Hey sorry for not updating in a while! But i had a sudden inspiration to write today so i did! and i think i wrote quite alot, well more than i usually do. ENJOY!
The Grand Opera house was bustling with music and voice, voices of high-class guests, consisting of ambassadors, senators, princes, queens and kings. Even Jedi were in attendance to this grand event. Everyone that was supposed to be there was. All except one.
The guest of honor.
Senator Amidala was now missing for ten standard minutes and despite these recent events, the party in her honor was going strong with no sign of feigning. Though this may be insulting to, it was exactly how Obi-Wan wanted it to be.
Obi-Wan Kenobi stood in front of all of the guard in attendance to the gala minus those who were securing the premises. By his side was his apprentice Anakin Skywalker. The pair was currently briefing them all on the situation concerning the senator from Naboo.
"Ten standard minutes ago, my apprentice informed me of the disappearance of Senator Amidala. The building has been locked down, but the squadron currently standing by has informed me that one speeder has left docking bay 3372. The speeder was unidentified and the amount of passengers were unknown." Obi-Wan explain in is Coruscatni accent.
"We believe this man," Anakin added while pulling out a holo of the cloaked figure in that previously contacted them, "has kidnapped the senator, for reasons currently unknown." That being said Anakin held the holo up and displayed it to all of the guards.
"He is believed to be human from what we can make of this holo of him, but as you can see not much is displayed in this holo." Obi-Wan added. "He is believed to be a high threat and we must retrieve the senator from him at all costs. Also, he may be in league with the seperatist forces, which makes this mission even more urgent." With every word that left Obi-Wan's mouth Anakin became more and more anxious to get out there and hunt down this mysterious man for wrenching his angel away from him. Anakin was ready to fight all of the seperatist forces to get to Padmé.
"My apprentice and I will be going down to the landing bay in which the unauthorized speeder departed to see if we can gather any information. We expect a squadron on every level and in every corridor. Try your best to be inconspicuous and not disturb the guest because if it is a seperatist matter, we do not want panic in the senate." Obi-Wan's voice cracked on the word seperatist. He hoped with all his being that this affair had nothing to do with the seperatist because that would mean that the journey ahead would be much more rigorous than expected.
"Clone reinforcements on planet have been called in and will be joining you on the security details. Dismissed" With that said the guards dispersed to their posts on security with thoughts in their head swirling around Senator Amidala and theorizing what happened to her.
Anakin and Obi-Wan departed from the ballroom and headed for the landing bay. All the way Anakin's mind was racing. All his thoughts were on Padmé and he was straining himself in trying to sense her. His face was contorted into one of pure determination and it looked as though he was about to break into a sprint, which in reality was exactly what he wanted to do. He wanted just get to the landing bay. Part of him thought that when he got there, Padmé would be standing there with open arms and say she was fine. Every part of him itched to make that true but a tiny part of him, screamed loud and clear, that that was a delusion and it would not be true. His heart lurched at the revelation but accepted it.
At that moment nothing in his world mattered more than rescuing Padmé. Not the war. Not keeping their marriage from the Jedi. Not himself. All he could see was Padmé. He saw images of her running through the meadow at Varkykino, of her and how beautiful she looked at their wedding, of her smiles, of her kisses. And finally, of her laying on the ground on some unknown planet, lifeless. Hitting him like an entire Republican flagship, Anakin broke out into a run. He disregarded Obi-Wan's shouts after him. He just ran. He ran as fast as he could. The delusion of Padmé being in the landing bay still fresh in his mind, as well as the one with her laying dead on the ground.
NOO!! Anakin's mind screamed in protest. I WILL NEVER LET THAT HAPPEN!
Anakin kept running. He ran with the desperateness of all Coruscant displayed on his face and weighted on his heart. He needed to see his angel. He had to.
Anakin came to an abrupt stop when he reached the empty landing bay. He stood there empty. His delusion was wrong. His angel was nowhere to be seen. She wasn't here and he felt nothing. Anakin felt no presences. He couldn't sense the events of what happened here ten minutes ago. It was as erased from the force as was all of Anakin's hope with these turn of events.
Obi-Wan frantically ran into the landing bay about one minute after Anakin had arrived.
"Anakin!" Obi-Wan's voice was dripping with authority but had a hint of concern at his apprentice's unusual behavior.
At hearing Obi-Wan's voice, Anakin was pulled out of his reverie but didn't turn around. He just stood there staring at the empty hangar blankly.
"Anakin." Obi-Wan repeated, less harshly. "Anakin, what was that?" Referring to his sudden outburst in the corridor.
Obi-Wan could sense Anakin's concern for Senator Amidala, and he knew how close of friends they were. It made sense to Obi-Wan but he also sensed fear coming off of Anakin in waves. Fear for her well-being? Obi-Wan deliberated. Obi-Wan was content with thinking that. Obviously. Why else would Anakin be afraid?
Obi-Wan's pondering was brought to a halt by the sound of Anakin's voice.
"I thought that the mission should be put into action as soon as possible" Anakin's voice was composed ironically die to his current state of mind. "Senator Amidala must be rescued as soon as possible. She is a great asset to the Republic and the senate cannot afford to lose her." Neither can I. He added silently.
"I agree." Obi-Wan sensed the sincerity of Anakin's words. "But there is nothing more we can do now but wait to be contacted, I'm sorry, Anakin" Obi-Wan said stated, and hated himself for saying it, even though he knew it was true.
