Anakin climbed out of the speeder and glanced around the area. He noticed Town Hall had a pair of guards outside the main door. Not too far from the doors was a pair of lockers, he wondered what they were for and what they were doing outside Town Hall and not inside? He glanced at Padme as she climbed out of the speeder and weaved her arm through his. Brice walked up to his parents as they patted him on the shoulder offering some advice. He suspected Fress and Jess wanted Brice in there so they could introduce him to politics. When he gets older, he was going to have to learn how to deal with them and this was a good opportunity to help him learn and grow some more.

They walked up to where Leia and Luke were watching Threepio and Artoo get fitted with restraining bolts. He didn't like the idea, but to show good faith, they didn't have a choice either. "Leia, did you want to speak or did you want me to speak?" Padme questioned with a proud smile.

"If its okay with you, I would like to speak," Leia answered as Padme nodded in agreement.

"It gives me a chance to see how Bail brought you up," Padme explained with a smile. "If you need help, let me know. I'm good at persuading others with a few choice words."

"I'll keep that in mind," Leia spoke with a smile as they headed towards the entrance as one of the guards stopped them. "Is there a problem?"

"Your weapons," the guard answered as he pointed to Han's blaster. "They are not permitted in Town Hall during meetings. You can leave them in the lockers over there."

"That explains what the lockers are for and why they are outside," Anakin whispered under his breath as Padme nodded in agreement. He didn't like the thought of not being armed, but even without his lightsaber, he was still formidable if need be. He placed his lightsaber into the locker as Han placed his blaster in. He noticed Leia was staring Han down quite vigorously making him wonder what other little surprises Han had on him.

Han gave a loud grunt as he reached into his boot and withdrew a vibro blade knife and placed it into the locker. "Happy?" Leia raised an eyebrow as Fress and Jess also complied with the rules. Anakin watched with interest as Han pulled out a few more knives he never knew the smuggler even had on him as Leia gave a satisfied nod. Leia sure knew they were there.

Padme placed her blaster inside as Han glanced at Chewie who was busy putting his cross bow in. "Wait a minute, Chewie. Why don't you stay here and guard the weapons," Han suggested with a grin as Chewie growled in agreement.

Now that he thought about it, they were missing one person. "Has anyone seen Ahsoka?" Anakin questioned as Leia frowned and shook her head.

"Now that you mention it, she is missing, isn't she?" Padme questioned sounding concerned as Fress chewed on her lower lip. "Fress, where did she go?"

"She felt the pull of the Force in a different direction," Fress answered honestly as Anakin raised an eyebrow. "She'll be in contact with us later to find out where they have us staying."

"She shouldn't have left," Leia pointed out sounding a little disappointed.

"There is nothing that can be done about it now," Padme pointed out patiently. "I just hope she knows what she is doing and keeps it quiet."

"And if the governor found out," Anakin bit on his lower lip wondering what his old padawan learner was up to. It could be bad if Nereus discovered they were one person short for the meeting. "This meeting would not end well."

"Don't worry about Nereus," Padme reassured Anakin with a slight smile. "I can take care of him if I need too."

"We could always go with not feeling well all of a sudden and she stayed on the Falcon," Anakin suggested with a frown.

"Well, we could go with that," Padme agreed with a frown. "Considering that flu bug is still circulating the Executor."

"Wait a minute, when did it start circulating my flag ship?" Anakin questioned with a frown. He had strict regiments in place to prevent a bug from circulating the ship. "I have strict codes in place."

"Just go with it, Ani. You know how it's been circulating Home One?" Padme questioned as Anakin gave a slight nod. "I rigged up some fake reports in case we needed an alibi for this trip. Realistically no one on the Executor is sick but Nereus doesn't need to know that."

"I knew I married you for a reason," Anakin whispered as he felt relief flood him. His crew knew better then to come aboard the Executor if they were sick. Mainly to keep him safe due to the complications of his life sustaining suit. "No wonder Obi-Wan said politicians are not to be trusted," Padme glared at him as she slapped him on the shoulder.

