"Candle's Flicker" (Chapter Nine)
By Ennon
A/N- doreenthatshot- Totally shocked in a good way, eh? Well, hopefully more surprises ahead for you!
Miss Naye- Glad you think the story's awesome but sorry that the last chapter made you cry. Yeah, it's sad that Ani has the power that Palpatine craved and his evident eternal youth has caused him heartache by him outliving his original family. We'll have to see if Anakin remarries and, if so,to whom.
Raijan- Two usages of a diety's name as an expletive in a row by reviewers! This shock SURE has evoked strong emotions. LOL! Well, I hope you at least were able to take some comfort in the Padmé getting the ending of being with her adoring husband fifty years and loved by her family as its matriarch. I guess that's sorta storybook. We'll have to see how Ani's time ends. Any thoughts on both Luke and Padmé both reaching ancient ages and spending their last mortal moments trying to console the perpetually youthful Anakin? It wasn't easy to put in 100 years of exposition in a single deathbed scene.
NEW CHAPTER
"Saplings Grow Into the Tallest,Sturdiest Trees Then Die and Topple to the Ground For Beetle Larvae Food and Compost,
Generations of Our Cubs Grow Into Mighty Warriors, Get Grey Coats Then Become Memories
But Our Padmé's Widower Has Yet to Get A Line or Grey Hair- For His Youth Is Eternal While He Guards Our Destiny"-Wookiee Proverb
"Oh, My Son and True Master, I greet you this morning as I pray for your guidance to keep me where I should be on the Light Side during this day- and, if you believe today's the day to give me personal instructions, I'll be more than happy and honored to listen,"Anakin( still appearing to be only in his early 20's despite his incredible chronological age) prayed on his knees in front of the Chess Table of the Millenium Falcon and was ready to stand back up and change out of his sleeping shorts and into his work clothes when.
"Father, the time when you will have to prove yourself to possibly save the Galaxy is fast approaching. Seek not what is the most obvious target," the Force Ghost of Luke Skywalker implored(who appeared a century younger than the mortal age he'd reached).
"Oh, it's been so long since you last visited. Can you tell your mother how much I miss. ..? "Anakin started to beg.
"Now's not the time for sentiment, Father, but for action. Sentiment may prove useful at a later time, though," Luke's Force Ghost insisted as he suddenly faded away.
"Luke, why was your time with me so fleeting as it was in my life ?" Anakin sighed as he started to stand up again and get dressed.
Anakin saw via the Force a small hyperdrive-equipped cruiser skirting Kashyyyk's upper atmosphere and seeking a clearing to land in the late afternoon.
"Hmm, I sense Outworlders have landed and their ship's somewhat disabled. I'm sorry, Artoo, but we can't explain you any other way until we can see if they're trustworthy," Anakin groaned as he brushed his thick blond bangs out of his eyes while putting a large laundry hamper over Artoo.
A large Wookie with a grey fringes in his thick coat growled a bit while clutching a lightsabre on his utility belt.
"It's two men and a woman from Bespin via Coruscant and they come alone, Ruwee," Anakin explained.
Ruwee barked apprehensively a bit.
"She seems to be a good person, one man is a stuck-up moron while the other seems quite secretive about something and is a . .He's shutting me out. Keep the lightsabre handy but hidden, my New Jedi and Wookiee brother!" Anakin explained while Ruwee walked to the front of the workshop and started tooling with a broken holovid monitor on the counter and Anakin (in soiled coveralls) put his neck-length hair back under his mechanic's cap and slid under the speeder he was repairing-being careful not to let his own lightsabre be visible from under the coveralls he wore to protect the sleeveless New Jedi uniform.
It was a small workshop not dissimilar to the one Anakin had been first discovered inside on Tatooine when he was Watto's slave when he was a mere boy those centuries before- with droids and starcruiser parts in various states of disrepair that Anakin was working on- and carefully hidden behind it in a large cave with a collapsible garage was Anakin and Artoo's home, the Millenium Falcon.
