Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars. I just created my own little AU sandbox to play in.

AN: Here's chapter 6! Thanks for all the amazing reviews, as always. This series is so much fun to write and the ideas just keep flowing. That's of course in large part thanks to my wonderful readers. Your craving for more makes me want to write more. So, enjoy this next chapter and let me know what you think! You know the drill.

Blood Ties: A Forever Destined Vignette

Part 6/?

"Lando!" Ryoo called, as they hugged each other tightly.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She nodded.

"I'm fine. Thankfully, we all are," Ryoo replied. They noticed Leia sitting with her mother, who was holding her crying daughter.

"Hope she's learned her lesson," Lando mentioned.

"She has, I'm sure. She never meant for any of this to happen. Please don't blame her," Ryoo pleaded.

"I won't. She's a good kid. And Force knows Han and I have pulled our fair share of antics. And my Dad has the gray hairs to prove it," Lando joked. She giggled, before frowning.

"I hope Dad and Uncle Anakin catch that sleamo," she said.

"Well, if I were Cad Bane. I'd certainly be worried," Lando replied.

~*~

Zia finally pulled back from hugging her daughter.

"What were your thinking? You know that your father and I would never give you permission to go to a place like Club Nova," Zia scolded.

"I know. But Leia was going to go anyway and so I went to keep an eye on her, but we didn't think that anything like this would happen. I'm sorry," Mara said.

"She's right. It's my fault. I'm so sorry Mom! I should have never snuck out," Leia sobbed.

"No, you shouldn't have. The important thing is that you're all safe. However, you'll be having a very long talk with your father and me when we get home and we'll decide your punishment then," Padme told her.

"The same goes for you too, young one," Mace told her, with a gentle, yet stern voice. Both girls nodded. Padme got up and walked to the control console. She remembered the woman's cruel, raspy voice. He had wanted to see her. But he, if the woman was referring to who she thought she was, then he was dead. He had to be. The sight of his burning flesh had been too gruesome for her to stomach. She had buried her face in her husband's chest, but Anakin had watched Sifo-Dyas burn to death two years ago on Falleen. She shivered involuntarily, as a cold chill raced down her spine. What if he was alive? Her stomach twisted in knots at the possibility that he was alive. It couldn't be…it just couldn't be. Her head swam with the horror that he could possibly be alive.

"Sweetness, are you okay?" Riley asked.

"I'm fine," Padme said uncertainly, as she stared at the comm.

"You're pale as a sheet, baby girl. Let's get you to the speeder," Riley replied.

"No…I'm not leaving until Anakin and my boys get back," Padme refused. Riley nodded.

"Then at least sit down here," he replied, as he led her to a chair.

~*~

The deformed woman walked into the medical ward. Commander Taurek, her superior, stood by the large bacta tank.

"Lieutenant Mazon, do you have what the Master has asked for?" Taurek demanded.

"Yes, Bane was not successful in capturing the object of the Master's desire," Mazon replied.

"I didn't expect that dirt bag bounty hunter to accomplish that. The Master is not ready for her yet anyhow. His road to recovery is still a very long one," Taurek replied, as he looked into the bacta tank. Only a head was visible in the bacta solution, for all that was left of the rest of the body was charred, mangled remains.

"Play the recording, Talga," he ordered, calling the woman by her first name. She put the disc in and played the recording. Sifo-Dyas opened his eyes. He was numb from the neck down, thanks to the pain medication and his life at this point consisted of floating in the bacta tank, which was the only thing keeping him alive. The tubes that were attached to his mangled remains breathed for him and pumped his heart, as well as operated the rest of his body's functions. But he was conscious again finally and his new body was being constructed. Then he would be unstoppable. He focused his bloodshot eyes on the screen, gazing upon the prize that he would claim one day. She was purely exquisite, as always. The Goddess before his eyes would not escape him again. He would have her and then the power to control the galaxy would be his again.

"You are the key to ultimate power and you shall be mine, Padme. No one, not even Anakin, will be able to stop me this time," Sifo-Dyas rasped.

"When you are whole again, Master, no one will challenge your rule," Taurek stated.

