Chapter 19

Naboo

"Are you sure this is what you want?" Dormé asked as she helped Padmé pack the twins' clothing.

"Yes," Padmé replied as she folded one of the babies' sleepers. "I need to know what's going on. Coruscant is the only place where I can do that. Luke and Leia are four months old, they're old enough to travel."

"Of course," Dormé said. "You know I will help you in any way I can."

Padmé looked up at her and smiled. "I know, and I thank you for that. I couldn't do this without you, Dormé."

Dormé smiled. "Well, I'm not sure about that," she said. She looked around the room. "Anything else?"

"I'll have one more look in my room," she said. "Please ask Threepio so start taking the luggage down to the ship."

Padmé left the nursery and went into her room. So many memories of the past filled her as she looked around, memories she'd tried hard to repress. But this was the room in which she'd spent her wedding night, the very bed in which she'd made love to Anakin for the very first time. It was not possible to forget the many wonderful times she'd spent here with him.

Padmé turned to leave the room when she spied her comlink on the dresser. She hadn't used it since Anakin had left for Florrum, not daring to contact him fearing his safety. She picked it up, seeing that it was blinking as she did so. She activated it, expecting a message from her mother or sister. She was shocked to see Anakin's holographic image issue forth.

Hi Padmé, I just wanted to let you know that I'm okay. I don't know when I'll be able to talk to you again, I need to lay low for a while. I will miss you all so much. I love you angel, so much…I hate the thought of not seeing you and the babies, but I know you understand why it has to be this way. Please take care and don't worry – we'll see each other soon.

Padmé sat down on the bed, trembling with emotion. Seeing him, hearing his voice again brought back all the angst she'd been fighting. Judging by his words, he didn't know about the divorce yet. What will it do to him when he does? What dark place will that send him to?

"Padmé? You ready? Captain Typho has signaled that he's ready to leave."

Padmé looked up at Dormé. "Yes," she said softly. "I'm ready. Let's go," she said, standing up and slipping the comlink into her pocket. "Time to go."

Florrum

It was the middle of the night, and the bar was in full swing. Music and raucous laughter filled the small, filthy room as the pirates partied into the night. Anakin sat at the bar, doing his best to acquire a taste for the unusual beer that the pirates seemed to enjoy. Anakin had never been much of a drinker, it was rather frowned upon by the Jedi. Moreover, he had never liked the affect alcohol had on him. It dulled his senses, slowed his reflexes, neither of which he liked. But now, he would happily have his senses dulled. Dulling them would ease the pain, the heartache that never seemed to go away, heartache that Anakin doubted would ever go away.

"Give you a refill, Love?" the scantily clad barkeep, Aroyo, asked.

Anakin gave her a wan smile. "No, I'm good," he said.

She regarded him for a moment. "Are ye? Don't seem good to me, love. Seem pretty down if you ask me."

Anakin frowned. "I've been better," he said.

Aroyo nodded. "I know, Hondo told me what happened with your lady," she said, shaking her head. "I'm sorry, Anakin. She don't know what she's doin' if you ask me."

Anakin said nothing in response, and simply took a drink of his beer. But this didn't deter Aroyo.

"You know, if yer lonely, I'd be happy to keep you company," she said with a smile.

Anakin looked up at her, shocked with her offer. "That's kind of you," he said. "I'm okay."

Aroyo wasn't put off. "I don't think y'are, love," she said. "You're a young man, ye need a woman. Have ye ever been with a weequay woman?"
Anakin simply shook his head.

She smiled. "I'd rock your Jedi socks off, love," she said with a smile, and then walked away to serve another patron.

Anakin watched her go, amused and a little embarrassed by her comment.

"She would ye know."

Anakin turned to see Hondo standing beside him. "You know this from experience, do you?" he asked.

Hondo chuckled as he sat down. "Me and most of the other men in here," he said.

Anakin smirked. "I see."

Hondo looked at hm. "So why don't you?" he asked. "You're a young man, Skywalker."

"So?" Anakin asked.

Hondo shrugged. "Suit yourself," he said. "But if it's your wife that's holding you back, you're divorced now, remember? You can't stop living, Skywalker. You're so young, got a lot of living to do still."

Anakin said nothing, and returned to nursing his beer.

Coruscant

"Excuse me, Chancellor."

Organa sighed, and looked up from his work. "Yes?"

"Senator Amidala is here," his assistant informed him. "Should I show her in?"

"Yes of course," Organa said, standing up from his desk.

He walked over to the door to greet Padmé, smiling when he saw her.

"Padmé! It's so good to see you!" Organa said, embracing her warmly. "When did you arrive on the Capital?"

"Late last night," Padmé replied.

"Please come in, sit down," Organa said. "Tell me about the twins."

Padmé took a seat with him. "They're wonderful," she said. "Four months old now, growing bigger every day."

Organa smiled. "They're not with you today?"

