Chapter 1 – The Years Gone By
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~ Amina Gila
Anakin stares stonily out the window making sure his displeasure is known. He doesn't want Jedi anywhere near Padme. He can protect her just fine. It's too bad that the Jedi disagree, but that's just how they are. Always sticking their noses where they don't belong, uncaring for who they harm. Selfish. He doesn't know how the Senate can even tolerate them.
The sound of the opening turbolift doors draws his mind back to the present, and he stands impassively as Jar Jar Binks, the Gungan representative from Naboo, welcomes the two Jedi. He can feel their Force signatures radiating light all around him, and a dark part of his mind viciously wonders how long he could torture them before they'll break. He could do it. He wants to do it sometime if his master will let him.
That's the moment that Jar Jar enters the room. "Lookie! Lookie, Senator!" he exclaims cheerfully. "Desa Jedi arriven." Only years of practice keep his expression neutral. He turns with Padme, following her at a distance as she approaches the pair. Captain Typho, the head of security, falls in step beside him, and Dorme, Padme's handmaid, rises from her seat.
He quickly scans them. The leader is a Tholothian female, and he knows he recognizes her. She's on the Council. Gallia. That's right. Her name is Adi Gallia. The second is a human who he can't quite place. The man's hair and beard are ginger, and his blue grey eyes seem familiar for some reason. It takes a moment before it dawns on him that it's Obi-Wan Kenobi. He hasn't seen him since Naboo ten years ago. How time changes things.
The two Jedi bow. "It's a great pleasure to see you again, M'Lady," Obi-Wan greets Padme, "This is Master Gallia, who will be helping me protect you." His Coruscanti accent is just how Anakin remembers it. A bitter smile twists up his lips. Years ago, he would have been thrilled, but now, he just doesn't care. It's too late for him.
"It has been far too long, Master Kenobi. I'm so glad our paths have crossed again, but I must warn you that I think your presence here is unnecessary," Padme says to him. Anakin can feel her joy in the Force, feeling a knot of resentment twist at him. She shouldn't have Jedi friends. She's so much better than the Jedi could ever hope to be. She's – she's an angel, not a hypocrite.
His shields are strong, so no one can pick up even the slightest feeling of discomfort. He continually projects a front of relief and happiness, emotions so different from how he really feels. "It is a pleasure to meet you, Master Gallia," Padme tells her politely, a smile – her politician's smile – on her face.
"And you as well, Senator," the Jedi replies. "The Council has its reasons for assigning us to protect you." Yes. Of course, it does. Anakin refuses to show a reaction, but he can't bring himself to eliminate the tension in his body.
There's a heartbeat of silence, and Anakin steps closer to Padme. She glances at him, and an unspoken communication passes between them. She smiles gently at him, before focusing on the Jedi again. "This is my fiancé, Anakin Skywalker," she continues. "He is the adopted son of the Chancellor."
Anakin catches a flicker in Obi-Wan's eyes he wouldn't have seen if he hadn't been looking right at him. He inclines his head but doesn't speak. He doesn't want to pretend to be courteous to Jedi. Not when he'd rather run them through with his lightsaber. The thought of the shock on Master Gallia's face if he stabbed her in the back gives him a savage pleasure which he reveals in. Silently, he reaches out and takes Padme's arm to escort her back to the couch.
"It is good to see you again, Anakin," Obi-Wan murmurs, his voice completely sincere. Anakin still wants to punch him. He's just as guilty as the rest of the Jedi for his current predicament. Instead, he nods stiffly, keeping his focus on Padme.
Padme turns towards the seating area, the others following her. Anakin sits on one side with Dorme on the other. The two Jedi sit across from them. Captain Typho takes up his position behind them. "Our presence will be invisible, M'Lady," Obi-Wan assures her.
"I am very grateful you are here, Master Jedi," Captain Typho interjects. "The situation is more dangerous than the Senator will admit." Anakin doesn't blink, but he's inwardly seething. He knows Padme isn't in danger. His master had already explained the situation, and he simply needs to ensure that Padme leaves Coruscant so someone else doesn't try to kill her.
