Fallen Angels - Chapter 12

Chapter 12, Post 1

"Sabé, Yané," Rabé cried and hugged the two women, "what are you doing here?" Lia and Eileen walked down the stairs and looked at their mother. The two girls giggled and then walked down some more, surprising Sabé as both girls tugged at her skirt. Sabé frowned, looked down and picked up Lia as Eileen shadowed her sister and Yané.

"They've missed their godmother a lot," Rabé said as she guided them to the kitchen. Sabé looked down at Lia and Eileen. Lia she remembered was the elder of the two, but Eileen was about Mara's age. "It's good to see you both, but aren't you supposed to be on Alderaan with Padmé?"

Sabé frowned and signaled to Rabé to take the little ones away. Rabé smiled and called Lia and Eileen, and told them to go to their father. The girls waved goodbye to Sabé and Yané and ran out of the room to the backyard. Eirtaé came in as they ran out. She laughed and then saw Sabé and Yané at the table and quickly joined them.

"What happened?" Rabé asked.

"Bail told Obi-Wan that Palpatine and Lord Vader were on their way to Alderaan so we had to leave. Ben, Mara, Saché, Dormé and Padmé are on their way to Tatooine. Yané and I are supposed to join him later."

"Will Bail be all right, confronting them on his own?"

Sabé shrugged. "I don't know," she paused, "I wanted to make this trip because ...I heard through sources my parents may be intentionally putting themselves in danger."

Rabé waved her hand. "Oh no, they're fine. I talked to your mother when I got here and she said they're being extra careful about their operations. Queen Jamilla still doesn't allow any un-coded messages off planet so they've had to come up with creative ways to communicate with other leaders."

"All the same, I'd like to see them and let them know what's happened to Mara and I since Coruscant," Sabé said.

"They came that quickly?" Obi-Wan asked as he faced a disturbed Bail Organa on the view screen of the holovid. Padmé sat behind him with Saché and Dormé.

Bail sighed. "The visit surprised me, too. I thought I had at least two days to prepare for their arrival, but they came only hours after you left. Palpatine didn't say too much about Padmé, but I think he knew that before Anakin died, she was pregnant. But he asked for you specifically, Obi-Wan."

Padmé looked at him as he rubbed his bearded chin. "Hmm, have they left orbit already?" he asked.

Bail turned to his handmaiden, talked quietly with her and then turned back to the holovid. "He has, but Obi-Wan, I would still stay on course to Tatooine and tell Sabé and Yané to rendezvous with you as soon as they can."

"I'm curious," Padmé said, speaking up for the first time, "when you said, Bail, that Lord Vader seemed familiar to you...who did he remind you of?"

"I don't know, milady."

Padmé smiled. "I think you do, Bail."

Finally, Bail relented. "Anakin, he reminded me of Anakin. But I'd never met Anakin Skywalker before. I don't have the Force, Padmé, I couldn't see into his thoughts if he was Anakin. It's been several months, milady, it's unlikely he is alive."

"Still.." Obi-Wan said, looking at Padmé. Somehow, she knew deep down Anakin was alive and had been reborn into the form of Darth Vader. "Thank you, your highness for the update. I'll let you know once we reach Tatooine." Bail bade them farewell and the transmission cut off. "How do you know Vader is Anakin?"

Padmé shrugged. "It's not something I know. It's an instinct, a feeling, Obi-Wan."

"We shouldn't return to Alderaan if Lord Vader and Palpatine have already been there." Dormé said.

"But what about the twins?" Saché asked. "We can't keep them together. They have to be separated."

Obi-Wan crossed his arms and looked up at the table in the room. Mara was sitting there, hitting her heels against the chair. It didn't look like she was paying attention to the conversation, but she probably was. "We go to Tatooine, wait until Padmé gives birth and then, once the twins have settled down, I'll return to Alderaan with one of them. I'll also stop by Naboo on my way and pick up Sabé and Eirtaé, and Rabé and Yané too."

"What about Lord Vader?" Padmé asked. "Obi-Wan, if he was Anakin, you'd sense his presence."

