Chapter 10: Fatherly Decisions

For weeks Anakin and Obi-Wan had tracked him down from star system to star system. Jango Fett was here on Utapau; Obi-Wan and Anakin were sure of it. They sensed a disturbance in the Force the moment they stepped out of their ship. A pack of Utai gathered on the sandstone landing-platform along with a stately looking Utapaun. He wore a heavy robe that trailed all the way to his feet as he approached the two Jedi.

"Greetings young Jedi what brings you to our remote sanctuary?"

"Unfortunately the war." Obi-Wan bluntly stated.

"There's no war here unless you've brought it with you." The Utapaun replied back.

"With your kind permission we'd like some fuel, and to use your city as a base as we search nearby systems for Jango Fett and Count Dooku."

Tion Medon took another step closer to Obi-Wan and Anakin. The Utapaun leaned in close enough for both Jedi to hear. "Fett is here; we are being held hostage. They are watching us."

Obi-Wan, and Anakin gave a quick glance at each other. Obi-Wan then nodded to Tion Medon. "We understand."

"Bounty hunters and tens of thousands of battle droids."

Obi-Wan, and Anakin casually looked upward counting levels. On the tenth level they caught sight of a battle droid. "Tell your people to take shelter. If you have warriors now is the time." Obi-Wan announced to Tion Medon. The Utapaun nodded in understanding, and walked away. Obi-Wan, and Anakin walked back to their ship. They contacted the Jedi Council to report on their progress, and informed Clone Commander Cody to attack at full force when given the signal, or if too much time had passed without being contacted.

Two hooded figures walked into the deserted city stretching out with the force to find the right transportation to get them to their destination. Obi-Wan and Anakin followed the roaring, screeching cries of some type of large animals that were close by. They walked along the corrugated ramps to a group of Utai dragonmount wranglers in an immense, circular arena-like area. A dozen or so large lizard-like beasts inhabited the area. These animals had long crooked legs, long ridged spiny tails, and flexible necks that held up their armor plated spiny heads.

As they approached quietly from the shadows, Obi-Wan moved his hand slightly to grab the attention of a Utai wrangler. "We need transportation."

The wrangler nodded his head. "You need transportation." The wrangler replied back in a trance-like voice.

"And a couple of good saddles." Obi-Wan added.

The Utai wrangler nodded again, and began to pick out two saddles for them. Obi-Wan turned to his not so enthusiastic Padawan.

Obi-Wan grinned at Anakin. "I take it you'd rather have a speeder bike."

"You know how much I hate riding living mounts Master."

Obi-Wan laughed. "Yes, remember what happened when you tried to ride one of those Suubatars?"

"Don't remind me; I practically broke my neck getting thrown off. Give me a speeder, or ship any day at least that doesn't have a mind of it's own."

"You can have your flying mechanisms Anakin. I prefer transportation that does care if it crashes. Now let's get back to the task at hand."

Master and Padawan picked each of their dragonmounts. The force guided them to the two animals that were unmistakably obedient, and mindful of it's rider's. The creatures both almost possessed a Jedi-like devotion to its rider's safety.

Level after level their dragonmounts climbed through the city that seemed to appear deserted, and everything looked frozen. It was obvious the Utai had listened to Obi-Wan's warning to take shelter. They finally arrived at the tenth level, and quickly jumped off their dragonmounts. Obi-Wan and Anakin peered down to survey the area.

"We'll go down there together on my mark." Obi-Wan said as he turned to his apprentice.

Anakin looked back at him and nodded his approval of the plan.

Obi-Wan began to count. "One, two, three." They both force jumped down at the same time, and landed only a few feet away from bounty hunter Jango Fett.

Obi-Wan looked around flashing a small grin. "Hello there."

Anakin on the other hand was shooting daggers through his eyes at Jango Fett. "You shouldn't have messed with the Senate Fett; an attack on one Senator is an attack on all, it's an attack on the Republic. The Chancellor wants your head for it."

