The Galactic Senate Chamber was filled to the brim with people. Skywalker stood alone on one of the circular platforms, looking around at the hundreds of senators and representatives alike perched atop their own disks, listening intently to the discussant hovering near the center.
Padmé.
Her eyes steadily scanned the crowd as she spoke, comfortably delivering the message to her fellow senators.
"Rest assured that Naboo will continue to support Coruscant as long as we remain allies," she said. "The treaties put in place are of the utmost importance to our people, and I firmly believe that the bridges forged between us are the key to our progression."
He waited for the dream to twist into a nightmare—only, the screaming he expected, the agony he awaited, never came. The scene played out normally, a vivid memory that only served to put him further on edge. Skywalker's movements were hazy as he leaned forward.
"You said I needed to help you," he called out. "Tell me how."
At his words, a low rumbling emerged beneath his feet. His gaze dropped for a split second; when he looked back up, the room was completely empty. The senators that once crowded the room had disappeared in an instant—all except Padmé. She continued her discourse, seemingly unaware of the emptiness around her.
"Many lies have been uncovered. Some of which told to us by our closest allies. But we must persevere in the face of adversity." Her eyes flickered to his. "I will be put in my grave before I allow these injustices to hinder us from moving forward."
Then the room was filled once more. The senators offered their applause, and her voice faded into nothingness as the dream came to an end.
»»««
"I want to visit her grave."
Everything went silent; dishes clattered, and small talk ceased abruptly. Rex and Ahsoka exchanged a look as Obi-Wan slowly set his spoon down.
"I'm sorry?"
Skywalker met his eyes evenly, lowering his own dish. "I want to visit her grave," he repeated.
Obi-Wan sat back to stroke his beard, a subtle disturbance hovering in the Force around him. "I suppose the ship is finally back in its proper condition," he said after a brief pause. "If that is what you wish, I cannot keep you from doing so."
Skywalker looked at him, opting to hide his surprise behind suspicion. "What's the catch?"
"No catch." Obi-Wan stood to put his dish in the sink, grabbing the disregarded pieces of silverware around him and stacking them on top. "However," he continued over his shoulder, "I believe I should go as well."
Skywalker's eyes narrowed. "On what planet is that not considered a catch?"
Obi-Wan didn't respond as he tipped the faucet downward and dried his hands. Once he neatly put the cloth to the side, he sat among the three of them again. Skywalker sat back and crossed his arms.
"I would think you'd want us out of your hair by now," he said. "After all, the ship is repaired and ready to travel. We could leave if you asked us to."
"I suppose you've grown on me," Obi-Wan replied dryly. "Now, eat. Your food is getting cold."
The next rotation, Skywalker stood beside Ahsoka as Obi-Wan finished stuffing their backpack with supplies.
"Is all that really necessary?" he asked tiredly. "We're only going to be gone for the day."
"One can never be too safe, Anakin."
He furrowed his brows. "How long has it been since you last left Tatooine?"
Obi-Wan stilled suddenly. "A very long time."
He went back to packing, a small tremor in his hands.
"Master Kenobi," Ahsoka said. He looked up at her. "Are you okay? You seem troubled."
"I'm quite all right, thank you." His eyes scanned the room to be sure he wasn't missing anything, landing on the lightsaber tucked away on a sandstone shelf.
"You should take it." Skywalker tipped his head toward it. "Just in case."
Obi-Wan held his gaze for a moment before nodding. He walked over to the shelf in a few simple strides, grabbing the hilt and hiding it inside his brown robe. When they were all packed, they drove the landspeeder down to the ship.
Ahsoka peaked her head into the lowered bay door. "How does it look up there, Rex?"
"Not perfect, but it should get the job done," he called from the cockpit. Obi-Wan settled into the seat behind him, and once Ahsoka entered, Skywalker sat behind her. Rex flicked a switch to lift the door and pulled up on the steering, dust kicking out from underneath the ship as they rose and slowly took off into the sky.
"Skrag," Rex suddenly blurted under his breath. Ahsoka leaned forward.
"What is it?"
"Clearance codes. They're required to get into Naboo, and we won't have anything to transfer." He peered over his shoulder to look at Skywalker. "Should we turn back around?"
