Chapter 2

"And where were you, Skywalker?"

"Playing in his food," Obi-Wan answered for him, his tone dry. "Had Grievous continued towards the emergency bunker, Anakin would have been in the perfect position to cut him off. As it was, the Separatist infiltrators made the detour after Anakin had entered the main conduits."

"It is regrettable," Kit Fisto agreed, his holographic image serious. "Had your plan worked as intended, we might have been able to end this war."

"Indeed. As it was, I caught up with Grievous at the emergency shuttles in time to see Master Offee fall. I attempted to engage Grievous in combat, however, instead of coming for me himself, he dispatched some of his personal guard. I was unable to deal with them in as timely fashion as needed." Obi-Wan's admission was even, betraying none of the animosity his long history of encounters with General Grievous had fostered. "As a result, the good General was able to collect Master Offee, along with the Chancellor and Senator Naberrie, and escape in one of the emergency shuttles."

"Her capture is most disturbing," Mace Windu leaned forward on his elbows, his fingertips touching together as he regarded Anakin and Obi-Wan who were standing patiently in the center of the main council chamber. "In the last two months, Grievous has killed three Jedi but taken none captive."

"Do we know why he's taken Master Offee?" Shaak Ti's calm tones were inquisitive. "He outright killed Masters Kolar and Tiin and they were members of the Council."

"So certain, are you Obi-Wan, that Master Offee is alive?"

"Yes, Masters," Anakin stated firmly before Obi-Wan could respond.

He could still feel the muted glimmer of her presence in the back of his mind, the thread that bound them dimmed but not detached. Wherever she was, whatever was blocking her and preventing him from making contact, couldn't cancel out the link they shared entirely. It was almost as if… as if she'd entered a hibernation trance, not unlike, he realized, what she'd done on Tatooine. Has Barriss cut the connection herself or was she truly being blocked by something? The train of thought wasn't one he could pursue at the moment but he shelved it for later.

"She's alive."

"Hmm," Yoda regarded Anakin shrewdly before looking back to Obi-Wan. "Afford, we cannot, the loss of more Jedi. Rescue her, we must."

Obi-Wan and Anakin exchanged looks.

"We'll handle it, Master Yoda," the older Jedi assured him. "Anakin's retrieved the rendezvous coordinates preprogrammed into the shuttle they stole."

"How will that help?"

"Due to the nature of the shuttle's navigations," Anakin jumped in, knowing the technical aspects far better than his old Master, "they can't be changed. They're hard wired; should something happen to the senate building and the politicians take the shuttles, they'll go to one location and one location only. This allows for immediate retrieval."

"And if they've already been picked up?"

A smirk crossed Anakin's lips. "Impossible. Short of ripping out the main computer and rewiring it from scratch, it will do as it's programmed."

"How do you know this, Skywalker?"

"I asked the main mechanic." He shrugged and continued. "Anyway, without the computer, there's no way of the engines firing to kill the momentum of the ship. By removing the computer, they'd be putting themselves directly into the system's sun."

"You're sure of this."

"Based on the coordinates the shuttle is set for, yes."

"What's the stop someone from scooping the shuttle out of its run?"

"The shuttle is programmed for evasive maneuvers and a backup hyperspace course in the event of an attack either by tractor beam or weapon," Anakin produced a holo map of the surrounding galaxy, outlining the path of the shuttle and possible hyperspace routes from its current course. "There's no way to tell exactly where the shuttle will end up as its programmed to pick a location as random, but it will select the safest and shortest route away from the danger based on the current holo maps that get uploaded the moment the ship is activated." Anakin pointed out the most likely locations should the ship jump. "Within system isn't exactly an option, but they're most likely to end up near Kuat."

"Why Kuat?"

"Because with the new spaceport and construction yards. They've been major holo news in the last few weeks and we now have a fleet there capable of protecting the shuttle's passengers."

"I doubt," Shaak Ti informed him mildly, "that a computer would take that into account."

