Chapter 6: There's Something Familiar About this Place
From space, Naboo looked like a globe filled with swirling molten blue and green metal frosted with the scattering of fluffy white condensation, a many faceted jewel that hung suspended in its velvet case. The planet had seen its share of troubles, having been blockaded some seventy years ago by the Trade Federation of the Old Republic, but it had now returned to being a planet of peace and beauty. Nubian architecture blended into the waterfall, spilling plateaus and the rolling green hills, representing the Nubian people's love for nature and its simple beauty. Everything bespoke of fluidity and continuity with life.
Ben flew his X-wing over the Narthal Forest, catching a glimpse of lumbering Kaadu as he made his way to the capital city of Theed. His first and only trip to Naboo, he had only visited the undersea fortress of Otoh Gunga, and the lakeside palace that had been enshrined in honor of one Naboo's most beloved monarchs.
Switching his com system over to the hailing frequencies of the Naboo Air Space Control, static filled his ears before refining to the sound of a tenor voice. "This is captain Frantra of the NASC, please identify."
"This is Ben Skywalker of the Jedi Order." He may have left the Order, but there would be some time before the word could get out. "Requesting permission to land at capital Theed."
It had yet to become public knowledge that Luke Skywalker had been killed in the battle for Bellalt, and Ben knew that Aunt Leia would be making that announcement soon, within the week she had said. But for now, Ben was grateful for the absence of sympathy, it only seemed to make him feel worse.
Several minutes passed before the NASC officer came on speaker. "Theed welcomes you, Apprentice Skywalker, as does the Queen. She'd like an audience with you upon landing," the officer said. "You've been cleared for docking bay 1138. Transmitting flight path."
"Flight path received. Thank Her Highness for her hospitality," Ben said, although he didn't quite feel like conversing with royalty. He did not plan on spending more than a day on Naboo - he anticipated that Anakin would figure out that he had come this way and that he wouldn't be too far behind him - and had hoped to spend more time with the Gungans.
Following the flight path he'd been assigned, Ben took in his first glimpse of the capital city of Theed, and his breath stopped in his chest. It was more than he could have possibly imagined. Tall domed buildings were bunched together, looking very much like vine fruit, waterfalls pouring down from the spaces between them. But it was Theed Palace that had him hypnotized; it was actually a part of the plateau, a man-made appendage that meshed wonderfully with the emerald waving grass.
Apparently, he had been given permission to land in the Palace's docking bay, and he brought the X-wing down as smooth as shimmer silk. Popping the hatch, he detached the ladder and set it to unfurl at the side of the X-wing. "You okay, Artoo?" Ben called, having not heard a whistle from the droid since they had entered Naboo airspace.
The droid bleeped that he was fine but nothing more, and Ben shook his head in mild amusement. He hopped to the ground and took stock of the sleek fighters that were housed inside the palace, they were in the shape of a seraphed T. Silver chrome met the liquid yellow of the rest of the ship, giving the fighter a less than threatening look to it. The cockpit sat high on the T, with the end coming to a dagger-like point.
Ben whistled in appreciation of the ships, and wondered why the New Republic hadn't contracted for the Nubian fighters.
Concernedly, Artoo bleated at him. "No, Artoo, I'm not considering getting rid of the X-wing," Ben soothed the excitable droid. In some ways Artoo and Luke's X-wing had become more attached than Artoo and Threepio.
Reaching out to the Force, he grasped Artoo in its invisible fingers, and lifted the cylindrical droid out of the X-wing's casing, bringing the droid's treaded feet down on the docking bay's concrete. Rolling at the first sign of stability, Artoo began to weave in between the fighters.
"Trying to steal our ship design for the Jedi, Apprentice Skywalker?" an elderly gentleman with grizzled curly hair that poked out from the bottom of his captain's cap and skin the color of dark Ursh wood said as he approached Ben.
"It would surely be worth the risk, but I'm afraid it's nothing more than my recalcitrant astromech droid," Ben answered. "And it's just Ben."
"I'm Captain Fontera Suil of Her Majesty's security force," the man introduced himself. "Queen Pernillia was pleased to hear of your arrival."
Ben cocked a ruddy brown eye brow. "Was Her Highness expecting a Jedi representative?" His father hadn't mentioned anything before his death, nor had the Council, although Ben was not privileged to all the requests that came from the galaxy.
The captain shook his head. "She had not made a formal inquisition to the Jedi, but when she learned of your arrival she decided to bring up her concerns now."
[i]Blast[/i], Ben cursed inside his head. He had come here hoping to escape from his visions, and yet he had inadvertently been directed by the Force to come to Naboo and hear what the Queen had for the Jedi. "It will be a pleasure to speak with Her Highness," Ben said, putting on his diplomatic tone that Aunt Leia had drilled into him since he had rejoined with his family after the Yuuzhan Vong war.
"Your astromech droid will be fine here," Captain Fontera said as he led Ben out of the docking bay and through the tall marbled palace halls.
Ben just hoped that Artoo didn't get into any trouble, the little cylindrical droid was known for plugging into stations he wasn't supposed to and he very well might steal the designs to the Nubian starfighter. Placing his hands behind his back, Ben studied the palace as he trailed behind Captain Fontera. More and more he was getting the feeling as though he had been here before, a sense of deja vu that he had only experienced a few times in his young life.
Understanding came to him at the sight of a marbled statue of three men. One was extremely tall, built like a gundark, with long flowing hair, the next one standing at his right came to just above his shoulder and his hair was cut short and even, save for a braided tail that trailed down behind his right ear, and the last stood before and between the two, a young boy of no more then ten, slightly disheveled with a grin that came from ear to ear. Ben quickly tore his gaze from the youthful innocence in Anakin Skywalker's face, unable to forget that the boy's innocence had quickly enough turned to jilted anger, and then the Dark Side. A path that Ben was bound to follow.
