Chapter 13 - Far Away From Home

Author's Note: Uh... no regrets? ;)

~ Amina Gila

Aniya Skywalker

The next hours are a bit of a blur, if I'm being honest. Somehow, we convinced Jango Fett – the only nearby person with a ship left, because the hangar here was demolished – to take us and Sidious back to Coruscant. During the fight, Jango was apparently getting busy evacuating the building. Why he decided to collect Plagueis' massive group of younglings he was experimenting on, I have no idea, but Jango's adopted son Din latched onto one of them and has refused to put him down.

I know why.

Grogu is tiny, and he's adorable. And a perfectly snuggle-sized thing that I would like to hold myself right now, except I haven't been able to do much of anything except hold Qui-Gon's lightsaber and stare blankly ahead of me.

I've been that way for hours. It's ridiculous by this point.

Sidious hasn't spoken to us, that I remember anyway.

There's a ripple in the Force, and it's strong on Coruscant. I'm not sure what it is or means, but something is happening here right now. Something changed, shifted.

We disembark in the Works, just to be safe. Maul is the first out to greet us. "What happened?" he demands. He's pointedly ignoring Sidious, too. Everyone is, actually, and for the first time in my life, the Sith actually seems content with brooding in silence. I'm not sure what to think about that.

"Plagueis nearly killed me," Anakin answers, the lengthy pause an indication of how he's still in shock, too. "And then... I don't know. But they fought."

"Ah," he says dryly, "I take that to have some relation with how the Empire is falling."

"What?" Sidious snaps, speaking up for the first time in the past three hours. Of course, that's the first thing he's worried about.

"Someone revealed your identity to the public," Maul replies, and he sounds far, far too smug about that. He thinks it's funny. Any other time, if the public itself wasn't in danger if the Empire shatters entirely like I know it's about to, I would, too. "That you have had dealings with the Separatists from before the start of the war. The Senate is in uproar, demanding your immediate removal and arrest."

"Would Plagueis do that?" I ask. I don't know what he thought about... everything, but the Sith have been working for this, and I don't know if he would really let that fall apart.

"No," Sidious answers shortly. He's furious. I can feel it, and I want to... get away from him. I just need distance, some time alone, some time to...

"Then who would?" I inquire.

"I think you already know the answer," Anakin replies, "But either way, I don't know if we can stay here anymore."

"There is no way to twist this, that the public would accept," Maul offers. I honestly think he would be laughing, if he weren't at risk of whatever Sidious would probably do to him, if he did. It's the revenge he always wanted to get, so I can't fault him for that. Not after what's happened to him.

"I will ascertain the situation," Sidious speaks, finally, "But we may temporarily need to... leave."

I have my doubts that there'll be anything 'temporary' about it, if what Maul is saying is true. Unless Sidious was prepared for something like this, or if he's just being delusional, because he doesn't want to let the idea of an Empire go.

"Prepare for our departure," he orders shortly, before walking out. I don't know where he's going, and I don't ask. I'm just relieved to have some room to breathe.

"Where will we go?" I ask, almost rhetorically.

"If you desire to leave, we do not need to wait for him," Maul replies, dryly. I haven't seen him in such a good mood in a long time. Maybe ever, actually.

"We have nowhere to go," Anakin points out. Nowhere that we know to go, anyway, though I can't deny that the offer is almost tempting. At the same time... I don't know. I can't imagine actually doing that.

"You said Plagueis almost killed you," Maul says finally.

I don't want to talk about this. "Yes. He... did."

"It came close," Anakin answers, quietly.

I'm not quite expecting Maul to move closer, hovering right in front of us. He looks worried. "And you are... functional?"

"We're walking, aren't we?"

He makes a noise implying he's decidedly unimpressed with the comment. "I do not find this amusing."

"We don't either, but he was just saying," I point out.

Maul reaches out, touching Anakin's shoulder – I'm not expecting that, at all. He never does that. Likely because he's only half aware that touch can, in fact, be used for affection, not violence.