"Milady, I -- " he said, stopped himself and looked at her. Obi-Wan realized she was still clinging to the past and honestly, he had felt differently the last two months. He felt a strong presence in the Force, dark, evil presence. At first, he only thought it was Palpatine rising to power. If it was Anakin becoming this thing, Vader -- he would have known about it. Master Yoda or Master Windu would have told him. "Padmé, Anakin is dead. He's been dead for months, and this Darth Vader is not Anakin Skywalker. Anakin Skywalker died in that fire pit."

Padmé sobbed and whispered quickly, "I know, I -- I just wanted to ask." She looked at Dormé and Saché and left the room.

"Was it Anakin?" Saché asked Obi-Wan as she sat beside him in the cockpit. Obi-Wan looked at the handmaiden but still focused on the controls.

"I don't know," he said. "I felt something before, a wave of darkness sweep through the Force. I talked to Master Yoda about it, I meditated, but we both concluded it could have been anything."

Saché looked away. "It was him. Padmé knew it was him, Bail even felt it even though he'd never met Anakin before -- and you're lying about it."

Obi-Wan turned to her finally. "It could have been him, but I was there, Saché, when he fell, and there was no way he could have survived that. The fire and ash would have done severe damage to his skin. You wouldn't even recognize him as Anakin."

"What about Padmé? What are you going to tell her if she asks you again? Are you going to lie to her?" Saché asked. "She felt it. She knew it was him and you lied to her, humiliated her."

"And if I did tell Padmé the truth, would it make a difference? Do you think she could love what he has become now?" he argued. "He isn't Anakin, not the Anakin we knew. He's become something else, an agent of evil. Padmé may be able to see through him, but she won't be able to change him, Saché. Anakin chose the Dark Side and became its slave. If Vader is Anakin, no one can save him now from himself, not even Padmé."

Saché huffed and abruptly left the cockpit.

The woman looked up from her washing towards the field. This was something she had always done since she heard about Coruscant, and she hoped that after Palpatine seized the Senate, her daughter had escaped Coruscant with her family. Every day, she thought about her and hoped she would catch a glimpse of her coming through the fields.

Bassim touched her shoulder and Arya turned to him. "She's alive, Arya. Remember, our daughter is a fighter. If she were in trouble, Sabé would take Mara and go as far away from Coruscant as possible."

Arya nodded absent-mindedly. "I know, but what if she and Mara were still in the Temple when it happened?"

"Obi-Wan wouldn't allow that to happen," he said. "He'd take them away as soon as he felt it wasn't safe for them anymore." Bassim looked out to the fields and smiled slightly. Arya looked towards the fields herself, and ran from the kitchen and out the back door.

Arya cried as she ran towards them and then fell short as she noticed Obi-Wan wasn't with them. Sabé looked to Rabé and then walked further, greeting her mother. "Mom," Sabé said, hugging the older woman.

"Oh darling," Arya cried, "I'm so happy you're all right. Your father and I heard about Coruscant, it was all over the holo networks." She gestured they all follow her towards the house. Bassim greeted them at the door as they entered. "Where's Obi-Wan? Is he...?"

"Oh no, he's fine," Sabé said quickly, "we had to separate because Palpatine and Lord Vader came to Alderaan."

Bassim frowned, joining the group. "Alderaan? Why were you on Alderaan?"

"It's a long story, Dad," Sabé whispered. "Mara's all right. She's with her father, Saché, Padmé, and Dormé. We can't stay long because we're expected to rendezvous with Obi-Wan as soon as possible. But I came here because I want know something. I learned through connections that the two of you are leaders in an underground movement against Palpatine."

He looked nervously to Arya. "We are, darling."

"Then I ask that you join forces with the rebel alliance. Not right away, of course, but slowly, as to not draw attention to yourselves," Sabé advised. "Rabé is a general in the rebel alliance, along with Bail Organa and Mon Mothma."

"Rabé we know about," Bassim said, "but we'll think about your proposal."

Arya reached across the table and grasped Sabé's hand. "For now, I am just happy you're home, even if for a short while. We've been so worried about you."

Sabé smiled. "I know. So much has been happening quickly.." she looked around briefly, noticing how quiet the house was. "Where are Devon and Mia?"

