Chapter 15AE

'What Happened to My Shirt?'

'No Varactyls Were Harmed While Making This Purse'

'Echo Two and Echo Three'

'You Walk Through My Door, I Walk Through Yours'

Anakin is happy to be back home sleeping in his bed. This morning he showers in his luxurious master bath. He hums calmly as he brushes his teeth and gets dressed. Now he can enjoy breakfast without harmful additives. He knows he is in a safe place without fear of being rushed to the Coruscant ER...again. Everything is peaceful.

He heads downstairs and senses a visitor nearby. The idea of this particular visitor in the house brings a smile to his face but also; it brings a feeling of concern. The visitor is engaged in a quiet discussion with someone downstairs in the living room. He listens for a moment.

"Where am I?"

"In my house?"

"You're beautiful.'

"Thank you."

"For a moment, I thought I was dreaming to see such an angelic face before me."

"Thank you. You're so sweet."

"What's your name?"

"Ana-…'

Anakin decides to break up the conversation in typical dark lord style.

"Hey! Get away from him!"

A gasp comes from his youngest daughter.

"Oh! My Dad's coming!"

Ana-Lena quickly gets up from the coffee table where she had been sitting and observing the young officer Needa. She hurries across the room to greet her father as he arrives at the bottom of the staircase.

"Good morning, Daddy."

"Isn't that uniform a bit too short?"

Ana-Lena looks down at the box-pleated skirt that falls four inches above her knees.

"It's the same length it's always been..."

"Yeah…short. What are those Jedi nuns teaching you girls these days? It can't be modesty."

"Geez, Daddy, isn't it enough that I'm in a convent school? Isn't it enough that I have to wear this dorky uniform? Isn't it enough…"

Anakin interrupts Ana-Lena as he walks ahead of her.

"No, No, and No. Did you do your homework?"

"Of course I did." She looks back at the officer as they leave the living room. "So, what happened to him? You didn't run over him with your speeder, did you?"

"He tripped and fell. Don't worry about him."

"On what?"

"What?"

"What did he fall on?"

"Tea."

"Tea?"

Anakin becomes annoyed by her questions.

"Why do I hear an echo?"

"Leia said you were in the emergency department last night. Are you alright? That's why I got an early dismissal slip from Sister Dormé Infanta; I sensed something bad had happened to you."

"Were you jumping for joy or were you devastated and concerned for my wellbeing?"

"I was definitely concerned. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to you. Where am I going to get my trust fund money?" Ana-Lena flashes a smile.

"Your grandparents, who indulge you more than they should."

She points to the remaining bandage on the left side of his forehead. "Who smashed you in the head?"

"No one 'smashed' me in the head. I'm fine."

"Oh…okay…if you say so." She thinks of something. "I'll be back; I'm going to get my school books."

"Don't make any unauthorized 'stops' while you're 'getting your books', missy."

Anakin walks out onto the glass-enclosed terrace garden to have breakfast. He is sitting at the table sipping his coffee while reading some military reports from his data pad and listening to the morning business news on Rally's Financial News on the HoloNet plasma screen. After a few sips from his cup, he senses that he is no longer alone. He lowers the data pad and sees Kris and Leia sitting at the table. Leia ends a call to her assistant at the Galactic Senate.

"Leave two copies of the policy draft on my desk so I can review them when I come into the office." The assistant apparently makes a suggestion that annoys Leia. "No, I don't want you to send it electronically. I'm officially not available today…just do what I asked you to do. Thank you." She ends the call. "Geez….it's so hard to get good people these days. Why is everyone so difficult this morning? I swear!"

Anakin shakes his head as he comments quietly to himself while eavesdropping on Leia's call.

"Someone needs to work on their people skills."

Leia is reading notes of her own but mutters a reply to Anakin's remark from behind her data pad.

"Oh, you're a fine one to talk. I see Isabel let you off your leash this morning."

Anakin smirks while he continues to read.

Isabel, meanwhile, is helping conscious, but still wobbly Lieutenant Needa to a seat at the grand table. Anakin slams the tablet on the table. The only one startled by the noise is the officer. Isabel reassures him.

"Ignore that."