"The algorithm is pretty advanced, Master." Anakin told her with a grin. "It's either there or Arkania since they're both along known hyperspace routes and easy to get to; but there's no fleet in orbit around Arkania. I'd place my credits on Kuat."

Obi-Wan frowned at the gambling reference but none of the other Master's seemed disturbed; it was a figure of speech – as far as they knew. Or were willing to acknowledge.

"Providing, of course, they're uninterrupted in transit," Mace quantified. "What if they're able to dock with the shuttle?"

"If the identifier is wrong, we'll get a distress signal; providing they don't blow it up." Which was possible they all knew, but only if Grievous was able to get off first. With or without his hostages was anyone's guess. Anakin forged ahead. "It'll take the shuttle almost two hours to reach its destination; we can be there in half that with our starfighters."

"Go then," Yoda stated, for it was an order and not a request. "Discover what you will and send word you must, before engaging."

"Yes, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan agreed. "We'll need a distraction anyway if we need to board one of their ships."

"Providing they bring a large one." Mace pinned Anakin with a look. "Let me reiterate, Skywalker. This is a recon mission for now; not a rescue."

"Yes, Master," Anakin agreed far more easily than any of them would have thought possible and Obi-Wan slanted his former apprentice a suspicious look. As if not seeing it, Anakin continued. "I wouldn't dream of putting Barriss or Senator Naberrie in jeopardy, let alone the Chancellor. Two of the three I know quite well."

Two of the three, Obi-Wan knew, were some of his closest friends.

"Good." Mace seemed to accept Anakin's statement as a kind of vow. "Once we know the situation, we can better plan for it. We need to discover why he took Barriss when he already had the Chancellor and Senator Naberrie. We need to know if she was deliberately targeted or if he was simply after a Jedi."

Anakin privately had some thoughts about that, but wasn't about to voice them at the moment. He missed the next segment of the discussion as he mentally reviewed what the three captives had in common, coming to a gut twisting realization as Obi-Wan's voice penetrated his thoughts.

"-find what we can and report back. If the shuttle takes as long as Anakin thinks it will to reach the rendezvous point, we'll have plenty of time to prepare."

"Exercise caution, Obi-Wan," Shaak Ti advised. "There may be more to this than we realize."

"Of course Masters. May the Force be with you."

"And you."

Bowing to the Council, the duo made their escape, the doors to the Council chamber sliding shut behind them. They walked the wide corridors towards the lifts in silence, Anakin not really noticing the views that normally held his gaze. They were inside the lift and headed to the ground level before Obi-Wan spoke again.

"You look shaken."

"I think you would be too if you'd come to the same conclusion I have."

"And what, pray tell, is that my friend?"

"The connection," Anakin stated as if it explained everything. Obi-Wan looked perplexed so he was forced to elaborate. "Grievous has three hostages; all people who are relatively different and come from varied backgrounds. Discounting the followings facts," he held up one hand and illustrated them with his fingers, "one - that two of three are from Naboo; two - that two of three are human; three - that two of three are Senators and four that two of three live on Coruscant for most of the year, what other connection does that leave?"

"That they were all in the wrong place at the wrong time?"

"I'm serious, Obi-Wan; think about it. What else is the link to this?"

"You've obviously drawn your own conclusions," Obi-Wan returned dryly. "Perhaps it would be best if you simply explain?"

Anakin exhaled forcefully. "Me."

"Pardon?"

"Me; I'm the connection."

"A little conceited, don't you think?"

"If it were untrue I'd agree with you."

"I don't follow you, Anakin."

He shot Obi-Wan a dark look, running one hand through his hair and turned to put his back to his mentor. Looking out without really seeing the view beyond, he elaborated what had come to him in the council chamber. A revelation he didn't like and one that would no doubt shape their coming mission. "Sola is related to Padmé; she's her sister. I helped Padmé free Naboo when I was nine and, when Padmé died, Sola stepped in to take over the political seat Padmé had left vacant."

"A connection, true, but a vague one."

