The girl knocked nervously on the elaborately carved door. She was at the top floor of the 500 Republica apartment complex.
"Um, your dinner, sir!" she called, shifting from foot to foot, clasping her hands.
The door opened. Behind it was a young man even more handsome than the one she had just met. He was in Jedi robes, with a light saber clipped to his belt. She seemed to remember that he was very famous for the amazing deeds he had done. He had saved the galaxy countless times! Oh dear, she did fall hard for the heroes. And those beautiful blue eyes... and the dark blonde locks that she wanted to run her fingers through...
She snapped back to reality when a gorgeous young woman stepped on front behind him. She was very slender, with a form that the girl felt she would die for! She had lucious, chocolate brown curls, pale skin, rosy cheeks, and bright, beautiful eyes. The girl suddenly felt so jealous that she wanted to vomit. However, she continued to play her role, knowing that if she couldn't have this young man(for he was very obviously taken), she better take the other one. Scowling at the other young woman, she said, "Are you Anakin Skywalker and Padme Amidala? I have your dinner."
Padme smiled warmly at the other girl. "Thank you! Would you like to come in and have a cup of tea?"
The girl shrugged. "Sure."
She followed Anakin and Parme into the grand apartment. The windows were all open, and a light breeze drifted in. Birds chirped in the air. While Padme prepared a cup tea, the girl, still staring at Anakin, began to deliver her message.
"You should try the vegetable soup first, sir. The restaurant recommends it, as it it one of the specials. The cooks made it extra good just for you."
Anakin smiled at the girl. "That was very kind of them. Of course I'll try it." He uncovered the vegetable soup and placed it on the counter, before going around the island and getting a spoon. He blew on the still steaming soup, and dipped the spoon in, ready to eat, when suddenly a bird flew in through the window. It was a pigeon, and a very thin one. It looked like it hadn't eaten for days. Squawking, it flew over and snatched up a piece of vegetable from the bowl. It gobbled it up hungrily, and reached for more, when suddenly, its whole body convulsed. It began to jerk violently, thrashing about from side to side. Finally, after a few moments, it fell into the soup, dead.
The whole room was silent. Padme looked, horrified, at Anakin, who had a stricken look on his face. The girl suddenly seemed to realize what was going on. Terrified, she raced from the room, through the open door. Anakin wasted no time. His spoon clattering to the floor, he followed in hot pursuit. The girl ran as fast as she could, but she was no match for Anakin. He caught up to her fairly quickly, and using the Force, lifted her from the ground. He clenched his fist, slowing starting to choke her. She struggled, kicking her legs and straining at her invisible opponent.
"Why did you try to poison me?" Anakin's voice was deadly calm, but held barely controlled fury. "Who do you work for?"
When the girl, gasping for breath, and too scared to speak a word, did not answer, he shook her roughly. "Answer me!"
"I-I-I-I m-meant n-n-no harm, sir! I-I-I s-s-swear that I didn't know it was p-p-poisoned! A-a-a young man j-just asked me if I w-w-would do him a favor, and he, he had money! My family is,- is very poor, sir! I c-c-couldn't refuse! He g-gave me a whole bag of g-gold!"
"What did he ask you to do? What were his exact words? Keep in mind that I can sense if you are lying," Anakin said menacingly.
H-h-he asked me to take t-t-the cart to the apart-partment of Jedi Anakin Skywalker and Senator P-Padme Amidala. He-he said that he was a g-good friend of yours, and that he th-th-thought that you m-m-might like the vegetable soup! He told me to r-r-recommend it to you! Then he t-told me to not mention t-that I saw him!" The girl stuttered nervously, knowing that her life depended on every word that she said.
Anakin frowned, deep in thought. "I can sense that you are telling the truth."
The girl sagged in relief. Anakin let her go, and she dropped to the ground, still gasping for breath. He held out a hand to help her up, and she reluctantly took it. Anakin looked at her steadily. "What did the man look like?"
