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 27
Her thoughts whirled around one another, making it hard for her to think, to feel, at his declaration. Was he serious? A mental shake and the reality of his words had barely sunk in, but his tone told her he was. Priceless. Just bloody priceless, he'd fallen for her when she'd done nothing to encourage him. How had he managed that when she felt nothing but loathing for him? Or was that what she felt? What had she done to encourage him? She had to know.
"Why?"
He blinked, ending their silent staring contest. "Pardon?"
"You heard me. Why? Why my? What did I do wrong?"
"You didn't do anything wrong."
"I must have, that's the only explanation I can think of. I never once encouraged you! How did this... feeling happen?" She refused to give it the name he had. She wouldn't, couldn't, use it with him.
He lowered his lightsaber. "Somewhere between the first seduction I don't remember and your time in the medical lab. You left me a lot of time to think in between."
"Do Jedi have nothing better to do than ponder the loss of a novice?"
"You were never a novice, Pearl. If you'd stayed to complete your training you would have been a Knight inside of a year. You had most of the training in place from your other profession, even if it was unconscious. In that respect you could have been the first Jedi to receive Knighthood in such a short time."
"You're wrong. I have no interest in serving a bunch of idiot people whose only idea of fun is self destruction. That's not the topic. How did you manage to fall... to fall..."
"To fall for you?" he shrugged, watching her closely. "I didn't intend to. You've got to be the most aggravating woman I have ever met. You're stubborn, impulsive, unpredictable and highly independent. Yet it's that untamed wildness that draws me. You're like a huge puzzle I can't figure out, but at the same time I want to. I can't explain how I feel, I just... I just do. I love you."
"Stop it."
He arched an eyebrow and she glared at him. "Stop saying it! I don't care how you feel about me. You're supposed to hate me, to want to never see me again! I hate you, Obi-Wan, there could never be anything more between us!"
"And yet there was."
She felt as if she'd been slapped. "I was doing my duty."
"Even when you spent the night and we-"
"Shut up." She cut him off, stepping towards him and raising her lightsaber. "That was a mistake. I should never have let you do that to me."
"Why? Because you enjoyed it?
She screamed, whirling away from him but spinning back just as quickly. "You can't understand!"
"Try me."
"Never."
"Then we're at an impasse. You know how I feel, yet you insist-"
"I don't care how you feel."
"But you want me anyway."
She was going to kill him, she really was. Just to stop his tongue from saying things that were too close to the truth. Truths she didn't want to admit to herself yet. "Leave me alone, Obi-Wan. I want nothing more to do with you."
He took a step towards her. "Nothing? You're carrying my child, Pearl, I have every intention of having a lot more to do with you and her."
"Not if I have my way."
He took another deliberate step and froze as the sound of the blast doors opening echoed through the hallway. Tasha spun, her weapon held at the ready and darted to one side. Pressing herself against the wall as she flicked off her weapon, Obi-Wan mimicked her movements and faced her across the darkened corridor. "This isn't over."
She couldn't reply as the blast doors peeled back and a brightly lit office was revealed on the other side. She fought to focus her mind, knowing what was coming and knowing what was on the other side of these doors. She hazarded a glance, careful to keep her body out of sight. Nothing. Her brow furrowed. Nothing? Surely Palpatine wouldn't just open... she sucked in a sharp breath. A trap. Designed to lure them both here. She looked at Obi-Wan and nodded back the way he'd come.
He looked at her in question. Why didn't she want to go in now that they were both here? He watched her carefully work her way along the wall, keeping her eyes on the door, her feet planting themselves carefully. Obi-Wan knew she wasn't using the Force since he still couldn't detect her, but her pace was methodical. She obviously knew how to use her surroundings to her advantage. Regardless of her attitude, his respect for her went up another notch. He followed her example and started inching his way away from the blast doors.
