Chapter Eighteen: "Complications"
There is a thin line to walk during negotiations. Generally, it's a good idea not to annoy the one you're trying to persuade, but I was pressed for time. I needed Senator Organa's support and I was willing to push my opinions on him.
He had viewed the holocron and had listened diligently to my story of what I'd seen and what had happened to Obi-Wan. He was almost swayed, he had informed me, but needed time to consider supporting my motion.
There was nothing else I could do, and as a last resort, I requested an appointment with Chancellor Valorum. Three weeks later, it was granted, and I presented the same material and argument to him. He was actually more receptive than Bail had been, and I hoped he would make a decision soon. However, his answer had been the same. Once again, I was forced to wait.
I sat in my office, my sole focus upon the results of either of their decisions, putting every effort into my daily responsibilities when my aid knocked on the door. Her face was bright and hopeful. She informed me she'd heard a rumor that Senator Organa had requested a formal session to discuss the matter of changing some old laws no longer required or effective. I was hoping the law against the use of the Force was on the agenda, although I couldn't be sure. Again, I'd have to wait. The session was scheduled for the end of the week, which was four days away.
The day before the session, I was headed back to Senator Organa's office to make sure that my motion was going to be brought up. His secretary asked me kindly to wait in his outer office while he checked to make sure Bail wasn't busy. Instead of being told it was okay to go in as I expected, I heard someone cry out. I reacted immediately and ran to see what had happened. From the young man's reaction, I had expected Bail to be slumped over his desk or something. Instead, what I discovered was almost just as bad or possibly worse than I'd thought. An angry Zabrakian stood behind the Senator, brandishing a glowing red blade, which he held at Bail's throat.
"What do you want?" I demanded firmly, while I approached slowly. I had no idea what I was going to do, but I wasn't about to let the thing take the Senator away without a fight!
Instead of an answer, the being hissed at me and pulled on the senator's cloak, forcing him to rise from his seat. I stepped forward again, grabbing the first thing I could off the desk, which happened to be a heavy crystal orb.
"Back off," the being insisted, revealing a row of sharp, black, metallic teeth.
"Again, I'll ask..What do you want?"
With apparently the same power that Obi-Wan possessed, the vile creature threw open the doors leading to the balcony without touching them. Parked just beyond the threshold was a starfighter I assumed was his. It occurred to me he planned on abducting the Senator, but for what purpose?
"My Master will be in contact," the kidnapper informed me, drawing Bail Organa with him as he crept across the short veranda and into his waiting ship.
Bail courageously went with him without a fight, and as soon as the ship disappeared, I ran to the Chancellor's office to inform him of what had just occurred.
"You say it used the Force?"
Out of everything I had told him, this seemed the most important detail?
"Yes, but he was obviously evil," I assured him.
"Evil comes in many forms, Senator Amidala," he insisted. "This is troubling, but surely you must realize why the Republic has the laws they do. In order to protect us from beings like this who wield such powers for ill gain! I will not tolerate such activity, nor will I condone others who do so based on the simple fact you think they are nice."
The more he spoke, the more my heart began to sink. I tried to argue with him, but Valorum wouldn't hear of it.
"I'll have my personal security look into this matter. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. Good day, Senator."
Somehow, I felt as if I had failed. Not just Obi-Wan, but all the potential Jedi across the galaxy. As a result, I had to say one more thing.
"The creature who took Bail Organa was a Sith. The ones that Master Yoda warned us of. They exist and they are out there, Chancellor. We need the Jedi. They are the only ones who can protect us from them."
I didn't wait for a reply and spun on my heel to exit his suite. Once in the hall, my anger subsided and I was left feeling rather hopeless. I needed to contact Obi-Wan to tell him what had happened, but there wasn't any way to do so. Yoda didn't have a single transmitter or a comm device inside the temple or the library. The only thing close to one would be in Knossa, which he refused to visit. I could perhaps contact a courier there to send a note to him, but how long would that take? And would Master Yoda be upset if I gave away their location? There had to be another way!
If only there was someone who could help me that was close by.
And then it occurred to me. The Research Facility! In my worry, I'd forgotten all about it!
Without even bothering to gather my belongings, I rushed to the garage to fly straight over, unsure of what to expect. When I walked up to the building, which was once sterile and absurdly tidy, I noticed rubble still piled along the sidewalks and within the foyer. The ceiling still hadn't been fixed, and the floor was wonky. I kept to the edge along the wall and called out when I entered the first hall.
"Anyone here?"
There was no sign of a nurse, a doctor, or even a patient until I reached the common area, where I found many of the former residents gathered about as usual, playing sabacc, talking, or drinking. The biggest difference was their demeanor. They were all smiling and talking. I even heard laughter.
"Welcome!" a somewhat familiar voice called out to me from across the room. I turned to be greeted by a friendly face.
"Qui-Gon," I announced happily. It was good to see him again and in apparently such a jovial mood.
I was surprisingly pulled into an embrace before he stepped back, beaming. "Padmé, isn't it? What brings you here? I didn't think we'd ever see the likes of you again."
"What happened?" I asked. What I was witnessing was unbelievable. "Where's Dr. Treven?"
"It's a rather interesting story," he claimed with a charming smirk. "After our persecutor's untimely and unexpected demise, the facility ran a little short of funds and was closed. We were supposed to all be transferred back to prison, but the guards seemed to have changed their mind. It was rather kind of them really, to leave us to our own devices and all."
He was pulling my leg. I could tell by the twinkle in his eye. I imagined Qui-Gon had a hand in convincing the guards to leave them alone. Which was one of the reasons why I needed his help.
I explained the situation to him. The conversation drew two more residents.
"Hello," one of them said to me in a gentle tone. "My name is Adi. What you're describing sounds remarkably like a Sith. Did he have markings on him?"
"Oh, yes," I confirmed. "He was covered with them, and his eyes were the color of flame."
Adi gazed up at Qui-Gon, who immediately lost his expression of mirth. "So, they've returned."
"How do you know about them?" I asked. I had believed Master Yoda alone held all the information about the Jedi and the Sith locked away in his Temple.
"Following your departure, a wealth of information was released into the archives. I'm not sure who was responsible for it, but it answered a lot of our questions."
Bail! It had to be him! He was the only one who had access to the Holocron after I'd returned. He had studied it for so long. No wonder the Sith monster had taken him! He was endangering their future by bringing the history of the Jedi to light.
"Should we tell her?" Adi asked Qui-Gon.
Whatever their secret was, I was sure hoping they'd share it!
"I don't see why not. She is on our side, after all," the older man replied before turning his attention back to me. "Just a few days ago, we were visited by an entity that shared a prophecy with us. It told of one who would reunite the Jedi and create the path which we would follow."
"Obi-Wan," I said, smiling.
"No," Adi corrected me. "It was you, Senator Amidala. Continue your work. You're so close to revealing the truth."
"But what about Bail?" I asked.
"What about Bail?"
The voice that repeated my question came from behind me near the entrance and I recognized it immediately.
After blissfully shouting out his name, I ran into Obi-Wan's arms and embraced him. "I wasn't expecting you! What brings you here?"
"I'll explain later. First of all, tell me; what's happened to Senator Organa?"