Chapter 3

It's cold he thought, and dark. How long has it been like this, it feels like I'm floating in a dream? Hmmm… I hear someone calling me, who is it? They sound familiar. 'Who are you?' he wanted to say, but no words came out. Then he saw a light, an overwhelmingly, bright light. Not knowing what was going on, he waited patiently for his eyes to adjust to the brightness. As the brightness lost its effect, he tried to turn his head to see his surroundings, only for his head to loll to the side. Despite not having full control of his head, he could make out a blurry figure over by the wall. Where am I? Who is that? He then remembered everything before being lowered into the pit. He remembered telling Mace Windu about the chancellor, about debating on whether or not to go help Master Windu, about the fight in the chancellor's office, but most importantly, he remembered feeling his wife's force signature being extinguished.

Not knowing who it was by the wall, and the pain of remembering Padmé's death, he used the force to push the, could be, assailant onto the wall and held him there until he could regain his bearings. Hearing the surprised gasp being emitted from the blurry figure he held him tighter due to the man trying to break free. Struggling, he managed to sit upright and turned to face his prisoner. "You will not speak anything besides the truth and only to answer my questions. Understand?" his voice, cracked with disuse, croaked out.

"Yes, I understand," the stranger replied, sounding amused and awfully familiar to him.

"Good. First question, where am I?"

"Onboard the Millennium Falcon."

"What's the Millennium Falcon?"

"A smuggling ship."

"What star system am I in?"

"We are currently somewhere in the Outer Rim, I'm not really sure where."

Anakin just growled in annoyance at that.

"Why can't I see clearly?" Instead of answering, the figure just gasped loudly.

"You can't see?" he asked worriedly.

Anakin just applied more pressure onto him and said, "I'm asking the questions and you're answering them, not the other way around."

Sighing in exasperation, he said, "I don't know why you can't see, but I guess it's because you haven't seen anything for so long."

This gave Anakin pause, so long? How long was I in that state? "How long was I trapped?" he asked after a moment of thought.

This time instead of exasperation, he sighed with a sense of sadness, "You've been asleep for over twenty years Anakin."

Anakin tensed at being called by name. "Who are you, how do you know me?"

"Now that's just rude, not remembering my voice. It's me Anakin, Obi-Wan."

Gasping in shock, Anakin used his senses to read his force signature, and sure enough, it was Obi-Wan Kenobi. Quickly releasing his former teacher and good friend, he said, "I'm sorry, I didn't realize."

"Oh it's alright, I expected something like this due to the circumstances."

"Obi-Wan," he said.

"Yes?"

"Tell me, where is senator Amidala."

"You don't have to keep that act up anymore Anakin, I know about your relationship with her," he said. "And I'm sorry. She passed away after birth."

Tears started pouring out of Anakin's eyes, "So it's true, I thought so, but you said birth. Then what happened to my child." He asked eyeing Obi-Wan hopefully.

"Wrong Anakin," he said. Seeing his face fall, he realized how Anakin interpreted the news. "No don't get me wrong, they're alive, but you had twins. Not one child, two," he informed the saddened knight. Anakin's face lit up at the news. Once again, he had hope of living with a loving family.

"Where are they? Are they nearby? Can I see them? What do they look like?" Obi-Wan raised his hand to halt the questions, but to Anakin it just looked like he moved his arm.

"Now now Anakin. Let's not be too hasty. I shall take you to meet them both after you fully recover from the carbonite. Until then, how about you tell all that happened to you after we last met and I'll tell you what has happened over the last twenty years. Fair warning, you might not like what I have to say."

Anakin just let out a frustrated huff of breath and crawled over to the wall so he wouldn't fall back down on his back. "Alright fine. Let's get this over with, I want to see them soon," and thus, he began his tale of everything after Obi-Wan left to Utapau all those years ago.

(5 minutes ago)

Luke, Leia and Han were all enjoying themselves. They had just escaped from, what Leia called, the Death Star. They had gone against all odds and came out on top. Luke was talking to Leia about why she was on the Death Star. She told him that she was a spy for the rebel alliance and was being held captive and was 'questioned' on rebel movements and locations. She changed the topic to asking how Luke knew Master Kenobi when she saw Han starting to look a bit ill when she began to describe Miran's 'questioning' methods. "So you really thought he was just some old man?" she asked him.

