'Force At Bay' (Chapter Ten)
By Ennon
A/N- Thanks for ALL the reviews since last time. Here goes my replies:
Miss Naye (#9)- Glad you like Anakin's most recent tag. Interesting insight you have about Miruba and we'll have to see what kind of piece she makes in the puzzle.
Swspacecadet (#1)- Glad you considered this a GREAT start (kudos are good) and I hope the rest proves good to you,too!
Swpacecadet (#9?)- I hope the newest chapter is worth looking forward to for you and you're right about the he/she groaned! I'll try to be more careful from now on. Sorry!
Swspacecadet (#8)- One of your faves, eh? Well, I'm glad you like the (in your words) very unusual twist. I'll give you more ASAP!
Serenity (#1)- Grateful you consider this a 'nice fic'. Best I can do with your search for other A/L fics (of the non- father/son variety?) is to just type those two in the ole Search engine under Characters.
Storyteller Person- Yeah, immortality would be quite sad if one outlives those they love. I hope the impending expression (and reasons WHY they want to find him) work for you and I hope this wasn't too long a wait for you!
CHAPTER BEGINS:
"Hands and feet spic and span again! Hmm, I just have one thing left to do before we join Tvashiii and Pruako to Jorkal and Miruba," Anakin proclaimed as he finished toweling off his extremities.
Ruwee grunted a bit.
" I know it may be a bit late but. ." Anakin sighed as he took a deep breath and went into a trance.
"Ageless One, do you have any idea what time is it here?" the voice of Jedi Master Grogan Wrurnik (a Sand Person man in his late 70's) proclaimed inside Anakin's head.
"Sorry, Master Grogan. With dozens of time zones per planet and millions of planets, it's sometimes hard to keep track," Anakin sighed via the Force.
"It's three in the morning here in the New Jedi Temple Complex in Yavin. How would you like it if I woke you out of a sound sleep with a Force Link," Grogan fumed aloud (and via the Force) to Anakin from Yavin Four.
"Well, you don't have the quarter million midichlorinian count like I do now so you couldn't," Anakin shrugged via the Force.
"That's not the point! " Grogan's voice snapped via the Force.
"You're right. I'm sorry for waking you but this may be somewhat important and I need your info," Anakin sighed.
"Okay, as long as I'm awake, I'll do my best," Grogan's voice sighed via the Force.
" Did a Bespin Senator named Jorkal poke around the Temple recently asking about me?" Anakin asked.
"Oh, yeah. He was one of the most arrogant pests we've had in decades. I didn't mind giving out the usual vague 'maybes' to him. Don't tell me he showed up on Kashyyyk?" Grogan's voice sighed.
"Yeps, and he's meeting with the Wookiee Elders seeking their help in trying to find me," Anakin groaned.
"Are they planning on sending him on a wild vecto chase?" Grogan asked via the Force.
"That's the idea and I'll lead the way so my Wookiee brethren can stay in peace but he and his betrothed Miruba claim that there's a new Galactic threat," Anakin gulped via the Force.
"That old line. The New Republic has had stability, democracy and prosperity for over 700 years thanks our efforts. Why should we chase after every. ..? " Grogan asked via the Force.
"Master Grogan. Remember what Our Founder said about how the Old Republic's downfall was in its complacency. I've seen the New Jedi rebuilt from the ashes with only My True Master to its current strength and numbers and I don't want anything to risk any setbacks for our Galaxy or Order," Anakin pleaded via the Force.
"What makes you think. . .?" Grogan sputtered via the Force.
"Our Founder, My True Master, Savior and Son Luke came to me early this morning and warned that my time to attempt to save the Galaxy is nearing," Anakin groaned.
"Are you sure? I know you've been yearning. .." Grogan gulped via the Force.
"Master Grogan, I'd like to remind you that in the 715 years since our first disastrous encounter on Bespin, both in this realm and as Jedi Ghost, Luke has never told me anything he didn't believe to be true- not even once!" Anakin strongly affirmed aloud and via the Force.
