Title:Memorare
Author:DBKate
Rating: PG-13 for adult themes
Category: Drama
Timeline:New Republic/SW crossover Archive: If you want it, put it up, but please keep this header intact.
Spoilers: For *all* movies Ep 1 - VI, including speculation for II & III
Disclaimer: These lovely characters belong to George Lucas and I'm just playing with them. Thanks George, I'll give 'em back when I'm done.

The air hung like a worn shroud over the ancient Jedi temple of Memorare, heavy and damp. Perhaps it was the spirits of the dead hovering over their final resting place or maybe it was just his own moribund imagination, thought Luke Skywalker as he took careful stock of his surroundings.

He was the first Jedi who had entered the building in at least forty years and this knowledge weighed sadly upon him. Gone were all the creche children and their gentle keepers, gone were the padawans and hopeful initiates -- all of them lost to time and the hard trial of Dark Fate that had consumed the galaxy whole not long before.

Gone too were the masters, except for one. Himself.

Luke Skywalker, son of Anakin, student of the venerable Obi-Wan Kenobi, then Yoda, was, for the moment, the last Jedi Master in existence.

All the more reason to be here, Luke decided. As the sole living master in the New Republic it was Luke's duty to retrieve the Order's hallowed past and from it, create a hopeful future for the newly liberated galaxy.

And here, in this ruined, filthy temple was where he'd have to start.

Luke had been retrieving priceless Jedi data from various sources, some by careful sleuthing, some by sheer dumb luck. This was one of the lucky finds, discovered by C-3PO of all things. The protocol 'droid was having a polite conversation with a Memorare diplomat when it came to light the ambassador knew of a ruined mountain temple that local legend claimed as Jedi.

C-3PO immediately informed his master and after a short double check, Luke recognized it as the lost temple of Memram, the one he'd been searching for nearly five years. The name had lost a bit in translation but with a little letter rearranging, there it was.

Luke landed on the warm, forest-covered planet the next day and decided to climb the mountain that led to the temple as an exercise in humility. These places were still sacred to him and even though abandoned and ruined, Luke could still feel the Force remnants of the great masters who had once studied, taught and perhaps even fought there when the Order was at its height.

The climb was uneventful and Luke reached the temple refreshed rather than otherwise. He stood at the threshold for a few moments, reaching out with Force and asked forgiveness of the dead before he entered to unlock their secrets -- the secrets of a hidden, sometime inglorious past, for the good of the future.

The past had great power as Luke well knew, but it held great danger as well.

The Force was strong throughout the entire building but Luke felt pulled toward a section hidden far in the back, behind a dilapidated stone grotto. Carefully, he pushed his way through a broken shield door and found himself inside an empty, musty room.

Dust swirled and Luke wrinkled his nose against a sneeze. Slowly, he studied the four walls, mentally pulling them apart brick by brick, until he saw the spot he'd come to recognize as the Hidden Well.

Only a Jedi could find it, the tiny Force-shielded crack that told him the data he sought was likely lurking beneath. The Jedi weren't stupid -- they'd kept careful records of people and events and guarded them as best they could. In the case of the complete disaster that was The Purge, they'd resorted to Force illusions and masterful trickery, being as mindful of their future legacy as possible.

Luke often wondered about those brave souls, the elderly Jedi clerks of the temples who stayed behind to hide these records, while the others ran off to battle, or in some cases, fled for their lives. No doubt these men and women were caught, most likely horribly tortured and killed, the knowledge of their selfless final acts dying with them, forgotten.

Forgotten until now, Luke thought with determination as he gently pressed on the crack. It resisted for a short moment before sliding open to reveal a small traelite container nestled tightly within the wall. It wasn't very big, less than half a meter long, but Luke knew that it could hold what amounted to the greatest treasure of Jedi lore discovered in recent history.

Luke's hands shook a little as he opened the container, wondering what wonderful things were waiting inside. Peering closely, he saw data cartridges, dozens of them, lined up in neat stacks. There were some metal vacuum tubes, perhaps containing the more perishable documents made of wood or ancient paper. There were crystals for sabers, smaller ones for meditation ...

And a small, glowing ball.

Luke regarded the bright blue globe cautiously. Force was practically pouring out from the swirls of light that emanated from its smooth surface and he'd seen enough Jedi artifacts to know that none of them were to be dealt with lightly.

He studied it closely for a moment, searching it for Darkness. He felt nothing untoward as the Force radiating from it was familiar, comforting.

Still, Luke hesitated. Better to learn the easy way rather than the hard and besides, the data was much more valuable to him than this ball, as intriguing as it might look. Maybe leaving the artifact alone for the time being was a sign of maturity, he thought wryly, or perhaps he was just getting cautious in his old age.

Whatever it was, his heart told him to wait and Luke listened.

Gently, Luke Skywalker closed his great find and pulled his datapad out from his cloak before heading toward the grotto for a quiet sit down and good long read.

The datapad Luke used was an antique, modified to easily read and store information from the ancient cartridges he often came across in his studies.

His main area of interest? Jedi genealogy was his current passion --the search for the children of dead Jedi, ones who had inherited their ancestors' Force sensitivity via genetics. They were the ones whom Luke would eventually invite to become the next generation of Jedi, they would make up the foundation of a new Order he himself would train at his own academy on Yavin IV.

The children of the Jedi were scattered throughout the galaxy, most of them unaware of their heritage and potential power. Early in his studies Luke was surprised to find that very few were the product of formal bondings.

Upon reflection, it made sense. A Jedi couldn't tie himself to any one world without serious compromise to his vows of neutrality, plus the main requirement of the job was a lifetime of intergalactic travel, which wasn't very conducive to a happily married life.

That why the bonding records he discovered that day on Memorare came as such a surprise.

Luke scrolled through them, his eyes wide. Obviously, some Jedi did bond formally and he couldn't believe his luck. The records included names, planets, dates ... even birth records of children produced. For his particular purposes this was his most valuable find to date and Luke eagerly scrolled through the listings, hungrily searching for familiar names.

One set of names immediately jumped out at Luke and nearly startled him out of his seat.

Skywalker, Anakin, Knight. Former padawan apprentice to Kenobi, Master, bonded Standard Date 187372-987 to Amidala I, Queen, the Sovereign Planet of Naboo.

Luke blinked, then read it again, his throat tightening.

Amidala ... Queen of Naboo.

His mother. Luke knew almost nothing about her, what little he did know had been gleaned from his sister who had been told by her foster parents that her mother was raised on a farming planet, somewhere on the Outer Rim, and nothing more.

Leia later admitted to her brother that she hadn't pressed them for more information after that initial revelation. She'd become too involved in the Rebellion and by the time she might have been curious, her foster parents were long dead, killed in the destruction of Alderaan.

Suddenly, Luke wished his sister was there to share in this momentous event with him. They'd made so many discoveries apart in years past, it would have been nice to have been together for this one.

He sighed and then, unable to resist any longer, he searched for the pictorial archives. Found the correct entry and clicked it, unconsciously holding his breath.

A faded holographic image floated before him -- and Amidala of Naboo was the most beautiful woman Luke had ever seen. With her dark shining hair carefully sculpted and adorned with jewels, her face painted in ceremonial whites and reds, her eyes wise and stern with a hint of sweetness lurking in their soft brown depths, she was a stunning picture of grace and nobility.

She was dressed in the manner of ancient royalty, all silk and feathers, gemstones and finery and unconsciously, Luke reached out to touch the beauty that floated in front of him, seemingly inches away. His fingers brushed nothingness and the image finally flickered once, then twice, before fading away entirely.

She was so beautiful and Luke swallowed past a dry throat, his eyes stinging. Their mother was so like her daughter Leia, with her shining long hair, sweet brown eyes and royal bearing. He'd already seen pictures of his father in other archives and knew that he took more after him, but Luke promised himself to look and see if there weren't some similarities to his mother he might have missed now that he'd finally gotten to see her.

He almost had to laugh. Luke Skywalker, loser farmboy, otherwise known as "Wormie" to his friends on Tatooine, was the son of a Jedi and a Queen.

The prettiest Queen who had ever lived, he thought with a boyish burst of pride. "You did good, Father," he murmured as he put the precious cartridge away in his belt. "You did good."

With a happy sigh, Luke shut off the datapad and decided to meditate before calling it a day. He'd wisely brought his own supplies and decided that the ancient temple's grotto would be a wonderful place to camp out in.

For tonight it would become a place where Luke could spend the evening beneath twinkling stars and have sweet dreams of ancient worlds and beautiful queens with kind brown eyes.

The next morning was gray and overcast with a distinct threat of heavy rain. Luke quickly decided to postpone his trip down the mountainside and heated up a small pot of tea before returning to the covered grotto and his datapad.

The names rolled by, one by one, and Luke couldn't help but scroll back to his parent's names. Studying them would be a waste of time -- he already knew who their children were -- but something inside of him ached to know more.

He paused, bit his lip, then entered their files.

Skywalker, Anakin. Planet of birth: Tatooine. Mother: Shmi Skywalker -- slave to Gundalla the Hutt and Watto, shop owner, Mos Bespa.

