Hello, friends!
I hit my deadline again. Yay! I've had this chapter finished for some time, but with the holidays, there wasn't much time for posting. It's good to get a small remission from writing once in awhile. Helps reset the mind.
So I know I said to everyone that these chapters would start to get very fluffy...I lied XD or rather failed to disclose there was one more chapter with a fair amount of angst. To quote our beloved hero, "This is where the true healing begins."
Won't say anything more than that. Happy New Years!
"Sorrow can be a bully."- Amy Waldman
Chapter 51. Echo of Future's Past
The sound of infants giggling filled the air of the Amidala-Skywalker residence in Coruscant. This was juxtaposed by the frantic complaining of a protocol droid.
"Mistress Padme, are you sure you do not require assistance?" A large splatter of baby food hit him straight in the chest plate as he said it. Both twins were in high chairs and their vantage point gave them ample opportunity to make a mess.
"I think you need to take cover, Threepio," Anakin said amusingly as he dodged his own projectile fired from Leia. This one hit the golden droid in the eye.
"Oh, my stars!...I see your point," he said, trotting away.
"It's a good thing I wore a black tunic," Padme said with a dejected sigh, though she smiled all the same. Luke babbled and cooed as though his sister's antics were the funniest thing in the world. "Open up, Lukey…say aw."
The spoon hit its target. A little of the orange brown mush dribbled out of his mouth and onto the bib but Padme scooped most of it back in. She tried the same process but this time, Luke became more interested in the spoon than the food.
"I'm not having much luck with Luke today. He's being a bit fussy. Why don't we switch?"
Anakin snorted as he used the Force to freeze the mush in mid-air, preventing it from hitting his face.
"I'm not sure you have the messiest kid."
It was just another day in the life for the young couple. Though there were often idyllic moments, their respective positions meant neither mother nor father could spend as much time with the twins as desired. Padme had been tapped to lead the prosecution against Nute Gunray, a trial that was sure to have numerous delays, appeals, and procedural hurdles. Anakin on the other hand, volunteered to lead numerous humanitarian missions to war torn worlds, often with Obi-Wan or Ahsoka. This put a great deal of strain on both parents. Coordinating each other's schedules proved to be a massive headache.
Which is why Anakin relished days like these. When they were both present to raise their children.
So Padme can keep you in check.
He willed that nagging, awful voice to be silent. A nasty, harsh whisper that never seemed too far away. Stroking his worst anxieties, creating fear…
You're going to hurt them.
Leia began crying and it snapped Anakin out of his dark reverie. He scrambled to assuage her.
"Shhh, little princess, it's okay…"
'Princess'. A title he'd conferred on her weeks after she was born. A coincidental nod to the fact that her mother had been a monarch, but rooted in pure affection. She was something else. Anakin observed whenever he was in a bad mood, Leia noticed. And whenever the cold brush of the dark side passed over, she responded with a deafening wail.
Could babies sense these things? Anakin had never thought about it much, but it made sense. Leia was his daughter after all and very strong in the Force. Was she already that attuned to the energy around her? Either that or she was just teething.
"Here comes the star fighter." He began waving the spoon around, making zooming noises. Leia immediately brightened and her deep, brown eyes followed the instrument with awe. "Open wide, she's coming in for a landing!"
She giggled and laughed, which enabled Anakin to push the gross mush into her mouth. He did this three more times and she dutifully swallowed the last bit of gunk. Padme looked on with a beaming smile.
"You're a natural with her."
"You're just as good," he deflected modestly.
"I'm really not," she said with a small laugh. "She rebels whenever I try to feed her."
"So what? You're amazing with Luke."
"Luke is easy." She said in a motherly way that did not sound disparaging but loving. "I can count on one hand the number of times he's been upset."
At six months, the twins were already developing aspects of their divergent personalities. Luke, Force bless him, was one of the happiest babies Anakin had ever seen. He slept easily and on the rare occasion he did cry, did not shriek or wail in the same piercing manner as his sister. With wet, wide blue eyes and a fuzzy head of blond hair, he was as cute as a button (Ahsoka had remarked more than once he could be on the cover of a holo magazine).
Leia could only be described in one word: feisty. Behind soft, brown eyes and a head of dark, ringlet curls was a little fighter. She was particular, prone to waking up multiple times a night, and loved to move. Not even a year into life and she was crawling, much to Threepio's consternation. Underneath the stubbornness, however, lay a pure spirit and someone eminently curious about the world around her.
Perhaps most notable was her relationship with her brother; the twins already had a bond. They couldn't talk or vocally communicate much, but Anakin felt their instincts through the Force. Pure as the driven snow on Orto Plutonia. As warm as the Naboo sun. They drew comfort in each other's presence. In fact, one of the few instances in which Luke would cry was in the moments without his sister.
It brought a bittersweet taste in Anakin's mouth. Was this the kind of relationship his son had with Leia in another lifetime? He'd made scant mention of Leia in their short time together except at the very end. Another secret Luke carried into the Force, another barrier between them that he failed to bridge.
He didn't trust you, came the nasty voice. He didn't tell you about Leia.
