What Could Have Been Part 2: Anakin's Trials

Reuniting Forces

       Anakin

      Anakin felt his pulse pick up as his eyes met the Sith Lord's. The dark man before him was surprisingly young. His thick, dark hair was neatly slicked back and his yellow eyes gleamed.

       Luke was trapped inside a force-field cage, and Anakin couldn't help but shout his name. "Luke!"

        His son lifted his head and sprang to his feet. "Dad!" he called in return, through the filmy blue force-field around him. Midas watched patiently, as if he were enjoying the father-son reunion. "How touching..." he finally commented with a false sweetness in his words, "The Hero With No Fear reunites with his son just in time to watch him turn against him," he said lowly.

      Anakin glared at him and pulled out his lightsaber, immediately igniting the electric blue blade. Darth Midas paced back and forth like a stalking Nexu. "Let my son go..." Anakin demanded in a slow growl. He gritted his teeth and searched for his self-control. He needed to stay focused. His son's life was on the line.

       "I'm afraid that would ruin the plan, my friend," Midas said regretfully, "It wouldn't be wise to let my new apprentice leave at such an inopportune time." Anakin clenched his jaw, "My son will never join you. The Sith represent fear, anger, and hatred; everything he is not," he rebutted.

        Luke

       Luke was so happy to see his father.

       He watched anxiously as he and Darth Midas circled the room, holding eachothers glares with extreme caution. Luke heard his father reply to something that the Sith had said. "My son will never join you. The Sith represent fear, anger, and hatred; everything he is not."

       It was almost enough to make Luke smile, had he not been terrified for his father. What if the Sith were stronger? More powerful? No, that couldn't be! The Jedi were the good guys. Good guys never lost, or at least not in the stories his father had told him when he was younger.

       Of course, this wasn't just a story. This was real and dangerous. Luke decided that he had to help his father even if he had to do it from inside a force-field bubble.

       If I could just figure out how to work the control panel...

       Leia

      It was dark, and wet, and it smelled like the inside of a tauntaun. Leia had know idea what a tuantuan smelled like, but she knew it couldn't be good.

       Inside the garbage chute, she and Han searched desperately for a way out. Garbage chutes had to lead somewhere! "What an wonderful smell you've discovered!" the young boy grumbled as he waded through the filthy water. Leia cringed as her cloak became seeping wet with slimy liquid. She shook the thought aside and sifted through the junk, "Would you quit running your mouth and help me find a way out?" she demanded fiercely.

      Han cocked an eyebrow, "Listen, I take orders from one person and that is me!" he stated firmly. Leia rolled her eyes, "Nerf herder..." she muttered.

      The two dug through layers of decomposing materials, looking for any way out. "Hey wait. Does it feel like the walla are closing in?" Han suddenly asked, studying the room. Leia ignored his question, "I think the smell may be going to your head," she suggested. But then she heard the whine of metal and stopped to confirm the fact that the walls were moving closer together.

       "Han, what are we gonna do?" she screamed in panic. Han began lifting a metal pipe to jam the walls, "Well," he began, "One thing's for sure; we're gonna be a lot thinner..."

       Padme

      "What is it that you're asking me for?"

      "Time," Padme answered Mace directly. The Jedi master weighed his options for a second and then sighed. "You know I don't have any of that, right?"

       Padme read the man's tired face. Just like Obi-wan had been, he wore aged features that added something to the way he looked at people. While she had lived a peaceful life with her family, these people- her friends- continued their duties to protect the galaxy. What had she done?

       Padme watched a droid bandage Maya's wound while Maya herself looked back at her. The young girl waved. Padme smiled back.

        "Mace, if I can get you time, will you hold off the attack?" she finally asked, turning back to Master Windu. He glanced over at Maya and then back at her, "What do you mean?" he said with reluctant confusion. Padme smiled slightly as a plan boiled in her mind. "We can hold off the attack and still fight off Rett Lisban's men. We did the same thing during the Battle of Naboo. We just have to redirect the fighting while a small group travels to the base. Once Obi-wan and my family are out, we launch the attack," she said quickly, barely even understanding her own words as they left her mouth.

       Mace crossed his arms slowly. She thought he was going to object to her strategy but instead, he only nodded and began walking away. "I guess we're under knew orders now. You've got command Senator Ami- I mean Senator Skywalker..."

Hey guys! Sorry I didn't post yesterday, I've had the worst cold in like ever and it's just been stretching itself out as long as possible. :( Anyways, short chapter but next week should have some action in it! I'm so excited for it! Have a great week!