"They're with their families," Arya said. "But I'll tell them you stopped by."

"Sabé, we better get going." Rabé reminded her.

Sabé stood up again and came around the table and hugged her parents. "I probably won't be able to contact you both for awhile.." she said between hugs.

"Neither will we, dear." Arya said. "May the Force be with you."

"Where to next?" Rabé asked her friend as they walked through the fields.

Sabé looked at her, and then glanced back at her parents' house. "There's some place I need to be ...alone."

Rabé stopped walking and turned to her. "Sabé, I can't let you go on by yourself...if something happens to you..."

"Please Rabé," Sabé pleaded, "I promise I won't be long. I know my way to your house." Rabé hesitated and Sabé hugged her briefly and walked through the fields.

tbc

Chapter 12, Post 2

The ship lowered from the craft, accompanied by two patrol craft as it veered away. Lord Vader glanced at the stars briefly before checking his coordinates. Palpatine had given him permission to go off on his own to perform his 'search' while he returned to Coruscant.

If he was successful, Vader would return with her to his Master. When he visited Alderaan, he could feel her presence everywhere. She was there, they all were, but they had gone. The dark lord didn't know how he would react if he saw her again, but if she had left with her friends, it also meant he was with them too.

Kenobi. He had abandoned him ...Anakin laid there on the edge for two days, his strength and the Force barely sustaining him, and then Palpatine came and rescued him. Now, he would pay for the scars and pains he had inflicted on him -- all of them would.

"I never thought I would return to this place," Obi-Wan said as he looked out the window as the ship landed in the middle of the Tatooine's dessert ground. How long had it been since he had last been on Tatooine? i/I remember. I was a younger man then, and Anakin was only a boy./i Padmé came up behind him as the landed the ship, and Dormé and Saché joined him in the cockpit. Obi-Wan unbuckled himself and then turned to the three ladies behind him. "Are you ready?"

Padmé left the cockpit, followed by Dormé and Saché, and Obi-Wan was the last to file out.

"It hasn't changed too much," Padmé observed as they walked along the streets of Mos Espa. Many of the shops were vacant and the streets were less busy than she remembered. Obi-Wan stopped and Padmé took the lead as they head down a side street into the residential part of Mos Espa.

Dormé moved closer to Padmé's side and Saché covered her other side as Obi-Wan walked in the back and came to a shop. Obi-Wan walked in first. "Excuse me," he said and the Toydarian turned around. "I would like to rent space.."

Padmé stepped closer to Obi-Wan, observing the Toydarian. "Watto?"

The Toydarian rose higher and looked over Obi-Wan to Padmé. "Ah, you again. What do you want this time, eh?"

"We need room." Saché said. "Can you provide us quarters?"

"I can but it'll cost you...20 wuipi wuipi."

Obi-Wan's eyes narrowed and he leaned over the counter. "This is an emergency," he said and waved his hand. "We won't be here long, you can waiver the charge."

"No, I can't. I need to make money too...with all of the slaves gone, Tatooine's become a ghost. No money, no housing, no deal -- and you can't use your Jedi powers of me to change my mind."

Obi-Wan smiled sarcastically and turned back to Padmé. "We'll take our business elsewhere then."

"Oh, waita!" Watto cried. "All right, all right. I'll help you." He floated around the back and they followed him. He waved to the residence not far from the shop. "You can have it as long as you need, eh?"

"Thank you." Obi-Wan said and Padmé and the handmaidens followed him. Watto's eyes narrowed as he flew back to the shop.

Vader stretched his senses outward as he came out of hyperspace over Alderaan. He signaled the two patrolmen to stay as he maneuvered his ship to the planet below and landed in the middle of the forest. The Sith Lord walked down the ramp, looking at the wooded area around him. He couldn't go into the capital on the likely hood that he would probably scare the locals, but he didn't need to do that anyway. Vader looked around some more and then searched the Force for her life signature.

He felt someone, a very familiar presence, but she was alone. Vader looked around the forest some more and then headed in the direction where he felt her presence.

Sabé removed her cloak, greeting the handmaiden at the front of the cottage. The two women hugged and then a handmaiden escorted her inside. Cora came in from the kitchen. She looked up and smiled at Sabé as she sat down with Layla. "I came here because I wanted to warn you," Sabé started, "the two of you must leave Alderaan immediately."