Instead, he paused to read the datareader that stood on a pedestal just before the large statue. 'The Heros of the Battle for Naboo,' it read, sending a chill through Ben's thinned body. Captain Fontera turned back, having noticed that Ben had paused, and joined him before the statue. He looked from Ben to Obi-Wan Kenobi and back again.
"Do you know the men in this statue?" he asked.
Ben turned to him surprised. "Don't you?"
Fontera sighed. "We built this statue from a holo left in some of Queen Amidala's personal files, it actually came from her journal, and said simply that these three Jedi saved Naboo, and that she wished for them to always be remembered. Queen Pernillia ordered that their identities be found, but due to the Jedi purges we could never locate them."
Ben pointed to the youthful Anakin. "This is Anakin Skywalker, my grandfather." Next he selected his mother's father. "The Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi," his finger trailed to the left of Kenobi. "And Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan's Jedi Master."
The Nubian captain looked at Ben with some trepidation. "You mean to tell me that one of the heros of Naboo became Darth Vader?"
"Does that make what he did any less special?" Ben countered, heatedly, for the first time caring how he would be remembered after he had passed away. Would they see the rescue of Bellalt as something tainted because of the darkness he would become? "If it hadn't been for Anakin Skywalker, the Empire might have well still been around today."
Fontera considered this for a moment before continuing, "You're right. The Queen will be pleased to know the names of our beloved planet's heros." Fontera took one last double take between Obi-Wan and Ben and then proceeded to direct the young seer to his meeting with the Queen.
Queen Pernillia was not as young as her last three predecessors, although just as beautiful. In her late forties, she had been elected eight years ago and was coming to the end of her two terms. Customary to Nubian royalty, her face was painted white with the red balancing marks painted on her cheeks and the scar of remembrance slashing her lower lip. She was dressed in a royal violet gown that made her look larger than her barely five foot frame, her auburn hair wove between a fan-like headdress that dripped jewels like dew off of freshly bloomed petals.
Ben bowed before the elegant ruler, mindful that it did not look exaggerated or unfitting of one of her status, a skill learned from the Princess of Alderaan. "Greetings, Your Highness, I am Ben Skywalker." He purposefully left out his Jedi title; he had left the Order to save it, and could no longer claim that honorific.
The Queen rose and came out from behind her desk, joining Ben. "We have heard about the Battle that took place on the planet Bellalt," Queen Pernillia said, her voice laced with compassion and Ben held his breath, waiting for the sympathy that he had come to grow accustomed to but never comfortable with. "We would like to offer any resources needed to help bring Bellalt back to its prime and aid any refugees that resulted from the battle."
Inwardly, Ben sighed. He had feared that Aunt Leia had already made the announcement of his father's death, and soon enough every holo of him and his family would be plastered on every tri-D from Bespin to Dubrillion, as it had when his mother had passed into the Force. Such an event would make it very hard to keep the low profile he needed to keep the Jedi and Anakin from finding him.
"Naboo is extremely generous. I will make contact with the Jedi Council and tell them of your offer," Ben said, not able to rationalize not making the call. As soon as he did, whatever team Anakin was leading would be on Naboo in no time flat. Ben should have guessed that the Queen would make such an endowment of Naboo's goods, the planet's Refugee Relief Group was well known across the galaxy, having taken many in during the Yuuzhan Vong war, and now even housing a large portion of Yuuzhan Vong.
"We thank you for your help, Apprentice Skywalker," Queen Pernillia said. "Now may we ask why you have come to Naboo?"
"In a previous visit, I became acquainted with the Gungan faction of Naboo. I made a promise that I would return one day," Ben answered truthfully, leaving out the part where he felt compelled to come here. His actual destination was only a parsec away from Naboo, Ben figuring that the best place to hide was the closest to where your pursuers expected you to go.
"We'd like you present when we contact the Temple, but after that I will inform the Boss of your arrival," the Queen informed him, gesturing Ben to follow.
"I'm at your disposal, Your Highness," Ben assured her.
[hr][/hr]
Luke watched as his son trailed behind the Queen of Naboo, he too wondering at the familiar beauty of the world around him. He turned to Obi-Wan, who stood next to him, smiling at the scene playing before them. "What is the mystery behind Naboo?" Luke asked.
Obi-Wan's features were nostalgic. "It was where we first met your mother. Queen Amidala of the Naboo, she was young to be elected, but there were none who could out-debate Padme Amidala. Qui-Gon and I were sent to negotiate with the Trade Federation, but Palpatine had already sunk his hooks into the organization. They tried to kill us and then invaded Naboo. When we escaped with your mother, our ship had been damaged and we landed on Tatooine to make repairs."
"Where you found my father?" Luke guessed.
"Actually, it was Qui-Gon who found Anakin, and at first bid for his training," Obi-Wan explained, bittersweet memories rising to the surface. "I often wondered if things would have gone differently if he had survived the Battle of Naboo and trained Anakin."
Luke understood Obi-Wan's doubts, having lost several of his earlier apprentices. "If there is one thing I've learned, Obi-Wan, it's that you can't mold an apprentice unless they want to fit into the mold." He gave Obi-Wan a sly smile. "I doubt my father made it easy on you." Memories of his own brief training floated to the surface. "Nor did I."
Obi-Wan gave him an understanding look. "There was so much I could see of Anakin in you, and it both relieved and frightened me. The Skywalkers have a deep-seeded desire to help so desperately that you often leap without looking to what is below."
"Is that what's happening with Ben now?" Luke asked, but before Obi-Wan answered he continued with a shake of his head. "I can't imagine Ben becoming what he has foreseen."
