AN: "aaaa" - talking through a holocomunicator or comlink. 'aaaa' - talking through a bond
Sorry for not updating this story over the weekend! I was a little busy with church, plus my friends and I had a virtual movie night where we watched Shang-Chi: Legend of the Ten Rings. (We waited for the Disney+ release) Now onto the reviews!
Ivy123: I'm glad you like the story! You'll just have to keep reading to find out if they get their happy ending or not
Chapter Six
The next day, after Anakin and Obi-Wan had gone back to Padmè's penthouse to make sure that no one else could harm her, Obi-Wan informed her that he and Anakin would have to inform the Council about what they had seen and done the previous night.
Padmè nodded and bid them both goodbye as she and Captain Typho walked them to the lift.
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When they got to the Temple, and had briefed the Council on what had occurred, all twelve members appeared to be visibly disturbed by the fact that there had been another attempt on the Senator's life.
"Track down this bounty hunter, you must, Obi-Wan," Master Yoda told him as he stood next to Anakin in the center of the room.
Mace looked away from the grandmaster as he said, "And more importantly," he said, "find out who he's working for."
"What about the Senator?" Obi-Wan asked. "The bounty hunter who hired the woman is still going to come after her, so she will need protection."
"Handle that, your padawan will," Master Yoda said, pointing at Anakin.
Obi-Wan looked over at his younger brother as Anakin looked up at the Grandmaster, wondering if he had heard him correctly. He was going to be sent on a solo mission?
Anakin, escort Senator Amidala back to her home planet. She will be safe there until we can find out who wants her dead," Mace informed him. "Do not use registered transport. Travel as refugees."
"Yes, Master Windu," Anakin replied. Then he realized something that would complicate his assignment. "I don't think the Senator will be comfortable with this plan of ours. Since she is the leader of the opposition to the Military Creation Act, it will be very difficult to persuade her to leave the capital as I don't think she would want to miss the vote."
"Until caught this killer is, our judgment she must respect," Yoda responded.
"Anakin, I want you to go to the Senate and ask Chancellor Palpatine to speak with the Senator on this matter," Mace told him. Then he gave them both a nod, letting them know that they were dismissed.
They bowed and left the chamber.
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Once they had taken the turbolift down to the main floor, Anakin turned to face Obi-Wan. "It shouldn't take the Chancellor too long to persuade the Senator to leave. He does have a way with words," he said.
Obi-Wan sighed as he wasn't very comfortable about the request that Mace had given the younger man. "Do be careful of what you tell the Chancellor about your mission," he said.
"Yes Master," Anakin responded.
With their conversation over, Obi-Wan and Anakin walked to the hangar bay. Then he watched as the young man took the same speeder and left the Temple.
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When Anakin arrived at the Senate building, he made sure to check in at the reception desk. As soon as he was told that the Chancellor wasn't busy and he could go in, he made his way to the turbolift and headed up to the floor that contained the Chancellor's office.
When he had returned to the Temple after the year that he had spent training on Tatooine, Anakin thought it was a little creepy and odd that the Supreme Chancellor was paying so much attention to him and only him. It was as if Palpatine knew that he was going to be even more powerful in the future. He wasn't exactly sure how the man had found out as the only other person who knew that was Qui-Gon and as far as he knew, the Jedi Master hadn't been in contact with Palpatine since the man had gone to Naboo following the large battle that had taken place there.
After his first encounter with Palpatine, he knew that something wasn't right so he told Qui-Gon and his mother about it. They both told him not to spend so much time with the man and to stay focused on his training. Anakin knew they were right and did exactly that, only heading to see the Chancellor when it was for official Jedi business or if Obi-Wan was with him.
As the young man grew older, Anakin found it harder and harder to ignore the invitations that the Chancellor was sending him.
Most of the time he could get out of having to go spend time with the man by sending a message saying that he had a mission to prepare for, his classes to study up on as he didn't want to fall behind, or lightsaber training with Obi-Wan. But this time he had an actual reason for visiting the Chancellor as he needed his help to convince Padmè that she needed to leave the planet for her own safety.
Once the doors to the lift opened, he swept down the hall and paused, taking a deep breath before opening the door and entering the large room. A wave of uneasiness swept over the young man as he approached the Chancellor, who was working at his desk.