Skywalker's eyes bouncing over the console for a second. "No," he decided, "I'll use an old code to bypass their gate control."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"It's about as good as I have at the moment." He turned his attention back to the viewports. "Set course for Naboo. I'll tell you the sequence once we reach the port."
Rex hesitated. "If you say so."
He logged the coordinates into the navicomputer, glancing over to Ahsoka for approval before hitting the hyperdrive. They lurched forward, and the base of the ship rattled at the sudden velocity.
Obi-Wan ran a hand over his face.
"I've nearly forgotten how much I hate flying," he muttered.
Skywalker gave a side glance. "You were the one that insisted on coming."
"I'll be fine soon, I'm sure," Obi-Wan shot back, and Skywalker regarded him for a brief moment before turning his head again.
"Keep your eyes forward and find something to focus on. It helps with the turbulence."
Obi-Wan gave him a look. "I taught you that."
"I listened to you on occasion," Skywalker replied dryly before leaning forward. "How's she holding up, Rex?"
"So far, so good." The captain flicked a few overhead switches, and they came out of hyperspeed with a jolt, slowing until the ship only hovered in one area. The inevitable beeping of their comms didn't startle any of them.
"Approaching starship, this is gate control. Please transmit your clearance code."
Rex looked over to Skywalker as he slowly relayed the code. Once he finished the last digit, Rex sent it through to the operator and sat back, anxiously awaiting the response. A heavy beat of silence passed before the ship's comms came back to life.
"You are cleared for entry. Enjoy your stay on Naboo."
A unanimous breath of relief followed as they slipped past the gate to reach the atmosphere.
»»««
"Sir, we've just received an alert from central control. There has been an unauthorized usage of one of our codes in the Mid-Rim."
The Imperial officer looked into the pit. "Do we have eyes on the ship?"
"Yes, sir," the operator said. "It is in the Chommel system. They've just entered Naboo."
He hummed. "Send a probe out to investigate."
»»««
During the war, Skywalker had traveled to planets all across the galaxy—from the plains of Hisseen to the canyons of Anaxes—but to him, nothing could ever compare to Naboo. Something about the inhabitants and the environment always made him feel at peace, with the meadows and rivers that stretched for miles, and the beautiful vineyards that sat behind the palace.
But now, as he flew above the planet he once wanted to call home, all he felt was heaviness. Skywalker looked out of the viewports as blurred trees sped past them, his chest tightening with anxiety.
"Are you all right, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked.
Skywalker hesitated.
"It's been a long time since I've been here," he admitted. "I've almost forgotten what it looked like."
The ship slowly eased down on the planet's surface. Once they alighted, Ahsoka peered through the viewports and scanned the area.
"Someone should stay here to keep the ship running," Skywalker said as he unlatched his harness. "We'll only have so much time once they realize we've gotten through."
Rex gave a nod and drew a device out from the compartment on his left. "There are four of us. Two of us go, two stay. Simple. This commlink is already synced to the ship so we can communicate."
Ahsoka turned to Skywalker. "Obi-Wan and I can keep watch. We'll fill you in if anything happens."
Skywalker nodded, and Rex flicked a switch to lower the bay door as Ahsoka stood to see them out. Before they could leave, she put a hand on Skywalker's arm to signal for him to stop. "Are you sure you're ready?"
He held her gaze. "I'll never be ready."
Ahsoka paused, then let him go with a soft nod. "Be safe."
With that, they stepped off the ramp, and Skywalker's dark cloak drifted with the breeze as they walked toward the daunting mausoleum. There were various flowers laid alongside the gravestones that lined the clearing, each holding a name Skywalker wasn't close enough to see.
But he could feel them. The Force, the ebbing and flowing of energy that persisted even after death. Memories of past lives that hovered in the air—not vivid images, but feelings. His heart pounded as they neared the stone building.
"What are we going to do about the guard?" Rex asked.
"Kill him," Skywalker deadpanned. He noticed the uneasy look on Rex's face a moment too late. "Wait, no, it's—that was a joke. I was joking."
