Thank you to the 12 people who reviewed the last chapter. You guys are the greatest and I hope that you enjoy this chapter. This chapter is going to be COMPLETELY different from the episode since Obi-Wan DOES know about it. Once again, it's AU for a reason. Reviews, as always, are much appreciated.
Chapter 26
Senator Padmé Amidala was seated at her desk looking over the bill she was supposed to bring before the Senate when the doors slide open and her secret husband, Anakin Skywalker, stepped into the room. Padmé glanced up at him. "Anakin, what are you doing here?" she asked.
Anakin shrugged. "The Council thinks I'm on a meditative retreat and I decided to visit you," he said with a small smile.
Padmé smiled back slightly before getting to her feet. "I don't have much time though, Ani," she said as Anakin walked around the desk to join her and gently wrapped his arms around her. "I have to bring this bill before the Senate. It's important."
"Uh huh. More important than the way you feel about me?" Anakin asked but Padmé could tell by his tone of voice that he was only joking as he gently kissed her.
Padmé kissed him back smiling before she pulled back. "This bill is important Ani," she said.
"I know," Anakin said. "But we hardly get time to see each other as it is."
"I know, Anakin, but you have your duties to the Jedi Order and I have my duties to the Senate."
Anakin sighed sounding frustrated. "I know," he said before he gently kissed Padmé again and added, "but nothing is more important than my love for you, Padmé."
Padmé felt her cheeks redden and she smiled slightly before resting her head on her secret husband's chest. For a long moment, they remained that way holding each other until Padmé wiggled free. "Anakin…" she began a part of her unwilling to believe that Anakin thought his love for her was more important than anything.
Anakin gently released her before he unclipped his lightsaber from his belt. "When I finished constructing my lightsaber, Obi-Wan said to me: Anakin, this weapon is your life. This weapon is my life," he said before he glanced at Padmé.
Padmé, knowing what Anakin was about to do, widened her eyes. "No, Anakin, I can't. A Jedi lightsaber is…"
Anakin placed the lightsaber in Padmé's hand before closing her fingers over it. Padmé immediately noticed that it was heavier than she thought it would be. "Wow," she said. "It's heavier than I thought."
Anakin smiled. "It's yours. Believe me now?"
Padmé flushed as she realized that Anakin had sensed her disbelief and she gazed at the lightsaber before looking at Anakin who continued to gaze at her with love shining in his eyes.
A knock sounded on the door causing Padmé to jump slightly.
"Padmé?" Bail's voice sounded.
Padmé glanced sharply at Anakin. "You're not supposed to be here," she whispered.
Anakin nodded before ducking down and hiding beneath the desk while Padmé hid the lightsaber in the sleeve of her senatorial robe. "Come in," she called and the door slide open before Senator Bail Organa, of Alderaan, walked into the office with See Threepio just behind him.
"Padmé, Senator Philo is requesting your presence to discuss the Enhanced Privacy Invasion bill," Bail said.
"All right," Padmé said making sure to keep the lightsaber hidden before she tossed a quick glance at Anakin as she followed Bail and Threepio out of the office.
Obi-Wan knew of what would happen that day, he remembered it from the first time around and knew it was that day only because he knew it occurred when Anakin went to visit Padmé in her office at the Republic Executive Building in the Senate. Plus the Force served to tell Obi-Wan that it was that day, which was why he just happened to be in the Senate building when the bounty hunters arrived.
'You think you can change the outcome of this as well, Obi-Wan?' Qui-Gon murmured into Obi-Wan's mind.
Unless it's something I cannot change, yes, Obi-Wan replied. Can I change what happens here?
There was a moment of silence. 'The Force says yes,' Qui-Gon replied before his voice was gone.
Good to know, Obi-Wan thought making his way calmly down the corridor of the Republic Executive Building toward Padmé's office as he was positive that was where Anakin was located. The Force merely confirmed it for him.
Upon arriving at the office, Obi-Wan slipped into it. "Anakin?" he called.
A thud sounds and Anakin, rubbing his head, crawled out from under the desk. "What are you doing here, master?" he asked confused.
Obi-Wan shrugged. "Not important," he said.
"I would have thought you were spending time with Siri."
"And I thought you were supposed to be on a meditative retreat."
Anakin flushed. "Er…about that…" he began.
He didn't get a chance to finish as a disturbance in the Force struck him. Someone, or more than one person, was in danger and it was nearby.
