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Chapter 8

Location: Galactic Confederation Base 1, Alderaan

Day 12 Month 1 14 BBY

( Padme's POV)

My eyes track each movement Ferus attempts to make on Tarkin. The two men encircle each other and I watch each block and move of their katas. After five days of latrine duty and avoiding Anakin, I had been told I could go back to my regular duties and this morning is the first I can join the group in morning katas. Ferus has been staying up late with me so I can study and practice the katas and read up on the pilot manuals we have to master by the end of term. Apparently there are points issued each training session and those below a certain percent will be cut from the program and I cannot lose my spot. I need to stay put under the Empire's radar and away from Bail Organa's family at the moment. If I were to quit now, Vader will find me and won't care that Alderann is a Confederation Planet. I have no immunity now that I have married that blasted Sith Lord. I think my father might have known I have friends high up in the Galactic Council, but I wasn't really sure until he forced me into marrying Vader.

My eyes watch as Ferus breathes heavily and knocks Tarkin to the ground. Tarkin wipes the blood from his mouth and stands up. Anakin eyes the rest of the group and calls, "Who's next?"

His eyes scan our little group and his blue eyes glare into mine. " Naberrie, glad you could join us today. Why don't you show us some of those cocky moves of yours?"

I roll my eyes and place my water bottle at my feet. I step onto the mat and question my commander, "Who will I be fighting, sir?"

He shrugs and peers back at the others in the group on the benches. His eyes dart back to mine and he surmises, " I think I will."

My eyes widen in surprise. I attempt to form words, but I watch as my former lover pulls off his black workout shirt and throws it towards the group of men. My eyes settle on those sleek muscles of his and the wounds near his heart that were still healing. I narrow my eyes and ask, " Sir, should you be performing training exercises with those fresh wounds?"

His azure eyes stare at me confidently and he announces, " I fought countless times on the battlefield with fresh wounds such as these. Don't worry yourself, I won't go easy on you."

I prepare my battle stance, and I try to focus on his movements. I am not force sensitive like Ferus or Anakin. My eyes glance up at his and he's smirking. He murmurs, " What's wrong Naberrie?"

I narrow my gaze onto tracking his foot movements and then it happens. His right fist heads towards my face. I duck to my left and around his punch. I spin on my small feet and land a punch in his side- though I don't see the next punch coming towards me- right in the nose. I wince as the jab and the snapping of my nose can be heard in the room. My head whips back as I cannot see past the blood oozing out of it.

I blink back the pain in my face and I squint to see Anakin's fist headed towards my face. I attempt to duck and this time his cross lands in the corner of my mouth. I stumble backwards and fall onto my knees. I am in a daze. How he's landed three punches without me noticing is beyond me. I think he's using his force powers to gain an advantage.

I hear his sickening laughter above me as he calls to the crowd watching us, "See what happens to those who are cocky about their abilities?"

I cough and wipe the blood from my lips. My eyes dart to his unfocused ones. I growl out and use my entire body strength to push my full body weight into his wounded chest. His eyes shine in surprise as I knock the wind out of him. He falls onto his back with me on his hips and I swing wildly at his face. My jab and cross hit his pretty mouth and I land a few small punches to his abdomen as well. He coughs as the wind is knocked out of him more. His eyes narrow and he lets out an animal sound and his knee pushes into my waist. His knee turns his body away from me and I'm shoved backwards onto the mat. He stands to his feet and I cannot move as I feel the air knocked out of me as his side kick reaches my ribs. I cough and fall to the ground. His knee hits my ribs another three times and I cough back a plea to stop him from doing any more damage. It has become harder to breath and my world is enclosing around me. I heave out and struggle to breathe. My mouth forms the words I want to plead with him and beg for the pain to stop. I whisper in a low voice, "Anakin stop- please-"

Anakin grits his teeth as he has not heard my pleas. He kicks my side and I collapse onto the ground and turn my face so he can see my bloody mess. I groan as pain shoots up my side- through my ribs and into my shoulders. I can feel my left shoulder burning into the mat. I cough and sputter out blood as he begins to strike my face several times. I can feel my left eye swelling under the pressure and I squeak out, "I give up."

