Author's notes: Thank you all my lovely loyal reviewers out there that like my stuff. Special thanks to…..
N.I.K.A.N.A: you rock! Thanks for the help and support. You've really helped boast my confidence my abilities. :)
To you Revenia for making the sacrifice in reading my story although you don't like SW. Thank you for all the love and help you give me. Lots of hugs to you.
Amy: you are the coolest friend. Thanks for everything. I might just try that bloopers idea wait and see. Ha ha ha ha
Hopalong: thanks for getting me involved here, because it was you who told me about this place. it was nice to see you at GS the other day after abandoning me and Amy for so long. Can't wait until Thursday! Yes!
Luwana-Fluff-Dragon, Renee, ShortySC22, OwenHJones, and Vagabundo: you goes are awesome. Thanks for your reviews and support. :) It is much appreciated. Believe me.
Hey who's gonna go see the big IMAX premiere of Episode 2!? That is going to totally rock!*starts to get excited just thinking about it* Hopalong, Amy, and I are going dressed up as SW characters. It's gonna be fun! Yes, we are wired and pathetic, but who cares!
Now that I've down that. I want you to know this is probably not the best chapter. Just one I did to kinda give the story a little more something and help with later chapters. Mostly, it is probably not the best because I was trying to get it out of the way to get to the more fun action and dark side stuff in the next chapter. :) So bare with me. Hope you enjoy it anyway. And don't forget to keep sending in your reviews. Ok, enough of my dithering on. Go read the story!
Chapter Eight
Unforbidden Love
Luke had talked Ani into letting him look into the clone's mind again. He wanted to learn more about his father. Perhaps it would help him find away to help Ani in his training. If he could see what had gone wrong that eventually lead to the down fall of Anakin Skywalker he could correct it before it became a big problem. That would mean a whole new way to teach and relearn things for Ani. But the clone was willing and so he finally agreed.
Luke sat across from Ani in his office. The clone opened his mind up completely to Luke through the Force. Leia and the rest of her family were also there. He would project the images he was seeing through the Force to Anakin, who would in turn pass it on to Jacen and then so on. This way they could all see what Luke was seeing. Luke reached out with the Force, placing his hands near Ani's temples, and delved down into the depths of the young man's mind. Ani totally relaxed and let memories of a life that was not his own flow out from his mind.
Luke saw the fuzzy image of a Toydarian alien floating in front of him. Watto. As a slave Watto had been Anakin's master. He was gruff and an ugly creature, but he'd treated the boy with a measure of respect only given to him by the talents of fixing things. He saw all of Anakin's friends on Tatooine. Watched as he laughed with Kitster about something they'd heard. He saw Shmi Skywalker, his beloved mother. He saw Qui-Gon Jinn, a handsome, tall older Jedi. He saw Padme. Beautiful Padme, whom he'd thought was an angel when he first met her. Then Obi-Wan Kenobi, as the handsome young man he'd been long ago.
Hundreds of images swirled past Luke. To many to see them all at once. He didn't try to direct the clone's mind; just watched what ever Ani chose to remember. He saw the first murder Anakin had ever committed at age twelve, then his second not many months after the first. Both had been horrible, showing the first signs of Anakin's darker side that would some day destroy him. Then one particular image came to Ani's mind that he let himself fully experience again.
It had been on Anison, just before Anakin had gone back to Coruscant and met Padme Amidala again. Just before he'd been thrown into the Clone Wars head first. On Anison during his mission Obi-Wan, Anakin, Luminara Unduli, and Bariss Offee had come across a primitive band of Anisonians. They'd been hospitable enough, they're only request was for each of the Jedi to entertain them as a payment. Luke saw Bariss's amazing display of lightsaber skills, Obi-Wan's brilliant story that he never told the end of, and then it had been Anakin's turn. He had been nervous about it. He had no idea what to do. He looked at his master for help. Obi-Wan looked at him and smiled.
"What should I do, Master?" Anakin had asked.
Obi-Wan had answered. "Show then some soul, Anakin. I know that you have one. The Force overflows with beauty. Draw on it."
