Star Wars: Specters of the Past

By SSG Michael B. Jackson

Disclaimer: Star Wars and all associated characters belong, ultimately, to George Lucas, and aren't mine, more's the pity. Still, he's done a damn good job so far, so who's complaining?

Steeling himself for their reactions, Doctor Morell said, "As I mentioned before, we can take over the functions of the failing systems artificially. Mechanically. At first, this would be done externally, but eventually, implantable prostheses could be manufactured, and an overall support system could be fashioned. This would, in all likelihood, I'm afraid, end up taking on the form of some sort of full body support suit. It could be made comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing, of course, but..."

The doctor's words trailed off there at the expressions of sheer horror he saw on all the faces turned toward him, and, knowing a little bit about the Skywalker family's history, he knew why.

For their part, the entire Skywalker/Solo clan, Padmé included, suddenly realized just how twisted and deep the Emperor's game had run. Rather than simply wanting Padmé dead if she ever slipped out of his grasp, he'd wanted something far, far worse. He'd wanted her to face the choice of either dying lingeringly and painfully, or living on as something that she'd never be able to bear.

As this realization cut through them all, Luke thought that, just for a brief instant, he could hear the barest hint of all too familiar laughter ringing in the Force around him. And to judge by the uneasy looks he saw from Leia, Mara and the twins, he wasn't entirely sure he'd imagined it.

Padmé, a hard, unreadable expression on her face, her eyes firmly fixed at a point on the ceiling, said in a low, controlled voice, "I think you understand, Doctor, that that particular course of action is... unacceptable. And I think you know why."

With a long sigh, Doctor Morell said, "I suspected you'd feel that way. And I can't blame you, really. But the only other options I can offer you are pain management until this... runs it's course, or... voluntary euthanasia at a time of your choosing. I'm sorry that I don't have more to offer."

An oppressive silence followed this gloomy pronouncement, broken eventually by a somewhat indignant Han Solo.

"Alright, now that we've all had an earful of this gloom and doom poodoo, what do we plan on doing about this? Or does anybody feel like just sitting here and watching her waste away?"

Eyes narrowed in thought, Luke said, "There's still Master Cilghal. She's too busy with relief work right now to come here, but if we could bring Mother to her..." Then, cocking his head thoughtfully, Luke turned to Jacen and said, "Unless, of course, you feel up to tackling this. What you did during and after the battle with Shimrra and Onimi was... incredible, to say the least."

Jacen frowned, thinking back to the final battle with the Supreme Overlord of the Yuuzhan Vong and with Onimi, the true power lurking behind Shimrra, who'd turned out to be even less than a figurehead. Jacen had achieved a oneness with the Force then that went far beyond anything that either he or Luke had ever thought possible, and that had allowed him to accomplish things that very few Jedi before him ever had. He'd been able to instantaneously counter each and every one of the bio-toxins manufactured by Onimi, and had been able to purge the poison delivered by Shimrra's amphistaff from Luke's body, saving his life. But Jacen had known then that the state of grace he'd achieved was a crowning moment for him, and that he'd most likely spend the rest of his life trying to attain anything even close.

Finally, Jacen said, "I... don't think this is something I should try on my own, Uncle Luke. When the time comes, I can probably help Master Cilghal out, add my abilities to hers, but I think she needs to be the one to lead. She's got a lot more healing experience than I do."

Luke nodded thoughtfully, and said, "That makes sense, I suppose. So it looks like we'll be going to her."

Next to him, Leia frowned, and said, "Hold up a minute, Luke." Then, looking to Doctor Morell, she said, "Can she even travel, Doctor?" And, waving a hand around to indicate the medical equipment strewn around Padmé's bed, she added, "Without all of this, I mean?"

"Well," the doctor said slowly, "Certainly travel wouldn't be the best thing for her right now. But given the circumstances..." He trailed off for a moment, considering, and then said, "I suppose it's feasible, but not without some portable equipment. She's going to need an auto-injection unit of some kind, and the drug-packs to go with it, and, considering the state of her immune system, a filter mask of some sort. Also, once the systemic failures become more advanced, she's going to need periodic kidney and liver dialysis treatments. And, to be safe, she should have at least a medical droid along to monitor; we can spare a 2-1B, I'm sure."

Leia paled at this medical laundry list, and said, "You have all this equipment on hand, Doctor?"

