Star Destroyer- The Conqueror
"Jayden, may I have a word?"
Jayden, clad in his black armour, turned and bowed as the hologram of Darth Plageuis appeared.
"Of course, milord," Jayden replied.
"Alone," Plageuis simply said and Jayden dismissed the troopers on the bridge.
"Has Anakin told you the rebels identities?" Jayden asked.
"No, I purposely asked him to tell me after the mission. If there are any senators on Chandrilla, who are affiliated with the rebels, then I would like for it to be a surprise. Of course, after my son kills them," Plageuis explained.
"What is your ETA to Chandrila?" Plageuis asked.
"One hour, milord," Jayden said and Plageuis nodded, an apprehensive look on his face.
"Something troubles you, milord," Jayden concluded.
"It's Anakin. His thoughts are clouded, I feel it now even as he is parsecs away," Plageuis said and Jayden nodded.
"Yes, I feel it as well. Normally the prince is so focused; 'search and destroy is my mission' as he always says. Should we be concerned?"
"Not as of yet," Plageuis said, "this mission will be good for him, a chance to keep his mind focused on the dark side. However, I need you to keep an eye on him."
"Keep an eye on him? He is very capable leader on the battlefield," Jayden pointed out.
"Yes, I know. He has often told me of his adrenaline rush out on the field but I merely ask that when you find a Jedi, make sure Anakin is the one to kill him. If you corner a Jedi, get Anakin to make the final blow," Plageuis ordered. Jayden smirked under his helmet.
"Is this mission practice for the future king?" Jayden asked smugly and Plageuis laughed.
"You and I have had our fair share of Jedi hunts, Jayden. Now it is my son's turn to join us in the ride of passage. What's a prince of the Sith if he has no Jedi blood on his hands?" Plageuis said and Jayden smiled.
"I will do what I can, milord. After all, this is for Anakin's best interest."
Anakin threw punch after punch at the punching bag in the training room of Jayden's ship. His bare chest glistened with sweat, evidence of hours of training as he prepares for another encounter with the Jedi. 'The Sith always succeed,' Anakin recalls his father saying. Anakin knew failure was not an option.
'I wanted you to be a part of it.'
Anakin stops his assault on the punching bag as Padme's voice entered his mind. Spending his whole life training as a Sith, Anakin didn't know anything about kindness or mercy. For his father there is always a 'do or don't.' Life as Sith is hard but simple and it was the only life Anakin ever knew. Living on the same planet for eighteen years, where his only goal was to make his father proud. Anakin sighed as he remembered the soft feel of Padme's lips on his own, such tenderness seemed so foreign to him.
Frustrated, Anakin began to punch at the bag harder and faster. 'That kiss was for the mission...but why did I still do it after she revealed herself to be a rebel?' Anakin questioned himself. With a harsh growl, he punched at the bag, harder and harder. Anakin kept on excusing himself for the fact that by getting closer to Padme, she would give him more of the rebels plans but a small voice kept telling him there was something else to it. Anakin was too lost in thought to notice when his fist punched a hole straight through the punching bag. Suddenly, he heard a chuckle and turned to see Jayden approaching him with a smug look on his face. Apparently, he was too lost in his thoughts to sense Jayden's presence either.
"I see we need to get you tougher training gear," Jayden said, motioning towards the floor littered with demolished training bags. Anakin chuckled and pulled his arm out of the now useless punching bag.
"You seem hyped up," Jayden said as Anakin grabbed a towel from the bench.
"Weren't you on your first few hunts for Jedi?" Anakin asked, "I may finally get a chance to kill a Jedi. So far they been nothing but annoyingly elusive."
"Jedi are a cowardly, Anakin," Jayden said as Anakin dried off his sweaty torso, "but they are no fools." Anakin frowned and looked at Jayden.
"What's your point, exactly?" Anakin asked and Jayden shrugged.
"I'm merely saying that they are opportunists, so when you find a Jedi, there is no time to play," Jayden said. Anakin chuckled at Jayden's casual manner and began to unwrap the bandages around his fists.
"Same goes for the rebels: the informants, the financiers, the scouts, and... the senators," Jayden said and Anakin looked up, the smile disappearing from his face.
"All of them, Anakin," Jayden emphasized and tossed Anakin's staff to him, Anakin catching it with ease, "they get no mercy."
Coruscant- 500 Republica
Padme hummed softly as she arranged the bouquet of flowers, the ones Anakin gave her, in a vase. Sabe entered the living room with a tray in her hands and smiled when she saw Padme delicately water the flowers with such fondness.
"Milady, Bail Organa is here to see you," Threepio said as he entered the room. Padme smiled.
"Of course, let him in," Padme replied. A few moments later Bail walked in and greeted Sabe.
"Good morning, yourself," Sabe whispered but leaned closer to Bail. "But don't upset her. She is finally having a good day," Sabe said protectively. Bail raised an eyebrow and nodded.
"Bail, it's so good to see you. I was just about to have breakfast, please join me," Padme said as she gave Bail a friendly hug.
"Thank you, Padme. That would be lovely but there is an urgent-," Sabe glared at him, "I mean... there is something I need to talk to you about."
"Please don't tell me you are here to admonish me for my date with Anakin," Padme said with a frown.
"Well, I did have to endure the whole morning of Mon's rants about all the reasons she thinks Anakin should not be part of the rebellion but that is not what I am here for. In fact, it is most joyful to see how he has contributed to your happy mood," Bail said and Padme sighed in relief.
"Thank you, Bail. What is it you actually wanted to talk about?" Padme asked as she poured him a cup of tea.
"The Jedi has informed me of their plans for a series of strikes attacks targeting the Core systems," he said and Padme gasped.
"What are they thinking? Alderaan, Chandrila, Naboo, they are all Core systems," Padme cried out.
"I know it's risky and yes it will potentially cause the downfall of the entire rebellion and the war be brought to our planets but the Jedi have assured me they will handle it. They will specifically attack Imperial outposts," Bail said reassuringly but his eyes betrayed his nervousness. Padme sighed and rubbed her temple.
"This war is getting worse, Bail."
"I know Padme. I hate to barer of bad news but the Jedi expect you, Mon and I to attend the meeting...in person," Bail said and Padme looked up with a frown.
"That's even more risky, and I assume this meeting is too important to perform on a hologram," Padme said sarcastically.
"Majority of the rebel leaders will be attending and we cannot take the chance of having that conversation decoded by the empire, especially since the receiver on that planet is closer to Coruscant. The Sith will have a greater chance of detecting a transmission. Besides, we have-"
"We have an advantage by going under the guise of having a diplomatic meeting," Padme said, finishing Bail's sentence perfectly, "I know what we have to do, Bail but I still have a bad feeling about this."
Bail nodded, empathising with her concern.
"Where is the meeting held anyway?" Padme asked.
"On Chandrila."
Author's note: Thank you to all my reviewers. You guys are awesome! I am really enjoying the feedback I am getting and even more pleased to see new readers coming in. All of you encourage me to write better for such great readers and I appreciate all your time and effort for writing the reviews. And here is a special shout out to 'froovygirl' for her entertaining reviews.
In the next chapter, there will be a big fight between Sith and Jedi. And Padme is going to be on Chandrila, what's that all about?! You're going to have to wait and see in the next chapter of 'The Red Knight.' I hope you are all excited :)
