Chapter 4 – Tensions Rising
DISCLAIMER: We do not own Star Wars or any of the characters in it, though we wish we did. xD
Author's Note: More fun time with Anakin and Ahsoka, and Anakin talks to some friends before Obi-Wan contacts them. :P
~ Amina Gila
"On the transport, you agreed to let me teach you some things I know," Anakin comments casually, looking over at Ahsoka. His mother had wanted to talk to Padme, leaving him and Ahsoka with time to themselves. "Would you want to do that now?"
"Sure," she replies. Despite her relaxed posture and tone, he can sense her nervousness in the Force. For whatever reasons, she's not entirely certain about agreeing, even though she's clearly curious. If he sticks to non-Dark Side techniques, she should warm up to him more.
He already decided what to teach her. He might consider the practice easy, but Dooku had assured him that many, if not most, Jedi cannot do it. "Great!" He tries to tone down the excitement in his voice – he really does – but he still thinks he sounds too eager. He doesn't know what to do with the feelings the thought of teaching her evokes in him. He's never felt anything even remotely similar before.
"I'm going to find a blaster," he tells her. "I know there's some around here." Turning, he strides from the room.
"A blaster?" she questions, sounding confused, rushing after him. "What would you be doing with a blaster?"
Anakin smirks. "I'm going to shoot it at you," he states matter-of-factly, amusement dancing in his eyes, when he feels her concern rocket. This is actually rather enjoyable. It helps him forget – if only for a short time – who he is.
"Why?" she demands.
Anakin hums quietly as he opens a weapons cabinet, snatching up a blaster, before closing the doors again. He motions for her to follow him back outside before he answers her question. "Well, Snips, I'm going to teach you how to deflect blaster bolts with your bare hands," he explains, grinning at the astounded look on her face.
"You can do that?" she questions.
"Try me." He tosses her the blaster before turning and walking twenty paces from her. "Shoot. At my head," he orders.
Hesitatingly, Ahsoka raises the blaster, leveling it at his head before pulling the trigger. He reacts instantly, right hand coming up as he draws the Force to shield. The blaster bolt is deflected harmlessly, sailing off to the side. He snorts when he sees Ahsoka's expression. "Did you really think I was asking you to kill me?"
"I thought you would duck," she admits, lowering the blaster. "That is so cool. How can you do that?"
With a single thought, he casually Force yanks the blaster to his hand, ignoring her startled jump. She still hasn't gotten used to the fact that he's trained and not a Jedi. Because I'm a Sith. "It will take you time to master the technique," Anakin warns, and Ahsoka nods silently. "Draw in the Force and shield your hand. You can sense the energy of the bolt, yes?"
She frowns. "I – yes, if I'm concentrating."
He turns the blaster away from them and fires it, holding up his left hand and catching the bolt mid-air. "Feel it, Ahsoka. Through the Force. That's how they all feel. You need to recognize it as acutely as danger through the Force."
"Oh!" she exclaims. "It feels like a concentrated ball of energy."
Anakin laughs softly. "Because it is," he agrees. "You can move it like anything else." He watches as she extends her hand, the Light Side flowing through her as she draws the bolt towards her. Anakin can feel her rising excitement and wonder at her ability to move it. He watches, arms crossed. "You can deflect it if you manipulate the Force just right," Anakin explains quietly so as not to distract her.
"Can you do it again?" she asks.
Anakin reaches out, drawing the bolt towards him and redirecting its motion before letting go. It sails towards him, and he reaches out, letting it bounce harmlessly off his hand. "Do you need me to do it again? I can try to do it slower."
"Um, sure," Ahsoka answers, brow furrowed as she tries to understand what it is that he's doing.
Anakin fires the blaster again, freezing the bolt mid-air and drawing it towards him once more. Instead of releasing it, he pulls it closer to him until it's only a few feet away. "Watch – and feel – carefully," he instructs. Stepping forwards, he slowly moves his hand forwards, drawing in the Force to shield himself as he puts it up to the frozen blaster bolt. It creates a mini explosion, sending a shockwave out through the Force.
A startled squeak of surprise escapes Ahsoka. "That was awesome!" she cries, giving him a look bordering on awe. "Can you do that again?" Awesome isn't exactly the word Anakin would have used. He doesn't typically show off much – Sidious won't stand for it – but Ahsoka's expression makes him pause before automatically saying no. If his master was here… but he's not, so it doesn't matter if Anakin has some fun. Sidious will never know.
