Author's Note and Questions Answered

Floating Leaves: I thought about that point, where Anakin should have suspected Shmi was lying. In the movies and books I noticed that he tends to trust people implicitly despite common sense. (Take Palpatine for example.) Anakin probably would never suspect his mother would lie to him, though I will say that in future chapters he will begin to question her story. (When and how though, is the question.)

Swfan () : I'm glad you're enjoying the story! I can't say I really like Laurence's last name myself. It kind of stuck since that's what I made up years ago, so I didn't bother to change it. (Creative names were never my speciality back then.)

The Tainted Knight: Actually you are correct in your assumptions that this story will be a lot longer than expected. Rising Phoenix will end after AOTC, and there will be an ROTS sequel. The ROTS section ends the story, but there are plans for 2 alternate endings which will allow for Judd Watson's Last of the Jedi series and the original Star Wars trilogy. (Spoiler alert! ;P )

...

Anakin and Padme already had a head start, and it took Laurence a few minutes to activate the tracking signal he had programmed on the Senator's cruiser. Soon enough they were in open space however, and Laurence was reassured that the speed of the Black Falcon would easily keep the Naboo vessel within tracking range. They would reach the destination later than Padme and Anakin, but hopefully they would still be in time.

"That's where they're headed," Darra pointed to a small spot on the map. "Geonosis." She gave Laurence a sharp look as he leaned his head back and winced. "Are you okay?"

Laurence shrugged, trying to ignore the piercing throbbing in his skull. "I'll live."

Darra scowled. "You should be in bed. You tried a life-transfer force trick again, didn't you?"

"Sort of." Laurence didn't bother nodding his head. He was sure his brain would completely explode if he tried.

Darra growled slightly in frustration. "Anakin Skywalker, have you no sense in that thick skull of yours? The last time you did that to me you were stuck in the hospital for days! It's been twelve hours at the most since you used that power and you think it's okay to just trapsise across the galaxy as if nothing has happened?"

Laurence groaned. "Darra, could you keep it down a little? My head - "

"You are not leaving this ship when we land," Darra continued ordering as she folded her arms and leaned back in her chair. "So help me, I will handcuff you to the cockpit if I have to!"

"You done?" Laurence asked with a slight smirk.

"Yes," Darra said in a sulky yet concerned tone. "I'm just worried about you."

Laurence was glad that she had never been around when he was street fighting on Coruscant. He wasn't sure she would have ever stopped lecturing him.

"When we get Obi-wan back I promise I'll stay in the hospital as long as you deem neccessary," Laurence teased as he took a couple aspirin for his headache.

Darra sighed. "I guess I won't be able to stop you. Two weeks minimum."

Laurence grimaced. "You're got to be joking. Three days."

"One week."

"Five days?" Laurence gave Darra his most pitiful puppy dog look.

Darra smiled. "Fine. I'll make sure of it."

"I'm sure you will," Laurence muttered ruefully as he prepared to land.

He couldn't see Padme's ship anywhere, but the tracker coordinates seemed to direct to one of the steam vents in the ground. Carefully easing the cruiser into a seperate steam vent nearby, he turned off the ship and grabbed his fighting rod.

"Let's go see what they're up to."

...

The corridor they entered was damp and nearly pitch black. Laurence swung his durasteel rod in an easy arc, warming up for a possible fight. He could barely see Darra ahead of him. She was walking slowly, listening to the force for signs of danger.

"Wait," Darra stopped a moment. "There's something - "

Laurence heard a fluttering noise behind him and in one smooth motion he moved his grip to the end of his durusteel rod and swung it around, slamming a creature in the side just as it leapt forward.

Instantly the corridor was filled with the geonosians as they began either attacking or fleeing for their lives. Darra's lightsaber flashed through the room, slicing through limbs as she cut her way through the miniature drone army. Laurence felt like he was seventeen again as he swung, ducked, and rolled through the mass of wingless beings. He hadn't fought such a large group since leaving Coruscant with Padme, and he was grateful to know that his instincts were still sharp.

Laurence's durusteel rod was a blur of motion. An upper swing to the right smashed one geonosian away, a backsweep took out three others, and a flip through the air prevented Laurence's nose from getting smashed. The geonosians kept coming in swarms however, and he was more than grateful when they reached the doorway at last.

