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Chapter Text

Preface

As a prelude to the actual 'traveling through time' bit, I needed to add the departure between my story and the book The Unifying Force by James Luceno. These departures will create no small amount of angst and will provide the motive for the "wish" that will be granted by the Force. At the time of the Unifying Force, Luke Skywalker and Mara Jade are 48 and 46 years old, respectively.

Given life-spans, medical technology and their natural strength in the force, I concluded that while considered middle-aged, they would still be in their prime. Given that Obi-Wan was able to best a much younger Anakin Skywalker on their duel on Mustafar at the age of 38, I don't think it's much of a stretch to say that Luke and Mara can still be badasses.

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the Star Wars franchise; they are the product of the imagination and efforts of the actors, directors, writers, and authors that created the amazing and expansive universe that is Star Wars. Disney, as owners of the franchise, are given full credit for any ideas or characters borrowed.

Rating: T+ - Graphic descriptions of violence and injuries and occasional adult language. I do not currently have any "racy" scenes planned for either Luke/Mara or Anakin/Padmé but should they occur, I do not expect them to be either lengthy or explicit. Explicit language will occur, but it will be fairly tame and relatively sparse.

Author Note: I am using an author's prerogative and am going to change a fundamental facet of the New Jedi Order era: I was somewhat conflicted about the presence of Ben Skywalker. I thought adding him to the journey as a toddler wouldn't really fit in and would simply add too much complexity, but I believed simply killing him off was a little much to pile on top of the initial angst. So, *poof!* There neither is nor has there ever been a child of Luke and Mara Jade Skywalker.

Author Note #2: The title of this story is both a nod to the book by James Luceno as well as the Jedi philosophy regarding the Unifying Force, whose followers viewed the Force with more focus on events in the future and past and the distinction of the Light and Dark sides of the Force as simply natural parts of a single cosmic field of energy. Jedi were encouraged to study the Living Force instead, whose focus was on the present moment, with clear distinctions between the Dark and the Light.

Author Note #3: It is inevitable that I will make mistakes regarding the Prequel and Legends' canon, timeline, or characters. Feel free to let me know if or when you catch these mistakes. I apologize in advance to any fans of the Solo family. Though I have already begun to plan out the course of the story, I am still unsure about how I'd like it to end, though I do wish it to have a happy or happy-ish ending.

Author Notes #4: Just in case there's some confusion about the who, what, when, where, and whys: here's a helpful guide that should assist in differentiating the events of the novel and the premise of the story.

Dramatis Personæ

Obi-Wan Kenobi: Jedi Master of the Jedi Order, serving member of the Jedi Council. Anakin Skywalker's former master - 38 Years Old
Padmé Naberrie (Padmé Amidala): Senator of Naboo, former Queen of Naboo, secretly married to Anakin Skywalker following the Battle of Geonosis - 28 Years Old
Sheev Palpatine (Darth Sidious): Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, former Senator of Naboo, secretly Sith Lord known as Darth Sidious, becomes Emperor of the Galactic Empire in pre-time ravel universe - 84 Years Old
Anakin Skywalker: Jedi Knight of the Jedi Order, the 'Chosen One,' secretly married to Padmé Naberrie immediately following the Battle of Geonosis, becomes apparentice to Darth Sidious and Dark Lord of the Sith in pre-time travel universe - 23 Years Old
Luke Skywalker: Grandmaster of the New Jedi Order, son of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Naberrie - 48 Years Old
Mara Jade Skywalker: Jedi Master, wife of Luke Skywalker, formerly the Emperor's Hand (Serving Emperor Palpatine) - 46 Years Old
Yoda: Grandmaster of the Jedi Order, serving member of the Jedi Council. Luke Skywalker's second master in pre-time travel universe. Unknown Species - 877 Years Old

Minor Characters

[This will also include important characters that are largely absent with mostly references pertaining to them]

Kit Fisto: Nautoloan Jedi Master of the Jedi Order, serving member of the Jedi Council - Unknown Age
Serra Keto: Jedi Knight of the Jedi Order, highly regarded duelist - Unknown Age
Anakin Solo: Son of Leia and Han Solo, Jedi Knight, died on Myrkr at 16 Years Old (2 years before Battle of Yuuzhan'tar)
Han Solo: Former General of the New Republic, former smuggler, husband of Leia Organa, father of Jacen, Jaina, and Anakin - 58 Years Old
Jacen Solo: Son of Leia and Han Solo, Jedi Knight, captured and trained/tortured by Vergere under the Yuuzhan Vong - 20 Years Old
Jaina Solo: Daughter of Leia and Han Solo, Jedi Knight - 20 Years Old
Leia Organa-Solo: Jedi Knight of the New Jedi Order, daughter of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Naberrie - 48 Years Old
Vergere: Fosh Jedi Knight of the Jedi Order, present on Zonama Sekot when first attacked by the Far Outsiders (Yuuzhan Vong), traveled with them and became a valued prisoner/guest. Tortured/Trained Jacen and taught him advanced techniques to modify body chemistry and toxins with the Force. Former Sith who turned back to the Light to save Jacen.
Mace Windu: Jedi Master of the Jedi Order, serving member of the Jedi Council, master duelist - Approximately 55 Years Old

#

There will be many other characters introduced and referenced, but I'll try to give them enough background information so you don't get lost. These were the characters I thought should be immediately laid out and explained.

Battle of Yuuzhan'tar (29 ABY) Timeline

Canon:

Jacen and Luke battle Shimrra while Jaina confronts Onimi. Shimrra poisons Luke with amphistaff. Luke kills Shimrra. Luke instructs Jacen to go to Jaina before healing him.

Led by Nom Anor, Han, Leia, Mara, Tahiri, and Kenth find Luke and Shimrra's body. Mara and Tahiri take Luke to safety. Kenth remains to inform the New Republic that Shimrra had been killed and eventually goes with Mara and Tahiri to the Falcon.

Nom Anor, Han, and Leia find Jacen and Jaina with Onimi. They witness Jacen's victory over Onimi.

Nom Anor takes Solo family to an escape pod, but is misdirecting them, taking them to a waste disposal system.

Hoping to bring the Jedi to their deaths, without care for his own survival, in the collapsing Citadel, Nom Anor distracts Jacen with a poisonous vapor and attempts to activate an implant in a false finger to render the Jedi unconscious. Leia senses the attack and cuts off his arm, preventing the gas' release.

The Solo family find an escape pod and is retrieved by Mara (Kenth, Tahiri and several others as well) in the Falcon.

Jacen heals Luke with his and Mara's tears with the methods taught to him by Vergere.

Shockwaves in the Unifying Force:

-SPOILERS-

Events occur in the same order until Nom Anor's attempt to kill the Solos.

Jacen, tired from his exertion from using the Force in his battle with Omini, isn't quite as aware of their environment or of Nom Anor. Nom Anor's attack disables him.

Already distracted by her brother's pain and dwindling Force signature, Leia is further impeded by Jacen's collapse. Therefore, she fails to sense Nom Anor's last act of treachery and is unable to prevent his actions.

The attack is in the form of a knock-out gas being released, rendering all the family but Leia unconscious as the Citadel begins to self-destruct.

Nom Anor's actions were ultimately successful in that their recovery from the gas is enough of a delay that they are unable to escape the destruction of the Citadel.

Escaping Yuuzhan'tar to the safety of the Republic's fleet, Mara deposits Kenth Hamner, Captain Page, the Solo's Noghri bodyguards (Cakhmaim and Meewalh), along with R2-D2 and C-3PO. Knowing there is no cure for Luke, and wanting to be with him and the feeling of family and home that only the Falcon will provide, Mara leaves with Luke, now in a force trance but still dying, and plots a random hyperspace jump.

Luke is the last of his bloodline. The Solo family is, in its entirety, destroyed. Lacking Jacen's knowledge and skill in biological and chemical manipulation through the Force, Mara is unable to save Luke with her tears. Mara flies the Millennium Falcon away, as her husband slowly fades.

This is my first fanfiction story and I hope to provide a story that will be both entertaining and of good quality. My writing ability is questionable, but I'm trying my best. Be gentle.

Chapter Text

"The Unifying Force bind the stars and planets in space and time. Through this Force, a Jedi can sense the past and future."
- Sabla-Mandibu, Jedi Master

###

"The fear of loss is a path to the Dark Side."
- Yoda

#

Yuuzhan'tar Orbit
29 ABY

Mara Jade Skywalker slowly...methodically released the docking clamps and piloted the Millennium Falcon away from Admiral Kre'fey's flagship, the Ralroost. Slow and methodical. Slowly and methodically enough that had anyone been watching her, they would have seen a woman slowly breaking and that her careful piloting was as much for the Falcon's sake as it was for her own.

Fleeing the destruction of Shimrra's Citadel on Yuuzhan'tar, Mara had met with the Ralroost to drop off the other passengers and survivors. Tahiri and Kenth were faring little better in their emotional turmoil than she, but she still refused their offer to find solace in their presence. She had changed profoundly in so many ways since she first met Luke, but she still had no desire to share her emotions so freely. Captain Page, those two kriffing droids the Farmboy still insisted on keeping around, the Noghri bodyguards that helped with the Solo family, and everyone else had also disembarked upon her insistence. Her insistence and perhaps a not so subtle hand that caressed her lightsaber hilt in a somewhat disturbing manner.

The Solos.

It hurt even to think about them. A family she had hated and despised, the enemies of her fallen master. A family whom she had come to respect and eventually admire as she came to know the truth of her past. And after some time and the many arguments and adventures she shared with a certain bashful somehow-still-naive Farmboy, a family that she would call her own. A family that no longer existed. She felt guilty in thinking that Luke might be better off in his force trance, unaware of the pain that would await him were he to open those blue eyes again and feel the loss of his twin sister, Han, and his niece and nephew.

Only two people were left on the Falcon now. Soon, there would only be one. Glancing over to the side, Mara watched her husband with trepidation and felt utter helplessness as she gazed at him. Luke's eyes were closed and his breaths were irregular and shallow. Every minute, those breaths became just a little more irregular and just a little more shallow. It seemed impossible that it should end like this, but Luke had allowed himself to be struck by Shimrra in their duel in order to give himself the opportunity to land the fatal blow upon Shimrra. The poison from the amphistaff now burned in Luke's veins, despite all attempts of cure it.

Luke Skywalker was dying.

###

While Nom Anor led Leia and the rest of the Solo family through the Citadel that was self-destructing, Leia couldn't stop her constant monitoring of Luke's presence. It was a presence filled with pain whose incandescent light shone in the Force was slowly dimming. Leia felt tears prickle her eyes as she understood the magnitude of Luke's plight and only felt marginally better when Han's hand squeezed her shoulder in reassurance. Walking ahead of her, Jacen strode forward at Anor's side; his exhaustion following his duel with Onimi was palpable and lent a weight that hung around his shoulders. As she watched her son, Jacen stirred suddenly and glanced sharply at Nom Anor.

"Anor, what is this? I know this is the waste disposal system; there are no escape pods here!" Jacen gestured angrily at his surroundings and when he turned around to glare at Nom Anor, he simply wasn't prepared, even with the warning given through the Force, for the faceful of poisonous gas that exploded from Nom Anor's eye implant. Jacen cried out in pain and panic and worked desperately to filter the chemicals from his body using Vergere's teachings, but he was just so damn tired. I have to do this, he thought panic-stricken, but even as his body began to slowly adapt to the poison and recover, blackness was already crowding his vision and his knees were already collapsing. The last thing he saw before losing consciousness was his mother's panic stricken face.

#

"Jacen!" Leia cried out, seeing her son wounded and lying still on the ground. She rushed forward to him but quickly wheeled around to face Nom Anor. But she had already delayed far too long and even as she cleaved Nom Anor's head from his body, a gas released from another implant, this time in one of his fingers, issued forth. The rest of the Solo family was still reacting to the initial commotion and the second implant had gone unnoticed by all but Leia. Leia felt her already weakened and fatigued daughter and her exhausted husband collapse, quickly joining Jacen in his unresponsive state.

Just a few blinks of the eye later, and Leia began to feel the effects of the toxic vapors take root within her. Unable to filter out the toxins and harmful chemicals like Jacen or Vergere, she was helpless in the face of the unexpected assault. Only her somewhat less exhausted state and her sheer strength in the Force had allowed her to stay aware for this long.

Or perhaps it is the will of the Force, she thought. Even if only for a few more moments, Leia was aware, and even as she felt the ground trembling and saw the world turn blurry, she had presence of mind enough to determine the last moments of her life.

Tears prickled her eyes as she thought of all the triumph that she, Han, and her long-lost brother Luke had enjoyed after the Emperor's demise. So much struggle, pain, and blood until the Alliance finally managed to reap the results of their efforts. The victory at the Battle of Endor helped usher in a new government and brought about the return of the Jedi. But conflict and incessant fighting had hounded the fledgling New Republic and the Jedi Order until the horror of the Yuuzhan Vong came and cast a shadow as dark as the Empire's upon the galaxy once again.

Falling to her knees, Leia felt felt the ground tremble even more violently; the sound of thunder loomed in the distance but seemed to be nearing quickly. Leia spotted Jacen stirring already, but it was still too late. Soon, the last of the Skywalker bloodline would perish; her entire family was going to die here, she realized as she pitched sideways onto the ground. Only her sister-in-law would remain as proof of their lives, their victories, their tragedies, and their love. But Mara would live, she would be okay.

Perhaps okay was stretching it, Leia thought, a wry smile attempting to dance upon her lips. She would survive, she would live, and hopefully she would know happiness again. Leia wished desperately that her brother would live. Not just for her sake, or for Mara's, but for his own as well.

"I'm Luke Skywalker, I'm here to rescue you!"

Though fading, Leia still had enough strength to muster a snort and a strangled laugh remembering that wide-eyed, naive farmboy who was ready to take on the Empire to rescue her, the beautiful helpless princess. The laugh stopped before it hardly began as she saw her other rescuer, her best friend, her husband, Han. He was so still on the ground and it was wrong, Han was a man of action and as brash as any Corellian and it was just so wrong that he should face death unawares.

Jacen was still struggling to wake, but they were out of time. The thunderous booms in the background now sounded like they were just on the other side of the door and the floor was buckling and trembling violently. Closing her eyes in both concentration and the exhaustion fueled by the events of the day and Nom Anor's final treachery, Leia reached out into the Force.

[ Mara. I'm not going to be making it and I don't have much time before I'm knocked out. My family was knocked out by that sleemo Anor and Jacen is the only one who is remotely close to waking.]

Leia swallowed as her cheeks became wet with tears' her mouth felt fuzzy and she was feeling considerably more light-headed. I have to do this, just a little more time, she thought desperately. [I love you sister, and we will see each other again one day. Be good and kiss Luke goodbye for me. I wish things had been different for all of us, but Mara, understand that meeting and coming to know you has been one of the greatest adventures I've ever had, even including that farce of a rescue on the first Death Star by our two poor husbands. I know Luke is dying, but please have faith, please be happy. I'm sorry to go 'all Jedi on you,' but know this: we will always be with you. Always.]

Letting go of the thread that linked her with her sister-in-law, Leia felt herself topple onto the hard ground, hearing Jacen make a small questioning sound. Leia felt tears finally wet her cheeks, wishing so hard that things hadn't gone this way. Wishing so hard that her brother could have felt the joy of being a father and that he could have had the family he had yearned for. Wishing so hard that the galaxy didn't go straight to the Corellian Hells after they had accomplished the impossible in triumphing over the Emperor and his Empire. She whispered a final 'I love you,' to her family as the roar of explosions became deafening and the ground shook. She let go of her attempts to stay aware as a loud thunderous burst of noise and light flooded the chamber.

And then oblivion.

###

Leia's final words through the Force had shaken Mara badly. The Falcon had been occupied with others who had been involved in the battle in one capacity or another. Hamner, Tahiri, Page and even those Sithspawn abominations that Luke called his droids. While Luke might not have heard Leia, her light, and the light of her children, being snuffed out in the Force had drawn a small keening sound from Luke before he sank back into his trance.

So much death. So much destruction. The Jedi Order that Luke had built from the foundation up numbered less than half of its' former status. The Yuuzhan Vong weren't the only ones responsible for the fall of so many Jedi either. No, it was the very people whom they had dedicated their lives to protecting who had turned on them in their desperation to save themselves. The desperation had led to the Jedi fighting independently far too often, and being targeted by civilian populations to be gifted to the Vong. But the Jedi had survived, Luke's Order had survived. But now, Luke was dying.

Luke, her Farmboy, The Grand Master of the Jedi Order, the one who shot the Death Star. The one who saw to the redemption of Anakin Skywalker, and subsequently, the Emperor's destruction. The one who had spent his life serving others, helping others, and saving others. But rarely would he help himself and be selfish every now and then. Always the Jedi.

Luke.

Her naive, blue-eyed, infuriating farmboy whom she loved so fiercely, when she didn't want to kill him for getting himself into so much trouble, that is.

Luke had always wanted children, but war, conflict after conflict, and then the horror of the Yuuzhan Vong had convinced Mara that it would be better to wait. Luke disagreed of course, but he wouldn't pressure her into motherhood during such times. She wished she had made a different choice because once Luke died, there would be nothing of him left in the world but the material items which were only soft echoes of him.

A sob escaped her. Luke's pallor was growing worse and without Jacen or Vergere's talents, not even the bacta tank which seemed to have his name tacked onto it would be able to save him. When the Falcon had docked with the Ralroost, Mara had waited as the other passengers disembarked, most of them willing to leave her alone as she watched over Luke. Tahiri and Kenth Hamner had made overtures about inviting her to go with them, to seek solace among friends, but she had turned them down. All she wanted was Luke.

She had made Hamner take C-3PO and R2-D2, despite the violent beeping and protesting sounds that the latter had made. She made sure her face turned away to hide new tears and a small unwilling smile at the droid who her husband loved as dearly as any friend. It was selfish, but she wanted Luke all to herself for the time he had left. No one disagreed with her right to fly the Falcon, who would when the rest of her family had perished in the final battle against the Vong.

#

After the last of the visitors had left the Falcon, Mara detached from the Ralroost and piloted the Falcon away from the debris over Yuuzhan'tar, away from the multitudes of star cruisers and snubfighters. Slowly, the Falcon passed the planet that was once Coruscant, the changes caused by the vongforming only too clear. The Falcon was quiet now, empty save for the two, soon-to-be one passengers. Mara piloted a course without really caring where they ended up. A random jump into hyperspace was not something a person would typically walk away from unless they had one kriffing hell of a lucky streak.

She supposed that she was doing the exact opposite of what Luke or Leia would have wanted , but everything was just so wrong. Mara's shoulders hunched. Kriff it, she thought, I've always been contrary, wouldn't want to stop now.

Luke's breathing was so shallow and more than a little sharp and after Mara finished readying the Falcon she went ahead and curled up next to Luke in the seat. It should have been uncomfortable but Luke's presence, even diminished, enveloped her in its strength and light. She burrowed into Luke's body after giving him a heartfelt kiss on the lips. One last right. We sure made a splash, eh Farmboy? I'll see those blue eyes of yours soon.

Eyes closed and body entwined with Luke's, Mara casually waved a hand at the console to begin the jump into lightspeed. Oh Luke. I wish things were different. I wish that I had agreed to have your child, Luke. You would have been such a spectacular father. I wish that the kriffing galaxy hadn't been caught with its pants down when the Vong came to say hello, Mara thought sadly.

"I love you Luke. I wish…oh kriff it!"

The lever pressed down and there was shudder that seemed to run through the ship before everything seemed to jolt. Mara felt a surge in the force, she couldn't understand its source or the intent behind it, but she felt nothing of the Dark Side. The Force seemed to envelop the Falcon just as Luke's presence often enveloped hers. The surge grew until it was almost painful in its intensity.

And then she felt nothing.

Chapter Text

"The Force is what gives a Jedi his power. It's an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us and penetrates us; it binds the galaxy together."
- Obi-Wan Kenobi

#

The Force was not a person, creature, or being of any sort; there was no sentient entity that was the Force or controlled and owned it. But the energy field that was the Force had eddies and currents that had patterns in the way it moved and flowed. Disruptions could sometimes shift those currents, but never had there been such a shockwave that was the Yuuzhan Vong. A species devoid of the Force, something that was anathema to the galaxy, had burned worlds and destroyed billions of lives in their crusade. Life requires the presence of the Force to exist, but life, in turn, strengthens the Force. So much damage had been wrought that the Force itself felt less than it once was.

The Jedi, the ones who called themselves servants or students of the Force, those who were attuned to its Will and heard its whispers, often served to smooth over or avert such disruptions. The rebirth of the Jedi, as monumental as it had been, still hadn't been enough to halt the implacable advance of the Yuuzhan Vong or to repair the damage that had been dealt under Darth Sidious' reign. The conflict with the Yuuzhan Vong had dragged on for years until catastrophic damage had been inflicted upon the already damaged galaxy, the Jedi, and the Force itself. Damage so catastrophic, that the effects of so many lost lives and ruined planets seemed to violently twist those eddies and currents in the Force. Now with only half of their original number, the new Jedi Order faced the insurmountable task of rebuilding a shattered galaxy.

It was too much.

The Force had heard the whispers, the pleas of the daughter of its Chosen One. It had heard the sorrow and wishes of one bonded to the other child of the Chosen. The Force needed to reassert itself, needed to regrow and prevent such a nightmare from occurring again. The wishes were felt, their pleas weighed and considered. There was such a way to accommodate their fervent desires, though there was no guarantee of success. Events could have an even dimmer outcome were things to go awry.

But…

Perhaps it was possible, even if the girl child had already become one with the Force, the boy still lived and his bonded with him. He could be saved; the desire to create a better future could be met with a chance to create a better past. The events of the past had created a horrifying future, one that only became increasingly terrifying even after the demise of the Sith Lords that had dominated the galaxy for decades. Perhaps with the introduction of the adult son, the Chosen One would choose to remain in the Light when things came to a precipice. Perhaps Luke, who even at that time was growing along with his sister in the womb of Anakin's beloved, would avert a future where the Chosen One had fallen to such despair and anger.

Perhaps this act would right the many wrongs that had ripped the galaxy apart. Perhaps if the Chosen One would choose differently, the inevitable coming of the Yuuzhan Vong would be met with a galaxy intact and better prepared. Perhaps all the death and worlds lost would be saved.

Perhaps...perhaps...perhaps.

Perhaps not. But, perhaps so…

The Jedi had held faith in the Force for millennia, even when the galaxy had turned on them. The Force would rely on its faith in the Jedi and in the son of the Chosen One, who had been able to salvage what was left of the Jedi and secure the continued existence of the galaxy in the face of the Vong, as terrible as it was. The Force, if it could be said to have pride, would have felt such where Luke was concerned. His father was to have been its champion, but Luke...

The eddies and currents of the Force left undamaged shifted and surged forth. An energy rose up throughout the galaxy until all things were encompassed within its energy. It should have been impossible, but the devotion and faith Luke placed in the Force was to be returned in spades. The Will of the Force was that Luke should live and to be given the chance to change the future into something brighter.

The confusion of the bonded female was felt clearly; she was aware enough to know something in the Force was changing on a fundamental level, but had no way to understand exactly what had changed. The Chosen One was dead, the daughter of the Chosen One was dead, and the son of the Chosen One approaches his end even now. There must be balance, and there has been no balance for far too long. The daughter had been heard, and the son's mate had been heard. They were heard, and the wish that was heard would be granted; the son would live and balance would be restored.

A whisper rose from the deeps within the Force, a whisper that only Mara heard. A whisper whose meaning rose from feelings and sensations rather than the words that Mara intuited. The whisper, though simple, would shake the boundaries of reality.

[Through the Force, all things are possible...]

Chapter Text

"Through the Force, things you will see. Other places. The future…the past. Old friends long gone."
- Yoda

#

There was a roaring sound. The world seemed to be shaking so violently that it must surely have ripped itself apart. The surge of energy that had coursed through the Falcon, the Force, and into what seemed to be the very core of her being, had finally dissipated. Only the lingering tingles in her body and in the Force remained as proof that whatever had transpired had been something that transcended the physical world.

Mara slowly blinked her eyes open and uncurled herself from her position around Luke. Adrenaline spiked within her when she saw the wrecks of ships orbiting a planet that was looming closer and closer. Plumes of smoke and fire rose from the husks of warships and there were massive clouds of debris everywhere. There was visible damage on the planet surface, visible even from her vantage point, and the remains of orbital platforms and warships falling into the planet's gravity well proved to be responsible for most of the surface's scars. Such debris falling into the atmosphere, even broken up in reentry, could cause massive damage through the simple but devastating effects of gravity. Looking closer at the planet that was looming uncomfortably close, Mara felt her entire body shudder as a jolt of recognition spiked in her.

How are we still at Yuuzhan'tar? We jumped into hyperspace. What the kriff happened?

Mara had finally regained her wits and realized that the roaring sound and the tremors which had woken her were actually the effects of the Millennium Falcon's accelerating and steep descent into Yuuzhan'tar's atmosphere. Mara scrambled into the pilot's seat and began working feverishly at the control panel, trying desperately to control the Falcon's descent. In the process, she got a very good, very close view of Yuuzhan'tar.

No, not Yuuzhan'tar, she realized. Looking closer, the wrecks she saw were neither anything like the unique, biologically-based Yuuzhan Vong vessels, nor did she see anything remotely looking like the eclectic New Republic fleet of Hapan, Chiss, and the large Mon Calimari star cruisers that were the fleet's mainstay. She didn't even see much in the way of the old Empire-era ships, certainly none of the large bleached-bone colored Star Destroyers. Instead, she saw warships that were found more often in museums, ships like the Clone Wars era Acclamator and Venator-class Star Destroyers along with some of the CIS capital ships, but she hadn't seen such craft in decades, and certainly not as participants in a battle.

"Sithspawn! Where are we?" she swore. The planet closely resembled the Coruscant of her youth, a bustling ecumenopolis with four moons. Few planets could ever be easily confused with that Coruscant. But Coruscant, no, not Coruscant...Yuuzhan'tar, she reminded herself bitterly, now only had two moons and the ecumenopolis was now almost as much Vongformed jungle as it was concrete jungle.

"Where in the Corellian hells are we?" Mara exclaimed.

"Y…Y…Yoda!" Luke called out hoarsely from beside her before he fell silent once again.

"What? Luke?" Mara tried to get him to speak again, but he remained quiet and had returned to his healing trance. Feeling his presence in the Force, Mara realized that the poison's progress seemed to have slowed down. Reaching deeper into the Force and expanding her awareness, Mara was shocked at how much the Light Side seemed to fill her senses.

Everywhere, the entire galaxy, she realized. She could feel the pinpricks that often proved themselves to be especially sensitive or trained Force users from all across the galaxy. But the planet loomed in the Falcon's viewport was a focal point, a nexus where the Light seemed to converge into a brilliant torch that shone so brightly.

"What did you get me into this time, Farmboy?" she demanded.

Mara saw a swath of destruction on the surface below that looked like it might have been caused by a ship in similar circumstances also trying to make a survivable landing. Seeing the relatively open area that lay at the end of the trail of debris, she worked to stabilize and slow the Falcon down as much as possible. She could hear the groans of the hull that were testament to the strain the ship was under as it attempted to fly under her guidance.

"Come on, come on. This garbage scow has made it through plenty worse than this. You hear me baby, hold together!" Mara begged the Falcon. Han would be pleased, even I am treating the Falcon like a sentient life-form now, she thought sourly.

As the Falcon cut through Coruscant's sky in the same uncomfortably steep descent, the makeshift landing strip shifted into sharper focus on the viewport. Mara saw what looked like the extravagant 500 Republica building in the nearby skyline. It can't be, it was destroyed! Mara was concentrating hard on the landing, but her trained mind was still gathering details and processing them as fast as possible. Elsewhere, she saw the Old Republic's Senate Building and-

Her mind ground to a half and her body jerked even knowing the care she had to take in setting the Falcon down without getting Luke and herself killed. But she couldn't help it. What she saw was impossible.

Impossible.

"Sithspawn!" Mara couldn't help but curse loudly because, in the distance, she saw the very much intact and very undefiled Jedi Temple as it had stood before her former master came into the height of his power. Her mind still caught in endless loops of confusion, she retained just enough presence of mind to adjust the landing into a relatively controlled crash. The impact was enough to pitch her violently forward, but she was able to keep both Luke and herself from becoming one with the bulkhead by stabilizing their bodies' position through simple nudges of the Force.

As the Falcon skid to a halt not too far from a much larger smoking vessel that looked like it had gone through a very similar trip. Half of a star cruiser can't be easy to fly, let alone land, she thought, amused.

Looking out the viewport, she spied a group of individuals approach the Falcon. Individuals which were comprised of a number of brown-robed figures and what she guessed were security and support personnel. One of those brown-robed individuals walked somewhat more sedately behind the rest. He was short, perhaps only a little more than half a meter. He was green. He walked with a gimer stick and had a somewhat wild growth of white hair crowning his head. Walking at his side was a much taller, dark-skinned, and grumpier looking human. She recognized them from the descriptions the Emperor had given when he indulged in boasting of his victory and denouncing their weaknesses, and also from the experiences Luke had during his training.

Luke.

Mara slowly turned her head to glare at her still unconscious husband. She felt that she had the right to be confused and in turn, angry at him. The poison from the amphistaff was still within him and still progressing, but the sheer power that the Force that used to deliver them here, along with the already staggering presence of the Light that existed in their new paradigm, seemed to have slowed the poison's progress substantially. While he wasn't cured, Luke didn't seem to be struggling quite as hard just to breathe while in his trance.

"Farmboy, just what did you do?" she continued to glare daggers at her husband. Being at least relatively safe from the poison, he was therefore fair game as target to lay blame on and express her ire. And she felt absolutely no shame in exercising that prerogative.

The contingent of personnel and accompanying Jedi came closer. Apparently, somehow, based on the local architecture, which included iconic structures destroyed half a century ago and a flora and fauna that managed to include long-dead Jedi. With this information and remembering the very intact four moons above, Mara really only had one extremely baffling supposition to offer: they were neither where they were supposed to be, nor when, for the planet they were on was most certainly Coruscant.

Mara barely resisted the urge to bang her head against the nearest wall. "Luke," she finally managed to say to the empty air, "I've got a bad feeling about this."

Coruscant
19 BBY, 3 years after First Battle of Geonosis

Mara thought quickly. She had been trained by the Emperor to be an assassin and spy; her various skills and talents had never diminished in the years following his death, either of his deaths. Knowing she had little time, she evaluated the facts quickly. As impossible as it was, she and Luke were on the Coruscant of the old Republic and, by the looks of things, smack dab in the middle of the Clone Wars. An unidentifiable whisper flowed into her awareness and the overwhelming strength of it threatened to drown everything else out.

[Through the Force, all things are possible...]

The whisper had come from no person or being and Mara just knew, knew, in her heart that the whisper was one that spoke complete truth. Whatever was happening was a product of the Force and their arrival or transportation here was a manifestation of its Will. They were meant to be here, at this point where all things came to a head and where the downfall of the galaxy began as the realized product of a powerful madman's desire for galactic power. They, she and Luke, were here to change things and to prepare the Republic for the threat so close to home as well as the extragalactic threat that, even now, loomed ever closer.

A list of complications laid themselves out in her mind for analysis and consideration. Making a false step could have deadly consequences, she and Luke would have to take great care.

1) Luke

While Luke was stable-ish, the poison was not gone and it was still advancing through his system, albeit at a much slower rate. He needed help. Luckily, there now appeared to be a whole Temple full of Jedi from the old Republic on their doorstep that might know a thing or two about healing and the Force.

2) The Jedi

Both Luke and she were covered in blood and looked like they had blasted their way out of a sarlacc. Luke was in a Force induced trance and she knew their presence, even amid all the chaos of the recent battle and the number of other Jedi that were around, was strong enough that it would be identified as unique and would be felt from a distance. It was too late to conceal themselves and doing so now would only create further suspicion. And of course, two strange Force users showing up with their own lightsab-

3) The Farmboy's Daddy

Kriff me, Mara swore internally. She still wore Anakin Skywalker's lightsaber, the one Luke had gifted to her. The lightsaber would be fairly easy to identify and there was no time or place for her to hide or even dispose of it.

Well, this will be...awkward, Mara thought without much humor. How in the Corellian hells will we deal with a pre-Darth Anakin not to mention-

Mara closed her eyes as her body locked up and a shudder ran through her. She felt her stomach try to jump out of her throat as an icy needle of realization jabbed into her skull. Her old master.

