Chapter XX - Beneath the Armor
It had been Polowski who had tipped off the Republic on Anakin's departure. The guards had been told to keep him in the apartment, but they hadn't been ordered to keep him away from the phone. He'd been quick to take advantage of this, letting the Galactic government know the details in exchange for having his pending drug-possession charges dropped.
The Republic Senate was having a heyday with the news that Anakin Skywalker had defied the Jedi Council's orders. Few of those in the hierarchy of the government liked the ex-Sith, and most were eager to punish him in some way. They toted Polowski as a hero, and the squealer was lapping up the attention -- at least, he did until Patrick and Jason tracked him down and congratulated him via a broken jaw.
And when Krad's body was recovered from the Executor with his lightsaber nearby, rumors that Anakin had gone back to his Jedi-killing ways spread like wildfire.
Leia stormed into the conference room where Luke, Han, and S'kina sat, awaiting Supreme Chancellor Mon Mothma's decision.
"Not good, is it?" S'kina asked, noting her future sister-in-law's expression.
"They still haven't reached a decision," Leia replied angrily. "They need a unanimous vote, and the Earth Senator and a handful of other systems are still holding out. But the majority are favoring putting him on trial for killing Krad."
Han said a few choice words. "Krad was responsible for killing and harassing thousands of people! He's the one that should be on trial, and they're acting like he was an innocent victim!"
"He didn't even want to kill him," Luke added. "It was S'kina and I who dealt the death blows."
Leia sat down with the others. "The Senate has, for the most part, made good, fair, unbiased decisions to govern the galaxy. But when the matter involves a Sith, fairness and justice are thrown out the viewport. They're so eager to put him away permanently, for any reason, that Krad himself can testify on Anakin's behalf and it wouldn't move them." She clenched a useless fist. "Incidentally, the Kruvexian Senator is among those who don't want to accuse him of murder."
"Wow," breathed Han. "That's a shock. They have the most reason to be angry."
"I've spoken with a few of them," Luke told him. "They're usually not a vengeful people. I guess Krad was an exception to the rule."
The door slid open to admit three figures -- Mon Mothma and two beings in senatorial robes, one a brown-eyed blond human, the other a Kruvexian with dark brown skin and glowing red eyes. Mothma's face was an unreadable mask, but then, most expert politicians were good at concealing their emotions. The human looked frustrated, but the Kruvexian was serene.
"Lady Mothma," greeted Luke, standing and giving a polite bow. "Senator Luther. I don't believe I know your name, sir..."
"Senator Brok the Wise, Kruvexian Representative in the Senate and member of Empress Iya the Just's Royal Council," the Kruvexian replied, nodding.
"Has the Senate reached a decision?" asked S'kina.
"Not yet," Mothma replied. "Senators Luther and Brok are still holding out."
"I do not agree that Mr. Skywalker should be disciplined," Luther insisted. "Under the circumstances, he acted as anyone would have upon learning their child was in danger. And we have first-hand testimony from several sources that it was Luke and the young Tusken who killed him, not Anakin. As far as I'm concerned, he should simply be returned to our planet to finish his exile."
"The first-hand witnesses you speak of are stormtroopers," Mothma replied, a distasteful expression briefly crossing her face. "They are loyal to Anakin. Why would they give any testimony incriminating him?"
"Mothma," Luke cut in, "when I was separated from the Force, I was in such pain that my father could feel it light years away. He came after me out of love, not to thumb his nose at the Republic or return to the dark side. His actions should be rewarded, not punished."
"Jedi Master Skywalker," she replied crisply, "the Republic has been generous in granting you permission to reestablish the Jedi Order. We have tolerated the former Council's orders to keep Anakin Skywalker alive and out of prison. But when he is clearly guilty of another murder, we cannot let that go unpunished."
"How many times does the kid have to tell you?!" Han shouted. "Anakin didn't kill him! Just the opposite! The pirate leader was trying to kill Anakin, and Luke killed him to defend his father! Quit trying to turn this into a witch hunt!"
