Chapter 12: Friends and Foes

Anakin had laughed at her when Padmé had announced that she was bored, but a hour later, she found herself sipping on a mug of decaf while reading a popular woman's magazine. He had cringed before handing it to her, and that look alone had cheered the Senator up considerable. Though he had just returned her to her apartments and ensured that she was doing well, Anakin kissed her lightly before announcing that her Jedi protectors would be arriving shortly.

As the baby began to kick again almost in protest of his or her father's missing presence, Padmé discarded the magazine and looked down at her sore but rather swollen stomach. The child had been a blessing, one that she thanked the Force for everyday, but as her delivery date drew nearer and nearer, she began to fear that Anakin would be suddenly snatched away from her. Luck had given them time together these past few days, but Padmé knew only too well that their reprieve was about to run out.

There was also another unsettling thought- what if the child resembled neither Palo nor her? How would she explain the fact that he child had blond hair and blue eyes and had a stunning resemblance to the Hero With No Fear?

There was a soft knocking at the door and, a moment later, it slid open.

Standing in the door uncertainly were two cloaked beings, their hoods drawn up over their faces. One of the beings was nearly a foot taller than the other, and without realizing what she was doing, Padmé stiffened and sucked in her breath.

Her husband had not mentioned who her protectors were to be- as a matter of fact, she highly doubted that he even knew. Nevertheless, Anakin had placed the thing he loved most into the hands of his colleagues, which was quite something in itself due to his over protectiveness, and because of this, Padmé felt them worthy of her own trust.

Before she could even open her mouth the greet them, the two Jedi pulled back their hoods to reveal unfamiliar fasces. Both were human- a female and male. The female had a pleasant face with short-cropped hair, but the male had darker features with a sharp face.

"Senator Amidala?" the woman asked with a bow.

Padmé incline her head and gave what she hoped was a gracious smile.

"The Jedi Council, under Master Skywalker's suggestion, has assigned us to protect you until you are deemed safe, something also to be deemed by said Master Skywalker," the female Jedi said in a flat tone as if she were merely reciting it. "I am Siri Tachi and this is my padawan, Ferus Olin."

Despite herself, a smile spread across Padmé's weary and bruised face- she had heard a lot about this unlikely duo. "Thank you for your kindness," she said. "Please, call me Padmé- all my friends do."

This immediately put a smile on the Knight's face. "You can call me whatever you want." Then, it seemed that she reconsidered her comment upon seeing the smirk that flitted across her padawan's haughty face. "I take that back- I don't want you to call me any of the names my friends have given me.

Beside her, Ferus muttered something about Master Kenobi, causing Padmé to gasp.

"You know Master Kenobi?"

"I know so much about that man that it is almost sickening," Siri replied, and although it seemed that there was some rivalry between the two Jedi, she harbored great respect for him. "I have been friends with him ever since we were crechelings." For dramatic effect, she seemed to reminisce about the 'good old days.' "I was one of 'Oafy-Wan's' first friends."

"Oafy-One?" Padme asked uncertainally, unsure of whether or not she should maintain a somber face.

"Yes," Siri said solemnly though her eyes twinkled mischievously. "Oh, since he's become such an esteemed Jedi, none of us call him that anymore… well, Anakin perhaps," she added as an afterthought. "At least, not to his face." By then, she had taken a seat next to Padmé's bed and gestured for her silent padawan to do the same.

Over the course of her relationship with Anakin, she had become familiar with many Jedi through his tales, but this Ferus had been quite prevalent in his stories. None of what she had heard was flattering. Anakin disliked the man and, from what he'd reported, the feeling was returned. It was thus ironic that she was sitting there smiling at a man who did not know that she knew many dreadful things about him.

She had a vague feeling that Anakin had not handpicked her protectors.

"I spoke with Anakin earlier after the briefing, and he expressed his concerns about a certain Mr. Palo and the young woman who was in the wreck with you."

At this, Padmé cringed upon remembering her husband's behavior from the previous day. "He was a little… agitated," Padmé conceded, not eager to place her husband in unfavorable light. She had to admit that her opinion of Palo had lessened over the day, especially considering the fact that he had run off and hadn't been heard since.

Honey, Anakin does not become just 'agitated," Siri smirked though no one laughed.

"I know," Padmé sighed. In the next moment, she cringed as the baby attempted to move in what little space was left in her womb.

Seeing the contorted look on her charge's face, Siri jumped to her feet and grabbed her lightsaber. "What is it?" she cried out.

As soon as the pressure alleviated, Padmé looked up in surprise to find her protector ready to attack the unseen enemy. "It's just the baby trying to moved a little."

"When are you supposed to… pop?" Siri asked bluntly, giving Padmé's stomach an apprehensive look.

Blushing at the comment, Padmé felt guilt wash over herself. "Any day now."

That seemed to only unsettle the Jedi further. "Great- first Skywalker hired me to be his padawan's nanny, and now I need to learn how to deliver a baby… in just days!"

"Hopefully it will not come to that," Padmé said cheerfully though she had a feeling that her little one would decide to come at the moment Anakin stepped off-planet.

That would just be her luck.

"Wait, did you say that you watched after Anakin's padawan?"

Though she sighed dramatically, Siri did not otherwise complain.