4) Palpatine

Palpatine was alive and they were at the final moments of the Republic and the Jedi Order. She felt a nudge from the Force that seemed to prod her into continuing that line of thought, On the eve of his rise to power and with the goals of preserving the Republic and the Jedi Order in mind...yes, stopping Palpatine and the Jedi Purge was an obvious must-do.

Palpatine.

Mara knew how powerful he was, Luke knew how powerful he was; no one else here on this planet did. The Jedi were completely unprepared for the power that Palpatine wielded. Warning would help things, but still might not enough to prevent catastrophe. Luke's father, who had been had descended into the Dark Side around this time, would also be instrumental in seeing to the Jedi's destruction. Anakin would have to be stopped, or knowing Luke, he would have to be saved before damning himself to his fate as a rage and despairing wretch of a man.

Another nudge seemed to indicate that the Force agreed that things would be better served with Anakin alive and on the side of the Light. Okay, so premature assassination isn't the correct solution on that particular problem. Mara considered all the information and sensations that were being almost violently shoved into her face or awareness by the Force. There was an awful lot to accomplish without much time to spare. How could they do all this in the first place, and where would they even start?

She glanced over at the still form of her husband. "So this is why we're here, Farmboy, we get to make things right."

Mara suddenly recalled Luke's hoarse cry on the Falcon earlier during their landing.

5) Yoda

Mara had never met the little green troll whom Luke had revered so much, had never gained the insight and experience that helped make Luke the consummate Jedi Master. She knew that the smile in Luke's eyes that appeared every time he scolded his flailing students that they must "Do. Or do not. There is no try," was a fondly remembered lesson he had learned in his training with Yoda. Mara knew from her own studies as the Emperor's Hand that Palpatine had feared an early invention, confrontation, or discovery by Yoda and the Jedi Council. If there was a Jedi that could match him based purely on the strength of their connection to the Force, it would be Yoda.

Before his disastrous duel on Mustafar, Anakin was reputed to have been the strongest Force user in the Galaxy, moreso than Yoda or even Palpatine, but his lack of self-discipline had held him back. While Anakin might have been the strongest of all Jedi, without the typical inner calm of a Jedi, he was unstable and fundamentally dangerous. The Jedi must have sensed the danger he could pose, and their distrust would have been so easy for Palpatine to use. She mused on those tidbits that she had learned so many years ago and considered, changing that the Jedi's distrust of Anakin, or helping Anakin find that desperately needed balance...perhaps that alone would be all that is required to see to the survival of the Jedi and the Republic.

Yoda and Anakin.

They would be the deciding factors, she decided, the linchpins that would save or doom the galaxy depending on her and Luke's efforts. They would have to know the truth about their identities and the future that might lay ahead of them. Dangerous though it might be to reveal such fantastic and horrifying information, holding back could be even more costly when Palpatine's mastery of manipulation could come to bear at any time.

The Jedi and a group of Republic soldiers had managed to lever the gangway of the Falcon open and were cautiously entering the ship. Mara closed her eyes, and put one of her hands around Luke's waist and entered a trance of her own to help heal her own minor injuries and to give her more time to feel out this new, old, universe that now surrounded her.

Hearing of Dooku's death at the hands of Anakin Skywalker had stirred bittersweet emotions as memories of a friend whose fall to the Dark Side flashed through Mace Windu's mind. Dooku had caused so much strife and had taken so many lives, even those of others he called friends, but Mace still remembered the Dooku from years ago when no taint of the Dark enshrouded him. Mace Windu knew that with Dooku's death, the Separatists would be greatly weakened and that the end of this terrible war might finally be on the horizon, but his death still weighed heavily upon his soul.

Following the rescue of the Chancellor, he and several other of the senior Jedi on Coruscant went out to meet them. After greeting Kenobi, Skywalker, and Chancellor Palpatine, the group had made their way over to a waiting transport. Only a short time later, as the transport neared the Senate building, Mace Windu felt that something seemed to insistently nudge his mind.

Mace frowned and a sidelong glance towards the Grandmaster revealed that Master Yoda had also felt...something. He focused and expanded his awareness in the Force, trying to catch what might have triggered his attention. He was peripherally aware that the other members of the party had already disembarked following the Chancellor and his sycophants to the Senate. Skywalker seemed to have disappeared somewhere…

Not too much of a surprise, Mace thought sourly, probably off to cause some damage or disruption that will require Kenobi's assistance to bail him out.

He cut himself off before he began to unleash an inner rant that was most unJedi-like. Skywalker would wait; the nudge he had felt was growing into a stranger pressure that surrounded his awareness in the Force. Obi-Wan had apparently lost a bet or deal with Skywalker and was now dealing with the media. Windu felt no small amount of sympathy for Kenobi for having to deal with them; those media vultures felt like more of a threat than the Sith sometimes. Casting dark thoughts of the creatures who called themselves the 'press' aside, he remained in the transport along with Jedi Masters Yoda, Kit Fisto, and the much younger Jedi Knight, Serra Keto. By now, all looked like they had felt what he had and were just as uneasy as he.

Frowning, Mace turned to ask Master Yoda for his insight when the pressure in his mind became almost vice-like and his senses were thrown into chaos, like a stun grenade had just gone off and his senses shorted out. It was only for a few brief seconds, but as his grasp on the Force settled, his senses continued to vibrate from the surge in the Force that he had just experienced. He felt the Force tremble and react violently to something...elusive. Not Dark, but different. Unknown. Judging by the winces and confused looks from the others, it hadn't just been him to have felt the intensity of it.

"A strong disturbance in the Force, there is," Master Yoda stated calmly. "Dark in origin, this disturbance is not. Locate the source, we must."

Master Fisto angled his head up and pointed upwards. "Does that count as a disturbance?"

Mace and the others turned to look and saw a plummeting ship that seemed to be angling towards the area they had just come from. It wasn't a large ship, a small freighter perhaps. Mace focused and found two incredibly strong signatures in the Force on board that vessel and, as Master Fisto had suggested, appeared to be the source of the disturbance.

The source of the disruption, or at least linked to that source, he mentally adjusted his thoughts as he studied the incoming craft.

"Their presences are...off," Master Keto commented. Without asking the others, she set the transport to return them to where they had so recently met Kenobi and Skywalker. "One seems muted...injured I think, perhaps in a trance, but his presence is...strong. Very strong, but it feels...familiar, too." Master Keto frowned in confusion.

"The other one is of the Light, there can be no doubts there, but I sense that...she has been touched deeply by the Dark Side. I sense a bond between them, a Force bond as well as a bond of a romantic nature," Master Fisto added, an eyebrow rising at the thought.

Speak with them, we will. Master Windu, call for medical assistance, you must. Only from these visitors will we learn more of this disturbance."

Mace alerted the nearby civilian emergency personnel that had been on the impromptu tarmac and asked them to join them at the place the crashing ship would most likely land. Mace then settled in for the ride back to the 'landing pad' where the ship which was just now landing on. Landing or...crashing; Mace was unsure, but he couldn't help the wince when the ship finally touched ground...violently.

What changed? mused Sheev Palpatine as he led his entourage into the Senate. He wanted to know what had happened but dared not show too much interest in yet another plummeting ship in the aftermath of the Battle of Coruscant. This was no small event within the Force however. Something has changed, but what? His unsuspecting soon-to-be acolyte was off with his wife and Palpatine felt no disturbance from him. Anakin was one of the few Force sensitives who could generate such a disturbance in the Force, and the fact that he couldn't immediately identify the source was most troubling.

The disturbance had been steeped within the Light and he was still suffering from the resulting migraine of the surge in the Force. What changed? Events were coming to a precipice; the noose which would destroy the Jedi Order and their vaunted Republic would soon tighten. A powerful disturbance whose source was of the Light Side was the absolute last thing he needed. His plans had to fit together precisely in order for his overall goal to be realized and a disturbance like this could mean that something was about to throw everything off kilter.

What has changed?

After disembarking the transport, the four Jedi Masters approached the ship. The strength of the disturbance and in the two signatures aboard the ship gave them reason to be cautious. Aside from the female whose presence had clearly been touched deeply by the Dark Side, there was no sign of any danger or hostility.

Another disturbing fact was how quiet and calm the Force was in the immediate vicinity. Only Master Yoda had so far sensed the blanketing-like effect the Force had on this area, but he knew that this calm, this quieting, would help the Jedi focus but would also help to disrupt any Darksider who attempted to pierce the veil of the Force to learn about this disturbance. When the Force communicated, precise and specific would be the last words to describe it. If this...event...was a message from the Force, than it was one that was absurdly precise and specific. There was none of the usual vagueness or subtlety that was the traditional medium of the Force. The unusual presence around this freighter was a message that told the Jedi that this occurrence, these visitors, were a product of its Will.

"To the temple, to healers, these two are to be taken. Tend to their wounds, we will. Only then will questions be asked of them," Yoda commanded.

"Is that wise? The Dark Side taints everything these days and certainly one of these individuals aboard the ship has been touched deeply by it. Should we bring them into the heart of our sanctuary?" Mace Windu questioned as they finally found themselves close to the sealed gangplank.

"Trust in the Force, we will," Master Yoda stated after a few moments of consideration. Mace Windu was a good friend, and a wise Jedi, and Yoda would always give his council due consideration, but the Force spoke strongly to him now. He reached out in the Force and coaxed the mechanical mechanisms into releasing the ramp.

Several of the civilians with light medical equipment and security officers holding blasters made their way cautiously up the ramp.

"Yes, we will trust the Force, Master. We are Jedi, our faith will always be in the Force. Then again, I've been known to appreciate a lightsaber or two," Serra Keto commented with a smirk, patting her two aforementioned objects of appreciation

Master Yoda 'harumphed' and smacked Master Keto's shin with his gimer stick before he began climbing into the battered ship. "Impertinent, you are. How you passed your Trials, I know not."

"It's her questionable charm, Master Yoda. Rumor is, Mace, that she can even make you smile. There's even a legend that she even put a grin on that face of yours," Master Fisto said, chuckling.

"Quiet, focus your minds. We should learn what we can before bringing them to the Temple. Inspect the ship and its contents. We may not be able to talk to them immediately, but we should gather as much preliminary information as possible. And I do not, nor have I ever, grinned," Master Windu said with his customary scowl, though there was a little more warmth in his eyes than before.

Chapter Text

Chapter Text

"In a dark place we find ourselves, and a little more knowledge lights our way."
- Yoda

#

Throwing Yoda across the room had not been the way she had wished to make introductions when first meeting the Grand Master of the Jedi Order. After that silence and after that laughter, she was able to deliver an apology that lacked much in the way of grace. She mentally pinched herself. Get with it, woman, we're here for a reason and acting the fool will do me no good.

As a first reaction to meeting one of the Jedi of the old Order, her reaction was fairly contemptible. Of course, as a natural side effect of being in a Skywalker's vicinity, the situation had inevitably worsened in that the recipient of aforementioned reaction had been Master Yoda. Luke revered Master Yoda and she had always imagined that meeting him would be akin to meeting the in-laws－

Mara's eyes twitched towards Anakin and she inwardly cringed. Father-in-Laws are not something to think about now. Despite the uncomfortable thought, she couldn't help the inner smirk after considering Anakin further. Obviously, Farmboy got the short gene from his mother's side; but he and his father both have those damn blue eyes.

Yoda had recovered by now and Mara refocused her attention on him, watching warily as he made he way back towards her. His frown was...impressive, and this time it was most certainly directed at her, though she didn't sense much in the way of anger from him, more like consternation and just plain curiosity. He turned that impressive frown upon the visibly struggling-to-contain-himself Anakin who stood next to a helpless looking Obi-Wan. Turning back towards Mara, he tapped his gimer stick on the floor before using it to point at the two men.

"Introductions, I will make. Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight, and Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, this is. Wished for them to meet you, I did. A possible connection to you, they have," Yoda stated, thankfully ignoring her 'attack' and moving on. "Interesting and most familiar, your lightsaber is. Identical to Skywalker's it appears."

Yoda then gestured to the still unconscious Luke. "Similar to Skywalker's presence, your companion's presence is. Strong in the Force, you both are. Touched by darkness, but of the Dark Side, you are not. Remember you as Padawans, I do not, but unique and powerful skills, you have. An explanation for me, you are sure to have, hmm?"

Yoda's final words were more command than question, though Mara was struggling with his syntax. All of a sudden, Luke's occasional "do or do not, there is no try" or "size matters not" started to make a lot more sense. Mara opened her mouth, not entirely sure what to say but snapped it closed when she felt a nudge in the Force and saw Luke, eyes still closed. I am here with Luke to save the Republic, the Jedi, to prepare the galaxy for the onslaught of the Yuuzhan Vong, but I am not here to do it alone.

Luke was healed, she felt, or nearly so at any rate. She had to wait for him, they were both here and they would need to work as a team. Still, even healed, he was still in a great deal of pain. Leia. Mara's eyes closed, wanting to cry for Luke and for the loss of the woman she had considered a sister. But it would have to wait, Mara needed Luke now.

[Wake up, husband-mine. I need you. Wake, Luke, I am here and I'm worried that your Master Yoda may say something that I will need you to translate.]

Mara felt Luke's awareness shift as his mind began to stir and shake off the proverbial cobwebs. She felt him remember what he'd lost, but felt him quickly fortify himself so he could help her as best he could. It would be a moment before he was truly awake, but the process had begun; it wouldn't take long.

A crisp Coruscanti accent shifted her focus from Luke onto Obi-Wan Kenobi. "Your companion will be okay, his wound was...interesting. We've never seen its like before." Obi-Wan stated, seeing her gaze resting on Luke. He paused and glanced at Anakin, obviously issuing an invitation for the younger Jedi to speak.

"It felt familiar to Master Kenobi and I, however while we haven't seen something quite like it before, we have felt its like before, though not for many years. Have you ever heard of the planet 'Zonama Sekot'? Anakin asked in slow and thoughtful tones.

Mara glanced sharply at Anakin. How do they know of Zonama Sekot?

Her thoughts raced as she learned that the Old Republic had been aware, at least very vaguely and peripherally, that the Yuuzhan Vong existed, but Master Yoda interrupted her thoughts as she noticed him staring at her. Within moments, the others had now joined him in their steady gazes upon her. This was apparently the point where she was supposed to answer questions. Though Yoda had been the one to ask about her lightsaber, or Anakin's lightsaber-kriff it all, it's my lightsaber and if he has a problem with it, he can go straight back to Mustafar-it was indeed Anakin who had shown the most interest in the weapon, attempting to be subtle in examining her saber and comparing it to his own. Not surprising, I suppose. I'd be mighty curious too if someone popped by with the Jade Shadow.

Obi-Wan was getting ready to ask or say something more as Mara's silence dragged on, but a hoarse groan accompanied by a soft "Mara" had them all turning to see the newly awoken Luke Skywalker.

[Before you open that mouth of yours, Luke, you should know that we're not in our neck of the woods anymore. Or planet. Or system. Or galaxy, for that matter.]

"A deep bond, you must have, to speak into the other's mind," Master Yoda commented, his gaze sharp and eyebrows raised.

Mara noticed that Anakin must also have sensed the flare of activity within their bond and looked like he wanted to drag them into a room and barrage them with questions. Given his status as a married man incognito, Mara could imagine his conflict and couldn't help but feel bewildered that none of the other Jedi were able to sense his emotional turmoil. But her musing was cut short when Luke finally reacted to the Grand Master's voice.

Upon hearing that voice, Yoda's voice, Luke froze. His eyes went wide, his body stilled, and his body seemed to tremble slightly as his breathing hitched. [Mara...explain?]

[Apparently, the Force has seen fit to send us back to the final days of the Old Republic. Luke, we're here to make things right.] Mara's words were matter-of-fact and were sharply contrasted to Luke's more hoarse and disbelieving tone

Like Master Yoda, both Obi-Wan and Anakin were able to sense the full scale of the bond between the two; the depth and strength of the bond was incredibly powerful, rivaling and exceeding the strength of many Master-Padawan bonds. They could sense the communication, though their thoughts and feelings were hidden. Upon the man's first waking, Obi-Wan and Anakin had both been in the position to see the man's eyes. Tired eyes; eyes that had seen too much. Obi-Wan had seen such eyes in those who fought in the war and had seen and known the horrors of battle and death. This man, and even the woman, now that Obi-Wan noticed, had those eyes.

The man who finally seemed to have become fully aware, had caught Obi-Wan's eye when he reacted so strongly to Yoda's voice. Even the unusual and powerful shields the two had woven about their minds couldn't hold back the brief burst of emotions that emanated from the man. It was a plethora of emotions that were complicated and impossible to grasp fully, but strongest among them were surprise, confusion, wistfulness, and a great deal of sadness.

The man's widened eyes had locked onto Yoda's frame before his body went rigid. The man turned towards his companion and the obvious question in his eyes made any private question irrelevant, so plainly was the distress and bewilderment pasted on his face. Finally, Obi-Wan decided that it might be best if he were the one to break the silence.

"Hello. My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. You're at the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. We have a lot of questions for you, but might we be introduced first?"

Obi-Wan saw the woman wince as the man's eyes widened even further. The same emotions that had come from the man when hearing Yoda's voice came forth upon hearing his name as well. The man, finally looking like he was about to speak, was interrupted by a punch to the shoulder from his companion. She didn't look angry, but intent. They held each other's eyes, their bond obviously being used for their internal conversation. As per the norm, it was Anakin who lost his patience first.

"Excuse me, but perhaps, you could speak so that the rest of us could hear, it might help in the communication process. Asking for your names isn't too much to ask for, I think."

Anakin's statement was met by an odd snort from the woman, while the man stilled again. The emotions from the man had settled a bit, but hearing and turning to Anakin, the man paled and visibly swayed. The woman put a hand on his shoulder, for comfort this time, it seemed.

"Well...this is...complicated," the man finally managed to say. Another snort from the red-haired woman punctuated his comment.

"Secrets you have, yes. A strong bond with one another, yes, one considered forbidden. Jedi, you seem to be, but known to me, you are not. Demand all your secrets now, we will not. Rest you will need, but your names at least, we would have."

The man glanced at the red-haired woman, who shrugged in answer to some unvoiced question. He gathered a deep breath and prepared to speak. Much would hinge on what he said to to these three men who had shaped his future. He thought hard and inspiration struck him from an unlikely point in his past. Luke instantly knew what he had to say, words that spoke of trust and compassion.

Anakin watched the man gather himself and open his mouth. Unlike the woman's rich Coruscanti tones, Luke spoke with an accent that seemed to be an amalgamation of Coruscant and the Outer Rim.

"My name," he stated, voice soft and eyes now locking onto Anakin, "is Luke Skywalker." He paused for a moment, humor dancing in his eyes as a smile traced its way onto his lips as he continued speaking, "and I'm here to rescue you."

The woman barked out a laugh, an obvious shared experience or story behind 'Luke's' statement, and a smirk that seemed far too mischievous appeared. "And I," she said, obviously speaking the words with great relish and anticipation, "am Mara Jade...Mara Jade Skywalker. We're married. He's my husband. We have been known to become romantically attached to one another. Frequently."

'Luke' winced and shot a glare towards the flame-haired woman who suddenly looked far too innocent with such a beatific smile on her face.

Anakin's mouth dropped open.

Obi-Wan's eyebrows shot up and a hand crept its way up to his brow to begin massaging the headache that was now apparently induced in the presence of any Skywalker.

Yoda frowned an impressive frown.

#

The three Jedi had made their leave from the two strangers after that ungraceful introduction. Unable to decide exactly how to proceed with their examination and questioning, they left the two visitors in the medbay to continue recovering. Master Yoda had enough sense and caution to have several of the few Jedi Temple Guard to stand guard and keep watch, though Obi-Wan felt that it was more for the purpose of appeasing Mace Windu's earlier suspicion than it was because of a genuine sense of danger or distrust from the two.

"To my quarters, we will go. Much to discuss, we have." Yoda stated with typical calm and authority.

Anakin is very quiet, not much of a surprise given the circumstances, but I hope he deals with this possibility of new family well, Obi-Wan thought, observing his former apprentice walking at his side. Anakin's eyebrows were furrowed, and he kept making small motions that indicated he wanted to look over his shoulder in the strangers' direction. His silence lingered even upon their entrance into Master Yoda's private quarters. Though Yoda must have sensed something amiss with Anakin, he said nothing, from which Obi-Wan took his cue.

"Reacted strongly to the name Zonama Sekot, this Mara did. An important piece of the puzzle, I believe this is," Yoda stated, surprising the other two with the subject for the beginning of their discussion.

"I sensed no lie in the few words they spoke. Obviously we have little information about their circumstances, but I sensed no lie about their identity. As you said before Master, I felt no darkness within them. This feels far too...loud...to be a plan of the Sith Lord. Whoever he may be, he has proven himself to be far more illusive and subtle than this." Obi-Wan paused. "They've seen a lot of death, more than most of us, I think. I felt echoes of pain and conflict in their words. They have been witness to something horrific, some event that I don't feel I'd be familiar with."

"Luke's," Anakin paused, as if testing the name, "presence being so familiar has an explanation now. I don't know of any other family that would go by that name and they both clearly recognized me. I can't see us putting together more explanations without seeing them again. There are too many questions and their arrival feels important to me."

"A feeling, you say?" Master Yoda prompted.

"It's vague, but strong. I feel that they are important, yes, but also important to me individually. Not just because of the name and possible familial connection, but something deeper. I should be near them, I think."

"Anakin, we still don't know enough about them, I'm not sure sticking you in a room with them would be safe...for you or for this 'Mara Jade'," Obi-Wan began.

Anakin's mouth had opened and a flash of annoyance had flared in his eyes until Obi-Wan spoke the last words. Calming down, Anakin smirked at the humor and gentle reminder of the tempestuous redhead.

"Correct, Anakin is."

Yoda's statement had them both staring incredulously at the Jedi Master.

"Much more balanced, your former apprentice is. A positive effect, their presence has had." Seeing the dubious glance that Anakin wore, Yoda's 'hmphed' and tapped Anakin's shin with his gimer stick. "Old I may be, young Skywalker, but blind I am not. 'Always on the move' as Master Obi-Wan says, you are. Perplexing, these strangers are, but unusally focused on them, you are. Unaware of the intensity of your own interest you were, but these two call to you. A measure of inner peace, their presences gave you."

Yoda paused before looking at Anakin with his piercing gaze that always made Anakin want to squirm. He had to fight to keep eye contact and to keep thoughts of Padmé or the other things that definitely did not give him inner peace buried. "Emotional, you have always been. Prone to anger, you are. But a strong Jedi you have become, young Skywalker. But as with all my younglings, worry for you, I still do."

Obi-Wan said nothing, but the look in his eyes told Anakin that Yoda had said many of the things Obi-Wan would have liked to have said in the past. Anakin also saw the somewhat worried look in his eyes when Master Yoda referred to his temper. Anakin wasn't so self-deluded that he wasn't aware that his temper could be explosive. All he had to do was think about Tatooine and...

But have I truly been so snappish that even Obi-Wan was cautious about talking to me directly about it? I love Padmé and I do fear greatly that our relationship will be discovered, but this is Obi-Wan. Both Padmé and I trust him, and I know she has been hoping that I'd tell Obi-Wan about our relationship for some time now. Looking back, Anakin saw the many times where he overreacted with Obi-Wan, where his frustration would boil over, where his anger got the best of him. He remembered executing Dooku and his immediate reaction of shame afterwords.

"I shouldn't have done that, it's not the Jedi way."

And though his mind wanted to shy away from the memory, he made himself remember the Tusken village that he had destroyed on Tatooine after his mother's death. He still felt a reflexive anger that wanted to react to Yoda's statement, but he breathed out and nodded. "Yes, Master," he acknowledged simply.

Obi-Wan's wide eyes and raised eyebrows that seemed to ask 'without even an argument?' made him want to snicker.

Master Yoda 'harumphed' before tapping the ground again for emphasis. "In your custody, Luke and Mara will be, Young Skywalker. Learn of them, you will. Their reasons for being here, their importance, you will discover. Free reign of the Temple, you may give them. Leave the Temple, with you to guide them, they may," Yoda declared. He looked like he had finished until he looked down and rubbed his chin.

"Much care, you must take, young Skywalker. Important they are, important reasons there are for their presence. But too much of them remains unknown. If leaving the Temple you intend, then quietly and without fanfare you must. Unwise, it would be, for the Sith to learn of their presence or their connection to you."

Anakin thought hard. He wanted Padmé. He wanted to be with her, to be with their child that even now grew inside of her, but his duty was clear. Still...he trusted her implicitly, and it's not like Mara or Luke would cast stones at his relationship. Perhaps there is a way to do both. Anakin finally nodded to himself before bowing towards Master Yoda and clasping Obi-Wan on the shoulder.

"I will do as you say, Master Yoda." Anakin shot a grin towards Obi-Wan that made Obi-Wan's face fall in anticipation of some new mischief. "Well, Obi-Wan, looks like you have two more Skywalkers on your hands. A little older than me, yes, but if they are indeed my family, then I am sure they'll make that boring old life of yours exciting. Two more Skywalkers, Obi-Wan!"

With a smile, Anakin left the room to the sound of Obi-Wan's heartfelt groan of dismay and the cackling laughter of the Grand Master of the Jedi Order.

"As usual, Mara, your tact leaves much to be desired," Luke admonished. He stood at Mara's side, looking out a window at a Coruscanti skyline that hadn't been touched by the intrusion of the Yuuzhan Vong. One of Luke's hands was massaging his still aching chest, but the poison finally appeared to be removed from his system with a final effort from a Twi'lek Jedi by the name of Vokara Che.

The stern Twi'lek reminded him greatly of Cilghal. They shared not only each other's exceptional skill in the healing arts, but the no-nonsense demeanor all medical personal seemed to express. Along with Cilghal, Luke had read a little of the Chief Healer from his own investigations into the Jedi Order of the past, but the records were damaged and so little else remained of the old Order that he only knew that 'Master Che was renowned for her healing'. While her skill in healing was impressive, it was her taciturn manner that took him aback. He had felt like a child being lectured by his Aunt Beru for doing something horrible when Master Che lit into him for moving too much. Still, Master Che's expertise in healing was indisputable and worthy of more than a little awe. She wasn't Vergere, but her strength in the healing arts made up for the lack of the specific technique that Vergere had mastered. So while his life was no longer in danger, the threat of the poison in his system neutralized, the wound itself was still more than a little tender.

"Stuff it, Master. None of our hopes are going to be met with success here if we are anything but exact," Mara stated in tones that implied Luke was an idiot if he thought otherwise. "I know you think the stars themselves shine out of their collective asses, but they were not perfect. If they had been, Sidious would never have gone unnoticed as a Sith Lord." Mara spoke with care, not wanting to use Palpatine's name just yet, needing a more formal question and answer session to even begin to broach that touchy subject.

Luke nodded wearily and closed his eyes, shoulders slumping. A shuddering breath escaped him and he finally was able to utter two names very softly, "Leia...Han."

Mara took him by the arm and sat him down in a nearby chair. She got done on one knee and kissed Luke's forehead. [I'm so sorry Luke, I'm so sorry. We're here now, and I don't know what that means for us. By now, the woman whom Anakin married will be pregnant. We are out of our depth and we have no idea what our ultimate fates will be, whether we meet with success or failure.]

Luke smiled briefly, his shoulders a little less tense, but his eyes were still closed. [So you're telling me that we need to trust in the Force, Mara? How very Jedi of you.]

Mara's response was a flick to one his ears followed by another kiss to his forehead. "Come on Luke, apparently we are going to be in Master Skywalker's care." Mara's eyebrows waggled a bit, knowing Luke, even decades after learning of his father's ultimate fate, still had a burning desire to know of his father. He wanted to know the man who had been a hero to so many only to become a creature that terrorized a galaxy.

#

A short time later, Luke and Mara fell into step with Anakin as he guided them around the Jedi Temple. "I'll be asking you all sorts of questions later, but I thought for now, perhaps a chance to relax might do you both some good. Are either of you hungry?"

Mara shrugged and raised an eyebrow at Luke whose stomach chose that moment to complain, smiled sheepishly, "always."

"Huh," mused Anakin, "I suppose it must run in the family." Anakin's desire to know more about them was almost tangible. He wasn't overbearing, but his desire to know was ever present; Anakin may know none of the details but he, like Master Yoda, knew that something had fundamentally changed in the galaxy and particularly his own paradigm.

"Alright then, we're going to check out of the Temple and head to a favorite diner of mine. We could stay here, but the food leaves much to be desired. I guess it's forbidden for Jedi to have an attachment to palatable food."

Anakin probably should have felt awkward, but treating the grown man who called himself Luke Skywalker so familiarly felt...natural. This wasn't some long lost father of his, but he was family. He was a little more cautious of the acerbic red-haired woman. If Luke was all patience and serenity, then Mara was a veritable tempest of emotion.

#

Having a meal at Dex's diner was a fun time as always; the food was delicious, and being the former Padawan to Obi-Wan Kenobi meant that Dex was happy to make personal introductions and to make a special meal for them. The great, literally breath-taking, four-armed hug that the Besalisk gave Anakin left an amused smile on Mara's face. Luke, despite his calm, still obsessionally emitted a strong sadness that would often linger until Mara said or did something to make him smile.

They have seen horrors, and they are not the horrors that we know of, Anakin thought before speaking to his companions whose hunger had been satisfied. "Alright, I thought you'd like to spend this night somewhere just a little more fancy than the Temple. I've never seen you before, so I'm making the assumption that you would like a little more liveliness in your quarters." Anakin was thankful that he had the presence of mind to contact Padmé and ask if her apartment in 500 Republica would be open to a few extra guests.

Padmé had been shocked at the question, at the notion that Anakin would bring strangers into their privacy. The shock had escalated further upon hearing their status as Jedi, and as Jedi who had married. It wasn't shock at the request so much as it was shock that Anakin was willing to allow others into their secret. Anakin's request was given due thought, but like Anakin, Padmé felt this was a good opportunity to learn of these strangers' experiences in regards to their relationships with each other and to the Force.. And so, after their meal and with Luke and Mara's agreement, Anakin had them in a speeder that was en route to 500 Republica, to meet 'someone special.'

Chapter Text

"What if the democracy we thought we were serving no longer exists, and the Republic has become the very evil we have been fighting to destroy?"
- Padmé

#

Or at least, speeding on their way to 500 Republica had been the plan. Apparently going out and about after being stabbed and poisoned by an amphistaff after just being admitted from the medbay is a bad idea, Mara thought grumpily as she and Anakin gently assisted Luke onto one of the small beds used for recovering patients. They had been in the speeder for perhaps a whole five minutes before Luke's body had cramped painfully. The wound hadn't gotten any worse, but obviously Luke required more than a day to recover. Mara knew how much Luke despised receiving any kind of medical treatment and so stood in sympathy as Master Che berated Luke, Anakin, and even herself for endangering Luke's recovery.

It wasn't too long before Luke fell into a natural sleep while Mara grabbed a seat nearby. Anakin wasn't sure how, but at some point in their journey, Mara appeared to have procured a vibroknife. Either she managed to hide one from the Temple Guards when she was brought in, or she managed to obtain one while on their earlier sojourn. He wasn't entirely sure which possibility was more worrying, but Mara now sat next to Luke tinkering with the weapon. She didn't seem inclined for much conversation, so Anakin gave her directions to a room the Jedi had prepared for both of them and made his departure.

Padmé stood on the banister and smiled when she felt her husband wrap his arms around her from behind. Since finding out that she was pregnant, she had found him doing so often. She had been worried about his reaction to her news, worried about his position as a Jedi, and worried about her position as a Senator. Seeing just how pleased Anakin was had dispelled the worst of her fears. Yes, there were still causes for anxiety, but at least she wouldn't be alone. Padmé was content to stay like that for a few minutes before she asked softly, "What's happened, Anakin? You said that we would be having several guests...it's not just the fact that they're in a relationship like us, is it?"

Anakin marveled at Padmé's insight. She may not be as connected to the Force as a Jedi Knight, but her perception rivaled many of the Masters he'd met. "Yes, after Obi-Wan and I came back from rescuing the Chancellor, another ship crashed onto the surface right near us. The two Jedi we met were onboard, unconscious." He paused, thinking for a moment before continuing, "The two individuals are...strange. And the disturbance they caused in the Force was probably felt by every Jedi on the planet. The man's name is Skywalker, Padmé, Skywalker. We felt the truth from him, but how? My mother said there was no father, and Obi-Wan told me that Qui-Gon was convinced of the fact. This man is old enough to be that father, or an uncle...but Mom would have said something."

Padmé turned in Anakin's arms to face him and put a hand on his chest that grown tense in his rising anxiety. "Well, Ani, we'll just have to see what he says. Come on Ani, it has been a very long day and I haven't said 'hello' to you properly."

