Chapter 2

Bail Organa's face was grim over the holographic image, his voice heavy and distraught.

"The entire Temple has been overrun. There are storm troopers by the thousands all over. I saw the smoke and fire, and rushed there to see what was going on. I was stopped by a patrol on the landing pad. They said something about a Jedi plot, just before murdering a padawan learner right in front of me." A handsome man of middle years, Bail Organa suddenly looked rather old in those moments to Padme Amidala.

"Nothing of the Knights or Masters then," Padme tried not to sound desperate, tried not to blurt out Anakin's name. Bail shook his head.

"Those that were in the temple could well be dead now. Those that are out, they might still be alive, but a signal is being sent out telling them to return. I'm sending out a coded message to any Jedi who can pick it up, telling them to reach me if possible."

Padme nodded, fear causing her throat to tighten to the point of incapability of speaking. "Any news then on what the Jedi have done?"

"None, though I suspect that it has something to do with General Grievous' defeat. I expect that there will be a special session of the Senate called. Will you be putting in your attendance?" Bail knew exactly how Padme and Naboo felt about their former Senator's use of his power of late, especially in these late wars. But could she publicly stand against him, even as his government was being threatened?

Even if in her heart, she could never believe that the Jedi had turned against their ideals?

"I'll be there. Do you wish to sit with Naboo for the explanation then?" Padme rather didn't wish to sit alone, and the Gungans had recalled Jar Jar Binks earlier that week.

"I'd be honored. I'm sure they will inform us soon of the meeting, I'll meet you there then?" Padme nodded her affirmation, and the holographic image of Bail Organa winked out.

She stared out the window then, across the wide expanse of city, towards the Jedi Temple, where very likely, her own husband lay dead, or dying. No, he wasn't, she tried to assure herself, he couldn't be. She would have known it. Still, those seeds of doubt…

"Mistress Padme," the voice of Threepio, the protocol droid, sounded behind her, worried and fretful. "Master Anakin's ship has just arrived at the docking pad, and Artoo Deetoo has reported in."

"Is he all right," Padme was up and rushing towards her private landing pad as fast as her pregnant body would allow her to move.

"Well, milady," Threepio was trailing after her; his stiff robotic parts unable to move as quickly as her own. "No, milady," his voice called after her, but was unable to reach her until she had stopped at the empty speeder, there with Anakin's mech droid sitting, whistling at her sorrowfully.

"What is it?" She asked, her voice edged with hysteria, "Where is Ani?"

"That's just it," Threepio had finally reached the landing pad, his stiff steps delaying him at the foot of the stairs. "Artoo says that Master Anakin didn't return and that he barely got the ship out of the Chancellor's hangar at all."

"The Chancellor's hangar," Padme stared at the small droid, mystified. "What were you doing there?"

Artoo made a series of noises that Threepio quickly translated for her.

"He says that Master Anakin left the Temple to go there, and he never returned. The Chancellor's guards then tried to impound the vehicle, but Artoo thought it best to bring it here." The smaller droid whistled in agreement to Threepio's statement.

Padme felt the blood quickly drain from all parts of her body, felt her lungs tighten suddenly, as if she couldn't breathe. "Any word as to where he is?"

"Any call to the Chancellor's office says he returned to the Temple after speaking with the Chancellor this afternoon."

Padme turned to the burning Temple then. Was he truly gone away from her?

A sound at the door, the ringing of her security bell, and murmured voices caught her attention. She turned inside, in time to see one of her handmaidens, Elle, rushing towards her, concern written all over her pretty face.

"Milady, there are some gentlemen at the door asking to see you." She looked anxious. As the girl was one of her many bodyguards, Padme knew to be alarmed.

"What do they want?" Padme asked quickly.

"They say they have someone with them who is asking for you, a Jedi they think." Elle frowned slightly. "I thought perhaps it was your husband, milady, but they wouldn't let me see him. They said he was too injured."

Padme tried not to let her sense of alarm then override her practical thought. They could be assassins, or even spies out to ferret out her allegiance to the Chancellor. "Take Captain Tycho and two of his most trusted men downstairs to see. Report to me as soon as you know," quickly the handmaiden nodded, and made her way to the security room. Padme watched her go in silence.

She waited in agony for twenty minutes as she watched the front door, jumping up as it rushed open suddenly, as two men and Captain Tycho bearing the limp form of her Jedi husband between them. Elle was close behind, and rushed towards the security room as Captain Tycho barked orders for her to erase all security tapes.

Padme rushed to the men as they made their way to the closest sofa, being careful to lay her husband down as gently as possible. She tried not to break into hysteric tears as she saw his bruised, bloody face, or the charred mess that was his mechanical arm. Tycho quickly ran her down on what information was made available to him.

"He was found by some air speeder mechanics at a hotel near the Chancellor's building. Apparently he had fallen from some height, and had only just managed to cling on when they grabbed him. Most of his injuries are from the fall. He looks as if he has a broken jaw and perhaps some internal injuries." Tycho glanced down at the younger man briefly. "I can't be sure, milady, but I think with some immediate medical help, he'll recover."

Padme nodded, her face set in the businesslike manner she always took on when faced with a challenge. "Very well, you have Elle erasing the tapes then?"

Tycho nodded quickly.

"Very good, contact Bail Organa, tell him I need him here urgently. Then I need you to…"

The sound of her video link going off stopped Padme mid sentence. Threepio hurried over to answer its ringing.

The familiar, blue face of one of the Chancellor's aids could be seen on the screen.

"Is Senator Amidala available?"

Threepio turned to Padme, who nodded, and crossed to the screen herself. "I am here." She said perfunctorily, forgoing the usual politeness of the Senate.

"Your presence is requested at an emergency meeting of the Senate, milady." Ahhh, the meeting she had been expecting ever since the fires at the Jedi Temple began to burn.

"Very well," Padme knew that there had to be an answer to all this somewhere. "I'll be in attendance shortly." She clicked out of communication, and turned back to her captain of security.

"All right, then, change of plans," she nodded firmly to herself. "Captain, take my ship, take my husband with you. Take him home for me for the moment, if anyone asks for call signs while there, state it's my ship and I'm returning to my retreat. I doubt anyone will ask. As soon as I can, I and Senator Organa will meet you there."

"Yes, milady," Captain Tycho nodded. "As to his injuries, what should I do?"

"Ask for the Queen's medics, tell them it's an emergency. I can trust on the matter." Queen Apailana owed Padme quite a bit. Besides, all former Queens knew what it was to keep their word and their silence.

"Very good, milady," Captain Tycho motioned to his men, who made to lift Anakin from the couch to her ship. Before they got too far, however, Padme stopped them long enough to kiss her husband softy on his forehead, and then nodded at the men to continue on.

However he ended up like this, whatever was going on, Padme had a feeling that the old world was changing forever. Her heart sank then, painfully to somewhere just above where her still growing child nestled in her womb. She placed a comforting hand on the swell of her stomach.

"We shall get to the bottom of this, shan't we?" She whispered to her unborn child, watching in painful silence as the Jedi Temple continued to burn.