Laneet came by early the next morning to lead the two Skywalkers to a special meeting chamber the while Artoo stayed in the room. They were brought into a solarium that doubled as a cafe of sorts, one that was obviously reserved for exclusive clientele by the richly dressed Rodians, soft Bith symphony music, and quaint tables speckled throughout the room. A huge stain glass window stretched from floor to ceiling, casting the dining hall in a rich assortment of colors as sunlight filtered through the colored panes. White porcelain cups and saucers that rested on the tables were made to shine a dazzling array of colors, and Luke realized that, since he was wearing his white Jedi clothes again, he too would be cast in multiple colors. The conversations around the room amounted to nothing more than a soft hum, adding to the peaceful feeling in the air. Luke couldn't help but lean over to his father and make a quick comment.

"Am I the only one who finds it weird for everyone to be negotiating the purchase of deadly weapons in a serene setting like this?" he said in a hushed tone.

Anakin chuckled softly, grinning mischievously. "No, but it's got to be the best arrangement by far that I've seen."

Luke snorted in amusement, but immediately schooled his expression into a calm mask when he spotted Soonta, the sales executive they were to be meeting. He cleared his throat and approached the table, politely exchanging the usual pleasantries including answering an inquiry about how the two Skywalkers had slept—though she did not know Anakin's last name was Skywalker—after the server had taken everyone's orders. He expected to get right down to business, and was also ready to start negotiating when she caught him completely off guard.

"Forgive me if I'm intruding, friend Skywalker," Soonta said, "but I noticed something unusual as you sat down—a flash only, obviously not meant to be seen, but so interesting that I cannot help but ask, at risk of giving offense. Are you perhaps carrying a lightsaber?"

Luke froze. Apparently he hadn't taken enough care when getting dressed today and hadn't managed to make sure the lightsaber would stay hidden. His mind raced; lightsabers weren't prohibited, but their association with the Jedi made one guilty by association to the Empire. The Chekkoo's willingness to conduct some business on the side of the Rebellion might not extend to consorting with a sympathizer of the Jedi; they were stepping lightly on quicksand.

Luke folded his hands together on the table, retaining his cool head. "That's an interesting question," he said carefully, the muscles in his shoulders visibly tense, unfortunately. "Let us suppose purely for argument's sake that I am; would you be offended or scandalized, or perhaps feel bound to report me to Imperial authorities?"

As he spoke, Luke couldn't help but feel like the mark on his neck was burning him again. He ignored the sensation, and kept his gaze level with Soonta's.

"Far from it, far from it," she assured them. "I would have to confess that my views on the Jedi do not align with the official Imperial view."

Luke relaxed, albeit marginally. "Is that so? What are your views, then?"

"I can hardly give them words. I suppose I harbor doubts about the Empire's version of recent events. The victors' view of history rarely matches that of the vanquished, after all."

"So you don't believe the Jedi betrayed the Emperor?" Luke asked curiously.

Anakin stiffened a little, slightly miffed that anyone would dare suggest the Jedi were so low as to betray the...well, whoever the man was before he was Emperor. The Jedi were honorable! Even if Anakin didn't always agree with the way they did things, the Order was not made up of fools and backstabbers. However, he held his tongue, knowing full well that for him to go off on an indignant rampage would serve no good purpose here. Calm, remember? Isn't that what you just taught Luke? Anakin chastised himself.

"I believe they had a serious disagreement with him, no doubt, and I find it easy to believe that he personally felt betrayed. His public behavior and rhetoric paint him to be the sort of man who views any disagreement as a betrayal. But I don't feel the Jedi were in the habit of betraying others. I believe they were more likely to keep oaths than break them. Of course, I have no proof of any of this. It is a feeling, nothing more.

"That's an extraordinary feeling, if you don't mind me saying. How did you come to hold it?"

"A member of our clan was a Jedi Knight. He was my uncle, in fact, and though his devotion to the Order usually kept him far from Rodia, I saw him a few times when I was young. Of course, he was here on Jedi business—and of course the Jedi do not maintain their family ties—but I was told who he was and even had occasion to meet him once or twice. He seemed to me the very personification of honor."

Luke gave Soonta a soft smile. It was interesting meeting someone else who had personally known a Jedi Knight and had a relation to one, and he wanted to keep asking questions—he couldn't help it. "That's fascinating, Soonta. If you don't mind me asking, what was he like, apart from honorable?"

"His name was Huulik. He was a good pilot—or at least fairly proud of his skills. But he used to talk about another Jedi who could fly like no other, and his name also happened to be Skywalker. That's why that fleeting glimpse of a lightsaber piqued my interest. I don't suppose you had any relatives among the Jedi?"

Luke couldn't help the fact that his heart beat a little faster and his smile widened a little, though he did manage to resist looking at his father. "Yes; my father was a Jedi who fought in the Clone Wars."

Soonta blinked and tilted her head. "A son of a Jedi Knight? I thought the Jedi weren't allowed such relationships?"

Luke's smile expanded into an unrepentant grin. "Guess I'm not allowed then."

Anakin, who'd been taking a drink to hide his slightly embarrassed grin at the praise of his piloting skills, choked on his sip of water at those last two remarks. He tried to laugh at Luke's remark, even as Soonta's words hit a chord in Anakin he hadn't thought of yet...one that sent chills through him unlike any he'd ever known...

However, he managed to cover up his discomfort by trying to laugh around the coughing fit his choking sent him into. Luke ended up pounding him on the back at one point, and Anakin grimaced even as he tried to stop chuckling.

"My good sir, are you all right?" Soonta questioned.

"Yes," Anakin said, feeling his face turn slightly pink. "Forgive me; my sip of water went down the wrong tube."

Soonta nodded once, seemingly satisfied, and she returned her attention to Luke.

Luke eyed Anakin for a few more seconds to be sure the older man was still okay. Once he was sure Anakin wasn't going to choke any more, he turned his attention back to Soonta.

"About your relation," Soonta continued. "It certainly explains the coincidence. It must have been your father of whom my uncle spoke. Apparently this Skywalker saved his life at the Battle of Sedratis. They were swarmed by droid fighters, and my uncle's shields were depleted when Skywalker flew in between him and the next blast that would have killed him. Skywalker destroyed the immediate threat and gave Huulik's shields a chance to recharge. They were eventually victorious that day, and I'm given to understand that they fought together on several occasions."

Luke blushed just slightly, nodding his head slowly. "Thank you for sharing that."

"Did your father survive the Clone Wars?" Soonta asked. Luke suddenly felt very awkward, and a heavy silence fell over the table.

"No," Luke said very quietly, shaking his head. "No, he was...betrayed by Darth Vader..."

Anakin was shifting in his seat now, just barely, but he was squirming. All this talk about him like he wasn't right there—not that it was Luke's fault—was making him uncomfortable. But while he was flattered by all the praise, Anakin was also a little put-off by the mention of him being betrayed by Vader.

Anakin hid his thinning lips behind his glass, determined not to ruin this for his son.

"I am sorry to hear. But how do you know that, specifically?"

"AI was told so by another Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Kenobi! I know that name! He came to Rodia during the Clone Wars to help return a kidnapped child from another clan. Am I to understand he's still alive?"

Luke felt his throat close up and he winced just slightly. "Not anymore. He died at the Battle of Yavin," he managed to say.

"Ah! So a Jedi was involved in the destruction of the Death Star. The Alliance's victory there makes much more sense now. The Jedi have a way of turning daunting tasks into routine ones."

Luke decided not to mention that he had actually been the one to destroy the Death Star, as that information was staying as quiet as possible for his life's sake, and he kept his mouth shut about his father being there too, not wanting to draw attention to him considering the conversation. "So what happened to your uncle?" he asked instead, switching the topic before it could reawaken any more unpleasant memories.

