Renaissance

Years after the death of Palpatine, the Dark Side reawakens and the Force is once again, unbalanced. Over time, it begins to creep back into the life of Anakin Skywalker. Affecting his wife, Padmé Amidala, their family, Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Jedi Order, and the rest of the Galaxy.

Characters: Anakin Skywalker, Padmé Amidala, and their family. Some familiar faces from the Jedi Order, including Obi-Wan Kenobi, the Senate, and many others.

To play it safe, this story is rated T for Teen.

Genres are angst, drama, science fiction, and suspense.

** This is an alternate universe. It picks up about a year after the end of the Surprises universe and takes place over the course of several years. If you have not read, I don't think one needs to as long as you remember that this is alternate universe where Palpatine is dead. Anakin never turned to the Dark Side, Padmé lived, the Republic still stands, etc. So far everyone has had a happier ending...or will they?

We'll find out.

Chapter One

Twilight

Naboo

The sun was slowly beginning to disappear from the skyline of the Lake Country. Darkness would soon slowly begin to cover the sky and the beautiful world of Naboo.

Outside the double doors of Varykino, Jedi Master Anakin Skywalker sat on the sandy beach of Amidala's Beach. He was putting the finishing touches on his sand podracer.

Adjacent to the young Jedi Master, his nieces Ryoo and Pooja were each making a sandcastle.

"Uncle Annie!"

Anakin's blue eyes looked up to meet his niece's, "Yes, Pooj?" Calling the nine year old by her nickname.

"Your podracer needs flags!"

"That's right," Anakin smiled, "Thank you!" Since his speeder was mostly finished, "Miladies, would you like some help with your sandcastle?"

The two girls smiled. Anakin suspected they liked being called "milady" because it made them feel older. Though those days would be here before they knew it.

"No, we got it-"

Then someone walked into and then fell onto the sandcastle.

"Luke, no!"

Too late, the toddler fell tripped and tumbled down into the sandcastle. Smashing it.

Anakin pulled his son up and out of the fallen sandcastle. "Don't worry," Anakin chuckled. "We still have time before dinner. Remember I can fix anything."

"Apparently everything but proper directions," Said a familiar voice.

"Obi-Wan!"

Obi-Wan had a satchel over his shoulder. Trudging his way through the sand on the beach.

"Master," Anakin smiled with Luke on his hip. "You're here early." Anakin joked. Actually, he was just in time for dinner. "Did you have problems finding this place?"

"Oh, you must be joking," Obi-Wan shook his head. "I had an impossible time finding this place." Apparently the addresses of the Naberries in both Theed and the Lake Country had been "temporarily lost" from the Theed Records. The only reason Obi-Wan had found this place was because Anakin once mentioned it was not far of Convergence. The childhood home of Palpatine. Which luckily for Obi-Wan had not been lost from the records. He finally narrowed it down to the three different locations after studying topographical map.

Obi-Wan momentarily gazed upon the estate. Very impressive. It was bigger than he imagined.

"Well," Anakin pointed out, "That's the idea." For the safety of the whole family. Especially their children.

"Hello stranger," said a familiar voice.

Obi-Wan looked up to see Padmé Amidala.

"Hello Se—" Obi-Wan caught himself.

Padmé was no longer a member of the Senate. At least for now. She stepped down shortly before the birth of her and Anakin's third child. Representative Binks had taken her place.

Obi-Wan gave small respectful, but friendly bow. He looked to the small child on her hip. "And this must be..." Obi-Wan did not know the child's name. It had been a few months since he had last spoken with the couple. They had told him it was a boy, but they had not decided on a name then.

"Jinn," Padmé said with smile and nod of the head.

Obi-Wan gave her a surprised look. Jinn? After his former Master? That, Obi-Wan had not seen coming. He expected them to name this third child after the Senator's father or perhaps Anakin's mother if it had been a girl.

Obi-Wan touched the baby's soft hand, "Hello, Jinn."

Young Jinn had brown chestnut hair like his mother and blue eyes like his father and older brother.

Padmé then moved to place young Jinn in her friend's arms.

"Oh, milady," Obi-Wan tried to resist. "I don't think..." He had held infants before. Volunteering at the crèche in the Temple and watching Luke and Leia. Though only a little.

Obi-Wan, Jinn, and his parents sat down on the sofas.

"Why do I get the feeling this isn't a social call?" Padmé said with narrow eyes. Studying one of her closet friends carefully.

Anakin also gave Obi-Wan a curious look. Followed by an amused one seeing Jinn hold one of Obi-Wan's fingers.

"Well," Obi-Wan began. He also had to move his head around a bit. Apparently Jinn found his beard fascinating. "The truth is that I could use some assistance with my latest assignment."

Anakin looked to his wife.

Padmé looked back, "Hm." She sensed there was more. Who or what was it?

"This one also has..." Obi-Wan searched for the proper word, "Sentimental value." Using the Force, so he would not disturb young Jinn, Obi-Wan pulled up the footage from his robe pocket. "The footage is pretty poor quality." It was rather amazing, these "maximum" security prisons had the best of everything. Except updated security cams. He would have to ask his friend, Supreme Chancellor Organa about that.

Padmé studied the grainy slender figure in the bluish holo, "San Hill?"

Another figure followed closely behind the Muun. One Padmé and Anakin would recognize anywhere.

"And Gunray," Obi-Wan added.

