Ch8
It was dark in the room Anakin had been assigned. The entirety of the room was a mix of black and a deep metallic grey, the floors a standard imperial black. The room itself was not overly large but it had a small fresher and a small viewport, which took up only some of the wall, and could be opened or shuttered with a screen which could be raised to make the walls all look identical within. While not being large it did however allow Anakin far more space than some of the standard Imperial units were relegated. But Anakin was too young, too tired and too indifferent to notice. Upon being shown to his quarters he'd been left to his own devices. Tired from the days and the entire journeys events he had drifted off to sleep almost immediately.
When Anakin awoke it was somewhere in the middle of the night, and he felt awful. His stomach felt like he'd had eaten rocks. He hadn't had a stomach ache that was this bad in a long long time. He tried shifting his position but that didn't help. In fact it only seemed to make the stomach ache worse, and it felt like the stones were just being moved around in his gut. At length he sat up hunching over and hugging his stomach. He really should have listened and not eaten all that food. He'd been hungry so he hadn't thought much about it and had just eaten as much food as he could. But thinking back maybe that hadn't been the best idea. He wondered if he should maybe go to the med ward but he didn't even know where that was and on Tatooine the med ward was a last resort. Things like stomach aches were treated with some natural herbs and stuff or just waited out. But still even if he had to wait it out he felt miserable, he wishes his mom were here. He sat like this for what seemed like a long time, but it could have really been minutes or a half hour before the door hissed open in release and then in closure.
"Anakin?" He sat up straight even at the protest of his stomach turning to see two crimson eyes glow in the pitch black.
"Commander Thrawn?" It was strange to the Chiss to hear the child address him by formal title, more so because he realized that the child had never addressed him by his name or any name since that one conversation on how he was properly to address him.
"The Lord Vader thought you might need assistance, perhaps a trip to the medbay?"
"Because the force told him?" Anakin wasn't sure exactly how the force worked yet but he was starting to get some idea. And even though it was dark Anakin could almost imagine the impassive expression on Thrawn's face when he sighed. "Something along those lines, yes. Although in theory it is somewhat more complicated than that."
"Well I'm fine see?" Honestly Anakin wasn't sure whether he wanted to go to the medbay. As wizard as the ship was he rather liked finally have some space all to himself, and was rather reluctant to leave it. It was only a stomach ache after all, he'd hadn't visited Tatooine's med ward when he'd had worse.
He could hear Thrawn walking about the room and the light in the fresher was turned on. As his eyes adjusted to change in lighting Anakin was puzzled at the man's somewhat disheveled hair, it was almost as if the man had been sleeping before he'd come rushing here. Maybe because Vader told him too, but still, it reminded him a lot of how mom stayed up with him when he was sick.
"You don't look fine, a stomach ache no doubt."
"Did he tell you that too?" Thrawn chuckled.
"Not at all, I can tell just by looking at you. Believe it or not you are neither the first nor the last to exhibit such signs; Fel can attest to you of that, he's had plenty of cadets to look after. Though if you don't wish to visit the med bay, throwing up could help."
That wasn't such a bad idea. Though after the first few attempts it was clear that he was having a hard time throwing up. Thrawn sighed and after running a hand through his hair, which did little to smooth it down, offered Anakin a tablet which after several seconds had him hurling what he could only describe as his guts out. He felt significantly better after that and after cleaning up sat cross legged on his bed with a cup of water taking small sips from it. Thrawn for his part pulled up a chair to Anakin's bedside and sat on it with his arms folded and legs crossed observing Anakin. "I assume you will be able to fall asleep now."
"I guess…" He fiddled with the cup. "I…" He wanted to say he missed his mother, but at the same time, he had to be brave, he had to be strong, so he could save everybody. The line of reasoning in missing his mother had been highly prevalent ever since he'd parted with her, but he knew that he wouldn't be able to see her for a long long time. So he settled for something else he'd been thinking. "I guess I'm glad Vader actually cares."
"It's Lord Vader, Anakin, I suggest you remember, it. As you remember that everything is not as simple as it seems." With that Thrawn rose to leave. Anakin thought about asking him for a story, but he was too tired for one and he did feel a little bad that Vader had dragged Thrawn from sleeping. "Goodnight."
"Sleep well." The door sealed behind the Commander and Anakin was left to his own thoughts in the darkness.
-0-0-0-
Faded blaring music and distant flashing lights assailed Padme as she entered the Cantina from a near pitch black and silent darkness of the night. As she made her way towards the tables the music and lights grew louder and brighter. Hidden behind a hood her eyes scanned the various tables and the patrons. The Cantina was split into two sections, the inner level or the semi walled off dance floor which currently had several tables scattered about, and the outer level, a thick band that ran around the center of the room. Pushed to the immediate right of the entrance and toward the back to the left were large bars with various assortments of drinks and beverages able to cater to almost every known species.
