A/N- Thank you to the reviewers and followers! I love hearing that you're enjoying the chapters each post and I'm working on chapter 56 this month. It is a slow going with an 8 week old at home but it will get completed! As always please share your thoughts!

-GP

Chapter 54

Location: Naberrie Residence

Month 2 Day 27 Year 27

0730

Anakin yawns as he reaches for the panel to unlock his best friend's apartment. He is exhausted as he had spent the last few hours reviewing the footage and bodies of the deceased guards from Clovis' office. He didn't mind being the lead investigator, but it had been exhausting after Maul had insisted he start on the investigation prior to contacting the Senator later on in the day. Luckily Anakin had time before having to contact the Senator as he would be in bed until noon or later their time here on Coruscant.

So far he had figured out this woman had used sais which is an unusual blade to choose, unless you are an assassin or bounty hunter. But the database had come up empty when he had looked over several hundred files within the databases of the Imperial Empire. Whomever this woman is, she had just emerged recently.

His eyes are a bit blurry from exhaustion as he enters the apartment. All he wants is to hit the bed and pass out for a few hours. He knows Padme' is already up and probably in the kitchen. He sighs knowing he should probably say hello before crashing.

He stops abruptly as he hears the sounds of audio being played within the confines of the kitchen. His ears perk up as he listens carefully.

Padme' replies, " It's a girl, so I would like you to start thinking of names for her."

Rush says, " Of course I will see you at dinner tonight."

" It was a pleasure to meet you Count Dooku."

Dooku suggests, " The pleasure is all mine, my dear."

Dooku proclaims, " Your wife is lovely, it's such a pity the child isn't yours."

Rush dismisses, " You are a fool, Dooku. The child is mine."

Dooku chuckles darkly at his comment and he surmises, " That child is force sensitive, very powerful in the force. You are not force sensitive and neither is her mother, which suggests the child's father is."

Rush retorts, " And what will you do with this information, sir?"

" It depends on your approval of the project for the funds. Or perhaps such a scandal will arise-"

Rush seethes out, " Do not threaten me, Count. It is not wise to threaten the head of the Banking Clan."

Dooku laughs darkly and surmises, " As you know it is unwise to not do the bidding of the Emperor. I may let out a scandal- but the Emperor might just send out an order for yours and your wife's heads served to him."

Ashoka stops the recording and stares at Padme'. " Your baby was force sensitive like you. But why did it bother Count Dooku?"

Anakin isn't sure why he has heard a recording between Dooku and Rush Clovis, one that indicated that Rush had been blackmailed over his ex's scandal. He swallows and listens for Padme's

"Oh force," She whispers. Anakin had barely heard her, but can sense the rise of panic within her force aura.

Anakin senses the truth as well. Dooku had sensed their daughter's powerful aura with her mother.

Ashoka asks softly, " Padme, who was your child's father?"

Padme' murmurs, " Anakin was her father."

Anakin's throat constricts as he hears the conversation continue along the lines of her parentage. Not many people know about his connection to Padme's daughter, and nor did the want them to know. The more exposure their secret had, the more vulnerable Padme' could be to attack.

Ashoka comments, " This is bigger than just your baby's death Padme'. I mean we have evidence that the Emperor commissioned a Battle Station to be built. There's specs of this Battle Station and its being built without the consent of the Senate or any of the Grand Moffs! And then there's the connection between Anakin in all of this. He's a former slave with no ties to the Empire before now. Where do we go from here?"

Padme' sighs "I need to get these audio files to rebels."

Anakin's heart drops as he hears her confession of being a contact to the rebellion. His mind wanders back to just a short few weeks ago when Padme' had been practicing with sais in the training room. The audio files must be from the stolen comm. link from Senator Clovis' office.

She lied to me. She told me she was done with him…

The betrayal of his best friend runs deep. She had made it clear that she was done with Rush. She had lied to his face and on top of it she had dragged Ashoka into this mess!

Ashoka mutters, " You do realize that means infiltrating Count Dooku's office at some point right?"

Padme replies, " We'll have to do some recon to be able figure out his security grid."

Ashoka is about to reply when Anakin announces his presence to them. " Going up against Dooku is suicide."

Padme' senses his fury within the force. It is dark and swirling around his aura. She swallows and says carefully, " Anakin- listen."

His hand gestures towards the comm. link lying on the silver countertop. His tone is dangerously low as he replies, " I wouldn't have thought you two were involved behind the break-in in Rush's office. Do you know how dangerous the situation is? Rush will come after you both if he finds out the truth."

Padme' steps forward and tries to reason with her best friend. His eyes are cold as ice as she states, " I thought Rush was behind our daughter's death. He was blackmailed by Dooku. Anakin they were after her because they knew you were her father. I have evidence of this on these audio files."

Anakin shakes his head and lays out his hand in a gesturing motion. " I am the lead investigator on the case against you all. If the evidence is returned to me, I will cover for both of you."

