Yaay! I finally have a chance to update! Sorry that it took so long... as said before, my life tends to get busy, and sometimes I'm just a bit too busy to write. Hopefully I can get back on schedule again. Thanks for your patience!
Disclaimer: Star Wars is owned by Disney and Lucasfilm Ltd. The following work is not intended to add to, promote or distort this series. This is a work of fanfiction, and the author does not profit in posting. This is simply a writing exercise written for fun.
Skywalker... he heard in his head and heart as the darkness swirled around him, You are a monster... a barbaric creation from the most blasphemous of unions... You don't deserve to be born.
It was the Shaetin Demantis's voice that he heard, echoing about him as though he were in some wind tunnel comprised of the fiend. The clammy and yet burning feeling he felt terrified him, even as he attempted to swim out of the fire and smoke that encompassed him.
"Leave me alone!" Anakin shouted, filled with panic and fear. Using the Force, he attempted to push the mist away, only to have the dangerous fog push by his presence, looming, growing. Shuddering as he backed away further into the abyss, Anakin sought a way out, unable to see one.
You are nothing more than a monster! Demantis shouted, a strange, echoing sound suddenly entering the whirlwind, You will destroy everything you love... just like your own father!
"I have no father!" Anakin shouted, suddenly finding that he was filling with rage. This feeling made the burns of his body ache, but that did not stomp out his temper.
Demantis suddenly manifested before Anakin, a wicked grin under his thin mustache, "Yes you do, Anakin... you do have a father and he did not want you." As Anakin began to tremble in rage, Demantis approached him, "You see, he took your mother against her will... When you were born..." Demantis paused extra long, liking the slow glow of yellow building in the young man's eyes, "He tried to crush you."
And that was all Anakin needed to hear before he bellowed out in his rage. And with that fierce roar, the mist dispersed.
Anakin Skywalker awoke the next morning from a restless night to the aches of the burns across his body. They were small nuisances, not the scathing wounds from Scipio, but were enough of a pain that he could no longer sleep. Not that he wanted to.
So, pulling himself away from his beloved wife, Anakin rose and sought his clothes from the night before, hoping to the stars and back that his sampling of the Nemoidian wine from the night before hadn't delayed his morning. To his relief, he hadn't overslept.
The door slid open easily, and Anakin hopped out swiftly, knowing he had to at least head to the temple and pretend he'd been around before returning to help Padme with plans that afternoon.
She was stressed as ever about her trip to Alderaan, one he would not be able to make. As far as he was concerned, his absence did not mean he could not be apart of the process. Most days, he felt guilty not being at Padme's side. She deserved a lot better than what he was providing. Most husbands brought some sort of income home, or were around for special occasions, but as a Jedi, he could do none of those things and that bothered him. Even if being a hero didn't.
And moments when she reinforced her love of him, like her dumpling dinner last night, made him desire all the more to give her everything he had. Things like that made him forget about jerks like Rush Clovis being around the city.
He carefully closed the bedroom door, hoping not to stir his wife. It slid closed with a soft click and he let out a sigh of relief. But, as he turned to dash off, he accidentally walked straight into an ice-pack toting Jaina Darklighter with an oomph.
"J-Jaina!" Anakin stuttered, not sure what to do at all. He could only guessed how this looked. Him, sneaking out of her room at sun-up, his hair probably as much a mess as it was when Padme was running her fingers through it the night before, smiling about how she liked the length. A sheet of sweat across his face. Gods, he was near panicking!
Since their marriage, Padme had always ensured that no one would be around when he was. This had never happened before. He'd never had to search the kitchens. The staff never arrived before ten!
Not caring about his tone, Jaina groaned and raised her hand to stop him, "Don't talk." And then she meandered back down to her room, "Nemoidian wine!" she grumbled. Watching her as she disappeared down the dark hall, Anakin swallowed and wondered what to do. And he could not find an answer.
Shit, shit, shit, shit... He panicked internally, trying to slink out of the fine apartment before anyone else spotted him. He made it halfway across his wife's bronzen living room when yet another new voice called out for him, "Good morning!"
The voice had come from the veranda, and made Anakin freeze like a criminal. Again, no one had been present this early before, and Padme had not warned him that the Darklighters were staying the night. She was too drunk to convey much outside of her desire to have babies anyways.
His whole body clenching, the young Jedi Knight turned to face Jacen Darklighter. Sitting cross-legged in the middle of the veranda, the young man seemed calm and yet friendly. His hair was reflecting the sun from behind him, which made him a little hard to see.