The girl, still shaking nervously, stammered, "I-I'm sorry, sir. I didn't really get a good look at him. I-I do know that he had dark hair, and a handsome face. He was a couple inches shorter than you. I-I'm really sorry. I don't know anything else beside that."
After staring searchingly into her eyes, Anakin nodded briefly. "Yes. That description fits the one we encountered earlier today."
"What?"
"Don't tell anyone what I'm going to tell you. Do you understand?"
The girl nodded frantically, knowing what would happen if she crossed him. "Yes."
"Earlier today, a man tried to poison me, and take my wife. Luckily, a child slammed into me, causing the poisoned wine to spill all over the floor. The wine eroded away the stones, thus revealing the poison inside it. Unfortunately, the man had already escaped by the time I turned around."
The girl took this all in, startled. No wonder he had been so enraged!
Anakin gestured towards the girl. "Well, you'd better be on your way. Remember, don't tell anyone what I just told you."
"I understand. And sir," she hesitated. "Please, please, please, I beg you on bended knee, don't tell the man that I told you anything, if he comes here to ask! He'll hunt me down and kill me and my family!"
Anakin placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry. I won't say a word to him. He'll be dead before he can even ask."
The man watched Anakin and Padme's apartment from a hedge nearby, using high-powered binoculars. Their windows were all open; it was just too easy to spy on them without them noticing. Watching the bird fly in, he growled in rage as he watched his plan being spoiled by that stupid creature. He watched Anakin chase the girl out of the apartment. Unfortunately, he couldn't see what was happening with them, but he could see his beloved Padme. She dumped the bowl of soup into the sink and picked up the spoon on the floor. Putting on some gloves, she washed the dishes and laid them aside to dry. Then, she paced back and forth in front the the window, her hands in her soft curls. She was obviously fretting about what had just happened. He growled again, a low and menacing sound. I will get you, my beloved, whether you like it or not, he thought angrily. Soon, you will not even remember the Jedi. He sneered. You will be mine. All mine. And he will be dead.
He glared with barely restrained rage as Anakin entered the room. Padme ran into his arms, and he held her tightly.
The man ground his teeth. "I hope you enjoy your short time left with him, Padme. After all, you will never see him again."
Anakin and Padme had wisely decided not to eat any of the food from the restaurant, as both were not sure how many dishes had been tampered with. Instead, Padme cooked with some of the food that they had, and they had a delicious homemade meal. Deciding to stay in the apartment until the rebel meeting the next morning, the couple settled down for the night, knowing that they had a long day ahead of them.
Leia arrived at the Jedi Temple early, refreshed and ready. She was dressed in battle gear, just in case. Han, Chewbacca, and Luke had come with her, although Han had been complaining the whole time about the early hour. She rolled her eyes. Five a.m. was nothing.
Rebels starting trickling in through the door, all of them also dressed in battle gear. Finally, Leia saw her parents come in, carrying their duffel bags, Anakin wearing his Jedi robes. When everyone was seated, Leia cleared her throat, and started the meeting.
"We have some terrible news, unfortunately. A man attempted to kill my father and mother twice yesterday. He tried to sell them poisoned wine, and also put poison into some food that they had ordered from a restaurant. His attempts nearly succeeded. Therefore, when my father leaves, my mother will need all the protection she can get."
The rebels all nodded grimly. "Now, my father's light saber is complete. He will leave in a few hours. Meanwhile, we will station guards around my mother, making sure that she is safe. Luke, Han, and I will also stay with her as well. I will not have any harm come to her."
Padme squeezed her daughter's hand, grateful. Leia smiled up at her, and then looked back at the crowd of rebels. "My father will get us all the information he can, and we will attack as soon as we are organized. Please continue to collect more weapons, the more we have the better." A confident look came over her features. "Remember, be safe and stay calm. We will triumph against the Empire! We will win and restore peace and freedom to the galaxy! For the Rebellion!"
The rebels cheered, and the whole room seemed to be on fire with the determination. The Skywalker family joined hands, knowing that they would do all they could to restore peace to the galaxy.
Little did they know that a certain man, clothed in a dark cloak, was about to make things a lot harder for them...
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