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Chapter 6
Staring at the small blue planet, she assumed that it was Kamino.
Obi-Wan had decided to spend his little vacation sleeping, and Siri didn't argue since it was preferable to the awkward silence that would have fallen over them during the trip. As it turned out, Skywalker leaving must have drained Kenobi of energy.
Staring at his pensive expression and closed eyes, Siri felt something falling over her
It had almost made Siri reconsider waking him up.
Almost.
"Hey, Obi-Wan," she said, pressing against his stomach. It took a few attempts to push against him and say his name before she decided to use more immediate means. Slapping him across the face and saying, "Wake up!" He finally groaned and stared up with a hint of impatience. "Oh, don't look at me like that. We're finally on your little mysterious planet. You're welcome."
Obi-Wan groaned and offered a cheek. "Ah, yes, forgive me. You're not exactly a pleasant sight to wake up to."
Siri huffed. "And I'm sure you can talk."
"I can," Obi-Wan offered cheekily.
Siri rolled her eyes, "Ugh, what happened to you, Obi? You'd used to be the most defiant one of us all."
"I'd grown up."
Kenobi made a face at the atmosphere. Siri modified frequencies until she finally got one; in a slow, buzzing tone. "We're Jedi, deployed from Coruscant. We wish to speak with whoever is in charge on this planet for an inspection."
Silence passed.
Siri almost thought that no life existed on the planet at first. "This is Topica City Control, we've been waiting for the Jedi for quite some time. We were starting to think you weren't coming," answered the cool voice, "I will send you docking coordinates in a moment."
Siri frowned as the comm flickered out.
"We're expected?" Obi-Wan voiced her thoughts out loud.
They descended onto a platform extended over a raging ocean, approached the bay, and left the ship in the rain. Side by side, Kenobi and Tachi moved, pulling at their robes and keeping their faces held high. The only difference between the Jedi was their height.
As soon as they'd entered the facility, Kenobi and Tachi were met with a long-necked alien of some sort.
"The Prime Minister is most excited to meet with you." The voice came out as female. Assuming that gender biology was still the same on this planet, Siri decided to refer to "it" as a "she".
"We would be happy to meet with him," agreed Obi-Wan.
They walked down bright halls, silence in the air. They moved to a circular room with a single long-necked figure in it. "May I present Prime Minister Lama Su."
The Jedi bowed, observing.
"And may I present Master Jedi...?" began the same one.
"I am Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi," Kenobi introduced.
The Prime Minister stared at Siri now.
"Jedi Knight Siri Tachi," Siri offered.
The Prime Minister nodded. "Of course, the Jedi serve the Republic, I am told, so our army would be of interest to you."
"An Army?" Kenobi blinked.
Four seats fell from the ceiling, and all except the first long-neck took a seat. "You will be delighted to hear that we are on schedule. Three hundred thousand units are ready, with another million more well on the way."
"That's wonderful," Siri said, putting on an act of sounding relieved.
"Please tell Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas that his order will be met on time," the Prime Minister insisted.
"I'm sorry... master who?" Obi-Wan asked.
The Prime Minister cleared his throat. "Jedi Master Sifo-Dyas is still a leading member of the Jedi Council, isn't he?"
"Master Sifo-Dyas was killed almost ten years ago," answered Obi-Wan.
"Oh, I'm so sorry to hear that," answered the Prime Minister, though his aura suggested nothing but apathy. "But I'm sure he would have been proud of the army we built for him."
"...an army," Obi-Wan paused.
"Yes, a clone army, and I must say one of the finest we've ever created."
Wait a minute, they chose to make clone armies?! To whom and to where?
"This army was created for the Jedi? For the Republic?" Siri couldn't avoid the nausea churning in her chest.
"Of course, Master Sifo-Dyas was very clear on his order," the Prime Minister confirmed.
"I believe it might be best if we inspect them," Obi-Wan said slowly, standing up.
"Of course," the Prime Minister allowed, rising from his chair.
The corridors they traveled through revealed a complex so massive and sprawling, consisting of platforms that contained so many containers filled with liquid and growing... well, something. She didn't know what to describe them as. Fetuses? Yes, that may suit them for now. Nevertheless, she couldn't stop her jaw from dropping.