"Erhm.." Anakin started as he walked over towards the veranda, no point in pretending I wasn't here all night anymore. He swallowed, afraid of what it would take to keep these Darklighters quiet. "Good morning, Mr. Darklighter... Did-" he was so shaken, he didn't know what to do, "Did you sleep well?" Jacen smiled at him and nodded.
"As well as can be expected in a new bed." He replied, suddenly raising his brows, "Not that you are unfamiliar with that concept."
Exhaling slowly, Anakin sat down on the ground, crossing his legs as well, "I'm not sure what you mean by that."
Smiling and shaking his head, Jacen replied kindly, "Well, what with the clone wars, I imagine you rarely sleep in the same place twice." Still pale with fear, Anakin nodded slowly.
"Yes... yes, I often move." He replied almost mechanically. Again, the more confident Jacen chuckled. He motioned towards the bedrooms with his head.
"That Nemoidian wine took it out of Jaina." He chuckled lightly, "We were planning on being gone already, but she's so hungover... we'll be lucky to leave by tonight." He continued to laugh, even as Anakin panicked internally. It was a good thing that Jacen's eyes were locked on another apartment.
All right, Jacen, you're either incredibly naïve, Anakin rationalized, or just playing it off until later.
"I'm naïve about what?" Jacen suddenly wondered, turning his eyes back to Anakin.
Dumbstruck, Anakin stuttered his reply, "I-... I didn't say anything?" With a brow furrowed, Jacen shrugged and dismissed the topic entirely, his eyes once again falling on that building he'd been observing.
Uncomfortable with the quiet, Anakin suddenly stood up, "Well, I came by to check on the Senator again, she was really out of it when you both left last night... I really should be going now." And then he bowed awkwardly, "Nice to see you again, Mr. Darklighter." When he glanced back at Jacen, he noticed that the man looked very confused, brows furrowed and all. But that did not stop him from nearly running out the door.
Watching him go, Luke put two and two together and fought the smile that was growing across his face. Even as Leia walked up, he managed to keep the smirk down. "What was that about?" She wondered, lowering her ice-pack. Luke shrugged back at her, finally losing his grip and chuckling loudly to himself.
Shortly after, his sister joined in.
"It's not like we caught him with his pants down." She pointed out, seating herself beside her brother with a grin, "I never imagined Vader ever being that awkward."
"So he's Vader again." Luke replied with a frown that resonated in his icy blue eyes.
But Leia shook her head, a smile still on her face, "No... this man is not Vader." She then turned to her brother, "He is father." And in that moment, a grin grew on Luke's face that out shined the sun.
And Threepio ran his protocols once more.
Thanks to Devaro's disappearance, Anhilis had taken it upon herself to fill his shoes with the more boring job of watching the Skywalker twin's movements. And she grumbled to herself as Luke sat on the veranda, wanting nothing more than to capture him into this stolen apartment and toy with him. She had the fleeting suspicion that she'd be attracted to more than just those innocent blue eyes and found herself wondering what sorts of scars she could find on him.
They'd been at this Senator Amidala's home for some time now, but her intelligence from the maids indicated that this had been an arrangement against all their wills.
Master will not be pleased with this, she realized as she sat back against the headboard of this stolen bed. The night before, she'd broken into this location, having learned that the owners were currently visiting Felucia as peace ambassadors to the colonists. She'd been warned multiple times to kill sparingly and was doing her best not to flaunt her superiority.
But, as she pulled her binoculars back up to her eyes, she finally saw something worth noting. Skywalker! It was not the man she'd been tasked to monitor, but rather his father was approaching the veranda. What the hell is he doing here so early?
And suddenly her job became a lot more interesting. Especially since she saw Skywalker the younger look directly at her twice. He knows I'm here...
Anakin was relieved when he'd finally arrived at the temple, unseen this time. He was so distracted by his newest predicament, he couldn't even consider keeping an eye out for Demantis. His heart rate had finally died down, and he was trying to plan how to confront Jacen and Jaina about their encounter that morning. I... I don't think they'll rat me out, he suddenly decided, based on their nonchalant behavior that morning, At least, I hope they wont. He knew the issue still needed to be addressed and was trying to plan the 'how', despite the clinging of his comm attempting to pull his thoughts away to Jedi business.
Obi-Wan was calling him. Apparently he had been all night.
