We were escorted through a gloomy tunnel. The sun drapes through the end, dousing the dark corridor in some light and allowing us to see into the barren arena. We are shoved into an open cart. Our hands are chained to the railing of the chariot. A crowd could be heard outside, but the bright sunlight barely permitted us sight beyond the dark tunnel.

I stand behind Padmé and notice her tense our impending deaths. I want to say something, anything, to ease the sorrow, but I can't think of what to say. I've failed in my duty to protect Padmé, although I'm sure she wouldn't see it that way and Anakin would place all the blame on himself too. I also can't help but think of Obi-Wan and what has happened to him. We were supposed to rescue him, not die ourselves.

"Don't be afraid," I hear Anakin mumur to Padmé so as to not alert the guards. I don't see a point in his statement but know that he's simply trying to make Padmé feel better.

"I'm not afraid to die," Padmé replies, her sorrow creeping into her voice. "I've been dying a little bit each day since you came back into my life."

"What are you talking about?" Anakin asks.

"I love you," Padmé declares. It's about time. They couldn't have done this earlier though? Well, knowing Anakin he probably did, but Padmé is just now arriving at the realization?

"You love me?" I resist the urge to roll my eyes at them. They are so oblivious and stubborn. I hear Anakin take a deap breath before he continues. "I thought that we had decided not to fall in love? That we would be forced to live a lie and that it would destroy our lives." His voice is strained and tense. When did they decide that?

"I think our lives are about to be destroyed anyway. I truly, deeply love you, and before we die I want you to know." I mess with my chains when they stop talking, feeling incredibly awkward. Part of me does not mind dying now, knowing Padmé is kissing someone right next to me, but the other part wants Padmé to continue being able what I never had: a love life.

As the cart lurches forward towards the arena, I remember the extra picks in my belt that I use to do Padmé's hair. I pull one out as the cart tumbles into the wide-open, sunlit stadium. The crowd cheers when they see us enter. Near the center are four stone pillars. As we grow closer, I recognize the harsh outline of Obi-Wan's face. At least now I know what happened to him.

The Jedi Knight gazes at us as the chariot looms closer. He looks as though he wants to curse us into oblivion. The cart stops in the center and we are dragged to the posts. Anakin was taken to the one closest to Obi-Wan. Padmé was placed by Anakin, and I was taken to the furthest one. The Geonosian guards hold onto the chains and fly up to secure them to the top of the posts, our hands suspended above our heads.

I take note of the carvings on pillars. The carvings are indented enough to grab hold of if need be or at least have a slight foot hold. I ignore the sounds of Obi-Wan scolding Anakin-can't he do that if we survive?-and the crowd cheering for our doom and look at Padmé. "I'm sorry, Padmé," I tell her earnestly. "I failed you."

Padmé's brown eyes widen at my statement, practically an echo of Cordé's last words merely days before. "It's not over yet, Leya," she replies. Her speech is altered though, as if she had something in her mouth. I cock my head in confusion.

"Did you think of it, too?" I ask. The only thing she could have in her mouth and still speak correctly are the same pins I have in my hand. I notice a hint of a smile grace her flawless face as she nods. I return the gesture and start picking the locks on the cuffs as Padmé does the same, which for her is definitely harder since hers are in her mouth.

The Archduke quiets down the spectators in the stands and calls for the executions to begin. The gates on the opposite side of the arena start to open and the creatures begin to stalk out. I quickly pick both locks on the cuffs at the sight of the creature assigned to me: a massiff. The crowd goes wild. I feel as though Padmé and I have the worst creatures, both small and extremely deadly. Though I would rather face a nexu since they go down with a single hard hit.

Gripping the chain tight, I begin to climb it to the top. I notice Padmé finishing picking one of the locks and begin to climb the column. Once on top, I watch the animals draw closer and I see the numerous spikes on the massiff's back, marking it as an older one, maybe even old enough to be slower than an average one. I don't exactly have anything other than a chain which might not help against the massiff's coarse, reptilian skin. A blaster would be a sure relief, but I'm not that lucky.

Then I get an idea, and if I'm to do it successfully, I need to do it fast. I take the chain off the loop and wrap it around the outside of the column as Padmé pulls herself to the top. "What are you doing?" she calls over. "Just stay up here. Massiffs can't climb."

"I have an idea. Trust me," I reassure. I tighten my grip as much as I can as I think, This will either be really good or really bad. Maybe I should listen? I shake that thought away. I'm not going to sit up here as bait for any of the other creatures. Might as well fight one. Or taunt it and try to get the reek to run it over or the acklay to step on it.

I lower half of my body off of the top of the column and wrap my legs around it while gripping the chain. It seems to work as I find myself sitting perfectly on the outside of the post. Then I begin to slide down by releasing some of my grip on the chain.