Threepio walks by and mutters to himself.

"Klutz."

Isabel gives the young officer a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

"You'll be fine. They're harmless."

While Isabel steps away, one of the servants offers the lieutenant breakfast from chafing dish. He takes a warm sweet roll with fresh butter, two duck eggs and apple-cured Eopie bacon. The servant fills a glass with freshly squeezed Felucia blood orange juice. Needa starts drinking it immediately. It is refreshing. He had never had fresh juice before. The space station only provided reconstituted beverages. He closes his eyes as he savors the sweet nectar and sighs. Leia glances across the table at him then continues making notes on her data pad. The servant pours Felucia-grown dark roast coffee into the officer's cup.

"Sugar, sir?"

"Yes…please…"

"Cream?"

"Please. Thank you."

The servant refills Anakin's coffee cup. Leia watches.

"Mosely, you usually don't do the breakfast shift. Where's Hobson this morning?"

"Oh, he's taking the day off, Mrs. Solo."

"For what? He barely works as it is."

"He needs the rest. He is getting up in age. It is a pleasure to serve you and your family in any case." Mosely observes Kris refilling his cereal bowl. The cereal reaches the brim of the bowl. "Would you care for a larger bowl, Master Kris?"

"No thanks, Mosely. I'm good."

Leia watches her little brother make a mess as he spills cereal on the table.

"Mosely, don't waste your time. He's a 12-year old walking catastrophe."

"Yes, mum." Mosely uses his white-gloved hands to pick up the spilt cereal and places the pieces on a silver tray for disposal. Kris scoops up the pieces and adds them to his overflowing cereal bowl.

"Hey, I'm eating these."

"As you wish, Master Kris."

The bemused butler looks at the empty tray then leaves the breakfast area.

Karol Needa lifts the cup to his lips. It is the best coffee he has ever had. No one has ever waited on him so attentively. Ana-Lena arrives at the breakfast table. She watches with dreamy teenage eyes as he savours each forkful of food. He realizes that he is being watched and stops eating. Ana-Lena smiles.

"Gee, you must be starving. You're eating like an acklay."

"Oh, I apologize for my manners." He quickly wipes his mouth with the cloth napkin stands as Ana-Lena sits across from him at the table.

"That's okay. They probably do not feed you guys too well on that crappy space station. Gee, that military has got you trained. Relax! You don't have to stand at attention every time someone enters the room. Daddy, can I have coffee too?"

Anakin answers her from behind his data pad.

"No, it'll make you crazy."

Ana-Lena makes a flippant remark.

"Enjoy your cup of crazy...I mean coffee, Daddy." She decides to continue her conversation with the lieutenant.

"So, how in the heck did you slip on tea and wind up on our sofa?"

"I beg your pardon, miss?"

"Isn't that why you're here? You slipped and fell. Are you typically that clumsy? Are you going to sue us?"

"Ohh…no! I would never be so litigious. I find that people look at that as an easy way to financial gain. It's a horrible trend these days. Absolutely in bad form."

"My daddy's rich. He'll compensate you. You fell on his property."

Anakin clears his throat from behind his data pad.

Lieutenant Needa continues speaking.

"Actually, it is quite a humiliating accident. I had the misfortune of losing my balance and fell on your droid."

Ana-Lena is thoroughly amused.

"Threepio? Get out! Hah! That is something I would believe. My father told me you slipped on some tea. Your story is much better. You know…you could still sue because Threepio is my father's property. You almost threw your back out last night."

"Oh, I'm much better, thank you. Laying still helped."

"So…do you get to go to lots of events?"

"Events, Miss?"

"You know… the officers' ball…formal events...stuff like that."

"Ahem…uh...I haven't attended any this year…just at my graduation. My parents were quite proud that day…How do you know about them? The events I mean…not my parents."

"I read my dad's newsletters when I'm helping him organize his desk. That's why I know about them. I would love to go someday...I love attending formal events. No one ever asks me." Ana-Lena glances in her father's direction then rolls her eyes. The young officer cannot believe that no young gentleman has asked her out on a date.

"Really? Pardon me for asking but how old are you, Miss?"

"Oh, I'm 15…almost."

