Obi-Wan strained against the force field that held him; no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't move a muscle. He floated, helpless, in the force field that held him, the brilliant blue stasis fields that bound his arms and legs crackling and flashing brightly as he revolved, slowly, a meter or two above the hard, rocky floor.

He heard the bolt on the door to the restraining cell turn, and watched as the door slowly opened. Count Dooku stepped from the shadows of the hallway into the room, and took a step or two toward Obi-Wan.

Obi-Wan wasted no time in establishing their relationship. "Traitor," he said, as he shot Dooku a look of utter disdain. He made no effort to mask the contempt and disgust that his voice carried with it.

"Oh, no, my friend," Dooku replied, looking up at Obi-Wan, his arms outstretched, a look of genuine concern on his regal, weathered face. "This is a mistake, a terrible mistake. They've gone too far." He looked down and shook his head slowly, forlornly. "This is madness," he said, his voice laced with deep concern and regret.

"I thought you were the leader here, Dooku," Obi-Wan replied, skeptically.

Count Dooku turned his face back to Obi-Wan. "This had nothing to do with me, I assure you," he said, innocently. "I promise you I will petition immediately to have you set free."

Obi-Wan smiled, as Dooku walked slowly around him. "Well, I hope it doesn't take too long," he replied, sarcastically. "I have work to do."

Dooku smiled narrowly at him, and then clasped his hands behind his back as he walked slowly around Obi-Wan, his long, dark cloak swirling around his feet as he circled the captive Jedi. "May I ask," he inquired curiously, "what a Jedi Knight is doing all the way out here on Geonosis?"

"I've been tracking a bounty hunter named Jango Fett," Obi-Wan replied, looking over his shoulder as Dooku stood behind him. "Do you know him?" he asked, inquisitively.

Dooku looked back toward the ground, and shook his head. "There are no bounty hunters here that I'm aware of, my friend," he replied. "The Geonosians don't trust them."

"Well, who can blame them," Obi-Wan replied with a sarcastic smile. "But he is here, I can assure you of that."

Dooku took another step so that he could see Obi-Wan clearly, as the restraining field turned him slowly around in a counter-clockwise motion. "It's a great pity that our paths have never crossed before, Obi-Wan," he said, regarding the captive Jedi with great interest. "Qui-Gon always spoke very highly of you." Dooku cast his gaze downward once again and sighed deeply, a look of genuine regret on his face. "I wish he were still alive," he said, quietly. "I could use his help right now."

"Qui-Gon Jinn would never help you," Obi-Wan replied, disgustedly.

"Don't be so sure, my young Jedi," Dooku replied, regarding him carefully. "You forget that he was once my apprentice just as you were once his. He knew all about the corruption in the Senate, but he would never have gone along with it, had he known the truth as I have."

Obi-Wan regarded him curiously. "The truth?" he replied, his tone openly sarcastic.

"The truth," Dooku replied. Turning to face Obi-Wan, he continued. "What if I told you that the Republic was now under the control of the Dark Lord of the Sith?"

Dooku's comment shocked him. "Impossible," Obi-Wan replied, shaking his head. "The Jedi would be aware of it."

Dooku smiled, regarding the young Jedi carefully as he continued. "The Dark Side has clouded their vision, my friend," he replied, stepping around behind Obi-Wan as the restraining field continued to turn him slowly in his restraints. "Hundreds of senators are now under the influence of a Dark Lord of the Sith called Darth Sidious."

Obi-Wan tried to turn his head so that he could see Dooku, but the restraints held him short. He shook his head again. "No," he replied. "I don't believe you."

"The Viceroy of the Trade Federation was once in league with this Darth Sidious," Dooku continued. "But he was betrayed ten years ago by the Dark Lord. He came to me for help. He told me everything."

Dooku continued around the circular room, and Obi-Wan turned his head as far as he could so that he could see him again. "The Jedi Council would not believe him," he continued. "I tried to warn them, many times, but they wouldn't listen to me."

Dooku turned to face Obi-Wan straight on as he continued. "Once they sense the Dark Lord's presence, it will be too late," he said, extending his hand to Obi-Wan. "You must join me, Obi-Wan," he said, a look of genuine pleading on his weathered face. "Join me, and together we will destroy the Sith."

Obi-Wan shook his head slowly in reply. "I will never join you, Dooku," he said, coldly.

Dooku nodded his head slowly, and then turned back to the door from which he had come. As he opened it, he turned to regard the young Jedi once more. "It may be difficult to secure your release," he said.

Stepping through the door into the passageway, Dooku closed the door behind him.

Artoo fired the breaking thrusters as their Naboo cruiser came out of hyperspace and arced toward the massive rings of Geonosis. As he slowed the ship in preparation for their descent, Padmé looked out of the cockpit window and watched as the little droid brought them in toward the dusky red planet, their ship passing neatly between two of the larger rings, as they made their way toward the planet's atmosphere.

As he slowed the ship in preparation for their descent, Padmé looked out of the cockpit window and watched as the little droid brought them in toward the dusky red planet, their ship passing neatly between two of the larger rings, as they made th...

Anakin came and stood behind her, and placed his hand gently on her shoulder. She looked up at him and, taking his hand with a smile, turned and looked back out as the planet loomed large below them. "Where do we start looking?" she asked, as she watched the planet continue to grow in the ship's windows.

Anakin took a deep breath. "Artoo tried to scan for Obi-Wan's tracking signal a while ago," he said, shaking his head. "We couldn't find it. Either it's not working or..."

Anakin paused, and Padmé turned and looked back up at him; he looked thoughtful, worried. She gently squeezed his hand and smiled. "Don't worry, Ani," she said, reassuringly. "We'll find him."

Anakin smiled back at her and nodded his head, and then looked back out at the planet below them as Artoo piloted the ship into its upper atmosphere. "We should be able to find his ship," he said. "I guess that's as good a place to start as any."

Padmé pressed a button on the console in front of her, and, as she started to scan for Obi-Wan's fighter, Artoo brought the ship into the atmosphere and started their descent to the planet's surface below.

Bail Organa looked out of the window of Chancellor Palpatine's office. Far below, he watched the many ships and speeders weave in and out of the massive buildings, yet, though he watched them, he didn't really see them. His mind was still trying to take in the news that had been brought by the delegation from the Jedi Council. He ran his hand thoughtfully along the window's edge as he turned to face the group that was assembled in the Chancellor's office.

"The Commerce Guilds are preparing for war," he said, finally. There can be no doubt about that."

Chancellor Palpatine slowly turned his chair from the window back toward the others that sat in his office. "Count Dooku must have made a treaty with them," he said, placing his hand on the marble desk and reclining thoughtfully in his chair.