With an exasperated sigh, Anakin began his slow drudge to Obi-Wan's quarters. Almost any passerby could see just how deflated the young man was.
First this goddamn Shaetin, he grumbled internally, Now the Darklighter's know my secret... what's next? Padme's wish suddenly comes true?
Majority of the Jedi were housed closely to one another in a single wing, but that didn't mean much. The temple was vast, and traveling to meet someone usually required quite a bit of time. But Anakin didn't mind that so much. It merely meant he had some time to his thoughts, which were actually left alone. So, as he absently strolled past grand columns and statues, old murals and scampering Younglings, Anakin took advantage of his much relished privacy.
He didn't like the fact that he and Jacen had some mysterious link between them. Truthfully, everything about that felt right. But he didn't understand the tie, and that was what made the whole scenario so strange. Deep down, something urged him to trust the man, but it was that same wild feeling that always forcasted the bad in his life. That strange, powerful impulse that he fought so hard to keep in control of. The one that taunted him with the distant future on terrible occasions.
Having climbed the level towards his former master's room, Anakin raised his hand to knock at the metal door. The sound of metal meeting gloved metal echoed down the empty hall like a water drop in a large cavern. It was still early, and so most of the younger Jedi were already at their sunrise ablutions. The experienced ones often joined them, attempting to make the experience more of a communal exercise.
"Come on in Anakin." Came Obi-Wan's voice from inside, "I have to talk to you."
With a sigh, the younger man waved the door open and entered the neat quarters belonging to his former master. They were neat, dust free and light; everything you'd expect from Obi-Wan Kenobi. There was hardly a piece of furniture within the space, but plenty of DataPads likely filled with various descriptions of places soon to be invaded by the Separatists littered the nearby desk. Obi-Wan was always one to study.
Speaking of, he sat in the center of the room, slightly in a meditative trance. His blue eyes were open, staring but not seeing the door and the man inside of it.
"You asked to see me Obi-Wan?" Anakin inquired carefully as he stepped to the side of the door to let it close. As it swooshed shut, Obi-Wan opened his eyes slightly wider, breaking the trance.
Letting out a sigh, Obi-Wan turned to Anakin with worry in his eyes, "I did. Though," he paused and pulled himself up from the ground, "I had commed you several hours ago... Is there a particular reason for your delay?" Anakin shrugged, not sure how to answer that, so Obi-Wan moved on. He never liked to press his student for information. It always closed down their channels of communication anyways. "Now that you're here, I don't know how to say what I must... It's... puzzling."
Anakin stepped closer the center of the room, his arms crossed over his chest as he eyed the man wearily, "Why do I get the feeling it is something bad?"
His eyes were slightly closed, clearly demonstrating his suspicion. Obi-Wan simply tried to ignore that as he fought through his own confusion. With a deep, deep sigh, he started his tale, "Well, to be frank, Master Yoda no longer believes you are the Chosen One." The silence was palpable as Anakin stared his best friend down. He didn't know what to say. Being the Chosen One was his identity for so long. Despite hating that label, hearing that he'd lost it was, unthinkable.
"I realize that Anakin." Obi-Wan replied, "but Yoda is certain. He's met someone with an even greater Force-signature than you: your brother." Anakin gulped.
"My- my what?"
Obi-Wan nodded and stepped forward, "Your older brother." He told him again, seeing the recognition in his friends eyes, "Jacen Darklighter." Anakin stepped back and away from Obi-Wan's gaze. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. He just couldn't.
"But I don't have a brother." he argued in shock. "Especially not Jacen Darklighter. He's... he's... so proper and stoic and, well, probably naïve... We're nothing alike!" Obi-Wan sighed.
"Anakin," he argued gently, "I know it is a tough pill to swallow, but there is no other plausible explanation. It took Yoda hours to convince me, but, in the end, I had no choice but to believe him." When Anakin didn't respond, rather he chose to eye the floor as he sorted his thoughts, Obi-Wan began to explain, "Does he not look curiously like you? Did you not feel some sort of connection in the Force?" he paused as he registered that Anakin's expression indicated he'd encountered the answers to both questions. "Your presence and his are so similar, that you could only be siblings." Anakin sighed and shook his head. What else could go wrong today?
Obi-Wan furrowed his brow and stepped back to pace while he sorted out his thoughts, "You can't be too devastated: we never actually confirmed that you were the Chosen One."
"I never cared about being the Chosen One!" Anakin suddenly snapped, "You're telling me that I have an older brother! Can you imagine the pure shock of learning you are suddenly no longer alone in your family?... And that's if I even believe you, which I don't!"
