See? At least my promise that it would be TWO chapters on this update was
fulfilled. I swear though... I wasn't my fault. The computer crashed on me
and we sent it to the repair man and he took a bleeding two WEEKS to repair
the comp! Was that my fault?!? I refrain to say yes because it isn't!! Okay
so I'm excusing my lack of punctuality but I'm sorry!!! Okay?? For those of
you who want to bag on me personally send me your email or something so
that you can get my cell number and you can yell at me verbally because god
knows I'd deserve that. I'm an avid reader of fanfics myself and regardless
of the excuse it sucks having to wait more than the ETA given.
:: Chapter 17 ::
Padmè strode into the meeting room full of purpose and sat down ready for business. Anakin stood beside her in irons and was glaring at the count.
"Senator Amidala and Anakin Skywalker," Count Dooku greeted smiling. "Nice of you to visit us..."
"This is business, Count Dooku," Padmè said coolly. "You're holding a Jedi Knight, Obi Wan Kenobi, and my sister, Dané Khariya Naberrie. I'm formally requesting you hand them over to me now."
"I'm afraid we don't recognize the Republic here, Senator," he said apologetically. "But if Naboo were to join our alliance, I could easily hear you plea."
"And if I don't join your Rebellion?" Count Dooku seemed to take offense in calling his 'Alliance' a 'Rebellion.
"The Republic cannot be fixed milady," he answered. "It is time to start over."
"I know of your treaties with the Trade Federation, The Commerce Guild and the others, Count. I will not forsake what I've honored and worked for and betray the Republic."
"I've come to my work's end then. Without your cooperation, there is nothing else I can do for you..." He turned to the guards. "Take them to court. The Geonosians will be wanting to try them in the full assembly." He was about to walk away when Anakin's self-restraint broke.
"Tell us where Khariya is!" he shouted. Count Dooku smiled at Anakin.
"I'm afraid your significant other won't be joining your trial, Anakin. She's been taken away as to view either the one... or three, depending on your verdict, executions today. I suggest you forget her because you won't be seeing her any longer." He gave Anakin one more cold smile as the boy tried to lunge at him in anger. Anakin's chain holder pulled on his restraints though and he just fell on the floor with a grunt.
"Anakin, don't!" Padmè hissed as she helped him up. Her own anger was boiling inside her but she knew to hold it until a more opportune moment. "Bide your time, Anakin!" The Count just laughed and watched them as they were walked to their last moments.
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"Padmè Amidala Naberrie and Anakin Skywalker," the alien's voice boomed in his own language. Anakin could understand nothing but Padmè kept a running commentary for his sake. From what he gathered, everything they were saying were just a huge cock-and-bull story to get the jeering citizens in the assembly fired up to execute them. He was, disturbingly, reminded of the people he lived with on Tatooine. "You have been charged and found guilty of espionage."
"You're committing and act of war, Archduke," Padmè said calmly. "I hope you are prepared for the consequences." The judge just laughed.
"We build weapons, Senator!" he chuckled. "That's our business! Of course, we are prepared!" The Viceroys on the other side of the court were getting impatient.
"Get on with it!" he shouted. "Bring out the sentence! I want to hear her suffer!" Padmè just looked on coldly at her surrounding while Anakin looked on with disgust.
"Your Jedi friend is waiting for you," the judge sneered. "Take them to the execution area."
Anakin and Padmè were pulled from the courtroom and down the corridors and for once in her life, Padmè had a feeling that they might not survive this mission after all. She stole a brief glance at Anakin. Her feelings for him suddenly surfaced and were begging to be told.
'This is the end,' she thought soberly. 'I need to tell Anakin... everything. And Khariya... I hope she's all right but with things going the way they're going, I'm afraid I'll never see her again so it's just right that I tell Anakin.' They were put on carriage that would take them to the execution pillars and Padmè saw it as her last chance. Anakin turned to Padmè and saw the look of reluctance in her face and mistook it for fear.
"Don't be afraid," he said reassuringly.
"I'm not afraid to die," she answered automatically. Then, she turned to him with all the courage she had. "I've been dying each day since you came back into my life."
Anakin's head jerked backwards in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"I love you," she replied simply.
"You love me?" he asked dubiously. "I thought we decided not to fall in love... that we'd be forced to live a lie... and that it would destroy our lives." Padmè looked out into the coliseum and at the gates just beyond them that was sure to be holding some precarious creature ready to obliterate them.
