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  1. In Memory of LAJ_FETT: Please share your remembrances and condolences HERE

Beyond - Legends Knightfall I: Sins of the Father (Ben/Jysella, L/M, canon/legends chars, OCs) Complete 9/2023

Discussion in 'Fan Fiction- Before, Saga, and Beyond' started by JediMaster_Jen, Aug 20, 2014.

  1. JediMaster_Jen

    JediMaster_Jen Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2002
    Thank you to everyone who might still be around and still interested in this story. :) I certainly didn't intend for it to be nearly two years between updates. But, I've finally arrived at the end of the next chapter.

    Enjoy! Thanks for reading and reviewing!


    Chapter Thirteen


    “You’re staring at that holo as if it holds the answers to all the questions in the galaxy,” Mara whispered to her husband.

    Luke looked up from the holo he held of Anakin. “I wish it did.”

    Mara sat down beside her husband and ran a hand through his shaggy gray hair, weaving her fingers through the curls at his neck.

    “He wouldn’t have chosen anything else,” she told him. “He made sure Ben came home safe.”

    Luke sighed. “He was sixteen years old. I gave him…I should have ordered him home. I should have…he could have taken care of himself.”

    Mara frowned. “You gave him what? Who could have taken care of himself? Anakin?”

    Luke stood and began pacing. He’d never told another living soul what he had asked his nephew to do. He wasn’t sure he could tell Mara. He knew he couldn’t tell his sister and brother-in-law.

    He turned to face her. “Yes, Anakin, but not…not our nephew.”

    Mara was confused and it showed on her face. “Then who? The only other…Luke, no, your father…he’s dead. He died on that monstrosity above Endor.”

    Luke shook his head. “No, he…yes he did die on the death star, but then he…he lived again.”

    *******************************************************************

    “You…died?” Kitster asked as he took the offered cup of caf.

    Anakin Skywalker retuned to his seat and nodded. “It was the strangest feeling. I…I had just saved my son from the Emperor and then Luke was trying to save me. My suit was damaged. The respiratory support system had failed, and I couldn’t breath. I knew I was going to die.”

    Kitster shook his head. “That must have been…terrifying.”

    Anakin shrugged. “It was…liberating. I’d spent so long in…slavery. I’d traded one form of slavery for another. Choosing my son over that slavery was the ultimate escape. I wanted to be there after, but ultimately, I was ready.”

    “Ready to die?” Kitster questioned, disbelief coloring his tone of voice.

    Anakin smiled. “No, but ready to be free. For the first time, there on the death star, I was going to be free. I wouldn’t be beholden to the Jedi or the Sith. I had one good look at my son and then I…I died. What happened next was…I still can’t really even explain it.”

    Kitster took a sip of caf. “Try.”

    *******************************************************************

    Mara could barely hold down the bile rising in her throat. She couldn’t comprehend what her husband was telling her. Or perhaps she just didn’t want to comprehend his words. If what he said was true, was real, then…she didn’t even want to think about what it meant.

    “How is…what do you mean he lived…again?” she asked softly.

    Luke ran his hands through his hair as he sat down next to Mara. “That night on Endor, I burned his armor. I stood there for…I don’t even remember how long it was. I watched until that black suit had burned into nothing. All that was left was a…was the helmet. It was a mangled mess. Then I walked back to the Ewok village where everyone was celebrating.”

    Mara squeezed his hand. “Then?”

    Luke cleared his throat. “I’d just hugged my sister and Han, and I…I turned around. I’d felt…eyes on me. I saw Master Yoda and Obi-Wan and…and then my father. But he wasn’t…he appeared young. Maybe in his early twenties. He smiled and nodded at me. Then they just…faded away. I went back to the celebration. We were all drinking Corellian whiskey. It was late, or…maybe it was really early. I…I went back to the shuttle and when I got close, I heard a noise.”

    *******************************************************************

    “He is cute,” Ben remarked as he sat holding Jaina’s youngest child. “I have to admit that.”

    Jaina brushed her fingers through the soft, dark hair on her son’s head. “He looks like Kyp. Same hair and eyes. Same temperament. He’s his father’s son.”

    Ben studied the small child. “Yours, too. He’s…he will be powerful.”

    She shrugged. “Perhaps. If he wants to be a Jedi, then he will be. If not, then whatever he chooses to become, he’ll have our full support.”

    Ben smiled sadly. “That’ll be nice for him. I wonder what that feels like.”

    Jaina sat down next to her cousin. “Ben, you know what that feels like. Your parents and Aunt Mara have always supported you. They may not have always agreed with your choices, but they’ve always respected that those choices were yours to make.”

    Ben sighed deeply as he adjusted Fenn in his arms. “Yeah, I…I know. It’s me, I guess. I’m the one who is having trouble coming to terms with my own choices. So many things I wish I’d done differently.”

    Jaina took her son when he started to get a little fussy. “This little man is hungry. Listen, we all have regrets, Ben. We all have things we wish we’d done differently. That’s just life.”

    Ben stood. “Dad says if we live long enough, we have a life full of regrets. Not sure I like that prospect.”

    Jaina followed him back through the main living space and into the kitchen. As soon as he stepped inside, he laughed.

    “I see you still have this damn kitchen droid you told me about,” Ben said with a smirk. “Thought Kyp would’ve thrown the thing down a garbage chute by now.”

    Jaina sat down at the table while Ben set about cooking their lunch. “Well, in all fairness, we didn’t really ask for it. My mother meant well. She was trying to make things easier for us with Fenn coming and…”

    “Does it make things easier?”

    She shrugged. “Of course. Some nights I love not having to cook. Kyp’s not one for going out to eat, so…it helps.”

    Ben leaned against the counter and pinned his cousin with a hard stare. “But? What aren’t you saying, Jaya?”

    A few tears fell from her dark eyes and stained her cheeks. “It’s nothing, really. I’m just…hormones, you know.”

    Ben wasn’t sure he believed her, but he knew his cousin very well. If Jaina wanted to talk, she would. She always kept things close to the vest and being married and having three children hadn’t changed anything. They shared that particular trait.

    He nodded. “Okay. So, what am I cooking for us?”

    Jaina smiled, grateful he’d dropped the subject. “Whatever you want.”

    *******************************************************************

    “I took my last breath and awakened the very next moment,” Anakin recalled. “I was…I don’t even know, but my old Jedi Masters were there. So many other that I had…anyway, the strangest thing was that when I had died minutes before, I’d been forty-six years old, roughly. But, when I woke up I was…I was twenty-three again. I looked like I had…before.”

    “Before what?” Kitster wanted to know.

    Anakin sighed deeply. Even now, he had difficulty speaking about the events that led to him becoming Darth Vader; the events that took place between himself and Obi-Wan. But for his old friend, he would try.

    “Before I turned to the dark side, betrayed the Jedi and my…my friends and became Darth Vader,” he answered softly. “Kitster, I was…before I made the choice to save my son on the death star, the last time I’d truly been a Jedi, I was twenty-three years old. The force had…had taken me back to that time. A time when I was still a good person.”

    “So, you were young again, but…still dead?”

    Anakin laughed. “In a word, yes. But that’s the thing; not for long. I saw my son on Endor, celebrating with his friends. The next thing, I knew…”

    *******************************************************************

    “I stepped into the shuttle and the next thing I knew…there he was,” Luke finished softly. “There was my father. He was just…standing there. But he was young. He was just the way he’d appeared to me hours earlier.”

    Mara stood and shook her head. “This is…this is insane, Luke. Your father is dead. That…that monster is dead. How in the seven Corellian hells could be possibly have survived…?”

    “He didn’t survive,” Luke imparted passionately. “That’s the point. I held his body in my arms as he died. Mara, the force…it brought him back.”

    The silence between them was deafening. Luke’s eyes pleading with her to understand and believe him. Her expression conveying her horror.

    “Why?!”

    *******************************************************************

    “What’s wrong, Leia?” Han asked his wife as they entered their quarters after having eaten breakfast out.

    Leia turned to face him but could only shake her head. “I don’t know. It’s just a…a feeling. Something isn’t right. It’s not wrong, it just isn’t right. I can’t explain it. I’ve been feeling a faint…presence. One I haven’t felt since…”

    Han sported his signature crooked grin as he pulled her into his arms. He held her tightly and rubbed her back comfortingly.

    “Hey, I’m sure you’ll figure it out,” he encouraged her. “You always do.”

    Leia closed her eyes as she rested her head against his chest. She just couldn’t shake the feeling that something big was coming.

    *******************************************************************

    Anakin was within twelve hours of Coruscant when he felt it. Felt her. His mother. She was reaching out for him. Instinctively he tightened his shields, hiding himself from her. He hadn’t a clue as to what he was going to say to her. To any of them.

    ”Your mind is troubled, young Solo,” Obi-Wan said as he again shimmered into view.

    Anakin didn’t move his seated position at the controls of the ship. His blue gaze was laser-focused on his coordinates.

    “Yes,” he did manage to answer.

    ”Your mother is beginning to sense your presence the closer you get to Coruscant,” he revealed; as if Anakin hadn’t already worked that tidbit out for himself. ”You must not let that happen.”

    “Why?” Anakin demanded as he whirled around to face the spirit of his grandfather’s former master. “Would it be so bad for my…for my family to know I’m alive?”

