Chapter 47

Naboo Lake Retreat

The rain finally let up after keeping Anakin a virtual prisoner for two days. It was with mixed feelings that he left the retreat; the many wonderful times he'd shared there with Padmé had always made this a magical place for him. But now- the last memory of his wife was the pain and disillusionment in her eyes.

You stole my children from me! You stole twenty years of my life from me! Twenty years that I will never get back!

Her words still echoed in his mind, her accusations still stung. Yet despite her anger, he knew that Padmé still loved him. The manner in which she had so unabashedly seduced him proved it. She loved him and she wanted him. Anakin could only hope that this would be enough to enable her to forgive him in time.

Theed was busy, as always, when Anakin finally reached it. He stopped at a local market and bought some provisions. Knowing Yoda, he realized that it had probably been a long time since Luke had enjoyed some good food. And if he's anything like me he'll be ready to eat a Bantha by now, he reflected with a smile.

The thought of seeing his son excited Anakin, and helped alleviate some of the melancholy he found himself mired in. It had been many years since he had found himself in the part of the galaxy where Dagobah was located, but he remembered it well. Many a battle had been fought in this quadrant during the Clone Wars.

There it is…Dagobah, Anakin thought as he dropped out of hyperspace. He brought his mind into oneness with the Force to determine where he would find his son, sensing first Yoda's distinctive signature, and then Luke's luminous presence on the planet below. He smiled, sensing that Luke had grown stronger since he had seen him last. He will make a great Jedi, he thought proudly. As will Leia… He wished that he could see her as well, but realized that now was not the time. It was his hope that the Alliance would accept him at some point. And then he could join his children in their crusade against the Empire that he had helped create. With the three of us working together, Sidious doesn't stand a chance.

Starting his descent to the planet surface, Anakin was struck by another familiar presence in the vicinity. This was not a Force aura that he sensed, but he recognized it nonetheless. It was his wife.

Surprised that she had been adventurous enough to come all this way, Anakin realized that she would be less than happy to see him at this point. After all, they had not parted on the most cordial of terms; no doubt she was still angry, and perhaps would even think he had followed her here. And convincing her otherwise will not be easy…

Night had fallen upon the northern hemisphere of the small planet as Anakin landed his craft on the marshy surface. The lights from his vessel illuminated the vicinity enough for him to make out two other vessels nearby, as well as a makeshift camp site erected on one of the drier parts of the terrain. Luke, he realized, sensing his boy's presence close by. But where is his mother?

Anakin made his way through the quagmire and approached the camp site, treading carefully over the variable terrain. As he drew closer to the canvas tent where he assumed his son was sleeping, he sensed movement within, and the flap was opened to reveal Luke standing there, blaster in hand.

"Who is it?" he asked, his eyes trying to make out the form that was approaching him in the dark.

"It's me, Luke," Anakin said. "It's your father."

"Father?" Luke said, lowering his weapon at once. "What are you doing here?"

Anakin reached his son and put a hand on his shoulder. "Does a father need a reason to see his boy?" he asked with a smile. "I missed you, is that a good enough reason?"

Luke smiled. "Sure is," he said. "I missed you too. Come on in."

Anakin bent down to enter the tent as Luke turned on his lamp.

"Your mother is here, isn't she?" Anakin asked as he sat down.

Luke nodded as he joined his father. "Yeah, she got here yesterday," he said. "It was amazing to finally meet her," he added with a smile.

"I'm sure it must have been, for both of you," Anakin replied. "I'm not so sure she'll be too happy to see me, though."

"She's pretty upset," Luke replied. "But surely you expected she would be."

"Yes, I didn't expect any less," Anakin admitted. "I only hope that in time she will forgive me. I'm miserable without her, Luke."

"She's miserable without you," Luke told him. "Yes, she's angry, but it's so obvious how much she loves you, Dad. She'll come around, just give her some time."

Anakin nodded. "Yes, that was my plan," he said. "I had no idea she'd come here, otherwise I'd not have come right now. She'll probably think I followed her here."

Luke smiled. "Didn't you?" he asked.

"No, I didn't," Anakin replied. "I swear it! I sensed her presence only when I reached the planet, but by then I wasn't about to turn back."

"Don't worry, Dad," Luke said. "It will be okay."

Anakin sighed, rubbing his bristly chin with one hand. "I hope you're right, Luke," he said. He looked around the small tent. "Well, maybe we ought to try to get some sleep," he said. "If I know Master Yoda, he's working you pretty hard."

"You might say so," Luke replied with a smile.