With great reluctance, Anakin unfolded his legs and stood. Aware of the many eyes on him, he strode slowly to the center of the clearing. He didn't want to be here, in this circle of light. He wanted to be on Coruscant, or home, or….
The one memory that overrode others jarred something loose. Something from his childhood. It possessed the virtues of simplicity: a song; slow, sad, and melancholic, but full of affection for the one who was listening. His mother had sung it to him frequently, when money was scarce and when desert winds howled outside their simple dwellings.
Now he imagined that she was here, standing before him, hearing comforting and reassuring face smiling warmly back at him. Since she was not here to sing along with him, to remind him of the words, he drew it entirely form memory.
As he imagined his mother standing there before him, everything else faded away. Only she remained, and himself. The two of them, trading stanzas, singing back and forth to each other as they had when he was a child. He sang with increasing strength and confidence, his voice rising above the steady breeze that swept fitfully through the camp.
The simple but soaring melody from his youth rolled out across the attentive assembly, silencing the children and animals alike. It floated free and strong across the field and among the grass, to finally lose itself in the vastness of the plains. Not everyone understood the words, but the strength of the young man's voice and the ardor with which he sang more than succeeded in relaying his loneliness.
It took Anakin a moment to realize that he had finished. Blinking, he scrutinized his diverse audience; head down face flushed, trying and failing to hide his discomfiture. The crowd popped their knocks and hissed loudly in show of their approval. Anakin returned to his seat beside his master. Obi-Wan looked over at him with surprise and wonder.
"I had no idea you could sing like that," Obi-Wan said.
"Neither did I really. I found some inspiration in an old memory," Anakin looked embarrassed.
"When you sing, your voice drops considerably," was the last thing Luke heard Obi-Wan say before the memory had faded away.
Luke pulled back from Ani's mind. The clone slumped forward in his chair, as if that had been physically exhausting for him. He sat up straight again, blinking several times. The Solos all watched him curiously. Anakin confirmed that they had all seen what he had. Ani still looked very worn and sad.
"Are you alright, Ani?" Luke asked.
"I had to remind myself that I was not Anakin Skywalker. And that wasn't my life," he whispered. "I wanted it to be so bad for a moment. Then I remembered Anakin telling me of all the horrors he'd had to endure and was glad it was not."
Ani stood up and walked toward the door. He left them all sitting their wondering what else had been going through his mind.
********
Anakin Solo sat alone in Luke's office, long after the others left. He wanted to look through more of the holos that Kitster had given them. None of them had finished looking all the way through it. As far as he knew Jacen and Jaina had gotten to the beginnings of the Clone Wars in the order of years. He flipped open the case and looked over all the many discs, holos, and data chips. He picked up a holo down the line where his siblings had left off. He slipped the holo into the holoprojecter, and a second later a holo image appeared in the center of Luke's desk.
In this particular holo, he could not make out which one was Anakin for a long moment. There were six players sitting around a sabacc table in a dingy looking casino. Each looked serious and a bit nervous, all except for one. This one was clearly Anakin Skywalker. He sat in a carefree manner, in something like a smuggler's outfit. His dirty blond hair had grown out and was spiked up. The tips of the spikes were bleached completely blond. His eyes were hidden behind a dark par of shades. He had a blaster belt strapped to his waist, with the blaster in easy reach of his hand.
The sabacc players consisted of one male rodian, who soon folded in his hand unable to keep up with the pressure of the game, a male human, sweating profusely as the game grew more tense, a female twi'lek, a humanoid alien he could not identify, and a lovely young woman. The game was drawing quite a crowd, by the amount of money on the table and the subtle competition between Anakin and the young woman. The woman seemed to be flirting with him across the table. Anakin flashed her a small smile, as he replaced one card in his hand for another. A gold ring sparkled on his ring finger of his left hand, as he did so. It was obvious that Anakin was married, now, at this point, even though he seemed to still be in his very early twenties. The woman looked slightly disappointed.
