"We got her." Roken announced as they came down the ramp. The people deflated with palpable relief. "And we managed to rescue someone else. This is Orden. He's an old friend of General Kenobi."

Anakin tried to endure the curious stares without fidgeting with the cloth covering his face. It stank and he wished he hadn't been so recognizable during the Clone Wars so he could be rid of it. He also wished he could shadow Leia without seeming obsessive. The reluctance to let her out of his sight with so many unknown factors around them was nearly as suffocating as his mask.

These were good people, he kept reminding himself as Leia took off with Tala to talk to a group of other children. People on the run just like them. People who had risked everything to help Jedi. He needed compassion for them instead of suspicion.

Uncomfortable, and unsure of what to do with himself as the prickling of guilt grew, Anakin strayed closer to Obi-Wan.

"Haja?" Obi-Wan sounded surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Anakin turned to look at the man Obi-Wan was speaking with.

"I had nowhere else to go. After I helped you I got into a fight with that scary inquisitor lady and now I'm wanted by the empire. Got a taste for what it's like to be a real jedi. Ahaha," Haja began his story enthusiastically, but he sobered quickly. "It's not easy. But this place is a good business opportunity."

Obi-Wan rolled his eyes as the man walked away.

"Who was that?"

"A con man I met on Daiyu. He was pretending to be a Jedi for profit."

"Should have introduced him to Hondo. They would have really hit if off." Anakin muttered darkly, glaring after the man.

"Haja has more decency than Hondo," Obi-Wan grumbled. "He helped us, and in the end proved to be a good man. He just has a love for credits. I wouldn't have found Leia without his help, and he aided in our escape when he didn't have to. We owe him."

"Still. He shouldn't be pretending to be a Jedi."

Obi-Wan ignored him, instead catching Roken's attention.

"Roken, that ship. I need to get Leia to Alderann."

"As soon as we get these people out of here, I'll take you wherever you want. We use a trade route to get them out, but the window is closing and some of these people have been waiting here for months."

"Of course. We'll help however we can."

The hangar came to life, bustling with activity as the people started packing the ship and preparing to leave. Excitement and eagerness hung in the air. Anakin and Obi-Wan helped move some of the heavier crates, but ultimately, the people seemed to be managing just fine without them.

Just as they finished the last task given to them Anakin scanned the hangar again, searching for Leia. He relaxed only when he spotted her still with the other children, laughing and playing their game with them. The mask he wore grew suffocating again as his chest tightened with visions of what could have been. She should always be this way, laughing and playing, not running from an Empire that would kill her or twist her into a tool for evil.

"Thank-you for the help," Tala appeared beside him, intruding on his brief moment of seeing his daughter happy. "Many hands make light work."

"You're welcome." Anakin tried to sound like he meant it, but he still wasn't sure how he felt about this woman. She was competent, brave, loyal and fierce, but she'd left his child alone in a tunnel which allowed her to end up in enemy hands and nearly tortured. No matter Leia's defense of her, that one event was enough to conflict his opinion of her.

"There are things in those crates that I know you would be welcome to, if you wanted them." Tala said pleasantly, pointing to the far side of the hanger. "And clothing too, if you want to find something new, Orden. I'm sure you want to get out of those imperial rags. There's a fresher around the corner where you can get cleaned up."

Her hint was subtle enough, but Anakin still felt his face flush a little under the face cover and beside him Obi-Wan coughed back a laugh.

"Thank you. It would be nice to change." Anakin admitted as he headed for the crates, shoulders held stiffly. Obi-Wan wasn't far behind him, still smirking.

"You can stop anytime, you know."

"She does have a point."

"I think we have had more pressing issues than how I smell and look." Anakin muttered as he dug through the nearest crate. His fingers closed around a soft material and he pulled out a dark blue tunic. The workmanship was careful and the fabric echoed with the signature of its weaver.

A Jedi had made this.

