sistersofthelightforce

[sistersofthelightforce]

Facing Facts: The Mother

Anakin never asks about bringing his mother back. He’s not sure he could face her and tell her exactly what he’s done.

He would love to see her again, would love for her to meet her grandchildren.

Anakin watches Padme spar with Luke one day, and accidentally hitting him on the arm too hard. Luke cries out in pain and Padme immediately drops her saber, running over to him.

“Luke!” Padme kneels down next to him. “Where does it hurt?”

“I’m fine, Mother, really,” Luke reassures her. They can both see him gripping the side of his arm.

“Does it hurt here?” Padme gestures to where Luke is gripping.

Luke nods stiffly. “I’ll be fine, Mother, it’s nothing.”

“Let me see it.” Padme pries Luke’s hand off of his arm. There is a deep gash in his arm, and it must be stinging. “Oh Luke, here.” Padme places her hand on the gash, and when she lifts it, the wound is gone.

“Thank you,” Luke murmurs.

Padme cups the side of her son’s face tenderly. “If anything hurts, you tell me, and I can make it better.” None of them point out that Luke is an adult, or that he can look after himself. Padme never got to raise her children in peace, and now she wishes to make up for that.

Padme loves her children desperately, and no one would dare to take that from her.

Luke leans into her hand and smiles. “Thank you, Mother.”

Anakin watches Padme embrace her son and kiss his forehead. It reminds him so painfully of his mother that it hurts, and Anakin has to turn away.

Anakin misses his mother so much but he could never look her in the eyes and call her “Mom” knowing all the blood he has on his hands.

He’s started doing weekly “meditation sessions” with Queen Karee (please, if I can call you Anakin, you can call me Karee) now.

They’re not like meditation sessions back at the temple, sitting still and trying to become a part of the force. It’s so different. Sometimes they talk, often they do sit down (but never sitting still. Karee is incapable of that). It feels like, instead of trying to be a part of the force, walking alongside it, being a companion to it instead of being a servant to it.

“Tell me about your mother,” Karee demands one day, when they’d been sitting in silence for a few minutes. Karee had told him once before “talking about something is meditation because it lets everything you’re feeling out into the force.”

Anakin looks over at her sharply. “Why?” He knows that he can ask why, and she’ll tell him why. Karee is nothing if not honest.

“Because I know she was important to you, and I know family is important to you. So tell me about her,” Karee explains. He understands then. He’s seen her with Master Unduli, he knows that family is important to Karee, who has a kid and adores her two younger siblings.

“Well, when I was really young, it was just me and her. I was all she had and I know she did everything she could to give me the best.” Anakin chuckles lightly. “She’d always encourage me to play with the other kids, get away from my tinkering. But she’d always cover me when I accidentally took a part that was important to Watto.”

“You have a lot of happy memories with her then?” Karee asks warmly.

“Well, obviously not all of them were happy, we were slaves after all. But Watto never beat us too often, and I was too young when we were owned by Gardulla to remember much.” He looks over at Karee, who he knows understands. She was a slave herself, as a child.

“But you always knew you could be sold off at any point,” Karee mused.

“Exactly,” Anakin replies. “I know she was always terrified I’d be sold. But when the Jedi came along, told her of my potential, she thought that was where I’d belong.”

Karee looks at him gently. “Do you resent her for that?”

Anakin rapidly shakes his head. “No.” But then he thinks for a moment. “I don’t resent her for it. After Ahsoka left the Order, I was devastated, but I knew it was what she had to do. I imagine sending me away devastated her too, but she thought it was the best life she could give me.”

“I heard she was freed, and got married.” Karee studies him, watching his reaction carefully.

“I would have been delighted to hear that in literally any other circumstances, but I was fearing for her life and wanting to save her,” Anakin retorts, his voice sharp.

“My apologies, Anakin. I should have been more sensitive.” Karee looks genuinely sorry, which surprises him. She’s usually quite an off-handed person when it comes to saying something harsh.

“I suppose you want me to talk about what happened to her, and what I did afterwards,” Anakin mutters.

“Only if you want to. I won’t push you,” Karee says firmly. He knows she knows about the raider village. Padme probably told her at some point.

“I kind of regret it now, not as much as I feel like I should. But everything just hurt so much and I decided they had to pay. So I killed them all. I still hear their cries now,” he admits.

“I understand,” Karee replies softly. “I understand the anger. I doubt I would have killed them, but I certainly wouldn’t have let them get away with it.”

Anakin wonders if that moment was the start of his fall. Maybe if he’d talked to the council asked for help-

“Stop that,” Karee interrupts.

“What?” Anakin has no clue what she’s talking about.

“Stop the what-ifs. You cannot undo the past, only make up for it. And I’d say you’re doing your best,” Karee tries to reassure him. It doesn’t work.

“Why didn’t you punish me?” Anakin asks abruptly.

It’s silent for a moment.

“Don’t you understand, Anakin?” Karee replies quietly. “This is your punishment.”

“How? How is having my kids, my brother, my wife, having all of this, my punishment?” Anakin demands, not understanding at all.

“What happened the first time you saw Ahsoka again?” Karee asks.

“She ran away.” Anakin doesn’t understand how this is relevant.

“And when you saw Obi-Wan?” Karee says as if repeating something obvious.

“I begged him for forgiveness, and he said he couldn’t give it to me,” Anakin replies.

“And when you saw Padme?” Karee repeats.

“She stormed out, refused to even look at me-oh.” He gets it now, he thinks.

“The best way to punish you, Anakin, was to make you face the consequences of your actions. You had to face those destroyed bonds, and had to face that the people you love hated you. You had to become a better person for them, Anakin, and that was the best way to punish you.” Karee looks more serious than he’s ever seen her, and he once again sees the wise young leader she’s had to be.

Anakin is ready, a long while later. Karee can sense it, he’s sure, because she approaches him quietly one afternoon after a mission debriefing.

“If you like, your family can take you to Tatooine?” She offers quietly. “There will be rooms ready when you get back.”

“Yes. Please,” Anakin replies. “Thank you, thank you Karee.”

Karee smiles, and places a hand on his shoulder. “It’s no problem, Anakin.”

When Anakin returns to his rooms, his family are already there waiting for him.

Padme grabs his arm. “Let’s go, Ani.”

He doesn’t understand when they end up in the middle of a sand dune, his family appearing right behind him.

“What are we doing here?” Anakin asks quietly.

“I know this place, my Uncle Owen told me about it. It used to be a Tusken Village, then one day everyone in it was just suddenly dead,” Luke says from behind him.

Anakin looks over at Padme in both shock and horror.

“There’s something you have to do first, Anakin.” Padme holds out her hand and kneels, her other hand reaching out into the sand.

Anakin takes her hand and kneels down beside her.

“Reach out into the force, and find as many life forces as you can find. Treat them like threads, and pull them back,” Padme instructs. He can feel Ahsoka and Obi-Wan reaching out behind them. He assumes Luke and Leia aren’t trained enough in the force to help.

He does as he’s told, and he can feel the threads. He reaches out and pulls them, feeling someone help him pull them. He can’t tell who it is, but he feels their love for him, and that’s enough.

“Open your eyes, Anakin,” Padme murmurs quietly.

Anakin opens his eyes.

The village is visible again, and the inhabitants are standing once more. The villagers shriek at him threateningly.

“And with that, let’s go” Padme grabs his arm and suddenly they’re by his mom’s grave.

Luke stares at the house, and he sees Obi-Wan step over and put an arm around his shoulders.

Padme kneels down by the grave and puts Anakin’s hand on the stone. “She’s there for you, just reach out.”

Anakin reaches out, and, yes, he can feel his mother’s thread. Padme helps him grab it and pull.

When he’s certain they’ve brought her back, he still doesn’t open his eyes.

“Ani?” His mother’s voice makes him feel like he’s going to collapse.

When he finally opens his eyes, his mom is kneeling next to him, that familiar worried love in her eyes.

“Mom.” He leans forward and sobs into his mother’s arms like a child.

It feels so wonderful to be held by his mother again, feel her hush and soothe him.

When he’s finally done crying, he pulls them both up and smiles, wiping his eyes.

“Oh!” His face lights up. “This is my family.”

Anakin turns around and gestures to Ahsoka. “This is my eldest daughter, Ahsoka.”

Ahsoka waves shyly, and Mom smiles warmly. “Lovely to meet you, Ahsoka,” Mom says kindly.

“And these are the twins, Luke and Leia.” Anakin gestures to the twins. Leia waves and Luke steps forward.

“Grandma Shmi, it’s wonderful to finally meet you,” he says shyly, and Anakin almost pulls his son into a bear hug, but Mom beats him to it.

When Luke steps back, Anakin gestures to Padme. “This is my wife, Padme.”

Padme nods her head graciously. “Wonderful to see you again.”

Mom looks between the two of them. “Oh! How wonderful!”

Padme beams and Anakin smiles.

Then he turns to Obi-Wan, who had taken a step back at some point. He pulls his brother forward and smiles. “And this is my brother, Obi-Wan. He taught me pretty much everything I know.”

Obi-Wan looks over at him with a little shock (and a little of something Anakin can’t describe), then smiles and holds out a hand to Mom. “Lovely to meet you. I assure you I was not the one who taught him his reckless flying skills.”

Mom laughs and shakes Obi-Wan’s hand. “Of that, I am certain. No one has ever been quite as reckless as my Ani.”

“Except maybe Snips over there,” Anakin quips, and Ahsoka laughs.

“No, you definitely win that title, Dad.” Ahsoka comes over and leans on him, and Anakin wraps an arm around her.

Anakin sees Luke say something quietly to Obi-Wan, who gently taps Padme on the shoulder.

“We have some more people to bring back, it seems,” Obi-Wan declares.

Everyone looks to Luke.

“Could we please bring back Uncle Owen, Aunt Beru and Grandpa Cliegg?” Luke asks quietly.

“Of course!” Padme springs into action, Ahsoka dashing to be by her side.

The next moment, Owen, Beru and Cliegg Lars are in front of them. They run to Shmi, hugging her, and then Anakin goes through the same introductions all over again.

Anakin tries not to wonder how the kriff he’s supposed to tell his mother what he's done.

The moment comes a lot later, when he’s having one of his bad days. Someone had yelled at him in the street, told him he should be imprisoned.

He’s sitting in his chambers, trying to calm himself down. He just wants one day where some stranger on the street doesn’t look at him like Vader.

He understands why, of course. Anakin knows he probably ruined many people on Iith’s lives. Most of them are those killed by the Empire, seeking refuge until the Sisters can be declared to the world.

He probably put his saber right through some of them.

Anakin’s practising the breathing techniques he’s seen Padme use with Ahsoka when Mom comes in.

“Ani?” She asks, sitting behind him.

“Mom, Mom, I’m so sorry. I’m-I-” He leans on her, taking shuddering breaths.

“Ani, whatever do you have to be sorry for?” Mom inquires gently.

He looks up at her and shakes his head. “So much, Mom, too much.”

Anakin tells her everything, and her face doesn’t change, not when he tells her about the younglings, or about leaving Ahsoka on Malachor. Not until he tells her about saving Luke on the second Death Star. Then, she smiles.

“I’m gonna be better Mom, I’m gonna make up for it, I swear.” Anakin doesn’t even realise he’s crying until Mom reaches out and wipes away his tears.

“Anakin,” Mom says firmly. “I know you. I know you are doing everything in your power to make up for what you’ve done.”

“I am Mom, I am,” he promises.

“Exactly. I’ve seen you with your family. If you can make it up to them, you can make it up to anyone.” She holds out her arms. “Come here.”

Anakin falls into her arms and shudders.

“You’re getting better, Ani. And they’ll help you. We’ll help you,” Mom reassures him.

End of series

#facing facts series #Star Wars #Star Wars AU #anakin skywalker #shmi skywalker

[sistersofthelightforce]

Facing Facts: The Diplomat

He supposes it’s fair that Padme still is angry at him. Of all people, she probably has the most right to be.

After that first mission, things change a little. She doesn’t leave the moment he arrives in Luke or Ahsoka’s chambers.

“Anakin, just in time, I was about to put on some tea,” Ahsoka chirps. She bustles into the kitchen, leaving Anakin and Padme in the lounge together.

Normally, Padme would make excuses and leave, but today, she stays seated and gives him a small smile. “How are you today, General Skywalker?”

“I’m doing well, I guess.” Anakin rubs the back of his neck. “How are you?”

“Busy, but well. Trying to set up the New Republic from beyond the grave isn’t an easy task.” Her tone is casual, but Anakin feels like there is a bite to it.

The silence between the two of them is horrendous. Anakin feels frustrated. They used to be able to talk for hours, or spend equally as much time simply enjoying each other’s company. Now that bond is ruined, and Anakin-

Anakin is furious with himself for it. It’s all his fault, all because of his actions. He misses his wife, and he knows he’s going to have to work hard to even have a chance of her forgiveness.

