Chapter 18AE
'The White Light'
'It's always the Youngest Ones'
'You Crazy, Wonderful Droid Dog'
'Sweets for the Sith'
'Okay, I Should Have Told You This Earlier, but…'
'Anxious, Amused, and Annoyed'
Several days pass since the incident involving Admiral Zaarin.
The ICU wing of Coruscant University Hospital is typically quiet. The morning sun splashes into the wide corridors. An early visitor passes through casting a dark shadow on the otherwise spotless alabaster floor. The visitor slips pass the nurses' station. An orderly is in the breakroom watching the early morning Millennium Entertainment Network show: 'Name that Sith.' Galactic entertainers team up with contestants to name sith lords across the galaxy. The glass-enclosed break room is soundproof so the orderly does not hear anything. If a patient is in distress, an alarm connected to the plasma will turn off the display screen.
The visitor enters one of the ICU rooms. The sound of life-support machines churn beside the patient's bed. There is a sudden white glow to the room.
The orderly does not notice anything unusual and continues to watch the program. Veteran Coruscant stage actress Dame Bettie DeWitt has ten seconds to "Name the Sith" before the other celebrity challenger and his contestant buzz in to answer. Dame DeWitt is a regular on the game show. She is verbose, self-absorbed, and always over-dressed; but audiences find her thoroughly entertaining as she shares unsolicited anecdotes of her earlier years in the theatre. She has not gotten one answer correct. Moreover, the viewing audiences love to tune in to see what outrageous outfit she is wearing on the show.
This is the second half of the game show and she has switched contestants with fellow celebrity acerbic political analyst and writer Rodi Vidar Kim. Kim is the grandson of former Galactic senator Vidar Kim. His mother is the younger sister of Romeo Treblanc. She married into the Kim family for mostly financial reasons after his uncle made several bad investments and lost much of the Treblanc family fortune. He was a young man at Coruscant University by the time his uncle was solvent again and repaid Chloe Treblanc her portion of the family fortune.
The host is Balzac zet Chatc, a descendant of the famous literary family. Balzac turns to the contestant, Kenny Durron, who hopes to win an additional 50,000 credits to bring his total winnings to 104,300 credits. His winnings so far have been attributed to Rodi Vidar Kim's enviable knowledge of intergalactic events.
Mr. Durron is hesitant to team up with the stage diva but figures Dame Bettie has to know the answer since she is portrayed a Sith in a classic Mon Calamari performance of 'Who's Afraid of Asajj Ventress?'
Balzac addresses the contestant.
"Okay, Mr. Durron, have you entered your wager?"
"Yes, I have, Balzac."
"You seem pretty confident. Dame Bettie, how confident are you that you have the answer?"
"Oh, I think this is going to be a cinch. As you know, I played the lead in the award-winning play 'A Sith Came to Dinner' at the Grand Coruscant Theatre; those were the days when theatre as theatre andactors knew their lines, and stars weren't just in the sky…."
Balzac interrupts her.
"Okay, we'll see… here we go: What Old Republic Sith was quoted as saying, "When Sith have nightmares, I am the face they see."
The familiar game show theme music plays as the timer ticks away, as Balzac reads the clue.
"Time's up. What answer did you enter into the computer, Dame Bettie?"
"Who is Darth Maul?"
There is a collective 'hush' from the studio audience.
" Oooh…No, I'm sorry. The correct answer is 'Who is Darth Phobos.' How much did you wager, Mr. Durron?"
The frustrated contestant tosses his data card over the console in defeat.
The screen goes black. Tomo has to check on one of the patients. The red emergency light pulses
"Blasted!" He rises from the plastic molded chair and leaves the break room, grumbling to himself. "What is it now?"
As he heads towards ICU room 715, the white light is so intense; it knocks him off his feet.
A short time later, several orderlies hoist the rotund attendant off the floor and onto an empty gurney in the corridor. He continually mutters to anyone who will listen between gasps.