He made it to the bend in the corridor before ducking quickly around it. Pearl was stuck on the other side, her gaze still on the yawning portal. She glanced at him, cocked an eyebrow and then dove. Obi-Wan made to catch her but she rolled along the ground and came to her feet in front of him. "Not a word," she hissed softly.
He nodded, showing his agreement. His senses stretched to the limit, he could feel Anakin and Padmé's progress. They were steadily gaining on his position and he felt slightly more relaxed knowing help was on the way. Whatever had Pearl spooked couldn't be good. The woman seemed immune to fear. He leaned down close to her, fighting a grimace when she flinched and covered her mouth and nose with her hand. He still smelled like refuse. To make matters worse, his lightsaber felt permanently attached to his palm. Ever so quietly he spoke next to her ear. "Anakin and Padmé are on their way."
She rounded on him, her eyes blazing fire. "Here?" she hissed.
He nodded.
He swore he heard her swear. "We wait for them," her words were barely audible. "We'll need their help."
Obi-Wan's eyes widened. For her to admit they'd need help to take on whatever was in that chamber was shocking. Pearl? Needing help? Whatever was in there wasn't good. He couldn't help but wonder why she'd been trying so hard to get into that room before, and now seemed inclined to stay out of it. What could she handle alone, but not with him? Shaking his head, he sighed. This day just kept getting worse and worse.
Anakin was ready to pull his hair out. Dead end after dead end, followed by a false door and hidden exits was beginning to eat at his patience. They'd made excellent progress towards Obi-Wan's presence, but, yet again, they'd been stopped by a seeming dead end. What didn't help was his old Master seemed to be really, really close. "I'm really getting tired of this."
Padmé slanted a glance at him. "And I'm not? Come on, the last two were dead ends, this one should have a trap door or something if it stays to pattern."
"To pattern? We're dealing with a deranged Sith, I don't think he knows what having a pattern means!"
She grinned. "Relax, hero boy."
"Hero boy?"
She laughed at his wounded expression. "Ok, it was just a joke, love. I'm trying to get you to smile, you're way to tense. If you keep getting wound up so much you'll be no use at all when we finally have to face him."
He took a deep breath and let the tension drain from his frame. "I hate it when you're right."
"Ah ah, hate's the path to the dark side."
He grinned roguishly. "Only if it's powerful. Ok, let's find our secret entrance."
They examined the walls closely, Anakin delving into them through the Force while Padmé ran her hands over the rough surfaces. A click brought him around, lightsaber at the ready, as she stood beside the wall with a smug expression on her face. It started to move before zipping up into the ceiling. Her expression was replaced by complete shock as Obi-Wan and Tasha came tumbling through, ending up flat on their backs in surprise.
Anakin looked from one to the other before he slapped a hand over his nose and mouth. "Yuck. Whatever that stench is, it's disgusting."
Tasha stared incredulously at the two. "How did you make it here this quickly?"
Padmé offered her a hand up but Tasha pushed herself to her feet without assistance, glancing at the yawning portal. Before anyone could move she slapped her hand to the wall and closed the door. She turned back to them when there was no response to her question. Padmé had turned to Obi-Wan and was offering him a new set of clothing, Anakin watching amused as his friend took the clothes. Obi-Wan glanced once at Tasha before disappearing back down the corridor to change.
Tasha crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't like being ignored, so you'd better start talking, Skywalker." She was looking pointedly at Anakin but Padmé was the one to answer her.
"How do you think? We found most of the hidden doors and managed to skip a lot of the maze. This is really an ingenious lair."
Tasha snorted. "When we go through this door, we'll be entering the fight of our lives. He won't be letting any of us leave if we fail to kill him."
"Wait a second." Obi-Wan was belting his pants as he came back down the hall. "I thought you didn't want to fight against him?"
She spared him a glance. "I have no choice. Skywalker is right. I don't want to play second fiddle to a dictator and I don't want that for my daughter."
Anakin blinked. "I was right? How about that, this is a new and interesting experience."
