Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! You all know how to make me smile! It's such a treat to hear from each and every one of you! We are slowly heading into Grand Finale territory. Still have quite a bit to go though. Hope you'll stay with me!
Padme's fingers manipulated the controls and the jet pack immediately began to ascend. She watched the dark tower come closer as she aimed for the open balcony. Slowing her speed, she eased over the protective railing and breathed a sigh of relief as her feet touched the floor. She quickly shut the jet pack down and slipped it off her shoulders. It hit the ground with a clunk and she slid it out of the way as Anakin landed beside her. The small camera droid zoomed along behind him, filming the surrounding area.
"Are you all right?" he asked immediately, his voice gentle and soft.
"Now that I'm on the ground, yes - I'm definitely doing better," she replied, keeping her tone light.
Any further conversation was halted by Mace's strangled shout of warning as he came in too fast and skidded across the slick surface. Obi-wan followed him, smiling serenely as he settled onto the floor gracefully.
Springing to his feet, Mace grumbled, "Clearly, my jet pack was not functioning properly."
"Clearly," Obi-wan said, a note of amusement creeping into his voice.
Grateful for the distraction, Padme hurried to the illuminated metal bin where a stack of clues could be seen. She reached in and pulled one out, reading nervously, "Teams must now rappel down the Spike of Binkai and enter the Arena below. A hologram is waiting to issue the next clue."
Anakin was already prowling the perimeter and called out as he found the rappelling equipment. Padme could feel her heart leap into her throat as she glanced over the edge and saw the twinkling lights of the arena far below. Taking a steadying breath, she slipped on the harness and deftly attached the thick cable. She started over the edge and was about to swing her other leg over when she felt a hand on her ankle.
Turning, she came face-to-face with her worried husband. She sat in silence while he checked her harness and added another knot to her cable. Apparently satisfied, he gazed at her lovingly before leaning in for a deep kiss. In a low voice, he insisted, "Be careful."
She nodded and once again began the nerve wracking descent. She had only gone a short distance when the wind picked up and she felt her cable begin to sway. Suddenly, her grip on the handholds slipped and she could only flail helplessly as the wind swung her away from the building. She gasped as the direction of the wind changed, slamming her into the building awkwardly. Despite the startling impact, she was able to hold onto the structure and didn't move until the wind died away. Coughing quietly, she resumed her journey.
After several long agonizing minutes, she reached the halfway point and stopped to rest her aching legs. The Jedi were scrambling at a pretty good clip down the building, glancing up occasionally to check her progress.
"How are you doing up there, Liri?" Mace asked, raising his voice to be heard over the light wind.
"I'm okay, I promise!" she responded. She smiled at their upturned faces, grateful for their comforting presence - and the fact that they had apparently missed her clumsy battle with the wind earlier. Anxious to return to the solid ground below, she adjusted her cable and continued making steady progress.
Anakin was waiting for her as she zipped through the last distance and helped her escape the confines of her harness. She had just tossed the items aside as the hologram blinked to life.
The familiar voiceover began to speak, "You have reached a Blockade, a task only one person can perform. Now, who doesn't mind taking on a crowd?" Stepping forward, Padme and Obi-wan looked at each other nervously as they donned the bright red tunics they were given. Immediately, the voiceover continued:
"The selected contestants will enter the Arena and partake in a game of Discourage, the beloved pastime enjoyed by generations across the Galaxy. Your objective is to capture one of the Spheres the teams are tossing back and forth. Unfortunately, they will be doing everything they can to keep them out of your reach. But don't give up! Each sphere contains a copy of the next clue and of course, you must have that before you can proceed. Have fun!" And with that snarky comment the hologram disappeared.
Two droids appeared to escort Mace and Anakin to a spectator suite. Padme watched them go before following Obi-wan into the main entry tunnel, cringing at the deafening cheers. Several droids struggled to push open the wide wooden doors, their actions slowly revealing the main playing field.
