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Chapter 7

They were led into a bland white apartment, a single child squinting at them the moment he spotted them. The wariness and aggravation from such a young boy were noticed.

"Hello Boba, is your father here?" Taun We asked.

For a moment, Boba continued eyeing the two Jedi behind her suspiciously.

"Yeah, sure." He turned around and called out, "Dad, Taun We is here."

A few seconds later, a man who resembled the Clones walked in, save for the fact that he had some battle scars on his face.

"Jango, welcome back. Was your trip productive?" Taun We inquired.

"Fairly," the Clone Template answered.

"May I introduce Jedi Masters Obi-Wan Kenobi and Siri Tachi," Taun We said. "They've come to check on our progress."

"Your Clones are very impressive. You must be very proud," Obi-Wan said as a form of starting the conversation.

"I'm just a simple man trying to make my way in the universe," the man replied.

"Understandable. Tell us, Mr. Fett, have you ever visited Coruscant?" Siri asked.

"Once or twice," Jango replied with a shrug.

"Recently?" Obi-Wan questioned.

"Possibly," Jango answered.

Siri frowned. "Then you should explain why the captured Zam Wesell happened to be the one whom mentioned your name."

"Zam who?" Jango asked, approaching a nearby table, perplexed.

"Wesell," Kenobi repeated the surname.

He seemed to be thinking before a look of realization fell across his face.

Siri knew bounty hunters were such good actors. Magus taught her that she should keep an eye out for anything years ago.

"Oh her. Yeah, me and her worked together before," Fett nodded.

"For what?" Siri asked.

"Bounty hunting, obviously."

"Hmph," she said, "thus, gives alibi as to why you're incriminated at this point in time."

"I don't know why she mentioned me because we had no communication in the past weeks. What she does is her own choice. I only fulfill my own contracts." Fett answered, pretending to be nonchalant. "I don't have time to babysit everyone else."

"That's a matter for later," Obi-Wan waved his hand, allowing the discussion to be dropped. "Would you happen to know Master Sifo-Dyas?"

"Master who?" Fett asked.

"Sifo-Dyas, isn't he the Jedi who hired you for this job?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Never heard of him," Fett answered. "I was recruited by a man named Tyranus on one of Bogden's moons."

"Thank you Mr. Fett. Our visit here has been... most informative," Siri replied politely.

"The Clones will do their job well," Fett replied. "I guarantee it."

"Of that, we have no doubt," Obi-Wan replied.

"Always a pleasure to meet a Jedi," he said. The two Jedi didn't move. His eyebrows arched. "Are you going to take your leave now?"

"There's but one more matter we want to bring up," Siri said. "May we take a look at your armor or whatever you wear when you're on a mission?"

"Why?" he asked curtly.

"Why not?" Siri returned coyly.

The bounty hunter stared at both of them. "I know my rights. You're not allowed to investigate my property without an arrest or detain warrant."

"Surely, you don't have something to hide, my friend," Kenobi replied, cutting straight to the point. "Even if it does match up to that of the crime scene, it doesn't mean you're guilty. It could just be a coincidence."

For a moment, Fett froze.

"Is something the matter?" Siri inquired all too calmly.

"Oh, well, I'm afraid that concludes our business at this time..." Fett replied, beginning to move away.

"Oh, Jango, I didn't take your type as the one to run," she prodded.

The tension in the room was suffocating.

"Of course not," Fett growled, "I'm just not going to be bullied around by you Jedi."

"It's not that, I can assure you of that," Kenobi replied. "We just want to check all bases. If you and Wesell had no communication, then the briefly observation should transpired excellently. It is just your armor."

"Wesell and I had talked recently, but that was-"

"You just said you had no communication with her recently," the male Jedi caught on. "Which one is it, Jango?"

The tension came to a head...

Before he snapped his leg forward and kicked Siri in the gut, knocking her onto the ground. He twisted around and kicked Kenobi in the sternum before he could reach for his lightsaber, stunning him long enough for him to land three vicious punches against his chest. Kenobi's free leg reached out and caught him between the knee, forcing him to stumble and used the Force to knock him back for a moment.

But only for a moment.

The man recovered, eyes dark, before charging forward to Kenobi.

Their fists met each other with great vigor.

Unfortunately, Fett knew the ups and downs of encountering the Jedi, it would seem.

Eventually, the Mandalorian head-butted him, causing his world to spin around him. Dazed, he was barely able to keep up with Fett's surprising aggression.

Jango managed to overpower him and slammed his fists against his chest two times, knocking the air out of his lungs, before he gripped him by the forehead and tossed him at the nearby wall.

His head hit it... hard, knocking him out briefly.

