Title: Falling From The Light
Main Characters: Anakin/Padmé/Obi-Wan/Bant/Luke/Leia/Han/OC
Secondary Characters: OCs/Qui-Gon
Summary: The sequel to "Slipping Into Darkness." Palpatine knew that Anakin might defeat him, so he left something behind which may not only destroy the Chosen One, but his family as well.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of Star Wars, as cool as it would be if I did. Everything belongs to the Flannelled One. I do, however, own the OCs. They are mine, mine, all mine! (notices the strange looks she is receiving) I mean, (clears throat) They belong to me. (blush)
A/N: Hello everyone:)
I know it has been quite a while since I updated this. The last few months have been very busy and a lot has happened. My Great Aunt Kathy died very unexpectedly. She knew and loved the Lord, so we know where she is, but her death was still a very big surprise for my family.
The Lord did bless me with some good news after that though, and I was offered a wonderful job which I was really looking forward too. But I have a problem with my ankles in that the ligaments are very loose, and on my way to the job training, my right ankle gave out and I fell. I hurt both my knees and my left elbow, and though praise the Lord I didn't break anything, (besides maybe my pride, lol) it took a while to heal from it. And transportation issues meant I had to give up the job as well, so now, I am once more looking for work. As you can imagine things have been very crazy.
After that, I just wasn't very inspired to write. But recently, I wrote a couple other things for another fandom to try to get my inspiration back, and it seems to have worked. I have been writing a lot for "Falling," and after this I already have more than half of the next chapter written, so Lord willing I will be able to update often again. :)
Thank you all so much for being so understanding, and I hope that you enjoy this next part. There is still a lot to come. :D
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I thought I would include a quick summary of the last chapter since I know it has been a while. :)
In the last chapter: On Coruscant, Obi-Wan, Han, and Bant, are working to try to find a clue in the database the Naboo collected on Palpatine and that will lead them to Anakin and his family. While they were searching, Obi-Wan felt Anakin's death in the Force, and now believes that they may be too late. On Byss, the scientist, Darris Corren witnessed what happened, and came forward to tell the Sith woman that there was a chance that he could revive Anakin. Knowing that it was the only chance to still carry out her Master's orders, she agreed. Luke though, despite having some hope, was struggling with the guilt of being the one his father died for. He met another servant, Tarin Nal, whose parents had been killed by Sidious. Tarin encouraged Luke that Darris would do everything he could for Anakin, and Luke is grateful to have found a friend.
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Falling From The Light
Incredible… That was the only way Anakin could describe it. He stood in a brilliant golden radiance that rivaled the suns of Tatooine in it's intensity, yet somehow the light wasn't blinding. Instead, everything seemed sharper somehow, clearer. And what he felt, he couldn't find words to express.
For as long as he could remember, he had been able to touch the Force. As a boy on Tatooine, he hadn't been able to name what it was that gave him the ability to sense an obstacle on the race course before he saw it with his eyes, or to know that Watto was angry even before a single Huttese curse was uttered. Yet, he had always known that there was something he could sense that no one else could.
As a Jedi, once he had learned what his abilities truly meant, that connection to the Force had only increased, growing until it had become a constant companion, an innate part of who he was.
But what he could feel now, now that he was truly one with the Force… this was beyond anything he had ever experienced. It was as though every sense had been amplified a million-fold.
He could see the galaxy itself, a spiraling mass of light, stars, and color; an ever changing, ever moving thing of beauty. He could see within that galaxy, the individual planets which existed there, the young worlds, and the ancient ones, some shaped by fire, some by water, and others by civilization. He could see the beings who lived on those worlds, their lives lasting only a blink of an eye in the span of eternity, but limitless in their worth.
He could hear the rumble of thunder from the storms of Kamino, the howling of the frigid winds on Hoth, and the cry of a krayt dragon on Tatooine. He could feel the heat of the twin suns of his home world, the cold of Ilum, and the humidity of the jungles of Haruun Kal. And he could feel the Force itself as it wound throughout the galaxy; the play of Light and Dark, like the sun dispelling the shadows.
Here within the Force, he was a part of all that he sensed, and yet, somehow, he was separate from it as well. He was everywhere and no where at once; still himself, but so much more; in the present, but also in the past and in the future.
Overwhelmed, Anakin closed his eyes and simply allowed himself to be carried along the with the tide of energy, allowed the Force to move him as it wished. He wasn't sure how long he had drifted, it could have been for only a moment, or an eternity; he simply lost himself there, in that place of peace, wonder, and awe.
Then, in the most distant reaches of his still conscious mind, he sensed something else: another presence that seemed somehow familiar…and it was drawing him nearer. As Anakin was pulled towards it, his awareness began to sharpen once again, his mind coming back to itself.
He forced his focus away from the beauty of the galaxy, and concentrated instead on the sight before him, not understanding what was happening, but sensing that it was incredibly important.
As he watched, the golden energy surrounding him slowly took on the shape of a man, a man Anakin knew…
"Qui-Gon…" the name tumbled from Anakin's lips before he was even aware that he had spoken, shock running through him at the sight of the great Jedi Master.
