Chapter XVII – Familiar Faces Part I
Padmé
slowly strode down the corridor on her way to the
chamber that had been deemed the War Room. She quietly
contemplated the morning’s events and realized all too
clearly what was unfolding in front of her. Anakin had
gone on a ‘mission’ for the Jedi, but despite his
explanation, she knew what he was really doing yet
didn’t voice her opinions. As he had always done,
Anakin was trying to shield and protect her, and she
loved him dearly for it. In his love for her, he
tended to underestimate her strengths, but this was
one time she wasn’t going to argue.
She had known he used the Force on her to induce sleep
from her previous night’s ranting but he actually
helped her more than he realized. The Force had calmed
and soothed her, as if she were cradled in her
mother’s arms when she was a babe. It cleared her
perspective and opened her mind to what was
transpiring and how she needn’t worry about Luke. In
her heart, she knew he would be all right. When she
had said good-bye to her handsome husband, she managed
to stave off her tears. She hugged him tightly and
kissed him passionately then told him to remember the
light – always to remember the light. He had looked at
her dumbfounded – at first – then it became clear to
him.
“You know, don’t you?” he whispered in her ear as
he clutched her tightly.
“Beloved, you can’t hide from me.”
“No…I can’t.” He sounded almost miserable.
Padmé gently cupped his face in her hands, “What you
do, you do for our son and I love you more than words
can say, but you must not dwell on Leia and me. No
matter what happens, we will always be with you.
Concentrate and let the Force become one with you.
I’ll be waiting with open arms for you both as will
our daughter.”
“You are my soul, angel.”
“And you are mine.” She brushed her lips to his,
kissing him tenderly.
“Padmé,” Anakin moaned, deepening the kiss and losing
himself in her embrace.
“Be safe,” Padmé said softly, breaking his hold on her
and reluctantly walking away. Glancing over her
shoulder, she said, “and remember the light, Ani,
always remember the light.”
“I will, precious,” Anakin whispered as he watched his
beloved walk away.
************************************
Padmé grimaced as the thought of the monumental
challenge her husband faced entered her mind, but she
also knew Anakin’s determination and love for his son
would keep him strong. Anakin loved as no other she
had ever encountered, even her family. There was no
doubt of the lengths her family would go to spare one
another pain in any capacity, but Anakin went deeper
than that; he would give his soul to save his family –
they were his universe.
It pained her to the very center of her being to let
him go and she chased back the tears as they parted.
Resolving herself, she knew her strength would be
needed not only for her family’s sake but also for the
Alliance’s upcoming battle with the Death Star.
Shmi… Her husband’s mother entered Padmé’s
mind. You raised a wonderful son and the man he has
become is a tribute to you. I can almost see you
smiling down upon him, upon us. Please…watch over
him…protect him…if you can.
Padmé’s thoughts were in another galaxy when the
person who had been walking beside her for the last
few minutes, apparently speaking and not being heard,
stopped and touched her arm to get the Senator’s
attention. “Wha?” Padmé turned and looked into the
brown eyes that mirrored her own. “I’m sorry, my mind
is elsewhere. Were you talking to me?”
“It wasn’t anything important.”
Padmé sighed and Leia could see how tired her mother
appeared. Dark circles had begun to form beneath her
eyes and the omnipresent sparkle Padmé had always
radiated was dramatically dim. She’s exhausted,
Leia silently voiced to herself, and now I’m making
matters worse. Leia bowed her head, I have to
tell her, she needs to know!
Padmé waited for her daughter to speak, taking notice
of how Leia was struggling to find the right words.
Raising her head, Leia looked straight at her mother.
“I…” she began then stopped and took a deep breath
before continuing. “I have something to tell you.
Something I think you should know. It’s about…” she
paused again, fighting with her words as they refused
to formulate in her mind. Finally she said, “Daddy…”
Padmé smiled at her beautiful daughter, they were so
alike – headstrong, stubborn and very passionate about
the people and issues they cared about. “I know,
Princess…” she sighed, “I know.”
Leia’s expressive brown eyes lit up. “Ben told you?”
“Ben?” Padmé asked quizzically.
Leia wore the same puzzled look on her face as her
mother.
“What would Ben tell me?” Padmé inquired, confused.
Leia tilted her head a little to the side, “About
Daddy’s mission to save Luke.”