Layla looked Cora and then back again to Sabé. "Why? What is it?"

"Don't ask questions, Layla, but it's unsafe for you to be here," she advised them. "You must take what you need and leave."

"All right," Layla said and looked at Cora. The handmaiden quickly scurried away. "I know what's been going on. I hear things, Sabé. Coruscant has fallen and the Sith are in control of things now."

Sabé looked away from her briefly. "Layla, you and Cora became my sisters when Obi-Wan and I stayed here, and I don't want to see anything bad happen to either of you. These orders have to do with what's been happening on Coruscant, but also for your safety. You must trust me."

"I do, m' lady."

tbc

Chapter 12, Post 3

Sabé waved goodbye to Layla and Cora from the porch and once they were gone, she went back inside the cottage. Not much had changed since she was last there with Obi-Wan. Layla had maintained it well. Sabé smirked and walked through the cottage to the back where the dock was. She found a single boat tied at the end of the dock, and for a moment, remembered her boat ride with Obi-Wan.

iSabé shrugged, taking the book from him. "I love poetry, and this isn't just a book of sonnets, it's my book," she flipped through some pages, showing off her handwriting and then flipped further through the book where there were blank pages. "I brought this because I want to see if you're a good muse."

"Muse? You want me to inspire you? I'm sorry, Sabé, but I don't think I'm that inspirational."

"Nonsense," she said and grabbed a pen from her dress pocket. "Tell me about your love for me."

Obi-Wan glanced at the clouds and gave a shy grin. "I feel like I've just woken up since… since… we were first reunited," Sabé jotted down what he said and then started to move things around. When she was finished, she nodded him on. "Loving you is better than, ah no, do you like similes and does this thing have to rhyme?"

Sabé giggled and looked up at him. "You're cute when you're confused. No, it doesn't have to rhyme and similes are nice, but if there's too much, forget about it," she looked at the page and shrugged. "My turn now. Don't feel bad if it's better than what you said."

"I have loved you forever, beyond this life and before. I'd been waiting for you to wake me up, for your soft kisses to touch my skin. I've always known I'd meet you and if we ever parted, I'd see you again… because fate doesn't play around with two souls that are meant to be," Sabé cited and smiled. "What do you think?"

"I think you have an extra career if you ever want to quit your day job as an ambassador. Sabé, that was beautiful. Did you just write that?"

She flipped to a clean page. "No. I didn't. I wrote that after we first met, I was just waiting for the right time to share it with you."

Obi-Wan kissed her head and smiled. "Can you write more?"

Sabé fingered her pen, snuggling into his neck. "Only if you inspire me, Ben."/i

Sabé smiled, sitting on the edge of the dock, kicking her feet against nothing as her daughter would when she were bored. She needed to come back here for solace, peace and closure.

Padmé looked around the sandy dwelling that was to be her temporary home. The walls reminded her of Anakin's home with Shmi. She looked to the kitchen as Obi-Wan came from the upstairs. "There are three bedrooms upstairs," he said. "But I'll sleep down here."

"How long are we going to stay here?" Saché asked him as he sat down across from her and Dormé. Padmé joined them later.

"I don't know," Obi-Wan mused, "but we can't return to Alderaan right away. If Padmé goes into labor while we're still here, we'll have to adjust our plans."

Dormé looked to Padmé. "What about Sabé?"

"She'll join us when she's ready."

The Sith Lord stalked towards her, watching her as she stripped her clothes and dove into the water. This was not Padmé, he realized, but she felt like her. They were the same that way. Vader backed away from the dock and walked towards the cottage.

Sabé frowned and looked back at the dock, kicking her legs to keep herself afloat. She felt someone watching her, and then the presence left her alone. Sabé dipped her head and then swam towards the dock, grabbing her clothes, dressed and walked back into the cottage, fixing her hair along the way. She stopped briefly at the entrance to the main room and then continued on to one of the back rooms. Sabé walked to the dresser, pulled out a brush and a clean towel, drying herself.

