A ship loomed just parsecs away from breeching the boundaries of the desolate system. Jedi Knight and renowned healer Caci Lane peered out at the world below. Yes, the feeling was stronger here. Stronger than it had been in a very long time. If Anakin had to get lost like this, why did it have to be all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?
"Good news Caci," Jesse Solo said as he stuck his head in the doorway to the cockpit. "Looks like we're all clear for a landing. There's no restrictions on this world or anything. But the Council advises that we use caution."
Caci rolled her eyes. Caution. Wasn't that practically her middle name?
"Thanks Jesse. Looks like this should be it. Its no wonder that none of their distress signals were able to through. Place has the mountains of Teth and climate of Hoth."
The unlikely twosome were sure to gather whatever materials might be needed for an expedition onto this frigid unfamiliar world. Sensing Anakin was clear enough, but it was all muddled. But knowning him well enough from plenty of past experiences, it was always best to be slightly more than prepared.
The first thing to grab their attention wasn't the impressive display of flora fauna or howling winds. It was the wreckage of a Naboo ship. Caci examined every spare inch of it that she could but nothing was much help. If nothing else, it was a sign that they were on the right track, encouraging enough.
"Now what? At least they were lucky enough not to get fried," Jesse said.
"You call this lucky? I think - that way," Caci said with a sudden force and air of confidence. "I'm tell you Jesse, they're this way. I can sense life. Come on!"
Alejandro and Padmé were just in the middle of their midday meal when the door swung open. A certain commander strode in seeming more on edge than usual Padmé noted. A part of her felt a sudden tinge of terror. What if Anakin had come back? What would he think? What would she say? Or worse yet. There could be evidence that more had happened to her Jedi in his attempted to escape.
"Mi Rey, we have strangers among us. They are requesting to see you."
Alejandro lowered his glass and something sparked in his eyes. "Who are they? What do they want?"
"They refuse to tell us. But we believe them to be from the Republic. Their are two of them, I believe one to be a Jedi."
Alejandro's back stiffened. Padmé swallowed hard and stood up before he did. "They're probably looking for me. Please Jandro, let me go with you to see them. I'm sure that they want to quarrel with you at all."
The wolf king nodded slowly as he rose. He snapped at the commander to send them both in to the throne room right away. Padmé brushed back a few loose strands of hair on her face and sighed. She wasn't sure how to go about doing this. The situation would be an awkward one to explain, and that was saying the least. Then again, if they were sent by Anakin perhaps it wouldn't be such a mess.
"Flower your nervous. Has your Republic wronged you?"
Padmé smiled and made an attempt at a carefree laugh. "No, no. Its nothing like that at all. I just...well I guess I just sort of forgot that they would be coming for me after all."
Alejandro glanced over to her. The way she said it. She was actually glad to be here, she didn't want to leave. No longer was she a reluctant "guest" now she was a favored one of these people.
When Caci walked in those doors she wasn't sure what to make of it all. So many thoughts swarmed her mind all at once. The first was that Padmé was sitting slightly too close to this wolf guy. The other was the lack of Anakin. Then there was the mystery of this place as a whole.
"Your Highness," Caci said with a respectful bow and trying not to sound too stiff or cold. "I see that you've recovered our missing Senator."
Jesse was tempted to smack his forehead. That was really the best thing that she could come up with right now?
"State your business, Jedi."
"Please Jandro," Padmé whispered. "Master Jedi, I'm so fortuante to see you again. Did General Skywalker send for you?"
Jesse's eyes grew wide. "Padmé what are you talking about? That committee of yours was sick and tired of waiting for you. They got so sick that they annoyed the Council until they sent us. Anakin is supposed to be here guarding you, not this fr- uh I mean guy."
Caci grit her teeth down tightly. The things that she had to put up with. What Master Yoda saw in Jesse that allowed him to reside at the Temple and assist her was beyond mysterious.
"Senator," she said. "General Skywalker has no part in are arrival. Where was his last known location?"
She passed a nervous look to Alejandro. There was still so much to explain. Luckily, the wolf rey was as cool and level headed as ever. He grinned slightly and rose from his seat.
"My Jedi I'm surprised that you cannot keep track of your own. If you must know, the general was here. Threatened my people he did, killed one of my finest warriors."
He paused as a flinch went through him. For the first time, Padmé realized that the wolf Anakin had slain was more than just another warrior of the rey.
"We kept him here according to our laws. The Senator, since she had commited no crime other than intrusion, stayed as an honored guest."
Caci slide a glance towards Padmé , questioning her as to the truth and nature of the story. Padmé looked as sincere as she could possibly manage.
"Let me guess, you guys lost him?" Jesse just has to blurt that out.
"Lost is hardly the word. The only thing I know of is that he abandon his Senator he was sworn to protect."
"That doesn't sound like Anakin at all! Padmé please clear this up for us!"
Padmé stood up and sighed. "May I please speak with you alone Master Jedi?"
"Thats just what I was waiting for."
"Jandro do you mind?"
Alejandro shook his head. He had come to trust her more than just a little bit by now. There was no threat any Jedi could really pose right here in the palace anyways. Besides until they returned he could keep an eye on the other one.
Padmé tok Caci into the dining hall. She was certain they'd be alone there.
"Padmé , what's going on here?"
"Caci there's not much to tell. I tried getting through to Coruscaunt but every time it failed. This world is a strange one."
"Anakin left? You're really buying that?"
Padmé felt a spark reignite within her. "Yes, I do! The whole reason I'm here Caci is because he threw me out into a blizzard!"
Anakin rode just behind Aurora through the ice kissed forest trail. Usually going through mountains in subzero tempts wasn't his idea of fun. But for her, only because of her kindness, he had made an exception.
"Here it is Anakin. You can see all the splendor of my people from this peak."
Anakin looked down the mountain below and at the small clusters of villages and farms. It was still and blanketed in white as if in a deep sleep.
"Not as impressive as the wolf kingdom I'm sure," she said. "But we have just as much pride. Believe me in the summer its such a joy."
Anakin nodded. He believed her alright.
"But how much longer we can exist we do not know. Your war moves ever closer. We canbarely compete with the lycans as it is. I am but one person."
Anakin felt more than just sympathy. He knew exactly as she felt. Aurora paused and turned to Anakin, her eyes shining.
"I know that I might be the selfish one...I mean you're hardly recovered as it is." She reached over and fingered the bandages around the Jedi's neck. "But if I ever asked you...would you stay?"