Shmi. A common name on Tatooine and a wave of sadness washed over Luke to think of his grandmother as a slave to a loathsome Hutt. It must have hurt his father too, Luke thought wistfully.

He continued to read.

Father: Unknown. (Contact Temple of Coruscant for more details. Type Code 1 access required.)

Type Code 1 access required. This was interesting, since Code 1 access was a Council level security code according to some of the other documents Luke had come across. Luke wondered what it meant -- perhaps when he returned to Coruscant he'd be able to cross reference this document with others.

He clicked on his mother's entry.

Naberrie, Padme, nee Amidala I, Queen. Planet of birth: Naboo. Guardians: Telos and Kalida Naberrie, grandparents. Elected Sovereign in her fourteenth year, signed full symbiotic treaty with Otoh Gunga, joint tie allies with the following worlds ...

Luke scrolled past a long list of Outer Rim planets and stopped when he came to something more interesting.

Bonded in the year Standard Date 187372-987 against advice of Twelveth Council considered after long negotiations between Master Kenobi and dissenting members. Permission granted as of one week prior.

Luke blinked with surprise. This was the first instance he'd heard of the Council advising against a bonding. Rarely did they get involved in the personal lives of Jedi, but this...this must have been something out of the ordinary.

He continued to search, finally coming to a page with more pictorial records. Clicking on the first link, he was happily surprised to see it contained a holo of the official portrait of the couple on their bonding day. Not a lot of wedding pictures in the Jedi archives, so this one must have been something special.

Again, Luke was struck by his mother's almost ethereal beauty, but he was more impressed with the happiness and peace that fairly radiated from his father's young face. It was a face completely untouched by Darkness of any sort, a face full of hope, joy ... love.

This was a treasure and Luke silently thanked the long-dead Jedi who had preserved it. The image began to flicker and he sadly shut it off, wishing he could keep the image of his parents burning beside him forever.

Luke leaned back, closed his eyes and cleared his thoughts. It wasn't good to dwell on the past but this was a heritage he knew so little about. It was a story shrouded in so much mystery, holding so many secrets and it was no wonder he couldn't close a chapter in his life that he'd scarcely begun to open.

But ... keep your mind in the present, this was always one of Yoda's favorite teachings and Luke knew it made sense. He removed the record from his datapad and firmly put it back in his belt, vowing to keep it there until he returned to Coruscant.

Besides, saving a little bit of the discovery for Leia would be a good thing, he thought as he reopened the box and prepared to examine the rest of the records.

Again, the blue glow of the mysterious globe shone, this time bright enough to light the entire room. Luke immediately shielded his eyes from its glare and put his gloved hand over it to see if the sensors in his prosthetic fingers recorded any heat.

Nothing. It was as cool as the air surrounding him and Luke wondered what kind of power might be locked within. Focussing with Force, he stared into it, seeking out its mystery when, to his vast surprise, it suddenly grew larger.

A few centimeters at first, then a few meters, until finally the globe had expanded to a circumference that matched Luke's height. He shook himself out of his trance and gaped at the globe's transformation.

It was the first time he'd ever seen anything like it. The Jedi were known for hording mysterious Force-sensitive objects so it shouldn't have come as so great a surprise, but ...

Luke gingerly reached out with his mechanical hand and touched the globe's surface. Cool, smooth, it was seemingly harmless. Perhaps it was just an exercise tool for initiates, an expanding object to focus with or ...

"Get away from that."

Luke whirled at the sound of a deep, familiar voice. "Ben?"

The shimmering blue visage of Obi-Wan Kenobi stood behind him, waving him away from the globe. "Stay away from it. There's nothing but Darkness hidden within."

Luke regarded the spirit of his dead master carefully. "I don't feel any Darkness, Ben." Again, he held his hand over it. "I don't feel anything at all, frankly."

"Trust me, Luke." Ben gazed at him, his expression grim. "The Darkness has ways of hiding itself and within that globe lies the cleverest way of all." He sighed. "I don't why those fools insisted on holding onto the damned thing. What arrogance to think we would be able to guard it forever."

"What is it?" Luke turned back to the globe, fighting against becoming mesmerized by its soft blue light.

"It's a passageway, a door, but it leads nowhere -- at least nowhere tangible. It's a passage to a Force nexus, one where alternative possibilities can be explored." Kenobi grimaced. "It was used as a meditation device at first then as a decision making tool. But after over a dozen knights were lost within its grip the Council forbid its use and, I thought, got rid of it. Obliviously, I was wrong."

"Alternate possibilities?"

Kenobi nodded. "Events from the known past, the imagined past, desires, dreams, wishes, you name it, that blasted thing can provide a vision of it." Acidly and Luke winced at the sound. "But at a terrible price."

"I hear what you're saying, Ben, but it still feels harmless to me." Luke peered into the globe and it grew fractionally larger.

"Luke," Kenobi pleaded. "Please trust me when I tell you to get rid of it. I know from experience that thing only leads to heartache. Trust me Luke, have I ever lied to you before?"

Luke arched an eyebrow at him. "I hope you don't expect me to answer that question."

Kenobi sighed deeply, his shoulders slumped in defeat. "Then do as you will. I cannot stop you, I never could, just like your father."

Luke brightened. "My father, yes." He peered keenly at his master. "I found records here, records of my father ..." He took a deep breath. "And my mother. My mother, Ben. You never told me about her, about her being a Queen and ..."

Kenobi's eyes widened before the unreadable mask of a Jedi Master fell. "There was no need to know about any of that." Stonily, and Luke felt a chill crawl down his spine. "You have all the knowledge you require."

"No need to know about my own mother?" Luke glared at him. "How can you say that? Just because she wasn't a Jedi doesn't mean she's not important to ..."

Kenobi raised his hand. "I am not saying that your mother wasn't important. Much to the contrary, your mother was a noble, wise and beautiful woman, as brave as any Jedi. But there's no need to know more than that, Luke. Your path lies ahead, not behind."

Luke felt the old anger creeping along his nerves, setting fire wherever it touched. Ben, damn him, could be infuriating, obtuse and downright deceitful when it pleased him and Luke was no longer the naive boy the old Jedi had plucked from obscurity and brought out into the world of the Force.

Luke was a master now and he alone would decide where his path lay.

"I will take your advice into account, Master." Icily, and Luke bowed to Kenobi with studied formality. "I thank you for the time and effort you've taken to bestow it."

Again, Kenobi sighed. "It's always the hard way, isn't it? Very well, Luke, follow your own path but keep in mind that a past built on illusions can be worse than the most profound ignorance."

With that, Obi-Wan Kenobi vanished.

Annoyed, Luke plopped down onto one of the grotto's stone benches. He rubbed his eyes and wondered if he shouldn't just listen to Obi-Wan and toss the stupid thing. There was no time to waste on such frivolities, even Jedi related ones, not with a Republic and an Order to rebuild.

But the globe's light still surrounded Luke and he could feel the Force pull him toward it and it was a calm, benign Force, completely free of Darkness.

He'd touched it, nothing had happened. Surely just looking at it ...

Luke focussed with all his energy and the globe began to grow in size, inflating and filling the room with light. At first, he saw nothing but blue swirls that looked much like the sky of an ordinary temperate world filled with scattered clouds.

But the sky suddenly parted and Luke saw his mother, Amidala, beckoning to him. She was so beautiful and he moved a step closer, concentrated a bit harder and she waved him still forward.

The globe grew until it completely overwhelmed him and Luke found himself inside the blue haze, able to sense the power of the Force and as suddenly as lightning ...

The globe disappeared and Luke found himself on a planet he'd never seen before.

He blinked, not quite sure if he was dreaming or standing within an illusion. Peering around, Luke saw that he was standing in a garden and gingerly, he reached out to touch one of the long stem blooms that surrounded him. It felt real, smelled real and the colors were as vibrant as any he'd seen during his years of traveling.

If this was an illusion, Luke thought, it's a pretty darned good one.

Something in the grass caught his eye and Luke bent to retrieve what appeared to be the globe, shrunk to its original size. Carefully, he tucked it into his belt pouch and wondered if he'd be able to return to Memorare in one piece.

The thought of not being able to return to his own reality made Luke's mouth turn dry, but he shook the fear away. According to Ben, this was a Force nexus, an illusion created by powers he himself controlled, so there was no need to panic.

As long as the conduit was safe, Luke reasoned, he'd be able to get back in one piece.

Reassured, Luke raised his cloak hood and began to stroll to the northern end of the garden. He saw nearby buildings and was impressed with their lovely, old-fashioned designs. It reminded him of holobooks he'd seen as a child, these buildings made of bright stone and decorated with hand-carved creatures of every sort.

The gardens were beautiful as well, more artistic than anything allowed under the Emperor's regime. Palpatine liked order, hated creativity and artists were among the first people to be sent to the detention worlds.

As civilizations fell, so did art and Luke knew next to nothing about music, poetry, architecture and the like until Leia had taken it upon herself to give her brother a crash course in the classics. True to his nature, he'd only lasted a few days before begging off to return to his Academy, but a few lessons stuck with him nonetheless.

