Sorry for the long delay! I had quite a lot of work to do and then I was sick for quite some time. I hope everyone of you had a good start into the new year!


Chapter 16

Padme watched as Ahsoka paced nervously in front of the sofa, arms crossed in front of her chest. Sighing, she placed Anakin's lightsaber back on the table next to the small handwritten note.

"Sit down, please, Ahsoka," she finally murmured, exhausted, "You're driving me crazy."

The Padawan finally stopped, eyeing her with a look that at first contained something like defiance before it was replaced with resignation. Biting the inside of her cheeks, Ahsoka finally sat down on the small armchair that stood next to the sofa.

"Sorry," the girl breathed, rubbing her temples.

If she was honest, she didn't really know how to help Ahsoka. With the trial, she had just lost the two people who had always been there for her. Padme herself hadn't made it to the trial, or even to Obi-Wan again. Guilt gnawed at her as she thought about it. In the days she had left, she had tried with Bail and other trusted senators to help Obi-Wan.

But in the end, it had been to no avail.

And in the end she had been denied access to the courtroom. By order of the chancellor.

She had no choice but to follow the spectacle via holo. With each passing minute, the lump in her throat had grown larger, until in the end she had even felt sick. The accusations were far-fetched, everyone who knew Obi-Wan even a little knew that. And yet they smeared his name, took away his dignity.

Padme didn't know what made her more angry. The accusations or Anakin's refusal to defend his master - his best friend - in the slightest.

When she had come home and found the note with Anakin's lightsaber, she had felt betrayed.

Did she even know Anakin, the man she was supposed to love?

Several days had passed since the trial. Since then, silence reigned. Not only did they not know what was happening in the prison, but Ahsoka was much quieter than usual. Together with Master Koon they had tried to get through to her, but without success.

It felt like she was walking on a minefield.

"What are you thinking about?" she finally asked, watching as Ahsoka fiddled with the chain around her neck.

Ahsoka's fingers paused before finally gripping the pendant tightly. "He said he was afraid," she finally croaked, staring ahead, "...and that scares me."

Padme finally rose from her seat and stepped over to Ahsoka, kneeling down and placing one of her hands around the Padawan's, the other she used to lift the girl's head. "Even though Obi-Wan has never shown it openly, he feels fear just like any other person. Jedi or not, no one may close themselves off completely from their emotions."

The padawan sniffed. "That is not how I was taught."

"And yet you witnessed their emotions over and over again... love, joy... but also anger, sadness, and fear."

Ahsoka averted her eyes. "I guess."

"Do you think less of them now?" she echoed.

For a moment, Ahsoka remained silent before answering softly. "No... but I don't know what to believe anymore either."

Despite all the experience Padme had, she still wasn't able to tame such a situation. She needed a Jedi. Reaching for the commlink that lay on the table, she finally dialed Master Koon's frequency, which he had recently given her. The Kel'Dor had taken care of accommodations for Anakin's mother first.

The commlink was already beeping longer than normal, which caused Padme a little concern. But finally the call was answered.

"Koon," came the reply. The man sounded stressed and a little out of breath.

"Master Koon, it's me, Padme Amidala," she finally said, a little worried, "...I need your help... it's about Ahsoka."

Voices and sounds of speeders could be heard on the other end of the line.

"...I'll be there as soon as I can," Plo replied, "...I was on my way to you anyway."

A pit opened up in her stomach. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to discuss this via comm right now, but... I was at the prison... something happened."

Padme cursed inwardly and gritted her teeth. "Okay, we'll be expecting you," she replied, her voice as confident as she could manage.

When Plo hung up, she couldn't help but slump her shoulders in defeat. Every time you thought you'd hit rock bottom, an even deeper hole opened up.

"What did he say?", Ahsoka snapped her out of her thoughts.

Shaking her head, Padme looked at her seriously. "Not much, he's on his way here. He has news from the prison."

Dread spread across Ahsoka's face, and Padme hated herself for it. "Bad news, then?"

"I'm sorry, Ahsoka."

The Padawan got up from her seat again and started pacing again, only this time Padme didn't have it in her to stop her. Not when she herself felt the need to just storm off.

The few minutes it took Plo to get to them felt like hours.

When the Jedi Master finally arrived, the two women waited, spellbound, for his news.

Plo sighed and sat down on one of the couches, rubbing his temples. "I wanted to see if I could visit Obi-Wan... apparently there was an incident."

"What?" both Ahsoka and Padme blurted out simultaneously, aghast.

The Kel'Dor indicated for them to sit down, which they did for him to continue. "Obi-Wan attacked Anakin... they assume that if the guards hadn't intervened in time, he might have even killed him."

"...That doesn't sound like him at all," Ahsoka, who unlike Padme was still able to put her thoughts into words, breathed, stunned.

Padme stared back at Plo, and if the man could show it, she'd probably see him avert his eyes.

