Chapter 4: Farewell to Shmi Skywalker

The thought of food turned Padme's stomach as she moved her fork around her breakfast. The table was quiet as everyone waited, and wondered when Anakin and Master Windu would return from their search for Shmi. The loud noise of clanking metal entering the room caught their full attention. C3PO ran in waving his arms excitedly.

"They're back; I saw them from the distance. Master Anakin will be here any minute"

For the first time in hours they all smiled, and ran outside to greet them. Their happiness was short lived when they saw Mace, and Anakin pull up. They watched them untie her dead body from the speeder wrapped tightly in a dark blanket.

"Oh Shmi." Cliegg's heart was breaking from the horrible sight of his poor deceased wife.

Beru turned to Owen, and buried her face in his chest to hide her tears as he felt his own start to fall. Padme put her hand over her mouth to stop from screaming from the terrible reality of it all. Anakin turned to look at her for a moment. She could see the unbearable pain in his face. Exhausted physically, and emotionally; Anakin carried his beloved mother inside.

"I'm sorry for your loss" Mace said putting his hand on Cliegg's shoulder.

"Thank you" Cliegg wiped a tear away from his eye.

Anakin Shmi down on a couch in the living quarters. He opened the blanket, and everyone gasped at the sight of her battered body. He placed her hands on top of each other gently, and stared at her. Padme kneeled beside him with tears glistening in her eyes.

"Oh Ani I'm so sorry, so very sorry."

Mace bent down on one knee next to them, and put his hand on Anakin's arm.

"Come on Anakin you need to get some rest now; we both do."

Anakin nodded, and turned to her.

"Thank you Padme; I'll see you later."

She touched his arm gently "You get some sleep now."

It was late afternoon, and Mace Windu was still fast asleep in his room. Anakin had awoken from much needed sleep to look for Padme. He found her helping Beru prepare dinner in the kitchen. She was stirring some soup in front of the oven when she felt someone run their fingers lightly though her hair.

She turned to him, and smiled. "Hi Ani," she said softly.

"Hello Anakin; I hope you rested well" Beru smiled at him.

He began to stretch. "I'm feeling better thanks."

"I'm glad." Padme said while touching his arm.

Beru couldn't help noticing that they had not taken their eyes off each other since he had stepped into the room.

"Are you hungry Anakin?" Beru asked feeling like the third wheel in the room.

"Yes, but there's some work I want to get done in the garage. The shifter broke on one of the speeders."

"I can bring you something to eat if you'd like?" Padme asked him.

He smiled, and nodded to her. "I'd like that thanks." He leaned over, and whispered in her ear "Don't be too long; I really missed you."

Beru stood there smiling at the exchange between the two as Anakin walked out of the room.

Padme turned her focus from the door that Anakin had left through while grabbing two pieces of bread. "I'll make him a sandwich."

Beru smiled, and shook her head at Padme. "I hope you don't mind me asking, but I thought Jedi weren't allowed to well you know."

"They're not."

"But you and him?"

"Yes me, and him, but please Beru don't say anything." She gave Beru a serious look.

Beru shook her head, and smiled at Padme. "I won't say anything."

"Thanks."

"Do you love him?"

Padme let out a sigh. "Yes more so every day. It's very difficult to be in love with a Jedi."

"They won't allow it, will they?" Beru asked while crossing her arms.

She shook her head pouring some blue milk into a glass. "No they won't. At first I pushed him away because I didn't know how to handle what I felt. And to be honest, I still don't. I wish there was a way; some kind of answer. I don't want us to be forced to live a lie, and sneak around for years to come. But the thought of not being with him is not an option. It hurts too much to even think about it."

"That's really a shame; I can't imagine how hard that must be. Owen and I never had such problems to deal with. I hope things work out for you two. He's crazy about you its obvious." She smiled at Padme.

"Right now I'm not crazy about me."

"What do you mean?"

She shook her head. "Nothing, I'm going to bring him something to eat; thanks Beru."

Beru put her arm around Padme's shoulders. "My pleasure; I'm here if you need to talk."

"Thanks." Padme smiled back at Beru, and began to walk away with a tray of food.