Casually, Luke strolled the gardens, enjoying the sun on his face. He noticed a guard standing at the end of the northern gate, but made no move to avoid him. It was an adventure of the mind he was on and since he was already there ...

"Good day, traveler." The guard nodded politely and Luke was surprised. An Imperial guard would have shot first, greeted him later. "May I direct you anywhere?"

Luke hesitated. "Well, I ... "

Suddenly, the guard's eyes grew huge. "Forgive me, my lord." He bowed deeply. "I must be going blind not to recognize you immediately. Please," he said, motioning for Luke to follow him. "Please give me the honor of escorting you to the palace. Her Highness will be so pleased to see you've returned early."

Luke opened his mouth to say something, then shut it. Instead, he merely bowed and followed the guard, who was practically hopping with excitement beside him.

"Of course, there is a celebration planned but I'm sure Lord Telos can move that up for tomorrow if it pleases his Lordship. Everyone has missed you terribly," the guard said happily. "Her Highness most of all." He grinned at Luke. "I daresay I'll be rewarded for this escort."

Luke nodded and smiled back, not understanding a word the man said but enjoying the open friendliness that practically poured off of him. There was a sort of innocence present as well and it was an odd feeling for Luke to step into a past where it was still acceptable to and innocent.

The main courtyard came into view and a great palace loomed ahead. "Major! Major Panaka!" Luke's escort called out joyfully. "See who has returned early to us."

A handsome, dark-eyed man turned around and squinted with confusion. "What the ..."

Luke bowed again and addressed them both. "I think there might be some sort of mistake, sirs. I'm not sure who you think I am, but ..."

Panaka shook his head and turned to Luke's escort. "Melin, this isn't Lord Anakin," he said.

Melin gaped, then turned to stare at Luke. "But ... but ..."

Luke shrugged apologetically. "No, I'm afraid I'm not," he replied, but his heart was singing. This was Naboo, or an illusion of it and his father was still alive in this world of his creation.

Panaka turned to Luke. "But you are Jedi, your Honor," he said courteously. "As is our lady's consort. And you do resemble him very much, so I hope you'll forgive us our mistake."

"Of course," replied Luke and smiled at Melin, who had turned a deep shade of red. "It was enjoyable to be treated like royalty, even for a few moments."

"Come inside, sir." Panaka motioned to the guards at the palace gate and they stepped forward, forming a small honor guard. "I'm sure her Highness will be glad to see you nonetheless. Please follow me."

Luke leaned toward the abashed Melin. "I've been told I look like Anakin Skywalker by others," he whispered. "So I wouldn't worry about it."

Melin beamed at him. "Yes, sir. And it could be worse, sir." Shyly. "Someone could have mistaken you for me."

Luke laughed heartily and the sound of it echoed through the palace halls. This is wonderful, he thought, heady with joy. No wonder the other knights became lost in this world -- why would anyone want to leave happiness like this behind?

Of course, that would never happen to him, as he knew a grave and great duty awaited him in reality.

But really, how much harm could one day do?

The sound of boots tapped through the great stone halls and Panaka bowed before opening a huge crimson door to their left. Luke held his breath, then gasped when he stepped inside, as all the wonders of an age long past were revealed before him.

Great glass windows, dozens of hectameters high, overlooked a city of rare beauty, from within a chamber of luxuries. The tables were made of pure quartzite, a stone so rare in Luke's reality, as to be nearly impossible to find, except for the richest of rulers. The floor was a sea themed mosaic and the room was filled with the rich scent of flowers, making the air heady with sweet perfume.

Luke had never seen anything like it and at the far end of the room the most beautiful of all these wonders sat serenely in a gilded throne, astonishing in her radiance.

It was his mother, Amidala the First.

Luke's throat closed, his eyes stung and he bowed clumsily, hardly knowing what he was doing. He rose, his vision blurry and strained to hear her past the rushing sound of his own heartbeat pounding in his ears.

"You are welcome to Naboo, your Honor." She tilted her head fractionally and Luke saw the twinkle of countless jewels woven within her hair and headdress. "Forgive us, but we are surprised by your visit. I did not know the Senate was sending you."

Luke took a deep, shaky breath. "The Senate didn't send me your Highness." Oh, she was lovely and she even smelled wonderful, like all the sweetest flowers in the galaxy rolled into one. "I'm just visiting."

The Queen looked a little surprised but quickly recovered. "We are doubly honored then. Surely, you will consider being our guest during your visit here."

Luke nodded absently, mesmerized by her. No wonder his father fell in love with her, he'd never seen anyone like her. She was amazing and Ben was a fool, how could there possibly be Darkness anywhere near his beautiful, perfect mother and he never remembered being this happy in his entire life.

"I would love to stay here, your Highness." He bowed deeply, struggling not to laugh with joy. "I'm being honest when I say it would give me the greatest pleasure."

Amidala nodded at her handmaidens and one stepped forward with a short bow. "Show his Honor a choice of rooms. Whatever he desires is his." She glanced back at Luke. "Our apologies, Sir Jedi, but you haven't told us your name."

"Oh." Luke thought quickly. Having to explain the "Skywalker" part of his name might bring this illusion to its end a lot faster than he would have liked. "I'm Luke ... Organa." He bowed again. "Of Tatooine."

The Queen's eyes turned bright. "Tatooine? My Anakin ... " She blushed. "I mean, our consort is originally from Tatooine. Such a harsh world Jedi Organa, but it obviously produces fine people."

Pleasantly, and Luke was thrilled to see a natural smile cross her face. "You can call me Luke. Please do."

She smiled again and Luke swore it lit the entire room. "Very well, Luke. I hope you will consider joining us for dinner this evening. The Governor will be there, as will the Lady Shmi, our dear mother who is also from Tatooine. You and her will no doubt have much to speak about."

"I have no doubt we will." Luke felt as if the entire galaxy had been handed to him on a plate and he desperately wished Leia were there to share it with him. He'd have to bring the globe back to Coruscant and bring her along for another trip. He'd just have to.

"We will see you then, Luke. Enjoy your visit to Naboo." She nodded politely and Luke realized that he was being dismissed.

He bowed and followed a patient-looking handmaiden back into the huge palatial hallways. He resisted the urge to glance back, to see if his mother was still there and not disappeared in a haze of Force.

It took great effort but Luke forced himself to look as grave and stern as a Jedi should, especially during the days of the old Order. What Luke really wanted to do was jump and run and howl giddily through the hallways, explore every niche of his ancestor's home, see everything there was to see and top it all off with a dive into the huge fountain that sat outside in the main courtyard.

Of course, that would end this little illusion much too quickly for Luke's taste and savoring it correctly was going to be the order of the day.

Old Ben was crazy, Luke swore inwardly. The old master's mind must have been rattled somewhere along the way, either that or the man was a natural masochist, hating anything that even partially resembled happiness.

The handmaiden led Luke into his first choice of rooms. He tossed himself into a huge, overstuff chair and listened absently as she ticked of the list of amenities that were in that particular room, finally asking if there was something else he desired.

"Nothing at all," he pronounced firmly. "Except to know what time I'm expected for supper."

"It is served at three quarter rotation. If my lord Jedi wishes, I will be glad to send him an escort at the proper time."

"I would be grateful for that, thank you." He leaned back in the chair and closed his eyes. Heard the door quietly click shut and he couldn't help the chuckle that came bubbling up. He was going to laugh until he cried if he wasn't careful, he thought, trying to stifle his mirth against his arm.

This was simply wonderful and whatever Darkness Obi-Wan feared, Luke knew it didn't exist. No, not here, not in a world that had nothing but love within it, Luke swore.

Where there was love, there could not be Darkness.

Of this Luke Skywalker was very sure.

The sun was just beginning to set when Melin arrived at Luke's door, hat in hand. "Supper will be served in ten minutes, sir and it would do well to arrive before her Highness."

"Then lead on, my friend." Luke clapped him on the back and smiled when the young guard blushed.

"They sent me on purpose, sir," Melin admitted. "The whole garrison thought it very funny I mistook you for Lord Anakin."

"Well the joke's on them, for your company is very welcome." Luke strolled beside him and looked at the artwork that graced the walls. "What's all this?" He pointed toward a narrow hallway filled with vases and portraits.

"That's the Corridor of the Dead, sir. It holds the ashes and likenesses of monarchs past. Most guests hardly ever notice it, but every Jedi who has ever visited comments almost immediately on it. Isn't that odd?"

"Not so odd," Luke protested. "Jedi are trained to be mindful of the past and respect the customs of worlds visited, so perhaps we just look around more than others." He smiled. "It's a job requirement more than anything."

"I think you're being humble with me, sir." Melin chuckled. "I've seen Jedi in action and there's nothing ordinary about any of you." He lowered his voice to a whisper. "When our Lord Anakin is here, he likes to take out an old fighter and fly it through the northern canyons, between rocks hectarmeters long and a few meters wide. sometimes scraping the shields right off of the metal. It used to frighten us senseless but he always comes out intact."

"A great pilot," Luke murmured, remembering his first conversation with Obi-Wan about his father.