Obi-Wan nodded slowly, trying to hide his hurt at Anakin's distrust. "True, Anakin." Obi-Wan replied as he turned to face his brother-in-arms, "But that only means so much. Master Yoda believes that your brother-"
"-He's not my brother!" Anakin practically hissed, his blood burning at the thought that he had a brother. That he was not the only special one in his beloved mother's life. Tears were practically threatening to spill over at the sudden identity crisis that scenario created. And this idea was presented to him on top of that blasted Shaetin's ravings!
Who am I really? Anakin wondered as he felt more than a little malice arrive into his heart. Only this time, that strange burning sensation did not overtake him. He felt no pain.
Sensing the shock and -anger?- he felt in Anakin, Obi-Wan treaded lightly. "You must consider the possibility. Master Yoda believes that Darklighter was the source of that great pulse in the Force from a couple days ago. The one that burned the very darkness inside of all Force-users." He paused as he watched Anakin's eyes widen in shock. "We have visual confirmation that Count Dooku was so severely affected, his regime had to hospitalize him." Anakin turned to Obi-Wan, his ocean blue eyes suddenly filled with new concerns. It burned the darkness in Force-users? He wondered as a connection dawned on him, Am I so filled with darkness that...?
"Obi-Wan..." Anakin suddenly spat out, "I need to be left alone now."
He turned about as his friend nodded, his blue eyes saddened. His movements no longer held any semblance of confidence as he walked out the door. And neither did his mentor's gaze.
In a final moment of wretchedness before he released his dismay in to the Force, Obi-Wan slammed his fist against the Durasteel wall, "Blast!"
Four hours later than they'd anticipated, Luke and Leia had packed up their small acquirement of belongings and headed near the door. They weren't intending on being rude, it just didn't make any sense to wait for the senator to awaken, not when they had so much to do. And their delay didn't help the situation either. They wanted to make sure Leia would be well enough for space travel before disembarking on their new adventure. So we go to Naboo first, Leia wondered to her brother carefully.
After his dream the night before, it was determined that setting up a defensive line around their mother was more pertinent than acquiring new knowledge. Luke had agreed not to disappear, like he had to Dagobah years before... or from now, and leave Leia alone with everything. This agreement had reestablished their planning, and they swiftly moved forward in creating an itinerary.
The first stop was the Naboo system. After that, Alderaan. And from there they would follow the Senator back and determine whether it was safe for Luke to depart.
He nodded carefully, wondering exactly what they were going to find. How many sensors would they have to set up? How many places did their mother frequent?
He was so lost in thought, he barely noticed Jar-Jar approach them from the other side of the hall, giddy as can be. "Good mornings!" He cried out, practically borrowing Luci Tano's happy dance at the sight of them, "We's a ready to gets a going now. Come, come Lukees ana Layees!" Luke and Leia smiled at the Gungun, grateful for his assistance.
A speeder was waiting for them outside of the representative sweet, piloted by a clone friend who was on his way to his own transport. "Good morning Representative Binks." The clone began, saluting him from his spot in the front seat.
"Good Mornings Capatain Rex." Jar-Jar mirrored the formality as he took his place behind the man, "Thanks a yous for drivin wesa toos our ship." Rex smiled and nodded.
"No problem sir," He then eyed Luke and Leia with a grin, "Captain Rex of the 501st." He offered Luke, the nearer twin, a hand.
"Luk-" The man almost revealed, feeling something of a tremor in the Force around this man. He was so distracted by it, that he almost didn't catch his mistake, "Jacen Darklighter." He then motioned to Leia, who now had entered the speeder, "And this is my wife Jaina."
Rex stretched his hand out to her as well, "Ma'am." He replied.
Leia shook back cordially and then allowed the man to drive off into the morning traffic. After a while, however, she could not resist inquiring, "The 501st, huh?"
"Yes, ma'am." Rex answered, his eyes still locked on the restless traffic before him.
"That's General Skywalker's normal unit." She added after he offered nothing more. Rex merely nodded, "Must be fun working with a crazy man." The soldier merely shrugged, his eyes glancing into the rear view mirror to note that while Jaina looked most serious, Jacen seemed prepared to laugh at her comment. He also noted their garb and weapons.
So Rex delighted in his reply, "He's no crazier than the next Jedi ma'am." And that was when he heard Jacen Darklighter snicker.
"Amen to that, my friend."
