Note 1: Star Wars and its affiliates do not belong to me, only the contents of this Verse.

Note 2: Thank you to my betas authorwithissues and Young at Heart21.

Chosen: Restoration

Chapter 23: Taris

By WrittinInStone

It took five days to reach Taris.

Padmé eyes were unblinking as she stood with Anakin and Obi-Wan at the viewing window of Twilight's Rain. Although the planet in front of them looked much the same as it had done in the holos she retrieved, she still had not quite expected it to look like such a dump in person.

The trio were making the final preparations to enter the planet. Upon gaining entrance to the ship five days ago, Anakin had stubbornly insisted on exploring the true Twilight's Rain only to be waylaid once again by his exasperated wife, much to the amusement of Obi-Wan. Instead, they had set up headquarters in the added portion of the ship, in different rooms than before, ones much closer to the command core of the ship in an effort to monitor the activity of the clones. Once settled, they had quickly begun a discussion on their plan to find and question Davik Kang.

Thankfully, Padmé's prior research had not been in vain and she had successfully narrowed down Kang's location to a specific area on the heavily populated planet.

It was the worst possible place for a pregnant senator, an ill Jedi Knight and a famous Jedi Master to go. The planet was rife with pollution and civil unrest. The very atmosphere looked diseased and Padmé couldn't help but wrinkle her nose at the green haze of filth floating in the atmosphere, at the ring of garbage that was visible even from space. It was typical that people such as Kang would go to a world such as this, as though they were drawn to places that reflected their decayed personalities.

Padmé glanced at the Jedi standing next to her. This was it; this was the only true and solid lead that they had and she could practically feel the hope in the air alongside the underlying veil of doubt that this would end up being just another dead end.

But she refused to believe that. Unconsciously, Padmé reached down and rubbed her belly. Time had truly flown since she had found out that she was pregnant and now, she was almost seven months along. It didn't seem possible that nearly three months had passed since the episode on Endor. But it had taken time to prepare for their journey, time to come up with a sufficient plan to ditch the clones, time…

It had taken more time than they had.

There had been one significant thing to come out of the unexpected delay. The medical teams assigned to study Anakin's illness had created a measure that seemed to block some of the effects of the ailment. It had given Anakin his strength back and some of the vitality that made him who he was.

It had delighted both Anakin and the normally carefully controlled Obi-Wan who had tried in vain to curb his excitement, happy that his partner was more like himself.

It had been a calculated risk and one that Padmé was not sure they should have taken. The doctors did not know the side effects; there had not been enough time to test it, but Anakin had insisted, saying he would not be able to help them on Taris in his state.

He was right; he would not be much help, but Padmé had a horrible feeling about the vaccine. She just had a sense, but she had said nothing to her husband, loath to impinge on his and Obi-Wan's child-like joy. And, standing there, watching his face glow, seeing how happy he was that he had strength and control over his limbs, she was glad for her silence. She just hoped that they would not regret it later.

#*#*#*#*#

Obi-Wan hadn't thought it was possible, but the planet smelled worse than it looked.

It was an ecumenopolis like Coruscant, the whole planet being nothing but a huge city. But, unlike Coruscant, it was a world that screamed of despair, of a burgeoning sense of anger overlaid on top of the fear that could be scented in the air. After only being on Taris for a little over a day, Obi-Wan could understand why.

He had read about the state of Taris, but seeing it in person told him more than he wanted. The city was divided into filthy rich and dirt poor. There was no middle class and no room for class mobility. The rich languished in their palaces and made laws that kept the 'lowly' in their place, making it impossible for those born less fortunate to better their station. It was planet was on the brink of civil war and, even though Obi-Wan had developed a hatred for war after years of fighting on the front lines of the clone wars, he still could not help but agree that it was time for the change war could bring.

He stared out of the window as the landscape passed in a blur. They had begun scouting the first area provided by Padmé as soon as they arrived on-planet, not wanting to be there longer than necessary. It had taken more time than expected to scout the first area, but at least they now had an idea of exactly where Kang was.

So now, they were on their way westward, hoping that their lead panned out. It took little effort to secure a shuttle to their destination; the transport that they rode was dark and gloomy, much like the city. It matched the mood of everything perfectly.

