Anakin and Padme AU Story
Chapter 29 "The Arena Battle"
Qui Gon Jinn couldn't understand why they hadn't left for Geonosis already knowing his son and his friend were in danger. Instead, Qui Gon had been asked to join Masters Yoda and Windu over at the Senate chamber where they stood at the back listening as the Senate granted emergency powers to the Supreme Chancellor.
Qui Gon had shaken his head in dismay knowing that his future daughter in law had been fighting tiredly against the Military Creation Act and the creation of a clone army and now he was hearing the Senators allow the Chancellor emergency powers which would see this clone army put into action.
"I will create a grand army for the Republic, to counter the increasing threats of the Separatists" they heard Palpatine's voice speak to the Senators as Qui Gon and Mace Windu look over at Yoda.
"Qui Gon and I will go to Geonosis with what Jedi we have left and rescue Obi Wan and Hannah" Mace explained as Yoda nods. "Visit I will, the cloners on Kamino and see this army they have created for the Republic" he replies. Qui Gon and Mace both nod in agreement before they headed off towards the Temple however Qui Gon was unaware just what his youngest son and future daughter in law were up to.
As Anakin flew the ship out of hyperspace seeing red and orange planet of Geonosis looming in front of them. Anakin flew through the asteroid field heading to the far right side of the planet so that they weren't detected by any planetary sensors. Padme sat in the co pilot's chair across from Anakin dressed in a skin tight long sleeved white jumpsuit with her hair pulled back into a tight bun. R2 was behind them watching them as Padme looked out through the window seeing clouds of steam flowing from several columns of steam.
"There" Padme spoke at last "Those columns of steam" she notes "They're exhaust vents of some type" she explains. Anakin nodded. The steam would provide them with the perfect cover. "That'll do" he simply tells her flying the ship towards the vents slowly landing down one of the columns. Once they had landed, Anakin shuts off the engines as Padme grabs her cloak. "Anakin, I know that your brother is held inside but promise me that you'll follow my lead" she insists "We don't need another war here and as a member of the Senate, a diplomacy solution may be found here" she explains. Leaning towards her, Anakin and Padme then share a tender kiss as he smirks.
"Well, we're already in trouble just for disobeying the council, so I'll follow your lead" he grins heading towards the landing ramp as R2 whistles at them. Anakin turns towards him "Stay with the ship buddy" he informs him. R2 gives a slowly whistle before he watches them leave. He didn't like being left behind, knowing he only wanted to help his friends.
Anakin and Padme made their way from their ship across the small platform leading to a metal door. Clouds of steam around them, they hurried their steps so that they could get away from the steam's heat. Once they reached the door, Anakin notices a small button on the side and presses it seeing the door open before they stepped inside.
However, R2 couldn't just wait around for them and seconds after they had entered the facility, R2 rolled down the landing ramp heading after his friends.
The corridor was dark, long and led to another closed door at the end and it was quiet, too quiet for Anakin. Something wasn't right. He kept Padme close as they cautiously moved down the corridor not noticing that within the sides of the corridor were sleeping Geonosians who were now starting to wake. Padme looks up at Anakin as he stops in his steps.
"What is it?' She asks as Anakin, one hand on the hilt of his lightsaber, slowly looks around. "Wait" he tells her before he quickly activates his lightsaber spinning around as several Geonosians started to attack. Padme pulled out her blaster as Anakin begins slicing them down. "Padme!" He cried "Get to the door, quick!" He cries. Padme fires at two Geonosians before running towards the door as Anakin slices more down before rushing after her keeping them back from as Padme opens the door which had led them right into the droid factory!
The sound of metal and the assembly lines filled the air as Anakin raced after Padme just as he saw the platform she was standing on start to close. "Padme!" He cries. He pulls her into his grip, one arm firmly around her waist. The Geonosians had since scattered away as Anakin and Padme looked out into the droid factory. "There's no where else to go" Padme notes as Anakin tries looking for a place to get to, noticing a secondary level of the factory. "I can swing us towards that conveyor belt and we'll make our way through the factory" he explains.