The old Anakin would blame her, would be angry and insist none of this was his fault, that everyone should be nicer to him about it.

Now, he knows better.

(But he doesn’t understand until a lot later why Padme smiles so widely when Ahsoka comes in, curls up against Anakin and informs him, “you’re warm.”)

It’s not always good. Padme is under a lot of stress trying to help Queen Karee get everything under control. She seems very pressured, and Ahsoka often murmurs with her in soft Boona. (He knows the difference between Boona and Asna now. Boona is more flowing, and sounds quite elegant. Asna is more guttural, but just as beautiful in Anakin’s opinion.)

He supposes he was bound to misstep at one point.

It’s just an ordinary day when he bursts into Ahsoka’s chambers, only to find them silent, except for Padme.

Padme is sitting with tears running down her face, clutching a holo of a baby girl- Leia, he assumes.

“Padme?” He asks softly.

She whirls around to look at him, her distress growing.”You!”

Anakin isn’t sure what to do so he stays silent.

“This is all your fault! Everything is your fault!” Padme shrieks. “I missed everything! Their first words, their first smiles, their first steps! I didn’t get any of that! I didn’t get to raise them because of you!”

Oh. Oh no.

“You took everything from me! I finally get Ahsoka back and you’ve broken her. You kill her time after time and still she forgives you? You left her to rot on some Sith poodoohole!” Padme shouts, fists balling at her side. “How could you?”

“Padme I-” He begins, but she cuts him off.

“I know! I know you’re sorry! I know Palpatine manipulated you. He manipulated everyone! I was the one who put him in power for force’s sake! But that doesn’t excuse what you did. You can’t just come back here and expect everything to be fine!” Padme is sobbing now, anger radiating off of her in the force.

“I didn’t,” he says softly, not quite talking to her.

“You did! You did! And I get everything is fine with Ahsoka, and whatever the hell went on with Obi-Wan, you guys seem fine now. But we were married! We were married and I’ve spent the majority of the time I’ve known you trying to fight you, trying to clean up what you’ve destroyed!” Padme lets out an anguished sob. “We were married and you tried to kill me. You used the force to strangle me and you didn’t even think of what could have happened to the twins!”

Anakin doesn’t like to think about that day on Mustafar. He feels so guilty. “I should never have used violence upon anyone I care about. Especially my wife. That was the worst thing I could have done-”

“YOU MURDERED CHILDREN!” Padme shrieks. “YOU’VE DONE SO MANY AWFUL THINGS. AND NOW I’M NOT EVEN ALLOWED TO BE ANGRY AT YOU!”

Ahsoka comes in at this point. “Mom? Dad? What’s going on?”

“Everything was getting better.” Padme sounds so quiet, so broken. “Why did he have to come back?”

“Oh Mom.” Ahsoka sends a quick look to Anakin (he wonders, later, if it is to make sure he isn’t going to destroy anything), but he makes a gesture towards Padme, and Ahsoka wraps her arms around her mother. Padme murmurs brokenly into Ahsoka’s shoulder. “I know Mom, I know.”

Ahsoka comes after him later.

“I’m fine,” he says sharply.

“She’s been bottling it up for a while. She should have talked to you and processed it, she should have talked to one of us about it, but she didn’t,” Ahsoka explained.

“I deserved it, it’s fine,” Anakin replies firmly.

Ahsoka tucks her head against his shoulder. “It’s all so complicated. She’s right to be angry at you, I can’t be mad at her for that. But you’re still my dad, and I hate you guys fighting.”

Anakin nods. “It’s ok that she’s mad. It’s fair.” He presses a kiss to Ahsoka’s forehead. “I think I’ll leave her be for a bit. I’ll give you guys space for a couple weeks, then I might just give her space at family stuff. I think letting her cool off might be the best plan.”

“Like after senate debates.” Ahsoka laughs.

Anakin chuckles earnestly. “Just like after senate debates.”

So he spends the next two weeks avoiding Padme as much as possible, then at family nights, he sits away from her and tries to be as out of her way as possible.

Anakin decides the best way to get through this is just to spend time with his kids, so he goes to meet Ahsoka at the gym. He freezes when he sees Padme.

She’s sitting on the bench while Ahsoka practises with a training droid a distance away. His daughter slices through it with ease, then puts it back together with her magic and goes again.

Padme is on her holopad when Anakin sits down beside her. “You know, she’s always been good with those things,” he muses.

“She certainly has. Her lightsaber skills are among the best.” Padme looks up and smiles gently. “She had a good teacher.”

Anakin chuckles a little and sighs. “Look, Padme, I know that I’m probably the last person you want hanging around-”

“Can you blame me?” She interjects.

“No! That’s what I’m saying!” He says quickly. “I don’t blame you, you have every right to hate me. And I’m truly sorry. I’ve done horrible things, and I promise I’ll spend every day trying to make up for it.”

Padme’s eyes are calculating, then a dangerous grin appears on her face. “Spar with me.”

“What?!” Anakin replies, sure he’s heard her wrong.

“You heard me, General Skywalker. Spar with me, and if you even get close to beating me, maybe I’ll consider forgiving you,” Padme explains.

“I-um- if you’re sure.” Anakin gets up, and follows Padme to a space nearby.

Ahsoka looks over at them and sighs before grinning. “Ota.”

“Here, Obi-Wan always insists I carry a spare lightsaber. I’ll go easy on you.” Anakin passes her his spare blade, tone genuine. He doesn’t want to hurt or humiliate Padme.

Padme smirks. “Oh, I’m quite sure I’ll be fine, General Skywalker.’

Padme pulls out her own lightsaber, and the blade glows a deep purple, more blue than Master Windu’s magenta blade.

Ah. Alright then.

Padme swings and Anakin has to move quickly to block it. She strikes again and parries quickly.

Padme stays at his level, striking forcefully and blocking everything Anakin throws at him.

Padme is good. Better than good. She could beat some of the best in the order, Anakin thinks.

Her style is disciplined, but forceful. She moves quickly, and adapts just as fast. It’s not a style he recognises. He guesses she’s had some formal training, but has otherwise learned through experience. It makes her skilled though, possibly even more than him.

Soon the two are in a lock, blades pressed together, both of them gritting their teeth in effort.

Padme pushes his blade out the way, throwing off Anakin’s balance and his blade skitters to the side.

Anakin falls backward, and Padme has her blade at his chest, a triumphant smirk on her face.

“Alright, you win!” Anakin concedes, putting his hands in the air in a gesture of surrender.

Padme puts her lightsaber away and offers him her hand. He takes it, and she pulls him up.

“I’m going to guess you’re a Sister, aren’t you?” Anakin asks.

“One of the originals, just like Ahsoka,” Padme replies with a laugh.

Anakin looks over at his daughter, who is cackling. “Did you know about this?” He demands, but his tone is light.

“Of course she did. She helped teach me to use a lightsaber, Anakin,” Padme explains.

“Your face when she pulled out her lightsaber!” Ahsoka exclaims while laughing.

“Yeah, yeah. I should have known. Come on, let’s go get something to eat.” Anakin slings an arm around the still-snickering Ahsoka.

Padme gives him a fond look. “Sounds good to me. I could kill for some shurra fruit right now.”

He decides not to doubt that.

Iith has an official ball every year, and now the war is over, it appears people can afford to focus on it (much to its queen’s despair).

Padme obviously, as one of Iith’s top advisors, organises a great deal with it, and her eyes shine with pride on the night.

His children are happily talking to other people their age, others of a new generation of Jedi (and some of the old generation, in Ahsoka’s case).

He watches Ahsoka talking with the old apprentice of Master Billaba, Kanan, as he’s now called. He walks up and puts a hand on Ahsoka’s arm. “Hey kiddo, who’s this?”

Ahsoka rolls her eyes and smiles at him. “This is Kanan Jarrus, Sister Syndulla’s husband. Kanan, this is my father, Anakin Skywalker.”

Kanan looks at him with wide eyes and Anakin braces himself for the reaction he’s become quite used to getting. “General Skywalker. It’s an honour,” he says breathlessly.

Anakin almost has to steady himself. It’s been a very long time since anybody has reacted positively to meeting him. “Pleasure’s all mine. And please, call me Anakin.”

He chats with them for a bit, then he spots Padme being interrogated by some old lord. To anyone who knows her well, she looks horrendously annoyed at his questioning, but she seems to be keeping her cool.

He nudges Ahsoka through their bond, and she looks where he is looking out the corner of her eye.

“Hey Dad, maybe you should go rescue Mom,” she jokes.

“You’re right. See you round, Kanan.” He pats the starstruck man on the shoulder and walks over to where Padme is standing.

And suddenly he feels like that padawan again, baring his soul.

On reflection, the way he spoke on Naboo all that time ago back then was odd. He was just a kid and truly, he didn’t actually know Padme then, and he was way too forward about it. He’s glad it worked, but it was still weird.

He’ll do it right this time, if she still wants him.

“Sister Amidala, may I have the honour of a dance?” He shifts awkwardly, barely looking up at Padme.

When he does look, she seems relieved, in her diplomatic way. “I would be happy to oblige, General Skywalker.”

Anakin offers his hand, which she takes with all the grace of the Queen she once was.

She leads them both to the dance floor, and they slip easily into the dance, swaying side to side, and Anakin watches those around them stare. He decides he doesn’t care.

“Sorry for all that. He looked like he was being a sleemo so I thought I’d-” he stammers.

“Anakin. It’s fine. Thank you,” Padme says gently but firmly.

The silence isn’t uncomfortable this time. They sway, and he spins Padme, then almost falls backwards when he brings her back in. Padme very subtly uses the force to keep him balanced.

“Thanks,” he mutters.

Padme laughs softly. “You’re welcome.”

They get back into such a natural rhythm that it reminds him of the days in Padme’s apartment on Coruscant, where they’d play music and just dance the night away.

He supposes she must be thinking the same thing, because she rests her head on his shoulder, then starts back, remembering where they are.

“Hey-hey, it’s alright,” Anakin says quickly, as Padme looks horrified. “I don’t mind.”

“I- I just forgot,” Padme stammers. “I just-” she sighs. “Just because I’m angry at you doesn’t mean I don’t miss the time we spent together,” Padme admits.

“I miss it too,” Anakin confesses. “I did awful things. I’m trying to make it better. Our family-” he glances around at his kids, who, though scattered about the room, are all staring at them, “-are the most important thing to me. I’m so glad to finally have the chance to be with them.” He looks over at Obi-Wan, who is dancing with Satine. “I have my kids, and my brother, and I’ll do everything I can to fight for them.”

When he looks back at Padme, she is beaming. “It is good to be a family, finally, and not have to hide anything anymore.”

He meets her eyes, and smiles.

Kissing Padme feels like coming home.

—-

Ota- Mother/Mum (Boona)

#facing facts series #anakin skywalker #padme amidala #anidala #Ahsoka Tano #Star Wars #Star Wars AU

[sistersofthelightforce]

Not set in stone: Student and Teacher

It is 4 years, 8 months and 12 days after the fall of the Republic and Luminara Unduli is on her first mission with her student.

She’s given up trying to call Queen Karee her padawan, or trying to get her to treat Luminara as an authority figure. Queen Karee refuses, and that is that. Luminara tries to tell herself that this challenge is the will of the force.

She’s not sure what isn’t a challenge from the force, these days.

So now the two are disguised, Queen Karee by shapeshifting and Luminara by a glamour placed on her by Queen Karee, fighting one of the new so-called inquisitors. The inquisitor puts up a decent fight, but the two quickly outmatch him.

Luminara sees Queen Karee move back, about to land the final blow on the inquisitor, and sees too late Queen Karee has left her stomach open.

The inquisitor pulls his sabre to him, and puts it through Queen Karee’s stomach.

Luminara feels a wave of dread go through her. For all Queen Karee’s challenges, she doesn’t want the girl to die.

But Queen Karee merely glances down at it, and puts her sabre through the inquisitor’s heart.

By the time Luminara reaches her student’s side, the wound is gone and the inquisitor is dead. Taking the stronghold will be easy now.

“You must remember not to leave your guard open,” Luminara admonishes, putting best into words what she feels is most important.

“It was only a momentary inconvenience,” Queen Karee replies flippantly, but Luminara knows it hurt the girl, and her pain will make the following battle harder.

“But a moment of inconvenience is a moment lost that could potentially be crucial, Queen Karee. I know that death seems inconsequential to you, but you must be more careful,” Luminara says firmly.

“Fine,” her student groans, and hot wires the nearest door to get them into the most important parts of the base.

The mission finishes quickly after that, but Luminara struggles to get the image of the lightsaber through Karee’s stomach out of her head.