He almost chokes on the sweet roll. Leia is certain that her father has had a 'hand' in this. Ana-Lena is still looking dreamy-eyed at the guest across the table. Kris rolls his eyes.

"Fifteen…you're not fifteen. Oh, brother, there she goes, making googly eyes."

Ana-Lena scoffs at him.

"Oh, be quiet. What do you know?"

"A whole lot." He calls out to his father. "Dad, she hemmed her skirt again."

Ana-Lena squints angrily at her brother.

"Why you rotten little nexu!"

Anakin continues to stare at them as they squabble across the table. He turns his attention back to his data pad but addresses Leia.

"Leia, your house is a hot mess. When are you going to take care of it?"

"Don't you worry about it. Stay out of my house."

"You've got some nerve; you're in my house."

Kris laughs and is relieved that his father's attention is now on Leia and not on him.

"Ha!"

Anakin gives Kris the 'hairy eyeball' then speaks.

"Must I remind you that you are still grounded?"

"Oh…you were serious about that?"

An exasperated Anakin speaks aloud to no one in particular.

"Do any of you kids take me seriously?" There is silence. Anakin turns to Lieutenant Needa. Needa is preoccupied shaking pepper on his perfectly cooked duck eggs. The children look at the young officer too. Needa suddenly feels the he must set the shaker down on the silver caddy and pay attention to the Dark Lord.

Anakin folds his arms across his chest.

"Lieutenant, what do you think?"

"Me, sir? Oh…I…uh…well, I-I try not to get involved in the personal family matters of my superiors, sir."

Kris jokes as he gobbles a spoonful of breakfast cereal.

"What about inferiors?" He receives a stern glance from his father.

Anakin presses the young officer to respond.

"How would you handle this?"

"Well, sir…I am not married so I don't believe I am qualified to discuss…I...uhm…"

Kris is thoroughly amused, and grins ear to ear as the poor officer stammers his way around for an answer. Ana-Lena rests her elbow on the table with her chin in her hand. She is smitten with the handsome young officer and hangs on his every word. Anakin is waiting for an answer.

Leia rolls her eyes. She cannot stand to see this poor officer sweating for a response. She sets down her fork and speaks.

"Officer Needa, how old are you?"

"Twenty-three…going on twenty-four, sir…I mean, ma'am."

Leia responds in her typical snippy manner when she feels insulted.

"First of all, don't call me, 'ma'am'. You're twenty-three, single…Do you like your job? No, wait…don't answer that. Listen; don't you know when he's trying to bait you?"

Anakin interrupts.

"Hey! This is not your conversation."

Ana-Lena interrupts them. She finds one tidbit of information interesting.

"You're single?"

Leia gives her little sister a stern look.

"Mind your business." She continues to speak to the officer. "Don't listen to my father. You're an unwitting participant in this mess from yesterday. You know you have rights, don't you? The Galactic Officer's Bill of Rights was passed in the Galactic Senate a decade ago. They won't stand for any officer, no matter what his rank, to be exploited the way you were last night. You do have a copy of the handbook don't you?"

"I have heard of it but never seen a copy of it firsthand."

"Trust me, you're being exploited. I will make sure you receive a copy."

"But he is my superior….the Commander of the New Republic Galactic Forces. I would gladly give my life for him."

Leia rubs her forehead.

"Oh, dear…then you truly are a lost cause. I'm wasting my time on you. Please tell me there is hope for you yet. "

Anakin is insulted.

"Don't talk to my officer that way. He's a loyal servant."

Ana-Lena sighs wistfully. Her breakfast is getting cold.

"I find his loyalty so refreshing. He is so gallant…except for the dying for my father part...that sucks."

Kris wrinkles his nose in disgust.

"Ewww…gross! Oh, brother, I'm going to finish my breakfast in the kitchen." Kris is about to take his breakfast and leave the table. Anakin finds his children to be an utter disappointment today. He yells at Kris.

"Kris, you stay put!" He scans the table and focuses on Karol Needa again. "So, officer Needa, are you enjoying your breakfast?"

"Oh, very much, my Lord. Your wife is an excellent cook."

