Chapter 5: Encounters
Everyone was awake well into the morning. They finished breakfast, and Luke stood up quickly.
"Where are you going?" asked Anakin.
"I have to do something. I won't be long," said the boy, walking toward his room.
"Where are you going in such a hurry?" asked Ahsoka.
"When we started this trip, he couldn't bring the necessary supplies to take care of his hand. Sometimes he has to fix the circuits and all that," said Leia, unaware of what she was saying.
"His hand? Does Luke have a mechanical hand?" asked Anakin, surprised. It didn't seem like either of his hands were mechanical.
"Yes, he lost it fighting," she began, completely unaware of what she was saying until she remembered who she was talking to.
"Against?" Anakin asked, catching Ahsoka and Leia's eyes, a bad feeling washing over him.
"Against a powerful enemy," Leia finished, but she was sure Anakin was growing more and more suspicious.
"I think I can help him," Anakin sighed, heading to his own room. He also had a mechanical arm, and he had the necessary tools.
"Luke," he knocked on the boy's bedroom door.
"I'll be there in a minute," Luke said, and Anakin heard him cursing. He sighed and opened the door, finding Luke trying to fix some circuitry in his hand with a kitchen knife.
"Maybe you need this," Anakin smiled, and Luke looked at him, embarrassed.
"Thanks," Luke smiled.
"How did you lose that hand?" he asked directly, noticing the tension in Luke.
"An accident piloting my ship," Luke lied, and Anakin frowned. "What?" he asked nervously.
"Leia just told me you lost her fighting a powerful enemy," Anakin said, watching him freeze in place, his mind racing.
"He shot my ship," Luke began.
"And did you fall into the ocean?" Anakin asked, advancing toward him. "Or did you fall somewhere else? Is this another lie this time?"
"Me," Luke had no idea what to say.
Anakin, a little annoyed, took Luke's hand and examined it despite the boy's protests.
"It's funny, if you had lost this hand in an accident, the cut would have been jagged. However, this one isn't; it was made by a lightsaber."
"I wasn't," Luke lied, trying to lie until the very end.
"I know exactly why I'm saying this," he said, showing his mechanical arm, and Luke looked at him, impressed. He would never have thought his father had lost his arm when he was Anakin Skywalker.
"I lost it fighting against an enemy of the Republic, the most powerful of all. Leia and Han saved me."
"Do we know this enemy in this time?" Anakin asked.
Luke looked him in the eyes, noticing the similarity. He was about to tell him the truth and beg him never to fall to the dark side, but it was too soon to tell the truth.
"No, and I hope it never appears. I will do everything in my power to prevent it," he said, and Anakin noticed that it almost seemed like a promise, a personal promise.
"You can count on me for whatever you need," he said, placing a hand on Luke's shoulder. "Come on, let me help you," Anakin said, and Luke sat obediently on the bed while his father examined his hand.
"Realistic-looking prosthetic," Anakin whispered, surprised. "Clearly, that would solve many of these physical aspects," he said, pointing to his own hand.
"It's quite functional," Luke smiled.
Luke's hand was in perfect condition, but some circuitry needed maintenance, which is why Anakin offered to help him. Luke was completely silent and slightly blushing. He could hardly believe that his father, Darth Vader in the future, was helping him perform maintenance on his hand, a hand that he himself would cut off in the future.
"Are you having trouble bringing your thumb and index finger together?" Anakin asked, concentrating.
"A little bit. Wielding the lightsaber has become a little more complicated," Luke admitted.
"These circuits aren't properly connected," Anakin criticized, and Luke said nothing; he was sure his father knew what he was doing.
"Try it now," Anakin said, and indeed, the mobility in his hand had improved a lot.
"How did you do it? It's impressive," Luke said, genuinely surprised.
"I've always been good at mechanics."
"Someday I hope to be as good as you," Luke whispered, immediately blushing.
"Thanks," Anakin smiled. "I guess so. Come on, I want to introduce you to someone."
"Who?" Luke asked.
"A friend," Anakin smiled, and Luke's heart stopped. He was finally going to meet his mother.
The twins waited nervously next to Ahsoka, who just smiled. She didn't want to intrude on the family reunion, but the twins insisted they needed her.
"Can I pilot it?" Luke asked when they boarded Anakin's ship.
"Maybe in another universe," Anakin became annoyed, and Ahsoka laughed out loud.
"He never lets anyone pilot his ships," she said, looking at the twins. "They're his most beloved treasures."
"You remind me of someone," Leia smiled, and both men laughed.
"Or we go alone so Ahsoka doesn't make fun of you. I trust you with my ship," Anakin said, and Luke smiled.
"I promise not to crash."
"I think I'll go on a ship with Ahsoka," Leia said, and Luke looked at her indignantly.