Rex didn't seem convinced. Skywalker sighed.
"Just—never mind. I'll handle him." They continued walking on the narrow pathway that led to the doors. Once they reached the bottom of the steps, the Nabooian guard moved in front of them.
"I'm sorry, sir. This is a restricted area."
Skywalker's fingers flexed behind his back. "Your shift has ended, and you want to go home."
The guard stayed still. For a moment, Skywalker was almost worried that it didn't work—but slowly, the man began to nod to himself.
"My shift has ended, and I want to go home."
As the guard started to walk away, Rex quietly snatched the keys from his belt, walking up the steps to unlock the doors as the man wandered down the pathway.
"You never did that to me, did you?" Rex asked over his shoulder.
"Never needed to," Skywalker replied, turning his head back to the doors once the guard was out of sight. "Did you get it?"
Rex twisted the key and rattled the handle a few times before it unlocked. "There," he muttered. "Got it."
Skywalker wiped his clammy palms off on his black pants and set his jaw as the door slowly cracked open. His breath caught in his throat when Rex put a hand on his shoulder.
"We can always go back to the ship, you know," he said gently. "You don't have to do this."
Skywalker considered turning back—but before he could think too deeply, his trembling hands had already landed on the handles. His eyes stung as he stepped inside, Rex following right behind him.
The interior of the mausoleum was rather large—with a high, vaulted ceiling and grey walls stretched back no less than thirty feet on each side. Light seeped in through the colorful stained-glass portrait of Padmé, casting a tinted glow on the stone coffin that sat in the middle of the room.
Skywalker bit the inside of his cheek as he slowly walked toward it. Two pillars stood on either side of the stained-glass window, each holding a bouquet of dead roses on top of them. Grief filled his heart.
A small moment of silence stretched into several. He slowly reached out and put a hand on the stone.
"What happened to her?" Rex asked quietly.
Skywalker stood beside the coffin that held the woman he loved, his knees threatening to bend beneath him, the guilt endlessly trickling into his mind suddenly becoming too much to bear.
"I killed her," he admitted, his voice barely hanging above a whisper.
His heart felt heavy under the weight of his words. The pain he felt was like a relic of his past, only greater. Deeper. It seeped into his soul, filling every corner and dip with regret as he looked down at the coffin again. The Nabooian emblem ingrained within the stone brought him both a sense of comfort and immeasurable torment.
"She was only trying to help." Skywalker blinked harshly as the room blurred. "He said I could save her, and I believed him. I was too desperate to question it."
He swallowed and looked down, his mind grasping for some semblance of closure, some relief from the ache. He was only reminded that in the end, even after everything he sacrificed to stop it, he became the very cause of what he desperately tried to prevent—and that in itself was a fate far worse than death.
"Can I have a moment alone?"
Rex watched him for a moment before nodding. "I'll be at the door."
Skywalker listened to the footsteps until they slowly faded away, unable to tear his eyes away from the stone coffin.
"I'm so sorry," he finally whispered.
The pain never mended itself. The guilt weighed on his soul everywhere he went, always living in the back of his mind, reminding him of the choices he made and what he caused. No amount of power or killing could ever ease the sorrow within him.
He only wished he could have noticed sooner.
A thousand words pressed against his teeth, but none of them reached the light. Every apology and lamentation in his mouth ran dry as he ran a hand over the stone.
Then, Skywalker slowly withdrew it.
He stumbled back in shock, his brows furrowed, his mind reeling, before stepping forward once more to place his hand on the coffin again.
He couldn't feel anything. Neither life nor death came from whatever was inside—no Force, no energy, no evidence of any previous life—it was completely blank.
He didn't look up when Rex entered. "Something's wrong."
»»««
"You seem tense."
"I'm fine, Ahsoka."
The two of them had moved places after Rex and Anakin left—Ahsoka sat in the pilot's seat, and Obi-Wan sat beside her. She watched him sadly. "You're worried about him."
That wasn't completely untrue. Obi-Wan nodded slowly. "I suppose I am."
Ahsoka sighed. "I hope he finds what he needs in there."
Obi-Wan glanced over to her, a sympathetic glint in his eyes. "Me too."
