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~*~
The private medical ward of the Imperial Palace was locked down with the tightest security in the galaxy. Quinlan and his own former Apprentice Aayla stood guard along with Cody, Rex, and Padme’s handmaidens outside Padme’s birthing room. Obi-Wan had planned on staying there as well, but Padme and Anakin had both requested that he join them instead. Less than five minutes into serious proceedings he understood why. Anakin was barely keeping himself under control. Obi-Wan kept him grounded and focused on Padme. That meant Padme didn’t have to worry about Anakin and could focus on safely giving birth with Sabe steadfastly at her lady’s side. Removing Anakin from the room altogether may have been the better move, but Padme wanted him with her if he could at all manage to keep himself together.
The twins arrived with bright flares of light in the Force and tears of joy on their father’s face. Obi-Wan held the newborn Luke in his arms while Anakin clung to Padme’s hand as she brought Leia into the world. Obi-Wan knew the moment the baby was placed in his arms that he would burn worlds for these children. Not that he’d really doubted it. After all, had he not burned Dathomir for Anakin? Why would he do anything less for his beloved Apprentice’s children?
“You shall want for nothing in this galaxy,” Obi-Wan assured Luke.
Soon enough, the babies were both in the parents’ arms. Rex and Cody entered the room at the request of an excited Anakin. Obi-Wan kept an eye on Padme, making sure she wasn’t too exhausted for the company. At a subtle sign from Sabe, Obi-Wan knew Padme had had enough and needed rest.
“We shall take our leave for now,” Obi-Wan said, getting Cody and Rex’s attention. “Rest, and don’t hesitate to call for anything you need.”
Padme smiled tiredly but nodded. Sabe inclined her head in acknowledgement and Obi-Wan knew all was being left in good hands.
~*~
As Obi-Wan stood watching Cody hold Luke two days later, a thought occurred to him.
“Do you want children, Cody?” Obi-Wan asked.
Smiling down at the baby in his arms, Cody admitted, “I’ve always wanted to be a father, yes.”
Smiling fondly, Obi-Wan nodded.
“You’d make an excellent one,” Obi-Wan replied. “I know we’ve not discussed it, though we should have. A Sith having children can be dangerous but if we can protect Luke and Leia, we could protect a child or children of our own. There are options open to us for such things depending on whether we wanted biologically ours or adopted children. Force knows there have been plenty of questions about succession. Anakin doesn’t actually want it, and while Padme is politically skilled enough for the throne, I don’t think a non-Force sensitive could hold it for long. Choosing Luke or Leia had been my plan, depending on which of them seemed more apt, but I wouldn’t say no to having a child or two of our own.”
Looking back up at him, Cody beamed.
“It doesn’t have to be right now,” Cody assured, despite his clear happiness at the idea. “We have plenty of time. Let us all get used to Luke and Leia in the palace, and see if there are any other changes we would want to make. Then we can discuss it again.”
Slipping an arm around Cody and Luke, Obi-Wan said, “An excellent strategic plan, as always, my dear.”
~*~
No one was stupid enough to make a move against the babies themselves, but less than two days after Luke and Leia’s birth was announced, someone attempted to break into the family wing of the palace. Judging by where they were going, Anakin was their goal.
As Quinlan turned off his lightsaber, he stared down at the assailant in disgust. “That wasn’t even difficult.”
Anakin snorted. “I’m sure whoever sent him will appreciate your feedback,” he replied wryly.
Quinlan shrugged.
“I’m just saying, someone busted this easily is honestly insulting to you,” Quinlan pointed out. “You deserve better assassination attempts.”
Anakin rolled his eyes. “You’re starting to sound like Obi-Wan. Or worse. Cody.”
Ignoring the obvious bait was difficult, but Quinlan managed it as something else occurred to him.
Eyes roving the corridor, Quinlan murmured, “Unless he was just the distraction.”
He’d never forget his failure to see Maul’s true plan and how Anakin suffered for it. That was a terrible mistake he refused to repeat so soon.
Seconds after the words left his mouth, a fully armored Rex came rushing around the corner.
Skidding to a halt, Rex said, “Oh. So there was more than one. Cody thought there might be.”
Quinlan raised a brow at the Mandalorian and tried to hide his annoyance that Obi-Wan’s Mandalorian husband arrived at the idea faster than he had.
Rex shrugged. “Cody’s usually right,” he offered.
Anakin grimaced. “Cody is a scarily good tactician and honestly I’m glad he’s Obi-Wan’s husband now because he’s probably the scariest non-Sith person I’ve ever met,” he admitted.
Despite the helmet, Rex’s grin was clear. “Scarier than Padme?”
Eyes widening, Anakin pleaded, “Please don’t tell her I said that.”
Quinlan rolled his eyes, allowing himself a moment of amusement before focusing back on the matter at hand.
“As touching as this is, can we address the actual problem here?” Quinlan asked.
Rex cocked his head to the side for a moment and Quinlan realized he was listening to his comm.
“Cody says he and Obi-Wan found two more in the far west corridor. So that brings us up to four total,” Rex reported. “Aayla and Sabe report that no one entered the family quarters and there are no signs that someone tried.”
Anakin frowned. “Far west corridor and here…they were heading for the private training yard.”
Quinlan nodded. “I agree.”
Rex relayed the idea to Cody.
By latemeal that evening, they’d rounded up three more members of the hit squad and traced their origins.
Quinlan chafed at not being allowed to go after the mastermind himself.
“I need you here,” Obi-Wan said sternly. “Today proved why.”
Bristling, Quinlan replied, “Today proved why you need your spy master out doing his job and not playing babysitter here on Coruscant! I might have heard about this and been able to stop it.”
Obi-Wan raised a brow. “Like you stopped Maul?”
Quinlan recoiled as if he’d been slapped.
“Do you still trust me to do my job?” Quinlan asked, suddenly desperate to know. “Or has this…this punishment been designed to frustrate me into leaving your service so you can replace me without having to admit that’s what you wanted?”
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes.
“Stop being dramatic, Quinlan. I don’t play those sorts of games. If I didn’t trust you to do your job, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. You wouldn’t still be breathing. You know too much. If I ever want you gone, you’ll know it,” Obi-Wan stated bluntly.
The words offered a cold sort of comfort.
“Are your people well trained enough to do this without you or not?” Obi-Wan asked.
Quinlan sighed. “They are.”
Nodding sharply, Obi-Wan said, “Then you have no reason to physically oversee the op. Though in case you’ve forgotten, we do have an operational command center if you wish to oversee from here.”
Knowing he didn’t have another choice, Quinlan replied, “I’ll do exactly that.”
Before the second month of Luke and Leia’s lives was over, the Imperial family and their closest allies had destroyed two rising crime syndicates that had hoped to solidify power by taking out the Emperor’s right hand. It provided another reminder not to underestimate Sith Emperor Obi-Wan Kenobi.
~*~