My brother moves forwards unexpectedly, wrapping his arms around him. Maul goes totally still for a moment – his startled expression is nearly comical – but he almost awkwardly returns it, as though he isn't entirely sure this is what he's supposed to be doing.

It would be funny, if it weren't sad. I doubt anyone's ever... done that to him before.

They pull apart a few moments later, and I shift, glancing between them. "We should get the twins."

"They have been screaming the entire time you were gone," Maul replies, flatly.

I wince. "No surprise."

Anakin eyes him. "You went to see them?"

"I was searching for you."

Oh. That explains it, then.

"We should get moving," I advise, and Anakin and I head for our room where the twins are staying.

Ben and Ezra are clearly upset, though they calm down a little once Anakin and I take turns holding them. We're finally getting them away from Plagueis. He won't be able to hurt them anymore. So long as we're able to stay away from him.

I frankly don't know where we're going to go, but – Qui-Gon likely knew where the rest of our family was. Jango probably could take us there, if we could convince him to. Maybe at least having that option before Sidious gets back would be best.

**w**

Jango does, eventually, agree that he can take us to where Dooku is – and now that we're briefly in his ship again, I actually notice one of the other younglings there for the time. It's a baby with dark brown hair, who looks to be about Ben and Ezra's age. She feels so bright; I've never felt someone so bright in the Force before.

And, suddenly, I know immediately who it is.

"I think this is your... clone," I state, hovering next to her.

Anakin nods, watching her in silence.

I don't even know what that... will mean. Technically, she's like his child, though at the same time, not exactly. "Why would it be a girl?"

"Perhaps our half-Force nature made it like this?" Anakin proposes, "Or he..." Or Plagueis did something. I don't want to know what.

"She doesn't even have a name," I observe. There's the only thing I can think of to say right now. I wish we had known about her sooner, because we... should have. Even if it wasn't willingly, even if we never knew about her, she's still Anakin's child. She's still my niece.

"We will keep her," he says – not as though there was ever a question. "You were going to name your child Rey, if it was a girl. That would... work."

Rey Skywalker. I turn the name over in my mind.

"It fits." I ignore the voice in my mind that spontaneously wonders if her other parent is technically Plagueis, or the Great Mother Jar, as the clones called it.

"It does," he agrees, softly, reaching down to pick her up.

"You are welcome to take them all, if you want," Jango says, from the doorway.

"Not Grogu," Din argues, still clutching the tiny green baby in his arms.

Boba nudges him, ignoring the roughly two-year-old, dark-skinned boy clutching onto his armor. Apparently, the younglings really like them. "We already talked about that."

It's beyond weird to be dealing with them as... co-workers. We nearly killed each other on Scipio, and that was a mess. "I don't know what we'll do with them," I admit, "We have nowhere to take them."

"Send them home, if we can," Anakin decides.

"If they have a home to go to," I mutter, darkly. How do I know more of them aren't Plaguies' clone experiments?

Something about how the two-year-old feels in the Force makes me think he's Force-sensitive... He might be one of the younglings taken from the Temple. He should have a home to go to, if anyone even knows who he is anymore.

"If now, we will find ones for them," my brother decides. It's the most we can offer. (It feels like we ought to, given everything. I still have no idea what Plagueis did with all those younglings he took from the Temple. There's hardly anyone here, compared to that.)

**w**

Now that we're leaving Coruscant, I have to stop by to talk to Appo one more time. I have to see him again, to... something. There's so much I need to say, and I don't know where to start. I miss what it used to be, but there's no going back. The war is over. I need to move on.

But if nothing else, I want to give the clones a chance to come with us, instead of standing with a collapsing Empire.

"We saw the news of the Emperor," Appo states. I can feel his uncertainty. "Is it... true?"

"Much of it, I imagine," I admit, "I have not seen what it says." Though I probably should. I also can't shake the urge to just do some research on Palpatine's past and family, to see what I can find about them. Now is hardly the time to think about that, though.