They walked towards the entrance but the guard still refused to let them pass. That's until he noticed Luke kept his lightsaber. After a quick mind trick allowing Luke to pass, he grinned proudly. At least one of them was armed. He didn't miss the glare Leia gave Luke as they walked past the guards.

Anakin glanced at Padme as he stepped in beside her as Brice stepped in beside him. He heard someone announce Leia, Padme and their escorts as they walked up the isle toward where Nereus was standing. He sensed hostilities from some of the senators as well as relief from the others. He began to scan each one in the Force to see who would be willing to work with them and who wouldn't. This was going to be a long hostile meeting, he was almost certain of that.


Ahsoka slipped into the nearest ally as her warning senses flared. She unhooked her lightsabers from her belt as she heard a yell for help followed by a deadening silence causing chills to run up her back as she shivered a bit. Someone was definitely in trouble.

Ahsoka watched as two shadows made a hasty retreat as she heard someone whimpering in pain. She kept her senses wide open incase who ever was behind this was still around. She ran to where she was hearing the whimpering sound was coming. She caught sight of a little girl not past ten lying down in a pool of blood. "Not good," she muttered under her breath as she knelt down beside the girl. She raised her wrist and hit the button on her communicator. "Rex, it's Snips. How is the apartment hunting coming along?"

"I just finished signing the lease," Rex answered as she heard confusion in his tone. "I'm curious, what is this about? I have a feeling you don't trust certain individuals on the planet."

"I don't, I found the girl from Brice's vision and she's in bad shape. Did Keiran come down with you? She needs immediate medical attention," Ahsoka explained in a pained tone as she slipped her robe off and wrapped the young girl in it.

"Keiran as well as the nurse came down with me," Rex answered. "I'm transmitting the coordinates to you now."

"Thanks Rex," Ahsoka gave a tight smile as she studied the coordinates and memorized them. "I'll be there shortly with the girl, don't tell anyone yet."

"I'll be waiting," Rex answered with a frown.

"And so will I," Keiran said over the com. "Be careful when you move her, Snips, you could accidentally make her injuries worse."

"I understand," Ahsoka agreed as she gently lifted the girl into her arms. Anakin is going to throw a fit when he finds out what Nereus has been up to. She was almost positive Nereus was behind this. She couldn't explain the feeling, but that's what her instincts was telling her. Especially after the way Anakin spoke to Nereus, he certainly didn't like the governor and something about the man was setting off Anakin's anger instantly. She wasn't sure if it had to do with Nereus hitting on Padme, or a combination of that and something else.

The girl looked up at her with fear in her eyes as Ahsoka gave a reassuringly smile. "You're safe with me, I promise."

The girl closed her eyes as Ahsoka used her wrist communicator to home in on Rex's location. She hoped Nereus didn't question it too much as to why she was suddenly absent, but finding this girl was on her priority list. She was confident that Padme would cover for her absence.


Anakin released a frustrated sigh. Two hours into the meeting and they were no further ahead in negotiating a truce. Leia and Padme were both expressing some amount of frustration. These things did take time and he suspected once they discover the Empire was not going to bail them out, they would be forced to turn to the Alliance for help. Admiral Thrawn was watching him with interest causing him to wonder what was going through the Chiss's mind. Neither had spoken about how the Emperor has abandoned Bakura in their hour of need. Leia and Padme both wanted him to speak up about it. He was waiting for Thrawn to go first. He noticed Thrawn tilting his head to the side causing him to wonder if the Admiral was waiting for him to speak up first.

Anakin raised an eyebrow as Thrawn nodded. So he was waiting for him to go first. That was just great. He preferred not to.

"General Skywalker," Leia addressed him with a frown. "Please tell the assembly what you and Admiral Thrawn have been discussing for the past two weeks."

"Admiral, did you want to go first?" Anakin questioned hoping to get out of it as Padme nudged him in the shoulder.

