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CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

CORUSCANT

Obi-Wan waited anxiously for Griegg to give them the go-ahead. He had met the Rodian the night before, not nearly enough time for him to determine if the man was trustworthy, and hoped he and Aayla knew what they were doing. But their infiltration of a prison was not the only thing bothering him. Anakin had been acting differently since their arrival on Coruscant, and any abnormal behavior on his part was never, ever, a good sign. He absolutely despised the idea of leaving the young man on his own, but their plan would not work if he did not. So Obi-Wan sat and waited, hoping his former apprentice wasn't going to do something incredibly reckless.

Their commlinks flashed, and Aayla stood up.

"Time to go rescue a Senator," she said, heading down the stairs to the entry level. Obi-Wan followed her, using the Force to sense any disturbances, and keeping his eyes and ears open.

They made it through security without a hassle, thanks to Griegg and one of his coworkers being the only men at the checkpoint. Obi-Wan and Aayla were posing as emissaries from the executive office, and Griegg had generously offered to give them a tour of the facilities. The prison was a maze with its spotless white walls and bright lighting, the place was near silent apart from the air filtration system. It was quite unnerving, and Obi-Wan was already becoming slightly disoriented, as the complex had been designed to hold Force sensitives. To make it worse, his blasted clone armor made it nearly impossible to see anything in his peripheral vision, and hardly anything in front of him for that matter.

Griegg must have taken them down secondary hallways, as they hardly ran into anyone. This area of the prison was dead silent, and Griegg stopped, swiping his keycard into a port. "Here's your Senator," he said, as the door slid open. Obi-Wan stepped inside, and was shocked to see that it was empty.

"I thought you said for sure she was in the bottom level," Obi-Wan said, looking around.

"She's not there?" Griegg asked, peering around the corner. Aayla said some words Yoda would not have appreciated, and Obi-Wan quickly left the cell.

"We've got to move quickly, someone requesting to open an empty cell has to raise an alarm somewhere," he said tersely. "Could she be in the upper level?"

"She might be," Griegg answered as he lead them down a different hallway. "If they move her around a lot that means they consider her a high risk prisoner, and our story might be more believable." Aayla was relaying the information back to Anakin, and Obi-Wan could sense the anger in his voice after years of friendship. If they didn't find her soon, Anakin was going to go on a warpath.

"Papers and identification please," a voice said to their left, and all three of them froze. An Imperial officer looked at them icily, his beady eyes boring into their faces.

"Of course," Griegg said, producing his prison ID. Aayla handed the man the forged executive documents.

"The clone is with me," she said, a bead of sweat appearing on the side of Grieggs face. The man looked at her for several seconds, and slowly returned his eyes to the paper. His eyes lingered on each word for a second longer than necessary, as if he were stalling for time. The bead of sweat made it down to his jaw, and the man looked up.

"Everything seems to be in order. Carry on," he said, raising his hand in a salute. Aayla returned it, and continued down the hall with the other two. As he entered the elevator he saw her let out a sigh of relief as she leaned against the wall.

"How much longer?" she asked.

"To get top side? Twenty minutes at least."

They followed Griegg down the nondescript and sterile hallways, slowly losing all sense of time and direction. He wasn't even a prisoner, but Obi-Wan began to get the feeling he would never leave the place.

They walked around another corner and Obi-Wan nearly froze when he saw the clones. There were six of them, spaced evenly along the long corridor, with one standing in front of a cell. Aayla and Griegg didn't falter, walking straight ahead. He recovered quickly, but he could swear one of the clones noticed. They stopped in front of the door, and Griegg placed his keycard in the slot.

"What's your authorization number?" the highest ranking clone asked, stepping forward. Griegg opened his mouth to speak, but Obi-Wan waved his hand, making it look like he was adjusting his rifle.

"You do not need to know our authorization number," he said, drawing as much on the Force as he could in such a barren environment.

"I do not need to know your authorization number," the clone repeated blankly. He stepped back, and allowed Griegg to continue. The doors slid open, and Obi-Wan entered the cell, Aayla close behind him.

Padmé was leaning against the wall of the cell, giving Obi-Wan a steely look as he entered. He pulled off his helmet as soon as the doors closed behind him, and a smile spread across her face.

"Padmé, are you alright?" he asked.

"I'm fine. You know I'm getting the strangest feeling of déjà vu," she said, running into his arms.

"It's good to see you too Padmé," Obi-Wan answered.

"What's the plan?" she asked, stepping back.

"The official story is a prisoner transfer. We'll have to move quick, so just keep your head down and don't make eye contact," Aayla said from the corner. "Come on." Obi-Wan took the rear, figuring it was what a clone trooper would in a situation like this. They made it down the hallway unmolested by the clones, and Obi-Wan breathed a little easier, maybe they would make it out of this without tripping any alarms.

