Revenge of the Sith: Prophecy Fulfilled

Revenge of the Sith: Prophecy Fulfilled

Chapter 3: The Essence of Light

--(0)--

Soaked with sweat, and covered head to toe in dirt and soot, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi sat wearily astride his dragonmount, Boga, as she lead him into the field command center that had been set up by the clones.

“Excuse me,” Obi-Wan said to a nearby clone trooper, “Where can I find Commander Cody?”

“He should be in the communications tent General, right over there.”

The trooper pointed, and Obi-Wan nodded his thanks before Boga started forward in the indicated direction. Reaching the tent, Boga stopped, and Obi-Wan hopped off. Walking inside the tent, and physically exhausted, Obi-Wan released his mind into the Force, and allowed it to carry him directly to where Commander Cody was working.

“Ah, General Kenobi, I was just about to contact you,” Cody said as he saw Obi-Wan approach.

“You were?” Obi-Wan asked.

“Yeah,” Cody answered, “We just got an urgent message from General Windu. Something’s happened back on Coruscant, he requested that you return to the Jedi Temple immediately.”

“Why? What’s happened?” Obi-Wan asked, suddenly concerned.

“He didn’t say,” Cody replied, “But we’ve prepped your starfighter, it’s waiting for you at the landing platform to the south. The hyperdrive ring is also waiting for you in orbit.”

Obi-Wan nodded, but in his mind, he was already racing back to Coruscant. What could possibly have happened, to Anakin no less, that was bad enough that Master Windu would deem it necessary to call him back? For half a second, Obi-Wan’s mind ran in circles as he tried in vain to answer that question. But then the Force whispered a thread of warning into his ears, and Obi-Wan’s blood chilled within his veins.

Sidious

For a fraction of a second, Obi-Wan stood perfectly still. Then something inside of him snapped, and with a superhuman speed born of the Force, Obi-Wan bolted out of the command tent and ran flat out all the way to the landing pad that held his starfighter. Even before he was within eyeshot of his starfighter, Obi-Wan sent a thread of thought through the Force and triggered the ship’s preflight ignition sequence, as well as open the cockpit. It had only just finished when Obi-Wan came streaking onto the platform and literally dove into the pilot’s seat. Almost at once, Obi-Wan grabbed the control yokes and lifted the starfighter into the air. As soon as he was able, Obi-Wan fired the thrusters at full power and tore off into the sky, clearing the sinkhole in seconds.

Yet even moving at a speed several times the speed of sound, Obi-Wan felt as though he were standing still. As if to add insult to injury, a swarm of Vulture Droids suddenly attacked Obi-Wan and provided a frustrating reminder that he was still in a war zone. Snarling, Obi-Wan threw himself into a barrel roll to dodge the first volley of blaster fire from the droids and attempted to fly straight threw the droid formation. In response, the Vulture droids opened up with a hailstorm of blaster fire. With a furious growl, Obi-Wan wrenched his starfighter to the right and opened fire on the Vulture droids. Two of them erupted into massive balls of smoke and fire, and as Obi-Wan dove toward the others, he suddenly found himself embroiled in a battle that had taken place over 13 years ago.

As his furious determination to break through the cloud of Vulture droids and get back to Anakin consumed him, Obi-Wan recalled the last time he’d felt that way, locked in lightsaber combat with the vicious Darth Maul. As Obi-Wan the Master dodged another round of incoming blaster fire, Obi-Wan the Padawan struggled to defend himself from the whirling lighting storm that was Darth Maul’s lightsaber. When Obi-Wan the Master fired his starfighter’s cannons in retaliation, Obi-Wan the Padawan swung his lightsaber in a powerful arc and chopped Darth Maul’s lightsaber in half.

But even with his newfound drive, Obi-Wan knew that the fight had already gone on for far too long. Opening himself fully to the Force as he had done with General Grievous, Obi-Wan felt time slow around him and he became fully aware of the environment around him. He could feel the electronic impulses firing between the circuit board brains of the Vulture droids that was their impulse to kill. He could feel the remaining twenty-five Vulture droids close in around him, and he could feel the trajectories off every last incoming blaster bolt.

