It was another slow day at the Coruscant Central Database. As the Vuhzan Vong battled for territory in the Outer Rim, business on the city-planet continued, with albeit a little more tension. Artoo and Threepio had spent the past several days getting reaquainted with the City Computer. The Computer had worked well with them on numerous occasions, and they would be needing its help once again.
Not long after the liberation of Coruscant, Threepio and his squat little counterpart had delt with the Coruscant Database to reorganize the filing systems and research Old Republic Documents, so that the New Republic could be modeled on its foundation. They had helped Master Luke in searching for information on the Jedi. So much of it was lost, purposely erased or tainted, that the old city computer was one of the only databases in the Galaxy that could have retained an accurate record. That search turned up little, much to everyone's disapointment.
Whenever they weren't being whisked throughout the Galaxy assisting the Skywalker and Solo families in averting crisis after crisis, they could be found here, helping out in the best way they knew how. Threepio hated to admit it, but lately they'd been here simply to stay out of everyone's way. Their current self-assigned duty was a little electronic housekeeping, finding mislabeled, misplaced, or simply lost documents within the enormous data storage unit and putting them in their proper places.
Systemacticaly searching each drive, each directory, each file was an increbidly boring job that only a droid could tolerate. Threepio relished it; Artoo on the other hand, had enough of it with in only two hours and left. Just Threepio and the Central Computer then...at least the Central Computer couldn't leave. Just then a directory caught Threepio's notice. It shouldn't consume anywhere near that much file space. He hadn't gotten to that directory yet. It was still a few hours off if he estimated correctly, but he felt it neccesary, he felt urged to investigate it. Normally he wasn't prone to such wildly impulsive curiosities, and that should have been his first clue...
The file took on a life of its own when he accessed it. It scared him beyond his abitly to comprehend what was happening. The file invaded his inner workings, infiltrated his neural net...then the golden droid collapsed in a loud metallic crash. No one was around to hear the sound, and witnessed only by the Central Computer, Threepio lay motionless for a long time.
Within his own random access memory, Threepio began to see images flashing before him. Most of them were from his adventures with Master Luke, Mistress Leia, Captain Solo, the children, and the Wookie. He picked up a flutter at the last, he was still having trouble with certain functions that arose after Chewie's death. More images flashed by, then whole memories. He remembered his very first job, programing primary load lifters. And then some jobs before that.
Wait a minute... there weren't any jobs before that. His first job was programing primary load lifters. Wasn't it? More images flashed passed. Some of a lush jungle with temples. Yavin? No, Yavin had Massi temples, these were... these were... that's odd... he couldn't remember that. Come to think of it... he had never been there.
Oh, what trouble have I gotten into... More images past... Deserts, like Tattoine... YES, Tatoine. He knew where those images came from. The architecture, the moisture evaporators. A child with sandy blond hair and a moisture farmer's clothing, Master Luke! As a young boy... Wait...no...that can't be right either... He didn't meet Master Luke until he was roughly twenty. The boy looks so much like him though. Looks just like Master Skywalker... IT IS MASTER SKYWALKER!!! No... It can't be Luke, I did'nt know hi... Not Luke... Another Skywalker. Ano.. A.. An ... ANAKIN! ANAKIN SKYWALKER!! But that's impossble. I don't know any other Skywalker... Leia is a Skywalker...but that's because she is Luke's sister, and Luke father is...Vader? NO... Luke's father was Anakin Skywalker, he only became Darth Vader after...
At that moment all the memories came back to him in a rush. He knew all the missing pieces now. And all those pieces fell together. Then... Another memory flash... No...not a genuine memory, a recording, a message. A message from Anakin, much older, a Jedi now... A message to Threepio, to Padmé, and to his unborn son.
**********
There was a beep at the door to Luke's quarters on Coruscant. Luke stirred in bed, but did not acknowledge the door bell. The bell rang again, this time Luke opened his eyes. Glancing at the chrono on his night table, it read three-thirty in the morning. Luke dismissed the buzzer and tried to get back to sleep. It rang four times in rapid succession. Luke gritted his teeth as he accepted the fact he would have to get up early. Hopefully, he would not be up for long. Maybe the sight of a groggy, half-sleeping Jedi Master would simply frighten visitor off. He opened the door. No such luck, it was Threepio.
"Master Luke, I've just come back from the City Central Compu..."
"Threepio, could you come back later it's thr..."
"But Master Luke, I've stumbled across something astonishing. I was there with R2D2, we were acce..."
"Threepio... it's three-thirty in the morining, could you be a little less excited."
"Not likely sir! What I've discovered it...well, where should I begin?"
"Skip ahead to most important parts Threepio, I'm very tired and would like to go back to sleep."
"Over the course of my functioning I have undergone several memory wipes. This essentially turns my memory banks into a clean slate. Were I human it would be called amnesia. In the City Central Computer I discovered a backup log containing a great deal of my previous memories. I was your father's droid. He built me when he was nine. R2D2 began his career as a damage control droid on your mother's cruiser. Your mother's name was Amidala and she was Queen of a planet named Naboo. I have extensive files on the Jedi Knights, the Old Republic, and your father's expliots before he became Darth Vader. I also have a holo-message made by Anakin Skywalker, your father. It is addressed to you, your mother and I. I guess that's just about it Master Luke, I'll leave you to sleep now."