Padmé immediately liked her new friend.

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Meanwhile, Anakin was not having such a pleasurable time. It seemed that Mace Windu had been waiting him to return for, the moment Anakin stepped into the Temple, the Master ran up to him. "Anakin, I need to speak with you."

Something in Mace's voice worried Anakin and, forgetting the fact that he needed to go to the crèche, he strode alongside the other man.

Mace led him through many corridors until they came to the one that led into the Council chambers. Waiting for them in the shadows was Obi-Wan.

"Is something wrong?" Anakin asked almost fearfully.

"I think you ought to be the one who answers that question," Mace said tersely, giving Anakin one of his characteristic hard looks.

Deciding that silence would be best until he knew more, Anakin said nothing.

"Anakin, what is going on with the Chancellor?" Obi-Wan finally asked in a quiet voice as if he were afraid of being overheard. He refused to look at his former padawan but just stood there stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?"

"He seems more aloof- like he's planning something."

"Has something occurred between the two of you?" Mace asked quickly. "Something has changed her in the past few days and we are not sure if we like it."

Memories of the previous night filled Anakin's head. Before he could stop himself, Anakin found that he was nodding slowly. "Something has changed."

"You felt it too?"

Anakin bit his lip, wondering how much he should expose his friend and mentor. "Yes… the other night, he invited me to attend the opera with him. He… he began questioning my beliefs. In all the time that I've known him, nothing like this has ever happened." Turning away from their scrutinizing gazes, Anakin looked out the window at the panoramic view.

"The Jedi Order?"

"Yes," Anakin breathed, gripping the metal ledge for he feared he'd collapse. For a moment, he hung his head before determinedly gazing out the window at the traffic. "He insisted that I had everything wrong…"

"Such as…"

"Everything. Anything and everything. He questioned me, the Council, and everything we believe and stand for." Anger riled up inside him but Anakin did nothing to quash it though he knew the two other Jedi were surely exchanging glances behind his back. His greatest fear-the betrayal of a friend he'd trusted for years- now laid on the table before his two friends. "I just wonder how long he's been thinking that all the while he spoon fed-me his praise."

"Probably for quite some time," Obi-Wan said cautiously, obviously surprised when Anakin did not retort.

"There's more," Anakin said slowly. "He knows about my dreams- that concerns me the most. What kind of a person knows the inner workings of another's mind?"

"Someone we need to keep a careful eye on," Mace said sharply, causing the other two to look at him in surprise.

"Anakin, you remember our discussion about how a Sith Lord might be within Palpatine's inner circle?" Obi-Wan asked, receiving a nod from the young man. "If we find that being, we might be able to solve a lot of these mysteries."

"My faith in him has been shaken in ways that can't possibly be described," Anakin shook hi head, tears welling in his blue, troubled eyes. "He spoke of something rather… disturbing."

"What?" Mace asked, his eyes flashing dangerously and his nostrils flaring.

"Have either of you heard of a Darth Pelagious?"

A tense look was exchanged between the two other Masters. "Where did you hear about him?" Mace Windu asked.

Without Anakin saying anything more, the Masters knew.

"So, you two were sitting by yourselves in an empty opera box discussing not only the failures of the Jedi Order but also the workings of a deceased Sith?" Obi-Wan asked a little dubiously.

All Anakin could do was nod. "Palo and Padmé were there- I think she might have heard a little…" he trailed off with a frown. Suddenly, it occurred to him.

The discussion.

Her feeling ill.

The speeder wreck.

"I have been so stupid," Anakin moaned, hitting his metal fist against the wall. For a minute, he silently fumed. "That was why she left- because of it, she was nearly assassinated."

Thunderstruck faces stared at him.

"I mean," Anakin continued on, rambling a little in his feverish state, " how did he know about that Sith- I looked him up in the Archives and found no trace of him? How did the assassin know that Padmé had left?"

"A great mystery has befallen us," Obi-Wan mused.

"Is there anything else?" Mace asked almost fearfully.

"Yes," Anakin said, much to their horror. "There is."

"What?"

"I think Palpatine is hiding things from us- including the location of General Grevious."

"What makes you say that?" Obi-Wan asked sharply, causing Anakin to wither.

"He kept implying that I should be out there looking of him… and that I was wasting my time here." Anakin paused and licked his suddenly dry lips. "I think he would have told me more if I'd been more… compliant.

"This is disturbing," Mace Windu announced, the weight of it all settling down on them. "Anakin, I have an unofficial mission for you- you must get Palpatine to reveal General Grevious' location."
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Spoiler For the Next Chapter: Obi-Wan confronts Padmé about the troubled Anakin

"Padmé, listen to me!" he begged, sitting on the edge of his seat. "The moment we locate General Grevious, I shall be sent off planet. I do not want Anakin to be left behind with this great burden."

"It's his dream," she whispered. Her brown eyes met his. "Obi-Wan, it's eating him alive! Force know if he's slept or eaten sice…"

"So, it's worse than I thought," he muttered.

"Obi-Wan, you mustn't leave him!" she pleaded.

"I must go where the Council sends me."

"I personally think that keeping the Chosen One from falling to the Dark Side is much more important than finding General Grevious," she said tightly. "Anakin's lost, my friend, and you need to find him before it's too late."