"I've been meaning to inquire about this matter," Brok interrupted, taking a step forward. "We of Kruvex were greatly concerned when we learned one of our numbers had died in the Tatooine siege. Our kind is scarce, I'm sure you're aware."
"I apologize for killing one of your people," Luke told him.
"Unlike some who are too hasty to cast blame," Brok replied, frowning at the Supreme Chancellor, "I believe there was good cause to terminate the man. Though we honor our warrior heritage, we do not approve of violence for violence's sake or as a means of exacting revenge or personal gain. There is no place in our society for greed or bloodlust." He clasped his hands before him. "Do you know the name of the deceased?"
"Krad the Destroyer," Luke answered.
Brok's jaw dropped open. "You jest."
"No, why?"
"Is the name familiar?" asked Luther. "I've never heard it."
"Not the surname, for those are personal choices. But the only Krad in our files is the son of Jedi Knight Zorn the Swift, daughter of the late Emperor Pothar the Wild."
Mothma's eyes widened slightly before she regained composure. "Ah. He's murdered a member of the Kruvexian Royal Family. The intrigue grows."
S'kina hissed something in Tusken that Luke was glad he didn't know the meaning of.
"Care to repeat that in Basic, madam?" asked Mothma.
"The general definition of those words, my lady, is that you are a blind idiot," S'kina replied unapologetically.
"S'kina!" exclaimed Luke.
"Miss S'kina," Mothma ordered, "if I hear another word out of you I will have you removed from the building!"
An aide poked his head in. "Hello?"
Mothma turned. "Yes?"
"Uh... we would like Master Skywalker to report to the Senate at once. We've had an incident."
"Did one of my students go on a rampage?" asked Luke.
"No... but Yoda and Mace Windu are about to start a riot."
"Another Jedi spirit visitation?" asked Leia.
Mothma looked like the aide had just announced a terrorist had blown the Senate hall to oblivion.
"We'd better check this out," said Luther, and everyone vacated the room.
-------
Anakin lay on the cold steel ledge that served as a bed in his cell, hands clasped over his chest, staring blankly at the ceiling. His wounds had been cleaned and dressed, but they still irritated him. The pain was a distant sensation, however. Dimly he thought that someone -- an attorney or senatorial aide -- should have been here by now to debrief him, but frankly he didn't care. That, too, was far from his concerns.
Ever since Wedge had shown up and reluctantly placed him under arrest, he'd been lost in a sort of trance, going with him unresisting. He should be worried, he supposed, for doubtless the Senate had some nasty fate in store for him. But he felt inexplicably vacant, not exactly peaceful, but curiously devoid of any emotion at all. Stunned was the word, he guessed. In shock.
Was it really worth leaving Earth? Had he done any good in disobeying Master Windu? But how could he not have tried? He might not have contributed to Luke's recovery, the defeat of the pirates, or the disbanding of the Mandalorians. And he'd failed to redeem Krad, a broken promise that rankled deeply. But he felt he'd made the right decision in going. He only hoped it wouldn't be the death of him.
"Anakin."
He closed his eyes. "Please, Obi-wan. I don't need this now."
"You do need it," Obi-wan pressed. "Though you do not think you do, you need peace. This is a difficult time for you."
He sat up. "I'm sure the Jedi are absolutely thrilled that I've once again rebelled," he remarked sarcastically.
The white-haired Jedi smiled. "A few of the more conservative ones are rather annoyed, but most can understand why you left Area 51. Few Jedi could ignore such a powerful message as the one Luke gave to you." He sat down on the bench beside Anakin. "You'd be interested to know that Yoda and Windu are interceding upon your behalf."
"They are?"
"Indeed. As we speak, they are in the Senate building knocking some sense into a few politician's heads."
Anakin couldn't help chuckling at the thought. "I owe those two so much, don't I?"
