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Chapter 2
Anakin's first action in the new timeline was falling back asleep.
It happened before he even knew it, his body carried by exhaustion.
When he came to yet again, Anakin recognized he was coming back to a galaxy heading to Coruscant.
One of two things was happening. Either he was dreaming; re-living his past years moments before his death. But that didn't seem right to him… he felt much too effulgent, free, even, for this to be a dream in which he was a witness to his own life. And certainly, he would repeat memories from his earlier days too. From when he was a boy. The second was that… he was... back. He had been given a... a second chance.
Anakin didn't know what he should make of that. Disregarding the inconceivability and logistics of the whole thing, he didn't even know how he should feel. He was tired. Deprived. He'd spent his life in the worst type of pain. Sure, he'd found some solace during his time being married, but it was always made heavier by the reality that he barely even knew his own wife and everyone around him could drop dead during the war. He chose not to linger on this as he heard the door opening and saw...
Obi-Wan?
Obi-Wan with the mullet and beard...
Anakin reached up, gripping his Padawan braid just so he could know this was real.
Anakin followed behind him, not listening to whatever Obi-Wan had to say in the meantime.
Currently, with everything he'd known, it felt like ghosts of the past were lashing out at him.
"Master Kenobi, Padawan Skywalker," Anakin was lost in his thoughts as he looked at the familiar forms of Masters Yoda and Windu...
'He is the traitor!'
'He's in charge of the Senate and the courts! He's too dangerous to be left alive!'
This was the same man who had pleaded for Skywalker's help in the Chancellor's office, only to be betrayed, unable to save the Republic.
Anakin huffed bitterly.
Everybody would think he was mad if they knew how he ended up.
If they knew he murdered them all.
Yet, he wasn't going to try to save them all. He knew that was not how it worked. The past remained in the past, and he couldn't change it. He rushed to Sidious's office, driven by desperation and fear. Anakin wasn't motivated by any particular fantasy of saving an organization of dead people.
"Nearly assassinated, Young Senator Amidala has been. Assigned to her protection, you are. Report to her apartment at the Senator's Complex as early as possible."
Anakin tensed ever so slightly at those words, unsure if he was prepared to see the woman he'd failed the most.
Noticing the physically younger man's tension, Kenobi chose not to comment on it just yet and nodded in affirmation, "Understood, Masters, we will be there as soon as possible."
And with those words, less than five minutes later, they took a speeder to 500 Republica. Anakin kept his eyes away from him as Kenobi drove, allowing Anakin time to meditate. Kenobi's driving would normally bore Skywalker, and constantly, the younger man found excuses to take the driver's seat; but not now.
Right now, Anakin didn't protest.
Finally, Obi-Wan addressed what he saw earlier: "Are you alright, Anakin? You seem troubled. Have you done something I should know about?" The last part was added with levels of flatness.
No. Anakin was anything but alright, and had been for years. Combined with the knowledge of the future, his sudden fatigue made him incapable of thinking of much of anything besides sleeping.
He stared at Obi-Wan, recollecting that old man on the Death Star. He had always proudly worn the robes of the Jedi, but Tatooine aged him to a terrible degree.
When he'd thought about it, Anakin realized that any animosity he had for the other man had died on the Second Death Star.
It didn't mean that Anakin was going to acquiesce to the demands of the Jedi like a slave yet again. If there was anything that being Darth Vader taught him, it was that he should have spoken what was on his mind more and prevented others from taking advantage of him.
'You will learn your place, young one.'
A slave in his youth, a slave to the Jedi as a teen and the first part of his adulthood, then a slave to the Dark Side as Vader. Only at the end of his life did he finally find freedom as he stared upon his son's face with his own eyes for the first and only time.
He wasn't going to put Luke's efforts in vain.
"Yes, Obi-Wan, I'm alright," Anakin replied in a cool and calm voice, watching the other man recoil slightly.
The more he'd thought about it, Anakin was focused on Padmé, still alive, well, and not pregnant. Her warm and humid presence drove a dagger straight through the heart of the time traveler. The last time he'd seen her, it had been as a drunk off the Dark Side Anakin Skywalker, who exploded at her, simultaneously thinking that she had brought Obi-Wan to kill him and strangling her.
He'd tried not to think about it but those words haunted him. 'Anakin, you're breaking my heart. You're going down a path I can't follow.'
Skywalker fought the urge to clench his jaw. If he had listened to her, everything could have been different. It was only due to his years as Vader that he was able to keep his face apathetic. A practiced steadiness of composure and calm, along with trying to comfort him.
