Escape
Jordana
and Anakin were side by side, being led down a hall from the chamber.
Jordana looked over at Anakin. He was still pretty shaken up and she
was beginning to wonder if he would be able to pull anything off.
Anakin?
Yeah?
I'm sorry…about what happened.
It's all right. Even in his thoughts he sounded tired.
My
master and I have a plan. So just follow my lead.
Soon they
reached the position her Master had told her about: the suspended
walkway that over looked a large staircase. All that stood between
them and the rust colored pathway below them was a waist-high
railing.
Anakin...be ready.
She spun around, kicking the
guard behind her in the jaw. However, more guards quickly rushed
towards them, surrounding them. Jordana panicked, she hadn't
expected there to be this many guards. Then the most peculiar thing
happened: the guards all began clutching their throats. She looked
over to see Anakin glaring at them, his fist tightly clenched. She
seized this opportunity to break her handcuffs, then using her
lightsaber to break Anakin's.
"What're you doing to them?"
she asked, noticing that the guards were still gasping for
air.
"Making them pay." He replied darkly, "So what
now?"
"Follow me." she perched herself on the railing and
leapt down to the stairs, followed by Anakin.
"So you thought of
all of this in ten minutes?" he panted as they dashed through the
Temple, heading toward the eastern end of the building. They slipped
into a ventilation pipe and followed it to the roof.
"If you
wanted one last sentimental moment before we die Jordie-"
"I
know what I'm doing!" she snapped.
He followed her to the edge
of the roof, where she stood dangerously close to the fall. She was
peering over the drop, hardly moving.
"Do you trust me, Anakin?"
she asked, extending her hand.
He didn't like where this was
going, but then again, when had Jordie not been trustworthy to
him.
"Yes." he replied, taking her hand.
Suddenly, one of
the doors burst open and Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi, along with
several other Jedi appeared before them.
"Well, this is a
problem." he muttered.
But Jordana didn't move.
"Anakin,
please, don't make this any harder." Obi-Wan pleaded.
"You've
already done that Master. You and your Council."
"You know
this has to be done. We cannot allow you to become a threat!" Mace
shouted.
"Our lives our in our own hands now." She replied
calmly, never taking her eyes off the fall. "You no longer have any
control of them."
"This is your last warning, step down
now!"
"Any more bright ideas Jordie?", he asked
nervously.
She fell forward, pulling Anakin with her. They
plummeted down between the highways of Coruscant, falling faster and
faster as gravity caught them. Anakin closed his eyes, not wanting to
watch Death's rapid approach. But instead of pain and darkness, he
felt himself land on a cushion. It gave a bit, and bounced him back
up before he returned to the cushion. He opened his eyes and realized
that he had landed in a speeder that was being driven by Tahira. He
heard a shriek and turned to find Jordana clinging to the back of
it.
"Quick, give me your hand!" he called. He hauled her back
in, and Tahira promptly put up the convertible's hatch. She grabbed
two bags from the front seat and tossed them back.
"Change into
the clothing in the bags, but leave your old clothes here."
Once
she was dress, Jordana looked through the rest of the bag. There was
a huge wad of credits, ration tickets, a pair of blasters, medical
supplies: all stuff she knew Tahira didn't have.
They reached a
landing platform with a back ally behind several night clubs. There
was another black speeder waiting there.
"So what are we going
to do now?" Anakin asked.
"I'm going to get you two off this
planet. Follow that ally way, it will take you to refugee transport
heading for Corellia in a half-hour. You should be safe there."
"But
won't they come after us?"
"No because I'm going to fake
your deaths."
"How?"
"You'll see. Now give me your
lightsabers."
Reluctantly, they handed them over.
"Master,
if I may ask, how did you accomplish all of this?" Jordana
asked.
"I heard you and Anakin talking. I knew shit would hit
the fan, so I called up an old friend for a very big favor. I'm not
going to let the Jedi do this to you two."
"Tahira," she
asked hesitantly, "Will I ever see you again?"
"Hell yeah!
This ain't good-bye. Once things have died down at the Temple, I'm
leaving the Order, and I'll come find you."
Tahira hugged
Jordana tightly, trying desperately not to cry.
"Thank you
Tahira, for everything." Anakin whispered as she hugged
him.
"Anything for you two." She wiped a few tears from her
eyes. "Just take care of each other. You two are all each other has
in the galaxy right now. And remember, no matter what you end up
doing, or what profession you have, always remember who you are, and
where you came from."
"We will." Jordana hugged her tightly
one last time.
"Get going you two. You don't have much time
before your transport leaves."
"May the Force be with you
Tahira."
"May the Force be with you both."
"Goodbye."
she whispered sadly before they ran down the ally to their transport.
Tahira watched them until they were out of sight.
"Goodbye my
friends."
