AN: "aaaa" - talking through a holocomunicator or comlink. 'aaaa' - talking through a bond.

Three chapters in one day! This chapter and the previous two were really short when I went to edit them, so I figured that I might as well post them for you all to enjoy. Hope you like them and again, thank you to all those who have favourited and followed this story.

Chapter 12

As soon as Obi-Wan reached the top of the small slope that he had been climbing, he looked around to make sure that no one spotted him. Once he was sure that no one was watching him, he quietly slipped inside.

The Jedi Knight glanced behind him as he wandered through the corridors of the domed rocky caverns. He soon reached a large opening and looked upwards. The open area was lit with the glow from the rising sun as it streamed in through the arch like windows and was structured in a spiral shape, almost like a hive. As Obi-Wan continued walking around, he heard a rhythmic thudding noise in the distance and decided to follow it. He quickly came across a darkened balcony and walked forward. Coming to a stop, he peered down and did not like what he saw.

Below him, laid out in a dizzying maze was a droid factory. It was operating at full power. Layer upon layer of machines were being used to create and assemble thousands of battle droids. He immediately recognized them as the same ones that the Trade Federation had used when they had invaded Naboo. He knew that with all the Federation battle ships parked outside, a droid factory wasn't doing much to make the situation seem any better. He turned away, located some stairs, and made his way down them, walking away from the factory floor and into a hallway. It was then that he heard voices and found a dark alcove that he could hide in, while continuing to listen on the conversation.

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"We must persuade the Commerce Guilds and the Corporate Alliance to join us," said a deep voice, one that Obi-Wan recognized. He peered around the corner of the wall that he has hiding behind and pulled back to make sure that he wasn't spotted, as none other than Count Dooku, who had been the one speaking, and a few others who were with him walked past the alcove.

"What about that Senator from Naboo? Has she been silenced yet?" Another voice asked in a rather impatient tone of voice. "I will not sign your treaty until I have her head in front of me!"

The Knight's eyes widened a little as he recognized who had just spoken. It was Nute Gunray, the man who was still the Viceroy of the Trade Federation and the one responsible for the failed invasion of Naboo. He was the one who had ordered the failed assassination attempts that had been carried out on Padmè. Obi-Wan still couldn't believe that after all these years, the Neimoidian still held a grudge against the former Queen for what she had done to save her planet. To him, it sounded like her death was the only condition that Gunray needed to have the Federation break away from being neutral and join the Separatists.

"I am a man of my word Viceroy," Dooku responded.

Obi-Wan made sure to stay hidden in the shadows as he kept listening.

"With these new battle droids that we have built for you," a deep, almost machine-like voice said, "you will have the finest army in the galaxy at your disposal."

Obi-Wan wasn't able to tell who the voice belonged to. Once the group had walked right past him, he left the safety of his hiding place and proceeded to follow them at a safe distance as he didn't want to get caught.

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Obi-Wan headed up a different pair of stairs then the ones that he had descended earlier. Then he reached the top, he immediately crouched down and peered through a small opening at what looked like to be a large room with Dooku and the others sitting around a rather large table that was lit up.

"As I explained to you earlier," Dooku told the others at the table, "I am quite convinced that ten thousand more systems will rally to our cause with your support gentlemen."

One of the attendees said something in his native language that Obi-Wan didn't understand. The others who were at the round table pledged their own support to the growing movement.

"The Techno Union army," the deep robotic voice said as the man reached up and fiddled with the knobs on the front of his metal chest, causing his voice to momentarily disappear. He fiddled with another knob to his left and got it back as he said, "is at your disposal Count."

"The Banking Clan will support you wholeheartedly, Count Dooku," A thin, pale alien with an elongated head graciously said.

"Good. Very good," Count Dooku said. He turned to look at Nute Gunray and the other Neimoidian who had joined him. "Our friends from the Trade Federation will pledge their support and when their battle droids are finished and combined with the forces that we already have, we shall have an army that will be bigger than any other in the galaxy. The Jedi will be overwhelmed and the Republic will have no choice but to agree to any demands that we might make."

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Obi-Wan swallowed hard and made sure that he was out of sight of the opening in the ceiling. This was not good. Count Dooku and the others were preparing for war. He knew that he needed to warn both the Jedi Council and the Republic about this new development.

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All during lunch, Shmi couldn't help but notice the affectionate looks that both Anakin and Padmè gave one another as they took turns describing what had gone down at the Battle of Naboo. Even though Qui-Gon had told her the story, she had yet to hear it from both of them.

After they had finished eating, Shmi got up to help clear the plates off of the table. Padmè gestured for the older woman to sit back down as she got up and called for C-3PO. The droid appeared and assisted Padmè in the cleanup of the table.

"Anakin, may we talk outside?" Shmi asked.

"Sure Mom," Anakin responded.

They both got up and after Padmè told Anakin to go ahead and that she would be fine on her own, he led his mother to the veranda where he and Padmè had chatted for a bit when they had first arrived at the villa.

"What did you want to speak with me about?" Anakin asked when they were outside.

"Are you falling in love with Padmè?" Shmi asked.

"Wha-? Mom, of course not! Padmè and I are just friends," Anakin calmly replied as he looked out over the water.

"Ani," Shmi said as she knew that her son wasn't telling her the truth.

Anakin sighed, knowing that he had been caught. "Yeah, Mom. I'm falling in love with her," he told her. "Padmè and I actually had a talk about how we felt about each other last night."

"What have you decided?" Shmi asked.

"Padmè and I are going to remain friends, regardless of the way that we feel about each other," Anakin replied.

Shmi sighed. "Ani, I want you to be happy and if being with her makes you feel that way, then go for it," she told him.

"Really?" Anakin asked, looking in his mother's direction.

Shmi nodded. "Follow your heart son, but I also want you to stay true to yourself and who you are. Make sure that you follow your Jedi teachings, but also be on the lookout for your friends and family."

"I will Mom," Anakin responded.

Shmi smiled and then both mother and son made their way back inside, where they joined Padmè in the living room for a small snack.

UP NEXT: Obi-Wan contacts Anakin on Naboo and Palpatine gets his emergency powers. Even though I don't say it in most of my chapters, please don't forget to leave me a review!