Chapter Six
Attachments
A Jedi shall not know hate.
A Jedi shall not know anger.
A Jedi shall not know love.
Anakin knew all these things. Attachments were forbidden, possessions were forbidden but compassion was essential to a Jedi's life. How could a Jedi have compassion and not become attached to some life force. Since learning of becoming Darth Vader, Anakin had been remembering his Jedi teachings. So he had broken the Code and married Padme. She made him truly happy with nothing else could. What he told Luke was true, although he could see that Luke and Leia would get along, they lacked the fire and the lust that he sensed would explode between Leia and Han. Anakin was meditating and he saw a small child, "Anakin Solo," Leia said holding onto the child and smiling at Han. He was a beautiful child with sandy blonde hair and blue eyes. He saw two older children..twins with dark hair and eyes. Why was the child named after him? He hadn't done anything with her...Anakin emerged himself with the force and saw Luke in Jedi robes holding a small child of his own. The vision rapidly faded and Anakin found himself smiling. They all seemed so happy, so connected, and the living force flowed freely between them all.
The Jedi would be allowed attachments. No more sneaking around. Anakin's heart nearly burst as he heard a slight knock on his chambers door.
"Dad, it's Luke. The Alliance is requesting your presence. Princess Leia wants to see you."
"I'll be there in a moment son. Do you remember what I was saying about the Jedi?"
"Yeah, no attachments. Got it, Dad," Luke replied cheeky.
"I broke it. I'm married to your mother, secretly of course."
"I knew you had married her, that you love her."
"More than anything, Luke. We had to keep it secret because the Jedi aren't allowed marriages, they believed it would interfere with their Jedi duties. But it hasn't. It's what keeps me alive sometimes. When I get back to my time, I will see that things change for all of us, but I have seen it in the Force, you and Leia are meant to be friends. Besides she's too much like I am."
Luke frowned as a shadow passed over his face. "Do you want her for yourself?"
"No, Luke. I love your mother. When I'm in this time again, I will be twenty years too old for her. Old enough to be her father," Anakin said frowning, the force was whispering to him something elusive about Leia.
"Well, let's get to that meeting, son. Is Obi-Wan awake?"
"Yea, everyone's waiting on you. Since Leia convinced everyone that you had been captured by the Empire, they were all trying to let you sleep."
"I didn't sleep...much."
"I know, Dad. And it's okay to have nightmares. I used to have them."
"Tell me."
"Well, it's nothing really. Just a feeling of being crushed by something stronger than I am. Of being forgotten. Of losing who I am."
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"I know only too well, son," Anakin said sadly as he entered the room and looked around for a seat. He found himself looking into Leia's dazzling smile. She patted the seat next to him, and finding it one of the only empty seats, Anakin took a seat and he frowned while she smiled and listened as Mon Mon explained the mission. "Here is the weakness," she was saying as Anakin smiled confidently. He had done this before.
"The Death Star does not see a small one man fighter as a threat."
"I'll do it," Anakin volunteer.
"But you haven't heard the plan."
"I don't have too," Anakin said, knowing what the plan was, he could see it in his mind.
She cleared her throat. "Well, Master Skywalker, allow me to explain for all us non-force users here."
Leia was confused as well, she could see the plan forming in her mind as well. What the Force was it? She could also feel Mon's irritation with Anakin as well as her respect for him.
Mon Montha continued her explanation, "The battle station is heavily shielded and carries a firepower greater than half the star fleet. It's defenses are designed around a direct large-scale assault. A small one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defense."
Despite himself, Han Solo questioned, " What good are snub fighters going to be against that ticking time bomb?"
"Well, the Empire doesn't consider a small one-man fighter to be any threat, or they'd have a tighter defense. An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station. The approach will not be easy. You are required to maneuver straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point. The target area is only two meters wide. It's a small thermal exhaust port, right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should destroy the station."
"Piece of cake, " Anakin said with a smile.
"Anakin, don't get cocky," Obi-Wan said and Anakin's grin widened.
"Just because your an old man doesn't mean I can't defeat the Sith."
"The Sith?" questioned Luke.
"The enemies of The Jedi and The Alliance I'm guessing," Anakin said. "I still think of the Republic when I think of our government."
Leia looked confused, he couldn't really be that old could he? She had been born on Empire Day. Just how old was Anakin? Did she care? She had always heard older guys were more...sophisticated.
"Only a precise hit will set up a chain reaction. The shaft is ray-shielded, so you'll have to use proton torpedoes.," Mon continued.
"It's not impossible," Luke protested."I used to bull's-eye womp rats in my T-sixteen back home. They're not much bigger than two meters."
"That's dangerous son, " Anakin said with a smile. "Next time, I'll race you," he said with a wink.
"Skywalker, pick your team," Mom told him.
"The Old Jedi, and my son."
"Father, what about Wedge and Biggs?"
"Alright. Solo, are you in?"
"I ain't in this for your revolution, sister," he said looking at Leia. "I'm not in it for you. I'm in this for the money. "
Leia nodded and was handed a bag of credits. "We do thank you for saving the Princess of Alderaan," Mon said as Han walked out of the room.
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"Still think he's good enough for her, Dad?"
"Just wait," Anakin said, frowning. The boy was disappointing him. Luke followed Han Solo. He did like and respect the space pilot.
"So you've got your reward then? You are just going to leave?"
"That's right, kid. I got some old debts I gotta pay off with this stuff. Even if I didn't you don't think I'd be fool enough to stick around here, do you? Why don't you come with us? You're pretty good in a fight. I could use you."
Luke couldn't believe Han's words, even with his envy over Leia, he thought there was good it Solo. Couldn't he see what was going on? " Why don't you take a look around? You know what's about to happen, what they're up against. They could use a good pilot like you. You're turning your back on them."
"What good's a reward if you ain't around to use it? Besides, attacking that battle station ain't my idea of courage. It's more like suicide."
"Sometimes, Solo, you have to take a chance, believe in yourself. You have to do the right thing, even if it isn't the easy thing," Anakin said appearing out of nowhere.
"Take care of yourself, Han. I guess that's what you are good at isn't it?" Luke replied angrily.
"Hey, Kid. May the force be with you." Luke stormed off.
"Han, remember what I said," Anakin reminded him
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Luke turned to see Leia. He hadn't spent much time with her, but he felt a pull to her.
"Hey, Luke what's wrong?"
"Oh, it's Han, Princess. I don't know. I really thought he would change his mind."
"He's got to follow his own path. No one can chose it for him," Leia said hugging him and giving him a brief kiss.
"What happened to Anakin's wife?" Luke frowned, Leia was getting serious about Anakin.
"I hate to tell you, Leia, but he loves her. She's on her home planet."
A man came up to them. "Are you...Luke Skywalker?"
"Yes sir." Biggs came up near him and threw an arm over his shoulder.
"Sir, Skywalker is the best bushpilot in the Outer Rim."
"I met your father once when I was just a youngling, he was a great pilot. You'll do all right. If you've got half of your father's skill, you'll do better than all right," he said with a smile.
"He here."
"I heard that. I've just arrived.You look just like him."
"Thank you, sir."
"Sir? Call me Kad. Your father met me on a mission of his. He and his master, Obi-Wan Kenobi were there with me when my father died."
"What happened?" Luke asked.
"My father betrayed me, he was responsible for countless deaths but he loved me. He asked for my forgives, and he died in my arms moments after I gave it. Remember that Skywalker, it may be important to you one day."
"I will, Kad. I will."