Bail turned his face toward the Chancellor. "We must stop them before they are ready," he said firmly.

Jar Jar Binks sat in a chair near the corner of the room. He didn't like to speak in these meetings, normally; he was always nervous, and a bit unsure of himself. He much preferred his position as servant to Senator Amidala to the position in which he now found himself. Yet, he knew that it was his place to at least try to assume the duties for which she was responsible in her absence. Mustering his courage, he finally spoke.

"Exsqueeze me, yousa honorable Supreme Chancellor, Sir," Jar Jar said, his voice quivering, "but maybe dissen Jedi stoppen da rebel army."

Chancellor Palpatine regarded the Gungan quietly for a moment, and then turned to Master Yoda, who sat quietly on the couch across from him. "Master Yoda," he said, thoughtfully, "how many Jedi are available to go to Geonosis?"

Yoda turned to look at the Chancellor, and then took a deep, thoughtful breath. "Throughout the galaxy, thousands of Jedi there are," he said. "To send on a special mission, only two hundred are available."

Bail Organa turned and regarded Yoda with a doubtful expression. "With all due respect to the Jedi Order," he said, "that doesn't seem to be enough."

Yoda turned to look at him as he spoke. "Through negotiations," he said, his brow thoughtful and pensive, "the Jedi maintain peace. To start a war, we do not intend, or desire."

Senator Ask Aak rose impatiently from the chair in which he sat, turning his blue-hued face toward Organa. "The debate is over," he said, frustrated. "Now that the Commerce Guilds are preparing to attack, we need that clone army."

Organa turned a frustrated face to him. "Unfortunately," he said sharply, "the debate is not over. The Senate will never approve the use of the clone army before the separatists attack."

"This is a crisis," Senator Mas Amedda interjected, rising from his seat near Jar Jar. "The Senate must vote the Chancellor emergency powers. He could then approve the use of the clones without the Senate's vote and approval."

Palpatine turned to regard Amedda as he spoke, and then turned his eyes toward his desk. "But what Senator would have the courage to propose such a radical amendment?" he asked, thoughtfully, looking back toward those who sat before him.

"If only Senator Amidala were here," Amedda replied quietly, and then slowly took his seat.

If only Senator Amidala were here. Jar Jar turned and looked thoughtfully at Amedda, who sat with his hands folded, gazing at the floor. Jar Jar looked at the others around the room, slowly, and then, mustering his courage, he rose to his feet, and took a few steps toward the center of the room.

"Mesa mosto Supreme Chancellor," he said, and swallowed hard. "Mesa gusto pallos wid Senator Amidala. Mesa proud to be proposing the motion to give yousa Honor emergency powers."

Chancellor Palpatine smiled as, as meekly as he could, he turned and nodded to the tall, gangly Gungan who stood before him.

Artoo worked at the communications console, as he attempted to home in on Obi-Wan's ship. He had tracked it by using the location of Obi-Wan's last transmission to find the general area and now, as Anakin piloted the ship in manually over the rocky terrain, he continued to scan for the telltale signs of the ship's engines. He swung his sensors toward Anakin, and whistled loudly, along with a series of beeps and clicks.

Padmé looked at the console from her position in the copilot's seat. "Artoo says he thinks he's found something," she said, and she looked out over the horizon. "There," she said, gesturing toward a spot to the west. In the distance, large columns of water vapor rose from the landscape near a massive stone structure.

"See those columns of steam just ahead?" Padmé said, leaning closer to Anakin. "They're exhaust vents of some kind." She pressed another button on the console, and a small blinking indicator appeared. "Obi-Wan's ship is over there, just past those vents."

Anakin nodded and, with amazing precision, swung the craft low over the rocky landscape toward the rising columns of gas and steam. As he approached, he swung the craft high and turned slightly, so that they could down into the rocky valley.

Padmé pointed at a small reflection on the ground, not far from a large, gothic complex to the west of the steam vents. "There!" she said excitedly. "See it? There's his ship."

"I see it," Anakin nodded in reply and, as quickly as he could, brought the ship around in a smooth arc and set it softly down on the ground, just a few dozen meters from Obi-Wan's fighter. He reached over to the console and, pressing several buttons, powered off the engines, and they began to whine softly as they shut down.

Padmé rose from the copilot's chair and walked to the cockpit's circular couch, where Threepio sat watching them. She took a seat and, as quickly as she could, slipped on the white boots that she had placed there, tucking the tops of her white pants into them and fastening the buckles securely. She stood up and reached for the white cloak that she had tossed on the couch as they left, and with a smooth motion, swung it around her and onto her shoulders.

As she fastened it securely at her neck, she turned back and watched Anakin as he stood up and walked to the hook on the cabin's wall near the pilot's chair. His weapon belt hung there, and she watched him as he took it and fastened it around his waist. She looked, thoughtfully, at the lightsaber that swung slowly, back and forth, at his side as he secured it.

Her mind drifted back, for a moment; she was in the Tusken tent again, there on the sandy floor, her hands on Anakin's shoulders, as she saw the hilt of his saber held tightly in his hand. She looked up, in her mind's eye, to his face; his eyes glared out toward the door of the tent, burning with hatred and rage...

She took a deep breath, snapping herself out of the nightmarish image that haunted her, back to the here and now. She slowly fastened the last button on her cloak as he slipped his arm into the sleeve of his jacket.

"Threepio," Anakin said, as he looked up at him, straightened his jacket on his shoulders, "keep an eye on the ship. We'll be back soon."

"Yes, Master Ani," Threepio replied, obediently.

Anakin turned and walked quickly toward the ship's entryway, where Padmé stood and watched him, thoughtfully. He reached out and touched a button on the control panel near her, and she could hear the ship's rear entry ramp begin to open slowly. "Well," he said, as he looked at the control panel, "I guess we're ready."

Anakin took a step toward her, as he looked down and checked the saber that hung on his belt. Padmé stepped in front of him, placing her hands gently on his arms. "Anakin," she said, softly, as she looked up at him.

Anakin looked up from his belt, and his eyes met hers. She looked worried, concerned. "What's wrong, Padmé?" he asked, quietly.

Her eyes searched his as she gently took both of his hands into her own. "No matter what happens in there," she said, quietly, "remember how much I love you."

Anakin returned her gaze as she reached up with her hand and gently caressed his cheek, and then ran her fingers slowly through the hair at the nape of his neck. "You are my life," she said, quietly. "I love you more than you'll ever know."

Anakin gently caressed her cheek as he gazed, deeply, into those beautiful eyes. "You are my source of happiness, my source of strength," she continued, and then paused for a moment, her eyes searching his. "Let me be yours," she said, softly.

