Chapter 5

In space in the Core Region

Obi Wan was able to sneak off Coruscant on a shuttle, it docked onto Senator Organa's ship. Weary, he entered the main hanger and was greeted by an even more worn looking Yoda and an equally fatigued senator. It's been a rough day for everyone.

"Master Yoda, how did it go?" He inquired carefully, dreading the inevitable answer.

"Strong with the dark side is Darth Sidious. Fail I did. Time to regroup we must." Master Yoda responded in a defeated tone.

Senator Organa added, "Chancellor Palpatine called an emergency session of the Senate and announced the formation of his Galactic Empire in which he would be the Emperor. There are a few of us that are resistant to these changes. We had been discussing this for a while now. I think it's time to take more drastic actions. A formal formation of a rebellion."

Obi Wan asked with concern laced in his tone, "Aren't you worried the Emperor will be suspicious?"

"Alderaan is a peaceful planet. We don't have any weapons. I would pose little threat to his empire but…you are right. We have to tread carefully." Senator Organa agreed.

"Senator Organa. A moment to speak in private please give us." Yoda requested.

Senator Bail bowed respectfully. They had been desperately searching for other Jedi after order 66 was carried out hoping that two Jedi that now occupied his vessel were not the last Jedi. He made his way to his captain to discuss where they should head to next, leaving the Jedi to their affairs.

"Able to find Darth Vader were you?" Yoda inquired as they made their way to a table. His age was showing as he carefully propped himself up on a chair. Obi Wan could see the toll Yoda's battle and ultimate defeat by Darth Sidious had taken on him.

"No, Master Yoda. I'm afraid he's disappeared." Obi Wan left out the part about Padmé being taken. He took a seat across from Yoda.

"Unfortunate that we have both failed today. On hold you must put. Reveal himself in time Darth Vader will. Now we must hide and save what Jedi we can. Quiet we must be for now. In time form the rebellion we will." Yoda's ears hung low.

Obi Wan gritted his teeth and didn't argue. Reaching out through the bond he shared with his former Padawan he could feel small flickers of Anakin's life force. He wasn't sure what that meant. Was there still good in him? Even though Yoda had given him a different mission, Obi Wan didn't plan to stop looking for him.

Wobani, Mid Rim

Wobani was mostly a deserted planet. A few scattered outposts and trading communities. Its relative obscurity made it a perfect place for scum and villainy to set up shops away from the Republic's prying eyes. Anakin and Padmé had to be careful here. They needed to get their supplies and leave quickly, hopefully without arousing suspicion.

Anakin set the cruiser down at the spaceport at a random trading post. After they landed, neither spoke a word to each other as they quietly dawned their cloaks. Padmé chose a larger cloak hoping it would cover her ever growing belly. She straightened her shoulders and looked pleased as her pregnancy swell disappeared under the folds of the cloak.

Anakin was lost in thought as he pulled his cloak on. Once they refueled, they still had a long way to go. What worried him the most was Padmé's impending delivery and how that will be accomplished. His fears were worrisome enough on Coruscant where they had access to the best medical care. Out here, in the middle of nowhere, he didn't know what they would do. If she died, that was a fate far worse than becoming a Sith; in his mind. But, this is the path they have chosen and they'll make do with what they have.

A small flint of the Force breezed through his heart, reassuring his worries about her dying in childbirth. That was new. This was the first time the Force had comforted him about Padmé's life since he had the nightmare.

He looked across at his wife hidden underneath the large brown cloak she wore. He could still see her face clearly. Even shrouded in a cloak, she was the most beautiful woman in the galaxy to him. His worries calmed as he took in her gentle features. He finally had what he always wanted. To be with Padmé. Those long months away, fighting an endless war, was over. They were finally given the gift of time, however short or long that may be.

He stepped forward, resisting the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her, "Are you ready."

She looked up into Anakin's tired eyes, the dark circles that started when he first came back to Coruscant had only deepened further threatening to permanently set in place.

She assured him, "Yes, Let's do this."

"I'll take care of the fuel while you go and get us some food and supplies." He turned to R2D2. "Artoo, go with Padmé and keep her safe for me."

R2D2 rolled up next to them and beeped enthusiastically.

C3PO scooted forward, "What about me, Master Ani?"

Anakin winched, "You stay here on this ship. You're too conspicuous, and you'll arouse suspicion."

A golden droid in a smuggler town would definitely go noticed and probably missing. Plus, C3PO had a tendency to display poor judgment, and Anakin couldn't afford any slip ups now. He thought to himself. He's going to have to repaint C3P0. Maybe a coat of red paint.