Obi-Wan and Yoda hid the twins because they knew what would happen if Darth Vader found them. And while that knowledge came with its own potent batch of feelings, he didn't blame them or Luke. If Sidious had won..if he'd fallen…it was too frightening to think about.
They'd grown up separated. Luke's last recording made that abundantly clear. On sleepless nights, staring outside at the Coruscant skyline, he wondered: what had his children been through? How much suffering had they endured from their own parent? When did they find out about each other? Luke clearly found it in his heart to forgive him…but what about Leia? What was her reaction to the fact that her biological father had been a monster?
"No child is easy," Anakin said wisely, thinking of all the diapers he'd had to change. "And you're a fantastic mother." He took Padme in close, mush stained tunic and all, and pressed a kiss to her head.
"And you're a fantastic father."
Anakin's smile flickered for only a half second. He hoped Padme didn't catch on, but her powers of perception rivaled that of any Jedi.
"What?"
"Nothing, my love," he replied as convincingly as he could without arousing suspicion. "Just thinking about how wonderful our family is."
The fib was enough to hold her off for now, but Anakin had been playing that card for so long and wasn't sure how much longer he could continue employing it. The nightmares, the visions…those kriffing damned visions of himself in a black suit holding a red lightsaber. Luke and Leia running away with terrified eyes. Cold, metallic breathing…
"Let's get these two down for their nap," Padme said without further comment. "Come on, Luke…upsee-daisy!"
The blond babbled happily. Leia squirmed as Anakin did the same. But she soon nestled into his arms and he felt her little mind settle into a blissful peace.
"Master Anakin, may I?"
"No thank you, Threepio," Padme cut in kindly as the droid lowered his arms. "You can tidy up the kitchen and clean some dishes."
"Oh, of course. My pleasure."
Anakin admired his wife for her many skills and accomplishments. Motherhood might have been the most impressive. Being a full time Senator, lawyer, wife, and parent would tax even the most arduous of souls to their breaking point. On days where she was up to her eyeballs in paperwork, Padme insisted on feeding, changing, and caring for her children.
"Enjoy your nap little ones." She kissed both her children as they snuggled in the crib next to each other. Anakin smiled, using the Force to send a subtle wave of sleep, a trick he used to calm them during tantrums (it also ensured they stayed knocked out when he and Padme wanted private time together).
"I love it when they're like this," Anakin marveled, drawing her close into his arms.
"Peaceful?"
"More like quiet," he said with a wolfish grin. "Meaning I get to do this-"
Soft kisses were planted against her neck. Padme's protests turned to pleasant moans as he lifted and carried her out of the room. Their tongues danced in a tango as they took each other in. Scent, sound, soft skin…tracing intricate patterns on her upper thigh…
An unpleasant bump interrupted the bliss, much to Anakin's annoyance.
"What the-"
R2 beeped loudly.
"Hey, there's no need for that kind of language."
Apologetic warbling followed. His little blue companion more or less said 'sorry'.
"It's fine. Whaddya got for me?"
Two quick beeps. Unmistakable.
"The Council?" Anakin sighed and so did his loins. "Send it through."
R2's projection lens flashed white, and Obi-Wan Kenobi appeared in front of them.
"Hello, Anakin. I hope this message finds you well. I'm only calling to say that the Council has requested your presence this afternoon on a matter of great importance. No need to panic-" he added with a small smile. The old man could predict his reactions even in a recording. "Ahosoka will be there too. 4:30 sharp in the Southwestern Tower. I look forward to seeing you both."
As soon as the message ended, he dropped her to the floor and began adjusting his appearance in a rather comical manner. Padme arched an eyebrow.
"I asked you to watch the babies this afternoon, remember? I'm meeting with our legal team for Gunray's upcoming trial."
"Sorry, angel. Can't disobey the Council."
"Anakin," she said with the power of steel in her voice. "You specifically promised that you would take the day off."
"You know how it is. Duty calls."
That only served to ignite a rare spark of cold fury in his wife.
"Since when does the Council take precedence over our family?"
"I'm still a Jedi," Anakin shot back, growing more defensive by the second. "That means I'm going to be away sometimes."
"Sometimes, Anakin. Not every other week. This is the third time this month."
"You don't see me bitching when you have to work late with all that trial stuff."
As usual, his wife could run circles around him. Her usual affable demeanor snapped.
"My work is just as important as yours. And in case you haven't noticed, I always sacrifice my time to raise our children when you're away. Why don't I get the same commitment?"
Cornered and out of replies, Anakin avoided those intense brown eyes and ducked away.
"Padme, just get Threepio to watch them."
That brought out the infamous finger point. Something Padme only used when she was really upset. Directed straight towards him, he leaned back from its wrath.
"You and I both agreed that at least one of us would be with them at all times. We will not be absentee parents."
Anakin knew her to be right, but his fear won out. Clipping his lightsaber and stuffing a wrapped sandwich into his mouth from the cooling unit, he power walked towards the door to the apartment. Padme followed. Diplomatic solutions had turned into an aggressive war.
"I gotta go."
"Don't you walk away, Anakin Skywalker. Three and a half years of marriage and you're still keeping secrets. I'm tired of being left in the dark. Why can't you be kriffing honest with me?!"