"Like your father, he was betrayed. He was shot by clone troopers who were supposed to be on his side. He made it into his ship, recorded a brief message about what happened to him with his astromech, and gave it orders to bring him back here. He could not think of any place safer in the entire galaxy, which I thought was sad. This has never been a safe planet. But he was already dead when his ship landed, his wounds too severe to survive the journey."

Luke felt a sharp pang in his heart—he sincerely hoped that his father had not died in a similar way...as strange as that thought was when Anakin was sitting right beside him. "That's terrible...I'm sorry. Did his astromech survive the trip?"

"Only in the physical sense. The clan wiped its memory to prevent it falling into the wrong hands and putting us at risk. We scuttled his ship and built my uncle a small tomb out in the jungle, not knowing what else to do."

Luke momentarily found himself at a loss of words, unsure what he wanted to say next. However, a nudge in the Force put him up to asking a question he'd been thinking of leaving alone out of fear of disrespect. Still, he trusted the Force, so he asked the question anyway. "If it's not rude of me to ask...do you think I could go pay my respects to your uncle?"

The antennae on Soonta's head drew back from some unknown emotion—Luke couldn't tell if it was surprise or outrage. Unsure of how she was going to respond, he braced himself for an angry retort. Thankfully, Soonta sounded rather pleased with his request.

"That would be most thoughtful of you. I should pay my own, in any case." Soonta took a sip from her caf cup, thinking something over for a few moments before she spoke again. "You and your companion are prospective customers. We can borrow a couple of speeders by way of a test drive and visit now, if you'd like. The tomb isn't far from here."

Luke nodded. "That sounds great. I'm actually not hungry. We can go now, if you're willing."

"So be it."

With that, the small party rose to their feet and Luke and Anakin followed Soonta out of the small cafe and out to the manufacturing company space. The noise was deafening and hurt Luke's ears after the peace and quiet, but he didn't complain. He was, however, grateful when Soonta acquired three bright speeder bikes for them to use, and he readily mounted his vehicle to follow her into the forest.

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The trees gave way into jungle, which gave way into a swamp with hardly any solid ground. There was plenty of loam and some occasional rock, but the rest was all swamp. The humidity was rather miserable as well, causing Luke to feel like he was in a stew pot as sweat ran down his neck and back, his clothes now plastered to his body.

Soonta directed them towards a spot that boasted some rock, though there was nowhere for them to land but on the single outcropping because of how thick the trees and undergrowth were. Luke only managed to make out a mausoleum once they had landed on the stone shelf above the swamp, the structure hidden by vines and trees. He didn't get long to dwell on their surroundings as Soonta was ushering them off of the speeder bikes before the whir of the repulsors even faded. The stress in her voice only caused Luke to move a little faster.

"We should move away from the water's edge, just in case there may be some ghests nearby."

Luke's brow furrowed as Soonta placed a hand on his back to prompt him into moving faster, his father keeping easy stride with them. "Ghests?"

"Yes, they're large creatures that like to move quietly in the water before erupting to pluck food off the shorelines, especially herbivores and birds. Since we just flew down from the sky to land on the shore..."

Her explanation was cut short as an enormous scaly creature reared out of the water and sunk both razor sharp claws and teeth into Luke's bike, spitting the vehicle out when it realized it wasn't food. The trio scrambled back as the creature roared, hearts thudding when it hissed and slipped back into the water, its huge eye never wavering from their forms by the mausoleum.

Between the dianoga, the waterboarding, and now this ghest, Luke was going to be scarred to the point he would never go near a large body of water in his life.

Anakin instinctively placed himself between Luke and the threat, even after it had disappeared. Anakin had trouble relocating the ghest after it dipped back beneath the water's murky surface, even in the Force. There was just too much other life acting as interference.

Anakin felt Luke's fear and readied himself to help the young man if need be. They turned warily towards the tomb, and Soonta cut a path through the undergrowth for them with a fancy tool. Soon they were before the tomb, and Anakin lowered his head in respect for the fallen Jedi.

Typically a Jedi would be burned on a pyre out if respect, and to set their mortal body free. But these people had done their best, so Anakin respected and appreciated that.

Soonta lowered herself to one knee with her head bowed, speaking words in her native Rodian language with what sounded like reverence. Luke also kept his head bowed out of respect, as did Anakin. Soonta surprised them all though when she asked Luke her next round of questions. Her giant black eyes regarded him closely, though Luke managed to hide any discomfort.

"Do you truly wish to become a Jedi yourself one day, or is that merely an idle fantasy?"

Luke blinked, thrown off by the question. "Yes, I truly wish it. More than anything."

"Then we should enter. There is something in there for you."

"I..." Luke trailed off, having about to say that he didn't think it appropriate to enter a mausoleum when her last sentence registered in his brain. "There is? What?"

"Help me move this door...and when we're inside...the lid," Soonta said instead. Luke gave her an odd look but, when he continued to sense neither malice nor ill will from her, did so, muscles straining only slightly with moving the large door. The smell was terrible, worse than it was outside among the swamp, but he still followed Soonta inside, albeit a little hesitantly.

Anakin remained outside the tomb when his companions went inside. He sensed that whatever was in there was specifically for Luke.

He took a moment to ponder somewhat on the Rodian's words: "A son of a Jedi Knight? I thought the Jedi weren't allowed such relationships?"

Anakin had yet to think about that, but Soonta was right...his marriage to Padmé was forbidden by the Jedi Code, and while a marriage could be kept hidden, children were a different matter...

Anakin's musings were cut short when Luke gasped inside the mosuleum, and the elder man turned to peer within.

When Soonta had plunged a hand into the remains of the deceased Jedi, Luke had been rather uneasy, though when she'd handed him the lightsaber of the Jedi...

Luke couldn't help the gasp that escaped him when the brilliant amethyst blade came to light, bathing the room in rich shades of purple.

"It's yours." Soonta said it so casually, yet Luke found himself momentarily frozen as he registered what she had said.

"You're giving this to me? Wouldn't someone else in your family object?"

She shrugged. "At this point I suspect I am the only member of my family who still comes to visit him. And it is not doing any good sealed away like that. I think it's an inheritance better suited to you than me. Perhaps you can learn something from it and one day become a Jedi like your father and my uncle. It would be good to have the Jedi return, I think."

Luke was absolutely stupefied, switching the blade off as he turned the lightsaber over in his hands. It was made for a Rodian instead of a human, which meant that the hilt didn't fit right in his hand. The surface also had an odd, slick feeling all over its matte-black finish, though Luke couldn't pinpoint why. "Thank you," he managed to say, though he felt that words were inadequate. "I'm honored."

Soonta nodded towards the blade. "Now something like that might allow you to survive a direct attack from a ghest."

Luke stared at her as if she'd suddenly grown an extra head out of her neck. "You mean walk out there as bait, holding a lightsaber in front of me?"

Soonta chuckled. "You have two now, correct? Your odds of ensuring the ghest has to eat a lightsaber before it eats you are pretty good."

Luke grinned and couldn't help but roll his eyes at her sense of humor. Still, she had a point; while approaching the mausoleum, Soonta had informed them that they would risk an attack even leaving, and two of them would have to double up on one of the remaining two speeders. Also, they couldn't call for help because there was no signal, and there were no emergency beacons either; it was best for someone to stand guard just in case it was still lurking in the waters while everyone safely got on the speeders. And if the ghest was still around, well then they could remove the immediate threat and wouldn't have to worry about it.

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Anakin gaped at his son when Luke told him the plan. "No way. There is no way in the nine Sith hells you're playing bait for some swamp monster!" He growled.