"As you wish, Master Ani," C3PO resigned. He scooted away with his shoulders hunched forward.

Anakin's attention turned as Padmé kissed him on the cheek then checked her hood, "You be careful!" She warned him.

The warmth from Padmé's lips lingered on his skin delightfully and Anakin gave her a small smile.

"Keep your comm open just in case. Don't worry. We'll be out of here in no time." He reassured her as he pressed the access panel on the hull.

Anakin marched down the ramp first to the fuel dealer, waiting in front of him. He turned around to watch Padmé and R2D2 head into town. He didn't like the idea of his pregnant wife wandering around a smuggler's port without him, but he didn't have a choice. The less time they spent here the less likely they'll draw unwanted attention.

The scruffy looking fuel dealer, with a distinctive smell, in front of him was a duros, a blue, bald humanoid creature with large, red eyes. Anakin commanded, "Fill her up and no funny business. I'm watching you." Anakin added sternly. The duros brushed off his comment and ushered his people to hook up the fueling pump.

The trading post was small with only a few stone wall stores lining the main street. The rest were stalls that could be quickly taken down at a moment's notice, in case trouble came through. Padmé and R2D2 had shown up mid afternoon and the sun was warm. Most of the locals had retreated to their residences to avoid the blistering heat.

Padmé carefully strolled down the dirt street of the trading post. She kept her head down but also made a note of her surroundings. It's a trait she learned from her days as a Queen. She would follow behind Sabé, as a handmaiden, being unassuming but ever watchful of the people around her. She checked the blaster she had on her hip, making sure the safety was off in case she needed to draw it quickly. She was glad that Anakin recommended for R2D2 to come with her. His presence was reassuring. For an astromech droid he was very talented and capable. And streetwise.

R2D2 rolled closely by her side. He didn't do his usually talkative beeping or looked around eagerly. He held several bags out on an appendage that jutted out from a side panel. She was thankful he was willing to hold the supplies as they shopped. She wondered how much the little droid understood of the entire situation. He had been with Anakin and saw what happened, yet his loyalty to Anakin was unwavering.

She was pulled away from her thoughts as she stopped in front of a stall. She wanted to get Anakin some less conspicuous clothing. He couldn't wear his Jedi robes any longer or that cloak. The items at this stall seemed like they would work. She plucked up a black tunic and trousers. Ever the moody person, Anakin preferred to wear darker clothing. She sifted through a couple cloaks until she found one she liked.

She turned to the shopkeeper, "How much for these items?"

The devaronian male, with his two thick horns protruding from the top of his scalp that contrasted his red, purple skin, looked up from the holonet he was watching. His face shined from the sweat on his brow. He eyed her carefully, "How much you got?"

Padmé ignored his attempt to overcharge her, "I can give you this." She produced a reasonable amount of Republic credits for the clothes and peered at him with a steady gaze.

He frowned, "Republic credits?" He snorted, "Normally, I wouldn't take them but…their value just went up. It's your lucky day, Missy. I'll take those credits off your hands."

Padmé couldn't contain her curiosity, "What do you mean they're more valuable?"

The shopkeeper laughed, "Have you been stuck in a hole for the last couple of days? The Republic has been reorganized to the Empire. The Separatists are done with! The credit you hold in your hand is now the most powerful currency in the galaxy."

She stared into her hands looking at the credits as if they turned into blood.

"You don't believe me? Just look at the holonet here." He shifted over so she could view the new update he was watching.

Padmé peered over at his holonet. She saw Darth Sidious's face for the first time. She gasped! Was that Sheev Palpatine? What happened to his face? It was contorted into this hideous creature. It didn't look like the gently aging Nubian man she was so familiar with. His face was a sickly white with rolls and rolls of skin that looked like it was melting off his face. His eyes burned a yellow, red color she's never seen before. She couldn't recognize the man she knew since she was Queen at 14 years old. Was this his true face he was hiding all this time?

"Jedi Scum," the shop dealer randomly stated.

Padmé snapped her attention back to him as he continued, "There's a huge bounty for any information on any Jedi whereabouts. Finally, the Empire realizes the scum those Jedi really are." He laughed to himself. "Serves them right!"

Padmé shoved the credits into his hands as the shopkeeper blinked at her with a quizzical look. She grabbed the clothes and quickly made her away out of the market. She couldn't spend another second on this planet.