By the time my feet touch the ground, I have no time to grasp my bearings as I ignore the sound of my muscles screaming. The acklay reaches Obi-Wan and the reek not far behind for Anakin. I back away from the columns with the chain in my hands as the massiff spots me with a little prodding from a picador.

I widen my stance as I eye the massiff and start swinging the chain, specifically the end with the cuffs, to gain momentum. Come here, poor excuse of a dog. The action seems to rile up the creature and it charges at me.

Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, I think as the massiff gets closer with its loud growl and big dark eyes. Oh, and don't forget the sharp teeth. I swing the chain as hard as I could at the animal. It doesn't do much in wounding the creature, but it still yelps as it is knocked to the side. I jump away as the massiff snaps at me.

The massiff pounces again. I land on my back, keeping the chain above me and in the snarling animal's mouth. I struggle to keep the massiff from biting my throat. Drool pools out from its mouth, dripping onto my torso as the edges of the claws dig into my biceps.

I think about the situation. All animals have a weak spot. The acklay is kind of slow and too wide to go for precise hits, making it easy for prey to hide under it. Reeks aren't very smart, so they're easy to fool into hurting themselves. Nexus have little to no body armor since they're very agile, thus they are easy to injure with a strong blow. But massiffs? They're covered in body armor and I'm pinned by one. There is no easy way out of this.

Wait a second. Massiffs aren't completely covered in coarse skin. My eyes travel down to the underbelly, the most vulnerable part of every animal that also usually houses any genitalia. I brought up my leg as hard as I could and watched as the massiff toppled over in undoubtedly agonizing pain.

I pulled myself up off the ground, gathered the chain in my hand, and took the opportunity of a stunned massiff by wrapping the chain around its neck a few times. Then I strangled the poor animal, leaving it limp and life-less on the sandy floor of the arena, the crowd still screaming in glee.

I fall back in exhaustion, my muscles aching, next to the dead massiff, just in time to see Anakin riding his reek and trampling Padmé's nexu. Lucky. Padmé jumps off of the column, onto the reek. Pulling myself off the sandy ground, I jog over and climb up behind Padmé before we go over to Obi-Wan who hops up after me.

My mind didn't have time to process his cuffed hands resting on my waist to steady himself. Instead droidekas emerge from the arena exits as orray corral the acklay. The destroyers surround us, and I see no way out of the situation unless some miracle were to happen. Nothing was said from the Archduke or Count Dooku as the droids continued to point their guns at us. I look up to the executive booth and see a flash of purple. Master Windu.

Then flashes of blue and green spring up all around the arena stands which sent the spectators flying off as fast as they could. Then chaos erupts as battle droids enter the arena. Anakin steers the reek towards the mass of jedi who entered as well. Lightsabers are then tossed to Obi-Wan and Anakin, who slices off Obi-Wan's cuffs.

Destruction immediately followed. A blast threw us off the reek, to the ground. Padmé and I dive for the nearest discarded blasters. I began shooting battle droids as Padmé blasted a Geonosian in a chariot. She takes off running. "Padmé!" I scream, but before I run after her, I narrowly dodge a blaster bolt, which Obi-Wan kept from hitting me by pulling me back.

"Stay with me!" Obi-Wan orders, yelling over the sounds of battle. I have no choice to head his plea as Padmé grows further away from me. At least Anakin is running after her. From then on I have a hard time keeping up with Obi-Wan who deflects blaster bolts from us as I shoot.

Before long, Master Windu joins us two, back to back. It doesn't last long as the reek, undoubtedly freaked, barges between us three, knocking Obi-Wan and I to the side, following Windu. Unable to continue watching to see the outcome, Obi-Wan and I get back up with our weapons and continue fighting.

While the number of droids dwindles, so does the number of jedi until every person fighting for the Republic is surrounded. Stray jedi are brought to us other survivors, but even us others aren't many. And it's obvious to everyone. Bodies of fallen jedi scatter the arena floor.

Count Dooku's voice booms throughout the arena. "Master Windu," he addresses, "you have fought gallantly. Worthy of recognition in the archives of the Jedi Order. Now it is finished. Surrender and your lives will be spared."

Master Windu raises his voice in defiance, voicing all of our thoughts. "We will not be hostages to be bartered, Dooku," he proclaims.

"Then I'm sorry, old friend," Dooku replies, actually sounding displeased and saddened. The droids take their aim at us once again, the jedi raising their lightsabers in preparation and Padmé and I ready to blast.

Then the sound of Padmé's voice makes us all freeze. "Look!" she exclaims. I follow her line of sight and see gunships descending through the open arena ceiling. Blasterfire resumes as the battle droids aim at the gunships with no effect against the shields. I shoot down a few droids as the gunships land around us. We hurry to scramble inside then quickly take off.