Hey everyone! Guess what? This is the last chapter! So, thank you all for reading this story. I really appreciate it, and thank you to all of you who have reviewed, everyone who added this to their favorites list, and everyone who has added this to their story alert list. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this final installment of "Fixing A Hole"!
"Now what do we do?" the Corellian asked once Palpatine had been put in handcuffs and tied to a chair with engine tape. The ysalamir was out of reach, but it's no-Force bubble extended far enough to include Palpatine inside it. Needless to say, all of the Jedi were keeping their distance from the sessile snakelike creature. Anakin was a little freaked out by the ysalamir and it's unique ability. "I swear to the Force, that snake is staring at me!" he exclaimed.
The woman rolled her eyes. Anakin guessed she was Alderaanian, but wasn't quite sure. She looked a lot like Padmé, so he started to wonder if she was from Naboo instead. "Are you really this spastic?" she demanded.
Cutting off Anakin's answer, the Corellian repeated, "I said, now what do we do?"
"I have an idea!" another, more respectable-looking Corellian exclaimed, but he was answered by a resounding, "No!" from the group he was part of. Anakin wondered if they were from the future like Luke.
Obi-Wan was pacing back and forth across the room, thinking. "Well, we need to keep him somewhere while the Senate calms down... and then there's the problem of the trial." He turned to Luke and the Alderaanian woman. "What happened to Palpatine where you're from?"
Luke and the Alderaanian, who Anakin figured out was the Senator which Luke had mentioned, exchanged glances, and Luke reluctantly answered. "He was killed by Anakin."
Anakin blinked a few times. "But there were only three people in the badly lit throne room on that battle station: you, Palpatine, and..." He trailed off as he realized who the last had been. "Oh." So that was how Obi-Wan had figured out that he and Padmé were married. It would also explain the reason that Luke had been reluctant to give his name. Anakin then remembered that Luke hadn't told him his real name, but the Alderaanian and obnoxious Corellian had called him that. Regardless, now Luke's behavior made sense.
Padmé rolled her eyes. "It sure took you long enough!" she told Anakin, guessing he had just figured out that he and Luke actually were related.
"You know, a lot more things make sense now," the Corellian noted. "I mean, Leia, we now know where your impatience and sarcasm come from." For that comment, the Alderaanian, whom Anakin now knew was named Leia, hit the annoying Corellian on the back of the head. "Temper, too," he added, "but we already knew that." She hit him again.
"Han, please stop; you'll only make it worse," Luke asked the vexing Corellian. Anakin noticed he was running out of adjectives synonymous with annoying to call Han. Becoming fed up with not knowing who everyone was, Anakin just asked Luke who some of the others were. Luke told him while Han kept talking.
"I know," Han replied with a grin. "But if I keep it up, she'll eventually agree." Leia only glared at him for saying that. Han turned back to Obi-Wan. "Have a solution yet?"
Obi-Wan sighed, still concentrating on and coming up with a solution for what to do with Palpatine. "If there is a trial, and Palpatine is sentenced to death, who would be the executioner?" Han rose his hand to volunteer. Obi-Wan didn't notice. "Then what if he's sentenced to life in prison? Or, Force forbid, he's acquitted?"
Wedge shook his head. "Obi-Wan, you need to relax. Let someone else deal with it. All we really have to do is turn him over to the Senate. We can let the Senate deal with him." Wedge remembered that there were Senators in the room. "Sorry. What I meant was that we'll get to that once we get there. I mean, the Republic wasn't built in a day!"
"Is that the right metaphor?" Anakin asked one of the guys next to him, another Corellian. The Corellian shrugged and replied, "It's close enough, and Wedge does have a good point."
"So now what do we do?" Han asked again.
"I have an idea," Wedge announced. Half of Rogue Squadron groaned, and Luke hid a grin with his hand. Han resisted the impulse to laugh hysterically. Wedge turned to the Senators. "Where's the nearest refresher, and does anyone have a video camera?" Anakin was now extremely curious.
