Luke's overconfident statements about his piloting were no exaggeration. He handled the family cruiser like he had been born in the cockpit. The only time Anakin had to take the controls was when Luke snuck in a couple of barrel rolls. Leia was calmer in the pilot's seat and kept a steady speed and a regular altitude. The only point where she needed more practice was her landings. She had an unfortunate habit of overcompensating when she lined up on final approach and wound up crooked more often than not.
Both twins thoroughly enjoyed the weekend. While Luke spent nearly every spare moment with his father either flying laps around Theed or repairing this or that, Leia spent most of her time either reading or helping her mother. Time was set aside for her father, of course, but that was less productive. Anakin enjoyed the company of both children and was quite willing to oblige Leia when she asked for affection. As far as that was concerned, she was still 'Daddy's little girl'.
As was the case with every weekend, it came to an end far too soon. Leia in particular greeted its arrival with a deep frown. She was not looking forward to seeing Derik again at lightsaber class. Luke, on the other hand, while he missed his mother during the week, could hardly wait to get back to his Jedi training.
Anakin greeted the end of his time off with mixed feelings. While he had been lucky not to be called out, as he often was, he couldn't help but feel concern for Padme. The fact that she had lost so much sleep in his absence made him want to stay with her until she caught up.
"Ani, for the last time, I'm all right," laughed Padme as she stood farewelling her family. "I slept better this last weekend than I have in weeks."
"I'd still feel better if you saw a medic," Anakin sighed, stroking her cheek.
"I'm fine. Go on, now. You're going to be late."
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were trying to get rid of me."
Padme didn't know whether to laugh or groan at that statement, so she pursed her lips and pretended to shove him out the door. "All right. I am. I want this house all to myself." Upon seeing his forlorn expression the teacher shook her head and groaned. "Ani, I was joking. Don't take everything so personally."
Anakin glanced at his boots and allowed himself a smile. "I'm sorry. I know you think I'm overreacting. But if that dizziness doesn't go away, I'd really like for you to see a medic about it. Please? For me?"
Padme had to smile at his long face. "All right. I will." She stood on tiptoe to kiss her husband one last time.
Luke, peering out from the loading ramp, groaned. "How many time you gonna kiss her, Dad? Let's go!"
Anakin rolled his eyes and threw his son a caricatured frown. "That's a nice way to talk about your mother."
Luke didn't flinch. "I didn't say anything mean. But you kissed her five time already. We're gonna be late!"
Anakin nodded toward the main hold. "Go get buckled in, young man."
The boy made a face, but nodded. "All right. Love you, Mom. Bye!" And he ducked back into the ship.
Padme was laughing as Anakin turned back to her. "He's right. Now, go."
Anakin grunted in mild annoyance and shook his head. A final, quick peck was given to his wife. "I love you."
"I love you, too." Padme watched with a wistful smile as her husband jogged up the ramp and began takeoff procedures. In minutes the ramp was closed and the ship soared into the air with a whine, beginning the eight hour hyperspace jump to Coruscant.
It was a long while before Padme stopped staring at the sky and headed inside.
:=v=: :=v=: :=v=:
Once in hyperspace Luke and Leia found their own ways to amuse themselves. They played a little, but Luke was already in full Jedi mode. He muttered the Jedi Code over and over to himself, quizzed Leia on it, and when that bored him, levitated anything that wasn't tied down...including Artoo. Only when Anakin suggested the twins meditate did Luke finally put the droid down.
Leia didn't mind meditation as much as Luke did. The white noise of the ship's engines and the mesmerizing blue glow of hyperspace made an ideal environment for it. It was then she felt the strongest in the Force. Sensing the presence of both brother and father brought warm feelings in which Leia was quite willing to lose herself.
To keep Luke interested, Anakin often played a sort of game that aided in sharpening his children's senses. Leia called it the Jedi version of "Comm Talk". He would speak several words to one twin's mind, who would pass it on to the other. That child then had to recite what they had 'heard'. Sometimes the results were rather far off and came out sounding funny. They had played the game since age three and had improved drastically. It was almost at the point where Anakin, whose strengths were elsewhere, couldn't complicate the message enough to stump them. Luke and Leia conversed better with each other than their father did with them.
Anakin sat cross-legged at one end of the main hold, eyes closed, mind open as he picked a child to speak with next. Luke...
Luke responded quickly. Yes?
Ask Leia what makes a gundark unique.
Luke listened intently before passing the message on.
Leia was smiling before she opened her eyes. "Their ears," she answered promptly.
Anakin lifted his brows, nodding. "I'll never figure out how you two are better at something than I am," he said without jealousy.
Luke shrugged. "Maybe because we're twins?"
Anakin smiled at his children. That was certainly a possibility. The Council had remarked when the twins were little more than toddlers that they had a deep bond through the Force. It may well have been because they had shared their mother's womb for nine months. "Perhaps it is. Either way, I think we've gone as far as we can with that game. Leia, would you like some help in telekinesis?"
Leia cringed, hesitating. "Um...okay. Thank you." She needed all the help she could get in both that and swordsmanship.