The doctor nodded, and said, "It's all fairly standard front-line and emergency response gear. There are certain authorizations that will have to be obtained, but all things considered, I doubt that'll be a problem."

"Well, it sounds like we're all set then," Jaina said from her mother's side. "When can we leave?"

"That would be up to the doctor, I suppose," Leia said, her gaze still directed at Doctor Morell.

Considering for a moment, the doctor said, "It shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to get everything ready," he said. "As long as the authorization comes through."

Grinning rakishly, Han Solo said, "You just worry about your end, Doc. We'll take care of everything else."

The doctor nodded briefly, and, with a mumbled, "I'll get right on it then," shuffled quickly away to start the preparations.

Smiling, Luke turned to Padmé and said, "So, Mother, do you feel up to a little trip?"

Padmé shook her head, a small smile on her lips, and said, "Sounds better than staying here, waiting to die. And to judge by how quickly the doctor agreed to everything, all of you must be just as important as the nurses were telling me last night; according to them, you're all living legends. Heroes of the Rebel Alliance, the New Republic, and the Yuuzhan Vong war, so they said." She sighed then, and said, "I wish I could've seen all of that. Now I just hope that there'll be enough time for you to tell me about it all."

Reaching out to take Padmé's hand, Luke said, "I'm sorry that we haven't had a chance to talk yet, Mother, but once you're well, we'll have all the time in the galaxy. And I think I can safely say that all of us plan on taking up our fair share of that."

Padmé's smile widened, and she said, "I think I'd like that. Very much, in fact." And then, cocking her head slightly, she said, "So who's this Master Cilghal we're going to see? A Jedi healer of some sort?"

Luke nodded, and said, "One of the best we have. If anyone can help, she should be able to."

Beside him, Leia nodded also, and said, "She has experience with... similar cases. Years ago, she was able to diagnose and cure a mysterious ailment that was slowly killing Mon Mothma, the president of the Republic at that time. As it turned out, the 'disease' was caused by a swarm of nanoscopic droids that were slowly tearing her body apart at the cellular level; it was an assassination attempt. Master Cilghal wasn't even a trained Jedi at that time, just a medic with a talent she didn't fully understand. Now she's far better at what she does."

Padmé nodded slowly, and said, "I see." Then, frowning slightly, she said, "But did you say Mon Mothma?"

Leia nodded, and, curious, said, "Did you know her?"

"Years ago," Padmé said. "When we were both senators, and then later once I linked up with the Rebel Alliance. But president of the Republic!" Padmé shook her head and then said, "Neither of us would've dared to hope back then. Still, I'm sure she served the Republic well."

"She did," Leia said, and then, with an odd note in her voice, "And you were part of the Rebellion, Mother? I- we never knew."

Padmé smiled wanly, and said, "What else was there for me to do after I left Alderaan? Even while I was there, I was involved, though only administratively. After I left, I spent the next seven years helping to set up rebel cells and their logistical chains all over the Outer Rim. I'd have probably still been doing that when you joined the Rebellion, if I hadn't tripped across just the wrong Sith-damned bounty hunter out there. The rest, you pretty well know."

Leia just shook her head, and said sadly, "So much lost time. So many lost opportunities."

Padmé smiled, and said, "Remember your son's advice, Leia. Look forward, not back." Then, deliberately changing the subject, she said, "So where is Master Cilghal working right now? Where are we headed?"

"Last I heard," Luke said, "She was on a planet out in the Mid Rim, not all that far from Tatooine. It hadn't been hit by the Vong, but it was soaking up a lot of refugees from several nearby systems. Naboo, I think it was called."

There was a sudden startled gasp from Padmé, and, concerned, Luke said, "Mother? Are you all right?"

Regaining her composure somewhat, Padmé looked up at Luke, her eyes wide, and said, "Naboo?! Are you sure?"

Slightly puzzled by her excitement, Luke said carefully, "Fairly sure; of course I'll check before we go blasting in that direction. I take it there's something... special about Naboo?"

Padmé gave a short laugh, and said, "If you count home as someplace special, then I guess so."