Vader wandered around the cottage, gripping his lightsaber. He glanced at the back room briefly and then continued to look around. Unknown to him, Sabé watched him from her room. She didn't know why he was there, but somehow he had found her. Finally, Sabé left the room and quietly walked towards the Sith Lord as he had his back turned away from her.

"There's no need to be stealthy, m' lady," he said and turned to her. "I didn't come for you ...where is she?"

Sabé smiled sarcastically. "Do you think I would honestly tell you where she was? I made a promise."

Vader looked her over. "I promise you, no harm will come to her, but my Master wants her."

"No," she refused, "she's not a threat to you or to him. You don't need her." Sabé stood her ground as the Sith Lord walked closer towards her. "Leave them be."

"I have my orders, m' lady," he breathed. "You will tell me where she is."

Sabé looked away and then turned back to him. "Kill me, then, and take my body to your Master if you wish. But I will not let you take her from me."

"I have no reason to kill you," Vader added, "but since you offered..." He raised his lightsaber and backed up away from her. Sabé breathed slowly, trying to calm herself as she felt the heat of the lightsaber come upon her. She thought about Mara and Obi-Wan, as well as special moments shared between her and Obi-Wan in their courtship...and then ...nothing.

Chapter 12, Post 3

Obi-Wan's eyes rolled back as he collapsed suddenly over the table. Dormé and Saché rushed to his side, helping him up and Padmé noticed his body begin to shake violently and gestured they move him away from the table. The handmaidens carried him away from the table and moved him to one of the bedrooms upstairs. His convulsions continued for a few minutes and then stopped abruptly. Padmé looked to Dormé and the handmaiden rushed to the fresher, grabbing a damp cloth and a bowl as Padmé settled beside him, feeling his forehead. "He has a fever," she said.

"...There was no warning," Dormé recalled and glanced at Saché. "You didn't see anything, right?"

"No."

Padmé turned her attention back to Obi-Wan and felt his forehead again. His fever was less but he was mumbling incoherent words.

Saché paced, glancing at Obi-Wan and then left the room, joining Dormé and Padmé in the hallway. The handmaiden barely saw Mara walk to the door and peek into the room. "What happened to him?" she asked nervously. "There were no warning signs...he just collapsed over the table...what could have caused it?"

"I don't know," Padmé whispered and looked back into the room. Mara had walked inside and crawled up into the bed and hugged Obi-Wan's waist. "I think it's related to the Force. Something has happened and whatever it was, he felt it."

"But if Obi-Wan felt it," Dormé asked, "then what about Mara? Wouldn't she have felt it also?"

Padmé walked between the two women and joined Mara on the bed. Mara pulled away from Obi-Wan and looked at Padmé, and she hugged her instead.

Vader disengaged his lightsaber and stepped over Sabé's limp body and exited the cottage. He didn't want to kill Sabé, but she didn't give him much choice. His duty was to his Master, and his Master ordered him to find Mara and bring her to him. Sabé would have protected her child at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing her own life. She would not reveal to him her location, but it didn't matter. He knew where they were now.

"I know where they are, Master," Vader insisted. "If you let me, I will find them."

Palpatine's holograph tilted his head slightly and looked at him. "I do not need them anymore ...Return to Coruscant, my apprentice."

Vader lowered his head as the hologram flickered off. "Yes, Master."

Padmé peeked into Obi-Wan's room the next morning. Mara slept under the blankets, clutching what she thought was Obi-Wan's stomach and then she looked closer. She pulled back the covers, Mara faced the right side of the bed where Obi-Wan was, but there was an empty space where he used to be.

"Dormé, Saché!" she called, and the two women ran into the room.

"What is it, m' lady.?" Dormé asked and then she pointed to the empty bed. "Where did he go? Did you hear him leave last night?"

"I'm still here," a voice said and Obi-Wan walked into the room. "We need to return to Alderaan immediately. Call Rabé, Yané and Eirtaé, and tell them to rendezvous with us as soon as they can."

Padmé's brow furrowed -- he didn't mention Sabé. For a moment, she thought he forgot to mention her name, and then she thought back to yesterday afternoon. She looked at Dormé and Saché. "Come on," she said, "We don't have much time." The former handmaidens went back to their rooms, re-packing their things.

