Redemption - A Star Wars Fanfic

Chapter 4

The hum of the transport ship echoed loudly amongst the silent interior, Obi-Wan and Anakin sitting next to each other with the Chancellor and Luke sitting opposite them. Luke was more than aware of the multiple pairs of eyes on him as he intentionally stared at the floor and pretended to be oblivious. He could feel his heart in his throat and mental pinches against his shields—shields that felt much too weak in comparison to the two higher-trained Jedi and the Sith Lord in disguise.

The ride, which should've been blessedly short, instead stretched into what felt like hours, the skin underneath Luke's tunic growing damper with nervous perspiration. He badly wanted to focus on the situation the Force had thrown him into and how he could start formulating a plan to prevent his father from becoming Darth Vader. However, with the literal Emperor sitting only inches next to him, he found it a tad difficult to concentrate without feeling like his every thought was being meticulously scanned.

As the transport landed with a bump, Luke, not wearing his crash webbing, tumbled over with a cry directly into Palpatine's lap. Disoriented, he blinked up at the bemused silvery-blue eyes with a grimace. Covering his frantic upwards scrambling with a chuckle, he did his best to make his shudder of horror as subtle as possible.

A faint snicker caught Luke's ear, and he glanced up just in time to see Obi-Wan elbowing Anakin in the ribs, the younger man biting his lips closed in a failed attempt to smother another chuckle. Luke rolled his eyes, but took no offense. He supposed to someone who didn't see Palpatine as a homicidal, evil maniac, falling over in said person's lap would be more comical than traumatizing.

Before Obi-Wan could jab at his former Padawan once more and force him to apologize, the hiss of the doors sliding open overrode the sound of the engine. The Twi'lekkian pilot sitting in the front turned over the edge of her chair with a small smile. "The Senate Building as requested, Master Jedi."

"Thank you," Obi-Wan said while rising to his feet. "If you don't mind holding here for a minute as well?"

"Of course not. Anything for the famous Kenobi and Skywalker duo," she blushed lightly, her eyes sliding towards Anakin particularly. Obi-Wan's mouth formed into a thin, emotionless line, and he looked as if he was seconds away from banging his head into the walls of the ship.

Anakin, smirking, rose to his feet with an air of confidence, his swagger flirtatious as he moved towards the pilot woman. "I'm guessing you're a fan of the Hero With No Fear?"

The woman blinked in surprise and then began to laugh nervously, pushing her yellow lekku back into her pilot's hat. "I've heard the stories."

"Well now you can tell everyone your own story. That you've met him," Anakin flashed a toothful smile, which made the pilot practically melt. 

"Anakin," Obi-Wan moaned, tapping his foot impatiently.

"Right," Anakin said, fake pouting so dramatically that Luke snorted. "You know me. Duty calls." Anakin trotted down the open ramp, the currently charging Artoo powering up in the corner quickly unplugging and zipping after his Master.

The Twi'lek woman waved after him mournfully, a sigh leaving her lips and her lekku popping right back out of her hat.

"Yes, well. I'll return in a moment," Obi-Wan said slowly before allowing Palpatine and Luke to exit before him. Force knew he wanted to escape the awkwardness before Anakin did something even more ridiculous in front of the Chancellor of all people.

Meanwhile, once off the transport, Luke hurried after his father, leaving Palpatine to make his way towards the frantic mob of senators swarming their way. The hoard of intricately dressed politicians all cried out in their own forms of relief to see the Chancellor making his way towards them, a wave of one wrinkled hand and a small, almost grandfatherly chuckle reassuring them that he was completely fine. It was so good that Luke almost fell for it himself, still marveling at not only the Emperor's ploys, but the scenery around him.