Chapter 14: Interrogation of the Senate

The three Jedi, two masters and a knight, split up to begin their search for the location of Padmé and her abductor. Master Yoda returned to a quiet meditation chamber in the Jedi Temple, Master Kenobi began contacting members of the Coco-district committee Padmé had attended, and Anakin began questioning the rest of the people his beloved wife had spoken to this day.

Being late in the evening, it was difficult for both Obi-Wan and Anakin to reach the various Senate members. Most people within the Senate had left for the day and were attending dinner or settling themselves for the evening. However, they were both persistent in their efforts.

Obi-Wan was able to track down a group of Senator's from Padmé's committee at a high class Coruscanti restaurant and was able to question them all at once. He did not gain any useful information, but he was able to cross them off the list.

Anakin had been able to contact both the Senators from Chandrila and Corellia by holo. Anakin's face fell in desperation when they were not able to supply any useful information, and their words of comfort and sympathy did nothing to make him feel any better.

Anakin was sure that contacting the Supreme Chancellor would offer similar results. Like the Senator's from Chandrila and Corellia, Chancellor Bail Organa was a loyal friend to Padmé. He had been a member of the rebel alliance and had actively worked to dissolve the Empire with Padmé's help. Padmé's last meeting might have been with him, but that was not where she had been abducted. By the state of her office, it was obvious that she had been attacked in there.

Sighing in anguished frustration and rubbing his temples, Anakin waited beside a comm. system in an office adjacent to Padmé's. In the attack, Padmé's comm. system had been damaged with much of the wiring disconnected and a large crack running through its display screen. Anakin had initially shuddered when he saw it. He was worried about the violence of the attack his wife had suffered. Anakin could have fixed the comm. system, but it was faster and easier just to borrow someone else's. Additionally, he could not stand being in Padmé's office. Just looking around the room made him cringe as his chest tightened in fear.

"Knight Skywalker?" The voice of Bail Organa asked over the comm. system.

Anakin looked up to see a tiny image of the Supreme Chancellor projected back at him. "Chancellor Organa, thank you for answering my call." Anakin stated respectively with a slight bow.

"Not a problem, I was a bit surprised to receive your call. Usually it is Padmé who contacts me. I must offer my congratulations to you though, she told me that you two are expecting a baby." Organa answered jovially. The Sith Lord that was controlling him was silently chuckling as he felt his former apprentice project pain throughout the Force.

Anakin did not answer this, but remained silent. He closed his eyes and tried to take a few calming breaths to control his emotions.

"My dear boy, is something wrong?" Organa asked with concern as Sidious smiled gleefully.

Anakin was silent for another moment as he raised his head up to look at the Chancellor. "Ye… Yes sir." Anakin faltered slightly as he choked out a response. "Padmé is missing."

"Missing!" Organa stated with surprise. The Sith Lord was reveling in the ruse he was creating.

"Yes, her office has been ransacked, it seems she has been abducted."

"Oh my, do you have any leads?" Organa's eyes seemed to show true concern.

"No." Anakin stated simply while he sadly shook his head. "That is why I am contacting you. You were her last appointment of the day, I was wondering if you could give me any insight into what happened today. It could help me find her."

"Well I do not know how much help I can be, but I will tell you everything you need to know."

"Thank you Chancellor, I really do apprec…" Anakin interrupted his sentence when he saw the Chancellor's image on the comm. system turn away from him by some distraction. Anakin though he could hear a faint buzzing sound.

"Blast! Anakin, there is someone at my door. I must answer it. How about this, give me ten minutes. I will shoo away whoever this is and meet you in my office in the Senate. I have all the notes from all of my meetings of the day in there; you are welcome to have them if you want."

Anakin's eyes glazed in desperation in response to this, but somehow he was able to keep his voice steady. "Very well Chancellor, I will see you in a few minutes."

"I am sorry about this Anakin, it cannot be helped." Organa stated before abruptly ending the transmission as he went to answer the door that was buzzing more frantically.

Anakin sighed as he slumped on the floor. "I understand," he whispered into the silence around him. It would not be a long wait for the Chancellor, but every minute that was wasted was a minute that put Padmé's and his child's life in greater danger. Anakin could not help but feel his anxiety rise with each second that passed.


Palpatine laughed at his own genius when the transmission with his former apprentice ended. He had used the Force to make the door chime of Organa's apartment ring to create the illusion that someone was there. Knowing that he was making his traitorous apprentice wait for the information he desperately desired gave him great pleasure.

These next few months of Anakin's life would be agonizingly painful as he frantically searched for his beloved wife. Sidious would ensure that Anakin and his fellow Jedi were led down a path of dead ends until Anakin's child was born. Until such time, Sidious would take the time to enjoy the torture he was inflicting on his former apprentice before he killed his beloved life and his will to live.

Sidious smiled at this last thought, but then felt a violent lurch on his control over Chancellor Organa. Once again, the Chancellor was trying to regain control over his mind and body. "No Chancellor, you will do my bidding, you are mine." Sidious' Force presence whispered as it struggled to regain control.

"No. Must. Stop. Save. Padmé. Stop. Sith." Bail replied brokenly as his mind waged a war with the Sith.

