"For Absent Friends"
Chapter 2
"Have You Seen Anakin?"
Queen Amidala's silver Nubian glided gracefully down to the landing platform. A moment later, the ramp came down with a pneumatic hiss and the Queen and her retinue appeared at the top.
Immediately, a storm of flashbulbs went off as the assembled members of the press recorded the event for posterity. With a slow, measured pace, the black-shrouded Queen and her handmaidens in their dark purple hooded gowns descended the ramp and stepped out into the bright Coruscant afternoon sunlight.
The Supreme Chancellor came forward to greet her, bowing.
"Your Majesty," he said formally. "The loss of Jedi Master Skywalker is not only a personal tragedy, but also a loss for the whole of the Republic. He was a fine and honorable man, and he served the people of the Republic well."
The Queen inclined her head in acknowledgement of his words and glanced over to where most of the Jedi Council stood, waiting their turn. After a moment, Jedi Master Yoda stumped over to her and offered her an abbreviated bow.
"Queen Amidala, a terrible loss this is," he said, shaking his head sadly. "Terrible loss."
"Yes," she agreed faintly, speaking for the first time. "It certainly is."
"A terrible loss for the Jedi Order," he continued. "But grieve not for Master Skywalker, who has transformed into the Force. Mourn him not. Rejoice for him instead, yes."
The Queen opened her mouth to speak. Behind her long black veil, her eyes darted in the direction of the throng of reporters with their little hovering holovid cameras that waited to capture her every utterance, and she suddenly seemed to think better of whatever she had been about to say.
"Thank you, Master Yoda," she said coldly. "I shall do my best to remember your words in this difficult time. Now, if you will excuse me…" She gestured to her handmaidens.
"This way, Your Majesty," the Chancellor said, motioning her forward to a waiting air limo. He turned briefly to one of the blue-robed Chancellery Guard. "Please see to it that Her Majesty's trunks are delivered to my apartment as soon as possible."
"Certainly, Your Excellency," the guard said, inclining his head.
As Palpatine climbed into the air limo, he saw that one of the handmaidens had pushed back her dark purple hood and was crying quietly, her face in her hands. Ignoring the Queen, he immediately went to sit by the weeping handmaiden.
"Oh, Padmé… " he murmured. He put an arm around her, and she collapsed against him, sobbing. "I'm so sorry."
Padmé lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling.
Upon their arrival at Palpatine's apartment, the Chancellor had given her a brandy before sending her off to get tucked into bed by Salmé. Padmé had protested, pointing out that it was the middle of the afternoon and she wasn't tired, but they had been firm.
"Tomorrow will be a difficult day," Palpatine had told her. "And when was the last time you slept?"
"The Chancellor is right, Your Majesty," Salmé had added. "You need to save your strength."
I am weary of the Chancellor always being right, Padmé had almost snapped irritably. But even in her head it had sounded so much like something Sabé would have said that she held her tongue.
And so she had gone to lie down. Dismissing her handmaiden, she had removed her own handmaiden garb and changed into a long white nightgown.
And now, though the brandy had put her in a muzzy fog and the bed was warm and soft, Padmé couldn't sleep.
There was an emptiness like a physical pain in her chest. Her broken heart seemed to beat in time with it: Ani, Ani, Ani…
Dear Gods, is this how Palpatine feels? Padmé wondered. How on Naboo does he stand it? How does he go on living?
She recalled with sudden guilt that she had been the one to talk Palpatine out of retiring and leaving public life forever after Sabé's death. Now, faced with the loss of her own spouse, she wanted nothing more than to do the same.
I could go to The Retreat, she thought. It's beautiful there… full of so many good memories… and memories are all I have left.
She turned on her side and grabbed the other pillow, holding it to her chest as though it were a living thing that needed comfort… or could give it. She thought she might cry yet again, but physical and emotional exhaustion overtook her instead.
At last, Padmé slept… and dreamed.
Luke and Leia were children again, running through a flowered meadow under the bright Naboo sun. Padmé shielded her eyes with her hand and looked up towards The Retreat, looking for Anakin standing at his customary place on the portico, but there was no one there…
The door buzzer rang, and Palpatine gave serious thought to not answering it. Night had fallen on Coruscant, and he couldn't imagine who would be calling at this hour.
Then again, who would disturb him now if it weren't something urgent? With that unsettling thought in mind, he went to answer the door. When he saw the face peering out of the security monitor, he wasn't sure whether or not he should be relieved.
"Obi-Wan!" he exclaimed as the door slid open. "What brings you here so late? I hope nothing else has happened."
The Jedi gave him a tired smile. "No… not yet, anyway."
"Well," Palpatine said, smiling. "It's good to see you. Do come in," he continued, ushering Obi-Wan inside. "Would you care for a drink?"
"No thank you."
Palpatine went to a side table that held a bottle and several brandy snifters. "Please, sit down," he invited as he poured himself a drink. "Padmé is here. She arrived this afternoon, did you know?" he asked, moving to sit on the red sofa.