Leia figured it out first and then denied Wedge's idea. "No. You are not doing that. While I would enjoy footage of Rogue Squadron giving Palpatine a swirly shortly followed by an atomic wedgie, I do believe that it is cruel and unusual punishment, thereby against the rules of war."
Padmé couldn't decide what was funnier: the idea itself, the confusion apparent on the faces of the Senators and their guards, the look of horror on Palpatine's face, the look on Anakin's face which was somewhere between horror and amusement, how Leia had said that with a completely straight face, or how Obi-Wan had missed the entire exchange.
Luke, now appearing to be completely serious, agreed with Leia. "Sorry Wedge, but it's just too dangerous to move him."
That, Padmé decided, definitely takes the cake.
After they decided to leave Palpatine where he was, the group had dispersed. The Rogues (and Lando) had gone to the nearest bar and had been funded by Senator Bel Ibis to drink as much as they wanted. They were also offered rooms in a really posh hotel by Mace on behalf of the Jedi since they had saved Obi-Wan from what the Jedi had thought was certain death. No one bothered to correct them. Not even Obi-Wan, who had been told the entire story of the Empire and Rebellion (complete with sound effects) after the group of on the Falcon had gotten bored with playing cards.
At Padmé's urging, Luke and Leia decided to break the news to Anakin. Padmé thought it would probably be best that they told him at her apartment since they couldn't well say that in a public place. Han went with them because he was a little curious to see what Anakin had been like before he was Vader. Han's ulterior motive was that Leia was going. Obi-Wan had went along as well because he really didn't want to make the report to the Council that he was not on Utapau anymore because a squadron of fighter pilots and two former smugglers from the future spirited him away before his clone troopers could turn on him. Of course, Obi-Wan had a feeling that Anakin's reaction to what Luke and Leia had to say would be priceless. Han, apparently, was prepared for such a situation.
Back at the apartment, Han and Leia were surprised to see Threepio greet them at the door. "Why's Goldenrod here?" Han asked Luke.
Anakin heard Han's comment and raised an eyebrow. "I beg your pardon?"
"You didn't tell him this, either?" Han accused Luke, exasperated. He turned to Anakin. "Look. One way or another, Threepio ends up entering into Her Highness' service. Why do you ask?"
Anakin shrugged and replied nonchalantly, "No reason, really. It's just that I built him." Han stopped in his tracks and his eyes widened in shock. Noticing the effect of those words on Han, Anakin continued. "I also won the Boonta Eve Classic when I was about eight."
Han's jaw dropped. "Podracing? Wait. You said you won a podrace? When you were eight!" Anakin nodded. "That's insane! I've never heard of a human even surviving a race, let alone winning one!"
Padmé giggled. "Anakin, stop scaring our guest!" He murmured, "Fine," before she continued. "We have something to tell you."
Anakin guessed what she was about to say. "I know, I know. Luke's..." Anakin couldn't find the words to finish the sentence.
"Yeah," Luke finished. The fact that Anakin was Luke's father didn't need to be said. Everyone in the room already knew.
"That's not all," Leia continued, smiling. Out of the corner of his eye, Obi-Wan saw Han take something out of his pocket. "I am your daughter."
"Ah. Ha," Anakin said before dissolving into nervous laughter and then fainting.
"I didn't expect that," Leia commented frankly. In a fit of laughter, Padmé nodded. Obi-Wan couldn't help but grin because not only did Anakin, the so-called invincible Hero With No Fear, faint, but Han caught it all on film.
After Anakin regained consciousness, everyone sat down for dinner. Han was overjoyed to be eating real food after having to eat rations for so long. About halfway during dinner, Leia decided to stay with Han aboard the Falcon. Anakin didn't particularly like that now that he knew Leia was his daughter, and he told her this. She had replied that she was an adult and could do whatever she wanted. Despite Obi-Wan's protests, the argument turned into a shouting match. Han had decided to make popcorn and watch, but the fighting got to loud, so he and the others had moved into a different room.
"You know, we do have enough room here for all three of you to stay," Padmé mentioned to Han.
"Thanks, while I appreciate it, I'd rather stay with my ship," Han replied.