She knows, logically, that none of them can die, that Sisters are taught to bring back the dead even if they do, but the thought of the pain that comes with a stab wound worries her. Luminara chastises herself for her attitude. Attachment does no good, that she knows.

But the rules of attachment are changing for the Jedi.

—

It is 5 years, 3 months and 20 days after the fall of the Republic, and Luminara is taking her student to the market. The pair have a couple guards several paces behind, but other than that the atmosphere is relaxed.

Queen Karee pauses at almost every stall, eyes lighting up every time she sees something she thinks is pretty.

“Material objects distract us, young one,” Luminara reminds her, but her heart isn’t in it, not entirely.

Queen Karee accidentally bumps into a merchant walking around with some of his wares. They clatter to the ground with a loud noise.

“Oh! I’m sorry!” The young Queen bends down to help pick them up.

“Watch where you’re going, you stupid kid!” The vendor shoves Queen Karee away. She almost hits another stall and Luminara steps in.

“You dare speak to your queen that way?” She states simply.

The merchant’s face drains of colour.

“Forgive me, your highness. I didn’t recognise you,” he said, kneeling before them both.

“You shouldn’t speak to anyone like that,” Queen Karee declares, and Luminara gives her a small nod.

The guards are at their side a little belatedly. “What shall we do with him, my lady?” They ask Queen Karee. She stops, clearly thinking. The vendor trembles.

“You shall donate a third of your profits to the palace aid work for two months,” Queen Karee decides. Luminara nods again, approvingly. This is no harsh punishment. The man will not suffer anything more than a wound to his pride.

When they move on again, Luminara relents when the teenage Queen turns to her, eyes begging for a small necklace with an owl pendant.

“Thank you!” Queen Karee chirps, and Luminara is even more surprised when Queen Karee picks up an identical one, handing the money to the stall’s vendor, then passes Luminara the necklace. “For you.”

“Oh!” Luminara lets herself have a small smile. “Thank you, though Jedi are not supposed to own anything. The material world only offers distractions,” she reminds her young apprentice. Queen Karee rolls her eyes, but smiles.

Luminara keeps the necklace.

#star wars #star wars au #karee shi’in #luminara unduli #Not set in stone series

[sistersofthelightforce]

Facing Facts: The Daughter

Leia still doesn’t trust him.

He doesn’t blame her, of course. He’s getting used to people not trusting him, and understands why.

“I have a father already,” she says firmly every time he tries to spend time with her.

Anakin tries to spend time with his family as much as he can, and Leia is a part of it, as much as she distances herself from Anakin. But he still keeps his distance, as she prefers. He knows she’s not going to forgive him if he pushes it.

But family nights have become common, more often than not, in Ahsoka’s chambers, and that includes both Anakin and Leia.

Leia sits across from him, on the couch opposite, resting her head on Padme’s shoulder. Ahsoka and Luke sit either side of Anakin, and Obi-Wan sits next to Luke.

“Oh Skyguy, did I ever tell you about the mission to Tatooine?” Ahsoka asks, eyes bright and full of laughter.

He shakes his head and Ahsoka laughs. “So, we’d gotten intel that there was a rumour of a force-sensitive kid on Tatooine, and Karee suggested I go and make sure Luke isn’t causing any trouble. So I rock up to the sandy poodoo-hole- Hey!” Ahsoka shrieks with laughter as Luke reaches over and playfully punches Ahsoka. “It’s a poodoo-hole. You know it is!”

“Anyway, what should I find but Luke, starting to throw rocks with the force.” Ahsoka glances over at Luke, who looks confused. “You were just a little kid at the time, which is why you don't remember it. But the last thing we need is a Skywalker getting the attention of the Empire, so I march down to Obi-Wan’s house, and force, his face when I told him what was going on!”

“In my defence, Ahsoka, it was also my way of finding out you were still alive,” Obi-Wan points out.

Ahsoka looks sheepish. “Ah yes, I forgot about that part.”

Padme laughs. “What about the mission to Alderaan where some imperial assumed you were a servant and I had to talk you out of ripping him to pieces?”

Leia looks shocked at this. “Non-Human prejudice has never been permitted on Alderaan!” She exclaims.

“It was in the Empire,” Luke remarks, and Anakin feels Leia’s eyes boring into him.

“Yes,” she says, “but the Empire were sleemos.”

“Leia,” Ahsoka murmurs, sounding almost exhausted.

“What?” Leia says innocently. “They were.”

There is an awkward silence then, and Anakin feels inclined to fill it. It’s his fault, after all.

“Alderaan was a very beautiful planet,” he states.

“It still is, though the Empire tried to see that it wasn’t,'' Leia retorts.

“Wait, still is?” To Anakin’s knowledge, Alderaan was destroyed by the Death Star.

Padme raises an eyebrow. “You really think the Sisters couldn’t have put back together a planet if they tried hard enough?”

“Oh. That’s great.” Anakin supposes that sounds just about right.

Leia gets up and storms out.

“Leia!” Padme gets up and follows her.

Ahsoka sighs and buries her head on Anakin’s shoulder. He can tell she’s getting a bit sick of all this, so he strokes her montrals gently. Luke just looks at the door where Leia left.

Anakin overhears Luke and Leia arguing one day, about him.

“He’s changed Leia, don’t you see it?” Luke argues, his tone desperate.

“He would have killed you, Luke, would have killed me, like he killed millions of innocent people. One good deed doesn’t make up for that!” Leia retorts.

“Use the force, Leia, you can sense that he’s different now!” He hears Luke sigh.

“Don’t tell me of the force! I’ve been using the force since before you’d even heard of the Jedi! I have powers that you haven’t even scratched the surface of!” Leia shouts.

“He’s our father!” Luke insists.

“I have a father! I have a mother and a father and that man is not my father!” Leia declares, furious.

“He’s trying,” Luke says softly.

After a moment, Anakin hears Leia sigh. “I know, Luke, I know.”

The arrival of Breha and Bail Organa is a welcome visit.

“Mama! Papa!” Leia runs to her parents and embraces them. They look delighted to see her

Padme watches them, and Anakin can feel the sadness radiating off her. He feels that familiar twinge of guilt. He meets Ahsoka’s eyes and suggests through their bond that Padme is upset.

Ahsoka nods almost imperceptibly. I got her. She moves next to Padme, and lays a hand on her forearm, a bright, not-quite-false smile.

Bail Organa smiles widely. “Ahsoka, Padme, it’s good to see you.”

Ahsoka smiles. “Queen Breha, King Bail. I hope you’re well.”

Padme smiles tightly. “Bail. Breha.”

From what Anakin remembers, Padme and Senator Organa were good friends before the war. He supposes that the fact they got to raise Leia and Padme didn’t probably affected that.

He watches Ahsoka lean gently against Padme, whether for her mother’s benefit or her own, he isn't sure.

Then Bail Organa sees Anakin.

“What are you doing here?” He demands. “Why is he allowed to go free after the atrocities he committed? Why was he brought back at all?”

Ahsoka takes a protective step towards Anakin but Leia surprises them all when she grabs Bail’s wrist.

“It’s okay, Papa, he saved Luke’s life. He’s on our side now,” she says firmly.

Bail looks down at his daughter. “Are you sure?”

Leia nods. The pair stare at each other for a moment, Queen Breha in the background looking nervously at the group.

“General Skywalker has made great progress and has served alongside Sisters on missions.” Padme steps forward, intervening.

Bail stares at Anakin for a moment, then sighs. “I trust their word, Skywalker, but I do not trust you,” he says firmly.

“Of course,” Anakin replies, attempting to be respectful.

It would help if he couldn’t sense Ahsoka trying not to laugh behind him.

“The Queen would like to see you both alongside myself to discuss setting up the new Republic,” Padme says quickly, gesturing for Bail and Queen Breha to follow.

“What crazy idea has Karee cooked up this time?” Queen Breha jokes, following Padme.

Padme laughs, sincerely laughs. “Nothing we can’t handle, I’m sure.”

Bail stops by Leia, kissing her forehead. “I’ll see you later, my dear girl.”

Leia leans against him. “Of course.”

Anakin notes that Leia looks a little forlorn watching Bail Organa leave.

Under Queen Karee’s instructions, he tries to help teach Leia, as best as he can. Ahsoka and Queen Karee have seen to a lot of her training, but she’s clearly never used a lightsaber in an actual fight. The Queen trusts him to help her with that, now she knows he would do anything for his family.

So Anakin challenges Leia to a sparring match one afternoon, and she stumbles a lot. She clearly knows what to do in theory, but hasn’t had a lot of practise.

“Relax, keep your balance,” he instructs gently. Leia takes a deep breath, clearly trying to suppress her frustration at not being able to best him.

Anakin knows that feeling all too well. Leia inherited his temper where Luke did not (and Padme’s determination, which makes her formidable).

“Hey,” he says gently, “it’s okay. Duelling takes a lot of practise. I’ve had to use it in a fight, you couldn’t.”

Leia nods, taking a breath and going into a fighting stance. “Alright, again.”

He strikes and this time she parries quickly. Her strikes get better each time, but she gets confident.

He pushes a little too hard and she slips, and falls.

Leia shouts in frustration. “Kark it!”

“It’s alright Leia, it takes time. You’ll be great one day. Your sister is one of the finest teachers you could ask for. And-” he shrugs, “- I wouldn’t say I’m so bad myself.”

Leia laughs. “I’m certain Obi-Wan wiped the floor with you more than once.” She realises what she said and winces a little. “Sorry.”

Anakin smiles. “It’s fine.” He pulls himself into a battle stance. “Ready?”

She copies him. “Ready.”

Leia makes the first move this time, and he blocks less easily. Her strikes get harsher and harsher, her expression more angry.

Anakin can see where this is going. “Let your determination fuel you, but don’t let your anger blind you.”

Leia nods, taking a breath and striking again. Her strikes are more ordered this time, but it still reminds him of his own fighting before he turned. As Vader, his movements had to be stiffer, as the suit didn’t allow for much movement. Now he is starting to get that flexibility and spontaneity back.

He’s momentarily distracted by his thoughts and suddenly he finds himself upon the ground. Leia’s face lights up.

“Good. Remember, the force has your back,” he reminds her.

“And you?” Leia asks quietly.

“I have your back too, obviously. Always.” Anakin places a hand on her shoulder and Leia flinches violently.

“Thank you for the sparring session,” Leia says quickly, then leaves. He’s not sure what he did, until he recalls the day Alderaan exploded.

When Leia finally reconciles with him, it’s no great shouting match nor are tears shed.

One evening, she simply walks in, sits down and lays her head on Anakin’s shoulder. She pulls out her holopad and begins tapping quietly.

Anakin, only just concealing his surprise at this, tentatively puts an arm around her and she curls in a fraction more.

There is no talking, Anakin simply keeps watching the holovid on his own holopad and Leia focuses on what she is doing.

When Ahsoka comes in to say goodnight, as she often does, she smiles at the sight of them.

She leans down and gives them both a kiss on the forehead. “Goodnight Dad, goodnight Leia.”

Leia reaches up and squeezes her hand. “Goodnight, pera ita.”

“Night Snips,” Anakin stretches up and gives his eldest daughter a kiss on the forehead.

When he sits back down again, Leia returns to his side and they sit together, content.

Anakin gently runs his hand across her shoulder and he feels a wave of affection from his youngest daughter through the force.

Eventually, it gets quite late, and Anakin can feel Leia starting to fall asleep beside him. He chuckles softly at her obvious efforts at staying awake.

Leia looks up at him and a small, sleepy smile falls upon her face.

Slowly, she stretches up and yawns.

Leia rests her hand on his wrist and smiles sleepily. “Goodnight, Father.”

Anakin has the composure to keep his smile small. “Goodnight, Leia.” He squeezes her hand.

When she leaves, Anakin beams.

------

Pera ita- Big sister (Boona- literally translates to “older sibling” but less formal)

#star wars #Facing Facts series #anakin skywalker #Leia Organa #star wars AU #sorry for not posting in ages #tumblr broke

[sistersofthelightforce]

Facing Facts: The Master (P2)

It’s many months before anything eventful passes between Anakin and Obi-Wan. It’s almost like they’re never going to talk about it, because truthfully neither of them wants to.

They catch up, of course, and they often spend time with Luke together. They never spar together. Neither of them even consider suggesting it.

In fact, it is something so incredibly trivial that sparks the first fight (if one could even call it that) between Anakin and Obi-Wan that Anakin’s not even sure how it happens until he thinks about it much later.

They’re both going back to Ahsoka’s apartment after an afternoon spent together, and Anakin barges in without even thinking about it.

That’s until the smell hits him.

“Don’t come in Obi-Wan, I’m cooking meat!” Ahsoka shouts. She leans back so she can see through the door. “Oh, Skyguy. How’s- Dad are you okay?”

Anakin can’t breathe. He’s burning, he can’t feel anything but the pain and everything is gone. He’s burning. He’s burning.