With a smile, Anakin kissed first her forehead and then her lips as they walked back into the apartment. His arm wrapped around her middle before it descended to rest lightly on her ass. A few minutes later, man and wife said 'hello,' properly.

A few days later, Luke was pronounced healthy enough to walk out of the medbay without incurring the formidable wrath of one Twi'lek Chief Healer. Anakin had been making frequent visits to the two visitors to check up on them, but Master Che's eyes held a dangerous glint whenever conversation began to broach serious matters. When Luke was released, both he and Mara joined Anakin and Obi-Wan in the Room of a Thousand Fountains. Luke and Obi-Wan were quite content to spend some time meditating whereas Anakin and Mara were startled when they noticed themselves rolling their eyes in unison. Anakin found this to be the perfect moment to ask a question that had been on his mind since he'd first laid eyes on Mara.

"So, that's a pretty wizard lightsaber you have," Anakin said somewhat lamely. As a subtle way of bringing a topic up, it was extremely lacking.

Mara displayed her awareness of that with a raised eyebrow and that smirk that seemed to be ever-present. "I agree, Anakin, quite 'wizard.'"

Anakin scowled, "It looks a lot like mine, almost identical really. How'd you come up with the design?"

"I didn't, actually," Mara stated, "Luke gave this to me. I still don't know why really, but it is difficult to refuse Luke anything. He has this rather pathetic look that he displays that could cause even the cruelest Sith Lord to relent."

The words were humorous and Anakin laughed at them, but there was a subtle undercurrent of meaning that was lost on him. "Well, how did he get it?"

"That's not my story to tell," Mara stated serenely. Seeing Anakin's dubious look, she stated in a much more stern manner, "that's my way of saying, not now, we'll tell you later, laserbrain."

That startled another laugh out of him and he relented his questioning. When it came to what was important regarding the strangers, the lightsaber that was nearly identical to his was not at the top of the list. Priorities and all that.

#

Luke was elated to be where he was, with Obi-Wan and his father in the old Jedi Temple. Knowing the trials ahead of him didn't stop him from enjoying that fact now. Seeing Obi-Wan was much more rewarding than he had thought it would be; he was young and vibrant, so different from the old, weathered, and haunted man who had made such a significant impact in his life in the scant amount of time they'd spent with each other. Luke spent a great deal of time thinking of Leia. Of Leia and Han. Of Jaina and Jacen. Even of Anakin, the youngest son of the Solos who had perished some time before the Battle of Yuuzhan'tar. He missed them all, missed them terribly, was would sacrifice much to see his best friends and their family again. Even if this galaxy in this time was saved, he didn't know what would become of him and Mara, whether they would stay in this time or become one with the Force. Even if he joined the Force, would he sense Leia's presence in this changed universe? So many thoughts and possibilities that he ultimately had to let go of; there was nothing he could do about it.

He couldn't stay maudlin forever though, he had things to do, people to see, fathers to save, and mothers to meet. Luke smiled slightly at the last thought. Much had become to known of the final days of the Republic, but they mystery of his mother remained. He and Leia had conflicting thoughts on the matter, but he had always desired to meet her. A nudge in the Force caught his attention and he brought his focus onto Mara. Mara and Anakin's impatience was becoming a tangible thing and he knew better than to irritate his wife without just cause, so he ended his meditation and prepared himself for whatever was to come.

Anakin couldn't help but be nervous. He still believed introducing his wife was a good idea for several reasons. It would help Anakin, Luke, and Mara trust each other and it would help lighten his own burden as well, but keeping their relationship, let alone their marriage, secret had become a deeply ingrained habit. As the three rode in the turbolift to their destination, Anakin had already broken out in a light sweat and he knew that his anxiety would be easily sensed. Luke and Mara, however, were kind enough that they chose not to remark on it.

Anakin realized he was alarmingly close to tapping his foot, an obvious sign of his internal riot of emotions. This is the right course of action, he told himself, show trust and receive trust in return. Closing his eyes, Anakin thought of Padmé and squared his shoulders. Luke and Mara, aside from their dramatic entrance into his life and onto Coruscant, had shown themselves to be kind individuals, genuine in their compassion. Mara might be a little more 'trouble,' but she was the kind of trouble he could appreciate in a friend. He didn't know how this was going to end, but he knew Padmé was strong and would be able to handle the idea of others knowing their secret, far better than he. Trust in the Force, Obi-Wan would say, Anakin thought, I think this time, I will trust in Padmé.

He could feel the Force brimming with an uncertainty that seemed completely unrelated to the current trials the Republic or the Jedi Order faced. As if to reinforce that interpretation, the roiling undercurrents that seemed to be contained within Luke and Mara's presence remained ever-present. Luke and Mara felt...different than the Force signatures of people or other Jedi he'd encountered. They were powerful, both of them, but it wasn't different like the minute changes one would see from person to person, but like a completely different paradigm of the Force had anchored itself to them.

Outside of their presence, it would be completely unnoticed except for the subtle feeling of impending change. The change in the Force that seemed to have been caused by or connected to Luke and Mara had even muted some of the confusion and shifted the veil caused by the war, the Sith, and the havoc that was encompassing the galaxy. Something is going to happen, some change is upon us and these two are part of it. I don't know what these two know or have planned that could affect the Force in such a profound way, but I swear that at least some of our questions will be answered this tonight.

#

Luke was aware of Anakin's shifting emotions. The flashes of anxiety, fear, hope, excitement, and longing were practically shouted out into the air. When Anakin had announced his intention to take them to a friend's residence for them to stay at, Luke felt both he and Mara had stiffened instantly. Anakin had been oblivious, smiling at some hidden thought that was crossing his mind, but both Luke and his wife had exchanged a very pointed glance.

They were not ready for Palpatine; Luke was not in top form just yet and they were both still recovering from the typical weariness that is the result from any battle. All of that was less important than the fact that a true plan was needed to confront this Palpatine. Luke had seen and fought a much younger clone of Palpatine and his power in the Force and skill with a lightsaber still imposing even now. He felt pretty confident that he could take Palpatine, but when you're playing a sabaac hand with the fate of the galaxy as the stakes, caution is generally advised.

The feeling of longing had set Mara and Luke a little more at ease. Mara had mentally nudged him and a sense of her impish smile had accompanied her message through their bond.

[Well Farmboy, your father is positively bubbling with some very un-Jedi-like emotions. I don't believe Palpatine is a worry for tonight, husband-mine, unless Anakin might have some subtle feelings for the-]

Luke stopped Mara with a subtle pinch on her ass; this of course, while having the desired effect of stopping the disturbing line of thought, only widened her smile that promised ether violence or sex. It was always a toss up with Mara.

Luke found it somewhat odd that Anakin and Mara seemed to get along fairly well. Until arriving at the turbolift, most of the conversation had been upheld by his companions. Luke knew that Mara had met Darth Vader many times in her service to the Emperor and he knew that Darth Vader was not someone Mara had particularly liked. 'Not particularly liked' being a euphemism for 'despised.' But Anakin was a different matter, a different person, that is. It was almost disturbing in a way; they both had similar mannerisms and both had a very dry, acerbic sense of humor. Luke supposed that, given their similar personalities, it was just as likely that they'd befriend one another as it would be for them to absolutely loathe each other.

Despite his own ongoing internal grief of Leia death and the shock of their arrival into a bygone era, Luke couldn't help the small smile that lingered on his face as he listened to their ongoing banter and dance of well-intentioned teasing. It must be weird for Mara to be dealing with a 'baby Vader,' or perhaps...Luke's smile suddenly became a devilish grin, which he hid from view by turning to look out at the skyline.

[Isn't this incredible, Mara? Even though we've been married for almost 10 years, it must be a relief to finally meet your father-in-law and have a nice heart-to-heart with him.]

Luke watched as Mara paused in whatever she was saying and nearly laughed as her eyes went almost comically wide. Anakin was oblivious and was asking worriedly if she were alright. Mara shot a very quick glare towards Luke before assuring Anakin that she was just fine.

[Kriff off,  Master . I had finally put it out of my mind and now it's all I can think about. Considering what your daddy did to his son-in-law, I'd prefer that our relationship remain unknown for now. Being a block of carbonite is not my look. Hush now, or I'll kill you for real.]

Luke's smile didn't waver at the memory of Han or of Bespin, and it especially didn't waver at her threat. She had lost her desire for killing or maiming him a long time ago.

He had to wonder what Leia would have thought about all this. He felt the gaping void where his connection to Leia had been. Discovering it when he had hung from that weather vane below Cloud City on Bespin had been like discovering a completely new part of himself. Leia had had a terrible time adjusting to the notion of Darth Vader as her father, but she had gradually come to accept that she was the child of Anakin Skywalker. She had even come to accept it enough that she named her third child Anakin.

Luke had a moment of sorrow as he remembered Anakin Solo. A bright boy, strong in the Force, and just so good. His sacrifice on Myrkr allowed many Jedi to escape with their lives after destroying the Voxyn Queen, but his loss had been hard on so many. But giving Anakin his name had been a sign that Leia had come to terms or at least had found some measure of peace in regards to their parentage.

What would Leia think, if she could see our father like this? Not a monster, not a respirator wearing hulking black figure, but a man. A Jedi, yes, but just a man. Luke figured Leia's first impulse would be to slap him the young man, the thought of which helped chase the sadness that memories of Leia and the clan stirred and made him smile. She'd slap him silly, but I think she'd see some of what I've been saying about our father all these years.

Luke figured that Anakin was taking them to someone he trusted, and that note of longing that emanated from him made his own pulse speed up. Longing? Could he be taking us to my mother? Luke didn't want to give the thought too much credit for fear of disappointment. He still desperately wanted to know who she was. Or is. Luke corrected himself. His mother is alive now, and if he'd lucky and if the Force wills it, perhaps I'll finally meet her.

There would be much to say regardless of whom they were meeting. Deciding how much to say would be tricky; keeping secrets from someone who may be on the edge of falling to the Dark Side could be just the thing to push him over if discovered. But telling him about the full horrors of his future might not be the best way to help him find peace. And I do not wish to give him any information from 'a certain point of view.' Stang, If Leia wants to slap Father, then I want to slap Obi-Wan for that charming surprise.

Luke refocused on his surroundings as the turbolift finally came to a halt at one of the top floors. The view was as spectacular as he remembered it from the time he spent with Leia and Han at their own residence on 500 Republica. Anakin seemed to have settled slightly and ushered them forward. A few minutes of navigating the halls of the building eventually had them facing a door that Anakin had led them too. The young man looked briefly torn but he settled himself and knocked firmly on the door.

Seconds later, a young woman elaborately dressed answered the door. She smiled widely at Anakin but looked unsure how to react in the presence of strangers. Anakin settled the matter quickly and decisively as he leaned down and cupped the woman's face and kissed her solidly on the mouth. Coming back up, the woman was red-faced and looked like she wanted to either maim Anakin or drag him to the nearest horizontal surface.

Looking determined, but still anxious, he turned from the woman to look at Luke and Mara intensely. "Padmé, this is Luke Skywalker, and his wife, Mara. Luke, Mara, this is my wife, Padmé Amidala.

#

Luke felt his world tilt on its axis for a moment as he finally heard the name of his mother and as he took in the full vision of the woman who bore that name. He looked at her face first and saw Leia's soft brown eyes looking back at him. Her pregnancy was visible ever through her elegant, voluminous clothing that helped to disguise her swollen womb. Disguised or not however, he could feel the unmistakable presence of the unborn children within Padmé's womb.

He couldn't discern Leia's individual status; the Leia and Luke of this age were too new to the world to have developed their own presence. But even so, Luke felt a sense of relief come over him as he realized that, whatever else may have happened, there was a Leia in this world ready to become a sister to her twin brother. Even if it wasn't his sister, it was Leia just the same. Studying Padmé further, it was obvious that Leia's beauty had mirrored her mother's.

"Where are the droids," Padmé asked Anakin as she guided them into her apartment. Anakin's response was lost on both Luke and Mara though as they gazed upon the woman who had to be Luke's mother.

#

Padmé was gorgeous. Those brown eyes on a soft face framed by cascading brown curls of hair that were in a simple, yet elegant, style. At first, Mara thought that the softness that seemed to define Padmé's beauty might extend to her personality as well, given her quiet and well-spoken tone that had accompanied her words. That idea was swiftly abused by a thoughtful study of Padmé's eyes.

Those eyes held a fierce determination to protect Anakin from these two strangers who would lay claim to the Skywalker name. Those eyes and even her whole posture again belied that possibility as the fire of determination that had defined Leia for decades revealed their origin in Padmé.

Padmé.

It has to be Padmé.

Something about her, a threat to her life or an attack induced Anakin's fall to the Dark Side. A threat, attack, or abduction; something that could be used as coercion or manipulation, this has to be how Anakin fell. The idea could have been from the Force, but it could have just been likely been hers. Mara didn't know many people who wouldn't go to extreme lengths, even dark lengths, to save someone they loved. That was the foundation behind the rule regarding attachments in the Jedi Order. Luke may have allowed attachments in his new Jedi Order, but he never hesitated to explain the danger of attachment, of the manipulation one could full under because of one's ties to the world.

Mara considered this. There were other possibilities, other reasons Anakin might fall, but a strong Jedi whose company either included Jedi Masters or his pregnant, and presumably vulnerable wife...Padmé made a tempting target to use against Anakin. One had to have knowledge of their relationship, which did seem to have been hidden successfully, but secrets always have a way of being discovered.

All of these thoughts were going through Mara's mind in just a few seconds as time seemed to pass impossibly slow. Save Padmé to save Anakin. Save Padmé to prevent the rise of Vader and, hopefully, to ensure the fall of Palpatine. Padmé is the key.

Luke's voice finally broke the silence that had followed Anakin's declaration, a silence that was just on the verge of becoming uncomfortable. "It's a pleasure to meet you Padm-may I call you Padmé?"

Padmé's wary demeanor softened slightly at his stumbling words and replied, "Anakin says that you are his kin. We are family then, Padmé would be fine." Padmé paused for a moment, exchanging a glance with Anakin. "So...Luke...how exactly are you related to Anakin?" Anakin relaxed slightly as the question he had been desperately wanted to ask had finally been voiced.

[Well Farmboy, I'll let you take the lead on this one. It would be wise, Luke, to remain truthful but to avoid dumping too much on their plates all at once. Our presence here is already a lot to swallow, if we bring up Palpatine, Vader, or the Vong than I think we'd lose them. One thing at a time.]

Mara felt Luke's mental acknowledgment before Luke responded. "Do you have somewhere we can sit and talk? We have a great deal to say and much of it will be hard to understand and accept. It would be best for us all to be comfortable."

Anakin and Padmé exchanged a glance and a redoubled sense of wariness emanated from the two. Padmé finally stepped back into her apartment and gestured from them to enter.

#

Luke and Mara were guided by Padmé and Anakin to a tasteful sitting room. It was classy, but not gaudy like the style of many senators that Mara had met while the Empire had ruled. The four moved to sit down, but Mara reached into her pocket and pulled out a device and sat it on the table before activating it. A small light flickered on and a brief high pitched noise issued from it before it became noiseless once again.

"I trust your security force's competence, Padmé, but you are a senator, the secret wife of a Jedi, and you surely have many enemies. What gets discussed tonight are things that I have no wish to be shared with others," Mara stated calmly.

Padmé paused before raising a brow and asked, "I don't know many Jedi who are so well versed in surveillance techniques and technology."

Mara's gave a humorless smile that was more than a little disquieting to Padmé. "Well, I wasn't always a Jedi. I am a woman of many talents."

Anakin joined the conversation with a confused expression on his face. "You weren't always a Jedi, what do you mean? The Jedi don't like to train older people. Stang, I was nine and they didn't want to train me then. What were you before then?"

"I was an assassin and occasional spy."

Padmé and Anakin both stiffened and one of Anakin's hand had drifted to his lightsaber. Padmé then turned to Luke, who had been casting surreptitious looks towards her throughout the exchange. "And you? An assassin as well?"

Mara barked out a laugh. Luke lifted a shoulder, "Ah...no, I'm just a Jedi. But like Mara, I wasn't trained until late in my life. I grew up on a moisture farm," he added as he saw Anakin's frown, "Mara and I didn't actually meet until about ten years ago."

"And how did an assassin and a farm boy come to meet?" Anakin asked, a frown still etched upon his face.

"I tried to kill him," Mara said.

#

Almost half an hour later just a few clarifying remarks later, and the four were still sitting. Luke and Mara were being largely ignored as Padmé and Anakin digested the story of how the two had met. An assassin forming a Force Bond with a Jedi, the target she'd been ordered to kill by a Darksider? It was a little much, even for a slave-turned-Jedi who had secretly married a senator of the Republic.

Padmé finally sighed, "Okay, moving on. I still want to know. Who exactly are you, Luke? Who are you to Ani?"

Anakin scowled as he saw Mara mouthing 'Ani' in the air, smiling as she tested the sound of it. Luke turned to him and Anakin stilled. There was something in his expression. It spoke of many things, intense emotions and powerful memories. It wasn't something that he could pin down but it was disconcerting.

"Well...Anakin...you are my father," Luke stated calmly, the anxiety in his eyes betraying his seemingly serene demeanor.

Sheev Palpatine reclined in his chair, sighing as the pathetic politicians and lobbyists finally removed themselves from his presence. Something has changed. The thought had been echoing in his mind now ever since his 'rescue' from Grievous. He wasn't sure what had changed and that in itself was quite concerning.

Decades of planning, years of bribes and pretending and hiding. My life will not be for nothing, Palpatine snarled, my plans will succeed and I will see the Jedi Order and their beloved Republic ground into dust.

There were so many plans in motion, so many events that were now coming to a head. It wouldn't be long now, not lung until he could begin exterminating the Jedi, and with them gone, the Republic would be his. But the Jedi must die. Order 66 will cut them down, but the Temple itself but also be gutted, and that is where I will need my new apprentice.

Palpatine closed his eyes and let his awareness drift through the Force. The tremors that had troubled him so badly days ago had lessened, but were still present.

Anakin.

His plans for Anakin had started many years ago and his fate was all but sealed. A few more deceptions and manipulations and he would have the Jedi Council push their vaunted 'Chosen One' right into his hands. Whatever has changed will be something that I'll have to discover later. Everything is at a nexus now, events are at a critical point and it will soon be the time to execute the final stages of my plan.

Anakin's emotions were as troubled and turbulent as they ever were, and Palpatine smiled when he felt the spikes of anger and confusion that had become more and more frequent in the last year. He had no way of knowing the source of these particular spikes, but the presence of those emotions meant that Anakin was still in a position to become his.

Soon. Soon I will usher him into my service. Palpatine smiled. A pregnant wife meant that he would be most susceptible to the emotions that had always gripped him the hardest. And Anakin was ever so prone to nightmares and visions. A smile was pasted on Palpatine's face as he concentrated on the boy who would serve him to destroy the Jedi.

Chapter Text

"What are you doing? Trust him, trust him!"
- C-3PO

#

"I trust him," Anakin finally said after long minutes of silence. In front of him, his wife paced the length of their bedroom. Force help me that she doesn't know that I think her attempt to pace is hilarious, Anakin thought, biting his cheek. As beautiful as she was, pregnancy had made her stressed pacing into an awkward angry waddle. It had been several hours since Luke's revelation and they were still trying to grasp the pronouncement that their son, who even now grew in Padmé's womb, was also a middle-aged man, from the future, in the next room over. This new acceptance of his, even if hesitant, surprised Padmé greatly given that his initial response had been...less than ideal.

###

"What?" Anakin said, not entirely sure he had heard correctly. The Force felt heavy around them, pregnant with a deeper and different texture than before.

"Luke is your child," Mara stated, "one of the children that, even now, grows within you, Padmé."

"Children!?" Anakin and Padmé both yelped, missing the shadow of pain that briefly crossed Luke's face.

"What do you mean...children?" Anakin asked, his calm disappearing in a rising tide of excitement.

"It was supposed to be a surprise?" Mara asked, blinking. Luke's reaction was only to massage his brow.

"Yes!" Anakin and Padmé both shouted in unison.

Mara lifted a shoulder, "Oops."

Anakin laid a hand on his wife's belly looking far too delighted at the possibility of more than one child for Padmé's taste, but he seemed to finally gather the import of what Luke and Mara had said. "Wait, what?" Anakin asked. "What are you talking about?"

"My name is Luke Skywalker, and you, Anakin, are my father and you Padmé, are my mother," his calm remained, but Luke would admit the anxiety that plagued him now. Revealing himself as their child was something he been both dreading and yearning for and while he knew that their initial reaction would most likely not be favorable, that didn't stop him from wanting that sense of belonging he had yearned for growing up on Tatooine.

"What kind of bantha fodder is that?" Anakin nearly shouted. "You may feel familiar...but...that doesn't even make sense! Any Jedi could feel our similar presence, but that gives you no right to come here and exploit Padmé's condition to support some claim of family. Don't you dare come here with such ridiculous nonsense." He had stood by that point, a finger jabbing angrily in the air towards Luke.

Even after everything he had been through with his father, with Darth Vader, he still felt some hurt at Anakin's words, but he pushed the hurt down. The situation was ridiculous, and he couldn't blame either of them for their disbelief. "It's the truth, Anakin. Perhaps if you heard more, you might understand more about my being here."

"He could call you Dad...or Daddy, if it would help?" Mara supplied helpfully. Trying, but failing, to inject a little levity in the conversation as Padmé's face darkened with anger at her flippancy.

"I think you need to leave. Now," she said icily. She looked like she would continue speaking in that harsh tone before she calmed herself down. "Anakin said that you were promised a room for this night. You may stay for the night, but tomorrow you should return to the Temple. I don't appreciate these kinds of games. Anakin says you are family, but that doesn't excuse this."

Padmé levered herself up and made her way to her room, her pregnancy doing nothing to hamper her dignified exit. Anakin looked at Mara and Luke, anger still clouding his eyes, but the anger was now mixed with confusion as he stared hard at Luke and felt the familiarity of his presence and the way everything in the Force was almost screaming at him to accept Luke's words as truth. He opened his mouth as if to speak before closing it with a grimace. After a moment, he tried again. "We will speak more in the morning," he said before leaving to join Padmé.

###

"That's a bit of a departure from before, Anakin...what's changed? Padmé asked. She was the picture of calm, but any Force-sensitive could feel the confusion, the hurt, the hope, and the utter incredulousness that clashed within her at the man's ridiculous claim.

"When Luke first said that he was our son...I reacted from my thoughts, not my feelings. It should be impossible, it should be ridiculous, a trick or a trap. Though my mind says all of these things even now, I can't help but feel that he is telling the truth. Even knowing and feeling what I do, the disturbance in the Force they caused, the ripples they cause with their very presence...it gives credence to the possibility. It may be that what he tells is a truth that he only believes to be true, but a simple blood test would confirm his claim." Anakin paused, brow furrowing as he finally say on their bed. "This feels right even if I don't know why. Mara and Luke believe they have traveled here, traveled through time, and that they are here to accomplish something. If this is the Will of the Force, Padmé, than something truly terrible must be coming for the Force to act in such a blunt manner."

"Nothing is ever simple with the Skywalkers, is it?" Padmé asked rhetorically. "As if reading emotions, levitating large objects, and destroying Sith Lords weren't enough, our child apparently has to outdo you and time travel." Having heard Anakin's confession about the events aboard the Invisible Hand and Count Dooku's death, Padmé paid close enough attention that she saw the tiny flinch in Anakin's face, and laid an apologetic and comforting palm against his face. Stressed and anxious as she was, Padmé was more confused about the turn of events than truly worried or afraid of Luke.

Anakin believed Luke's claim to be their child, though Luke and Mara were obviously just as perplexed about their presence here as Padmé and Anakin themselves. They seemed confused about their presence here, yes, but they at least had some idea about the why and it was the how that was the most confusing to them. Mara, their son's wife, stated that it was the Will of the Force, the bland answer being all that would ever be needed to confirm her status as a Jedi. Padmé's husband was the Jedi in the family, and though he obviously had some of the same qualms in this situation as her, she was willing to trust his judgment when it came to the Force.

Usually.

Sometimes.

It had been apparent that Anakin and Padmé would need more time to contemplate the implications so Luke and Mara had swiftly made their way to the room Padmé had prepared for them once she and Anakin had finished their initial angry outburst. It was fairly obvious by their expressions that this one revelation was only the tip of the iceberg of what Luke and Mara would be telling them.

Their son.

As usual, Anakin was somewhat torn on what he was feeling. At first, he couldn't deny the rage that wanted to spill over at the absurdity of the claim, but the feeling had morphed swiftly into confusion mixed with a blend of happiness and sadness. They knew nothing of Luke or Mara's lives, but it was clear they had suffered great hardship. They were too...hard, even more so than many of the soldiers and Jedi that he had encountered throughout the war. But for everything they might have endured, Anakin couldn't help but feel proud about the older man who claimed to be his son.

He is a far better Jedi than I could ever hope to be, better than most Jedi could ever be. As powerful as I am, yes, but filled with an innate goodness that reminds me so much of Padmé.

"What now, Ani?" Padmé's voice was soothing as the arm that wrapped around the Jedi's waist.

"We listen. We listen to what they have to say. Tomorrow we'll have more opportunities to speak with them," Anakin stated slowly and thoughtfully. "We should get to bed too, Padmé, you need your rest, too."

Padmé scowled even as she moved to acquiesce to his suggestion. "Anakin, I'm pregnant, not dying."

"Humor me, consider it practice for getting Luke 2.0 to nap. This is a learning experience!" Anakin chuckled before catching a thrown pillow with the Force and pushing it back at Padmé.

"You're awful, Ani. Fine, if I have to sleep, so do you," Padmé commanded with an imperious tone.

"As you wish, m'lady," Anakin smiled as he slipped off his robe and joined his wife in their bed. "He said children, Padmé, children," he had to smile at the thought, though the smile dimmed a little at Padmé's next words.

"If we are to have children, why is it only Luke who came back?" she asked.

Anakin didn't answer, but he felt a sudden sadness that he couldn't explain, so his silence lingered. He kissed his wife and wrapped an arm around Padmé. "Something we will have to ask, tomorrow," he eventually whispered into her hair. He thought she might have gone to sleep but peeked at his wife when she began to chuckle softly.

"What?" he asked, somewhat suspiciously.

"I was just wondering how the kriff that boy of ours managed to bag a woman like that Mara," she answered, laughing. Anakin's eyes had widened at her language, but crinkled as he joined her in soft laughter. Their laughter eventually ceased and soon his eyes were closed and his breathing had begun to deepen when he rested his flesh-and-blood hand on Padmé's swollen belly and whispered, "Luke," before smiling and finally falling asleep.

After he closed his eyes and joined his wife in sleep, his nightmares, as vivid and terrible as they had been about his mother years earlier, came to haunt Anakin's sleep once more.

Anakin was on the veranda, head held in his hands as he recalled the nightmare of the night before. Not again, please not again, he begged the universe, the Force, the Jedi, everything and anyone that would hear. Not again, not Padmé. It had been several years since his mother's death and the day's events and his own actions still haunted him. What do I do? I failed Mom before, I could have saved her if I had trusted my instincts and gone to save her sooner. What do I do? I need help, but who would help me, who can I even ask?

His troubled thoughts ran in circles, his mood failing to improve as he considered scenario after scenario. He thoughts ground to a halt when he noticed that he was no longer alone. Still somehow cloaked within the Force, he hadn't sensed her until she had let him. He realized that he had been crying and hastily wiped the tears away before facing the red-haired woman whose sassy behavior from the night before had been replaced by solemnity and a sympathetic expression.

At least it's not pity, thank the Force. Anakin wasn't sure he could handle pity from this woman, not at this moment.

"Something is troubling you greatly, Anakin, and it's more than your tears that is screaming the anguish and fear you are holding inside," she stated bluntly. Bluntly, but honestly and without any rancor. Her tone could have infuriated him, but her willingness to jump to the issue without dancing around helped settle his thoughts. And thankfully, her comment held none of the recriminations about his emotions that Obi-Wan, Yoda, or even worse, Mace Windu would typically have given him.

For that reason, he held his tongue in check.

###

Pain!

Padmé's pain!

An injury or wound that ached. It ached and burned.

A fading life.

Screams of pain.

Anakin heard Padmé screaming his name: a plea for him. He heard the pain in her voice. He saw the tears in her eyes. He felt the dimming of her light within the Force. Padmé! Agony flooded Anakin's awareness, followed by the fear and anguish that gripped Padmé.

A man's voice telling her to hold on. Obi-Wan's voice!

Pain and grief. Terrible pain!

###

"It was just a bad dream," Anakin said, the doubt and fear that laced his tone betrayed the words he spoke.

"Bad dreams don't cause tremors in the Force," Mara commented softly, "nor does the presence of the Dark Side linger in the air like a bad aftertaste. You're also as terrible of a liar as Farmboy."

Anakin looked at Mara sharply with a rising anger. "The Dark Side? What are you accusing me of, Mara?"

Mara's response was a roll of her eyes as she stepped into Anakin's space and jabbed a finger into his chest. "Calm yourself, Jedi. Did I say that you were a Darksider or that you were using the Dark Side? No." Mara stepped back and stared at Anakin with an unnerving intensity before she continued, "What I'm saying, Anakin, is that those nightmares of yours were influenced by the Dark Side."

Anakin's eyes widened, "What? That's not...what?"

"You may have killed Count Dooku, Fath-Anakin, but his master remains alive and hidden," Luke said as he joined the conversation.

Anakin eyed Luke, hearing the momentary slip on his name; he might have accepted the truth of Luke's identity as his son, but it was still more than a little weird to fully comprehend this mature man being his son. "You think someone is sending the visions to me? Or manipulating me somehow?"

"All things are possible through the Force," Luke stated with a small smile that hinted of past experiences.

"But why? Why would the Sith Lord do...that?" Anakin asked, confused.

Mara and Luke looked at each other in a way that implied a significant conversation or question was being posed. Anakin didn't like that look; it hinted of secrets, painful ones.

Mara pursed her lips and spoke to Luke through their bond. [Well Farmboy, I guess we now know how Anakin began his path to the Dark Side. I think it's up to us to help guide him back down the brighter path.]

[We don't know if this was actually it. Still, we might as well start here. Why don't you take this one, you're still the expert on all things 'His Wrinkledness'] Luke sent back, a smile on his lips as he thought of Han's less than tactful descriptions of Palpatine. The memory of his best friend almost sent him into grief once again, but seeing his father so lost helped him focus on the present.

"Count Dooku is dead, Anakin," Mara commented.

"Yes...I know…I killed him," Anakin replied blandly, his memories of executing Dooku still harsh in his mind.

"Anakin, the Sith Lord's apprentice is dead. What do you imagine the Sith's next move would be?" Mara questioned, trying to lead Anakin to the desired conclusion.

"'Always two there are,'" He recited. "He would seek out a new apprentice," Anakin stated, speaking slowly as he nodded to himself. Frustration leaked into his tone, "But what does that have to do with me?"

Luke spoke up once more, "A Sith Lord is sending you nightmares somehow. Or perhaps merely augmenting your own existing fears. Perhaps it is not even a directed effort. But I, too, felt the Dark Side last night. You are prone to premonitions, I take it?" Anakin's nod confirmed the question. "Premonitions are dangerous things, Anakin. They can lead you down a dark path if one doesn't understand the context or full path of the vision."

Anakin wanted to yell at Luke, but feeling Padmé's slumbering presence kept his volume low, but harsh. "Believe me, I know, Luke, I've had visions before, and I failed to take heed of them last time, and in consequence, my mother died."

Luke remembered what Leia had told him years ago when she had gone to Tatooine to recover a painting that had a hidden device with sensitive Alliance information embedded within it. She had discovered a diary by Shmi Skywalker and had met Kitster, the best friend of young Anakin Skywalker. Leia had discovered the 'ghost' that haunted the Sand People, and the scar in the Force that had been left by Anakin in the wake of Shmi's pain. "Tatooine," Luke spoke after a moment.

Anakin's face went white and his gaze darted everywhere, his eyes refusing to meet anyone else's. "Yes," he whispered.

"Always in motion is the future," Luke quoted. "I've had such visions before as well, Anakin, and they led to one of the darkest days in my life. I left to rescue my friends, my friends whose pain I felt and saw in my meditations. They did feel pain, Anakin, they were tortured, but they had already managed to rescue themselves by the time I came along. In the end, I lost my hand and it was I who ended up needing to be rescued."

Luke would never forget that day in Bespin, the revelations he had learned had cut far deeper than Darth Vader's lightsaber. A dark day, but one that also helped him realize that there was still a spark of Anakin left in Vader. A day that also helped him truly mature and see his way forward through the Force. Such is the Will of the Force, all things happen in their own time and way, Luke mused.