"The Falcon's here?" Luke asked, somewhat amazed that the ship had traveled back in time with them.
"Yes," Obi-Wan answered. "Han managed to fit himself, Lando, Rogue Squadron, and myself in it on the way back from Utapau."
"Wow," Luke said before Leia stormed into the room.
"How can you stand him!" she asked Padmé before venting her frustrations on everyone else as well. "He's so overprotective, and for God's sake, I'm older than him!" Luke and Han stayed silent, causing Obi-Wan to take the hint and not say anything either.
Padmé smiled. "Don't worry. By the time that you're the age you are now, I'll make sure that he calms down enough to let you make your own decisions. But for now, I think it might be a good idea to do what he says."
"If you insist," Leia sulked off to go tell Anakin she "changed her mind."
Once she was gone, Han asked, "Does anyone know the real reason Anakin cares?"
"Yes," Obi-Wan told him. "He doesn't like you."
"Great," Han said. "I'm never going to be on that guy's good side, am I?"
Luke shrugged. "At least he didn't freeze you in carbonite this time." Han glared.
Later in the week, Padmé went to go before the Council. She had written up an entire speech to give which would be begging them to keep Anakin in the Order. Everything was looking up besides the Council's impending decision, and Padmé hoped it would keep going that way. Right before she had left to meet Anakin at the Temple, Padmé had received a call from the Queen of Naboo, asking Padmé to return to her position as Senator after her children were born. Padmé had accepted immediately, having thought that she would have had to resign.
Obi-Wan walked out of the Council's chambers and came over to Padmé. "It's time."
Padmé nodded. "How do you think it'll turn out?" she asked him before they entered. Obi-Wan shook his head. Padmé took a deep breath as they entered the Council's chambers.
"Welcome," Yoda said. "Ask you some questions, will we."
"I know," Padméreplied. There went her plans for a speech.
"First, fair do you think the rule against marriage is?"
"Fair? That's quite a subjective word. It all depends on your point of view to whether it would be fair or not, but I do think that it is a fair rule. It makes sense on one level."
"Next, what do you think would turn Anakin to the Dark Side?" Mace asked.
"Fear of loss, definitely."
It was Obi-Wan's turn to speak. "Do you think that if Anakin hadn't told me that you were married that he would have turned to the Dark Side?"
Padmé thought about that question. If Anakin had had only Palpatine to talk to about his dreams, then... "Yes. Palpatine would have convinced him that the only way to save me was by using the Dark Side. If he had turned to the dark side, then I would have left him, maybe even died, meaning that his dreams would have been self-fulfilling. What an irony that would have been."
Yoda's ears perked up. "Talked to me about that vision did he."
"So you think that because he had to hide the fact that you were married that Anakin was more likely to turn to the dark side?" Mace suggested.
Padmé nodded resolutely. "Yes." She decided to continue. " I have a question to pose to you. How can love bring darkness? Love is what saved Anakin! It's not right. How can you disallow marriage?"
"Truth be told, it's not like we can strictly enforce the rule. A certain line of Corellians has adamantly refused to obey it for generations," Obi-Wan noted. "And it's not love that causes the Dark Side. It's the attachment that leads to greed, etc. In any case, in the other future, Jedi will end up marrying anyway, and the unmarried Jedi are the ones who turn to the Dark Side."
"Who told you that?" Padmé asked. "Leia and the others said nothing about it."
Yoda had a serene look on his face. "Have other sources do we."
A wry voice then spoke. "Meaning, someone else came from the future. Farther in the future than the others." Padmé turned around to see a woman with fiery red hair and green eyes. "The others... Skywalker's one of them, right? He still has some problems to get through, but don't worry. Everything will turn out all right in the end."
"Who are you?" Padmé asked her.
"No one in particular... Oh, and by the way, those old geezers have already decided to grant V---Anakin amnesty. Obi-Wan's just a good actor. The other two have no emotion."
"Old 'geezer' I am not!" Yoda protested.
"Would you prefer troll or gnome?" the sarcastic female Jedi asked.