Obi-Wan comes in at this point. “Is everything alright?” Then a moment later he retches and runs out of the room.

With a worried face, Ahsoka turns to someone in the kitchen. “Mom!”

Padmé walks into the living room and pushes Anakin out the door, closing it behind him, but she doesn’t follow nor does she try to comfort him.

Obi-Wan is leaning on the edge of a nearby pot plant. He is pale and shaking like a leaf.

Anakin can’t focus on him. He has to check all his limbs are there- has it suddenly become a lot hotter in the room?

“It’s alright Anakin. Whatever you’re experiencing right now, it’s not real.” Obi-Wan is watching him carefully, almost like he’s scared Anakin will disappear any moment.

“I’m burning,” Anakin rasps and Obi-Wan looks like Anakin struck him.

“You’re not. You’re safe here, you’re not burning,” Obi-Wan says gently.

“Easy for you to say,” Anakin hisses, the anger and hurt he’s tried so hard to repress coming back up in his pain.

“Pardon?” Obi-Wan looks at him with a sort of strange combination of hurt and resigned exhaustion.

“You left me to burn on that planet. I was still alive and you knew it!” Anakin accuses.

“It wasn’t you,” Obi-Wan says softly, as if it is something he uses to reassure himself when he thinks the same way.

“It was me! I know because I felt every moment of it! I lived 23 years in that kriffing suit because of it. Every second was agony. I couldn’t even breathe on my own!” Anakin shouts, the pain and resentment bursting out of him. “You should have just killed me!”

“I couldn’t! Because no matter how much I try to deny that who I was fighting on Mustafar was you, I still couldn’t unsee you. I told myself if I walked away, you would probably die and I wouldn’t have to put my lightsaber through your heart,” Obi-Wan confesses.

“You should have,” Anakin murmurs darkly. He lets out a shuddering breath, still trying to calm himself down.

Obi-Wan reaches out and puts a shaking hand on his shoulder and Anakin realises Obi-Wan is falling apart too.

“I’m sorry,” Obi-Wan murmurs quietly.

“I’ve already forgiven you. Doesn’t mean it doesn’t still hurt,” Anakin replies.

“I know,” Obi-Wan says softly.

“Do you?” Anakin asks, a wave of indignation and hurt hitting him.

“This isn’t the time for that conversation,” Obi-Wan says firmly, taking deep breaths.

Looking at Obi-Wan, Anakin realises that he looks like he’s just gone through a battle. He feels a twinge of sympathy for his former master.

“Was this why Ahsoka warned you not to come in?” Anakin asks quietly.

Obi-Wan nods. “I can’t be in the room when meat is being cooked. It makes me want to vomit.” That explains the retching and the leaning on the pot plant.

“And I guess it’s the same for me,” Anakin replies resignedly.

“I suppose it is.” Obi-Wan doesn’t look at him as he replies.

They both stay there a while, simply trying to recollect themselves, until Ahsoka comes to get them. She fusses over both of them and by the time they actually get inside, the room no longer smells like meat.

They don’t speak for two weeks afterwards, and the palace doesn’t bring them together. Somehow, Anakin guesses, Queen Karee must know.

His suspicions are confirmed when she walks up to him a couple days after the two week mark.

“Your brother needs you,” Queen Karee informs him, and walks away.

At first, Anakin is bewildered as to who she means. Then he realises the Queen obviously knows how he thinks of Obi-Wan as a brother. He knows Queen Karee has a great admiration for Obi-Wan, she may have even spoken to Obi-Wan himself about his similar sentiments.

Either way, he supposed Obi-Wan must want to talk to him.

He’s surprised when he walks in and sees Obi-Wan lying face up on the couch, almost dazed.

“Obi-Wan?” Anakin inquires, mildly alarmed.

Obi-Wan doesn’t reply. Anakin moves closer and he can see Obi-Wan breathing, so that’s good.

Obi-Wan glances at him with a sort of exhaustion Anakin can’t quite describe.

“Queen Karee sent me. Said you needed me.” Anakin waves his hand in front of Obi-Wan’s face, hoping to elicit a reaction.

Obi-Wan bats his hand away, but that’s about it.

Anakin studies his former master for a moment. “You alright?”

Obi-Wan gives him an exasperated look, then sighs.

It’s obvious that Anakin isn’t going to get a verbal response. He thinks for a moment, then an idea hits him.

He settles himself against the side of the couch, sitting with his back resting on the bottom of it, not facing Obi-Wan but with his head near his former master’s. He proceeds to take one of Obi-Wan’s hands in his.

“I’m gonna ask some questions, and you’re gonna answer by squeezing my hand. Once for yes, twice for no, three times for kind of. Understand?” Anakin explains.

One squeeze.

“Good,” Anakin replies. “Is this a trauma thing?”

Obi-Wan seems to tense behind him. This sort of conversation isn’t one they would have had back- well, before everything.

Three squeezes, and a sigh.

“Does it happen often?” Anakin inquires.

Two squeezes.

“Did this happen before- well, back in the Clone Wars?” Anakin asks gently.

One squeeze.

Anakin’s heart clenches a little. How could he have missed this? He recalled absently times where Obi-Wan would be more silent, or unresponsive. But never anything like this.

“You say this doesn’t happen often. Did it happen because of our fight?” Anakin almost doesn’t want to know the answer.

Two squeezes, then, almost hesitantly, another.

Anakin sighs and puts Obi-Wan’s hand close to his face, leaning on it a little.

“I’m sorry. We should communicate properly, rather than avoiding all this. I know you did what you had to do, that we both thought we were doing what was right. Obviously, I know I was in the wrong,” he adds quickly. “I guess we’re both a bit messed up, huh?” He jokes.

He gets one squeeze for that, but he can tell Obi-Wan’s heart isn’t in it, because his thumb is gently rubbing the side of Anakin’s face.

“You know I’m sorry right?” Anakin asks quietly.

One squeeze, almost reassuringly.

“I’m never going to stop being sorry, and I promise I’ll try to make everything up to you, to our family, to everyone.” He doesn’t register the words “our family” until Obi-Wan pulls up Anakin’s hand close to his face and kisses the top of his knuckles.

Anakin pulls Obi-Wan’s hand back down and returns the gesture.

The words from Mustafar repeat in his head once more. You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you! He knows that the words must surely still be meant, and Anakin knows he feels that too.

“You’re my brother, Obi-Wan, and I love you,” Anakin says softly.

Obi-Wan tenses a little, then lets out what sounds almost like a sob (he realises, with a sinking feeling, that he’s never actually heard Obi-Wan cry). He squeezes Anakin’s hand once, and Anakin knows it’s not a “yes” but an “I love you too”.

Obi-Wan sits up, making space on the other side of the couch. He pats the side of the couch with his free hand.

Anakin feels reluctant to let Obi-Wan’s hand go, but when he sits down Obi-Wan wraps an arm around him. Obi-Wan presses a kiss to Anakin’s temple and Anakin rests his head on his brother’s shoulder.

They stay like that for a while, just enjoying each other’s company listening to the other breathe and trying not to think about everything that has come before.

Anakin thinks of the way almost every Jedi preached living in the moment, not worrying about the past or the future. He feels he finally understands the notion, because he most certainly doesn’t want this moment to end.

He feels like finally, finally things can get better between him and Obi-Wan.

He knows it is true when, after a great deal of time, Obi-Wan squeezes Anakin with the arm around his shoulders and says quietly, “I love you too, my brother.”

#star wars #star wars au #anakin skywalker #obi wan kenobi #tw panic attacks #tw ptsd #DO NOT TAG AS SHIP #THEY ARE BROTHERS #Facing facts series #facing facts: the master #title was being weird so now it’s like that

[sistersofthelightforce]

Facing Facts: The Mission (P2)

Truly, it seems to be going too well. Anakin reckons Queen Karee sent them here as more of a holiday than a mission. Padme and Ahsoka seem to be arguing a little though, obviously in languages he doesn’t understand.

“Ota, kri ne ma ata, pe ki ne ma ota!” Ahsoka protests. 

“Mi prad, cer ki lotay versa kip kri sa jera,” Padme seems to reply firmly. 

“Mi isan kro, pe mi isan ko,” Ahsoka murmurs somewhat sadly.

They argue like this for a time, but it always seems sad, instead of angry. It ends when one of them sighs and rests their head on the other’s shoulder (more often this is Ahsoka than Padme) or when Anakin tells them to knock it off.

Sometimes they just stare very angrily at each other and Anakin has to remind them to talk out loud.

(Sometimes it’s not even during a fight, they just stop talking midway through a conversation and Anakin knows they’re talking telepathically, so he has to remind them that he can’t hear them. He wonders if that’s the point.)

They spend their days together, playing a family, and Padme doesn’t seem to hate him, not anymore. She has seen that he loves their children, and that is enough, he hopes, for her to begin to forgive him.

Ahsoka comes to them with a grin on her face. “Baast showed me a secret tunnel, leading to a data server! He says it’s stuff for his father’s business, but I’m sure it’s for the gang!” She exclaims.

This is exactly what they’ve needed. Access to the gang’s servers will get them a chance to put in the chip without needing to get access to a main room.

“That’s wonderful, Anata!” Padme chirps. Anakin gives her a sidelong look. If Ahsoka is able to announce their plan to the room, using her real name is less likely to get them caught than that.

The room seems to freeze as his confusion is seen. 

Ahsoka looks down, almost sheepishly. “It’s my nickname. It means angel. I’ve been called it for the last ten years, longer even, by my family. It's why Karee chose it.”

So Ahsoka could hear him say it without ever having to explain why.

“Well, Anata,” Anakin ventures carefully, “I’m very proud of what you’ve achieved.”

The room seems to breathe again and they begin to formulate a plan.

Parton Grevils invites Padme and Anakin to dinner with his associates, while Ahsoka spends the evening supposedly “having free time”. She will spend this “free time” sneaking into the data servers then contacting them and teleporting them there. 

“Welcome, welcome!” Parton exclaims, ushering them in with a cheery smile.

“Thank you for inviting us,” Padme says with a false smile of her own.

“Thank you for coming. Your company is very… invigorating.” Parton eyes Padme in a way that makes Anakin want to punch the sleemo.

“Ah! Ben, Kira, come, have a seat!” Parton’s wife comes over, pulling them both into chairs quite near the two Grevils.

Anakin has forgotten how much he hates fancy dinners. People weren’t exactly tripping over themselves to invite Darth Vader for a bite to eat.

He’s almost relieved when he hears his commlink go off, the signal from Ahsoka that everything is ready and she will teleport him to the secret base so he can code in the chip.

He gets up quickly. “That’ll be Anata, I’ll be back in a moment. She probably just wants to know if she can order a holovid or something.” He rolls his eyes playfully before leaving.

“Dad? I found somewhere I shouldn’t be. Do you remember that time on Zygerria? It’s a little bit like that,” Ahsoka says quietly, her voice small.

Zygerria. Where they had to pretend to be slave and master, then the plan went wrong and they were-

Oh. Ahsoka has been caught.

“Your mother and I will be there in just a moment, don’t go anywhere,” Anakin instructs her.

Padme is looking at him with concern when he returns.

“She told me what happened. Give an excuse and she can teleport us there,” Padme says firmly. When Anakin glances at her, he finds she hasn’t moved her mouth.

“Sorry folks, Anata is feeling sick. We should be with her.” Anakin shrugs, and Padme gets up, not having to feign concern.

“So soon? Anata is a teenager, surely she can look after herself for a little while?” Parton’s voice is steely. He knows.

“She gets very sulky when she’s sick, she’ll be very grumpy if we don’t come home pretty soon,” Padme explains, turning her “diplomacy voice” on. “Goodnight, thank you for having us.”

She pulls them both out of there before anyone can protest further, and teleports them to just outside the room that Ahsoka is in.

They burst in, not having to pretend to be worried. 

“Anata, are you alright?” Padme demands. Ahsoka glares back at them, tied to a pole. She can’t escape, for the risk of blowing her cover. She has to pretend ropes would hold her down.

A gang member has a blaster pointed at Ahsoka before they can blink. “Tell us why you are here, and we may let the girl live.”

Anakin genuinely isn’t sure of what to do. He doesn’t want to blow their cover, expose the Jedi as returned by using his lightsaber, or expose the Sisters by letting them shoot Ahsoka, only to discover she can be brought back (if she wouldn’t let it go through her).

Luckily Padme makes that decision for them and shoots the gang member.

Anakin looks over at her and she shrugs. “He was going to shoot our daughter.”

Ahsoka steps out of the ropes and hands Anakin the chip. “You’re up, Skyguy.”

He’s halfway through installing the chip when the door slams open, and Parton Grevils storms in. “What is going on here?!”

“Well, looks like our cover is blown,” Ahsoka says casually, and pulls out her lightsaber. “Parton Grevils, you and your associates are under arrest for money laundering, theft and corruption. You have a right to a fair trial and a lawyer.”