"Your son has been given a great gift but one that holds so much sorrow in it," Obi-Wan said.
"Will all of his visions come to fruition?" Luke asked, searching his first mentor's face for any signs of hesitation.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "The Force has not revealed that much to me, though I have sought for it since he was born."
"You were there then?" Luke asked.
"As was your father," Obi-Wan answered. "Visions can be misleading, and hard to interpret. What Ben sees will most likely come to pass, but whether as he perceives it is still in question."
Luke's hands balled into fists at his sides. "I wish I could go to him."
"In time, Luke. He must learn to stand alone because you will not always be there," Obi-Wan said in an attempt to sooth his young friend. "Separation is something we must all deal with."
[hr][/hr]
Ben stood behind and slightly to the right of Queen Pernillia as they waited for the High Council to convene and receive them. The communications officer hadn't said anything, but Ben could tell that he had been surprised to see him, normally runaways didn't announce their presence so readily to the ones they were hiding from. Just seeing the other Jedi brought all the emotions back. His visions hadn't stopped, if anything they were increasing day by day, and he longed for a night of unfettered sleep.
As the screen before them began to waver and form into the image of the Council, Ben noticed that even Nubian communications systems were liquid smooth, calming. He realized that part of him had come here hoping to find the same resolution that he had had in his previous visit, even though the purposes were in complete contrast to one another. Before, he had come to Naboo based on a vision he had seen of the lake palace, there his duty as a Jedi had been reaffirmed, and the ache of his mother's passing easier to withstand, now he had come to find peace in his decision to leave the Order.
While in transit to Naboo, Ben had gone into a deep meditation, and visions had assaulted him the entire time, even at this moment, in broad daylight he could feel them poking at his mind's eye and was grateful that he knew how to stop them in his conscious state.
Although the Queen of Naboo stood before them in all her majesty, every member of the High Council focused their attention on Ben, searching his face, some in disdain, others in worry, all wanting him to come back to where they thought he belonged. If only they knew what lay ahead of him.
Kyp stood from his chair and bowed before the Queen. "Your Majesty, we thank you for convincing Ben Skywalker to contact us."
Ben jerked to look at Queen Pernillia. Had her request been some kind of ploy instigated by the Temple to get him in contact so that they might convince him of his error? Fight or flight stimulus thrummed in Ben, nearly impossible to crush. Only years of training kept him stolid on his face and unwavering before the Council.
Queen Pernillia frowned at Master Durron, the red beauty marks on her face turning downwards and elongating to near ovals. "I'm not sure I understand you, Master Jedi. Ben Skywalker is here at my request to inform you of the aid we wish to give to the refugees on the planet Bellalt. He has expressed no desire to contact you other than to relay my wishes."
"Then you are not aware that Apprentice Skywalker..." Member Ller began to say coming into the holo in front of Master Durron.
Master Horn stood. "Of course, we would accept any aid that Naboo is willing to offer, and would like to send a group of Jedi down to assist you."
Ben was relieved both that the Queen had not betrayed him and that his father's old friend had stopped Member Ller from revealing that he had left the Order without so much as a word to the Council. Queen Pernillia came to scrutinize him, but Ben kept his face as stolid as a protocol droid's, refusing to reveal anything that might show that he was uncomfortable with the situation. The Council might wish to play a game to get him back, but he would not participate.
"That would be most appreciated, Master Jedi. Is there any word of relocating refugees?" she asked, again her compassion evident.
"Bellalt is an industrious city, Your Highness. Although the inhabitants are cramped, they wish to stay on their current world for the time being," Master Horn answered.
"If that were to change, Naboo has ample space for them," Queen Pernillia offered.
The members of the High Council all inclined their head in thanks to the sovereign of Naboo. Master Durron addressed her next. "Your Highness, the High Council would be most appreciative if you were to allow Apprentice Skywalker to stay within the palace until our team of Jedi arrive."
Obviously, Master Durron wasn't on his side as Master Horn. It made sense of course, with his father's absence, Master Durron would be a candidate to take head of the Council, and he would not want to aggravate either the Jedi or non-Jedi side of the High Council until the choice was given.
Ben stepped forward for the first time. He said, "That won't be necessary, Your Highness. It is not the custom for the Jedi to become a burden to those they serve. The High Council often is protective of me in my father's absence."
Queen Pernillia was more than slightly ill at ease with the subtle war that the High Council and Ben were waging. The tension was a palpable essence, even with the High Council nearly on the other side of the galaxy, and Ben felt sorry that he had inadvertently involved her in his quest.
"Is not Master Skywlker in charge of the boy's whereabouts?" Queen Pernillia finally ventured.
The High Council exchanged worried glances. They could easily inform the Queen that Luke Skywalker had perished on Bellalt, showing that they had obvious reasons for their concern, but then they would be going against the wishes of Ben and the rest of the family. They had wanted time to mourn their loss before the rest of the galaxy learned of it.
"Master Skywalker iz not in Temple," Master Sabatyne informed the Queen without revealing the full truth. "These onez only wizsh to look out for his szons welfare."
"He is hardly a child, Master Jedi," the Queen countered unexpectedly. Did she sense that there was more here than the Council's natural concern for one of its own? "And I see no reason to hold the boy."
Ben found it hard not to feel resentful towards the High Council. He knew that they only sought to keep him on the light side, and wished to continue the training that he had begun in his infancy. Yet, they were trying to manipulate the Queen of Naboo into keeping him in a veritable prison. Resentment continued to build at him as he thought of how differently his father would have dealt with this situation. Squeezing his eyes to keep tears from pooling within the grey shot eyes, Ben centered on the Force, its energies cooling the burning winds within him.
Master Horn gave each of the eleven other High Council Members a pointed glare, silencing them from impinging on the Queen of Naboo any further. "We will be in contact, Your Highness. Please let us know if there is anything more we can do in Naboo's aid for Bellalt."
