Force Unleashed: Skywalker Style Chapter 2

Padme couldn't be having a worse day. Her friend had died, and her ship had been blown to bits. Then the Jedi had assigned her a bodyguard recommended by the Chancellor, someone she didn't even know. Why would someone want to kill me? She wondered. And why would the Jedi assign me someone they've never even met?

Padme had so many questions, but no answers. However, she knew that the Jedi investigating the attempts on her life was going to be Master Kenobi, an old friend of hers. She could use a friend right now.

I can't wait to see him, she thought. It's been far too long…

Obi-wan Kenobi felt awkward as he entered the lift that was to take him to Senator Amidala's penthouse. There was a young man in there. They were silent most of the way up to the apartment, but Obi-wan's curiosity got the best of him. "Who are you?" he asked the young man.

The boy gave him a look with his piercing blue gaze. "No one you need to know," he replied, turning away.

"Your business here is my concern, kid," Obi-wan retorted. "What are you doing in the Senatorial suite house?"

The young man sighed. "If it really bothers you that much," he sighed sarcastically. "I was assigned body guard duties from the Chancellor."

"To whom?"

"Senator Amidala," he replied in that same lifeless tone.

"I am undergoing an investigation on her behalf," Obi-wan said. "I guess we'll be working together. My name is Obi-wan Kenobi."

The kid gave him a funny look. "I know," he said softly, his eyes going glossy. Obi-wan didn't have time to ask what he meant by that because the doors to the lifts opened.

That was strange, he thought as he watched the boy exit into the Senator's suite. I wonder who he is…

The Senator was beautiful, that Anakin had to admit. However, in his opinion, the woman was a bitch. She complained and was rude to Master Kenobi. She pissed and moaned about how she wanted answers now. Obi-wan, inclined to be polite, had tried to reassure her that he would be working as fast as he could. But that hadn't seemed good enough. She wore the most elegant clothes, and Anakin knew that in order to be a Senator, she must have grown up in a rich and influential family. She was, in his opinion, a spoiled brat.

She couldn't possibly imagine a life outside of her precious Senate. Anakin had been raised and trained in a brutal environment, something that had hardened him over the years and had made him despise the rich. According to what his Master had told him, he had been nothing more than a slave before coming into his possession. That meant that life must have been hard for him back then, too. Anakin was nothing more than a slave now, bound to do a Sith Lord's will unless he wished to die.

And, because he didn't, the slave apprentice would "protect" this woman, despite his views on her behavior. As the Captain of her security team and Obi-wan talked with Amidala, Anakin hung back in the shadows, not wanting to be noticed.

When she dismissed herself, Anakin was pleased and half disgusted that the spoiled Senator hadn't seen him.

4 Hours Later

He sat on the couch. Damn, this is comfortable, he thought. Never had Anakin been so comfortable in his life. He had never had a bed. His "bed" had always been the durasteel floor of his cell, and that was when he actually got the luxury of sleeping. His times in the pit were always too painful for him to get any real rest, and he hadn't slept for 13 days now due to the discomfort he had experienced in that hole.

Anakin was sleep deprived and starving, and all he wanted to do was lay down and die on that comfortable sofa. However, he knew he would be awake the whole night in order to make sure that Amidala would be safe.

Obi-wan was checking the cameras as Anakin's eyelids became heavy as he sat on the couch. He struggled to keep them open. The Jedi seemed to notice his flickering eyes. "Do you need to sleep?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm fine," he snapped, embarrassed to be showing such weakness.

"My apologies young one," the Master Jedi said, holding his hands up in surrender. "You look tired."

That's an understatement, Anakin thought. He regretfully stood, walking around to try and wake his mind up for the long night of watching the Senator. He could feel Obi-wan's eyes on him, but he refused to meet the Jedi's concerned gaze.

"Are you okay?"

The question caught Anakin off guard. No one had ever asked him if he was okay… not when he was dying from starvation or dehydration. Not when he his back was left in tatters after a long session of torture. Not after a brutal day of training… never.

His Master had always tried to make him a bad person through those atrocious displays, but Anakin had resisted Sidious's attempts to sway him. He had simply done what he had to to survive. To think that the Sith's sworn enemy could possibly care was almost enough to send Anakin to tears. But, he held them in because crying only brought more pain.

"I'm fine," he repeated softly, turning away from Obi-wan.

"Alright," the Jedi said, obviously unconvinced. "I will be out checking the posts. I'll be back as soon as I can, though."

Anakin nodded in acknowledgement. When Obi-wan was gone, he went to go stand on the balcony.

I could end it here, Anakin though ,looking down at the city. I could stop whatever bad things he wants me to do. I could-

"Who are you?"

Anakin whipped around at the sound of the voice behind him. His hands went reflexively towards his hips, looking for his lightsabers. But, they had been removed… for now. It was only the Senator, and Anakin became irritated as the woman stared at him with those demanding brown eyes.

"Your body guard, Milady," Anakin replied once he was sure it was really her he was talking to.

Amidala scowled. 'Where were you earlier?"

"I was there, Senator," he retorted with his own glower crossing his face. "You just didn't see me."

\ "Oh."

It's been four hours, and you are now just noticing me? Brat…

Padme hadn't been tired so she had decided to get a feel for her apartment. She had been startled to see a young man on her balcony, staring down at the city below.

"Who are you?" she had asked, breaking his train of thought. The young man had seemed surprised by her presence. She knew it because of the way he whipped around to face her.