They looked at each other in silence for a long moment until, finally, still holding his gaze with her own, Padmé spoke, quietly. "Please don't let anyone or anything take you from me," she whispered softly.

Anakin smiled softly at her, lost in that passionate gaze. "Don't worry," he said quietly.

Padmé placed her hand behind his neck and pulled him into her arms, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. She closed her eyes tightly and kissed him, long and passionately, as he wrapped his arms tightly around her and returned her passionate kiss. "I love you," he whispered softly, as their lips parted for a brief instant, and she reached up and held his face in her hands for a brief moment.

"I love you too," she whispered softly, her eyes searching his again, "so much." She closed her eyes and pressed her lips gently to his again, holding him tightly as his lips moved slowly and passionately over her own.

After a long moment, their lips finally parted, and Anakin smiled at her, reassuringly. "Don't worry," he said again, gently stroking her cheek. "No one, and nothing," he said, very softly, "will ever separate me from you again."

Padmé smiled back at him. "Okay," she said, softly.

Anakin took her hand in his, and together, they walked to the rear of the ship and down the ramp, and made their way toward the massive stone complex that loomed above them.

Artoo left his position at the communications console, and rolled slowly toward the rear entrance ramp of the ship. He watched, for a moment, as Anakin and Padmé made their way past Obi-Wan's ship and started up the winding path that lead to the complex above. He whistled, sad and plaintively, and turned on his wheels back to where Threepio sat near the pilot's chair.

Threepio waved his arms, slightly, as he listened to the short series of whistles and clicks that emanated from the little astrodroid. "My sad, obtuse little friend," he replied, sarcastically, "if they had needed out help, they would have asked for it." He stood up and walked, somewhat stiffly, toward the spot where Artoo sat near the entrance ramp. "You have a lot to learn about humans, my little friend," he replied, and patted the little droid on the top of his sensor dome.

Artoo turned his sensors toward Threepio, and another long series of whistles and beeps ensued. Threepio shook his head. "You know," he said flatly, "for a mechanic, you do an excessive amount of thinking."

Immediately, the little droid responded with a loud series of peculiar noises. Threepio stepped back, surprised. "What does that mean?" he asked, irritated. "It means that I'm in charge here!"

Artoo swung his sensor dome back toward the ramp, and began to roll toward the exit. Threepio turned and watched him, surprised. "Wait!" he said, "where do you think you're going?"

As he started down the ramp toward the ground, Threepio followed after him, waving his arms excitedly. "Come back here, you little idiot!" he cried, excitedly. "Don't you have any sense at all!"

With nothing more than a series of rude noises in reply, Artoo made his way toward the same path that Anakin and Padmé had followed, with Threepio, complaining and arguing all the way, trailing close behind him.

"I think I've almost got it," Anakin said, eying the control panel intently as he worked.

Padmé watched as he stripped the insulation from the small green wire in his hands, then quickly wound it around two others he had removed moments earlier. She turned and looked back over her shoulder, eying the rocky terrain carefully. They had seen nothing on their way from the ship to the heavy, metal access door where they now stood. If luck were on their side, she thought, perhaps they could make their way into the complex unnoticed.

She turned back and watched as Anakin carefully inserted the bundle of wires in his hand into a small relay. With a bright spark as the wires touched the contacts and a distinct smell of ozone, the door's pneumatic actuators engaged, and the doors slid open quickly with a loud hiss. As soon as they were open, Anakin removed the wires, and then closed the cover on the access panel.

Beyond the light that shown through the open access doors, the tunnel was dark; the air seemed cold, almost stale, as, hand in hand, they quietly stepped through the opening and took a few cautious steps inside. They stopped and stood quietly for a moment as they allowed their eyes to adjust to the gloomy darkness.

"Nice place," Padmé said, as she looked around cautiously, her voice echoing through the long, dark tunnel.

"Yeah," Anakin said quietly, nodding his head. "Really nice." He looked around, slowly; something about this place unnerved him. He felt on edge, almost as if they were being watched; he turned his eyes upward, and carefully surveyed their surroundings.

The tunnel walls were barely visible in the dim light that issued from a point ahead of them, a distance of about one hundred meters. He could see another set of access doors at the far end that lead even further into the complex. They must be in some outer passageway, he though, a gateway of sorts that lead further into the massive complex. Still holding Padmé's hand securely, Anakin nodded toward the far end of the tunnel, and they made their way slowly through the darkness toward the light at the other end.

Still holding Padmé's hand securely, Anakin nodded toward the far end of the tunnel, and they made their way slowly through the darkness toward the light at the other end

Padmé's eyes strained in the dim light as they walked quietly through the darkness. They were about halfway there, she estimated, as they seemed to be in the darkest part of the expanse now. The dark, rust colored walls appeared to be hewn from the stone themselves, and other than numerous shadows and dark crevices that wound their way from the rocky floor to the ceiling, they appeared to be devoid of any surface features. She took another step forward, as her eyes searched the floor in front of her, and then stopped, suddenly.

She wasn't quite sure what it was she heard; a rustle, very faint, in the darkness. She tugged gently on Anakin's arm as she paused, and he stopped next to her. "Did you hear that?" she whispered, quietly.

Anakin felt her squeeze his hand, and he could sense that she felt that something was wrong. "What is it?" he whispered, quietly, as he turned his head toward her.

"I'm not sure," Padmé said, turning her eyes toward him, as she kept her ears tuned to the darkness around them. "I think I heard something. It sounded like a scratching, scraping noise."

Anakin closed his eyes, and, reaching into the Force, stretched out with his feelings. Padmé watched him, as he stood silently for a moment, his senses tuned to the Force around him as he probed the darkness.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes, and turned to her. "Padmé," he said, softly, "we're not alone."

Padmé felt a rush of anxiety as she watched him, smoothly and quickly, drop his hand to his belt and retrieve his saber. Instinctively, she reached under her cloak and drew her blaster, gripping it tightly as she brought the pistol up beside her and, very quietly, flipped the safety off. She heard the soft, high-pitched whine as the weapon energized itself, and the small red arming beacon near the trigger began to flash softly in the cavern's gloom.

They stood there for what seemed like an eternity, side by side, frozen in the gloomy darkness. Suddenly, she heard a distinct sound behind her, a rushing noise, almost like the flapping of wings.

Anakin spun quickly and, with a single fluid motion, ignited the brilliant blue blade of his lightsaber, bringing it around smoothly as he spun counter-clockwise toward the onrushing sound. As his blade illuminated the cavern around them, Padmé turned around and watched as his blade struck the creature mid-torso, sending it to the cold, rocky floor howling and writhing with pain.

