Author's Note and Questions Answered:
Sorry this took so long to come out. I had a severe case of Writers Blah, where I had all the ideas but no desire to write. (Ironically this happened on chapter 13.) Then I realized I was totally out of a Star Wars mood (see profile for a defenition of writing moods) and moved on to other stories until I felt like writing this again.
I would suggest the readers keep an eye on my profile if it seems like I'm taking a while to update. I post every time I change writing categories, and I also put down the newest chapters and story statuses. It might help for times when people wonder if I've gone off and died or something because the update is taking so long. ;)
Note - I only answer questions that occur in the previous chapter or don't spoil future chapters. If your question isn't answered, it's because the answer will present itself later on.
Thank you for the helpful comments given by Shattered-Destiny00 on the last two chapters. You actually provided some new ideas which I hope to be adding in the future.
Floating Leaves, I will surrender a light spoiler to say that no, Padme and Obi-wan will not be getting together in the end. However, if not for the plotline they would be. :) (Wish they could for this one, but sadly it's against the laws of the George Lucas universe. Drat.)
Hmmm, maybe I should write a Padme/Obi-wan story later on... Or maybe I should go hide behind my computer as all my readers start shouting at me to just finish a story for once before I start a new one.
One last thing - for those asking for a Padme/Real Anakin pairing, please be so kind as to leave it out of the reviews from now on because it isn't about to happen. I'm really sorry to disappoint, but I'm afraid I will not budge in that particular area. Hope that doesn't deter you from reading though. :)
Thanks for all the reviews! :D
...
As Beru came downstairs with a light lunchtray, Anakin walked forward and took it from her, telling her he wished to bring it to his mother himself. Beru nodded her understanding and went back to join the others. She knew what was going on.
Anakin stood still a minute, taking a deep breath to calm his nerves. Just this morning he and Laurence had returned from rescuing Shmi from the tusken raiders. Shmi was alive, but the circumstances that brought it about were against all reason.
What Anakin couldn't get over was the fact that Shmi hadn't survived the ordeal. She had died in his arms, her eyes wide and staring as she let out her final breath.
Somehow Laurence had saved her though. Anakin had no idea what had happened. All he knew was that there was suddenly a blast in the force seemingly ten times more powerful than the energy one of Tatooine's suns. For ten minutes he had been left on his knees, crushed by the sense of power radiating through the area. When it was over Laurence had run out and stopped him from slaying his mother's murderers, and he found that Shmi was still alive.
Now Laurence was lying unconscious in one of the rooms downstairs. Whatever he had done, he had barely conserved enough energy to make it back to the homestead.
Anakin's eyes narrowed as he moved silently to Cleigg and Shmi's room. He didn't know why Laurence cared so much about his mother, but he was determined to find out.
The door swished open without a sound as he entered. Cleigg looked up from where he was sitting next to Shmi's bedside and saw Anakin. He managed a poor smile then looked down again.
"Is she all right?" Anakin asked in concern as he placed the tray on the bedside table.
"She's resting," Cleigg said simply. His worry was evident in his voice.
Anakin pulled up a chair next to Shmi's bedside and sat down. Taking her hand gently, he stroked it with his thumb, hoping his presence would encourage her to open her eyes.
"I'd better check on Laurence," Cleigg excused himself. He'd already noted Anakin's fierce loyalty towards Shmi, even if he wasn't really her son. Cleigg decided to give them a few minutes alone. He would ask Shmi about it later.
As Anakin sat by Shmi's bedside, his mind was drawn back to his childhood years. Although they never had very much money, Shmi had always made home a special place. Her warm smile and soft voice always made the Anakin's world seem brighter, no matter how bad the day had been.
Closing his eyes a moment, Anakin let his mind be drawn back to happier times. He didn't realize how much time had passed until he felt Shmi's hand stir in his grasp. Immediately Anakin sat up, gently reaching out tendrils of the force and encouraging Shmi to open her eyes.
Slowly Shmi's eyelids fluttered open, bewilderment written across her features. "Ani?" she asked in a soft whisper when her eyes lit on him.
Anakin let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "It's me, Mom," he said in a hitched voice . "You're safe now."