The guilt and grief were softened by the whisper that lingered around the tunic. It was made with care for whomever wore it, infused with hope for the future. Anakin couldn't bring himself to put it back. Instead he rummaged deeper for pants, socks, boots, a grey vest with a hood, something to cover his face, undergarments, and most importantly, a belt. Something about the mundane need for clothing made him feel alive. He was still a person, not a slave.

"There are more of us alive than I had thought." Obi-Wan commented huskily.

Obi-Wan was studying the wall. It was covered with messages, names and symbols of hope.

There were fewer than Anakin had been hoping for, based on Obi-Wan's comment. He fought the wave of nausea down as he thought of how few made it through, and what sort of lives they lead now…all because he failed.

"Still too few," he said shortly as he carried his bundle past Obi-Wan, unable to look at the names any longer. They were just reminders of what they'd lost and right now, instead of bringing comfort they brought sorrow.

Obi-Wan followed him a few steps. "It wasn't your fault, An-Orden."

Anakin didn't answer as he stalked towards the fresher and shut himself in.

He took his time, relishing the way the cold water ran over his frame and the smell of the soap. It was a small shower, and he was nearly too tall for it. Were it not for his desperation to wash the remnants of his prison off his body, Anakin might have been reluctant to step into such a small space. Closing his eyes and listening to the water helped him stay calm. Focusing his mind on Leia and Luke also helped immensely.

When he was dressed in the new clothing, Anakin took a good look at himself in the mirror. He'd cleaned up a bit in the ship's med bay, but looking at himself now he thought the change was encouraging.

There was more color in his face, wet hair curling around his cheekbones. Age and time hung on his face now, chasing away the boyish charm Padme used to tease him about and replacing it with strong bones in his face. He didn't look as gaunt and lifeless and the clothes helped hide the lack of meat on his bones. Dark brown pants with utility pockets hugged his frame without swamping him, sturdy black boots supported his big feet and the long sleeved dark blue tunic hid his mechanical arm.

Slipping the tight material of the face mask down around his neck, he adjusted it until it was comfortable and then tugged it up over his mouth and nose. It smelt a thousand times better than the pirate rag, and with the hood of the gray vest flipped up, he could hardly recognize himself.

Obi-Wan was waiting for him when he finally came out. He'd found a short sleeved cloak for himself and seemed to have known he was about to emerge.

"You look better." He commented, eyeing him up and down with a nod of approval.

"Glad you think so." Anakin said dryly, casting a worried look around at the people. He was relieved that none of them treated him with anything other than curiosity. "I feel better."

"There is something you should see." Obi-Wan told him, leading the way back to the crates.

Standing back, he let Anakin get a good view of the contents.

Lightsabers. Several of them.

"How are these here?" He asked quietly, waiting to hear the answer before making any judgment.

"Collected, recovered, left behind. Some of these families on the run helped to hide Jedi. They brought the lightsabers along in hopes of them finding new owners. Tala say's Roken has been hiding anything that doesn't get claimed until a time comes when they can be used safely again. His wife was force-sensitive. She was killed."

Fighting a lump in his throat, Anakin's hand hovered over the hilts. The desire to touch them was almost overpowering, but he was reluctant to. It seemed almost irreverent to do so.

Something in the Force stirred, insistent, urgent and tugging at him. One of the crystals was calling.

Frowning, Anakin considered walking away, but the Force pulled harder. He closed his eyes and focused, dropping his hand into the crate and finding one of the hilts. The Force hummed with approval.

Igniting the blade, he opened his eyes again.

"Well, there's your proof," Obi-Wan said, addressing an unspoken fear they both knew he'd been fighting. "You aren't the same as you were. You've grown and you are worthy to protect us all."

"I thought it would be blue." Anakin said quietly, staring at the blade as it blazed like the sun.

"It suits you."

"We have always been taught the color reflects the wielder. I was always a warrior. I am no scholar, or a sentinel. Why would yellow call to me?"