"I saw a g-g-g-ghost. It was looking right at me. . Then another one started laughing and …called me a fat…"
He grabs the mask from a nearby oxygen tank and inhales. One of the other orderlies scolds him.
"You were hallucinating. Serves you right for gorging on all those Sullustan bantha ribs. Those takeout leftovers will kill you. You need to start eating better. A couple of salads won't kill you."
"But I know what I saw, Tiny. I never heard a ghost use such language before."
"Ghosts don't curse because you never saw one."
"I did! The blue one was hovering over that patient's bed while the bald ghost was telling her what to do. It was like it was a big joke or something."
"Oh, so you heard ghosts giving instruction to other ghosts? That's new."
"No, it was just the two…my stomach doesn't feel too good."
Tiny looks at the other orderlies who are amused by Tomo's tall tale. They are all smiling.
"Slow down on the oxygen, bro, you're gonna make yourself dizzy."
The crew is transports Tomo on a gurney to triage to evaluate his injuries and possibly recommend a psych consult.
A short time later, Admiral Demetrius Zaarin is awake and surrounded by family and some of his officers recounting his brush with death.
"I opened my eyes and an angel appears in a bright light. She told me I would live another day and it would be full of joy and …oh, it was beautiful spiritual experience. I need to go to the hospital chapel to give thanks."
"His wife is stunned. Zaarin had never been a spiritual person and dismissed the Jedi Order as a bunch of hocus pocus nonsense. His wife knows him too well. He is just caught up in the moment. She gently pushes him back onto the pillow.
"Patience, Demi. Sow down. There is plenty of time for that. Rest. You've been in a coma."
"But I feel great."
"You still have that nasty bump on your head. The doctor says you suffered a contusion. You fell."
"Really? I don't remember falling." He touched his forehead. There is a large protuberance on the left side of his forehead.
"You had a heart attack and fell in Mr. Skywalker's office."
"All I recall is clutching my chest. He looked as surprised as I was. I honestly don't remember falling though. "
"The doctors are concerned because you would have had fallen on your face but the rest of your face is fine. It's strange that the back of your head is banged up too." Mrs. Zaarin points to the bandages on the back of his head.
"I'm sure there's an explanation."
Meanwhile, back at 620 Faleen Hyper Drive, this is how Anakin Skywalker explains the injury to his wife Isabel. He originally told her only that Zaarin had a heart attack by the 'hand' of their son. Now, several days later, he has a confession to make.
"I panicked. The guy was in the throes of a force-induced heart attack. I had to make it look like an accident."
The Family K-9 droid dog Skippy sits by Anakin's desk in the study. He playfully rolls on the floor as his owners engage in a discussion.
Isabel listens with her arms folded. Anakin is familiar with this all too well. It is her patronizing 'I'm listening but your story is a bunch of bantha crap; and I'll find out the truth eventually.' He watches her judgmental 'I have a PhD;' expression on her face.
"So you grab our sons' air surfer board and whack the poor man in the face with it? Are you insane?"
"Will you please calm down? I didn't have a choice. Do look at me like that. You have no idea what I was up against."
"You could have called C-911."
"Now you sound ridiculous. How was I going to explain that their resuscitation efforts would be in vain? Do I say it's because someone more powerful then they is about to stop his heart permanently?"
"I can't believe this."
"Oh don't act so surprised Miss smarty-pants."
"Why are you telling me this now? I feel like an accomplice."
"I don't want to keep secrets from you."
"Gee, thanks for sharing. So how did you explain to the paramedics why he has injuries on his forehead and also on the back of his skull?"
"He lost his balance when he has having the heart attack…and tripped forward before falling back. Are you a lawyer now?"
Isabel is not buying into Anakin's interpretation of the incident.
"Do I look stupid to you?"
Skippy sits up. He is waiting for his master to respond.
"Uhm…no. You're a very smart woman. But you have to understand my dilemma."
"I don't want to listen to anymore of this. I'm walking away." She shakes her head and leaves him alone in his study.
Anakin looks around for the remote to the plasma. He is unable to locate it. He waves his hand to power it on. A live Sabacc game is on via satellite from Mos Eisley.