"I think it's about to be destroyed anyways..." She looked into Anakin's eyes, silently calling him to lean forward. Anakin's mind and heart were in deep combat. He knew this was wrong. He knew that Khariya was literally waiting for him outside the doorway but the satisfaction that he was right about Padmè's feeling all along engulfed him and he felt himself going against the chains to near Padmè. "I truly deeply love you..." she whispered. "And before we die, I wanted you to know." Their lips met for some moments and everything was forgotten. Their eyes closed, they felt the carriage they stood on move into the coliseum and Anakin abruptly felt Khariya's presence out in the light so he broke away from Padmè.
"Stop," he murmured.
Padmè nodded. She put her arms down to her waist and her belt gently poked her wrists. 'My belt!' she thought. Out of one of the hidden pockets, she removed a pin and discreetly hid it in her hand while she was being chained to a post.
Obi Wan stood waiting by one of the pillars looking quite annoyed and agitated. "I was beginning to think you didn't receive my message," Obi Wan said. Anakin was being chained onto the column and he looked at his master calmly.
"I retransmitted the message just like you instructed me to," Anakin replied, then added, "Then Padmè, Khariya and I decided to come rescue you." Obi Wan glanced at his chains.
"Good job," he commended.
"I have no time for this. Obi Wan, can you find Khariya?" Obi Wan looked at Anakin suspiciously and nodded towards the viewing area where the Viceroys and the Count were present. Anakin turned towards where Obi Wan indicated and saw Khariya's body tied and gagged beside Count Dooku. He could sense her diminishing energy as she struggled against her bonds and scooted her chair away from a ten year old child poking at her side with a blaster.
"We have to get her out of there, Master."
"Patience, my young Padawan. Patience," Obi Wan answered. All of a sudden, a loud roar took everyone's attention to the gates behind the pillars. They all turned and saw three monsters held on a leash and turned away from their guards by lightning rods.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Anakin sighed.
"Just relax. Concentrate," his Master instructed.
"What about Padmè and Khariya?"
"Padmè seems to be on top of things..." Obi Wan smirked. Anakin looked at Padmè and saw her scaling the stone pillar, a pin in her hand unlocking her chains. "Smart girl." His attention swerved to the praying-mantis-like creature who used a pointed foot to stab at him but Obi Wan maneuvered his restraints so that the stab was aimed at them, freeing him at least from that one spot. He rolled out of the way and he hoped Anakin could handle himself.
Khariya smiled, triumphantly as the Viceroys looked crossly at Padmè's way of protection. It seemed they were annoyed that the monster sent after her sister was having a hard time reaching her when she was so far up.
"She can't do that! Shoot her!" the man shouted over the screams of the crowd. "... or something!" Count Dooku just ignored the request and looked on with disgust. Khariya managed to spit out the cloth that prevented her speech and directed it to the peevish boy guarding her.
"Hey!" the kid cried out wiping away the spit from his face.
"Keep that blaster away from me, kid," she snapped. "Plan isn't working too well now is it, Count Dooku?" She had a smug expression on her face as Count Dooku gave a fleeting look at her.
"Just watch, my dear..." No sooner had he said this, Padmè gave a shriek of pain as the cat's claws slashed at her back leaving bloody trails.
"Padmè!!" Khariya yelled. "Let me go!!" She began struggling against her binding restraints. Anakin felt Khariya's outburst and felt himself go into action. He pushed himself into a giant leap and roped his personal executioner into his own ride. He tried to steer it to where Khariya was but it fought him leaving him just below Padmè's pillar. He looked up and saw Padmè free of chains.
"Jump!" he yelled and she followed landing just behind him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. He blushed for a second but he knew he didn't have time for that. He got the animal next to Obi Wan who jumped on as well.
"We'll need weapons, Anakin," Obi Wan said as the animal trampled on the guards trying to get at them. "Without weapons, we'll end right back on those pillars."
"I know... We just have to stall for time," Anakin replied.
"This isn't how it's suppose to be!" Viceroy whined again.
"Patience, Viceroy," Count Dooku said. "She will die."
"Don't count on it," Khariya hissed, her hands slowly rubbing the rope on her wrists against a jagged wall loosening it little by little. She looked towards the sky sensing something new coming their way and saw some cargo ships coming in from the canyons and grinned. "Looks like reinforcements are just in time." Count Dooku looked at her, confused then felt everything in her confident smirk explained when dozens of Jedis came from the sky with light sabers on hand. He stiffened for a moment but regained composure.