He grins conspiratorially at her. "Let's do it better." He fires the blaster twice is rapid succession, catching the bolts before they get too far before directing them back to him. He uses the Force to coax them together and repeats what he did before. They're rewarded with another explosion, this one even bigger than previously.
"I think I know how you're doing it, Skyguy," she announces. "Can I try?"
He looks at her dubiously. "And if you're wrong, then you'll have a hole through your hand – something I wouldn't much want to explain to your master. He won't be happy, and he may not even approve. We need a different blaster, with a minimum stun setting," he informs her. "Stay here. I'll get one."
Ahsoka nods in agreement, so he turns and jogs back to the mansion. He knows exactly where to find a blaster like this: the training rooms down in the basement. He makes the trip as quick as he can; he doesn't want Ahsoka to start exploring for one, but he really doesn't want to spend even an extra moment down here either. There are too many bad memories associated with the area.
When he returns, his mother and Padme have shown up, probably drawn by the loud explosions. They're currently talking to Ahsoka, and she's animatedly explaining what they're trying to do. "Well, Snips, are you ready?" he calls as he strides up, practically bouncing with impatience. He's never been given the chance to teach anyone before, but he finds it exciting. "Just try not to zap anyone please."
"I'm ready," the Togruta answers confidently. "Shoot."
Anakin dips his head in acknowledgment, raising the blaster at her before firing. He's not surprised when it's not deflected, and her yelp of surprise indicates she was stung by it. He's not too concerned – Dooku used the same blaster on him, and the injuries aren't any worse than those from a basic level training droid.
"Again?" he asks, catching his mother's pinched expression. She dislikes watching any kind of Force training, and his mind drifts to what she's seen of his training. Electricity runs through his body as he fails, yet again, to master the concept. His master's voice angrily telling him that he's too willful to learn properly. He needs to be subdued. Again, he's electrocuted and left panting on the ground, trying to shake off the aftershocks.
He shakes away the memory as Ahsoka nods. He shoots at her again, and like before, she doesn't quite manage to deflect it. Unlike his mother, Padme seems to find the situation entertaining, if her curious, open expression is anything to go by. "Let's try something different," he tells Ahsoka, firing again, and using the Force to freeze the bolt. "Try now," he suggests.
The moment a gleam enters Ahsoka's eyes, he knows that she'll keep doing this until she has it mastered. She confidently walks towards the suspended bolt, raising her hand to touch it. The explosion takes longer than it did for him, and it's not nearly as loud, but he knows she's finally figured it out. "I have it," she declares. "Shoot at me again."
And he does. His delight is almost equal to hers when the bolt is deflected from her palm. "I did it!" she squeals exuberantly, bouncing over and throwing her arms around him, "Thank you for teaching me that, Skyguy!"
Anakin freezes in her grasp for a moment before chuckling quietly and embracing her. "You have a long way to go before you master the technique enough to use it in combat, but you've grasped the method behind it. It's progress." He feels a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment, sentiments which are so uncommon that it takes him a moment to recognize them.
"I always knew you were special, Ani," Padme declares proudly, stepping forward to kiss his cheek. "I'm honored to have you to protect me."
"Who wouldn't want to protect an angel?" he asks lightly, and she laughs softly.
"Was he always this strong?" Ahsoka queries, turning towards Padme and his mother. He nearly stops breathing for a moment before forcing himself to remain calm. If he gets uneasy, Ahsoka might sense it and become suspicious. That cannot happen.
"Yes," Padme answers instantly.
"They called me the Chosen One," Anakin interjects. And to Sidious, I am still the Sith'ari, his Chosen One. The Sith's Chosen One. "I am the most powerful Force sensitive in the galaxy."
"And you weren't trained?" Ahsoka's words reflect her shock at the admission.
"The Council did not want to train me," Anakin answers, drawing on his acting skills to keep his expression neutral. "But that has not stopped me from growing. I can feel my power, even if I have not even begun to reach my potential."
Ahsoka looks at him with wide eyes. "Oh," she breathes finally. "It makes sense now, why Master Obi-Wan was so upset. I can –" she hesitates. "I can feel you in the Force, like a beacon. It's incredible." He feels her nudging at him gently but doesn't react.