"But don't think you'll get off completely, Padawan. The Council has decided to add one more year to your exile to make up for this situation."
That was much less than Anakin had been expecting. He was almost afraid to ask about the second matter, but he had to know. "What of Krad? What is to be my punishment for his death?"
"You will have no punishment. You did not kill him."
"But Zorn," he protested. "I made her a promise. I swore I'd bring her son back..."
"You're wrong." Obi-wan's expression was quite serious now. "You promised her you wouldn't hurt him. That you kept quite admirably. At any time you could have overpowered him, but instead you acted as a true Jedi would have." He looked away a moment as if receiving a message. "Zorn knew very well that her son was most likely beyond redemption, but she wished to attempt one last time to save him."
"Why couldn't I reach him, Obi-wan? Luke redeemed me, and I had fallen farther into the dark paths than Krad."
"Your children softened your heart, Anakin. But you redeemed yourself. That moment when you defied the Emperor and vowed to save Rachel, you declared yourself an agent of the light. It had to be your choice, and your choice alone, to be saved. Krad, unfortunately, did not wish to be saved if the cost meant abandoning his plans for vengeance. He welcomed the power of his hatred, though it would mean his destruction. You argued well with him, but he rejected your words because he preferred your death over redemption. For his fall, you are not accountable."
"Will S'kina and Luke be punished for his death?"
"No. They struck him down to defend you. They will not suffer for that."
Anakin smiled, somewhat reassured by his Master's words. "Thank you, Obi-wan."
Obi-wan grinned like a father about to brag about his child. "A pity you didn't have time to become properly acquainted with my third student, S'kina. Quite the young woman. Luke loves her, you know."
Anakin nodded. "A bizarre twist of fate, I must say, for our histories are intertwined quite tightly. But she has a good head on her shoulders and a heart to match my son's. If they wish to remain together, I give them my blessing."
His Master cocked his head as if responding to a distant call. "My time is at hand. I must go."
"Wait!" Anakin cried. He wasn't sure why he wanted Obi-wan to stay, but at the moment the thought of him leaving pained him. "Master, don't leave me."
"I have never left you, my Padawan," Obi-wan replied. "And I never will."
His Master faded from view. Anakin sought him through the Force and found him close by, just as he'd promised. A gentle smile crossed his lips. It was amazing that, just a few years ago, he hated Obi-wan with so violent a passion, yet loved him like a father now.
"Anakin?"
He looked up sharply. "Zorn!"
The Kruvexian Jedi gave a sad sort of smile and approached him.
"Zorn... I'm sorry... I... I tried..." he stammered.
"I know," she replied. In her deep blue eyes he was surprised to see, not anger, but a grieving acceptance. "I'm here for a different purpose. If you will, consider this my forgiveness."
She raised ethereal clawed hands and placed them on either side of his helmet.
"What..." he began.
"You've suffered too long," she murmured. She tilted her upper body until their foreheads touched. "Let the Force flow through you."
He gasped as the Force swept through him with a power he'd never felt before, filling him with a glorious sensation he couldn't quite put words to. He let it carry him away, a bright burning river, one that seemed to cleanse him inside and out. Every nerve in his body was afire with it, every cell alight, every fiber attuned to it.
Zorn unclasped his helmet and removed it.
---------
"He seemed sort of shell-shocked when they first brought him in," the human guard explained as he escorted Luke, Leia, and S'kina to the maximum-security detention blocks in the Corusant Republic Penitentiary. "Probably was hoping to sneak back to Earth without being caught."
"Just take us to him," S'kina ordered.
"I'm so glad Master Windu talked some sense into Chancellor Mothma," said Leia with considerable relief. "I was afraid they would keep Father imprisoned for life."
"Even she isn't going to thumb her nose at the Jedi Council," Luke replied with a grin. "But I have to say, I'll never forget her priceless expression when Yoda ordered her to dismiss the murder charges."
