Disclaimer: It's George's sandbox. I just play here, because it's fun!
AN: Thanks for all the great reviews!
A Matter of Trust
Chapter 15: Battle of Korriban
Padme and Sabe exited their cabins. Both wore traditional Nubian battle jumpsuits like the one Padme had wore during the battle of Geonosis. They both wore the traditional silver arm cuffs. Padme's was again white, signifying her high office. Sabe's was a dark maroon, signifying chief handmaiden. Both women had their hair pulled back in to a tight, intricate bun. Each holstered their fully charged blaster pistols.
"Miss Padme, master Ani would not approve of you leaving the ship. He's liable to deactivate me," Threepio said.
"Don't worry Threepio, we'll be back soon," Padme replied, as she and Sabe left.
Anakin slipped quietly into the audience chamber where Obi-Wan was being held. He felt around the room with his senses. It was apparent that the Sith was very good at stealth, because he could sense nothing. But he knew the Sith was there. He crept slowly over to Obi-Wan and began examining his restraints in order to see how to free him.
"Anakin, what are you doing here?" Obi-Wan scolded. Anakin smirked.
"It's nice to see you too master," Anakin replied.
"Anakin, you don't understand. This whole thing is a trap for you and I was the bait! You have to get out of here now!" Obi-Wan pleaded.
"Trap or not, I'm not leaving without you master," Anakin replied, as he ignited his silver bladed saber and cut Obi-Wan down.
"Such loyalty, I admire that in a man," a female voice said. Anakin turned to the cloaked figure slowly.
"You must be the new Sith apprentice," Anakin said, his saber humming. She pushed her hood down and Anakin nearly dropped his saber.
"Zara?" he asked in disbelief. She smiled evilly, as her yellow eyes surveyed his form up and down. Her intense appraisal focused on him began to make him very uncomfortable.
"Actually, these days they are calling me Darth Psion," she replied.
"Why did you turn Zara? The Sith will only cause you pain and suffering!" Anakin tried to reason with her.
"She turned, because of her jealousy and obsession with you and her anger and hate toward the Jedi. Isn't that right Zara?" Obi-Wan asked. She snarled at him.
"Shut up Kenobi. The Jedi and Master Offee betrayed me! And I had no one, because you chose Amidala over us!" she pointed angrily at Anakin.
"My master has taught me all I need to know to enact my revenge. He has trained me in the dark side and I am more powerful than you can imagine!" she yelled. Anakin looked at her in disbelief. Once she had been his friend, but now he found no trace of Zara in the hate filled yellow eyes.
"Zara, it's not too late to come back to the light. Let us help you," Anakin pleaded.
"I don't need help from the Jedi. Kenobi was right about one thing though. This was a trap for you Anakin and you'll be leaving this planet with me," Psion said.
"We'll see about that," Anakin said, as he swung his saber into ready position.
Anakin and Psion launched at each other, sabers clashing in a furious array of spins, parries and arcs. Obi-Wan cursed for losing his saber to Psion and now he was reduced to watching Anakin battle the Sith. Suddenly, movement caught his eyes and he turned, seeing Padme and Sabe crouched behind a couple of control panels. Seeing that Psion was occupied, he crept over to them.
"What in blazes are you two doing here!" he yelled in hushed whisper.
"We came after you and Anakin of course," Padme whispered back.
"You don't understand Padme. If she sees you, she'll try to kill you or use you against Anakin," Obi-Wan said.
"Who is she?" Sabe asked.
"Zara has turned, she is the new Sith apprentice. Now go, both of you!" Obi-Wan urged.
"Too late Kenobi," Psion said, as she turned Anakin's saber to the side and kicked him in the chest, knocking the wind out of him. While he was thrown off balance, Psion shot Force lightning at them. Obi-Wan pushed them behind the console, as the lightning struck the panel. It sparked violently and slowly caught on fire.
"PADME!" Anakin yelled. He swung his saber and met Psion's again.
"Leave her out of this," Anakin warned her through clenched teeth.