Qui-Gon smiled at his reaction.
"Hello, Anakin," he answered, his rich voice somehow echoing around them.
Anakin looked down to find himself once again in his physical form, his dark brown robes draping from his shoulders, his lightsaber clasped firmly to his belt. What… What was happening? How had he gotten here? Bewilderment rose in him as he tried to remember how he had come to be in this place.
Qui-Gon seemed to sense his uncertainty and stepped closer to rest a comforting, and impossibly solid hand on his shoulder.
"Calm your mind, Anakin," Qui-Gon said softly, "and allow the Force show you what you wish to know."
Doing as he was told, Anakin closed his eyes and let the Force sweep through him, drawing on it fully, and silently asking for its guidance. At once, memories flooded his mind, washing away his confusion: the mission…Padmé's kidnapping…the Sith woman… his family… Luke…
Anakin opened his eyes and looked back to the Jedi Master before him, suddenly feeling the weight of all that had happened.
"I…I remember," Anakin said.
Qui-Gon nodded and gently squeezed his shoulder reassuringly.
"Will my family be alright?"
Anakin had to know, for now he wasn't there to protect them, and they were still prisoners of the Sith… He silently prayed that they would find some way to escape, and that they would heal from the pain he knew his death must be causing them. Padmé's tear filled eyes and grief stricken expression surfaced in his mind, and Anakin's heart clenched.
"I don't know," Qui-Gon answered grimly, the look on his features telling Anakin how much he wished he could assure him of his family's safety. "The future is truly always in motion, and even here, within the Force, it is impossible for us to know what will come to pass. But, I can tell you this," he continued, "there is a reason for what has happened, Anakin, I promise you. And there is still hope." The elder Jedi Master looked off into the distance, obviously seeing something Anakin wasn't yet able to. "Though it is still uncertain, there is a chance that you will be able to return to your family."
Hope rose within Anakin, at the thought, and he turned questioning eyes to the man before him once more.
"How?"
Qui-Gon's smiled.
"You will come to understand soon, Anakin. But for now we must hurry. There is much you need to learn, and I may have little time to teach you."
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The Sith woman strode quickly through the corridors of her Master's citadel, the shadows in the halls seeming to deepen as she reached her Master's secret chambers. The ancient Sith carvings which lined the walls merged seamlessly with the darkness, doubling its presence, as though Lord Sidious could already sense from within the depths of the Dark Side that she was coming to report her failure.
She paused outside the doors for a moment, drawing upon the Force to open them, then stepped inside, an even greater blackness washing over her. She walked swiftly to the center of the room where the black marble base sat, and focused once again on the Holocron which rested there.
Then she knelt and bowed to the floor, her robes pooling around her, the thick strands of her hair falling over her shoulders as waited for the blue figure of her Master to shimmer into view.
"Yes, child?" her Master's hologram prompted once he had appeared, his voice filling the small space.
She bowed her head further.
"I have failed, my Master."
The hologram of the great Sith Lord was silent for a long moment, the silence voicing his displeasure more than any words could have. When he finally spoke again, his voice was quiet, the timbre smooth and even, the tone one which she knew meant that he was furious.
"Explain your failure."
"Skywalker somehow regained the use of the Force long enough to free himself from his chains, Master."
The Sith Lord growled lowly, but the woman did not react to it. In her mind, she could picture her Master's displeased expression as he considered the report, and the flare of fire that would cross the blood red irises of his eyes.
"And you could not defeat him?"
"I defeated him, Master. But when I was about to execute his son, he somehow touched the Force once more. He intercepted my strike before it could reach the boy, and was killed."
"His family?"
"They still live, Master."
The Sith Lord's lips parted in a silent snarl.
"Then you have indeed failed."
She didn't answer, for there was no answer she could give. She simply waited for his judgment, knowing that if he ordered her to destroy herself, she would do so without question.
Lord Sidious regarded her for a long moment before speaking once more.
"How do you propose to correct your mistake?"
She bowed further still.
"The scientist, Darris Corren, believes he can revive Skywalker."
Even from her position on the floor she could sense her Master's surprise.
"What? How could that be possible?" Sidious demanded.
"Skywalker's body is now in stasis," she explained. "Corren believes that he will be able to clone Skywalker's damaged organs, and revive him, Master."
Silence fell once again, but this silence was not one of anger, but of contemplation.
"You believe this will succeed?" the Sith Lord questioned after a moment.
"I do, Master."
The hologram of the Sith Lord slowly smiled, his lips twisting beneath the hood of his robes, his expression filled with cruel amusement.
"Then, perhaps your failure is not as great a disaster as I first believed. If it does succeed, then his family's suffering can only be doubled. Proceed."
"Yes, my Master." she answered. "Your orders shall be carried out."
The ruthless smile grew.
"Indeed, they shall. But child," his voice suddenly filled with venom, "do not fail me again."
At his words, she felt the ghost of fingers wrapping around her heart, and with that warning, the hologram vanished.
