22 BBY

Naboo

Anakin watched as Padme called him over from where she was sitting.

Padme had decided to take a picnic by several beautiful waterfalls. Anakin had to go with her of course as her guard (not that he was complaining), but he would've thought she would've taken other people as well. But it was just him and her. Maybe she wants to talk about what happened, he thought nervously to himself.

Why in the Force did he have to kiss her? It felt good, Anakin would admit that gladly. But she had pulled away before it had really gone anywhere, which made him feel ashamed.

He had never wanted to make Padme uncomfortable around him; she was his friend. And not only that, he felt like he had betrayed the Jedi by kissing her. All in all, Anakin was very confused about the situation.

He lugged the picnic essentials with him as Padme set up a blanket and he sat down next to her. Anakin sat next to her and they idly chatted for a minute. He asked her a question and she quickly fell silent.

He watched with narrow eyes as she thought about her answer, picking up some flowers and inhaling them. "Well?" He prompted. "I don't know", she brushed off the question. "Sure you do. You just don't want to tell me", Anakin replied, sensing that Padme was lying.

Padme laughed. "Are you going to use one of your Jedi mind tricks on me", she asked. Anakin smirked. "They only work on the weak minded", he replied innocently and Padme laughed again.

"All right", she said. "I was twelve. His name was Palo. We were both in the Legislative Youth Program. He was a few years older than I." Padme snuck a glance at Anakin. "Very cute. Dark curly hair…dreamy eyes…" "All right, I get the picture", Anakin said quickly and a tad exasperatedly.

"Whatever happened to him?" "I went into public service. He went on to become an artist." "Maybe he was the smart one", he said and Padme stared at him. "You really don't like politicians, do you?" she asked.

Anakin shrugged. "I like two or three. But I'm not really sure about one of them", he said which earned a faint smile from Padme. Anakin was very aware of how close the two of them were, which made him nervous. He trailed his hands through the grass to distract himself before resuming their talk. "I don't think the system works", he said finally.

"Really? Well, how would you have it work?" she asked with a bit of sarcasm. "We need a system where the politicians sit down and discuss the problem, agree what's in the best interest of the people and then do it", he replied. "Which is exactly what we do."

Anakin's brow furrowed in confusion. Padme sighed. "The trouble is that people don't always agree. In fact, they hardly ever do." "Then they should be made to." Anakin could tell his words caught Padme off guard for she was silent for a long moment.

"By whom? Who is going to make them?" she asked. "I don't know", Anakin said with a bit of frustration although he was really only teasing the senator. "Someone." "You?" Anakin snorted. "Of course not me", he said. I really don't like politics anyway, he added silently. "But someone." "Someone wise." "Sounds an awful lot like a dictatorship", Padme admitted.

Anakin shrugged letting a mischievous smile cross his face. "Well, if it works…." he trailed waiting to see Padme's reaction. Padme noticed and scowled. "You're making fun of me", she protested. "Oh no. I would be much too frightened to make fun of a senator", Anakin replied before ducking to avoid the piece of fruit she tossed at him and then caught the other pieces as she tossed them at him.

"Besides, you're always so serious", he added juggling the fruit. "I'm so serious"? Padme echoed before tossing more fruit at Anakin who laughed and caught it. Unfortunately, he lost control while he was laughing and had to duck away to avoid the falling fruit. Padme started laughing like crazy and Anakin couldn't help but join in even as he spotted a shaak nearby.

A grin crossed his facial features and he briefly glanced at the laughing senator before he got to his feet and jogged over to the shaak. Leaping onto it, he grabbed hold of it and had to fight to hold on as the shaak, startled by the young Jedi leaping on its back, immediately began running to attempt to get him off.

The shaak ran past Padme who was still laughing as she got to her feet and chased after the shaak Anakin was riding. Anakin had to use the Force to keep himself on the shaak as it attempted to buck him off. He was already starting to lose his grip on the shaak but he had to admit, it was fun even when the shaak was doing everything it could to get him off its back.

Finally, the shaak managed to buck Anakin off and he went sailing to the ground. Feigning unconsciousness, Anakin waited. Padme ran over to his side before kneeling down beside him. "Ani! Ani! Are you all right?" she asked rolling him over.

Anakin couldn't fake his unconsciousness for long and he burst out laughing causing Padme to hit him. "Don't do that", she exclaimed punching him. He caught her hand and pulled her close and she immediately began wrestling with fury.

Anakin, chuckling, rolled over and pinned her down. She stopped struggling and Anakin, blushing as he realized where he was, immediately let go before rolling away. He stood up and stretched out a hand to her feeling very self-conscious. Jedi sure don't teach us about talking to a girl, Anakin thought to himself before his comlink started beeping.

He and Padme shared a concerned look before opening it to reveal a hologram of Luminara Unduli. "Master Luminara", Anakin exclaimed in surprise. "What can I do for you?" "I don't have much time, Padawan, but I thought you would be pleased to know that your mother is now safe. Your nightmares were correct, she was in danger but she's fine now", Luminara explained.

Anakin stared at the hologram in shock. "She was in danger?" he asked her quietly. Luminara nodded. "She had been taken by Tusken Raiders when we arrived".

Anakin's eyes darkened. "But we rescued her and returned her to her family." "Family"? Anakin asked, confused. "She had been bought from Watto by a man named Lars. He married her and they live on a moisture farm."

Anakin started tearing up slightly before regaining his composure in front of Luminara. "Thank you, Master. Thank you so much, with everything I have. I owe you", he said which shook Luminara a bit. She smiled softly at Anakin. "Of course. Anakin." And with that, she disappeared. Anakin cried softly and Padme came over to comfort him.

Geonosis

Sidious frowned as he sensed a change in the Force, a rippling effect that left him lost and the only thing he could pinpoint about it was that it had something to do with young Skywalker.

What has he done? Sidious wondered before the door to his chamber opened, and Tyranus walked through. "Master, the Force…" "I know Tyranus. I know." Tyranus looked confused, even fearful. "What shall we do Master?"

Sidious scowled in anger. "We continue with our plan. I will be leaving Geonosis soon, apprentice. I sense the Jedi draw near. I will go to our base on Vjun, to prepare for my invasion of Dathomir", he told Tyranus who nodded eagerly.

"I shall host the Confederate leaders here, Master. Jango Fett will also be joining us soon, I imagine." Sidious nodded. "Good. The man is useful. He eliminated Komari Vosa and the Bando Gora for us, he may yet prove even more useful in the coming war."

Sidious stood from where he sat in the darkness. "I will leave now, apprentice. Good luck with the Jedi." He strode away, noticing Dooku bow towards him.

What he didn't tell Dooku, however, was that after he eliminated Talzin and her clan, he would begin searching for Force sensitive individuals throughout the galaxy.

He would start with the Nightbrothers on Dathomir, then he would begin. Sidious already had a lead on Rattatak, he would start there after the invasion. He needed a new apprentice, Dooku was too old.

Despite Skywalker being his end goal, the ripple in the Force worried him. If he could not turn Skywalker, then he would turn others more willing to join the Dark Side.