"... what now, ma'am?" he asks.

"Appo." My heart twists painfully, but I – I have to say this. I owe him and everyone in the 502nd so much. He gave me his loyalty blindly, stronger than to what he has with his own brothers. "I should have done this long ago. I should've stopped it. I was meant to look out for you, but I..."

His hand feels firm and grounding on my shoulder. "It wasn't your fault, ma'am. There was nothing you could have done about it." He believes it. He... forgives me, and I'm not sure how. (Maybe it's time I do, too.)

"Perhaps not, but you were little more than a slave to the Empire and the Republic. I just stood by."

"We did our duty. This is what we fought for."

"Maybe, but you never had a say." And none of us knew that this is what the war would lead to.

"It's what we were born to do," he replies, firmly, "The Empire is nothing like the Republic, but I do not regret fighting for it and serving with you."

"I can't stay anymore," I tell him, "And you deserve a chance to make that choice too, if you don't want to stay. You won't be able to fight forever. There is nothing wrong with making that decision now." His chip is still in, but over time, it seems to have worn off on all the clones. Many of them stayed with the Empire anyway, because why would they not? It is what we fought for, after all.

Many also disappeared, some likely joining the Rebellion, and some... I don't know. Or maybe it's that I don't want to think about it, because I have very little appreciation for how the top Imperial officers were beginning to view the clones.

"What will you do, ma'am?" Appo queries.

"I do not know yet," I admit, "But we will find the Rebellion. That's where we belong. And I think that might be the only hope for the galaxy now."

Appo is quiet for a few long moments. "I will stay here and spread word to the others."

That, I think, is more important than him leaving. In some ways, I'm surprised he hasn't already left. I know others of the 502nd have, as have the 501st. They were the best of the best, I suppose, and of course they saw the corruption which they're unable to stop. "Alright," I answer finally, nodding. "I suspect you will be needed more here than anywhere else."

**w**

We've just finished dealing with that, when I sense Sidious returning. And I'm definitely not ready to face him again, now that I'm actually thinking about what this could... mean. I don't know what he'll want, and – despite everything that just happened, we're still his apprentices. We're still...

"Master," we greet automatically, as the Sith approaches. He feels no less angry than earlier, even if his expression is well-controlled again.

And suddenly, I have no idea how we're going to address this. How are we supposed to ask him if we can... go home? (What if he refuses?)

"We must depart," he says, not quite shortly. I don't ask what happened. Clearly, the state of the Empire is beyond what he can control again. And maybe that's... for the best. I don't know. He promised to bring peace, but that's not really what happened.

I have to ask, even if I'm afraid to know the answer. "Where will we... go?"

Sidious is watching as us, as though reading our every desire and move. "I sense what you desire," he says, and I have no idea if that's... what he means by that.

"Can we?" Anakin asks, and I can feel him tensing. Sidious was already very unhappy about us wanting to see Obi-Wan again, only days ago. "Can we find them?"

I don't really know what to make of the considering expression on his face. "Yes," he agrees at last.

That – what? I don't know why he's agreeing. I never would have... expected that. Not that I'm going to ask why, either. I just can't be sure it isn't for something far more sinister, but right now, I can only be grateful that we're finally being given this chance.

I'm not totally certain I know what Sidious is up to, though. Is he being genuine, or is he planning something else, something worse? I can't trust him. I know better than to even try. I know what he's capable of. I know what he's done to both Anakin and me.

"Thank you," Anakin replies quietly, head bowed. Neither of us dares to meet his gaze, not as if we ever really do when talking to... authority. I just loathe that we have to thank him at all, because this is wrong. Being home should be a given. We shouldn't have to ask if we're allowed to find it.

His presence is flickering with a strange amount of... uncertainty. I'm not sure why, or what's going through his mind. "But I trust your loyalty will remain?" he asks, after a painfully long pause.

"Yes, Master," I answer, even if I'm not entirely sure I can promise that. Loyalty can never be one-sided, or it won't last.