"Obi-Wan," Padmé asked him. He glanced at her but didn't take his eyes away from the controls as she sat down beside him. "I -- I know something happened and you felt whatever it was through the Force..."

"Sabé's dead," he said abruptly. "I felt her die. I only know that she was alone and tried to comfort herself by thinking about Mara and I, and our time together. But she's gone."

Padmé looked away and fidgeted. "Do you know who did it?"

Obi-Wan glanced at her again. "I have an idea, m' lady. But if he was the one, my feelings towards him now have changed, because he has taken her away from me. I can no longer see him as my former Apprentice, Padmé. He is of the Dark Side."

"I understand," she whispered. "And I'm sorry, Obi-Wan. I don't know what else to say."

Obi-Wan sat and stared blankly at her body. Rabé wanted to cover her with a blanket but Obi-Wan wouldn't let her. He saw the lightsaber burns on her neck run down her right side. Anakin had done this. He was there, looking for her, but it didn't look like there had been a struggle between them. Obi-Wan stood up and knelt in front of his wife's dead body. Master Yoda and Master Windu warned him about this happening, feeling her death through the Force, but he was still unprepared when it happened. Obi-Wan brushed her hair away from her face, leaned down and kissed her, and then stood up again and turned back to Rabé, Yané and Eirtaé. "What happened? Why did you separate?"

Rabé stepped forward. "She said there was somewhere she needed to be, but I had no idea she meant that she was leaving Naboo and returning to Alderaan."

"She was alone then?" Ben asked. "She knew this was coming. Sabé knew she needed to be here."

Padmé fidgeted and then looked up at Obi-Wan. "Obi-Wan..."

Obi-Wan shook his head and looked away from Padmé and the handmaidens. He knew about this -- he sensed her death. "I need time alone with her."

Rabé looked to Yané, Eirtaé and the other handmaidens and as they filed out of the room, Rabé stopped and faced Padmé but she gestured to her to leave. "I'm sorry, Obi-Wan," she whispered, "Sabé had already sacrificed so much -- "

"It's not your fault, m' lady," Ben said. "I led her to this."

"No, you didn't," Padmé argued. "We don't know what happened or if there was a struggle, but I know in her last moments, she didn't blame you. How could she?"

Obi-Wan turned around and looked at Padmé. He didn't feel angry with her for trying to console him. She was her friend too, sisters. "Sabé's first and last duty was to protect you and your children, as is my duty. I want to grieve for her, but I'm not allowed to because I'll lose my focus, but I'll grieve when the time is right."

Padmé didn't say anything and as she walked away, she felt faint and leaned on the wall for support. Obi-Wan rushed over to her, helping her up. "M' lady?"

"It's time ...I can feel it."

Padmé awoke, feeling oddly lighter than before. She didn't remember anything after she talked to Obi-Wan about Sabé's death. The Senator moaned, sitting up and resting her hands on her stomach...flat stomach...very flat stomach ...Padmé opened her eyes and looked down at her stomach. She must have given birth and then passed out afterwards.

"You're awake."

She looked up and saw Rabé and Saché enter her room. Saché seemed very excited and Padmé could tell was she dying to tell her good news but Rabé probably cautioned her to remain calm. "How are you feeling?" Saché asked.

"Less heavy," Padmé said. "What happened? I remember talking to Obi-Wan and then I must have passed out, and now my stomach is all of the sudden flat again."

Rabé smirked. "You gave birth. The twins are resting in the nursery."

"Nursery? But we don't have a nursery."

Saché shrugged. "Dormé helped Yané and Eirtaé make one, but it's only temporary."

Padmé sighed and rested back on the bed, and began to cry a little. "I wanted Sabé to be here when I gave birth to the twins."

Rabé smiled and squeezed her hand lightly. "She was here, Padmé."

"It's good you came, Bail," Rabé said as he walked behind her towards Padmé's room. It had been days since Obi-Wan arrived back on Alderaan and saw his wife's dead body, and still, days later, he hadn't left his room. Mara had come in and out to have lunch and play with the twins, but Obi-Wan never did. Finally, Padmé instructed her to call Bail, for two reasons actually: to see the twins and for him to attend Sabé's funeral. It was only fair that he say goodbye to her too. "All of us have tried to get him to leave his room, but he doesn't, and accuses us for not respecting him," she explained to him, guiding Bail to Padmé's room. Padmé stood over the twins' crib as she held up Mara as she played with them.