"It's more of a yellow-orange really. You were never a scholar and you never had the discipline to be a sentinel. You lacked patience, but that was then. They were powerful in the Force. They were defenders, they were the watchers, they were patient and careful, the guardians and order in the chaos. They cared for the public, they helped the poor. They were balanced between defending and keeping the peace. They were close to the people."

"It still doesn't feel exactly right." Anakin sighed. "As if it is merely lending itself to me for a time until it's no longer needed, gracing me with its seal of approval until I can move forward."

"You don't think it's chosen you?"

"Oh, it chose me. That's not up for debate, but…" Anakin let the blade power down and turned the hilt over in his hands gently. "It wanted a purpose. To defend and guard again. But its purpose in the long run is not the life I fear I'm being called to, Obi-Wan. This blade will grow weary in my hands. I will need to find another eventually. Then I will lay this one to rest until its new wielder comes to claim it."

"Do you want your old blade back?" Obi-Wan asked, folding his arms and regarding him carefully. "I have it, hidden and safe."

Anakin stayed silent as he reached through the Force. Then he shook his head firmly.

"No. I would feel its pain, all the horrors it inflicted while in Vader's hands. Let it rest in the quiet. In time, perhaps someone can heal it, but that person is not me. The darkness tainting it would drive me mad, I…I don't think I could endure it."

"I understand."

"Are you sure I should take this?"

"Tala and a few of the others reiterated that these were better off in the hands of Jedi. If one called either of us, we were to take it. The rest will be taken to a safe hiding place. Roken has given me the coordinates, so we can collect them when the time is right."

Anakin nodded, about to reply when something tugged at the back of his mind.

Dark dread coiled in his gut and he looked at Obi-Wan.

"I've got a bad feeling…"

"Me too."

The power cut out.

An alarm began to blare as the big hangar doors closed.

"We just can't catch a break." Anakin growled as he ran after Obi-Wan across the hangar floor to Roken.

"What's happened?" Obi-Wan asked.

"The controls aren't responding." Sully told him.

"An imperial destroyer just arrived in orbit above us." added Roken. He did a decent job of remaining calm, but Anakin could feel the fear rolling off him.

"She must have tracked us." Tala said, turning to Obi-Wan.

"It's not her, it's Vader." Obi-Wan said grimly, staring up.

Sully looked to the ceiling too. "He wants us to surrender."

"If we surrender, he'll kill us all!" Tala exclaimed.

"He'll attack next," Obi-Wan said with resignation.

Anakin finished the thought blandly as nausea built in his gut again, "He doesn't have the patience for a siege."

"How do you know?" Roken asked.

Neither Anakin or Obi-Wan answered, but each knew what the other was thinking of.

"You grow too aggressive, Anakin. Be mindful. A Jedi's goal is to defend life, not take it."

"Mercy doesn't defeat an enemy master, which is why you are going to lose."

"We know how he thinks." Anakin murmured. "We know what he'll do."

"And so maybe we can out maneuver him." Obi-Wan whispered back.

"Maybe. As I understand it, I haven't won against you once yet."

"Well, just once. Recently. He dragged me through fire." Obi-Wan rubbed his shoulder even as the light words left his mouth. "I've learned since then."

"He what-"

"Everyone. Everyone." Obi-Wan ignored Anakin, instead drawing the attention of the people in a way only the great negotiator and general could. "I understand you are scared, the empire will attack soon. They're stronger than us, better equipped, better trained, if we try to fight them we will not survive. But we do not need to fight them. We just need to hold them off long enough to get you all out. Roken, how much time do you need to override the doors?"

"Three, four hours."

"You have one." Obi-Wan told him calmly. "And block every other remote access. Everyone else, we are going to lock down every other entrance in this facility. If we defend our position together then by the time they get inside we'll be gone."

"You heard him." Bellowed Roken. "Let's move it people, let's go."

Anakin fell into step next to Obi-Wan, his stomach turning as he watched the people spring into action. "It won't be enough. Even if we get them all on the ship and manage to get into the air…Obi-Wan…I can feel him. He's powerful and relentless."

