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Unbroken Vow of a Jedi: Chapter 9
The Shadow He Cast
Back in the present, Anakin and Padmé's conversation is interrupted by an unforeseen move from the Council, and Sabé, Padmé's most trusted and loyal handmaiden, reveals herself to her friend, asking her the vital questions that no one dare ask her. When Padmé is left unable to answer them all, she remembers her time on Tatooine where she learned about the life of Shmi Skywalker… and where she learned of Anakin's viciousness in the face of protecting those he has attachments with.
Back to the present: Padmé's Apartment
0400 in the morning
"I just wanted her to know that I was still on her side," Anakin had said.
Padmé fiddled restlessly with her fingers as she tried to remember the boundaries that Ahsoka had built up and trusted her to keep. She did not want to forget her place and divulge something that was never hers to divulge… assuming that she knew something about his old Padawan that he did not… which she didn't. Truly, their secret meeting was still an item of intrigue to this day, as the young Togruta hardly revealed her feelings without a direct prompt from Padmé, especially with regards to anything about her old Master. But the emptiness she saw reflected within Anakin's eyes made her want to do anything – say anything – to fill them up somehow.
So, Padmé decided to come up with an artful telling of the truth instead. "You know, when Ahsoka and I were coming up with her proceedings, she told me quite bluntly that it was a lost cause. Or rather, she said that she was a lost cause. And, truth be told, by that point even I had to agree with her – the evidence was conveniently overbearing, and she knew it.
"After the Council excommunicated her, she was nearly inconsolable. She had lost her place in the world, and so she lost her faith. But she never lost faith in you; you had been her only hope in her darkest hour. I'm pretty positive that your message came across to her, mind-reading abilities aside."
The dispassion that gripped his eyes refused to melt away, but the tautness of his posture slowly began to relax. Then a quizzical note flashed across his face for the quickest second as he locked eyes with her once more. "Tell me… what do you think of the Council? Apart from the idea of the Jedi as a foundation, I mean. Apart from what they say, how… has their actions during the war molded the way you see them now?"
She considered the notion carefully, unable to separate her bias for the idea of the Jedi from their actual behavior. "I… I'm not sure. I suppose that I have a fond outlook of them no matter how you put it. I'm detached enough from them to never have to really deal with the consequences of their decisions. But what do you think?"
"I think that they're arrogant on the best of days," he replied without thought. "And it's the type of arrogance that doesn't get checked because they believe that they're always checking it, when really, they couldn't be. How can it always amount to squat otherwise? Their behavior has been as oppressively 'wise' yesterday as it was thirteen years ago. Closeted hot-shots are what they are. And self-important to boot."
Padmé tilted her head at him. "Tell me how you really feel."
"Don't mind if I do," he shot back gruffly, still playful despite his voice retaining the most serious of tones.
"Well, you'd know more than I, although, I can say that their approach to politics is rather outdated and pitifully one-sided. If they believe that they are above politics, then it would be in their best interests to employ a representative or a committee to their cause. I really do believe that they are nothing more than fumbling sages when it comes to politics."
Anakin's tall frame shook along with his eager nod. "And look how well that almost turned out. Did turn out, for some of us." He added in respect for his fallen brethren. His nodding ceased with a sigh as he made his way to the couch set opposite of her. "Now, since you're still awake and already here, I wanted to go ahead and ask about the kidnapping attempt again. Did you happen to remember anything else about the incident since you last told it?"
Padmé's eyebrows raised at the sudden change in topic. She was beginning to get used to his fickle attention span once again, but the adjustment period was always amusing. "No, why?"
He shrugged. "Concussions are unpredictable, and if you had an issue with memory then we would know that something is wrong. And did… your handmaiden have the state of the elevator shaft checked up on?"
"Do you mean Sabé? Her name is Sabé, by the way," Padmé said teasingly.
"Are you sure that was her? I could've sworn that she had been here yesterday morning," he said, bemused.
"I'm positive," she laughed. "I'm pretty sure you're referring to Moteé. Sabé operates far from Coruscant; she only returned here as a favor to me, and she didn't get here till later in the evening."
"Wasn't she the one that was… somewhat… aggrieved with you when she came in? That's the only way I've been able to tell her apart."
Even despite his Jedi abilities, Padmé was surprised to hear that he had been able to decipher Sabé's distress. With her flawless conduct, an outsider could hardly distinguish between Sabé's anger vs. a simple pause for enunciation.
"Yes, she was off-put with me, and for very good reason. I did her a disservice by not informing her about the attack personally like I should've. She had to learn about it from Captain Typho, and, well, I got an earful as a result. I deserved it; she'd get the same treatment from me if the roles reversed."
"And she wasn't too happy about you changing your casts, either. Then again, neither was anyone else, so she wasn't alone on that front."
Padmé opted to ignore his latest remark. "And as for the elevator, I'm not sure if she's found anything yet, but you can ask her. Last I heard she was keeping tabs on Jamboe's disappearance; they once worked very closely together on Tatooine."
He nodded very seriously at the mention of his old homeworld before laughing in good humor, his sulking mood slowly evaporating like the humidity drying up after a bad rainstorm. "If she keeps this up then I won't have to worry about the investigation; just make sure your aides don't render me completely useless. I like to have something to do every now and then."
"On the contrary," a new voice sounded out from the direction of the apartment's entrance, "Our ability to protect against an attack is questionable when stacked against a Jedi."