The creature appeared to be roughly similar to them in size, with dark brown, scaly skin and large, translucent wings. At the end of its long, gangly arms, its fingers were tipped with long, sharp claws that flailed wildly as it thrashed in agony and then, with a final raspy cry, fell silent.

Padmé heard the scratching noise again; only this time, it was repeated many times over. Slowly, she and Anakin both turned their eyes upwards toward the ceiling. In the soft, blue glow of Anakin's weapon, they watched as the ceiling appeared to come to life as dozens of creatures just like the one that lay before them began to move about and eye them, warily.

"Go," Anakin said, quietly, as they both took a cautious step backwards, toward the dimly lit door at the tunnel's end. Padmé nodded slowly, her eyes still fixed on the creatures, as they milled about on the ceiling and began to make their way, slowly down the walls toward them.

In perfect concert, Padmé and Anakin turned and, as fast as they could, bolted toward the door ahead of them. As they did, the cavern began to fill with the sound of beating wings, as the first of the creatures leapt from the ceiling and began to pursue them.

They both stopped, only for a moment, as one of the creatures swooped down quickly and landed, just a few meters in front of them. Startled, Padmé took a quick step back, and then, instinctively, raised her blaster and fired at the creature. Anakin watched as her shot hit the creature directly in the chest and sent it crashing to the floor with a howl of pain. As it did, he sensed the two that approached them from behind and, turning quickly, he dispatched them both with a smooth blow from his saber. Again, they both turned and bolted, as quickly as they could toward the door that waited a few meters ahead of them.

Padmé was the first to reach the door, and she turned and looked over her shoulder and watched as Anakin, only a few steps away, turned and swung his blade up and into one of the creatures as it swooped down from the ceiling toward them. His blade caught it neatly below it's chest, as it's lower half fell, thrashing, to the floor, while the upper half continued on and struck the stone wall with considerable force.

Padmé reached out and pressed the button on the control panel on the wall, and the door hissed and opened quickly. Blinking in the sudden flash of bright light, she turned and called over her should to Anakin, as with a strong Force push, he sent a small group of the creatures flying backwards through the tunnel.

The sound of heavy machinery filled the air around them as Padmé called to him. "Ani," she cried, "This way!" As quickly as she could, she stepped through the opening and out onto the shiny, metal path that extended beyond the door.

She stopped as quickly as she could, fighting the momentum that had carried her through the door and onto the platform. Her voice caught in her throat as she drew her arms back, rocking her weight back onto her heals. Skidding to a stop, her feet only an inch from the platform's edge, she looked down and into the massive facility that stretched out below her. Everywhere she looked, dozens of conveyors carried metal, parts and partially assembled droids in different directions. She took a quick step back, her heart pounding in her chest, gazing with amazement at the sheer size of the operation below, realizing how close she had come to simply running off the edge of the platform.

His senses keenly aware of Padmé and where she was, Anakin swung his blade around once more, as he neatly and quickly dispatched yet another of the scaly, winged attackers. Suddenly, he felt a strange tremor in the Force, and he took a step back and steadied himself, closing his eyes tightly as an image began to flash brightly through his mind...

He watched, helplessly, as, in his mind's eye, he saw the narrow platform under Padmé's feet begin to retract and, struggling to balance herself, she slipped off the edge of the platform and down into the facility below her...

Instantly, Anakin's eyes opened widely and, as fast as he could, he spun around and closed the distance between himself and the door where Padmé stood looking out toward the gaping expanse below her.

Padmé felt her feet move, and she instinctively stretched her arms out to her sides to catch her balance. She was moving, backwards, back toward the door she had come through. She turned and looked behind her, and watched with a quickly growing sense of despair as the platform on which she stood withdrew itself further into the wall behind her. She struggled to keep her balance, and stepped sideways to catch herself. As she did, the platform caught for a split second, and then jerked as it resumed it's backwards motion.

"Anakin!" Padmé cried, as she waved her arms in a desperate attempt to balance herself. Thrown off balance by the platform's sudden movement, Padmé spun backwards and, as her foot missed the edge of the platform, she instinctively reached for the doorway's edge as she felt herself begin to fall backwards toward the chasm below.

She felt Anakin's hand grab her forearm, and, as she grabbed the sleeve of his tunic tightly, she swung back toward the rock wall, striking it hard. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she looked up at him. He held tightly onto a small metal handle on the wall near the door's railing with his left hand, his foot anchored against the narrow edge of the retracted platform. Holding onto his arm as tightly as she could, she looked quickly at the door as it hissed loudly and closed, followed by a loud howl of pain as it caught one of their scaly pursuer's arms in it.

"Hold on, Padmé," he said, and he clenched his teeth and, reaching into the Force, pulled as hard as he could. Smoothly and swiftly, he lifted her up and swung her onto the narrow ledge beside him.

Anakin wrapped his free arm around her waist as she wrapped her arms around his neck and held onto him tightly, both of them breathing heavily. As quickly as he could, Anakin drew his saber from his belt with his free hand, ignited the blade and, with a quick backwards thrust, drove it through the control panel on the wall beside him, sealing the door shut.

Padmé looked down toward the massive conveyor belts and machinery that loomed below them as she clung to him. "Good catch," she panted, heavily, and then turned and looked back at him with a smile and kissed him on the cheek.

Anakin smiled back at her, breathing as heavily as she was, and he hugged her tightly. He extinguished the blade of his saber and returned it to his belt as he tried to catch his breath. "Well, he said, looking back toward the smoldering panel, "We can't go back that way."

"Not that we'd want to, anyway," Padmé said, as she looked down and watched the scaly, brown claw that protruded through the closed doors twitch slowly. She looked back out toward the massive operation below them, surveying it carefully. "Look at this, Anakin," she said, her arms still wrapped tightly around his neck. "It's some kind of droid factory."

Anakin nodded as he turned and looked out toward the massive conveyors that moved below them. "Whatever they're building them for," he said, watching a column of partially assembled droids move into a large welding assembly, "they obviously need a lot of them."

Anakin turned and surveyed the rocky walls near the ledge where they stood. "We've got to find a way out of here," he said, looking for a possible means to escape the narrow perch where they now found themselves trapped. The area below them was a maze of conveyors and quickly moving heavy machinery. No, that wasn't good – they needed to find another way.

"What about that?" Padmé asked, as she looked and pointed directly above them.

Anakin looked up; directly above them, at a height of twenty meters or so, was a large opening in the dusty brown rock wall. It appeared to be dimly lit, much like the tunnel from which they had just come. He turned and looked down at the platform on which they now stood, then across to control tower to which it should extend when fully open; he gauged the distance to be about the same as that to the opening above them.

