Futures Past

Chapter 27- Conflict

Reviews:

Heather Wan: I live to serve, the answers for your questions are, that if Obi Wan had killed Palpatine when he confronted him, he probably would have been arrested as people would have seen him come in and out, and murdering the Supreme Chancellor was probably a big crime (even if he was a sleaze bag!) so that's the answer to that one, Obi Wan likes the subtle approach, and Padmé didn't leave the Senate, because that would be exactly what Palpatine wanted, she was a voice of reason in the Senate and without her it would probably have been in a much worse state, and she isn't the sort of person (In my opinion) who would back down to anyone or change her views or lifestyle because of someone else and she certainly wouldn't quit what she loves because Palpy is a dirty old man, so those are my reasons hehe! Thanks for the review, I'll stick some Obidalaness in next chap.

Yumyumkittysnax: Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad I could help!

And thanks to all the rest of you guys, I'm so pleased we are passed the two hundred review milestone, I love you guys a lot! And I really don't like this chapter, so little interaction, but to make up for it, lotsa Obidalaness next chap! Thanks for coming to read, enjoy!

*

Obi Wan sat solemnly on the transport ship heading for Dantooine. Because of its rough desert terrain and the old Jedi training base already located there it would provide plenty of training for the new recruits into the war. Bail Organa and many of the Jedi Knights skilled in warfare and weaponry were there to train the men. Obi Wan was still not completely sure of his role yet, but he was sure Palpatine had made it quite clear to put him right in the thick of battle.

Despicable excuse for a man, if he goes near Padmé while I'm gone… I shall not be able to do anything. Damn and blast my luck, I was foolish to threaten him, if I had left him unaware I was on to him he would have left me alone and I would have been able to protect Padmé and keep an eye on Anakin, now I can do neither. Blast!

Sighing deeply he closed his eyes, letting the Force calm him, he was still trying to meditate to heal his wounds and focus his mind, but the unagreeable flight and constant babble from other passengers made it almost impossible. He was starting to regret not taking an earlier transport with the other Jedi who had been drafted in, but he had after all wanted to say goodbye to Padmé, so it was his own fault. But it was definitely worth the discomfort now, Obi Wan smiled at the memory of it, he never thought he could come closer to heaven without the Force, but he had been proved wrong, very wrong.

I just hope this will be over quickly enough for me to get back to you Padmé. He sighed as another of the recruits -who looked all of twelve- threw up into another waste bag.

I have a feeling this will be a very long conflict….

*

Anakin sat in Yoda's office waiting, feeling slightly uneasy. It had been quite a few minutes since he was supposed to meet the wizened Jedi Master, but Yoda was running late, and Anakin knew for a fact Yoda was never late, unintentionally. In fact Yoda and Mace Windu were standing outside the door, looking at Anakin through the glass panel that Yoda had put in recently.

"You are worried then?" Mace said, frowning and looking at Anakin once more.

"Much more than worried I am, negative energies I feel in him, though from where, I cannot tell." Yoda shook his head.

"What do you suggest?"

Yoda sighed, closing his eyes and bathing in the serenity of the Force, asking for guidance.

"Perhaps, send him to the Wars too we should."

"But then he'll be out of our control, and Obi Wan said he doesn't pay any attention to what he says anymore."

"Right you are, keep him here for now we must, for closer observation. Perhaps the diplomatic mission to Kashyyyk he should accompany you on, requested more than one Jedi Senator Yarua did, and good practice for him it will be to learn from you."

"I would not even be going in light of the Wars, except that the Trandoshans are treating the Wookies so terribly and Wookies would be valuable assets to the War and have always been friendly to us. We owe them help now, but do you think Anakin is the right choice?"

"Very inexperienced in diplomacy young Skywalker is, and many opportunities he has not had, more fighting than talking he and Obi Wan seemed to do."

"Very well, if you think it is for the best, then he will accompany me." Mace nodded and Yoda smiled grimly.

"Guide him back Master Windu, more Jedi we cannot afford to lose, especially if he is the Chosen One."

Mace nodded again and Yoda bowed slightly then went inside to finally begin his meeting with Anakin.

"Young Skywalker, sorry for my lateness I am, another meeting with Master Windu I had." Yoda explained, hobbling to his low chair and sitting on it in a most amicable way.

"What did you want to see me about Master Yoda?"

Yoda tutted, "So hasty you younglings always are, hmm. How feel you, young Skywalker?"

Anakin was confused. "…Fine?" he replied hesitantly.

"No, no, no." Yoda frowned, pursing his lips and contemplating whether to hit Anakin on the head with his walking stick. "How do you feel, inside? Happy are you? Angry? Misunderstood? Unappreciated? How are you within the Force?"

Anakin paused, rather thrown by this, sometimes he contemplated whether or not Master Yoda could read minds, or whether he was just easy to read anyway.

"I'm…okay?"

"Youngling, you try my patience, truth you must tell me, no good can be found in lies, and no lies can be hidden from the Force."

"I'm, I don't know master Yoda. A little unappreciated I guess."

"Why?" Yoda leaned forward on his little chair, listening intently.

"Well, sometimes I feel like you think it's a mistake to have trained me, you don't send me on missions, you don't seem to trust me with anything, I feel as if the only reason you guys accepted me is because it was Qui Gon's dying wish and Obi Wan would've done anyway, and because you think I'm the Chosen One or something." Anakin said, wondering why he had actually told Yoda all that and not just made something up to satisfy the old Master.

Yoda smiled, pleased he had got the truth. "Trust has to be earned young Anakin, earned it, do you feel you have?"

Anakin thought about this and then shook his head.

