Chapter 21

Florrum

"This is a waste of time," Anakin grumbled as he sat cross legged.

Obi-Wan smiled. "You were never patient enough to meditate," he said, his eyes closed.

"Not really no," Anakin agreed. "Just don't see the point of it, I guess."

"The point is you need to calm your mind," Obi-Wan said. "I sense a lot of turmoil within you, Anakin. Meditation will help you."

Anakin frowned, keeping his opinion to himself for once.

"Reach your mind out to the Living Force, Anakin," Obi-Wan instructed. "It's all around you, it's a part of you; you are so strong with it."

Anakin felt himself connecting to the Force, and Obi-Wan was right; it did help. His mind soared out thought the vastness of the Force, in awed by its splendour and beauty. And yet, there was a hollowness to it now; so many lost Jedi, thousands of Force sensitive beings snuffed out by the Purge. It threatened to anger Anakin until he sensed two new Force sensitive beings within the vast expanse of the Force. They were unfocused, their powers raw and nascent; Anakin took a sharp breath as he realized who he was sensing: Luke and Leia. Tears filled his eyes as he connected with his son and daughter, amazed by their strength even at such a young age. I miss you so much…he told his infants, I love you more than you can imagine…

"Excuse me, I'm sorry to interrupt," Ahsoka said as she entered the room.

Anakin's eyes snapped open, the connection with the twins broken. He looked up at Ahsoka, somewhat annoyed by her intrusion. "What is it, Snips?"
"Hondo is back from the Capital," she told him and Obi-Wan. "He wants to talk to us about what he found out."

Anakin and Obi-Wan looked at each other briefly, and then stood up. All three of them were hopeful that Hondo had good news.

"Welcome back, Hondo," Obi-Wan said as the three Jedi joined him in his small office. "You have news?"

"Yes, please, sit down," Hondo said, moving some junk into a corner to free up the chairs.

"You were able to speak to the Chancellor?" Ahsoka asked.

"Yes, he was pretty keen to see me," Hondo boasted.

"What did he tell you?" Anakin asked, cutting to the chase.

"He said that he'd heard from Rex, who told him that all the clones they've spoken to have been cooperative," Hondo said. "It seems that the chancellor's order has been heard."

"Well that's it then!" Anakin said. "It's over!"

"Well, not quite," Hondo said. "There are still legions they have not met with yet."

"If the order has been heard and is being obeyed, then doesn't it stand to reason that all of them will do the same?" Anakin asked, growing exasperated.

"We cannot assume that," Obi-Wan said. "It would be prudent to wait until all clone legions are accounted for."
"Easy for you to say," Anakin muttered.

Hondo chuckled. "Oh, and I saw someone else when I was talking with the chancellor," he said, looking at Anakin. "Someone with lovely big brown eyes."

Anakin frowned. "Padmé? You saw her?" he asked doubtfully.

Hondo nodded. "She wanted me to give you a message," he said.

"Well perhaps we ought to leave," Obi-Wan said to Ahsoka.

Ahsoka nodded, and left with Obi-Wan.

"What's the message?" Anakin asked, not sure he wanted to hear it.

"She said that your divorce was a mistake, and that she loves you and wants you," Hondo said.

Anakin said nothing, and stood up.

"Did you hear me?" Hondo asked, watching Anakin pace. "She loves you! She wants you! Everything is good!"

Anakin turned to him. "Is it?"

"Yeah, like I said, she said it was all a mistake," Hondo said, confused that Anakin wasn't happy.

"A mistake? A mistake?" he said, growing angry. "Adding 25 and 32 and getting 51 is a mistake," he said hotly. "Entering the wrong security code, that's a mistake. But divorce?"

"Anakin, calm yourself," Hondo said, "It's okay! She wants you back!"

But this did not calm Anakin. It only made him angrier. "She wants me back, does she? After putting me through hell, divorcing me amidst this…nightmare that I've been living in, she wants me back now?"

Hondo was astonished by Anakin's reaction, and had no words to offer. So he said nothing, and watched the angry young man leave his office. He sat down at his desk, shaking his head, hoping he hadn't made things worse.

Coruscant

"You divorced me, Padmé, after everything I've gone through! How could you do that to me? You've broken my heart!"

"Anakin, I'm so sorry! I forgot! I love you! I need you – the twins need you! Please give me another chance!"

"Why should I trust you, Padmé? I don't think I ever will again."

"But you love me! You want me!"

"No, not anymore…."

Padmé woke with a gasp, her heart pounding. It was a dream! She realized to her utter relief. Thank God it was only a dream!

It was early, and Padmé rose to check on the twins, thoughts of the nightmare making her anxious. Even though it had been only a dream, the conversation had her rattled nonetheless. What if that's how he truly feels? Surely not – Hondo told him how I feel – surely he understands!

"Good morning my sweethearts!" Padmé said as she entered the nursery to see both Luke and Leia sitting in their cribs. They looked up at her with smiles that made her heart melt. "Up we go," she said, picking Luke up to change his diaper. "Did you have a good sleep?" she asked her son with a smile.

Luke made the adorable noises that 7 month old babies make, a sound Padmé never tired of. Each new milestone that the twins reached was a wonder to her, and she rejoiced in each and every one. But, tempered with that joy was the sadness that the twins' father was missing all of them. How much longer will we be apart? Will we ever be together again?

"Good morning," Dormé said as she joined Padmé in the nursery. "Everyone's up early today," she said as she lifted Leia out of her crib.

"Yes, seems that way," Padmé simply commented.

Dormé glanced at her. "You okay?"