"Yeah," he said, looking at the large metal access panel near the platform's edge. "That might do nicely." He gently tugged at Padmé's belt, nudging her closer to the closed door behind them. "Here," he said, gently nudging her backwards, "stay back as close to the door as you can, okay?"

Padmé nodded, and pressed herself back against the door as securely as she could. She watched as Anakin drew his saber and, crouching down so that he could reach the access panel near the platform's edge, ignited the blade and began to slowly and neatly cut open the metal door. She blinked as she watched his blade spark brightly, as the superheated metal burned and fell as bright gold molten slag into the complex below them. The cut complete, Anakin extinguished his blade and, using the hilt of his weapon as a pry bar, he dislodged the heavy metal door and sent it spinning to the floor far below.

"This platform retracts, so there should be a lot of cabling in this access panel," he said, as he reached into the still smoking opening. "With any luck, there should be enough for us to use as a rope."

Padmé watched him quickly begin to pull long lengths of thick, black cable out of the panel, and then reach for his saber again and cut it free. Returning his weapon to his belt, he handed the freshly cut end to Padmé. "Here," he said, standing up beside her, "roll this up." He looked back up toward the opening above them. "This should be enough."

Padmé rolled the cable neatly up and placed it securely on her shoulder. "But how do we get up there?" she asked, turning and looking back up toward the ledge far above them. The walls were smooth, with no visible handholds that would offer a good purchase for climbing. "That's a long way up."

Anakin turned to face the door, and carefully took a step back toward the platform's narrow edge. Instinctively, Padmé reached out to him and took hold of his arm securely. "Anakin," she said, a worried look on her face, "be careful. You'll fall."

Anakin reached out and squeezed her arm gently. "Don't worry," he said with a smile. "I won't." He leaned over and gently kissed her on the cheek. "Stay right here," he said, and she looked at him, somewhat puzzled and worried, as he took the coil of cable from her and placed it securely on his shoulder.

Anakin stepped back as far onto the ledge as he could, and then closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He reached, deeply, into the Force, allowing it to flow through him, and, opening his eyes and concentrating on the ledge far above him, he jumped.

Padmé watched in amazement as he leapt, almost effortlessly, from the platform and straight into the air above them, crossing the distance between them and the opening above in only a couple of seconds. He boots landed securely on the opening's rocky ledge and, quickly, he hopped off the ledge and disappeared into the opening above her.

Anakin ran, quickly, to a large stone pillar that stood near one of the entrances to the large, circular chamber where he now stood. Taking the coil of cable from his shoulder, he fastened it securely around the pillar and then moved quickly back to the ledge where he had entered, and looked down at Padmé.

She was still standing there, her mouth still open in amazement, as he looked back over the ledge. "Okay," he said with a smile, "your turn."

"I think I'm going to need a little help," she replied, smiling slyly. "I seem to have forgotten my ascension gun."

"Here," he said, as he began to lower the cable down to her as quickly as he could. "Take the end of this and tie it around your waist."

Padmé reached out carefully and took hold of the thick black cable as it reached her and quickly did as he instructed, fastening it securely around her. She looked down toward the chasm below her nervously, and then back up to where Anakin waited for her. "Okay," she said, holding the cable tightly, "Let's go."

She felt the cable go taught as he pulled on the other end, and, as her boots left the ledge, she swung them toward the door, steadying herself as she held onto the cable as tightly as she could. Slowly and steadily, she closed the distance between them and, as she reached the edge, Anakin took hold of her arm tightly and helped her over the ledge and onto the floor beside him.

Padmé reached down and untied the cable from around her waist, and, as she dropped it to the floor, Anakin wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "Are you alright?" he said, quietly.

"Yes," she smiled, as she held him close. "I'm fine." She looked up at him with a broad smile. "How did you do that?" she asked, a look of puzzled amazement on her face.

Anakin laughed and smiled mischievously at her. "It's just a little trick that Obi-Wan taught me a long time ago," he said, reaching down and taking her hand. "I'll tell you all about it later."

Together, then turned and looked around the room where they now found themselves. It appeared to be an observation chamber of some sort, dimly lit by a large, orange light that hung at the apex of the chamber above them. On one side, the chamber joined a dark tunnel that seemed to wind around the circumference of the huge, circular complex. Directly across on the other side, two more tunnels connected, one leading up to the level above them and the other, down to the levels below.

"Well," Padmé said, looking around the chamber, "it looks like we have several options now." She looked back toward the wall where the two tunnels interconnected. She pointed and nodded toward the one that seemed to descend to the base of the complex far below. "I think that's our best option," she said, and turned back to Anakin. "What do you think?"

He nodded in agreement and, hand in hand, they made their way quietly into the dimly lit tunnel and down toward the facility below them.

They reached the lower level of the complex in short order, and the dark, winding tunnel opened up into a large chamber on the ground level. Anakin and Padmé stepped quietly along the inside wall, being careful to conceal themselves in the shadows as much as possible.

Anakin peered out into the chamber from the shadows where they stood. Directly across from them, a large, gothic archway opened up into a large courtyard of some kind and, directly beside the archway, a narrow staircase wound up along the rocky wall and to a point directly above the room. To the left of the courtyard's entrance, another larger tunnel wound through to the far side of the complex. Along it's length, he could see doors of some type spaced evenly along the rocky walls, extending beyond his vantage point.

Suddenly, he heard voices. Instinctively, he squeezed Padmé's hand and, together, they slipped back into the shadows, just inside the tunnel's entrance.

They watched intently as a tall, silver haired gentleman, his long, black cloak swirling gently as he walked, appeared at the entrance of the larger tunnel to the left of the courtyard. Directly behind him, another figure appeared, walking slowly, as his boots echoed off the cold, stone floor. Anakin immediately recognized the cold, silver armor and the dark faceplate on the helmet the man wore; it was the same armor as he'd seen on the mysterious figure who'd jetted away the night that Zam Wesel was killed after her failed attempt on Padmé's life. He watched, apprehensive, as the silver haired man turned and faced the mysterious, armor-clad figure.

"So, what do we do with him?" the armored figure asked.

The silver haired man reached out and gently brushed his sleeve with his hand. "We'll convict him of espionage," he said, nonchalantly, and then looked back up at his companion. "And then he'll be executed, in a couple of hours."

"He's a Jedi Knight," the armored man replied, his voice tinny and resonant under the helmet that he wore. "The Republic won't take it well if we kill him."

Anakin turned and looked at Padmé, and she placed her hand gently on his shoulder. They turned and watched as the two men continued their conversation.

"We no longer recognize the Republic out here, Jango," the silver haired gentleman replied calmly. "I and my Master will deal with that. See to it that he's delivered to the Geonosians for execution as soon as they're ready."

