Chapter X- Cloudy Sunsets
Lana screamed. Dooku grinned. Alan collapsed. The Jedi Consular ran over and dropped to her lover's side, clutching his hand. She could feel the black tide of oblivion encroaching upon him- the cold wave of death. She pressed her free hand upon the gaping hole in his stomach, reaching out with the Force to try to quell the wound.
Dooku circled the two Jedi calmly. Lana looked up to the Dark Jedi, her eyes swimming in tears. Dooku raised his saber high over his head. Lana made no move to fight him, she only focused upon Alan. The sinister evil grin manifested itself again, but just as quickly faded. Dooku turned around, greeted by an all too familiar shadow stalking in the corridor.
"Mace Windu." Dooku's patronizingly polite tone cackled.
"Count Dooku." The Jedi Master returned.
"You've interfered with my affairs for the last time, Mace."
A piece of machinery broke off the wall and hurtled at the powerful Jedi Master. It began to accelerate at massive speeds as it hurtled towards him. Mace, apparently made of steel, did not hesitate or falter, he did not so much as reach out with the Force to deflect the attack. He simply stood straight, eying the machinery and allowing it to strike him. The piece of machinery hit with such force that it snapped in two. Mace was still standing. Not a single bead of sweat or a single yelp of pain had come from the Jedi Master. The Force was protecting him like an iron robe.
Dooku did not fret for a moment. As senior members of the Jedi council, both Master Windu and Master Yoda had become vanguards of ancient secrets, Dooku knew this. He also knew that his bag of dark tricks was still full with mischief. "Master Windu, I've become more powerful than any Jedi, even you." His right hand jetted forward, unleashing the chaotic blue bolts of force lightning. Mace didn't so as much as blink as the bolts struck him. Dooku grinned, but his smug feelings of victory were premature.
Lightning pulsed through Mace's body and he seemed to take the bolts like a lightning rod. Yet he did not stagger or cry out in pain, he simply stood still, the usual stone cold expression etched upon his face. This same lightning which had left Alan and Anakin agonized and crippled had no adverse effect upon Mace.
"Your ability to corrupt the Force does not impress me, Dooku." Mace folded his arms before his chest. The electric energy from the Force lightning was pulsing through his body at incredible speeds. The aged Master calmly disciplined the energy, allowing it to slowly return to the Force. Mace reached for his lightsaber. "Are ready to fight for real now?"
Dooku's only reply was a solemn nod. He was then greeted by several fury swipes from the sizzling purple blade. In the blink of an eye, Mace covered about seven meters of distance and made three well timed swings. Dooku grinned as he blocked each attack. He finally had a real opponent.
"Alan..." Lana whispered. She was subsequently awed by the dueling of the two masters. Dooku cut one of the power cords, and the entire chamber was immersed in darkness, lit only by the clashing purple and red blades. "Alan."
The Jedi Guardian looked up, his eyes showing pain and sadness, but among those two intertwined emotions was one that cut much deeper: guilt. "I... almost fell, Lana." He gasped. "I would have killed him, and would have used my anger..."
"But you didn't."
He coughed vehemently. Blood dripped out of his mouth. The gaping hole in his abdomen had been cauterized by the heat of Dooku's saber, but not completely. Blood was beginning to gush from the wound. Lana focused intently, but her tearful expression deepened as she realized that she couldn't stop the bleeding.
He shook his head weakly. "I'm... I'm sorry."
"No-NO!" She almost screamed. She focused her energy upon his wound again. "Just calm down, I need to save you..."
Alan grinned. "You already did, Lana. You already did." He clutched her hand as he slowly remembered the final seconds of that fight he just had with Dooku. The overwhelming anger of that had conquered him was quelled only by one thing. "You saved me, Lana. Your love saved me..."
This brought a teary smile to her face. She leaned down and kissed him, encircling him with her arms. "I love you."
"I love you, too." He whispered into her ear.