They sat in silence.
"You look pale." Ahsoka looked at him in concern. "Are you sure you're all right?"
Guilt trickled into his conscience. Obi-Wan shifted in his seat, nervously clearing his throat to speak before he caught sight of something just beyond the horizon.
"What is that?" he asked softly.
Ahsoka leaned forward, her eyes widening at the sight. "TIE fighters."
»»««
Skywalker hands hovered above the coffin, his fingers shaking subtly as he focused his energy on shifting the gravestone. After a moment, it moved, the grating sound making both of them wince, and Skywalker slowly dropped his gaze down to the body inside.
"What the..." Rex trailed when he peered over his shoulder to get a glimpse.
Skywalker couldn't breathe.
He stared down at his wife, her body inanimate and cold but… it was preserved—perfectly intact despite the years spent inside. Her soft porcelain skin looked faded, yet there was not a single sign of decay otherwise. She remained just as beautiful as she once was—verging on artificial, certainly not natural—as though she was only resting until the sun rose again.
Skywalker brought a palm to his temple, blinking harshly to sharpen his thoughts, his breathing shallow and ragged. The japor snippet that he once gave her was held in its cold hands, the wooden pendant causing him to shrink back.
"Skywalker," Rex whispered, "look."
Skywalker turned around shakily, his gaze landing on a probe droid that silently hovered in the upper corner of the room. The glass dial blinked at them, the red flashes cutting through the dark shadows and dimly illuminating the five dangling, robotic limbs below it.
"They've been watching this whole time," Rex scowled.
The commlink on his wrist chimed, and Ahsoka's panicked voice suddenly accompanied theirs: "Anakin, Rex, there are Imperials everywhere."
Obi-Wan's followed. "We have to go now!"
The probe's blaster activated—but before it fired, Rex drew his pistols. The shrill sound of blasterfire echoed off the walls of the mausoleum as Skywalker numbly stared at the open coffin, his knees wobbling beneath him. He slowly reached down and took the japor snippet into his hands.
Rex hissed in pain when one of the blasts hit him in the arm, singeing the skin beneath his right shoulder plate. "Skywalker," he growled. "I could use some help over here."
Without looking up, Skywalker grabbed onto it through the Force and rolled his fingers into a tight fist, causing the droid to crumble. Rex's eyes scanned the room as the parts clattered to the ground, scattering across the floor.
"Thanks," he muttered. They both quickly made their way out of the mausoleum, running down the steps and toward the ship. It hovered just outside of the cemetery, the ramp already lowered.
"What happened?" Ahsoka yelled from the cockpit once they entered, but Skywalker couldn't find the words to speak. She pulled up, raising the bay door and speeding into the sky as he and Rex strapped in.
"They're on our tail," Rex warned as he pressed down on his arm to add pressure to the wound. Blood seeped through his fingers.
The loud shrieks of TIE fighters followed them into the atmosphere, zipping by them as they broke through. Once they entered open space, a set of green bolts hurled toward them. Ahsoka veered the ship to the side, just barely avoiding getting shot down, and she swerved to dodge the next a moment too late. The ship jerked when the blast hit them.
"I can't shake them!" Ahsoka yelled. Rex stood unsteadily and lowered the gunning rack.
"Get me a clear shot," he said.
Skywalker saw Ahsoka nod and swerve the ship again. "Anakin, tap in the coordinates for Tatooine," she ordered. It took him a moment to process her words, but once he did, he leaned forward, relying on muscle memory to follow the instructions.
"Get ready, Rex," Ahsoka said. She twisted the steering wheel to the left, giving Rex a clear shot, and he fired. One of the TIE fighters whirled aimlessly at the impact, spinning for a few seconds before exploding.
"Nice shot," she called out. "Two more to go."
Skywalker finished logging in the coordinates just as the second TIE fighter went up in flames. Their ship was taking heavy damage. It rattled dangerously with every hit, the ground shuddering beneath their feet.
Once Rex hit the final fighter, Ahsoka punched the hyperdrive. The ship jolted, stars warping and stretching in front of them as they returned to the Tatoo system.
