Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. It all belongs to George.
AN: Here's is the final chapter of A Matter of Hope. I hope you've all enjoyed reading it as much as I have had writing it. Enjoy!
A Matter of Hope
Chapter 10: Destiny Fulfilled
Padme sat going over the maps.
"Jar Jar, what do you have available for weapons?" Padme asked.
"Wesa have our bombad booma energy balls. But wesa have no blasters," Jar Jar said.
"Okay, I think I know how we're going to do this," Padme said. Han, Leia, Chewy, and the thirty or so Gungans gathered around her. The next several minutes were spent outlining their plan of attack.
Jar Jar shook with fear, as he approached the Imperial walker, which was momentarily stationary. Jar Jar waited while his fellow Gungans slung rocks at it to get the pilot's attention inside. The walker turned and aimed its primary canon at him. Jar Jar yelled in fright, while tripping over his own feet. Jar Jar began to run back through the woods, while the walker chased him. With the walker gone, Han, Leia, Padme and the droids moved in the opposite direction leading them closer to the control base. Jar Jar ran wildly through the forest. Tarpals signaled his approach. The other Gungans readied their boomas and fired one. It slammed into the walker and it exploded. This unfortunately attracted the attention of two other walkers. One began to shoot and Jar Jar flailed his arms madly befoe running from it. The walker stalked after him and Chewy followed after it.
"Good, good, give into your anger. It makes you strong," the Emperor goaded. Larisa whimpered at his feet in pain. Luke extinguished his saber and knelt down beside his little sister.
"Weak little fool," Palpatine spat, as he turned on his comlink.
"Commander, you may fire on the rebel fleet when ready," Palpatine said.
"Yes your highness," came the response. Luke's head shot up in astonishment.
"That's right young fool. I know all about your pitiful band of rebels. And I know that your mother and sister are trying to disarm the shield on Rori. But they will fail and they will die," Palpatine cackled.
"Nooooo!" Luke screamed, as he watched a blast hit a large rebel cruiser.
The Millennium Falcon shook with turbulence, as the cruiser next to it exploded.
"That blast came from the death star," Lando said, as he paused.
"That thing's operational!" Lando exclaimed.
"All ships, full retreat," Admiral Ackbar ordered.
"We won't get another chance like this," Lando called back.
"We have no choice, Mr. Calrissian," Ackbar replied.
"We have to give them time. Han will have that shield down," Lando insisted. A barrage of TIE fighters were released and a battle for survival ensued.
Padme and the others arrived just outside the heavily guarded control base. The Gungans began slinging their hand sized boomas at the unsuspecting storm troopers. Han, Leia, and Padme began picking them off with their blasters. Once it was clear, they made their way to the blast door.
"Okay Artoo, get us inside," Padme said. The little astro droid rolled up to the control panel and went to work.
Jar Jar continued to run aimlessly through the woods. Chewy waited in a tree for the walker to pass by. As it did, he jumped on top. Hearing and feeling an incessant pounding on the top, the pilot stopped and opened the hatch to see what was wrong. Chewy rawled aggressively and grabbed the storm trooper's blaster. He hauled the man out of the opening and threw him into a tree. Jar Jar scrambled up to the top of the walker and he and Chewy took over the controls.
Tarpals watched, as the walker moved closer. He signaled his fellow Gungans on the other side. As the Imperial walker moved onto the target area, they released two harvested tree trunks that smashed into the walker from either side, effectively destroying it.
Artoo was still working on opening the heavily encrypted door. Leia, Han, and Padme kept the oncoming troopers at bay, while Threepio panicked.
"How's it coming Artoo?" Padme asked. Artoo clicked and whistled, telling her that he was close. Suddenly, Padme felt a sharp pain in her shoulder. She cried out, as the blaster bolt clipped her shoulder.
"Mom!" Leia exclaimed. Han pushed her into the corner for more cover and inspected the wound.
"It's not bad. It just grazed my shoulder," Padme gritted in pain. Suddenly, an Imperial walker approached and the pilot demanded their surrender. Han put his hands up. Suddenly, another walker came barreling toward the other one. It opened fire on it and the remaining storm troopers. Han looked puzzled, as the walker stopped moving. The top hatch opened and Chewy rawled.
"Chewy!" Han said in relief.
"Get down here! She's hurt!" Han said. Artoo whistled happily, as the doors to the control base slid open. The Imperial officers inside had not choice but to surrender. Artoo wired into the main system and began trying to shut down the shields.
