Luke made his way down the twig and vine walkway to
his assigned treehouse. Faint sounds of celebration
continued behind him. Apparently they intended to make
a night of it. He didn't begrudge the others their joy
but he couldn't share it either, not completely.

   He'd saved his father's soul but not his life. He
would never have the chance to know Anakin Skywalker,
and more importantly neither would Leia. She'd never
have anything positive to balance against her terrible
memories of Vader. Without that would she ever be able
to forgive their father as Luke had? And if she
couldn't what would that unresolved hatred and anger
do to her? 

   Luke ducked his head to enter the unlighted hut,
halted as he made out a dim a human form sitting on
the sleep platform. Oops. "Sorry, must have
miscounted." started to duck out again.

   "Luke"

   Whirled back. He knew that voice - stared
disbelieving as the figure rose, towering some two
meters tall. It couldn't be - it was impossible -

   "Father?" 

   "Yes, Luke."

   Hesitantly he moved closer, reached out, grasped
solid human flesh beneath layers of nubby cloth.

   "Father!" for a moment all he could do was hold on,
fighting back tears as strong arms encirled him and
held him close.

   "My Son, my Luke."

   "I don't understand." he managed at last, felt his
father shrug.

   "Neither do I really. All I know is I've been given
a second chance."

   "We both have." said a third voice quietly.

   "Ben?" Luke pulled a little away from his father to
look towards the voice. All he could see in the
darkness was a second robed silhouette, the height was
right but where was the blue aura that always cloaked
his late Teacher?

   The figure bent and a lamp flared to life,
straightened and Luke gasped.

    Not the worn and weathered desert rat he'd known
but a much younger man, smiling Ben's smile and
watching him with the familiar crystal blue eyes in an
unlined face with brown hair and short brown beard.

   "Ben?" looked up at his father for help and saw not
the middle-aged man from the Death Star, miraculously
made whole, but somebody his own age, with the same
coloring and familiar cleft in the chin. "You're
young! You're both young."
   
   His father nodded. "We've been given back the years
we lost - or wasted."
   
   "It wasn't all your fault, Ani." Ben told him.

   "Of course it was!" father snapped back. "My
decision, my failure!"

   But Ben shook his head. "If I'd taught you better
-"

   A new voice cut in, deep, soft and authoritative.
"Enough!"

   Luke, wondering just how many Jedi were going to
materialize out of the woodwork, turned to face this
new one. He was a tall man, as tall as his father but
older with silver strands shimmering in the short
brown beard and the long mane spilling over the
shoulders of his dark Jedi robe. The face was broad
and rugged, the eyes blue-grey and lucent, at once
piercing and kind. At the moment they were looking
sternly over Luke's head at father and Ben.

   "I am not going to spend the next forty or fifty
years listening to you two argue over which is the
most to blame." he continued. "Mistakes have been made
and paid for. A Jedi does not dwell on the past.
'Without remorse, without regret.'"

   "Yes, Master." father and Ben replied in chastened
chorus.
   
   Luke looked at them in astonishment, then back at
the stranger who smiled down at him.

   "Now will one of you please introduce me?"
   
   "Luke, this is my old Master Qui-Gon Jinn." Ben
explained, "Master, this is Ani's son, Luke
Skywalker."

   "But - you said Master Yoda was your Teacher." Luke
protested, confused.

   "So he was for a time. But Qui-Gon was my Padawan
Master."

   Well that was as clear as a Tatooine sandstorm!

   "And the Jedi who discovered me." father said
quietly. Hands resting lightly on Luke's shoulders, he
looked over his head into the older Jedi's eyes. "I
betrayed your faith in me, Master, I'm sorry."

   "I know you are, Ani." Qui-Gon replied kindly.
"Don't waste your energies on vain regrets, focus on
repairing the harm you've done."

   Father bowed his head obediently. "Yes, Master."

   "And that goes for you too, Obi-Wan."

   "Yes, Master." with a hint of a smile.

   "Uh - anybody else coming?" Luke asked hesitantly.

   Master Qui-Gon smiled. "No, we're it. We have been
given new lives by the Force to help you rebuild the
Jedi Order."