"Anakin!" Palpatine greeted the young man as he looked up from the proposal that he was reading and saw him approaching. He stood up and walked towards the window, which was clearly an invitation for Anakin to join him. "I'm assuming the Council has need of my services. What can I do for you?"
Anakin joined the Chancellor by the window, even though his feelings towards him had changed. "There was another attack on Senator Amidala's life last night," he said. "The Council believes that it would be best if she returned to Naboo for her own safety until we are able to find out who is responsible for the attempts."
Palpatine turned to face Anakin after hearing that. "I'll talk to her Anakin. I know her well enough that she won't be able to refuse an executive order from my office."
"Thank you, Chancellor," Anakin replied.
"And so, the council has finally decided to give you an assignment on your very own," Palpatine said. Seeing the young man nod, he continued. "I wish it were under better circumstances, but it seems to me that your patience has finally paid off."
Anakin softly smiled, knowing that this was a pretty important milestone in his training. It was clear to him that the Council saw how far he had come and now they wanted to test him to see if he was worthy of becoming a Jedi Knight. "I can't take all the credit," he said. "Most of it goes to my training and the lessons that I've been learning from Master Kenobi at the Temple."
"Of course, of course," Palpatine replied, a growing smile appearing on his face as he turned around and began to walk to the stairs on the left side of his desk. Anakin fell in step beside the Chancellor as they slowly made their way down the steps and over to the door that led into his office. "But do you really need his guidance to help you hone your immense power?"
Anakin frowned a little. Of course, he did! If it hadn't been for Obi-Wan as well as his other teachers that he had over time at the Temple, he never would have been able to make it to where he was today. "Yes Chancellor, I believe that without the teachings of my Master and others, I would not have stood a chance at even becoming a Jedi."
"Yes, well, I suppose that is true, but in time, I know that you will come to trust your feelings on your own. Only then, will you be invincible," Palpatine said. "I have not told anyone this, but I think you are the most gifted Jedi that I have ever met."
"Thank you, your Excellency," Anakin said, feeling a little flattered with the excessive praise that he had received from the man.
"I can see you becoming the greatest of all the Jedi, even more powerful than Master Yoda," Palpatine told him, coming to a stop.
Anakin, who had taken a step towards the door, stopped where he was and narrowed his eyes as he heard the Chancellor's words. As he remembered what Qui-Gon had taught him, he adopted a neutral look on his face and turned around to look at Palpatine as the man knew absolutely nothing about how Jedi Padawans were trained. "With all due respect Chancellor, it is not your place to say such things as you are not part of the Jedi Order. Now if you'll excuse me, I will take my leave as I'm sure you have to talk with Senator Amidala about leaving Coruscant."
Palpatine nodded. "Yes, I will contact her immediately. Have a good day Anakin," he told him.
Anakin bowed and left the Chancellor's office. The uneasy feeling that he had felt when he first entered lessened, but didn't fully fade until he had reached the parking bay. He got into the yellow speeder, started it up and took off for Padmè's penthouse.
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Meanwhile, Obi-Wan was walking down one of the Temple halls with Mace and Master Yoda. He knew that he had to start tracking down whatever scraps of information that he could find about the dart, but he needed to talk to both of them about his concerns regarding the assignment that Anakin had been given. "I hope you'll forgive me for asking this, but are you sure that Anakin is ready for this solo mission?" He asked.
"The Council is confident in its decision, Obi-Wan," Master Yoda told him.
"Skywalker is indeed talented," Mace responded.
"But he still has much to learn from me before he undergoes the Trials," Obi-Wan told them both. "While I do have faith in him and his abilities, I fear that Anakin will not be able to protect the Senator should anything happen to her while they are in hiding."
"Why?" Mace asked.
"Both he and the Senator have an emotional connection to one another and I can sense that he is torn between his duty to the Order and following his heart," Obi-Wan confessed.
"Sense a connection between them, I do," Yoda said. "Do nothing about it you will. Discover it for themselves, they must."
"Obi-Wan, you must have faith that Anakin will follow the will of the Force," Mace told him. "Remember, if the prophecy is indeed true, then he is the only one who can bring the Force back into balance."