Tears gushed down her face as she felt a crunching feeling within her heart. Their emotions, feelings and thoughts seemed to pulse together, intertwined by the force. Her mind touched his. She could feel the pain he felt, the effects of the electrocution, the gaping hole in his abdomen, as if it were her own. The Jedi Consular despaired for a moment. She was going to lose him. She was going to lose him! "No, you can't die." Lana whispered. Fierce determination arose to replace despair. "I'm not going to let you die. I can save you. I will save you, I know I can!"
She used the Force to reach deep into his body, trying to curb the damage that had been done. Alan had been astringently damaged by Force lightning before even being stabbed by a lightsaber. The cumulative effects of electrocution, stabbing, and physical overexertion from the earlier battle in the coliseum would be near impossible to repair, even for the greatest of Jedi healers. Yet Lana refused to despair. Her focus intensified as she forged on, fueled by the unrelenting love which pulsed through her heart and mind.
Obi-Wan watched the two lovers. He could feel the intensity of the emotions that surged through broadcast and echoed throughout the chamber almost as loudly as the clashes of Master Windu's and Count Dooku's lightsabers. He sighed sharply and looked away, refocusing his gaze upon Dooku and Master Windu. Both had fought masterfully, and unlike the uneven duel that had taken place on the Coliseum balcony, the two had come out even.
Beads of sweat dripped down Mace's face. Dooku's silver hair was soaked with perspiration. Another sequence of clashes followed. The purple blade and the red blade found themselves evenly matched. Mace's firm resolve did not falter for a second. He unleashed another round of attacks. This time, Dooku found himself falling back to an obvious disadvantage.
The aged dark Jedi was beginning to feel fatigue encroach upon him. His old body was no longer tuned for long, extended duels such as this, and the Force could no longer aid him.
"Perhaps you're not more powerful than me after all." Mace remarked slyly. He held his lightsaber high over his head, impersonating the old style of lightsaber combat Dooku was so fond of.
"This isn't over, Mace." Dooku hissed. "It's only begun." He reached out with his off hand, snapping the base of a crane that stood by the crumpled bodies of Anakin and Obi-Wan. He then withdrew his saber and ran for his ship.
Coward!
Mace's expression hardened. His jaw clamped as he watched Dooku run. The muscles tensed even more as the crane began to topple. A millisecond to make a decision: get Dooku and let Obi-Wan and Anakin Die, or save Anakin and Obi-wan but let Dooku get away. Jedi objective number one: preserve life. He holstered his lightsaber and stretched out with the Force. The crane came to a halt, inches away from smashing Obi-Wan.
Alan's condition was beginning to stabilize. Lana looked up from her work. Mace was visibly struggling with the crane. His expression contorted with strain as he struggled to keep the massive object from smashing Obi-Wan and his apprentice. Lana took in a deep breath. She reached out with her own Force powers, trying to aiding powerful master.
Mace let out a relived sigh as the crane budged and away from Obi-Wan and Anakin. His glum expression deepened as he watched Dooku's ship jet away. Obi-Wan and Anakin slowly rose to their feet. Padmé came rushing in, blaster rifle at her side. She was accompanied by several clone troopers. The senator lovingly swept her hands around Anakin and kissed him on the cheek. He groaned as he slipped his left arm around her. Blood dripped from the bloody stump where his right hand used to be.
Lana helped Alan to his feet. She had stabilized his condition, and now he would need to get to a bacta tank to heal the gaping wound. Obi-Wan approached them, a solemn expression marking his face. "You two have some explaining to do." He said. Mace's solid expression echoed Obi-Wan's foreboding words.
* Two days later *
Lana and Alan stood at the center of the council circle. Lana knew that many Jedi had died on Geonosis, but she was shocked to learn that a few of those casualties were members of the council. Of the twelve members, three were missing. Two chairs were left empty, but Master Kenobi filled the third. This led Lana to wonder if he had already been chosen to serve...
"Recount to us, you will, the events of Alderaan." Yoda said. The diminutive master had tasted combat for the first time in a long time on Geonosis. His masterful strategies and tactics led the clone armies to a sound victory over the droids. The cost however, was the lives of over a hundred Jedi.