Jango Fett clad in his bounty hunter uniform spoke through his helmet. "I could care less about the Republic, I do my job well. My only mistake was hiring clumsy help. I should have done the job myself; she certainly would have been dead by now; which is what I intend for the both of you. Now, surrender or choose to die; it's your choice."

MagnaGuards with electrostaffs sprung out in front of them. Droids from ceiling hives lowered down towards Anakin and Obi-Wan. Without warning Obi-Wan pointed up to a set of durasteel beams with the force; he bent them with impressive speed. Suddenly, a huge bulk of cargo containers came crashing down crushing the MagnaGuards.

Anakin wasted no time as he sliced though a group of battle droids without breaking a sweat. Just as Anakin was about to dice up another bunch of battle droids, a laconic humanoid alien that appeared to be female sprang in front of him. Aurra Sing held her two sith red lightsabers with bloodletting fingers crossed in front of her chalk-white skinned body. With a menacing stare Aurra Sing began to quickly spin her two blades in a circular motion like two whirling cyclones.

Obi-Wan watched his apprentice from the corner of his eye. While fighting two magna droids; he sensed another strong evil presence approaching. The Jedi Master quickly rolled out of the way from a grenade that was about to detonate at his feet. The loud explosion rocked the ground. As Obi-Wan stood up; he saw who had thrown the wicked device. Bounty hunter Boushh stood in front of him covered in deadly weapons. Boushh carried on his body a blaster rifle, concussion rifle, and more grenades.

Anakin dodged a grenade that was thrown towards him, while continuing to study the style, and approach of Aurra Sing's swirling blades. The roaring blast of the grenade wiped out dozens of battle droids approaching from behind. Finally, Aurra Sing cut her left blade towards Anakin's head. Anakin held his blade with two hands, and sliced upward to block her attempt to separate his head from his shoulders. Aurra Sing tried to strike Anakin with her right blade, he parried, and flipped over her. She spun around with lightning speed to meet his attempt to advance on her.

Obi-Wan was using his lightsaber to block Boussh's fast, and on-going blaster, and rifle shots. He moved his blade back, and forth over, and over again with ease, and precision. Meanwhile, Anakin ducked away, and cut his lightsaber up to block another strike from Aurra Sing. Anakin spun around quickly, and then moved his lightsaber from side to side at a furious pace, and in the process managed to dismantle one of the handles of his opponent's lightsaber.

The fight was now matched up evenly lightsaber to lightsaber with Anakin displaying the obvious advantage being blessed with an abundance of skill, talent, and impressive Jedi reflexes. Aurra Sing was growing tired of holding off Anakin's relentless attacks. Her exhaustion got the better of her as she moved hastily to chop down towards Anakin's torso. The move proved to be careless. As if in slow motion she felt the searing heat of Anakin's blue blade slice through her left arm. Sing saw her lightsaber crash to the ground along with her hand still gripping it. Moments later, her right arm joined it. With Aurra Sing dismembered, and howling in pain; Anakin quickly ran to Obi-Wan's aid to witness his Master charging towards Boushh like a wild reek, and taking the bounty hunter's head off in the process.

Suddenly, the roaring sound of blaster shots filled the air as dozens of Clone Troopers slid down ropes from a catwalk, and flew in with their gunships to join the fight. Utapaun dragronriders armed with sparking power lances charged along causeways, and began spearing droids on every side. Through the haze of blaster shots and smoke, Obi-Wan saw Jango Fett grab Boba, and fire up his rocket pack to make a quick getaway. Obi-Wan quickly whistled for his dragonmount. The animal came charging out of the shadows. Obi-Wan jumped on with Anakin having no choice, but to jump on as well. Not having enough time to signal his own dragonmount, Anakin begrudgingly held on to the back of Obi-Wan's saddle for support. The chase to catch Jango Fett was nauseating, bumpy, and uncomfortable. Anakin couldn't wait for this crazy awkward ride to be over. After a long descent down many levels, Jango Fett finally turned into a hangar where he had kept his ship Slave 1.