   Luke swallowed. "Not that I can't use the help but I'm not sure I want to
have to explain that to the Alliance Council.

   Waves of amusement washed over him from the three reborn Jedi.

   "I don't see any reason to trouble them with unecessary details." Qui-Gon
said mildly.

   "We can simply be three Jedi who somehow managed to survive the Purge."
Ben suggested, sitting down on the edge of the sleep platform.

   Luke sat next to him - it had been a long day and the reaction was
begining to catch up with him.

   "After forty years nobody is likely to recognize my name." Qui-Gon mused.
"But Obi-Wan and Anakin are a different matter."

    Ben shrugged. "Nothing wrong with the name I've been using for the past
twenty years, Ben Kenobi."

   "Any relation to Obi-Wan Kenobi?" Luke asked.

   "Distantly." his first Teacher smiled back.

   "As for Ani -" the Master began.

   "My cousin." Luke interupted decidedly. "Named for my father." The other
three looked at him. "There's more than a passing resemblance here," he
pointed out, "we have to be related."

   "Cousins." father smiled faintly, sobered. "Your sister must be told the
truth."

   "I know." Luke agreed. Now Leia could get to know their father - but
would she be willing to give Anakin Skywalker a chance? Luke forsaw
problems. Shrugged mentally *Like what else is new?*

   "What did you tell them - about me?" father asked.

   Luke felt himself flush, raised his chin defiantly. "I said I defeated
Darth Vader but it was my father, Anakin Skywalker, who killed the Emperor."
Tingling silence. "It's true!" looked straight at Ben, "'From a certain
point of view'"

   His Teacher laughed but father looked troubled. "I don't want you lying
to protect me, Luke."

   "I'm protecting myself," he answered bluntly, "and Leia. Being known as
the children of Darth Vader could be dangerous, your enemies might target us
for revenge."

   "I hadn't thought of that." father conceeded but he still didn't look
happy.

   "Someday when passions have had a chance to die down a little I'll tell
the whole story." Luke offered. "But not now, it'd just make trouble for
Leia and me."

   That seemed to reassure him, but - "One more thing, son, lose the black.
I've taken a dislike to the color."

   "I meant it as mourning for you and the rest of the Jedi." Luke
explained. Shrugged helplessly. "Where do you get Jedi robes anyway?"


   "Good morning, sir." Cee Threepio trilled as Luke emerged into the early
morning mists entwining the treetop village. "Mistress Leia asked me to -"
broke off, photoreceptors going over Luke's shoulder to fix on the other
Jedi. Pneumatic joints wheezed as the droid jerked upright. "Master
Anakin?!"

   Luke stared at his droid, then back at his father. "You two know each
other?"

   "Oh, yes sir," Threepio said happily. "Master Anakin is my Maker."

   "Your *what*?"

   "I asssembled him from salvaged parts when I was a boy." father explained
calmly. "Hello, Threepio, good to see you're still intact."

   "Frankly, sir, it's a wonder that I am. With what I've been through these
last twenty years -"

   "Threepio," Luke interupted. "Why didn't you tell me you knew my father?"

   The droid pulled himself up in offended dignity. "Oh I couldn't do that,
Master Luke, it would have been *most* improper."

   "Threepio's a Protocol Droid." Ben pointed out quietly. "His programming
forbids discussing his former masters or their affairs."

   "Thank you, Master Obi-Wan, it's good to see you again too, sir. And
Master Qui-Gon as well, how remarkable." to father. "I'm afraid I'm a bit
confused, sir. Her Royal Highness said you'd been killed."

   Anakin's face tightened slightly. "She was mistaken."

   "Oh, I see."

   "Leia told you father was dead?" Luke floundered.

   "Not Princess Leia, sir, your mother Queen Amidala."

   "*Queen* Amidala!" he echoed incredulously. "My mother was a queen?"

   "You didn't see fit to mention that?" father asked Ben.

   Luke's first Teacher shrugged apologetically. "There wasn't time for a
lot of family history."

   Luke closed his eyes and reminded himself it was beneath the dignity of a
Jedi to gibber.