"My wife did not prepare this breakfast but she is an excellent cook. So, officer, let me ask you this, what do you think of my children? …the ones who are here."

"They are lovely and spirited individuals….full of independent thought. They are quite intelligent and entertaining."

Kris looks across the table at his sister and points.

"Entertaining…a-ha! Ana-Le, he called you a clown!"

"He did not!"

"Did too!"

"You little troublemaker!"

Anakin sighs and rubs his temples. He feels a tension headache coming on. His children are undermining him at every turn.

"Finish your breakfast, Lieutenant. Kris, sit up straight. So, Lieutenant, you appear to be an intelligent young man, how's your math?"

Lieutenant Needa lowers his fork. he wishes he could continue enjoying this delicious breakfast. He looks at the head of the table at his host.

"My math?"

"Yes! Why is everyone repeating my questions? Am I mumbling? Am I speaking Twi'lek? I am asking you, how good are your math skills?"

Karol Needa, nervous and feeling pressured, blurts out an answer. The response causes dead silence around the table.

"Oh, my math is quite excellent, sir. I received honors every year at the academy in General Calculus, Algebra, Probability, and Stochastic Processes for Applied Mathematics and Computational Science, Probability Science and Geometry. I designed a mock tactical invasion of Coruscant to establish margin of error in troop effectiveness and weapon accuracy. It's applied as a standard training tool in drills across the galaxy…it's…"

The young officer's response gets everyone's attention; even Leia stops reading her notes and stares across the table at him. Kris stops chewing his mouthful if cereal. Ana-Lena is still dreamy-eyed as she gazes at him. Anakin gets over the initial shock of the officer's rambling.

"Okay, shut up."

Leia scolds her father,

"Well, you asked him a question. He's trying you give you the best answer he can. Cut the boy a break!"

Anakin calmly nods in agreement.

"I apologize."

Leia looks across the table at the young officer.

"Do you accept his apology?"

"Oh, yes! Of course."

"You've got a lot to learn."

Karol Needa bemused as he is used as a pawn between Leia and her father.

"But…I…"

Kris giggles as he continues eating his bowl of cold cereal.

Leia gives him a sympathetic nod.

"It's okay. Don't worry about it."

A short while later Anakin leaves the table. Ana-Lena grabs a container of yogurt and stuffs it in her small pink tote with her edu-data pad and her e-textbooks. Anakin does not comment on the fact that she would have had a hot breakfast if she had eaten it instead of embarrassing him in front of one of his officers. He passes the officer's chair.

"Lieutenant, we have work to do. Come with me."

"But…yes, my Lord." He decides it is better not to say anything more and wipes his mouth with the linen napkin then pushes away from the table. He follows Anakin inside the house.

Ana-Lena is chatting to someone on her pink JD3000 wireless earphone. Anakin bought it for her on her last birthday. He had misgivings about it because he was concerned that she would be on the line gossiping with her friends at all hours of the night. He was right. Each day since her birthday when she opened the clear box with the ribbon, the gadget has been in her ear. Isabel's solution was to confiscate it at night then return it to her in the morning. As soon as she gets it back, however, she is chatting away endlessly with her friends.

On this morning, she is chatting with one of her classmates as she gathers her things for school.

"Yes, in our home! He's so awesomely cute! And get this, he's super smart!"

Anakin walks by and hastily snaps his fingers in her face. She frowns then whispers to her friend.

"Gotta go, Soni. My dad is hovering…okay…see you on the school shuttle…byee."

Anakin walks ahead of her.

"Oh no, Missy, you're coming with me."

"But Daddy, I was going to wait for the day-school shuttle. I only came home to see if you were alright."

"Oh, you did, did you? Well, I'm your school shuttle this morning. You're not stopping at Dex's Diner today to meet with your dopey friends."

"Qui-Gon has a big mouth. My friends are not dopey. Why are you making my life miserable?"

"Because I can. I'm your father and I love you."

"That's an oxymoron."

"What did you say?"

She scowls behind his back as she stuffs another e-textbook into her small pink tote bag. The bag does not hold much else, except for lip-gloss and gum, both items contraband at the school. The tote bag has pink down feather varactyl trim. A clear stylus is clipped to the side with a tuft of pink feathers sticking out from the top. The pompoms at the top of her two braided ponytails are made of the same feathers.

