Chapter 12 Ferri, The Jedi

Padme returned to her ship, hoping that Anakin had heard her message and would come out as she had asked. There had been no sign of either Obi-Wan or Zak, and so Padme had gone into the building, assuming that Anakin, followed by Obi-Wan and Zak, had entered. She went no further than the inner control chamber after finding what was left of the droid Anakin had beheaded and retrieving Obi-Wan's cloak, still lying where he had dropped it as Anakin backed him into the opposite corridor. Instead, she located the intercom system and pleaded with Anakin to come back to her ship to talk with her.

Ferri was sitting in one of the passenger seats holding Hadrian, "No sign of any of them?" He asked when she entered the cabin.

"No, just this." Padme answered and held up Obi-Wan's cloak.

Ferri sighed and shook his head, "That's Master Kenobi's." He told her.

"Yes, I thought so; but I wonder where they are." Padme replied.

"I can find them, if you want me to; I just have to follow my senses." Ferri offered.

"No, I used the intercom system to tell Anakin I'm here; if he heard it, I'm sure he'll come to me." Padme answered.

"And then what?" Ferri asked.

Padme sighed, "And then we'll talk." She said.

----------

Obi-Wan gathered the Force around him, drawing strength from it; just enough to allow him to help his apprentice if he needed it. He dragged himself to the wall and inched his way to his feet.

"He has become dangerous, your old Padawan." Qui-Gon said.

"He is not himself." Obi-Wan answered as he made his way back to the control room.

"And you still think there is hope for him?" Qui-Gon asked.

Obi-Wan stopped for a moment, "Why would you ask me such a question?" He wondered.

"Then you do." Qui-Gon surmised.

"And you don't?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I don't know; perhaps, and then again, perhaps not." Qui-Gon answered.

Obi-Wan sighed and continued forward, hugging the wall for support, "Well, I will not give up hope for him." He replied.

"You always were stubborn." Qui-Gon observed with a slight chuckle.

"And you weren't?" Obi-Wan asked sarcastically as he staggered through the control room.

"I always followed the will of the Force." Qui-Gon told him.

"And that is what I believe I am doing." Obi-Wan answered, leaning against the doorway.

"Yes, I know." Qui-Gon replied.

"Then why are you questioning my judgment?" Obi-Wan asked.

"Is that what you think I am doing?" Qui-Gon asked.

"Aren't you?" Obi-Wan asked.

"No, I simply wanted you be sure you understood how dangerous Anakin has become." Qui-Gon answered.

Obi-Wan sighed, "I already know this, Qui-Gon." He replied shaking his head, "But it does not change the fact that he is not himself."

"No, it does not." Qui-Gon agreed.

"Why can't you talk to him?" Obi-Wan asked, "He might just listen to you."

Obi-Wan heard Qui-Gon sigh, "I wish that were so; but he refuses to hear me."

"Then I must help him." Obi-Wan answered.

"He is very lucky to have such a friend, Obi-Wan." Qui-Gon said.

----------

Padme stared out at the control center from inside the cockpit with Hadrian, sleeping fitfully in her arms, waiting for any sign of Anakin. Ferri had managed to engage the twins in some sort of game in the passenger's cabin and she could here them quietly talking and giggling among themselves. She wondered again if bringing them had been the right decision; was it right for her to endanger their lives just so she would not lose her husband? She shook her head and sighed; she had put Anakin's life before the children's lives, what kind of mother did that make her? She looked down at the sleeping infant and tightened her hold on him, "Daddy wouldn't hurt you, I just know he wouldn't." She assured him.

When she looked up again, Anakin was coming toward the ship; she shifted Hadrian in her arms and stood up, "He's coming, Ferri." She said as she walked back to the cabin.

"Now what?" Ferri asked.

Padme handed Hadrian over to him, "You stay here while I try to talk to him; maybe seeing me will jog his memory." She said.

"And if it doesn't?" Ferri asked.

Padme sighed, "Listen to how it's going; if it seems like I'm not getting through to him, bring the children to the top of the ramp so he can see them." She instructed.