"I'm going to put this away," he says instead holding up the blaster. He doesn't want to talk about his power or abilities. It's far too risky. Turning, he walks away, knowing his mother will change the topic while he's gone.
Anakin successfully stows the blaster back in place, a nervous tension dancing under his skin. Normally, he would go practice with training droids, but since Ahsoka is here, he won't dare. He knows she'll sense him using the Dark Side, and his master wouldn't be happy. Gritting his teeth, he heads back to the courtyard to rejoin the others. He needs to do something. He hates being in the mansion; it holds far too many bad memories for him, but his hands are tied. He wishes that he wasn't staying here, but his master didn't give him a choice.
The beeping of his commlink pulls him out of his brooding. Glancing around to ensure he's alone, he answers it, and a hologram of Jango Fett appears. "Lord Vader," the bounty hunter greets him. "I have just left Kamino, and I am being pursued by a Jedi. I'm leading him to Geonosis as Count Dooku instructed."
"I will relay the message," Anakin informs him, relaxing marginally. It could have been worse. It could have been his master calling him, but it wasn't. "Are you alright?"
"I am," Jango replies. "Boba is with me. We're both alright."
Anakin breaths out a sigh of relief. "Good. I will contact Dooku immediately." He disconnects the call before entering Dooku's commlink frequency. He considers Jango a friend and doesn't want him to come to harm. The number of people he can call a friend is very low, and Anakin wants to protect those he does care for.
It doesn't take long before Dooku answers. "Yes, Anakin. What is it?"
"Jango just contacted me," he informs the Count. "He told me that he is leading a Jedi to Geonosis. Is there something you wanted me to do?"
Dooku is silent for a moment. "Actually yes," he answers. "I believe the Jedi is Obi-Wan Kenobi. When he arrives, he will be captured and likely scheduled for execution. I have no doubt that he will transmit a message to Ahsoka. She is with you still, correct?"
"Yes," Anakin confirms.
"Good. Sidious wants to show the galaxy that Dark Side users are not to be mistrusted," Dooku explains. "When you get Obi-Wan's call for help, I want you to discreetly convince Senator Amidala and Ahsoka to join you in rescuing him. All of you will be captured, and you must stage a rescue attempt in the execution arena. Can you do that?"
Anakin's lips twist into a bitter smile. "Do I have a choice?"
Dooku sighs lightly. "No. I don't suppose you do," he admits, a look of sympathy on his face. "Sidious is relying on us to get this to go as planned, so please do be careful."
"I will try," Anakin murmurs as he stares at the hologram of the closest figure he's ever had to a father – more like grandfather.
"May the Force be with you," Dooku tells him, a hint of fondness in his voice as he disconnects.
Anakin pinches his eyes closed and takes a steadying breath. How hard can this be? All he needs to do is act. He's good at that. Forcing himself not to dwell on the deception of Padme and Ahsoka of which he will be a part, he walks down the halls to find the others. What he really needs right now, is a good distraction, something to pass the time until he needs to act.
**w**
"– entire situation was quite tense, and I was honestly scared, but Anakin saved the whole planet. To Naboo, he was a true hero," Padme finishes.
Anakin sighs, rolling his eyes when she completes the story of how he'd accidently destroyed the Trade Federation ship during the blockade of Naboo. Really, he hadn't done anything that great. Not only had he disobeyed Qui-Gon's orders, but also, he'd nearly been killed. Only the Force had protected him during the space battle.
"Impressive," murmurs Ahsoka, giving Anakin an awe-filled look. Oh great. He does not need anyone to worship him as a hero. He is not a hero. He's far from it. He bites his lip and holds his tongue. As long as they're both entertained, he'll suffer through as many battle stories as Padme wants to tell.
She's just about to begin another story, when Artoo rolls up whistling frantically. "What is it, Artoo?" Anakin asks, tipping his head to the side to look at the droid.
Instead of answering, Artoo projects a holorecording in front of them. "Ahsoka, my long-range transmitter has been knocked out," Obi-Wan's figure declares. "Retransmit this message to Coruscant." He pauses for a moment before continuing, "I have tracked the bounty hunter Jango Fett to the droid foundries of Geonosis. The Trade Federation is to take delivery of a droid army here, and it is clear that Viceroy Gunray is behind the assassination attempts on Senator Amidala."
