THE SKYWALKERS: book one

CHAPTER FIVE - A Mission

"Anakin! Anakin!" Obi-Wan said desperately, smacking at Anakin's face. "Wake up! Please wake up!"

"Let your feelings cloud your judgment, you must not," Yoda said calmly. "Use your senses. Not yet dead is Skywalker."

Obi-Wan did as instructed, and to his great relief, the young man was still hanging on, but only by a thread.

"Take him to a medical center, we must. Hope for him, there still is."

"I'll take him." Obi-Wan tried to scoop Anakin into his arms, but he buckled under the weight.

"Still weak from our fight, you are. Strong enough, you are not. Call Senator Organa, I will." Yoda reached into his robes and pulled out his comms device.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan stared down at Anakin's worn, tired face. Somehow, though, he looked at peace. He wondered if perhaps he should put aside his selfish desires and allow Anakin to become one with the Force. Anakin had been through so much in his short life, maybe he could be at peace.

But then Obi-Wan thought about Anakin's wife that Palpatine had mentioned, and he somehow knew exactly who it was. And Padmé was pregnant...so that meant... Obi-Wan brought a hand to cover his mouth. Now he really couldn't let Anakin die; Anakin had to be there for his child and be the father for it that Obi-Wan had failed to be for him. That's what he was, Obi-Wan decided. He was a failure. He'd failed Qui-Gon and he'd failed Anakin, and now he was about to fail Padmé too.




Padmé sat across from Bail Organa in the living area of her penthouse, dressed in deep purple Senate robes with her hair up in a tight bun with a cresent-shaped head ornament in it.

"If what General Skywalker has said is true," Organa mused. "Then we must inform the Senate."

"But how can we when we have no proof?"

Organa thought for a while. "Unless we do..."

"What are you proposing?" Padmé asked, but she had a feeling she knew. The security cameras in the Senate Office Building were always running.

Before Organa could answer, however, static could be heard on his comms device. He pulled it out of his pocket and held it close to his mouth. "This is Senator Organa. Please repeat."

There was static for a few more moments before he heard a familiar voice. "Senator, need your assistance, we do."

"Master Yoda, how may I be of assistance?"

Padmé sat forward slightly, praying no one was hurt. Of course someone's hurt, she told herself. They're fighting a Sith lord. Her stomach lurched at the image of Anakin's dead body lying on the ground, and she clutched at her stomach.

"Trapped in the Senate rotunda, we are. Unable to carry young Skywalkers body, we are."

Padmé gasped, bringing a hand to her mouth. She didn't care that Organa gave her a confused look. Trembling, she tried to bite back tears. She didn't even hear the rest of Organa's conversation with Yoda. She couldn't believe it. Anakin couldn't be dead. She needed him; their baby needed him. Anakin, please don't be dead. She brought a hand to her forehead, hiding her face from Organa's view.

"I must go help Master Yoda," Organa said after a few moments of letting her grieve. "I see you were close to General Skywalker. My condolences."

"Thank you, Senator," Padmé forced herself to speak, and the words came out thick with emotion. "Did Master Yoda say there was no chance?"

Organa said. "I don't wish to get your hopes up, but Master Yoda has asked me to bring General Skywalker to a medical center. He may yet survive."

Padmé brightened considerably at that. Surely Yoda would know whether or not Anakin could live. She could trust him to be honest about his odds.