"That's it!" Leia said suddenly, an apparent non-sequiter that mildly startled those around her. Then, a bit sheepishly, she said, "I mean, since I first heard your name, Mother, there was something familiar about it. I knew I'd heard it somewhere before, but I couldn't place it. I just assumed that I'd heard Father, Bail, use it at some point." She paused for a moment, and then, frowning slightly, said, "But now that you mention Naboo, I remember. When I was just a girl, just starting to study politics, I came across your bio on the Holonet. There wasn't very much information in it, and most of the links to your Senate record were dead, thanks, no doubt, to Imperial censors. All that was really there was your name, the offices you'd held, and the fact that you never completed your last term as senator. It didn't even say why not." Then, her eyes widening slightly, she said, "But if I remember correctly, one of the offices listed was Queen of Naboo! Is that right?"

Padmé sighed, and said, "Two terms, in fact, starting when I was just fourteen. I was kind of a prodigy, I guess." Then, ignoring her family's incredulous looks, she said, "But I said it to your father once, not long before we were married; I was too young when I took that office. He didn't agree, but I know it was his heart talking, not his mind. His memories of me as a queen were a child's memories, and he just didn't understand how... naïve I'd been in some ways. Neither of us really did, I guess. Not until much later."

Frowning, Luke said, "What do you mean, Mother? Naïve in what way?"

Padmé looked down briefly, and then said quietly, "I... allowed myself to be maneuvered into making some decisions that turned out to be... very bad. Early in my first term, Naboo was blockaded and invaded by the Trade Federation. I managed to get off-planet with the help of Obi-Wan Kenobi and his master, Qui-Gon Jin, and after the little side-trip to Tatooine where I met your father, we made it to Coruscant. I presented Naboo's case to the Senate, and they... were paralyzed. They weren't going to take action, at least not in time to do any good."

A curious note in her voice, Leia said, "So what did you do, Mother?"

In a very small voice, Padmé said, "I... allowed myself to be convinced that the problem was the Supreme Chancellor. I took the advice of my senator at the time, and I... called for a vote of no confidence in the incumbent. It passed, and Naboo's senator was appointed Supreme Chancellor in his stead. Naboo was saved, from the Trade Federation at least, but-" She swallowed, obviously distraught, and seemed unable or unwilling to finish her story.

From her place at Leia's side, Jaina said, "What is it, Grandmother? What happened?"

Biting her lip, Padmé said in a whisper, "That senator's name was Palpatine."

There were several gasps and other exclamations of surprise at this, but she pushed ahead regardless. "No one knew what he was really like then. He kept it so well hidden that not even the Jedi Council had any idea, not until it was too late. He used the Clone Wars to justify building up his war machine, and to militarize our whole society. People became so desensitized to the violence and so used to the 'extra security measures' he'd set up, the birth of the Empire became an easy thing. In fact, in the end, the Old Republic didn't so much fall as simply... morph into the Empire, one little piece at a time. And I'm at least partly to blame."

There was a moment's silence following this, and then, laying her hand on Padmé's shoulder, Leia said, "You might've ended up playing a role in Palpatine's plans, Mother, but you certainly weren't the only one. And you're one of the victims, not a conspirator; you were only trying to help your people, and you put your trust in someone you had every reason to believe was trustworthy. Palpatine was just one of the most accomplished and twisted manipulators who ever lived, that's all. We've all fallen prey to his schemes at one time or another, and, for that matter, it looks like we still are."

Catching a subtle nuance in Leia's voice, Padmé said carefully, "When you say that we're still caught up in one of his plots, you don't just mean my situation, do you? There's something else."

Leia sighed, and, turning to Mara said, "Mara? Could you bring her up to speed?"

"Right," Mara said grimly, and then launched into a terse, abbreviated description of the Star-Hammer and the circumstances of it's discovery for Padmé. For her part, Padmé listened with growing horror, and asked only a few pointed questions, the most pointed coming at the end.

"So what's being done about this- this- thing?" She asked, her disgust at the very thought of an obscenity like the Star-Hammer obvious in her tone.

Mara sighed, and said, "Unfortunately, that's the million credit question right now. Everything we know has been passed up the chain, but, with everything else that's going on right now, Force only knows how long it'll take them to figure out what, if anything, they're going to do."

Padmé shook her head, and said, "I guess some things never change, do they?"

----------

True to his word, Doctor Morell had all of the necessary equipment together and delivered to the Millennium Falcon's cargo ramp in under two hours. He also had Padmé prepped, dressed, and ready for transport as well, but she flat refused to be pushed over in a hover chair or on a stretcher. She insisted, above all protests, that she'd get there under her own power or not at all.