Melin shook his head. "A crazy pilot, sir, but a great man. Of course, her Highness has yet to see those scrapes. Lord Anakin always begs us to touch them up before she finds them," he laughed. "I dare say he fears nothing in this universe -- except my Lady's displeasure."

"Is that so?"

"Oh yes. Even a Jedi could not stand up to her when she is displeased," said Melin with obvious pride. "And yet she's as good tempered as any Queen might be, fair and true to her people. We are very lucky, sir."

"I think she's lucky as well, Melin. To have good people like you at her side," said Luke sincerely.

Melin flushed, right to the roots of his fair hair. "This way, sir and watch your step on these stairs. They are polished like ice."

Luke found himself in a large, airy dining area, relaxed and comfortable. It was obviously an informal dinner and Luke was glad for it as a genial, round-faced man introduced himself. "Welcome your honor. I'm Governor Sio Bibble, Council of Governors of Naboo." He nodded toward a sweet-faced older woman. "This is the Lady Shmi, mother to the Lord Anakin."

Luke bowed to her and she flushed rosily. "I am honored," he said, before taking his seat. "Her Highness told me that you are from my home planet, Tatooine."

"Yes," she replied softly. Luke was struck by her, she seemed innately wise and full of a calm serenity, normally not found in those who were not Jedi. "My was home was in Mos Bespa, in the town proper. My owner, Watto, owned a mechanics shop where I served him for many years." Simply said, without embarrassment or shame.

Luke fought to control his disgust. Slavery no longer existed anywhere within the galaxy, not even on Tatooine, and even the memory of it offended him deeply. "I am sorry. That must have been a hard situation."

She smiled, her eyes crinkling around the edges. "I have no complaints of my life now. My bond-daughter and friends have brought me to this beautiful place to be with my son, what more can I ask?"

"The Queen brought the Lady Shmi here on her and my lord's bonding day, as a gift to her husband," said Bibble, motioning for another glass of wine. "It was a happy occasion, for all of us."

Luke was about to reply when the announcement was made of the Queen's arrival at the table. He rose with everyone else and was pleased to see that his mother had forsaken the ceremonial paints this evening, opting for a more natural, less formal look.

She waved at everyone to relax and she took her own seat, accepting the wine that was immediately offered. "I am glad to finally sit down," she sighed. "Or, at least, sit in a chair that doesn't make me feel as though I'm on display."

"That throne is too hard," replied Shmi soothingly. "You should have them make you a new, more comfortable one."

Amidala smiled. "I think the throne is made that way on purpose, dearest mother. It reminds me that my job isn't supposed to be enjoyable." She sighed again, this time deeply. "And if that's not bad enough, we have our Trade Federation friends arriving tomorrow for the final accordance of our last treaty. I'm not looking forward to that."

"They would not dare try anything, my Lady," said Bibble, his eyes hard. "Our security forces are on full alert, we know what they are capable of."

"Still," Amidala hesitated. "I do wish Anakin were here. They'd hardly dare try any of their tricks if a Jedi were standing behind us."

Luke listened to the exchange with interest, his ears perking at his father's name. "Your Highness," he said quickly. "I would gladly stand in during these negotiations if you'd like."

"Thank you, Luke, but no," replied Amidala firmly. "You are our guest. I will not allow you to place yourself into any situation that you've not been assigned to."

"I really want to help." Urgently, and Luke looked pleadingly at her. "A few moments of standing there, what work is that? It's the least I can do to repay you for your hospitality."

Amidala hesitated and Bibble leaned in toward her. "It might be wise to take our friend here up on his offer, my Lady. The Trade Federation is no match for a Jedi."

"Please," Luke repeated, and was elated to see Amidala slowly nod her head.

"I don't know what to say," she murmured. "If it pleases you to be there, then by all means you are welcome. But if it is any imposition..."

"None at all." Luke raised his hand. "I love negotiations."

Amidala raised her eyebrow, then laughed. "You are so like Anakin, it is truly astonishing. I would have sworn only he would be able to get away with such a bold-faced fib as that."

Luke flushed as the rest of the table chuckled. "I've heard that before."

Smiling, Amidala motioned the servants for more wine and the dinner continued long into the warm night, happily beneath the stars of Naboo.

The Neimoidian delegation arrived early likely hoping to embarrass the court, but Amidala was ready for them. Her guards were on full alert and Luke stood behind the throne, steeling his expression, keeping his robe wrapped tightly around his face, to at once intimidate and disguise.

"Your Highnesses." The Neimoidian bowed upon entry and glanced nervously at Luke. "I am pleased to see his Lordship here, we'd thought..."

Amidala coldly interrupted. "This is Jedi Organa of Coruscant, a guest of our court. Our royal consort is still off-world."

The Neimoidian blinked, his reptilian eyes unreadable. "Forgive me. The resemblance..."

"We are here to discuss the final phase of reparations promised by the Trade Federation as outlined in the Treaty of Theed." interjected Bibble sharply. "First on the agenda ..."

The governor's voice droned on as Luke studied the Trade Federation delegation. He felt fear, anger and deceit practically radiating from the ambassadors. The Force surrounding them was buzzing with darkness, but Luke made no untoward movements.

He was old enough to understand the value of patience. Perhaps his presence would be enough to discourage the Federation from whatever trickery they'd originally planned.

Or perhaps not. Luke suddenly heard a muted buzz, imperceptible to any ears but a Jedi's and he quietly reached for his saber. It came from high above, to his left and he glanced up out of the corner of his eye, remaining silent and still.

Another buzz, and the floating assassin 'droid took aim at the Queen.

Calling the Force, Luke shed his robe and leapt, his saber activating mid-spin. The first bolts from the 'driod were deflected harmlessly, the second barrage bounced off of the hastily powered shields of the Queen's security force.

Luke landed lightly and with a quick burst of Force, knocked out the 'droid's power function. As it fell, his saber flashed and the 'droid hit the floor in two harmless halves. For a long moment, Luke stared at the killer 'droid and felt a rush of unspeakable rage -- savage and primal in its heat.

It made him tremble this fury, the likes of which he'd never felt before. He glanced back at Amidala, who had remained motionless and serene throughout the entire attack. If this thing had even come close to hitting her ...

The power shields hummed around the Queen and she calmly addressed the quivering Neimoidian ambassadors. "This meeting is ended. You will leave our court."

"But your Highness, we..."

"You heard her," Luke spat. He took a step forward and spoke to them in their own language, which he had learned during preparations for a Trade Federation treaty in Leia's New Republic.

"[Get out before I kill you,]" he snarled in Neimoidian. His anger was making him physically ill and he could see the entire court shrink away from him. "[Get out ... get out of my mother's house.]"

The Neimoidian stared at him with huge, terrified eyes. "[Your ... your mothe ...]"

"Get OUT!" Luke cried hoarsely and his saber flashed, this time cutting the ambassador's sash of rank in two. The cyan synthsilk fluttered to the floor and the Neimoidian delegation fled for their lives.

A profound silence followed and Luke sank down onto his haunches, breathing hard. The rage ran through him like white heat and he couldn't believe the power behind it. He'd thought his battles with anger were all behind him, thought that serenity was his, but ...

Luke looked up at his mother. The shields were down and her stern expression had melted away, replaced by sincere concern. His loss of control was obvious, embarrassing, and he could have sunk through the floor for shame.

Rising, he sighed and deactivated his saber. Bent to pick up the two halves of the tiny assassin 'droid and knelt before handing them to Amidala.

She accepted them in one hand and with the other, took a hold of his calloused fingers and squeezed gently. "Thank you," she whispered. "Thank you very much."

His eyes burned again and he brought her hand to his cheek, for the briefest of touches. "You're welcome." Simply and Luke rose, retrieved his cloak from the floor and headed toward the gardens.

His steps down the flowered path were unsteady -- unsure. Had Ben been right? Could there be Darkness even in a world of illusions, a world of his own making? There was nothing here, it was simply a vision of the past he'd thrust himself into.

He'd saved his mother's life in this world but in reality, his reality, she was already long dead, so why react so? Could ties of blood have tethered him that deeply, so as to abandon his training at the merest hint of danger to his own?

If so, then what about his sister? His niece and nephew, his friends and lovers? Would he walk the path of Darkness to protect them, even though that would go against everything he'd ever been taught?

Luke's head throbbed and he began to feel dizzy. He wasn't sure how time worked in this vision, it was entirely possibly that his corporeal body on Memorare hadn't eaten or drank in two days. Of course, time might have no meaning in this fake world and he'd been only in trance for a few minutes, it was hard to tell.

He sat down hard on a stone bench and was surprised to hear light footsteps behind him. Rubbing his eyes, he looked up and saw Amidala, alone, her handmaidens and guards nowhere in sight.

Heat filled his cheeks. "Forgive me, your Highness. I just needed a little ..."

"I am worried about you." And indeed, she looked like she was. "May I sit beside you for a moment?"

"Please." Luke slid over and she shyly took the seat next to him.

She hesitated, then gently took his hand again. "Anakin has often told me that the only thing he truly fears when in battle is that he might lose his temper," she said softly. "I know about the powers of a Jedi and why they must retain that great control they always show, but I can also imagine how hard it must be to always be the calm one."