The doorbell rings. None of the servants is around to answer the door. Threepio and Artoo are not around either. Anakin switches off the plasma and leaves the study. The bell rings again. Someone is either very impatient, stupid or both. Skippy barks. Anakin looks down at the yapping dog.
"Has someone fallen into the bottomless shaft?" Anakin points to the door. "Oh! Someone is at the door, Skippy."
He is annoyed by the lack of response and cooperation with everyone in the household, and that includes the family K-9 droid dog.
"Must I do everything myself?" He looks down at Skippy. "What do you do to contribute to this household? Huh?"
Skippy wags his titanium tail then taps the door with his paw. Anakin follows him to the front door, shouting, as he gets closer.
"Someone has a death wish. I'm coming! Stop ringing the 'effing' bell!" Anakin grabs the knob then opens the door. It is Arnold Celchuk the local paperboy.
Arnold is an easily impressed but intelligent boy of thirteen. He is resourceful, taking on his part-time gig as a paperboy delivering the Coruscant Times door-to-door twice a day. He uses the modest income to pay for books and going to the holo-multiplex. He is ready to greet the 'Master of the House' a cheerful good day. The boy is a year older than Kris. He has short thick light brown hair. His bangs fall just above his eyebrows. His has a cherubic face and bright blue eyes framed by wire-rimmed glasses. Both he and Kris are small for their age.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Skywalker, how are you today…"
Anakin takes his paper and slams the door in the boy's face. Skippy barks after the door is closed.
the doorbell rings again Just as Anakin walks back to his study reading the paper,. He releases a heavy sigh then goes to the door and opens it again. Arnold holds a heavy box in his arms as he reads from a holo-pad script:
"How are you today, Mr. Skywalker?"
"I'm fine, Arnold. Thanks for the paper. I'm not missing the sports section this time, thanks for that."
He starts to close the door again but Arnold is just as persistent. He wedges himself in the closing door. Anakin watches with amazement. Arnold has a frayed mitten that falls to the floor. He lets it remain there.
"Wait! How are you today, Mr. Skywalker?"
"Do you have short-term memory loss?"
"But, I have to inform you about something. Did you know that 153 million students across the galaxy don't have the tools to work quantum physics and advanced math theorem?"
"Uhm…no."
"Would you be willing to give these kids a fighting chance by contributing to…?"
"What tools do you need? Don't you just need a brain for that? You're trying to shake me down for money? You've got to do better than that."
Skippy wags his tail wildly as he listens to Arnold. Anakin stares at the dog in disgust. "Attack mode! " The dog does not heed his call. "Geez, you're useless!"
Anakin is about the slam the door again when Isabel appears and steps in front of her husband.
"Hello, Arnold. What are you selling this season?"
Arnold uses this opportunity to start his scripted pitch again.
"Hello, Mrs., Skywalker. How are you today? You look lovely if I may be so bold in saying so."
"I'm fine, and thank you, Arnold. I'm flattered. It's cold out here. Wouldn't you prefer to come in and do this? Come inside and relax a bit."
Isabel ushers the boy inside. Anakin rolls his eyes as the boy walks inside with the colorful box in his arms. Three newspapers remain in his delivery bag slung on his shoulder on his back. She looks on the floor at the mitten near Anakin's foot.
"Anakin, what's that on the floor? Pick it up."
Anakin makes a face.
Arnold stands and looks around at the opulent home; he almost forgets why he is there. He pets Skippy who immediately warms up to the boy. "Cool dog! Hey, champ!" He leans over and hugs the dog. Skippy's tail wags and right hind foot taps happily.
Arnold soon remembers to restart his sales pitch.
"Oh! Did you know that 153 million students across the galaxy…?"
Isabel interrupts him.
"Arnold, would you like some hot cocoa? It's cold outside. Are you coming from school? "
"Yes, Ma'm. I do my paper route before school in the morning then, on days we get out early, I distribute the afternoon edition. But, yes, hot cocoa sounds nice. There is a chill in the air. Thank you."