Padmé smiled, bowing her head and lightly shaking it
from side to side. Of course he would know… “No
darling, Ben didn’t tell me…your Father did – without
saying a word.”
Leia looked a little more bewildered. “What?”
Padmé tried to explain but mere words were
insufficient to describe the special connection she
had to her husband through the Force. Fortunately, an
explanation wasn’t necessary as Leia’s momentary
confusion evaporated. Although the Force was still a
mysterious entity to her, Leia understood how her
mother would know of her father’s plans. The deep
commitment and loving bond her parents shared were
unlike any she had ever seen. Even though she didn’t
understand it completely, she knew how powerful it
was. She had always shunned the Jedi training because
of her political aspirations and because she felt it
was unnecessary to her goals. However, there were
times, like the present, when she wished she had
chosen that path as well.
“H-he will come back…won’t he?” Leia tried to mask her
emotions. She didn’t want to add any further to the
burden on her mother’s shoulders.
“Force providing – yes, I certainly hope so,” Padmé
answered with a smile. Never before had she been
placed in such a precarious position. Her son was in
the clutches of a Sith Lord with her husband en route
to rescue him and her daughter stood beside her with a
stern look in her eye. The sudden determination in
Leia’s glance reminded Padmé of a young Nubian Senator
who thought she could take on the universe
single-handedly and conquer it. Well, she no longer
had to think so naïvely; she had her family, friends
and the entire Rebel Alliance behind her and their
last stand waited for them in the distant reaches of
space. Her daughter provided the strength and resolve
she needed to remain focused and in control. Padmé was
well aware that all eyes would be upon her to carry
out the impending attack – her leadership skills were
essential at this juncture. No, I won’t let her or
the Alliance down – we have all suffered enough. It
must end! the Senator silently censured herself.
Leia suddenly flung herself at her mother, hugging her
fervently. “He must. They must,” she said grimly.
************************************
“Hush, Chewie. I hear them.”
A rather tall creature crouched uncomfortably in the
hidden hold beneath the floor. The hairy mass – from
head to foot – towered over seven feet in height and
resembled a sort of combination dog/monkey in
appearance. A well-known fact regarding Wookiees was
their intense loyalty and Chewbacca fared no
different. Not only was Han Solo his captain aboard
the Millennium Falcon, but also his friend, and
they had faced countless obstacles during their time
together.
Not surprisingly, this proved to be yet another bumpy
situation. A low growl emitted from the Wookiee as
Chewbacca made his displeasure abundantly clear.
“I know. I’m cramped too. Ssshhh,” Han whispered
cantankerously, straining to hear the discussion
taking place above their secret compartment.
“We can’t find them, sir. The log states they
abandoned the craft shortly after takeoff.”
“Smugglers,” the officer sneered with disgust. “Dregs
of the universe right up there with bounty hunters.”
The stormtrooper patiently waited for his next command
as the officer’s eyes scanned the ship. Finally he
said, “Very well. We can always scrap this heap and
sell the parts.”
Chewie had to restrain his friend lest he blow their
cover due to his rage at the Imperial officer’s
contemptible remarks.
“Make another round then return to your post if you
don’t find anything.” The officer didn’t wait for a
response as he turned on his heel and left the ship.
Following his orders, the stormtrooper began walking
toward the back of the Falcon. When Han had
determined that the footfalls were far enough away, he
slid the floor covering to the side and climbed out.
Chewbacca couldn’t wait to get out of the hold and
quickly joined his comrade.
“I have an idea,” Han said slyly, pointing his index
finger at the Wookiee. “Wait for me here.”
Chewbacca groaned and slapped his head with a massive
furry paw.
“Hey,” Han commented zestfully, “it’s me, remember?”
The Wookiee could only groan a second time as he
watched his captain dash off toward the stormtrooper
in his ship.
A few minutes passed and all Chewie heard was a thud,
which sounded like something had fallen to the floor.
He was about to go investigate when he caught sight of
the stormtrooper walking toward him. He growled in
rage thinking that this was the enemy but the trooper
reached up and removed his helmet revealing the
mischievous grin of his captain.