"Miss Naberrie, their foolish move has just made executing my Master's plan so much more easier," he replied.
"Your master?" She looked at Count Dooku questioningly. Before she could ask anymore questions though, Mace Windu strode onto the terrace. "Master Windu!" His purple saber was standing in attention and with quick effort tore Khariya's ropes and she jumped to his side for protection.
"Mace, how pleasant of you to join us," Count Dooku greeted calmly.
"This party is over," Mace said menacingly and took a step forward. The armored guard next to the Count took a step as well but Dooku held him back.
"Brave but foolish, my old Jedi friend but you should know that you are impossibly outnumbered," the Count explained. Khariya's ears caught sounds of faint heavy footsteps behind her and turned around.
"Something.... Actually, A LOT of some things are coming," she murmured.
"I don't think so," Mace growled.
"I do..." Khariya tugged at Mace Windu's sleeve and made him turn around just in time to see the marching troops of droids coming in from the halls, blasters shooting. Khariya jumped to the side to dodge the lasers and accidentally fell on the boy who was guarding her before. His blaster fell from his hand and before he could even react, Khariya rolled to the blaster and pushed herself up with the weapon in her hand.
"Sorry, kid," she said sarcastically. "Just business..." Mace was backing up as the droids attacked and he called Khariya to him.
"C'mon, Miss Naberrie, hang on," he ordered. Khariya put her arms around his waist and felt the air rush around her when Mace jumped down and landed safely on the ground below. As soon as she stepped on the dusty floor, she felt Anakin at her side pulling her away from harm into a hidden crevice.
"Khariya!" he exclaimed, pulling her for a quick embrace and then backed away to check if she was hurt. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"No... No I'm fine, Anakin," she smiled, softly. "Are the three of you okay?"
"Yea... Gods.... Khariya, I thought I would never see you again," he whispered, kissing her quickly.
"I'm here, Ani..." she whispered. "But c'mon we have to help." Anakin nodded.
"Fine but you're staying with me this time," he bid. He took her hand and pulled her out of the crevice immediately deflecting the blaster shots. Khariya took her hand out from Anakin's so she could start using her weapon against the advancing enemies. It seemed that all of their allies were being rounded up into the center so they steered their way to them.
"Khariya!" Padmè exclaimed when she saw her sister coming with Anakin by her side.
Khariya, happy to see her sister, put her guard down to dash to Padmè's aid but the moment she did a blaster shot came at her. She just barely noticed when she tried to dodge but it grazed her arm ripping through her sleeve and skin leaving it bloody. She dropped her weapon and ran behind several Jedis, knowing that with her weapon arm wounded, she would be useless.
Padmè ran to her sister before forcing herself to fire at the opponents. Somehow, a thought in Khariya's voice came through her head.
'I'm all right Padmè,' it said. 'I'll live... Now go and fight!'
Anakin saw what had happened but didn't have the facility to react. He tried to get to Khariya but he was only sent a message similar to Padmè's so he just ran to help Padmè.
"You call this a diplomatic solution?" Anakin asked over the firing.
"No," she said with a slight smile. "I call it aggressive negotiations." Had they been in a better situation, Anakin wuld have laughed at the joke.
Finally they were all centered in the coliseum and the droids went into standby.
"What happened?" Khariya asked. Obi Wan was right in front of her and stood there just as perplexed as she was.
"Master Windu!" Count Dooku called from where, Khariya thought, he stood a coward's distance away from the battle. "You've fought bravely today. Enough to be recognized in the Jedi Council's higher ranks, I believe, but unfortunately, all your efforts are futile."
"Give it up, Count Dooku!" Mace Windu retorted. "You WILL lose today."
"How can he say that?!? We're cornered!" Khariya muttered to Obi Wan.
"Silence, Khariya... You're just as bad as Anakin sometimes. Now just listen."
"You couldn't possibly think you can get out of this alive," Count Dooku almost laughed. Mace stood stone silent, his saber ready for anything. "Then, I guess you choose to die today, my old friend..." The droids came to attention and the blasters were raised to shoot at all of them and Khariya shut her eyes tight ready to die but suddenly the wind whipped around her. She looked up and saw more ships with countless troopers.
"The clones," she heard Obi Wan murmur.