Queen Pernillia bowed her head, the jewels and beads of her headdress clattering together like the sound of Nubian waterfalls. Ben focused on the calming timbre, letting it wash over his tired and drained mind, soothing the mental wounds that had been reopened over and over again with each vision. Surely in this halcyon world he could find the light of spirit that he was reaching for.
The High Council rippled out of existence, water dropped into a mirror lake, and the viewing screen turned an opaque ghostly color. Portent was echoing at Ben no matter where he turned; having always trusted his feelings, he felt betrayed by himself.
"Your father isn't simply out of the Temple, is he?" Queen Pernillia asked, her slim aged hands coming up to lift the headdress from her head, pulling the strands of auburn hair through the intricate weaving, leaving them to bounce vigorously against her padded shoulder. The symbolism was not missed by Ben. By taking off her hair mantle, she was taking off the office which it evidenced.
Ben winced, was he so easily read? "No, he is not."
She sat in the contour-conforming chair, easing her strained back, and Ben saw that she was a woman wearied by the responsibility she was called to bear. "What happened?"
"He was killed during the attack on Bellalt," Ben answered, unable to lie in the face of such a woman, despite that she would never guess that the slate grey to his eyes was an indicator of his emotions.
"When you entered the throne room, I knew you had come here seeking something, now I understand that you just wish for solitude," the Queen said softly, somehow she was more real than she had been a moment ago, a person who could so readily comprehend the weight he felt in his very marrow.
"Naboo should be called the planet of light," Ben said, steering the conversation away from himself. "You cannot help but feel edified when you breathe in the smell of sweet flowers, or hear the rush of singing waterfalls. Life teems on this planet, Your Highness. I only seek to feel that."
The Queen nodded, her hazel eyes watching him with empathy. "And I have put you in the position to leave that which you seek."
"I could have refused you," Ben said, wondering how she knew that he would be leaving as soon as he was able.
"You could have," the Queen agreed. "But you didn't. Why?"
It was a question he had been asking himself since he had arrived. The Queen could have called to the Senate and requested a communication with the High Council with ease, with the requisite time intervals between. Ben had known that her gracious offer would have taken months instead of the weeks it would now to get to the indigents of Bellalt.
"Duty is something I do not shuck off lightly," Ben answered enigmatically.
"It is a heavy burden to bear, young Skywalker," the Queen reminded. "Why should one so young as you be called to do so?"
Ben's eyes widened in incredulity. "The last four queens of Naboo have been my age or younger, strange that you would ask such a question of youth burdened with responsibility."
This caused the mature Queen to laugh and Ben found it infectious enough to smile. "You know much of our history, young Skywalker, yet I know very little about the Jedi."
"We are what we appear, Your Highness," Ben answered. "Servants of the Force."
At this, a questioning eyebrow hiked on the Queen's smooth forehead. "Oh, I think you are much more than that, young Skywalker."
Her cryptic response echoed in Ben's mind. What did she mean by it? "If Your Highness says so."
"Do not worry. I will not give the High Council any information about your departure," the Queen assured him. Her thin eyebrows turned down over her hazel green eyes as she studied him. "I believe you are on a quest, young Skywalker, more than the gentle feel of life you can receive on Naboo."
"Are you Force-sensitive, Highness?" Ben asked, again touched by how she seemed to read his innermost thoughts.
"I'm sensitive to life, my young friend. My son is about your age, perhaps one day you can stay long enough to meet him." The Queen paused, searching out and locking his eyes to hers. "I hope you find what you're looking for."
Ben bowed, understanding this as her permission to go. "Thank you, Your Highness. You've helped me in ways you cannot imagine." He turned to leave her, suddenly remembering that Artoo was trundling his way through the palace's docking bay.
"Ben," the Queen stopped him and he swung around, it was the first time she had addressed him by his first name. "Your father was a great man, the galaxy will miss him sorely, but don't let their perceptions make you who you are." She brought her bejeweled hand to where her heart thumped life- giving. "The truth is in here."
Ben left the Queen's communication room, her last words resonating in his mind that already held so much static from blocking the visions that sought him. Perception and truth, the two blended together so often that Ben forgot that their meanings were separate. Perception was based on a flawed quality, a being whose thoughts, feelings, and actions could have the purest of intentions and yet could hold the least amount of truth. Hadn't his grandfather quoted to his father that truth depended greatly from one's own point of view? Many perceived him as undeserving of his heritage, others expecting more of him than his parents had been. He, himself, perceived his life to be ruined due to the visions that wracked his mind.
These thoughts swirled inside of him up until he came to the palace docking bay, where his father's X-wing was being refueled. Ben looked up into the astromech droid socket, expecting to see Artoo's domed head crest over the hull of the ship and finding only empty air instead.
"Have you seen my Artoo unit?" he asked the bay deck officer with hose in hand fueling his X-wing. Little did they know that the fuel was unnecessary.
The deck officer siphoned off the fueling pump, unlatching it from the X- wing before answering Ben. "I'm sorry, Apprentice Skywalker but we lost him on our visual feed. We thought that he was with you."
Muttering curses in his head that would have made his father blanch and have a stern talk with Uncle Han about speaking in front of his son in such a way, Ben thanked the deck officer and returned back into the corridors of the palace. The meddlesome droid was keeping him here, again getting in the way of Ben's plans to keep out of sight.
Uncouthly, he jogged down the palace hallways, using the Force to enhance his eyesight so that he might spot the recalcitrant droid early on. It reminded Ben of how his father had eventually learned who Obi-Wan Kenobi was. Artoo had a bad habit of disappearing on his own, a habit Ben did not realize he had taken upon himself, and it more often than not landed them in trouble.