"We need to rig a decoy ship for them to follow. Send it into the air first. Maybe, if we project the presence of the crew onto it, Vader will fall for it. I need you to scramble the sensors to give off human life signs and make it launch remotely."

"That won't be easy," Anakin told him, his heart sinking as he put the pieces together. "And I won't be able to help when they break through."

"Do it. We need to get these people out." Obi-Wan ordered, "And…you better shield, A- Orden. We can't let you anywhere near him or the inquisitors. Not yet. You aren't physically strong enough right now. You still need to recover from the last ten years."

"I always shield. If I didn't they would have found me out years ago." Anakin tried not to be insulted. "And I've recovered enough to help. I even have a saber now. I'm not letting you fight him alone!"

"It won't come to that."

"You don't know that! I won't let you fight him alone! I know he hurt you last time." Anakin bared his teeth. "I won't let that happen again."

"Anakin," Obi-Wan hissed, forgetting his new name and gripping him by the arm as he dragged him to the side. "This is not up for debate. For once in your life, just listen to me. These people need you, Leia needs you. You have the power to stop Sideous and Vader, your children also have that power. You must stay alive and out of enemy hands. That saber chooses you because you are who you are and need to be now. A protector, wielder of balance, not an aggressive warrior. Do you understand?"

Grudgingly, Anakin nodded, though he still glared at his old master. He softened it to a scowl when Obi-Wan's confidence shivered slightly and he remembered his counterpart probably glared a lot the last time Obi-Wan saw him.

"Good." Obi-Wan recovered quickly as he straightened. "Now get those ships running and let's get out of here."

"Obi-Wan?"

The older jedi paused as he strolled away.

"Be careful. Please."

"As careful as I can be."

Time sped past too quickly after that.

Anakin worked steadily, making use of any hands willing to help him and giving orders as easily as he would have during the war.

"Can I help?"

Leia appeared next to him and he jerked a little, bumping his head under the edge of the ship where he'd dragged out a bunch of wires. He didn't know how he'd missed her sneaking up on him.

"Ow." Anakin rubbed his head, "Hello, princess."

"It's Leia." The child told him with a scowl that reminded him of Padme. Seeing it hurt, but he smiled all the same, letting it crinkle around his eyes so she would know.

"Of course, apologies. I'm a little forgetful sometimes." Anakin rammed the wires back into the ship, motioning to one of the younger teenaged refugees to close it back up. "Come with me."

He led her over to the boxes of parts. Holding up a coil, he crouched down so they were at eye level, "I need three of these. Think you can help me find some in these boxes?"

"Sure!"

"Careful. There are sharp pieces in here."

Leia gave him a look that said clearly, "I'm not a baby."

Smirking, Anakin bent his head over a box next to her and got to work.

BOOM

The blast rattled the ground beneath his feet. It was almost normal for him, which Anakin mildly reflected probably wasn't a good thing. He was too used to war, even now.

Pausing as he pushed through the supply crate for the parts he needed he watched Sully come racing into the hangar.

"It's a heavy gun!" She said, anxiety lining her face. "They're trying to blast through the outside door."

"Roken, we need the hangar doors open!" Tala ordered.

Anakin tried not to snort at the obvious statement and resumed digging through parts. The plan wouldn't work if they didn't get the other ship to auto launch and he was sure Roken could get the doors open by now.

There was a creak and groaning of the electrical circuits around them as the doors tried to open. The system coughed before going dark again.

"I'm underwhelmed." Haja snipped. "Have you tried going in the vent?"

"I'm too big to be crawling around up there!"

Anakin growled, tossing the small crate to the side. He didn't have time to do everything, but it looked like he was going to have to.

"I'm going to need a ladder." A voice said with sweet confidence.

His attention swung to Leia who had just finished setting aside the three of the parts he was looking for and now striding confidently towards Roken. Pride rippled to the surface, warming his chest.

Of course she would be able to help. She was his and Padme's, afterall.