"Very impressive," Kenobi spoke to sustain appearances. Big show-off...
"I hope you are pleased," Lama Su declared.
Siri just had to know... "Barring them being human, what's the difference between them and droids?"
"Why, many things, Master Tachi. Clones are capable of thinking with advanced knowledge as would most living beings. You will soon discover that they are immensely superior to droids."
"But how? How do you train that many in so short of a time?" Siri pressed a bit further.
There was only the slightest indignation from the Kaminoan. "We take great pride in our combat training and education program, Master Jedi. If you wish to see them firsthand, we'll be glad to show you."
"How long have you been doing this? And what guarantees that they're loyal to the Republic?" Kenobi queried now.
"We installed their generics with obedience before they were even born. We have to do this because of their accelerated growth. They are instructed in total obedience and will follow any order without question. We modified their genetic structure to make them less independent than the original host. We genetically engineered them to age at twice the rate of the template; otherwise, it would take a lifetime to grow our soldiers. Now, we do it in half the time," Lama Su announced.
"Why... it... doesn't stop when they reach a certain level of maturity?" Kenobi asked, seeming to share some of her feelings.
"Oh goodness, no, Master Jedi," Lama Su snickered. "That would require genetically grooming each and every single Clone post-maturity, and there would be many failures. It was not in the initial contract to attempt or work towards. If you wish to endeavor for postponing the Clones' expiration, then that would be another discussion and contract fulfilled. However, it is likely something that will cost an extension of a great number of Clones to discover, and possibly have side effects, as whole-body genetic changes of a matured adult, especially a Clone, are a risky obligation. It will also cost a plenteous more credits to do, and will not yield instant results, as we would have to discover more methods to shorten their time."
Tachi felt a roar of disgust cross through her. She couldn't believe that these... well, Kaminoans, would bring to life a sentient being, and then cast them aside and pretend that they weren't people as well.
Kenobi initiated the conversation, giving her a brief pointed look as if to save face, "On that matter... how much would the Clones cost?"
"That depends on the amount of units released and prepared at a certain amount of time," Lama Su relayed. "Master Sifo-Dyas handled the original payments. Any further units after the current order is finished will need... a rebranded contract."
Obi-Wan scowled, "How did Dyas pay for that?"
"He had required assistance," Lama Su replied. "Though I imagine a new payment method will be needed for those handlings, as our original contractor either abandoned the project altogether or has passed away."
"Who is this contractor?" Kenobi pressed.
The Force shifted slightly.
"Why, that is confidential," Lama Su began in protest. "It is a violation of their privacy."
"This Clone Army was branded for the Republic," Obi-Wan pointed out. "We're not asking for their backstory or other dealings you potentially had to deal with..."
"No, but they are deals and terms that we don't wish to cross, Master Jedi, we must forgo this conservation. I must insist upon it."
'Insists?' Siri thought. 'He insists?'
"With the lack of knowledge about this army beforehand, we cannot trust you and must cover all bases," Obi-Wan pushed.
Hesitation lingered before a sigh exited...
"...Magister of the Intergalactic Banking Clan Hego Damask II," the Kaminoan relented. "He helped fund the effort alongside Dyas."
"Damask?" Siri's eyebrows furrowed, though it had been so long ago that she couldn't recall the Magister. She hadn't ever gotten involved much with that political nonsense.
"...What about the original host?" Obi-Wan inquired.
"A bounty hunter called Jango Fett," Lama Su informed them.
"I see," Obi-Wan replied, giving her a look as if to say, "That's the one."
"Is he on planet?" Siri posed.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Aside from his pay, which was considerable," the Prime Minister replied, "he demanded only one thing: an unaltered clone for himself. Curious, isn't it?"
"Unaltered?" Obi-Wan contributed.
"Pure genetic replication, no tampering with the structure to make it docile, and no growth acceleration," explained Lama Su.
"We would very much like to meet this Jango Fett," Obi-Wan announced.
The first Kaminoan answered, "I would be happy to arrange it for you."
They stopped at the end of a hallway and looked out over a vast array of marching Clones.
"Magnificent aren't they?" Lama Su asked.
Kenobi and Tachi nodded in astonishment.
