A Rippling Effect

Anakin moved stiffly down the street, toward the populated end of Coruscant. Leaving the Works behind him, he found himself at the doorway of a tavern. Anakin had never lingered in such places voluntarily. It reminded him of cantinas on Tatooine, and anything that reminded him of that forsaken place, he rejected.

Now, necessity drove away all feelings of malice toward the throng of thugs that populated such places. Anakin needed a drink, possibly some food and definitely a chair.

It had occurred to him that he should return to the Temple, but the last thing he wanted was to endanger his friends. Besides, who could really help him anyway? The man he trusted like a brother, Obi-Wan Kenobi, was far away on Utapau.

…..

A call had come through to Commander Cody on Utapau, from the Chancellor himself. "Kill Master Kenobi. He has been found to be a traitor of the Republic."

Though he didn't understand this stranger order, it was not in a Clone's nature to disobey. "Yes, sir." He did as he was commanded.

Anakin! Obi-Wan's eyes opened, but they were sightless. Well, not totally sightless. He did see a huge blue blur surrounding him on all sides. Curious, he thought. Where am I?

A burning sensation in his lungs told him. Oh right. An assassination attempt had thrown him head long into the watery base of the sinkhole, and he was still underwater. Taking the rebreather and a small compressed-air container from his belt, he filled his lungs with much needed air. That finished, he had to decide what to do next.

Lying there in the water, he just let the currents carry him. Where they were taking him he didn't know. He faded in and out of consciousness. Each startled awakening always brought the name of his former padawan to mind. Something terrible had happened.

Finally coming to with clear possession of his mind, Obi-Wan tried to assess his surroundings. He was at the surface of the water, but all around him was dark. It wasn't like nightfall, it was another kind of darkness.

"Where am I?" he asked, only have his voice echo against hidden walls. Drawing his lightsaber from his belt, he ignited it, using the glow to illuminate his surroundings.

The grotto was huge, and for a moment, it appeared that the only way in or out was beneath the surface. Then his eyes caught sight of an air vent, high on the ceiling. He would have to climb the far wall to reach it. "Oh perfect," he said to himself. "This day just couldn't get any worse."

…..

Pacing the length of her veranda, Padmé Amidala Skywalker, known to the universe as Senator Amidala, worried for her husband. He hadn't been himself lately. She knew he was under an extreme amount of pressure. Civilian, warrior and politician had long thought that Anakin would bring an end to this war. Added to this pressure was the dissention between Palpatine and the Jedi Masters.

Anakin had swayed, torn between loyalties. She had witnessed it herself. To top it all off was his crazy dream about her death. He said only that she'd died in childbirth. Further description had revealed what he truly saw. He had seen her crying out for him and there was the sound of a crying baby.

Could that not be interpreted in other ways? She had joked, telling him that in the dream, her eyes were watering from the baby's diapers. She was crying out for him to come and take care of it.

He hadn't found it funny. He had become more agitated, and had blurted a foolish promise. He wasn't going to lose her. He would find a way to save her. Since then he seemed to be driven by nothing else.

With an exhausted sigh, she allowed herself to sink down to one of the chairs. Reclining there, she gazed out at the stars. Oh, Anakin, where are you? Why haven't you come back?

……

Obi-Wan, by way of the air-vent, had come to a large landing platform in the wall of the sinkhole. Whatever plights might still plague Utapau, he had to leave. He was needed on Coruscant. Something terrible was about to happen, but maybe he could prevent it.