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Chapter 29
"Shouldn't you try to get some sleep?" Shmi offered, her own uneasiness having faded now.
"I'm worried about Luke," Anakin mentioned, a yawn in his voice, but sleep continued to elude him. "He's always spending time with that blue guy since we got here weeks ago."
"He will be fine," she assured. "He comes back every night."
Somehow, these new accommodations were better than the ones back on Tatooine and whatever else the Hutts gave them. At least they got food and drinks. Despite that, Kitster hated being here even more.
"I don't know," Anakin confessed, shifting his feet. "Not all of us always come back, even when we thought they will."
A shiver passed through Shmi's heart at that. She remembered her friend... the young boy who was currently in her lap, sleeping, his mother. They were close. Like sisters. Yet, she hadn't been able to take it anymore. She was lured by a cruel man who convinced her that he would free her, only to leave her to the non-existent mercies of the Hutts and take everything they had, and she succumbed to her depravity.
"I know, Anakin, and I understand," Shmi said softly. "But Luke isn't like them. Luke is capable of making changes."
She knew how attached he was to the older man, how attached she - herself - was to him, but she knew Luke could take care of himself. The two bantered like brothers, but Luke was a mentor and father figure to Anakin at times, providing him with a void that had been empty for far, far too long.
Aside from the fact that they were living on a ship, and Anakin still hadn't finished Threepio to his satisfaction, Luke was plotting ways to sabotage the slave trade eventually.
"I don't know why, but I always feel like I have to protect him," Anakin answered, staring at her. "He's always looking out for us."
Shmi processed what was being told to her. She knew Anakin was used to not asking for favors, even more than herself. The woman struggled constantly with coming to Luke for personal advice or living a normal life. Sometimes, all it took was a hug. Other times, she was reminded that she was safe and would live a better life outside of slavery.
"Come here," she ordered, her voice lacking strength.
Anakin did so, knowing better than to disobey her. Kitster was already resting in her lap, but gently moving so she didn't wake him, she managed to gather Anakin in her arms and hug him. Her baby boy was already growing so strong. While she feared that Luke could overdo it, he never made Anakin do the impossible, any worse than the slaves. It would be a lie to say that Anakin needed to be sheltered. That would be worse since her son just loved moving around.
"Mom," Anakin said, his voice much softer now, "I love you."
"I love you too. And Luke loves you as well."
Anakin nodded slowly, his eyes flashing with guilt and remorse.
"Tell him, Anakin," she encouraged, "tell Luke how you feel."
"I don't want to bother him too much," Anakin answered offhandedly, looking down at the ground. "Luke always seems so busy-"
"He also cares about us a lot."
Anakin nuzzled against her, sleeping at last.
Within an hour, the door opened, and Shmi stiffened, looking up to see Luke walking in, pursing his lips into a small smile when he spotted them.
"We're to be released," Luke assured.
"Finally," she laughed before adding awkwardly. "I was worried you were going to turn into them." She was still getting used to snark.
Luke snorted, "I have fulfilled my end of the bargain."
Shmi's eyes slowly and unsurely fell over his lightsaber hilt. Did the worst happened? "...I can imagine how."
"Not that way," he answered, chuckling a bit, "the Commander and I have a mutual enemy. I gave him something he'd needed to gain his loyalties."
"Oh, what did you give him that kept us here for the past few weeks?"
"Teaching him Galactic Basic."
"The same homework you gave Anakin?"
"He's not a youngling," Luke laughed. "Of course not."
A silence passed.
"Would you like to leave now?" He inquired.
"You know," she quipped lightly, "what you do behind my back terrifies me sometimes."
Luke smiled. "One day, you may come to thank me, Mrs. Skywalker."
Try as he might, Master Saesee Tiin's uneasiness about Luke Skywalker hadn't decreased in the slightest. The man was impulsive, a Jedi Warrior in more ways than one, and made a mockery of the qualifications necessary to be a good Jedi.
Yet, Yoda and Windu have not taken appropriate action.
The obvious would be separating the young slave from Tatooine from him and bringing the full jurisdiction of the Jedi Order down on him.
Tin believed that the Jedi Order was offering itself to some unwanted surprises if the Jedi didn't do what must be done.
For all they knew, Skywalker could be a Dark Side Force Adept, grasping the false aura of Light, attempting to bring a young boy into his service and twist him to be everything a Jedi should not represent.
At the very least, the Jedi weren't sent on some sort of pointless investigation against the Sith. It would have been at the expense of resources, time, and management that could be used to sustain the Republic and Chancellor Palpatine's latest election.
"Master Tiin, a moment of your time if you will..." Two lone figures lingered outside his quarters.
The Iktotchi dismissed the rapid emotions bottling up within him and stared at the old Jedi before the woman clad in red. The former's arm was a perfect mask of apathy, but the latter seemed to possess at least some level of concern.
Tin arched an unseen eyebrow but nodded, opening his quarters, allowing them access, closing the doors, and offering them a seat. He would rather meditate now.
