"Obi-Wan... there is still good in him. I know..." Padmé drifted off, Obi-Wan still standing with baby Luke. He gave the baby to the medic droid and walked out, thinking of her... and then Anakin appeared, laughing out of the blue...

He woke up to a fresh sweat. His bed had suddenly become hard and duracrete feeling. Looking around, he saw bits of an alleyway illuminated by the light of a moon. A chrono was beeping. He hit the off button so hard it almost smashed the small machine. It's time, the ex-Jedi thought. Time to see her for one last time. He drew his messy cloak over his head and disappeared into the night.

The line to see Padmé's body was long. She would be buried at sunrise the next day, with only her family present. But now, Obi-Wan stood in a line of admirers, here to say their goodbyes to the former Queen. As he plodded past her, he saw the small piece of wood, carved delicately on its cord. "It must have been Anakin's," he muttered under his breath. A transparisteel pane prevented him from touching her hand, as he wanted to. After casket, the line spread out to a museum-like display of her family and friends. Obi-Wan had no interest in the old-fashioned panels strewn about. But no one was leaving, and if he was discovered, it could mean arrest and eventually, death. Naboo was an Imperial system now.

Dragging his body over to a display of Padmé's family tree, he moved his hand down the line, past her grandparents, her mother and father, her sister Sola and... wait! He went back. Under Jobal Naberrie, there was another name. Force-sensitive child, Ben, given to Jedi when one year old. From marriage to Forren Kenobi, deceased.He studied one of the holos of the boy. The baby's face was recognizable, a bit scary, now that he thought on it. In the Temple, records of the Padawans were open to any Jedi who wished to see them. He had studied his own, as well as other Jedi's, at the urging of Qui-Gon Jinn, so that he would know where he and others came from. Unfortunately, there was no record of where he was from, only some footage of him playing in a Temple playroom at age three.

He flipped a switch, and another holo was shown. A picture of Padmé's mother holding the baby, then giving it to a smiling Master Yoda. She was crying, Yoda was almost falling over, and the boy was... lifting a piece of candy from Yoda's pocket. Obi-Wan nearly screamed, only his Jedi training restraining him. Yoda had told him he used to like to steal candy using the Force. Yoda told him he had personally taken him to the Temple. His name was Kenobi. Ben was... him. He turned off the holo.

He had loved Padmé like a sister, almost more than a sister at times. He had tried to warn her about Anakin, had been there when all attempts failed to save her, had been there as she died after her twins were born. A tear fell from his eyes. And he was her brother.

"Ruwee, honey, what's this?" Jobal Naberrie pointed at the holoprojector and jewel that had been left at her doorstep, labeled For Jobal Naberrie.

"We have to leave, Jobal. The minister is there, they're waiting... Pick it up and take it with you, we can play it there, or on the way." Her stern husband gruffly picked it up for her and took her hand. "We have to go." They ran out the door, followed by Sola, her husband, and children, to pile into a luxury airtaxi.

The confused matron of the Naberrie household touched the play button. A tall man, tinged blue by the holo appeared.

"My name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am a Jedi Master. I have left you this holo in hopes that you will leave this small crystal for Padmé from me, as I cannot attend the ceremony myself. As you know, all Jedi are now fugitives, so I trust you will keep this message secret. I think you will understand why I asked you instead of your whole family. Thank you." The blue man shrunk until it disappeared.

Jobal smiled. "Jobal?" Ruwee asked. "What is it?" He hadn't been listening.

"Oh, nothing." She dropped a tear. "Just... old memories."

Padmé was buried ten minutes later in Theed's park. Jobal tenderly kissed Padmé's hand, then opened the one not clasped around her cord to the snippet and closed the hand around the crystal. "Go, darling." She stepped back, and some other people said goodbye. She didn't watch. All she saw was a tall man dressed in a long cloak on the other side of the casket, who waved a hand and seemed to say, "Thank you," before disappearing into the trees.