She looked up and smiled at Bail, letting Mara down as she walked over to him. "How are you, Padmé?"

"A lot lighter," she giggled, rubbing her stomach, "but it was worth it to bring them here." She smiled proudly and walked back over to the crib, Bail following behind her and leaned over, looking down at their faces. "Mara suggested I call him Luke, but we haven't figure out a name yet for his sister. Saché said she should have the "accented e" we all love so much, but I don't think so."

Bail grinned. "They're both perfect, Padmé." Padmé smiled and blushed, taking Luke in her arms and holding him. "Mara likes them."

"Oh, she loves them. She and Luke play together often, I think she really likes him," Padmé teased, bouncing Luke in her arms. As Padmé looked at her son, she remembered Anakin and what happened days earlier. "You know about Sabé?"

"I do." Bail said, holding out his finger to the girl. She took hold of his finger, playing with it, and then was distracted when Mara came into view, tickling her. "Rabé says he hasn't left his room since he came here."

Padmé put Luke back in the crib next to his sister. "Tomorrow morning is her funeral. I wanted you to come so you could tell her goodbye too...you were a good friend to her. I know you loved her too, Bail, but she always saw you as a friend, and you deserve to be there at her funeral."

"Thank you, Padmé," he said and bowed, and then looked back to the twin's crib. "What other suggestions did they have for a name?"

"Actually, Saché suggested that I should name her Saché because history probably won't remember her, but I had to tell her that I didn't want to name her Saché," Padmé admitted. "What do you think?"

Bail took her in his hands, her feet dangled over his lap and he could have sworn she smiled at him, and reached out her pudgy hands to him. "I don't want to name her, Padmé. That honor should go to you -- you're her mother."

Padmé blushed and came over, standing over the crib next to Bail. "She's my baby girl, but I don't know, Bail ...I think I want you to name her. What's a typical Alderaanian name?"

"There's a lot, Padmé," he said and looked at the baby girl in front of them again. "Leia."

"Leia?" Padmé tried out the name and looked back at her daughter. She laughed and held out her hands again to Bail. "I think she likes it." Bail laughed and took Leia into his arms.

tbc

Epilogue:

Mara stared at the two faces in the crib Aunt Rabé helped Saché and Yané build. Leia stared up curiously at Mara. Mara smiled back and looked at the boy. He didn't seem interested at all with his sister's interaction with her. Even though she was much older than they were, she somehow felt drawn to them. Her parents had always known that from a young age she had special gifts, and Mara realized the twins probably possessed the same gifts as well. Finally, the boy stopped ignoring her and looked straight at Mara and smiled. For some reason, Mara blushed and Leia giggled.

"Mara..."

She frowned and walked away from the crib, confronting her father. Obi-Wan smiled at her and gestured she sit on his lap. Mara climbed up Obi-Wan's leg and sat down on his lap. He thought about what he could tell her about Sabé's death but now he was looking into Mara's eyes, he really didn't know what to say to her. "You like the twins?" he asked instead.

"They're small," she said, "but very gifted. Leia looks like Aunt Padmé and her brother looks like Anakin." Mara looked back at them but they had become interested in themselves. "They're special."

Obi-Wan smiled sadly. "They are special...Mara, about your mother..."

"I know she's gone," she said. "But she's one with the Force now, and she's watching over us. She'll always be watching over us, Daddy."

"Yes..." he mused, "she always will."

Mara looked back at the twins again and then to her father. "You should name the boy Luke."

Obi-Wan frowned and looked at her curiously. "Why Luke, darling?"

"I don't know," she cried, "but you should name him Luke."

"Obi-Wan," Rabé said, her figure silhouetted in the doorway. "We're ready for -- um -- the preparations are finished."