Darra grabbed him by the collar and shoved him through the passage onto the ramp outside, then blasted the control panel as soon as the door slid shut.

"Come on," she ordered as she started running down the suspended walkway.

Laurence followed, his head pounding as the commotion and noise of the room overloaded his brain. They were on one of the higher ramps in a huge droid factory.

Laurence could see squadrons of battle droids marching in formation at the bottom level. Vats of molten metal were being carried to a seperate part of the factory, gears whirled and clanked as droid parts were manufactured, and slams echoed as metal pieces were flattened for various droid parts. Altogether it was a very chaotic situation, something Laurence's mind wasn't able to handle right now.

He wasn't prepared when Darra suddenly shouted, "Get down!" She quickly pushed him to the side as a sonic blast exploded into the wall behind them.

"There are the others!" someone shouted. "Get them!"

Laurence rolled to a stand and saw several winged geonosians flying towards them. Behind the geonosians stood the blue and silver bounty hunter they had been looking for. Laurence sumersaulted and grabbed his blaster as the bounty hunter fired several shots his way. Laurence managed to get off a shot of his own, but he and Darra were forced to evacuate the walkway as several sonic blasts came in quick succesion.

Laurence leapt off the ramp, unsure where Darra had gone. He trusted they would meet up later. With the aid of the force and her lightsaber, Darra should be able to escape rather easily. Laurence was sure he would have no trouble either. Jango Fett would be an impass, but after fighting assasins and thugs for three years of his life, Laurence wasn't too worried.

The genonsians with their sonic blaster however, were going to be a problem. Two more of the blasts echoed behind him, and Laurence leapt down towards a lower ramp. That was his fatal mistake. His body, still weakened from the life transfer the night before, was unable to keep up with the speed Laurence demanded of it.

Laurence's heel caught on the edge of the ramp, throwing off his balance significantly. Instead of jumping to the lower ramp with ease, he tumbled down and slammed into the walkway before rolling off the edge towards a metal crusher below. His durusteel rod flew from his hands, bouncing off various conveyer belts until it clattered to the floor below.

Laurence felt a burst of panic as he fell. There was no time to think, let alone throw out a jumpline or do anything else to alter his course. Briefly Laurence wondered what would happen to a Jedi if they died with no connection to the force whatsoever.

Miraculously, he missed the slicing jaws of the roaring crusher and landed in a pile of smashed metal pieces instead. Laurence tried to roll to his feet as his headache grew tenfold, but was knocked down as a wave of crushed scrap metal was dumped onto him.

Instantly Laurence knew he was in trouble. His head and neck were free, as well as his left arm and shoulder, but the rest of his body was held down by the crushing metal. The ramp below him was moving swiftly towards a raging furnace. As he struggled to wriggle his way free of the scrap pieces weighing down on him, Laurence realized he was hopelessly trapped. Razor sharp pieces of metal were piercing him from all sides, and the weight of the load that had been dumped on him kept him firmly clamped to the death ride.

Laurence could hear popping and screeching as metal poured into the furnace, and he could already feel the heat of the scorching flames ahead. Redoubling his efforts, he struggled frantically against the weight holding him down. Searching for any possible escape route, Laurence's eyes lit on a metal support beam. In a last, desperate effort, he pulled his left arm towards his mouth and bit down on the glove's jump line release catch with his teeth.

To Laurence's utter relief, the line swished out and wrapped around the metal pole several time before latching. He grimaced as the conveyer belt continued to move under him, pulling his arm until he thought it would break. Just he was sure as the pressure would pull his arm from its socket, Laurence felt his body twisting around under the lacerating shards of metal. The sharp edges tore into him painfully, but as the line grew taut he felt them moving past him. His body finally freed, Laurence stumbled to his knees and started moving towards the edge of the ramp.

Luck was against him however, as another heaping load of metal came down the conveyer belt. Laurence could only cover his face and brace himself as the mountain of scrap metal pushed into him. There was an onimous snap as the jump line was sheared, and Laurence felt the belt moving underneath him again.

