Hey everyone its been awhile but I'm back! This isn't my best chapter and it has a whole lot of dialogue but I hope you enjoy anyway! Il be diverging more and more from the end of this chapter!
Buffy had been lost in her own thoughts again when there was a polite knock on the door and the beautiful young women Anakin had said he was protecting walked in and gave Buffy a friendly smile.
"I brought you some of my spare clothes, I figured we are about the same size and I didnt think you'd want to wear those anymore"
For the first time Buffy realised she was still wearing her tattered earth clothes, she took the neatly folded pile of clothes from Padme and inspected them. It was a much similar outfit to the one Padme herself was wearing, but instead of the all white colour it was a darker grey.
"Thank you, ever since I got to this planet everybody has been wearing robes...Im just not a robe kinda girl!" Padme let out a soft laugh and Buffy suddenly felt much more relaxed around her, Anakin had told her how she used to be a queen, but she didnt seem to act superior in anyway the slayer noted.
"Are robes not a common thing where you come from?"
"Not if you have some fashion sense!"
They both laughed good naturedly and Padme sat next to her on the makeshift bed.
"Ani tells me you'll be coming with us when we leave?" She looks unsure about bringing up the topic but Buffy nods in response.
"He thinks the Jedi might be able to help me find my way back home...but Im not so sure"
Padme looked thoughtful for a couple of moments before she spoke again.
"Well I like to think everything happens for a reason, maybe you have a purpose here and you just dont know it yet?"
I had a purpose back their too though, when can a girl catch a break?
Almost in answer to Buffy's question, Anakin appeared in the doorway.
"R2 says he has a message from Obi-Wan, we probably need to be leaving!"
They made their way out of the homestead where Anakin's family where all ready gathered, Anakin hugged his mom tightly for several moments and had a hushed whispered conversation, before moving on and walking off towards the ship, saying goodbye didnt feel any easier the second time. Shmi then turned to Buffy and gave her a sad smile before hugging her too.
"I hope you find what you're looking for, but if not you are always welcome here" she told the young girl genuinely, Buffy was extremely touched by the kind gesture. She looked between Shmi and Lars.
"You take care of each other alright?"
They nodded and she and Padme walked side by side to the ship. It was beautiful, more shiny and metallic than she had imagined. Buffy looked around at the ship in wonder while Anakin and Padme hovered round a central console, suddenly a hollow blue figure appeared and Buffy nearly jumped out of her skin from shock.
"...Alliance have pledged their armies to Count Dooku and are forming an... Wait!... ah...attack... I don't... make it...aaaggghhh!" the sound of blaster fire and then an insect like droid appeared on screen before it faded and was replaced with a bald man in what Buffy assumed was Jedi robes.
"We will deal with Count Dooku. The most important thing for you, Anakin, is to stay where you are. Protect the Senator at all costs. That is your priority."
"Understood, Master." Anakin said, sounding somewhat numb. Padme started hitting switches on the console.
"They'll never get there in time to save him. They have to come half way across the galaxy. Look, Geonosis is less than a parsec away."
"If he's still alive."
"Ani are you just going to sit here and let him die? He's your friend... your mentor..."
"...He's like my father, but you heard Master Windu. He gave me strict orders to stay here."
"He gave you strict orders to protect me..." Padme flicks more switches. The engines fire.
"...and I'm going to save Obi-Wan. So if you plan to protect me, you will have to come along."
Buffy, who had been unusually quiet up till this moment sat down in the chair just behind Padme and strapped herself in, she looked at Anakin and shrugged as she said.
"She's pretty badass" Buffy could just make out Padme smile at the comment.
The ship took off and rapidly they left Tatooine's atmosphere, Buffy looked around at everything in absolute wonder. She was experiencing something only a handful of people on earth had ever done and whats more in this universe space travel was a common thing! She didnt think she would ever get used to seeing the beauty of space. Padme turned to look at her.
"We are about to enter lightspeed, Since its your first time it might be...a little disconcerting".
Disconcerting was not a strong enough word. As all the stars blurred into one, and the lurch of your stomach entering your mouth as you suddenly speed in a new direction, Buffy decided that she had never felt this queasy in all her life!
Coruscant - Jedi Temple
Jedi Master Mace Windu addresses his fellow council members.
"The longer we wait, the stronger Dooku's armies become. We cannot wait for the Senate to make up its mind about granting the Chancellor emergency powers, in order to be able to use that clone army... We have the authority to go now. We must go now."
The council discusses among themselves as Yoda nods his head.
"Agreed, Master Windu. Two hundred Jedi send. Enough, let's hope they are."
Geonosis
Buffy's slayer senses were going crazy! but neither Padme or Anakin seemed phased...or at least they weren't letting on. She held alittle tighter to the handle of the small pistol given to her by Padme.
"I have a bad feeling about this" the thought came out of her before she even had chance to acknowledge it, where did that come from?
Anakin nodded. "We are being watched" he replies matter of factly.
"You didnt think to mention that bef-" her senses were screaming at her, she dived just in time before a giant bug eyed creature launched itself at her, Anakins lightsaber hummed into life in an instant and quickly sliced the insect...thing, in two. He put himself between the majority of the creatures and the two women and covers their hasty retreat down the rest of the corridor.
