Avschick – I want Padmé's final wish to come true too! But my muse is so mean! Grrr! As for a sequel – no, I don't think I'll need one – I'm setting up for 'A New Hope' so any further storytelling would just be the movies themselves. I'm tickled that you're interested though – thanks!
Hellish Red Devil – Hope you don't mind but Palpatine is going to show his slimy face in this chapter. So brace yourself! I'll be interested to see if you're right about Padmé and Obi-wan's plan. I bet you're on the right path though; now we'll just have to see how they execute it. That will be coming up in a few chapters. Thank you, as always, for your unwavering support.
Jedi Master Arie Skywalker – Wow, what a sweet review – thank you! You guys have given me the confidence to renew my love of writing and I just appreciate it so much. I really hope you continue to enjoy the story!
frodogenic – Yeah, you're right. I'm in the process of setting up the plot so these chapters are mainly about that. But things will get hopping soon, I promise. Thanks for giving the story a chance!
Seldom Darlin – I'm thrilled that you liked the last chapter – I'm having a good time weaving all the plot points together but I definitely don't want to bore you guys. So your compliment thrilled me to no end!
Ann Jinn – Oh, thank you! I adore these characters so I'm glad I'm doing them justice. And you're right about the noose!
Eriks leadinglady – Welcome back – I'm glad you had such a nice time on your vacation. My husband and I are going the last week of this month but we're not going anywhere as exciting as Disneyland but that's all right. We're going to the beach for seven straight days of relaxation – I can't wait. As for the story – I'm glad you're enjoying it so much. Hope I can keep it up!
meandmysharpie – Sorry to hear that your piercing didn't work out. Hopefully your next one will go better! I'll keep my fingers crossed for you! Glad you liked the previous chapter – it really set everything in motion. We still have a ways to go but things are really going to start heating up.
ALL – I hope you guys have a nice weekend coming up. In the meantime, hopefully this chapter will keep you entertained – enjoy! See you back here soon with more! Thanks for reading – your support is fantastic!
FOUR DAYS LATER - MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Padmé was tired.
Unfortunately, a full night of peaceful sleep remained as elusive as the stars themselves.
She had managed to doze a bit... but just as she was starting to drift off completely, her senses had screamed a warning and all thoughts of sleeping had flown out the window.
Someone - or something - was watching her.
Perhaps not in the physical sense, but that didn't make it any less disturbing. Eventually, the feeling had grown so overpowering she had been driven from her room and was now walking the halls in an attempt to calm herself.
She was not having much success.
When this is all over, I'm going to sleep for a solid month, she vowed. Or, at least for as long as a newborn baby will let me.
Her wanderings took her into a nearby lounge where she spotted Obi-wan's cloaked form, deep in meditation. She started to turn away but before she could take a single step, his eyes flickered open and focused on her disheveled state.
"Are you all right?" he asked immediately.
"Yes, I'm fine. I'm sorry to interrupt but now that I'm here..." She glanced at him hopefully. "Would you mind some company?"
"Not at all." He gestured to the variety of seating that surrounded him and invited her to pick a spot. "That would be delightful, in fact."
A moment of companionable silence passed as he poured her a mug of hot tea. She drank deeply and the liquid seemed to work like magic, warming her insides and chasing away the chill that had wrapped itself around her body. She could already feel herself relaxing.
"The Force is oddly quiet tonight," Obi-wan finally noted.
"Then why aren't you sleeping?"
"The same reason you aren't - the dark presence."
She nearly choked on her mouthful of tea and had to blot the corner of her mouth with a napkin. "You felt it?"
He nodded once. "I was able to prevent him from interacting with you physically. I believe it angered him."
"That must have been what I sensed," she mused. She set down her mug, the comfort of the tea forgotten. "What does this all mean?"
He decided to answer her question with one of his own. "What is it that you felt?"
She paused to consider the eerie sensation that had swarmed her quarters.