Sweat poured down Anakin's face, as his searing blade met Psion's. She snarled, as she parried and attacked viciously.
"I believe that you're still in there Zara. Can't you see that the dark side has brought you nothing but pain!" Anakin yelled.
"No, you've brought me nothing but pain! The moment you rejected me, Zara died! Love cannot save me, because I don't know love! And that's your fault! You could have loved me, but you chose her instead!" Psion screamed psychotically. Anakin realized that she was right. The Jedi had taught her to know no love and then she developed a fascination with him that turned into infatuation. Palpatine played on her jealousy to turn her. Her infatuation then became an obsession and a desire to possess him. Her eyes bled yellow, as her predatory gaze locked on him. Anakin waited for her next move, as she stared down at him from the hanging bridge.
"You're right, you never knew love and you never will. I pity you for that," Anakin said. Psion screamed in rage, as she attempted to jump down on him. Anakin whipped his saber up and sliced her legs off, as she came down. She screamed in agony, as she hit the floor with a painful thud.
Her bleeding yellow eyes burned into him, as she howled in pain.
"They're going to die you know, all of them. Your wife, your children, and your friends," she snarled.
"Someday, we will all die. But not today. The only ones that will die today will be you and your master. You will both finally pay for everything you've done," Anakin replied. Psion screamed at him in rage.
"You will die! If I can't have you, then no one will!" she screamed, as she shot a weakened blast of Force lightning at him. He absorbed it easily with his saber. He brought his blade around and passed it through her neck. Darth Psion, formerly known as Zara Caelan, was dead.
Anakin looked up just in time to see Obi-Wan and Zach each hit the wall after a painful blast of Force lightning.
"You will not defeat me so easily Anakin," Palpatine said, as he slowly rose from his throne. He ignited his blood red saber and moved against Anakin with surprising agility. Anakin was ready though and parried. Their sabers clashed in a deadlock, but Palpatine quickly spun out of it, knowing that Anakin was much stronger physically. Palpatine threw a powerful blast of Force lightning at him. Anakin screamed in pain, as the Force of the blast threw him off his feet.
"Some chosen one you turned out to be," Sidious goaded, as he prepared to drive his saber through Anakin's chest. Luke and Larisa leapt in front of their father, sabers blazing.
"Young fools," Sidious cackled, as he began fighting them. Anakin felt the temporary paralysis caused by the lightning begin to wear off and he began to try and get up.
"Let go Anakin. Open yourself up to the Force completely," a ghostly voice whispered.
"Qui-Gon?" Anakin asked.
"Let the Force guide you completely," Qui-Gon said. Anakin did as he was instructed. He closed his eyes and lost himself in the Force.
Obi-Wan regained his bearings and was about to engage Sidious. But he stopped to stare at Anakin, who now had a white glow surrounding him.
"Merciful Force," Obi-Wan said in awe.
"Dad, what's happening to uncle Anakin?" Zach asked.
"I'm not sure son," Obi-Wan replied.
"He has allowed the Force to impart to him completely. The white glow is a physical manifestation of the light side of the Force," Qui-Gon's voice spoke to Obi-Wan and Zach.
"Just like Force lightning is a physical manifestation of the dark side of the Force," Obi-Wan replied.
"Yes Obi-Wan, though no Jedi has ever manifested the power of the Force like this before. Using the dark side is relatively easy, but comes with a terrible price. The kind of power that Anakin is using right now can only come to one who truly knows the power of love. He is the chosen on and he will bring balance to the Force. The future of the Jedi will be shaped by what's happening here today. You are the eye witness to it all Obi-Wan and you shall continue to guide Anakin as you have for most of his life," Qui-Gon said, as his image, which was only visible to Obi-Wan and Zach faded away.
Anakin ignited his saber and approached Palpatine. Luke and Larisa watched their father in awe, as he walked between them toward Palpatine. The dark Lord was astonished by the pure power rolling off Anakin in waves, but carefully hid it with a snarl.
"I will get rid of you once and for all!" Palpatine cackled, as he unleashed a massive amount of Force lightning. Anakin held out his saber to catch the lightning and struggled for control.
"Love is your weapon Anakin," Qui-Gon's voice wafted over him.
"Love," Anakin whispered, as the storming powers of good and evil raged around him.
"Have faith in our love Ani, for it will always be enough to save us," Padme's beautiful voice echoed in his head.
"Padme," he whispered, as his thoughts of her brought flashbacks of their love and time together before his eyes.
