Meandmysharpie – Hee! Your reviews are great! Are you heading back to school tomorrow? I'm back to work after a week off and am dreading it BIG TIME. I imagine you are feeling the same! Boo! But on a happier note – I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much! Thanks!
Jedi Master Arie Skywalker – I feel sorry for Padmé and Anakin too! And it's only going to get worse! Wahh!
Eriks leadinglady – Sorry to hear that a dude was getting on your nerves during one of your first days on the job! That's no fun! But I do appreciate your sense of humor – sometimes that's the only way to deal with things, you know? And, of course, I REALLY appreciate your wonderfully sweet reviews! They are always so amazing and leave me with a giant grin on my face. This story means a lot to me so the encouragement is savored even more than usual! Hope I can continue to keep your attention!
The Elvish Jedi – It is so wonderful to have you as a reader. I am so touched that you seem to like my work so much. What a great thing to hear! And welcome to the story! Hope you will continue to follow it!
Ann Jinn – Thanks for the good vacation wishes – it was so relaxing though it ended a couple days early thanks to Ernesto. Oh well. And as you will soon see, the plot is going to continue to thicken even more!
Hellish Red Devil – Once again, you say the nicest things! I really mean it! THANKS! And I'm glad that you are enjoying the way the plot is unfolding… you guessed Obi-wan's plan, eh? Cool! I hope I can keep you on your toes though as we move forward – I still have a few surprises up my sleeve (or at least I hope I do!). And I agree – down with Palpy! Hope you like the latest update.
ALL – Well, Ernesto chased me back into town a few days early. Grrr! But on the bright side, I have my post up earlier than I anticipated! Hope you enjoy it. I have to warn you that things are going to get really heavy – so be prepared!
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ABOARD SKIFF – EARLY MORNING
"Good morning, Master Kenobi!" Padmé chirped as the Jedi wandered aimlessly thorugh the lounge she was currently occupying. "I'm pleased that you're up and around. I have to ask a favor of you."
Obi-wan rubbed his eyes and shot a bleary-eyed glare in her general direction. "Caf first," he mumbled. "Favor second."
"You'll find a clean mug already filled to the brim," she smirked knowingly. "It's right there on the table."
But her directions proved unnecessary – the aroma had already caught his attention, beckoning shamelessly. He took a greedy gulp, relishing the way the warmth settled into his belly and banished the chill that had taken up residence.
Caf was not his normal beverage of choice, but it had been a long night – one that was full of shadows that remained stubbornly out of reach. A relaxed mind had been hard to come by and the many hours of agonizing that resulted had given him a headache.
"Are you all right?" Padmé finally asked.
"I'm fine," he murmured tiredly. "Finding it a bit difficult to get going this morning is all. Now, what was that favor you wanted?"
"Well, I have uploaded the transmissions into the queue so they are ready for distribution. However, I would like to add something to the communiqué going to Senator Organa."
Her hesitant tone had him tilting his head to the side in curiosity. "What is it that you would like to add?"
"An invitation to join us," she explained. "I need to give him the datapads, Obi-wan. They are too valuable to send through a courier service."
He was already shaking his head. "We cannot divulge your whereabouts, Padmé, under any circumstance. You know that better than anyone. It's far too risky."
"We both know Bail can be trusted. It's the clone soldier that would have to accompany him that's worrying you. But I've come up with a solution to that as well."
Pressing his lips into a thin line, Obi-wan fought the urge to cross his arms. "And what solution is that?"
"Commander Cody," she blurted. "He is still on Coruscant, temporarily serving as a liaison between the Jedi and the Kaminoans. I know you and Anakin both trust him with your lives – he would be the perfect escort for the Senator."
She could see that her reasoning had struck a chord and, sensing victory, pressed on.
"We'll arrive at our hideout well before Bail does. We can scout the area; batten down the hatches so to speak. If you feel even a hint of danger, you can hide me away before the ship even touches down."
"I don't know…" he sidestepped.
"Please, Obi-wan. Those battle strategies may carry more importance than either of us could ever imagine. They must reside with Bail… with the leadership of the Delegation. The future of the Republic could depend on it. If you still need persuading… well, perhaps you can consider it a baby gift? A way to continue the tradition that I am missing today?"
He groaned. "I never imagined you could be so devious, Senator! Besides, I already told you I had something to give you today."
Her eyes lit up as she clapped her hands together. "That's right! How wonderful! Two presents in one day."
"Let's just concentrate on the one for now. I'm still a bit resistant to the other." He ignored her huff of frustration and glanced towards the entryway. "Eight-Bee? Could you come out here, please?"
A tall droid toddled into the room and Padmé gasped in surprise.
"Milady," it intoned. "I am Eight-Bee, at your service."
"Well, hello there." Turning a confused gaze on Obi-wan, she raised an eyebrow. "And what kind of service might that be?"
"Humanoid labor and delivery," he responded shyly. "Since our planetary destination is a bit out of the reach of the more reputable medical centers, I thought it couldn't hurt to have a helping hand. You know… just in case."
"Thank you, Master Kenobi," she said sincerely. "This is another reminder of how lucky Anakin and I are to have a friend like you."
Stroking a hand over his beard, he fought a blush. "I suppose if you really feel it's necessary... Senator Organa could join us briefly, provided he's willing to travel without his large security detail. The communication will be heavily encrypted, after all, and Cody is a very loyal friend."
