Hey folks, Grubkiller here.
This is part 5 of this ROTS/CW story.
Feel free to leave your thoughts down in the review section.
Please enjoy.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Coruscant, Senate Building.
The small Shuttle carrying Palpatine and his Jedi rescuers arrives at the landing platform. There are a dozen senators, including Bail Organa, Jar Jar Binks, and C-3PO, waiting for them. Palpatine, R2-D2, and Anakin get out. But then Anakin turned back and noticed that Obi-Wan was staying in the doorway of the Shuttle.
"Are you coming, Master?" Anakin asked.
"Oh no. I'm not brave enough for politics. I have to report to the Council. Besides, someone needs to be the poster boy," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin turned to face him, shaking his finger
"Hold on, this whole operation was your crazy idea. You planned it. You led the rescue operation. You have to be the one to take the bows this time," Anakin said.
"Anakin, let us not forget that you rescued me from the Buzz Droids. And you killed Count Dooku. And you rescued the Chancellor, carrying me unconscious on your back, and you managed to land that bucket of bolts safely..."Obi-Wan pointed out.
"All because of your training, Master. You deserve all those speeches of your greatness," Anakin said.
"...The endless speeches," Obi-Wan corrected. "Anakin, let's be fair. Today, you are the hero and you deserve your glorious day with the politicians".
Anakin smirked and shook his head.
"All right. But you owe me, and not for saving your skin for the tenth time". Anakin said.
"Ninth time," Obi-Wan corrected. "That business on Cato Nemoidia doesn't count. I'll see you at the briefing".
Obi-Wan turned back into the shuttle, and the door closed behind before it took off for the Jedi Temple.
Anakin smiled before he walked off towards the Senate Building's main entrance.
The Chancellor and his entourage approach Mace Windu.
"Chancellor Palpatine, what a welcome sight! Are you all right?" Windu asked.
"Yes, thanks to your two Jedi Knights. They killed Count Dooku, but General Grievous has escaped once again," the chancellor said.
"General Grievous will run and hide as he always does. He is a coward,' Windu said.
"That maybe true, but with Count Dooku dead, he is the leader of the Droid Army, and I assure you, the Senate will vote to continue the war as long as Grievous is alive," the chancellor said with confidence.
"Then the Jedi Council will make finding Grievous our highest priority," Windu said before he walked with the chancellor into the building with the crowd. But Anakin and Bail Organa stay behind and walk as they talk. Meanwhile, R2 rolls up to a familiar golden face and they walk close behind.
"Skywalker, the Republic cannot praise you enough," Bail complimented as they walked towards the grand entrance.
"Thank you, Senator Organa. The invasion and kidnapping were bold moves by the Separatists, but it was a mistake that Obi-Wan and I were able to take advantage of," Anakin said.
It really was. For months, the CIS was being pushed deeper and deeper into the outer rim until their main worlds became under siege. The surprise attack on Coruscant was a brilliant move and a close call to be sure. But the CIS lost vital warships in this invasion. They also lost the face of their movement, Count Dooku. Now, the CIS was, for the moment, leaderless. And with their worlds under siege, the Republic Navy continued tightening the noose around the Separatist capital, Raxus Secundus.
"It couldn't possibly be as bad as all that," Threepio said, having a conversation with his counterpart.
R2 beeps a reply.
"Well, there, I agree with you. In fact, I could do with a tune-up myself," Threepio said.
Anakin is still at the back of the crowd of Senators, talking with Bail Organa. R2 and 3PO scoot along ahead of them.
"The end of Count Dooku will surely bring an end to this war, and an end to the Chancellor's draconian security measures," Bail said.
"I wish that were so, but the fighting is going to continue until General Grievous is spare parts . . . The Chancellor is very clear about that,"Anakin said.
Behind a row of large columns, a shadowy figure follows the Jedi and the senator. Anakin senses the figure.
"I'll do everything I can with the Senate..." Bail continued.
But Anakin ignored him, catching a glimpse of a familiar figure off to the side.
"Excuse me," Anakin said.
"Certainly," Bail said.
