(AN: Wow, talk about quick updating!)
The Tantive IV appeared just outside the Cartao system, with the planet in sight as it came down for a landing. Foulahn City was their target, one of two major cities on the planet's inhabited area.
As Bail Organa walked down the loading ramp and onto the flat, heavy, durasteel platform, a human - roughly his own age with sophisticated features - approached the ship.
"Welcome to Foulahn City," the man greeted. "My name is Sarn Kuto, advertising assistant for our facility."
"Advertising?" Bail asked.
"Yes," Sarn said. "Since we're a private facility and most of our orders are done by private contractors, we tend to refrain from HoloNet ads or periodicals in news releases. I'm sure you can understand the gravity of our situation."
Bail nodded.
"But," Sarn continued. "If you will follow me, I can take you on a tour of our facilities and show you exactly what you can expect from a..."
But Bail cut him off.
"That won't be necessary," he said. "I know what I'm looking for, and I have the means to get it."
A smile erupted on Sarn's face. That last statement usually meant that the customer had the financial means to acquire what they wanted.
"I have need of your cloning facilities."
"Ah, of course." Sarn stated. "Are you a representative for His Imperial Majesty?"
Bail sighed. Did Palpatine know? This was starting to get more dangerous than he had originally thought.
"No, this is a private order."
"Of course, sir."
"As the nature of this order is private," Bail continued. "It would be better if this order were not on file."
"But we need some kind of register, for, for tax purposes..."
"I can pay whatever you need," Bail said. "But this has to be private."
Almost a month later, the Tantive IV shot out of hyperspace over the Outer Rim world of Tatooine. The coordinates that Master Kenobi had sent were right on target. All that remained was the location of his dwelling.
The ship landed in a rather uninhabited stretch of sand, as per the instructions. After a few gravi-metric readings, Antilles had found a stable patch of rock and sand that would not sink the Tantive the most its landing struts touched down on it.
Once Bail Organa left the ship, the change in atmosphere was palpable. Tatooine was dry, arid and hot. His boots were the first to feel the blistering heat of the sand, and he knew that they'd have to be thoroughly cleaned once he was back on the ship. Behind him, Antilles and Colton followed along. They had no blasters, only vibro-blades as their means of defense.
"What do we know about this planet?" Bail asked, looking about at the vast expanse of sand in all directions.
"The Empire's control doesn't reach this far, for one thing, Your Highness." Antilles said. "The Hutt Cartel is the predominant powerhouse in the area: a criminal organization based on smuggling and slave trade, among other illegal activities."
"But that's about as much as you could hear from any pilot who's ever been here." Colton added. "It's not like we've ever been here."
Suddenly, a blast burned the sand a few inches from their feet. A guttural sound came from over the hills, and three creatures clad in robes that blended in with the sand lept down, large spear-like weapons in hand.
An inhuman howl, more like the roar of some reptilian giant, echoed from somewhere. The robbed creatures looked about and then departed. But Bail and his two pilots were on the alert: whatever scared them off was now coming for them.
A dark hooded figure appeared from behind an outcropping of rock.
"Senator Organa," the hooded figure said. "Why have you come?"
"We're seeking the one called General Kenobi." Bail returned.
The hooded figure removed its hood, and revealed the figure of the Jedi Master, a grin upon his face.
"It's Ben, now." he said.
"Ben Kenobi?" Bail asked, a little unsure.
"If I assumed a local name," Kenobi said. "It would be easier for me to disappear." He then turned and saw the looks on Antilles and Colton's faces. "Oh, don't worry. An old Force trick my Master taught me: it's the sound of a krayt dragon, the only natural enemy of the Sand People."
"Sand People?"
"Or Tusken Raiders, if you prefer." Kenobi said. "Rather unpleasant, it seems." He then turned to Organa. "Now, tell me, Senator, what brings you out this far?"
"The plan is ready to be put in motion." he said.
"Everything is ready?" Kenobi asked.
"Yes." Bail nodded.
"Then I suggest you come with me."
Kenobi made his way up the hills, with Bail and his two pilots following after. At the top, there was a small hovel which Kenobi welcomed them inside.
As Bail walked through the door, he noticed a familiar face, seated down on the stone bench, a child huddled in her arms.
"Bail!" Padme greeted. She did not smile. Bail noticed that from the first-off. It seemed she was too sad to smile. Her tone, however, was kind - although strained.
"Amidala," he returned. "I'm here to take you off the system."
"What?" she asked.
"Padme," Kenobi said, turning to her. "We have a plan, one that will let you remain in safety with Leia, but you have to trust us."
"I want to see Luke." she insisted.
"Padme, please..."
"I want to see him, dammit!" Padme didn't swear often, but extreme situations called for extreme language. "He's my son! He needs his mother!"
Kenobi turned to Bail Organa and waved him away in dismissal. He then turned to Antilles and Colton and they walked out of the hovel.
"Padme," Kenobi said, once they left. "You must try to understand."
