They talked together for a few more minutes before Obi-Wan left to come back to the medical facility. There I was allowed to sit up, even though it was fairly painful. “Kenobi, I need to know…”
“You don’t…okay, yeah you do need to know.” He said as he sat beside me. He took a deep breath before he continued. “Anakin…Anakin turned to the dark side. He went on a rampage killing the Jedi in the Temple and he took Mara. He killed Padme and we had to fight. I injured him but I have a feeling he is still alive. I know I did not kill him as Yoda instructed me to.” He hung his head down as if ashamed. I reached out and touched his arm.
“Obi-Wan, I know about the fight. I had nightmares about it but I didn’t…I didn’t think they’d come true. I just don’t understand why Anakin did this.” I fought myself as tears threatened to spill. I had to hold back for Obi-Wan’s sake.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, looking up.
“I didn’t have it until after you had left.” I replied. “When can we leave?”
“When you’re stable enough to be moved. I think they’re…” He was interrupted by a medical droid.
“Excuse me, sir, but it is time for her bacta treatment.” The droid said in his mechanical voice.
“My what?” I asked. I had helped with bacta tank treatments before but I’d never been in one.
“Your injuries cannot heal sufficiently without the aid of a bacta tank. We have been using it for two days while you have been in an unconscious state.” The droid said. “Will you excuse us?” He directed the question to Obi-Wan.
“Obi-Wan, don’t leave me.” I said. He squeezed my hand.
“You’ll be fine.” He stood up and kissed me on the cheek, then the lips. As the droids prepared me for my treatment, I started to fall asleep. The sedative was still in my system and still working on me. When I woke up, my treatment had been finished and I was lying in the same bed as before, with Obi-Wan asleep by my side. I caught the attention of one of the droids.
“How long before I’m released?” I asked.
“Two or three more days. But you mustn’t rush your recovery.” The droid said and he walked off. I sighed and leaned back, looking over at Obi-Wan. Though he was asleep, I knew he wasn’t at peace. I closed my eyes but sleep escaped me. I thought of Mara and where she might be. Had Anakin really taken her? And why would he? I didn’t even know he knew about her unless Obi-Wan had told him without me knowing. Then my thoughts shifted to Padme; I knew she was pregnant, but had her child survived? I sensed Obi-Wan was keeping something from me but I wasn’t sure what. What of the other Jedi? Did any survive besides Obi-Wan and me?
“Petra, wake up; it’s time we leave” I heard Obi-Wan’s voice say. I opened my eyes and looked up at him.
“But the two days…” I started.
“It’s been two days. They’re releasing you; and I dare not stay here longer than we must.” He picked me up gently and carefully. I winced. “I’ll give you some painkiller once we’re on board.”
“Board what?” I asked.
“Senator Organa left us one of his ships. I fear the Empire will be looking for us and they may track us here, that is why we must leave quickly.” He said as he carried me to the ship.
“Where are we going?” I asked again.
“Tattoine; I have to take Luke to the Lars.” He said.
I racked my brain for a minute. “Luke? The Lars?” This medicine must be messing with my mind. Was he talking about our Luke? The little boy that I had seen just a few days before in the Temple?
“Luke is one of Padme’s twins. We’re taking him someplace where the Sith won’t find him. Since Tattoine is out of the way, Yoda felt he’d be safer there.” He continued.
“One of Padme’s twins? Where’s the other?” I was fighting the medicine that was trying to keep me sedated.
“She’s with Senator Organa; we also felt it’d be safer if the twins were split up. I don’t want Anakin finding his children; or the Emperor for that matter. If the Emperor found them, he’d kill them.” Obi-Wan said. He laid me down on a bunk in the ship.
“The Emperor?” I had a feeling about who it was but everything seemed fuzzy.
“Chancellor Palpatine. He was the mastermind behind everything; he was a Sith Lord and turned Anakin. Palpatine was also with Dooku. I can’t explain it all right now; just rest and I’ll let you know when it’s time to leave.” He kissed me on the cheek and turned away into the cockpit. I heard a baby’s crying and turned my head. I saw a wrapped bundle across from me moving. Obi-Wan was too absorbed in flying that he didn’t’ hear Luke’s crying, so carefully and painfully, I got up and walked over to Luke. I held his hand in mine and his crying quieted. I bent down and picked him up, holding him closely. He looked so much like Anakin did when he was born that it brought tears. I sat down and started crying. I hadn’t cried in days and even now, though it hurt, I had to. Soon the crying turned to sobbing and it affected Luke and he started to cry again too. Obi-Wan got up and walked back, wondering what the noise was. He sat beside me and held me, taking Luke from me. Obi-Wan said nothing. He didn’t have to.
I woke up, realizing that I had fallen asleep in Obi-Wan’s arms. Then I realized that Obi-Wan was asleep along with Luke. I sighed as I sensed we were getting close to Tattoine. The computer beeped and Obi-Wan woke up. I pretended to be asleep as he got up and started to land the ship. He set the ship down so gently I hardly felt it land. He shook my shoulder. “I’ll be back in a little while.”
“Take me with you, Kenobi.” I said, sitting up.
He shook his head. “It’s too dangerous and your injuries…”
“Kenobi, take me with you.” I said firmly. He sighed and shook his head again. By that I knew he’d yielded.
“Fine, but don’t argue with me again.” He said. I started to get up but he helped me. “I’ll have to help you get dressed.”
“I’m not an invalid.” I argued. It’s not that I was ashamed; it’s just…strange.
“The droids left some tubes in your stomach to help the infection. I have to help you so that you don’t rip them out.” The tenderness in his voice stopped me from being so stubborn.
I rolled my eyes though. “All right.” *side note: this was why I was in so much pain; the tubes in my stomach coupled with the infection made the tissue and muscles pretty sore; also, Anakin had stabbed me through the back, but fortunately, his lightsaber had missed my spinal column.* With some difficulty Obi-Wan helped me change.
“I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to get you another set of clothes; there was no chance to go back to Coruscant after we fled to Polis Massa.” He said somewhat sorrowfully.
“I’ve done worse” was all I said in reply. Should I tell him my secret? I decided against it for the moment.
“Come, we’ll take Luke to Owen and Beru.” He went over and picked up Luke. “Pull your hood up; I can hide us more easily that way.” Not feeling up to arguing with him anymore, I did as he asked and as we stepped out of the ship he hid us with the Force. It’s a strange thing, walking through people and they never look at you; of course it’s a bit hard to imagine you’re invisible to them. I was carrying what we had left of our lives. Obi-Wan made us visible when we reached the place where you could rent eopies. Stubborn as they were, they were good pack animals. He paid the man several Tattoine credits *how he got these I never figured out* and helped me onto the back of one of the animals. He handed Luke to me and swung up himself. Once he was settled he took Luke back and protected Luke with his cloak. We rode a few miles before I spoke.
“Obi-wan, there’s something I should tell you.”
“Can’t it wait?” He said somewhat gruffly.
I sat silent for a minute. Could it wait? “No, no it can’t wait Kenobi. I…”
“Spit it out, Skywalker.” He said.
Gee whiz. “Obi-Wan, Siri and I are sisters.”
TO BE CONTINUED.