Alan grabbed Lana's hand. She made no effort to resist, she needed his support. The weight of the council's eyes was bearing down upon them.
"We investigated the killings as we had been ordered." Alan reported. He looked to Lana first, before continuing with his confession. His burdened voice continued. "When we were alone, late at night to meditate, I... we confessed our feelings to each other and fell in love."
Master Windu sighed. "And you gave in to your passions?"
"We tried hard not to, Master." Lana said. "But in the end we could not resist."
"Besides, it was beyond passion, Master Windu." Alan added. Mace's eyes glinted as his contemplative gaze analyzed Alan. Alan gulped hard, trying to swallow his uncertainties. His stomach churned with indigestion. "It was love. I'm not afraid or ashamed to admit it before you, or before the whole council. I love her."
Lana blushed as she eyed him. The council fell silent. Mace leaned back in his chair, trying his best to make sense of the situation. Yoda closed his eyes, his ears drawing back as he searched the Force for some kind of wisdom, some kind of insight into how to deal with this.
"It is a powerful bond that served the both of you well." A single voice spoke up. Master Kenobi leaned forward in his chair, his steel blue eyes glinting as he analyzed the two young knights. "It saved you from the darkside, didn't it, Alan?"
He nodded as he traded looks with Lana. Of all the Jedi present, they had least expected Master Kenobi to help them.
"I was there, Alan. I sensed the darkness you were submerged in." Obi-Wan's voice degraded as he searched through his darker memories. A pained wince developed as he continued. "And it is a darkness I know all too well. Losing your master is not an easy thing to take. I touched the darkside myself when Qui-Gon perished." His stare shifted over to Lana. "You saved him. You used the calming effect of love to bring him out of that darkness."
Obi-Wan looked over to Yoda, silently conveying his vote. The sage old master looked over to Mace.
"Master Kenobi's point is well made: your bond together has become a strong point; it has empowered the both of you." Mace analyzed.
"Love lifts us up to places we normally cannot be." Lana said.
"That is true, and in spite of all the Jedi teachings, I saw it first hand, and I cannot argue it, Lana. You drew upon your love for Alan to save him, something that would be impossible, even for great Jedi healers. But while it may empower the both of you, this emotional bond is a severe weak point. However I recognize that it extends beyond emotion, beyond love. The two of you have been joined through the Force."
Lana and Alan nodded in unison. It was true, they had felt their feelings and senses beginning to bind and connect together. The joint meditation they often conducted together had done much to intertwine their powers.
Yoda nodded as Mace silently communicated his vote to the diminutive master. He silently made up his own mind and administered his judgment, the judgment of the council. "Approve of this we do not." He said. Lana's grasp of Alan's hand tightened. "But allow it we will."
Alan let out a sigh of relief. Lana smiled joyously. He slipped his arm around her shoulders, holding her close. Mace nodded, accepting the Jedi pair. Obi-Wan smiled benevolently. Yoda simply sat back in his chair.
"Now, Senator Amidala is returning to her home planet of Naboo." Mace said. "Anakin Skywalker is escorting her home, but she is still in grave danger. The both of you are to accompany them to Naboo. When the senator is secure, Alan and Anakin will return to the temple for reassignment. We suspect that Senator Amidala will be in frequent danger, seeing as Nute Gunray has some sort of personal vendetta against her. Lana, you are now the Senator's Jedi Protector."
* Two days later *
Sunlight bathed the country lake retreat, and the water sparkled under its yellow rays. Rose petals rained from the sky and onto the ground. A Nabooian holy man stood at the edge of the balcony, palming a small leather- bound book in hand. Anakin Skywalker walked his bride down the aisle to the edge of the balcony. Padmé looked magnificent in her ivory-white wedding dress. The couple stood before the holy man, gently exchanging their commitments to each other.
