Three speeder bikes sped across the desert terrain of Carityne. The sun hung at an angle in the sky, shedding a bright orange light throughout the land and casting long black shadows. On the horizon, far away, Anakin could see the hazy outline of the mountain that he and Padme had climbed. He was riding on one of the bikes, using the force to carry the other two in front of him.
A little while later, he could also see the silhouette of his ship. He curved around in an arc and made a beeline for it, the sand flying up around him, reaching it in a minute or two. Hopping off the bike, Anakin extended his senses and checked for any signs of Obi-Wan. Sensing nothing, he ran up the hatchway and into the dirty-white interior of the ship. He called mentally for Palpatine, asking him to take whatever is needed and meet him at the entrance.
"Ani?"
Anakin turned around and was greeted by Padme ramming into him.
"Ani! You're okay! I've been so worried about you," she said, relief flooding her beautiful face.
Anakin hugged her back and then cupped her angel face in his hands. "I'm fine, Padme," he said gently.
She smiled at him, relieved. "So did you find the other engine in the storm?"
Anakin shook his head and looked at her seriously. "No, sweetheart, but I found another ship."
Padme's brown eyes lighted up. "But that's good news! We can get off this place now."
"It's Obi-Wan's ship."
Her lips parted in shock and she rocked back on her heels. She felt as if someone had just reached in and squeezed all the air out of her lungs.
"He's here?" she whispered, looking up at him with frightened eyes. "But I thought that he was gone. The clones must have told them about the crash but why didn't they leave us alone?
Anakin stroked her hair comfortingly, as if he could stroke all her fear away. He could understand her fear, after what had happened on Mustafar. "The Jedi aren't stupid, Padme. 3PO said that they sent Obi-Wan to find out if we are actually dead." Wanting to reassure her he added, "But don't worry, honey, nothing bad will happen to us, I promise."
Padme took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. She knew she must keep a level head at times of danger. "I love you, Ani," she murmured, sending all of her love to him with those words. "And I can't wait to meet 3PO and R2," she added, smiling.
"I love you, too, Padme," whispered Anakin, raining a couple of kisses down her neck.
They both looked up as they heard the sound of boots around the corner. Palpatine appeared, wearing his usual heavy black cloak and black knee high boots, carrying two big rucksacks filled with their necessary belongings. Anakin and Padme have never seen him dress in any colour other than black.
"What have you found, Anakin?"
"Obi-Wan's ship. He was not there so I took three speeders."
His white eyebrows sank down over his eyes, making his face look mighty fierce. "Where was he?"
"He was out looking for us," Anakin said reluctantly, not wanting to scare Padme any more than she already is. "We may be able to get back before him."
The old man nodded his white head.
"Sounds like a plan. Let's get going then," he said, limping slightly down the hatchway.
"What about the babies, Anakin?" asked Padme before he could follow.
Anakin stalled for a second, feeling guilty for having forgotten them. "Uh…we can strap them to us?"
Padme thought about it for a couple of minutes, looking at him with the slightest frown marring her smooth skin. Anakin looked back at her with questioning eyes, head a little to one side. Getting a tad impatient after a long wait, he read her thoughts on his idea.
"They'll be very safe strapped to us," he said, resolving the conflict in her mind.
Padme drew herself up to her full height and crossed her arms over her chest. "Anakin Skywalker, don't read my thoughts," she said in mock anger.
Anakin only grinned and caught her by the waist, pulling her to him and destroying her dignified posture. Not being able to hold her posture in his arms, she put on a stern face instead.
"This is no time to play, Anakin."
"So are we going to strap?"
"You promise they'll be safe?"
"Yes, sweetie, I promise."
"One problem, though."
Anakin drew his head back to get a better look at her face. "What is it?"
"I don't know how to ride one of those bikes," she said in a stage whisper.
"You mean you've never ridden one of them?" he asked incredulously.
"No," she said, her voice turning into a more serious tone.
Anakin gathered from the tone of her voice that it was time to stop joking around. He ran a hand through his honey brown hair. "It's really easy; I can teach you on the way to the infirmary...so, what is it?
"Okay then," consented Padme, "come on."
She slipped out of his arms like a fish and ran off to the ship's hospital, Anakin following close behind her.
Twenty minutes later, Padme and Anakin walked out of The Eagle, each with a baby strapped securely to their front with the infirmary bed sheets as an impromptu sling. Palpatine smiled at the sight.
"…just push the button there and turn the handles to steer. You got all that?" said Anakin, coming into hearing range.
Padme nodded nervously and Anakin helped her onto one of the bikes, making a last check. He bent down and kissed her and then he went to the last bike and climbed on, careful not to hurt Luke who was strapped comfortably against his chest. He turned to the others.
"Are you ready?"
Palpatine nodded affirmative and Padme took a nervous breath.
"Yes."
"Okay then, follow me."
They shot off into the setting sun, back towards Obi-Wan's ship.