Siri activated her lightsaber and charged forward, swinging in his direction. Expertly, Jango maneuvered around, all the while shouting, "Boba! Back up!"

She felt actual fear for his son. Siri stared at the boy, keeping her lightsaber firmly in her hand. It seemed like the bounty hunter had some morals. Jango twisted his leg around and slammed into her thigh, dazing her enough for him to grip her hands. Siri gritted her teeth as the arteries in her hands began to snap. She'd beaten desperately against him, trying to swing her lightsaber up, but eventually, she had to let go.

She slammed her back against his right thigh and focused there, but the bounty hunter wouldn't let go. If anything, his grip had tightened. The Mandalorian wrapped his arms around the female Jedi Knight, beginning to choke her.

She tried as much as she could to find a solution. Unfortunately, the bounty hunter closed off all gaps for escape. She had to escape or die!

She'd beaten against his chest feasibly.

"Die, Jetii."

Air exited her lungs at a much-reduced pace.

Siri hacked against him, reaching for his chest. Unfortunately, he had her in a merciless angle and was going to choke her to death at this point.

The weight and thought at once were removed from her when five solid punches landed on the side of Fett's face, knocking him away.

She gasped. Through her hazy vision, she detected the form of Obi-Wan Kenobi, a large, nasty, purple bruise across his forehead, staring at him with faint anger in his eyes.

Thankful for air again, she breathed from the pain he had inflicted on her. By now, the stunned Kaminoan and little boy retreated, allowing plenty of space.

Fett spat out his bloodied tooth. "You have spunk, Jetii."

Yet again, he and Kenobi exchanged blows with one another. This time, Kenobi was fighting faster, stronger, and quicker. The anger that was there didn't leave him as it would have normally. No, Siri realized he was angry because Fett harmed her. It actually seemed like he was going to overpower the other man.

That was until Fett gripped Obi-Wan's left arm and snapped it over his shoulder with his leg being the only thing hacking against his stomach. Siri advanced, but he tossed Kenobi back to the wall, this time with him landing on his back, and countered each punch, jab, thrust, and otherwise. She'd lost much of the energy that she had earlier. Finally, Fett delivered an upper jaw, knocking her back onto the ground.

Her muscles not working, she sensed more than saw Obi-Wan also struggling to get up. The life blinked in and out of existence.

Groaning, she continued to slump over, unsure if he'd broken her jaw or fractured it slightly.

"Siri!" A voice shouted from afar.

"Siri!" Another.

"Master Gallia?!" She reached out.

"Siri!" And another...

"Ferus?!"

"Siri, please! Get up!"

"Obi-Wan?"

When she finally came to, she spotted her friend's face swimming into vision. Her lips pursed as she observed the concern in his eyes and a small grin crossed her lips.

"Siri? Are you alright?!" Obi-Wan asked urgently.

"Yes," she replied, eyeing his lips.

A strong part of her hoped that Kenobi would lean just a bit further down so she could steal a kiss. After all, this situation they were in was just like those Holodramas with the extra bit of flair that Siri happened to prefer.

Kenobi eyed her for a moment, the anger having faded. He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, we have a bounty hunter to catch. He is about to leave the planet."

"Right," she answered, concealing her disappointment as she disregarded the thought. It was time to focus on the threat to the Senator, not that of her years-long feelings for Obi-Wan.

Both ran down the hallway, searching for the bounty hunter. His signature had been one unfamiliar but it had been easy to trace when considering all others were either not fully developed people or alien.

They ran out of the doors, to find the bounty hunter holding out his wrist in their direction, while the boy hastily loaded what they needed on board. When they spotted Jango, the bounty hunter was completely adorned in his armor, his hands guiding his helmet over his face.

Both Jedi jolted as the bounty hunter released, allowing the rocket to glide in their direction. Kenobi and Tachi both reached out to hold the missile, straining a bit. Due to how unanticipated the attack was and the fact that neither Jedi wanted to hurt a child, both had to shove the rocket down on the ground in front of them, and shrapnel exploded.

Kenobi wrapped his arms around her, and the two waited. They found that by the time they had recovered from the debris of the blow, they heard the sound of a ship starting up and could only watch as it started to rise.

"Siri! You know what you have to do!"

"Right!"

Obi-Wan started in a pouncing position before running across the ground and leaping into the air, using the Force to enhance his jump. Siri pushed forward with her hands. The plan wasn't for them to land on the ship.

In the air, Kenobi quickly withdrew a tracker and threw it on the back of the ship. Both would have to hope that the bounty hunter didn't notice it...

Thankfully, the freighter did have medical supplies. Shmi Skywalker's breathing, faint as it was, still held on. Anakin was anxious as he placed the tubes over her body, sustaining her blood as much as he could. When the respirator was placed over her mouth and nose, he looked up at the life support system anxiously.

