Chapter 6 – The Enemy Revealed

Zak was crestfallen. His hope of ever finding his master alive had dwindled.

"He's still alive, Zak. We must hold on to that." Anakin told him as he put his hands on the boy's shoulders.

"But what if we can't find him? He's hurt, he'll die." Zak sobbed.

"Zak," Anakin said sternly, "You're a Jedi, start acting like one. Crying will not help. I know it hurts; it hurts me too. But you must, no, we must be strong."

Zak took a deep breath, and Anakin could feel the Force welling up in the boy. He patted him firmly on the shoulders.

"Yes, that's better, Zak. Now, let's get going."

"I'm ready, Master Anakin." He said confidently.

Anakin threw one change of clothing in his duffle, as a Jedi, he had developed the habit of carrying as little as possible. It seemed that he had never lost that habit. Padme entered the room and watched him for a moment. Then she opened a drawer and brought out Anakin's lightsaber. By rights, Anakin should have left the weapon at the Temple when he left the Order. However, the Jedi Council still considered Anakin a Jedi, and had refused to take it back.

"I think you may need this, Annie." She told him.

Anakin looked first at her and then at his lightsaber. He, of course, had intended to take it, but he was surprised that she had made the move to offer it to him.

"Don't be so surprised, love; I know you will have to fight when you find Obi-Wan." She told him.

"I'm sorry, Padme. I thought I was through fighting when I left the Order." He answered as he took it from her.

"This is different, Anakin; it's personal." Padme said, "Obi-Wan is like your brother, you have said so many times. I understand that."

Zak was impatiently waiting for them when they entered the great room. He had nothing to pack but his lightsaber and that was already secured to his belt.

Padme brought the twins out and Anakin kissed each one on the top of the head. Then he wrapped his arms around Padme and kissed her deeply.

"I will be home soon, Padme." He assured her.

"Just be careful, Anakin. Don't take any chances." She said.

"If I must take chances to help Obi-Wan, I will, Padme. I won't let him die." He answered.

"Yes, of course, you will do as you must." She said bitterly. "Even it if means that I might lose you."

"You won't lose me. But I cannot let Obi-Wan die, you must understand that." He countered.

"Just come back to us, Anakin." She said.

"I will, and I will bring Obi-Wan with me." Anakin promised.

They walked together to Anakin's speeder and Zak and Anakin climbed in.

"I love you, Anakin." Padme said as they started to leave.

"I know." Anakin answered.

Padme's yacht was housed in the flight-training center. Several of Anakin's students were present when he pulled up.

"Master Skywalker! Are you feeling better, we heard you were ill." One of them said.

"I was not ill, Dav, but I have not been sleeping well." Anakin told him.

"Who's this? A new student; he seems a little young." Dav asked curiously.

"This is Zak; he is the Jedi apprentice of my friend, Obi-Wan Kenobi. I am afraid that we have some business on Coruscant and we will be gone for some time." Anakin replied.

"We will miss you, Master Skywalker. I hope you will return to us soon." Dav said.

"As soon as I can, Dav. Is the yacht ready to go?" Anakin answered.

"Yes, the Senator contacted us this morning and said you would need it. You may leave whenever you wish." Dav told him.

"Thank you, Dav. We are leaving right now." Anakin said, "Could you park my speeder? We must get to Coruscant as soon as possible."

"Yes, of course, Master Skywalker." Dav answered.

Zak and Anakin climbed out of the speeder. Anakin led the way to a sleek silver ship.

"Wow!" Zak said in amazement. "This is your ship?"

"Well, Padme's actually." Anakin corrected, "Do you like it?"

"It's great, can I pilot it?" Zak asked.

"We'll see, now get on board." Anakin answered.

Zak's reaction was what Anakin had counted on. Zak needed to get his mind off Obi-Wan's plight for at least a little while.

Zak settled comfortably in the co-pilot's chair while Anakin did the routine preflight check.

"Master Anakin, why did Dav call Lady Skywalker 'Senator'? I thought she resigned from the Senate." Zak asked curiously.

"Old habits die hard, Zak. I think they will always refer to her as the Senator."

With the preflight check finished, Anakin maneuvered the craft out of the hanger.

"Strap in, Zak, here we go." He said as the ship rose into the sky.

Anakin entered the coordinates in the nav-computer and when the ship was in space, made the jump to hyperspace. For Zak, the wonder of the ship had faded and been replaced once again for concern.

Anakin sensed this.

"He's very resourceful, Zak, and very strong. We'll find him soon." Anakin assured him.

"I hope so." Zak answered quietly.

