Palpatine looked from Padmé to Anakin and then back again at Padmé. Here was one who had stood in his way time and time again and for some reason remained alive. That mistake would have to be corrected if he was to at all succeed with Skywalker. He knew Padmé was the catalyst to turn the turbulent young Jedi over to his side, but she had to be played right. One step in the wrong direction and Anakin would swing the other way, against him. Years of planning could be ruined in barely a second.
"You should have died on the Invisible Hand," Palpatine said in a low voice, he felt Anakin's anger, he had to be careful here.
"But I didn't," Padmé replied with quickly summoned confidence. "Or should it have been Imbroglio when I discovered Nju's treachery? Or perhaps even on Naboo by the one called Maxah?" She smiled quietly. "Somehow, by no fault of my own, I have a knack of getting in your way and stopping your plans. Don't think you will succeed; the living Force won't allow it."
"I control the Force," spat the Sith Lord, "and the fact that you were in the way of my plans is the misfortune of the Jedi."
Anakin stepped forward and eyed Palpatine suspiciously. "Padmé's not just another Jedi," he warned.
"Oh no?" Palpatine raised an eyebrow. "Then how can you explain her putting the Jedi code before everything? Even before you?"
Anakin paled. "She…has her reasons," he stammered.
"Reasons you don't agree with," Palpatine reminded him. "Have you asked yourself Anakin if she hides behind those reasons? Is she trying to protect you or…" He let his voice drift for a moment, seeing the young Jedi's torment. "…or does she hide because there is nothing there at all?"
"I never—" Padmé protested, but Sidious silenced her with a gesture.
Anakin was silent for a long moment. "I don't understand," he said finally.
"Think, Anakin!" Palpatine's gaze was impenetrable. "Or better still, why don't you ask her yourself?" He smiled indulgently at Padmé. "I'm sure if you told Padmé about what I said you will get your answer."
Padmé stared between them, what was this about? Was this about the offer that Palpatine had made to Anakin? Or did it have something to do with how Anakin said he could save her?
Either way, she didn't like it.
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With a beam of light projected form his blue dome, R2-D2 diligently led the younglings through the darkened corridor to safety. C-3PO took up the rear, reassuring as best he could.
The astromech droid made a soft murmur as they rounded a corner.
"Artoo says it is not much further," Threepio translated.
Finally they came to a vast room with many electronic panels along the walls. Closer inspection revealed that below each panel was a small alcove in the wall and in most—but not all—of the alcoves was a lightsaber.
Here were the records of every Jedi who had—or at least in the words of the Masters who kept the records—become one with the Force. One each control panel one could view a small hologram as well as a readout that had details of each Jedi's life, including how they died if it was known. Some of these records were as old as the Jedi Order itself, but a disturbing number were very recent.
Yet it was into the older records that Artoo led the group, right into the back of the last row where the only way out was the way they came in. The younglings looked at Threepio for answers, what were they doing here?
"Artoo, do you really—"
R2-D2 blatted a reply and trundled over to where one of the larger computer outlets was situated. This was not connected to any record, it controlled the security system.
After inserting his computer arm, Artoo rotated the socket back and forward then let out a series of soft beeps and whistles.
"Artoo says that he has activated the security system and there is a ray shield at the end of this row," Threepio informed them, he looked beyond Artoo. Sure enough his photoreceptors could pick up the familiar flicker of a ray shield and his aural sensors could identify the soft hum. Artoo then beeped something else which made Threepio stare at him. "What do you mean no one knows where we are? Surely you're not expecting us to do anything more?"
"Artoo's right," said the Togruta child as he put a small hand on Artoo's dome. "No one will find us here."
Artoo chirped appreciatively.
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It was a fury of noise and colour, blue and green light everywhere as Dooku and Nju dodged and parried the blows that were launched at them.
And still more Jedi were coming, completely surrounding the pair and cutting off any chance of escape—or so they thought.
For some reason Renust Nju started to melt into the crowd, and this wasn't particularly noticed. Perhaps it was because his garb as a Jedi blended with everyone else, or even because his lightsabers were blue were as Dooku's blade was red.
Whatever the reason, Dooku was soon alone in the maelstrom of light and colour and Nju was nowhere to be seen.
But someone noticed his escape, for the furtive way Nju slunk into the shadows was quite suspicious. With a grim smile, Yoda limped after him, his gimer stick tapping on the hard floor.
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"Anakin, don't listen to him," Padmé pleaded, grabbing his arm firmly. "He's trying to turn you against me, turn you into someone you're not."
"But I need to know," Anakin insisted.
"Need to know what?" Padmé demanded.
Anakin looked down for a moment, taking a few breaths before he could speak. "Remember how I told you there was a way for us to be together?" he asked her, continuing in a rush before she could answer. "Think about it: no Jedi rules, no hiding, nothing that's been keeping us apart."
"I don't understand," Padmé said.
"You know he made me an offer," Anakin continued as if he hadn't heard her. "But that wasn't the reason I—" He stopped, staring past her, searching for the right words. "It's because of you!" He blurted out finally, grabbing her and pulling her close. "I want to be with you, Padmé, and I'm willing to put everything aside for just that one chance. Even…" His voice failed him again and he screwed his eyes shut as if in great pain. "Even if it means making sacrifices I never thought I would."
"Sacrifices?" The word hung in the air for a few minutes while she tried to understand his words.
Then he looked up at her and she knew what his meant. Those…raw eyes, the same ones that had told her about the visions, those eyes that revealed his worst fears.
Padmé felt herself shrinking from Anakin's grip.
"No…I'm sorry, Anakin. I can't do this." She stepped away from him, wondering not for the first time what they were doing there at all. "I won't let you do this."
"Won't let me?" Anakin rounded on her, his eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"I can't understand why you would make such compromises to get what you want," she told him. "Compromises with yourself, against everything you believe in."
"But none of that matters, Padmé," he said, stepping towards her and reaching for her arm. "You're all that matters to me, and it has always been that way."
"No!" Padmé was firmer this time, shrugging off his hold on her. She kept all emotion out of her voice, but inside she could feel herself breaking. A part of her wanted to scream at Anakin for being so blind, for believing the lies that Palpatine had fed him. But I can't do that, she said to herself, if I fight darkness with darkness then I'm lost too.
"What are you saying?" Anakin asked her incredulously. "Are you telling me…that you don't care?"
I care far too much, she replied in thought, though she knew better than to say that out loud. She shook her head, smiling sadly at him. "I never said that," she murmured, "but I can't allow you to do this, you'll destroy yourself and…" Padmé could feel her voice giving out as emotion overtook her, she had to blink away a few hot tears before she could speak again. "Please," she said, her request was simple and heartfelt, yet it made Anakin's anger subside. Satisfied, she turned back to Palpatine, after all he was the real enemy. "You know that the only way to turn Anakin is through me," she said with narrowed eyes. "He won't let you strike me down."
"Really?" Palpatine's voice was dripping with sarcasm. "I was counting on that."