Chapter 6 Abducted

Kimmy hurried to the platform to catch a transport back to the Temple. Not only did she have the Chancellor's strange conversation to report, but she also had to tell the council that while Anakin had gone to his room to go to bed, after a few minutes he had snuck out and went directly to Padme's room. Kimmy remembered the attraction she'd noticed a few years ago and wondered just how far it had taken the two.

"Well, Anakin, did you see your friend off?"

Kimmy whirled to see Palpatine and approach Anakin.

"He will soon have Grievous's head." Anakin said confidently.

"We can only hope the Council didn't make a mistake."

"The Council was very sure in its decision." Anakin said as they left the platform.

Kimmy quickly followed. "There are rumors in the Senate about Master Kenobi." Palpatine continued. "Many believe he is not fit for this assignment."

Not fit?

"Not fit? Why would anyone think that?"

Palpatine shrugged. "They say his mind has become fogged by the influence of a certain female Senator."

"That's ridiculous. Who?"

"No one knows who she is ... only that she is a Senator."

Liar. Kimmy hissed mentally.

"That's impossible. I would know." Anakin said, but he didn't sound too sure.

"Sometimes the closest are the ones who cannot see." Having planted the seed in Anakin's mind, Palpatine quickly added, "Idle Senate gossip is rarely true and never accurate. I'm sure your Master will do fine."

Anakin nodded and walked off. Kimmy would have bet her lightsaber that he was going to Padme's apartment.

"That does it." She muttered, marching after Anakin. She was going to set things straight once and for all with him, and then she was going to go to the council and tell them to give 'The Supreme Pulp' the boot before he created anymore divisions among the Senate and Jedi.

Suddenly Palpatine was standing in front of her.

"I've seen you before." He said, as if trying to remember.

Kimmy saw in a flash that the charade was up.

"I'm not sure." She said sweetly.

"I believe it was last night." He continued, stroking his chin. Kimmy resisted the urge to quake in her boots "Yes, I'm sure it was. I was talking to Anakin. You seem a little old to be playing childish games such as eavesdropping."

So he expected her to deny her apparent immaturity and spill her real mission? Not likely. Kimmy said nothing.

Palpatine raised his hand, and suddenly Kimmy felt the irresistible urge to collapse.

She fought it, mentally and physically, although she was forced to lean against the wall for support.

"Now, now." Palpatine smiled, doubling the assault. "Can't we do things the easy way?"

"We…" Kimmy tried to push aside a wave of dizziness and nausea, but it was like smoke, diffusing through her shields. An alarm went off in her mind, but she wasn't able to concentrate on what her instincts were telling her when she was locking horns with a deep blackness swimming around her head, which felt like it weighed two tons. She tried to call on the Force, but it was so far away…

Palpatine caught Kimmy as she slumped to the floor. Several people stared as he picked her up.

"It's alright." He said warmly. "She's just fainted. I'll take her to the infirmary, and I'm sure she'll be right as rain."

With nods of approval, the people went about their business as Palpatine carried off his victim.

Jesse watched with a silent grin as Obi-Wan mount the giant lizard, using the Force to keep it in place until he was settled.

"You don't need to do that. They're trained to stay still." He finally said.

"I'm not taking any chances. Anakin is much better with this sort if thing." Obi-Wan said. "Are you coming?"

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss it." Jesse climbed on board.

"I've been worried about you, you know."

Jesse rolled his eyes. Leave it to Obi-Wan to bring up the elephant in the room just when he thought he'd finally gotten it outside.

"I didn't know if you'd turned…"

"I wrote Kimmy a note telling her I hadn't and I wouldn't." Jesse interrupted, a little shortly.

"Then why did you leave?"

Jesse shook his head. "I don't know. I just did." He looked away then turned back quickly. "But I couldn't come back. I'd left, and I knew better than to expect to be able to waltz back in."

Obi-Wan stroked hi beard thoughtfully. "Maybe. People make mistakes."

"And they have to pay for them. Speaking of which…" Jesse raised his eyes to their destination.

Obi-Wan laughed. "You've come a long way, Jesse. A long way from the little boy we found on our ship."

"I can't believe you remember that."

"Don't you?"

Jesse shrugged and looked back up the corridor like a dogbegging to be taken out for a walk. Obi-Wan laughed again.

"Point taken." He said and gave the command for the lizard to move forward.

I love cliffes. That is, I love making them. I'm the forst one to compain when I'm on the reading end.