"Oh my," she breathed, taking in the sight. The building was enormous - similar in size to the infamous arena on Geonosis. Several dozen players ran in various patterns, their green tunics flapping around them as they lobbed glowing spheres from one area to another. A capacity crowd filled the stands, applauding the athletes' efforts.
"I have a bad feeling about this," Obi-wan groaned before heading into the fray. With a deep breath, Padme followed.
"Welcome, my friends!" a deep voice boomed through the loudspeaker. The crowd quieted and the announcer began the introductions, "Two of our favorite contestants have just entered the Arena. Clad in the bright red tunics of the Hunters, let's give a warm welcome to Liri and Dake!" Padme smiled as the crowd erupted in excitement. Obi-wan merely fidgeted and looked mortified.
"Of course, their loyal partners are here too. Let's send greetings to them as well - Kaide and Tarv!" Padme searched the stands until her eyes came to rest on Anakin, who was watching her intently. She waved at him shyly which sent the crowd into another fit of merriment.
"In the green tunics, we have some of our finest countrymen working as Avoiders. They are the protectors of the Spheres, which hold the clues the Hunters so desperately seek. Oh yes, what a game we're going to have here! It's time to get Discouraged!" With that, a low whistle echoed throughout the enclosure and the game was on.
Padme sprinted towards the nearest sphere, tracking it with her eyes. Suddenly, a compact purple fur-ball leapt into the air, redirecting its trajectory. Goprays! she thought in alarm. The species had some of the most highly decorated athletes in the entire Galaxy. Oh no. This is not going to be easy.
She was right.
45 minutes later, she was doubled over with her hands on her knees, sucking in deep gulps of air. The kindly announcer had finally called a time-out and she was so grateful to him she could have kissed him. Obi-wan stood a few feet away, looking disgusted by his inability to use the Force. He was also studiously ignoring the furious glare Mace was directing his way.
Padme's gaze fell to Anakin as he studied the players on the field, no doubt searching for some sort of a threat. Feeling her eyes on him, he smiled at her and gestured encouragingly.
You're doing great! I love you!
She was startled from her reverie by another low whistle, indicating the break time was over. Feeling a renewed sense of determination, Padme bounded after the closest orb, groaning as another Gopray batted it out of her reach. She stood poised as another sphere was volleyed around in her general vicinity. She watched in grim satisfaction as the athletes grew overconfident, their moves becoming sloppy. Sure enough, the sphere hit the ground after a failed catch and she pounced -
- Along with 12 Avoiders.
Padme gave a cry of victory as her hands gripped the wayward prize. Her moment of joy was cut short, however, as she realized she was at the bottom of a squirming heap and it was getting somewhat difficult to breathe.
"I have it! Please, let me up!" she called, her voice betraying her nerves. Wrapping her body around the sphere, she frantically searched for a way out. Spots began to cloud her vision as she watched the faces contort above her, straining to reach the Sphere she clutched in her hands. Suddenly, something red caught her attention.
Obi-wan? She wondered. Yes, he's wearing a red jersey too, she remembered.
She blinked a few times, trying to bring him into focus. With growing horror, she watched the image draw closer and realized she wasn't looking at the friendly Jedi Master, but at a pair of blood-red eyes filled with furious hatred.
She dug her boots into the soft ground and pushed away with all her might. She slid backward slightly, escaping the majority of the huddle and allowing for a deep breath of fresh air. She heard a sharp chime and the remaining Avoiders gave up their challenge, bowing to her respectfully. She watched Obi-wan hurry towards her protectively and she accepted the hand he extended to help her up. She discreetly searched the gazes of the chagrined athletes before her and they smiled sheepishly, not a trace of anger visible in their expressions.
Perhaps the vision was a simple result of my panic, she thought. Still, the memory of the disturbing threat reflected in the monstrous eyes caused a flicker of fear to burn quietly in her heart.
Stepping a safe distance away from the group, she brought the Sphere above her head as the crowd roared in approval. With a fierce grin, she let it slip from her hands and watched as the object dissolved in mid-air, sending the clue fluttering to the ground.
The captivating sight was broken as a frustrated call of, "HURRY UP, DAKE!" echoed through the stands.