What did Master Dyas do for this Clone Army, and why?
"The Council's going to have a fit," she mumbled to Obi-Wan when the Kaminoan moved some distance away.
Obi-Wan sighed. "One way to put it."
Anakin stopped short of the Tusken village; it was the same one as last time. Since Shmi Skywalker was still alive, albeit her presence through their bond-still powerful, active, and full of love was fading, he remembered her signature from decades later. Their bond rang powerfully. As deep as his connection with his son, which only grew stronger, and his daughter, which was blocked due to the fact that she had yet to tap into the Force.
As a Jedi, he was horrified at what he had done to the Tuskens who tortured his mother to death, but he also made no secret of his pure contempt for them. The whole thing was so agonizing that he opted to just want nothing to do with it.
As a Sith, he still hated Tusken Raiders, but they were simply beneath his notice.
Needless to say, the massacre before was so brutal that the Tusken tribes saw him as a specter of death even decades later behind that black suit. That was, of course, just one of so many things within him that made him such an atomic bomb of pure hatred, so he didn't care much for their extinction.
Yet, as soon as he got off the hangar ramp, all the knowledge he had, the wisdom about the Force, and the much-deprived energy of killing slowly boiled into ranges of different emotions. Even now, the first instinct Anakin had was to draw his cerulean lightsaber, discarding how odd it felt in his hands and focusing on his rage as a defense. Like his son, his greatest strength and weakness had been his loved ones...
So, what did it matter?
Why should he spare these Tuskens and allow them to live their lives when they'd been nothing more than creatures who should be exterminated from the face of the planet? Off of the entire galaxy perhaps?
Anakin had wielded the Dark Side so much that it almost came to him naturally. Now was the time...
"Anakin?" Padmé asked, coming to his side, blaster in hand, prepared to fall with him into this abyss.
"Stay here," the Dragon commanded tersely, keeping his head in their direction. A group of small children Tuskens raced away, unaware of the monster soon to squander their fun with a bloodbath.
She paused at that voice, her fear obvious. "I will not," she refused, placing a hand on his shoulder, "What? What's wrong, Ani?" she inquired, concerned. She forced him to face her and stepped back when she spotted his golden eyes.
"I said stay here, Padmé." Yet, the Dragon held no anger for her.
"Your eyes..."
"A mark of the Dark Side..."
"N-no..." She replied defiantly, managing to keep herself composed. "I'll be right beside you."
Was this not what the Dragon had always wanted?
"Please, Ani, whatever that's happening, let me help you," she pleaded.
Help? Her? As if he'd needed her help?!
"You're going to lose her again if you don't regain control."
And the man closed his eyes, breathing. One couldn't always spare an adversary and assume that they would come away quietly. But this was not that. This was Tatooine putting his psyche on full display. If Anakin marched in there and slaughtered the entire village, he may not fall to the Dark Side, but it would be something else he would have to live with.
When he opened them again, they were their normal blue. She made a sigh of relief...
"Thank you, Padmé..."
Upon seeing them, the Tuskens were startled. The males darted up to them and held up their staffs as if that would stop them.
Cursing the absence of a protocol droid in his haste, Anakin spoke as pensive and equally strict as possible, waving his hand in the hope that the Force would abate them. "I don't want to hurt you, but I will take my mother back. This will be your only opportunity to move aside."
The Tuskens gave no emotion, their aggression obvious. As more came forward, even the women warriors, Anakin had no choice but to assume a battle position.
"Don't do this," he warned. "Stand down."
The Chieftain attacked, but Anakin twisted around, activating his blue lightsaber and countering the blows, breaking the staff apart before knocking him to the side. He advanced, cutting at their staffs with minimal effort. The Tuskens roared in shock and charged. At first, Anakin attempted to avoid casualties and merely rendered them unconscious.
But more came...
And eventually, Anakin had no choice.
Due to the defense Anakin formed, and Padmé having to help him as well because of him working with her, eventually the first kill was granted through a stab through the chest. The others roared in vengeance and savagely struck at them with a passion. Anakin merely countered each strike as if they were nothing and cut through them. The ones from earlier recovered, deeming his efforts further for naught.