Anakin always wondered what would have happened if they'd come a few days earlier to Tatooine. Would his mother have survived or died anyway?

The more Anakin stared at her, the more his heart beat heavily, knowing that she wasn't out of hot water yet.

Shmi Skywalker was stuck between a comatose state of life and death. For a moment, he wondered if this was how his son felt when he'd witnessed him dying.

Anakin knew it was not right. He was a terrible person in a past life, but he hoped that she would be spared from death and at least allowed a few more years. She was an innocent woman. She didn't do anything wrong.

Then again, millions who faced him hadn't, and that didn't stop him from harming them.

Anakin gripped her cheek tenderly and buried himself into the Force, pleading for it to save his mother. He had done the right thing, hadn't he? Yes, he went back to Tatooine and left the Jedi Order, but he didn't commit the massacre he did the previous time. He only killed those who attacked him. Certainly...

'Calm down...' A voice passed through his awareness.

He breathed through his nostrils and allowed the tension in his shoulders to relax.

'Now, reach out...'

Surprise took hold of him for a moment before he understood. The Jedi were wrong. One didn't have to always let an individual die, save for natural causes. He hadn't done this purely because of selfishness. Yes, that did play a factor, but also because she was an innocent woman who deserved a second chance she'd never gotten before. The Force didn't just encourage letting go. It also preserved life when it could. And her journey was not over.

He'd recalled Erv Lekauf when Sheyvan and the Crus Clones rebelled against him and the Emperor and how the man boldly threw himself in front of him. Despite his severe burn wounds and how the reflected flamethrower blast was directed at Vader with the original intention to kill, he survived due to the Sith comforting him, easing his pain, and keeping him alive with the Force. Not necessarily a Dark Side ability. If Erv could have survived to participate in the raising of his grandson, Jori Lekauf, Shmi Skywalker could live a longer life. All he had to do was listen to the Force.

He stared at the Force Bond. It was still so powerful. He'd felt it shattered last time. It had almost driven him insane as the abrupt removal of his mother's connection ripped him apart. Connections didn't form without some type of emotional attachment, no matter what the Jedi believed. The Force wrapped around him like a shield. And suddenly, the bond between them flourished.

He formed a fist with his extended hand and allowed the currents of the Force to build up around him. Padmé gasped slightly. A moment later he was next to the woman and placed his other hand on her stomach.

Anakin drew the very energy out of the Force, guiding what power he could in her direction. A distant memory where he'd tried to use Force healing on a fellow Padawan, Bhat Jul, who was caught in an explosion but it didn't work, passed through his mind. Force healing wasn't a replacement for proper medical care. For example, if a Jedi was with someone and they sprained their arm, the Jedi would be able to heal the injury with Force healing, but not a failing heart. Neither Jedi nor Sith could simply heal or bring back the dead with minimal effort. Even Darth Plagueis's ability to bring the dead back to life depended on several factors and came at a cost. The main important factor was that the person couldn't stay dead for too long, and the body couldn't have sustained too much damage, or resurrection would also be impossible. The cost was that the person would never come back the same. Something that made the person who they were was always lost in the process.

He tightened the cloak of the Force. In his mind, he pictured his family. He pictured Luke. He pictured Leia. Both with happy smiles. Padmé with her smile of affection. Obi-Wan looking at him with levels of fondness. And at last, him walking out of the Council's Chambers, freed at last.

No longer living by lies that tore him apart in the past.

He concentrated, used his determination, and thoughts of his family, channeled them into the Force, and…

A sudden rush of serenity fueled him. His own peace.

The Force cooperated with him, and it rushed over him again, causing him to open his eyes.

His mother lay before him, her body shimmering in a blue hue. He had placed her in an ancient Jedi healing trance, an ability he had heard about in passing but never truly had the chance to work on.

This was Force Stasis. It was an ability that the Jedi frowned upon due to how dangerously close it flirted with the Dark Side as it froze a body in time for a temporary point.

Anakin collapsed, sweat dawning across his face as he clawed for air.

He looked up to see Padmé placing a hand on his shoulder.

"What did you do?" She asked softly, unjudging.

He stared at his mother and mumbled slightly.

"I made a decision..." Anakin answered weakly.

She wrapped her arms around him and held him close.

Anakin knew why he'd chosen Polis Massa to be the place of recovery for his mother.

Behind Kamino, Polis Massa was capable of great healing. Anakin considered bringing her to Naboo since he'd trusted Padmé's people, but it exposed the possibility of Sidious discovering someone else he could hold over his heart. If she survived, he would commit cruel acts on her, making Skywalker feel her pain, just so he could drive him back into darkness.

