Star Wars: The Last Jedi

New Equipment; New Outlook

   Anakin and Serra talked halfway through the night. At her hesitant request; he recounted some of his time as Vader, his vicious tutelage under Palpatine, but he refused to broach the subject of hunting Jedi. She did not press the matter. He answered simply
   "Palpatine had me under his sway. Even though I knew what I was doing was wrong, I could not resist him. When I was on far flung worlds, vast distances from him; I could resist some of his influence, enough to spare an apprentice, or to give a quick, painless death. I regret all of it, though I wish that I had saw through his lies sooner. That is all I will tell you tonight."

   With the last sentence, he choked up; thoughts turning unbidden to the hundreds of Jedi he had slain. Generations of knowledge, wisdom and power gone because he was blinded by an childhood infatuation. He noticed Serra getting up from her seat and moving to her wardrobe, which she shifted aside to reveal a hidden panel from which she removed what appeared to be a Temple Guard uniform. She turned to him, holding it toward him.
   She looked down, blushing.
"I had this made for you. It matches the standard uniform, except that the entirety of it has been woven through with cortosis, phrik, and durasteel threading. It is nigh indestructible."

   Turning back to the hidden compartment, she removed two more items: a mask, which he recognized as part of the uniform, and a lightsaber. Handing him the mask and saber; she continued:
   "The mask is carved from the wroshyyr tree of Kashyyyk. It is more pliable than plastisteel, and is one of the few woods harder than durasteel. Wear it well. The saber is a request of mine. The blade is that of a shoto. The hilt matches the standard of the Temple Guard, but I made a minor change. Grabbing the hilt, she pressed a button, and it folded just behind the center, becoming a curved hilt saber. "You do not practice Makashi; but the curved hilt will add considerable power to your strikes, primarily overhead or underhand strikes. It will also allow for greater precision with your strikes."
   Anakin sat, speechless. The items he held in his hands were worth several small fortunes. He looked up at Serra, brought to the simplest of expressions by his gratitude
"Thank you. I will wear these with honor." Struck by a sudden thought; he continued:
   "I will wear these.... to symbolize my continual atonement for my past. Never again shall the galaxy see my face. Never again will the Galaxy have to look upon the sight of one with millions of lives upon his hands."
Donning the robes and mask, he stood to his feet. Taking Serra in his arms; he spoke directly to her:
   "I swear to you Serra. I will not fail you. Not now. Not ever. Not again."

   Serra choked back a sob. The sheer sincerity rolling off him in the Force, was enough to make her realize that his intentions were set.
   She reached up, and pulled off the mask, bringing him down to eye level.
   "I have never expected you to not fail. You will fail. You are human. You are mortal. No matter whether you are the Chosen One or some whack job in the streets, you will fail. Your failures are not what define you. What defines you is what you do when you fail. Do you climb back to your feet and keep going; or do you sit there and fester in your guilt ?"

  Anakin could contain it no longer. He burst into tears. He did not deserve someone so compassionate, so forgiving. He did not deserve her; and yet by some twist of fate, she would deign to take notice of him. To possibly love him ? After all he had done. The millions he had slaughtered. The billions he had ordered slaughtered. To think that someone could be so forgiving; so kind, was beyond his understanding. To think that she may yet want to spend the rest of her life with him; by his side ? Oh Force, he did not deserve her. Taking her in his arms, he expressed his emotions the best way he knew how
   "I love you, Serra. Will you.... Will you marry me ?"

At her smile, he knew the answer.
   "Yes. Yes, I will marry you; Anakin Skywalker."
   He had never felt such joy in his life; not even when he and Padme had been wed on Naboo. He took his wife-to-be in his arms, and kissed her. Not a kiss rising from lust; but one of love. Breaking the kiss; both of them heaving for air, flustered and slightly aroused; Serra spoke first.
   "I gotta tell somebody."

   Next chapter:
"The Power Of The Force"