R2-D2 whistled with joy. The Naboo-made astromech droid had been superbly polished and cleaned for the occasion. His counterpart, C-3PO, stood by his side, in reverent silence. During the trip to Naboo, Anakin had worked feverishly to outfit his first creation with a new set of gold plating. The goldenrod droid beamed with a renewed sense of love for his creator. Seated together on a bench, Alan and Lana watched from the sidelines. Alan had violated Jedi tradition, choosing to wear a suit rather than Jedi robes, to honor the occasion. Lana had done the same; she was wearing the beautiful dress Padmé had given to her. They watched happily, feeling a small hollow of their own souls fulfilled as Anakin and Padmé exchanged vows.
The holy man closed his book and slowly stepped away. Anakin leaned in and kissed his bride. The senator kissed him back, slipping her arms around his waist. A single tear of joy coursed down his face as he pulled back to look into her eyes. The maroon vessels showed only love as they too filled with tears. Husband and wife slowly made their exit from the balcony, trudging back to the most secluded room of the lodge were they would be alone for the rest of the stay.
Alan and Lana exchanged looks. The Jedi Consular leaned forward and kissed her rehabilitated lover. He slipped his arm around her back and drew her closer to him. She leaned her head against his chest, smiling contentedly as he ran his fingers through her long brown hair.
The two Jedi sat on the bench like this for several minutes suspended in the moment. Alan opened his eyes and sighed weakly, realizing that time was running short. "We only have a few days, Lana." He said sadly. "Anakin and I will be on our way back to the temple, and you'll still be here with the senator..."
"I know." She whispered back. She placed her hand over his heart. "We're here." She said. She then tapped her finger against his temple. "And here. You and I, we'll never be apart. The Force has linked us."
"I know. I only have to close my eyes and meditate, and I can feel your presence through the Force." He replied. "But this, this, what we have right now is so much different from that. Holding you, feeling your body against mine... its something no Force-bond can ever match."
She knew he was right, because she felt the same way. The Jedi Consular slowly looked up into her lover's eyes. "It's true. And... and this might be the only time we have in a long time. Let's not waste it worrying about the future."
He smiled and kissed her. She kissed back. He swept her into his arms and carried her as he rose from the seat on the bench. R2 and 3PO were left alone out on the balcony to watch the Sun make its trek through the sky...
* * *
Cloudy skies dominated Coruscant. Mace and Obi-Wan looked into the horizon as the sun desperately tried to peek through holes in the dark clouds. Obi- Wan silently thought of the battle on Geonosis. Two images seemed to replay constantly within his head, the first being Anakin's loss of a limb, and the second being Alan's sudden resistance to the darkside.
He sighed deeply as he thought of Qui-Gon's death yet again. Had he drawn power from the darkside to defeat Maul? Was it his strong Jedi resolve, or his own anguish from watching his Master fall that gave him the extra power needed to topple the Sith lord? Obi-Wan sighed yet again. Even he did not know the answer to the looming question.
Mace gently patted him on the shoulder. "Don't doubt yourself, Obi-Wan. You fought well that day, and you did do the right thing. Qui-Gon would have been proud."
Obi-Wan nodded, feeling the burden lift slightly. He then thought of Geonosis again, of the aged Count Dooku. "I have to admit, it would not have been a victory without the help of the clones."
"Victory, you say?" Yoda asked from his seat several meters away. "Not victory, Master Obi-Wan. The shroud of the darkside has fallen. Begun the Clone wars have."
Obi-Wan shuddered as he felt the looming darkness in Yoda's words echo. He looked out to the dark cloudy skies again, watching as the first new line of Republic Assault Ships ascended to the sky, carrying their payload of Clone Troopers. He dreadfully acknowledged the dark future and Yoda's wisdom with a simple nod. The Clone wars have begun.
!The End!
A/N: Thanks to all my readers, thank you sooo very much to Nima, who encouraged me to finish the final chapter of the story... sorry for taking so long to post this, the last chapter... heh. Uhhh maybe there will be a sequel someday (or rather a related story featuring the same characters). Thanks again for reading!