Sensing that Jango Fett was about to attempt to board his ship, Obi-Wan and Anakin both somersaulted off their dragonmount with their lightsabers ignited in their hands. Jango Fett shut down the jets of his rocket pack, turned around quickly standing behind Boba, and placed his hands on each of his beloved son's shoulders protectively.

The bounty hunter held up one hand in a cease-fire movement. "Please, please let him go. He is the closest thing to perfection I have ever known. I am speaking as a father, please let my son go."

Master, and Padawan looked at each other for a moment; both struck with apprehension, and surprise in this new side they had never seen in Jango Fett. For some indescribable reason Anakin felt a hint of compassion in his heart when Jango said the words father, and son. Anakin could not understand why he felt like he almost had something in common with this heartless bounty hunter. It made absolutely no sense because he was not a father.

Obi-Wan finally broke the silence. "Forget it Jango nice try. You will both be coming back with us to Coruscant give yourselves up now."

" I am a bounty hunter; I will fight to the death, but let my son go. I don't want him to have to watch me die."

Obi-Wan began to move in closer towards Jango and Boba. "If you will not surrender Jango there is no other choice; this is your last chance."

Anakin stood quietly battling with his thoughts, and feelings guiding him to Padme. Through the force, he felt her life presence. It was strong, stronger then he'd ever sensed. Before he could stop himself; Anakin blurted out what his heart spoke to him.

"We should let him go."

Obi-Wan turned to his apprentice in disbelief. "What?"

Anakin pointed to Boba. "He shouldn't have to witness this, let's just let him go.

We can always check up on him later." Anakin was completely surprised with the thick emotion that had suddenly and strangely taken hold of him.

"Anakin what's gotten into you?"

"I don't know. I can't explain it, but this is a father's last wish so let's give it to him."

Obi-Wan glared at Jango Fett for a long moment. Obi-Wan reached towards his belt, grabbed a small tracking device, and threw it onto Jango Fett's ship. "All right he can go, but we'll know where he is just in case."

Boba turned to his father. "Dad I will not leave you to this Jedi scum."

"You have to." Jango replied back to his son.

"Dad we will fight them together to the death." Boba smiled triumphantly pumping his fist in the air.

Jango shook his head, pulled down Boba's first, and grabbed his son tightly by the forearms. " Boba listen to me. You are to take Slave 1 back to Kamino that is where you belong, it is where you were brought up."

Boba shook his head; icy tears were beginning to form in his cold dark eyes. "I can't go, I won't."

"Yes you will, and you will make me proud. Take with you everything I have taught you, and remember the times we had together."

"Fight them to the death dad."

"I will son." Jango said as he hugged Boba, and patted him heartily on the back.

"I'll see you on Kamino."

"I hope so. Now get on the ship, good bye Boba."

"Goodbye dad." Boba turned, gave the two Jedi a menacing look, ran towards Slave 1, and then the ship blasted away out of the hanger.

"If you give yourself up now you don't have to die here on this hangar Jango." Obi-Wan said as he, and Anakin started to move towards Jango Fett.

"I'd rather die with dignity then give myself up as a coward." Jango said as he grabbed his blaster shooting towards Anakin, and Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan rolled away from a shot while Anakin easily picked off another set coming towards him. Jango Fett's rocket pack roared to life as the bounty hunter started to rise off the ground. Jango continued to shoot blaster shot after blaster shot at them." So long Jedi." Jango smugly replied back. Fett thought he was home free, when suddenly he felt something hard hit his helmeted head. Obi-Wan had managed to loosen a chunk of the hangar's ceiling with the Force. Fett quickly felt the excruciating sensation of something burning through his lower body. Anakin had spontaneously forced leaped with his lightsaber in hand taking with him both of Jango Fett's legs above the knees. In the next moment, Fett laid on the ground half of who he once was.