"Oh I don't think so. You've saved me the trouble of coming to Naboo to kill you Senator!" Psion called to her.
"Get them out of here master!" Anakin called. Obi-Wan pushed them both ahead of him and toward the exit. Obi-Wan opened the door, but they found Zeel Wessell standing there, crimson saber blazing in her hand. Obi-Wan recoiled away from the entrance, pushing both women behind him. Sabe drew her blaster and pointed it at the assassin.
"Sabe, no!" Obi-Wan called. Zeel Force pulled the weapon from her and Force pushed her into the wall. She hit it hard and collapsed to the floor, unconscious.
"SABE!" Obi-Wan yelled.
Zeel tried to Force push Obi-Wan, but he met it with his own push. Zeel felt herself being pushed back and she knew that she could not beat Kenobi when it came to using the Force. And Psion didn't want him dead yet, so she pressed a small button on her comlink. Rolling through the door came four Droidekas. They stood up on their mechanical legs and took aim, while Padme drew her blaster.
"Drop the blaster Senator. Psion wants you and Kenobi alive for now, but she does not care about your friend," Zeel spat. Immediately Obi-Wan ceased his Force push and Padme dropped her blaster. The clashing of lightsabers could still be heard, as Anakin and Psion continued to fight furiously. Zeel placed the Force cuffs on Obi-Wan and then turned to Padme. Zeel snarled and wrapped her hand around Padme's throat.
"Darth Psion wants the pleasure of killing you. It's a pity, because I would take great pleasure in doing in myself," Zeel snarled.
"PADME!" Anakin yelled, as he Force shoved Psion back. Psion was caught off guard and fell the ground, allowing Anakin to go after Zeel. Zeel released her and spun around to meet Anakin's saber with her own. Locked in a deadlock, they circled slowly so that Anakin was soon standing in front of Padme. By now, Psion had recovered and was now heading toward them. The droidekas moved in to position. Anakin and Padme were surrounded. Anakin stepped back a bit from them and wrapped his arm around Padme's waist.
"You're surrounded Anakin, surrender to us," Psion said. Suddenly, blaster bolts took out two of the droidekas before they could raise their shields. Everyone looked over to see that Sabe had woke up and recovered her blaster.
"You'll pay for that milady...or at least the dear Senator will," Zeel said, as she glanced at Psion for approval. Psion nodded and suddenly, Padme was clutching her throat.
"NO! STOP IT NOW!" Anakin yelled, as he extinguished his saber and held Padme in his arms. Reaching into the Force, he tried to sever Zeel's grip on Padme's throat. He managed to alleviate some of the grip, but was still fighting Zeel back. Padme opened her eyes weakly and stared up into Anakin's sapphire eyes.
"Hang in there angel, don't leave me," Anakin pleaded.
"Surrender to me Anakin, and Zeel will release her," Psion said. Padme shook her head no at Anakin, her eyes pleading him not to give in to the Sith's demands. Suddenly, a purple blade pierced through, slicing off Zeel's outstretched limb at the forearm. She recoiled and screamed in horror and pain. Padme gasped for air and Anakin held her close, as she clung to him while getting her air back.
"Master Windu...what a surprise," Psion said.
"This foolishness will end now Zara," Mace said. She smirked.
"Oh no Master Windu, it's just begun," Psion replied, as she faced off with Master Windu. Anakin ushered Padme to the side, as he circled with Zeel. Her injury was weakening her fast and she fell to the floor in exhaustion. Anakin's saber hummed by her neck, as he looked down at her. She raised her saber and clashed with Anakin again. He brought his saber around and severed her other arm at the forearm and her saber clattered the floor. She fell to her knees, as Anakin's saber hummed in her ear.
"I'm unarmed. You didn't kill count Dooku and you won't kill me," she smirked. Anakin hesitated and looked around. The fire was spreading through the room and he knew they would have to get out of here soon.
"You're the one that kidnaped my mother and you're the one who tried to murder my wife. But you're not worth it," Anakin said, as he extinguished his saber and confiscated hers. He threw it into the fire and went to Padme. They rushed to Obi-Wan and Sabe and Anakin freed Obi-Wan from the restraints.