Anakin quips:
"Hey, why don't you sit him down and give him a sandwich?"
Isabel responds as if this is the most significant thing her husband has said all day.
"That's a good idea."
Anakin was only joking. He did not expect Isabel to invite the boy inside for a meal.
"What?"
Isabel leaves Arnold in the living room with a skeptical Anakin. Anakin looks up from his paper. The boy smiles at him. Anakin snaps the newspaper and shields his face with it as he tries to ignore the boy. Skippy sits at Arnold's feet and begins to perform a series of tricks that Anakin had programmed into his data chip but never seemed to function. Anakin lowers the newspaper then grumbles to himself.
Isabel brings the boy in the kitchen and serves him hot soup and a sandwich in addition to the cocoa and chocolate almond biscuits. Anakin watches in disbelief from the kitchen door as she feeds the waif.
After the refreshment, they return to the living room. Isabel lets Arnold go into his sales pitch.
"As you know, many children lack necessary tools needed for math competition and…"
Anakin yawns.
"You need 'stuff' for that?
Isabel gives her husband a dirty look. Anakin shrugs his shoulders. Arnold continues as he tries to remember where he left off.
"…to support these efforts, we need to raise 335,000 credits per year. Today, I am selling pera fruit chews, muja berry twisters, caramel lollys', and Paonga Minis…"
Anakin grins.
"The dentists on Coruscant must love you. How much are you gouging us for this fine confection assortment, sparky?"
"Uhm…Oh, 2 credits each."
"Hummm…not bad."
Isabel is more concerned about Arnold. She ignores Anakin's flippant remarks.
"Sweetie, don't you have homework to do? You seem to have a lot going on besides your paper route."
Arnold leans over and hugs Skippy.
"Oh, I do alright. My teachers give me extra time to turn in my assignments." He laughs as Skippy rolls over. "Oh, you're such a great dog! I love you, Champ!"
Anakin chimes in. He expresses is distain for the name the boy is calling the Skywalker family dog.
"His name is Skippy. Do all the houses you go to offer you cocoa and biscuits?"
"No. You're the only one." The boy does not waste a morsel of food. Isabel believes he probably has not had a healthy breakfast and most likely any lunch at all.
"Lucky us."
Isabel nudges Anakin
"How can we help?"
Anakin mocks his wife.
"Yes, tell us. Last summer you were hawking pit droid key chains. How did that work out for you?"
"Not great. The droids kept wandering off with the keys. I had to give the customers their money back."
"I could have told you that would happen."
Isabel pinches Anakin. He scowls
"Oww! Hey!"
"Anakin, give him some money. I left my purse upstairs. "
"What?"
Anakin digs in his pocket and pulls out some bills. Isabel pulls two twenties and a ten from his hand.
"Take this. Arnold, go home. Your mother must be worried about you."
Anakin watches as she helps the boy with his coat. Anakin leaves the room. He returns a few minutes later with a cashmere muffler, hat and gloves that belonged to Li-An.
"Here you go. Eggheads need to keep warm too. Don't want all that brain data seeping out into the ionosphere."
Arnold eagerly tries them on. Everything fits perfectly.
"Thanks, Mr. Skywalker. These are nice and soft…warm too."
"Yeah…they were just lying around unused. Whose papers do you have to deliver?"
"Uhm…Madame Domina Tagge, General Carvin, and 'Resident'."
"Do they give you tips?"
"No. Just you. Thanks for the Befana Eve envelope last year. I never got a 200-credit tip before.
"Two hundred credits?" He stops himself "Well, the gift matched the service. Heh heh." He looks incredulously at his wife and mouths '200 credits?'
Arnold continues to speak.
"I never got anything from 'Mr. Resident' either. But I've never met him."
"I'll make sure these get delivered. I'll take care of the candy too."
"But I was just getting that script down. I deliver their paper and then I promote the afterschool program."
"Yeah, right. Listen, stick to what you know, kid. Delivering papers and hawking cheap candy isn't your forte."