Ruwee groaned a bit.
"Yes, I was hoping they'd turn around and just take off but it seems they're destined to come here-even though they don't think this is what they're seeking,"Anakin sighed as he got back under the speeder.
"At last, an actual building on the ground on this backwards planet! Several of these beasts pointed this way when we asked where we could find a mechanic,"the 30-something black haired man of slightly taller than average height and a bit of extra weight sniffed in the finest New Republic Coruscant vestments about an hour later.
Ruwee growled a bit and pointed to himself then to the holovid he was repairing.
"Do you think I'm going to let an animal touch my ship?" the man sniffed.
Ruwee grunted in protest.
"Jorkal, I think we may need to be slightly more diplomatic here- at least until our ship's repaired," the red-haired woman in her early 20's in sky blue coveralls and boots protested.
"Miruba, did I ask or need your opinion? Your father betrothed you to me and I won't stand for insolence," Jorkal sneered while Miruba sullenly lowered her eyes.
"Excuse me, but I couldn't help overhearing. If you need a mechanic, my employer Ruwee is among the best in the Sector!" Anakin shouted while staying under the landspeeder.
"Why don't you come out here, young man?" Jorkal shouted.
"Because Clordret needs his speeder repaired in time for his cousin's wedding tomorrow," Anakin sighed.
"Please, sir. It won't take very long for you to translate for us,"Miruba Panashi pleaded.
"Ruwee and the other Wookies understand Coruscantic perfectly well but they can only respond in Shyriiwook,"Anakin explained.
"Ruwee? Isn't that a Nabootanean name?" Miruba asked.
"Ruwee's clan have had a lengthy association with Naboo. His ten-times great-grandfather Chewbacca. ..," Anakin started to explain.
"Why are you boring us with this trivia when you can be repairing our ship. Have you no respect for my station or your elders? Don't you know who I am or what I'm capable of?" Jorkal boiled.
Anakin thought for a minute that he could ask Jorkal the very same questions but he could almost hear Luke's voice inside his head pleading with him to hold back.
"You don't know how often I've heard that," Anakin said with half a laugh.
"It can't have been often. Who'd visit such a primitive planet?" Jorkal sniffed.
"Why are you here?" Anakin asked.
"It's NONE OF YOUR. ..!" Jorkal boiled.
"My betrothed seeks an audience with the Wookiee Elder Tvashkiii,"Miruba started to explain.
"Oh, he doesn't see just anyone for no reason," Anakin pondered while Ruwee emphatically barked in agreement.
"I'm not just anyone. I'm New Republic Senator Jorkal Dervuek of Bespin,"Jorkal fumed.
"Titles make little impression on our Elders here. His wife Pruako could intercede on. ." Anakin started to explain.
"Very well. Summon her here and then translate my need to . . ." Jorkal snapped.
"That would never do! First off, an Outworlder male approaching a Wookie Eldress without her consent could be a brutal and short end for the Outworlder," Anakin pleaded.
"But you're obviously not from here," Jorkal sniffed while pointing to Anakin.
"No, but I've undergone the Rites of Kinship and I've participated in Naming Days! " Anakin explained- somewhat losing patience.
"You're saying they've adopted you?" Jorkal sneered.
"Yes, they have. Ruwee's clan is my family just as . ..it should be" Anakin replied catching himself before he revealed that ages ago Chewbacca and Padmé's families had joined together by Kinship Bond- so impressed had Chewbacca and the rest of the Wookiees been by Padmé's kindness and intelligence as well as her helping fight for their rights before and during the Imperial Gap (as Palpatine's reign had become known to New Republic chroniclers). Thus, as Padmé's widower, he maintained dower rights to that Kindship Bond.
"What's your name?" Miruba asked.
"I'm called Twinfa Padwid!"Anakin proclaimed- not adding that Wookiees used three names, one for Outworlders (which is what he was using at this time), one for other Wookies( which was his original one), and one for those on a spiritually intimate level (in his case, Ani).