Padme glares. "I don't need more security. I need answers. I want to know who is trying to kill me." She gives the Jedi an expectant look.
"We're here to protect you, Senator, not to start an investigation," Obi-Wan explains.
Anakin narrows his eyes at him. "Padme has enough protection," he interjects firmly, noting how all eyes swing towards him at his commanding tone. "She needs you to find out who is trying to kill her."
"The Council has not instructed us to take such actions," Gallia replies firmly. "We will not be exceeding our mandate."
This time, he can't stop the sneer. "Why else do you think you were assigned to her, if not to find the killer?" he demands, blue eyes flashing dangerously. "Protection is a job for local security. Or me. Not Jedi. An investigation is implied, otherwise you wouldn't be here!"
"Ani," whispers Padme, giving him a warning look, "Getting upset won't help." She rests a placating hand on his arm, and he relaxes into her touch. She is right. As much as he hates the Jedi, he cannot overreact this much. His master will be furious if he makes a mistake.
He's not angry enough to miss the uneasy glances the Jedi exchange. Good. They should be afraid of him. "We will do as the Council has instructed," Gallia replies with as much dignity as she can muster. She meets his gaze fearlessly.
"Perhaps with merely your presence, the mysteries surrounding this threat will be revealed," suggests Padme, obviously trying to mollify Anakin and prevent another outburst. He clenches his jaw. He needs to be careful. His master has finally trusted him with this important mission, and he cannot mess things up or he – or worse, his mother – will pay the consequences. "Now if you will excuse me, I will retire," Padme adds after a moment.
She rises, and the others follow her example. The two Jedi bow to her as she turns to leave the room along with him and Dorme. Behind him, he can hear Captain Typho talking to the Jedi and assuring him that the place has been secured to the best of his ability.
"If the Jedi won't try to uncover the person behind these assassination attempts, then I'll do something myself," Padme states determinedly after the door to her bedroom closes.
Anakin sighs, sinking down onto a chair. "I'll help you, Angel."
"Are you sure that is wise, M'Lady?" worries Dorme. "You could be seriously injured like Corde was." Anakin glances her direction but keeps his focus on Padme even as his mind flits back to the events earlier that morning. When Padme and her retinue had arrived, an explosive had blown up the ship. Only the Force's warning had been enough for him to push Corde to the side, saving her life, though she was badly injured.
"I'll be fine," Padme soothes her, "Ani is here to protect me."
"What do you want to do?" he queries, finally beginning to calm down. The tension slowly fades from his body as he relaxes.
A familiar glint enters her eyes. "I'll be the bait, of course," she answers. "You can program Artoo to warn if there's an intruder, and I'll go to bed like nothing is wrong." Anakin's gaze flicks towards the astromech droid sitting innocently in the corner and lets out a breath. He knows that no harm will come to Padme. His master promised and explained why she can't die when he was doubtful.
"I don't like it," he states firmly rising, "But I'll do it, because I know that you would do it anyway even without my approval."
She chuckles quietly. "You're right," she shamelessly agrees. He can feel her approval as he approaches Artoo and crouches in front of him, pushing a few buttons and giving the droid its instructions.
"This is not a good idea, M'Lady," warns Dorme, biting her lower lip nervously. "You could be seriously injured."
Padme scoffs slightly. "I'm not deciding this lightly," she answers gently. "I have complete faith in Anakin's ability to protect me. Besides, I now have Jedi bodyguards as well. They were assigned to protect me they said. So, let them do it."
Anakin shifts, glancing around the room and discreetly casting out with the Force to scan for danger. He learned the technique to mask his use of the Force, permitting him to use it in small amounts without alerting the Jedi to his Force sensitivity or training. Unfortunately, that will not work here, since both Jedi already know how strong he is. He presses his lips together, looking towards Padme again.
"I will go inform the Jedi of your decision," he tells her brusquely. "I also covered the cameras. I don't want them to be spying on you in your bedroom." He gives her a meaningful look. "If their senses are any good, you will not come to harm."