   Threepio was also having a little trouble assimilating new information.
"Actually, General Kenobi, I thought you and Master Qui-Gon had died as
well. I'm *sure* Master Luke said -"

   "More mistakes I'm afraid." Ben cut in firmly.

   "Of course." the droid accepted incuriously. "Things have been very
confused these last twenty years." continued wistfully. "Frankly I haven't
understood more than half of what's gone on."

   "Things should be more settled now the Emperor is dead." father soothed.

   "Oh, good. I really don't think I could have taken much more, sir. I
wasn't designed for emergencies you know."

   "You've been a great help to us Threepio." Luke said firmly. "We couldn't
have done without you."

   Somehow the immovable metal face managed to beam. "Thank you, sir."

   "It would be best if you avoided any references to your former
acquaintance with father and Master Qui-Gon, and please call Obi-Wan Ben in
the future." he continued.

   "As you wish, sir."



   Leia, hair down, wearing the dress she'd cobbled together out of skins,
waited impatiently in the 'town square' the linked platforms in front of the
chief's hut and meeting house.

   "It's the crack of dawn, sweetheart," Han yawned, "the kid's probably
decided to sleep in - he had a hell of a day yesterday."

   "Like we didn't?" she asked drily. But knew there was no comparison. Luke
had given her the bare bones of it; the confrontation with the Emperor, his
death at Vader's - no their *father's* - hands. She must remember that,
count it in his favor against his crimes.

   He'd sent her a message, or rather Luke's sister a message, he'd never
known who she was. For some reason that hurt. In a strange way she was going
to miss him, miss Vader. She'd always enjoyed matching wits with him,
duelling with veiled words when they met, calculating what he'd do next and
countering it. And she'd always won - until that last time.

   *I got careless, underestimated him. My fault - *

   "Well what d'you know, here he comes." Han's voice broke into that all to
familiar train of thought. "Maybe Jedi don't need sleep. Who're those guys
with him?"

   Leia stiffened. The very tall, bearded man on Luke's right was a total
stranger but the one on his left looked *exactly* like the holos Bail Organa
had shown her of General Kenobi. And the very tall, fair haired man hanging
behind as if reluctant to face her...She stood up, feeling the blood drain
from her face to tingle coldly in toes and fingertips.

   All four stopped right in front of her.

   "Leia -" Luke began.

   She spoke past him to the fourth man. "You're supposed to be dead."

   "I was." the voice shocked her, so different from the one she'd expected.
"I've been given a second chance - to repair the damage I've done."

   "That isn't possible." she told him bluntly.

   "I know." quiet, undefensive, as if he agreed with her.

   "Leia." Luke pleaded.

   She looked at him. Noted distantly that they were very much alike her
brother and father with the same blue eyes and cleft chin.

   "He's here to try. Give him a chance."

   She blew out a sigh, let it go for the moment. Looked up at Han.
Explaining this was going to be fun.

   He was eyeing General Kenobi in a wary, puzzled sort of way. Of course,
he'd met him on Tatooine - and seen him die on the Death Star."

   "Hello, Captain Solo." the general smiled.

   Han's eyes went wide at the voice. He looked wildly at Luke then back at
Kenobi. "But - but - you were an old man! Vader cut you in half!"

   Leia saw her father flinch at the memory, or the name.

   "Luke is going to need help reestablishing the Jedi." the general
explained calmly. "The Force sent us."

   "Right...sure...why not?" Han said sarcastically. "Farm boys turn out to
be princess's long lost brothers; evil Sith Lords become good guys; Jedi
Knights come back from the dead - Just another day's work in the Rebel
Alliance." he shrugged. "So who're your friends?"

   "This is my Master, Qui-Gon Jinn." Obi-Wan introduced the tall bearded
man who'd yet to say a word. "And my former apprentice, Anakin Skywalker."

   It took a moment for the name to register, for the pieces to fall
together. "Vader?!"

   "No!" Luke, sharp and commanding. "Anakin Skywalker, my father and
Leias."

   Han turned to her for help. "You said your father was Vader."

   "That's right." father answered for her.