'It hasn't happened yet. You can still save her.' Somehow, that didn't make him feel any better.
"Are you sure?" Faint concern radiated from the old man. "What is it, Anakin?"
Anakin thought about it for a second before coming up with a reasonable excuse, "I have been thinking about my mother."
Displeasure surrounded the Jedi. "Still that? Dreams pass in time."
"You're wrong," Anakin replied, taking Obi-Wan aback, "visions can guide the Jedi. The future is always in motion."
Surprised at one of Yoda's lines being tossed at him, the Jedi Knight couldn't stop his jaw from falling in slack.
"We must focus on the present, Anakin, the here and now..."
"The Force grants us visions for a reason, Obi-Wan. They're not to be obsessed over, nor ignored, but to followed to the source. I have been having these visions for some time now."
"Anakin-"
"It's true, Obi-Wan, visions of the future could potentially be useful. They may give a clue about what someone will do or what needs to be done to make something happen. I understand the interdependence of those visions and what they lead to, for nothing is set in stone. The Force is always changing, and so is time itself. This ebb and flow makes events completely unpredictable."
At his astute wisdom, Kenobi seemed to be at a loss for words for the next few seconds. He responded, "Anakin, the Jedi Council has far more experience than me or you. Too many Adepts of the Force who depend on these visions turn out wrong and problems arise, and that's what leads them down the path of the Dark Side."
Hopefully wedging doubt in the older Jedi, Anakin chose to not let it end there, "Well, the Jedi aren't always right. You've seen it first hand. Remember when you and Qui-Gon went before them and he warned them about the Sith returning, but they didn't want to believe it until it was too late."
Obi-Wan paled considerably, and Anakin found himself almost feeling guilty if he wasn't grounded in place.
Once, being a Jedi meant everything to Anakin Skywalker. That was why he stayed for so long. After his mother's death, after marrying Padmé, and after Ahsoka left, that was no longer the case. He only stayed because of his bond with Obi-Wan, and Padmé's insistence that he help with the Clone Wars.
This time, Anakin didn't care about being an official Jedi. His son proved that one didn't have to belong to an organization to proudly wear the title of Jedi and acknowledged his connections with his friends.
His son showed what the Jedi should have always been.
Before the conversation could continue, the lift door opened and they entered the corridor. Across the way from them, a door opened and a well-dressed Gungan, wearing fine red and black robes, approached the corridor opposite of them. The three paused to study one another for just a moment, before a wide smile appeared on the Gungan's face.
"Obi!" Jar Jar Binks exclaimed, his ears flapping. "Mesa so happy to see yousa again."
Obi-Wan forced away his stone expression and smiled at the Gungan. Meanwhile, Anakin had something else to think about. He would always find it odd that Palpatine kept the Gungan in his services until the end of the Empire. "Good to see you again, Jar Jar, but may we see Senator Amidala?"
The Gungan's demeanor took on a more serious expression. "Shesa been expecting yousa. Follow mesa please." His head hung a bit more and led the two Jedi down the hallway of the apartment.
Anakin folded his hands behind his back. The gesture had become one of his many instincts at this point. Kenobi didn't notice this yet, remaining only slightly ahead.
A trio of Naboo people stood in the room, awaiting the Jedi's arrival. The handmaiden, Dormé, wore an elegant, yet simple dress typical of a Naboo handmaiden. Next to her stood the Naboo captain, Typho, in the new military uniform of the Royal Naboo Security Forces, complete with a stiff cap and a serious expression.
Pain briefly engulfed him as words cut into his skull...
'Padmé. Padmé Amidala. The woman I loved from afar, for years. She… never knew. She was too busy, too deeply engaged in the… service of her people to notice me. And I attended to my duty—I, Typho, Captain of Naboo. But I… loved her. And now… now she's dead. Dead. You killed her, Vader. You! I know it!'
It wasn't going to end there. He looked and saw... her. His beloved. She looked so young now; so alive and so young, if only a little worried, stressed, and grieving. Anakin remembered his crushing failures when he was drunk off of his power. He'd done what he could to make it up on the Death Star, but he could never really redeem himself, for losing himself to power when she'd needed him. He vaguely wondered how she'd have reacted to seeing her children, if she'd named them… She must have been a lost mess. He'd imagined her sadness and guilt for not being there for them and loss at knowing that her husband had fallen.
Maybe, he was a selfish man, but he was going to rescue his family this time.