"I've survived enough 'crash landings' with Anakin to be able to survive a crash with Luke," Ahsoka said, boarding the ship.
"My crash landings are only when Separatist cruisers attack us."
"Imperial cruisers are problematic. I have enough experience," Luke said, and Anakin looked at him curiously.
"Imperials?"
"Are we going to the Senate again?" Leia asked, changing the subject, which didn't go unnoticed. Ahsoka shook her head. Those two would end up giving each other away sooner than they should.
"This time I want you to meet Senator Amidala," Anakin said. "She knows about your origins."
"I thought trusting politicians wasn't the Jedi way."
"I'm sure Lux Bonteri would be deeply offended if he knew that."
"Oh, by force," Ahsoka rolled her eyes, throwing herself into a seat, but she didn't bother Anakin the entire flight.
The twins held hands when no one was looking; they were too nervous; this was their chance to know how much their parents loved each other.
The ship landed at Padme's apartment, and Luke nearly had a heart attack when C3-PO came out to greet them.
"What's 3PO doing here?" he whispered more to himself, but Anakin heard him.
"Do you know 3PO?" Anakin asked.
"Yes, we do."
"You know R2, you know 3PO," Anakin began, and the twins knew the question that would come next.
"Ani? Is that you?" Padme asked, and the twins looked at her, impressed. Leia had already seen her, but she was an extremely beautiful woman.
"Senator Amidala," Anakin said with a huge smile. He wanted to hold her in his arms, but he knew he couldn't with the three of them present.
"Padme," Ahsoka said, running to hug her, "How have you been?"
"Very well, Ahsoka. I'm so glad you decided to return to the Jedi Order," Padme said, and Ahsoka hugged her again. "Anakin was crying all afternoon after you left," she whispered, and Anakin blushed furiously.
"Padme, I want you to meet the people I told you about," Anakin said, signaling the twins to come closer.
When Padme saw them, she felt the same thing she had yesterday when she looked at the girl next to Anakin. It was almost as if she had known them all her life.
"Are you Luke and Leia?" she asked, approaching them.
"I'm Leia. It's a pleasure to meet you," Leia said.
"I saw you yesterday at the Senate. Anakin told me you're also a politician."
"That's right," Leia smiled, excited to finally meet her mother.
"I'm Luke," the boy said nervously. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Senator."
"The pleasure's mine, Luke," Padme smiled. As she approached, the image of Anakin through all the years she had known him came to mind. They were the same eyes, the same innocent smile, the same hair color. It was just a coincidence, she forced herself to think.
When Padme invited them in, the doubt in Anakin's heart grew more and more. Sometimes he thought he had the answer, but then he refused to dwell on it.
They talked for long hours, Anakin paying attention to every detail, until his intercom interrupted him. He went to answer it, and Ahsoka knew what was happening.
"Where should we be this time?" Ahsoka asked.
"At the temple," Anakin said angrily. He hoped to spend the afternoon with Padme. "They need a late report on a mission."
"Duty calls," Ahsoka said tiredly.
Luke and Leia stood up, sorry to have to leave; they were really getting to know their mother.
"You can stay if you want. I can take you back to my ship later," Padme smiled, and they nodded, trying to hide their excitement.
"That's an excellent idea," Anakin smiled.
Ahsoka stayed talking with the twins to give Anakin some privacy. Padme went to drop him off at her ship.
"I'll see you tonight," Anakin smiled, kissing her briefly before anyone saw them.
"When I drop the twins off, I'll pick you up," Padme smiled, and Anakin nodded.
"That's a good idea. At least I won't have to drive tonight," he joked. "I'll be able to save my energy for more productive activities." He smiled at Padme's deep blush.
"I hope your energy doesn't disappoint me then, Jedi Master," Padme said, walking back to her apartment.
Ahsoka and the twins quickly moved away from the highest window where they had been watching Padme and Anakin's sweet kiss. Now Ahsoka had no doubts: Anakin loved Padme.
Ahsoka left with Anakin, and Padme walked toward the twins.
"Which of you will be the one to tell me what's going on?" she asked, tears cascading from her eyes.
The twins were in shock. Did she know? How had she realized?
"How?" Luke asked in a whisper.
"Is it what I think?" he asked, wiping away his tears and taking both twins by the hands.
Leia's heart sank. This was the moment. They were in the past for a reason, and Yoda had specifically told them to find two women; they would know when it was time. Gathering her courage, she took the necklace she had been carrying in her pocket and, with tears in her eyes, handed it to Padme.
Padme sobbed in understanding. She had known ever since she had seen her with Anakin. They didn't say a single word, they just hugged each other crying inconsolably in the middle of Padme's apartment, Luke surrounded them both with his arms, sobbing like he hadn't done since he had found out that Darth Vader was his father, now he was in his mother's arms, somehow he felt that everything would be okay.