Knight Errant
Chapter 3: Battle of the Temple (Part 2)
Anakin nearly slipped in a puddle of blood as he stepped out of the service corridor and over the body of a fallen Jedi. His eyes glazed over the body as he stepped past, numbly. Who they were, he didn't know. He couldn't bear to keep track anymore.
The silence in the hall was deafening.
There was just so much death. The Force was choked with it; a dark somber cloud of feeling that clung to everything in its wake. Like a wet tunic you couldn't peel off. He had felt it before, after battles lost, but that been non-Force sensitives. This…
It was complete and utter agony.
He sighed heavily at the weight of it and unconsciously scratched an itch on the back of his neck.
There had been over twenty Jedi with him when they had retreated to back up the line defending the crèche. But they had been bogged down by an endless barrage of troopers from the moment they left that hallway. Every time they had carved out a route back to the crèche, every time they attempted to stand their ground, they were overwhelmed. The entire group had been decimated. It was just him now. Him and a Padawan whose name he didn't know.
And it was all for nothing, he thought bitterly. In the end the Clones had broken through anyway. All of those younglings… The Force had howled in pain at the loss. I never should have called for the retreat, he lamented. We should have held. Even if it had killed us. Please, he begged the Force. Please let those Padawans have gotten some of the younglings out.
And Padme. Anakin knew it was selfish, but he couldn't help but hope they'd gotten her of Coruscant. If Palpatine knew about the baby... His heart clenched painfully and he fought the urge to drop everything and go after her. But, perhaps for the first time in his life, he knew that he couldn't. What he was about to do was too important.
The blue skinned Chiss boy stayed tight on his heels as they entered the open hallway, his saber in a death grip in his hands. Anakin looked warily in both directions before moving right. He led them down the hall, clinging to the shadows as much as possible. If they were caught out in the open again, it would be the end of them. A sharp pain shot up his thigh as a reminder of his weakening stamina.
"Master Skywalker," he whispered frightfully. "Where are we going?"
Anakin stopped. He supposed he should tell the kid why they'd been traipsing through the guts of the Temples maintenance corridors for the last half hour. He turned to look at the boy. "What's your name?" he asked gently.
"Nellth'osowu'ozza," he replied. "But everyone calls-called me Nell..." he choked off.
Anakin looked at him sadly. "I'm going to get you out of here, Nell," he said softly. "I promise you. But we need to go to the Archives," he explained. "There's a thousand years of Jedi knowledge in there. We can't let that fall into enemy hands."
Nell's red eyes widened as he realized what Anakin was suggesting. "You're going to wipe the Archives?" he whispered, somewhere between incredulous and scandalized. Anakin couldn't blame him. It was a ballsy plan. And not a well thought out one. But he was pissed off and hurting and he didn't care if revenge wasn't the Jedi way. He wanted Palpatine pissed and hurting too. It was the perfect way to stick it to the bastard for a decade and a half of manipulation and the slaughter of over a hundred innocent children.
He clamped down on the particularly sharp pain that tore through him at that. There will be time later for mourning, he told himself. Right now I need to focus, so that I can get back Padme.
He tried to muster up the signature Skywalker smirk for the boy, despite his exhaustion and scratched his neck again. "And then we're going to steal the holocrons."
IIIIIIIIIIIII
Padme Amidala stared out at billowing smoke escaping Jedi Temple from her private veranda with despair.
Something terrible was happening, she was sure of it. Even after the Temple bombing there wasn't this much smoke... She wrapped her silk stole tighter around her shoulders to keep out the evening chill and leaned against the railing. I'm so sick of being pregnant, she thought mindlessly as the pressure on her lower back eased. A glance over her shoulder and into the apartment found Dorme analyzing the latest holonet broadcasts for information on one of the couches.
Padme returned her attention to the scene in front of her, worriedly. Was there another Separatist attack? They'd never made it into the atmosphere last time. But there was so much debris that fell down... They could have easily dropped droids for a later attack - like the battle for Kamino.
She frowned anxiously. Whatever it was, Anakin was almost certainly in the middle of it.
The baby flipped uncomfortably in her belly. She rubbed her stomach automatically in a soothing motion. It's okay, little one. Daddy will be okay.
If only she could convince herself of that.