"Don't be afraid," Anakin comforted her, as they stood in the carriage, hands bound in front of them, as they awaited execution.
"I'm not afraid to die. I've been dying a little each day since you came back into my life," Padme whispered to him, her eyes beginning to tear.
"What are you talking about?" Anakin asked.
"I love you," she replied. Anakin's eyes widened.
"You love me?" he asked. Se looked deeply into his blue eyes.
"I thought that we had decided not to fall in love, that it would destroy our lives," he replied.
"I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway," she said, as she leaned closer to him.
"I truly, deeply, love you. And before we die, I want you to know," Padme said, as Anakin closed the distance between them, capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. Other images of his life with Padme flashed before his eyes like a holo movie. Their wedding...their wedding night...the birth of the twins...the birth of Larisa...their many, many treasure memories together as a family...
Anakin let the love he held for his wife, his children, his family, and his friends wash over him.
"I will destroy you!" Palpatine screamed. Anakin's saber cracked and broke under the pressure. Palpatine cackled at this until he saw that the white aura around Anakin was shielding him from his attack.
"Your reign of terror is over Sidious," Anakin said, as he pushed Palpatine's own attack back against him. The Force lightning hit him full force. Palpatine screamed in agony. The momentum of the attack pushed him back. He tumbled over the railing and into the chute, where he fell into the abyss below. The glow around Anakin faded and he fell unconscious to the floor.
"Dad!" Luke and Larisa cried. Obi-Wan rushed over and placed his hand on Anakin's forehead.
"He's fine. He's just exhausted and he passed out," Obi-Wan said. Suddenly, they felt the death star shake.
"Well, it looks like your mother found a way to get that shield down. We had better get out of here and fast," Obi-Wan said, as he threw Anakin's limp body over his shoulder, momentarily forgetting how heavy he was.
Mere moments later, both the moon Rori and planet Naboo shook with a powerful tremor, as the death star exploded...
Anakin slowly opened his eyes, but wished he hadn't, as he discovered he had a Gundark sized headache.
"Easy Anakin, this bacta cloth should take care of that headache," Obi-Wan said. As he laid the cloth across Anakin's forehead. He looked up to see his two children smiling down on him.
"Where are we?" he asked.
"We're on a shuttle on our way back to Naboo. Do you remember the battle?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Flashes of it. I'm sure it will come back to me," Anakin replied.
"What about Padme and Leia?" he asked.
"They're fine dad, Lando swung down to Rori and picked everyone up. They're meeting us in Theed," Luke said. Anakin chuckled.
"Looks like your mom found a way to get that shield down," Anakin replied.
"Strap in everyone, we're beginning our descent to Naboo," Obi-Wan said.
Word of Emperor Palpatine and Lady Psion's death spread through the galaxy like wildfire. It was all over the holonet now, which was free to broadcast anything they want. The Empire was collapsing and celebration on the now free worlds commenced.
As soon as they saw their family members step off the shuttle, Padme, Leia, and Sabe ran to greet them. Sabe hugged and kissed her son and husband. Leia hugged her father and kissed his cheek, before moving on to her brother and sister. Padme hugged and kissed Luke and Larisa furiously. They assured her several times that they were all right. Being satisfied with that, Padme turned her attention to her husband. She threw her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Anakin wrapped his arms around her just as tightly, never again wanting to let go.
"You did it Ani, I knew you would," Padme said. Anakin gazed lovingly into her eyes.
"I couldn't have done it without your love Padme. You've always told me to have faith in our love and I did. It gave me the strength I needed," Anakin told her, as he cupped her cheek in his hand.
"I love you Anakin,"
"I love you too angel," He angled his lips over hers, drawing her into a passionate kiss, completely forgetting the fireworks and celebration around them. They broke the kiss moments later and soon Master Windu approached them.
"Anakin, I have been wrong about you for many, many years. You more than gained my respect over those years, but I often let me pride get in the way. You truly are the chosen one, Qui-Gon was right," Mace said, as he held his hand out. Anakin smiled and shook it gratefully. Obi-Wan motioned him them over to where he and Sabe were standing. Hand in hand, they joined him. Padme gasped, as she saw the two ghostly figures. She looked up at Anakin, as he grinned down at her. He looked back up and smiled brightly at Master Qui-Gon and Master Yoda. After a few moments, they left the two figures watching over them to be with their children. The veil of the dark side had lifted and the prophecy had been fulfilled. But not by the use of strength and power alone. But by the power of love...
For the epilogue, click the next button. :)