    ”Your family will know that you’re alive, Anakin,” Obi-Wan assured the young Jedi. ”But still, you must be careful in how you reveal yourself to each of them. Don’t forget, discovering that you’re alive will only be part of the puzzle. Soon, they’ll all know that Luke orchestrated your death and that Jacen has known for some time about your survival.”

    Anakin sighed deeply. “This is why I should just turn this ship around and go home. This is only going to hurt them all more.”

    ”You must return to Coruscant,” he insisted as he had before. ”The fate of the galaxy rests in your hands.”

    With those final words, Obi-Wan disappeared.

    “Damn cryptic ghost,” Anakin muttered to himself as he set the autopilot and headed for his quarters.

    He climbed into his bunk and stretched out with his hands behind his head. His thoughts turned to his family and friends. He thought about the last time he’d seen his parents. He could still feel his father’s grip on his shoulder and his mother’s arms wrapped around his waist. He remembered the gentle hug from his sister.

    “Tahiri,” he whispered into the dark, his heart constricting at the memories of her.

    Their last embrace. Last kiss. Last ‘I love you’. He recalled it all and he wondered now where she might be and what she was doing in that very moment.

    Was she happy? Sad? Was she still a Jedi? Did she miss him as he missed her? As he fell into a restless sleep the questions he had plagued his dreams.

    *******************************************************************

    Jedi Temple
    Coruscant
    Horn Quarters



    “Tahiri.”

    Tahiri Veila-Horn sat up abruptly. She looked at her husband, Valin sleeping peacefully next to her. It hadn’t been him calling her name. She stood from the bed and walked quietly from their room.

    With no destination in mind, she found herself standing before the large shelving unit. Before she knew what she was doing, she’d reached out and grasped a framed holo of Anakin Solo. In it, he was standing next to her, arm draped across her shoulders. Famous Solo lopsided grin on a face that was pure Skywalker. He was all messy dark blonde hair and icy blue eyes to match his uncle’s.

    The children staring back at her from the old holo were happy. They had not a care in the galaxy. Life’s cruelties had yet to touch either of them. Little did they know what awaited young Anakin Solo only weeks after the holo had been taken.

    Tahiri ran her fingers across the youthful face of her first love. She walked to the chair across the room and sat down. Where would he be now had he lived, she wondered. What would he be doing? Would they have married? Had children?

    “I miss you,” she whispered just before she heard it again.

    “Tahiri.”

    This time she recognized the voice.

    Anakin Solo.
     
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2021
  2. WarmNyota_SweetAyesha

    WarmNyota_SweetAyesha Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Aug 31, 2004
    Excellent conversation between Luke and Mara as she comes to grips with an unbelievable fact, or tries to. Oooh, Anakin Solo is going to have one big surprise and so is Tahiri when they catch up with one another. :oops: [face_worried]

    =D=
     
    Last edited: Feb 23, 2020
  3. Darth_Drachonus

    Darth_Drachonus Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Oct 4, 2005
    Welcome back! Can't wait for more!
     
    JediMaster_Jen likes this.
  4. JediMaster_Jen

    JediMaster_Jen Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2002
    So, once again it's been over a year since the last update. :( My apologies. Life got weird and has only recently gotten back to normal for the family. Both COVID and non-COVID related issues plagued us for months on end. But, with The Bad Batch, The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and Loki to keep us entertained, we've muddled through and now I'm back! A few Disney Family Sing-alongs helped, too. :D

    Writing took a back seat to many other things until very recently (like five days ago). I had started chapter 14 of this story a long time ago but wasn't happy with the direction it had taken, so I started over. What you see below is the finished product of chapter 14. I hope you enjoy it. As always, thanks for reading!

    ///////////////

    Chapter Fourteen

    “Why would you hide this, Luke?” Mara questioned. “What purpose has this lie served?”

    Luke shook his head. “I don’t know. I just knew that…that my father was suddenly alive and if I turned him over to the Alliance, they’d…they’d kill him. I couldn’t let that happen. He’d saved my life, Mara. He renounced the dark side and saved me.”

    “Does your sister know?” she asked him. “Did you tell anyone before now?”

    Luke ran his hands through his hair. “No, I…not at that time.”

    Mara latched onto those words. “Someone does know the truth? Someone knows Darth Vader is alive?”

    He sprung to his feet. “Anakin Skywalker is alive, not Darth Vader! My father is not that…that monster anymore.”

    Mara took a few calming breaths. It would not do to have both of their tempers flaring at the same time.

    “Who knows? Who did you tell and when? I don’t understand how you’ve kept this a secret for so long. Where is he?”

    Mara could feel the underlying anger in her husband when she had referred to his father as Vader. But it was all she knew him by; had never known Anakin Skywalker. The thought that he was alive made her skin crawl.

    “I can’t…I…” Luke stuttered. “He’s somewhere no one will look for him; safe. The people…person who knows he’s alive will not ever betray that secret.”

    *******************************************************************

    After he left Jaina, Ben headed for the Outlander Club in the Uscru Entertainment District. The establishment had fine alcohol and good gambling. It was just what Ben needed to take his mind off things he would rather not be thinking about.

    “What can I getcha?” asked the tall Dressellian bartender.

    “Corellian spiced ale,” Ben responded. “Make it a double.”

    He pushed the drink towards Ben and watched amusedly as the human tossed it back in one gulp. After setting the glass down he found a seat near the dancing cages and watched a few of the dancers. Most were either human or Twi’lek; all incredibly beautiful. Yet, as he watched, his mind drifted to Jysella and having watched her dance in a different club.

    “Not exactly where I expected to find you,” a female voice sounded from behind him.

    Ben smiled as he turned. He had not seen Tahiri in several years. She looked as he remembered her, though a bit older. Same blonde hair and green eyes. His gaze drifted to her feet, and he was a bit surprised that she was not barefoot.

    Tahiri laughed. “I pretty much always wear shoes now.”

    Ben stood and the two hugged. “What are you doing here? How did you find me?”

    She sat down and ordered a glass of water from the server droid. “Well, I’ll admit I wasn’t looking for you. I needed to…get out for a while. I left Valin sleeping at home. I just started wandering and I felt your presence. Followed it here.”

    Ben smirked. “Guess I need to work on my shielding. I heard about you and Valin. Congratulations.”

    She smiled softly. “Thanks. I…”

    Ben held up a hand to stop her. “You don’t need to say anything. Anakin’s been gone for a long time, and you deserve to be happy.”

    “I know,” she responded. “It took me a long time to…let go isn’t really the right phrase; to accept his death, maybe. He’s why I was out wandering. I had a…a dream. I heard my name. I heard someone call my name and I couldn’t place the voice at first. I heard it again and…”

    “Ben leaned forward in his seat. “And? Did you recognize it then?”

    “It was Anakin,” was her quiet reply. “It was his voice, Ben, clear as could be.”

    “Well, I’m sure that…” he began, but found he really did not know what to say to the girl, woman, who had been his cousin’s girlfriend. “I used to hear his voice, too. I still can, sometimes. I remember what he sounded like when…”

    “That’s just it,” she interrupted. “This wasn’t what he used to sound like. It was similar, but this was not the voice of a teenager. Ben, this was Anakin, but it was…like your voice; adult, grown up; the voice of a man, not a boy.”

    Ben was quiet. A response wasn’t forthcoming and Tahiri shook her head at his silence.

    “I know what that sounds like,” she told him. “It sounds like I’m losing my mind. I feel like I’m losing my mind, Ben. But I know what I heard. It was Anakin. I wasn’t hallucinating and…it was him.”

    Ben swallowed harshly. “He’s dead, Tahiri. He’s been dead for fourteen years. I don’t doubt you heard his voice, but it wasn’t Anakin. Your mind is just…playing tricks on you.”

    She nodded sadly. “I…I suppose you’re right. It’s foolish of me to even think that…that he could have survived.”

    Ben reached across the table and took her small hand in his. “It’s not foolish. Do you know how often…a few years ago, I went back to Tilam City on Pendal. I retraced our steps from that mission. The years hadn’t changed that place. Crime was still rampant. The weapons tech hadn’t evolved at all, but they made good use of what they had.”

    “He was a good Jedi, Ben,” she stated emphatically. “Why couldn’t…”

    “Tahiri,” Ben said with a deep sigh. “The street gangs were…too numerous to count. All of them had hundreds of members. Anakin was ambushed. He had no chance of survival. I felt him die. He’s gone.”

    A few tears gathered in her kind eyes. “I know. I’ve known for fourteen years. I…I wanted to believe that…that he was out there, calling out to me.”

    “I want to believe it, too,” he confessed. “But it just isn’t true.”

    The two old friends talked for another hour before Tahiri excused herself and headed back home. Ben remained at the Outlander for a few more hours. His mind wouldn’t let go of what Tahiri had said about the voice she heard being Anakin’s, just not the teenage version they had all heard last. He’d told her that it was her mind playing tricks on her.

    Now, he wasn’t so sure. He wasn’t sure that his own memories of what happened after he ran were correct. But he was determined to find out. And maybe in his search, he’d find the answer to a question that had plagued him for fourteen years.

    Luke had often told stories of seeing Jedi masters Yoda and Obi-Wan after they died. Even the story of seeing Anakin Skywalker.

    So why hadn’t Anakin Solo ever appeared to his family?