"Yes Master," Obi-Wan said. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go see my padawan and give him a few last-minute instructions before he leaves with the Senator."
Mace and Yoda nodded. They stopped where they were and let Obi-Wan go. The Knight gave them a wave as he walked away.
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By the time Anakin got to the penthouse where Padmè lived, it was clear that Palpatine had done as he had asked him to and spoken to her about leaving Coruscant as she had been in the middle of packing her things when he had arrived.
He greeted her, then decided to wait in the hallway that led to her bedroom while she went into the sitting room and instructed Jar-Jar on what he was to be doing while she was away.
"I'm going to be taking an extended leave of absence," Padmè told the Gungan. "It will be your responsibility to take my place and manage our affairs in the Senate. I know that I can count on you Jar-Jar."
The Gungan smiled back at her and bowed. "Mesa honored to be taking in dissa heavy burden," he responded. "Mesa accept this with muy, muy humility and uh- "
Padmè smiled and gently cut him off. "Jar-Jar, I do not wish to hold you up as I'm sure you have a great deal to do," she said, saving the poor Gungan from trying to speak as the other members of the Senate did. She knew it was hard for him, and that he was often mocked for it. It infuriated her to see such racism in their own government.
"Of course, milady," Jar-Jar responded, giving her a graceful bow before leaving.
Not a moment later she was marching down the hallway towards her bedroom, almost glaring at Anakin as she passed him. "I do not like this idea of hiding, no matter what both the Chancellor and Jedi Council think!" She informed him in a frosty tone.
Anakin followed Padmè. "Not to worry," he said, walking into her room and passing by the new window pane that had just been put in by two worker droids. He walked behind her, only stopping when he had reached the glass end table near the foot of her bed. "Now that the Council has ordered an investigation, I'm sure it won't take Obi-Wan very long to find the people responsible."
Padmè picked up an already folded set of clothes that had been placed on a small table beside her closet. "I have not done all this work trying to stop the Military Creation Act only to not be here when it's fate is decided!" She said, clearly not happy about the decision that had been made for her as she walked over to the open suitcase that was laying on her bed and put the clothes in it.
"Sometimes we have to let go of our pride and do what is requested of us," Anakin responded.
"You seemed to have learned a lot during your time at the temple, Anakin," Padmè said as she glanced up at him before heading back to her closet.
"I'm glad that you've noticed," Anakin said, glancing at her as he made his way over to the newly repaired window. "I know Obi-Wan sees it too." He reached down and picked up a small sliver ball, similar to what he had seen some of the Younglings use in their basic Force levitation classes when he had been on his way to his lightsaber training sessions with Obi-Wan. "Don't get me wrong, I love having him as my mentor."
Padmè looked up at him from where she had just finished placing more clothes into her suitcase.
"I've come to see that he is as wise as Master Yoda and as powerful as Master Windu," Anakin continued as he gestured with his hand and the ball rose. Then he tilted his hand to the side and waved it, before placing it back underneath and calling the ball to him, catching it with his hand. "I truly am grateful to be his apprentice."
Padmè looked at him again before turning back to her closet to grab another dress.
"In some ways, I know that I am ahead of him," Anakin said as he placed the silver ball back where he had taken it from. Then he turned to face Padmè's bed. "But I also know that I'm not ready to face the Trials as I still have a lot to learn from him."
Padmè listened from where she was standing. When she turned around, she was holding another article of clothing in her hands. "I'm glad that you see it that way Anakin. Most mentors often have a way of seeing our faults before we do. It tends to be the only way that we are able to grow," she said as she walked over to her still open suitcase.
Anakin walked over and sat down on one end of the glass table as he let out a sigh. "I know," he responded.
Padmè placed the item in the suitcase and glanced at Anakin as she straightened up. "Ani," she said as she took a step towards him, "please don't try to grow up too fast. It's alright to make mistakes. I made plenty during my first few months as Queen before the blockade engulfed my planet."
Anakin stood up, straightening himself to his full height, with his shoulders back and his chin raised. Padmè knew that he was trying make himself seem far older than he truly was. "I'll try not to," he softly told her. He took a step back and looked towards the window as Padmè went back to her packing. Then he turned towards the door as it slid open.
Dormè took a step forward so she was standing in the entryway. "Are you done packing now, milady?" She asked, moving forward into the room and letting the door slide shut behind her.