"Of course," Anakin groaned. Watching the slimly Neimoidian run across the screen. Why couldn't the Neimoidian stay in prison? Or better yet in the ground?

A moment later the footage went completely blank. Meaning the footage had been cut off.

"We suspect they had help," Obi-Wan explained as you used the Force to pick the footage. "Possibly Ventress or some other dark assailant." Though whoever it was, they were trained in ways of the Force. The guards remembered very little from the escape. Obi-Wan and the other Jedi investigating sensed it was a Jedi Mind Trick.

Anakin cautiously asked, "You don't think he'll try to..."

Obi-Wan caught his meaning. Find them and send someone after them.

"No, no," Obi-Wan said reassuringly. "No, Gunray's funds, his assets, everything has been cut off. He doesn't have the resources or really the time to come after any Senators, or their families." At least, Obi-Wan couldn't see how. "Our intelligence says he is headed for the Outer Rim." He was on the run for his life. Now if they didn't act now and find him in time he would gather the resources to try another assignation attempt, but for now the Neimoidian had other things to keep him occupied.

"So at the moment using myself as the bait is out of the question," Padmé smiled.

"No," Anakin got on his feet. "No, you will not use yourself as the bait."

Padmé looked to her husband. "You didn't object the last time," She smiled.

"We weren't married yet," Anakin pointed out. "Secondly, it was your idea." At least, he thought it was. Anakin couldn't quite remember. He remembered being so excited to see Padmé. He recalled riding the turbolift. The speeder chase... To be honest, the main things he always recalled from that night was Obi-Wan jumping through the window, Anakin having to save him, as always, and most importantly Padmé...in her nightgown.

"-kin? Anakin!" Padmé wasn't certain she wanted to know why he husband was smiling.

Leia came running in, "Dada!" Dragging her favorite blanket on the floor.

Luke was trailing. He loved trying to step on the blanket for some reason.

Anakin looked at the younglings that came running into the room. "Why don't we finish this conversation later?" After dinner in a few hours. "In the meantime, come on."

Padmé collected Jinn from Obi-Wan's arms. Who seemed relieved that she finally relieved him of the small child.

Padmé smiled at Obi-Wan's relief. "And you haven't lived until you've seen our sunset." Especially this time of year.

Anakin and Obi-Wan with Luke and Leia tailing.

"Pooja, come on!" Ryoo called out to her younger sister. "We're going for a walk!"

"Luke?" Padmé came to her niece's side. "Luke, what are you looking at?"

"What is it?"

"Adada!" Luke pointed with his fingers.

Padmé's raised a brow. "Daddy's over there, little prince."

Pooja still looked a little uncertain. "You're sure it's nothing?"

"It was probably nothing," Padmé said with a reassuring smile. "We're perfectly safe. They had plenty of security all over Varykino and two Jedi Masters nearby. "Perhaps it one of those legendary..." Padmé Amidala went onto tell her little niece the tale of a legendary Nubian species. Legend had it they greeted the first settlers of Naboo thousands of years ago.

But it was no creature that lurked nearby.

It was a shadow.

And the shadow...no. The cloaked figure emerged from the shadow.

That was close, he thought. Too close.

Thank the Dark Side, Amidala had clearly not seen him. Even though he was so close, they could practically smell one another. Probably thinking she was perfectly "safe" with her two Jedi and all the security around the estate.

They could not sense his presence. The children and the thoughts of their old nemesis, Gunray would keep them busy for awhile.

Again, what a fool. No "security" would keep her them or hold him back for that matter.

His yellow eyes continued to watch the group out onto the sandy beach of Naboo. Watching Kenobi, Amidala, the five younglings, and Anakin walking and running along the beach.

Ah, Anakin.

How he had grown. Besides passing moments on he last the time he truly saw him was from afar and he was a mere child. The same age as Amidala's nieces.

Yet despite how powerful he had become, even he, the Chosen One could not sense him.

The Dark Side and its growing power.

Of course, it had never really gone away. Despite the Jedi believed, its Chosen One and the all the changes. The Renaissance as some had called it, had not healed the rend in the fabric of the Force made by Tenebrous's Master was merely being held up by tape and paste.

Soon he would tear the gaping would back open.

While the Jedi believed Anakin had brought balance to the Force in killing Sidious.

He shook his bonneted head. How one could think "balancing" the Force meant ridding the Force of the dark was beyond his comprehension.

But that would be of little matter one day soon.

His time was near.

It was time to take back what was rightfully his.

Crap, and they seem so happy. And I'll warn you guys now, this story has angst in it.

Again, you were warned.

Trivia: The word, renaissance means rebirth. Originally I was going to make this chapter like a oneshot. Then I decided to add it to this story as almost a prologue.

Jinn is Anakin and Padmé's third child. He is an OC. However, in the EU comic Darth Vader and the Lost Command, Vader dreams about what life might have been had he not turned. In these dreams, he and Padmé have a son named not Luke like one would expect, but Jinn. Really, I don't think it's entirely crazy to think that not only they would have more children had things turned out differently, but also that Anakin would want to name his son after Qui-Gon Jinn. Also, some of you may have seen the name used in other stories.

You'll find out who it is soon enough. Also, I'm not telling so don't ask.

And readers, don't worry I'm still going to finish TSCATGV and Scroll III, I'm still fleshing out details on the next chapters. This is just to hold you guys over until they're done.

Review please.