Jango? Anakin thought, as the name struck him like a stone; Jango Fett was the name of the bounty hunter the assassin had given them on Naboo. All of the pieces of this puzzle began to fall into place in his mind - Jango had obviously recruited the assassins he had faced on Naboo, as well as Zam, and he had killed her that evening to protect his identity. Instinctively, he reached behind him, and pushed Padmé closer in behind him, concealing her as best he could.

They watched, silently, as Jango nodded and, turning back toward the tunnel, walked back the way he had come and disappeared into the darkness. As he did, the silver haired man turned and walked slowly toward the archway and disappeared into the courtyard in front of them.

Anakin turned back to his young wife as she stood closely beside him. "Padmé," he said, quietly, "that was Fett, the bounty hunter that hired the assassins that attacked us."

Padmé nodded in reply. "Yes," she said, "and now they've got Obi-Wan." She looked back toward the courtyard into which the tall, silver haired man had disappeared. "And that other man," she said, her face intent and thoughtful, "I may be wrong, Anakin, but I think that may be Count Dooku."

"Dooku?" Anakin asked quietly, puzzled. "Are you sure?"

"I think so," she said, her eyes meeting his. "I only met him once, a long time ago. But that voice is almost unmistakable. I'm almost sure that's him."

"He used to be a Jedi," Anakin replied quietly. "Master Obi-Wan told me that he left the Order under bad pretenses a long time ago." He looked back out toward the courtyard again. "Master Qui-Gon was his apprentice."

"We've suspected that he may have been working with the Separatists for a long time," Padmé continued, whispering quietly as he looked back at her. "The last time he came to the Senate, he was called in for questioning, and he refused to answer any questions at all." She looked back up at Anakin. "He just left, and no one in the Senate's heard from him since."

Anakin turned and looked back toward the tunnel that Fett had disappeared into. "Well," he said quietly, "whatever it is that they're up to, they've got Master Obi-Wan."

He turned and looked back at Padmé as she squeezed his hand tightly. "We've got to find him, Ani," she said quietly. "We can't let them kill him. And that's exactly what they're planning to do."

Anakin turned and looked back out toward the chamber, and his eyes caught sight of the narrow stairway that wound up and above the courtyard where Dooku had gone a few moments before. He turned and looked back at Padmé again. "Come on," he said. "I've got an idea."

As quietly as shadows, they slipped out of the darkness and crossed the chamber as quickly as they could, and then disappeared up the narrow staircase and out toward the courtyard in front of them.

The lights in the many buildings that surrounded the massive Republic Senate complex twinkled like brilliant stars in the late evening sky. Stars were something that were seldom seen in the skies of Coruscant, save for the extremely large and bright ones that dotted the skies in random places. The entire surface of the planet was one large city, growing for literally miles into the sky, and so great was the light generated by it's many lights that the smaller stars simply could not be seen in the dark topaz evening sky.

Mace Windu turned his eyes from the rows of windows that lined either side of the long corridor, and looked around thoughtfully as he walked, quickly, toward the main Senate Rotunda. His boots echoed loudly on the hard stone floor, and his dark brown cloak swirled around his feet as he walked. His dark skinned face bore the expression of a man who was deeply troubled, as he studied the many people who gathered here in the outer corridor. All around him, representatives from the many governments and planets of the Republic hurried about, shuttling information from their constituents to the Senators who gathered in the Rotunda.

The Republic had stood, securely, for over a thousand years; indeed, the thousands of free systems that were represented here had worked and lived together in peace since the first three planets had formed a simple representative delegation to establish relations with each other. Over time, the Republic had grown, and the Jedi Knights had come to be the servants and peace keepers of the Republic; their skills and powers, along with their knowledge of the Force, had helped to ensure that systems worked together, in a peaceful and truthful fashion to resolve their differences. Indeed, there had not been a war, other than a simple border dispute between systems, for centuries.

Until now.

Mace sighed deeply; now, it seemed, that peace that had stood for so many centuries was in danger of collapsing. The developments on Geonosis that Obi-Wan had relayed to them were far more serious than any of them on the Council had suspected. The Trade Federation and their allies were planning for war, that much was clear; and the recent news that a clone army now stood ready to serve the Republic had incited those Senators who felt that open war was justified to call for it's use.

There was no doubt, he though to himself; the Dark Side was responsible for all of this. Indeed, he and Yoda had both suspected it, since they had learned of the clone army. The question was, was it too late to stop the plans of the Dark Lord, whoever he was?

Mace rounded the corner of the corridor, and walked through the large, elaborately carved marble archway into the main rotunda. As he did, the shouts and loud comments of hundreds of Senators assaulted his ears. This special session of the Senate had been called only hours before, and the chamber buzzed with apprehension and excited voices.

There, just inside, on a ledge overlooking the massive, circular chamber, sat Yoda, who turned and regarded Mace thoughtfully as he walked slowly to him and took his place beside the tiny Jedi master.

Mace looked out into the rotunda. The chamber was large and deep, and, all around it's circular walls, hundreds of round anti-grav pods, complete with their own podiums and representative's chairs, stood docked in their stations. On each of these pods, the Senators and representatives of the various systems talked and moved about excitedly, in any normal Senate session. Today, however, the mood was far more tense; no, it was more than that. The Senators shouted and yelled furiously at each other – the din was overwhelming. Mace closed his eyes, and stretched out with his feelings, probing the energy in the room through the Force. He sensed many things; but an overwhelming sense of fear and apprehension filled the massive complex.

He turned and looked back at Yoda as the loudspeakers in the senate chamber thundered through the rotunda. Senator Mas Amedda waved his arms excited, as Chancellor Palpatine's pod slowly moved and docked at the central speaker's complex.

"Order! Order!" Amedda yelled, loudly. "We shall have order in the Senate, immediately!"

The uproar began to die down, slowly, as Chancellor Palpatine approached the central podium. "Honorable delegates of the Senate," Palpatine said, his voice thundering through the hall, "this emergency session of the Senate has been called and will now come to order."

"In the regrettable absence of Senator Amidala," Palpatine continued, "the chair will now recognize the senior representative from the sovereign system of Naboo, Jar Jar Binks."

Chancellor Palpatine extended his arm and motioned to the pod that floated near him, and, amid a din of cheers and boos, Jar Jar, and two of his Gungan aides, brought their pod alongside the Chancellor's. Jar Jar looked at him, nervously, as he approached the speaker's podium on his pod, and Chancellor Palpatine gave him a reassuring nod. Clearing his throat and mustering his courage, Jar Jar placed both of his large, bulky hands on the podium and spoke.

"Senators," Jar Jar said, his voice trembling, "Dellow fellegates..."

