George Lucas owns everything Star Wars, please don't sue me!
-Thanks for all the reviews everyone! Sorry for not updating sooner, I know this is a rather short chapter, but chapter VII is already in the works, and I hope to have it up soon. But, I hope you won't be disappointed with this one!-
Chapter VI
A Sidious influenced Padmé could do nothing but smile evilly, as she watched her husband raise his poisoned drink to his lips. He was about to take a big sip when a voice in his head screamed; "Don't drink it Anakin!" It was so loud Anakin nearly dropped his glass in his lap. The voice was none other than Padmé Amidala, his wife.
"Did you say that?" Anakin asked, puzzled as he looked into his drink.
"No, what is it Anakin?" She replied, puzzled.
"I could have sworn..." Said a bewildered Anakin, looking into the glass at his Jawa juice, swishing the glass around in his hand slightly. Anakin looked up at his wife, and reached out to her with the force. He hated probing into her mind, and no doubt she would feel his intrusive presence. The Jedi Code generally forbade probing one's mind. However, Anakin was no longer a Jedi, at least for the time being.
It didn't take long for Anakin to find the information he was searching for. "What are you doing? I could feel your presence in the back of my mind!" Padmé barked. Anakin stood up, as did Padmé. His tall 6'2" frame towering over her petite 5'2" form. "You poisoned my drink!" He shot accusingly her, as he spilled his drink out onto the restaurant's carpet, not caring if he ruined it or not.
Padmé tried to look shocked, she knew her masquerade was over. Though she couldn't say was surprised her Jedi husband had caught on. Padmé placed a hand over her chest as she slowly started backing away from her husband.
"No, Anakin, I swear," her voice said with forced innocence, as Anakin backed her into a corner. "What has Palpatine done to your mind?" Anakin said, coming to a dead stop right in front of her, his eyes glaring down upon his corrupted wife. He had no doubt that somewhere inside this woman, his Padmé still existed, and it was indeed her that sent out a warning through the force, telling him not to drink his tainted beverage.
"Back away from me Anakin... You're scaring me," she said, reaching into her handbag and pulling out a dagger. She quickly unleashed a horizontal swing, attempting to slice open his stomach. Using his Jedi reflexes, Anakin quickly dodged her swing, and ignited his lightsaber. With a careful slide of hand, he swung his Jedi weapon and sliced off the blade from Padmé's dagger as she swung it again at him; her weapon becoming nothing more than a harmless hilt. This earned the attention of many of the Grecida's customers. As many of them stood up from their seats to watch this woman attack a Jedi Knight.
Padmé dropped the hilt of her now harmless weapon and tried to shove Anakin, futilely out of the way. Anakin's larger size worked easily to his advantage as he grabbed her arm and stopped her. "Padmé... I'm sorry, I'm going to have to take you to the Jedi Temple," he said to her, whilst dodging a swing Padmé took at him. Anakin then seized her other arm. "Don't make this difficult," he said, trying to sound gentle.
"Help! Someone help! This Jedi is attempting to kidnap me! I'm a senator! Call the Chancellor!" Padmé screamed into the crowd of watching customers.
"Relax people, This is Jedi business. Senator Amidala is wanted for questioning by the Jedi Council. I'm simply bringing her in to be questioned - Even if she won't cooperate," Anakin said to the crowd, as Padmé struggled to get out of his iron grip. The customers apparently bought Anakin's story, as they did nothing to intervene, and sat back down to their meals.
"Let go Anakin! So help me!" Padmé said, stepping on Anakin's foot with the sharp heel of her shoe. Anakin grinned; his steel-toed Jedi boots making him immune to her attack. He wanted to chuckle, she was being so cute in a twisted way. Anakin had never seen her so aggressive before. But then again, he had to remind himself that this was not Padmé. But a falsified persona created by Palpatine.
Before Padmé could attempt to inflict any further harm to him, Anakin scooped her up in his arms and slung her over his shoulder. She began kicking and screaming as he carried her away. "Put me down you bastard!" She hissed.
Anakin fought the urge to whistle as he walked past a jaw dropped, wide-eyed hostess; the same hostess he mind wiped as he came in. Padmé continued her kicking and screaming as he walked out the door, a smirk forming across Anakin's face as he walked out.
Anakin set Padmé down next to his speeder, and bound her hands behind her back. This pained him so much. He couldn't believe Padmé, his Padmé had been corrupted, and turned into an instrument of the Sith Lord. Anakin would never underestimate the power of the Sith ever again after this.
