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* * *
Moving on from the cityscape, his gaze shifted back to the corridor. Ahead of him, two Jedi emerged from a door into the corridor and began to walk down the corridor side-by-side. Mace could not see their faces but he would have recognized them anywhere. A member of the Jedi Council such as Mace held meetings with Jedi Knights and Masters almost every day. He knew many (but not all) of the 10, 000 Jedi Knights by sight but one of these two had been his friend since childhood. There was no mistaking the pair. Mace amused himself by studying them from a distance.
A twenty year old Obi-Wan Kenobi walked beside his Jedi Master, Qui-Gon Jinn. Obi-Wan was shorter and more than four decades younger than Qui-Gon but still old enough to have already reached his full height. From this distance, only his compact build betrayed the years of Jedi training. Mace knew that at this moment, Obi-Wan's clear blue eyes would be completely focused on Qui-Gon. Inseparable from his Master, Obi-Wan was a promising young Jedi apprentice.
Mace moved his attention to Qui-Gon. Head and shoulders above Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon was lankier with a longer reach and was much stronger and more experienced. Qui-Gon's dark hair spilled carelessly across his broad shoulders, one small section swept back from his face. His face was stern and dignified but sometimes (to those who knew him well) the twinkle in his eyes betrayed his emotions. Despite the differences in the physical build of the Master and the apprentice, the two dressed almost identically - a symbol of their legendary partnership.
Their personalities were just as contrasting as their appearance. Qui-Gon was not exactly rebellious but zealously independent, truly living for the moment and following his own instincts without question. More than once this had put him at odds with Mace and the Jedi Council. Obi-Wan was not quite as 'troublesome' to the Council. Obi-Wan was more cautious and reluctant to act without approval. Though he would support his Master on almost every issue, as Obi-Wan got older he was beginning to hold his own opinions more often. He was capable of an incredible stubbornness equal to Qui-Gon’s when pushed to it.
In the distance, Obi-Wan was loosening his robe as he talked. He finally stopped walking altogether to struggle out of the garment. Even from down the corridor, Mace could see the clumsiness of his movements. The boy’s usual posture had slipped and he was obviously unwell. The heavy material of the robe slipped from the boy's fingers to pool on the floor. Qui-Gon laid a hand on Obi-Wan's shoulder, obviously concerned.
Obi-Wan's knees buckled and he collapsed into Qui-Gon's arms. Mace sprinted down the corridor towards them. He joined Qui-Gon, kneeling by the side of the pale boy. Obi-Wan's eyes were half-closed and his movements were blurred, as if by sleep.
Mace could feel Qui-Gon calling on the Force, searching for his student. Mace cried out in alarm as Qui-Gon's eyes slowly unfocused and he slumped over Obi-Wan. Mace gripped Qui-Gon by the shoulders and shook him. There was no response. With one last glance at the collapsed Master-Padawan team, Mace pulled a commlink from his tunic.
As if on cue, Obi-Wan began to stir. Mace gently shifted Qui-Gon's weight to the ground so
that Obi-Wan could sit up. At the movement, Qui-Gon also began to stir. Qui-Gon pulled himself up to a sitting position and shook his head to clear it. Mace looked on in concern but Qui-Gon's eyes were clear.
Qui-Gon stood and held out a hand to Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan took it and climbed to his feet, alert and awake as usual. Mace stood also, watching them warily.
* * * * *
Fifteen years later, Mace found himself pacing down the same corridor. Little had changed in the corridor or even in the view outside. Physically, Mace himself had changed little. He was still a member of the Jedi Council and he was worried, again. There had been changes, however, and some of them were not minor. Qui-Gon had been dead for a decade and new troubles plagued the Jedi Order. A growing disturbance in the Force had begun to cloud visions of the future. The dark side of the Force was growing stronger and there was nothing that the Jedi could do. Some Jedi could not even sense it while still others ignored it.
Mace was uncomfortably aware that he himself had been doubtful about the continued existence of a Sith Lord up until the moment he was told that one had slain Qui-Gon in a lightsabre duel. These days, Mace was constantly aware of a sense of danger and corruption but there was no way to pinpoint the feeling more accurately than that. It was too nebulous, too general and too all encompassing to be pinned down. It might simply pass in time or perhaps Mace was simply spending too much time amongst the corrupt Senators.