Not only was it close to Tatooine more-or-less and would be able to hide his mother in plain sight, but Polis Massa was a loyal part of the Galactic Republic and friendly to the Jedi. Distinct from any major hyperlane, the settlement served as an emergency sanctuary for the Jedi after Order 66-during the Ascendancy of the Empire and Palpatine's Great Jedi Purge.

Vader discovered the extent of their loyalty when he searched adamantly for the records of Luke decades ago. He had not yet known of Leia until the Second Death Star, using his son's feelings for her to give him the fuel to begin the descent to the Dark Side. It had been here where the Rebel Alliance built one of their bases, and it had survived multiple attacks from the Empire. While the Empire definitely made use of their equipment, Palpatine saw no use in interfering much with their people.

If there was a mining colony that Anakin entrusted to prioritize the healing of his mother while keeping her identity confidential, it was Polis Massa. The Kallidahins were incapable of being bribed, owned, or treacherous. Namely, due to their tendency to be willing to help the most desperate even without compensation and other points of payment. They'd even offered community service hours.

As soon as the Nubian landed on one of the platforms, Anakin gripped his mother and walked out with as much calmness as possible.

"Welcome... Jedi," the Kallidahin said upon approaching and noticing his cylinder hilt. "I am Lanalli Guun. This," he continued, indicating his even shorter friend, "is Kaeh Fael." His eyes narrowed on the wounded form in his arms. "You may introduce yourself later. Let's get you to a center. Quickly. Follow us."

Stepping in line behind them, the two moved. The two followed them down the myriad of halls. Padmé observed the patients and other Kallidahans walking down the halls or occupied in the room.

"Where would the surgical procedure take place?" Anakin asked.

"Within," the same Kallidahin answered, clicking on a small comlink.

Such news hurt his heart, but Anakin won't lose himself in the grief. "Is there any paperwork that must be filled out?"

"Yes, but that can happen if she awak-"

"I'm her son," he explained.

"Very well, as her son, you may fill the paperwork if you so wish. We'll contact you whenever updates happen with her condition for better or for worse."

Anakin nodded, "Thank you."

Enclosed in the abandoned part of the excavation site was a fully functional medical facility. Eight 2-1 B surgical droids and GH-7 surgical assistance droids stood ready by a large operating table, with several medical machines positioned around the walls and a large bacta tank ready in one corner. Some of the equipment seemed to be modernized for the procedure, while others looked to be beyond their day. Mere decades ago, this would have been considered the state of the art in healing throughout the galaxy.

"Will you be able to look after her at all times?" Padmé asked, only to feel shame when Anakin looked at her.

"Of course," Kaeh Fael chimed in. "We have associates among other medical fields across the galaxy and our personal physicians and xenobiologists are prepared for possible remedies and additional operations. You needn't fear about any missteps."

As soon as she was prepared and strapped to machines, a respirator unit placed over her mouth, Anakin wished with all of his heart he could remain beside her. Her falling into a coma was superior to her death, but it didn't ease the pain. He'd done all he could. It was just Shmi Skywalker's destiny that remained to be seen.

He had filled out the paperwork despite their insistence that he didn't have to. He made sure that she would be as private as possible. Any holes, and Sidious and his puppets would catch on.

"She'll be alright," Padmé offered hopeful words of reassurance when he was done.

"I know," Anakin answered grimly. "I need you to make a promise to me, Padmé."

Padmé's eyebrows arched in curiosity. "Yes? Anything?"

"Don't tell anyone about her location, no matter what. Not even the Jedi."

"...Okay..." she said, and he felt her sincerity but still bemusement leaking through the Force. "But didn't you leave the Jedi Order?" She asked.

Anakin knew that her fate would be sealed when he told her Sidious's identity. Palpatine arranged for everything to go according to his plans and wouldn't let him go unless Anakin became powerful enough to stop him. Even with his matured mindset, which was attributed to being Vader, Anakin doubted that in an actual contest, he would currently be able to stand against Sidious without some form of aid or a factor tipping the battle in his favor. That was accounting for the mental challenges Sidious would put him through, let alone his abilities in the Force. The Master of the Dark Side would make sure that it wouldn't relent too easily.

That aside, putting Padmé at risk wasn't on the agenda either.

"Yes, but many people would target me through her if they knew. No one must know, not even Obi-Wan, Yoda, or the Chancellor," Anakin insisted, pointing his index finger for emphasis. "I'm telling you this much because I trust you and I know you wouldn't go behind my back."

Padmé's eyes were wide before slowly she nodded. "Sure, Anakin, you have my word I wouldn't tell anyone."

Anakin smiled. "Thank you, Padmé."