Lana screamed. Dooku grinned. Alan collapsed. The Jedi Consular ran over and dropped to her lover's side, clutching his hand. She could feel the black tide of oblivion encroaching upon him- the cold wave of death. She pressed her free hand upon the gaping hole in his stomach, reaching out with the Force to try to quell the wound.
Dooku circled the two Jedi calmly. Lana looked up to the Dark Jedi, her eyes swimming in tears. Dooku raised his saber high over his head. Lana made no move to fight him, she only focused upon Alan. The sinister evil grin manifested itself again, but just as quickly faded. Dooku turned around, greeted by an all too familiar shadow stalking in the corridor.
"Mace Windu." Dooku's patronizingly polite tone cackled.
"Count Dooku." The Jedi Master returned.
"You've interfered with my affairs for the last time, Mace."
A piece of machinery broke off the wall and hurtled at the powerful Jedi Master. It began to accelerate at massive speeds as it hurtled towards him. Mace, apparently made of steel, did not hesitate or falter, he did not so much as reach out with the Force to deflect the attack. He simply stood straight, eying the machinery and allowing it to strike him. The piece of machinery hit with such force that it snapped in two. Mace was still standing. Not a single bead of sweat or a single yelp of pain had come from the Jedi Master. The Force was protecting him like an iron robe.
Dooku did not fret for a moment. As senior members of the Jedi council, both Master Windu and Master Yoda had become vanguards of ancient secrets, Dooku knew this. He also knew that his bag of dark tricks was still full with mischief. "Master Windu, I've become more powerful than any Jedi, even you." His right hand jetted forward, unleashing the chaotic blue bolts of force lightning. Mace didn't so as much as blink as the bolts struck him. Dooku grinned, but his smug feelings of victory were premature.
Lightning pulsed through Mace's body and he seemed to take the bolts like a lightning rod. Yet he did not stagger or cry out in pain, he simply stood still, the usual stone cold expression etched upon his face. This same lightning which had left Alan and Anakin agonized and crippled had no adverse effect upon Mace.
"Your ability to corrupt the Force does not impress me, Dooku." Mace folded his arms before his chest. The electric energy from the Force lightning was pulsing through his body at incredible speeds. The aged Master calmly disciplined the energy, allowing it to slowly return to the Force. Mace reached for his lightsaber. "Are ready to fight for real now?"
Dooku's only reply was a solemn nod. He was then greeted by several fury swipes from the sizzling purple blade. In the blink of an eye, Mace covered about seven meters of distance and made three well timed swings. Dooku grinned as he blocked each attack. He finally had a real opponent.
"Alan..." Lana whispered. She was subsequently awed by the dueling of the two masters. Dooku cut one of the power cords, and the entire chamber was immersed in darkness, lit only by the clashing purple and red blades. "Alan."
The Jedi Guardian looked up, his eyes showing pain and sadness, but among those two intertwined emotions was one that cut much deeper: guilt. "I... almost fell, Lana." He gasped. "I would have killed him, and would have used my anger..."
"But you didn't."
He coughed vehemently. Blood dripped out of his mouth. The gaping hole in his abdomen had been cauterized by the heat of Dooku's saber, but not completely. Blood was beginning to gush from the wound. Lana focused intently, but her tearful expression deepened as she realized that she couldn't stop the bleeding.
He shook his head weakly. "I'm... I'm sorry."
"No-NO!" She almost screamed. She focused her energy upon his wound again. "Just calm down, I need to save you..."
Alan grinned. "You already did, Lana. You already did." He clutched her hand as he slowly remembered the final seconds of that fight he just had with Dooku. The overwhelming anger of that had conquered him was quelled only by one thing. "You saved me, Lana. Your love saved me..."
This brought a teary smile to her face. She leaned down and kissed him, encircling him with her arms. "I love you."
"I love you, too." He whispered into her ear.