"Wait, then why would you still have me come in?" Padmé asked the Council.
The Jedi shook her head. "They're trying to find out whether they should do away with the rule. Quite frankly, I know that, without attachments, a certain Jedi I know would have had a lot more problems with the Dark Side; therefore, I have to take the opinion that the rule's stupid." The woman turned to Yoda and the other Council members. "Why must you all do everything backwards?"
"Padmé, the real question is do you
think that Anakin is a stronger person for he having attachments, or do
you think he would have been better off alone?" Obi-Wan asked.
Padmé knew the answer to that question immediately. "He's definitely
stronger. He has something to fight for. Someone to defend. He has a
cause for which he would sacrifice himself. The only stronger fighter
than someone with everything to lose is someone who has nothing to lose
because they've already lost everything."
"Vad---Anakin is probably happier, too," the unknown Jedi added. "Not everyone is fit for a life of solitude, and the strongest Jedi seem to need someone to lean on. The gnome is exempt, of course." Yoda glared. "Speaking of old, decrepit beings, Palpatine was partially caught by Anakin, correct? Is catching the last Sith lord in existence worthy of granting the one who caught him Jedi Masterhood? Or is it still not good enough?"
"Talk too much, you do," Yoda told the Jedi.
"I'll take that as a yes. Well, my work here is done. Time to go volunteer to be Palpatine's executioner," the Jedi said cheerfully. "Oh, and Senator Amidala? I have no doubt that we will meet again. You'll know who I am. Until then." She smiled at Padmé and walked out of the Council chambers.
Padmé turned back to the Jedi Masters. "So Anakin is going to stay in the Order?"
Obi-Wan nodded. "That, and we are granting him the title of Master."
"More levelheaded has Anakin become, less angry and more calm," Yoda stated.
"He was the Jedi that Palpatine had been concentrating the most on. Palpatine and I were at a stalemate; we were equally matched. The battle hinged on Anakin," Mace admitted. "It would be wrong not to grant him the title."
While everyone else was partying and celebrating the victory against Palpatine, Han was roaming the streets of Coruscant. The city was so much brighter than it had been during the time of the Empire. It was less hostile, but Han had the feeling that that was due to the Jedi still existing. He started thinking about how he would be different in the Empire-free version of the galaxy. Han mused that he would probably turn out exactly the same. Heck, he was about ten in the current time. Han shook his head and kept walking the streets.
After a while, Han ran into a gang causing trouble for a Wookie, and he was reminded of Chewie. The Wookie looked like Chewie, too. Starting to walk over, he noticed that the gang had drawn weapons. Mostly knives, but there was one blaster. As he got closer, it became apparent that none of the gangsters knew what the Wookie was saying. "Hey! You all! Don't you know that Wookies have been known to tear your arms off if they're angry?" he called to them. The Wookie stared at Han like he had two heads, but Han kept trying to scare the punks off.
Eventually, only the one with the blaster was left. "You really think that you can scare me off with a blaster?" Han laughed. What Han hadn't been counting on was the guy actually having the guts to shoot and had good aim. Han barely dodged in time. He drew his blaster and shot the blaster out of his opponent's hand. That scared the last gang member away real quick.
"(Thank you,)" the Wookie told Han.
"No problem," Han replied. "I was just passing by. You reminded me of a friend."
"(Really? Hm. Do you know where the Kashyyyk Consulate is located?)"
"Yeah." Han gave the Wookie the directions, answering questions as needed.
"(You understand Shyriiwook as well as most translators.)"
"As I said, I have a friend who's a Wookie." Han grinned, but his grin faltered as he saw the gang coming back, this time with larger numbers and armed to the teeth. "Oh, crap."
"(What's wrong?)"
"That gang's back. Armed, too."
"(Should we call the police?)"
"No, there isn't a station close enough. There isn't a reputable place around here. What were you doing here?"
"(I got lost. I was looking for the Consulate, but I couldn't find it. Before I knew it, I was here.)"
"I can probably get us out of here, but..."