Anakin carefully Padmé in his speeder, she didn't say a word to him, she simply glared at him hatefully. This isn't Padmé, he reminded himself, trying not to look at her as he stepped over to the driver's side.
Anakin wouldn't lose her to Palpatine, he couldn't. She was his breath, and the Sith Lord knew it. Anakin gritted his teeth in anger as he started the engine, and then drove off. Once the Jedi had brought Padmé back, he promised he would hunt down Palpatine and slowly kill him. And I never make a false promise. Anakin silently thought, thinking back to when he promised he would marry Padmé 13 years before, a tear falling down his cheek. He loved Padmé more than anything. And to see her mind twisted, and warped this way was hurting him more than anything. Overnight Padmé went from being a kind, sweet woman, to trying to murder him. Is the dark side really that powerful...? He pondered as he approached the Jedi Temple.
I hope that boy's all right... Obi-Wan thought to himself, pacing back and forth across the entryway to the Jedi Temple. Suddenly, and almost on cue he could see Anakin's speeder come to a grinding halt up to the temple. He could see Anakin had Padmé with him. He let out a sigh of relief as he walked over to his former Padawan. "I was beginning to worry, its good to see you and Padmé in one piece," he said, as Anakin pulled Padmé out from the passenger seat, and to her feet, she said nothing.
"We should take her to the council immediately," Anakin said. Obi-Wan nodded in agreement. Anakin took Padmé by her arm and began escorting her up the stairs, which lead inside the Jedi Temple. At this point, she tried to break free from Anakin's grip. "No," Anakin said to her, grabbing her arm with his other hand, as Obi-Wan took hold of her other arm, ensuring she would not break free.
Anakin, and Obi-Wan entered the Jedi Council chambers, with Padmé by the arms. She had given up trying to struggle with them. She just simply went into withdrawal, not speaking, and only performing the necessary breathing. Obi-Wan and Anakin could see that the council had just preparing for another meeting., as they were scurrying about, and taking their seats. Master Yoda was sitting in his small chair in the center of the council circle.
"Ah, expecting you, we have been. Come, Senator," Yoda said.
Obi-Wan, and Anakin brought her forth before the council.
"Nothing to say, have you? Mmm?" Yoda asked, a rather disgruntled Padmé.
"I have nothing to say to this council," she said, not emoting in her voice.
Yoda's ears lowered a little, he cupped his chin, and squinted his eyes slightly as he looked at Padmé. "Hmm... The dark side, we sense in you senator. Under the influence of the Sith Lord, you are," Yoda stated, giving her one of his glares.
Mace Windu looked over at the petite senator. "What is the identity of the Sith Lord you're working for?" He asked her. They had all suspected it was Chancellor Palpatine, but they needed proof, and confirmation before making a move against him. However, they didn't suspect Senator Amidala would give up such valued information easily.
Padmé snorted, and shook her head. "You really need to fix that head of yours Master Windu, a little fuzz would do it a world of good," she said, obviously making a comment about his baldhead. Yoda's ears perked up at this. Mace simply folded his arms in his cloak and leaned back in his chair, trying to maintain a neutral facial expression.
Anakin and Obi-Wan exchanged a glance. Anakin resisted the urge to smirk, and spout out a one-liner follow-up on his wife's comment.
"Mmmm... To break your wife of the Sith's grip, venture into her mind you must Anakin," Yoda stated.
"I thought the Jedi Code forbade probing ones mind?" Anakin said. The ever-critical Mace Windu gave Anakin a look, which said: "Since when do you abide by the Jedi Code?"
Yoda shook his head a little, he knew in this case, certain exceptions would have to be made in order to free Padmé of Sidious hold on her. "A necessary measure to be taken in this case. Venture into her mind and spirit, find her. Slay this alternate persona, and bring her back, you will," Yoda said, turning to the council. "We must have consensus," Yoda added. Obi-Wan looked over at Anakin, and nodded, as did all the other council members.
Anakin took his wife, and lead her into the adjacent room to the council chambers, the council members exchanging glances as Anakin left.
Yoda and Obi-Wan were confident in Anakin's abilities to reach his wife, but bringing her back into the fold was another story. They could all sense the Sith Lord had greatly corrupted her mind, and it just might be too late to reach her... Though everyone remained silent, they all knew Padmé might never be liberated from Sidious' nefarious influence...