Following the path that the Force had laid before him, Obi-Wan opened up with his cannons, surged forth, and wove such a nauseating flight path through the cloud of Vulture Droids that he knew Anakin would have been left speechless. At that time however, as the remains of the destroyed Vulture Droids fell back to the planet, Obi-Wan was just grateful he had the skies to himself again. Driving his ship skyward, Obi-Wan felt the Force hum within his bones. Time was running short, he needed to hurry. Allowing the Force to carry him, Obi-Wan triggered the starfighter’s afterburners and blasted through Utapau’s atmosphere.

As sky gave way to space, Obi-Wan could see the Venator-class Star Destroyer, Vigilance, floating undisturbed through the vacuum of darkness. Angling toward it, Obi-Wan soon spotted the hyperdrive ring that would carry him and his tiny starfighter back to Coruscant. Docking with the ring, Obi-Wan typed in Coruscant’s coordinates and was soon launched into hyperspace, praying that regardless of whatever had happened, Anakin was still ok.

--(0)--

Back on Coruscant, in the Council Chamber of the Jedi Temple, Anakin Skywalker paced anxiously from one end to the other while Mace Windu sat in his chair and watched Anakin with an expression of deep concern. Each step Anakin took was quick and twitchy, as though Anakin were both trying to release the copious amounts of nervous energy that filled him and keep it under tight control.

“Anakin,” Mace said, “You need to calm down.”

Anakin snapped his gaze over to Mace, eyes wide with either shock or anger, Mace couldn’t tell. Yet after a minute, Anakin dropped his gaze and nodded.

“I know Master Windu,” he said, “I know.”

Sighing wearily, Anakin hugged his cloak tightly around him and sat down in his own chair. The instant Anakin made contact with the seat cushion however, he immediately leapt back to his feet and stared at the chair as though it had electrocuted him.

Palpatine had gotten him that seat; after Anakin told him how much he wished his fellow Jedi would acknowledge his accomplishments. What felt like a lifetime ago, being able to sit in that chair felt wonderful. But now, knowing the truth of the reason he had come into possession of it, Anakin was revolted by it. A jolt of impulse shot through his body and before Anakin was aware of what he was about to do, his lightsaber found his hand and the sapphire blade burst suddenly to life.

A thrill of alarm shot through Mace’s body and he jumped out of his own chair, but a gentle wisp of the Force told Mace to wait and watch. As Mace followed the will of the Force, he noticed that Anakin had seemingly frozen in place. His lightsaber was held over his head as though he meant to cleave his Council seat in two, but his face was contorted into a twisted expression.

In a part of his heart, Anakin deeply desired to chop his chair in half. Part of him wanted to rage and scream and destroy everything that Palpatine had ever given him, but no sooner had that powerful desire flooded his mind and body than it left him, robbing him of nearly all his strength and energy. Bereft of strength and will, Anakin released his lightsaber and collapsed to the floor.

“I can’t do this,” he whispered feebly.

Concerned as ever, Mace Windu walked over to Anakin and knelt beside him.

“Anakin,” he said, placing a hand on Anakin’s shoulder, “You must hold on to yourself. You cannot fall now.”

“How can I not, Master Windu?” Anakin asked, rolling over and propping himself up against the chair he’d just been about to demolish, “How can I hold on to anything when I can’t tell how much of it is true and how much of it is a lie?”

At that, Anakin stood up and pointed at his Council chair.

“Like that. That chair is a perfect example of what I mean. I was given that seat because of Palpatine. Because he wanted to show me that through him, I could have anything I wanted; it’s not really mine. I wasn’t given it because of any of my own merits, I wasn’t given it because I’d earned it, I was given it because a Sith Lord lied to me! He lied about that, he lied about himself, he lied about everything! And if Palpatine can lie to me, anyone can lie to me! Even you Master Windu, even Master Yoda, even Obi-Wan! Knowing that, how can you expect me to trust anyone?”