She'd learned a lot of skills in the last five years, being married to a Jedi. She'd learned the art of subtle flirting (even if Anakin had not), of secret messages, and love-making in unexpected places. She'd perfected how to pretend not to be worried and she'd learned how to stay focused when she couldn't. But the one thing she could never figure out was how to convince herself that her husband was alright. How many hours had she spent watching the holonet, desperate for just a glimpse of him to prove to herself that, just for the night, he was safe?
The door to the veranda slid open behind her, catching her by surprise.
"You shouldn't be out here," Bail said gently, stepping out beside her. His casual set of grey tunics and woolen asymmetrical cape flapped in the cool breeze. He gazed out at the Coruscant skyline sadly. "It's not safe for you... Especially now." His gaze wandered to her pregnant middle. Even under her dark, structured Senatorial gown it had begun to stand out. Out of professional respect, he had never mentioned it or questioned her about the father. Not that he had really needed to.
Padme tore her gaze away from the billowing smoke and looked up at him, ignoring his acknowledgement of her condition. "What are you doing here?" she asked weakly. "I thought you were headed back to Alderaan today?"
Bail let out a sigh and leaned against the rail, hands next to hers. "Captain Antilles is waiting for me on board the Tantive IV," he assured her. "I want to ensure everything is alright before I head home. The Jedi have always been a great help to me and my people… And I'd like to think I'm good friends with a few of them. I would like to help out where I can."
"I also wanted to check on you," he said after a long moment, looking out towards the Temple.
She didn't reply. Her stomach flipped nervously. They were dangerously close to discussing secrets she'd tried to keep hidden for the last five years. As close as the two of them were, keeping her marriage to Anakin a secret had been of the utmost importance. There would have been so much backlash for both of them if anyone had found out. Would have been, she thought bleakly. She had a lingering worry that didn't matter much anymore.Her heart constricted painfully. The baby kicked roughly against her ribs. Please bring him back to me… I can't do this without him. Her bottom lip quivered, and she scolded herself. She was not going to cry. Especially in front of a coworker. She was not going to cry-
"Have you heard anything yet?" She ground out, forcing her voice steady. It didn't work.
Bail's hand slowly moved a hand across the railing to rest over hers. He gave it a gentle squeeze of support. "I'm sure Anakin will be alright," he said delicately, avoiding the question.
She closed her eyes. "Please, just tell me," she said tiredly. "It can't be anything worse than my imagination."
He frowned and squeezed her hand again. "I don't know for sure," he acquiesced slowly. "There are conflicting reports. But from the sounds of it… There was some sort of dispute with Chancellor Palpatine. The holonet - they're calling it a coup, but I don't believe it for a moment." He sighed again. "Regardless… The GAR has been called in to 'quell an uprising' in the Temple."
A dam of emotion broke inside her, and she couldn't stop the sob that climbed up the back of her throat. She buried her face in his shoulder and cried. Warm arms enveloped her and rubbed her back, comfortingly. Oh gods, Anakin. Please be okay. "That's - that's impossible-" she stuttered against Bail's dampening tunic. "The Jedi would never - that makes no sense." The baby kicked against her liver. "Anakin…" she sobbed.
"He has gotten himself out of worse scrapes in the past," Bail tried to reassure her.
Please let him be alright. Please let him be alright. Please let him be alright. Gods, let him be alright. I need him to come back to me. I can't do this without him. Please let him be alright.
Padme tried to gain a grip on her spiralling emotions. What were those patterned breathing techniques she'd been reading about? Inhale through the nose. Exhale through the mouth. Relax a different part of the body each time. Yes, Padme, she told herself, rolling her shoulders. Just like that. Just keep breathing. She needed to be strong. Anakin would show up at this end of this like he always did, with that obnoxious cocky grin on his face. He would be fine. Everything would be fine. All she had to do was be ready to leave when he got here. She sniffled.
A plan started to form in her mind.
Good. She always did better when there was a plan…
If they were making a run for it, they would need credits, she reasoned. As many as possible and in different currencies. Some basic supplies would make things easier too. Food, plain clothing and some of her gowns - they could sell them for more credits if they needed to. Anakin might never forgive her if she left behind 3PO. And a few of her most cherished sentimental things. A small ivory statuette of the goddess of safety her mother had given her when she'd been elected queen, her japor necklace, the photo of their wedding in her bedside table, Anakin padawan braid. They would need some of the baby's things as well. There was no telling how long they'd be on the move.
