AN: I still don't own Star Wars - if I did the afterlife aspect would be a little different. Why do I say that, you ask? Well, be prepared for a long author's note. We all know Luke sees dead people, but there's a catch to the afterlife in the SW universe. Some people think Qui-Gon's "return from the netherworld of the Force" simply means that Qui-Gon learned how to communicate with the living, but according to George, that's not the case. According to more than one of the Blu-Ray and DVD audio commentaries, when you die in the SW universe, you become part of the Force, but you don't have your identity anymore. Qui-Gon learned how to get his identity back and shared the skill with the other Jedi, but those who aren't Force-sensitive don't get that skill. Non-Force-sensitives lose their identity when they die, which to me seems like a fate worse than death (pardon the pun). Well, given what we know about Anakin, after he dies and realizes Padme's not there, I don't think he'd rest until he found a way to get her back. When I first had the idea for this series I KNEW I had to do an episode about that, so here we go.

"Defenders of the Force Episode 3: The Netherworld"

By EsmeAmelia

Chapter 1

It had been a week since anyone had last heard from the Revolutionaries, but even though the senate was investigating the matter, it still disturbed Luke during meditation, particularly when teaching meditation to his daughter's class. Fifteen minutes of meditation at the beginning of every class, that was his rule, though he knew that at this point in their training, most of his students were just sitting still and trying not to fidget. Mae knew the basic skills of meditation since the Skywalkers sometimes meditated together, but in the classroom environment she still had trouble relaxing.

Of course, Luke was currently having trouble relaxing as well. He felt on edge, as if he were trying to sleep while anticipating a loud noise. Some part of him was always expecting the Revolutionaries to attack.

Luke?

Luke nearly jumped when he thought he heard a voice he hadn't heard in years, but he forced himself to keep still and his eyes to remain shut. He breathed in as he concentrated on focusing his thoughts into a word.

Ben?

The sagely voice of Obi-Wan Kenobi responded in an urgent manner. Luke, we need your help.

My help? For what?

I can't tell you here, Obi-Wan continued. Invite your family to dinner tonight and we can tell you there.

A ghost was telling Luke to invite his family to dinner? Well that was something they hadn't asked of him before. Why can't you just tell me here? he thought to Obi-Wan's voice.

Because this involves your family as well as you, said Obi-Wan.

Luke let out a small sigh, hoping that noise didn't disturb his students too much. All right, I'll see what I can do.

He waited for a response, but for the rest of the meditation session, Obi-Wan's voice was silent.

. . .

Luke invited the Solos for dinner, but he didn't tell them the reason why. He figured they would accept his invitation without him telling them ghost stories, and he really didn't feel like listening to Han telling him how crazy this was, even though he'd probably do that anyway once the ghosts actually visited.

Would Han even be able to see ghosts, given that he wasn't Force-sensitive? Maybe he'd witness the others talking to nothing and burst out laughing.

But in any case, they had accepted his invitation and the family was now seated around the Skywalkers' large table they only used when they had guests. The children were mostly talking about what was going on at school, with Owen constantly telling them that when he was old enough to be a trainee, he would kick all their butts.

Luke, however, was silent, only attempting to speak in thoughts. All right, Ben. Everyone's here, now what did you want to tell us?

"Luke?" The voice addressing him belonged not to Obi-Wan, but to Rianna. "Luke honey, are you all right?"

"Hmm?" said Luke.

"Are you getting some Force messages, Dad?" asked Mae.

"Are you gonna go on a mission?" asked Owen. "Can I go with you? I never get to go . . . GHOSTS!" He pointed wildly at the area behind his father. "Look look, GHOSTS!"

"Oh, great," muttered Han.

Luke turned around and sure enough, there were the spirits of Obi-Wan and Anakin. He hadn't seen them since Owen was born and they appeared to congratulate his family, but they greeted him as if it had only been a few days ago.

"Luke," Anakin said in a desperate tone, "Leia, all of you, we need your help."

The four teenagers at the table were staring with wide eyes, but Owen leapt out of his seat and ran up to the ghosts.

"Hey, are you my grandpa?" he exclaimed. "You look pretty good, considering you're dead and all. So if I touched you, would my hand go right through you? Do you always wear that robe, or can you change your clothes? Do dead people still go to the refresher? Where do you hang out? Is there some kind of ghost mall or something? What do ghosts like to eat?"

