A/N: I was not going to post this chapter until I had Chapter 18 ready, but I am liable to forget that I did not post this yet, if I do that. So, I'm just going to leave you guys hanging with the ending of this chapter for a while. However, those of you who have read a few of my stories should be used to this type of ending. I'm known for my cliffhangers (You have been warned). If it makes you feel better, I have started the next post, I just need DRL to give me a break so that I can finish it up.


Chapter 17: Sith Eyes

"What did you find?" Anakin replied tensely as he made his way into Master Yoda's meditation suite. He had not bothered to knock, but had merely barged into the room unannounced.

"The dark presence a few minutes ago, appeared it did. Sensed Senator Amidala at the same time, did you?" Master Yoda responded calmly from him meditation pad.

Anakin nodded as he said, "Yes. I was in Chancellor Organa's office at the time."

"Hmm…. Connected these events seem to be." Master Yoda replied.

"I agree." Master Kenobi stated, he was seated across from Master Yoda and was looking at the diminutive Jedi intently as he added. "However, there is the remote possibility that our hypothesis is incorrect. These events may not be connected. We need to continue our search with a degree of skepticism.

"How can you doubt this, Obi-Wan! These two events happened together, that cannot be a coincidence." Anakin said with anger rising in his voice.

"I never said that the events were not connected, I just said we need to be careful with the conclusions we make." Obi-Wan repeated calmly.

Anakin rolled his eyes before responding, "You can go investigate other solutions. I do not have time for it. I know that the dark presence is responsibly for Padmé's abduction. We need to find it, so that we can rescue her."

"Calm yourself Jedi Skywalker. Much anger I sense in you." Master Yoda warned.

"Yes, be mindful of your feelings, my friend. I know you are upset by this, but anger will not help us find Padmé." Obi-Wan added.

Anakin glared at the two Jedi Masters before him, but he took a deep breath to calm himself. "Then what do you suggest?"

"Although I feel we should not jump to conclusions, I do feel that this dark presence is behind the abduction of Senator Amidala. We need to narrow down our investigation, so this would be a good place to start. Anakin, did you discover anything about Padmé's location when you felt her presence?"

"Only that she was still on Coruscant, but I was not able to pinpoint her exact location." Anakin shrugged a look of trepidation crossing his features.

"That does narrow down the search field within the galaxy though. We know she was not taken off planet." Obi-Wan added.

"Yes, but she might have been taken off world by now." Anakin replied, not hiding the anguish in his voice.

"This is true, however one of us can check the various transports that have entered and left the planet. We can also investigate more places on the planet, particularly the capital district, for a sign of Padmé. In this way, we are utilizing all the information we have gathered and ensuring we do not miss a lead."

"And how do you suggest we do this, Coruscant is huge." Anakin stated.

"Split up, we must. Focus on a separate area, we can." Master Yoda answered.

Obi-Wan nodded before adding, "Yes, we can cover more ground if we split up. I believe Master Yoda should stay here and continue investigating the Force presence since he has found it several times already. Perhaps the holocrons in the Temple library will provide insight into something we are missing." Master Yoda nodded in approval as Obi-Wan continued. "I will continue to investigate leads on Coruscant. I did not find anything from today's investigations, but some of Padmé's colleagues were able to suggest other places to look. Anakin, you are free to join me, but I think you should focus on searching the Force for both Padmé and the Force presence. Like Master Yoda, you have felt the presence before. Perhaps with the both of you probing the Force you can unravel the mystery behind this anomaly. Additionally, since Padmé is your wife, you naturally have a strong connection with her. If her presence becomes visible again, you are the best person to try to locate her."

Anakin nodded his head in agreement. "I can go back to my apartment and have R2 and 3P0 track leads as well. Since Padmé's things are there, it might be better if I stay there. Being around her things may help me find a connection to her again."

"Yes, yes." Master Yoda replied. "Help in your meditations, it could. Report back with any findings. Investigate the Temple archives, I will. A solution may reside in the ancient files."

"Then I think it is settled. I will continue my search on Coruscant and report back to both of you with my findings." Obi-Wan stated.

"May the Force be with us." Master Yoda concluded their meeting before the three split up for their respective tasks.


Over two months had passed without any sign of the dark Force presence or Padmé. Additionally, Obi-Wan's investigations had led nowhere and neither R2D2 or C3P0 were able to come up with anything through their scans. Anakin was becoming increasingly desperate as time slipped by and he had no sign of Padmé. He still refused to believe that Padmé had been killed. Something told him that she was not dead and that he must continue his search.

