Disclaimer: It's George's sandbox, I just play here.
AN: Here's chapter 12! Thanks for all the great reviews!
Never Gone
Chapter 12: The Arena
Anakin and Padme entwined their shackled hands as best they could, as they stood before the Separatists leaders. Nute Gunray sneered at them evilly.
"I'm going to enjoy your execution immensely Senator. Your interference during the blockade nearly cost me everything and now you'll pay with your blood. In a few minutes, you'll be led into the arena where you'll be fed to a nexu. It is a particular nasty animal that enjoys torturing it's prey by tearing them to pieces before it finally kills them," Gunray said, as he stood face to face with her.
"You're the one who launched an illegal blockade against my planet. And it seems that I did not cost you enough since you are not in prison where you belong," Padme replied, with her head held high.
"With no small effort on my part, I managed to avoid prison, no thanks to you dear Senator. But now, you will finally pay for what you've done and I will watch as you suffer before you die!" Gunray spat, as he turned his attention to the young man that was holding her hands and glaring at him with malice.
"And you boy, you will die too today. Dooku has informed me that you're not only responsible for the death of Jango, but also for the destruction of my droid control ship during the blockade. I will watch with great pleasure as you are both executed. Take them to the arena!" Gunray ordered. The four were led away and loaded into two carriages, which were attached to two animals. Anakin and Padme were put in one, while Obi-Wan and Lea were pushed into the other.
Padme laid her head against Anakin's chest and Anakin lifted his shackled arms around her tiny frame so he could hold her.
"Don't be afraid," Anakin told her.
"I'm not afraid to die, not with you there, holding me," she told him, as she gazed up into his blue eyes. Tears shined in her own brown orbs.
"I love you Padme and I'm going to do whatever I can to save us," Anakin told her. And she knew he would. She knew that he would do whatever it took to protect her. His devotion toward her still amazed her and she knew that he would fight for them until there was no longer breath in his body. She would fight too, for she was not one to give up without a fight.
"I love you too Anakin, I just wish that...that we would have had more time together. You've made me so happy, more happy than I ever imagined was possible. And I wanted to spend the rest of my life being your wife and making you happy too," Padme said, as a few tears dripped down her cheeks. He smiled down at her.
"But you already have angel. You've already made me the happiest man in the galaxy just by loving me," he replied. She smiled and kissed him softly.
"And, as far as I'm concerned, you're already my wife. All we're missing is the official ceremony. We've already pledged ourselves to each other and vowed to love one another always. That's marriage to me angel," he replied. The tears fell harder down Padme's cheeks.
"Oh Ani," she cried into his chest, as he wrapped her tightly in his strong arms. She raised her head a few moments later to look into his eyes again.
"You're right, I'm Padme Skywalker. I'm your wife and you're my husband, now and forever, no matter what," Padme said passionately. Anakin leaned down and kissed her passionately. She slanted her head, so he could deepen the kiss.
Lea gazed forlornly at her cousin.
"I've never seen her so happy," Lea said.
"I can assure you that I will do everything I can to get us all out of this alive," Obi-Wan said, trying to reassure her. Lea smiled.
"We all used to worry about Padme. We wondered if she'd ever stop working herself to death and find someone could love her like she deserved to be loved. She's finally found it and now Gunray's going to steal that from her. Damn that Neimodian, damn him to Sith hell," Lea hissed. She felt Obi-Wan's hand on her shoulder and turned to gaze into his blue eyes.
"Help is on the way Lea, you can't lose hope," Obi-Wan said, as he took a moment to notice the unique color of her eyes. They were a light brown, but in the light at certain angles, there was a cast of green to them. He suddenly found himself getting lost in them and quickly removed his hand, trying to avoid the kind of thoughts that were now entering his mind. He was a Jedi and he could not afford to form another attachment. He was far too attached already to Anakin and Padme, thinking of them like a brother and sister. Even that was too much attachment in the eyes of the Jedi and it was certainly something that he would have to quell...whether he wanted to or not. The carriages began to move, breaking Padme apart from Anakin. They squinted, as their eyes adjusted to the sunlight in the arena. There were three posts in the center.
As Padme was led to her post, she placed a hairpin between her teeth, in hopes of picking her locks. Anakin gazed at Padme, as he was led to his post to await whatever means of execution they decided for him. He only hoped that he could fight whatever it was and do so in time to save Padme from the Nexu that Gunray had promised for her. Obi-Wan and Lea were led to the last post. Up in the balcony, the Separatists leaders, several bounty hunters, and Count Dooku watched on, eager for the bloodshed they were sure to witness. Three large gates opened in the arena, each lining up with the three posts. While they were not on Geonosis, their execution was a traditional Geonosian execution and it seemed that as one of the separatists leaders, Poggle the Lesser had seen fit to have this arena built. Out of Obi-Wan's gate, an Acklay emerged. It screeched loudly, as Poggle the Lesser's Geonosian guards poked and prodded it with their staves.