She reaches out, catching his arm before he can leave, pulling him into her arms and resting her head on his shoulder. He melts into her embrace, holding her tightly against himself. He loves her so much. Far more than he ever thought possible. He doesn't know what he'd ever do if she were hurt or stopped loving him. "I love you, Ani," she murmurs, fingers running soothingly on his back. "Be careful."
"I love you too, Angel," he whispers, lips brushing her forehead before he steps back, bowing to her before he slips from the room, letting Dorme help her prepare for bed. He goes in search of the Jedi, letting the Force guide him to them.
**w**
Something is wrong. Obi-Wan can feel the wrongness humming in the Force all around him, but he can't place what exactly it is. He closes his eyes, reaching out to pinpoint the disturbance, but it continues to elude him. "You feel it too, do you not?" Master Gallia's voice breaks though the light trance, and he opens his eyes.
"Yes," he agrees. "I do, but I do not know what it is that is wrong."
She regards him quietly, her scrutiny making him shift uncomfortably. "It centers around the Chancellor's son," she admits. "I have felt him in the Force. Something is wrong."
Obi-Wan feels the dull surge of worry hammering at him. It's about Anakin. Of course, it's about Anakin. Seeing him again was a shock, filling him with bittersweet emotions when he saw the young man he's grown into. He would have made a fine Jedi. Obi-Wan is certain of it, despite the Council's beliefs to the contrary. This is something he can neither rationalize, nor accept.
Seeing Anakin again reminds him of the weak Force link which had been created between them. Tentatively, he reaches out probing at it. He immediately runs into a stone wall. It's almost as though Anakin has shields which are so strong not even his emotions can leak through. But how? He was never trained. Of that, Obi-Wan is certain. An uneasy feeling twists deep inside him, the pervading feeling of wrongness growing exponentially.
"Do you know what it is?" Obi-Wan queries mildly, keeping a firm reign on his emotions. He doesn't want the Jedi Master to have any inkling as to his inner conflict.
She hesitates and seems to be considering whether or not she should tell him. Finally, she relents. "Do you remember the recent death of the Jedi Knight Nahdar Vebb, Master Fisto's former Padawan?"
Obi-Wan frowns, searching his memory before finally nodding. It happened several months prior, and there were hushed rumors all throughout the Temple. Bant had told him about some of them, but he hadn't paid it any heed. He gives Gallia a questioning look.
"He was killed by a Sith," she murmurs, glancing around before stepping closer to him. "The Council does not yet know who did it, but they believe it to be the new apprentice of Maul's master. This is true for the many other Jedi who have been mysteriously murdered over the past couple years."
He looks at her in confusion. "I do not understand, Master Gallia. What does this have to do with the wrongness we are now feeling?"
Her lips thin. "On two occasions, the assassin was seen and described to us. I believe it may match that of Anakin Skywalker."
"What?" hisses Obi-Wan. "That's not even possible! The boy was never trained on your command!" There is simply no way that Anakin could do something like that. He's not a cold-blooded murderer. He's not!
Gallia simply shakes her head slowly. "I hope you are right, but the fact remains, he is capable of shielding. I am sure you yourself have felt it. His Force signature no longer is as untamed as it was the last time he was at the Temple, though Master Yoda would have to confirm that. You spent some time with him. Did you notice anything amiss?"
Yes. He noticed that Anakin seems to have formed impenetrable shielding around their weak Force bond, but he knows that telling her will only further cement proof in her mind that Anakin is guilty. "I would have to spend more time with him," he replies finally, knowing that he's completely evading the question, but something in him revolts at the thought of letting Anakin be accused, even if he is guilty.
He hardly knows him, but he feels as though they've known one another forever. It's as though… they belong together. Like the voice said in his vision so many years ago. It's clear that Gallia knows he's dodging the question from her narrowed eyes, but thankfully, she doesn't push. He avoids her eyes, instead pulling out a scanner he received from Captain Typho to monitor the cameras.
He frowns upon realizing that he can only see part of the Senator's bedroom. "What's wrong?" questions Gallia.