From space, Naboo looked like a globe filled with swirling molten blue and green metal frosted with the scattering of fluffy white condensation, a many faceted jewel that hung suspended in its velvet case. The planet had seen its share of troubles, having been blockaded some seventy years ago by the Trade Federation of the Old Republic, but it had now returned to being a planet of peace and beauty. Nubian architecture blended into the waterfall, spilling plateaus and the rolling green hills, representing the Nubian people's love for nature and its simple beauty. Everything bespoke of fluidity and continuity with life.
Ben flew his X-wing over the Narthal Forest, catching a glimpse of lumbering Kaadu as he made his way to the capital city of Theed. His first and only trip to Naboo, he had only visited the undersea fortress of Otoh Gunga, and the lakeside palace that had been enshrined in honor of one Naboo's most beloved monarchs.
Switching his com system over to the hailing frequencies of the Naboo Air Space Control, static filled his ears before refining to the sound of a tenor voice. "This is captain Frantra of the NASC, please identify."
"This is Ben Skywalker of the Jedi Order." He may have left the Order, but there would be some time before the word could get out. "Requesting permission to land at capital Theed."
It had yet to become public knowledge that Luke Skywalker had been killed in the battle for Bellalt, and Ben knew that Aunt Leia would be making that announcement soon, within the week she had said. But for now, Ben was grateful for the absence of sympathy, it only seemed to make him feel worse.
Several minutes passed before the NASC officer came on speaker. "Theed welcomes you, Apprentice Skywalker, as does the Queen. She'd like an audience with you upon landing," the officer said. "You've been cleared for docking bay 1138. Transmitting flight path."
"Flight path received. Thank Her Highness for her hospitality," Ben said, although he didn't quite feel like conversing with royalty. He did not plan on spending more than a day on Naboo - he anticipated that Anakin would figure out that he had come this way and that he wouldn't be too far behind him - and had hoped to spend more time with the Gungans.
Following the flight path he'd been assigned, Ben took in his first glimpse of the capital city of Theed, and his breath stopped in his chest. It was more than he could have possibly imagined. Tall domed buildings were bunched together, looking very much like vine fruit, waterfalls pouring down from the spaces between them. But it was Theed Palace that had him hypnotized; it was actually a part of the plateau, a man-made appendage that meshed wonderfully with the emerald waving grass.
Apparently, he had been given permission to land in the Palace's docking bay, and he brought the X-wing down as smooth as shimmer silk. Popping the hatch, he detached the ladder and set it to unfurl at the side of the X-wing. "You okay, Artoo?" Ben called, having not heard a whistle from the droid since they had entered Naboo airspace.
The droid bleeped that he was fine but nothing more, and Ben shook his head in mild amusement. He hopped to the ground and took stock of the sleek fighters that were housed inside the palace, they were in the shape of a seraphed T. Silver chrome met the liquid yellow of the rest of the ship, giving the fighter a less than threatening look to it. The cockpit sat high on the T, with the end coming to a dagger-like point.
Ben whistled in appreciation of the ships, and wondered why the New Republic hadn't contracted for the Nubian fighters.
Concernedly, Artoo bleated at him. "No, Artoo, I'm not considering getting rid of the X-wing," Ben soothed the excitable droid. In some ways Artoo and Luke's X-wing had become more attached than Artoo and Threepio.
Reaching out to the Force, he grasped Artoo in its invisible fingers, and lifted the cylindrical droid out of the X-wing's casing, bringing the droid's treaded feet down on the docking bay's concrete. Rolling at the first sign of stability, Artoo began to weave in between the fighters.
"Trying to steal our ship design for the Jedi, Apprentice Skywalker?" an elderly gentleman with grizzled curly hair that poked out from the bottom of his captain's cap and skin the color of dark Ursh wood said as he approached Ben.
"It would surely be worth the risk, but I'm afraid it's nothing more than my recalcitrant astromech droid," Ben answered. "And it's just Ben."
"I'm Captain Fontera Suil of Her Majesty's security force," the man introduced himself. "Queen Pernillia was pleased to hear of your arrival."
Ben cocked a ruddy brown eye brow. "Was Her Highness expecting a Jedi representative?" His father hadn't mentioned anything before his death, nor had the Council, although Ben was not privileged to all the requests that came from the galaxy.
The captain shook his head. "She had not made a formal inquisition to the Jedi, but when she learned of your arrival she decided to bring up her concerns now."
[i]Blast[/i], Ben cursed inside his head. He had come here hoping to escape from his visions, and yet he had inadvertently been directed by the Force to come to Naboo and hear what the Queen had for the Jedi. "It will be a pleasure to speak with Her Highness," Ben said, putting on his diplomatic tone that Aunt Leia had drilled into him since he had rejoined with his family after the Yuuzhan Vong war.
"Your astromech droid will be fine here," Captain Fontera said as he led Ben out of the docking bay and through the tall marbled palace halls.
Ben just hoped that Artoo didn't get into any trouble, the little cylindrical droid was known for plugging into stations he wasn't supposed to and he very well might steal the designs to the Nubian starfighter. Placing his hands behind his back, Ben studied the palace as he trailed behind Captain Fontera. More and more he was getting the feeling as though he had been here before, a sense of deja vu that he had only experienced a few times in his young life.
Understanding came to him at the sight of a marbled statue of three men. One was extremely tall, built like a gundark, with long flowing hair, the next one standing at his right came to just above his shoulder and his hair was cut short and even, save for a braided tail that trailed down behind his right ear, and the last stood before and between the two, a young boy of no more then ten, slightly disheveled with a grin that came from ear to ear. Ben quickly tore his gaze from the youthful innocence in Anakin Skywalker's face, unable to forget that the boy's innocence had quickly enough turned to jilted anger, and then the Dark Side. A path that Ben was bound to follow.