Finding his thinking circular, Mace headed for one of the Meditation rooms. As he approached, he could hear a familiar voice talking. He recognized the voice as that of Obi-Wan Kenobi. The death of Qui-Gon had been the end of Obi-Wan’s apprenticeship and a thirty-five year old Obi-Wan was now a Jedi Knight in his own right. He was also training his own Padawan apprentice.
"Sometimes a dream is just a dream, Anakin," Obi-Wan was saying, gently but firmly.
He didn't miss Anakin's small start at being addressed directly but decided to ignore it. He would discuss Anakin's behaviour with Obi-Wan later.
Mace gestured towards an empty Meditation room and Obi-Wan moved to follow. Anakin followed moodily, trying his best to suppress his annoyance. He was not yet finished talking to his Master about his nightmares. It began to get warmer in the corridor and Anakin loosened his robe slightly. He tried hard to forget about the dreams, about his mother screaming in pain. The warmth spread quickly to the rest of his body, making him drowsy. He shrugged out of his robe and draped it across his arm. He tried to ignore the heat; to focus on Obi-Wan and Master Windu’s conversation but the temperature continued to increase. Anakin swallowed and stumbled. He regained his balance quickly but it had been enough to draw the attention of Obi-Wan.
Anakin was aware of Obi-Wan calling his name but he was too exhausted to answer. He felt physically and mentally drained. He thought he heard someone else calling his name too but it was a voice he did not recognize. Bright lights began to swim in front of Anakin’s eyes and he fell to his knees. Obi-Wan seemed to be at his side instantly but time seemed to be moving so slowly that Anakin could not be certain.
//Anakin?//
Anakin felt Obi-Wan's familiar Force signature reaching out towards him, following. Far away as he was, Anakin still heard Mace swear as Obi-Wan collapsed beside him. Mace looked up to find other Jedi watching the incident worriedly.
* * * * *
The jewel surged beneath Leia's fingertips, cresting a peak and on some unknown signal it overflowed. The Force energy spilled out into the corridor, engulfing Leia. She shut her eyes tight, soaking up the warmth to chase away the frosty aftertaste the mists had left. As quickly as it had come, the energy receded again. Even the jewel itself seemed to shrink away from her touch and she whimpered from the loss of contact.
She opened her eyes and waited for her eyes to readjust to the gloom. The two mist creatures had retreated several metres down the corridor but were holding their ground. Now that the jewel's energy had faded, they began to advance again. Leia stepped away, groping for the jewel and her foot connected with something soft. Four bundles of lumpy cloth had materialized in the corridor, left in the energy's wake. As she watched, one of the lumps shifted and a human hand slid into view. She barely had time to wonder at their presence before the mists caught her attention again. Moving more quickly now, one of the mists had reached one of the lumps. The mist stretched out insubstantial tentacles towards it. Even as Leia recognized it as a lightsabre, the mist was retreating. The lightsabre's owner reached down to help up his fallen companion. By the glow of the jewels, Leia could see that they were both young men. Thin braids dangled from behind their right ears, their clothing oddly familiar. The lumps had risen to their feet at some point, revealing two older, bearded men.
When the first man turned to her with a questioning glance, she gestured towards the mists.
They began to move. The man with the green lightsabre and the shorter of the two young men led the way through the corridors. Leia hovered just behind them, trying to give directions without getting too close to the lightsabres. Leia knew the damage a lightsabre could do, especially in the hands of a well trained Jedi. The other two Jedi brought up the rear.
Whenever Leia looked behind them, she could see the mists following. The mists stopped when they stopped and retreated whenever the Jedi advanced on them. They refused to disappear completely, though. It was as if they were waiting for a moment of vulnerabilty. One branch seemed to go more or less forward into darkness while the other started to slope gradually upwards. A chilling breeze was coasting down the sloping tunnel.
Leia looked back to see that the mists had moved as far forward as they dared, almost expectantly. She looked back at the sloping tunnel. The rational part of her mind told her that an upward slope would lead to the surface. Instead, Leia pointed at the darker tunnel that led straight on.
They had gone no more than ten metres down the darker tunnel before the ground began to slope upwards towards the surface. Leia tried to suppress her satisfaction. Instead, she prayed that they were headed in the direction of the landing pad. If they walked out into the middle of a troop of Ekash guards things could get very messy, very quickly. Especially since the Jedi would not know what was happening. Even as she was thinking it, they turned a corner and early morning sunlight blinded them.
