A/N: And here I return:p Lol, but seriously thanks to everyone for your continuing partience with me. Camp was great, and I got actually a lot of planning and plot work done.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Anakin watched her freeze in reaction to his words, her teeth clenching and eyes widening. Even as afraid as she was, she was still beautiful, still his angel, still the very thing that caused him to draw breath. Fierce, oppressive, nearly overpowering protectiveness rose in him. The Imperials would never have her; he would kill them before that happened.
Dark fear clenched in him, encircling him with its talons, wrapping around his mind; fear that he thought he would never have to feel again. He shut himself off from everything for a moment, even as his mind raced furiously.
I will not loose her, he promised himself with steely determination. Even if it requires my life for hers.
He grabbed onto her arm, opening himself to her once again. Love and calm flowed into him until he was a composed Jedi Knight again, realizing the urgency but not succumbing to it. He allowed it to fill him whole until he was able to see clearly again and not through the red haze of anger.
"Take all we will need to the ship," he instructed gently. "I will stay here and hold them off for as long as I can, creating a diversion for us to pass by." She nodded silently, placing her hand on his and closing her eyes. Love flooded through him, curing all the fear he had felt, striking at the dark monster that lived in him. It swept over him in waves, illuminating every corner in light.
Into the silence, she whispered, You will never loose me. Do not fear, Anakin.
He returned her love just as intensely, melding his soul with hers until they were one. She gasped quietly, breaking their bond and looking up at him, eyes searching the mask. He knew what she had seen there, what she now knew.
"Leave," he said suddenly. The way she had reached out to him, submerging him in her light, bringing peace to him, had only solidified what he had already known. "If I do not come for you within an hour, leave and do not look back."
Her eyes betrayed her shock, the slight flaring of her nostrils her indignation at the very idea.
"Anakin…"
He shook his head, dislodging her hand from his. He sensed her eyes watching his every movement, and swallowed. They were wasting time they did not have.
"Promise me," he said, not looking at her. "Promise you will do what is necessary if you must."
He felt her stubbornness and gritted his teeth.
"It is all you can do for me, Love," he whispered, just loudly enough that she could hear it. He had been misguided, not able to see the true path, but now he had. His love for her was boundless, arching across the vastness of space and back into his heart.
She nodded quietly, backing out of the room and into a run. Anakin stood for a moment more before striding down the hallway to the room where he kept all the main controls to the missile turrets that lay disguised, death lurking to the men who would have dared to threaten his wife.
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General Nilar watched the world below him with interest, stroking his closely-shaved chin as he stood, simply standing at a floor-length window that gave him the position to both command his men and watch his target. He had learned this from Vader, whom he had served under, watching the dark presence with both awe and lust; lust for the dark power Vader carried.
He smiled a little bit at the irony. He had observed the Sith Lord from the shadows, noting the way Vader commanded with absolute authority, the way everyone trembled in fear at his approach. There were no mistakes to be made under him, and Nilar had understood and learned from the Sith Lord, using the skills he had learned to climb his way up the Imperial ranks until he was worthy enough to come to the attention of the Emperor.
From his dark master, he had only glimpses of the true power that he knew there was. He had been taught to use what he had always thought of as luck to do small things that were of no threat; simple maneuvers that could turn the tide of a battle in his favor if he concentrated hard enough. But there was much more, he reflected quietly. Much more; he only had to prove his worthiness.
And things were proceeding quite nicely from where he stood. Vader would be destroyed by Nilar and his fleet. He did not know why the Emperor had issued the order, but it would work to his advantage all the same. With the right hand of the Empire gone, there would be a gaping hole in the fabric of the tightly controlled military; a hole Nilar intended to fill.
Power would come with his new station as the Emperor's most trusted, and he would learn enough until he would easily be named as the old man's successor. Despite all appearances, the ruler could not live forever. An unholy smile lit Nilar's face. And even if he could, Nilar would find a way to end his life, natural or not. He knew his plans were far from complete, but he still allowed himself the luxury of scheming.