"I see we are of the same opinion then, Mr. Darklighter." Was the captain's entry into a relaxed conversation. Jacen's reaction to his gutsy comment had revealed all he needed to know about these warriors: they were open minded. Not like some other Jedi who would use what he said about his favorite general against them both. He was not unacquainted with the politics of being a Jedi, and did his best to shield General Skywalker and Commander Tano when he could.
Luke nodded and grinned, "Well, only the best Jedi are irrevocably crazy."
"It's the only way the job gets done." Rex added. He noticed that Jaina was glancing between the two with an all knowing smile, as though their comradery pleased her. And this only relaxed him further.
"Two peas in a pod." Was all she managed before they landed at the private docks for republic employees. As Rex put the engine into park, the Darklighters rose before Binks to open the door and clear the way for him. Rex could only smile, assuming that the young couple knew the Gungun well enough to take these little precautions. Once Jar-Jar was off the speeder and their bags were removed from the truck, Darklighter approached Rex with a grin.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, Captain."
Jaina was not far behind him, "Yes, I hope we meet again." Rex grinned at them both and saluted. He was eager to get on to his assignment, but glad to have met these two. Something about them felt eerily familiar. As the three waved him off, Rex put his new acquaintances into greater distance behind his speeder.
"What a nice man." Leia commented as Jar-Jar led the way to the ship. He'd been oddly quiet through that conversation and that fact had made the twins suspicious of the clone.
But now he chose to break his silence, "Capatain Rex is a good man. Ur father's best soldier, he is." The twins smiled and followed him down the lane, listening to Jar-Jar as he regaled them with tales of their father and Captain Rex on various missions.
In boarding his pristine republic ship, they soon noted that Jar-Jar was not their pilot, but rather someone else was. A droid served as his driver, which made Luke's brow furrow some. After setting his bags down, Luke crossed his arms over his chest and stared. "Are you not able to pilot?" He wondered aloud.
The grin Jar-Jar gave them was one of clear embarrassment, but his skin lacked the pigment in its cells to blush. "Yeah, well, mesa no goods atsa drivin'." Luke chuckled and headed for the console, running his hands over the controls like it were a new babe. Jar-Jar instantly recognized that look in his eye, and donned an all-knowing grin.
"Do you mind if I pilot then?"
Smiling wide, Jar-Jar assured him, "Absoleetly!" Leia chuckled as she watched her brother seat himself beside the droid, checking over the system controls to prepare them for lift off. She set her own satchel down and promptly went to assist her brother with some of the side panels. They'd traveled together enough by now to have a routine down, regardless of who piloted. And there were some days when Luke knew better than to hop into the captain's chair.
Moments later, as the still blathering Jar-Jar seated himself in a passenger seat, Luke got the clearance to lift off. As they cleared Coruscant airspace, both twins took a deep breath. They could feel their distance growing between them and their mother, but they also knew that Palpatine would soon be far enough away that hiding their potential would no longer be a concern. But even Luke was starting to feel the effects of the Gamragist in full, and he was getting very worried.
Once the Hyperdrive took them far from the galaxy's capital, the twins released a breath they didn't know they had been holding.
Turning with a grin to face their new Gungun friend, Luke suddenly asked, "So, how'd you meet both of our parents exactly?"
Jar-Jar beamed and crossed his arms over his chest, "Well, itsa alls started out with Mastering Qui-Gon Jinn. Hesa was da teacha of Obi-Wan... anoda friend."
Leia nodded as Luke added, "We knew Obi-Wan... he was my first master." Jar-Jar smiled once more, and continued his narrative with uncharacteristic poise.
"Mesa hada little problemo wit da Boss, an Qui-Gon an Obi-Wan savaded me hide." He explained, his memories suddenly becoming a lot clearer in his mind. So clear that both twins could see them like a HoloDrama. "An after dat, wesa helped da Queenie Amidala, Padme. Ba shesa be no tellin us dat shesa was da Queenie. Den we wounded up an Tatooine an met Ani."
"So you met during the Trade Federation Blockade?" Leia inquired, sending her knowledge of the event to her brother in small bursts. Luke nodded as he processed her voice echoing in his mind. Jar-Jar nodded as well, not understanding that there was more going on than met the eye.