The automatic door swished open and shut once more, ending the conversation. In the distance, Leia had begun crying again.
There were multiple tells to Anakin Skywalker. Ahsoka thought she memorized all of them by now.
"What do you think the Council wants us for?"
"Not sure."
So he was talking but only two to three words at a time. Not great, not terrible.
"Everything, alright?"
"Yup."
Unconvincing tone. Avoiding eyesight. The jaw was relaxed but not working in a fury, so he wasn't angry. At least not to the point of exploding. As the lift rushed them up the Ivory Tower, Anakin took a glance behind him, pretending to be interested in the cumulous formations intersecting with patches of blue. Ahsoka tried to engage in something more interesting.
"Sooo…how are the twins?"
"Fine, I guess."
Only three words to describe the twins? Okay, maybe it was worse than she anticipated. Anakin never failed to take the opportunity to gush about Luke and Leia.
"I'm happy to babysit again," she offered. "In case you and Padme ever want a night out."
Anakin turned with barely a hint of a smile, strained and uneven, on his face.
"Appreciate that, Ahsoka."
Oh, no. He hadn't even called her 'Snips'. Something was definitely bothering him. Something he didn't want to disclose to anyone.
When that happens…things get ugly.
She felt his heavy tension in the Force as the lift beeped and both Jedi stepped out and into the lobby. In just a dozen paces, they were in front of the Council. Further interrogation would have to wait.
"Greetings, Master Skywalker. Knight Tano," came the grizzled voice of Yoda.
Ahsoka saw the layout had changed a bit. Master Yoda was still grandmaster but Plo Koon now occupied the spot next to him, having been officially named as Head of the Order. On the other side sat Obi-Wan, holding no official title but a clear number three in the hierarchy, a future Grandmaster in the making. Though still a bit stiff at times, she liked this new Council a lot better than the old (plus it had more women on it).
"Masters." She and Anakin both bowed low before business was conducted.
"A mission we have for you both," Yoda said.
"So a joint project?"
"Yes," Adi Gallia confirmed for Ahsoka. "We think you will like it."
"The idea was Master Kenobi's," Plo Koon said with praise as he gestured to his left. "I believe he should be the one to explain it."
Obi-Wan gave a humble nod before expounding.
"We're creating a new subdivision within the Jedi Order: the Guardians."
"Guardians, Master?" Anakin asked. "Don't we already have Temple Guards?"
"This is something quite different." Obi-Wan gave that smirk he loved when given the chance to explain something like the nerd he was. "The Guardians have a singular purpose: to be the eyes and ears of the Jedi. To create a watch, in case the Sith ever return."
Ahsoka stole a glance at Anakin, who's expression was vacant.
"You want us leading that?"
If it sounded a bit too incredulous or self denigrating, it did not plant any doubts in the minds of the Council. On the contrary, Ahsoka could see Master Plo smiling behind his mask. Master Yoda had that familiar twinkle in his eye.
"Right for this position, you both are."
"But Sidious was destroyed…wasn't he?"
Anakin's question sounded more like a child dreading the return of a nightmare. The mention of that name was still powerful enough to cast a shadow in the Force.
"We have performed collective meditation many times in search of his presence," Plo Koon said to them in a deep rumble. "And ordered his residences searched. So far, we have found no indication that he cheated death."
Ahsoka and Anakin issued a collective sigh of relief. That is until Obi-Wan began stroking his beard in an uncomfortable manner.
"In the aftermath of the duel against Sidious, we were able to trace some of his agents to the Industrial Sector. The same ones who kidnapped Ahsoka and tried to turn her to the dark side."
Ahsoka's heart skipped a beat at the memory, but the temperature of the room dropped a little when Anakin's eyes hardened to the consistency of diamonds.
"They were found dead," Obi-Wan added quickly. "Courtesy of Asajj Ventress. But we also discovered several items on their person. This included more of the substance they injected into Ahsoka. And among other things, what we're almost certain is a Sith holocron, and some sort of wayfinder."
"And who were these agents?" Anakin asked, sounding very sorry he never had the chance to kill them himself.
"We do not know," Aayla Secura told them. "They held no form of official identification. No papers, no DNA matches, or fingerprints. Their clothing is hand stitched black cloth, untraceable to any specific company. The only clue as to what or who they might have been a part of…is this."
She pressed a button and the center holo projector flashed a giant symbol in front of them; what looked like a lethal diamond shaped dagger surrounded by a wide circle, blood red in color. Ahsoka felt a chill creep up the back of her spine.
"There are no obvious leads," Obi-Wan explained. "This is only speculation, but the Council believes that this symbol has some sort of connection to the Sith, or at least an offshoot of it. That Darth Sidious was in league with these people is disturbing."
"And you think there are more of them out there?" Ahsoka asked, already knowing the answer.
"Of that, we are almost certain," Plo Koon rumbled. "The Sith and Jedi have employed numerous acolytes in their respective histories. This is likely one of them."