The game droid announced it was time to lay down their hands to determine who had won. The woman spread her hand on the table. It was a good hand, maybe a winning one. She smiled, as the other players laid their hands down. They'd all lost. Then it came to Anakin. He was the last to put down his hand. He calmly took a sip of his doctored ruby bheil. He let out a sigh, which made it seem as if he knew he just lost. Then he, one by one, spread his cards out onto the table. The woman started to look smug, as the hand looked like it would lose. Anakin revealed the last card in his hand down onto the table. A gasp escaped past the woman's lips. The crowd cheered and burst into laughter, as Anakin grinned disarmingly. He'd won with a perfect sabacc of twenty-two points. He smiled collecting his credits, enjoying the crowd's cheers, and left the sabacc table.
The holo faded out and ended. Anakin Solo sat thinking about his grandfather. His grandfather had been so complex. A card shark, a Jedi, a pilot, a mechanic, and so much more. So many of his traits showed through in his legacy. That was of course bound to happen, but did it make his family more prone to use the dark side too. He wished his grandfather's life was not such a mystery. Ani was helping them uncover it slowly, but even he did not have all of Anakin's memories. Ani said that Anakin had told how he'd fallen from grace, but wouldn't tell them just yet. Like he was afraid to even think about. It must have been truly horrible.
He turned off the holoprojecter and put the holo back in the case. When everything was in order again, he stood up and left Luke's office. He didn't feel like thinking about it anymore.
*******
Ani sat up at the top of the Great Temple again. He'd come to think. Like the first time he'd come up here he felt Gabe coming up to join him. He could feel her climbing up the side of the Temple not to far away. She was excited and happy about something. Ani assumed that was what she was coming up here to tell him. A few minutes later her head appeared over the edge, as she scrambled to the top.
She came over and sat down beside him. Both said nothing for a while, just enjoying the other's company. Ani realized just how much he liked to spend time with her. She reminded him of Anakin's Padme a lot. She was just as beautiful, as Padme had been. Just as stubborn sometimes and just as dedicated to her decisions as Padme had been. He wondered if that was just weird coincidence. He shrugged it off.
"My family's coming to visit me," she finally broke the silence.
"That's wonderful," he smiled at her. "When are they coming?"
"They should be here in about three days," she answered.
Ani was truly happy for her. "I would love to meet the parents who raised such a beautiful, engaging young woman. I'm sure they must be very proud of you."
Gabe blushed. "I hope they are."
Ani looked over at Gabe, who met his eyes shyly. The intensity in his gaze must have been unsettling for she only held it a moment. Ani was beginning to realize just how much she meant to him. He had been so wrapped up in other things that he hadn't noticed the feelings growing between them. The sunset sent brilliant colors dancing over her face, making her look like an angel. His angel.
He reached out and took her hand. Her soft, warm skin tingled against his as he held her hand. She moved closer to him and leaned her head on his shoulder. Unlike Anakin, he would never have to worry about forbidden love. This was something he could experience without having to worry about the repercussions that it might have. Free to enjoy this to the fullest. He gently laid his head on hers, sighing contentedly.
They sat up there together watching the sun sink below the horizon and the stars appear in the sky. Happy just to be together.
*******
Ani stood with Gabe on the landing field three days later to meet her family. He was nervous, not knowing quite what to expect. She held his hand reassuringly. She was so excited she could hardly stand still. He smiled at her anxiety. She hadn't seen her family in a long time. Over the tree tops they saw a sleek silver Nabooian ship come cruising in. It's repulsors hummed on and the landing pads retracted, as it prepared to land. It settled down gently into the grass. Gabe was quivering in anticipation, squeezing his hand so tight it was beginning to hurt. The ship's ramp extended downward and the hatch hissed open. Two young boys, with brown hair and brown eyes, raced down the ramp. They nearly bowled poor Gabe down.
"Gabe! Gabe!" They cried together, jumping all over her.
"Einar! Aidan!" She laughed, hugging them tightly to her.
Ani watched the happy scene with a touch of jealous. He wished that he had a family. He was just a clone. He couldn't stay sad about that very long. Gabe's happiness over rode his own jealous feelings. The look on her face was of pure joy.
"Boys, this is Ani," Gabe introduced them to him. "Ani, these are my two wonderful brothers, Einar and Aidan."
"Hi," Ani smiled, feeling a little uncomfortable.
"Hello," the two boys said at once, looking a little shy.