Leia must have spent hours in the mine as it was night when she'd entered. Squinting, Leia could see the faded black of the landing pad stretched out before them. The paint on it was a dull, flaking yellow and Leia marvelled that she'd been able to see it at all from a distance. Orange weeds grew out of the few great cracks that laced across the surface but it was mostly intact. On the other side of the pad sat a small, unobtrusive hangar. Leia couldn't contain her sigh of relief.
"Come on," she said. "We need to get out of here before the Guards work out where we are."
She was anxious to leave, all too aware that she was still unarmed and on a hostile planet. The four Jedi strangers, were more reluctant. They seemed unsure of their surroundings and weren't sure whether Leia could be trusted.
Finally, the older two nodded their agreement and the party headed across the landing pad to the hangar. As they approached, Leia could see that the hangar protruded out of a grassy mound. The walls that could be seen were old and discoloured. The main door was half open and sagging menacingly. Spidery cracks spread out from the corners of the roof like ripples in a pond. The same orange weeds that encroached on the landing pad ran rampant on the hangar roof. From
the distance it seemed as if the plants had sprouted from the metal itself. It was not until they were only a couple of metres from it that Leia noticed the thin layer of soil that they were growing in.
The thought crossed Leia's mind that there might be no ship, that they might be stranded. Panic rose in her throat but she fought it down. Somehow Leia knew she was responsible for the Jedi being here. She would get them out of here, she promised herself - there was no other choice.
Though her head cleared the hangar door by a few feet, Leia ducked anyway. It earnt her an amused glance from the Jedi with the accent but she ignored it. The hangar was dark after the glaring light of the sun and it took Leia's eyes a few moments to adjust. When they had, there was not much to see. Piles of junk were clustered around the floor. A row of broken lights sagged from their connections. One of them had already fallen to smash violently against the hard floor. There were no spacecraft in sight but a large length of cheap cloth obscured the back wall of the hangar.
"There doesn't seem to be any ship, here," muttered the Jedi with the accent.
Together, she and the young man pulled the cloth up. As the gaudy red cloth was tugged back, a sleek silver vessel appeared. Even in the awful light, Leia could recognize the beauty of it. It was a medium-to-small sized personal yacht, built for speed both in and out of the atmosphere. It was bigger than an X-wing but not quite as bulky as a freighter like the Millenium Falcon. Gold and green trimming danced up and down its wing tips, ending in an intricate pattern of knots on the nose. When Leia looked up, she saw the young man gazing wondrously at the ship. It was possible that he would soon begin drooling. He frowned suddenly.
"What's this?" he asked. "I don't recognize the writing."
Leia made a mental note to work out where that accent came from and who was using it. The young man beside her grinned as if he sensed her thoughts. Given that he was a Jedi, he probably did.
"Is something wrong?" he asked.
The young man frowned but nodded cautiously. He was so innocent looking, had such a resemblance to Luke and yet he was dressed head to toe in dark browns - all too close to the fearsome black Darth Vader had favoured. Years of frustration and anger bubbled to the surface, years of torment and anguish that had only been held at bay by sheer willpower and Leia reacted without thinking.
She slapped him sharply across the face. Taken completely by surprise, he lost his balance and fell. One of the older Jedi was behind him in less than a heartbeat, catching him before he hit the ground. The older Jedi looked at Leia over Anakin's shoulder with a forced politeness. Leia realised that the other two Jedi had turned to watch silently from behind her back. She was surrounded, outnumbered and out-trained. She knew she was in trouble.
It was Anakin's expression that provoked a new emotion in Leia. His face blinked from surprise to hurt to anger in the space of a few seconds. Leia couldn't help but see the feeling of betrayal in his eyes. True, he hadn't had much reason to trust her in the first place but trust freely given implied a degree of innocence. Leia swallowed, anger fading as she regretted doing anything to damage that innocence. The young man in front of her was not Darth Vader at this point in time, whatever he might become in time.
The older Jedi lifted Anakin to his feet. Anakin stood there, rubbing his cheek ruefully and glaring at Leia. The atmosphere was tense and it was Leia's fault.
Anakin nodded and straightened but he still looked wary. Inwardly, Leia groaned but there were other more important things to worry about. Hopefully, he would forget it or at least give her a chance to explain more coherently.