"We're here," the guard informed them.
A female Nautolan guard approached the guard, looking rather sheepish. "Uh, sir? There's been a breakout. We think."
"What do you mean, 'there's been a breakout, you think?'" demanded the first guard.
"Someone reported an intruder sneaking into the guard's refreshers," the second guard explained. "The problem is that he doesn't fit the description of any of our inmates. We have soldiers at the door waiting for him to come out."
The first guard sighed. "It's always something on this job. I'll handle it. Please take Master Luke and Princess Leia to their father's cell. He's being released into their custody."
"Yes, sir. Follow me, please."
She led them to a cell, punched in the security code, and stepped back as the door hissed open.
"Father!" shouted Luke, bursting in. "You're acquitted! They're letting you go..." He stopped in midsentence and stared, unbelieving.
S'kina entered. "What's wrong, Luke?" Then she saw what he had seen. "Sweet stars..."
Anakin was nowhere to be seen -- but his armor remained. The cape and leather bodyglove had been neatly folded and set on the metal bench, the shin greaves, chest plates, and heavy gauntlets in a neat stack beside them. The skull-like helmet sat atop the pile, respirator silent. There was no sign of a fight, struggle, or even that Anakin had taken his own life. It was simply as if he'd evaporated, leaving his hated armor behind.
Leia came in last, speechless. "Is he... dead?"
"Surely we would have felt him go," S'kina protested softly, refusing to believe it.
Luke's face was solemn as he approached the bench. He reached out and gently touched the mask's lens, then the air intake vent. Then he abruptly turned and strode out of the cell.
"Luke!" Leia called in entreaty, following him.
The prison guards clustered around the refresher door, awaiting the intruder's exit. Luke approached the warden and tapped him on the shoulder.
"We should probably break down the... uh, yes, Master Jedi?"
"Where's my father?" Luke asked, his calm tone masking a sea of anger.
"Your father?"
"Yes. He's not in his cell, and he seems to have left his armor behind."
The warden gaped. "Sithspawn! He must've snuffed himself out! Some inmates do that, y'know. Must've gone all one with the Force."
Luke whirled to face Leia. "This can't be happening, Leia! This can't be! Father wouldn't commit suicide! Mothma must have..."
"Luke, be calm!" S'kina ordered. "He lives. Can you not sense it?"
"But what about the mask?" Leia asked. "He can't survive without it..."
The refresher door opened. The three of them turned to get a good look at the occupant.
He wore a gray jumpsuit, no doubt pilfered from the prison's laundry room. It must have been a struggle to find a garment that fit properly, for he was a tall, broad-shouldered man. Dark blond hair that was just beginning to go gray topped a middle-aged but still- handsome face. His smile was wide and easy, his brow arced in a roguish, daredevil expression. And his eyes were an intense shade of blue that matched Luke's exactly.
"Hands in the air, sir," a guard ordered.
"Put your weapons down!" Luke shouted, overriding the order.
The man stepped forward, never taking his gaze off Luke and Leia. Tears ran down his face, tears that were quite at odds with his growing smile.
"F-father?" Luke gulped.
"Father?" Leia breathed.
"Children." The voice came rich and deep, unblurred by machinery or electronics. "How wonderful it is to finally see you with my own eyes."
The guards backed away, puzzled.
As if he couldn't stand it anymore, Anakin closed the gap between them and took Luke and Leia in his arms. Together they wept, laughed, embraced, kissed each other, rejoiced in their touch. A miracle had been granted by the Force, releasing Anakin from his cybernetic prison. No longer looking out at the world through a durasteel mask, he was at last free of the armor of Vader.
At last Luke worked an arm free and beckoned S'kina closer. "Father, Leia, this is S'kina, Jedi Knight. And my fiancé."
The Tusken woman laughed and joined in the group embrace. "I am honored to take on the Skywalker name."
"And I am honored to accept you into our family, daughter-in-law," Anakin replied, kissing her veiled cheek.