Padmé punched him in the arm. "We go with the plan. Tasha, I don't know what changed your mind, even if it was what my husband said to you, but we're glad to have your help. What's the best way to approach this?"
Her smile was faint and strained. "You're the tactical, I'd help, but I've only been down here twice. Each time the layout of the office is different and his guards are different. Not to mention in a different place. I'm afraid we'll have to go with whatever you came up with."
Padmé grimaced. "Ok then. Obi-Wan, Anakin, you're the first wave. Anakin will go alone, Obi-Wan a minute later. Tasha, you're with me. We come in if we hear fighting."
Tasha nodded, looking at Padmé. "What's Skywalker going to be doing while we wait?"
"What else? Trying to talk the man out of his plans."
"But, it's not Skywalker he's after."
"What?!" Anakin and Padmé looked at her incredulous. Anakin couldn't believe his ears. "What do you mean he's not after me? He's been after me for a long time!"
Tasha laughed humorlessly. "I already explained this to Kenobi. He wants Kenobi, the noblest and least corruptible of all Jedi. Why? Because if I'm his agent and he can sire Force sensitive children on me, dark side or not, he can bend them to his will. I don't want that for any child of mine. I refuse to leave them a slave to anyone's will."
"That and she can't bear the thought of having more than one of my... what was the word you used, my dear?"
Anakin blinked at his friend.
Tasha's lips thinned. "Your bastards. When this is over I never want to see you again."
"Wait a second, my dear?" echoed Anakin. "Since when are you two a couple."
"Since never." Tasha glared at Obi-Wan. "I'm doing this to free myself, but once this is over, none of you will ever find me."
Obi-Wan sighed. "See what I've been putting up with? She won't even listen to me when I tell her I love her. Impossible woman."
"You WHAT?!" Anakin and Padmé looked as if he'd sucker punched them. Padmé recovered first. "He actually said he loves you?"
Tasha fingered her lightsaber blade. "Yes. The imbecile."
"Imbecile?" Anakin echoed. "You have no idea the compliment he's paid you! Tasha, you've done the impossible!"
Obi-Wan's words were pained. "And she is impossible! Aggravating woman."
"Flattery gets you no where. We have a job to do, let's do it." Dropping the subject by silent agreement, Tasha turned and keyed open the door. "Beyond here, no one speaks until you reach the room."
They nodded and stepped into the corridor.
Their progress was slow as they inched their way towards the blast doors, taking care not to make a sound. Anakin and Obi-Wan could feel a sudden menace in the surrounding stone, almost as if a trap waited for them. They reached the doors and Anakin unhooked his lightsaber, concealing it up his sleeve as best he could. Carefully planting his feet, he stepped through the doors.
The room beyond was huge, brilliantly lit, done in silver and black. The floors were polished to a full shine, covered in metal. The floor was flat, extending towards a row of wall screens that projected views of places above ground. His old apartment was one of them, the senate hall another. The Chancellor's office and the Jedi Council hall were also displayed. A few other places he didn't recognize were on the wall, one of which was a small room with few furnishings. He immediately thought of Tasha. That looked like a room she'd subject herself too.
The darkness in the room was oppressing, malevolently weighing him down. He fought against it, concentrating to banish it and retain his focus. He knew why he was here, now he just had to find him.
"Chancellor."
A chair across the room, facing the view screens, spun slowly to face him. Behind him the blast doors began to close and Anakin whirled in alarm. Obi-Wan, Tasha and Padmé came diving through, rolling to their feet, their backs to the door.
"Ah, I see you've brought your wife and Master Kenobi."
Anakin turned back, his gaze falling on the cloaked figure sitting in the chair. His words held power, a dark, sizzling power, that threatened to break loose with one wrong move. Anakin began to wonder if he'd underestimated his opponent.
The Sith lord turned to look at Tasha, where she stood to the side. "I see you've brought them too me as you said you would, Jade. Very well done."