'Clones...' Khariya thought in the chaos exploding around her. 'So that's what the army Khariya was talking about is made of.' Obi Wan grabbed her arm and began to run to one of the ships that landed. His run came to an abrupt stop when he felt Khariya resist.
"Khariya, we HAVE to get out of here!" he shouted as he turned and saw that it wasn't Khariya, keeping them from getting to their destination. A winged Geonosian had Khariya by the other arm pulling her away.
"Obi Wan... a little help!" she cried out. Obi Wan pulled back at Khariya's arm but the winged creature. He tried to grab his saber to swing at the enemy but the moment he split his energies towards holding onto Khariya and getting his weapon, her arm slipped from his grasp, her sleeve ripping away from the shirt and remaining in Obi Wan's hand. He could only look helplessly as Khariya was taken away.
"Anakin's gonna kill me," he muttered before running to the ship where Anakin and Padmè were boarding.
"Where's Khariya?" said Anakin. Obi Wan thought for a second. He knew that anything that would worry Anakin would keep him from his duty so he just shrugged.
"She must have gone on another ship," lied Obi Wan. Anakin looked at his master, suspiciously. He had a hunch that Obi Wan wasn't telling the whole turth but he no time to argued.
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Khariya tried to fight against the alien holding her but he was strong. They flew over the barren canyons and arrived to a remote port and she was taken into a ship and thrown to the side. She was waited for some moments until she finally looked up at a high window of the little room she was in and looked out of the ship. She could barely see anything in the dark but she could just make out the lights of sabers fighting.
"Anakin..." she murmured. As she watched, she saw the red saber win against the blue saber, then saw two sabers, blue and green go against the other fighter. Trying her hardest to sense their identities, she barely made out Anakin's presence fighting. Just as she confirmed that, his sabers hissing to silence. Khariya waited in fear for him to come back up but she felt him get knocked unconscious. "Anakin... please be all right."
The door opened to her cell and Amiertho appeared.
"Who are you talking to?" he grunted angrily.
"No one," she whimpered, terrified. Amiertho thought that his prisoner so might try to escape so with a giant fist he knocked her against the wall, her head hitting the wall with a loud thud. Khariya lost all consciousness herself.
[-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.] Oh! How's that?!? Oh my goodness.... I can't believe I finished writing this story!!! Now all that's left is for me to publish it for all of you! And hopefully viruses won't be bothering me anymore! REVIEW!!!!!!!!! [._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.]
:: Chapter 17 ::
Padmè strode into the meeting room full of purpose and sat down ready for business. Anakin stood beside her in irons and was glaring at the count.
"Senator Amidala and Anakin Skywalker," Count Dooku greeted smiling. "Nice of you to visit us..."
"This is business, Count Dooku," Padmè said coolly. "You're holding a Jedi Knight, Obi Wan Kenobi, and my sister, Dané Khariya Naberrie. I'm formally requesting you hand them over to me now."
"I'm afraid we don't recognize the Republic here, Senator," he said apologetically. "But if Naboo were to join our alliance, I could easily hear you plea."
"And if I don't join your Rebellion?" Count Dooku seemed to take offense in calling his 'Alliance' a 'Rebellion.
"The Republic cannot be fixed milady," he answered. "It is time to start over."
"I know of your treaties with the Trade Federation, The Commerce Guild and the others, Count. I will not forsake what I've honored and worked for and betray the Republic."
"I've come to my work's end then. Without your cooperation, there is nothing else I can do for you..." He turned to the guards. "Take them to court. The Geonosians will be wanting to try them in the full assembly." He was about to walk away when Anakin's self-restraint broke.
"Tell us where Khariya is!" he shouted. Count Dooku smiled at Anakin.
"I'm afraid your significant other won't be joining your trial, Anakin. She's been taken away as to view either the one... or three, depending on your verdict, executions today. I suggest you forget her because you won't be seeing her any longer." He gave Anakin one more cold smile as the boy tried to lunge at him in anger. Anakin's chain holder pulled on his restraints though and he just fell on the floor with a grunt.
"Anakin, don't!" Padmè hissed as she helped him up. Her own anger was boiling inside her but she knew to hold it until a more opportune moment. "Bide your time, Anakin!" The Count just laughed and watched them as they were walked to their last moments.