Anakin thought about Luke's words carefully before he finally asked, "How did you lose your hand?"

Mara's expression remained blank, though her words to Luke through their bond were dry. [Telling him that Daddy did it would be a bad idea, Luke.]

Luke shot a glare at Mara, [Thanks Mara]

"The vision was a trap, a lure for me to finish my training prematurely. My friends' pain was designed to bring me to them, and to the Sith Lord that held them prisoner. There, I faced him, and in our duel, lost my hand before I managed to make my own escape," Luke said softly, a grimace on his face as he recalled that moment where he fell from the gantry rather than join his newly discovered father.

"So the Sith are still around then? I suppose that has something to do with why you are here, then? Where was I exactly, shouldn't I have been with you?" Anakin asked, anxious despite the fact that the events wouldn't occur for at least two decades.

Luke looked like he wanted to laugh, "Don't worry Anakin, you were around."

Something in Luke's voice and flare of emotions made him want to ask more, but the noise of his communicator interrupted his train of thought.

#

Luke and Mara watched as Anakin held a conversation with someone as the two went to the edge of the veranda to look over the Coruscanti cityscape.

"I was never all that partial to Coruscant," Luke said after a few minutes, "But now I think I might have truly missed this sight."

Mara put an arm around his waist, "I grew up here...even under the Emperor, it didn't quite look like this. It always seemed so much darker, like he cast a pallor over it all." Mara continued to gaze out and looked at the elegant Jedi Temple in the distance. "What now, Luke?"

Luke followed her gaze and pursed his lips, "One thing at a time. Start with the Jedi Council, I suppose. Perhaps follow that with Mothma and the other Rebellion founders to gain civilian support? If the Jedi take action, it truly might look like treason. If that happens, legitimacy would be a nice thing to have." Luke's last words were posed as a question that was answered by a slow nod by Mara.

"Yes...we'll have to play it by ear, but that sounds like the beginning of a plan," Mara replied. She might have said more if Anakin hadn't rejoined them.

"Sorry about that, I actually received two messages. The Jedi Council wishes to meet with us this afternoon, for a more rigorous interrogation, no doubt," Anakin said with a small chuckle.

"That's perfectly fine...what was the other message?" Luke asked curiously.

"Oh, that was a friend of mine...the Chancellor actually, I'm guessing you might know him? He wanted to meet with me in a little bit," Anakin told them, pride at being the friend of the Chancellor of the Republic lacing his tone. "I should actually probably head to the Senate to see him...would you guys like to meet him?"

Luke felt his stomach drop as he contemplated facing a younger Palpatine still in his prime, "Ah, no, if you don't mind, I think I'd like to rest here for a while, still a bit sore." The words were true and Anakin looked oblivious to his initial reaction.

Mara looked at Luke with a long stare, [Looking at your father now, and remembering him in my time as the Emperor's Hand...I feel pity more than anything else. Your father should have had a better life. He made terrible choices and suffered terrible consequences because of it...so much chaos just because he called the wrong person 'friend.']

Anakin didn't seem to have noticed the pause and Mara's glance because his mood suddenly shifted, becoming alert and agitated. "Shavit, I never even really thought to ask. You mentioned that Dooku being dead meant the Sith Lord would be looking for a new apprentice...you believe he wishes me to be that apprentice?"

"You are one of the most powerful Jedi in the galaxy, Anakin, and you are well known to be one of the more temperamental ones. Add in the fact that you have a pregnant wife and he has a lot of ammunition in his hands to control, manipulate, or coerce you," Luke said, his voice even.

Anakin looked like he wanted to argue and opened his mouth before closing it sharply. His brow furrowed and responded, "I've done things I'm not proud of...Tatooine," he nodded towards Luke and Mara, "and some other things...but to become the apprentice of the Sith…" He shook his head resolutely, "I can't see myself doing that. Padmé would-"

Anakin's face went white and his body almost seemed to sway. Mara reacted first and guided Anakin towards a nearby chair. "Anakin, what's wrong?"

"Kriff me," Anakin breathed, arms trembling and voice shaky.

"Pardon me if I don't, kriff you," Mara responded dryly, earning a choked laugh from Luke and a surprised cough from Anakin. "What is it, Anakin?"

Anakin looked down at his hands, looked at Luke intently, and at Luke's right hand. "You said that a Sith Lord cut your hand off, Luke. When I asked you where I was and why I wasn't there to help you, you said that I was…" Anakin swallowed hard before he continued, "And now you're warning me that a Sith Lord may be trying to coerce me into becoming his apprentice, using my fear of Padmé's loss as a lever. You're from the future and you know all this."

Anakin looked at Luke right in the eye, his face was calm and his voice more composed. Even his emotions seemed a little more steady. "I turned...didn't I? I joined the Sith...and I'm the one who cut your hand off, wasn't I?"

Mara left this one in Luke's hands and was badly tempted to leave and give them privacy. This conversation would be hard. Even decades later, it was hard for Luke to talk about, and that was after redeeming Anakin and forgiving him, so she was surprised when Luke answer with a simple, "Yes."

"Oh...shavit," Anakin muttered before putting his head in his hands. "I turned...and I'm guessing that Padmé died?"

"I don't know, I have no memory of her, but it would be a safe assumption," Luke replied.

"So what do I...who is...what does this mean, Luke?" Anakin asked, his voice quiet and filled with anxiety.

"You change the game," Mara responded, "one of the things that can be used against you is your relationship with Padmé...not that I am condemning your marriage in any way," she added when a flush of anger colored his cheeks, "but the secrecy of it...secrets hurt people, Anakin, and keeping this one is hurting you and hurting Padmé even if neither of you realize it. You are not the only Jedi who got married, you know, there are others in situations like yours."

"Nejaa," Anakin murmured.

Luke started, "Halcyon, you knew Nejaa Halcyon, and that he was married?"

"I found out he was married," Anakin explained, "and I told him that I was too. He was a good friend, he died a little while back in a battle against some cult of Darksiders. How do you know of him?"

"Nejaa has a grandson, a good friend of mine actually, and one of the finest fighter pilots in the galaxy. Corran is his name, a good man," Luke said, smiling.

"I'm not surprised. Nejaa was a good man, makes sense that his grandson would be, too. I'm glad to hear that his descendant is a friend of my own. Feels right."

"Enough talking about Corellians, lest we invite them into our presence." Mara's voice was dry as she continued, "they already have large enough egos. As I was saying...you are not the only Jedi who married. Tell someone. There is a man who thinks of himself as your friend and brother. He is one who has stood with you when few others would. Tell him."

"Obi-Wan?" Anakin asked, considering the suggestion.

"Of course Obi-Wan, nerf-for-brains. He may be a straight-laced bore, but he values you more than a typical Jedi should value their apprentice. It is obvious he cares for you. He will help you, or at the very least, he will support you if things go badly with the Council," Mara stated. "He has always tried his best to help you, Anakin, perhaps even when he shouldn't."

"Obi-Wan…" Anakin murmured once again, "Padmé wanted to tell him about our relationship, too-"

"Just goes to show that the fairer sex truly is superior," Mara interjected with a sickeningly sweet voice.

Anakin rolled his eyes, "For a woman who is decades older than me...you are very convincing at acting my age." Anakin huffed and Luke let out a snort that was quickly cut off by Mara's elbow jabbing his rib. "Anyway...you might be right. I'll tell Obi-Wan," Anakin stated with more surety and calm than he truly felt. Anakin stopped and considered the situation, "What else? And who is the Sith Lord? You must know."

"Yes, but first, we need to talk to the Council. We tell them some of our story, and we tell them what needs to be immediately addressed. We have a great deal of foreknowledge and much of it deals with events that have little bearing on the Sith. Remember our wounds, Anakin, there are many dangers that our galaxy will come to face. There have been wars with the Sith in the past, there will likely be wars with the Sith in the future. No single Sith Lord would cause our travel here, but it was a major stepping stone, one which may have allowed all the other terrible events to fall into place. One thing at a time," Luke answered.

"One thing at a time," Mara echoed, "sounds like a plan. Our plans usually work out...right?"

Luke's answering glare did little to comfort Anakin.

On a planet far from Coruscant, a young Togrutan stared up at the night sky with furrowed brows. The Dathomirian who had been walking at her side gave her a raised eyebrow. The Togrutan's concentration persisted for several minutes before a smile appeared on her face. Turning to her companion, she finally spoke, "There has been a disturbance in the Force."

"I have felt it also," the other woman said.

"I believe SkyGuy has found himself in a mess."

"And of course, we are the ones who have to go rescue him?" The Dathomirian's voice was dry and did little to conceal her distaste at the idea.

"I may have left the Order, but I don't think I'll ever be able to truly leave him. I feel I should go."

"A freighter is scheduled to make a run to Coruscant tomorrow." Seeing the Togrutan's surprised look, the Dathomirian smiled. "Please, you and he were always predictable, as soon I figured out the source of the disturbance, I booked us passage."

The Togrutan smiled widely, "You're coming with me?"

"Someone has to keep you out of trouble while you keep Skywalker alive, and I would hate to have to find another partner. Our current bounty isn't worth much anyway."

"That might be the nicest thing you've ever said to me, Asajj. Come, let's start packing."

Chapter Text

(Luke): "How will I know the good side from the bad?"
(Yoda): "You will know, when you are calm. At peace, passive."

#

Anakin and his two charges had left Padmé's apartment after he had returned from his earlier meeting with Palpatine. He had been excited after his meeting, and Luke couldn't help but dread the reason why. Whatever had him excited, it probably wasn't going to be good for Anakin in the long run. While Luke and Mara had spent some time in the Temple before, this was their first time going into the Jedi Temple. They were now confronted by the intact and pristine Jedi Temple looming before them. Anakin walked impatiently alongside Luke and Mara, both of whom were staring all around them at the splendor of the Jedi Temple. Well, more Luke than Mara, but such was the nature of Luke to still feel such awe at things Mara considered fairly trivial. It was impressive though, Mara had to admit, and felt a spike of anger at Palpatine for wanting to destroy it.

[I've visited the remains of the Temple before, I've seen pictures and holovids, I've even been inside it, but I never imagined the Jedi Temple would be so…] Words failed Luke as he took in the grandeur of it all, the blinding Light that emitted in the Force from the cradle of the Jedi Order.

[Yes, Luke, it's very pretty. Now let's go tell the Jedi Council that their heads need to be removed from their collective behinds and wake up to the danger of becoming violently one with the Force in only a few days or weeks' time.]

Luke rolled his eyes at Mara's humor and picked up his pace to accommodate Anakin, who looked like he wanted to drop behind them and push them to move faster.

Luke managed to have the last laugh at this particular exchange of repartee when he gave her rear a sharp pinch before moving quickly ahead. A large smile, the brightest one that had crossed his face since crossing into the past, appeared on his face as he heard Mara's squawk of outrage. He'd pay for it later, he had no doubt, but at that moment, it was worth it.

As walked the halls of the Temple, Luke noticed the Jedi archives for the first time and thought of Tionne whose life had been dedicated to restoring the knowledge that was so sparse in his time and so openly available here. He then saw a classroom of younglings being taught rudimentary meditation techniques and felt a grim reminder of all that was at stake, for them and for the young man who walked at his side.

Luke, to Anakin's great annoyance, found himself deviating from the others to enter the Room of a Thousand Fountains. It was still as beautiful and peaceful as he remembered from the previous days and he wanted to stop and immerse himself in it. The rising annoyance in Anakin and his wife disabused him of this notion, but he still lingered for as long as he could. Despite Anakin's growing impatience, the younger man humored him enough to allow him a brief sojourn before leading them to the Council once again.

The Council was still in discussion privately, so the three sat down to wait for their summons. Anakin had questions that he wanted to be answered before he spoke with the Council and spoke first.

"I have questions...perhaps now isn't the best time, but I'd really like the answers," he said, more calmly than he felt. His meeting with Palpatine earlier had been productive and could lead to a new position that recognized his efforts and accomplishments in the Jedi Order and the Republic. He looked forward to serving as his representative on the Council. He knew they wouldn't like it but Palpatine was the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic, they had to work together. But I mustn't lose sight on the other events of the week and too much rides on the knowledge these two had for us.

"Then ask, though we may not answer all of them here or at this time," Mara cautioned.

"Your lightsaber. It is mine, isn't it? And you said children. You have a...twin then, I presume? Could you tell me more about him? And how is it that you weren't trained at the Temple, or that you haven't at least visited before? And you really tried to kill Luke, Mara, on a Sith Lord's orders?" Anakin had meant to be thoughtful, graceful, and tactful as he asked his questions, but Luke's revelation from the night before had him all mixed up. His conversation with Padmé afterwards had helped settle him, as her presence always did, but the questions still poured from his mouth, one after another.

Mara smirked at his tirade of questions which finally gave Anakin pause. He took a breath before giving a somewhat apologetic face. The smile that threatened to cross Mara's face at Anakin's stumbling questions failed to materialize when she noticed Luke's stiffening form and the lack of expression on his face.

"My sister," Luke said, a very blank expression on a face that had lost some of its color, "Leia."

Anakin looked at him and remembered that sinking sensation from last night and asked softly, "What happened?"

"Prior to ending up here, here at this time I mean, we were in a battle. She didn't make it. Leia became one with the Force only hours before you first laid eyes on me," Luke said, blinking rapidly and looking down at the ground.

Anakin wasn't quite sure what to say or how to react. His child was dead, one of the children that had yet to be born. Is she even my child? Do I have that right to name myself her father? He wondered these things, but couldn't deny the pang of loss that ran through him. In the end, there was really only one thing he could say. "I...I'm sorry, Luke."

Luke only nodded, still looking down. Mara brushed his cheek with her palm before looking directly at Anakin. "As for your first question, yes, this was...or is...your lightsaber. Luke gave it to me many years ago, by my reckoning. The reason he's acting like a 'gee-all-of-this-is-so-wizard country hick' again is because in our time...this temple is nothing but ruins."

Anakin's face was the picture of shock and dismay, and neither Luke nor Mara had the heart to tell him exactly who was largely responsible for the Temple's fate at that moment. After giving Anakin a moment to digest this, Mara continued, "As for me and Luke, well...that Sith Lord...the one you...served," she added with a pointed look and a soft quiet voice, "he took me in as a child and trained me to be his assassin and spy."

She gave him a lopsided smile at his face of utter shock, "Yeah, he told me to 'Kill Luke Skywalker.' When I did finally meet this Outer Rim bumpkin...well Luke called it 'love at first death threat.' Although, as an interesting note, you should be aware that through a combination of insane Jedi Masters, blue-skinned red-eyed military geniuses, and clones, I did end up killing Luke Skywalker!"

Luke's head did rise at that, and he laughed softly when he saw Anakin's gaping mouth. Anakin was still gaping when the Council Chamber's door opened, Obi-Wan waving them in with an arm. Thoughts of being Palpatine's representative had disappeared entirely as he led Luke and Mara in, desperately wanting to figure out the story behind that remark.

#

Luke and Mara followed Anakin into the Jedi Council's chamber where they stood before those beings considered wisest and strongest of the Jedi Order. For his part, Anakin felt more nervous than ever, and not just because of Palpatine's request that he be his representative on the Council. Mostly it was the knowledge that he stood before the Council in the company of his son, his son and his son's wife. Not for the first time, Anakin felt deep sympathy for Obi-Wan for having to deal with his shenanigans.

Luke and Mara had very different feelings about their presence here. Luke felt excited and was filled with an emotion that almost bordered on awe. The Council was able to pick up on that and found it a little odd that what appeared to be a fully trained Jedi, felt so deeply in that way. Mara, on the other hand, was the most neutral of the three. She had a great deal more knowledge of the Jedi Council at this time, even if that knowledge came from the Emperor and his incessant scathing commentary about the failures and defeat of the Jedi Council.

"Much to discuss, we have," Master Yoda stated in his usual calm manner. "A request from the Chancellor, we have," before he nodded towards Anakin.

Anakin didn't see Luke's wince or the sour look Mara shot towards Luke, but the Council took note of it. Anakin stepped into the middle of the chamber and calmed himself. "Yes, Master Yoda. The Chancellor requested my presence earlier today. With all of the trouble of the war and the contact miscommunications or sometimes altered set of priorities, Chancellor Palpatine has requested that he and the Republic be represented on the Jedi Council." Anakin paused and settled himself before he continued. "He has requested that I be his representative."

Anakin stopped speaking and watched as the Jedi Masters deliberated with pointed glances and gestures or soft words.

Master Yoda relayed the Council's decision. "Allow this appointment lightly, the Council does not. Disturbing is this move by Chancellor Palpatine."

A feeling of pride gather in Anakin though he kept his reply to a bland, "I understand."

That feeling of pride disappeared quickly when Master Windu spoke next. "You are on the Council, but we do not grant you the rank of Master."

No small amount of anger bubbled up within Anakin, and even with the revelations of earlier, he had a hard time keeping his calm. He had time to harshly utter his disbelief with a single 'What!?' but was was saved from making any additional response when Mara groaned loudly, catching everyone's attention. Following that groan was a muttered string of Huttese from Luke that nearly made Anakin blush. If nothing else had supported Luke's claim, Anakin now truly had at least some convincing proof that Luke had at least grown up on Tatooine.

"Do you have something to add?" Ki-Adi-Mundi asked with a raised eyebrow, "and who exactly are you?"

"The other reason for our meeting, these two are. Introductions, Skywalker will make." Master Yoda indicated to Anakin that he was the specific Skywalker who should be the one to introduce and explain the couple's presence.

Lovely, this will be fun. I wonder exactly how disapproving of a frown Mace Windu can possibly give...he mused. "Masters, this," Anakin nodded towards the flame-haired woman who now stood slightly to his side, "is Mara Jade Skywalker. And with her, is her husband, Luke Skywalker."

Master Windu didn't frown as deeply as he had predicted, but Anakin felt pretty sure that, aside from Master Yoda and Obi-Wan who had already known, every single eyebrow on the Council had risen in unison at that revelation. After a moment of silence, Yoda repeated Master Mundi's question, "Something more to say, have you, Mara Jade Skywalker?"

"I assure you, Master Yoda, I-we have plenty to say," Mara said with a scowl that could have matched Mace Windu's. With gritted teeth, she continued, "All of you...all of this...is so obvious to me that I am having a hard time understanding your blindness. That this situation was specifically manufactured to engender the sort of reaction that Anakin just gave."

The entire Council at this point was giving Mara a confused look, who merely rolled her eyes. "You, Anakin, are about to throw a truly childish temper tantrum, and you oh-mighty Jedi Council, who are about to react precisely according to a script given to manipulate the entire Jedi Order."

There was a moment of silence where the Council gave her a combination of intrigued and irritated looks.

"Hello Mara, I am Master Shaak Ti, forgive us if we have yet to understand what you claim to have already understood. Perhaps if you started at the beginning, with context, our conversation could be more productive." The Togrutan Jedi Master spoke softly in a voice that helped calm the rising irritation of the others.

"A wise suggestion, Master Jedi," Mara replied. Luke's hand rested on hers then, diverting her attention.

[Perhaps you should let me begin, Mara. One thing at a time, introductions first.]

Squeezing his hand in response, she closed her mouth and waited to see what her husband had to say. It probably was a good idea for him to speak; Luke held the calm demeanor expected of a Jedi and had the years of experience in diplomacy that he had gathered with his sister. Provoking the Jedi Council was not part of the plan.

Luke stepped further into the room until he stood next to his father. "As Anakin said, my name is Luke Skywalker. If you felt a disturbance in the Force several days ago, it was my wife and I's presence that caused it."

"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked.

Luke gave him a small smile before he spoke again, "My wife and I...well, we aren't from around here." He grimaced when he heard Mara snort from behind him and hurriedly continued. "I was taught that the future is always in motion, but in this instance, I can tell you definitively what will happen if things continue as they are."

"The source of your knowledge stems from the disturbance?" Shaak Ti asked.

"It would be more correct to say that the disturbance was caused by our arrival. Our foreknowledge does not come from guesses or visions, from premonitions or deductions. We have knowledge of this future because we are from that future."

The exchange of significant glances was beginning to irritate Mara, but she kept her calm as the Jedi gave Luke the universal 'come again?' face.

"Come again?" Obi-Wan asked, eyebrows furrowed.

Nailed it, Mara thought.

"Mara and I were sent from the future, approximately 48 years from now, presumably to stop some of the things that are coming, or to prepare you for them."

"You...were checked out by the healers, yes?" Mace Windu asked somewhat blandly.

"Would you like to know the identity of the Sith Lord that is currently at large?"

Luke's reply made the room go deadly quiet. Master Windu's jaw clenched and he glanced towards Yoda, who was leaning forward intently.

"Spent time with the two, you have young Skywalker, believe them, do you?" he asked Anakin.

"It's a hard story to swallow, Master Yoda, but the Force itself acts...strange around them, moreso when we first encountered them, but even now I can feel the otherness in their signatures," Anakin responded.

"Speak, Luke Skywalker, and listen, we will."

"No Senator, I'm afraid relinquishing the emergency powers granted to me by the Senate is quite out of the question for now. I hope for peace just as much as you, but even with Count Dooku slain, General Grievous remains alive."

"But surely-"

"I don't believe I have a choice, Senator, now if you'll excuse me, there are some matters that require my attention. I'm sure we'll speak again, soon."

"Of course, Chancellor, another time then."

Chancellor Palpatine watched the frustrated red-haired senator from Chandrila leave his office. She would be a problem to be dealt with later, she was bright and charismatic enough that she could pose a political threat to him, even if he succeeded in his more immediate plans. He had his guards stay outside of his office with instructions to hold anyone seeking an audience at bay.

He sat in the chair of his office, steepled his fingers, and opened his mind to the Force. The disturbance he had felt several days ago seemed to have diminished, but he still felt a fundamental shift in things. Anakin felt far too settled for his taste, apparently more would have to be done to unsettle the boy enough to seek him out. Everything felt just a little bit off, like all his plans that were just about to fit together perfectly had suddenly changed enough that nothing fit quite right anymore.

But what action could he take without knowing what had changed?

He donned a dark robe and drew up its hood before opening a secret communicator stashed in his office.

A coughing, hacking voice accompanied by a cybernetic face with yellow eyes peered at him. "Lord Sidious," General Grievous acknowledged respectfully.

"General Grievous, I want you to move your troops to the planet of Utapau and gather the other leaders of the Confederacy to you. If you are to continue as leader, they will have to fall into line. Be sure to communicate my displeasure to anyone who fails to obey your commands. You are to have them moved to the planet of Mustafar for their protection."

"They will not like the idea of hiding on Mustafar," Grievous half spoke, half coughed.

"They will like the consequences of disobedience even less, I assure you, General."

With a flick of the communication, the transmission ceased leaving him alone in the silent room. How do I combat this disturbance? If something has changed the nature of my plans, then I will have to respond in kind.

With a sinister smile on his face, he picked up his communicator and prepared to make some calls.

"When I was 22 years old, my last Master died. When he died, he told me that I would be the last of the Jedi."

For such a relatively small statement, it carried a world of meaning. If possible knowledge of the Sith Lord hadn't made them pay attention, claiming to have been the last Jedi certainly did.

"Your Master must have-" began Ki-Adi-Mundi, but Luke cut him off.

"My last Master, was you, Master Yoda."

Another moment of silence.

"If the last of the Jedi, you were, then successful the Sith must have been," Yoda deduced.

"From what I know, it will only be days or weeks before the Republic falls, and the Jedi Order with it. It will be done almost overnight, and what few Jedi survive will be hunted down for many years to come."

Mara chose this moment to speak up again, and Anakin found it surprisingly disquieting that her customary smirk was nowhere to be found. "Everything that has happened in recent years, for many years, even decades, has all been guided by the Sith. A grand plan for domination, not just of the galaxy but of the Force. A successful near eradication of Jedi throughout the galaxy and the subsequent political oppression used to lever the Sith into an emperor."

"Not all Jedi are killed, of course, but only a bare handful survive. And perhaps fewer than a dozen ever leave their places of hiding," Luke adds, blunt honesty doing nothing to alleviate the horror of the picture that the future brings to mind.

Anakin spoke, "But how! How is this possible! The Republic stands to finally win this war against the Separatists." Even knowing his fate in Luke's future world, Anakin still had trouble grasping how it all came to be. Several of the other Jedi on the Council were nodding their heads in mutual confusion.

"I said that everything had been going according to the plan developed by the Sith," Mara said quietly. "In his position, Darth Sidious worked with his apprentice, Count Dooku, to use the civil war to maneuver their pawns around the galaxy. The same civil war which has forced the Jedi out of their normally tranquil existence and into the battlefield, isolated from each other and from the Order. In the last three years, how many Jedi have left the Order? How many have turned to the Dark Side? How has the public perception shifted regarding the Jedi? This war has not been about political differences. No, Master Jedi, this war is the same war that has been fought for thousands of years, between the Light and the Dark. The problem is, or will be, that you won't even recognize that fact until it is far too late. Count Dooku was merely the known Dark presence that you would focus your efforts on, leaving the Master relatively unhindered."

More silence.

"Tell us everything," Master Windu finally said with a weary and somewhat helpless tone.

"Mistress Sing, I have a contract for you," Grievous spoke into the communicator in his usual hacking voice.

"Who's the mark?"

"Not a mark, Mistress Sing. Go to Coruscant, I wish for you to keep an eye on several individuals for me. Your surveillance may develop into something more violent, depending on how events shape up."

"Payment would be my standard contract fee with the CIS."

"Of course, Mistress Sing. There will be several Jedi who will be in close proximity to your targets, and at least one of them will be a priority individual for you to observe. Keep that in mind if things look to become violent."

"Understood, General."

"One last thing, I would like you to stop briefly on Duro. There is a colleague of yours who will be joining you."

"Bane?"

"Indeed."

"Very well, who should I make contact with upon my arrival?"

"I am sending you a code that will be scrambled in order to reach me to avoid any unwelcome listeners."

"Very well General Grievous, a pleasure as always."

"Likewise."

"Impossible."

"That is not possible, he is my friend-my mentor!"

"We would have sensed it."

"We know there is a Sith near the Senate, but it couldn't be him!"

Luke stood there as he watched the Jedi Council react to his naming of the Sith Lord. He had expected Anakin to take it the hardest, but he was somewhat taken aback by the arrogance of the other Jedi in their assumptions and declarations. He could feel more than see Mara's grimace, and he understood. Yoda had told him that he wasn't to be the last of the old Jedi, but the first of the new. His efforts to rebuild the Jedi had been shaky and had suffered many setbacks, had ultimately created an institution that had helped stave off the Yuuzhan Vong. Seeing this Council now, he understood why Yoda may have wanted to capitalize on the Order's destruction so that a better foundation could be laid for a new one.

Anakin was the most upset, but he hadn't stormed off as he half-expected him to do. Stang! He is so young! It was odd for Luke to consider the younger man as his father rather than the other way around. The unrest in the Council persisted until a sharp tapping sound echoed around the chamber.

Master Yoda had stood, and was shaking his head. "A poor display this is. Come to us with information, they have. Not for us to argue with the telling, but to investigate the conclusions. They have named Chancellor Palpatine as a Sith Lord. If true, great danger we are in. The destruction of the Order, we face, if Luke Skywalker is correct. More to say, have you, Luke?"

"There is much left for us to say, but not all of it is ultimately relevant to Palpatine or the Sith. I would advise strongly against internalizing this problem. Contact Senators Organa of Alderaan, Mothma of Chandrila, and Amidala of Naboo. Speak to them, tell them of what you face. If Palpatine must be deposed, then a solution greater than a lightsaber will be required."

Anakin's face was set in an angry frown, but he nearly jumped when Padmé was mentioned. "Why must we involve the senators?" he asked.

"The senators are just as concerned as you regarding the state of the Republic. There are many, with the three I mentioned leading them, forming a party to oppose the Palpatine, to try and convince him to relinquish his emergency powers. They would be your natural allies, if you let them."

There was silence as the Council thought about what had been said. Anakin's face was still stony, but there was a somewhat sick look that had appeared, and he caught Luke's eye and motioned for them to speak privately. Sighing, Luke left Mara's side to speak with Anakin.

This was turning out to be a very long day.

Chapter Text

"Trust me, my capacity for mayhem is undiminished."
-  Mara Jade Skywalker

#

"Invited, the Senators have been. Arrive within the hour, they will," Yoda's pronouncement after the recess left those present in the chambers at ill-ease. Knowing exactly how close the Sith Lord was had greatly shaken their usual sense of serenity, and their lack of surety on how to proceed left the Jedi further unhinged. Still, they were Masters on the Jedi Council for a reason and they were able to shake off the uncertainty and gather their thoughts for discussion after only a brief time.

And a sense of serenity and surety are two things that Anakin is most certainly lacking, Mara thought, sighing. It was hard seeing the man who would be Vader as a young, troubled, man. As a more experienced, mature Jedi from the future, she supposed she ought to have some sage advice for Anakin, so when Luke had left to speak with Anakin privately, Mara had held him back. "I'll talk with him, Farm Boy, he needs a bit of a firm hand, I think."

Luke looked like he wanted to argue but ultimately acquiesced at his wife's pointed look. Jedi Master he may be, but Luke knew that sometimes a former Emperor's Hand was needed.

Looking back later, she knew that she had helped Anakin, but she figured he'd still be a nervous wreck until Padmé had given birth and was still breathing.

###

Anakin had been taken aback when his...Daughter-in-Law...held Luke back and gestured for him to speak with her instead. Somewhat reluctantly, he met with her outside of the Council chambers while a short recess was called. Daughter-in-Law, he thought, shuddering, my son is indeed a brave man. Remembering the reasons he had wanted to speak with Luke in the first place, he was hard-pressed to squelch the spike in his anxiety.

"Why did Luke include Padmé?!" he whispered harshly. To his irritation, she merely rolled her eyes.

"Listen up, Skywalker...Anakin," she ordered, somewhat irritated that 'Skywalker' now applied to more than one blonde Jedi Tatootine native in the galaxy. "Your wife is a wonderful person, yes? A wonderful politician, yes? Those two traits, Anakin, aren't as common as you'd think!"

"But in her condition-" Anakin yelped as he was interrupted by Mara flicking his nose.

"Anakin! She is pregnant, not in imminent danger of exploding like a thermal detonator. This is what she works for-what she lives for! She would not hold you back, Anakin, don't you dare try to hold her back."

He wanted to argue, he wanted to rage at her, the words were caught in his throat and they just couldn't escape to make themselves heard. He looked past her briefly to see Luke speaking with Obi-Wan.

Luke.

His son.

The older man did have physical resemblances to both Padmé and him, but seeing Luke smile as he and Obi-Wan shared some anecdote took decades off his face and made it all that easier to see the similarities. This is all for Luke, he thought heavily, for Luke and his absent sister.

Mara had remained silent during this moment of introspection and when he caught her eye again, she nodded, satisfied with whatever she saw there. Clapping him on the shoulder hard enough to make him wince, she led him back into the chambers.

###

It wasn't long before a young padawan admitted the three senators into the Council chambers. Luke had seen holos of his sister's adopted father but he was still somewhat awed at the sight of the man. The dark-skinned man seemed to exude kindness, nobility, and the durasteel backbone which would help him bear the burden of helping establish the Rebellion as well as raise the offspring of the creature he knew had once been Anakin Skywalker with such love.

It was no wonder, he thought, that Leia loved him so.

And there was Mothma. Mon Mothma, Senator of Chandrila. She seemed to be exactly the same as she had been decades from now, filled with the same traits that made Bail Organa such a strong leader. Luke had had the pleasure of knowing Mothma and had always looked up to her. It was odd seeing her so young, but even now that he was the older one, he still felt that same inclination to follow her. As a leader, there were very few who were remotely as capable as she and Luke remembered the days when she had steered the galaxy with that gentle yet resolved way that was distinctly hers.

And then there was his mother. Padmé. Still beautiful, pregnant, and so in love.

"Senators, thank you for joining us," Obi-Wan welcomed them politely, interrupting Luke's reverie.

"It is rare that we are called to meet here in the Temple, Master Jedi, we were eager to satisfy our curiosity on the reasons for our invitation," Senator Mon Mothma said in her customary regal tones.

Stars, I've missed that voice. I wonder what Mon would think if she knew that she would be the future leader of a New Republic, Luke pondered. Horrified, no doubt.

"Right you are, Senator. A grave mistake I fear it was," Yoda said as his ears dipped low.

Luke saw Padmé glance at Anakin with a questioning look, but Anakin seemed unaware as he studied the floor. Luke felt guilt radiate from him, possibly for the events to come or for Padmé's presense here, Luke was unsure but his study of Anakin was interrupted when Padmé spoke.