"Did he go into any detail?" Grogan gasped via the Force.
"He told me not to consider the foe to be the most obvious one and not to be sentimental," Anakin recalled.
"And nothing else?" Grogan sighed via the Force.
"My son evidently trusts that he told me what was necessary for the Galaxy's survival. I can't help but think that Senator Jorkal has something to do. .." Anakin sighed.
Ruwee pleaded via growling.
"Do I hear Ruwee reminding you that the Audience with the Wookiee Elders and Jorkal is nearing?" Grogan laughed via the Force.
"I'm afraid so but I beg you to heed Our Founders words," Anakin pleaded via the Force.
"We'll consult the 'New Jedi Tomes' Holitexts' for the right verses he left behind. If you see him again, could you thank him for me? Our peoples on Tatooine would still be bitter foes if it weren't for. ." Grogan sighed via the Force.
"So much darkness would hang over ALL our lives but for him," Anakin conceded via the Force as they saluted each other and the Force link was ended.
A few hours later. . .
"No, Artoo, you'd better be staying here with Ruwee. I'll be riding with Jorkal and Miruba in their own craft first thing in the morning," Anakin sighed that night as he and Artoo were helping Ruwee going over the hololedger one last time before in Ruwee's Workshop.
Ruwee growled a bit.
"I know you want to go with me,too, but the Elders ruled you're needed here. Besides, you don't want to miss your great-grandson's Naming Day next week," Anakin sighed as he scratched Ruwee's right ear.
Ruwee pleaded while giving Anakin a body-lifting Wookiee hug.
"Of course, I'll be there if I can divert those Jorkal soon enough. I want to give your great-grandson something I arranged with the current Tatooine Governor- a Lifetime Key to Banai City," Anakin declared- as he bodily lifted Ruwee, hugged him then took out the holovid key from the counter drawer he intended for the Wookiee cub.
Ruwee barked a bit.
"I sure CAN remember when it was called Mos Eisley but your great-grandson's namesake did so MUCH to help Tatooine in his four decades as Senator and his son rebuilt the place so that it's the shining jewel and oasis of Outer Rim cities!" Anakin recalled.
Ruwee groaned somewhat.
"Haven't I told you that story about YOUR namesake- my father-in-law enough? That's one reason I prefer Wookiees to most humans. You never underestimate the power of history!" Anakin laughed.
Ruwee howled triumphantly.
"Okay, on your own Naming Day, you were set to be called something else but then you bolted out of your mother's arms and dashed to the nearby stream where you shocked everyone by catching a fish with your hands so I insisted you had to be named for the family fisherman!"Anakin laughed.
Artoo beeped a bit.
"Artoo, you remember how Our Padmé's father Ruwee Naberrie was a fisherman and he'd come down from the mountain village to sell his wares in the Theed marketplace. My Angel was able to work out a system that ended the fistfighting over the market stalls when she was only seven. Her peacemaking proved the path to queenhood and the Senate!" Anakin recalled.
Artoo sputtered a bit.
"Now, why do you think I'd be asking for. ..?" Anakin asked.
Artoo protested and Ruwee growled.
" I know Outworlders are here but it's been twenty years since last I saw. ." Anakin sighed- as Artoo reluctantly put forth a holovid image of Padmé at the age of fourteen wearing a white jumpsuit and the then still-bone white Japor Snippet.
Artoo mournfully beeped.
"I can always feel your love from the nether world and my life's a good one with our Wookiee and Jedi brethren but I still long to embrace you again, My Angel," Anakin sniffed.
" I THOUGHT that necklace looked familiar," Miruba gulped with her face looking in shock as though she was seeing Anakin for the first time as she came inside the door of Ruwee's Workshop holding the now-blackened Japor Snippet aloft in her right hand.
"Miruba what are you DOING here?"Anakin asked in a panic as Artoo immediately cut off Padmé's image.