"Yes, but we are trained to do just that." He shook his head with bemusement. Amazing how just the sound of her voice soothed him and the anger slowly drained away, leaving nothing but peace in its wake.

"And I am trained to have snipers posted on every turret and assassins of my own ready for every occasion and yet ..." She paused and gazed at him warmly. "If I had followed my training, I dare say we'd be inside and having a nice glass of qualbrandy instead of sitting here and wishing about things that might have been." She smiled sweetly at him. "Neither of us were perfect today, but who can expect us to be. All we can do is our best, wouldn't you say so?"

Blushing, Luke nodded. "You're right." He met her gaze and inwardly chuckled. Of course, she would be right -- she was his mother after all.

She rose gracefully, a Queen once again. "Therefore, Jedi Organa, I hope you will let us treat you to that glass of qualbrandy, as I know our consort has a wondrously old stash of it somewhere in our cellars. He does rave about it so I must assume it to be a Jedi treat of some type."

Luke laughed aloud. "Oh, I don't know if I should. Won't he miss it?"

"Not when he hears of the favor you've done us and our people this day." Sincerely, and she took Luke's arm. Together, they made their way back to the throne room. "Besides, how much of it can we possibly drink?"

The answer to that question Luke quickly learned, was quite a lot, as he and the Queen and her handmaidens gathered in her private quarters for a noisy feast that lastest well into the night.

The Darkness was gone again and with it, all of Luke apprehensions. He had just been protective ... a bit afraid of losing something precious he'd just gained and even if that something was just an illusion, it was still important.

At least for now.

The next morning Luke rose, surprised to find himself chipper and cheerful without the barest trace of a hangover. That was the good thing about fantasy worlds he thought wryly as he put on his cloak and made his way to the morning gathering in the throne room.

Today might be the time to say good-bye, he thought sadly. He'd played this vision game too long and time was precious in his world. Leia would be worried about him if he dawdled too long, she might even send Han out to get him and wouldn't he and Chewbacca would have quite the laugh to see their pal Luke, the Jedi Master, sitting and staring into a big blue fishbowl.

He would return again, next time with Leia. She would get to meet her mother and it would be an excellent exercise for her as well. His sister was strong in the Force but hard to commit to training. Her loyalties were divided and while Luke understood, he knew a waste of potential when he saw one.

This might just be the inspiration she needs to study further, he thought as the throne room doors swung open.

He bowed without looking, then gasped when he saw who stood before him.

"Well done, my friend," said Anakin Skywalker, beaming at him.

Luke's mouth fell open and to his horror, he found himself literally speechless. "Uh ..." he stammered, still staring at the visage before him.

Anakin. His father, young and happy and full of the Light side of the Force, his sun blond hair swept away from sky-blue eyes and the downy beginning of a beard already velveting his chin. His face shone with intelligence, wit and compassion and his smile was possibly the most brilliant one Luke had ever seen.

Luke blinked hard -- he had no idea how handsome, how charismatic his father had been. When he'd last seen his face, his true face, it was a pasty wreck, scarred by injury and years of Darkness.

It seemed impossible that this man, the man whom Luke had fought then unmasked within the Death Star, that this man and the mechanical monster he'd battled so viciously could possibly have been the same person.

And yet ...

"You're right, Padme," said Anakin, turning to his wife who was fairly glowing with happiness beside him. "He is modest." He reached out and grabbed Luke's hand, pumping it vigorously. "But humility notwithstanding, I am grateful and what I owe you cannot be repaid."

Luke shook his head and found his voice. "You owe me nothing," Hoarsely and he smiled wanly. "I'm very glad to have been here and able to assist."

"As am I." Anakin's expression turned sly. "Of course, I also heard about the mysterious disappearance of my beloved qualbrandy." He winked at Luke. "For a man who drank six whole bottles by himself, you look amazingly fit."

"Six bottles?" Luke shook his head. "Oh, I didn't drink six bottles alone. The Queen was kind enough to assist."

Anakin turned and raised an eyebrow at his wife. "Ooooooh, so we do like the Dark Side's brew, do we?"

Amidala flushed and pouted. "I had a small glass. And half of it I tossed away."

Anakin leaned in and caught his wife in a tight embrace, kissing both her cheeks in quick succession. "You're lovely when you fib."

She scowled at him. "One, I don't fib and two, we have a guest. So behave yourself." Loftily and she turned to Luke, ignoring her husband's warm laughter. "I was just about to ask if you'd like to accompany our consort to the main hangar. He's in the midst of doing all sorts of tinkering and I'm sure he would enjoy the company of someone sensible, who'll keep him from actually trying to fly any of those death traps he insists on building while he's here."

"In other words, you're to restrain me from taking a nice little morning run," Anakin whispered loudly in Luke's ear. "But if you want that last bottle of qualbrandy I have hidden in the hangar ..."

"Anakin! He is our guest."

Sternly, and Anakin chuckled before bowing deeply to his wife. "I hear and obey, as I am my Lady's devoted servant in and out of the bedr ..."

Amidala blushed bright crimson, her eyes huge. "Out! Out, out, out," she squeaked. "And be back before the ambassadors from Qapcom get here and don't you dare take Luke up in one of those awful little contraptions and remember that this afternoon is the Remembrance Day ceremony rehearsal and ..."

Anakin slung a lazy arm over Luke's shoulders and steered him toward the door. "Are you married?" he asked Luke softly.

"No," Luke whispered back.

"Poor fellow." He glanced back affectionately at his wife who was still calling out instructions, even as they left the chamber. "It's a marvelous thing. It truly is."

"I believe you," Luke replied sincerely and together, father and son headed toward the Naboo hangar.

"And this is my favorite of the moment."

Anakin proudly steered Luke toward an antique fighter, or at least antique by Luke's standards. It was meticulously polished with jaunty crimson racing stripes painted across stern and Luke smiled at the long scrape marring its right wing.

"I think your crew missed a spot." He ran his hand over the gleaming surface, suddenly getting the itch for a ride.

Anakin's eyes narrowed. "Oh, blast." He bent and picked up a small electrospray. "If she sees this one ..."

"How did you get it?" Luke handed him a pair of spray goggles and his father snapped them on.

Anakin considered. "Not sure. Either in The Narrows or Dead Man's Spiral. And if you repeat that anywhere, I'll deny it to the end."

"Dead Man's Spiral. Sounds ... intriguing. I used to ride my 'hopper through Beggar's Canyon back home."

Anakin peeled off the goggles, surprised. "Are you serious? Beggar's Canyon? On Tatooine? By the Force, I used to flip my pod through there every chance I got. Used to bullseye ..."

"Womprats," Luke finished for him, smiling. "Big assed, two-meter wide womprats."

Anakin's mouth dropped open. "Yes, me too. That's amazing." He paused, impressed. "What's a 'hopper?"

Luke thought for a moment. "It's like a pod, but a little more stable."

Anakin laughed and put the finishing touches on the fighter's scrape. "The instability is half the fun. Ever race a pod?"

Luke shook his head. "I'm a fair pilot, but not that good. I haven't seen a pod race in years. Not since I was very young."

"Sandage or Roose were in it no doubt." Anakin made a sour face. "They were a piece of work, those two." He turned and beamed at Luke. "So, what says you? Ready to take her out for a bit of a spin?"

Luke's eyes widened. A ride, in this crumbling, battered fighter with his father through something called "Dead Man's Spiral?" He nodded happily. "That would be fantastic."

Anakin tossed him a helmet. "Wonderful!" He leaned in and lowered his voice. "But no telling the wife now. She tends to get a bit chilly when she finds out about these things."

"Really? How chilly?" Luke struggled with the ancient chin strap.

"Ever been camping on Hoth?" Anakin reached over and with a quick snap, fastened Luke's helmet.

Luke bit back a smile. "Actually, I have."

"It's like that, but much less pleasant." Anakin turned around and put two fingers in his mouth. A whistle emitted, one that sounded strangely familiar and Luke's jaw nearly hit the ground when a barrel-shaped 'droid rolled up.

Anakin gave the astrotech 'droid an affectionate tap. "Come on Artoo, we're taking a friend for a ride down The Spiral."

An angry-sounding storm of whistles and beeps followed.

Anakin rolled his eyes. "Yes, I know I'm not allowed." He motioned for Luke to climb aboard as more hoots sounded. "And yes, I know we almost got killed last time, but almost doesn't count. Besides, I have the best 'droid in the whole galaxy right behind me. How can anything possibly go wrong?"

Artoo replied with what could only have been a snigger.

Luke gaped as he clambered aboard. "Do you understand what he's saying? Just like that?"

"More or less." Anakin shrugged, then gracefully climbed into the cockpit. "Besides, it's the same thing again and again. Don't do this, you shouldn't do that, if you want to die why take me with you and so forth." He settled in and waited for Artoo to do the same. "It's like having a second wife."

"How long, um, have you had him?" Luke raised an eyebrow as Anakin banged on the top shield to make sure it shut completely.

"He originally belonged to Padme and she gave him to me as a gift years ago. It's a faithful creature, nearly as integrating as my mother's 'protocol unit, Threepio."