"No, they're at the apartment with Dormé," she said. "Please stop by while we're here, though."

"I would love to," he said. "So, what brings you here today? Are you ready to get back to work?"

Padmé smiled. "No, not yet," she said. "I'm here to learn what is going on with the clones," she said. "I need to know where things stand."

Organa nodded. "Of course," she said. "What is the last thing you heard?"

"Well, I know that Anakin is okay," she said. "He sent me a message a few days ago, but I don't know where he was or where he was going."

"I'm glad he was able to contact you," he said. "I know how worried you must be about him."

Padmé nodded, controlling her emotions masterfully.

"He and General Kenobi went to Kamino to persuade the Kaminoan scientists to put an end to the Purge," Organa explained.

"I didn't think that was possible," she said.

"As it turned out, no, it isn't," Organa replied. "According to them, an order from the Chancellor is the only thing that can revoke it."

"The Chancellor? As in Palpatine? Or you?" she asked.

Organa smiled grimly. "That's what we don't know, unfortunately," he said. "I have given the order to cease and desist, but we're simply not 100 percent sure that every clone has done so. So, Captain Rex has taken the 501st legion, Anakin's legion, along with a few hundred other clones to ensure that the order is received and obeyed by every clone."

Padmé stared at him. "Every clone? You mean every clone in the galaxy?"

Organa nodded.

"But…that will take months!"

"Years even, yes," Organa agreed. "But with such a small number of Jedi left, we simply can't take a risk. I'm sure you'd agree."
"Or course," she said. "But there has to be a better way!"

"If you can think of one, I'd be happy to hear it," he said. "But this is all we have right now. I know it's hard Padmé, the thought of not seeing your husband for a long time, but at least this will ensure that you will see him again."

Padmé nodded, unable to stem the lump that rose to her throat. "I see," she said, standing up. "I ought to get back to the twins. Thank you for your time, Bail."

Organa stood up with her. "Please don't hesitate to ask if there's anything I can do for you," he said.

Padmé gave him a perfunctory smile. "Thank you," she said, and then left.

Florrum

Obi-Wan rose early, as was his habit. He frowned when he saw that Anakin's bunk was empty. It surprised him that Anakin had been up earlier than him. It was unlike him; Anakin enjoyed sleeping in, after all. As he was pondering this, the door slid open and Anakin entered the room.

"Good morning," Obi-Wan said. "You're up early, Anakin."

"Up early? I'm just getting to bed," Anakin said as he kicked off his boots.

Obi-Wan frowned. "Are you joking?"

Anakin sat down on the small bunk and looked up at him. "No," he said. "Is there a problem?"

"Well, no," Obi-Wan said, "I'm just rather surprised is all. Where have you been all night?"

"The bar," Anakin said as he lay back on the bunk and closed his eyes. "And I don't want to hear a lecture, so spare me."
Obi-Wan's frowned deepened, for he was, in fact, about to do just that.

"Very well. I'm off to start my day," Obi-Wan said.

"Knock yourself out," Anakin muttered, then rolled onto his side, his back to Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan sighed, then left his friend to sleep. He headed to the mess, where he met up with Ahsoka.

"Good morning," he said as he sat across from her.

Ahsoka smiled at him. "Good morning," she said. "Anakin's still sleeping?"

Obi-Wan scoffed. "He just got in," he said. "Said he spent the night in the bar."

Ahsoka was surprised to hear it. "Really? Was he drunk?"

"He didn't seem so, but I didn't speak to him for long," he told her. "He was rather…abrupt."

Ahsoka frowned. "I'm worried about him, Obi-Wan," she said. "He's so depressed. I'm worried that…" she stopped, not wanting to put her fear into words lest it come true.

"Worried that what?" Obi-Wan asked.

Ahsoka signed. "That he's heading down a dark path," she said.

Her words shocked Obi-Wan. "You can't be serous," he said. "After seeing what that Sith monster did to the Jedi? Do you honestly think Anakin would entertain such a notion?"

"What did Master Yoda always say? Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering," she said. "Anakin is angry, angrier than I've seen him in a long time."

"I can't deny that," Obi-Wan said. "But we're all angry, Ahsoka. How can we not be after what has befallen the Order?"
"Yes, you're right," she conceded. "But for him there's a more personal level to this. Losing Padmé has hit him hard. Very hard."

"I know," Obi-Wan said softly. "I wish I knew what to do for him, truly I do. But until it's safe for us to leave or even make outside contact, there isn't. It's my hope that this divorce is a mistake, that Padmé is having second thoughts. The way Anakin describes their current relationship makes it highly likely that she is."

"Have you suggested that to him?" she asked.

"No, I'm loathe to give him false hope," he said.

"But perhaps it's the lifeline he needs to get through this," she said.

Obi-Wan considered this. "Perhaps it is," he said. "I'll speak to Anakin when he gets up."

Ahsoka nodded. "We'll do it together."