Shmi smiled softly as she lightly squeezed his hand, but then her smile faded. Confusion lit in her eyes, she searched the room as best as she could in her weakened state. "Laurence?" she asked Anakin when she couldn't find who she was looking for.
Anakin's jaw tightened as he fought against the jealosy pulsating through him. Why did she have to bring Laurence into it now? How dare that imposter take Anakin's place in his mother's heart!
"He's asleep right now," Anakin said soothingly. "He was pretty exhausted."
A flash of memory glimmered in Shmi's eyes. "Is he all right?" she asked. "Did he hurt himself?"
Anakin forced his breathing to remain calm. "He'll be fine," he reassured her, noting with relief that Shmi seemed to take him at his word. He paused a moment, then asked the question that had been haunting him for weeks.
"Who is he?"
Shmi looked up in some slight surprise.
"Who is he, Mom?" Anakin asked again, fighting to keep the anger from creeping into his voice. "Don't tell me he's just a friend. I know he's more than that."
Shmi was silent as she considered "Anakin's" words. She had already known that he was an identical to her son. Laurence himself had confirmed that in the Tuskan encampment. Where the other had come from and how, she did not know. But somehow she couldn't bear to tell him that she wasn't truly his mother. He was so much like her Ani, and he seemed so lost... she couldn't refuse him.
Along with that however was the matter of the true Anakin. She didn't want to risk her son's identity without his permission after when he had hidden it so long. At the same time, what would she tell the young man who was so positive she was his mother?
Taking a deep breath, Shmi knew what she could do. She began hesitantly, "I never told you about Laurence for very... certain reasons." Reasons like the fact that two Anakins were not supposed to have existed in the first place.
The other Anakin sat back, giving her a level stare and waiting for her to go on.
Shmi had never told a lie in her entire life if she could help it. If she had been told she would tell a "twin" of Anakin's something other than the complete truth, she would have been outraged. Now that her son's secret identity was on the line however, Shmi was willing to make up anything.
Clearing her throat slightly, Shmi began.
"For a long time I've told you that you were an only child in order to protect you. I knew that you would understand the fact that family members could be seperated according to the slaver's whim, but I didn't want you to grow up wondering what had happened to Laurence."
Shmi paused a minute as she tried to think through her story. Anakin's eyes darkened in confusion and he shifted slightly in his chair.
Throwing caution to the wind, Shmi said simply, "Laurence is your twin brother, Anakin. I never told you because you were seperated at birth. Gardula only allowed one of you to stay. She sold Laurence despite how desperately I begged her to let me keep him."
True emotion began to clog Shmi's voice. Everything she was saying was untrue, but for years she had worried that the same events might happen to her own little boy. Now the tension of that time finally began to unleash. "I was afraid that you would grow up to be bitter against the galaxy because of losing your brother. I never wanted you to learn to hate something with all your passion."
Tears streaked down Shmi's face. It was true. Whether it was Anakin or his impossibly identical look-alike she was speaking to, she never wanted either of them to live in such a manner. "I didn't see Laurence for years," Shmi continued in a calmer tone. "When I first met him again, he helped Cliegg free me." Here at least she could tell part of the truth. "I wanted to tell you about him, but I could never contact you. Laurence never stayed around very much anyways. He was always traveling the galaxy, just like you always wanted to. I had hoped that someday you two might meet..."
Here Shmi stopped, unable to continue the lie any further. Had she done the right thing in telling the young Jedi about this?
Anakin sat back, his gaze troubled and withdrawn. He didn't speak for a few minutes and Shmi allowed him time to think.
Finally Anakin said hesitantly, "So I have a twin brother?" His voice was doubtful, with a slight glimmer of hope.
Shmi forced herself to nod, detesting her fallacy. The young man seemed to need to hear it though. He truly felt that Shmi was his mother. Shmi wasn't sure how, but in a way he was her son. He was so alike to her own Anakin that she was almost ready to start believing her own falsehood.
"But... I don't understand," Anakin finally said in frustration. "Why didn't you think you could tell me? I mean, I know that you wanted to protect me but..."