Padmè closed her bag, fastening the buckles before turning to her handmaiden. "I am now," she replied.
Dormè glanced at Anakin as she passed by him, then refocused her gaze on Padmè. "Then we might want to get you changed into your disguise," she said. She looked in Anakin's direction. "Padawan Skywalker, Master Kenobi is waiting for you in the sitting room with your disguise."
Anakin smiled and bowed to both of them. "I shall take my leave then and see both of you when you are ready to go," he said as he turned around and left the room, the door opening then sliding shut behind him.
Dormè closed the blinds and then helped Padmè remove her beautiful black and silver gown and get into her disguise, which was a less form-fitting mustard yellow gown with a large headpiece. The main part of the dress was shaped in a stiff upside-down cone that went from her shoulders to her ankles. It was decorated in a purple paisley design that ran down the front, back and sides of the dress. The bottom hem was decorated in a simple diamond design. Over her shoulders and top half of her chest, she wore what seemed to be a full shouldered pauldron that was the same color as the dress. It was covered in an abstract floral design. Her loose sleeves were made of a lighter material and were drawn at her lower arms by an armband that had the same design as the pauldron. Over her head, she wore a length of mustard colored fabric that looped around her face and wrapped around her neck. The headpiece that Dormè placed on top was made of a coppery metal with a tight skullcap that had ridges running up into a fan like crown. The headdress itself was made out of an orichalc metal that had the Flower of Life emblem decorating it in a continuous pattern. She felt the rough fabric scratching her legs, and knew that she had to wear this if she was to safely leave the capital.
"There you are milady," Dormè told her as she finished with Padmè's outfit. "We had better go now as I'm sure that the Jedi are waiting for us."
"Of course, Dormè," Padmè told her as she walked to the other side of her bed handpicked up two of her suitcases. Dormè grabbed the other two and they departed the bedroom, meeting up with the Jedi and Captain Typho in the sitting room.
Then they all left for the spaceport.
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The sky was clear. There were no clouds or rain. The speeder bus that the Jedi, Senator, Captain Typho and Dormè had taken was empty. The Council had pulled a few strings to get them the empty bus as it would usually be filled with other passengers who were heading to the transportation hanger to either meet their loved ones or travel off planet.
Padmè sat with Dormè. Captain Typho was in the row behind them, while across from the three were Anakin and Obi-Wan. She noticed that Anakin was wearing a beige poncho and underneath that he was wearing a dark vest that was covered with golden designs. Underneath the vest, he wore a light-colored tunic. The pants were a dark color and the outfit was held together by a greyish waistband.
She could hear both Jedi talking quietly to each other about something and turned to her right, quietly starting up a conversation with Dormè and Typho.
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On the ride over to the spaceport, Anakin turned to face Obi-Wan. "Master, I need to tell you something before we land," he said, knowing that he was doing the right thing by telling Obi-Wan about his conversation with the Chancellor.
Obi-Wan moved in closer so that their conversation would not be overheard by Padmè and the others as he had a feeling that he already knew what their conversation was going to be about. "What is it?" He asked.
"While I was speaking with the Chancellor, he tried to imply that I didn't need any help from you in regards to my training, He also told me that I was one of the most gifted Jedi that he's ever met and how he can tell that I'll be even more powerful than Master Yoda one day," Anakin told him quietly.
Obi-Wan frowned when he heard what Anakin had just told him. "I'm not sure I like how much of an interest the Chancellor has in you over the rest of the Jedi who are in the Order. It makes me uneasy," he responded in a low tone so only Anakin would be able to hear him. "His ability to see you becoming one of the most powerful Jedi ever also unnerves me. I think we are missing something here and I don't like it at all."
Anakin nodded as he was in agreement with everything Obi-Wan was saying. Then he started asking the older man questions about what to do in case they were found on Naboo as he wanted to get his mind off of his chat with Palpatine.
Obi-Wan knew what his younger brother was doing and didn't mind as he knew that Anakin wanted to stay focused on the task at hand and not something that had already happened.
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What awaited the group, as the shuttle pulled into the empty space at the spaceport, was a battered AA-9 Coruscant cargo ship that had been called into service as an interplanetary refugee freighter. As soon as the vehicle landed, Padmè, Dormè and Captain Typho were already out of their seats and moving towards the door.