"Twinfa, you said that the Wookiee Eldress Pruako wouldn't allow an Outworlder male to approach her without her consent. How about an Outworlder female?" Miruba asked.
"That's entirely preposterous and you don't even know a word of Wookie," Jorkal sneered.
"Neither do you but I've learned the language since my arrival and could translate for her," Anakin explained.
"You're expecting her to go alone with you?" Jorkal sneered.
"She has to be the one to approach Eldress Pruako and Pruako would be offended if her first meeting with Miruba was tainted by an Outworlder male's presence," Anakin explained.
"Offended? What about your own presence?" Jorkal sniffed.
"As you so diplomatically pointed out, Miruba doesn't know any Wookie so she needs me to interpret for her. We'll be return soon enough to find out if your request for an Audience is granted," Anakin explained.
"And why wouldn't it be?" Jorkal sneered.
"Perhaps, they might be offended as to how you didn't give their subjects the proper respect when you first arrived," Anakin insisted.
Jorkal started making faces.
"Betrothed, we've come a very long way to seek answers to urgent problems. Please, let me and Twinfa try to work on something for you," Miruba pleaded.
"Very well. I'll wait here!" Jorkal fumed.
Ruwee growled hostily.
"Oh, it wouldn't do for you to stay alone unchaperoned here in the Sacred Forest before you've gotten approval from the Elder and Eldress. Ruwee will escort you back to your ship and he even will be happy to repair it for free while you wait!" Anakin proclaimed.
Ruwee barked affirmatively.
"But Twinfa I. . "Jorkal gulped.
"No need to thank him. He's doing his duty to protect an Outworlder and to prevent any further misunderstandings before Miruba's and my return,"Anakin half-laughed before he changed from his soiled coveralls to his New Jedi uniform .
"So, Twinfa, how did you arrive here? I heard a story of someone who got shipwrecked here but that was ages ago,"Miruba asked as they made their way to the
"You're referring to Han Solo who went onto become a New Republic General as well as the New Alderaan Matriarch's husband," Anakin recalled.
"Oh, yes! I'd forgotten who gave the Solo to the Organa-Solo Dynasty. How many centuries have they been held the ceremonial posts there?" Miruba asked.
"Quite a few, I understand. Princess Leia refused the title of Queen for herself and insisted she and her descendents always call themselves Reigning Princes and Princesses of New Alderaan to honor her adoptive family the Senator and Queen of Alderaan who perished in the First Death Star Explosion," Anakin sighed.
"Such a brave soul she must have been! How often I've heard the story and wish I could have stepped behind her to console her right after the Imperials destroyed her homeworld," Miruba sighed.
" I know what you mean," Anakin gulped- as he accidently stumbled and dropped his lightsabre on the ground.
"You're a New Jedi aren't you, Twinfa?" Miruba gasped.
"What makes you think that?" Anakin gulped.
"Because only New Jedi carry those," Miruba proclaimed.
"I could have stolen it from the corpse of one," Anakin pondered.
"Jedi can't be killed!" Miruba gasped.
"Not easily," Anakin groaned as he clutched the japor snippet around his neck.
"I doubt you could have done so. You're not capable of that. You have much too kind a face!" Miruba beamed.
"Faces don't always match the deeds," Anakin sighed.
"How much further to Tvashkii and Pruako's lair?" Miruba asked.
"Not much farther! We just have to find the right vine," Anakin pondered.
"Vine?" Miruba asked.
"You wouldn't want to have to jump from branch to branch. My legs are virtual springs from practice but I'm not sure about yours," Anakin laughed.
"You want me to climb on your back?" Miruba asked.
"It's strong enough and I'm tall enough," Anakin shrugged.
"Oh, if Jorkal ever imagined. .." Miruba gasped.
"Now, why would either of us tell him- and the Wookiees are excellent at keeping secrets," Anakin laughed while raising an eyebrow.