"What do you mean, Master Yoda?"

Bail Organa and Mon Mothma glanced at each other before turning curious eyes towards the diminutive Jedi Master.

"A terrible truth, we have learned," Yoda said slowly.

"A conspiracy, one that threatens the Republic, the Jedi, and everything that you and we stand for," Mace Windu added somberly.

"Since before the beginning of the war, during the Trade Federation's invasion of Naboo almost ten years ago, we were made aware that a Sith Lord was at-large," Obi-Wan paused as a look of pain appeared on his face for a moment. "We know now that both Darth Maul as well as Dooku were apprentices to this Sith Lord, but we have been unable to discern anything more about the Master."

"We now know the identity of the Master, known as Darth Sidious," Windu finished.

All three Senators were now focused entirely on the Council arrayed before them.

"The Chancellor, a Sith Lord is," Yoda stated, eyes closing and head dropping. "Arrogant we were, not to have sensed his presence."

"The Chancellor!?" Senator Organa exclaimed. "I have grown leery of the man and have been troubled by his accumulation of power...but a Sith?"

"If the Chancellor is a Sith Lord, what would that ultimately mean for the Republic, for the Jedi?" Mothma added on the heels of Bail's question.

"That he is no supporter of democracy can be safely assumed," Obi-Wan said, "the way of the Dark Side does not include sharing power, instead he would be gathering it for himself. The Jedi will be the most important obstacle for him to remove for he will have no ultimate success as long as we still exist to challenge him."

"But how?" Padmé asked. "How could it be him? How could he even hope to destroy the Jedi?"

At that, the Jedi Council, almost in unison, turned towards Luke and Mara. This, of course, prompted the attention of the three senators.

"Senators, I am pleased to meet you," Luke said into the sudden quiet. "My name is Luke Skywalker."

"And I am Mara Jade Skywalker," Mara said, but couldn't help but to stir the pot a little by adding, "his wife."

Obi-Wan and Anakin both rolled their eyes as the three senators stared at Luke and his flame-haired self-proclaimed wife with consternation. Their focus began alternating between the two older Skywalkers before eventually including the younger Skywalker as well.

"Order 66," Mara declared, refocusing the attention of the occupants of the Council chambers. "Order 66. It will spell the end of the Jedi and of the Republic."

"How do you know?" Padmé interjected, "And what is Order 66?"

"Order 66 is an order embedded within the clone units of the Grand Army of the Republic." Dead silence and a sickening sense of dread pervaded the room after Mara's revelation. "The order itself is a command that all Jedi are to be considered traitors to the Republic. Every Jedi. Every man, woman, or youngling who belongs to the Order are to be killed on sight. Clone units on Coruscant would be charged with assaulting the Temple itself, with orders to leave none inside alive."

Silence.

Mara saw Anakin flinch at the mention of killing younglings and knew that he was imagining himself doing just that, either in the past on Tatooine or in the future Mara spoke of.

Everyone else just stared at Mara.

"But...the clones?!" Padmé exclaimed. "Embedded how?"

"Biological programming, or perhaps a control device implanted inside them. There were some clones who didn't turn against the Jedi, but they were far and few between," Luke answered.

"Fives!" Luke heard Master Shaak Ti murmur to herself, just loudly enough for him to hear.

"You speak as if you were there, Luke and Mara," Mon Mothma asked curiously.

Luke winced. He had no intention of explaining the dynamics of traveling through time with the aid of the Force to a group of politicians, no matter how much he respected them. He had forgotten just how sharp Mon was and he scrambled to come up with a relatively truthful answer but he was saved when Mara spoke for him.

"We were there, Senators, from a certain point of view, that is. The Force can reveal many truths to those open to hear them." It was about as generic of an answer that a Jedi could give, but it was enough to satisfy Mon, though her curiosity obviously remained undiminished.

"What is it that you would have of us, Master Yoda?" Senator Organa asked.

"Bane...Sing...what do you have to report?" Grievous said before coughing harshly.

"The senator you requested I observe went to the Jedi Temple today, along with Senators Organa and Mothma. They've been there for hours now. I was close enough to hear that they weren't aware of why they had been invited, but I was unable to attach any listening device to them. They are not unguarded and they were far too close to the Temple for my comfort," Aurra Sing reported.

"That's about the same on my part. Both Skywalker and Kenobi have also been sequestered in the Temple," Cad Bane added as he adjusted his distinctive hat, "Although I did see Anakin travel with two other Jedi to the Temple from Senator Amidala's apartment. The other two Jedi were an older man and woman and were unknown to me."

"Good...did you get captures of them?"

"Yes, General, I'll send them to you now."

"Very good. After this, you will be in contact with another. Expect a communique from him soon. His name is Lord Sidious and it would be very wise to treat him with respect," Grievous said.

"We will await his communication then and continue our observation in the meantime. Who is this 'Lord Sidious,' General?" Aurrua Sing asked.

"Someone important," General Grievous chucked before breaking into another coughing fit, "Someone with great plans for the Republic."

"Well, Coruscant hasn't changed," Ahsoka said dryly as they navigated their way through the urban sprawl and crowded airways.

The Dathomirian at her side gave her a side glance but otherwise ignored the Togrutan's observation. After a few minutes of quiet as they journeyed to their temporary housing, Asajj asked, "So what exactly is the plan here, Tano?"

Ahsoka considered the question before she said, "we will meditate and follow the Will of the Force, Ventress."

"Meaning you have no idea."

"Meaning I have no idea."

Asajj chuckled, "No, things haven't changed one bit."

Ahsoka scowled.

The news of those particular senators remaining ensconced within the Jedi Temple did little to comfort Chancellor Palpatine. While he was satisfied that his plans remained intact and were proceeding as he had foreseen, the disturbance in the Force that had occurred recently along with the rare invitation for a group of senators to enter the Jedi Temple for a meeting didn't suit him. And for two unknown Jedi to be accompanying young Skywalker from his dear wife's apartments? No, this did not suit him one bit.

That Senator Amidala had been one of the three senators to journey to the Temple was perhaps something he could use. Possibly, the two Jedi had discovered Anakin and his idealistic fool of a wife and had reported them. That seemed unlikely with the presence of the other two senators, but such a situation would prove ideal for turning the boy.

'Two unknown Jedi accompanied Anakin Skywalker from Senator Amidala's apartment to the Jedi Temple,' had been what General Grievous reported to him. The images of the unknown Jedi had shown an older man and woman unfamiliar to him and he made it a point to be familiar with the Jedi that might be near Skywalker. They will have to be investigated, Palpatine thought, two unknown Jedi who may be aware of Anakin Skywalker's marriage are too much of a wildcard to remain ignorant about.

Steepling his fingers, Palpatine smiled as he considered the Coruscanti skyline. All this will be mine soon, and the Jedi will be no more.

For now, he would remain patient. He needed more information and until whatever deliberations were taking place in the Temple ended, he would have to remain reluctantly ignorant.

Chapter Text

"There is no civility, only politics."
- Sheev Palpatine

#

Several scenarios were discussed in the chamber before Anakin cleared his throat, quieting the others.

"Skywalker? Young Skywalker?" Master Windu amended at Mara's chuckle.

"Before our meeting today, the Chancellor asked to meet with me. If you remember, he wanted to place me as his representative onto the Jedi Council."

"This Council is not at his beck and call, Anakin, and in light of this new information about him, I'm struggling to understand why you would bring it up," Mace Windu stated sternly.

"The reaction earlier, both your decision to keep me as a Knight as well as my outburst, are precisely the reactions he wanted, I think," Anakin said, unruffled.

"What do you mean, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked.

"With Dooku dead, by my hand and with Palpatine's encouragement, I believe he wishes me to be his next apprentice. Putting the Council at odds with me would help him achieve that, I think."

"Chancellor Palpatine wants you to join him? How would he even hope to gain your cooperation, even if he remained undiscovered?" Senator Organa asked.

Glancing at Luke and Mara before finally settling his gaze upon Padmé, he began to speak softly. "I have never been as calm...as serene as most Jedi. I have even found myself controlled by my emotions at times. If the ones I care for were to be threatened, harmed, or killed...that is a time that I would be susceptible to Palpatine's manipulation."

"One of those you care for, threatened they are?" Master Yoda ventured.

Anakin's eyes held Padmé as he prayed that he wasn't about to make the biggest mistake in his life. 'Last night I had a Force vision, a vision of my wife dying in childbirth. Mara told me that she sensed the Dark Side at work."

A shocked silence held the room captive.

To Anakin's relief, Padmé didn't seem to be angry, in fact, she seemed as relieved as he was to finally be free of their silence. There was anxiety, yes, but there was no recrimination for him.

Obi-Wan followed Anakin's gaze to the very pregnant figure of Padmé. So many things seemed to make sense at that moment and he wasn't sure what he was feeling or even what he was supposed to feel. Given the expressions of the other Jedi, they were in the same state.

Oh Anakin, he thought sympathetically as the young man's face gave the impression that he expected a beating or for some terrible punishment to rain from the heavens.

Obi-Wan, to his amusement, heard Mara mutter, "I said you should tell someone, not the whole bloody Council."

"Anakin-" Master Windu began but was cut off by the older Skywalker, Luke.

"Master Windu, discussion about Anakin's marriage can wait until after the Sith Lord has been dealt with, wouldn't you agree?"

"I agree," Obi-Wan said with a look directed towards Anakin that Anakin interpreted as a promise that they would speak later.

Mace Windu's face was like stone and he furrowed his brows but ultimately acquiesced.

"So...Anakin...you have always been close to him. Do you think that he's had his eye on you for a while then?" Mara asked.

"The first words he ever spoke to me were that he would watch my career with great interest. Suddenly, that doesn't feel like praise anymore," Anakin replied.

"So what do we do?!" Padmé asked, frustration lacing her tone. "How do we respond to a threat like this?"

"Senators, I believe you already have taken steps in that direction. You are forming the Delegation of 2000 to approach the Chancellor to try and convince him to relinquish his powers now that Count Dooku is dead," Mara prompted.

"How do you-?" Padmé asked, but Mara interrupted her.

"It is one of the many things that my husband and I have seen, and while Palpatine will not agree, it is important that you go ahead with your plan."

"But why, if you already know it will be pointless?" Senator Organa asked.

"At some point, Palpatine will have to be confronted. This will be a violent confrontation, there is no avoiding that. Assuming we are successful in taking Sidious down, then we have to make sure that the Jedi do not have the appearance of taking over the Republic, of treason. The Delegation of 2000's prior efforts can be used as support for our actions, so long as the Jedi prompt a new election of Chancellor and do not hold the power for anything more than a brief moment of time," Luke said. "We do not know what the repercussions are if Sidious is destroyed before he can issue Order 66, and a creature like him depends on contingency plans."

"We will have to move fast. It is likely that he felt our presence and the disturbance in the Force that it created. It's possible that he already is investigating our appearance," Mara supplied before glancing at Luke, "I felt eyes on us as we entered the Temple."

Luke just nodded.

"It is possible that your presence here will place you in danger, Senators, and for that, I apologize. But you are three senators that I trust implicitly, for even if you do not know me, I know you, all of you, enough to know the quality of your character. We must begin moving now, but cautiously. The Jedi out in the field are the most at risk for immediate danger if Order 66 is given or if there is an unknown contingency plan that takes place if Sidious dies. Those Jedi must be moved closer together, or among non-Clone units if possible. Other Jedi enclaves in the galaxy are to be given warning, and when things begin to come together, the youngest must be moved to hidden places in case all else fails," Mara added in dark, somber, tones.

"Senators, it falls upon you to make sure that the procedure to elect a new Chancellor is executed quickly. We don't know exactly when things will happen, but when it does, you need to be ready to move. Electing a new Chancellor quickly will be necessary to order the Clone units to stand down as well as to ensure that the Jedi aren't placed in a position to be made scapegoats," Luke said.

"What should we look for to give us an idea of when the Jedi will confront Palpatine?" Senator Mothma asked.

"The Chancellor told several of my colleagues today that so long as General Grievous remains alive, he is unwilling to relinquish the powers the Senate granted him," Senator Organa stated thoughtfully.

"Find Grievous, capture or destroy him, and the Chancellor will have to relinquish his powers or expose himself for what he is," Obi-Wan said. His statement was met with nods from around the chamber.

"So we play along for now, discretely putting Jedi in safer places or warning them while we hunt Grievous. When we have him, we confront Palpatine if he refuses to relinquish powers?" Anakin asked.

"A dangerous plan, this is," Yoda warned. "On the Council, you will remain, young Skywalker. Play to the Sith's plans, we must."

"Yes, Master Yoda," Anakin responded.

"We will do what we can to prepare, Master Yoda," Padmé said. "I trust what I have been told in this chamber, but I am still finding it hard to reconcile that a man I considered a mentor has become this...Sith."

"He fooled all of us, Padmé, he must have been planning this for decades. Even setup the invasion of Naboo in order to get himself elected to Chancellor," Anakin said, remembering Luke and Mara's words to him.

"Stars, I didn't even think of that," Obi-Wan said. Nearby, Mace Windu grimaced in shared realization and disgust.

"Thank you Senators, for coming and for listening today," Obi-Wan said, then smiled slightly, "Anakin, why don't you see Senator Amidala to her apartments, in her condition, we wouldn't want her to have to brave the journey by herself."

Senator Mothma smiled at Padmé while Padmé blushed. Anakin's mouth dropped open and he hurriedly helped his wife out before anyone could object. Mace Windu glanced at Obi-Wan with a blank face, but there was amusement in his eyes.

After the Senators had left, Master Yoda looked at Luke for a long time. It was long enough that the other Jedi took note of it and looked towards Luke as well. Luke was suddenly nervous and could almost feel the *smack* of Yoda's gimer stick for some failure.

He was thus pleasantly surprised when Yoda just started laughing. Not the somewhat half-mad cackling that Luke remembered in the swamps of Dagobah, but a deep laughter that held only warmth.

"Master Yoda?" Obi-Wan inquired.

"See it before, I did not. Sensed it, I should have. Strong in the Force, and very much like his father, Luke Skywalker is."

Mace Windu blinked in confusion then looked from Luke to the chamber entryway that Anakin had recently departed through. Obi-Wan's reaction was surprisingly the most expressive.

"What in the name of-I don't believe it. No child of Anakin could be as calm as you."

Mara's laugh echoed in the chamber. "Master Jedi, Luke is older than you and he has been through much. Far more than any of you most likely. But in his youth, Master Kenobi, I know that Luke could have given even Anakin a run for his money when it came to recklessness."

Luke grimaced, "That is unfortunately true. But as Mara said...I grew up. There are terrible days coming, days that will come even if Sidious is defeated cleanly and quickly. No mere Sith could have brough Mara and I back, far worse than a Sith happened for the Force to act so."

"Your wounds...and Zonama Sekot?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Yes, that is not something to get into now. I am working with Mara to write down information on a datapad for you in case one or both of us should fall. We are here to avert a terrible future and Sidious is just the first stepping stone," Luke said.

Somehow, this did not reassure any of the present Jedi.

Anakin drove the speeder to Padmé's apartment while his wife remained quiet, contemplative. She didn't feel angry, merely thoughtful, and so while Anakin desperately wanted to know what she was thinking, he knew by now that she would tell him in her own time. When she did speak, her question was the one he had been dreading. He had not married a fool and though he treasured her, every bit of her, sometimes he wished she just wasn't so damn insightful.

"If Luke and Mara hadn't shown up, do you think you would have turned?"

He sighed. How does one answer a question like that? I'd never imagined that I'd be capable of turning on the Jedi of all people. Then again, I never imagined I'd be the type to slaughter a whole village of Sand People. "I don't think I can know for sure, but I do think the possibility is there. The nightmares I had of my mother couple with my new nightmares about you...yes, it would be possible. You know how deep I can fall when those I care for are threatened or hurt. It's not something I'm proud of, but it's true."

Padmé merely nodded. "Then our son truly is a gift, Anakin, for many reasons now. If you had turned, Ani...that is not a path on which I could follow you."

Anakin swallowed hard. "A gift. And his sister...Luke loved her dearly. I imagine she will be a gift as well."

Padmé was quiet again. "Things are going to get bad then, aren't they?"

"They will get worse before they get better, yes. Palpatine..." Anakin sighed. "I thought he was my friend, Padmé. I've trusted him, trusted him enough that I've told him things I wouldn't even tell Obi-Wan. What a fool I've been."

He was startled by a slim hand wrapping around his bicep. "You were far from the only one, Ani. He made fools out of a great many people."

They spent the rest of their journey in silence.

"Until tomorrow, a break we will take. Consider what has been said, we will. Masters Skywalker, a moment please."

Obi-Wan cast a concerned glance towards Luke before joining the others as they left the room or the holographic projects cut out.

"Mara...personal animosity towards the Emperor, you have. Why?" Yoda asked without any judgment in his tone.

Mara sighed. Luke was right, little gets past him. "In our future, the one we hope to avert, he raised me to be his tool. For him, I was an assassin and spy. I believed in him."

"But believe in you, he did not," Yoda said.

"No...it was many years before I shrugged off the yoke he had cast upon me, but I did. I journey with the Light now."

"Journey on the path of the Light, you do. But truly surrendered to the Dark, you never did."

Luke nodded on Mara's behalf.

"In your future, turned your father did?" Yoda asked, turning his gaze to Luke.

"Yes."

Yoda sighed. "A terrible future, we could face."

"The Jedi were destroyed, almost entirely by Palpatine and my father. My father did terrible things to the galaxy and even to me...but he did turn back to the Light though. He sacrificed his life to save mine."

'Young Skywalker spoke true today. A man of great emotion, he is. An excellent Jedi, but one that could be made to serve the Dark Side."

"We are here to help prevent that, among many other things," Luke said firmly.

"Trust in your judgment, I will."

"What do you think, Bail?" Senator Mothma asked as they exited the Jedi Temple and made their way to Senator Organa's personal speeder.

Bail Organa whistled out his mouth. "I know things were bad but..." he trailed off, not really needing to say more.

"I'll speak with the other leaders of the Delegation and we'll approach the Chancellor tomorrow. Hopefully, he will relinquish his powers, but now...I suppose that is a near impossibility," Mon Mothma said sadly.

Bail just nodded.

"What have you discovered?" came a dark raspy voice from the comlink that Aurra Sing held.

"I was able to program a maintenance droid and attached a bug to it. I had the droid near the Temple so when-"

"Spare me the details, bounty hunter, and get to it."

"Very well, Lord Sidious," Aurra said, trying to hold her temper. "I overheard a very brief conversation between the Senators of Chandrila and Alderaan. They indicated they would be approaching the Chancellor to ask him to relinquish the emergency powers granted to him by the Senate."

A chuckle that raised the hair on the nape of her neck came from the device in her hand. "Really, how entertaining. Was there anything else?"

"No, my lord."

"Very well, contact me when you find out anything useful."

"Given that you sent Anakin away, I suppose we are trusted enough to leave on our own?" Luke asked Obi-Wan.

"Yes, but if you plan on returning to Padmé's apartment, I'd like to come with you. I think my former padawan and I are long overdue for a talk," Obi-Wan said exasperated. "That boy will be the death of me."

Obi-Wan didn't notice the simultaneous wince by both Luke and Mara.

"So how exactly did a former assassin for a Sith Lord and the Last Jedi become involved with each other?' he asked, chuckling.

"It is probably about as long of a story as to how a former slave turned Jedi and a Queen turned senator of the Republic became involved," Mara said with a smirk.

Obi-Wan sighed. Yes, a long-overdue chat.

The Chancellor of the Republic shut off the comlink in his hand and sat, steepling his fingers as he considered the information that Cad Bane had provided.

The Jedi knew about Anakin.

They knew and Anakin had not been expelled. Indeed, he had received a notice that held the Council's agreement that Anakin be placed among them. He had received a message from Anakin later that also gave him the information that the Council hadn't granted him the position of master.

Obviously the news about his marriage might have had something to do with it, but why would they allow him to stay in the Jedi at all, let alone the Council?

Anakin's frustration had been real and that alone assured Sheev that things hadn't yet turned against him.

Luke and Mara Skywalker.

Bane had reported the two strangers' names but had no other information about the two to report. But their names alone...What could it mean? Two Skywalkers appearing out of nowhere and the disturbance in the Force that recently occurred...that could be no coincidence. So what caused the disturbance? His musings were getting him nowhere, but he was extremely unsettled by this recent discovery.

He had placed far too much effort into young Skywalker and he was unwilling to let him go.

Sheev took the comlink and activated it.

"Bane."

"Yes, Lord Sidious?"

"You are to kill Luke and Mara Skywalker."

There was a pause.

"That will be difficult, my lord."

"Do what you must. Kill them."

"Alright, I'll get the job done."

"Make sure you do."

Chapter Text

"It's against my programming to impersonate a deity."
- C-3PO

#

Ahsoka Tano and Asajj Ventress walked side by side, Ventress content, for the moment, to follow Ahsoka's lead. After another quarter of an hour, she finally broke her silence.

"Do you have any idea where you're actually going, Tano?"

Ahsoka paused and looked thoughtfully at Ventress. "No. But I figure if I walk around enough eventually I'll get a feeling."

"Force save us from your feelings, Ahsoka, I can't believe-"

Ventress' scathing response was interrupted when Ahsoka stiffened and stilled completely. She then began running and jumped into a nearby shuttle. Ventress, caught off guard, had to catch up to her.

"What?" Ventress hissed.

"We have to go...trouble." Ahsoka said flatly.

"Go where?!"

"Take us to 500 Republica, now!" Ahsoka commanded the driver.

Bane watched his targets leave the Temple several hours after the senators had left. They walked together along with Obi-Wan Kenobi to a nearby speeder. Decisions, decisions, he mused. Keeping a low profile was not something to be accomplished by an assassination attempt on the steps of the Jedi Temple. He would just have to follow them and take them when they reached their destination. He grinned. Jedi were such a challenge.

#

[Do you feel it, Mara?]

[Of course I do, Farm Boy, believe me, I know what it feels like to both hunt and to be hunted and we are most certainly being watched. i do believe we've been marked.]

[If the Emperor is on to us, how much do you imagine he knows?]

[I can't imagine he knows much, but the best way to tell will be to catch whoever is watching us. The severity of the attempt might also answer that question, in part. Be ready, Luke.]

[Of course, Mara.]

"Obi-Wan?"

"Yes, Luke?"

"I do believe we're about to receive the future would-be Emperor's first welcoming present."

#

"Luke just commed," Padmé told Anakin, putting her arms around his waist., "He and Mara are on their way back. Obi-Wan is with them, too."

Closing his eyes, he leaned into her touch, trying to release some of the tension that was knotting his stomach.

"I'm going to have a lot to talk about with Obi-Wan," he sighed looking glum. "Anything else?"

"He might have mentioned that we should stay away from our apartment for a little time. He thinks that he and Mara are being watched, and that Mara feels that 'impending violence is nigh'."

Anakin's eyes popped open and he hurled himself away from her grasp. "Padmé, we have to go! We have to keep you safe! We-"

He was cut off by fingers pinching his ear and dragging his head down to level his gaze with that of his wife's.

"Ani, we have a quarter of an hour and I'm already ready to go. Gently, Anakin, be calm. We can pick up the droids now and introduce them to Luke and Mara once all the mayhem has finished." Padmé smiled. "I pity the poor fool who tries to kill our son; they'll have to deal with Mara first."

Anakin couldn't help the smile. Poor fools, indeed.

"Let's go pick up Artoo and Threepio then, and give Mara some playtime. With Obi-Wan around, I don't imagine much could happen to our son."

#

"They're gone?" Mara asked.

Luke nodded.

"Excellent, in that case...here's where the fun begins," Mara said a little too gleefully for Obi-Wan's comfort.

"It's official," Obi-Wan sighed, "the Skywalkers, even if you're one by marriage, are kriffing insane."

"I was crazy even before I married Luke," Mara smiled, "I was a genuine 'hearing voices telling me to kill people' kind of crazy."

Luke rolled his eyes, "Well, Mara, in your expert opinion, when will the assassin attack, and in what form?"

"As soon as we land and it'll be up close," Mara said immediately. "If he knows we are Jedi, then he'll know trying a long range shot won't do him much good. I feel bad that we might wreck Padmé's place up, but if we deviated our course it might alert him."

"Explosives?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Maybe to stun us, but explosives leave a lot to chance unless he plans on bringing the whole Republica down on us. Stun rounds or grenades followed by close range blaster. He's probably following us in a speeder nearby so that he can hit us as soon as possible," Mara said with an eerie calm, "It's possible he might even go so far as to stick a vibroblade in us, but he'd want to stay out of lightsaber reach if at all possible. However, if he thinks we're stunned, he might use that vibroblade just to make a sure kill. It's hard to argue with a slit throat, for humans anyways."

"Your wife frightens me, Luke."

Mara beamed.

#

Bane adjusted course as he followed the speeder the Jedi had taken. He made sure to be following at a discrete distance, but he never lost sight of them. He cursed to himself when he realized they would be landing at 500 Republica. Oh well, gonna have to keep a low profile on Coruscant for a while after this. Just got to wait for them to get out of the speeder...they'll never know what hit them

Adjusting his vibroblade, he grasped his blaster and readied one of his stun grenades.

#

"You get out first, Kenobi."

"Yes, Mistress Skywalker," and got out of the speeder before Mara could retort.

Luke and Mara then climbed out of the taxi in tandem. They walked side by side towards the entrance of Padmé's apartments when they felt the shift in the Force.

"Predictable," muttered Mara.

Luke caught the thrown grenade just as it was thrown and held it with the Force until it detonated just a meter away from the Duros responsible for throwing it. The stunned man fell down and began sliding from the speeder's roof where he had been standing on. Using the Force, Luke pulled the man wearing a truly hideous hat to where Mara and he stood. Not really putting much effort, the Duros flew through the air towards the three Jedi.

"Mara, wait!" Luke shouted as he heard Mara's lightsaber ignite. What followed was the distinct sound of two separate objects hitting the ground with a thump accompanied by the scent of charred meat.

Luke grimaced at the Duros who was now separated into two pieces on the floor.

Luke glared at Mara, "What happened to keeping him alive?"

Mara managed to look sheepish for about a moment until she set her mouth and ground out, "He was a poor excuse for an assassin. Honestly, he deserved worse."

"Cad Bane," came Obi-Wan's voice.

"That was Cad Bane?" was Mara's question that contained about as much scorn as a voice could carry. "That was...embarrassing."

"I guess he wasn't expecting Mara Jade Skywalker," Obi-Wan said with a smile.

"No one expects Mara Jade Skywalker," Luke muttered softly.

"Very good husband, I'll reward you tonight for that."

Obi-Wan's face went red at the look Mara sent Luke.

"Um...who are you?"

The young female voice surprised all of them as they turned towards Padmé's apartment. There stood a female Togrutan wielding two white lightsabers as well as a very pale-skinned woman wielding a single yellow lightsaber.

Luke's green lightsaber ignited on instinct and was accompanied by Mara's blue blade. Beside him, Luke noticed Obi-Wan was gaping.

"Ahsoka...Ventress?" Obi-Wan breathed out in shock.

"Ah...hey Master Kenobi," Ahsoka waved a lightsaber tentatively before she began looking at the dismembered body that was still on the floor.

Ventress snorted at the sight. "Which of you finally got to kill that sleemo Bane?"

Mara smiled and waved her lightsaber a little.

"Well do-"

"Snips?"

The gasp came from behind Ahsoka, and now the rainbow of lightsabers quickly turned to face Anakin, Padmé, and two very familiar looking droid.

"Hey Skyguy."

Chapter Text

You don't have to carry a sword to be powerful. Some leaders' strength is inspiring greatness in others."
- Ahsoka Tano

#

"Hey Skyguy."

Given the events that had taken place in the preceding days, Ahsoka's presence probably shouldn't have been so shocking. But it was. Standing there with a former nemesis and waving two white lightsabers that she must have built on her own, was his old apprentice. Even though it had only been a short time, she seemed to have grown much older and far more experienced in the ways of the galaxy.

Her voice and words were echoing through his head as he simply stared at her. The young Togrutan had him rooted to the spot and his silence might have lasted for eternity had the sound of Padmé retching next to him not distracted him. The sight of her on her knees losing her lunch made him do a quick mental reboot.

Following her line-of-sight, he saw the two distinct pieces that had one been Cad Bane. It was unmistakably Bane; no other being from the Core to the Outer Rim wore such a travesty of a hat. That he was quite literally in pieces had his day looking just a little brighter. Seeing Padmé in the process of dry heaves, he hurried to her side, panic starting overwhelm his senses.

"Padmé! Are you okay, are you alright?"

Unbelievably, his attempt to comfort and help her received a harsh glare.

Mara snorted and extinguished her lightsaber. Rolling her eyes, she strode forward and per her arm around Padmé and steered her towards the fresher. She stopped abruptly at the sight of two very familiar looking droids. Mara just stood there for a second, staring at them for a second, before shaking her head and bringing Padmé with her into the fresher.

Before closing the door, she peered around it to glare at Anakin, who was looking confused. "She's pregnant, Anakin, and there was a body...or part of one anyway, right next to her. Sheesh, Anakin, you better figure out how to make yourself useful to your wife."

"Wife?!" came the incredulous exclamation from both Ahsoka and her Dathomirian companion.

Obi-Wan sighed as he put his lightsaber back onto his belt. "It is good to see you Ahsoka...and you as well, Ventress."

"I knew it!" Ahsoka said triumphantly. At Obi-Wan's confused look, she rolled her eyes. "Come on Master Kenobi, it was almost obvious that there was something going on."

"Apparently you saw far more clearly than I did, Ahsoka. Which is part of the reason I came." Obi-Wan turned his gaze towards his former padawan and smiled slightly and raised an eyebrow. "Anakin?"

Anakin grimaced. "Why don't we discuss this inside, Obi-Wan. Luke...why don't you and the others get acquainted. Oh, and come meet R2-D2 and C-3PO, they're friends."

Anakin and Obi-Wan walked inside speaking softly, while Luke gaped at the white and blue astromech droid and the gold plated protocol droid that joined he and the two younger woman outside.

#

Ventress and Ahsoka stood in an awkward silence while the man before them continued to stare open-mouthed at Anakin's droids ignoring Threepio's customary chatter.

No way, Luke thought, no kriffing way. Threepio was obviously mindwiped, but Artoo... Oblivious to anyone else in the room, Luke began cursing in Huttese loudly. You could have told me about Leia before Hoth or at least Vader, you tincan!

He looked over to see a grinning Ventress and a blushing Ahsoka.

"You are already considerably more interesting than most of the Jedi I've encountered...Luke was it?" the pale-skinned woman said.

"Ah, pardon me, I've just had a rather unpleasant realization. Yes, Luke Skywalker at your service."

"Skywalker?" Ventress and Ahsoka both blurted out before glaring at each other.

"This is very confusing," Ahsoka admitted, "I need to talk to Skyguy."

"I assure you, the confusion you feel is just the tip of the iceberg of what is to come. So, who are the two of you?"

"I'm Ahsoka Tano...I was Skygu-Anakin's padawan up until a year ago," the Togrutan said. Luke was hesitant to call her a woman, but she was definitely on the cusp of becoming one, despite her obviously young age. Those eyes had seen many things, they must have if she had to have kept up with his father.

The pale-skinned woman beside her gave a graceful nod. "I am Asajj Ventress...I was a Sith apprentice until recently."

To Ventress' disappointment, Luke Skywalker didn't even bad an eye. Instead he stroked his beard in a fashion eerily similar to Obi-Wan before he hesitantly asked, "Are you Dathomirian?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

Luke grimaced, "I've come across the Nightsisters before."

Before Ventress could respond, Luke lifted the two body pieces and deposited them neatly on the landing pad. Ahsoka and Ventress exchanged a look as this new Skywalker called for a garbage collector. "Best to leave whoever hired this bounty hunter wondering as to what happened," Luke explained.

Mara and Padmé walked in then, and Luke smiled as Padmé's face lit up at the sight of Ahsoka.

"Padmé!"

Ventress stood somewhat awkwardly as Ahsoka and Padmé hugged fiercely and watched somewhat curiously as the redhaired woman who had done the universe a favor in killing Cad Bane came to stand with Luke.

"Where's Ani?" Padmé asked when she finally let Ahsoka go.

"He and Obi-Wan are talking...resolving some of their issues, I suppose," Luke said.

Padmé winced and then looked at Ventress for a long moment. "Anakin told me you helped Ahsoka when she was framed."

At Ventress' cautious nod, Padmé smiled slightly, "Then you have my thanks, she is family to me."