"Darkness, never far away it is," Yoda said, agreeing with the Kel Dor. At those words, a hot flash of the dark side slipped into her mind before disappearing once more. "Mistaken were we to believe that the Sith were destroyed a millennia ago. Vigilant, the Jedi must be."
Then Obi-Wan slowly reached into the depths of his brown cloak and pulled out a vial of ominous black, green liquid. "Anakin…this is the poison Sidious used to try and assassinate Senator Amidala."
He was formal but grim. Ahsoka sensed the purpose. To convey to Anakin that he and the Jedi took attacks against his family seriously. Pale and ashen, the brunette couldn't help but inquire.
"What…what does it do?"
"It's not the same as what was injected into Ahsoka," Obi-Wan explained, aware of the curiosity from the Togruta. "But no less deadly. It took our healers and chemists nearly six months to fully decipher the effects. Basically, it is a symbiotic substance that when ingested, binds itself to the organs and slowly robs them of their functionality. The parasite feeds while the victim grows steadily weaker over the course of twenty four to forty eight hours."
Ahsoka thought her master might drop to his knees from the sheer nausea on his face.
"Making matters worse, this poison has no odor and is so rare, no customs official or screener would think to check for it."
No wonder Sidious almost won, the Togruta thought to herself. If the man had access to that kind of alchemy, what other dark secrets lurked beneath the surface of his grave?
"The point being that Sidious almost killed your wife and corrupted your padawan. There's little doubt that equally sinister weapons of his have yet to be found."
"I thought you had searched his residences?"
"We have indeed, Knight Tano," Master Fisto said. "But given the complex political landscape, and the massive humanitarian projects the Jedi Order has pledged to lead, there has been little time to search more thoroughly."
"Threats remain," Obi-Wan told his padawan and grandpadawan bluntly. "Between Sidious's uncovered toys and this new lead into a possible Sith cult, there is a need to investigate whatever dark forces are still out there."
Anakin had not taken his eyes off the poison, that is until Obi-Wan wisely removed it from view.
"And studying these artifacts is how you want us to start?"
"Finding them will do for now," Plo Koon amended wisely. "Studying them is for experts devoted to such subjects here at the Temple. Opening the holocron for example, could lead to a cataclysm that could affect the entire planet."
"The Temple is at peace for the first time in over two decades." Shaak Ti had an easy way of putting things into perspective. "A peace we intend to keep."
"But a peace we also intend to earn," Obi-Wan said emphatically. "By not resting on our laurels."
The strange symbol disappeared. Ahsoka caught the eye of Master Yoda's piercing gaze, though it held no judgment, stared right through her. He tilted his head slightly.
"I'm honored you would consider us, Masters," came the emotionally exhausted gratitude of Anakin Skywalker. "But I have to ask, why me? Why not just Ahsoka or someone with much more experience like Master Jocasta? Why not anyone?"
Ahsoka gazed up at the towering figure of her Master. Always wanting more, seeking to shine brightest amongst hundreds of stars in the sky. She remembered all the times he would have killed to gain an assignment of this importance, complaining that the Council never took him seriously. It was an odd reversal of positions.
She saw the fear, uncertainty, softness, and love in Anakin's eyes. Even the smallest hint of scruff underneath his chin. He was and forever, a changed man. Master Yoda evidently saw the same and he spoke first.
"Talented you have always been, young Skywalker. Yet more than just a warrior you are. There are other ways to serve besides fighting."
An alternate yet remarkably similar way to paraphrase one of Obi-Wan's core philosophies. Ahsoka was sure that was no accident. Still Anakin hesitated, not knowing what to say, teetering back and forth on a seesaw of indecision…and she did not want to accept if he wouldn't.
"Anakin." Obi-Wan's voice was melodic and understanding, dropping the air of professionalism for a more personal touch. "I…understand if this isn't something you can take on right now. If you need some time off to be with Padme and the children, we'll be happy to grant it."
"No, I'll do it." For some reason the generous counteroffer spurred acceptance. Something was off and it befuddled Ahsoka she hadn't yet figured out the reason for the bizarre behavior.
"So will I." She stepped forward. "Master Skywalker and I have always worked well together and it's an honor to do so again. We won't let you down."
The Council seemed satisfied enough with the answer.
"We have a list of locations...provided by Master Ahch-To," Obi-Wan added with some hesitance, following the protocol of not using Luke's name publicly. "Some of which border the edge of the Unknown Regions, but we'll start with the ones in closest proximity."
Plo Koon put his hands together and nodded at them both.
"It's settled. The first search will begin tomorrow morning. You can start with another sweep of the old Chancellor's suite and his vacant flat. Council adjourned."
The meeting ended and bows were exchanged.
"Knight Tano, a word if you please."
Master Yoda stood behind as everyone else filed out. Anakin stopped to wait for her, but she waved him off.
"I'll catch up."
Shrugging, he lumbered off with Obi-Wan in tow. The latter tried to engage in the same small talk and received the same level of response she got earlier.
"What can I do for you, Master?" she asked the diminutive Grandmaster. Anakin's peccadillos were far easier to pick out than Master Yoda, who retained an air of mystery bordering on the mischievous. Though she could discern through the Force he was not upset.
"For me? Nothing. For yourself I speak of."