"Yes! Ani been helpin us, an wesa all left Tatooine for Coruscant." he added with a grin, "Ba the politics der be no good. Da Chancellor wasa bit no understandin us. So wesa all be coming backs, an freed da Naboo. After was da Gunguns and da Naboo friends. It wasa oh happy day!" Luke and Leia smiled, seeing Jar-Jar's recollections of this 'happy day' clearly in their minds. Their mother, dressed in something most elaborate, was beautiful, and their father was not far from her. A small boy dressed in Padawan garb.
"Who knew that they were friends for so long." Leia mused as she sat back, wrapping her arms around herself. Luke merely nodded.
"Yous be meanings..." Jar-Jar tried carefully, "Dat yous know nothings about yous mom and dad?" Both of them nodded slowly.
"We weren't left with much after everyone died." Luke admitted with a slight sigh, "We've only uncovered what we have based on guess work. Leia is the one with our only memories of our mother." It appeared that their Gungun friend frowned.
"Das a sad ding." He told them somberly, before suddenly changing his mood to the extreme opposite. "Nows, yous be telling mesa alls about yous."
Leia chuckled as Luke sat back, "What do you want to know?" She inquired, turning to her brother with a slight grin.
Jar-Jar brought his hand to his face and made a sound as he deliberated, "Hows abouts... which one of yous is da olda one?" Chuckling unanimously, they glanced at one another before both saying 'I am" at the same time. Jar-Jar just stared at them. "Mesa nos gets it."
"We aren't joking, Jar-Jar." Luke informed him with his father's smirk, "We don't know who is older... we were born on the same day."
"We're twins." Leia added to enforce what her brother was saying, certain the Gungun might need a little more information to process this all.
And apparently she was right, as Jar-Jar appeared more stunned after her statement than anything else. "Yous be meaning dat 'lil Padme been carrying both a yous togethers?" Again they chuckled.
"Well," Luke teased the man, "We both were considerably smaller."
"Premies actually, according to our file." Leia added with gentle eyes.
Luke then added as a jesting afterthought while their pilot droid strolled on by, "That whole size issue hasn't changed much for either of us though."
Leia grinned, "True." She breathed in and admitted, "Not when you compare us to father." In hearing her say that so easily, Luke's smile widened. Just looking at her presence in the Force showed him that she had, in fact, begun her own spiritual transformation. The large dark blots on her living spirit were smaller now. But there was still much work to be done.
But Jar-Jar could not see this in the Force, he could only see how happy these twins looked. "Hey, yousa dads ain dat tall. Lookie a me!" Again, the twins chuckled at him, admitting gladly that he was the tallest of the lot. "Now... Mesa been hearing dat twins can dos dat... uh... frocki twin ding."
"The freaky-twin thing?" Leia echoed to make sure she'd understood him right. When Jar-Jar nodded, she turned to her brother, "He wants us to do the freaky-twin thing." Luke chuckled and shook his head.
"Well he'd be the first to ask for it." He informed the Gungun, "Most peopled don't like it."
His sister then added casually, "It gets old with some people."
Jar-Jar waved his hands at both of them, shrugging the concern off, "Itsa onlys for one time... justa shows mesa itsa possible."
Grinning maniacally, the twins turned to one another. Having hid their relationship for so long, they had tired their informed friends out with their unique bond. It was rare to have someone be so accepting of this strange ability between them. One powered quite a bit by the Force.
"I'm not sure what you" Luke began.
And Leia finished, "Mean by impossible, as this is certainly something"
"we are capable of." Jar-Jar's eyes went wide as the show continued, Luke smirked and added, "We could do this long"
"Before we knew we were actually twins." Leia added as she sat back into her brother's side. The bench they shared was a bit crammed, likely meant for one. But there was no other seating available. "Would you mind"
"Telling us more about the Naboo?" Luke completed her request with an identical tone, "We really need to know more"
"About our mother's connections to" Leia added as she watched the amazement in Jar-Jar's face with pure pleasure.
"Protect her best." Luke finished. Jar-Jar's jaw was dropped so low, it practically met his feet.
"Dazamazin!" He exclaimed as he hopped out of his chair, staring at them like spectacles in a circus performance, "Yous been no stoppin to be helpin o nothin. Jusa one words intos anoders!"
Leia chuckled and sat forward, "A lot of it with us is the Force. Most twins just finish each other's sentences, but we hold whole dialogues in our minds and can link up our reactions. What's unique is that no one can sense our connection through the Force, it's so innate."
"A lot of the time," Luke added from his spot leaning against the back of the chair comfortably, "I request Leia as my partner simply because our bond is so powerful. We think together, move together, act as one... but our partners aren't always so thrilled with that connection."