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"Padmè Amidala Naberrie and Anakin Skywalker," the alien's voice boomed in his own language. Anakin could understand nothing but Padmè kept a running commentary for his sake. From what he gathered, everything they were saying were just a huge cock-and-bull story to get the jeering citizens in the assembly fired up to execute them. He was, disturbingly, reminded of the people he lived with on Tatooine. "You have been charged and found guilty of espionage."
"You're committing and act of war, Archduke," Padmè said calmly. "I hope you are prepared for the consequences." The judge just laughed.
"We build weapons, Senator!" he chuckled. "That's our business! Of course, we are prepared!" The Viceroys on the other side of the court were getting impatient.
"Get on with it!" he shouted. "Bring out the sentence! I want to hear her suffer!" Padmè just looked on coldly at her surrounding while Anakin looked on with disgust.
"Your Jedi friend is waiting for you," the judge sneered. "Take them to the execution area."
Anakin and Padmè were pulled from the courtroom and down the corridors and for once in her life, Padmè had a feeling that they might not survive this mission after all. She stole a brief glance at Anakin. Her feelings for him suddenly surfaced and were begging to be told.
'This is the end,' she thought soberly. 'I need to tell Anakin... everything. And Khariya... I hope she's all right but with things going the way they're going, I'm afraid I'll never see her again so it's just right that I tell Anakin.' They were put on carriage that would take them to the execution pillars and Padmè saw it as her last chance. Anakin turned to Padmè and saw the look of reluctance in her face and mistook it for fear.
"Don't be afraid," he said reassuringly.
"I'm not afraid to die," she answered automatically. Then, she turned to him with all the courage she had. "I've been dying each day since you came back into my life."
Anakin's head jerked backwards in surprise. "What are you talking about?"
"I love you," she replied simply.
"You love me?" he asked dubiously. "I thought we decided not to fall in love... that we'd be forced to live a lie... and that it would destroy our lives." Padmè looked out into the coliseum and at the gates just beyond them that was sure to be holding some precarious creature ready to obliterate them.
"I think it's about to be destroyed anyways..." She looked into Anakin's eyes, silently calling him to lean forward. Anakin's mind and heart were in deep combat. He knew this was wrong. He knew that Khariya was literally waiting for him outside the doorway but the satisfaction that he was right about Padmè's feeling all along engulfed him and he felt himself going against the chains to near Padmè. "I truly deeply love you..." she whispered. "And before we die, I wanted you to know." Their lips met for some moments and everything was forgotten. Their eyes closed, they felt the carriage they stood on move into the coliseum and Anakin abruptly felt Khariya's presence out in the light so he broke away from Padmè.
"Stop," he murmured.
Padmè nodded. She put her arms down to her waist and her belt gently poked her wrists. 'My belt!' she thought. Out of one of the hidden pockets, she removed a pin and discreetly hid it in her hand while she was being chained to a post.
Obi Wan stood waiting by one of the pillars looking quite annoyed and agitated. "I was beginning to think you didn't receive my message," Obi Wan said. Anakin was being chained onto the column and he looked at his master calmly.
"I retransmitted the message just like you instructed me to," Anakin replied, then added, "Then Padmè, Khariya and I decided to come rescue you." Obi Wan glanced at his chains.
"Good job," he commended.
"I have no time for this. Obi Wan, can you find Khariya?" Obi Wan looked at Anakin suspiciously and nodded towards the viewing area where the Viceroys and the Count were present. Anakin turned towards where Obi Wan indicated and saw Khariya's body tied and gagged beside Count Dooku. He could sense her diminishing energy as she struggled against her bonds and scooted her chair away from a ten year old child poking at her side with a blaster.
"We have to get her out of there, Master."
"Patience, my young Padawan. Patience," Obi Wan answered. All of a sudden, a loud roar took everyone's attention to the gates behind the pillars. They all turned and saw three monsters held on a leash and turned away from their guards by lightning rods.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Anakin sighed.
"Just relax. Concentrate," his Master instructed.
"What about Padmè and Khariya?"
"Padmè seems to be on top of things..." Obi Wan smirked. Anakin looked at Padmè and saw her scaling the stone pillar, a pin in her hand unlocking her chains. "Smart girl." His attention swerved to the praying-mantis-like creature who used a pointed foot to stab at him but Obi Wan maneuvered his restraints so that the stab was aimed at them, freeing him at least from that one spot. He rolled out of the way and he hoped Anakin could handle himself.
