Star Wars: The Colors of the Force

Chapter 10

The blue image of Luke's father as a Force-ghost shimmered into existence. Naluma pulled with all her might at the spectre and held him there. The other ghost, the paranormal one, still colored by the Force, solidified into being.

Slowly, the details crystallized—the chestnut curls trailing down her right shoulder, the chocolate eyes twinkling, and the lips stretched wide in a beaming smile. "Anakin!"

"Padmé!" But the ghost of Anakin did not move. Tears streamed down his cheeks as his face crunched up in agony. "Oh, Padmé, my love. Forgive me. I'm so sorry. Sorry I distrusted you. Sorry I accused you and Obi-Wan. Sorry I choked you ... killed you. Please, please, I wish we could have those moments back again. I would—"

The ghost of Padmé streamed to his side and wrapped her arms around him. "You didn't kill me. I know you didn't. And what you were, that wasn't you. That wasn't the man I married."

"I didn't?" Anakin pulled her into a strong embrace, holding her, caressing her back. The tiny woman's clothing changed from a traveling cloak to the ombre gown Naluma remembered from the vision on the terrace.

"No. I lived. I gave birth. We had twins, Ani. You were right. We had a daughter ... and a son."

"I know." He kissed the top of her head while Naluma pulled with all her might on the Force to hold his spectre in the room. "I've met them."

"You have? Do they know what you are ... were?"

He nodded. "Luke saw the good in me, Padmé, just like you did. It was his love that saved me, that turned me back to the good side."

"Oh, Ani. There always was good in you." She looked up at him. "What about Leia?"

Anakin grimaced. "She hates me."

"I'm sorry, Ani."

"I deserve it. I made her watch Alderaan being destroyed. Her parents ... adopted parents were there." A bout of tears escaped his compassionate eyes once more. "How could I do that to our friends, Padmé? How could I hunt them down and destroy them and think it was right?"

"It was Palpatine. He's had you in a fog, Ani. As my life-force was sucked out, I had one parting vision. I never knew if it was an end-of-life hallucination or not, until now. Now I know it's true. He took my life and gave it to you, gave it to you to save you, to make you into that monster."

"He told me I killed you on Mustafar."

"He killed me on Polis Massa." She tugged on his lapels. "We couldn't finish our happily ever after while we lived. Let's stay together now. Don't leave me."

Anakin shook his head. "I'm sorry. I can't. Do you see that Jedi expending her life-Force to hold me here? She can't do that forever. She's about to collapse as it is. But I'll come back for a few moments every day. On the terrace? At twilight, my love?"

"Oh, Ani, I'd go anywhere to be with you." She pulled his head down for a kiss, one filled with decades of longing. With her hands wrapped around his head, both ethereal spirits dissipated in front of Paskelo and Naluma.

Sweat glistening on her brow, Naluma slouched on the divan. "Illuminating."

"What happened?"

"You didn't see them? Of course not." She broke into a warm smile. "Padmé's—"

"Sh! Don't say that name out loud."

"Relax, she likes me." The Jedi grinned. "She's at peace now. I was able to bring her husband to her."

"Her husband? She was never married."

"She was, at the start of The Clone War, to her Jedi Protector."

"But Jedi are not allowed to marry." He nodded. "Oh, I see. What was his name?"

"Anakin. Anakin Skywalker."

The man's eyes widened. "The Hero with No Fear? I remember him here, many times. I never suspected ... his being a Jedi and all."

"Yes, Master Luke Skywalker's father. Padmé's his mother."

"That's impossible. She died before the baby was born."

Naluma shook her head. "These two were masters of deception. Both twins survived. Now, if you don't mind, I'd like to put a call through to Hosnian. I think her daughter should meet her, too."

"Hosnian? You'll need permission from the monarchy to bring anyone here. And what about Master Skywalker?"

At the mention of his name, Naluma instinctively reached out with the Force through their bond—the bond they could not break no matter how hard they had tried. Love you.

Love you more, 'Luma. Every once of emotion Luke had once denied flooded through their bond and struck her in the heart.

"He's on his way. Could you please connect me to the capital? We'll be expecting many visitors in the next twenty-four hours."

With terror in his eyes, the old man scurried to a communicator. "How many?"

"A dozen or so Jedi, plus Master Luke, his sister and her family." She counted them up on her fingers. "I'd say about fifteen more." Naluma stood and grabbed the still-glowing book in her hand. "Oh, and you might want to keep the terrace clear at twilight when you open for tourists. The ghosts have booked it for eternity."

Paskelo collapsed into an armchair. "Eternity?"