes coupled with the marks from stress and worry that marred his skin made him look a decade older than he really was. "I'm never going to see you again, am I?"
"The danger would be considerable. With Palpatine hunting Jedi, its best if I am no where near you."
"You've been a good friend to me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I know you'll keep Luke safe."
"On my life, milady." He kissed Padme's hand quickly and stood. "Goodbye, Padme Nabierre."
"Farewell, Ben Kenobi."
Obi-Wan didn't look back as he left the small hut. Instead of going back to the swamp, he joined the small group. "She seems very weak."
Windu nodded. "Her life force is fading. Her will to live is broken."
"All she's ever worked for is the Republic. Now it's gone… We're not even letting her have her children. She has nothing to live for." Bail spoke softly, eyes distant.
"For a good cause it is. Strong they are. A danger to the Sith they will be."
Obi-Wan looked to the trio around them. "What is it?" he asked, sensing the deep conflict within them.
Windu spoke softly. "We've had word from the interior. There was a massacre at Ghorman. Peaceful protestors against the emperor. They were slaughtered (A/N: like animals!). The purge continues, the murder, destruction, the terror… With a Sith called Darth Vader at its helm."
Obi-Wan froze. "Vader?" It was too soon for Palpatine to have a fully trained Sith at his side. Unless he had already been there before…
He closed his eyes, searching his mind for a connection, a weak bond. He found it with difficulty. A gentle tug brought him up against a rock-solid wall where there should have been a void.
A sudden absurd elation filled him. Anakin was alive. But then Bail's words filled his head. *Murder, destruction, terror*. That was not Anakin. Anakin was good and kind, with a quick wit and charming smile. This Darth Vader could not be Anakin. His Anakin had never brought terror to anyone. He separated the two in his mind right then. Darth Vader was evil. Anakin was good. It was Vader who lived now, after killing the good in his Ani.
He spoke softly. "Don't tell Padme."
Bail shook his head. "She'll know, Obi-Wan."
"It's not him. Anakin would never… No. It's not Anakin. Not anymore." He looked into the swamp, his eyes dark and tired. "I killed Anakin." Suddenly he turned his head back to them. "I'm taking Luke to Tatooine."
Bail looked surprised. "Tatooine? Isn't it controlled by the Hutts?"
"Yes. Anakin was born there."
"It's dangerous!"
"No. Anakin hates- *hated*- Tatooine. It holds too many memories. No place could be safer for his son."
Mace Windu nodded. "We concur. And we agree that Padme and the children should not be told of Anakin's new identity. He is lost to us, lost to them. It would make it that much harder to fight him when the time comes."
Bail Organa looked away. "It's for their safety, I know… But to not know your blood parents… It's a fate I cannot imagine."
"Luke will know them," Obi-Wan murmured. "In his heart."
"I must depart soon," Organa said suddenly. "There is a meeting on Corellia. Bel Iblis, Mon Mothma, and I are due to meet and sign a formal declaration." His eyes were dark as he looked at the others. "A declaration of rebellion."
"Padme will be ready to travel tomorrow, as long as she doesn't move about," Mace Windu said.
"I will take her and Leia back to Alderaan after the meeting. We will hide her there, Palpatine or Ana- *Vader* will not know her location, I swear it."
Obi-Wan, Bail and Windu all left in the morning, with the sun, leaving Yoda in the murky swampland. Obi-Wan was the last to depart, promising to return when the boy was ready, so that they both might guide him. Yoda looked at Obi-Wan with clear eyes, *proud* eyes and said softly, "May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan bowed to the Master. "And with you, my Master."
"Twins," Bail breathed, staring down at them in wonder. He looked up at Windu and Yoda. "What has she named them?"
"Leia and Luke," Windu replied.
"Strong in the Force they both are." Master Yoda said, looking down into their faces. "The boy especially."
"I can take them," Bail suggested hastily. "I'm the viceroy and First Chairman of the Royal House of Alderaan and I am childless. No one will question my adoption of orphaned twins."
"His presence Palpatine would surely sense. For him there is a different path."
He was persistent. "The girl then- Leia. I will take her and Amidala back with me to Alderaan."
Windu nodded. "Yes."
Bail held his new daughter in his arms, close to his heart, and looked at Yoda and Windu. "The Republic *will* rise again. Such a dark power cannot keep its hold."
Yoda looked away. "Clouded the future is," he said enigmatically. He stood and moved into the swamp.
*
Obi-Wan sat on a log, staring into the murky water. He didn't look up as Yoda approached but he did greet him. "Master Yoda."
"Obi-Wan." Yoda perched on the log beside him, chin resting thoughtfully on his gimer stick. "Deeply troubled you are. Help it will to speak of this."
Obi-Wan swallowed. He was silent for a moment. When he spoke, he said softly, "I murdered my Padawan."
"Murder him you did not, Obi-Wan."
"I pushed him. And then I couldn't pull him up again. He fell." Obi-Wan stopped, the tears welling up into his eyes again. "As long as one lives, there is hope for redemption. But I killed him, Master."
"What you had to do you did. Make a decision, make another. Remake one past, you cannot. Pain you feel. Understand this I do. But ready you must be for your last mission."
Obi-Wan looked up. "Master?"
"Take you will the son of Skywalker. Train him you will."
Obi-Wan froze. "No. Master Yoda, I cannot!"
"You can. You must."
"I failed Anakin, Master. I cannot take another Padawan."
