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Away Chapter 3
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Soft, warm comforters seemed to have a magnetic pull on Siri. She laid on her right side, layers of blankets piled on top of her. The soft beat of rain eventually began to call her out of sleep. She tiredly opened her eyes, even though it was entirely too much work. Siri had slept for about two hours that night. The baby was really starting to get active -- Siri figured that she was using her mother's bladder as a trampoline. Is she practicing sparring with my stomach? Siri thought, deciding whether or not to get out of bed. Since the fall of Palpatine, and the many reforms in their galaxy, one more problem the Council had to tackle was Jedi maternity leave. While two other sets of Jedi couples had become parents, Jedi pregnancy was something new for everyone to adjust to. For now, she was officially on a vacation within the Temple walls. It was true, she probably wouldn't be going on any missions for a couple of months, at least until the baby was old enough.
Our baby. Our little girl.
The memory of Obi-Wan's face when Siri had told him that she was pregnant made her smile contentedly. She wasn't quite sure if she had been feeling a baby's presence. Obi-Wan had also felt something different in his wife's Force signature; but he couldn't pinpoint what was different. Finally, a trip to the healers' had confirmed it.
Knowing each other since they were children, Siri had never seen him so elated. His cheeks hurt that day from grinning so much.
Yawning, Siri threw her legs over the side of the bed. This day had to get started eventually. She stood up and walked over to the kitchen. Maybe some food will help distract her from pinching my liver, she reasoned.
Siri didn't pass up a day without thinking about how lucky all of them were -- her friends, and the entire galaxy.
The Clone Wars were drawing to an end. Life was bleak all around her. So many Jedi were dying, so many of her friends' lives had been shattered by loss, greif and trauma. She remembered nights spent on the battlefield, the cries of the dying echoing through the raw, barren hills.
Siri felt shell-shocked -- not only from the horrors outside the bunker, but from her own padawan's violent tears spilling onto his tunic. "I can't do this anymore, Master," Ferus said in a hushed tone. He was so quiet, but still so loud in her mind. "I'm not anything anymore. We're murderers, Master -- all these people -- this isn't our way --"
"Ferus," she interrupted him. "We have to be strong. We have to hold out. We have to do it for the Republic, for our lives--"
"What Republic, Master? What lives!" He had exploded into a ball of fury. "Palpatine runs a dictaorship--"
"It's only until this war is over."
"When this war is over, none of us will be left. There's nothing to fight for. Palpatine is taking control of everything."
"Master Kenobi and Padawan Skywalker are on their way to Corusaunt right now to report to the Chancellor. Ferus, I know they have the same concerns."
They didn't speak another word to each other for the rest of the night. Siri assumed that he was too angry with her -- too angry for making him think that there was still hope of everyone returning home, for life going back to normal. She waited until her Padawan fell asleep. Rising, she went outside. She stayed in the frosty air, weeping and screaming for everything that was spinning out of control.
She didn't know that at the same time, Obi-Wan and Anakin were celebrating. Over time, Palpatine had developed a bond with Anakin, and over the past few months, it had began to make Anakin nervous. While in the Chancellor's office, Palpatine had revealed himself as Darth Sidious to the young Padawan. He unleashed his plan -- his plan of destroying the Jedi, of having absolute power over every star system.
It came to be true that one of the most important things Obi-Wan had taught Anakin was mind shielding. As Palpatine told this horrible tale, Anakin turned his mind into a brick wall. Absorbing everything Palpatine had said without giving into the bile rising in his throat, Anakin nodded, as his mind remained a sealed trap. Within a miniscule fraction of a second, he called to Obi-Wan through their bond -- nothing more than an undetectable wave of pure panic of what the Chancellor planned to do. Obi-Wan immediately ran into the Chancellor's Office. Palpatine rose, confused for only a moment, until being run through with the searing blue blade of Obi-Wan's lightsaber.
News travelled quickly. From aides and suspicious files in the Chancellor's office, the Republic was able to confirm that Palpatine had been planning to undemocratically control the Senate and surrounding systems with cruel and unusual force. As it turned out that the Confederacy had been nothing more than a plot for Palpatine to gain sympathy, the Clone Wars had trickled to an end. The Jedi had now discovered the Sith.
The Council was soon to also find, however, that the hero of the Jedi Order was secretly married to Senator Amidala. The fear of expulsion had never been so strong in Anakin Skywalker during his hidden union before. After a meeting between Obi-Wan, Anakin, and the Council that lasted seven standard hours, changes were made to the entire Order. One of the policies, forbidding attatchment, was abolished.
As soon as the Jedi returned from the battlefields, Obi-Wan and Siri spent as much time together as possible. Their friendship was becoming deeper; perhaps it was living the horrors of war for almost three years that made them appreciate the air, the way colors blended together, and their friends more. They knew that there was a growing attraction between them, something more than the love and admiration of a childhood friend that had been steadily growing for years. Now, they were free to act upon it. After an unspoken courtship that had lasted for more than twenty-five years, Siri and Obi-Wan were finally married.
That had been ten months ago. Those ten months had been the bright spot of Siri's universe.
She settled down on the couch in the main living room of her shared quarters. Balancing a large plate of bantha steak on her lap, she turned on the holonet to some mindless program.
"BANTHA steak!" Anakin sneered. In only her first two months of pregnancy, Siri was already having "strange" cravings that the other Jedi considered to be "odd" for her. "Bantha has got to be the greasiest, fattiest meat in the galaxy, and you, the Temple's resident health freak, are eating it by the kilo." Anakin waved his finger accusingly, making a tut-tut noise, as though Siri was one of the Younglings.