Padme then watches Anakin take out a small roll of cable shooting the end towards a small loop above the secondary level conveyor belt. Ensuring that the cable was locked in place, he gripped the end tightly as he held onto Padme tight. "Don't let go angel" he says as Padme nods, kissing his cheek before he swung them across towards the conveyor belt. Anakin landed them safety however there was no time to breathe for the conveyor belt started to move and more Geonosians creatures started to fly towards them.
Padme started to run down the belt, ducking underneath the machines, jumping over lower beams as Anakin held off the creatures, hearing them scream and cry out as they were sliced with his lightsaber, crushed under the machines that Anakin avoided or pushed back with the force sending them flying across the factory. Anakin looked down the conveyor belt trying to see Padme however she was already too far down. He ducked underneath another machine before slicing another Geonosian in half.
It was then that the machines suddenly stopped working and the conveyor belt ceased to move. He then sees Padme standing at the end. "Padme!' He cried rushing towards her, he finds themselves surrounded by battle droids and Geonosians all aiming their weapons at them just as Jango lands meters from them, guns aimed at them.
"Don't move Jedi or the Senator's dead" he warns. Anakin and Padme exchange glances with each other before Anakin felt one of the Geonosians step forward and take his lightsaber from his hand before they were both cuffed with stun cuffs and led away from the factory by Jango Fett.
Unaware that his brother and Padme were here on Geonosis in an attempt to have tried to rescue him and Hannah, Obi Wan and Hannah were abruptly pulled from their restraints, cuffed and led out of their cell. Xanatos smirked as they were brought before him. "It is my greatest pleasure to inform you that you both have the pleasure of dying in front of the Geonosians and your brat of a brother will be joining you" he scoffs.
Obi Wan's eyes widen before he then sensed Anakin's arrival through the force. He should have expected his brother wouldn't just wait around for the council to send other Jedi, although he knew this wouldn't go down well with the council or their father. Obi Wan glared at Xanatos, the man he once called a friend, someone he saw around his father as he grew up. Obi Wan shook his head "The council won't let you win. They're probably on their way here" he spoke in a calm, unafraid voice. Xanatos smirked. "Let them come, hopefully my old master will be with them and I'll have the pleasure of revealing the dead bodies of his sons" he informs them
He then waves his head "Take them to the execution arena!" He cries before four Geonosians appeared and pushed Obi Wan and Hannah down the corridor towards the arena as Xanatos smirked with glee before he turns and heads down the opposite end to deal with Anakin and Padme.
Anakin and Padme, still cuffed, had been stripped of their weapons and cloaks and brought into a large conference room. Lord Maul stood at the back as the door opened once more and Xanatos stepped inside taking his seat at the table. Padme remained composed and strong like the Senator she was before she spoke.
"You are holding a Jedi Knight, Obi Wan Kenobi and Representative Hannah Loran, I am formally requesting you turn them over to me now" she informs him as Xanatos waves a hand before her. "Save your words Senator" he snapped "They have both been charged with espionage and have been sentenced to die along with your Jedi friend here" he smirks "And finally my old master will know the pain my father felt" he adds
Padme, struggling to hold back her tears argues "You cannot do that! They are officers of the Republic, you cannot do that!" She argues as Xanatos rolls his eyes. "The Republic is not recognised here Senator and soon they will be dead and you will be back on Naboo" he warns her. Padme looks confused as the door is opened once more revealing two more figures. Padme gasps as Anakin glares straight them
"You!" He cries before he was restrained by two Geonosians as Ruwee and Palo came into view "Hello Padme" Palo grins as Padme shakes her head "What are they doing here!?" She exclaims as Xanatos smirks. "As soon as the executions are over, they're taking you back to Naboo to live out a miserable life" he replies. Palo then moved over towards her, grabbing hold of her arm as Anakin struggles to break free "Don't touch her" he warns her as suddenly he felt his airwaves becoming restricted. Lord Maul smirked in the shadows as he started to choke the young Jedi.
