Okay, here it is. Sorry for not updating in so long. I hope you enjoy it!
Sabé shrugged and half closed her eyes. "Something about a mission?"
***
Padmé's hands were sweating as if she was in the middle of a very long and hard lightsaber practice. But she wasn't. She was a bout to establish contact with the Jedi Council whom she hadn't talk to for quite a while, and when she did, it was only to report her status.
Her feet echoed in the long and cold halls of Theed Palace, and the sound was making her even more nervous. The communications room seemed to be miles away, but it was only ten steps from Padmé's position.
"Don't worry", Anakin whispered from over her shoulder. Padmé turned around and realized she was almost running. She slowed down and Anakin reached her pace. He placed a hand over her shoulder and tred to hide the fact that he was as scared as his wife.
Together they entered the room and inside was displayed a hologram with Masters Ki Adi Mundi, Mace Windu, Deppa Billaba and Yoda. They all had serious and concerned expressions in their faces. Anakin stepped aside and Depa Billaba gave him a sympathetic look. That was when Padmé knew it.
"Masters", she greeted as she bowed respectfully. The masters copied her geastured and started.
"Padmé, we have a mission for you", Mace started. Padmé tried to look responsable but her eyes gave her away. "I notice that this is shocking to you, but it extremely important that you return to your duties and serve your galaxy".
"Yes, Master", came Padmé's firm reply.
"We have some information about an underground sect that would be learning and using the Sith teachings here in Courasant", Ki Adi Mundi said. "Your mission is to find this sect and try to get close to the members. You must earn the trust of them and join the sect in order to investigate them and see if they trully are following and living by the Dark Side's teachings".
"Isn't that dangerous?", Anakin broke in. Padmé turned to look at him, sadness written in her eyes. Deppa Billaba looked at them and bit her lip. It broke her heart to see them like that.
"She will NOT be alone, your highness. There will be other Jedi with her", she explained. Anakin walked towards Padmé and held her hand, a geasture that to Mace Windu seemed challenging.
"Your highness, Padmé has a duty towards the Jedi order and the galaxy...", he said.
"But you said that I would have three months after my son was born to take care of him", Padmé interrupted.
"Patience, Naberrie. Listen to the wiser you must, and then state your opinion", Yoda spoke. Padmé lowered her head and nodded.
"I'm sorry, Master. It's just that we had an agreement", she explained. Padmé kept quiet for a moment and realized that it was useless to argue. The people before her were her superiors, the Jedi council. There was nothing she could do to go against their will. "How long will this mission last?", Padmé asked, finally accepting the situation.
"At least two months", Ki Adi Mundi answered. His reply physically hurt Padmé, a pain in her stomach making her face cringe. Two months away from her son... He was only two months old and they hadn't shared enough yet. At least not for Padmé. She couldn't be away from him, she couldn't live without Seth. Not for two days, nor for two weeks, and definately not for two months.
"I won't go", she statened, her look hardening a little. Not in an angry way, but in a motherly and concerned way. Mace Windu stood up and walked closer to the camera. He wore a challenging expression on his face, but it didn't intimidate Padmé at all. In issues regarding her son, nothing could stand between them.
"Are you defying the orders of your superiors, the Jedi council?", Mace asked in a hard tone. Padmé stepped closer to Anakin and snaked her arm around his waist. Though this might have seemed a frightened geasture, she made sure her face showed the opposite. She was challenging the council.
"I'm not leaving my family for two months, not for the Jedi or for anyone", she answered matching Mace's hard tone. "You are not doing your part of our deal, and I intend to keep doing my part. I will NOT leave my son until the agreed date comes". While she spoke, Anakin held her firmly against him, showing the council that he supported his wife in her resolve.
"If you don't do as we tell you, you will be expelled from the Jedi order with no chance to rejoin us", Ki Adi Mundi said in a menacing tone. "This is a disrespect geasture towards us, and we will not tolerate such behavior among the members of our order".
"You agreed to give Padmé three months after our son was born to take cae of him, and as my wife said, you are not doing your part of the deal", Anakin broke in using his royal tone. "You are puting her life in jeopardy even though you know that she has a husband, and more important, a young child to raise. I don't understand your decision to send her in a mission".
Depa Billaba sat on the edge of her seat and joined her hands. "Your Majesty, if we reached Padmé was only because we know that she's the only Jedi that can do this mission right. She's got all that it takes to face a challenge as this".
"Now you confirmed that the mission is extremely dangerous", Padmé said making her point.
"We never said that the mission wasn't dangerous", Mace pointed. "But as a Jedi you have a duty towards us and the galaxy, and you know it. You have two choices: go to the mission and remain as a Jedi or stay in Naboo and be expelled from the order"
"I think you already know my choice", she said.
"You must know that you'll be judged by the council. According to the Jedi code, if a Knight or Padawan disobeys the council, he or she must be judged for not following orders. You will be expelled from the order or forced to go in a mission against your will. We don't like to do that because it brakes the mental peace of the Knight and transports it to a dark state..."