Settling down in a nearby chair with a sign she turned towards Threepio and asked him to bring some refreshments.

"Of course, Mistress Padmé."

Mara mouthed 'Goldenrod and Artoo?' at Luke, who nodded. Mara grimaced as Threepio's voice echoed in the home as he chattered with Artoo.

#

Anakin walked into the sitting room first and the door slid shut as Obi-Wan followed him in. Instead of sitting, Anakin walked to the nearest window and just stared out into the cityscape wanting more than anything to be elsewhere. But after all that Obi-Wan has learned, I owe him more than anyone the truth. Nevertheless, he looked forward to the impending conversation about as much as he looked forward to getting his other hand cut off.

"So, Padmé..." Obi-Wan prompted.

Anakin squeezed his eyes shut. It shouldn't be this hard. The rest of the Council knows, so why is it this hard? But he already knew the answer. Anakin had always chafed under Obi-Wan's tutelage to some extent or another, but Obi-Wan was still the closest thing to a father he had ever had.

"Why didn't you tell me, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked.

And that's why this is so hard, he thought. It wasn't anger or irritation in Obi-Wan's voice, it was the sadness and disappointment that had Anakin cringing. He knew he had disappointed Obi-Wan and it was the knowledge that he had let his mentor down that finally had him respond.

"I was afraid, Obi-Wan. I was afraid. Of what you would think, of the Council, of hurting Padmé's reputation, of hurting the Republics war effort if I were to be expelled, of the Separatists learning of our relationship. I was scared, Obi-Wan. I have failed you, Obi-Wan, I should have told you."

Still looking out the window, he heard Obi-Wan sigh. He heard Obi-Wan walking towards him but still flinches when his former Master laid his hand upon his shoulder.

"Oh, Anakin. I don't know what I would have done or said if you had told me, but I would have helped you, I would have done my best to support you."

Obi-Wan's hand left his shoulder and his Master walked forward to stand at his side at the window. "Anakin, as a Jedi Master and your own former teacher, you must know how disappointed I am. That you broke the code, that you lied to me, that...I am disappointed, Anakin."

Anakin hung his head and ignored the burning in his eyes. The hand on his shoulder then squeezed gently.

"But as your friend, Anakin, then I must congratulate you on your impending fatherhood and wish upon you all the same aggravation andjoys that a Skywalker child gave me. Ahsoka was right, looking back, it was obvious that your attachment to Padmé was far from platonic."

Anakin turned towards Obi-Wan and hugged him fiercely, eliciting a surprised gasp from the older man.

"There's something else, Obi-Wan," Anakin said gruffly, "it's about Luke."'

"Your son," Obi-Wan asked dryly with a raised eyebrow.

"H..how?"

Obi-Wan snorted. "Please Anakin, I may have been blind to you and Padmé but give me some credit, I haven't gone totally senile yet. Though how any child of yours could be as calm and serene as he is is mind-boggling."

Anakin grimaced, "I had the same thought." Anakin was quiet for a moment before he said softly, "Luke said he had a twin sister who died very recently. Padmé is having twins, Obi-Wan. My nightmares have started again and even knowing now that Palpatine might be the cause...I am still desperately afraid for my family, Obi-Wan."

"Palpatine will be taken care of, one way or another, Anakin," Obi-Wan said with an uncharacteristically hard voice before it became much softer. "And I swear to you, Anakin, on my life, that I will do everything possible to save your family."

Anakin nodded wordlessly and grasped Obi-Wan's shoulder like it was a lifeline. "Thank you, Obi-Wan."

"So tell me about the wedding," Obi-Wan said, smiling as he began to poke and prod at the hereto unknown personal life of his former padawan.

Sheev Palpatine nearly growled in frustration. Cad Bane had yet to report back and that almost certainly meant that he had died. Given the lack of official notification, it's possible he might simply have packed his bags and left the planet. Either way, the two Jedi who had made their presence known to him still lived.

Perhaps I was too hasty in targeting them. Either way, I cannot act directly yet and another attempt will overplay my hand. Time to move my next piece.

Raising his comlink to his mouth, "Sing. What news do you have?"

"Bane is dead. Saw the older man and woman take him out in just a couple of seconds. They were quite efficient."

Palpatine ground his teeth in frustration. So Bane did die...and the two new Skywalkers were the ones responsible. But why keep it quiet? Hmm, unimportant for now.

"Anything else to add?"

"I left the area pretty soon after Bane bit the dust. I didn't particularly want to be caught in the are, but so far, it looks like the Skywalkers and Senator Amidala are holed up in her apartment."

Palpatine thought for a moment. "Continue your observation, bounty hunter, but don't fear. I will have knife work for you soon."

"Very good," purred Aurra Sing.

Palpatine tapped his chin thoughtfully for a few moments before putting in a new code into his comlink.

"Chancellor? How can I help you?" came the young voice of Anakin Skywalker.

"I was hoping you'd join me tomorrow night at the opera, Anakin. It would be a relief to get away from those political sycophants and to have the presence of a friend there instead."

There was a moment of silence.

"Of course, Chancellor, just send me the information and I'll be there."

"Very good, my boy, I look forward to seeing you."

"Likewise."

At the click of the termination signal, Palpatine put his comlink away and steepled his fingers. Then he began smiling.

#

"Likewise."

Anakin met Obi-Wan's eyes as he put up the comlink.

"He'll expect that you have been asked by the council to spy on him," Obi-Wan said.

"I'll have a talk with Mara about this, maybe she'll have a better clue about his current intentions," Anakin said."

"I still find it hard that Mara was...mentored by a Sith Lord. For all of her personality...quirks," Obi-Wan said with a smile, "She so clearly walks on the path of the Light."

Anakin just nodded. "Well, I guess we better get back, I still have to go say hi to Snips."

Obi-Wan smiled, "And so you do. Put aside your thoughts on the future for now, Anakin, and enjoy time with your family. All of your family."

Anakin smiled, a genuine smile that seemed to be warmer than any smile Obi-Wan had seen on his former student in months, maybe years. They then walked side by side towards where voices could be heard.

Chapter Text

"You don't know the power of the Dark Side."
- Darth Vader

#

"What would you have done if you had found out about Padmé and I on your own?"

The question from Anakin came right before they moved to rejoin the others. Obi-Wan stroked his beard and gave the question serious consideration.

What would I have done? he wondered.

"I'm not sure, Anakin. I truly do not know. But I do know this: I would have done nothing without at least speaking to you first."

Anakin nodded. "Let's join the others." They began walking again before he blurted, "How did Ventress get here?"

"Just another question we'll have to ask your wayward apprentice," Obi-Wan said with a smile.

Anakin didn't return the smile. "She's not my apprentice anymore, Obi-Wan, she gave up that life."

Obi-Wan gave him a sad smile and patted him on the shoulder. "Anakin, just as you still refer and think of me as your master, so too will she be one you will always consider to be your padawan."

#

Luke and Mara were seated together on a couch while Padmé spoke softly with Ahsoka. Ventress looked painfully ill-at-ease and Mara was tempted to play a game of 'whose former master is more evil' just to break the ice, but she managed to restrain herself long enough for Obi-Wan and Anakin to return.

Without a word, Anakin strode towards Ahsoka who stood up somewhat nervously. He stood there for a moment, not saying a word, and just stared at her. Then a wide grin appeared on his face and he lifted his former apprentice in the air and hugged her fiercely. "Snips...I missed you!"

"Let me down, Anakin!"

Padmé snickered, "I told you he'd be happy to see you again,"

"Be less happy, Skyguy!" Ahsoka yelped, still engulfed in a hug.

"Never," Anakin murmured. A few moments later, after Ahsoka finally surrendered to her former master's affection, Anakin put her down.

Ahsoka was blushing furiously, something normally hard to discern with her orange coloring, but she was definitely blushing. She elbowed Anakin in the stomach, but there was a soft smile on her face as she did so.

Anakin took a step back to truly take a look at her. She wore formfitting pants that boasted a thigh holster for a blaster and a utility belt that also served to hold her two lightsabers. A sleeveless earthy brown tunic and arm coverings completed the attire. She also wore separated armor segments in a fashion similar to Obi-Wan, with her lower legs, shoulders, and wrists given more protection. But even with her new atire, she still looked very much like the Ahsoka he remembered.

Ventress, on the other hand, was quite different than the last time he met her. He could feel her presence in the Force, unmistakably hers but no longer immersed in darkness. She truly had changed and had renounced the Dark Side. She was no longer bald and instead had short, cropped, white hair. Gone was her normal getup and instead she, like Ahsoka, wore pants. A dark shirt and an even darker vest completed the ensemble. Yes, she has changed quite a lot, Anakin thought, and for the better, it would seem.

"So...not that it isn't a pleasure to see you, both of you, I suppose, but how exactly is it that you came to be here? And how is it that you came to be here together?" Anakin asked.

Ahsoka smiled weakly, "After I left the Jedi, I was somewhat aimless. I ran into Ventress while she was working on a bounty. I helped her catch her target and we got to talking. She invited me to be her partner."

Anakin wasn't quite sure how to respond to this and Obi-Wan's face said he was suffering from the same reaction. "So...you're a bounty hunter?"

"It's not as rewarding a life as the Jedi. But it's my life now, and I am content."

"And as long as you are, than we are proud of you," Padmé said firmly and Anakin nodded his agreement.

At the lull in conversation, Obi-Wan ventured, "Well Ventress...it's good to see you again."

Asajj smirked, "And without violence it seems, on my part anyway."

"So it seems," Obi-Wan smiled as he stroked his beard.

"To your original question, Anakin, several days ago I-we felt a disturbance in the Force. I felt it was connected to you somehow," Ahsoka said seriously.

Anakin sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. He had a moment of indecision before he mentally shrugged and simply pointed at Luke and Mara, who had been sitting quietly watching the interactions with interest.

Luke stood and offered his hand to the two women, both of whom tentatively returned his handshake. "My name is Luke Skywalker-"

Before he could say anything else, Anakin interrupted him. "My son."

"Come again?" Ahsoka asked.

Later that night, Padmé's apartment was occupied only by the four Skywalkers. Obi-Wan had left first, going back to the Temple, while Ahsoka and Ventress had lingered for another hour before they too returned to their temporary lodgings.

Padmé had offered both women a place to stay but both Anakin and Ventress' obvious discomfort with the idea had nixed it. Nevertheless, they promised to stay in contact as things developed. Both women had been flabbergasted by Luke's appearance; it's not everyday that your offspring of a forbidden relationship time travels after all, but they had been considerably less surprised about Palpatine being the Sith Lord. Both women were ready to do their part to prevent the Empire from rising, though for Ventress it was considerably more personal than that as she didn't have any real love for the Jedi.

"What do you think the Emperor wants?" Mara asked Anakin.

"I'm not sure. He's asked me to join him on less official outings before, but with Dooku's death and the recent assassination attempt here, I'd imagine it's something more serious than that," he replied.

Luke hummed an agreement. "It won't be long before he starts putting pressure on you, Anakin. Pressure and attempting to isolate you from those who care about you."

Padmé had a ferocious look on her face, "We won't let that happen then, will we?"

"No, we will not," Mara agreed, just as fiercely.

#

It was now late and all of the residents and guests at Padmé's apartment had gone to sleep.

All but one.

Anakin stared at the ceiling and felt the weight of galaxy resting on his shoulders. Beside him was his wife, beautiful and with child. In another part of the house was one of those same children, a child of his blood who had been through a hell that had been partly Anakin's making. But his nightmares continued to plague him and he didn't dare try to block them out lest Palpatine become aware that his subterfuge had been detected.

According to Luke, if Anakin were to fall to the Dark Side, it would make Palpatine's end goal of destroying the Jedi Order a very real possibility.

With Obi-Wan and the rest of the Council now aware of his marriage, much of the constant anxiety and fear that had lived with him had been alleviated, but it had by no means disappeared. And now Palpatine wanted to meet with him at the opera. Truthfully, he wasn't sure how to feel about that. He knew he had to play the part of angry potential Sith Apprentice, but playing the part and becoming the part weren't separated by a vast distance.

However this goes down, Anakin swore, I will not leave Luke an orphan or as the son of a monster.

When Padmé made a soft sleepy sound he had to relent to a soft smile. Resting a hand around Padmé's waist, he joined her in sleep.

It won't be long now, thought Palpatine, news of Grievous will spur the Jedi to capture or destroy him. If I am lucky, it will be Obi-Wan who leaves, making young Skywalker all the more accessible.

Still, the disturbance in the Force had changed something and Bane's death seemed to be a greater sign of it. His plans had been derailed and without knowing how, he would have to put his plan back on track. If Obi-Wan were to be removed from the picture, he could be free to act more overtly with Anakin, and since nightmares of Padmé's death didn't seem to be having as significant of an impact as he had hoped, a more direct threat might be required to induce his loyalty. She needed to stay alive, at least until Anakin's offspring were born. They could then be used as leverage or he could simply train the whelp to replace its father.

Decisions, decisions.

He couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face. Worried though he might be about his plan's current viability, he still had to take pleasures in the simple things. Holding Padmé or their spawn would do quite nicely, but one thing at a time.

While Anakin and Padmé spent some time together as husband and wife, Luke and Mara went to the Temple to discuss the Jedi Order's future with the Council.

Luke, Mara, and the rest of the Council that was currently on Coruscant had been debating how to derail Darth Sidious' plans. Those not on Coruscant like Masters Koon, Secura, and Ki-Adi-Mundi were there via holo-transmission.

"Those in the medical wing and the younglings must be evacuated immediately," Master Secura stated firmly.

Mara interjected, "On principle, I agree. But you shouldn't underestimate Palpatine. If he sees transports picking up large numbers of the infirm or the young, he will suspect something. This process must be gradual and steathlike, meaning not on Republic owned ships."

"A valid point," Master Yoda observed. "To what destination shall we send those to be evacuated?"

Luke rubbed at the side of his neck before saying, "There are places strong in the Force that would be appropriate for a short term stay. Yavin IV, Ossus to name a few. We can't evacuate everyone either; the Temple must have a strong presence. It would be good to recall Jedi not on critical missions as well. Jedi who are isolated among their troops need to have plans to find safety quickly, or to find non-clone regiments to lead from."

Master Ki-Adi-Mundi frowned. "That will be difficult, possibly impossible for some of those in the field."

"As much as I hate to say it, if the command for Order 66 is given, it will not be possible to save everyone. Though all Jedi should be warned, it would also be suspicious if all Jedi were suddenly out of reach of their Clone units. If the order is given, Jedi will die. Our focus must be on destroying Palpatine before he gives the order or on countermanding the order as soon as possible," Mace Windu said.

Mara simply nodded and folded her arms. "Things will come to a crux when General Grievous is caught or destroyed. Palpatine has been saying repeatedly that he is unwilling to relinquish powers until both Dooku and Grievous were destroyed. With Dooku already out of the picture, if Grievous is killed, Palpatine will have no excuse to keep his powers."

Master Yoda hummed, "When the threat of Grievius is eliminated, confront Sidious we will."

"What can we expect from Sidious?" Plo Koon asked.

Mara sighed. "As a Force user, there are few in the galaxy that can rival him in both knowledge and power. Very few. The exact events of that night are unknown even to me, but I know that he killed several Jedi personally before he dueled you, Master Yoda. You were unable to defeat him, though to your credit, he was unable to defeat you as well."

There was a stunned silence as the Jedi digested this new information.

"When you send a strike team in," Luke advised, "Make sure they know to expect an expert with the blade and the Force. I was the recipient of his Force lightning and I would not wish that on anyone."

"And what of Anakin?" asked Obi-Wan.

There was no immediate answer

"I think leaving him behind or leaving him out of it is the worst thing that we could do, even though it might be our inclination," Obi-Wan said.

"One of the worst things you can do," Obi-Wan said with a huff, "Is leave Anakin to stew on things. I've said before, teasingly, that he is always on the move. But in truth, he is most effective when in the thick of things and when he doesn't have time to agonize over a decision. His heart can usually he relied upon to steer him true."

"Usually?" asked Mace Windu with a pointed stare.

"He is human, Master Windu, and humans make mistakes. We are here to make sure that he makes less of them," Mara said.

"I agree with Obi-Wan," Aayla Secura said, "He should be on the strike team. It will serve as both a way to make sure he remains on the path of Light and to help him fulfill his destiny."

The members of the Council nodded, albeit some of those nods were reluctant.

"Sing."

"Lord Sidious."

"A change of plans, bounty hunter. Keep observing, but I need you in a position where you can move quickly. I will need you, on possibly very short notice, to take custody of one Senator Amidala of Naboo."

"Kidnap a Senator?" Aurra Sing asked somewhat dubiously.

"Is that a problem?"

The voice was cold and sinister and made Aurra Sing regret her question. "No, Lord Sidious, do you have a preference for where I should take her?"

"I will contact you when it needs to be done and I will give you the details then. Stay alert, bounty hunter."

"I'll be ready."

"See to it that you are, you will not like how I reward failure."

As the comlink clicked off, Aurra Sing shivered. She wouldn't admit to anyone, but this 'Lord Sidious' was someone that she never wanted to cross.

Chapter Text

"We will never betray the legacy of the Jedi. I will never surrender the Republic to the Sith."
- Bail Organa

#

"The Dark side of the Force is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural."

The words were still resounding in Anakin's mind hours after the words had been spoken by the Chancellor. It seemed so obvious to Anakin, so transparent that the story of Darth Plagueis and his ability to save someone from dying was meant to draw him closer, to seduce him to the Dark side. The fact that Palpatine had knowledge of any Sith Lord that wasn't commonly known should have been a glaring sign.

And yet...

Somehow, despite these obvious signs, I still managed to fall to the Dark side.

Anakin sighed. He wouldn't dispute Luke's tale of his fall but it seemed so improbable that he would have fallen for Palpatine's ploy. And yet, Palpatine's words rolled through his mind and he had to acknowledge that the temptation, despite all his newly acquired foreknowledge, was still there. The ever-present image of Padmé dying and Palpatine's vague promise of salvation was tempting, even now that knew better. Worst of all, he felt guilt for the things that he had never done in a time that was not his. Guilt for failing Padmé, Obi-Wan, the Jedi, and Luke.

Anakin grimaced and let out a long breath. I have brushed the Dark side before and Force knows I've never been a perfect Jedi, but I swear that whether I am the Chosen One or not, one thing that I will never be is a Sith. I will not fail Luke, I will not cast him in the dark future he was born into.

Anakin stood on the veranda outside of Padmé's apartment and stared at the distant Jedi Temple. Clad only in loose, dark trousers, he had spent a great amount of time the next afternoon after his meeting with Palpatine at the Opera meditating. It wasn't something he usually enjoyed, but doing so now felt like a lifeline to keep him afloat as events spiraled out of control.

That morning had been spent giving an update to the Jedi Council. Though they now knew who the Sith Lord was, there was something of an unexpected difficulty while they planned their next move. Palpatine's request that Anakin be the one to lead the attack on Grevious at Utapau had startled several of the Masters. Given that Anakin was in his sights as a potential apprentice, his request that Anakin be moved off-world had been odd.

Somewhat to Anakin's surprise, it was Mace Windu's insight that had guided them through their subsequent deliberations.

###

"But why would he wish for you to go?" Obi-Wan wondered aloud.

It had been a reasonable question for if Anakin was to be his next apprentice, Palpatine would presumably want him closer in order to turn him.

"To fight Grevious, a Master would be sent," Yoda murmured.

Master Windu eyed Yoda speculatively before he nodded slowly. "If we were to send a Master, that'd likely be frustrating to you, Anakin. It would be another wedge to be used to isolate you from the order. If we were to send a Master, the one we would have sent would likely be Master Kenobi. This would leave you even more isolated. I'd say it's likely that he'll be abandoning subtlety soon. Grevious must be eliminated and doing so would leave Palpatine with no choice but to surrender his powers."

"And he will not," Aayla Secura nodded. The stunning blue-skinned Twi'lek woman was currently on Felucia, but was in attendance via hologram. "That will be the decisive moment, the moment where the outcome will decide the fate of the Sith. Even with many of our Order now in safe places, if Order 66 is declared, many Jedi will die."

"Here, you must stay, Skywalker," Yoda stated gravely. "In a critical position, you are. Do not underestimate this Sith Lord."

Anakin nodded, "Yes Master."

###

Following that discussion had been the updates on Jedi being evacuated or relocated to safer places. If Order 66 was given, as Master Secura had said, many Jedi would die. But not all. Many now had means of escape, or were in relatively safer positions among non-clone troopers.

It took some effort to stay still on the veranda. He wanted to pace and tug at his hair. It wouldn't be long, on that the Council and he agreed. No, it wouldn't be long until the future of the galaxy was decided. For the sake of his children, it would not be a future where he existed as a dark specter who enforced an empires tyranny.

A quick message from Luke said that he and Mara would be on their way back. While he had been in the Council room, Luke and Mara had worked with other members of the Temple to assist in the preparations for the strike team. They had also spent some time in the archive, working on a datapad which would hold some of their foreknowledge of events to come.

It was easy to forget that the future Luke and Mara came from held deeper terrors than that of the Sith and the possibility made him shiver. The datapad they were inputting their knowledge into could save millions of lives in the future.

Anakin sighed and waited for his son and his daughter-in-law to arrive.

Luke sighed as he navigated the speeder through the constant traffic.

Mara looked sideways at him. "What?"

"The Jedi," he sighed again.

"Not everything you hoped and dreamed of?"

"No. They are more arrogant than I had thought them to be. Since our arrival, they have been less so, and less inwardly focused. But there have been so many signs! So many different premonitions of the dark days to come, so many glaring truths that were ignored as the Clone War raged on," Luke replied with a disapproving face.

"They were not born into a galaxy where everything had already turned towards darkness Luke, they had far less reason to see the Sith lurking under their beds."

"True. Mara, I spoke to Mace Windu today. He had come to me about a vision he had some time ago, about Coruscant covered in an exotic jungle, about the Jedi Temple merely being ruins, about strange impossible ships bombarding the unfamiliar landscape of this very planet."

"The Vong?"

Luke nodded, "Had to be. He asked if it was the work of Sidious, I had to tell him that the Sith were not the most dire threats that this galaxy had to face and that the enemy was far stranger and far more dangerous than he could imagine."

"I bet that was an unpleasant burden for him," Mara said.

"Yes." Luke paused and looked at Mara. There was pain in his eyes, Mara saw, grief and disappointment. "They knew Mara. Or at least, they suspected. They saw what might be coming. How much could have been averted in Windu's vision had been shared or remembered?"

"Likely none of it, Luke. It was a vision, as you well know it, the future is always in motion. I doubt the Republic would have been prepared for the Vong just from a single Jedi Master's prophecy of an ambiguous future," Mara said, rubbing Luke's shoulder.

"Decisions that have shaped the galaxy have been based on less, Mara. With forewarning, how many of our friends would still live? Would my sister be alive today?"

Mara paused, testing out Luke's mood like one would test the grounds of a minefield. "Don't do this to yourself, Luke. You know very well that the Republic won't be completely prepared for the Yuuzhan Vong, not even with us here. Focus on the here and now."

"I know, Mara...it's just so-"

"I know Luke, I know." Mara pulled Luke towards her and kissed his forehead before slapping him on the shoulder. "Now get this hunk of junk moving, Skywalker, I have a mother-in-law to have girl-talk with."

Luke smiled. "How utterly terrifying."

"What happened next with Windu?" Mara asked curiously.

"He asked some questions which I answered, but I told him we needed to focus on the Sith, and that the answers regarding the Yuuzhan Vong would come from us, even if our lives were to end, from the information we are submitting into our datapad."

"Luke, perhaps we should copy the information into a holocron as well."

"That is a good idea, Mara!" Luke exclaimed a little too brightly.

"You already began?" Mara asked suspiciously.

"I was not the Grand Master because of my boyish charm or striking good looks, Mara," Luke replied airily.

Looking Luke up and down, Mara sniped back, "That much is obvious, Farmboy."

Luke grinned than sighed again. "Let's go see Anakin again and talk more about his meeting with Palpatine last night."

Mace Windu and Yoda sat in a meditative pose in the latter's quarters. The lights were turned down low and the two spoke quietly about the future, about the Sith...and about the Vong.

"From what Luke told me, these...Yuuzhan Vong...would be responsible for the destruction of worlds, of billions of lives, and of conquering a massive chunk of the galaxy before finally being repulsed," Mace said gravely.

"Possible it is, that a favor the Sith did us."

"What?"

Master Yoda chuckled at Mace Windu's appalled tone. "Without the Clone Wars, militarized the Republic would not be."

"By reintroducing warfare on a galactic scale, he made it possible for the future to repulse the Vong," Mace said slowly nodding.

Yoda grimaced. "Yes."

"I refuse to thank him for it, Master Yoda, but yes, he might have done the galaxy a favor, for a horrifying price."

There was a silence.

"More to say have you," Yoda prompted.

"I worry. I worry for the Jedi and I worry for Anakin. I have never truly approved of the boy and I wonder if in Luke's future, my less than subtle disapproval might have pushed Anakin away from us. I will not dwell on this, but it is something I considered after I heard of Palpatine's plans for the boy."

Yoda nodded, "Palpatine plans deeply. Unlike any other Sith we have encountered, he is. Seeks domination over life as all Sith do, but pursues it more subtly and with impossible patience."

"The Jedi Order is about as a secure as it can be without giving itself away in the face of Order 66. The time where we will confront him is drawing near. Master Kenobi is already on his way to Utapau and if Grevious is destroyed than the time will have come."

"Take great care, we must. Even with foreknowledge, a great danger Palpatine is."

"Is Anakin in danger of being turned?"

"Before Luke and Mara's arrival, yes I would have said. Now..." Yoda scrunched his face up and closed his eyes, considering the future the Force showed him. At last he sighed, "Always in motion is the future. Danger for Anakin, yes. But of turning?" Another pause. "Possible, but unlikely. Much to fight for, the boy has."

"Then we wait," Mace said.

"Then we wait," Yoda agreed.

The Chancellor sat alone in his office, fingers steepled. It was dark in his office, the only light being that of the surrounding city. Obi-Wan had reached Utapau and without a secure escape, he had no doubt that the cyborg would finally meet his end. It was time. Finally, after so many years, the Sith would have their revenge. He had to speak with Anakin one last time, soon. He would have to reveal himself and that was always a gamble, no matter how sure he might be that young Skywalker would be his.

It was the two new Skywalkers that were giving him continued pause. They were there to protect Anakin, he could feel it. They had to be separated, from Anakin and from each other. It would not be as simple as he had originally planned, but he had not come this far to falter now at the end of things.

Reaching into his dark robes, he grabbed his comlink and activated it. "Sing," he nearly growled, "The time has come. I need you to get in contact with a colleague of yours, he will assist you in your apprehension of Senator Amidala. I need you, and whatever help you deem necessary, to distract or kill those around the Senator. You will be rewarded amply for every Jedi that is killed. Fett will be the one to take the Senator."

"Fett? The boy is talented, but he is just a boy."

"Are you questioning me?"

Kilometers away, Aurra Sing shivered. The voice that came from the comlink purred in a way that reeked of something dangerous. "No, Lord Sidious."

"As you said, the boy is just a boy, but Senator Amidala is a kindhearted fool and is unlikely to be willing to shoot 'just a boy' until it is too late. Be sure to impress upon young Fett that she must be unharmed. She is pregnant and that pregnancy must not be compromised. If she or her child are harmed, I will make certain that you and young Fett beg for death before I finish with you."

"It will be done, my Lord. Where are we to take the Senator?"

"Have Boba take her to the Chancellor's office. Be sure that she is brought there within the next hour and a half."

"The Chancellor's office? Are you-yes, my Lord, it will be done.

As the comlink clicked off, he closed his eyes and searched through the Force. Now.

Clicking it back on, "Anakin, I would like to speak with you, could you come to my office please, it won't take long?"

"Luke!"

Padmé's happy exclamation brought a smile to both Luke and Mara's faces.

Both Skywalkers were embraced by the extremely pregnant woman. C-3PO and R2-D2 were in the room, bickering as they had done and would do for decades. The sight of the two droids made Mara smile. No, some things will never change.

Mara watched Padmé interact with Luke, chattering about the day. They occasionally would talk seriously about the future or about the state of the Jedi's plans, but they would inevitably end up smiling at some topic or anecdote.

We are here to protect this, Mara thought.

[And we will, Mara.]

Luke's voice echoed in her heard and she shook her head. She hadn't meant to broadcast her thoughts, but Farmboy had always been attuned to her, and in the course of their relationship, had only become more so.

"Where's Anakin?" Luke asked, looking around.

Padmé's face darkened. "Palpatine wished to speak with him."

The name brought the warm's previous happy feeling to a stark reminder of what they still faced. As if the name itself had conjured danger, something in the Force made both Luke and Mara stiffen and reach for their lightsabers.

"What is it?" Padmé asked, watching as both Luke and Mara shifted their stances and ignited their lightsabers.

"Danger," Luke said.

As if to punctuate his words, a round device was thrown onto the veranda on the opposite side of the apartment. Though well away from the blast radius, the blast ripped open the side of the apartment and made all three occupants stagger. In the time between the grenade had been noticed and the time it had been detonated, Mara had grabbed Padmé and had shielded her body with her own. Luke reached out a hand, using the Force to deflect shrapnel that would have ripped through them.

Stun blasts began zipping through the apartment accompanied by blaster bolts. Already beginning to deflect the incoming fire, Luke briefly glanced at Mara who shared his dark expression.

It was time.

Chapter Text

"It is, as some admiral once said, a trap."
- Mara Jade Skywalker

#

"My boy. I've heard that your Jedi Council chose your former Master to lead the attack on Utapau. With your skills, I had hoped that they would have sent you."

"The Council believed a Master was needed, Chancellor Palpatine," Anakin said, gritting his teeth.

"Well, hopefully Obi-Wan will be able to deal with Grievous. I should offer you congratulations, I suppose," Palpatine said with a warm voice.

"What do you mean?" Anakin asked, confused.

"Your wife is with child. Your's, I'm assuming." Palpatine smiled.

"Of course the child is mine!" Anakin snapped.

"Ah, my apologies Anakin, I did not mean to cast doubt into your mind. I just know that Obi-Wan and she are quote close friends as well."

Anakin closed his eyes, trying to keep his temper. You can't make me lose faith, Sith Lord. The child is mine, and I have Luke as proof. "What is it you wished to speak to me about?"

"When we last spoke, you seemed on edge. I just wanted to see if you were alright. The last time I saw you this stressed was after Tatooine and that unfortunate incident with your mother...and the Sand People."

He wants to know about my dreams, he realized. "My sleep has been...troubled," he allowed.

"Visions?"

"Of Padmé's death," Anakin confirmed. If he hadn't known to look for it, he wouldn't have seen the pleased glint in the Chancellor's eyes. But it was definitely there and Anakin had to struggle to keep his face and his feelings blank.

"I'm sorry, my boy," Palpatine said with false sympathy. "So what will you do about it?"

Anakin struggled for an answer, "Obi-Wan would want me to let go and do as the Force wills."

Palpatine scoffed, "You know Anakin, the Jedi aren't the only power in the galaxy who have control of the Force."

And now we come to the crux of the matter. It's time.

"Let me help you to know the subtleties of the Force."

"How do you know the ways of the Force?"

"My mentor taught me everything about the Force, even the nature of the Dark side."

"You know the Dark side?"

"Anakin, if one is to understand the great mystery, one must study all its aspects, not just the dogmatic narrow view of the Jedi. If you wish to become a complete and wise leader you must embrace...a larger view of the Force. Be careful of the Jedi, Anakin, only through me can you achieve a power greater than any Jedi. Learn to know the Dark side of the Force and you will be able to save your wife...from certain death."

Palpatine ended his sentence with a sickening smile.

Blue and green lightsabers flashed and twirled, blocking and deflecting blaster bolts and stun blasts back towards their attackers or towards safer avenues. They moved in sync, each Skywalker guarding the others' back as they slowly moved towards Padmé.

Luke moved to a guard position in front of both women while Mara bent low to speak to Padmé.

"Padmé, get to safety, get to a safe place in the house and wait for us to come get you!"

Both women looked back when another grenade was deflected by Luke to open a gaping hole in the ceiling. Out of the smoke, shapes began to loom, beings of a variety of races, all heavily armed and all firing at the trio.

Luke noticed that the stun blasts seemed to be focused at Padmé while the more lethal ammunition was being directed at Mara and him.

"They're here for Padmé!" he shouted, "I don't think they want her dead!"

A blaster bolt zipped past Luke's blade to leave a scorch mark inches away from Padmé.

Luke shouted, "Go! Get Padmé to safety, Mara."

