"That was a diplomatic councillor's ship."
So, the one responsible for this was a public official with access to the building, the facilities, and even its transportation. It could possibly even be a senator. Mace Windu replaced his lightsaber onto his belt and placed his hand upon Obi-Wan's shoulder. The young knight had not moved from his kneeling position on the hard, durasteel platform.
"Obi-Wan." The slightest whisper from behind him pricked Obi-Wan's senses. Padmé's voice often haunted his dreams, but this was different. This was real.
He swung his legs around and was on his feet immediately as her frail form weakly stumbled through the doorway and onto the landing platform. Her steps faltered slightly before Obi-Wan was there holding her. Supporting her in his arms, he allowed them to fall gently back to the floor, wrapping his Jedi cloak around her trembling body. A partial intravenous line hung from her arm, the Force dampening band on the other, and she was dressed only in a thin medical garment.
"What did they do..." He held her gently, purging his anger into the Force, sending her his love and strength through the bond on impulse.
"Mace." He pleaded, his voice filled with emotion. "Get this damn band off her arm."
Windu nodded slightly, sighing with relief that they had found Padmé alive, but disappointed that they had come so close to identifying and possibly capturing the sith lord and rescuing the child, only to watch them slip through their fingers.
The Jedi Master set his lightsaber to the lowest power and placed its violet glow to the bolt that locked the band upon the young woman's arm. It fell away with a clang to the floor.
Obi-Wan expected to be hit by a tidal wave of grief and pain, but was surprised to only feel the mere trickle along his consciousness. He accepted what he could feel, grateful to finally be feeling something.
"Padmé. Can you hear me?"
There was no response. He could feel her exhaustion and held her a little tighter, turning his face toward Windu. "We need to get her back to the healer."
She was slipping in and out of consciousness, and the only thing Obi-Wan could do was send her small surges of his own life force and the reassurance of his love.
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"We are not sure yet who was behind the abduction." Mace addressed the Jedi Council from his seat. "Senator Amidala has been unconscious since being found and has not yet been able to give us any information, but Master Yoda and I have our suspicions that the perpetrator is indeed the Supreme Chancellor."
Mace hesitated, waiting for the murmuring amongst the council members to cease.
"Along with the Coruscant security forces, an investigation is underway as we speak."
"The child must be found and Palpatine brought to justice!"
"We are doing all that we can Master Poof." Mace affirmed his words with a solid gaze around the room. "But there is still the safety of the child to consider."
We are doing more risk to him by sitting here doing nothing! Mace argued within himself.
The initial Force vibration coming from the baby that Kenobi had sensed was so distant now that they feared the baby had been taken off-planet. Healer T'Pal couldn't explain how there was even a connection between them. And he couldn't explain to the council how they were going to locate the child or even Palpatine for that matter. The dark lord obviously had connections. After his escape from the senate building, he had simply vanished.
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"It's going to take time Obi-Wan." Healer T'Pal's words were meant to comfort, but the young Jedi was showing no response. He sat motionless on the side of the young woman's bed, grasping her hand, caressing it gently.
"Perhaps you should consider going..."
T'Pal did not have a chance to finish her sentence before she was stopped by a wave of Obi-Wan's hand.
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm staying right here until she wakes up."
"That could be some time, Knight. She has suffered severe emotional trauma. Her body and mind have entered into a Force healing trance on its own until it has regained its strength both physically and mentally and gotten rid of the toxins that were injected into her. She will not awaken until that time comes, and I cannot honestly tell you how long it will be. She is not that strong in the Force, so it may be a while."
"I'm staying."
A slight stirring underneath his arm that lay across her Padmé some time later, awoke Obi-Wan from his light sleep. He raised his head from the pillow to look directly into a pair of wide, dark brown eyes.
"Padmé?"
"Obi-Wan." Her throat was dry, her voice cracking.
"Shh, love. I'm here."
"No. The baby."
"It's okay Padmé. Master Windu is already searching for him, but I won't leave you." He reassured her with a caress along the side of her face.
"You don't understand." Her eyes pleaded, her voice barely above a whisper. "You have to leave. It has to be you. Go. Find him Obi-Wan. He's sick."
"Padmé?"
But she did not hear her name the second time. Her eyes had drifted shut once more. Obi-Wan placed his hand to her brow and sighed in relief. She was sleeping. She was conscious and she was merely sleeping.
But what did she mean? He looked deep within himself for a sign of distress coming from the baby, but all he could feel was the consistent and distant thudding vibration he had experienced before.
The chime of the opening door to the room brought Obi-Wan's attention to it and he was slightly surprised to see Yoda hobbling through the doorway.
"Sorry to disturb you I am, Obi-Wan. Needed to inform you of this in person, I did."
"What is it?"
"A message from the Supreme Chancellor, we have received. Addressed to you, it is."