Visions

He hadn't told her everything, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her the whole truth. With a sigh, he leaned back against the seat, studying the small baby that lay in his arms.

A blue blade pierced the air only to be met by one that was blood red. The battle began, amidst a city in the clouds. There was no escape for the young man. The dark lord he fought was stronger and would soon beat him.

Obi-Wan clenched his eyes shut, trying not to remember how the dream progressed. But it was there. No matter how hard he tried, the vision would not leave him. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw it.

The dark lord advanced, clearly beating back the young warrior. The young man fell to the ground. "You are beaten," the sith bellowed, but with a defiant stroke, the younger man knocked the red blade away. Getting back to his feet, the young warrior raised his saber, and the fight continued. The dark lord's anger was swelling, as he sliced through the air. Then, in a scream of pain, the young man fell to his knees, his saber arm severed at the wrist.

The young warrior in Obi-Wan's vision was the older version of the child he now held in his arms. Luke Skywalker was in grave danger. The siths could not be allowed to find him. Obi-Wan had convinced his mother to separate him for herself and his sister, but he hadn't told Padmé the whole dream. No, there was something far more ill boding in the moments of his vision.

Luke was still trying to escape, moving out away from the platform. For some reason, the sith seemed to be letting him go. "Join me . . . together we can rule the galaxy."

"I'll never join you!" the young Skywalker shouted. "You killed my father!"

"No, Luke, . . . I am your father."

Obi-Wan's eyes flew open, as the small bundle in his arms shifted. "Shhh," he whispered, "It's alright." The baby stirred again but didn't awaken. Obi-Wan sighed and scanned over the public transport. Traveling as a refugee, he hoped to avoid any unwanted attention. There had been no danger in their journey thus far, but his vision kept him alert. He wouldn't allow himself to feel to secure, not until the baby was safe in the arms of those that would care for him now.

He'd lied to Padmé in some way. He'd told her that this arrangement wasn't permanent. She was holding to the hope that when the sith were beaten and Anakin was found, she could be reunited with her son. Obi-Wan knew this would never be. While the fate of Padmé and her daughter were uncertain, it was clear that Anakin would embrace the dark side, and Luke Skywalker would be the last hope of the galaxy.

-------------------------

Padmé, disguised as poor refugee, sat on the public interplanetary transport. Drawing her shawl up over her head, she hid her hair and most of her facial features. She doubted anyone would recognize her, but she didn't want to take that chance.

She shifted her sleeping child in her arms, but Leia didn't awaken. Looking down into the small face of her young child, she fought a swell of emotion. Guilt and sorrow threatened to consume her. It shouldn't be like this. She should have done something. She never should have let Luke go, and Anakin, she should have searched for him. She should have found him. None of this would have happened if she had.

Now she was fleeing into hiding, again. Not long ago, she had been hidden in some corner of the medical center on Polis Massa. The senator had spent several days in maddening solitude. The first several days she spent there, she was well attended, as her condition warranted it. Then about a standard week ago, she gave birth to two beautiful children. From then on, her presence at the Medical Center had been non-existent.

In her solitude, Padmé was consumed by sorrow and regret. Anakin had not been there. He'd missed the most important thing that would ever happen in their lives. They were parents now, and Anakin hadn't even been there to name his children. Luke and Leia. She'd had to name them on her own. Luke had been named for a star pilot that had saved Anakin's life about seven year ago. Leia was named for a princess in a Nubian folk story. She hoped the names would do her children justice, and most of all, that Anakin would approve

Then, Obi-Wan had come. Not her beloved husband, but his former Master. Anakin was still missing, and the Jedi had reason to believe that her newborn son was already in grave danger. With a heavy heart she had conceded, allowing her son to be taken away from her and into an uncertain future. Leia was all she had left, and she dreaded the thought of losing her. Somewhere in her heart, she knew she had already lost Anakin and her son.

She lightly traced her daughter's face with her finger, and slowly the baby's eyes opened. Leia stared up at her mother with sudden attention. She didn't cry and didn't stir, she just gazed up at her mother. Padmé tried very hard to force a smile, but she could not hide her sadness. "Oh, my child," she said, sadly. "Nothing is simple anymore."

------------------------

Obi-Wan crossed the dusty road of Mos Eisly. Smugglers and all sorts of low life scum shuffled by him, toward whatever business they were about. Obi-Wan paid his surroundings little mind, as he had too much else to think about. Luke had been delivered safely into the arms of his wary relatives. Owen and Beru had received Luke with open arms, but toward the Jedi, they were not so welcoming. They noticed Padmé was missing from his company, but there was something else. They were terse with him, and they knew . . . they knew Anakin was Luke's father.

Obi-Wan didn't have time to ask how they knew, and Owen hadn't offered that information. Now in the space port, Obi-Wan was lost in thought. Yoda and perhaps even the council would need to hear about what had happened, and he could only hope that they would agree with the decisions that he had made.

Suddenly, Obi-Wan was very aware of his surroundings, almost instinctively. He noticed every man and creature that passed him. He noticed the heat of the day, even though evening was approaching. He saw an entrance to a tavern, and then there was suddenly a strange swell in the Force. He was aware of a sudden gust of air, or at least it felt like a gust of air, until he felt his back slam against the building behind him. As he fell to the ground, his cloak crumpled around him, blocking some of his view, but he clearly saw one thing. A glowing blade, illuminated in blue.