    *******************************************************************

    Mara had walked away from Luke after his outburst over his supposedly alive father. She was standing on the balcony of their quarters looking out at the crowded space lanes.

    “Can you forgive me?” Luke asked from behind her. “For not…telling you sooner?”

    She didn’t turn immediately. “We’ve never lied to each other, Luke. At least, not since we’ve been married. Now, to find out…”

    She stopped and turned to face him. “I can understand you wanting to protect your…your father. What I can’t understand is why you didn’t tell the Alliance. He’s a war criminal, Luke. He participated in slaughtering the Jedi; killed many of them himself. You swore your allegiance to the Alliance and to the Republic. The whole time you’ve been harboring a criminal.”

    Luke said nothing. He knew Mara was right. He should have turned his father in to the Alliance that very night. Time and distance had leant perspective and he knew that he had made the wrong decision; the first of many wrong decisions over the years since he’d entered that shuttle. He had no idea how to fix any of it.

    “What did you say to him?” she suddenly questioned.

    Luke sat down in a chair on the balcony and smiled softly. “Nothing. Not a word, at least at first. I was…stunned. I didn’t know what to say. He spoke first.”

    Mara sat down next to him. “What did he say?”

    Luke’s mind drifted back.

    *******************************************************************

    Anakin spun quickly when he heard someone enter the shuttle. Recognition was not immediate. His blue eyes narrowed, and his hand instinctively reached for his lightsaber. His eyes never left the face of the man standing in the doorway of the shuttle even as his fingers brushed the hilt of his sword.

    Luke watched as his father’s fingers slowly wrapped around the saber. As he was about to reach for his own weapon, Anakin’s head titled and he spoke, his voice soft and uncertain.

    “Luke?” he asked. “Where? How?”

    Luke carefully stepped forward. “Yes, it’s me…I’m Luke. You’re on…on Endor, Father.”

    Anakin’s head titled. “Father?”

    Luke swallowed and nodded slowly. “Um, yes…you’re my…my father.”

    “How is that even possible?” Anakin questioned as he began to move around the shuttle; catching sight of his reflection on a bulkhead, he turned to face Luke directly. “We’re…you look the same age as I do.”

    “I know,” Luke acknowledged. “I think the…the force has done this; brought you back.”

    “Back from where?” Anakin questioned. His mind was cloudy, his memories fractured and vague, yet slowly coming into sharper focus.

    “You…you died on the death star,” Luke revealed quietly. “But here you are now. I think the force restored your life. I…I don’t know how or why, but…”

    “I remember,” Anakin whispered. “I…I saw you. I saw Obi-Wan and…and Yoda and so many others. They were all there, but I…I couldn’t speak to most of them. I only spoke to Obi-Wan and he said to follow him.”

    “Where did you end up?” Luke wanted to know.

    Anakin smiled. “Standing on Endor looking at you. Next thing I know, I’m…here. I think you’re right; this is the work of the force. I just don’t know why.”

    “I don’t understand why you’re…young,” Luke stuttered, trying not to offend his father.

    Anakin laughed. “Actually, I think I might understand that part of this. Luke, the last time I was a…a true Jedi Knight, I was twenty-three years old. I think the force has returned me to that time. Only, that time is…now.”


    *******************************************************************

    “We just…talked,” Luke said. “For hours, we sat in the shuttle and talked. The sun was rising before…before I noticed the night had flown by us both.”

    Mara could hear the melancholy in his voice. She ran her fingers through his shaggy hair; her nails lightly scratching his scalp. Luke leaned into her touch, seeking and taking the comfort she offered.

    “What happened next?” she asked quietly. “What did you do?”

    Luke swallowed. “He asked me to…”

    “To let him go?” she demanded, believing the worst about the man.

    “He asked me to turn him in to the Alliance,” he revealed softly. “He asked me to lead him to his…to his death. He said the force made a mistake when it brought him back. He wanted to…to die; again.”

    “But you let him go,” she surmised.

    Luke shook his head. “I came up with a plan for him to hide away for the rest of his days. He was afraid, Mara; afraid he would hurt people if he…if he was allowed near them. But, I’d fought so hard to save him and he’d…he’d saved me. I couldn’t let him…I was the only one who believed there was still good in him. Not Obi-Wan, not Yoda and not even my own sister believed. Just me.”

    Mara was stunned by Luke’s tears. She wrapped her arms around her vulnerable husband and just held him. Her gentle hands rubbed his back; his muscles clenched as if ready for a fight.

    “Have you…seen him in all this time?” she questioned/

    “No, Luke answered easily. “A few days after Endor, I…I left the Alliance and took him to his new home. I haven’t seen him since.”

    “But someone has,” she said. “You said someone knows he’s alive. Who is it, Luke? Who else knows the truth?”

    Luke met her stare. Once again, he had to make a choice. A choice that would change things; choices like these often did.

    “I can’t tell you that, Mara,” he replied softly.

    *******************************************************************

    Valin Horn was awake when his wife returned to their quarters in the Jedi Temple. He’d felt her leave the bed hours before but had sensed she needed the time alone to work through her swirling emotions.

    “Are you okay?’ he ventured when she returned to their bed.

    Tahiri snuggled into his side, letting the warmth of his body drive away the cold of her dream.

    “I think so,” she replied. “I…went out for a walk and found myself in a conversation with Ben Skywalker.”

    Valin blinked a few times. “I didn’t know he was back. That must have been…odd.”

    Tahiri chuckled. “Only a little. He’s a friend so it was…easy.”

    “What woke you?” Valin ventured.

    Tahiri sighed. Part of her wanted to keep her dream to herself. Though she had already confided in Ben, it felt like too much to tell anyone else. But Valin was her husband, and she knew she owed him her honesty.

    “A dream,” she revealed quietly. “A dream about…Anakin. I…I heard his voice, Valin. As clear as I can hear you speaking to me now. But it wasn’t the voice of the boy I knew. It was…like you and Ben, the voice of a man.”

    Valin sat up then. “What did this voice say to you?”

    She sat up next to him. “My name. Just my name. It was like…like he was calling out to me.”

    “Anakin Solo?” Valin questioned, his skepticism clear in his tone. “You think you heard Anakin Solo speak to you in a dream?”

    Tahiri climbed from the bed and walked to the window. Staring out into the darkness; she wrapped her arms around herself. She was cold again.

    “I know what I heard, Valin,” she said clearly. “Ben told me the same thing tonight. Anakin is dead. It’s not possible that it was his voice. In my head, I know that’s true. But, in my heart…”

    Suddenly Valin was behind her, his strong arms wrapped tightly around her waist and pulling her back against his solid chest.

    “But in your heart, you want it to be him,” he finished for her.

    She turned in his arms, her own now folding around his neck. “I don’t say that to hurt you. I love you, Valin. Please believe that. There’s just…I never imagined not having closure. None of us had that. I also know that Ben is right. It’s my mind playing tricks on me.”

    Valin placed a tender kiss on her forehead. “First, I know you love me. Second, I love you, too. Third, and this might be the hardest one for you to accept, but…dreams pass in time. Whatever brought Anakin to your thoughts tonight will pass. He’ll never be far, Tahiri, but he is gone.”

    She smiled softly, a few tears in her eyes. “I know he is. I suppose I’m just missing him a little more tonight than others.”

    Valin smiled as he reached down and splayed his hand over her only very slightly rounded belly.

    “Perhaps because we just found out about this little one,” he guessed. “If it’s a boy, maybe we can name him Anakin. With Han and Leia’s permission, of course. If you’d want that.”

    Now her tears fell. “I…I don’t know if that would be a good idea. I was thinking maybe Corran after your father for a boy.”

    “And a girl?” he asked. “I like Mirsa.”

    Tahiri smiled. “I like Kelsa.”

    Both laughed. A tender kiss was shared before they climbed back into bed and let sleep claim them; worries over dreams far away.

    For now.
     
    Last edited: Jul 7, 2021
  5. jcgoble3

    jcgoble3 Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Nov 7, 2010
    Yay! An update! No worries on the delay; COVID has thrown everyone for a loop. [face_beatup]8-}

    Mara is right to be angry, but I think she'll come to understand that Luke had a good reason for hiding it from her.

    Valin and Tahiri are at peace now, but will that last? Hmm... [face_thinking]
     
    JediMaster_Jen likes this.
  6. JEDIFLYSWATTER

    JEDIFLYSWATTER Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2004
    Forgot about this story but am very happy to have it up and running again. This group puts the “D” in dysfunctional. This group needs to all get in a locked room all lightsabers,blasters and the Force left outside and have a serious ‘Coming to Jesus’ moment. What a mess! Love it. Keep me posted please.
     
