Chapter12
It was that evening that Bail Organa found himself sitting in Padmé's apartment across from Jedi Masters Yoda and Windu as the video he had played for Padmé was shown to them. He watched their faces carefully, trying to see some hint of understanding but both Jedi were more than adept at making sure no sign of emotion showed. Beside him Padmé shifted almost nervously, there was an air of anxiousness around her and he could not blame her for when she wore her intention to marry a member of their order on her left hand.
"Interesting development this is," Yoda said as soon as the image flickered off. His eyes traveled from where the player rested on the table between them to the two Senators across from him. "Interesting indeed."
"What does it mean, Master Yoda?" Bail heard himself ask.
Yoda's eyes gave away the smallest amount of surprise as he looked up at Padmé. "Tell him, you did not, hmm?"
"I gave you my word, Master Yoda," she replied. "I have kept your secret since you informed me on Naboo."
"What are you talking about?" Bail asked. "What secret? And why do I feel like I should know something that I don't?"
"Senator, there are beings in the galaxy that have the ability to manipulate the darker energies within the Force," Mace said. "They are very dangerous beings and because of that they are a Jedi's natural enemy."
"Yes, Padmé mentioned something about the dark side when I showed her this," Bail replied. "But what does that have to do with the Chancellor and what we just saw?"
"Always two there are," Yoda said. "A Master and an apprentice."
Bail frowned and looked down at the data player as he tried to wrap his mind around what he thought Master Yoda was saying. "So, you think that the Chancellor is one of these dark force users?"
"It is possible, after what we saw him do to Count Dooku with only a touch," Mace admitted and then turned his attention to Yoda, "Would it even be possible for him to have hidden his presence from us for this long?"
"Possible it would appear," Yoda said. "Dangerous this could be."
"Master Yoda, Dooku mentioned something about another, an apprentice. Do you think he was planning on attempting to overthrow Palpatine?" Padmé asked.
"Unable to know for certain we are," Yoda said. "But potential threat this apprentice might be if Palpatine attempts to use her. Inform Master Kenobi we should."
Padmé swallowed hard and looked down at her hands clasped tightly in her lap, she kept the mark hidden from view but she found strength in the bond it represented. "Masters, I was able to make contact with Padawan Skywalker after Bail brought this to my attention," she said, ignore the glare Mace gave her and the speculative look on Yoda's withered face. "I felt they needed to know that they may face a challenge upon reaching Raxus and I made the decision to tell them before we informed you."
"An interesting move, Senator," Mace said coolly. "It certainly oversteps the normal protocol of such a situation."
"With all due respect, Master Windu, they are the ones that could be walking into a trap," Padme replied, equally cool.
"What's done is done," Yoda said. "Aware they are and aware we are. A closer eye we will keep on Chancellor Palpatine and to Raxus you two will go. Act as outside informants you will."
"Excuse me; you want us to spy for you?" Bail asked. "We can't just leave our duty in the capital to go to Raxus, it would draw too much attention for both of us to do so."
"A necessary move this is. Trust the Senators already there we cannot. Appointed by Palpatine they were, pawns they could be," Yoda said. "Need you we do to see inside the Separatist Senate."
"I'll go, as a member of the Loyalist committee and someone who voted against creating an army and the threat of war, I should be taking part in these negotiations," Padmé agreed. "With or without you Bail. We need to understand what we may up against."
"Someone has to go to keep an eye on you," Bail said. "We'll go."
"Tell him what you do know on this journey Senator Amidala," Yoda requested. "Understand it as an outsider you do."
"Yes Master Yoda," she agreed.
"We will have a ship prepared for you, it will be less conspicuous if you do not take one of your official transports," Mace said. "Be ready to leave in an hour."
Two days of little more than organizing security patrols and sitting in on negotiations over the peace treaty had Anakin almost wishing that something would actually happen. There were no security threats that they had found, the negotiations were going smoothly and yet the treaty still was not signed, and Anakin being one for adventure was beginning to grow restless. With all his pent up energy not being put to good use, Anakin decided that perhaps taking his men for a run through the forest outside the city would be a good thing for all of them.
