Oct 2002
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, all the characters (Except for Tasha) are property of Lucasfilm etc etc.
Hide Your Love Away
Chapter 22
Anakin fought for focus. He's stepped into a windy tunnel, the force of which was strong enough to almost knock him from his feet, and forged onwards. He was freezing, the water racing across his skin and out behind him with the force of the wind. If nothing else came of his trek down this tunnel, at least he'd be dry. His arms outstretched on front of him to shields his face from the winds, he continued on. The Force came to his call as he found his calm and he pushed against the wind, making an invisible barrier in front of him that most of it couldn't cross. His clothes stopped whipping about his body as the wind died to a gentle breeze.
A wry smile twisted his lips as he continued down the passageway. He was almost completely dry after his exposure to that wind. It was a nice perk in an adventure gone wrong. His steps were sure as he crossed into another hall, dropping the force wall. Nothing. No wind, no smell, no light. Lovely. He cocked his head, listening for any kind of sound and frowned. There was a faint voice coming from up ahead. Closing his eyes he channeled the Force and enhanced his sense of hearing. Tasha. He suppressed a sigh. Trust Tasha to find trouble in the bowels of the city.
Following the sound of her voice, he planted his feet carefully, cautiously. She sounded angry, as if she was arguing with someone. Obi-Wan's story of how he'd last found Tasha flashed through his mind and he began to run. Obi-Wan would kill him if he let anything happen to Tasha while he was around.
Anakin stopped, letting the enhanced sense of hearing go, and found the faint voice trail again before beginning to run. Her voice became louder, but her words were still distorted. Another voice joined hers, a taunting male voice. Anakin added the Force to his run; the voice held a threatening note he wouldn't want to subject anyone to.
He rounded a corner, coming in an intersection, and dropped down into his senses. Tasha was well hidden; he couldn't find her. Her companion, on the other hand, blazed like a nebula of darkness. His lips thinning, he stretched out further, to see if the man had any accomplices. Padmé's signature came back to him. She was nearing the chamber with Tasha and the man from the other side. Focusing his gaze on his surroundings, he picked up his pace. He had to reach them before she did.
A couple minutes later he was looking over an overhang and into a large, well lit cavern. Tasha's voice echoed off the walls, the sound of lightsabers clashing in combat barely audible beneath her taunting, angry words.
"Is that the best you can do, Rykezzk? I thought you said Master Sidious taught you the finer points of lightsaber combat. Oh, are you losing your focus? You really should watch your footing, next thing you know you'll be swimming in the septic tanks."
Anakin flattened himself on the ledge and watched. Tasha, barely worked up, faced off with a man who was sweating heavily. Her hair floated about her face, curling and clinging to her skin as small beads of sweat slid down her cheeks. Her bodysuit was dirty, covered down one side in black liquid. The man she faced had black hair that was cut short to his head. Dressed in old-style military fatigues and combat boots, he looked like a Republic security cast off. He too had black liquid covering half of his clothing. Their lightsaber clashed as they hit each other with steady blows. Anakin silently noted that Tasha was solely on the defensive. She was simply defending herself.
Unwilling to risk distracting her, he slowly dropped to the floor, allowing his Force supported legs to absorb the shock. Unclipping his lightsaber from his belt he watched as Tasha continued to fend the man off, her hands working in precise movements. If he hadn't been so attached to Padmé, he might have been inclined to give Obi-Wan a bit of competition; Tasha was amazing in combat.
Igniting his lightsaber when the two broke apart and began circling, he stepped towards them. "Is there room in this dispute for a third?"
Tasha looked at him shocked as the man named Rykezzk spat a curse and lunged at him. "Skywalker! You're mine! When I bring the Master your head he'll reward me beyond my wildest imaginings!"
Anakin caught the man's red blade on his blue one, chuckling softly as he allowed the Force to flow through him and guide his movements. "I don't see how that would be too hard. Simpletons rarely wish for something beyond a willing woman."