   Luke opened his mouth to argue, was silenced by a firm hand on his
shoulder.

   "I was born Anakin Skywalker, became Darth Vader, then turned back late
but not too late. And I owe you more than an apology, Captain Solo. If there
is any reparation I can make for what I did to you on Bespin please let me
know."

   "I'd say drop dead, but you've done that." Han shrugged again helplessly.
"I'll try and think of something."

   *He's taking it better than I am.* Leia thought. "You're quite a man Han
Solo.*

   Her father seemed to agree. A ghost of a smile passed over his face.
"Thank you, captain."

   "So - are we all going up to the command ship or not?" Han wanted to
know.

   "We are." Luke took her arm, steered her towards the walkways to the
ground. "I don't plan to tell the Council the whole story."

   "Good move!" fervently from Han.

   "Father - Anakin - will be our cousin. Ben a relative of the famous
General Kenobi. Master Qui-Gon -"

   "Will remain Master Qui-Gon." the strange Jedi spoke for the first time,
voice deep, warm and amused. "I don't expect my name will be recognized."

   "I sure never heard of you." Han agreed blithly. Garnering a suprisingly
grim look from General Kenobi.

   "Naturally. I died before you were born." the Master replied unoffended.

   "Killed by a Sith." from father, bitterly. "My predecessor as Palpatine's
apprentice."

   The bitterness was directed at himself, Leia realized, for betraying
Qui-Gon by becoming the thing that had killed him. The Master glanced back
at him, face unreadable, then smiled down at her.

   "You're very like your mother."

   "You knew my mother?"

   "You didn't tell me she was a queen." Luke accused.

   She looked at her brother in bewilderment. "She wasn't. Her name was
Padme, she was a friend of my adoptive parents."

   "Padme was her incognito." father explained from behind them. "Her real
name was Amidala, Queen of the Naboo."

   "Amidala of Naboo!" the vine bridge swayed as Leia spun to face her
father. "Mama was Queen Amidala?!"

   "I take it you've heard of her." he said blandly, a glint of humor in his
eye.

   "Of course I've heard of her! She was my hero when I was a child. I
wanted to be just like her when I grew up; strong and brave and principled
-" her voice broke. "My parents told me all about her." *But not that she
was my own mother.* Leia felt betrayed, cheated.

   "I'd say you've succeeded admirably." father said judiciously. "Your
mother would be proud of you, both of you."

   "They knew about you too, didn't they?" she accused.

   "Leia," Luke touched her arm sympathetically, "I wasn't told either. Ben
claimed my father had been killed by Darth Vader."

   "And so he had been." Anakin said quietly.

   "From a certain point of view." Luke and General Kenobi said in ironic
unison.

   But father shook his head. "In a very real sense I was dead, and buried
inside Darth Vader. Until Luke brought me back to life." to her. "If they
lied to you, Leia, it was to protect you from me. If I'd ever suspected you
were my daughter -"

   "You'd have come after me the way you did after Luke." she finished for
him.

   "Yes."

   Why did that give her such a warm feeling?


   "Why shouldn't it make you feel good to know your father cared about
you?" Han asked reasonably. "Even if he was an evil Sith Lord." looked
thoughtful. "Come to think of it, if he cared about his kids then he
couldn't have been totally evil after all."

   "That's what Luke said that last night on Endor. That there was still
good in him and he had to try to reach it."

   "When the kid's right, he's right." Han stretched.

   Leia took advantage of the movement to wriggle into a slightly more
comfortable position. They were lying together on her bed aboard the command
ship, a tight fit but cozy, unwinding after a hectic day.

   "He's right about something else," Han continued, "Anakin really *isn't*
Vader." She opened her mouth to argue, he shut it tenderly. "I'm not saying
he *wasn't* Vader. Just that he isn't anymore." frowned. "Vader gave off a
stench of evil even a guy like me could sense a mile off. Anakin - doesn't.
He's good. You can feel that too."

   That was true. But he still felt like Vader to her. The cordially hated
enemy she'd fenced with and occasionally bargained with and known like a
dark reflection.

