Futures Past

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Chapter 12- Lust

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Aboard a large space cruiser shrouded in shadows a large grey bearded man strode down his ships ramp. His face was hidden by a large black cloak but his confident gait made clear his mind.

Strolling past an array of droids and armoured guards he knew his destination exactly. But was beaten by another cloaked being.

"Ah Tyranus. On time, how pleasing."

"You requested my presence Master?"

"Indeed. How is the construction coming along?"

"Right on schedule my lord, I have the finest engineers in the galaxy working tirelessly to ensure that everything is going according to plan."

"Good… There is something else, that I wish of you my apprentice."

"What do you desire Master?"

"Many things, but I want you to deal with the Jedi, they are getting in our way."

"I understand Master. What of the boy?"

"Ah, Skywalker, he has… potential, if he can be turned to our cause we will be unstoppable. But there are problems."

"Such as?"

"Senator Amidala."

"Ah, former Queen of Naboo."

"I want her Tyranus, she is resisting my powers."

"I assure you Master, if you so desire her, she will be yours." Tyranus turned to leave.

"-Another thing"

"Yes my Master?"

"I sense much from Skywalker that will help us immensely. He is jealous and angry, he resents his Master. If we feed his hatred, it will make him easier to turn, I feel that Obi Wan could be instrumental to this. Do you understand? We have discussed it before."

"I understand completely Master, it shall be done."

"We will work slowly, after the Clone Wars, we can make our stand and I will reveal myself as emperor, if all goes to plan, there will be no-one left to resist us. There is no rush for Skywalker, we will have an eternity to work with. We will bide our time, to make sure that his transformation is complete."

*

"Padmé? I don't want to seem like I don't want you but I'm curious, isn't it time you went back to the senate?" Anakin asked her. They were sitting in his room, Padmé cross legged on the bed and him sitting eyes closing trying to lift things with the Force.

"Well I…"

"What's wrong?" Anakin's eyes shot open and he went over to her, large hands enveloping her dainty fingers.

"It's Palpatine." She said slowly.

"What could be wrong with him, I think he's a fine Chancellor, he is a great man."

Padmé chuckled bitterly. I doubt you'd think that she thought sadly.

"Well Ani its just that he calls me to the senate because of my peaceful and negotiational talents, then he disagrees with everything I say and criticizes everything I say. Its so frustrating."

Anakin nodded sympathetically.

"You want me to go talk to him?"

"NO!" Padmé said forcefully. "You can't go and fight my battles for me Anakin I can handle it myself."

"Alright, sorry milady didn't mean to offend you."

"Don't start Ani, I'm not in the mood."   

Anakin looked at her rather hurt.

"Sorry, I'll go I need to get some training in anyway."

"No Ani don't!" She cried. He turned back, confusion in his cerulean eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked again putting his arm around her. She recoiled, tensing up, flinching away from his grasp.

"I don't get you Padmé!" He cried, in frustration. "You don't want me to touch you or help you with your problems but you don't want me to leave? What the hell is wrong with you?!"

Padmé regarded him in stony silence.

"I give up!" He exclaimed, throwing his arms in the air and then storming out.

Padmé sat in silence for a moment then burst into tears. The stresses of the week were mounting upon her like lead, she couldn't breathe and choked in hysterics.

"Anakin I just thought-" Obi Wan poked his head through the door.

"Padmé? What in the Force is the matter?!" He hobbled in, sitting beside the sobbing senator as she grasped the front of his tunic and buried her head in his robes.

"Not that I mind being your human tissue, but don't you think talking would be better than making me soggy?"

Padmé sniffled by way of apology and raised her face to look at Obi Wan.

"It's alright I didn't need these robes anyway." He quipped and she smiled faintly.

"That's better, now where's Anakin and why are you alone in his room crying? Lovers spat?"

"I don't know. He's very frustrated, I think I'm sending him mixed signals, it's just with all that's been happening I don't really need to be an object of lustful fantasies right now, and I don't want to argue with him but he can't keep treating me like a weak child."

Obi Wan felt a little guilty, wasn't that what she was to him, an object of lustful fantasies. No it was deeper than that, an understanding, two lost souls in the galaxy drawn by a common bond…

"Anakin?"

"He thinks he can settle my problems, probably with violence. He actually stood up for that despicable rat Palpatine."

"I agree totally, there is something not right about him."

"Many things not right about him." She said bitterly.

"He attacked you didn't he?" Padmé looked up in shock. How could he guess? Anakin didn't even realise and they were supposed to be married.

"I can tell." He whispered, reading her mind. She stared into his stormy grey eyes and felt like crying again.

"He didn't…do anything?"

"Define anything." She laughed bitterly. "No I managed to get away with a shattered confidence and bruised skin, if it counts."

"Of course it does. The fiend, I should give him a taste of my lightsabre."

"That's why I didn't tell Anakin, he would have run him through with his… laser sword thing."

"Laser sword thing!? Lightsabres are not laser sword things I can assure you milady! They are our closest companion, our truest partner. They don't fail us like those unsightly blasters that people use. There is an art, a perfect dance to using your lightsabre! It is poetry in motion."

"You are quite a worrying person Master Obi Wan!" She laughed.

"Quite possibly. But seriously, are you alright?"

"I'll be fine, really. That's what the argument was about, and mixed signals. He wanted to go and talk to him. We've discovered that talking is useless!"

"Indeed." He said looking at her closely. Her large soft lips were quivering slightly, maybe she was about to cry again. The pain was evident in her deep chocolate eyes.

They were almost touching noses and Obi Wan could feel her breath on his face. His skin tingled and his heart begged him to kiss her. She was right there, a simple kiss to prove there was nothing there. She bit her lip nervously.

She's waiting for you to kiss her fool! Go on! His heart screamed.

He closed his eyes and moved forward, he could feel the heat of her lips mere millimetres away, then his eyes snapped open and he pulled away abruptly.

He saw her eyes flick open, confusion in them.

His heart threatened to tear apart right there and he felt himself blush scarlet.

"I- I'm…I'm sorry!" He stuttered breathlessly, then hoisted himself up, and stumbled from the room at amazing speed.

Padmé sat in shock confusion threatening to consume her, then she stood too and ran from the temple.

*