"I just felt a disturbance, master, someone's in danger," Anakin said frowning.
"We should probably go check it out," he said before he frowned when he noticed something out of place. "Anakin, where is your lightsaber?"
Anakin looked down. "Uh…can we talk about this later?"
"Without your lightsaber, you might not have a later," Obi-Wan couldn't resist saying before he walked out of the office. "Well, come on. Let's go see what that disturbance was about."
Anakin followed Obi-Wan out of the office. "Seriously, master, what are you doing here? I thought you didn't like politicians," he said.
Obi-Wan glanced at Anakin. "I never said I didn't like politicians, I just don't trust them," he said. Especially Palpatine, he added silently.
"You didn't answer my question."
"Oh very well. I sensed something wasn't right here and I decided to check it out," Obi-Wan said. It wasn't exactly a lie; he just didn't sense something wasn't right, he knew something wasn't right. He had been on Coruscant, at the Jedi Temple, when Cad Bane took those Senators hostage the first time around, he just didn't know what happened until Anakin gave the Jedi Council his report afterwards.
Naturally, that rose questions as to what Anakin was doing at the Senate but those were answered when Palpatine told the council that Anakin had gone to speak to him.
Either way, that was how Obi-Wan learned about the crisis to strike at the Senate building that day; the only reason he knew it would occur that day was because Anakin asked for Obi-Wan to cover for him while he visited Padmé in her office. Of course, that happened a couple of times but the bad feeling that came soon after Anakin left supported Obi-Wan's suspicions that Cad Bane would infiltrate the Senate that day.
Obi-Wan couldn't help but wonder if the Force was helping him in its own way while at the same time not interfering with anything. Was the Force casually letting Obi-Wan know when something was about to happen, and that he could change it, without actually interfering? Obi-Wan didn't know. He doubted he would ever understand how the mysterious Force worked.
"Morning, Senators. You should all consider yourselves to be in my power. As long as everybody behaves, this will be quick and painless. Do nothing, and it will all be over soon," the bounty hunter was saying when Anakin reached the East Wing of the Senate Building with Obi-Wan just behind him.
"What do we do, master?" Anakin whispered gazing down at the gathered Senators.
Obi-Wan gestured for him to be quiet and Anakin fell silent.
"I don't have time for this," one of the Senators snapped. "I don't have to listen to this insolence." He started to move but Anakin watched in horror when the bounty hunter shot the senator in the back.
Anakin gritted his teeth at the bounty hunter but, before he could move, Obi-Wan calmly grabbed his arm. "He killed that senator as if it was nothing," Anakin whisper-hissed to Obi-Wan glaring at the bounty hunter.
"Yes and he should be made to pay for that but not through using anger, Anakin," Obi-Wan said gently.
Anakin, knowing his master was right and he shouldn't be feeling that kind of anger, took a deep breath before releasing his anger into the Force. He then glanced at the senators before looking at Obi-Wan. "What now?" he whispered.
"Let's try to contact someone," Obi-Wan suggested softly. "Tell them we're inside."
"How? What if they disabled communications?"
"I don't think they have. Look, he's talking to Palpatine," Obi-Wan said pointing. "That means communications haven't been disabled." Without waiting for Anakin to reply, Obi-Wan pulled out his comlink and activated it.
"Master Yoda, Master Windu, are you there?" Obi-Wan whispered into it.
"Obi-Wan, where are you?" Mace asked.
"Long story. Anakin and I are inside the Senate building, Master Windu. A bounty hunter is holding a group of Senators hostage. I don't know what he wants but he's talking with Supreme Chancellor Palpatine now."
"Ziro was mentioned master," Anakin whispered the instant he overheard the bounty hunter mention something about Ziro the Hutt.
"They're talking about Ziro the Hutt," Obi-Wan said into the comlink. "It is possible this bounty hunter was hired to, perhaps, get Ziro out of jail."
"It is possible but we cannot let that happen. Remain where you are and try to avoid getting caught," Mace said.
"I understand, Master Windu. Kenobi out," Obi-Wan said before he disconnected the transmission just as the bounty hunter disconnected his transmission and the power went down.
Anakin, surprised, glanced at Obi-Wan who shrugged. "Coincidence I guess," he said before he ducked down and Anakin quickly followed suit when the bounty hunter glanced toward the ledge where they were hiding.