Psion fought furiously with the Jedi Master and Mace could clearly see that he had underestimated the Sith. Whatever training she had undergone in the last six months had changed her into a deadly warrior with a wealth of knowledge in the dark side.
"You're wondering how I got so good, aren't you master? I learned much from Asaaj Ventress. In fact she taught me everything she knew and then I killed her, just like I'm going to kill you," Psion said.
"I don't think so," Mace replied.
"Oh, I do!" Psion yelled, as she jumped into the air and scissor kicked Mace. He fell flat on his back and Psion's red blade hummed above him. She shot Force lightning at him, which Mace blocked with his saber. This sent the lightning shooting around the room, sparking any electrical equipment and causing more flames to start. Psion realized that she needed to get out and soon. She would have to reorganize her plans and go after Anakin later.
"You live for today, but I'll hunt you all down and I won't stop until I have everything I want," she said, as he eyes bored in to Anakin.
"Lady Psion, we must escape," Zeel rasped, as she stumbled to her. Psion looked at her in disgust.
"You have failed me Zeel. You were supposed to defeat Anakin and administer the Ysalamiri serum to him. But you couldn't do that. You couldn't even get rid of the Senator or Kenobi! You are worthless!" Psion said angrily, as she passed her saber through Zeel's neck, decapitating her. Psion smirked sadistically and kicked the body into the flames, burning it. Padme covered her mouth in horror at the gruesome scene. She turned and buried her face in Anakin's chest.
"She's pure evil," Anakin said sadly, knowing there was likely no hope for her. The Sith apprentice made her quick exit, leaving them in the fire engulfed room. Obi-Wan and Sabe were with Mace near the exit and they called for Anakin and Padme.
"Anakin! We have to get out now! The fire is out of control!" Obi-Wan called to him over the inferno. Anakin nodded and took Padme's hand, as they started running. Suddenly, Anakin pulled Padme back, as the violent flames flared up higher than their heads. Anakin looked up and pulled himself and Padme back, as a fiery beam fell to the floor. Padme screamed and clung to him. Her face was splotched with soot, as was his. And her hair was in disarray, but she still looked so beautiful to him.
"We're trapped Ani," she cried. Anakin looked around the room and spotted another exit at the other side of the room. The flames weren't as bad over there yet.
"Not yet, we'll just find another way out," he said, as he pulled her up with him.
"Obi-Wan, we'll find another way out! Get out of here and we'll meet you at the ship!" Anakin called over the flames. Reluctantly, he Sabe and Mace left through the exit, while Anakin and Padme ran for the other exit. Anakin pressed the control panel, but the door jammed. He banged on the panel, but still nothing happened. He thrust his saber through the door, melting through it until he was able to pry it open. He and Padme ran through, but stopped short, as they found that the bridge to the other side was not extended. Padme screamed, as she nearly fell over the edge. Anakin grabbed her around the waist and held her tightly. He tried the control panel to extend the bridge, but it didn't work either.
"Peace of junk, nothing works," Anakin said, as he took out his extending cable from his utility belt. He tossed it up and hooked it securely on a high beam. Padme wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek, while he wrapped his free arm around her waist.
"Hang on tight angel," he said, as he swung them across theabyss and to other side. He pried the door open and they ran through, finding yet another room and still no way out. The stopped to catch their breath.
"We're not getting anywhere. I think we need to go up," Anakin pointed to the hatch on the ceiling. Using the Force, he pushed the hatch open. He used the Force and floated Padme up so she could grab onto the side of hatch and pull herself through. She began climbing up through the vent system. Anakin used the Force to propel him up through the opening and he began climbing right behind her. The finally reached the top and pushed the hatch open. They climbed out onto the roof of the old temple and out into the dry, dead air of Korriban. As he used the Force to propel himself and Padme down to the ground, they saw what he assumed was Psion's ship leaving the atmosphere. He took Padme's hand and they headed for their waiting ship.