Anakin had brought his men to an ancient temple he had learned about from one of the locals and their group had decided to take some time to relax and explore the ruins. He was lounging against a fallen pillar, enjoying the surprisingly warm afternoon, while keeping an eye on his troops. They had run in full gear, not because Anakin ordered them to but because they felt that they could use the excursion as a training exercise, but that gear was now piled under a tree. It still surprised Anakin how strange it was to see the clones without their armor on, they were all so similar and yet so different.
And that was how Asajj Ventress found the young Jedi. A tremor in the Force had told her where he would be and she had felt compelled to listen. She watched the group from the shadows of the temple, waiting eagerly for a chance to strike.
"They won't wander off too far," Rex said, sitting down next to him. "The last thing they want is to disappoint the hero of Geonosis."
"I really wish you would stop calling me that," Anakin sighed, glancing over at the clone that had become his second in command.
"Sorry, it's what they call you and I guess it stuck."
"I got lucky that day. Dooku could just have easily been the one to beat me," Anakin said. "So there really isn't a reason to think of me as anything other than your commanding officer."
"A lot of my brothers were there, they saw you fight in the arena. They feel honored to be placed under your command."
Anakin frowned but nodded his understanding. "I wasn't just fighting for my life that day."
"You were fighting for someone else? I know you and Master Kenobi are close but…"
Rex was cut short by the sound of several rounds being fired before a sickening thud reached their ears. Anakin was instantly on his feet, lightsaber in hand as he charged into the deserted temple with Rex and the other clones close behind him. They found the body of one of the clones at the base of a wall and Anakin could tell by the injuries he could see that his shots had somehow been deflected back at him. Something was not right.
Anakin ignited his lightsaber just in time to stop the surprise attack from behind, two red blades clashed down against his with such force that he staggered just a bit. He could hear his men preparing their weapons and he spun out of the way to allow them to take a shot at their attacker but she was just as quick, darting back into the shadows.
"Rex, call for back up!" Anakin ordered as he followed her into the heart of the temple.
The silence was eerie as he masked his footsteps, his senses reaching out to find their mystery attacker. The footsteps of the clones that followed him sounded overly loud in the confined space and their glow rods did little to illuminate the grand hall.
"You are weak, young Jedi," a voice called out from the dark, raspy and distinctly feminine.
"Show yourself," Anakin replied, every muscle in his body tense with anticipation, ready to spring at any moment.
"Send your men away and face me properly."
"Your fight is with me. I defeated your Master, there's only one of you left now and I intend to finish the job."
A cackle rang out in the room, echoing all around them. "Oh how little you truly know boy," she said.
Anakin heard her sprint but could not quite tell where in the room she was until he saw her blades flash to life and slice through two more of his men. He ran after her instantly, chasing her into a more open part of the temple. The room was large and had a wall missing which allowed for far more light. He heard his remaining clones running after him and he motioned for them to take cover behind the large pillars the held up the roof of the temple.
"Who are you?" he called from where he stood in the middle of the open room.
"Names are of no importance Anakin Skywalker," she said, emerging from the shadows. She moved with the grace of a predator, and even he had to admit there was something alluring about her.
"Then why do you care about mine?" he asked, moving closer to her.
"Everyone knows who you are," she replied smugly. She ignited her red blades with a bit of flare and in the next instant the two were coming together in heated combat.
She was good, better than he would have expected. Their dual felt more like a deadly dance as they spun away from each other after every clash of their blades, eyes locking over the sparks that were produced. They moved all over the open room, jumping and attacking, looking for a weakness to use against their opponent. She taunted him with every attack, using the verbal sparring in an attempt to distract him, but Anakin knew better than to fall for her tricks.
They were well matched as they continued to circle around each other, every attack met with a successful defense. Anakin took a moment of opportunity to push her back against a wall, trapping her there as she tried to hold his blade at bay above her head with both of hers.
"Who are you?" he asked again.