"He survived through many battles, Zak. I have seen him fight; I have fought along side of him. He can survive this too." Anakin said.

Zak said nothing.

"He beat General Grevous who had killed many Jedi. He collected their lightsabers after he killed them. I know; I saw at least four of them. And Obi-Wan killed him without any help." He continued.

Still Zak said nothing.

"Well, he killed Darth Maul." He persisted, "Surely you have heard about that."

Zak said nothing but turned to look at Anakin.

"Yes, a he was a Sith apprentice; Obi-Wan killed him when he was still a Padawan." Anakin went on.

"It doesn't matter, this is different." Zak said.

Anakin sighed and decided to take a different tack.

"Well, he was almost killed by Count Dooku several times and he made it through then too." Anakin told him.

"But this time he's hurt, and he doesn't have his lightsaber." Zak argued.

"He didn't on Geonosis when Dooku captured him, and he survived." Anakin countered.

"He had help." Zak replied.

"And this time he'll have us." Anakin said.

Zak was silent once more, but Anakin sensed that he was thinking about what Anakin had told him.

During the long flight to Coruscant, Zak slept again. Anakin watched him sleep. He wanted to be as optimistic as he appeared to Zak, but it was becoming increasingly difficult. He closed his eyes and concentrated on the Force, reaching out in search of his best friend. Then he felt it, very faint, but present none-the-less, it was Obi-Wan.

"I am coming, Obi-Wan. Be strong!" He sent to him.

When they arrived at the landing platform at Coruscant, Mace Windu was waiting for them. He had an air taxi parked and ready to take them, not to the Temple, but to Chancellor Organa's office. There was a message that Anakin should see. When they arrived, Yoda was already present with several other Council members. They greeted Anakin warmly, but Anakin could tell they were anxious to show him the message.

Anakin paled when he recognized the figure in the holo-image. There was no mistaking the blue, horned alien who stood before him; it was Mas Amedda former Vice Chancellor, Palpatine's right hand man, well alien; in his hand was the old symbol of office, an ornate lance.
"Anakin Skywalker, I wish to meet with you at your earliest convenience. I have something I think you might want back." The image shifted to another figure barely managing to stand. Anakin's knees buckled and the Chancellor helped him to sit down. It was Obi-Wan, and as Anakin and the others watched, Amedda struck Obi-Wan in the chest with the lance, sending him to his knees; Zak turned away, unable to watch any more. Before Obi-Wan had a chance to recover, Amedda hit him again and he fell forward and did not move. Anakin realized that this was what he had felt the night before; Amedda's symbol of power had become a painful weapon. Amedda appeared before them again.
"Yes, I have your Jedi friend; come to Champala, Anakin. Come alone or I will kill Kenobi right in front of you." Amedda threatened as his image faded; Anakin sat in stunned silence.

"Sorry I am to have shown you this, Anakin." Yoda said after a moment. "Sorry more that young Zak has seen it."

"It's alright, Master Yoda. I needed to see it." Zak told him.

"Well, we know where he is, I will just have to go and get him." Anakin said when he could speak again.

"No, Anakin. He wants you dead as well. Obi-Wan is the bait. When you go there, he will kill you and Obi-Wan. The Council will not allow it." Mace said firmly.

"I'm not a Jedi any longer, Master Windu. I do not have to abide by their decision." Anakin answered.

"Master Obi-Wan is my master; I have a right to help him. I will go with Master Anakin. With or without the Council's approval." Zak told them defiantly.

"No, Zak, you can not come with me. I am going against a Council decision; I can do this because I am not a Jedi…" Anakin started.

"A Jedi you still are, Anakin, and always will be." Yoda corrected.

"You are and you cannot defy the Council." Anakin finished, ignoring Yoda.

"If my master dies, I don't want to be a Jedi. I want no part of something that would allow Master Obi-Wan to be killed." Zak replied, holding firm to his position.

"We are not saying that we will not help Obi-Wan. We just do not want you to go there alone, Anakin." Mace said quietly.

"And if I don't come alone, they will kill him. I don't have a choice." Anakin argued.

"Choice? Always, a choice there is, young Anakin." Yoda said.

"What Choice, Master Yoda? Amedda said come alone, there is not other choice." Anakin replied.

"Ah, appear to be alone, Anakin. Trick Amedda we can." Yoda told him.

"But that's too risky; I don't think it would work." Anakin countered.

"Work it will; Foolish Amedda is. Underestimates the Jedi he does. Save Obi-Wan we can." Yoda said.

"We have already been discussing this before you arrived, Anakin. It will work, we can save Obi-Wan and we will not have to sacrifice you to do it." Mace told him.