"But I don't know how proper. .." Miruba gulped.
"Compared it being minutes away by vines instead of hours by foot, I think decorum won't suffer. Besides, were I to try anything on you, my Wookiee breathren would tear me apart!" Anakin laughed.
So, with a gulp Miruba climbed onto Anakin's back and wrapped her legs around his thighs before he leaped ten feet off the ground(the top five via the Force) to the nearest vine and started swinging. He couldn't help but think of when Padmé was on his back his very first time on Kashyyyk and they'd swung on vines when they'd visited Chewbacca's family some ten years after their reunification.
After about fifteen minutes, they arrived at Pruako's treetop school where the Eldress taught about twenty Wookiee local cubs useful early skills.
While to Miruba (and any other Coruscantic speaker) what Anakin and Pruako spoke sounded nothing more than Wookiee barks, growls, groans and cries, he did introduce Miruba to the grey-maned Eldress who wore a large pleated apron (instead of a plain one for Wookiee females of lesser status).
While the cubs seated crosslegged on the wooden floor roared their approval at seeing Anakin (and getting their lesson disrupted), Pruako wasn't so happy when she put down her pointer and walked to the back of the classroom.
"Ageless One, are you sure this Outworlder won't do us harm?" Pruako asked (in Wookiee) .
Anakin slightly nodded his head.
"Venerated, I believe her heart is in the right place but I'm not certain about her betrothed's, the Bespin Senator- or their as-yet unseen shipboard companion's," Anakin conceded (in Wookiee).
"So why have you brought her to me?" Pruako asked (in Wookiee).
"The Outworlders need to at least know we gave them a fair chance before we end our hospitality in allowing their ship to stay here," Anakin replied (in Wookiee).
"I suppose you're right but I want no harm to come to our brethren or to you,Anakin Skywalker" Pruako sighed (in Wookiee).
"Can you tell Pruako that we are merely here to seek knowledge?" Miruba gulped.
At that Pruako made a sharp series of barks.
"Pruako says she excuses you believing her and the other Wookiees to be ignorant of Coruscantic Basic this one time but that it's you who need my interpreting not her," Anakin sighed.
"I'm sorry. .Venerated Lady. We come here to seek knowledge that we have lost over the centuries," Miruba sighed- to which Pruako gruffly growled.
"She asks what kind of knowledge?" Anakin asked.
"My betrothed Jorkal Dervuek of, New Republic Senator of Bespin wants to know if you have knowledge of the Chosen One, the Dark Lord, Galaxy Liberator, New Jedi Strong Arm and Ageless One?" Miruba asked.
Pruako barked in a bit of alarm.
"Eldress Pruako asks why Jorkal thinks the Kashyyyk Wookiees have knowledge of any of the individuals you seek," gulped Anakin with a straight face as possible.
"I know that it sounds a bit preposterous but these are supposed to all be the SAME MAN who was the Old Jedi's strongest shining light before he was recruited by the Sith then for almost a quarter-century he worked hard to drive light FROM the Galaxy. .." Miruba gulped.
"Until his son the New Jedi Founder Luke Skywalker freed him of his walking prison and showed him the way back. Then, together, they freed the rest of the Galaxy from the ex-Imperials. . ," Anakin gulped.
"You've heard . .?" Miruba started to say while turning to Anakin.
"Ageless One, now's not the time for sentimentality. No point in having this Outworlder prematurely guess before her party's motives prove trustworthy," Pruako warned in Wookiee (which sounded like barks and growls).
"Eldress Pruako has and insists that you continue addressing her alone until your audience is finished," Anakin gulped.
"Sorry. Anyway, the legends say the New Jedi Anakin Skywalker did a great deal to bring light and freedom to the Galaxy for . ..centuries after his son's death. He was victorious against the New Sith Apprentice Darth Kinder some three hundred years ago on Genosis but that was his last confirmed sighting," Miruba sighed.