Her heart sank.
"Hmmm, some fear I sense in you. "
"I've been through a lot, Master." Ahsoka tried to deflect from the fact that the dark side hovered around her a lot more since being captured by Sidious's minions. "We all have."
"Hmmm, yes. Seen and experienced much, you have."
He stepped forward and waved a three digit hand while closing his eyes. A powerful wave washed over her in the Force, as though it were cleansing her body of toxins.
"Yes, I see it now. A scar runs across your soul from the spiritual injury you suffered. Deep, it is."
Ahsoka couldn't shake off disappointment even as Master Yoda's tone was bereft of judgment. What could she say to that?
"And yet powerful light there is. Enough to heal in time." Yoda opened his eyes and gazed up intently, pointing his gimmerstick towards the stomach. "Much there is to be learned, even from evil. Use what happened for good, you can."
Ahsoka began to put the pieces together.
"Is…that why you gave Anakin and I this assignment?"
"In part, yes. But there is also another reason: Skywalker, in great pain he is…struggling to forgive himself and others. A wonderful student and friend you have been. Benefit you both, it will."
"Don't worry, Master. I'll keep an eye on him."
That earned her a slight jab with the gimmer stick, this time in the shin.
"Ow!"
"Heed me, you did not." That dastardly twinkle had returned to those emerald green eyes. "Both, I said. You too must take the time to find yourself."
Ahsoka couldn't resist a smile despite the throbbing pulse in her left leg. Yoda's staff taps still hurt as an adult, but she appreciated his blessing all the same.
"I appreciate that, Master."
Yoda nodded and sent her forth. Honestly, the Togruta swore that the little green troll's power came from messing with people.
The Next Morning…
Padme Amidala had spent almost her entire life dealing in the art of deciphering and applying legalese. That didn't mean she had to enjoy it.
"So let's rewind. What are the possible roadblocks we could encounter during this trial?"
Nico Messina was a middle aged barrister from the world of Rendili, a conservative planet but famous for its sleek ship designs and producing prominent legal experts. Messina was tolerable for someone of his ethnic background and station in life, for he was quite famous. Notorious for supporting some of Palpatine's authoritarian impulses (and supplying a good chunk of his lawyers), Rendili nevertheless had a deep disdain of the Trade Federation and other crooked shipping magnates.
"Numerous appeals," she answered swiftly. "Including the district courts, high courts, and the Supreme Court. He'll try to convince a judge to halt the proceedings while the appeal plays out."
"Correct." Messina's dark, slick back hair gleamed in the afternoon sun as he paced the room. A man as stiff as the collar he wore underneath his robe. "What else?"
"Procedure. He'll try to stall, duck and evade any line of questioning. Get under my skin, use our shared history against me."
"The invasion of Naboo will be crucial to outline in the most vivid terms possible," Messina continued. "And it will also be your most vulnerable moment. That can work for or against us depending on who has the upperhand. That's why you must maintain your composure. Back him into a corner and he'll lash out."
Padme knew that already of course and as a bubble of annoyance rose upward. Messina wasn't trying to be pretentious or haughty, but drill her in the art of legal etiquette. Though not dissimilar to Royal Council meetings or the Senate, she'd never been inside of a courtroom before. And the mere presence of Gunray's slimy face was enough to arouse her temper on the best of occasions.
"Right."
Messina took a pause from his pacing and aimed his very hawkish hazel-gray eyes at her. She thought underneath the stern veneer was a smidgeon of sympathy.
"There are four other prosecutors on this case and each one of them will have a defendant they'll be assigned to. But 'Padme Amidala versus Nute Gunray' is the largest human rights case this galaxy has seen in thirty years and the most important in about a hundred. If you seek justice for your people, to put this man away, you cannot allow him to control the narrative."
"I'm familiar with Gunray's tactics," she said, acknowledging the point as any good tactician did but defending her own ability. "Three trials in front of the Supreme Court couldn't dislodge him as head of the Trade Federation or put him in prison. But I will."
Messina nodded, perhaps to indicate she passed a test or admiration for her strength. Either way, he kept his sabacc cards close to the chest.
I guess that's what makes him a good lawyer.
"Shu Mai, Wat Tambor, and Passel Argente are all nasty characters in their own right. Architects of mass suffering. But Gunray was and is their leader. Take him down, they all go down."
"Do I have to fear for my safety?"
Padme couldn't resist asking the question. Naboo may have been governed by a Queen, but Rendilians, like many worlds, were much more patriarchal and less likely to take women seriously. She did not wish to show vulnerability.
"Not this time, no." Messina's steady voice contained a kind of subtle distaste, but it was there. "His company is finished. He no longer has any access to a private army or bounty hunters. Security will be airtight."
She nodded in appreciation, realizing that Messina's contempt was not for her but Gunray. Nevertheless, her gratitude stopped there. Business was still in session. And hundreds of documents needed to be scanned and read over. All of this would culminate in a full two hour long meeting that threatened to stretch even longer. Ordering takeout again was a real possibility.
"If I may be so bold, Senator," Messina said, resuming his pace and picking up a glass of red wine sitting idly on a low glass table. "It would be wise for your husband to avoid these proceedings."