"...And what about Anakin?" she finally dared to ask, swallowing around the thick lump in her throat that still took her breath away. Even though she didn't know where she stood with Anakin at the moment, she still couldn't help but worry about him as well.

"I'm sorry, Padme," the Jedi Master said softly, "When I asked about him, all I was told was that he would be in the infirmary and unable to receive visitors."

Why does the universe hate us so much?

Putting her head in her hands, Padme suppressed a sob. She didn't know what else to do.

Plo sighed and let his gaze wander between the two of them. You didn't need to be a Jedi to sense that he was feeling the same way, except that he was somehow forcing himself to stay upright and look ahead. Padme didn't understand where he got the strength.

"...I think it would be good to get some distance from this whole thing... for both of you," he suggested sympathetically.

Padme shook her head vehemently. "I can't just stand by and ignore it... as a senator and as a friend, it's my duty to do everything in my power."

"With all due respect, no one is any help if you break from this... so please, Padme, think of yourself for a moment as well."

Standing up, she faced the Kel'Dor, eyeing the man closely. "And what gives me the right to dump all this burden on your shoulders? ...What gives you the right to presume that I have less strength than you?"

"It is not a question of strength, Senator," Plo returned calculatedly, "I have never doubted that. But I know from experience that one's limitations are sometimes closer than one would like. So I ask you again to leave the matter to me, at least for a few days. Because someday I will need you... and then with everything you have to offer."

Padme squared her jaw and held his gaze. He might be right, but she didn't like it.

Ahsoka, who had been silent until now, now interfered. "What are you not telling us, Master?" she asked, tilting her head.

The Jedi Master now turned his attention to the Padawan. "Please, don't ask, Ahsoka," he whispered, crossing his arms in front of his chest in a rather pitiful attempt to hide the twitching of his fingers.

"We have a right to know," Ahsoka continued to insist, eyes blazing.

Plo remained adamant. "It would bring you nothing but pain."

Ahsoka's gaze darkened and she bared her teeth. Before the girl was about to say anything, Padme intervened. "Ahsoka," she said, putting a hand on the Padawan's shoulder, "...maybe he has a point... you haven't been yourself since all this happened."

Something seemed to deflate inside Ahsoka, and her eyes softened again as she began to realize it as well.

"Look, it may not be what you want to hear, but I think it would be best for you if you maybe left Coruscant for a bit," Plo began again, "I was able to convince Anakin's mother to travel back to Stewjon tomorrow. Perhaps you would like to accompany her."

The Padawan gnawed on her cheeks and clenched her fingers. "What if I don't want to go?"

Plo eyed her with a fatherly calm. "Then I will not force you. It's your choice. The only thing I can promise you is that I will do everything I can to help Obi-Wan in the meantime."

She paused for a moment, then finally nodded. "...Okay ...I think - I think I need a moment to myself... you can find me at the temple if you're looking for me."

With that, Ahsoka stormed out before anyone could stop her. Frozen in place, Padme stared at the door closing behind the Padawan.

"Did we make a mistake?" she asked hoarsely.

"No," Plo assured her, "She'll understand."

Padme nodded silently and finally turned back to the Kel'Dor. "What did Ahsoka sense? Do you know something you've been keeping from us?"

The Jedi expelled a breath and seemed to think for a moment. "... I was able to gain access to some video footage from the prison. It's not pretty, Senator."

There's a spark inside her again, trying to ignite the fire in her veins. It's a rage she can just barely control. Master Koon's hints are enough for her to already imagine what the records would show.

"Show them to me," she bites out, "please."

For a moment it seemed like Plo was going to refuse, but Padme shot him another determined look, so he did finally pull a chip out of his pocket and walk over to the holoprojector placed in the corner.

Before activating the device, he turned to her again, "Are you really sure?"

Padme raised her head. "Don't ask me again."

Plo tipped his head and turned on the projector. The first recording could be seen. It apparently showed the arrival at the prison.

The transporter backed into the gate and it wasn't long before the doors swung open from the inside and two guards stepped out, a struggling Anakin between them. He seemed to be shouting something and kept turning back to the speeder as they dragged him away, but unfortunately the recording had no sound.

Obi-Wan followed next, and what Padme saw made her breath catch in her throat.

Two more guards got out, a motionless body between them.

Obi-Wan.

Unceremoniously, they dumped him on the floor in front of the transporter, his limbs twisted and pinned uncomfortably beneath him. Still he did not move an inch.

"What did they do to him?" asked Padme in shock, staring at the holo.

"If I only knew," Plo murmured defeatedly, "After the trial, we were forced to leave the chamber directly... The guards must have given him a good beating pretty much immediately after that."

One of the guards spoke into a commlink and it wasn't long before a stretcher was brought in. Roughly, they transferred Obi-Wan, caring little that his arm fell back down and also his head was more or less hanging over the edge.