Anakin paid the man after watching him refuel. He knew of these types. They would try to charge for a full tank but only fill it part ways. It was a common scam back on Tatooine. As a kid, he remembered them boasting about how much money they made watering down the fuel and only fueling enough to get ignorant travelers to the next fueling station, which was usually run by their accomplice.

Anakin checked the rest of the ship and felt a familiar force signature bristle at the back of his neck, but he quickly brushed it off when he saw Padmé and R2D2 quickly making their way back to the cruiser. He allowed himself to relax slightly at the sight of his wife back safely, but that disappeared when he felt the fear radiating off her.

Sweat dripped down Padmé's face as she quickly made her way back to the cruiser. She knew she should slow down, as curious eyes follow her, but she couldn't stop. She wanted to leave as soon as possible. The sight of the Emperor terrified her in a way she never really felt before. She saw the face of pure evil. Padmé slowed down just slightly, relieved once the cruiser was back in her line of vision. As she ascended the ramp with R2, she caught sight of her husband outside the cruiser, checking the landing gear.

Anakin swiftly made his way up the ramp after his wife. Once the doors had closed, he pulled down his hood and closed the space between him and his wife, planting a kiss on her soft, full lips and pulling her in for a tight hug.

"Did anyone recognize you?" He pulled away and cupped her face in his hands.

She hugged Anakin, holding tightly to his Jedi robes, "No, I don't think so."

It wasn't the first time either one of them had gone undercover and needed to remain discreet. Anakin, as a Jedi, was trained from a young age for these types of situations. Amusingly, so was Padmé. Her reign as Queen of Naboo had helped her acquire a particular set of skills that she built upon later as a Senator. She was as formidable as Anakin with skills in espionage, marksmanship, and even lock picking-and without Jedi powers. Together, it would be hard for anyone to track them down.

"But Ani….Palpatine is all over the news and the Jedi manhunt…" Worry laced through her words.

Anakin sighed, "I know. I heard it on the comm chatter before we landed."

"This is bad…" Padmé stated the obvious. "If anyone figures out we're out here…" She shuttered to think what would happen if they were caught.

Anakin leaned closer pulling her into a tight hug as he rubbed soothing circles on her back, "They won't. We have a head start and we'll use that to our advantage." A hard line furrowed into his forehead and he pursed his lips.

"We're going to have to get rid of the cruiser." He finally admitted.

Padmé's cruiser was fast, efficient, and safe, especially with the modifications he recommended to her Captain over the years. The brilliance of the radiant chrome coating of the sleek cruiser made it very distinguishable. At some point, someone will be looking for a man and a woman traveling with 2 droids. That, he couldn't change too much but the ship he could.

"We'll find another planet where we can dump it and get another ship," he continued as he pulled away.

Padmé nodded as she clenched her hands by her side, bitting her lip, "I saw his face…" She spoke barely above a whisper.

Anakin frowned, concerned with what could have shaken his wife so severely, "Who's face?"

Her intense, brown eyes were wide with horror, "Palpatine. It was….terrifying. I couldn't recognize him. It was so twisted and evil…."

Anakin could feel the full intensity of Padmé's fear that she didn't withhold from him. He brought his flesh hand to caress her cheek, tenderly, "I won't let him hurt you."

"And you?" She quickly added, "Anakin, if he finds us…finds you," Padmé drifted off.

The man she once knew as Sheev Palpatine, first as a Senator of Naboo, then as the Supreme Chancellor, was unrecognizable. She couldn't believe such monstrosities hid under his human countenance. He wasn't innocent in her eyes for sure. She held him just as responsible for the Senate's corruption, if not one of the leading causes. Now, that facade was gone, she saw his true face, and it spoke of the evils he was capable of.

"He won't." Anakin furrowed his brow and promised pushing through the doubt that crept in.

"Anakin…I can't raise this child alone." Padmé whimpered.

Anakin touched his forehead to rest on Padmé's. He could hear her breathing soften as their closeness comforted her. He fought down his own fears knowing that Padmé's concerns were valid. He needed to be strong for the two of them. No. For his family. So long as he had breath in his lungs, he would protect his family from harm.

"We're going to have to change our names and Artoo and Threepio. Maybe give them a new paint job. Then we're going to go to the Nevah system and disappear. We'll raise our family out there, and no one will find us. I promise you." Anakin stated adamantly with full authority in his voice.

Padmé, trembling, tilted her head up to lock onto Anakin's lips, sealing his promise that they will be safe.