"I'm not bait, I'm just standing guard in case the thing is still lurking in the water," Luke told him calmly. "I can defend myself with both lightsabers and use the Force to react fast enough should it still be around. I'll get on the speeder with you and we'll leave. No matter what we have to get to the speeder bikes safely, which we need someone to stand guard to do."

Anakin glared mildly. "This is where I as your father say I will do it. But, if I ever plan to have you be a full Jedi, then I realize I need to let you have experiences." He grumbled.

"You'd best be careful though," Anakin warned as he prepared to mount the speeder bike.

Luke gave him a reassuring smile as he pulled out and activated both lightsabers. "Always."

Turning away to face the water, Luke crouched to minimize himself as a target, holding the lightsabers parallel to the ground and angled to protect each side of him so that he was at the base of a triangle. That way, if the ghest did attack, it wouldn't be able to avoid being cut. Luke approached the dark water cautiously, stretching out with the Force to see if he would be able to locate the ghest that way, as visual sight was no use right now. However, there was too much other life in the area, and Luke accepted that he wouldn't be able to locate the beast. Still, he kept himself well attuned for any warning the Force may give, standing tense and on guard for any ghest deciding to visit this particular shore.

After a few minutes with nothing but the sounds of the swamp around and the hum of the lightsabers, Luke took a step back from the shore, knowing that now the other two were situated on the speeder bikes. All that was left was for him to carefully back away and hope that the ghest truly was gone as they left—it seemed like it.

"I think it's moved on," Luke announced, taking one more step back. "Best to leave before it decides to come back though."

"I suppose—" Soonta started to say the same moment Luke suddenly felt a strong warning through the Force, bracing himself and tightening his grip on the lightsabers as the ghest suddenly erupted from the swamp on Luke's left, much faster than Luke could keep track of with his eyes. Acting on reflex and with the guidance of the Force, Luke stepped back again while swiping his left blade toward it, following a fraction of a second later with his right blade too. Both blades connected, but at the same moment that the ghest connected with Luke.

Teeth sank into the soft tissue between his left shoulder and neck—the same side his brands were, ironically—as Luke hit the ground, heart pounding wildly. The ghest's head was no longer connected to its body, his lightsabers having severed the two entirely. That left Luke very much alive and shaking, but with the dead ghest's teeth still buried in his flesh. The teeth hadn't locked up, but Luke knew it was still going to be painful to pry loose.

"Luke!" Anakin shouted as he leapt off his speeder bike. He rushed forward to help get the teeth of the ghest out of his son.

"Are you all right?" Soonta asked, and Anakin had to consciously restrain himself from snapping an of course he isn't okay! her way.

"I...I'll live, I think," he muttered, pushing himself up to his elbows. He was still trembling rather violently, but he ignored that, instead feeling the teeth wounds in his neck and shoulder. Just a little higher and he would have bled out regardless.

"We need to get you to an infirmary," Soonta stated, helping Anakin lift Luke to his feet. Luke put the two lightsabers away and leaned into his father as Soonta tossed the head back into the swamp. "The sooner the better. Limping into town doubled up on one of the speeders will be a bit faster than going back for another one and returning, at least."

She took the time to take holos of the damaged speeder and the ghest's body as Anakin and Luke got situated on the speeder, with Luke wrapping an arm around his father's waist and burying his face in his father's shoulder blade. "I need to explain what happened if I don't want to have my pay docked," she explained a little sheepishly as she got on her own speeder bike. They were swift to leave the swamp, but Luke wasn't focused on that. He was focused instead on how light headed he felt from the blood loss, the sight of so much of his own blood raising a dangerous feeling he knew all too well inside of him.

Oh Force, Luke thought as his trembling increased, his breathing starting to speed up.

Anakin was just flying over the edge of the flat area where the cliff was when he felt Luke begin to tremble harder, and his Force sense started to become fearful and panicky.

"Luke?" Anakin called. "What's wrong?"

Luke didn't hear his father.

Screams of pain, a vibroblade digging into and ripping apart flesh, his blood painting not only the blade but his body as well.

"It's not real...just a relapse," Luke told himself desperately, looking for that calm center in reality he was learning to look for when he started to have a relapse.

The blade dug into his chest, slashing across from one side to the other in a deep gash. He felt he was on fire, his body unable to take the combination of the pain and the drug...

Luke didn't answer him, but he did tense against Anakin and start to mutter incoherent things in a desperate tone of voice. That was when Anakin put two-and-two together.

Anakin swore under his breath and slowed to a stop before Luke fell off the back. He ignored Soonta's protest and carefully maneuvered first himself and then Luke off of the speeder. He sat down and first drew Luke into a gentle hug, and then a tight embrace when the young man balked in his grasp.

Tears of pain welled in his eyes as Luke fought against invisible bonds, unable to get away from the haunting vision or the pain he felt. His leg jerked violently when the knife was plunged into his leg wound, reopening the few days old injury. He tried so hard not to scream, knowing it wouldn't do him any good.

Calm, calm, it's not real, Luke continued to chant in his mind, stretching desperately for an anchor in all of the chaos. He found one, thankfully, in the form of his father's Force Presence, and he clung to his father's light like a life preserver, willing his father's light to wash away the all too real scenes and the pain.

Meanwhile, Soonta turned her speeder around, eyes widening in surprise and even some horror when she saw Luke seizing in Anakin's grasp. "What's wrong with him?" she asked in alarm, finally noticing the Imperial brand on his neck for the first time; he'd done very well in hiding the mark.

Anakin would have ignored her had she not gasped upon seeing the brand that was now exposed on his son's neck.

"Imperial torture," Anakin said shortly. "They thought it would be fun to brand him as an Imperial, even though he isn't."

With that he turned his attention back to Luke, and he held Luke close to his body so the young man didn't hurt himself.

He then stretched out with the Force and realized Luke was scrambling to find a calm center. Anakin allowed a stab of fatherly pride, and also realized that Luke was trying to hold on to him like he was a life preserver in stormy seas.

Luke...focus on me...only on me...this isn't real. It's a memory, you're safe...I'm here, Son...

Just as during his first relapse, Anakin's words pierced through Luke's memories, although this time it was much clearer now that Luke had already been reaching for him. Luke allowed his father's words to slowly lead him out of his torturous vision. Gradually, the intense images faded, the pain lessened, and Luke found himself within his father's grasp, his breathing ragged but slowly evening out. He felt weak, and his head spun dangerously from the blood loss he'd sustained, but he managed to hold to his father and the small semblance of calm he still retained.

Anakin held Luke through it all, and he let him cling to him while his breathing evened out. Anakin continued to murmur comfort to his son, rocking gently ever now and then.

Once Luke finally had himself firmly under control again, Luke started to straighten up, trying not to blush when he realized that Soonta had witnessed his episode.

"I'm fine..." he said softly at his father's concerned gaze, trying to get back to his feet. He felt a breeze against his neck and, upon realizing his collar had fallen during his relapse, scrambled to cover it again, his blush flaring up.

Anakin turned to see that despite his words, Soonta did not look pleased. He gave her a hard look, letting Luke go and standing up. He stood between them as he spoke.

"He is not an Imperial; he's the farthest thing from an Imperial that one can get." Anakin narrowed his eyes. "I guarantee that Luke is not decieving you."

Soonta gave him the Rodian's equivalent of a glare. "How do I know that for sure? How can I trust you now? He hid this from us deliberately!"

Anakin gave her a pointed look. "Wouldn't you hide such a shame-inducing mark if you bore it?"

Soonta huffed. "That is not of any consequence; he lied to us!"