Ana-Lena stops to straighten her white knee socks with the Jedi emblem embroidered on the tops. Her gold and platinum Jedi emblem hangs from a fine chain around her neck. It was a confirmation gift from Gladys and Uli Jensen. A crisp white collared long-sleeved blouse and a navy cardigan compliment her navy and red tartan box-pleated skirt. She grabs her wool blazer with the convent school patch featuring the Jedi symbol. Ana-Lena trails behind her father. Anakin has not forgotten about the 'pink accessories.'

"By the way, do you know you have candy floss in your hair?"

"It's not candy floss."

"Your mother and I don't recall seeing it in the school handbook. Has the dress code changed since my last tuition payment?"

She rolls her eyes. Anakin turns to see Kris sprinting pass him to get out the door. Anakin snaps his fingers at this child as well.

"I'll drive you to class."

Kris slows down and let's out an exasperated moan.

"But…"

"Get in the speeder. Here are the keys. Get inside and don't touch anything. I'll be there in a moment. Take the officer with you."

Kris looks up at the officer then releases a loud sigh.

"Come on, Skipper."

Needa does not get the joke and corrects him.

"Lieutenant."

"Yeah."

Anakin is searching for his wife. Someone is calling him. He turns. Ana-Lena hurries pass him out the front door. He hears his name being called again.

"Meester Anakeen! Jou hast to see somesing pliss."

"Good morning, Mazicia. What is it?"

A petite but round woman in her seventies emerges from the laundry room. Anakin looks as the worried Alderaanian housekeeper is holding something in her hands.

"Look….here…and here. What hast happened? Looks like a pistola. Who did thees to jour camisa?"

Anakin examines the blue shirt he had worn the day before at Han's house. There are two blaster holes in the shirt.

"I don't know but I'll find out."

"This is a beautiful camisa. What a terrible thing to happen. Maybe I can fix like new, ok?"

"You're a dedicated worker, Mazicia. Thank you but don't go to any trouble."

"Are you sure jou're okay, Meester Ani?" She tries to check his arms for injuries but sees nothing. She does notice the bandage on his forehead. She places her hand to her mouth.

"Oh, Dios Mios..."

Anakin finds this moment slightly amusing as she circles him while he makes his way to the front door. He finds her thick Alderaanian accent adorable. He occasionally imitates her when he is alone with Isabel. Isabel reminds him that this is disrespectful. He reminds her that Leia once spoke with an Alderaanian accent when she was a young child staying with Bal Organa during the custody hearings. He jokes that he almost sent Leia to speech therapy.

Anakin smiles at the housekeeper. He pushes up the sleeves of his jacket and shows her his arms.

"I'm fine…really. Thanks for being concerned. See? No blaster wounds."

"I worry about jou Meester Ani. Nobody looking out for jou. All the time jou in mush danger. Jou're a good man."

"I can take care of myself."

"Okay. May the forsa be wis jou, Meester Ani." She looks up at the heavens and genuflects. She is a deeply religious woman. Anakin responds.

"Ditto."

"¿Que?"

"May the Force be with you, Mazicia."

"Oh! Jes, Meester Ani. I say a big prayer for jou. I will light more candles.

Anakin continues to head for the door when he notices Leia sitting in the living room. She is lounging on the sofa flipping through a magazine. She has been giggling at Mazicia's concern for the master of the house. Anakin stops to make a comment.

"I see you're not budging."

"Nope!"

"Listen, I've have enough of this."

"Well, Mazicia's praying for you. She's got enough religious statues around the house to protect your sorry immortal soul."

"At least she means well; that's more than I can say for my children."

"If she lights one more novena candle, this house will burn to the ground."

Anakin chuckles.

"Isabel has been extinguishing all of the candles before we go to bed each night."

Someone enters the house and passes Kris at the front door. He exchanges a 'high-five' with the Kris and speaks to him. Kris quickly grabs his air-surfer board.

"Hey, sport! How's the galaxy treating you?"