"That's what I'd like to know about you," Miruba gulped.
" Pay it no mind. Old data. I . .um bought this antique imitation in a Corellian flea market," Anakin sputtered.
"I already tested the oxidation and it proved to have been carved no less than 750 years ago," Miruba sighed.
"Man, I sure outsmarted the Corellians on that deal," Anakin nervously laughed.
"Why didn't I put it together before, Twinfa Padwid. You were the Twins' father and Padmé's widower, Anakin Skywalker," Miruba sighed.
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm twenty-two-years-old! Does I look anywhere near fifty-nine much less seven-hundred-fifty nine that Jorkal claims this Chosen One is supposed to be?" Anakin asked.
"No, but I can tell by your eyes that they've seen far more wondrous and terrible things than even the most ancient sages I've met," Miruba beamed as she looked into them while she placed the Japor Snippet in his hand and clutched it.
"So, I happen to have an old necklace and . .." Anakin gulped.
"And an ancient astromech droid that happens to play images of someone who's been dead for over . .." Miruba breathlessly intoned.
"What makes you think. ..?" Anakin gasped.
"Jorkal and I studied all the extant holovids of the Ageless One's family before our arrival- and while his own image was mysteriously obscured in all of them, the images of his beloved wife was perfectly preserved- and she's wearing your necklace," Miruba excitedly proclaimed as she hugged Anakin.
"So you decided to return my necklace and. .how long have you stood in the doorway?" Anakin asked.
"Long enough to hear that you attended the grey-maned Ruwee's Naming Day and he's named for your father-in-law!" Miruba proclaimed.
"Okay, so I'm closer to 300 than 22," Anakin sighed as he looked her in the eye.
"Anakin Skywalker. .." Miruba started to say.
" I agreed to help Jorkal find this Chosen One AND to do what I could to rid the Galaxy of whatever this new threat is but can you look me in the eye and tell me that you completely believe Jorkal has the Galaxy's best interests rather than his own career at heart?" Anakin implored while putting his right and left thumb on her temples and doing his best to probe her thoughts.
"Forgive this usage of Sith Secret Seeking, My True Master and Savior, but this may be too important to take a chance any other way," Anakin silently intoned to Luke via the Force.
"Well, I want to. .but I'm not sure," Miruba started to cry.
"He doesn't know you're here! Of that, I'm certain," Anakin exclaimed while hugging her.
"I won't tell him who you REALLY are but what if there is a new threat to the Galaxy?" Miruba gulped.
"I know- and I'll go with him to try to find it. Even though I don't trust Jorkal or whoever that 3rd party is . ." Anakin started to say.
"Kha-tsel Sarin is a bit scary-looking but our bodyguard is perfectly loyal to Jorkal and me and would die for us," Miruba exclaimed.
"Why does that name sound familiar?" Anakin asked while scratching his chin.
"You haven't met him so why. ..?" Miruba exclaimed.
"And neither you nor Jorkal have made mention of him. Why hasn't he even left your ship's fuselage?" Anakin asked.
"Because his appearance is somewhat frightening to those who don't know him," Miruba explained.
"I can recall experiencing that myself before . .." Anakin sighed but stopped himself while both Artoo and Ruwee gave sharp warnings.
"Oh, what's the use, Old Friends and Brothers? She won't give me away and I need to see what threat the Galaxy may be under," Anakin groaned.
"Can you tell me about more about Ruwee's namesake Mr. Naberrie?" Miruba pleaded.
"You DID hear quite a bit," Anakin sighed.
"You must have thought a great deal of him to have had one of your KinsWookiees named for him," Miruba laughed.
"Only in retrospect," Anakin shrugged.
"Did he try to run your life or not consider you good enough for. .." Miruba asked.
"No, he was rather unassuming. I think Han would have preferred having HIM for a father-in-law!" .Anakin laughed- as he put his hand at almost chest level to emphasize the man's height.
"What do you mean?" Miruba asked.