"(Then what are we waiting for?)" the Wookie asked. Han shrugged, and they broke off in a run. About twenty minutes later, they had lost the gang and were in front of the Consulate. The Wookie turned to Han. "(Thank you very much for your assistance. I don't believe I would have made it here if not for you.)"
Han recognized what he had just done. Now another Wookie was going to pledge a life-debt to him. "Look, it was really nothing. If I hadn't come along, those thugs would have probably gotten bored after a few minutes and left. It was my fault that they came back with weapons." Please don't pledge a life-debt.
The Wookie shook his head. "(No. It was not. You saved my life.)"
"Look, I'm really..." Han paused. "I'm from the future. Actually, it's a different reality than this now, but I'm going to go back in a day or so. I know what a life-debt means to you, but I can't possibly accept it."
"(How did you know I was going to... Oh. Your friend had pledged a life-debt to you, then. I see. I also believe your story. The Force acts in strange ways. What is it that you propose?)"
"I know exactly where my younger self should be, and if you want to honor the life-debt that way, then you could find him---me. Ah, you know what I mean."
"(That sounds satisfactory. By the way, what is your name?)"
"Han Solo."
"(I am Chewbacca.)"
Han grinned. I should have guessed.
After straightening everything out with past-Chewie, Han walked back to the hotel where all the Rogues were staying. When he got up to the room, he wasn't surprised to find that they had convinced Leia to do karaoke. She definitely sounded the best of everyone, but the fact that she was singing meant that she was plastered. Lando was pouring shots. "Hey, Lando! How about a drinking contest!"
"Han, the last time you said that, we ended up in the past," Luke protested. He was sitting at the same table as Lando.
"Well, Kid, don't you think that might mean that we could get blasted back into the future if we repeat what we did before we left?"
"I know. I already wrote a letter to everyone explaining what happened. It'll only be opened if we do leave."
"You're already drunk, aren't you?"
"No. I'm completely sober."
"It's true, Han," Lando said. "We've been waiting for you to get back to start the drinking contest. Where've you been?"
"I ran into Chewie and saved his life," Han replied. "Now he's going to go find ten-year-old me and pledge his life debt to him... me... whatever. I feel like getting drunk."
"That's what Leia said," Luke mentioned, " and Corran convinced her to try karaoke."
"I can't wait to get back home. It's too peaceful here. I like it, but it's not what I'm used to," Han said.
"Yeah. I was starting to miss Artoo anyway."
"You need to get a girlfriend," Lando commented.
"Maybe you're right, but hey, I don't miss Threepio yet."
Han paused. "I agree with Lando. You do need a girlfriend."
"If you keep talking like that, I'm not gonna let you marry my sister."
"Fine. Fine. I'll bring it back up after she marries me."
"Good."
"Are you sure you aren't drunk?"
Anakin received a letter the next day. It was from Luke. He opened the envelope and read it. "If you're reading this, it means that we've all gone back to the future. It was ours that we went back to, probably. The fact that we got back the same way we got here is probably indicative of that. Sorry I didn't tell you who I was, but I didn't know what that would do to time and space, etc. From all of us, we'd like to tell you the following: Don't screw up. It would really suck if you turned evil anyway. Good luck with everything and whatever you do, please don't send me off to Tatooine. I swear that if there's a bright center of the universe, Tatooine is the planet that it's farthest from. Leia wants me to remind you not to use the Force to find out who she's dating in the future (Han's a good guy; he's just an outlaw). She added, 'Don't blow up Alderaan!' Please excuse her, but I think she's a little drunk. Thanks for saving the galaxy and my life again. May the Force be with you. ---Luke." Anakin smiled. All was well in the universe, but there was no way that he'd ever let that Han character ever date his daughter. That would happen when time travel became as simple as drinking until you pass out.
In order to find the sequel, All the Small Things, type in the story code 2459827 in the address bar where the story code for this one is (but make sure to change the chapter number to 1 again). Or, go to my profile and find it in there somewhere. The latter way is probably easier, but the former takes less time. (And thanks for all of the reviews for this chapter. I am really flattered. Thank you very much.) Peace, out!