Padme entered the garage; Anakin was standing at the work bench working on the shifter.

"I brought you a sandwich; you must be starving."

He turned from what he was doing, and walked over to her. "Thanks, it's strange, but I don't have much of an appetite after having not eaten anything for quite some time."

"I haven't either; it's probably from sadness, and shock, but please eat something."

She said while running her fingers through Anakin's hair.

"Only if you'll share this with me." he smiled at her, and handed her a half of the sandwich. They both sat down on the floor and began to eat.

"How's the shifter for the speeder coming along?"

"Alright, it broke when I was making the last turn back here. Life's so much easier when you're fixing things. Besides, I wanted to be by myself for a while.

"I can leave you alone if you want?" She began to get up, but he wrapped his arms around her.

He shook his head. "No, no stay; that's not what I meant. It's just that well, even though technically they're my family; I don't know them. I needed to be away from them, and even from Master Windu, and I've known him for a long time. But with you it's different. I don't have to hide anything. I can be myself. I miss mom so much. I never even got the chance to tell her how much I worried, and thought about her. How much I loved her." His voice was full of remorse as he began to feel the tears coming on.

"She knew that Ani, and she loved you too."

"I know; in fact it was her last words. I only wish I could have had a little more time.

I wish I could have saved her."

Padme dropped the sandwich putting her hands over her face. She could no longer put on this brave calm act in front of him.

"It's my fault Anakin, at least a lot of it is."

"What are you talking about?" He said through his sobs.

"If I hadn't insisted that you contact the Council; we wouldn't have wasted so much time arguing about it. Then we would have been here sooner. You could have got to her in time to save her. Tears started to roll down her cheeks. He took her face in his hands gently; his watery red eyes looking into hers. "None of this is your fault. In fact you have saved someone."

"Who?" She asked in barely a whisper."

"Me. Your quick thinking, and common sense stopped me from making the biggest mistake of my life. "

"What mistake? What happened?"

He took a deep breath. "When I was in the hut with mom after, after she left me. I felt a tremendous amount of despair, but most of all anger. All I could think about was how those Tusken's had beaten the life out of her. My thoughts grew darker, and darker until I felt like I was in a black cloud, hungry for revenge for their blood. I wanted to kill all of them, even the woman and children. And I would have if it wasn't for Master Windu. Right before I reached for my light saber, he used the Force to make it fly into his hand. I was not myself, but some evil version who demanded him to give back my weapon, and he refused. I said I wanted to slaughter them like animals. Master Windu began to explain to me the consequences of falling to the dark side. How I should not go down that path. It would "consume me until I didn't exist." I would not know myself, and neither would anyone else."

"Oh Anakin." She wrapped her arms around him.

"I was so close Padme; I was ready to walk out of that hut, and annihilate them with the Force."

She swallowed hard. "How can you kill with the Force?"

"Many ways, you can throw people around, make things fly at them, and crush them with boulders, and such. But that's not the worst one."

"What is?"

"Force choking, crushing muscles and bones. To make their passage of air collapse until they suffocate."

Padme's eyes grew wide; she put her hand to her throat. He placed his hand on hers, took it away from her neck, and continued to hold her hand.

"Do you want to know the reason why I didn't go through with it?"

"Yes."

"Master Windu told me that I would eventually lose everything, and anyone who meant anything to me." There was only one thought that kept playing over, and over in my mind."

"What was that?"

"You, losing you like I lost mom. You mean more to me then anything, anybody, even my self."

Padme was so moved by his honest heartfelt words. She couldn't find her own to describe how touched she was. They looked lovingly at each other for a moment before collapsing into each others arms. Their tears poured out as he stroked her hair."

"I love you Anakin." She said through her tears."

"I love you so much Padme." He tipped her chin to look into her eyes, and kissed her gently. They held each other for quite some time.

The grim evening scene was painted by the sky's soft blue beginning to blend in with the setting suns. They all gathered around her grave to say farewell to the beloved Shmi Skywalker. Cliegg stared at his wife's headstone as he spoke. "I know wherever you are it's become a better place. You were the most loving partner a man could ever have. Good-bye my darling wife. And thank you."