"What about me?" asked Luke, feeling a little left out.
"You had your turn already. Why don't you keep an eye on the nav-computer?" suggested Anakin.
Luke didn't have to be asked twice. He dashed back up to the cockpit with a huge grin on his face.
Meanwhile Anakin moved to stand behind Leia, a hand on her shoulder. "We'll start small, all right? Which objects are you levitating in class?"
Leia shrugged. "Rocks about that big," she answered, making a fist.
"All right..." Anakin searched the hold for something to substitute. He smiled when he found a Jedi training remote. "That'll do." He set it on a table at the opposite end of the hold. "There you are."
"That's cheating. It has repulsors," reminded Leia with a frown.
"They're turned off. Close your eyes and reach out with the Force," instructed Anakin. "See the remote in your mind's eye. Sense where it is, the shape of it, where all the components are."
Leia's brown eyes had already drifted shut. She unconsciously extended her open hand toward the object. Gradually a picture began to form in her mind. She didn't move until it was crystal clear. "I see it."
Anakin nodded, sensing the connecting himself. "Good. Now, use the Force to lift it up."
Leia bit her lip and wrinkled her brow with concentration. For a time, not much happened. The remote wiggled atop the table, at one point nearly rolling off. It was like trying to pick up a slippery glass marble with eating sticks. Several times Leia nearly lost the object. But she persisted, and finally had a firm grip on it. The remote rose several centimeters into the air.
Anakin smiled. "Good. Very good. Do you have it?"
Slowly Leia nodded, still holding the remote in the air.
Anakin let out a quiet sigh. "All right. Pull it into your hand."
Leia frowned. She didn't know that she could. It was beyond where she had moved thus far. But the need to please her father stifled the feelings of doubt, and the girl began pulling the remote across the room. It moved at a slime-crawler's pace, but it was moving. Excitement threatened to make Leia lost her focus, and she struggled to stay calm. She was doing it! It would be the first time anything had been called all the way into her hand.
The remote continued to advance, bit by bit, until it hung midway across the room. Nearer it came...
At that moment, Luke poked his head into the room. "Hey, Dad? The reversion alarm is- oh, hey! Way to go, Leia! Told you that you could do it."
That noise, however positive it was, proved to be the straw that broke the eopie's back...or rather, the straw that broke Leia's concentration. The remote dropped to the floor and rolled away. Leia opened her eyes with a groan. "Luke!"
Luke cringed and took a step back. "Sorry. Guess I was kinda excited."
"Then be excited quietly next time," griped Leia, staring sadly at the dropped remote.
"That's enough," Anakin sighed. He strode to the cockpit, putting his hand on Luke's shoulder on the way. "It's all right, Leia. It takes time. Luke...you do need to calm down a little."
"I will." Luke cautiously tiptoed up to his unhappy twin. "You did good."
Leia just frowned, crossing her arms. Right until the point where I dropped it. Why does Luke have to do that? He always does that. To make matters worse, he was too nice about it. It was easier to be mad at someone who laughed.
Anakin's voice from the cockpit interrupted whatever was going to happen between his children. "Okay, we're coming out of hyperspace. Better get into your seats and strap in," he called.
Quickly both twins obeyed. Leia continued to frown all the way out of hyperspace and into Coruscant's atmosphere. She could think only of her failure and how she wanted to make it right next time. I will, she vowed. One way or another, I'll be just as good as Luke. Derik won't laugh when I finally beat him in a duel.
:=v=: :=v=: :=v=:
However else the Council may have changed, their timing is just as bad as ever, thought Anakin as he marched downstairs.
Anakin had been on his way to escort his children to their swordsmanship class when he had been stopped in the hall by his old master and closest friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi. The children were sent on ahead so they would not be late for their class.
After exchanging greetings and other such pleasantries, the Jedi Master informed Anakin that the High Council wanted to see him, Luke, and Leia in their chambers as soon as possible to discuss their futures at the Jedi Temple. No further details were given.
The news put Anakin's nerves into overdrive. He had a feeling he knew the reason for this sudden request; Luke was going to be put through the Initiate Trials early. The boy had been ready for months and there was no reason to hold him back any longer. Foremost in Anakin's mind was whether he would continue to train his son by default or be lumped together with the other Jedi Masters who were positively clamoring for such a chance. Or would he even be allowed at the trials at all? Would Luke and Leia's Force bond be enough reason to keep them together, even if one was more prepared than the other?
For a time Anakin was occupied in just trying to calm himself. You knew this day would come. Relax. Luke and Leia will be fine. No matter what happens, the Jedi promised never to take your children away. And even if they are separated, they're both very strong in the Force.
It took nearly an hour for Anakin to return to a calm, even-tempered state. Only then did he head back to oversee the remainder of their saber training.
The hum and clash of lightsabers was obvious even from a distance, and Anakin quickly learned that the students were sparring. Calon must have been preparing his students for the upcoming Apprentice Tournament. Anakin fought back a grin as he entered, eager to see his children in action and what they had learned in his absence.
