Chapter 16 A Shocking Discovery

It was a strange sight: Clone against Clone as Bail's loyal Clones took Amedda's rebel Clones into custody.

Zak walked up to the one who had confiscated his weapon and yanked it back, eyeing him resentfully.

Declan bent to examine the stricken Obi-Wan as Anakin looked on and then shook his head, "This is beyond my skills, Anakin." He said. "He's lost too much blood."

"No, there must be something…" Anakin started.

"There is, but not here, not at the Temple and not by me. We already have a medical team on the way." Declan replied.

Just as he finished speaking, a med droid accompanied by two human technicians appeared speeding quickly towards them. The droid extended a probe and inserted into Obi-Wan's neck; Anakin flinched.

"The blood loss is extensive. He must go to the medical center immediately." The droid informed them as it withdrew the probe.

Obi-Wan was quickly lifted into the waiting medical capsule and the team started back to the main hallway. Anakin accompanied them, reluctant to leave his friend's side.

"Master Anakin?" A small voice inquired behind him.

"Come, Zak. You should be with him too." Anakin said responding the unspoken plea in Zak's words.

Once the rebel Clones had been disarmed and taken into custody, the Chancellor turned to Mace, "We still need to find out who is behind this and how many other pockets of rebel Clones are out there. This incident has shown us there is a very real danger here." He said.

"The first thing we should do is find out who turned off those surveillance cameras in the courtroom. If we can discover that, it might lead us to who the mastermind is." Mace replied.

"We could do that now, if you have time." Bail suggested.

"I would like to, Chancellor, but I think it would be best if I went to the medical center." Mace answered.

"I do understand your concern, Master Windu; however, I believe this is of the utmost importance. Master Skywalker should be able to keep you informed of Master Kenobi's condition." The Chancellor countered.

Mace turned his head to look at the med capsule gradually becoming smaller as it made its way down the hallway and sighed, "Perhaps you are right, Chancellor. We must get to the bottom of this matter as soon as possible." He conceded.

As Anakin and the medical team reached the main hallway, Padme spotted them and ran to throw herself at her husband, "Oh, Anakin; I've been so worried." She sobbed as she put her arms around his neck.

"I'm sorry, my love. But I'm alright." He said soothingly as he hugged her tightly.

Then she noticed the blood clotted on his cheek, "Anakin, what…" She started as she touched it.

"It's nothing, Padme. I just didn't move fast enough; it's just a little graze." He assured her.

"What happened, Anakin?" She asked.

"I don't really have time to explain it right now; Amedda and his defender, Lord Grel, are both dead. We can talk about this later." He said. "Right now, I must go."

He kissed her, and then pulled her gently from him before following Zak and the medical team who had continued down the hall without him.

"But, Anakin, I…." She started.

"Later, Padme, I promise." He called back to her.

"…love you." She finished even though he was now out of earshot.

"He loves you also, Lady Padme." Yoda told her.

"Master Yoda, I didn't see you coming." She said as she turned to face the aging master.

"Important it is for him to stay with Obi-Wan." He said.

"I know, Master Yoda." She sighed. "But I just wish he hadn't gone rushing off like that."

"No time did he have, to stay longer." Yoda replied.

"What happened, Master Yoda?" Padme asked. "Does anyone know?"

"Lord Grel, dead; Mas Amedda, also dead. Know yet how, we do not." Yoda answered. "Only four there are that know what happened."

"And we won't know that until Zak and Anakin tell us." Padme concluded.

"And Master Obi-Wan." Yoda added.

"Who may never be able to tell us anything." She replied.

"Believe that you should not!" Yoda answered emphatically. "Strong he is in the Force."

Padme hung her head and did not reply; she did not wish Master Yoda to know what she was thinking.

"Negative thoughts have no place here, Lady Padme." Yoda said as if he already knew what was on her mind.

"I think I would like to be with Anakin at the medical center." Padme announced to change the subject.

"With Luke and Leia you should be, I think" Yoda said.

"No, they are being well looked after; I think Anakin needs me more right now." She insisted.

"You speak from your heart, Lady Padme. True it is that you should be with him; bring him comfort you can." Yoda said in agreement. "But leave your negative feelings behind, sense them he will."

"I don't know if I can, Master Yoda." She admitted.

"Then go to him you should not; focused he must be to help his brother." Yoda told her.

"Help him? I don't understand." She asked, perplexed.

"Gifts Anakin has, that we have yet to understand. The Chosen One he is, a powerful Jedi."

"But I still don't…"

"Fully understand these gifts, I do not, so explain further I cannot." Yoda said cryptically.

Realizing that she could not hide her thoughts from Anakin, Padme resigned herself to return to the Temple.

"The fact is, we have a security holo-tape of this office." Bail explained.

"But it does not appear on any of the monitors; so you are saying that whoever turned off the cameras in the courtroom is not aware that his actions were recorded." Mace concluded.

"Exactly. So all I have to do," Bail said as he entered data into the keyboard, "is access the correct file…there."