"What will you do now?" Anakin inquires, "Now that the Empire is gone?" It's a legitimate question, and we have told him that before – that we will never be able to truly give him our loyalty, because he'll never give us the same, and that it will always go to our family first and foremost. He hadn't reacted well to hearing it, but it was a truth that needed to be said.

"The Sith Empire has been years in the making. It will not be permanently destroyed by the words of one lone fool," Sidious retorts.

"Who was he?" I ask.

I sense an instant flux of rage in the Dark Side. "Does it matter?" he hisses.

Yes. "No. But I would like to know if the madman who tried to kill us was my grandfather or –" Ew. Please no. I do not want to be related to that person in any shape or form, not now or ever. (Not that it's any better that Plagueis is technically Anakin's father.)

For a moment, I'm not sure he's going to bother giving us any answer at all. "He once was Cosinga Palpatine, but any relation to him is inconsequential," he snaps.

I don't recognize the name, but it's enough to know that my suspicions must be right. That maniac is Sidious' father, and –

No wonder his own... parenting skills could use some help.

Though I would really like to know why precisely Sidious killed him. Or maybe I really don't. Not that I would dare to ask, anyway.

"We must go," he says, shortly, turning to go. Maybe bringing up the Twi'lek again wasn't the best idea. But at least I have the answer I wanted.

... good to know we have so many very unpleasant Nubian relatives.

Not.

**w**

I still don't know how I feel that we're about to see Dooku again. Then again – I don't feel much capable of feeling anything right now. Qui-Gon died. He's dead, gone, because of us. Because we... He came back for us, as though we were somehow worth it, and now he's gone because of that. The knowledge that we're finally away from Plagueis is the only thing that gives me the slightest measure of comfort – though in a way, it almost feels like we deserve to be trapped back there even more now, for what we caused. And at least if we were, Qui-Gon would still be alive.

Jango is the first off the ship when we get to our destination, obviously going to bring the news to Dooku.

Belatedly, I can't help but think that bringing Sidious right to the Rebellion might be stupid any other time, except he doesn't have an Empire anymore, so it won't matter. He's more of a fugitive than any of us now.

We don't have to wait for more than a moment for Dooku to come out, expression tensed and... I could swear I feel grief swirling around him. It's not surprising though. Qui-Gon just died. And he... cared about him.

That doesn't stop the age-old anger rising in me when I see him, remembering what he did to Anakin, to both of us. Even if Plagueis healed the physical part.

"Why are you here?" Dooku demands. I don't know why the curtness almost stings.

"We... left. The Empire is falling," Anakin replies.

Dooku's eyes flick between us and the ship, where the others still are. "Then why is he here?" He means Sidious. Of course, he can sense his former master.

"We fought Plagueis together. And failed," I reply, stiffly, another sharp wave of grief ripping through me.

"And Qui-Gon..." Dooku doesn't finish, and I almost see his grief, "I warned him not to rush into this."

I don't want to talk or think about this anymore. It's too much. He raised me; he saved me and Anakin from Tatooine, and now he's gone.

"Can you assist us?" Anakin asks, quietly. It's not as if there's a guarantee he will, I suppose.

"Do you know where the rest of our... family is?" I ask. Though perhaps we should still be staying away from them, so we don't lead the Sith right to them.

"I have been in contact with Obi-Wan," Dooku confirms, "I will let him know. You may come in." His gaze darts to the ship again.

"I know you have no reason to trust the others," Anakin begins.

"So, we won't ask you to – you probably shouldn't," I say, bluntly. Not like I trust him either. "But we can't fight with each other, too, right now."

"Very well," Dooku concedes, his reluctance obvious.

Sidious and Dooku don't say anything to each other – surprisingly – but the animosity is obvious. I can just hope things aren't about to promptly blow up, because I'm not in any state to deal with it right now. The torture drug has worn off, but I've never felt so worn out in my life. Qui-Gon is dead. He's...