Anakin stood in respect as Sabé entered the room, and he couldn't help but appreciate her beauty as she walked with light but purposeful steps, a lavender-colored satin shawl shimmering around her shoulders, and her hair twisted into an artful but simple crown upon her head. He didn't find her necessarily attractive in any manner other than aesthetically, but he could easily recognize that she was still beautiful, along with the rest of Padmé's handmaidens. He admired them for their natural nobility – even if he couldn't get the hang of distinguishing them just yet.
Padmé's faint smile became more defined. "You don't give yourselves enough credit," she admonished. "But I hope we didn't disturb your sleep?"
"At 0430 in the morning? Hardly - this is the time I do my best work," Sabé added with a dashing half-smile. "And as for your question, Master Jedi, I can confirm that it was damaged with some shoddy tampering. We tried to have it analyzed, and as far as we can tell, the kidnapper had the pulley system compromised via an interfering magnetic lock that he must have planted somewhere nearby. As of yet, we cannot find the source, and the elevator is not safe to use until then. Thankfully it hasn't faltered so far; getting sued by a bunch of self-important doctors would've been a pain for us to clear up."
"I doubt they would've survived if such an incident occurred," Anakin added with an uninterested shrug. "But, I wonder if you can use this device to find the source," he said as he unpocketed the mechanical lever the kidnapper used to find the vault containing Padmé's draft legislation.
"Perhaps," Sabé said, looking unconvinced. "But, until the issue is resolved, the lift is off limits for use. I will direct any mechanic that is called in to arrive through your private landing platform."
"That's fine," Padmé said with a nod.
Anakin looked between the handmaiden and Padmé, mulling over an idea. Although he rebelled against the idea of distracting from his mandate due to a repair job, he did find the idea of gaining some distance from the Senator ideal… as well as upsetting. The conflicting reactions of feeling both uncomfortable and comfortable in Padmé's presence was beginning to have an effect on him, leaving him antsy and insecure. And, with the added presence of a most loyal handmaiden who had proved her ability to protect Padmé over a decade prior, he couldn't resist the opportunity to find some personal space. He was beginning to feel spooked by the authority she seemed to have over his emotions – by how quickly she was able to make his ire submit to her gentle ministrations. Especially when his only defense mechanism at the moment was his ire, as it kept his attention on where he wanted them, although he could never admit this to himself.
His ire… that kept him from reliving the moment he didn't want to relive. That moment of that red and purple, of agonizing electricity, of distrust and choosing sides, of that pit that demanded to be filled, that pit that held the weight of the heaviest boulder, that spoke of the highest compulsion, of the darkest desires, of static fear.
That moment in time where Palpatine said a name that Anakin could not bring himself to remember as it tottered along the edges of his despair, righteousness, guilt, and animosity. Himself, the Jedi, Palpatine, Obi-Wan… and that name.
Padmé watched the dance of emotions happen once again within the young Jedi's face, entranced as she imagined herself smoothing over the crumpled muscles in his jaw and brow bones or running a fearless hand within his beautiful golden hair. She wanted to do all of that and more, even in the face of her fear of being rejected by him. But before she could determine if that hypothetical desire of hers would be worth it or not (she suspected that it would've), he stood up and straightened the layers of his front coverings and ignored the billow of disturbed ash that rose about him as he did.
His face was devoid of emotion as he spoke. "It wouldn't be any trouble to fix it myself. I'll go take a look at it, with your consent."
Padmé had the feeling that he was addressing Sabé over herself. Sabé must've felt this impression as well for she answered him.
"You'd save me the trouble of having to assign the proper mechanic," she said with a delicate shrug.
With that, Anakin gave a noncommittal bow to both ladies before departing the room silently. Padmé watched as his filthy cloak swayed behind his passage, still deep in thought.
Sabé ignored the young Jedi as he passed, her eyes held steady upon her dearest friend. "Can your staring be any more intense, I wonder?"
Padmé's eyes caught Sabé's as her head jerked to face her, embarrassment kissing at her cheeks, her mouth pressing into a thin line. "You always did enjoy making fun of me when you were off-put about something."
"Someone has to check you. Why didn't you tell me about the attempt yourself?"
Padmé didn't seem to have an answer for a minute. "We didn't have anything to tell you before Skywalker arrived, and after that, well, I guess I got distracted."
Sabé seemed to accept this with a pursed lip. "By the attack, the circumstances, or the pretty Jedi?"
The event in Padmé's cheeks became more pronounced.
Sabé gasped lightly, knowing that she had crossed a line and sorry to see Padmé visibly concerned over it. Ripping a physical reaction from Amidala was like expecting a droid without a central processor to fetch a drink; it just couldn't happen. And to see that she did evoke a reaction from her esteemed former Queen — at a sideways mention of the Jedi Knight — made Sabé squirm in guilt. "Sorry, that was too far."
Padmé shook her head dismissively. "You need to go too far with me sometimes. Otherwise, I might forget my place."
"Be that as it may, I still think that respecting your boundaries is the right way to go… and I know that Skywalker has a figurative celestial body reserved all for himself in your regards. It's none of my business, so I will not bring it up again," she promised, and Padmé knew that she would abide by it, as she always did. "I just find it funny that he can't seem to discern between us."
Padmé snorted. "Maybe we should play nice and inform him of the situation if we find ourselves having to swap identities."
Sabé joined in on the joke, nodding mischievously. "I wonder how he'll fare in distinguishing you out of the rest of us."
"I'm not sure; if it's you, not likely. But with the rest of my aids, surely."
"Speaking of which," Sabé began with clenched teeth.
Padmé winced. "Please tell me you were cordial with my staff."
"I was pleasant enough, but I don't think they'll use the word 'cordial.'"