Kris responds with the sound of doom and gloom in his voice.

"Rotten."

"I know what you mean, pal."

Anakin is almost pleased to see the visitor.

"I hope you're here to retrieve your spouse and not to raid my refrigerator."

The visitor responds to Anakin's remark.

"Yes I am; and for your information, I had breakfast already, thank you very much."

It is Han.

"That's a relief! Now take your wife and get out of my house."

"Listen, pal, you bust into my house, I'm busting into yours!"

"Okay...fair enough."

Han is surprised that Anakin does not retaliate for his remark. He braces himself for a 'force choking' that never happens.

As soon as Leia sees her husband, she tosses the magazine on the coffee table and gets up to walk out of the room. Anakin smirks.

"Finally! Someone has come to his senses. Finally there will be peace and quiet in this house."

Leia shouts back at her father.

"Oh, please! There has never been peace in this house."

"You are going home, and that's final! This is not a hotel!"

She shakes her finger at her father then points to Han.

"Don't be so sure of yourself. I'm not going anywhere with him!"

Han fumes.

"Listen, your exaltedness, this is no fun for me either!"

Anakin yells back.

"It's because of you two that I was almost killed yesterday!"

Leia pokes him in his chest.

"Oh stop playing the martyr! You should have stayed home and then there wouldn't have been a problem!"

Anakin yells back.

"You're the one who should have stayed home!" He sees Threepio standing idle near the sofa.

"What are you doing? Keep busy! Go keep an eye on my kids and don't let that officer get away."

"You're referring to that klutz who fell on me last night? There ought to be a law!"

Threepio leaves the room in a huff.

Leia looks out the window.

"I think he can escape the clutches of Threepio. That poor officer should run now. There's a morning commuter shuttle at the end of the block; if he runs, he could catch it and be out of town by the morning rush hour."

Meanwhile, outside in the parking bay, Kris and Lieutenant Needa lean against Anakin's speeder as the argument inside the house heats up. Ana-Lena sits on a bench close by in the garden. She is talking on her earphone with one of her friends. Threepio catches up with them and watches the two children.

Needa glances up at the impressive house then turns to Kris.

"Is this a typical day at your house?"

"Hah! No day is 'typical' at our house."

"You have a lovely family."

"Yeah…we do okay…my mom and my brother Luke is the sanest of the bunch. Luke keeps busy and my mom goes shopping when it gets crazy."

"She must shop a lot. Your father is a fortunate man to have such an understanding wife."

"Like I said, she goes shopping. My mom is cool. So…how did you get mixed up with us?"

Kris twirls the keys on his index finger as he listens to Karol Needa explain.

"Well, I'm not supposed to be here. I tried to explain that to everyone last night. I was ordered to go to General Solo's house by Admirals Tagge and Motti. I was actually on liberty at the time."

"You can't stand up to those old geezers? You need to learn the ropes. Just keep quiet and don't do anything stupid. Agreeing to go yesterday was just stupid."

"Thank you, Kris. That's very helpful information." He nods towards the house. "Is he going to be in there awhile?"

"Depends."

"Depends?"

"Depends upon whether my sister gives in. They butt heads all the time. Master Kenobi says it's because they've got the same temperament."

"I see. Master Kenobi is the white haired gentleman in the long brown robe, right?"

"Did he have a drink in his hand and was he wearing a Jedi robe?"

"Yes, I believe so."

"Okay, that's him. He's been known to show up at the Jedi Council meetings in his bathrobe and bedroom slippers. I just wanted to alert sure we're talking about the same person."

"Amusing fellow."

"Yeah, Uncle Ben is a hoot."

"Oh, I didn't know he was related to you."

"He's a close family friend and default godfather to all of us. We have other godparents but we have to have a Jedi godparent to be baptized."

"Oh…it sounds complicated."

"Not really." Kris sighs from boredom but soon thinks of a way to bide his time. "So…while we wait it out, I'm going to pull this speeder out onto the driveway. Gotta practice my defensive driving skills."

"Uh…Master Kris, do you think it wise to do that? It is his lordship's….I mean, your father's speeder."

Threepio interrupts.

"I wholeheartedly agree, Lieutenant. You are a wise young man."