"Oh, thank you!" Padmé handed him a flimsy before he could change his mind and watched him scribble a series of coordinates onto it. When he returned it to her, she studied the long series of numbers. "I must say, I don't recognize this at all."
"Mustafar is not exactly well-known."
"Mustafar." As the strange name rolled off her tongue, she felt a tingle of unease which she chose to ignore. "What is it like there?"
"Deserted, for one – and rightfully so. The atmosphere is not what one would call hospitable. It's volcanic and violently unpredictable. The continuous showers of white-hot ash are dangerous enough but when combined with clumps of magma, it can be downright deadly."
"It actually sounds fascinating," Padmé admitted. Planetary differences had always been a subject of great interest for her. "Was it ever populated?"
"Briefly. A mining colony was situated there," he explained. "We will be staying in the old control center, in the supervisory quarters. That particular section possesses several bedrooms, a cooking area and a rudimentary medical facility. We should find it sufficient for our needs."
"It's brilliant," she breathed appreciatively. "No one would ever dream to look for us there."
He corners of his eyes crinkled as he grinned. "That's the idea."
"Well, I suppose there's nothing left to do than to put the plan into action." She rubbed her belly as the baby delivered a particularly hard kick. Apparently she wasn't the only one anxious to get started. "Will Eight-Bee administer the serum?"
Obi-wan nodded. "I thought that would be best."
"And you're sure this will not harm the baby?"
"It's perfectly safe, though it will most likely hinder the child's Force signature for the foreseeable future," he reminded her. "But as we discussed, such a side effect will actually work in our favor – at least until Anakin arrives and can form a protective Force bond of his own."
Once again, Padmé found herself entranced by the mysterious power her husband was able to wield so effortlessly. It could work in so many wondrous ways. She only hoped it would continue to smile upon her growing family.
In the meantime, she would be sure to do her part.
"Milady, please roll up your sleeve," Eight-Bee commanded politely.
She did so, trying to ignore the sight of the needle at the end of the large syringe. However, she couldn't suppress the scathing oath that resulted from its painful pierce. As a young girl, she had detested vaccinations – a trait that had not improved with age, evidently.
"Injection successful," the droid reported.
"Yes, I noticed," she muttered. "Blast, I had forgotten how much I hate shots!"
Obi-wan wisely suppressed his laugh and cleared his throat instead. "How do you feel?"
"Fine," she grumbled.
Moments later, she realized she had to amend the statement. "I think I feel… free, actually. The presence… the one that I've been blocking? It seems to have lost its focus. It's not… fixating on me."
"Because your Force signature has disappeared!" Obi-wan exclaimed. "It is being disguised by the ysalamiri, just as I had hoped."
"Then we'd better hurry," she prompted. "If we don't want to raise any suspicions, we need to confirm what the dark presence already suspects:
Senator Padmé Amidala is dead."
CORUSCANT, OFFICE OF CHANCELLOR PALPATINE - SAME TIME
Anakin's breath left him in a whoosh as he stared with unseeing eyes at the facts and figures laid out before him. Several long moments passed in complete silence.
How could this have slipped by the Jedi for so long? Why would the Kaminoans allow these types of orders to find their way into the brains of lethal soldiers? The idea was ingenious, there was no doubt about that, but it was also incredibly dangerous.
"I see you are as shocked as I was when I first learned of the deception," Palpatine noted sadly. "I am sharing this information with you in the strictest of confidence, Anakin. We cannot allow it to go any further than this room."
"Why?" He winced at the alarmed tone that had crept into his voice.
"If others were to become aware of this innate programming, they would demand that we recall the clones and destroy them. Can you imagine? Such a horrible waste of life... and of course, there is no way we could stand up to the Separatists without them."
"No, you're right," Anakin realized. "It would be disastrous and the ethical implications…" He blew out a horrified breath. "Force, I can't even imagine."
"We must focus on the benefits. Thankfully, you and I are the only ones who know of this… special exception in programming. If it ever becomes necessary, we will be able to protect the Republic at all costs – and after all, wasn't that why the clones were commissioned?"
"Yes, sir." He slumped in his chair, crossing and uncrossing his legs at the ankles.
How could this have happened?
But Palpatine continued on, seemingly unaware of his apprehension. "This information will be classified at the highest security level there is. But I did feel I should share it with you. I should not be the only one to know something so important."
"I am humbled by the trust you have placed in me, Chancellor."
Palpatine opened his mouth to respond but was distracted by a rapid chiming sound coming from a speaker embedded within his desk. "Pardon me, Anakin." His fingers stabbed a button, the movement revealing his annoyance. "Didn't I leave instructions that I was not to be disturbed?"
"Yes, but Chancellor… please, you must turn on the Holo-net. They are about to release a special report. I've received word that it involves the status of a highly respected member of the Senate."
"Very well," he sighed.
Standing, he strode to the far wall and pulled back the elegant panels that hid the large screen from sight. "Forgive me, my boy – this should only take a moment. You know how the Holo-net likes to make a sensation out of the smallest thing."
Anakin chuckled ruefully. Padmé had often complained about the very same thing. He distinctly remembered the time she had cut her hair and they had worked up a five-minute report about it.
Needless to say, nothing could have prepared him for what he was about to hear.
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AUTHOR'S NOTE: I don't know much about ysalamiri serum so please forgive any glaring artistic liberties I may have taken unknowingly... THANKS!