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Chapter VI- The Departure
It was several hours past nightfall. Lana was resting in her room, recovering from her wound. Her two Jedi colleagues were downstairs; each had their own relaxed position on opposite ends of the couch in front of the roaring fire. Padmé sat between them. Feeling the call of sleep echo within her, the senator rose from her seat.
"Well, I guess with three Jedi protecting me, I should be able to sleep easier." She said. "Good night, boys."
Anakin's watchful eye followed the senator until she disappeared down the dark corridors that lead to her room. Anakin eventually diverted his attention back to his old friend.
"How have you been, Alan?"
"Good. How have your adventures been?"
"They've been... interesting. Everything from speeder chases to gundark nests."
Alan grinned. "Gundarks?"
"Yeah. Obi-Wan fell into that mess and I ended up rescuing him." Anakin said. "How about you? I heard you passed the trials."
"Yeah, and that was only a few days ago. It feels like it has been a lifetime since." Alan reminisced upon his Padawan days. "Why haven't you gone for the trials yet? I know you've got the skill."
"I wish Obi-Wan saw things your way." Anakin replied. "I just can't help but feel like he's been holding me back."
"Well, you can't really put a lot of merit on my opinion for this sort of thing. I'm no master yet."
"You can be..."
Alan grinned and shook his head. "I'm going to wait a while before I pick up a Padawan. Too much stress."
"I just want to pass the trials."
"Don't worry about it, Anakin. You're going somewhere; you're going to be powerful. You just need to give yourself time, that's all."
Anakin nodded. "What about yyour other adventures with Master Tor? How were they?"
"Exhausting. Master Tor enjoyed taking the most physically challenging and mentally grueling missions. Everything from surface wars to cantina fights to big raids."
"A real battle junkie."
Alan nodded. "I'm surprised I actually lasted long enough to pass the trials. But Master Tor taught me well."
"How was Alderaan?"
"Peaceful. Serene. Beautiful. A lot like Naboo in so many ways." Alan said. "I had a hard time leaving."
"I suppose I would too. My homeworld was nothing but sand and heat. Everything here is... beautiful and green."
"I grew up on Coruscant- there is naught but gray skyscrapers and noisy air speeders."
Anakin sighed. "I wish... I wish would never have to leave here..."
"You mean never have to leave her?"
Anakin blushed.
"When I asked you about your adventures, you never mentioned wooing a senator." Alan grinned. "How does Padmé feel about this?"
"I don't know." Anakin replied.
"Have you talked to her about this?"
Anakin shook his head. "I want to... I will."
Alan's grin quickly faded. "But the code forbids-"
"I know." Anakin nodded. He glared at Alan. "And you know that, too."
Alan's composure crumpled. He sunk into his seat and sighed. "What do you want to know?"
"You thought you could hide from me, Alan?"
Alan shook his head. "Lana... Lana and I have been best friends for more than ten years."
"She was there the day we met at the temple."
"I know. She was with me at the academy, she was there when master Tor selected me, and she was with me during the trials. I always felt... connected to her."
"So this was... inevitable?"
"Yes." Alan admitted, a voice full of pain
"Why are you so burdened about it, Alan?"
"Because I know it is something that won't last." Alan said. "The code forbids it."
"The council doesn't have to know." Anakin said reassuringly.
"Thanks." Alan felt some pressure relief. "If you do get involved with Padmé, I won't say anything."
Alan and Anakin shook hands. A pact had been made between friends. Shortly afterwards, Alan rose from the couch and departed to his own room. Anakin watched the fire burn, locked in deep thought for half an hour. Eventually, the fire died as the last pieces of log deteriorated and fell. The Padawan was submerged in complete darkness.
* The next day *
Padmé emerged from the house, finding the two Jedi guardians standing on the balcony overlooking the gardens, meditating. She watched the two slowly before turning around to leave them in peace.
"Don't go." Anakin said suddenly. Padmé turned to face him.
"I don't want to disturb the two of you."