"Even upon its arrival, it carried an undercurrent of rage and calculation," she explained. "I think that's why I couldn't sleep. It was trying to keep those urges hidden but I could sense them anyway. It's almost as if the rage has become so ingrained it doesn't know any differently. You can't hide what you don't see to begin with." She exhaled in frustration. "Am I making any sense?"
"More than you know. Please go on."
"I think it's preparing for something..." she continued softly. "But most of all, the darkness wants to get to us before we can get to it."
The Jedi Master refilled her mug and pressed it into her hand once more. "That's a lot of accurate information from someone who's not Force-sensitive."
"I may not have your gifts, but I know when someone is after me." She worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "We need to make our move soon, Obi-wan. I've sent Dormé instructions to head for Naboo so she will be in place when we need her. The journey will take a few days but the timing should be just about right."
"But in the interim-"
"I can handle it," she replied confidently. "But to do so, I will need to strengthen my mind shields. Can you help me?"
"Anakin taught you shielding techniques?" He seemed surprised.
"He says all politicians have a knack for it; he only taught me to be aware of it consciously… so I could keep our secret intact whenever I was around a Jedi," she mumbled.
Obi-wan laughed, his amusement at the situation overcoming his worry for the briefest of moments. "Well, in this case it appears the fine art of deception will serve us well. Now, take a seat on the sofa over there and I will take you through some exercises. They should help."
She put a hand on his arm and squeezed gently. "Thank you."
"I will have what we need soon," he said. "And then this will all be over, I promise."
CORUSCANT - TEMPLE DOCKING PLATFORM
"I'm very sorry I won't be able to accompany you, Milady." Mace glanced around the hanger as he spoke, keeping his voice low and his senses attuned.
"It is quite all right, Master Jedi," Dormé replied. "The Council needs you here. Besides, I don't know what kind of a traveling companion you would make. Bad mood, close quarters..."
She made a show of shuddering and he smiled, though the rare expression did not last long.
"I apologize if I have been... gruff. I do not take my mistakes lightly."
"It was not your mistake," she insisted. "There was nothing you could have done. In truth, you saved my life by recognizing the signs of poisoning and relaying the symptoms to the Healers. They found the antidote in time because of you."
He snorted in derision but resigned himself to a change of subject. The young woman standing before him may have been a decoy, but she certainly shared Amidala's stubborn streak. He knew a lost cause when he saw one.
"The Senator has sent a highly confidential missive for your review and action," he reported. "I have personally placed it within your quarters onboard. Once you've reviewed the contents, give Master Fisto the coordinates for your destination. Then, you must see Jedi Offee - she has your next round of medication."
"All right. Thank you, Master Windu," she smiled. "And please be sure to give Knight Skywalker my best. I'm sorry I wasn't able to bid him farewell."
"Yes, Milady," he grumbled. Though a few weeks had passed, the young man's violation of the Code still angered him. "Travel safely."
He watched her board the Naboo skiff before turning to the Jedi beside him. "It seems our shared duty falls squarely on your shoulders now. May the Force be with you."
"And with you, Master Windu."
"Keep an eye on those Padawans you're taking with you," Mace warned. "This isn't their first mission but they may get a bit overzealous in their effort to prove themselves to you."
"Barriss and I have a good rapport with Jukassa and Malreaux," he assured him. "They won't give us any trouble."
He nodded and silently studied the regal ship. "I can't help but wonder where the Senator is sending you. I don't like being left out of the loop."
The Nautolan readily agreed. "All of this is a bit unusual."
"It is. And it's making me uneasy."
Kit thumped him on the back and trudged up the ramp, trying to shrug off the whisper of doom that accompanied the statement. When he reached the entryway, he turned towards the spot where Mace had been standing...
...but the Jedi Master was already hurrying for his speeder.
"Always on the move," he murmured.
CHANCELLOR PALPATINE'S OFFICE – LATE AFTERNOON
Anakin's bored gaze followed the small cluster of Senators hurrying through the door. The moment they disappeared from sight, the Chancellor reclined in his chair and rubbed his face tiredly.