When all of the camp's male and female warriors, which happened to be the entire camp, lay dead at his defense, the children looked at the corpses of their parents and shrieked in terror.
He hoped that they would run. He'd hated to admit it, as it was dishonorable and despicable. But the Chosen One would have slain them again if he had to get to his captured mother.
Morality was going to be tested in the coming Clone Wars.
Thankfully, they did. But Anakin knew no happy ending awaited them. Despite how he'd struck in self-defense against the elders, Anakin doubted that they would find the means to initiate into another tribe. He had lived through war long enough to know. Very likely, the desert would claim them as fallen victims.
He found the tent in which his mother had been captured by the savages, her presence still active, but...
His heart froze, and Anakin felt fear...
Had this not been him but two days ago when he'd returned in time after the last moments with his son?
Held upon a wooden palisade, she was a mess, simply put. What was left of her robes was torn to shreds, like his face. Most of her wounds were still flesh and bleeding, along with his other injuries, the most extensive being the open laceration on her cheek. Speaking of which, her face was already devoid of color, with a blue glow looming to conquer her complexion. The woman was tougher than she looked.
His angel approached his mother and effortlessly cut her down from the wooden frame she was hanging on with a knife.
Shmi's legs resisted for a second before collapsing, but the two caught her and softly lowered her down to sit on the ground.
Looking at her scarred face, Anakin was helpless, feeling every ache in her body.
She was...
Half-dead...
Beaten...
Raped...
Tortured...
The sheer gull of these worms!
"Ani?" she asked as both held her in his arms, her eyes locked on his form. "Ani, is that you?"
Years of being a Sith, and less time as a Jedi, and still, he had no choice. He was given a second chance, and this was what it came down to.
He had always been weak, even when he'd tried to make his own decisions.
Maybe his fate was to witness everything all fall apart again.
"It's me, Mom, and Padmé is here too," Anakin said, hoping that perhaps the form of the woman would give his mother more strength. "Can you hear me?"
"You have grown so big... so big and handsome," she said weakly, looking at her son for a moment before turning to Padmé, "Padmé, is that you?"
"Yes, it's me. You're coming with us. We have to save you."
"You already have, Padmé. You've become even more beautiful..."
"Shhh..." the younger woman said softly, knowing that she might be drawing too much blood.
"Mother, hang on..." Anakin begged.
"I'm... I'm proud that you've grown into the man I always wanted you to be..."
"Mom," Anakin tried one last time.
"I love you..." Before her body went limp in his arms.
Anakin could only hold her, looking at her marred face for several long seconds. Tears traveled down his eyes. All he'd wanted was to hold onto his mother and keep her with him until the end of time. Life was against him completely. Perhaps he could have saved her if he had been sent back even a month. Perhaps...
He moved away from her and sobbed against the tent, allowing his pain to leak off of him.
"Anakin," Padmé said slowly.
No, she didn't matter right now...
"I failed her!" Anakin exclaimed.
"Anakin!" she tried again.
The tears suddenly faded, and anger dawned inside of him. Anakin glared at her.
At his vacant stare, she paused for a moment, recalling those golden eyes.
"S...she's still breathing."
Anakin gasped a bit, wondering if Padmé was mishearing or playing some cruel prank. He crouched before her, extended his ear to his mother's chest to hear, receiving faint heartbeats, and his eyes widened.
He had almost lost himself in the fears...
Joy bounced in his heart, but he knew not to jump to conclusions.
"Hopefully, that smuggler has medical supplies," Anakin said urgently.
For the second time in decades, Anakin had hope...
Author's note: I struggled with whether or not to kill Shmi. While her death could be a powerful motivator, keeping her alive is even more powerful as of symbolism, as it reaffirms his choice to leave the Jedi Order and doesn't make it pointless. If Anakin had left the Order, things could have gone better with the idea that he decides to craft his own destiny, and I wanted that to be felt in this chapter. So, yep, Shmi lives. Though, I don't have a current plan involving much of her right now, aside from her resting for a while and recovering.
That aside, this will not be a fix-it where Anakin waltzes in and saves everyone. It's a fix-it OF SORTS, but that's ambiguous for a reason. There are good and bad things involving time travel, after all, and I want those ripples to be felt in this story.
May the Force be with you all always.