"We're going to need to get those bounty hunters away from the senators to get them out of here," Anakin whispered.
"I would suggest you let them chase you but without your lightsaber, you would be hard-pressed to defend yourself," Obi-Wan said.
Anakin bristled at that but, before he could snap out a retort, Obi-Wan added calmly, "I meant no offense, Anakin. I'm merely pointing out the truth."
Anakin bit back the retort knowing his former master was right; he would be hard-pressed to defend himself against the bounty hunters without a lightsaber. He glanced at Obi-Wan who was watching him with calm eyes but Anakin could see a brief gleam of worry in their gray-blue depths before it was gone and he frowned.
"Master, are you…?" he began.
Obi-Wan waved it off. "I'm fine," he said. "I have an idea. Since I have this nagging feeling your lightsaber is somewhere down there, I'll distract the bounty hunters while you get those senators out of there." He put extra emphasis on 'somewhere' and Anakin had the nagging feeling his former master somehow knew he had given his lightsaber to Padmé.
He thought about Obi-Wan's plan; it could work. "All right master," he said. "Don't let them catch you."
"I can't run and dodge bounty hunters forever so just be quick in getting those senators out of there."
"I doubt they'll send all of the bounty hunters after you, master."
"Oh I know. You're good at improvising though so you'll think of something to deal with the other bounty hunters." Obi-Wan saluted with his lightsaber before standing up to peer over the ledge on purpose letting the bounty hunters see him.
The blue-skinned bounty hunter spotted Obi-Wan almost immediately and blasted at him but Obi-Wan merely danced out of the way and saluted again before taking off.
"Go after him," the bounty hunter snapped at two of the bounty hunters behind him. They nodded before taking off after Obi-Wan.
"Now then," the bounty hunter said glancing back at the gathered senators, "the sooner Chancellor Palpatine meets my demands the better for you."
Anakin snorted before making his way around the chamber to get a better view at how many bounty hunters were left. There were three there, counting the blue skinned bounty hunter, and all of them were standing in front of the group.
After about half an hour, one of the bounty hunters contacted the lead bounty hunter through comlink. "He's a Jedi, Bane," the bounty hunter said. "And he's carrying a lightsaber. He took out the sentinel droid and then I lost him. Sing is looking for him but she can't seem to locate him either."
How are you doing, master? Anakin asked his brother in everything but blood through the Force.
Good so far. Focus on the senators, Anakin. How many bounty hunters are still there?
All the ones that didn't go after you. Wait, I see one leaving, Anakin said watching as one of the bounty hunters with the bounty hunter Bane dash out of the lobby. There are only two left now.
Well, it's better than before, Obi-Wan replied.
Not by much.
It's all right, Anakin. We'll get Padmé and the others out of here all right. I'll try to get Ba…the lead bounty hunter to send out another bounty hunter so you only have him to deal with, Obi-Wan said.
Anakin frowned knowing Obi-Wan had been about to say Bane and wondered why he stopped but decided not to worry about it.
Bane's comlink beeped again and he activated it to reveal the hologram of another bounty hunter. "Bane, Alama's out cold but uninjured and the Jedi eluded us again," the woman said.
Bane growled furiously. "That Jedi is beginning to get on my nerves," he said curtly.
Anakin grinned. For once, I'm not the Jedi getting on someone's nerves, he thought.
You still get on my nerves every now and then, Anakin, Obi-Wan said through the Force obviously having heard Anakin's thought.
Anakin, realizing his thought had leaked out through the bond to his former master, quickly fortified his shields but not before he caught the amusement coming from his best friend. He returned his attention to Bane who was pacing clearly thinking.
"I want this Jedi brought to me alive," he said into the comlink before he glanced at the last bounty hunter with him. "I'll stay here with the hostages. Go help Sing," he ordered."
The bounty hunter frowned but nodded and left the lobby just as Obi-Wan wanted.
The last bounty hunter, aside from Bane, is going after you, Anakin sent through their bond between them.
Good, now that you have only Bane to deal with, get those Senators out of there, Obi-Wan replied.
I will. Be careful, Master. Anakin didn't want his best friend, brother and father-figure to get injured; he cared too much for him.
I will Anakin, Obi-Wan sent back.
Anakin took a deep breath before glancing at Bane who was glaring at the senators as if it was their fault Obi-Wan kept eluding them. He glanced toward Padmé who was standing next to Senator Organa. If he could land next to Padmé, he could retake his lightsaber. Besides, Bane couldn't risk harming the senators or Palpatine may withdraw whatever he said he would give Bane.