"I already told you, it was my fault, not theirs. They were simply following my directions; I needed to be left alone at that time, and none of us could have possibly foreseen how the situation would've unraveled as it did."
"As your Royal handmaidens, the pieces hardly fell where we needed them to. Every day was uncertain, but we would've never made the mistake to actually listen to you should you have possessed the audacity to show us out like that."
"A Senator's security force doesn't have the same requirements as a Queen's. A Queen is deprived of many of the freedoms that a Senator is privileged to."
"I agree. But you're no longer just any Senator. You're a Chancellor Elect; which does require a stricter security standard than a Queen's and a Senator's combined."
With that admission, they had arrived at an uneasy impasse as they tried to read each other's expressions. Sabé waited expectantly while Padmé's demeanor became resigned.
"You know as well as I that I will not become Chancellor Elect; even if I wanted to."
"The last time I checked, the popular opinion on Senator Amidala was still highly favorable," Sabé pointed out.
Padmé shook her head. "Not stacked up against the esteemed Bail Organa." Sabé was almost annoyed with the confidence in her voice.
"You know the game better than that, Padmé," Sabé said, disappointed to see her friend deluding herself in her denial. "As I said, the pieces hardly fall where they may, and never fall where they should. Or where you want them to. Especially for you." Then she gave a small chuckle. "Especially for me, as well."
Padmé gave her a curious look, but Sabé knew that the it was fake. "No one back home would ever dare to claim that you were a giddy person, but I wouldn't have guessed that you'd turn so pessimistic with a little age."
They held eye contact for many seconds and remained silent before Sabé responded. "Are you trying to pick apart at something specific?" she asked plainly, seeing past Padmé's vocal puzzle without much effort.
Padmé sighed through her nose. Her gaze fell on Sabé's feet for a long moment, her eyes turning glossy as they slowly slid back up to face Sabé's sickeningly loyal and patient and lovely expression. It made Padmé feel rotten to the core. Here she was, in the presence of the most wonderful friend, ally, and dare she say, partner in crime, and all she could do was come up with excuses and regrets for her misgivings… for her inability to ever repay Sabé with the same gift of loyalty that she had vowed to Amidala and her causes.
"The work you took up after I was elected as Senator will never be forgotten by me, you know. The amazing impact you and Captain Tonra have evoked within the lives of everyday people will likely never be forgotten by them, either. You shed oppressed people's bonds and gave them a better life. But you cannot lie to my face right now and say that the experience hasn't hurt you."
Sabé felt her face become warmer by a few degrees, and her eyes smarted for a moment before she adopted the most audacious of smiles. "I'm sure I could if I dug my heels in."
"No. I know you too well; just like how you can swat away my pretenses because you know me too well. And in saying that, I know that you had your own plans before I decided to become Senator."
"Hardly," Sabé scoffed lightly. "I was merely contenting myself with ideas of wasting away under a silk duvet like all the fine ladies and wines do."
This made Padmé snicker. "With a gallant Captain Tonra wrapped up helplessly in the very same duvet?"
"If it pleased me," Sabé said without shame or hesitation.
The happy mood faded away within seconds as soon as the laughter tapered off.
Padmé's voice was uneasy and timid as she continued. "If I were to become Chancellor – by some unfair act of punishment from the Universe – would you retreat within your silk duvet and live your very best life for yourself?"
"I suspect I wouldn't," Sabé said with a note of finality. "Would you turn down the honor should you be elected; live your own best life for yourself, no matter the call to serve?"
"I suspect I wouldn't," Padmé echoed.
"Then I will continue to live a noble life in service to you while you live your life in service to the Republic and to the Naboo. No matter what happens, and no matter what decision you ultimately make."
Padmé's eyes turned wetter. "I can't ask that of you," she whispered.
"You needn't ask in the first place… you little coward."
The uplifting mood returned to the room in a soar of laughter as the two friends reveled in the sight of the other's smiling face.
"And, I'll admit, I'm not exactly swimming naked through a king-sized sea of silk duvets," Sabé paused as Padmé's laugh turned indulgent and bashful with a few fingers coming up to shyly cover her mouth, enjoying the sight. "But I know that giving up my service to freeing as many slaves as I can will mar my every day with guilt and 'what ifs.' As long as my bleeding heart remains bleeding, I will willfully give up my life of assured luxury and comfort in order to assure that those less fortunate will attain a life of dignity and purpose beyond the will of their masters."
Padmé, who knew that words would never be able to translate the full authority of her appreciation for Sabé, hoped that her companion was already aware and remained silent.
"But, may I ask a question?"
"Of course, anything."
"Does Skywalker know of our involvement with finding his mother?"
Padmé's face fell. "No. I don't wish to reopen old wounds for no reason."
"Very well," Sabé conceded. "Then what did he think about Jamboe's kidnapping? Did he at least learn about the Anti-Slavery policy?"
"Anakin does know that you and Jamboe once worked on Tatooine, but I highly doubt he suspects anything. It was the place where I was first exposed to slavery, after all, so I don't think he connected any significance with Shmi or himself. As for the policy, he sniffed it out on his own because he thought it would tell him more about the kidnapper's intentions. It gave him a shock, that's for sure. He was very pale but still read a few of the introductions for whatever reason. I think he at least appreciates it on some level, and he vowed to the Queen that he would do whatever necessary to protect it. But why are you so interested in Anakin's knowledge of all this?"
Sabé shrugged. "He's the reason your career went down this path, after all. It just sounds fitting for him to know about it."
Padmé stubbornly shook his head.
