Chapter 18

Padmé and the twins left the Naberrie home the next day, just after lunch. As soon as Padmé entered the cockpit, she checked her messages. She was hoping to find one from Anakin, but did not. She was not surprised, but disappointed all the same. There was a message, however, from Bail Organa. Padmé opened it at once.

Hello Padmé, I hope you are well. When you get this message, please contact me. There's something urgent that I need to talk to you about.

Padmé frowned, his words leaving a sense of uneasiness inside of her. She contacted him immediately.

"Padmé, thanks for responding so quickly," Bail said.

"What's wrong, Bail?" she asked.

"A lot," he said. He proceeded to tell Padmé the whole story, about how Krennic had arrived at his office and the threats he had made. Padmé listened with growing apprehension.

"This is terrible," Padmé said. "How did this man get overlooked?"

"I don't know," Bail said. "But he did. And I'm afraid I need your help with this, Padmé. I know you don't what to be involved with politics anymore, but ..."

"What can I do?" she said. "Tell me what I can do to help, Bail."

"I need Vader to find this man," he told her. "I need him to find out everything he can about these plans, if they even exist, and destroy them."

Padmé could barely believe her ears. "You...you expect me to ask him to help you do your job? Is that what you're asking me?"

Bail lifted his eyebrows. "I don't understand your attitude, Padmé," he said. "I thought you wanted to see peace in the galaxy."

Padmé frowned. "I do," she said. "I just think you're way out of line," she said. "After the threats you made to him, do you really expect him to help you now?"

"If he's really changed as much as Obi-Wan claims he has, then I'd think he'd want to help," Bail said. "And consider this," he said. "If he does this, I'll give him a full pardon," he said. "He'll be free to go anywhere in the galaxy freely."

Padmé didn't know what to say. It certainly was a tempting offer, but it wasn't her decision, it was Anakin's.

"I will speak with him," Padmé said finally. "I have no idea what he'll say, to be honest with you, but I'll talk to him."

"Thank you, Padmé," he said. "I really do appreciate it."

"Don't thank me yet," she said. "Anakin hasn't agreed to do this yet."

"I understand," Bail said.

Padmé closed the transmission, realizing what it was she had to do. I need to see him, she thought. It's time.

Star Destroyer Devastator

"Blood gases are excellent," the medic said.

"Is it up to 100 percent yet?" Anakin asked.

"Not quite," the medic said. "Just over 95 percent."

Anakin frowned. He was frustrated that he still hadn't achieved 100 percent of his lung capacity, and was beginning to think it wouldn't happen. This required him to have his blood oxygen levels checked weekly, and, if he over did it with exercise, to take in some extra oxygen.

"Don't give up," she said. "Your cardio-vascular system is working beautifully," she said. "A medical miracle, in my opinion."

Anakin nodded, though he still felt only partially successful. His new prosthetics fit perfectly, were comfortable and functioned almost like real limbs. Almost. But they're not real, he reflected. They're fake .

"Can I help you?" the medic asked as Anakin pulled his tunic back on.

"Yes, I'm looking for ..." Padmé stopped as she caught sight of Anakin on the other side of the room. He stood staring at her, his tunic unbuttoned.

Anakin was as shocked as she was to see her standing there, but when he saw the twins, he smiled and opened his arms to them. Luke and Leia had never seen their father's face, but they knew who he was, they sensed his unmistakable force presence before they entered the room.

"Daddy!" Luke and Leia squealed as Anakin picked them up in his arms. He kissed them each over and over, making them giggle.

"I've missed you guys so much!" Anakin said as he held them close.

Padmé watched Anakin with their twins, her heart warmed by the sight. But he didn't react to seeing me that way, she thought. She hadn't known what to expect, given the way things had been between them. But it was clear to her that he was hurt.

"Anakin, you look ...amazing!" she said once Anakin had put the children down.

Anakin smiled. "Surprise," he said.

"How? How is this possible?" she asked.

"The meditation that Qui-Gon taught me healed my lungs," he said. "They're operating at 95 percent efficiency," he said, "so I lost the mask."

"And the rest?" she said.

"Well, there's no easy solution for the limbs unfortunately," Anakin said. "But they've fitted me with new prosthetics, which are vastly superior, state of the art," he said.

"That's excellent," Padmé said. The tension between them was palpable, and Padmé was beginning to wonder if she'd made a mistake coming to see him. "I really need to discuss something with you," she said. "Can we go somewhere and talk?"

Anakin buttoned up his tunic, her request making him uneasy. She wants a divorce, he thought. She's here to end our marriage.