"Yes. Leave her lovely image on the screen. She has forgotten me. She believes that I am dead. Perhaps now that I have awareness of the Force again, I shall remind her that I still exist…through her venerable dreams," Sifo-Dyas hissed with an evil cackle.

~*~

Anakin chased Bane through the dirty alleyway and toward the busy air lanes of traffic. Bane took out his grappling cable and hooked it onto the underside of a passing air bus. But Anakin had anticipated such an action and had remembered to grab his hover board. He unhooked the strap that attached it to his back and strapped it to his feet.

"Find a speeder and follow me! We can't let him get away!" Anakin called to his brother. The thrusters on the invention Anakin had created himself fired and he went zigzagging into traffic in hot pursuit.

"Blast…your father is completely insane," Obi-Wan griped, as he searched for possible transportation.

"Hey!" Jayden called, as he flagged down an open cockpit model air taxi, which was being piloted by a Toydarian employee.

"We need to borrow your speeder. It's Jedi business," Jayden said, waving his hand in front of the creature.

"Hmph…your Jedi mind tricks don't work on me, brat," the Toydarian spat.

"Well, we're borrowing it anyway," Luke said, as Jayden floated the creature out of the driver's seat and placed him on the ground, as Luke hopped in. Jayden hopped into the back and Obi-Wan got into the passenger side.

"I'm terribly sorry," Obi-Wan apologized, as Luke punched the throttle down and took off.

"Jedi Poodoo!" the creature shouted, as he shook his fist angrily.

~*~

Bane fired his blaster wildly, as he rode atop the moving air bus. Anakin either blocked or evaded his barrage of laser bullets, as he continued in pursuit. As Anakin gained on him, he switched tactics and slid down the side of the bus. He busted a window and climbed through, startling the passengers. Their startled gasps soon turned to cries of panic, as Bane held his blaster up and fired a shot into the vehicle's roof. The civilian occupants ducked in their seats, realizing that they were now hostages. A brave passenger, whom happened to be a security guard at a club, drew his blaster in an attempt to thwart him. But Bane only smirked and holstered his blaster. On the other side of his belt, a cylindrical weapon rested. The light whip he had stolen off a dead Jedi a few years ago wasn't his favorite weapon, but he knew how to use it and enjoyed causing fear with it.

"Don't move," the guard ordered, his voice wavering.

"You're a little out of your league," Bane warned.

"I said don't move!" he shouted, as his hands shook.

"Well, now you're just annoying me," Bane spat, as the yellow light whip sizzled to life. Bane flung the weapon at the poor man and it coiled around his neck. The guard choked and fell dead to the ground, as his windpipe was crushed. Crying and sounds of fright reverberated among the hostages. Anakin slid his tall frame through the busted window and ignited his light saber. He saw the dead man and glared at Bane.

"He was no threat to you. Did you have to kill him?" Anakin spat.

"That's your problem, Jedi. Your bleeding heart is why you lose. You care too much for these insignificant peons. Their lives are worthless," Bane spat back.

"That's funny, because thus far I've had a fairly good record when it comes to stamping out evil like your kind. And make no mistake, bounty hunter, every life means something, especially the innocent. The suffering you cause the innocent will only become your own suffering in the end," Anakin stated eloquently.

"Nice little speech. Did your Daddy teach you that nonsense?" Bane goaded.

"As a matter of fact, he did, but I assure it's not nonsense," Anakin retorted. Bane chuckled.

"Always the witty one. And as much as I enjoy our encounters, I have to be going," Bane replied.

"The only place you're going is prison," Anakin spat.

"Oh I don't think so," Bane responded, as he grabbed a young mother, holding a small child and put his glowing light whip to the mother's throat.

"Are their lives worth letting me escape?" Bane questioned.

"You're not going anywhere," Anakin growled.

"You get to save them or capture me. Your choice," Bane taunted.

"I choose to do both," Anakin replied.

"Wrong answer Jedi," Bane growled, as he raised he light whip up, preparing to bring it down on his hostages. The young mother screamed and covered her crying child with her arms. As he moved to strike, bringing the whip down, Anakin intercepted and raised his forearm. His eyes flashed golden cobalt and the whip wrapped around his arm. The light whip crystal cracked and the weapon fizzled out. He grabbed the bounty hunter by his collar and slammed him against the wall.