"Stop it!" Padme cried "Please!" She adds. Xanatos looks back at Maul who smirks once more as he continues to choke Anakin. "Please stop it!" Padme cries once more. Xanatos then waves a hand at Maul and he stops and Anakin gasps for air. "Take him to the execution arena!" Xanatos orders as Padme, struggling to free herself from Palo's grasp, can only watch as Anakin is led away from the room. Palo pulls her closer towards him. "I'm going to enjoy watching you see your lover die" he sneers before dragging her after Ruwee, Xanatos and Lord Maul where they would head up to the Archduke of Geonosis's archducal box for the execution.
Obi Wan and Hannah had been taken out to the arena where they were chained to two pillars, Obi Wan on the right and Hannah on the left and while Obi Wan was acting relatively calm, for Hannah, she was no Jedi and she had managed to slip a lock pick out of her belt and into her hands planning on freeing herself. The crowds were starting to fly in to the arena, cheering in delight once more as Obi Wan and Hannah both looked up to see a cart enter the arena with a lone figure chained inside.
Obi Wan knew instantly it was his brother but he became worried when he wondered why Padme was not there and his brother's anger. The cart came to a slow stop meters from the pillars before the Geonosian driver pushed Anakin from the cart forcing him towards the middle pillar.
"Well, at least you got our message" Obi Wan called out to him, trying to lighten the mood as Anakin simply replied "Don't worry, we retransmitted you just as you requested brother. Father and the others are probably headed here now but Padme and I decided to come and rescue you first" he confesses. Obi Wan looks up at the column.
"Good job" he cheekily grins as the Geonosian takes hold of the chain which had been attached to Anakin's cuffs and flies above his head and up to the top of the column chaining him in place just as the crowd roared in delight once more seeing their leader step out onto the balcony. Palo keep a firm grip on Padme who was then pushed to the front where she looked down to see Anakin, Obi Wan and Hannah all chained to the columns. Poggle spoke in his language telling the crowd to "settle down" before he then goes on "Let the executions begin!" He declares. Padme lets out a small gasp "No!" She cries however Ruwee simply gave her a slap across the face
"Quiet!" He hisses "The Jedi deserves what is coming to him" he sneers. Padme glares back at him hearing Nute Gunray snigger quietly. He may be unhappy she wasn't dead but knowing she would soon be unable to ensure he is locked up once more, made him pleased.
Down in the arena, three metal gates opened up revealing three different types of monsters - the first, a bull like orange red skinned reek, the second, an Acklay which was the tallest of the monsters and had pinchers for legs while lastly the third, was a cat like creature, quick out of the gate, a next and he was eager. One Geonosian used its electric staff to shock him forward only to have the next snarl and grab him off his creature killing him.
Anakin and Obi Wan hadn't noticed Hannah was successfully picking one of her cuff's locks as Anakin shook his head "I've got a bad feeling about this" he confesses seeing the Geonosians rounding up the Reek, Acklay and Nexu further towards them whilst Obi Wan prepared themselves. "Just relax little brother, you take the middle creature, I'll take the one of the left" he explains. Anakin was surprised to find him so calm
"And Hannah?" He asks causing Obi Wan to look over at her. He smiles as he sees her now climbing up the top of the column with her chain. "She seems to be on top of things" he grins. Anakin had no time to ask another question for the Acklay had moved over towards Obi Wan, raising one of its pinchers in attack however Obi Wan was quicker and ducked hearing the pincher break the chain freeing him from the column and despite his hands still cuffed, Obi Wan ducks once more and slips underneath him right at the same time the reek charges straight for Anakin.
Padme watches as Anakin leaps up and over the reek's head landing straight on his back, the reek tries to force him off as Anakin pulls on the chain pulling hard until it breaks free from the column, he attempts to keep himself steady wrapping the chain around the reek's centre horn giving him control of the creature riding away from the columns.