Anakin's words had the desired effect on the other man and Rykezzk began pummeling him with sharp, short blows. From the jerky movements, Anakin could tell the other man had gone beyond using the Force; he was simply enraged and unable to control it. Anakin parried another blow of the saber, his arms working furiously to keep the spontaneous blows away. He suddenly threw his left arm wide and opened his palm. Tasha let out a surprised shriek when her lightsaber was torn from her grasp.
Anakin caught it, igniting the blade in one smooth motion. The other man didn't stand a chance. Enraged beyond words or reason, he wouldn't be able to defend himself. Anakin attacked, both lightsabers pummeling the man's one until one blade connected with the man's hand. Taking three fingers with half of the hilt, along with an anguished scream, Anakin stepped back. "Surrender."
"Never, Jedi." The man pointed his good hand at him and weak, blue streaks shot towards him.
Anakin caught them on the crossed blades. "You can't win, Rykezzk. You're out numbered and out classed. Tasha could have beaten you but she didn't. You have something she wants."
Tasha stepped forward, yanking her lightsaber out of his hand. "Don't do me any favors, Skywalker. I have this in hand."
"I see that, Tasha." He closed down his weapon and took a step back as Tasha brought the guard of her blade up into the man's face, knocking him senseless. Closing her eyes, she placed her hands on either side of the man's head and concentrated. After a few minutes she pulled away, turning to Anakin, her lightsaber un-ignited. Rykezzk lay on the floor unconscious and forgotten.
"I suppose you're wondering what I'm doing here."
She cocked her head at him, her eyes cold. "Actually I was wondering why I shouldn't kill you. Do you have a good reason?"
"Tasha, we've been through this. I won't fight you."
"Then it will be easier to kill you."
"You don't want to kill me, if you had you would have done it while I was fighting your friend there."
She frowned. "You were doing my work for me. Normally I don't appreciate it, but this delicate condition of mine..." she trailed off, her smile self-mocking. "I can take care of myself Skywalker. Why are you here?"
"We're looking for Palpatine."
She raised an eyebrow. "We?"
"Padmé and Obi-Wan are lost somewhere in this maze. We got introduced to the trap in the Chancellor's conference room."
"Do you like my design?"
He blinked. "Your... Oh, yes, very interesting. Very unique."
"Well, as much fun as this is, Skywalker, I have to be going."
"Please don't."
She cocked her head to the side. "I don't see a good reason why not. You helped me, so I'll let you live this time."
"I wanted to ask you about Obi-Wan."
She went very still. "I have nothing to say to you about him."
Anakin stepped towards her, taking the risk of igniting her temper and her blade. "Why did you leave him?"
Her eyes widened before she began laughing, stepping away from his deliberately. "Why does a Hawk bat flee a human?"
"Fear?"
Her eyes flashed. "I will be no man's prisoner!"
"But you'll be a slave if he wishes to purchase you?"
She tightened her grip on her weapon. "It's better than death, better than dying of starvation or selling myself to make ends meet."
"Better than knowing who you are and your place in the world?" He watched her fight the urge to lunge at him. Her face was impassive, but her eyes were a blaze of emotion.
"I know who I am and where I belong, Skywalker. Your return is the only thing that put a doubt into my mind. You're destroying my life again."
He held his arms wide. "Then kill me, if you like. I won't fight you. If taking my head, or body, to Palpatine will give you your freedom, I give it to you."
She backed away, her eyes reflecting her shock and confusion. "What game is this?"
"No games, Tasha. Is this what you want? Do you want to be second place for the rest of your life? Serving a man whose only goal is the surrender of the galaxy to his power? Is that the life you want to bring your daughter into?"
She sneered. "What about your precious family, Skywalker? Won't your death be pointless if I take you head, your place and then your son for my master?"
Anakin shook his head, his eyes reflecting his sadness. "I think you understand that no matter what you do to me, no matter what you accomplish, you'll never be more than a lackey. Serving a Master of evil whose only care is for himself won't give you what you want."
"You know nothing about me Skywalker!"
"I know what it is to be a salve. I know what it is to have every choice you make questioned, every move watched. I know what it is to be disrespected. Regardless of how well your master treats you, your life isn't your own."
She screamed, lunging at him as she ignited her lightsaber. Blue crossed amber with a sizzling crash as Anakin parried the blow. "I'm not your enemy Tasha. Calm yourself and you'll see what I say is true."