"Well then." Yoda said. "Anakin, bullied into picking Jedi the council never is, picked you because potential we saw in you, and although unorthodox at your age, and perhaps swayed by Obi Wan and Qui Gon our decision was, but trained you we would have anyway." He smiled reassuringly. "Make mistakes we do not, afford to we cannot."

"Oh, good." Anakin said relieved.

"As a failure do not count yourself yet Anakin, much time to make amends there is. Believe in you the council does, and believe in you Qui Gon and Obi Wan did, enough that should be. But arrogant become not Anakin, for only to darkness that road will lead you, anger and hate you must resist, for corrupt you it will." Yoda said sharply.

"But you may yet get your wish." His tone softened. "Picked you Master Windu has, to accompany him to the planet Kashyyyk, home of the Wookies it is. Disputes and animosity have always remained between the Trandoshans and them, and in danger the Wookies are. Threatening a war the Trandoshans are, and a conflict the Wookies do not want, settle this peaceably or postpone it at least we must, so a diplomatic mission only this is, lightsabres are not required here!" Yoda warned.

"Of course Master." Anakin nodded.

"Mean it I do! Act not rashly and Master Windu's instructions you must follow. Betray not our faith in you Anakin, a great opportunity this is."

"I understand Master." Anakin said.

"Good, leave you will tomorrow. Dismissed you are."

"Thank you Master. You won't regret this." Anakin grinned and left.

"I pray that I don't." Yoda muttered, massaging his wrinkled temples.

*

Padmé marched behind Dormé, while Sabé walked in front and Versé flanked Dormé, to the casual eye no-one would ever have guessed that Senator Amidala was walking behind and the supposed Senator was a decoy. Ever since Cordé had been killed in her place on Coruscant before the Wars began, Padmé and all her handmaidens were very conscious of the Senators safety, Padmé even more so because she knew of Palpatine's deceit, and Sabé refused to risk even the thought of a possible attempt on Padmé's life, so insisted at every opportunity the need for the decoys.

Padmé grew tired of all the formality and the need for decoys, she hated the thought that her handmaidens would die in her place, because of some horrible grudge someone held against her. It didn't seem fair that these strong, courageous women were employed to die for her if needs be, it went against everything she believed in for people to have an equal right to live. She would gladly die for one of her handmaidens if she could protect them, but she was never allowed any opportunity to voice this opinion, and Sabé or any of the others would never in a million years hear of her risking her life for them.

"Sabé, this was foolish, who would attempt to assassinate me on my home world, it is not as easy for assassins to pray on me here, you know that as well as I." Padmé whispered as the two drew level to let Dormé walk through the door to Theed's Royal Palace first.

"It was more in case there were stowaways or if we were boarded while travelling, it was Captain Typho's idea, not mine surprisingly." Padmé rolled her eyes, she knew Sabé would probably have suggested it if Typho hadn't, it was certainly not Dormé's idea, she knew how much Padmé loathed the decoy plans so wouldn't dare to suggest it.

"I just want you to know, as soon as we get to a decent place we are switching back, the Queen and the rest of the advisers do not need any more confusion." Padmé said firmly.

"Senator Amidala has arrived to meet with the Queen." Versé announced and the guards nodded.

"The Queen is in talks at the moment, please go and make yourselves comfortable in the guest area, you will be called for when the Queen is ready."

"Thank you." Dormé said in her regal tone, she was rather adept at mimicking Padmé's formal voice.

When the four ladies were alone in the waiting room Padmé motioned to Dormé so the two could switch back quickly behind a screen probably used more for decorative purposes in the room.

When the Queen sent for them, Padmé was ready and the four were escorted to Queen Jamilla's meeting room.

"Greetings Senator Amidala." The Queen inclined her head and Padmé did the same.

"Your highness, it's good to see you again."

A servant stepped forward, "What can I get you as refreshments Milady, Cassandran Choholl or the finest Bespin Port perhaps?"

"R'alla Water will be fine, thank you." Padmé said politely, she didn't much care for the expensive alcoholic drinks that seemed so popular with royalty, even when she was Queen. The Senator sat, and so did the Queen, and the four handmaidens stood behind Padmé silently.

"Lists have been sent in as to what each family can contribute to the war Senator, it is not always a lot, but you know as well as I that everyone will give as much as they can." Jamilla passed a thick book over the desk for Padmé to flick through, which contained the census within.

"Yes, and bless them all for it. How many are willing to join the War?" Padmé looked up after glancing through the book, she would have more opportunity to study it at length later.

"A little less than a million, including Gungans, there are not many, but few think the War will reach us on the Outer Rim, or that it will last that long." The Queen looked terribly tired, even through the Royal makeup, Padmé briefly wondered whether she looked worse when she was Queen, and decided to ask her handmaidens later.

"They will soon see. I would advise to run training camps in the schools, in case the older students are needed too. We do not know how long this will last, but our enemies will be numerous, many have joined the Separatists and they rely on many millions of Droids for their armies. They can make thousands, maybe even millions at a time, and our Clone Armies take considerably longer to harvest than their troops, which puts us at a disadvantage, especially as so many of the surviving Republic are not taking this war seriously." Padmé slumped her shoulders for a moment wiping a hand down her face tiredly.

"I understand Senator, and we will continue to campaign for more troops, I just don't know what it will take to convince the people that this War is happening and they cannot hide from it forever."

"I just pray it does not take a disaster for our army to convince them, we cannot afford to lose allies now, at this stage there is no room for mistakes."

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Waaa I hated this chapter, so choppy and unfocused, but worry not, I may do a flash forward and skip a few months, or focus more on Anakin, but you tell me, who do you guys want to follow more? What do you want to see more of, I am here to fulfil your readery needs, but don't worry, there will be plenty of Obidalaness coming soon, but I wont tell you how! Mwaha!

Review please, my ego needs a boost, but be honest, that sucked right?

xXx