Remember how I said I was only publishing on AO3.
Yeah what if I didn't do that.
Idk I just write at this point.
If you can't say something positive please politely fuck off I will stop publishing here.
The battle above Coruscant had been raging for several days. Anakin was surprised that the Separatist forces were getting that bold, or maybe they were sure that the Jedi were weak enough to let an attack on the planet through. Both were a possibility. He hadn't heard from Padmé in almost a month and a half, maybe more, and she'd been distressed over the state of the outer rim and already beyond tired. It was likely the other Jedi were in similar states.
If he was being honest with himself, it wasn't just the Jedi who needed a break. Everybody was tired, and it was why the Senate meeting today was so important. For once, it seemed as though the Republic Senate was finally getting its act together to discuss restarting peace talks, a goal Anakin had tried several times over the course of the war to get going if for no other reason than to bring his wife home.
Despite the importance of the meeting today, Anakin was finding it difficult to focus on what was going on in the Senate. He was worried for Padmé and Obi-Wan, and his meetings with members of the delegation to discuss knocking Palpatine off his seat as Chancellor were keeping him too busy to try to take naps to catch up on the sleep he was missing while worrying when there wasn't work to keep his mind off everything.
"Ani?" He was pulled from his distracted thoughts by his mother's hand on his shoulder, grabbing his attention back to the world around him as opposed to his distracted thoughts. "Ani, you should rest."
"I have to be here." Not a lie. "But if you could meet with Bail later about…" he let his voice trail off, Shmi knew exactly what he was going for, the treasonous words that could not be spoken in the Senate Hall. "I'd appreciate it." Sleep was off the table, but he could come up with some small amount of rest at least.
Shmi nodded, and Anakin almost collapsed there in relief, almost. "See if you can get in contact with Padmé and Obi-Wan, an update on the war situation would be helpful, and I know you must be worried."
"Senator Skywalker, we know you're the face of the peace talks, perhaps you have an idea for all this?" Anakin turned back from his mother to face the Chancellor. Perhaps paying attention would have been beneficial. The entire Senate knew that Anakin, Bail, and Mon were the center of the talks for peace, him knowing exactly what was being discussed would've been nice.
"My mother and I have been discussing which Senators in the Separatist council might be most open to peace talks." Something he had researched earlier in the war, back when Senator Bonterri had still been alive. His focus may have been elsewhere at the moment when it came to the inner workings of the Senate, but peace was still a part of his goal. He could only hope that it was somewhat relevant to the conversation at hand. "We're still coming to conclusions ourselves who might be willing to open channels after our last attempt."
Palpatine nodded, and Anakin almost let out a sigh of relief. "An important task, I agree. Perhaps you can come to my office afterwards, and we can go over your list."
Even now, years after Anakin had turned down his tutelage in politics and instead turned towards others like Bail, Palpatine was still trying to get Anakin alone to speak to him. It made his skin crawl, but there was nothing more he could do. "Of course, Chancellor." He would have to attempt to pay more attention for now to the discussion, rather than simply be present in the meeting.
"If that is settled, I believe–" Before anybody else could react, the ground shook beneath them all, a possible stray attack from the battle in space hitting the ground near Coruscant, and an ill omen.
It didn't take long for any feelings of dread Anakin had been feeling to come to a head, as within moments the Senate Dome flooded with Battle Droids, with General Grievous leading the attack. "I believe your talks of peace won't be happening today."
Anakin turned behind him at the sound of a click in the Senate Pod to see one of the battle droids at the exit, a blaster aimed at him and his mother. He stood in between the two of them, his hand going for the blaster he kept on his belt.
"This is madness." Shock and disgust colored Palpatine's tone, though Anakin couldn't help but wonder just how much of it was faked.
After all, an interruption of the talks of peace would just make the war go on longer, and that seemed to be all that Palpatine wanted.
More battles. More war. More power for him to sink his claws into.
"Chancellor Palpatine, if you wish to protect your senators, you will come with us."
The sound of a lightsaber igniting brought Anakin's attention back to the pod. One of the Jedi Masters on the council, Shaak Ti if he remembered her name, was pulling out her lightsaber, ready to defend the Chancellor. "The Chancellor won't be going anywhere."
"Very well." Grievous let out something that sounded like a mix between a laugh and a cough as he indicated the droids. "Take out the Jedi, so she understands just how serious our threat is."