"It's over Bane," Anakin stated.

"Oh, it's far from over, Jedi. My employer gave me a few things to help me deal with you," Bane growled, as he managed to activate a device on his wrist. A glowing red shield blazed to life around him, zapping Anakin with a jolt of enhanced simulated Force lightning, throwing him back.

"Not even you can stop me, Chosen One. While you save these people's miserable lives, I'll be on my way," Bane sneered, as he shot the driver. His dead weight slumped forward and onto the controls, causing the bus to dive into the lane of traffic below. Bane jumped out the window, as people began to panic. Anakin ran to the cockpit and removed the deceased driver and took control of the bus, veering it back on track and avoiding a collision.

"Luke, I have to get this bus to safety first. Bane is getting a way. Go after him and I'll be right behind you," Anakin shouted into his comlink.

"We see him! We're in pursuit now," Luke called back to him.

"Master Skywalker…I can take the controls. I'm a pilot!" one of the passengers called, as they ran to the cockpit.

"Thanks, I've got a bounty hunter to catch. It's all yours," he told the young man, patting him on the back. The passengers watched in amazement, as he vaulted out of the window, attaching his hover board to his feet, and went speeding through traffic at inhuman speeds.

~*~

Luke sped after the speeder that Bane now occupied. The vicious bounty hunter had hopped onto the hood after he vaulted himself off the bus and killed the poor driver, before taking control. Luke was in hot pursuit, weaving in and out of traffic in a fashion that would make his father proud and was making his Uncle nauseous.

"Luke…get over him for me!" Jayden called, as he stood up.

"Whoa…what do you think you're doing?!" Obi-Wan called.

"He's going to get away and I can't let that happen. I'll be fine!" Jayden called, as he went vaulting over the edge, before landing in the backseat of Bane's speeder.

"Oh bloody hell, you're mother is going to murder me for letting him do that!" Obi-Wan cried.

"Don't worry. I'll get under him, just in case," Luke called, as he swerved the speeder.

~*~

Bane fired his blaster wildly behind him, as Jayden blocked each one with his sapphire blade. Jayden was thrown back, as Bane swerved sharply to the right in an attempt to dump Jayden out. But the young Jedi held onto the side tightly. Unsatisfied, Bane tightened his harness and turned the speeder upside down. Jayden cried out, as he hung onto the side, his legs dangling in the air. Bane zigzagged back and forth trying to shake the boy off. But Jayden swung his legs up, thanks to the momentum and kicked Bane in the head. The bounty hunter growled angrily and turned the speeder right side up. Jayden's feet landed in the back seat. Bane expected this and grabbed him by the neck. Jayden gasped for air, as Bane choked him. Jayden tried prying his hand away, but the bounty hunter was stronger than he looked.

"I hope you said goodbye to your Mommy and Daddy, Jedi brat," Bane spat, as he pushed Jayden over, spilling him out of the speeder. Luke dove after his little brother, as he fell through the air, but Jayden was falling too fast. Anakin caught his youngest son in mid air and dropped him into the speeder with Luke and Obi-Wan, before pursuing Bane again. The bounty hunter was none too pleased to see Skywalker on his trail again. He had to lose him. It was his only chance of escaping. Bane punched the throttle down, nearly crashing into three other speeders, as he reached dangerous speeders. And Anakin knew if he didn't do something to stop him, then he would escape. His eyes flashed gold, as they darkened to a bright indigo. He ignited his light saber and it blazed with white fire. With expert precision, Anakin concentrated his power into the form of a small sphere on the tip of his blade. He made a swiping motion, releasing the orb of pure Force energy. Bane couldn't evade it and the entire back end of his speeder was destroyed. His speeder went spiraling into a nosedive. Just as he was about to crash into the side of a building he jumped out and clung to a metal beam of a traffic signal. He snarled, as he saw Anakin coming for him. He climbed down from the traffic post and leapt to the ground. Quickly, he ran into the crowded marketplace and into a nearby club. Anakin ran inside after him and looked through the sea of patrons. If Bane thought he could hide from Anakin, then it would be his undoing. The bounty hunter, who was hidden behind a support pillar, waited for Anakin to pass by. While Bane was very good at concealing his presence from a Jedi, Anakin was no ordinary Jedi. Bane came behind him with a vibro blade in his hand. Anakin whipped around and caught his arm, as he tried to thrust the blade into Anakin. Anakin surprised Bane with his Force enhanced strength, as he caught the blade in his bare hand. His aura of power flared, protecting his skin from the blade and with a flick of his wrist, he snapped the blade in half. Bane couldn't hide his astonishment. Anakin turned him around and slammed him against the wall. He confiscated all his weapons, his wrist device, and comlink, just as Luke, Obi-Wan, and Jayden arrived.