Aayla sent a message to Anakin on the lax security, they wouldn't be needing the distraction just yet. He saw Padmé perk up at the mention of his name, but she quickly put her head back down. The lack of response from Anakin, and the small number of clone troopers in the prison was a worrying coincidence for Obi-Wan.

Miraculously, they made it to the entrance level without any trouble, and Obi-Wan risked a look around. Had he missed something because of the lack of the Force?

"Where is everybody?" Aayla asked, clearly thinking the same thing.

"I don't know. The boss got a call from HQ and sent out half the guys as reinforcements in some kind of military demonstration fifteen minutes ago. Have no idea what it is," Griegg told him.

"You didn't think that was worth mentioning?" Aayla asked. "They could be back at any minute?"

"Nah, the way the boss said it they would be gone well into the night," Griegg reassured them. Obi-Wan's sense of uneasiness increased. Hopefully Anakin doesn't have anything to do with it, he thought to himself as they rounded a corner.

"Do you have any ideas?" he whispered to Padmé. She shook her head slightly. The scarcity of troops seemed to bother Aayla and Griegg as well, they were carefully examining the halls too. Griegg motioned for the group to remain in the hall, and moved up to the checkpoint. He spoke a few words to the remaining men in the booth, and they walked out a few moments later, laughing about something. Griegg looked around and motioned them forward. He guided them through the employees entrance, keeping Padmé at the back of their group. No one challenged them, although that wasn't too surprising, given Griegg's seniority and the carefree attitude of many of the guards when they weren't on-duty.

They boarded the ship a few moments later, Padmé changing in the back, the rest up front discussing the jailbreak.

"That was entirely too easy, I don't like it," Aayla said. Griegg nodded, pulling something up on his holo. His jaw dropped in surprise, and he quickly read the news story out loud.

"Anakin Skywalker attacked the Emperor's office," he said incredulously.

"What?" Obi-Wan demanded, scanning the Aurebesh on the display. According to the news reports, Jedi terrorist Anakin Skywalker had stormed through the security of the executive building, and was holding Emperor Palpatine hostage in his office. He reached into the Force for his former Padawan, and became even more worried when all he could sense was conflict and the obstruction of the dark side. "We have to get over there immediately," Obi-Wan said tersely.

"I agree. Getting through that blockade is going to be a mess," Aayla said, prepping the ship for takeoff. Obi-Wan stared out the windshield, thinking of how to out maneuver the clones. The 501st had to be on Naboo, which Obi-Wan hoped meant they had a less experienced group to tackle. Whatever was happening when they landed, they wouldn't be able to stick around for long. Undoubtedly Palpatine would use the clone troopers to storm the area and kill the remaining Jedi. It would be a quick in and out, no sticking around to fight all the security forces on Coruscant no matter how much Anakin wanted to.

Padmé walked into the cockpit, no longer wearing the prison jumpsuit.

"What's going on?" she asked. "Isn't Anakin supposed to be here?" Aayla made herself busy at the controls, and Griegg picked an imaginary piece of lint off his sleeve.

"Padmé, Anakin has attacked the Emperor's office," Obi-Wan said gently.

"Is he alright?" she demanded, moving forward to see what was on Griegg's holo.

"We don't know. We're going to pull him out right now," he told her. Her face paled ever so slightly, but she still pressed forward.

"I'm going to help. I refuse to sit on this ship while you risk your lives after rescuing me from prison," she said firmly. She had the same look in her eye as she had during the Invasion of Naboo and the First Battle of Geonosis, and Obi-Wan knew arguing with her was futile.

"Griegg do you have any blasters?" he asked, and Padmé smiled.

"I have some rifles and a couple of carbines. I figured something like this was going to happen and I thought something with higher firepower would be best," he said, sliding a panel aside. Padmé scanned them, and picked out an impressive-looking carbine.

"This will do," she said, weighing it in her hands and testing the scope. "So what's our plan?"

"Assuming he is in the office, we scan the area for life forms to figure out where the clones are. If we can, we'll go in through a service hatch a floor above, but I doubt we'll be able to reach it if he's really set up a blockade," Aayla said. "Griegg, can you get that scanner up and running?" the Rodian nodded, and went to work.

Emperor's Throne Room

The Emperor waited patiently as he sensed the furious young man approach. Skywalker was several stories below, but he was smoldering with anger and it was like lightning in the air. The dark side was powerful now that Palpatine was in power, but Skywalker's sheer power being directed this way, it was intoxicating. He heard a body fall to the floor outside his office, but still didn't turn away from the impressive Coruscanti skyline. Alarms were going off in the building, it was surely fully in lockdown by this point. Special forces would be called in to deal with the Jedi, no doubt Skywalker would put up some kind of fight. Whether or not the boy turned, Palpatine would relish this moment.

The doors were blasted from their hinges, and he felt Skywalker storm into the room.