"Of course," he said. "Come with me."

Anakin and Padmé left the medical bay, each holding the hand of one of their twins. Anakin's uneasiness grew as they walked along, but he hid it well, talking with his daughter as she made observations along the walk to the quarters where they had stayed while on board.

"Are you guys hungry?" Anakin asked as they entered the quarters.

"They just had lunch," Padmé said.

"Oh, okay," Anakin said. He felt very uncomfortable, and sat down on the sofa in the common area. "So what did you want to talk about?" he said as Luke and Leia sat down to reacquaint themselves with the toys their father had equipped their quarters with.

"What do you know about Orson Krennic?" Padmé said.

Her words were straight out of the blue, and for a moment, Anakin said nothing. "Uh...well, I know who he is," he said. "I know he's a weapon designer."

Padmé nodded. "Yes," she said. "Apparently he's in possession of plans to a super weapon, and he's threatening the peace of the galaxy," she said.

Anakin knew exactly what she was talking about. The weapon had been one of Palpatine's favourite projects, but it had only been in the embryonic stage when Palpatine had died. Had Galen Erso continued his work on the project? Had Krennic pressured him to do so?

"I know something about that," Anakin said. "As far as I know, the construction of the weapon hasn't even started yet," he said. "I'm not sure how much of a threat it can be."

"Do you think you can find out?" Padmé asked.

Anakin looked at her. "Organa wants me to help, doesn't he?" he said.

Padmé nodded. "Yes, he's asked me to ask you," he said. "I know how you feel about him, but he has offered you a full pardon if you help."

Anakin was shocked. "How do I know he can be trusted to keep his word?" Anakin asked.

"I trust him," Padmé said. "Do you trust my judgement?"

"You know I do," Anakin said.

"Then please do this," she said.

Anakin stood up and started to pace as he considered her request. "If I do this, it will be for you, Padmé," he said at last. "Not for him."

Padmé smiled. "I can live with that," she said. "Thank you, Anakin."

"Is that why you came here, Padmé?" Anakin asked. "To deliver Organa's request?"

Padmé's smile faded. "It's been more than two months since we've seen each other, Anakin," she said. "I guess I wanted to see you, and I thought maybe you wanted to see the kids."

Anakin frowned. "You thought I wanted to see the kids?" he asked. "Didn't you think I wanted to see you?"

"I honestly don't know how you are feeling, Anakin," she said. "I don't know where I stand with you," she said.

"Padmé, you were the one who wanted space," he said. "You were the one who asked me to stay away. I think I should be the one asking you where I stand with you. Two months, more than two months, with no contact. I've had no idea if you even wanted to stay married to me or not."

Padmé didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry Ani," she said. "I guess I just wasn't ready to see you."

Anakin regarded her. "So in other words, if it weren't for the Chancellor's request, you wouldn't have come here today," he said. "Isn't that right?"

Padmé sighed. "Ani, please don't question me this way," she said. "I needed time, and I've been confused about so many things. You know I love you, but I'm not sure what I want right now."

Anakin nodded. "So you're not sure you want to be with me, is that what you're saying?"

"I didn't say that," Padmé said. "You're putting words in my mouth, Anakin."

Anakin sighed, and walked away. "Let the Chancellor know that I'll see what I can find out about Krennic," he said. "I'll go to Eadu to see what's going on with this super weapon."

"Thank you, Anakin," she said. "I'm sure the Chancellor will be very grateful."

I don't give a damn about the Chancellor, Padmé, he thought. All I care about is our family.

"I will bring Obi-Wan with me," he said. "We'll leave as soon as possible."

"Please be careful," Padmé said. She frowned as a thought occurred to her. "How will you be able to find out any information without being Darth Vader?"

"I hadn't thought of that," he said. He frowned. "I hate the thought of it, but I suppose I could wear the mask again."

"I hate the thought of that too," she said. "I still can't get over that you can live without it now," she said with a smile.

"It's been incredible," he said with a smile. "Eating real food, sleeping in a bed, taking real showers..." he stopped as he thought about something else he would be able to do, but didn't say it. He had no idea if it would ever happen again.

"Yes, I'm sure it must be wonderful," she said.

"Mommy I need to go potty," Leia said, looking up at her mother.

Padmé stood up at once. "Come on sweetheart," she said, taking her by the hand. "Luke, do you need to go too?" Luke nodded, and stood up to join his mother. Anakin watched them leave, and then left the quarters to go and have a word with Obi-Wan Kenobi.