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A’riding o’er my sleep with vicious hooves

And trampling any rest I hop’d to find.

This evil courser, sent from hell’s own heart,

Rac’d o’er my mind to bring this foresight dire,

Then vanish’d from the ether whence it strode.

’Tis gone: the beast that plagued me was but spectral.

Yet I must not dismiss this steedlike sign,

It shall not gallop off, escape my mind:

I must consider what its coming means.

I am a Jedi Knight, and thus my dreams

May be some portent of a future time.

I’d not see this most heinous dream fall on

Mine enemy, much less belovèd Padmé:

It must not be my love’s reality.

Ne’er shall her waking moments troubled be

By this most dark and dismal vision—nay,

Not while I have my life and health and strength.

I shall undo the omen by which she,

My gentle Padmé, else would be undone.

Yea, I shall find the secret that shall turn

This wretched, dreary charger into wind:

A memory that passeth in the night

And bringeth no more terror than the air.

Come, wakefulness, and let me conquer pain—

Come, day, and make me master over death.

Enter
P
ADMÉ.

PADMÉ

What troubl’d thoughts have ta’en thee from my bed?

What worry pulls thee out of sleep’s embrace?

ANAKIN

’Tis naught that should perturb thy comely head,

Nor wake thee from thy warm, soft resting place.

[He looks at the pendant around Padmé’s neck.

I do recall when I did give this thee,

It seems an ’twere a thousand seasons since.

PADMÉ

O, Anakin, how long till we may be

Completely honest with our words, my prince?

ANAKIN

True, chuck, I cannot hide myself with lies,

So I must tell you what hath come by night:

A fearsome dream my soul doth so despise,

Which seem’d so real it gave my soul a fright.

’Twas like the nightmares I was wont to dream

Full many years ago, about my mother,

Ere she did die; I’d wake with dread and scream.

Tonight ’twas not of her, but of another;

Thou, Padmé, wert the vision I did see.

PADMÉ

Unfold the tale to me, so it may pass.

ANAKIN

’Twas but some Force-forsaken reverie,

Yet I did see it clearly, as through glass.

Thou diest as thou to our child giv’st life;

E’en at the moment it is being born,

Thou art assail’d with misery and strife,

A woman ragged, desp’rate and forlorn.

PADMÉ

What of the babe, what didst thou see of it?

ANAKIN

I do not know, its fate I could not see.

PADMÉ

’Twas but a dream, ’tis not already writ.

ANAKIN

This dream shall never be reality.

I vow it, Padmé: ere the child arrives,

I’ll find a way to circumvent this path.

PADMÉ

One thing is sure: this babe shall change our lives.

The fair queen of Naboo, sans question, hath

No need for senators who are with child:

Belike she will no longer let me serve.

And by the Council thou shalt be revil’d:

Thou likely shalt be barr’d when they observe

That thou art father to my little tot.

The road we walk is fraught with pain to come.

ANAKIN

Thy words are true, yet they shall come to naught—

For wherefore would Fate weave a cord so glum?

PADMÉ

Dost thou think Obi-Wan could give us aid?

ANAKIN

We have no need of him; all shall be well.

Our baby is a blessing by us made:

No nightmare may the future’s hand compel.

[Exeunt.

SCENE 2.

On the planet Coruscant, in the Jedi temple.

Enter
Y
ODA
and
A
NAKIN
S
KYWALKER
.

YODA

Premonitions, hmm?

Thou hast had signs of future?

What, pray, hast thou seen?

ANAKIN

’Tis pain and grief mine inner eye beholds.

They are accompanied by death’s dark touch.

YODA

’Tis thy death thou seest?

Or, perchance, another one?

I prithee, speak on.

ANAKIN

Another person, someone I do know.

YODA

This other person,

Is it someone to thee close,

A most treasur’d friend?

ANAKIN

Forsooth, ’tis as you say, my Master wise.

YODA

Take thou greatest care

When ’tis the future thou art

Sensing, Anakin.

Worry about loss

A path to the dark side is

Of it be wary.

ANAKIN

These visions rank shall ne’er become the truth.

I’ll see to that, good Master Yoda, e’en

If I my noble training must forswear.

YODA

Death natural is:

To all who have life, it comes.

Stop it thou canst not.

Instead, be merry—

Rejoice with those transforming

Into the broad Force.

Mourn them, thou shouldst not.

Miss them, thou shouldst not as well.

’Tis the way of things.

When beset thou art

By attachment and clinging,

Jealous thou’lt become.

’Tis the dark shadow

Of greed rising before thee,

Falling o’er thy life.

ANAKIN

What must I do, then, Master Yoda? Speak!

YODA

Train thyself better:

Not to hold on, but let go

What thou fear’st to lose.

ANAKIN

I understand, and shall do as you say.

[Exit Anakin.

YODA

O, folly of youth,

Which spendeth ev’ry moment

In futile pursuits.

There ne’er was Jedi

But struggl’d with attachment:

Anakin is one.

Yet sorely fear I

His path doth lead toward doom,

Future agony.

Come, Force, him surround:

Enfold him around, beside,

Present to his need.

Be steadfast, constant

In his life variable—

Be a stalwart Force.

And there mine hope ends.

No undue attachment shall

I form to the youth.

For I’d face the same

As that which he showeth me:

Jealousy and fear.

May it never be.

Force, guide me as him you guide:

To peace and wisdom.

[Exit Yoda.

Enter
A
NAKIN
S
KYWALKER
and
O
BI
-W
AN
K
ENOBI
.

ANAKIN

Apologies, good sir, for I come late.

OBI-WAN

Thou wert not present so to hear report

Of all the sieges in the Outer Rim.

ANAKIN

I was by other matters sore delay’d.

For mine own tardiness there’s no excuse.

OBI-WAN

The long and short is they proceed apace,

And all goes well for our Republic there.

Saleucami hath fallen, Master Vos

Hath mov’d his troops unto Boz Pity.

ANAKIN

—Aye,

Then what is wrong, for I do sense some ill?

OBI-WAN

’Tis thought the Senate shall proceed anon

To vote more pow’rs executive unto

The chancellor today, e’en Palpatine.