Anakin had joined Obi-Wan on a few of his early interviews with Senate personnel, but for the past three week had retreated back to his apartment to search the Force in seclusion for Padmé and her abductor. He had locked himself in his and Padmé's bedroom, only allowing R2D2 and C3P0 to come in to bring him meals, which he barely ate. His focus was to find Padmé, and nothing else mattered to him. He knew that every second was precious and he did not want to risk losing an opportunity to find her.

Over the past week, R2D2 had noticed that Anakin did not seem to be sleeping or eating. He was wasting away with the obsession of finding Padmé. R2D2 was worried about his mistress and was doing all he could to help her, but he was also concerned about Master Anakin, who seemed to be falling apart with Padmé's absence. The little droid had tried to voice his concerns to C3P0, but the golden droid had only reasoned that Master Anakin was under a deep amount of stress. C3P0 also suggested that the best way to help Master Anakin was to continue their duties in searching for Miss Padmé.

However, after picking up an uneaten tray of food and noticing Master Anakin's pale and peaked complexion, R2D2 knew he needed to seek help elsewhere. So that evening when C3P0 had shutdown for the night, the tiny droid contacted Obi-Wan Kenobi.


Obi-Wan had not heard from Anakin in the last two weeks, but he had not thought much of it. With as much time that had passed since Senator Amidala's disappearance, Master Yoda, Anakin, and himself had been frantically continuing their search. They all knew that each passing day made their prospects grimmer.

Obi-Wan had just finished another day of following pointless leads in his search of Amidala, and tomorrow morning he had transport reports to read. He had checked in with Master Yoda who was busily scanning the ancient texts in the library, but it seemed the diminutive Jedi had not discovered anything useful either. With resignation, Obi-Wan had made his way to his quarters in order to get some rest before continuing his search in the morning. However, before he could settle himself in bed his comm. unit rang with an urgent message from Anakin's apartment.


"Where is he?" Obi-Wan asked R2D2 when the little droid met him at the front door of Anakin and Padmé's apartment. He had left the Jedi Temple immediately when the little droid had described the state of his master.

"Booooop booop." R2D2 replied, swiveling his domed head to indicate the hall leading to the master bedroom suite.

"Thank you R2." Obi-Wan replied. "Why don't you power down for the evening. I am sure you need some rest as well. I can take care of this."

"Beeeep Boop Beep?" R2D2 asked skeptically.

"Yes, I'm sure." Obi-Wan said with a smile. "Get some rest."

With a final, "Beeeeeep." R2D2 turned from the Jedi Master and moved towards his resting place. Once the little droid was out of his sight, Obi-Wan made his way to the master bedroom to help his friend.

What Obi-Wan saw upon entering the master bedroom shocked him. Anakin was sitting cross-legged on the bed with his eyes closed in meditation. The young Jedi had obviously not been taking care of himself. There were dark circles under his eyes, he was very pale, and a thick stubble of hair covered his face. It also looked like he had lost some weight from a lack of food.

"Anakin, what in the blazes are you doing?" Obi-Wan asked with a hint of annoyance.

"Searching for Padmé." Anakin replied determinedly.

"I know that. When was the last time that you ate?"

"Hmm…" Anakin mumbled distractedly.

"Anakin!" Obi-Wan stated with exasperation. "You have to eat something, you have to take care of yourself."

"I have to find Padmé, I do not have time for anything else." Anakin replied coldly.

"Killing yourself is not going to help you find her." Obi-Wan stated sternly before walking up to his fellow Jedi. He grabbed Anakin's upper arm and pulled gently but firmly as he added, "Come along, you need to eat something and then rest."

"No!" Anakin replied bitingly as he jerked his arm away. "I must find her!" His eyes were still closed in meditation

"Anakin, I know how you feel, but this is not helping her. You need food and rest if you are going to effectively continue your search. Now come along." Obi-Wan tugged at Anakin's arm again.

"No!" Anakin repeated pulling away from the Jedi Master once more.

"Look, either you come with me or I will be forced to drag you out of here." Obi-Wan replied irritably.

"You wouldn't dare." Anakin replied, anger rising in his voice.

"I will do what I must." Obi-Wan replied as he went to move Anakin once more.

"You will try." Anakin replied with menace. He opened his eyes that were now glowing bright yellow as anger and irritation coursed through him.