Obi-wan retracted his blade, but Anakin held his over Jango Fett's head as they kneeled down around him. "Where is Count Dooku, and who is his Master?" Anakin asked the mutilated bounty hunter.

"I don't know where Dooku is, I only spoke to him by hologram; he never told me where he was, but Sidious." Jango paused battling the grueling pain. His energy was draining as fast as the blood spilling out of his severed legs.

Cold icy chills crept up Obi-Wan's, and Anakin's spine; suddenly a disturbing image revealed itself in their minds. They saw a dark hooded figure, and for some uncontrollable reason Anakin had the strangest feeling that some how, somewhere he had met this faceless image. Taken back by this image Obi-Wan looked at Anakin to try to figure out what this all meant. Anakin quietly mouthed, "I don't know Master."

Sensing that this was not the right time to discuss this new tremor from the Force Obi-Wan turned his attention back to Jango Fett.

"Who is Sidious, what is his identity?" Obi-Wan asked the bloody broken bounty hunter.

"I don't know. I never saw Sidious. Dooku's Master is Darth." Fett sucked in a lungful of air as he began to attempt to speak again. "Sidious." Jango Fett barely finished pronouncing the mysterious name as he sank to the floor, and closed his eyes for the last time.

----

Since the death of Jango Fett two more months had passed. Two months of searching for Count Dooku, and coming up empty. So when the call came in from the Jedi Council to come home back to Coruscant; they were both thrilled. Finally, Obi-Wan and Anakin could leave their ship, and get a reprieve from each other for hopefully at least a little while.

Anakin smiled as the morning sunlight hit his face. "It's good to be home Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan nodded, and smiled. "That it is Anakin."

Anakin was about to say something else when her presence struck his heart.

There waiting quietly behind a pillar was his beloved Padme.

"Um Obi-Wan, I just remembered I left something in the ship; I'll meet you in the Council Chamber."

Obi-Wan turned around, and crossed his arms while looking at his Padawan dead in the eyes. "Anakin do you honestly think I can't feel her presence as well. " Obi-Wan pointed towards the direction where Padme stood. "Go talk to her, but be quick about it. The Council is waiting to speak with us."

"All right Master thanks."

Obi-Wan stood still for a moment. He shook his head as he watched Anakin run to Padme, and then walked away.

Anakin gathered Padme in his arms; he spun them around in elation, taking in the joyous moment of being reunited. The young lovers kissed for the first time in what felt like years more then months.

"Oh Anakin I'm so glad you're finally home."

"I've missed you Padme, I've missed you so much."

"I was so worried it's been so hard."

Anakin smiled at his angel, he used his hand to caress the back of her head. "I'm all right, you don't have to worry. I'm here now." Anakin captured Padme's lips again reveling in the warmth, and sweet taste of her. Padme slowly moved her lips away, and brushed soft kisses on his cheek. Anakin immediately sensed that there was something new, and strong between them. He moved his hands up and down her back, and Padme began to shutter.

"Are you all right? You're trembling, what's going on?" Anakin asked Padme with a low soothing voice.

Padme looked deeply into Anakin's concerned eyes. "The Council they, they're waiting to speak with you."

"About what?"

"So much has happened since you've been away."

"What's happened Padme?"

"I spoke to them about us."

His blue eyes grew wide in horror, as Anakin tried to find his voice. "Us why?"

"I didn't know what else to do. I had to speak with them. I needed to know if you were ok. Because just a few days before I discovered something, something wonderful." Padme nervously stuttered over her words, trying to gather the strength for what she knew she had to reveal to him.

Anakin searched her eyes in confusion.

"Ani, I'm pregnant," she said gently almost in a whisper.

Anakin was completely taken by surprise. His breath hitched in his throat. "That's."

He lowered his head to think about what she had just told him. Padme watched him.

Her whole abdomen felt like it was tied up in knots as she waited for his answer.

The young woman felt a great sense of relief as she watched him let out a naughty chuckle, and then smile at her.

"That's wonderful."

"Anakin, they know."