His heart pounding, he began scrambling up the mass of shards, trying to reach the safety of the support beam. Blood ran into his eyes from multiple cuts, and he felt his body start to give out as he tumbled down the other side of the heap. Rolling to the edge, he activated the metal shear on his left glove and stabbed it into the end of the ramp to keep from being pulled away once more. Laurence looked over the edge quickly and realized that jumping from this height was a certain death wish. He had to make it to the support beam. Using his teeth to activate his right glove, he lifted his arm to stab into the conveyer belt edge a small ways further up.

Just as Laurence started to slam his arm down, he felt someone grab hold of it. Quickly he looked up, thinking it was Darra. His face fell as he saw Jango Fett hovering in the air, his blaster aimed right at Laurence's head.

With a sinking feeling, Laurence knew it was all over. He only hoped that Darra had managed to escape somehow.

...

Darra slunk into the dark corridor, keeping still as two geonosians passed by. She didn't know what had happened to Laurence after they had been seperated, but she trusted he could take care of himself. He was the Queen's guardian after all.

Darra herself had escaped with relative ease. The bounty hunter had disapeared after she had jumped off the walkway, and her geonosian pursuers were quickly dispatched of. She had run along several different conveyer belts, barely escaping with her life in one particular droid manufacture section. A machine part had been swinging wildly, its severed end blackened as though scorched by a lightsaber. Most likely Anakin had been there. Darra had barely ducked in time as the broken part swung towards her head, and she had gladly abandoned the conveyer belt and jumped to another one. Several large cleavers had been slicing away on the belt she had left, and Darra wasn't sure she could have escaped them with all her limbs intact.

As she had run along the belt, Darra's suspicions about Anakin being in the factory had been confirmed as she found the broken end of the padawan's lightsaber. Darra had pocketed it, hoping against hope that Anakin and Senator Amidala were still alive. She had a planned lecture for Laurence's "twin" to hand out later.

There had been no further incidences, and it hadn't taken Darra long to find the exit. Now as she hid in the darkened corridor, Darra wondered if any of her companions had escaped. She hadn't spotted Laurence yet, and neither Padme nor Anakin were anywhere to be seen. The only thing that told her they might be alive was that she hadn't found any bodies... as if that could be considered a comfort.

Footsteps were heard at the beginning of the corridor, and Darra slunk further into the shadows.

"Did you find the other one?" a filtered voice questioned. A series of geonosian dialect followed.

Darra gasped softly as the speakers came into view. Two geonosian guards entered, followed by none other than the Queen's guardian. Laurence was stumbling slightly as he was forced down the corridor, his hands cuffed behind his back and his arms held by two geonosian guards. Jango Fett walked behind them, his blaster pointed at the back of Laurence's head. Two geonosians followed after, their sonic blasters at the ready.

"Put him with the others," Jango ordered. "Alert all levels if you have to, but find that girl!"

Darra held her breath, every instinct screaming for her to leap out and attack the creatures holding her Laurence captive. Common sense told her that if she tried anything, they would both be killed. Darra stayed back.

As the footsteps receded down the corridor, Darra let out a shaky breath and emerged from her hiding place. Taking care to remain unseen in the shadows, she followed after the geonosians.

Just as Darra reached the door, it slammed shut in front of her. Locked. Fighting the urge to scream in frustration, Darra slammed a fist into it and ran back down the corridor. She had to find the others before something terrible happened!

...

To say Laurence was miffed when he saw Anakin and Padme chained to the cart was an understatement. Padme cried out in concern when she saw his ragged and bloody state, but Anakin shot him a glare for having even followed them.

"I told you to stay on Tatooine!" the padawan spat as Laurence was dragged over to the cart.

Laurence was furious and in enough pain to forget his part as the silent guardian. "Oh, and you thought it was a really good idea to go searching for Obi-wan yourself?" he shouted back. "Looks like you two really got far! You're supposed to be protecting Padme, not throwing her into danger!" He shot a dark look at the guards as one geonosian freed his hands and recuffed them in front.

"I didn't want to come here in the first place, but I had no choice!" Anakin retorted. "You should have stayed and protected Mom! I suppose you tangled Darra in this mess as well, didn't you?"

Laurence stiffened visibly, a pang going through his heart as he wondered if Darra was even alive.

"All right, would someone please tell me what's going on here?" Padme suddenly broke in. She turned to Laurence, her voice holding a slight edge to it. "I thought you were supposed to be mute." Padme's eyes searched him, betrayal and confusion written in them.