Making her way to the second to last table in the corner of the dance floor Padme slipped discreetly into a seat allowing her eyes to roam the room around her. It was nearing the eleventh hour and the drinks were already in full swing. As far as bars went this one was decently average. It was on a nondescript world in the mid rims, with minimal imperial oversight if only because it was so strategically out of the way and payed its annual fees to the Empire faithfully. She'd been skeptical about the tip she'd received at first, especially since the payout for the information would be quite substantial, however she really had little else to go on. Jedi were still being hunted yes, but the Empire seemed quite secure in the fact that no Jedi would be coming to challenge their might anytime soon.
Looking at the clusters of small crowds gathered around various tables in various stages of drinking and business dealings her eyes suddenly caught the movement of a slim figure which was weaving its way swiftly and seemingly inconspicuously to her location. When the bounty hunter or smuggler, she wasn't sure specifically which yet took a seat she was quick to notice that the beings body type resembled a changeling, though it could have been a choice between several other species since the lower half of the face was obscured by a mask of cloth and a round and long hat obscured the top half of the face. However even the possibility of the informant being a changeling was still slightly unsettling as it only served to remind her of her own near assassination through one. While observing the quarry Padme was herself being observed. The informant at length waved a hand at one of the serving droids and ordered the both of them Corellian Edges.
They waited in near silence until the drinks were brought. After the both of them took several polite sips however Padme broke the silence. She was close and she wanted to know if she'd finally found at least some small piece of who she was looking for.
"I've been told you collect valuable information." The smuggler gave a curt incline of his head. "I do indeed. However, I want to ensure you will fulfill your end of the deal."
"I have a wire ready to transmit credits into your account once I'm off the planet, and the other sum is here… in credits." Padme said before pulling out a stack of standard imperial currency and placing it on her end of the table before leaning slightly forward both hands on with end of the table. "But you'd better be giving me something worth the 5000 credits down payment I have right here."
The smuggler scoffed. "I didn't get this far in my career by wasting my client's time of that you can be assured." Reaching into a fold of his jacket the smuggler retrieved a holo and passed it to Padme. She hastily turned it on while shielding it with a part of her cloak. She observed the scene played out before her. Obi Wan Kenobi was being dragged down the bloodied floors and corridors of the temple by two Stormtroopers. Her eyes widened at the date of the recoding before she returned to watch the scene put together from different cameras that had littered the temple, each showing as Obi Wan was unceremoniously dragged through the Jedi temples front doors and thrown into the back of a shuttle.
She wanted very badly to say something, anything on what she'd seen but she was afraid of losing her composure. The smuggler upon seeing her reaction had cleared his throat. "I trust the information is sufficient."
"Yes, very." Padme scrambled from her seat pushing the credits hastily towards the smuggler. Her eyes bore down at him, "You tell no one of what you gave me, the rest of the money will be wired to you shortly." The smuggler clearly unfazed or perhaps used to such reactions over his provided information merely nodded over his drink as Padme turned towards the exit and made her way all the way back to her ship as quickly as she could do so without calling attention to herself.
-0-0-0-
En route back to Naboo Padme paced before the holo terminal aboard her freighter. "This, this changes everything! We were so busy looking for Obi Wan out in the galaxy when we should have been looking for him within the Empires prisons!"
Bail Organa, looking even more haggard than was usual only gave a shake of his head. "Padme, even if we wanted to, even if we had the manpower or force even used several someone's on the inside, the probability of Obi Wan even being alive is slim at best. It's been four years Padme, no one could survive the Empire for that long, not even a Jedi."
"Please Bail, we have to try!" Padme turned on her heel and paced in the opposite direction she had just been pacing at. Her hands were clenched and Bail could see how visibly frightened and nervous she was. "What if he's still alive? What if…what if he's there waiting for us, waiting for someone! We can't just leave him! I've asked one of my handmaidens to start looking into it discreetly but I don't have your reach. Please Bail we could be his only hope!"
Bail folded his arms across himself. He looked like he'd been through the wringer, Padme thought. No doubt the imperials garrisoned on Alderaan and the threats of the Empire were taking their toll. "Alright…I'll see what I can do…"
"Thank you." Bail raised his hand in a stalling motion. "No need Padme, I've been so busy keeping Alderaan safe I've nearly forgotten what it is the Republic stands for. I will keep you posted as I can. In the meanwhile I suggest a detour; Vader is visiting the Naboo system soon or so the word goes."
"I will, may the force be with you." Bail Organa smiled at her genuinely for the first time in what seemed like ages. The gesture only underlined his worry lines and as he disconnected Padme felt more alone then she'd had in a long long time.