Anakin was cut off as the door swished open. Owen stuck his head in and flushed slightly in embarassment when he realized he had interrupted their conversation.
"Um, your droid says you have a transmission," he said lamely as he looked towards Shmi.
Shmi smiled softly and beckoned him over. Anakin stood up and gently kissed her forehead, still in fearful wonder that she was alive. He nodded shortly to Owen then left the room to check on R2.
...
Needless to say, Anakin looked a little nervous when he found that the transmission was sent by his master. Padme joined him on the ship deck to hear it. She knew Darra would want to know about it as well, but the padawan had refused to leave Laurence's side since he returned, and Padme didn't want to disturb her.
"Anakin, my long range transmitter has been knocked out," Obi-wan's voice crackled over the speaker. "Re-transmit this message to Coruscant."
Padme and Anakin moved at the same time for the button while Obi-wan paused on the recording.
"I have tracked the bounty hunter, Jango Fett, to the droid foundries on Geonosis," Obi-wan informed. "The trade federation is to take a delivery of a droid army here, and it is clear that Viceroy Gunray is behind the assasination attempts on Senator Amidala."
Padme felt a slight thrill of triumph at Obi-wan's confirmation of her suspicions.
"The commerce guilds of the corporate alliance have both pledged their armies to Count Dooku, and are forming a - wait!" Obi-wan drew a lightsaber, falling into a defense position. "Wait - " Several shots were fired and blocked successfully by the Jedi's lightsaber, but as a destroyer droid appeared on the scene Obi-wan disapeared from the holograph range. Then the transmition ended.
Padme looked up to Anakin in horror. His face was a mixture of emotions as he stared at the holograph.
"Anakin," Mace Windu appeared on the hologram. "We will deal with Count Dooku. The most important thing for you to do is to stay where you are. Protect the Senator at all costs. That is your first priority."
"Understood, Master," Anakin said in a quiet voice.
Padme stared at him in shock. What had happened to the blatant, courageous Jedi Knight who dodged the rules whenever he could get away with it? Where was his arrogant rebellious nature when it came to rescuing those he cared for?
"They'll never arrive in time to save him!" Padme pointed out, angry at the seemingly passive nature of her Jedi protector. "They have to come half-way across the galaxy!"
Padme punched a button, showing a map of the Geonosis system. "Look, Geonosis is less than a parsec away."
"If he's still alive," Anakin snapped.
Padme stared in furious shock as Anakin began to walk away. "Ani, are you just going to sit here and let him die? He's your friend, your mentor - !"
"He's like my father!" Anakin swung around to face her.
He couldn't bear the thought of what the transmission had implied. Anakin had only just managed to return his mother home safely, and now his master was in danger. How much more could he take? Anakin wasn't sure which way to go. Obi-wan was in danger, but his Mom needed him here. Now. Which way could he choose? It appeared that this time however, the Jedi had made up his mind for him.
"You heard Master Windu," Anakin shouted his frustrations, "He gave me strict orders to stay here!" He hadn't meant to get angry, but nothing made sense right now.
Padme gave him a cool look. "He gave you strict orders to protect me," she answered saucily. "And I'm going to help Obi-wan." She smirked and turned to the controls. "If you plan to protect me, you'll just have to come along."
It was amazing how fast one could change their decisions. Shaking his head at Padme's daring actions, Anakin nonetheless smiled and buckled himself into the pilot seat. Laurence and Darra could look after Shmi. As much as he was loathe to leave his mother's side, he wasn't about to let Padme walk into danger on her own. Especially when it involved his master.
...
His body was pestering him to stop thinking and just go back to sleep, but Laurence was never one to stay down for very long. Kicking his way back to consciousness, he opened his eyes blearily and winced as the light from the afternoon sun pierced his brain.
The door swished open silently, and Beru entered the room with a tray. She almost dropped it in surprise when she saw Laurence's eyes open, but quickly regained her composure.
"We were almost beginning to wonder if you were dead," she said softly as she put the tray down.
Laurence winced and pulled himself up. He noticed that Darra was asleep in a chair across from the bed, and he wondered how long she had been there.
