Author's Notes: Wow, guys. I don't ever think I'll be able to continue any daily updates from here on in. At least until I'm finally situated in my new abode; and that won't happen until June. Rest assured, I'll be updating as much as I can. Oh, and judging by the title of this chapter, it's a bit action packed despite the fact that I'm no good at writing action. Hopefully, you'll like it.

Chapter 17: Escape & Evade

Unlike the Jedi, who took years to finally see Palpatine's true form, Anakin could feel his former Master's presence, and his dark shadow clear in his line of force sight. His jaw clenched at the thought of the man who built him. The years of servitude and blind faith he had of Darth Sidious charged the blood in his veins with adrenaline and anger.

He turned quickly to Padme, who stood by him holding in her fear as she's done for so many years. "Do we have any weapons on board?" he asked with urgency.

"There's a blaster in my room."

"Find it and keep it near. If anyone other than me, Master Yoda or Master Obi-Wan appears in front of you, you shoot them."

Padme frowned at his plan. The idea of shooting first and ask questions later didn't sit well in her conscience. Even when she fought during the Battle of Naboo, holding a weapon in her hand felt unequivocally wrong. Even though majority of her fire were directed to mechanical droids, it didn't lessen the negative feeling she felt when she pulled the trigger.

Anakin on the other hand sensed her emotions. While a mixture of guilt and shame filled him inside, he knew he had to compartmentalize that part of himself if any of them were going to get out of Darth Sidious's grasp alive.

"Please," he said softly. "I know you're not a …" he couldn't finish the word so instead; he cupped her face and held her closely. "He'll use your compassion against you, and force you to make a choice." A beat. "Think fast. Don't hesitate. If you feel yourself in danger, do not be afraid to protect yourself."

"I'm tired of all the deaths, Anakin," she whispered in defeat.

A weak yet sincere smile graced across his lips at her words.

"I know."

He allowed himself to rest his forehead against hers. Their eyes met and for a brief moment, and he felt as if time stopped to give them a reprieve from the impending onslaught. Then the ships intercom suddenly came on, reluctantly taking them out of their moments' peace.

"Brace yourselves," Obi-Wan said through the intercom system. "This isn't going to be subtle."

Anakin acted fast and immediately led Padme to a nearby seat, strapping her in thoroughly. After he finished with hers, he prepares to head to the cockpit.

"Where are you going?"

"I have to help Master Obi-Wan."

"Anakin..."

"There are two fighters following us and Sidious is nearby. I'm not going to stand by and do nothing." He closed the distance between them and kissed her with all the passion he held. "I'll be back. I promise."

The last feeling she remembered was holding his hand until he pulled away and disappeared.

"Anakin," she whispered when she felt a light tap to her knee. Startled, she found Master Yoda looking up at her with calm eyes and an even restful demeanor. "Master Yoda," she finally acknowledged as turbulence rocked the ship.

"Protect you, he will," Master Yoda spoke knowingly.

"I'm more worried for him than I am for myself," she sighed heavily.

Anakin ran to the cockpit, taking the seat besides the pilot.

"What's happening?"

"I've got two blasted fighters behind us and I'm having a little difficultly maneuvering out of their way. I think they want to shoot us down."

Anakin couldn't help but smirk.

"May I?"

"If you don't get us killed, be my guest." Obi-Wan stood up and switched seats. He has never seen Darth Vader nor Anakin fly before and had no idea where his skills lay, but he felt it was the will of the force that convinced him to give the former Sith a shot. "You do know what you're doing, don't you Anakin?"

"It's been a while, but I think I can handle it."

"A while?" Obi-Wan repeated, slightly alarmed.

"Hang on."

"What are you…" Anakin suddenly accelerated beyond what Obi-Wan thought the ship could do, surprising their fighter friends behind them. He moved into an asteroid belt with intense and clever precision. Swerving left and right without the least bit of trouble when one asteroid easily took out one of the fighters that tracked them inside.

Obi-Wan kept his hands against the ship to keep from being thrown off his seat. Anakin stared at him sympathetically.

"Sorry Master, I didn't realize you didn't like flying."

"Flying, I have no problem with," he assured, catching his breath. "But what you're doing is suicide."

"I know what I'm doing."

"And we can't stay in here forever."

"I know."

"We're flying in circles."

"I know."

"It'll only be a matter of time before…"

"Master, I know." Anakin instinctively pulled a sudden u-turn, flying so close in-between incoming asteroids that it nearly gave Obi-Wan a heart-attack. It surprised the remaining fighter tracking them on the outside because now they were facing each other in what looks like a collision course.

