The first thing that Anakin was aware of was the pulsing in his head, and throughout his body. It wasn't like how the force hummed through his body, but a painful pulse, like as if his heart was trying to beat its way out of his body. The bright lights from the examination room were piercing their way through Anakin's eyelids. He groaned and turned his head to the side, forcing his eyes to open. A blurry figure stood above him. He could make out a cold smile on a face, and then his vision went dark again.
When he woke up again, the figure was gone. The pulsing was less intense, and his limbs didn't feel as heavy. Anakin tried to pick his head up, and look around, but he couldn't get very far due to the restraint around his neck. He then tried to move his arms and legs, but they were also bound to the table as well. He continued to struggle against the restraints using the limited strength that he had. With no weapons, no access to the force, and a fatigued body, the odds were stacked against him. A door slid open outside of Anakin's field of view, and footsteps approached him, getting louder.
"It's nice to see that you are awake, Skywalker." A female voice said from above him. Anakin could see part of her waste, the shiny Mandalorian blaster attached to her hip, along with other tools that Anakin wasn't sure what they would be used for. He didn't really want to find out either.
"What do you want?" Anakin asked through gritted teeth.
"What do I want? What an interesting question!" The doctor replied. "I personally want to see more advancements in the medical field." She leaned in closer to his ear "And what do you want, Anakin?" She asked him.
He shuddered as her breath tickled her neck. She smelled like anesthetic, but underneath was a metallic sent. "Well, personally I would like to leave." He said while jerking his head away from her.
"Well, you can't do that!" She said. The way she pronounced 'can't' and 'that' led Anakin to believe that this woman was Mandalorian. She had the accent, and the accommodating weapon. "You're going to help me with my medical advancements." She said while stepping away from him. "And once I've gotten what I wanted, then you'll be handed off to Maul."
She leaned forward, almost touching Anakin "And do you know what he wants?" She asked him softly.
"No." Anakin said in a neutral voice, his eyes looking straight ahead at the celling.
"He wants revenge."
Padme paced back and forth in the living room of her apartment. She was scheduled to meet with Satine at 19:00, and it was almost 20:00. Her dress billowed up behind her as she walked the length of her living room. Her small figure was silhouetted by the glowing lights of upper coruscant. She heard the sound of the door opening and quickly turned around.
"Mistress Padme," C-3PO began. "Your guest had arrived." The droid stated before moving out of the way. Satine stepped forward. Her face was covered by a long hood, and the majority of her body was shrouded by a cloak. Padme could recognize the high-quality material, and knew that it was some of the finest that Mandalore had to offer. Padme rushed forward to greet her friend. Satine quickly moved forward and the two embraced.
"It is so good to see you!" Satine exclaimed while pushing her hood back off of her face. "You know, it is quite tricky to contact those in the senate at all anymore, with all of the new blockades that the chancellor has put up."
Padme sighed. "I know. Each day I feel as if our freedoms are becoming more and more restricted." She sat down on the couch. "But how have you been? How are your people?"
Satine sat down on the couch next to her. "There has been an uprising. Many upper level politicians have sided with this new… outsider." Satine muttered angrily.
"What do you know about this person?" Padme asked while leaning in slightly.
"He is from Dathomir. And he goes by the name of Maul."
Padme sat their silently, her mouth slightly agape. "The same Maul from all of those years ago?"
"I believe so." Satine said softly. "I have seen him myself. He looks just as Obi-Wan described him to me."
"Satine, the Jedi council must know about this."
"I know." She sighed "I am worried about my people though. Many of us do not support the republic and their conquests. For their army to come to my planet- it would look very bad."
"You're right." Padme said while leaning back into the couch. "Satine, do you know anything about these people who are staging the uprising?"
"Not really, we are not completely sure who is behind it." She said while looking down at her lap.
"I think," Padme began. "That there is a connection here." Satine raised her head and look at her with a confused expression.
Padme took a deep breath. "A few days ago, Anakin Skywalker was kidnapped while here on Coruscant."
"Here?" Satine exclaimed. "In the heart of the republic?"
"Yes," Padme said while looking outside at the skyline. "In the upper levels too."
"Padme, I don't… I'm sorry. I know that you two are close." Satine replied softly while laying a hand on her shoulder.
"That's not all though," Padme responded. "When they searched the crime scene for clues, we found some remnants of the weapon they used to ambush Anakin." She turned back around to face Satine
"They were Mandalorian." Satine gasped softly.
"Do you think that there is some kind of connection?" Satine said. "Maul used to be a sith."
"Once a sith, always a sith." Padme responded darkly. "I'm sure there is some kind of connection between Maul and the uprising on your planet with the sudden kidnapping of Knight Skywalker."
She looked out the window. It had started to rain, blurring the lights of the skyline.
"There has to be."