Anakin wondered how Palpatine was dealing with this situation. It has been a while since he last spoke with Palpatine; it seemed that he's been jumping from one situation to the next on top of training Ahsoka, covering for Obi-Wan, practicing with Obi-Wan and getting sent on missions and he barely had time to sit down let alone speak with Palpatine. And whenever he did speak with Palpatine, it would only be briefly maybe five-ten minutes.
Anakin brought himself back to the situation at hand as he gazed at Padmé and the other senators. He took a deep breath before standing up and taking a flying leap using the Force to land right next to Padmé.
Bane whirled around. "Jedi!" he sneered pointing his blaster at Anakin who held out a hand.
Padmé placed his lightsaber back into his hand and he ignited the blue blade.
"How did you get Master Skywalker's lightsaber, Padmé?" Organa asked.
"Now really isn't the time, Senator," Anakin said holding his blade in front of him as Bane glared angrily at him.
"This was your idea, wasn't it?" Bane demanded. "Have your Jedi pal get all of my partners to go after him so that you can rescue the senators?"
"Actually, it was Master Kenobi's idea," Anakin said with a shrug.
"What's Master Kenobi doing here?" Padmé asked confused.
"Long story."
Bane spat out a few curses before releasing several blaster bolts that Anakin quickly blocked ordering the senators to get behind him where he could protect them better.
Obi-Wan skidded to a halt before dashing down another corridor as Aurra Sing and the other bounty hunters, aside from Alama since he was still out cold, chased after him. He stretched out with the Force to determine how Anakin was doing before he dashed around another corner heading back toward the lobby of the building.
Bane's pretty mad, Anakin's voice said.
That was probably an understatement, Obi-Wan thought before asking his former apprentice how the senators were.
Fine, a little shaken up by the death of Senator…Philo I think Padmé said his name was but they're unharmed, Anakin sent back.
Good. I'm on my way back, Obi-Wan said.
What about reinforcements?
I did warn Master Windu. I wouldn't be surprised if they showed up right about now, Obi-Wan sent back before rounding another corner. He found himself near the lobby of the building when he quite literally ran into the reinforcements.
"Are you all right, General Kenobi?" the clone trooper Obi-Wan had run into asked.
"I'm fine," Obi-Wan said turning around to watch as the bounty hunters skidded to a halt with the clone troopers blasters pointed right at them and Mace Windu stepping to Obi-Wan's side.
"Where's Skywalker?" he asked.
"Protecting the senators," Obi-Wan replied. "But it's only the bounty hunter, Bane. He sent all his partners after me when I knocked one of his bounty hunters out."
Mace raised an eyebrow.
Obi-Wan shrugged. "I didn't hurt him. I just used the Force to put him to sleep and made it seem like I knocked him out," he said.
"How did you know…? Never mind, I expect a full report when we get back to the Jedi Temple."
"Of course Master Windu."
Anakin was relieved when Master Windu and Obi-Wan walked into the lobby with a squad of clone troopers just behind them. In fact, the other bounty hunters that had infiltrated the Senate with Bane were in custody. Bane was also arrested and Master Windu, after speaking quickly with Obi-Wan, left the lobby.
"You look tired," Anakin commented.
Obi-Wan snorted. "You try running all around the Senate building trying to elude bounty hunters," he retorted.
Anakin chuckled. "Ah, I wouldn't have gotten as tired as you in your old age," he said.
Obi-Wan's eyebrows shot up. "Old age? As I recall, you are only ten years younger than me."
"And your point is…"
"You are incorrigible, Padawan."
"I'm not a Padawan!"
"You sure act like it sometimes."
"I do not."
"Well, it is not very mature calling your former mentor old."
"But you are old. Look at all that gray hair."
"A little reminder, Anakin, I got these gray hairs because of you."
Padmé, who was watching the entire argument, sighed. "You two argue too much," she said.
"You just figured this out?" asked Obi-Wan.
"No I've always known. I just wanted to point it out."
Anakin chuckled. "Hey, brothers fight and argue all the time," he said throwing his arm around Obi-Wan's shoulders.
Obi-Wan rolled his eyes but he didn't discount what Anakin said.
Padmé chuckled.