Instead, he paused to read the datareader that stood on a pedestal just before the large statue. 'The Heros of the Battle for Naboo,' it read, sending a chill through Ben's thinned body. Captain Fontera turned back, having noticed that Ben had paused, and joined him before the statue. He looked from Ben to Obi-Wan Kenobi and back again.
"Do you know the men in this statue?" he asked.
Ben turned to him surprised. "Don't you?"
Fontera sighed. "We built this statue from a holo left in some of Queen Amidala's personal files, it actually came from her journal, and said simply that these three Jedi saved Naboo, and that she wished for them to always be remembered. Queen Pernillia ordered that their identities be found, but due to the Jedi purges we could never locate them."
Ben pointed to the youthful Anakin. "This is Anakin Skywalker, my grandfather." Next he selected his mother's father. "The Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi," his finger trailed to the left of Kenobi. "And Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan's Jedi Master."
The Nubian captain looked at Ben with some trepidation. "You mean to tell me that one of the heros of Naboo became Darth Vader?"
"Does that make what he did any less special?" Ben countered, heatedly, for the first time caring how he would be remembered after he had passed away. Would they see the rescue of Bellalt as something tainted because of the darkness he would become? "If it hadn't been for Anakin Skywalker, the Empire might have well still been around today."
Fontera considered this for a moment before continuing, "You're right. The Queen will be pleased to know the names of our beloved planet's heros." Fontera took one last double take between Obi-Wan and Ben and then proceeded to direct the young seer to his meeting with the Queen.
Queen Pernillia was not as young as her last three predecessors, although just as beautiful. In her late forties, she had been elected eight years ago and was coming to the end of her two terms. Customary to Nubian royalty, her face was painted white with the red balancing marks painted on her cheeks and the scar of remembrance slashing her lower lip. She was dressed in a royal violet gown that made her look larger than her barely five foot frame, her auburn hair wove between a fan-like headdress that dripped jewels like dew off of freshly bloomed petals.
Ben bowed before the elegant ruler, mindful that it did not look exaggerated or unfitting of one of her status, a skill learned from the Princess of Alderaan. "Greetings, Your Highness, I am Ben Skywalker." He purposefully left out his Jedi title; he had left the Order to save it, and could no longer claim that honorific.
The Queen rose and came out from behind her desk, joining Ben. "We have heard about the Battle that took place on the planet Bellalt," Queen Pernillia said, her voice laced with compassion and Ben held his breath, waiting for the sympathy that he had come to grow accustomed to but never comfortable with. "We would like to offer any resources needed to help bring Bellalt back to its prime and aid any refugees that resulted from the battle."
Inwardly, Ben sighed. He had feared that Aunt Leia had already made the announcement of his father's death, and soon enough every holo of him and his family would be plastered on every tri-D from Bespin to Dubrillion, as it had when his mother had passed into the Force. Such an event would make it very hard to keep the low profile he needed to keep the Jedi and Anakin from finding him.
"Naboo is extremely generous. I will make contact with the Jedi Council and tell them of your offer," Ben said, not able to rationalize not making the call. As soon as he did, whatever team Anakin was leading would be on Naboo in no time flat. Ben should have guessed that the Queen would make such an endowment of Naboo's goods, the planet's Refugee Relief Group was well known across the galaxy, having taken many in during the Yuuzhan Vong war, and now even housing a large portion of Yuuzhan Vong.
"We thank you for your help, Apprentice Skywalker," Queen Pernillia said. "Now may we ask why you have come to Naboo?"
"In a previous visit, I became acquainted with the Gungan faction of Naboo. I made a promise that I would return one day," Ben answered truthfully, leaving out the part where he felt compelled to come here. His actual destination was only a parsec away from Naboo, Ben figuring that the best place to hide was the closest to where your pursuers expected you to go.
"We'd like you present when we contact the Temple, but after that I will inform the Boss of your arrival," the Queen informed him, gesturing Ben to follow.
"I'm at your disposal, Your Highness," Ben assured her.
[hr][/hr]
Luke watched as his son trailed behind the Queen of Naboo, he too wondering at the familiar beauty of the world around him. He turned to Obi-Wan, who stood next to him, smiling at the scene playing before them. "What is the mystery behind Naboo?" Luke asked.
Obi-Wan's features were nostalgic. "It was where we first met your mother. Queen Amidala of the Naboo, she was young to be elected, but there were none who could out-debate Padme Amidala. Qui-Gon and I were sent to negotiate with the Trade Federation, but Palpatine had already sunk his hooks into the organization. They tried to kill us and then invaded Naboo. When we escaped with your mother, our ship had been damaged and we landed on Tatooine to make repairs."
"Where you found my father?" Luke guessed.
"Actually, it was Qui-Gon who found Anakin, and at first bid for his training," Obi-Wan explained, bittersweet memories rising to the surface. "I often wondered if things would have gone differently if he had survived the Battle of Naboo and trained Anakin."
Luke understood Obi-Wan's doubts, having lost several of his earlier apprentices. "If there is one thing I've learned, Obi-Wan, it's that you can't mold an apprentice unless they want to fit into the mold." He gave Obi-Wan a sly smile. "I doubt my father made it easy on you." Memories of his own brief training floated to the surface. "Nor did I."
Obi-Wan gave him an understanding look. "There was so much I could see of Anakin in you, and it both relieved and frightened me. The Skywalkers have a deep-seeded desire to help so desperately that you often leap without looking to what is below."
"Is that what's happening with Ben now?" Luke asked, but before Obi-Wan answered he continued with a shake of his head. "I can't imagine Ben becoming what he has foreseen."
"Your son has been given a great gift but one that holds so much sorrow in it," Obi-Wan said.