This reminded Ani of a similar situation that Anakin had experienced. Before he could dwell on it, Gabe's parents came down the ramp. Gabe's mother looked very familiar. She was beautiful, a little on the plump side, and very friendly looking. She had a face that he felt he'd seen before. He couldn't grasp where from though. Gabe's father was tall and kinda gruff looking, but his face was alight with joy at the sight of his daughter. Both adults embraced and kissed their daughter in delight. After they had shared their tender moment, Gabe led them over to Ani.
"Mom and Dad this is Ani. A very good friend of mine," Gabe told them.
Gabe's mother stared at Ani. The two gazed at each other for a very long moment.
"Ani…," the older woman murmured. "You seem very familiar."
Ani nodded in agreement. "So do you."
"Ani…Ana…Anakin!" she gasped.
Ani's mouth fell open, as it suddenly hit him. "Pooja! Padme's niece!"
Pooja nodded, furiously. "Yes! You were Aunt Padme's bodyguard when I met you. Oh, I remember how shy I was when my sister and I met you!"
"I'm not Anakin, Pooja," Ani said, quietly. "I'm his clone."
Pooja smiled. "Well, whatever you are or whoever you are, it's nice to see you."
Ani smiled, gratefully. "Thank you."
"You knew Anakin Skywalker, Mom!?" Gabe exclaimed at her mother.
"It was so long ago. Last time I saw him was just after he and Aunt Padme had just gotten married. I was just a little girl then," Pooja told her daughter.
Gabe shook her head.
"Ani, this is my husband Jeewu," Pooja introduced Gabe's husband.
Ani shook Jeewu's hand. "Nice to meet you, sir."
"Nice to meet you too, Ani," Jeewu smiled.
Luke came out to greet Gabe's family. He always made it a point to greet all the guests that came to visit. Hospitality made a big impact on people's decisions to join his Academy or tell other people about it. Luke was not surprised to find Ani out there with Gabe. The two had gotten very close the last several days.
"Greetings," Luke smiled.
"Hello, Master Skywalker," Gabe was glad to see him. "This is my mom, Pooja, and my dad, Jeewu."
"Nice to meet you both. I am glad you've come to visit. I hope you enjoy you're stay with us," Luke replied cordially to them.
Pooja smiled at Luke. Luke noticed then that she had her arm linked through Ani's in a friendly fashion. "I think we will."
"Pooja's somewhat of an old friend mine," Ani explained. "She's Padme Amidala's niece. Padme's sister, Sola, was her mother. So she's related to you, Luke."
Luke smiled at Pooja. "First cousins then."
"Yes," Pooja smiled.
"If I may ask, why didn't you ever come foreword about this?" Luke was curious.
Pooja looked sad. "It was a long time ago when I met Anakin. I really don't remember much about him. If I had tried to come foreword and tell you that I was related to you…well, I'm sure you would have not believed me. I would have been just another person claiming to be part of your family."
"I understand your intentions. And you're right. I probably would have laughed you off, but I believe you now. Ani's word is his bond," Luke grinned.
Pooja laughed, squeezing Ani's arm. "Ani is a very good young man."
"Well, now would you all like to come in for a little refreshment?" Luke asked.
"That would be most kind of you," Jeewu accepted for them.
Luke led them all inside, taking Ani aside for a brief minute to ask him to go get Leia. Ani hurried off, while Luke led them all up to his office. He told C-3PO to bring them up some refreshments. Leia and Ani soon joined them. R2-D2 trundled in behind them. Luke had no idea why the little droid was there. No one had sent for him.
"I was with Artoo when Ani came to get me. Ani told me someone was here named Pooja and R2 insisted he come with me. He was so persistent that I finally let him come. Ani said I should anyway," Leia explained about Artoo.
While she had been talking Artoo trundled over to Pooja and let out a loud whoop.
"Artoo!" Pooja cried, jumping up to hug the little droid.
Artoo beeped and squealed happily.
"Oh, it has been so long since I saw you, you silly little droid!" Pooja exclaimed. "Why I was only a little girl when I saw you last. My sister and I used to play with you all the time in the gardens when Aunt Padme came to visit."
Leia looked very confused and Luke was very interested to here about this.
"I remember that," Ani said. "Artoo used to be Padme's."
