The Skywalker Dynasty

Chapter 30

All alone, Anakin made his way through the rubble and broken ornate stone of the once beautiful and stately temple. It was surreal to be here again after all this time, and to have the circumstances be something he had never expected. He went into the council room and stood on the old Jedi symbol, now as faded and scarred as he had once been. The ground was littered with debris from the recent turmoil, and from years of wind and the elements coming in through the broken windows. How ashamed he felt to have been a part of the Empire, and the way it had treated everyone. He was going to do everything he could to restore the Jedi order and the old republic. A tear dripped down his cheek as he stared out the cracked glass at the smoke rising up from the formerly picturesque city. It was going to take much money and much time to rebuilt it to its former glory, but he'd be there to help. His memory also took him other places he didn't want to be, in the past, things that were said and done in that room, and events that followed. Lost in thought, he didn't hear Luke approach from behind him.

"Father? Are you okay?"

Anakin turned around. "Luke, you should have seen this place in the old days, it was magnificient! This was the council chambers, I had always wanted to be a master..Luke, it looks like you and I are the masters now, and we have our group out there behind us. It's time for the return of the Jedi." Luke stared solemnly into his father's eyes, and they embraced. "Luke, I'm so sorry, for everything... I wish I could make it all right.."

"I know you do, Father, I can feel your pain and your regret. Let go, don't harbor that or it will eat away at you. You have done much to atone, and everything will work out for us. We can make everything right now." Anakin was so touched, he broke down and cried. "I love you, son."Luke stared at him again, and put his arm around his father. "I know. Love you too."

The other remaining Jedi all came up too, but stayed far back as not to disturb the touching scene. Looking around, they shared Anakin's nostalgia for the place, and their minds too were full of memories and sadness. The force was strong in that room. The spirits were also there, watching, feeling very pleased, but did not manifest themselves. Indeed it was, as long last, the return of the Jedi, to their temple, and a new beginning.

Under heavy fire, the Falcon slid itself up under the overhang of the Senate building landing area. Right behind were Lando and Wedge, protecting the ship from ground and air fire. Once they landed, they all hurriedly jumped out, holding their blasters, running and looking around in every direction for shooters or snipers, any enemies. "Let's go!" Padme yelled and motioned to the others. "This is the way in!" Leia had remembered that too, from her days in the Senate, the last days before the Emperor abolished it. Mother and daughter looked the picture of steadfast conviction and determination as they marched toward the door. Beside and behind them, Han, Lando, and Wedge ran, covering for them, and R2 bringing up the rear, squealing the whole time. Suddenly, a shot came from nowhere! Lando turned and returned the fire.

"Watch out!" He screamed, and everyone at once turned his direction. Unseen in the shadows, the enemies fired at them, and had only the blaster flashes to see what direction to shoot back. They kept blasting, sheilding themselves when they could, and running the whole time.

Over at the Jedi temple, Anakin got a strange look on his face and rubbed his head. "What is it, father?" Luke asked. Anakin was having one of his visions, and it would not stop running through his mind. He saw Padme and sensed she was in danger.
"I sense something is wrong, we have to go, now."

Then Luke felt the disturbance in his head, too. "It's Leia, I can sense, she is in danger."

"It's Padme I see, and they are together." Anakin closed his eyes and tried to focus on the message in the vision. He recognized the place he saw, he had been there before. "Luke, they are at the Senate building, and they are in trouble. Come with me!" Leaving the new Jedi knights to secure the temple, Anakin and Luke took off toward the Senate building. Along they way, they encountered more renegedes, and had to fight them off with their lightsabers as they ran. Skywalker and Skywalker were coming for the rest of the family.

"We're going to have to blast our way in, but don't stop!" Leia shouted, and she and Padme led the way, their rear guard following and covering for them. They didn't know if they had stopped all the shooters, but they had gotten past them and now stood in a secure doorway entering the building.

Padme sighed deeply. "Here we go." She looked over at Leia, and they exchanged a nervous smile.The door had to be blasted open, and they entered. Once they were inside, Han Chewy and R2 folllowed, but Lando and Wedge and stayed just inside the door to stop any intruders who might try to bust in. All still held their blasters ready. They called out on communicators to all alliance forces, the Senate was secure, surround and protect it from the outside.

Inside, the huge Senate meeting area was in a sad state of disrepair from its time of neglect as well as the most recent events. It was about half full with a mixture of former Senators, freedom fighters and ordinary citizens who had been able to get inside before the seige, hoping for protection as the war in the streets waged. A dead silence fell as Padme and Leia were spotted. Leia was well remembered, but Padme, it had been a long time. Some among them remembered her, others had only seen her image and read of her. But her face was recognized, and it brought an awesome shock and gasp through the crowd. "M'lady!" one voice called out. "How is this possible?"
"Don't even ask." She answered. "But, it is."

A hushed mumbling of voices went up through the entire arena. Was she really back, or was this some kind of trick? She was with Princess Leia, and General Solo, two of the heroes of the rebellion, so surely she was on their side. Could this be, a miracle, sent to save them all? One by one, the citizens she passed grasped at her and called out her name. Some were in tears. Some fell to their feet as if in worship of her. No one moved, no one challenged and she and Leia made their way to the platform where Mon Mothma and a few associates now stood. The sounds of the fighting outside could not even be heard, it seemed to be replaced by music, and a tingling feeling went through everyone's body. "Padme!" Someone screamed. "She's been returned to us to bring us back to peace and hope!" It seemed so impossible, so unreal, but no one was questioning it now. Gasps and cheers began to go up as she ascended up to stand next to Mothma. Mon Mothma looked just as surprised as anyone, though very pleased, and feeling more than fortunate. She reached out and touched Padme's hand. She stared into her face, and noticed it not aged as her own had become. "Is it really you?" She asked breathlessly. How...?" Padme shook her head. "There will be time to explain later. Now, our mission is to secure the Senate and return peace!"