At least one thing had gone right on this journey; upon leaving the ship, a simple order had prevented the clones from following. Obi-Wan supposed they had been commanded to follow the Jedi's orders to avoid suspicion. If that was indeed the case, it was probably safe to assume that they were being followed or that Palpatine had gotten to Kang first and already knew all that they were going to learn. Obi-Wan knew he bordered on paranoia, but after all he had learned about the Chancellor, he found it difficult to believe that Palpatine would tolerate the relinquishment of control that such a lack of knowledge would bring.

Shaking his head, the Jedi Master tried to put it from his mind. There was nothing they could do about that now, absolutely nothing. It was best to focus on something they could control: finding Kang and procuring the crystal.

"Obi-Wan?"

The Jedi Master turned to see Padmé looking at him with concern. Although he and Anakin had both insisted she stay on the ship, that Taris was too dangerous, she had merely given them a mulish expression that told them in no uncertain terms that she was going.

Even now, Obi-Wan regretted caving in, allowing her to come. Though she tried to blend in by wearing a gray suit and pulling her hair into a simple bun, Padmé Amidala was not one who could go places unnoticed. It was the way she walked with authority, the way her shoulders were squared, the way her face bespoke of wisdom, a sense of solemnity beyond her age.

It was the same seriousness he saw now as she approached him.

"Anakin is resting," she spoke in response to his unspoken question. "The vaccine… it's wearing off. I don't want him to take any more, but he insists that it's okay, that it's just his fatigue coming back, but I'm not so sure. He seems weaker. I honestly can't believe that the Jedi Council condoned the use of an untested vaccine."

Obi-Wan was careful to keep his face expressionless at her words. He didn't tell her, the Jedi Master thought, groaning inwardly. That was a bad move, Anakin; a really bad move.

The Council had not condoned the use of the vaccine; they didn't even know it existed. It had been sprung on them only moments before leaving Coruscant. Obi-Wan could admit that he had been so excited about the prospect of the drug that he had not taken the time to stop and think about how it was possible that the medical doctors would all of a sudden create this miracle vaccine a few days before they undertook an extremely dangerous mission.

Why were they unable to do it before? Why had they just happened to stumble across it?

It all stank of Palpatine's handiwork.

But Obi-Wan, like Padmé, had been unwilling to insist that Anakin not take it. Surely if the Chancellor was behind it, any possible side effects wouldn't be life-threatening?

The Jedi Master hoped not.

"You're thinking the same thing I am, aren't you?" Padmé murmured.

"I'm afraid so," Obi-Wan answered with a sigh. "We don't have much choice right now. We need Anakin to be well enough to fight."

"I know," she answered, her face morphing into a frown. "I just hate how it feels as though he's controlling us, like Palpatine's a puppet master and we're the helpless dolls."

"It won't always be like that, Padmé," Obi-Wan spoke seriously, conviction in his voice. "Yes, we may have to play by his rules for now, but, sometime soon, we will hopefully be beyond his reach. We just have to remain strong until then."

After a long pause, she softly murmured a heartfelt 'thank you.' Then, taking strength from his words, met his gaze, determined. "Thank you so much for saying that. I guess I really needed to hear it." She gently touched his arm. "I'm going to go wake Anakin; we should at our destination soon."

The Jedi Master nodded, tearing his gaze away from her and back to the window.

He heard her soft footsteps as she moved toward the exit. Just before she left, he heard the soft rustle of her flight suit as she turned to face him once more.

"I'm glad you're here with us, Obi-Wan. So very glad." Her eyes shone brightly with suppressed emotion before she gave him a small smile and left.

Obi-Wan stared at the spot where she had stood before once more turning his troubled gaze to the window.

#*#*#*#*#

They had found him; they had finally found Davik Kang.

Anakin frowned at the building looming in front of them. It was as rundown as the rest of the city with no identifying marks and nothing to stop anyone from simply walking in.

So that's what they did.

Now they stood in front of the door, gazing at it warily, all of them expecting a trap.

It made no sense for Kang to be here. He was supposedly a member of the Exchange. Why was he in a cesspool like this?