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 27
Her thoughts whirled around one another, making it hard for her to think, to feel, at his declaration. Was he serious? A mental shake and the reality of his words had barely sunk in, but his tone told her he was. Priceless. Just bloody priceless, he'd fallen for her when she'd done nothing to encourage him. How had he managed that when she felt nothing but loathing for him? Or was that what she felt? What had she done to encourage him? She had to know.
"Why?"
He blinked, ending their silent staring contest. "Pardon?"
"You heard me. Why? Why my? What did I do wrong?"
"You didn't do anything wrong."
"I must have, that's the only explanation I can think of. I never once encouraged you! How did this... feeling happen?" She refused to give it the name he had. She wouldn't, couldn't, use it with him.
He lowered his lightsaber. "Somewhere between the first seduction I don't remember and your time in the medical lab. You left me a lot of time to think in between."
"Do Jedi have nothing better to do than ponder the loss of a novice?"
"You were never a novice, Pearl. If you'd stayed to complete your training you would have been a Knight inside of a year. You had most of the training in place from your other profession, even if it was unconscious. In that respect you could have been the first Jedi to receive Knighthood in such a short time."
"You're wrong. I have no interest in serving a bunch of idiot people whose only idea of fun is self destruction. That's not the topic. How did you manage to fall... to fall..."
"To fall for you?" he shrugged, watching her closely. "I didn't intend to. You've got to be the most aggravating woman I have ever met. You're stubborn, impulsive, unpredictable and highly independent. Yet it's that untamed wildness that draws me. You're like a huge puzzle I can't figure out, but at the same time I want to. I can't explain how I feel, I just... I just do. I love you."
"Stop it."
He arched an eyebrow and she glared at him. "Stop saying it! I don't care how you feel about me. You're supposed to hate me, to want to never see me again! I hate you, Obi-Wan, there could never be anything more between us!"
"And yet there was."
She felt as if she'd been slapped. "I was doing my duty."
"Even when you spent the night and we-"
"Shut up." She cut him off, stepping towards him and raising her lightsaber. "That was a mistake. I should never have let you do that to me."
"Why? Because you enjoyed it?
She screamed, whirling away from him but spinning back just as quickly. "You can't understand!"
"Try me."
"Never."
"Then we're at an impasse. You know how I feel, yet you insist-"
"I don't care how you feel."
"But you want me anyway."
She was going to kill him, she really was. Just to stop his tongue from saying things that were too close to the truth. Truths she didn't want to admit to herself yet. "Leave me alone, Obi-Wan. I want nothing more to do with you."
He took a step towards her. "Nothing? You're carrying my child, Pearl, I have every intention of having a lot more to do with you and her."
"Not if I have my way."
He took another deliberate step and froze as the sound of the blast doors opening echoed through the hallway. Tasha spun, her weapon held at the ready and darted to one side. Pressing herself against the wall as she flicked off her weapon, Obi-Wan mimicked her movements and faced her across the darkened corridor. "This isn't over."
She couldn't reply as the blast doors peeled back and a brightly lit office was revealed on the other side. She fought to focus her mind, knowing what was coming and knowing what was on the other side of these doors. She hazarded a glance, careful to keep her body out of sight. Nothing. Her brow furrowed. Nothing? Surely Palpatine wouldn't just open... she sucked in a sharp breath. A trap. Designed to lure them both here. She looked at Obi-Wan and nodded back the way he'd come.
He looked at her in question. Why didn't she want to go in now that they were both here? He watched her carefully work her way along the wall, keeping her eyes on the door, her feet planting themselves carefully. Obi-Wan knew she wasn't using the Force since he still couldn't detect her, but her pace was methodical. She obviously knew how to use her surroundings to her advantage. Regardless of her attitude, his respect for her went up another notch. He followed her example and started inching his way away from the blast doors.