"My Angel talked about him a great deal- like how he and her mother Jorbal would always stay in the Servant's Quarters when visiting Theed Palace and how he never put on airs despite being the Queen and Senator's father!" Anakin recalled.
"And how did you get on with him," Miruba asked.
"I only met the family one time before. ..Mustafar. We'd been married a year but Padmé hadn't told them of our marriage so I ventured there as simply her bodyguard," Anakin recalled.
"Go on," Miruba pleaded.
"We only had the week on Naboo before she had to return to the Senate and I to the Jedi Temple in Coruscant and I'd thought we'd have plenty of time for another honeymoon but she insisted on spending as much time possible with them, "Anakin laughed.
"So you resented them?" Miruba asked.
"Young, selfish fool that I was, I didn't consider them to be anything but distractions from . .OUR time and I was stiff and formal to them as per my Jedi training," Anakin sighed.
"Did they get upset?" Miruba queried.
"Not directly. They were far too grateful to have My Angel in their company to want to spoil things. The one time Ruwee Naberrie spoke to me was to ask me if I wanted to go fishing with him alone early the next morning," Anakin laughed.
"I take it you refused," Miruba pondered.
" I used the standard excuse that I couldn't leave Padmé unattended. He shrugged his shoulders then looked me in the eye and said 'Son, if you guard treasures too closely, you may wind up losing a lot more than you hope to keep!'" Anakin groaned.
"Whoa!" Miruba gulped.
" Tell me about it. More than once I've wished I'd listened to him- and taken him up on the fishing," Anakin sighed.
"I'll keep your secret at least until you're sure of Jorkal but after your return, I'd like to come back here and. ." Miruba pleaded.
"I'll escort you back to your ship but I'll remain out of sight so Jorkal doesn't wrongly accuse you of anything," Anakin declared as he started out the door with Miruba sadly following behind.
"There you are! What is it with you and your astronomical obsession with seeing stars in every system we land? " Jorkal sneered and opened the hatch door as Miruba approached the ship (with Anakin just on the other side of the clearing).
"I had to. .return something to Twinfa before we left," Miruba gulped.
"It couldn't be that! I ALREADY took it right after our betrothal ceremony," Jorkal meanly laughed while Anakin could see Miruba want to sink into Kashyyyk's ground at that moment.
"No, he dropped something when he translated for me with Eldress Pruako ," Miruba sputtered.
"You could have easily given it back to him when he joined us in the morning. Why do you always have to cause scenes wherever we go?" Jorkal sneered while grabbing her left wrist.
" I don't. ..!" Miruba gasped.
At that moment, Jorkal backhanded her with his right hand.
"How DARE you backtalk me and embarrass me like that!" Jorkal exploded.
Immediately, Anakin bolted from the meadow's edge and tackled Jorkal to the ground
"Don't you EVER strike her again! Do you HEAR me!" Anakin boiled.
"What do you care? She's not YOUR female," Jorkal sneered.
"In Kashyyyk, we wrestle and spar with our brethren all day long among each other (as do Wookiee dams do with each other) to build our strength but we NEVER strike the elderly, cubs OR those of the opposite gender! Say you're sorry and swear by the Light Side to never do that again or. ." Anakin warned as he pushed Jorkal against the ship's side and righted the two of them upright.
"Or what?" Jorkal sneered.
"Or I won't stop my brethren from tearing you apart which is the punishment here for striking an innocent," Anakin boiled as he picked up Jorkal with his right hand and held his left fist against Jorkal's face.
"You just want her alone with you. That's all!" Jorkal boiled.
"No! I agreed to help you in your search for the Chosen One and find the galaxy's threat and I shall while Miruba can stay with one of Pruako's widowed sisters until she can arrange transport," Anakin boiled.
"Maybe you can physically defeat my employer but wait til you try ME!" a voice from inside snarled.
"I'm not afraid of your threat! Show yourself at once!" Anakin demanded.