From atop her column, Hannah had unlocked herself from her cuffs and was gripping tightly on the chain seeing the nexu running towards her and climbing up the column. Using her chain, she hits him on the head knocking him back hearing him cry out, she hits it hard again seeing him jump off the column annoyed. However, it doesn't stop the nexu from climbing back up the column and using his sharp claws, latched out leaving her with four deep sharp lacerations across her back causing her to cry out as he snarls once more.
Whilst up in the archducal box, Xanatos was not pleased looking over at Lord Maul. "How are you letting this happen?" He snaps "They're suppose to be dead! You're letting them turn this into a game" he comments as Lord Maul glares back at him "Soon, they will no longer be a problem" he assures him. Padme scoffs under her breath "You're all fools if you think you can just kill them" she warns them as Ruwee becomes annoyed and moves over towards his daughter. "You foolish girl!" He cries tightening his grip on her arms. "You have brought shame to the family and when we return to Naboo, I'll allow to do whatever he wants to you" he snaps seeing her eyes widen in fear.
At the same time, Anakin was trying to keep a steady hold on top of the reek who was trying to throw him off, he suddenly felt a tremor coming from the bond he shared with Padme - fear and not just for his life but for her own. "Padme!" He gasps. Distracted, it allowed the reek to buck him successfully from his back unfortunately with the chain still wrapped around its horn, it started to drag Anakin across the arena. He grunts but not before he can use the bond to send a message to Padme. "Padme, I will save you, stay strong, I know you can" he tells her. "Oh Anakin, please come back to me" he hears him say as he is dragged across the arena.
Whilst, Hannah, now standing on top of her column, grips her chain tightly seeing the nexu start to climb up once more, she then jumps and swings around the column kicking him hard with her boots. The nexu cries out as its knocked to the ground whimpering as Hannah starts to climb back up. As for Obi Wan, he was across the far left side of the arena attempting to outrun the acklay. He had just successfully managed to grab one of the staff off a Geonosian sending him flying then crushed by the Acklay. Dodging the pinchers once more, Obi Wan uses the staff to keep him at a distance as he backs further away.
The reek had come to a sudden stop leaving Anakin a chance to breath and get to his feet where using the force, Anakin slowly approaches the reek calming him with the force. Once he feels he is still, Anakin leaps back up onto its back and takes control once more riding him across the arena before more Geonosians can stop him.
Hannah watches the nexu encircling her column when suddenly the reek charges straight into him killing him. Anakin looks up at his friend "Hannah!" He cries out "Jump!" He tells her. Hannah straightens up breathing heavily dropping her chain, she leaps off and straight onto the reek behind Anakin. "Thanks" she replies "Don't worry, Obi Wan wouldn't let me hear the end of it if something happened to you" he grins taking control once more and riding towards Obi Wan.
Obi Wan was successfully keeping the Acklay at bay and using the staff, he throws it straight into its shoulder hearing it cry out in pain. He smirks but it wasn't for long, as the Acklay simply pulls the staff out and snaps it in half! Obi Wan's eyes widen in horror before he takes off seeing the reek moving towards him with Anakin and Hannah. Obi Wan jumps up behind her as she places a hand on his leg as he places two hands on her hips as the reek rides off once more.
Palo's eyes widen in horror. He glares straight over at Xanatos "You!" He cried "You promised us the Jedi would be dead and now they're trying to escape!" He cries "We're leaving before they come after us" he snaps grabbing hold of Padme, he starts to drag her towards the exit but not before Lord Maul pushes him back. "It's not over yet" he simply says looking back out at the arena where they saw six droidekas suddenly rolled out into the arena towards the reek bringing it to a sudden stop as Anakin, Hannah and Obi Wan looked around worried, it would appear their luck had run out.