Red blaster fire rained down from the pods, aiming for Jedi Master Ti. She started off blocking the blasts, but it wasn't long before even she couldn't keep up with the attacks, and she fell to the ground. Anakin was unsure if she was alive or not. The blaster fire stopped as soon as she hit the ground.
"Next time, each of those blasters will be trained on the senators if you do not come with." For a moment, there was silence. Most of the Senators were aware of the Moffs that Palpatine had put into place only a few weeks prior as military leaders (or replacements for the Senate, a small voice whispered in his mind). It was possible they could be released with no lasting harm to the chain of command. It was entirely possible that Palpatine could decide to…
"I do not need another demonstration, General Grievous." Palpatine lowered his pod, and Anakin almost let out a sigh of relief. "I understand the threat you pose is quite serious. I will come with you. I trust in the Jedi to be able to come to my aid before it is too late."
And with that, Palpatine was gone, the droids following after him and Grievous. The Senate was quiet, as though they couldn't quite believe what had happened.
Before Anakin was aware of what was happening, he'd already taken several steps forward, and it was only his mother grabbing hold of his arm that stopped him. "Anakin…"
"We don't know when the Jedi will get here. We can't afford to wait." It wasn't that he didn't trust the Jedi, he might've been one of the few supporters they had left, it was that he knew that they were spread thin if even Padmé and Obi-Wan hadn't been able to escape from the front in months. "I'm going to see what I can do in the air."
"Right now, you're needed here." Shmi insisted. "We need to notify the Jedi of the attack so they can mobilize a clone squadron. Going out there alone would be suicide."
Anakin frowned. "Then I'll let the Jedi know, and then I'll join in the battle."
His mother hugged him, and Anakin knew she wasn't happy with his decision. "Don't do anything stupid."
"I never do." Although both mother and son knew it was a lie, he waved to her before running out of his pod, ready to start taking out the Droids as they came. It wouldn't be a long drive to the Jedi Temple, so he just had to hope it'd be alright.
"Senator Skywalker, we're surprised to see you here and not in the Senate Building?" Anakin was relieved to find Master Windu at the entrance to the temple, heading out. "I'm guessing you're here about what happened?"
Anakin nodded. "The Chancellor's been kidnapped by General Grievous. He managed to get into the Senate somehow." Somehow...that was something that would be bothering Anakin for a while. Security was tight there, and the clone battalion stationed on Coruscant were top recruits, with only Padmé's own 501st coming even close to their skill levels. There was no chance that they just managed to get through that easily…
Still, Anakin couldn't focus on that for now. "I came to request Jedi help in rescuing the Chancellor."
"We're already taking care of it. We've called in several clone battalions from the front. Two of our finest generals will hopefully be here soon."
Anakin dared to let himself hope for a moment that those two generals being summoned were Padmé and Obi-Wan, but for now held off on asking. Instead, he simply nodded again. "Do you have enough ships in the sky until they arrive?"
Master Windu nodded. "Enough to keep further landing parties from Coruscant and to hold the battle."
"Got room for one more?"
"Senator Skywalker, I don't think–"
Anakin shook his head. "I'm a trained pilot. I can fly those ships and give cover until the Jedi come back from the front." And he was a powerful force sensitive, but holding that over Master Windu's head didn't seem fair, not at the moment. War had been a powerful driving factor in making peace with the fact that they wouldn't train him. "I've helped the Jedi in air battles in the past whenever my ship ends up in the area, and I already know how to fly around in any ship you've got in that temple."
Master Windu seemed to hesitate for a moment, as though appraising Anakin in front of him for the first time. "You have fifteen minutes to find the hanger. After that I notify the guards of a break-in in the temple."
Anakin grinned. Even if the Jedi had thought him to be unteachable, they still trusted him, at least in that regard. He was grateful that his piloting skills spoke for themselves. "Thank you, Master Windu."
"Don't get yourself hurt. Explaining why I let a Senator steal one of our ships to join in the battle is going to be enough work if you do come back alive, let alone if you don't."
Anakin saluted him. "Sir." And with that, he entered into the temple, noticing the small smile on Master Windu's face.
When the war was over, he was really going to have to address his grudge against the Jedi once and for all. Perhaps he'd find that some of his anger and blame towards them was incorrect after all.
The sound of fire all around her alerted Padmé to the fact that they had finallylefy hyperspace and arrived in the space around Coruscant. She heard Artoo's beeps behind her as the light speed ring detached, allowing her greater mobility as she began taking aim at the enemy fighters in front of her, shooting down the droids to keep what remained of the 501st with her from taking too much heavy fire.