"You took me from my home!" She smashed her blade against his, sparks flying as the blows rained down with terrifying speed on the blue blade. "You stole my life! I hate you!"
"I didn't steal your life," he parried each of her blows, the last throwing her arm out wide as he stepped out of her reach. "Obi-Wan freed you, he gave you your life back!"
She jumped him, barely missing a beat, stabbing low and forcing him to step aside. She pressed him, forcing him to parry and fight, not giving him the chance to flee. "You destroyed my life! I was loved, damn you!"
Anakin crossed blades with her, grabbing her wrist in an iron grip to keep her there. "Slaves aren't people, Tasha, not by law. You don't know real love if you think providing a life of luxury for you because they own you is love!"
She glared at him over their glowing sabers, "And you do? Oh, that's right, your precious Padmé. Don't you do everything you can for her that a master would? Marriage is its own kind of chain."
Anakin shook his head, his frustration rising. How could he get through to her? "You're wrong. Love isn't providing material objects; it's giving yourself unconditionally to them. It's accepting them for who and what they are, not for what they can give you." He wrenched away from her, twisting her lightsaber and sending it flying. "What can I say to get through to you?"
She was shaking, her hands trembling as he watched her pull her lightsaber back to her. He couldn't tell if it was from anger or something else. Was she going to try to kill him again? Tasha looked at him, the spark of hatred seeming to have died from her jade eyes. "I don't think there's anything you can do or say, Skywalker." She saluted him with the hilt of her weapon and turned to go.
"Wait."
She paused, not looking back. "What?"
Anakin looked around the chamber. "Think about your future, Tasha. Your daughter's future. You grew up without basic freedoms, no matter what you tell yourself. She'll be little better under Palpatine's thumb. Is that what you want for her?"
Tasha stiffened. "Goodbye, Skywalker."
Anakin watched her walk away and disappear into the shadows. Well. He'd tried. Reaching out to the Force he felt for Padmé's presence, turned in that general direction, and began to search for his wife.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of this, all the characters (Except for Tasha) are property of Lucasfilm etc etc.
Hide Your Love Away
Chapter 22
Anakin fought for focus. He's stepped into a windy tunnel, the force of which was strong enough to almost knock him from his feet, and forged onwards. He was freezing, the water racing across his skin and out behind him with the force of the wind. If nothing else came of his trek down this tunnel, at least he'd be dry. His arms outstretched on front of him to shields his face from the winds, he continued on. The Force came to his call as he found his calm and he pushed against the wind, making an invisible barrier in front of him that most of it couldn't cross. His clothes stopped whipping about his body as the wind died to a gentle breeze.
A wry smile twisted his lips as he continued down the passageway. He was almost completely dry after his exposure to that wind. It was a nice perk in an adventure gone wrong. His steps were sure as he crossed into another hall, dropping the force wall. Nothing. No wind, no smell, no light. Lovely. He cocked his head, listening for any kind of sound and frowned. There was a faint voice coming from up ahead. Closing his eyes he channeled the Force and enhanced his sense of hearing. Tasha. He suppressed a sigh. Trust Tasha to find trouble in the bowels of the city.
Following the sound of her voice, he planted his feet carefully, cautiously. She sounded angry, as if she was arguing with someone. Obi-Wan's story of how he'd last found Tasha flashed through his mind and he began to run. Obi-Wan would kill him if he let anything happen to Tasha while he was around.
Anakin stopped, letting the enhanced sense of hearing go, and found the faint voice trail again before beginning to run. Her voice became louder, but her words were still distorted. Another voice joined hers, a taunting male voice. Anakin added the Force to his run; the voice held a threatening note he wouldn't want to subject anyone to.
He rounded a corner, coming in an intersection, and dropped down into his senses. Tasha was well hidden; he couldn't find her. Her companion, on the other hand, blazed like a nebula of darkness. His lips thinning, he stretched out further, to see if the man had any accomplices. Padmé's signature came back to him. She was nearing the chamber with Tasha and the man from the other side. Focusing his gaze on his surroundings, he picked up his pace. He had to reach them before she did.