Padme's heart clenched with fear and she let out another sob. It wasn't how any of this was supposed to go. She was supposed to have the baby on Naboo. She'd tell her parents about her pregnancy. Anakin would join her at Varykino when it was time, and they would set up the nursery in one of the north facing rooms. The ones so close to the lake you could feel the moist breeze coming off of it in the evenings.
But then Anakin had had those horrible nightmares. And now this. She was going to end up giving birth in some dingy medcenter in some unknown corner of the galaxy…
Embarrassed, she took a deep breath and pulled away. "I'm sorry," she said, steadying her voice. "It's been a long day."
"Don't mention it," Bail said kindly. "I'm glad I could-"
A loud BANG BANG BANG echoed in from inside the apartment.
IIIIIIIIIIIII
They traveled through a myriad of hallways and service corridors, clinging to shadows as much as possible to avoid detection. Thankfully the Clones had switched to patrol mode, moving in significantly smaller groups. What patrols they weren't able to sneak past, they managed to take care of quickly and quietly.
Anakin came to an abrupt stop where the hall they were in intersected the entrance to the Archives. Nell barely avoided colliding into his back and hovered behind him nervously.
He moved his head slowly out until he could see around the corner, scratching the back of his neck again harshly.
He cursed internally at what he saw. Two dozen clones patrolled the grand entrance. He recognized the designs on Ridge and Appo's helmets immediately among the group. He forced himself to forget it was the 501st he was fighting. That was another level of searing pain that he could not begin to handle. They've shown their hand, he reasoned with himself. Now I need to play mine…
The two of them together could take them out, he predicted recklessly. Nell wasn't half bad with a saber. If they stuck together that is. The Clones would try to separate them and pick them off individually. It was a maneuver Anakin had done with them a thousand times over. But if they stayed close together and pressed an attack, they could slice right down the center and take them out.
A flicker of movement from above caught his attention. He scowled.
On the balcony above where another dozen troopers. Why are there so many damned clones here? He wondered in frustration.
He slowly withdrew until he was out of sight again and silently gestured at Nell to follow him back down the hallway.
"Time for plan D," he muttered to himself darkly when they had retreated far enough not to be overheard.
After a moment of searching, he found a dull grey ventilation panel in the wall behind a broken fountain. That will do perfectly.
He made quick work of unscrewing the panel from the wall with the Force and leaned it up against the wall silently, before gesturing Nell into it.
The boy looked at him questioningly, but climbed up and squeezed in before disappearing. Anakin braced his hands and good leg on the sides of the panel before pulling himself in. He let out a small grunt when his blaster wound grazed the edge, but managed to make it in without his leg trying to give out again. A simple manipulation of the Force reattached the panel to the wall. He scratched the back of his neck again. The itch was getting worse.
Nell was waiting for him a few feet away at an intersection in the ducting. Anakin stepped past him, leading them quickly through the oversized ventilation shafts from memory. He had made this trek to the holocron vault with Obi-wan several years ago chasing after Cad Bane. He'd never thought he would actually be grateful for the slimy bounty hunter. His heart clenched at the thought of Obi-wan.
He had no way of knowing whether the Temple attack was an isolated attacked or a part of something much worse - please let it just be the Temple! - but he could only hope his master was alright. He couldn't imagine a galaxy without Obi-wan dry humor and all encompassing…
He floundered for a way to describe it. He'd been so jealous of his master growing up. Always so calm and in control of his emotions, but so very generous and kind and supportive.
He could use that support right about now. Focus! He admonished himself, shoving the grief back down. Focus on the mission.
They walked in silence, both of them lost in their own private pain.
At the next intersection, they shimmied up to the next floor before continuing on. After a few hundred feet, just as he had though, a sloped opening appeared below them that when back down to the main level of the Archives. They slid down delicately, so as not to make a sound.
Anakin breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the door locked by a high security keypad lock. He scratched the back of his neck again in frustration. It just would not go away.
