A/N: Sorry it's been so long between updates. Now that my family's on Easter break I haven't been able to get near the computer. I beg forgiveness : )

Chapter Fifty-One – The Fate of Luke.

Padmé sat silently as Sabé told her mother the secrets that had not so long ago been so important to keep from everyone. She did not listen for the most part, having decided that she did not wish to relive it, but occasionally Maré or Saché would give an exclamation that tore her attention away from the peaceful faces of her sleeping children.

Maré had, naturally, been surprised, delighted and annoyed by her daughter's marriage. The surprise and delight were expected, and the annoyance was only due to the fact that she had missed the wedding. Sabé had smiled briefly and apologised, but told Maré that if it was any consolation, nobody had been there. She was amused by the fact that her mother had originally thought that Luke and Leia belonged to her, but hurriedly corrected the assumption before it got out of hand.

Once the marriage had been explained, it was on to the more serious matters. Sabé told the majority of it, but Obi-Wan occasionally intervened. Padmé said nothing at all. It took several hours to tell the entire story, including their plans for the future. Saché at once offered to go with them, saying she could help with the babies. Padmé looked up and saw her desperation for something to help her cope. She understood more than anyone.

Maré was happy to stay put and don her mourning dress, seeing as her daughter and niece were now officially dead. Padmé did not have the strength to visit her own family and requested that Maré explain something to them. Not the complete truth, merely that Padmé and Sabé were alive and in hiding for opposing the Empire.

So Obi-Wan, Sabé, Padmé and Saché moved to live quietly at an old lodge in the lake country. It was not Varykino, the peaceful retreat that Padmé had stayed at under Anakin's protection. Not only would it not be safe, but the former Senator was not sure that she ever wished to see it again. This lodge was smaller, less idyllic and was not on an island. Obi-Wan had been adamant about that. He didn't want their only escape route to be by water. They kept no company other than themselves. Saché was all too happy to serve as a handmaiden once again.

Several weeks passed with no trouble. They heard nothing on the HoloNet and contacted no-one, until one day there came a message by an unorthodox route. It came through Obi-Wan when he was sitting in calm meditation. The Jedi had taken to doing this every morning outside on the terrace, still trying to find peace after what had happened on Mustafar. He had confessed to Sabé that he and Anakin had duelled and that he had won and left the body for dead on the banks of the planet's constant lava flow. Every passing day he became more and more certain that his former Padawan was still alive. One morning he had confirmation.

Obi-Wan.

His eyes flew open in surprise at outside contact. The last thing he had expected to hear was Yoda's voice inside his head. Yes, Master?

Move you must. Had a vision I have.

What sort of vision?

Vader lives. But he is not as you remember. Here.

Suddenly an image filled his mind, showing a tall and imposing figure garbed entirely in black armour. A large helmet obscured his features, but Obi-Wan instinctively knew that he was looking at a being that was purely Darth Vader. No trace of Anakin was left.

Your Padawan, gone forever he is. This is all that remains.

I failed then.

You are alive. A failing that is not.

Obi-Wan knew that Yoda considered his duel against Sidious a failing, but he did not dare to call his Master a hypocrite. Where is Vader now?

Close. Leave you must. Or close enough to sense your presence he will come.

What about Padmé's?

Believes that Padmé is dead he does.

That thought had not occurred to him. Surely he can sense her presence, Master.

No. She lives mostly for her younglings now. Some of her spirit has been lost. Weakens her Force signature it does.

We will leave at once, Master. Where do you recommend we go?

A small, unimportant planet. Dantooine, Dathomir, Chad. Anywhere that the Empire will not need to visit.

Thank you for the warning, Master. He opened his eyes and got to his feet. The women were already awake and packed everything they needed within twenty minutes. The group hurried to the nearest village to hire a speeder, Padmé and Saché carrying the twins, Obi-Wan and Sabé serving as lookouts. When they reached Theed, they became even more cautious. Obi-Wan and Padmé once again posed as a family, leaving Sabé and Saché to act as acquaintances. They hired a small, inexpensive ship and soon left Naboo behind.