He made it to the bend in the corridor before ducking quickly around it. Pearl was stuck on the other side, her gaze still on the yawning portal. She glanced at him, cocked an eyebrow and then dove. Obi-Wan made to catch her but she rolled along the ground and came to her feet in front of him. "Not a word," she hissed softly.
He nodded, showing his agreement. His senses stretched to the limit, he could feel Anakin and Padmé's progress. They were steadily gaining on his position and he felt slightly more relaxed knowing help was on the way. Whatever had Pearl spooked couldn't be good. The woman seemed immune to fear. He leaned down close to her, fighting a grimace when she flinched and covered her mouth and nose with her hand. He still smelled like refuse. To make matters worse, his lightsaber felt permanently attached to his palm. Ever so quietly he spoke next to her ear. "Anakin and Padmé are on their way."
She rounded on him, her eyes blazing fire. "Here?" she hissed.
He nodded.
He swore he heard her swear. "We wait for them," her words were barely audible. "We'll need their help."
Obi-Wan's eyes widened. For her to admit they'd need help to take on whatever was in that chamber was shocking. Pearl? Needing help? Whatever was in there wasn't good. He couldn't help but wonder why she'd been trying so hard to get into that room before, and now seemed inclined to stay out of it. What could she handle alone, but not with him? Shaking his head, he sighed. This day just kept getting worse and worse.
Anakin was ready to pull his hair out. Dead end after dead end, followed by a false door and hidden exits was beginning to eat at his patience. They'd made excellent progress towards Obi-Wan's presence, but, yet again, they'd been stopped by a seeming dead end. What didn't help was his old Master seemed to be really, really close. "I'm really getting tired of this."
Padmé slanted a glance at him. "And I'm not? Come on, the last two were dead ends, this one should have a trap door or something if it stays to pattern."
"To pattern? We're dealing with a deranged Sith, I don't think he knows what having a pattern means!"
She grinned. "Relax, hero boy."
"Hero boy?"
She laughed at his wounded expression. "Ok, it was just a joke, love. I'm trying to get you to smile, you're way to tense. If you keep getting wound up so much you'll be no use at all when we finally have to face him."
He took a deep breath and let the tension drain from his frame. "I hate it when you're right."
"Ah ah, hate's the path to the dark side."
He grinned roguishly. "Only if it's powerful. Ok, let's find our secret entrance."
They examined the walls closely, Anakin delving into them through the Force while Padmé ran her hands over the rough surfaces. A click brought him around, lightsaber at the ready, as she stood beside the wall with a smug expression on her face. It started to move before zipping up into the ceiling. Her expression was replaced by complete shock as Obi-Wan and Tasha came tumbling through, ending up flat on their backs in surprise.
Anakin looked from one to the other before he slapped a hand over his nose and mouth. "Yuck. Whatever that stench is, it's disgusting."
Tasha stared incredulously at the two. "How did you make it here this quickly?"
Padmé offered her a hand up but Tasha pushed herself to her feet without assistance, glancing at the yawning portal. Before anyone could move she slapped her hand to the wall and closed the door. She turned back to them when there was no response to her question. Padmé had turned to Obi-Wan and was offering him a new set of clothing, Anakin watching amused as his friend took the clothes. Obi-Wan glanced once at Tasha before disappearing back down the corridor to change.
Tasha crossed her arms over her chest. "I don't like being ignored, so you'd better start talking, Skywalker." She was looking pointedly at Anakin but Padmé was the one to answer her.
"How do you think? We found most of the hidden doors and managed to skip a lot of the maze. This is really an ingenious lair."
Tasha snorted. "When we go through this door, we'll be entering the fight of our lives. He won't be letting any of us leave if we fail to kill him."
"Wait a second." Obi-Wan was belting his pants as he came back down the hall. "I thought you didn't want to fight against him?"
She spared him a glance. "I have no choice. Skywalker is right. I don't want to play second fiddle to a dictator and I don't want that for my daughter."
Anakin blinked. "I was right? How about that, this is a new and interesting experience."