Jar Jar blushed as the Senate Rotunda erupted with laughter, and he looked down, embarrassed, his face bright red with color as he blushed.

"Order!" Mas Amedda chided, loudly, rising to his feet from his seat next to Chancellor Palpatine. "The Senate will maintain order and accord the representative from Naboo the courtesy of an orderly hearing!"

The Senate fell quiet, rather quickly, as Amedda surveyed the many pods for a moment, and then slowly took his seat again. As he did, Jar Jar gripped the sides of the podium tightly, and continued.

"In response to the direct threat to disa Republic," Jar Jar said, loudly, "mesa proposes that the Senate give, immediately, emergency powers to the Supreme Chancellor."

Immediately, the Senate erupted into loud cries and discussion. Jar Jar, taken back by the loud eruption of angry voices, took a step back from the podium, and looked sheepishly at the Chancellor as he stood watching him.

Suddenly, the roar died down, for just a moment, and then a loud outburst of applause and cheering rang through the massive chamber. As it did, Jar Jar stood taller, his face beaming with a proud smile as Chancellor Palpatine smiled and nodded at him. Jar Jar walked closer to the podium and, quite pleased with his performance, took a long bow, and then stepped back to his seat in the center of his pod.

As Jar Jar's pod moved slowly away from the central speaking area, Chancellor Palpatine stood and approached the podium of his pod. He placed his hands on either side of the podium, and surveyed the cheering senators for a moment, his face worried, concerned.

Chancellor Palpatine raised his hands, and the senate chamber fell into a hushed silence. "My esteemed senators and fellow delegates," Palpatine said, lowering his hands to the podium once again, "It is with great reluctance that I have agreed to this calling."

"I love democracy," Palpatine continued. "I love the Republic. It has stood for over a thousand years, a shining example of the heart of democracy itself. Now, after so many years of security, that democracy and this Republic itself are threatened."

Chancellor Palpatine raised his hand once again, gesturing to himself, emotionally. "I am mild by nature, I assure you," he said, "and I do not desire to see the destruction of democracy, or this Republic. The power you give me now, at our moment of need, I will gladly lay down as soon as this crisis has abated."

The senate floor burst into loud cheers and applause once again, and, after a moment, Mas Amedda rose and raised his hands into the air. As he did, the floor fell silent once more.

"As my first act with this newly appointed authority," Palpatine continued, his head held high as he addressed the senate, "I will create a grand army of the Republic to counter the threat of the Separatists."

Immediately, the Rotunda erupted into cheers and applause once again, and, smiling gratefully, Chancellor Palpatine bowed slightly, then stepped back slowly to his place in the center of his pod.

Mace Windu lowered his head for a moment, and then turned to Yoda. "It is done, then," he said, his voice somber, yet resolute. "The Republic plans to make use of the clone army."

Yoda took a deep breath, his hands folded in his lap as he surveyed the cheering senators for a moment, and then turned to regard Mace. "Travel to Kamino, I will," he said, nodding slowly to his fellow Jedi master, "and see this clone army they have created for the Republic for myself."

Mace nodded, as he placed his hands on his belt. As he did, his light saber swayed gracefully under the edge of his cloak. "I will take what Jedi we have available and go to Geonosis and rescue Obi-Wan," he said, and then looked back out at the senate chamber. "And see what type of army exists there."

Yoda rose to his feet, taking his small cane into his hand, and, with a speed and nimbleness that appeared deceptive for his advanced age, jumped down to the floor to stand next to Mace. Together, they turned and looked back out at the Rotunda and the cheering, clapping senators, and, looking at each other thoughtfully for a moment, they made their way slowly out of the chamber and back down the long, marble corridor toward the exit.

Anakin had always wondered why the Jedi insisted on doing some things, things that, at times, seemed to be trivial and useless, at least to one of his relatively few years. Now, as he knelt quietly, in the shadows, with Padmé at his side, the value of some of these 'trivial' things began to make itself clear to him.

He looked at the two small, circular indicators pulsing slowly on the small display he held in his hand; the larger, bright yellow indicator was Obi-Wan, and, judging from the information on his display, he was being held in a location not far from the dark corridor where he and Padmé now found themselves.

But they weren't looking for him just now. As a Jedi Knight, Obi-Wan would be heavily guarded, that much was certain, and any attempt that they made to free him from wherever he was being held would surely alert his captors to their presence. No, at the moment, they both concentrated on the small, green indicator that flashed softly on the alternate side of the small display.

It was no wonder, he thought to himself, that Artoo had been unable to locate Obi-Wan's tracking signal inside this massive stone complex. Even now, at this relatively close distance, the signal from the tiny, yet powerful, transmitters was broken and intermittent.

Padmé looked at the tiny screen as she crouched in the shadows next to Anakin, studying the display. Anakin pressed a small button, and the display cleared for a moment, and then redrew itself, narrowing its focus to the area around them. Anakin studied the direction indicators for a moment, and then turned to Padmé.

"It's just ahead of us, somewhere near the end of this corridor," he whispered quietly, as his eyes met hers. "It's probably in one of these rooms."

"Can you tell which side it's on?" Padmé asked quietly, looking down again at the tiny blue display.

"It's hard to tell from here," Anakin said, turning the display slightly in his hand as he looked back at it. "We should be able to tell when we get a bit closer."

They both stood up, quietly, and looked back down the dark corridor behind them; it was still empty. They had heard muffled voices as they had made their way quietly through the dark maze of tunnels, but, thankfully, they hadn't seen anyone, and, more importantly, they themselves had not been seen, either. Anakin leaned forward carefully, and looked back up the dark corridor ahead of them, toward the direction his tiny display indicated they needed to go; he saw nothing, but he heard voices, muffled and strange, in the darkness ahead.

He turned to Padmé and nodded at her gently. "Let's go," he said and, as quietly as they could, they stepped out from their hiding place in the shadows and made their way slowly along the dark corridor. Padmé followed close behind Anakin as she watched the indicator on the tiny display that he held in front of them draw closer and closer to the small blue crosshairs near its center.

They had covered about fifty meters distance when the tiny green indicator began to flash quickly, moving just above and to the right of the crosshair's center. Anakin reached back with his left hand and touched Padmé gently on the arm, and they both stopped and stepped into the shadow of a large support archway next to them. Just beyond the arch, to their right, stood a large metal door. Behind the door, they could hear muffled voices; Anakin listened intently, reaching into the Force and stretching out with his feelings, as he tried to sense the life forms inside the room.

After a moment, he turned to Padmé, who stood quietly next to him. "It's in this room just ahead," he whispered, softly, returning the tiny display device to his weapon belt.