Buffy is the first through the door and she cant believe her eyes at what she sees, huge conveyor belts as far as the eye can see, huge mechanical arms assembling droids one by one. Buffy is almost knocked straight off the narrow platform by Padme who in turn was pushed by Anakin still walking backwards into her.
"Theres no where to go!" Padme shouts over the noise of the machines.
"We're gonna have to jump, we've got a better chance down there than on here!"
"On 3, 1...2...3!" Padme and Buffy jump at the same time when something collides with them mid air, Buffy lands hard on her back and just manages to spot one of the insects carrying Padme off screaming. Anakin drops down next to her and gives her a hand up just as 3 insects land on the platform with them, they go back to back. Buffy manages to shoot two of the insects in front of her in the head.
"I could really use one of those right about now, dont suppose you have a spare one?!" She nodded towards his lightsaber. Despite himself Anakin chuckled at her comment.
"You seem to be managing just fine for someone who's never user a blaster before" he managed to get out in between dispatching his opponents.
It was soon over however, droids that rolled across the floor and assembled themselves surrounded them and a guy in armor flew down out of no where and demanded their surrender. You are so out of your depth in this crazy pain in the ass galaxy Buff.
Her and Anakin were disarmed and marched through the factory and placed in a meeting room, Padme was already there with her own captors. Well this went well, she quipped internally. A regal looking older man enters the room and he bows courteously.
"Senator Amidala, I've heard so much about you."
Padme holds her head high and addresses him with her best senator voice "Count Dooku, I assume."
"I'm delighted to meet you at last. We have a great deal to discuss, Senator, please sit." the request is said politely enough, but there was heavy implication they didnt really have a choice. He glances at Anakin and then finally his eyes rest on Buffy with a somewhat perplexed expression.
"And who might you be young lady? Not a jedi as far as I can tell, though your presence in the force is unusual". Before Buffy could answer Anakin leaned forward and practically growled.
"Leave her out of this."
Dooku scrutinised him for a moment. " How touching." He turns his attention back to Padme.
"I hope you can keep your friends under control senator, this is afterall a very fraught meeting"
"Don't worry they're both housebroken."
"You are holding a Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am formally requesting you turn him over to me, now."
"He has been convicted of espionage, Senator, and will be executed. In just a few hours, I
believe." Dooku smiles.
Anakins fists clench on the table.
"He is an officer of the Republic. You can't do that."
"We don't recognise the Republic here, Senator. But if Naboo were to join our Alliance, I could easily hear your plea for clemency.
"And if I don't join your rebellion, I assume this Jedi with me will also die?"
"I don't wish to make you to join our cause against your will, Senator, but you are a rational,
honest representative of your people and I assume you want to do what's in their best interest.
Aren't you fed up with the corruption, the bureaucrats, the hypocrisy of it all?.. Aren't you? Be honest, Senator."
"The ideals are still alive, Count, even if the institution is failing."
"You believe in the same ideals we believe in! The same ideals we are striving to make prominent."
"If what you say is true, you should stay in the Republic and help Chancellor Palpatine put things right."
"The Chancellor means well, M'Lady but he is incompetent. He has promised to cut the bureaucracy, but the bureaucrats are stronger than ever, are they not?Senator, the Republic cannot be fixed. It is time to start over. The democratic process in the Republic is a sham, a shell game played on the voters. It will not be long
before the cult of greed, called the Republic, will lose even the pretext of democracy and freedom."
"I cannot believe that. I will not forsake all I have honoured and worked for and betray the Republic. I know of your treaties with the Trade Federation, the Commerce Guilds, and the others, Count. What is happening here is not government that has been bought out by business... it's business becoming government!"
"Without your co-operation I can do nothing to stop the execution."
"What is to happen to me and my companions? Are we to be executed also?"
"I wouldn't think of such an offence. But, there are individuals who have a strong interest in your demise, M'lady. It has nothing to do with politics, I'm afraid. It's purely personal, and they have already paid great sums to have you assassinated. I'm sure they will push hard to have you included in the executions. I'm sorry but if
you are not going to co-operate, I must turn you over to the Geonosians for justice. I've done all I can for you."
He turns to Buffy.
"What about you young one? to me it seems you have no strong affiliations, I'm sure I could convince my fellows to spare you if you were to support us, you have much unfulfilled potential inside you."
Buffy looked between him and Anakin and Padme for a second before turning back and declaring "Shove it Gramps". Anger flashes across his eyes briefly.
"Very well, Take them away"
Some hours later they are dragged into the centre of what looks like a courtroom. There are various alien species sat above them and even more of the insects they had faced earlier. One of the insects approaches the centre, he has a walking stick and from this Buffy assumes he is some kind of important figure to the gathered aliens.
"You have been charged and found
guilty of Espionage. Do you have anything to say before your sentence is carried out?"
Padme holds her head up defiantly.
"You are committing an act of war, Archduke Poggle. I hope you are prepared for the consequences."
This Poggle alien laughs while the old man they met earlier simply smiles.
"We build weapons, Senator... that is our business! Of course we're prepared!"
An alien with a strange almost Chinese sounding accent blurts out
"Get on with it. Carry out the sentence. I want to see her suffer."
"Your other Jedi friend is waiting for you, Senator. Take them to the arena!
They are escorted out of the chamber to the sounds of chuckling.
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