Tears gushed down her face as she felt a crunching feeling within her heart. Their emotions, feelings and thoughts seemed to pulse together, intertwined by the force. Her mind touched his. She could feel the pain he felt, the effects of the electrocution, the gaping hole in his abdomen, as if it were her own. The Jedi Consular despaired for a moment. She was going to lose him. She was going to lose him! "No, you can't die." Lana whispered. Fierce determination arose to replace despair. "I'm not going to let you die. I can save you. I will save you, I know I can!"
She used the Force to reach deep into his body, trying to curb the damage that had been done. Alan had been astringently damaged by Force lightning before even being stabbed by a lightsaber. The cumulative effects of electrocution, stabbing, and physical overexertion from the earlier battle in the coliseum would be near impossible to repair, even for the greatest of Jedi healers. Yet Lana refused to despair. Her focus intensified as she forged on, fueled by the unrelenting love which pulsed through her heart and mind.
Obi-Wan watched the two lovers. He could feel the intensity of the emotions that surged through broadcast and echoed throughout the chamber almost as loudly as the clashes of Master Windu's and Count Dooku's lightsabers. He sighed sharply and looked away, refocusing his gaze upon Dooku and Master Windu. Both had fought masterfully, and unlike the uneven duel that had taken place on the Coliseum balcony, the two had come out even.
Beads of sweat dripped down Mace's face. Dooku's silver hair was soaked with perspiration. Another sequence of clashes followed. The purple blade and the red blade found themselves evenly matched. Mace's firm resolve did not falter for a second. He unleashed another round of attacks. This time, Dooku found himself falling back to an obvious disadvantage.
The aged dark Jedi was beginning to feel fatigue encroach upon him. His old body was no longer tuned for long, extended duels such as this, and the Force could no longer aid him.
"Perhaps you're not more powerful than me after all." Mace remarked slyly. He held his lightsaber high over his head, impersonating the old style of lightsaber combat Dooku was so fond of.
"This isn't over, Mace." Dooku hissed. "It's only begun." He reached out with his off hand, snapping the base of a crane that stood by the crumpled bodies of Anakin and Obi-Wan. He then withdrew his saber and ran for his ship.
Coward!
Mace's expression hardened. His jaw clamped as he watched Dooku run. The muscles tensed even more as the crane began to topple. A millisecond to make a decision: get Dooku and let Obi-Wan and Anakin Die, or save Anakin and Obi-wan but let Dooku get away. Jedi objective number one: preserve life. He holstered his lightsaber and stretched out with the Force. The crane came to a halt, inches away from smashing Obi-Wan.
Alan's condition was beginning to stabilize. Lana looked up from her work. Mace was visibly struggling with the crane. His expression contorted with strain as he struggled to keep the massive object from smashing Obi-Wan and his apprentice. Lana took in a deep breath. She reached out with her own Force powers, trying to aiding powerful master.
Mace let out a relived sigh as the crane budged and away from Obi-Wan and Anakin. His glum expression deepened as he watched Dooku's ship jet away. Obi-Wan and Anakin slowly rose to their feet. Padmé came rushing in, blaster rifle at her side. She was accompanied by several clone troopers. The senator lovingly swept her hands around Anakin and kissed him on the cheek. He groaned as he slipped his left arm around her. Blood dripped from the bloody stump where his right hand used to be.
Lana helped Alan to his feet. She had stabilized his condition, and now he would need to get to a bacta tank to heal the gaping wound. Obi-Wan approached them, a solemn expression marking his face. "You two have some explaining to do." He said. Mace's solid expression echoed Obi-Wan's foreboding words.
* Two days later *
Lana and Alan stood at the center of the council circle. Lana knew that many Jedi had died on Geonosis, but she was shocked to learn that a few of those casualties were members of the council. Of the twelve members, three were missing. Two chairs were left empty, but Master Kenobi filled the third. This led Lana to wonder if he had already been chosen to serve...
"Recount to us, you will, the events of Alderaan." Yoda said. The diminutive master had tasted combat for the first time in a long time on Geonosis. His masterful strategies and tactics led the clone armies to a sound victory over the droids. The cost however, was the lives of over a hundred Jedi.