Anakin stops and waits for Bail to go off after Palpatine and the others. Anakin then takes advantage of no one seeing him and goes behind one of the giant columns to meet up with the shadowy figure, who, as it turned out, was his secret wife, Senator Padme Amidala.
They embrace. Anakin then lifted her up and twirled her around before he set her down and kissed her passionately. After a few seconds, they break the kiss and embrace again.
"Oh, Anakin! Thank goodness, you're back," she said.
"I missed you, Padme. I've missed you so much".
"There were whispers..." Padme said, on the verge of tears. "...that you'd been killed. I've been living with unbearable dread".
"I'm back, I'm all right. It feels like we've been apart for a lifetime. And it might have been ... If the Chancellor hadn't been kidnapped. I don't think they would have ever brought us back from the Outer Rim sieges". Anakin said before he went to plant another kiss on Padme's lips. But when his lips barely brushed against hers, she steps back.
"Wait, not here," she begged.
But Anakin ignores her, and grabs her again. He placed a hand on her back and forces to arch her back, pressing her body up against her husband's.
"Yes, here! I'm tired of all this deception. I don't care if they know we're married".
"Anakin, don't say things like that. You're important to the Republic ... to ending this war. I love you more than anything, but I won't let you give up your life as a Jedi for me."
"I've given my life to the Jedi order, but I'd only give up my life, for you".
"I wouldn't like that. I wouldn't like that one bit," she said before she began to playfully scratch her finger against his chest before she pressed her bust against it and rested her hands on his broad shoulders. "Patience, my handsome Jedi." she said seductively. "Come to me later".
Anakin smiles, before he embraces her and smashes his lips against her. She opens her mouth to let his tongue invade hers. But as he allowed his hands to roam her body, something stopped him. He then steps back and looks at her. "Are you all right? You're trembling. What's going on?"
"I'm just excited to see you," she said before she tried to press her own lips against his, but Anakin remained adamant.
"That's not it. I sense more . . . what is it?"
"Nothing . . . nothing . . ."
"You're frightened. Tell me what's going on?" Anakin asked, slightly frustrated.
Padme begins to cry.
"You've been gone for months . . . it's been very hard for me. I've never felt so alone. There's . . ."
"Is there someone else?" He asked suspiciously.
Padme looked at her with her eyes bulging out of her skull. Her own anger began to flare up.
"No! Why would you think that? Your jealousy upsets me so much, Anakin. I would never do anything to betray you, yet you still don't trust me. Nothing has changed".
Anakin blushed.
"I'm afraid of losing you, Padme..." he said sheepishly. "...that's all.
"I will never stop loving you, Anakin. My only fear is losing you".
"It's just that I've never seen you like this".
"Something wonderful has happened". They look at each other for a long moment. "I'm..." Padme stopped. She blushed and averted her eyes before she looked at Anakin again. "Annie, I'm pregnant".
Anakin is stunned. His thoughts begin to travel at lightning fast speed as he thinks through all of the ramifications of this. He then takes her in his arms, her head resting into his chest. He rested his chin atop her head, taking a deep wife of her shampoo as he sniffled.
"That's..." he begins to pant uncontrollably. "...that's wonderful.
"What are we going to do?" She asked as her tears began to get Anakin's clothes wet.
Anakin held her back with one hand, and petted the back of her head with the other.
"We're not going to worry about anything right now, all right? This is a happy moment. The happiest moment of my life".
The two of them continue to embrace as they both begin to think about the rest of their lives.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Outer rim, Utapau, high orbit.
A Separatist Sheathipede-class transport shuttle came out of hyperspace over the planet Utapau. A vast rocky desert planet dotted with sinkholes. The shuttle continued to fly through the planet's orbit before it descended to the surface, passing through the atmosphere and flying over the sinkhole dotted surface.
At first glance, it seemed like the planet wasn't worth much from a military standpoint.
It had few resources.
No strategic value.
It was basically about as backwater of a planet as you could possibly get.
But it did have a purpose. Otherwise a Separatist shuttle would never have come here in the first place.
The shuttle then flew down into a sinkhole. It flew passed the many landing platforms that lined up the walls of the sinkhole, until it found a large spherical structure that hung above the sinkhole. The shuttle flew into the sphere's hanger bay. It rotated so that the stern was facing the hanger, which was packed to the brim with battle droids that were standing in a perfect square formation.