  7. Darth_Furio

    Darth_Furio Chosen One star 8

    Registered:
    Apr 17, 2008
    Glad to have you back Jen. I enjoyed the Luke/Mara convo. I can see her coming in hot against his decision and then accepting his explanation. Mara didn't grow up with family like Luke did, so her first instinct would be to arrest Anakin. Seeing it from Luke's perspective and the fact that he hid it would initially hurt but at least there's an understanding. Not Revealing who else knows about Anakin is definitely going to tick her off though IMO. I'm foreseeing that these Anakin Solo/Skywalker reintroduction is connected. Hmm. Great Work
     
  8. JediMaster_Jen

    JediMaster_Jen Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2002
    Sure has, hasn't it? :oops:Mara feels things deeply including her anger. Let's just hope she's past holding grudges. ;) Peace, like chaos, can be fleeting. We'll see regarding Valin and Tahiri.:D

    I'm gad to have it up and running again.:D They are a bit of a mess, aren't they? There will certainly be some "come to Jesus" moments, but will they do any good? :p

    Yes, Luke and Mara will have a lot to work through, that's for sure. :) And Luke, among others in this mixed up family will have a lot of things to asnwer for when they are revealed. Stay tuned and thanks for reading. :D

    *******************************************

    Chapter Fifteen


    Kitster stood outside Anakin Skywalker’s home watching the suns rise, a small cup of hot caf in his hands. For a desert planet where temperatures could reach astronomical heights, the nights and early mornings were chilly.

    “It’s not safe to stand out here,” Anakin’s voice drifted though Kitster’s ears. “You know that.”

    Kitster nodded. He knew. “You’ll protect me.”

    Anakin chuckled. He would protect his old friend if it came to that. His powers had come under control after many years of…outbursts, for lack of a better word.

    “Can I ask,” Kitster began. “Why was your grandson here with you? He said his family believed him to be dead. Why?”

    Anakin pondered that question for a few moments before he attempted to give his friend an answer.

    “When I was first brought back by the Force, I didn’t have any of my powers,” he began slowly. “It wasn’t a problem for me then; living here being a moisture farmer seemed like the best thing. But then…then little by little, my powers began to reemerge. Along with that, came notice from other Force-users in the galaxy, including a man named Dev Morgan.”

    “I know that name,” Kitster remarked. “He’s in Mos Espa quite often.”

    Anakin nodded. “Yes, he is. His real name is Ezra Bridger. He was trained as a Jedi, like I was and…like me, he fell to the dark side. He uses the dark side and when he came here and sensed me, he…”

    “What?” Kitster prodded.

    “He began to try to turn me again,” Anakin revealed. “For a time, I…I feared he was succeeding.”

    Kitster felt for his friend. He knew the struggles Anakin had faced, both as a Jedi and after when he was Darth Vader.

    “That’s what brought your grandson here?”

    “Yes,” Anakin said softly. “My son, Luke doesn’t…well, to put it mildly neither my son nor my daughter trust me. Luke protects me, but he doesn’t trust me. When I informed him of Bridger’s presence, he immediately concocted some foolhardy plan to put someone here with me to watch over me. That someone ended up being my grandson.”

    Kitster pondered those words for long moments. “He was never supposed to leave you, was he?”

    Anakin frowned. “He hasn’t left me, not for the past fourteen years. The boy took upon himself a mission that he knew would separate him from his friends, family and other loved ones for the rest of his life, or at least for the rest of mine.”

    “What will you do without him now?” Kitster wanted to know. “Now that’s he’s left. Is this Bridger man still…”

    “What do you mean now that he’s left?” Anakin demanded, voice stern and commanding. “Where has he gone?”

    “I found you because he told me where to look,” he revealed. “Anakin Solo gave me a data-card with these coordinates on it and told me there was a secret hidden here and that is why he’d been here so long; guarding the secret.”

    Anakin took a deep, calming breath. “Did my wayward grandson tell you where he was going?”

    Kitster shook his head. “No. He said he’d be gone a long time, maybe for good, handed me the data-card and left.”

    Anakin turned and stared at the suns as they rose higher in the sky. He could not imagine what could have seduced his grandson from his side. But he had a feeling, whatever it was, his own son’s machinations were about to be exposed for all the galaxy to see.

    “Damn, foolish children,” Anakin muttered.

    “Are you okay?” Kitster ventured lightly.

    “No,” Anakin barked. “I’m most certainly not okay, Kit. I’m about to do something my old master would call…rash. Want to come with me? Get off this dust ball planet we both despise?”

    Kitster grinned. He had never been off his homeworld. The chance for an adventure at his age was not something to pass up.

    “Of course.”

    Both men headed into the small hut Anakin called home and the former Jedi set about packing a small bag with clothing and toiletries. The he headed for the comm station in the corner. He quickly powered it up and got ready to contact the only other person in the galaxy besides his son and grandson who knew Anakin Skywalker lived again.

    He punched in a code and waited. Within minutes, a voice materialized in the room.

    “Didn’t expect to ever hear from you again.”

    Anakin couldn’t stop the grin that spread across his face. It was good to hear her voice after so long.

    “You know me, I like to keep people guessing, Snips.”

    *******************************************************************

    Leia nearly jumped out of her skin when she felt Han’s arms snake around her waist. She had not sensed his presence at all.

    “Hey, it’s me,” Han quipped with a grin. “You were restless all night again. What are you doing up so early?”

    Leia slipped from his grasp and busied herself preparing them both breakfast. “I don’t know. I think…I think a dream woke me and I couldn’t go back to sleep.”

    “What’s wrong?” he questioned; curiosity and more than a little trepidation in his voice.

    “I don’t know,” she told him solemnly. “I can’t place it. I feel as if…something…no, someone is nearby. Someone I should recognize, but I don’t.”

    Before Han could reply, the door chimed. He was about to rise when Leia casually raised her hand and opened the door using the Force. It was rare that she used her abilities at all, though she did possess a strength in and connection to the Force as deep and powerful as her twin brother. Seeing her do it now, for some reason, gave Han a massive sense of trepidation.

    Jaina and Kyp walked through the door; Jaina making a beeline for her mother while Kyp sauntered over to Han and the two me shook hands.

    “Mom, I was jolted awake this morning and…” she stopped.

    “I was, too,” Leia informed her daughter. “I couldn’t go back to sleep.”

    Kyp watched his wife and mother-in-law before turning back to Han. “Jaya and I both were awakened early this morning by…something. A sense of someone we can’t place, don’t recognize. It just seems awfully familiar.”

    “A person?” Han wanted to know.

    Kyp nodded. “Jaya and I both felt a presence, but not one we could place. But we both feel like we should know who it is.”

    “Maybe you should call Luke,” Han suggested. “Maybe he can help the three of you.”

    Jaina and Leia were huddled together at the table drinking caf while Han and Kyp retreated to the balcony to talk.

    *******************************************************************

    Anakin had programmed his ship to alert him when he was one hour from Coruscant. That alert had just come through and he was now readying himself for the last part of his journey home.

    ”What do you plan to do when you arrive?”

    Anakin spun around. “You again. We have to stop meeting like this, Kenobi.”

    Obi-Wan chuckled. “You sound like your grandfather.

    Anakin didn’t comment. “What brings you to me this time, Master Kenobi?”

    ”I must caution you once more about revealing yourself to your family,” the long-dead Jedi told him. “They will…”

    “They will cope,” Anakin insisted. “I have to try…I have to change what I saw in my vison.”

    ”You may not be able to change what you saw, Anakin,” Obi-Wan advised. “Be aware of your surroundings at all times. Reign in your emotions; listen to the Force. Let it guide you.”

    Taking a deep breath, Anakin let his blue gaze meet that of his grandfather’s former master. He noticed for the first time the deep lines around Obi-Wan’s eyes and the tension in his shoulders.

    He looked old. And tired. How can a ghost look tired, Anakin wondered?

    Anakin bowed slightly and took the advice in the spirit in which it was offered.

    “Yes, Master.”

    *******************************************************************

    Jacen carefully uncrossed his legs and stood slowly. He’d been awake for hours, since he’d felt his brother’s presence. He knew the rest of his family had felt Anakin’s presence as well, but they were all unsure what they were feeling.

    He was about to pull on his cloak when his door chimed. He waved his hand when he sensed his brother-in-law on the other side of the door. Just as he turned around, a fist slammed into his face.
     
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  9. JEDIFLYSWATTER

    JEDIFLYSWATTER Jedi Master star 3

    Registered:
    Dec 10, 2004
    Oh Boy! Lets add Anakin Skywalker to this family reunion. I have a very bad feeling about this and I am afraid that it is going to fall all on Luke. Not sure even Mara will have his back on this mess. Please show up and be the voice of reason Obi Wan. You might be Luke’s only hope. Who is going to argue with a ghost? Even though I am getting worried for my Farm Boy, love this story. Great job!
     
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  10. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    Hello there! :obiwan:

    I've been saying for ages that I was going to read this after I reviewed the spin-offs of this fic that you posted for the Fanfic Olympics that had me very much intrigued. It took me long enough, but hey, here I am!

    And now, well, "intrigued" doesn't begin to describe it.

    I loove how you reinvented the post-OT timeline of events and the characters that populate it. This isn't so much an AU as it is a different story altogether, and I find in particular that making Luke so not-perfect is an extremely bold move.

    To think that keeping a single lie, that of his love for Padmé, was enough to make Anakin Skywalker turn to the dark side... and here, everyone is lying to everyone else about every Big Important Thing in their lives. I have such a bad feeling about this that it's in a different league altogether.

    I'm amazed at how you handle jumping around the different elements of the story in the present timeline as well as your insertion of flashbacks. There's a lot going on here, and yet it all flows so smoothly!

    And of course, regarding the title, I'm very curious to see which father's sins we're ultimately talking about – although I already have an inkling that the answer may be "all of them".

    Bottom line, I love this story, I'm sorry I didn't read it earlier and I put it on my watch list to see what happens next whenever you write it!