“I shoulda known better than to get stuck in that
stupid tractor beam! C’mon, we gotta find a way outta
here! I’ll put these bracers on and make it look like
you’re a prisoner,” Han explained as he took the metal
cuffs and loosely placed them on his friend. “Hey,
don’t look at me like that!” he rebuked as Chewie
growled his disapproval. “Think you can just disguise
a seven-foot Wookiee in a stormtrooper uniform?”
The Wookiee reluctantly shook his head.
“I didn’t think so,” Han smirked. “Let’s see if we can
find the main power source and shut it down. That’ll
probably be our only ticket to get our hides outta
here!”
Chewie roared his agreement and together they walked
down the platform of the Millennium Falcon.
************************************
The stars were a blur as Slave 1 sped through
hyperspace and brought Anakin closer to his
destination. He felt uneasy being on the deceased
bounty hunter’s ship, having abandoned the vessel on
Alderaan after his battle long ago with Count Dooku.
Now he needed it again for the sole reason that the
ship was able to carry what his X-Wing couldn’t – more
passengers.
Anakin welcomed the silence that circulated throughout
the ship ever since C-3PO’s constant and irritating
chatter got the better of him and he shut the droid
down. “You sure have become a chatterbox since I built
you,” Anakin sardonically quipped with a shake of his
head. “Monitor the systems R2,” he said with a yawn,
“I’m going to rest.”
The astromech droid emitted a few whistles and beeps
causing Anakin to smile briefly as he went to lie
down. He knew R2 would be vigilant of all activity
relating to the ship, including the Jedi Knight. R2
had always exhibited a remarkable and uncanny loyalty
to Senator Amidala, remaining steadfast at her side in
every situation that she encountered, and that loyalty
also encompassed her family. There was no boundary the
droid feared to cross to ensure the safety of its
masters. Anakin had absolute confidence in the little
mechanic and knew R2 would alert him instantly to any
danger. Appeased, he intended to utilize the time he
had to sleep and meditate, fervently hoping the latter
would help him gain more insight into his son.
He lay down on the bed, a thin mattress that covered a
slab of metal, rested his hands across his chest and
closed his eyes. His mind centered on Luke then
drifted to Padmé – his wife, the mother of his
children, the other half of his soul. Then Leia’s face
hovered before him. His precious Princess – an
endearment he had given her at birth that had never
faded; she would always be his little girl no matter
how old she was or how she matured. His heart eased –
soon he would have Luke back, his family would be
reunited and the Emperor’s existence would be no more
than a horrible memory. Anakin smiled at the faces of
his family and fell into a peaceful slumber.
************************************
The main console beeped and R2D2 echoed the sentiment;
they were approaching the last known location of the
Death Star, and it was there, on that dreaded
monstrosity that Anakin felt with absolute certainty
that he would find Luke. It was more like a
premonition and the Force had guided him here for an
obvious reason. Never before had he doubted the Force
and he wasn’t about to start now. He activated 3PO
while glaring at the mountainous gray ball as they
drew closer.
“Sir, are we here already? Oh my, a tractor beam!” The
protocol droid exclaimed with a squeak in his voice as
the vessel jolted, signaling the capture of the ship.
3PO lost his balance and nearly toppled onto Anakin as
they were dragged toward the Death Star. Anakin
anticipated the safeguard and knew fighting such
enormous power was foolish. Shoving the droid upright,
he pushed a series of buttons on a small device and
slid it into a hidden pocket of his tunic, and gave
the device’s counterpart to 3PO.
“Don’t lose it!” Anakin warned gruffly.
************************************************************************
Chapter
XVII – Nemesis Part II
Why me? Of all the officers on board, why me? A
Jedi Knight and especially this one! Escort duty, the
Emperor charges me! The thought sounded ludicrous
to the man while he walked, each step more forced than
the previous, toward the docking bay.
From what I understand, he could…brrr, can’t think
like that. I just hope I don’t get sliced into a
thousand pieces from that lightsaber of his. An
audible gulp could be heard as the Imperial officer
swallowed – hard and hastily, almost fearfully, and
walked up to Anakin Skywalker as he descended the ramp
of his ship. The Jedi Knight’s impressive reputation
preceded him and despite the Empire loathing the man,
he was well respected. “I have orders to escort you to
the Emperor.”
Anakin waved his hand in front of the officer’s face.
“My droids will remain free on board the station,” he
stated surreptitiously then motioned to R2D2 and C-3PO
as they came up behind him.
“Your droids will remain free on board the station.”