A small holographic projection of Obi-Wan appeared on her dashboard. "Padmé, the Chancellor is located on General Grievous's ship. We'll need to fight our way through quickly if we want to ensure he doesn't escape into Separatist space."
"Always one to deliver easy tasks." Padmé smiled. Admittedly, she was a bit nervous to be involved in an intense battle. Even six months pregnant, Droids in a space battle were no challenge. General Grievous however would be significantly more difficult. "Any other news?"
"Some preliminary reports say that Dooku should be on the ship as well." Padmé tightened her grip around the ship's controls, trying not to let that news bother her given all he'd put her through throughout the war. She needed to release those emotions to the Force and a battle was not the time or place. Maybe later.
"Well, we don't have much time, we'd better get going before the skies become worse." Padmé smiled. She and Obi-Wan flew straight into the battle in front of them, firing at the enemy ships without much thought, letting the Force guide her as it always had and letting Artoo focus on the flying around them. Thankfully, the droids weren't advanced, and it was easy flying. The challenge, of course, would come from the ship in front of them.
After a few minutes, Artoo started beeping quickly at her. She'd never gotten as good at understanding binary as her husband, but she did have a basic grasp. "What is it Artoo?"
"I believe we're getting a signal from...the Twilight?" So Obi-Wan was getting it too?
Padmé stared for a moment. "That can't be. I know that ship's still in the Temple. Anakin would've killed me if I took his pet project while we were in the sieges." Though the ship was legally in the possession of the Jedi, Anakin had liked to work on it with Ahsoka back during the war. It rarely saw combat, but it saw his tools sometimes even when she wasn't home on Coruscant. "Patch it through Artoo."
A new voice appeared through the headset, one achingly familiar and alarming to be sending a signal from the battlefield like that. "About time you showed up. I was beginning to doubt that the reinforcements Master Windu sent for weren't going to show."
"Anakin?" both she and Obi-Wan said at the same time.
"Padmé? Obi-Wan!?" Padmé could practically hear the grin in his voice.
"Anakin, what are you doing in the sky like this? You're a civilian. You're in danger up here."
Anakin laughed. "Don't worry Obi-Wan, I'll be fine. Master Ti was injured in the Senate building and unless you wanted Master Windu or Master Yoda in the air–" Both of which Padmé wanted to argue were fully capable of fighting this battle, "–then there was nobody skilled enough to pilot one of these things to help keep things under control."
"And they approved?" Padmé pulled her ship out of the way of the fire, attempting to keep her focus on the battle rather than her reckless husband.
"My record precedes me. Master Windu was willing to let me with a little bit of persuasion." That was almost as hard to believe. Mace Windu letting the Senator pilot any ship in the Jedi's fleet in a battle was unlikely. Then again, the war had been taking a toll and if there really wasn't anybody else available at that moment…
What was the war even leading the Jedi to become? Padmé wasn't sure she wanted to know.
"Anakin, I'm pretty sure Padmé and I will both be having it out with you after this. You're going to–"
"Obi-Wan!" Padmé hissed. Anakin didn't know about the child yet. Obi-Wan shouldn't have even known about the baby growing in her and if she hadn't found out in a panic while they were in the other rim he still wouldn't know. Telling Anakin about this in the middle of a battle was not the way she wanted her husband to learn about his future son or daughter. "I think Anakin's aware he's in trouble. Right now, we need to focus on the battle ahead."
Obi-Wan sighed. "Very well, but Senator Skywalker please hold some regard for your own safety in the future."
Obi-Wan closed the communication channel, likely to give the two of them an ounce of privacy so she could tell Anakin about their child. Anakin, at least, was willing to take full advantage of it. "You're really here."
Padmé smiled slightly. "I'm really here Ani. I missed you."
"I missed you too." She could hear the smile in his voice, followed by a curse moments later. "Sorry, thought the droid was farther away."
Padmé shook her head. "Anakin."
"I know." He chuckled, embarrassed. "I'll see you back on the surface, let's end this." Anakin closed the channel as well, leaving her to focus on the battle, but unable to ignore how much lighter her heart felt even after that brief exchange. Six months away from Coruscant was longer than she ever wanted to take ever again.
But for now, there were more pressing issues than her time away from her husband. She fired off at a ship tailing Obi-Wan.
"Thank you, my Padawan." Obi-Wan's voice meant he'd opened back up the channel.