    =D=
     
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  11. JediMaster_Jen

    JediMaster_Jen Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2002
    Oh yes, we MUST add Anakin Skywalker!! Gotta keep things interesting. Luke is certainly about to come face to face with his choices and...well, you'll see. ;)

    Hello there right back at ya!:obiwan: Hey, as long as you made it in here, I'm happy.

    I feel like writing Luke as so "not-perfect" is always a risk. So far, I think it's working. I hope. [face_worried] I've always loved using flashbacks as a way to tell a story. I think it can be pretty effective when done well.

    You might be onto something with your suspicions regarding the title. ;) Or not. In any case, thank you for reading.


    /////



    Chapter Sixteen


    Jacen looked up at Kyp from his position on one knee in front of the older man. Jacen wiped his bloody lip as he stood.

    “What the kriff was that for?” he questioned as he walked over to the couch and sat down.

    Kyp’s anger was rolling off him in waves as he sat down across from Jacen. He spent long moments glaring at his brother-in-law before he finally spoke.

    “Jaina woke up this morning screaming,” Kyp began in a tone much calmer than he felt. “Something…spooked her. She said she felt something…someone close that she should know, but she didn’t.”

    Jacen remained calm. “What does that have to do with me or why you hit me?”

    “I just came here from your parents place,” Kyp told him. “I left Jaina there with your mother. I lied to your father when I told him that I felt the same thing; that it was the presence of someone I couldn’t place.”

    “You know who you were sensing?” Jacen wanted to know.

    Kyp suddenly sprang to his feet. “Yes! I know Anakin Solo when I sense him!”

    *******************************************************************

    Ben had been agitated when he returned to his quarters. He’d spent the entire night that way. He’d never questioned the events leading to Anakin’s death, only his own role in them. Now, he was questioning everything, including his memories of that mission.

    Despite his exhaustion, he went to the meditation cushion he kept in the corner and sat down cross-legged. He took several deep breaths and closed his eyes, sending his mind back fourteen years to the moment he and Anakin had met outside the council chamber before being given the mission.

    /////

    Ben approached the door to the Council chamber and was about to enter when he noticed Anakin sitting off to the side, head down and a concerned look on his face.

    “Hey, Ani, what’s wrong?” Ben asked as he walked over to his cousin.


    ”I know this is too much to ask, Anakin. You can say no. Please believe me when I tell you that; you can say no.”

    Anakin shook his head; Luke’s words still ringing in his ears. But he didn’t want to say no. He would sacrifice what he had to for this mission. It was important. It was unbelievable.

    He looked up and his blue eyes met Ben’s. A sad smile crossed his face for a moment before he stood.

    “Nothing’s wrong,” he assured Ben. “I slept terrible and then Uncle Luke comm’d me early and asked me to meet him in chambers.”

    Ben didn’t entirely believe him but accepted his answer anyway. “Yeah, he summoned me, too. Wonder what this is about.”

    Feigning disinterest, Anakin merely shrugged. “I guess we should go find out.”

    Both young men gathered their courage and stepped into the council chamber; one of them wondering what their fate would be and the other…

    The other already knowing that you cannot escape your destiny.


    /////

    Ben opened his eyes and sighed, running his hands through his hair. He’d known that his cousin was preoccupied that morning; nervous and upset. Ben let it go then when Anakin had told him he was fine. Now, he wished he’d pushed to discover what was truly on the mind of his cousin.

    Ben leaned back against the wall behind him and drew his knees up against his chest, wrapping his arms around his legs. His mind was filled with the briefing they’d received from the council. He could still see and hear Anakin’s words to him once they had left the chamber.

    /////

    “Pendal is a crime-ridden world full of gangsters, gamblers and all manner of criminal,” Luke explained. “They survive off street crime. They will lie, cheat and steal, so you’re going to have to be very careful.”

    “Why us?” Ben suddenly questioned; his eyes settled on his father. “Aren’t we both a little…young for this type of mission?”

    Anakin swallowed deeply as he awaited Luke’s explanation.

    “We all think the two of you can handle a simple capture mission,” Luke conveyed. “Yes, you are both young, but you are also both very capable. We have faith in your training. You should as well.”

    “Besides, you’re both so young, no one will think you’re there to capture Vizani,” Kyp tossed in for good measure.

    The meeting was finished; Anakin and Ben had their orders, their ship and only a few hours before they were to leave for the world of Pendal to capture a rogue scientist who was developing weapons of mass destruction.

    “I’m going to go see Tahiri and tell her that I’ll…”

    Ben stopped walking. “Tell her that you’ll…what?”

    Anakin cleared his throat. “That I’ll be gone for a…a few days.”

    “Are you sure you’re okay?” Ben asked again.

    “Fine,” Anakin confirmed. “Meet me in the training salle later. We can get some sparring practice in before we leave.”

    “Sure,” Ben said as he turned to walk back to the quarters he shared with his father and stepmother.

    Anakin watched him go. “I will protect you, Ben. You
    will come home. I’ll make sure of it if it’s the last thing I do.”

    *******************************************************************

    Ben brushed angrily at his tears as they fell down his cheeks. His breathing was ragged as his memories washed over his mind. He felt the Force working on him, pulling him back into recollections he’d rather forget; despair in an endless loop parading through his consciousness with all the subtlety of a stampeding herd of Banthas.

    Anakin’s want to speak with Tahiri to let her know he’d be gone for a few days rattled around in Ben’s mind for a few moments. The look in his cousin’s eyes when he said it…so many things Ben had just let go.

    Why, he wondered to himself as visions of their mission began to flow across his memory.

    *******************************************************************

    “So, this is Pendal, huh?” Ben asked as Anakin landed their ship on the outskirts of the capital, Tilam City. “Looks…”

    Anakin looked at him when he stopped. “I think the word you want is disadvantaged. The information Uncle Luke gave us says the planet is well behind most of the rest of the galaxy in weapons technology. They still use slugthrowers.

    Ben nodded. “I read the reports. Apparently this Kelvar Vizani is in the process of developing weapons that can destroy planets. Just like the Death Star.”

    Anakin stood and shrugged into his cloak and reached for his lightsaber and made sure it was secure at his waist.

    “He was last seen near a place called
    Boklee Casino,” Anakin said. “We should start there.”

    Ben grabbed his own saber but left this cloak behind. The two sixteen-year-olds headed down the ramp of their ship and walked off in the direction of the capital.

    “Are you okay with Uncle Luke having put me in charge of this mission?” Anakin asked after a beat.

    Ben looked at his cousin curiously. “Some reason I shouldn’t be? You’ve been a Jedi way longer than I have. It makes sense.”

    “Good,” Anakin responded. “Then I have something to tell you. While we’re here, if I give you an order, I need you to listen to me and do what I say without question. I need you to promise me. I know that’s a lot to…”

    Ben waved him off. “It’s fine, Anakin. I understand. My father trusts you to look out for both of us. I promise I’ll listen to you.”

    Anakin breathed a sigh of relief.
    This will be that much harder if he doesn’t listen to me.

    *******************************************************************

    Tilam City was nothing like what either young man expected. Despite having read the council’s report on the planet, they were shocked to see the streets ridden with filth; gutters with adults and small children sitting amongst the garbage. The duracrete walls of the building were cracking and crumbling.

    The people of Pendal were suffering. They had no reliable weapons to defend themselves against local thieves or any other outsiders that might wish to do them harm. Now, they also had a rogue weapons designer who was using their planet as his base of operations.

    “You think Vizani plans on using Pendal as a test for his weapons when they’re done?” Anakin asked softly as they walked down the street; aware of eyes following their every move.

    Ben nodded and in a solemn voice, answered. “I would.”

    Just then they rounded a corner and Ben pointed. “Look, there it is.
    Boklee Casino.. It looks…”

    “…dilapidated,” Anakin finished. “That can’t be a working casino. The whole building looks ready to crumble at our feet.”

    Ben trudged forward, headed for the casino. “Let’s take a look inside and see what we fine.”

    Anakin took hold of his lightsaber and instructed Ben to do the same. “Keep your senses sharp. We have no idea what we might be walking into.”

    Ben acknowledged the order with a nod. He reached out with the Force and opened the doors to the casino. They were both immediately hit with the smells smoke from death sticks and stale alcohol. The room was dimply lit and Ben couldn’t see more than a few centimeters in front of him.

    “Disgusting,” Anakin muttered. “Let’s go. You go right and I’ll go left. The description we have of Vizani is that he’s just over two meters tall, black hair that’s shoulder-length and often…greasy and he has green eyes. If you spot him, be careful. We’ll meet back here.”

    “Aye, Captain,” Ben quipped.

    Anakin chuckled as they set off in opposite directions.

    *******************************************************************

    “I’m being watched,” Kelvar Vizani remarked to his companion as they sat a Sabacc table nursing their drinks.

    His companion didn’t look around at all. He merely nodded his head as he placed his next bet. “I know. Two Jedi. Both young. I can sense them.”

    Kelvar looked at his friend. “How is…”

    The man smiled; his face boyish despite his nearly sixty years of age. “It’s possible because I was trained as a Jedi a long time ago. Now, I’m going to get up and leave. I’ll take care of these two.”

    “Wait!” Vizani called out. “Who are you, really?”

    The man with dark, closed-cropped hair and brilliant sapphire blue eyes grinned. “You can call me Dev. Dev Morgan.”

