I CHOOSE YOU: star wars¹

forty-three

Rena watched as Obi-Wan held baby Amalia in his arms and cooed her gently as they waited for Zelena's medical examination to end. Master Yoda, Senator Organa, R2-D2, C-3PO, and Zarina also stood outside waiting for the results. A medical droid moved towards them to give them his assessment.

"Medically, she's completely healthy." Zarina furrowed her brows as she stared at the droid. "For reasons we can't explain, we are losing her." Rena took in a sharp intake of breath as she looked down.

"She's dying?" Obi-Wan looked at the droid in disbelief.

"We don't know why." Zarina looked over at Obi-Wan and then Rena. "She has lost the will to live. We need to operate quickly if we are to save the babies."

"Babies?" Senator Organa looked at the droid incredulously and Rena rolled her eyes at this.

"She's carrying twins." Rena swallowed as Zarina stepped towards the room where Zelena lay. Obi-Wan walked over to stand by Zarina and put a hand over his mouth as Yoda bowed his head.
*****

Zelena screamed out in pain as she birthed her first child. She clutched onto Rena's hand, who was her only living relative other than Obi-Wan. Zarina was holding onto Amalia outside the room. "You're doing great, Zel, just keep surviving."

Tears welled up in Zelena's eyes as a baby cried. The droid spoke telling them it was a boy. "Luke." Zelena named the child breathlessly as he was handed to Obi-Wan. He held the baby down to Zelena's level so she could stroke his cheek delicately and look at him with a smile. "Oh, Luke." Baby Luke cooed in Obi-Wan's arms until Zelena began to breathe heavily.

Zelena's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she cried out in pain. The droid calmly told her to the breathe and push as Zelena breathed erratically and practically crushed the bones in Rena's hand. Zelena screamed out in pain as she birthed the other twin, a girl from what the droid told them.

The baby girl cried as she was handed off to Rena to hold. "It's a girl." Rena told her softly with a tearful smile.

"Leia." Zelena breathed out as she looked up at Obi-Wan and Rena who held her children. "Obi-Wan?" Obi-Wan turned his attention to the dying Embara girl as she breathed heavily. "There's good in him. I know. I know there's..." Zelena eyes fluttered closed from exhaustion. "Still-" Zelena's head tilted as she breathed her last causing Rena to cry out after losing her last family member.

Luke began to cry seemingly at the loss of his mother as Rena handed Leia to the medical droid and sobbed into her aunt's chest. "No, no!" Rena held onto her tightly. "You can't be dead. Zelena, wake up!" She shook her aunt who was unresponsive. "No." She sobbed as she held onto her second dead aunt of the day.
******

Rena sat beside Obi-Wan as they discussed on Naboo what was to be done with the three children. "Hidden, safe the children must be kept." Yoda told them and Rena wiped away a tear. She had lost more today than anyone had in their entire lives.

"We must take them somewhere where the Sith will not sense their presence." Obi-Wan looked over at Rena who nodded blankly.

"Hmm." Yoda pondered this for a moment before nodding. "Split up they should be."

"My wife and I will take Zelena's daughter." Senator Organa informed the group and Rena cracked a smile at his bravery. "We've always talked of adopting a baby girl. She will be loved with us."

Obi-Wan nodded looking intently at the Senator. "And what of the boy and the other girl?"

"To Tatooine. To his family send him." Obi-Wan nodded lookinh down at the ground.

"Zarina and I will take the girl to Exogol."

"No, that's the Sith homeland now." Zarina spoke up from the hall with the baby Amalia in her arms. "No, I've a better idea." She looked at Obi-Wan who nodded.

"Alright." Obi-Wan agreed hesitantly with the former Jedi. "I will take both children and watch over the boy and take Amalia." Senator Organa and Obi-Wan shared a look before standing.

"Until the time is right, disappear we will." Yoda told the group as they bowed to him. "Master Kenobi, Master Fett, wait a moment." The two Jedi sat down as Senator Organa left the room. Zarina in tow. "In your solitudes on Tatooine and on Derryn, training I have for you."

"Training?" Obi-Wan asked the older Jedi hesitantly glancing at Rena.

"Some old friends have learned the path to immortality." Yoda told them and Rena instantly perked up with a grin on her face. "Two who have returned from the netherworld of the Force. Your old master, and your grandmother."

"Qui-Gon and Amalia." Obi-Wan gasped in realization and Yoda smiled knowingly.

"How to commune with them I will teach you."
*****

Rena stood in the long line of funeral procession for Astrid, Cordalia, Zelena, and Amalia whose body had been shipped back to Naboo for burial. Zelena had been buried with the jaipur necklace Anakin had gifted her so long ago tangled in and amongst her fingers.

Rena thought her family looked almost peaceful which was ironic given all that had actually been in their familial history. Zelena, Amalia, and Cordalia's red locks had been woven with green leaves and silver flowers whereas Astrid's dark brown locks where woven in which blue and white flowers.

The four women looked beautiful even in death and as Rena glanced behind her, she could she Rubio Elliott, Thomson and Dyson Rae, Wendell Lynch, Jensen, Maeve, and Taun Ortega, Arya, Corvus, Padmé Yonan, who was heavily pregnant and holding the hand of her daughter, Anthea, and Zarina Skywalker holding baby Amalia Embara in her arms. They were all there to support her and she wouldn't have it any other way.

Zarina wrapped her arm around Rena who was crying at her mother's grave. "You ready to go home?" Rena nodded simply as she held her arms out for baby Amalia, their only hope.

END OF PART FOUR

END OF BOOK ONE