Alan grabbed Lana's hand. She made no effort to resist, she needed his support. The weight of the council's eyes was bearing down upon them.
"We investigated the killings as we had been ordered." Alan reported. He looked to Lana first, before continuing with his confession. His burdened voice continued. "When we were alone, late at night to meditate, I... we confessed our feelings to each other and fell in love."
Master Windu sighed. "And you gave in to your passions?"
"We tried hard not to, Master." Lana said. "But in the end we could not resist."
"Besides, it was beyond passion, Master Windu." Alan added. Mace's eyes glinted as his contemplative gaze analyzed Alan. Alan gulped hard, trying to swallow his uncertainties. His stomach churned with indigestion. "It was love. I'm not afraid or ashamed to admit it before you, or before the whole council. I love her."
Lana blushed as she eyed him. The council fell silent. Mace leaned back in his chair, trying his best to make sense of the situation. Yoda closed his eyes, his ears drawing back as he searched the Force for some kind of wisdom, some kind of insight into how to deal with this.
"It is a powerful bond that served the both of you well." A single voice spoke up. Master Kenobi leaned forward in his chair, his steel blue eyes glinting as he analyzed the two young knights. "It saved you from the darkside, didn't it, Alan?"
He nodded as he traded looks with Lana. Of all the Jedi present, they had least expected Master Kenobi to help them.
"I was there, Alan. I sensed the darkness you were submerged in." Obi-Wan's voice degraded as he searched through his darker memories. A pained wince developed as he continued. "And it is a darkness I know all too well. Losing your master is not an easy thing to take. I touched the darkside myself when Qui-Gon perished." His stare shifted over to Lana. "You saved him. You used the calming effect of love to bring him out of that darkness."
Obi-Wan looked over to Yoda, silently conveying his vote. The sage old master looked over to Mace.
"Master Kenobi's point is well made: your bond together has become a strong point; it has empowered the both of you." Mace analyzed.
"Love lifts us up to places we normally cannot be." Lana said.
"That is true, and in spite of all the Jedi teachings, I saw it first hand, and I cannot argue it, Lana. You drew upon your love for Alan to save him, something that would be impossible, even for great Jedi healers. But while it may empower the both of you, this emotional bond is a severe weak point. However I recognize that it extends beyond emotion, beyond love. The two of you have been joined through the Force."
Lana and Alan nodded in unison. It was true, they had felt their feelings and senses beginning to bind and connect together. The joint meditation they often conducted together had done much to intertwine their powers.
Yoda nodded as Mace silently communicated his vote to the diminutive master. He silently made up his own mind and administered his judgment, the judgment of the council. "Approve of this we do not." He said. Lana's grasp of Alan's hand tightened. "But allow it we will."
Alan let out a sigh of relief. Lana smiled joyously. He slipped his arm around her shoulders, holding her close. Mace nodded, accepting the Jedi pair. Obi-Wan smiled benevolently. Yoda simply sat back in his chair.
"Now, Senator Amidala is returning to her home planet of Naboo." Mace said. "Anakin Skywalker is escorting her home, but she is still in grave danger. The both of you are to accompany them to Naboo. When the senator is secure, Alan and Anakin will return to the temple for reassignment. We suspect that Senator Amidala will be in frequent danger, seeing as Nute Gunray has some sort of personal vendetta against her. Lana, you are now the Senator's Jedi Protector."
* Two days later *
Sunlight bathed the country lake retreat, and the water sparkled under its yellow rays. Rose petals rained from the sky and onto the ground. A Nabooian holy man stood at the edge of the balcony, palming a small leather- bound book in hand. Anakin Skywalker walked his bride down the aisle to the edge of the balcony. Padmé looked magnificent in her ivory-white wedding dress. The couple stood before the holy man, gently exchanging their commitments to each other.