He sees some holographs on the table in the foyer as Anakin urges him towards the front door.
"Is Ana-Lena home?"
"No. she's away at school. Off you go now." Anakin grabs the boy's head and steers him gently towards the front door.
Isabel hands him a thermal tote filled with hot food. She and Anakin see him off. Anakin shouts to Arnold as the boy heads down the driveway.
"Don't throw my paper in the hedges next time!"
After Anakin closes the door, he looks at his wife.
"Are we suckers or what?"
"You did a good thing."
"Hey, I had to get rid of the kid somehow." Anakin remembers when he was a young disadvantaged boy on Tatooine. His wife takes his hand in hers.
"He looks up to you, Anakin."
"He should; especially since I gave him a 200-credit tip. He's a good kid. He does a crappy paper delivery job, though."
"You complain all the time but you keep the subscription. You have access to it on your data pad."
"I kind of like having the paper delivered. It gives me a chance to bust his chops a few days a week…but he's a good kid."
"Speaking of that; we have a son who should be home from the Jedi Academy very shortly. He needs our attention."
"That reminds me, I have to wrap up a matter with some disgruntled parties."
"Oh, you're still giving that sad excuse of a story about the Admiral? It's a wonder you sleep well at night."
He changes the subject back to Arnold.
"I sleep perfectly well. Look at all this candy! I still think we've been had. There's no kid's quantum physics competition."
Isabel throws up her hands and turns away.
"That's it. I'm done talking to you."
"You mean there is such a thing?"
"Go away."
"I have business to tend to anyway."
"Oh, of course. You've got to tell that tired story about the air surfer board again."
Anakin heads back toward his study. Skippy looks out the window then follows his master as soon as the boy is out of view. Anakin turns and looks down at the 'disloyal' K-9 droid.
"And you! I find your lack of loyalty disturbing. Oh, and that shameful display of tricks….I have to say that I am sorely disappointed with you." The dog cocks its heads and pants happily. Anakin smiles. "Come on, 'Champ'!"
Three others have trouble believing Anakin's story about Admiral Zaarin. The trio of Force ghosts arrives. They have feedback for him. Qui-Gon arrives first.
'That's some doozy of a heart attack if you ask me.'
"I wasn't asking you."
Mace Windu appears. He is slapping his knee and laughs.
'I'm trying to picture Zaarin havin' a massive coronary while traveling into the reception area, falling on the air surfer board than returning to your office and collapsing on his back. The way you explain it, the man was waltzing all over your office." Mace imitates Zaarin having a heart attack. He takes a few 'theatrical liberties 'This is the big one, Rosealee!' Mace jokingly stumbles around clutching his chest. He comments afterwards: 'It sounds funny as hell!'
Anakin rolls his eyes.
"I'm glad you're amused."
Ayala arrives. She is annoyed.
'Anakin, don't ever ask me to do anything like that again! I had to hover over that man's hospital bed while he was having an out-of body experience. That ugly man was getting on my nerves: 'Will I go to heaven? Who will I see there? I want to apologize for all the horrible things I said about people while I was alive.' I was especially unforgiving when it came to the former Emperor. I tried to dethrone him…blah blah blah.' Geez, he was so annoying!'
Mace laughs.
'He wants absolution for that? That was the best idea he had during his military carrier. Then we almost had that fat ass orderly die on us. I had no time for him. I don't care how many times he needs to be resuscitated. He's not gonna die on my watch.'
Anakin has heard enough from whining, force ghosts.
"Alright! I'm sorry I got you involved! Geez! Don't you guys ever stop complaining?"
Mace gets an attitude.
"Well, excuse me, Mister, 'I bashed the Admiral upside the head with an air surfer board' And let me tell you another thing; you're an ungrateful sith! Yeah, I said it! Did I hear a 'Thank-you? "He holds his hand to his ear. Wait….hold on…what's that? Hell no, I didn't' get a thank you, Mace.'
Anakin is insulted that he is seen as ungrateful.
