Ok First the news I'm done writing Edge of Blackness Yea! It only took 45 chapters to finish it. And I have started writing Edging the Balance. All I can say about that story. If I pull off all my crazy ideas. It will be brilliant sequel!Oh I'm soooo bad!
Enjoy!
Chapter 39
"I feel bad about this."Padme at the table with Obi-Wan." I should be dealing with this not you."
"Padme we agree to this. It's better if I confront him. Anakin's drug abuse probably started before he met you. There was times he came to the Temple, a little too happy and I ignore it. Thinking he just let off a little steam. No, I'll be the one who will confront Anakin Skywalker. I'll have the whole morning to talk and talk is what we are going to do."Obi-Wan, hoping this would end slight agreement with Padme.
Padme said nothing as she got to see what one the twins wanted.
Anakin looked around his room and let out a groan.
"Padme, you brought too much stuff from home and I got to pack it now." he said as he pushed a packing case to the dresser. Then easing himself down to pack up his clothes and personal stuff.
An hour later.
"Ok. The rest is for Padme or Obi-Wan to deal with. that's all I need to do, break something."Anakin mumbled as picked up the latest picture of Luke and Leila. "Well kids, Daddy is coming home tomorrow. You'll have to be patient with your Daddy. I can only go so fast with the crutches. It will be a couple more months before I can walk on my own. Then in a couple years, your Daddy is going need to replace his heart. Found out about that yesterday and not looking forward to that. Made your Mother cry again. Come on lets see I can find you guys in the Force. Know you are there, just can't touch you there yet."as he got up and headed for the garden.
"Ok Luke and Leila, where are you? "he said, falling into a meditative state. "Come on I know you are there and you are too young to play and seek."
Anakin just stood in the greyish Force and got nothing. "I must be doing this wrong Yoda or they are too young."
Then, he heard a small cried. Looking down, laying a foot away, Luke.
"There you are. Don't go, stay right there." Anakin quickly said, reaching for his son." There, there, Daddy is here. No need to cried. If you cried, then Daddy is not safe from Mommy. Leila, you're next. I think that's her." as he reached towards a small shift in the Force. "Yup, come on slowpoke. No, don't cry please. Ah now you are being Daddy's little angel."
For few minutes, Anakin stayed with his children. Telling how much he loved them and just holding them. "Enough for today. Gotta let you go back. Now go back to sleep and be good for your Mother. Luke, stop hitting your sister. Ok ,back you go."
Gently Anakin broke off the connection and slip out the Force. With Obi-Wan standing before him.
"I'll take you found your twins. For once, you were looking peaceful."
"Yes, except it tired me out. But it's good to find them. Already they are chattering with each other through the Force. So far, they aren't plotting against me." Anakin smiling.
"Expecting trouble already."Obi-Wan taking a seat.
"They are my kids with my DNA, so why not." Anakin laughing. "Why, do you expect to be good little Jedi like their Father?"
"No, I don't and speaking of fatherhood. We need to talk about something and no, it's not about the Galeriana."Obi-Wan reaching into his pocket.
"What?"
"That" Obi-Wan said, handing him the Peyhol.
Anakin took and stared at it. Then let out a sigh and a groan as thoughts ran through his mind. He wasn't proud of it, taking the drugs and lying about it as he did.
"I'm not proud of it. I think that help makes the decision to use the Galeriana. I had promise myself that I wouldn't do it with Padme around. One night, we fought about her returning to Naboo. I couldn't deal what was going on in my marriage. That was the last ray of hope in my life. So stupid me, left one tablet of Peyhol at home. When Padme fell asleep, I took it and went to bed. Felt such a bastard for doing that but I had no choice, I was so trapped. Wanted to just walk away from everything including Padme. Yet I couldn't do."Anakin stopping, running his hands through his hair.
"So I began to plan for that day. It gave me great comfort. I figure I would be out for a week or two. Then, in my wildest hope, everybody would pay attention how I felt. What I was going through. Hopefully too, some of the problems would be solved. Obi-Wan, I was planning to go back to Naboo, to the villa. With or without Padme. I needed to rest and think. Was so disgusted with myself, I was afraid that I was going to kill myself. However Padme was pregnant and I couldn't abandon my children."
"If Padme wasn't pregnant. Do you think you would have killed yourself?" Obi-Wan asked.
Anakin looked down. "Yes, I probably would have taken my life. Make it look like a piloting accident. Spare her the trauma of a suicide. I always told her, if something happened to me. I wanted her to remarry."
"Anakin, why didn't you tell me about this instead of hiding this! You knew I was against them using you like that. I told the Council but I was outnumbered again as always. The only other council member who sided with me was Shaak-Ti but she got a soft spot for you. I told Master Yoda and Windu at a later date. Oh I should have made a recording of it. Well I told them off and what I thought of the Council. In fact technically I'm not on the Council anymore. I have resigned. Well they refuse my accept my resignation and I have changed my mind too."Obi-Wan, watching Anakin's reaction.