"Oh, you WILL be of me, Anakin Skywalker!" the voice snarled.
"Anakin Skywalker? And I thought I was YOUR elder," Jorkal gulped.
"Having the Wookiee Jedi in close proximity threw off my detection when we arrived here but he's not here now!" the guard snarled as he came into view of the moonlight and Anakin could see.
"You're a Zabrak like Darth. …" Anakin gulped.
"Darth Maul- my FATHER!" Kha-tsel Sarin who was the image of the red-skinned and multi-horned Zabrek Sith (who'd been Vader's first predecessor )snarled- as he took out his red lightsabre.
"Impossible! He's been DEAD for 750 years! My Master Obi-Wan killed him after he. .." Anakin boiled-as he unsheathed his blue lightsabre and held it in his right hand.
"After he slew your pathetic Jedi dreamer Qui-Gonn," Kha-tsel taunted
"But you're NOT 750 years old. The Force tells me you're not a day over 25!" Anakin gulped.
"You think the Force can tell you everything? Let go my employer or his pathetic betrothed one gets it!" Kha-tsel sneered.
"Twinfa.. .I" Miruba gulped before she started to be Force-choked.
"She's your betrothed, Jorkal! LET HER GO, DEMON!" Anakin boiled while Jorkal shrugged his shoulders.
"Or what, Pops!" Kha-tsel sneered.
" By the Light Side, I . .why are you calling me Pops?" Anakin gulped- for Han Solo's originally sarcastic tag had become the term of endearment all of Anakin's known descendents would address him for over 700 years.
"Because your daughter Leia's descendent Penelli Zornit BORE me!" Kha-tsel sneered.
Anakin suddenly went cold.
"She couldn't have! She was kidnapped twenty-five years ago and she was only thirteen and. ." Anakin gulped.
"She was old enough to BLEED and proved old enough to breed. And, despite her family's pleading and all your futile efforts, no trace of her could be found because she was constantly being moved around!."Kha-tsel boiled.
"What have you done with her?" Anakin shuddered- for he'd felt her die via the Force but had no idea how or where.
" She DIED bearing me when my HORNS tore her from the inside-out! Search your feelings,Pops. You KNOW this to be true!" Kha-tsel sneered as he touched his horned head.
"NO!" Anakin screamed then charged at Kha-tsel and punching him- causing Kha-tsel to release Miruba from the Force-Choke.
"Amazing what the human womb can carry, isn't it?" Kha-tsel sneered.
"You're NOT My Angel's descendant nor mine-and you have NO human DNA!" Anakin boiled as he touched Kha-tsel's flesh.
"Jorkal, can't you do something?" Miruba asked aghast.
"Why should I? Kha-tsel should be able to take care of things!" Jorkal sneered but then Miruba kneed him in the nether regions.
"You have me there. You think the Light Side is resilient? Well, my father Khameir Sarin didn't spend his entire time in Sidious's Coruscant Training Basement. He ventured forth at night and found a Zabrek female on Corcuscant's streets named Vornyet,"Kha-tsel explained-as he swung his Sith lightsabre towards Anakin.
" So he's NOT your actual father," Anakin scoffed as ran forward and banged it with his Jedi blue lightsabre as sparks flew.
"I can't interfere. We non-Jedi and non-Sith would be turned to embers if we got too close!" Jorkal shrugged.
" After your rotten Old Jedi brethren ganged up on him, my mother Vornyet found herself to be carrying me but she wanted to exterminate all the other Jedi and thus had my embryo frozen until it was safe for her to carry me. She died carrying out Order 66 for Sidious's sake against a female Jedi who was also killed before that happened," Kha-tsel taunted.
"So how .. .? " Anakin asked
"My father's droid C3-PX hid out with my frozen embryo in the deepest recesses of the Galaxy waiting for the time for vengeance. He's the one who heard of your promise to your wife not to hurt any progeny again so he found your precious 25-times great-granddaughter Penelli,kidnapped her and implanted me in her then trained me in all the Sith ways my father had trained HIM," Kha-tsel recalled.