Padmé punched him in the arm. "We go with the plan. Tasha, I don't know what changed your mind, even if it was what my husband said to you, but we're glad to have your help. What's the best way to approach this?"
Her smile was faint and strained. "You're the tactical, I'd help, but I've only been down here twice. Each time the layout of the office is different and his guards are different. Not to mention in a different place. I'm afraid we'll have to go with whatever you came up with."
Padmé grimaced. "Ok then. Obi-Wan, Anakin, you're the first wave. Anakin will go alone, Obi-Wan a minute later. Tasha, you're with me. We come in if we hear fighting."
Tasha nodded, looking at Padmé. "What's Skywalker going to be doing while we wait?"
"What else? Trying to talk the man out of his plans."
"But, it's not Skywalker he's after."
"What?!" Anakin and Padmé looked at her incredulous. Anakin couldn't believe his ears. "What do you mean he's not after me? He's been after me for a long time!"
Tasha laughed humorlessly. "I already explained this to Kenobi. He wants Kenobi, the noblest and least corruptible of all Jedi. Why? Because if I'm his agent and he can sire Force sensitive children on me, dark side or not, he can bend them to his will. I don't want that for any child of mine. I refuse to leave them a slave to anyone's will."
"That and she can't bear the thought of having more than one of my... what was the word you used, my dear?"
Anakin blinked at his friend.
Tasha's lips thinned. "Your bastards. When this is over I never want to see you again."
"Wait a second, my dear?" echoed Anakin. "Since when are you two a couple."
"Since never." Tasha glared at Obi-Wan. "I'm doing this to free myself, but once this is over, none of you will ever find me."
Obi-Wan sighed. "See what I've been putting up with? She won't even listen to me when I tell her I love her. Impossible woman."
"You WHAT?!" Anakin and Padmé looked as if he'd sucker punched them. Padmé recovered first. "He actually said he loves you?"
Tasha fingered her lightsaber blade. "Yes. The imbecile."
"Imbecile?" Anakin echoed. "You have no idea the compliment he's paid you! Tasha, you've done the impossible!"
Obi-Wan's words were pained. "And she is impossible! Aggravating woman."
"Flattery gets you no where. We have a job to do, let's do it." Dropping the subject by silent agreement, Tasha turned and keyed open the door. "Beyond here, no one speaks until you reach the room."
They nodded and stepped into the corridor.
Their progress was slow as they inched their way towards the blast doors, taking care not to make a sound. Anakin and Obi-Wan could feel a sudden menace in the surrounding stone, almost as if a trap waited for them. They reached the doors and Anakin unhooked his lightsaber, concealing it up his sleeve as best he could. Carefully planting his feet, he stepped through the doors.
The room beyond was huge, brilliantly lit, done in silver and black. The floors were polished to a full shine, covered in metal. The floor was flat, extending towards a row of wall screens that projected views of places above ground. His old apartment was one of them, the senate hall another. The Chancellor's office and the Jedi Council hall were also displayed. A few other places he didn't recognize were on the wall, one of which was a small room with few furnishings. He immediately thought of Tasha. That looked like a room she'd subject herself too.
The darkness in the room was oppressing, malevolently weighing him down. He fought against it, concentrating to banish it and retain his focus. He knew why he was here, now he just had to find him.
"Chancellor."
A chair across the room, facing the view screens, spun slowly to face him. Behind him the blast doors began to close and Anakin whirled in alarm. Obi-Wan, Tasha and Padmé came diving through, rolling to their feet, their backs to the door.
"Ah, I see you've brought your wife and Master Kenobi."
Anakin turned back, his gaze falling on the cloaked figure sitting in the chair. His words held power, a dark, sizzling power, that threatened to break loose with one wrong move. Anakin began to wonder if he'd underestimated his opponent.
The Sith lord turned to look at Tasha, where she stood to the side. "I see you've brought them too me as you said you would, Jade. Very well done."