At Anakin’s question, Mace Windu almost smiled. This was something that he could answer. Grasping Anakin’s shoulders in his hands, Mace tried to catch his eye.

“Anakin, Anakin look at me,” he said.

Hesitantly, Anakin looked up into Mace’s eyes.

“Can you sense deception in me?” he asked.

Anakin reached into the Force, and what he felt there was very unexpected.

In the world, Mace Windu came across as hard and serious, even cold. As such, Anakin had always been somewhat tense around him, unsure of how to act or what to say. But now, when Anakin looked at him through the Force, he saw something far from the harsh, cold, and unfeeling Jedi Master he had pegged Mace Windu to be. He saw that underneath his cold exterior, Mace Windu possessed a great deal of feeling. In the Force, Mace Windu was warm and kind, compassionate and gentle, and Anakin was stunned to find that a great deal of Mace Windu’s compassion was directed at him.

Overwhelmed by the true depth of Mace Windu’s compassion, Anakin could only shake his head no.

“Then know what I say is true, and that I speak from my heart.”

Anakin nodded.

“Look at this chair,” Mace said, pointing back at it, “Really look at it through the Force. What do you see?”

Anakin turned to face the chair, and he closed down his physical perceptions to peer through the Force. Through the Force, the chair exuded none of the darkness that Anakin previously felt. Instead, it pulsed gently with the wisdom and feeling of the scores of Jedi Masters that had sat there previously. A whisper of the Force called to Anakin, and he instinctively moved toward the chair.

From behind Anakin, Mace was watching him intently. He could feel the movements of the Force that were guiding Anakin, and he waited to see where it would take the young Jedi Knight.

--(0)--

Lost within the currents of the Force, Anakin felt the presence of all the Masters who had sat in that chair gathered around him. Through the Force, Anakin could feel them all send him threads of comfort.

Do not despair young Anakin, they seemed to say, For even in the deepest darkness, light may still shine bright.

They ushered him closer, and ever so slowly, Anakin came closer and closer to the chair. As he approached, a gentle blue Force Ghost appeared behind the chair. Anakin stopped hesitantly, and when the Force Ghost turned around, Anakin released a strangled sob.

It was Qui-Gon Jinn.

Suddenly Anakin was nine years old again, and all the memories and feelings he had of Qui-Gon came rushing back. The childlike wonder at finally meeting one of the legendary Jedi that he’d always dreamed of. The warmth he’d felt blossom within his heart at the unwavering faith Qui-Gon had placed in him. The joy of realizing that Qui-Gon had gotten Watto to free him. The bittersweet moment when he realized that though he was to become a Jedi, his mother would have to remain behind; and the sadness and care in Qui-Gon’s eyes. Then, Anakin felt the crushing pain he had felt upon hearing that Qui-Gon had been killed.

All of that had happened so long ago that it felt like Anakin was remembering someone else’s life. But as Qui-Gon smiled at him, Anakin knew beyond any shadow of doubt that it had all been him. It had all been his life.

“Qui-Gon?” Anakin asked, his voice a strangled gasp, “Is it really you?”

Qui-Gon smiled wider, and nodded.

“I’m almost surprised you remember me,” he said warmly.

Stunned, Anakin reached forward to touch Qui-Gon’s shoulder, and another strangled gasp escaped him when his hand met solid resistance. Looking up at Qui-Gon in utter amazement, Anakin was perfectly still for a handful of moments, and then threw his arms around Qui-Gon’s shoulders in a massive hug. Qui-Gon chuckled and returned the hug as Anakin’s whole body began to shake with massive sobs. Even in the timeless void of the Force, Anakin remained locked to Qui-Gon for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, at great length, Anakin released him.

“My, my, Anakin,” Qui-Gon said, “You have really grown.”

“Yeah,” Anakin said, wiping his eyes, “It’s been over thirteen years.”

“Yes, and I can tell much has happened to you in those thirteen years; and that not all of it has been pleasant.”