Anakin stepped closer. "So did I."

Soonta gave him a murderous look. "You had better explain."

Anakin prayed Luke would go along with him. "I am the man who destroyed the Death Star. Luke was my wingman, and he helped me make it down the trench. If not for him I'd never have made that shot. He also saved Princess Leia from execution from said space station."

Soonta was now twitching her earstalks in awe. "You? It was you?" She glanced to Luke. "Is this the truth?"

Luke had his hand placed securely over his neck, eyes cast towards the ground. This was why he hid the mark, this kind of reaction right here. "Why do you think they did this to me when they got their hands on me?" Luke responded quietly, leaning against the speeder bike for support.

Soonta studied the young man intently, and Anakin let her draw her own conclusions.

"If you indeed took out the Death Star, then I respect that," she finally allowed. "We will commence business once you've been healed."

Anakin thanked her, then returned the speeder. He gave Luke a concerned look and spoke so only his son could hear.

"Are you going to be all right? Truly?"

Honestly?

"I don't know yet," Luke replied in a soft tone, returning to his position behind Anakin on the speeder.

Anakin made sure to keep a hold of Luke with the Force while they flew, and once they were in the med center, he stayed close while the medics patched Luke up.

Once done, they determined to keep him for a few hours to make sure he was actually okay. Anakin took the opportunity to sneak away to the market and returned a few minutes later with a small parcel.

He knocked on Luke's door and then entered. Luke looked up at him and gave his father a small smile.

"How are you holding up?" Anakin asked as he took a seat.

"A little chewed up, but I'll be fine," Luke said with a wry grin, eyes sparkling with mischief. He was feeling much better now, albeit still a little depressed from the incident with Soonta over his Imperial brand. He was just happy that none of the medics had said a word about Luke's two brands as they cleaned him up, though he had still felt the stares, and that he couldn't help from hurting him.

Anakin grinned at Luke's joke, but did not miss his underlying hurt.

He sighed. "At the risk of sounding like a broken holofilm...you did nothing wrong, Luke."

Luke's smile faded and he sighed, leaning against the bed he was lying in. He looked away, unable to meet his father's eyes for a moment. "Doesn't seem like anyone else feels that way," he murmured, his already low self-esteem officially crippled.

Anakin thinned his lips. "And why does it matter what they think?"

Luke huffed. "I know, it shouldn't matter; just...sometimes..."

He trailed off, finishing with a quiet, it doesn't mean it doesn't still hurt sometimes, in his head.

Anakin closed his eyes for a moment. "I'm sorry; I don't mean to be insensitive. But you can't keep letting other's opinions get to you." Anakin sighed again. "Luke, people are going to talk, they're going to stare, and they're going to make their rude remarks. That will happen with or without those brands."

Luke shook his head. "I know, I do, but that doesn't change the fact that right now it still bothers me," Luke replied, trying his best not to sound defensive. He didn't mean to be, it was just...a sensitive subject, even now.

Anakin glanced down at the package in his grasp. He felt bad for making Luke remember.

"Well, maybe this will help you hide the brand better," Anakin murmured, hefting his bag with a penitent smile.

Luke eyed the bag suspiciously as Anakin handed it over. "What is it?" he asked cautiously.

Anakin lifted a brow. "Open the bag and find out."

"Why does that frighten me?"

Still, he opened the bag and hesitantly peeked inside. His grimace turned quickly into surprise.

"Is that..." he trailed off, struggling for words. "You didn't seriously get me..."

Luke huffed, shooting his father a look. "I am not going to wear make-up! That's—that's for girls!"

Anakin allowed himself a smirk before he gave Luke a serious look. "Luke, no one will be the wiser. And this will hide the mark and help avoid a repeat of earlier. What if the next time your mark gets exposed the viewer isn't receptive to explanation?"

Luke blushed, concern furrowing his brow. "But...still, this..."

He sighed, realizing there was no point in arguing as he set aside the bag; he couldn't put it on right now anyway as he was currently bandaged in that area. "No one better find out...especially Han!"

Anakin grinned unrepentantly. "I'll be sure to tell him as soon as..."

"No! You're terrible!" Luke said, though his grin had returned. "Do you always tease people? Because I swear you're worse than Han sometimes."

Anakin's grin only widened. "You should have heard Obi-Wan and I just before I got transported here. We were terrible with the teasing!"

"I would believe it," Luke told him with a shake of his head. He sighed, glancing at the door.

"How long before I can get out of here?

Anakin shrugged. "Not too much longer; they just want to make sure that with the blood loss you don't faint or get too weak."

Luke grimaced. "I think I'm good on that front...I don't feel faint."

Anakin nodded, looking pointedly towards the door. "You do look better, but these are medics we're dealing with. They have to come to their own conclusions."

"Uhg," Luke groaned. "It should be where if I feel good enough I can leave..."

Anakin snickered. "Can't tell you how many times I've been where you are. But don't worry; this'll be over before you know it."

Luke rolled his eyes. "Well, it better be over soon. I hate not doing anything."

Anakin's mischievous grin returned and he wagged his eyebrows. "Just think, you have plenty of time to make use of my gift there."

luke groaned again. "This is just cruel and unusual punishment..."

Anakin just laughed.

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Later, after Luke had been released from the infirmary, Luke found himself sitting alone in their room, Artoo watching him curiously as he inspected Huulik's lightsaber. Anakin was who knew where—a scary thought if Luke allowed himself to stop and think about it—so Luke was all alone with plenty to think about. He turned the lightsaber over in his hands, running his hands along the seamless edges as he tried to figure out how one was even assembled. He couldn't even figure out how to open it to see what was inside.

Luke ran his hand carefully along the hilt, prodding at the Force to give him a hint as to what to do. To his surprise, there was a soft click, and a seam that hadn't been there previously suddenly appeared, allowing Luke to open the lightsaber to see the inside components. He could see the power cell, and the crystal chamber, though he grimaced when he realized that opening the chamber had caused the three inner lightsaber crystals to fall out of place. From the looks of it, they had been situated through the Force, and due to Luke's lack of telekinetic abilities, it seemed those crystals would be knocked out of place for quite some time. He dared not even accidentally activate it now for fear that the weapon would explode on him. In fact, Luke suspected that if the crystals were off even a little, the lightsaber would explode. Best to set it aside and study it in his free time as he progressed; for all he knew, the knowledge of how to construct a lightsaber would come in handy one day. Anakin had said something along the lines of personal lightsabers being constructed as a rite of passage when a Jedi became skilled enough. This free time study should give him some knowledge on the subject ahead of time.

Though how would he construct a lightsaber if he couldn't even lift a soggy vegetable?

As if of their own free will, Luke's eyes slid over to a similar soggy vegetable lying on his plate. It was of course dead, and wouldn't be putting up any sort of a fight. There was no one around, so there was no one to see his failure if he didn't succeed once again...

Luke sighed, closing his eyes and finding his center in the Force. Once he was at his calm spot once more, Luke tried for the billionth time to stretch out to the vegetable and get it to move. He found the object sitting innocently on its plate, felt the object in the Force, and his fingers twitched just slightly. Maybe, instead of trying to lift it with an invisible extension of his hand as he had been trying previously, if he just imagined it lifting off of the plate through the Force, and trusted the Force to follow through with the action...

The door suddenly slid open, and Luke jumped, his concentration shattering. He glanced instinctively at the vegetable as his eyes opened, slightly disappointed to see that the vegetable had not budged throughout his moments of concentration. He looked to see who the intruder was, expecting to see Anakin.

It was Laneet.

"Forgive me friend Skywalker, but there is dire trouble. The Empire has issued a planetwide alert for a ship matching yours, and if you do not leave right away you may be discovered here."