"Yeah, I had no idea that old man Ben was really a Jedi Master," Luke said rather embarressed about it. "But him being a Jedi doesn't change the way I think of him, to me, he will always be that strange old man that would visit from time to time." He said with a somber smile.

"Oh, so how will you treat me, the princess of Alderran?" Leia asked in a mocking tone.

"Like anybody else I know of course," he responded, maybe even like family he thought hopefully.

"You can't treat her like that! We might have just saved her ass from a living hell, but she's still a princess," Han exclaimed in shock at Luke's response. "Well that is unless she wants us to." He said, glancing hopefully at Leia. Leia was stunned by Luke but smiled happily at them both.

"No, I don't mind that at all."

Han's smile could have split his face. "Well then, I think this calls for another round." He said while reaching for another bottle of Correllian Rum and poured everyone another glass. Luke was about to take a sip when he felt a wave in the force so strong that it made him stagger back a bit.

"What was that?" he asked

"What was what kid?" said Han.

"'What was what', that explosion just now. Did neither of you feel that?" he asked Han and Leia incredulously.

"Nothing happened, I think you might have had a bit too much to drink," Leia asked worriedly.

"You two seriously didn't fell that?" Luke asked them in disbelief. "What about you B-... where's Ben?"

"He said he had something he needed to do in private involving that box of his, so I let him use the safe room down the hall," Han answered, pointing in said direction.

"But that's where I felt the explosion just come from thought!" Luke shouted. Leia began to look a bit nervous about everything that was going on.

"Do you think he's going to be alright?" she questioned.

"I'm sure he's fine, he probably knows what's inside that box so he knows how to deal with it," Han said nonchalantly.

Then Luke felt the sudden surge begin to recede, "It's stopped," he whispered. "Well I'm sure Ben can take care of himself, he always has before no matter the situation."

Leia put a hand on his shoulder and gave him a reassuring squeeze. "I'm know he can take care of himself, and I'm sure he appreciates the concern, but there is almost nothing he can't handle by himself. Especially if it's something that Master Kenobi knows enough about," she said trying to reassure the still slightly nervous young man. Her words seemed to do the trick because right after she had said that he began to relax a bit more.

"Yeah, what she said. Now sit down and have another drink, it's not everyday that you escape from one of the largest military controlled planets. Especially if the planet itself is a military base." Han said trying to lighten the mood. Luke reluctantly took another cup of the rum and started sipping it. A few minutes later Ben came into the room with a smile threatening to split his face in half.

"Hey Ben!" Luke said excitedly. "What was that disturbance earlier? What caused it? Are you okay? Did it have something to do with that box you had earlier?" Luke asked him.

He really is just like his father Obi-Wan thought. "Calm down Luke, everything is fine. As for the box, well a friend of mine was being held captive in it and he just woke up from a long sleep that's all. He just happened to be extremely in tune with the force and I startled him, which is probably what you felt earlier. I actually plan on introducing the lot of you to him later actually. Now is that Correllian Rum I smell." he asked turning to Han who was holding the bottle.

"You think you can handle this stuff with your age old man?" Han questioned.

"Shut up and hurry up and pour me a drink, and leave some for later to. My friend might as well be addicted to this stuff and he'll just get cranky if he learns he missed a chance to get some," Obi-Wan said. A loud clang was heard coming from the wall at that. "You know it's rude to eavesdrop you know, and you should be getting some rest, not listening to somebody else's conversation!" he said in a slightly raised tone. "Rude brat," he murmured. Another clang was heard. With a sigh he looked back to the other three who were staring at him curiously. "Well? Are you going to pour me a drink or not?"

On Dagobah

Master Yoda was sitting in front of a cave surrounded by crystals, trying to use the force to show him what was currently going on in the galaxy. Suddenly he got a vision while he was looking into the crystals. It showed a ship in the Outer Rim, and on it was his old friend Kenobi. There was also someone else there but he couldn't seem to place a name to the force signature. An old friend perhaps, it could be he thought. "Familiar, it is. But who, I am not certain," he said aloud. He sat down and looked into the force for guidance on what he should do. After a minute of meditating he came to a conclusion, "Come to me, they will. Then see for myself, who it is." He chuckled in amusement at the answer, and then began to head back towards his home and think on who it could be.