Fortunately for Anakin, Obi Wan and Hannah, the Jedi had made it to Geonosis and made their way through the catacombs towards the arena awaiting the signal from Masters Windu and Jinn who had made their way up towards the archducal box where Maul, Xanatos, Nute, Poggle, Ruwee, Palo, Padme and Jango Fett were. They cautiously approached the entrance just as the droidekas continued to close in around their prey. Xanatos smirked knowing what was about to happen, when suddenly two lightsabers, one purple and one green appear at Jango and Nute's necks.
Padme smiles in relief seeing Qui Gon as Xanatos slowly turns around smiling 'Ah, my old master, how pleasant of you to join us" he sneers. Mace exchanges a glance with Qui Gon, "This party's over" he informs him and at that moment, thousands of Jedi around the arena ignited their lightsaber which sent the Geonosians flying out of the arena as Anakin, Obi Wan and Hannah looked around amazed.
"I never thought my old master could be so foolish, you have no idea how outnumbered you are" he warns them as Qui Gon shook his head "You're in for a surprise" he insists as Xanatos shrugs "Let's see then" he simply replies just as both Mace and Qui Gon heard the clanking sounds of battle droids marching towards them taking their attention from Jango and Nute allowing the others to slip back. Qui Gon and Mace saw battle droids coming into view before they started to fire straight them.
Deflecting the bolts with their lightsabers, Qui Gon and Mace backed further towards the edge of the box, focused on the droids they didn't see Jango put his helmet on and aim his flame thrower at them firing straight at them. Their cloaks catching fire, Qui Gon and Mace were forced to leap out of the box straight down into the arena throwing their cloaks off as more Jedi flooded the stands and the arena right before more droids spilled out through the gates. The droidekas turned towards the new arrivals leaving Anakin able to move the reek back over towards the Jedi.
Qui Gon rushed over towards his two sons throwing two lightsabers up at them seeing them ignite them cutting their cuffs just as the reek becomes frightened of the canons and battles happening around him, he bucks his riders off his back before he rides off. Hannah scrambles for a fallen droid's gun as Anakin straightens up.
"Obi Wan!" He cries "I have to help Padme, she's close" he tells her as Qui Gon speaks up "She's up in the archducal box, go!" He insists. Anakin rushes off using the force to leap up into the stands as Obi Wan, Hannah and Qui Gon continued to fight off the battle droids.
Padme was not going to let herself be threatened anymore and hits Palo hard in the ribs shoving her father hard as she starts to rush out of the box and into the stands. Palo snarls and runs after her at the same time Anakin sees his beloved running along the top level with Palo close behind. "Not today" he mutters and leaps once more up towards the level landing right in front of Palo.
"Out of my way Jedi bastard, she's mine!" He snaps as Anakin, anger fuming shakes his head "No, she's not and never will be" he raises his lightsaber, he slices off Palo's arm at the elbow causing him to scream in pain. Anakin shakes his head "It's less than you deserve" he tells him just as he hears Padme's voice. "Anakin!" She cries rushing into his arms. "Padme" he smiles cutting through her cuffs, holding her close. Palo whimpering meters from them.
"Come on, let's get back to our family" he tells her jumping down off the balcony down into the arena once more. Padme picks up a discarded blaster before she began to fire at the droids as Anakin deflected the bolts coming at them. Anakin smirks over at her. "You call this a diplomatic situation?" He cheekily teases as Padme only smirks back at him. "No" she starts to reply "I call it aggressive negotiations" she smiles. He leans in to give her a quick kiss before they both continued to take out more battle droids.
In another part of the arena, Obi Wan and Hannah were working in unison together against the droids. Hannah laughs back at Obi Wan "Just like old times huh?" She points out referring to their early days and their first missions she accompanied him on with his father. Obi Wan chuckles "Without the killer creatures" he smirks right at the moment they both heard a loud cry coming from behind them. Obi Wan and Hannah slowly turned around looking up to find the tall, angry Acklay glaring down at them, raising his pinchers ready to attack. Thinking fast, Obi Wan pushes Hannah aside before he raises his lightsaber slicing one of the acklay's front pinchers then the second and lastly the back legs.