A couple minutes later he was looking over an overhang and into a large, well lit cavern. Tasha's voice echoed off the walls, the sound of lightsabers clashing in combat barely audible beneath her taunting, angry words.
"Is that the best you can do, Rykezzk? I thought you said Master Sidious taught you the finer points of lightsaber combat. Oh, are you losing your focus? You really should watch your footing, next thing you know you'll be swimming in the septic tanks."
Anakin flattened himself on the ledge and watched. Tasha, barely worked up, faced off with a man who was sweating heavily. Her hair floated about her face, curling and clinging to her skin as small beads of sweat slid down her cheeks. Her bodysuit was dirty, covered down one side in black liquid. The man she faced had black hair that was cut short to his head. Dressed in old-style military fatigues and combat boots, he looked like a Republic security cast off. He too had black liquid covering half of his clothing. Their lightsaber clashed as they hit each other with steady blows. Anakin silently noted that Tasha was solely on the defensive. She was simply defending herself.
Unwilling to risk distracting her, he slowly dropped to the floor, allowing his Force supported legs to absorb the shock. Unclipping his lightsaber from his belt he watched as Tasha continued to fend the man off, her hands working in precise movements. If he hadn't been so attached to Padmé, he might have been inclined to give Obi-Wan a bit of competition; Tasha was amazing in combat.
Igniting his lightsaber when the two broke apart and began circling, he stepped towards them. "Is there room in this dispute for a third?"
Tasha looked at him shocked as the man named Rykezzk spat a curse and lunged at him. "Skywalker! You're mine! When I bring the Master your head he'll reward me beyond my wildest imaginings!"
Anakin caught the man's red blade on his blue one, chuckling softly as he allowed the Force to flow through him and guide his movements. "I don't see how that would be too hard. Simpletons rarely wish for something beyond a willing woman."
Anakin's words had the desired effect on the other man and Rykezzk began pummeling him with sharp, short blows. From the jerky movements, Anakin could tell the other man had gone beyond using the Force; he was simply enraged and unable to control it. Anakin parried another blow of the saber, his arms working furiously to keep the spontaneous blows away. He suddenly threw his left arm wide and opened his palm. Tasha let out a surprised shriek when her lightsaber was torn from her grasp.
Anakin caught it, igniting the blade in one smooth motion. The other man didn't stand a chance. Enraged beyond words or reason, he wouldn't be able to defend himself. Anakin attacked, both lightsabers pummeling the man's one until one blade connected with the man's hand. Taking three fingers with half of the hilt, along with an anguished scream, Anakin stepped back. "Surrender."
"Never, Jedi." The man pointed his good hand at him and weak, blue streaks shot towards him.
Anakin caught them on the crossed blades. "You can't win, Rykezzk. You're out numbered and out classed. Tasha could have beaten you but she didn't. You have something she wants."
Tasha stepped forward, yanking her lightsaber out of his hand. "Don't do me any favors, Skywalker. I have this in hand."
"I see that, Tasha." He closed down his weapon and took a step back as Tasha brought the guard of her blade up into the man's face, knocking him senseless. Closing her eyes, she placed her hands on either side of the man's head and concentrated. After a few minutes she pulled away, turning to Anakin, her lightsaber un-ignited. Rykezzk lay on the floor unconscious and forgotten.
"I suppose you're wondering what I'm doing here."
She cocked her head at him, her eyes cold. "Actually I was wondering why I shouldn't kill you. Do you have a good reason?"
"Tasha, we've been through this. I won't fight you."
"Then it will be easier to kill you."
"You don't want to kill me, if you had you would have done it while I was fighting your friend there."
She frowned. "You were doing my work for me. Normally I don't appreciate it, but this delicate condition of mine..." she trailed off, her smile self-mocking. "I can take care of myself Skywalker. Why are you here?"
"We're looking for Palpatine."
She raised an eyebrow. "We?"
"Padmé and Obi-Wan are lost somewhere in this maze. We got introduced to the trap in the Chancellor's conference room."
"Do you like my design?"
He blinked. "Your... Oh, yes, very interesting. Very unique."