Sabé's eyebrow twitched at her. "I know very well about your nasty habit for refusing to communicate when you've deemed it unnecessary."
"And just what do you mean by that?"
"What happened to Shmi?" Sabé asked very suddenly.
"What do you mea-"
"-That night when you told me that she had been taken by the Tuskan tribes. I waited for over a month for you to tell me the status – to tell me if she had survived or not. I obviously can make the guess now, but I wanted to know then. And every time I bring it up you look… almost fearful about it. Why? Jamboe and I both need to know; we didn't spend all that time searching for her to forget about her just because she died. I want – we both want – some closure. Won't you tell me, please? I surely would never be able to bring myself to ask Skywalker about it, but I need to know."
Padmé nodded slowly, feeling somewhat remorseful for not having considered Sabé's feeling on the matter. But what could she say that wouldn't paint Anakin as a vengeful fiend? Especially to an outsider that didn't understand how the situation unfolded its ugly hand, or to someone that didn't understand Anakin himself. But she had to admit to herself that she never told the story of Shmi's death to those involved because she simply did not want to relive the moment. It implicated too much, and it still frightened her. It was too personal, especially for Anakin.
"It was never my story to tell," Padmé offered weakly, her eyes no longer focused, and Sabé took notice of the change immediately.
Anakin, who was recalibrating the in-line operator of the lift's sheave system a few rooms over, felt the change as well. Panic for the Senator's safety overtook him as he leapt down from his perch within the lift's shaft, ready to stop whatever it was that instilled such a sense of fear in her.
If only he knew the reason for her fear.
To this day, Padmé Amidala could still see Tatooine's suns as they climbed the horizon, painting the sky with a hue that promised brutality. She could still hear the thunder of marching feet at a tribe of warriors descended on the homestead, and she could still smell the mountain of disturbed dust threatening to choke them all. In the face on the impending and violent doom, Anakin challenged the wild enemies, his cheeks marked with clean lines of fallen tears, a predatory smile upon his face.
Lightsaber ignited and setting fire to the sand at his feet, the corpse of his mother lying cold in a bed.
(The End of Chapter 5, Continued: After Anakin's departure to save Shmi)
The Lars Family Homestead: Tatooine
"Shmi Skywalker was taken by Tuskan Raiders… and we do not yet know of her fate until Anakin returns with her."
Sabé's hollo stood so abruptly that the transmitted sound of the chair whining against the stone floor immediately caught Jamboe and Padmé's attention. The distress was apparent on her face, and Padmé could understand why, even if she knew that it was wrong for her to direct her guilt on herself. But it still hurt her heart to see it.
If Jamboe had been about to speak up, to say his piece of comforting words, he shut himself up quickly. Sabé wouldn't have wanted to hear it, and especially not from Jamboe or even Captain Tonra. Padmé knew that she might've listened to her, but she respected her friend too much to insert an unnecessary clot of wisdom.
Sabé paced a few steps more before she found her composure and seated herself once more. "Have you heard any further updates from Skywalker? Has he found her yet?"
"No, he left to find her, I'd say, about six hours ago. I doubt that he'll be back before sunset," Padmé said with a glance towards the afternoon light that streamed through the compound's centermost pit.
Sabé grew silent again, and Padmé grew concerned to see the expression of determined contemplation set into her friend's lovely features.
"I should join the search," she said determinedly, standing back up again as if to begin the process of packing up.
Both Padmé and Jamboe nodded knowingly - somethings just never changed, and it seemed that the sheer determination of Sabé was one of them.
Sabé could see – or perhaps predict – Padmé's aversion to the plan before she could even speak up about it. "I have to help find her – I have to complete my mission-"
"No, Sabé. You need to remain on Kessel; your involvement in saving and relocating the few souls you can is too important right now. Besides, I've already told Anakin all that we knew about the situation – we would only get in his way."
"We've been here for five months and we've been able to save only fourteen slaves, Padmé! The Pyke Syndicate has a clenched grip on their 'products' that far surpasses the distrust we faced on Tatooine. They were individual businessmen and investors – the Pykes make up an entire economical conglomerate. We're of no use here, and we've been on Shmi's trail for nearly a decade now. I need to be there to help."
"And what does Captain Tonra think of your disposition?" Padmé asked gently.
Sabé had to suppress a grimace. "His optimism on these operations has always been beyond the point of reason, and you know this."
"On the contrary, I find his optimism rather reasonable. I'm sure that the souls you freed feel this way as well."
At that remark, Sabé had to softly bite her lip. "You'd be surprised. The trauma still sticks with them."
"Their resentment will pass in time," Jamboe added in gruffly. "Know mine did, but just needed time to heal, that's all."
They all three remained silent as Padmé and Sabé took the time to absorb his comment, for whenever Jamboe spoke of his time suffering from and healing from his bonds, they gave their sentiments by respectful contemplation and silence.
Jamboe broke the silence with a dusty-sounding grunt that chapped his lips with a layer of sand. "But, you know, I wouldn't be giving up any noble cause over here in Mos Espa if I helped out – could be there before you even knew it-"
"No, no," Padmé said quickly with a raised hand. "I don't need Anakin to ask any of the questions that your presence would bring. I know how much this operation meant to you – to the both of you – but knowledge of it needs to stay close-knitted. It may be his business, but I do not wish to cause him further pain by telling him about the throes of a failed mission to find his mother… especially if this situation is as dire as I fear it is and he loses her in the end. It wouldn't do him any good."
"I understand," Sabé said with a level-headed nod. She took a deep, cleansing breath for good measure before continuing her nod. "Yes, you're right. Nothing good would come out of my intrusion. It's a personal matter now, and in her son's hands."