"And no doubt you turned him into scrap metal as soon as you got big enough. Typical Sith backstabbing," Anakin sneered.
"Oh, don't act so superior! You were one of US and always WILL be!" Kha-tsel cruelly laughed.
"NO! It's been over 700 years since. . ." Anakin boiled.
"Since my interfering 27-times Great-Uncle Luke had to butt in and give you pathetic pleas. Come on! You miss the bloodlust and depravity. Don't YOU!" Kha-tsel taunted.
"NO! I did a legion of atrocities that make my skin crawl to this day and I missed out on so much those 23 years in that walking cage! My True Master showed me it's NEVER too late and, for ALL our sakes, I'm giving you this chance to come to the Light Side!" Anakin pleaded while trying to hold his temper at bay.
"And for what did you return? You've done nothing but jaunt around the Galaxy trying to bury your Sith past,"Kha-tsel boiled.
"I'm NOT proud of it but I've never lied about it," Anakin boiled.
"And you watched your loved ones DIE! Even Nana Padmé got all shriveled and old as did Multi-Great-Uncle Luke,"Kha-tsel sneered as he jumped forward and swung his red lightsabre nearly glancing Anakin on the shoulder but Anakin was able to summon the Force to keep the blow from actually making contact less than a millimeter from impact.
"My Angel was the most beautiful being in the Galaxy to her dying breath when she a hundred- her white hair only enhanced that !I LOVE her! And My True Master was . .." Anakin boiled.
"MORTAL- as my lightsabre will prove you to be when I resurrect the Sith Order on your carcass!" Kha-tsel sneered as he swung his red lightsabre barely missing Anakin's right arm.
"Siths think life has no value but I relearned that every being I took the lives of DID have value(even my sworn enemies)! You must have gotten SOMEthing of poor Penelli during the time she had to carry your implanted embryo," Anakin pleaded.
"Jedi Mind Trick! Try to trick THIS!" Kha-tsel taunted as he struck Anakin's left foot and AMPUTATED it from his leg.
Anakin took several deep breaths.
"By the Light Side, keep me calm!" Anakin exclaimed.
"You can't be serious. .." Kha-tsel laughed.
"BY THE LIGHT SIDE prompt The Force to trigger the cells of my left foot to regenerate! NOW!" Anakin exclaimed( knowing that his midiclorian count had skyrocketed from Kamino onwards)
At once skin grew over the severed stump, then five tiny toes grew under the skin before they grew full sized then the left foot itself regrew to the exact size and dimensions as Anakin's right adjacent to it-as well as the severed left foot on the ground.
"Yes, that one served me well these 700 years after Kamino but the Light Side has other plans!" Anakin taunted as he picked up his severed left foot and threw it at the stunned Kha-tsel's lightsaber-knocking it clean out of his hands
"You.. .you think that I'll waste time on a non-fatal part of your anatomy again!" Kha-tsel sputtered then boiled as he used the Dark Side to yank his lightsabre back leaped ten feet into the air and tried to impale Anakin in the chest cavity to destroy his heart but Anakin rolled under him at the last possible second.
" If you slay me, I'll be reunited with Padmé, our progeny and friends and I'll give my Jedi strengths to Ruwee and all my Jedi brethren to defeat you so the galaxy has no more threat!" Anakin boiled- as he parried forward with his blue lightsabre and leaped towards Kha-tsel and almost succeeded in decapitating him but Kha-tsel jerked back his neck at the last possible moment.
"But I thought you and the Jedi were the threat," Kha-tsel gulped as he started advancing towards Anakin but in a more defensive move rather than a purely aggressive one.
"Wait , you didn't speak that phrase in enmity. If it's not the Sith or the Jedi who are the galaxy's threat? Who or what could it be?" Anakin gasped while he, Kha-tsel and Miruba looked at each other in puzzlement.