Threepio. Luke leaned back against the seat and huffed in surprise. Things were starting to fall into place, a strange circular sense of Fate and again, he was grateful for the knowledge the vision allowed him.

"Are you ready?" Anakin asked and Luke nodded at him. "All right then. Now hold on and whatever you do, don't worry. I've done this a thousand times and have yet to meet the Force."

Another long snigger sounded from the back.

"Quiet you," Anakin growled before nudging the throttle forward. The top section came off in his hand and he whispered "oops" before screwing it back on.

Luke swallowed hard. "Are you sure about this?"

"Sure as rain," Anakin yelled out over the engines as the fighter shot forward, out of the hangar and straight into Naboo's clear blue skies.

Theed fell away in the distance and green covered mountains loomed ahead. Luke sat back and relaxed, enjoying the scenery, when a sudden plunge made his stomach lurch nearly to his ankles.

"Hmmm, stabilizer is a bit wonky. But no fear." Anakin fiddled with a loose wire protruding from the instrument panel. "Artoo, try to clamp that down for me, will you?"

A confirming beep responded and Luke blinked nervously. One couldn't actually get killed in one of these visions ... or could one?

The mountains grew huge and the ship went into a steep, dizzying dive toward the narrowest set of valleys Luke had ever seen. His breath caught in his throat and his fingers twitched, wrenching imaginary controls back into place.

Anakin's voice crackled over Luke's headset. "Hang on. This is the fun part."

Luke fought the urge to squeeze his eyes shut and watched with fascinated horror as the fighter knifed between two stone walls, no more than five meters apart. He heard the engines protest against the pressure ... felt the Force his father called to him as a guide and protection. Luke took a deep breath and drew more Force around them, tightening their shield, smoothing the ride.

The crevasse dropped away and another plunge followed, a whirling corkscrew of a drop, down toward the canyon floor, walls still tickling the underbelly of the ship. Luke's blood sang in his ears and he felt a lightheaded burst of excitement, adrenaline pounding through his veins like a wild sea.

He was falling, helpless but free. Through the Force he felt his father's joy, wild, colored with shades of meaning he couldn't quite understand. It was flying in the deepest sense of the word, wrapped in Force and giving himself over to trust, to the elements, to the dream pilot sitting before him and Luke found himself wishing it would never end.

But end it did, with a shrieking whine of faltering engines and Luke watched as Anakin struggled with the throttle. A few whispered curses, a howling beep from Artoo and with a huge wrench of Force, Anakin brought the ship level and up, mere meters from the canyon floor.

Luke leaned back with a huff. "Wow ..."

"Sorry about that." Abashed. "I forgot to factor in the extra passenger."

Luke chuckled weakly. "Diet time. No more drinking for me."

Anakin laughed. "Oh, nonsense. Qualbrandy burns all indulgence away."

The ship raced through blue skies and a moment later they were back in the hangar, rolling to a respectable stop. The top popped open and Anakin leapt out, surrounded by his crew, including Melin, the guard who had befriended Luke.

"My Lord." Melin bowed deeply. "Was it a good ride?"

"Excellent, but, uh ... boring today." Anakin winked at Luke. "Just a little jaunt over the Great Meadows for some sightseeing."

Melin nodded obediently. "Very good, my Lord. Shall I cover these 'grass stains' up, sir?" He pointed at a series of deep scratches covering the tail piping.

"Capital idea, Mel." Anakin waved to Luke, who hopped out of the passenger seat as Artoo rolled by, beeping wanly.

"Good show, Artoo," Anakin called out as he took Luke by the elbow and guided him toward the hangar lift. "Great work as always."

"Thbbbbbbbt," replied the ''droid before the lift doors slid shut.

Luke leaned back against the lift wall, smiling. "What did that mean?"

"You don't want to know." The lift doors slid open and Anakin ushered Luke forward into the Great Hall. They walked together in companionable silence, the Force pulsing between them. Luke suddenly felt shy -- he'd always dreamt of this, spending time with his father, walking at his side without any need for words.

It was a childhood dream come true, an orphan's fantasy reborn.

"It's strange," said Anakin after a time. "I feel this very strong ... connection to you." Sincere eyes met Luke's. "It's an unusual feeling, an echo of what I feel when my mother is near." Puzzled. "Perhaps we are related in some way. Cousins, possibly?"

Luke felt his cheeks grow hot. "We are both from the same part of Tatooine. It's not that unlikely."

"I suppose you're right. I guess that ..." Anakin stopped and stood stock still, his head tilted to one side as if listening to a silent call. "Someone's here," he murmured.

Luke felt it as well, a signature whisper of Force, signaling the presence of another Jedi. "Do you know who it is?"

Anakin nodded, his eyes bright. "I think so." He clasped Luke's arm and pulled him forward at a brisk pace toward a bright, sunlit gazebo. "There, the southern gardens."

Blooms of every color surrounded Anakin and Luke as they stepped down the ebony marble stairs. A tall, robed figure stood next to a bubbling fountain, his focus on the bright, rushing water.

Anakin strode up to him and bowed reverently. "Master."

Obi-Wan Kenobi turned around, his expression solemn. "Padawan."

Kenobi leaned forward and gently bestowed a light kiss on his student's forehead. He then turned to Luke, his sharp gray eyes piercing through the pleasant fog of Luke's illusion.

This was no nexus version of Ben, this was Kenobi himself, Luke immediately realized. His spirit form must have gained access through the globe on Memorare and the first thing Luke noticed was that this Ben looked nothing like old Ben.

The man in front of Luke was a young, vibrant Obi-Wan, a true Jedi Master at the very height of his powers. Luke's breath hitched at the sight of soulful eyes that seemed to look right through him, tearing away his rationales and searing straight through to his soul.

It was an amazing, and disconcerting, sight.

"I thought you were assigned to Alderaan. Is everything all right?" Anakin asked, concerned.

"All is well." Obi-Wan smiled fractionally. "I've come to retrieve our friend here." He bestowed a keen look upon Luke. "You are missed, Luke."

Luke felt the blood drain from his face. "But I've only been here for..."

"You've been here longer than you should," interrupted Obi-Wan pointedly. "Your current mission requires your undivided attention."

Anakin glanced between Obi-Wan and Luke, obviously sensing the tension that simmered between them. He bowed again. "Gentlemen, if you will excuse me, my lady the Queen has insisted that I not be late for the arrival of a certain delegation from Qapcom. If I am not needed here..."

Kenobi clasped Anakin's shoulder. "If Padme wishes it, you must go. Don't worry, I won't leave without a word of good-bye."

Luke's father's face brightened. "You'd better not." He nodded at Luke. "I'll see you as well."

"Yes," Luke murmured, his eyes still on Obi-Wan, as Anakin took his leave.

Kenobi returned his gaze. "Have you found the answers you sought?"

"Some, but not all." The rushing fountain caught Luke's attention and he watched the flowing water tumble to the bottom of the basin only to circle back up again in an endless cycle of motion. "What happened, Ben? I came here expecting a vision of Darkness, the mere forestalling of evil and all I see, all I sense here is Light."

"A candle burns brightest at its end." Soft voice, deep with sadness. "What you see here is the beginning of the end."

Luke swallowed past a dry throat. "That's what you say, but I don't understand it, Ben. He adores her, she adores him, their home is a happy one. Father's life is wonderful, content and he's strong. Strong in the Living Force -- his trials are long past."

"A Jedi's trials never end." Obi-Wan sighed. "I told you that Anakin was a good man ... and a good friend. He was a splendid knight, as you can see. But his great strength was also his great weakness."

The water continued to rush, mirroring Luke's chaotic emotions. "How did he fall, Ben? How did it happen?" Quietly and Obi-Wan shook his head.

"Luke, I told you that I too once had many questions I sought to answer via the nexus. Yoda warned me ... ordered me not to do it, but I disobeyed and went back to try and understand why I'd lost all that I had." Sadly and his eyes turned too bright in the midday sun. "I came back here actually, to Naboo, where I'd first lost my heart, then my student and finally my honor. I was shown many things, wonderful as well as terrible, but only from the point of view chosen by the nexus." He stared at Luke, his eyes sharp, like a shar'hawk's. "I nearly fell, irredeemably down into the Darkness and it was only after my survival did I learn about the deeply subjective nature of truth."

"That it depended on your point of view?"

"Precisely. There aren't two sides to every story, Luke. There are thousands, all bound together in an infinite array of tellings and this is why the past, for the most part, is worthless to a Jedi. A lesson can be learned but once and after that, to dwell and explore what no longer exists is to be trapped ... in a room without doors, in a cave without light." Pleading. "You understand this, don't you? That what you are doing at this moment is a terrible waste of your time, of considerable resources that can be best spent elsewhere?"

Luke took a deep, trembling breath. "My parents are more than figures of the past, Ben. They are a part of me, my own flesh is their creation, they are with me every moment of the day. I can't go through life without knowing what happened, I have to know." Pleading suddenly and Luke reached out to touch Obi-Wan's shoulder. "How did it happen? How did my father fall? And my mother? How did she die? When? Why?"