Padme leaned forward as she got a good look at Obi-Wan's face in the camera for a moment.

His eyes were only slightly open, but it was enough to see the terror and pain in his milky eyes. Blood was running from the corner of his mouth and one could only hope that he had only bitten his tongue during whatever the guards had done to him. The bandages around his hands had also turned dark, as had the fabric of his pants above his knees. Even in the bluish, dim image, it was obvious that it was blood.

"These monsters," Padme growled as the first shot ended, "This is inhumane."

Plo quietly hummed in agreement, "I'm afraid there's more."

The second shot showed Obi-Wan with a guard in the hallway, already in prison garb. Their friend was shuffling forward more than walking, hampered by the bindings around his ankles. Right behind him, the guard followed.

Suddenly there was a skip in the shot and the next moment Obi-Wan suddenly stood facing the guard, a grim expression on his face.

Padme frowned in irritation and rewound. Once again, the strange skip was visible. "Something's missing," she muttered.

"Mhm," the Kel'Dor agreed with her, pointing to the guard, "That guy there is one of the chancellor's personal guards."

At that, Padme perked up. "I don't like the sound of that."

The recording continued. The guard pulled something out of the pocket of his uniform, but you couldn't tell because his back was to the camera. Whatever it was, it made Obi-Wan take a step back. Obi-Wan mouthed a quick reply before obediently turning away again and continuing on his way.

"The man threatened him with something," Plo commented, one hand under his chin, "And there aren't many things that really rattle Obi-Wan."

Padme let his words run through her mind. "Do you have something specific in mind?"

The Jedi lowered his arm again. "I honestly don't know. You could threaten him with anything. Obi-Wan's back is against the wall, and he's well aware of that."

"That's not very encouraging," she returned dryly, staring at the projector where the next clip was already loading.

"I never tried to be encouraging, either."

The last shot showed a large refectory. Many prisoners were already sitting at the tables and eating what was served to them as food. In the next moment Anakin and Obi-Wan entered the room and within seconds all the attention of the room was on them.

As if spellbound Padme looked at the image.

Anakin said something to Obi-Wan as he intently let his gaze roam the room. When Obi-Wan barely reacted, he nudged his master's shoulder, whereupon he jerked back as if he had been burned.

For the next few seconds, it looked like the two were arguing, though surprisingly it looked like Anakin was the calmer of the two.

What happened next left Padme gasping.

Anakin was about to reach for Obi-Wan, and it was at that moment that something changed on the Jedi Master's face. Teeth bared, Obi-Wan swung his fist at Anakin - and struck with full force. Padme's husband went down hard, and immediately Obi-Wan was on him - continuing to punch him without mercy.

Shocked, Padme put her hand over her mouth and had to turn away for a moment as she threatened to feel sick. Silently, she forced herself to look again.

Guards came rushing in, pulling the two apart, with four guards already struggling to hold Obi-Wan back, who seemed intent on inflicting further damage on Anakin, a man already lying motionless on the floor. They pulled him out of the room and the recording switched. One of the guards tried to handcuff Obi-Wan, but failed. With a burst of the Force, he threw three of the guards back, causing the men to collide with the surrounding walls. The fourth abruptly let go of him, seeming to frantically shout something into his commlink.

Obi-Wan stood in the hallway breathing heavily, his hair disheveled and his knuckles bloody. His expression resembled that of a wild animal. More guards joined them, including again the man they had identified as Palpatine's personal guard. Two of the guards drew some sort of electric batons and approached the disoriented Jedi. Obi-Wan expertly dodged the first blows, but the guards quickly gained the upper hand as his strength began to fade. One of the sticks hit him hard on the hip and he went down with a silent scream, where the second guard planted the tazer directly on his chest. Only when he lost consciousness did the guards let him go. Palpatine's henchman stepped forward, knelt in front of Obi-Wan, and pulled something out of his uniform again.

And just at that moment, the recording ended, leaving Padme in a sort of trance.

"He's not in any more recordings," Plo informed her quietly, removing the data chip from the projector, "Even his presence in the Force is gone."

Padme blinked, still fixated on the now deactivated holoprojector. She didn't know how to process what she had just seen.

Was Obi-Wan finally broken? And did this justify his attack on Anakin?

Her stomach twisted painfully as her thoughts continued to circle.

"Padme?", Plo snapped her back to reality as he placed a hand on her shoulder, "...perhaps you should sit down."

Stunned, she let him lead her back to the sofa and sat down, shivering.

"Deep breaths," he continued to speak to her, "Try to calm down."

She tried to follow his calm voice, but would not succeed. Plaintively, she continued to gasp for air. Through his black mask, Plo continued to look at her closely, his hand a steadying presence on her shoulder.

Realizing that her panic was not abating, he placed a finger on her forehead. "Sleep," he breathed.

Padme's mind had nothing to counter this, and she sank into darkness.