Chapter 5:
"Hello?" Keira called as she entered Padme (and Annakin's) appartment. Obi Wan had been sent on an important to find General Grievous, so she had decided to go visit Padme. The two had gotten on pretty well when she had first arrived, and she hadn't seen her since.
Padme hurried out of her bedroom and her face lit up.
"Hey, Keira! I'm glad you're here. It's been kinda lonely. With Annakin spending increasingly more time with the Chancellor and C3PO being the only one else here." she said. "Sorry, 3PO." she added.
"I don't think he heard you anyway. Obi's gone to find Grievous. His place isn't the most exciting place on your own. Annakin suggested I stop by." Keira explained.
"Really?"
"Yeah. He stopped by the other day." Keira replied. "So...Annakin's going to be a father I see." Padme stared at her, mortified. 'How did she know?'
"H-h-how did you know?"
"I just do. Don't worry. I'm not going to tell anyone." she said with a small smile. "There's not going to be anyone left to tell soon." she added, her face turning sad and slightly empty.
"What do you mean?" Padme asked confused.
"I just feel it. Everything's going to change. The jedi will be no more. But I don't know why." she continued, deep in thought. "Padme?"
"Yes...?"
"Has Annakin said anything...strange? Acting differently or anything like that?"
"Well..." 'Does she think Annakin has anyhting to do with it? He can't. He wouldn't. Would he?'
A while later, Padme finished telling Keira about Annakins visions, outbursts and other strange actions, after deciding it would be safer for her to let someone know.
"But you can't tell anyone I told you, especially not Annakin. Okay?" Padme pleaded.
"Sure. My lips are sealed." Keira replied.
"Do you swear?!"
"I swear!" Keira exclaimed, leaning back and raising her hands in defense.
"Good." Padme said with a smile. "Sorry. It's the...you know."
"Yeah, yeah. It's okay."
"Thanks." For a while, they just sat there staring out of the window, Padme taking comfort in the company of someone rashional for once, and Keira trying to fill the worry for Obi-Wan and the void his lack of presence was leaving.
Betrayed. The one word going through his mind as he plummeted from the top of the cliff after being turned on by his own troops. Well, the only word other than Keira, but that's more of a name isn't it? Either way, it didn't matter anymore in his mind. The chances of him surviving this drop were slim. Even the troopers on the top knew he wouldn't survive. But I have to. For the Republic, for all jedi, for her. He knew he had to get back to her. Protect her. She was weary and injured from the campaign, and he knew she'd be a target. All jedi kind were now. And then another name, another worry, came to his head. Anakin. Was he alright? Was he hurt? Wait... Obi-Wan tried to reach through to Anakin through their old Master/Padawan connection, and the feeling he sensed in his former pupil froze his heart. Hatred...blinding hatred. And pride. Oh no, what has he done? And as he hit the water below, this thought echoed throughout his mind. What has he done?
"Hold on. HOLD ON! I'M COMING!" Keira yelled, annoyed that her meditation had been disturbed. She had a terrible feeling of dread and meditating was the only thing that even mildly helped. In a few quick strides, Keira was at the door and had yanked it open. She was about to bark something abusive at the visitor, but realised just in time that it was a sobbing, quivering and worn out looking Padme.
"Padme..." Keira began.
"I have to sit down." She managed to choke out. Keira stepped aside and locked the door as Padme stumbled over to the sofa and sat down, head in hands.
"What's wrong?" Keira asked, desperately trying to keep the worry out of her voice for Padme's sake, and all the time fearing the worst.
"It's...it's Anakin. He's...he's..." she stopped, unable to continue. But she didn't have to. Keira knew what had happened. She felt it in the force. And she knew she had to get Padme and herself away from there, just as she had to find Obi-Wan.