As the Acklay falls down in front of him, Obi Wan raises his lightsaber stabbing him straight through the stomach finishing him off for good. Breathing heavily and hair in front of his face, Hannah smirks grinning "You could give Anakin a run for his money" She observes as Obi Wan just glances back at her before they both continued on fighting the droids which continued to enter the arena.
Watching the fighting take place down in the arena, Jango knew this was the time to take out his target, the Senator regardless of Padme's father and Palo still here and so with his helmet on, Boba watched his father fly up out of the archucal box and down into the arena. He scanned the arena spotting Senator Amidala fighting alongside Anakin however as he moves towards Anakin and Padme, the Reek, still lose in the arena, charges towards him pushing him in the opposite direction of the arena damaging his jet pack in the process.
Jango groaned as he tried to gain his footing once more as the Reek runs past him before he turns to charge him again, however this time Jango was ready for him and as the reek came for him, Jango fired at the creature, one shot hits the creature's leg, the second shot hits the creature straight in the chest, he cries out before he falls to the ground dead.
Smirking underneath his helmet, Jango starts once more to head towards Padme and Anakin when a figure blocks his path, it's Jacen and he is not about to let this bounty hunter harm his grandson or soon to be granddaughter. "I won't let you harm them" Jacen tells him. Jango then fires his blaster at him only to have Jacen deflect the bolts with his lightsaber, slicing his blaster from his hand then before Jango had another chance to attack, Jacen raised his lightsaber and sliced his head off! His body falling to the ground. Jacen breathes once more before he re joins the fight not realising that young Boba witnessed the death of his father.
Xanatos and Lord Maul looked down at the remaining Jedi still left fighting, which including Jacen, Qui Gon, Anakin, Obi Wan, Padme and Hannah however the droids were pushing them further back into the centre causing them to form a circle. Lord Maul looked across at Xanatos, "It's time to end this" he spoke. He then raises a hand signalling for the droids to stop firing. The Jedi, Padme and Hannah all looked curiously around and at each other, wondering what had happened before they heard Xanatos's voice followed by a mock applause
"Master Windu, I must commend you all for fighting so gallantly against our droids, a fight worthy of being in the Order's history books" he comments. Xanatos grins looking over Maul. "However, this battle is over and all you have to do is surrender and we'll spare your lives" he assures him. Mace exchanged a glance with Qui Gon. In the years of knowing about Xanatos, they knew how untrue that statement was. Mace glared up at them both. "We will not be hostages to be bartered with, Xanatos!" He angrily exclaims.
Xanatos and Maul looked between each other once more before Xanatos shrugged "Then unfortunately, you all must die" he sneers as they all saw the droids aim their weapons at them. Anakin held Padme close just as Obi Wan did the same with Hannah, lightsabers ready to fight when Padme then looked up seeing several ships descending into the arena. "Look!" Padme cried out as everyone all looked up to see the gunships descending into the arena.
It was Master Yoda, who was leading the legions of clone troopers into battle. The droids then turned their attention to the ships landing and began to fire giving the Jedi, Padme and Hannah the chance to fire back at the droids taking more of them out. Master Yoda looked down into the arena. "Around the survivors, a permit create!" He calls out to the pilots who all then begin to fly around the circle of Jedi firing at the droids keeping paths before they landed.
Obi Wan, Anakin, Padme and Hannah all rushed towards one gunship as Qui Gon, Jacen and Mace raced for another whilst the other Jedi rushed towards the other ships jumping on board. Once all the Jedi were on board, the ships lifted up out of the arena. Darth Maul glared back at Xanatos who said nothing but stormed off. The Viceroy had already hurried off leaving Palo and Ruwee behind.
Next time: The battle for Geonosis begins out on the battlefield as the Separatists fight back against the clones and the Jedi whilst Xanatos is determined to see his old master and his family die, it's Lord Maul who takes the next step and attempts to go after the Chosen One. There will a shock loss as the war has just began.
