Star Wars: Ashes and Hope: Part 23
Feb. 1st, 2016 05:53 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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Current Total Word Count: 17,702
"Take them from her, I did not say." Yoda is watching Anakin with a mix of disapproval and disappointment. As if there were some failing in Anakin that he had hoped would not be. "You, they should not be near."
He can feel Padmé waking as Yoda speaks, and he reaches back with one hand to wrap his fingers around hers. Feeling her squeeze back, and sending her a pulse of reassurance, as he had earlier.
"If Padmé wants me gone, then I will go. But that is not your decision, Yoda. And it's not one you should force Padmé into until she's ready to make the decision."
"Master Yoda is here?" Padmé's voice is quiet, but not soft, and Anakin turns enough he can help her sit up, a medical droid coming over to assist them, and resettle Luke in Padmé's lap. "What are you talking about?"
"Yoda is being rude, and discussing Leia and Luke without your input. Suggesting they should not be anywhere near me, because he believes I would attract the attention of the Sith." Anakin suspects that Yoda would also prefer Zett were removed from Anakin's presence entirely, and may only be mollified by Master Windu's having accompanied them.
Padmé is quiet a moment, the room hushed as the others are polite enough to let her think over Anakin's words. "What do you propose to do, Master Yoda?"
"The children, the Emperor must not find. Separated they should be, better to hide them." Yoda rests his hands on his knees, watching Padmé steadily, and Anakin shifts a little, keeping close attention on the currents of the Force, not trusting the Jedi not to use mind tricks against Padmé if they believe this truly is for the best.
Another long moment of silence, as Padmé looks down at Luke, tracing her fingers over his face. "Can they be hidden without taking them from each other?" She looks up at Anakin, giving him an expectant look. Trusting his answer, even if the Jedi say something else.
"While they're small and can be kept close, it's easy." Anakin takes a deep breath, wrapping the same shields he'd shown Zett and Master Windu around himself, Padmé, Leia, and Luke. Hiding them all, and watching the surprise that briefly crosses Yoda's face. "I can hide us all from Sidious, and I can hide us from you."
And when Leia and Luke aren't as willing to stay close, and are harder to hide himself, he can teach them how to hide themselves, to make themselves small and invisible, nothing to take any note of.
"Then stay." Padmé laces her fingers between his where their hands are joined. He can feel her determination, and a quiet resolve. "I will not send Leia and Luke away from their father, and I won't tell Anakin to leave me."
No one is surprised by Padmé's declaration of Anakin as the twin's father, and Anakin finds it reassuring that the Jedi must have known about Vader's association with Padmé, and didn't do all they could to stop it. Or if they did, it wasn't terribly effective.
"Then I will go with you, if you'll allow it, Senator." Master Windu's request does seem to surprise Yoda, and Anakin fights back the urge to smile. "It would be safer for you and your children to have more than Skywalker and Jukasa to protect you."
"I'm not helpless, Master Windu." Padmé gives him an irritated look, and Master Windu smiles a little at her in return.
"Of that I am aware, Senator." He folds his hands in the borrowed robe he's still wearing. "Neither of the children, however, are yet able to defend themselves, and Padawan Jukasa is still not fully trained. Perhaps you will allow me to accompany you for their sakes?"
Padmé nods, a small hint of amusement floating to Anakin along the bond. He will have to teach her how to shield it, if she wants privacy for her emotions.
"Thank you, Senator." Master Windu doesn't move yet, and Anakin can see the turmoil in Yoda's expression, he suspects over the decision that has just been made. Or perhaps over not being the one who is allowed to make the decisions on how they will arrange for their safety and that of the children.
"What about you?" Anakin looks at Yoda, wondering what the old Jedi has in mind. "Where do you intend to go?"
Yoda is silent for a long moment, looking at each of them, though Anakin can't read what he's feeling. "Into exile, I will go. Alone." He sighs quietly, shaking his head. "Your decisions, wise I think not, but dictate to you, I will not."
Anakin relaxes a little at that, though he wants to bristle at the idea that Yoda doesn't think them capable of making the right choices for themselves and the twins.
"Senator Organa, your hospitality a little longer I would intrude upon. To Dagobah, I will go."
"Of course, Master Yoda." Bail smiles, then looks over at Padmé. "You are always welcome on Alderaan, Padmé." He looks up to meet Anakin's gaze a moment, then over to Master Windu. "All of you are."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Anakin smiles, nodding in acknowledgement of the invitation, though he is less certain of taking it up. Wherever they go, they won't be able to stay for long, even if Anakin hides them in the Force. Their faces will be recognized, if nothing else.
Yoda's ears tilt downward a moment before he draws a deep breath, hopping down from the chair, turning to Master Windu. "The Force be with you, Master Windu. And with you, Senator Amidala," he says, turning to speak to Padmé, ignoring Anakin.
"And may the Force be with you as well, Master Yoda." Anakin smiles a little, and nods when Yoda looks at him.
There is nothing else said as Bail follows Yoda out of the room, leaving the rest of them in silence that is only broken by the quiet whirr of the medical droids.