It had been Polowski who had tipped off the Republic on Anakin's departure. The guards had been told to keep him in the apartment, but they hadn't been ordered to keep him away from the phone. He'd been quick to take advantage of this, letting the Galactic government know the details in exchange for having his pending drug-possession charges dropped.
The Republic Senate was having a heyday with the news that Anakin Skywalker had defied the Jedi Council's orders. Few of those in the hierarchy of the government liked the ex-Sith, and most were eager to punish him in some way. They toted Polowski as a hero, and the squealer was lapping up the attention -- at least, he did until Patrick and Jason tracked him down and congratulated him via a broken jaw.
And when Krad's body was recovered from the Executor with his lightsaber nearby, rumors that Anakin had gone back to his Jedi-killing ways spread like wildfire.
Leia stormed into the conference room where Luke, Han, and S'kina sat, awaiting Supreme Chancellor Mon Mothma's decision.
"Not good, is it?" S'kina asked, noting her future sister-in-law's expression.
"They still haven't reached a decision," Leia replied angrily. "They need a unanimous vote, and the Earth Senator and a handful of other systems are still holding out. But the majority are favoring putting him on trial for killing Krad."
Han said a few choice words. "Krad was responsible for killing and harassing thousands of people! He's the one that should be on trial, and they're acting like he was an innocent victim!"
"He didn't even want to kill him," Luke added. "It was S'kina and I who dealt the death blows."
Leia sat down with the others. "The Senate has, for the most part, made good, fair, unbiased decisions to govern the galaxy. But when the matter involves a Sith, fairness and justice are thrown out the viewport. They're so eager to put him away permanently, for any reason, that Krad himself can testify on Anakin's behalf and it wouldn't move them." She clenched a useless fist. "Incidentally, the Kruvexian Senator is among those who don't want to accuse him of murder."
"Wow," breathed Han. "That's a shock. They have the most reason to be angry."
"I've spoken with a few of them," Luke told him. "They're usually not a vengeful people. I guess Krad was an exception to the rule."
The door slid open to admit three figures -- Mon Mothma and two beings in senatorial robes, one a brown-eyed blond human, the other a Kruvexian with dark brown skin and glowing red eyes. Mothma's face was an unreadable mask, but then, most expert politicians were good at concealing their emotions. The human looked frustrated, but the Kruvexian was serene.
"Lady Mothma," greeted Luke, standing and giving a polite bow. "Senator Luther. I don't believe I know your name, sir..."
"Senator Brok the Wise, Kruvexian Representative in the Senate and member of Empress Iya the Just's Royal Council," the Kruvexian replied, nodding.
"Has the Senate reached a decision?" asked S'kina.
"Not yet," Mothma replied. "Senators Luther and Brok are still holding out."
"I do not agree that Mr. Skywalker should be disciplined," Luther insisted. "Under the circumstances, he acted as anyone would have upon learning their child was in danger. And we have first-hand testimony from several sources that it was Luke and the young Tusken who killed him, not Anakin. As far as I'm concerned, he should simply be returned to our planet to finish his exile."
"The first-hand witnesses you speak of are stormtroopers," Mothma replied, a distasteful expression briefly crossing her face. "They are loyal to Anakin. Why would they give any testimony incriminating him?"
"Mothma," Luke cut in, "when I was separated from the Force, I was in such pain that my father could feel it light years away. He came after me out of love, not to thumb his nose at the Republic or return to the dark side. His actions should be rewarded, not punished."
"Jedi Master Skywalker," she replied crisply, "the Republic has been generous in granting you permission to reestablish the Jedi Order. We have tolerated the former Council's orders to keep Anakin Skywalker alive and out of prison. But when he is clearly guilty of another murder, we cannot let that go unpunished."
"How many times does the kid have to tell you?!" Han shouted. "Anakin didn't kill him! Just the opposite! The pirate leader was trying to kill Anakin, and Luke killed him to defend his father! Quit trying to turn this into a witch hunt!"