"I'm so pleased to see you alive and well Anakin, the galaxy is a dangerous place for a Jedi these days," he said, turning to face the young man. "Of course, you were never like them."

"Where is Padmé?" Skywalker demanded, drawing his lightsaber.

"She's in the same prison as your friends," Palpatine responded coolly. He saw a flicker of surprise cross the young mans face and shook his head. "I thought you knew me better than that Anakin. Did you really think I would allow you and your friends to waltz into the most secure prison in the galaxy unnoticed?" He snapped up his hands and blasted Force lightning at Skywalker. Caught off guard, he yelled as he flew across the room, slamming into the wall.

"I can sense your anger. Now that the galaxy is free of the Jedi, you will no longer be held back. You will reach your full potential, achieve the life of greatness you are destined for," he said. While Skywalker pushed himself off the ground, Palpatine waved his hand over the desk, sealing off the entrances to the throne room. Now was not a time to be disturbed. "It's not too late to save Padmé. I know the dreams still trouble you, I can sense it." The mention of his wife only angered the other man, and he charged. Palpatine skillfully drew his lightsabers, easily deflecting Skywalker's attack and leading one of his own.

"You locked her up!" Skywalker growled, pushing Palpatine back. "You've had hundreds of Jedi killed. You're behind the war. You're the cause of all this destruction."

"Don't tell me you preferred it the other way Anakin. You'll never fool me. I know how much you despised the corruption, the inability to rid the galaxy of something so vile as slavery. Now we can do whatever we want, make the galaxy secure and peaceful." He sensed Skywalker's hesitation, and stopped talking, allowing Skywalker to think.

"You still arrested Padmé," he repeated, renewing his anger.

"She's much safer now, and in perfectly good health. Would you have preferred her traipsing around the galaxy with a group of outlaws with bounties on their heads? Do you think a bounty hunter would draw such a fine distinction between her and an outlaw?" Palpatine continued. His words were confusing the young man more and more, he could sense it. "Even now, the Jedi sit and do nothing to solve the galaxy's problems. Are those the hands you want to place your wife's fate in?" Skywalker didn't respond, his attacks becoming sloppier yet more powerful.

Just a little more, Palpatine thought, lazily blocking another one of Skywalker's attacks.

Anakin tried as hard as he could to block out what Palpatine was saying. Anakin was frustrated with everything around him, and he agreed with Palpatine, but the man had done so much wrong he couldn't join him. The man had sent his wife to prison for the rest of her life, and had been the sole cause of so much death and destruction in the galaxy. The fact that Palpatine stood before him and admitted it as if it were nothing important infuriated him. He was angry at the Republic for being corrupt, he was angry at Palpatine for his manipulations, he was angry at the Jedi for their complacency, he was angry with the clones for their betrayal, he was angry at the Empire for destroying what he had spent fifteen years of his life fighting for overnight, he was angry at Yoda for not doing anything, he was angry at Windu for so easily turning on his fellow Jedi, he was angry at everything and everyone except for Padmé. And if he followed Palpatine he would lose her. And his daughter. Since the Clone Wars began Padmé had been telling him of Palpatine's power grabs, and the results were right in front of him. He knew how Padmé would react, and losing his family after losing everything else was unacceptable. He had to protect them no matter what.

No longer relying on just his rage and frustration to fuel his actions, Anakin pushed back harder against Palpatine's attack. The Sith fought with two lightsabers, an already challenging style made more difficult by expertise. Briefly Anakin wondered how he had developed such swordsmanship while masquerading as a Senator, but was quickly distracted by Palpatine's stab, which he narrowly parried. The older man seemed angrier, and moved with increased ferocity. Anakin could sense clones down the hall, but for some reason they were not moving. He thrust his lightsaber upward, stopping Palpatine's from coming down on his head. The Emperor was the first to release, leaping backwards. Anakin followed him, and their lightsabers locked once more. An explosion sounded down the hall, but the two pressed on, no longer speaking, all their emotions expressed in the duel. Feet thundered down the hallway and voices were yelling, but it all sounded like it was far away. The blue and yellow eyes glared at each other, neither relinquishing their position in the deadlock.

A blaster bolt flew straight towards them, and Palpatine deflected it with one of his lightsabers. Without knowing why, Anakin stopped the bolt in midair. He was surprised to see Padmé and Obi-Wan charging in, Aayla not far behind. Out of the corner of his eye he saw a red lightsaber swing towards him, and he brought his lightsaber up to deflect it. Their lightsabers cracked, and each clash was felt in the Force. Suddenly Palpatine stepped back, and sent Force lighting flying everywhere. Anakin leaped in front of Padmé, taking the full brunt of the lightning. Palpatine ran towards him, lightsabers raised, but Obi-Wan and Aayla stopped him, pushing him back into a corner.