"Thank you! Thank so 'effing' much for your services! Happy now?"
'That wasn't so hard now, was it? You still have an attitude problem.'
"I apologize for not thanking you sooner while I tried to save my son."
'Your son was going to be fine. No one was going to touch a hair on that child's head'.
"Thank you. I appreciate that."
'Yeah…yeah. You're still ungrateful.'
At another part of the house, Isabel is busy putting the final changes on a sandwich. She has company. Kris is watching from the other side of the kitchen counter.
"Mom?"
"Yes?"
"Are you angry with me?"
"No, I am not angry with you."
"Everyone else is."
"That's not true. No one is angry…disappointed, yes. Everyone cares about you and wants what's best for you."
"Ki Adi-Mundi said I was too dangerous and if I keep this up, I'll wind up on the same path as Dad when he was younger."
"You tell him I said he is not to speak to you or about you. And if he's lingering around this house, tell him it's not nice to eavesdrop. And he's not welcome in this house if he has nothing nice to say."
"He's insulted…He left the house."
"Fine…if he feels that strongly."
"Mom?'
"Yes, sweetie."
"Are you planning to turn me in for a better model?'
"Look at me. You are ours…no matter what. We love you. I would never trade you for any other child in the galaxy."
'Mom?"
"Yes, Kris?"
"Dad said that the Admiral is going to be okay, right?"
"Yes. Your father called me this morning from the hospital. I'm still trying to figure out how the Admiral had a heart attack and wound up with a concussion and a contusion. He has a big knot on his forehead."
"Dad said the Admiral fell then tripped."
"You're father says a lot of things."
"He's back."
"I know; I your father walk in hours ago hours ago after his visit to the hospital."
"No! Not Dad! Ki Adi…he says he has reevaluated his remarks and he has decided that he would like to remain a welcome houseguest…as long as you approve…and he apologizes for the hurtful comments."
"Oh, well…he made a quick and wise decision."
"He says if anyone can help protect this family from all the evil in the galaxy, he can."
"Ahhh…I see. Thank you." She cleans her hands on a kitchen towel and then serves the sandwich to Kris."
"Thanks, Mom. You make the best sandwiches. I heard the food at JD Hall is not half as good as yours."
"Don't talk like that. You're not a Jedi Delinquent and you're not going anywhere. Eat your lunch. I can't believe they kept you all day without feeding you. It's almost three o'clock. Is that their way of punishing you? I didn't know starving a child was part of the training."
"I had to go to meditation so I could cleanse my soul and rethink my path in like."
"Humph. I'll give them something to rethink."
There is a loud cry from the study.
"What? A '63'? That can't be! Are you sure? Did you check your records? There has to be a computer error. I think I'm going to be sick. This is a disaster!... I intend on doing that very thing." The phone can be heard being placed on the cradle. There is a long silence followed by a loud cry. "Noooooo!"
A few minutes later, Anakin storms into the kitchen. His open black shawl-collar cardigan flows behind him.
"There's going to be a family meeting on Sunday!"
Isabel looks across the room at him.
"The whole family?"
"The whole bloody family!" He throws his arms up.
Isabel roll her eyes.
"Oh, boy!"
Kris bites into his sandwich. There is a slight smile of satisfaction on his face. He knows it is not about him anymore….for now.
"Hah-hah. Someone is in big trouble. Does this mean I get my board back?"
His father points to him.
"Wipe that smug look off your face. You're still grounded."
Anakin returns to his study. The phone rings. He knows who it is but he is not anxious to take the call. He picks up the receiver and yells.
"What? I wired your allowance last week."
"I know, I know. I got it. Thank you. Actually, Anakin…son, I've got some good news."
"If it involves you, it can't be good news. Can this wait? I've got fires to put out."
"Fires?"
"Bigger problems."
"Well…can we meet?"
Anakin hesitates for a moment.
"Uhm…fine…How about tomorrow around noon?"
"Fantastic. I'll see you then…oh, where can we meet? Your office? Hello…Ani?"
There is a dial tone.