Damn the Jedi and Sith...
"Senator?" Jar Jar announced. "Desa Jedi have arriven."
True to form, in an exaggerated manner, the Gungan motioned to them as if they were arriving at some sort of committee.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, milady," Obi-Wan nodded professionally.
She glanced at Anakin but didn't say anything in return. She took Obi-Wan's hand into her own. "It has been far too long, Master Kenobi."
'You have no idea.'
Anakin didn't allow himself to get lost in emotions from long ago and focused on the here and now. "Senator Amidala," he bowed slightly.
Padmé's face spoke of confusion and bafflement as she didn't expect Anakin to speak. "Ani..." Moving in front of him, she managed to get a good look at him, and her expression took on one of pure incredulity. "Ani? My goodness, you've grown."
Anakin smiled, "As did you, milady. While it is good to see you again, we will have to postpone any reunions until the threat is subdued."
And until Anakin got his head straight to be frank.
Also, he didn't cherish the thought of Padmé being forced into any position as she had been with the threat of assassination.
Padmé nodded, being reminded of professionalism. '"Of course."
They each took their own seats, Obi-Wan and Anakin on the sofa, and Padmé and Dormé in their respective chairs. Both Typho and Jar Jar remained standing.
"Our presence will be invisible, milady, I can assure you." Obi-Wan announced.
"I'm very grateful you're here, Master Kenobi," Typho replied. "I am Captain Typho, head of Queen Jamillia's security service. I have been assigned to protect the Senator, as well, but the situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit."
An apprehensive look passed over Padmé's face. "I don't need more security, I need answers. I want to know who is trying to kill me."
"That will be deducted shortly, I believe," Anakin declared.
Obi-Wan turned to look at him. "We will not exceed our mandate, my Young Padawan Learner."
Anakin refused to allow Obi-Wan to chastise him and make him look like a fool in a public scene yet again. He had just make a solemn vow never to answer to a Master. He knew that it would be unfair to compare Obi-Wan to the likes of Darth Sidious; a sick and vile creature who ruined everything he touched. But their relationship was always tinted with bits of antagonism.
It was time to discover his newfound freedom...
He returned the look with seriousness, absent of joking, "Obi-Wan, if someone is trying to kill the Senator, the bounty hunter will return to attempt another assassination. We are involved in an investigation from the moment we were placed on this case."
"You will follow my instructions, Anakin," Obi-Wan declared sternly, a warning almost in his tone.
"I can think for myself. We have an obligation to protect common life, Obi-Wan. We would fail our mission if the Senator is a corpse," Anakin shot back, arching an eyebrow at him. "The simple fact is we're involved in this, and it's unlikely that unless we cut off the head, our presence here will be meaningless. Of course, the decision is yours."
Much to his dark delight, everyone turned to look at the older Jedi, who squirmed uncomfortably. It evidently dawned on Obi-Wan that Anakin was speaking to them as much to him.
Obi-Wan sighed and gave Anakin a pointed look that said "This isn't over" and nodded.
Not letting the smirk cross his face, Anakin looked at Padmé.
"That said, I have a theory about who may be responsible behind this."
"Who?" Typho and Padmé chorused.
"Seeing that the Viceroy of the Trade Federation invaded your planet to protest a new taxation bill that would have placed them under greater scrutiny by the Galactic Senate and motivated the then Queen Amidala of Naboo to sign a treaty that would have given the Trade Federation control of the planet..." Anakin left the implication hanging and was met with expected protesting.
"Nute Gunray is too much of a coward to try this," Typho said.
"Direct, perhaps, but not from afar. Naboo saw that first-hand years ago. He has friends in powerful places. What to say if his grudge remains?" Anakin challenged back.
...
"We cannot act on mere suspicions, Anakin," Padmé responded, though he could tell she was considering this. "Perhaps with your presence, be it Gunray or someone else, these mysteries surrounding this threat will be revealed," she smiled at Anakin and Obi-Wan, a gesture of humility. "Now, I shall retire."
"Your exhaustion is understandable, Senator, but I believe that going to your bedroom alone to be an unwise move," Anakin advised, not wanting his wife's fate to be left to the confidence that he and Obi-Wan had gotten lucky last time.
"It has been a stressful day for her," Dormé pointed out with a frown. At last, the sadness surrounding Cordé's passing.