"Thought this way Qui-Gon did. Until shown he was by another boy. The darkness in one does not lie in all."
Obi-Wan stared into the water, unwilling to meet the Master's gaze. "Xanatos didn't destroy the Republic."
"The same it is despite the differences. The boy you will take and the boy you will train. When ready he is, know you will."
Obi-Wan struggled with Yoda's ruling, but he nodded his consent, then stood. "Is Padme awake, Master?"
"Yes. See her you may."
Obi-Wan bowed to Yoda and moved swiftly to the small hut where Padme laid. The hut was dark and Obi-Wan was shocked at the weakness of Padme's force signature.
"Milady?" he asked quietly.
Padme didn't answer right away. He moved to her side, staring down at her pale face with tears in his eyes. She was pale, and looked so small. There were small lines etched into her beautiful face.
Her hand grasped his. "Obi-Wan. How are my twins?"
"Small, but healthy, milady."
She sighed, smiled bitter sweetly. "My children. Ani's children."
Obi-Wan ducked his head, hiding the tears that had finally fallen. "I am so sorry, Padme." Before she could reply, Obi-Wan unclipped Anakin's lightsaber from beside his own and gave it to her. "I saved it."
Padme fingered the lightsaber delicately. "Give it to Luke when he gets older. Ani would want him to have it." She smiled, her heart breaking. "He is going with you, isn't he?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "He will be a powerful Jedi. The last hope for the galaxy."
Padme shook her head. "A cause is never lost as long as one person fights. Anakin told me you said that."
Obi-Wan nodded. "I swear Padme, Luke will know who his father was. He will know of the Anakin we knew. I'll never let him forget."
Padme stared up into Obi-Wan's face. Already a think layer of stubble covered it. Where his smooth skin had made him look so much younger, the heavy bags under his eyes coupled with the marks from stress and worry that marred his skin made him look a decade older than he really was. "I'm never going to see you again, am I?"
"The danger would be considerable. With Palpatine hunting Jedi, its best if I am no where near you."
"You've been a good friend to me, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I know you'll keep Luke safe."
"On my life, milady." He kissed Padme's hand quickly and stood. "Goodbye, Padme Nabierre."
"Farewell, Ben Kenobi."
Obi-Wan didn't look back as he left the small hut. Instead of going back to the swamp, he joined the small group. "She seems very weak."
Windu nodded. "Her life force is fading. Her will to live is broken."
"All she's ever worked for is the Republic. Now it's gone… We're not even letting her have her children. She has nothing to live for." Bail spoke softly, eyes distant.
"For a good cause it is. Strong they are. A danger to the Sith they will be."
Obi-Wan looked to the trio around them. "What is it?" he asked, sensing the deep conflict within them.
Windu spoke softly. "We've had word from the interior. There was a massacre at Ghorman. Peaceful protestors against the emperor. They were slaughtered (A/N: like animals!). The purge continues, the murder, destruction, the terror… With a Sith called Darth Vader at its helm."
Obi-Wan froze. "Vader?" It was too soon for Palpatine to have a fully trained Sith at his side. Unless he had already been there before…
He closed his eyes, searching his mind for a connection, a weak bond. He found it with difficulty. A gentle tug brought him up against a rock-solid wall where there should have been a void.
A sudden absurd elation filled him. Anakin was alive. But then Bail's words filled his head. *Murder, destruction, terror*. That was not Anakin. Anakin was good and kind, with a quick wit and charming smile. This Darth Vader could not be Anakin. His Anakin had never brought terror to anyone. He separated the two in his mind right then. Darth Vader was evil. Anakin was good. It was Vader who lived now, after killing the good in his Ani.
He spoke softly. "Don't tell Padme."
Bail shook his head. "She'll know, Obi-Wan."
"It's not him. Anakin would never… No. It's not Anakin. Not anymore." He looked into the swamp, his eyes dark and tired. "I killed Anakin." Suddenly he turned his head back to them. "I'm taking Luke to Tatooine."
Bail looked surprised. "Tatooine? Isn't it controlled by the Hutts?"
"Yes. Anakin was born there."
"It's dangerous!"
"No. Anakin hates- *hated*- Tatooine. It holds too many memories. No place could be safer for his son."
Mace Windu nodded. "We concur. And we agree that Padme and the children should not be told of Anakin's new identity. He is lost to us, lost to them. It would make it that much harder to fight him when the time comes."
Bail Organa looked away. "It's for their safety, I know… But to not know your blood parents… It's a fate I cannot imagine."
"Luke will know them," Obi-Wan murmured. "In his heart."
"I must depart soon," Organa said suddenly. "There is a meeting on Corellia. Bel Iblis, Mon Mothma, and I are due to meet and sign a formal declaration." His eyes were dark as he looked at the others. "A declaration of rebellion."
"Padme will be ready to travel tomorrow, as long as she doesn't move about," Mace Windu said.
"I will take her and Leia back to Alderaan after the meeting. We will hide her there, Palpatine or Ana- *Vader* will not know her location, I swear it."
Obi-Wan, Bail and Windu all left in the morning, with the sun, leaving Yoda in the murky swampland. Obi-Wan was the last to depart, promising to return when the boy was ready, so that they both might guide him. Yoda looked at Obi-Wan with clear eyes, *proud* eyes and said softly, "May the Force be with you, Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan bowed to the Master. "And with you, my Master."