Chapter Text
Anakin sat down in the pilot’s chair of Padmé’s royal starship. “Everybody strapped in back there?”
“Yes, Daddy!” the twins chorused in sync.
“We’re all strapped in back here—oof,” Obi-Wan said.
Anakin glanced back. Obi-Wan and Siri were sitting next to each other, Obi-Wan struggling to contain a wiggling Ben standing in his lap and digging his fingers into his nostrils. He smiled. Padmé smiled from behind them where she held baby Shmi. Artoo beeped happily. Threepio responded with an, “Oh, my!”
Anakin waited for a few seconds, then raised his voice and hollered, “Ahsoka!”
“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Ahsoka bolted into the cockpit and plopped down into the copilot’s seat. “Sorry I’m late, had trouble getting my bag strapped down.”
Anakin grinned. “You sure you weren’t late saying a long goodbye to your boyfriend?”
Ahsoka blushed. “Master.”
“Were you saying goodbye to Uncle Lux?” Luke piped up. “Did you say goodbye to him for me too?”
Ahsoka sank into the seat and growled.
Anakin grinned wider. “Strap in, Snips. We’re heading out.”
As Ahsoka fastened her crash webbing, Anakin pulled the ship out of the hangar and away from Coruscant. The blue sky faded away, glittering stars taking their place. “All right, punch it, ‘Soka.”
Ahsoka reached for the controls. The stars faded away into the blue swirl of hyperspace. They were off for Naboo.
Anakin stretched in his seat and relaxed. Vacation, here they come.
“Give it up, princess. Where’s the Republic base?” Anakin demanded, fighting off a grin.
Leia squirmed under his hold pinning her against the ship floor. “No! I don’t know!”
“Where’s the Republic base?” Anakin tickled Leia in the stomach. She shrieked with laughter and curled around him.
“Daddy, stop!” She was breathless with laughter.
“Oh, sure, I’ll stop,” Anakin paused and grinned. “If you join me on the Dark Side!”
“You leave my sister alone, you—you dirty Sith!” Luke cried from behind him. His small body crashed into his back and his arms wrapped around his neck. “I’ll save you, Leia! I’ll save you from Darth…Darth…”
“Nothing can save you from the wrath of Darth Vader!” Anakin crowed. He grabbed Luke’s arms and lifted him over his head.
Luke wriggled as Anakin set him down in his lap. “Uncle Obi-Wan, help!”
“On my way!” Obi-Wan said.
Two strong arms wrapped around Anakin from behind, pinning his arms to his sides. “Hey!” he cried. “Traitor!”
“Get him!” Obi-Wan cried.
The twins wrenched from his grip and pounced on him. Obi-Wan let go as the momentum bore Anakin to the floor.
Anakin banged his head against the floor. He barely kept back an “Ow.”
Obi-Wan leaned over and pinned Anakin’s shoulders to the floor.
“Hey! No fair!” Anakin said.
“All is fair in love and war, Darth,” Obi-Wan said, grinning.
Anakin scowled up at his brother. Four little hands dug into his stomach, and he was forced to wrench his attention to the two little scamps tickling him. “Hey, stop, sto…o…op!” He couldn’t keep the laughter from his voice.
“Turn back to the Light Side and we’ll stop,” Luke said.
A loud explosion rocked the ship. The lights flickered. Another explosion hit, and the ship slowed. They had dropped out of hyperspace.
Anakin pulled the frozen twins off of him and bolted to the cockpit. “What happened?”
Padmé startled awake from where she had fallen asleep in the pilot’s chair after Ahsoka put Shmi down for a nap for her. “What is it, Ani?”
Anakin leaned over the controls. “There’s been an explosion. Several explosions. In the engine room.”
Another explosion rocked the ship. The lights flickered again.
Anakin glanced at the controls. Lightheadedness briefly spun in his head. “And the escape pods.”
Padmé jumped out of the pilot’s chair. Anakin hurriedly took her place, but it took him only a couple seconds to realize it.
The ship was going down. The controls were too damaged. He probably wouldn’t even be able to crash land it. “Get to the escape pods.”
“I thought you said they were blown up,” Padmé said.
“One’s still okay,” Anakin said. “Get to the escape pods, now!” He glanced out the viewport. A white planet loomed in front of them. “And head for…” He scanned the navicomputer. “Hoth.”