"I've already been in a dark state, have you forgotten? It took all of my skill and will to dominate that part of me, and now you want me to go in a mission were I'll be among dark teachings?", Padmé interrupted. "I don't want darkness around me anymore, I've had enough of it. I'll not have my child near that negative enviorment".
"Why should your son be close to darkness?", Depa Billaba asked confused. "You are not taking him with you, we all assume..."
"Of course not... But darkness will remain with me when I come back", Padmé explained.
"Seen it in the future, have you?", Yoda asked. Padmé looked at the Jedi Master and sighed.
"I don't need to. I know it will happen".
"Padmé's impulses towards the dark side nearly ended with our life and marriage. I don't want to go through that again", Anakin added.
"With no intention to offend you, Your Highness, but a Jedi shouldn't be married for a start", Ki Adi Mundi said in a hard tone, disaproving Padmé and Anakin's union. Anakin remained calmed, but Padmé took the coment as an offense.
"Well, it's a little late to do something about it. As you can see, we are happyly married and we have a son. Nothing you say will change that", she statened. Anakin looked down at her impressed by her courage. Did he and Seth mean that much to her? "Yes you do", Padmé whispered back at his thought. Anakin smiled and tightened his arm around her.
"I knew this would happen sooner or later...", Mace sighed. "Padmé: I know that we reached you before we had agreed to, but if we are doing this is because we really need you. Please, we are asking you to take this mission so that we can protect many other innocent people", he said almost pleading. Padmé was shocked by his tone. Mace Windu was known for being a proud Jedi (in a good way) that would never step down from his position as a council member to deal with Jedi Knights under his command. If Windu ordered something, it was done.
Padmé sighed and looked down. The price she had to pay to live her dream as a Jedi was to leave her dream of being a mother if only for two months. Years ago two months were nothing, but now they made a big difference. The decision was already taken.
"I'll go. I will take a ship tomorrow during the night. I have to make sure that my son will be taken care of", she said. Padmé lowered her eyes to the marble floor and sighed.
"Don't worry about that", Anakin whipered as he squeezed Padmé's hand. She smiled at him in return. They suddenly felt the council's intense stare upon them and the moment was broken. "I'll make sure that everything's ready for her departure. You have my word", Anakin assured using his royal tone. the council bowed pleased that they had achieve their goal and the communications came to an end. They didn't say good bye or anything.
"Thank you, Anakin", Padmé said as she hugged him. Anakin returned the embrace with greater strengh because of his sadness, but he was determined to not show it too much for his and Padmé's sake. Padmé wasn't as strong as her husband. She started crying, slowly at first, but eventually her sobs were harder.
"I'll take care of him", Anakin soothed as he ran his hands up and down her back in an effort to comfort her. "I promise, don't worry about him, he'll be alright here". Padmé looked up at him and wiped her face with her sleeve.
"You think so?", she asked in a little voice. Anakin gave her a weak smile and nodded.
"Of course. I don't have to go away until a couple of months, so I'll be right here with him".
"Good". Padmé sighed and looked down. "I better pack my things".
*
She released him after what seemed like hours of holding him. she softly kissed his forehead and a couple of tears soaked his hair. "Please forgive me", Padmé pleaded as she left Seth back on his crib.
She left the room, said her final good-bye form the door and walked away, Anakin holding her hand.
***
Padmé arrived at the Jedi Temple and met the council as soon as she stepped on the hangar. There was no time to be wasted. Mace Windu and Yoda met her there.
"Padmé, you must leave immediately. We have located the place where the sect meets, it's a club in low Courasant. You must leave everything you own here, including your lightsaber. You will only contact us if necessary and you will not separate from the sect, understood?", Mace Windu asked in a hard tone, as if Padmé could disagree with the order.
"Yes, Master", she answered plainly.
"May the Force be with you", Yoda added. Padmé nodded and gave her lightsaber to Windu. She got on a speeder and left.
*
Low Courasant.
Far in the end of the dark alley was the entrance to the 'club'. Hesitantley, Padmé walked towards the metallic door. Every step echoed on the hard walls around her and the sound brought a tingle down her spine. When she finally reached the entrance, she grabbed the handle in her shaky hand and opened the door. Dark red lights invited her to go down the stairs and down to the basement, where the red lights continued their mysterious trail. She followed the lights, carefully leaning on the stairway, her right hand against the cold wall.
Downstairs, the enviorment changed dramatically. A hollow sound of drums and electronic instruments came from a speaker on the corner of the room. It took Padmé a couple of minutes to get used to the sound, but she continued her exploration of the basement. Signs written in a dialect that wasn't in her database were hung on the walls. To Padmé, the signs looked like rules or instructions because of how some of the characters were written more than once on the different signs.
A bright yellow light caught her eye, and she turned to find herself face to face with a hooded figure. Padmé was about to reach for her lightsaber when she remembered that she had left it at the temple. She accepted her fortune and bowed, showing her respects to the figure.
"Who are you?", came a deep voice. Padmé didn't dare to lift her head, so she kept her position and raised her hands in surrender.