Laurence glared at Anakin, even though his mistake wasn't the padawan's fault.

"He's been hiding it from everyone," Anakin spat with some slight triumph. He knew he wasn't acting like a Jedi right now, but he wasn't about to pass up a chance to fully discredit his twin in Padme's eyes. Was it Laurence that had been holding her back from him this whole time? Was she was in love with him? Anakin's heart burned with jealousy as he saw Padme's eyes soften when she turned her gaze to Laurence.

"Is it true?" she asked.

Laurence slowly nodded. "Yes," he answered. "I've scarcely spoken to anyone since I left Coruscant."

"Why?" Padme asked in the same gentle tone. She could see the struggle in Laurence's eyes, and she finally began to realize the suspicion that had unknowingly dawned in her heart. Because you loved me? But why would he need to hide... Abruptly Padme turned to Anakin and searched his face.

She didn't know why she hadn't seen it before! The same deeply emotional blue gaze, the same facial features, the same proud stance... the two young men were nearly identical!

"Are you brothers?" Padme questioned.

Laurence hesitated, but Anakin responded immediately.

"Yes," he replied. "We're twins."

A brief moment of shock flashed through Laurence's eyes, but just as quickly it vanished.

"Why did you lie to me?" Padme asked quietly. "Was it because of him?"

Laurence's first thought was to create an ingenious story to match up with his part of being Anakin's "twin," but it only lasted a second. He was tired of lying.

"No," Laurence answered. "I didn't even know he was alive until the Jedi team was assigned to protect you. I... I don't know why I hid it from you when we first met, but once I started I couldn't go back on it. I'm sorry for deceiving you, Padme." Laurence left enough blanks to keep Padme from discovering the real truth, but he felt relieved that at least one game of deceit had come to an end.

Anakin watched the two as they spoke, disbelief written all over his face. How did Laurence do it? He had been lying to Padme this entire time, yet instead of anger her eyes shone with trust and forgiveness.

"I don't understand you, Laurence," Padme responded. "All this time I thought I knew you, but now I'm finding that you're a completely different person."

Laurence shook his head. "I'm still Laurence, Padme. Nothing about me has changed." Only my feelings for Darra.

To his surprise, Padme smiled. "I believe you," she answered. "I can't forgive you for lying to me, but I have no reason to hold it against you. You've always been my dearest friend, Laurence. Looking back, I don't think I could have asked for anyone better than that funny, silent boy who was always stealing sweets and listening patiently while I poured out my troubles."

Padme leaned over and gently kissed Laurence's cheek, and Anakin felt his jealosy explode inside him. "Thank you for everything, Laurence," Padme said quietly. "But from now on, no more lies. Please."

Laurence nodded, but he knew that even with that small promise he could not speak the truth.

Anakin was staring forward, his face stone.

"Ani?" Padme asked in a soft voice.

He turned to her, struggling with his anger and heartbreak. "Don't be afraid," he said, trying to comfort her and distract her mind from Laurence at the same time.

"I'm not afraid to die," Padme answered. "I've been dying a little bit every day since-"

Before she could say more, the cart jerked forward and the cheers of the arena drowned out everything else.

Laurence shuddered slightly as the cart pulled them into the glaring Geonosian sunlight. He knew that Padme stood no chance in the arena. Weakened from the life transfer and his ordeal in the droid factory, he feared that all he would be able to do was stand by and watch her die. Clenching his jaw, he vowed he would not allow that to happen. Even if she was killed, it would only be over Laurence's dead body.

He could only hope that Darra wouldn't be there to witness it.

...

Slightly short, but I thought it made for a good cliffhanger.

Due to popular request, I allowed Padme to find out Laurence's secret a little early. (I don't know if I was ever planning for her to find out, but this works much better for the story.) I hope it isn't too cheesy. I had a hard time writing that part out.

Yes, there is hinted Laurence/Padme in this chapter, but Padme has already seen the relationship between him and Darra and has also realized her own affections for Anakin.

I was going to have Padme and Anakin kiss in this chapter, but I liked Floating Leaves' idea about Anakin and Laurence having a little spat concerning Padme. Don't worry, there are still wedding bells in the near future. :)