They watched the holo-image for several minutes, "This is too slow, is there any way to speed it up?" Mace asked.

"Yes." Bail answered as he pressed a button.

The images went into fast motion until Mace noticed something, "Wait, run that last one back." He said.

Bail complied and Mace watched it again.

"Can you slow it down a little?" Mace asked.

Bail nodded and replayed the image slower.

"Stop, right there." Mace ordered. "See that? What is he doing?"

Bail looked carefully at the still image, "Shutting down the security cameras; but isn't that…" Bail answered.

"Yes, a Jedi." Mace confirmed. "One of our own."

"But why would a Jedi conspire to kill another Jedi?" Bail wondered.

"I don't know, but I intend to find out." Mace answered.

Anakin paced nervously in the medical center waiting room.

"What's taking so long?" He said in frustration.

"Calm down, Anakin. These things take time." Adi Gallia assured him.

"Time? How much time do they need. It was bad enough that they wouldn't let me in there. I'm tired of waiting." Anakin answered impatiently.

"You would have been in the way; you know that. Sit down, Anakin." Adi replied.

Anakin shook his head and continued pacing. Zak sat alone in a chair in the corner, his legs pulled up to his chest just as he been when they were trapped in the courtroom several hours ago. Everything that had transpired was now running through his mind. "Murderer" he heard. He could not get that word out of head, nor could he forget the sight of Lord Grel's severed hand lying on the floor. Now, he might even lose the master he had hardly had time to know. A master who could comfort him and help him through the guilt he felt. Unable to control his tears any longer, Zak began to cry.

"Zak, we've been through this before." Anakin said.

Zak looked up to see Anakin crouched down in front of him.

"You're not a murderer; and when Master Obi-Wan feels better, he will tell you the same thing." He said gently.

Adi, who still did not know what had happened in that locked courtroom came over to sit next to Zak, "What did happen, Anakin?" She asked.

Anakin looked at Zak before answering, "I don't think we should talk about that right now, Master Gallia."

"No, Master Anakin; I don't want to hide what I've done." Zak insisted. "I killed Lord Grel; I murdered him."

"Zak, you know that's not true. Tell Master Gallia what happened and she'll see that." Anakin said.

Zak haltingly poured out the whole story from when he first caught Grel trying to free Amedda to Grel's dying accusation.

"Master Anakin is right, Zak. You were defending yourself and Master Obi-Wan and Master Anakin; you didn't murder Lord Grel, you did what you had to do." Adi assured him.

"But Lord Amedda…"

"You didn't murder him either." Adi said. "Lord Grel did that."

"You see, Zak. You have nothing to feel guilty about." Anakin added.

"But he said…" Zak started.

"It doesn't matter what he said; what matters is what we say." Anakin told him. "Come on, let's take a little walk."

At first, Zak was reluctant to move.

"Come on." Anakin coaxed as he took Zak's hand and pulled him up out of the chair.

Adi watched them walk towards the treatment room Obi-Wan had been brought to; hand in hand: tall, broad shouldered Anakin and young Zak, who stood only waist high to him. What a father he will be, she thought.

Anakin stopped in front of the viewing window and watched as the med droids worked over Obi-Wan; he could see only that Obi-Wan was resting on his side, eyes closed as one of the droids worked on his shoulder. After a few minutes, one of the med droids came to the door.

"Master Kenobi's condition has stabilized." It said.

"He'll be alright, then." Anakin stated.

"Master Kenobi's condition has stabilized." The droid repeated.

Anakin took a deep breath to hide his frustration, "Then, may I see him?" He asked.

"Master Kenobi is not conscious." The droid said.

"I know that." Anakin answered, not even trying to hide his annoyance. "But…can….I…see him."

"Master Kenobi will not know you are there." The droid informed him.

"Yes, he will." Anakin replied impatiently. "Will you let me see him; or do I have to force my way in?"

"If you wish, but Master Kenobi is not conscious, he will not know you are there." The droid repeated.

"Just let me in." Anakin ordered as he pushed the med droid aside.

"How rude!" The droid said.

Anakin approached the examination table. There were tubes in both of Obi-Wan's arms. His face was colorless except for a bruise just below his eye. A bandage was wrapped around his upper chest.

Anakin reached out, touched Obi-Wan's hand and turned to motion Zak, who had been standing in the doorway. Zak came in, slowly, unsure of what Anakin wanted from him; Anakin took Zak's hand and laid it on Obi-Wan's, "What can you feel, Zak?" He asked.

"Weakness." Zak answered.

"No, not that. What else do you feel?"

It took Zak a moment to understand what Anakin meant, "The Force." He said. "I feel the Force."

"Yes." Anakin answered. "The Force is strong in him; helping him."

Then Anakin leaned forward, "Obi-Wan." He whispered.

At first, there was no reaction, "Obi-Wan." Anakin repeated.

This time, Anakin received the response he had been hoping for, "Have I missed something?" Obi-Wan whispered back.