"An Acklay! Oh Gods, it had to be an Acklay!" Lea panicked.
"We must remain calm Lea," Obi-Wan told her.
"There's an Acklay getting ready to eat us. At which point do you determine that it's okay to panic!" she yelled back.
"Jedi do not panic," Obi-Wan replied. Lea rolled her eyes.
"Well then, Master Jedi, I am most interested in seeing how you're going to manage to get us out of this alive," she replied sarcastically. Obi-Wan blanched. Force, this woman had a tongue! He found her simply aggravating at times, yet fascinating. He shook those thoughts away, as the Acklay slowly made its way to them.
Out of Anakin's gate, a Reek emerged. It snarled and prepared to charge. Out of Padme's gate, a nexu emerged, growling and ready for its prey.
"Focus Anakin. That Reek is a weak-minded animal. You can use your abilities in the Force to encourage it to work for you rather than against you," Qui-Gon spoke to him.
"But what about Padme, I've got to get to her!" Anakin said.
"She'll be fine until you can, but only if you calm yourself and use the Force to aid you," Qui-Gon told him. Anakin opened his eyes and looked over at Padme. She had managed to pick one of her shackles loose and quickly began climbing up the poll where she would be safe for the time being. The Reek came charging at Anakin. Centering himself in the Force, he managed to lift himself up and over and onto the back of the beast. the metal ring holding his chains broke. Anakin swung the chains around the beasts neck, attempting to rein it. The Reek, however, was bucking wildly in its anger. The Acklay jabbed it's claw like tentacle at Obi-Wan. He moved just right, so that the Acklay busted through the pole, releasing his and Lea's chains from the metal rings. Obi-Wan grabbed Lea's hand, and began backing them away from the angry creature. Obi-Wan picked up a long stave from the ground and began trying to defend them against the oncoming creature. Padme knelt at the top of the pole trying to undo the other shackle around her wrist. The nexu clawed wildly, attempting to climb the pole. He was nearly at the top and Padme whacked him down with the chains. Unfortunately, the nexu swiped his claws violently across her back, tearing the mid section away from her uniform and leaving several deep lacerations on her back. Padme cried out in immense pain, as the creatures claws made contact with her flesh. Anakin's head shot up at Padme's cry.
"Hang on Padme!" he called. Unfortunately, this break in concentration allowed the Reek to buck him off. Anakin held on tightly to the reins, as the Reek dragged him behind it. Frantically, he tried to take control of the situation again.
Obi-Wan smiled, as he managed to clamp the jaws of the Acklay with the stave. But his smile disappeared when the creatures vice-like jaws snapped the stave in half and started to come after them again.
Padme finally got the shackle on her wrist off. Swinging down on the chain, she kicked the nexu away, hoping that it would deter it for the time being. She quickly climbed back up on the pole to safety.
"She can't do that! Shoot her...or something!" Gunray demanded.
"Patience Viceroy, she will die," Dooku assured him.
Meanwhile, Anakin had finally gotten on his feet. He held his hand out and used the Force to calm the beast as Qui-Gon was instructing him. Once he was subdued enough, Anakin mounted him again, swinging the chains around it's neck to rein it in. With complete control this time, Anakin shook the reins and charged toward the snarling nexu. The Reek trampled the nexu, killing it before it could make another strike at Padme.
"Jump Padme!" Anakin called. Padme nodded and jumped, landing behind Anakin. She sighed with relief, as she wrapped her arms around his waist and kissed his cheek. Anakin shook the reins again and headed for Obi-Wan and Lea.
Anakin charged toward them, allowing Lea and Obi-Wan to jump onto the reek also. It was a tight squeeze, but Anakin carried them to a safer distance from the Acklay. Suddenly, several droidekas rolled into the arena and stood up, taking aim. Slowly, the arena was surrounded by battle droids.
Count Dooku smiled evilly, as he watched the events unfolding. Suddenly, he heard the familiar hum of a light saber. Dooku turned and smiled knowingly.
"Master Windu," he greeted.
"This party's over," Mace replied.
"I'm afraid not my friend. You're impossibly outnumbered," Dooku said. Mace smirked.
"I don't think so," Mace replied. As he said that, hundreds of light sabers were ignited, all humming in concert with each other. The arena was also surrounded by the Jedi. Obi-Wan grinned.
"See Lea, I told you that help was on the way," Obi-Wan said. Lea rolled her eyes.