    With that, the man quickly found the exit and slid past Ben and Anakin unnoticed.

    *******************************************************************

    Ben had nearly made his entire loop when he spotted Vizani. He had his lightsaber in hand as he approached the man and was at his back when he ignited it and simultaneously rested his empty hand on Vizani’s shoulder.

    In a clear voice he spoke. “Kelvar Vizani, you are hereby placed under arrest by the Galactic Republic for crimes…”

    The first blaster bolt whizzed past Ben’s head with only centimeters to spare. He ducked instinctively and immediately yelled out.

    “Anakin! I have him! Blaster fire!”

    Anakin was already running towards his cousin, his own amethyst-bladed saber at the ready. He deflected a few shots as he ran, but one managed to stroke him in his right shoulder. Without stopping he reached Ben.

    Orange saber deflecting bolt after bolt, Ben was also keeping a hand on Vizani. The man was struggling against his grip but had not managed to break free.

    Suddenly the blaster fire ceased.

    “I don’t want any trouble in here,” an older woman remarked. “Take the trash with you and get out of my casino.”

    Cautiously and without extinguishing their lightsabers, Anakin and Ben led Vizani from the casino, his wrists now clad in binders.

    Once outside, Ben breathed a sigh of relief. “That was close. We almost…”

    The casino behind them exploded in a ball of fire sending all three sprawling to the ground. Ben landed on his back more than three meters away while Vizani had been thrown against a nearby fence, knowing the man unconscious.

    Ben groaned as he tried to sit up. His heart pounded in his ears.
    Where’s Anakin?” He looked around but didn’t see anything but dust in the air and the smell of blood in his nose. He looked down and saw that his left arm had been ripped open; bone sticking through the skin.

    Ben carefully stood and reached into his utility belt and found several bacta wraps. He wrapped his arm as best he could and turned to look in the direction of what was left of the casino.

    As the smoke cleared, Ben saw Anakin just standing as well. He was about to call out to his cousin when he heard it.

    Run, Ben! Run! Get out of here now!”

    Ben’s first instinct when he heard Anakin’s voice in his head was to run to help his cousin. A split second later, he remembered his promise. Just as he turned, he heard it.

    The distinct snap-hiss of a lightsaber; brilliant emerald-green blade came to life just barely seen through the still heavy smoke. It was followed by numerous other figures; all with blasters.

    You promised me! Run, Ben, now!”

    He saw Anakin raise his lit blade; not quite in time.

    Ben turned and ran. He ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Several times on his way back to the ship, he tripped and fell; his vision cloudy with unshed tears. He reached the ship, his breaths heavy and labored. He approached the ramp when he felt him;
    heard him one last time.

    ”I love you, cousin. Tell them goodbye for me.”

    Anakin Solo was gone.

    Tears finally fell down Ben’s dirty cheeks, leaving tracks of heartbreak in their wake. Ben climbed the ramp slowly, anguish slowing him to a crawl.

    Once seated in the pilots’ chair, he lifted off carefully. He guided the craft towards Tilam City, taking one last glance at the site of the casino. Smoke, rubble and the feeling of death were all that remained.

    “Jedi Temple, this is…this is Ben Skywalker,” he began his transmission. “Mission to Pendal has…has failed. Ana…Anakin So…Solo lost. Vizani…escaped.”

    He cut the recorder and transmitted then locked in his course home. The ship entered hyperspace and Ben allowed himself to break down.

    Sobs wracked the teenager’s fragile, broken body. Bruises were forming all over and his arm was throbbing. Blood loss was making him woozy.

    Ben reached to the controls and flipped the autopilot switch. He knew he was in no shape to fly himself. With that done, he headed to his cabin and nearly fell onto his cot. Taking deep breaths and trying to focus through his ragged emotions, Ben was able to at last enter a light healing trance.

    Just before he went completely out…

    “Goodbye, Anakin.”


    *******************************************************************

    Ben stood abruptly as the vision ended. He flung his arms wide and let out a scream of frustration, anger, grief; the window behind him shattered and everything in his quarters rattled with his emotion-driven outburst. The Force hummed around him, adding fuel to the burning fire inside him.

    “Anakin!”

    Ben’s heart was thundering in his chest as he bellowed out all the grief and heartache he felt over Anakin’s death and what he perceived as his own failure to stop it from happening. He collapsed beneath the crushing weight of his feelings.

    *******************************************************************

    Anakin couldn’t stop the tears he felt welling in his eyes as his ship broke the atmosphere and he got his first look at Coruscant in fourteen years. It looked both just as he remembered and completely new at the same time. The space lanes were crowded as usual. The artificial climate control was set for a brilliant sunny day.

    It was beautiful. It was perfect.

    ”Anakin!”

    He was startled to clearly hear his cousin scream his name. He shivered as the waves of grief Ben was feeling washed over him. He instinctively tightened his shields even further, ensuring he was completely hidden from his family. He took a deep breath and flipped a few switches on the console and waited a few moments before he spoke.

    “Coruscant Control, this is the Starfire, requesting permission to set down in Docking Bay 3733.”

    Within moments, a droid answered. “Starfire, you are cleared for landing in Docking Bay 3733, berth 73.”

    “Acknowledged,” Anakin replied and carefully navigated the traffic as he approached the docking bay, hands flying over the controls.

    Once the ship was docked and powered down, Anakin heaved a sigh of both relief and intense trepidation. He knew the first person he needed to contact was his brother followed by their uncle. If there was a way to navigate the situation, he knew it would take all three of them. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his comlink. He entered the code he and Jacen used and sat back to wait.

    “This was a bad idea,” he muttered to himself. “Should’ve listened to the old man.”

    It was nearly ten minutes before he got a response.

    “Where are you, little brother?” Jacen’s voice came through clear yet sounded odd to Anakin’s ear.

    “Are you okay?” he questioned rather than answering his brother. “You sound…”

    “Is that you, Anakin?” a new voice came through, full of emotion. “Is it…is it really you?”

    Anakin closed his eyes. He knew that voice. He knew it as well as he knew Jacen’s. He took a deep breath, opened his eyes and spoke.

    “It’s me, Kyp. It’s really me.”

    /////


    Author Note: In case you'd like to read a little more on the relationship between cousins Ben Skywalker and Anakin Solo in this 'verse, here are a few stories I wrote for the 2021 Fanfiction Summer Olympics entitled Before the End.
     
    Last edited: Aug 19, 2023
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  12. DarthIshtar

    DarthIshtar Chosen One star 10

    Registered:
    Mar 26, 2001
    Just binge-read this in one sitting and wow, am I conflicted on who I want to succeed and what I think that would look like! Ben and jysella are my new OTP.
     
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  13. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    Oh dear. It's all about to unravel, isn't it? The "secret" of Anakin's presence on Coruscant isn't going to last for more than a few minutes, hours at most, and a lot of people are going to be very upset that they were lied to, even if they're happy to see him... and then, when they find out why they were lied to and where he was all this time... *shudder*

    (I also remember from the previous chapter that the other Anakin is on the move as well, and I expect that he didn't take Kitster for a vacation on Naboo, so the poodoo is about to hit the fan big time.)

    The most intriguing bit, however, was in the flashback, with "Dev Morgan" being present on Pendal when teenage Anakin and Ben were sent on that fateful mission. Again, I remember Anakin Senior mentioning him as a dark Jedi who was trying to turn him anew in the previous chapter, so I doubt that his presence at Vizani's side was part of Luke's plan at all... and that has all sorts of implications. You said in your reply to my previous review that you enjoy writing not-perfect Luke, and, well, he's definitely not perfect in this story.

    As a side note, we found out in the flashback that Kyp was with Luke when Anakin and Ben were briefed on their mission. He is going to be mightily pissed that he was manipulated into that. Jacen got a punch in the face, but Luke is going to get beaten to a pulp.

    I'm very eager to see what happens next!
     
  14. JediMaster_Jen

    JediMaster_Jen Force Ghost star 4

    Registered:
    Jun 3, 2002
    Wow, thanks so much for reading. :D I'm glad you're enjoying Ben and Jysella. They seemed an unlikely pairing, but I was intrigued by how their story could play out, so I went with it.

    Um, yes. ;) As Anakin would say, this is where the fun begins.

    LOL. Yes, Anakin Skywalker is on the move as well and no, it's not for a fun vacay with his old friend on Naboo. :)

    All I can say about is that...you might be surprised. ;)

    Absolutely! I'm not a fan of writing a "prefect" character, even someone as polished and as close to perfect as the OT made Luke Skywalker. Sure, he had a few flaws, but ultimately, he was pretty wholesome and, well...perfect. :p I love the character and I love writing him, but I've always, as a writer and reader enjoyed the flawed, anti-hero type characters much more than any others. I find them more interesting and I certainly hope I've done justice to my vision of not-perfect Luke. :)

    Yeah, he just might be more than a little irritated. ;) Kyp is always unpredictable, which is one of the reasons he's one of my top three favorite characters from Legends. His emotions are always on high and... well, Luke isn't in for a pleasant meeting when next he sees Kyp.

    Thanks so much for reading and reviewing. :D Always appreciated.


    /////

    Author Note

    After nine very long years, this first story of the Knightfall series has come to an end. I wish to thank everyone who has read and commented over the years. It means everything to me. I never expected for it to take this long to complete, but...well, things happen. I hope you enjoy the conclusion. Information on the next story will be coming soon.