Mara gritted her teeth, hating to be dragged from any fight, but particularly one where her husband was involved. Farmboy needs me. "Come on, Padmé! Get in the fresher near the south side of the apartment, away from any of the edges of the building. Get a blaster and stay safe!"

Even as she gave the orders, she was holding onto Padmé and guiding her to the desired direction. "I need to help Luke. That son of yours can't go a few days without ending up in the bacta tank.

Another blast in the veranda's direction.

And then something new.

Another lightsaber igniting. No, not one, two lightsabers. Ahsoka and Ventress? Extending her senses, she encountered exactly the opposite of what she had hoped. Something cold, dark, and sinister. Sith, she thought, and not Palpatine. Mara's eyes went wider and she pushed Padmé into the room a little more forcefully than she had intended.

"Stay safe, Padmé, for Anakin, for me, and for your babies. Farmboy needs my help."

Ignoring Padmé's protest, she dashed around the corner and back into the outer area of the apartment. Mara found chaos where peace could be found just minutes before.

Gaping holes in the walls, the ceiling, and the floor littered the area in front of her. Blasters were still firing at Luke, but far fewer of them than there were before. Even as she watched, she saw a double-bladed lightsaber clashing furiously against Luke's green blade.

The Sith was good.

Mara cursed, time to even the odds. Leaping into the fray, she bisected the nearest mercenary before turning to a tall, pale human with red hair who seemed far more competent than the other intruders.

This woman had evidently fought Jedi before and knew enough to move constantly, evading any deflected bolts turned towards her direction.

Sparing a moment, she saw Luke fighting hard, as hard as he had fought Shimrra just a week or so ago. Mara scowled at the pale woman. She had better be quick.

#

Hidden in the fresher, one of the more secure rooms in the house, Padmé crouched awkwardly, her swollen belly somewhat impeding her attempt to make herself a smaller target. Blaster in hand, she heard the firefight that was occurring just meters away. A firefight and the unwelcome sound of lightsabers clashing against one another. This is anything but subtle, Palpatine must be ready to make his move.

Grabbing her comlink, she signaled Obi-Wan who didn't pick up. Must still be at Utapau. She tried Master Windu than and was relieved to hear him pick up.

"Senator Amidala?"

"Master Windu! It's time, Palpatine sent someone skilled with a lightsaber to attack me while he's meeting with Anakin. I think he's almost ready to make a move!"

"I'm having a hard time hearing you, Senator. You said the Chancellor was making his move? Senator? Senator!"

But Padmé was unable to answer as the floor fell out from beneath her. She was caught somewhat awkwardly by a figure very much resembling a Mandalorian. Before she could utter a shout, a syringe was injected into her neck. Her opened mount slackened and blackness enveloped her vision.

Ahsoka's head jerked up and turned panicked eyes towards her companion.

"Ventress, I think it's time! I feel trouble coming from Padmé's apartment."

Asajj Ventress nodded curtly and began and equipped herself. Her lightsaber, a vibroblade, and a small holdout pistol while Ahsoka wore only her two lightsabers.

Not a minute later, they were in their borrowed speeder zooming towards the source of the disturbance that Ahsoka had felt.

"Join me, Anakin, and I can give you the ability to save your wife," Darth Sidious crooned.

Anakin ignited his lightsaber, the blue blade casting it's light upon his face. "Sith," he hissed.

"What are the Sith, Anakin, but just another point of view. Your passion will give you strength and your strength will give you power. And with that power, you will see the victory you need to break the chains that bind you. I have long been your friend, Anakin, you can trust me," the Sith Lord said solemnly.

Anakin's blade had somewhat lowered as Palpatine spoke but caught himself and raised it back up. He cursed to himself, he had thought Palpatine had been a friend and he might have had the faith in him to walk the path of the Dark side. But now he had Luke, now he knew the future he could face if he chose wrongly.

"You are a Sith, Palpatine, the Jedi Council will deal with you."

Inwardly, the Chancellor groaned. Apparently, the boy wasn't quite as easy to coax as he had hoped. But he was a man who believed in contingencies, and his contingency was on her way to his office even now.

"It is not against the law to follow the way of the Sith, Anakin. What can they do to me?"

"The Senate will see things clearly, Palpatine."

"I am the Senate, young Jedi."

"Not yet."

A soft sound from the entrance caught Anakin's attention.

"Padmé!"

Still unconscious, Anakin's wife was deposited gently onto the floor in his office before her captor stood and held a blaster to her head.

"What have you done to her!?" Anakin shouted.

Ah, there it is. There is the rage that will make him mine. "Not to worry, my young apprentice, I made sure she...or your child...wouldn't be harmed. But now you have a choice, Anakin. Better be sure that you choose wisely," Palpatine almost purred.

Luke breathed harshly as his duel with his tattooed Zabrak foe continued. A slash to his left met his blade while he had to duck out of the way from the oppose end of his dual-bladed lightsaber. Luke's riposte met only air. Luke breathed out as he had to jump out of the way of an incoming piece of debris summoned by his foe. The man was good, very good, but Luke had seen and fought better. Reaching for the Force, he centered himself and prepared to finish the fight.

Still, he was a Jedi and he had redeemed those considered lost before. "Why do you fight? Why fight for the Darkness?"

"I despise Sidious, but I hate the Jedi more. I foresaw the death of the Jedi, but I saw you had the power to stop it. I will take Sidious' place one day, but whatever his plan to destroy the Jedi is, it must see its completion."

"It's not too late. You can always fight for the Light and do what is right!"

"You old fool. You don't know the power of the Dark side." And with his last statement, he leapt towards Luke with an overhand slash which was easily blocked by Luke. I wonder if every Dark side user in existence says that at some point, he thought in a sort of morbid amusement. Sparing a quick look at Mara, he saw that she had finished off the rest of the mercenaries and was now engaged in battle with a tall pale woman. Gritting his teeth, he returned his full attention to the fight and began to show this Darksider what a Grand Master of the Jedi Order could do.

#

Another blaster bolt was deflected by Mara towards another would-be assassin making the far more capable pale woman the last besides the Darksider facing her husband. The pale woman, whom Mara was beginning to think was a fairly reputable and skilled bounty hunter from this time known as Aurra Sing, jumped out of the way of a piece of duracrete Mara Force pushed into her direction. Mara scoffed inwardly. There's only room for one red haired assassin in this room and I'm it.

On the heels of that thought, Mara ran from her position behind a still intact couch and charged the woman. The woman fired her blaster pistol repeatedly in her direction, each shot being blocked or evaded. Mara continued her charge and used the Force to drag a nearby carpet towards the woman, using it to trip her up. The bounty hunter's eyes widened as she stumbled and began to fall. Mara jumped towards her, lightsaber extended in a lunge. The pale woman landed on her back and had just enough time to glance upwards before Mara's blue blade pierced her chest.

The woman groaned, fell back onto the floor, and remained still. Deactivating her lightsaber, she turned towards the lightsaber duel that raged on the other side of the room.

#

Luke felt the Force flow through him as he moved without thought. As his former Masters had once instructed him, he let go, he was at peace, and he moved.

Luke deflected a swipe of his opponent's lightsaber and turned his blade to make a quick swipe towards the Darksider's neck. Though his foe might be well trained, enough so that he was able to dance mostly out of Luke's blade, Luke was still rewarded by the Zabrak's hiss of pain at the smoldering cut on his shoulder his emerald blade had left in its wake.

An almost rabid snarl escaped the red and black tattooed face before he leapt towards Luke, blade flashing with deadly intent. Luke blocked the blade and had to fold himself backwards to dodge the other blade. While bent over, Luke kicked his leg out, making his foe grunt in surprise as he fell to the ground. He scrambled to his feet and barely managed to parry Luke's thrust. While the Zabrak had managed to block Luke's thrust, he ended up leaving himself open.

A sapphire blade flashed past Luke's vision. The thrown blade had impaled the Darksider, who wore an incredulous look on his face before he groaned and collapsed to the floor without another word.

"Wow," Mara commented lightly. She began striding towards Luke and grabbed a fistful of his hair. Mara pulled Luke's mouth to hers, where she proceeded to kiss him vigorously and thoroughly. After a moment, Mara let Luke go with a pat on his cheek. Seeing Luke's somewhat bewildered face, Mara chuckled. "Come on Farmboy, you know a good fight gets me excited."

Mara spent a moment looking around before she gazed at the fallen Darksider. Hey forehead creased before she proceeded to stab him several more times and finally decapitated him.

"Mara!"

"He has cybernetic legs!" Mara defended herself, "He clearly isn't the type who likes to stay dead. I just made extra sure. Besides, he wanted to kill you and-"

"Yes, Mara, I know. That's your job," Luke finished. Rolling his eyes, he winced as he viewed the now dismembered corpse.

A moment passed before Luke frowned. "Mara, where's Padmé?"

Mara looked confused and stretched her senses. Eyes widening, she bolted out of the room. A moment later she came back, face pale with a grave expression. "Someone took her. While we fought."

Luke swore. "Palpatine, it must have been. He's meeting with Anakin now and with this attack, my guess is he plans to hold her as leverage."

"Makes sense, he always did enjoy using love to twist others," Mara said bitterly. "Stang! We need to move Farm-"

There was an odd sound and Mara stilled.

Luke frowned at her pause. "Mara?"

Mara looked confused and looked down where a growing red patch had appeared on her stomach. The sound repeated and she managed to dodge the second attack with a harsh grunt. Something metallic flashed in the air and Luke saw Mara's vibroblade now embedded in the throat of the pale woman who had managed to survive Mara's lightsaber. But all that was secondary Luke has Mara staggered into the nearest wall and began sliding down its length. To his horror, a swath of red marked her progress towards the floor.

"Mara...oh gods, Mara!"

There was a clatter on the floor which set Luke on his guard. To his relief, it was Ahsoka and Ventress who came into the ruined room.

"Luke? Where's-oh god, Mara?"

Mara pulled Luke to her. "Luke...go...get your mother. There's a beautiful redhead out there waiting for one of those future Skywalkers, and you better be damned sure he's there for her. Go!"

When Luke hesitated, she rolled her eyes and growled. "Go Luke, you need to be with your father." She looked at her hand which had been pressed to her wound and saw that it was stained red. She turned her attention to Ahsoka, "Go to Padmé's guestroom and get me the datapad which is underneath one of the pillows."

Luke's eyes were moist as he realized the extent of the damage caused by the blaster. "Mara..."

"Go Luke. We will be...together again. Will of the Force and all that," she managed to smile.

Luke stood up a little too quickly and closed his eyes hard. Thinking of Palpatine made him want to rage, but he'd fallen down that trap before and he refused to do it again. He wouldn't seek revenge, but his dying wife would see justice. Turning towards Ahsoka and Ventress, he said, "Stay with her, be here for her." Given their flinches, he supposed he wasn't quite as calm as he had believed.

A hand touched his leg and he saw Mara smile up at him. "Go get him, Luke, and save that father of yours." Luke nodded and bent down, kissing her gently on the lips and then on her forehead. He breathed out harshly, stood, and ran out of the room.

Mara breathed tiredly but ended up coughing. Turning her hand, she saw that blood had flecked onto her hand. Not much time, she thought. "Where's that datapad, Ahsoka?"

Chapter Text

(Yoda): "Stubborn and hard is your head. Soften it we will."
(Luke): "I stood on my head to soften it?"
(Yoda): "Mysterious are the ways of the Force."
(Luke): "Did you just make me stand on my head for two hours because I was annoying you?"
(Yoda): "Very mysterious."

#

Master Windu walked briskly along the upper levels of the Temple when he nearly bowled over the one he sought. "Master Yoda, I received a mes-"

His announcement was cut off when Yoda raised a hand to quiet him, "A disturbance in the Force, I felt. Time I believe it is."

Mace merely nodded and began walking towards the hanger at a pace that had Yoda almost jogging to keep up. Using his gimer stick as his cane, it would have been an almost comical sight except for the circumstances. "Master Fisto is settled, then?"

Yoda nodded, "Carried a message to the Wookiees for me, he did. Well received he was, command the army on Kashyyyk well, he will."

"Then we should hurry, Serra Keto has a transport waiting for us."

There was a short silence before Mace asked, "Do you know the source of the disturbance?"

"Great pain I sense from Luke Skywalker. Something terrible has befallen his wife, I feel. Protecting Senator Amidala, they were."

Mace Windu nodded. "Come Master Yoda, we have a Sith Lord to vanquish. I'd wager Anakin is already there, and that Palpatine will use his wife against him if he can."

Yoda hummed an agreement. The two found Serra Keto waiting for them with an unobtrusive looking speeder.

The Jedi Knight greeted them before she said, "I just received word from Ahsoka Tano. She and a friend are at Senator Amidala's apartment. Luke, Mara, and Senator Amidala were there when it was attacked. Mara has been gravely injured and Padmé was kidnapped. Luke is moving to confront Palpatine now. The Chancellor was supposed to be meeting with Skywalker at the time, to get the Senator in a more vulnerable position, I imagine."

Mace Windu raised an eyebrow at the mention of Skywalker's former apprentice but said nothing. The two Masters seated themselves in the vehicle and exchanged a glance.

"It is as you said then," Mace said.

Master Yoda nodded before turning his attention to the younger member of the team, "Hurry we must."

"Yes, Master."

The three lapsed into silence as the speeder sped forth towards the Senate building.

With Anakin and Luke at the forefront of things, no other Jedi had been deemed necessary for the strike team. More would probably just have made combat and movement difficult, so every other Jedi on Coruscant was currently shoring up the defenses of the Temple or quietly establishing escape routes. A reinforced battalion of soldiers, all volunteers mostly from the various homeworlds of sympathetic senators, had taken up residence within the Jedi Temple. Along with its compliment of Jedi, there was now a contingent of Ghormanese contributed by Fang Zar, a large group from the Onderon rebels, and even some Alderranians now housed within the halls of the Temple. It wasn't obvious to the outside world, but it was certainly a startling sight to the those used to the serenity of Temple life. Should things go wrong, they wouldn't be able to hold out for long against the might of the Grand Army, but they should be able to hold out for long enough.

Master Windu closed his eyes and centered himself for whatever might lay ahead.

Luke's mind was blank, his eyes distant as he landed at the Senate building. He moved reflexively and did everything he could not to remember. If he remembered...if he remembered Mara's sad eyes and bloody wound, he would be of no help to Anakin or Padmé. His wife was gravely wounded, and it was his experience in the battlefield as well as the Force that told him she was not meant to survive for much longer.

Not too far from him, he could feel the growing disturbance caused by his father's growing emotional distress. Grim-faced, Luke noted the presence of his mother, possibly unconscious, and several other nearby presences that he couldn't identify. One of them, well cloaked, would be Palpatine. He remembered that presence from so many decades earlier. It was muted, as if hiding, but he knew what to look for, and he could feel what foulness lay within the innocent facade.

There was much yet to be accomplished, but he and Mara would accomplish what they had set out to do. There would be a legacy of life left in their wake, not one of failure. Luke pulled his lightsaber from his belt and carried it, unignited, in his hand.

Outside of the Chancellor's office, several Senate guards turned to challenge him. With a wave of his hand, he threw them out a nearby window. He took no pleasure in it, he had faced the Dark side before and had no fear of facing it again. But with little to lose, there was certainly no reason to pull his punches and he'd rather not leave potential enemies alive behind him.

Luke slowly entered the office and observed the scene before him.

Mara dictated to Ahsoka while Ventress watched with wide eyes. Mara was clearly dying and her voice growing steadily weaker. Ventress was doing what she could for the redhead, but little could stop what fate now had in store for her. Her eyes had widened at the information Mara was giving Ahsoka, information about the future. First, Mara had said, that not everything she said might be true because she and Luke's presence had already and would continue to change the course of events. But one thing, she said, that would not change was the coming onslaught from an invasion of an entire extragalactic species.

Ventress couldn't believe some of what she was hearing, wouldn't have, in fact, if the speaker wasn't saying these things as the last act of her life. The Force seemed to be holding its breath as Mara spoke as if it waited for the story to be told before it would take Mara. Names and places and events, so many details that it would have been impossible to make up all at once.

If she and Ahsoka gave this information to the Jedi Council, no doubt that millions, perhaps billions, would survive where they had not once before. Perhaps in this act, she would be able to forgive herself for some of the many terrible things she had done while she had served the Dark.

So Asajj Ventress listened, listened and swore to herself that this woman's efforts would not be in vain. She had barely known Mara, but she had known enough to sense a kindred spirit. Mara had found redemption after a life serving the Dark, redemption and love. So, Asajj thought, perhaps I could as well.

Ahsoka tapped furiously at the datapad and Asajj listened so that this flame-haired woman would see her duty fulfilled.

"What will it be, young Skywalker?" the smooth voice of Darth Sidious echoed in Anakin's ears.

His name was well chosen, Anakin thought somewhat dumbly, insidious indeed. "I will not turn, Palpatine," he said resolutely.

"Will you allow your wife to die then? And what of your child? If you refuse me again, are you willing to risk my disappointment?"

Sweat beaded on Anakin's forehead. What do I do? His mind raced, searching for a way out of this nightmare. He would not allow his wife to die because of his refusal, but he saw the trap clearly now. And the fact that Padmé is here means Luke and Mara were attacked...where are they?

"Ani?" came a soft voice.

Anakin closed his eyes.

"Ah, look who decided to join us?" the Sith crooned.

Anakin opened his eyes to see his wife slowly stirring. Her eyes were open, but she was clearly disoriented.

"I want my answer, Anakin, are you ready to become my apprentice?"

Anakin opened his mouth to answer but nothing came out. He knew that Palpatine would only go to this much effort for him because of his strength in the Force, that and Palpatine would enjoy the perversity of turning the prophesied savior of the Jedi into the tool of their destruction. But if he acted to save his wife, he would end up losing her in the act. And what of his children?

He opened his mouth to say no. To say what he knew Padmé would want him to say. Again, nothing came out.

Palpatine sighed like a father disappointed in a misbehaving child. "Boba."

Boba Fett nodded and turned towards Padmé whose eyes had grown large as awareness had settled upon her.

Anakin was frozen. What do I do? What do I do?!

A green lightsaber burst through the Mandalorian armor, revealing a pale Luke Skywalker behind him. Anakin thought he heard Luke murmur 'Han would be thrilled' before he turned to the Chancellor.

Luke took hold of Padmé and placed himself in front of her. Luke looked at Anakin and said, "I've got her, Anakin. He's all yours."

Sheev Palpatine palmed a lightsaber, a red blade instantly casting it's crimson light on the room. His mouth was a snarl and his face was all rage and hate. Raising his other hand, Force lightning shot out towards Padmé, towards Luke.

Luke wasn't the young man who had thought himself able to challenge the Emperor from so many years ago. He had learned so much, experienced so much. In becoming a teacher of the new Jedi Order, he had become a far better student of the Force. Corran Horn's ability to absorb energy, for example, had allowed him the opportunity to study the skill. While not as proficient as the Coreillian, his strength in the Force meant he was more than merely competent. His own unoccupied hand raised, catching the lightning that struck him. Luke gritted his teeth but let the Force flow through him. The lightning gathered into his palm became a luminous ball of energy. Realizing his attack had failed, Palpatine finally stopped. Luke turned the ball in his hands and directed it inwards, absorbing the energy.

"You have dwelt in the shadows for far too long, Palpatine," Luke said. "I fear you have forgotten exactly how bright the Light can be."

"And you, little Jedi, have forgotten how light will always cast shadows." Palpatine pulled a comlink from his robe. Things seemed to slow down, time coming to a crawl. Anakin could feel what was coming. He leaped towards Palpatine but everything seemed to be moving so slow. Anakin could see Palpatine's mouth forming the words 'Execute Order 66' but he couldn't hear anything but static. Time had stilled as the universe shifted. And then time righted itself once again.

Anakin forgot Luke, forgot Padmé, forgot everything but Palpatine. Anakin charged him, swinging his lightsaber with precision and with none of his normal swagger. He had grown up since he had fought Dooku; no more witty repertoire, no more unnecessary flashy acrobatics.

"Give up, Anakin. It won't be long now till the Jedi are no more. Do not waste your talent by joining them in death!"

Anakin ducked a slash and caught a burst of Force lightning with his blade. He parried an overhead swing and brought his saber against Palpatine's with a loud buzz. He shoved Palpatine away from him with the Force and prepared to engage him again. "Never. You've failed, Darth Sidious. I am a Jedi, like my son after me." With a nod towards Luke, he advanced towards Palpatine.

Palpatine's face scrunched in confusion before realization crossed his face. His eyes were a sickly yellow and nothing remained of the genteel friend Anakin had believed him to be. "So be it, Jedi," he snarled.

#

"You feel it, Masters?" Keto asked.

Master Yoda nodded and Mace Windu said, "Yes."

"What is it?" the young Knight asked.

"Chosen, Skywalker has," Yoda said with a smile.

"Yes, and chosen rightly. Let's go, Keto, Chosen One or not, he could use backup."

And then pain hit the three Jedi. They knew exactly what had happened, what would continue to happen until Sidious was stopped. But concentrating was hard, feeling lights around the galaxy fade as the forces of the Galactic Republic turned on their commanders. Dozens of Jedi were already dead, and more continued to die at an alarming rate.

"Hurry, we must."

#

Luke saw his father duel Darth Sidious and felt pride in the man. He wished dearly that Leia could have seen him now, could have known him. But she will, he thought fiercely, she will know him and love him as our father. He knew that after Order 66 was issued that things would change. Jedi were dying, he could feel it, probably dying in such numbers that hadn't been since the last Sith War. Something in the Force told him that it was necessary. A tragedy, but one needed to spur the Jedi Order, to spur the Republic; a harsh kick in the pants to get things back on track. People often forgot that the Force wasn't a benevolent deity, that it wasn't a cosmic Force for good. It was a fact, a sad fact, but a fact nonetheless that sometimes things had to be burned to the ground in order for something greater to grow in its stead.

He knew now how this was to end. How it would end for Mara, for himself, and for the galaxy. He knew that his appearance in this time period had been more than enough to set things right, to set his father straight. The Force had shown him this while he protected his mother, and knew that his life and all of its trials and tribulations had been one well lived. Perhaps he and Mara would reunite in the Force, perhaps his younger self would meet the redhead in his own way on this plane, but he knew that one day he would be with Mara again.

Standing there, even as he felt Jedi slowly dying across the galaxy, he felt the light of the one he loved most finally fade. He took a deep breath and watched his father battle the most evil creature he'd ever encountered. He watched his father, a Jedi, stay true to himself. And despite everything, he smiled.

"Luke," came a harsh whisper from behind him. Looking behind him, he saw Padmé watching Anakin with wide eyes before she turned towards him again. "My water just broke."

Luke's smile disappeared. "Shit."

There was a crash from the window and he saw two robed figures ignite lightsabers. No, not two, three figures. Luke saw his former Master ignite a shoto. For the first time in his life, he saw Yoda fight. Anakin worked will with Yoda alternating slash and jab while protecting each other's back. Hearing the multitude steps coming from down the corridor, Luke half-escorted, half-carried Padmé towards a relatively safe corner of the room, while Master Windu and a female Jedi he wasn't familiar with begin to deflect blaster bolts. Having only to guard a fairly small doorway, Luke figured they could probably hold it forever.

Meanwhile, Luke saw Yoda shout a battlecry before engaging in a furious aerial spin complete with slashing lightsaber. But Darth Sidious was a Dark Lord of the Sith and was able to distract Yoda with a flying piece of furniture and simultaneously blocking a thrust of Anakin's lightsaber and blasting Force lightning at the tiny Grand Master. Yoda went flying across the room where he struct the wall. He was stunned, not dead, Luke realized after a moment. He now saw Anakin battling Sidious one on one, struggling as Sidioius cackled at the results of his handiwork.

#

Shavit, Anakin cursed. Dooku was a skilled duelist and quite strong in the Force. But Sidious... he should have realized that with Dooku as the apprentice, the master would have been far more dangerous. But nothing, nothing, could have prepared him for the power-drunk Sith in front of him. He could still feel Jedi dying and knew that every moment was crucial for the survival of the Order. The senate had to regain control soon or no matter how prepared the Jedi had been, even more would die.

A blast of Force lightning caught him by surprise and he struggled to keep himself upright. He barely evaded a powerful slash that would have taken a leg. He danced back before lunging forward again.

The old man twirled quickly and used the Force to yank Anakin towards him. If his move had been completed, he would have impaled the Jedi with his lightsaber, but it wasn't.

A body hurled itself and knocked him out of the way.

Luke.

Anakin could only watch as the red blade sank into his child's back until the blade emerged from his front.

"No!" shouted Anakin, the cry making the Sith smile malevolently.

"Anakin! Now!"

Yoda's cry snapped him from his despair as he saw the Jedi Master hurl himself towards the Sith. Luke collapsed as the Sith had to withdraw hurriedly to defend himself against the small sabermaster.

Anakin ran towards the fight and worked in tandem with Yoda. Again, Palpatine was able to defend himself against the two. However, while Anakin might have called himself a slow learner in the past, he had been anything but when he saw Luke absorb Palpatine's Force lightning. When Palpatine tried to catch him by surprise with another blast of blue lightning, he able to catch it. This time he caught it and instead of absorbing it as Luke had, allowed it to flow back towards the Sith. Instead of the dark blue of Palpatine's lightning, it was instead a brilliant emerald flash of energy. It caught Palpatine by surprise and slammed him into the wall. A second later, even as Palpatine struggled to his feet, Anakin's thrown blade caught him in the chest.

Windu, feeling the Dark side recede from his senses, turned to see Palpatine's body nearly explode in a maelstrom of Dark side energy. Knowing the Sith was doomed, he indicated for Keto to cover his absence and pulled his comlink out of his utility belt.

"Senator Organa, the Chancellor is dead, but Order 66 was issued."

"The special session has already started, Master Windu. I'm sorry we can't move faster, but a temporary Chancellor should be elected within the next couple of hours."

"We understand, Senator. Do everything you can." Mace ended the call and tapped another contact.

"Master Drallig? Anything to report?"

There was the faint sounds of a firefight in the background along with the humming of lightsabers. "The Temple is under attack, Master Windu. So far nothing we can't handle, but we are suffering causalities."

"Things will settle soon enough, just hold on."

The call ended and he breathed deeply before he began guarding the doorway with young Keto once again.

#

"Luke?"

Anakin watched his boy's eyes struggle to focus on him.

"Got him?" Luke asked weakly.

"Got him," Anakin affirmed with a forced smile, "Thanks to you."

"Your wife's in labor," Luke said dryly.

"Stang!" Anakin cursed, looking frantically around before he saw his wife in the care of Master Yoda. There were tears in her eyes as she watched Luke. "Stay with him, Ani, he needs you more than I do right now."

Anakin nodded before looking at his son. "Thank you, Luke."

"You sacrificed your life for me, Father. It was the least I could do to return the favor," Luke said, breathing harshly. "I forgot how much lightsabers hurt so kriffing much."

Anakin smiled a bit before sobering, "You're not sacrificing your life for me, Luke, you're going to be just fine."

Luke smiled indulgently, a look that Anakin did not like on his much too pale face. "Mara's already dead, Anakin. I'll be with her again, one way or another."

Luke closed his eyes and his breathing began to slow.

"Luke!" Anakin shouted, shaking his shoulders. "Come on Luke, I need you here!"

"No you don't, Father," Luke said softly. "You have Padmé, you have Master Yoda, you have Obi-Wan...and soon enough Father, you'll have Leia and I again."

Luke fell silent and Anakin watched his son's body relax as his breathing stilled, then watched awestruck as his body began to fade away until the clothes that he had been wearing fell limply to the ground.

Anakin heard Padmé cry softly and got up to join her. She grunted when a contraction hit her and he put his hand in hers for her to squeeze.

"One with the Force, Luke Skywalker is," Master Yoda said sadly.

Anakin nodded and was startled when a small green finger wiped his cheek of tears, "But not for long, let go, young Skywalker."

Anakin didn't scoff, didn't argue or ignore Master Yoda as he had done in the past, instead he let go and kissed his wife on the forehead. Yes, I'll see you again, Luke Skywalker. You and your sister.

Chapter Text

(Kar Vastor): "But I say to you: you are greater than the Jedi of former days."
(Luke) : "What makes you say that?"
(Kar Vastor): "Because unlike the Knights of old, Jedi Luke Skywalker…you are not afraid of the dark."

(Luke) : "Is there something you want to tell me?"
(Mara): "If I wanted to tell you, I would, wouldn't I?"
(Luke) : "Not if you thought it might upset me."
(Mara) : "You've got me. I hate that shirt. In fact, I think you're a crummy dresser, period."
(Luke): "You bought me this shirt."

"Now go, and stop worrying, or I swear I'll come back as a Force ghost and bug you while you're on a date."
- Luke Skywalker

#

Obi-Wan grimaced as he walked into the Jedi Temple. There were blaster marks and debris littering the ground and red stains where clones or the defenders had fallen.

"It is good to see you, Obi-Wan."

Obi-Wan paused and waited for Mace Windu to join him. "Yes, Cody was more than happy to pick me up after blasting me off a mountain and into a lake."

The dark-skinned Jedi Master shared his expression. "We're still getting reports from Jedi across the galaxy. It's bad, but it could have been much, much worse. We've received confirmation of the deaths of over 1,500 Jedi and we expect more, but the Temple is intact and the evacuated were undiscovered and should be returning soon. With Jedi who survived calling in, we know the Jedi Order numbers at least 5,500. We'll have a better grasp of the situation soon."

"And it could have been worse," Obi-Wan said, sorrow etched onto his face.

"It could have, Obi-Wan, it could have been much worse," Mace agreed solemnly. "Organa was voted as temporary Chancellor, with reelections to take place in 30 days. It was he who issued the cancellation order to the Clones and he moment he did, the killing stopped." Mace shook his head, "Shaak Ti told us about a clone who may have found out about an implant that made fulfilling the order a compulsion and its relation to the clone known as Tup and the murder of Master Tiplar. There were so many things, so many clues, Obi-Wan, that we're only discovering now that might have led us to the truth."

"Palpatine," Obi-Wan said with disgust, "was as cunning as he was evil. This was a plan that took decades to plan and execute. I'm assuming the Sith is dead then?"

"By Skywalker's hand," Mace affirmed but then caught himself, "By Anakin Skywalker. Unfortunately, Mara was killed in an attack used as a distraction in order to kidnap Senator Amidala. Luke was killed a short time later by Palpatine, after he saved Anakin's life."

Obi-Wan's heart felt heavy. Though he hadn't known the older two Skywalkers for long, he knew enough about them to know that the galaxy would be a darker place without their light.

"You might also be interested to know that one of the attackers at Senator Amidala's residence was Darth Maul. He is, finally, quite dead this time."

Obi-Wan felt a great deal of relief at that, though the Sith's demise wouldn't bring back Satine or his numerous other victims, it was a comfort to know that the Zabrak was truly dead. "And what of Anakin?"

"He's currently in the medbay now," Mace replied.

"The medbay?" Obi-Wan exclaimed with some alarm.

"Go see to your apprentice, Obi-Wan, he needs you." Master Windu's tone was grave and his words as solemn as they ever were, but there was a light in his eyes that Obi-Wan wasn't sure how to interpret.

Alarmed at Anakin's possible status, Obi-Wan didn't ask anything more and began walking at a brisk pace to the healer's wing.

#

Obi-Wan half walked, half limped down the hallway. Commander Cody might have been happy enough to give him a lift, but Obi-Wan wished he hadn't had to take that dive off a cliff in order to get it. But at least I lived, Obi-Wan thought, there are over a thousand, possibly thousands, of Jedi that weren't so lucky. Unfortunately, in his haste and dark thoughts, Obi-Wan nearly ran into Vokara Che.

"Master Obi-Wan!" the Twi'lek exclaimed.

Obi-Wan winced and knew he had to cut off the impending scolding quickly. "I apologize, Master Che. I know you must have a great many patients to see to, but if you could direct me towards Anakin, I'd greatly appreciate it."

"He's at the end of the hall on the right," she said flatly.

Obi-Wan knew that he had been quite correct, the medbay was filled to capacity with injured. Jedi, clones, and the various volunteers who had helped defend the Temple had filled the ward nearly to bursting with blaster, shrapnel, and lightsaber wounds. He resumed his journey though he would occasionally nod or wave to familiar faces, sometimes offering some comfort before making his way towards Anakin once again. Stopping outside of the door the Chief Healer had designated, he braced himself before quietly opening the door.

To Obi-Wan's surprise, Anakin wasn't the person in the bed. No, instead it was a sleeping Padmé who was attached to various pieces of equipment and looking utterly exhausted.

"Shh."