Kris ignores the droid.

"Oh, I do it all the time. Besides, he never notices." Kris hops in the vehicle and adjusts the driver's seat.

Meanwhile, back inside of the Skywalker house, Anakin is on the losing end of an argument involving him, his eldest daughter, and son-in-law. Anakin is not happy and goes on a rant.

"So, what? We're at a stalemate? Fine! That's just fine! I know one thing; you had better be out of my house by the time I get back home! No respect…" He pats his coat and feels inside his pockets for something. "Where are my keys?" Suddenly he hears a high-pitched screeching noise coming from the driveway. He immediately storms out of the house.

Threepio hurries up the driveway to meet his master while Artoo estimates the speed and examines the skid marks. The astromech droid assesses that the vehicle was traveling at least 115km/h. Kris is in the driver's seat staring at his father through the windshield. Anakin stares back at his son. The bumpers are flush against his knees as he stands in front of the speeder.

Kris knows that nothing good can come from his father's reaction. The boy gulps.

"Oh-oh."

Threepio chatters on.

"I tried to warn him, Master, but he wouldn't listen to me…impossible child!"

Anakin is distracted and has a lot on his mind. He cannot be bothered with his speeder right now. He waits for his younger daughter to acknowledge him.

"Young lady, your chariot awaits."

Ana-Lena rolls her eyes then utters a loud sigh as she whispers into her earphone. "The Dark Lord is calling…gotta go. See you in class."

Anakin holds open the rear passenger door. Ana-Lena takes her time walking to the speeder. She smiles sweetly to the young officer but scowls at her father. She slides into the back seat making sure there is ample space for the person he believes will sit beside her. Anakin points to the officer and directs him to the front passenger seat.

"Officer."

"Thank-you, my Lord."

Ana-Lena fumes. Kris decides it is best to remain calm. He steps out of the driver seat and hands Anakin the keys as if he were a parking valet.

"Your vehicle, sir." Kris holds out his hand pretending to wait for a tip.

Anakin grabs the keys from his son.

"Give me those! Get in!" Anakin points to the backseat.

Kris grabs his air-surfer board and slides in the back seat with his sister. She dumps her pink tote on the seat. Kris looks at her.

"Move over!"

She takes her tote and sets it on her lap. Both children are pouting. Anakin walks around to the driver's side. He needs to adjust the seat that is too close to the steering wheel. As soon as Anakin is behind the wheel, Ana-Lena and Kris bicker. Kris sits with his air-surfer board propped up between his knees. He taps out a beat on the board. Ana-Lena rolls her eyes.

"Do you mind? That's really annoying."

"Want to move that pink nightmare bird bag?"

"It's not a bird bag."

"How many varactyls died so you could look stupid?"

Anakin waits a moment tapping his fingers on the dashboard. Finally he speaks.

"Don't make me stop this speeder."

Kris giggles.

"We haven't pulled out of the driveway yet, Dad."

Ana-Lena has something to say too.

"If you do, can I get out?"

"What do you think?"

Ana-Lena folds her arms and sulks. Anakin starts the ignition and pulls out of the driveway.

Back inside the house, Han finds the silence between him and his wife awkward. Leia pretends to read one of the fashion magazines she finds on the coffee table. Han decides to start the conversation.

"So….how's it going? You okay?"

"Fine…fine…we're all fine….how are you?"

"I…uhm…cleaned the house…in case you were wondering."

"That's nice." She continues to 'read.'

"I hired a maintenance crew to make repairs. They're filling up the hole in the wall that your father created."

"Hmmm…I hope you're sending him the bill."

"Oh, he's getting the bill alright."

"You know, he's got some nerve breaking into our home and costing us thousands in damages; and then he cries about having to go to the hospital ER!." She pauses as she sets the magazine to the side on the sofa. "So, did you and Lando really poison my father?" There is a wry smile on her face. Han instinctively becomes defensive.

"It wasn't intentional! He made me so mad that we got distracted…Stuff happens when he's involved."

"It's okay. I found it highly entertaining. Serves him right. How would he like it if we intruded on him? Let's get out of here. There's too much tension in this house. "