"I've been meaning to inquire about this matter," Brok interrupted, taking a step forward. "We of Kruvex were greatly concerned when we learned one of our numbers had died in the Tatooine siege. Our kind is scarce, I'm sure you're aware."
"I apologize for killing one of your people," Luke told him.
"Unlike some who are too hasty to cast blame," Brok replied, frowning at the Supreme Chancellor, "I believe there was good cause to terminate the man. Though we honor our warrior heritage, we do not approve of violence for violence's sake or as a means of exacting revenge or personal gain. There is no place in our society for greed or bloodlust." He clasped his hands before him. "Do you know the name of the deceased?"
"Krad the Destroyer," Luke answered.
Brok's jaw dropped open. "You jest."
"No, why?"
"Is the name familiar?" asked Luther. "I've never heard it."
"Not the surname, for those are personal choices. But the only Krad in our files is the son of Jedi Knight Zorn the Swift, daughter of the late Emperor Pothar the Wild."
Mothma's eyes widened slightly before she regained composure. "Ah. He's murdered a member of the Kruvexian Royal Family. The intrigue grows."
S'kina hissed something in Tusken that Luke was glad he didn't know the meaning of.
"Care to repeat that in Basic, madam?" asked Mothma.
"The general definition of those words, my lady, is that you are a blind idiot," S'kina replied unapologetically.
"S'kina!" exclaimed Luke.
"Miss S'kina," Mothma ordered, "if I hear another word out of you I will have you removed from the building!"
An aide poked his head in. "Hello?"
Mothma turned. "Yes?"
"Uh... we would like Master Skywalker to report to the Senate at once. We've had an incident."
"Did one of my students go on a rampage?" asked Luke.
"No... but Yoda and Mace Windu are about to start a riot."
"Another Jedi spirit visitation?" asked Leia.
Mothma looked like the aide had just announced a terrorist had blown the Senate hall to oblivion.
"We'd better check this out," said Luther, and everyone vacated the room.
-------
Anakin lay on the cold steel ledge that served as a bed in his cell, hands clasped over his chest, staring blankly at the ceiling. His wounds had been cleaned and dressed, but they still irritated him. The pain was a distant sensation, however. Dimly he thought that someone -- an attorney or senatorial aide -- should have been here by now to debrief him, but frankly he didn't care. That, too, was far from his concerns.
Ever since Wedge had shown up and reluctantly placed him under arrest, he'd been lost in a sort of trance, going with him unresisting. He should be worried, he supposed, for doubtless the Senate had some nasty fate in store for him. But he felt inexplicably vacant, not exactly peaceful, but curiously devoid of any emotion at all. Stunned was the word, he guessed. In shock.
Was it really worth leaving Earth? Had he done any good in disobeying Master Windu? But how could he not have tried? He might not have contributed to Luke's recovery, the defeat of the pirates, or the disbanding of the Mandalorians. And he'd failed to redeem Krad, a broken promise that rankled deeply. But he felt he'd made the right decision in going. He only hoped it wouldn't be the death of him.
"Anakin."
He closed his eyes. "Please, Obi-wan. I don't need this now."
"You do need it," Obi-wan pressed. "Though you do not think you do, you need peace. This is a difficult time for you."
He sat up. "I'm sure the Jedi are absolutely thrilled that I've once again rebelled," he remarked sarcastically.
The white-haired Jedi smiled. "A few of the more conservative ones are rather annoyed, but most can understand why you left Area 51. Few Jedi could ignore such a powerful message as the one Luke gave to you." He sat down on the bench beside Anakin. "You'd be interested to know that Yoda and Windu are interceding upon your behalf."
"They are?"
"Indeed. As we speak, they are in the Senate building knocking some sense into a few politician's heads."
Anakin couldn't help chuckling at the thought. "I owe those two so much, don't I?"
