The Review Guest - Their relationship in this is fun to write

SnowflakesandMozart - At least he gets to be in love. Yes, it was a memory. I will try to keep the updates coming.

Chapter 57

A sleek silver vessel cut through lanes of busy morning traffic. Two fighters flew ahead of it, one behind. As they approached the Senate building, the two fighters settled down onto the landing pad, followed by the larger vessel. The remaining fighter settled further away from the other three ships. The pilot of this vessel jumped out of the cockpit, sliding down off of the wing. He removed his helmet, allowing long dark blonde locks of hair to fall to brush his collar. Anakin cautiously scanned the area. The effect of the nexus of darkness that was Coruscant, so different from his home on Dantooine, was an immediate assault on the Chosen One's honed senses, but his only outward display was a slight grimace. The fear and panic caused by the galaxy's current state were causing the darkness to fester and grow. He and his master both sensed it. He didn't like the feeling of having his senses clouded and choked by the heavy veil, especially not when those he cared for were in danger. He turned to help his 'copilot' out of the canopy.

"We made it," Anakin said, smiling at the lovely woman hidden beneath pilot garb. "Stay close, though. Something is still not …"

He allowed his words to trail off as Corde, Padme's decoy, strode down the landing ramp with all the grace and authority of a galactic senator. There were a few precious seconds' warning, Anakin pushing Padme to the ground and shielding her with his own body as a large explosion shook the landing platform, reducing the elegant ship to flame and debris.

Various alarms and klaxons began to sound in the background. Padme tore away from Anakin, running to her double. She knelt on the ground, removing her helmet. "Corde …" Padme could find no other words to say as she gathered the woman who had faithfully faced danger time and time again to protect her into trembling arms. As Corde breathed her last, Padme whispered a soft, "no," in denial.

The quiet scene between two friends, seemingly isolated from the chaos erupting around it, drove a shiv through Anakin's heart. He was a bit disconcerted by his own flare of anger and the way he felt the darkness on the planet shift, as though drawn by the power of that anger. Taking a deep breath, he reigned in his feelings and centered himself. He squatted down behind Padme, placing strong hands on her shoulders. "Angel," he said softly, raising her as he stood so that he could engulf her in his embrace. "I need to get you somewhere safe."

Padme nodded numbly, burying her head in Anakin's chest as he guided her away.

"What happened!"

Anakin's head snapped around at the familiar cultured tones that drifted easily to him through

Force-enhanced senses from across the quickly crowding platform. His eyes met the concerned blue-gray gaze of Obi-Wan. Senate security guards were holding him back from the scene of the explosion. Anakin offered his friend a reassuring smile, hugging Padme's slight figure a little closer to his body. He saw the Jedi master visibly relax at the silent communication and whisper something into his comlink before returning to the Senate building.

Anakin helped Padme back into the fighter and climbed into the cockpit.

"Where are we going?" she asked in a voice still thick with emotion. "I need to get in there to vote or Corde's sacrifice will be in vain."

"First you need to regain your composure and get ready so that you can go in there as your usual, fierce self," Anakin said. "I am going to take you back to your apartment."

"Is it safe?"

"Qui-Gon and Master Tachi should be waiting there for us."

The private air cab belonging to the Kenobi family moved lazily along in morning traffic. There was no need to rush, they had left plenty early. It had taken some adjustment for Siri to get used to being chauffeured, something that came with the territory of being a senator's wife under protection. Siri leaned back in her seat, looking out through the congested lines of traffic, well aware of the two guards on swoops that flanked the vehicle. An uneasiness that had nothing to do with being a passenger had settled into her gut. She was at a loss to explain exactly what it was but was definitely alert for trouble.

"Mom, are you staying at school with me again?"

Siri looked down at her son, a slight smile curving her lips as their eyes met. "Yes, I will be volunteering in your class again today."

"I thought so," the boy groaned, sinking further down into the seat.

"I thought you liked me spending time in your class," Siri chided gently.

"I do," Bren'an quickly assured his mother. "It's just … the other kids are starting to talk."

"And just what are they saying?" Siri asked.

"Their parents say that you are trying to make me Ms. Kela's favorite, and that's why you are helping out so much," the boy replied.

Siri groaned. The most difficult thing about having a school-aged child was the other parents, it seemed, especially in a school where the children of many of the most influential politicians in the galaxy attended. Obi-Wan had to often remind his wife to behave in her interactions. Suspicion and uncertainty were taking over the Senate and it seemed to be bleeding into the private lives of its esteemed senators.

"It won't be for much longer, Bren'an," was all Siri could offer her son. The vote would happen today, and then hopefully the danger would be over … for now.

Even as the thought occupied her mind, she felt a sharp disturbance in the Force. Though she didn't sense any direct danger to her or Bren'an, she was very aware of her husband's sudden anxiety. She quickly raised him on her comlink.