Anakin smiled down at his grandson. "You'll find all that out in good time."

Leia awkwardly licked her lips. "So . . . you need us for something?"

"Yes," said Obi-Wan, "but first, we have someone we'd like you to meet."

The two ghosts stepped aside to make way for the newcomer and there appeared a ghost Luke had never seen before. He was a man who looked like he had been in his early forties when he died (although he could have simply been choosing to appear younger than he was), with long brown hair that brushed over his shoulders and a small mustache and beard squaring around his chin.

"I am Qui-Gon Jinn," the ghost said in a soft-spoken, intimate voice. "I was Obi-Wan's master."

Luke shifted his gaze to Obi-Wan. "But . . . I thought you said Master Yoda was your master."

Obi-Wan gave his familiar eerie smile. "Master Yoda instructed me as a child, then when I was old enough, Qui-Gon took me as his padawan. So as you see, it was true, from a certain point of view."

"What?" Han exclaimed. "What the hell's that s'posed to mean?"

Luke shrugged. "It's all right, Han. I'm used to it by now."

"Anyway," said Jaina, getting out of her chair and cautiously approaching the ghosts, could you guys please tell us why you're here so we can get back to dinner?"

"I'm afraid it's rather complicated, young one," said Qui-Gon. "It will take some time to explain."

"Fine," said Han, "you guys discuss your weird Jedi stuff and I'll eat."

Anakin walked up to his son-in-law and put his ghost hand down on his food, creating a barrier around it. "Han," he said rapidly, "do you know what will happen to you after you die?"

Han gulped. "Look . . . you Jedi might get to be blue ghosts or whatever, but the rest of us ain't so lucky. When we die, that's it, we're gone for good, which is why I like to avoid dying."

Anakin suddenly gave Han an angry glare. "And how do you know that? Have you ever been dead?"

"I got carbon frozen once - does that count? You remember that, don't ya?"

"No, it doesn't count," said Anakin. "Besides, that happened years ago - how can you still be angry about it?"

"Enough," said Qui-Gon. "Death is far more complicated than you think it is, especially when one doesn't have the Force."

"What do you mean?" asked Rianna.

Anakin was still glaring at Han. "You won't just end when you die, but you won't be you either."

"What, you mean like reincarnation or somethin'?" asked Han, who still looked more interested in his dinner than this conversation.

"No," said Qui-Gon. "In the netherworld of the Force, you exist, but you aren't anyone."

"What?" exclaimed Jacen.

Qui-Gon ignored the interruption. "Everything that makes you yourself - your memory, your personality, your very name - all of it is gone."

"Qui-Gon is the only one to ever return from the netherworld on his own," said Obi-Wan. "The only one to regain his identity."

Anakin still seemed to be talking mainly at Han. "Everyone else here will be able to retain their identities when they die except you. Do you hear what I'm saying? You'll be lost in the netherworld and your family will lose you forever unless you help us."

Han put up his hands, showing his palms. "Okay, okay, I get it, but how're we s'posed to help you?"

Anakin stepped away from Han and went back to addressing the family as a whole. "Luke . . . Leia . . . your mother didn't have the Force." His voice shook as if her were on the verge of crying. "I've tried for years to find her, revive her identity, but I can't." He looked at his children with a grave expression. "Then I thought that maybe you could help me. Leia, Luke, your spirits are connected to hers. If we could free your spirits from your bodies . . ."

"You're gonna KILL them?" Mae shouted, flying to her feet and dropping her food on the floor.

"No Mae, of course not," said Anakin. "Let me finish. If I could take Luke, Leia, and Han's spirits . . ."

"What, me?" exclaimed Han. "Oh no, no no no, I ain't volunteerin' for some weird ghost experiment."

"You don't have the Force," said Anakin. "If we could successfuly extract your spirit, you might be able to journey places we can't go. The three of you could connect us to Padme."

"So . . . what exactly would this 'extracting our spirits' thing mean?" asked Luke, glancing down at his fork.

"Your bodies will be asleep," explained Obi-Wan. "Physically, you will be perfectly safe. Your spirits will simply be removed from your bodies for a while."

"Isn't that the same as killing them?" said Mae.