"But don't think you'll get off completely, Padawan. The Council has decided to add one more year to your exile to make up for this situation."
That was much less than Anakin had been expecting. He was almost afraid to ask about the second matter, but he had to know. "What of Krad? What is to be my punishment for his death?"
"You will have no punishment. You did not kill him."
"But Zorn," he protested. "I made her a promise. I swore I'd bring her son back..."
"You're wrong." Obi-wan's expression was quite serious now. "You promised her you wouldn't hurt him. That you kept quite admirably. At any time you could have overpowered him, but instead you acted as a true Jedi would have." He looked away a moment as if receiving a message. "Zorn knew very well that her son was most likely beyond redemption, but she wished to attempt one last time to save him."
"Why couldn't I reach him, Obi-wan? Luke redeemed me, and I had fallen farther into the dark paths than Krad."
"Your children softened your heart, Anakin. But you redeemed yourself. That moment when you defied the Emperor and vowed to save Rachel, you declared yourself an agent of the light. It had to be your choice, and your choice alone, to be saved. Krad, unfortunately, did not wish to be saved if the cost meant abandoning his plans for vengeance. He welcomed the power of his hatred, though it would mean his destruction. You argued well with him, but he rejected your words because he preferred your death over redemption. For his fall, you are not accountable."
"Will S'kina and Luke be punished for his death?"
"No. They struck him down to defend you. They will not suffer for that."
Anakin smiled, somewhat reassured by his Master's words. "Thank you, Obi-wan."
Obi-wan grinned like a father about to brag about his child. "A pity you didn't have time to become properly acquainted with my third student, S'kina. Quite the young woman. Luke loves her, you know."
Anakin nodded. "A bizarre twist of fate, I must say, for our histories are intertwined quite tightly. But she has a good head on her shoulders and a heart to match my son's. If they wish to remain together, I give them my blessing."
His Master cocked his head as if responding to a distant call. "My time is at hand. I must go."
"Wait!" Anakin cried. He wasn't sure why he wanted Obi-wan to stay, but at the moment the thought of him leaving pained him. "Master, don't leave me."
"I have never left you, my Padawan," Obi-wan replied. "And I never will."
His Master faded from view. Anakin sought him through the Force and found him close by, just as he'd promised. A gentle smile crossed his lips. It was amazing that, just a few years ago, he hated Obi-wan with so violent a passion, yet loved him like a father now.
"Anakin?"
He looked up sharply. "Zorn!"
The Kruvexian Jedi gave a sad sort of smile and approached him.
"Zorn... I'm sorry... I... I tried..." he stammered.
"I know," she replied. In her deep blue eyes he was surprised to see, not anger, but a grieving acceptance. "I'm here for a different purpose. If you will, consider this my forgiveness."
She raised ethereal clawed hands and placed them on either side of his helmet.
"What..." he began.
"You've suffered too long," she murmured. She tilted her upper body until their foreheads touched. "Let the Force flow through you."
He gasped as the Force swept through him with a power he'd never felt before, filling him with a glorious sensation he couldn't quite put words to. He let it carry him away, a bright burning river, one that seemed to cleanse him inside and out. Every nerve in his body was afire with it, every cell alight, every fiber attuned to it.
Zorn unclasped his helmet and removed it.
---------
"He seemed sort of shell-shocked when they first brought him in," the human guard explained as he escorted Luke, Leia, and S'kina to the maximum-security detention blocks in the Corusant Republic Penitentiary. "Probably was hoping to sneak back to Earth without being caught."
"Just take us to him," S'kina ordered.
"I'm so glad Master Windu talked some sense into Chancellor Mothma," said Leia with considerable relief. "I was afraid they would keep Father imprisoned for life."
"Even she isn't going to thumb her nose at the Jedi Council," Luke replied with a grin. "But I have to say, I'll never forget her priceless expression when Yoda ordered her to dismiss the murder charges."
"We're here," the guard informed them.