Anakin shook his head. "The Chancellor is also from Naboo; he was on good terms, the best of terms I understand, with Padmé and thought of her as a daughter. I met the Chancellor because of what happened with the blockade and he's taken an interest in me ever since."

"Go on; I'm quite curious how you factor Barriss into all of this since you two didn't meet until Ansion."

"Not true; we'd just never worked together until Ansion."

"Semantics, Anakin." Obi-Wan admonished, rolling his wrist to encourage him to continue.

"Barriss was the one who helped me get through Padmé's death; she was with me on Naboo and has been tied to me ever since what occurred on Tatooine with my mother. Each one of them is important to me; each one would be enough to bring me in if this is a trap."

"Oh, it's undoubtedly a trap," Obi-Wan agreed. "I simply don't know if it's for us."

"What do you mean?"

"I think you place too much importance on your involvement in this."

"I am the Chosen One."

"Funny." Obi-Wan stroked his beard, considering the details Anakin had considered and discarding them. "The Chancellor and the Senator are both vocal advocates against a continuation of the war. Master Offee has made no secret of the fact she's in complete agreement and has, in recent past, been assigned as a bodyguard to Senator Naberrie. They have, I understand, become friends."

"So you think this kidnapping is to ensure Senator Naberrie's good behavior."

"Or Barriss'. Both could simply be pawns for a reason we don't yet know or understand."

"And the Chancellor?"

"For all we know, Anakin, they've both been taken to guarantee his good behavior and each other's. There are simply too many factors to settle on a single hypothesis right now."

"I still think I'm right," Anakin told his mentor frankly.

"You always do, my friend."

"It feels right, Obi-Wan; I can't explain it."

"Then we'll have to go with your feeling but expect something else," Obi-Wan stated firmly, "there could be any number of reasons these three hostages have been taken, Anakin. We can't just assume one."

Anakin exhaled. Hard. "I know."

His admission was rough, despite the feeling that was eating at him. He was right; he knew he was right, he just didn't know how to explain it to Obi-Wan. However, Barriss' influence over the years, the changes she'd instigated in his psyche, forced him to reevaluate what he knew to be true. Yes, he might be the reason the three had been taken, but it wasn't likely the only reason and he could admit it. What the others might be, he hadn't a clue, but Obi-Wan made some good points.

"At least you can admit it," the older Jedi's reply was dry. "Does that change the way we're going to approach this?"

"Why do you bother asking me when you never do things my way anyway?"

"I do like you to feel like you're contributing."

Rolling his eyes, Anakin tapped his foot impatiently. "I'd feel like I was contributing if we did things my way once in a while."

"Oh yes; like you trip through the kitchen pipes?"

"I had to improvise; it could have been a lot worse."

"Oh, there's no question about that," Obi-Wan agreed. "You could have accidentally ended up in the tube they use for carrying the nutrient dips to the spas."

"It could have been the next innovation in skin care. A bit of The Chosen One for the chosen few."

"You're incorrigible," but Obi-Wan was fighting a grin.

"A little Anakin Skywalker goes a long way," Anakin crossed his arms over his chest, tilted his head and then tossed it, like one of the recent holo stars who qualified as a 'heart throb' and his long curls bobbed and wove together before falling back into place.

This time Obi-Wan did laugh as the life began to slow. "You do that very well, my friend. Perhaps if you ever get expelled for your outrageous behavior, you can try your hand on the holos."

"And, being my best friend who will be beside me all the way, I'll make sure they give you a part too," Anakin returned dryly, stepping out as the lift stopped and the doors opened. "Come on. If we hurry, we can scout the area before the shuttle arrives to devise a way to sneak on board whatever ship they're going to send to collect it."

"Before we go gallivanting away to the rescue, just how are you planning on getting all of us off whatever ship they're sending?"

"By stealing a shuttle; how else?"

"You make that sounds as if it were obvious."

"I thought it was."

"That you think at all amazes me." Obi-Wan shook his head. "Very well; may I assume we'll be leaving our star fighters behind?"