"After all," she said to the doctor, "For all I know, this might be the last time I'm able to walk on my own. I'm going to enjoy as much independence as possible, for as long as I can."

The doctor had no reply for this, only wishing her and everyone else the best of luck.

And so, when Luke and Leia came to the ICU to pick her up, they were shocked to find her standing there at the doors waiting for them. She wore a deep indigo body-stocking, a matching cloak and a pair of rather practical boots of the same shade, all clothing that Leia, about her same size, had had sent over for her. Her hair, tied back in a rather severe pony tail until now, was done up in two thin braids in the back that'd been coiled up and fixed into two small buns near the top of her head on the left and right sides. Additionally, she wore a black, utilitarian belt that contained a number of medical items and sensors, with fine lines and an osmotic IV tube snaking out the back, running to various places on her anatomy. At the small of her back, attached to the belt, was a small, cylindrical filter module, attached to a thin hose and a small facemask vaguely reminiscent of the emergency breather equipment available on most starships. Most notably, strapped to Padmé's right thigh was a military issue blaster pistol, obviously fresh from the armory. As Luke and Leia goggled at this, she simply smiled in a satisfied way and said, "The Doctor told me that he'd been authorized to give us anything that he or we thought might be necessary for my continued health. I just convinced him that, as rough as everyone says the galaxy is these days, one of these might go a long way toward keeping me healthy. In the end, he had to agree."

Laughing, both of the twins fell in beside Padmé, utterly convinced now, if there'd been any doubt before, that this woman most definitely was their mother.

As they reached the frigate's flight deck, Luke on one side and Leia on the other, hovering protectively in case she should need any assistance, Padmé took a long look around, her gaze finally alighting on the Falcon. Her eyes widening, she turned to Leia and said, "That's your husband's ship?"

Suppressing a smirk, Leia said, "That's the Falcon, Mother. But don't worry; there's a lot more ship there than it looks like."

Padmé shook her head slowly, and said, "I guess there'd have to be. In a way, it sort of reminds me of the pod racer Ani ran in the Boonta Eve Classic. It didn't look like much more than a bin full of spare parts all thrown together, but it outran everything else on the field. I'm hoping this is a similar case."

Luke laughed, and said, "You're not too far off, Mother. But don't let Han hear you say that; Leia may be his wife, but the Falcon was his first love."

Padmé and Leia both laughed in return, passing a rather puzzled Han Solo as they ascended the Falcon's boarding ramp. Turning to Luke as he peeled off, heading for the Jade Shadow, Han said, "Do I even want to know what that's all about?"

Smiling wryly, Luke said, "Oh, Mother was just commenting on your engineering skills, that's all."

Raising an eyebrow, Han said, "Favorably, I hope?"

"Sure," Luke said, a twinkle in his eye. "She said the Falcon reminded her of something my father put together once a long time ago. Something that... wasn't exactly pretty, but did it's job well."

"Huh!" Han said skeptically. "I guess that's as good a description of the Falcon as any. Still..."

Luke just shook his head and, grinning mischievously, continued on toward the Shadow, feeling Han's less-than-mollified gaze burning into his back the whole way.

"Great," Han muttered under his breath wryly as he closed the ramp. "I've known my mother-in-law less than a day now, and she's already comparing me to Darth Vader. In a good way, no less. Like Jacen said, only in our family..."

The boarding ramp thumped shut, and a few moments later, the Falcon lifted on her repulsors, pirouetting gracefully around it's central axis and then gliding quickly through the hangar's mag-field seal and out into the void beyond. It was quickly joined by the Jade Shadow, and both ships cruised outward on their sub-light drives, clearing Coruscant and it's environs in a matter of minutes. Then, coordinates set, both vessels lined up for Naboo and made the jump to lightspeed, leaving Coruscant behind in a rush of starlines. Ahead of them, they hoped, lay not just a planet from their mother's past, but a chance for her future. And theirs as well.

End of chapter 6, and boy, was that a pain in the... well, never mind. It wasn't that the material was so difficult, it was just that there've been so damn many distractions here lately! I'm not entirely happy with this; I think it drags a little. Hopefully, though, it's sending the plot in the right direction, and next chapter we'll see some more interesting developments. Also, I know that this has been awfully short on action so far, but that will be coming later. There are still a lot of things for them to fight their way through before this is over, trust me!