Pruako barked in curiosity.
"Are you sure about that, the Eldress asks?" Anakin gulped.
"Some say he made appearances at his wife's mausoleum in Naboo a century later. Others say he visited the Central New Jedi Temple on Yavin on landmark anniversaries of his son's Triumph over the First Death Star. Yet others say he visited his descendents, the Organa-Solos of New Alderaan, and some branches of Skywalkers in Tatooine and throughout the Galaxy but none of these leads went anywhere," Miruba groaned.
Pruako growled in consternation.
"And what makes you think we might have any knowledge of him," Anakin translated.
"Because we heard he was supposed to have had a link to the Wookiees and may have left knowledge of where he might have ventured," Miruba groaned.
Pruako scoffed and growled.
" From what you're saying, this Anakin Skywalker would have to be at least seven-hundred fifty years old- more than twice as old as even the longest-lived Wookiee!" Anakin translated.
"It does strain all logic, I agree. Ma'am," Miruba gulped.
Pruako growled some more.
"Besides, even if someone reached that age, I doubt they'd in any shape to be more than a museum piece," Anakin translated though he couldn't help but to momentarily roll his eyes at the Wookiee Eldress.
"But the New Republic needs his guidance because the Galaxy is under a new threat," Miruba pleaded.
Pruako barked a bit.
"If the Galaxy were under a new threat wouldn't the New Jedi be able to take care of it- or have contacted him. Um, that is. ..if he were still alive?" Anakin gulped
" That's not what I said," Pruako barked in Wookiee.
" I know. Sorry," Anakin quickly barked back in Wookiee.
"What did she say?" Miruba asked.
"Eldress Pruako says she will persuade her husband the Elder Tvashkiii to meet with your betrothed but she needs to know what kind of threat the galaxy is believed to be under," Anakin translated.
"I wish I knew. All I know is that it's believed only someone who's been steeped in both Jedi and Sith teachings can possibly defeat it," Miruba sighed.
"But this Anakin Skywalker taught what he knew to the New Jedi so they could outflank the Sith were they to ever re-appear- so Eldress Pruako has been told," Anakin gulped while Pruako gave him a sharp growl that cannot be translated.
"Well, he wasn't called the Chosen One for nothing!" Miruba beamed.
Pruako growled a bit- and walked to the front of the classroom then pushed a hidden button that made a holovid screen pop out from the top of the wooden desk. One of the many reasons Anakin was embraced by the Wookiees was his ability to construct the most modern technology within traditional Wookiee furnishings. After a few seconds of touching the right buttons, she was able to communicate to Tvashkiii the request.
"He agrees to meet you and Jorkal one hour before sunset in the clearing immediately adjacent to Ruwee's Workshop. He warns there must be no weapons brought there by Outworlders," Anakin translated.
"Oh thank you so much! May I borrow this to tell Jorkal the news?" Miruba asked.
"Twinfa, you've never told me why you're here or where you came from but I detect a hint of Tatooine in your accent," Miruba asked as Anakin landed the two of them on the ground after jumping from the closest tree vines to the clearing near the Bespin space cruiser.
"Let's just say my Wookiee brethren have proven to be more understanding than the family I have left has proven," Anakin groaned.
"So you ran away from home as a teen? Don't you miss your original family?" Miruba gulped.
"More than you can possibly imagine," Anakin sighed as he clutched the japor snippet around his neck that had become virtually black from wear despite Anakin's cleaning and repolishing over the centuries with the string hole and the japor's back having to have been reinforced by steel bracing.
"Then why stay here? We could give you a ride back!" Miruba beamed.
"It's not that simple. My . . extended family regard me as a curiosity and an anomaly. I almost think they'd prefer to think I was dead,"Anakin groaned.
"How sad! I have an idea, Twinfa! If you joined our search for this Chosen One and we find him, maybe that family you have left will embrace you," Miruba exclaimed.