"My husband can handle himself."
Her instinctive response was to defend Anakin, but it was not a strong one, and Messina perceived that.
"Master Skywalker is a fine man." He took a short sip of the wine. "A war hero and quite popular. But, forgive me ma'am, I've heard stories about his…temper. Rumors are circulating that he tried to kill Gunray upon his capture."
Padme had heard the same, but as usual, when she pressed her husband about it he refused to elaborate. Already the thin strands of her immense tolerance were stretching to their breaking point. She loved him with all her heart but the end of the war revealed some of Anakin's negative tendencies more starkly than before. Sneaking around and defying both of their institutions in the middle of a massive conflict had been…well…exhilarating. An open, public relationship in peacetime with two kids? That was work.
"Anakin has my full trust," she said smoothly. "And I think it's best we not spread these rumors further."
For once, Messina looked apologetic. A quick nod of the head, a topping of his glass, and the conversation was over. He gestured towards one of the holo tablets. "Shall we?"
No sooner had they gone over the first five pages (and sent another twenty to their respective paralegal staffers) when the office transmitter began beeping.
"Expecting someone?" Messina asked.
"Not at this hour."
Padme knew from memory that the code popping up on the blue screen was the one Anakin used to call her directly. But he was on a mission for the Council right now and Threepio had a tendency to abuse the line whenever he had a question about the twins. So she ignored it.
But then it came a second time. Then a third. And finally, a fourth.
"Senator, I don't mind stepping out if you need a moment."
Padme gritted her teeth. Now was not the time for interruptions. Rationally, taking the call might have something to do with the babies and it was irresponsible to ignore a possible emergency simply because she was mad at Anakin. But this was her life's work, the kind that would make the galaxy a better place. And with Messina right there…
She could stand the ringing no longer. "It'll only be a second, I promise."
Thinking all the ways to tear Anakin's nerfherding butt a new one, the Senator pressed the button to receive the transmission.
"I swear if this isn't a hospital worthy emergency-"
"Padme?"
Her jaw nearly dropped at the sound of Ahsoka's voice.
"Ahsoka? What-"
"I'm sorry to call you like this. I know you must be busy."
"It's alright." Padme sighed into her hand as her anger reduced to mild irritation. Ahsoka didn't deserve wrath reserved for Anakin. "I'm just dealing with a lot right now. What's going on? Are the twins okay?"
Sabe and Dorme were babysitting. So why was the Togruta calling from a private line only Anakin and her handmaidens had access to?
"They're fine." Ahsoka's voice dropped an octave into something far more grave. "It's Anakin. You need to get over here fast. We're at the apartment."
Earlier that rotation…
An uncomfortable sensation curled up in Anakin's stomach. Not unlike the sort you get when flying a ship and you have to dive suddenly to avoid a projectile. Except this wasn't the fun kind. That sinking feeling refused to relent.
When he arrived at the Chancellor's former quarters with Ahsoka and a contingent of the 501st in tow, his former padawan couldn't help but voice her concern.
"Master, are you alright?"
No, in truth he was not. Padme refused to speak to him that morning and left in a huff. Obi-Wan again offered him time off, as though he were some mental case unable to take care of himself. Guilt wracked his heavy heart as he thought of the twins, cursed with a murderer for a father, sleeping in their cribs.
He was not alright. The furthest thing actually. So what did he do? Lie. A well honed practice. "I'm fine, Snips. Come on. Let's see what this Sithspawn left behind."
About a half dozen clones flanked both sides of each Jedi. He was privately thankful that the 501st had not been one of the units combined or dissolved into another division. Rex still led the group, and Anakin felt comforted by his presence. They were even allowed to keep their trademark blue paint.
They arrived at the entrance, sealed off by yellow tape and a security beacon in the form of multiple red sensory lines criss-crossed in front of the door. Ahsoka pulled out a security clearance card and swiped the wall scanner. In an instant, the lines disappeared.
"Captain," Anakin called out. His longtime friend gave a crisp salute even though the old decorum was no longer required.
"Sir."
"Have Ahsoka take half the men and do a thorough search of the entire back area- private office, bedroom, archives, even the storage closet. You and I will take the front. I want no stone unturned. And Rex…"
He placed a hand on Rex's chestplate, hoping it wasn't awkward. Getting used to a more causal relationship took some getting used to despite their longtime friendship.
"Be very careful. And I mean very careful. Force knows what that man hid in there. I don't want anyone getting hurt. Not now."
Rex nodded curtly and gave a series of signals to Jesse. Anakin closed his eyes, trying to sense any anomalies or potential threats and found no obvious traps.
"Trust me, I get it," Ahsoka said aloud. Her shields were up in a precautionary way, but he still read her trepidation. "This place is already giving me the creeps."
"Don't be afraid my former padawan," Anakin said with the tone of an older brother reassuring their younger sister. "We can handle this. There's no Sith Lord about to pop out of nowhere. We'll be cautious and thorough."
Ahsoka brought out what little talent he possessed in teaching. The ability to be a mentor and guide another person was an inborn trait for people like Padme, Yoda, and Qui-Gon. Still, he took solace in mentoring one person to competency. Ahsoka Tano was his pride and joy.