It's not until our entire procession is inside Dooku's bunker here that he asks to talk to us alone.

"What?" I demand, crossing my arms. Saying this entire situation is uncomfortable is an understatement.

"You must know Qui-Gon and I were working on a plan to overthrow the Sith, and get you back," he says.

"You were, or Qui-Gon was?" I can't help but snap, "When have you done any of this for naught but your own gain?" Maybe I'm being unfair, but I don't care. This is all too much. Antagonizing him is probably a bad idea, though. Especially when we need his help, and he just offered it, though he has no reason to.

"Your anger is understandable," he replies, "I am aware I have made choices that... hurt you, but my regret will not undo it."

What –

"You... regret it?" Anakin asks, an obvious touch of wariness in his voice, almost reflexively clenching his right hand.

Dooku's eyes flick to him, and I think it just occurs to him for the first time that our hands are all human. Unlike his. He has gloves over them now, likely to cover up the mechanisms, the same way Anakin always had to. "I never desired to hurt you," he answers.

"But you did. Repeatedly," I reply, bluntly.

"It was war. I saw little other option at the time." Very helpful. He sounds apologetic and I think it's genuine, but I don't know. Why do we have so many Sith who act like they care for us, but keep hurting us anyway?

Dooku eyes Anakin again. "Your limbs are no longer mechanical."

"Plagueis," Anakin states, tiredly.

There's a flicker of some indescribable emotion on his face, but it's gone so fast, I can't read it. "I... knew he had interest in studying you," Dooku says softly, "You said he is still out there?"

I nod. "He escaped. I don't know what will happen to the Empire, though."

"For now, Tarkin has seized control, but the Empire is falling. It will collapse unless a strong leader takes control."

"You intend to do it?" Anakin asks.

Of course, he does, I can't help but think bitterly.

"I know of no other who would do what must be done. I will reform the Separatists. Other systems will be allowed to join if they desire." So, we're right back to where we started. Perfect. But it's not as if we can even do anything about the Empire now. It's too late. That doesn't mean it doesn't feel like everything we fought for, even as Jedi, is about to be lost.

"I understand your questions on this as well, but I only seek to restore peace and order."

"So that's why you started a war," I can't help but snark.

"That was not me," he retorts, "Sidious directed it that way, playing on the already rising tensions."

"Which you made worse."

"Perhaps, but it was inevitable." He pauses. "What do you intend to do about Sidious now?"

"... Do about him?" Anakin asks.

Dooku eyes us, almost oddly. "He is still a danger, even now."

He wants to know if we're planning to kill him, doesn't he? And – truthfully, with us, him, and Maul, we could do it. But I don't want to.

I don't. And really, what point would it serve? The Empire is gone – I doubt he'll be able to live anywhere but in hiding for the rest of his life. Even he can't manipulate his way out of this.

"The entire galaxy is after him," Anakin points out, before I can, "There is nothing he can do any longer."

"Perhaps," Dooku concedes, almost grudgingly. He studies us in silence for a long moment. "You are still... loyal to him." It's not exactly an accusation, but it still feels like one.

"He didn't betray us any worse than you did," I reply, evenly.

He studies us almost searchingly for a few moments – I hate that look, like we're something to be studied. (I've seen it more than enough.) "What do you intend to do now?" he asks.

I shift, sharing a glance with Anakin. "I don't know."

"You may assist me in... rebuilding, if you desire," he offers, "Unless it is... not within your choice to make."

He's serious that he's offering us to join him. I can't help feeling more than a little incredulous at the words. I can't imagine fighting for him, ever. I don't want to fight at all right now. I just want to raise Ben and Ezra and just be, for a while.

"Given the situation, it was impossible before, but I was trying to root out the corruption among the Separatists," he adds.

I have about one million retorts, none of which I'll give.

"We will consider it," Anakin offers, finally.

There's another long pause of silence. "Is there... a body?" he asks, finally.

