Anakin wished that he didn't have to leave Naboo, but he knew that he had business other places. He also knew it was a bad idea to mix both business and pleasure. He returned to Coruscant and its permacrete world to work on diplomatic issues that had bored him since his birth. But they kept his mind off of the time that he lost: watching his children grow, watching them both go off to the Temple to be trained. He soon found himself on the roof (permacrete, again) of Imperial Palace, sorry, NRPGA, staring at the location where the Temple used to be. It was now a museum of the arts of the Jedi and a mausoleum from all of the Padawans that he had killed so long ago…
"There is a way that you can repent for it," Luke said.
"Blast it, Luke. Why do you keep doing that?"
"I've learned that I should do it so that people don't know that I'm coming." Luke walked up to him and offered him some blue milk. Anakin took a slow sip from the cup his son gave him. "How can I repent for killing children?"
"By teaching other children. There are many Force-sensitive children out there that know something, but not enough to know that they have a chance. They were born without the Emperor knowing, and we have the power to train them, to make another army that protects the Senate and its people."
Anakin took another sip, longer this time. "Luke, where would we do this? The Temple is beyond repair. All because of me."
"What temple?"
"The Jedi Temple. I...destroyed it when--when I turned. I killed the younglings and everyone I could find. I took a platoon of clones in there." For a moment, Anakin could see the comforting pillars of the temple. His heart ached with the knowledge of what he had done. He thought of his true master, Obi-Wan, and how the man he knew as a father and a brother had persevered to train him against the Council's wishes. There was so much to regret it was hard to see any hope for himself.
"Stop thinking about the past. We can be at peace knowing that Obi-wan played an important part in both of our lives."
"I loved him, and he helped to shape this. I didn't trust him enough, and he and everyone else paid the price."
"Father, calm down." Luke knew what was coming, but was powerless to stop it. In Anakin's temporary distress, he broke the glass. Luke watched Anakin, who watched one of little rivers of blue milk flow. "It's alright. It really is," soothed Luke, remaining at a distance.
"My anger has always been a problem. I've thrown things, I've broken things, and…" His voice broke, full of sorrow and deep shame. To Luke, the pain in his eyes was just as visible as the pain embedded deep within his soul.
"Killed people." It didn't need to be said, but Luke knew that it had to be said aloud as a sort of spoken knowledge. "Obi-Wan and Yoda taught me to control my anger. I might be able to help you. Father, you can do it. If you were passionate about mother, then you can be passionate about controlling your anger. But I can't help you unless you feel that strongly about it." Luke felt his father's answer, and then looked one last time back to the Jedi Temple."
"You knew Yoda?"
"Obi-wan instructed me to Degobah after his death and after the Imperial stormed Echo Base on Hoth. Yoda taught me from there. He told me that I would be a Jedi Master when I confronted you."
"I know. I read your mind that day. You are a better Jedi than I."
"Father, you had the ability to come back to the good side. You are wise enough to know which is better." Luke sighed, turning back. "I fear that this is all that is to become of our conversations. But I will meet with Leia and tell her about our wishes.
-
Han Solo walked through the familiar halls of the NRPGA, and finally found the Senate Hall. He walked into the Coruscanti seating area. He slapped Luke on back, who had been staring intently on the center podium. Luke looked up momentarily but looked back down to the center podium, saying, "Where were you? Leia didn't want to start without you, but we had to since the Senators grew impatient."
"Sorry. I got tied up," he said, Luke miming the end of the sentence.
"What's up?"
"Leia's been tense these past few weeks. I know she's busy, but I have a feeling that it's something else."
"I can't tell you." Luke thought it best to tell the truth. "She doesn't know that I know because I…"
"Used that hokey religion of yours, I know." Han sighed and leaned forward.
Luke looked back to the center podium. Leia finally stepped up, brushing past Mon Mothma on her way to the podium. Luke could sense the tension between the two women as they passed each other.
"We propose funding for a new Jedi army. Representatives Skywalker, Skywalker, and Solo made it to our attention that we could use an army of Force-sensitive people. We could collect children, with the parents' consent, and train them to be Jedi."
A representative from one of the worlds on the Corellian system stood up. "We cannot do that. That type of people does not exist except for Representatives Skywalker and Skywalker."
"And your proof is?" Han said, stepping up to the podium.
"Basic knowledge. The Emperor eradicated all of the Jedi when he came into power."
"That doesn't mean that any offspring have the Force," Luke said calmly, moving to share the podium with Han. "There are children out there that are Force-sensitive. I can promise you. These random children are born with a midi-chlorian count and are able to use the Force as Jedi can. Some are even conceived by it. My father is living proof." Luke could feel his father's aggression coursing through his own veins.
"I vote no on this matter."
"We haven't had nearly enough time to convince anyone. We've been too busy trying to explain ourselves to you." Han's own form of anger was expressed in every syllable.
"Well, I was merely expressing my own opinion."
"You needn't get snippy with them." It was Mon Mothma's oddly booming voice; yet, it still contained her peacefulness. "They are the ones who freed us from the Empire. If you can't appreciate them for that, then perhaps you can't be trusted. If that is the case, you must leave this hall at once." She waited for his decision. She finally continued when he, Han, and Luke had slunk back to their seats. "Regarding the Jedi matter, we will reconvene here in three standard days, plenty of time for you to make your decisions. You've rudely heard both sides. And that is it for this meeting. See you here at 0900 in three standard days." With a finality and flourish, Mon Mothma disappeared down in the center podium's dropping system that had been designed (and done by Anakin) to mirror the original in the destroyed Senate building.
Luke turned around, finding Luke with him. "I don't think it's going to pass."
"Is that the hokey religion or the pessimism speaking?"
"The latter," Luke said, nearly laughing.
"I was kind of hoping the religion part this time because I can't stand waiting."
"An art you must learn."
"As long as you don't use that religion thingy on me."
Anakin appeared in the hall, looking flustered. "I missed it?"
"Yep. You missed the fight of the century. Luke against a possible Empire supporter," Han said with his usual amount of sass.
"How unlucky." Anakin came into step with Luke, next to Luke, even though that he had been on Han's side. "What did they decide?"
"They're going to give the senators a chance to think before taking a vote. I have a feeling like it's not going to go," complained Luke.
"Well, I saw a premonition, but they're about as useful as a blaster."
"Hey," exclaimed Han.
"You definitely know Obi-wan. He was constantly telling me about how bad blasters are."
"I've gotten out of a lot of sticky situations with a single blaster."
"We'll just leave the Wookiee and his crossbow out of this, eh?" Luke said. "Let's just leave the brute force and its lethal weapon that can kill three people with one shot of out this for now."
"Fine. But the blaster helped."
They argued for a while before they reached their offices, and they decided they should probably work.