The officer nodded, his eyes glazed over.
“You will not remember the droids or this
conversation,” Anakin added with another wave of his
hand.
“I will not remember the droids or this conversation.”
Anakin chose to program his instructions into the
droids rather than verbally explain his plan to them –
he wanted no mistakes or misinterpretations. After a
nod from their master, R2D2 and C-3PO left the hangar
bay with ease as if they belonged on this vehicle of
death and soon after they disappeared. Only 3PO’s
grating voice chastising R2’s beeps and whistles
lingered then gradually faded away. With a comm link
hidden in his tunic, Anakin followed the officer out
of the hangar. It was only a matter of time now…
************************************
Han and Chewbacca had no clue as to where to find the
main power grid. The Death Star was immense and they
found themselves retracing their steps and going in
circles.
“We gotta find a computer here somewhere!” Han was
getting exasperated and his companion wasn’t faring
much better.
Chewie barked a few growls, followed by some grunts.
“I don’t know!” Han shouted a little louder than he
would have liked at his friend’s comment. “I don’t
have the readout!” Han took a deep breath and muttered
to himself, “How do they breathe in these things?”
Chewie growled another question.
Han threw his arms up in the air. “Then find a droid.”
Their conversation was interrupted as an officer
approached. He glanced suspiciously at Han who had
just removed the stormtrooper helmet from his
suffocating face.
“I got a bad feeling about this…” Han whispered.
Chewie nodded in complete agreement.
“Who are you? State your designation! And where are
you taking this…thing?”
Han’s eyes darted up and down the corridor, noticing
that only a handful of people were walking in each
direction. “Uh…um…faulty equipment…heading for
maintenance.”
The officer drew the blaster at his side. “I don’t
think so.”
“I think we’re in trouble,” Han mumbled.
“Surrender your weapon,” Lt. Lequa demanded.
“Uh, sure…” Han stammered and nodded to Chewie. At
Han’s signal, the great Wookiee grabbed the officer’s
weapon with one hand, wrapped the other giant paw
around Lt. Lequa’s neck, and dragged him into the
hallway behind them. Chewie quickly dispensed of the
limp body of the Imperial officer by placing him in a
heap in the nearby refresher and disabling the locking
mechanism.
“Well,” Han said proudly, “that was easy.”
The large Wookiee rolled his eyes and shook his furry
head from side to side.
“Hey, one down, a million more to go!” Han stated
mockingly with a smirk on his face as the twosome
started to race down the deserted hallway.
************************************
After a few misdirections from C-3PO that resulted in
some singed wiring, R2 found a computer outlet to plug
into and downloaded an entire mapping of the Death
Star. The little R2 unit and his golden companion
traversed one section after another unimpeded.
Multitudes of troops and other personnel that flooded
the station ignored the duo, allowing the droids to
carry out their master’s instructions with relative
ease.
************************************
“Sure you can hack into it?” Han kept glancing at the
locked door, just in case they encountered unexpected
visitors.
Chewie let out a series of noises that Han was adept
at interpreting. The Corellian held up his hands in a
defensive posture. “Ok, ok, no need to get irate about
it. Hurry up though.”
Several minutes later, the Wookiee found a way into
the network and located the power source they were
looking for. They compared their location to that of
the main generator and groaned in annoyance. It was
several levels away from them, and although Han could
hide behind the stormtrooper uniform, Chewbacca wasn’t
as fortunate.
“We’ll just have ta do it real quiet-like,” Han
assured his friend.
Chewie tossed his furry head.
“Would you rather stay here?” Han narrowed his eyes
and scowled.
************************************
Walking in front of the officer, Anakin decided to ask
a few questions – Jedi style. He quickly turned
around, facing the young officer and slyly asked, “Did
the Emperor entrust only you to my capture?”
“Yes,” the Imperial answered, a far away look in his
eyes.
“No one else knows I am here?”
“No.”
Interesting… Anakin silently pondered. “Tell
me, have you seen a young man with the Emperor – blond
hair, blue eyes, moderate build?”
The officer hesitated a moment then answered, “Yes.”
“Does this person have a name that you know of?”
“I don’t know it.”
“Tell me…is there a closet nearby?” Anakin inquired as
he continued his use of a Jedi Mind Trick on the man.
The captain slowly nodded his head.