The whispered command grabbed his attention and he looked over to see Anakin sitting with a package on his lap. Next to him, Ahsoka had a similarly wrapped package and appeared to be whispering to it.

No, not packages, he thought, trying to understand what he was seeing.

One of the packages, something covered in a blanket, made a sound.

The other bundle moved slightly.

Obi-Wan saw Anakin smiling the widest smile Obi-Wan had ever seen him wear. "Come here, Obi-Wan, and meet Luke and Leia Skywalker."

Obi-Wan breathed out and couldn't help his own smile when he walked over to greet Anakin's offspring. Reaching out into the Force, Obi-Wan could feel the blinding light that the two children emitted. "Oh my," he said with a soft smile, "I think that these two will be quite something."

"This is your Uncle Obi-Wan, Leia, he's going to be the other voice of reason in your life besides your mother," Ahsoka whispered to the infant wrapped snugly in blankets.

Obi-Wan smiled and Anakin scowled at Ahsoka, but there was merriment in his eyes.

Peeking at Luke on Anakin's lap, there was no doubt in Obi-Wan's mind that, whatever the Code might say about Anakin's relationship with Padmé, this child would help usher something great into the galaxy. Obi-Wan reached out with his hand and laughed softly when Luke tried to grab hold of his finger.

"You and Padmé do fine work, Anakin, they are beautiful. Hopefully they won't make 'Uncle Obi-Wan's' life as chaotic as you did."

"They will Obi-Wan," Anakin said with a smirk, "They most certainly will. Given how Luke turned out the first time, I expect you to be his Master once again when the time comes." Anakin still felt a pang of loss remembering Luke, the one who had saved his body and soul, but he was able to genuinely smile now.

Obi-Wan groaned and muttered something about 'insane Skywalkers' before he sat beside Ahsoka to look over Leia, who appeared to be dozing. He looked around briefly and raised an eyebrow at Ahsoka. At his unspoken question, Ahsoka whispered, "Asajj had to get some air...too many death glares from the Jedi around here. She'll be back."

Obi-Wan just nodded and watched on as Ahsoka stroked Leia's forehead.

"Anakin Skywalker, we have called you here for several reasons today. In the past weeks, much has come to our attention about you, about your past and about what you almost did," Master Windu said.

Several weeks ago, Anakin would have chafed and would have begun shoring up his mental defenses with another 'battle' with the Council. Now, he listened. The open seats in the Council chambers were a stark reminder of what had transpired. Plo Koon, Ki-Adi-Mundi, Stass Allie, and Agen Kolar had all died as a result of Order 66. Aayla Secura had only survived thanks to the timely intervention of nearby non-clone troopers, like many other surviving Jedi. But that was just the tip of the iceberg that was the chaos inflicted by Palpatine and Order 66.

It was thanks to Bail Organa and the members that made up the Delegation of 2000 that political stability had been maintained, though the apprehension of Separatist leaders on Mustafar had certainly helped. The movement of the Separatists had been uncovered by Republic Intelligence units, who had dutifully notified Chancellor Organa. It was a mess, but with the Clone War effectively over, most of what remained was cleanup and reorganization.

And my future, in particular, is next on the agenda, I'd wager, Anakin thought.

"How feel you?" Yoda asked.

The question surprised Anakin and reminded him of a time when that question had been asked of him so many years ago. Then, he had been uncertain of his future, afraid of these strange beings who were to decide his future, sorrow for his absent mother, and he was able to admit now, just plain afraid. Now... "I feel exhausted."

"Your newborns are tiring you?" Master Secura said with a slight smile.

"Exhausted but happy," Anakin amended.

"Came to us many years ago, you did. Full of fear, you were," Yoda said. "But no fear do I feel now."

Anakin merely nodded and waited. When no one said anything he decided to venture a question or two of his own. "Am I to remain a Jedi? And do you have any expectations for my children?"

"What do you wish, Skywalker? For yourself and for your children." Master Windu asked.

Anakin was a little thrown by the question and took his time answering. Mace Windu's question was delivered in his usual stern manner, but Anakin had gotten to know the man better in recent days. Being a part of the group taking down the strongest Sith Lord is recent history had had something of a bonding effect between the men. Windu certainly didn't approve of Anakin's relationship with Padmé, but he wasn't as passive aggressive as he used to be; he had even gone so far as to offer the possibility of lessons in Vaapad. That it was only a possibility was not lost on Anakin. Master Windu still wasn't happy with Anakin for a great many reasons, but their relationship was no longer quite so sour.

"I would like to remain a Jedi, but I would prefer to remain closer to Coruscant...or wherever my family is. I have no aspirations to the Council, given my other commitments. I would like my children to become Jedi, but I would prefer they be able to choose that path for themselves and I would support them no matter where their interests lay. From what I understand, my daughter has as much potential to be a great leader in the political arena as she does as a Jedi."

After a moment of a rather prolonged and loud silence, Yoda spoke. "Removed from the Council, you will be."

"But you will retain the rank of Master," Master Windu said with a barely perceptible smile.

"It wouldn't do to reward the sacrifice of Luke and Mara just to expel you from the Jedi or demand punishment. The truth is that their arrival seems to have changed everything for you and you've since grown more mature, more settled," Obi-Wan said. "You will have time to be with your family before any assignments are given to you, and your desire to remain near your family will be kept in mind."

"But understand this, Anakin. You being allowed to retain your relationship with Senator Amidala is an exception to the rule, not the rule itself. Some of the information given to us by Luke indicates that in his Order, attachments were not forbidden, and he seemed to have built an impressive organization from scratch. It is possible that this rule may be relaxed in the future or that additional exceptions may be made, but relationships such as yours are still considered forbidden."

Anakin replied slowly, testing his own words and feelings, "I understand. Attachments...are complicated. I don't think they can be classified as good or bad for they can be a foundation of strength as much as a point of crippling weakness. I nearly fell to the Dark side because of my attachment to Padmé, but it was my son's love who saved me from myself. Luke told me that he himself had fallen to the Dark side once, and that the love for his twin sister, Leia, is what brought him back. Attachments, love of someone or something, do pose danger to the Jedi, I don't doubt this or dispute this anymore, but they can also be a source of salvation."

Kit Fisto spoke quietly, "Asajj Ventress walks the halls of the Jedi Temple and works with your former Apprentice. They are friends, and their friendship has helped sustain Ventress."

Various members of the Council nodded or tilted their heads in consideration.

"Another exception would have been made for Knight Tur-Mukan who we've recently learned married one of the clone commandos she served with. She recently gave birth as well. She decided to resign from the Order and plans to reside on Mandalore," Obi-Wan said thoughtfully, "It appears you weren't the only one who found satisfaction in caring for another."

Anakin smiled slightly; he knew of the Knight in question and wished her well, then thought of something Luke had said. "Nejaa Halcyon was also married. I had confided in him when I found out...Luke told me that he had a child and that Nejaa's grandchild became one of the greatest Jedi Masters in his time. One of the greatest pilots, too. It would be worth checking on them."

Aayla Secura shook her head. "And there will be others, I have no doubt. In troubled times, seeking comfort is natural, even for Jedi. We should have expected this."

Kit Fisto nodded, "But what does it mean to the Order?"

"Discuss this again, we will," Yoda said resolutely, "Unwise to make a decision now, I think. If review the Code we do, in a time of less chaos it should be, lest we make a decision in haste. Allow the Republic to settle, we should."

"I think it's important that we do discuss it, in the future," Anakin agreed. "If I had turned to the Dark side, if things had turned out differently, perhaps the Jedi Order's destruction was me balancing the Force. We all regret the loss of so many Jedi, but it has had the effect of...waking us up to our future, to new possibilities, to new dangers. I think we had to suffer greatly, in order for us to understand and grow. I believe the Jedi have to fundamentally change as well in order to keep that balance. Whether it is a balance of the Force, or the balance that we maintain within ourselves."

Mace Windu's eyebrows had risen by the time Anakin finished. "Surprisingly insightful."

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Since the other possibility for my future was revealed, I doubt I am the first once to consider that. Luke's Order proves that it is possible for the Jedi to function differently. He told me that more than a few of his students turned to the Dark side, but that stopped as he learned from his mistakes, those mistakes usually stemming from a lack of knowledge of the past."

Obi-Wan nodded. "You are correct, Anakin. But there is a great deal of work to do, and we will discuss it again. The Jedi Order and the Code was not built in a day, nor will it change in one, but the things you've said and the things we've learned will stay in our thoughts. In the meantime, you might consider studying the information given to us by Luke and Mara. It was an unanticipated side effect of the Clone War and the many conflicts that followed the destruction of the Republic that the galaxy had become very militarized in Luke's time. That militarization was crucial to the eventual victory against the Yuuzhan Vong, but even that took years and billions of lives. From what we've analyzed already, from their information as well as recovered data from their ship, the military vessels of the future make ours look almost pathetic. Your knowledge and insight would be helpful there, as it will be Jedi who are to spearhead much of the preparations."

At Anakin's raised eyebrow, Obi-Wan scowled. "Would you like to address the citizens of the galaxy and explain the need for funding for massive warships of incredible dimensions and capabilities because of a threat that the galaxy will face in half a century? And that you know of this because of your time traveling son? We will receive help from the Republic as they will be doing quiet legwork to prepare, and the help will increase as the time of their arrival grows near, but we have to be ready."

After a moment, Master Yoda said, "Nothing more to be said, there is. Dismissed, this Council is."

Anakin took the time to speak to several wounded acquaintances before he began the journey home. Home...to Padmé and his children. The thought, as it had been doing for the last two weeks, made him grin. His children were loud, messy, frequently made bad smells, cried frequently, and they were completely and utterly perfect. For the moment, he and both children had been stashed together with Padmé in a temporary apartment, but that was likely to last only until they made their move to Naboo. The idea of getting parental support had become increasingly appealing to the new parents. Padmé had been granted a leave of absence and planned to make the most of it, taking care of her new children and also deciding whether she wished to remain in politics.

When Anakin walked into their temporary home, he found an exasperated Padmé setting on a couch while she held a wailing Luke. At his questioning look, she pointed to the fresher. "Dormé was happy enough to assist in bathing Leia."

Anakin gave a half-smile and kissed his wife's forehead before settling down next to her. It had become immediately apparent to Anakin and Padmé that Luke and Leia possessed a unique bond. This unique bond had the unfortunate side effect of setting them off in crying fits whenever one disappeared from view of the other. Padmé had been happy enough to blame him for that particular aspect of the blessing that was their children.

"How'd it go?" Padmé asked, rocking Luke in an attempt to comfort him.

"I am no longer on the Council, but you may still call me Master Skywalker." At her concerned look, Anakin continued, "I'm fine. Being on the Council was always something I dreamed of...but my family is more important, and I couldn't do both. I asked for more localized duties when I feel myself ready to accept future assignments."

Padmé smiled and leaned into him. "Then I'm happy for you. We're just about ready to leave. I need to take care of a few things with Mon and Bail, but I should be able to leave by tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing my family again, though they are going to give us hell for keeping all of this a secret. You better watch out for my father. And my sister is going to be insufferable. You know she thought there was something between us years ago when I first introduced you to my family as my protector? Sola is going to be insufferable."

Anakin grimaced at the thought of disgruntled in-laws but smiled when Dormé came back holding a squirming but clean Leia. Anakin took the child and thanked Dormé, who just smiled and quietly exited the room. Taking his daughter into his arms, he kissed her forehead and just gazed at her in wonderment with a soft smile. Anakin noticed when, almost immediately, Luke quieted and reached a chubby fist out towards his sister and Anakin's smile became a grin when an answering fist made contact with his son's. I was speaking the truth to Padmé when I first found out about them, they are a blessing!

Now en route to Naboo and both his wife and the twins sleeping...finally, he retrieved a datapad from the satchel he carried. On it was a copy of the information Luke and Mara had put into a holocron, which was now safely ensconced within the Temple, but also personal notes for him. Luke had already written his before Padmé's kidnapping and Mara had apparently written hers while she lay dying.

It was Ahsoka who had told him of its existence and her role in transcribing what Mara had said. Neither his former apprentice nor Ventress would tell him anything about it, merely that they were there and that he should read them. Anakin searched the datapad, ignoring all the information until he found the files he was interested in. Reclining in his chair, he began to read the letter that Luke had written him.

Chapter Text

(Qui-Gon): "Anakin's victory gave us the parts we needed, but one of us gave him something, too...a reason to win."
(Padmé): "One of us? What do you mean?"
(Qui-Gon): "I advise you to consult a mirror, Padmé."

"But you know what I always say: Speak softly and drive a big tank."
- Hondo Ohnaka

"All is as the Force wills it."
- Chirrut Imwe

###

Luke's Letter

Father,

Perhaps it is odd for a man twice your age to call you 'Father' but it is who you are, and who you will be once again. Though there has been no violence yet, I feel certain that neither Mara nor I will survive the events to come. We have not spoken about it, but I feel it's mutually understood. But that's okay; if Mara and I have succeeded in just a portion of what we set out to accomplish, then my time here will have been time well spent. Before I arrived here, I was close to death and I believe that my arrival here only held it at bay until certain things were set right. The Yuuzhan Vong are an enemy that the Jedi cannot truly comprehend yet and more dangerous than you can possibly imagine. The information Mara and I will provide will be helpful, and the sensor and computer data that I am sure will be recovered from the Falcon will give you a good technical readout on both our ships as well as the Yuuzhan Vong's.

I have faith in you, faith that you will not turn to the Dark side and that you will live the life you should have had in my time. Perhaps the Force was planning on balancing itself by your turning to the Dark side, but the Force didn't anticipate the Yuuzhan Vong, a species entirely devoid of the Force. It is a central reason the Jedi were so caught off guard in my time; hopefully this simple revelation will spare you at least that initial confusion.

Please tell Mother that I love her and that I greatly look forward to getting to know her. I believe you will be a wonderful father to Leia and I. Leia is a gift and in my time, a Princess of Alderaan; somehow I feel certain that even if it is you and not Bail Organa who raise her, she will still be a little princess, just perhaps not in an official capacity. She is a blessing, but be careful, I suspect she will be capable of wrapping you around her little finger with ease and subtlety. She is her mother's daughter, after all. Know this, Anakin, your princess needs a scoundrel and when my sister does find her scoundrel, please do not freeze him in carbonite, no matter how irritating he is. Yes, that actually happened. Even with the terrible things you did in my time, I thought you should know that Leia eventually made peace with your memory and ended up naming her third child 'Anakin.' He was a gift and a prodigy and died far too early in his life, sacrificing himself on a mission that saved many Jedi.

I believe I will be with Mara again, one way or another, and I look forward to an exciting courtship. Hopefully this time it will begin without a blaster to my head, but it is Mara so it remains a distinct possibility. We always wanted a child, but were unwilling to make the commitment while the galaxy fell apart around us. We had always wanted to have a boy, whom we would have named Ben, for Obi-Wan. Perhaps naming him after Obi-Wan won't be for the same reasons to your Luke, but in the event that my hopes are realized, please suggest that name. I know Mara intends to write a letter of her own and I expect her to be more pragmatic about its contents. No doubt she will assume that my letter to you is more sentimental in nature; we've always balanced one another like that.

I never got much of a chance to love you in the future, but I look forward to having a true father. I expect, I'm sure to Mother's dismay, that we will be quite the competitive swoop racers; I look forward to beating you, though it may take a few years. You should call on Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen, they are good people who gave me a good childhood.

Always remember those in your life that anchor you and you will never fall so far deeply that you cannot be pulled back into the Light. Stay true to yourself, Anakin, and remember who you are.

Your son,
Luke

###

Anakin released a long breath. He stared at nothing and just thought about...everything. About Palpatine, about Luke, Mara, Leia, and the Yuuzhan Vong. So much remained unknown and so much had to be done to prepare. The Yuuzhan Vong; it was in everything Luke and Mara had written and everything they had said. They had practically jumped at the chance to fight a Sith Lord rather than return to a more conventional enemy. Then again, Anakin thought sourly, the Yuuzhan Vong are apparently anything but conventional. Anakin put the letter down briefly to look over his family. Padmé was beside him, curled up against him, her head leaning against his shoulder. Anakin found this position quite agreeable and just spent a moment looking at her, his Angel.

A movement on the other side of their small cabin revealed the two occupied baskets that held the two most precious gifts he'd ever received. Careful not to jostle Padmé, he used the Force to bring Leia to him. Obi-Wan might have disapproved of his display, but Obi-Wan had never had an exhausted wife and cranky children either. He looked at his child. A gift, Luke had called her. Gift, thought Anakin, is a perfect word to describe her. "My little princess," he whispered to her, stroking her forehead lightly enough to avoid waking the dozing child. Carbonite seemed excessive to him, perhaps a simple Force suggestion would be enough, he mused, but perhaps it is too early to think of scoundrel deterrents just yet.

Seeing Luke begin to squirm, Anakin hurriedly put Leia back next to her brother. Luke quieted and went back to sleep, making Anakin smile. By the time the Vong came around, it was a distinct possibility that he wouldn't be around or that he would be unable to fight, but he would do whatever was necessary to make sure his children were ready. Or at the very least, that his children's children, like Leia's Anakin, might be spared their fate. Now that his mind was fixed on the future and on the Yuuzhan Vong, he thought it appropriate to begin reading Mara's letter.

###

Mara's Letter

Anakin,

I've attached several files to this document for you to look over. They include people, places, dates, and events that are worth noting as things to look for or watch out for. They include possible assets, future enemies, all those things that I'm sure Luke neglected to include given his predilection for sentimentality. I was closer to the Emperor than a great many people and though I was certainly not his confidant, as his Hand I was in a position to receive quite a bit of highly classified information, some of which is pertinent to you even after his death.

There were people who knew Palpatine's identity as a Sith Lord, who collaborated with him. Mas Amedda and Sate Pestage, for example, and a whole host of others; part of that will be included in the attached files. I'll give you some of the more important details here for you to look over later.

You should go the planet Byss in the deep core immediately. It's possible there is little cause for concern, but you must check it out immediately. It became a bastion of evil in our time; the Dark side had even corrupted the planet itself, feeding on the life force of others. Palpatine kept some Padawans and AgriCorps workers there, whom he turned to the Dark side and set loose as Jedi Hunters and Inquisitors. He also had a stash of clones there, younger bodies of himself that he could possess and become reborn. Again, I am not entirely sure whether those events of my time are cause for concern in yours, but you should check as soon as possible.

#

Anakin frowned. Well that doesn't sound good, he thought. It was not a pleasant thought that Palpatine might actually have the power to reanimate himself. Before he continued, he took her advice to heart and read some of the details in the files she left. He then copied Mara's information and advice and sent it to Master Windu. He would likely be the one most suited to uncovering the truth of Byss and Anakin prayed that Mara's fears were unjustified, but they would find out. He read on:

#

Another cause for concern resides on Yavin IV; there exist temples constructed by the Massassi in dedication to their master, Dark Lord of the Sith Exar Kun. Though the Sith was destroyed thousands of years ago, his spirit is intact on the planet and was able to possess one of Luke's students and turn him to the Dark side. Billions died as a result. His temples and his spirit need to be destroyed lest something similar happen to you in the future.

Something else I wanted to mention was the Outbound Flight Project, whose fate, I believe, you remain unaware of. Outbound Flight would have been destroyed by Palpatine, who had secretly assembled a task force to destroy it while it was deep in the Unknown Regions. But it was the Chiss Ascendancy who was ultimately responsible for its fate, who destroyed both Palpatine's forces as well as Outbound Flight. While this isn't especially significant, the person who led the Chiss is. The Chiss officer Mitth'raw'nuruodo, or better known as Thrawn, was arguably the single greatest threat to the New Republic after the Empire's demise. The Empire was an extremely xenophobic regime, so the fact that Thrawn was appointed Grand Admiral is all the more impressive. He was ruthless and utterly brilliant and was without a doubt the single greatest military tactician of our time, bar none. While he was ruthless and cunning, I wouldn't call him evil; he fought for the Empire because he was supporting the Chiss in their opening skirmishes with the Yuuzhan Vong. If you can find this man, and if you can work with him, he will be a tremendous asset. The Chiss Ascendancy is located deep within the unknown regions and is one of the first places that the Yuuzhan Vong will invade.

Yuuzhan Vong agents will begin infiltrating the galaxy within the next 20 years. They are able to disguise themselves through the use of masquers, which like all Vong technology, is a living organism designed to fulfill that task. They will come to learn of the galaxy's weaknesses and to instigate or manipulate events that will fracture the stability of the reigning government. Keep their presence in mind while you decide on how to prepare the galaxy for the Vong's arrival.

Perhaps one of the most disturbing things about the Yuuzhan Vong's civilization is how closely it resembled Palpatine and the Republic. Their leader is lying to them, playing to their fanaticism in order to accomplish his own personal goals. Zonama Sekot's presence in our galaxy is a threat to him as the planet is in fact the 'offspring' of their homeworld. Yeah, it's confusing, but the war ended when the Vong surrendered and exiled themselves to Zonama Sekot.

There are political leaders, pilots, Jedi, and even scientists who will be of vital importance: make sure you pay special attention to my notes regarding Danni Quee and Vergere. The last thing that I was to specifically warn you about are the Voxyn, who were created by the Yuuzhan Vong specifically to kill Jedi; they were extremely effective in that task. The Voxyn however, had a weakness, they were clones of a single Voxyn Queen and with the destruction of the Queen, the rest of the Voxyn soon followed. In our time, the Queen was found on Myrkr and was destroyed by a strike team under the command of one of your grandchildren, who sacrificed his life so that his companions might live.

As a side note: It's interesting to note that some of the most powerful and respected Jedi, like Kyp Durron, Kam Solusar (the son of your Jedi Master Ranik Solusar), and even Luke, were ones that had turned to the Dark side at one point or another. Perhaps that's something that your Council, especially Master Short-and-Green, might meditate upon.

Those are the things I wanted to specifically emphasize. In our time, we did win the war, but so many people and worlds were lost that the victory was almost pyrrhic in nature. The galaxy has to be ready, and as we've said, in some ways Palpatine's Empire did exactly that. Find the balance, Anakin and trust your instincts.

I know that your family's safety has to be one of your top priorities and I happen to know an effective way to ease your worry. The planet Honoghr in the Kessel sector is home to the Noghri people. There was a battle during the Clone War where the planet was rendered virtually uninhabitable. Help them or help them relocate and you will earn their loyalty, something that can rival a Wookiee's Life Debt in its strength. As Vader, they served as your assassins but later would serve as bodyguards for the Skywalker bloodline for decades. Their ferocity and dedication to their charges were second to none. Find them, enlist their aid and there will be little anyone can do to ever harm your family.

[Ahsoka transcribing]

#

Anakin paused. The note in the datapad meant that the rest of the letter would be written by Ahsoka while Mara lay dying next to her. A pang of grief hit him as he remembered the redhead, her sass and dry humor was a good balance to Luke's quiet strength. He would take extra care in his reading of the next words, the final words that Mara Jade Skywalker would speak.

#

I've been sensing something in the Force recently, something that stems from my galaxy's future but will encompass yours. I'm not sure what it means, but I hear the whispers of Father...Son...Daughter...Mortis...Abeloth. Something else will be coming, I don't know when, but I'm afraid that will be your burden, or likely your children's burden, to bear in the distant future.

I despised you as Darth Vader. In a time when my loyalty to the Emperor knew no bounds, I thought you a threat to him and I hated you because he had chosen you as his apprentice and not me. I had quite a lot of...issues when the Emperor died, especially after he left the lovely Force suggestion "KILL LUKE SKYWALKER" in my mind. I am gratified to know that the father Luke loved when he, by all rights should have hated you, existed. It was one thing to read that you were a good man but it's another thing to have known that good man. Stay good, Anakin, because I will come back as a Force ghost and kick your kriffing ass if you ever disappoint my Farmboy. That is, if I'm not there to do in person.

Mara

###

Anakin laid the datapad on his lap and looked at his wife and where his two children lay and sighed. Reading Mara's mention of Mortis, the Father, Son, and Daughter did very little to ease his mind, and figuring out what Abeloth was might be worth consulting the archives. It didn't seem to be an immediate concern, but anything to do with Mortis rang alarm bells in his mind.

Honoghr.

Mara knows me well, he thought wryly. I suppose, when I get the chance, I'll make my way over to find some extremely lethal babysitters. Then Anakin grimaced, I can't imagine Padmé will like that. Now Anakin turned his attention to his other offspring's cradle and brought his son to him.

Luke's eyes were open and he had a finger in his mouth, which he appeared to be mouthing on quite vigorously. Anakin smiled and whispered to his son, "I can't promise that I won't ever disappoint you, Son, but I promise to do my best. Mara will just have to be content with that."

There was a slight movement of the ship that woke Padmé and she looked around confused and obviously still sleepy. "What-Ani?"

"We just left hyperspace, Padmé, we'll be in Theed soon," Anakin answered.

"Oh. You read the letters?"

"Yes, I want to read them again and then you can look it all over. In the meantime, let's go home."

Two Years Later...

Anakin watched as Luke and Leia played with their toys, using the Force to manipulate the objects. They were strong in the Force, so strong that it had astounded just about everyone, much to Anakin's smug satisfaction. Much had changed in the past few years, though things remained somewhat tense in the political arena. The Jedi had begun moving on the information given to them, carefully of course. Most of the information was either irrelevant now or fairly ease to resolve. Though they had found no signs of a cache of Palpatine clones, they had found several Force sensitives on Byss in rough shape and had been working with them to insure that their stay on Byss hadn't harmed them while Mount Tantiss on Wayland turned out to be a false alarm, though they had discovered files that indicated Palpatine's future plans for the place.

Anakin shivered. Palpatine. The specter of the Sith Lord haunted both the Jedi and the Republic. To the Jedi, he was a glaring sign of the Jedi's failures, of what had almost happened. It had been a wake-up call to the Jedi, who had only recently begun reviewing their practices and Code. Change would happen, Anakin knew, but it would be slow. Two years ago, that would have frustrated him but...but he understood better now that rushing such things would only cause division in the Order, something that it couldn't have in the years to come.

Padmé and he had remained on Naboo for about a year and his wife's family had been delighted in spoiling Luke and Leia rotten. Eventually though, both felt the need to return to 'duty.' Padmé was no longer serving as an elected official, but still worked in an official capacity with her former colleagues, especially Bail Organa, whose status as temporary Chancellor had dropped the 'temporary.' Padmé retained a great deal of popularity among the masses and worked with aforementioned colleagues to root out corruption and return peace and stability to the hotspots within the galaxy. Anakin had returned to life as a Jedi, though he resided with his family on Coruscant.

It had been a little odd to see some of the Council members' reactions to his children. Obi-Wan had quickly become 'Uncle Obi' and had gained favored status to the twins and Anakin had been amused at the excuses Obi-Wan would make in order to visit the Skywalker family. Ahsoka didn't even bother coming up with excuses to come over and play with Luke and Leia. Yoda had also been surprisingly popular to his children as well and their affection towards him was returned by Yoda. Anakin knew the Grand Master had always had a soft spot towards the younglings in the creche and he was relieved to know that any misgivings Yoda might have had about him hadn't been extended to either Luke or Leia.

Anakin's relationship with Windu had grown stronger as well, though Anakin doubted they would ever call each other 'friend.' But while they may not be friends, they did respect one another now and it had been a most welcome development. Windu had been, and still was, troubled by Anakin's relationship to Padmé and his fathering of children, but the Korun had been nothing but kind when he had come across Luke. Anakin didn't think Windu would ever truly approve of him having a family, but the dark-skinned man seemed willing to observe for now instead of raising further objections.

And oh had objections been raised. Anakin never thought he would get away with his actions without censure, but he had been a little surprised by the scale of disapproval that more than a few Jedi had expressed. Some of that disapproval had waned when it was discovered that more than a few Jedi had fallen prey to the same desires that he had. It was selfish, but Anakin couldn't help but feel somewhat relieved that the attention was no longer entirely on him. The other Jedi who had either married or fathered children were still consulting the Council about their future. Anakin hoped they would find happiness, all beings deserved it, Jedi or otherwise.

Anakin had remained a Jedi, a Jedi Master, and had been allowed to spend most of his time on Coruscant teaching various classes within the Temple while he remained with his family. He still took the occasional mission off world and thought privately that, in his heart, there was still a nine year-old boy who had looked up at the Tatooine night sky and told a Jedi Master that he wanted to see them all.

The Jedi were quietly watching for some of the people that Mara had said would help them, and watching the others who had made trouble or had been Palpatine's strongest supporters. Evidence of treason had been found against Sate Pestage, Mas Amedda, Republic officers like Wilhuff Tarkin, and Separatist leaders who were aware of the scope of the plot to imprison or quietly remove them from their seats of power. Anakin still shivered at the concept of the Death Star, the plans of which had been found in a hidden data cache, along with a collection of Sith holocrons, on Byss.

Luke and Mara had saved a great many lives with their presence and though cradling his infant son in his arms was one of the most rewarding experiences he'd ever had, he would never forget the Luke who had sacrificed himself to save his soul. Both Luke and Mara had been somewhat vague, deliberately he suspected, on the course of their personal futures. It was Obi-Wan who suggested it was because they wanted events to proceed as the Force willed it and not be forced because of memories of another time. His former Master would always be wiser than he, no matter how much Anakin might think otherwise sometimes. That didn't stop Anakin from watching out for possible scoundrels though, much to Padmé's amusement. She had remarked that if Anakin had his way, Leia would be a child forever and remain permanently in his presence. He hadn't argued, it was true, she was his princess, just as Luke had foreseen.

A beep drew his attention from his children and he fished the communicator out of his robe's pocket.

"Anakin."

Obi-Wan's voice made him smile and the delighted squeals of 'Uncle Obi!' behind him made him grin. Anakin heard Obi-Wan chuckling on his end as well. "What can I do for you, Master?" Anakin knew that, at that very moment, that Obi-Wan was rolling his eyes at Anakin's stubborn refusal to no longer call him that.

"I just had a little piece of news that I think you might be interested in."

"Yes, Obi-Wan?" Anakin coaxed.

"When you arrive at the Temple tomorrow, come find me, there's something I want to talk to you about."

Anakin raised an eyebrow and asked, "Master?"

There was an exasperated sigh. "Anakin..."

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Alright Obi-Wan, I'll be there in the morning."

"See you then."

Anakin sighed and looked at his children, who were now fascinated by a large, rare, and very expensive crystal sculpture that was levitating high above the floor. Sensing his attention, they turned delighted faces at him, leaving the sculpture to crash onto the floor.

"Shavit!" Anakin cursed and threw his hand out and barely caught the piece of art from crashing onto the floor. Using the Force, he carefully put it back down in it's original spot and blew out a breath and smiled weakly at the noise of his very delighted children. They are gifts, he reminded himself, precious gifts. He then swore when he had to save another piece of artwork. Placing it back, he stalked towards his happy children and scooped them up in his arms. "You..." he told them gravely, "are precious gifts. Act like it."

Leia leaned over and kissed his cheek and snuggled into his chest. And just like that, he thought wryly, they are perfect once again.

#

When Anakin arrived at the Temple the next morning, he asked a nearby Padawan if she knew where he could find Master Kenobi, the blushing teen replied that he had been in the creche with the infants for the last few hours. Anakin thanked her, prompting a renewed blush, and made his way towards his former Master. Having been deemed a hero for destroying Palpatine and also being the source of the scandal regarding his relationship with Padmé, he had received more than a few reactions like that from the younger members of the Order. Flattering, yes, but his contested celebrity status wore on him. Obi-Wan, having experienced something of the same reaction when it was believed he killed Darth Maul on Naboo, held little sympathy for him.

Anakin finally arrived at his destination and entered the room, taking care to make little noise. Fatherhood had taught him the value of sleeping children and their less than happy nature when woken. Obi-Wan was standing looking down at a babe, only recently born, Anakin guessed. Walking Obi-Wan's side, he shot the man a questioning look. Obi-Wan gave him a strange look and nodded towards the child, who was awake but blessedly silent. It was hard to tell, given the way a human child's hair could change color as they grew, but Anakin thought the hair that adorned the child's head might be a deep red. The child, a girl he now knew, had very green eyes. Familiar green eyes.

He turned wide eyes toward Obi-Wan, who pointed at an unnoticed card on the side of the girl's cradle.

Name: Jade, Mara
Gender: Female
Species: Human
Homeworld: Unknown
Mother: Unknown
Father: Unknown

Anakin turned his even wider eyes towards Obi-Wan, who was now grinning. Turning to look at the girl who seemed to be looking at him, Anakin thought she was smiling. No, not smiling...smirking.

Oh, Son...good luck with this one, Anakin thought.

The End