The stern mask of a Jedi Master fell over Obi-Wan's features. "You, Luke Skywalker, the last Jedi Master of the New Republic has been on Memorare for two days now, without food or water. If you stay longer in this nexus it's possible you might create a situation that will spell doom for the New Republic and undo all the hope so many have lived and died to create." He turned away. "If you don't see the importance in returning to reality, in abandoning these useless ghosts of an unsavory past, then I cannot help you."

Obi-Wan's sharp words hit Luke like a physical blow. He reeled, but quickly regained himself, the anger again itching through his blood.

"There's a reason you don't want to tell me, isn't there?" Acidly, and Luke was glad to see Kenobi's cheek twitch. "You're hiding something, telling me some half truth, omitting what you'll say later is a "minor detail," when to me, my entire life will hang in the balance, to live or to die, within that one lonely fact." He glared at Obi-Wan. "No more, Ben. I'm not going to allow you that power over me anymore. If you won't tell me what happened here then I'll find out on my own, to hells with everything else."

"Then it is settled and I have failed. You've made your choice," replied Obi-Wan calmly, without a hint of anger. "But I still suggest you at least take care of your thirst before going on this journey. Remember, the food and water you consume here are not real."

"I know that," replied Luke irritably. He'd never seen Obi-Wan give up so easily, perhaps this was another trick the wily old bastard had tucked up his sleeve, but he also knew that Ben was right.

He had to get back, but by the Force, he was going to return.

Return and find the truth.

The globe felt cool between Luke's fingers and he tossed onto the soft soil, avoiding Obi-Wan's eyes as he did. The Force nexus swelled, blocking out the garden, the palace and Luke stepped within its light, the sensation of falling overwhelming him.

He wondered if he were dreaming, if this was just another illusion, but when Luke's eyes adjusted to the gray light he found himself staring at the Temple's ruined stone ceiling, its dirt floor cool against his cheek.

His mouth was perfectly dry and Luke coughed past the tight ache in his throat. Fumbling, he reached in his belt for a small emergency packet of hydration liquid, ripped it open with shaking fingers and poured the contents into his mouth.

His thirst immediately abated. Groggily, Luke propped himself onto his elbow peering through the dim light. It was a little after dawn, he thought, no, maybe twilight, it was hard to tell. Everything within the Temple seemed muted, less alive, the colors less vibrant than in the nexus.

Reality, it seemed, looked more the illusion.

Another wave of lightheadedness overtook Luke. He closed his eyes and lay back down, reaching tentatively for the Force. It came and warmed him, filling him with healing power.

But the questions remained.

His father's fall. His mother's death ... the keys to his and Leia's past. The galaxy fell with his father's metamorphosis into Darth Vader, the death of a million worlds was the result of that same calamity. Was it Fate or was it merely Obi-Wan's and the Jedi's, arrogant pride?

Or was it something else entirely?

Luke slowly sat up, his head aching with the effort. Some tea, he thought, some tea and supper and then a long meditation before he'd take return to the nexus ... and discover the truth.

The next morning, Luke took another plunge into the nexus.

He stepped back into the southern garden's of his mother's palace, only to find the blooms withered and dead. Untended, the feeling of death prevalent everywhere, the Darkness whispering against the back of Luke's neck like droplets of ice.

The smell of smoke hung in the air with the coppery scent of blood, piling odors, dread upon dread. Itching, sharp tingles of Force scratched against Luke's consciousness, warning him.

He ignored them and continued his walk toward the palace.

The guards were gone, he saw no one in attendance at the doors. The gild was peeling, bits of shiny leaf crumbled beneath his curious touch. He had no idea how many 'years' had passed since his last visit. Perhaps this was long after the Emperor's rise, the Purge and the death of Naboo as a planet.

Perhaps he was too late to find what he sought.

A sharp intake of breath to his left and Luke whirled, saber lit. He saw a familiar outline hidden within a withered hegebrush and extinguished his blade.

"Melin," he said softly. The figure stiffened with terror. "It's all right. I won't hurt you."

No response. The figure shrunk back further into the brush and Luke gently pushed the branches aside. "It's all right, really. Please, tell me. What's happened here?"

"Oh, your honor," Melin moaned, his white face sallow in the gray, overcast light. "Please ... please don't tell his Lordship where I am, I didn't mean ..."

"Hush." The man's face frightened Luke. Something did happen, something unknown that was making the Force howl in his ears like a bitter wind. "I won't tell Lord Skywalker anything, but you must tell me ..."

Melin's throat worked violently. "You ... " he choked. "You haven't heard?"

Luke shook his head, his heart hammering in his chest. "No. I know nothing. Tell me."

"Oh, your honor." A sob. "These are black days for Naboo, no, for all the galaxy. Our dear Queen ..."

Luke fought against the urge to shake the man, he schooled his well-trained soul to patience. "She is dead?" Not wanting hear it, but he had to know.

Melin shook his head, confused. "No, your honor. I thought the Jedi at Temple had heard at least that much. Our Queen, she has left us. Left us to go with that traitor, the one who made her betray her husband in his own bed ... " A stricken look. "And murdered our Lord's mother."

Luke's entire body began to shake and he fought for control over his suddenly weak limbs. His mother ... gone, seduced by some evil creature with what must have been great powers of Dark persuasion.

His grandmother murdered and he knew there could only be one person behind something so awful, so dark and irredeemably evil.

"Palpatine?" Luke breathed, wanting to kill the long dead, evil Emperor all over again. "Chancellor Palpatine did all this?"

Melin blinked, his expression bewildered. "No, your honor. Not Palpatine." He shrank back into the bush and looked around fearfully as if the name itself would bring his death. "It was my lord's master, Sir Jedi. Master Kenobi."

Luke's world shattered to a stop.

For a long moment, nothing made sense. He stared at Melin as if seeing him for the first time and the sky above grew dark and thick as night. He shook his head, uncomprehending and then, the pieces fell into place, one by one, creating a tableau of betrayal, so deep ... so great ...

"You lie," Luke whispered, his voice sounding far away. "You are lying to me."

Melin shook his head frantically and shrank back further into the shadows. "I swear it, on my life I do. The Lady Shmi was the one who discovered them, the Queen and the traitor Obi-Wan in my Lord Anakin's own bed. She told her son the awful news and she was found dead not a day later, cut in half with a saber, no doubt the one that belonged to the foul Master as revenge for her revealing him to the world."

"No." Luke choked out the word, strangling on its single syllable. "No..."

"Lord Anakin went mad with rage, especially now that Kenobi has taken my Lady off-world to who knows where. Oh, your honor." Melin's face crumpled, he looked for all the galaxy as a beaten man. "These are dark days, hardly anyone is left and those who have stayed have had to endure the cruelest of abuse from our once kind lord." His voice lowered to a whisper. "It is as if he's possessed, as if some dark demon ..."

But Luke was no longer listening. He was striding into the palace, his legs numbly working beneath him. "Ben," he choked and the anger began to sing through his veins in a dark melody stricken with fire. "Ben..."

There was no response and Luke's rage turned murderous. There was no "Ben" on this world. There was only Master Kenobi, the liar, the traitor ... the slayer of trust.

"OBI-WAN!" Luke screamed and he ran through the great halls, ignoring the shattered marble that lay strewn in his path, waving away the thin wisps of black smoke that still lingered from some distant fire --stepping past the pools of blood that darkened the once bright floors. "OBI-WAN!"

The Force swirled around Luke and began to feed on his fury. It soon darkened in its power and he felt drunk with anger. This was Obi-Wan's greatest lie, his awful secret and shame ... this was the truth behind his father's fall.

It all made sense now. It all fell into place.

Luke staggered, then recovered, his screams echoing off bloodstained walls. "OBI-WAN!"

A calm voice to his right and Luke whirled, his saber slicing through the Dark fog surrounding him.

"This must stop." Obi-Wan peered at him calmly, his saber in hand but unlit. "You must stop this, now."

Luke tottered toward him, crazed, the mad intoxication of Darkness crawling up the edges of his soul. "Liar," he rasped, barely able to speak. "I know everything now, it all makes sense." He swung his saber in a clumsy arc toward his former master who neatly sidestepped the blade's deadly light. "Come on. Come on, Obi-Wan. Let us see who is the master now."

Obi-Wan's gray eyes flickered. "You still have much to learn, padawan. You know the path you're now on, you know where it leads, but there is still time. Put down your saber..."

"Damn you!" Luke howled and swung again at his former teacher, this time with sharp accuracy. His stroke was met with a lightning fast feint from Kenobi. "Fight or die ... there is no going back now!"

The smell of sulfur suddenly filled Luke's nostrils, bitter and poisonous, choking him where he stood. There was heat as well, and the blood pounded in his ears in a wild drumbeat of fury.

Luke looked down and saw himself standing on the edge of a fiery pit, the mouth of some unknown volcano and the lava below washed over the black rock in smoking, crimson waves.

"Don't make me do this." Obi-Wan was begging, his eyes filled with misery. "Please don't make me, if only you could understand ..."

"No. There will be no more of your falsehoods, no more of your lies," Luke snarled. "This day will see but two things, Obi-Wan. The end of a Jedi named Skywalker ... and the end of you." Another swing and two sabers met.