"No," said Qui-Gon. "A body can function without a spirit inside it, and as long as their bodies function, their spirits will be able to return to them."

"Rianna," asked Anakin, "do you know how to put someone to sleep with the Force?"

"Yes," Rianna said awkwardly, "but . . ."

"Perfect," Anakin interrupted. "We could do it tonight - if you agree, of course."

Leia stood up. "I'll do it," she said with confidence. "If there's a chance that it could help our mother, I'll try it."

"I will too," said Luke, standing up beside his sister.

Mae ran up to her father. "Dad, are you crazy? You don't know what this will do to you."

"It's all right, honey," said Luke. "I trust them."

"But do they even know what they're doing?" Mae grabbed her father's arm. "What will happen if something goes wrong?"

Qui-Gon gave her a fatherly smile. "Your father will be perfectly all right, young one."

"You don't know that," said Mae, folding her arms. "You may be dead, but you don't know everything."

"C'mon, Mae," said Owen. "This'll be fun!"

Luke patted his daughter's shoulder. "Don't worry, sweetheart, you and your mom can watch over us."

Meanwhile Jaina was looking Han, who had taken a sudden interest in going back to his food even though it was probably cold by now. "So . . . Dad?" she asked. "Are you gonna help them?"

Han's mouth was full, but he shook his head in response.

"Han we need you," said Leia.

"No you don't," Han said after swallowing. "You heard your old man - you guys are the ones with the spirit connection or whatever."

"And you're the one who's not Force-sensitive," said Leia. "Maybe you're the key in getting our mother's spirit back."

"Come on, Han," said Luke. "Please?"

Luke and Leia stared at Han for several moments, silently pleading, until finally he gave in as they figured he eventually would.

"Ah, fine, I'll do it," he said with a groan. "But when you put me back, I'd better not be in Luke's body."

. . .

"Master Luke, are you certain this is a good idea?"

"I have to try it, 3PO," Luke said as he sat on the edge of his bed and removed his shoes. "My mother's afterlife could depend on it."

"I'm sorry, sir," said 3PO, "but an afterlife is a rather foreign concept for a droid. It is difficult for me to understand why you would put yourself in danger for someone who is already dead."

R2 beeped a long scold at the protocol droid.

"Why R2, of course I never knew his mother," said 3PO. "Now stop telling me that ridiculous story of being mind-wiped. Honestly, I don't know why you make up these things."

Luke suspectied that if R2 had eyes, he would be rolling them.

Meanwhile, Han was lying in the middle of the bed, his shoes already off, staring up at the ceiling, his teeth ground.

"Come on Han, relax," said Leia, who was lying next to him.

"I'll relax when this is over," said Han.

Leia smiled at her husband and squeezed his hand. "We've got Rianna and the kids watching over us, honey. What could go wrong?"

Rianna didn't look like she shared her sister-in-law's confidence as she paced around the bed. "Well . . ." she said after a gulp, ". . . you let me know when you're ready."

Mae came running up to her father. "Wait a minute, Mom." She threw her arms around Luke. "Don't forget to come back, Dad."

Luke hugged his daughter back. "Don't worry, sweetheart, I'll come back. I promise."

"Come on, Mae," said Owen, swaying side to side with his hands behind his back. "This'll be fun!"

"Fun for them," said Jaina, who was sitting at the table in the corner along with Jacen. "All we get to do is watch them sleep."

Jacen meanwhile looked almost as nervous as his father. "Hey Grandpa - can I call you Grandpa? - you sure they're gonna be okay?"

Anakin, the only ghost to remain visible after his children agreed to the experiment, shrugged at his grandson. "They'll be fine," he said, "so long as you guys keep their bodies safe."

"We will," said the younger Anakin, giving his grandfather a salute.

"All right," Rianna said after taking a deep breath, "are you ready?"

"No," said Han, "but you're gonna do it anyway, so you might as well get started."

Rianna took another deep breath and leaned over the bed. "Okay . . . now relax."

"Again with the 'relax,'" grumbled Han, but he didn't resist when Rianna put her hand on his forehead and closed her eyes.

"Go to sleep," she whispered, rhythmically breathing in and out. "Go to sleep."

Despite Han's insistence that he couldn't relax, he quickly succumbed to Rianna's Force-induced sleep. She then repeated the process with Luke and Leia, causing Mae and the young Anakin to widen their eyes.