Jamboe looked less convinced than Sabé did, but he shut off whatever complaints he had by bumping his teeth with a clenched fist. "Will be on standby should you need it."
Padmé pursed her lips. "That goes without saying, old friend. Take care of yourselves. Please."
Neither of them could look into Padmé's eyes as they each ended their signals. She hoped passionately – for the Lars family, Shmi, and Anakin's sake – that the next time she called them would be to deliver good news. But for now, she must wait, and no matter how many times her eyes would jump eagerly to view the homestead's hollowed port (which acted as a rather reliable sundial, even for two suns) the shadows remained unchanged.
So, she would make herself useful. By the behaviors of her hosts as they toiled away at the droid patch-in unit that serviced the two water vaporators in the center of the pit, finding a suitable chore might have been expected of her. She didn't want to put it to the test, but at least it didn't take her too long to find the protocol droid Anakin introduced to her all those years ago. C-3PO seemed to be meddling restlessly with the minor capsule of a power distribution conduit, the motors in his joints giving questionable sounds as they made the necessary adjustments.
She tried to forget her troubles as she remembered the time when little Anakin proudly introduced his 'special friend' to her. His charming and self-satisfied explanations regarding the unfinished droid's production had left her in awe of his competence, as was the intended result. In a mighty attempt to make her laugh, Anakin had made several jokes on the state of C-3PO's 'nakedness.' Her smile didn't evolve to a laugh until she saw that he had said the word with a blush.
She regarded the droid with a bittersweet smile. "I'm glad to see you fully finished, C-3PO."
The tarnished gray plating gave out a soundtrack of creaks as he turned stiffly to give the Senator a happy appraisal. "Well, no one of sound standing should be sporting exposed wires, so I agree with you fully on that regard, my lady. I do apologize for having to witness me in such indecent shape all those years ago. But, while they advert any prying eyes," he said as Padmé laughed at the prospect, "they do little to protect my inner-workings against the invasive and ever-present imposter that is, well, sand."
"Is Tatooine made up of anything else? Why, if we were to travel to its center, would there be the molten core that is typical or would we find an ever-shifting sea of sand? What would this planet be made of, if not for sand? Perhaps you and Anakin should come to better terms with the stuff."
3PO cocked his head to the side. "Tatooine does indeed have a molten core: a glass-workers dream to be sure, but not ours. I remember that about my dear little Master; he was rather obsessed with cleaning himself whenever he was covered by sand. Although, he is no longer his original size, so I suppose 'little' doesn't suit him anymore."
Padmé's smile became strained. "No, I suppose it doesn't." She quickly had to change the subject as she felt an oncoming blush. "I'm sure you could use a lubrication bath. I would be happy to help," she said with a nod towards the bath that was brimming with an olive-colored liquid.
"Nothing would please me more!" he said in elation as he began to waddle towards the pool. "Let me help you prepare the hoist."
With his aid, she had him and the chain hoist poised and ready for dunking in no time. He didn't stop speaking about his excitement or about how good the whole process felt even after he was fully submerged, and the loud bubbles that rose up to the surface of the oil pool was a funny sight. Padmé's laughs were forced only a portion of the time.
By the time 3PO allowed her to raise him out of the oil pit, an hour had already passed, but she didn't mind. The droid was good at giving her little chores to do; like polishing his still porous but shinier plating to remove the residue of oil, or helping him clean the oil bath's grungy filter as he jabbered on about the finer details of Shmi's crystal collection, which he promised to show to Padmé. When the tasks ran out hours later, he did just that and led her to a little nook in the living area's wall that featured an altar-like configuration of the most well-maintained crystal collection she had ever seen; not a single facet had a blemish, and each bauble had been smoothed into the most perfect charms. When Padmé asked for more information on the collection, 3PO happily gave her Shmi's titleless holobook featuring an academic's stance on the way each crystal was formed in which regions along with theories on the spiritual effects that each possessed. For the most part, she ignored the original author's ruminations and contented herself with reading Shmi's handwritten entries.
By the time she found herself truly enjoying the subtle wit and intellectual charm of the entries, Cliegg Lars had found the two and joined in on the conversation, seemingly happy to fulfill Padmé's curiosity on the matter of his wife's precious collection. He would reverently take each crystal within both hands and recite in detail the visual complexities of each before telling her the story of how Shmi managed to wrangle them all from the Jawas with her salesman-like charisma and exceptional negotiation skills.
"Did she shape them herself?" Padmé asked after closely inspecting the silky surfaces of a few.
Cliegg nodded. "Whenever the sun would set, she would sit at the steps leading to the surface level and just polish away at the stones as she looked up at the stars in wonder. Every time, when I would ask her what she was thinking about, she would ask me to point out a single star. Whenever I did, she'd tell me whether or not she could imagine her Anakin being there or not, as if she knew which stars were which. She didn't, and I knew she didn't, but that was the game we would sometimes play. She knew he was out there somewhere. That's all that mattered to her, and that's all that mattered to me. She loved him, so I loved him. So everyday I would pick out which star he was near, and she would tell me if I was right or not. And then after that, she would imagine his adventures and continue to polish away," he said as he held a stone in his hand and made a rubbing gesture with his other hand. "Just polish away."
"Did you guess the right star often?"
He closed his eyes and shook his head, a cheeky smile carving into his cheeks. "Hardly ever according to her, but I swear I was right half the time."
Their smiles were bittersweet even after 3PO began to try and convince the two that the odds of a correct guess was an impossibly small number out of an impossibly big number. They both ignored him as Cliegg gave Padmé a fatherly wink.