"How long was I unconscious?" he asked in a hoarse voice.
Beru poured a glass of water and handed it to him. "Only for a little while," she reassured. "You fainted soon after you and that twin of yours drove in this morning, and you haven't stirred until now. We were beginning to get a little worried."
Laurence nearly choked on a swallow as the memories flooded back. "Mom! Is she okay?" he spluttered.
"Relax," Beru said calmly as she took the glass from him and set it on the bedside table. "Shmi is fine. She's resting right now, and you should be too."
Laurence's choking had woken Darra, and she carefully stretched. "Laurence, you're awake!" she cried out as soon as she saw him.
"He won't be for very long," Beru replied. "As soon as he's eaten he's going right back to sleep. I'll go get another bowl."
"Is he awake?" Owen barged in at that moment, nearly bowling Beru over.
"Some sick room," Laurence muttered as he rubbed a hand over his face.
"Anakin, your twin just took off in a space cruiser," Owen exclaimed hurriedly. "Oh, are you feeling okay?"
"He WHAT?" Darra and Laurence shouted at once.
Laurence immediately scrambled out of bed despite Beru's protests. He was still wearing the same sand streaked tunic he had come home in, so it was a simple matter to grab his blaster belt and durusteel pole, which Owen had courteously left leaning against the wall for him.
"Wait, Laurence, where are you going?" Owen demanded as Laurence fumbled to get his boots on whilst hopping on one foot.
"To find out what they're up to," Laurence muttered darkly as he grabbed his comlink and ran out of the room.
"Anakin? Anakin, are you there?" Laurence snapped into the comlink as he stepped into the Tatooine sunlight.
"Laurence, don't follow me this time," Anakin's voice answered. "Stay with Mom. We'll be back in a little while."
"What's the panic about this time, bantha brain?" Laurence asked curtly. He was beginning to feel rather irritated about being left behind so often.
"Obi-wan is in trouble and Padme wants to go rescue him. I have to go along to protect her." Anakin's voice was mundane and to the point, as it always was when he was feeling rebellious.
"You took the Senator?" Laurence's voice rose a pitch as he shouted into the comlink. "What, are you crazy or something? What's the problem with protecting her down here? Aren't you supposed to keep her out of trouble?"
"Aren't you supposed to not be able to talk?"
Laurence glared at the comlink, ignoring the fact that dark looks could not be telepathically transferred to the listener. He had blown it now. Suddenly he grinned wickedly. "You say one word and I'm telling Obi-wan that you're in love with Padme."
Silence reigned on the transmission.
"How did you know about that?" Anakin finally asked slowly.
"It's pretty obvious," Laurence smirked. He didn't know why he was in such an unusually cruel mood at the moment, but he was enjoying it immensely.
He could practically hear Anakin's scowl across the communicator. "Fine, but you're going to have a pretty hard time explaining your screaming to Padme. She's in the ship you know."
"Where are you going?" Laurence asked pointedly, his voice serious again.
"I told you to stay with Mom," Anakin replied. "We'll get back to you when this is over." The comlink went dead.
Laurence glared at the sky and tried to concentrate on anything other than crushing the communication device in his hand.
"So we've been abandoned again, is it?" Darra asked as she raised an eyebrow skeptically.
"Come on," Laurence replied. "We should be able to track them pretty easily."
"You have a tracker?" Darra's voice held admiration and surprise.
Laurence tossed his hair out of his face and smirked. "I'm the Queen's guardian. I can't just let her take off without contacting me."
Darra grinned. "Laurence, you are brilliant."
...
Okay, so did you ever notice that on the ship, Padme presses the same button to pull up the map of Geonosis as she did to activate the transmitter? What is this, a low budget cruiser? Just had to point that out.
I know I'm too obsessed with my story when I write an alternate universe for the ending... and then come up with an alternate universe for that ending! To put it short, I've managed to create a plotline that has room for two extra plotlines after ROTS. One is for Last of the Jedi, and the other for A New Hope through Return of the Jedi. Even worse? I'm slightly considering writing one about the events after the Legacy series!
Yep, I'm obsessed. I seriously need to stop watching Star Wars.