"Come now Chancellor, you cannot win. You are now an important player in the future rise of the Sith." Sidious stated sinisterly as Organa's mind succumbed to his control.

Once Sidious felt Organa's fighting cease he whispered, "Once more the Sith shall rule the galaxy, and you my friend shall know peace." For a moment, Sidious felt Organa trying to fight against him once more, but the Sith had placed a tighter control over him. This had been the second occasion the Sith had lost control over his host, and he could not afford any mistakes. He had every intention of enjoying his meeting with his former apprentice and he did not need Organa joining the reunion to ruin his plans.

Reinforcing his hold on the Chancellor's mind. Sidious had Organa casually straighten his Senatorial robes. Then ready to continue his apprentice's lessons in Sith vengeance, Sidious had Organa slowly walk out of his apartment to begin the journey to his Senate office.


Several feet below the Senate Building, Padmé was determinedly glancing around the room to make sure that everything was in order. She knew that Sidious would make sure there was some overlap between her doses of ysalamiri to ensure that her presence was constantly blocked from Anakin. Therefore, she was taking a few deep-steadying breaths to prepare herself for the battle she was about to undertake.

There was very little in the room for Padmé to use to protect herself. She had cleared off her dinner tray, because the thin metal sheet had the potential to be used in her defense. Additionally, she had taken apart the small cot in the room. Separating the metal support structure from the cloth portion of the mattress. She now had a series of long poles that she planned on using as her primary defense.

Ideally, Padmé would have preferred a blaster. Having been trained in self-defense by her Nubian security team when she was both Queen and Senator, Padmé was deadly with a blaster. Unfortunately, that was not one of the objects she had at her disposal. However, she did have some hand-to-hand combat training and although she did not have any formal training, Anakin had let her wield his lightsaber during a few of his morning katas. Padmé closed her eyes briefly remembering the previous week and the feel of Anakin's hands securely fastened around hers as she held the sapphire energy blade before her.


Padmé had woken up in bed all alone in the Nubian retreat. Curious to the whereabouts of her husband, she had thrown on a robe and made her way out on the balcony to look for him. She had smiled when she caught him in mid-motion of one of his katas. He moved with grace, and although Padmé did not know much about such things she knew her husband was very skilled as he swung his sapphire blade in a series of sweeping arcs.

When Anakin had felt her presence watching him intently, he had shut off his lightsaber before beckoning her closer. Once she was within his reach he had pulled her to him to give her a swift kiss. "Good Morning." He stated as he pulled his lips away from hers.

"Good Morning." Padmé has smiled at him while she spoke.

"Were you enjoying the view?" Anakin asked teasingly.

"Perhaps." Padmé answered, not giving her husband the answer he wanted.

"I think you were, my love." Anakin then drew Padmé into a long and sensuous kiss.

"And if I was, what does it matter?" Padmé asked slightly breathless.

"Nothing, but knowing you are near always brightens my day." Anakin nuzzled his face against her cheek as he finished.

"I feel the same way when you are with me." Padmé responded. She let Anakin run his hands along her for a moment before stating. "I will let you finish your exercises. I will go and make us some breakfast."

Padmé felt Anakin's hand grip her arm, stilling her as she turned away from him. "Don't go, stay," he said gently

"I don't want to disturb you."

"You could never do that, my love. We can finish my exercises together."

"Really?" Padmé stated with mild surprise.

Anakin nodded with a smile as he told Padmé to turn around so that her back was to him. He then wrapped his arms around her from behind and gently placed his lightsaber in her hands.

"Are you sure about this?" Padmé asked skeptically as Anakin ignited the blue blade for her.

"Trust me." He whispered into her ear. "Move with me."

With Anakin guiding her, Padmé moved the saber up and around them. She was amazed by the lightness of the weapon in her hands and marveled at it as it glowed around them. Anakin also guided her to move fluidly across the floor. To Padmé, it seemed as if the two of them were gliding across the floor in a dance. She actually found her little lesson highly enlightening, until Anakin started running his hands sensuously along her body and his lips tickled the sensitive flesh of your neck.

"Quit teasing me." Padmé stated as she switched off the lightsaber and squirmed slightly at the sensations her husband was eliciting on her skin.

"Ah, but my love, I thought it was only fair that you share in this sensation. Just your mere presence teases me."

Padmé turned in his arms so that her chocolate eyes met with his deep cerulean ones. She could see the glow of amusement in his eyes along with the powerful longing he possessed for her. "You, my Jedi Knight, are on vacation. No more training. Today, you are mine." Padmé replied teasingly and then gasped and laughed as Anakin gathered her into his arms.

"As you wish." He replied as he carried her back inside the retreat.


Padmé was shaken from her memory when she heard the locks to one of the doors of the room click. She quickly grabbed one of the metal poles on the floor and prepared herself to strike. She was not sure if anything Anakin had shown her that day was going to help her. They had been fairly distracted, but she was trying to recall anything that would be useful.

She saw a small probe droid enter the room from the door ahead of her. The door closed behind it abruptly once it was fully within the confines of the small room. Padmé stared at it, concentrating on her task. She did not have the Force or Anakin to help her; everything depended on her own ability to out think her opponent.