On Coruscant

"... and that is how we shall proceed in the matter of distributing the food supplies on Ryloth for the immediate future, or until better methods come to light." Palpatine finished his speech to the Galactic Representatives. All of the members began to clap in unanimous agreement in support of the newly appointed plan that the emperor spoke of. What lowly pieces of sheep, they willingly go along with anything I say without any real opposition. He thought to himself all the while smiling to his audience. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to take care of some other, more personal, matters," he announced as he began to leave the senate room.

He was walking down one of the endless corridors when he was almost knocked back by a sudden surge of energy. What was that!? he thought. He looked back and forth down the hallway to see if it was some sort of ambush, when he saw nobody there he tried to locate the source. Much to his frustration, surprise, and irritation the source of the surge in the force seemed to be to far away to actually get any specific location through the force. Deciding to think on this unsettling event later, he decided to make his way to his personal chambers.

No sooner than when he arrived, that his private comm link went off. Shutting the door quickly, he activated it to see who could be trying to contact him now of all times. He was slightly surprised to see his apprentice, Miran, to appear in the holographic communication. "What is it, I'm was about to attend to something important," he snapped at him.

Miran hesitated for a moment before he knelt down and spoke, "Forgive me my master, I have failed you."

"Failed me? How?" he asked.

"A smuggling ship was captured earlier today and on board was a rescue party for the former Senator Organa."

"So? She was of no real importance anymore since now we know where those cowardly rebels are hiding."

"They also took something else master. They took prisoner B77-HR1."

"WHAT!? You useless piece of trash! If they manage to release him..." the emperor stopped his rant and suddenly remembered the surge in midi-chlorian. "No, it is already too late, they have released him a short time ago." The emperor went into silent thought as he tried to think on how he could fix this situation. "Darth Miran, I'm giving you full authority over the fleet. They could not have gotten far, your orders are to find them as soon as possible and to execute them on sight! Am I understood!" he shouted at his apprentice.

"Perfectly my master," he responded demurely.

"Good, after you have done so you will return here so we can discuss your... punishment... more thoroughly."

Miran gulped at the news and began to mentally prepare himself for when it came, I understand Master," and with that said the emperor ended the link.

Palpatine sat down on a nearby chair and heaved a sigh of exhaustion. I will have to think on this some more, until then I can only try and trust that Miran will be able to catch up to Skywalker's ship... Palpatine then realized how impossible that would be if Anakin was actually flying the ship himself. After all, he was one of the greatest pilots during the Clone Wars. "Damn."

On the Millieneum Falcon

Anakin was pissed. First he found out that he had been asleep for TWO DECADES and that Padmé, his beloved angel, was truly dead. He already knew it to be true for he had felt her die right before he was imprisoned, though he had some hope that he was wrong. He also found out, that instead of having one child, she delivered twins AND they were on this very ship. What made him really mad was the fact that Sidious had actually become the emperor and was ruling the galaxy with an iron fist.

Right now he was just trying to sort out all of his thoughts on everything Obi-Wan had told him a few minutes ago. What he wouldn't give for some that Rum too. With a sigh, he resigned him self to get some sleep, so he laid down on a futon that was lying nearby and closed his eyes to get some sleep... ... ... This is impossible he thought as he sat back up with less difficulty than he had earlier. "What can I do to pass the time then?" he asked himself. What he really wanted to do was get to know his children, but Obi-Wan wouldn't help him leave the room and he was still to weak to actually stand, much less get to the door.

Suddenly, a vision of a young boy working on a moisture farm on Tatooine, but before he could even think about the that image it changed into a young girl on what he thought was Alderaan in a school for future diplomats. As soon as those images had appeared they were gone. What was that!? Who were those two he wondered. No sooner had he thought it, than an image appeared once again. Unlike the first to however, this one showed Padmé holding two infants. Wait? So those two were our children!? He tried to recall those images back through the force and after a minute or two of intense concentration, both images appeared once again into his mind.