Psion set the coordinates for Coruscant and jumped to hyperspace. Once she was secure, she opened a comm channel with her master.
"What do you have to report?" Darth Sidious asked.
"The separatist leaders are dead, as are master Offee and master Unduli. But master Windu showed up unexpectedly and Skywalker and the others escaped," Psion said.
"It is of no consequence. There will be other opportunities for you to seize Skywalker and kill Amidala. You have done well my young apprentice," Sidious said.
"Thank you my master," she replied.
"When you get back to Coruscant, it will be time to move into the next phase of our plan," Sidious informed her.
"Yes master, I shall see you soon," she replied, as the transmission blinked out.
Tired and out of breath, Anakin and Padme arrived at their ship. Obi-Wan pulled them in. Mace was there and had not left on his own ship yet.
"Anakin, Master Yoda and I specifically told you not to come here," Mace said.
"I'm sorry master, but I couldn't just forget about Obi-Wan. He's like my brother and I am no longer a Jedi, therefore I am not bound by your orders," Anakin shot back.
"Not like you ever listened to us anyway," Mace grumbled, as he dug through his pack and pulled out an lightsaber. He handed it to Obi-Wan and he immediately recognized it as Anakin's old one.
"Use this until you can build a replacement," Mace said. Obi-Wan nodded and had every intension of building a new one and giving this one back to Anakin. He had a feeling that one of Anakin's children would be using it someday.
"Masters, we have something that you need to know," Anakin said.
"What is it Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked.
"We've discovered the identity of the Sith Lord," Anakin announced.
"Are you sure?" Mace asked. Anakin nodded.
"Artoo and Threepio hacked into the Senate mainframe and uncovered many audio transmission files from the Sith Lord. And they all originate from Supreme Chancellor Palpatine's office. The proof is all here," Anakin said, as he handed the data pad to Mace. Obi-Wan looked shocked.
"Palpatine? A Sith Lord?" Obi-Wan asked in disbelief.
"The dark side does surround the chancellor, but we assumed he was only a pawn," Mace replied.
"He is not the pawn master, he is the Sith master. And Zara, or Darth Psion is his new apprentice," Anakin told him.
"I will relay this information to the council on my way back to Coruscant. Obi-Wan, in light of this revelation, the Senate will need to meet. Please escort the acting Senator back to Coruscant, as it is not safe for Senator Amidala to be anywhere near Coruscant. Anakin, you and the Senator should return to Naboo. Anakin nodded, as he had no intention of taking Padme anywhere near Psion or Palpatine.
"I don't like this idea of you both going back to Coruscant," Padme protested.
"We'll be fine Padme, I promise," Sabe assured her.
"I agree with Padme. I have a really bad feeling about this master," Anakin replied. Obi-Wan placed a hand on his shoulder.
"We'll be fine Anakin and we'll be in contact with you soon. Go home to Naboo and wait to hear from us. We may have to send you and your family into hiding very soon," Obi-Wan said gravely. Anakin nodded silently and hugged his master. Sabe hugged Padme and bid them both goodbye. Anakin and Padme strapped themselves in and ordered Artoo to take off, as Anakin was far too tired to help him fly the ship. But they figured Artoo could handle everything.
Master Windu's holographic image appeared to the council.
"Master Windu, good to see you it is," Master Yoda greeted. Master Yoda was also attending the meeting by hologram, as he was assisting the war situation on Kashyyyk.
"Greetings masters," Mace bowed.
"Were you able to defeat the Sith?" Adi asked.
"Unfortunately no, she was far more formidable than I expected. We rescued Obi-Wan and he is en route to Coruscant with Senator Sabe. Anakin and Padme have managed to uncover the identity of the Sith Lord," Mace said.
"Share this information with us, you must," Yoda said. Mace took a deep breath and explained Anakin and Padme's findings to the council. When he was finished, everyone present was in shock. The Sith had been right under their noses for the last fourteen years.
"We must remove the good Chancellor at once then," Adi said.
"Very cautious we must be. A powerful Sith he is, if able to hide from us like he was," Yoda warned.