What was this planet's aforementioned purpose? To serve as a secret base of operations for General Grievous, and a hideout for the Separatist leaders.
With the Separatist's recent failure at Coruscant, they've been falling back deeper into the outer rim. The CIS war council, led by Viceroy Nute Gunray of the trade federation, has been transferred from planet to planet, escaping the Republic's continuous march into the outer rim.
Many Confederate fortress worlds were under siege. And with Count Dooku dead, and a third of the Separatist Navy wiped out over Coruscant, it was only a matter of time before the Separatists were defeated, and the War Councilors ran out of places to run and hide.
On the surface, the Droid Army had the sinkhole planet's capital, Pau city, completely locked down.
The shuttle's door opened, and as the ramp was extending, General Grievous, the supreme commander of the droid army and current head-of-state for the Confederacy, was walking down the ramp before it even touched down. The Separatist Council was there in front of the droid army, watching as Grievous arrived. But he ignored them and stalked off across the hanger in long strides, his metal talons clanking against the deck as he walked. he was followed by a pair of magna-guards.
Grievous had just arrived from the battle of Coruscant.
He was here to receive new orders from his master. The de-facto head of state for the Confederate entered an elevator that took him to a communications center that looked out over the hanger. When the elevator came to a stop, his guards exited and took up positions on either side of the elevator.
The cyborg general walked across the room towards a holo-table. He wheezed as he walked over. When he stopped, he allowed himself to cough and clear his throat. He pressed a few buttons on a blinking council.
A hologram of a hooded figure materialized on the pedestal, the blue light illuminating the dark room.
"Yes lord Sideous," Grievous said as he kneeled before the hologram.
"General Grievous. I suggest that you move the Separatist leaders to Mustafar," Sideous said.
"It will be done my lord," Grievous kneeled again.
"The ending of the war is near, General," Sideous said. "And I promise you, victory is assured".
The confused general looked back up.
"But the loss of Count Dooku?" Grievous asked.
"His death was a necessary loss, which will ensure our victory," Sideous said. "Soon, I will have a new apprentice ... one far younger, and more powerful than Lord Tyranus".
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Coruscant, Republica 500, Padme's apartment.
On the planet-wide metropolis of Coruscant, night had fallen. The city lights were already on, showing the people that the city was truly alive. Despite the night sky, just as many air-speeders were crowding the sky lanes as there were in the middle of the day. These speeders were taking their occupants out for a night on the town. Others were taking people back home to be with their families after a long day at work.
But on one apartment at 500 Republica, Padme Amidala was standing in the balcony, brushing her hair. Her husband, Anakin, leans against the wall, watching her lovingly.
Every second he'd was thinking of her. Even while protecting the endless, nameless Outer Rim settlements became a torture. The battles were easy, his longing for her became unbearable. Anakin had never felt more happy in his entire life. Here he was with his wife, who was expecting a child. His child.
No. Their child. A beautiful blessing that was created by their love for each other.
Padme continued to brush her hair as she looked out over the city.
"Annie, I want to have our baby back home on Naboo. We could go to the lake country where no one would know . . . where we would be safe," she turned her head over her shoulder to look at him. "I could go early-and fix up the baby's room. I know the perfect spot, right by the gardens".
While Padme planned out their future, Anakin just smiled as he continued to stare at his wife very lovingly.
'You are so ... beautiful!" He said slowly.
Padme blushed and smiled. She turned around and leaned against the balcony. Her nightgown made her baby-bump much more noticeable. It was a very good look for her. "It's only because I'm so in love," she flirted.
Anakin chuckled. "No, it's because I'm so in love with you," he flirted back.
"So love has blinded you?" She asked.
He grinned and looked at his feet. "Ha ha ha. Well, that's not exactly what I meant..." he said.
"But it's probably true!" Padme said with a smile that showed off her perfect teeth.
They share a laugh.
"I haven't laughed in so long," he said.
Padme walked up to him and lazily laid her arms around his neck. She lazily hung from his shoulders. "Neither have I," she said before they began to kiss passionately. After kissing for a few minutes, they retired to their bedroom.
