The library was largely lit up with the light from a crackling fire. It gave the entire room a more welcoming feeling. Padmé dared think that in a remote way it had an echoing of home. If her Jedi was here perhaps that this roadblock wouldn't be so terrible to bear. But that wasn't the case this time.

The tales and letters on the shelves were yellowed and worn with age and use. It dawned on the Senator of being pre-Republic era once again. At the same time all the wisdom and knowledge here seemed to be ageless. Everything was simple, to the point, and plain but like these people they all held on to some regalness.

"You look as if you have never seen a library before," a voice said.

Padmé looked up from the book she was leafing through into the darkened corner. The silhouette in the dim light was one she recognized. The sound of the voice still made her jump, she forgot that she had lost the luxury of privacy.

"I have good reason to, your - Alejandro."

The wolf stepped out into the light and a smile crossed his face at the sound of the Senator saying his name with her own lips.

"You have tales unlike any I have ever seen before," she continued.

"Yes, yes the galaxy has forgotten us and so much else along with that."

Padmé quickly remembered why she was here in the first place. Her mind raced for a way to manipulate the wolf.

"Tell me Alejandro, if you don't mind my asking that is."

"Anything at all my dear Senator."

"Where are your books on history? Say the foundings of your empire and how you survived opposing civilizations. Or maybe one on the structure and building of your fine palace."

The wolf smiled in a way that made Padmé sense that she was found out before she had really even tried anything.

"Don't get too far ahead of yourself, Padmé. You won't find your Jedi here."

Padmé snapped the book shut that she was going through so hard that the dust flew up from its pages. She shoved it back into its place on the shelf.

"I didn't say anything about Jedi."

"You didn't have too. I assure you that I have every need the Jedi could possibly have. You really don't have to go that far to assume that I don't have the situation under control."

"I'm sorry my king forgive me, apparently I assumed too much."

She turned and stormed out half expecting the king to follow her. She was glad that her instincts were wrong when she was able to collapse into bed undisturbed.

"I'm not giving up Ani, you know that. I'm coming for you I promise. No one is going to keep you from me. No one, no matter how strong they might be."

Anakin looked up at the dripping ceiling above. He closed his eyes and concentrated on savoring the feeling that he felt at that moment. Every second like this was rare and precious to him. He just wished that he had known that sooner than later. He wished so badly to whisper into his angel's ear again. Or even to hold her. But now he couldn't do any of that. He had lost all of those opportunities in a moment's notice.

"Problem, shifter?"

Anakin pulled his eyes away from the ceiling to glare at the kid outside his cell. From the very beginning he had been nothing short of irritating to him. If anyone needed to be knocked down a size, it was this one. Anakin had seen him strut around in here as if he ruled the universe. The worst part was that all the warriors and even the king himself seemed to be taking him seriously. And respecting him, as if he was worthy of their time or attention. He had even heard some talk floating around that they were considering promoting him to replace his father among the warriors. Oh sure.

Yes, this was the kind of kid that needed to be shown his place so that he would not soon forget it. Anakin leaned back against the wall and silently thought of all the things that he would like to say if he could.

"That's what I thought," Tito said.

A door swung open again on squeaking hinges. Anakin sensed a threat - and opporunity.

"Mi Rey," Tito said scrambling to his feet. "Captain Pedro stepped out and had me cover for a few minutes."

"Just fine," he said. "I trust you, young Herenandez. One day soon you will be trust with all that your father was."

Anakin rolled his eyes and sighed in as exaggerated a way as he could muster. Both lycans turned to him with fierceness written in their eyes. Anakin looked as unconcerned as possible.

"You question that, Skywalker?" Alejandro said.

Anakin nodded immediately.

"Maybe I should help convince you then. Its been a very long time since we have tried our hand at mastering control of shifters."

Anakin stiffened but was sure to show no other signs of insecurity. He watched with a critical gaze as Alejandro pulled out a collar of sorts. Growing up alongside slaveyards, Anakin had grown up seeing plenty of collars and other devices that made even him shudder to think of. But this one seemed different.

The cell door slid open with another agonizing metallic clink. Anakin weighed all of his options as best he could in the moment that he had.

"Don't bother, Jedi. It's not worth having you break something yet before we've even started having any fun."

The next instant, how it all happened Anakin didn't even know, a steel claw shut around his neck with such a force that he found himself about gasping for air. Alejandro stood back and smiled.

"How's that for size, Skywalker?" Tito said.

If it wasn't for the irritating sensation of rust on skin Anakin was sure that he would have at least attempted a strike at the kid right then and there.

The cell door shut again. Alejandro stood back next to Tito and waited a few more seconds. To him they were seconds, but to everyone else that was waiting for something to happen it was minutes.

Anakin had finally thought he had mastered the feeling of the collar when a searing pain shot through him like never before. Every single fiber within him was seized with the pain of a thousand terrible tortures all at once. The feeling caught him off guard so much that he Force leaped straight into the ceiling. The sound of a few sickly satisfied snickers echoed through the walls.

"Never gets old, does it?" Alejandro said.

Anakin shot him a glance that was furious yet asked an undeniable question.

"Amusing isn't it? A technology developed by my ancestors years ago, it should seem that we lycans aren't so terribly behind the times now. If your curious, it works against midichlorians. Most sensitive cells, you know. Makes a wonderous gift, but also the perfec source of the worst agony."

Anakin found himself slamming against the ceiling once more. But that wasn't so bad as the pain that was tearing through him. Still even in the midst of the worst pain, his eyes managed to fall upon the face of Tito. The boy didn't seem so oblivious anymore. Rather he looked filled with the same ill temper of the rest of these people. Before another volt of pain rose up again, Anakin knew what had to be done.