“Jedi?!” Parton exclaims in astonishment.

Ahsoka looks around at the two people behind her. “Eh.” She shakes her hand from side to side. 

The arrest goes easily, as none of the gang members are truly a match for any one of them with one hand tied behind their back. They are kept by the hotel security while they send for New Republic ships to take them to prison.

They quickly return to their rooms and call Queen Karee to inform her of the news.

“Well done, Sisters,” Karee pauses, “General.”

“Thank you, Karee. It was an easy job,” Padme reassures the Queen.

“Well, nonetheless, I insist you three stay another day, simply to enjoy yourselves, before you return to the palace. Spend time together as a family.” Queen Karee gives Padme a look.

“As you wish, Queen Karee,” Anakin says quickly. Padme steps on his foot, but it is too late for it to be taken back.

“Excellent. I will see you in two days. Minta ki seta-” Queen Karee begins.

“Jin minta ank erant.” Padme and Ahsoka finish, while Anakin just kind of nods, and the holocall ends.

“So… another day by the pool sounds great,” Ahsoka says sheepishly.

“Tomorrow, ma tana,” Padme retorts firmly. “For tonight, we need to debrief. Tonight almost went wrong. What would have happened if you hadn’t gotten a message to Anakin and I hadn’t been here to hear you?”

“Ota, I’m not a child,” Ahsoka protests.

“But you had to act as one, an untrained one!” Padme is scared, Anakin realises, scared of harm befalling her daughter.

“I wouldn’t have allowed anything to happen. I would have escaped, fought back, pretended to be hurt, something like that,” Ahsoka points out.

“You should have waited, brought one of us with you. It would have been safer,” Padme retorts.

“I would have been fine, what matters is the mission-” Ahsoka begins.

“What matters is you, Ahsoka,” Anakin interrupts quietly.

Both women turn sharply to face him. 

“We don’t want anything to happen to you. Padme is just scared of what could have happened to you. I was scared of what could have happened to you. The concern when we came in wasn’t fake, Ahsoka. We really were worried,” Anakin explains gently.

Ahsoka seems to deflate, and reaches out for both Anakin and Padme. She pulls both of them into a hug. “I’m older than both of you were in the first war. Have faith,” Ahsoka murmurs.

“Okay,” Padme says gently, placing one arm around Ahsoka, and the other around Anakin. “I will have faith.”

------

Ota, kri ne ma ata, pe ki ne ma ota!- Mum, he is my dad, as you are my mum! (Boona)

Mi prad, cer ki lotay versa kip kri sa jera- I know, but you must remember what he has done (Boona)

Mi isan kro, pe mi isan ko- I love him, as I love you (Boona)

Minta ki seta- Sisters in arms (Asna)

Jin Minta ank erant- Are Sisters for life (Asna)

Ma tana- My dear/My darling (Boona)

#Facing Facts series #Anakin Skywalker #Ahsoka Tano #Padme Amidala #star wars #star wars au

[sistersofthelightforce]

Not set in stone: To teach a wild thing

It is 3 years, 5 months and 22 days after the fall of the Republic and Luminara Unduli is called before the High council.

For the first time, she questions what they ask of her.

“Forgive me masters, you want me to what?” She asks.

“We wish for you to take the young Queen as your padawan,” Master Mundi repeats. “She has already established her own order of force users, and insists she needs no teacher. We figured with your disciplined approach, you could help mold her into a well-rounded Jedi.”

The young Queen is powerful. She has powers long beyond that of the Jedi, and has taken on many Jedi into her order (or was it orders?). Therefore, Luminara is a little unsure as to how exactly she could teach the girl anything.

“I must warn you though, the young Queen is unruly. She refuses any authority but her own, but she holds a great deal of compassion, and a great deal of potential,” Master Mundi adds.

“Well, I’m sure my disciplined approach will do her good,” Luminara replies.

“We hope so too, Master Unduli. Go see her now, you are dismissed.” Master Mundi nods at Luminara as she bows.

The palace at the time is in the process of change. Therefore it takes a while for Luminara to find the doors to the Queen’s chambers.

When she enters, it is loud and full of chatter. Luminara sees a young girl who fits the holograms of the Queen chasing a wookie around the chambers. The queen laughs and shoves the wookie to the ground, the pair wrestling until Senator (well, ex-senator now, Luminara supposes) Amidala and Ahsoka Tano (Luminara feels a pang of guilt seeing the girl her ex-padawan framed and took advantage of) pull them apart, also laughing.

Luminara clears her throat. The queen looks up. She gives an exasperated look to her friends before Senator Amidala gestures in the direction of Luminara.

“I’ll be right back, Ash,” the Queen says to the wookie.

Luminara bows as the Queen approaches. “Your highness.”

The Queen glances at her. “Who are you?”

“I am your new master, you are to be my padawan. You may address me as Master or Master Unduli,” Luminara informs the young girl.

She sees the wookie meet eyes with the ex-Senator and knows immediately that this is going to go badly.

“I will call no one my master! I have no master!” The girl replies firmly. “You have a first name don’t you? What is it?” She demands.

“My name is Luminara.” Luminara isn’t sure what possesses her not to push it but something about slavery and the Queen pulls in the back of her mind.

“Then I’ll call you that. And I won’t call you my master. I don’t even want to be a padawan!” The Queen complains.

“Well, how about I be your mentor?” Luminara suggests, her mind racing to figure out something.

The Queen pauses and looks at Luminara as if she is analysing her. Luminara presumes she is. “Mentor… that’s acceptable.”

It was something, Luminara supposed.

“Very well, I shall be your mentor,” Luminara replies. “Now, I’ve been told you have a lightsaber! Why don’t you show me what you can do with it? Perhaps you could spar with one of your friends?”

The Queen’s face lights up and she instantly runs over to her wookie friend. Luminara quickly figures out it’s just a training sabre, not a lightsaber. She notes she’ll have to figure out a way for Karee to get a kyber crystal- they’re much harder to get now.

She studies her new apprentice. The Queen fights with enthusiasm but no discipline. Luminara could help her with that. She could do this.

——

It is 3 years, 5 months and 29 days after the fall of the republic and Luminara most decidedly could not do this.

Queen Karee was a handful, that much was certain. The child refused to listen and refused to show any level of respect or deference to Luminara.

Now, they are currently engaging in a battle to get Karee to put on a formal dress for an important court meeting.

As Luminara chases the teenager around the room, she now understands why Sister Amidala (as apparently she’s now called) had simply patted her on the shoulder and said “good luck.”

“Come here and go get changed!” She shouts, trying to grab the girl by the collar of her shirt.

“I hate them! I hate those stupid meetings and if Lord up-himself wants to see me, he can do it while I’m wearing something comfortable!” Queen Karee shrieks, jumping up onto the nearest bench, just out of reach.

“This is your duty! It’s a way of showing respect!” At the last word, Luminara reaches out for Queen Karee and stumbles as the girl jumps back.

“I can show respect without wearing an itchy dress,” Queen Karee mutters, refusing to budge.

Luminara takes a step back and folds her arms. “You’ll have to come down sometime, I’ll just wait for you here.”

“No I don’t,” Queen Karee replies, and turns around, walking through the wall and out the chamber.

When she’s certain the girl won’t reappear, Luminara rests her head against the wall.

How on earth was she meant to teach such a child?

She contacts the council.

“She refuses to call herself my padawan, and she refuses to listen to me!” Luminara bemoans.

“Well, then simply mentor her. When you believe she is ready for the trials of knighthood, refer her as you would for any other padawan. We will simply call her Student Shi’in rather than Padawan,” Master Koon says.

“But how am I to mentor her, to prepare her, if she refuses to be my student?” Luminara asks desperately.

“Give it time, Luminara. The queen is still young. You are older, set in your ways. Every child is different. You cannot always be the same,” Master Koon explains. Luminara knows he is knowledgeable in the subject, so she nods and pretends she thinks everything will be fine.

“Very well, masters. I will contact you with any updates,” Luminara replies, bowing her head respectfully before switching off the hologram.

There is no way out. She will have to teach the Queen.

(She finds out later that Queen Karee went to the meeting, wearing the clothes she wished, and still handled herself with a great deal of diplomacy. Luminara wonders how on earth such a wild creature managed to be diplomatic.)

#Not set in stone series #Luminara Unduli #Karee Shi’in #star wars #star wars au

[sistersofthelightforce]

Facing Facts: The mission (P1)

Anakin’s heart sinks when Queen Karee tells them about it.

“Sister Amidala, General Skywalker and Sister Tano will be posing as a family at a hotel we know to be run by an organised gang on Cato Nemodia,” Queen Karee informs the meeting room.

Truthfully, Anakin had been wondering why he was there. He’s not usually invited to these things on account of the whole “former Sith Lord” thing.

“Karee,” Padmé says, “I hate you.”

Queen Karee gives her a bright smile and replies, “Mi isan ko rotih.” 

Ahsoka huffs but she has a smile on her face so Anakin knows this will not end horrendously.

Padmé starts ranting at the Queen in a language that Anakin doesn’t understand. He glances at Ahsoka and she mouths the word “Asna”, which he assumes is the name of the language. He knows it to be the official language of Iith so that makes sense.

Ahsoka joins in the conversation, and it surprises Anakin to see from Padmé’s reaction that she’s on his side. Queen Karee gives Padmé a smug look and Padmé sighs.

Queen Karee turns to him. “As I was saying, you’ll be staying there and keeping an eye on things. When you find an opportunity to infiltrate or sabotage the gang, do so. They’ve been pilfering money from charities and profiting off exploitation.”

“I have a question?” He begins. “How exactly are we not going to get recognised?”

“Well, you and Padmé are both publicly dead, and until I can sort out declaring the existence of the Sisters to the world, you’ll stay that way. Plus a handy charm that means anyone who looks at you and thinks you look familiar will dismiss it,” Queen Karee explains.

Anakin wonders why Ahsoka is going with them, and not Leia, then remembers that Leia hates him, and she’s still not fully finished her training as a Sister. Luke doesn’t have proper Jedi training, let alone any training in magic, so that rules him out too.

But he’s happy to have Ahsoka with him. He loves all his kids equally, of course.

Anakin has another query. “Ahsoka is an adult. She looks like an adult. How is she going to pose as our kid? Not that you’re not my daughter Snips, obviously, but you don’t exactly look-“

He turns to face Ahsoka and she looks exactly like she did the day they met.

Anakin almost faints. He’s not going to get used to that anytime soon.

“Shapeshifter powers, Skyguy,” Ahsoka reminds him.

“Excellent!” Queen Karee chirps. “Now your cover story shall be this: you’re a wealthy couple from Coruscant who adopted Ahsoka when she was a baby. You lay low during the war, but now it’s over you want to go on a proper holiday as a family.”

Anakin feels like Queen Karee is way more perceptive than he gives her credit for. The look Padmé gives her says she’s thinking something very similar.

“Alright. And how do you suggest we stop this gang, exactly?” Padmé asks resignedly.

“Well, you and Anakin infiltrate through the guise of Ahsoka befriending the children of the gang members. With your diplomatic skills, Sister Amidala, I’m sure you’ll be able to find a way in. With General Skywalker’s technological expertise, he can take this chip.” Queen Karee hands him a tech chip. “And put it in their systems, which Sister Tano will find. The chip will return all the stolen money, copy all their records, which include members and connections, then proceed to shut down their systems. And obviously, all of you can use a Jedi mind trick if it’s needed. That’s what they’re for after all.” Queen Karee explains.

It sounds much too simple for Anakin’s liking. Something is bound to go wrong and they know it.

“And our names? We can’t use our own,” Ahsoka points out.

“True. Skywalker, your name will be Ben Yanam, Sister Amidala, yours will be Kira, obviously with the same surname. And Sister Tano…” Queen Karee grins. “Anata.”

Ahsoka throws the nearest loose object (which happens to be a holopad) at Karee’s head.

The first day goes off without a hitch. They already know the names and faces of two main ringleaders, so they can identify them quickly.

Anakin is surprised when no one recognised him, even knowing how the Queen’s magic works.

They quickly find the ringleaders and their families.

Ahsoka plays every part the excited teenager, quickly going and talking to the kids. She makes quick work of it, and before he knows it, she’s running up to Anakin. “Dad, can I go hang out with Baast by the beach?”

He does a double take hearing her call him “Dad” so casually. She only does it when she’s super upset normally. He gives her a wide smile.

“Course you can kiddo, if that’s okay with his parents?” Anakin gives a quick grin to one of the ringleaders he knows is at the table next to him, who the boy next to Ahsoka is grinning at, so he must be the father. Padmé is off with the other one, probably already halfway into the gang knowing her skills.

The ringleader gives him a grin in reply and nods.