Automatic doors whooshed open and the search began. The clones fanned out, keeping eyes open for anything out of place. But Darth Sidious had inhabited this space. Anything he didn't want to be found would require Jedi assistance.
"Check the walls," he said to Rex, Echo, and Fives. "Any uneven paneling or indents."
A thorough search yielded little initial results. The room had scarcely been touched since that fateful day six months ago. Aside from the removal of Sidious's body (carefully disposed of) and the refitting of new glass on the windows, signs of battle were everywhere. Scorch marks from where lightning struck the walls. Broken pieces of smashed objects littered the floor. The sleek, black desk had several chunks of wood missing from it.
The clones turned on their infrared to get a better look around the room. Some of them were crawling near the tiniest cracks to see if it might reveal something. Security droids from the Temple, including ISC-Russo, were brought in as extra hands to handle anything dangerous. The Coruscant Police had set up a perimeter outside. No one was getting in or out without them knowing.
As a child of the Force, however, Anakin's sensitivity to the suite was quite strong. Amidst a pool of light, he'd waded into a deeper pit of darkness. The temperature of the room read a normal 20 degrees Celsius, but it felt colder.
Sidious's influence is still alive in this place.
The longer a Force user inhabited a certain area or home, the more it took on the characteristics of the user in question. A kind of residue in the Force that lingered, not unlike how people liked to decorate their houses. Everything about this place was wrong. Odious, heavy, and filled with an unsettled feeling you were being watched somehow...
'What have I done?'
'You are fulfilling your destiny, Anakin.'
A memory darted across his eyes like a hot flash. He shook it off and continued searching.
'You're going to regret lying to me, Luke.'
'Father no!'
Anakin staggered. Rex, standing six feet away, turned sharply.
"Alright, sir?"
"All set, Rex. Keep looking."
But the horrible reminders of his past would not relent their cruel barrage. Anakin saw everything he'd once done and almost did with each passing step.
'She's gone and it's your fault. Now you're going to pay.'
He tried to breathe slowly and focus on positive emotions, but his heart rate kept pulsing faster. Sweat formed at the base of his forehead as though he were back on Mustafar. In hell.
'There is no hope! Only DEATH!'
The memory of blue lightning popping and crackling nearly sent him into a panic when the Force called out to him again. This time, it's energy gathered around one spot: the desk.
'You must choose!'
'Don't listen to him, Anakin!'
Like a moth to a flame, Anakin inexplicably drew closer to the desk in spite of every instinct telling him not to. That he would only find more pain.
'Become my apprentice. Learn to use the dark side of the Force.'
'I will do whatever you…ask.'
His mechanical hand reached for the desk and it ran across the smooth polished surface…until reaching a small bump on the underside. A button of some kind. He pressed it.
'I'll find that woman in your twisted little visions…I'll find her. And when I do I'm going to snap her neck.'
A secret compartment popped out and Anakin dared to look inside. There were four datapads. He grabbed one even as his hands began to tremble.
Upon activation, a blue screen popped up and it asked for an input passcode. He knew that a discovery such as this should be delivered to the Council. Whatever secrets Sidious had stashed away were not meant for prying eyes. But he felt…compelled. He wanted to see what the sick old man lied to him about.
The light side of the Force gave warning, tugging him back to its peaceful embrace. To leave behind old battles and allow the wounds to heal. But the darkness beckoned, eagerly pushing him to open the forbidden door. To rightfully take the knowledge he sought…
Without thinking, he typed in a code Sidious had once given him as a means to reach out privately. 05192005.
What he saw caused him to hyperventilate into a panic.
'Henceforth you shall be known as Darth Vader.'
"Sir? Sir!"
Anakin lost the ability to breathe oxygen properly as the world spun in every direction. Falling to the floor, he clutched his chest and the datapad slipped from his hand.
Coric was the first to reach him followed by Rex.
"Alert Ahsoka! Call a medic! Now!" He turned to Echo, Fives, and Hardcase urging them to back away and give space.
The clone ripped off his helmet and peered at Anakin, who's blue eyes were widened in paralyzing fear. "Look at me sir! Look at me! Breathe, breathe."
Ahsoka dashed in only seconds later. She spotted her Master on the ground and ran to him. "Anakin!"
She tried to calm him through the strength of their bond. But said bond was static, ridden with anxiety and there was little comfort she could send.
"No," Anakin begged to the ceiling. "No, no, no. I won't, I won't wear it! Not you…I'm not you…"
Ahsoka almost asked what he was talking about until a small tug in the Force pointed her in the right direction. She saw the datapad lying on the ground and inhaled sharply.
On the screen were the schematics for a full cybernetic suit. The plastoid helmet was goggle eyed, triangular mouthed, complete with durasteel arms, and legs. The suit also came with a gruesome add on: sharp clasps designed to impale the spine for some unknown sinister purpose. Completely black in color, it looked more like a torture device in her opinion until she saw the words in Galactic Basic at the bottom.
'Sith Prototype Suit Number 1.'