"Well, as much fun as this is, Skywalker, I have to be going."
"Please don't."
She cocked her head to the side. "I don't see a good reason why not. You helped me, so I'll let you live this time."
"I wanted to ask you about Obi-Wan."
She went very still. "I have nothing to say to you about him."
Anakin stepped towards her, taking the risk of igniting her temper and her blade. "Why did you leave him?"
Her eyes widened before she began laughing, stepping away from his deliberately. "Why does a Hawk bat flee a human?"
"Fear?"
Her eyes flashed. "I will be no man's prisoner!"
"But you'll be a slave if he wishes to purchase you?"
She tightened her grip on her weapon. "It's better than death, better than dying of starvation or selling myself to make ends meet."
"Better than knowing who you are and your place in the world?" He watched her fight the urge to lunge at him. Her face was impassive, but her eyes were a blaze of emotion.
"I know who I am and where I belong, Skywalker. Your return is the only thing that put a doubt into my mind. You're destroying my life again."
He held his arms wide. "Then kill me, if you like. I won't fight you. If taking my head, or body, to Palpatine will give you your freedom, I give it to you."
She backed away, her eyes reflecting her shock and confusion. "What game is this?"
"No games, Tasha. Is this what you want? Do you want to be second place for the rest of your life? Serving a man whose only goal is the surrender of the galaxy to his power? Is that the life you want to bring your daughter into?"
She sneered. "What about your precious family, Skywalker? Won't your death be pointless if I take you head, your place and then your son for my master?"
Anakin shook his head, his eyes reflecting his sadness. "I think you understand that no matter what you do to me, no matter what you accomplish, you'll never be more than a lackey. Serving a Master of evil whose only care is for himself won't give you what you want."
"You know nothing about me Skywalker!"
"I know what it is to be a salve. I know what it is to have every choice you make questioned, every move watched. I know what it is to be disrespected. Regardless of how well your master treats you, your life isn't your own."
She screamed, lunging at him as she ignited her lightsaber. Blue crossed amber with a sizzling crash as Anakin parried the blow. "I'm not your enemy Tasha. Calm yourself and you'll see what I say is true."
"You took me from my home!" She smashed her blade against his, sparks flying as the blows rained down with terrifying speed on the blue blade. "You stole my life! I hate you!"
"I didn't steal your life," he parried each of her blows, the last throwing her arm out wide as he stepped out of her reach. "Obi-Wan freed you, he gave you your life back!"
She jumped him, barely missing a beat, stabbing low and forcing him to step aside. She pressed him, forcing him to parry and fight, not giving him the chance to flee. "You destroyed my life! I was loved, damn you!"
Anakin crossed blades with her, grabbing her wrist in an iron grip to keep her there. "Slaves aren't people, Tasha, not by law. You don't know real love if you think providing a life of luxury for you because they own you is love!"
She glared at him over their glowing sabers, "And you do? Oh, that's right, your precious Padmé. Don't you do everything you can for her that a master would? Marriage is its own kind of chain."
Anakin shook his head, his frustration rising. How could he get through to her? "You're wrong. Love isn't providing material objects; it's giving yourself unconditionally to them. It's accepting them for who and what they are, not for what they can give you." He wrenched away from her, twisting her lightsaber and sending it flying. "What can I say to get through to you?"
She was shaking, her hands trembling as he watched her pull her lightsaber back to her. He couldn't tell if it was from anger or something else. Was she going to try to kill him again? Tasha looked at him, the spark of hatred seeming to have died from her jade eyes. "I don't think there's anything you can do or say, Skywalker." She saluted him with the hilt of her weapon and turned to go.
"Wait."
She paused, not looking back. "What?"
Anakin looked around the chamber. "Think about your future, Tasha. Your daughter's future. You grew up without basic freedoms, no matter what you tell yourself. She'll be little better under Palpatine's thumb. Is that what you want for her?"
Tasha stiffened. "Goodbye, Skywalker."
Anakin watched her walk away and disappear into the shadows. Well. He'd tried. Reaching out to the Force he felt for Padmé's presence, turned in that general direction, and began to search for his wife.