I nearly flinch at the words. "No. He... disappeared." I still don't understand exactly what happened.

Dooku nods – how does he manage to control his obvious grief so well? "He was learning how to preserve his consciousness after death. Likely, that is why."

"... How is that possible?" Anakin objects.

"There is much to the Force no one understands," Dooku reminds, turning away, "But even without... a body, we can hold a funeral later."

I nod, numbly. It'll only make it feel more real. I'm not ready for this to sink in. I'm not.

"Once Obi-Wan is here," Anakin says, barely above a whisper, and we leave it at that.

**w**

Dooku told us that Obi-Wan was coming, but I'm still far from prepared when I sense him again. I'll have to tell him what happened to Qui-Gon, and this is... it's wrong. It never should have happened, but I can sense, somehow, for some reason I'll probably never understand, he's right that it had to happen.

Even if I don't want to accept it.

He sensed it. I can see it from the grief lingering so deeply in his eyes, the exhausted emptiness that I feel so much myself. "Anakin," he greets us, stopping a short distance away. "Aniya."

"Obi-Wan," we chorus.

I step forward, extending Qui-Gon's lightsaber to him. Obi-Wan, of everyone, is the one who truly deserves to keep it. Not me. Not after I embraced the Dark Side, betrayed everything my former master taught me.

"I'm sorry," Anakin blurts, "We should have stopped it. We should have saved him."

"What happened?" Obi-Wan asks, slowly taking the lightsaber from me.

"It was so fast," I blurt out in a rush, "He insisted we go after Plagueis, and – and –" Something in me just... shatters, and I find myself breaking down for the second time since it happened. I haven't been able to feel or do much until right now, until seeing Obi-Wan again, because only here do I realize that we will never see Qui-Gon again. It's not until now that it finally sinks in, and – and nothing can change that. He's gone.

There's nothing else any of us can say. Obi-Wan steps closer, and I can't say who moved first, but somehow, all three of us end up in a tight, crushing embrace, and I can momentarily let myself relax in the comfort of both my brother's arms, even if now, all we're doing is mourning the loss of the person who brought us all together.

"I'm sorry," Anakin says again, finally, and I feel him shaking, "For everything."

"It's alright," Obi-Wan assures, and I really don't believe he thinks that – I sure don't – but right now, I can only take it for what he says.

"I didn't even think we'd see each other again," I admit. That's when I sense two other approaching presences, and we reluctantly pull back. I wipe my face on my sleeve – really, this should be a happy time, not one of mourning. I'm about to see Jaufre again, but I can't calm down.

"Ani?" Padme is the first to speak, and yes, it's them, the people who were once our best friends, standing across from us. We haven't talked to them in thrice the length it's ever been now, and so much has happened. They have raised Anakin's child without us, and I...

"Padme," Anakin responds finally, voice shaking. "Jaufre."

"I'm so sorry," Jaufre blurts out, stepping forwards, "You told us to stay there, but we – I don't know, someone saw Obi-Wan come there. The clones came after us, and we – we had to go. We should've stayed, come back for you –"

I close my eyes, trying to stop the emotions from strangling me. I know. I always knew. I never knew how, but of course, they had no choice. They would never have left us if there was one. Sidious had told us, but he'd lied. Of course, he lied – I knew it, even at the time. They would never do that to us. "Don't," I object, finally moving forwards, "It wasn't your fault. None of this was."

Jaufre pulls me into his arms, and I cling to him, desperately. It's been so, so long. I've missed him so badly, and I know I'm far more powerful than him and there's so much I can do that he can't, but I still feel safe with him. I feel comfortable, secure. I haven't felt that in years.

Anakin goes to Padme, who instantly wraps her arms around him. "I missed you," she breathes.

"We missed you, too," Anakin murmurs.

"I wanna know everything that's happened," Jaufre insists.

"There's not much to say," I reply, and really, there's not. Most of what happened are not things I can even begin to repeat. But at least now that they're here, we can work it out. Somehow.

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