“Good, now show me where it is,” Anakin prodded and
followed the officer down the bare corridor until he
stopped and opened a metal door.
“Now if you don’t mind stepping inside, I’m in a bit
of a hurry.” Anakin indicated toward the closet.
The captain shuffled in then turned around and asked,
“What shall I do?”
“Sit and wait. The Emperor will come for you himself.
You will quietly reflect upon your immediate promotion
for serving the Emperor so dutifully that you will
forget you ever saw me.”
With a slow nod, the captain repeated, “My promotion.”
Anakin took a step back and reiterated for the man,
“Yes, that’s right, your promotion.” Closing the
closet, Anakin sealed the lock with his lightsaber
then sprinted down the vast corridor.
Taking out his comm link, Anakin quickly asked, “R2,
3PO are you in place?”
A series of beeps and whistles came over the comm as
C-3PO answered with a jubilant, “Yes, sir,” which
caused the Jedi to smile. The Alliance should have
gotten the affirming coordinates I sent by now, he
mused.
“Acknowledged. Wait for my signal.”
************************************
Emperor Palpatine had recently brought Luke Skywalker
to the Death Star, moving him from his command ship,
Executor. He knew it was only a matter of time
before a rescue attempt would be made for the young
Jedi and certainty filled his mind that Anakin would
be the rescuer. In fact, he was counting on it.
Palpatine had grandiose plans for both of the
Skywalkers, but it didn’t matter to him if only one
turned to the dark side. As long as one Skywalker
served him with complete piety, he would be satisfied.
He remembered well Anakin’s tumultuous anger and how
he longed to twist and shape the Jedi to do his
bidding. The incompetence surrounding the Emperor
disgusted the aged Nubian. “Yes, one – or both – of
the Skywalkers will give me the sustenance I need to
shape my Empire as I envisioned.”
His lip curled upward into a maniacal grin as he
watched Luke from a hidden security device that had
been placed in the young Jedi’s quarters. He could
feel the confusion, the anger, the hate
swelling inside his new apprentice and it filled him
with a perverse pleasure. He fed off the emotional
turmoil like a leech in a swamp. “Soon there will be
no turning back.” Palpatine cackled, a hideous laugh
that grew more boisterous with each new breath.
“Master, my meditations are…disturbing.”
“Tell me about them, my apprentice.”
Luke thought a moment. “It’s always the same face. A
man, a Jedi I think – I don’t recognize him – doing
terrible things to me and others.”
Sidious smiled beneath his obsidian hood. “What does
he look like?”
Luke wrinkled his brow and said, “Sandy blonde hair,
blue eyes. Tall. Very tall and powerful.”
“Your Father he is.”
“My Father?” Luke asked incredulously. “How do you
know?”
The Emperor had to suppress a chuckle. “By your
description, my young apprentice. He has deceived me
in the past and he is known throughout the galaxy.”
“Deceived? How?”
“It is of no consequence. You should be grateful I
rescued you.”
Luke bowed his head, ashamed for questioning his
Master. “I am grateful, Master. Without you I would
have died.”
“Yes, my apprentice, you would have. Very few beings
possess the knowledge to counteract the poison that
seeped through your body.
“I-I don’t even remember!” Luke crashed his fist onto
the nearby table, irritation in his voice.
“No matter, my boy. You have a new life now, and all I
require from you as repayment is your absolute
loyalty.
Finding much needed solitude in his quarters to
meditate, Luke relaxed and reached out to the Force as
the Emperor had taught him. The ritual had a twinge of
familiarity that Luke simply did not understand. He
felt he had done this before, but it was like a dream,
far off and clouded. How could I have done this
before? Luke shook his head. My imagination is
the only plausible explanation. It’s nothing more than
a dream…
Luke re-centered himself and immersed into his trance.
Within moments, disturbing images repeatedly danced in
his mind… His Master had identified the handsome man,
whose face was distorted by cruelty and rage, as
Luke’s father… Repeatedly this dark man, wearing Jedi
apparel, tortured Luke by mocking him relentlessly and
physically abusing him until Luke loathed his own
shameful self… Condemned for minor transgressions,
thousands of innocents fell victims to torture by the
deft and willing hands of the Jedi. Ships exploded.
Many Jedi faces, including his father’s, laughed at
the carnage. Every image crawled about in his head
even as he tried to push them away, not wanting to see
them anymore and feel the pain those images caused.