"Yes, what is it, Dark Woman, Master C'baoth?"
"We have... been discussing some things since Naboo, Master Tiin," C'baoth answered, remaining standing despite himself. "And we wish to launch an investigation into Luke Skywalker."
Tin didn't feel as outraged as he was stunned. So it wasn't just him? The Iktotchi regained his composure with ease.
"The Jedi Council already decreed Skywalker is not an enemy," Tiin pointed out, though he didn't argue the point, for he had been quite vehement in doing just that himself.
"We disagree. Luke Skywalker is dangerous." C'baoth replied, obviously making a strained effort to keep his voice calm. "He interacted with my Padawan back on Naboo, and I worry what that means for Jinzler."
"Oh?" That hadn't been something Tiin had thought about before.
"He might have filled her head with insane ideals, possibly starting to lead her to turn against the Jedi Order. I fear he might have done the same with Kenobi, and to a lesser extent, Tachi."
Tiin didn't want to think that way, but his mind gradually resisted him, shifting the topic to Jinn's Padawan. Obi-Wan Kenobi was given extended time with him as well. Given Kenobi's track record, Tiin thought about the ramifications even more seriously now. Obi-Wan, when he was younger, was desperate to be a Padawan. Bruck Chun and Kenobi would often fall into verbal spars and lashings. Masters would monitor Kenobi's anger. Jinn didn't even want a Padawan at the time—his last, Xanatos, had fallen to the Dark Side. Xanatos kidnapped Kenobi and placed him into the Bandomeer slave mines, owned by his biological father. Despite Yoda's insistence for Jinn to monitor Kenobi's Jedi training, the boy had numerous problems of his own. He had scarcely given into attachment, a virtue about him, Tiin could admit, but it was more of an avoidance than outright being able to ignore them.
And with both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Siri Tachi being promoted to the rank of Knight, it would mean not only leaving their Masters' service but also no longer being monitored. Tachi was always roguish, and that quelled only slightly. Kenobi, however, seemed to be connecting with Jinn and Dooku, who bonded yet again after the tragedies on Naboo.
If given time...
What if another future face had adopted a more Maverick approach to situations as a result of his horrifying experiences on Naboo?
And who was to say Qui-Gon and Dooku wouldn't make it worse?
That was worrying because it presented the opportunity for more individuals to follow Luke Skywalker's ideology. Yoda's lineage was notorious for being more... flexible with the Jedi Code. This could lead to a broader acceptance of attachment and love among other Jedi, potentially becoming a common virtue within the Order.
Celibacy served the Jedi Order for centuries, and if they were to survive without active sources of Dark Siders, it must continue doing so.
Skywalker did the right thing on Naboo, but Tiin couldn't let them all fall into darkness.
"Rest assured, Tachi was reportedly in space during most of the battle," the Iktotchi stated, knowing that showing what he really felt would be a disaster. "And Kenobi hasn't shown any sightings of misconduct and violation against the Jedi Order."
Dark Woman nodded, showing the barest of emotion. "While I hold the Jedi Council in the highest esteem, I don't believe this is being approached in the correct manner. Skywalker appeared virtually out of nowhere and took control of the Naboo campaign, leading a disgusting march and getting so many people killed. If I may be so blunt, I don't agree with that prospect of the Reconquest of Naboo, Master Tiin."
Tin nodded. "Yes, these are concerns I have myself," he confessed. "As Jedi, we mustn't allow a Force Adept of an unfamiliar nature to aid a sovereign member of the Republic in that matter, honorable as it may be. We could have negotiated."
"When he led that march, Luke Skywalker left behind an image. Naboo and the Chommel Sector look to him as an image of what a Jedi is supposed to be. That would leave a mark for decades to come."
Being told this set something off within Tiin. But he did his best to control himself. His voice was losing impact on the Council!
"Skywalker wouldn't be apprehended without spurring public outrage," C'baoth grumbled under his breath bitterly. "Thirty-six star systems look to him as an icon. Not to mention, the Chommel Sector has friends and allies-not to mention the opportunists. If they're in despair, they might call upon him for aid."
"So, you're recommending what?" Tiin queried. "For the Jedi to have a more direct approach? To present ourselves in better light by distancing ourselves from the Senate?"
"We are not of the mindset that Skywalker's March could be copied. It may be taken as the Jedi attempting to shine the light away from Skywalker." Dark Woman offered this time. "But we cannot allow the galaxy to look at him as a model Jedi. It would lead to scrutiny if the Jedi ever moved to apprehend him. Not to mention, the Jedi instantly going from peacekeepers to militaristic would be another violation of what we are supposed to be."
"I'm afraid I don't understand your meaning, Master. Please do elaborate," Tiin felt a terrible clenching in his gut.
"Well, if desperate times call for desperate measures, it is possible..." C'baoth stopped, allowing a regretful air to pass, "that several Masters from the Jedi Council would have to be removed indefinitely for more... suitable Masters to assume their roles and do what we must to stop this Luke Skywalker."