    /////


    Chapter 17

    A brief conversation and forty minutes later, Anakin was standing at the top of the ramp of his ship as it lowered. His shields were still as tight as he could make them. He had no intention of revealing himself to anyone else just yet. He had to get through these reunions first.

    He took the first few steps carefully. He noticed his hands were shaking slightly and he was nervous. Fourteen years was a long time to have been away from the people he loved, and who loved him.

    Did they still? Had his more than a decade’s absence changed how his family felt about him? Had it changed how she felt about him?

    “Stop it, Anakin,” he muttered to himself. “It’s been fourteen years. Of course things will have changed.”

    He drew himself up to his full height and finished th trip down the ramp. His blue eyes caught sight of his brother first. Jacen was all at once exactly as he remembered and nothing at all like he remembered. He was still tall and had the same dark brown hair and eyes, but he seemed…brighter. His presence in the force was like the sun.

    “Hey, little brother,” Jacen quipped as he walked in Anakin’s direction. “You’ve grown.”

    Anakin laughed, the tension evaporating from his body. It struck Anakin then that in the previous fourteen years Jacen had only seen his face. He hadn’t seen how much taller and broader his brother had grown. He remembered the boy and had little knowledge of the man he’d become.

    He felt true contentment for the first time in fourteen years when Jacen drew him into a tight embrace. He felt tears sting his eyes as Jacen’s hand came up and cradled the back of his head, and he felt acute embarrassment when he noticed Kyp Durron watching the whole thing.

    Anakin pulled away and squared his shoulders as he met Kyp’s stare. The older man walked slowly towards the Solo brothers, his gait steady and purposeful.

    The moment Kyp was within arm’s length of the younger man, he too snatched him into a hug. It was less affectionate than Jacen’s, but Anakin couldn’t deny that it felt good to be welcomed home.

    “Good to see you, kid,” Kyp choked out; Anakin and Jacen both realizing that he was crying.

    Anakin pulled back and titled his head. “I didn’t…I didn’t expect you’d be glad to see me.”

    Kyp wiped his eyes, unashamed at his display of vulnerability. “Yeah, well…you’ve been missed.”

    The three men were quiet for only a few moments before Jacen spoke again.

    “We have to find a place for you to stay,” he reasoned. “Unless you…”

    Anakin shook his head. “No. No, I can’t reveal myself to anyone. At least, not yet. I can’t…look, this is gonna sound crazy but…I saw Obi-Wan Kenobi on my journey here.”

    Jacen’s eyes widened while Kyp’s narrowed. “The same Obi-Wan Kenobi who…”

    “Yes, the same,” Anakin interrupted. “He came to me on the ship, told me not to reveal myself to my family at first. He told me to be careful about how and when I do reveal myself and that it’ll…it’s obviously going to impact everyone. He also said that I had to come back here but that I might not be able to change what I saw in my vision.”

    Kyp frowned. “What vision?”

    Anakin and Jacen shared a look.


    /////


    Luke danced across the training salle elegantly and easily, cutting down blaster bolts from dozens of training remotes; green blade twisting and twirling in his capable hands. Meditation hadn’t worked to calm his frayed nerves and neither had the walk he had taken through the temple, so after hours of unsuccessful attempts at achieving calm, he’d finally resorted to physical exertion.

    “Dad?” Kaelen called out from the doorway trying in vain not to distract his father.

    Luke heard Kaelen call out to him and was thrown off for a moment and a bolt got through his defense and caught him in his left side. He yelped in surprise and nearly dropped his saber.

    “Sorry,” Kaelen said as he stepped further into the room. “I was hoping we could spar. Mom said you had left early.”

    Luke tried to smile at his youngest son but failed. It came out as more than a grimace than anything else. He disengaged his saber and clipped it back to his belt. He reached down and rubbed at the spot that had been hit.

    “Not your fault,” Luke finally said. “I lost my concentration. Let that be today’s lesson. Never let something distract you. Be always aware of your surroundings.”

    Kaelen smiled and dipped his head in acknowledgement. “Yes, Master.”

    Luke chuckled and was about to suggest something other than sparring when he suddenly doubled over as if in pain.

    Kaelen leapt forward and managed to catch his father before he fell. Luke’s eyes met his son’s, and he managed a command.

    “Go get your mother.”


    /////


    Kyp was stunned after having heard about Anakin’s vision. Not only was it vivid and in detail, but now he also knew that young Jaek was Ben’s son and not Jaden’s.

    The older man ran his hands through his dark hair and sighed deeply. “Are you…are you sure what you saw, Anakin?”

    “I saw Ben with…with yellow eyes and…” he stammered. “It was years from now. The boy was a teenager. But Ben was…he was not Ben.”

    Kyp took a deep breath. “Anakin, you knew as well as I do that trying to stop a vision from coming true can…”

    “…bring it to pass,” Anakin finished. “Yeah, I know. I just…Kyp, I can feel that this is right, that I’m supposed to be here. The waves of the Force have brought me here. Trusting the Force has brought me here.”

    Kyp frowned. “Waves of the Force?”

    Jacen waited patiently for his brother to explain.

    “The Force isn’t just something we draw upon when we want to move or throw something heavy,” Anakin began, and Jacen knew immediately his younger brother’s view of the Force had drastically changed during his time away.

    “It’s constantly moving,” Anakin continued. “We’re constantly interacting with it. It’s…it’s like being underwater and moving through the water; it’s flowing around you and you move with it, move with the Force, with the ebbs and flows of the Force itself. Trusting the Force means trusting those ebbs and flows and knowing I can move with them.”

    Jacen was astonished. For years, he’d felt that Force was more than simply a tool to be used. He spent much of his time researching other species and the way they interacted with and used the Force. He sought knowledge through meditation. But noting had led him to the idea that the Force was a wave you could…surf.

    Kyp shook his head. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard the Force described in such a way, not even by the professor here.”

    Anakin chuckled at his brother’s expense. “It’s been fourteen years. My views have changed a bit.”

    “Be that as it may, that vision of yours needs to be addressed,” Kyp replied. “We must tell Luke. He’s…”

    “He’s going to be mad,” Anakin interrupted. “Especially at me. I don’t know what or how much Jasa told you, but I accepted my mission knowing I would never come back here, that I would never leave…well, where I was sent.”

    “He’ll understand,” Jacen insisted. “He’s more likely to be mad at me for…Anakin, I still to this day don’t know where you were or what you were doing. Uncle Luke has never told me and neither have you. This is all still a mystery. All he’s ever told me was to not mention you. I want to know why, and if my suspicions are correct, we’re all going to need Uncle Luke anyway. So we might as well go to him now.”

    Anakin nodded slowly despite Obi-Wan’s words echoing in his head. He followed his brother and Kyp, drawing his shields as tight around himself as he could.


    /////


    Mara saw her husband bent forward with his head in his hands, pain evident on his face. She could feel it. She rushed to him and knelt at his side.

    “Luke?” she called softly. “Can you hear me?”

    Kaelen watched from a few meters away as his father didn’t acknowledge his mother. Mara grasper Luke’s face in her hands and forced his head up. His eyes were squeezed shut tightly.

    “Luke,” she called louder than the previous time. “Luke, look at me.”

    Finally, after nearly two full minutes, Luke carefully opened his eyes and Mara didn’t miss how nervous, even fearful he looked.

    But her blood did not run cold until she heard him whisper.

    “Father.”


    /////


    “What are you going to do when we get to Coruscant?” Kitster asked Anakin as their ship hurtled through hyperspace.

    Anakin leaned back in the pilot’s seat and shrugged. “For starters, I need to track down my grandson.”

    Kitster chuckled. “He’s a spitfire, that one. He reminds me of you. You were headstrong and stubborn even when we were children.”

    Skywalker laughed and ran a hand through his hair. “I’m not so sure that’s a good thing. He’s...my old master would call him reckless and perhaps he is, a bit. I think it’s a Skywalker trait. We all seem to have it.”

    “Is your son going to be…” Kitster began, not really knowing what he even wanted to ask hi old friend.

    Anakin sighed deeply. “He’s going to be disappointed, Kitster. We agreed with me staying secluded on Tatooine for the remainder of my…of this second life was the best thing for everyone. I am breaking that agreement, so…yes, disappointment. Among other things, I imagine. We’ll have to wait and see what else comes from this. The future is always in motion and the Force is…the will of the Force itself is at work here. It has set things in motion we cannot hope to control. I can feel that much.”

    Kitster watched as Anakin stood up and stretched.

    “We’ll be to Coruscant within the next twelve hours. I’m going to get some rest,” Anakin said softly. “You should, too, Kit.”

    Kitster watched Anakin leave the cockpit. He took a deep breath and stood as well and followed his friend.

    “I have a bad feeling about this.”


    /////


    Ben stood in front of the broken window in his quarters. A small team of repair droids had arrived to fix it and were just about to set to work. His eyes were focused not on the droids, but off in the distance where he could sense…something. Or someone. He wasn’t sure.

    Ben sighed and ran his hands through his messy hair. He’d had little to no sleep after spending the night being assaulted by his memories of the mission on which Anakin had died. He couldn’t identify anything in what he remembered that seemed odd, but he also could not shake what Tahiri had told him.