Exchanging glances with Obi-Wan and Padmé, Anakin slowly touched the door pad, unsurprised that it opened immediately. This place clearly placed no value on security.

They entered tentatively, cautiously, Anakin and Obi-Wan enabling their lightsabers as soon as they stepped over the threshold.

The room was dark. Was he not there?

"Welcome."

They started at the voice. Anakin gripped Padmé by the arm, pushing her behind him as Obi-Wan took up the rear, shielding her as well.

"You don't need to fear me. I've been waiting for you for a very long time."

A small light flickered on, illuminating a man sitting in the middle of the room. He was large and pale with dark hair and a nasty looking scar on the right side of his face near his eyebrow.

"You've been waiting for us?" Anakin demanded suspiciously. "Why?"

"I knew that someone would relieve me of my burden eventually. No one else has found me, so you must be the ones. I am Davik Kang."

"We know who you are," Anakin spoke, studying him. "So if you know why we're here, will you give it to us?"

Kang was silent, simply gazed at them. "You realize that it is cursed," the pirate spoke softly.

Frowning, Obi-Wan moved closer. "Cursed? If it was cursed, whey did you steal it?" the Jedi Master returned.

"Why does any man steal?" Kang responded humorlessly, his eyes following their every movement. "And of course I wouldn't have done it if I had known what would happen. I should have known…" He trailed off, a faraway look in his eyes.

"Are you talking about all of the accidents?" Padmé asked, moving to stand next to Anakin.

"Yes," Kang nodded. "If you're here, you know the truth of the ship. The extra construction was commissioned to be finished in a month's time, an enormous project for such a secretive venture. I was sent in by the Exchange to spy, to see why it was so important; the Republic would not spend so much money on it if it was just another cruise ship. I took on a job as a technician to allay suspicion. Getting in was difficult and finding the information was even more so. No one was allowed in the primary part of the ship, the actual ship. The rules would never have stopped me, but someone had the foresight to have the entrance guarded at all times.

"The mere presence of such security confirmed our suspicions; there was something important about the ship. I waited until the patrols changed shifts before I attempted to enter Célosige."

"Célosige?" Padmé interrupted with a frown. "Is that its name?"

"Yes," Kang confirmed. "That is what it is called."

"Wait, how do you know this?" Padmé continued. "We saw no mention of this name on the ship or in any of the records."

Kang merely smiled sadly. "I suppose you wouldn't have. Do not worry, milady, I will answer your questions in time. I will not bore you with the details of how I got into Célosige, and stole the crystal. It was after I had done so that the accidents started. Men began disappearing, supplies turned up missing as well. It did not take me long to realize why. There had always been something strange about that ship, something I could feel but not quite put my finger on. That more than anything should have warned me. Needless to say, after those incidences, it didn't take long for the Republic to shut down the whole project completely."

"Why didn't you just return the crystal?" Anakin questioned.

"I tried!" the pirate growled. "But the doors shut and no one could get in. They tried everything, even to blow the kriffing thing open, but it wouldn't budge. By that time, I had no idea what to do."

"What do you mean?" Obi-Wan asked.

"I mean that as soon as I touched the crystal, I became cursed." Kang paused, a frown marring his features. "What happened on the ship is nothing compared to what has happened to me since acquiring that wretched crystal. I found that I became like a shade. I could only been seen at certain times. I became hidden from my fellow Exchange members, as such, they thought I defected and put a bounty on my head that is still active now. Everything I touched fell apart. I could not find a job, could not find a home. Even this place is not my home. I am merely residing here, have been doing so for a long time. How you found me, I will never know. The crystal must have led you here."

"People led us here," Anakin interrupted.

"Oh?" Kang responded with a smirk. "What did these people look like?"

The Jedi Knight opened his mouth to describe them only to close it again. What had those people looked like? He turned to Obi-Wan and Padmé for help, but they looked as confused as he did.

"By the Force," Padmé said in horror. "I can't remember."

"It's because the crystal wanted to be found, so here you are," Kang shifted in his seat. "Do not be surprised. It is just one of many phenomena that you will experience when this crystal is in your possession. Granted since it wants to go with you, they will probably not be as negative as mine were."

