Chapter Nine: Getting into the Throne Room

The trio hurried to the outside of the Palace with Rex and Commander Cody following behind. Ahsoka glanced up at the battle droid guarded entrance.

"What the plan Master?" she whispered. Anakin's face was expressionless. Knowing, her master too well, Ahsoka knew immediately that he didn't have a plan. Silence carried on for a short moment before Ahsoka was forced to break it.

"You don't have one do you?" she said indifferently

"General Skywalker, how can you not have a plan?" asked Rex.

Padmé eyed her husband with concern but she remained silent. Ahsoka could feel the Senator's concern partly because they both played a major part in Anakin's life, being his wife and Padawan respectfully. Anakin thought for a moment.

"Hold up. I got an idea." He said with a smile creeping across his face.

"Here we go again," muttered Ahsoka to Padmé.

Anakin crept to balcony where almost 11 years earlier Qui-Gon, Obi-Wan and Jar-Jar had jumped from to rescue a disguised Sabé (posing as Padmé) and anyone else who Nute Gunray had ordered to be captured.

"Is he always like this?" Padmé whispered to Ahsoka as they followed Anakin.

Ahsoka stared at her in disbelief. "What do you think? You married him!" she whispered back.

"I haven't been one to listen to his plans." Padmé briefly explained.

Ahsoka looked behind her to make sure that Rex and Cody hadn't heard them. Padmé on the other hand was just glad that Anakin hadn't heard them. Maybe he had and just wasn't going to comment knowing that he was going to get ganged up on.

When the group stopped under the balcony pressed their backs to the wall just as a squadron of Battle droids marched past.

"You know, I don't know why mistress wants all these Ambassadors for," said one droid to one of its counterparts.

"I couldn't agree more with you." Another said.

The trio allowed the droids to pass and that's when they attacked.

The droids were taken by surprise. They didn't know what to do. Anakin and Ahsoka slashed at several with their lightsabres while Padmé and Rex shot more of them. Ahsoka Force pushed 2 up against the wall.

When all the droids were destroyed, Padmé and Rex exchanged impressed looks with Anakin and Ahsoka.

"Impressive Ahsoka. Most impressive." Padmé said approvingly.

She looked at Anakin and smiled, clearly impressed that Ahsoka was a LOT like him. He smiled back at his wife before turning to his Padawan.

"Do you want to call for reinforcements, sir?" asked Rex. Anakin looked at him.

"Not necessary, Rex" he said turning away from Padmé and Ahsoka who just exchanged looks. Both knew that Anakin had come up with a new crazy plan. It obviously replaced the plan the he had been about execute.

Ahsoka looked over at the palace, it wasn't crowded with droids so it would be easy getting into the palace and with any luck the Throne Room.

The group started to make their way to the doors of the palace.

"So let me get this straight," said Ahsoka out of the blue. "We just waltz up to the Palace doors and invite ourselves in? That sounds like real good plan, Master." She spat.

Anakin looked over his shoulder. "That's not my plan, Snips." He said.

"OK. What is your plan, exactly?" Ahsoka snapped, annoyingly.

"We get into the Palace and rescue the Ambassadors." Said Anakin simply ignoring his Padawan's remarks.

"Why do I even bother?" Ahsoka muttered to herself.

"I'll talk to her." Said Padmé simply to Anakin. He turned to her and smiled then nodded.

"OK." He said and ushered Rex and Cody toward the Palace.

"Ahsoka wait." Said Padmé said and Ahsoka stopped in her tracks.

"Yes, milady?"

"What seems to be wrong? You haven't been yourself since we got here. What's troubling you?"

Ahsoka looked ashamed of her outburst.

"Sorry about that Padmé," She mumbled.

"Sorry? For What?" Padmé asked, a little confused.

"I'm still adjusting to your relationship with Anakin and I'm getting use to the fact that I was almost killed here."

Padmé understood how the young Padawan felt.

"I understand. Naboo has special memories for me too. Both good and bad. I was born here. I became queen here. I fought here. I returned as a Senator. I fell in love with Anakin here, and..."

"You married him here." Ahsoka finished for her. Padmé nodded, feeling a little embarrassed.

"Come on you two!" yelled Anakin from somewhere further up

Padmé yelled back, "We're coming!"

"If you need someone to talk to, I'm always here." Padmé said patting Ahsoka on the shoulder.

Ahsoka, feeling a lot happier now that she had gotten her thoughts off her chest ran to meet up with her master with Padmé running behind her.

"OK. What's the plan Master?" asked Ahsoka.

Anakin looked back at her. "Ah... I haven't got one yet. We'll just have to improvise as we go." He said.

Ahsoka raised her eyebrows and crossed her arms across her chest.

"Big Surprise," she muttered. Padmé patted her on the shoulder and gave her a sympatric look.

Anakin rolled his eyes and continued forward.

He led the group the entrance of the palace. Anakin commanded Rex to get his troops to blow the entrance open since it was locked from the inside.

"OK, men. On 3." Said Rex in his usual boom of a voice.

Rex counted back while Anakin, Ahsoka and Padmé took cover.

The locked palace doors blew open with a BOOM! The troops, the Jedi and the Senator rushed inside.

"This way!" yelled Ahsoka as she, Anakin and Padmé raced down the corridor toward the throne Room.

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