"But that would be a breach against the Jedi Order!" Tiin barked.
"We have sensed it from you, Master Tiin. You are disillusioned with the Jedi Council as it is. You, Master Mundi, and slowly, Master Rancisis as well. We all want the same thing: the best for the Jedi Order. As it is, Luke Skywalker would not lead the Jedi Order into anything but a simultaneous collapse."
The mere idea should leave Tiin revolted. A small worm of disgust formed. The tentative urge to rush out of this room, inform the Jedi Council, and have both C'baoth and Dark Woman hand over their lightsabers, was strong—for this would include going behind the Jedi Council's back. But Tiin couldn't. They were already his allies. Their being more involved in military affairs left a bad taste, but their embracing emotions and leaving more students susceptible to the Dark Side.
The Iktotchi quashed those urges, thinking about what had been told to him. If left to his own devices, Luke Skywalker would spell an unwanted change against the Jedi Order. It would prove invaluable to regain some leverage if things escalated.
Tiin relaxed his shoulders and nodded, "You'd given me much to think about..."
"Of course..." C'baoth nodded.
"Ah hello, my old friend, what can I do for you?"
The two stood in a private area of the Jedi Temple.
"You have spoken with Luke Skywalker," Jedi Master Mace Windu spoke bluntly but not unkindly, frowning at one of the most unorthodox Jedi of them all.
It was more of a statement, but she might have taken it as a question.
"I have," Master Thracia Cho Leem confirmed.
"What have you learned from him?" The Korunian asked.
"A cordial man," she said simply. "He obviously was a father at one point in his life."
That... wasn't as surprising as it should have been to the Korun Jedi.
"He has clearly lost so much," Windu admitted, and a pang of pity shot through the Jedi, "-to maintain such devotion to the Light Side, to the Force, is something I can admit as honorable."
"Showing doubts in the Order and what they think of Skywalker, Mace?" Thracia quipped. "How would T'ra Saa react?"
Windu scoffed, "Hardly doubts. I'm just curious."
"With how powerfully he sent a ripple through the Force," she began, "there is no way he would have been a Dark Sider capable of hiding it even for a moment. The answer is obvious. Luke Skywalker is not a threat."
"This must remain a closely guarded secret." At a nod, he continued. "He believes the Sith have returned. He was assisting the Trade Federation during the Invasion of Naboo."
"Oh?" She arched an eyebrow. "His presence mustn't have been a coincidence."
Windu almost did a double take at that, narrowing his eyes just a fraction. "You... believe him?"
"If the Force says so, I would be a hypocrite not to believe it."
"We would know if they had returned," the Korunian sighed.
"Even the greatest of Jedi could make errors. Skywalker acts with reason and rational as much as a situation called for it. The way he and the Force interacts is borderline godly."
Multiple times did Windu's Shatterpoints flared. It was surprised he didn't yet pass out. For, to have sent a disturbance through the Force like that, it could overtax those who detected it, especially in proximity.
Yet, since Skywalker arrived, the Light and Dark Side seemed to be swirling in the air, constantly pushing back and forth against each other, a pull-push dynamic, with time itself hanging in the balance...
"But, I hold faith in the Jedi Council. We haven't got to where we are today without confidence in the body of the Jedi Order."
"Yet, mistakes could be made, Mace. You already know how I feel about the attachment rule. I love my children..."
"Are you prepared to let them go if you must?"
"No," Thracia stated honestly, and it felt like a slap to the face. "I am their mother, and I will protect them with my life. I would not sacrifice them for the corrupt waste that is the Republic."
"The Jedi Order needs a system to fall back on," Windu stated, his eyes darkening ever so slightly. "Without the Republic, there would be no galaxy to protect."
"Have you not felt the tension between the Inner Core and Outer Rim? At this point, war is inevitable." Thracia stated with a sad sigh.
"What about his March on the Naboo's Palace?" That was still the root of the conversation...
"What about it? While the death toll was terrible and made no better by his intervention, the Force deemed that he should be there. I imagine he acted in what was deemed the best reasoning. He is also bonded with the Queen of Naboo. With Haako's absence of surrendering, was inevitable."
"Skywalker nor you can let go, and it may destroy you," Windu rebuked firmly.
"You see? That's one of the problems with the Jedi Order, Mace. You speak of things you have no knowledge of." Thracia responded but not defensively.
"It is the right way to handle issues. We cannot give into our feelings." Mace declared.
"Yes, people will fall. Mistakes will be made. But overall, you're denying reality. Do you really think that Masters and Padawans don't get attached? You fool yourself."
"A Master is to fill the role of the instructor and the student-that of the learner. That's all that can be stated about it." Windu responded slowly. It had been the code of conduct that the Jedi proceeded with for years.
There was a very long silence before she answered him. "If something ever happened to Depa or the Republic, would you ever be able to let either of them go?" she asked in a soft tone. Windu could only gape at her, his eyes locked onto her back, trying to find a response.
Seeing that none was forthcoming, Windu turned around and walked away, not even uttering, "May the Force be with you."