PART 33

Hours had passed, Obi-Wan still waiting for the bounty hunter to show himself.

'Patience' he said to himself, he had to remain focused and calm in order to face the assassin.

But his thoughts keep drifting back to Padme, he knew how stubborn she was, and how angry she was that he didn't let her come to Alderaan with him.

'She has to trust my judgment' he said to himself. But he knew when it came to the ones she loved, Padme was anything but rationale.

He lost his train of thought as Captain Antilles came running out of the palace, a holographic note in his hand.

"Kenobi Sir, we have another message."

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Padme sat at the controls of the ship as she traveled in hyperspace. She knew the girls would be alright with Yoda, but his words kept haunting her.

"Grave danger I sense, listen to Obi-Wan love him you do."

As much as she loved Obi-Wan she couldn't just sit on Roon and wait for him, Leia needed her, he needed her, she needed to be there with them.

She began thinking about Obi-Wan, of how much things have changed between them. How they had gone from acquaintances, to friends, to good friends, to lovers, and now parents. She never got to experience those things with Anakin, with him everything was rushed, when they met on Tatooine she knew that little boy would always be in her heart. But he was only in her life briefly and she didn't see him again for ten years. Then when he came back into her life her heart was touched by him again, a few days after they reunited they were married. Looking back on it she realized her relationship with Anakin had always been rushed, she never had enough time, never having enough time to be together, from when she first met him to her last day with him on Mustafar, before he became Darth Vader. She still had so much she wanted to say to him before his duel with Obi-Wan had begun.

But her relationship with Anakin is over, even though their time together was brief, she learned a lot about herself being with him, and it was because of Anakin she learned to love and be able to fall in love again.

She held the jappor snippet he gave her so long ago, she could never do part with it, it was the only thing left that reminded her of the good still buried deep inside him. She put it in her pocket; hoping it would bring her good luck. She was going to need it.

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The message was clear, Obi-Wan was to go to the back of the palace by the lake and wait.

"What do you need us to do?" Captain Antilles asked.

Obi-Wan pondered for a moment, then told Captain Antilles what he wanted them to do, the plan was set.

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Standing by the lake was a tall figure dressed in black, a mask covering his face, it was the bounty hunter. A blaster held firmly in his hand.

Obi-Wan approached slowly raising his hands in the air as if to say 'I surrender' he got close enough to be able to make conversation, but not too close.

"Bring me the Senator, and I will let Organa go."

"I don't know who you are referring to."

"Yes you do Jedi, I know who you are, you were quite the hero during the clone wars, you and Skywalker, I am surprised to see that you would get involved in this."

"Why are you using Senator Organa as bait, Alderaan is a peaceful planet."

"He knows Amidala is alive, he's helping her, the Senator's dead father helped me realize this."

"Before you killed him?" Obi-Wan asked as he began to pace around the bounty hunter.

"If the Senator is not brought to me, he will die as well" he said as he pointed to the lake.

Obi-Wan realized the bounty hunter was telling him Bail was in the lake, most likely in an underwater vehicle of some sort.

"Underwater vehicles only hold oxygen for so long when the engine is turned off."

Obi-Wan knew he was pressed for time, Bail could have been down there for hours, he needed to make a move and fast. He ignited his lightsabre and lounged forward.

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"Captain Antilles, an unidentified ship is circling the Palace; she claims to be Senator Amidala Sir."

"Let her land" he said as he rushed out to the landing dock.

Once landed Padme ran out of the ship over to the Captain.

"My lady you are not supposed to be here, General Kenobi is handling this."

"The Senator's daughter, Bail's daughter Leia is she alright? Where is she?" she said gasping for breath.

"She's fine; she's safe here in the Palace my lady with her mother."

A huge sigh of relief came from Padme, she was about to ask where Obi-Wan was when a homing beacon went off in the Captain's hand.

"Stay with the ship my lady, it's not safe here" and he quickly rushed back into the Palace.

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As Obi-Wan fought the bounty hunter, he was able to activate the homing beacon to call for Captain Antilles

Reflecting all the blasts with his lightsabre he was able to move away from the lake and draw the bounty hunter away distracting him. Once Antilles and a few guards came out of the Palace, Obi-Wan shouted, "He's in the lake!"

The bounty hunter continued to fire at Obi-Wan knowing he couldn't stop the guards from searching the lake, he decided to retreat and as he turned around to launch a rope to fire to the roof, he saw Senator Amidala running out of the Palace doors.

He launched the rope and as he flew upwards pointed his blaster at Padme and took the shot.

All he heard was Kenobi screaming as he landed hard on the roof.