He turns to Ashoka, as reasoning with her may be easier to accomplish. " Snips, think about this. Is this mission worth risking your career? You could be looking at years in prison."

Ashoka's blue eyes turn towards Padme's brown heated gaze. She is beyond angry. She turns back to Anakin and assures, " Anakin, you need to listen to some of these recordings. There's evidence that the Emperor is building a weapon of some kind."

Anakin blinks at her. He is beyond exhausted but he's heard her words. He hadn't caught the entire conversation between them, but there had been a comment about the Rebellion. If Padme' and Ashoka had commented about the Rebellion perhaps it is worth listening to.

Anakin places his hand back to his side and says through his anger, " Show me now."

Padme' turns back to the datapad in her hands that had copied all the audio files and she finds the correct recording and presses play. Anakin listens to the beginning of Dooku's conversation with Senator Clovis.

All you need to do is approve the proposal by the Emperor and approve the funds for the Banking Clan," The man comments in a sharp tone.

" I cannot without the approval of a committee on these specs for this Battle Station. There are certain aspects of this station that would concern the Senate." Rush states clearly, careful with his choice of wording.

The man dismisses, " Those specs do not need the approval of the Senator nor a committee. This project is a personal project for the Emperor himself. He will be sorely upset to know that a lowly Senator such as yourself would halt his projects."

" I will-" He begins his compromise for a bit more time, however his secretary's comm interrupts his speech."

" Yes?" His voice holds annoyance as she comes onto the comm. " Sir, your wife is here.

Padme pauses the recording and eyes her best friend. " We have other documented proof of these documents between Rush and the Empire. Do you remember when I asked you about the Jedi Temples on Jedha? I think those kyber crystals are being used to power this so-called battle station. Anakin I know you are loyal to the Empire, but this isn't right- the Emperor controlling worlds with a Battle Station. We don't know what kind of damage this battle station will even be able to do."

Anakin allows all the information to sink into his brain. Rush had been blackmailed into signing funding over from the banking clan to begin construction on this battle station. Ashoka and Padme had collected enough evidence to doom Rush to prison, but to put a close on this chapter they needed to go after Dooku. They need the schematics of his office and these so-called Battle Station plans. They needed someone else within the inside of the Inquisitor's office to be able to be without detection. They needed Vader- they needed him. He has to speak to Qui-gon and Obi-wan about this matter. Qui-gon would have a better idea of how to infiltrate his former mentor's office.

He states, " If this is all true, then give me the comm. link. We have to clear any connections you two are involved in this. I will convene with my associates on this matter."

Padme shakes her head and grabs the comm. link off the table, looking at her friend wildly. " You're not going anywhere with this data. You are loyal to Maul and the Empire."

Anakin lifts his eyebrow in dismay. Had he really pulled off the persona even to his best friend that he is loyal to the Empire? Perhaps his talents had grown within the force and his acting and lying to others as well.

He asserts, " The only side I'm on right now is yours and Ashoka's. I will do whatever it takes to protect the two of you, so trust me when I say I'm going to look into this and for now- I need the two of you not to plan anything else. Besides you have copies downloaded onto your datapad in case I fail to return them."

Padme' sighs and hands over the comm. link to her best friend. She senses his protectiveness of both of them. She believes in him enough to know that he won't allow them to take the fall for the break-in.

He mutters, " I'm exhausted so I'm going to hit the shower and then sleep. We'll discuss this later. Ashoka you have classes this morning so I'd suggest you get going. And you, if you have work, you probably should head into work."

Padme' eyes her best friend and replies, " Luckily I don't, but I planned on having brunch with Sabe' this morning."

Anakin nods and says, " Give my love to Sabe' then."

Anakin turns to leave the room with the comm. link, his mind spinning at the information sinking into his brain. He'd have to arrange a meeting between his father and Obi-wan. They need to speak to the Rebellion's council to determine their next course of action before revealing their involvement. He turns the corner to the bedroom and reaches for his own comm. He dials Ben's number and waits for him to answer.

" Anakin? It's my day off, this better be good." He mutters in a half-sleep state.

" It is. I have some information we need to share with the rebellion- and it isn't good news. Are you free to meet at the warehouse?"

Ben groans as he had already made plans with Sabe'. He'd have to come up with some work emergency. " Sure, though it better be good. Sabe' had our whole evening planned out. I don't get a lot of the same days off as her."

Anakin understands completely. This had been his first real conversation with Padme since the other day. He suggests, " I'll make it short and quick, if we can contact the council."

Obi-wan blinks back the sleep in his eyes and murmurs, " Is it that important? Why don't we meet this morning then?"

Anakin suggests, " Because I just got off my shift and need some sleep to be able to think clearly."

Ben nods. " I'll see you this afternoon."

Anakin doesn't say farewell, just shuts off his comm. link. He sighs and walks to the shower, and tries to quiet his mind- though it is still reeling from all the information in his brain.

To Be Continued.

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