"You what! When did you do that? No Obi-Wan, not because of me. Obi-Wan Kenobi, did you go temporary go insane that day."Anakin getting more upset."You were the voice of reason there."
"Yes I was but a point had to be made. I had to leave. I didn't want to be part of it anymore. After the way they treated you and ignoring my opinions. I was getting tired of Mace calling me, Kenobi the Negotiator. I don't know what's going on with that Council but there's no harmony there. Master Yoda and Master Mace have too much power there. Part of me wishes that the Jedi Order would collapse. I'm afraid that's the only way the Order going to change."Obi-Wan sadly said and realized that the talk got off track. "However, right now, we need to deal with your drug problem."
"Trust me. I'm done with the drugs. They nearly destroy my life. I have spent the last seven years of my life messing around with that stuff. It only got worse during the Clone wars. Seeing people dying, seeing kids getting hurt that was the worse, could have been my children. Even then, I dream of having children. Then the whole business with Palpatine aka Sith Lord. He used me to killed Count Dooku in cold blood. I think that Sith Lord had plans for me but Dooku was an unarmed prisoner. I just killed him while the Sith Lord was egging me on. I should have been stronger in resisting him but I wasn't."
"However, Anakin Skywalker needs to remind himself was under the influence of the Sith Lord. Who I feel was using Sith mind tricks on him. Then frankly put, Count Dooku got what he richly deserved. Anakin this won't be the last time. You'll have to raise your lightsaber to kill somebody. It's a fact of life, you will learn to accept." Qui-Gon appearing before him and a shock Obi-Wan. "At last, Obi-Wan Kenobi is not entangled with Karis."
That cause Anakin to laughed and Qui-Gon to glance at him. "Anakin, at least he gets to sleep with the one he loves. You still have to wait to wait another day. Then Padme is still recovering from giving birth to your twins. So you'll be waiting a little longer for what you really want to do with Padme." Qui-Gon, motioning Anakin to leave now.
"Yea, Yea. I'm desperate to show my love for Padme."Anakin getting up. "Qui-Gon, better take this conversation to the park. Nurse Acena is on patrol now. Ms Force sensitive."
"Agree. Obi-Wan, meet me in your spot in the park without Karis."Qui-Gon faded back into the Force.
Anakin looked at Obi-Wan."Go, he been waiting to talk for awhile. Just go, please, he is waiting for you." he said as he gave him a push.
Obi-Wan didn't say anything and left for the park.
"Qui-Gon? he called out after he got there.
"I'm here Obi-Wan." he answered stepping out the Force. "At last we can talk. Yes I have been talking to Anakin and yes I was planning to talk to you. I was waiting for you to get your personal life in order. Congratulation on your up coming marriage to Karis. I expect to see some kids out this. After all you have been practicing at that."
Obi-Wan just stared at his former Master, he couldn't believe it. Now Qui-Gon wanted to talk to him. "Why now Qui-Gon? I could have used you earlier."
"You have every right to be mad at me. I have only gain this state a couple years ago. Trust me I would have been there for you and Anakin and I know Ani was a handful. Blame the Jedi Order for that. If the Order had allowed the Jedi Knights to marry. Anakin would turn out differently, then again maybe not. His Father, Anakar Xensen was a Jedi Knight. When Shmi became pregnant, he decided to leave the Order. Anakar had sent Shmi ahead to their new home. On the way there, her ship was attacked by space pirates and she was sold into slavery. You know how the rest of the story goes"
"Anakin has a father. So much for the Midi-Cloridian being the father."Obi-Wan sitting down on the rock.
"Anakar used the Force somehow to help Shmi to conceive, hence his high count. Yes Anakin has a father. I was just as shocked as you are. Don't tell Anakin his name. Anakar is not ready to meet his son yet. Unfortunely, he was told that Shmi was killed."Qui-Gon said sadly.
Obi-Wan didn't say anything for a moment or two."Could you have stop Anakin from taking the Galeriana or even the drugs? Damn I never finish our little chat. Finished tonight Anakin."
"I didn't know about the Galeriana until it was too late. I watched him drink it and I thought Anakin was drinking some Cuse Lequi " he answered sitting down to Obi-Wan. "Anakin would dead, if I didn't cause some a disturbance in the Force. Which lucky for all us, Master Yoda did. Anakin would have pulled through but in the end, but he gave up. Which cause his heart to stop. Yes the Healer was able to get it pumping gain but Anakin was dying. There are others like me in the Force and I had to beg them to let me try something to save him. I had only one chance to save him. If I had fail, Anakin would have been dead in two days."