   He'd fascinated as much as he'd appalled her. And she'd sensed he
returned her interest. It had saved her aboard the Death Star, given her the
courage to go on resisting. Somehow knowing that he wouldn't let Tarkin kill
her or resort to measures she couldn't withstand to force her secret from
her. Because to do so would destroy her and he wanted her intact.

   But on Bespin he'd seemed to have lost interest, to want only Luke. That
apparent rejection had hurt. Scared her too, her one defense gone. It was
with relief she'd heard him order her taken to his ship. Found herself
thinking, incongruously, 'he still cares'. And now she knew why.

   "I wasn't really suprised when Luke told me who Vader was. Like deep down
I'd always known or would have if I'd let myself." she chewed her lip a
minute before continuing. "We were enemies, I hated everything he stood for
but I'd always felt this - bond - between us. A connection, and sometimes
that scared the hell out of me."

   "I bet it did."

   "If I'd known why I felt like that, if my parents had told me the truth
about him -"

   "You'd have felt even worse." Han told her. "Your own father your worst
enemy? I can't blame your folks for keeping that from you."

   She barely heard him. *If I'd known I could have done what Luke did,
could have turned him back. And with him on our side Alderaan might never
have been destroyed!*


  Anakin Skywalker paced restlessly up and down the walkways outside their
tree house. The three Jedi had returned to Endor to sleep having no quarters
aboard ship.

   It was all very well for Master Qui-Gon to say 'focus on the moment.' he
didn't know - no that wasn't right - he knew but at a remove, he hadn't had
to live through the nightmare of the past twenty years. Maul had spared him
that.

  *I should be grateful. If Qui-Gon'd lived I'd have betrayed him, broken
his heart as I broke Obi-Wan's.*

   "Ani?"

   He turned, seeing for a moment not his Master as he was now but the worn,
weary old man he'd faced aboard the Death Star. Obi-Wan had been spared
nothing; the purge, twenty grinding years of exile and finally death at the
hands of his own apprentice.

   "I killed you." Anakin said painfully. "I can't believe I did that. How
could I? Why did you let me?"

   "Let you?" Obi-Wan inquired with a lift of his brows.

   His student snorted. "You were always my master with the sabre." he
reminded, Anakin Skywalker could admit that even if Darth Vader couldn't.
"Twenty years out of practice or not you could still have carved me for
dinner."

   "I ran out of time." his Master explained. "I was cut off, reinforcements
were on their way. Luke had to go and I knew he'd never leave me alive
so..." he spread his hands.

   But Anakin shook his head. "You could have killed me."

   "No I couldn't." was the quiet answer. "Not even for Luke. I told myself
I should - but I just couldn't bring myself to do it."

   For a moment Anakin could barely see for tears. Even after all those
bitter years, after watching the destruction of the Jedi, Obi-Wan had still
loved him that much.

   He swallowed the lump in his throat managed, "I kept your lightsabre."
that meant nothing, a trophy. "And your robe." that did mean something, he
could have had only one reason for hanging onto the shabby halves of his
Master's Jedi cloak. "I sent them off on a shuttle before we jumped for
Yavin so they weren't lost with the Death Star." dredged up a smile.
"They're tucked away in a closet in my fortress. Along with Master's old
robe and a trunk of Amidala's things -" a momentary diversion. "I should get
that for Leia, Ami'd want her to have them." back to the main point. "I
couldn't bear to look at them often but I couldn't let them go either. Force
only knows what Palpatine would have done if he'd ever found out."

   Obi-Wan smiled a little. "Sounds like you weren't much of a Sith, Ani."

   "I wasn't. Almost as bad a Sith as I was a Jedi." a grimace. "I should
have stuck with pod-racing, I was a real good racer."

   "I wasn't much of a Master either, Ani."

   "Now don't start that again!" almost irritably. "The flaw was in *me* not
my training. I'd have turned no matter who my Teacher was - not even Qui-Gon
could have prevented it."

   "Maybe not." Obi-Wan conceeded softly, perching on the rail. "But he
wouldn't have lost faith as I did. Wouldn't have pinned all his hopes on
Luke. Wouldn't have tried to convince your own son to kill you."