Padme was suffering. She constantly cried and screamed as if suffering the most painful death possible.
There was baby crying in the background.
"Anakin, help me! Help, Anakin! AAAHHHHHH!"
Suddenly, Anakin awoke from his sleep in a cold sweat. He looked to his right. His wife was laying on her side, safe and sound. Anakin pulled a robe over his shoulders and went down stairs.
He sat there in the dark living room. The lights turned on and made the a little dim, as he looked out the window, over the darkness of night that was out shined by the city skyline. Even after an invasion, the people of Coruscant sped by in the never ending traffic jam that was life.
"What's bothering you?"
Padme asked as she walked up to join him on the veranda. She coiled her arms around his front and placed her head against the back of his neck.
"Nothing," Anakin said as he turned around to face her. He touches the japor snippet around Padme's neck, that Anakin gave her when he was a small boy. "I remember when I gave this to you."
"Anakin, how long is it going to take for us to be honest with each other?"
"It was a dream".
"Bad?"
"Like the ones I used to have about my mother just before she died".
"And...?"
"It was about you".
They look at each other. A moment of concern passes between them.
"Tell me".
"It was only a dream." Anakin said, avoiding the conversation. But Padme gives him a long, worried look. Anakin takes in a deep breath. "You die in childbirth..."
"And the baby?" Padme asked.
"I don't know".
Padme walked in from of Anakin. She stood on her tippie-toes to look at him. She kissed him briefly. "It was only a dream," Padme said as she tried to lead her husband back to bed. But Anakin takes her in his arms.
"I won't let this one become real, Padme".
They embrace, then part.
"Anakin, this baby will change our lives. I doubt the Queen will continue to allow me to serve in the Senate, and if the Council discovers you are the father, you will be expelled from the Jedi Order," she said, going into the conversation that Anakin wanted to put off for as long as possible.
"I know,' he said.
"Anakin, do you think Obi-Wan might be able to help us?"
Her husband looked at her with suspicion. "Have you told him anything?"
"No, but he's your mentor, your best friend . . . he must suspect something," she said.
"He's been a father to me, but he's still on the Council. Don't tell him anything!" He told her.
"I won't, Anakin," she said obediently.
"I don't need his help," Anakin said. He kneeled in front of her swollen stomach and placed the side of his head against it.. "Our baby is a blessing, not a problem".
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Coruscant, Jedi Temple, Yoda's quarters.
Back on Coruscant, Anakin was in Master Yoda's room. He was sitting on an ottoman in the middle of room, which was dark because of the closed shades. Yoda was sitting across from him on a similar looking seat.
Anakin was here to receive consoling on his dreams. Who better to see about this matter than the wisest Jedi in the galaxy?
"Premonitions? Premonitions...Hmmmm," Yoda moaned as he stroked his chin. "These visions you have..." Yoda started as he waved his hand to Anakin, encouraging the young Jedi to elaborate.
Anakin looked at his knees.
"They're of pain, suffering..." he said before he looked up to meet Yoda's eyes. "...death."
"Yourself you speak of, or someone you know?" Yoda asked as he clasped his hands together.
Anakin paused, not wanting to answer at first. But then he decided to take the risk and answer.
"Someone..." Anakin finally said.
"...close to you? Yoda pressed.
Anakin tucked his arms in a little harder before his head lowered, causing him to look at his knees again.
"Yes."
"Careful you must be when sensing the future, Anakin," Yoda said as he waged his finger at him. "The fear of loss is a path to the dark side".
Anakin looked up up averted his eyes off to the left before he finally looked at Yoda.
"I won't let these visions come true, Master Yoda," Anakin said.
"Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them, do not. Miss them, do not. Attachment leads to jealousy. The shadow of greed, that is," Yoda lectured.
"What must I do, Master Yoda?"
"Train yourself to let go of everything you fear to lose," Yoda concluded.
Anakin looked down at his lap again as he soaked in what master Yoda told him.
'Letting go of the people I love? Letting go of Padme?' I could never do that. There has got to be another way'.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Well folks, that was part 5.
Hope you enjoyed.
Part 6'll be around the corner.
Until next time, as always, this is Grubkiller, over and out.