Anakin left Padme's side, and dropped to his knees in front of his mother's grave. He ran his fingers through the warm sand, and held it in his hands. He began to speak very quietly. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you mom, I'm sorry. But I promise you, I will remain strong. I won't let you or Padme down ever again. He got back on his feet, and stared down at the headstone. "I miss you so much." He spoke with barely enough strength to get the words out through his gritted teeth.

Padme wanted so badly to come forward, and to comfort him But once again she knew she couldn't because Mace was standing there watching. Her attention was shifted elsewhere. She heard R2's frantic beeping, and whistling as he approached them quickly.

Padme turned in surprise. "R2 what are you doing here?"

"It seems that he is carrying a message from an Obi-Wan Kenobi. Does that name mean anything to you Master Anakin?" C3PO turned to him and asked.

Anakin, Padme, Mace, and C3PO all watched on the Naboo Cruiser as R2 projected Obi-Wan's image from the hologram. "Anakin, my long-range transmitter has been knocked out. Retransmit this message to Coruscant." Padme quickly pressed one of the control buttons to send the message to the Jedi Council chamber. Everyone including Master Yoda, and the rest of the Council listened to Obi-Wan's message.

"I have tracked the bounty hunter Jango Fett to the droid foundries of Geonosis that have been ordered by the Trade Federation. It is clear that Viceroy Gunray is behind the assignation attempts on Senator Amadala. The Commerce Guild, and Corporate alliance have pledged their armies to Count Dooku, and are planning on wait, wait. Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber as Droidekas appeared in the hologram grabbing, and restraining him. The hologram flickered, and broke apart.

"More happening on Geonosis, I feel, than has been revealed. There will be much to discuss in the Senate I fear." Yoda said with great sadness in his voice.

Mace Nodded. "I agree, we must gather the Jedi now to come to the aid of Master Obi-Wan."

"Assemble the Jedi we will, stay here to attend the Senate I must." The hologram of Yoda faded out.

Mace gave Anakin a very stern look. "Anakin we will deal with count Dooku.

The most important thing is for the two of you to stay here. Protect the Senator at all costs. That is your first priority."

Anakin nodded, "Understood Master."

"Very good Anakin, may the Force be with you."

"May the Force be with you, Master Windu." Anakin bowed to him.

Mace turned to Padme. "Be safe Senator."

"Thank you Master Windu.. I hope you can get to Obi-Wan in time."

"Don't worry we will." He replied back and walked out of the ship.

-----

He was holding his Force shields down in his mind as tight as the blue crackling energy bolts that kept his legs, and arms prisoner. Obi-Wan had never been face to face with the regal-looking Count Dooku, but he was already sure he did not like, or trust him.
He did not buy into the Count's friendly, helpful demeanor. And certainly did not believe Dooku's claim that Qui-Gon-Jinn would join him, even if he once was his Master.

"What if I told you that the Republic was now under the control of the Dark Lords of the Sith?"

"No that's not possible the Jedi would be aware of it."

"The dark side of the Force has clouded their vision, my friend. Hundreds of Senators are now under the influence of a Sith Lord called Darth Sidious."

"I don't believe you." Obi-Wan replied coolly, and calmly.

Dooku did not take notice, and continued on. "The Viceroy of the Trade Federation was once in league with this Darth Sidious. But he was betrayed ten years ago by the Dark Lord. He came to me for help. He told me everything.. You must join me Obi-Wan, and together we will destroy the Sith."

Obi-wan glared down at him. "I will never join you Dooku."

There was a sneer in Dooku's smile as he spoke. "Well in that case my friend

What if I told you that here on Geonosis there is no need for the Republic's meddling ways. You are a Jedi, and serve the Republic.

Obi-Wan gave him a menacing look. "Get to the point Dooku."

"I think we must teach the Republic a lesson. The public execution of a Jedi Master should send a clear message." He turned, and left the room to leave Obi-Wan to await his fate.

Thanks everyone for all the reviews. Please keep them coming. I'll try to have ch 5 up soon. Thanks for reading.