"Just to the top of the ramp? No further, right?" Ferri asked.

"That's right, no further; and if things go badly, then you close the boarding ramp and stay with them." Padme added.

"And leave you alone with him? I don't think I can do that, Lady Skywalker." Ferri replied.

"Please, Ferri; I must know that you will protect my children." Padme pleaded.

Ferri sighed and nodded reluctantly, "Alright, I'll do what you want." He finally conceded, "But I don't like it."

"I know you don't." Padme told him.

----------

Hanging back, Zak waited for Anakin to walk through the control room before continuing on and then waited until he had covered the entire entrance corridor and exited the building before following him. His senses told him that everything would be alright…or did he just want to believe that it would? He shook his head, in truth, he decided, he was too close to this for his senses to be trusted. He had to listen to the voice of the Force to guide his actions. Taking a deep breath, he triggered the door and slipped outside.

----------

Anakin knew that the boy was following him; but it didn't matter to him. He would deal with him after he had seen Padme and after he had dealt with Obi-Wan. He should have guessed that Obi-Wan had been lusting after Padme all this time. He should have seen it a long time ago; even before Anakin had met her, Obi-Wan had already wanted her for himself. Obi-Wan, always the upstanding, devout Jedi, what a hypocrite! Well, in the end, he would get just what he deserved….and there was Padme, beautiful as ever. He smiled at her as she ran toward him, "Oh Annie, I've been so worried; are you alright?" She asked as she threw her arms around him.

"I'm alright." He assured her with a smile, "What are you doing here?"

"Obi-Wan told me…." Padme started.

"Obi-Wan is trying to turn you against me." Anakin said, cutting her off.

"No, Annie; he's trying to help you." Padme countered, "He knows…"

"Yes, I know; he's been spying on us. But it doesn't matter, we don't have to hide anymore; we can do whatever we want." Anakin told her.

"Annie, we don't have anything to hide from; the whole Jedi Order knows about us." Padme told him.

"He told you to say that, didn't he; he has turned you against me." Anakin replied.

"No one has turned against you, my love; you're hurt and confused, that's all." Padme said.

"I'm confused because I can't find the Chancellor; he can give me the power to save you." Anakin answered.

"Save me from what, Anakin?" Padme asked.

"From my nightmare; we have talked about this." Anakin said.

"Annie, that was more than two years ago; I had twins and I have had another baby since then. Your nightmare never came true." Padme informed him.

Anakin shook his head, "No, I'd remember that." He denied.

Padme rubbed his arm, "Up until two days ago, you did; until you were hit outside the Senate Complex after we had lunch together." She replied.

Anakin pulled away from her, "The Jedi have turned against me, don't YOU turn against me." He threatened.

"Don't do this, Annie; please, listen to me, I love you." Padme told him tearfully.

Anakin looked past her, "LIAR! You brought him here to kill me." He said angrily.

Padme turned around to see Ferri standing at the top of the boarding ramp holding Hadrian in his arms and with one twin on each side of him.

"No, Annie, those are your…." Padme stopped in mid sentence and put her hand to her throat.

"Master Anakin, what are you doing? Stop it." Zak said, pulling Anakin's arm down to break the hold he had on Padme.

"YOU AGAIN? GET OFF ME!" Anakin demanded as he lost his hold on Padme.

Padme dropped to her knees, gasping for air while Anakin picked Zak up and tossed him Forcefully against the ship.

----------

Yoda sighed heavily as he opened his eyes, "Even more dangerous the situation has become, Master Windu; too late we may be." He said.

"We are nearly there; we are not too late…we can't be." Mace replied.

Yoda shook his head, "Too late we realized our mistake; now all may be lost." He answered.

Mace looked at the diminutive master, "I have not heard you be so pessimistic since the start of the Clone War; do you see this coming to a bad end?"

"The outcome, shielded from me it is; know, I do not how this will end." Yoda answered.

"Then you should know that it could just as well end favorably." Mace reminded him.