“Alright then, be back by sundown.” Anakin gestures for Ahsoka to go with the kids. He trusts her to be smart.

He walks over to the ringleader. “Kids huh?”

The ringleader gives him a smile. “Indeed. Baast is 13, how about yours?”

“Anata is 14,” Anakin replies, finding it amusing how inaccurate that was.

“They certainly drive us round the bend at this age. Still not sure if it was easier raising a toddler yet.” The ringleader smiles at him and holds out his hand to shake. “Parton Grevils.”

“Ben Yanam.” Anakin shakes his hand, keeping a false smile on his face.

“You got a partner helping you raise that bundle of energy Ben?” Parton asks.

Anakin glances over at Padmé. “My wife and I adopted Anata when she was a baby.” He gestured over to where Padmé was. “She’s off making friends, as she does. Makes friends wherever she goes, that one. Think my daughter got that talent too somehow, watching her mom.” His smile is not fake or forced.

“I’ll drink to that,” Parton says. He raises his hand. “Waiter! A glass of your finest for me and my friend here!”

Padmé is reluctantly happy with him when she finds out back at the hotel room. It’s barely past sundown and Ahsoka is sitting on the couch with them, her head on Padmé’s lap.

“That’s great, General Skywalker. That will put us at a real advantage for getting into the gang.” Padmé won’t call him by his first name anymore.

“Hopefully,” is all he can say.

“And Ahsoka, have you learned anything yet?” Padmé asks.

“Not yet, Mom, but I will, I’m sure,” Ahsoka mumbles.

Anakin watches the gentle but casual way they interact, and he suspects many debriefings have been held like this.

Padmé and Ahsoka know each other well, they’d have to, they’re mother and daughter, but there’s more to it than that. They’ve fought alongside each other for years. They know each other’s fighting patterns, each other’s technique, their tells when they’re upset or stressed. They know everything there is to know about each other and Anakin wants that, he realises with a pang. He wants that with his kids, with his family. Force it wasn’t even just about Padmé anymore. He would love to have his wife back but he wants to be a father even more.

It seems he’s changed more than he thinks.

The next few days bring amazing progress, and Anakin is so proud of how the mission is going.

Then Ahsoka wakes up in the middle of the night screaming.

Padmé and Ahsoka shared the same room, and Anakin got the other one, so obviously Padmé is already by Ahsoka’s side when Anakin looks in from the doorway.

“It’s alright, ma tana gina. You’re alright. You’re safe. Momma’s here. You’re safe,” Padmé whispers over and over again, holding Ahsoka’s hands. Their foreheads are pressed together and Ahsoka is shaking.

“Dad, Dad, I need Dad. I need to see him, where is he?” Ahsoka cries and Anakin wants to run to her, but he’s not sure whether Padmé would let him anywhere near his daughter right now.

“Anakin, come in here please.” It’s not a shout, but it’s not a whisper either. She must have known he was in the doorway.

He moves as quickly as he can without running and is immediately by Ahsoka’s side. Ahsoka leans on him immediately and Padmé gives him one of Ahsoka’s hands to hold.

“Hey Snips, I’m here. Everything is okay,” Anakin reassures her. He guesses that since she sees them both as her parents, she needs them both here. It’s the only reason that Padmé would have let him in and not looked hurt.

In fact, Padmé looks the opposite, giving him a small smile. It’s the first time she’s smiled at him since he came back to life.

“Momma?” Ahsoka’s voice is calmer now.

“Here, Ahsoka, always here. You know that.” Padmé gives her a kiss on the forehead.

“Dad?” Ahsoka looks over at him.

He squeezes her hand. “We got you Snips.”

When she’s calmed down, they lay her back down, and stay on either side of their daughter.

It’s not until he’s almost asleep that Anakin realises Padmé called him by his name.

——-

Mi isan ko rotih- I love you too (Boona)

Anata- Angel (Asna)

Ma tana gina- My darling girl/My precious girl (Boona)

#Ahsoka Tano #Anakin Skywalker #Padme Amidala #star wars #star wars au #Facing Facts series

[sistersofthelightforce]

Facing Facts: The apprentice

This could alternatively be titled: 5 times Anakin tried to repair his relationship with Ahsoka and one time he knew it was fixed.

The first time Anakin sees her, it’s not a horrendous argument but it’s not a tearful reunion either.

In fact, it was barely even worth noting, if it hadn’t ripped his soul to shreds.

He had only been walking through the palace, hoping to find a place to get some spare parts for his next project with Luke.

Then he bumps into someone. A Togruta woman.

“Sorry ma’am, I wasn’t looking where I was- Ahsoka?”

She looks up at him and her eyes widen. Through the padawan bond he didn’t even think they still had, he feels panic rise through her.

Ahsoka claps her hands over her mouth. She turns to leave and he reaches out to her.

“Ahsoka wait-“ he began, but she has already run off.

He goes straight to Queen Karee.

“You didn’t tell me Ahsoka was here!” He says accusatorily, not even bothering to say hello as he bursts into her office, which he faced a surprising lack of opposition to.

“I told you there were people from your past here. Truthfully Skywalker I’m surprised you hadn’t worked it out.” Queen Karee doesn’t look up from her paperwork as she replies.

“You said I’d find them when the time was right? Was that the right time?!” Anakin demands, throwing his hands up in the air in frustration.

“No, no it wasn’t.” The Queen’s tone was almost sad.

“She was terrified! She was terrified-“ his voice catches as his own words hit him. “She was terrified of me.” Anakin slumps, feeling defeated.

Queen Karee looks up this time. “When she’s ready, the palace will take you to her quarters Skywalker, I promise you.”

The strange thing about Iith’s palace, disregarding its residents, is that it seemed to have multiple levels and no stairs. Doorways seemed to appear after a certain amount of walking, so it really was surprising that Anakin and Ahsoka had managed to bump into each other in the first place.

So when a door appears in front of Anakin almost a month later, he knocks on it hesitantly.

“Come in,” Ahsoka calls out. Anakin wonders if she knows it’s him or not.

When he enters, she seems to freeze again, but Queen Karee’s words ring in Anakin’s head. Ahsoka has to be ready to see him if he’s here.

“Hey Snips,” he says softly.

“Hey Skyguy.” Ahsoka gestures for him to sit on the other side of the couch from her. He hesitantly obeys.

“I’m sorry for scaring you,” he admits.

She looks at him gently. “I’m sure you didn’t mean to.”

Anakin tries to search for something to say. “So you’re one of those Sisters?”

“Yeah,” Ahsoka smirks. “One of the originals.”

“Oh,” he replies. “Cool.”

There is silence for a moment or two, and Anakin knows they will get nowhere avoiding things.

“I’m really sorry, Ahsoka, for everything. I’ve caused so much pain, to you, to people you care about, to people I care about. You have no idea how sorry I am,” he confesses.

Ahsoka makes a strangled noise and he looks over at her, alarmed.

“I missed you.” It’s somewhere between a whisper and a whimper, and Ahsoka sounds on the brink of tears.

Having absolutely no clue what to do, Anakin moves a little closer and puts an arm around her to try and comfort her. It’s strange, he never used to be super affectionate but ever since he was brought back, he’s much more into affection.

Ahsoka lets out a sob and wraps both her arms around him.

“You’re okay, Snips. I got you,” he murmurs gently.

Ahsoka hugs him tighter. “I tried so hard to hate you. After the start of the war, after Malachor, after the Death Star. But I never could. I tried so hard but I never could,” she confesses, still crying into his shoulder.

Anakin feels like he’s been given an honour he doesn’t deserve. “Thank you,” he says, feeling on the brink of tears himself.

After that, Anakin would spend time with Ahsoka as well. They’d talk or go on some escapade, and it would be fun.

On this particular day, Anakin has managed to beg the use of some training sabres of off Queen Karee, who was planning to use them to train younglings. When he explained to her it was for Ahsoka, she conceded.

Anakin bounds into Ahsoka’s quarters with a grin on his face. “Hey Snips, I got some training sabres of off the Queen you want to-“

There is someone else in Ahsoka’s living room and it is not someone he had ever expected to see again.

“Padmé?” He whispers.

“Ota.” Ahsoka doesn’t direct the word to him, but to Padmé, and he knows somehow that Ahsoka is asking Padmé to be calm.

Padmé gets up, gives Anakin a death stare and walks out of the room.

Anakin turns to Ahsoka. “Snips, tell me I’m not going crazy, tell me that really was her,” he implores.

“Yes, it was,” Ahsoka says gently.

“Does she- does she hate me?” He asks quietly, dreading the answer.

“I don’t know, Anakin. You spent a really long time trying to kill or bring pain to a lot of people she cares about. You spent a long time trying to kill her children. She’s not exactly thrilled with you,” Ahsoka admits.

And it is another thing that makes sense even though Anakin wishes it doesn’t.

“That word, that you said to her. I’ve heard it before but I don’t know what it means.” He feels like it’s important, though he doesn’t know why.

“Ota? It means Mother, or Mom in Boona.” Ahsoka looks down at the floor. He’s heard of the language before. It’s the main one spoken after Basic on quite a few different planets, both Naboo and Shilli being one of them. He also knows it’s spoken by a lot of Twi’leks as well. He supposes he shouldn’t be surprised both Ahsoka and Padmé speak it.

“Oh? You call her Mom?” Anakin inquires, surprised by this revelation.

“Yeah, she pretty much adopted me a couple years into the war. She calls me her daughter and I call her Mom,” Ahsoka explains, a small smile on her face.

Anakin smiles at this. “That’s great, Snips, really great.”

He’s glad, somehow, that they found each other without him.

They do, eventually, get around to sparring. It becomes a weekly practise, and for a while it feels exactly like it used to.

Anakin should have known it wouldn’t last.

It’s a basic move, really. He swung at her and she parried, and her blade hit the side of his face.

Naturally, it stings a little, even if training sabres don’t leave any lasting damage. After all, that was what they were used for.

He groans and grabs the side of his face. Then he brings his blade up to the middle of his face and swings.

Ahsoka screams.

At first, Anakin thinks he’s just hit her, that she’ll laugh in a second and everything will be fine.

Then she falls to the ground, her sabre losing its light and she clutches her hands to her chest.

Anakin’s instincts kick in. He feels a wave of protectiveness, desperate to help her.

“Snips?” Anakin asks hesitantly. He moves towards her, tossing his sabre to the side to show he didn’t mean any harm.

When he gets close, she screams again. He immediately steps back, hands up.

It’s then he remembers Malachor. He remembers the blows struck and how he fought. He cringes at what he had said, wondering if then you will die was ringing through her head.

He guesses the fight must have been so similar that their sparring sent her back to that place.

“Oh Snips, I’m so sorry,” he whispers.

Ahsoka is still hyperventilating, and Anakin wants more than anything to reach out and hold her. But he knows that’s not going to help her right now.

“You’re alright. You’re safe,” he says softly, though he doesn’t know if his voice will make it better or worse. But he tries anyway, because this is Ahsoka and he’d be damned if he doesn’t at least try to help her.

When she’s calm enough to stand, Anakin takes her back to her quarters. He’s somehow not surprised to see Padmé there. She moves quickly, taking Ahsoka into her arms and soothing her.

Padmé gives him such a glare that if looks could kill, he’d be dead again.

They don’t spar again.

When Queen Karee trusts him enough to send him on missions, he discovers that he will be going on one with Ahsoka.

It’s supposed to be a routine mission, stopping some smugglers from getting a shipment of slaves.

It hits a little close to home for him, but he feels like that’s why Queen Karee chose him. He knows now that it would hit close to home for her too.

It goes smoothly, until they discover quite how many smugglers are on board and quite how many blasters they have.

Anakin and Ahsoka are cornered, and while Ahsoka is desperately trying to use the force to find a way out of it, someone aims a blaster straight at her chest.

He knows she probably could deflect it, but she is so distracted that he doesn’t know if she would notice it.

He’s trying to subtly get her attention when the smuggler fires.

There is that wave of protective love once more, and Anakin puts himself between the bullet and Ahsoka.

It hits him right in the chest of course, and he knows he’s dying, but he would prefer it be him than his kid.

The thought surprises him less than he thought it would. He knew that wave of protective love was the same he felt for Luke, and for Leia, even though she hated him. He’d die for them without any hesitation, and so, it seems, he would for Ahsoka.

It makes sense, really. He had always had that love for her. He just hadn’t realised it wasn’t just normal “master-apprentice the master wants her to do well” kind of fondness.

He almost laughs that it took him twenty four years and having biological children to figure that out.

Ahsoka sees him on the ground, and there is a very big flash before all the blasters seem to stop.

Anakin decides not to wonder what Ahsoka has done to them. What matters is the smugglers can’t get the shipment.

He sees her face, which looks more angry than scared or sad. But he sees a fierceness in there too.

It’s only black for a few moments before he’s up and breathing again.