Anakin willed tears not to fall from his eyes at Obi-Wan's statement but he also knew it was true. After composing himself, Anakin stood up straight, squared his shoulders and turned on his heels abruptly, leaving the landing bay and heading back to the ballroom.
His angel needed him to be strong. She need him to be the Chosen One, and he would not fail her.
Meanwhile, in a hangar bay in the lower levels of Coruscant…
Off-world hangar bay 566438 was buzzing with the voices of the lowly scum of Coruscant, in contrast to the gala occurring at the Grand Opera House. Speeders were constantly going and coming along with deep space vessels harboring passengers or goods, which were either legal or smuggled. This particular hangar bay was home to some of the most crime in the capital, which allowed many criminals to get on to and off of the system undetected.
One certain criminal among the bunch rushed with more fervor than any currently occupying the hangar.
With his face distorted by his midnight cloak, he scurried through the hangar, with a package over his shoulder. It appeared to be wrapped in a sack of some kind and was quite large. He was headed away from the dark green speeder in which he arrived in and was head towards what look like a large refugee transport. Staying unnoticed by any of the scum around him, he made his way to the awaiting transport.
With the package on his shoulder and a single bag of luggage in tow, the man boarded the huge transport, not needing to show any information, and settled into a dark corner of the giant main chamber of the ship.
He laid down all of his luggage and settled into the isolated corner. He sent out waves of danger to anyone who dare come within twenty feet of him, which made them change their mind about settling near him. Once the transport took off, the man along with many on the transport set up a tent or block for privacy.
With his tent set up, the man began unwrapping his package. This revealed Padmé Amidala in a content slumber.
The man smiled at her when he was able to see her face again. Also a thought filled his mind. We have this whole voyage to ourselves. This made his smile even broader on his face.
With that large grin still on his face, he sat there watching the senator sleep, until she started moving and her eyes fluttered open.
Padmé woke up with a massive headache and intended to massage her temples with her hands but found she couldn't.
What? Padmé thought with concern.
Opening her eyes and looking down at her hands, she saw they were bound in front of her. She looked around to survey her surroundings and tried to ask where she was when she heard her muffled voice, and realized she was gagged. Then, panic struck.
"Calm down." Padmé heard a deep voice tell her commandingly and cockily.
Padmé turned her eyes toward the source of this voice and saw the man who told her to calm down smiling at her.
No, he's smiling in conquest. Padmé realized.
A wave of pain struck her and reminded her of her very prominent headache. At the pain, Padmé let a moan escape her mouth accidentally.
"Don't worry the pain will go away…" The man said, amused, "eventually."
Padmé glared at him and her mind demanded to know whom this person was. Considering the circumstanced she figured that she'd been kidnapped which frightened her much more than she would admit.
"Who are you?" Padmé tried to say, but the sound was contorted by the gag.
The man chuckled at it and responded, "Hmm."
The man seemed as though he was contemplating what he was going to say. Making up a name, I assume. Padmé concluded.
"You can call me…Zeil," the man, now deemed Zeil, smiled at himself in contentment, "Yes, that's suting for now."
Zeil made a motion towards Padmé and she back away with as much motion as she was capable of.
"Don't worry, I'm just taking the gag off," Zeil said surprisingly reassuringly, "You don't need it at the moment."
With that said, Padmé let her captor take the gag off and took in a large breath as if she was going to scream. But the blaster that Zeil pulled out immediately silenced her.
"I wouldn't try anything, Senator"
Zeil became menacing again.
"Why hide under your cloak? You seem like a man who is cocky enough to be flamboyant" Padmé remarked harshly, her voice was full of vehement.
Zeil smiled but underneath he was deeply enraged by her comment. How dare she speak to me like that!
"Are you sure you just don't want to look at my handsome face? I bet even you couldn't resist" Zeil liked this game. He liked it a lot.
Padmé rolled her eyes dramatically at him. She was disgusted but was still aware of the blaster being held very blatantly in Zeil's hand. So, Padmé was content to sit there in silence if it meant her safety, the reality of the situation hitting her hard and fast. She tried to remember what happened before she was kidnapped and then she remembered her husband.
Anankin! Padmé remembered seeing him suddenly and her heart filling with joy.
I just get you back and now I've lost you again. Padmé's heart sank in sorrow and tears filled her eyes. She forced them back with much effort not wanting to look weak in front of this mysterious man.
Not happy with the silence from his beautiful captive, Zeil tried to start up another conversation.
"So what can I call someone as beautiful as you?" Zeil wanted to hear of her voice thought it was her body he was more interested in.
Padmé just curled up and pulled her need up to her chest and stayed completely silent.
Zeil was frustrated with this woman and wanted to have a name to call her. He waited got a response but when none were given he lost his temper. Zeil moved closer to her and slapped her hard across the face. Padmé yelped in pain, her headache worsening because of this and Zeil whispered harshly in her ear "You will answer me."
Thought stated in a whisper, the words were harsh enough to fill Padmé with enough fear to get her to answer.
"Padmé" Padmé answered quietly.
"Now that wasn't so hard, was it?" Zeil said as though talking to a child. He stood and looked down on Padmé who was avoiding looking at him by looking at the fabric of the tent opposite him.
"I am going to get us some supper. There is no where to go so don't you dare try to escape." Zeil said menacingly with a finger pointed in Padmé's face. With that said Zeil departed the tent and left Padmé with her thoughts.
Padmé decided she would not dare try to defy him.