It took Luke a minute to say anything. Threepio was almost out the door before Luke said, "Wait Threepio, I'm awake now. Please go on."
Luke learned a lot that night. More than anything he wanted to hear the message left to him. Unfortunately, Threepio didn't have a holoprojector. They would have to wait until Artoo arived so that they could run it through him.
**********
She couldn't wait to see him. The life-threating illness given to her by the Yuhzan Vong was showing signs of weakening. The treatments were working. It wasn't a full cure, but she felt stronger. Stronger physically, and stronger in the Force. The treatments may not be able to cure it completely, but the Force could pick up where the treatment left off. With time and luck she could beat this thing. She knew that deep down, for the first time in a long time it was more than just hope. Just then a white and blue blur shot past her.
"Hey, chrome dome! Where ya going in such a hurry?" She knew there was only one place Artoo would be, headed even before he stopped, turned his dome toward her and replied with a series of excited bleeps and blats that Mara almost swore she understood.
"Well, in that case I guess I'll tag along." She quickened her pace to match Artoo's and they were both soon at the Skywalker home. The door opened before she could touch the access plate. Before she could say a word she was embraced in a passioned hug that took her completely off guard.
"It's good to see you too, Luke," she said as they parted enough to look each other in the eyes. Then silence. Luke glanced down and saw that Artoo was with her. Mara sensed an eagerness in Luke, she could tell he needed the Astromech for something, something important. "Look what followed me home, honey." She gestured to Artoo. "Can we keep him?"
"Yeah, why not?" Luke playfully replied. "Come in Mara. Something interesting has just come up..." The door hissed shut behind them.
**********
Artoo had almost completed the hook-up with Threepio when Luke gave Mara the last details of the night's event. For the first time in a long time Mara was at a loss for words. Her first instincts were that it was a trap. Anything that involved Luke's father had to be toward an evil end. But then, all the experiences she had with her father-in-law were after he had turned into Darth Vader. Threepio assured them both that the files in the City Central Computer were marked Pre-Clone Wars. Anakin Skywalker hadn't turned to the Dark Side until the end of those wars. This could really be something. She had often wondered what Luke's father would have been like had he not turned to the Sith. Now she would have that chance. More importantly, Luke would have that chance.
Artoo gave a ready bleep and the lights in the Skywalker home dimmed. The holo's blue light flickered as an image that looked very much like a young Luke stepped forward into veiw.
"First off, I would like to address Threepio. I sincerly apologize for having to give you a memory wipe. Let me explain why. There has been a rash of anti-Jedi sentiment across Galaxy. Obi-Wan believes Chancellor Palpatine is involved somehow, stirring up rumors in the Senate. Some of this sentiment has errupted in violence. There have been deaths, and anything that has been associated with the Jedi is being destroyed. Datacards, records, training devices, properties like these have been destroyed on a hundred different worlds. With all the contact you've have with Jedi, as closely asscociated as you are with me... I feared for you saftey. I needed to make sure no one could link you to me. That is why I blanked your memory and left you with Amidala. I don't know how much worse these anti-Jedi actions are going to get. Master Yoda has suggested that we make backups of all our records in case anything happens here. I've copied as many of the records as I could and stored them in you backup memory banks. I promise to restore your memory as soon as all this madness is over.
"Next, I need to speak with Amidala. Ami, my love, take care of Threepio, we've been through alot together. I'm sorry that we must be apart for so long but it has been sugested that my presence could endanger you. Ever since Jar Jar's death I don't want to take any chances. Obi-Wan and I have been sent to investigate the cause of all this anger towards us. We will be meeting with Chancellor Palpatine soon. I sense danger reguarding this encounter. Obi-Wan does too. We'll be alright though, trust me, we make a good team. Obi-Wan sends his regards. I don't know where he came up with BEN as an alias, but it suits him. Ben Kenobi, heh, I've started calling him 'Old Ben,' just to irk him.
"On a serious note though, I got your message. I can't begin to tell you how much joy I feel. I'm going to be a father! I wish my mother could be here. You know she always liked you. Wow, me, a dad. I never saw that one coming. You will be a great mother. And I sense the child will be strong, very strong. Strong in life and in the Force. I've been thinking about names. How about Jacen if it's a boy and Jaina if it's a girl. Hmm, or Kyle and Mara, or Luke and Leia... Luke and Leia sounds good. Really good.
"And finally, I would like to give a message to my child. I don't know if your going to be a son or a daughter, but I know that you will do great things. You are a Jedi, and no matter what anyone tells you, that is something special. When I was young I was told I had more strength in the Force than Master Yoda. Quite possibly the strongest Jedi ever. However, when I focus on you I can sense that you will be even stronger than I. All that strength however, is not without responibilty. You must be ever vigilant in keeping a firm grasp on you emotions. Control them, never let them control you. The Force is a power, a tool, a weapon, but it is also a teacher, a guide, and a friend. It will be there for you if you are there for it. Trust it, nurture you skill in it, but never abuse it. I'm looking forward to seeing you for the first time. I know you are not yet born, but I feel great joy in knowing that when you are ready, I will have the opportunity to pass on what I have learned. To teach you the ways of the Force, the ways of the Jedi. That is all for now, I will see you all soon. May the Force be with you...always."