Leia reluctantly turned away and moved beneath the Fahren to find an entry hatch. Behind her, she could almost hear the Jedi exchanging looks. None of them made any move to follow her. While they waited warily, she found a hatch and palmed it open. It hummed gently and a thin ramp descended gracefully to the ground. It was only then that the Jedi moved from their position to join her.
"This ship has been well taken care of," muttered the Jedi with the accent. The ramp led into a small, cramped cargo bay. The roof was just under two metres tall, giving it ample room for an Ekash but leaving some of the humans hunched over in order to fit. As three banks of lights swelled to life, Leia could see that the floors were carpeted in rich dark blues. Leia had the strangest idea that the ship had been designed by a woman.
There were three doors, two placed side-by-side that led to the forward part of the ship and one door leading aft or to the rear of the ship. Both the forward doors were marked with the Ekash word for cockpit, the aft door with the Ekash word for cabin. Leia strode determinedly for the cockpit. The Jedi trailed leisurely after her.
One of the cockpit doors slid back soundlessly to reveal a shiny silver interior. The cockpit was designed like a tunnel curved into a horse-shoe shape. The tunnel's innermost wall consisted of the other side of the cargo bay wall while the tunnel's outermost wall consisted of a large, curving window. The space inside the tube was barely two metres wide, with little room to move.
At the very centre of the tunnel, at the peak of the horse-shoe, sat a dark green chair. Four golden chairs were spaced evenly along the cockpit's length. The instrument panels in front of the green chair were clearly the primary controls.
Leia walked straight for the green chair, running a casual glance over the other stations as she passed them. She sat down in the green chair, frowning at the instruments. It was unlike anything Leia had ever seen before. She managed to find the navigation computer and she began feeding in the co-ordinates of the nearest New Republic world. It was a few minutes before she felt Anakin appear hesitantly at her elbow. He looked over the control panels, his curiosity overcoming his sense of caution. He leant over Leia's shoulder, taking in her movements. Leia neglected to mention that she didn’t know how to use the controls and gracefully surrended the green chair to him. She sat in one of the other seats, feeling something crushed beneath her as she sat. Reaching into her pocket, Leia found the native flower she'd put there earlier. The petals were crushed from the excitement of the day but when Leia put it to her nose, the red bloom smelled as strongly as ever. At the very least, Leia could bring home something special for her children.
THE END OF PART TWO
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Chapter Two
"Obi-Wan, I'm here," said Qui-Gon sharply, as if in response to a question.
Mace was confused at first until he remembered the telepathic Master/Padawan bond. Qui-Gon could still hear Obi-Wan though Mace could not. Obi-Wan didn't move but Qui-Gon frowned in response to a silent comment. A flash of panic flickered across Qui-Gon's normally passive face.
"Wait, Padawan," said Qui-Gon. "I'm coming with you."
"Qui-Gon..." began Mace uneasily.
Mace turned to Obi-Wan, "What happened?"
"We were going somewhere..." began Obi-Wan.
His voice trailed off and he looked even more confused.
"I'm sorry. I don't remember any more, Master Windu."
"We must have been training too hard," said Qui-Gon. "Perhaps we should retire to our quarters."
There was silence for a moment as Mace tried to comprehend the sudden change in mood. Finally, he nodded in agreement.
"I want both of you to report to the healers - now," he told them. "After that, make sure you get some rest."
Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon bowed obediently and left, as if nothing at all had happened. Mace was worried.
As Mace rounded the corner, he was able to see Anakin's doubtful expression. Obi-Wan, who true to the predictions had grown no taller, now sported a sandy coloured beard and turned at Mace's approach.
"Master Windu," said Obi-Wan, bowing respectfully.
Anakin followed suit politely enough, squirming uncomfortably and avoiding Mace‘s eyes.
"Obi-Wan," Mace answered, nodding in return. "Anakin."
"It has been a while since we have had an opportunity to talk," said Mace. "Are you busy?"
Obi-Wan shook his head, smiling warmly, "Nothing that we can't finish later."
Anakin heard Obi-Wan's mental call but it sounded dim, as if far away.
//m-master, where are you?//
//I'm right here, Padawan.//
Obi-Wan's presence was growing fainter. Anakin knew this should have concerned him but he could hear someone else calling him.
//I'm going to help someone... they need me// he sent to Obi-Wan.
//No, Padawan// answered Obi-Wan, sounding fainter than ever. //You're not going without me.//
"Call the healers," Mace ordered.
