Thanks everyone for the kind words and for reading. This is part one of the final chapter, and after this there will be a short epilogue. Enjoy!
Revelation, part 1
Padmé woke the next morning feeling well rested and for a brief moment she didn't remember the events of the previous day. But the images came flooding back to her and her good mood waned. As she sat up she sensed the emptiness from the other side of the bed; Anakin was gone. The realization she was alone did nothing to improve her mood. As Padmé worried for Anakin's disappearance she noticed a datapad lying on his pillow. Picking it up, she activated it. Anakin's voice, soft and calming, sounded from the pad.
"Padmé, I am so sorry I had to leave. I was contacted by Obi-Wan. Master Yoda has a lead on Davad Hoiy. Please delay your departure to Corellia as long as you can, I need to see you before you go. Take care my love, I'll see you soon."
Anakin's message ended and Padmé was met again with the silence of her bedchamber. She was a little more at ease now that she knew why he'd left. But she still felt a sense of foreboding. As Padmé sat in her bed dwelling on thoughts of danger and violence she suddenly forced herself to shake the demons. Get a grip, Padmé, she told herself.
Padmé sighed and threw the light weight sheet off her body. She shivered, her naked skin registering a cold that was more subconscious than temperature related. She could dimly hear C-3PO moving around out in the living area. Padmé wrapped her body in one of her many robes and leaving her bed, she went to see about some breakfast.
Anakin and Obi-Wan were trailing a late model airspeeder through the skies of Coruscant. It was flying safely, no erratic moves or signs that the driver had spotted Anakin and Obi-Wan's tail. Anakin was suspicious, however. But he sat in sullen silence, tired of trying to argue with Obi-Wan, who was following Yoda's orders.
"We're to follow the speeder and report when it lands," Obi-Wan had told Anakin several times already, both of them getting frustrated with the other. Obi-Wan wanted Anakin to stop questioning their duty, and Anakin wanted Obi-Wan to take some initiative in the situation.
So Anakin sat. His arms were crossed in the obvious gesture of a person pouting. He was waiting for the moment when he could prove he was right; that they should have done more than just follow the speeder. There was something not right about the ease of this apparent capture.
Suddenly the airspeeder they were following made a sharp turn and started to dive down to the lower levels of Corsucant. Towards the abandoned factories that littered the industrial section of the planet-wide city.
Anakin uncrossed his arms, and sat up in his seat. He pointed towards the left side of the speeder.
"I see," Obi-Wan responded as he quickly turned the airspeeder and dove after it.
It wasn't hard to follow. There was no apparent life in this part of the city. No movement on the ground, and no sound except that which echoed from above. It seemed even the spider-roaches and armored rats had abandoned this part of the city.
When the speeder landed, Anakin and Obi-Wan were not far behind. Parking their speeder in the shadows and silently approaching the other speeder.
"Master, I have a feeling we have been led astray," Anakin commented as the two Jedi came up on the vehicle and discovered it to be empty, containing the body of a taxi driver.
"Where did Master Yoda get his information! He just led us on a wild bantha chase! Time was wasted, and yet another innocent was killed anyway," Anakin felt the heat of anger rise to his face. "The speeder must have been programmed to drive to this spot leading us further from Hoiy, again."
"Calm down Anakin. We can find out who this taxi driver is, and locate his registered taxi. We will be that much closer to finding Davad," Obi-Wan walked a few steps away from Anakin and contacted the company the man's ID said he worked for.
Anakin stood staring at the man. For the first time he thought of the family this man might have left behind. And also for the first time Anakin considered his own mortality, his thoughts traveling to Padmé. What would happen to Padmé if Anakin were killed?
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan's insistent voice drew him out of his own morbid thoughts. He faced the elder Jedi with a blank look. "Focus, Anakin. The air-taxi company said this man's taxi is currently en route. He's not sure the destination, but it looks to be the transportation hub near the Senate Building."
Anakin nodded, his thoughts of mortality disappearing like moisture in the Tatooine air. "Let's go."
"Mistress Padmé, there is a Jedi here to see you," the proper voice of C-3PO sounded behind Padmé. She was at her closet, looking for the appropriate clothing to wear when she met with Yennaj's family. She smiled to herself. It's been awhile since Anakin has played this game, she thought, feeling slightly giddy. This must mean that things have been resolved.
Padmé cleared her face of any expression and turned to face C-3PO. "See him in Threepio."
She heard the fading whir of the droids servomotors as he left the room. Padmé turned back to the closet, her choice of gowns down to two, a deep navy blue with tiny silver specks that imitated the night sky, or a Chocolate brown gown with bronze threading on the bodice in a complicated weave of swirls. As she looked them over, Padmé decided the blue was more appropriate for the purpose of her trip.
Soft footfalls were heard behind her, and Padmé had to suppress a giggle. She bit her lower lip and waited for Anakin to make a move. But there was nothing. Padmé's urge to laugh faded a bit, and as she turned to face Anakin her face fell with the realization of who stood before her; Davad Hoiy, and he wasn't alone.
Padmé opened her mouth to call Threepio, but was silenced by the raised hand of Davad.
"Don't bother. Your droid has been deactivated."
The man accompanying Davad, the man in the black cloak, held out his hand and pointed a small blaster at Padmé.
"Where is young Jedi Skywalker? I figured he'd be here, with you," Davad looked at her, his eyes cold and his voice dripping with hidden meaning.
"Why would he be here?" Padmé asked, trying to seem nonchalant.
"Why indeed," Davad responded. "We'll just wait for him then, shall we?"
"He's not coming here," Padmé blurted desperate to lead this Jedi out of her apartment.
Davad looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Now, Senator Amidala," his voiced dripped with false sincerity, "why don't I believe you?"
There was a flick of the wrist and before Padme had any time to react the man in the black cloak was approached her, his blaster raised to her face. Padme had time for one thing.
Anakin!, she called out with all the power her mind had. Then the room went black.
Anakin, seated once again next to Obi-Wan, jumped suddenly as if he'd just been zapped by R2. Obi-Wan turned his head sharply towards Anakin.
"What?"
Anakin was sure he'd just heard Padmé call to him. But how could that be when she had no Force powers?
"I thought I had sensed a plea for help…" Anakin paused. He was once again approaching dangerous territory mentioning her. Anakin swallowed his fear and continued, "…a plea from Padmé."
Anakin kept his eyes narrowedon the lanes of traffic ahead of them. He could sense Obi-Wan's stare.
"We'd better go see if everything is okay," Obi-Wan finally responded. Anakin, unable to sense Obi-Wan's reasoning behind his decision, just nodded. His heart rate picked up. If it was Padmé he'd heard, then something must be terribly wrong.