"They know; what do they know?"

"Everything, the baby, our engagement, our love for each other. I have asked them to consider our marriage."

"What did they say?"

"They said they would give you their answer when you have returned."

Anakin ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "Why didn't they tell me any of this while I was away?"

"They didn't want you distracted from your mission. I have more to tell you later, but now you must go, and speak with them."

Anakin's head was spinning like a top with all the news Padme was dropping on his shoulders.

"Oh Ani, what's going to happen to us?" Tears began to spill out of her lovely brown eyes.

Anakin placed the pads of his thumbs on Padme's cheeks to brush her tears away.

"We're not going to worry about it now all right. Despite everything else this is a happy moment, the happiest moment of my life. No matter what happens, we will be ok. I promise you."

Padme smiled as Anakin held her close in his safe loving arms. "I know we will; good luck my love."

Minutes later Anakin arrived in the Jedi Council chamber with Jedi Masters: Yoda, Mace Windu, Ki-Adi-Mundi, and Obi-Wan. They were all waiting patiently for him.

"Welcome back Padawan Skywalker, we have been waiting for you." Yoda replied quietly.

Anakin smiled and bowed." Thank you Master Yoda, I'm happy to be back."

"Anakin, while you have been away the Council has had a great deal to think about concerning your future as a Jedi." Master Windu began.

"About what exactly Master." Anakin asked sensing and fearing what was coming next.

"Three months ago to this day, Senator Amadala paid us a visit." Master Windu stated quietly.

Anakin said nothing studying the intricate design on the Jedi Council floor.

Master Windu Continued. "Your fiancé' has also informed us that you young Skywalker are going to be a father."

With those words the Padawan lifted his head. " She just told me. I didn't know up until an hour ago."

Yoda pointed straight at Anakin. "Allow your engagement lightly the Council does not."

Anakin looked down at his feet attempting to control his anger.

Master Windu touched his fingers together as he calmly spoke. "We are willing too to overlook your irresponsible behavior as you are very gifted with the Force, and possess great talent. However, we simply do not approve of this marriage; it is against the Jedi code.
Here is our proposal Anakin, if you want to continue your training with us, you will break your engagement with her. You will give up your attachment with Senator Amadala once and for all, and learn to control your thoughts and feelings. We expect you to finally master this. If you can, you will be made a Jedi. When Senator Amadala has the child its medicloriancount will be tested. If your youngling is gifted with the force we will give you permission to train your child when the time is right as your Padawan, and you will then be granted the rank of Master. It's either us, or her. If you choose her you will be expelled. The Council does not like to use the term ultimatum, but that is exactly what we are posing to you."

Anakin surveyed all the blank stares around him. He could not hold back his rage any longer. "How can you do this; it's outrageous, it's unfair. How can you ask me to train my child, and not be married to Padme? My baby deserves a family, a real family."

"Take a seat young Skywalker." Master Windu pointed to an empty chair in the room.

Anakin grinded his teeth, and crossed his arms in front of his body. "I'd rather stand thank you it's easier for me to say this looking down on all of you."

Obi-Wan shook his head at his Padawan's stubborn disrespectful behavior.

Anakin's voice grew louder as his frustration boiled over. "What kind of nonsense is this? It's insulting to me, and my future family; I will not abandon them. Their welfare is my responsibility now. I love her, and if you can't understand, and accept that then to Sith's hell with all of you, with all of this. The windows surrounding the chamber practically rattled with the powerful vibrations of Anakin's violent vocal cords.

Anakin began to march towards the door; right before it opened he turned to look at his now former Master. "Thanks a lot Obi-Wan, thanks for sticking up for me." With those finale words Anakin Skywalker turned and left.

This chapter took months to figure out, write, and finish. I really hope you enjoyed it. I particularly loved writing the fatherly moments, and the last scene in this chapter. It was a lot of fun telling them all off. I'm working on chapter 11; I hope to have it up as soon as I can. As always I appreciate your reviews thanks everyone.