The feeling of something pressing upon her heart however, remained.
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Luke wasn't sure how much time had passed, and truthfully he didn't care. He knew that he shouldn't just be sitting there, he should be trying to come up with some sort of plan, some way to escape. But, he couldn't move. Grief and guilt seemed to have turned his limbs to lead, and all thoughts of action were pushed aside by the image of his father's death replaying in his mind each time he tried to close his eyes. His senses too, seemed hazy and unfocused. He could feel the cold surface of the stone wall against his back, but other than that, his body felt numb.
In his heart, a sort of cold void had started to form, one that wouldn't leave no matter how many times he reminded himself that there was still a chance that Darris would succeed, and he would have his father back. He had been able to hold it off for a time after he had spoken with Tarin, but now it had returned, and this time he couldn't seem to fight it. He felt it growing with each moment, eroding what little hope he had left.
Darris will never succeed, the void whispered. How could he bring someone back from the dead? It's impossible.
No, Luke thought, Darris said there was a chance. Why would he lie?
He lied because he doesn't want to leave you without hope, the void answered. He just didn't expect you to realize that it is only false hope. But you know, don't you? You know it isn't true. You know that you've lost your father forever… and it's your fault.
Luke closed his eyes tightly and clenched his fists in his lap, his head falling back against the wall behind him as a stab of pain raced through him. He couldn't find it in himself to deny those words…they held too much truth.
"I've brought you a meal," a voice said from that shadows.
Luke jumped, startled, but quickly calmed himself once he opened his eyes and realized that it was only Tarin standing outside in the shadows in front of his cell. The other man held a tray, with a few small portions of fruit and some sort of paste which Luke couldn't recognize.
Vaguely, Luke wondered why he hadn't noticed Tarin's approach, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He was just used to sensing those around him, and now, without that ability, he might as well have been deaf and blind.
"It isn't much," Tarin continued, "but it's edible." He eyed the paste and frowned. "Well, at least I think it's edible," he amended.
Despite himself, Luke felt a small, fleeting smile tug at the corners of his mouth.
"Thanks," Luke said softly.
"You're welcome," Tarin answered.
Shifting the tray to one hand, the servant walked close to the wall and typed a code into the panel there. The force-field at the front of the cell quickly vanished, and he stepped beside Luke, setting the tray on the floor next to him.
Luke glanced at the food and looked away. The thought of food didn't really mean anything to him, despite the fact that it had been quite awhile since he'd eaten. It just didn't seem to matter anymore.
"I don't blame you," Tarin said quietly.
Luke looked up in surprise, wondering how Tarin had known what he had been thinking.
"I did the same thing when Sidious killed my parents," he explained. He gave a short, humorless laugh. "I probably would have died of starvation if Darris hadn't forced me to eat something."
Tarin eased himself to the floor to sit next to him, his expression understanding, and Luke felt gratitude rise within him. For reasons Luke really couldn't explain, things just seemed better with Tarin there. The void wasn't as noticeable.
Luke surprised himself though, when he broke the silence a moment later.
"How did you survive it?" he asked, knowing Tarin would understand his question. Losing just his father had caused pain beyond any Luke had ever felt, but Tarin had lost both his parents. He could only imagine what that had been like.
Tarin shrugged.
"I almost didn't." He looked down, and Luke could see his fists tighten at his sides. After a moment though, he looked up once more meeting Luke's gaze with his own. "One thing kept me going."
"What?" Luke wondered.
"I always thought, that maybe… maybe I could someday pay Sidious back for what he did." Tarin's hands clenched again. "I thought that maybe I could make him understand what he took from me, make him feel what I felt." He looked down once more. "But, I never got the chance."
"I'm sorry," Luke offered, not knowing what else to say.
Tarin shook his head.
"It isn't your fault. Anyway, Sidious got what he deserved when your father killed him. I couldn't have asked for more. I just wish…"
Luke turned to him, waiting for him to continue.
"I just wish that I could have stopped that thing Sidious created."
Luke froze at those words, but Tarin didn't seem aware of it; instead he rose to his feet, and peered into the darkness in the corridor, as if sensing something there.
"I have to go," he said, giving Luke a quick, apologetic look. "I'll be back for your tray. I know you don't want to eat, but you need to if you can. It might help."
With that he stepped from the cell and quickly moved to the control panel reactivating the force-field. Then he disappeared back into the shadows.
Luke didn't notice though. Instead, Tarin's earlier words seemed to echo in his mind, pushing aside everything else: "I thought that maybe I could make him understand what he took from me, make him feel what I felt…"
However, it wasn't Darth Sidious whom Luke pictured now. It was the woman… the thing that had taken his father.
And suddenly, the void felt a little less hollow than it had before.
TBC
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A/N: I know I didn't respond to my reviews last time, and I was hoping I would be able to, but unfortunately, my computer ate all of my saved email…(glares at her computer) and I just don't have time to go through all of them on the reviews page.
I will answer my reviews this chapter though, and as always I am grateful for every response I get. :)
Thanks again!
Ani-maniac494