" I don't need them. Everything I need is provided here," Anakin exclaimed.
"Everything? " Miruba gulped as she kissed Anakin on the lips.
Anakin kissed her back quite intently and hugged her to him but then.
"NO! It's wrong! You're betrothed and I . .have nothing to offer," Anakin gulped.
" If you can be brave and run away from uncaring relatives as a teen, why shouldn't I. . .? " Miruba pleaded.
"Run away if you like but I . . can't have you," Anakin groaned.
" A few minutes ago when I was clinging to your physique on the vines, it sure seemed you COULD,Twinfa!" Miruba sputtered.
"Regardless of whatever I may feel, it's wrong to let you just throw away your. . ," Anakin groaned.
"You've been kinder to me and looked out for me more in these few hours than anyone else has in entire life- including my OWN family. And, you're quite strong and handsome at that. Why shouldn't I feel attracted?" Miruba asked.
"Because I STILL love my wife and every day I pray to be reunited with her," Anakin groaned.
"Wife?" Miruba gulped.
"Yes, the most kind and beautiful being in the galaxy whose presence made all but the heartless cry for her," Anakin started to cry.
"I'm sorry. I guess it's still too soon," Miruba sighed.
"Better too soon than too late," Anakin groaned.
"I envy her. Your devotion to her memory sounds almost as strong as the Chosen One's was said to have been to his wife's," Miruba sighed.
"Maybe one day you'll have someone who loves you that much. You could break the betrothal to Jorkal," Anakin gulped.
"My parents would disown me and the dowry's been paid," Miruba gulped.
"Dowry? The New Republic abolished those ages ago- as well as forced marriages," Anakin pleaded.
"Sure, in theory, but what chance do I have in this Galaxy without my family's support?" Miruba groaned.
"You did a far better job pleading with Pruako than Jorkal could have done,"Anakin insisted.
"Really?" Miruba beamed.
"Yes- and I think that might help him and the others appreciate you for who you really are," Anakin insisted.
"Thanks, Twinfa!" Miruba exclaimed as she kissed him- on the cheek while they made their way to the Bespin ship's clearing.
"Your welcome but I think I'd better walk slightly behind you so Jorkal will know I was your bodyguard and nothing more," Anakin gulped and stiffened while looking straight into her eyes.
"You seem to have seen far more than. .." Miruba exclaimed with a gulp.
"Miruba, it's getting close to time for us to meet these. .. creatures. You need to freshen up," Jorkal sneered.
"Aren't you going to thank Twinfa for getting me to and from them in one piece," Miruba asked.
"He's just doing his job and his employer seems to have fixed our engine so we can clear out as soon as we find out," Jorkal sniffed then slammed the shuttle ship door behind them.
Ruwee walked out and started to talk with Anakin.
"No surprise Jorkal was a total snot to you. I'm sorry you had to go through that," Anakin groaned.
Ruwee barked a bit.
"They wouldn't let you inside the actual fuselage itself? Even with their windows curtained, I can tell there's a 3rd creature with them but I can't tell what he is or why he's here. Still, I sense something I haven't felt since. .. ." Anakin pondered- and then suddenly felt that the japor pendant was missing.
"Oh, not AGAIN!" Anakin boiled.
Ruwee groaned.
"Yes, I should be more careful of it when swinging through trees. Can't say I don't have time to look for it," Anakin groaned.
Ruwee barked.
"You're right. The Force told me she's NOT a descendant but I couldn't go through with . .." Anakin groaned.
Ruwee pleaded in some growls.
" Yes, I'm sure I could go through the Kinship Rites again in my OWN name after all this time were I to remarry but I couldn't put her through all being married to me would entail for her and any progeny," Anakin groaned.
Ruwee barked a bit.
"We need to be getting cleaned up,too. For the Elder and Eldress don't brook sloppiness during Audiences and we'll need to translate. We'll need to be careful and look out for Artoo for sometime. I can tell," Anakin groaned.