Chapter 76

The massive squadron of TIE fighters returned to the Executor, having accomplished their task: they had begun the insurrection.

Padmé and Leia were waiting outside the enormous hangar for the men to return. Soon the door opened as a veritable sea of pilots streamed out into the corridor.

"Luke!" Padmé called as she saw her son emerge with Han Solo at his side. She ran to embrace him, just as Leia did to greet Han.

"I'm fine, Mom," Luke said as his mother hugged him tightly.

"I know," she said. "I'm just glad to see you." She looked over his shoulder as she released him to see his father walking towards them. Despite the many battles he had been in over the years, the fear that Padmé felt when Anakin was involved in one had never seemed to lessen.

"Ani," she sighed as she embraced him next.

Anakin was silent as he held his wife in his arms, and she sensed that he was disturbed by what had just happened. She pulled back and looked at him.

"You alright?" she asked.

Anakin nodded. "Yes," he replied, not wishing to discuss how he was feeling at the moment. "Let's get to the bridge," he said. "We need to let the Alliance know that the objective has been reached."

Padmé nodded. "Piett has already done so," she said.

"Good," he said. He activated his comm. link. "Bridge, set course for Axxila," he said. "We have passengers waiting for us."

At once, sir!

"Axxila?" Padmé asked.

Anakin nodded. "Piett's family," he explained. "I suggested they come for a visit."

Padmé lifted her eyebrows. "Now?" she asked. "Do you think that's such a good idea with us embarking upon a war against the Empire?"

Anakin shrugged. "We have our family on board," he pointed out. "Why shouldn't he? Besides, somehow I don't think the Empire will be much of a match for this vessel, do you?"

"If they combine forces they will," she replied.

"They won't have a chance to do so, Angel," he told her as they walked along in the corridor. "I don't intend to give them a chance."

Padmé nodded her understanding, not sure she liked the ruthless implications behind his words. But still, she knew that in war ruthlessness was sometimes required. Anakin Skywalker was the greatest warrior the galaxy had ever known; she had to trust that he knew what he was doing.

Rebel Command Ship

"Commander, we have a message coming in from the Endor System," the young communication officers informed Mon Mothma.

She looked over at her comrades with a sense of expectation. "Put in on the screen," she commanded.

Commander, this is the Executor, Admiral Piett announced.

"Hello Admiral," Mon Mothma replied. "What news?"

Our objective has been met, he told her with a smile. The Death Star has been destroyed.

Mon Mothma smiled. "Well done, Admiral," she said.

I wish I could take credit for it, Piett replied. But it was Anakin's plan. He led a squadron of TIE fighters to take out the only destroyer in the vicinity enabling us to attack the Death Star unhindered. It was brilliant.

"He is a gifted tactician," Mon Mothma concurred. "We are lucky to have him on our side."

Indeed, Piett replied. We will be in contact soon once we've left the Outer Rim. Piett out.

Mon Mothma turned away from the screen. "Well?" she said. "Does that make you feel more justified in your decision?"

Bail Organa nodded. "Yes," he said, "I suppose it does. I just hope he was careful; we don't need the rest of the Imperial fleet coming after us."

"Anakin knows what he's doing," Mothma said. "I think that this attack proved it."

Organa hated to admit it, but she was right. It was obvious that the addition of the Executor under the command of Anakin Skywalker was an invaluable addition to the forces of the Rebel Alliance. Just so long as Skywalker is able to keep the emperor from discovering the ruse, he reflected. Because if he does, we're all doomed.

Star Destroyer Executor – Twelve hours later

It had been six months since Firmus Piett had seen his wife and daughters, and so their reunion was a warm one. Once they had left the planet surface, Piett took great pleasure in escorting his family around the Executor, giving them the grand tour. He was most anxious to introduce them to his commander and his family. Piett had come to admire the Skywalker family tremendously, and felt privileged to be serving along side such fine individuals.

As for Anakin Skywalker, what Piett felt towards him was nothing short of hero worship. Piett had always held a sneaking admiration for Darth Vader, even though he had never so much as met the man. He admired Vader's leadership abilities, his tactical skills and his battle savvy. Anakin Skywalker possessed all of those same qualities, of course, but without the ruthless, dark nature that had defined the Dark Lord. Skywalker was noble, heroic even, and loved his family above everything. He was just the sort of man that could, and hopefully would, end the conflict that had plagued the galaxy for two decades. Piett felt honored to know him, and to have a part in Anakin's plans.

"This ship is huge!" Piett's youngest daughter, Deirdre, as they walked through the corridors.

"The biggest in the fleet," Piett told her proudly.

"But no longer part of the fleet," his wife, Malani, pointed out. "At least, not the Imperial fleet."

"No," Firmus said. "That is true. You never liked the Empire much any way as I recall, my dear."

Malani smiled with a shrug. "No," she admitted. "I didn't. But mutiny? Firmus, are you sure this is the right thing?"

"Without a doubt," he replied. "And when you meet the Skywalker family, I'm sure you will agree with me."

The Piett family tracked down the family of Anakin Skywalker to the large refectory where they were sharing a meal together. Anakin looked up when he saw his first officer approaching and smiled.

"Am I to assume that these are the Piett ladies?" he asked as Piett and his family reached them.