"Oh, right. Go ahead, Skywalker, make fun of my hormones as if Padme never had any weird cravings."
"Just because my angel had estrogen coming out of her ears with the twins doesn't mean it's not absolutely hilarious!"
Siri just shook her head disapprovingly.
It was Anakin's birhday party. What was intended to be a small dinner in Obi-Wan and Siri's quarters with Anakin, Padme, Obi-Wan, Siri, and a few close friends had turned into a party for what seemed like the entire Temple.
Siri put her food back down on the counter. A buzz of various Jedis' conversations filled the air. Manueveing through the laughing crowd gathered in their small apartment, Siri found her way toward Garen.
"Have you seen Obi-Wan? It's time to bring out Anakin's... surprise," her expression was emotionless as possible.
"Siri, we're Jedi. We do not take such pleasure from the misfortunes of others," Garen made his voice very grave, surpassing a grin.
"Yes, you are right, Master Garen. We are so foolish."
"He's in your room."
"Thanks."
As Siri walked into the hallway containing their sleeping room and fresher, she heard the wailing of two upset 3-month-olds. Trying to avoid Anakin and Padme from incessantly worrying about their twins while away, Obi-Wan had thought it'd be a good idea to bring them to their quarters during dinner. Of course, this had been before the entire Jedi Order had localized into Obi-Wan and Siri's quarters. Luke and Leia Skywalker didn't appreciate the noise of dozens of intoxicated Jedi singing old Corellian drinking songs.
Siri pushed the door open, peeking in. Padme and Obi-Wan each had a shrieking twin over a shoulder. Padme didn't look very happy at the moment.
"WHERE IS ANAKIN!" Padme was exasperated.
Siri backed away, surprised. "He's... out in the living room. Want me to go get--"
"No, Siri, thank you. I will go find him myself." Padme handed Leia to Siri and left in a huff.
Siri stared at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan stared at Siri.
"Maybe they'll start to tire themselves out!" Obi-Wan shouted over the wailing.
"They're Skywalkers, I certainly doubt that," Siri sneered. She tried to gently rock Leia, to no avail.
Obi-Wan had a different approach. Cradling Luke and rocking on the balls of his feet, he started to sing an old Jedi lullabye. Immediately, the twins stopped crying. Their respective pairs of blue and brown eyes grew as big as saucers. Siri held their breath.
Luke and Leia were making a different sound now -- their tiny voices began to laugh. It was not a soft laugh -- it sounded as though...
Obi-Wan glanced at Siri. "You don't think..."
"I think they find your singing voice funny, dear," Siri held back an uncharacteristic giggle.
Obi-Wan didn't know whether or not to feel satisfied for taming the wild Skywalker twins, or to feel insulted. The twins started to gurgle, now content with their surroundings. Obi-Wan and Siri both sat down on their bed. Leia's small face gazed up at Siri. Siri smiled down at the small baby. It was amazing -- such potential in such small beings. Siri couldn't help but laugh when she looked at Obi-Wan and Luke. Her husband was twisting his face into un-Jedi-like positions, causing Luke to grin and pull on his honorary grandfather/uncle's nose in fascination.
"You're a dork," Siri sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. She suddenly jumped. "Ohh, sith!"
"What's wrong?" Obi-Wan asked, eyebrows shooting up in concern.
"I forgot why I came in here! We need to get Anakin's... present."
Obi-Wan grinned.
"This will be rather fun."
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Obi-Wan and Siri laid Luke and Leia in their travel-cribs. They had relaxed and were now sleeping peacefully. The couple walked out into their living room to a shocking sight.
Anakin and Padme Skywalker had fallen asleep on the largest couch in the room. A constant rumbling of laughter emitted from the other party-goers, but they still didn't wake up. The Skywalkers, having a rare rest from their children, had a purple, sticky goo smeered over their faces. Padme's best friend Sabe stood over them with an oozing muja fruit.
Obi-Wan shook his head.
"Poor Padme. And Anakin never gets a break, either."
"And you're the one who usually makes sure he doesn't," Siri wrapped her arms around her husband's neck from behind, kissing his bearded cheek.
"Yes, I suppose you're correct. I think we should wake them up to give Anakin his surprise."
"That's right, dear."
Shaking Anakin's shoulder, Obi-Wan got him to awaken.
"Two more minutes... "
"Up, Padawan!"
Anakin opened his eyes. Being jostled awake from her husband's sudden movement, Padme woke up also.
"What's this crap all over my face!" Anakin was obviously confused.
"You two just sit there. We have something to show you, and all of your friends."
Dazed and sticky, Anakin and Padme started at the holo as Siri put a holovid in. A screeching yet familiar voice blasted through th speakers. Everyone in the room roared with laughter.
"YEEAHHHHHHHH, IT'S TIME TO GET BUSSSSY WITH SKYWALKERRR THE BABE ROCKERRRRR!"
A 12 year old Anakin Skywalker pranced in front of a bathroom mirror in nothing but his underwear, dancing as though every hormone-ridden muscle was having a seizure.
"Where... did you... ?"
"YOU recorded it, Anakin." Obi-Wan laughed, rolling his eyes. "Remember? You were jealous of the new Naboo governor who was flirting with Padme too much for your liking. You wanted her to see how grown up you were."
Silence. Anakin's face was hard as stone. Padme was having trouble catching her breath as she doubled over in laughter.
"One day, Master... one day, I'm going to get you back."
Obi-Wan grinned. "Happy birthday, Padawan."
Siri smiled, as Obi-Wan's signal on her commlink brought her out of her memory.