"Will all of his visions come to fruition?" Luke asked, searching his first mentor's face for any signs of hesitation.
Obi-Wan shook his head. "The Force has not revealed that much to me, though I have sought for it since he was born."
"You were there then?" Luke asked.
"As was your father," Obi-Wan answered. "Visions can be misleading, and hard to interpret. What Ben sees will most likely come to pass, but whether as he perceives it is still in question."
Luke's hands balled into fists at his sides. "I wish I could go to him."
"In time, Luke. He must learn to stand alone because you will not always be there," Obi-Wan said in an attempt to sooth his young friend. "Separation is something we must all deal with."
[hr][/hr]
Ben stood behind and slightly to the right of Queen Pernillia as they waited for the High Council to convene and receive them. The communications officer hadn't said anything, but Ben could tell that he had been surprised to see him, normally runaways didn't announce their presence so readily to the ones they were hiding from. Just seeing the other Jedi brought all the emotions back. His visions hadn't stopped, if anything they were increasing day by day, and he longed for a night of unfettered sleep.
As the screen before them began to waver and form into the image of the Council, Ben noticed that even Nubian communications systems were liquid smooth, calming. He realized that part of him had come here hoping to find the same resolution that he had had in his previous visit, even though the purposes were in complete contrast to one another. Before, he had come to Naboo based on a vision he had seen of the lake palace, there his duty as a Jedi had been reaffirmed, and the ache of his mother's passing easier to withstand, now he had come to find peace in his decision to leave the Order.
While in transit to Naboo, Ben had gone into a deep meditation, and visions had assaulted him the entire time, even at this moment, in broad daylight he could feel them poking at his mind's eye and was grateful that he knew how to stop them in his conscious state.
Although the Queen of Naboo stood before them in all her majesty, every member of the High Council focused their attention on Ben, searching his face, some in disdain, others in worry, all wanting him to come back to where they thought he belonged. If only they knew what lay ahead of him.
Kyp stood from his chair and bowed before the Queen. "Your Majesty, we thank you for convincing Ben Skywalker to contact us."
Ben jerked to look at Queen Pernillia. Had her request been some kind of ploy instigated by the Temple to get him in contact so that they might convince him of his error? Fight or flight stimulus thrummed in Ben, nearly impossible to crush. Only years of training kept him stolid on his face and unwavering before the Council.
Queen Pernillia frowned at Master Durron, the red beauty marks on her face turning downwards and elongating to near ovals. "I'm not sure I understand you, Master Jedi. Ben Skywalker is here at my request to inform you of the aid we wish to give to the refugees on the planet Bellalt. He has expressed no desire to contact you other than to relay my wishes."
"Then you are not aware that Apprentice Skywalker..." Member Ller began to say coming into the holo in front of Master Durron.
Master Horn stood. "Of course, we would accept any aid that Naboo is willing to offer, and would like to send a group of Jedi down to assist you."
Ben was relieved both that the Queen had not betrayed him and that his father's old friend had stopped Member Ller from revealing that he had left the Order without so much as a word to the Council. Queen Pernillia came to scrutinize him, but Ben kept his face as stolid as a protocol droid's, refusing to reveal anything that might show that he was uncomfortable with the situation. The Council might wish to play a game to get him back, but he would not participate.
"That would be most appreciated, Master Jedi. Is there any word of relocating refugees?" she asked, again her compassion evident.
"Bellalt is an industrious city, Your Highness. Although the inhabitants are cramped, they wish to stay on their current world for the time being," Master Horn answered.
"If that were to change, Naboo has ample space for them," Queen Pernillia offered.
The members of the High Council all inclined their head in thanks to the sovereign of Naboo. Master Durron addressed her next. "Your Highness, the High Council would be most appreciative if you were to allow Apprentice Skywalker to stay within the palace until our team of Jedi arrive."
Obviously, Master Durron wasn't on his side as Master Horn. It made sense of course, with his father's absence, Master Durron would be a candidate to take head of the Council, and he would not want to aggravate either the Jedi or non-Jedi side of the High Council until the choice was given.
Ben stepped forward for the first time. He said, "That won't be necessary, Your Highness. It is not the custom for the Jedi to become a burden to those they serve. The High Council often is protective of me in my father's absence."
Queen Pernillia was more than slightly ill at ease with the subtle war that the High Council and Ben were waging. The tension was a palpable essence, even with the High Council nearly on the other side of the galaxy, and Ben felt sorry that he had inadvertently involved her in his quest.
"Is not Master Skywlker in charge of the boy's whereabouts?" Queen Pernillia finally ventured.
The High Council exchanged worried glances. They could easily inform the Queen that Luke Skywalker had perished on Bellalt, showing that they had obvious reasons for their concern, but then they would be going against the wishes of Ben and the rest of the family. They had wanted time to mourn their loss before the rest of the galaxy learned of it.
"Master Skywalker iz not in Temple," Master Sabatyne informed the Queen without revealing the full truth. "These onez only wizsh to look out for his szons welfare."
"He is hardly a child, Master Jedi," the Queen countered unexpectedly. Did she sense that there was more here than the Council's natural concern for one of its own? "And I see no reason to hold the boy."
Ben found it hard not to feel resentful towards the High Council. He knew that they only sought to keep him on the light side, and wished to continue the training that he had begun in his infancy. Yet, they were trying to manipulate the Queen of Naboo into keeping him in a veritable prison. Resentment continued to build at him as he thought of how differently his father would have dealt with this situation. Squeezing his eyes to keep tears from pooling within the grey shot eyes, Ben centered on the Force, its energies cooling the burning winds within him.
Master Horn gave each of the eleven other High Council Members a pointed glare, silencing them from impinging on the Queen of Naboo any further. "We will be in contact, Your Highness. Please let us know if there is anything more we can do in Naboo's aid for Bellalt."