When she heard the story of Anakin's breakdown from Captain Rex, Padme had to ask him to repeat certain details a few times as they flew back to 500 Republica together.
"You said that he saw some kind of cybertronic armor on the datapad?"
"Yes." Rex curled in his lip as he steered around traffic. "The second the General saw it, he hit the floor."
Padme clutched the juniper snippet Anakin gave her near the center of her chest. What kind of armor could be so horrible to make her fearless husband collapse? All of her prior anger had turned to sickening guilt over their fight.
"And you don't know what it was exactly?"
She saw Rex's mind try to put a string of words together to answer the question. His brow wrinkled the way most Gen 1 clones did.
"It's hard to describe, ma'am. But I can tell you that this thing looked like something out of a holo horror movie. Even Hardcase was freaked out."
She didn't know what to say to that because at present, Padme felt like Anakin was a stranger. Underneath that charming smile, playful swagger, and powerful stature was a man struggling to tread water. She acknowledged Palpatine almost manipulated him to become a Sith. Who wouldn't have cracked under those circumstances? True, he'd murdered an entire village but that was a human reaction born out of hurt, not maliciousness. She helped clean the mutilated body afterwards before lowering Shmi into her grave, held Anakin while he wept in her arms…
So why? Why did Anakin not trust her when he was clearly suffering?
Tears formed in her eyes, and she wiped them away but Rex heard her sniff.
"He'll be alright, Senator," he said in the softest voice she'd ever heard him use. "I've seen him charge into battle headlong and take a hell of a lot worse."
"What's affecting him isn't physical, Captain," she countered.
Rex didn't dispute that but offered support anyway.
"You're his wife. With respect, ma'am, I've never seen a person love someone the way he does with you. And…he's got all of us. His friends. He'll get through this, I promise."
Padme hoped that was true. It was all that she hung onto at this point. That Anakin could find it in his heart to open up. Otherwise…raising a family with the stress of both their jobs might break it apart.
"I appreciate all your dedication to my husband." She meant it too, giving Rex a watery smile of gratitude which the clone returned.
"It's my pleasure and my duty."
Clones. Loyal to the end. Being a child of Naboo, Padme understood little of the esteemed 'brotherhood' a person joined after serving in a war with hundreds of other men. 'You have to go through it to know,' Anakin had told her numerous times. A product of that unbreakable bond was escorting her back home even when he didn't have to.
This was the man who'd hid their relationship from the public eye for years. A man worse than Anakin when it came to the art of keeping secrets and yet did so anyway. She'd be forever in his debt.
But would her most important relationship hold up in the face of their own battle? Would they fight it together or separately?
Rex landed the small transport, an open air speeder with four passenger seats, at the docking bay of her apartment. He gave a wave and a thanks to Hawk and Jasper for providing extra security and the two ARC-170s sped away in a trail of vapor.
Padme wasted no time in speed walking as fast as her multi layered dress would allow her to move. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka were already in the open living room, sitting next to Anakin on one of the ottomans while Rex stood at a respectful distance. Her husband had an odd, vacant expression on his face and normally sparkling blue eyes stared down at the floor. He did not move or even acknowledge her. There was none of his boyish charm or confident machismo she loved.
"Anakin? What's going on?"
She instantly regretted using that captious tone and used a much softer one.
"Are you okay?"
Thank the gods Sabe had already put down the twins for their nap. Threepio and R2 were conspicuously absent, which only added to the gravity pulling at the already tense atmosphere.
"Anakin?"
Her focus flickered from Obi-Wan to Ahsoka, but neither one of them spoke, choosing to let Anakin make the first move, as was often wisest. The Togruta placed a hand on her master's. Obi-Wan visibly swallowed, worry etched along the crow's feet he'd developed over the course of the war. Padme's feelings edged on a cliff of desperation as her heart ached for the man she couldn't live without.
Anakin, please…why do you hurt?
Slowly, Anakin's head turned upwards, and they stared into each other's souls as though her plea had been spoken aloud. Seconds later, he began crying. Small tears grew larger and quiet sobs became uncontrollable heaves.
"I'm sorry…I'm s-sorry…."
He kept repeating these words over and over again and Padme raced to hug him.
Obi-Wan was next, wrapping brotherly arms around his former padawan, who now resembled a frightened little child more than a six foot two Jedi Master.
Ahsoka was last, completing the circle of comfort that surrounded Anakin. She squeezed his organic hand tightly, a gesture that he reciprocated. A wetness appeared in Obi-Wan's eyes as he held onto his best friend.
Padme kissed him on the cheek and slowly began swaying him.
"We love you, Ani. All of us. We'll never abandon you."
A sharp, unrelenting sensation burned in Anakin's throat and his chest throbbed with the kind of hurt that made breathing almost impossible. He tried to stop crying but he couldn't. There were too many years of trauma, too many sleepless nights, too much pain that had been buried in desert sands, hidden from view.
He cried and cried until the tears ran dry and day turned to dusk.
Alright...now I can promise pretty much everything from here on out will be pretty positive. No more 10k chapters. No more heightened drama. I'm honestly going to miss it a little bit haha.
Next chapter will be at the end of the month! Rock on!
~The Wasp