"Are we gonna learn to do that in school?" the young Anakin asked.

"Don't worry about that right now," said the ghost Anakin. He gave his daughter-in-law a serious look. "Make sure they stay asleep."

"Wait, are you saying it's possible for them to wake up after their spirits are out of their bodies?" Rianna exclaimed.

"It might be," said Anakin, "if a loud noise or something jolted an automatic awakening from their bodies, but they would be like empty shells then. If their bodies woke without their spirits in them, I don't know if we could put them back."

"It might've been nice for you to tell us that before they agreed to this," Mae muttered.

"They would have agreed anyway," said Anakin. "Your father and aunt and uncle have always been willing to take risks in order to help people."

"Yeah," said Mae, "but usually it's to help living people."

Anakin smiled at his granddaughter. "Mae, you carry your grandmother's name."

"A shortened version of it."

"That doesn't matter," said Anakin. "You should still be proud of it, and when Padme's soul returns, you could possibly even meet her." He turned to face Owen. "You carry my stepbrother's name. He and his family are also lost in the netherworld, as are millions of others. This isn't just about Padme. It's about all of them." He turned back to Rianna. "Protect their bodies and keep them asleep for however long it takes."

"How long will it take?" Rianna asked, realizing that they might should have asked that question earlier.

"I don't know," said Anakin, "but I hope it won't be too long."

With that, he vanished.

. . .

Everything was dark and silent, but Luke wasn't afraid. He was . . . floating . . . yes, floating. Floating through silent darkness, but it was pleasant, like drifting off to sleep.

Then he became aware of something grasping his hand, pulling him up in a gentle but firm manner. Though he would have liked to remain floating, he followed the pull up, up up.

"Luke, open your eyes."

He could open his eyes? He had thought his eyes were already open, but once he heard the voice he concentrated on where his eyes should be, but somehow it felt different. As if he were in a different form than what he was used to. He felt . . . lighter. Suddenly he realized that there were no little discomforts the human body was so used to - no itches, no pulls in clothing, no tiny pains.

"Come on Luke, open your eyes."

Finally Luke found the ability, and the first thing he saw was . . . himself. There he was with Leia and Han, sleeping on his bed, Rianna hovering over them, and suddenly he remembered.

"You did it," he whispered. "Father, you did it."

"Yes he did," said Leia's voice. Luke turned around and there she was standing next to Anakin, translucent like he was, with a blue light surrounding her. She made a pretty ghost, though she was staring down at herself with bulging eyes.

"This is weird," she said, shifting her focus to the children. "Can they see us?"

"Not right now," said Anakin.

Luke waved his hand in front of his face, realizing that in this form, he had his right hand back, glimmering in the strange blue light. For a moment he simply gazed at it, feeling like he had just recovered something he had missed for a long time, even though he had long gotten used to living with his artificial hand.

"All right, one more," said Anakin, looking down at Han.

Leia suddenly looked nervous, her widened eyes looking from Han to Anakin and back again. "Are you sure you can do this with him too?"

Anakin's lack of an answer confirmed her fears.

"Leia," Luke said in a vain attempt at comforting her, "I'm sure Father knows what he's doing."

Leia only watched as Anakin took Han's hand and closed his eyes, concentrating on coaxing Han's spirit out of his body. It took several moments before there was a hint of blue light emerging from Han's body. Luke stared down at the light, waiting, waiting, waiting for it to form into Han's spirit, but it never came. He looked back at his father and froze when he saw the fear in his eyes.

"Something's wrong," he whispered. "I can't hold on to him."

"What's going on?" Leia exclaimed, grabbing her father's shoulder.

"I told you - he's slipping through my grasp," said Anakin, gritting his teeth. Luke would have expected him to start sweating if he weren't a ghost.

Then all of a sudden, the light disappeared. It didn't sink back into Han's body - it merely disappeared. Anakin slowly turned around, facing his children with a distraught expression on his face.

"I'm sorry," he said in a moaning whisper, lowering his head in shame. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm so so sorry."

"What do you mean?" demanded Leia. "Where's Han?"

Anakin's hands were trembling as he looked up at his daughter. "The same place where Padme is," he whispered. "The netherworld."