Hawkbat Clan had evidently been doing a tournament-style spar in which they were paired off, then whittled down to the finalist by a process of elimination. They seemed to be nearing the semi-finals. Anakin was pleased but unsurprised to see Luke had made the top four. He made brief eye contact with his son before mentally admonished him to pay attention. Luke had to fight a smile.
Master Calon barely glanced up from overseeing the spar to acknowledge Anakin's presence. He nodded to a bare wall where the younger Jedi could observe without being too much of a distraction. Several students craned their necks to look anyway. Even in the Temple- or perhaps especially in the Temple -Anakin Skywalker's exploits were the stuff of legend.
Casually Anakin leaned against the wall to watch the final spar that would decide the semi-final. His surprise mounted upon seeing that Leia was on the verge of matching her brother's progress. Sweat glistened on her forehead, but she managed to keep the blue Twi'lek male from landing any marks of contact.
Then the youngling tripped and dropped his weapon. He looked even more winded than Leia, if that was possible. A quick look of disappointment was followed by the call of surrender.
Calon stepped forward. "Sentana yields; advancing to semi-finals are Atumi, Andress, Skywalker, and...Skywalker." He lifted his brows as he turned to Leia. "Well-done. Perhaps Naboo's climate is conducive to concentration."
Leia smiled, still catching her breath, and spared an eager look for her father before standing in a parade rest at the edge of the open space. 'Father, did you see that,' she seemed to ask.
Anakin favored his daughter with a slight nod and eagerly settled in to see what would happen. He knew even advancing that far was an accomplishment for his daughter.
There was a five-minute rest period in which the students were encouraged to regain their strength. Leia's fatigue was obvious and she immediately dropped into meditation. For a moment it looked as though the girl had fallen asleep. Luke didn't bother closing his eyes and instead focused on his breathing, trying to guess who he would be paired up with. Clearly he was enjoying himself.
The rest period ended. Luke was paired up with Felina Atumi, a female the same species as Luminara Unduli. Her dark eyes were deceptively quiet and calm, but Anakin recognized her as a rather formidable duelist. Already she was showing tendencies toward Form II- also known as Makashi -with precise, controlled movements and an aligned stance. Anakin noticed Luke stand up a little straighter. Felina was one of the students the boy liked dueling with. She provided a challenge but had the grace to accept defeat.
Of course this resulted in Leia being paired with Derik Andress. The boy seemed all too eager for this contest. Anakin had to hide his cringe. He knew how much trouble his children had had with Derik and disliked not being able to do anything about it.
The students took their ready stances and saluted each other. Without ceremony the sparring began. Anakin, unworried about his son, directed his attention to his daughter.
In moments it was clear that Andress had the upper hand. He was almost smirking as he easily parried Leia's attacks, not allowing her any openings. Several times he showed off a more advanced move, such as jumping over Leia's head, and then threw a look of overconfidence to his fellow younglings. Once the impudent youth even made a show of yawning and using one hand just to show how much better he was than Leia until he caught a frown from Master Calon.
Leia knew she was being toyed with and resented it. Her frustration mounted with every arrogant dodge, every false retreat. When Derik went on the attack she had to work to parry the blows. Her next two counterattacks missed completely, throwing her off-balance.
Anakin had to bite his tongue to keep from interceding on his daughter's behalf. This contest walked the line between teaching persistence and just being cruel. But he knew that life as a Jedi was rarely fair. He could only stand there and will Leia to calm down. Her emotions were starting to interfere with her performance. Relax, Leia. Use the Force. Let it help you.
Leia apparently didn't know what her father was telling her. Doggedly she kept going, determined not to give up. Mounting anger was barely kept in check.
Then everything changed. Derik waited until his and Leia's blades were in a lock before suddenly deactivating his blade and dancing to the left to send Leia off-balance. A Force push added insult to injury.
Leia landed hard on her backside, unhurt but humiliated. Derik's taunting grin proved to be the twig that broke the eopie's back. In less than a second Leia had rocked back to her feet and positively flew at Derik. It was less a second wind and more an expression of utter fury. Blades clashed as Derik's look of superiority faded into one of fright.
Younglings stiffened and squirmed. The room seemed to cool. Most turned to Calon for guidance, wondering what he would do.
Anakin wondered that himself and felt sick to his stomach in seeing his daughter meet the same demon he had released ten years before. "Leia, no...no, get control," he murmured.
Calon's frown was deep as he approached the combatants at a slow walk. Why he did not step in and end the duel then and there remained to be seen. "Leia Skywalker, regain control of your emotions," he urged firmly.
Leia didn't seem to hear either him or her father. Derik was fighting harder than ever and pressed her back until she was on her back. In response Leia lashed out with her booted foot and kicked him square in the knee.
Neither student was sure of what happened next, at least at first. One moment Derik was trying to limp away, then there was a green flash and he crumpled to the floor, crying out, hands over his face. Leia glared at him for a moment, then fell back with a shudder, shutting off her lightsaber. She had won the spar. That much was obvious. But why did she feel cold?
Master Calon reacted by extending his arm and calling the saber into his palm. His own expression was as close at it could be to anger without touching that dark emotion. "That...was not...called for," he said without raising his voice.