Obi-Wan's eyes widen. "Anakin, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to shoot it down – "

"If they don't shoot you down first."

Anakin grinned as he locked on target. The enemy fighter shot consecutively only to miss them by inches. Obi-Wan remained amazed at how focused the young man was as he piloted their spacecraft across incoming lasers that didn't touch them at all.

He waited…

Until…

BOOM! The enemy fighter blew up as Anakin steered the ship clear away. He should feel happy but all he felt was relief.

"Are you okay, Master?"

"I'm alive, that's all that matters," Obi-Wan answered a bit sarcastically but Anakin remained cautious.

Anakin closed his eyes and focused his senses. "He's coming," he said, eyes opening.

"Palpatine?" he guessed but Anakin's silence proved to him it was. "How?"

"I've lived in his world for a long time, it's a link not easily severed, regardless of how much I want to run away. This has to end, and it has to end soon."

"You barely got away from him alive last time," Obi-Wan reminded him, relaxing only a little bit.

"My mind wasn't clear then."

"And now?"

"I just want it all to stop."

"We need to regroup."

"No."

"Anakin – "

"I won't run," Anakin said resolutely. A vision of Padme entered his mind. "That's all we'll be doing for force knows how long. I won't let her live like that," he revealed, his feelings open and bare for anyone to critique.

"Palpatine will give you no mercy."

"He's looking for me, and he won't stop until he finds me. You've done more for me than you know, Master. I can't let you risk your life any further. We'll find the nearest docking station, and you'll leave me there."

Obi-Wan couldn't believe what he was hearing. "What? No! That's not an option."

"I can't sleep," Anakin revealed heavily. "I can't move forward when all I can think about is the past."

"You'll learn to let it go."

"I'm no Jedi," Anakin said. "And as long as Sidious lives, I'll never be able to let it go. There are things inside of me that I can't describe, but I feel it. And it scares me. I know I have a lot of power, and I believe that's why he stole me from my home in the first place. I have to do this."

"Even at the cost of your life?"

"After all the lives I've taken, don't you think that was a reasonable enough exchange?" Anakin challenged lightly and without malice.

"We know no anger or hatred..."

"Or love," Anakin completed much to Obi-Wan's surprise. "I've studied your arts for years. Know your enemies, my Master once said."

"What he did to you was wrong?"

Anakin smiled sadly. "You're like Padme. Always searching for the best in people. You'll even justify my crimes to do it."

Obi-Wan opened his mouth to reply but found himself with nothing to say. Is it true? How is it that he can defend this young man so easily, as if they've been fighting side by side for years?

"You've much to learn Anakin."

Anakin gave a low chuckle. "Don't we all."

"She won't like your decision."

Anakin breathed in deeply. Leaving her once stung him to the point of numbness. He had no idea what would become of him when he leaves her again. Just when things were becoming... more. He'd give up his life if he knew he could save her from all this pain that would inevitably follow them if they kept hiding.

It's no way to start anew.

THUD!

"What was that?" Obi-Wan said as he felt a disturbance in the force all around them.

Anakin looked into the monitors, cursing under his breath as he tried to navigate the system. Everything was frozen. Someone has put a lock on them. They were sitting duck.

"He's here," Anakin suddenly felt. He removed his lightsaber from his hilt and turned it on. "We're not alone."

"I know," Obi-Wan agreed.

Anakin!

Both Obi-Wan and Anakin felt the call.

"Padme," Anakin whispered, breaking into a sprint with Obi-Wan close behind. They could see a swirl of lights fighting against each other. It was Master Yoda and Darth Sidious fighting one another. Padme lay wounded on her stomach on the opposite end.

"Help your wife," Obi-Wan said as he prepared to join Master Yoda against the Sith Lord.

Anakin immediately obeyed.

As the sight of Obi-Wan jumping in to aid his master, Anakin quickly ran to Padme's side. "Padme!" he screamed, making his way to her as smoke filled the compartment. He slid to the floor and reached out with his arms, grabbing her by the waist as he pulled her to safety.

"Anakin," she mumbled weakly.

"Shhh... it's okay," he said, hoping his words could soothe her. He looked up to find Obi-Wan on the ground, hurt but still alive as Master Yoda fought Darth Sidious with surprising quickness and skill.

"Anakin, get yourselves out of here!" Obi-Wan ordered.

The Dark Lord hissed as he parried Yoda's many attacks. "The boy. Is. MINE!" He threw his lightning fast powers at the young pair, but with the only thought of keeping Padme safe, he put himself between them.

"No!" Padme yelled as Anakin's body flew against the cold steel wall of the ship.

To be continued…