"What happened?" she insisted, not giving him time to speak first.

"It felt like there was some sort of explosion somewhere in the Senate building. The alarms are going off," Obi-Wan explained.

"Are you being evacuated?" Siri asked.

"I don't know," he murmured.

Siri took a deep breath, deciding the few choice words about male stubbornness that sprang to mind were not appropriate for her son to hear. The Senate was in session, which meant the only reason Obi-Wan didn't know what was happening was that he was not where he was supposed to be.

"Tell me you aren't off on your own investigating the disturbance you felt…"

"I …"

"At least tell me that you have Garen with you."

"Umh …"

"Obi-Wan Kenobi!" she scolded, offering a reassuring grin to her wide-eyed son.

"Oh no!" Obi-Wan suddenly breathed into the comlink.

"What!?" she snapped.

"The explosion was on the landing pad … Senator Amidala's ship. I can't get past the guards to see any more."

"Do you sense her?"

"I do." Siri waited until her husband spoke again, relief flooding his voice. "Anakin has her." There was a momentary pause before he spoke again. "Turn around and go back. I want you and Bren'an back home."

She had never heard the particular tone in Obi-Wan's voice before and it had her quickly agreeing. She thumbed off her comlink and lowered the window that stood between her and the pilot.

"We are going back," she said.

"Yes, Milady."

The transport weaved momentarily out of traffic and turned to join the opposite flow.

"I am going to miss a spelling test," Bren'an said.

"I am sure your teacher will understand after I talk to her," Siri assured him.

"Is this still about what Dad was talking to Master Yoda and Uncle Anakin about?" the boy asked.

"What your father is voting on today is very important, and there are many who don't agree with him. He just wants to make extra sure we're safe."

Siri began to breathe a little easier the closer they got to home. She was going to have to talk to Obi-Wan. It was time for them to be a little more open with Bren'an about Jedi matters instead of him having to find things out by spying or from asking Kara. She felt a sharp spike of warning through the Force right before some sort of weapons' fire hit their vehicle. The pilot slammed forward as the cab lurched, knocked unconscious as his head hit the view panel. Siri cursed under her breath as she stuffed herself through the dividing window. She pulled the pilot from the seat and settled behind the controls just in time to barely evade a direct hit. The shots skimmed the vessel, knocking them into freefall.

"Mom!"

"Just stay strapped into your seat," Siri said in her best calm voice as she tried to get the vessel to respond. She fell deeply into the Force as the cab descended into Coruscant's lower depths. Their attacker fled, drawing off the two guards on swoops. Siri sensed that was the actual purpose of the attack. Sure enough, she caught sight of a cloaked figure on a swoop following them. Getting home was no longer a possibility. Quickly deciding on a destination, Siri began to guide their vessel deeper into Coruscant. Reaching behind her, she called her comlink to her hand.

"Dad," she said softly when Corrar answered.

"Where are you?" came the immediate, concerned response. He had no doubt sensed that his daughter and grandson were in danger.

"We were attacked. We are setting down somewhere below levels. I am trying to get as close to the Jedi Temple as possible, but we are being followed."

"We are dropping Senator Amidala at the Senate now, and then I am on my way."

Siri found a place to set the air cab down, and not a moment too soon, the engines were failing. She jumped out, quickly pulling her son out. "Stay close," she ordered as they took off running. They weren't far. She could sense the strong pull of the Light that remained in the distance. As she urged Bren'an ahead of her into a tunnel, she pulled her saber from a concealed pocket in her jacket, and then she opened a glow rod to light their way. She hadn't gotten far when her comlink chimed.

"Siri?" Obi-Wan asked urgently. "Where are you?"

"We were attacked. I had to set down in the lower levels, near the Temple …"

"I'm on my way," he said, interrupting her.

"No," Siri insisted. "You have to be there for that vote. We both know how important it is – the elders have sensed it, you have sensed it. Padme needs your support. If you leave now, the Sith win. They get what they want."

"Siri," he said softly, obviously torn. The grief in his voice made her chest ache. Even though she was a capable Jedi, she could fully admit that she wanted nothing more than for him to rush in valiantly and protect her and Bren'an from whatever darkness lapped at their heels. That was not their life. They were Jedi, pledged to prevent the Sith from plunging the galaxy into darkness, and he was where he needed to be at the moment.

"My father, Anakin, and Qui-Gon are on their way," she assured her husband. The sound of footsteps echoed in the tunnel behind them. "I need to go," she said. "I love you," she quickly added before shutting the comlink off.

"Bren'an," she said softly. The boy looked up at her. Though it was dark and she could barely see his features in the softness of the glow rod, his fear was quite evident through the Force. "Do you sense the Temple? Feel it, just like Dantooine." When the boy had nodded and she sensed that he understood, she handed him the glow rod. "No matter what happens, keep running ahead. Help is coming."