Padmé nodded and ran off. Anakin ran after her, stopping in the play area where Obi-Wan, Siri, and the kids were. “Evacuate the ship! Get to the escape pods!”
Siri scooped Ben off the floor and ran. Obi-Wan ran to Anakin’s side. “What happened?”
Anakin picked up Leia and took off for the escape pods, Obi-Wan hurrying beside him. Padmé must have grabbed Luke when she ran through. “I don’t know. I think the ship was sabotaged. Threepio! Artoo! Get to the escape pods! Now!”
Artoo sped by, squealing. Threepio hurried behind them. “Oh, my. What’s happening?”
“That’s not good,” Obi-Wan said.
“No kidding,” Anakin said. “The ship’s lost. I don’t think it can be landed safely.”
Ahead was the escape pod. Padmé was climbing into it, Artoo right behind her. He activated his jets and got in, then Siri climbed in.
Anakin ran up. Ahsoka was in the back, holding Shmi. Padmé had a bawling Ben in her arms now.
He passed Leia in to Siri. “Where’s Luke?”
“After you,” Obi-Wan said.
Anakin backed up. “No, get in.” His heart pounded.
“But—” Obi-Wan started.
“Now.” Anakin’s voice brooked no argument. He wouldn’t let Obi-Wan be the sacrificial one this time. He could see how crammed they were in the escape pod. There wouldn’t be enough room for all of them. And if anyone had a chance of surviving the ship crash, it was him. “Get in.”
Obi-Wan shrugged and climbed in the escape pod.
“Wait for me!” Threepio ducked under the doorway and stepped into the escape pod. There was not enough room for anyone else.
“Anakin, get in,” Padmé said.
“I can’t,” Anakin said. “There’s not enough room. Is Luke in there with you?”
There was a bit of silence, then a panicked, “No! Anakin, go get him!” from Padmé.
Anakin’s heart wrenched. Another explosion rocked the ship. “There’s not enough time.” And even if there was, there wouldn’t be room for either of them. “I’ll find him and crash land the ship. We will meet up with you, I promise.”
“Anakin, wait!” Obi-Wan started to stand up, but Threepio was blocking him in.
Tears filled Anakin’s eyes. “Goodbye.” He slammed his hands on the controls. The door closed and the pod ejected into space.
Anakin spun. “Luke Naberrie Skywalker! You come here this instant!”
Luke slipped and slid into the room, trailing his baby blanket. “I had to get my blankie!”
Anakin let out an aggravated sigh. He could lecture him after they didn’t die. He scooped Luke up and ran to the cockpit, holding him close.
“What about the escape pods?” Luke asked.
“Not enough room,” Anakin said. “You and I are gonna land the ship.” He sat down in the pilot’s chair.
“Okay.” Luke knelt on his lap and held his blankie close.
Anakin ripped off his Jedi robes and his belt. “I need you to do exactly as I say and no questions or protests, okay?”
“Okay,” Luke said.
Anakin pulled him close. “Put your arms around my neck and don’t let go for anything.”
Luke wrapped his arms around his neck and put his head down on his shoulder.
“Head up,” Anakin said.
Luke’s head popped up.
Anakin shrugged on his robes and his belt, pulling them close around Luke, then strapped themselves in. He reached for the controls. Oh, please respond.
The controls barely responded. He pushed the ship with everything they had towards the white planet. Fortunately, they were already pretty close.
The ship lurched as the gravity well of Hoth pulled them in. Anakin drew in a shaky breath. Another explosion rocked the ship.
Hold together just a little bit longer. The ship sped through a white atmosphere, gathering speed and heat with every second. Anakin pulled back on the controls. They slowed some, but not enough. Not nearly enough.
Another explosion. The lights flickered out and the controls died.
There was nothing left. They were at the mercy of the Force now.
Anakin wrapped his arms around Luke and ducked his head. “Hold on,” he whispered. He closed his eyes and drew on the Force. Maybe he could slow it down enough…
He sank into the Force, pushing away from the planet. The ship slowed marginally, but not enough. Not enough.
Anakin tightened his arms around Luke. Luke clung tightly to his neck. His breath huffed hot against his skin. He wrapped the Force around his son.
The ship lurched. Metal creaked. Transparisteel shattered, cutting Anakin’s face. Metal slammed against his head. Heat burned him. The seat broke away from the floor and they flew back. Blackness closed in around him.