Anakin nodded. "It has been," he concurred, "but the bounty hunter wouldn't feel guilty because of her exhaustion. I wish to do a supervision of the room." He tossed a look at Obi-Wan who looked like he was about to speak up. "Unless that is yet another complaint I have."
Yet again, Obi-Wan was the center of attention in the room.
He didn't mean for this to turn around on the old man. He really didn't. But it appeared Naboo was more eager to follow the strategically planning Jedi who seem to know damn well what he was doing.
Kenobi's cheeks reddened in a mixture of humiliation and rage. Gathering himself, he nodded, the disapproval still across his face. "We'll do what we'll have to do."
Now, it was up to Anakin to not make a fool out of himself. Triumphant in this verbal spar with the old man, the two Jedi followed Padmé and the security detail to Padmé's room. Yes, just as he expected. Unsafe. Dank Ferrik, Anakin forgot how exposed Padmé's apartment was.
He hummed slightly.
"What?" Padmé and Obi-Wan both asked at the same time, looking at him.
"There are far too many windows in this apartment," he observed flatly.
Padmé frowned, "All windows in the building are made of permaglass. It may not withstand a military-grade ordinance, but otherwise, it should hold."
Anakin moved over to the window, pretending to contemplate his surroundings. At one point, his hand fell down on to his hilt. A durable hilt, featuring a just as durable integument, corrugated handgrip, forward mounted adjustment knobs and a slanted emitter shroud as well as a throttle-style ignition. Along with the blue color crystal, it also possessed a high product diatium power cell and a dual-phase concentrating crystal. The same one he'd lost on Geonosis.
Ceasing himself of further reflections, he pointed a finger outside of the window for emphasis.
"This can result in a security breach. After the failed assassination attempt, the bounty hunter will operate far more conspicuously. Kouhuns or some other toxin can be utilized, and no one will even know until it is far too late."
"I will be alright, Anakin," Padmé returned defiantly, not wanting to be coddled over like a child.
"You don't know that for sure, milady," Anakin dismissed cordially and got the anticipated reaction. Pissing off Obi-Wan and Padmé certainly wasn't on his agenda today, but oh well, they would have to accept this new Anakin.
"Senator, I'm going to have to agree with the Jedi," Typho chimed in, clearly not having considered that until now.
Padmé glared at Typho, and for a moment, it seemed that his words weren't going to find fertile soil. She sighed and placed her hand on her head. "Do you have an alternative solution?"
Anakin allowed those feelings to pass into the Force and nodded. "We are capable of shrouding ourselves with the Force. In one scenario, we allow you to rest."
Padmé arched an unimpressed eyebrow. "The catch?"
"I will be standing above you the entire night."
"Watching me sleep?!" Padmé gawked. "Absolutely not!"
"I didn't take you as one who snores, Senator." For a brief moment, the younger Skywalker quipped, bringing back a decade-old argument.
"I do not snore!" Padmé exclaimed in indignation, the cheek was clear in her tone.
"Whatever you say, milady." Obi-Wan cleared his throat, and Anakin held up a hand, bringing an end to the moment. "Or we use an alternative. We draw the bounty hunter to us. The lack of availability to assassinate the Senator discreetly will infuriate the bounty hunter. Meanwhile, you sleep in one of the other quarters with a heavy security detail nearby."
That way, Padmé got the best of two galaxies.
"That's better," she said.
"Very well..." Anakin nodded, turning to Typho. "Captain, I want all security measures supervised and no patrol to diverse without our attention. Obi-Wan, unless you want me to go..."
"No, I'll handle it," Obi-Wan muttered unhappily, still sore about being robbed of his investigation as he walked out behind a few guards and Dormé.
Typho remained behind, staring at him.
"Is there something about me that you wish to address?" Anakin prodded.
"Well, I didn't think that Jedi would have much knowledge on this front. Usually, it is rumored you're all meant to be peacekeepers." The man rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.
"That is a mischaracterization. Peacekeeping is one of our obligations, but having common sense, investigation skills, and critical thinking isn't above us as well."
"Well, your Master seems adverse to the idea," Padmé shrugged.
"Don't take the old man as a paragon of virtue."
"Oh, because you are?" Padmé laughed slightly.
Anakin smiled roguishly, relieved to hear her like this after so much time passed. If only she'd been able to stay like this... "For someone like Obi-Wan, the Council is always right. With me, you'll see a different approach."
"A better one?"
"Depending on perspective. We both have flaws. Perfection is unachievable."
Padmé quipped, "Nice to see you learned humility."
He scoffed. "I have always been humbled."