Chapter XVIII –
Secrets – Part III
Approximately 1800
Senator
Organa had bid his friends farewell and left the
apartment leaving Luke alone with his parents. He
couldn’t feel his twin nearby and assumed she was
out somewhere with her scoundrel pirate, Han Solo.
Smirking and shaking his head, Luke walked out of
the living area.
“Luke
gave up.” Anakin grinned wickedly at his wife.
“You are
such a rogue at times.” Padmé laughed.
“But
you’re hopelessly, deeply in love with me, right?”
he teased.
Padmé paused to think which made Anakin’s mouth drop
open in surprise.
“Of course, my dearest Jedi,” she finally said with
a giggle. “How was your trip?”
Anakin lifted her back upright again, but left his
arms surrounding her waist. “Satisfying. Luke’s
skills with the Force are rapidly progressing.”
Padmé decided not to wait for her husband to ask
about his daughter’s whereabouts and voluntarily
told him. “Leia is doing well… She’s not home…she’s
with Han.”
A
scowl passed over Anakin’s face even though he
wasn’t surprised by the news. “Where?” he asked,
trying to maintain an even tone.
“Really, Anakin, she’s old enough to choose her own
beaus. You’ll simply anger her if you continue to
interfere.”
“I
don’t think he’s good enough for her,” he huffed.
“He’s a smuggler and probably up to no good.”
Padmé smirked. “But he’s good enough for you to hang
around with?” she asked, a slight edge to her voice.
“I’m not trying to marry him!” he retorted.
“Neither is she!” Padmé protested. “She enjoys his
company and you know he’s not so bad. You just
refuse to let Leia grow up.”
Anakin turned away and placed his hand on his hips.
“She’ll always be my little girl, Padmé. No one in
the universe will ever be good enough for her.”
Padmé sighed, knowing how hard it was for her
husband to realize that his children weren’t
dependant on him anymore. They were grown and had
lives of their own to lead. Luke was still involved
with Genne Copper, a fellow pilot like himself, and
Leia had found a soul-mate in Han Solo – the pirate
scoundrel that Anakin had met on the Death Star
before it was destroyed.
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From behind, she placed her arms through his and
held him tightly. “You have to let go, Ani. You have
to let her live.”
Anakin inhaled deeply, held it for a moment, and
then let it rush out of him like a wave. “I…know,”
he softly replied.
Padmé briefly hesitated and then said, “There’s
something I need to tell you.”
It
wasn’t what she had said, but how she
said it that made Anakin turn around and gaze into
her beautiful dark eyes. “What is it?” he worriedly
asked.
“Come,” she took hold of his hand and motioned
toward the sofa, “sit down and I’ll tell you.”
Padmé was
about to recount all that had been going on with
their friends when a beep resounded off to the far
left where a terminal console sat upon an ebony
desk. Padmé glanced over, hesitating on whether she
should save the message for later or view it now.
Unable to shirk her duties she stood up and walked
over to the desk. Inputting the code that would
activate the message, she watched as Obi-Wan’s face
materialized.
Padmé
sighed with relief upon seeing her friends face
rather than someone else needing her immediate
attention.
“I’m
sorry I missed you in both your office and home,
Padmé, but my news is important enough that I felt
leaving you a message was essential if I could not
reach you in person.”
Padmé
took notice of the lines forming around her friends
eyes, showing how weary he was. But it was more than
that – he looked haggard as if he hadn’t slept in
days, which she knew was not true. She shifted her
gaze to look at the edge of the screen for the
timestamp and it wasn’t that long ago that he had
sent this message. She looked back up as he began
speaking again.
“I will
be leaving a similar message with the Jedi Council
but you should be aware of this as well. Sakoya’s
condition…is complicated by the fact that her spirit
is trapped with Mara on the dark side of the Force.”
Padmé’s
mouth dropped open in surprise.
Obi-Wan
continued, “Qui-Gon…informed me of this grim news.
At the moment, she hasn’t the strength to make it
back and even more disturbing is that I believe the
Emperor is with her as well in the spiritual realm.