But they couldn't ignore the sound of Owen's voice as he called out to his father in a panicked cry, "He's back!" The exclamations grew louder when Owen never got a reply from Cliegg who froze at the news. Padmé recovered from the shock and began to try to nudge him into action with no avail. "Dad! Anakin's back!"
"Mr. Lars?" she said hesitantly as she faintly shook his shoulder.
"They're both back!"
At that, Cliegg lurched into action, driving his hoverchair to rocket past Padmé and 3PO with a flurry of dust kicking up in his wake. Without thinking, Padmé followed hastily after him, eager to no longer be left worrying. She had been worrying for the last decade, and now, it could finally end.
She ran, and she would only stop once she saw him, saw them, safe and-
Sound.
She froze at the top of the stairs, the rest of the Lars beside her, also frozen.
The Jedi stood before them, the edges of his person seething in smoke, his eyes darkened, his skin bloodied and wet with sweat. He had the self-possession of a cornered animal, but he held the shivering bundle in his arms delicately, his arms around her protectively. The sand circled around him, the wind pulled at his braid. He looked at none of them, looking fit to murder the ground beneath him, his glare casting an odd glint.
Cliegg's gasp was ragged, but Padmé couldn't tell if it was because of the sight of Anakin, or from his fear for Shmi's well-being. Perhaps it was both.
In that moment, Padmé felt real fear. A fear she never felt when facing a brigade of droids. A fear she never felt facing captors, usurpers, or leeching anarchists playing at being simple businessmen. In those blue eyes, there was something she had never seen before. Those eyes that had been framed by long blond locks, tanned by the sun, kissed by the wind. There was more.
Bloodlust.
Back to the present
"Senator," a heavy voice called, sounding distressed.
Padmé looked up with a start to peer into those intense eyes, still a soft blue, but tempered by age.
"Anakin," she mumbled, startled.
Kneeled before her, Anakin looked around, trying to spot danger or a reason for her bizarre behavior. Not finding a suitable culprit, he turned his gaze back onto her.
"I felt something wrong," he said, trying to explain himself. He was confused. Whatever it was that he had felt, it was gone now.
"Perhaps she needs to rest," Sabé suggested as she came up beside the bewildered Jedi.
He shook his head. "No, I felt fear. You were afraid," his eyes turned on her, nearly accusing. "What frightened you?"
Padmé gulped. "It's no-"
A beeping sound came from his wrist.
Thirty Minutes Ago
At the Temple: The Council Room
When the Council doors slid open, Obi-Wan was introduced to the sight of Master Depa Billaba's cloaked back as she stood at the center of the chamber's attention, the cloudy night that framed her making her hair give off a sightly sheen.
Billaba looked over her shoulder to bow her head slightly at his entrance. "Master Kenobi."
"Master Billaba, a pleasure as always, and glad to see you've finally returned safe and sound," he said with a returned bow. "Please forgive my tardiness; the Younglings were quite fussy about my departure." He earned a few light laughs from his fellow Masters. The mention of children had always been a good tool for calming the mood through a peppering of short-lived amusement, if only for a moment. He took his seat. "Please continue, Master."
Billaba nodded. "These specialized Clones, or, the 'Bad Batch' as they called themselves – but Clone Force 99 more officially - remained to be impervious to protocol '66.' They had been on a mission with Kanan to quell an incoming Separatist attack by the time the Order was initiated. By that time, I had already been informed of the threat from the Temple's broadcast and had warned my Padawan of the threat as well. But, with the situation as it was, he was unable to leave them. When I found him, the protocol had been initiated, and my Captain had already ordered for our execution. Clone Task Force 99 continued to behave normally, and did not make a move to attack us. Rather, they aided us in defeating the Separatist battalion and evading our own battalion."
"And where is Clone Force 99 now?" Master Kcaj asked.
"The only place they can be: Kamino. They were just as confused as we were, and they wanted to find out what they could on the matter. They promised to maintain our frequency line in case they saw fit to communicate with us."
"Important it will be, to stay in contact with these Clones, yes. On this matter, we entrust to you, Master Billaba."
Master Windu nodded. "Indeed. Their behaviors and resistance against this protocol may be the key we so desperately need in finding out more about its nature. Whatever they discover on Kamino should be one of our highest priorities as of this moment. But that begs the question; how much are we able to trust Clone Force 99 with?"
Master Billaba gave a small but indulgent smile. "On that, my Padawan told me earnestly to tell you that they are trustworthy. It was such an important point to him that he even managed to give out a few coherent sentences on the matter of his opinion of them the moment before he went under for his procedure. Though I still have my doubts, Clone Force 99 showed no signs of aggression whatsoever, and they continued to follow each of my orders without resistance. I see no reason why we could not trust them."
"Very good," Windu said as he gestured for the Master to claim her seat. "Now, with regards to the fate of General Grievous and the mission on Utapau, Master Kenobi, could you enlighten us?"
"At once," Obi-Wan obliged before he leaned his head on his left arm in careful contemplation. He knew he would need to explain his failure on Utapau after he glossed over it briefly to Master Windu shortly after Anakin left, but because of the state he left Utapau in, his recollection of the events left him feeling uneasy. "Well, in short, I was able to learn where Grievous planned to stash the Confederacy Leaders. All of them. If everything went according to his plans, they should be staked out in a stronghold on Mustafar. And, as for Grievous himself, though I was able to damage a part of his central cavity, he remained to function somewhat normally and is still at large. I remained on Utapau after Anakin's transmission. Grievous' death was far more important than a possible attack, or so I thought. But the attack was but a stepping-stone in my failure to execute the General."