A female Nautolan guard approached the guard, looking rather sheepish. "Uh, sir? There's been a breakout. We think."
"What do you mean, 'there's been a breakout, you think?'" demanded the first guard.
"Someone reported an intruder sneaking into the guard's refreshers," the second guard explained. "The problem is that he doesn't fit the description of any of our inmates. We have soldiers at the door waiting for him to come out."
The first guard sighed. "It's always something on this job. I'll handle it. Please take Master Luke and Princess Leia to their father's cell. He's being released into their custody."
"Yes, sir. Follow me, please."
She led them to a cell, punched in the security code, and stepped back as the door hissed open.
"Father!" shouted Luke, bursting in. "You're acquitted! They're letting you go..." He stopped in midsentence and stared, unbelieving.
S'kina entered. "What's wrong, Luke?" Then she saw what he had seen. "Sweet stars..."
Anakin was nowhere to be seen -- but his armor remained. The cape and leather bodyglove had been neatly folded and set on the metal bench, the shin greaves, chest plates, and heavy gauntlets in a neat stack beside them. The skull-like helmet sat atop the pile, respirator silent. There was no sign of a fight, struggle, or even that Anakin had taken his own life. It was simply as if he'd evaporated, leaving his hated armor behind.
Leia came in last, speechless. "Is he... dead?"
"Surely we would have felt him go," S'kina protested softly, refusing to believe it.
Luke's face was solemn as he approached the bench. He reached out and gently touched the mask's lens, then the air intake vent. Then he abruptly turned and strode out of the cell.
"Luke!" Leia called in entreaty, following him.
The prison guards clustered around the refresher door, awaiting the intruder's exit. Luke approached the warden and tapped him on the shoulder.
"We should probably break down the... uh, yes, Master Jedi?"
"Where's my father?" Luke asked, his calm tone masking a sea of anger.
"Your father?"
"Yes. He's not in his cell, and he seems to have left his armor behind."
The warden gaped. "Sithspawn! He must've snuffed himself out! Some inmates do that, y'know. Must've gone all one with the Force."
Luke whirled to face Leia. "This can't be happening, Leia! This can't be! Father wouldn't commit suicide! Mothma must have..."
"Luke, be calm!" S'kina ordered. "He lives. Can you not sense it?"
"But what about the mask?" Leia asked. "He can't survive without it..."
The refresher door opened. The three of them turned to get a good look at the occupant.
He wore a gray jumpsuit, no doubt pilfered from the prison's laundry room. It must have been a struggle to find a garment that fit properly, for he was a tall, broad-shouldered man. Dark blond hair that was just beginning to go gray topped a middle-aged but still- handsome face. His smile was wide and easy, his brow arced in a roguish, daredevil expression. And his eyes were an intense shade of blue that matched Luke's exactly.
"Hands in the air, sir," a guard ordered.
"Put your weapons down!" Luke shouted, overriding the order.
The man stepped forward, never taking his gaze off Luke and Leia. Tears ran down his face, tears that were quite at odds with his growing smile.
"F-father?" Luke gulped.
"Father?" Leia breathed.
"Children." The voice came rich and deep, unblurred by machinery or electronics. "How wonderful it is to finally see you with my own eyes."
The guards backed away, puzzled.
As if he couldn't stand it anymore, Anakin closed the gap between them and took Luke and Leia in his arms. Together they wept, laughed, embraced, kissed each other, rejoiced in their touch. A miracle had been granted by the Force, releasing Anakin from his cybernetic prison. No longer looking out at the world through a durasteel mask, he was at last free of the armor of Vader.
At last Luke worked an arm free and beckoned S'kina closer. "Father, Leia, this is S'kina, Jedi Knight. And my fiancé."
The Tusken woman laughed and joined in the group embrace. "I am honored to take on the Skywalker name."
"And I am honored to accept you into our family, daughter-in-law," Anakin replied, kissing her veiled cheek.