"I wonder if we'll see it again," Saché remarked, watching the beautiful green planet grow smaller.

"I don't know," Sabé said forlornly.

"We should never have gone there in the first place," Obi-Wan growled. "I should have foreseen it would be dangerous."

Sabé opened her mouth to retort but thought better of it. Instead she turned back to the co-pilot controls and let out an angry cry.

"What?" three voices asked at once.

"That swindler! He's given us a ship low on fuel."

Obi-Wan frowned and brought up a star chart on the holo board. "Not to worry, there's a small spaceport less than a parsec away. Can we make that?"

Sabé double-checked. "Yes. Just. I hope."

The ship barely made it, crawling in at the slowest speed. Saché said she had a friend there who could perhaps give them a discount and went to find out about it. Obi-Wan set about refilling the fuel tank, leaving Padmé and Sabé with the twins. They wandered around the crowded hangar, marvelling at the shear variety of species these grotty spaceports could hold. Eventually they found a quieter corridor with windows through to the hangar so they could watch what was going on. Saché found them there, smiling at having negotiated a 50 price cut with her friend. Sabé was glad that she had found something, however small, to smile about. Padmé, however, was not smiling, but frowning down at Leia.

"What's wrong?" Sabé enquired.

"It's Leia," Padmé stated unhelpfully. "She has a temperature."

Saché felt the baby's forehead. "Only a very slight temperature, Padmé."

"Still. I don't want her out here anymore. Saché, could you take her back to the ship?"

Saché received the bundle and disappeared. Padmé rested her fingers against Luke's head. "I don't think he has."

Sabé was about to concur with this notion when she saw something that made her blood run cold. That something was Tarkin, marching purposefully out of a just-landed shuttle. Reacting quickly, she ducked down from the corridor's window, pulling Padmé with her. The former Senator was shaking, barely able to hold Luke steady. Sabé took him from her and she smiled gratefully. The smile did not last long.

"Oh Sab," she whispered. "We're not dressed as Alderaanians anymore."

"Good. I think we might have greater use for that disguise later." She glanced out of the window once again, noting several clone troopers. She could also not fail to notice the complete hush that had fallen over the previously noisy hangar. Then there came the footsteps. Loud, determined footsteps coming their way. "Quick!" Sabé hissed. "This way."

She led Padmé away from the oncoming steps, desperately searching for a place to hide. There was nowhere. An air circulation grate opened in front of them, making them both jump. Sabé was incredibly glad that neither she nor Padmé were the screaming type. Obi-Wan's head appeared out of it, rapidly followed by the rest of him. "It's Vader," he said simply. "Right behind you. Padmé, get in here now."

Padmé had gone as white as she had been with the Royal make-up on. She did as Obi-Wan ordered and scrambled through the grate.

"This comes out in the hangar," the Jedi said. "Get to the ship at once, don't wait for me."

The steps were growing ever nearer and Padmé said desperately. "Luke!" But the clones had rounded the corner and Obi-Wan had shut the grate.

Padmé had felt her heart break once already. Now, knowing that her son had been left behind, she felt it break again. But she had heard the urgency in Obi-Wan's voice, and crawled through the shaft, tears half blinding her. Saché was waiting for her and hurried her into the ship. Both were weeping openly as they piloted away, leaving Obi-Wan and Sabé to who knew what fate. As soon as the Jedi had seen Vader disembark from the shuttle, his mouth had set in a grim line and he had barked strict orders. Saché was following them unenthusiastically, and flew the ship to Dantooine. There, they were to settle and wait.

Sabé was horrified to find that Padmé had escaped without Luke. The shock was still evident on her face when Vader appeared. There was a short silence, broken only by the sound of heavy, mechanical breathing that seemed to resonate from Vader himself. Clearly, Obi-Wan had done him no favours by leaving him for dead.

"Surprised by my appearance, Sabé?" he had asked in a mocking tone. The voice was not recognisable, and she realised that the helmet must be providing it.