The trip back felt much longer than it truly was. Skywalker's hands still shook as he numbly tried to process all that had taken place. When they finally reached Tatooine, Ahsoka lowered the ship on the hill below Obi-Wan's hut and killed the engine. It remained silent until she finally stood.
"Come on, Rex, let's get that patched up."
She grabbed the first aid kit and they sat on the ramp beside Obi-Wan. Skywalker barely made it out of the ship before he started pacing. The three watched silently, waiting for him to speak.
"She wasn't there," he finally managed through the tightness of his throat. Ahsoka looked over at him as she wiped Rex's arm with a bacta pad.
"What do you mean?"
Skywalker grabbed his head tightly, trying to keep it from spinning. "It—it was a fake. It wasn't her. She wasn't there."
Her hands stilled. "How is that possible?"
"I don't know." Skywalker's chest heaved. "I don't know. I don't know."
Rex winced when Ahsoka wrapped a bandage around his arm. "Isn't cremation a custom on Naboo? Maybe that has something to do with it."
"They would have just put the urn inside the mausoleum instead. They wouldn't bother with a casket." Skywalker traced a path into the sand as he walked back and forth. "It doesn't—none of this makes any sense."
Obi-Wan finally stood and made his way over to where Skywalker paced. "Anakin, take a breath."
Skywalker whirled around to face him. "We were the only ones there when she died. You had to have been the one to bring her back to Naboo."
Obi-Wan set his jaw. "I did."
"Who did you leave her with?" Skywalker pressed. "Did you take her directly to Naboo?"
"Anakin, calm down—"
"Is the Empire involved in this?"
Obi-Wan stared at him for a moment. "I don't know."
Skywalker took a step toward him. "What do you mean you don't know?" he asked harshly. "What did you do with her after you left Mustafar?"
Obi-Wan's eyes skipped from Ahsoka and Rex to the ground as he backed away from him. With every small step back, Skywalker followed, his breathing becoming erratic and his hands clenching at his sides. Obi-Wan stayed silent, anxiety... guilt, seeping into the Force around him—whirling, potent, and uncontrolled.
"Obi-Wan," Skywalker said, "why won't you tell me?"
Obi-Wan finally met his burning gaze, slowly, hesitantly, before he spoke, "I took her to Polis Massa."
Skywalker's advancing footsteps ceased. "Why?"
Obi-Wan held his silence for a few more excruciating moments. His eyes flickered back to the two on the ship, exhaling sharply through his nose. "There is a medical installation there."
"A medical installation?" Skywalker asked. He waited for Obi-Wan to speak again, but the only response he received was a nod. "I don't understand."
There was no reason to take her to Polis Massa unless she was still alive.
"She died on Mustafar—" he paused, his jaw trembling—"didn't she?"
Obi-Wan watched him warily. "That's not entirely accurate."
Skywalker's blood ran cold, his pounding heart sinking to his stomach. "You don't—" His throat felt almost too tight to breathe. He swallowed roughly to push the sob coiling in his chest down. "Are you saying I didn't—"
Obi-Wan nodded slowly. For once, it seemed he didn't have anything to say. Skywalker dimly acknowledged the stream of tears that trailed from his face to the hem of his shirt—but he didn't care enough to do anything to stop it. Beneath his betrayal, beneath the anguish, he felt hope. Hope and devastation.
"Where is she?"
"I'm not sure," Obi-Wan admitted. Skywalker slowly narrowed his eyes, everything inside him dimming.
"I don't understand," he said again. "I thought you said—"
"I haven't spoken to her in years, Anakin," Obi-Wan told him. "I lost contact with her shortly after—" he cut himself off abruptly. Skywalker watched him, waiting for him to continue, but it never happened.
"After what, Obi-Wan?"
Obi-Wan's mouth stayed shut, and the bridge they had so carefully tried to rebuild started to burn. Skywalker's gaze flickered between his eyes. "You," he started, his heart heavy, "you knew this the whole time we've been here and you never said anything to me?"
"Anakin—"
He took a few steps back, the familiar sting of betrayal shooting up his spine. "How long did you plan to keep this from me?"