Anakin laughed. "Oh, before I forget," he said, reaching for his duffle bag. "I thought you might be hungry," he said, opening the bag and puling out a package. He handed it to Luke.

"Hungry?" Luke said, taking the package. "Have you seen the stuff that Yoda calls food??"

Anakin laughed again. "Yes, I have," he said. "That's why I brought you some real food."

Luke unwrapped the package, nearly salivating upon seeing its contents. He looked up at his father. "You're the best," he said with a smile.

Anakin smiled. "Thanks," he said with a yawn as he tried to make himself comfortable on the hard ground.

Luke helped himself to the snack, devouring much of it in short order as his father drifted off to sleep.

Star Destroyer Executor

Piett stood on the bridge waiting to give the command that would bring the Imperial fleet out of light speed. He knew that were they to revert back to sub light too close to the system, the Rebels would be alerted to their presence. The element of surprise must be maintained if the attack were to be effective; the Rebels were simply too slippery. I cannot let them get away, Piett thought to himself. Not if I value my life.

"Distance to the Hoth System," Piett asked.

"Point two parsecs, sir," Captain Reyal replied. "Shall I alert General Veers?"

Piett nodded. "Yes," he said. "Tell him to ready his men and be prepared to go to the surface within the next thirty minutes."

"Acknowledged sir," Reyal replied.

"Report!"

Piett and Reyal turned to see their commander entering the bridge.

"We are about to enter the Hoth System, my lord," Piett replied. "Preparing to make the reversion to sub light speed."

"Well, what's the delay?" Ferreus asked impatiently.

"My lord, if we enter the system too soon, they will detect us," Piett explained patiently, starting to feel as though he were talking to a child. A spoiled rotten, psychotic child…. "The element of surprise will be ours if we are patient just a little while longer."

"Just be sure you don't mess this up, Piett," Ferreus replied threateningly. "I would hate to report your incompetence to the Emperor."

Piett had to bite back his response, and merely nodded at the vile man before him. He turned back to Reyal lest his face betray the anger and revulsion he was feeling at that moment. "Distance, Reyal," he said.

"Optimum distance, sir," Reyal replied.

Piett nodded. "Commence reversion at once," he said. "And raise our shields." He turned back to Ferreus. "We've arrived, sir."

Sixth Planet of the Hoth System

"All troop carriers will assemble at the north entrance," Leia briefed the group of pilots in the center of the hangar. "The heavy transport ships will leave as soon as they're loaded. Only two fighter escorts per ship. The energy shield can only be opened for a short time, so you'll have to stay very close to your transports."

"Two fighters against a Star Destroyer?" one pilot asked incredulously.

"The ion cannon will fire several shots to make sure that any enemy ships will be out of your flight path," Leia explained. "When you've gotten past the energy shield, proceed directly to the rendezvous point. Understood?"

The pilots nodded, and responded in the affirmative.

"Good luck," Leia told them, and then watched them dash off to their ships. We need you, Luke, she thought, wishing desperately that her brother was there to help the Alliance with this fight. Now more than ever.

Obi-Wan approached Leia, a grave expression on his face.

"What's wrong now?" she asked.

"Imperial ships have been spotted in the system," he told her.

Leia nodded her understanding. "Well, we knew they were coming," she said. "Let's just hope we can get the transports away before they get close enough to blast them out of the stars."

"Yes, let us hope so," Obi-Wan said. "I see that I have been assigned to one of the first transports," he said. "Why is that do you suppose?" he asked, looking at her pointedly.

Leia shrugged. "I don't know," she replied. "Perhaps they felt the most important people ought to leave first."

Obi-Wan nodded. "So why aren't you on that same transport?" he asked.

"I am coordinating the evacuation," she explained.

"The fact that I am …seasoned has nothing to do with it?" Obi-Wan asked.

Leia laughed. "Seasoned? Now there's a euphemism. No, Obi-Wan, the fact that you are older than many of us has nothing to do with it. You are one of the last Jedi left in the galaxy. I think that makes you rather important, don't you?"

"Maybe so," Obi-Wan replied. "But what sort of a master would I be if I left my padawan behind at such a time? I will not do it, Leia. I will stay and leave when you leave."

"But…"

"Don't even try to argue with me, Ana…I mean Leia," he replied. "You remind me so much of your father sometimes," he added, shaking his head.

Leia smiled, missing her father tremendously. "I'll take that as a compliment," she said. "Come with me," she said. "I need to get to the command base."

"As you wish, milady," Obi-Wan replied.