"Master Skywalker, why did you decline?"
Shut up.
"General, were there any other reasons that you declined the Council position?"
Shut up.
"Sir, didn't you once say that your ultimate goal is to have a position on the Jedi Council?"
Shut up.
"Mr. Skywalker, how did-"
You're all finally quiet. Thank the Force.
I slam the door of the speeder, blocking out the noise of all the news reporters and paparazzi. The speeder goes whizzing away from the Jedi Temple and I lay down on the back seats of the speeder.
"Sir, do you wan to take Route Seven to the Temple or Route Three to Senator Amidala-Skywalker's house?" The driver looks at me as I lay in the back seats.
Seven. I hate seven. Seven vows. Just seven. I just had to repeat seven sentences and then I would be one of the most honored people in the galaxy. I couldn't do it. I got through four before hitting the fifth. Why can't I get it out of my mind. It's beens almost seven months since it happened. Seven months.
"Sir?" The driver wakes me from my thoughts. "The Senator's or the Temple?"
"My wife's place is fine." I mumble under my breathe. Padme and Satine left a few minutes earlier than me. I guess they went to Padme's place. Satine gained ownership of penthouse suite in the identical building next to us. It's the same size, yet it seems bigger.
As the apartment comes in sight, I sense Padme's frustration. I knew it. The fact that I wanted to be on the Council almost caused us not to get married. I've been talking about it for such a long time and it was the only thing that kept me in the Order and away from Padme.
"Coming in sight, General. Ten seconds until docking. I see the Senator and Duchess standing inside."
"How do they look Samuel?" I ask the driver.
"Sir?"
"Do they look mad, frustrated, sad?"
"The Duchess seems unaffected. Master Windu is there."
Great.
"What about Padme?" I ask.
Samuel pulls into the patio speed entrance and looks back. Samuel has a wife himself, so I know that look. His words just confirm what the look on his face said.
"I wish you look, Sir."
Force knows what's about to go down in there. I take my speeder belt off and move over to the left of the back of the speeder. I try to predict what is about to happen in the patio room, but I can't.
"Sir, staying in the speeder won't help. Believe me, I've tried." Samuel says with a grin on his face. "I was in a situation like you and I sat in the car and did nothing. Didn't help."
"Your denied a position on the most influential council in the galaxy in front of every single person alive?" I mock Samuel.
"It's a long story that you don't have time for, General." Samuel says, turning on the engines. "Now go before I have to kick you out, General." I get out of the speeder and as Padme screams my name, Samuel conceals laughter as he drives away.
"Anakin, get over here!" Padme screeches.
I slowly walk up the steps. I really don't want to be here right now. I don't wan to talk to anyone. And of all the people I don't want to talk to, Padme is the one I really don't want to talk to.
"I'm just gonna go now…" Mace says as he slowly walks backwards towards his speeder. Can't say I blame him for doing that. This is an understandable time to be a coward. I want to be one right now too.
"Do you have extra room?" Satine inquires.
"Hop in, Representative Kryze."
Satine dashes towards Mace's speeder and hops in. I see Mace's speeder pull up to Satine's place in the near distance and drop her off. As Mace drives away, Satine walks around her patio. Suddenly she disappears.
"Anakin?! Anakin, why are you at the edge of the patio? Anakin, we talked about this, don't leave me! I can't do this without you!" Padme says with some compassion and tears, coming closer to me. "I get it, you had a tough day."
"Satine?" I whisper. I can't see her. It's like she vanished suddenly.
"Anakin, what's wrong with Satine?" Padme says, clutching my arm.
"I can't see Satine."
"Ani, she probably went inside."
"Padme, she was walking on her patio and suddenly dropped or disappeared. Something is up."
"Fine, we'll go see what's up." Padme says. "But if everything is fine, you have to make up some lie to get us out, not me. Then, we have some things to talk about. Like you denying the Council's offer in the middle of the ceremony." Padme says with high levels of sass and irritation.
"Not now." I summon Samuel, who comes out of the corner with the speeder, hops out, and opens the door. Padme sits down and as I get in, Samuel whispers in my ear.
"Divorce Office, sir?" Samuel jokes.
"Duchess' house. Something might be up," I say as I hop in the speeder. Samuel closes the door and gets in the driver's seat. The ride to Satine's takes about thirty seconds. Before we even get out of the speeder, I see Satine laying on the floor with no color in her already pale face. I hop out and run to Satine. I hear Padme telling Samuel to call the ambulance. I press my fingers against her neck. Her pulse is fine.
"Satine?" I whisper. "Satine, can you hear me? Can you hear me?" My. voice gets louder. "Satine, Satine?" Duchess Satine, are you awake? Satine! Satine, wake up! What's wrong, what happened?" I scream loudly this time, shaking Satine's body. "Satine!"