"Something is wrong with the camera," Obi-Wan answers, concern filling him. "I should go see if everything is alright in there or what's going on." He turns walking into the hallway.
"Everything is fine." Anakin steps in front of him, jaw set. His blue eyes are narrowed in an almost threatening manner. Obi-Wan nearly jumps, uncertain how he managed to sneak up on him. Did he overhear the conversation? Obi-Wan hopes not. He doesn't want to upset him. For some reason, he feels that would be very bad.
"She covered the camera," Anakin says by way of explanation. His expression is practically screaming, "too bad. There's nothing you can do if you don't like it."
Obi-Wan frowns. "What is she thinking?"
"I programmed Artoo to warn us is there's an intruder," Anakin answers, brushing past him and into the main sitting area.
Obi-Wan swallows. Hard. Being so close to Anakin, he can feel that the young man's Force signature is being carefully controlled. He knows there's a technique to shield and project falsely, but he doesn't know how to do it. Somehow, he has the feeling that Anakin is intentionally projecting the impression that he's as carefree as he was when a child. He knows that is far from the truth.
"It's not an intruder I'm worried about," Obi-Wan adds following him. "There are many other ways to kill a Senator."
"Then I guess you'll have to show how good you Jedi are," he replies, completely unruffled. If anything, he seems smug. "You refused to try and find her killer, so we took actions of our own."
"You are using her as bait?" demands Gallia in shock.
Anakin gives her a flat look. "No harm will come to her," he answers. "Not if you Jedi are as good as you pretend to be." Again, Obi-Wan gets the sinking impression that Anakin is hiding something. Something huge. Whenever he talks about the Jedi, it's as though he's trying to conceal an emotion – distain, perhaps.
"It's too risky," frets Obi-Wan.
Anakin raises an eyebrow. "I suppose you are overstating your ability to protect," he muses. "What, then, are you doing here? You are perfectly free to leave. The door is that way. I'm sure you can find your way out." He turns his back on them, stepping over to the window and looking out. Though the gesture is probably supposed to appear casual, Obi-Wan can see the tension in the young man's shoulders.
He takes a step back in surprise at the obvious, barely concealed dislike. Does he hate certain Jedi – him – in particular, or is it all the Jedi, in general? He's inclined to believe the latter. More and more, it's beginning to seem as though Gallia's suspicions are correct, though he knows that hatred does not, by any means, lead to outright murder. Only for a Sith. And Anakin cannot be a Sith. It would be wrong. A crime against the Force itself.
Obi-Wan had always known that Anakin would attract dark siders who would want his power, but he'd hoped desperately that the Council had at least ensured the chances were negligible. Now, he's beginning to think he should have done something else himself to protect the boy. Looking at Anakin, he can see how much he's grown, and he hates that he was forced to miss it all. He shouldn't care so deeply for him. He shouldn't, but he does, and he can't find it in himself to care.
"We are here because the Chancellor wanted us to protect the Senator," Gallia answers stiffly. Obi-Wan can almost see the wariness in her eyes. "I am sure that you want her safety as much as he does."
If anything, the tension in the young man's body only seems to increase. He huffs quietly but doesn't bother replying. Obi-Wan shifts, finally moving to sit on the couch. They'll be here all night, and he'd rather not stand there watching Anakin like he might try to kill them if they so much as move wrong. He refuses to distrust Anakin in that way, and he hopes – however foolishly – that he'll get a chance to know him better as a result of this mission.
As he looks at Anakin's back, he gets the sudden impression of looking at a warrior. With his shoulder length blonde hair and posture, Anakin looks nothing like the nineteen-year-old he really is. He's hardly a man, really, but somehow, Obi-Wan gets the feeling that Anakin's more mature in some ways than many of the Jedi Knights he knows. He shakes his head, pushing the thoughts away. If everything goes as planned, maybe he'll get a better read on Anakin in the near future. After all, he'll be protecting the Senator until the killer is found, and Anakin will, no doubt, be constantly hovering in the background.
Final Note: The next chapter will be released once Trial of the Times is complete. :)