About the 3.84 hours, I'm sorry for the confusion. I had originally meant that to read as 3 hours and eighty-four tenths of an hour. I had forgotten that some people write hours and minutes that way. So there's no particular reason, just my weird brain. I'll try to remember to go back and change that later.

Chapter Six

Padme woke in an isolated room, shivering with cold. The chill that radiated off of the cold medal and stone that made up her prison had settled down into her bones. She rolled to one side to attempt to get up and gasped in pain. The world swam around her and it took all of her concentration to hold back the fierce sensation of nausea clutching her. Her head pounded and her entire body felt as if she had been run over bay a herd of rampaging rancors.

When she could sit up without throwing up, Padme opened her eyes and surveyed the room around her. There were no visible windows or doors. The room was well lit, but there was no light source that she could determine. There was nothing that presented itself as an immediate escape route and nothing that she could use as a weapon or a tool to help free herself.

She shifted slightly and hissed again in pain as something jabbed painfully into her rib cage. Padme looked down and realized that she was still wearing the full body armor that Anakin had insisted that she ware. As she looked at it, she noted the massive damage that it had sustained and the large caved in portion that was poking into her ribs. She had a sudden fleeting flash of her falling through the air and then hitting...something... with incredible force. The impact that had crushed the armor would have crushed her as well had she not been wearing it. It had saved her life. Now all she had to do was get out of this place, so that she could find Anakin and thank him.

Having learned her lesson, Padme moved slowly and carefully to take off the top portion of the armor. It was useless now, causing her more pain and impeding her movements. Once she had finally gotten it off, Padme glanced down and surveyed the rest of the armor. It was in better condition and she decided to leave it on for the moment.

Padme took a deep breath and then stood up. She swayed unsteadily for a moment, and then gained control of her balance. The solid stone wall in front of her suddenly retracted and then slid up in one swift movement. Two standard battle droids stood in the doorway carrying their blaster rifles in the ready position.

"Hands in front of you. Comply now or be terminated."

Padme studied them for an instant. Battle droids were not known for their sense of humor or for bluffing. She extended her hands. The droid on the left switched his blaster rifle to a one handed grip and then step forward and fastened a pair of stun cuffs on her wrists. She turned her gaze with as much strength as she could muster at the moment on the second droid.

"I've cooperated with you. Now take me to your commander."

Both droids ignored her and continued to lead her down the corridor as Padme tried to think quickly. She was worried about Anakin more than herself for now. Besides being imprisoned, she hadn't actually been harmed yet. Anakin was a Jedi Knight and the commander of the Republic forces on this world. They were likely to torture him or execute him. He could have died in the explosion and she wouldn't know. Her throbbing head made thinking clearly even harder.

"Where are you taking me," she demanded.

Once again the droids ignored her. A moment later, the first droid stopped, spun to face her and in its dull monotone said, "Halt."

Padme stopped and waited. The droid waved one blaster shaped arm over a section of wall in front of them. The wall retracted just as the wall of her prison had and slid quietly open. The door had barely slid into place when the droid behind her shoved her into the room. She slammed painfully into the far wall with the force of the droid's shove. She pushed herself back to a standing position and stifled a pained groan.

Padme glared at the droids as the door slid back shut and then finally looked around the small room.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there to greet you in person, Senator Amidala," a cold voice drawled. The man stood against the far wall, his back to her as he worked over a wall length row of equipment. "But I am a very busy man."

He smiled at her with a smug look in his eyes that immediately set her on edge. She didn't know who this man was, but he certainly knew that he didn't have anything pleasant planned for her.

"And unfortunately, anything I have much to do and I cannot allow you or your Jedi friend to interfere with my plans." He waved a hand behind him in a theatrical gesture.

Padme took a step back away from him and then glanced behind her to see what he had gestured at while still keeping an eye on him. She gasped as another door slid open, revealing Anakin. She took a step down closer to him before she could stop herself. His arms were encased in durasteel from his wrists up to his shoulders. Metal bands six inches thick wrapped around his torso and his legs were encased like his arms.

She turned back to the man with a defiant glare. She had led a war to take back her homeworld at fourteen. This man was nothing to be frightened or intimidated by.

"I would advise you, Senator, to join the Jedi of your own free will. You will join him regardless."

Padme ignored his ultimatum and took a step closer to the man. "What is your name?"

"Roban Krahl," the man drawled expectantly, as if he expected her to know who he was.

"Well, Roban Krahl, rest assured. I will never forget your name, or what you have done. I have stopped men like you my whole life and you will be no exception." Padme turned her back on him, ignoring the look of fury on his face and stepped inside the room with Anakin.