Leia nodded with a sigh, "We don't really like to be separated. We were most of our lives and the lack of each other's presence is so irritating, painful even, that it's hard to be gone from one another for a long while. It's like our other half is missing and a month of separation is usually as much as we can stand before we start getting all nervous."
"Which gets a little tough when your girlfriend is staying the night." Luke added dryly. He could sense Leia's chuckle after he admitted that.
"Or when you're on a three month honey-moon." Leia reminded him.
Jar-Jar's eyes went wider, "Yousa married Layees?" She nodded pridefully.
"To the worst scoundrel in the galaxy."
Luke chuckled out loud, "Or something like that." Then he begrudgingly admitted, "Though a former Emperor's Hand and assassin probably doesn't amount to anything better."
Leia smirked at him, "I like her... you should totally propose." Again, Luke sighed at her.
"I'm not ready to marry her." He admitted carefully, "Just... a... move in with her or something."
Now Leia focused her energies on her blushing brother, "What's the difference? At least you'll get tax benefits and people will give you lots of stuff at your wedding."
"Like ladles?" Luke teased her with raised brows, noticing that Jar-Jar was watching this bizarre exchange intently. Leia nodded at him proudly.
"Like ladles."
Chuckling, Jar-Jar commented on their sibling behavior, "Lukees, Layees... yous a funny bun o kida." They turned to him in confusion.
"If you don't mind us asking" Leia began.
And Luke finished, teasing the Gungun once more, "Why do you call us Lukees and Layees?"
Smiling wide, Jar-Jar explained merrily, "Yous don't be knowin' dis?... When a Gunguns hava neica or nepha, dayz a be callin dem like dat. Mi brudda hasa un daughta Dila-la, an Isa been callin her Dilalees sinsa shesa being born."
Both twins smiled at him genuinely, "Thank you... Uncle Jar-Jar." Leia told him for both twins, "We are very honored that you think of us so kindly." The Gungun proceeded to smile widely.
It was light out and the doorbell was ringing... Where's Sabe? She wondered in a grumble as she lifted herself up from the bed. Putting a hand to her head, she slowly stretched out and turned about to glance around the room.
It was a mess.
What the hell happened in here? She wondered as she attempted to pull memories to the forefront of her mind. She remembered Anakin and talking about babies and then she glanced down and realized that only a thin sheet covered her... Oh my god!
Suddenly very much awake, Padme leaped to her feet in search of any garment that would cover her, and was relieved when she found one of her husbands robes. Why it was out, she didn't know as she was pretty certain he left without showering. But she slipped into it none-the-less.
She was just barely covered in the black cloth when Sabe knocked at her door and then peaked in, "Senator Amidala?" She inquired, her eyes searching through the darkness of the room, "Are you awake?" She wanted to know.
Catching her breath, Padme nodded to the shadowed figure in the doorway, "Yes, Sabe, what is it?"
Sabe near jumped at the sound of her voice, but recovered quickly enough to reply, "Ummm, Mister Clovis is here again. He says that the escort to Scipio is delayed and he was hoping for a quick breakfast." In hearing that, Padme grumbled to herself.
"Please inform Mister Clovis that I am currently indisposed right now."
It must have been the tone in her voice, but Sabe seemed almost afraid as she turned out the door. But Padme didn't have time to care, it would take some time for her to recover from the migraine building in her head. And boy did it grow fast.
Apparently her dash to find a covering also swayed her body into retaliation. The room was spinning and even the dim light from the blinds was too much. Nemoidian wine, she found herself grumbling as she attempted to hobble over towards the refresher. A good shower sounded amazing at that particular moment... Shower... Padme recalled, That's why the robe was out... he stank from working out.
Satisfied with the one memory, Padme pulled herself into the refresher, cursing at the light as she opened the door. There was an open window, airing out the space from cleaning. And the smell of disinfectants stung her nose like fire would her arms.
Grumbling to herself now about Jaina Darklighter and drinking and praying internally that she didn't con Anakin into conceiving the night before, Padme approached the precious space known as the shower. Honestly, she hoped the steam would help her aching head. Or that she'd slip and fall and then the nightmare would be over.
No more surprises... please! She begged the universe as she started the water, reaching in to feel the temperature. Just as she was about to open her robe, the door swung open.
Frozen, Padme turned to find Threepio meandering in, a glass of water in one hand and a pill in the other. "Good morning Mistress Padme!" He cried out gleefully, "I must say, you look most radiant today!"
