Redemption

CHAPTER TEN:

 "This won't take long, Opal." Obi Wan reassured, pulling the blonde along as they walked towards the training room where Master Yoda was in the middle of a session with younglings. "You can even ask him, if you want. You look incredibly bored."

"I love kids. By all means," She extended her hand and smiled at him. "You may speak. It is what you do best." Awe crossed Opal's face as she entered the room, her eyes drinking in the sight of each child before her. "Hello children."

"Hello Master Opal. Hello Master Obi Wan." They greeted. She knelt in front of the children, who began to pester her with questions as Obi Wan exchanged words with Yoda. Opal answered each question thoroughly, making sure to give the children as much detail as possible. She had loved kids since she was a teenager, and had often thought of what it would be like to start a family with Obi Wan.

He would make a fantastic father.

The stars reflected in Opals eyes as she stood behind Obi Wan, confused as to why Kamino was no longer on the Archives. "That doesn't make any sense, Master." Opal said softly, running a hand through her air as she examined the star system. Realization creeped up onto her face as she studied it closer. "Someone erased it."

"Right, your partner is." Yoda replied. "Go to the center of gravities pull, and find your planet, you will."

"But Master Yoda, isn't it impossible to erase files from the archives?" Obi Wan said, crossing his arms over his chest. Opal stood close by his side, waiting for an answer from their teacher.

"Only a Jedi could've done this. Meditate on it, I will."

Opal's face paled slightly as she turned towards the man she adored, her brow furrowed and her face contorted in fear. "Obi Wan," She murmured softly. "What-What if my father was behind this? I feel his presence with me, like he is constantly watching my every move, and it terrifies me."

"You can not assume things yet, Opal." He replied, running his thumb over the inside of her wrist. "If it is him, we will take him down together. Just like we always do."

***

Opal parked her ship beside Obi Wans, gasping as the cockpit opened and exposed her to the bitter chill of rain soaking her to the bone. Her teeth began to chatter as she pulled her hood over her head and rushed inside.

"I bet you would really like to see what I look like wet, wouldn't you?" She asked.

Opal wanted to smack him when he grinned widely and wiggled his eyebrows despite the blush growing on his face. "You've read my mind, you bad girl." He taunted, grabbing her hand and lacing their fingers together. She absolutely loved the affection he gave her whenever they were alone together. He never failed to make her feel more wanted. "But don't tell anyone I said that."

The two of them turned towards a woman much older then the both of them, tall and thin with eyes that reflected galaxies of stars. "Master Jedis," Her voice was soft, like a field of unpicked cotton. "The Prime Minister is expecting you."

Kamino was an extremely interesting planet. Opal watched in wonder as the Prime Minister led her and Obi Wan through a large building that held the clone soldiers that made up the army of the Republic. Each pod held multiple clones at different stages of life. From fetus, to child, to teenager, to man. Everything they had done was quite impressive. "Do you think this is the same bounty hunter we're looking for?" Opal whispered, shivering as Taun We lead the two of them down a white hallway with multiple doors on either side.

"If my assumption is correct, yes." Obi Wan replied.

Opal shivered as cold air blew against her wet skin. Obi Wan gripped her hand tightly as they entered the small room where Boba and Jengo Fett lived. The young boy wouldn't stop staring at her, like she was familiar to him. "This is Jedi Master Obi Wan Kenobi and Opal Stone. They've come to check on your progress."

"Your clones are very impressive. You must be very proud."

The smirk growing on the bounty hunters face was irritating enough to where Opal wanted to lean forward and punch him in the mouth. "I'm just a simple man striving to be powerful making my way in the Universe." Her palms suddenly became slick with sweat as she struggled to form a sentence.

Luckily, Obi Wan was always the better speaker of the two of them. "Ever made it as far as Coruscant?" Opal kept her eyes trained on the mans wrist, where there was a familiar number she'd seen imprinted into both her mother and fathers skin as a child. 78663. The last name of every Jedi forever on the wrists of each, with a simple numeric code.

"Hi, I'm Opal. I'm not much of a talker, but I do have to ask you something." Her voice was sickly sweet as she lunged forward and gripped Jengo Fett's wrist, holding it high above his head. "As far as I can tell, you are no Jedi. And if you were, your last name isn't Stone. 78663.'' Obi Wan kept a relatively cool expression as Opal grit her teeth, towering over the pinned bounty hunter. "Does the name Parker Stone sound familiar to you?"

"This is the number that each clone is given when they are created. Mine just happened to be that," A growl escaped her throat as she stood beside Obi Wan, dusting off her robes and turning towards the door. "Your army will exceed your expectations, I promise you that."

"Thank you for your time Jengo." The two of them bowed and left the room, intent on making their way back towards the ships that waited outside. Opal let out a growl of disgust as she walked in sync with Obi Wan. "He's a liar, Obi Wan. All Jedi have their last names imprinted on their wrists upon passing the Trials. I do." She lifted her wrist and pulled the sleeve of her robe down to reveal her imprint, 78663. "I'm convinced that my father is still alive."

"Or maybe you're just paranoid." He retorted. "We'll inform the Council of what's going on and go from there, Opal. If Parker is alive, he will make a reappearance." She forced a smile and nodded, flipping the hood of the robe and following the man she loved out into the rain.

***

Anakin knelt inside the hut, his fingers gripping the lifeless body of his mother Shmi Skywalker who was beginning to take her final breaths of life. "My son-" She whispered, her fingertips barely grazing his cheek. "I-I love-"

The Jedi Padawan swallowed the tears in his eyes as his mothers eyes closed, and the last breath left her lips as Shmi Skywalker died in his arms. "S-Stay with me mom." He pleaded, his cries falling upon deaf ears. And for the first time in his entirety of being Opals padawan, he finally understood why she had held so much anger and so much hatred towards the people who allowed her parents to be killed.

Opal gripped at her chest as pain filled her heart, and silent sobs began to echo in her head. Her mind thought of Anakin, who was guarding Padme on Naboo while the two of them attempted to find the person behind Senator Amidala's murder attempts.

She could feel the anger, the grief, the rage, and the guilt that coursed through Anakin Skywalker in that moment of loss. Something she had been through so long ago that only her boys had pulled her out of, and she had been praying that Anakin would never fall to the darkness she'd succumbed to as a teenager. "Obi Wan-" She cried out, turning to the man she loved with tears in her eyes. He rose an eyebrow as he clipped his lightsaber onto his belt. "I can feel Anakin's pain, his sorrow.. Something's wrong."