The sun was now setting rapidly behind the mountain, sending its last vestiges of light shooting out from behind the peaks. The shifting sand dunes cooled quickly, giving no attempt at keeping the heat in. Padme, Anakin and Palpatine now have Obi-Wan's ship in sight, after traveling across many miles of empty sand dunes. Padme sat easily in her seat, having gotten used to the bike many minutes ago. Feeling more relaxed than she had since she found Anakin on Mustafar; she looked around at her surroundings, admiring the harsh beauty of the Carityne desert with the dry shrubs hugging close to the sand. Turning her attention to Anakin, she admired how his brown hair was flying back in the wind.
"We're nearly there!" shouted Anakin over the wind.
It immediately snapped her out of her daydream and her carefree feeling was replaced with one of uneasiness as she saw how close the ship was. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she saw the dark figure of a man.
"Anak – "she let out a scream. It was cut off as she felt something push her, sending her flying out of her seat. She landed hard on her back onto the sand, arms wrapped protectively around Leia. She tried to breathe but couldn't, her lungs having been numbed by the force of her fall. Then she blacked out.
Anakin sensed that something was wrong. A second later, Padme screamed. He and Palpatine skidded their speeders to a halt, sending up a wave of sand. Anakin was out his seat, leaping backwards off his bike before his bike had stopped.
"Take them to the ship!" he yelled to Palpatine, who had pulled up his hood to conceal his face the moment the trouble had started.
The hooded figure nodded and raised his gloved hand, using the force to snatch Luke to safety. He raised his other hand lifting Padme and Leia. He turned around and sprinted as fast as he could to the ship.
Anakin's lightsaber flew into his hand, igniting blue. Obi-Wan turned around igniting his own red lightsaber, the red light throwing a demonic gleam on his face.
"So, you're alive," he sneered maliciously.
Anakin did not respond to the tone of his voice as Obi-Wan would've thought he would.
"Why did you join the Dark side, Obi-Wan?" he asked, looking at his former master sadly. "Why?"
Obi-Wan snarled and charged at him, swinging his saber. Anakin dodged easily, not using his lightsaber, not wanting to be drawn into a fight. Obi-Wan pivoted around, lashing out gracefully at Anakin, who jumped up to avoid it yet again. Obi-Wan stopped, enraged that Anakin wouldn't fight him.
"Fight me, Anakin; let loose all your hate for the Jedi who deceived you!" He wanted Anakin to be at his side – the Dark side.
Reading his mind, Anakin answered, "It's not too late for you to turn back to the Light, Obi-Wan. If you want me to fight at your side, turn back to the Light, for I will never turn to the Dark."
Obi-Wan slashed his lightsaber down, his face still a picture of fury, although Anakin could read the pain in his face as well. "You don't know what you are talking about, Anakin! You don't know the full power of the Dark side; you don't know what we are capable of!"
"Maybe not, Obi-Wan, but I know enough of the Light side to know that I will never turn."
"And why is that?" spat Obi-Wan.
"Because I know what it is like to love. I loved you Obi-Wan, for the person you pretended to be, you were like the father I never had," said Anakin softly, staring into Obi-Wan's eyes, willing him to turn back. "Please turn back to the Light, Obi-Wan."
Obi-Wan was taken aback by Anakin's words. It stirred up a powerful feeling he had never felt for a long time and he felt confused. The feeling went against everything he had been taught by the Jedi Masters when he joined the council, everything he himself had learned after that day. The feeling brought back a memory from a long time ago, when he was young and foolish.
He walked through the lush green garden of Jada's house carrying a beautiful white flower he had brought earlier that day. Turning around the corner of a hedge, he saw her. He stood there for a moment; just looking at her, letting his eyes run over every detail of her beautiful face –
He ripped himself away from that memory, knowing that it would only bring pain. He stared back into Anakin's eyes, searching for something. Then, realizing that he was being weak, he eradicated that confused feeling by getting angry.
"How dare you play mind tricks on me?" he shouted.
"I didn't do anything. But you felt something didn't you? I could see it in your eyes. I know you aren't fully corrupted by the Dark, yet. You couldn't kill me in Mustafar. Think about that feeling you had, Obi-Wan, and come back to the Light." With that, Anakin loped the last ten meters to the ship, leaving Obi-Wan standing with his red lightsaber at his side feeling thoroughly confused.
Anakin rushed up the ship into the brilliant white corridors.
"Palpatine?" he called.
A telepathic message reached him, telling him to go to the infirmary. He ran down the passage, anxious to reach Padme.
The door to the infirmary opened quietly, allowing Anakin to step through and make his way to Padme.
"How is she?" he asked concernedly, sitting down at the side of Padme's bed and taking her slender white hands in his.
"The droid said she's going to be fine," answered Palpatine. Then, seeing that Anakin was not at all reassured, he added, "She just had a hard fall, that's all. She's a strong woman, she'll recover soon."
Anakin nodded. "Thank you," he said, looking at him gratefully, grateful to him for saving them and bringing them comfort. Palpatine patted his shoulder.
"I'll go set course for Zeta. You can stay here with her." He swept noiselessly out the door.
Anakin looked at his injured wife. Padme looked so frail and slender, lying on that bed with her dark hair in stark contrast with the white of her skin. He sighed deeply and stroked her hand, willing her to come back.
A/N: Jada is a made up person and thanks to everyone who reviewed. I hope you liked this chapter. I thought it sucked.