Khariya smiled, triumphantly as the Viceroys looked crossly at Padmè's way of protection. It seemed they were annoyed that the monster sent after her sister was having a hard time reaching her when she was so far up.
"She can't do that! Shoot her!" the man shouted over the screams of the crowd. "... or something!" Count Dooku just ignored the request and looked on with disgust. Khariya managed to spit out the cloth that prevented her speech and directed it to the peevish boy guarding her.
"Hey!" the kid cried out wiping away the spit from his face.
"Keep that blaster away from me, kid," she snapped. "Plan isn't working too well now is it, Count Dooku?" She had a smug expression on her face as Count Dooku gave a fleeting look at her.
"Just watch, my dear..." No sooner had he said this, Padmè gave a shriek of pain as the cat's claws slashed at her back leaving bloody trails.
"Padmè!!" Khariya yelled. "Let me go!!" She began struggling against her binding restraints. Anakin felt Khariya's outburst and felt himself go into action. He pushed himself into a giant leap and roped his personal executioner into his own ride. He tried to steer it to where Khariya was but it fought him leaving him just below Padmè's pillar. He looked up and saw Padmè free of chains.
"Jump!" he yelled and she followed landing just behind him and giving him a kiss on the cheek. He blushed for a second but he knew he didn't have time for that. He got the animal next to Obi Wan who jumped on as well.
"We'll need weapons, Anakin," Obi Wan said as the animal trampled on the guards trying to get at them. "Without weapons, we'll end right back on those pillars."
"I know... We just have to stall for time," Anakin replied.
"This isn't how it's suppose to be!" Viceroy whined again.
"Patience, Viceroy," Count Dooku said. "She will die."
"Don't count on it," Khariya hissed, her hands slowly rubbing the rope on her wrists against a jagged wall loosening it little by little. She looked towards the sky sensing something new coming their way and saw some cargo ships coming in from the canyons and grinned. "Looks like reinforcements are just in time." Count Dooku looked at her, confused then felt everything in her confident smirk explained when dozens of Jedis came from the sky with light sabers on hand. He stiffened for a moment but regained composure.
"Miss Naberrie, their foolish move has just made executing my Master's plan so much more easier," he replied.
"Your master?" She looked at Count Dooku questioningly. Before she could ask anymore questions though, Mace Windu strode onto the terrace. "Master Windu!" His purple saber was standing in attention and with quick effort tore Khariya's ropes and she jumped to his side for protection.
"Mace, how pleasant of you to join us," Count Dooku greeted calmly.
"This party is over," Mace said menacingly and took a step forward. The armored guard next to the Count took a step as well but Dooku held him back.
"Brave but foolish, my old Jedi friend but you should know that you are impossibly outnumbered," the Count explained. Khariya's ears caught sounds of faint heavy footsteps behind her and turned around.
"Something.... Actually, A LOT of some things are coming," she murmured.
"I don't think so," Mace growled.
"I do..." Khariya tugged at Mace Windu's sleeve and made him turn around just in time to see the marching troops of droids coming in from the halls, blasters shooting. Khariya jumped to the side to dodge the lasers and accidentally fell on the boy who was guarding her before. His blaster fell from his hand and before he could even react, Khariya rolled to the blaster and pushed herself up with the weapon in her hand.
"Sorry, kid," she said sarcastically. "Just business..." Mace was backing up as the droids attacked and he called Khariya to him.
"C'mon, Miss Naberrie, hang on," he ordered. Khariya put her arms around his waist and felt the air rush around her when Mace jumped down and landed safely on the ground below. As soon as she stepped on the dusty floor, she felt Anakin at her side pulling her away from harm into a hidden crevice.
"Khariya!" he exclaimed, pulling her for a quick embrace and then backed away to check if she was hurt. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"
"No... No I'm fine, Anakin," she smiled, softly. "Are the three of you okay?"
"Yea... Gods.... Khariya, I thought I would never see you again," he whispered, kissing her quickly.
"I'm here, Ani..." she whispered. "But c'mon we have to help." Anakin nodded.
"Fine but you're staying with me this time," he bid. He took her hand and pulled her out of the crevice immediately deflecting the blaster shots. Khariya took her hand out from Anakin's so she could start using her weapon against the advancing enemies. It seemed that all of their allies were being rounded up into the center so they steered their way to them.
"Khariya!" Padmè exclaimed when she saw her sister coming with Anakin by her side.