Is the force showing me their pasts he wondered. Suddenly a new thought entered his mind that caused him to grin like a fool. "Well, now I know what I can do to pass the time," he said aloud as he then focused on using the force to show him the lives of his children up until now. When the force finally began to show him, he threw his conscious into learning about those two as much as possible, after all he thought I have a lot of catching up to do.

One hour later

Leia was walking around the ship for a while now. The boys had drunken themselves to near unconsciousness and the old Jedi was content to just calmly sip on his drink as he looked at the two younger men. She was currently looking for some sort of communications room so she could contact the Rebel Alliance and tell them of her situation. Her search led her to the cockpit of the Falcon where she found a comm link upon the wall. Activating it, she inputted the secret code that the Rebels used to contact each other without the empire being able to intercept it.

After a few seconds of waiting one of the commanders on Yavin 4 answered her. With a salute he said, "Greetings Senator Organa. We were worried when we heard of your capture by Darth Miran. I have to ask you to give a report on what has happened since you were captured however. Sorry if it's and inconvenience."

"Of course commander. I was, as you said, captured by Darth Miran outside of the Rebel outpost on Alderaan as its location was somehow leaked, or discovered, I'm still not sure which. Afterwards, I was taken aboard Miran's Star Destroyer, The Ishimura (Dead Space), and was then transported to the Death Star."

"Did you say the Death Star!? We thought that was just a rumor."

"Well commander, I can assure you it is no rumor. It truly does posses the power to destroy planets. Alderaan experienced it first hand."

"... I understand. I'm sorry for your lost Senator."

"Thank you, but as I was saying. When I was on the Death Star, I was interrogated and I told them that we were located in the Yavin 4 system. I didn't say where on Yavin 4 but with the Death Star, you only need the planet's name." He visibly paled at the news, but gestured for her to continue. "The next day, I think, a smuggler's ship landed into the Death Star carrying Obi-Wan Kenobi and another young man by the name of Luke Skywalker."

"Did you say Skywalker?"

"Yes, do you know of him?"

"Not really, but I heard of one of the founder's mention his name in passing. Please continue with your report."

"After I was freed by Luke, a smuggler named Han Solo, and Solo's partner, a wookie by the name of Chewbacca, we met up with Obi-Wan Kenobi who had taken another one of the prisoners with him. Unfortunately I do not know who this is, and as much as I trust Master Kenobi I must request a security force to greet us upon our arrival at Yavin 4 in the next day or two. That is the end of my report."

"Understood, this is a grave situation as you know and I will proceed you request to the generals along with your report."

"Thank you commander, I hope to see you soon," with her message complete, she turned off the comm link and erased the code from the comm's database. "Now just to actually get to Yavin before Miran and the Death Star do." With her objective complete, she turned to go find somewhere to get some rest after this hectic day.

Anakin had just finished looking through what memories the force would let him see of his children, which was still a good deal, and it took him roughly an hour to look through all of the memories. At the end of it he was just depressed that he couldn't be there for his children. But now he could be, and he swears to himself that he won't let them ever come into harm's way. No matter what. Not just for them, but for Padmé as well. "I'm sorry Padmé. I wasn't there for our children, for the Republic, for Obi-Wan, and most importantly I wasn't there for you. I'm lost without you my angel, please, just tell me what I should do, give me a sign," he said into the air and into the force.

He sat there for a full minute before releasing a sigh and tried to stand up, which he managed to do with a little trouble, and made his way to the door to go speak with Obi-Wan. You'll be fine Ani. He spun around when he barely heard that. He looked around the room for who had spoken, but there weren't many places someone of any size could actually hide. A small smile graced his face as he realized that he heard that message through the force. "Thank you," he whispered before once again heading towards the door. This time with confidence in his step.

AN: Sorry it took so long to get this uploaded, it's been done for ages I just never had time to post it. The way I'm probably going to do this is having an event happen in one chapter and then the how that related to other in the next chapter. For those of you who keep PMing me on uploading, I will say this again, I WILL UPLOAD WHENEVER I CAN BUT I WILL DO SO WHEN I WANT TO! but for those of you who do read these little notes, I hoped you enjoyed the latest chapter.

Sincerely- LF