"Yes, I heard," Obi-Wan said, sitting at the opposite end. "How is she?"
"As well as can be expected." Palpatine frowned. "Odd that you weren't among the Council members on the landing platform today."
Obi-Wan made a face. "I think they feared I'd create a scene… you know, cling to Padmé and bawl like a child or something similar."
"Hmm."
Palpatine sipped his brandy and was silent for a long moment, turning the glass around and around between his hands, his eyes cast down at the amber liquid as though the secrets of the Universe might be found there. Finally, he spoke.
"Obi-Wan," he asked hesitantly. "Is there… have you…" He took a deep breath and a quick gulp of brandy as though for courage. "Have you seen Anakin?" he suddenly blurted out.
Obi-Wan blinked. "I… no. Why?" A thought occurred to him. "Have you?"
"Yes… yes I have. It must have been shortly after he died."
"What did he say?" Obi-Wan asked, leaning forward.
"He made me promise to look after Padmé."
"That doesn't surprise me," Obi-Wan said with a nod. "He was always – "
"You saw Anakin?" a new voice interrupted. "How is that possible?"
They turned to see a wide-eyed Padmé coming in from the hallway.
"Through the Force," Obi-Wan answered.
"I should have known!" She said ruefully, tying her robe shut and hurrying over to sit between them. She took Palpatine's hand and looked into his eyes pleadingly. "Please, tell me what he said!" she begged. "I have to know… no matter how bad it was."
Palpatine briefly outlined his conversation with the ghost for her, making sure to stress that Anakin was at peace and felt no pain.
"He promised me that we would all be together one day," he finished.
"Thank you," she whispered, tears running down her cheeks. "Oh Palpatine… thank you."
Palpatine put his brandy down on the coffee table and wiped her cheek with a gentle hand. "I was going to tell you earlier, but you were far too upset," he said softly.
She nodded and turned to Obi-Wan. "You knew this was possible," she said, her tone becoming accusing. He opened his mouth to answer, but she cut him off. "You knew it would be possible for me to talk to Anakin! So when were you planning to tell me about it?"
Obi-Wan sighed. "Padmé… it's not like that. You cannot talk to Anakin, because you don't have the Force."
"But you do!" she shot back. "And you can! And you didn't tell me!"
"The ability to commune with those who have become one with the Force is one of our Mysteries, and may not be spoken of with non-Jedi."
"I'm his wife!" she reminded him. "I deserved to know!"
"Padmé, you must understand – " Obi-Wan began.
She turned her back on him, freezing him out. "Palpatine, can you bring Anakin here? I want… I need to talk to him."
"I'm so sorry, Padmé," Palpatine told her with sympathy. "Anakin appeared to me on his own. I wouldn't have the first idea how to summon him up."
She turned back to Obi-wan, and her eyes narrowed. "I bet I know who could teach you," she said, and that old steely determination that both men knew so well was back in her voice.
"No," the Jedi said, shaking his head. Infuriated, she began to speak, but he continued, overriding her. "Even if I could teach him such a thing, I wouldn't."
"And you dare call yourself friend – " she began bitterly.
"Don't you understand, Padmé? It's dangerous!" Obi-Wan exploded, his patience finally at an end. "Palpatine hasn't been trained to use the Force… playing around with it now could kill him!"
Padmé blanched. "I didn't realize," she said quietly. "I'm sorry."
"It's all right," Obi-Wan replied heavily. "This is a difficult time for all of us."
"Of course… I hadn't thought." She was quiet for a moment. "Obi-Wan… could you bring Anakin here for me?"
"I don't think that's a good idea, Padmé," he said gently.
"Why not?" she demanded.
"Because too much contact with the dead can have rather odd effects on the living."
"I don't care," she said angrily.
"But I do… I must." Obi-Wan caught and held Palpatine's eye. "For all of our sakes." He tried to take Padmé's free hand, the one that wasn't clutching Palpatine's, but she pulled it away, refusing even to look at him.
Obi-Wan sighed and rose to his feet. "I will see you both at the Remembrance tomorrow," he said, sounding tired and far older than his years.
"Thank you for coming, Obi-Wan," Palpatine said, also rising. He glanced down at Padmé. "I'll just see him out." He sounded apologetic.
She nodded silently, not looking up. As he turned to escort Obi-Wan out, he saw Padmé pick up his brandy snifter and take a sip.
When they reached the foyer, Palpatine stopped Obi-Wan with a hand on the shoulder. "I am very worried about her," he confided quietly.
"So am I," Obi-Wan agreed in the same tone. "She loved Anakin more than anything."
"Loves," Palpatine corrected. "Present tense." He smiled sadly. "I speak from bitter experience."
Obi-Wan nodded. "Of course you're right," he agreed. "I misspoke."
Palpatine had a sudden thought. "What shall I do if Anakin comes to me again?"
Obi-Wan thought for a moment. "Tell him that he should know better," he said shortly.
And with that, he was out the door.