Padmé sighed. "I had a nightmare," she said. "A bad one."

"Anakin?"
Padmé simply nodded. "He was angry, said he didn't trust me, didn't love me…I have to even wonder if he received my message at all," she said.

"Why don't you contact this pirate fellow and ask?" Dormé suggested. "I know you can't contact Anakin, you don't want to compromise his safety; but surely you could contact Hondo," she said. "It might put your mind at ease to know that Anakin's heard your message and knows how you truly feel."

Padmé considered this. "I suppose Bail would know how to contact him," she mused.

"Of course," Dormé said. "What have you go to lose?"
Padmé smiled. "Not a thing."

Florrum

Hondo staggered into his quarters, more than a little drunk. He'd left the bar, deciding it was wiser to quit drinking before he made a complete ass of himself in front of his men. He still had an image to uphold, after all.

Sitting on the side of his bunk, Hondo had just kicked off his boots when the computer screen on the small table across from his bed. He was about to ignore it when he recognized the call numbers as being those of the Chancellor's office. Deciding that it was too important to ignore, he straightened his clothes as best he could, and answered the hail.

Opening the frequency with a burp, Hondo was surprised to see Padmé Amidala, not the Chancellor.

"Hello Hondo," Padmé said. "I'm Padmé Skywalker, we met in the Chancellor's office several weeks ago," she said.

Hondo nodded. "I remember," he said. "What can I do for you?" he said, suppressing another burp.

"I was hoping to talk to you about the conversation we had about Anakin," she said. "Did you give him my message?"

Hondo was annoyed that he was being deprived much needed sleep. I'm not a bloody marriage councillor, he thought irritably. "Yes, I did," he said.

Padmé smiled. "Thank you! Thank you so much! Did he give you one for me by any chance?" she asked hopefully.

Hondo shook his head. "Nope, he didn't," he said.

The smile faded from Padmé's face. "Are you …are you sure? He didn't say anything?"

Hondo frowned. "He said plenty, actually," he said. "Not sure you wanna know what he said, lady."
"Of course I want to know," Padmé said somewhat uneasily.

"He was mad," Hondo told her. "Real mad. Don't remember his exact words, and quite frankly it don't matter. You need to forget about Anakin Skywalker, lady. He's got plenty of friends here, including some ladies, who are taking good care of him. You had your chance, and you blew it. You need to leave him alone and stop messing with his heart, you've already done enough damage. Now if you're finished grilling me, I'm gonna hit the sack. Good day to you."

He clicked off the computer and staggered to his bed, promptly passing out onto it.

Corsuscant

Padmé sat at the computer screen, trembling with emotion. Clearly Hondo had been inebriated, but did that mean what he said wasn't true? Was Anakin angry? Images from her dream jumped to her mind, his words almost mocking her: You divorced me, Padmé, after everything I've gone through! How could you do that to me?

Padmé stood up as she made a momentous decision. She would go to Florrum. She needed to speak to Anakin face to face, and not rely on a questionable character like Hondo Ohnaka to convey her feelings to him. I just hope it isn't too late to fix this mess, she thought with a frown.

A short time later…

"Milady, are you sure about this?" Dormé asked as she watched Padmé pack a bag.

"Yes, absolutely," Padmé replied. "Luke and Leia are sleeping through the night, they're completely weaned – my mother is coming this afternoon to give you a hand while I'm gone."

"That's not my concern," Dormé said. "Florrum is wild space! Pirates, Padmé? Are you really doing this because of something some pirate said? They're not to be trusted, they're criminals!"

Padmé looked up at her as she zipped her bag closed. "These pirates have given Anakin safe haven," she said. "They've been there for him during this. Besides, even if part of what Hondo told me is true, I need to go."
"But…"

"He told me that I'd broken Anakin's heart," Padmé interjected. "And insinuated that he's moved on with his life. How can I not go? If I'm ever to get him back, I need to speak to him face to face, tell him how I feel, let him know I love him. I just hope it's not too late."

Dormé nodded, knowing that nothing she said could dissuade Padmé from her decision. "I'll let Captain Typho know you're ready to leave."

Florrum

"Now none of your Jedi powers, mate," Goru said, propping his elbow up on the table. "No cheatin'."

Anakin smirked. "I can't help it," he said, grasping Goru's hand.

"Gimme a bloody break," Goru grumbled. "Can't help it my arse."

"It'd be like me asking you to stop being ugly," Anakin said with a smirk, earning a laugh from the other pirates who'd gathered to watch the two friends arm wrestle.

"Oh, nice that," Goru said, laughing himself. "Fair enough. I'll still kick yer arse, Skywalker. Let's go."

The arm wrestle was intense, each man not giving a millimeters. The pirates around them cheered on their favourite, many had money on the line.

Finally, Anakin started to gain an advantage. The cheering increased in volume, half the men encouraging Anakin, half yelling at Goru to try harder. At last, Anakin was victorious and the crowd erupted in equal numbers of cheers and jeers.

"Yer good," Goru said, shaking Anakin's hand. "Thought I had ye for sure."

Anakin chuckled. "So did I," he replied. He took a wad of money from Goru and walked to the bar. "Drinks on me," he said. This time everyone cheered.

As the pirates enjoyed their drinks, the noise started to die down as they noticed strangers in their midst. Anakin didn't notice, and simply drank his beer. But then he heard a voice, and he froze.

"Excuse me, but I'm looking for Anakin Skywalker."

All eyes turned to Anakin, and then back to the woman who now stood in their midst. Anakin stood up and turned as well, and was shocked to see his ex-wife standing there.