She didn't answer him; instead she caught him off guard by kissing him and then kicking him away. Anakin stumbled backwards, equally surprised by the kiss as he was by the kick, and she made use of that distracted state by slipping back into the shadows. He reached out with the Force in an attempt to find her, letting it guide him only to come up short when she blocked his probing.
"You wanted me to face you properly and yet you continue to run away," he taunted. "I suppose your Master taught you the art of retreating."
She cried out in rage and launched herself from a ledge, attacking him with a ferocity that he unprepared for. "You dare insult my Master?" she demanded, driving him towards his men. "You may have gotten lucky and bested him but you are no Sith killer, boy."
Anakin spun out from her attack and flipped over her head, attempting to strike her down from behind only to find she had moved quickly and was able to stop his attack with her blades. He called upon his years of experience in the sparring ring and lunged for her, his attack starting high and finishing low where he was able to knock one of her blades out of her hands.
"Your Master taught you well," he growled as he attacked. "You are holding on longer than he did."
She kicked out at him and he caught her leg, flipping her over and driving his blade down only to have it hit the stone floor as she once again managed to move out of his way. "Unlike my Master, I have the benefit of youth," she hissed, charging at him and using her shoulder to knock him to the ground.
He lost his grip on his lightsaber and it went clattering across the floor. He motioned for the clones to open fire on her as he used the Force to call his lightsaber back into his hand. By the time he got back to his feet his opponent had once again disappeared into the shadows and he held up his hand to have his men cease fire.
"You are skilled young Skywalker," she called, "But when faced with saving the lives of your men or capturing me, what choice would you make?"
A loud crack sounded from the ceiling above them and in the next instant the ceiling began to collapse. Anakin only had time to place his lightsaber on his belt before he had to call upon the Force, using all his strength to catch the falling rocks that threatened to crush his men. He heard the woman laugh gleefully and saw her standing on the other side of the room.
"My name is Asajj Ventress and you will die at my hands Skywalker," she called. "But not today." And then she was gone.
By then the entire roof was collapsing around them and Anakin was struggling to keep it from smashing any of his men, or him. "Rex! Get your men out of here!" he cried.
"Yes Sir!" Rex called, and all the clones dove for the door, eager to get out of the collapsing room.
When Anakin was certain they were all out he made a run for it, still using the Force to keep the stones from crashing down around him, but even for the Chosen One that was a difficult task. His control slipped just before he made it to the door and a large stone pinned his legs as he had tried to jump to safety, another smashed into his left shoulder. The pain was incredible and he knew he had broken something but he centered himself long enough to lift the stones from him and pull himself through the door just as the rest of the ceiling collapsed in and sent a rush of dust and debris flying into the air.
"Anakin!" he heard Obi-Wan call out, his voice sounding far away as the younger Jedi slipped into unconsciousness.
"Anakin!" Padmé cried, waking with a start and finding herself in the cockpit of a small ship. She was breathing heavily and her heart was racing in her chest, a sense of panic creeping down her spine as she recalled her dream.
"Padmé, are you all right?" Bail asked, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. Her outburst had frightened him and he was unsure what to make of it.
"Anakin," she repeated, closing her eyes in an attempt to regain control over trembling body. "Something has happened on Raxus."
"You can't know that."
"I felt it," she whispered, opening her eyes to meet his again. "Anakin has been hurt."
"Padmé you had a bad dream."
"No," she insisted. "We need to get to Raxus as soon as we can."
"We're still twelve hours out from the planet."
She rose from her seat and turned her attention to Artoo. "Is there any way we can push this ship to go a little faster?" she asked.
The little droid whistled his response and she glanced at Threepio for his translation. "We would have to turn off all unnecessary systems."
"Artoo, shut down what we don't need," she ordered. The little droid chirped and did as it was told, the lights dimmed to the emergency setting.
"Padmé, this is madness," Bail replied.
"If it was Breha in trouble I would do the same for you," she said, turning her attention to the navigational computer as she typed in the security code in an attempt to boost what little speed she could from the engines. If Anakin was injured then she intended to be at his side as quickly as possible.