And suddenly what Queen Karee said makes sense. She hadn’t meant Luke or Leia, she had meant Ahsoka. Ahsoka was the family that had helped bring him back, that had wanted him back to life.

It appears the Queen was much more perceptive than him. This was why she hadn’t been worried when Ahsoka reacted so badly the first time she saw him. Because the Queen knew Ahsoka still wanted to be in his life, still wanted him around.

Though now, she looked furious.

“Why did you do that?” Ahsoka demands. “It would have gone right through me. I was almost done finding a solution anyway!”

“He had a blaster aimed at your chest! You would have been killed and then where would we be?!” Anakin retorts, half hurt, half confused.

Ahsoka gives him a very tired look, and walks straight through the wall and back again. “No. I wouldn’t have.”

“It was the right thing to do. I’m not just going to leave you to die!” He objects.

“You seemed perfectly content to do that on Malachor!” Ahsoka retorts and Anakin’s anger dissipates.

“I knew you’d find your way out. I knew you’d be fine.” He can’t look at her as he says it, and it is then he realises that all the smugglers have turned to stone. Comforting.

“I almost wasn’t,” Ahsoka says softly. “There was so much dark energy that I couldn’t teleport. My powers are based in the light, and that place was made of darkness. I only escaped because a member of a rebel cell I knew rescued me through a time portal.”

“I didn’t know that. I never could have killed you, Ahsoka,” Anakin tells her. It was the truth. He could never.

Ahsoka looks up at him and his heart sinks. “Not if you knew it was me, you couldn’t. But truthfully, Anakin, you’ve killed me countless times, while I was disguised. The Sisters known to be dead or known to you had to fight with their shape changed. It’s not that hard, but I couldn’t do it on Malachor.” Her image changes about twenty times before going back to herself and Anakin remembers killing the majority of them.

“Ahsoka-“ All the words he could possibly say would mean nothing and he knows it.

“I could never kill you, that was my downfall. I’d get right to the point where someone would have to strike the killing blow and I couldn’t do it. So you’d do it instead,” Ahsoka confesses.

“Ahsoka, I didn’t know-“ he began, but he knew it was no excuse.

“I know you didn’t.” She looks up at the ceiling and he sees tears in her eyes. “You know, I always hoped it would be me that brought you back to the light, that you’d chose me over Palpatine. But I guess it makes sense that it was your kid who brought you back, your son.”

He wants to tell her that she has always been a daughter to him, that he had realised it too late, that he had to have biological kids before he realised that he felt the exact same way about Ahsoka.

But this isn’t the time to tell her that, so he tells her a different truth. “You almost did.”

She looks up at him sharply. “What?”

“If it wasn’t for the influence of the dark side in that temple, I probably would have gone with you. If I wasn’t selfish and a coward, wanting the power of the dark side and not wanting to face the consequences of my actions, I would have gone with you. I very nearly did,” he confesses.

Ahsoka looks at him and this time her smile is sad. “But you didn’t.”

“I know,” Anakin says. “I’m sorry.”

She nods. “I know you are, Anakin, I know you are.”

They don’t talk about their trauma very much. They know they both have their issues and their triggers from the war.

So when Anakin walks into Ahsoka’s quarters and she’s curled up into a ball on the balcony, naturally he’s worried.

He walks up behind her, not trying to startle her too badly. “Hey Snips,” he says softly. “What’s up?”

She shook her head. “It’s gone. It’s all gone.”

“What’s gone?” He asks gently.

“I heard a noise, a bang and I can’t turn around, I can’t open my eyes, because if I do it’s all going to be gone.” Ahsoka takes a shuddering breath.

Anakin turns around and sees a pile of pots and pans on the floor in the kitchen. He assumes they must have fallen down and made an almighty crash. He doesn’t blame her for getting upset.

“It’s alright Ahsoka, look, it’s all still here.” He tries to grab her shoulder gently and pull her around but she resists so much that he leaves her there.

“No, no, no, it’s all gone.” Ahsoka’s eyes are squeezed shut and her head is pressed against the balcony fence.

“It’s not gone Ahsoka. It’s all still there, I promise you,” Anakin reassured her gently.

He tries to remember what Padmé did to comfort her. He runs his hands gently over her shoulders and her back, and pulls her close.

Ahsoka lets out a sob. “It’s gone, it’s all gone and it’s going to be so awful to try and fix everything. There’s going to be bits of people everywhere and it’s going to be horrible.” She presses her head against his chest, eyes still firmly shut.

“It’s okay Ahsoka, you’re here, you’re safe. It’s all still here. It was just some pots and pans. There was no bomb,” Anakin tells her gently but firmly.

She opens her eyes, looking up at him. “It’s all still here?”

“Look for yourself,” he says, and she does. When she sees that everything is fine, she starts crying again.

“It’s okay, you’re here, you’re safe,” he murmurs to her over and over again.

“I’m on Iith, I’m safe. I’m on Iith with my mom,” Ahsoka looks up tentatively at him. “And my dad?”

His heart melts, and he smiles, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before pulling her up against him even tighter. “Yeah kiddo, yeah you are.”

#ahsoka tano #star wars au #star wars #ahsoka and her dad #Anakin Skywalker #Karee Shi’in #padme amidala #Facing Facts series

[sistersofthelightforce]

Facing Facts: The Son

From the moment Anakin returns to life, his son is eager to be involved in his life.

Luke has infectious enthusiasm for everything, though he knows when to be serious as well.

Anakin is damn proud of his son, and he does his best to show it.

Luke is eager to learn everything he can about the Jedi, and though Anakin believes he was a terrible Jedi, he tells Luke all about his training and about all the great Jedi he knew. He supposes he still knows them, they must be on Iith somewhere.

He doesn’t tell him about Obi-Wan though. Anakin almost doesn’t feel worthy of that.

He doesn’t feel worthy of a lot of things lately.

But Luke listens anyway. He listens to every story and he laughs at every joke.

Luke asks a question he should have seen coming one evening where they’re working on repairing a speeder engine.

Luke has been quiet for a while, so Anakin looks up briefly at him and gives him a curious look.

“What’s on your mind?” He asks.

“Why did you do it?” Luke demands. It’s quiet, not angry, but it’s still a demand.

“Do what?” Anakin is sure he knows the answer but he asks anyway.

“Join the dark side,” Luke mumbles.

Anakin has to pause for a moment and genuinely think about the question. Though he hates and regrets the decision greatly, he’s never actually thought about why he did it.

“I was very scared that I was going to lose someone close to me. The emperor took advantage of that. Now I think about it, he probably caused the fear. He made me think that only he could save them, and that I could if I joined him,” Anakin explains.

“Did you? Save them, I mean?” Luke asks.

“No. If anything, I contributed to them dying. I was so caught up in the emperor’s lies, I didn’t stop to think for myself. I believed him even when I shouldn’t have, even over people I cared about.” He recalls with guilt the way everyone tried to warn him about Palpatine. The old Jedi Order wasn’t perfect, far from it, but it was better than what Palpatine did.

“And then once you started, it was too late to go back,” Luke guesses. Anakin glances over at his son, and Luke’s expression is almost unreadable. All he can detect is a little sympathy.

“I did horrible things, Luke, inexcusable things. The emperor may have told me to do it, but I was the one who followed his orders. Looking back, my desperation made me believe anything he said. I know I was manipulated by him, but the reasons I had don’t justify what I did,” Anakin confesses. It’s the first time he’s realised how much he was manipulated by Palpatine, and that Palpatine only saw him as means to an end.

He thought Palpatine saw him as an apprentice, but the emperor was nothing like-

“You’re trying to make up for it now, aren’t you?” Luke points out, stopping Anakin in his thoughts.

“Yeah, but there’s a lot to make up for,” Anakin replies.

Luke nods, and the conversation is over as quickly as it began as a number of sparks fly from the engine.

The pair jump back, then grin as the engine starts to hum.

“We did it!” Luke exclaims.

“Yeah son,” Anakin muses, “we did.”

It’s not until after Anakin finds Obi-Wan once more that the next significant event occurs.

Anakin’s comm beeps in the middle of the night, and he groans as he picks it up. “Hello?”

“Father?” Luke’s voice comes out small and so very different from how Anakin is used to hearing it.

“Luke, hey kiddo, what’s up?” Anakin sits up, much more awake now.

“I- never mind, it’s stupid, you were probably sleeping, it was just- don’t worry about it-“ Luke rambles.

“Luke. It’s fine. Talk to me,” Anakin says firmly.

“I had a nightmare,” Luke mutters, and it almost doesn’t register in the comm.

Anakin knows his son has fought in battles, knows he’s seen horrible things. Almost everyone in the palace has.

Luke may be his son, but he was a soldier in a war, and Anakin knows no one comes out unscathed from a war.

“That’s okay Luke, why don’t you come over here and we’ll talk about it?” He offers. He knows the palace will take Luke to him quickly, and that all will be well.

Sure enough, a couple minutes later, Luke knocks on his door. When Anakin opens it, he tries not to let the sympathy show on his face.

Luke is pale, and looks as if he’s only just stopped shaking. Anakin sits him down on the couch and wraps him in a blanket, which Luke clutches with a vice grip.

“You wanna talk about it?” Anakin asks softly, pulling his son closer to him.

“On Tatooine, the Empire burned down my homestead. I found the bodies of Uncle Owen and Aunt Beru, but they were all burnt.” Luke’s voice is quiet, almost robotic.

“And you had a nightmare about that?” Anakin guesses. It couldn’t have been a pretty sight and he guesses it might even have been on his orders.

“Yes, but this time, it wasn’t just them. It was you, and Leia, and Obi-Wan, and Han. Everywhere I looked people I love were burning,” Luke whispers, voice shaking.

Anakin holds his son tighter. “They’re all okay, Luke. They’re safe.”

Luke puts his head on Anakin’s shoulder. “I’m sorry for waking you,” he murmurs.

“It’s really fine. Is this something that happens a lot?” Anakin decides that’s the most important thing to know at the moment.

“No. Not really. Most the time I can handle it, but not tonight, I guess,” Luke explains.

“Well, I’m sure we can come up with some ways to handle it. And you can always come here if you need to. My door’s always open to you, son.” Anakin hazards a guess that this will not be the first time they have to do this. Luke has only just stopped fighting. Now he has to live with the memories.

Luke nods and relaxes a little. “Thank you.”

“Anytime kiddo.” Anakin pushes himself up, gently leaning Luke against the other side of the couch. “Now, how about something to drink? I bet Obi-Wan didn’t tell you that I make the best hot chocolate in the galaxy.”

Luke laughs softly as Anakin walks out the room, and Anakin smiles.

He soon brings the drinks back in, and they talk, for a while.

After a while, he sees Luke is falling asleep, barely keeping his eyes open. He lies his son down, and gives him a kiss on the forehead. “Goodnight kiddo,” he whispers.

He doesn’t expect the muffled “goodnight Father,” that came from the bundle of blankets, but it makes him smile anyway.

#Star Wars #Star Wars AU #Luke Skywalker #Anakin Skywalker #facing facts series

[sistersofthelightforce]

Facing Facts: The Master (P1)

Luke is the only person on Iith who will go anywhere near Anakin. So naturally, Anakin decides to be the best father he can be (not just to make up for the long time he spent trying to kill him and turn him to the dark side, but also because he genuinely wants to be a good father to his son).

Leia, who Anakin has no clue how he didn’t work out was his daughter sooner, she looks just like Padmé, wants nothing to do with him. When he tried to speak with her, she whipped around and pulled her lightsaber on him.

Oh yeah, turned out she was one of those “Sisters” that everyone kept going on about.

“If it were up to me, you’d have stayed dead. The only reason I would ever bring you back would be to kill you myself. I already have a father, I don’t need you. So stay away from me,” she’d snarled at him.

So he had decided to give her some time to come around. He wonders if she’ll ever come around.

The strange thing is, Luke doesn’t have anymore power than Anakin himself, so Anakin has no clue what Karee meant by “his family” helping bring him back.

But he helps Luke train and the two spend time rambling about mechanics and putting together gadgets made of random scrap parts they could find.

Luke is his son through and through, and Anakin is so, so proud of him.

Anakin asks him, one day, about how he found out that Anakin was his father (he doesn’t mean that day on Bespin, but how Luke knew that Anakin Skywalker was his father).

“Ben told me. He said you were the greatest pilot in the galaxy and a powerful Jedi,” Luke explains.

“Ben?” Anakin is certain he does not know anyone named Ben.

“Oh yeah. I forgot. You know him as Obi-Wan, don’t you?” Luke says is so flippantly, like it shouldn’t surprise Anakin.

“You knew Obi-Wan?” Anakin asks softly.

“Yeah. He was like a mentor to me until-“ until you killed him, hangs in the air. “Still is, to be truthful.” Luke smiles and Anakin starts.

“Still is?” He inquires.