R2-D2 whistled with joy. The Naboo-made astromech droid had been superbly polished and cleaned for the occasion. His counterpart, C-3PO, stood by his side, in reverent silence. During the trip to Naboo, Anakin had worked feverishly to outfit his first creation with a new set of gold plating. The goldenrod droid beamed with a renewed sense of love for his creator. Seated together on a bench, Alan and Lana watched from the sidelines. Alan had violated Jedi tradition, choosing to wear a suit rather than Jedi robes, to honor the occasion. Lana had done the same; she was wearing the beautiful dress Padmé had given to her. They watched happily, feeling a small hollow of their own souls fulfilled as Anakin and Padmé exchanged vows.
The holy man closed his book and slowly stepped away. Anakin leaned in and kissed his bride. The senator kissed him back, slipping her arms around his waist. A single tear of joy coursed down his face as he pulled back to look into her eyes. The maroon vessels showed only love as they too filled with tears. Husband and wife slowly made their exit from the balcony, trudging back to the most secluded room of the lodge were they would be alone for the rest of the stay.
Alan and Lana exchanged looks. The Jedi Consular leaned forward and kissed her rehabilitated lover. He slipped his arm around her back and drew her closer to him. She leaned her head against his chest, smiling contentedly as he ran his fingers through her long brown hair.
The two Jedi sat on the bench like this for several minutes suspended in the moment. Alan opened his eyes and sighed weakly, realizing that time was running short. "We only have a few days, Lana." He said sadly. "Anakin and I will be on our way back to the temple, and you'll still be here with the senator..."
"I know." She whispered back. She placed her hand over his heart. "We're here." She said. She then tapped her finger against his temple. "And here. You and I, we'll never be apart. The Force has linked us."
"I know. I only have to close my eyes and meditate, and I can feel your presence through the Force." He replied. "But this, this, what we have right now is so much different from that. Holding you, feeling your body against mine... its something no Force-bond can ever match."
She knew he was right, because she felt the same way. The Jedi Consular slowly looked up into her lover's eyes. "It's true. And... and this might be the only time we have in a long time. Let's not waste it worrying about the future."
He smiled and kissed her. She kissed back. He swept her into his arms and carried her as he rose from the seat on the bench. R2 and 3PO were left alone out on the balcony to watch the Sun make its trek through the sky...
* * *
Cloudy skies dominated Coruscant. Mace and Obi-Wan looked into the horizon as the sun desperately tried to peek through holes in the dark clouds. Obi- Wan silently thought of the battle on Geonosis. Two images seemed to replay constantly within his head, the first being Anakin's loss of a limb, and the second being Alan's sudden resistance to the darkside.
He sighed deeply as he thought of Qui-Gon's death yet again. Had he drawn power from the darkside to defeat Maul? Was it his strong Jedi resolve, or his own anguish from watching his Master fall that gave him the extra power needed to topple the Sith lord? Obi-Wan sighed yet again. Even he did not know the answer to the looming question.
Mace gently patted him on the shoulder. "Don't doubt yourself, Obi-Wan. You fought well that day, and you did do the right thing. Qui-Gon would have been proud."
Obi-Wan nodded, feeling the burden lift slightly. He then thought of Geonosis again, of the aged Count Dooku. "I have to admit, it would not have been a victory without the help of the clones."
"Victory, you say?" Yoda asked from his seat several meters away. "Not victory, Master Obi-Wan. The shroud of the darkside has fallen. Begun the Clone wars have."
Obi-Wan shuddered as he felt the looming darkness in Yoda's words echo. He looked out to the dark cloudy skies again, watching as the first new line of Republic Assault Ships ascended to the sky, carrying their payload of Clone Troopers. He dreadfully acknowledged the dark future and Yoda's wisdom with a simple nod. The Clone wars have begun.
!The End!
A/N: Thanks to all my readers, thank you sooo very much to Nima, who encouraged me to finish the final chapter of the story... sorry for taking so long to post this, the last chapter... heh. Uhhh maybe there will be a sequel someday (or rather a related story featuring the same characters). Thanks again for reading!