"Your body guard," he had replied, his blue eyes meeting hers.

A frown snaked onto her face. "Where were you earlier?"

"I was there," he replied rather rudely. She was not used to being talked to in such a way. "You just didn't see me."

"Oh," was all the baffled young Senator had to say about that.

The boy glared at her. He was a few years younger than her, with baby blue eyes and rippling arms. He had shoulder length sandy blonde hair that was a toasted golden color. The young man had a few scars on his gaunt face. His cheekbones stuck out a bit, almost as if he hadn't been fed in a while. Also, he looked tired. Very tired.

But he was handsome… the most handsome man Padme had ever met before. There had been many good looking guys who had been of interest, but no one had even compared to this boy in front of her. Also, he had talked to her and told her how she felt without the slightest worry of what she could do to him. She liked that.

"What is your name?" she asked.

The boy hesitated. "My name is Anakin, ma'am," he said, his gaze dropping.

Padme smiled. "It's nice to meet you Anakin," she said. "I'm Padme."

The boy did not reply. She bit her lip at the awkward silence. "If you need anything, don't be afraid to ask. It's the least I could do for someone who is putting their life on the line for me." Padme smiled at him again, but Anakin only gave her a funny look in return. "Well, good night."
She turned on her heel and strode back to her room. She could feel Anakin's eyes on her as she made her way back through the apartment.

He's so… different, Padme thought as she lay down again for the night. I wonder where he's from?

Anakin was nearly dying by morning. He was so tired, he struggled not to yawn while in the presence of other people. He fought to stay upright, and he battled to keep his eyes open as they made their way to the Coruscant docking bay. He was allowed to sit by the Senator, and she seemed to be able to tell that he was tired. She really had no idea.

When they reached the docking bay, Amidala and her friend Dorme said goodbye to each other. Obi-wan, once again, reassured the Senator that he would be working as quickly as he could. She thanked him and then it was time to go.

Anakin carried the Senator's luggage, his whole body screaming in protest at the additional weight. He was a strong lad, but he was so fatigued it took all his will power not to collapse. When they boarded the refugee transport, he was relieved when they entered their cabin. Their were two beds, one on each side of the room. He set the Senator's luggage aside and collapsed on the bed.

Just 5 minutes… he thought before drifting off into sleep.

Padme turned her back on Anakin for a minute to examine one of the dressers, and, when she returned her gaze back to the young man, she found that he was sprawled out on the bed asleep. She smiled sadly. Padme knew that earlier the young man had been fighting to stay awake. She wondered what had made him so tired and how long it had been since he had last slept.

She approached his unconscious form cautiously and removed his boots. Then she swung his legs into a more comfortable position and put a blanket over him. Anakin looked stressed even when he was asleep. She wondered what the poor boy had been through.

When she was done making him more comfortable, Padme sat on her own bed, taking in her surroundings. The room was dull and the beds weren't terribly uncomfortable. There was a fresher and a single dresser drawer made of a dark wood.

She knew that she shouldn't sneak out without Anakin, but her curiosity got the best of her. So, Padme Amidala tiptoed past her bodyguard and began to look around the ship.

There was a blood red blade connecting with his own, and a cackle tang through the air. "Slave, you will never defeat me!" came the taunting voice of Sidious.

He had to beat his Master though. He knew the punishment if he failed. Anakin was thrown off guard when Sidious knocked him under his chin and brought his lightsaber down. The white hot laser slashed into his arm, leaving a long burn along his right limb.

Anakin screamed in agony as his Master dragged his weapon down to his wrist. He fell to the floor, gasping for air. That was when the sickening sound of a whip whistled through the cell. The pain was unbearable. His arm… his back.

Why did he have to be so cruel? Again and again the whip met with his feverish flesh. He jerked every time it met with his skin. He screamed in agony.

Please!

\ Anakin woke with a start. I'm okay, he thought taking in his surroundings. He was on a refugee ship and on his way to Naboo to protect Senator Amidala. He was no longer in his cell. He wasn't being tortured by Sidious. He was okay… for now.

The room was empty apart from him. Where was the Senator? As if on cue, Amidala came through the door. Anakin was surprised to see that she was carrying a tray of food. His stomach rumbled. 13 days…

"Hey," she said softly, setting the food down on the nightstand. "Are you hungry?"

Anakin was about to say no, which would have been a very big lie, when his stomach tightened. He was starving

The smell of the platter wafted to his nose and Anakin almost lost it…almost. He took the tray from the nightstand, ignoring Padme's gaze. The young man tried to control his appetite, but he failed. He couldn't get the food into his mouth fast enough. He didn't want Amidala to ask the question he knew she would.

"How long has it been since you last ate?" she asked with a laugh after Anakin was finished.

Anakin looked away. "About 2 weeks," he replied.

The smile was wiped from the Senator's face. "What?"

Anakin stood. "Don't worry about it," he said, his frustration building up. He had never worried about his lack of nourishment. Well, unless he was actually dying from it. But why would anyone else care? He was just a…slave.

Anakin tried to change the subject. "How long was I asleep?"

Amidala, seemingly frustrated as well, replied despite the fact that she was angry about him being starved. "About a day," she answered. "You sure were tired."

"You have no idea," he replied softly.

There was a silence. And, as much as Anakin hated to admit it, he was warming up to Amidala. She seemed to care about others… and him. That was all so new, the feeling of someone actually being concerned about him. Maybe she wasn't the spoiled brat he had first taken her to be…