Mara and Obi-Wan turned to look at Rabé. He'd almost forgotten about the handmaidens. The four original handmaidens reunited to help Sabé and Padmé. Obi-Wan didn't know anything about traditional Nubian burial rites. However, since Sabé was a former handmaiden it made sense that her burial would be a private and secret one.

"Ben, I'm sorry to rush you like this, but we have to do this funeral rites right away..." Rabé said.

Obi-Wan finally stood up, carrying Mara in his arms. He followed Rabé to the back of the cottage. A breath caught in his throat as he saw Sabé lying still on the pyre. Her brown hair had been braided and curled, and was dressed in a white silk gown. Any minute, he expected her to wake up, look at him and smile. But she lay there still. He walked over to Rabé and let Mara down and she stood beside the handmaiden. Bail lowered his head, staring at the pyre and then raised his gaze and looked at Obi-Wan.

Padmé quickly went to Obi-Wan's side. "I asked him to come to pay his respects and to say goodbye. He deserves to be here too, Obi-Wan."

"I don't want to argue," he said. "Thank you for coming, your highness." Bail smiled solomnly and then looked again to Sabé's lifeless body. Padmé went back and stood beside Rabé. "I never thought this day would come...In our poem, you said that you loved me forever, beyond this life and before. I have to believe that during your last moments, you didn't harbor ill feelings towards me because I didn't want you to get involved in what was happening. You're gone now, my love, but the memory of you will stay in my heart." Ben struggled for a moment as he felt his eyes soften. He wanted to kiss her one last time but simply touched her hand, kissing her palm instead.

Saché, Eirtaé, Yané, Rabé, Dormé and Padmé stood around the pyre. Yané sobbed. Rabé maintained her composure, but Obi-Wan could tell she desperately wanted to cry. Eirtaé fidgeted, routinely biting her lip, and Saché held her head low.

Obi-Wan suddenly dropped to his knees and Rabé ran to his side. She soothingly rubbed his back, forgetting she was crying herself. "I'm sorry, my love...This shouldn't have happened to you ...I'm sorry, I'm sorry.."

i"Remember, Mara, no matter what happens, I will always be with you. If something happens and you get lost, always remember your mother and I are in your heart. You only need to think about us, and we'll be there beside you."

Mara smiled. "You always are, Daddy…You and Mama are always with me."/i

Twelve-year-old Mara stared at the ceiling in her room. Her lightsaber rested on a table next to the bed, but the weapon didn't really concern her at that moment. She closed her eyes, trying to remember exactly what happened. She went up to see Luke but some where in between, she blanked out and she ended up here ...where ever it was. Mara sat up as the door to her cell opened. Two storm troopers guarded the outside as she watched a dark man enter. He stopped short of her bed and tilted his head slightly.

"You will come with me now," he instructed her. "My Master is waiting for you." Mara started to reach for her lightsaber, but he raised his hand, pulling the weapon to him using the Force before she could reach it. "No more childish games, Mara. Your destiny lies here as a servant of Darkness. Come with me now."

Mara looked again at her lightsaber and then to the man in black. "I don't belong here..."

"You are home, Mara Jade, your destiny has always been here. You belong here," he said and waved his hand over her. Mara wanted to say something, something about her destiny to be a great Jedi like her father and what her mother wanted for her, but she couldn't remember...she couldn't remember them. "Come with me now. The Emperor is waiting."

"No ...I..." she protested. "My parents..."

"Are gone...The Emperor is your family...He is your father," he said. "Come with me now, Mara." Mara knew the man before her was a Sith Lord, a dangerous and feared Sith, but she wasn't scared of him. She'd heard stories about him from her father, but now she barely even remembered his name or her mother's name. He died once but had reborn from the ashes. She knew that he had dueled with her father, he tripped and her father left, believing his apprentice had died. That boy had been her adopted older brother. His presence scared her at first, but he didn't intimidate her now.

As she stared at him, she saw her life...She would become a skilled assassin, the Emperor's Hand, serving him only, hearing his call from across the galaxy and doing his bidding. No one within the Empire would know her name or face. Her skills and powers as a Jedi were already great, but the Emperor would teach her more, teach her what her former Master hadn't. Her life would always be jaded, dark, enigmatic...it was her destiny.

"I am the Emperor's Hand."

The End