5 Things That Never Happened To Anakin Skywalker
I
"Lieutenant?"
Lieutenant Anakin Skywalker turned to face the sergeant. "Yeah, Omin?"
"Anakin, Captain Slayke wants a word."
"Sure, I'll be right there." Anakin left his temporary duties, and reported to Captain Slayke.
"Lieutenant Anakin Skywalker reporting, sir."
"Anakin, Anakin, how many times have I told you that you needn't call me 'sir'?" Captain Zozridor Slayke, leader of the Sons and Daughters of Freedom, smiled at his subordinate.
"I still feel like I ought to, though."
"Too much of that Jedi training, eh?"
"Yeah, you and your legendary contempt for Jedi," Anakin mockingly scolded Slayke.
"Hey, I only don't like Jedi, not ex-Jedi. It took a lot of guts for you to quit the Order, no matter what you say. Took a lot more courage than those vaunted fools in the Council Chambers have, and that's why I value you so much; your willingness to do the right thing, even when your superiors won't let you." Slayke laughed. "Maybe the reason I like you so much is since you remind me of myself."
"Please, Captain," Anakin started, as if trying to be modest. Then he finished. "My sense of humor is much better than yours."
"If you could shoot half as well as you backtalk, you could've joined the sniper corps."
"Thanks, Captain."
"I think, Anakin," he smiled at his second-in-command, "you should get used to calling me 'Zozridor'."
"You mind if I just call you 'Slayke'? No offense, but 'Zozridor' is a bit of a mouthful." Anakin grinned at the former Republic Captain.
"Offense taken, Jedi scum," Slayke said, smiling through the harsh words. "Go away and do what you're supposed to for once."
"Yes, sir, Slayke."
II
Obi-Wan Kenobi was met by Master Yoda. He knew that the news wouldn't be good.
"Decided, we have, on young Skywalker's fate." The old Jedi Master told Kenobi, "Train him, we will not."
In a small funeral, there was a body being set ablaze. It was Qui-Gon Jinn. Chancellor Palpatine watched the proceedings as young Skywalker entered. He sat down, and looked at the boy. "What is wrong, my dear boy?"
"The Jedi won't train me. They decided that I'm too dangerous, too old."
Behind his mask of Palpatine and sympathy, Sidious grinned widely. Even better than I'd hoped. "Would you care to walk with me, Anakin?"
As the two left the funeral, Yoda said to Mace Windu, "Always two, there are. No more, no less. A Master, and an Apprentice."
"But which was destroyed; the Master, or the Apprentice?"
III
"Well, Anakin, how are you feeling?"
Anakin did not face Obi-Wan. He continued to gaze out the Council windows across the Coruscanti skyline...and towards one building in particular...500 Republica, in fact. "I feel..."
"Unable to find words, or simply trying to find them?"
"Neither, Obi-Wan. I feel...absolutely no different."
His old friend and Master smiled at him. "That's good; I felt the same way when the Council gave me my seat and rank of Master."
"I simply couldn't believe that they'd grant it to me..."
"Anakin, why wouldn't they? You defeated Palpatine, on your own, I might add—not a feat accomplished with any level of ease, even for you."
"And here I thought you were going to complement me without a side remark."
"Well, it would be a shame to put a black mark on my record." Obi-Wan and Anakin both grinned at the friendly banter that only a few years ago would have been a serious, heated conversation. "You not only defeated Palpatine, you also were able to confess that you married Senator Amidala, and the manner in which Count Dooku died. It takes a lot of courage to do that, Anakin, a lot more than I have."
"Good of you to admit it."
"Pig-headed mechanic."
"Thanks for noticing it, Master."
Obi-Wan sighed. "You're never going to stop calling me that, are you?"
"No, Obi-Wan. I'm probably not."
IV
"Come on, come on, come on, WORK!" Annie Skywalker cursed his Podracer. The thing was failing him, and Qui-Gon was depending on him. And so was Padmé. But he couldn't control the thing; the engine first malfunctioned, then shut off completely, the other forcing him into a cliff wall.
There was regret for failing his friends.
Then there was nothing else.
V
"Stars, they're adorable."
"Well, 'cute' is the word I thought first, but 'adorable' works," Padmé grinned at Anakin.
"Wow," he said, looking at the chrono on the wall. "Who would've thought they wouldn't want to come out of there, and fought it for nine hours straight?"
"It's been that long, Ani?"
"Didn't notice, did you?"
"Well, you try giving birth sometime, and see how much attention you can spare," Padmé said sarcastically.
"Well, there was that mission to Rodia a few years back..." Anakin shuddered.
"Wait, you...do I want to know?"
"You really, really, really don't want to know."
"So, Ani; what're their names?"
"How about Padmé for the girl?"
"No, Anakin; that'll be far too confusing around the house."
"Good point."
"How about Luke for the boy?"
Anakin thought. "Luke Skywalker. That has a nice ring to it. Okay, we've got Luke. What about his sister?"
"I don't know. Besides, it's your turn for a name," Padmé protested.
"Hmm." He thought for a moment. Then a mischievous look crossed his face. "How about 'noname'?"
"NO!"
"Come on, we could even use Nubian pronunciation; Nonamé Skywalker."
"Forget it, flyboy."
"Fine, then; let's hear your idea."
"How about Leia?"
"Leia Skywalker? No; it doesn't sound right."
"Your idea, then?"
He sighed. "Fine, fine; Leia it is."
Padmé grinned. "I knew you'd see things my way."
Anakin groaned. What have I gotten myself into now?