After a few tense minutes of messing with wires (and consciously ignoring the itch on the back of his neck), he managed to short the keypad. It would set off an alarm in the Council Chamber console, but hopefully it would take someone a while to figure out what it meant. Hopefully.
The door hissed open quietly, revealing the glittering holocron room beyond.
It was a smaller room than he'd thought it would be, Anakin realized as he stepped down. He hadn't gotten a good look at it before. It wasn't much bigger than his quarters on the Resolute. The entire room was lined in seamless polished thin shelves sat in the center of the room, ladened with glittering holocrons of various shapes, sizes, and materials. It cast the room in a soft blue glow.
A glance behind him found Nell frozen in place, red eyes bright and awestruck. "Find something to carry all of these with," he said quietly, snapping the boy back to attention.
"Yes, Master." The boy stumbled out of the ventilation shaft and started digging through the cabinets inset in the walls.
He immediately went to the control panel to his right and typed in Obi-wan's most recent clearance code. Thank the stars he always forgets to cover the keypad when he types!
As far as he knew, this was the only terminal in the entire temple connected directly to the archival memory. He could hear the quiet hum of the hard drives running from inside the wall. It had been one of the first concerns when Bane had broken in. The Council had ordered a thorough review of the terminal's activity to make sure the bounty hunter hadn't tampered or deleted anything.
A glance behind him confirmed that Nell had found a worn satchel in one of the drawers and was starting to gently clear the shelves. They fell into the bag with delicate clinking noises. He turned back to the control panel.
It was then that the itch on the back of his neck turned into an icy cold burn. What in the blazes-
His eyes bulged. Kriff. Double Kriff. Triple Kriff.
The Force had been so clouded and tumultuous, he'd mistaken a dire warning for an itch. A rookie mistake. But now he knew.
Palpatine was here.
IIIIIIIIIIIII
"We're going to have to speed this up, kid," Anakin snapped, trying to control the panic in his voice. "We're about to have company!"
Nell eyes bulged in surprise and he nearly dropped the satchel of holocrons he was holding. "What?!" he sputtered in terror. "How'd the troopers know we're in here?"
"It's not the troopers I'm worried about," he muttered to himself, scanning quickly through the archival system protocols. "Stuff as many holocrons in that bag as you can and as soon as I'm done we're leaving."
"Yes, Master." Nell took a deep calming breath and went to work, grabbing holocrons by the fistful and stuffing them in the bag with shaky hands.
Anakin typed furiously at the control panel, writing hard wipe instructions into the system. The cold feeling of the dark side increased with every breath.
He wished Artoo was here with him.
After an agonizing eternity of typing and code writing (or was it only a few minutes?), he slammed the enter button to begin the wipe. The drives, just inside the wall whirred with activity.
He watched the terminal count down, somberly. All that knowledge, gone in a moment.
00110011 00110101 00100101 00100000 01100100 01100101 01101100 01100101 01110100 01100101 01100100 / -35% deleted
He almost wished he hadn't had a hand in it.
00110110 00110000 00100101 00100000 01100100 01100101 01101100 01100101 01110100 01100101 01100100 / -60% deleted
The cold feeling persisted.
Come on. Come on, come on, come on. Can't this thing go any faster.
00111000 00111000 00100101 00100000 01100100 01100101 01101100 01100101 01110100 01100101 01100100 / -88% deleted
From behind him, he heard Nell give out a shivery breath.
The terminal beeped unceremoniously.
01110111 01101001 01110000 01100101 00100000 01110011 01110101 01100011 01100011 01100101 01110011 01110011 01100110 01110101 01101100 / -Wipe successful
Anakin sighed with relief and double checked the memory. Satisfied, he speedily wound his way back through the protocols until he found the blinking line of text he was looking for:
/ - D
He selected it with a scowl. A red light at the top of the terminal screen signaled the beginning of the recording. He glared at it. "I'm done with being your plaything... You and I will meet again, Palpatine. And when we do, I will kill you for what you've done here-" he growled.
"Master," Nell spoke up tentatively, unaware that he was recording. "What about these red ones? I- I think they might be Sith holocrons," he added with a touch of wariness.
Anakin smirked vindictively into the camera. "Definitely grab the red ones."
/ - G
These cliffhangers are stressing me out, and I know what happens next!