Anakin’s eyes fell as flashes of his mother’s death, and the subsequent slaughter of the Tusken Camp played before his mind’s eye. Anakin grimaced as the memory of that night hit him like a blow to the heart, and Qui-Gon placed a hand on Anakin’s shoulder.

“Listen to me Ani, we will have all the time in the world to discuss your past, but now is not the time. Darkness swirls around you, and there are things you must know if you are to survive it.”

“Tell me Qui-Gon, please,” Anakin said, “I’m so lost right now.”

“I know, but you do not need to fear it. We all lose ourselves sometimes, whether it be through conflict or uncertainty, and we all must fight to find ourselves again. I can feel that you hold much conflict and uncertainty inside yourself, but I can also feel that there is something you hold inside that is more powerful than that; something that gives you hope and strength when everything else fails you. Tell me Anakin, what is it?”

Anakin hesitated for a moment, but the pure warmth radiating from Qui-Gon filled Anakin with a sense of peace and comfort, and Anakin knew he could tell Qui-Gon the truth.

“It’s Padme, Master. Padme Amidala. You remember her, right?”

Qui-Gon chuckled. “Yes, yes. I remember her quite well. I also remember that you were more than a bit taken with her.”

“You could tell that?” Anakin asked, suddenly embarrassed.

Qui-Gon smiled widely and nodded. “Yes, I could feel it in the Force. Your affection for her was quite strong.”

Anakin’s cheeks flushed bright red, and he looked very far to his right, using his hand of flesh to hide his reddening cheeks.

“Yeah well,” he said after regaining some of his composure, “We’re married now, and I love her more than I could ever put into words.”

“And you’re afraid to lose her?”

“Almost as much as I love her,” Anakin confessed.

“You don’t need to be,” Qui-Gon said.

Anakin looked at Qui-Gon in surprise.

“Anakin, the Dark Side of the Force is just that, a side. It is not the Force as a whole, and it never will be. At the core of the Dark Side lie emotions; anger, hate, and fear. Do you know what lies at the heart of the Light Side, Anakin?”

Anakin thought for a moment, and then realized that he truly didn’t know!

“No,” Anakin said, looking back at Qui-Gon, “I don’t.”

“Love,” Qui-Gon answered simply.

“Love?” Anakin asked, dumbstruck.

“Love,” Qui-Gon said again.

Anakin was silent for a moment, and then spoke again.

“But…doesn’t love lead to…?”

“The fear of love, of losing that love, is what leads to the fall towards the Dark Side, but again you’ll see that it is the fear that truly leads to the Dark Side. What you must understand is that even though the object of your love may vanish, the spirit of your love can never be destroyed. If you understand this, and let yourself truly love something unconditionally, you will find that your love will endure far past anything of the physical realm. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”

Anakin looked away from Qui-Gon, and lost himself in his own thoughts as he tried to digest everything Qui-Gon had just told him.

“You’re telling me,” Anakin said slowly, at length, “That even though I may lose Padme physically, she will always be with me in spirit because I love her?”

“Yes, that is exactly what I am saying,” Qui-Gon answered, “Love her unconditionally, and even in death, she will be with you just as I am with you now.”

Anakin looked at Qui-Gon, confused, and Qui-Gon placed a hand on Anakin’s shoulder.

“Let yourself love her completely, and unconditionally, and let that love itself be enough for you. For when you truly realize it, that love will be more than enough to keep you going. Meditate on this, and it will become clear soon enough.”

At that, Qui-Gon began to walk away from Anakin, and Anakin stood there contemplating his words.

“Qui-Gon, wait!” Anakin called out, turning back to the Jedi Master, “Will I…?”

“Patience, young Anakin,” Qui-Gon replied, “You will have the answers you seek, I promise you.”

Something somewhere inside Anakin’s clicked, and a smile, a true, pure, honest smile parted his lips for the first time in what felt like a lifetime.

“Qui-Gon I…” he began, then sighed, “Thank you.”

“No Anakin,” Qui-Gon smiled back, “Thank you.”