"Wow…you got him Dad!" Jayden called.

"Yes I did. You're under arrest, Cad Bane," Anakin announced, as he placed him in stun cuffs.

"The Republic's prisons won't hold me for long, Jedi," Bane spat.

"We know. That's why we have a nice little cell reserved, just for you in the Jedi Temple," Anakin retorted, as he hauled him out to the speeder.

~*~

When they received word that Anakin had captured and arrested Bane, they left his hideout at the Docks, which was now crawling with Clone Troopers and went back to the Temple. As Anakin led Bane inside the Temple atrium, many Jedi, including all the Council members gathered to witness it.

"Brought to justice you have, at last, Cad Bane," Yoda stated.

"We have a cell waiting, fit for a slime ball like you," Ferus said, as he approached, in order to escort him.

"Enjoy this victory while you can, Jedi scum, because it won't last," Bane spat.

"The Senate will see that you are held accountable for your crimes and murders," Padme stated firmly.

"And someday, that sharp tongue of yours will lead to your death, Senator," Bane spat.

"Not as long as I'm around. Get this sleamo out of here," Anakin requested.

"With pleasure," Serra replied, as she and Ferus escorted him to the cell block. He would remain there until he was sentenced and then Anakin would take him to the new Jedi prison on Yavin IV personally.

Padme wrapped her arms around him and he lowered his lips to hers.

"I knew you'd get him," she said.

"He didn't go down easily, but I wasn't going to let him get away again," Anakin replied, as she noticed a coiled burn on his forearm.

"It's just a minor light whip burn. Nothing serious," he told her.

"Still, I want to put some bacta on it when we get home," Padme replied.

"Who's up for a victory drink? I almost died in a speeder tonight, so I could really use one," Obi-Wan deadpanned. Anakin smirked.

"I think I already see a few new gray hairs," Anakin joked. Obi-Wan glared at his baby brother.

"You'll be happy to know that your oldest son flies like a like a maniac, just like you, and your youngest son enjoys freefalling through busy traffic lanes, again, just like you. You should be proud that they're just as insane as you too," Obi-Wan griped. Anakin grinned.

"Oh I am. They're both a chip off the old block," Anakin replied, as Padme looked at him.

"Jayden did what?" she questioned sternly.

"Angel, he's fine. You know I'd never let anything happen to either of them," Anakin promised.

"I know, but I don't much like him leaping over the side of speeders and freefalling through traffic. I don't like when you do it…but I guess I should be used to this. I'm married to a Jedi and my children are Jedi as well," she relented. He kissed her forehead.

"We're Skywalkers and this is what we do. But the kids and I will always come home to you," he promised. She smiled and kissed him tenderly.

"I know, but you know that I'll still worry. It's what I do," she replied. He kissed her passionately.

"Let's go home," he said. She nodded, as she suddenly felt a cold touch on her neck. She shivered involuntarily and looked behind her. It had felt like there was someone cold hand on her neck and she instinctively touched the spot.

"Are you okay?" he asked. She looked up at him and then remembered what she had seen earlier when Bane had presented her on the blank comm screen. She hadn't told him yet, but this wasn't the place.

"I'm fine, let's get the kids," she replied. Anakin knew there was something she needed to talk about, but it would wait until they got home. For now, everything had been set right again.