"For as long as I could," Obi-Wan admitted, "but what was I to do, Anakin? Truly, after all that has happened?"
Skywalker looked at him grievously. "I should have known."
Despite the years passed, he was still falling for the lies of his Master.
The deceit, the dishonesty—no matter how hard he tried to outrun them, they always found a way in. They followed from the Light Side to the Dark, from Tatooine to Coruscant, again and again, always from those closest.
"What is that supposed to mean?" Obi-Wan asked. "Anakin, you must understand that it was for her own good."
He fell for the Council's lies. He fell for Obi-Wan's. He fell for the Emperor's. Too trusting, too reckless to question, cursed with the plague of faith. He was a fool to think that Obi-Wan could ever change.
He stepped forward. "I had the right to know."
Obi-Wan looked him in the eyes. "A right you lost the moment that you tried to kill her."
The wind felt like it got knocked out of Skywalker's lungs.
Everything was a blur as his trembling hands moved to the cold metal hilt of Ahsoka's lightsaber. "Anakin," came her voice from behind him. But Skywalker didn't heed her warning. His thumb pressed against the switch, and the tarnished blue lightsaber ignited.
Skywalker barely gave Obi-Wan any time to draw his own lightsaber before he pulled his back to swing. Their lightsabers clashed together. Obi-Wan deflected each firm stroke of his blade, dust kicking up beneath his shoes as they skidded across the sand.
Skywalker's throat constricted, his lips twisting into a violent scowl as he took a step back. "Is she alive?"
"I don't know."
Skywalker snarled and swung again. They parried, spun, swiped—never touching skin but reaching close enough to put each other on edge. Obi-Wan slashed upward and twisted, forcing the tips of their blades deep into the sand, leaving burn marks in their place.
"Anakin," he tried through gritted teeth. Ahsoka and Rex winced from the sidelines when Skywalker drew back to headbutt him, causing Obi-Wan to stumble backward and release the lightsabers.
Skywalker had no intention to kill—but the subtle pull back to the darkness sat on his chest, like an ache desperately seeking relief. He could feel himself lose control, slowly, gradually, with every jab he threw toward his old Master. He knew the Dark Side patiently awaited his return.
Their blades met in the middle. Obi-Wan winced at the sparks coming off of their lightsabers, grinding his feet into the sand to stay put.
"I only wanted to keep them safe, Anakin," he said. "Surely you can—"
"Them?" Skywalker repeated. He force-pushed Obi-Wan back, grip tightening as he lifted his lightsaber again. "What do you mean them?"
Obi-Wan hesitated, opening his mouth and closing it several times before deciding to stay silent. Skywalker gritted his teeth and swung again with blurred vision, following the bright movements of his blade to keep track of where to strike.
"Who else were you hiding?"
Obi-Wan grimaced, pushing against the opposing lightsaber to keep his upright. "The children," he admitted finally, his voice strained. "I was trying to keep the children safe."
At the simple statement, it seemed as though the entire planet froze on its axis. The ferocity coursing through Skywalker's veins abruptly dissolved into shock, and he wavered, stumbling back a few steps.
"What children?" he managed.
Obi-Wan's silence seemed to stretch for an eternity. Rex and Ahsoka watched silently as a small breeze blew past them.
"She was carrying twins."
Obi-Wan's words, softly spoken, came both too soon and too late. A stifled gasp left Skywalker's throat when his body finally forced himself to breathe again, the lightsaber in his hand deactivating and slipping into the dust.
Obi-Wan's brows knit together in sympathy. His blade disappeared into the hilt and he hooked it onto his belt again. "Anakin—"
Before he could step any further, Skywalker force-pulled Ahsoka's lightsaber up again and ignited it, swinging it up to Obi-Wan's throat in one fluid motion.
"Where are they?"
He could see Obi-Wan swallow. "I can't tell you that, Anakin."
Skywalker stared at him, the anger, the torment, the pain all rushing back in an instant. He leaned in closer, his eyes bloodshot and dull, almost dead-looking, his lips curled into a snarl.
There were no words to say. Nothing that could mend what had just been destroyed. He dropped the lightsaber again, not bothering to watch it hit the ground as he turned and walked away.