"What? Can't we just hide in the smuggler's bay?"

"The chance of being seen by spies is too great. We're trying to prevent the ones we know about from investigating the spaceport, but we can't hold them forever and there are probably others we don't know about. If you're seen here, we want you to be seen leaving. We can smuggle goods to the Alliance, but we can't openly defy the Grand Protector or the Empire now."

Luke sighed, standing up. "All right, I understand. Just as moment." He put the pieces of Huulik's lightsaber into a small bag. "I'll start packing up our stuff; my...friend and I will leave as soon as he returns."

He turned to Artoo, placing a hand on his domed head. "Looks like we have to run and hide again. Anakin better not take too long with whatever he's doing."

*************************************************************************

The son of a Jedi?...I thought Jedi were forbidden to have relationships...

Anakin stood tense in a corner of the gardens behind the hotel they were staying at.

...not allowed...

He couldn't get that one thought out of his head, no matter what he tried; because, as much as he wanted to deny it, Soonta was right.

Anakin was already breaking the Jedi Code with his marriage to Padmé, but that could be hidden...

Children on the other hand...

Anakin's heart was burdened with a mixture of deep, troublesome emotions, and it was for this reason he'd sought to be away from Luke. He did not want his son to catch on to Anakin's heartache and ask questions Anakin didn't want to have asked.

Anakin suddenly tensed when Luke's sense in the Force became troubled, and with a sigh, Anakin put up mental shields, schooled his face into a neutral expression, and only then found his way to the room he shared with his son.

Laneet was waiting just outside the door, to Anakin's surprise.

Anakin frowned as he passed her, and then entered the room. Luke already had his things packed and was starting on Anakin's meager belongings when he entered.

"Luke, what's going on?"

Luke looked up, relieved Anakin had arrived before he had to go looking for the older Skywalker. "The Empire put out a planetwide alert for us, ship included. We have to go before the spies spot us and report us to the Empire. The Chekkoo are holding them off, but can only do that long enough for us to leave. The deal's set in stone, they'll smuggle for the Alliance; they just can't be spotted openly defying the Empire, like harboring wanted Rebel fugitives," Luke said pointedly, slinging his pack over his shoulder.

Anakin merely nodded, grabbing his own pack and securing it before slinging it over his shoulder.

Luke led the way out of the room with Anakin behind Artoo. He kept his troubled mind on getting to the ship and kept his head down, drawing his hood over his face to conceal his identity.

Luke stopped to thank Laneet for her services before he got on board the Desert Jewel, starting up the ship and flying them out of the system before an Imperial ship could even arrive to see them.

Anakin turned to Luke after an hour in hyperspace, unable to keep up his façade much longer. "I'm going to go lie down, if you don't mind."

Luke glanced at him worriedly, sensing that there was more to it than his father was letting on, which exposed Anakin's façade to Luke. "Okay...are you all right?"

Anakin cursed his inadequate shields and looked out toward the mottled view beyond the cockpit.

"Truthfully? Not entirely. I...I need to be alone for a while please," he pled softly, unable to meet Luke's eyes.

Luke's expression softened and he reached out to lovingly squeeze his father's forearm—as that was as high up as Luke could reach when he was sitting down and his father was standing. "Of course. Take all the time you need," he said gently, okay with his father not meeting his gaze; he knew not to take it personally, and he understood that need to be alone all too well.

Anakin gave Luke a grateful look and retreated to the cabin, shutting the door and settling into the first bunk his feet carried him to.

As he sat down, he found himself feeling completely numb.

...I thought Jedi were forbidden to have relationships...Not allowed...Not allowed...

Anakin didn't know what he was going to do when he went back to his time. Surely once the children were born, people would start asking questions.

Forget that, Anakin fretted. How long will Padmé be able to hide her pregnancy?

Anakin knew that as soon as the news got out that one of the most well-known and respected senators in the Republic was expecting a child there would be a mad dash by the media to at least uncover the father's identity. Anakin dreaded the circus that would be and he did not want his Angel to go through that, especially alone.

And if the media wasn't enough, it would not be long before the Jedi Council grew suspicious. And Obi-Wan for one knew—if his older self was honest—how much Anakin loved Padmé. It wouldn't take the Jedi Master long to put the pieces together.

And what would happen when the Jedi Council had the truth? They would learn that Anakin had broken the Code before achieving Knighthood. They'd learn of his marriage, and...and he would be expelled from the Jedi Order.

His lifelong dream of being a Jedi would be over, and his wife...would she be targeted too? Would she be disgraced by what the media would call a scandal?

Or should he and Padmé come out with their marriage before anyone could find out her pregnancy?

And what if he was expelled from the Order? How would he support a family of two infants and a wife? What would he do for work?

And what of his children? Would they be seen as a pair of misfortunates?

Anakin instantly pounced on that thought with all the ferocity of an acklay defending its young. He tore it to shreds, and stamped out any similar thoughts.

His children were a blessing, not a curse! They were wonderful, loving people who deserved a far better galaxy than the one they'd apparently grown up in.

Anakin squeezed his eyes shut. If he had to leave the Jedi for his children and wife, then he would do so. His family meant more to him than the life of a Jedi. It always had, even when he'd left Shmi.

Anakin still felt a pang of loss and sorrow though at the realization that his days as a Jedi were now numbered.

Silent tears tracked down his face and Anakin finally lay down, turning onto his side and staring with a blurred gaze at the wall.

He would miss the Jedi life, even if he hadn't always agreed with it. He would miss the adventures with Obi-Wan...

Obi-Wan...Anakin shuddered to think of the disappointment Obi-Wan was sure to display when Anakin finally confessed. Anakin didn't think he could stand that.

But...Anakin was now a father, and he would do whatever it took to secure a proper future for his children. They would grow up with loving parents and they'd have the chance to openly pursue their dreams.

Anakin would be sure to ask the Jedi Council if his children would be allowed training if they wanted it. He knew they'd need some training to keep their abilities in check, but to become a full Jedi would require more.

Anakin really wished Padmé were here to offer her soft comfort. He'd just accept the scent of her on the pillow, but even that was absent...

Anakin settled for hugging the pillow to his chest and cried himself to sleep. All the while he prayed that Luke did not think less of him if his father's forbidden marriage caused the boy any grief.

***************************************************************************

Luke was concerned for his father, especially when he picked up on the man's grief despite his obvious efforts to restrain the feelings from reaching Luke. He reached out on instinct towards his father through the Force, but stopped himself before he could, reminding himself the man wanted to be alone for a while. Anakin obviously needed it. Taking a deep breath, Luke restrained from reaching out, glancing at Artoo. "I hope he's going to be all right," Luke said, concern lacing his tone as he stood from the pilot's seat with the goal in mind to make himself a caf.

Artoo twittered somewhat urgently at Luke before he could get very far, wanting the young man to understand.

Hopefully Anakin wouldn't be mad at Artoo for this, but Artoo's circuits concluded that Master Ani needed someone to understand without the man having to bear his soul yet again. Artoo knew that always made the Jedi uncomfortable, despite who he was talking to; except with Mistress Padmé.

Luke stopped and frowned, turning back to Artoo and crouching down in front of the droid with a hand on his domed head. "What is it Artoo?" he asked, his frown growing as the droid continued to chirp urgently. "Here, just plug into the computer so I can read what you're saying on the screen," he finally said when he realized whatever the droid was trying to tell him was important.

Artoo did as Luke asked, and then began to explain. Did anyone say anything about Jedi and relationships while we were on Rodia? Artoo queried. Because I know of very few things that can cause Master Ani such distress.