Khariya, happy to see her sister, put her guard down to dash to Padmè's aid but the moment she did a blaster shot came at her. She just barely noticed when she tried to dodge but it grazed her arm ripping through her sleeve and skin leaving it bloody. She dropped her weapon and ran behind several Jedis, knowing that with her weapon arm wounded, she would be useless.
Padmè ran to her sister before forcing herself to fire at the opponents. Somehow, a thought in Khariya's voice came through her head.
'I'm all right Padmè,' it said. 'I'll live... Now go and fight!'
Anakin saw what had happened but didn't have the facility to react. He tried to get to Khariya but he was only sent a message similar to Padmè's so he just ran to help Padmè.
"You call this a diplomatic solution?" Anakin asked over the firing.
"No," she said with a slight smile. "I call it aggressive negotiations." Had they been in a better situation, Anakin wuld have laughed at the joke.
Finally they were all centered in the coliseum and the droids went into standby.
"What happened?" Khariya asked. Obi Wan was right in front of her and stood there just as perplexed as she was.
"Master Windu!" Count Dooku called from where, Khariya thought, he stood a coward's distance away from the battle. "You've fought bravely today. Enough to be recognized in the Jedi Council's higher ranks, I believe, but unfortunately, all your efforts are futile."
"Give it up, Count Dooku!" Mace Windu retorted. "You WILL lose today."
"How can he say that?!? We're cornered!" Khariya muttered to Obi Wan.
"Silence, Khariya... You're just as bad as Anakin sometimes. Now just listen."
"You couldn't possibly think you can get out of this alive," Count Dooku almost laughed. Mace stood stone silent, his saber ready for anything. "Then, I guess you choose to die today, my old friend..." The droids came to attention and the blasters were raised to shoot at all of them and Khariya shut her eyes tight ready to die but suddenly the wind whipped around her. She looked up and saw more ships with countless troopers.
"The clones," she heard Obi Wan murmur.
'Clones...' Khariya thought in the chaos exploding around her. 'So that's what the army Khariya was talking about is made of.' Obi Wan grabbed her arm and began to run to one of the ships that landed. His run came to an abrupt stop when he felt Khariya resist.
"Khariya, we HAVE to get out of here!" he shouted as he turned and saw that it wasn't Khariya, keeping them from getting to their destination. A winged Geonosian had Khariya by the other arm pulling her away.
"Obi Wan... a little help!" she cried out. Obi Wan pulled back at Khariya's arm but the winged creature. He tried to grab his saber to swing at the enemy but the moment he split his energies towards holding onto Khariya and getting his weapon, her arm slipped from his grasp, her sleeve ripping away from the shirt and remaining in Obi Wan's hand. He could only look helplessly as Khariya was taken away.
"Anakin's gonna kill me," he muttered before running to the ship where Anakin and Padmè were boarding.
"Where's Khariya?" said Anakin. Obi Wan thought for a second. He knew that anything that would worry Anakin would keep him from his duty so he just shrugged.
"She must have gone on another ship," lied Obi Wan. Anakin looked at his master, suspiciously. He had a hunch that Obi Wan wasn't telling the whole turth but he no time to argued.
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Khariya tried to fight against the alien holding her but he was strong. They flew over the barren canyons and arrived to a remote port and she was taken into a ship and thrown to the side. She was waited for some moments until she finally looked up at a high window of the little room she was in and looked out of the ship. She could barely see anything in the dark but she could just make out the lights of sabers fighting.
"Anakin..." she murmured. As she watched, she saw the red saber win against the blue saber, then saw two sabers, blue and green go against the other fighter. Trying her hardest to sense their identities, she barely made out Anakin's presence fighting. Just as she confirmed that, his sabers hissing to silence. Khariya waited in fear for him to come back up but she felt him get knocked unconscious. "Anakin... please be all right."
The door opened to her cell and Amiertho appeared.
"Who are you talking to?" he grunted angrily.
"No one," she whimpered, terrified. Amiertho thought that his prisoner so might try to escape so with a giant fist he knocked her against the wall, her head hitting the wall with a loud thud. Khariya lost all consciousness herself.
[-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.] Oh! How's that?!? Oh my goodness.... I can't believe I finished writing this story!!! Now all that's left is for me to publish it for all of you! And hopefully viruses won't be bothering me anymore! REVIEW!!!!!!!!! [._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._._.]