As before, Anakin was stirring even as Mace was giving the order. Mace had a nasty feeling of familiarity and predicted gloomily that the healers would find nothing wrong with them, as had been the case fifteen years before. Now Mace was more worried than ever and any thoughts of discussing Anakin’s attitude towards the Council were forgotten.
"Look out!" shouted Leia.
Her cry was too late, the figure beneath the cloth jerking as the tentacles penetrated its body. A second later a blue flash arched through the air.
"What in the blazes..." exclaimed one, using an accent Leia didn't recognise.
"Where are we?" interrupted the second, in a deeper, softer tone.
"The Ekash mines. We need to get past those things," said Leia quickly.
"They're not solid," ventured one of the young men. "But they retreated from my lightsabre."
Three more lightsabres ignited with a hiss. Three blue lightsabres and one green, casting enough light to replace Leia's helmet. She unlatched the helmet and dumped it on the ground. The second man, holding the green lightsabre, looked up and down the corridor.
"Which way?"
Leia paused, and then followed her instincts, "That way."
"Direction?" hissed the two leading Jedi.
Leia turned back to them and considered the possibilities. They had come to a fork in the tunnel.
"Are you certain?" asked one of the Jedi.
"That way," confirmed Leia, hoping they couldn't hear the doubt in her voice.
The man with the green lightsabre nodded and led the way. When Leia looked behind her the mists had hesitated. Leia hoped they were disappointed. Whatever trap lay at the end of the sloping tunnel would have to remain unsprung.
"And what guards would they be?" asked one of the men, the strange accent reappearing again.
"The Ekash Guards,” explained Leia. “They're after any Force sensitives they can find. I'll explain the rest later, once we get to safety."
"And safety would be where?" asked the man with the green lightsabre.
"Off planet, for a start," answered Leia, gesturing towards the hangar.
Once again, Leia ignored him and started forwards towards the cloth. With surprise, she noticed that one of the young men was walking silently beside her. The other three trailed after them more reluctantly. Reaching the cloth, she could see that the ends were suspended from the roof by ropes. The shape that was concealed beneath the cloth was much smaller than it had seemed.
Leia stepped closer to him and peered at the inscription on the ship's hull. It was written in Ekash, though it took her a moment to remember the translation.
"It's in the Ekash language," she explained. "It says Fahren. It means the Mover of Souls."
"Poetic," muttered the Jedi with the accent.
"That would be Master Obi-Wan," he whispered quietly.
Leia digested that without too much panic. In her time, she had seen more than her fair share of the unusual. She also knew the names of the Jedi that she had called to and the timing of their arrival was too suspicious not to be connected. What concerned her, was whether she would be able to return them to where they came from. Some of her doubt must have shown on her face because the young man frowned.
"No," she shook her head, smiling. "I'm Leia Organa-Solo."
He returned her smile impishly, "I'm Anakin Skywalker."
Leia nodded politely but her smile froze as she registered the answer. Her eyes widened as she took in the cocky expression, the boyish good looks and the lanky height.
"You're Anakin Skywalker?" she asked, her voice hard and flat even to her own ears.
"Sorry," croaked Leia. "Reflex action."
"Some reflex," muttered the older Jedi, his accent even more crisp than before.
Anakin's eyes simply narrowed, all trust long since evaporated. Leia tried not to sigh out loud.
"I'm really sorry," Leia tried again. "I thought that Anakin Skywalker.... was responsible for... the death of someone... I wasn't prepared to meet you face to face."
"I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding," interrupted the older Jedi with the green lightsabre.
Studiously ignoring them, Leia marched up the ramp. The Jedi was right, the ship had indeed been taken care of. The inner walls were shiny and polished, showing few of the telltale signs of wear. Leia was even tempted to think the ship was brand new but a few slightly roughened edges betrayed the truth.
"She's a beautiful ship," he said at last.
Leia nodded absentmindedly, trying simultaneously to find a fuel guage for the engines and to quash her guilt. She then remembered Luke's skill at piloting and some offhand comment about inheriting it from his father. Leia looked up at Anakin, quite literally an incarnation of their father.
"Would you like to fly it?" she asked hesitantly, wondering how he would react.
His eyes widened slightly and Leia worried that she'd somehow betrayed him again. She relaxed when she saw a ridiculous grin spread across his face, "Could I?"