"So in reality, Anakin was dead at one point."Obi-Wan asked.
"Yes and No. Only Anakin really knows the answer and he's not answering it right now. In way, he lost his way and his connection to the Force. What he really needed, was jolted of Force, something to kick started him. So that's what I did. I entered his world and gave him a jolt of the Force. It did the trick but it was Anakin choice if he wanted to live. I remember the night, you were watching over him and I had put you to sleep."Qui-Gon smiling.
"That night in the Healer's Quarters. Oh Course, that's when I felt Anakin backs in the Force."Obi-Wan making the connections.
"Wanted to tell you about it so much but I didn't know if Anakin would make it. After that, I couldn't enter his world for the longest time. Then when he got sick with Nawegor Fever, I was allowed to move him to the edge of the Force. Anakin was causing such a disturbance at our end with his fighting. See when I jolted Anakin with the Force, I was giving him another life to live. His old life and new life were fighting each other. That's why he was thrashing around so much. He sorta regrets punching you"Qui-Gon said, trying to keep a straight face. He honestly thought it was funny.
"So how many lives does Anakin have left? When Anakin does die naturally this time, does he become like you?"Obi-Wan carefully questioned.
"No on both questions. The life Anakin is living now, is the life he would live in the Force."Qui-Gon closing his eyes. He knew that night about this. "So what Anakin does in this life, has to count. He doesn't know about this part and Anakin has to live his life his way. However he is the Chosen One and he does have to restore the balance. Not in the Force but of the Jedi Order. I don't how he'll do it."
"Anakin the leader of the Jedi. Who will make that decision?. I did have a vision of that a couple weeks ago and he not ready for that. Qui-Gon, he's still healing."Obi-Wan warned him
"The missing Jedi's and no, he is not physically ready. Mentally, he'll be ok. I plan to help and so will you. Oh Yes! I'm dragging you too Obi-Wan. Know deep down inside of you. You want to leave the Order. But stay Obi-Wan, please! I'm afraid. Anakin will have to use force to gain control of the Jedi Order." he pleaded.
"No! You are not going use Anakin for that. Please Qui-Gon! Obi-Wan angrily said getting up and walking around. Then, facing Qui-Gon. "Find somebody else for the -"
"Obi-Wan please stop!" Qui-Gon, cutting him short. "He's already involved in something just as explosion. Shaak-Ti was here to see him and wasn't a good thing either. Some of the Council members are plotting to have Master Yoda removed from the Council. They need Anakin to be there to do that. Master Yoda is not the problem. It's Master Windu. If Master Yoda is taken off the Council, then Mace would be running the Order. Too many of the Jedi Knights don't care for him. Don't you see what will happen? They will revolt? Already they are making demands Obi-Wan. The plan was for Anakin to gain control of the Order in a couple years. Now I'm afraid he'll have to do it sooner and with force too. I did warned Master Yoda about this. Clearly, he chose to ignore me,"
"You are almost talking about a civil war breaking out in the Jedi Order."Obi-Wan shocked on what he had heard.
"I'm afraid that's what's going to happen. That's why I need you to say, even though you are not on the Council. You still have a voice there. Maybe you get them to comprise on something. I need more time to train Anakin."
"Qui-Gon I can't do that. I don't know if Anakin told you, Mace was here two weeks ago. He wanted to talk to me about Anakin. Mace threatened that he was going stop Anakin anyway necessary. When he said, I lost it and use my lightsaber to threaten him back. Lucky for both of us, Ki-Adi and Agen showed up. " he explained."I asked Anakin not to telling anybody about that part. It wasn't my finest moment of my life."
"Oh in the name of the force. Anakin didn't tell me about that part. He just told me about the quarrel and thought you two were just letting off some steam. Then I thought the matter was settled by Yoda. What was Mace thinking, threatening Anakin like that! Anakin is respected in the Order and outside the Order. Oh this not good and it will only get worse. Knowing Mace's stubbornness. It will only get worse now."Qui-gon groaning."Does the Jedi Order know about this? Oh never mind, the whole Order knows. Mace, you stupid fool, you really did it now. What are we going to do now?"
"Let the Order fall apart. Anakin is very good at repairing things."Obi-Wan suggested. "Anakin is going attend Council's meeting very soon. Already the equipment is here for that. Maybe with Anakin there and with me helping him there. We can slow down this madness that's taking over the Order. Mace is off the Council from three months. At the first meeting, Anakin will become master Jedi with the power to vote now."Obi-Wan smiling.
"A Master already. When was this decided?"Qui-Gon, shocked at the news. " I thought they were going wait until he returns to Coruscant?"
"Today, Master Yoda told me. He felt it was the right thing to do."
"What is going on? Something isn't right here Obi-Wan "Qui-Gon shaking his head.
"Agree."