"Master Koon, Master Mundi, and Master Tiin will accompany me," Adi said, as they rose and left. Yoda looked deeply troubled, as the his transmission blinked out. Chewbacca rawled in concern and Yoda looked at him sadly.
Once Obi-Wan had then safely in hyperspace, he turned the polit's chair to face Sabe who was behind him in the passenger seat of the two person star fighter. Sabe threw herself in his arms and hugged him tightly. He hugged her back just as fiercely and he felt her tears on his neck.
"Sabe? What's wrong?" he asked, as he pulled her back to look in her eyes.
"I thought I was never going to see you again," she cried.
"Shhh...I know. There were times that I thought the same. Truthfully he had and many times he had cursed his former padawan, in a brotherly manner of course. How had he done it? How had he spent months away from the woman he loved? His former padawan had always lacked control, though Anakin had changed quite a bit since the birth of his children. No longer the restless, angry Jedi, but now a loving, devoted husband and father. He supposed Anakin made it through for the moments like this where he was reunited with the woman he loved. He pushed all other thoughts out of his mind, as Sabe's lips drew closer to his. They kissed for the first time since their separation and it was sweet and passionate. Sabe climbed into Obi-Wan's lap, deepening and intensifying the kiss.
"I love you Obi-Wan," she said breathlessly.
"I love you too Sabe...no matter what it means," Obi-Wan replied, as their lips met again...
Anakin and Padme unstrapped their restraints as soon as Artoo gave them the okay. Anakin held his side and hissed in pain a bit.
"Ani, are you hurt?" she asked, as she lifted up his tunic to look at his side.
"It's just a saber burn, nothing I'm not used to," he replied, giving her a smile.
"It's not nothing. Sit down, while I go get some bacta cream. We can't have it getting infected," she ordered. He rolled his eyes and sat down, knowing that she loved doting over his injuries no matter how minor they were. And truthfully, he didn't mind it much himself. She quickly came back and lifted his leather vest over his head and began unbuttoning his dark brown tunic. Anakin let his eyes drink in her appearance.
"I thought I was going to lose you. Why didn't you stay on the ship?" he asked.
"You should know me better than that Ani. I'm not about to let you go off to fight, while I stay and worry myself to death about you. I've done enough of that," she replied, as she applied the bacta to his wound. He hissed in pain, as she rubbed it in the burn, but it wasn't long before the painkillers kicked in. She placed a large, gauzy bandage over it and then went to rinse the bacta off her hands. He followed her into the cabin and sat down on the couch, letting out a deep, relieved sigh that he and Padme both made it off Korriban okay. It was close and he knew that they had not seen the last of Psion. Padme came out of the refresher sat beside him, cuddling close. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap so that she was straddling him. She caressed his smooth cheek with her hand.
"I thought I was going to be the one to lose you for a while," she told him.
"You won't lose me Padme, I promise," he told her, as he took her hand and kissed it.
"She won't stop hunting us, will she?" Padme asked, already knowing that the answer was no.
"Probably not, but I will train hard and I will defeat the Sith, I promise you. And in the meantime, I promise you that I'll protect you and the twins, even if it means we have..." he started, but didn't want to finish.
"Even if it means we have to leave Naboo. It's okay Ani, I'd follow you to the ends of the galaxy just to be with you," she replied. He smiled at her.
"I know you would, but I promise we won't leave Naboo unless we have no other choice," Anakin replied. Padme smiled and nodded, as her lips descended upon his. Her arms flew around his neck, as they kissed deeply and passionately. Anakin kissed her neck, hungrily tasting her. Padme raised her arms for him and he pulled her the soot smudged white top over her head. He drank in the sight of her and kissed her swollen lips again. Padme threw her head back, as he kissed down her neck and to her chest. Anakin shifted her in his lap and she allowed herself to tumble back onto the couch. He came with her, carefully covering her body with his own, as he angled his mouth over her, kissing her deeply and hungrily. They let their passion consume them and for a time, the Republic, the Sith, the Jedi, and everything else but them ceased to exist...