A/N- Well- my second update for the day! If you enjoy this, please follow or leave a comment. I'm trying to decide if I want to continue this story or not at this time. -GP
Chapter 30- Anakin the Rebel
Summary: Alternate World: The Empire Prevails and the Jedi have all been in hiding for thirty years. Emperor Palpatine searches for a way to live long past his dying body through cloning technology and his attempts at descendants. One of his "experiments' escapes and comes to live a slave's life on Naboo. He will meet and forever his destiny changed by the fateful meeting with none other than one young Naberrie girl…
Location: Jinn's Safehouse Coruscant
Month 5 Day 15 Year 28 BBY
Padme' swallows and says one sentence. One sentence that will break the lies between them for good.
" You can take off your helmet, Anakin, I know it's you."
Time stops between them as those words break through their bond and the lies that had been coming between them for so long. Months of lies are now revealed. She knew- there was no reason to lie to her anymore.
The breathing from the creature is lighter as his gloved hands reach for his helmet. He unclicks the two latches that hold the helmet in place. With a hiss, the helmet parts into the two sections and reveals the blue eyes of her lover. His eyes hold sincere concern for her. Tears enter her eyes as she watches him close the gap between them- no more secrets between them. His gloved hands cup her face and wipe away the tears sliding down them.
" You heard me-" She whispers.
" Yes, Gods Angel- I thought-" His eyes flicker down towards his chest plate.
She lifts on her toes and kisses his lips. No more needed to be said. He kisses her back- gently not wanting to hurt her in any form than she already is. Their foreheads meet and their breathing intermixes. " Now explain to me why your life is in danger and what your boss has to do with this."
Padme nods and winces from the pain shooting from her side. She explains as he sits beside her. " Rush had a meeting with Director Krennic and Count Dooku a few days ago. Krennic asked for more funds from the Banking Clan and Rush hesitated stating that the Council would need more proof of their progress on the Battle Station. Anakin- the way they described this battle station-"
Anakin squeezes her hand and takes in the information she's giving him. He senses her fear, but also relief to share this information with someone she trusts.
" Did they say this Battle Station was operational?" He questions.
She shakes her head. " No, Krennic mentioned something about a prototype of the weapon being ready by the end of the summer."
Anakin nods, knowing this information needs to get back to the Rebellion. He kisses her cheek and says, " Thank you for telling me. I'll report this back to the Rebellion."
Anakin stands and mentions, " Try to sleep- if you are feeling up to going home later, I'll take you and stay."
He turns to leave the medbay and she pulls out her iv's and asks, " Wait -that's it? What can the rebellion do?"
Anakin sighs knowing how stubborn she can be. He tries to step outside the doorway before she can follow him. However, she's right behind him, hot on his heels as he enters the command center. Padme's eyes take in both tired men as they whirl upon hearing the sound of the door sliding open. Her mouth is agape as she notices her future brother-in-law leaning back in the chair nearest to the doorway. His gray eyes roam over her behind Anakin and he says, " Well- Padme' welcome to our little hideaway. I thought Anakin understood the code of not revealing his alias identity."
Anakin glares at his other best friend. " She figured it out. I had no choice."
Her eyes fall onto her best friend's biological father she had come to know these past few weeks. His soft gray eyes are upon her and he states, " It is good to see you awake Padme'."
Padme' tries to smile at him through her pain and adds, " Under these circumstances yes, it is good to see you as well."
Anakin states, " Padme' thinks she was attacked by a bounty hunter because Senator Clovis is in league with Director Krennic and Count Dooku on a secret project for the Emperor."
Obi-wan crosses his arms and lifts an eyebrow in curiosity. " How did you acquire this information?"
" I was present at the meeting a few days ago. They asked him for 3 trillion credits by the end of the week to fund their project. Dooku threatened the entire Banking Clan Council by sending in a group of Inquisitors to kill them."
Anakin pulls a chair out for Padme' and she gladly takes it. He places both hands on the back of the chair and waits for her to continue or one of the others to ask her questions.
His father questions, " Is this project some kind of weapon?"
Padme' nods. " I saw the schematics for this- Battle Station. It's not fully operational yet, as they discussed some sort of prototype weapon."
Obi-wan rubs his bare face in thought. He surmises, " A planet killer? What could be used to weaponize it?"
Qui-gon asks, " Did they happen to mention what sort of materials were needed for the prototype?"
Padme' shakes her head. Her eyes are a mixture of concern and anger. " No, but they are supposed to meet again with Rush in the next few weeks."
Anakin asks, " What can be done?"