…..
"Master, I'm worried about her." I say. "What if Satine dies? Master Kenobi one time told us to protect her at all costs? Are we going to fail Master Kenobi?"
"Don't bring him into this Snips." Master Skywalker whispers. "And yes, she'll be fine. She just is unconscious. Don't worry Ahsoka. She'll be perfectly fine. Don't worry."
"You said that twice."
"I did?"
I nod my head.
"Great." Master Skywalker mumbles sarcastically under his breathe. "Just fabulous. Absolute fabulous." He puts his hands in his thick coat of hair, messing it up more than it was before.
We sit there, in the hospital lobby, in silence. There is beeping and calling and panic everywhere in the voices. I try to focus on the occasionally relief in peoples' voices. When they find out they have a new healthy niece or nephew. When they find out their grandfather went through surgery with flying colors and an easy recovery. When they find out that they'll be able to have movie night at their own house, rather than in their hospital room. When they find out they're going to have a baby. It's a trick Master Obi-Wan taught me in one of my earlier missions. I was freaking out after so many of the troops were brutally injured, but not dead. There was blood everywhere. While Master Skywalker led the remaining troops for victory, Master Kenobi comforted me in all the panic.
"Master Kenobi, I'm scared. I'm sorry, but I'm scared. I know I shouldn't be."
"Shh, it's okay Ahsoka. Listen, I have a trick that will help. My Master taught me it. Instead of focusing on the pain and horror, focus on the hope. Focus on when a trooper can finally walk and the relief in his voice when he wakes up. When you focus on that, you'll be more determined to help other troops be like that. Okay?"
"Okay."
"Hey, bring it in kid."
"Are you two with Representative Satine?" I hear a soft voice say out of nowhere. I must have zoomed out thinking about Master Obi-Wan's trick that he taught me.
"Yes, we are." Master Skywalker stands and I follow his lead. "I'm Anakin Skywalker and this is my padawan, Ahsoka Tano."
"Well, sir. I'm afraid I have mostly bad news for you." The doctor takes a look at her data pad, takes a deep breathe (don't blame her), and looks back at us. Oh great.
"She's in a deep coma. Although she is alive, the only thing keeping her that way in the IVs. This coma wasn't caused by physically condition, rather, we believe that this coma is the result of her mental condition. Tell me, is she mentally unbalanced in any way?"
Master Skywalker sits down and puts his hands in his hair, again. He shakes his head, then leans back in his chair. Letting out a forced laugh followed by whispers of cusing.
"She lost someone important to her." Master Skywalker says. "A romanic interest that saved her life at the cost of his own. Then, she lost her planet right after. It's been tough for her." He looks up at the doctor. "But, damn, a coma. You sure it's not something else?"
"We were in disbelief at first too. However, we ran the test three times. All times showed that she is in a stable coma caused by mental condition. However, with the information you gave me, I think we can somehow get her out of it. Although she can't live without support machines, she still has access to some degree to her senses. She can hear us. If somehow, she is convinced everything is fine, we can wake her up. Or, at least bring her to a state in her coma where meds can take care of the rest. That's are only hope."
"It won't work." Master Skywalker blurts out.
"Master!" I say "Have some hope!" I know she can make it. We can convince her. Why would he think of that? What is going on inside his head. I know he had a tough day, but jeez. "Why would you say that?"
"She can't live without him."
"She didn't see him for years and was fine."
"She was busy and so was he."
At this point, the doctor left.
"Master, why are you so certain she'll die? Do you have hope?!"
"Ahsoka, just go somewhere. Go to the Outer Rim. Here are some coordinates." Master Skywalker pulls out a data pad and throws it at me. On the data pad, there are coordinates that led me somewhere in the far reaches in the Outer Rim. They are near the Mortis coordinates. Never want to go back there again. But, I guess Mortis disappeared one those Force spirit things died.
"Fine."
I storm out of the lobby and see out of the corner of my eye Padme come through the other entrance. She just came back from a doctor's appointment.
"Ani, I have good news." I hear her say.
"Good, better overpower mine."
"We're having twins. A girl and boy. I decided because of all this, we should get the rooms ready now, just in case something happens or something gets worse."
No response from Master Skywalker.
"Ani, Ani? You there?"
I trun around and start walking towards Padme. She looks at me and at Anakin.
"He's sound asleep. Ahsoka, what happened to Satine?"
"I, I, I, she, she, I…I have to go do something for Master Skywalker now. I'll explain later." I slowly back away into the doorway.
Guess I'm going to the Outer Rim.
…..
This may be the last chapter for awhile because i have to go to summer camp soon. Until then, bye people!