"I believe you should go first, General," Thrawn answered as he turned his attention to Padme with a small smile. "It appears Senator Amidala and Princess Leia wish for you to speak first. I will back you in your story."

"Please Anakin, they need to hear it from you, directly," Padme encouraged with a concerned expression. "You know I'll back you."

"I know," Anakin took a deep breath and slowly released it. "Senators, ladies and gentlemen, and Governor Nereus. I am General Anakin Skywalker," he heard murmurs from some of the older senate members. He had a reputation during the clone wars that reached from one side of the galaxy to the other. "I was known as Lord Vader for the past twenty-one years," again he felt some guilt as he glanced at Leia and Luke knowing they turned twenty-one today. Instead of celebrating they were attempting to work out a truce with the planet. More and more murmurs were heard from the senators and their aides. "Before I left the Empire, Palpatine made a deal with the Ssi-Ruuk. In exchange for fighters of his own, he is willing to sacrifice the lives of those that serve him. It has come to our attention that he has abandoned Bakura to the Ssi-Ruuks fate due to this deal he made with them. Admiral Thrawn and I have agreed that this is a grave judgement error on Palpatine's part. We're the only help that is coming. The Alliance and Admiral Thrawn are willing to work together to drive the invasion force back."

"You betrayed the Empire?" Senator Beldon spoke up causing Anakin to give a quick nod. "How do we know you're trust worthy now?"

"You don't," Anakin answered honestly. "I am asking you to trust me now."

"Admiral Thrawn, is this true?" Yeorg Captison questioned.

"It is true, I have defied Palpatine's orders and came of my own free will. No one else is coming," Thrawn answered honestly. "It's just us. I believe we can drive them back but we need to call a truce first."

"All we need to do is expose their weakness and use that to our advantage," Anakin spoke up as Thrawn nodded in agreement. "Admiral, you have been studying their species. Did anything strike you as peculiar?"

"Not yet," Thrawn answered honestly. "If there is a weakness, I'm sure we'll find it."

"This is an outrage. I demand to hear this from Emperor Palpaitne himself," another senator shouted out followed by others voicing similar words.

"Good luck with that," Anakin muttered sarcastically under his breath as Padme poked him in the shoulder.

"That is not helping, Anakin," Padme hissed under her breath as Anakin fell silent again waiting for everyone to calm down first.

"Order," Yelled Nereus as he hit a gravel on his desk causing everyone to become quiet. "I'm going to adjourn this meeting for now, allowing everyone a chance to cool off. We'll reconvene this time tomorrow morning."

Anakin glanced at Padme as she shook her head with a frustrated expression on her face. They were no further ahead for the peace treaty then they were two hours ago. "Padme, give it time. It will come."

"Since when did you learn patience?" Padme teased with a small smile as Anakin smiled in turn.

"It must've come from your influence or Obi-Wan's," Anakin answered honestly as they followed Leia and the others out of Town Hall. He glanced towards Han who was acting jealous of Leia as she spoke with one of the guards standing by the door. He noticed that Leia and the guard had similar stances as did Fress. Was it possible that guard was from Alderaan?

"It appears you and Han have more than a few things in common," Padme pointed out with a frown.

"She is your daughter after all, no stuffed shirts because they are too boring," Anakin teased as Padme teasingly slapped him on the shoulder. "It's true."

"Maybe," Padme gave a mischief expression. "If we have nothing better do tonight, let's have that small get together for Luke and Leia."

"Sounds like a plan to me," Anakin agreed as he kissed Padme on the lips then pulled back. "That is if someone decides not to throw a dinner party, which I can almost guarantee someone will, it would allow you and Nereus a chance to talk."

Anakin began to wonder where Ahsoka was. She hadn't made contact with them since she disappeared two hours ago. Luckily Nereus hadn't noticed. Guess he was too busy with worrying about the invading army. When Ahsoka finally made contact with him, it made him wonder why all the secrecy. Rex and Ahsoka went out of their way to rent a small apartment. And he was to meet them there in an hour from now.


Thanks for reading :)