"Thank the blessed Force, my meetings are over for the day," he noted.
Anakin opened his mouth to share in his gratitude but the intercom on Palpatine's desk buzzed in rapid succession. Shooting him an apologetic glance, the older man pressed a button to open the channel. "Yes?"
"Jedi Master Mace Windu is here to see you."
"Send him in," he instructed.
Anakin's eyes narrowed. What reason would Windu have for visiting the Chancellor unannounced? He had been giving the Council bi-weekly reports, hadn't he? And detailed ones at that!
Are they checking up on my work? Do they not trust what I've been telling them?
He was so entrenched in his suspicions that Palpatine's next comments startled him. "Do you see what I have done, Anakin? I have jinxed myself. And now I must pay my penance by suffering through yet another meeting."
Anakin felt his annoyance evaporate in the face of the Chancellor's wry humor and he chuckled. Unfortunately, his mirth was short-lived as Mace entered and glared at sight of such carefree behavior.
"Master Windu! Welcome!" Anakin was glad that Palpatine appeared blissfully unaware of the tension. "What a pleasant surprise. To what do I owe this honor?"
The Korun Jedi stood abruptly, cutting his respectful bow short. "I wanted to see how the clones were handling their new assignment."
"Oh, fine... fine... You needn't worry. In fact, we have been receiving glowing reports from many of the Senators. They enjoy having the additional security. That's not to impugn the Jedi's ability to guard our public servants when we are in session, of course."
"Of course." Mace's face twisted into an expression that was half sneer, half grimace.
Taking advantage of the break in conversation, the Chancellor returned to his desk. "I hear a few of the Jedi's finest are close to discovering Grevious' whereabouts," he offered. "Now that Count Dooku is out of the picture, his capture would be quite a boon to the Republic."
"It would certainly be a step in the right direction for ending this war," Mace agreed shrewdly. "The Senate would be able to reclaim the emergency powers they have handed over - a day I hope will be a welcome one for you."
Palpatine bristled. "I did not seize these powers unlawfully, Master Windu. They were entrusted to me willingly and it is a responsibility I do not take lightly."
"I'm glad to hear it."
"Are you saying you had your doubts?"
Mace stalked towards the edge of the sleek desk and Anakin had to fight the urge to reach for his saber. He's on my side, he reminded himself. We're fighting the same fight.
So, why did it feel as though the Jedi Master was here as an enemy?
"I do not wish to argue, my lord. I simply wanted to remind you that the Order looks forward to a time where we can return our focus to peacekeeping."
Palpatine smiled but it was cold and hard. "Then it appears we are on the same page, my friend."
"Very good," Mace murmured. "Have a restful evening, Chancellor." He shot another glare towards Anakin before exiting the room.
When he was gone, Palpatine rested his elbows on his knees, visibly shaken. "Anakin, my boy," he fretted. "I fear the worst has happened. I have clearly made enemies of the Jedi."
"No." But the protest sounded weak, even to Anakin's own ears. "You heard what Master Windu said. He was just concerned over the war's progress."
Palpatine ignored him.
"With so many Jedi spread out across the Galaxy, I bet there is a signal that recalls them at a moment's notice," he murmured. "Perhaps Windu was here to uncover my current strategy; then they can orchestrate a surprise attack."
He's talking about the Temple's homing beacon, Anakin realized. He pressed his lips into a firm line, not knowing what else to say. His thoughts were a frantic storm - reeling with possibilities, demanding he choose an alliance.
"I'm about to tell you something I shouldn't, son," Palpatine muttered. "But I feel I can trust you, Anakin - that I need to trust you. Am I right?"
"Y- Yes, sir."
He took a deep breath and their gazes locked. "I've learned that the clones were designed with a specific failsafe in mind."
"A failsafe?" Anakin repeated. "What do you mean?"
"If a certain group tries to tear apart the Republic, the clones will take appropriate action. I do believe it's time I review those standing orders. It couldn't hurt... Could it?"
A fissure of fear split Anakin's heart as his world continued to crumble.