"Thank me by staying alive." That was really all she wanted, the two most important people to her to come home safely. Before they could say anything more, Artoo spun her starfighter (much to her annoyance. Going upside down was not good for developing humans and it was only by the Force she had a chance at protecting them) just in time to help her avoid two rockets chasing after her as the two smashed into each other.
"Hey Artoo! No fancy flying. Baby, remember." The droid beeped back in response and Padmé sighed, just knowing that he was complaining for her not appreciating him saving her life. "Thank you, Artoo."
Finally, there was an opening in front of them. "We can get through!"
"I see our opportunity as well." Obi-Wan started flying towards the ship, only to miss the cluster of buzz droids heading towards him.
"Master!" Padmé shouted, but her warning came too late as the droids attached themselves to the side of Obi-Wan's ship, beginning to work their way through the metal. "Master are you alright?"
"Get to the ship Padmé. We need to get in and rescue the Chancellor." He was right, of course he was. Padmé knew she needed to get into the ship as quickly as possible, but that meant leaving her friend…
She shook her head. "Not without you." She rammed into the ship, attempting to take off some of the buzz droids. Which had minimal impact and no positive effect as rather than take out the buzz droids on Obi-Wan's ship, it simply allowed them onto hers. She watched Artoo push one off with one of his tools, thankfully keeping her and the ship safe from harm.
"Padmé, you're going to get yourself killed too. I'm already done for, just head to Grievous's ship." Obi-Wan was determined to get her moving, but Padmé frowned as she pulled back, there had to be something she could do…
"I've got this." Anakin's voice came back over as the Twilight swooped in, firing a singular beam at each of the droids, taking them out one by one. "Padmé, you need to shoot as well."
"If this kills Obi-Wan, it's your fault." But she did as she was asked, and before long she and Anakin had gotten the remaining buzz droids off the Starfighter.
"I'll cover you until you get on that ship. Afterwards, I'll return to Coruscant to let Master Windu know."
"Anakin, are you certain?" Obi-Wan asked.
"It's our best move. I may be good here, but in the ship itself I'll slow you both down." Anakin was right about that. He was gifted with a blaster, but going up against a Sith and a cyborg who made it a habit to steal as many lightsabers as possible would make even his skills near useless, and this time there was no lightsaber for Anakin to steal. "Besides, I know you both can handle it."
Padmé smiled at the vote of confidence. "Thank you, Ani."
"I'll see you both after you finish this mission." Anakin shut off the channel, and Padmé and Obi-Wan began their flight towards the hanger. Without a second thought, Padmé shot at the sides, disabling the shields so she and Obi-Wan could get through the door, their ships crashing to the ground and running over the battle droids within the ship's hanger.
Obi-Wan launched out of his ship, lightsaber already lit as he began slicing through the droids, and Padmé followed suit, and before long they were deflecting blaster bolts left and right until only the two of them remained and Artoo remained. "Artoo, see if you can locate the Chancellor." The droid beeped a confirmation of understanding his orders in response that neither of them needed a translation to understand. "While he searches, we should get going."
"You sense it too?" That cold feeling that only came from the dark side of the Force, from a Sith, pervaded the room and everywhere that Padmé could feel. "It looks like your info was correct."
Obi-Wan nodded, a frown on his face. "Dooku's here. This is probably a trap." She agreed with the assessment, but before she could ask anything further, Obi-Wan spoke up again. "Are you sure you want to continue with the mission. I'm sure I can handle Grievous or Dooku alone." Ahsoka had wondered the same thing too when they'd rushed off towards the mission while she had gone to Mandalore.
"Master, I know you're good, but I'm not sure you can face Count Dooku alone." Padmé smiled, though she had the same thoughts herself. Her fear for Obi-Wan facing the Sith alone was far greater. He was a gifted duelist, and had had little trouble defeating herself and Obi-Wan in the past. "I won't let anything happen to you."
"It's not just you fighting this if you come with me."
"I know. And he's important too." Her hand briefly rested on her stomach to focus on the life growing inside, the large glow of light. "But I'm not about to let you fight Dooku without me." For all his faults and any fights they may have had, Obi-Wan was her best friend. "You won't be able to talk me out of this."
Obi-Wan sighed, shaking his head. "Honestly, you're just as reckless as Anakin." He tossed a comm unit to Artoo who caught it before starting to head off into the ship. "If I can't convince you to stay, then you'd better stay close. After all, we have a trap to spring."
With that, Padmé followed after Obi-Wan with a smile, and the two entered into the main halls of the ship.
Their mission to rescue the Chancellor had begun.