"Look, I'm very confused here. I would like to get some answers as to what is going on," Leia demanded.
Pooja, calmly, explained to her the same story she'd told Luke outside. Leia looked very skeptical at first, but Pooja's sincere expression and Ani's word on it, seemed to help her believe them a little better. Pooja explained all she knew of her Aunt Padme, when she'd lived on Naboo. She told them stories of all the times Padme had come to visit, bringing gifts and Artoo to play with.
Gabe, like Leia was till slightly confused. "Mom, if you knew all this why didn't you tell me?"
"I lived in a difficult time, Gabe," Pooja sighed, sadly. "I watched the Clone Wars come, I saw the rise of the Empire, and I saw it defeated. If I had told anyone what I knew during that time I would have been killed, and possibly my family with me. Mostly likely I would have been killed by Darth Vader himself. Who wants a piece of their past there when you're trying to forget it still existed? So I kept my mouth shut and did what was best for all of us."
"Did you tell dad?" Gabe asked, looking at her father.
Jeewu nodded. "Yes, she did. And I agreed with her."
Ani listened with half an ear. Something was tingling in the back of his head. A feeling of foreboding and evil. It was getting stronger by the moment. It clouded the Force around him, and darkness seemed to be closing in on him. He knew what it was he was feeling. Fordon was almost here and he was letting Ani know. Fordon's Force touch brought an explosion of pain in Ani's head. Ani gasped, stumbling into the desk. He gripped the edge of the desk, struggling to regain control.
"Ani!" Luke cried, as the clone slipped sideways. He jumped forward to catch him, but Ani shoved him roughly away.
"No!" Ani hissed.
Ani gathered the Force around him. Little by little he pushed Fordon's touch away from him until it was gone completely. He sagged against the desk. He slammed his fists against the desk, and then gripped it so hard that his knuckles turned white. His angry was like a tangible thing in the room. No one moved or said anything for a long moment.
"Ani? What was that?" Gabe asked.
Ani looked up at her. She stepped back in surprise at the deadliness in his eyes. His eyes had turned a terrible shade of midnight blue, and burned with such intensity that it was frightening. His hate was over powering. It seemed to fill him and all the Force around him. It sent shivers down her back.
"Fordon," he growled in a horrible voice.
"Who?" Luke asked.
"My creator. He's coming for me and he's nearly here. He wants to get me back and help him bring down the New Republic. He's a sith," Ani told them, all the while his eyes stayed the same terrible blue and his voice harsh.
Luke looked very disturbed. "Why didn't you tell me this before?"
"What could you do about him?" Ani laughed, humorlessly.
Luke shook his head.
"I'm going to kill him. I hate him," Ani declared in a low, malevolent way.
Gabe shuddered as he said this. "No, Ani. That is not the way to stop him."
"I suppose you think that there is some diplomatic solution," Ani said, sarcastically.
Gabe looked hurt.
Luke intervened before she could say anything else. "Killing him will not solve your problems. It will only bring you dangerously close to the dark side, which will bring even worse problems than your creator ever would."
Ani glared at him. "At least he'd be dead."
"A Jedi does not kill out of vengeance or aggression. A Jedi does not kill unless it is the last option there is. Fordon is trying to turn you to the dark side. You can't give in," Luke reprimanded Ani.
"He'll want to kill me if I don't turn. One of us will die," Ani replied. "It won't be me."
"If and when that time comes," Luke said. "you'll have to choose a side. To fight for the Jedi or the Sith. If you choose sith, than you are no better than Fordon. And you will only become what Anakin Skywalker became."
Ani looked at Luke for a moment. Tension seemed to leak out of him. He blinked, and a moment later his eyes were back to normal. He took a deep breath and relaxed totally. Luke was right and he admitted it. Then, he turned, with out a word to anyone, and walked away. He needed to be alone.
*******
Ani stood out in the big open field around the Great Temple. He held his lightsaber in the first defense stance. A remote droid whirled around him. Ani had tied a blindfold over his eyes and littered the floor around him with dangerous shrapnel. He wanted to get his mind off what had happened up in Luke's office. This was the only way for him to do that. Besides which he needed to hone his abilities to perfection if he was to face Fordon soon. He relaxed totally and let the Force flow through him. He signaled the remote to start its attack program.