   *And how much of that was Yoda's influence, his idea, not yours?* Anakin
wondered. The little Jedi Master had never trusted him, Chosen One or no.
*And he was right, wasn't he?* But whatever his feelings about the father
he'd done a fine job training Luke for which Anakin would always be
grateful.

   "Happily Luke had his own ideas. And the courage of his convictions."
Anakin's thoughts passed naturally from son to daughter. "Leia took it
better than I thought she would. At least she'll talk to me."

   "You two have history." not really a question.

   Anakin nodded. "I knew her well as Vader." a sidelong look. "I was
considering taking her as my apprentice, before I found out about Luke."

   Obi-Wan's head jerked up in shock.

   "I never realized she was my daughter but I sensed the Force was strong
with her. And I saw something of myself in her, some of the same weaknesses,
I was sure I could turn her."

   "But you never tried." his Master said, regaining his composure.

   "No. Somehow I kept putting it off. After the destruction of Alderaan -
it was the perfect moment. All that churning rage and grief. It would have
been easy. But Luke rescued her, took her out of my reach..." He looked up
at the darkening sky. Stars were begining to come out - though most were
actually ships, the Rebel Fleet and surviving Imperial destroyers. "I can't
believe I never guessed who she was. I should have known, she has her
mother's eyes and my mother's face." a sudden thought. "I wonder, was that
why I only played with the idea of turning her instead of doing it? Because
in my heart I couldn't bear to corrupt their memory?"

   "Only you can answer that, Ani."

   He smiled as he shook his head. "Not really. I did my best to avoid
introspection when I was Vader. Too many things I didn't dare think about;
my mother, Amidala, you.."

   Sadly. "I wish I'd tried harder to bring you back, Ani."

   "I'd have only killed you sooner." Anakin put a hand on his Teacher's
shoulder. "I'd steeled my heart against you, Master. No matter what you said
all I'd have heard was Palpatine's lies."


   Invisible in the shadowed doorway of their hut Qui-Gon Jinn nodded
approval. Ani and Obi-Wan were coming to terms with their past, moving
beyond fault finding to acceptance. Soon they'd be ready to focus on the
present. And the future.

   As for himself, he harbored no illusions that he could have changed
things had he survived Maul. His mistakes would have been different from
Obi-Wan's, but mistakes he would surely have made and the end result would
have been the same.

   And he was on his guard against guilt. He had done as the Force had moved
him. He could have done nothing else without being false to himself and It.
His actions had led to terrible consequences as a result of other people's
choices. To assume responsibility for those would be a presumption on his
part. No guilt then, but he could and did grieve for the suffering and the
losses. And above all for the child who had so terribly lost his way.

   He was glad to have this chance to help Anakin find his right path, to
finally fulfill his promise. And of the opportunity to see with his own eyes
the great Jedi he'd always known Obi-Wan would be.

   Qui-Gon was prouder of his Padawan than he could ever say. Faced with the
ultimate disaster and the loss of all he had known and cared for Obi-Wan had
never lost his courage or his hope. Had continued the fight to his last
breath - and beyond. He had perhaps taken a bit more blame upon himself than
was strictly deserved, had transfered his faith from Anakin to Anakin's son
but those were minor faults.

   And then there was Luke. The Master smiled, he sensed a kindred spirit
there. The boy might not know it yet but he had already chosen the Living
Force as his guide. It had given him the insight and the compassion to save
his father. He reminded Qui-Gon of his grandmother, he had her gentleness
and her courage. If only Shmi could have known her grandchildren.

   She would have been a great help with Leia. For Ani was right, there was
a lot of him in his daughter. That didn't worry Qui-Gon. There was no
Palpatine to lead Leia astray, to twist her best qualities to evil. But he
sensed it worried her, that she would be reluctant to learn the ways of the
Force fearful of falling as her father had.

   Shmi or Amidala would have been able to sooth her fears far more
effectively than any Jedi Master ever could. But her mother and grandmother
weren't available. Her father and brother and Obi-Wan and himself would have
to do what they could. And hope it would be enough.