"You speak as if the crystal has a will," Obi-Wan observed.

Kang pursed his lips as he rose from his seat. "It does, it has as much a will as any sentient being I have encountered. But I believe I had spoken quite enough. I will give you what you seek and ask only that you take it far away from this place."

"Wait!" Padmé called as Kang moved toward another room. "Can this crystal take us to the Yangau?"

"I do not know," the pirate responded without turning around. "Ask it."

#*#*#*#*#

It was absolutely beautiful.

Kang had given them the crystal; it had been in a plain but sturdy box. By unspoken consent, they all decided it was best to view the crystal when they were back in the safety of the ship.

Now, Anakin, Padmé and Obi-Wan sat in Twilight's Rain and marveled.

It was not the white crystal that they expected, but was instead a deep obsidian color being so dark as to seem like a miniature black hole.

It pulsed like a heartbeat and was warm like a sentient; it was the most incredible thing that any of them had seen.

"What should we do?" Padmé asked in a hushed voice. "Should we take it to Célosige now?"

Obi-Wan could understand why she spoke in such tones. It seemed as though they were in the midst of something great; its presence was so heavy.

"Perhaps we should wait until tomorrow," the Jedi Master responded in kind. "We have no idea what reuniting the crystal will do to the ship."

"That's probably for the best," Anakin agreed reluctantly, trying not to let his disappointment show. "We need to be at full strength to face anything that happens."

"Not only that," Padmé said, giving her husband a pointed look. "You're exhausted, Anakin. The medicine wore off on our way back to the ship."

Anakin gazed at his wife, exasperated. "You don't miss anything, do you?"

"When it comes to you? Not a thing," she said with a saucy grin.

Obi-Wan cleared his throat. "Padmé's right, Anakin. You need your rest. Let's meet up in two hours to discuss what will happen. After that, we should sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a big day."

Nodding their acceptance, Anakin and Padmé took their leave.

#*#*#*#*#

Timing was everything.

Anakin looked at the expectant faces of his wife and master as he tried to formulate in his mind how to disclose the startling revelation about the clones, knowing that there was no time that existed that would ease the passage of news such as this.

Two hours had passed quickly and they now sat in the command room of Twilight's Rain to ensure privacy. And as he gazed at their triumphant but exhausted faces, he forced himself to push away his reluctance to drop yet another problem on them. News of the Chancellor's control over the clones would be yet another crushing boulder in a seeming sea of them. But this was not something he had the luxury of keeping from them; they have to know and the Jedi has to be informed.

He started as he felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Obi-Wan.

"Anakin, is there something wrong?" his master asked, lines of concern creasing his face.

The Knight hesitated. Would Obi-Wan think he was insane for suspecting Palpatine of controlling the clones?

Well, there's only one way to find out, he thought grimly.

The Jedi Knight shook his head at the stunned looks on Padmé and Obi-Wan's faces after he finished his account.

"But that… that's insane, right?" Anakin questioned, staring intently at his master. "That's just… insane." Even though the Force had confirmed it, he still didn't want it to be true. The implications of Palpatine controlling the clones were, quite simply, horrifying. Even as they spoke, the Jedi were spread across the universe accompanied only by a squad of supposedly obedient and loyal clones. But if said clones were not loyal, if they turned on the Jedi who commanded them… it would be a massacre. It would be the end of the Jedi Order.

By the looks on their faces, Anakin could tell that Obi-Wan and Padmé had reached the same conclusions.

"We must inform the Council at once," Obi-Wan said, standing. "No, Anakin," the older man said, as the Knight opened his mouth to object. "Whether we have evidence or not, you have said that it was confirmed through the Force and that's enough for me. We cannot allow this, we must withdraw the Jedi, we must disable the clones, we must do something. If the clones turn on us…"

Obi-Wan didn't have to finish; they all knew what would happen. Padmé's face was ashen and Anakin could see her hand tremble slightly as she reached for him. The Knight took his wife's hand into his larger one and squeezed tightly, her action gratifying him. She still sought him for strength, for protection. It energized him, empowered him like nothing else could.