"You are to rule now, as Queen?" Mothma inquired.
"It is you who has led this alliance and has guided the galaxy this far, under the dread of the Empire, and it is you who shall behancellor. I will do what I can, I will be here, as will my daughter, Leia."
"Your DAUGHTER?" Mothma was shocked. "I thought you were Bail's daughter?"
"I am and I always will be, and I want to make him proud." Leia said, overcome with emotion. "But this is my biological mother. My parents are Anakin and Padme Skywalker, and I will join with them to bring all that is good to all of the beings in our galaxy!"

Mothma was surprised. She recalled Padme had been pregnant when she died, but wondered why Bail Organa had never told her who Leia was. He must have had a good reason. Mothma gently touched Leia's shoulder and gazed at her with satisfaction. This was one of those things that was going to have to be explained later, she understood. She was honored that after such a miraculous return, and literally fighting her way through the seige to secure the Senate building, that she would want her to be the Chancellor. Of course Mothma deserved it, having led the rebellion and fought for freedom for so long. "I will be here, Mon Mothma." She assured her, "every step of the way, we will get everything on the right track again and run things the way they should be! But now, I have some time to catch up on, with my family, and together, we will all help you." Mothma was speechless. And she didn't even know who all of the family was, and what a great thing it was to have them all behind you!

Over at the entrance door, R2 beeped. Lando and Wedge stood ready. Han and Chewy looked over and saw them looking edgy,and ran to help. Someone was coming. They all redied their blasters and aimed them at the approaching footsteps. R2's beeping got louder and louder, and he blocked their aim. They tried to move him before they shot. There was no need. A familiar voice called out "Han, don't shoot, it's me!" Luke yelled. R2 knew this, and that's why he acted like he did.

"Luke!" they all yelled. Anakin also stepped in from the shadows. "How did you guys get over here?" Han asked.

"With great difficulty. The streets were a constant fight. But Father and I, we could handle it." He looked over at Anakin and they both nodded.

"It should be better now, we had a terrible time getting here from the temple, but once we got here, some of the fighters told us the alliance is announcing the city is back under control. We cleaned out the temple, you guys and the freedom fighters took care of the seize, the droids who started this and others have been rounded up and locked up. There's nothing left but a few stragglers in the streets, and they won't likely show their faces now."

Lando, Han, Chewy and Wedge all stared at Luke and Anakin. "So, is it, over?"
"Finally." Anakin said with a smile. "All of the bad things are passed and gone. It's finally over."

Then he turned and looked up at the podium where his wife and daughter stood side by side with Mon Mothma and a few other Senators. The crowd started to yell 'speech, speech!' but Mothma shook her head. This was not her day as much as it was Padme's. She motioned her hand for Padme to take the floor and speak, and she did.
"M'lady!" "Queen Amidala!" "Senator!" "Padme!" Came calls from the crowd. All at once, the doors swung open, and more alliance members entered. "The rogue army is defeated." General Modine announced. Cheers went up, but only for a moment as everyone returnd their attention to Padme.

Slowly yet triumphantly, Anakin and Luke made their way up to join her and Leia. Luke was a welcome and well known face, and was also cheered, and Anakin brought stunned sighs from those who had not known he was Vader and thought him killed in Order 66. Anakin Skywalker, hero of the republic, was back, and now openly standing next to his wife in public. All that old hiding didn't matter now, the past was gone and the future was only getting brighter. As Anakin came close to her, they locked lovingly onto each other's eyes with a look of 'we did it' as well as 'I love you.' Luke and Leia winked at each other, and they all momentarily held hands before letting go and just standing behind Padme literally as well as figuratively. There would be time for joyous celebration later, this was a solemn occasion. The whole Skywalker family was there, and they'd all had a part in reaching it together.

Han, Chewy, Lando, Wedge, and R2 came too, but did not climb up on the podium with the rest of them, they stood back to proudly watch and guard them if necessary. Through the open doors, the exhuberant freedom fighters filed in, followed by a supportive and jubilant crowd of citizens. Outside, beings were coming out from their hiding places, inside and underground, to have another celebration in the streets. All the lights came on inside the building, and they aimed on Padme where she stood. The crowd called out her name.

"Some of you may wonder how I got here, and why. I cannot answer all of those questions myself, but I can tell you this: as surely as I returned and was was reborn, and you see me today, peace, freedom and justice will also rise again and return to stand in front of you today as I do. Long live liberty!" She shouted with much emotion as she raised he fist into th air. Hundreds inside, and many more watching on screens outside and at home also cheered, and started to shout, an overwhelming roar of happiness went up into the night as the sunrise broke through the darkness in colorful rays to symbolize the new beginnning. Voices were loud, and hands were clapping. With Padme and Leia to restore order and freedom to the Senate, and Anakin and Luke to protect justice, the future of the galaxy was now secure. And this is how liberty was reborn, and this is how the Skywalker Dynasty came to bring it in...with...thunderous...applause!