"If the leaders of the Confederacy are on Mustafar as planned, then we must move to apprehend them immediately," Plo Koon said.
Windu nodded. "I agree. Their arrest would also serve to move the Senate's focus off of their distrust for us."
Mundi cleared his throat. "Would it be wise for us to make such a drastic move while the dust is still settling? And is the Senate's regards for us that detrimental, Master?"
"More than detrimental, I'm afraid. Our sources implied that the Jedi were the main topic of intrigue in the Senate's emergency meeting after I called for the evacuation to the bunker. It's rather difficult to determine our standing as of now since the opinion flew on both sides. A lot of the debate centered on self-preservation, so it isn't exactly reliable. We have our supporters, and most of them make up the latest Chancellor-Nominees. But our enemies far outnumber them. With that being said, perhaps it would be best to spare ourselves the effort of arresting the leaders until we uncover just how far the distrust against the Jedi goes."
"And what of General Grievous? Should we resume our efforts to execute him?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Only the blade behind the thrust, Grievous was. The true mastermind behind his operation, Darth Sidious was. To make another move, difficult would it be without his dark masters. In his nature to think on his own, it is not. Whatever threat he poses, minimal, it is, in the wake of Sidious' demise."
Obi-Wan had his doubts on this, but he was intrigued by the reason behind Yoda's regards.
"Yes," Windu said. "The Separatist leaders are similar in this fashion. If their every movements were determined by Sidious, then that would imply that they lack true autonomy as well."
"Darth Maul, on the other hand, has demonstrated a level of autonomy that goes beyond his fallen master. Throughout my engagements with him, it has been made clear that he no longer functions under Sidious. And yet, his invasion and takeover of the Mandalorian government speaks well to the amount of chaos he can cause," Obi-Wan reminded the Masters.
"I believe that Master Kenobi is right," Plo Koon said with a gesture of his hand. "The situation with Ahsoka's safety aboard the Tribunal being as it is, I'm not so sure that we would be able to guarantee his capture to the Senate unless we acted now."
Obi-Wan considered the notion of bringing Anakin's idea about securing the Tribunal along with the Clones onboard briefly but thought against it, not wanting to step on his toes by diminishing his own voice on the matter.
Shaak Ti gave a somber hum of acknowledgement. "Not to mention the fact that we are left practically helpless by the Tribunal's impending approach to Coruscant. There is no way to determine how their addition to the Clone population on Coruscant will affect their next move against us. We were able to whittle away at their numbers just enough to make them halt their approaches – for now. We are teetering on a threshold as it is, and any change to the situation would lead to more death."
"Too many problems with too few of us to fix them," Obi-Wan murmured softly.
"Indeed," Master Windu said as he boarded his clenched fists against each other in thought. "We need to prioritize our goals and pick up our momentum for solving them with efficiency and clear heads. We are past the point of no return. Mistakes will no longer be fixable. We will no longer be able to turn back on decisions. Any false step could lead us to extinction, and in the end, we will be unable to trust anyone. The Separatists, Darth Maul, Grievous, the Clones, Kamino… and the unseen enemy that initiated Order 66 after Palpatine's death... though it is highly likely that this adversary will be found within the ranks of the Senate itself. Of these foes, I do not know which has the tightest grip on the thread of our undoing, but they each have their part. First and foremost, I believe it is imperative that any information on Protocol 66 be researched and uncovered. The Clones are the imminent threat, and they must be halted by any means necessary… or destroyed. Capture of the Separatists leaders and the death of their warlord General Grievous would help reestablish the Republic's faith in us, but these would require a great expense of resources; resources that we might not be able to spare against the threat of the Clones. Seeing as how we are in no position to make an unnecessary first move, I say we should let Darth Maul set the pace until further notice. However - paramount above all else - we must retain the Senate's favor in us. We must uncover the truth about the fallen Chancellor's true identity as the Sith Lord Darth Sidious. We must explain our actions for what they truly were and subtract them from the biased scrutiny of corrupted politicians. We must re-establish order by overseeing the reconstruction of the Senate's power structure by protecting the Chancellor-Elects. And we must succeed in each of these endeavors lest the chances of our demise double with each failure. Our blind spots in the Force will need to be rooted out and fortified: this is the only way that we will prevail."
None of the Masters within the High Council Chamber could disagree. The Force was nothing if not the fulcrum of their operations, the pathway to their answers, the aid to their protection, and the core of their higher beliefs. It was always the answer.
But Obi-Wan could feel that Windu's final sentence held a second connotation that had distressing implications: the dark side is everywhere and must be eradicated. He wasn't exactly sure why this unsettled him so, but he also was not consciously aware of his attachments, which left him in the dark as to why he would have certain reactions to things that would otherwise leave a fellow Jedi unbothered.
One could argue that this was Obi-Wan Kenobi's fatal flaw.
"And prevailing means that every remaining Jedi must play their part. However, this begs the question as to why one of our most empowered warriors is guarding a single Chancellor-Elect after – what I've come to understand it as – a poor excuse of a kidnapping attempt that Amidala herself had been able to defend against."
Obi-Wan had to agree with Master Billaba on that; through the diverse array of unique skills that each individual Jedi brought to the table, there truly was nothing compared to the fine strain of luck (in Obi-Wan's Force-centric bias of the word) that Anakin was endowed with. He was like a willful charm that boasted a shipload of bad fortune with a following explosion of astoundingly good fortune. A quirky combination, no doubt about it… but it worked about ninety… about eighty percent of the time. And it seemed to him that they needed his luck now more than ever, odd quirks included.