"Your presence is soothing." Anakin replied. Alan opened his eyes and looked over to the young Padawan.
"You had a nightmare, last night."
Anakin closed his eyes again. "Jedi don't have nightmares."
"I heard you." Padmé replied. Alan arched an eyebrow. His neck swiveled to face his old friend.
Anakin's expression contorted in a display of inner conflict. "I saw... my mother." He finally said. Anakin sighed and broke his meditative composure. He turned to face the senator. "I saw her, as clearly as I see you now. She's suffering, I could felt her pain, it was... it was coursing through me like my own blood. And I know that I'm disobeying my mandate to protect you, senator, but I must go!" Anakin groaned. "I have to help her, I have no choice..."
Padmé nodded in understanding. "I will go with you."
"Padmé, that won't be necessary. Alan and Lana are here to-"
"No arguing." She said firmly. Anakin bit his tongue. "I'll go prepare my things."
The senator left, entering the house the same way she came out.
"It's odd that she sensed your nightmare when I could not." Alan noted. He added jokingly, "Perhaps she is as interested in you as you are in her."
Anakin didn't smile. "My mother..."
Alan's expression suddenly condensed with concern. "Anakin, I don't want to butt heads with you about this, but I don't think this is wise."
Anakin shook his head. "I must help her."
"You're directly violating your mandate, Anakin."
He groaned. "I know, but this is my mother. You cannot begin to understand how intense that pain was... and I felt it from here, so far away from Tatooine."
"If you are going to do this, I cannot help you." Alan said regretfully.
"I know, and I didn't expect you to. I can't ask you to put yourself at risk for me, or to violate your own mandate, but please, let me go."
Alan nodded. "I can't say I approve of this, but I will cover for you. If the council asks where you are, I will tell them you transferred the senator to a more secure location."
"Thank you." Anakin hugged Alan as if he were his older brother. He then departed to prepare his own things.
* * *
"Hello, Padmé."
Padmé jerked back. She looked up at the Jedi and took a deep breath. "Good morning."
Lana nodded. She noticed the senator was packing. "Are you going somewhere?"
"Yes." Padmé nodded. She stood and selected a dress from her closet.
Lana's eyes practically glazed. "That's a beautiful dress."
Padmé smiled. "Thank you. I've been saving it for a special occasion." The senator selected another dress. She looked over to Lana, the dress in her hand. "Lana, I want you to have this."
Lana shook her head. "I appreciate the gesture, but I cannot accept-"
"Lana, I insist. You saved my life, and I want you to have this."
Lana hesitantly nodded. "Thank you, Padmé." She continued to watch the senator as she packed. "You're going to Tatooine with Anakin, aren't you?"
"How did you-"
"I know." She nodded, interrupting the senator. "His pain created tremors in the Force. I felt his nightmare last night. I felt his mother's pain, and I felt the way it destroyed him inside, I felt his own agony."
"That's why I have to go with him."
"I understand." Lana paused to watch Padmé as she quickly packed her things. "You love him, don't you?"
Padmé froze. A strong sense of anxiety crept up her spine as she eyed the Jedi Consular. She nervously sighed. Lana's expression was cool and sure. Padmé's was marred with conflict. How could she hide this from the Jedi?
"Love will not bind you, senator." Lana said as she placed her hand upon her shoulder. "It will set you free. Don't be afraid-"
She shook her head. "I-I can't. I'm a senator, and he's going to become a Jedi. It's just not possible."
"You are throwing something away here, Padmé. He loves you very much." Lana explained. "Regardless of how you feel about him, you must know that he will need your support- now more than ever. His mother has always been a very... painful issue for him."
Padmé continued packing. "How do you know him so well?"
"My master and I were constantly stationed at the temple, and Alan and Anakin spent lots of time training with their masters there as well. The three of us were very good friends." Lana came to a long pause as she searched her memory with a bit of nostalgia. She suddenly snapped back to the present. "When you reach Tatooine, please don't let him do anything stupid."