"It's not playtime right now, princess."

Bristling, Anakin took a step forward, ready to give the big man a piece of his mind, but Obi-Wan stopped him with a subtle hand motion.

"Do as she asks." Obi-Wan said sharply. Roken stared at him dumbly so Obi-Wan raised his voice a little. "You thrust me? I trust her. Get her the ladder."

Eying both Jedi, Roken decided against arguing and called for a ladder.

"Leia," Obi-Wan called, meeting her grateful look with his own steady nod. "Be careful."

"And use your instincts. I imagine it will be pretty messy up there. Stay calm. You'll find the problem." Anakin added, earning him a confident smile. "I'll be nearby if you need help."

"I won't." She told him without a trace of arrogance, making him grin despite the thunder of the heavy gun in the distance.

"Of course you won't, but if you did, I'll be close. Ben…call me if you need me." Patting Obi-Wan on the shoulder, Anakin headed back to collect the parts Leia had found for him and went back to the ships.

As he headed inside their decoy ship his ears picked up the sound of Obi-Wan's comm.

"Haja, will you keep your eye on her."

Anakin slowed his step, the temptation to go back and watch over his child rather than leave her in the hands of a strange con man nearly overpowering his better sense.

"I am not a babysitter Ben."

"I have to go."

Meeting Haja's eyes from across the room, Anakin let his control slip just a touch so he could scan the man thoroughly with the Force. Satisfied with what he found, Anakin reluctantly returned to his own job.

There wasn't much time.

"They've broken through!" A voice yelled.

Anakin knew it was true even before they'd even spoken. There was blaster fire in the distance and he could feel Obi-Wan's intense concentration and concern through their bond. It had been quiet ever since Obi-Wan briefly told him he was going to try to 'negotiate' with the Inquisitor, Reva.

Evidently negotiations didn't go well.

A spike in Obi-Wan's fear drew Anakin to his feet, hand going to the saber hanging inside his vest.

"Get those last coils in and reroute the power like I showed you." He barked, running from the decoy ship and heading for the doors.

The wounded were already being dragged through as he hurried the opposite direction.

Up ahead he could see Obi-Wan dragging the mother of one of the children up from the ground and handing her off to others. Behind him, alone against the horde of Imperials, he could see Tala and her droid fighting.

A shot rang out. Tala fell.

"NO! TALA!" Obi-Wan fought desperately to get to the woman as the tunnel was overrun with troopers.

Anakin's chest twisted as he ignited his saber and ran faster. He had a bad feeling. A very bad feeling.

Obi-Wan stumbled back through the set of blast doors, three troopers firing on him, and in the distance Anakin could make out the figure of who he assumed was Reva. Seeing her almost made him freeze in his place because her presence in the Force, now that they were closer in proximity, was familiar to him.

"TALA!"

Anakin swung, taking out the trooper to Obi-Wan's right before he could shoot the older Jedi in the head.

"Obi-Wan! We can get her together!"

But just as they moved forward against disheartening odds, Tala had shot the controls for the door as she held up a thermal detonator.

"May the Force be with you." She mouthed the words, crying.

"NO!" Obi-Wan cried as the doors slammed shut.

"We have to move!" Anakin yelled, keeping his head despite the hollow feeling in his gut and he grabbed Obi-Wan by the shoulders, dragging him back down the tunnel.

The explosion rattled the ground and the lives of several winked out.

Anakin grimaced as he supported his brother back to the main hangar. He didn't miss that aspect of being connected to the Force. He hated that he could feel death.

Obi-Wan stumbled to his knees once they had made it through the final doors, and Anakin waited patiently beside his old master. He didn't feel the sting of Tala's death as keenly as Obi-Wan, but he was shaken by how helpless he was to stop it and the loss of a good woman.

"Please, tell me we've made some progress?" Roken asked, voice shaking.

Haja swallowed and called up to Leia.

"Leia?"