"Very well, Obi-Wan," Anakin answered, acquiescing. "We should do so at once."

The Jedi Master nodded.

Padmé gave them a tenuous smile, hugging herself as though in an attempt to protect her children from a world that had just turned terrifying, "I'll hold down the fort here while you speak with the Council."

Anakin squeezed her hand once more before releasing it and following Obi-Wan toward the door. "Hopefully, we won't be long."

She nodded, flashing him a smile. He returned what was not quite a smile before turning to leave.

On impulse, he glanced at his wife before leaving the room. He paused at doorway, stopping everything to give her his full attention. Padmé sat at the console, the very picture of dejection, her face in her hands, an expression of fear on her face.

And as Anakin gazed upon his wife, a dull pain began to grow in his chest. Ever since he had become ill, she had been carrying him, trying so hard to be strong for him that she was unable to show him how worried, how terrified she truly was.

It was then that the self-pity surrounding Anakin Skywalker shattered. His wife was on the verge of a breakdown and he had not even noticed, and all because he was wrapped up in himself. Had he even thought about how she felt about any of this? No, he had not. Staring at her, his resolve hardened, and his nose flared as new life seemed to pour into him.

If his body would not obey his commands, so be it. He would make it do so. This would not beat him; he would not allow this illness to kill him before his heart stopped beating. As long as he was alive, there was hope.

"Hold on, Obi-Wan," Anakin murmured, eyes narrowing on his prize. His eyes gleaming with an unnamed emotion, he walked straight to his wife.

Startled, her eyes widened in confusion as her husband suddenly appeared before her. Without preamble, Anakin grabbed her chin and, leaning down, kissed her, pushing into her mouth with a ferocity that immediately spiked her temperature.

Face flaming, Obi-Wan looked away, pretending that he didn't see what he was seeing. He had known, of course, what came with them being married, but this was the first time they have ever made such a public display. Mumbling something incoherent, the Jedi Master stepped outside the room, relieved to be out of the inferno of their desire that had suddenly washed through him. It was quite uncomfortable.

Inside the room, Padmé gasped as Anakin picked her up, laying her back on the panel, his warm body pressing into hers.

"Anakin," she tried to articulate, her voice guttural and deep. "Wait, stop! You're not feeling—"

"Shhh…" he admonished softly, his lips drifting to her neck, sucking gently on her wildly beating pulse. "You have been taking care of me ever since I got this illness. Let me take care of you now."

Gulping, she nodded, her eyes bright with an emotion he could not name.

"You are my sun," he told her quietly, staring into her eyes, their noses almost touching. "One that shines through the darkness, that makes the shadows flee, that brings hope to those who have none. You are the light that flickers in the shadows, small, yet strong enough, more than enough, to drive back the oppressive darkness. Padmé," Anakin whispered kissing each eyelid, slowly, tenderly, making her heart ache with a love that threatened to swallow her. "I would not dare allow my light to go out."

Blinking back tears, Padmé buried her face into his chest as he held her tight, allowing her to cry, giving her comfort, giving her his undying devotion, his undying love.

From his place next to the entrance of the door, Obi-Wan Kenobi listened to the words that Anakin spoke to his wife—no, not just his old Padawan's wife, but his soul mate, as the Jedi Master now firmly believed—knowing that he was intruding on a very private moment. Yet… he couldn't move away.

The Jedi Master frowned as he felt a tingling on his neck, a creeping something that seethed across the surface of his skin. It was an unpleasant feeling; Obi-Wan brushed his arm as though doing so would make this unseemly thing disappear, this sensation that created a painful ache in his chest. More than a little disturbed, Obi-Wan called on the Force to center himself, to push away this unexpected, unwelcome beast. And although he succeeded for the most part, he could still feel that nameless ailment lingering in his veins, as though something sinister had found a foothold, as though something was born inside of him.

It's not until much later, in the privacy of his achingly empty suite, that he was able to identify the emotion that had so struck him in the corridor.

Loneliness.

End of Chapter 23: Please review, I would really, really love that.

Chapter 24: Detainment: Return to Coruscant.

**Updated April 14, 2012**