Chapter XVII

Anakin's robes distorted his figure, and through his outpouring of the Force the minds of the passerby's were muddied, his presence would not be found, the space port where he had decided to meet his family was crowded, but with the incoming refugees from Naboo a special area was designated for them, a place where Anakin quickly found himself. Of course, he noted as the many Theed citizens were transported to dwellings that would suit them for the time being and he felt much pity for them, he could only feel their pain, leaving Tatooine to become a Jedi was hard, leaving his mother behind was hard, but he did it, he did as she said, and never regretted listening to his mother's wishes, the chance to become a Jedi Knight.

He flexed his new synthetic arm; it was the newest of its kind, cytonic carbon laced with synthetic skin, his nerves worked as well as his other arm, his gloved hands were nonetheless his custom after that faithful encounter with Dooku. He felt their presence, and turned with a smile as Padmé and his children exited a shelter that was temporarily erected in the spaceport, Luke and Leia were giggling as they ran toward their father, he knelt and embraced them, and all the pressures and anxieties of his life as a Jedi Knight faded as his eyes watered in their embrace.

With a quick movement he stood, holding both of his children in each of his arms, and they again giggled in joy, Luke's face was filled with perpetual bliss as he spun them and Padmé came near, he leaned forward and kissed her gently, his children the only reason he did not move full out and wrapped his arms around her.

"Anakin," she began softly, as Leia was now finding glee in pulling her father's hair the toddler leaned forward in an attempt to reach for the protocol droid that now came walking towards them, See-Threepio.

"Hiya Threepio," said Anakin, happy to see his droid that he himself had constructed, the golden plated droid nodded, "well, isn't it Master Anakin! Bless the maker it's really you master," the droid's head tilted slightly, "I must say that Master Luke and Mistress Leia have been quite an exercise, but as you know I am not made for their well-being, I am a protocol droid Master, well versed in over six-,"

Anakin turned his back and gently allowed Luke and Leia to jump from his arms onto the ground, holding their mother's hand Anakin leaned closer to his wife, "I really think I have to get that introduction fixed, after a while he just annoys you,"

"I have heard much about the new war, and it seems to be taking a toll on alien lives isn't it?" inquired Padmé as the four made their way back to the shelter to retrieve their belongings.

Anakin bit his lower lip before he answered, "yes it has, they are called Death Seekers, and as their name suggests they seek death, of all other species of aliens but human,"

Padmé shuddered, "that's awful, what are we going to do?"

Anakin laughed, "we will do nothing, you have two young ones to look after, and we cannot afford anything to happen to their mother can we?" he leaned forward and kissed her again, she smiled, "but Anakin, we ha-,"

Anakin felt it in the Force, a great disturbance, "move!" he shouted, pushing them out of the way, his lightsaber snapped on and crackled as it collided with another lightsaber, the crimson blade forced Anakin back and he rolled with the blow, bringing the blade above his head.

The refugees from Naboo were shocked at the appearance of two seemingly rogue Jedi and some rushed off for Security.

But Anakin knew that his enemy was no Jedi Knight turned rogue, as he studied his enemy's precision as she charged him back, the woman had a classic beauty about her, and her golden red hair flowed in the wind as she drove him back, he noticed her robes were those of the Besgahi, a sect that viewed the Force as the master of their lives, a sort of deity.

Her technique was sloppy, he noticed as he parried her attack, with a quick flick of his lightsaber he disarmed her, destroying her lightsaber, the woman knelt before him before activating a hidden vibro-blade which she plunged into her neck, her eyes rolled into her head as she fell to the floor.

Anakin's lightsaber disappeared into its hilt just as security arrived, three Clone troopers in light infantry armor, the obvious leader had a scar on his right cheek, and he nodded toward Anakin, "General Skywalker,"

The Jedi Master nodded as he turned toward them, his wife moved away from the children as Threepio held them, she could not allow herself to be seen with them, "It's alright," said Anakin he regarded the now dead Besgahi, "alert Security of the Basgahi's presence in the spaceport, I will return to the Jedi Temple and relay this information to the Jedi Temple," the scar that crossed his left eye burnt as he felt anger bite through him and he touched it with his real hand, the clones nodded in affirmation and moved away while medic droids moved toward the Besgahi's body.

From a distance Anakin glanced at Padmé and she nodded softly, he would see her and the children later, there was too much commotion to now muddy the people's minds. With a heavy heart he made his way to his fighter.

"This information is proving invaluable apprentice Yan," said Lord Fyte from his personal flag ship Force Eater, he watched the younger man from the other end of the transmission with wan interest as his mind was flooded with thoughts.

Yan nodded from his hidden post on Coruscant relishing the praise, "thank you master,"

"And have you told others of this?" Fyte inquired lightly.

The apprentice shook his head, and Fyte smiled, "good," he said softly, as the words whispered between his lips Yan's handsome features distorted as his eyes bulged from their sockets, his face began to turn white and pale as blue streaks began to crawl up his flesh like a starving worm, Yan's eyes rolled into his head as blood began to seep out of his eyes and his screams were stifled, Yan fell to the floor, beyond Fyte's line of vision.

Lord Fyte smiled and released his grip on the young man, his power was so great that he could kill him from such a far distance, but only because Yan shared his blood, being his nephew, he could not kill one such as Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Master in this way, but now he had another way of getting to him, and smiled as the thoughts became words, "Master Skywalker has a family,"