"No, too much has happened; end favorably, it will not. But correct you are, Master Windu; tragically it does not have to end; wrong I was to think so negatively." Yoda conceded.

----------

"Master Skywalker, think about what you're doing." Ferri said, watching helplessly from inside the ship.

"And YOU; why aren't you dead with all the others at the Temple?" Anakin demanded suddenly turning his attention to Ferri and starting toward the ramp.

Ferri took a step back and, remembering his promise to protect the Skywalker children, hit the ramp control, "No one is dead at the Temple, Master Skywalker." He said as the ramp rose to seal the ship against Anakin.

Anakin made a flying leap, caught they edge of the rising ramp and then lost his grip.

"AAAAHHHHH!!!!" He screamed angrily and then set his sights on Zak who was just starting to recover.

----------

Inside the ship, Ferri placed Hadrian back in his carrier and squatted down next to the twins, "Whatsa matter with Daddy?" Leia wondered, tears streaming from her dark eyes.

"He lost his memory and he thinks he is a very bad man." Ferri answered.

"He hurt Mommy." Luke sobbed.

"I know, but he's sick, and didn't know what he was doing." Ferri tried to explain.

"Will he get better?" Leia asked.

"I hope so." Ferri replied.

"You gotta help Mommy." Luke said.

"I can't, your mommy told me to stay here to protect you." Ferri answered.

"I can pertec us; you help Mommy." Luke told him.

"No, I promised." Ferri insisted.

"I think he's 'fraid." Leia suggested.

"Yeah, that's it; or else he'd help Mommy." Luke agreed.

Ferri shook his head and stood up, "I want to help her, but she made me promise to stay here with you." He said.

"Please, Ferri." Luke begged, his blue eyes brimming with tears and pleading for his help.

Ferri sighed, "Alright; but your mother is going to kill me." He finally consented with resignation.

----------

Obi-Wan emerged from the building to see Padme on her knees and Anakin pinning Zak against the ship with his prosthetic arm.

"Let him go, Anakin." Obi-Wan commanded.

Anakin turned to look at him, "Why? He's already dead; I killed him at the Temple. What more could I do to him?" He asked.

"Look at him, Anakin; does he look dead to you?" Obi-Wan asked.

Anakin looked at Zak who stared back at him and shook his head.

"Well? Does he look dead to you, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked again.

Anakin looked from Zak to Obi-Wan and then felt Padme's hand on his arm, "He's very much alive, my love." She said gently.

"Please, Anakin, just let him go." Obi-Wan said gently.

"Do what he says, Master Skywalker." Ferri ordered, and Anakin turned to see the boy pointing a blaster at him.

Anakin smiled maliciously, shook his head and loosened his grip on Zak to call the blaster to him, "Did you really think that could stop me?" He asked with a flick of his wrist that sent Ferri flying as Zak crumpled to the ground.

"Anakin come to your senses; look at your wife, you have three children now. Look at those two Padawans who should be dead if you had actually led the attack on the Temple; that was three years ago, my brother; you killed Palpatine in his office that night." Obi-Wan told him.

Anakin waved the blaster in Obi-Wan's direction, "Don't come any closer." He warned.

"Yes, that's right, shoot me; that's what you want, isn't it, Anakin?" Obi-Wan asked, "To see me dead?"

"Don't Annie." Padme said.

Anakin looked at her, "Why? Because you love him?" He asked.

"As my husband's best friend, yes, Annie, I do." Padme answered, "And if you search your heart, you will see that you love him too; many times over."

"I see how it is now, you're with him, aren't you." Anakin replied.

With his attention drawn elsewhere, Ferri made a Jedi leap, hitting Anakin at the hip and knocking him to the ground. The blaster pistol went flying as Anakin grappled momentarily with Clive Maru's former apprentice. Obi-Wan moved swiftly to help just when Anakin seemed to have gained the upper hand; pinning Ferri to the ground by placing one knee on his chest.

"Please…crushing….Master…help…" Ferri gasped.