Chapter VI- The Departure
It was several hours past nightfall. Lana was resting in her room, recovering from her wound. Her two Jedi colleagues were downstairs; each had their own relaxed position on opposite ends of the couch in front of the roaring fire. Padmé sat between them. Feeling the call of sleep echo within her, the senator rose from her seat.
"Well, I guess with three Jedi protecting me, I should be able to sleep easier." She said. "Good night, boys."
Anakin's watchful eye followed the senator until she disappeared down the dark corridors that lead to her room. Anakin eventually diverted his attention back to his old friend.
"How have you been, Alan?"
"Good. How have your adventures been?"
"They've been... interesting. Everything from speeder chases to gundark nests."
Alan grinned. "Gundarks?"
"Yeah. Obi-Wan fell into that mess and I ended up rescuing him." Anakin said. "How about you? I heard you passed the trials."
"Yeah, and that was only a few days ago. It feels like it has been a lifetime since." Alan reminisced upon his Padawan days. "Why haven't you gone for the trials yet? I know you've got the skill."
"I wish Obi-Wan saw things your way." Anakin replied. "I just can't help but feel like he's been holding me back."
"Well, you can't really put a lot of merit on my opinion for this sort of thing. I'm no master yet."
"You can be..."
Alan grinned and shook his head. "I'm going to wait a while before I pick up a Padawan. Too much stress."
"I just want to pass the trials."
"Don't worry about it, Anakin. You're going somewhere; you're going to be powerful. You just need to give yourself time, that's all."
Anakin nodded. "What about yyour other adventures with Master Tor? How were they?"
"Exhausting. Master Tor enjoyed taking the most physically challenging and mentally grueling missions. Everything from surface wars to cantina fights to big raids."
"A real battle junkie."
Alan nodded. "I'm surprised I actually lasted long enough to pass the trials. But Master Tor taught me well."
"How was Alderaan?"
"Peaceful. Serene. Beautiful. A lot like Naboo in so many ways." Alan said. "I had a hard time leaving."
"I suppose I would too. My homeworld was nothing but sand and heat. Everything here is... beautiful and green."
"I grew up on Coruscant- there is naught but gray skyscrapers and noisy air speeders."
Anakin sighed. "I wish... I wish would never have to leave here..."
"You mean never have to leave her?"
Anakin blushed.
"When I asked you about your adventures, you never mentioned wooing a senator." Alan grinned. "How does Padmé feel about this?"
"I don't know." Anakin replied.
"Have you talked to her about this?"
Anakin shook his head. "I want to... I will."
Alan's grin quickly faded. "But the code forbids-"
"I know." Anakin nodded. He glared at Alan. "And you know that, too."
Alan's composure crumpled. He sunk into his seat and sighed. "What do you want to know?"
"You thought you could hide from me, Alan?"
Alan shook his head. "Lana... Lana and I have been best friends for more than ten years."
"She was there the day we met at the temple."
"I know. She was with me at the academy, she was there when master Tor selected me, and she was with me during the trials. I always felt... connected to her."
"So this was... inevitable?"
"Yes." Alan admitted, a voice full of pain
"Why are you so burdened about it, Alan?"
"Because I know it is something that won't last." Alan said. "The code forbids it."
"The council doesn't have to know." Anakin said reassuringly.
"Thanks." Alan felt some pressure relief. "If you do get involved with Padmé, I won't say anything."
Alan and Anakin shook hands. A pact had been made between friends. Shortly afterwards, Alan rose from the couch and departed to his own room. Anakin watched the fire burn, locked in deep thought for half an hour. Eventually, the fire died as the last pieces of log deteriorated and fell. The Padawan was submerged in complete darkness.
* The next day *
Padmé emerged from the house, finding the two Jedi guardians standing on the balcony overlooking the gardens, meditating. She watched the two slowly before turning around to leave them in peace.
"Don't go." Anakin said suddenly. Padmé turned to face him.
"I don't want to disturb the two of you."