He turned his attention back to the planet that swirled with green-yellow clouds; a cauldron, brewing something sinister within its depths. Nilar savored the moment for a moment longer, then turned to his second-in-command.
"Move in closer."
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Padmé hoisted the dark crate, struggling a little under its weight. In it was food, water and medical supplies, as well some clothing. She had packed it with speed she had not known she possessed, speed born of desperation. On the top were blasters.
The two droids followed behind her with more packages, necessary additions. She gave up her struggle with the crate, swearing in a manner most unbecoming to the regal Naboo Queen she had been. Sweat beaded on her upper lip as she pulled on the powers that Qui-Gon had showed her, using the light to lift up the package and levitate it. It took enough effort that she began to appreciate the work it took to become a Jedi.
She walked with her mechanical entourage down the halls, dressed in loose robes, contemplating what was about to happen. She trusted her husband; there was no doubt of that. But in him, she had sensed the need for revenge on those who would dare to even attempt to harm her; and she was afraid, not for her, but for the monster that could be aroused in Anakin.
She made her way, deftly striding through the castle until she reached the landing the ship was perched on. She quickly loaded everything into the storage area, appreciating the subtle modifications Anakin had made to the ship that she had not been able to see before.
After that, she simply sat in the co-pilot's chair, her thoughts a whirling, spinning thread of turmoil. She reached out to Anakin and found him unaware of her presence, so caught up was he in the battle that would soon rage. She sighed, waiting, every sense heightened in preparation.
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Nilar stood on the command ship, surveying his fleet. It was almost laughable that so many men were required for such a simple job, but he understood very well why it was needed. He closed his eyes, preparing for the battle ahead, to speak the order to prepare landing parties, one of which he would lead. Nilar knew that his presence would install fear in his troops, causing them to be far more efficient and less lax. They could see Vader's castle spires peering through the clouds ahead, a dark looming presence.
His rudimentary Force ability was not enough to prepare him for the attack that came suddenly, with no forewarning. The command vessel buckled wildly, dislodging several soldiers from their seats. He snatched the rail in front of him, not wanting to show anything that could be construed as weakness.
When the ship stabled itself, groaning as it righted itself slowly, he snapped at the officer nearest to him, "Damages?"
The man swallowed as information streamed through the screen in front of him.
"We have lost two smaller ships, General, and several larger ones, including this one, are weakened. The attack seems to have come from hidden missile turrets in the fortress itself, sir."
Nilar was far too refined to swear, so his only reaction was his face turning slightly paler, his lips compressing slightly more. When he spoke, it was with venomous, controlled, hard rage.
"Prepare my shuttle and instruct all other starships to do the same. Flank us, shielding us from the fire. Destroy anything that tries to come out of there, and obliterate the turrets."
Nilar's thoughts were already whirling ahead to the next step, and he smirked, knowing even in the height of his rage that Vader could not destroy every shuttle that was preparing to land, and that if even one got past, Nilar would have accomplished his duty
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Padmé felt rather then saw the smaller ships streaming forth from the larger ship like maggots emerging from a rotting carcass. She knew that Anakin would need help, that even in the depth of his strength, he would not be able to repel all the intruders and create a successful diversion.
She called the light to her, marveling once again in the sheer depth of it, the way it encompassed the entire world, blending her and folding her into itself. Once she was assured of her strength, she reached down calmly to grab the blaster that lay at her feet. It was a clumsy, unsophisticated weapon, and she once again appreciated the Jedi, this time for their choice of weapon.
Purpose filled her until she was set, determined and prepared to do what was necessary. Even in the midst of the anxiety and fear, there was a sort of nostalgia that rose in her, for there was no despair while he was at her side, nothing that they could not overcome, no matter how dire things seemed.
"I will not loose you," she whispered softly, knowing that he heard her, knowing that by the time the words registered in his mind, it would be too late to stop her.