Chapter 3

Senator Amidala stood in her booth on the Galactic Senate and took mental notes of what was being discussed. Chancellor Palpatine was speaking to the Senator from Malastare about their armies and how they were growing increasingly tired of opposing the Separatist movement that was quickly growing on their planet. As fascinating as all this was to Amidala, Padme's thoughts were elsewhere. They were with her husband, gods only knew where. But they were with him none-the-less. Force how she missed him. Why couldn't the war simply end, and then she wouldn't have to worry about him anymore. There you go again, Padme. Being selfish Amidala chastised her. Padme glared mentally at her counterpart. But I'm allowed to be selfish when it comes to my husband she answered.

"Senator, Amidala," a quiet voice came from behind her. Amidala blinked and turned slightly to see Dorme, her bodyguard and loyal handmaiden; the only person who knew of her secret marriage to Anakin.

"Yes, Dorme," she answered. "What is it?" Dorme's expression was not a happy one. Her eyes were solemn and gold and she was frowning. Amidala also thought she saw a hint of tears in the woman's eyes.

"Senator, something very crucial has happened in the war." Her tone matched the way she looked: sad, frustrated and...worried? She took a deep breath and let out a slow sigh and Padme knew that something was truly wrong. Padme took over Amidala and she stood up, taking Dorme by the shoulders.

"What has happened, Dorme? Tell me," she demanded. Dorme looked into the senator's eyes and brown clashed with brown.

"There has been fighting on Geonosis, M'lady," she began quietly. "The Jedi are having a meeting about it now, but there's something else. You need to come with me, they requested your presence, or at least the presence of a senator."

Padme nodded, excused herself from Jar Jar and the others in the Nubian booth and she and Dorme headed down the hall to the Jedi Temple.

* * * *

The Jedi Council looked up, as well as a holographic projection of Obi-Wan Kenobi as Padme and Dorme entered the room. Padme took a moment to register the emotions that were playing across those members that were left. Yoda hardly showed any emotion, but even through the crude connection, she could see the despair written on Obi-Wan's face as he looked at her. She stared back as she attempted to figure out what had happened exactly. Yoda hobbled to her.

"Senator Amidala, so glad that join us you could. A matter of importance we must bring to the Senate's attention." Padme nodded. "What's going on, Master?" she asked.

"They have Anakin, M'lady." Padme's head shot up to look at the holographic projection of her friend. The very mention of her husband's name sent her sense of reality reeling.

"What?" she asked with enough force in her voice to kill. "Who has Anakin?"

"The droid armies, M'lady," Obi-Wan replied. Padme blinked, then looked at the floor. "There were too many of them, but they said something about wanting him alive. That Dooku wanted him to live." Padme couldn't hear any more.

"Stop!" she shrieked. Obi-Wan looked confused as she sunk to the floor and began weeping.

"M'lady?" he called. She looked up at the hologram, tears streaking her face.

"Find him, Obi-Wan," she demanded. "Bring my husband back!"

The words flew out. There was nothing she could have done to stop them. But after they were released, she wished they had remained confined. She was getting confused looks from the two other members of the Jedi Council that were left: Yaddle and Ki-Adi-Mundai, a knowing glance from Yoda and a glare from Obi-Wan. It was he who spoke first.

"Husband, M'lady?" he said evenly through clenched teeth. His stare was deadly, but Padme's could kill a million times over. She stared down Anakin's master and held her ground.

"Yes, Obi-Wan, husband." Yoda straightened as much as he could, but Padme paid him no mind. This was between her and Obi-Wan, the one who was actually out in the field. "That's why he was on Naboo for so long, Jedi Kenboi." Obi-Wan winced at her use of his title.

"But Senator, you know as well as he does that marriage and love are forbidden by the Order!" he shot back.

"We know that, Obi-Wan," Padme ground out. "But by the Force, we love each other, and I cannot lose him now!"

Obi-Wan coiled to strike with another remark when Yoda slammed his gimmer stick down on the marble floor of the Council chamber. Both Padme and the hologram of Obi-Wan straightened at the loud smack.

"Please, Jedi Kenobi, Senator Amidala," he said calmly, emphasizing the titles of the two. "Not the time, now is to discuss young Skywalker's faults. Get him back to the Republic we must." Both Padme and Obi-Wan nodded.

"Sorry, Master Yoda," they said simultaneously.

"Now," Yoda continued. "What are we going to do to get him back? Where is he now?"