"I came here to join you. I was born to serve with you,. I'll be your slave if in return of my services you give me the wisdom hidden in all of your teachings". Padmé analized the weigth of her words. Phrases like 'born to serve you', words like 'slave' made her question her existance. She once had been a slave, to then become a Jedi, a wife and finally a mother. But one thing didn't displace the other. Somehow, Padmé had to find the middle point between all of her titles and duties to bring balance to her life.
"We receive everyone, unlike the Jedi...", the last words came with disgust from the figure's mouth. "To us, every single life form has a unique potencial that needs to be developed and guided by the right hand, the right master or teacher if you preffer".
"Thank you, you don't know how much this means to me", Padmé replied slowly bowing her head. The figure placed a friendly hand on Padmé's shoulder and brought her closer.
"Come: I'll take you to our leader", he said in what sounded like a welcoming tone. Padmé followed the figure into a room. The brightness of it forced Padmé to half close her eyes until they became used to the change. Inside this new room were chairs and what looked like a throne.
For a minute, the image of her husband ruling his planet crossed Padmé's mind, but she pushed the thought aside. She didn't know how much power this sect had and if among those powers were reading minds and telepathy. She only wished that the mission would be over soon enough to go home to her family.
The chairs were lined up in two rows facing each other and leaving enough space between to let a croud walk through with no major obstacles. More hooded figures sat on the chairs, their heads hidden under the dark robes. Padmé noticed that those robes were darker than the one her 'reciever' wore. The faceless figures looked down, probably inmersed in meditation or maybe just as a sign of respect towards the man sitting on the throne-like chair.
The man wore his hood down, and Padmé could clearly see his features; sharp and hard. He looked older than Obi Wan, but younger than Mace Windu. He was probably 39 or 40 standard years old. His pale skin reminded Padmé of Supreme Chancellor Palpatine, but this un-hooded man's skin wasn't dry and didn't look old. As she got closer, Padmé noticed the man's green eyes, piercing as a thousand knives and as cold as their blades. Her guide stopped three steps before the man and kneeled. Padmé imitated his geasture and waited. Long silence…
"Who is this girl?", the man said, his voice even deeper than the hooded figure's.
"She came to us in order to join us. I feel great Power coming from her, she might be a worthy member to our order", the figure replied. The man in the throne stood and for a moment Padmé thought the hooded figure would step back, but it remained in its position.
"I am Sadicous, and I am the leader of our order", he paused and looked at the figure next to Padmé. "Show yourself, Cruelius", he ordered. The figure stood up and removed the hood from its head to reveal a young man, probably around Padmé's age. He had short hair, shorter than the average male Jedi Padawan learner, and his eyes were of a with a deep brown, almost black. His face wasn't hard, he looked almost inocent, but a scar across his right eye took all that inocence away.
"I'm sorry for not introducing myself earlier, but I can only remove my hood when Sadicous", he paused and bowed, "says so. We must do whatever he tells us to reach the total domain of our Power".
"The Power to us is the Force to the Jedi, but we don't like to call it that way. We also don't believe that the power is in objects or in the enviorment. We believe that it's only in the people or creatures", Sadicous finished. Padmé nodded and kept her eyes on Sadicous' boots. "Stand and tell us your name".
Padmé remembered to change her name for a fake one, and she already had picked one. She looked up but kept a respectful stare.
"My name is…"
"Padmé!"
Somebody had interrupted her.
*
Padmé turned around and couldn't tell who among all the sitting figures had discovered her real identity.
"How do you know that, Cynia?", Sadicous asked intrigued. One of the figures stood up and walked towards the throne where it knelt, just like Cruelius had done previously. "Remove your hood", Sadicous ordered. Cynia complied and a young girl appeated from under the thick robe. She had long blonde hair, gathered together by a tight bun on the back of her head. She also had piercing green eyes like Sadicous, but hers were a little colder, if possible.
"I saw her once. She's married to a senator of the republic and she's also a Jedi", she said. Padmé could tell by her tone that she was enjoying the whole situation.
"A Jedi?", Sadicous asked dryly.
"Not only a Jedi, but the Chosen One, the one that is supposed to bring balance to the Force", Cynia added, delighted for what was coming next. Sadicous seemed a little more upset by Cynia's words, and his green eyes could barely be seen between his thick lashes coming from his almost closed eyes. Padmé noticed how a swollen vein jumped on the side of his neck. He was mad.
"Did you lie to us?", he asked in a harsh tone. Padmé shook her head. "Prove it!", Sadicous ordered. Padmé thought how she could do THAT and sighed. There was only one way to go on, and it was giving herself to the situation. She would have to be humble and leave her pride aside.
"All I can tell you is that what she is saying is not true. I can't prove anything, this is my word against Cynia's. Maybe she's confused, she might be taking me for somebody else", she said in a loose tone, glancing Cynia.
"That could be a possibility…", Sadicous reasoned. Cynia opened her eyes widely and opened her mouth ready to protest, but Sadicous interrupted her before she started. "No more discussion will be made upon this subject. And if Padmé were a Jedi, she made the right decission by chosing us above them".
Padmé smiled to herself. Sadicous wasn't very smart, at least not as smart as she thought he was.