"Stay safe milady," Captain Typho told her.
Thank you, Captain," Padmè said as she looked over at him. "Take good care of Dormè as the threat will be on the two of you now."
"Don't worry milady," Dormè told her, a small hint of assurance in her voice. "He'll be safe with me." She threw a teasing smirk in the Captain's direction, then it faded as she looked back at Padmè and a lone tear rolled down her face.
"You'll be fine," Padmè told her in a comforting voice.
"It's not me milady. I'm worried about you," Dormè replied. "What if they realize that I'm not you? Or that you've left the capital?"
"Well," Padmè said as she glanced at Anakin over her shoulder, "then my Jedi protector will just have to prove how good he is."
"Anakin," Obi-Wan said as he saw that Anakin was about to join Padmè and head for the freighter. Once he was sure that his apprentice's attention was on him, he continued speaking. "Even though I trust you to make the decisions on this mission, I do have one last one for you. If you feel that you are unsure about something and you cannot reach either myself or Qui-Gon, contact the Council and get their approval before putting whatever you have come up with into motion."
"Yes Master," Anakin responded.
Obi-Wan nodded in response and stepped over to Padmè. "I will get to the bottom of this quickly my lady," he assured her. "You will be back here in time to cast your vote."
"I will be most grateful for your speed, Master Kenobi," Padmè told him.
"Be careful Master," Anakin told him. "I don't want to have to come rescue you again."
"I'll try not to get into any trouble Anakin," Obi-Wan told the younger man.
Anakin softly smirked at his older brother and glanced back to see that the freighter was getting ready to leave. "It's time to go," he said gently.
'I know," Padmè replied. She gave Dormè a goodbye hug.
Anakin had walked to the exit, but stopped as Obi-Wan called his name again. He turned around.
"May the Force be with you," Obi-Wan told him.
"May the Force be with you Master," Anakin replied, then turned around and picked up two of the heavier suitcases, leaving the lighter ones for Padmè to handle.
Once she had them in her hands, they stepped off the shuttle onto the dock, heading for the freighter. R2 contentedly rolled behind them. The blue and white astromech was excited to be going on what was sure to be an adventure.
"Suddenly, I'm afraid," Padmè softly said. "I know it's for the best, but I feel as if I should be staying here."
"I'm nervous too as this is my first solo assignment," Anakin replied before glancing down at R2, who was trailing behind them. "At least we have R2 with us!"
Padmè laughed as the droid gave a cheerful whistle.
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Obi-Wan and Typho watched them go.
"I do hope he doesn't do anything foolish," Obi-Wan said to the Captain who stood beside him.
Typho snorted. It was quiet enough so Obi-Wan didn't hear it. "I would be more concerned about the Senator doing something, than him," he responded.
Obi-Wan looked at him and then followed the man as he headed back inside the speeder bus.
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The duo, along with R2, were able to board the freighter with relative ease. Anakin quickly put their luggage away while Padmè took the time to cover her rather expensive headpiece with a golden veil. Then they found some seats as a few minutes later, once everyone was on board, the ship took off and left Coruscant.
AN: Please review and tell me what you think of this chapter!
I decided to include the lines (although changed around a little) from the deleted scene where Obi-Wan is talking to Mace about Anakin and his feelings for the Senator on their way to Obi-Wan's starfighter during the scene where they are walking down the hall in the Temple.
Why?
Since Obi-Wan knows of the growing feelings between Anakin and the Senator, he feels that Anakin is going to get distracted from his duty as a Jedi, which is to protect Padmè. Now that Yoda and Mace know, they sort of help Obi-Wan overcome his fears by telling him NOT to interfere as Anakin and Padmè have to figure out that they are meant to be together and that he must believe that Anakin will do the right thing and trust in the Force.
On the off side, I've introduced the idea that Anakin has been reporting to Obi-Wan, Qui-Gon and his mother about his meetings with the Chancellor. He knows that something about the man seems off, but can't figure out what it is.
UP NEXT: Obi-Wan goes looking for answers and Padmè and Anakin have a chat about just how the Jedi operate now that they are able to embrace their emotions while on their way to Naboo.