As the remote shot stun bolt after stun bolt, Ani easily deflected every one. He fell totally into the rhythm of the Force. Every move the remote made was clear to him in his mind's eye. Every piece of shrapnel as easy to see as if he were not blindfolded. He moved with swift, confident moves. His lightsaber twirled in graceful, protecting patterns that kept the bolts away from him.
He sensed someone watching just a few meters away. He pushed his senses out into a wider circle. He identified his visitor and signaled the droid to stop the program. He shut down his lightsaber and untied his blindfold. He turned to face the intruder of his peace.
"Gabe," he said.
She gazed at him with her pale blue eyes expressing her concern. The breeze blew a few stray wisps of her hair around her face. She looked so striking standing there like that. She walked, slowly, up to him until she was only an arm's length away. He turned his eyes from her, not able to bare looking into her eyes anymore.
"Why didn't you tell me?" she whispered.
He knew what she was talking about, but said nothing.
"I could have helped you bare it better," she said.
"I was afraid too. It's my problem I should deal with it," Ani finally answered.
Gabe's eyes were sad. "You don't trust me to be able to help?"
"No!" he gasped. "That's not what I meant!"
She looked away from him.
"I didn't want you to have to feel that kind of evil. I didn't want to see you hurt. And that's what would have happened. He will hurt you, especially if he knows how much I care about you," Ani told her.
Gabe stared at him with surprise. "Oh," was all she could manage to say.
"You mean so much to me, Gabe. You've been the best friend anyone could have," Ani explained.
Gabe's face had become gentle and loving. "I wish you had told me that sooner."
He smiled. "I guess old rules die hard."
"You mean a lot to me to, Ani. That's why I want to help," she said.
He took a step closer to her, until their bodies nearly touched. He slipped his arms around her and pulled her close against his chest. She surrendered to his embrace, leaning against him. She folded her arms around his neck, hiding her face against his shoulder. He stood holding her with triumph and joy. He need not worry about what the Council would think of this. There was no council. He didn't have to worry about the disapproval of his Master or the issue of being expelled from the Jedi Order. He was free to be in love. Free to show his true feelings without fear of repercussions. It was like a dream come true.
He tipped her chin up, turning her face up to him. Her pale blue eyes met his own clear bright blue ones. He could see the warmth in her eyes. He seemed to fall into their pale blue beauty. Like slipping into glass, as Anakin had with Padme so many years ago, starting the fall into enchantment. He leaned down, touching his lips to hers tentatively. She returned his kiss, encouraging him. He pressed his lips to hers more firmly. They shared there first real, deep kiss together. He understood now, completely, how Anakin felt when he was around Padme. Intoxication.
*******
Pooja and Luke stood looking out the window of Luke's office. They were watching Ani and Gabe down below in the open fields surrounding the Great Temple. Each watched the two young people with mixed thoughts and emotions. Neither spoke to the other. They just watched as Ani kissed Gabe, announcing to everyone that these two were in love better than any words could have.
"Do you think, Ani, will turn?" Pooja asked Luke, quietly.
"Turn?"
"Like the real Anakin did?"
Luke didn't answer for a long moment.
"I am not sure," he answered uncertainly. "There is much anger in him toward his creator. I fear that when Fordon does show up Ani will be unable to control the hatred for him."
"Could Gabe possibly help him through it?" Pooja inquired.
"Possibly."
Pooja looked at Luke with the sad eyes of a worried mother.
"I do not want what happened to Aunt Padme happen to Gabe. It was a tragic thing. I am worried for her. Ani is a good, kind young man, but anger and hate does terrible things to people. I do not want Gabe to get caught up in it," Pooja explained to him.
Luke nodded. "I understand how you feel. I am worried to. I fear the same for my sister's children, because of their connection to my father's genes. I think we will have to live each day to the fullest and let destiny take its course. What the Force wills of them we will find out in time."
"So we wait and see, is that what your saying?"
"Yes." Luke replied.
Pooja smiled, wanly. "I am not a patient person."
"Neither am I," Luke smiled back.