As Luke recalled the conversation with his Master he
couldn’t help but wonder, What father would be so
cruel and why? Why kill innocent people? Because they
failed to please him? Why? he repeatedly asked
himself, but no answer issued forth. In spite of his
conversation with his Master regarding these horrific
‘visions’, Luke still could not find any peace. He
attempted to re-focus his meditation away from the
offensive images, but to no avail. The images plagued
him and were imprinted upon his mind. He fervently
hoped that he would not awaken from this meditation as
he had previously – with blood caking his hands.
Without warning, a voice broke through his meditation
whispering his name.
Luke? Luke, where are you? The voice sounded
insistent, urgent.
Sensing this wasn’t his Master, Luke found himself
apprehensive yet compelled to respond and did so
rather aggressively. Who are you? What do you want?
I demand to know!
Luke? Anakin’s elation was immediately dampened
with concern. Where are you, son? I’m here to help
you and take you home!
Home? Son? Luke thought, confusion setting in.
I am home. Who are you? Why do you refer to me so
personally?
Anakin froze in mid-stride, his mind reeling from what
Luke had just said. His son – his boy treated him as a
stranger. What had happened to Luke? I find my son
at last and he doesn’t even know me… Anakin’s
heart pounded in his ears. The exuberance he had felt
at finding his son had been dashed in the time it took
him to draw a breath. Luke, don’t you know me? I am
your father.
MY FATHER? Luke let his sudden rage echo
through the connection he had with this person’s mind.
My father is a cruel, heartless monster. If you are
he then you will be the one who needs help because I
will destroy you! After all you and the Jedi have done
– you don’t deserve to live! As I live and breathe,
I will hunt you down!
Destroy me? The Jedi? Nooooo, Anakin’s head
screamed from the mental anguish Luke issued forth,
shaking him to his soul. His mouth hung open, its
moisture replaced with dryness reminiscent of the
sands on Tatooine and his hands shook convulsively as
he stood in the corridor. Sweat beaded on his brow and
his heart pumped so viciously he felt it might leap
from his chest of its own accord. Anakin buried his
head in his hands and slumped to his knees – the hard,
cold floor only adding to his numbed senses.
Nooooo! He-he couldn’t have – he couldn’t have
turned my son to the dark side! How? No, this cannot
be! Anakin did nothing to stop the tears that
glistened in his blue eyes. “My son, my beloved son. I
have failed you.” He mumbled in agony. Slowly, almost
painstakingly, Anakin withdrew into the Force. It
willingly enveloped him and bathed him in its glorious
light. If anyone happened to pass the Jedi Knight they
wouldn’t have known it. The Force tenderly grasped its
son, the Chosen One of prophecy, and made his body
shimmer with a brilliance unknown and unseen to the
eyes of any living being. Luminous beings we are…he
heard echoed in his mind, Feel, don't think. Trust
your instincts.
Master Qui-Gon? Is that you?
Yes, Anakin, I’m here.
It’s been so long, Anakin sighed. I’ve thought
of you often.
I know – I’ve heard you. I’ve watched you.
Anakin felt a lump form in his throat as memories of
Qui-Gon Jinn flooded his mind.
You have a destiny to fulfill as the Chosen One –
it is time. May the Force be with you – always.
Throughout the years, Anakin had been watched, tested,
scrutinized…and forgiven…Though these lessons learned
were not directed solely by the Jedi Council – no, a
much higher mystical entity than that – the Force
itself. It was the time of deliverance; the time of
the Chosen One…Anakin Skywalker slowly rose to his
feet – his purpose clear in his radiant azure orbs as
his old Master’s words echoed throughout his mind.
Calm serenity encased his entire being as he stood to
his full height. A brief gust of air swept past his
Jedi robes, causing them to flutter momentarily around
his body as the brilliance that illuminated him
moments before slowly faded, leaving Anakin as he was
before. There was neither anger nor arrogance in his
stance, only a purpose.
At peace, he looked around. The Death Star was nothing
more than a massive steel trap sanitized of any
positive emotion – there was nowhere to go except to
the Emperor’s Audience Chamber.
“The Will of the Force is upon me. I will vanquish
you, Sidious, and bring my son back into the
light...or perish in the attempt.”
************************************************************************