Obi Wan, how was he? Was he even alive? She'd been searching for him for so long, trying to find a clue, anything, that could lead her to other Jedi who had gone into hiding. But to find out that he may have been in the Empire's clutches all this time? It was almost too much to bear. Without even realizing tears had begun prickling in her eyes aas images of a young Jedi knight being tortured by the Empire were drawn up in her vivid imagination.
"Oh mistress Padme!" C-3PO had heard Padme's sob and had rushed in only to see his mistress sitting on one of the spacer couches crying into her hands. "Oh my!" He wasn't quite sure what to do; he was made for human relations and diplomacy not humans in distress. "There there mistress Padme, it will be alright. We will find this Obi Wan, I'm sure we will. In the meanwhile I will whip you up some warm bantha milk." The droid bustled off and Padme wiped away at her tears. "Thanks 3PO." She rose and made her way to the navcomputer, she'd take a detour alright. Hopefully, she'd find something useful to help her find her old friend.
-0-0-0-
The alien was back again. The one with the flaming red eyes and deep blue skin. His presence had become almost a relief to Obi Wan, indicating a respite, however brief from the never ending torture.
"You won't last much longer…even I can see that."
"Then I will die willingly." He clenched his teeth against another wave of twitches that wracked through his body from the lightning it had been subjected to. His back against the wall of his prison, located aboard an unknown star destroyer.
The Chiss sighed, turning his chair to face the cell, a wall of shimmering orange static separating them, and leaned forward his hands pressed upwards before himself. "Do you know why I serve the Empire Kenobi?"
"No idea, but you're not like the other handlers. He probably has your family hostage if I had to take a guess." He hadn't been able to use the force in a quite some time and the Chiss was too soft for an Imperial in his opinion for it to be anything else. The thought that he was there to make him trust him as the only handler who didn't torture him had crossed his mind, but it made little sense for the Emperor to want him to trust an alien when the Empire was well known for its general dislike of them.
The Chiss sighed. "Not quite..."
"Well enlighten me then."
"Gladly, as so little of the Empire actually cares about the impending threat to our galaxy. And that is what the Jedi are for isn't it? Protecting the galaxy."
"Make your point." He growled, he was exhausted, in pain and he was this close to just letting go his tenacious will releasing his hold on caring of what little he did about life.
"Fair enough, I will be concise then. I come from the unknown regions, a contingent of space outside the current outer rim as you know it. The unknown region is just as unsafe as the galaxy at large. There are slavers, whose identity I will not delve deeply into, but who are an alien species known as the Vagaari and make themselves a nuisance. There are other threats out there but he most prevalent is the threat of a species known as the Vong. The Yuuzhan Vong or the far outsiders as we call them are planning to launch a full scale invasion against the galaxy. This will not happen now but in the far perhaps near future. They are vicious creatures, they take prisoners to experiment and sacrifice them. They are cold and ruthless and care only about pain and death. They will come and when they do if the galaxy is not united it will fall. I am here to that end. I am here because no one believes me save a select few. I am here because it is my people that are a shield to yours, it is my people that will perish first and it is my people who have the least chance of survival let alone the galaxy. And I am willing to give up everything that I love and everything that I hold dear for this." Throughout the speech the alien's eyes had narrowed, his tone gained an intensity, a fervor it had not held before, and the man almost seemed more than the handler he had made himself out to be.
But if what he had said was true, if what he had said was the reason for his joining the Empire... "The Emperor knows?"
"Yes, he is one of the few that believed me." There was a stark silence after this revelation. He did not want to turn, would never let go willingly, but if the galaxy was in danger if there truly was proof that these creatures had the manpower to destroy the galaxy… Before he would not have believed it…Before the fall of the Jedi order…But he had thought the order would never fall…had truly believed it…believed in it…but it had fallen…he could not afford to not be prepared next time, if there even would be a next time.
He was so lost, what should he do? He couldn't fall…but to let the galaxy fall? "I believe you." He said at length and what seemed to be a contemplative frown on the Chiss's face eased into a smile. "But I will not fall…"
The Chiss's eyes narrowed smile falling. "No, not willingly..."
"Nothing the Emperor throws at me will make it so. And because his previous handler had tried to make it so he growled. "I am not afraid of him!"
The Chiss's eyes only narrowed once more a troubled look on his face. "You will be…oh you will be…"
Wow so that last part was a bit spontaneous because I didn't want to start with Anakin's training at the end. But it was something that needed to be discussed so it was. As always leave a review and hope you enjoyed. And again do forgive grammar mistakes etc.
Oh and by the way that last line is a reference to Yoda and Luke when Luke tells Yoda he isn't afraid of the dark side. Anyone catch it?
Shout out to the guest/guests who left reviews thanks guys!