    “Get a grip, Skywalker,” he muttered to himself as he headed for the fresher.

    Barely having took a step, his door beeped. Ben didn’t really want any visitors but he went and palmed open the door anyway.

    He was surprised to see Jysella standing there still in her dancing costume. He raised his eyebrows in question.

    Jysella smiled. “I wanted to apologize.”

    Ben smirked. “For what?”

    She pushed past him into his quarters and sat down on the comfortable chair in the corner by the broken window.

    “What happened there?” she asked, pointing at the droids.

    Ben leaned against the wall and crossed his arms over his chest. “I had a little accident. You were saying something about apologizing?”

    Jysella wasn’t sure she believed him, but she let it go. “Yes. I’m…sorry I walked away from you.”

    Ben snickered as he pushed his body off the wall and took a few steps towards her. “Is that all you’re sorry for?”

    She looked up and noticed Ben had moved to stand almost directly in front of her. Her eyes met his and she shook her head slowly.

    “No,” was her soft answer, her heart in her throat and her nerves on fire.

    Ben carefully sat down beside her. He reached out and took one of her smaller hands in his own.

    “I want…” he started and stopped. “It’s no secret that Kiera and I were…close, when we were young. But, I want you to know that…it’s been a long time since then. She and I have both changed but…”

    Jysella held up her hand. “I’m sorry I accused you of still having feelings for her.”

    He chuckled softly as he ran his thumb across the back of her hand. “It’s okay. I know I denied feeling anything other than…loathing, but you…you were right. To a point, anyway.”

    Jysella looked down. “I was?”

    Ben lifted her chin with the fingers of his other hand and made her look into his eyes. “Yes, you were, to a point. If I can see past all the resentment and anger, I can remember what it felt like to love her, and some part of me is still mourning those feelings and that part of my life. But Jysella, that is all. It’s a part of my life that is over and done with.”

    Jysella cracked a small smile and leaned forward and kissed Ben softly. He ran his hands through her soft hair and pulled her closer. Just a she was about to deepen their kiss, a piercing pain exploded in his head.

    Ben grabbed his head with both hands and fell to the floor.

    “Ben!” Jysella called as she knelt beside him. “Ben, can you hear me?”

    She rested her hand on his head and closed her eyes. She could feel his pain, but not the source of it. All she could do was try to comfort him while she reached for her comlink and contacted the temple.

    Ben squeezed his eyes shut against the pain and tried to sit up when his head felt like it split in two. His eyes slammed open and…

    “Anakin!”


    /////


    In some of the lowest levels of the city, Kyp was leading Jacen and Anakin through a series of back-alleys.

    “Where the kark are you taking us, Durron?” Anakin quipped as he sidestepped a vagrant.

    Kyp chuckled. “I see you haven’t lost your colorful language.”

    “I see you haven’t lost your terrible sense of direction,” Anakin retorted. “What are we doing down here? I know all about the scum and villainy on Tatooine, but this…”

    “Tatooine, huh?” Kyp wondered out loud. “Is that where you’ve been all these years?”

    Anakin eyed Kyp warily. “Perhaps. You don’t need to know right now.”

    Beside his brother as they walked, Jacen made a face as he stepped in something stuck to the ground. He pulled his cloak up so as not to let it get as filthy as he felt walking through the lower levels.

    “I’ll ask this time; where are you leading us?” Jacen questioned.

    Kyp grinned at the Solo brothers. “You said you don’t want to let your family know just yet that you’re alive. Well, no one will find you down here. Guaranteed.”

    “Yes, but why down here?” Anakin demanded. “This is disgusting.”

    Kyp stopped in front of a very non-descript looking building. It had only one entrance and one small source of light.

    “A few years ago, I had…a vision, I suppose you’d call it,” he began. “It was more a flash than an actual vision. Anyway, I saw something…I’m not even sure what it was, but it gave me chills. I’ve never been able to figure it out and neither has your uncle or the other masters.”

    Jacen was intrigued. He’d never heard his brother-in-law mentions such a thing. “And that led you…here?”

    Kyp nodded solemnly. “Yeah, I guess it did. I bought this little…safe house, not long after my flash. I thought that maybe, someday it would come in handy for my family.”

    He palmed open the door and led the two brothers down a very dark and dusty hallway to another door. This one was reinforced durasteel. Kyp reached out his hand and both Anakin and Jacen heard the locking mechanisms within the door turning. Within moments the door opened, and the three men walked through.

    Jacen’s dark eyes widened when he saw the inside. To say the least, it wasn’t much better than the outside.

    “You think this is a good place for my sister and the kids?” Jacen said cautiously.

    Kyp shrugged. “If we need a place to hide, this is just fine.”

    Anakin was walking around. He noticed that in addition to the reinforced door that could only be opened with the Force, there were no windows and off to the left of the entryway was another reinforced door. He reached out with his senses and…

    He turned to face Kyp. “This one leads to the Jedi temple.”

    Jacen looked at Kyp as well. The older man seemed troubled and a little bashful as well.

    He cleared his throat. “Um, yeah, it does. Leads all the way up there. It’s…”

    Anakin stepped right in front of Kyp, toe to toe. “Your flash…did you see the destruction of the Jedi? Or a threat to us? Is that why you acquired this…place?”

    Kyp shook his head. “I don’t know what I saw. I can’t explain it any better right now than I could years ago when I first told Luke about it. But something led me to this place.”

    “You think Anakin’s vision and yours might be connected?” Jacen asked as he found a chair and took a seat.

    Kyp again shrugged. “Not a clue. Do I think Ben Skywalker could bring down the Jedi Order the same way Vader and Palpatine did? No, I don’t. He’s not powerful enough and none of us have sensed anything like that type of darkness for years.”

    Anakin was about to sit down as well when he suddenly gasped and grabbed his head in both hands, the pain he felt driving him to his knees.

    Jacen sprang up and dove towards his brother. “Anakin!”

    Kyp fell to the floor beside the brothers. He put a hand on the back of Anakin’s head and closed his eyes. He delved into the Force to try and discover what was happening, but all he could sense was immense pain.

    Within moments, Anakin’s eyes snapped open, but he wasn’t looking at anyone or anything in particular.

    “Grandfather,” he whispered.


    /////


    A hundred level above, Leia and Jaina were sitting at the dining table talking softly while Han entertained himself with podracing on the HoloNet.

    “I just wish I…” Jaina began and then stopped as a wave of pain lashed through her head.

    Leia doubled over at the same time. Han looked over at his wife and daughter when he noticed the talking had stopped. He sprang from his chair when he saw both women hunched over and holding their heads in their hands.

    He grabbed his comlink and was about to call Luke when both women opened their eyes. Their tears were immediate, and Han was both baffled and deeply afraid.

    Leia and Jaina shared a look.

    “Anakin,” they said together.


    /////


    On a ship bound for Coruscant, the Chosen One was sleeping fitfully. He was restless as visions of the past raced through his unconscious mind.

    The sound of thousands of boots marching up the steps to the Jedi Temple.

    The sound of blaster fire from the clones.

    Jedi, young and old falling in battle.

    The temple on fire.

    Padme gasping for air.

    Obi-Wan leaving him to die on Mustafar.

    Luke being subjected to the emperor’s lightning.

    Returning from the darkness in his final moments.

    Seeing Luke on Endor.

    Anakin Skywalker sat up, gasping for breath. He tried to calm his racing heart with deep breaths and only partially succeeded. He swung his legs over the side of the bunk and rested his arms on his thighs. He closed his eyes.

    “Now is the time,” came the whisper in his mind.

    His eyes snapped open. He knew that voice.

    “Yes…Master."

    The End


    /////


    To be continued in Knightfall II (coming soon)
     
    Last edited: Feb 27, 2024
    earlybird-obi-wan and Chyntuck like this.
  15. Chyntuck

    Chyntuck Force Ghost star 5

    Registered:
    Jul 11, 2014
    I'm sorry I didn't review this final chapter when you posted it (I've been going through a lot since mid-September) but I do want to say that, now that I'm here, it's just as amazing on the second read as it was on the first!

    One aspect that makes this such an intriguing read is that, because Anakin Skywalker and Anakin Solo share a first name, I as a reader couldn't be entirely sure who it was who made everyone double over in pain. For Luke and Anakin Solo, because they say "father" and "grandfather", we know that they felt Anakin Senior, but Ben, Jaina and Leia could be sensing either, and since Anakin Solo is said to be shielding his presence, I'm very curious to know which one they were sensing.

    Then there are all the titbits that are revealed and/or come together: Kyp finding out about Anakin's vision, but also about Jaek's true parentage (this is not going to end well), Kyp's own vision, that was apparently vivid enough for him to feel that he needs a safehouse, Anakin's changed view of the Force (that was a beautiful description, by the way), Ben and Jysella trying to sort out their issues – and I'll be kesseled if that doesn't test her loyalties down the line – and, most importantly, that coda with Anakin Skywalker on hs ship, speaking to an invisible master... All I can say is: I have a bad feeling about this, I have a very, very bad feeling about this.

    Bring on part II, I'm ready!
     
  16. earlybird-obi-wan

    earlybird-obi-wan Chosen One star 6

    Registered:
    Aug 21, 2006
    Finally finished this intriguing story with Anakin still alive and being a good person. What will happen next?