“Well yeah, he’s on Iith isn’t he? I see him a lot, and he helps train me, tells me stories, all that. He’s like an uncle to me,” Luke tells Anakin.

Obi-Wan is here, on this planet. He comes to visit Anakin’s son.

So when Anakin walks in one day to see Obi-Wan and Luke standing by the window talking, it shouldn’t catch him as off guard as it does.

Anakin hesitantly walks towards them both, and when Obi-Wan sets eyes on him, his eyes widen.

“Anakin-“ Obi-Wan starts, reaching out towards him and Anakin crumples, falling to his knees a few paces from the pair.

“Forgive me, forgive me, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, forgive me.” Anakin says it over and over again like a mantra, guilt hitting him in waves.

“Get up, Anakin,” Obi-Wan tells him gently, holding out his hand to help pull him up.

Anakin takes it, getting up and quickly moving his hands to his side, keeping his eyes to the floor. “Forgive me,” he says again, quieter this time.

Obi-Wan gives him a sad look. “I’m trying to, Anakin.”

It hits him harder than it should because of course Obi-Wan would take some time to forgive him. He killed him, for force’s sake!

But this was Obi-Wan, who had always forgiven him, always been the one to pick him up after he had made a stupid mistake. His master, his mentor, his idol (though he’d never admit it), his-

His brother.

The words from Mustafar hit him harder than they ever had. You were my brother Anakin, I loved you!

Anakin realises all too late that Obi-Wan has been a big brother to him since he was a child, that he has always just wanted to make him proud.

Obi-Wan put a great deal of his life into mentoring Anakin and Anakin had repaid that by killing him.

But when Anakin finally meets Obi-Wan’s eyes, he sees that brotherly love isn’t entirely gone.

When they have all sat down and Anakin has calmed down a little, Luke shows them the adjustments he has made to his lightsaber. Anakin watches the way Luke animatedly explains all the little details and he watches the way Obi-Wan smiles and nods even though Anakin is certain he has no clue what any of the technical terms mean.

Anakin sees how happy Luke is that he can show these things to both Obi-Wan and Anakin together rather than separately. He gets the feeling this is something Luke has wanted for a long time.

Anakin looks around and realises it’s something he has too.

#Star Wars #Star Wars AU #Facing Facts series #Anakin Skywalker #Obi-Wan Kenobi #Luke Skywalker #Leia Organa (briefly)

[sistersofthelightforce]

Facing facts: Awakening

Anakin Skywalker does not expect to wake up after throwing Palpatine down the ventilation shaft. He had said his goodbyes to Luke, glad he had done something good after so many years of evil. He had been content to finally die.

So when he wakes up in a strange room that does not look like a prison cell, he is, naturally, somewhat alarmed and confused.

He takes a deep breath as he ascertains his surroundings. Then he realises- it is his own lungs doing the breathing. He isn’t in that forceforsaken suit!

He takes another breath, then another. He looks around the room and he can see clearly once more. He’s free, the pain is gone! Elation fills him. He didn’t expect kindness from the universe after all he has done.

When he leaves the room, he takes a couple corridors and ends up in a room filled with people.

Several people freeze when he enters the room, some even scream.

Ah. He supposes he deserves that.

He takes a look around and sees several people he was certain until now were dead. Aayla Secura, Luminara Unduli and Shaak Ti. Force, Shaak Ti. He recalls putting his lightsaber through her head. She was probably one of those who screamed.

Now that he looks around, almost everyone in the room is a woman, as well. There are a couple men (Mace Windu being one of them, force help him) in the room, and a couple that are clearly neither. It is clear this is some sort of official group, maybe a mix of a few, but Anakin truly has no clue what is going on.

The human woman standing in between Mace Windu and Luminara Unduli comes forward. “Skywalker.”

How long had it been since he had answered to that name? It felt like centuries. He turned to face the woman properly.

Even though it is clear she is an adult, Anakin is inclined to call her kid. She is wearing a more practical outfit, clearly meant for movement rather than formality. He noted there is a lightsaber and a blaster either side of her belt. She wears her hair in a tight bun. The only thing that looks vaguely decadent about her is her jewelled necklace.

“Am I-Am I in the afterlife?” The childish question comes out of his mouth before he can stop it.

“No,” she replies, her tone light, almost inquisitive. “You’re on Iith.”

Anakin nods, not really sure how to respond. “And that’s where, exactly?” He racked his brains, trying to think. He vaguely recalled a planet that was way on the outer rim, so much so that some people were uncertain of its existence.

“In the Sister Systems. You’ll not have heard of it. But to answer your question, you are not dead. The people around you, though you know of their deaths, are not dead. You must unlearn everything you think you know about life, and about death.” The woman’s tone is WAY too dismissive to fit what she’s talking about. She has definitely given this talk a great deal of times.

“Right. Right. And who are you exactly?” He asks. He isn’t surprised she knows who he is, but he’d definitely feel better knowing who she is.

“Queen Karee Shi’in, of Iith. Youngest recorded queen of Iith and founder of The Sisters of Light. I am 32 years old. I am aware I look younger, that’s the magic,” the woman- Queen Karee explains.

“Okay, your highness.” He isn’t sure if he should bow, so he does.

She gives him such a glare that he decides never to do it again. “Call me Karee or Queen Karee, I have a name,” she says firmly.

“Okay, Queen Karee. Of course,” he replies uncertainly.

Queen Karee begins to walk and he doesn’t know whether to follow or not until she gestures for him to follow.

“You have to understand, Skywalker, that this is not going to be easy. You have inflicted a great deal of trauma upon almost everyone in this temple and across the galaxy. You cannot expect them to trust you immediately. It will take a very long time for them to come around. Some may never.” Queen Karee is choosing her words carefully. It’s clear she doesn’t entirely trust him either.

Anakin doesn’t blame her.

“There are people who, in your time as a Jedi, you cared about deeply and who cared about you. You cannot expect things to be the same with them, not for a long time.” Her tone is gentler this time, but it sends Anakin’s mind spiraling. Is Luke here? His sister? Anakin thinks of those who he had in his world before. Could Ahsoka be here? Could Rex? Could Obi-Wan?

Could Padmé?

That thought makes his head swirl. Would she even want to see him again? Would she (rightfully) hate him?

“Can you- can you tell me who?” He stammers out.

Queen Karee looks at him with something resembling both empathy and amusement. “You will find them when the time is right.”

That’s not a helpful answer, Anakin thinks.

“I’m aware it’s not, but it’s all that you’re getting,” Queen Karee says, and Anakin jumps. Apparently she could read minds too. Fantastic.

Queen Karee keeps walking and Anakin’s mind buzzed with questions.

“So, what am I doing here, exactly?” He asks. “Surely I should’ve stayed dead after everything I’ve done?”

Queen Karee gives him a look that means her sentiment is exactly the same. “Your family thought otherwise. Even those who knew they would be unable to face you wanted to give you a second chance.”

His family? His kids? Anakin wonders how two people could have influenced someone powerful enough to bring him back to life. “My family?”

“I am very close to some of your family. After a lengthy debate in which they both threatened and volunteered to use their own magic to bring you back, it was decided that alongside me, a member of your family would help bring you back,” Queen Karee informs him.

Right, because that made total sense. It not only implied that members of his family are powerful enough to bring back the dead, this woman is too?

But they had, hadn’t they? Because he’s there.

Anakin decides he needs a break. “Where am I staying?” He asks.

“You have a room, which I can take you to. It was where you woke up. If you’d taken a moment to look around you, you would have noticed it was furnished for someone to stay in. It also has an adjoining living room, kitchen and bathroom. You are not a prisoner, you are welcome to come and go as you please.” Queen Karee turns around, presumably to take him back to his rooms.

Anakin doesn’t understand why he’s not a prisoner, but he decides that he’s probably going to have to face the consequences of his actions anyway. Queen Karee definitely looks like someone who has some form of punishment for him that he hasn’t worked out yet.

#Star Wars AU #Star Wars #Anakin Skywalker #Karee Shi’in #Facing Facts series

[sistersofthelightforce]

Major player: Karee Shi’in

[Picture not obtained]

Born ten years before order 66, Queen Karee Shi’in was just a child when she was discovered by the Jedi. She spent the first 9 years of her life as a slave, sent away by her parents as a toddler as part of a long lasting twisted Sister Systems tradition. When the Jedi Temple was attacked by Darth Vader, 10 year old Karee discovered she not only had the power to teleport, but to bring back the dead as well. These would be among many of the powers she would discover in the process of bringing back to life the Jedi Order.

A child forced to grow up too quickly, when Karee returned to Iith by teleporting from the Jedi Temple, she became queen not long after. Though many were surprised by the decision, Karee proved to be a wise queen even at 10 years old. After her quick placement on the throne, she also ruled her siblings’ planets until they turned 13 years of age. Her parents were frightened by the turmoil in the galaxy and were eager to step down when their daughter appeared. They did not take an active role in the upbringing of their children, moving to a minor planet in the system run by a duke.

As a result of her rushed growing up, Karee still retains some childlike qualities. She is reckless and detests formalities unless she intensely dislikes someone. She also hates formalwear, leading to many escapades with her exhausted advisors. Many who first meet her are also often inclined to assume she is quite young, even though she keeps her body at age 25.

Karee is a revered fighter and ruler, and alongside her husband, Zett Jakussa, who prevented Bail Organa from being shot in the attack on the Jedi Temple, she fought many great battles, though she preferred fighting alongside her three closest friends.

As her parents took no interest in her or her siblings’ upbringing, Karee found a surprising maternal figure in Luminara Unduli. The stern woman was recommended as a mentor due to her disciplined nature, a stark contrast to Karee’s own. However, after a great deal of time, it was Luminara whose nature changed, becoming more affectionate and relaxed. Karee is known to call Luminara “Mum” in basic or in any language she knows.

Karee mainly fought alongside three women for most of her life; Asherica Matin, Padmé Amidala and Ahsoka Tano. These women are known as the four main sisters and hold a great deal of respect.

Karee has two children, Sophiyana and Numa. Numa was a child refugee whose parents were going to sell her into slavery. When 20 year old Karee came across her, she decided to adopt Numa as her daughter. Sophiyana is Karee’s child by Zett Jakussa, born when Karee was 35, three years after the pair got married.

Known to be brash and impulsive, Karee has no qualms with calling out what she believes is wrong and telling the truth as she sees it. Though a quiet general in the war against the Empire, Karee was instrumental in the fight. She kept her identity as secret as possible to protect the Sister Systems. After the war, her role was revealed and she is celebrated for it.

Karee, like many Sisters and their families, is immortal. The only way she could die permanently is if she chose to.

In her free time, Karee likes to practise her training, sparring with her friends and target practice. She is very adventurous and loves the outdoors. She loves hiking through the wilderness of her kingdom.

Though reckless, Karee is a skilled diplomat and ensures a prosperous and safe future for her kingdom and her siblings’ kingdoms. After the war against the Empire, she appointed Padmé Amidala and Ahsoka Tano as co-senators of the Sister Systems.

#Karee Shi’in #Sister lore #Major players #Star Wars #Star Wars AU

[sistersofthelightforce]

The story of the Sisters Of Iith

Iith, pronounced “ith”, is one of the three major planets of the Sister systems. It is the largest, and home to the base of The Sisters of Light. These women are like Jedi, but have harnessed the power of the light side of the force, and have limitless power.

The order was established by the teenage queen of Iith three years into the war against the empire. The queen herself, named Karee Shi’in, is the embodiment of the light side of the force. She is the original sister, and runs the order with kindness and a spirit of adventure.

For a select few who don’t fall on the feminine side of the gender spectrum, there are two other orders. One is The Brothers of the Force, and the other, for those who do not fall in the binary, is titled The Guardians of the Light. They have the same powers as the Sisters, but do not have the same level of recognition.

The Sisters of the Light were instrumental in the orchestration of the fall of the Empire, and when it ended, had a major role in keeping the peace and helping those still in need.

The Sisters have unlimited power, but they know they must use it wisely. They have the power to revive the dead and heal injuries, and to make themselves incorporeal. They can cast illusions and teleport. It is vital that a Sister use her power with care, as someone inexperienced can easily cause a stronger effect than intended.

If a Sister falls in love with another Sister, it is permitted that they be together. In this case, during formalities, the Sister will refer to her partner as “Lady” rather than “Sister”. Similarly, if it is the same case with a Brother or two Brothers, they refer to each other as “Lord” in place of “Brother”.

The Sisters are much like the Jedi order, but they are not as strict. Though the commandments of the Jedi were altered to permit attachment almost five years after Order 66, the rules on discipline remain. In The Sisters, the rules on discipline are more lax, and Sisters are encouraged to be passionate and follow their instincts. However, both orders encourage meditation and patience.

#backstory #basics #Sister lore #Star Wars #Star Wars AU