Just hearing his voice hurts sooo much! Padme grumbled internally as the droid prattled on about Clovis's apparent dissatisfaction at her refusal to breakfast. He set down the water and medication and stepped back to regard her still robe-covered figure.
"Oh, yes! I almost forgot, Mistress Padme," he started carefully before exploding into jubilation, "Congratulations!"
Putting both hands on her ears while still keeping the oversized robe closed was difficult, yet, somehow, she managed. "Congratulations for what, Threepio?" She mumbled as she glanced down at the painkiller he'd left for her, so desperate to snatch it up.
"On the babies, Mistress Padme." The dutiful droid replied.
Stunned and stupified, Padme dropped her hands and almost exposed herself, "B-babies?" she inquired carefully.
"Yes, Luke and Leia."
Padme just stared at him in suspicion, wondering if Anakin was playing a joke on her or something. He's typically more sensitive though, she reminded herself as she disregarded the idea. "Luke and Leia?" She reiterated.
Threepio attempted to nod, as best as his metal joints would let him anyways, "Yes! And I must say that they are very beautiful... perfect specimens of the human form, and so smart too." He then stepped forward and added, "And Luke looks so much like Master Ani, it's rather shocking. I was expecting, with your dominant features, that he'd take more after you. Leia on the other hand-"
Padme held her hand up to stop the droid, "Threepio... what are you talking about?"
Confused, the droid stepped back and ran his protocols, "I'm not sure what you mean, Mistress Padme... I registered that you had two babies last night, a boy and a girl."
Padme shook her head, hoping that Threepio hadn't misunderstood what she and her husband actually were up to the night before. Her mind ran through many scenarios regarding her handmaidens, hoping that none of them were apprised of what the droid believed. "I didn't have any babies." She replied, "And I haven't the slightest idea where you got the idea from."
Perplexed once more, Threepio informed her, "Why, Luke and Leia were talking about it just last night." Again, Padme was stumped.
"That's impossible." She informed the droid, wondering exactly what scenario prompted this falsehood, and then blushing. She and Anakin were both very imaginative people... who knows what strange conversation or embarrassing fantasy they'd had that the droid had overheard, "You need to clear your memory banks of such rubbish." And she watched as the droid made to do so, falling into the droid-trance that accompanied running a difficult protocol, and deleting often was a difficult protocol, especially if the information effected many responses.
But, soon after, he shuttered free of his stillness, "I'm afraid I cannot, Mistress Padme... I'm afraid I am being blocked by a rogue protocol." And to that, Padme rolled her eyes and leaned against the counter, her head throbbing.
"Then keep your mouth shut about it until Anakin comes home to fix you." She ordered him, to which Threepio responded accordingly.
He was soon kicked out of the bathroom, his protocols running to assess exactly why it was his mistress was so mad at him. And Threepio was sure she was mad. She had demonstrated all the hallmarks of being mad. But, in the back of his processors, Threepio suddenly found himself wondering if it truly had been a good idea to celebrate the new members of the family at the droid spa the night before with Artoo.
I sure hope he keeps his mouth shut, Threepio attempted to pray.
And Padme, she was praying too, praying that she had the courage not to call the temple and demand of her husband whether or not they'd tried the night before for a baby. But something told her she'd lose that battle.
Author's Note: I just wanted to say thank you and credit Haley Renee for the fun suggestion of Threepio congratulating Padme! When I read that, I just couldn't resist the opportunity and it fits so well with another 'confused' droid scene I had already written. I certainly hope I did the suggestion justice :)
In regards to the nick names thing for Jar-Jar, after watching Padme and her Uncle Ano, I figured the twins would have had a similar relationship with Jar-Jar, had their family survived. I just couldn't resist the throwback, so I added a little to Jar-Jar's culture. I do wish there'd been more to their dialogue with Rex, but I just couldn't think of how to expand on it. Other opportunities will soon arrive though, as I hope to integrate Rex more into the story.
I've also been getting a hankering to update the cover art for chapters after 20, but I'm not sure what to do about that. I kind of want something funny, as this is transforming into an adventure comedy the more I write it. Part of me wanted to just show the scene as I pictured it in my head when the Skywalkers all decided Clovis was a snake at once. Just imagining all their displeased faces makes me smile. Another option is to have them in the midst of battle. The other question is whether to draw it or edit images as I have seen done in other covers. Perhaps some of you have some suggestions or tips?
Thanks again for your patience and please don't forget to review!