During a meditation I was confronted by what
appeared to be Sakoya’s spirit, but I don’t think it
was. I think Palpatine is hoping to overtake a
corporeal form to live again.” Obi-Wan took a deep
breath, for what he was about to reveal was still a
shock to him. “Padmé…Sakoya is…with child.”
Without
thought, Padmé began to fall forward onto the desk
but caught herself with her arms. “She’s
pregnant!” she whispered with a combination of
surprise and elation.
“I don’t
know if her condition has changed. I can’t reach her
because something is blocking me… But I know one
person who could – Anakin. I await your decision
regarding the mission.” In an effort to reclaim his
composure, Obi-Wan closed his eyes and called upon
the Force and the transmission ended.
Padmé
turned away from the console and walked back to the
sofa as if she were in a trance of her own. As she
sat down she stared straight ahead, her eyes
transfixed on the wall before her.
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Anakin had sat down on the sofa and stretched out
while he waited for his wife to conclude with the
incoming message. He had closed his eyes to relax
when an unexpected rush of what Anakin could only
call agony invaded his body. “Padmé?” he nearly
shouted as his eyes flew open and he immediately sat
upright.
Padmé sat a short distance away from him motionless.
Her body appeared rigid compared to the long, dark
curls cascading over her shoulder.
Anakin moved closer to her and put his arm around
her shoulder. He was taken aback by her unyielding
body. Normally she would lean into him, but not this
time. “Angel, what is it?” he pleaded, feeling the
turmoil coming from his beloved.
“Worse, much worse than we thought,” she barely
managed to say. “I’ll…start,” she took a deep breath
as Obi-Wan’s words still resounded in her ears, “at
the beginning.”
__________________________________*****__________________________________
Anakin lowered his head and shook it from side to
side. He knew that Padmé carried midi-chlorians
within her body even though she wasn’t a Jedi.
Still, the deep bond they shared enabled them to
discern more clearly those innermost feelings.
Considering Obi-Wan and Sakoya were both
full-fledged Jedi, the bond they shared would be
even more profound. Anakin felt empathy for his
friend and former mentor in spite of the fact that
Obi-Wan was very proficient at controlling his
emotions. As far as he was concerned, Sakoya brought
out the best in his friend and was the perfect
companion for him.
“So Sakoya’s daughter is alive.”
Padmé nodded her head. “And quite the assassin it
would seem.”
“Obi-Wan must be going through hell,” he commented,
his hands resting on his forehead.
“Yes, I believe he is,” Padmé replied, her voice
filled with concern.
Anakin’s shoulders rose and fell with his deep
inhale and exhale of breath. “Yes, I’m sure he’s
trying to handle this as best he can. And then
there’s the fact that Sakoya’s soul is trapped in
the dark side…he probably feels as if he’s being
slowly suffocated.” The Jedi paused and then said,
“I need to go and help him.”
“Beloved, I know what Obi-Wan said, but what could
you do?” Padmé sympathetically asked. “And don’t
dismiss the fact that Mara intends to kill you and
Luke!”
“Yes…” Anakin pondered on his thoughts. “You said
that the girl…” he stumbled, unable to recall the
name.
“Cela,” Padmé offered.
“Yes, Cela. You said that she told you that the
Emperor told Mara to kill us.” It wasn’t a question,
but more of a statement to clarify the information.
“Yes, the Skywalker’s who led to his demise.”
“So…even though the Emperor is dead, his soul is
lingering in some ethereal plane of existence?”
Anakin voiced his thoughts aloud.
“Is that possible?” Padmé inquired, somewhat
confused.
Anakin absently nodded. “It is for the Jedi and I’m
assuming that applies to the Sith as well. Qui-Gon
speaks to me on occasion just as he did to Obi-Wan.
It’s the same principle. And if Sakoya is with
child, trapped…on the dark side…Sidious could…” He
shook his head and closed his eyes not wanting to
voice what he was thinking.
Suddenly understanding, Padmé covered her mouth with
her hand as her eyes flew open in shock.
1
Alliance Ch19 and
Alliance Ch20
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