His father sighs and runs his hands along his shorter spiked graying hair. " I'll contact the Council. Anakin you'll probably be reassigned to surveillance Senator Clovis. Padme' with this turn of events I'm afraid you'll have to be placed in protective custody until we can solve this matter."
Anakin adds, " I'll stay with her until we can determine the threat level."
Obi-wan comments, " Perhaps you should stay here. If whoever sent the bounty hunter after you thinks they've succeeded, then perhaps they will reveal themselves."
Padme' holds up her hand to stop their plans. She will not be told what and where she will go. She demands, " Excuse me- but I'm not staying here- nor will Anakin surveillance my boss. I'm going back to work like it is a normal day. Anakin can stay with me and at the next meeting, I'll gather the information needed. I'm not going to stand by and play damsel in distress."
Anakin's anger flares. He spins her chair around and commands, " Hell NO, there is no way you're going back to work for that bastard and we're the ones who are trained in the force in a combat situation. We'll handle this."
Padme' frowns hearing his usual protective tone. She stands to her feet, ignoring the pain in her side. She glares at him.
" If I don't show up to work, Rush will run. He'll leave Coruscant and back to Scipio, leaving us without any in-tell on the prototype, or the whereabouts of this Battle Station. Rush trusts me. Besides-" She pauses and uses the force to pull Anakin's lightsaber from his belt. She continues, " I'm a fast learner. Teach me to use the force in combat."
His eyes flicker to Qui-gon's and Padme' turns to face the other two men as well. She claims, " Train me. I don't want to see the galaxy fall under the terror of their planet being destroyed. If we don't stop them, even the Rebellion will fall."
Qui-gon eyes his son. He senses his anger through the force, but she's right. Rush Clovis trusts her and he had sensed her abilities through the force- he hadn't been sure if she had been aware of them, but she's highly capable of learning.
" It seems we don't have a choice." Qui-gon comments.
Anakin shakes his head, fuming. He turns away from them and heads to the refresher. Padme' whirls on him and calls, " Anakin?"
He does not say a word which Padme knows is bad. His silence means he's pissed. She turns on her heels and follows him. Obi-Wan attempts to stop her- but she shakes her head. She knows they'll have to yell this one out. In their friendship, there have been times where they've yelled and shouted at one another and this would be their first fight as a couple.
She trails behind him around a short bend and into what appears to be a bedroom and a refresher. The door hisses behind them both and Anakin throws his gloves into the open bag he had out from earlier that night. He furiously pulls off the chest plate and tosses it as well- it hits the wall and he continues to take off the armor; piece by piece- silently- fuming within the force. Padme' watches him until he turns to her, only wearing his black shirt-sleeved training shirt and his black pants and boots.
" I don't know what in sith hell's your thinking! You want to be trained? You want to become part of the Rebellion?!" He seethes out through clenched teeth.
Padme says calmly, " None of us have a choice Anakin. I'm the only one who can pull this off."
He clenches his fist at his side and shouts, " You have a choice, you're just choosing to throw your life away! You aren't capable of protecting yourself!"
She feels her anger rising. She attempts to stay calm, trying to resort to nonviolent measures. " How is my choice any different than yours? You've been training for months without telling me. You could die out there."
His nostrils flare as he retorts, " Yes I could, but you're different!"
She crosses her arms and sneers, "Yes, I'm a woman, but I'm highly capable of learning just as you were."
He shakes his head and gestures to the doorway, shouting, " It's different because you're the woman I love! Tonight when you were lying there on the ground, my mind was unfocused. If the assailant had seen me, I don't know how much of my training would have helped me. I was terrified that you were dead!"
She swallows and knows he's right. He has a right to be concerned. She answers, " And I'd feel the same if something happened to you. Anakin I understand how terrifying it is- I'm terrified even now knowing the truth about your alias. But there are no more lies between us. We can share this burden and mission."
Anakin shakes his head. He is a bit calmer. " I don't want you to become a killer like me. Killing taints you- Angel." He steps forward and cups her cheek with his right hand.
He kisses her lips and whispers, " You're my humanity. If you lose yours- I don't know if I'll be able to fight the dark side."
She touches her forehead against his and murmurs, " I'll be by your side, you know that."
He sighs and pulls her in for a hug. He places his face in her curls. He sighs smelling her shurra shampoo. " All right, but I'm staying with you at all times, or I'll have Obi-Wan stay with you."
She nods against his shoulder, seeing their future in plain sight- or rather a mixture of mud. She knows they don't have a choice. The galaxy comes first- even before their love for one another. She prays to the force that it doesn't mean that one of their hearts will break in the process, but in the back of her mind she feels it, and senses the danger lying ahead.
To Be Continued