The blades sizzled as one. "For the last time, I beg of you," Obi-Wan breathed, his face aglow in the locked sabers' sharp light. "I beg of you, Anakin ..."

But Luke was no longer listening. He swung his saber furiously at Obi-Wan, using Darkness, no longer caring about the price that he knew would have to be paid. He slipped once, then twice in the powdery volcanic ash, nearly losing his balance, but he pressed on.

Obi-Wan was no longer taking a purely defensive stance, he was beginning to attack in earnest and an effortful sweat poured down Luke's face, mixing with his tears, burning his eyes, effectively blinding him.

It didn't matter anymore, nothing mattered. He was already blind, blind with rage and it didn't matter. He would kill Kenobi and then let himself die and death would be a blessing -- for both of them.

"Luke." The voice called out to him with great Force, deep and irresistible.

Luke shook his head and pressed further with his saber, but the voice was relentless. "Luke!" Urgent and full of dire warning.

Luke whirled blindly, nearly losing his footing and falling back into the fiery lava. A huge wrench of Force pulled him forward, away from the volcano's edge and Luke tumbled face first into the cool, peppery ash. He lay there for a long moment, hiccupping and coughing, the bitter ash coating his tongue.

"Luke, look at me." The voice, so gentle and familiar and Luke had to obey.

He blinked past the tears, past the blinding soot and saw the spirit of his father, Anakin Skywalker just as he saw him above Vader's funeral pyre on Endor -- older, noble and at peace.

"Father," he whispered. "Oh, father ..."

"Hush, son." Anakin's face was filled with concern. "It's all right now, even though you came so close. You should have listened, my dear one. Listened to Obi-Wan ..."

"Listen to him?" Luke choked. "But he ... he ..."

Anakin slowly shook his head. "No, my son. The story you heard was not the true one, even though the person who told it to you was not lying as far as he knew." He looked at his son with deep compassion. "Look where you were standing, my boy. Look, look behind you and see the place where I stood long before you, saying those same words and making the same terrible mistake."

Trembling, Luke looked around and winced at the huge lava pit that bubbled death behind him. "Is ... is that where ..." he stammered, unable to finish his sentence.

"Yes. That is where I fell, my son." Anakin's voice was solemn. "Laboring under the same delusion that you now do. Obi-Wan never betrayed me. My mother never witnessed him and my Padme together, those were merely poisonous lies that Palapatine, her trusted friend, poured into her ear, knowing that she would come and tell me and that I would believe it, coming as it did from my own mother. She didn't know better and so, the Sith Lord's trap was set." Luke watched as a silent shudder passed through his father's frame. "And it was Palpatine who killed my mother, making it look as though Obi-Wan had done it out of revenge."

"But, he took mother away with him, ran off-world ..."

"Of course, he did. He had to," Anakin sighed. "As you can imagine, I wasn't in the best of moods after all this had transpired. He wanted to protect her from my rage ... and protect our two children." Anakin reached out and Luke felt a whisper of Light touch him, then warm him through his entire aching body. Sorrow then, and he wanted to fling himself into his father's arms and sob, but knew he couldn't.

He'd nearly fallen, fallen prey to the Dark that lurked within an illusion and oh, the shame his father must feel ...

"No, my heart," Anakin said, a smile playing over the corners of his lips. "Your great error was your stubbornness which is hardly something I can hold against you. I think it runs in our blood, child. We Skywalkers are a headstrong bunch."

Luke wiped his face with his sleeve. "Father," he asked, swallowing hard. "Is mother ..."

"She is with me. Here," Anakin stepped aside and pointed to the garden, where, to Luke's surprise, the flowers were blooming again. "Look there, past the fountain. She is there and she is well. Look, she waves to you, Luke."

Luke peered intently and he could see a hazy outline of Force spirit, warm and filled with Light. Again, peace washed over him and the last traces of his anger simply melted away.

"Our time in the Force together is now eternal, there is no need to mourn her," said Anakin firmly. He smiled. "I will keep her safe, I promise. And when you are ready ... we will all be together."

Luke rose shakily. "Father, I'm sorry. I should have listened. I have certainly learned a lesson today, but at nearly a price I couldn't afford. I swear to you one thing though ... I will not forget."

"I know." Soothingly, and the blue globe appeared at Luke's feet. "The best thing you can do now, Luke is get out of here, leave this vision nonsense behind. There is too much to do, too much to undo as a matter of fact and dwelling here is pointless."

Luke took a deep, shaky breath and nodded. "Yes, I think you're right." He looked up, feeling diffident. "Thank you, father."

"You're welcome, my son. Embrace your sister for me ... for both of us." The voice faded away and the globe began to swell, enveloping Luke in blue, Force-driven light.

Luke closed his eyes, felt the cool air of the Temple brush across his brow and heard a familiar, welcome voice.

"Kid? Kid, wake up. This is no time for some Jedi mumbo jumbo trick. Wake up or I'm gonna have Chewie wake you up for me."

Luke chuckled and groggily obeyed. "As long as he doesn't rip my arms out." He looked up and smiled at a very grouchy, very relieved, Han Solo.

"Don't tempt me," Solo grumbled. "What have you been up to? We've got five treaty signings on Coruscant in the next two weeks, I've got two diplomatic missions to fly, Leia is going crazy with the delegates, the twins have a duel case of scarpecs and then you go off missing. She's was gonna chew someone's head off, kid and I decided it ain't gonna be mine."

Chewbacca strode up and growled in agreement.

"Sorry, Han." Luke rubbed his face, the stubble of a day's old beard scratching his palms. "I'm afraid I got a little lost in the past." With a groan, he bent and retrieved the nexus conduit from the temple's stone floor.

Solo eyed the blue globe narrowly. "Let me guess. Jedi fishbowl?"

Luke snorted. "No." He looked at it one last time, shaking off the warm, tempting wave of Force that still emanated from it. The false warmth, he reminded himself sternly. "It's not anything anymore. Step back, guys, and cover your eyes."

Puzzled, Han and Chewie obeyed as Luke Skywalker hurled the globe against the moss-covered wall, where it shattered with a burst of Force that lit the entire Temple, inside and out.

Chewie peeked through fur-covered fingers and whimpered.

Solo stared at Luke, his mouth agape. "Sheesh, kid. What the heck ..."

Luke shook his head. "It's where it belongs, Han. In its own past now, where it no longer exists, just like everything else."

"Uh, huh." Solo sighed and rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say. Now are you ready to go or what? Your sister has about as much patience these days as a Wookie waiting for a Bantha steak." He glanced wryly at his partner. "And that doesn't say much."

Chewie barked a short laugh.

"I'm ready." Luke retrieved his cloak and carefully tucked the record cartridges within its many pockets and folds. "And speaking of steaks, what do you have in the way of food on board that tub of yours? I've been kinda hungry the past couple of days and ..."

"Oh great," moaned Solo as they began their trek down the mountainside and toward the waiting ship. "I've got the both of you thinking with your stomachs now. Just what I needed."

Luke's laughter mingled with Chewie's and slowly, the Temple of Memorare faded in the distance.

Luke stared out at the rising skyline of Coruscant and sat quietly as his sister's scolding tone raised in volume word by word.

"And not only that, but you know how worried I get." Leia paced the thickly carpeted floor of her quarters, hands firmly planted on hips. "You said "two days at most." That meant two days, not four, not five... not ten. Honestly, Luke, I know your work is important, but I can't afford these sort of distractions ..."

Silently, Luke pulled his datapad from beneath his cloak and gently hit the holoproject.

Leia stopped mid-rant and stared at the life-sized holopic shimmering in front of her. "Who ... who is that?" she whispered, but Luke could tell that in her heart, Leia already knew.

"Queen Amidala of Naboo, or, the name I like better, Padme Naberrie. Or, we can just call her Mom. I think she'd like that best of all." Luke smiled at Leia, who shakily sunk into the seat beside him.

"Oh," she whispered. "Oh, she's so ..."

"Beautiful," Luke agreed. He pulled his sister close. "She reminds me so much of you, or, maybe it's the other way around. Either way, we have a lot to be proud of, Leia. She wasn't only a great queen, she was a wonderful person as well."

"How do you know?" Leia murmured, suddenly tearful. "You never got the chance to meet her and I hardly remember anything at all."

Luke sighed and leaned his cheek against the top of Leia's head. "There is no death, only the Force and sometimes through the Force all things are possible." He smiled against his sister's hair. "Let's just say I'm pretty sure you would have liked her ... a lot."

Leia sniffled and peered up at her brother through overbright eyes. "You know, somedays I wonder if you are too smart for your own good or just plain nuts."

Luke laughed and watched as their mother's image slowly faded in the dim light of Coruscant's sunset. "You know, sometimes I wonder the same thing. I honestly do."

The holographic image flickered brightly before fading and Luke entwined his fingers with his sister's and together, two Skywalkers sat and watched the rebuilding of their new world, their future, piece by piece.

finis

NOTES: This story ate my brain and was written over the past three days, in what's a record time for me. It was great fun to write and if you have any thoughts you'd like to share on the themes and plots presented herein, please share them! [email protected]