Luke sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah, it came up. Soonta said something about how she thought the Jedi weren't allowed relationships and I made a crack about me not being allowed..." he murmured, his spark of concern starting to grow.

Artoo warbled mournfully. I'm afraid that despite his attempts to cover it up, he took that reminder very hard, Master Luke.

Luke sighed and leaned back, shaking his head. "Well what am I supposed to do? I told him I'd let him have some alone time."

Make sure he knows you won't judge him if things go sour while he's here. He loves you and doesn't want you to be disappointed in him if you were to find out he is living under the Jedi law. He's not supposed to be a husband. Never mind a father. Artoo paused for a moment, then went on. You see, family has always been the most important thing to Master Ani. He did not grow up in the Jedi Temple. He has always needed that attachment that's forbidden for Jedi. He loved Padmé from day one. But his marriage to her breaks the Jedi Code, and if the Council found out he would be expelled from the Jedi Order. He doesn't want any of that to affect his family.

Luke smiled weakly at the droid, patting his domed head affectionately. "You know Artoo...sometimes I forget you're a droid. What would we do without you?" He paused. "Don't answer that, I already know it; we'd probably crash and burn."

Luke stood up again, a new goal in mind. "I'll go see if he's already awake. If not...well, I'll do whatever I can," Luke said quietly, already starting down the hall. "Keep an eye on the ship, and tell me if we're about to come out of hyperspace."

Luke smiled at Artoo's reassuring beeps, reaching the bunks in a few short strides. He found Anakin inside, passed out and clutching his pillow in a death grip to his chest. Luke felt a pang in his heart when he saw the tear stains on the pillow and the leftover signs of the tears on his face, quietly shutting the door behind him as he approached the bed. Ever so carefully, Luke reached over and pulled the blankets over his father, finding it strange that the son was, well, tucking in the father.

Why not? Things were already backwards and messed up in his life; what was a little more?

Just as carefully, Luke pulled the pillow from Anakin's grasp, turning it to the dry side and situating it under Anakin's head. If he'd had any way to know when Anakin would be up, Luke would take the time to make him a cup of caf or something as well, but he didn't, so he'd just skip that part.

Anakin had been having a wretched dream of how screwed up things could be if he was expelled from the Order: his children would resent him and the Jedi would look down upon him as the boy who should never have been brought in to taint their precious Temple...and Padmé...poor Padmé was faced with ridicule and mockery in the Senate...

He shifted in his sleep, the stress of the nightmare getting to him, and he moaned softly, plaintively, trapped in his dreams...

Luke placed a gentle hand on Anakin's shoulder, instinctively starting to comfortingly rub his shoulder. "I love you, Father," he said softly so he didn't disturb the man. "Nothing is going to change that, no matter what flaw you may think you have. I'm just grateful for the time we do have—however long that may be."

Luke sighed. "Just...let me be there for you the way you've been here for me..." he finished in a bare whisper.

***************************************************************************

Anakin didn't entirely know what had happened, but there was a gentle pressure to his shoulder, a soft, comforting voice, and his nightmares were chased back into the shadows. He relaxed, finally at peace enough to actually rest.

However, when the comforting weight left his shoulder, Anakin felt suddenly cold...and his subconscious reached out, a plea for the comfort to stay a moment longer...

***************************************************************************

Luke blinked when his father's presence reached out to him, surprised. Was he...no, he was still asleep, that much was clear through the Force. Still, Luke's heart couldn't deny the tender plea through the Force, and Luke returned to the bed, slowly taking up a position sitting down beside his father, hand on Anakin's shoulder once again. He resumed his comforting motion, a faint smile painting his face as he kept a vigilant watch over his father, perfectly content with where he was at.

"I'm here," Luke soothed him, though he could tell Anakin was still asleep. He wondered if Anakin understood what was happening even in sleep. Probably not, but Luke didn't mind—he didn't mind if his father never found out about this moment. He was happy right now even if he was the only one awake to appreciate it. "I'm here and I'm not going anywhere," Luke assured his sleeping father.

****************************************************************************

When Anakin woke, he felt strangely rejuvenated, which was a rare occurrence for Anakin. He never slept well, and while last night had started on a sour note, he did recall somehow having found a way out of his torment.

Anakin stretched, glanced at the chrono...and did a double-take. He'd been asleep far longer than he'd realized, and he grimaced.

Getting to his feet, Anakin made to go to the cockpit to check on Luke, when he realized he still smelled like Rodia. Wrinkling his nose, Anakin gathered new clothes and showered first.

He grabbed a piece of fruit from the galley when his stomach rumbled and finally entered the cockpit, slumping into the copilot's seat with an embarrassed smile.

"Ah, morning..." he murmured.

"Morning," Luke said in mild amusement. "You were asleep for quite some time; we're almost back at the fleet."

Anakin coughed lightly. "Yeah...sorry."

Luke shrugged. "It's no problem; get your sleep when you can as long as you can. You never know when you'll find yourself pressed for time with little sleep during rebellion missions."

Anakin snorted softly. "Sounds like the Clone Wars. Where exactly are we?"

"We'll be there in a few minutes," Luke told him with a smile. "Oh, and this is yours," Luke added, handing him a cup of caf. Luke had made it when he'd sensed Anakin coming back to consciousness, so it was still piping hot.

Anakin sniffed gratefully over the mug Luke handed him.

"Thanks; I need this." he took a sip, savoring the familiar warmth of the drink.

Luke's smile grew just slightly. "It's not the best—it tastes rather horrible, actually. That might be the machine. I made myself one earlier and had to cover up the taste with lots of cream and sugar," he chuckled, checking to make sure the coordinates for the Promise were right one more time. He wasn't looking forward to explaining Llanic when they found out about it. Thankfully news shouldn't have reached them yet.

Anakin tasted the caf, and sure enough it wasn't the best he'd ever tasted, but Luke had been trying to be kind, so Anakin didn't complain.

He simply nursed his drink until it was almost time to revert. Then he took his empty cup to the galley and was strapped back in by the time Luke pulled the hyperspace levers.

Luke took care of the regular proceeds with the hailing and docking, though he was surprised to hear that Admiral Ackbar—who was one of the few Alliance members who knew Anakin's true identity, as apparently the two had met during the Clone Wars—and Leia were going to be taking a shuttle from the command shipRedemption to the Promise and wanted Anakin and Luke to meet them in the captain's quarters. Luke rose an eyebrow but didn't say anything, leading the way to the captain's quarters with Artoo and Anakin right behind him. Leia and Ackbar were already in the captain's quarters with Threepio as well, and while Artoo whirled up to his counterpart to catch up with the droid, Luke and the others got right down to business.

"It was a somewhat successful trip. Artoo has the full catalog of Rodian weapons—" Luke was starting to close, though to his surprise, Ackbar interrupted him.

"Excellent," he said in a dismissive tone of voice. One that he tended to use when a topic was important, but not as important as something else that he wanted addressed at that very moment. "But we're more interested in what happened in the Llanic system."

Luke blinked, startled. How had they already heard about that? "I never could make that stop on Llanic. There was this ship in trouble and I couldn't stand to see it destroyed, so I helped it escape. I know it was stupid and compromised the mission, and maybe the safety of the fleet, and I apologize for that," Luke finished humbly.

"We'll send someone else to Llanic, Luke," Leia reassured him. "And don't worry—helping that ship the way you did was vital. It carried information that could change things for us."

"I...wait, it did?"

Now he was even more confused.

Anakin frowned as well, wondering where Leia was going with this.