"Understand what?" she returned. "You're taking me away from my children! They're all I have left in this world!" She paused, tears now flowing once again from her eyes.
"That is why you must listen to me!" Kenobi continued. "The Force is strong with your children, I have felt it. They would be a threat to Palpatine if he knew of their existence."
"Then let me go in secret," she began. "I can find some place on Naboo, some place hidden. I can raise the children in solitude, away from this tyranny, but please! Let me see my son!"
"The Sith can sense a Jedi's presence, Padme!" he insisted. "One Force-sensitive is difficult enough to hide from their perception, but two...and together! It would be too dangerous a target!"
"There's got to be something!"
"There's no other way! Padme, you say that you care about your children. Well, then give them a chance to be free of the evils of the Sith. They are our only hope."
"What do you mean?"
Kenobi turned aside, casting his eyes out the window of his hovel.
"Master Yoda told me that the Prophecy may have been misread by the Jedi," he said. "I feel that he was right. Anakin is...no more. Whatever there was of him, it is gone now."
"No!" she shook her head. "I don't believe you! There's still some good in him! That's what kept me going through the delivery! I know he can be saved!" She sighed, her face falling in quiet resignation.
"It might be," she said at last. "That they are the ones to save him."
"Then you know why we must do this."
She nodded, though she had not the will to stop the tears from flowing down from her eyes.
"I'll go with you." she said at last.
"I must stay here and watch after Luke." Kenobi returned. "I'm afraid you must go alone."
"Where?"
"Alderaan." he said. "It's a peaceful planet, you will be safe there."
"That's what they said about Naboo, before the blockade."
There were no more words to be said. Padme looked upon Master Kenobi as both a friend and an enemy. He had both saved her life and killed her heart. Though she did not fully believe that Anakin was dead, she knew that something terrible had happened to him, something irrevocable.
With baby Leia in her arms, she walked out of the hovel. Kenobi followed her out, and Bail turned toward him.
"Goodbye..." The ghost of a smile was etched across Bail Organa's face. "...Ben Kenobi."
"May the Force be with you, Senator Organa."
"And with us all." he added, as he turned to walk down the hill. Pausing briefly, he turned around. Somehow, he felt happier as he walked back to his ship. Yoda had only asked for an escape pod when he departed from the Tantive, with no indication of where he was going. Bail Organa now knew where he could find a Jedi, and a Master at that.
If ever he needed his aid again, he knew where to find him.
Bail Organa now led Padme into one of the cargo containers of the Tantive IV.
"What's this?" she asked.
"Forgive me, Senator," he began. "But you have to travel in cargo."
"Why?"
Now was better than ever. He knew that, sooner or later, she would have know about the plan. If it was to see a fitful conclusion, she would have to know about it.
"We're preparing to deposit a decoy of you on Naboo," he said. "The official story is that you died in childbirth."
"Is that why I'm going in secret?" she asked.
"Yes," he returned. "We can't risk you being discovered as a passenger. Also," He paused here, trying to find the correct words for this. "If you have any trinket, any bauble, anything that you wear on your person at all times, it would be helpful with this plan."
Padme's hand instinctively went up to her heart, feeling the tiny japoor-snippit that Anakin had given her so many years ago. Was it really worth it? This was the last piece of Anakin Skywalker that she had: the last piece of her heart.
No, she reasoned. Her children were part of him as well, part of both of them. As long as they were alive, a part of Anakin Skywalker would live on, no matter what happened. She sighed, resigning herself once again to the horrible task that awaited her.
With both hands, she removed the amulet and gave it to Bail Organa. It felt like giving away her heart.
On Naboo, the body of Padme Amidala was finally discovered. The official records, the ones that went back to Coruscant, said that she died in childbirth. Queen Apailana ordered a funeral be held to honor Naboo's most beloved queen and its favorite senator. All were in attendance - her family, the Queen herself, Sio Bibble the Governor of Theed, even the new Naboo Senator. In her hands the tiny japoor-snippit was encased, to rest with her as she herself came to her final resting place.
On Alderaan, Queen Breha Organa welcomed home her beloved Bail Organa after a long period of absence. They received the news that Sheltay Retrac had died on Coruscant and her husband had also disappeared. Much to their happiness, especially that of the barren Queen Breha, Bail adopted their infant daughter Winter. In a house once belonging to the late Sheltay Retrac, Padme Amidala sat in secrecy, cradling her daughter in her arms. Tears streamed down her face as she knew that she could not hold her son as well.
(AN: Didn't feel like spending too much time on Cartao, so I shortened it up...a lot!)
(This, however, is not the end of my story by far. It's just the end of the Prequel trilogy part. The rest shall come once I've thoroughly planned it out. So far, I've only gotten this far. Will try to update a.s.a.p.)
(10.3.11. How did Leia know that Ben Kenobi was the same as General Obi-wan Kenobi when Luke rescued her from the Death Star in ANH? My reasoning is that her 'father' Bail told her, and here we see how he found out.)