Firmus smiled. "Yes, indeed they are," he said, turning to his family.

"Please join us," Padmé said, smiling also.

"Yes, please do," Anakin said, standing up.

"Thank you," Malani said, charmed at once by the couple.

"Anakin and Padmé, I'd like you to meet my wife, Malani," Firmus said at last. "And my daughters, Ylla, Mina and Deirdre."

"It is a pleasure to meet you all," Anakin said, shaking hands with them. "I've heard a great deal about you." He turned to his own two children. "And these are our children, Luke and Leia, and their good friend, Han Solo."

"Very nice to meet you all," Leia said, shaking hands with the three ladies.

Luke, however, found that he was somewhat tongue tied as he shook hands with the Piett women. He'd had next to no experience with girls, and found himself quite captivated by the eldest of the three Piett daughters, eighteen year old Ylla.

Ylla was certainly a beautiful young woman; she had shoulder length, wavy hair that was golden in color, and eyes that were the most brilliant shade of green Luke had ever seen. She smiled at Luke as they shook hands. "It's nice to meet you, Luke," she said. All Luke could do was smile at her, cursing himself for being such a dufus.

"It is so wonderful that you have been able to come and visit Firmus this way," Padmé said. "I know it means a lot to him having you here."

"I understand we have you to thank for that, Anakin," Malani said. "Firmus told me that it was your suggestion."

"It was," Firmus said. "And might I add a very good one," he added, smiling at his wife.

"Families should be together," Anakin said, looking at his own wife. "I know I am a much better, much stronger man having mine close by."

Malani nodded. She was starting to understand just what her husband meant about the Skywalker family. They truly were remarkable.

Just then Anakin's comlink sounded. "Excuse me," he said. He activated the mechanism. "Yes?"

Sir, the team you sent to the Gordian Reach has returned. They have the stones.

"Very good," Anakin replied. "Tell them to meet me on the bridge in ten minutes."

Yes sir.

"Stones?" Padmé asked. "What stones would they?"

"Kunda stones," Anakin replied. He looked at Leia. "Someone needs to build a lightsaber."

Leia's eyebrows lifted. "Me?" she said. "I'm going to build a lightsaber?"

Anakin nodded. "Actually, we both are," he said. "I refuse to continue using a Sith blade," he explained. "It's time for a Jedi blade once again."

"I couldn't agree more," Padmé said with a smile.

"I like Malani Piett," Padmé told Anakin as she brushed her long hair in preparation for bed. "She's everything I imagined she would be. And their girls are just lovely."

Anakin, who was sitting up in their bed watching her, smiled. "I know someone who was quite taken with one of the Piett girls," he commented.

Padmé looked over her shoulder at him. "Who?"

"Luke," Anakin replied, his smile growing. "He was literally speechless when he met the eldest girl, Ylla. I could feel his pulse racing from across the table."

Padmé smiled in response. "Really?" she said. "I would love to see Luke with a nice girl like her," she said, resuming her brushing. "I often worry that he feels left out, now that Leia and Han are so close."

"I don't know about that," Anakin said. "I think Luke is pretty happy just the way things are. He is very focused on his training, much more so than I was when I was a padawan," he said.

"You were a married man when you a padawan," she reminded him. "That was rather a large distraction."

Anakin lifted his eyebrows. "Distraction?" he repeated. "Is that what you think yourself?"

Padmé laughed as she set down her brush and stood up. "No, but you know what I mean. Luke may be a happy person, but that doesn't mean he wouldn't love to find some nice girl to settle down with. Personally I think it would be a wonderful thing," she declared as she climbed into bed with him. "What a wonderful idea you had suggesting Firmus bring his family on board."

Anakin nodded, the smile fading from his face.

"What?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

He turned to her. "Nothing," he said, lying down. "I'm just tired."

Padmé frowned. "Don't tell me it's nothing," she said. "I've noticed that you've been contemplative all day. What's on your mind?"

Anakin sighed, realizing his wife knew him far too well for him to hide anything from her. "I've just been thinking about the battle today," he said. "Battle, wrong word. The slaughter, that's more like it."

Padmé moved closer to him. "You did what you had to do, Ani," she told him, framing his face with her hands. "You realize that, don't you?"

Anakin nodded. "Yes, I do," he said. "I just can't stop thinking about the families of all the men who perished," he said.

"I know," she said. "You are a man of great compassion and conscience; it is natural that you would feel that way."

Anakin nodded. "I don't want to kill any more, Padmé," he said softly. "There is already too much blood on my hands."

His words took her by surprise, and caused a constriction in her throat. He obviously still carried around a great deal of guilt for the lifetime he spent as Darth Vader, and probably always would.

"You have been given the chance to atone for that," she reminded him. "And you will, you will free the galaxy from tyranny and restore freedom to millions of beings. Don't forget that, Anakin."

He smiled at her. "I don't know how I lived so long without you in my life," he told her. "Thank you, Angel, for keeping me focused on the positive. I do tend to dwell on the negative; I suppose it comes from spending half my life in darkness."

Padmé stroked his face softly. "I will never let that darkness claim you again," she told him resolutely. "You belong here, with me, with our children, and nothing and no one will ever take you from us again."

Anakin could only nod and hold her close, feeling that with her at his side, the Darkness would never win over him again.