Later that day, once the senators had been checked over, Senator Philo was sent to a medic to be prepared for his funeral and the bounty hunters were taking into custody, Anakin, after saying goodbye to Padmé, and Obi-Wan headed back to the temple to deliver a full report of what happened.
"How am I going to explain to the Council why I was in the Senate building, master?" Anakin whispered.
Obi-Wan shrugged. "Not my problem," he said before he placed a hand on Anakin's shoulder when he glared at him. "I'm kidding. We'll think of something."
"What about you? How are you going to explain to the council?"
"Oh I already know what to say. You, you're a different story. You are supposed to be on a meditative retreat."
Anakin flushed.
Obi-Wan chuckled.
As it turned out, Obi-Wan managed to cook up a story that the entire Jedi Council bought. He merely told them that he was having a bad feeling when he was talking with Anakin just before he left on his meditative retreat and he felt it was centered on the Senate building.
"So I asked Anakin to speak with Chancellor Palpatine," Obi-Wan said calmly, "and warn him that something wasn't right. He just happened to get there a little too late and got trapped inside."
"And what about you?" asked Adi Gallia.
"I was hoping to figure out why I was having this bad feeling so I went with Anakin but left him since I had a hunch that I wanted to follow and I got trapped inside the Senate building as well," Obi-Wan stated calmly eyes impassive. It was the truth, well part of it. Obi-Wan really did have a bad feeling and he really did go into the Senate building after all. The rest was pretty much fabricated.
"And how did you end up where the hostages were located?" Saesee Tiin asked.
"I sensed someone was in danger and followed it. Anakin must have sensed the same thing and we met up above the lobby where the senators were being held," Obi-Wan said calmly.
Yoda's eyes narrowed. "Speak with you after this meeting I wish to, Obi-Wan," he said.
"Yes Master Yoda," Obi-Wan replied wondering why Yoda would want to speak with him in private after the meeting.
The meeting ended not long later and Obi-Wan and Yoda were left along in the council chambers. Obi-Wan sat in his seat while Yoda paced in front of him looking deep in thought. "Knew about the attack you did, yes?" he asked.
"Only so much, Master Yoda," Obi-Wan replied. "The first time around, I learned it through Anakin since, the first time around, he was the only one who was trapped inside."
"There why was he?"
Obi-Wan shook his head. "I have no idea," he lied.
"I see." Yoda came to a stop in his pacing. "Stopped Ziro the Hutt from being freed you did. Freed was Ziro the Hutt last time?"
"Yes."
"Decided to stop it you did, why?"
"The Force said it was something I could change."
"Only reason was that?"
"I got the feeling that the Force wanted me to change things to where Ziro would never get free. I don't know why though," Obi-Wan admitted.
"I see. Very well, go you may, Obi-Wan."
"Yes Master Yoda," Obi-Wan said standing up and inclining his head politely to Yoda before turning around and leaving the chambers.
a/n what do you think?
Blaze: see? I told you the Hostage Crisis episode would be completely different from the episode
Darth: yeah it was
Severus: I rather liked it
Harry: yeah so did I
Voldy: it sucked!
Harry: quit giving me migraines you imbecile! (Transfigures Voldy into a mouse and stalks off)
Palpy: don't scream!
Obi-Wan: (accidentally on purpose drops burning boulder on Palpy's head)
Anakin: why'd you do that? He's my friend
Obi-Wan: (widens eyes innocently) it was an accident. I was aiming for Dooku
Dooku: (glances at Palpy buried beneath burning boulder) I'm out of here (takes off)
Palpy: ow, what hit me?
Obi-Wan: (accidentally on purpose drops sledgehammer on Palpy's head)
Palpy: (knocked out)
Anakin: master, why did you do that?
Obi-Wan: I swear it was an accident
Blaze: (pulls out flaming machete) this wasn't though (slams flaming machete into Palpy)
Anakin: why do you hate him so much?
Blaze: here, watch all six of these in order (hands Anakin all six Star Wars movies)
-About 12 Hours Later—
Anakin: HOW DARE YOU, YOU KRIFFING SLEEMO? (Charges at Palpy with wand he stole from Harry, lightsaber, bazooka, grenade launcher and flaming machete)
Palpy: ahhhh! (Takes off running)
Blaze: (chuckles) I really hope that you liked this chapter despite how different it was from the episode. Also, sorry for the long author's note. Please review, as they are much appreciated, and I will post chapter 26 as soon as I possibly can.