"A little," she said, holding Luke close. He had been awakened by the commotion and had started to cry. She tried to quiet him, but realised his fear was more than simply face value. His untrained, Force sensitive mind could sense Vader's dark presence.

"Ah, so there was a child."

She stepped back, further behind Obi-Wan. "You will not touch him."

Obi-Wan ignited his lightsabre, holding it at the ready. Vader made no move.

"You would prefer to kill him than let me take him?"

"Yes," she answered at once, unsure if she meant it or not. "Absolutely."

"Or is it yours?"

Sabé hesitated, wondering whether to take this unexpected cover opportunity. But then Vader laughed humourlessly. "I didn't think so. Obi-Wan would never slip so far from the Jedi path." His tone, although mechanical, was dripping with irony. "Have you nothing to say, Master Kenobi? Hypocrite that you are."

"Not to you, Vader."

Sabé shifted Luke to the other arm and slipped her hand behind her, reaching for something on her utility belt. Grasping it she took half a step forward. "I, however, have at least one thing to say to you," she announced.

"What is that?" the Sith Lord growled.

"Goodbye." She stretched out a hand and flung the object on the ground. It exploded in a shower of fiery sparks and thick black smoke. She reached through it to grab Obi-Wan's hand, and they ran as hard as they had ever run before. Obi-Wan paused only once, to send the pursuing clones flying with a Force push.

Several pilots in the hangar had witnessed the scene through the corridor's windows, and those that hated the Empire cheered the rebels as they re-entered the docks. "If you support us, help us!" Sabé nearly screamed.

One of the pilots waved a hand at his shuttle and was nearly mowed down by the Jedi and his wife as they sped up the ramp. He hurried after them, and Obi-Wan used the Force to fly the ship as soon as the hatch closed, jumping into hyperspace as soon as was possible. It was a dangerous thing to do without setting the coordinates into the nav computer. They could easily have flown directly into a planet. But they only required lightspeed for long enough to get away. Then they stopped, and Obi-Wan set course for Tatooine, briefly explaining to the pilot that he would get his ship back as soon as they reached Mos Eisley. He was an easy-going man, and seemed to find the whole thing highly amusing.

As soon as they were in safe hyperspace, Obi-Wan turned to look at Sabé. She was slumped against the nearest wall, holding the wailing Luke tightly to her, tears streaming down her cheeks. He knelt down and held her.

"Too close, it was too close," she sobbed. "What if he finds her? What if he knows where we're taking Luke? She never got to say goodbye to him."

Obi-Wan did his best to soothe her. "We'll be more careful now. We just need to rethink our plans, that's all. Luke will be safe with his family on Tatooine. We all knew that we might have to do this. Padmé made the agreement."

"I know. I know she did. But I feel like I'm tearing her child away from her."

Obi-Wan took the baby from her and sent him to sleep with some gentle Force persuasion. "Let me take him for a while. You've had no rest since the day before yesterday." He turned to the pilot. "Do you have a bunk she could use?"

The blue-skinned man nodded at once and showed them through. "I know what it's like having kids yelling all the time," he commented as Sabé tugged off her boots. "My wives have seventeen between them."

Obi-Wan could think of no answer to this other than a polite smile. He ensured that his one and only wife was settled on the bunk before following the pilot back to the cockpit. Sabé, although deeply distressed by the near miss with Vader, fell asleep relatively quickly. It seemed like no time at all before Obi-Wan was gently shaking her awake, reporting that they'd reached Mos Eisley. When she entered the cockpit she found the pilot asleep in his seat.

Obi-Wan smiled at her confused look. "I took the liberty of wiping his memory. Can't take any chances."

"Doesn't that damage people?" Sabé asked, drawing her cloak about her.

"Not if it's done correctly. When he wakes up he'll think he dozed off waiting for a shipment of spice. I left a note for him from the 'spice trader', saying that the shipment is already in the hold."

"Is it?"

"Yes. Only a small shipment, mind you."

She raised her eyebrows. "You've been busy."

He shrugged and pulled up his hood. Sabé did likewise and picked Luke up from where he lay cooing in a passenger seat. "Right then," she said with effort. "Lets go."