"You see, there was a message from a Givin woman on board that ship. She's an expert slicer. Apparently she can slice anything, and she is a cryptographic genius with the ability to make intuitive leaps droids are incapable of. She's being kept planetside by the Empire, which is trying to get her to work for them. They want her to slice into the Alliance and other groups they're monitoring." Leia paused. "She agreed to help the Alliance instead if we'd be willing to get her family safely to Omereth, and then rescue her and take her to join them."

Anakin knew of Omereth, and he nodded.

Luke, however, hadn't heard of Omereth. "Where's Omereth?"

"Out past Hutt Space," Ackbar answered. "It's a water-based planet with a few archipelagos. I've seen holos. Looks delightful, but it has little to offer most species in the galaxy besides fish, so it's practically uninhabited."

"No sentient water species there?"

"Only those daredevils that like to visit from other planets, I'm told. The problem is that many of the native fish are quite large and hungry. Makes for dangerous swimming; not the kind of ocean I'd like to swim in."

"Luke, we can have Major Derlin and his crew take care of relocating the family," Leia told him. "But we'd like you and Anakin to snatch the cryptologist from Denon and fly her to Omereth."

Luke frowned. "Why us?"

"You two are some of the best pilots we have, and it's going to take some skillful flying to get her out of there. Once the Empire realizes she's been taken, they'll be anxious to reacquire her. We know this because the pursuit of the Kupohans was relentless. If not for your interference, they wouldn't have made it."

"Are you sure about that? There were only two TIEs on its tail and I took them out easily. I mean, one of them swung around to attack and then deliberately broke off and gave me a free shot. What if this is a setup?"

"I don't think it is," Ackbar said. "The Kupohan ship's shields were almost exhausted and the TIEs would have destroyed it in the next couple of minutes. They couldn't have known you'd show up at the time. They were genuinely doing their best to eliminate the Kupohans and seal their security breach."

"We still don't have the Millennium Falcon available," Leia continued. "So I think, when you consider that you need a very fast ship with room at least for a few passengers and a droid, the Desert Jewel might be our best option."

"She's a wanted ship now," Luke reminded her, but Leia shrugged it off.

"The Millennium Falcon is wanted everywhere. We just change the transponder codes and it's fine."

"But the Jewel is virtually unarmed," Luke pointed out. "That's a serious drawback if we're going to face significant Imperial interference. We need to be able to defend ourselves. That ship's not ready for this kind of mission without upgrades."

Leia and Ackbar exchanged an uncertain glance. "Upgrading weapons on such a custom ship might be difficult," Ackbar finally said.

"Why?"

"The Alliance is low on money. We're having trouble maintaining the fleet we have, much less upgrading it. However, there's some time before you need to go. The Kupohans need a couple of weeks to establish the Givin's routine and search for weaknesses in her security so that they can give you the best chance of success. If you can find the resources to upgrade the ship by then, by all means, do so."

Luke felt a headache coming on, and he pinched the bridge of his nose on instinct. "You just had me go on a trip to see the Rodians about purchasing weapons and now you're saying you can't pay for weapons?"

"We'll have the money eventually, Luke," Leia assured him. "But we're not sure when. Expecting a rebellion is like...expecting Han Solo to behave rationally."

Then, to Luke's mild amusement, she turned to Threepio. "Threepio, you enjoy calculating these sorts of things; what's more likely, reliable cash flow for the Alliance or Han behaving rationally?"

"While both have very little chance of occurring, Princess, reliable cash flow is far more likely," Threepio replied. Leia frowned.

"That's what I thought."

Luke cocked an eyebrow, feeling like perhaps Leia was missing Han while he was away trying to pay off his bounty. Speaking of missing people...

A lightbulb went off in Luke's mind.

"Is Nakari Kelen back from that training mission on the surface?" he asked, hopefully not too eagerly.

"Yes, why?" Ackbar replied.

"Well, she might be able to solve the funding problem. Unless I'm mistaken, her dad is practically made of funding."

"We know about that, but according to her, the use of his ship is all he's willing to consider right now."

"He might change his mind if Nakari's directly involved," Luke retorted immediately. "Can I have her go along on this? It would be nice to have someone good with a slug gun around to watch our backs—she must be good with one if you're having her train the rest of the troops."

It took him a moment, though finally Ackbar nodded. "You're right, she's more than competent. I don't have any objections."

"Great," Luke said with a surge of something that felt like victory, though he had no clue why. The obvious answer was that he'd become smitten after one meeting with her; he hoped that wasn't the answer. He didn't really know her, after all; he just knew that he had seen enough to want to learn more. If she turned out as truly likable as she seemed, who could blame him for that? Trying—and at least failing a little—to keep his voice void of the feelings he was trying to keep restrained, Luke turned to Threepio. "Threepio, would you mind asking Nakari Kelen to join us? She ought to be on the ship somewhere."

"Certainly, Master Luke."

Anakin both felt Luke's stifled emotions and heard the faint edge to his voice, and had to employ the Force to keep his own face neutral. Leia didn't bother with such tact. She openly eyed Luke, who was trying to ignore it.

Anakin spied Nakari coming and made room for her as she approached.

"Thanks for bringing my ship back in one piece," Nakari said with a smile just for Luke.

"No problem," Luke responded with a small half-smile before he launched into debriefing her on everything they'd just discussed. "Do you think your father might upgrade your ship to take part in a mission like that?" Luke finished.

Nakari shook her head. "He doesn't spend money on anything unless it will benefit his business somehow. The only reason I was allowed to fly the Desert Jewel in the first place was for scouting missions to new planets and to go hunt rare beasties with some kind of biological oddity his labs could exploit. I upgraded most of the ship, but he helped me get the hyperdrive. A faster ship meant faster turnaround time and a potential edge on his competitors."

"Oh," Luke said, feeling some disappointment settle in. He'd been hoping to get her on the mission, but it didn't look like that anymore; he couldn't think of any way that rescuing the splicer would benefit the Kelen Biolabs.

"We might be able to earn his gratitude, however," she mused, catching Luke's attention yet again. "You said we have a couple of weeks, right?"

"Yeah, there's some give to the schedule because we're waiting on more intelligence."

"Well, he lost contact with a collection crew recently and desperately wants a salvage run."

"What's a collection crew?"

"Basically they're hunters and gatherers. Four or five people who go to various planets to collect specimens for the labs." She deepened her voice and tucked her chin against her neck, most likely imitating her father. "Go, my minions, and fetch me three hundred Yathik acid slugs!"

She returned her voice and posture to normal, giving a small shrug. "That kind of thing."

Luke felt his expression break into a grin at her impression, but hid his laugh behind a cough when he noticed Admiral Ackbar seemed rather impatient. "Okay, got it," Luke said instead, getting control of his expression once more.

She proceeded to explain how some of her father's scouts had made a discovery of a moon orbiting a planet in the deep core that held a lot of promise. However, he hadn't heard from the scouts for several weeks and wanted to know if they were still there and, if they were, if there was anything salvageable—especially living or dead crew members or creatures on the ship. When she promised he'd pay handsomely for any news, Luke frowned and inquired why he wouldn't just send someone else to check it out, to which she responded that he wanted to keep the entire ordeal quiet. Apparently industrial espionage was rampant in his business—on both sides. He'd been planning on sending Nakari by herself, but she'd declined as she said she was serving the Alliance now and because the hyperspace lanes weren't well established around the system. She expressed concern over how dangerous the trip to the planet alone would be, expressing doubt that the nav computers would be up to the challenge.

"Add an astromech droid and you'd probably be fine," Luke reassured her, Artoo in mind as he spoke.

"Yeah, well, my guess is that Dad will convince someone to go out there soon because time is a factor. I mean, he's going to say he's worried about the crew because they might still be alive and need help, but I can be honest; he's really worried his competitors will find out about the moon and exploit it before he can. The point is, Luke, if we wanted to do this, it should be a quick trip. We can go down there, find out what happened, and bring back some kind of news—any kind of news—for my father; he would be grateful, and then we could get the Desert Jewel upgraded in time for this mission on Denon."

