Chapter Two

Ben awoke, his face bathed with sweat. His breath came out in gasps and he strained to calm his racing heart down. He blinked rapidly, replaying the images he had seen in his dreams.

Padmé had been calling to him, Leia clutched in her arms, and both their faces were streaked with tears. He had tried to go to them, but Darth Vader blocked his way, his red lightsaber held at ready. With one arm, the dark lord held Luke to his side, but to Ben's dismay the boy was not struggling. Instead, his sky blue eyes were fixed on the Jedi Master, a hatred in them that Ben had only seen once before--in the eyes of Anakin Skywalker. He had turned to Vader, and although no words were exchanged, Ben saw the threat in his stance. Then, Vader let go of Luke and lunged at his old teacher, red lightsaber slashing at Ben...

Stretching out a hand, Ben called his own lightsaber to him and when its familiar grip landed in his grasp, he felt something come back that he didn't realize he had been missing. He ran his thumb on the switch, but did not push down. Memories of his days at the Jedi Temple, practicing with Qui-Gon, then years later, practicing with Anakin. Then, that final, horrible battle with his student...

Ben shuddered and reached for the calming qualities of the Force for the second time in five minutes. His vision had opened up the gates to memories that he had struggled not to let devour him. It felt like his knees were about to give way, and he sat on his bed, dropping his lightsaber heedlessly on the floor. With shaking hands, he covered his face, struggling to regain control of himself.

After all this time, I thought I had a hold on these memories, on these emotions...I thought I conquered them all, he mused, lips twisting bitterly. I should have known that I cannot conquer anything.

Taking a deep breath, he straightened and strenghtened himself with the Force, shoving the many painful memories in a dark corner in the back of his mind. He opened himself up to the ebb and flow of the Force, finding the inner peace he worked so long to cultivate. Only with a clear mind would he be able to solve the puzzle of his vision. As much pain it had brought him, he had sworn to protect Anakin's family, and this vision was telling him that he was going to be called to do this duty soon. Now that the Empire had complete control over what was once the Republic, Vader was free to search for his wife, and finding Padmé would lead him to their children. Ben knew how intense Vader's feelings were for his wife, regardless of her betrayal of him. He would still seek her out, still want her to be by his side.

Ben knew this because had he been in Vader's place, he would want all that also.

Standing carefully, Ben tested out the steadiness of his legs before making his way to the window. He looked out into the dusky Tatooine twilight, taking in the streaks of orange, red, and yellow across the sky. Tatooine would not have been the first place he would have chosen to find the solitude he'd always craved, but it wasn't bad either. It was also ironic that he could escape Vader by living in the same place where Vader was born.

Vader.

Anakin.

Ben turned quickly and began to pack a bag. He had to leave Tatooine in order to lessen the danger to Luke. It would be impossible for him to avoid detection searching for Vader through the Force, but he would have to risk it in order to confirm his suspicion...that Vader was coming for him because he was the key to all that Vader wanted most.

And before he left, he sent out a message to Alderaan.

The imposing black figure standing at the helm was more than the crew could handle. Although, they were Vader's crew, all of them felt nothing but fear in his presence. No one dared to utter a singled word or emit a single sound, not wanting to draw his attention to them. They had all seen what he'd done to a particularly smart-mouthed ensign, who had boasted that he did not fear Darth Vader. It had taken four crew members to clean up his remains--not because there was so much of him to gather but because not a single one could keep his dinner down long enough to finish the job.

Vader did not see his crew's silence as strange, but instead it was welcoming. He did not need the silence to allow himself to flow into the Force, but he did prefer it. He started to immerse himself in the power of the Force when suddenly, he felt a familiar touch against his mind. Master, you're not lost after all, he thought, allowing Obi-Wan to catch that reflection as a slow smile creased his face. The rebel cells will have to wait. I' ve never been this close before.

Vader started to reach back to Obi-Wan, but his presence disappeared as quickly as it came. Eyes narrowing, Vader searched harder, struggling to find a trace. He let out an angry shout when he could not sense Obi-Wan, making several crewmen jump in their seats.

"What systems are close to our present position?" he demanded, turning to the commanding officer.

Barely concealing his shaking, Commander Raekin gestured to the helmsman near him.

"Uh..uh..."

Vader pushed the man aside impatiently and looked down at the viewscreen on the console before him.

"We are going to search each of these planets," he said, his tone booking no argument. "I want Kenobi on this ship and standing before me in two weeks time. He must be on one of these planets because he was never powerful enough to focus his energy for long distances." Underneath his helmet, Vader smiled scornfully. "He has always been pathetically weak."

Raekin was at a loss for words. He only nodded dumbly and gathered his thoughts together in order to put together an efficient search party. Searching five planets in two weeks would be one of the hardest things he would ever have to do. While working for Lord Vader had its perks, failure was never an option, and Raekin began to wonder if it wasn't too late to put in for a transfer.

Padmé stared blankly at the message on her screen. Her heart seemed permanently lodged in her throat as she read it over and over, unable to tear herself away. It was as if she could hear his voice speaking the words she read and she could almost see him standing in front of her, an earnest expression on his face.

P,

I am coming to Alderaan. Please await my arrival in two days.

Ben.

"Ben," she murmured and wondered why he had chosen that name.

"Ben?" Sabé repeated, coming into the room. "Who's Ben?"

A smile flitted across Padmé's face. "Our old friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi."

"Is he coming?" Sabé asked excitedly, her eyes wide in her face, then they narrowed. "What's happened?"

"He didn't say, but he will be coming here in two days. Something must have happened that can threaten us here."

"What do you think about that?"

"I trust him."

"Even after all this time?"

"I trust few people in this universe, Sabé. He is one of the few. Always has been." She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. "I've missed him."

Sabé put a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Will be you be alright? I mean with him around."

"I'll be better than alright. I'll be whole again." She glanced at her handmaiden. "Did you want something? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to go on like that."

Sabé only smiled kindly. "I'm your friend, Padmé. I'm more than happy to listen to your goings on, but I did have some news." Her smile faded. "Well-placed Imperial spies have informed Bail that Vader is on the move again. He searches for you, for Obi-Wan. He is relentless."

"Anakin never gave up on those he loved...I'm sure some part of that he's kept in his incarnation as Darth Vader," Padmé said, her lip curling with disgust, but her chocolate brown eyes were filled with sadness. "And yet...despite all he's done to us, I still think about him the way he was, the way we were."

"You loved him with such a passion," Sabé said. "First love lit a fire in you I had never seen before and never did again." She put a hand on Padmé's shoulder. "When you were with Obi-Wan, it was different. You were more calm, more peaceful. There was none of the tumult that marked your relationship with Anakin."

"If Vader ever found out about that," Padmé murmured worriedly, "he would go mad with rage."

"Only you, the Jedi, Bail, and I know about it. I doubt any of us will be stupid enough to mention it in passing. Vader has no reason to suspect."

"All he would have to do is look into my heart or Obi-Wan's heart." Padmé rose from her seat and squared her shoulders. "Now, we must prepare of his arrival. Is Leia in bed?'

"Has been for some time."

"Then we will do it quietly. Pack some of the necessities in case we have to leave in a hurry."

"Yes, milady."