Padme glances over at Anakin, a knowing look on her face despite her obvious concern. Anakin knows that the Trade Federation has a long-standing grudge against her because of her defiance to them ten years prior, and clearly, his master is using that to his advantage. "The Commerce Guild and Corporate Alliance have pledged their armies to Count Dooku and are forming an –" The Jedi pauses, glancing over his shoulder, alarm evident in his movements.
"Wait!" he exclaims, igniting his lightsaber. "Wait!" Before he can keep talking, blasterfire enters the recording, and Obi-Wan backs away deflecting it. Droidekas enter, shooting at him as the holorecording fades into static.
Anakin isn't surprised by the rush of agitation he feels from Ahsoka. "We have to go after him!" she cries, jumping to her feet.
"I thought the first thing he said was to retransmit his message to Coruscant," Padme interjects soothingly as she looks at Ahsoka.
"You're right," the Togruta mutters, sinking back to her seat.
Anakin leans forward. "Artoo, transmit the message to the Jedi Council," he instructs. Now that Obi-Wan has presumably been successfully captured, it is time for him to act. The droid whistles in acknowledgement, whirring softly as it zooms away to comply. It will have to connect to the long-range transmitters in Padme's ship.
"We should follow and see if we receive any instructions," Padme suggests, rising.
"Come." Anakin beckons to Ahsoka as he stands up next to Padme, taking ahold of her arm. He walks towards the ship at a brisk pace. He has a mission he needs to accomplish, and he won't be comfortable until its complete.
When they arrived in the cockpit, Artoo has just finished transmitting the message, and a hologram of a Jedi Master is waiting for them. "Master Windu," Ahsoka greets him, bowing respectfully, and it takes all of Anakin's willpower to keep his face neutral.
"We will deal with Count Dooku," Windu tells her without preamble. "The most important thing for you, Ahsoka, is to stay where you are. Protect the Senator at all costs. That is your priority." Anakin clenches his jaw at the harshness of the words. He thinks he remembers the Jedi; it was one of the ones who looked at him like he was still a slave, loftily declaring him too old.
"Understood, Master," she replies quietly, looking down. Anakin can sense her unhappiness with the order, and it sends a new round of anger coursing through him. Windu has no right to talk to Ahsoka like that, and now, he wants to go to Geonosis simply to defy him.
The hologram disappears as the connection is ended. Padme huffs quietly and looks down at the control panel of the ship, pressing a few buttons. "What are you doing?" Anakin queries, raising an eyebrow.
"They'll never get there in time to save him. They have to come halfway across the galaxy," she replies, flipping a switch which fires up the engine.
"If he's still alive," Anakin mutters, before glancing over at Ahsoka.
"I don't think we should do this," she worries. "You heard Master Windu. He gave me strict orders to stay here."
Padme's lips quirk into a smile. "He gave you strict orders to protect me," she corrects, and Anakin grins at her. This is one of the reasons why he loves her so much. She's independent and will do anything she sets her mind to. It makes her a force to be reckoned with in the Senate, though it's also earned her a lot of enemies, something he's not particularly fond of. If someone wants to hurt Padme, they'll have to go through him first.
"I'm going to save Obi-Wan," Padme states with determination. "If you plan to protect me, you'll have to come."
Ahsoka sighs, but her expression brightens. "I'll come," she agrees.
"Me too, but first, I'm going to tell my mother we're leaving," Anakin tells them. "I'll be right back." He walks out of the cockpit and down the ramp, breaking into a run once he's further away and out of sight.
"Mom, we're leaving," he calls when he sees her in the garden where he'd left her.
She looks up at him with a sad smile. "I knew you would be," she answers. "You can never stay long."
He breaths out slowly. "I know. I wish I could be with you more," he murmurs, stepping closer and pulling her into a hug.
She wraps her arms around him. "Someday, things will be different," she assures him, the same thing she's said for years. The words are spoken more as a hope, than as something she actually believes will happen. Anakin stopped believing them years ago.
"I'll come back here as soon as I can," Anakin promises.
"Of course, you will," his mother replies, smiling fondly at him. "Go now. Don't keep Padme and Ahsoka waiting." He nods before hurrying back to the ship, mind whirling. When he gets to Geonosis, he knows they'll eventually be attacked, and he cannot afford to accidently use the Dark Side – or his concealed lightsaber – to defend them. He'll just have to trust that Padme – and Ahsoka – won't be injured.
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