Queen Pernillia bowed her head, the jewels and beads of her headdress clattering together like the sound of Nubian waterfalls. Ben focused on the calming timbre, letting it wash over his tired and drained mind, soothing the mental wounds that had been reopened over and over again with each vision. Surely in this halcyon world he could find the light of spirit that he was reaching for.
The High Council rippled out of existence, water dropped into a mirror lake, and the viewing screen turned an opaque ghostly color. Portent was echoing at Ben no matter where he turned; having always trusted his feelings, he felt betrayed by himself.
"Your father isn't simply out of the Temple, is he?" Queen Pernillia asked, her slim aged hands coming up to lift the headdress from her head, pulling the strands of auburn hair through the intricate weaving, leaving them to bounce vigorously against her padded shoulder. The symbolism was not missed by Ben. By taking off her hair mantle, she was taking off the office which it evidenced.
Ben winced, was he so easily read? "No, he is not."
She sat in the contour-conforming chair, easing her strained back, and Ben saw that she was a woman wearied by the responsibility she was called to bear. "What happened?"
"He was killed during the attack on Bellalt," Ben answered, unable to lie in the face of such a woman, despite that she would never guess that the slate grey to his eyes was an indicator of his emotions.
"When you entered the throne room, I knew you had come here seeking something, now I understand that you just wish for solitude," the Queen said softly, somehow she was more real than she had been a moment ago, a person who could so readily comprehend the weight he felt in his very marrow.
"Naboo should be called the planet of light," Ben said, steering the conversation away from himself. "You cannot help but feel edified when you breathe in the smell of sweet flowers, or hear the rush of singing waterfalls. Life teems on this planet, Your Highness. I only seek to feel that."
The Queen nodded, her hazel eyes watching him with empathy. "And I have put you in the position to leave that which you seek."
"I could have refused you," Ben said, wondering how she knew that he would be leaving as soon as he was able.
"You could have," the Queen agreed. "But you didn't. Why?"
It was a question he had been asking himself since he had arrived. The Queen could have called to the Senate and requested a communication with the High Council with ease, with the requisite time intervals between. Ben had known that her gracious offer would have taken months instead of the weeks it would now to get to the indigents of Bellalt.
"Duty is something I do not shuck off lightly," Ben answered enigmatically.
"It is a heavy burden to bear, young Skywalker," the Queen reminded. "Why should one so young as you be called to do so?"
Ben's eyes widened in incredulity. "The last four queens of Naboo have been my age or younger, strange that you would ask such a question of youth burdened with responsibility."
This caused the mature Queen to laugh and Ben found it infectious enough to smile. "You know much of our history, young Skywalker, yet I know very little about the Jedi."
"We are what we appear, Your Highness," Ben answered. "Servants of the Force."
At this, a questioning eyebrow hiked on the Queen's smooth forehead. "Oh, I think you are much more than that, young Skywalker."
Her cryptic response echoed in Ben's mind. What did she mean by it? "If Your Highness says so."
"Do not worry. I will not give the High Council any information about your departure," the Queen assured him. Her thin eyebrows turned down over her hazel green eyes as she studied him. "I believe you are on a quest, young Skywalker, more than the gentle feel of life you can receive on Naboo."
"Are you Force-sensitive, Highness?" Ben asked, again touched by how she seemed to read his innermost thoughts.
"I'm sensitive to life, my young friend. My son is about your age, perhaps one day you can stay long enough to meet him." The Queen paused, searching out and locking his eyes to hers. "I hope you find what you're looking for."
Ben bowed, understanding this as her permission to go. "Thank you, Your Highness. You've helped me in ways you cannot imagine." He turned to leave her, suddenly remembering that Artoo was trundling his way through the palace's docking bay.
"Ben," the Queen stopped him and he swung around, it was the first time she had addressed him by his first name. "Your father was a great man, the galaxy will miss him sorely, but don't let their perceptions make you who you are." She brought her bejeweled hand to where her heart thumped life- giving. "The truth is in here."
Ben left the Queen's communication room, her last words resonating in his mind that already held so much static from blocking the visions that sought him. Perception and truth, the two blended together so often that Ben forgot that their meanings were separate. Perception was based on a flawed quality, a being whose thoughts, feelings, and actions could have the purest of intentions and yet could hold the least amount of truth. Hadn't his grandfather quoted to his father that truth depended greatly from one's own point of view? Many perceived him as undeserving of his heritage, others expecting more of him than his parents had been. He, himself, perceived his life to be ruined due to the visions that wracked his mind.
These thoughts swirled inside of him up until he came to the palace docking bay, where his father's X-wing was being refueled. Ben looked up into the astromech droid socket, expecting to see Artoo's domed head crest over the hull of the ship and finding only empty air instead.
"Have you seen my Artoo unit?" he asked the bay deck officer with hose in hand fueling his X-wing. Little did they know that the fuel was unnecessary.
The deck officer siphoned off the fueling pump, unlatching it from the X- wing before answering Ben. "I'm sorry, Apprentice Skywalker but we lost him on our visual feed. We thought that he was with you."
Muttering curses in his head that would have made his father blanch and have a stern talk with Uncle Han about speaking in front of his son in such a way, Ben thanked the deck officer and returned back into the corridors of the palace. The meddlesome droid was keeping him here, again getting in the way of Ben's plans to keep out of sight.
Uncouthly, he jogged down the palace hallways, using the Force to enhance his eyesight so that he might spot the recalcitrant droid early on. It reminded Ben of how his father had eventually learned who Obi-Wan Kenobi was. Artoo had a bad habit of disappearing on his own, a habit Ben did not realize he had taken upon himself, and it more often than not landed them in trouble.