"Griegg! Get the ship over here!" Padmé yelled into the comm he had given her. Palpatine waved his hand, and she heard blast doors open, the clones behind them charging through. A ship hovered outside and blasted a hole in the side of the building, scattering the clones and sending debris flying. Taking advantage of the stunned clones and distracted Emperor, Padmé hooked her arms under Anakin's and dragged him to the ship, which was clumsily squeezing into the building, managing to get the edge of the ramp a few feet from the floor. Gunships were hovering nearby, but they must have been told to standby since the Emperor was in such close proximity, nothing else explained them not firing on such an easy target. Griegg rushed down the ramp and helped her haul Anakin onto the ship.

"We need to get closer to them!" she said, looking back at Obi-Wan and Aayla. Griegg darted back into the cockpit, and began to move towards the two Jedi. Grabbing a carbine, Padmé began firing at the clones who had made it into the Emperor's office. Blaster bolts made pinging noises as they hit the ships armor, and Padmé prayed the two Jedi would hurry up, they could get blown to bits at any moment. The red lightsabers separated, and she saw the two blue ones disappear, seconds later Aayla and Obi-Wan landed on the ramp. Aayla shouted at Griegg to get moving and joined him at the controls, while Padmé shot back at the clones, Obi-Wan deflecting blasters.

No longer on standby, the gunships opened fire, and the ship rattled as the shields were quickly depleted. Griegg lurched them into a steep climb, spinning wildly. Obi-Wan helped her strap Anakin into one of the seats, then herself. There were no windows, and Padmé had no idea if they were going up or down, losing control or skillfully avoiding cannon-fire. She glanced at Anakin, and her stomach churned when she saw he was still unconscious. Obi-Wan touched her hand, and she jumped, snapping out of her thoughts.

"He'll be alright," he said gently over the sound of screeching metal and cannons firing. Padmé nodded, looking out the windshield to avoid his gaze. Now was not the time to lose control.

For once, having the smaller ship worked in their advantage. After weaving in and out of some traffic tunnels and waiting in a maintenance-only area for over an hour, Griegg carefully guided them out of the tunnel and into the immense traffic lanes. Their tiny passenger ship blended in easily with the speeders, but they still kept a close eye on the ever-present gunships. Under the guise of a tug, the small ship left the Coruscanti atmosphere, leaving the duracrete planet behind. As soon as the ship stabilized, Padmé was out of her seat and examining Anakin.

"Do you have a medical droid?" she asked, cupping his face in her hands. He was completely unresponsive. She checked his pulse, and it frightened her that it was so slow and erratic. Griegg produced an oxygen mask and some bacta, which Padmé quickly put to use. Still, his heartbeat was too weak for her liking. "He needs a hospital," she said.

"Polis Massa has a medical facility," Aayla said, "it's state of the art."

"It's hours away though, I don't know if he'll make it," Padmé countered, her eyes not leaving Anakin's face. Griegg frowned.

"I have a friend who may be able to help us. He's in the rebellion, so we're on the same ship," he said, moving to the holoport.

"The rebellion?" Padmé asked, finally looking away.

"Yeah. Mostly Separatists and Loyalists who all hate the Empire," Griegg said. "Was planning on joining them at some point, but now's a good a time as ever," he said lightly.

"Who's leading it?" she asked.

"I heard it's some old general. Of course, if we knew they wouldn't be around for very long, would they?" he said darkly. "I'll have to take this to the other room, my friend is pretty catty about strangers."

"Tell him you have Senator Amidala with you," Padmé said proudly. "Naboo has a long history with the Jedi we have not forgotten, and I know many others who are unhappy with this new Empire."

"I'll pass it on," he said, closing the door behind him. Padmé returned her attention to Anakin, wiping a wet towel across his forehead. Is he cold? Maybe I should put a blanket on him instead, she thought. Her mind flitted back and forth between Anakin and the rebellion, I bet Bail is in charge of it, no one else would have the nerve, she thought as she dipped the towel in water again. Twenty minutes later, Griegg emerged.

"We're going to Alderaan," he said, sitting in the pilots seat.

"What did your friend say?" she asked.

"Go to Alderaan, meet at some old warehouse, get your friend medical attention, and meet somebody, he didn't say who," Griegg explained.

"It took him twenty minutes to say all that?" Aayla asked.

"Nah, I mentioned Senator Amidala was with us and he had to go off the holo for a few minutes to talk with somebody. Guess he was making sure you weren't a spy or anything. Although you getting arrested for treason does vouch for your credibility," he said. Padmé rolled her eyes, and sat back in her seat. She hadn't slept since her arrest, and she was beginning to feel the consequences, and her pregnancy only exacerbated it.

"Would you like to lie down?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No, I'll be fine here. I'd hate to disturb him," she said, gesturing to Anakin. Obi-Wan nodded.

"Sleep well, Padmé."

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