"Working on it!" Leia called back, somehow managing to be the calmest person in the group. Anakin drew comfort from her determination and pushed aside the wave of guilt that so much was resting on her little shoulders right now.

"He's satisfied." Anakin whispered quietly to Obi-Wan, shivering. Vader could sense Obi-Wan's grief, and the Sith Lord took a twisted joy in it. "He thinks he's beaten you."

"Shield yourself." Obi-Wan hissed harshly.

"I am." Anakin watched his old master with the oddest impression that he, for once in his life, was the calm and collected one. "He doesn't know I'm here. I would know if he did."

"What is it?" Roken asked as Obi-Wan stood still, breathing hard. "What's wrong?"

"It's over. I'm going back."

Anakin straightened, "What?"

Roken pounced on Obi-Wan before he could. "You can't quit! I've fought for too long! You can't just throw that away! It won't make a difference. They want all of us!"

"Vader wants me."

"If you surrender then she died for nothing! He'll keep coming."

"That's why I have to stop him!" Obi-Wan snapped.

"You're going to fight him?" Haja asked.

"I'm with Haja on this. That's a bad idea." Anakin exclaimed.

Obi-Wan shot him a pointed glare. "He expects me to surrender. He knows I will do everything I can to protect these people."

"You'll be on your own." Haja said, worry coloring his brash demeanor.

"No. I'll go with him." Anakin announced. There would be no persuading Obi-Wan, so the only choice was to go and keep him safe.

"No, you won't."

"Obi-Wan!"

"We already had this discussion! You know why you can't. It's bad enough Reva saw you." Obi-Wan was already handing Haja his lightsaber, comm and blaster. "Keep these safe for me, will you?A-Orden, get them all out."

Numb, Anakin reached for the Force for guidance. It sat quiet and neutral in this case, meaning this could go any direction.

As Obi-Wan headed for the doors, Roken asked with disbelief, "You wanna tell me how you're going to fight without a weapon?"

"There are other ways to fight." Anakin said, answering the question instead, his voice breaking ever so slightly as he tried to have faith in Obi-Wan's experience and wisdom when it came to dealing with Vader…and him. "Which is why you'll probably win."

Obi-Wan's serious face shifted ever so slightly as he nodded, affording Anakin a tight smile. "Exactly."

"Please…please tell me you have a plan?" Anakin begged, his hand still gripping his saber and his old self tried to scramble rashly past the long years of growth.

"I have a plan. I promise."

"You wanna share?" Anakin asked quietly as he followed him back to the blast doors.

"Reva's not working for Vader. She wants to kill him. She was a youngling during the purge."

Anakin stopped short, the sick feeling returning as he put the pieces together. That's why he knew her. She'd been at the temple when she was young. Possibly even one of the younglings he'd gotten to know when he was put on chiche duty.

"You're going to play on that? After everything she's been through?!" Anakin knew Obi-Wan was capable of manipulation when it came to the enemy and saving lives, but this was a little cold for him.

"I gave her the option of doing this together, Anakin. She refused."

"She's a child! She's lost and twisted up! She needs help, not revenge!"

"Anakin, she's a grown woman. She's making her choices. She made them the day she chose to kidnap Leia . I cannot sway her from her course, but I can use it as a means to get us all out of here."

"It's still not right, Obi-Wan. We can't fail her again. Not like this." Anakin growled, grabbing him by the arm.

"That's all we've got, and I can't lose my family again." Obi-Wan shook him off, ordering the doors to be opened and walking through with his hands raised in surrender.

"She is our family." Anakin muttered desperately as he watched the man disappear. He knew all too well what despair, pain and suffering could lead a person to do. Of all the people there, he had a funny feeling that he could identify with Reva closely and could fathom what drove her the direction she went. The fact she was against Vader and not with him only made it more tragic and her kidnapping of Leia was almost forgivable.

This would only bring deeper grief if they weren't careful, but for the moment Anakin was powerless to stop it. Obi-Wan was right about one thing. They didn't have many options left.