"We're not out of the woods yet, Jedi," she replied. Kit Fisto tossed a light saber to Obi-Wan and a blaster to Lea. Aayla Secura tossed two blasters to Anakin and Padme. Kit sliced through the shackles on Obi-Wan, Lea, and Anakin's wrists. And so, the battle between the Jedi and the droids began. Unfortunately, the Jedi were impossibly outnumbered and their numbers began to dwindle.
Obi-Wan fought off the oncoming barrage of blaster bolts flying at them with his saber. The woman next to him fired wildly with her blaster and he found that she was a very good shot. Obi-Wan pulled her out of the way, as the screaming Acklay tried to spear her with its pointy leg. Obi-Wan swiped his saber through two of the Acklay's legs, before bringing his saber up and straight down, piercing the creature in the back.
"Thanks, I owe you one," Lea said.
"Not at all milady, but we should find you some cover somewhere," Obi-Wan replied, as he took her hand, while still blocking blaster bolts.
Anakin grabbed Padme's hand and pulled her into one of the overturned carriages to provide more cover for them.
"You're very good with that blaster, angel," Anakin said playfully. She smiled back.
"You are too Ani, we make quite a team," she replied. He took her free hand in his own.
"That we do angel, that we do," he replied, as they continued to fire at the droids to keep them at bay. The Jedi numbers had dwindled down to less than forty and they, along with Anakin, Padme, and Lea, were being pushed to the center of the arena and surrounded. Count Dooku held up his hands for them to halt.
"Master Windu, you have fought gallantly. Worthy of placement in the archives of the Jedi order. But I'm afraid you are impossibly outnumbered. Surrender now and your lives will be spared," Dooku said.
"We will not be hostages to be bartered Dooku!" Mace Windu refused his offer. Dooku sighed somewhat sadly.
"Then I'm sorry old friend," Dooku said, as his droids raised their blasters again to continue fighting.
"Look!" Padme called, as she pointed toward the sky. Several transports descended upon the battlefield. Master Yoda stood on the center one and the clone troops took control of the battle, quickly outnumbering the droids. Anakin took Padme's hand and helped her onto the one of the transports.
"Make sure the Senator and her family get to her ship and see that they return to Coruscant safely," Mace told Obi-Wan.
"Is Coruscant safe?" Obi-Wan asked.
"The war has begun and the Chancellor will be calling an emergency session of the Senate. The senator will need to attend, so the council has extended your assignment to protect her," Mace said.
"What about Dooku?" Obi-Wan asked. Mace looked up to the balcony and he was gone.
"He has escaped, but we will find him," Mace replied. Obi-Wan nodded and hopped on the transport with Anakin, Padme and Lea. They ordered the clone soldiers to take them to Padme's ship.
Later, they were safely in hyperspace. The passengers undid their belts once Artoo gave the okay. Anakin went to Padme immediately and began examining the cuts on her back where the nexu had gotten her. She hissed a little, as he examined her back. She had been trying to forget about how painful the lacerations on her back were, but now that they were safe and she was in his arms, the pain could no longer be ignored.
"These need bacta angel, come on," he kissed her cheek and led her back into the cabin.
"So, you'll be seeing to Padme's security?" Lea asked Obi-Wan.
"Yes, she is still in danger with Nute Gunray on the loose still. What about you? Will you return to Naboo?" Obi-Wan asked.
"I was Padme's chief of staff before the crash and she's already asked me to resume my position, so I'll be wherever she is," Lea replied.
"What about your family? Won't they be anxious to see you?" Obi-Wan asked.
"My parents are dead and have been for about ten years. And since we have a wedding to plan, I'm sure I'll be seeing plenty of them," Lea said, with a smile.
"That you will I'm sure. Both Anakin and Padme's families are very excited about marrying off their youngest children," Obi-Wan said, with a smile. Lea nodded with a smile back.
"Thank you again for saving my life from the Acklay today. I'm very tired and I think I'll retire until we reach Coruscant," Lea said, as she stepped closer to him and kissed his cheek softly.
"Thank you again master Jedi," she said softly, as she left him standing frozen in place, while she retired to her room...
Anakin carefully helped Padme peel off the ruined top of her white uniform. She laid on the bed on her stomach, while Anakin prepared to place the bacta patches on her back.
"This is going to sting quite a bit angel, but it won't last long," he told her tenderly. She nodded and cried out a bit, as he applied the bacta. The painkillers in the bacta started to kick in right away and the cries quickly died on her lips. Anakin smiled, and kissed her cheek, before going to the fresher to wash the bacta off his hands. When he came back, he smiled, as he saw that his angel was already fast asleep. He yawned deeply, suddenly realizing how tired he was. He took Padme's boots off and undressed her the rest of the way, before undressing himself. He pulled on a pair of sleep pants and climbed into bed with her. With a small whimper and without opening her eyes, she snuggled to him. He smiled and put his arms around her, before falling asleep almost instantly.