"We'll need Arfour on board the ship to break through the security we can't. As soon as we have the Chancellor, the Senator and Barriss free, the astromechs can jump back in the fighters and fly them home."

"And if we need them for the shuttle?"

"As long as you can program a nav computer with Coruscant's coordinates, Master, we should be home free."

"Then why do I have a bad feeling about this?"

"Because it wouldn't," Anakin grinned as they entered the hangar bay and headed for their fighters, "be a mission together without it."

"If you hadn't proven to be do inept five years ago, this would not be necessary and you could kill the girl as you desire."

Barriss woke to a voice that was vaguely familiar through the pounding in her skull, her body aching in a way she'd long forgotten it was capable of. She suppressed a groan as new bruises made themselves known, realizing she was privy to a conversation she shouldn't be hearing. The voice that spoke next was one that had haunted her nightmares since the day of her Master's death. A shiver she couldn't help slid through her form and her muscles tensed involuntarily.

"It is dangerous to hold her," Count Dooku was saying.

The sound of metallic fingers tapping against the deck preceded Grievous' addition; he was speaking to a three way holo she realized. "Skywalker will come for her."

"Yes," the first voice affirmed, its sinister tones seeping satisfaction in every syllable. "I am counting on it. She is more important than either of you realize."

"They will come for her and they will fail, my Master," promised the Count. "I will dispatch Kenobi and capture Skywalker when they arrive."

"Do not fail me, Lord Tyranus."

Even though the words weren't directed her way, Barriss felt the pulse of the threat; Tyranus wouldn't survive this failure if he didn't do exactly as instructed.

"Yes my Lord; I shall delivery Skywalker to you or die. But what of the... woman?"

The disdain in his tone set her teeth on edge.

"Leave her," the voice advised. "General Grievous will keep her in hand. When Skywalker sees she is in danger, he will come to us. Once he has been captured, use her continued well being to ensure his... cooperation."

"As you wish, my Master."

There was no mistaking the displeasure in the Count's response and Barriss felt a flare of satisfaction she was quick to trample. She shouldn't feel good about being used as leverage against Anakin in a fashion that displeased the Count. It was contrary and counterproductive. She had her own problems to worry about and, discovering she was bound only by Force suppressing binders, showed they weren't as insurmountable as expected.

"Yes, my Lord," the metallic General coughed. "Shall I place the prisoners together in the spire?'

"In three locations around the ship." The sinister voice instructed. "Place the Senator in the brig; the Chancellor in the spire and the Jedi…" there was a pause.

"I will keep her with me, my Lord," Grievous offered, a malicious intent evident in each syllable. "Use her as the bait she's to be. It will force Kenobi and Skywalker to choose."

"And to face me one at a time," Dooku added, obviously liking the idea. "Young Skywalker will be no match without his master."

"I want him alive, my apprentice," the first voice hardened, sounding vaguely familiar to Barriss' muddled mind even as she couldn't place it. "Fail me in this and it will be yours in exchange."

"Yes, my Master."

"General Grievous."

"My lord?"

"Use the Jedi to lure Skywalker to the spire of the Malevolence," obviously Dooku was no longer a part of the conversation. "Once there, ensure his… cooperation. I want him alive."

"Yes, my lord."

There was a moment of silence broken by coughing as Grievous terminated the transmission before another series of clicks on the floor announced the General moved. They were audible as he approached her prone form. She felt his attention shift her way and, unconsciously, reached for Anakin.

Anakin.

A nudge jarred her concentration but didn't break it as she sought the connection that had been present for the last five year; a connection that had never failed to amaze and scare her all at the same time. The connection that tied Anakin closer to her than any other Jedi, than any other being in her life.

The push came again, pressing her back and over, turning her towards the General and Barriss knew she had a few options. Anakin would come for her so first and foremost, she had to warn him; after that, she had to work on escaping. Anakin's safety, among others - and not just her own - depended on it.

Anakin, if you can hear me, it's a trap; and I'm the bait! Do not, I repeat, do not come for me! It's a trap!

TBC