"Your presence is soothing." Anakin replied. Alan opened his eyes and looked over to the young Padawan.
"You had a nightmare, last night."
Anakin closed his eyes again. "Jedi don't have nightmares."
"I heard you." Padmé replied. Alan arched an eyebrow. His neck swiveled to face his old friend.
Anakin's expression contorted in a display of inner conflict. "I saw... my mother." He finally said. Anakin sighed and broke his meditative composure. He turned to face the senator. "I saw her, as clearly as I see you now. She's suffering, I could felt her pain, it was... it was coursing through me like my own blood. And I know that I'm disobeying my mandate to protect you, senator, but I must go!" Anakin groaned. "I have to help her, I have no choice..."
Padmé nodded in understanding. "I will go with you."
"Padmé, that won't be necessary. Alan and Lana are here to-"
"No arguing." She said firmly. Anakin bit his tongue. "I'll go prepare my things."
The senator left, entering the house the same way she came out.
"It's odd that she sensed your nightmare when I could not." Alan noted. He added jokingly, "Perhaps she is as interested in you as you are in her."
Anakin didn't smile. "My mother..."
Alan's expression suddenly condensed with concern. "Anakin, I don't want to butt heads with you about this, but I don't think this is wise."
Anakin shook his head. "I must help her."
"You're directly violating your mandate, Anakin."
He groaned. "I know, but this is my mother. You cannot begin to understand how intense that pain was... and I felt it from here, so far away from Tatooine."
"If you are going to do this, I cannot help you." Alan said regretfully.
"I know, and I didn't expect you to. I can't ask you to put yourself at risk for me, or to violate your own mandate, but please, let me go."
Alan nodded. "I can't say I approve of this, but I will cover for you. If the council asks where you are, I will tell them you transferred the senator to a more secure location."
"Thank you." Anakin hugged Alan as if he were his older brother. He then departed to prepare his own things.
* * *
"Hello, Padmé."
Padmé jerked back. She looked up at the Jedi and took a deep breath. "Good morning."
Lana nodded. She noticed the senator was packing. "Are you going somewhere?"
"Yes." Padmé nodded. She stood and selected a dress from her closet.
Lana's eyes practically glazed. "That's a beautiful dress."
Padmé smiled. "Thank you. I've been saving it for a special occasion." The senator selected another dress. She looked over to Lana, the dress in her hand. "Lana, I want you to have this."
Lana shook her head. "I appreciate the gesture, but I cannot accept-"
"Lana, I insist. You saved my life, and I want you to have this."
Lana hesitantly nodded. "Thank you, Padmé." She continued to watch the senator as she packed. "You're going to Tatooine with Anakin, aren't you?"
"How did you-"
"I know." She nodded, interrupting the senator. "His pain created tremors in the Force. I felt his nightmare last night. I felt his mother's pain, and I felt the way it destroyed him inside, I felt his own agony."
"That's why I have to go with him."
"I understand." Lana paused to watch Padmé as she quickly packed her things. "You love him, don't you?"
Padmé froze. A strong sense of anxiety crept up her spine as she eyed the Jedi Consular. She nervously sighed. Lana's expression was cool and sure. Padmé's was marred with conflict. How could she hide this from the Jedi?
"Love will not bind you, senator." Lana said as she placed her hand upon her shoulder. "It will set you free. Don't be afraid-"
She shook her head. "I-I can't. I'm a senator, and he's going to become a Jedi. It's just not possible."
"You are throwing something away here, Padmé. He loves you very much." Lana explained. "Regardless of how you feel about him, you must know that he will need your support- now more than ever. His mother has always been a very... painful issue for him."
Padmé continued packing. "How do you know him so well?"
"My master and I were constantly stationed at the temple, and Alan and Anakin spent lots of time training with their masters there as well. The three of us were very good friends." Lana came to a long pause as she searched her memory with a bit of nostalgia. She suddenly snapped back to the present. "When you reach Tatooine, please don't let him do anything stupid."