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Current Total Word Count: 17,702
"Take them from her, I did not say." Yoda is watching Anakin with a mix of disapproval and disappointment. As if there were some failing in Anakin that he had hoped would not be. "You, they should not be near."
He can feel Padmé waking as Yoda speaks, and he reaches back with one hand to wrap his fingers around hers. Feeling her squeeze back, and sending her a pulse of reassurance, as he had earlier.
"If Padmé wants me gone, then I will go. But that is not your decision, Yoda. And it's not one you should force Padmé into until she's ready to make the decision."
"Master Yoda is here?" Padmé's voice is quiet, but not soft, and Anakin turns enough he can help her sit up, a medical droid coming over to assist them, and resettle Luke in Padmé's lap. "What are you talking about?"
"Yoda is being rude, and discussing Leia and Luke without your input. Suggesting they should not be anywhere near me, because he believes I would attract the attention of the Sith." Anakin suspects that Yoda would also prefer Zett were removed from Anakin's presence entirely, and may only be mollified by Master Windu's having accompanied them.
Padmé is quiet a moment, the room hushed as the others are polite enough to let her think over Anakin's words. "What do you propose to do, Master Yoda?"
"The children, the Emperor must not find. Separated they should be, better to hide them." Yoda rests his hands on his knees, watching Padmé steadily, and Anakin shifts a little, keeping close attention on the currents of the Force, not trusting the Jedi not to use mind tricks against Padmé if they believe this truly is for the best.
Another long moment of silence, as Padmé looks down at Luke, tracing her fingers over his face. "Can they be hidden without taking them from each other?" She looks up at Anakin, giving him an expectant look. Trusting his answer, even if the Jedi say something else.
"While they're small and can be kept close, it's easy." Anakin takes a deep breath, wrapping the same shields he'd shown Zett and Master Windu around himself, Padmé, Leia, and Luke. Hiding them all, and watching the surprise that briefly crosses Yoda's face. "I can hide us all from Sidious, and I can hide us from you."
And when Leia and Luke aren't as willing to stay close, and are harder to hide himself, he can teach them how to hide themselves, to make themselves small and invisible, nothing to take any note of.
"Then stay." Padmé laces her fingers between his where their hands are joined. He can feel her determination, and a quiet resolve. "I will not send Leia and Luke away from their father, and I won't tell Anakin to leave me."
No one is surprised by Padmé's declaration of Anakin as the twin's father, and Anakin finds it reassuring that the Jedi must have known about Vader's association with Padmé, and didn't do all they could to stop it. Or if they did, it wasn't terribly effective.
"Then I will go with you, if you'll allow it, Senator." Master Windu's request does seem to surprise Yoda, and Anakin fights back the urge to smile. "It would be safer for you and your children to have more than Skywalker and Jukasa to protect you."
"I'm not helpless, Master Windu." Padmé gives him an irritated look, and Master Windu smiles a little at her in return.
"Of that I am aware, Senator." He folds his hands in the borrowed robe he's still wearing. "Neither of the children, however, are yet able to defend themselves, and Padawan Jukasa is still not fully trained. Perhaps you will allow me to accompany you for their sakes?"
Padmé nods, a small hint of amusement floating to Anakin along the bond. He will have to teach her how to shield it, if she wants privacy for her emotions.
"Thank you, Senator." Master Windu doesn't move yet, and Anakin can see the turmoil in Yoda's expression, he suspects over the decision that has just been made. Or perhaps over not being the one who is allowed to make the decisions on how they will arrange for their safety and that of the children.
"What about you?" Anakin looks at Yoda, wondering what the old Jedi has in mind. "Where do you intend to go?"
Yoda is silent for a long moment, looking at each of them, though Anakin can't read what he's feeling. "Into exile, I will go. Alone." He sighs quietly, shaking his head. "Your decisions, wise I think not, but dictate to you, I will not."
Anakin relaxes a little at that, though he wants to bristle at the idea that Yoda doesn't think them capable of making the right choices for themselves and the twins.
"Senator Organa, your hospitality a little longer I would intrude upon. To Dagobah, I will go."
"Of course, Master Yoda." Bail smiles, then looks over at Padmé. "You are always welcome on Alderaan, Padmé." He looks up to meet Anakin's gaze a moment, then over to Master Windu. "All of you are."
"Thank you, Your Highness." Anakin smiles, nodding in acknowledgement of the invitation, though he is less certain of taking it up. Wherever they go, they won't be able to stay for long, even if Anakin hides them in the Force. Their faces will be recognized, if nothing else.
Yoda's ears tilt downward a moment before he draws a deep breath, hopping down from the chair, turning to Master Windu. "The Force be with you, Master Windu. And with you, Senator Amidala," he says, turning to speak to Padmé, ignoring Anakin.
"And may the Force be with you as well, Master Yoda." Anakin smiles a little, and nods when Yoda looks at him.
There is nothing else said as Bail follows Yoda out of the room, leaving the rest of them in silence that is only broken by the quiet whirr of the medical droids.