Padmé nodded at him, and then listened for a moment to the voices that echoed behind the door. "Can you tell how many of them are in there?" she asked, and then turned and looked back down the hall behind them, her blaster ready at her side.

"No more than two, I think," he said softly.

Padmé looked back at him and nodded. "Not bad odds," she whispered, smiling slyly. "We need to take care of them quietly, though," she said, "and quickly. If they trip any kind of alarm, we're going to be in trouble."

"Any ideas?" Anakin asked softly, with a quiet smile.

Padmé looked at the door thoughtfully for a moment, and then, very quietly, she holstered her blaster at her hip. "I think so," she said, smiling softly at him. "After all," she said, her eyes shining brightly at him as she spoke, "I did survive that Trade Federation invasion, remember?"

She leaned up and kissed him on the cheek. "Stay right here," she said, "and keep your saber ready."

Anakin knew what she had in mind; he reached down and took his weapon from his belt.

"Be careful," he said softly, and he watched as she stepped quietly to the door and placed her hand on the large metal handle.

Padmé looked back at him as he took his place quietly beside the door, near the large metal hinges. "Ready?" she whispered softly. Anakin took a deep breath and nodded to her that he was.

Padmé looked down at the metal handle in her hand and, with a deep breath, she turned it slowly and then, with all of her might, pulled the heavy door wide open, swinging it toward Anakin.

The two Geonosian guards in the room turned and looked back toward the door from where they stood; surprised and caught completely off guard, they both looked at the lovely, white-clad young woman who stood in the doorway, smiling at them.

"Oops," Padmé said apologetically, "Excuse me!"

She smiled at the two surprised guards for a brief moment and then, suddenly, she turned and bolted down the dark corridor, away from Anakin. When she was about ten meters from him, she stopped and turned back towards the open doorway.

The two Geonosian guards scrambled wildly, each of them reaching for their weapon as they ran hastily toward the door. Anakin watched them as they burst through the doorway and into the corridor, and then take several cautious steps toward Padmé as she stood quietly, her hands raised to her sides submissively, in the dark hallway.

"I surrender!" Padmé said, raising her hands higher in the air, as the two angry Geonosian guards eyed her suspiciously. As they did, Anakin stepped silently out from behind the door and, as silently as a shadow, stepped behind them, his saber held tightly in his right hand.

Padmé smiled at the two guards as she watched him step behind them, then nod at her silently. "Behind you," she said, pointing over their shoulders with her raised hand. As she did, Anakin ignited the blade of his lightsaber.

The dark corridor filled with a bright blue glow, as the two startled Geonosians turned around quickly as the powerful hum of Anakin's weapon filled their tiny ears. They only saw him for an instant, as they tried in vain to raise their weapons; smoothly and effortlessly, Anakin struck the both of them down, and then powered down his saber, returning it quickly to his belt.

Padmé ran to his side as Anakin reached down and grabbed one of the fallen Geonosian's arms. "Quick," he said, as he drug the unfortunate guard toward the open door, "we've got to hide these two."

Padmé nodded, and, placing the other guard's weapon on his chest, she took hold of its arms and began to drag the limp body toward the door. She wrinkled her nose in disgust, as she strained to drag the heavy, scaly body through the doorway; it smelled terrible.

She dragged the body to the corner where Anakin had placed the other and, as he walked past her toward the doorway and quietly closed the door, she tugged one last time and dropped the heavy, clammy body next to the other, and then rubbed her hands on the legs of her pants.

"Yuck," she said quietly, "These things smell awful. What are they?"

Anakin turned and looked at her with a grin, as he secured the lock on the door. He walked quietly across the room to where she stood, looking down at the scaly brown bodies in disgust. "I'm not sure," he said, rubbing her shoulder gently with his left hand as he stood beside her and looked at the two fallen guards. "They look almost like some kind of drones, or soldiers, to me," he said, looking back at her face as she wrinkled her nose again.

"By the way," he said, looking at her with a grin, "that was brilliant."

Padmé looked up at him. "Old tricks are the best tricks, sometimes," she said, a sly smile on her lips. "Besides, it worked a long time ago. I thought it might again."

Anakin squeezed her shoulder, and then turned, his eyes, searching the room. "Come on," he said, "we need to find Obi-Wan's lightsaber. It's in here somewhere."

Together, they both began to search the room. It only took a moment for Padmé to find the small box in the corner; small and heavy, it was secured with a strong padlock.

"Anakin," she said, lifting the box from the floor and placing it on a nearby table. "I think I found it."

Anakin came and stood beside her and, retrieving his weapon from his belt, he ignited the blade and quickly cut the lock from the hasp, sending an array of bright yellow sparks scattering across the table and down to the stone floor. As he returned his weapon to his belt, Padmé carefully opened the box, and there, in the center, lay Obi-Wan's weapon. She quickly picked it up and turned back to Anakin with a smile.

"Got it," she said, handing the shiny silver weapon to her husband.

"Remind me to give Master Obi-Wan a good lecture about losing his weapon when we see him," Anakin grinned, as he took the saber from her and tucked it securely under his belt.

Padmé smiled and took a deep breath as she watched him secure Obi-Wan's weapon. "What do we do now?"

Anakin looked up at her as he tucked the top of his master's weapon under his jacket. "Well," he said, thoughtfully, "now we wait for them to move him for his execution."

Anakin reached into his belt and pulled out the tiny display again, and switched it back on. As he did, Padmé came and stood close beside him, watching as the display came to life. After a moment, the display locked in on Obi-Wan's transmitter, and the bright yellow indicator began to flash near the left edge of the display.

Suddenly, the indicator began to move, slowly. Padmé squeezed Anakin's arm tightly as she saw the indicator continue to move. "Ani," she said, quietly, "they're moving him now." She looked up at him, concerned. "We don't have much time," she said, softly.

Anakin nodded as he looked at the display intensely, watching the indicator move back toward the tunnel juncture that they had come through. "You're right," he said, turning to look at her. "Come on, we've got to follow them."

Anakin stepped quietly to the door and opened it slowly, and then looked cautiously in either direction. Seeing that the way was clear, he motioned for Padmé to follow him and they both stepped back through the doorway and into the dark corridor. Padmé closed the door behind them as quietly as she could, and they quickly stepped back into the shadows along the wall.

Padmé reached down to her hip and unholstered her pistol, as she looked over Anakin's shoulder at the bright blue screen that he held at arm's length. The flashing yellow indicator continued to move, slowly, away from them.

Anakin turned and looked back over his shoulder at her. "Come on," he whispered softly. "Let's go."

As soft and swift as shadows, they made their way back along the dark, cold corridor, toward Obi-Wan's signal and whatever awaited them ahead.

The adventure continues shortly!...