Whatever grin that was formed by his internal reflections fell flat when he considered the reason behind Anakin's assignment to protect the Chancellor-Elect. Even he couldn't deny that Anakin's assumptions about the Council not trusting him weren't entirely wrong. This assumption became a reality as the chamber's energy grew thick with the power of Windu's mind as it considered his old Padawan's statement.
If Windu had been about to say anything (which each Master suspected that it would've been about Anakin's hand in executing Palpatine), it was only fitting that the person in question's former Master would rise to his defense.
"Master, surely Anakin should be given a chance to explain his first-hand account on the matter before he is judged?"
A murmur of acceptance at the proposal waved throughout the room before Windu stood down. "Very well. We will need to call him back from his current objective, but I agree that he needs to explain things himself."
"To protect the Chancellor-Elect, a priority, it still is. Send a competent replacement, we shall."
Master Billaba cleared her throat. "I came across an old friend earlier that just might take to it; Knight Stryna and her Padawan Rion."
This seemed to delight Yoda. "Ah, a good protector, I know Stryna to be. Send her to replace Skywalker in protecting the Chancellor-Elect, you may."
Master Billaba nodded and stood. "I will give her the order to pass along to Skywalker so that he knows to return here."
Obi-Wan retained the air of perfected civility and polite engagement as he resettled himself in his seat, watching with an air of disinterest as Billaba exited the chamber. Though, on some level, he felt slightly embarrassed by his show of personal involvement and concern whenever Anakin was brought to the floor. To Obi-Wan, he merely saw this as his way of escaping the guilt of not having defended Anakin, for he knew in the very marrow of his bones that Anakin would shame himself should Obi-Wan's character ever come into question as his had. Though Obi-Wan saw this as sticking his nose in where he shouldn't, he could never bring himself to truly fault Anakin for it.
In that moment, the distinguished Master decided with a shaky degree of conviction that he would not 'stick his nose where he shouldn't' when Anakin arrived to explain the situation regarding Sidious' inevitable execution. He would sit, listen attentively, and let the chips fall where they may without any calls for 'checkmate' from him. Anakin was a fully grown man who was capable of defending himself, or so Obi-Wan kept telling himself. But, although unwilling to admit it, Obi-Wan could sense the delicacy of Anakin's patience of late, and he knew the young man's triggers like he knew the controls of his ship.
And there was a part of him - a very wise part of him that remained unbounded by his hidden attachments - that already knew how the resulting Council gathering might end should Anakin's ire be prodded one too many times.
But Obi-Wan didn't listen to that part.
Posting on the 4th really isn't sustainable for a college chick like me, so updates will just happen roughly once or twice month from now on. Schoolwork is more important, but at least I gave it my best shot for a bit! I also use WAY too much of my writing time doing artwork of Anakin and Padme so… yikes. My days are spent building my portfolio, and I'm finding less and less time for writing, but pauses like these are great for letting works marinate a bit in the fandom so it's not all gone to shit, at least! Hope y'all remain patient with me.
Timeline so far:
Padmé's call to Jamboe to return to Mos Espa, her transmission with Jamboe and Sabé, [coming up next] Anakin's return to Tatooine to seek Shmi, his rescue of Shmi, Obi-Wan and Anakin's transmission, Shmi's death, Anakin's slaughter of the Tuskan Raiders
Obi-Wan and Anakin's mission on Lothal
The Clone Wars
Padmé and Ahsoka's secret meeting and mishap
Anakin and Obi-Wan's mission on Utapau for the Crystal Crisis
Palpatine's kidnapping and the Battle over Coruscant, Dooku's death
Obi-Wan leaves for Utapau to terminate General Grievous
The Delegation of 2000 meeting
Anakin's discovery of Palpatine's true identity
Mace Windu's call for the Senate to hide in the bunker
Palpatine's Death
The Clone's evacuation from the Senate Bunker
Anakin's warning to Ahsoka and her escape from the Tribunal
Anakin's Temple transmission
Order 66's initiation
The Loyalist's nomination to Chancellor Elect
The Temple Battle
Windu's relocation of the Younglings to the Temple Archives
Obi-Wan and Yoda's return to the Temple
The release of the Senate by Mace Windu after the first wave of Clones are defeated
Padmé's Kidnapping
The secret transmission to Palpatine's office on Padmé's kidnapping
Anakin's assignment to protect her, his investigation, finding of the anti-slavery policy, and the news of Jamboe's kidnapping. Padmé's transmission with the Queen and Anakin's confession on Palpatine's identity, their lunch and conversation
Anakin begins to remember the events surrounding Palpatine's death
Sabé returns to Coruscant
The first Council Meeting at midnight where Mace discusses his hesitance to trust Anakin
Anakin and Obi-Wan's late-night transmission regarding Ahsoka and the Senate's distrust, as well as the Council's distrust of Anakin
Anakin and Padmé's conversation about Ahsoka, the Delegation of 2000, etc / (At the same exact time) Obi-Wan's talk with the Younglings over the story of his mission with Anakin on Lothal)
Anakin, Padmé, and Sabé's brief conversation, Anakin goes to see if he can fix the elevator, Sabé and Padmé's private conversation
The Council's second meeting where they discuss General Grievous and later decide to bring Anakin in for questioning
Anakin's call to the Council room
[Coming up next]: Anakin's questioning before the Council concerning the events surrounding Palpatine's death & Anakin's remembrance of Shmi Skywalker's death and the Tuskan Raider's slaughter