His fist halts in front of my face and his eyes meet mine. My world is spinning and my vision continues to blur. I needed him to stop otherwise I would black out and need to go to the infirmary. I notice the rage hasn't settled as he grits his teeth and barks out orders to the other men. He announces, " Tarkin, Olin! Clean up this mess."

Anakin kneels before me and I suck in the little air I can under the pressure of my bruised ribs or possible broken ones. Ferus joins Anakin's side and stares down at me. He questions, "What about Naberrie? Shouldn't someone take him to the infirmary?"

Anakin nods in reassurance and states firmly, "I'll take him and patch him up myself."

My eyes are blurring as I can feel Anakin help me up. He orders me to clutch onto his shoulder. I stumble onto my feet and his other arm surrounds my waist as I attempt to walk to the infirmary. I suck in the air around me. My knees begin to buckle and I collapse to my knees and my world becomes a darkened place. All I remember is seeing a flash of Anakin's face before my world goes black.

Location: Galactic Confederation Base 1, Alderaan

Infirmary

Day 9 Month 1 14 BBY

( Anakin's POV)

I apply the last bacha patch to the young soldier's nose. I hadn't meant to break three ribs- nor end up patching this soldier up. The young solider struggles to breathe and I begin my work ahead of me. I had to use the force to repair the breaks I had sensed after our training session. It had been more like kick the cocky youths ass and teach her a lesson- and I had taken out more of my rage than I should have.

I touch her side lightly and she groans in pain. I close my eyes use the force to send healing waves into the broken ribs. I can feel the connections through the force as they snap back into place. I hear the woman lying on the hospital bed scream in pain as her ribs snap back into place. Her eyes are still closed, but there are tears forming and sliding down her young face.

I search for any other injuries via the force other than his broken nose. I send healing waves through my fingertips as I place my hands near the woman's head. The woman screams again as her nose snaps back into place. Her eyes are closed and wet tears form under her eyelids. I've seen many woman and men her age die at the hands the Rebels and Imperials.

The soft groans alert my attention back to the woman's face. Her brown eyes open and her left one has begun to swell from the blackeye I had given her earlier. She moans and whispers, " What the hell happened?"

I attempt to hide the smirk that has formed on my lips as I mutter, " You got your ass handed to you, Cadet."

Naberrie attempts to sit up in the gurney and I push his body back down onto the cot. Her eyes glare like daggers into mine as she protests, " Sir, I have training to get back to."

I shake my head and mutter, " No you don't. You need to rest-"

she protests, " Sir, I don't want to be cut from the program for this."

I roll my eyes at her and reply, " Look Kid, you have a lot of nerve, but your young and don't know any better."

The brown eyes of the Cadet soften as she responds, " No sir, I need to be in this program."

I shrug and utter, " Kid, you don't have what it takes to survive out there."

The brown eyes of Padme' glare at me and she snaps, " I don't have anywhere else to go. My family- won't take me back after what I've done."

My eyes narrow as I question, " What do you mean?"

Her eyes drift away from me as she murmurs, " I've betrayed them. My family is Imperial and if they found out I wasn't loyal to that damn Emperor, I'd be a traitor and be hung for my crimes. So please don't cut me now- I want to be here."

Her pleas soften that human part of me.

My eyes glance back onto Naberrie and I mutter, " Fine, but no more of this cocky break the rules altitude, got it? Or I'll drag you myself to the starship docks."

The young Cadet smirks at me and replies, " Yes sir."

I pat his back and mutter, " Get some rest and I'll see you bright and early in your piloting class."

I hear a groan at the mention of the piloting class. I turn my back and leave the kid to rest.

To be Continued.