They stepped out together into the glare of Tatooine's double suns. "I'd forgotten how much I hate this planet," Sabé muttered.

"Be thankful you don't have to live here then," an overhearing Rodian snapped, in accented Basic.

"Oh I am."

Obi-Wan pulled her down a side street before she could start any more arguments and began making enquiries into eopie hire. Having secured the services of two of the creatures, they set out on the slow journey to the Lars family home. It was not at all what Sabé had expected, but she was glad to see that it was isolated and humble. She spotted a series of white headstones to one side, reading the name Shmi Skywalker on one of them as they drew nearer. Obi-Wan purposely did not look toward it. The suns were just beginning to set on the horizon and a lone figure stood watching them, only turning when one of the eopies gave a snort. Sabé saw that it was a young woman, about the same age as she was. She approached, looking confused.

Sabé carefully slid down off her mount and bowed her head. "Excuse me, are you Beru Whitesun?"

"I was," she answered. "I'm a Lars now."

"Forgive us for intruding on you so late in the day. My name is Sabé Kenobi."

The Nabooian name struck a chord of recognition in Beru's eyes.

"I am a good friend of Padmé's."

"Of course. I remember. She came here about three years ago, with my husband's step-brother."

Sabé nodded and turned to regard Obi-Wan as he joined them with Luke. "This is my husband, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Obi-Wan bowed, and they exchanged pleasantries. "If we may come in, Mrs Lars," he said. "We have some very important news to share with you and your husband. It concerns Padmé and Anakin Skywalker."

Beru studied the grave expression on his face and eventually nodded. "Owen's just shutting down the power for the night. He'll be along shortly. Please, this way."

Inside the small but pleasant home, they met Owen and discovered that Cliegg Lars, the man that had freed and married Anakin's mother, had died several months ago and was now buried beside his wife. Owen was not a man to beat about the bush, and bluntly asked them why they were there. So they told them, everything about Padmé and Anakin, Anakin's terrible transformation into Vader and the importance of hiding the children.

"That's why we've brought Luke to you," Sabé said. "Vader won't wish to return here."

"Are you sure?" Owen asked brashly. "Sounds like too much of a risk to me."

Beru gripped her husband's hand. "We must accept, Owen. He's our nephew."

"He may be our nephew, but what if he turns out like his father? You think we need a…a Dark Lord hanging around here causing trouble?"

"There's no danger of him becoming another Vader," Obi-Wan interjected calmly. "He simply won't be faced with the same situations. And I will return now and then to visit him and train him when he's ready."

"And you think that will help? Didn't you train Anakin?"

"Yes. But Anakin was singled out by a very powerful Sith Lord. I could not have prevented what happened unless I had foreseen it earlier. It has taken me many days to accept that there was nothing I could have done. At first I did nothing but blame myself."

"We can't help these things," Beru said softly, earning a grateful smile from Sabé. "We will take Luke, no buts, Owen, and raise him here. I liked Padmé, she was a good person, and I can't take her place in Luke's life. We are his aunt and uncle, not his parents, and I'll make sure he knows that."

Sabé let out a gratified sigh. "Thank you." With very slight reluctance she handed the bundle over to Beru, who looked delighted. She did not fail to notice that Owen's features softened somewhat as he looked down at his nephew.

Obi-Wan took her hand and smiled at her. The expression in his eyes told her it would be alright. "We should be going then," he announced at length.

Beru glanced up from her new charge. "Won't you stay the night? We can put you up."

"No," the Jedi said politely. "We need to return to Padmé at once. We'll be in touch one way or another."

Sabé and Beru exchanged an awkward hug and the Nabooian woman whispered, "Thank you".

Back outside in the chilly night time air, the Jedi and his wife remounted their eopies and set off back to Mos Eisley, leaving a small part of the galaxy's hope behind with his aunt and uncle. It was not too long before they were speeding away in another acquired ship, hoping that his sister was as safe as he was.

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A/N: Well that's my version of how Luke got to the Lars homestead.