Ackbar jumped into the discussion at that point before Luke could reply. "What are the names of this planet and moon, if I may ask?"

"The planet is called Sha Qarot and it orbits a red sun. The moon is a strange purple place called Fex," Nakari informed him quite promptly, unfazed by the interruption.

"Does the Empire know about Sha Qarot and Fex?" Ackbar said, and Luke immediately knew where the older man was going with his line of inquiry.

"Maybe. I'm not sure who discovered it, how long ago, or who they sold the information to besides my father. My father's under the impression that its existence is not widely known."

"Are there any sentient species?"

"Not that I know of. I don't think anyone has set foot on the planet yet; it has a poisonous atmosphere and heavy volcanic activity. We just have holos and scans from orbit. But Fex is very interesting, even though we haven't found sentient life yet."

"If searching for this lost collection crew will earn you the credits to upgrade your ship, I think you should do it," Ackbar told them. "But it might also serve another purpose—a more important one as far as I'm concerned. It's possible that the moon might make an ideal base for the Alliance, so I want you to scout it with that in mind. Keep an eye out for the Imperial fleet and put down beacons for future reference if you find any satisfactory sites—but don't lose track of time. Extracting that cryptologist from Denon is your main priority."

Luke nodded. "Yes, Sir."

Anakin paid studious attention to the conversation, especially when the Deep Core was mentioned. Something in the Force instantly set off a feeling of unease, and Anakin frowned deeply behind Luke's back when Ackbar made his wishes known.

They weren't truly serious about setting up shop in the Deep Core, were they? That place was avoided for a reason: it was not widely mapped and many of its regions were unstable.

Anakin was so lost in thought that he missed everyone's departure, and when he realized he was alone, he sought out Ackbar, who had been conveniently left behind by Leia, who was now exchanging words with Luke. Their topic was about Luke so easily trusting Nakari, if Anakin wasn't mistaken.

"Admiral, I don't think a base in the Deep Core would be a wise move, Sir," Anakin said quietly. "The planets there are dangerous and largely uncharted. Space there is even more treacherous, and I really don't think the Alliance should set up shop so close to Imperial Center."

Ackbar's bulbous eyes swiveled toward the Jedi and regarded him openly. "Do you have anything to support why Fex would not be suitable?"

Anakin frowned. "Nothing physical, of course, since this is a newly discovered planet. But..."

"Jedi Skywalker," Ackbar cut in, slightly impatiently. "While I respect you and your last deeds, we must find a well-hidden planet to place a base on."

Anakin thinned his lips. "And let's say you do set up a base there, Sir. What if the Empire finds out and sets up a surprise attack? There might not be another escape route."

Ackbar's waved a finned hand. "We can chart other courses."

Anakin shook his head, "I strongly disagree with..."

"Jedi Skywalker, that will be all," Ackbar said firmly, looking over the Jedi's shoulder. "Like I said, I appreciate your concerns, but we must take risks in war." With that he was joined by Leia, who threw Anakin a strange look before she followed her comrade away.

Anakin spun on his heel, not looking up as he made his way down the hall opposite of Ackbar, his teeth grinding in frustration.

Luke saw his father making his way down the hall and frowned at Anakin's angry countenance. He had been about to grab something to eat and a few fresh changes of clothes when Leia had cut him off to express concerns about Luke needlessly putting himself at risk, as well as warn him about trusting Nakari before he really knew her.

As soon as they were ready to go, Luke, Nakari, and Anakin would leave on the Desert Jewel.

Still, Anakin looked rather upset, and that was putting it mildly. Luke fell into step beside Anakin, though he was struggling to keep up with the taller man. Carefully, Luke put a comforting hand on Anakin's shoulder as he'd done a few hours ago on the Jewel while Anakin slept, hoping the older man would notice the offer of silent support. "Hey, are you all right?"

Anakin spared Luke a glance, realized the young man was having difficulty keeping pace with Anakin's longer stride, and slowed a hair to let Luke catch up.

He thinned his lips. "Let's just say the Good Admiral won't listen to sane advice."

Luke grimaced. "About establishing a base? We are a little desperate, and that's just going to get worse as time passes." He shook his head. "Well, if a few teams went missing, chances are it's not Alliance Base material. If that's the case then it won't matter."

He glanced around to see where they were, simultaneously thinking up a distraction from Anakin's temper. "I was going to grab something to eat and then pack some fresh clothes before we leave; do you want to join me for supper? Nakari is going to meet us by the Jewel as soon as we're done."

Anakin knew what Luke was trying to do, and he was grateful; he wasn't about to take his frustration out on his son.

Anakin pushed away his anger and smiled softly. "That sounds good."

Luke smiled, squeezing his father's shoulder affectionately. "Don't expect much though; it's probably just soup and crackers." His smile grew, thoughts of Nakari beginning to crop up. "Which I guess is actually a good thing; it'll be done faster and we can get going."

Anakin threw a knowing smirk Luke's way. "Excited much, are we? Cause I'm pretty sure you never get this excited over the Alliance's cooking."

Luke huffed. "What's that supposed to mean? I just hate doing nothing. I'd rather be out in space or even, Force, being chewed on by a ghest than sitting idle twiddling my thumbs. Back to back missions is a Force-send."

Anakin chuckled, easily playing along. "I can't stand downtime much either." He tapped a thoughtful finger to his chin, trying and failing to hide a playful grin. "Although it's also nice to spend time with new friends..."

Immediately a blush flared Luke's cheeks, and he playfully socked his father's shoulder. "Yeah, I guess that, too, maybe," he said nonchalantly

Anakin laughed as he and Luke got in line for their meal and they found a table in the corner, where they ate in companionable silence.

Anakin finished first, and used the time in which Luke finished to mull things over. When Luke set his spoon down, Anakin reached across the table and touched his son's hand.

"Luke," he said seriously, but softly.

Luke eyed him warily. "You have that tone...what is it?" Luke asked, his father having seized his undivided attention.

Anakin took a breath, then spoke quietly so only Luke could hear.

"Something isn't right about where we are going. Be on guard at all times, understand? When you guys were talking about the Deep Core and Fex in particular, something in the Force felt wrong. Please, be careful while we are there." Anakin closed his eyes. "I tried to warn the Admiral, but he didn't want to hear it."

Anakin gave Luke his most serious look. "But there is a very good reason the Deep Core is mostly untouched."

Luke nodded. "I'll be sure to be careful."

His mind flashing to the last few times he'd said that, Luke hesitated. "Though that doesn't mean I won't get hurt or anything; I can't do much about that."

Anakin sighed. "I know. Just promise to be careful and alert. Trust the Force and I'll leave it be." Anakin still held Luke's hand and he gave it a firm squeeze. "I trust you, Son. I just worry...as your father." He winked. "It's in the job description."

Luke chuckled. "Yes, I guess it is. But I will be careful, I promise," Luke told him, squeezing his hand in return.

Anakin nodded. "Good. Now," his lips quirked into another smirk. "I do believe we have a trip to go on."

Luke grinned. "Good. Though I have to ask first; what are we going to tell Nakari? About, well, you."

Anakin paused. "That's a good question. Let's see how things go on this mission; if we can trust her after that, then we will go from there."

"So in the meantime it's just Anakin; no offense that I can't tell you anything else?" Luke asked in mild amusement as he stood from his seat.

Anakin feigned anger. "You'd better tell me everything!''

They shared a chuckle and made their way out of the mess hall.